Christ himself, and not from the apostles. The knowledge of the Roman centurion, and his household, was from the mouth of Peter: nevertheless, Peter's doctrine was witnessed by the Holy Ghost.

But the salvation of Cornelius, and his household, was by no means the whole purpose of this miraculous call. It was, indeed, a favor; in other words, it was of God's grace, that Cornelius and his household, should be thus singled out, and made the first fruits of the Gentile church in Christ. And this was a favor bestowed upon him, on account of his piety, and his alms: and his moral character which made him an object of favor with God, also prepared him to receive the gospel, and rendered him a fit person to be made an instance of God's purpose, to admit the Gentiles into the covenant of grace. For the great end of the whole of this miraculous dispensation, the vision of Peter at Joppa, and the angel of God warning Cornelius to send for that apostle, was to convince Peter and the other apostles, that the middle wall of partition, between the Jews and Gentiles, was Now broken down, and that God had to the Gentiles also, granted repentance unto life.

Thus we see wisdom and goodness wonderfully united, in the divine dispensations. God's mercies to individuals, have often far more extensive, and important consequences, than their particular benefit. The honor, and glory of God; the great purposes of his universal government; and above all, that gracious design, the salvation of men through Christ, are in a wonderful manner promoted, by these favors to individuals, and the objects of his favors selected 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 besides Cornelius; some perhaps in the Roman army: yet none of these were called to the christian faith by a miracle: so also many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, yet to none of them was Elias sent, save unto a widow of Sa repta, a city of Sidon. The counsels of God are to us, in this res pect, unsearchable; and the language of scripture is, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. Favors would be converted into rights, if one man of equal moral character, that is of equal merit, could demand the same spiritual advantages, which for ends unknown to us are granted to another. It was not given to Socrates, to see the day, and know the salvation of Christ, though to many of inferior merit in the heathen world. Our Lord himself says to his disciples, I tell you many prophets and kings have desired to see the things which ye see and have not seen them, and to hear the things which ye hear and have not heard them.

The character of God, as we may gather from this history, 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 beside. When Peter says, that in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is accepted with him, he neither means that such obtain pardon of sin, and eternal life, without Christ, nor are his words without any meaning at all. All such are undoubtedly objects of God's favor, but of what favor? of such, and so much favor as God in his wisdom shall see fit to bestow. This in the particular case of Cornelius was, as we before said, a miraculous

call to the christian faith. All we can conclude is, that God's fa vor, his mercies, particularly those in Christ, are not limited to distinctions, either of nations, families or even religious sects. In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. But how accepted? Why so accepted as to be admit ted to the christian covenant and christian privileges, as well as the Jews. This was a matter of surprize to Peter, some of whose Jewish prejudices, Matt. xvi. 23, still remained: But now, through the heavenly vision, and the command to go with the Roman soldier, and servants of Cornelius, nothing doubting, he is convinced that God is no respecter of persons, and that in Christ shall all the nations of the earth, as well as the Jews, be blessed.

