-to go on anto perfection. Each one in the language of Paul fays, "I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting thofe things which are behind, I prefs toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus." I' I am, dear Chriftian Friend, yours in Chrift. VIATOR. (To be continued.) Reflections on God's feeding his ancient church with Manna. Tis well known, to all, who have any acquaintance with facred hiftory, that the children of Ifrael, after they came out of the land of Egypt, where they had endured moft cruel fervitude, were made to journey forty years through a wildernefs. This journey, with all their wanderings and all the difficulties, dangers, and loffes they met with, was of divine appointment, and neceffary to prepare that people to enter the promifed land. The holy fovereign of the univerfe was now bumbling and proving them.Among the methods which God took to humble Ifrael, Mofes particularly fpeaks of his feeding them with manna. Deut. viii. 16. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might bumble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end. This manna was miraculous bread, rained down from heaven. It was to be found every day in the week, excepting the fabbath. No man was able to make the leaft gain of it, by gathering large quantities; for if they left the gatherings of one day over night, by the next morning it would contain worms, and become entirely unfit for ufc. On the fixth day, hovever, they might gather double the quantity which they did on other days, for fuch was the wonderful providence of God, that this bread from heaven, if laid up with reference to the fabbath, would retain all its fweetness and delicioufnefs unhurt. Tho' fo difficult to be kept, in ordinary cafes, even over one night, yet Mofes, by divine command, laid up a pot of this manna, that fucceeding generations might fee with what bread God fed the children of Ifrael in the wildernefs; and this was preferved hundreds of years. For the space of forty years, God ceafed not to fend a fupply of this food for the whole congregation. Thus wonderfully did the Moft High diftinguish the children of Ifrael from all other nations, by the manner of their being fupported. It was far from being fo with their fathers. Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, from whom they defcended, were husbandmen, and cultivators of the earth. God did not provide for them miraculoufly; but they fupported themfelves, and their numerous families, by the fweat of the brow. Therefore Mofes faid to themGod fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not. Such a thing had never been known or heard of, before it was done for them. Should we not suppose, at first view, that to be thus miraculously fupported, day after day, and year after year, would be viewed by them as a great and distinguifhing honor, and that they were rather in danger of being proud of it? Should we not fuppofe it would be gratifying to the feelings even of the natural heart to be as certain as the children of Ifrael were of daily food, and to obtain it with fo much eafe, and at fo little expenfe? They had no occafion to endure the fatigues of the feed-time and harveft, nor had they any anxiety, left their profpects fhould be cut fhort, by untimely frofts, or blafts. Yet Mofes exprefsly fays, God fed them in this way that they might be humbled and proved. How all were well provided for, but not one of them was rich, nor was there any way for one to get above another. So eager was their defire to make gain of the manna, that they, at firft, broke over the divine command and began to hoard up, but what they gathered foon became naufeous to them. Thus was their ambition checked, and thus were their proud hearts mortified. Their fa were men of large poffeffions, had many fervants, and while they lived, they were continually adding to their wealth, and were accounted great and honorable in the earth. The fame things were coveted by them, but they found To the hearts of the unfanctified, the thought of dependence is painful. They wish to have eve can we view this as a method made ufe of by God, to humble them? This question will not be diffithers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob cult to folve, if we keep in mind the natural feelings of the human heart. All mankind, in a ftate of nature, afpire after riches and worldly greatnefs. The natural heart has no defire of laying up a treasure any where but in this world. The idea of accumula-themselves restricted by being fed ting property, of increafing world- with manna. We may eafily fee, ly fubftance, is, with moft men, therefore, that this difpenfation of a darling one. With a view to God, though in reality a great perfonal diftinction, and felf-exalt- bleffing and honor to his people, ation, each one is ambitious to was pointed directly against their collect and poffefs more of this proud and felfish hearts. world than his neighbor. To obtain this end, fome are planning one way, and fome another, and they are continually taking advan-ry thing, on which their happiness tage of the failures and defects of depends, is their own hands, and