TRUTHS OF THE BIBLE.

Every person of understanding must be convinced, that if ever he is saved, it must be in the way which Infinite Wisdom has devised.

That mankind are lost creatures in themselves, entirely depraved, and absolutely dependant on God for salvation; that God is the high sovereign of the universe, who disposes of all his works and all his creatures as to him seemeth good; are doctrines most clearly held up in the sacred oracles.

This high prerogative of divine sovereignty is most clearly to be seen by the light of natural reason, as well as by revelation. The works of creation as well as of providence, make full display of this glorious attribute, as might be abundantly shown: But especially is it held up in the holy scriptures. Therefore should the doctrine of human depravity, man's absolute dependence on God for salvation, and the divine sovereignty (by which God chooses

These sacred truths are very much opposed by the carnal man. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.-But he that preaches the word faithfully, will not keep back the solemn truths of God's word. for fear of offending friends.

When Erasmus objected to Luther the impropriety of preaching the doctrines of predestination, &c. as having a tendency to licentiousness, he replied "I will not ask whither is the modesty of Erasmus fled, but, which is much more important, where, alas! are your fear and reverence of the Deity, when you roundly declare, that this branch of truth, which he has revealed from heaven, is at best useless and unnecessary to be known? What, shall the glorious Creator be taught by you his creature, what is fit to be preached, and what is to be suppressed? Is the adorable God so very defective in wisdom and prudence, as

not to know, till you instruct him, I what would be useful and what pernicious?"-It is clearly held up in the scriptures-that it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

We do not read that Christ ever laughed; but we do read that he once rejoiced in spirit, and it was upon the display of this very attribute. He said I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.”

The holding up of this highly exalted doctrine has been much opposed by some. They say it tends to make people despair, But they must be brought to despair of their own sufficiency.-Regeneration is a supernatural work; a work of the Divine Spirit; a new creation; as the word of God abundantly teaches: And therefore, those doctrines which have a

tendency to humble us to the dust, are the most likely, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, to produce that change in us, which only will qualify us for the enjoy ment of heaven.-The opposition that is made in the world to these important doctrines, is a strong evidence of their tendency to promote that good work on the hearts of sinners.-Satan, who is ever opposed to the truth, knows that the doctrines of grace tend to the destruction of his kingdom in this world; he will therefore instigate his children most violently to oppose them.

Then, if preaching the sublime doctrines of grace, the divine sovereignty, total depravity of man, election and predestination, have a tendency to soften the hard heart, to humble the proud heart, and make them susceptible of the gracious, sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, they should be inculcated by the preacher of the gospel. EPAPHRAS. Rec. and Tel.

1825. June 17. Installed Rev. JAMES WESTON, Over the first Congregational Church in Lebanon, Me. Sermon by Rev. C. Marsh, from 1. Kings, xxii. 16. 1825. June 22. Ordained, at Marl.

SELECTED

IMMORTALITY.

BY MONTGOMEUT.

Friend after friend departs;
Who hath not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts

That finds not here an end;
Were this frail world our final rest,
Living or dying none were blest.

Beyond the flight of time

Beyond the reign of deathThere surely is some blessed clime Where life is not a breath; Nor life's affections transient fire, Whose sparks fly upwards and expire!

Evangelist. Sermon by Rev. H. Peters, of Bennington

1825. June 30. Ordained, Rev. THONAS JAMESON, as Colleague pastor with Rev. Thomas Lancaster, over the first Church in Scarborough, Me. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Payson, from Col. i. 28.

POETRY.

There is a world above,
Where parting is unknown;
A long eternity of love,

Formed for the good alone;
And faith beholds them dying here,
Translated to that glorious sphere!

Thus star by star declines,

Till all are past away; As morning high and higher shines, To pure and perfect day: Nor sink those stars in empty night, But hide themselves in Heaven's own light.

THERE are but few, under the light of the gospel, who do not entertain a hope, of some kind, that they shall escape the wrath to come, and obtain eternal life. Many profess that they have such a hope. Such is the profession of all those, who have publickly named the name of Christ and united with his visible church. Such is the profession of numbers, who have not owned Christ before men and come to his ordinances; who yet do not hesitate to say, that they consider themselves as saints, and expect to obtain forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

But, many, who do not openly profess to have a hope of salvation, make it evident, that they secretly entertain such a hope. They dwell at ease in Zion; they live without manifesting any concern for their souls, or the least fear of death and judgment to come. But how could they live thus, if they had not some kind of hope, that they shall escape the perdition of ungodly men, and obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ? Most of those, who dwell in a Christian land, when laid upon the bed of death, speak a language, which implies, that if they have

[No. 21.

lived without God, they have not lived without a hope in the world.

Now, it is very important, that all should know, whether their hope of eternal life is well founded. For while a good "hope maketh not ashamed; what is the hope of the hypocrite-when God taketh away his soul?"

Though there are various properties of a good hope, by which it may be known and distinguished from all counterfeits; yet, there is one property of such a hope, which is worthy of special notice, and which serves, more than any other, to distinguish it from every groundless expectation of future happiness. This is the property of a good hope, mentioned by the apostle in our text: It is of Grace.

"Good hope through Grace."

I shall endeavour, in the ensuing discourse, to show in what respects a good hope of salvation, is through Grace.

First. The only foundation, upon which mankind can build a good hope of eternal salvation, was laid by Divine Sovereign Grace. "Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." It is only through Christ that any of mankind can be saved from

wrath. There is no other name under heaven, given amongst men, by which any can be saved. The wages of sin is eternal death. This death all mankind deserve; since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. This death is the penalty or curse of the Divine Law, which God was bound, in justice to himself and his moral kingdom, to inflict upon all mankind, had not something been done, as fully to manifest his hatred of sin and wrath against sinners, as their condign punishment. This was done, by the sufferings and death of Christ, in our nature. By the vicarious sufferings of such a Personage, who was no less than "God manifest in the flesh," God's love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity were as clearly and fully displayed, as they could have been by the endless punishment of all mankind. In this sense, Christ condemned sin in the flesh, and bare our sins in his own body on the tree. In this sense, Christ tasted death for every man, and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Agreeably to which, the apostle says, that "God hath set forth (Christ) to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins-that He, (God) might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Je

sus."

Thus the only foundation of hope for guilty men, was laid by the gift of Christ, to make atonement for sin. But this unspeakable gift was altogether of free, sovereign grace. It was of free grace. God was under no obligation to lost men, to make the most costly sacrifice in his power their redemption. As they were without claim; it would have been perfectly just, if He had left them without remedy. The gift of Christ, as the ground of hope to lost men,

for

was of sovereign grace. "Verily Christ took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham." But, why rebels equally guilty, should be thus distinguished; why atonement should be made for fallen men, while fallen angels were passed by, we must resolve into the sovereignty of Divine Grace. "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he BY THE GRACE OF GOD, should taste death for every man."

Secondly. It is through Divine, sovereign Grace, that some of mankind are appointed, not to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.' As the atonement of Christ only exhibited, but did not remove or diminish the guilt of mankind; so it did not oblige God, in point of justice, to save any of them. Though the atonement of Christ could not be sufficient for one, without being sufficient for all men; yet God was at perfect liberty to select such individuals to be heirs of salvation, as it would be most for his own glory and the good of the universe to save. He had a right to exercise his sovereign will, according to the dictates of his own infinite wisdom and goodness, in choosing some to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Election, which is the source of all good hope of eternal life, is through the sovereign grace of God. "Who hath saved us, and called us with au holy calling, not according to our works, but according to HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly