the Israelites, by a "strong east wind;" but it was "God who caused that wind to blow," and the effect produced may have been as really supernatural as the revival of Lazarus from the dead. I see nothing therefore in reason to make me doubt, that God's moral government may admit, and even require, in every period of the world, special interpositions of power, divine and supernatural; nor can I see in such special interpositions, any thing more improbable, than in the first formation of man, by moulding matter into a particular organic frame, and infusing into it an intelligent principle. The God who created the universe, governs it and all the beings that inhabit it, by such exertions or operations of power, general or particular, as best suit his own purposes.

The doctrine of predestination and election is one which is much opposed by some denominations of Christians. But I see not how this doctrine can be separated from the being and attributes of an infinite God. If God is infinite, there can be no such thing as past, and future, or a succession of ideas, in the divine mind. The terms predestination and foreknowledge, are therefore inapplicable to the Supreme Being; and are used only in reference to fiuite beings, who have a succession of ideas. An infinite being must know with certainty every event, future as well as past; and if events are eertainly known to him, they must be unalterably determined: for how can he know them, but in consequence of his own determination? If they are not certhin he cannot know them; and

this supposition involves both a limitation of his knowledge, and an imperfection in his attributes. I conceive therefore the Scriptural doctrine of election stands on the very character and attri. butes of that Being, "with whom is no variableness, neither shad. ow of turning." Yet we are conscious of free agency in our determinations. That man, is not, in a strict sense perfectly free, that is, independent of God, in determining his actions, we must believe, for there can be but one such being in the universe, as a perfectly independent mind; but I see no contradiction nor absurdity in the doctrine of a predetermined order of events in the universe, and at the same time, the possession by man of such a freedom of will, as to render him accountable for his actions. The first is affirmed in the Scriptures, and in my ap prehension, is inseparable from the sovereignty and infinite perfections of the Deity; while the last is equally affirmed in the Scriptures, and authorized by our own experience. The terms unconditional election, I think, are inapplicable to the subject; for we have the Scriptures for our authority, supported by every principle of reason, that every man's future state will be determined by his voluntary obedience or disobedience. I think it better to submit and obey, than to perplex our minds with abstruse reasonings on subjects beyond our comprehension.

To many men, the doctrine of free, unmerited grace, in the salvation of sinners, is very offensive. Such persons seem to suppose they can merit salvation and claim it as a right. But was not our

first formation an act of free grace and uncontrolled sovereignty? Was not the gift of an intelligent mind to man, distinguishing him from the brutes, an act of sovereign grace? Did a man ever plant a field with corn, and claim from the Almighty, as a right, a fruitful harvest? Why then object to free grace in the works of salvation? Surely man, a feeble frail being, who holds his life and all his powers, at divine sufferance, should be more humble.

But is there nothing for man to do? He is commanded to "work out his salvation with fear and trembling." Yes, my friend, man has much to do, he must work out his salvation with fear and trembling; but the misfortune is, a great part of the world wish to work out their salvation without fear and trembling. They are willing to be honest and just to their fellow men, and then confidently claim salvation from their Creator, without fearing his laws or trembling at his judgments; without performing the duties of piety, submitting to his will, or accepting a Savior; in short, without that humility, which gives God all the glory, and that holiness without which there can be no enjoyment in heaven. The condition of salvation which God has impos. ed is, that the heart must be right with God; not with man, for man is not the lawgiver or judge, but with God, the only being who has the right to judge, and the power to punish or reward.

Man comes into the world without any knowledge of his Maker, and with a heart opposed to his law. His business is to learn the character of God,

from the Scriptures, and from the works of nature and providence; then to learn his own sinfulness and frailty, and his obligations to love and serve his Maker. Being convinced of his own sinful. ness and utter helplessness with. out divine aid, it is his duty to abandon every sin, to humble himself before his Maker, repent of all his transgressions, bow to God's sovereign will, implore his pardon, and cordially acceptof the Savior, as hisonly hope and refuge. On such conditions salvation is freely offered; and those who comply with them, may expect the consolations of the Spirit, and good hope through grace, of their acceptance with God. But men cannot expect these consolations, until they are humbled. Those who proudly rely on their own good works, virtually tell their Maker, they do not want his as sistance and grace; and God gives his Holy Spirit to those only who ask it in humility. God is the Sovereign of the universe. does govern it; he has a right to govern it; and men, if saved, can be saved only on the conditions which he has prescribed. He reserves to himself the whole glory of saving sinners, and the hearts of his children rejoice in the divine determination.

He

I am therefore of opinion that the doctrines of divine sovereignty, the divinity of Christ, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and free grace through Christ, are fundamental in the gospel scheme of salvation. Those who reject these doctrines appear to me to tear out the vitals of christianity, leaving nothing but a lifeless skeleton. The cold doctrines of Arminianism almost exclude the di

vine agency in man's salvation. They supersede the necessity of a Redeemer, and of public worship, for morality may be taught in families and schools. In short, they never reach the heart, and appear not toalter the life and character. Such are not the doctrines of the gospel. These elevate the soul to God, the Fountain of light, life, and blessings; they subdue the natural pride of the heart, control the passions and change the affections. They in. fuse a principle of supreme love to God, and create a faith in Christ which tranquillizes the Soul, dispels the gloomy anxieties of skepticism, alleviates the cares, and enlivens the joys of life; and to crown all, reposes, with delightful confidence, upon the almighty arm of a Redeemer for salvation.

Nor are the temporal benefits of real religion less conspicuous, in the effects they produce in families, and in society. In minds the best regulated by fam. ily discipline, and the rules of civility, there will at times break forth sallies of envy, jealousy, petulance, and discontent, which annoy the peace of families and of neighborhoods. Nothing seems effectually to restrain such passions but divine grace. The fear of man, and a regard to decorum will not produce the effect, in minds of a particular structure. But the humbling doctrines of the gospel change the tiger to a lamb.

