835 On some Extraordinary Dreams. breathing in a foreign air, if she was not capable of joining in heartfelt expressions of gratitude to him, and in exertions to promote his glory. This alienation would subject him to the charge of inconstancy, or a breach of faith. Upon this consideration, unless the separation was by mutual consent, he would not be at liberty to form another attachment. He should suffer for his indiscretion and precipitation, and remain in perpetual celibacy, rather than render his life unhappy (for he cannot expect happiness,) or disobey one of the commands of God, "Be not unequally yoked together." But it may be, he has deserted, against her will, the pious though unadorned female, for the moral and accomplished one. 836 it to be a dream, I then am easy, and my curiosity engages me to see how the fantastic scene will end, with the same kind of indifference that the spectator receives from a theatrical entertainment. But being all alone an actor in this farce, the reality of the representation is perpetually obtruding itself upon me; so when the scene, as it often does, grows too troublesome to be borne, I can any time, by making a certain effort, which I can no way describe to you, awake myself. This, you will say, is extraordinary, but not more so than the next circumstance. 66 It has been said by an ingenious writer, that, waking, we all live in one common world, but, on going to rest, each retires into a world of his But I do not know whether this or any other writer has observed any thing like what happens to me; namely, that this world of our own is as constant and regular, in many particulars, as the common waking one. To explain myself, I have rambled for twenty years together in dreams, in one certain country, through one certain road, and resided in one certain country house, quite different, as to the whole face of the country, and situation of the place, from any thing I ever saw awake, having the scene quite unvaried. own. If this is the case, he most certainly ought to bear the reproach from the side where he is bound to fulfil his engagements by the laws of man and of justice only, and return to fulfil them where the laws of God, justice, and his own happiness, are combined. From a view of the perplexities which arise in consequence of a want of deliberation, it may be inferred, that a person cannot place too strong a guard at the door of his affections, or be too cautious in forming attachments either of mere friendship or of a more serious nature. How often ought he to " pause, ponder, sift," and how frequently, and sincerely, should the Christian pray, "Lead me not into temptation." Extract of an Original Letter, from an eminent Divine to Mr. Baxter, on some extraordinary Dreams. "There is nothing I have been more attentive to, than my own sensations in dreams, though I dream incessantly. There are two or three odd phenomena in my dreaming, which I shall beg leave to mention to you, and leave you to conclude how much they make for or against your hypothesis. "I am frequently troubled with frightful dreams, more especially when I lie on my left side. When these become very troublesome, I have in my sleep gained a kind of habit of reflecting how the case stands with me, and whether I be awake or asleep. This generally ends in a discovery of the truth of the case; and when I find 66 The third case will appear more surprising, perhaps, than either of the foregoing. You have taken notice of that new and strange consciousness we have in dreams; in which a bachelor, for instance, shall be conscious he has been married ten or twenty years, and shall recollect all the events of that period. A consciousness of this kind I have frequently experienced. I suppose it to be very common, yet you are the first I know of who has publicly taken notice of it. But what I am going to tell you is infinitely more surprising. I have felt as it were, in dreams, a double identity. As thus, I have dreamed I was conversing with another, and at the same time was very inquisitive and desirous to know the subject of the conversation, which seemed to be carefully kept from me. “Before I leave this subject of dreams, I cannot forbear mentioning a story told by Grotius. One quite ignorant of Greek, came to Salmasius's father, and told him a Greek sentence, the sound of which, on his awaking, he had written down in French characters, which understanding nothing of, he brought to Salmasius the father, one of the parliament of Paris. Understanding from him, that it signified the destruction of his house, the dreamer removed from it; and the next night it fell. This, as far as I can recollect, is the simple story. It is well attested, and stands quite free of a libertine objection, that the vision was the effect of imagination; for here the intelligence was conveyed in a language not understood by the dreamer. "I will add another. When Newark was besieged by the Scotish army, in the grand rebellion, a silk-mercer, in that place, dreamed his house was knocked down by a bomb: he awaked, removed, and, in an hour after, a bomb did that execution. The wonder, you see, is not that a rich tradesman, in a town beseiged, should dream of bombs, but that he should dream so opportunely. However, the man thus preserved, to commemorate this mercy, left an annual donation to the poor, and a sermon to be preached on that day of the month for ever. This sermon I myself have preached occa¡sionally." ON ETERNAL ELECTION. 