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the Turkish fleet was composed, beside forty transports, only eight were left afloat. The rest were burned, sunk, or driven on shore. The loss on both sides was great, but far the greatest on the side of the Turks and Egyptians. On board the Turkish admiral six hundred and fifty were killed-Probably not less than about four thousand of these wretched murderers, for so we esteem them all, met with the due reward of their deeds of blood, in this awful combat. The whole loss of the allies we have not seen stated-That of the British is stated at 75 killed and 197 wounded; and the French and Russians appear to have suffered still more-After the battle, the admirals of the combined fleet sent a message to Ibrahim Pacha, still offering him peace, if he should desist from his carnage, but declaring that the first gun he fired at them, should be the signal for destroying the remainder of his ships, and that it would probably commit his master for a formal war with the allied powers. It ap peared, however, that on hearing of the loss of his fleet, he immediately sacrificed all the captives, men, women, and children, which he had in his power-crucifying the priests, or burning them to death at a slow fire-What is to be the end of this imp of Moloch! It is not known what effect this victory will have on the Sultan. Some vessels of the combined fleet have sailed for the Dardanelles; and it is reported that the English, French, and Russian ministers have gone on board a French frigate, that was lying not far from Constantinople. Two American frigates are at Smyrna, for the purpose of affording protection, or a retreat, to our countrymen, and to others, if it should be necessary-The most of the English paragraphists look for a general war with the Turk-If it takes place, humanly speaking, his destruction is sealed-We have thought it right to put on record the foregoing account of one of the most important events of the passing age, although we are aware that most of the leading facts must already be known to our readers.

ASIA AND AFRICA.

No intelligence of moment, from either of these quarters of the globe, beside what is involved in the concerns of Europe, has reached us during the last month.

AMERICA.

The affairs of our sister republicks in the South, are yet unsettled, but on the whole seem to be improving. The war between Brazil and Buenos Ayres is continued, but at present is not active. Colombia is, we think, in the way to be pacified and settled. Mexico is still agitated by the measure relative to the banishment of the Spaniards. From Central America, we have heard nothing of consequence. Peru has now, we hope, the prospect of order and stability. One of our publick agents did mischief there, by an extravagant compliment to Bolivar; but another agent seems to have corrected the evil.

UNITED STATES.-Congress have entered on the duties of the session before them, apparently with zeal, and as yet, with less animosity of parties than we feared. The anti-governmental candidate for the Speaker's chair was elected by a small majority. The standing committees have been appointed, and the publick business distributed among them. An act has been past, partially providing for the expenses of government, that is, for the expenses of the members of Congress and the officers of government. Some other bills have been reported, and subjects of interest are under discussion; but there has not yet been time to mature important measures.-May the God of Providence continue favourably to preside over the destinies of our happy land, and crown the year on which we have entered with his mercy and loving kindness to all its inhabitants.

TO THE FRIENDS AND PATRONS OF THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

The Editor of this Miscellany, at the commencement of a new year, and a new volume of his work, desires to bespeak for a few moments, the serious attention of those who believe that the Christian Advocate ought to have a wider circulation and a more effective patronage, to the only way in which such a circulation and patronage are likely ever to be obtained—It is, in a word, by every subscriber who wishes well to the work, doing something, as an individual to promote it. It is believed, that there is scarcely a subscriber who could not, with very little exertion, obtain one subscription in addition to his own, and do this annually. Some could easily do much more. To all who are willing to do more, the usual allowance of twenty per cent. for obtaining subscriptions, and ten per cent. afterwards, for collecting and forwarding them annually, will be cheerfully allowed; and every subscriber is hereby authorized to act as an agent, on these terms. But beside this, the Editor presumes respectfully to press an attention to the first method proposed—that each subscriber obtain another. He can truly say, that he has received many and unlooked for commendations of his well meant labours—and a greater number recently than formerly-connected with the expression of a wish, that the Christian Advocate were more generally read. He therefore hopes that he does not presume too much, in proposing a way in which he is confident the wish in his favour would be gratified. He certainly does think, that the ministers and members of the Presbyterian Church might reasonably be expected to do more than has hitherto been done, to promote a work which excludes much other matter, that it may give in detail all the proceedings of the Supreme Judicature of their church; and which is more employed than any other in explaining and defending the doctrines and order of that church, and in communicating information relative to her institutions, and the operations of the organized boules under her direction. He requests his readers to consider, whether the Presbyterian church is not ready losing greend, for the want of that spirited and zealous patronage of a werk devoted to her cause, which other denominations are now extending to sim ar wecks, employed to advocate and extend their peculiar

