with which you are endowed-is it, we say, a matter of no interest to you, that in these God expresses, in a manner the most intelligible, his power, his goodness, and his wisdom? And are you then not interested in those truths, which God speaks to you by his faithful ministers; by the voice of his providence; by the alarming, awakening, inciting, and consolatory declarations of his most holy word? Let "fools despise wisdom and instruction;" and let them, like "the deaf adder, stop their ears to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely," but do you, my youthful reader, open your ears to hear and your hearts to receive the words of peace, of holiness, and of immortality. Neglect not the voice that speaks to you from the skies; for "if they escaped not who refused him, that spake to them on earth," (during a typical and shadowy dispensation,) "how can you escape if you turn away from him, that speaketh to you from heaven?" (To be continued.) THE REV. WM. MOORHOUSE ON THE EXTENT OF THE ATONEMENT. (To the Editor.) WILL you allow me to make a few remarks, on a paper on the above subject in your number for June? It was deeply interesting to me, because in the same number appeared your friendly review, of "Arminianism and Calvinism compared, &c.; and what I have now to say, may probably show, that, though the reviewer is " altogether at issue" with me, there is far less difference between us than is imagined; certainly not so great as to deserve a contest; indeed, you need not fear my troubling you in this way, for as years advance I begin to feel wearied of controversy. The paper on the Extent of the Atonement is most judiciously thrown into propositions, of which by far the greater number fully express my views on this important subject, though there are a few to which I cannot altogether assent. P. 358, No. 1. "It does not follow, because Christ died for all, that the salvation of all was among the objects of his death." Very true; if by his dying for all be not meant his dying for all in the same sense, and to the same extent, without any speciality of purpose; but if this be meant, universal salvation seems to follow inevitably. "monstrous P. 359. " Limiting the atonement to the church"-" places a large portion of the human race in the condition of the fallen angels, for whom no Saviour was provided. This is a monstrous and shocking absurdity." The absurdity seems equally and shocking," on either side of the question; for if a Saviour be provided for all the human race without distinction, in the same sense, extent, degree, and decretive intentions, maintaining every mediatorial office for them all, what shall we say of those heathen nations, who, till the last half-century, never had such a universal Saviour revealed and offered to them? If so provided for them, why was he not made known? P. 359, No. 4. “ If Christ died only for the church, it would be literally tantalizing those that are out of it-to give them a revelation, or means of grace." Very true again; but the means of grace," which the impenitent often have on a large scale, are fruits of Christ's atonement; so far they have a personal interest in it. If we say, that Christ died for the church only in a special sense, and for special purposes, tantalization does not necessarily follow, because others enjoy suitable means which would secure salvation, if properly improved and divinely blessed. P. 359, No. 5. “ If Christ died only for a certain portion of the human race; then, certainly, those for whom he did not die are not in a state of probation, as they are not in a salvable condition." This argument applies equally on both sides of the question; for supposing him to die for the whole world, in the same sense and to the same extent, without any speciality of purpose, those millions to whom he was never revealed, who have consequently perished in their sins, were never in a salvable condition; though according to Rom. xii. 15, they were doubtless in a probationary state. I have always thought and written, that any man who hears the gospel may be saved if he will. P. 359, No. 7. "We cannot see how God can be glorified, in the final perdition of the ungodly, if he had not put within their reach the means of being saved." We ask once more, what shall we say of heathens who enjoy no such means, or of many in Christian countries who are shut out from them ; are they unjustly con demned? Hoping they may elicit some observations, permit me to adopt the excellent plan of your correspondent in unfolding my views of the atonement, which probably are much nearer than many imagine to the Calvinism of the present day. When denying every where in my volunie universal atonement and redemption, the meaning only is, that all the human race are not equally atoned for, and equally redeemed to the same extent. I plead only for an unconditional, restricted speciality, which (p. 358, No. 8.) he seems to admit and Arminians uniformly reject, because essential to their system. Vid. WHITBY, Discourse II. Introduction; and Mr. WATSON, passim. 1. In addition to the light of nature, all scriptural ideas of the divine attributes warrant us to conclude, that no mercy whatever, spiritual or temporal, can be honourably conferred upon a sinner, without an atoning sacrifice. This is absolutely necessary as a plan or medium of mercy. 2. Every atoning sacrifice necessarily implies substitution in place of the party interested therein, without which it seems unmeaning; and, so far as substitution goes, all blessings must be actually enjoyed or the substitution fails of its end, and becomes dishonoured. 3. To suppose that the ungodly and impenitent have no interest whatever in the atonement, is a rash conclusion, repugnant to all rational conceptions of divine benevolence; but it by no means follows, that, because, to a certain extent, atonement is made for all, God is bound to bestow on the whole human race all the mercies it can possibly convey. He is still at liberty to act according to "the good pleasure of his will," yet if made equally for all, his honour seems pledged to give equal blessings to all. 4. As all mankind enjoy temporal mercies, the atonement must have been so far commensurate ; and as the wicked and impenitent are also blessed with a divine revelation, the means of grace, and many gospel privileges, these are the fruits of that atonement in which so far they are personally interested. These views, as explaining the universal terms in Scripture, are advocated in a long note, p. 84 of my volume, which probably reviewers have overlooked. 5. Though the Divine command seems a sufficient voucher to preach the gospel" to every creature," there are additional grounds as a warrant for this practice; such as the all-sufficiency of Christ savingly to redeem the whole world, were his atoning sacrifice only applied, and the ample provision of the gospel feast for "all people." Vid. p. 159, 160, 243, 247, of my vol. 6. In addition to divine revelation, probably the surest way to learn the extent of the atonement is by its real personal application; which, to a certain extent, is universal. The impenitent share in it by various temporal and spiritual blessings actually enjoyed. Believing penitents share in it more largely by having all their sins forgiven, and their final salvation secured. 