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Now, Sir, may I, without offence, afk you, Is not this a contradiction of your firft pofition? Nay, does it not contain, within itself, a direct contradiction? The invisible God is become visible," &c. feems to be a contradiction in terms.

In proof of this you fay, "The eternal power and godhead are made visible by the works of creation;" but the conclufion of your fentence fhews that in this place you use the word "vifible" in a figurative fenfe, and not as I apprehend you to have used it in your pofition or statement of what you intended to prove. There I fuppofe you to use the word in"visible" ftrictly and literally, and of courfe the word "vifible" alfo.

The conclufion of your fentence is, "all which imply such a cause of their exiftence." Now furely to imply a caufe, and to make that caufe vifible, are two very different things.-This writing implies a writer, but does not make the writer vifible.

When Jefus Chrift faith," he who hath feen me, hath feen the Father," it appears to me, that he speaks figuratively, and fo it appeared to the apoftle John, otherwife, would that evangelift have afferted, "No man hath feen God at any time?"

I take fuch expreffions as thefe, that " Jefus Chrift is the brightness of God's glory," and "the exprefs image of the Father," to be incontrovertible proofs that he is not the FaAnd if Jefus Chrift were now upon earth, ftill your firft pofition would be true.--ftill we might fay, God is invisible.

ther.

If it be faid, "God was manifeft in the flesh," it may alfo be faid, God is manifeft in the fun, moon, and stars, and in all the works of creation. But, Sir, your fourth position wants the fupport of fact and poffibility, for it runs thus---"The invifible God is become vifible to us in the perfon of Christ." Now, Sir, where is the perfon of Chrift? To which of us is the perfon of Chrift vifible? And by what means is it poffible for you or me, or any Chriftian, to fee the perfon of Chrift? I know of but one way of answering the questions I have put, and that is,- "We cannot tell."

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But the folution of this difficulty, or rather a plain statement of the real truth, is made by the apoftle John, in a paffage you have alluded to.--

John, i. 18. "No man hath feen God at any time; the only begotten fon which is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him."

I presume it is not neceffary to add any thing to these words to prove that God is no more visible now, in the literal fenfe of

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F.it can be proved from the Scriptures, that God loves men

IF

when in a state of reprobation---that, viewed in that state, he gave his own fon to die for them---that he actually took fome of those who had been in a ftate of reprobation to be a people for his name---that some who had been in that dreadful ftate were called by the gofpel, and when called were spoken of as the elect of God, it will follow, that reprobation does not intend God's totally giving up his creatures so as never after to employ any means for their recovery, nor by any means imply a ceffation of his love to them---that a state of reprobation is not an irremediable ftate---and that, fo far from election and reprobation being twin doctrines, the fame individuals have been reprobates and elect perfons at different times. These things I fhall attempt to prove.

The gentiles at large were once given oyer of God, for Paul fays, "God gave them over to a reprobate mind," Rom. i. 28. This giving over of the gentiles was not the effect of an unconditional decree, but occafioned by their own conduct, as the apostle fhews in the context. It was not the rash act of an infuriated being, whofe anger had got the better of his love, and turned it into enmity and hatred; for then it would have been unworthy of God, and utterly irreconcilable with the character which he hath given of himself in the Scriptures; but the righteous act of that being who is love, and who never can act but from love, because he cannot act but from himself; confequently, his giving them over to a reprobate mind must, as a link in the great chain of his difpenfations, be fubfervient to an end worthy of his infinite wildom and goodness. If we cannot clearly fee how this giving over the gentiles to a reprobate mind can ultimately fubferve his immutable defign of making them all pure and happy, it is because we cannot fully trace the connection between that circumftance and other parts of the amazing plan of Divine operations.

Could

Could we bring no particular proof of God's love to the reprobate, the general evidence arifing from the representation which the Scriptures give of his Divine character, might be deemed fufficient to prove, that they, as well as the elect, must be loved by him. He whofe unalterable nature, whofe very being is declared to be love, who is acknowledged to have once loved all his creatures, and to have formed them for happiness, who is alfo acknowledged to be incapable of changing either his nature or his designs, however in infinite wisdom he may fee fit to vary his difpenfations, muft furely continue to love and design the happinefs of all his creatures, even when, for wife purposes, he leaves them in a state of reprobation. But we have particular and pofitive evidence, that this is the cafe, John, iii. 16." God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fon," &c.; the world muft include the gentiles, who had been given over to a reprobate mind; as he loved the world, he muft of course loye those who had been fo given over; as he fent his fon to be the faviour of the world, it follows, that he fent him to be their faviour; as Chrift gave himself a ransom for all, it follows, that he gave himself a ransom for the reprobate as well as the elect; and that, as he is a propitiation for the fins of the whole world, he is a propitiation for the fins of the former as well as for the fins of the latter. Thus it appears, that God loves and has made provifion for the falvation of the reprobate, notwithstanding their being in a state of reprobation.

