the conviction of our own hearts. We are taught by our own feelings that we are free, and reason declares that if we are accountable beings, we ought to be free-free at all times, as well after we have entered upon the path of life, as before it. If so, we can never be necessitated to follow any particular course. We may one day be in the right way, and another in the wrong. We may one day act as do the children of the light, and the next suffer ourselves to be overborne by the weight of temptation, and become the servants of sin. Such is the decision of unbiassed and unprejudiced reason. Can it be, then, that the doctrine of scripture is contrary to that of reason? We think not. We think, on the other hand, that upon a careful examination and just interpretation of holy scripture, there will be found in it no such doctrine as that of the perseverance of the saints, in the sense in which the phrase is generally understood no doctrine which says, once in grace always in grace. We shall find, we think, that the Bible declares in many places, both expressly and implicitly, that it is possible to fall from grace-that we may stand erect to-day, but lose our strength to-morrow that we may rise again after our fall-and that we may fall fully and finally, never to rise again. The design of the following remarks is to endeavour to prove the truth of these sentiments; in doing which I shall consider, 1st, the arguments-principally those thought to be contained in scriptureusually adduced in favour of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints; and, 2dly, those that establish the contrary belief. The 5th verse of the 13th chapter of Hebrews has sometimes been advanced in support of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints-"Be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." A moment's reflection, however, will convince us, that this passage brings no support to the doctrine. Be content with such things as ye have-evidently meaning the temporal blessings you possess for God hath said to all, (undoubtedly those who are thus contented and put their trust in him,) I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The psalmist expresses a similar sentiment concerning the providence of God, when he says, "I have been young, and now am old, yet never saw I the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging their bread." But neither of these passages imply that the righteous may not fall. They only say that God will not forsake the righteous; that as long as they remain faithful to him, they shall be safe. Again" My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John x. 27, 28.) Here we may remark, first, that when our Saviour says, his sheep shall not perish, and no man shall pluck them out of his hand, he had said previously, that he gave unto them eternal life. Now, who will doubt that after the servants of the Redeemer have become partakers of eternal life, no one shall be able to pluck them out of his hand? When they have entered upon the enjoyment of endless felicity, their state will be permanently fixed, and they will then assuredly persevere: that perseverance, however, has no relation to this life. But granting that our Saviour's declaration in this passage has reference to our present state, still it affords no support to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. He says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them." Now, who are these sheep? They who believe in him and obey his commandments. While they continue thus to do, their Almighty Master will protect them, they shall not perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand. But the Saviour does not say, they may not themselves fall away. His declaration amounts to this, that no one of their enemies shall be able to pluck them out of his hand, as long as they themselves do not voluntarily yield to the power of these enemies. This is made more than probable by the following verse- My Father which gave them me, is greater than all"-that is, evidently, than all their enemies" and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." That is, the power of God is greater than the power of all the foes of God's servants, and therefore these foes cannot prevail against God. The evident import of the passage is, not that the power of God shall support them against the devices of their own evil hearts, but against the devices of their enemies; and consequently it gives no support to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. The 37th and 39th verses of John vi. are often alleged in support of the doctrine in question. The first of these says "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." It is difficult to see what aid this passage can bring to the doctrine of perseverance, and why it is brought forward in its support. Our Saviour says, he will in no wise cast out those who come to him; but he does not say, nor do his words imply, that of those who come, none shall turn back. God, we are told in innumerable places in his holy word, is good and merciful, and consequently those who seek him truly shall find him, and of those who come to him, he will cast out none. Such is the amount of the passage. The 39th verse says "And this is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day." Neither does this passage support the doctrine of final perseverance. Our blessed Lord says, that he will keep all those whom his Father hath given him. But who are they whom the Father hath given to his Son? The next verse informs us-"It is the will of God that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day." Those, then, that believe in Christ, are to have eternal life-not those who have once believed, but those who believe, that is, those who continue to believe. Believing, that is, having faith in Christ, we know, is often put for all the qualifications which a person must possess, to constitute him a servant of God. So it undoubtedly is in this place. The plain meaning of the passage then is it is the will of Almighty God, that of those whom he hath given to his Son, that is, of those who believe in him and obey his precepts, and continue in that faith and obedience unto death, of these Christ should lose none; but that they should all rise again at the resurrection of the just, and enter upon the enjoyment of everlasting happiness. One more only of the passages that are usually adduced in support of the doctrine of perseverance, shall be considered at present; and this is contained in the eighth of Romans, verses 38 and 39-"I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." This passage indeed has often been triumphantly appealed to, as decisive of the truth of the doctrine in question. But when attentively examined, it will be seen that it does not afford it that support which, on a hasty review, it may appear to do. It is evidently an alogous to a passage already commented upon, viz. that where our Saviour says, no man shall be able to pluck his sheep out of his hand, and no man shall be able to pluck them out of his Father's hand; because his Father is greater than all. In neither case is it said, that believers may not fall away through their own neglect. The amount of both seems only to be, that " greater is he that is for us, than he that is against us." Christians, in their journey to the next world, in the warfare in which they have engaged, have friends more powerful than all the enemies that can come against them. As long therefore as they are true to themselves, they are safe. "Neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers, &c. can separate them from" their leader and friend. They have be come united to Christ, as the branch is to its vine: they have become members of the covenant of grace, and their Almighty guardian is pledged to support and protect them.