Elr.
CALVIN.

Elr.

CALFIS. eth in us; to the IN. " The Cal. IU. “ The Gra. which the punish- vinists say, that al. cians called it (free ment is justly due. though man has lost will) Antesourian

The apostle himself his power to obey, a self-moving,orself. expressly witness- yet God has not lost determiningpower.) elh,that death came bis right to com. How few are there, upon all men, be. mand. What, then, who, when they cause all men have shall we call those hear free-will attri. sinned. And, there. persons, who tell buted to man, do fore, the very in- us, that sinners have not, by and by, confarts themselves are a natural ability jor ceive that he is bound, not by ano. moral action." pp. Lord both of his ther's, but by their 45, 54,

own mind and will, own fault. There

ar.d that he is able could be no guilti.

of himself to turn ness without sin."

himself, &c." B. II. Book II, Ch. 1. sec.

Ch. 2. sec. 7, 8. 8.

Such is the free. II. " The Calvin. II. « God loved

dom of will, which istick doctrine of men as his crea.

Calvin rejects; conelection includes tures, while he hat.

sistently with wbich the idea of a par. ed them as sinners,

he might hold, and, ticular atonement.-- and therefore sent

for aught appears, The atonement was his Son, to obey

did hoid, that men a satisfaction made and suffer, as a sub.

have natural power for the sins of the stitute.- Now it is

to do their duty ; elect.–To all the plain, what that

while, in an unre. elect, and to no oth. saying of the pro.

newed state, they er persons, did God phet (Isa. liii. 6)

have no moral pow. originally design to meaneth, that the

er, i. e, no inclina. extend the atone. iniquities of us all

tion to any thing pp. 26, were laid upon him,

holy. 266, 105. &c.” B. II. Ch. 16,

IV.“ Faith is the

iv. “ The begin. On page 116 is sec. 4, 6.

first exercise of the ning of believing "a Critique," de.. It would seem, regenerate soul.- doth already consigned to prove a from these and sim- The beleving pen- tain in it the recen. limited atonement. ilar expressions,that itent loves God. ciliation, whereby

Calvin viewed the How can a man re. man approacheth to atonement as made pent, or perform God; as Paul saith, for men, as such, any good works, With the heart man and, tberefore, suf before he firmly be believeth unto rightficient for all. He lieves ?" pp. 182, cousuess.' B. II. no where clearly | 218, 220.

Ch. 17, sec. 8. expresses his idea

V. “God has not V. " John plain. of the extent of the suspended man's ly testifieth, that atonement. That he salvation upon any they, who believe in held to a limited condition, which he his name (the name atonement, is only can, or ever will of Christ) are made an inference from perform. The a: the children of God. his notion of im. tonement is the only Christ sendeth the putation. But, if it condition, on which apostles to publish may be inferred is suspended the the gospel io all the from Calvin's idea sinner's salvation." nations of the world, of imputation, that p. 47.

subjoining,

that he held to a limited

they who believe, ato:lement; it may

and are baptized, as justly be inferred

shall be saved." B. from his view of the

II. Ch, 1, sec. 1, and general offers of the

B. IV. Ch, 16, s. 28. Gospel, and the cri.

Calvinists VI. When it is minality of unbelief, maintain, that God said, in the Psalms, that he held to an can govern his crea. that God doeth all unlimiled atone- tures, without doing things that he will, ment.

all their deeds him. this has respect to

ment."

VI. "

TURN AWAY

MINDS AND FROM THEM

AND WITH

OWN

IT WERS THEIR OWN THEI MIGHT

AND

3

ELY.
CALVIN.

ELY,

Calvir. s.-If.- Angels male all the doings of men. introduced by Paul, be set before us, themselves Devils. If God appoints war in a parenthesis, to which alone we must The Calvinists be- and peace, who will explain the reason behold with fired lieve that God ef. say, that men act, of his great sorrow eyes--so that if all fectually calls the without being caus- for his countrymen. hope of onr private elect, without cre- ed, and that the a. Some of them, how. benefit were cut off, ating holy volitions gency of God is out ever, differ in con. yet we would not in them immediate. concerned in their struction; and sup. cease to wish and ly:-God so gove actions?--They tri- pose that Paul, in pray for the sancti. orns moral agents, fle, wbo thrust expressing bis ar. fication of God's as to do his pleas. in a bare, permis. dent attachment to name and for other ure, without creat- sion, in place of the the Jews, said, "I things that pertain ing their actions.” Providence of God. did wish myself to to his glory: as we pp. 56, 57, 136, 262. --The words of Sol. be set apart,” or see in the exam.

