come?' The preacher described the Sadducean character, said the young man; but this did not touch me. I thought myself as good a christian as any man in England. From this he went to that of the Pharisees. He described their exterior decency, but observed that the poison of the viper rankled in their hearts. This rather shook me. At length he abruptly broke off, paused for a few moments, and burst into a flood of tears. Then lifting up his hands and eyes, he exclaimed, “Oh, my hearers, the wrath's to come! . . . the wrath's to come!" -The issue was, that Robinson soon after made a public profession of religion, and in a little time became a very considerable preacher.

Mr. Fuller adds, that these circumstances were mentioned to him by Mr. Robinson himself; and the reader will recollect, that he was pastor of the baptist congregation at Cambridge, and the author of several ingenious and learned publications.

THE FINAL CONSUMMATION OF ALL THINGS.

Replies to some objections of Rev. John Newton, St. Mary Woolnoth.

I HAVE received a letter, says Mr. Fuller, from Father Newton, very highly approving of The Gospel its own Witness; and understanding that a second edition of the work was now at press, he proposes a few emendations. The worst of it is, that advice offered by such venerable men as him, and Dr. John Erskine, and with such a degree of friendship, can hardly be refused; and yet if one were to follow every body's counsel, I might alter all that I have written. His objections however are confined to a few expressions in pp. 300-303, of the first edition.

I have said, "It is not improbable that the earth thus purified, [by the general conflagration] may ever continue the resort, if not the frequent abode, of those who are redeemed from it. Places, where some of the most interesting events have transpired, when visited at some distance of time, often become in the present state of things a considerable source of delight. Such was Bethel to Jacob, and Tabor, no doubt, to the three disciples; and if any remains of our present sensations should attend us in a state of immortality, a review of the scenes of our Lord's birth, life, agony, and crucifixion, as well as of many other events, may furnish a source of everlasting enjoyment."

On this statement, accompanied with some other remarks, Mr. Newton asks

1. "Why may not a new heaven and a new earth,' be expounded figuratively, as in other places; and be referred to the kingdom of God upon earth, the gospel state?"-I answer, No: the new heaven and new earth are represented as following the general conflagration. 2 Pet. iii. 12, 13. The heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat: nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.' In the Revelation, this state is also represented as following the last judgment. 'I saw a new heaven, and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.' Chap. xxi. 1, 2.

2. "May we not pray that 'the will of God may be done upon earth as in heaven,' without looking so far forward as the final consummation of all things?"-We may in some degree, but not fully, or without having a reference to the final state of things. When we pray to be made like Christ ourselves, we always look forward to the time when we shall be perfected, as the period in which our request shall be fully answered. So it is in this case,

and as this does not hinder our praying for progressive sanctity in the use of all the means of grace, so neither does the other hinder our praying for the success of Christ's kingdom. In both cases we cannot pray for the ultimate end, without praying for all the means by which it is effected.

3. "Does not the desire of revisiting the spots and scenes of past transactions, belong to our present situation and conformation. Will it not, like many of our human and social feelings, have no farther influence upon the soul, when freed from the body, and from the earth?"-It may be so and I think I shall alter this a little, as well as add something on the second question.

4. "Suppose we had a desire to visit these places after the conflagration, how shall we find them? We cannot now ascertain where Eden was, and many other things; owing perhaps to the alteration made in the earth by the flood. But the alteration produced by the final conflagration, will probably be much greater."-Perhaps we may then be better geographers than we are now. Many places are at present wisely concealed from us, to prevent abuse from superstition, of which we shall then be in no danger.

Such would be my answers to Mr. Newton, if he were a brother; but he is a father, and so full of love and kindness that I know not what to do with him.

THE CHOICE OF MOSES.

HEBREWS xi. 24-26.

By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of reward.

COMMON history generally overlooks the servants of God, as unworthy of its notice. The world has thought it worth while to hate and persecute them in all ages, but not to record either their lives or deaths. Statesmen, warriors, philosophers, poets, and the like, are held up to view, while they and their memorial are consigned to oblivion. It is not so however in God's history. The world loves its own, and God loves his own. God's history takes as little notice of the sons of the mighty, as man's history does of the sons of the holy, exhibiting them as a succession of wild beasts, who have rendered themselves conspicuous only by their rapacity; while it holds up the characters whom they have traduced, as men 'of whom the world was not worthy.' What a catalogue is given us in this chapter! To have a name in such a record is true honour.

Among these worthies stands the name of Moses. From his early childhood he was an object of the special care of heaven; and when arrived to years of maturity he was a believer, and an eminent servant of God.

It is pleasing to observe how the apostle finds an evangelical spirit in old-testament saints. Moses was distinguished as the lawgiver of Israel, and he venerated the law which he had the honour to dispense. He did not

trust in his obedience to it for acceptance with God however, but in Christ, in whom he believed. Yes, the religion of Moses was an attachment to Christ, though at that time he was known only by promise. Moses had also an expectation of the earthly Canaan, of that goodly mountain and Lebanon, though for his sin in a single instance he was deprived of it: but his principal respect did not terminate here, but on a recompense of reward beyond the grave, even in that better country, in the faith of which the patriarchs lived and died.

To illustrate and vindicate the choice of Moses, which is here celebrated, is all I shall attempt. There are three remarks which offer concerning it.

1. The choice of Moses is ascribed to faith.-He believed in the Messiah who was promised covertly to Adam, and to Noah, and more explicitly to Abraham, as the Seed, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed. He also believed in the invisible realities of a future state. And thus his faith determined him to embrace even the reproach of Christ, and to relinquish every thing which stood in the way of the heavenly prize. The choice of Moses was free; yet it was not the effect of free will, but of faith in Christ, and which was the gift of God. And if we make the same choice, it will be owing to the same cause.

2. It was made under the strongest temptations.-The refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, was in effect refusing a crown; for she is supposed to have been the only daughter of the king of Egypt, and to have had no children of her own. Moses therefore appears to have been designed for a successor to the throne. For this also he seems to have received a suitable education, being learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.' All things conspired to tempt him. Fortune with her flattering smiles, invited him to her banqueting house, and to

think no more of his abject relations. Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house, was her language. Apis must be thy God, and worship thou him.