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their tendency and iffue. They are the various modifications of felfish affections; hence the Deity, viewed as opposed to their wicked purpofes, and determined to punifh fin, is the object of their averfion.

the Holy Spirit, as do all Chriftian graces: This implies a conviction of the real character of God, as a holy and infinitely perfect being; of the perfections of his government over man, and that it is fit he should 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 sense of heart of the fpiritual beauty of his character, and the moral perfection

Indeed, finners at ease 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 reverfe of circumftances, they repine, and în effect call him a hard mafter; and when the wicked are enlight-of his government, founded in a ened 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 fins, it is common for their hearts to rise against God, and they are full of the fenfible exercifes of enmity against him, because he is oppofed to their finful courfe, and, as they believe, is determined to punish them.

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. Hence we learn the abfolute neceffity of a change of heart in the finner, in order to any right affections.

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

Reconciliation to God, prefuppofes the renewing agency of

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 opposition. He juftifies the divine government in its commands, threatenings and retributions, and defires to be forever devoted to the favor and fervice of God.

2. This reconciliation involves repentance towards God, eveù

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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 truft in Chrift for acceptance with God.

According to the gofpel, thofe who believe in Chrift, are fo united to him that they are confidered and treated by God as his seed, and admitted to the greatest favors on his account; and as a teftimony of the Father's good pleasure in him, they are pardoned and juftified, 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 perishing 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 pursue the good of the moral fyftem, in diftinction from all felfifh 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 fulness of God, it is fupreme love to him and approbation of his government. In the contemplation of our own character it is repentance and humility. Respecting the gospel 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 patience; 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 blessed and holy exercifes 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 fulness, 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 praise the Lord, and that | ternal acts of divine worship, and in keeping God's commands.

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, lafly 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.

FART III.

Pradical Chriflianity.

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 cre

atures.

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

Practical Chriftianity confifts in the exhibition of this doctrine in a course of actions conformed to the divine commands. It is the expreffion of the heart in the ex

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 Christ. 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 converfation in heaven while he dwelleth on the earth.

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

The doctrines of Chriftianity uniformly teach, that the honor of God and the best good of his kingdom ought to regulate our actions and purfuits, in diftinction from all private and personal 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 ungodliness and worldly lufts, and to live foberly, righteously and godly in the prefent world?

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

The duties of Christianity correfpond 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.

T

and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place. In the congregations of his faints, God, ufually, gives fome manifeftations of his gracious prefence, by awa kening and convincing finners, or by enlightening, correcting, guiding, comforting and ftrengthening his children. And, fome times, his prefence is remarkably evident, that all may see, 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 taber

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

take orders from Jehovah, from
Such was
between the cherubim.
the cafe, at the dedication of the
temple, as cited above. Such
was the cafe, on the day of pen-
tecoft, when, under the preach-
ing of the apoftles, more than
three thoufands of fouls were ad-
ded to the church. Such, blef-
fed be God, has been the cafe,
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. Je-
fus 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 rea-
fon 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
midst of them.

Let it then be remarked, in the firft place, that good men love to go to the house of the Lord, becaufe it is, in a special fenfe, 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 praisedence, is fure to them that meet in the Lord. And he answered Sol- his name, even to two or three; omon-Now mine eyes fhall be open, and is often communicated to them VOL. III. No. 6.

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 pref

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in various gifts and graces. And were we intent on our duty, as we ought to be, his prefence, doubtlefs, would be very manifeft in our worshipping affemblies. But, alas! our coldnefs and inattention, too often, dishonor him; and provoke him to hide his face from us.

It is alfo to be remembered, that as the house of the Lord is a place of the divine prefence; fo is it of receiving divine honors from his people. The focial worfhip of faints confers fpecial honor on Chrift: It confeffes him before men, and acknowledges the grace

finners convinced, and born unto God; and faints edified and builtup in their holy faith. Here, we learn how the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Chrift. Here, we see the church adorned, as a bride, for her nuptials to the Lord. Here, we fee Jefus crowned with honor and glory; and anointed with the oil of gladnefs above his fellows.

How is it poffible for men, not to love the house of the Lord! How can they fhut their eyes against the furpaffing beauty, and glory, and honor of Chrift in his of God in the redemp-church! Had we a temper of tion of a loft world. And thus love and obedience to God; or the houfe of the Lord is, in a fpe- any conformity of heart to his cial fenfe, the place where his character, we fhould rejoice to be honor dwelleth. where his honor dwelleth-we fhould long and thirft to fee his power and glory, in the affemblies of his people.

An affembly of believers, in the act of folemn worship, give the most glorious difplay of God's honor that can be given by mortals, on earth. They are redeemed by Chrift-fanctified by his Spirit-fubjected to his will-and living monuments of his praife. As fuch, worshipping in fpirit and in truth, they difplay the honor and grace of God, beyond any thing to be feen, on this fide the employments of faints made perfect. As Aaron, in all his pontifical robes, led the tribes of Ifrael up to the tabernacle, and prefented their offerings to Jehovah; fo, Jefus Christ, the Great High Priest of our profeffion, goes before his people, as a fun and fhield, in all their worfhip: And, adding his divine incenfe to their fpiritual facrifices, he pre-up into glory. These are fundafents them to the eternal Father, for his acceptance.

Another reason, why good men love to go into the houfe of the Lord, is, that the church, with Chrift at its head, is a pillar and ground of the truth. The children of truth love to be in the way of truth. Believers know the mind of Chrift, in an eminent manner and degree. They have an un&ion from the Holy One and know all things; His Spirit, in them, teftifies to the truth, as it is in Jefus ; and they feel and know the truth of the gospel. We read, Great is the myflery of godliness; God was manifeft in the flesh, juftified in the Spirit, feen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received

In fuch acts of focial worship, all the attributes of deity are exhibited to us, and acknowledged and adored by us. Here, we fee

mental and diftinguishing doctrines of Chriftianity: They are written on the heart, and brought into the practice of all God's children. By meeting and conferring-together, they find they have

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