a single nation, where Christianity unknown to them. You who eshas prevailed. To argue against teem, with David, one day spent the Gospel because it involves in the courts of the Lord's house great responsibility, would be to argue against every blessing that God has bestowed upon us. It would be to assert that non-existence is better than existence, because existence involves responsibility. It would be to argue that ignorance is better than knowledge, because knowledge involves responsibility. Every thing valuable has great responsibility attached to it, and by the vast responsibility attached to the Gospel, we learn its infinite value. Instead, therefore, of despising and trifling with this greatest gift of Heaven, let us learn rightly to appreciate and use it ourselves, and exert our influence to send it to others, who are perishing for lack of knowledge. : as preferable to a thousand common days, may conjecture what a dreary land that must be, on which the light of a Sabbath day never dawns, and where there are no calls to remind the soul of God, its duty, and its destiny. You, many of you at least, have the hope that when you die, you shall, through the grace of Christ, be carried by angels into Abraham's bosom ; but they, at the very best, can hope only for a sensual heaven, and after enjoying that, have the gloomy prospect of returning again to this world of sorrow. When we thus contrast our state with theirs, shall we not be grateful? Shall we not adore that Providence which placed us in a christian land, and that grace which placed us in a christian church? Unworthy of the name of christians, and of the blessings of christianity must we be, if such considerations fail to move us. Let us be ashamed of our ingratitude, ashamed that we have lived so much below our high vocation, and let us seek that our gratitude may in some happy proportion correspond with our exalted privileges. Contrast your state with that of the Hindoos, and you will see that you have great cause for thankfulness. You have a Bible, which is as a light shining in a dark place, to guide your feet in the ways of peace they have nothing but the wildest romances and fictions about gods and goddesses, in that book which they revere as their bible. Your bible excites in your mind repentance for sin, and desires after holiness theirs sanctions sin, and 3. The view given of the state excites in the mind the most un-of the heathen, while it leads us to hallowed passions. Yours shews be thankful for our enjoyments as to you the way of life, and the Christians, ought also to lead us means by which that life is to be to pity and pray for them. obtained; theirs bewilders them in viewing ourselves as elevated above an endless labyrinth of ceremonies, them by gospel light and gospel and leaves them in utter darkness blessings, let us take heed that we about futurity. You have teachers do not look down upon them with to instruct you in the things that contempt, as that would ill become belong to your peace; whilst per- the elevation to which we have fect ignorance might be considered been raised by grace alone; raas bliss, compared with the in-ther let us learn to look upon them struction which they receive. You with eyes of compassion, as the have Sabbaths and the means of Saviour did upon us, when he saw grace; while the name of Sabbath us in our sins and in our blood. and all its blessings are totally Though they brought all their mi In series upon themselves, and de- to be the state of the heathen, and served to be given over to a repro- can we look on this vast field, bate mind, since they liked not to stained with the blood of so many retain God in their knowledge, millions, without feeling pity?— still they are objects of pity; and Then we must have hearts of flint it is in vain for us to excuse our- and not of flesh; for certain it is, selves from the duty which we owe that no scene on earth can be more them, by alleging their unworthi-touching to the sensibilities of a ness. We, like them, have all renewed mind. Some will say, we forsaken the fountain of living do indeed pity them, and deplore waters, and attempted to hew out their wretched condition; but then for ourselves cisterns, broken cis- the question is, do you pray for terns, that can hold no water; and them? Do you wrestle with God had God assigned this as a reason on their behalf? That pity which for not pitying us, we had to this is not accompanied by prayer is all time been in a state of hopeless formal. Pity without prayer is misery. We are to look at what affectation, as prayer without exthey are, and not at what they ertion is hypocrisy. We exhort deserve. When we see persons in you to compassionate their case, utter wretchedness, we pity them, that this divine feeling may lead although we know that that wretch- you to intercede with God on their edness has been owing to them-account. A few sensations of reselves. And what objects more gret, and a few expressions of calculated to excite compassion condolence, will be of little avail can there be, than these poor, de- in a case like this. Unless you luded, perishing idolaters? Do we sympathize with those who are labouring under a loathsome disease? They are deeply and degradingly affected with the leprosy of sin. Do we pity the dying, when they perish far from friends