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his enemies meditate on thofe awful words of Chrift, "Thofe mine enemies, who would not that I fhould reign over them, bring them hither and flay them before me." These confiderations fhow us the proper grounds of refignation. And teach us the propriety of what John relates, Rev. xix. 6. "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, faying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

C

DOULOS.

Harmony of Chriftianity.

(Continued from p. 182.)

PART II. Experimental Religion. HRISTIANITY is a religion of the heart. It has its feat in the views and affections of the foul. "With the heart man believeth unto rightequfnefs."

This however is not peculiar to Chriftianity. It is true of all other religions, believed and practifed by men, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth fpeaketh." The words and actions of men are the expreffions of the heart. All religion, whether true or falfe, is founded there. ·

As the ftate of the heart refpecting religion, influences the practice, fo it receives its mofal quality from the nature of the affections. In the votaries of falfe religion, the affections are excited by religious conceptions which are falfe, or partial and unjuft.

The religion of the bible is effentially different from all others, in many particulars; at present we notice that which follows.

All other religions of which we have any knowledge, prefent

a private or perfonal good, as the object of purfuit and enjoyment.

Christianity prefents, to thofe who embrace it, that happiness which is founded in the views of the higheft perfection and felicity of the moral fyftem. To behold this, be active in promoting it, and enjoy it, is the highest felicity of a genuine Chriftian, The view already taken of doctrinal Christianity, clearly establishes this truth.

The manifeft contrariety between Chriftianity and other religions, in this particular, to mention no other at prefent, accounts for fome of the obvious appearances among men.

Falfe religion is agreeable to the depraved heart of man, as it harmonizes with his felfish affections.

Genuine Christianity is oppofed to all fuch affections, and adapted only to those which embrace the public good, and are fpiritual, fupernatural and divine.

The objects relished and purfued by felfth men, excite averfion and disgust to the fpirit of Chriftianity, and what Christianity taftes and enjoys is disagreeable to the depraved, unfanctified heart. The truth of these obfervations is evident from the doctrines which have been stated, from many scriptural declarations, and from the hiftory of man.

We fhall therefore proceed to mention a few leading branches of experimental religion, as they exist in the hearts of good men, in agreement with each other, and with doctrinal Christianity, of which regeneration may be confidered as the bafis.

1. Reconciliation to God."The carnal mind is enmity againft God." All its moral exercifes are of this defcription, in.

the Holy Spirit, as do all Christian graces: This implies a conviction of the real character of God, as a holy and infinitely perfect being;

their tendency and iffue. They are the various modifications of felfifh affections; hence the Deity, viewed as opposed to their wicked purposes, and determined to pun--of the perfections of his gov

ifh fin, is the object of their averfion.

Indeed, finners at eafe in Zion, and under the fmiles of profperity, often think that they love God; having fome conviction that their profperity is from him, they are pleafed, for "finners love thofe who love them." But in a reverse of circumftances, they repine, and in effect call him a hard mafter; and when the wicked are enlightened by the Spirit of God, fo as to perceive their danger and that God is angry with them and difpofed to punish them, for their dins, it is common for their hearts to rife against God, and they are full of the fenfible exercifes of enmity against him, because he is opposed to their finful courfe, and, as they believe, is determined to punish them.

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ernment over man, and that it is fit he fhould do what he will with his own. It alfo implies a conviction that our oppofition to God is totally inexcufable, and that he is righteous in the punishment of our tranfgreffions, according to his threatening. This conviction is attended with a fense of heart of the spiritual beauty of his character, and the moral perfection of his government, founded in a firm belief of the truth and divinity of his word.

In fuch views of divine objects, the mind refts in God, as an infinite good, and worthy of the moft profound adoration. His moral and providential government appear to a mind thus affected, to be divine, and worthy of the most cordial approbation, and of fubmiffion and obedience from all.

The finner thus reconciled to God, judges and condemns himfelf for all his oppofition. He juftifies the divine government in its commands, threatenings and retributions, and defires to be forever devoted to the favor and fervice of God.

