arise from what is seen and known of the intention and exertion of the agent. Hence, It appears from what has been advanced on this subject, that both Europeans and Americans have gone upon very fallible evidence, in condemning persons for any species of divination; and in particular, witchcraft. The accusers were allowed to be witnesses, and all they knew was the effect felt. They complained, that certain persons hurt them; but they could not tell what they did to hurt them. The effect they felt was no certain evidence of bad intentions in those whom they supposed hurt them. Suppose a certain person, by barely looking upon others, should give them pain, or throw them into fits; how could that person be fairly condemned for the effect of his looking, unless looking at others, be deemed, in itself considered, a crime? Why should it not be supposed, that the person looking, is as passive, as the person looked upon? And why should it not be supposed, that he was as innocent, as they? Many instances are related of persons being thrown into pain, or fits, by the mere presence of another person. But that person, perhaps, could no more help his presence giving pain, or convulsions to others, than they could help feeling such effects from his presence. It is absurd, therefore, to condemn a person for any supposed effects he produces, without knowing what he does to produce them. If he is to be condemned, it is for what he is seen or known to do. If he is seen, or known to do any thing bad, he is criminal and ought to be condemned. But those who are troubled with witches, never pretend to tell what they do, but only what they themselves feel. Such testimony is not valid, and ought not to be acted upon. But those who have had the power of life and death, have acted upon such evidence, and probably in not a few instances condemned the innocent. It appears from the nature of divination, that there is nothing in it, for which we ought to put persons to death at this day, though it were proved against them. If any man will make arbitrary signs, and perform arbitrary ceremonies, and pretend to foretell future events, or to produce extraordinary effects, what then? Why then he is a foolish and trifling creature, and hurts none but those who hearken to his folly. Suppose a man should do as the king of Babylon did, when he came to the parting of the ways, and should set up his staff, and see to which road it inclined, and take the road to which it inclined; would he deserve to die? It is true, the Mosaic law did forbid every species of divination; but that law is not binding upon us, any more than the law against idolatry, sowing divers sorts of seeds, wearing woollen and linen garments, or eating certain sorts of beasts, birds, and fishes. These laws were designed to preserve the Jews as a people distinct and separate from all other nations. But though divination be not a capital crime at this day, yet it is a very heinous sin, whether practised by Jews, or Gentiles. For, It is evident from what has been said, that all sorts of diviners were impostors. They never could foretell future events, or produce any truly miraculous effects. Moses completely defeated the magicians of Egypt and exposed their imposture. Though they produced strange and extra ordinary effects; yet they could not work one real miracle, and were constrained to acknowledge, that they could not do that by their enchantments, which Moses did by the finger of God. Elijah also, who challenged the idolatrous diviners to work a miracle, completely defeated all their exertions, and wrought a miracle that confounded their false pretentions, in the view of a vast multitude of spectators. The magicians could not interpret Pharaoh's dreams, nor tell what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed. But if their imposture had not been exposed, we might know from reason and scripture, that they were impostors. None but God, who knows his own designs, can possibly foreknow and foretell what events are to take place in future. He accordingly challanges all pretenders to divination, to make good their pretensions, by foretelling what he has not revealed. "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring forth, and shew us what shall happen. Let them shew the former things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them, or declare to us things to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods." It is presumption in any created being to pretend to know any thing of futurity, which God has not revealed. It is virtually making himself equal to God. Were it true, though it is not, that diviners do make a league with evil spirits, who promise them assistance to foretell future events; yet they cannot fulfil their promise, for they are profoundly ignorant of every thing which God has not revealed. All diviners, therefore, are vile impostors, and extremely criminal, not only for seeking diabolical assistance, but for pretending to possess it. From the nature of divination it is apparent, that men have no right to apply to diviners, soothsayers, or fortune-tellers, to discover any object that is lost, or to foretell any thing in future. It is contrary to both reason and scripture to seek to know what none but God can tell. All the predictions of impostors are only conjectures, which are totally destitute of certainty. Though they may and sometimes do conjecture