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will be laid open, so to speak, to each other's discernment-they will “love each other with a pure heart fervently," as breth

rows, have been the same.-t They have, in a word, perfectly understood one another's sentiments, and entered into one another's feelings, (though mys-ren, united in one sentiment and terious and unintelligible to all in one interest, who accidentalthe world beside,) on every sub-ly meet together after a long ject essentially related to salva- and painful separation. How tion. For eighteen centuries, will you account for this Indian Christians, for example, have so well understanding the Engthought, and sung, and prayed lishman, when perhaps there is with David, a Jewish King who not a man living in his own reigned about three thousand town or parish, to whom he is years ago. Scarcely have they not an absolute barbarian, when had a sentiment, a wish or a he attempts to speak what he feeling, that he has not anticipa- thinks and feels about a Saviour ted. Whence this agreement? and a life to come, about the How happens it, that persons so beauty of holiness, or the defordistant in time and place, in mity of sin? Surely there must speculative theories of religion, be reality, where, without any and in outward modes of wor- previous communication, there ship, from each other, should is so much coincidence and anotwithstanding so exactly har- greement! monize? Will it be ascribed to chance? Can imagination, enthusiasm, fancy, explain it ?Do but consider how men's tastes and sentiments differ upon almost ever subject, even where they live at the same time, are brought up in the same place, and trained to the same habits. And how then can imagination, the most capricious and uncertain of all causes, account for a similarity of effect, which no course of education, nor early prepossessions themselves, (strong as these usually are,) are competent to produce?

Take a true Christian from any parish in England, and let him meet one of the converted Indians of North America.-Find them but a common language in which they may convey their meaning to one another, in an instant they will perfectly comprehend each other's views and feelings on every topic in religion-their hearts

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Had you lived at the day of Pentecost, and had heard the first disciples speaking to men of every nation under heaven in the language wherein they were born, you would have bowed to the reality of their pretensions, and confessed a miracle. Behold, then, the counterpart of this miracle; equally astonishing, and unaccountable upon any natural principles! all the difference is, that in that case, one person spake many languages-in this, many persons of every kindred and nation, and tongue and people, whither the gospel hath come, speak one language.

ON REASON AND REVELATION.

THE greater part of those who set up the claims of Reason against those of Revelation, seem to forget that Reason is a faculty, not like intuition, that sees the true natures, relations, or consequences of things, at a

glance; but which requires nice and accurate management, with assiduous labor and cultivation, to make it a useful and safe guide to us, in avoiding error, and arriving at truth. It is not, like the senses of the body, perfect at once; but, like a diamond in its natural state, it is put rough into our hands to polish and improve by art and care. So much is this the case, that the improvement of our reason is taught by rule, and learnt as a science.

are conscious that they have done to other matters of science?

It certainly affords a presumption in favor of Christianity, that those men who have been most famous in the world for the cultivation of their intellectual powers, and are acknowledged on all sides to have carried the improvement of them to the greatest height, have been sincere believers, and warm defenders of this religion.

ON SIN, AS AN OFFENCE AGAINST
GOD.

How little perception is there, even in the Christian world, of the evil of Sin, as it is a transgression of God's law! The authority of God is little contemplated. If a man's conscience reprove him for some vicious act, it is because of the irregularity and turpitude he sees in it, or on account of the injury which it may do to society; but that which is the grand aggravation of the crime-its being done against the will and authority of God, and therefore an act of rebellion--is little tho't of, and little affects the conscience. That this is really the case appears from hence, that many of those people who pass for good moral characters in the world, commonly regulate their conduct by considerations of moral fitness or unfitness, which are wholly independent of the divine command or prohibition. What merely stands on God's author

