Publican did, "God be merciful to me a sinner," and be justified as he was? But what is the will of God concerning these things? What saith the Scripture? It saith, "The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

If, then, I would pray with submission to the will of God, I must pray that all may come to repentance, and that not any may perish for this is the revealed and known will of God." Upon the above we remark:

1. It is gratifying to see this writer admit, that in praying for the salvation of men, "we ought to pray with submission to the will of God." It would be still more gratifying to perceive evidence that he uses the term submission in its proper sense, meaning by it that unconditional surrender of our wills to the sovereign will of God, which our Lord exemplified, when he said in his prayer at Gethsemane, "Not my will but thine be done." But it seems, that K. thinks we have no need to exercise such submission, in praying for "the salvation ef men," because the Scripture saith, "The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Now, there are but few so ignorant, as not to know, that this Scriptural declaration may mean, either that God views the salvation of every man as desirable in itself considered, and on this account desires it, or that He views the salvation of every man as desirable all things considered, and on this account decrees it. If it be understood to mean, that God desires the salvation of every man in itself considered only; it will not from hence follow, that He has decreed or intends to save every man; and if not, then there is ample room left to pray for the salvation of men, with unconditional submission. But if the passage be understood to mean, that God has decreed the salvation of every man as desirable, all things considered; then it will follow, that God will save every man, for "He is in one mind-and what his soul desireth, even that He doeth."

If it should be said, according to the "new divinity," that God desires the salvation of all men, all things considered, and will do all He can to save them, without causing greater evil than the loss of such as will be left to perish; what is this but a palpable contradiction? God wills, all things considered, to save all men; and yet will not exert his power to save them all, lest He should make His kingdom the worse for it!!

2. We have a remark to make on the manner in which K. thinks one ought to pray for his own salvation. He asks,

"Shall I say, Lord save me, if it be thy will ?" We do not hesitate to answer, Yes. How would he pray? "Lord save me, whether thou wilt, or no?" Would this be praying or demanding? Does he think the Publican prayed after this sort?

But K. either knows that it is the purpose of God to save him; or he does not. If he knows this, why should he pray for his salvation? Does he need to remind God of his purpose, or to move Him to accomplish it? But if K. does not know that God has purposed to save him, then he cannot know but that it may be God's will to destroy him; and if he prays at all for his salvation, it must be with unconditional submission. Thus the Leper prayed, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." And thus, it is believed, the Publican prayed, or he would not have gone down to his house justified; for it is impossible, that any sinner should have any ground to believe, that God designs to save him, until he has prayed with submission.

PRAYER OF FAITH.

A writer in the New York Evangelist, over the signature of K., closes his second number on "Praying in the spirit," with the following paragraph:

"Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." Here is another promise; and there are many others like it. A man "filled with the Spirit," believes this promise: and being "led by the Spirit of God," prays for the salvation of a neighbor, and bases his petition on this promise, "praying in the Holy Ghost;" and expects his neighbor will be saved. He as much believes that his neighbor will be saved, as that he shall be saved himself. His faith, in both cases, rests on promises equally explicit. The cases are parallel; and his faith, in both cases, is wrought by the same Spirit; and if one be prophesying, so is the other. If one be enthusiasm, so is the other."

Now, supposing that the promise, in the passage here quoted, is as applicable to all Christians as it was to the Apostles, and that it imports that whatever they ask, believing that they shall have it, God will grant; neither of which is true-but supposing this, which is evidently K.'s understanding of the passage-we would ask, if there is not a fallacy in his mode of reasoning from it. "A man, believing this promise, prays for the salvation of a particular neighbor." What is the promise? Not that his neighbor shall be saved; but if he prays, believing he will be saved, he shall be saved. He must, then, first believe his neighbor will be saved, before the promise can afford him any

evidence of his neighbor's salvation. Where, then, is he to get evidence on which to ground his belief of his neighbor's salvation, so as to offer up "the prayer of faith" for him? K.'s answer is, that he is "led by the Spirit of God," i. e., the Holy Spirit, by some inward suggestion, informs him that his neighbor is to be saved-"Praying in the Holy Ghost" he "expects his neighbor will be saved;" i. e., he is inspired with the belief that his neighbor will be saved. "And," says K., "bases his petition on this promise"-the promise in the passage above quoted. How based on this promise? He is "led by the Spirit." and not by this promise, to believe that his neighbor will be saved. His belief is founded not on the written word, but upon an imaginary, miraculous inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

But this case is far from being parallel to that of praying for one's own salvation; for, though no one has any ground to believe that he shall be saved, till he has "called on the name of the Lord;" yet when he can look back and see that he has truly prayed, he has a Divine promise of salvation: but no one, however truly and fervently he may pray for his neighbor, can find any promise in the Bible to assure him that his neighbor will be saved. He can only find, that "fervent prayer availeth much," and that "peradventure God may give him repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."

A KIND OF PREACHING THAT PREVENTS REVIVALS OF religion.

Extract from Dr. Cox's Sermon on Salvation.