838 the Elect, before conversion as after it. As their election does not presuppose faith and holiness, it may be manifested, but it cannot be charac terized by any of the marks of the regenerate. Elect sinners is, therefore, a phrase perfectly consistent with Calvinism, but totally irreconcilable with Scripture. 1. The Elect are a praying people. "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them," Matt. xviii. 7. But the unregenerate do not pray day and night, therefore the unregenerate are not The Elect. 2. The Elect are believers. " "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect," &c. Titus i. 1. But the unregenerate are not believers, therefore the unregenerate are not The Elect. 3. The Elect are a justified people. "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth," Rom. viii. 33. But the unregenerate are not justified, therefore the unregenerate are not The Elect. 4. The Elect are holy and beloved. "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved," &c. Col. iii. 12. But the unregenerate are not holy and beloved, therefore the unregenerate are not The Elect. "Where 5. The Elect are exhorted to establish or make firm their election. fore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure," (firm or certain,) for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall," 2 Pet. i. 10. But eternal election cannot fail, therefore the election which needs to be confirmed, is not eternal. ETERNAL election is held by Calvinists, and some Anti-Calvinists. The latter consider it as the effect of foreseen faith and holiness. The former consider it as the effect of sovereign grace, and as the cause of Christ's death, and consequently the cause of the faith and eternal salvation of the elect. Neither of these views is scriptural. Eternal election, is not only unscriptural but also absurd. There can be no election until the objects of election exist. There may be an election according to an eternal purpose; but this supposes the election not to take place until the existence of its objects. The election mentioned in scripture is of this kind. Again, election or choice necessarily implies two things, viz. qualification and limitation. Qualification does It may be objected, that they were not arise from limitation, but vice versa. chosen from the beginning, that is, from Calvinistic election supposes the limi- all eternity. The meaning agreeably tation to precede the qualification; to the context, is, from the beginning of but scriptural election vice versa. the gospel preached to them. See PhiAccording to Calvinism, the redeemed lip. iv. 15. also Luke i. 2. John viii. are as much entitled to the appellation | 25. Acts xi. 15, 1 John ii. 7. and iii. 11. 6. The election spoken of in Scripture is represented as taking place in time. "Because God hath, from the beginning, chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth," 2 Thess. ii. 13. The means which God made use of in choosing them to salvation, were, the sanctifying influence of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. But these things happened in time; therefore their election was not eternal. Again, "To the strangers, elect ac- | cording to the foreknowledge (or pre-determination) of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. i. 1, 2. The same reasoning is applica- | ble here, as on the preceding passage. But one may say, a passage in the Epistle to the Ephesians flatly contradicts all your reasonings. Is it possible that any but an infidel would say | so? The Scriptures of truth cannot contradict themselves. Imperfect views of Scripture may be contradictory. Paul and James seem, at first sight, to contradict each other on the point of Justification; but every knowing Christian can reconcile them with ease. Let us, in this instance, endeavour to reconcile Paul with his Master, himself, and his fellow apostle, Peter. The passage alluded to is in Eph. i. 4. "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." In him, it may be said, means, in Christ, as our covenanted Head; consequently, the elect are chosen from all eternity. The phrase in Christ, does not always mean in him from all eternity, and therefore may not in this place. "Salute Andronicus and Junius, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me." It is needless to remark, that if Paul was in Christ from all eternity, Andronicus and Junius could not be in before him. But the phrase, in the passage under consideration, has neither the one meaning nor the other. It means simply through or by Christ: see verses 6, 7. also 2 Corin. v. 19, 21. It may still be objected, that, being chosen through or by Christ, before the foundation of the world, is synonymous with being chosen from all eternity. If the phrase from or before the foundation of the world, always means eternity, then Christ died before he was born. