that they are hateful and hating one another; that there is none righteous, no, not one; that they are all gone out of the way, and together become unprofitable; that their throat is an open sepulthre, with their tongues they use deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips, their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their way, and the way of peace have they not known, and there is no fear of God before their eyes. He calls them serpents, a generation of vipers, and even the children of the devil. He represents them as no less inimical to himself, than to one another. He says they have a carnal mind, which is enmity against him, not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. He represents them as saying unto him: Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, as casting his laws behind their backs, and declaring, that he should not reign over them. We cannot conceive, that any stronger expressions could have been used, to describe the vile and odious character of sinners. And this character God gives to all sinners, without a single exception. This all sinners think is a reproach. They cannot bear to be so stigmatized. They complained of Christ, who gave them this character, as reproaching them. "Master, thus saytag, thou reproachest us also." 3. Sinners think, that God has reproached them, by threatening to punish them so severely in his word. He has threatened to shut them out of heaven, and separate them from saints and angels, and banish them to the regions of darkness, to have their portion with unclean spirits, the most odious, vile, and malignant beings in the universe. And he has threatened to confine them in that wretched and forlorn state forever. This punishment appears to them greater than they deserve, greater than they can bear, and greater than a good and just God can reasonably inflict. If they deserve any punishment, they cannot see the propriety of suffering such an odious, ignominious, painful and never-ending punishment. They have often complained of the divine threatenings, and often endeavored to explain them away. Volumes and volumes have been written against the eternity of hell-torments, which have served to develope the feelings of sinners, and demonstrate, that they have looked upon the word of the Lord, as a reproach. And though many have neither spoken nor written against what God has threatened in his word against the finally impenitent, yet they have all felt the same objections against it, and been disposed to view God as too severe in denouncing his everlasting wrath against the transgressors of his law, which both requires and threatens too much.

I now proceed to show,

II. Why sinners think God has reproached and abused them, by what he has said to them and of them in his word This is owing to several causes. And,

1. It is partly owing to their having too low an opinion of God. The corruption of their hearts blinds their understanding, and

have, to represent those very persons as worse than they are, it his word, whom he treats infinitely better in his providence, than they deserve? Though God hates their character, yet he loves their persons. Though he regards their happiness according to its worth, yt he regards the good of the universe more, which is infinitely more valuable. God never has abused sinners, and never intends to abuse them; though he intends to treat them as he has threatened to treat them. The perfection of God's character as well as the rectitude of his conduct, is a demonstration, that sinners have no reason to think that he has abused them, by any thing that he has said in his word respecting them. But,

ness.

2. This is still more evident from the confession of nauy of his most bitter enemies. Manassah justified God and humbled himself befor him. Job gave up his objections to the divine conduct, and abased himself before God. David accepted the punishment of his iniquity, and pleaded his unworthiness as a motive to forgiveThe publican and prodigal son, both confessed their guilt, and threw themselves upon divine mercy. The malefactor on the cross, acknowledged that he deserved to perish forever. Paul, who had such a good opinion of himself, altered his opinion, and approved of the very law that threatened him with everlasting punishment. He said sincerely, "The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just and good " And all true penitents from Adam to this day, have justified God, and condemned themselves. They have all been sensible, that God's requirements are just, his representations of them are just, and his threatenings are e just. For they have seen God and themselves in a true light. They have found themselves to be what God has represented them to be, and to deserve what God has threatened to inflict upon them. Now, this is the strongest evidence that they can give, that impenitent sinners have no just ground to complain of what God has said in his word. When those who have complained, and complained the loudest, ive up their complaints, it is a clear and striking evidence, that no sinners have any good reason to find fault with God.

HEADS OF IMPROVEMENT.

1. If sinners think that God reproaches and abuses them in his word; then it is easy for ministers to preach so as to please them. If they will only take the side of sinners against God, and explain away those things, which they call a reproach, they will love to hear such preachers and such preaching. Let preachers preach against total depravity-against the obligation of the divine law and against eternal punishment; and all sinners will be pleased-if they only preach plausibly. It has been tried-and is trying. 2. If sinners think that God reproaches them in his word; then it is impossible to preach his word truly, without displeasing them: They hate the whole Bible rightly understood Though they com. plain of only parts; yet they hate the whole-hate what God

says to saints, as well as what he says to them. Hence God says, his word is a reproach to them,-they take no delight in it." The prophets could not preach without displeasing. Christ could not. The apostles could not.

3. If sinners think the word of God reproaches them; then it is a trying thing to preach the truth plainly-it must displease.