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SEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED thereby."

TO YOUTH.

LECTURE XXXIÍ.

(Continued from p. 430, Vol. V.) The fourth benefit flowing, in this life, from justification, adoption, and sanctification, is increase of grace. By this we are to understand the gradual advances which true believers are enabled to make in a holy temper, in the actual exercise of the Christian graces, and in all the duties of practical godliness. This increase of grace is compared, in Scripture, to "the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." The vital spring of a believer's growth in grace, is his union with Christ, and the reception of lifegiving influences from him. "I am the vine, (said Christ) ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing." From this you see how growth in grace is connected with justification. That union with Christ, from which justification proceeds, is also the source of growth in grace; so that the one must always accompany the other. An interest in all the promises of the covenant of grace, which follows adoption, is also deeply concerned in a growth in grace. Hence, says the Apostle Peter-" As new VOL. VI.-Ch. Adv.

We have already seen that sanctification is a progressive work; and progress in sanctification is precisely what we mean by an increase of grace. Of course, the remark made when speaking of sanctification, is applicable herethat although there is an increase on the whole, yet there are seasons in which the Christian's progress is arrested; nay, in which for a time he is losing instead of gaining, in the divine life. Yet even these seasons of barrenness and backsliding, like the cold blasts of winter, which restrain vegetation and destroy its appearance, are the very reason that on the return of the warmth of spring, the growth is more rapid, and the fruit more abundant. The falls of both David and Peter, were manifestly overruled to promote their after stedfastness, humility, and more rapid progress in holiness. A painful apprehension and sense of barrenness, is not always an unprofitable state for the believer. At the very time when the trees in the garden of God seem to be dying, they are often only striking their roots the deeper in humility and Christian experience; that they may afterwards put forth fairer blossoms, and yield a richer and more plentiful crop of fruit. Christians often mistake their own case, by thinking only of one kind G

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of growth, when there are, in reality, various kinds. A believer sometimes increases in the vigorous exercise of particular graces; sometimes in a general holy temper; sometimes in active services for God, and in doing good to men; sometimes in heavenly mindedness and contempt of the world; sometimes in self-emptiedness and deep self-abasement. Now, although a Christian may want those sweet consolations and flows of affection, which sometimes he has had, yet if he be growing in humility, self-denial, and a sense of his entire.dependance on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is still a growing Christian,-he increases in grace. When Christians cannot perceive their growth, they are sometimes led to doubt whether they have any grace at all. But if they are conscious of selfloathing on account of sin; if they have a desire of grace; if they prize Christ above all things; and if they love his people for his sake, their doubts and fears are groundlessThey are not destitute of the principle of spiritual life, although it may be less operative, or less perceptible, than they could wish.

ter, speaking of the believers in general, to whom he wrote, says of them expressly-"Who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time"-And here you will remember, what I have before stated, that it is expressly declared, that whom God justifies, them he also glorifies-To suppose a soul to be justified, pardoned, adopted into the family of God, and sanctified by his Spirit; and after all to be suffered again to become the slave of sin and Satan, be entirely thrown out of the favour of God, and be eternally lost, is, in our apprehension, one of the grossest absurdities and inconsistencies imaginable: And what is worse, it seems to be a reflection on the wisdom and power, as well as the goodness and faithfulness of the Deity-that he should begin and carry on to a certain length such a glorious work, and yet never complete it, but suffer the adversary to wrest his own sheep out of the hand of their great Shepherd. We cannot believe thiswe believe that the final perseverance of the saints, certainly accompanies and flows from justification, adoption, and sanctification.

