they recollect that unfortunately, tion, and all with them is as they were out late the night pre- as the Sabbath.” When the ceding at an auction, or party, or for the meeting arrives, th show, and were deprived of rest. from their couches, their The Sabbath is a day of rest, there and a hearty dinner, prepa - fore why not restore their languid nod and dream through anot frames by reclining an hour or two | God's messages to a pe before afternoon service. Beds world. Ezek and sofas are soon put in requisi Col ORIGINAL POETRY. And appear for Jesus sake : Must we ever be denied ? Lord, appear on Zion's side. Mighty God, on thee we call, o look down on Zion's wall: Once they sung thy praises Build her ruins that are wide ; And with joy thy wonderst Lord, appear on Zion's side, Now they mourn, in sorrow Lord, appear on Zion's side Love is cold, and sins about Truth is scarcely to be foun Error doth in triumph ride : Lord, appear on Zion's side. Lord, appear on Zion's side Sad and dark is Zion's case, Raise thy people up again, Since the Lord hath hid his face ; Let them evermore remain Turn and save thy mourning Bride; And in truth and love abide Lord, appear on Zion's side. Lord, appear on Zion's side Let thy children hear thy voice, Thy mighty power & grace That they may again rejoice : That the world thy name Humble down the sons of pride, Send thy gospel far and Lord, appear on Zion's side. Lord, appear on Zion's si ORDINATIONS AND INSTALLATION 1824. June 9th. Ordained, Rev. Ber: mon by Rev. Professor Si JAMIN WOODRURY, over the First Con- gor, from II. Cor. iii. 6. gregational Church and Society in Fal. 1824. June 16th. Insta mouth, Mass. Sermon by Rev. Dr. the Congregational Chur Woods, of Andover, from I. Cor. ix. 22. Mass. Rev. JOSEPH B. F ., 1824. May 20th. Ordained. Rev. Hou by Rev. Mr. Gile, of Milto RATIO A. PARSONS, as Pastor of the Con. iv. 1. gregational Church in Manchester, Vt. 1824. June 16th. Or 1824. May 26th. Ordained, Rev. Ben- iner, Mass. Rev. SUMNER JAMIN WILLET, as colleague Pastor with mon by Rev. Luther Wi Rev. Dr. Porter, of the Congregational ham, from 1. Tim. vi. 20. Church in Conway, N H. Sermon by 1824, June 23d. Insta Rev. Asa Cummings, of North-Yarmouth, the Congregational Chu Ordained as Pastor of the Congrega: N. H. Rev. JONATHAN tional Church in Brownsville, Penob. Co. by Rev. President Tyle Maine, Rev. NATHAN W. SHELDON. Ser. | College, from Acts xx. . TO OORRESPONDENTS. ERRATA.--The article headed The Poor Indians, in our No. for! by mistake. It should have appeared earlier, or not at all. In our last, page 122, first column, line 12th from bottom, fc retribution. S. C. is receiyed, and will be inserted, as soon as there shall i -Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as ihsyelf. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. THIS was Christ's declaration | dience to which, no one can either to the Jewish lawyer, respecting comply with the Law or the Gosthe requirement of the Divine Law, pel. as given by Moses and inculcated These two commandments of the by the prophets. He cousidered Divine Law, though intimately all, that is required, either by the connected, are yet, in some meas moral or ceremonial law, the whole ure distinct from each other, and | duty of man, as summarily com- may, with propriety, be considered prehended in loving God with all separately. For the sake, therethe heart, soul and mind, and his fore, of clearness and method, I neighbour as himself. “On these shall divide what I have to say on two commandments hang all the the passage before us, into two law and the prophets.” This is discourses; in the first of which, I all that the Law ever required, shall attend to the first and great all that the prophets ever demand - commandment in the Law, viz. ed in the name of the Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God And as Christ came not to des- with all thy heart, and with all thy troy the Law or the prophets, but soul, and with all thy mind. to fulfill them; we may justly con In order to illustrate and enclude, that on the two great com force this commandment, it seems mandments, mentioned in the text, necessary to enquire, hang, also, all that the Gospel I. What it is, to love the Lord our God with all the heart, soul It is very important, that all, and mind: on whom the light of Divine revela- II. Why men ought thus to love tion shines, should understand and God: And see the ground and reason of these III. How such love comprehends two commandments, which com- their whole duty to their Maker. prise the sum and substance of I enquire, their whole duty, and without obe- I. What it is, to love the Lord requires. our God with all the heart, soul, | fection. Though men, who reand mind. ceive life, and breath, and all Before attempting a direct an- things from God, ought to feel ferswer to this enquiry, it may be vent gratitude to Him for his unproper to observe, that some cor- numbered benefits ; yet to love rect knowledge of the being, per- Him merely on