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8. The phrase may mean, in the former, as in the latter passage, according to an eternal purpose. The literal import of the passage seems to be, 66 According as he hath chosen us by him, agreeably to his own eternal purpose. That this is the literal mean is evident from the scope of the 840 doctrinal part of the epistle, the context, and other parts of Scripture. The scope is, to shew that God has chosen a people to be holy to himself, instead of his ancient people, including both believing Jews and Gentiles; (chap. i. 10. and ii. 11, 22.) that they should be united into one by Jesus Christ; (ch. i. 5. and ii. 4, 7, 13, 18.) and that this new dispensation was the effect of an eternal purpose. (ch. i. 5, 9—12. and ii. 9—11. The view given of the fourth verse agrees entirely with the scope. The context also confirms the same view. Paul, in the third verse, praises God for the blessings obtained by Jesus Christ. If the first of these blessings, which is mentioned in the fourth verse, be election to eternal life, then it could not be by Christ, because, according to the Calvinistic view, election in the order of things preceded the appointment of Christ as the Redeemer of God's elect. Again: If election to eternal life be the blessing intended, then holiness would be the end of election, which is absurd. But the blessing of a separation from the world, into one body, and into a state of holiness, is a blessing flowing from the mediatorial work of Christ. The second blessing (ver. 5 and 6) is adoption into God's family. See ch.ii. 11-13. The third blessing (ver. 7.) is the forgiveness of sins. The fourth blessing (ver. 11.) is a heavenly inheritance. The fourth blessing is what the Calvinists think they find in the fourth verse. The import of the fourth verse seems to be thus; "According as he hath separated us believers to be a holy people, by virtue of Christ's mediatorial work, agreeably to the purpose which he purposed in himself from all eternity." See 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. i. 2,3. If we suppose the Calvinistic view of the passage to be the true one, viz. that certain individuals were pitched upon from all eternity to be redeemed and finally saved by Jesus Christ, while others around them were left to eternal destruction; then the passage is at variance with the scope and the context, with all the other passages in which the subject of election is introduced, and with the numerous passages which represent all men as interested in the love of God, in the death of Christ, in the commands to repent and believe, promises and threatenings, invitations and dehortations, &c. 841 Animadversions on " Remarks on Passages of Scripture." 842 Let the man tremble who will still | him, may have everlasting life, and I hold eternal election of certain indivi- | will raise him up at the last day." Is duals to glory, in opposition to such evidence to the contrary. Z. Aberdeen, 11th October, 1820." 66 དཱ ཝཱ Your correspondent supposes that the passage,No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him," is to be rendered thus: "No Jew would come to be the Lord's disciple, unless he were previously prepared by a knowledge of him as the promised Messiah;" and he adds, that Such persons as became Christ's (disciples, were said to have been given by the Father to him." It appears to me, that we have no authority for limiting this assertion of our Lord; if it had reference merely to those who were to become his disciples, he would have made it more specific; he would have declared that no Jew could come to him, except his Father drew him. Besides, upon this principle of limitation, we might do away with all our Lord's instructions: if this passage is confined to those only who were his followers, there would be no difficulty in proving that all his doctrines and precepts, yea, even his atonement and mediation, should be understood in the same limited sense. That this passage relates to something more than a temporal gift, is evident from the latter clause of the verse, and from the 39th and 40th verses of the same chapter, And I will raise him up at the last day. —And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on No. 31. Vol. III. it possible that our Lord would have made these remarks, if he had alluded only to the temporal gift of discipleship? or did he mean to convey the idea that eternal life was to be conferred in consequence of this gift, independently of his own atonement and Sovereign grace? Your correspondent, after having quoted the following passage, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me," observes, "Giveth being in the present