right; yet they employ forbidden means to pry into futurity, and they stand condemned by God, whether they do, or do not think they possess diabolical assistance. God may overrule their arbitrary signs, to foretell some future events, or to discover some unknown objects, often enough to deceive both themselves and those who apply to them; yet this neither exculpates them, nor those who seek to them and place confidence in them. It is extreme folly in those, who do not believe that they have any intercourse with, or derive any knowledge or assistance from invisible spirits, to apply to them; and it is extremely criminal in those, who do believe that they are assisted by a diabolical influence, to apply to them, for they are partakers in the guilt of the impostors to whom they apply, and exposed to run into all their errors and delusions. The account which we have given of divination, authorizes the assertion, that all modes of trying fortunes, whether by books, or by lots, or by cards, or by cups, are very criminal and dangerous. All these modes of trying fortunes partake of the nature of divination, which is contrary to scripture and reason. To divine by the Bible, as we have observed, is an abuse of that sacred Book, which reveals all that we need to know respecting our conduct, our character, and our condition, for time and eternity, without the aid of divination. To divine by the casting of lots, is a presumptuous appeal to God to decide what he does not mean to decide by his common providence. He did, indeed, permit some persons, under the Old Testament, to appeal to him by lot, on some important and extraordinary occasions; but he has given no such permission to Christians under the New Testament; and therefore they have no right to appeal to him by lot to decide any case. All publick as well as private lotteries are unreasonable, unscriptural, and criminal, whether approved by parental, or legislative authority. They are no less pernicious in their tendency, than criminal in their nature. They have often ruined both the fortunate and unfortunate, who have been concerned in them. Those may expect to be frowned upon, who tempt the Lord their God, by appealing to him without his permission. To play cards, either for wagers, or amusement, is totally wrong, because it implies a lot, which is an unpermitted and presumptuous appeal to God. But to divine by them, is still more criminal. It is a species of divination, which ought to be universally despised and condemned. Nor can divining by cups be justified. Though it seems to be a very trifling matter to count, observe, and give significancy to little specks and dots, yet it is of the same nature, and discovers the same undue de sire to pry into the secrets of futurity, as the more serious and important modes of divination, and is as really displeasing to God, who has forbidden the practice in every form. But do not some or other of these heathenish modes of divination prevail here, in this land of Gospel Light? By which, the Bible is profaned, the Sabbath is profaned, time, talents, and property are abused, religion is neglected, and error, superstition, and vice are sanctioned and promoted. It highly concerns parents, guardians, and all men of power and influence, to condemn, prevent, and suppress all such evil practices as have been mentioned; and especially card playing, which is a most fruitful source of almost every other vice. To neglect suppressing these evils, is to partake in the guilt of them; and very likely, to share in the punishment of them. The neglect of one, will not excuse the neglect of another, in respect to this important duty. SO Another remark suggested by this subject is, that mankind are naturally enemies to God. They have always been disposed to forget and forsake their Creator, and to bow down and worship some false and inferior deity. God's people of old were addicted to idolatry, that the strictest laws he made, and the severest punishments he threatened, were insufficient to restrain them from it. If the hearts of men were naturally right with God, they would naturally love his character and rejoice in his government. Though it government. But they have, by nature, a carnal mind, which is enmity against God, not subject to his law, neither indeed can be ; and this leads them to love and serve any other god, rather than the true God. Though gross idolatry is avoided in this country; yet more refined and reput able idolatry is almost universally practised, in some way or other. Numerous modes and forms of prying into futurity are invented and pursued, which discover a disposition to foretell and defeat the purposes of God, which he has not revealed. They distrust the infinite wisdom and goodness of God in the government of the world, and place greater confidence in the wisdom and goodness of his most blind and inveterate enemies. No person was ever anxious to foreknow future events, which God has not revealed, without distrusting divine providence, and being disposed to obstruct the operations of it. It is practically saying to God, "We will not have thee to reign over us." Thousands, who will not own that they ever bated God, cannot deny that they have murmured under his government, and have used means, and perhaps, employed others to use means, to obstruct or evade the divine purposes. Their own hearts, therefore, testify against them, and