scheme of mercy, in all its manifold | prescience of all human actions), and in bearings on the human race, proceeded. the doctrine of temporaneous and condiThe universal propitiation of the divine tional election to forgiveness, holiness Son, is regarded as the chief expression and glory. In short, the religious views of the Father's love to mankind, and as which are generally designated "Morithat perfect satisfaction for the sins of sonian," may be thus summed up:sinful men which makes it consistent for That God the Father regarded mankindthe divine Father, as the moral gover- sinners with an eye of compassion, and nor of the universe, to extend to all wished "all men to be saved;" that who, under the guidance of the Spirit, God the Son became "a propitiation for assume a certain spiritual attitude, par- the sins of the whole world;" that God don and purity, and ultimate glory. the Spirit has been "poured out upon The universal influence of the Divine all flesh," and "strives" with all the Spirit is required, to, exhibit to men the irregenerate, and "dwells" in all belove of the Father, and the Propitiation lievers; that all those who, "led by of the Son; and, from the fact that it is the Spirit," "yield themselves unto universal, it is regarded as resistible. God," are his chosen people, "elect acThe resistibility of the influence of the cording to fore-knowledge;" and that Spirit is looked upon as necessarily co- those who remain finally unsaved, and related with the essential and there- are thus the non-elect and reprobate, fore indestructible freedom of the will have themselves to blame for their infatof man; and, as it is only in the uated "resistance" of the Holy Ghost; abuse of this freedom that human sin that for the conversion of any soul, is realised, so it is only in the legiti- all the glory is to be given to God, mate use of it that that faith is experi- who "quickens" the dead, while over enced which is the conditio sine qua every soul that perishes, Jehovah comnon at once of safety, sanctification, and plainingly cries, "why will you die?" ultimate glory. This freedom of the that although all men in their natural human will, whether in sin on the one state are depraved and love sin, yet hand, or in faith and holiness on the they possess the power to obey the comother, is looked upon as the turning- mand to believe the gospel-a power point of man's moral accountability, and bestowed by God, and not destroyed by as, indeed, the very essential principle the fall; that every sinner who believes of his moral nature. This being the the good news of salvation is conscious case, original sin is not regarded as an of the act, and "being justified by faith, innate moral corruption of the soul. It has peace with God through Jesus Christ is looked upon as exhausted in the im- our Lord;" that Christ is "made" to putation of Adam's first sin; while the every believer "wisdom, and righteousidea of an innate moral corruption of ness, and sanctification, and redempthe soul is looked upon as based on one tion ;" and that before the finally imof two untenable assumptions,—the as- penitent and “the faithful unto death" sumption of a traducian propagation of there lies, respectively, either a misersouls, or the assumption of the possibi- able or glorious immortality. lity of filial guilt being involved in an independent parental delinquency, with which the children did not, and could not, comply. The same view of the essential freedom of the human will, finds other embodiments in the doctrine of limited fore-ordination, or the absolute fore-ordination on God's part not of all the actions of men, but only of his own acts (but coupled with universal For an exhibition of the alleged Scripture-proofs, and a more complete view of all the subordinate doctrinal dependencies of these tenets, we must refer to the publications of the denomination. The candid reader will now be fully able to judge, whether or not, this body be worthy of the sweeping denunciations which, of late years, have been hurled against them, over the length and breadth | God which do not tally with our own of the land. opinions. The candid reader will perOne of the most common modes of ceive from the foregoing statement that representing their opinions is, that they we do not deny the doctrine of Election, teach that the sinner is "able to save but simply a particular view of it. We himself," and that they thus seek to rob hold that God, according to his eternal the Eternal Jehovah of the glory that foreknowledge and purpose, chooses is his due, and confer it upon poor hell- those who believe in his Son-that men deserving man. Does the sinner save are not chosen according to their own himself when he simply tastes the food works, but according to God's wondrous that has been provided for him—when plan of saving men in Christ. (See 2 he simply opens the door at which God Tim. i. 9, 10; 1 Pet. i. 2; Eph. i. 4, may have knocked for many a year-also Rom. chap. ix. the key to when he "looks unto God and is saved," the proper understanding of which is in compliance with the Divine entreaty? furnished by the apostle in the concludHow can God be robbed of his glory, ing verses, viz., that those who believe when it is admitted that, but for the in Christ, as the Gentiles did, are the sovereign interposition of the Father, saved, and therefore the elect, whereas the race must have irretrievably per- those who reject Christ, and "stumble ished-that we were altogether "with- at that stumbling stone," as the Jews out strength," that is, without ability did, are the reprobate or non-elect.) to atone for our sins, and procure a And we rejoice in this view of election, meritorious righteousness, when, "in not only as that which is taught in due time, Christ died for the ungodly," Scripture, and which reflects especial and thus removed for ever the otherwise glory on the character of God, but as insuperable legal barriers that frowned that which is beautifully reconcileable in our way; and when it is admitted that, without the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the mere preaching of the Gospel would be no more efficacious for the actual saving of the