Nothing more than the application of this remark is needful to confound our common infidels. Do they talk of their reason not suffering them to embrace Christianity? Let us ask them, whether they have made a right use of reason in determining the question. Have they practised all the rules which logicians lay down for the government of the understanding in its enquiries after truth? Have they cautiously guarded, in particular, against the influence of the passions in this business; and that more especially, because here more than any where, it may be expected to prevail unless great care be taken? Have they turned the subject on all sides, and considered it in all its parts; not satisfying themselves with a hasty, irregular and partial examination? These questions could not fail to silence them, if they had either sense or modesty. The general run of in-ity they see little evil in, and fidels are no logicians, and of those who are, how few, speaking honestly, will say, that they have as seriously, cautiously, and impartially applied the laws of sound reasoning to the examination of this subject, as they

have no great scruple about doing or not doing. Their own ease or humour, the least possible present convenience or advantage, determines their conduct, and becomes a law to them, in preference to the bare me

tive of obeying or disobeying | true indexes to the state of the

God. Hence, to most persons, Adam's sin seems a trifle, because committed only against a positive command; and the neglect of religious ordinances, or the breach of the Sabbath, for the same reason, gives little uneasiness to their consciences. In the presence of temptation they are not restrained by Joseph's consideration, "How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" And in their repentance-if they ever do repent of any thing they have done they are far from the sentiment and feeling of David, "Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." David had sinned against man as well as God; but the thought of his sin as an act of daring impiety and rebellion against God, swallowed up, at the moment, every other consideration. His crime was thus seen in its highest aggravation, and painted to his mind in colors so black and hideous, as to conceal the lighter shades of the sad picture, and prevent, so to speak, his perceiving them.

mind, because good actions may proceed from bad principles.— With other men's principles indeed, we have comparatively little to do. While their actions are good, and society sustains no injury, from a charitable though erroneous judgment of them, little inconvenience can result; but in our own case, a mistake is fatal.

How great then is the folly of those who judge of themselves only by their outward conduct! Preach against drunkenness, or other overt acts of sin, and every one who, from whatever cause, can acquit himself of the practice condemned, presently concludes in favor of his general character. In like manner, when specific duties and virtues are inculcated, if, so far as concerns the outward matter and form of them, the man think himself blameless, the same flattering conclusion follows.Hence it is, that so many persons dislike close appeals to the heart, and are ready to oppose such as use them with "He that doeth righteousness is righ teous"-" By their fruits ye shall know them," &c. "If," say they, "the fruit be good, is not the tree good? Can you know the quality of the tree by any other sign?"-No! and no

ON THE CONDUCT, AS AN INDEX TO THE HEART. WHEN We exhort men to examine themselves by their conduct, it is only as that is an in-better test need be required, dex to the state of the heart.The state and disposition of the heart determines the character, and being visible to God, is that by which his judgment of us is formed. We can judge of others only by external appearances, but of ourselves our judgment should be, as much as possible, guided by that of God. External actions are not always

provided you understand the terms you make use of. What do you mean by good fruit ?-Such as is fair and beautiful on the outside only? Then you might chance to find your death in acting upon this principle; for there are many poisonous trees in the world, which bear a beautiful and tempting fruit, pleasant to the eyes, and grate

ful to the smell-perhaps, also count of the views and the or to the taste, but it is not unfre-ganization of our Society; which quently found, that the same in the main, continues unaltered fruit which looks well, on being to this day, except what imcut up, turns out to be corrupted provements have been suggestand bad within. Just so it is ed by experience, or the cirwith moral fruit. Examine it cumstances of the times. As a skilfully-see whether it be specimen of our communicasound within-employ the pro- tions, which circulate in manuper means for ascertaining script only, we subjoin those of whether it be really as good as the nineteenth year of the Socieit appears to be; and if it abide ty; and in case you should the trial, we allow, that, being think it worth your while, we good, it demonstrates the tree to would order those of the prebe good also. ceding eighteen years to be copied likewise; which, however, would be attened with considerable expense. We should have been glad to send you, at least, two copies of our publications; but those of 1793 and 94 are quite out of print; nor is it in our power to produce a second edition, as the complicated calamities of war, murrain and scarcity, have rendered the contributions of our poor friends rather less than what they used to be; whilst the expenses of printing have risen, and, in general, our Society has to meet greater wants. The nature of our plan is best to be learnt from our publications. Here we beg leave to draw just a few outlines, beginning with our leading views :—

When our Lord says, " By their fruits ye shall know them," he cannot surely be supposed to intend the mere outward appearance, any more than a naturalist would, who was applying the same rule to the productions of the orchard or the garden. A fruit corrupt within, and beautiful without, is the emblem of a hypocrite.

