Captain of Salvation, in making inroads on the territories of Satan, where the dangers are unfpeakably lefs, the advantages infinitely fuperior, the honours unfading, the reward eternal, and altogether fatisfying? Can the world believe us to be ferious in our profeffions, if we thus indolently " abide "among the sheep-folds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks," which, under a plentitude of paftoral care in this favoured land, "lie down in green pafture,s or are led by the ftill waters," and fear to "jeopard our lives unto the death, in the high places of the field," in behalf of the other sheep not of this fold, for whom Jefus bled and died? If we are flothful and covetous minifters, and grow pale at the fight of the crofs, and greedily "look every one for his gain from his quarter," fhould we not liften to the following denunciation, as if feven thunders uttered their voices: "Curfe ye Meroz, faid the angel of the Lord; "curfe ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came "not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord "against the mighty." The character of a miffionary is defervedly held in high honour in the churches of the faints. The names of Elliot, Brainerd, and Swartz, will be tranfmitted to pofterity amid the esteem and veneration of all good men. Generations unborn will rife up in the wilds of America, and in the plains of Indoftan, and call them bleffed. Why, beloved brethren, fhould not you cherish in your bofoms laudable emulation of the unwearied activity and exemplary patience of thofe great men? After ferving the Lord Chrift for a few years among the heathen, you may return to the embrace of your native country, covered with honour, and fitted for eminent usefulness in affifting the fociety in future miffions. The Directors have no worldly objects, by which to bring into their fervice able and holy men; a decent competency, with fuch accommodations as the nature of the place will admit of, are all they can promife. The Miffionary muft not feek great things for himself in this life: he must not look at the things that are feen: his expectations must be fpiritual and divine. But affiftance on the part of God is promifed, and a glorious reward provided. A field is opened to him, in which the beft principles of religion in his foul may be profitably employed, and, by being employed, will be carried onward to perfection. We befeech you, beloved brethren, to fet apart a reafonable measure of your time, in which, leifurely, and with becoming folemnity of fpirit, to turn this important fubje&t in your minds. Implore light and direction from God, who hath promifed "to lead the blind in paths they have not "known; to make darkness light before them; and crooked "things ftraight." Realize in your thoughts the day of your death, and enquire what is the path which, it is likely, you will then approve of, and wifh you had chofen, In this folemn deliberation, we fhall not ceafe to pray for you, that "the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory," may enlighten the eyes of your understandings, that you may difcern the path of your duty; may diftinguish the voice of Chrift from the voice of a stranger; may become of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and be enabled (whether called to minister at home, or to the fons of the ftrangers abroad) "willingly to spend and be fpent" in building the tabernacle of God with men upon earth. LOVE TO GO D's HOUSE AN EVIDENCE OF GRACE AND A PLEDGE OF PROSPERITY. THE HE Tabernacle in the days of Mofes, and the Temple in the time of Solomon were both denominated the house of God. In them the Lord recorded his name, and revealed himself: there his fervants affembled to offer their prayers and facrifices; and there he accepted both them and their offerings. Who can wonder that devout fouls loved thither to refort! There they faw his power and glory: there were they bleffed with times of refreshing, from his gracious prefence. But where is now the ancient glory of Jerufalem, and the temple of Solomon? Ichabod is written upon them. Their glory is departed. Is there then no Bethel upon earth? No Jerufalem for the faints to love and to vifit? Yes; ftill it may be faid, "God in very deed dwells with men upon earth." Where two or three are gathered together in his name, there is he in the midft. The humble spirit and contrite His faints are his temple and dwelling-house, his heavenly Jerufalem. They are born of a heavenly birth, nourished and fed by heavenly manna and ordinances, and finally will 1. be admitted into the state of heavenly happiness. Where they now convene to hear the facred word, to fing the spiri tual fongs, to pour out their fouls in prayer, and commemo rate the death of Jefus ; there, in a peculiar manner, the Lord is prefent. There is that Jerufalem, which every faint must love; concerning which we may truly fay, They shall prosper that love thee. It must be that the faints love the habitation of God's houfe, and the place where his honour dwelleth, for they are made partakers of that divine nature to which every thing in the houfe of God is quite fuitable. Some have grown negligent in attending public ordinances, from a notion of their having got above fuch beggarly elements, and moving in what they have called a higher difpenfation; but reason, fcripture, and experience teach, that the more fpiritual any perfon is, the more he will delight in divine ordinances and spiritual exercises. If christians, in the time of pagan emperors, and the antichriftian apoftacy, would have omitted the obfervance of divine ordinances, they might in a great measure have escaped the rage of their adverfaries; but they loved the inftitutions of their Lord more than their lives. The longings of the new heart after God in his ordinances of public worship are truly and sweetly expreffed by David in the 42, the 63d, and the 84th pfalms. It was faid of a greater than David, that the zeal of God's houfe had eaten him up. Let it be remembered, that gofpel