ing question. Rabbi, thou hast been very particular in assuring us that the greatest part of mankind are already doomed to suffer eternally, and thou wilt not allow that any man can be thy disciple unless he believe this fundamental article of faith; suppose then that the greatest part of mankind, or even all of them, should ask, seek, and knock, would the greatest part, or even all, receive mercy, find favor and be admitted? How could this question receive a fair, unevasive answer, consistently with the above text, and with the forcgoing suppositions?

It may be proper to notice another very common method made use of to exclude mankind, in general, from the divine favor, which is by supposing that but a small part of mankind will ever ask, seek, or knock, and that the greater part will fail, finally, of obtaining the divine favor, for this their needless neglect. This argument must be considered extremely defective in the following particulars.

1st. The proposition, on which this argument is built, has no foundation but in mere conjecture; there being no scripture authority for its support.

2d. The argument supposes that our heavenly Father feels so little interest in our coming to him, in our seeking after him, &c. that it is a matter for which he will not provide means, adequate to its accomplishment.

That divine revelation furnishes different authority, may be seen by the following: See Jeremiah xxix. 10-14. "For thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word

ye

go

towards you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil; to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and shall and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord; and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place, whence I caused you to be carried away captive." See chap. xxiv. 6, 7. "For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land and I will build them and not pull them down: and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart." See Acts xv. 16, 17, 18. "After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up; that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." In the first passage quoted from Jeremiah, God promises what the people shall do, as well as what he himself will do, and in the second passage, God says he will give them an heart to know him; so that the whole depends on him who makes tho promise, and who has the power to perform it

In short, it is hard to account for the propriety of a sentiment which places the whole scheme of the gospel at the disposal of that very enmity of the sinner's heart, which it was designed, by our merciful Father in heaven, to overcome and destroy. If it be granted that our Father in heaven has manifested his will, in the salvation of all men, and their coming unto the knowledge of the truth, as St. Paul testifies to Timothy; with what propriety can we suppose that this will of God, supported with all the means of grace in the hands of a mediator, to whom is committed all power in heaven and in earth, will finally be frustrated by the will of wicked men? This would undoubtedly be the case, if the old serpent called the devil, had the power to have it so! On no other ground can it be expected. To show this matter in its natural light, let us ask whether any of the human race would be saved from sin and death, if this old serpent had the power to prevent it? Answer, no. On the other hand, will any of the human race remain eternally in a state of sin and death, if the blessed mediator have power to prevent it? Answer, no; for how can there be an agreement between the seed of the woman and the serpent?

The prophet Zephaniah has a most beautiful pas sage, which shows the end of the ministration of wrath, and the glory that will follow. See chap. iii. 8, 9. "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them. mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all. the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my.

jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."

PARABLE XXXI.

"He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig.tree, and find none: cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it : and if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." LUKE xiii. 6, 7, 8, 9.

THIS parable was spoken in reply to those who told Jesus of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Jesus taking into consideration, also, the eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell, asked them if they thought these were sinners above all the Galileans and the dwellers in Jerusalem; which question he answers himself, saying, "I say unto you, nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Then he introduces the above parable, by which, he points. at the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews.

1st. By a fig-tree, is meant the house of Israel, which the Lord planted in the goodly land of promise.

2d. The barrenness of the house of Israel, in respect to the fruits of righteousness, is signified by the fruitlessness of the fig-trec.

3d. That, judging the Jews only by their barrenness, it was then time they were cut down or

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destroyed, as cumberers of the holy land: But Christ, who was the dresser of the vineyard, seems to represent a short time longer, in which he should grant them great advantages, which, after they had neglected, they would be destroyed.

ILLUSTRATION.

The house of Israel, as represented by this unfruitful fig-tree, is a just représentation of all those national churches who punctually attend to the outward forms of religion, and neglect to bring forth the fruits of the gospel. Nor need we confine this application to national churches, as it is very evident that many churches in Christendom who are not of that establishment, have, and pride themselves in having, a similarity of character with those who have. Another striking figure by which such churches are represented, we find in St. Mat. xxi. 18, 19. "Now, in the morning, as he returned into the city he hungered. And when he saw a fig-tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon but leaves only, and said unto it, let no fruit grow on thee hence forward forever. And presently the fig-tree withered away." This fig-tree resembled the then present Jewish church as well as all churches of a similar character. This tree is not represented to have been wanting in size, in age, in height or verdure, but in fruit only. All this might be said of those churches of which we speak. They frequently appear in a flourishing condition, they may grow to be numerous and to adorn themselves with a great many worldly excellencies, honors and dignities, all of which serve to beautify them, not in the sight of God, but in the sight of men, who have the vanity to