two ideas which naturally occur. 1. The doctrine of the decrees is a true doctrine. If the doctrine had been falfe, Satan would not have mifrepresented and perverted it. This would not have been agreeable to his nature and object. He would by no means pervert falfe doctrines; but on the contrary, he ufes all his influence to make men believe them. He often transforms himself into an angel of light, and takes true doctrines from the Bible; but before he leaves them, he mutilates and turns them into falfe ones by drawing wrong confequences and conclufions. This was the cafe in his temptation with the Son of God. His ufe of the decrees with him, is a clear proof, that the doctrine is true. 2. The fubject affords a feafonable warning to thofe, whom Satan tempts by reasoning upon the decrees, and whofe confciences he is quieting in lives of fin. His language to them is: "The decrees are eternal and fixed. If you are included in the election of grace, you will be faved at laft; therefore, eat and drink; indulge yourfelves without reftrain in the gratification of your paffions and inclinations, and take your fill of pleafures. But if you are deftined to mifery, you cannot help it, nor alter the cafe in the leaft; therefore, give yourselves no anxiety, or concern, about your future ftate, but enjoy as much happinefs as poffible, through life." Such perfons are in a very alarming ftate; on the dangerous ground of the fubtle adverfary of fouls. The decrees are emphatically, his strong hold. He used them in one of his temptations with Chrift; and we may be affured, that he would ufe his most likely means to fucceed with him. With out doubt, he more often fucceeds with mankind, in this, than in any other way. Many at the prefent day, appear to be taken by him upon this ground, and strongly holden. Their mouths are full of the fame kind of reafoning upon the decrees, which he ufed with the Saviour of the world. They are now led captive by him in the fame way to ruin, in which thousands and millions of the human race have been before them; and unless a fovereign God have mercy on them, and difpoffefs Satan of his strong hold, they will ere long, to their everlasting forrow, fee the fatal deception of his, and their reasoning upon the divine decrees. PROTEUS. Nymphas to Sofipater. DEAR FRIEND, WH HAT friend of Jefus, who that loves his name and wishes well to mankind, but must feel grief and a pious indignation in contemplating the zeal of the scoffer, to destroy the Chrif tian religion, and to take away the key of knowledge? Who will not themselves enter into the kingdom of heaven, nor fuffer those who are entering to go in. Like the old Pharifees, they compafs fea and land to make profelytes, and are unwearied in their exertions to fpread the poifon of their infidel principles, far and wide. Ought not their zeal to put the friends of Chrift to the blufh, who have ef poufed the fame glorious caufe, which brought him from heaven, and yet are fo very lukewarm, fo very indifferent as to its fuccefs that it is almost hard to fay wheth er they be friends or enemies, or to what camp they belong. Is ble exertions which have been made for the fpread and furtherance of the gofpel in our times. May there be more and still more, of this Chrift-like Spirit, and may minifters and profeffors remember from whence they are fallen, and be led to imitate the fervor and ardent zeal of their divine Master and the first churches. When we remember the Son of God, a perfon of infinite dignity, become incarnate, lived, bled and died, to be the light of the world, to be a witnefs to the truth, and that all the interefts of God and his holy kingdom are involved in it, we might expect all its real friends would burn with a pious zeal, that their fouls would be inspired with the most fervent defires to do every thing in their power that the gospel might run and be glorified, and unnumbered millions who now fit in darkness, might fee the heaven not this, my friend, lamentable? | it, in the glorious and yet too feeEspecially when it is remembered that the glory of God, the honor of the Redeemer, the falvation of finners, and the glory and the highest felicity of that kingdom which fhall continue forever, are all concerned and infeparably connected with that truth which fcoffers oppofe and hate. When we confider the beauty, the sweetness, the excellency and infinite importance of that fyftem of truth the Son of God teftified by all he faid, did and suffered, and fealed with his very blood; it would feem all its friends would be zealous and indefatigable in their endeavors te be poffeffed of it, and to have it dwell richly in their hearts; yea, more, that they would be indefatigable in their most vigorous endeavours to diffufe the knowledge thereof, far and wide, even to the ends of the earth. Indeed this is only to fuppofe what was real fact, when the fweet light of divinely light and walk in it. It would truth came into the world by Jefus Chrift. The apoftles and the first Chriftians