The last benefit resulting to believers in this life, from justifica- That there have been hypocrites tion, adoption, and sanctification, is in religion, who have abused this Perseverance in grace to the end of doctrine-as they do every doctrine life. It is, my dear youth, the doc--we admit. But what is the chaff trine of our church, that those who to the wheat? The doctrine, by are justified, adopted, and sancti- those who understand it and treat fied, never fall, totally and finally, it according to its legitimate import, from grace. We believe that the is not abused. How can it be? perseverance of the saints is infal- The doctrine is, that the saints will ibly secured by the immutability persevere in grace. If they do not of electing love; by an indissoluble persevere, they of course are not union with Christ; by the merit of saints, and are entitled to no hope his purchase; by the prevalence of of salvation. The saints, we hold, his intercession; by the indwelling may fall. But while they are in a of his Spirit; and by the power of fallen, they lose their evidence a promising God. Quotations from of being in a safe state; and can scripture, bearing fully and fairly never have it restored, but by reforon each of these points may, we mation and repentance. Rememthink, be easily and abundantly ad- ber, it is perseverance in grace that duced. Our time, at present, forbids we hold, and you will see that the me to detail them to you-I will doctrine can never lead to licenmention but one-The Apostle Pe- tiousness. But surely it must be,

and certainly is, a most desirable and encouraging circumstance, that when a believer obtains evidence that he is now in a gracious state, he also has evidence that he will always continue in that state, and will not, after all, be eternally lost. We freely admit, that there have been many who have made a very zealous profession of religion, who did not persevere in it to the end; but became apostates, infidels, and profligates. But the fair conclusion from this fact is, that these apostates never were, what they pretended and professed to be. And you should particularly observe, that this is the very account which the Apostle John gives of this subject-Speaking of certain corrupt men in his time, he says-"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would NO DOUBT have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." If it be objected to this doctrine, that St. Paul himself says, that "he kept under his body and brought it into subjection, lest after having preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away"-And that this seems to imply that he might be a castaway-We answer no-It only states that he used all those precautions, which every good man will use, to avoid danger and ensure safety. The truth is, that it is through the influence of a cautionary fear, as a principal mean, that God preserves his people-They are afraid of sin and of a declension in grace; not because they doubt the perseverance of the saints, but because they would thereby displease God, which they deeply dread, and would also lose the evidence that they now are, or ever were, in a gracious state, and thus be exposed to be finally cast-away. In a word, their fear of falling is made instrumental in keeping them from what they fear. I say, instrumental, for although many means

are used, it is God who gives them all effect, and upholds his people by his power, and the constant communication of grace. The perseverance of the saints does not, in any instance, depend on their having such a stock of grace, or having made such attainments in religion, as to ensure perseverance. By no means. Adam, in a state of sinless perfection, when standing by himself, was seduced by Satan; and, beyond a doubt, the same great adversary who prevailed against him, would also prevail against any of his less perfect posterity, if they were not under the guardianship of their Almighty Saviour. But they are given to him in covenant, and he has given them the assurance that he will preserve them. He has said "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand: My Father which gave them me is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand-I and my Father are one."

In concluding this lecture, let me entreat you to consider how unspeakably valuable-or rather, how altogether invaluable-are the benefits which, even in this life, “do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification." If you were permitted to choose whether you would have an assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end; or whether, at the expense of renouncing these, you would choose all the wealth and power and sensual pleasures which the world contains-would you not be justly chargeable with the very madness of folly, if you should hesitate for a moment, to choose the former, rather than the latter. Why then, my dear youth, will you not choose and seek the former, when you are called, in doing it, to re

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