and who has pleased to admit me (though most unworthy) to preach his glorious gospel. I rely with humble confidence upon the atonement and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, which I have often proposed to others as the only foundation whereon a sinner can build his hope, trusting that he will guard and guide me through the uncertain remainder of my life, and that he will then admit me into his presence in his heavenly kingdom. I would have my body deposited in the vault under the parish church of St. Mary Wool. noth, close to the coffins of my late dear wife, and my dear niece Elizabeth Cunningham; and it is my desire that my funeral may be performed with as little ex. pense as possible, consistent with decency. Mr. Newton composed an Ep. itaph for himself, desiring that it might be put up near the vestry door. His executors, have complied strictly with his injunctions. The following is a correct copy: JOHN NEWTON, once an Infidel and Libertine, was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior preserved, restored, pardoned, near 16 Years as Curate and Vicar of Olney, in Berks'; daughter of the late George Catlett, whom he resigned to the Lord who gave her, on Dec. 15, 1790. The above Epitaph was written by the Deceased, are deposited in the Vault RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. Messrs. Editors, As an important object of your publication is the support and diffusion of the doc. trines of the reformation, and particularly those, which were embraced and ineulcated by John Calvin, the following extract from that acute and justly celebrated writer, will, it is presumed, be highly gratifying to all your Calvinistic readers. It is, therefore, with much satisfaction and confidence offered for publication by a real CALVINIST. CALVINISM. † 1. THERE ariseth a hard question out of other places, where it is said that God boweth and draweth at his will, Satan himself and all the reprobate; for the sense of the flesh scarcely conceiveth how he, working by them, should not gather some spot of their fault, yea, in his common working be free from all fault, and justly condemn his ministers. Upon this was devised the dis. tinction between doing and suffering, because many have thought this doubt impossible to be dissolved, that both Satan and all Our correspondent will find the object of our work more precisely and correctly stated, in the following paragraph from our proposals, to which we are pledged to adhere. "That the public may entertain no doubts concerning the religious faith of the editors, or what doctrines and views of christianity they mean to support, they explicitly avow their firm adherence generally and for substance, to what have been called the Doctrines of the Refor, mation. These doctrines, with modifications, and retrenchments, which affect not their essence, are recognized in the Arueles of the Church of England, in the Confession of the Presbyterian churches in Scotland, and the United States of America, in the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, and by the great body of the New-England Churches. These doctrines constituted the religious faith of our venerable forefathers; and by the editors are embraced, as the truths of God, revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Nothing manifestly inconsistent with these doctrines, can ever be admitted into this publication." The chapter of Calvin's Institutes, the wicked are so under the hand and power of God, that he direct. eth their malice unto what end it pleaseth him, and useth their wicked doings to the executing of his judgments. And their modesty were, peradventure, excusable, whom the show of absurdity putteth in fear, if it were not so, that they wrongfully and with a lying defence go about to deliver the justice of God from all unrightful blame. It seemeth to them unreasonable, that man should, by the will and com. mandment of God, be made blind, from which the following is extracted, treats "of the knowledge of God the Creator," and is thus headed by the author, "That God doth so use the service of wicked men, and so boweth their minds to put his judgments in execution, that still himself remaineth pure from all spot.” This chapter is divided into four sec tions. Under the first, the author undertakes to shew, "How God doth not only permit, but appoint the things to be done, which wicked men do" Under the second he shews that "The providence of God is a governess, which directeth all the inclinations of the mind of man, whether they bend unto good or evil.” Under the third, he shews that, "there are not contrary wills in God, although he forbid the doing of evil, and yet be willing to have it done; but our blindness, wherein we discern not how these two do agree, maketh us to imagine that they disagree, when in truth they do not " Under the fourth section, which ourcorrespondent has omitted, the author shews, that "Wicked men are justly condemned for the evil, which they do, although God have appointed it to be done." EDITORS and so, by and by be punished for his blindness; therefore they seek to scape by this shift, that this is done by the sufferance, but not by the will of God. But he himself plainly pronouncing that he doeth it, does reject that shift. As for this, that men do nothing but by the secret com. mandment of God, and do trouble themselves in vain with deliberating, unless he do by his secret direction stablish that, which he hath before determined, it is prov. ed by innumerable and plain tes. timonies. It is certain that this, which we before alleged out of the Psalms, that God doeth all things that he will, belongeth to all the doings of men. If God be the certain appointer of war and peace, as it is there said, and that without exception, who dare say that men are carried causelessly with blind motion, while God knoweth not of it, and sitteth still? But in special examples will be more lightsome plainness. By the first chapter of Job we know that Satan doth no less appear before God to receive his commandments, than do the angels, which do willingly obey. Indeed it is after a diverse manner, and for a diverse end; yet so that he cannot go about any thing, but with the will of God. Al. though there seem afterward to be added a bare sufferance of him to afflict the holy man, yet because that saying is true, "the Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away," as it pleased God, so is it come to pass; we gather, that God was the