feemed infpired with the very Spirit of their divine Mafter, and expreffed the most ardent zeal to diffuse the heavenly light through the world. feem each one would be a Paul, ready to pafs through many regions to proclaim the good tidings of great joy to all, to the utmost extent of his power. It would feem, like him, each one would be noIt is re-thing moved by the most threatening dangers in his way. It would feem impoffible the enemies of the truth fhould be more engaged to exterminate it from the world than its friends are to diffuse the fweet knowledge thereof far and wide. Yet alas! it is a fad fact, contrary to all fuppofition, the zeal of many of its friends, for its furtherance and fupport, bears no proportion to that of its enemies, for its utter extirpation. former neither fay or do any thing for the defence and confirmation of the gofpel, compared with what the latter do for its extirpation. Many of the friends of revelation ported of the apostles, prophets, evangelifts, paftors and teachers, that they went every where preaching the gofpel; that their found went into all the earth, and that the brethren were fellow-helpers to the truth, and gloriously exerted themfelves for the furtherance of the gofpel. It appears that every Chriftian church was a pillar of the truth which was infcribed upon it, to be known and read of all, that it resembled the fun, the light of the world. Bleffed be God, this Spirit of Chrift is not entire ly gone from the world. There have been pleafing appearances of The never be relieved from his complaints, but muft die in the compafs of a few days. From a long acquaintance with the family and as long experience of their kindnefs, I felt deeply interested in their welfare and heartily fympa thifed with you in your affliction. I thought it must greatly mitigate your forrow and comfort your mind, provided your child fhould give fatisfactory evidence of re pentance toward God, and friendship to his character and government. For in that cafe, your lofs would be his greater gain. I are fleeping, while its enemies are all awake and doing with their might what they find to do. Thefe things ought not to be fo. Contemplating the prefent ftate of things, my head would be waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears, were I not myself stupid and unfeeling, plunged in the cares of the world and troubled about many things. I truft you more fenfibly feel, and it is my earneft with the Lord may grant you abundant communications of his grace and enflame your whole foul with love to the truth and an ardent zeal for its defence and furtherance.therefore requested you to fend May you blush to come behind the fcoffers of the prefent day in the zeal and the fervor of your endeavors, and may you fenfibly feel your dependance on the Lord, for grace to direct and affift you. The caufe in which you are embarked is indefcribably grand and glorious -all heaven is on your fide-the truth is great and will prevail.Soon its weight like a rock will fall on its enemies and grind them to powder, while it will forever remain the broad foundation of the joy and confolation of its friends. That you may every day fee more and more of its beauty, tafte its ineffable fweetnefs and feel its energy and infinite importance, is the fervent with of your affectionate friend. As for the minifter, as you probably N lect this duty, and, in confequence | confideration, that you tempted of it, your fon perish, my own your minister to omit what both confcience will give me no peace, he and yourself knew to be an inand his blood, God will require at difpenfible duty. You endeavored my hand." I thought that with to perfuade him to be unfaithful. this refolution, you very reluctant- Your want of fuccefs can be no ly allowed him accefs to your confolation to your mind, fince it child. But I no lefs admired his was your hearty defire to fucceed, anfwer and the fpirit which it and you would have rejoiced in it. breathed than I was furprised at Due attention to this idea will your request. furely prevent you from doing the like again in fimilar circumstances. I am apprehenfive that you have become one of thofe fashionable Chriftians, who wish to think favorably of the character and ftate of their dying and departed friends without any reason, and who wish to keep religion at a distance, in health and in fickness, in life and in death. However contrary to your opinion and practice, I am fully perfuaded that this modern treatment of dying friends is only a refined scheme for landing them in deftruction. I obferved that the attendants of your fick friend would frequently inquire of him about his feelings; whether he was in pain, or thirsty, and wifhed for drink or medicine; in what posture he would fit, and how he would lie. Thefe queftions he answered correctly, and often inquired concerning the affairs of the family and business of the farm. Wherefore the men tion of death and religion was not omitted because he was unable to difcourfe or could not endure