Real re

ligion, which implies a habitu al sense of the divine presence, and a fear of offending the Su. preme Being, subdues and controls all the turbulent passions; and nothing is seen in the Christian, but meekness, forbearance, VOL. II. New Series.

and kindness, accompanied by a serenity of mind and a desire to please, as uniform as they are cheering to families and friends. On this subject I speak with delight from observation.

At the same time, real religion inspires mutual confidence, it establishes a guard over the heart, and creates a security for fidelity and affection, in husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends, which cannot be derived from authority or instruction; from the force of law, or the influence of example.

These, my dear brother, are some of my views of the calvinistic doctrines and their effects. These doctrines, in the main, I do believe to be evangelical, and my belief is not the effect of education, for formerly my opinions were unfavorable to some of these doctrines. My belief is the fruit of some experience, and much inquiry and reflection.

It is with heart-felt regret, that I see a large portion of the world so inattentive to religion. Men often live for many years, gazing upon the stupendous fabric of the universe, apparently without a sentiment of piety; and wander among the charming beauties of the earth, where the power, the wisdom, and the beneficence of the Creator are displayed on every flower, and ev. ery leaf, with as little admiration and gratitude, as the beasts that graze on the field. Equally insensible are they to the beauties of the divine character, unfold. ed in the works of providence and grace; forgetting that the same God who arrays the lillies of the field, with more than Solomon's glory, is ready to clothe K

his children with the splendid robes of the Redeemer's right. cousness. And what is astonishing, but often true, the more temporal blessings men enjoy, the less disposed are they to love and obey their heavenly Benefactor : a truth which gave occasion for our Savior to remark, how difficult it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. It is a melancholy proof of the depravity of the human heart, that men often invert the order of things, and suffer their gratitude to abate, in proportion as their wealth increases. Indeed it is extremely painful to a reflecting mind, to observe men in affluence, who live amidst a profusion of every thing the bounty of heaven bestows, indulging in sensual gratifications and rolling in splendor; but forgetting, or in

But I must come to a conclu. sion; or instead of a letter, I shall write a book. I could dwell on subjects of this kind with pleasure; but if what I have written is the truth, it is enough: if not, it is too much. If my opinions are erroneous, I should be happy to be corrected; if they are substantially true, I hope they will have their due weight. As pilgrims on the same journey, it would be for our mutual happiness on the road, so to be agreed as that we might walk together," and be united in principle as well as by the most endearing of all ties, Christian love.

66

I am, with sincere affection,
Yours, &c.
NOAH WEBSTER, jun.

THE fact, that the character of seditious, troublesome, and disorderly has been constantly given by wicked men to the servants of GOD, was established in the last number. We are We are now to inquire what it is in true religion, that gives occasion to this charge, and makes the world to believe it.

That there must be something of this kind is very evident. So uniform an effect, could not take place without an adequate cause.

The unbelieving Jews.

And, to a serious and attentive observer, I am persuaded it is not difficult to discern. The general cause of this effect is, that, in an equivocal sense, the charge is just. True religion does, indeed, give trouble and uneasiness to wicked men, while they continue such; and it cannot be supposed, but they will deeply resent it. In order to illustrate this a little more fully, I beg your attention to the three following observations.

1. The example of the servants of God, is a continual and sensible reproach, to the contrary conduct of the men of the world. Nothing can preserve peace to any man, but some measure of self-satisfaction As

And

a deceived heart turns the wicked aside, so the continuance of self-deceit is necessary to his tasting those pleasures of sin in which his mistaken happiness is placed. To reproach his conduct, therefore, is to disturb his dream, and to wound his peace. as pride, however finely disguised, has the dominion in every unrenewed heart, how offensive must every species of reproof be, to men of this character? Now, is not the example of every good man, a severe and sensible, though silent, reproof to the wicked? With whatever speious arguments men may sometimes plead for sin, with what. ever false pretences they may often excuse and palliate it to their own minds, when it is brought into one view with true religion, it is not able to bear the comparison. The example of good men to the wicked is, like the sun upon a weak eye, distressing and painful. It is excellent in itself, but it is offensive to them. If I may speak so, it flashes light upon the conscience, rouses it from a state of insensible securi. ty, points its arrows, and sharpens its sting. What else was it that produced the first act of violence that stands upon record, the murder of Abel by his brother Cain? Of this the apostle John speaks in the fol. lowing terms, "Not as Cain,

who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother: and wherefore slew he him? Because his

own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."

And, as every worldly man's own conscience is thus, made troublesome to him by the example of the children of God: so it tends to set sinners at variance with one another, and exposes the conduct of each to the censure of the rest. Sin, however universally practised, is yet generally shameful. Conscience though bribed, and comparatively blind in a man's own case, is often just and impartial, at least under far less bias, in the case of others. It is in this way, and in this way alone, that the public honor and credit of religion is preserved, amidst so great a majority who are enemies to it in their hearts. Must not then, the example of a strict and conscientious person, set in the strongest light the faults of those who act a contrary part, so often as they happen to fall under observation together. Nay, does it not open the eyes of the world upon many lesser blemishes which would otherwise escape its notice? The degree of shame that attends any practice, is al. ways in proportion to the sense which the bulk of mankind have of the evil of it. And this sense cannot, by any means, be more strengthened, than by an exam. ple of what is good; as deformity never appears so shocking as when compared with perfect beauty. Thus a truly pious man is, by every instance of his visi. ble conduct, exposing to reproach some one or other, and by consequence provoking their re.

sentment.

It is for this reason that men discover such a proneness to dis. parage every profession of piety