7. Without any contradiction, the atonement may be said to be both universal and particular, though this cannot be predicated of the same class of participants;universal, because enjoyed to a certain extent by all who hear and reject the gospel, as well as by heathens who have temporal mercies;-particular, because realized by the people of God in all its infinite extent and gracies, everlasting intentions. The application of the atonement, to a certain extent, must be universally enjoyed by all who hear the gospel, or they would never hear it at all; but its full extent and application appear only in the amazing difference between those who believe, and those who believe not, 8. Divine sovereignty, combined with justice, shines most gloriously, not only in providing an atonement for guilty man in preference to fallen angels; but in its various aspects towards mankind. To this we may trace the conduct of JEHOVAH in suffering so large a portion of the world to remain yet in ignorance of its full character and blessings; though, had they no share whatever in it, God would doubtless visit them at once with immediate perdition. Excepting as an infidel sentiment, we can form no rational conceptions of absolute mercy and forbearance in the Deity without an atoning sacrifice. 9. Our ideas of sovereignty are carried no farther than the Scriptures warrant, when affirming that Christ did not die for the whole world, so as to make an equal satisfaction (this is all we affirm) for all the sins of all men. Those divines who consider the atonement as a mere medium of mercy, (we allow it to be the only medium, but not so only) cannot, we presume, satisfactorily account for its different aspects and degrees of application, but by quoting our Lord's words-" Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." Excepting very unsatisfactorily by BAXTER, as quoted by Mr. WATSON, (Institutes, Vol. III. p. 153,) and elsewhere by Mr. W. himself, I have never seen this subject treated in its aspects towards the heathen world who never heard the gospel, and yet must have a benefit from the atonement; any remarks from you, or your valuable contributors, will be gratefully received by Your's truly, DEVOTIONAL POETRY. We select the following pieces from The Congregational Hymn Book, which is just published. "Let the heaven and earth praise him.” Psalm lxix. 34. SONGS of praise the angels sang, Songs of praise awoke the morn, Heaven and earth must pass away : And shall man alone be dumb, Saints below, with heart and voice, Borne upon their latest breath, Songs of praise their powers employ. "The Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his person." Heb. i. 3. THOU art the Everlasting Word, The Father's Only Son; And Heaven's Beloved One. Worthy, O Lamb of God, art thou, True Image of the Infinite, Whose Essence is concealed; But the high mysteries of thy name An angel's grasp transcend : The Father only-glorious claim ! The Son can comprehend. Worthy, O Lamb of God, art thou, That every knee to thee should bow. Yet, loving thee, on whom His love Ineffable doth rest, Thy glorious worshippers above, As One with thee, are blest. Worthy, O Lamb of God, art thon, That every knee to thee should bow. Throughout the universe of bliss, The centre thou, and sun. The eternal theme of praise is this, To Heaven's Beloved One:Worthy, O Lamb of God, art thou, That every knee to thee should bow. "They rest from their labours, and their works do follow them." Rev. xiv. 13. (On the death of a Pastor.) [Rest from thy labour, rest, Soul of the just, set free! Language of light and power, Now, toil and conflict o'er, Go, take with saints thy place: But go as each hath gone before, A sinner saved by grace.] Lord Christ! into thy hands Our pastor we resign. And now we wait thy own commands, We were not his, but thine. Thou art thy Church's Head, And when the members die, Thou raisest others in their stead: To thee we lift our eye; On thee our hopes depend; We gather round our Rock: Send whom thou wilt; but condescend Thyself to feed thy flock. REVIEW OF BOOKS. ON several accounts these volumes possess a more than ordinary interest. They refer to distant localities with which some of our earliest biblical associations are connected. If we are not brought into contact with the "great river Euphrates," and Babylon "the golden city," the daughter of the Chaldeans," to which the author conducted us in a former work, we follow him along another of the great rivers of Paradise-the Hiddekel, or Tigris; we take our position among the extensive ruins of ancient Nineveh, and those of the city of "the mighty hunter;" we visit Alkosh, the birth-place of the prophet Nahum; and the vil lage and plain of Dura. We make excursions across the mountains of Koordistan, in a great measure unexplored by any former European traveller; inspect the Nestorian churches; and once more explore the remains of Persepolis-enjoying opportunities as we proceed, of catching instructive glances at the customs, manners, character, and condition of the natives. We have long admired Mr. Rich, on account of the perseverance in antiquarian research which he has made to tell so productively on our knowledge of those regions which once formed the central points of the Babylonian empire, and especially the ruins of the capital itself; but we now take a deeper interest in him when we learn that he was a protegé of the Rev. Robert Hall, a friend of Drs. Ryland and Marshman, and son-in-law to Sir James Macintosh, to whom he was particularly recommended by Mr. Hall-a circumstance which appears to have introduced him at once to those connexions with the East India Company, which, under one form or other, continued during life. Possessed of an amazing facility for the acquirement of languages, he early distinguished himself by his attainments in philological science, and became eminently qualified for conducting, with pleasure to himself and advantage to his employers and the world, that intercourse which it was his privilege to enjoy with so many Asiatic nations. Having made himself master of the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, he was prepared-so far as language is concerned-for instituting researches of the most accurate description, both in regard to the present and the ancient state of the countries which he visited. After pursuing his travels, under the auspices of the Court of Directors, through Turkey, Asia Minor, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria, he proceeded to Bombay, and would, in all probability, have settled in India, had not a British residency at Bagdad been found indispensable, and no one was so |