omon, The king's devoted as anathema ple of Moses and
heart is in the hand sometimes signifies, Paul, To WHOM IT
of the Lord; he turn- һиро “ by Christ,” was NOT GRIEVOUS
eth it, as the river: to the apostleship, to
of water, whitherso. "for my brethren," THEIR
ever he will, are ap- Dr. Lee supposes ETES
plicable to all man- Paul to say, "I my. SELVES,
kind.--I grant, that self did boast, that VELEMBNT AND IN-
God often times I was separated from FLAMBD ZEAL, to
works in the Rep. Christ, more than wish THEIR
robate by Satan's my brethren."-It DESTRUCTION; THAT
service as a mean;

is said by some, THOUGH
but yet so that Sa. that the prayer of WITH
tan doth his office Moses, Blot me. I loss,
by God's moving :- pray thee, out of thy ADVANCE THE GLO-
God worketh in the book, Deut. xxxii. BI

KINGDOM hearts of evil men, 32, proves that he of God." B. III, whatsoever he will; was willing to be ać. Ch.20, sec. 35. and yet rendereth cursed for his breth. to them according ren.-The truth is,

their deserv. that the scriptures

to

1. Modern Calvinism is widely ciples and their consequences.different from Ancient Calvinism. The broad foundation, which sup

2. Hopkinsianism and Ancient ports our ample superstructure, Calvinism are so nearly alike, that was long since deeply and most the late excellent Dr. SAMUEL firmly laid in the first principles SPRING had sufficient reason for of Calvinism." saying, “ It is evident, that Hop- 3. Compared with Modern Calkinsian sentiments are only the vinism, Hopkinsianism is very genuine flourishing and fruitful | moderate Calvinism: for it plainly branches of the Calvinistick tree. | appears, that Modern Calvinism - There is no more difference be- is nothing more nor less, than a tween Calvinists and Hopkinsians, gross system of Antinomian Selfthan there is between a tree and ishness. its branches, or between first prin

A HOPKINSIAN.

EXPOSITION.

eth," they say, “That he who HABAKKUK ii. 2. And the Lord | runs, may read.” It is thus quotanswered me, and said, Write the ed by Dr. Young, in his Night vision, and make it plain upon ta- Thoughts, " who runs may read.” bles, that he may run that readeth The idea conveyed by this exit.

pression, is, that the writing must The book of Habakkuk contains be very legible; that it must be in a prediction of the destruction of capitals, or large letters, fairly the Jews, by the Chaldeans; also and distinctly written. This is of the destruction of the Chalde- one sense, which may be, and is ans by some other power, which put upon the passage. And if this God would raise up to punish them | be the real meaning of the passage, for their impiety, idolatry and the transposition of the words, oppression

mentionell, will be of no conseThe prophet was ordered to querce: for the single idea conwrite this prophecy, as well as to veyed, is, that the writing must deliver it verbally, that, at the be so plain and legible, that one time of its accomplishment, peo

can read it, when he is running. ple, by comparing the event and But, as the words stand in the prophecy together, might have Bible, they may be understood in evidence of a superintending pro

a different sense. It

may

be, that vidence of God.

the commandment given to HabThe passage under considera- akkuk, to write the vision and tion, has been understood differ- make it plain upon tables, meant, ently by different persons; and the not merely that his hand-writing sense in which it has been under should be legible; but that tne stood by some, has been the occa- malter of his vision should be made sion of their transposing some of intelligible. If making the vision the words in such a manner, as plain referred to the hand-writing, necessarily to fix their sense upon would not the similitude be very the passage. Often, in quoting or singular and unnatural, such as is referring to this passage of Scrip- not usually found in the Bible? ture, in sermons or other dis-For who ever reads, when runcourses, the words, run and read, ning? Further, of what great imare transposed. Instead of say- portance would such a command ing " That he may run that read- I be? But if, by making the vision

66

plain upon tables, we understand, God told Habakkuk to make that the prophet was ordered to this matter plain and intelligible, write in an intelligible manner, that those, who would read his the matter of his vision, or pro- prophecy, might know what evil phecy, so that those, who would was coming, and make haste to read it, might understand it, take secure themselves. warning, and run from impending It was, also, revealed to this danger; the command appears to prophet, that the Chaldeans, by have been very necessary and im- reason of their success and conportant.