tense, does not favour the idea of an eternal gift: no stress is to be laid on the shall; the context must determine whether the word in the original must be translated shall or will come; the following clause, And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out,' clearly determines that it should be translated will come, for if the will of the comer were not free, the latter clause of the verse would be entirely inappropriate." Here it is presumed that the latter clause of the verse is independent of the former; if however we examine the original, we shall find that the conjunction couples the clauses, rendering them inseparable. The verse must be rendered thus, "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh, or the person coming to me, (who is thus given,) I will in nowise cast out.' If we require any further evidence in support of the term shall, in its most positive sense, we need only refer to the words already quoted, "And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing." If every individual was to be left entirely to the guidance of his own will, I conceive this passage would have been unnecessary. Our Lord declared, that none of those who were given to him, should be lost: his honour and power are both engaged on behalf of his people; to suppose therefore that any who are really given to him, shall be lost, is to limit his power, and reflect upon his honour. It may be argued, that Judas was given. That Judas was gifted with the office of the discipleship, I allow; but that he was not given in the sense in which our Lord expressed himself in the 6th chapter of John, is evident from the 64th and 65th verses of that chapter, where it is said, "But there are some of you that believe not. For Je 3 H 843 The Stayed Man.-Answer to a Query. sus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." Your correspondent remarks, that the passage, "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him," refers only to the disciples. If so, why was the first clause of the verse introduced? the introduction of that clause clearly evinces the propriety of giving an unlimited interpretation to the remaining part of the verse: and certainly it follows, that Christ died for none but his disciples, if this passage is to be understood as relating only to those who were his followers upon earth: for, by the same inference, we might limit the passage, "This is my body which is broken for you; this do in remem. brance of me. We have as much authority for doing so in the one case as we have in the other. SIR, I observed in your May number, col. 426, an article entitled, "The Stayed Man," which is there erroneously attributed to Mr. Edward Blount, who, in fact, as he quaintly says, "only played the midwives' part, bringing into the world another's offspring." The real author was Dr. John Earle, Bishop of Salisbury, a most pious, learned, and vigilant prelate. Microcosmographie, or a Piece of the World Discovered, in essays and characters (from whence the character of the "Stayed Man" is extracted,) has passed through many editions, but has now become scarce. This work is generally esteemed, by literary antiquaries, to be the result of the author's own observations and re 844 flections, during his long and much varied life, he having been tutor and chaplain to Charles II. when Prince of Wales, whom he accompanied during his exile. At the restoration he was appointed Dean of Westminster, afterwards promoted to the Bishopric of Worcester, and finally to that of Salisbury, where he died in 1665, universally esteemed and regretted. He was a man of a very mild and gentle temper, which even the sufferings and persecutions he endured, during the tyrannical usurpation of Cromwell, failed to destroy. It was said of him, a short time after his decease, "That since Mr. Richard Hooker, none has lived whom God had blessed with more innocent wisdom, more sanctified learning, or a more pious primitive temper, than he." It is scarcely possible that a work like the Imperial Magazine can ren der more service to the literary world, than by occasionally publishing extracts from meritorious works, which, like Bishop Earle's, are not generally known, together with brief sketches of their authors. I therefore hope to see many such extracts in the Imperial Magazine. I have been informed that you number among your readers, several who have resided at, or visited New Zealand, or who are in possession of information relating to that interesting country. If so, I hope they will seize this opportunity to lay their information before the public through the medium of your Magazine. So little, comparatively speaking, is known in England respecting these fertile and beautiful islands, that I am certain any remarks upon their climate, soil, animal and vegetable productions, hydrography, minerals, harbours, or inhabitants, will excite much interest, and greatly gratify many of your readers, but none more so than, LONDON: 66 Your's, &c./ An Answer to the Query proposed by |