miah, when he says, "Return, O blacksliding children; for I am married to you." May the Lord enable his people to enjoy some of the grace and efficacy of this marriage union. The beloved apostle John breaks out with a "Behold! what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." With how much greater ecstacy of expression and wonder, can we exclaim, in contemplating this marriage covenant,-Behold! what manner of love, the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the bride, the Lamb's wife? The love of God was a theme in which the beloved apostle was more particularly engaged: he sums it up in another place in a few words, "God (says he) is love." And his love to his people never had a beginning, and never will have an ending; it is from everlasting to everlasting; his people and his love to his people, (if I may be allowed the expression) entered the eternal mind at one and the same time; God must cease to be 'ere he can cease to love; his love to his people was the same when they were at enmity against him, as it is when they enjoy sweet communion at his gracious throne: it knows of no bounds or degrees, and as God is "the same yesterday and to-day," so is his love. My prayer is, that these few glimmerings of the love and grace of a covenant God, though but faint, may be made a blessing to some of his dear family, looking with a single eye to the glory of God and the good of his church; and that in reading it, they may enjoy as much comfort and consolation, as the writer has, is the earnest desire of,

THE CHIEF OF SINNERS AND THE LEAST OF SAINTS. Deptford.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

A Refutation of the Sentiments of the Rev. ISAIAH BIRT, "On the System of Theology, taught by the Rev. DR. HAWKER, &c."

(In a Series of LETTERS to a Brother in the Faith.)

My dear Brother.

No. V.

THE title of the fifth section, is, "Doctor Hawker defective in his exhibitions of the christian character and duties;" which is opened with remarks on the slender knowledge acquired, in the present state, of the causes and nature of subjects the most familiar. The operation of the Holy Spirit in regeneration is stated to be known only by its results; and to prove those effects on the human character, fifteen passages of scripture are quoted, whose application, severally, I stay not to dispute. That of,

"Created in righteousness and true holiness," and several others, demands a much higher construction than our author has thought proper to adopt.

Since what is already advanced, on the genuine character of a believer, it will not be required of me immediately to enlarge:but that the apostle's description of the new man, created in true holiness, should be applied to the old man, the Adam-nature, for the purpose of pointing out that which is "congenial with the system of christianity," is too gross a perversion of scripture to be suffered to pass unnoticed. Natural philosophy is capable of inducing an exterior conduct, which may even compete with the best display of the moral character' of the believer; hence, the teachers of vain philosophy, who boast of the increase of their converts, estimate the value of their dogmas and the success of their labours by a false standard. Is that the test, of the character of a saint, which the regenerate and the unregenerate are alike able to fulfil? Woe, woe, to the professing churches of our highly-favoured land! they make this,-adding thereto the tinsel ornaments of religious appearances-the standard of character;—they demand tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, neglecting the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith;-and thence proceeds the general influx of delusion and hypocrisy, and the copious reflux of true godliness.

Com

No man of strict integrity will form a friendly alliance with the dishonest and base; no prudent parent would knowingly take into the bosom of his family, one of depraved habits; no body of persons, called christians, would willingly give the right hand of fellowship to the profligate and the abandoned. mon prudence dictates the necessary precaution in each of these cases. But is it not known, and ever to be deplored, that the "effects" which Mr. Birt says, "constitute part of the salvation revealed," are universally accepted as constituting the whole of salvation?

Our author's labours afford, on the part of the 'evangelical churches,' decisive evidence to that effect; in which I have detected him repeatedly protesting against a constant exhibition of Jehovah's sovereignty and grace in the salvation of the church, -and even classing it with the absurdities of Mahometanism ;taking exception at a believer's familiar knowledge of interest in the privileges of the church, as being subversive of humble reliance on the mercy and goodness of God;-endeavouring to prove to be contrary to the moral government of God, that which is divinely consistent therewith,-lest mankind should fail of salvation for want of human inducements;—and directing the believer to the holy law as his rule of government, in bar of the imputed perfect righteousness of the great law-fulfiller,-virtually impeaching a fiducial dependence on the completeness of the work and obedience of Christ ;-and, finally, likening the

spiritual apprehension of Christ, to a belief in one of the abominable mummeries of popery!

I have quoted again and again from the Doctor's summary of 'all he preaches or writes,'-which inestimable testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, Mr. Birt, on his own account, has most unfortunately selected,-(and I beg again to repeat, I confine myself on the Doctor's behalf to that and his antagonist's other extracts)—and yet, once more, I must have recourse to the same, wherein it is recorded, "These are the glorious doctrines "I preach ;-these I make THE GROUND WOKK OF ALL PRACTICAL GODLINESS; and without which NOTHING OF TRUE GODLINESS can arise in the soul." I stop not to comment again, on the view Mr. Birt takes of the impropriety of an unceasing proclamation of the grand principles of our most holy faith; but proceed to shew the manner of display, which the Lord the Spirit is pleased to bless to the souls of his people: and from thence infer, whether it be Dr. Hawker, or Mr. Birt, who is "defective in his exhibitions of the christian character and duties."