each other's plans. That there at their own difpofal. This beis this thirting for property a-ing the natural feeling of the hu mong mankind is very manifeft. man heart, how wifely fuited to It is a characteristic of the depra- humble Ifrael was God's appointved heart. Do we not already fee, ment in feeding them with mantherefore, that God's feeding the na? Nothing could be more fo. children of Ifrael with manna was While he manifefted the greatest wifely fitted to humble them? care and tendernefs for them, he He fed them faithfully and deli-croffed all the feelings of their ciously, but he effectually fhut the proud and afpiring hearts; for door against their amaffing prop- they were kept in a state of abfoerty and growing rich. They lute dependence from day to day. had food in plenty from day to On the return of each night, they day, but they could not hoard up gave their eyes to fleep without a fingle grain of the manna; for having a mofel of bread, or any it would not keep. In this dif- thing with which it might be perfation of his providence, Ged made, in their dwellings. Their combatted all their notions of whole dependence was on the greatness and grandeur. They more bounty and promife of God. They lived as it is fometimes expreffed, from hand to mouth. It was fomething like taking all the poffeffions of a rich man from his hands, and giving him his ftated meals, without fuffering him to have any thing which he might call his own. cured. The whole dependence of Chriftians for that fpiritual food, which they need, is on the mere mercy and promife of God, just as it was with the children of Ifrael, in regard to their food for each fucceeding day. They ate all the food they had every day, and lay down at night, without having the leaft help in themfelves. They were poor and perfectly deftitute. If God had not interpofed for them every day, they must inevitably have perifhed. It is juft fo with Chriftians in regard to spiritual things. They are in a state of abfolute dependence from one day, and from one minute to another. They have no grace which they keep in ftore, and to which they can repair for fupport under heavy and unexpected trials, or to enjoy fpecial privileges. How they fhail feel under fome great trial which they have in profpect, or when they may come to fpecial ordinances, they know not, because in themselves they find no help nor ftrength. The prophet Hofea fpeaks of the Lord's raining righteoufnefs upon his people; and thefe thoughts fhow us how we are to understand him. As the manna was rained down from heaven, fo rightcoufnefs is rained from heaven on the children of God. For that peace of confcience, that joy in the Holy Ghoft, that increafe of grace and perfeverance therein, which are so necessary to the Chriftian character, they are dependent from one moment to another. All holy exercifes, fuch as fubmiffion and quietnefs under trials, faith in divine promifes, longings of foul after God, and benevolence toward men, are from heaven, and are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Chriftians have God's premife that they thall be fupport An interefting application of thefe thoughts may be made to the Chriftian life. This manna was typical of the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is the bread of eterLal life, as appears from John vi. 48-51. "I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. In Rev. ii. 17. it is faid-To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna. God's children are as dependent for fpiritual food, as the Ifraelites were for their As well may we fuppofe that our bodies can fublift without food, as that the renewed foul can live without partaking of the heavenly manna, without fome fpiritual refreshing from Jefus Christ. Muf Chriftians, then, feed upon the bread which came down from heaven, the hidden manna? How do they get fuppiled? In the fame way that the Ifraelites did with their daily food. God does not fet them up with a flock or fufficiency at once. This is very far from being the cafe. He keeps them quite poor and empty in themfelves, and fupplies them from one minute to another, according as he fees they need. In this way his own glory is moft difplayed, and their fafety beft fe-ed, and this is their whole fecurity. manna. H GENTLEMEN, pleasure and profit, the accounts in your very useful Magazine, of the late wonderful work of God in this and the adjacent ftates; I feel encouraged to fend you a narrative of what the fame beneficent and merciful being has done for us in this place. Altho the number of the converted or convinced here is not fo great as in fome other places of which you have published an account; yet enough has been done to awaken many flumbering Chriftians to more exalted and pure devotion, and to excite praifes to Zion's king from many who were fpiritually dead. It is animating indeed, to hear the former worldling, fpeak affectionately and feelingly of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift; the oppofer commending the do&rines of grace; and to fee the once gay and volatile youth take each other by the hand, faying "come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.