ordinances were never appointed for their own fakes, or that the obfervers of them fhould reft in fuch obfervance; but, that they were intended as means of approaching unto God, for the increafe and exercife of every grace. They are to believers as the carcafe is to the eagle, as the pasture to the flock, as the water to the fish, or the mother's breast to the fucking child. It is in them, in a peculiar manner, that the Great Teacher makes his difciples wife unto falvation. There he makes his word preached profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteoufnefs. When the world fays all manner of evil against them falfely for Chrift's fake, he there fpeaks peace to their troubled hearts; they fit under his fhadow with delight, and find his fruit fweet to their tafte. There they feek and find; afk, and it is given; knock, and the door is opened. God bleffes the provifions of his houfe, and feeds his poor with bread. There he often unloads their burdened spirits, directs their doubtful ways, and whispers they are his. There they meet their best friends and kindred, to enjoy the most delicious fare. There they behold the glory, and enjoy the fmiles of Chrift, their heavenly King. His ordinances are his gardens and his galleries where he entertains his beloved friends. There they draw water from his wells of falvation. How can they but love to go where they enjoy the fweet fellowship of the faints, and that in communion with the Father, with the Son, and with the Holy Ghoft! How often are they there refreshed like as with wine that maketh glad the heart of man! How are their hearts rejoiced to hear the gospel-trumpet found! How exceedingly fweet and precious they often find the promifes! How often are they there relieved in times of dreadful conflict and fore temptation! How often indulged with the bright and pleasing profpects of heavenly glory there exhibited! How can they but love to be where they find benefits fo ineftimable? There, with their fellow-citizens, fellow-travellers, and fellow-fufferers, they with one heart confefs and bewail their numerous fins, and prefent their fervent prayers before the throne; and there wait for anfwers of peace. Thefe are not fent empty away, but filled with good things. They go from the house of God rejoicing that they came to it, and will long for the next opportunity. We fhall hear them fay, "Come, "let us go up to the houfe of the Lord. It is good for us to draw nigh to God. A day in his courts is better than a thoufand. Times of refreshing come from the prefence "of the Lord." How different the attendance of fuch on the ordinances of God, from that of those who only frequent them out of form and cuftom or to be thought religious! or to work out a righteoufnefs of their own! Such are not concerned to worship God in spirit and truth. It is enough that they attend the place, and behave with decency. They think they have done God fervice, and expect a reward; they go rather to carry God fomething than to receive from him; and, of course, return empty away. They are glad when the tedious task is over; and are far from longing for its return. But the fpiritual worshipper longs for the hours of - worship. He goes to it not as his drudgery; but as his delight. With defire has he defired to eat that fpiritual word, which to him is more than neceffary food. He loves the very place where he finds his best and everlasting interest so effectually promoted. He will promote the building and fupporting of all fuch fanctuaries to the utmost of his abili ty. If he have a ceiled and pleasant houfe in which he en joys the neceffaries and comforts of life for his body, his family and his vifitors, he will fee to it, that the houfe of .. VOL. II. . Z his God be kept in repair, and made as convenient as cir cumflances admit, to anfwer the purpofe it is defigned for. With the house and ordinances of God they will very. highly efleem thofe minifters who officiate therein. They confider them as gifted and fent of God to be the inftru ments of their everlafting good; they hear them as his meffengers? they efteem them very highly in love for their works fake; they love and honour them as being the angels of the church, who bring them glad tidings of falvation. They will, therefore, pray for their fuccefs, and, in every poffible way, ftudy and labour to make them eafy and happy. Thefe are genuine tokens of love, and infeparably connec ted with pure love to the ordinances of God. This love is not dangerous, like that of the creature, nor ruinous, like that of the world. Profperity and felicity, for time and eternity, are its never failing followers. "O Jerufalem ! "they fhall profper that love thee. Thofe that be planted "in the houfe of the Lord, fhall flourish in the courts of "our God. They fhall fill bring forth fruit in old age : "they fhall be fat and flourishing. Their leaf alfo fhall not "wither; and whatfoever they do fhall profper." S. B. ON ILL-DIRECTED SATIRE. WHILE HILE we rejoice in the downfall of bigotry, and have reafon to believe that a perfecuting fpirit lofes ground, we have to lament that there is yet a difpofition too prevalent among fome characters, which feems akin to thofe deleterious principles. This is a spirit of unbounded, uncharitable, unwarranted fatire. There is a fet of beings in the world, who, elevating themfelves on the pedestal of their own knowledge, and fuperiority of intellect, are constantly throwing about those light, miffile, yet penetrating weapons of ridicule and fatire, by which the innocent and weak are much wounded. I am convinced that thefe weapons may be of fome utility when in fkilful hands; and that even the humble Chriftian and faithful preacher may fometimes do good with them; but then they must be used rather as armour of defence than as an inftrument of torture; not barbed with envy, but dipped in candour; not aimed with malice, but directed by truth. The fpirit then we are deprecating, is not that which arifes from love, from a hatred of vice, from generous zeal; but merely from |