selves enabled to perform good works. Qld things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.

In reviewing this subject we are reminded, that there is an essential difference between saints and sinners. All are alike by nature. They indulge the same enmity of heart toward God; and possess, in every respect, the same depraved dispositions. But while sinners remain under the influence of their depraved tempers, the saints have been made to differ. God has taken away their hearts of stone, and given them hearts of flesh. They are new creatures, possessed of a new temper, and enabled to perform good works. A change has been wrought in their souls, which sinners have never experienced. They have been made to differ, not only from their former selves, but from all who are still unregenerate. And let it be remembered, that the difference is essential. It does not respect the degree of holiness, but the nature of their dispositions. The disposition of the one is holy: that of the other is unholy. The saints have been created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. Sinners are still under the influence of their depraved dispositions. They are still enemies to God by wicked works.

Again; the subject affords a melancholy view of the conduct of the unregenerate. Whatever mankind may think of the religion of the heart, there are few, even of the most profligate sinners, who do not claim the credit of having done many good works. But the subject before us represents the unregenerate as never having done any: nay, it teaches, that it is morally impossible they should do any, until they are created anew in Christ Jesus. All your moral actions, then, impenitent sinners, are wholly sinful. They spring from a corrupt heart, and will partake of the same nature, as the source from which they proceed. You may do many things, which have the appearance of good, and which may be useful to society. But none of them are good in the sight of God. He sees the heart, which pollutes them. He sees the selfishness and pride from which they spring. However virtuous and worthy of praise, they may have been regarded by your fellow-creatures, God has not regarded them in this manner. Even your most humble prayers, which perhaps you have viewed with so much self-complacency, have been altogether sinful in his sight. So corrupt a fountain can never send forth pure streams. None of your actions while remaining unregenerate, can be viewed with approbation by a holy God.

Finally; the subject solemnly warns those, who continue to indulge themselves in sin, under the self-deception, that they shall embrace religion at a future period.

Sinners are ready to persuade themselves, that they can embrace religion at any time, and hence presumptuously neglect the present. It is indeed true, that they are possessed of natural power to obey all God's commandments, and may therefore justly be required to obey them, but they have no moral power. They are wholly under the influence of depraved dispositions: an inability which, in

deed, throws the blame wholly upon themselves; but which will be as effectual to close the kingdom of heaven against them, as though it were natural. Their depraved dispositions are so inflexibly bent on wickedness, that they must undergo a new creation, before they will do any good works. Something must be done for them, by the Spirit of God, or they will perish. Think not, then, O sinners, that it is safe to trust to the delusion that you can renew yourselves at any time. You are utterly helpless. And who knows,that God will make you new creatures, when you may think it dangerous to delay any longer? If you neglect the present time, you have great reason to fear that when your time comes, it will not be God's time. When you spread forth your hands, he will bide his eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, he will not hear. If, when God calls, you refuse, the time will come when, though you call, he will not answer; though you seek him early, you will not find him. "To day, then, if you will hear his voice, harden not your bearts."

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A UNIVERSALIST.

For the Panoplist.

THE following extract is from a letter, written by a man between 50 and 60 years of age, who for more than 20 years had been a very open and decided, and, it is believed, honest advocate for the doctrine of universal salvation; (for he has always been deemed a good moral man;) and who has lately entertained a hope that he has been brought out of the darkness and infatuation of Universalism, into God's marvellous light. Both the person to whom the letter is addressed, and his brother, the writer, reside within Massachusetts Proper. J. B.

August 13, 1817.

"Dear Brother, "I RECEIVED your very friendly and brotherly letter yesterday. It gave me great joy to hear that you are full of engagements. I hope and trust they are all in the cause of God,and for the prosperity of Christ's kingdom in the world. Do, dear brother, be faithful in warning sinners to flee from the wrath to come; for it does appear to me, that the Lord is doing his last great work on the earth, in calling sinners to repentance, and that it will soon be said, "Let him that is filthy be filthy still."

"You express a wish to know the dealings of God with my soul. I think when I was not more than 8 or 9 years old, the Lord was calling after me by his Spirit, and convincing me of sin. I well remember many sleepless nights, that I spent in tears; for I knew that I was a sinner, and exposed to the wrath and vengeance of an incensed God; but these convictions gradually wore off. From this time until I was about 16 or 17 years old, I went on in the ways of sin, and did what was right in mine own eyes. About this time, I had many solemn and frightful dreams representing my awful undone condition as an abominable sinner. This frame of mind, I think, continued more than a year. I lost my appetite and slept very little; and my body was almost reduced to a skeleton. I was under frequent apprehensions that I should lose my senses, until I

was thought to be in a consumption; and I thought myself to be on the verge of eternity. But these feelings also gradually wore off, and I still went on in folly and sin; not, however, without frequent stings of a guilty conscience. I used frequently to retire from the world for secret devotion, and sometimes had liberty and consolation in prayer; but alas! it was like the early dew, soon gone, for I loved not the ways of holiness.

"I continued much in this way until I was 30 years old, at which time I removed from B- to L where I became acquainted with the people called Universalists. All this time I felt the want of some religion to make me happy: and this scheme being most agreeable to my corrupt nature, I too easily fell in with it. I used to love to dispute and perplex people that, I now believe, were the children of God. O what infatuation had seized my guilty soul! All this time I was thought to be a happy man. But I now frankly confess before God and man, that I was an entire stranger to true happiness, and a friend to publicans and sinners.