quests, would become haughty, This exposition of the text, ap- cruel and impious; and that God pears to be natural, easy and cor- would inflict punishment on them; rect, when we read it just as it is that their country would in its in the Bible. The Lord was not turn, be conquered and made despointing out the degree of plain- olate; and that this matter must ness, which the prophet must use be made plain, that God's obediin writing bis vision; but the end ent people, who might be amongst for which it must be made plain. them, might escape the danger. He did not say, that it must be The Chaldeans were to gather written so plain, that one can read the captivity as the sand.” An it when running; but it must be innumerable multitude of the Jews plain, thut one who reads it may were to be carried captives into be excited to run.

the land of the Chaldeans; and Evils, great evils, were impend- when the destruction of Babylon, ing God's ancient people ; and the city of the Chaldeans, should God was graciously pleased to come, God's people there would give them warning, that those of again be in imminent danger; and them, who were believing and obe- therefore they must be warned to dient, might flee to a place of safe- run from the impending evils; and ty. God said to this prophet, “I for this end, Habakkuk must make raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter his vision plain. Thus Jeremiah and hasty nation, who shall march | did, who prophesied of the same through the breadth of the land, thing, and probably about the same to possess the dwelling-places that time: Chap. li. 6, “ Flee out of are not theirs, They are terrible the midst of Babylon, and deliver and dreadful; their judgment and every man his soul: be not cut oft their dignity shall proceed of them- in her iniquity; for this is the time selves. Their horses also are of the Lord's vengeance; he will swifter than the leopards, and render unto her a recompense." more fierce than the evening Jeremiah made his vision plain, wolves: and their horsemen shall and warned God's people to esspread themselves, and their horse- cape from the impending calamimen shall come from far, they tie's. And so was Habakkuk orshall fly as the eagle that hasteth dered to do, that those, who would to eat. They shall come all for read, might run, and not be cut violence: their faces shall sup up off with the wicked, when God the east wind, and they shall should take vengeance on them. gather the captivity as the sand.”

Rev. J. Barker's Serm.

DISINTERESTED BENEVOLENCE.

love for the general good as apDisinterested benevolence we proves of the divine conduct in believe to be simply this, such a sacrificing every other consideration to advance this object. That gard to our salvation? In the first person, therefore, who, from a

who, from a place: clear and distinct view of this We have every reason to believe truth, that the ultimate end of all that he is not indifferent to our inthe dispensations of Providence is terest. All the dispensations of his the general good, that the happi- providence, as well as the posiness of some individuals is sought tive declarations of his holy word, in subordination to this object, and evince the most tender regard for that the happiness of others is sac- even the lowest of his creatures. rificed to promote it, rejoices in He is long suffering to us ward, the divine government, possesses not willing that any should perish, the true spirit of disinterested be- but that all should come to renevolence.

pentance. How shall I give thee It is a question of no minor im- up, Ephraim? How shall I delivportance, how an individual pos- er thee, Israel? How shall I make sessing such a spirit, will feel con- thee as Admah? How shall I set verning his own interest, when he thee as Zeboim? My heart is turncontemplates the doctrine of di- ed within me, my repentings are vine

"There is no difficulty in deter- guage of his Providence, such are mining the feelings of one who has the feelings of his heart, even toa perfect assurance of his own wards his incorrigible enemies.good estate.

He knows the will Disinterested benevolence, thereof God respecting himself, that he fore, does not require us to be inis a subject of the divine favour. different to our own salvation. On Of course, he will desire that his the contrary it demands the greatown good may be promoted in sub- est anxiety and the most vigorordination to the general good. In ous exertions on our part, to sethis he exercises the true spirit of cure an object which infinite gooddisinterested benevolence.

ness regards with such deep soBut how few, among the great licitude. But secondly: mass of the nominal disciples of Although the Almighty is not our Lord, can say, that they have indifferent to our salvation, yet, a perfect assurance of their own we must conclude that he regards good estate.

So far as our knowl- the general good as an object of edge is concerned, the salvation greater importance than our indiof our souls is yet uncertain. It vidual good. If he did not, he remains among the secret purpos- would cease to be all-wise, and es of him, who disposes of all his would no longer be worthy of the works according to his sovereign supreme regard of his creatures. pleasure. How important then, is Disinterested benevolence rethe enquiry, What ought to be the quires that our feelings should cofeelings of persons situated as we incide with the feelings of God.are, respecting their own interest? | We therefore should consider our In answering this enquiry, we shall own salvation an object of less imassume that our feelings ought to portance than the happiness of his ' coincide with the feelings of God, whole kingdom. And thirdly, as far as they can be ascertained. Since the Almighty considers If they do not, how can we be the general good to be an object happy in his presence? How can of greater importance than our we walk with God unless our feel- personal good, we must conclude ings agree with his. What then

that he regards with deeper solicare the feelings of God with re- litude, the happiness of his whole