4. If sinners think that the word of God reproaches them; then they always hear it with prejudice-all classes do-they wish to misunderstand it.

5. If sinners think that the word of God is a reproach to them; then the more clearly they understand it, the more sensibly they will hate it-proves so under awakenings and convictions.

6. If sinners do think without any reason, that the word of God reproaches them, then they must alter their opinion, before they can embrace the gospel.

7. If all sinners think that the word of God reproaches them; then real saints may know that they are so. They have altered their opinion with respect to the whole word of God-not in one respect only.

8. Sinners stand upon poor ground. Their foundation may be shaken.

9. It is the duty of ministers to shake it.

SENEX.

For the Hopkinsian Magazine.

THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST WITH HIS CHURCHES.

The apostle John was banished for his attachment to Christ and his caus, to Patmos, a little island in the Egean sea, of about thirty-five miles compass. While he was in this solitary situation, he had a wonderful vision of Christ, and of his ministers and churches, which he relates in the following manner: "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; and what thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; and I turned to see the voice that spake with me: and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame. of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had

in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am

have, to represent those very persons as worse than they are, in his word, whom he treats infinitely better in his providence, than they deserve? Though God hates their character, yet he loves their persons. Though he regards their happiness according to its worth, yet he regards the good of the universe more, which is infinitely more valuable. God never has abused sinners, and never intends to abuse them; though he intends to treat them as he has threatened to treat them. The perfection of God's character as well as the rectitude of his conduct, is a demonstration, that sinners have no reason to think that he has abused them, by any thing that he has said in his word respecting them. But,

ness.

2. This is still more evident from the confession of many of his most bitter enemies. Manassah justified God and humbled himself befor him. Job gave up his objections to the divine conduct, and abased himself before God. David accepted the punishment of his iniquity, and pleaded his unworthiness as a motive to forgive The publican and prodigal son, both confessed their guilt, and threw themselves upon divine mercy. The malefactor on the cross, acknowledged that he deserved to perish forever. Paul, who had such a good opinion of himself, altered his opinion, and approved of the very law that threatened him with everlasting punishment. He said sincerely, "The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just and good And all true penitents from Adam to this day, have justified God, and condemned themselves. They have all been sensible, that God's requirements are just, his representations of them are just, and his threatenings are just. For they have seen God and themselves in a true light. They have found themselves to be what God has represented them to be, and to deserve what God has threatened to inflict upon them. Now, this is the strongest evidence that they can give, that impenitent sinners have no just ground to complain of what God has said in his word. When those who have complained, and complained the loudest, give up their complaints, it is a clear and striking evidence, that no sinners have any good reason to find fault with God.

HEADS OF IMPROVEMENT.

1. If sinners think that God reproaches and abuses them in his word; then it is easy for ministers to preach so as to please them. If they will only take the side of sinners against God, and explain away those things, which they call a reproach, they will love to hear such preachers and such preaching. Let preachers preach against total depravity-against the obligation of the divine law and against eternal punishment; and all sinners will be pleas ed-if they only preach plausibly. It has been tried-and is trying. 2. If sinners think that God reproaches them in his word; then it is impossible to preach his word truly, without displeasing them: They hate the whole Bible rightly understood Though they complain of only parts; yet they hate the whole-hate what God

says to saints, as well as what he says to them. Hence God says, "his word is a reproach to them,-they take no delight in it." The prophets could not preach without displeasing. Christ could not. The apostles could not.

3. If sinners think the word of God reproaches them; then it is a trying thing to preach the truth plainly-it must displease.

4. If sinners think that the word of God reproaches them; then they always hear it with prejudice-all classes do-they wish to misunderstand it.

5. If sinners think that the word of God is a reproach to them; then the more clearly they understand it, the more sensibly they will hate it-proves so under awakenings and convictions.

6. If sinners do think without any reason, that the word of God reproaches them, then they must alter their opinion, before they can embrace the gospel.

7. If all sinners think that the word of God reproaches them; then real saints may know that they are so. They have altered their opinion with respect to the whole word of God-not in one respect only.

8. Sinners stand upon poor ground. Their foundation may be shaken.

9. It is the duty of ministers to shake it.

SENEX.

For the Hopkinsian Magazine.

THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST WITH HIS CHURCHES.

The apostle John was banished for his attachment to Christ and of about his cause, to Patmos, a little island in the Egean sea, thirty-five miles compass. While he was in this solitary situation, he had a wonderful vision of Christ, and of his ministers and churches, which he relates in the following manner: "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; and what thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; and I turned to see the voice that spake with me: and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame. of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had

in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am