the Jews. He gave the Egyp- | prefervation of a kingdom, in tians plenty, that the church might be fupported through their means, and by their hands; and that in this way the former might bcome a ranfom for the latter. Doubtlefs God had power to preferve and support Ifrael in the land of Canaan; but to make difplays of his holy fovereignty, he chofe that they fhould be fed and nourished in Egypt. Infinite wisdom devifed means to accomplish this, and the means were fuch as Ifrael would never have thought of. Jofeph, the favorite fon of Jacob, was hated and fold by his brethren, to be carried as a flave into Egypt, to prepare the way for that heathen people to make out a ranfom for the rightcous. Here God gave him favor, and brought him before the king. It was fo ordered in providence, that Pharaoh should have very extraordinary dreams, fuch as greatly troubled him, and that Jofeph fhould give fuch an interpretation of them, as deeply to imprefs the mind of Pharaoh with its truth. In confequence of which Pharaoh gave orders, that the feven years of plenty should be faithfully and induftriously improved in laying up ftores; which, as it afterwards appeared, were to be improved as a ranfom for God's people. To preferve the church was the great end providence had in view, in difpofing the Egyptians to labor and toil fo abundantly, and to heap together fuch vaft treasures of wealth. God made Pharaoh efteem and admire Jofeph, which paved the way for the treasures of the heathen to be opened, and voluntarily opened, for the fupport of a people among whom God had fet up his holy and fpiritual kingdom. Here we behold the wicked paying a price for the which they did not wish to be interefted. A holy and fovereign God gave their labor, and their wealth, a ranfom for the righte ous. In the chain of events, to which I have now alluded, and which brought falvation to the church, there were many links, in themselves mysterious, and painful beyond all expreffion; but Jofeph faw, in every one, the hand and the wifdom of God. He acknowledged it to his brethren, when their minds were perplexed and embarraffed, in reflecting on the bafe and criminal part, which they had acted. "As for you ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pas as at this day, to fave much people alive." Jofeph plainly intimated as much, as that the labor and wealth of the wicked and idolatrous Egyptians were given a ranfom for Ifrael. For the fame purpose their lives were eventually given. Pharaoh, after beholding a feries of miracles, exhibited in most pointed judgments against himself, was cut off and all his hoft, for the fake of God's chofen people. It is true nothing more came upon them than what they deferved, and fully deferved; yet they were cut off, at this time, for the fake of the righteous-they were given a ranfom for them. In this light the Pfalmift celebrated their deftruction, in the 136th PfalmTo him which divided the Red Sea into parts; for his mercy endureth forever. And made Ifrael to pafs through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth forever. But overthrew Pharaoh and his hoft in the Red Sea : for his mercy endureth forever. Here the awful event of overthrowing Pharaoh and his hoft in the Red Sea, confisting probably of many thousands of This was truly the cafe, though fouls, is called a manifestation-afhe, with her house, was faved by faith. It ought, however, to be obferved, that the Canaanites, by their grofs idolatry and wickednefs, deferved all this. The ini and a holy and sovereign God gave all they poffeffed to his people-not because his people had deserved it, for to them it was a difplay of marvellous grace. difplay of God's mercy. How could this be? It may be anfwered, they were given a ranfom for the righteous. Their deftruction was the falvation of God's people.quity of the Amorite was fuli, In the 43d chapter of Ifaiah this event is fpoken of in language, which perfectly correfponds with the plain and literal fenfe of the portion of feripture, now propofed for explication. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of If rael, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ranfem, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou waft precious in my fight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore, will I give men for thee and people for thy life. When we hear God faying to the church, as we do in this paffage, I gave Egypt for thy ranfom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee and that becaufe thou art precious, I will give men for thee, and people for thy life-when we hear God faying this to the church, we need not hesitate in determining how the wicked fhall be a ranfom for the righteous, and the tranfgreffor for the upright. 2. The ancient inhabitants of Canaan were given a ransom for God's church. Though numerous and powerful, God made them feel, as if they had no ftrength to ftand before Ifrael. Rahab, the harlot, acknowledged to the spies before the children of Ifrael made their appearance, that their land, their wealth, their cities which, perhaps, they had been hundreds of years in building, and even their lives, were given by God to Ifrael. She had heard of God's giving the wicked a ranfom for the rightcous, and adverted to inftances which had come to her knowledge, and fhe had faith that he would do it again. 