Fourthly, That the new birth is not a chimera, but a divine reality, on which hangs the blissful eternity of man.

Fifthly, That Jesus Christ is more than a creature, and is the only way to God as a Saviour of men.

Sixthly, That repentance, faith, hope, and love, are experienced by the people of God.

Seventhly, That salvation is of grace, man's free will concurring, which is necessary in order to be justified here, or stand justified hereafter. But man's condemnation is of himself, by revolting against God's moral government.

Eighthly, That the knowledge of pardon is attainable here-the witness, first, of our own spirit, a consciousness of it, and then the divine evidence, by the operation of his Spirit, which witnesseth with our spirit, and gives the confirmation of it, which,

Ninthly, Is the kingdom of heaven opened in the soul, and is the earnest of the saints' inheritance, and inspires the mind with the assurance of hope beyond this life.

The destruction of Babylon is inevitable; for the wicked must be overthrown, which they are conscious of upon serious reflection, and in the hour of danger being alarmed, like poor Volney upon the lake.

But the righteous have hope in their death, arising from the assurance of faith in Christ Jesus.

From more than twenty years' experience of the truth of the revelation of Christ in the heart, as the foundation and essence of all religion, I feel a satisfaction in resting my eternal all upon him; and by persevering in obedience to God, to my life's end, depending on his Son as my Saviour, I believe he will receive me when I die, together with all the Israel of God, who persevere to the end, into that blissful state, where we shall unanimously join to sing the following lines:

And let this feeble body fail,
And let it faint or die,

My soul shall quit this mournful vale,
And soar to worlds on high;
Shall join the disembodied saints,
And find its long-sought rest,
That only bliss for which it pants,
. In the Redeemer's breast.

In hopes of that immortal crown,
I now the cross sustain,
And gladly wander up and down,
And smile at toil and pain;
I sutter on my three-score years,
Till my Deliverer come,

And wipe away his servant's tears,
And take his exile home.

O what hath Jesus bought for me!
Before my ravished eyes
Rivers of life divine I see,
And trees of Paradise;
I see a world of spirits bright,

Who taste the pleasures there;
They all are robed in spotless white,
And conquering palms they bear.

O what are all my sufferings here,
If, Lord, thou count me meet
With that enraptur'd host t'appear,
And worship at thy feet?
Give joy or grief, give ease or pain,
Take life or friends away,
But let me find them all again
In that eternal day!

Oh, ye professional people of God, Zion bleeds! her walls are broken down; therefore bestir yourselves, and let not a hypocrite be found in the gate. But, if ye love Christ, put on Christ, and prove your love by walking in the light, as he is in the light, and keeping his commandments. Adorn your profession by your life and conversation, remembering how many it is to be feared have stumbled into ruin, over the misconduct of the professors, who have wounded the cause of religion more than the

writings of the deists. Get all the good you can, and do all the good to the souls and bodies of men within your power, for the Redeemer's sake, who will acknowledge the whole in the day of judgment.

But oh, ye rebels in heart, take warning! for time grows old, and the judgments of God are abroad in the earth. Fly, escape for your life! Attend to the light of grace; seek Jesus, and take the high road, and tarry not in all the plain, that you may escape the final overthrow of Babylon, and have peace and happiness for ever at Jerusalem.

"

A DIALOGUE

BETWEEN THE

CURIOUS AND SINGULAR.*

Curious. FRIEND Singular, how and where have you been for a long time ?

Singular. If you are Curious to know, I have been in different parts, and striving through grace to do as well as I could.

C. That is well; but it is a great thing for one to say he does as he ought.

S. True-but nevertheless we should act at all times, and on all occasions, as in the immediate presence of God-as the ship on the ocean, let the course of the wind be as it may, the ship's head is aimed for the port of destination, so we should conduct for eternity, as one who must give

account.

C. What makes you so singular in your looks, dress, and conduct, from everybody else?

S. As it relates to my looks, no two persons are exactly alike. And even your looks are peculiar to yourself, and no one is just like you. And as it relates to dress, if yours were flung into a heap with others, you could pick out your own from all the rest. And with regard to singularity, I am conscious I am never singular, merely for singularity sake.

C. Why do you act and travel in the manner that you do? What are your motives and reasons for so doing?

S. My motives are the glory of God in the salvation of immortal souls! My reasons are a consciousness of duty to my God and my fellow-mortals -for I wish for peace of mind!

C. Do you suppose that all mankind are in the wrong, and none are right but you?

S. I suppose many are right in many things; and all are liable to err -some are more right than others. And as it relates to myself, no man should be our pattern further than he follows Christ. Also proper behavior should vary according to times and circumstances.

C. Then I suppose you conclude you are the most right; and how is it that none have found out so right a way before?

S. We are given to understand that there are various gifts in the Christian church; and yet all by the same spirit-and every man in his own order, at the coming of Christ. Of course we should have the spirit of

* These dialogues are founded upon circumstantial facts.

our station in the church of Christ. And this sphere of action I believe to be mine; in it, God gives me inward peace; out of it, I believe I should lose my usefulness to others.

C. Then you are for an inspired ministry, and a spiritual church. What do you think of all the religious societies; are not some of these "The Church of Christ ?"

S. To style one sect "The Church of Christ," is to save that party at the expense of all the rest; and of course savors of religious bigotry, tyranny and superstition-as the preceding ages have horribly exemplified. Whereas the book of truth informs us, that " God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him," and shall join in the song of salvation, with the society above, "out of every nation, kindred, tongue, language, and people." Of course there may be bad and good people among all sects.

