that Mrs. Evans may be able to return with Mrs. Burton, and remain here during my absence. Unless in this way, I know not how we can avail ourselves of the assistance Sir Stamford has so kindly proffered. KINGSTON. A letter from 'Mr. W. Knibb to a friend in Bristol, dated Feb. 19, gives the following account of his arrival, and the state in which he found the school: THROUGH the merciful care of our heavenly Father, we arrived in safety at Port Morant, on Saturday, the 12th; and on the Wednesday following, reached the spot which is to be the scene of our future labours. At Port Morant, we were treated with the greatest kindness by a gentleman named F. On the Sabbath, we saw about fifty slaves who had walked sixteen miles in a burning sun to hear a sermon, many of whom do not have any thing to eat the whole day. As soon as we passed Port Royal, a canoe came to us, which we had no sooner entered, than" Please massa, you massa Knibb?" "Yes." "Me thought so-so like your broder; me be glad to see you, we thought you drowned; we hab been looking for you dis month." On landing another hailed us, "()!: massa preacher come! Me must carry someting, me be so glad." We procured a wherry, and reached Kingston in less than an hour, where we met with a hearty reception. The next morning I visited the school. The children leaped for joy-indeed, they could not refrain from dancing, for a negro must express his joy. Their writing is excellent, and they appear to improve greatly. Could you visit the school, you would say my dear brother has not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Some of the children have excellent capa cities, and retentive memories. One little girl repeated several chapters of the Bible, and the whole of Dr. Watts's "Divine Songs, at one time. It will afford you sincere pleasure, to learn that Mr. Coultart has obtained permission to preach by candle light, (or, rather, oil-light,) which he does every Thursday evening. Last Thursday the chapel was filled, and nearly three thou sand joined in singing, "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, &c." IN a letter, written by Mr. Coultart to Dr. Ryland, about the same time, after mentioning that at the close of 1824, he had baptized one hundred and thirty persons, making dred and fifty; he proceeds to nara total during the year, of four hunrate the following affecting incident: I called, the other evening, upon one of be dying. I asked him how his mind our poor members that was supposed to was; What his thoughts of death-Quite happy, was his reply, and ready to go. I said, Take care, don't deceive yourself, you have been a vile sinner, a sad worthless creature, both to God and his church; take care, don't build on the sand. He seemed astonished for a minute or two and was silent, then, as if he had collected all his energy, and freed himself from the hand of death, he sprang up on his bed saying, "No minister, no, I am not deceived; you are clear of my blood." I said, Let that be to me, your time is short, ask God to forgive you for Christ's sake, let nothing take your attention from Jesus now, cry to him till you feel his love. I prayed with him, and left him. In a day or two, some one came again and said he was dying. I hastened to his bed-side. There stood his friends, and his weeping companion sat by him on the bed. He was dreadfully convulsed, and when he opened his eyes and saw me, he cried out very loud, Minister, bless you, I am safe, Jesus Christ has sinner. No, I am a dying man, but thank not forgotten a poor wicked, worthless thee, O Saviour, for the gospel, for thyself; come and take poor me." Come Lord Jesus, come quickly." My heart leaped for joy to see this poor black brand plucked out of the fire. I never saw such extacy in death before-looked on him in his last agony in amazement, and said, surely the blood of Christ speaketh God I crossed the Atlantic to see this, to better things than that of Abel. I thank receive the blessing and the delightful testimony of this poor descendant of Canaan, going where there is no more curse. Contributions received by the Treasurer of the Baptist Missionary Society, from April 20, to May 20, 1825, not including Individual Subscriptions. FOR THE MISSION. Greenock, Auxiliary Missionary Society, by Mr. Stroud, Ditto, by Mr. Hawkins, Jun. Haddington and Dunbar, by Mr. W. Hunter South Wales, Baptist Western Association, by Rev. D. D. Evans .......... Frome, Auxiliary Society, by Francis Allen, Esq............... .Donation 93 3 4 Serampore College. 40 0 0 Western District, by Rev. Richard Horsey: Bradninch. Bishops Hull.. 6 10 0 Lyme 500 Loughwood 27 13 2 240 0 0 5 2 6000 10 Crewkerne. Chard..... 3 76 Wellington, (Mis- 1 0 ...... 3 12 6 ............ 5 12 8 106 1, 2 Honiton Keynsham, Collection and Subscriptions, by Rev. James Ayres Brasted, Missionary Society, by Mr. J. Buckingham Bromsgrove, Collected by Miss Carpenter, Rev. J. Scroxton, &c.... Greenwich, Friends of the Baptist Church, by Mr. Toss will ....... Lieut.