writers intended to teach. The author grasped firmly the grand principle that nothing is a part of Christianity except what is taught in the Bible, and his work is the result of his reception of that principle. The original edition appeared at Dublin in 1763; but the various editions which have since issued from the press prove that it has not ceased even yet to be useful. An edition of it was printed at London in 1813; in 1816 it was republished at Glasgow and Edinburgh; and another reprint, corrected, compared, and revised, by Joseph Strut, appeared at London in 1824. The last edition I have seen is that of Aberdeen in 1847, and perhaps the career of usefulness of this unpretending work is not yet at an end.

There is a tradition that Mr. Gaston emigrated to America owing to pecuniary embarrassments, produced partly by the poverty of the country and partly by the publication of his book. However this may be, he did not long survive, as I find from the Manuscript Minutes that the date of his death is the 15th of October, 1766. His widow lived to be very old; her name does not disappear from the list of annuitants on the Widows' Fund down till the year 1823. She died on the 27th of February in that year, aged ninety-six.

How SCRIPTURE TEACHES.

Every one who is acquainted with the Sacred Scriptures knows, that the complete account which they contain of any one article of religion is never to be met with altogether in one place, without other subjects intermixed with it, but is to be collected from many different places of the Bible, where the sacred writers have touched upon it.

In every one of the many different places of the Bible where any one article of religion is touched upon, it is still placed in some useful light for instruction, so that none of these places are superfluous. All these places taken together do make up the complete Scripture account of the subject; they contain all the light which the Spirit of Revelation hath afforded upon it in writing, as needful for instruction; whoever would view the Scripture truth, in all that light afforded, must search the Scriptures

for the different places in which it is contained, or where the subject is mentioned. In these places it will be found sufficiently explained, enforced by all its proper motives, applied to all its proper uses, and set in every advantageous light needful for being rightly understood and properly applied, even after extraordinary inspiration hath ceased.

Our blessed Saviour, who best knew the most profitable method of reading the Scriptures, directed to search them (John v. 39) for the knowledge of His character and offices taught, not all in one, but in different places of the Scriptures, which being taken all together, fully and plainly described Him to the world, and left unbelievers inexcusable. Those have succeeded best in ascertaining the true sense of many portions of Scripture, and in answering objections against them, and setting several Scripture doctrines in a clear light, who have first searched the Scriptures for the whole and complete account of the subject, and hereby were enabled to show that what was doubtful, by being briefly expressed in one place, was sufficiently enlarged upon and explained in others. Besides such explications of Scripture truths as are to be found in the Scriptures themselves, none else are to be depended upon, for the sacred writers, being sufficiently qualified for their work, did not leave it to be mended by inferior hands; they left the Scriptures a finished performance, containing a system of religion from God, which, like all His other works, is good and perfect in its kind, being full and complete in all its parts, plain and proper in its terms and expressions, and efficacious or sufficient to answer the ends for which it was written. If it fails, no other writings will prove effectual for reforming the world and making mankind wise to salvation. Every hopeful method, therefore, ought to be tried for assisting Christians to reap from the Holy Scriptures all the benefit they are suited to afford.— Preface to the Scripture Account.

ELECTION.

Matt. xx. 16. Jesus said, Many be called but few chosen. xxiv. 22. For the elect's sake those days (of calamity) shall be shortened (Mar. xiii. 20). Ver. 24. False Christs and false prophets shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall deceive the very elect.

Ver. 31. The Son of man shall (at the last day) send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the one end of heaven to the other.

Luke xviii. 7. Shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him?

John vi. 37. Jesus said, All that the Father hath given me, &c. Ver. 39, 44.

xiii. 18. Jesus said, I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen ; but that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up the heel against me.

xv. 16. I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. Ver. 19. I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Rom. viii. 33. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth them.

ix. 6. They are not all Israel which are of Israel. Ver. 10. When Rebecca had conceived by Isaac.

Rom. ix. 11. The children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. Ver. 12. It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. Ver. 13. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. Ver. 16. It is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Ver. 18. He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth. Ver. 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay?

xi. 2. God hath not cast away His people, which He foreknow. Ver. 4. Seven thousand were reserved in Israel, who had not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Ver. 5. So at this time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Rom. xi. 6. And if by grace it is no more of works. Ver. 7. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Ver. 28. As touching the election, the Jews are beloved for the Father's sake.

Eph. i. 4. God hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ver. 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Col. iii. 12. Put on (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness, &c.

1 Thess. i. 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God.

2 Thess. ii. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

2 Tim. ii. 10. I endure all things, for the elect's sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Titus i. 1. Paul, an apostle according to the faith of God's elect.

James ii. 5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which He hath promised to them that love Him?

1 Peter i. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the

Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.

ii. 9. Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him, who hath called you out of darkness, to His marvellous light.

v. 13. The church that is in Babylon, elected together with you.

2 John 1. The elect lady. Ver. 13. The elect sister.

Rev. xvii. 14. They that are with the Lamb are called, and chosen, and faithful.

See 1 Tim. v. 21. Elect angels.

Christ is God's elect, Isa. xlii. 1.—From the "Scripture Account.”

CHAPTER LXVII.

JOHN HOLMES, M.A. (1715-1773),

MINISTER AT DONEGAL AND GLENDERMOT (SECOND CONG.).

1. A Sermon preached from Rom. v. 7, showing the difference that is betwixt a Good Moralist and a Godly Man. By a Lover of Evangelical Preaching. 18mo, pp. 22. Derry, 1764. A. C. B. 2. Remarks upon the Terms of Communion published by the Reformed Presbytery.

3. Corroborating Remarks upon the same subject.

4. A Testimony of the Rev. John Holmes within the Liberties of Londonderry against several falsehoods that the Mountain Ministers have lately been guilty of, &c.

5. An Answer to the pamphlet of Nelson of Ballykelly.

6. Some Remarks upon the Rev. James Hull's Synodical Sermon. By Rehem Tamim. pp. 24. Londonderry, 1771. A. C. B.

JOHN HOLMES was ordained as minister of the congregation of Donegal on the 27th of September, 1715. He was a young man at the time of the Non-subscription Controversy, and, unlike some, seems to have had his attachment to orthodoxy strengthened rather than shaken by the discussions of that time.

The difficulties of living so near the base of the Donegal mountains were in those days greater even than now; but when once settled in such a position, it was not easy to obtain a removal. In July, 1722, the minister was in prison, probably for debt, and we find David Vance, one of the elders, coming to ask the Presbytery of Letterkenny to send supplies of preaching to the people. The imprisonment most likely did not long continue, for in the November of the same year we find