much foever it might be above that of others, whether Jews or Gentiles. Had that been the cafe, there would have been no occafion to have fent for Peter to preach Chriftianity. This moral character neither did, nor could procure for him, remiflion of fins, juftification, or eternal life. For all thefe he is refered to faith in Chrift Jefus, who, of God, is made unto us, wildom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemption—he is refered to the merits of Chrift, not to the merit of his own prayers, or alms for falvation. So far fhort of Christian perfection, or Chriftian holiness, is the most exalted character among the heathen! Great as was the Jewith prophet, the fore-runner of Chrift, yet we are told, the least in. the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

We may obferve, that this call of Cornelius, though in part miraculous, yet was in the main, confonant to the method of God's ordinary government. The knowledge of Chriftian faith, was not miraculously conveyed (as it might have been) by the angel to Cornelius; and as was, by Chrift himself to St. Paul, Gal. i, 12. but it was appointed in this cafe, that faith fhould come in the ordinary way, by hearing, by the preaching of Peter to him and his houfehold. And it is obfervable, that though the Holy Ghoft fell upon all them which heard the word, fo that they spake with tongues, yet prayed they Peter to tarry certain days: undoubtedly that he might expound unto them the word of God more perfectly.

Juft fo we fee, I will not fay miraculous, but uncommon and unaccountable circumftances bring a careless finner to the hearing of the word. It pleafes the Lord (the fame Lord who appoints these circumstances) to open his heart, fo that he attends to the things which are spoken by the preacher, and from these small beginnings, a total change, with refpect to life and manners, fhall follow.

With refpect to Paul, God was pleased to reveal His Son in him, by a miracle he was feparated from his mother's womb, and appointed to be a preacher of Chrift amongft the Gentiles. His knowledge, therefore, was from the fountain head, was immediately from Chrift Himfelf, and not from the apoftles. The knowledge of the Roman Centurion, and his household, was from the mouth of Peter: nevertheless, Peter's doctrine was witneffed by the Holy Ghoft.

But the falvation of Cornelius, and his household, was by no means the whole purpose of this miraculous call. It was, indeed, a favour; in other words, it was of God's grace, that Cornelius and his household, thould be thus fingled out, and made the first fruits of the Gentile Church in Christ. And this was a favour beftowed upon him, on account of his piety, and his alms and his moral character which made him an object of favour with God, alfo prepared him to receive the gofpel, and rendering him a fit perfon to be made an inftance of God's purpofe, to admit the Gentiles into the covenant of grace. For the great end of the whole of this miraculous difpenfation, the vifion of Peter at Joppa, and the angel of God warning Cornelius to fend for that apoftle, was to convince Peter and the other apoftles, that the middle wall of partition, between the Jews and Gentiles, was Now broken down, and that God had to the Gentiles aljo, granted repentance unto life.

Thus we fee wifdom, and goodnefs wonderfully united, in the divine difpenfations. God's mercies to individuals, have often far more extenfive, and important confequences, than their particular benefit. The honour, and glory of God; the great purposes of His univerfal government,

and

and above all, that gracious defign, the falvation of men through Chrift, are in a wonderful manner promoted, by these favours to individuals, and the objects of His favours felected with a view to these great ends.

We have no reason to doubt but there were at that time, many more pious Gentiles to be found befides Cornclius; fome perhaps in the Roman army: yet none of these were called to the Chriftian faith by a miracle: fo alfo many widows were in Ifrael in the days of Elias, yet to none of them was Elias fent, fave unto a widow of Sarepta, a city of Sidon. The councils of God are to us, in this refpect, unfearchable; and the language of fcripture is, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. Favours would be converted into rights, if one man of equal moral character, that is of equal merit, could demand the fame fpiritual advantages, which for ends unknown to us are granted to another. It was not given to Socrates, to fee the day, and know the falvation of Chrift, though to many of inferior merit in the heathen world. Our Lord Himself fays to His difciples, I tell you many prophets and kings have defired to fee the things which ye fee and have not feen them, and to hear the things which ye hear and have not heard them

The character of God, as we may gather from this Hiftory, is, that He is impartial; not like weak men, governed by attachment to parties; not as the Jews fancied, fond of their nation, inexorable to all the world befide. When Peter fays, that in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is accepted with Him, he neither means that fuch obtain pardon of fin, and eternal life, without Chrift, nor are his words without any meaning at all. All fuch are undoubtedly objects of God's favour, but of what favour? of fuch, and fo much favour as God in His wisdom fhall fee fit to bestow. This in the particular cafe of Cornelius was, as we before faid, a miraculous call to the Chriftian faith. All we can conclude is, that God's favour, His mercies, particularly thofe in Chrift, are not limited to distinctions, either of nations, families, or even religious fects. In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteoufnefs is accepted with Him. But how accepted? Why fo accepted as to be admitted, to the Chriftian covenant and Chriftian privileges, as well as the Jews. This was a matter of furprize to Peter, fome of whose Jewith prejudices, Matt. xvi, 23, still remained: but now, through the heavenly vifion, and the command to go with the Roman foldier, and fervants of Cornelius, nothing doubting, he is convinced that God is no refpecter of perfons, and that in Chrift shall all the nations of the earth, as well as the Jews, be bleffed.