converfation. But could it be, As you may again be placed in fimilar circumftances, pleafe to allow me the liberty to fuggeft feve-fir, that you thought religion unral ideas upon the fubject, which now occur to my mind. I thought that you placed your minister in a very difagreeable condition. Since he greatly loved and refpected you and your family, he was very loath to give you offence by denying your requeft, or do any thing, by which you might fuppofe he forfeited your friendfhip. To grant your requeft, he muft be unfaithful to his own confcience, unfaithful to your beloved fon, and unfaithful to God. I fhould by no means wish to place any perfon in fuch an uncomfortable ftate, and I prefume you will blame yourself when you reflect upon your conduct. You cannot be infenfible, fir, that we incur great guilt in tempting others to fin or to neglect duty. It is therefore worthy your ferious important? You believe there is a holy and juft God; that the foul is immortal and finful; that there is a Saviour provided for fuch as truft in his merits, and that all who reject him by unbelief must perish. With these ideas upon your mind, how could you refrain from inquiring after the state of his foul, and exhorting him to repentance? And efpecially how could you refuse the paftor this liberty? You wifhed your friend to recover; and did you not with his foul to be faved? The immortal part is infinitely the most valuable, and therefore the greatest care fhould be taken of it. We have reason to believe that feafonable and fuitable converfation with the fick, upon fubjects of religion has, in fome cafes, been a mean of exciting the attention, enlightening the mind, and converting the foul to the truth. If there has been but one inftance of the kind, the falvation of the foul is fuch an important object, that we should be juf tified in making it an univerfal practice to converfe with the fick upon the things of the gofpel. And we have alfo reafon to fear that many have died fenfeless and ftupid who might have been greatly profited by religious difcourfe. If one foul has perifhed through fuch neglect, it is a fufficient reafon why ferious converfation with the fick fhould never be omitted. To hide from them their danger, and let them go out of the world thoughtlefs and fecure, without once calling their attention to the things of religion, is acting a moft unfriendly and cruel part. This part you was acting, fir, with refpect to your fon, when you made the requeft to your minifter we noticed above. If any human meafures would probably prevent his repentance and falvation, and render his destruction certain, you doubtlefs adopted them in what you did. You was far from doing a friendly office to your child. You feemed to strip yourself of all parental tendernefs and your conduct was like that of an enemy. Perhaps, you will fay, in excufe for yourself, that the phyficians urged the neceffity of perfect filence upon the fubjects of death and religion, in order for a favorable operation of medicine. But, be ferious, fir; is there one inftance to a thoufand, in which we have reafon to believe that a fick man's recovery is prevented by calling his attention to the truths of the gospel? I have vifited many people in their ficknefs and never have met with an inftance, in which the efficacy of medicine was thought to be injured by this caufe. And fuppofing it were; is not the life of the foul of more worth than the life of the body. Allowing that we destroy ene chance in ten for the recovery of our friend by converfing with him upon religion and by this means create one chance in a thoufand for his falvation, we should be wise in doing it. For the foul is not only immortal, but capable of the fublimeft happiness and the most exquifite mifery, as durable as the foul itself. It is likewife to be remembered, that the physicians who attended upon your fon were unfriendly to religion. We are not therefore to be furprised that they cautioned you against fpeaking to him upon religious fubjects. They wished to hear nothing about religion and fee nothing of it in their patient. I obferved that I admired the anfwer of the minister to your requeft. I repeat it. For I think he manifefted a fuitable concern for the best good of your child, and felt his accountability to God how he discharged the duties of his of fice. And I would now put the question to your own confcience, Sir; How could he have answered it to himself, to his divine mafter and to your fon, if he had neglected to call his attention to the things of his peace? Confidering his place and bufinefs, would not fuch an omiffion of duty be an implicit declaration to the dying man that he was going to rest, however unfit for the kingdom of heaven? I am perfuaded, Sir, that if you will fpeak the language, not of your heart, but of your confcience, you will join with me in this fentiment, that it is the indifpenfible duty of minifters to use their exertions to awaken the ftupid finner, on his death-bed, and fummon his atten |