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depend on these? Banish these from our minds, and our prospects are wrapped in gloom. We no longer look up to a God hearing prayer, but to an inexorable Being, whom neither prayers nor intercessions can move. The uncertainty of our being of the elect number, must still cross our minds with inexpressible horror. Notwithstanding the powerful invitations which we may feel to become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, we still may suppose He has bid us seek his face in vain; and only gives these invitations, to increase our condemnation, and aggravate our final misery.

The justice of his judgments and the riches of his mercy, have been displayed through all generations on earth; and they will be proclaimed in the anthems of the redeemed in heaven.

I shall conclude by appealing to the universal experience of mankind; for I am persuaded that I may assert, without fear of contradiction, that every man who has come to feel the powerful operation of redeeming love, rising into predominance in his own heart, feels therein an extension of good-will to the whole human family, and a desire for the salvation of all; in the language of Scripture, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and live."* And in proportion

* But what shall we say of such sentiments as the following? Do they not seem to represent the SMALLNESS of the number of those that are saved, as a source of gratification to the elect and even as enhancing their happiness?

"For by not adopting indifferently the whole world to the hope of salvation, but by giving to some what He refuses to others, He, by this comparison of his grace, renders it more estimable, and more illustrious."

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CALVIN, INST. LIB. 3, ch. 21. "In other cases, the VALUE of a privilege or possession, is enhanced by its SCARCENESS. A VIRTUOSO sets but little esteem on a medal, a statue, or a vase, so common that every man who pleases may have one of the same kind: he prizes that alone, as a rarity, which really is such; and which is not only intrinsically valuable, but which lies in FEW HANDS. Were all men here on earth qualified and enabled to appear as kings; the crown, the sceptre, the

as we come under the influence of the Spirit of Him who laid down his life for us, so this love and desire for the salvation of all men becomes powerful in us. And is it to be supposed that our love for mankind, our feelings of pity, commiseration, and desire for their salvation, should be thus enlarged, if the love of God, and the means of salvation, were restricted to the narrow limits which have. been supposed, on the predestinarian scheme? It is impossible. Effects cannot exceed their cause; nor any feeling of love or good-will, or desire for the salvation of souls, rise in us, superior to the inexhaustible source of the love of God in Christ Jesus, from which alone it is derived in us.

Nor is this the only evidence we find within ourselves. And here I can make a similar appeal-whether every man, who is capable of rational reflection, does not feel himself in the full exercise of free agency? Is he not conscious of a discrimination between right and wrong? Does he not feel the solemn obligations of duty? Is there not a conviction on his mind, that a God, all goodness, does not require impossibilities of him; but, in fatherly regard, invites him to love and gratitude, and finally to an inheritance eternal in the heavens? And when, at any time, he has gone counter to the convictions in his own bosom, does he not feel that he is left without excuse-that the grace afforded, the evidences of sin, and ability to resist temptation, were sufficient for him?

We acknowledge unhesitatingly that God is good, that He is not a hard master, or an austere man, taking up where He has not laid down, and gathering where He has

robe of state, and other ensigns of majesty, would presently sink into things hardly noticeable." TOPLADY, PREFACE, p. 8.

And these comparisons he brings forward, to illustrate the "reflections," &c." of such persons as are favoured with a sense of their ELECTION in Christ to holiness and heaven." ib.

not strewed. And when our minds are addressed with the language, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live;" Ezek. xxxiii. 11. we may respond with the apostle: "Let God be true, but every man a liar.” Rom. iii. 4.

CHAPTER IV.

OF THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST.

Although the preceding articles have all an allusion and direct reference to Jesus Christ, and salvation by Him, for He is the only means and way of salvation, and the foundation of every Christian doctrine, yet it seems necessary to say something more distinct and particular, in relation to that Divine Character.

The Society of Friends, from the beginning, have believed in the Divinity and Humanity of Christ. The history of his miraculous conception, birth, life, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension, as recorded by the Evangelists, we fully believe.

A few extracts from the writings of some of the most distinguished members of the Society, may probably be the best introduction to this article.

G. Fox, in his Journal, Vol. 1, p. 4, [p. 4, fol. ed.] says: "This priest Stevens asked me, why Christ cried out upon the cross: 'My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?' and why He said: 'If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will but thine be done.' I told him, at that time the sins of all mankind were upon Him, and their iniquities and transgressions, with which He was wounded, which He was to bear, and to be an offering for, as He was man, but died not, as He was God: so in that He died for all men, tasting death for every man, He was an offering for the sins of the whole world. This I spoke, being at that time, in a measure, sensible of Christ's sufferings."

In a publication about the year 1675, entitled, "A Tes

"The

timony of what we believe of Christ," he says: apostle, speaking of the fathers, saith: 'Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God over all, blessed for ever, Amen.' This was the apostles' doctrine to the Church then, which we do witness, both as to his flesh, and as He was God."

G. Fox and others, in an address to the Governor of Barbadoes, Journal, Vol. 2, p. 139. [P. 434, fol. ed.] says: "We own and believe in Jesus Christ, his beloved and only begotten Son, in whom He is well pleased: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the express image of the Invisible God, the first-born of every creature, by whom were all things created, that are in heaven and in earth, visible or invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him. And we own and believe that He was made a sacrifice for sin, who knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: that He was crucified for us in the flesh, without the gates of Jerusalem; and that He was buried, and rose again the third day, by the power of the Father, for our justification; and that He ascended up into heaven, and now sitteth at the right hand of God. This Jesus, who was the foundation of the prophets and apostles, is our foundation, and we believe there is no other foundation to be laid, but that which is laid, even Christ Jesus; who tasted death for every man, shed his blood for all men, is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."-"He is, (as the Scriptures of truth say of Him,) our wisdom, righteousness, justification, and redemption; neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given amongst men, whereby we may be saved."-"He is now come in spirit, and hath given us an understanding, that we know Him that is

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