As when the apoftle fpeaks of God's giving the gentiles over to a reprobate mind, he speaks of the gentiles at large, and, notwithstanding this, the gofpel was afterwards fent to them, and many of them faved by it, this is proof pofitive that thofe who are given over by God, and left in a state of reprobation, may afterwards be delivered, and brought to a state of purity and happiness. The gofpel was fent to the reprobate gentiles, to take out of them a people for the name of God, Acts, xv. 14.; and those who were fo taken we find in all the epiftles fpoken of as the elect of God: it follows, that as a part are taken and made first-fruits to God and the Lamb, the reft may all be ultimately recovered and included in the great harveft, of which the firft-fruits are an earnest. He who hath taken the one, can, in due time, take the other alfo. If there be no inconfiftency in fome being faved who had been left in a state of reprobation, what inconfiftency can there be in fuppofing that all fuch will be restored? The elect being. brought out of that common ftate of reprobation in which the gentiles at large were, feems to imply that the bleffings which they are called to the enjoyment of, the relations which they

are

are called to ftand in, and the offices which they are appointed to fill, have a connection with the future recovery and happinefs of those from among whom they were selected. At any rate these remarks go to prove, that à ftate of reprobation is not an irremediable state, for if fo, how could any ever be recovered who were once in that state?

God may give over his creatures for a time, leave them to walk in their own ways, and reap the bitter fruits of their own doings, that they may know by experience the dreadful confequences of departing from him. This was the cafe with refpect to the gentiles; but he did not totally forsake aad utterly give them up to fin and mifery; he afterwards vifited themwith his mercy, and fent his falvation among them: fo he hath declared he will not contend for ever, neither will he be always wroth, Ifaiah, lvii. 16. All his works fhall praise him, and his tender mercies are over all his works. Palm cxlv. 9, 10. and civ. 31. Rejoicing in the prospect of that happy period, I remain, dear Sir,

WISBEACH, AUGUST 30, 1799.

SIR,

I

HEBREW CRITICISM.

Yours, &c.

R. W.

T has been more than once afferted by the enemies to reve◄ lation, that many of the ideas contained in the Scriptures

are borrowed from thofe nations which are denominated heathen; and, as a proof of the affertion, produce the phrase "Lord of Hofts," fo frequently used in the Scriptures, which, it is affirmed, is an imitation of the heathens in their god Mars.

The following criticism, which I referred to in my laft, has a tendency to fhew that "Lord of Hofts" is an improper tranflation of the Hebrew; whether it is fo, I leave to the judgment of your readers to determine, and remain, Yours, &c.

'W. BURTON,

1. If n be a proper name of the Deity, as is generally allowed, muft not say be in appofition with it? Proper names being incapable of regimen.

b

2. Is not say beyond difpute, in appofition with in these fix places, Pfalm lix. 5. lxxx. 4, 7, 14, 19. lxxxiv. 8.? nb being in its abfolute form.

3. As the LXX. often retain the original word cabant, can they be supposed to have thought that it always fignified hofts?

4. Is not the rendering nsa by hofts, in many places, incongruous to the fenfe? For it is a true obfervation, that fuch epithets are generally applied to the Deity in any particular inftance as are expreffive of those attributes which are then difdisplayed.

5. May we not then suppose, with good reafon, that ar in most, if not all the places where these phrases occur is the plural, not of say an hoft, but of a glory, beauty? The inflection is fimilar to that of fome other words of the like form, and of the fame word in a different fenfe, Cant. ii. 7. and the conftruction may be the fame with ma w plentiful rain, Pfal. Ixviii. 9. and thy people shall be willing, Pfalm cx. 3. Analogous to which, max n' will be, THE GLORIOUS JEHOVAH.

6. By adopting this fenfe will there not be a peculiar beauty and elegance in feveral paffages? Thus,

Ifaiah, xxiii. 9. "The glorious Jehovah hath purposed to ftain the pride of all GLORY."

Ifaiah, xxviii. 5. "In that day fhall the glorious Jehovah be for a crown of glory.

That well known paffage in the Pfalms---" Who is the king of glory? The glorious Jehovah, he is the king of glory." See Jer. iii. 19. compared with Ezek. xx. 6, and 15. See alfo Deut. xxviii. 58.

CONFESSION AND DYING WORDS OF WM. MILLS.

MR. EDITOR,

ΤΗ

HE following is the laft fpeech, confeffion, and dying words of William Mills, who was fome time fince executed at Edinburgh for the crime of house-breaking, extracted from a pamphlet published by Henry David Inglis. As it contains the ancient faith and hope of all who have died in the truth, I prefume you will have no objection to give it a place in your Miscellany, for the edification of thofe who have obtained like precious faith with the apoftles in the righteoufnefs of our God and Saviour. I am, Sir, Yours fincerely,

V. A.

I William Mills, aged about 32 years, was born in the shire of Aberdeen, of honeft parents, who brought me up while I remained with them in a fober way; but my inclination being

to

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