-Colonel M'Douall, Stranraer, N. B. ....... Life Subscription FEMALE EDUCATION. Greenock, Female Society, by Mrs. Scott, Treasurer Birmingham, Young Ladies at, for Birmingham School, Calcutta, by WE are requested to state, that the £8, acknowledged in our April number, from Diss, was collected at Mr. Ward's Meeting. The thanks of the Committee are presented to a Friend, by Rev. J. H. Hinton, for a number of Evangelical Magazines, Missionary Registers, &c. It is particularly requested, that our friends, in sending remittances, will not forward local notes, payable only in the places where they are issued. The incon veniences resulting from such a practice are so obvious, that, it is hoped, the bare mention of it will prevent its recurrence. London: Printed by J, BARFIELD, 91, Wardour-Street, Soho. BAPTIST MAGAZINE. JULY, 1825. ON THE ALLEDGED IMPIETY OF CALVINISM "The IMPIETY of CALVINISM."* the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, Anecdotes of the Life of Bp. Watson. P. 168. IF Bishop Watson were now alive, who uses this phrase, and wishes the Church of England "a complete purgation from the dregs of popery, and the impiety of Calvinism;" I should like to ask him wherein he supposes the latter consists? Does it consist partly in what Calvinists hold in common with many who would earnestly decline that name? e. g. In the Doctrine of the Incarnation, original Sin, the Atonement, and the work of the Holy Spirit? These six Articles are admitted, by multitudes, who dislike the name of Calvinism; and I should think none would dare to deny that they are maintained, not only by the Homilies, but by the Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England. Whatever else is left undetermined, as to doctrine, these points are not. The Bishop, in the account he gives us of his life, professes and shews a good degree of honesty and The late venerable Dr. Ryland, sent this paper, accompanied by a note, addressed to one of the Editors, who received it on the 10th of May. The same person having had the melancholy gratification of seeing the Doctor at his house in Broadmead a few days before his death, was asked by him, whether it had been received, and whether he thought it could be made out? &c. &c. These circumstances are mentioned to prove the importance which, even in the near prospect of death, he attached to the subject, and how solicitous he was for its appearance. It might, therefore, be considered as the dying avowal of the inestimable man just as he was "finishing his course." We earnestly hope the day will never come when such Calvinism as this will be opposed in the Baptist churches; nor when the work, entitled "the Reign of Grace," by the late Abraham Booth, will be considered as "too high Calvinism!" The following is a copy of the note referred to: the original is in a very altered hand to what the Doctor generally wrote: "MY DEAR BRother, "I cannot possibly transcribe this afresh, but though there are several interlineations, yet all may be easily made out by a little attention. "If you choose to put it in the Magazine, I hope you will see to it, that it is printed correctly. Twelve Lord's days I have been kept from public worship; my cough is much better, but I am extremely weak. "What the Lord intends to do with me I know not, but he is infinitely wise and good, and in his hands I would leave myself. I hope our brethren will pray for me, that God may be glorified, whether by my life or my death. "I am not able to write more, and remain your cordial Brother, "JOHN RYLAND." The Doctor was confined from the first Lord's day in February. A sermon he had written for that day, as a funeral discourse, remains in his Bible, but he was not able to deliver it. VOL. XVII. 2 B independency; but, if he could be induced, by the highest honours, or the greatest emoluments of the establishment, to subscribe the Articles, or to read the Service of the Church, while he disbelieved these doctrines, and only waited for an opportunity to get them set aside; I cannot think that he possessed what the apostle termed godly sincerity. Impiety is surely a heavy charge. Can it be brought against all who believe, as they apprehend at least, on the authority of divine Reve lation, that there is a mysterious distinction in the divine nature, so that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, in whose names Christians ought to be baptized, and who sustain, while acting in the most perfect unison, different offices, in the economy of Redemption? Or, would it be more pious to say, We will believe nothing, even on the authority of Revelation, at which we could not at least shrewdly guess without it; nor will believe, on that authority, any fact, the mode of which we cannot understand; nor do we think it credible, that there should be any thing in the divine nature to which we cannot find a parallel, either in our own nature, or in that of any other creature? Is there any thing impious or incredible in the doctrine of the Incarnation? Is it impossible that God should make himself visible to his creatures? or that he should permanently unite himself to a created nature? Would not his doing so be a wonderful pledge of his love to creatures? and the more so, for his assuming the nature of the lowest and most degraded species of rational being? Is not the redemption of innumerable multitudes of ruined immortals from sin and misery, an object worthy of peculiar divine interposition; especially when their recovery is connected with the