UNDER Some certain sorts of preaching, still prevalent in certain places, a revival would indeed be a wonder! It would prove a miraculous agency returned to us. It will be "a miracle" when it comes! It will be in suspension or contravention of the direct rays of the pulpit. To make men think that there is in absolute fact no offer of salvation made to them; that all the offer that is made, is founded in human ignorance of who the elect are-as it we had any thing to do with election as a role of action; that of consequence, it is no offer at all, or the offer of man not God; that the atonement is limited, in its own nature, and in its applicability, and by its proper definition, to the elect alone, and so has at least possibly-NO EXISTENCE IN RELATION TO THEM; that whatever offer of salvation is contained in the gospel, it is founded not on the atonement which Jesus Christ made on the cross, but on the ministerial commission, or on the doctrine of election, or on mere sovereigntyand so is, after all, of a very questionable kind: that if the best

3

offer conceivable were made to them, they have no power, but
are wholly unable to accept it; that they are not so much to
blame for present impenitence, as they are for the sin of Ad-
am; that they are entirely passive in regeneration, and can do
nothing of themselves; that they can do their duty no more
than a corpse
'can walk; that God is the only agent in religion,
and we-happy enough for some of us-the passive receivers
of the boon; that religion consists in "a holy principle" im-
planted in the mind, somewhere between its faculties and its ac-
tions, and does not consist simply in loving God and doing his
will; that every conversion is a miracle, and every revival-if
genuine-a constellation of miracles: that if we have no reviv-
al of religion in our congregation, the fault is not ours at all,
but is to be resolved into sovereignty alone that we are so, and
our remaining consolation is to be "sound in the faith;" that
the great business of the church is to "keep out error," and
let God "do what he will with his own;" and that revivals
of religion are to be doubted often, as mere excitements of an-
imal zeal, things "got up" in a stimulated style, and little to be
trusted, imitated, or desired!

I say where such preaching, in whole or in part, is prevalent; where it is only implied, in doctrine, or in prayer, or in conduct; it will, in such proportion, directly tend to ruin souls, to neutralize the gospel, and of course to prevent revivals: all this the more, because of the parts of truth that are speciously mingled in the representation. Yet to how many high places of our Israel is the lamentation applicable! "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon. you, nor fields of offerings! for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shields of the princes of Israel as though they had not been anointed with oil."

God works by means; loves his whole truth; holds all moral causes in his hands; and encourages us to be valiant in his service. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." He blesses the means he approves, and is always more ready--infinitely-than are we. His gospel is a message "to every creature" it is designed for immediate effect--to be received by faith immediately―TO SAVE THE SOUL IMMEDIATELYand to actuate it in grace and holiness for ever: a secret which many masters in Israel have yet to learn and believe. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.' To oppose revivals, is to oppose conversions and is a fearful approach to the unpardonable sin; This is called the age of revivals--it should rather be called the dawn of that age; for in some places almost "the dimness is such as was in our vexation." In some places they are yet caluminated, deprecated,, and religiously abhorred, by the very ministry! O when shall this become a world of revivals!-and revivals cease only by blending their spreading circles of blessedness till there is no more "laud

to be possessed;" till the whole earth is invested with their united glory; till religion, universally revived, permanently lives in the business and the bosoms of the population of the total globe! "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and honor him."

DEATH-BED OF HUME THE HISTORIAN.

A correspondent of the London Christian Observer for November, 1831, observes, that the following account appeared, many years ago, in an Edinburgh newspaper, and was never, to his knowledge, contradicted:

"About the end of 1776, a few months after the historian's death, a respectable looking woman, dressed in black, came into the Haddington stage coach while passing through Edinburgh.

"The conversation among the passengers which had been interrupted for a few minutes, was speedily resumed, which the lady soon found to be regarding the state of mind persons were in at the prospect of death. One gentleman argued that a real christian was more likely to view the approach of death with composure, than he who had looked upon religion as unworthy of his notice. Another (an English gentleman) insisted that an infidel could look to his end with as much complacency and peace of mind as the best christian in the land. This being denied by his opponent, he bade him consider the death of his countryman, David Hume, who was an acknowledged infidel, and yet not only died happy and tranquil, but even spoke of his dissclution with a degree of gaiety and humor. The lady who had lately joined them, turned round to the last speaker and said, "Sir, this is all you know about it: I could tell you another tale." "Madam," replied the gentleman, "I presume I have as good authority as you can have on this subject, and I believe that what I have asserted regarding Mr. Hume, has never before been called in question.' The lady continued: "Sir, I was Mr. Hume's housekeeper for many years, and was with him in his last moments; and the mourning I now wear was a present from his relatives for my attention to him on his death-bed; and happy would I have been if I could have borne my testimony to the mistaken opinion that has gone abroad of his peaceful and composed end. I have, Sir, never till this hour opened my mouth on this subject; but I think it a pity the world should be kept in the dark on so interesting a topic. It is true, Sir, that, when Mr. Hume's friends were with him, he was cheerful, and seemed quite unconcerned about his approaching fate; nay, he frequently spoke of it to them in a jocular and playful way; but when he was alone, the scene was very different; he was any thing but composed; his mental agita