conceivable misery, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.

What numbers, again there are, whose hopes and fears alternate between election and reprobation, presumption and despair; their future happiness founded on supposed election at one time, darkened, since the signs of grace that have cheered them may be delusory; (their doom having been originally amongst the excluded) at other times, Satan and the suggestions of their own hearts whispering that if elect, they can safely commit sin; if reprobated, they only fruitlessly seek the Lord, till at last bewildered in the perplexing maze, they recklessly plunge in impiety and profligacy, or spend their life in a slavish bondage to ungrounded terrors, till death or insanity closes the wretched scene. We are detailing no fancied result of this dogma, no visionary exaggeration of its awful consequences, "Nos utenam vani." The reader's memory will, however, save us from the painful task of further description, and easily recollect instances of the fatal result arising from a prevailing belief of this phantom, developing itself according to the dispositions of its votaries, in profligacy, insanity, or despair.

CHAPTER VI.

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.

Upon a review of the preceding, probably the first feeling of the reader will be astonishment that a system of religion so evidently inconsistent with Scripture, could ever have attained the wide extent, and exerted the baleful influence these doctrines have done. To account for this, we need not to bring forward the acknowledged fact that, no theory however monstrous or absurd, has been advanced, which gained not at least some supporters; often indeed a number in inverse ratio to even its apparent probability; but would briefly shew that the Calvinistic doctrines are particularly favourable even amongst the most opposite classes of character to gain proselytes. The enthusiast, and the ignorant, or partially instructed, (who form indeed the majority of its professors), will be readily inclined to believe, and for obvious reasons be unable to detect the fallacy of, irrepec

tive election, and a corresponding frightful decree of reprobation; the first despising the sober investigation of the word of God, trusting to internal feelings of conviction, and depending upon immediate inspiration from above, is allured by election and irresistible grace; the other, notoriously fond of marvellous and frightful stories, possessing an intellectual capacity, contracted by the most puerile credulity, embrace with horrorstruck astonishment the frightful phantom of reprobation; a few passages of scripture, severed from the context, and perverted from their legitimate meaning, are used as signals to appal them; these with fearful incertitude and gloom, shadow oer and darken their intellectual sight, reason is driven back and Revelation silenced with "Who art thou O man that repliest against God!"

To account for the extension of these doctrines amongst many of the learned, we may remark, that they of all men are most prone, relying upon their superior understanding to involve themselves in abstruse speculations; and what subject could be more intricate and consequently inviting to such, than the attempt to analize the nature, and define the extent of the inscrutable perfections and attributes of Jehovah ; too wise to believe that secret things belong unto the Lord

our God; too learned to be satisfied with the plain declarations of his revealed will, they rush into wild theories, and involve themselves in sophistical reasonings respecting the mode of his government and the nature of prescience; though at first sight it must be evident that all such disquisitions are both uncertain and nugatory, since the human intellect neither possesses within itself nor can collect from creation around, a prototype to enable it to mete out the mind of Him who inhabiteth eternity. And if the result of their reasonings cannot be reconciled with the word of God, the explaining away of the evident meaning and whole tenor of that sacred volume can display their acuteness, research and learning, as disdaining the child-like simplicity of a disciple; the philosopher strives to bring the whole scheme of religion, the unsearchable depths of divine wisdom and knowledge, to the capacity of his own narrow intellectual conception; and thus in reality instead of bowing down to, substitutes his own understanding for the REVELATION of God.

Yet the most fertile source of Calvinistic delusion, the most effectual mode by which its cause is extended amongst the general mass of its disciples, remains yet to be noticed. It is by the quotation from scripture, of passages detached from

their context, half sentences, &c., in favour of its peculiar doctrines; when thus disingenuously brought forward, these appear often even strikingly and pointedly to assert or confirm its positions, and are calculated to deceive the unwary and ignorant; the great mass of persons, who from want of opportunity to examine the subject at large, as stated in the sacred volume; from a natural lukewarmness and mental inactivity, disposed rather listlessly to rely upon the integrity of its spiritual guides, than to examine for itself the context and scope of the writer, and to judge whether the alleged meaning be accordant with the subject of the one or the design of the other. The cause of error is thus most efficiently advanced; it invests itself with the armoury of light, and the well meaning, though listless and inexcusable disciple, bowes in pious acquiescence to what is represented to him to be the statement of the Bible.

In these concluding remarks we would briefly notice the present state of opinion in the Christian world, with regard to Calvinism; though in many places its adherents are apparently increasing, yet the real fact is, we conceive, far different. In examining (e. g.) into the doctrines of the motley group, amongst ourselves who are called

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