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things, which we are called to renounce, and become disgusted with them. It calls us to break off evil habits, and to perform strange things, like changing the Ethiopian's skin, and the leopard's spots; like cutting off a right hand, or plucking out a right eye; but no sooner do we set about compliance, than the mountains are removed; and the rough places made plain; and we find an assistance, sufficient for every service.

"Our worldly employments, which we, before, conducted on worldly principles, we now carry on, as doing the duties of our station: they are sanctified to us, by the word of God and prayer; and whether we eat, or drink, or whatsoever we do, we do all to the glory of God. Thus we learn to serve God, even in our ordinary employments, doing them in his sight, and as unto him, and depending on him for a blessing. What he gives, that we receive, and are thankful for it: what he withholds, or takes away, we resign, without murmuring, or complaining. It is the Lord; let him do as seemeth him good! When we abound, we give to him that needeth; and, by giving to the poor, we lend unto the Lord, who has promised to repay us, with interest. When we are in straits, we learn to trust in him, who feedeth the young ravens when they cry; whose are the cattle upon a thousand hills, and in whose hand are the hearts of all, and who never faileth them, that trust in him. Thus we learn to live: and then, when we have learned to live, and walk with God here, without the veil, we shall have little reluctance to step through, and walk still more closely with him, within the veil.

"In the mean time, when we read God's word, he speaks to us; when we pray, we speak to him; a blessed correspondence is begur, and carried on here, which is the earnest of that more intimate and holy communion which we shall have with God, and all holy beings in Heaven."-Scott's Letters and Papers, pp. 54, 55.

BIBLE CAUSE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

We had just made arrangements for having a few articles on the Bible Cause in this Commonwealth, when the following came to hand. We are glad the work has commenced, and shall esteem it our privilege to have our paper assiduously employed in advancing it. No benevolent institution in Massachusetts, we suppose, has languished like the Bible Society. It is time that it should take its due rank, and fulfil the great purpose for which it was formed; especially when similar associations in less favored States are resolving in their strength, that the several portions of their land shall be filled with Bibles.-Recor. & Tel.

At a meeting of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Bible Society, Thursday, Dec. 13, 1827.

Voted, That it is, in the opinion of this Board, highly desirable that every family in this Commonwealth, destitute of the Bible, be supplied as soon as possible; that this Board will, immediately, take measures to supply all the destitute in the county of Suffolk; that they recommend to each existing County Society, to supply the destitute within its limits; and that Societies be formed, for this purpose, in those counties in which none now exist.

Voted, That the Treasurer and Executive Committee prepare a Circular to the existing County Societies, and to influential gentlemen in those counties in which no Societies now exist; and take all other suitable measares to carry into effect the object of the preceding vote. JOHN PIERCE, Rec. Sec.

Attest:

ORDINATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS.

1828, Jan. 9. Ordained, Rev. SUMNER G. CLAPP, as colleague pastor with Rev. Mr. Crosby of the Congregational Church in Enfield, Mss. Sermon by Rev. Prof. Woods.

1828, Jan. 16. Installed Rev. AUGUSTUS B. COLLINS, as pastor of the Cong. Church in Preston, Con. Sermon by Rev. C. Booth, from Rom. xi. 13. 1828, Jan. 16. Installed Rev. Mr. HUBBARD, as pastor of the Cong. Church in Monson, Me. Sermon by Rev. B. Tappan of Augusta.

1828, Jan. 21. Ordained Rev. JOSIAH T. HAWES, as pastor of the Cong. Church in Somersworth, N. H. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Greenleaf of Wells, Me. from Ezek. xxxiii. 6.

1828, Jan. 31. Ordained in Boston, as an Evangelist, Rev. SAMUEL A. BUMSTEAD. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Sabine.

1828, Jan. 31. Ordained Rev. BENSON C. BALDWIN, as pastor of a Cong. Church in Norwich, Con. Sermon by Rev. John Nelson.

POETRY.

FROM THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

THE BIBLE'S COMPLAINT.

Am I the Book of God? then why,

O Man, so seldom is thine eye
Upon my pages cast?

In me behold the only guide

Know, that in yonder realms above,
Where fondest sympathy and love
For erring mortals reign,

Ten thousand glorious spirits burn

To which thy steps thou canst confide, To celebrate thy first return,

And yet be safe at last!

Am I the record God has giv'n

Of Him, who left the courts of heav'n,
Thy pardon to procure?

And canst thou taste one moment's bliss,
Apart from such a hope as this?

Or feel one hour secure?

Am I the Spirit's voice, that tells
Of all His grace and love, who dwells
Between the Cherubim ?

And wilt thou slight my warnings still?
And strive thy cup of guilt to fill,

Till it shall reach the brim?

O turn, at length, from danger's path!
And kiss the Son, lest in his wrath
The Father rise and swear,
That since in mercy oft address'd,
Thou still hast scorn'd his promis'd rest,
Thou shalt not enter there!

In loud, ecstatic strain!

And hark! From that abyss of woe,
Where tears of grief and anguish flow
Amidst devouring fire,

What sounds of hopeless wail proclaim
The terrors of Jehovah's name,

The fierceness of his ire!

O' sinner! hear that doleful ery;
And learn from sin and self to fly,
Ere Justice lifts her rod!
List, while thou may'st, to Mercy's call,
For 'tis a fearful thing to fall

Into tho hands of God!

Now, now is the accepted day;
And, shadow-like, it fleets away

On wings of awful speed!
Take up the Cross, and thou art strong,
Come life, come death!-Reject it long,
And thou art lost indeed!

