importance, the neceffity, and the reality of the doctrine of Regeneration. "Marvel not," therefore, if our heavenly Teacher infifts again and again, that "ye must be born "again." The wind blows fometimes in the gentle breeze, at others in the awful ftorm. The fouth wind comes; or the fiercer north wind awakes; "it whirleth about continu"ally." And thus it is in the moral world. Some are born again in a gentle and almost imperceptible manner. They liftened to the "fmall, ftill voice" of mercy, in the mild whispers of the Gospel. Others have been awakened by a ftorm-their ftubborn hearts were fmitten by awful convictions; there was an earthquake in their fouls that hook their vain confidence to the ground: their humbled fpirits fought mercy, and they found it. Both thefe cafes are illuftrated by matters of fact, in one chapter of the Acts of the Apoftles; Lydia's heart was opened by divine mercy while the hears the Gofpel, fo that the attended unto the things which were fpoken of Paul. But fuddenly there was a great earthquake, fo that the foundations of a prifon were fhaken; and the keeper, finding another and a worfe earthquake in his foul, cried with a loud voice and with trembling, "Sirs, what muft I do to be faved?" So various are the works of God, in the operations of nature and of grace. It is an happiness, however, to be brought to the enjoyment of divine mercy, whether we are allured or alarmed; whether we are drawn by the gentle cords of love, or driven by the awful terors ofthe Lord. In any wife, O thou God of mercy, bring us to thy felf. "Awake O north wind and come thou fouth; "blow upon my garden, that the fpices thereof may flow "forth" in numerous and beautiful "fruits of righteousness, "which are by Jefus Chrift, unto the glory and praife of "God."

When we have heard the found of the ftor:my wind, and have been informed of its awful effects, let us learn to fear that great and powerful God, who "bringeth the wind out of "his treafuries." Ought not the wicked to tremble at his frown? the most hardened infidels have felt their hearts fail them. When "the Lord fent out a great wind into the fea, "and there was a mighty tempeft in the fea, fo that the ship "was like to be broken; then the heathen mariners were "afraid, and cried every man to his God." Voltaire and Volney have been Atheists when the weather was calm, but a ftorm has frightened them to the acknowledgment of a God. But there is another form, which will fhortly overtake the finner who dies impenitent and unpardoned. "Upon "the wicked he fhall rain fire and brimftone, and an hor

"rible tempeft," from which there can be no escape, and which no calm will ever fucceed. It is well, however, for those who have not yet drank "the portion of fuch a cup" as this, that divine revelation dires us to One, who is defcribed "as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert "from the tempeft; and who is ready to receive with open and gracious arms all who flee to Him for refuge and fhelter. The name of the Lord Jefus is a strong tower: O let us run unto it, that we may be fafe. Sheltered beneath his wings, the believer may indeed hear the storm at a diflance, but no harm fhall approach to hurt him. He may be "toffed with "a tempeft, and not comforted," for a while, but he is fecure in the guardian care of an heavenly pilot, and shail reach the defired haven.

If the ftormy wind fulfil the word of God," we may learn obedience from its example. The unruly elements, as we call them, obey their Lord. But men are more unruly things. While univerfal nature proclaims the perfections of its Maker and Governor, O that men would join the harmony in their obedient praife. Then may we look forward to another region, where all is calm and peace, and harmony and blifs.

Basingstoke, 12th Nov. 1800.

J. J.

REMARKABLE PROVIDENCE.

To the Editor of the Evangelical Magazine.
SIR,

IT is natural for us to be pleafed with every thing remarkable in the lives of our pious ancestors, and to wish to tranfmit their names with honour to pofterity. If you will give the following anecdote a place in your Magazine, it may be a means of ftrengthening the faith of God's tried followers, and may bring glory to our bleffed Lord and Mafter.

I have for many years formed the defign of publishing a Non-conformist's Memorial of the ejected miniiters in Scotland; but I have not been able to collect fufficient accounts of them, to enable me to enter upon fuch an impor tant and useful work, which would, I am perfuaded, be

found as full of the wonderful difplays of God's divine providence and fovereign grace, as that valuable work-The English Non-conformist's Memorial.

The following is taken from Livingstone, of Ancrim's "Memorable Characteristics, and lives of the most eminent Divines in Scotland, during the first Century after the Reformation." (Glasgow, 1754.) I think more of this good man's life is to be found in Calderwood. His father was heir to the eftate of Ochletree, and my great grandfather was his brother.

Should this fall into the hands of any perfon poffeffed of information refpecting thefe worthies of Scotland, whether in print or manufcript, who would favour me with the perufal of them, they fhall be faithfully returned.

JOHN DUNCAN. No 1. Palace Street, Buckingham Gate.

October 11, 1800,

THE

HE Rev. Andrew Duncan was Minifter of Craill, in Fife, and for his confcientious adherence to the truth of the Gospel, was, by order of King James the fixth, imprifoned in the caftle of Blackness, and afterwards banished the kingdom.