* The Lord will build up Jerufalem let us be glad and rejoice. This fociety is but lately formed, and I am the first fettled minifter. I am informed that fome years fince, there was a small re Ifaiah ii. 3. |vival of religion, and feveral per fons added to the church. At the time of my fettlement, while every thing elfe appeared favora ble, the spirit and power of vital piety feemed almost gone. There punctuality in attending public was a commendable and general Worfhip on the fabbath; but not attention and folemnity, which that animation, that fixed, engaged characterize thofe who tread the courts of the Lord to be fed with the bread of life and the waters of life. We had a number of praying families, but alas too many, in which the morning and evening facrifice was not offered to God, and no fupplication made by parents, for the gracious prefence of the Redeemer with themselves and their children. Several cafes of difcipline exifted in the church, which required the tendereft management and lay upon the brethren as a heavy burden. All faw and acknowledged the evil and longed to have it removed, but in the general inactivity and difcouragement, and owing perhaps in fome degree to the want of a fettled minifter nothing effectual had been done. The church appeared timid, and fome of the enemies of the crofs exulted and caft reproach. It will appear however, that our finful fears were not realized; and that Chrift, the great head of the church, caufed the fweet influences of his grace to break forth from this very quarter, whence we expected trouble and danger, on which we grounded our fears of difunion, and which appeared at the time to hang over us as a portentous cloud. Returning home from fome places where there was a revival, my rid became impreffed with the idea, that nothing fo effectually kept off the divine bleffing from us as our neglect of thofe cafes of difcipline. The church were urged to proceed immediately, and being foon convinced that reformation must begin at the houfe of God, entered into the affair with fpirit. I foon found that individuals had for fome time past been wraftling with God in prayer, and had a strong hope that what they heard from other places, would be foon realized here. This helped to encourage them and others to proceed againft an offending brother without delay. Iu July, a complaint was regularly exhibited, and a day for the trial appointed. A circumstance now took place which fhewed that the Lord was on our fide. Though the accufed, a managed about So, appeared for fome time not to regard the fummons of the church, and tho' pains were taken to fupprefs the evidence; yet fuch was the power of God, that he found no peace, 'till his heart melted, and he appeared and plead guilty to the complaint. His venerable appearance, his apparent deep-felt penitence and humility, rendered the fcene peculiarly affecting to the church and to his own family. On his confeffion, which was public, he was restored to our charity and communion. It was indeed a folemn tranfaction, and feemed to intereft the whole audience and to make an impreffion highly favorable to religion. Soon after, returning from a neighboring fociety, I called at his houfe. I perceived a ftranger profent and a confiderable alteration in the countenances of the family; but whether there was any thing fpecial, or whether their feelings were unfavorably excited, on account of my conduct in the late affair of difcipline, I knew VOL. III. No. z. not. Judge then my agreeable furprife when foon called upon by the mother in tears to answer to her daughter and the stranger the great queftion, "what shall we do to be faved?" To this unexpect ed question I gave the fcripture anfwer, and foon found they were indeed pricked in their hearts. And here, the late awakening with which a merciful and fovereign God hath vifited us, may be properly faid to begin. It was foon found that other members of the fame family were in a fimilar ftate of conviction. This interpofition of God was too ftriking. to pals unnoticed-It manifested to the church, and to all, that the way of duty is the way of fafety,, and the way in which divine bleffings are ufually difpenfed. It ferved to arouse the friends of Zion. They awoke from difcouragement and declenfion; and their hearts and mouths began to open on the fubject of religion. It was judg ed proper, though in the most bufy feafon of the year, immediately to appoint occafional lectures. Thefe were firft preached at pri-. vate houfes, but the number of hearers foon made it neceffary to attend in the meeting houfe. Thefe lectures were feveral of them preached by neighboring minifters, to whom we are greatly indebted for their kind inftructions and labors of love. New cafes of conviction foon occurred in different parts of the fociety; the ftill fmall voice of God, here and there fpake to fundry careleís and fecure finners, caufing great diftrefs of mind and a moft anxious enquiry after the way of escape from the wrath to come. Our lectures were feriously and folemnly attended; the fabbath was a folemn day; in private companies, and in the corners of the streets reli I |