"About three years since, there was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and some of my neighbors were called to follow the Lord Jesus. My fears were awakened again. My carnal security was again disturbed. I at first set myself in battle array against the Lord and his chosen ones. I know not but if I had had the power, I should have persecuted them even unto death. My spite was mostly aimed at the as they were continually reminding me of my wretched and miserable situation, as a sinner. About this time, I began again to seek the Lord by prayer and supplication, that he would discover to me my real situation and lead me into all truth. The more I prayed, the worse I felt. I viewed myself as the worst of all sinners. At times it seemed as if mercy was clean gone for ever. In this situation I lifted up my voice to God and said, "If there is any mercy in heaven for such a vile, guilty, self-condemned sinner, for thine own mercy's sake, and for Jesus Christ's sake, let me know what thy will is concerning me. Lord, not my will, but thine be done." When I was brought to this situation, the Lord began to discover himself to me, as the Lord God, merciful and gracious.-My evidence that I was born again did not all break into my mind at once; but was gradual. My first evidence was a very great love for the children of God. seemed to love them as my own soul.-About this time, I found my temper greatly altered. I used to be impatient and fretful at God's dealings with me; but now my stubborn will seemed to be completely subdued, and brought into subjection to the will of God. My every view was changed. Those things which used to please most, appeared to be most insipid and foolish, and those I used to hate, the most delightful and pleasing; all old things seemed to be done away, and all things to become new. O the long-suffering and forbearance of God toward me. I do think, that I am the most distinguished monument of the sparing mercy of God, of any in the world! It seems as though I want

to devote all the feeble remains of breath to the service of so good a God!

"Do remember to pray for a poor unworthy brother, in all your prayers, that God would continue to discover unto him more and more the evil and abominable nature of sin, and make greater discoveries of his divine perfections; for I know by experience, that the more I know of him, and of his amiable character, the more I shall adore and love him. The Lord has been doing a great work in this town, the last winter and spring. Great numbers have been added to the church. The beginning of April there were 24, in one day. C was one of the number. We have prayer-meetings every Sabbath morning, at sunrise, in a large school-house within a few rods of's, where I have enjoyed many refreshing and delightful seasons. I do think they are the most profitable and powerful meetings I ever attended."

For the Panoplist.

ON THE MISTAKES OF THE APOSTLES.

IT has ever been the gracious manner of Providence to bring light out of darkness, order out of confusion, and good out of evil: and it is comforting to the children of God to reflect, that they shall hereafter be permitted to see how their heavenly Father has ever been carrying on his infinite plans, by the instrumentality of men, who thought not so." Not only the iniquities of his enemies, but even the sins of his people, (for there is not a just man on earth who does good and sins not,) are mercifully overruled by God for their good and for his glory. How often do the people of God mistake his intentions in his works, in his Providence and in his word. While they behold his wonders in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath; while they see his footsteps in the deep, and his path in the great waters, although they know that God is there; yet, owing to the weakness of their spiritual discernment and those carnal notions which grace has not entirely subdued, they do not see his plan; they mistake his intentions, and are too apt to consider Him like themselves.

In reference to God's providential dealings with his people individually,they are also liable to many misconceptions. Often are their fairest anticipations blasted in a moment; the edifice which they had raised,and which they fondly hoped would last, if not for ever, yet for a long period, has been suddenly overturned. Under such circumstances, how apt are they to entertain unworthy thoughts of God. In reading the word of God, also, they are, Owing to the same remaining carnal notions, liable to many mistakes. From all these mistakes, God, who has promised that all things shall work together for the good of his people, does, even in this life, grant them instruction. It is wonderful to see, for how great a part of the New Testament we are indebted to the mistakes of the apostles. It is the design of this paper to point out a few of the instances in which our blessed Savior was pleased to instruct VOL. XIII.

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his disciples, and through them to instruct us, by the mistakes into which they had fallen. As the grand mistake of the Apostles respected the nature of that kingdom, which Christ was about to establish, we shall find its spiritual nature more fully explained, and more clearly defined, in the correction of their misconceptions, than in almost any other places in Scripture. Our Savior not only took every occasion that offered to instruct his followers, but he also timed those instructions in a most admirable manner. He not only "spake as never man spake," but was able by that omniscience, which is the peculiar attribute of the Deity, to adapt every instruction and every observation to the peculiar circumstances and character of each individual whom he addressed. Is he conversing with a licentious Samaritan woman, he knows how to find the avenues to her conscience, and to convince her, that there is One, who knows all things that ever she did. Does a young ruler kneel before him, with the interesting question on his lips, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Jesus shows him how far he is from a willingness to accept of eternal life, upon the humbling yet glorious terms of the Gospel. But let us turn from this digression to our Lord's instructions to his disciples founded upon their mistakes and misconceptions.

In Mark ix, from the 33rd verse, we have an account of a dispute between the disciples, on the road to Capernaum, concerning the point, which of them should be greatest. Our divine Savior had just been conversing with them, respecting his approaching death and resurrection; but the Evangelist adds, "they understood not that saying, and they were afraid to ask him." They probably had their ideas so taken up with that glory, which, as they supposed, would be attendant upon the earthly kingdom, which their Messiah was about to establish, that they could not understand what he intended, when he spake of his death and resurrection. Their great solicitude, at that time, appears to have been, which of them should obtain the most honorable station in the imaginary temporal kingdom. Notwithstanding Christ had frequently conversed with them concerning his death, they appear to have sup-. posed, that he did not intend to be understood literally, or that he had purposely rendered his observations unintelligible. Our blessed Lord takes this favorable opportunity to shew them the impropriety of their conduct, and the criminal nature of their thoughts. As soon as he inquired of them, upon what subject they had disputed by the way, they appear to have been convinced that they had done wrong, for they held their peace' "And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them; if any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them, and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me, and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me." We have an account of the same transactions in Matt. xviii, 1—7, and Luke xxii, 24. Thus did the Savior of the world

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