pronounce them enemies to God, who would, if they could, flee out of his hands. We may justly conclude from what has been said, that there is great reason to rejoice, that the Lord reigns in the kingdoms of nature, providence, and grace. He is able and disposed to do what is wisest and best, in respect to every creature and every event in the universe. He has reserved times, and seasons, and events in his power, and will not suffer any thing to be done, or any event to take place, which he will not overrule for his own glory, and the good of his friends and faithful servants. This ought to give joy and satisfaction to all mankind, and restrain them from all murmurings and complaints under his government, and all undue measures to extort from him that knowledge of futurity, which he has wisely and mercifully concealed from them. He has revealed as much as can do them any good, and concealed only what would be detrimental to them. Mankind are always disposed to abuse the knowledge of futurity, which God reveals to them. He foretold several thousand years ago, that Canaan the son of Ham should be a servant of servants; and from this prediction whole nations have concluded, that they had a right to enslave the Africans. God foretold to Hazael, that he should be king of Israel, which led him to slay his master and usurp his throne. It is a great mercy to this depraved and restless world, that God has concealed so much of futurity from them, and restrained them from ten thousand errors and evils, which they would bring upon themselves, if they could, by any means, penetrate his secret counsels. Finally, this subject exhorts all to place a cordial and unshaken confidence in God, the supreme disposer of all events. There is perfect safety in trusting in the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength. He will keep them in perfect peace, who trust in him. in him. He will constantly employ all his perfections to promote his own glory, which will necessarily promote their holinesss and happiness, through every period of their existence. There is but one alternative before you. You must either trust in God, or in lying vanities which cannot profit. You are weak and dependent creatures, and un der an absolute necessity of placing your trust in God, or in yourselves, or your frail impotent fellow creatures. Why should you halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, trust in him, and him alone. For the Christian Magazine. EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF MRS. MARY C. ATKINSON. In the year 1822, several persons in the East Parish of Attleborough, Mass. gave satisfactory evidence of being renewed by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Among them was a young lady, nineteen years of age, of an amiable disposition, a cultivated mind, and peculiarly interesting in her deportment. She was a daughter of the late Deac. Chase Moulton of Rehoboth. From early childhood she had enjoyed the advantages of religious instruction and pious example; and was, previously to her hopeful conversion, moral and exemplary. When however the Holy Spirit convinced her of sin, she was far from being satisfied with her own character. She was deeply sensible that her morality was consistent with a total alienation of heart and life from God; and when humbled before him, she cast herself as the chief of sinners, on his distinguishing mercy. We received her into the communion and fellowship of the church, with more than usual satisfaction and confidence; and many of us rejoiced in the hope that God would make her a lasting blessing to the church in this place, especially to our youth. But the Lord's ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts. In the month of May she was received into the church. In June, she was married to Samuel Atkinson Esq. of Chillicothe, Ohio. In three or four months from the time of making a profession of religion, she left us for a distant part of the country; and in less than two years, she was removed from the church militant, to join, as we have reason to hope, the church triumphant. From the time of her conversion, till within a few months of her death, she kept a journal, in which are related various exerci. ses of her mind. From that journal, which was found among her papers after her decease, the following extracts are made, with the hope, that though dead, she may speak for the benefit of the living. Attleborough, April 6, 1822. Almost nineteen years have rolled away since I first saw the light; but O, how little have I done for the glory of my Maker. The death of the best of fathers, an affectionate brother and a beloved sister, were solemn warnings to me to prepare to meet my God. But instead of profiting by these repeated and great afflictions, I had hard and presumptuous thoughts of the God of all grace. Thus I went on, adding sin to sin, apparently ripening fast for destruction. Although blest with the best of religious instruction, yet I had become an infidel in theory as well as in practice; and had long in my heart denied the existence of God. But the first of last month, I was brought to realize that Í was in the hands of a sin-hating, sin-avenging God. And through his infinite mercy, I humbly trust, that I became reconciled to him, and could say from my heart, 'thy will be done.' Since that time, my views and feelings have been very different from what they |