and all relief? They are dying far from God, and all relief in trespasses and sin and their death is not that of the body merely, but a death which must extend its influence through eternal ages.Would it excite our commiseration to see thousands dying all around us, and the devastation universal? What then ought to be our feelings, when we look on the plains of In-ployed, and for the extension of dia, and find that there are more those means. Many are the plans than a hundred millions there dy- now in operation--the preaching of ing in their sins, and that the dis- the Gospel, the translation of the ease of which they are perishing Scriptures, the instruction offered is extending its malignant influence by schools, &c. Pray, therefore, from generation to generation; that all these may be made instruwhilst scarcely any are to be found mental in turning men from dumb who will attempt to stop its pro-idols to serve the living God, and gress? Do we really believe this that they may be extended till the are brought so far to pity, as fervently and constantly to pray, your compassion will never reach the heathen. As an encouragement to prayer, let it be remembered, that sad as their case is, it is not hopeless. They are included in the covenant that is ordered in all things and sure: they are promised to Christ for his inheritance; and it is in answer to the intercession of Christ and the saints that they are to be given. Pray therefore in faith; and in all your supplications remember the labourers that are in the field, entreat for the. success of the means already em whole world shall be filled with our saddest exercises, the most the knowledge of the glory of the glorious prospects may arise. How Lord. Much has been accom-sad appeared the state of Abraplished by these means already, ham, when he was called "in hope but count nothing done, whilst so to believe against hope." How much remains to be effected. The sad appeared the state of the disharvest truly is great, and the la-ciples when Christ was taken from bourers are few; pray ye, there-them! and yet, that removal was fore, the Lord of the harvest to the beginning of their highest joy. send forth labourers into his har- And so it shall be with us; for vest; and in answer to your God hath said, "He that goeth prayers, it will soon be said to forth and weepeth, bearing prehim in whose hand the sickle is, cious seed, shall, doubtless, come "Thrust in thy sickle and reap, again with rejoicing, bringing his for the time is come for thee to sheaves with him.' reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." We call upon you, by the memory of those noble servants of the Lord who have laid down their lives in his service, to go forth in the same glorious cause. The primitive disciples went forth with their lives in their hands to preach the Gospel; and many, after their example, have gone forth, saying, "We count not our lives dear unto us, that we may finish our course with joy, and the ministry which we have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the grace of God." Have these persons devoted their lives? and will not you devote a portion of your property? 4. The state of the heathen should induce us to make the most strenuous exertions for the amelioration of their condition. It is not enough to say to the hungry and the naked, Be ye clothed, and be ye filled; we must bestow on them the robe of righteousness and the bread of life. We must do so from a regard to the glory of God. We know, from the eternal covenant of God-from the continued intercession of Christ at the right hand of God-from the assurance that all things shall be put under his feet from the innumerable pro- Skin for skin, yea, all that a phecies and promises of Holy man hath will he give for his life." Writ; we know that God has not We call upon you, by these glogiven the heathen over to Satan.rious examples, to give a portion He has placed the heathen of In- of your property to carry forward dia in our hands, that we may the same blessed cause. bring them to the knowledge of the truth. If God has given us light, let us communicate it. To this we are bound by the greatest obligations. Christ said to his disciples, "Freely have ye received, freely give:"-" Go ye into the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Some may perhaps say, there are so many discouragements. But we should remember that God does not despise "the day of small things;" and that from some of 66 Lastly, we exhort you, by the example of Christ.. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich." He" for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hando the throneof God. From thenceforth, expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." And with such an example as this before our eyes, shall we grow weary 66 or faint in our minds?" Have we The mode, however, by which not received from him whatever we the adversaries of this doctrine possess? To him we owe our usually impugn it, is not so much lives, our souls, our all: and what by a candid and devotional exaare all our labours, our self-denials,mination of those passages of saour donations in the glorious work, cred writ in which the mind and to accomplish which the Son of will of God are presented to our God came down to suffer and to view, as by railing against the