most glorious display of God's moral perfections? Would Bishop Watson account it an impious doctrine to say, that all mankind are in a sinful and miserable condition? Does not all history, and especially scriptural bistory, prove this? Has not God, ever since the fall, treated our race as guilty? Did he not so treat the whole world at the time of the flood? Did he not testify the depravity of the antediluvians? Did he not repeat the same testimony after the flood? and is not the Bible full of the strongest declarations respecting the guilt and depravity of man? Does not the history of all nations prove it? and especially the history of the Israelites? Though Moses denies that they were chosen because they were better or more righteous than other nations, yet is it rational or philosophical to suppose, that they were essentially worse than other people? Do not the Jewish historians and prophets give ample evidence of their great wickedness through all their generations? Does not their ill usage of the messengers, which God sent to them, and the rejection and murder of the promised Messiah prove it? Does not the apostle conclude all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, under a charge of sin? Does not the universal prevalence of idolatry and war prove human depravity? Does not Paul trace up the introduction of sin, misery, and death, to the fall of Adam? Is it then an impious thing for the Church of England to admit this humiliating truth? Is it an impious thing to suppose that an atoning sacrifice was necessary, in order to the forgiveness of sin, consistently with the perfections of God, the support of his moral government, and the honour of his law? Is it impious to suppose, that God would not grant salvation to sinners, unless he could shew himself to be righteous as well as merciful? Is there any impiety in believing, that Christ died the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God? that he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity? that he bare our sins, in his own body on the tree? that in him we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins, &c.? Is there any impiety in believing that God can make a bad man a good one? that he can turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the just? that he is the Author of all true holiness? that he can give repentance unto life? that faith is the gift of God? that all holy thoughts and right desires in man, are produced by divine influence? that the Holy Spirit can renew a sinner in the spirit of his mind? that he can write the divine law in the heart, and cause us to walk in the way of holiness? Or to come to downright Calvinism, let us see what impiety there is in either of the five points, which distinguish Calvinists from Arminians. Would the Bishop have dared to deny, either the divine Prescience, or the divine Omnipotence? If God foreknow all events perfectly, and can prevent whatever he pleases, then he does nothing in time, but what he always intended to do; and he suffers nothing to take place, but what he determined, for wise and holy reasons, to permit to come to pass: e. g. That Joseph's brethren should sell him for a slave; that Pharaoh should refuse to let Israel go; that Sihon should reject the fair proposal made to him by Moses; or that Judas should betray Christ; yet all these sinners acted as freely, and inexcusably, as they could have done, if God had known nothing about them, either beforehand, or even at the time. But leaving the general topic of Predestination, let us consider the subject of personal Election. Certain it is, that God, in the days of Moses, did claim a right to be gracious to whom he would be gracious, and to shew mercy on whom he would shew mercy. Is it then impious to believe that salvation is not of him that willeth, of his own native choice; nor of him that runneth, of his own native strength; but of God, that sheweth mercy? Does not God, in a vast variety of other instances, act as a sovereign in the bestowment of his favours, especially of those favours which are granted to sinners? Consider how was his sovereignty displayed in the selection of Israel, to partake, for many ages, of such singular privileges, while he seemed to overlook all other nations, and leave them to walk in their own ways. Reflect how very differently the blessings of civilization, of liberty, of good government, and the advantages resulting from the knowledge of revealed truth, have been hitherto dispensed: and shall it be said to be impious to suppose, God is not bound to dispense his favours, to all the wicked children of men, at the same time, and in an equal degree? We acknowledge that his revealed will requires those who enjoy these blessings, to use the best means in their power to extend them; and the prophecies of his word encourage us to hope, that they shall hereafter be enjoyed by all nations; but God evidently acts as one who does not consider himself a debtor to his apostate creatures. The case of idiots, and of those who are born deaf or blind, illustrates the same truth. With respect to such persons as admit the doctrine of the Atonement, I have often wondered how they, if they truly understand its import, can object to the doctrine of Elec2 B2 |