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This is abundantly evident from numerous cafes; where the agency of the divine Spirit produces, in the confciences of finners, that conviction of fin and danger which is ufually previous to regeneration, as is known to all who have been converfant with perfons under what has been commonly called a preparatory work of the Spirit. 2. This reconciliation involves Hence we learn the abfolute ne- repentance towards God, even ceffity of a change of heart in the repentance which is to falvafinner, in order to any right affection not to be repented of." It correfponds to the moral perfection of the divine character and government, as exifting in the mind. He views perfonal tranfgreffions with averfion and felfabafement, and approves the condemnation of the guilty. While to be pardoned, fanctified and reftored to the favor and enjoyment of God, is viewed as the greatest

tions.

"Except a man be born again he cannot fee the kingdom of God." The heart must be "circumcifed to know the Lord," and the law of God written in it, or it will never difplay the graces of Christianity.

Reconciliation to God, prefuppofes the renewing agency of

conceivable difplay of rich and fovereign grace.

3. Juftifying faith is connected with repentance and reconciliation to God, and is highly effential in experimental Chriftianity. This confifts in a belief of the gofpel, founded on the teftimony of God concerning Jefus Chrift, as mediator between God and man; a cordial acquiefcence in the gospel method of falvation, and humble trust in Christ for acceptance with God.

According to the gofpel, thofe who believe in Christ, are fo united to him that they are confidered and treated by God as his feed, and admitted to the greatest favors on his account; and as a teftimony of the Father's good pleafure in him, they are pardoned and justified, and made heirs of eternal life through him.

This faith implies all which has been mentioned as contained in reconciliatian to God, and repentance for fin. It agrees to the doctrines of the mediation and atonement of Chrift, and to that of the finner's ftate of condemnation in himself, and his perifhing need of fuch a Saviour.

It illuftrates and confirms the doctrine of regeneration and of the free and fovereign grace of God in the falvation of finners.

Regeneration is known by the effects produced. Thefe effects are thofe Chriftian experiences which have been mentioned, together with all other graces of the Spirit.

This truth is illuftrated by our Saviour in the parable of the fower; in his fimilitude of the good tree and the evil one and their refpective fruits; for as all trees produce their own proper fruit and not that of another, even fo the fpirit of the world and the fpirit

of Chriftianity produce their dif ferent and oppofite effects in the hearts and lives of their respective fubjects.

The immediate effect produced in the heart by regeneration is an enlarged and fublime fpirit, a mind inclined to purfue the good of the moral fyftem, in diftinction from all felfish and perfonal objects, and to reft in that good as its portion.

This is exemplified in all the graces of Chriftianity. In the view of the fulnefs of God, it is fu preme love to him and approbation of his government. In the contemplation of our own character it is repentance and humility. Respecting the gofpel it is divine faith. As it terminates on the people of God it is brotherly love; to the miferable it is mercy; to the afflicted it is pity; to the wicked it is forrow and good wishes to enemies it is forgiveness and prayer for their best good. Under divine chaftifements it is humility and fubmiffion; in affliction and diftrefs it is fubmiffive pa→ tience; in danger it is humble confidence in God; in profperity it is thankful joy, in divine goodness, in the afflictions of others it is fympathy and prayer; in their profperity it is joy and the good becomes common.

In contemplating the bleffed and holy exereifes of heaven and the emptinefs and vanity of earth, it is weanednefs from the world and heavenly mindedness. In the contemplation of our own vileness and the excellence of divine things it is ardent longing for conformity to God.

In view of his infinite fuinefs, and of human guilt and nothingnefs and of the univerfal and perfect government of God, and that the final iffue of all prefent evil will be good, that the wrath of

man fhall praife the Lord, and that he will reftrain the remainder of wrath, it is rejoicing in God. This happy exercise which is begun by faints on earth, will be complete and eternal in heaven.

Enough has been faid on experimental religion to fhew its confiftence with itself, the harmony of its parts with each other, and with the doctrines of Chriftianity. We proceed, laftly to confider the leading branches of practical religion, and mark their agreement with each other, and with Chriftianity as it exifts in the doctrines of the bible and the experience of Chriftians.

PART III.

Pradical Chriftianity.

THE practical duties of Christianity evince the tendency of its doctrines; they exemplify the inward exercises of experimental religion, and they confift in keeping the commandments of God.