* But we cannot le * In explaining this passage, the writer of these remarks has gone upon the supposition that it has a direct reference to the next life. Such however is not his sentiment. He thinks that it relates to the right which the Gentiles acquired through the death of Christ to admission to the christian covenant, which right no power but that of God could take away. gitimately infer from this, that they may not sever themselves from the true stock; that they will never forfeit the privileges of the covenant through their own apostacy. And if this inference is not necessary and inevitable, it ought not to be drawn, since it militates both against the free-agency of man, and, as we shall see directly, against numerous passages of holy scripture. The passages that have now been commented upon are those usually adduced iu support of the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints. That there are other passages likewise brought forward to support the doctrine, will readily be admitted; but they are either similar to those already advanced, or they are of such remote bearing on the subject, that it is not considered necessary to notice them at this time. The hope is indulged, that the remarks that have been made in relation to what are acknowledged the principal supports of the doctrine, will satisfy the minds of candid persons, that it is not the doctrine of the Bible. But we are presented likewise with a philosophical or metaphysical argument in favour of the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints. "Can it be," it is said, "that the Almighty will begin the good work in the heart of man, and not carry it forward till it is accomplished? Is it consistent with his attributes, that he should leave it unfinished? Is he a changeable being, who will be a friend to-day, and desert us to-morrow?" We might reply to this" Is not God the Father of the whole human family? why then should he not be the friend of each individual of that family?" The objection implies that God is the friend only of a part, namely, that part which enters the path of life and perseveres therein. Is this in accordance with numerous declarations of holy writ, in which he is said to be no respecter of persons, to be good to all, and not willing that any should perish? But again, there is a palpable fallacy in the above argument. It implies that God does all the work in preparing us for immortal felicity-that man indeed is a passive instrument in his handsthat he is led, guided and controlled by the irresistible influence of the Spirit, and exerts no agency whatever in the important business. To imply this, is to take for granted what will by no. means be conceded. If indeed God does all in the great work, we may safely infer that he will not leave unfinished what he begins. But we deny that scripture warrants the assertion that God does all. We dispute the premises, and therefore are not bound to admit the conclusion. Scripture represents us as fellow-labourers and overseers with God. It tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and to strive to enter in at the strait gate. These expressions certainly imply that man has something to do in preparing himself for the heavenly inheritance. And if this is the case, the principle upon which the argument above is built is unsound. The foundation is insufficient, and the superstructure therefore must fall. (To be continued.) The Country Clergyman. For the Christian Journal. To every christian the elucidation of scripture is of great importance. When such elucidation is short, and yet comprehensive, it is often extremely useful. The following extract from the second letter of Bishop Watson to Mr. Gibbon is, as the exposition of a prophecy, both clear and concise; and it will on that account be doubtless interesting to most readers. Bishop Watson's "Apology for Christianity" is a valuable work, and deserves a place on the shelf of every theologian. "I will produce you, sir, a prophecy," says the accomplished bishop, in answering Mr. Gibbon's remarks on the construction of prophecy," which, the more closely you press it, the more reason you will have to believe that the speedy coming of Christ-i. e. in their own times, or their immediate successors' times could never have been predicted by the apostles. Take it, as translated by Bishop Newton:-But the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall apostatize from the faith; giving heed to erro neous spirits, and doctrines concerning demons, through the hypocrisy of liars; having their conscience seared with a red hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats.Here you have an express prophecythe Spirit hath spoken it-that in the latter times--not immediately, but at some distant period-some should apostatize from the faith-some, who had been christians, should in truth be so no longer; but should give heed to erroneous spirits, and doctrines concerning demons. Press this expression closely, and you may perhaps discover in it the erroneous tenets, and the demon, or saint worship of the church of Rome: through the hypocrisy of liars, you recognize, no doubt, the priesthood, and the martyrologists-having their conscience seared with a red hot iron. Callous indeed must his conscience be, who trafficks in indulgences, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats. This language needs no pressing: it discovers at once the unhappy votaries of monastic life, and the mortal sin of eating flesh on fast days."