3. While the greatest part of the Canaanites were cut off for the fake of the church, fome were left to prove them, and to promote their redemption in this way. This part of God's wonderful providence is mentioned in the 3d Chap. of Judges. Now thefe are the nations which the Lord left to prove Ifrael by them, (even as many of Ifrael as had not knowa all the wars of Canaan ; only that the generations might know to teach them war, at the leaft, fuch as before knew nothing thereof;) name ly five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonans, and the Hivites that deelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. And they were to prove Ifrael by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which be commanded their fathers by the band of Mofes. Thus a holy and fovereign God faved fome of the Philiftines alive for the fake of his people, to be inftruments of trying and proving their faith. Strictly fpeaking, these very nations that were faved alive, as well as thofe which were cut off, were given a ranfom for the righteous. God made use of them for the good of his people. How unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways pat finding out! 4. The fcriptures furnith us bite and devour one another. The meek will inherit the earth. The wicked will be given a ransom for them, or, in other words, the wicked will be removed from their with instances of God's plunging probably, will be the executioners the wicked into the fame evils, of each other. Nation will rife which they had maliciously plot-up against nation, and they will ted to bring on the righteous; and, in this way, they are given a ranfom for them. In the reign of Ahafuerus, the Perfian, a decree was obtained, and ratified by the king, that on a certain day all poffeffions to make way for God's the Jews fhould be flain by the people, the church. Therefore, fword. This being This being a decree of it is faid in the 37th Pfalm-For the king, and fealed with his fig-yet a little while, and the wicked net, it appeared impoffible, in the shall not be yea thou shalt diligenteye of reafon, to prevent its exe-ly confider his place, and it shall not cution. But a holy God prevented it; for on the very fame day in which the Jews were to be cut off, their wicked enemies were given a ransom for them. The righteous were delivered out of of trouble, and the wicked came in his ftead. In the days of the prophet Daniel, a fimilar event took place. The enemies of Daniel obtained a decree, which was defigned to bring about his deftruction; but the very fame decree effected their own destruction. Righteous Daniel was delivered out of trouble, and the wicked came in his ftead. And the king commanded, and they brought thofe men which had accufed Daniel, and they caft them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives, and the lions had the maftery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the den. Here we fee God gave the wicked a ranfom for the righteous. 5. The fcriptures speak of a time, when all the wicked, in every part of the world, will give place to the righteous. God will give this whole earth to his people. To prepare the way for this, it is probable that thousands and millions of the wicked will be cut off. In many inftances, they be. But the meek fhall inherit the earth and fall delight themfelves in the abandance of peace. Molt ftrikingly is the fame idea expreffed in the prophecy of DanielAnd the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, fhall be given to the people of the faints of the Moft lafting kingdom, and all dominions High, whofe kingdom is an ever all ferve and obey him. The time is coming, when it will appear to be emphatically true, that the wicked are given a ranfom for for the upright. The wicked are the righteous, and the tranfgreffor now making many improvements benefitted and will be more pecuby which the righteous are now liarly fo in the days of the millennium, when the wicked will not be seen on the earth. 6. In the folemn day of accounts, it will appear that all things were made to fubferve the intereft of the Redeemer's king. dom, and this will be enjoyed by the righteous. The Lord hath made the righteous and the wicked for himself, and by them he will glorify himfelf. And as the righteous are interefled in his glory, it may be faid the wickedness of the wicked will be over-ruled for the advancement of their future happiness and glory. All things will work together for the good, number of Baptift elders settled of God's people. In the great on this tract; but none of the day, the righteous will fee the Congregational or Presbyterian following words of the apoftle ve- order. order. On the fixth of October rified-All things are yours: whe- I was inftalled over the church of ther Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, Chrift in this town, by a council or the world, or life, or death, or of Congregational and Prefbyterian things prefent, or things to come; minifters. On the fifth of Januall are yours; and ye are Chrift's; ary laft the Rev. Hugh Wallis and Chrift is God's. was inftalled over the church on the weft hill in Pompey. And on the second inftant the Rev. Nathan B. Darrow was ordained over the church in Homer. LEVI. Religious Intelligence. TO THE EDITORS OF THE CONNECTICUT EVANGELICAL MA GAZINE. As S cold water to