Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/193

Rh was in operation among my friends; that their bibles were in their hands; and that they were diligently employed in searching the scriptures, to find whether these things were indeed so. Upon the evening of the 18th, I preached in the mansion of my venerable friend, Mr. Peck; and I was distinguished by him, and his lady, with even parental kindness: Mrs. Peck entreating me to inform my mother, that I had found, in the new world, a second maternal friend. It was upon this occasion, that I audibly exclaimed: O God! thou hast still continued my God, and my guide; let me not forget to render praises unto Thee.

At the period of which I am speaking, there were in Boston a number of Deists, who attended my labours. Their leader gave me frequent invitations to visit him; he summoned his friends, with whom he united in expressing his abhorrence of the character of the Apostle Paul. To this gentleman I dwelt upon the respectable proofs, by which the authenticity of scripture was supported, and I took leave to observe, that he must have received the character of Paul from his enemies; that Paul was indubitably a learned man, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel; that he was celebrated as an orator; and that his morals were unimpeached. It was true, he was said to have advocated a most comfortless doctrine,—to have affirmed, that a few were elected to everlasting life; while, by the same irreversible decree, countless millions were consigned to remediless and never-ending misery. But, I added, sirs, believe it not; for, verily, the doctrine, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, was uniformly proclaimed by our great Apostle. The doctrine of election is questionless to be found in the pages of this evangelical writer; but reprobation is not a necessary consequence of election, nor does it appear in the writings of the Apostle to the Gentiles. A governour is elected by a commonwealth, a council, senators, representatives are elected; but are the people therefore consigned to perdition? Thus I went on, and my little audience with lifted hands exclaimed: "This plan is worthy of a God; and we felicitate you, dear sir, as the ambassador of Deity." The hall of the Factory, and the dwelling of my friend being too small for the increasing congregation, Mr. Peck proposed I should publish a lecture in the meeting-house of Mr. C, of which he was the principal support. I at first declined this proposal; but his repeated, and earnest solicitations, produced me in Mr. C's pulpit. In the hall of the Factory also, I again delivered my message; and on Friday, November 26th, I preached at Faneuil-Hall: my subject, John viii. 36: If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. The