C. Suppose all Christians should do like you, there would be no form or order in the world, and of course, confusion would come in at the door. S. To say "if all should do like me," you might as well say, on the same principles, where would be the carpenters if all were blacksmiths? It is no just mode of reasoning. As the different branches of mechanism are necessary for society, so these different gifts are necessary as the eye, hand, and foot, &c., to constitute one perfect body; as a whole is composed of parts, and the parts collectively form one whole. As to confusion-what is termed confusion with and by men, may be order with God, who sees not as men see.

C. In what do you believe and preach?

S. I believe in the deity of Jesus Christ.*

It being both idolatry and blasphemy to give divine honors to a mere creature, Jesus Christ must be viewed in a more noble light.

Eternity, immensity, and infinity, are words we have heard and can repeat; but who can fix any definite meaning to them? Though they are in common use, yet they are words fit only to be applied to the Deity, and ought not to be applied anywhere else; for they cannot be otherwise used without palpable absurdities, and nonsensical contradictions And such abuses have too long been existing in the world already!

An infinite, eternal Being of immensity! What can man know of Him, the Causeless Causator, but by revelation, inspiration or manifestation?

How can man worship his Maker with his understanding, provided he be in the darkness of ignorance, so far, as neither to know nor understand any thing about it?

The world by wisdom know not their Maker. He is a Spirit, and is spiritually discerned. "What man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of a man which is within him?" And how shall a man know the mind and will of his Maker, but by revelation?

If the Maker of man be a spirit, how shall his will be revealed, so as to be understood, but by inspiration?

Should his voice be heard from the sky, over the whole world, who could bear the sound? The clash of ten thousand pieces of artillery redoubled, would be comparative silence! Well might the Jews at Mount Sinai request Moses should speak to them, the voice of the Lord being so dreadful in their ears. The human family is so numerous, and their cases so many and so various, and their languages so different-as twenty in New Orleans-that there could not any thing be heard distinctly, but all would be nonsense and confusion.

Hence the tender care and goodness of God, the Maker and Governor, over man his creature, in sending the influence of his Holy Spirit, to operate upon the mind and guide man upon the road to Jerusalem; so that without terror he may be enlightened to understand his Maker's will, and inspired with evidence and conviction on the all-important subject.

The Angel of the Covenant, was not a created angel; but was termed Jehovah, which name the Jews consider as implying all the divine attributes; and therefore will not speak it, lest it should not be done with suitable reverence; and so take this majestic name in vain, and not be guiltless. And hence they will write it only.

The word Lord, printed in small capitals in the Old Testament, should be Jehovah; which the Jews understand to imply the divinity of the Messiah, to be manifested in the world as the Saviour of men.

C. Do you feel willing to depend your everlasting welfare on Jesus ¡Christ?

S. To see one malefactor put confidence in another, who is under the same condemnation, to save him, exhibits great faith; and also a noble opinion, as exemplified in the instance of Calvary. To trust in a creature to save me, I cannot; but to trust in Christ, according to the gospel, gives me peace, and brightens up the prospects of eternity before me.

C. But supposing Christ was a deceiver; then he was only an impostor, and of course you are under a delusion.

S. The worst of opposers to Christianity admit that Christ, as man, was a good man; of course no real good man will be a deceiver: if so, he was no impostor. Therefore, according to this admittance, his religion may be genuine and real. Again, it is too uncharitable to suppose and conclude, that all who have died so happy and triumphant in the love and religion of Jesus Christ were under a delusion. And if it be once admitted that it was a reality with even but one instance, the point is gained.

C. How do you know that there ever was such a person as Jesus Christ upon earth?

S. Observe the account of Josephus, of Pilate to the Senate of Rome, our dates, with other histories, as well as scripture. Also, the many cir cumstantial proofs, as the letters of Pliny to Trajan, which Christian opposers admit to be genuine; with the many efforts to root out Christianity from the earth in vain! Christianity has, does, and will prevail !*

C. Admitting that Jesus Christ did exist, and was a good man, yet the resurrection may be fabulous, and Christianity of course a deception. S. On the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ turns the whole affair. That the body was entombed and missing, all agree.

C. The body of Christ being gone from the vault, possibly he played the possum, and only feigned himself to be dead, and deceived them, and at night made his escape; and hence a false report was circulated that he was risen from the dead.

S. Nay, such talk will never do! thorns, the scourge, and nails, &c. must have terminated in dissolution. his legs, but when they saw he was

Consider the loss of blood from the
These wounds so long undressed
Again, the orders were to break
dead, they forebore to obey, lest

Whatsoever God, the Causeless Causator, does, is done in and through Jehovah-the Lord Jesus Christ, who is called the Son of God.

Thus-He existed in the beginning as the Word-"I am." God hath appointed Him heir of all things-by whom he made the worlds-by him all things were made, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Man was in the hand of Christ before moral evil was in the world. And when man fell he still was in the hand of Christ, who called unto him in the cool of the day-which exhibits the beauty of those words,-"God so loved the world, that he sent his Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life-for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." Hence, "We love God, because he first loved us. No man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him."

Christ is the manifestation of God, through and from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds, to enlighten by his quickening influence, and guide, comfort, and sanctify mankind.

Thus there is an inward manifestation, by a revelation of Christ in the heart; corresponding to the outward manifestation given in the days of his flesh!

And it is not possible that any man should sincerely pray to God to be taught by him, and if he hath a Son, to reveal him, in his heart; and not find a solution of the query to his own satisfaction.

There is divine witness in my own soul.