TO CORRESPONDENTS. A Communication, with the Philadelphia postmark, containing an Extract from a Methodist Paper, was prepared for insertion, with Remarks in answer to the Enquiries of our Correspondent; but, by some untoward accident, was lost on its way to the Press. We much regret the loss, which it is out of our power to repair. Original matter would be very acceptable, at this time.

ERRATA-p. 3. 1. 3 from bottom-for are read one.

p. 5. 1. 7 from bottom-for unhumble r. unhumbled.
p. 8. 1. 17 from bottom-for conscience r. consciences.
p. 9. 1. 5 from bottom-after show insert that,

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[The following Sermon, by Rev. NATHANAEL EMMONS, D. D. was added to the second edition of his first volume. The masterly manner in which this Discourse illustrates a most important and difficult subject, induces a compliance with the request of a respectable patron, to copy it into our pages.]

ON THE JUSTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS. ROMANS, V. 1.-Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostle having, in the preceding chapters, established the doc. trine of justification by faith alone through the atonement of Christ, proceeds to draw a just and important inference from it in the text."Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Justification places all, who cordially believe in Christ, in a new, a safe, and a happy situation. There is, however, no small difficulty in reconciling this, with some other equally plain and important truths of the gospel. But all this difficulty, perhaps, may be entirely removed, by exhibiting the doctrine of justification in a just and scriptural light. In attempting to do this, it is proposed. 1. To describe true believers.

II. To consider what is meant by their being justified.

III. To consider how they are justified.

IV. To consider when they are justified.

V. To consider the terms upon which they are justified.

1. I am to describe true believers. These are persons, who have been brought out of a state of nature into a state of grace. All men are by nature morally depraved, and entirely destitute of the least degree of true love to God. They are completely under the dominion of a carnal mind, which is enmity against God, not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. They deserve nothing better from the hand of God whom they have hated and disobeyed, than eternal death, the proper wages of sin. Now, all true believers have been awakened to see themselves in this guilty and perishing condition, and brought to accept the punishment of their iniquities, and to ascribe righteousness to God, should he see fit to cast them off forever. They have been made willing to renounce all self-dependence and self-right eousness, and to rely alone upon the atonement of Christ for pardoning mercy in the sight of God. They have believed the record which God has given of his Son, and fled for refuge to lay hold upon the

hope set before them in the gospel. Christ has appeared to them precious, and their hearts have been united to him, as the branches are united to the vine. This has been owing to a divine operation upon their hearts. The apostle John represents those who have believed in the name of Christ, as "being born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." "He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in the hearts of all true believers, to give them the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ." None ever become true believers, until they have been renewed in the spirit of their mind, and have put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. But though God has begun a good work in their hearts yet he carries it on gradually, and never makes them perfectly holy in this life. Paul acknowledged that he had not attained to perfec holiness, but when he would do good evil was present with him. Hù moral imperfections deeply affected him, and caused him to cry out. "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Though true believers have been reconciled to God, and God has been reconciled to them; yet they offend him every day and every day deserve the marks of his holy displeasure.

2. We are next to consider what is meant by their justification. The apostle asserts, that "being justified by faith, they have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Justification is a term taken from the practice of civil courts, in acquitting or releasing from punishment those, who are found innocent of the charges alleged against them. But this term is not to be understood precisely in the same sense, when applied to the justification of believers. Though God releases them from punishment, yet he does not declare them innocent. He views them as actually guilty of transgressing his holy law, and as deserving to suffer the full penalty of it; but nevertheless for Christ's sake, he releases them from suffering the just punishment of their iniquities. So that justification, in a gospel sense, signifies no more nor less, than the pardon or remission of sin. What is called justification, in the New Testament, is more commonly called forgiveness in the Old. Under the Law, God is said to forgive or pardon true penitents; but under the Gospel, he is said either to forgive, or to justify them, which signifies the same thing. Christ usually told those who repented and believed, that "their sins were forgiven.”— Peter said to the three thousand that were awakened on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Paul commonly used justification and forgiveness as synonymous terms. Speaking of believers in the third of Romans, he says, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his

righteousness for the remission of sins." And he addressed the Jews at Antioch in similar terms. “Be it known to you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins :-And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." These and many other passages of Scripture plainly teach us, that the justification of believers is the same thing as their forgiveness, through the atonement of Christ.

III. We are to consider how God justifies, pardons, or forgives true believers.

The assembly of Divines say, "Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, &c." But have we any evidence, that he does, or says any thing, when he justifies or pardons believers? Do they see any thing done, or hear any thing said when they are justified? Or is there any reason to suppose, that God puts forth any act or makes any declaration, at the time of their justification? But if he does neither of these things, we have still to inquire how or in what manner, he justifies believers. To this question a plain and satisfactory answer may be given. God justifies all true behievers by WILL. He has formed, and written, and published his last Will and Testament concerning mankind; in which he pardons all true believers, and makes them heirs of salvation, but totally disinherits and banishes from his kingdom all the finally impenitent and unbelieving. As it is by Will, that parents give future legacies to their children, while they are young, and even before they are born; so it is by Will, that God gives future legacies to his children. Hence says the Apostle, "The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." There is no occasion of God's saying or doing any thing, at the time of justifying believers, because he has already adopted them into his family and made them heirs, according to the terms specified in his written and revealed Will.

IV. Let us next consider when true believers are justified, pardoned, and accepted. The apostle plainly intimates, that they are justified as soon as they become believers. "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."Our Savior said, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." And again he solemnly declared, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." The apostle declares, "There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." And he more directly says to believers, "You, being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven all your trespasses, blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that were against us, and

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