The Imperial magazine; or, Compendium of religious, moral, & philosophical ...

brave and the good can never die. Should your beatified spirit be permitted to become acquainted with the transactions of those who shall then inhabit the country over which your Majesty now reigns with so much lustre, how will it exult in the effects of your exertions!

Permit me, Sire, to present a respectful tribute of admiration of your virtues, and an expression of that sincere devotedness with which I labour in your Majesty's service,-a service which has for its object the true and highest happiness of your people.

Nursed in a land of freedom, and exulting in the name of Briton, I feel myself, on this great day, filled with reverence for those brave patriots who drove their tyrannical enslavers from the soil of liberty. I repeat to myself the names of those brave nobles and officers who have died in the field, and of those, who, on this day, after hard-earned triumphs, exult in renewing the remembrance of their glorious deeds in your Majesty's presence, of whom to distinguish any were invidious. I content myself with presenting my petitions to the God of battles, who has given the victory to the side of justice, and triumph to the cause of outraged humanity; who has asserted, in the success of your arms, the eternal truth of that divine declaration, that he made of one blood all nations to dwell on the earth. I bow before the mighty God, and supplicate, that he would be the guardian of Hayti; that it may be ever free, as it is at this day; that he would add many years to your Majesty's life, and to the lives of the faithful sharers in your victories; that your august consort, and royal offspring, may long continue to contribute to your Majesty's personal enjoyment, and to the happiness of the country; and that, full of days, of glory, and of virtue, your Majesty may descend in calm uninterrupted peace into the tomb, only to reascend to the enjoyment of an everlasting crown; and may the diadem which your Majesty now wears, long adorn the brows of your descendants.

When I return to the land of my birth, I shall bear with me the recollection of having exerted myself, in however insignificant a measure, to the accomplishment of one of your Majesty's most important and admirable designs, for the happiness of your

Palace of Sans Souci, Jan. 12, 1819, the 16th year of Independence.

The King, to the Rev. Wm. Morton, Professor of Languages in the National College of Cape Henry. SIR,-I am grateful for the wishes which you have formed for me, on occasion of the commencement of the year. I thank you for the sentiments expressed in your letter: depend upon my esteem and protection, and be assured that I wish you happiness equal to your merits.

By order of his Majesty, (Signed) CHEVALIER DE PREGEAUX.

THE paper from which the following article is extracted, has been in our possession several months; but for reasons of a local nature, its publication has been postponed until the present time.

To the author, who lives in Paradise-street, Liverpool, and calls himself " Experience," it may be necessary to observe, that whatever excellence his preliminary remarks may in themselves contain, as they have only an indistinct bearing on the subject of his communication, he may easily judge why they are omitted. On the methods which he recommends for rendering the Bible more beneficial to the community, he speaks as follows:

"Great and unprecedented as the exertions are, which have lately been made for communicating a knowledge

of the Scriptures, it is an indisputable fact, that vast numbers are unable to read; and even among those who can, considerable portions remain unprofited, from an inability to bear in mind the import of what, with much difficulty, they endeavour to comprehend. To such persons, reading is a task; and it is natural to suppose, that what is performed with trouble, and thus rendered unprofitable to themselves and others, will, in too many instances, be neglected.

"To supply all these deficiencies, and obviate every such difficulty, associations might easily be formed in every district throughout this town, by serious persons of every denomination; fixing stated times and places, for the sole reading of the Scriptures to such among the poor and ignorant as might be induced to attend. The practicability of this plan has already been proved, by the numerous meetings which have been established in various parts for prayer and praise.

spared; because the plan recommended would be attended with very little expense. And consequently, if the same spirit of liberality with which our nation has been blessed, should continue to be exerted in this department of active benevolence, nearly the whole of the money collected for the Bible Society, might be appropriated to the use of foreign countries, in which this plan could not conveniently be adopted. Of its practicability at home, no doubt whatever can remain ; and its simplicity recommends it to the attention of all classes of civil society, and all denominations of Christians."

Reply to "Pardon not an Acquittal."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE IMPERIAL
MAGAZINE.

SIR,

I beg leave to reply to Alexander's letter of the 19th Sept. inserted in your October Magazine.

He objects," that justification is not On a moderate calculation, it is acquittal from guilt," and points his highly probable, that in the conducting objection against " the phrase acquittal of these prayer-meetings, from two to being used in that sense;" and he three hundred persons are regularly reasons thus, "if all the world is beengaged every Sunday evening, all of come guilty, I cannot see how the whom must have some talent for sing- Divine Being can ever pronounce ing and extempore prayer. If there- them innocent." "But to have a title fore, so many can be found who are (he says) to immortal blessedness, it thus able and willing to engage in is indispensably necessary to expethese holy exercises, it is but reason-rience a pardon." And again, he able to infer, that there would be no deficiency in finding persons to conduct the simple project thus recommended. The only qualifications required, would be seriousness of manners, a correspondent conduct, and an ability to read distinctly.

"Should this simple plan, or any one of a similar nature, be adopted, and carried into execution on an extensive scale, the whole religious population of Liverpool, both male and female, at present unemployed, might assist in cultivating the vineyard of Christ, become preachers of righteousness, and be rendered instrumental in turning many from darkness to light.

"As it is obvious, that by these means one Bible or Testament would, in extent of real utility, be multiplied nearly in proportion to the number of persons regularly assembling to hear reading, a considerable portion of the sums now expended in giving circulation to the Bible at home, might be

thinks no human soul can ever hope to be acquitted either in this world, or in the world to come."