He fettled at Berwick, but having several children, and his wife near her time, they were reduced even to want the neceffaries of life. For this caufe alfo they were obliged to part with their fervant maid. One night the children afked for bread, and there being none to give them, they wept fore. Mrs. Duncan alfo was much depreffed in fpirit; but Mr. Duncan had often recourfe to prayer, and in the intervals of it, endeavoured to cherish his wife's hope, and please the children, till at length he got them to bed. But Mrs. Duncan mourned and grieved exceedingly, on account of the dear children's fufferings; in which the fhewed more of the tenderness of a mother, than the confidence of a Chriftian. Mr. Duncan exhorted her to wait patiently upon God, who was now trying their faith and patience, but would undoubtedly provide for them in his own time and way and added, that he was fure that the Lord would even rain down bread from Heaven, but he would fend them a fupply. They had neither friends nor acquaintance in the place, to whom they could make their wants known. But that very night, a man brought a fack-full of provifions, and went away without letting any of them know from

whence he came. When Mr. Duncan opened the fack, he found a fmall bag with 201. in it, a bag of flour, two loaves of bread, and feveral other articles of provifions: having brought the whole to his wife, he faid, "See what a good "Mafter I ferve!" Upon this they took their maid again. In a thort time his wife was taken in labour, and was in want of every thing neceffary both for herfelf and the child. But the good Mafter whom he ferved, knew and provided for all their wants. While fhe was in labour in the night, and he knew not where to find a midwife in the town, a gentlewoman rode up to the door, alighted, fent back the fervant with the horfes, and ordered him to return again at a certain time. She prefently had accefs to Mrs. Dfpoke very affectionately to her, prefented her with an abundance of all that fhe or the child fhould want of every kind, and alfo performed the office of a midwife. She dreffed the child, and, after having given Mr. Duncan feveral peices of gold, fhe took an affectionate leave of them, adding that they fhould never want. The horses were waiting, and fhe went off; but would not fatisfy them who fhe was, nor whence fhe came.

N. B. They that truft in the Lord fhall not want any good thing, and faithful is he that has promifed.

of man as a poor guilty creature, and fo prone is he to of fend his Maker, that in all his concerns with God he has need of the exercife of this amiable attribute; which is one, and indeed the main reafon, why it is often, and fo emphatically expreffed. When thefe two (man's mifery and God's mercy) are placed in contraft one with the other, they form a very striking oppofition, and while our hearts are humbled for the weaknefs and folly of human nature, we are impreffed, in the most pleafing manner, with a view of the Divine compaffion, which is always fo feasonably and effectually displayed. God might juftly punith. Where is the man who deferves not his hot difpleafure? Who feels not within himself the confcioufnefs of guilt, and the defert of wrath? Were the Chriftian's views directed only to the

juftice of the Almighty, he would like Mofes exceedingly. fear and quake; his belly would tremble, and rottenness would enter into his bones; but, with the bible in his hand, he fees that fury is not in his Maker; that Juftice lays its vengeance by, and that smiling Mercy, difplayed in all its variety of grace and falvation, removes his fears, and raifes in him the joyful hope of pardon and acceptance with God. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlafting towards thofe who fear him. It is higher than the Heavens, what canft thou know? and deeper than the fea, what canft thou tell? No cafe of man is beyond its reach, nor any fituation below its notice. Mercy is God's darling attribute, but Judgment is his ftrange work.

Let us fee this fubject exemplified in several striking cafes. Indeed the first interview which man had with his Creator, after his fall, is a proof of the point. Man, guil ty and trembling, flees from God and hides his face, which is covered with fhame. What unusual feelings poffefs his mind! What new horror feize his foul! God calls him to a juft tribunal. He reafons with him on the nature of his crime, which can neither be palliated nor denied. What could finful man now expect?. What did he deferve? If Justice had been fevere, and Mercy had not ftayed his hand, our unhappy parents would have been as miferable by punishment as they had rendered themfelves odious to the Divine holinefs, and obnoxious to God's wrath. But behold the compaffion of God! He feels for them in their low eftate, and Mercy triumphs over judgment. Now the pity which had occupied the heart of Deity from everlafting, on the view of this awful tranfaction, is firft difplayed. "I have feen "the affliction of my people, and I will deliver them." That fpring of love which had been hid from ages, in the counfels of heaven, here iffued forth in all its plenitude; a river of mercy in the garden of Eden begins to flow, which has divided itself into more than four ftreams already, and which we hope will foon water the whole earth. How foon, and how effectually does this mercy lighten the hearts of the miferable tranfgreffors! Though the crime is proved, punishment is not barely put off, but transferred. Through the tender mercy of our God, the day-fpring from on high begins to arife, the feed of the woman is promifed; the deftruction of the enemy is foretold; and the complete deliverance of man was to be the certain effect. Thus the thick cloud which lately hung over the heads of these two criminals is difperfed, becaufe God declares that fury is not in him.