Letter from the Basil Society-
Addressed to the Missionary
Society in London.

You

OU had the goodness, dear brethren, to request a list being sent you of the towns and provinces through which our Society extends; as also a plan of our proceedings; and from 1. The basis of our agreeone to three copies of our Peri- ment is our obligation to edify odical Publications from the be- one another in our most holy ginning of our activity as a body. faith, according to the unerring We are happy to gratify this word of God and the gospel of wish, as far as in our power; our Lord and Saviour Jesus and, in return for your very ac- Christ; in whose footsteps to ceptable present of the Evangel- tread, and to encourage one ical Magazine, send you a com- another in the blessed practice plete copy of our Extracts and of walking after him faithfully, Collections, printed from 1783 is our duty and desire. Nor will to 1798. To the first volume we suffer ourselves to be divertyou will find some pamphlets ed from this purpose by any ob. stitched, containing a full ac;jections whatever, raised by the

or the votaries of infidelity, as millions, and, God be praised! we ourselves have experienced the efficacy of that faith, which is the victory over sin, the world, Satan and hell, and which alone is able to form men of God, ready to serve him in this world, and fit to meet him in the next. To preserve this faith of our ancestors, which alone can make us good, holy, and happy in life and death, shall be our final aim.

adherents of the new philosophy | done, in this respect, since the beginning of the last century, we cannot help admiring the hand of the Lord in those phenomina in which you, dearest brethren of England, have borne so considerable a share, considering them as the dawning of the approaching kingdom of God, and comforting ourselves with these things, as with sweet and powerful cordials against the benumbing influence of the spirit of our awful times. To take an active and praying share in all Missionary exertions, is our sacred delight; and, we trust, the seed, which is now sprinkled with our tears, will rise in an harvest of everlasting joy, though we should not witness its maturity in this world.

2. We wish, agreeably to our duty, to direct the attention of Christendom to the signs of our times, which are so very extraordinary, whether we consider them with a view to the church of Christ, or in reference to the kingdoms of this world. We will comfort, advise and strengthen one another, in order to hold fast the patience and faith of the saints, lest when the Lord cometh, we be found in the number of the foolish virgins.

3. In a particular manner we will make it our concern, to strengthen the ties of brotherly love between ourselves, by means of mutual communication and participation in temporals and spirituals, lest the adversary should disturb our bond of union. At the same time, be it far from us to overlook the good that is to be perceived in any other Christian denomination; but more especially in those lesser flocks of grace that aim at being children of God in reality.

4. We consider it as a principal concern of ours to co-operate, as much as we are enabled to do towards realizing the hope of Zion, viz. the conversion of the Gentiles: and whilst we rejoice at all that has been VOL. V. No. 5.

5. As there is always, but more especially in our day, an enormous mass of misery in the world, under which believers, no less than unbelievers, groan, (the latter of whom we ought still to love as our neighbors, i. e. our ownselves) so we consider ourselves bound to alleviate the same to the utmost of our power, lightening the burden of our fellow-captives in this world, seeing we too are in the same state of imprisonment.

6. The dispersing of religious tracts, by means of a printing-office at Nurenberg, is also amongst our views; but we are sorry to state, that, through the scantiness of our means, this method has not been so productive of fruit as otherwise it might have been.

7. We finally think it our duty to stand ready as servants of the Lord, to improve every intimation of his will he may be pleased to give us; and, we trust, Z

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