Sir, this is not a sportive, but a solemn theme. The latter clause would consign all men to everlasting perdition; for he that is not acquitted is condemned. That awful day approaches, when "we must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ:" and for what purpose shall we stand before the Judge, but to receive acquittal or condemnation at his righteous hands? Or, when the judgment is set, and the books are opened, will it be a scene of mockery and contempt? "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and the holy angels with him, and sit upon the throne of his glory," shall he not pronounce the promised sentence, "Come, ye blessed of my Father," or, "Depart, ye cursed?" Yea, we must enter into the joy of our Lord, or be cast into outer darkness. If it be presumption to hope for this acquittal, why doe

Palace of Sans Souci, Jan. 12, 1819, the 16th year of Independence.

By order of his Majesty, (Signed) CHEVALIER DE PREGEAUX.

THE paper from which the following article is extracted, has been in our possession several months; but for reasons of a local nature, its publication has been postponed until the present time.

To the author, who lives in Paradise-street, Liverpool, and calls himself" Experience," it may be necessary to observe, that whatever excellence his preliminary remarks may in themselves contain, as they have only an indistinct bearing on the subject of his communication, he may easily judge why they are omitted. On the methods which he recommends for rendering the Bible more beneficial to the community, he speaks as follows:

"Great and unprecedented as the exertions are, which have lately been made for communicating a knowledge

On a moderate calculation, it is highly probable, that in the conducting of these prayer-meetings, from two to three hundred persons are regularly engaged every Sunday evening, all of whom must have some talent for singing and extempore prayer. If therefore, so many can be found who are thus able and willing to engage in these holy exercises, it is but reasonable to infer, that there would be no deficiency in finding persons to conduct the simple project thus recommended. The only qualifications required, would be seriousness of manners, a correspondent conduct, and an ability to read distinctly.

Reply to "Pardon not an Acquittal.”

TO THE EDITOR OF THE IMPERIAL MAGAZINE.

SIR,

I beg leave to reply to Alexander's letter of the 19th Sept. inserted in your October Magazine.

He objects," that justification is not acquittal from guilt," and points his objection against "the phrase acquittal being used in that sense;" and he reasons thus, "if all the world is become guilty, I cannot see how the Divine Being can ever pronounce them innocent." "But to have a title (he says) to immortal blessedness, it is indispensably necessary to experience a pardon." And again, 66 he thinks no human soul can ever hope to be acquitted either in this world, or in the world to come."

St. John the apostle encourage us to hope; for, "herein (saith he) is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.' But final justification does not appear to have been the subject of the discourse to which he alludes; and it seems to be introduced by Alexander himself, merely to express the entireness of his disbelief of acquittal, that is, of justification being acquittal from guilt.

In developing his own sentiments, you perceive, Sir, that he adopts, or rather substitutes, pardon for justification; and if they had been really synonymous, I should have passed it over, notwithstanding the expression is not to be found in all the New Testament. But pardon and justification are not synonymous; for though pardon may express the same indication of favour, through the mercy of God, yet it comes short of indicating the satisfaction made to justice, which is the basis of the Christian's hope. To pardon, accords with mercy, but not with justice; and its synonym, to forgive, extends no farther. But, to justify, suggests, to pardon in respect of mercy, and to exonerate or acquit in respect of the satisfaction made to justice. "For Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust;" "he is the propitiation for our sins;" "he bare our sins in his own body on the tree :" wherefore, God can now "be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." This consideration improves the condition of the sinner; and, furnished with this plea, by faith he puts in his claim for mercy, and must needs be admitted to the promised possession, because the righteousness of God is pledged on his behalf, Rom. iii. 25, 26.

But, is justification acquittal from guilt?

To justify, is a forensic term in the original text, as well as in our version; that is, it is a term relating to courts of judicature, and expresses acquittal or absolving from guilt. Thus, a prisoner acquitted at the bar of justice, stands justified in the sight of all men ; that is, no man can impute to him unrighteousness or guilt; for he is fully, and to all intents, exonerated. But this is applicable alone to such as are considered innocent: whereas, we are to be justified as being guilty. And our case may be compared to

that of a violater of a penal law, or to that of an insolvent debtor; he has nothing to pay, but another discharges the debt: the justice of the case is satisfied, and the debtor stands as fully justified in the eye of the law, as if the debt had never been incurred. To justify, then, embraces the sense of pardon, in respect of mercy, and the sense of the forensic term, in respect of the satisfaction made to justice; so that the Divine attributes of mercy and justice harmonize together in the justification of a sinner. In the first case, the prisoner stands upon his innocence, and, upon that ground, is acquitted; and justice has no demand for satisfaction. But it is not so with us; we are violaters of the law, we are insolvent debtors; and justice demands the penalty, and claims the debt: but, "Jesus Christ gave himself a ransom for all;"-" and by him, all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses." How comprehensively expressive is justification, of the ground of God's reconciliation with guilty man; whilst it leaves no room for man to boast, for he is not justified in himself, but in another. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ;"-" in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins;"-" who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification." But it is nowhere to be found that pardon is offered to man, except with a condition; that is, in reference to God's mercy, independently of the satisfaction of his justice. To justify, then, is properly to acquit from guilt; not because the person is innocent, but because his substitute has paid the debt and the penalty of the law, and fully satisfied the justice of the case.

Alexander has considered acquittal to be the declaration of innocence, resulting from the trial of one whom the law pronounces to be innocent: but let him view it as the justification of the guilty; let him advert to God's way of saving sinners: "for it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?" If man were righteous in himself, he would not stand in need of the mediation of Christ; and the atonement would be unnecessary and superfluous. But all have sinned and

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