die? doctrine itself, on the ground of Let us then "gird up the loins its supposed immoral tendency. of our minds" to this blessed work: It is said, “Once admit this doglet us "quit ourselves like men :" ma-allow the fact that God has let us go forward "strong in the chosen one to salvation, while he Lord, and in the power of his has passed by another; that the might." Let us consecrate our-purposes of God will effect their selves this day to his service. Let end and be fulfilled in all who are us rest assured that our labour its objects; then what becomes of shall not be in vain: whether we the interests of holiness? We may are permitted to see the result in indulge in sloth, iniquity, and hyour day, or not, the result is cer-pocrisy ; and yet arrive at eternal tain; for the time must come when glory. A doctrine so fraught with it shall be said, "the kingdoms of every unholy consequence cannot this world are become the king- be the truth of a holy God." doms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Ameu.* THE HOLY TENDENCY OF THE Doc TRINE OF ELECTION. To this libel on our holy religion it may be replied, that it is by no means confined to the doctrine of election. There is scarcely a peculiarity of divine revelation which has not been assailed in a similar manner. Out of a pretended zeal for the divine honour, its adversaries have dared to reject the revelation of his will. Vain man, who would be wiser than his Maker, has deemed those things to THERE are few truths of God's most holy word more fully and unequivocally asserted, than the doctrine of election. It is so plainly and frequently exhibited, that it appears surprising how any persons who receive the Bible as a revela-be hostile to the good behaviour of tion from heaven can deny it, or seek to explain it away. When Jehovah is said to have from the beginning chosen his people to salvation, and that there remains a remnant according to the election of grace, it is indeed astonishing to hear studuents of the Scriptures assert that God has not chosen to salvation the heirs of glory, more than those who are lost, and that in reality there is no election of grace. his fellow men, which are in reality the basis of christian holiness.-Who does not know that the same charges have been brought against the freeness of divine grace,-the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God,-justification by faith in the righteousness of the Saviour,—the influence of the Spirit of Christ on the heart of man, -the stability of the promises of Heaven,-and the unmerited bestowment of eternal glory? If the doctrine of election The extent to which the above excel- be thus reviled, it suffers in good lent sermon has occupied our pages, compels as to defer the insertion of that preached in company. It has only to endure the evening by our venerable friend Mr. the same treatment which has been Birt, till our next Number. unsparingly bestowed on other a motive and a source of holiness: important truths which are the "He hath chosen us in Him before glory of the Gospel and the salvation of the soul. It may, indeed, be said, that though this test of Scripture truth is often perverted and misapplied, it is not therefore necessarily inapplicable. It is an allowed and a legitimate test of truth, and the propriety of its application in any particular instance, must be determined solely by the merits of the sentiment to which it is applied. Now we are quite willing that the doctrine of election should be submitted to this kind of evidence. If it be in reality unholy, if it have a tendency to lead men to sin, and to live securely in violation of the divine will let it be rejected as unworthy of the God of truth and holiness. But we are bold to maintain that these are not its fruits, that it has no tendency, when scripturally understood, to lull those who embrace it into a fatal security, or to embolden them in the commission of crime. Yea, we go further-we affirm that it is in a peculiar manner a holy truth, a doctrine according to godliness; that its real tendency is to fill the soul with aversion to every sin, to induce love to God as our Father, and Christ as our Redeemer, and to inspire us with a holy anxiety to run in the way of the divine commandments, with alacrity and enlargedness of heart. Should these assertions be borne out by proofs, it will be found there is no rational ground of objection to this great truth, and that it should be received, like every other, on the testimony of the ever blessed Jehovah, and by the light of its own evidence. Let us first look at this doctrine as it appears in the Bible. Now it is a remarkable fact, that in several passages of the inspired volume it is set before us, both as the foundation of the world, that "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." 2 Thess. ii. 13. Here is the doctrine of God's election clearly stated. This passage looks even further than the former. It views the choice of God as consummated in the Christian's salvation, which shall be effected at the revelation of Christ on the day of judgment. Now if nothing except this were stated in reference to Jehovah's ultimate designs, it might be said, that since Jehovah will infallibly accomplish all his determinations, and the objects of his choice shall be ultimately saved, therefore may |