represents all men as made capable of obtaining, through the mercy and love of their common Father, eternal blessedness, and made capable of continual progress in happiness and virtue, what is opposed so much more joyful and consolatory? A scheme before noticed, which represents all mankind, since our first parents, as created by God with natures so corrupt as to be able to do nothing to save themselves from eternal misery. We use the mildest language possible; that of the creeds and confessions is, that mankind are under "God's displeasure and curse; so as we are by nature children of wrath, bond-slaves to Satan, and justly liable to all punishments in this world and that which is to come. And the punishments in the world to come are everlasting separation from the comfortable presence of God and most grievous torments in soul and body without intermission in hell-fire for ever." * From this terrible condition a part of mankind are saved through the atonement of Christ. They are chosen from among the rest, not because they are better than those who are left, nor with reference to any works or endeavors of their own, but out of God's

* Westminster Assembly's Larger Catechism.

mere good pleasure. We give the doctrine of the creeds; some may choose to affirm that this election is not with any certain and natural reference to their own endeavors, but may shrink from the assertion of more hardy orthodoxy, that good actions performed by unregenerate men are sinful.* Those who are thus chosen are made regenerate, that is, their natures undergo a miraculous renovation, and they become fit for heaven. Those who are left perish everlastingly, without possibility of escape. We shall make no comment upon this scheme, nor urge the comparison that we have mentioned. We will only observe, that we suppose there are some men, who receive what is most essential in it, who yet may be shocked at the horrible absurdity of language in which parts of it are sometimes expressed. Let such men define their notions, and see how far they do in fact differ from the original doctrines.

But it may be said, that he, who, according to the scheme just mentioned, believes, or, as some will have it, knows, himself to be one of the elect, must have a much more joyful confidence in God's peculiar love and mercy,

* Good actions, that is to say, "works that for the matter of them may be things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and others." Westminster Assembly's Confession

of Faith, Ch. XVI. § 7.

than any one can enjoy upon our principles. It may be so. The best of us can have no more confidence than what the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews possessed, and can only say with him, "We trust we have a good conscience." We can have no more assurance than St. Paul enjoyed, when he told the Corinthians of his care "lest by any means, after having preached to others, he himself should become a castaway." We can have no other confidence than what arises from the testimony of our consciences, and a perfect trust in the impartial mercy of God; and, if there be those who possess any other, we think it built on a very fallacious foundation, and suppose that it is for the most part somewhat wavering and uncertain.

If our religion be the guide of our life, we have no fear that she will desert us in its trials and sorrows, or that her aid will be ineffectual for our support. The companion of our prosperity will make adversity a lesson of virtue, and enable us to bear it with resignation, and perhaps with cheerfulness. And in that hour when we shall have no other support, and no other availing comforter, she will not fail us. Through her influence the visions of immortality, to which in life she has directed our eyes, will grow brighter and more distinct around

our death-bed, as all other objects are receding. We have no envy for him who can speak of her as wanting in joy, or poor in consolation. We desire only, that we may be more worthy of her joys and consolations, and feel a more profound gratitude to Him from whom she has descended.

But, whatever may be the character or the influence of our opinions, it is still further urged against us, that these opinions are supported by unnatural constructions of Scripture, by rejecting the plain sense and substituting a forced meaning in its place. If by the plain sense of the Scriptures be meant that which would first occur to a person educated in the belief of certain doctrines, which liberal Christians consider no part of Christianity, and reading them in an English translation without any knowledge of the original language, or any collateral learning to assist in the right understanding of them, then, as to a considerable part of the Scriptures, the charge is to be admitted. Whether or not it will be a very serious one is a further question; and whether or not this should be considered the plain sense of Scripture depends in a considerable degree on the decision of the question, which of the two modes of interpretation formerly mentioned

is preferable. To one reading the Scriptures in the manner we have mentioned, an unjustifiable construction may appear to be put upon many passages, which have long been forced into the support of theological systems, when they are only restored to their true and natural meaning. But, supposing it to be granted that the Christian Scriptures are to be studied in the same manner as all other ancient writings, and that a variety of ancient learning is to be brought to their elucidation, a knowledge of Jewish and heathen antiquities, of the language in which they were written, and of this language as affected by the modes of Oriental and Jewish phraseology, of Jewish opinions, of the controversies which prevailed in the time of the Apostles, and of all those other circumstances which may tend to explain the general design of the different writings and the particular meaning of single passages; granting that this is to be done, if then it be affirmed, that we reject what in this mode of study may appear the plain sense of Scripture, we deny the charge. But we do more; we contend that our opinions are supported by the plain sense and the general tenor of Scripture, such as it will appear to the most illiterate, if at the same time he be an unprejudiced reader. We con