Whatever is not built on this foundation, says a sensible writer, already quoted, may satisfy the conscience and comport with the religion of that man, who never saw his guilt in the mirror of God's law; but every hope not founded on the Redeemer's righteousness will prove infinitely presumptuous and dangerous, and nothing give peace to the conscience, but what secures the honour of the broken law, and provides an ade quate satisfaction for the inflexible justice of Heaven; and nothing can do either, but the atoning blood of Jesus Christ applied by faith in that gospel testimony which declares, that he who shed it, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, and presented himself on the cross a sinatoning victim to Almighty God. However, therefore, we may admit the dictates of candour respecting some points of 'doubtful disputation,' and embrace in christian love the differing parties respectively; we can never give up the doctrine of the atonement, without yielding up to our adversaries, at the same time, the very essence of truth, the glory of the gospel, and the only foundation of our hopes and prospects

for ever. Nay, we may boldly affirm, that the scheme of religion that is not formed upon this plan, wants every thing essential to the glory of the divine perfections, and every thing that can consistently secure the peace and salvation of man, as a sinner.'

I am, Sir,

Yours, &c.

LETTER V.

What wisdom, infinite, vouchsafes to teach,
Shalt thou, frail mortal, hesitate to preach:
'Call imperfection what thou fancy'st such;
Say here he gives too little, there too much;
Snatch from his hand the balance and the rod,
Rejudge his justice, be the god of God.'

YOU tell me, Sir, that whatever may be your views of the doctrine of particular redemption, you are decidedly against the exhibition of it in the pulpit, and for this reason, among others, because it has a natural tendency to embarrass the preacher in addressing his audience. For such a remark I see no legitimate conclusion. Men are not called upon to decide whether redemption be particular or general: they are called to believe that they are sinners against God, and justly exposed to the curse denounced by the law against them as transgressors.

There are undoubtedly seasons when the doctrines of election, of particular redemption, and other truths connected with them may, and ought to be maintained; for without a right knowledge of these, it may be said with the learned Zanchius, when speaking of predestination, 'We cannot form just and becoming ideas of God. Thus, unless he certainly foreknows, and foreknew from everlasting, all things that shall come to pass; his understanding would not be infinite and a Deity of limited understanding is no Deity at all. Again, we cannot suppose him to have foreknown any thing, which he had not previously decreed; without setting up a series of causes, extra Deum, and making the Deity dependent, for a great part of the knowledge he has, upon the will and works of his creatures, and upon a combination of circumstances exterior to himself. Therefore, his determinate plan, counsel, and purpose, (i. e. his own predestination of causes and effects) is the only basis of his foreknowledge which fore

knowledge could neither be certain, nor independent, but as founded on his own antecedent decree. 2. He alone is entitled to the name of

True God, who governs all things, and without whose will (either efficient or permissive) nothing is or can be done: and such is the God of the scriptures against whose will, not a sparrow can die, nor a hair fall frem our heads, Matt. x.'

All-important however as are the doctrines of election and redemption, the exhibition of these truths is far from being the primary or the constant duty of a minister of Christ. In the pulpit, he has, more or less, always to do with men who are hostile to the moral government of God; who are daily living in actual rebellion against him; but who, notwithstanding, are neither aware of their situation nor their danger. It will therefore be his principal endeavour to convince them of their daring presumption and their guilt of their being righteously exposed to the curse threatened in the law, and that dying in such a state, they will inevitably perish.

Surely the preacher's belief of the doctrine of election and particular redemption, can be no obstacle to his bearing a faithful testimony to these awful and alarming facts

-to his pro