And now why should any pious persons be alarmed, as if human merit was going to be set up against the merits of Christ, or moral. ity be so exalted, as to supersede christianity? Why fear, lest from the history of Cornelius, taken literally, and plainly, any one should be led to think, he had no need of Christ, or should expect forgiveness of sins, and eternal life, upon the score of his own merit, his alms, or even his prayers? As well might he expect a visit by an angel from heaven. Yet such is the dread of this MONSTER merit, that they will not allow what the angel PLAINLY says, that the prayers and alms of Cornelius, came up for a memorial before God. No!" his faith in the service and sacrifice at Jerusalem, which he exercised at the time of its offering, became spiritually this MEMORIAL according to the Mosaic law; for Cornelius with all the faithful, under the Mosa ic law, waited for the manifestation of the Messiah, and trusted in Christ to come." All which is said, and you may see proved from the HEBREW, in the Theological Miscellany for March, 1786But whatever may be gathered from the Hebrew, the Greek says no such thing. We are told, Cornelius was a centurion of the Ital ian band, and therefore, as others of that band, probably born, and brought up, in Italy. His name shows 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 Jewish scriptures, then translated into Greek: Copies of which he might meet with among the Jews of Cesarea. But is it likely he should understand the prophecies or types of the law, or trust in a spiritual Messiah to come; the end of the law for righteousness, as this Calvinistical 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 Her? vey, Dial. vi. p. 211 Edit. Edin. to show, "that Cornelius, though an heathen by birth, had believed, through grace, before he had the heavenly vision; that the business of the apostle was only to confirm his faith, and administer baptism, and give him a clearer light in some points." "No prayers, no alms," says Hervey, "can go up as a memorial before God, but through Christ." Be it so. Can none have benefit from the sacrifice of Christ, or from his intercession, but those who have heard and believed? Was not the repentance of the Ninevites accepted, at least as to temporal punishment? I do not say, without Christ, but I do say, without the preaching of Christ among them, or their faith in that sacrifice. The prayer of Hannah was heard, and answered; yet it is very unlikely that she

should have faith in Christ. Faith in God as the governor of the world, and the disposer of all events, she might have; and this is the faith spoken of Heb. xi. 6. here quoted, and as usual, with persons who have a system to support, grossly misapplied. Indeed, to suppose Cornelius a Jew, wanting only circumcision, or a christian, wanting only baptism, would defeat the end, for which the history is related both here, and by Peter himself, Acts xi. and would wholly invalidate the conclusions the apostles and brethren drew from it, That God hath also to the GENTILES granted repentance unto life.

Others are driven by the same fear of MERIT, into a different absurdity. The prayers and alms of Cornelius, could not, say they, be a memorial of his piety, and charity, and as such 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 skulking under this virtue of sincerity? May not sincerity claim a reward, as well as prayers and alms?

Upon the whole we cannot but conclude, that we may safely, and without danger to christianity, admit that there is such a thing as merit, and demerit, constituting MORAL character, and that in the sight of God, as well as men. That it often has been, and may now be the ground of many religious advantages, vouchsafed to persons of all ages and countries, both in the extraordinary, and ordinary administration of God's government over the present 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 setting up merit (often wholly fictitious) against demerit, and arrogantly balancing accounts with God Almighty, there is not the least in this history to countenance it. The morality of Cornelius is not of the sort 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 pretensions to the other. Nor is Cornelius represented to us as one who, knowing the covenant of grace, rejected it in a dependance upon the covenant of works. Just the reverse. The angel purposely sent of God, warning him that Peter should tell him what he ought to do, and the baptism of Cornelius and his household, are proofs that, notwithstanding the high pretensions of heathen morality, even in its most exalted state, there is no salvation out of Christ; and that there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

On the Fasts and Festivals.

THE forty days of Lent are appointed as a time of repentance and recollection, in order to prepare the christian for the proper observation of the great festival of Easter. On the first day of Lent, which we call Ash-Wednesday, our church has appointed a very soleman service, which all who can do it, should not fail to attend.

This holy season has always been considered as a time of self-ex

amination and penitence, and every one should make it such according to the circumstances of his situation. All may practice some degree of self-denial, and all may find some time to think seriously of the state of their souls, to change what they find amiss in their general habits of life, and to make their peace with God by sincere repentance.

At the end of Lent is the day on which we commemorate the death of our blessed Savior; which is commonly called Good Friday. This day cannot be observed too strictly. It is a day of the deepest humiliation and sorrow, for those sins which brought the Son of God to the cross. We should not fail to attend the service of the church on that day; and neither business nor pleasure should prevent our reflecting seriously on that great event, and humbly entreating pardon from God, through the merits of the sacrifice which was then offered for the sin of the world. We should read with great attention the accounts given in the New-Testament of our Savior's sufferings and death. We should consider what he has done for us; we should thank him from our hearts. We should renounce every sin, and devote ourselves entirely to his service. We should on that day retire from the world, to commune with our own hearts, and on our knees entreat forgiveness of our sins, through Jesus Christ. Thus shall we be prepared to celebrate the greatest of all days in the eyes of a christian, and through sorrow and humiliation, we shall be led from the cross of Christ to his triumphant resurrection.

ven.

