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clear facts to judge by. If such a man was to sing with a voice like an angel, it is a voice and nothing more. His actions prove it to be mere air and empty sound: yea, they demonstrate, that his heart is in perfect discord with God. He says one thing and does the contrary. He seems to praise God, as if he was happy in his love, but he cleaves to the world and seeks his happiness in it. He sings "Whom have I in heaven but thee," yet shews his supreme joy is in the earth. How can any thing that such a man sings be an acceptable service, while his heart and life are in direct opposition to the holy will of God. A Jew can sing, a Turk can join in concert with him, an infidel may play well upon an instrument; a company of Jews, Turks, and infidels, may perform the finest piece of music and with the most harmonious sounds. They may go through the oratorio of the Messiah without one discord. But here is no melody to the Lord. They have no design to shew forth the praises of Immanuel: and what is not done in faith, and to his glory, is sin. Their music is as hateful to him as any of their vices: for self is the burden of their song. They sing to please themselves, and to please God is not in all their thoughts. O consider this, ye that come to church, and join in singing the Psalms. Is it with you an ordinance of God? Do you look upon it as such, and find it such? Does your understanding go with the Psalm, and your heart enter into it? Is it the joy of your heart? Do you sing rejoicing in God? And do yon find him your one supreme blessedness all the day long? So that your life is a continued song of praise, and every action of it being subject to his holy will, preserves the harmony, and keeps up the heavenly joy. Is it thus indeed, who is like unto you, people saved by the Lord.

"If all these things be put together, then we learn that singing Psalms is an ordinance of God, and one of the means of grace, instituted for the exercise and for the improvement of grace.It is commanded with a promise, and the promise is made good to this very day, as thousands of living witnesses can testify. When they have met together, understanding the subject of the Psalm, and singing it with melody in their hearts, then the Lord has accepted theirpraises, and increased their joy in him. They have found their affections drawn nearer to him, and he has warmed them with a sweet sense of love. And this has not been a transient visit. It did not cease when they had done singing; but the harmony was preserved in a well-ordered walk, directed by the faith of the Son of God. They lived their songs. Peace and love dwelt in their hearts, and their joy abounded in the Lord."

(To be concluded in our next.)

LETTERS ON THE ATONEMENT.-No. II.

My dear Brother,-At the close of the preceding letter it was admitted, that between the definite and general atonement, the difference is verbal rather than real. I am therefore unwilling to represent three theories on the subject, as prevailing in the Presbyterian church. But as the word general seems to correspond with the term indefinite, better than it does with the term definite, and consequently intimates that the advocates of a general atonement harmonize more in their views with the friends of an indefinite, than with those of a definite, atonement, it may be proper to state, that this is by no means the fact. By turning to the description given of the oppinions of the new school on this all-important doctrine of divine revelation, it will be seen that it does not at all suit the views of those who have been known, in the Presbyterian church, as the advocates of what is termed a general atonement. For they believe, as well as we, that Christ was the substitute of his people-that he was charged with their sins-that he bore the penalty of the law-that he made satisfaction to the justice of God for all who shall believe:-In fact they differ from us only in relation to the terms they prefer, in speaking on the extent of the atonement. While they maintain that Christ died especially for the elect, they believe that, in a certain sense, he died for others. With them, let it be repeated, we wish to have no dispute. We think alike, although we make choice of different words, in communicating our thoughts in regard to a particular point. The comparison I am drawing, is not between our views of the atonement and theirs; but between ours and those which are entertained on this great subject, by persons whose sentiments were stated in my first letter, and who are usually known by the name of Hopkinsians. And should these letters ever meet the public eye, I wish the friends of a general atonement to see, that I am not contending with them, but opposing certain views of a most important doctrine, which they, as well as we, believe to be unscriptural and dangerous.

You will not, my dear friend, understand what I have said in relation to the heathen, in my first letter, as representing the salvation of all who are destitute of the light of the gospel, as being impossible. I have only said, that if the atonement had been mabe for all mankind, the knowledge of it would have been sent to all nations; and that, as an inspired writer has expressly represented the heathen as being "without Christ, stangers to the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE, and WITHOUT GOD in the world," it is altogether improper to say, a door of hope has been opened for all men-for the heathen, who are destitiute of

divine revelation, just as much as for Christians, to whom the gospel is preached. Still I believe, that, as infants, who are incapable of hearing and believing the gospel, are saved, not as being free from guilt and depravity, but through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ; so some of the heathen may be saved, by the application of the same precious blood. How they are brought to participate in the salvation of Christ, I do not know. Jehovah may, if he please, reveal to some, at any time he chooses, so much of the gospel as may be sufficient for the exercise of faith. But in whatever way the application of the atonement may be made, it is altogether extraordinry. Of the means of grace, the heathen are manifestly destitute: they have no Bible, no Sabbath, no gospel, no ministry of reconciliation; the are ignorant of God and Christ, of the way of peace and salvation.

In my former letter, the two theories in regard to the atonement, that prevail in our church, were compared, in regard to the extent of the atoñement. It was, I trust, fairly shown, that the new has no advantage over the old scheme in this point; that the greater extent which is attributed to indefinite atonement is nominal and not real; and that the definite atonement, in respect to the merits of Christ's death, the invitation of the gospel, the offers of salvation and the divine purpose, is quite as

extensive as the other.

