fight the French fleet, and that I was sure of victoryAll was made ready, and we engaged; and the event proved the certainty of this divine intimation, we having gained a complete victory, as set forth in the history of that war."

With regard to those termed new light reformers, and their mode of address-it would be happy for those persons, if the contempt of earthly distinctions to which we have alluded, has been produced in them, by a more near and intimate prospect of that glory, before which all worldly splendor fades upon the sight-from such a prospect as this, the weakest would derive strength to trample under foot, those customs of society, which in various measures intercept the religious and moral progress of man-Experience proves, that any thing short of these eternal prospects, will dever uniformly animate, or prove productive in the work of reformation-It confirms the testimony of Him who knew all things"Make the tree good, and its fruit will be good"—this is also the language of reason-It is easier to make a slight alteration in our habit, or mode of address, than to effect a change in our natures-but modes and habits signify nothing without this change, except so far as they influence, what may be termed in a very indefinite sense,-public morality-The axe of reason sometimes lops off the branches of evil-but grace strikes at the root-reason tastes the fruit of certain trees in the moral vineyard, and tells you they are bitter-grace, like a secret leaven dropped from the hand of a philanthropist, ferments in the sap; nor ceases; until it has transformed

the vegetative principle into its own nature-the fruit will then speak for itself" Make the tree good, and its fruit will be good," was the motto of those men, who in modern times, were eminently useful, in pulling down the pride of Babylon, and planting the humility of Zionthe true foundation of a reform-they preached Jesus and his salvation-Europe and America saw the change and rejoiced Make the tree good, and its fruit will be good," was the motto of St. Paul-he preached Jesus and his salvation, as the ground work of all acceptable morality-the idols fell on every hand-if not from the temples made with stone-from temples of infinitely more value-the work of an eternal Artist- -The proverbial affection of the primitive christians to each other, shew what kind of morality this new doctrine producedEurope and Asia witnessed it--but alas! many reformers since, have found out another mode of converting sinners, than that of Jesus and his salvation-instead of these, they have substituted reason-they have placed it on the Saviour's throne-but reason, although the gift of God, possesses not his power to break the obdurate heart; to melt it into contrition, and to stamp upon it the divine image-this alone is the prerogative of a once crucified, but now highly exalted Saviour-and all attempts at reformation, by or through any other Saviour; will prove as the morning cloud, or as the early dew that passeth. away--A cistern that will hold no water.

FROM A MAGAZINE,

WRITTEN AT SEA NEAR THE ISLAND OF SICILY.

Sweet is the face of night, and scarce a breeze,
Disturbs the silent surface of the seas;

Straight let my wond'ring soul with rapture gaze,
And read thy works Creator with amaze !
Cast off awhile the load of earthly cares,

And view the Eternal in yon round of stars-
Yonder the moon in borrow'd brightness glides,
Illumes the earth, and elevates the tides;
Thousands of starry worlds bestow their light,
And twinkling beautify the face of night;
Worlds amid worlds, round suns most distant roll,
The thought perplexes but uplifts my soul.
Wond'rous are these thy works, thou great Supreme,
The sage's study and the poet's theme,

In adoration let me quickly kneel,

And thank thee for the benefits I feel,

Praise thee for light, whereby I gladly see,

These glorious works; and in their glories Thee.

VATIONS ON THE DOCTRINES OF INFALLIBILITY AND EXCLUSIVE SALVATION.

The Calvinists believe with other christians, that man is fallen and depraved---so completely fallen, that he possesses no power whatever to restore himself- -All that is truly good in man, they conceive to be a free gift; the purchase of Christ's blood---all that deserves that name as performed by him, the fruit of this gift-to man in his natural state they allow neither virtue nor power---and all his fair shews of righteousness, as polluted as his flagrant acts of wickedness*.

-So far

their sentiments, if I have rightly understood them, nearly correspond with the Arminians---but their characteristical features are yet to be pourtrayed---I have frequently contemplated them---think I know them, and shall endeavour to do them justice.

*This must be understood rather in a religious, than a moral

sense.

Their attribution of all things to God, seems a very grand and sublime principle at first---but when evil im. mediately, or by necessary consequence, is traced to the source of perfect goodness; a feature of deformity begins to appearIf this evil was supposed to be partial and temporary, and appointed to co-operate with other causes in the production of an eternal good, reason would not so recoil from the doctrine-but when evil is made the prevailing principle, and made eternal also, it does not correspond with our ideas of the omnipotence of the good-but when we proceed farther, and find it made the effect of an arbitrary decree, under which the victims of wrath are to be bound without any possibility of escape--it overturns the very sentiment of the existence of a good principle-but I hope it shall appear in the course of this essay, that this doctrine is as contrary to the Scriptures, as it is to reason, and to the nature of a Being all powerful and good.

The Calvinists believe that the glory of God is the end of all his dispensations; and that this is effectually secured by the display of his mercy to those whom he has chosen in Christ, without any reference whatever to their character and in like manner, that his justice is glorified in the eternal damnation of the greater part of mankind, notwithstanding their incapacity of salvation, or their efforts to do well.

If we could think of the Almighty as we do of an earthly conqueror, (who has laid waste the creation; and who having arrived at such a pitch of extravagant power, as that no creature dares resist his will) I do not know