On Easter Sunday we celebrate our Savior's victory over death and hell, when having on the cross made an atonement for the sin of the world, he rose again from the grave, brought life and immortality to light, and opened to all his faithful servants the way to heaAll our hopes rest on this great event. If Christ be not risen, says St. Paul, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Ye are yet in your sins. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruit of them that slept. Death has now no sting; the grave has now no terror. We are assured that we shall rise again to meet our Lord when he cometh with his holy angels. This greatest of feasts must be observed with true devotion. All our churches are open on this great day, and the holy sacrament is every where offered to the true believer, who will not surely refuse to pay that tribute of gratitude and love to his glorified Redeemer. He will welcome this great day with christian joy, for the Lord is risen indeed.

Forty days after his resurection our Lord ascended into heaven, in the sight of his disciples; which is celebrated by the church on Ascension Day or Holy Thursday; and ten days after his ascension, he sent the Holy Spirit to be their comforter and guide, which great blessing is commemorated on Whit-Sunday. This is a very great festival, and should be observed as such. The assistance of the Holy Spirit can alone support us through all temptations, and guide us into all truth. For this assistance we must continually pray, and we must celebrate this great day with reverence and devotion.

Many other days are appointed to be kept holy, in memory of the apostles and evangelists; and those who have an opportunity of attending the public service of the church on those days, should gladly

do it. But as many christians cannot do this, I beg leave to recommend to them carefully to study the Companion to the feasts and fasts, by Mr. Nelson.* Few books contain so much christian knowledge. In it instruction is mixed with entertainment, and much learning with true piety. Whoever is so happy as to be able to read and understand that book, possesses a treasure of divine knowledge and true devotion.

Having now taken a general view of the public service of our church, let me beg you to consider what a blessing it is to us. In many countries, men know not God; in many they do not worship him as he has commanded; but in our land, christians may have the blessing of hearing God's word; and receiving his sacraments; he may join in prayer with a faithful congregation and receive the instructions of a minister commissioned by Christ; and if he do this constantly and attentively, I venture to say that the honest man among us, though unable to read, and without any other religious instruction, may gain more useful knowledge than the wisest man in the heathen world ever possessed. Let him only attend to the Sunday lessons, and consider the great truths which he may learn from them. The heathens knew not how the world was made; some thought that it was formed by chance, and some that it existed from all eternity. But the first verse in the bible removes all these doubts; In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. They knew not how sin and misery came into the world; but from the bible we learn that it was through envy of the devil, who persuaded Adam to disobey God. The heathen knew not whether there was one God only, or whether there were many; and they worshipped wood and stones. But from the bible we learn, that the great Creator said, I am the Lord thy God, and thou shalt have none other Gods but me. They never heard of a Redeemer, and knew not how to obtain pardon for their sins; but the bible tells us, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The heathens knew little of the will of God, or how they ought to act in order to please him; but in the bible we learn his will, and our duty to him and to our neighbor.

Lastly, the heathens knew not what to expect after death, nor whether they were ever to live again after leaving this world; but from the the bible we learn this most important truth: That all men shall rise again with their bodies, and give an account of their own works, and the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.

Such are the treasures of divine knowledge, which are open to every christian. Let us thankfully acknowledge such great blessings; but let us also remember that unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. No man among us can justly plead ignorance of the law of God, as an excuse for not obeying it; for every man may know what is necessary for the salvation of his soul, if he will

• This valuable book has been lately published, with revisions, and many judicious improvements by the Rev. Dr. Hobart, an assistant minister of Trinity Church, New-York. This truly excellent work should be in every family attached to the episcopal church. And would other denominations of christians read it, with candor and attention, many deep rooted prejudices would in all probability be removed. They would then perceive the beauty and excel lence of the service of our holy and apostolic church.