and offer himself as a Satisfaction and Atonement, for the sins of the whole world; and that all who believe in Christ, who are thankful for the sacrifice he has made for them, and endeavour to obey God's commands, and come to the throne of grace with faith and repentance, should obtain remission of their sins, and at the last great day of judgment, should be accepted with favor, and admitted into his heavenly kingdom. This is the plain outline of that gracious scheme of universal Redemption offered to fallen man. This is the Predestination of God. All the minor circumstances and individual acts of men, or even of nations, are wholly dependant on this, and no act whatever of man, is compulsory, predestinated, fated, or such as that man might not have avoided by the aid of that Holy Spirit, who always assists those who devoutly implore that assistance. All the evils which are so visible and prevalent in the world, arise not from God's Predesti

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nation, but from the transgression of his moral laws, and an infraction of his preordained and indispensable rules. God ordains, that certain evils shall attend certain transgressions; but that is not compelling the transgressors to disobey him, and commit those errors: had they avoided the sin, they would have avoided the punishment. St. James says, "From whence come wars and fightings from among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts, which war in your members? Providence does not interpose his power to prevent such wars, which naturally arise from the evil passions of mankind; but God generally turns the course of these evils to some beneficial purpose, such as to be the scourges on sinful nations to produce amendment, and sometimes for still greater purposes not at the moment discernable.

The merciful and gracious Predestination of God, is to offer, on certain conditions, universal Redemption to man

kind; and the only reason why any one will not be saved is, because he does not comply with the conditions, and because he counteracts the preordained system of the moral laws of his Creator, and refuses to acknowledge his Divine Redeemer; in short, because he possesses neither Christian faith, nor Christian morals. cross of Christ is the great object to which all must look. The monogram is held up to all, as well as when it floated in the air to the gladdened eyes of Constantine. "Sub hoc signo vinces."

The

A modern poet, when speaking of the unshrinking and magnanimous conduct of this great country, in the unprecedented contest with a late ambitious and antichristian power, alluding to our invincible navy, thus expressed himself;

*

"The red cross floated o'er the waves unfurl'd,
Offering Redemption to a groaning world.”*

Only one objection can be made to these nervous lines, and the best the poet ever wrote. I consider that certain expressions should be confined only to

In this manner is the Christian cross held out to all mankind, but that cross must be taken up and borne with faith, resolution, humility, and gratitude. Well might the world groan, had not this gracious Redemption been offered, and salvation placed in the power of those who, in pious hope and religious confidence, look forward to the fulfilment of the promises of God. Another of our poets has said, Whatever is, is right." It appears very plain to me, that the metre of this verse prevented Mr. Pope speaking the real truth, "Whatever is will be right;" for the latter fact no one will deny. Whatever evils may disturb the course of private prosperity, or public welfare, they may be traced to the folly or vices of mankind; but a time will come when all will appear right, and all

sacred subjects: for redemption, deliverance would have been a better expression; and our hero, the Duke of Wellington, may be called the preserver, but not the saviour of his country....

the great attributes of the Deity, such as his wisdom, justice, and mercy, will be gloriously developed in the sight of men and angels, and all presumptuous and profane objectors be put to silence. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Can any one then believe that it can be right for the Judge of all the earth to doom irreversibly (however humble, believing, and contrite be their character) the greater mass of individuals to eternal punishment, and select a few from his arbitrary will, (notwithstanding the most atrocious and unrepented conduct,) for eternal salvation? Could such a Doctrine be incontrovertibly proved to be plainly revealed in Scripture, it would be our duty to bow in humble silence and despair; but the day spring from on high hath visited us, and opened a brighter What is the meaning of the word Gospel, Evayytov, is it not good tidings? Can the wretched doctrine of Calvin be good tidings? But we have heard the

scene.