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regard to coming to the Lord's | to fear I had been deceiving my

table, of the doom of the man that had not on the wedding garment. But I was told that he came in his own righteoufnefs, not in that of Chrift-I plainly faw that I had none, and looked upon myself as a beaft before God—exceedingly vile and ftupid. I thought those words in Ezekiel were applicable to me ; " caft out to the loathing of my perfon." But my notion of faith was, an act of my own which God was to enable me to put forth--and I found myself unable to do any thing but caft myfelf at the feet of a fovereign God, waiting on him for Chrift's fake, to work in me both to will and to do of his own good pleasure. And, with this frame of heart, I ventured to join to the church, refolving, if I perifhed, it should be waiting on him in all the ways of his appointment.

Well may I be filled with aftonishment, at the amazing love of God to the most ungrateful of all his creatures. The thought that God foreordained whatsoever comes to pass, for his own glory, has been very fweet to me. And I have been enabled, in some meafure, to love myself with the fame love I bear to beings in general, and rejoice to be difpofed of as fhall most advance the kingdom of my dear Redeemer. I long for greater degrees of benevolence to all mankind, to be more delivered from a felfish contracted spirit, and for more enlargements in prayer for the advancement of Chrift's kingdom, for the church to which I belong, and for my dear brothers and fifters, that Chrift may be formed in their souls.

But fome time after, I began to grow cold and stupid, and was ready to call all in queftion, and

felf, and that I fhould turn to folly again; and in this fear I went to lecture, where the minister was very large in defcribing what a true work of converfion was; and God was pleased to accompany the word with his Holy Spirit, and discover to me that the work was all his own. But I was made to fee more of the evil of fin, and to loathe myself and repent in dust and afhes, and alfo for my pride and vile idolatry. I saw that every thing which took the place which God ought to have, was an idol, however mean in itself. But how aftonishing that God fhould fay, "give me thy heart, and a new heart will I give unto you, a right spirit will I put within you. I will caufe you to walk in my ftatutes, I will be your God and ye fhall be my people."

Religious Intelligence.

Rxtract of a letter from a refpedable Clergyman in Virginia, to one of the Editors, dated Nov. 19, 1802.

66 IN my last I mentioned that a confiderable attention to religion was excited in Bedford county. This continued and increased, fo that many perfons, who before were not only careless but profane, are now fober professors of piety, and walk agreeably to the rules of the gofpel. I understand that nearly 100 perfons have, within a few months, been admitted into the Presbyterian church under the pastoral care of Meffrs. Mitchel and Turner, while a large number has been added to the Baptift fociety.

"In the county of Rockbridge, which is compofed almost entirely of Prefbyterians, there has been a pleafing attention to religion, for fome months, in feveral congregations. Mr. Baxter informed me that he had received above 30 perfons into communion in his church during the fummer. In an adjacent congregation, about 40 had been received; and as many in a third. The appearanees and attending circumftances here; are juft fuch as you have been accuffomed to fee in the revivals in Connecticut ; and I hope the permanency and excellency of the fruits, in both cafes, will clearly point out the divine agency of the Holy Spirit. There are alfo confidreable movements in many parts of the ftate, under the miniftry of the Methodifts and Baptifts; but of these I have not yet obtained accurate information."

"In a Prefbyterian congrega-fend down the influences of his hotion in Albermarle county, there ly fpirit; and many, we truft, have has also been a confiderable awake- bowed to fovereign grace. No ning of late; and as many as 50 lefs than 24 have been added to or 60 have been added to the the church within a few weeks, and church; and by recent accounts, others feem to be the subjects of I learn that serious impreffions not ferious impreffions. We have ofonly continue but increase. ten heard of the bleffed effects of the labors of miffionaries, in this ftate and elsewhere; but never experienced them in fo fenfible a manner as of late. In a time, when many were enquiring "what fhall we do to be faved?" God, in his holy providence, was pleased to fend the Rev. Mr. Miller, a miffionary from Connecticut, among us, whofe coming was truly like the coming of Titus, refreshing and comforting the hearts of many. We constrained him to tarry with us a few days; his labors were indefatigable and useful; the blef fing of many ready to perish came upon him, and we believe will be his crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jefus. Of his treatment and reception here, Mr. Miller can inform you. We cannot fupprefs our thanks to Almighty God, who directed his courfe this. way; and who has inclined the hearts of our brethren in Connecticut, and in other parts, to conA Letter from the church and foci- of the bleffed gofpel in thefe and tribute fa liberally for the fpread ety of Cafleton, Vermont, to the other new fettlements. We feel Trustees of the Miffionary Socie-ather new fettlements. ty of Connecticut, dated Septem- in advocating a scheme fo falutaa glowing zeal to unite with you, ber 4, 1802. ry in its effects and promotive of religion among men. We trüft that our joint union at the throne of grace will not be withheld; and that in a measure, we feel disposed to afford fuch pecuniary aid, as is confiftent with our temporal ability; being fully convinced that the caufe is of God, and will cheerfully be encouraged by thofe who are friends to Zion, and who have that benevolence that feeks

"THERE has for fome months paft appeared confiderable attention to religion in this place. Our fituation for years back has been truly gloomy and difcouraging. We have been deftitute of the ftated administration of the gofpel; and the indifference to matters relalating to another world has been great. But it has of late pleafed the great head of the church to

the good of the Univerfe. We look forward, with delightful anticipation, to that important day when we fhall meet together, and have amore holy and intimate communion with each other; when the charitable conduct of God's people will be more publicly inveftigated; and thousands no doubt, through the inftrumentality of the liberal and pious, will

know the pleafing import of thofe words of infpiration, "As alfo you have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye alfo are ours in the day of the Lord Jefus."