In this letter I propose to examine the second claim of the New School; which is, that their veiws on this most interesting subject are more compatible with a free and general preaching of the gospel, and an unfettered and unreserved offer of salvation to all sinners.

To this claim we cannot yield. It is a mere gratuitous assumption. You well know that the advocates of the doctrine on this fundamental piont that has prevailed in the Presbyterian church from its foundation in this country, and by the teaching of which this church grew and flourished for more than a century, have felt no embarrassment in preaching the gospel indiscriminately, and offering salvation to all, to whom it was their privilege to bear the deligtful messages of divine grace.

With the utmost freedom have they published to all their hearers, the great and precious truths embodied in the gospel. They have delighted in celebrating the infinite love and mercy of Je hovah in providing salvation for sinners, by the mission of his own Son into our fallen and ruined world; and in proclaiming the grand and fundamental truth, that the Redeemer, by his obedience unto death, made a full satisfaction for the sins of his people, and wrought out for them a complete justifying righteousness. They have constantly exhibited him as an all-sufficient Sa

viour, able and willing to save unto the uttermost, all that will come unto him; assuring their hearers that his blood cleanseth from all sin, and that his righteousness can make the vilest sinner righteous in the eyes of immaculate Purity. They have not ceased to invite all to come to this glorious Redeemer for salvation; urging the acceptance of the invitation, by showing that all are commanded to believe the gospel message, and that God has promised that he will cast out none who come to him. They ground the offer of salvation on the atonement of Christ; and proclaim it as an infallible truth, that whosoever believeth on him shall, without a single exception, be saved. And to all they add the awful truth, that all who refuse the overtures of Divine mercy, and continue in unbelief, will burden their consciences with aggravated guilt, and bring down upon themselves a more terrible condemnation.

Now, in the enunciation of these truths, consists the preaching of the gospel-in exhibiting the infinite love and unmerited mercy of God towards our fallen world, and in setting forth the death and righteousness of his Son, as sufficient for saving the vilest of sinners, and every one who believes; and in grounding on the merits of Immanuel's atonement, a full and free offer of pardon and life, to all who will accept of them on the terms prescribed by infinite Majesty.

What more can the friends of indefinite atonement add? Will they reply-We can assure all our hearers that Christ died for them? But in what sense? Did he die with an intention to save them? No; he died intentionally to save the elect alone; God did not design by the atonement to secure the salvation of others. And how does this view of the subject show the consistency of offering salvation to all, any more than the view we take; who represent the merits of the atonement as sufficient for all, and therefore on this ground offer salvation to all who will accept it? Can they make the offer on any other terms? Can they tell unbelievers that they will be saved? By no means. They declare, as well as we, that he that believeth not, shall be damned; and that none can partake of the saving benefits of Christ's death, unless it be applied by faith.

It will, we know, be said, that as Christ, according to the definite scheme, made atonement only for his elect, the offer in preaching the gospel, is made to them alone. But this is a groundless assertion. Ministers are not entrusted with the execution of the secret purposes of Infinite Wisdom; nor are they acquainted with the elect of God, any farther than he is pleased to designate them by the bestowment of his grace. Election is

no rule to them, in discharging their official duties. They must publish the gospel to all, and tender salvation to all indiscriminately; leaving it to the Most High to make the application, and to call his chosen to the enjoyment of salvation, in his own way and time.

Still it may be objected, that, if the atonement has not been made for all, the offer of salvation to all cannot be grounded on the atonement. Why not? The atonement is, in its own nature, sufficient for all; and if it were applied to all, every son and daughter of Adam would be saved; but because Jehovah, in his adorable sovereignty, is pleased to apply it to some, and not to all, it certainly does not follow that the benefits of it cannot be offered to all.

But suppose, it may be said, a non-elect person were to believe in Christ and accept the offer of salvation; would he, for whom no atonement has been made, be saved? Without hesitation I answer affirmatively; just as I would say, that if an elect person were to die in unbelief, he would be damned.

But, before I assign the reasons of this answer, it may be proper to show how the same difficulty applies to the scheme of the new school. They believe in the doctrine of election; they say Christ died intentionally to save only the elect; that God did not design to secure by the atonement the salvation of any other men: and they must admit that Christ intercedes, not for the world, but for them whom God has given him. Now, we ask, suppose a non-elect person were to believe, would he be saved? one of whom they say Christ did not die intentionally to save; one whose salvation God did not design to secure by the atonement; one for whom the great High Priest in heaven does not intercede; would such a person, in these circumstances, be saved, if he were to believe? Our brethren have to meet the same dif ficulty.

But after all, cannot the difficulty in reference either to election, or to a definite atonement, be lessened, if not solved?Election secures the salvation of its objects; but it interposes no obstacle in the way of the salvation of the non-elect.Jehovah will, in his own appointed time and manner, bring to a saving union with his Son, all whom he has destined to immortal glory; but the grace which he is pleased to impart to his chosen, does not prevent others from repenting and believing, as he com~ mands them. He only withholds from them what they have no right to claim; but, if in obedience to his command, they were to repent and believe, he would doubtless fulfil to them the promise directed to all believers.

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