the Arminian doctrine is eminently and
obviously salutary. It has not a single aspect which is not
favorable to piety and morality. Does a sinner tremble at the
word of God? He is made to feel the force of the inspired
declaration that the way of transgressors is hard, and to ponder
the advantages of reformation? Is he not appalled and paralyzed
by the terrible announcement that all his misdeeds, the tendency,
if not the nature of which he now contemplates with horror, are
the result of a power which he cannot successfully resist; that
he is bound to the hateful course of conduct which he deplores,
by eternal decrees and that, in despite of any feelings or
desires he may have, his course may be predestined to be worse in
the future than in the past. O, no! He is assured that God never
preordained sin. That he commands all men everywhere to repent,
and that what he requires of men he will enable them to do. He is
told that nothing binds him to sin but his depravity, that he may
avail himself of the powerful influences of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus, which can make him free from the law of sin and
death; and that whom God foreknew, as repenting, and believing,
and availing themselves of remedial provisions, he "predestinated
to be conformed to the image of his Son"--he hath chosen "to be
holy and without blame before him in love."

Has the man who is seeking with penitence and prayer the favor of
God profoundly humbling views of himself? Does he think it to be
a wonderful stretch of condescension and mercy in God to forgive
his innumerable and grievous offences? And does he wonder whether
God will, in addition to pardoning him, raise him to those high
relationships to the Godhead to which he has raised others? Will
he extend to me the grace of adoption? Will he constitute and
call me his child? Shall I be favored with those blessed
intimacies--those varied and manifold advantages of which that
relation is the guaranty? How satisfactory the answer! You will.
You will be numbered with his sons and daughters, the coheirs
with his eternal--his only begotten Son. God hath not left this
an open question. "He hath predestinated us to the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ unto himself." "For unto as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to as many as believe in his name."

Christians, you entertain high hopes of heaven. And yet,
sometimes, it seems too much for your faith that G