life, upon

And now why should any pious perfons, be alarmed, as if human merit was going to be fet up against the merits of Chrift, or morality thould be fo exalted, as to fuperfede Chriftianity? Why fear, left from the Hiftoryof Cornelius, taken literally, and plainly, any one thould be led to think, he had no need of Chrift, or fhould expect forgiveness of fins, and eternal the score of his own merit, his alms, or even his prayers ? As well might he expect a vifit by an angel from heaven. Yet fuch is the dread of this MONSTER merit, that they will not allow what the angel PLAINLY fays, "That the prayers, and the alms of Cornelius came up for a memorial before God." No!"his faith in the fervice and facrifice at Jerufalem, which he exercised at the time of its offering, became fpiritually this MEMORIAL, according to the Mofaic law; for Cornelius, with all the faithful, under the Mofaic law, waited for the manifeftation of the Meffiah, Vol. III, Churchm. Mag. Nov. 1802.

and trufted in Chrift to come." All which is faid, and you may fee proved from the HEBREW, in the Theological Mifcellany, for March, 1786.

-But whatever may be gathered from the Hebrew, the Greek fays no fuch thing. We are told Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian band, and therefore, as others of that band, probably born, and brought up, in Italy. His name fhews him to have been a Roman. He was, indeed, a worshipper of the true God. And the knowledge of the true God, he might learn from the Jewith fcriptures, then tranflated into Greek: copies of which he might meet with among the Jews of Cefarea. But is it likely he fhould understand the prophecies or types of the law, or trust in a fpiritual Meffiah to come-the end of the law for righteoufnefs, as this Calviniftical magazine writer affirms-Who is it that dreams here, to use his own words?

As little weight is there in the argument a priori, urged by Hervey, Dial. vi. p. 211. Edit. Edin. to fhew "that Cornelius, though an heathen by birth, had believed, through grace, before he had the heavenly vifion; that the bufinefs of the apoftle was only to confirm his faith, and adminifter baptifm, and give him a clearer light in fome points." "No prayers, no alms," fays Hervey, can go up as a memorial before God, but through Chrift." Be it fo. Can none have benefit from the facrifice of Chrift, or from His interceflion, but thofe who have heard and believed? Was not the repentance of the Ninevites accepted, at least as to temporal punishment? I do not fay, without Chrift, but I do fay, without the preaching of Chrift among them, or their faith in that facrifice. The prayer of Hannah was heard, and anfwered; yet it is very unlikely, that the fhould have faith in Chrift. Faith in God, as the governor of the world, and the difpofer of all events, fhe might have; and this is the faith spoken of Heb. xi, 6, here quoted, and as ufual, with perfons who have a system to fupport, grofsly mifapplied. Indeed to fuppofe Cornelius either a Jew, wanting only circumcifion, or a Chriftian, wanting only baptifm, would defeat the end, for which the Hiftory is related both here, and by Peter himself, Acts xi, and would wholly invalidate the conclufion the apoftles and brethren drew from it, "That God hath alfo to the GENTILES granted repentance unto life."

Others are driven by the fame fear of MERIT, into a different abfurdity. The prayers and alms of Cornelius, could not, fay they, be a memorial of his piety, and charity, and as fuch come up before God. No! that could not be. It would imply there was merit in devotion, and alms giving. No! his prayers and his alms came up for a memorial of his SINCERITY-a proof that his devotion was unfeigned.-Very well.--But how is the matter mended? May there not be MERIT fkulking under this virtue of fincerity? May not fincerity claim a reward, as well as prayers,

and alms?

Upon the whole, we cannot but conclude, that we may fafely and without danger to Chriftianity, admit there is fuch a thing as merit, and demerit, conftituting MORAL character, and that in the fight of God, as well as man. That it often has been, and may now be the ground of many religious advantages, vouchfafed to perfons of all ages and countries, both in the extraordinary, and ordinary administration of God's government over this prefent world. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers.

As to that pernicious notion of fetting up merit (often wholly fictitious) against

against demerit, and arrogantly balancing accounts with God Almighty, there is not the leaft in this History to countenance it. The morality of Cornelius is not of the fort commonly put off for morality, but comprehends piety towards God, as well as benevolence towards men; not balancing the total want of one, by extraordinary pretenfions to the other. Nor is Cornelius reprefented as one who, knowing the covenant of grace, rejected it in a dependance upon the covenant of works. Juft the reverse. The angel purposely fent of God, warning him that Peter fhould tell him what he ought to do, and the baptism of Cornelius and his household, are proofs that, notwithstanding the high pretenfions of heathen morality, even in its moft exalted fate, there is no falvation out of Chrift; and that there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be faved.

The attentive reader is requested to obferve, that fuch errors as efcape our notice, in the papers fent to us from Mr. Ludlam, will be corrected by him, in the firft fubfequent communication of his, which may appear in any of our future Numbers.