One of the many passages given in reproof of the Doctor, which is well adapted for the present purpose, is John iii. 16, 17, 18. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. I have copied the sacred text in full, each verse containing gospel truths which are severally perverted, and the whole opening precious themes for profitable consideration. Taking for granted that our author does not at any time pretend to sanction general redemption from this scripture, it may be observed, that to proclaim Christ therefrom, is to dilate on the transporting truth, whosoever believeth in him shall not perish,—he that believeth on him is not condemned! Faith in exercise, by the power of the Holy Ghost, is the evidence of its possessor's interest in the blessedness of them who are accepted in the beloved. When the only begotten Son was given of the Father, and of his own self undertook for the salvation of the church, the whole elect body were given to and accepted of him. The union by which they are bound to their living head, is permanent as his perfections,eternal as his being and for this cause they are not condemned, -this is the blissful argument that they perish not. Faith is an evidence of interest-but it is only the means the Holy Ghost employs to give proof of that eternal union. There are theologians who hold the soul-deceiving, preposterous notion, that it is by faith the sinner obtains an interest in the person VOL. II.-No. 14. Ꭰ

and work of Christ. And are there none to be found among the evangelical brethren?'

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· He that believeth not (saith the Son of God) is condemned already. The sentence is gone forth against the whole world of unbelievers. The guilty criminal comes into being, under the curse; and every action, word, and thought, whether in the sight of his fellows considered immoral or moral, gives irrefutable proof to that effect for his continuance in unbelief is but a continued evidence, that he is condemned already.

The glorious truth, from which I have wandered, is a source of extatic delight to the believer, when the engrafted word is received into the soul, and yields the foretaste of his eternal inheritance. To know that the curse and condemnation do not attach to him; but that by reason of the mystical union by which he is joined to his Lord, God's wrath hath never been kindled against him; and that the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, bath borne what was due to him, that he might not come into this condemnation,-affords joy unspeakable and full of glory. To know that the power of the Holy Ghost within, determining his whole trust and confidence on him who loved and redeemed him, as the proof of his oneness with his covenant head, is, indeed, a sufficient assurance, that he that believeth on Him, is not condemned, and, that whosoever believeth in Him shall never perish. And even the angels who have been the associates of souls redeemed from off the earth, since the entrance of the early saints into glory, would fail (were they allowed the attempt) to describe the exceeding joy of him who has thus taken possession of his heavenly Father's patrimony. With this recital of one of the "glorious doctrines" the Doctor preaches, I now pause, (and the venerable Vicur of Charles will pardon me for throwing it into other terms than his own) and once more remind Mr. Birt, that the eminent saint who espouses this foundation principle of the gospel, and against whom he has chosen to appear as an antagonist, holds it as one of those which he makes the ground work of all practical godliness, and without which, nothing of true godliness can arise in the soul! more of which presently.

Our author proceeds by objecting to the Doctor's description of character, as applicable to believers in Jesus, those that know the plague of their own hearts; on which he remarks first, "the inspired writers generally bring home the charge of human depravity as an undeniable fact, or as a most humiliating doctrine." It is really a painful task to follow this writer through so many instances of misconception, and to notice such repeated violation of the rules of decency and common honesty. might reasonably suppose his better judgment would have dictated a different course, knowing, as he did, that in the bitterness of his heart he was hazarding an opinion, with which he durst

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not stand the test of scrutiny. Does he mean to affirm, that Dr. Hawker describes that feature of character, as a thing only necessary to be acknowledged? as a lineament in the description that need but be talked about? Though I might well fear to gather such a construction; it will be seen that HE fears not to justify it, by the observation immediately attached "they "(the inspired writers) uniformly exhibit the spirit, and the feelings with which moral depravity is contemplated as features of character." If Mr. Birt had never lent a willing ear to the ministry, nor in any one instance perused the writings of Dr. Hawker, charity might have forborne to blame: but for him, under entirely opposite circumstances, to multiply his unfounded insinuations, is worthy the character and profession of a soi-disant 'evangelical brother!' Mr. Birt knows better than myself, from the ministrations, and probably as well as I, from the writings of the Doctor, that there is no omission in his statements of "the righteous contemplating their own depravity with broken hearts and contrite spirits,-with deep humility, and with earnest prayer to be delivered from evil," &c. and yet he has the assurance to charge him with entire neglect on these points, and to affirm, in all these most reasonable expectations WE are utterly disappointed!

But, what shall be said of his next remark on this feature of character? he observes,-" for a person to know the plague "of his own heart, is scarcely any description of character: "it rather points out circumstances of affliction than features "of character." Is this the subterfuge of an aged, professed gospel minister? Ah! what account is such an one prepared to render of his stewardship when the Lord cometh? Let any man, who has the hardihood, persevere in blindly arguing that the Doctor is in error here,-yea, and in comparison of evil, let him be accounted innocent,-but is it a light thing that on the momentous point of the knowledge of sin, the Lord's faithful word should be inveighed against? He has the effrontery to remark," the phrase is found only in the prayer of Solomon, "at the dedication of the temple; and however justifiable the "accommodation, it is exceedingly questionable that Solomon "used it in the sense for which it is employed by Dr. Hawker!" Let him who is spiritual have renewed recourse to the 8th chapter 1st book Kings, and he will meet throughout such decisive. condemnation of the idea, as must excite the profoundest pity towards the man who has shamelessly uttered it. He further expresses great surprise that the Doctor," who claims perfect harmony with Christ and his apostles," should go so frequently to a solitary phrase of Solomon, in preference to selecting their designation of character. Does Mr. Birt, therefore, deny its strictest analogy with the language of Solomon's prototype to the jewish ruler?-with the feature of character drawn in the