a thirty foul, fo is good news from a far country. Men whofe hearts delight in praying for Jerufalem, will rejoice in her profperity. Knowing that the good people in different parts of New-England, have for feveral years contributed liberally for the fupport of miffions to the new fettlements and to the heathen; and believing it will gratify their feelings, gladden their hearts and ftimulate to future exertions; it has been tho't expedient to communicate for publication the following statement of facts and circumftances relating to the religious intereft of this part of the country. The military grants, fo called, included in the counties of Onondaga and Cayuga, is a tract of country about feventy miles in length and fifty in breadth; and contains probably at prefent about 30,000 inhabitants, who have fettled in this country in the course of about twelve years. Before the first of October laft, there was one refpectable minifter of the Dutch reformed church and a In each of these places the churches are refpectable for numbers, their confeffions of faith are diftinguifhing on the doctrines of grace; and they have been unanimous in their calls to their refpective paftors to fettle with them. And the focieties in those towns have prefented competent terms of fupport to their respective minifters. The councils on thofe or dination occafions were harmonious among themselves on the important points of the Chriftian religion; and, in their examinations of the candidates they entered with precifion into their experimental acquaintance with the truth and power of religion, as well as into their doctrinal knowledge and fentiments in theology. The appropriate exercises on thofe occafions were folemn and interefting, especially to those more immediately concerned, and many of the dear children of God were filled with great joy for what they faw. There was experienced, as I truft, at thofe times, a good degree of the divine prefence of the fpirit of love and prayer; and many will praife God to all eternity for the wonders of his goodness and grace which he has manifefted amongst us. To view the wilderness which fo late. ly fat folitary now eminently be come a fruitful field-to confider the yell of beafts and favage men fucceeded by the heavenly and harmonious praises of God and the Lamb-to view churches formed, minifters fettled and all conducted with religious order, peace and love, muft present an animating and grateful profpect to the diftant beholder. It certainly warms the hearts of those of us who have been eye-witneffes of thefe things. "The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad." Notwthstanding it be a truth that God worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will, yet he works by fuch ways and means as beft to answer his purpose and moft fully to bring into view his character. We have no reason to believe that thefe pleafing circumftances would have taken place as they have, if it had not been for thofe important miffionary efforts which have been made in our country. Many who have contributed for the fupport of miffions may now view numbers of their friends, brethren and children uniting with them in the fame religious obfervance of prayer, public worship and ordinances of the gospel. This they could not have done had they withheld their contributions or reftrained their prayers on miffionary fubjects. Thefe circumstances were viewed fo important and the account of them fo acceptable to the pious readers of the Magazine, that the Ecclefiaftical Council at Homer on the 2d. inftant voted unanimously, "That, to gladden "the hearts of our Christian "brethren with a view of our re"ligious profperity in this part "of the country, the Rev. Da"vid Higgins make out and for"ward to the Editors of the "Connecticut Evangelical Mag"azine, a fuccin& account of the "inftallation at Aurelius and "Pompey and of the ordination "in this place, to be published "by them if they see cause." In compliance with the foregoing vote, I make to you the statement of these animating events concerning the growing ftate of religion amongst us. And I would further add, that there are already formed in the above mentioned tract of country, three prefbyterian and fourteen congregational churches, all of which I believe to be in a ftate of flourishing harmony. But notwithflanding our prefent profperity, there is still room and great calls for miffionary affiftance on this ground. Many churches and focieties are yet incompetent to fupport gofpel preachers; and two or three minifters who are fixed to particular places can do but little, in their occafional vifits abroad, over fuch an extenfive territory. The fuccefs which has attended paft exertions, and the uniform fervor of gratitude expreffed by the good people in thefe fettlements, we hope may have a claim on the future exertions, benevolence and prayers of our pious friends in the old fettlements, and efpecially on those who have a principal agency in the direction of the miffions. That miffionary exertions and prayers may yet abound more and more, and that fuccefs may attend all fuch exertions, is the prayer of your friend and fervant in Chrift, DAVID HIGGINS. Aurelius, State of N. York, Feb. 14, 1803. Extra of a letter to one of the Editors, from his correfpondent in Rutland (Well Society) Vermont, dated February 17, 1803. |