account of these, fections and character of God, is is not really to love Him, but necessarily implied in loving Him. themselves only. Strictly and proLove, as well as every other vol- perly speaking, no one can love untary exercise, has an object, any being besides himself, with any whose qualities are perceived by other than a disinterested affection. the understanding. It is impossi- Really to love another, is to value ble for rational beings to love an his interest for what it is in itself, object, in whose existence they or to delight in his character, on have no belief, and of whose pro- account of its intrinsick excelperties they have no just concep- lence. God is infinitely good. He tion. Men cannot love an un- displays his goodness, not the more known God. A belief of the Di- in his kindness towards us, than vine existence, and some correct in his kindness towards others. views of the Divine perfections His goodness, however displayed, and character, are ever pre-sup- is the object of the complacency, posed in loving God. In his sa- and his glory the object of the becred word, which He hath magni- nevolent desire of all those, who fied above all his name, God has love God as his first and great taught us what a being he is. He commandment requires. has there pourtrayed his perfec 2. To love God with all the tions, described his works, and heart, soul, and mind, is to love unfolded his designs. In his word, Him supremely. The first comHe has taught us, what, indeed, mandment does not require us to his works proclaim, that He is a love God only. It is implied in Spirit, self-existent, eternal and the second, which is like unto it, independent, infinite in knowledge, that we ought to love both our wisdom and power. He has taught neighbours and ourselves. But, us, that He is immutably holy and God, and him only, ought we to good, just and righteous, merciful love supremely. To love God suand gracious, faithful and true ; premely, is to love Him more than and that all these moral perfec ourselves, inore than our fellowtions are comprehended in that creatures, more than any created love, or true benevolence, which object, yea, more than all created He requires of men in his Law. objects. It is to regard the Divine In his word, God has taught us the Being, more than all other beings, peculiar mode of his existence, in and to value his felicity and glory three distinct persons, the univer- above every other interest. It is sality of his providence or agency, to take more delight in the moral and his ultimate end, in all his excellency of the Holy One, than works, which is, to glorify Himself, in any other moral object. That and produce the greatest possible such supreme love to God is imgood' in his moral kingdom. plied in loving Him with all the Having premised this, I may ob-heart, soul, and mind, must be serve, obvious. Surely, he does not love 1. That, to love God with all God with all his heart, who gives the heart, soul and mind, is to love the first place in his affections to Him with a truly disinterested af- some created object. I must add 6 3. That to love God with all the as a drop of the bucket, or the heart, soul and mind, is to love small dust of the balance. Hence, Him to the full extent of our natu- if He is worthy of any love, He is Tal capacity. Whatever may be worthy of supreme love. But, God , the distinction, which our Lord is as good, as He is great. In designed to make, between the Him, is light, and no darkness at heart, the soul, and the mind, we all: He is good, and doeth good.' may justly conclude, that, by these He is perfectly and ineffably holy terms, He meant to comprehend and good, and lovely, in all his no less than all the natural powers works, ways and designs. Thus and faculties of the human spirit. God is worthy, in himself, to be lovThis conclusion is confirmed by ed with all the heart, souland mind. the parallel passage, in Mark and 2. Mankind are made capable Luke, where our Lord adds the of seeing the superlative beauty word strength: “ Thou thalt love and loveliness of their Creator. the Lord thy God with all thy They are intelligent creatures, able , heart, and with all thy soul, and to perceive the evidence of the Diwith all thy mind, and with all thy vine being, perfection and characstrength." To love God, as re- ter, exhibited in his works, and in quired in the first and great com- his word. mandment, is to love Him as much Mankind are, also, moral agents, as we can as much as we have endued with a faculty, which enanatural power or capacity to love bles them to distinguish between Him. This is to love God in pro- right and wrong, and to discern portion to what we are capable of what is good and excellent in moknowing of his Divine perfections ral character. If men, therefore, . and amiable qualities. Knowledge do not know God, it must be, beis the proper capacity of love. He, cause they do not like to retain who loves God as much as he is Him in their knowledge.' . able to see of his excellency