soul, than the sowing of the seed in the soil would issue in the expected harvest, without the blessing of the God of Nature? Some are, indeed, startled by the statement, that the sinner is able to believe the Gospel when it is preached; but when it is remembered that this power is God-conferred and God-sustained, a candid investigator will confess, that the Divine being is in no wise, by such a view of truth, robbed of his glory. On the other hand, we hold that the opposite opinion derogates from the glory of God, viz., that the sinner is commanded to receive a gospel which he is confessedly unable to receive, and ultimately visited with a "much sorer punishment" for not receiving it. Again we are very generally charged with denying the doctrine of Election, and with explaining away rashly and daringly those portions of the Word of with the rest of God's revealed will. The grand difficulty with multitudes is to reconcile the doctrine of eternal and unconditional election with the calls to immediate faith which are addressed to all sinners indiscriminately in the Word of God. But the view of election just indicated exactly harmonizes with the great New Testament decree, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," and also with God's solemn asseveration, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked," and the unqualified declaration of the apostle, "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." It has further been alleged against us that we deny altogether Original Sin, and the depravity of man's nature. As has just been stated, while we deny such an imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity, as would render them liable to eternal punishment on account of it; and such a view of the corruption of towards the production of an abundant our fallen nature as would warrant the application of the epithet "sinful" to infant children, and render them obnoxious to hell fire, we nevertheless maintain that Adam's sin has been so imputed to the whole race, that they suffer temporal death on account of it, (Rom. v.) and we also hold that there is what may be called a tendency in every man who is born into the world to sin, owing to the biassing influence We ever give prominence in all that which the deteriorated flesh (oag) we say and write to the great fact, that exerts upon the originally pure and" without holiness no man shall see the God-given soul, and the evil influences Lord." wherewith he is surrounded in the Such being our theological erced, it world without. And viewing adults has oft-times been matter of surprise to in their natural unconverted state, we us that we have been judged so hardly yield to none in the strength of the ex-by other denominations of Christians. pressions which may be employed to With all genuine Protestants we saydesignate the inveteracy, culpability," Let all the glory be to God, and none and hopelessness of their depravity and to man.' With them we hold that love of sin. The lusts of the flesh salvation, or eternal life, is a gift, and hold a proud and uncontrolled sway not to be obtained by works; and if where the supreme love of God does not reign. And even after conversion the remains of corruption annoy him who "walks after the spirit," and involve him in a harrassing warfare, as the apostle abundantly shows in the seventh chapter of the epistle to the Romans. we add that this gift is "unto all,” and that man is able to take the gift which God presses upon his acceptance, wherein do we seriously depart from the orbit of orthodoxy? We desire union with all evangelical Christians. If any deserve the epithet evangelical more than others, we unostentatiously claim to be that party. We love THE GOSPEL; we have suffered for The Gospel; and we ever give it an unrivalled prominence in all our ministrations. We have been charged with denying the work of the Holy Spirit. It will be apparent from the foregoing statement that this charge is unfounded. We firmly believe in the personality of that Divine Agent; and of his gracious work in the salvation and sanctification of sinners, we hold sentiments which, in our estimation, reflect upon Him peculiar glory. We believe that his love to mankind is co-equal with that of the Father and of the Son. He too regards the sinner with pitying eye, and whether by the monitions of conscience, the dispensations of providence, or the preached Gospel, does all that in the circumstances can be done to bring him to repentance. And even, as the pious Even although we should be frowned husbandman depends upon the blessing upon, misrepresented, and disowned, we of the God of Nature, and, although he will still claim to be really one in heart, be convinced that according to a pre-in aim, and in the estimation of the established law, the physical influence Master himself, with all who love the of God co-operates with his labours Lord Jesus in sincerity and in truth. We are well aware that the number of those in other denominations who admire and hold our views, is far greater than that of those who are in actual fellowship with us. Nor do we wonder at this, believing, as we do, that their symmetry, consistency, and harmony with God's Word, must commend themselves to the conscience of every man who will candidly consider them. IRVINGISM; OR, THE APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC CHURCH. IRVINGITES, so called from the late | ments of all their mystery and power, Rev. Edward Irving, is the designation and resolves faith in God into mere usually given to certain congregations assent to an intellectual proposition. of Christians which have been formed in Its object and aim are that the whole England, Scotland, Ireland, America, Church should be prepared as a chaste Germany, France, Switzerland, &c., virgin bride to be presented to the but which designation these bodies have Lord at his coming, which coming is always disavowed. The following article expected shortly. All this it is believed has been written at our request by the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy a gentleman officially connected with Ghost, through his ministries ordained them:at the beginning for this purpose, can alone, but will