MISSIONARIES.

THE Rev. William F. Miller lately returned from a miffion of four months to the northwestern part of Vermont, and the fettlements in New-York state, west of Lake Champlain.

of Pennfylvania, and Willard and Leonard in Vermont.

POETRY.

COMMUNICATED AS ORIGINAL.

OW

On reading particular accounts of Revival:
of Religion in fundry places.
H Difpenfing mercy where he will,
How pleafing to behold a God !
His providences and his word,
Agree and bid us all be still.

Be ftill and fee my arm made bare,
And fovereign grace in triumph ride;
For I the stubborn hearts will tear,
And conquer finners full of pride.

'Tis heaven to fee this work of God, 'Tis heaven indeed! replies my foul, To fee the Spirit with his word, The stubborn infidel control.

To fee God's character made known,
And all his attributes display'd ;
Juftice and truth maintain his throne,
While mercy fhines without a fhade.

Made willing by his power divine,
To fee the proudest finners bow,
And at God's Lovereign fect lie low,
And cheerfully to him refign.

The miffionaries now in the fervice of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, are Rev. Meffrs. : Badger and Chapman in NewConnecticut, Willifton and Wood-This entertains the foul indeed,

- ward in the western counties of New-York and northern counties

It gives the mind a fweet repaft, And fweet as honey to the tafte. A rich fupply in time of need,

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Donations to the Miffionary Society of Connecticut.

William F. Miller, contributions in New Settlements,
A friend of Miffions,

A friend of Miffions of Norwich,

100

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The Church the fulness of Christ, who filleth all in all.

epiftle to the Ephefians ends with this fingular form of expreffion, "The fulness of him that filleth all in all."These words in their connection plainly import, that altho' Chrift filleth all in all, yet there is a fenfe, in which the church is his fulness. This, at firft view, may feem a kind of paradox, or fomething like a contradiction. It is, therefore propofed to attempt fome illaftration of the meaning, truth and confiftency of these two prop ofitions, viz.

accomplish the complete falvation and everlasting glory and happi

purchased with his own blood. In this high office and ftation, he fills all creatures with whatever, of the nature of good, they poffefs, experience or enjoy. There is no understanding, light or knowledge, wisdom, power or ftrength, holiness, peace or joy, in creatures, nor any good poffeffed, attained, or enjoyed by them, but what is from him as its fountain and fource. But Chrift may be confidered as the bead of his church, in a more peculiar and appropri ate fenfe. The church inclufive of all its members is reprefented, in the fcriptures, as conftituting one body, in allufion to and fomething after the fimilitude of a natural human body, compofed of many members united to each oth

I. Chrift filleth all in all. II. His church is his fulness. I. Chrift filleth all in all. Jefus Chrift in his incarnate perfon," in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," is exalted to the throne of theer and to one common head, by univerfe, as Lord of all, with uncontrolable power and authority over all worlds, creatures and things; that he may rule and govern, employ and difpofe of all, to the glory of God and the interefts of his eternal kingdom, and fo as will in the beft manner VOL. III. No. S.

which they live, and move, &c. Of this body, compofed of all the members of the church, Chrift is the head. He is not only head over all things to the church; but he is alfo the head of the body, the church, every member of which has a real fpiritual union to him as N n

its living, life-giving, fupporting, guiding, and governing head.

and capacitated, to perform the fervices for which they are appointed and given, and to accomplish whatever he defigns to effect by their inftrumentality. This must be fo evident, to all acquainted with the fcriptures of the new teftament, that particular paffages need not be adduced to prove it.

2. Christ fills not only the of ficers of his church, but also the whole body and every member of it, with all the light and grace, wisdom and knowledge, holiness and comfort, peace, joy and happinefs, which they poffefs, or ex

May grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Chrift from whom the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint fupplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itfelf in love." Eph. iv. 15, 16. In the paffage we are attempting to explain, the apoftle appears to be fpeaking of Chrift in this fpecial and peculiar relation to and connection with the church as its head, and of that as his body.perience and enjoy, in this world, The all which Chrift, in this particular point of view and fpecial relation, is faid to fill, is his church, even all the members and parts of his body. All these he fills in all things and in all refpects belonging to and conftituting their fuluefs. Particularly,

he

1. All the officers, with which the church is furnished and filled -all that are requifite and neceffary, for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for edifying of the body of Chrift, are from him, and given by him: Eph. iv. 7-13. "And gave fome apoftles; and fome prophets; and fome evangelifts; and fome paftors and teachers; for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meafure of the ftature of the fulnefs of Chrift."

All thofe officers Chrift fills with that measure of his fpirit, and with all the gifts and graces, knowledge, wifdom and skill, and qualifications of every kind, by which they are fitted, furnished

and alfo in the world to come.. Of his fulness they all receive, grace for grace. He faid, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me fhall not walk in. darkness, but shall have the light of life." Having illuftrated the union of his difciples to him, by. that of the branches to the vine, and declared how he had loved them, and taught them how they might abide in his love, he faid, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." At another time he faid, "Afk, and ye fhall receive, that your joy may be fill. -Peace I leave with you: my peace I give unto you." And in Acts xiii. 52. it is faid, "The difciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghoft." Hence it is plain, that Chrift's people are indebted to him for all their fpiritual light, peace and joythat thefe fpiritual bleffings are communicated and derived from him their head. Paul prayed for the Philippians, that they might be fincere, and without offence.

being filled with the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are by Jef

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