author of that tri. Job.i.2. alofJob whereof Satan and the wicked thieves were ministers. Satan goeth about to drive the holy man to despera. tion,to madness. The Sabeans cru. ellyandwickedlydo invade and rob his goods, that were none of theirs. Job acknowledgeth that he was by God stripped of all his goods and made poor, because it so pleased God. Therefore whatsoever men or Satan himself attempt, yet God holdeth the stern to turn all their travails to the executing of his judgments. It was God's will to have the 2Kings, xxii.20. false king Ahab deceived; the devil offered his service thereunto; he was sent with a. certain commandment to be a lying spirit in the mouth. of all the prophets. If the blinding and madness of Ahab be the judgment of God, then the device of bare sufferance (permission) is vain; for it were a fond thing to say, that the Judge so doth only suffer, and not also decree what he will have done, and command his ministers to pat it in execution. It was the Jews' purpose to destroy Christ. Pi Acts iv. 28. and ii. 23. and iii. 18. 2 Sam. xvi. 22. late and the soldiers do follow their raging lust; and yet in a solemn prayer, the disciples do confess, that all the wicked men did nothing else, but that, which the hand and counsel of God had determined; even as Peter had before preachcd, that Christ was, by the decreed purpose, and foreknowledge of God, delivered to be slain. As if he should say ; that God, fromwhom nothing is hidden from the beginning, did wittingly and willingly appoint, that which the Jews did execute; as in an. other place he rehearseth, that God, which showed before by all his prophets, that Christ should before the sun. Jeremiah proBounceth that all the cruelty that the Chaldeans used in Jewry, was the work of God, for which cause Nebuchadnezzar is called the servant of God. God Isaiah v. 26. and x. 5. and xix. 25. every where crieth out, that with his hissing, with the hissing, with the sound of his trumpet, with his power and commandment, the wick. ed are stirred up to war. He calleth the Assyrian the rod of his wrath, and the axe which he moveth with his hand. The destruction of the holy city and the ruin of the temple, he calleth his work. David, not murmuring against God but acknowledging him for a righteous Judge; yet confesseth that the cursings of Shimei proceeded of the com. mandment of God. The Lord (saith he) commanded him to curse. We often find in the holy history, that whatsoever hap. peneth, it com2 Sam. x. 10. eth of the Lord, as the departing the death of the sons of Eli, and verymany things of like sort. They that be meanly exercised in the Scriptures, 1 Sam. ii. 34. do see, that for of the ten tribes, 1 Kingsxi. 31. shortness sake, I bring forth, of many testimo Lev. xxvi. 36. end. And, truly, end. And, truly, Ezek. vii. 25. if he did not work in the minds of men, it were not rightly said, that he taketh away the lip from the true speakers, and wisdom from aged men, that he taketh the heart from the princes of the earth; that we oft read, that men are fearful SO far forth, as 1Sam.xxvi. their hearts be tak en with his fear. So David went out of the camp of Saul, and none was ware of it, because the sleep of God was come upon them all. But nothing can be desired to be more plainly spoken, than where he so often pronounceth that he blindeth the eyes of men, and striketh them with giddiness; that he maketh them drunk with the spirit of drowsiness, casteth them into madness, and hardeneth their hearts. These things also many do refer to sufferance (permission) as Eccles. vii. 3. if in forsaking the reprobate, he Exod. viii. 15. as as suffered them to Rom. vii. 21. be blinded by Satan. But that solution is too fond, confident, forasmuch the Holy Ghost in plain words expresseth, that they are strick. en with blindness and madness, by the just judgment of God. It is said that he hardened the heart of Pharaoh; also that he did make dull and strengthen it. Some do, with an unsavory cavil. lation, mock out these phrases of speech, because where in another place it is said, Pharaoh did harden his own heart, there is his own will set for the cause of his hardening, though these things did not very well agree together. Although in divers manners that man, while he is moved in work. ing, by God, doth also work himself. And I do turn back their objection against themselves. For, if to harden, do signify but a bare sufferance, then the very motion of obstinacy shall not be properly in Pharaoh. Now, how weak and foolish were it so to expound, as if Pharaoh did only suffer himself to be hardened. Moreover theScripture cutteth off all occasions for such cavillations; for God saith I will hold his heart. So of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, Moses saith, that they went forth to battle, because the Lord had hardened their hearts; which same thing is repeated by another prophet, saying, he turneth Jos. xi. 20. Ps. cv. 25. they should hate his people. Again, in Isaiah he saith, that he their hearts that Isaiah x. 6. will send the Assyrians against the deceitful nation, and will command them to carry away the spoils, and violently take the prey; not meaning that he will teach wicked and obstinate men, to obey willingly; but that he will bow them to execute his judgments, as if they did bare his commandments, graven in their minds; whereby appeareth that they were moved by the certain appointment of God. I grant that God doth oftentimes work in the reprobate by Satan's service, as a mean; but yet so that Satan doth his office by God's moving; and proceedeth so far as is given him. The evil spirit 1 Sam. xvi. 14. troubled Saul; but it is said that it was of God, that we may know that the madness of Saul came of the just vengeance of God. It is also said that the 2Cor.iv.4. same Satan doth blind the minds of the unfaithful, but how so, but only because the effectualworking of error cometh from God himself, to make them be. lieve lies, that refuse to obey the truth? After the first manner of speaking it is said, if any prophet shall speak lying, I, God, Ezek. xiv. 9.. have deceived him. According to the other manner of speech it is said, that he Rom. i. 28. giveth men into a reprobate mind, and to cast them into filthy desires, because he is the chief author of his own just vengeance, and Satan is but only a minister thereof. 3. Forasmuch as hitherto I have recited only such things, as are written in the Scriptures, plainly, not doubtfully; let them |