and destined to glory, or
heaped full of pollution and devoted to eternal destruction, according
to the arbitrary will of the Framer, without any liberty of choice in
himself, or any power of expediting his own faith or final
justification. They spoke of the saving call as discernibly
supernatural, preceded by bodily as well as mental torture, and
instantaneously followed by a perceptible assurance that they could
never more sin, that the righteousness of their Redeemer was imputed to
them, and that, as his merits were all-sufficient, nothing was required
of them but the supineness of passive faith. This routine of doctrines,
varied according to the different tempers and phraseology of the
preachers, and rendered yet more obscure by bold metaphors and strained
allusions, was what poor Humphreys incessantly listened to, fancying he
was thus taking care of his soul, and vainly hoping he would gather some
instructions which would assuage his secret horrors. He was miserable
when not employed in this manner; yet, as no start of enthusiasm ever
told him that the saving call had taken place even in the congregations
which he mistook for the courts of the Lord, he rather hoped for, than
found relief from his tortures. Pale and haggard in his looks, morose
and sullen in his manners, restless and dissatisfied, he revived the
disputations of the conventicle at the table, calling on Dr. Beaumont to
tell what he thought of some points of doctrine on which his ministers
could not agree. The Doctor attempted to speak, but his voice was soon
drowned by the Stentorian lungs and tautological verbiage of his
opponent. Only one sentence that he uttered was distinctly heard, which
was a quotation from the pious Hammond, that "exemplary virtue must
restore the church." A general cry was raised against this sentiment.
One repeated a text from St. Paul, supposed to assert the inefficacy of
works; another observed, it was presumptuous to dictate to Providence.
Some called him a formalist; others a Pharisee; while a third party, yet
more metaphysical, denied that men, strictly speaking, had any power to
act at all. Priggins at last rose, and, with many plausible pretences of
charity, proposed that they should all pray for their offending brother,
which was done in the anathematizing style which, in those days, was
called intercession: "Lord, open the eyes of this reprobate sinner.
Pluck him as a burning brand out of the furnace of thy wrath. Mak