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through the redemption of his Son, a number of the sons of men, who are made accepted in Him, the beloved; for which purpose the adorable Surety, as the head of his body the Church, came into the world, assumed our nature, suffered and died; and after his resurrection, sent forth his ministers to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to a perishing world.

The doctrine of election has been frequently calumniated as unmerciful and cruel, whereas the fact is directly the reverse. Were there no election of men to everlasting life and blessedness, not a single individual would be saved. For, however extended and ample redemption may be supposed, it would avail nothing were men left to themselves. The human heart is too powerfully fascinated with the objects of sense-with gratifying the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the

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pride of life, to think much either of God, or the salvation of the soul. These considerations seldom occupy the mind till age, or disease, render men incapable of gratifying the sensual appetite; and when the symptoms of approaching dissolution interrupt their quiet, the means adopted to secure their future happiness, are quite the reverse of those announced by the inspired writers. Christ crucified is still unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness: and on no occasion is the pride of the human heart so conspicuous, as in its utter aversion from the way of salvation revealed by the Gospel. To suppose that the soul possesses nothing that can in any way contribute to its safety, is a thought not to be endured. It is therefore plain that, if the scripture account of the corruption of human natureof the enmity of the carnal mind against God of the almighty power requisite to

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enlighten the understanding, and to quicken those who are dead in trespasses and sins, be true; and no plan has been settled in the everlasting covenant of grace to secure the application of Christ's redemption, no flesh living would be saved. This position is, I think, as susceptible of proof as any theological axiom hitherto embraced by the christian church.

That the following letters have, among other things, a reference to the fundamental doctrines of election, of imputation and redemption, will be easily perceived; but whether they will contribute to the elucidation or establishment of these very interesting subjects, must be left to the determination of the intelligent and impartial reader.

THOUGHTS

ON THE

SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST.

LETTER I.

'On Calvary's Hill my mourning eye discerns,
With faith's clear view, that Spectacle which wipes
Each tear away, and bids the heart exult!

There hangs the Love of God! There hangs of man
The Ransom! there the Merit; there the Cure
Of human griefs-the Way, the Truth, the Life!"

I HAVE to apologize, my dear Sir, for not having long ere this answered your obliging favour. I flatter myself, however, that when you consider my numerous avocations, and the little leisure I have for epistolary communications, my remissness will readily meet with forgiveness.

In answer to your request, suffer me to say, That the more I reflect on what passed at our

We endured

opably suffer last interview, the more I am convinced that the no sufferings of Christ were in exact proportion to I had human the guilt of the many sinners he had undertaken cub: but it was to redeem; and that, had the unworthy objects the dignity of his person of his merciful regard been more numerous, not the extent these sufferings would have likewise been aug

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of a divine law

commensurate mented. It should be observed concerning the with the demen sufferings of Christ, says Bishop Reynolds, That the economy or dispensation of his mediatorship is the measure of all that he suffered. So much as that required, he did suffer, and more he did not.'

This supposy

To say, That had our blessed Lord redeemed every individual of the human race, he would not have suffered more than he actually did suffer; is, in effect, saying, That there is as much moral evil in a few transgressions as in moral evil to be many, and that it is deserving of as much pulisnited how greet nishment; or, in other words, That suffering soever, I can for a part of our species is sufficient for the & consequat that the redemption of the whole; which is a sentiment, the damned con

not be eternal in my mind, repugnant to the moral government that the sufferings of God, and contrary to the ideas that ought of were hinted ever to be retained both of virtue and of vice. "by the ovimber & digne of the bind for who he died, _ a doctrine nowhere. laught at in the S.

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