and Since God is infinitely great perfection, loves him with all and amiable, and men are capable , the heart, soul, mind and strength of seeing Him to be so; it follows, . It is but a small part of the great- 3. That they are under moral ness and moral excellence of the obligation to love Him with all the incomprehensible Jehovah, that the heart, soul and mind. Knowledge, most intelligent of men are able as has been observed, is the capacto perceive. Some may know ity of love. Men are able to love much more of God, than others: any object, whose qualities they and hence there may be various are capable of perceiving. And, degrees of love, among those, who as soon as they do perceive the , keep the first commandment. But, properties of any amiable moral all who love God, as He requires, object, their moral discernment love Him as much as they are able. lays them under immediate obligaThe next enquiry is, tion to love it. As men, therefore, II. Why men ought to love God are capable of knowing what a in the manner described: Or, in great and amiable being God is; other words, what is the ground so they are bound to love Him, and reason of the duty required in with all the heart, soul and mind. the first commandment of the Law? They are just as well able to love 1. God is, in himself, supremely the Divine character, as to hate it: great and glorious. His greatness they are just as well able to love is unsearchable. All created be- God supremely, as to love themings, in comparison with Him, are selves so. Accordingly, the apos 6 tle represents the very Heathen, require more of men, than tlieir as inexcusable, “because, that, duty. As, therefore, the “ love when they knew God, they glori- described, fulfills the demand of fied Him not as God.” Hence, the Divine law, it, of course, com 4. It is reasonable and right, prehends the whole duty, which that God should require mankind men owe to God. to love Him with all the heart, 2. All the obedience, which men soul, and mind. As He is the Cre- can render to any of the positive ator and Preserver of men; so He precepts and prohibitions of the is their rightful Moral Governour. scriptures, respecting God, is comIt is fit and proper, that all man- prehended in disinterested, sukind, as well as all other rational preme love. As true love to God creatures, should be under law ever disposes men to do all He has to God. It is right for him to commanded, and refrain from whatrequire men to do, whatever is fit ever He has forbidden; so, when and good in itself, and He has they do the one, or refrain from the made them capable of doing.-other, their obedience essentially Hence it is right for God to re- consists in their love. Love comquire men to love Himself with a prehends all the voluntary, holy disinterested and supreme affec- l exercises of men. In these, and tion. If He required less, He these only, are they active in the would wrong Himself, and excuse performance of duty. The exterthem from their most reasonable nal action, as it is sometimes callservice. The first and great com- ed, is mere motion, the effect of mandment in the Divine law, is that love, which is free and volunfounded in the reason, fitness and tary, and in which all holy action relation of things, and, like all the consists. When men obey the rest, is holy, and just, and good. positive precepts or prohibitions of It remains to enquire, the word of God, all that is of a III. How such love, as is re- moral nature, all that is praisequired of men in the first com- worthy, in their obedience, is commandment, comprehends their prehended in that love, which is whole duty to their Maker. required by the first and great That it does so, is implied in the commandment in the Law, viz. words of Christ, in the text: how Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, it does so, may be easily shown. with all thy heart, and with all thy For, soul, and with all thy mind. 1. Such love to God, as has been REFLECTIONS. described, fulfills the Law, so far 1. No one can love God with as respects their duty to Him. The less than all the heart. Those, apostle says, that love is the who have any love to God, love fulfilling of the law.” All, that Him for what He is in himself: - the Law requires of men towards and those, who thus love him disGod, is comprehended in the first interestedly, always love Him in commandment. Those, therefore, proportion to what they know of who love God with all the heart, his greatness and goodness. Their soul and mind, fulfill the Law, so love is supreme. They are willing, far as respects their duty to their that the interest of any creature, Maker. But the Divine law re- or of any number of creatures, quires of men their whole duty; should be given up, when necesotherwise it would be imperfect. sary to the glory and blessedness It would be as real an imperfection of God. Those, who do not thus in the Law, to require less, as to love God, love the creature, more |
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