The doctrines of the bible concerning that original, independent and eternal being, prefent him to the mind as poffeffed of infinite moral perfection, the creator and proprietor of the world and of man, the rightful Lord of all, and the only proper object of all religious worship and adoration, and worthy of unreferved obedience and fubmiffion from his creatures.

Experimental Chriftianity clearly fupports the doctrines refpecting the fulness of God, and his relations to man, and the fitnefs of his univerfal government.

ternal acts of divine worship, and in keeping God's commands.

It confifts in doing that which the doctrines of fcripture and the experience of good men agree in afferting ought to be done. The commands of Chriftianity are its doctrines and the experiences of Chriftians, cloathed in the garb of divine authority, a conformity to thefe is practical Christianity.

Divine faith is an effential part of experimental Chriftianity; it refts on the fcripture doctrine of redemption by Chrift. In practice, it is the work of faith and labor of love. Faith overcomes the world, and teaches the believer to live above it, and have his conversation in heaven while he dwelleth on the earth.

The genuine Chriftian" looketh not at the things which are feen, but at the things which are not seen."

The doctrines of Chriftianity uniformly teach, that the honor of God and the beft good of his kingdom ought to regulate our actions and purfuits, in diftinction from all private and perfonal confiderations. And is it not true that the real Chriftian looketh not on his own, but the things which are Jefus Chrift's ?" and

doeth to others as he would that others fhould do to him?” and doth not " the grace of God which bringeth falvation, teach the fubjects of it, to deny all ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteously and godly inthe present world?"

The holy fcriptures abundantly teach us that it will avail nothing to the falvation of the foul tó "call Chrift Lord, Lord, if we do not the things which he fays."

Practical Christianity confifts in the exhibition of this doctrine in a courfe of actions conformed to the divine commands. It is the The duties of Chriftianity corexpreffion of the heart in the ex- refpond to our various relations to

God and man, and are the external expreffions of thofe internal emotions and affections which conftitute experimental Chriftianity.

(To be continued.)

Love to the Houfe of God.

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HE children of God, have always efteemed public worhip an high honor and great privilege; and, a duty, by no means to be neglected. King David was in a kind of ecftacy, when the people called on him to attend the public worship of God. I was glad, faid he, when they faid unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet fhall ftand within thy gates, O Jerufalem. Ferufalem is built as a city, that is compact together: whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the teftimony of Ifrael, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. : My defign is, to confider fome of the reasons, for which God's children are glad to go into the house of the Lord; or, why they love his public worship. And then shall make some obfervations, on the manner, in which they will manifeft fuch respect.

Let it then be remarked, in the first place, that good men love to go to the house of the Lord; because it is, in a special sense, the place of his honor and of his divine prefence. When Solomon had made an end of prayer, at the dedication of the temple, fire came down from heaven, and confumed the burnt-offering and the facrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the houfe: and the children of Ifrael bowed them felves to the ground on the pavement, and worshipped and praifed the Lord. And he anfwered Solomon-Now mine eyes fhall be open, VOL. III. No. 6.

and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place. In the congregations of his faints, God, ufually, gives fome manifestations of his gracious prefence, by awakening and convincing finners, or by enlightening, correcting, guiding, comforting and ftrengthen→ ing his children. And, fome times, his prefence is remarkably evident, that all may fee, reverence and adore him.

Such was often the cafe, when Aaron, in his pontifical robes, as a type of Chrift, led the people of Ifrael to the door of the tabernacle, to receive anfwers, and to take orders from Jehovah, from between the cherubim. Such was the cafe, at the dedication of the temple, as cited above. Such was the cafe, on the day of pentecoft, when, under the preaching of the apoftles, more than three thousands of fouls were added to the church. Such, bleffed be God, has been the cafe, in in many churches and congrega tions, in this and the neighboring ftates, for fome years paft. God, indeed, has often been manifeft in our worshipping affemblies. Jefus Chrift has, in many inftances, been found walking in the midst of his golden candlesticks, the churches which he has redeemed and bought with his own blood. And he has given us abundant reafon to believe, that he views them his crown of rejoicing; and will always be as a wall of fire round about them, and a glory in the midft of them.

True it is, Chrift's glory and prefence are not always thus evident; yet, we must not conclude, that he neglects his worshipping people: The promise of his prefence, is fure to them that meet in his name, even to two or three; and is often communicated to them

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