assuredly, accomplish ir all who have faith in him for that end. It follows from these premises that the creeds of the Catholic Church are the only creeds recognised. After the great schism, which was intended at first to be a reformation of the evils that had crept into the Church, every sect England adding thirty-nine articles, another setting up an additional creed at Augsburg, another at Westminster, another at Trent: all such additions are rejected because they are sectarian and uncatholic. The religious movement, erroneously named Irvingism by those who are ignorant of its nature, is not the springing up of another in addition to the already numberless sects into which, through our sin and the sin of our fathers, the one body of the baptized, the one Church of Christ, is rent asunder and torn to pieces. It is a develop-made additions to those creeds, that of ment of a wholly opposite character. Its idea and practical effect are to heal, bind up, and make one, all the broken parts of our common lacerated Christianity-striving to restore the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Its labour is to reproduce The forms of worship are those which amongst all baptized persons the reali- have been used in all ages in the Cathozation that there is "one body and one lic Church. The first and last hours of Spirit, even as we are called in one every day are devoted to Divine service, hope of our calling"-" one Lord, one -the matins and vespers of our fathers. faith, one baptism, one God and Father Prayers are made also at nine and at of all;" and to develop the worship of three o'clock. The Holy Eucharist is Almighty God in its living integrity, offered and the communion administered after the Divine pattern which He every Lord's day. The form of the Himself has given to men; purged from buildings, the furniture of the same, the superstition and idolatry with which it vestments of the clergy, are in like has been defiled on the one hand, and manner those that were devoted to the rescued on the other from the more worship of God in Catholic times. Lisubtle but not less deadening sway of turgies appropriate to each service as mere reason, which robs the holy sacra- they were of old, cleansed from the mixture of idolatrous invocations of dead men and women, are employed. All these practices are still used in the greater part of Christendom, but they are become mere mummeries, because the true significance of them is forgotten and unknown. Let it not be supposed, however, that this work is the production of clever and learned men, employing their wit and industry to the development of a preconceived ecclesiastical theory. The individuals through whom the work appears in its present condition were ignoThe labours of the students of pro-rant the things which were continually phecy in many sects, especially in elaboted by them. The restoration Great Britain, have shown that there is of the ministries enumerated of old in the reason to trust that the great hope of New Testament, of apostles, prophets, the Church is about to be realized, and evangelists, and pastors and teachers, that the Lord Jesus Christ will shortly has been the means by which the reappear to translate the living and to sult has been brought about. Prophecy raise those who sleep in him, before his giving light to the rulers has enabled great judgment upon apostate Chisten- these latter to order the work aright. dom. The political aspect affairs The separation of one class of ministers justifies this ecclesiastical extation. for the government of each church in a At no time in the history of stianity given locality independent of all others, was Europe bound as on ander such whilst the aggregate of all these sepadespotism as at the present moment. rate churches are kept in unity through Before the revolution of 1794, Venice, ministers of the Universal Church, exGenoa, the Hanse Towns, Holland, clusively devoted to that end, has proved Hungary, Cracow, and other places the only true method of unity; the forwere free, while even the larger states mer being as the officers of the regiments, had some forms by which the opinions whilst the latter are the staff of the army and feelings of the people might be ex- of the Lord of Hosts. pressed. Now an iron autocracy is alone supreme. But the form of go-to teach men the knowledge of God vernment in the Kingdom of Heaven is and to make them walk in all holiness hierarchical and subordinate; and a of life: the peculiar object of this work despotism which tramples on the people over and in addition to that which it is as contrary to God's mind as a de- has in common with all who profess to mocracy, which tramples down the rulers love and serve God, is to prepare a He has appointed. The people will now people for the coming of the Lord. burst their fetters, and the land which This preparation is not merely by makprofesses to have the Gospel of love for ing men individually religious and its law will see 66 every man fall by the virtuous; but by making them well inhand of his brother." structed in the laws and method of Amongst the many blessings which rule in Christ's kingdom, so that when God has revealed to his Church, one of the he comes, he may find a people ready greatest is the re-establishment of deacons to unite with him in taking possession to take care of the temporal concerns of of his kingdom, assuming the governthe people; to relieve the wants of the ment, and commencing his reign. The poor; and to be the channels of com- members of the bride of the Lamb munication for the superfluities of the are a definite number: the ministers of rich members to their less prosperous the King of heaven and of earth are adebrethren. Had the Church remained finite number: the number of persons as she was at first established, extreme to attain the first resurrection is a depoverty and destitution would not have prevailed. Thus is the Church a witness for God that by ordinances of his appointment alone, the world can be blessed. The proposed object of every sect is finite number: the number who meet the Lord and stand with him on Mount Zion is a definite number;-those persons are all sealed by the imposition of |