In Mr. L.'s Effay upon Religious Converfation, printed in our Magazine for October last,

PAGE 223, line 5, for Religion Converfation, read Religious Converfation. 224, third line from the bottom, for I fhall take notice, read I fhall take NO notice.

225, line 12, for of their conflicts, with their defeats of, read of their conflicts with, of their defeats from.

DR. DUNCAN's HINTS TO THE CLERGY.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

THE great fatisfaction which I, in common with many of my friends,

have received from the perusal of your useful Publication, induces me to communicate fome extracts from an interefting work lately published at Bath. My with is to diffeminate, by your means, as widely as poflible, the knowledge of a work which appears to me to be calculated to fuftain the honour of our Church establishment, in a very superior degree; but which, being published in the country, has been hitherto, perhaps, but little circulated beyond the environs of Bath. The title page announces, that the profits of the publication will be given to the fupport of the decreafing fund of the School of Industry, in that city. The work, confisting only of 146 pages, is entitled, "Seafonable Hints to the Younger Part of the Clergy of the Church of England. By the Rev. J. Duncan, Rector of Warmborough, Hants. Barrat, Bath."

How feasonable thefe Hints really are, and how properly and energetically addreffed to those who have newly taken on themselves, the facred office of Teachers of the Gofpel, the following extract will, I am perfuaded, abundantly evince.

SECTION III.

"Were the religion of our bleffed Lord and Saviour generally displayed in its genuine purity, it must infallibly command the affectionate and devout regard of all who could behold, with an unprejudiced eye, its beneficent and glorious effects, upon the conduct of its faithful profeffors. The mockery of infidels would then be abathed by the illuftrious examples it would then exhibit of consistent worth. The striking evidence of this has defcended

002

defcended to us through eighteen centuries, with fuch invincible force, that the keeneft adverfaries to the idea of its miraculous propagation of old, unwittingly urged it to their own confufion. Their modern mimicks, a Bolingbroke, a Voltaire, a Gibbon, with fhameless difingenuity, because in defiance of the tender mercy of God, whereby the day fpring from on high hath vifited us,' have alledged this exemplary conduct as fufficient to produce it, without fupernatural interpofition. Such was at the first establishment of the Church of Chrift, fuch will ever be the providential effect of an unfeigned and uniform fanctity of manners.

"The corn fprings up, the roses bloom, the fruits, the animals, nay, the rational and moral faculties of man advance to maturity by the decree, the care, the forefight of a Divine Superintendant. Yet all this, it is faid, falls out in the ordinary courfe of nature. We do not indeed, like the fuperficial and conceited difparagers of natural, as well as revealed, religion, confider thefe wonderful effects the lefs, as the immediate operations of a fupremely intelligent Providence, on account of their conftant regularity. So in the establishment of a religion adapted to regulate the conduct efpecially as well as the faith of its profeffors, it was most reasonable to expect the fame courfe of nature, the fame regularity of moral effect (become, in its turn, a fecondary caufe) fhould be ordained most powerfully, to co-operate with the miraculous and extraordinary means decreed to take place for the fame gracious purpofe. Accordingly, fuch were the unblemished honors of the primitive Church, fuch the refiftlefs beauty of holiness, confirmed by the reluctant admiration, the exprefs acknowledgement of its most cruel perfecutors.

"When in aftertimes, men walking after their own ungodly lufts, had yet the impudence to call themselves Chriftians, though degenerated from the refpectable graces of humility and purity of manners, difgraced by the defpicable vices of ambition, pride, and avarice, defiled with every impure and diforderly paffion, the veneration before paid to religion would naturally ceafe. A combination of two different causes that bear little affinity to each other, appears, at this day, to be strangely confpiring, to cast a temporary fhade upon the light of the gofpel, in the eyes of a fuperficial obferver. The epidemical illufion of the numerous tribes of followers of certain pretenders to extraordinary fanctity, their unintelligible rants and increafing abfurdity, are a fubject of ferious regret to all found and fober thinkers. They give occafion to the most aggravated and wanton mockery of religion itself, thus confounded with its wretched femblance. Againft this contagious frenzy, in vain would calm expoftulation interpofe its friendly aid. Reafon and fobriety of thought, are the very foes against whom they are most exasperated, they denounce the most outrageous war.

"Another object of more immediate alarm to the public peace and fecurity, is confidered as equally injurious to the interefts of the Church and the religion, pure and undefiled. A violent political ferment in the minds of men, into which the critical circumftances of the times have caft these kingdoms, has given a fresh and unbounded loofe to the extravagance of the blafphemous and libertine fcorner. You will often, in a mixed converfation, be grieved to obferve the advantage taken by the fneering infidel, from the counterfeit coin now currently uttered by our increafing fwarms of modern feparatifts, for the sterling doctrines of the gofpel. The difcordant authority of our firft Proteftant Reformers, is wrefted by the Antinomian Methodifts, to fanction the impofition. You