-Apol. for Christ. letter ii. There is no need of additional remarks on so admirable a comment. Any one who will, for a moment, reflect on each point referred to in the prophecy, will easily perceive the excellence of the exposition. L. J. For the Christian Journal. Free Episcopal Church in Charleston. We have long regretted the want of free churches within our own communion, and were prompt in seconding the feeble attempt that was some time since made to found one in this metropolis. As yet, however, the poor pious worshipper who has not the ability to provide a seat in our costly buildings, as well as he who would occasionally attend on the services of the sanctuary were a free place provided, are in a degree shut out from the sanctifying in fluences of those services. We rejoice however to find, that a more successful effort has been made by our brethren in Charleston, South-Carolina, where the poor of our communion will very speedily have the gratifying privilege of attending the worship of Almighty God in the way of their fathers.-The following account of the laying of the corner stone of the first free episcopal church in the United States has been transmitted by a friend for insertion in the Christian Journal. May we not be permitted to hope, that this honourable example will soon be imitated in all the populous towns of our country where the church is in a prosperous state? THE corner stone of a new episcopal church, to be called St. Stephen's Chapel, was laid in a lot given for the purpose by a pious lady of distinguished benevolence, on Tuesday the 30th of September, 1823. Such of the clergy as could conveniently be assembled accompanied the bishop to the ground, where having laid the stone, with a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, &c. enclosed in a cavity made in it for the purpose, he addressed a numerous and respectable assembly, in a manner appropriate to the occasion, and then implored the divine blessing on the work of charity thus begun. The Gloria in excelsis being sung, the assembly was dismissed, with seemingly approving and agreeable impressions of this well-meant undertaking. This place of worship is designed for the free use of such persons as may not be able to provide themselves with seats in the other episcopal churches of the city. It has been undertaken in consequence of the difficulty under which persons in the least favoured conditions of life were found to labour, of gaining comfortable admission to the public worship of the church. But few of such, comparatively, could be provided for. Many, for want of seats, or not having it in their power to defray the expense of seats, were found only occasional and careless visitors of various places of worship, or strangers altogether to any. In alleviation of this evil, a number of pious ladies, at the request of the bishop of the diocese, about two years and a half ago, formed themselves into a society, for the purpose of providing the means of supporting a domestic missionary, and aiding him, as far as might be in their power, in finding subjects for the charity of his pastoral ministrations, and disposing them to avail themselves of it. The Rev. Mr. Folker first, and the Rev. Mr. Phillips subsequently, consented to serve in this useful and interesting capacity. The latter has for about two years performed divine service, and otherwise ministered as domestic missionary, with so good an effect, as to encourage and put forward the design originally entertained, of having, with the divine blessing and permission, a place of worship erected, for the uses of this charity. Several gentlemen of the different congregations in the city, at the request of the society, readily formed themselves into a committee of collections; and a sum, which it is presumed will be adequate to the purpose, has been subscribed. The building, though small, will accommodate, it is hoped, a goodly number of christian worshippers, who otherwise might have no access to the public means of grace. In a season of more general prosperity, this plan of benevolence might have been executed on a more extensive scale. Under the present circumstances, however, it reflects honour on our community; and may be expected to reward its patrons with gratifying evidences of its usefulness: It is expected that the building will be finished in July next. It will then be consecrated by the name of St. Stephen's Chapel, and be served statedly by the domestic missionary, appointed by the Charleston Protestant Episcopal Domestic Missionary Society, with the concurrence of the ecclesiastical authority. Another site has been given for the same species of charity in the north west suburb of the city, by Mrs. S. Shepherd, with an ample lot around it. A chapel will be erected here as soon as circumstances will permit. The ground given for these churches is given in trust to the rectors of St. Philip's, St. Michael's, and St. Paul's churches, (or the bishop of the diocese in lieu of one of them,) and their survivor or survivors for ever. Vacancies in the trust to be supplied by appointment of survivors. The following was inscribed on a roll deposited in the stone. "The corner stone of St. Stephen's Chapel, designed as a free place of worship, for members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, laid on the thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand cight hundred and twenty-three, by Nathaniel Bowen,D.D. Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of South-Carolina; assisted by the Rev. Christopher E. Gadsden, D. D. and the Rev. Alston Gibbes, assistant ministers of St. Philip's church; the Rev. Christian Hanckel, rector of St. Paul's church, Ratcliffeborough; the Rev. Frederick Dalcho, M. D. assistant minister of St. Michael's church; the Rev. Edward Rutledge, rector of St. Thomas's; the Rev. Wm. H. Mitchell, deacon, minister of St. James's, Santee; the Rev. William Wilson, deacon; and the Rev. Edward Phillips, deacon, and domestic missionary in Charleston. The land on which this building was erected, was given by Mrs. Sarah Russell, widow; and the means of defraying the expense of its erection were the generous contributions of the members of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Charleston, collected by a committee of gentlemen, consisting of Aaron S. Willington, John W. Mitchell, John F. Knox, Thomas Gadsden, and James S. Johnson, of St. Philip's church; James H. Ladson, Jacob Rapelye, Horatio S. Waring, M.D and St. John Phillips, M. D. of St. Michael's church; and E. Thayer, jun. Thomas G. Simons, L. E. Dawson, and G. W. Egleston, of St. Paul's church, Ratcliffeborough-at the instance of the Charleston Protestant Episcopal Domestic Missionary Society; the following ladies being the board of managers of that society: Mrs. S. Russell, Mrs. S. Dehon, Mrs. Ann Robertson, Mrs. Margaret Bethune, Mrs. Elizabeth Hazlehurst, Mrs. Sarah Waring, and Mrs. S. M. Logan.-Builder, John Gordon esquire. For the Christian Journal, Reverend Sir, THE period having arrived when the Sunday school society completes the first year of its existence, the following report will inform you of the labours of the teachers and scholars connected |