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viour's miraculous power, and consequently the truth of his religion.

But besides this, the miracles of the gospel are peculiarly distinguished from all pretended miracles.

1. Christ did not, like the champions of popery, who wished to establish some monstrous opinion, or give celebrity to some particular sect, assemble the multitude to witness his miracles, and by the arts of eloquence or the aid of superstition, prepare their minds for something unexpected and extraordinary. He fixed no stated hour for the cures which he performed. It was in the ordinary course of his ministry, when he went about doing good, that he wrought "the works of Him that sent him" without ostentation or parade.

2. None of his miracles were unsuccessful and none of them incomplete. Every one that came to him was healed. The diseases which he rebuked, were in every instance perfectly removed.

3. The greater number of these cures evidently transcended the power of natural means; some of them were effected by means which in themselves were not only inadequate, but even adverse; and those of them, over which medical prescriptions might have had some influence, were supernatural, as to the manner in which they were perfórmed: for,

4. They were always instantaneous frequently effected without the intervention of any natural means by a word, a look, or a touch.

5. If any of the Jews imagined them to be impostures, and ex

amined them in order to detect the supposed fraud, they totally failed in their object. Yet, it is more than incredible, that acute examinators, assisted by every passion, which could render them more acute, should have considered such a multitude of extraordinary effects, said to be supernatural, without in a single instance discovering the least appearance of fraud: unless we suppose, that these effects were indeed really produced.

6. The end for which the miracles of Christ were performed, was worthy of them. It was not to illustrate any obscure, absurd or licentious doctrine; to confirm any foolish or fluctuating opinion; to encourage one sect and subvert another; or to sup, port the prejudices, and superstition of the people; but to con, firm the truth of a religion, as sublime in its conceptions of God, as benevolent in its regards to man, as interesting in its doctrines, as pure in its precepts, as solacing in its promises, as it is possible to conceive. Surely then, this was an object worthy of the greatest display of divine power, worthy in all respects of that astonishing series of miracles, which the history of the Saviour records.

Christianity is founded on a "rock;" and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Beware then, my brother, of attacking either secretly or openly, by any of the weapons of infidelity, this impregnable fortress. Canst thou resist Omnipotence? No! thy soul must perish in the at tempt. D. D.

April, 1806.

SURVEY OF CHURCHES.

Is the intended survey of our churches, it will be natural to be gin with the character of the individuals of whom the churches are composed. They, who belong to Christ's church, ought to be his disciples. The scripture represents them, as saints; as persons born again, and entitled to a heavenly inheritance; as children of the light and of the day; as crucified to the world, and alive unto God; as the salt of the earth; as the city, and the temple of God, in which he graciously dwells. It is granted, that the visible church, in its purest state, has contained many, whose character has not, in any degree, answered this high description. But it evidently appears, what is the nature of Christ's church, and what should be the character of all its members. If the church contains those who are essentially deficient in their religious character, it is proportionably corrupt. When irreligion becomes predominant, the church loses its proper character, its influence, and its blessedness.

All the disorders, which crept into the Old Testament church, all the evils, which afflicted and wasted it, were occasioned by the general impiety of its members. Their personal unholiness led to idolatry, and all other national abominations. In the first age of Christianity, many, who had not the Spirit of Christ, united them selves to his church. Persons of such a character, after maintaining for a time, some appearance of goodness, were gradually alienated from the cause of Christ. In the time of trial they fell away.

That their apostasy was owing to the want of personal religion, is evident from the words of the apostle John. They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that they might be made manifest, that they were not of us. The fatal errors and vices, which appeared in the Asiatic churches, originated in the bosom of hypocrisy. There were a few even in Sardis, who had not defiled their garments. But the reigning character of the church was corrupt. Many of the members, probably the greater part, were destitute of saving religion. Members of that description injured the cause of Zion, not only by their own conduct directly, but also by the hurtful influence they had on the character of real saints. The holy zeal of sincere Christians was damped, their faithful exertions encumbered, and their usefulness diminished by their connexion with the unsanctified. Thus it came to pass, that the church, though it had a name to live, was dead. In the same way the Laodicean church was reduced to a state of culpable lukewarmness. In the same way all the churches of Asia were corrupted, and finally ruined.

The apostles judged frequent and most solemn warnings necessary to guard the disciples against the dangerous influence of false brethren.

Neither scripture, nor attentive observation gives us liberty to suppose, that the church at the present time is any more free from a mixture of bad characters, than it was at the time of the apostles. The parables of the wheat and tares, and of the ten virgins, with other parables and

prophetic declarations of the same import, are as applicable to the church in these ages, as at any former period. Multitudes of wicked men assume the form of godliness, and join in profession with the people of Christ. Now although such a state of the church will be overruled by Heaven for wise purposes; yet the nature of things conspires with experience to show, that it is the unfailing source of numberless evils. It is as undesirable, as for noxious weeds to mingle with the fruits of a garden, or for tares to spring up and grow in a field with wheat.

With these remarks in mind, let us survey the churches through the Commonwealth. These churches in general consist of few members. It is no violation of the rules of candour to believe, that a considerable part of those few are destitute of Christian holiness. "Would to God," says Doddridge, "there were reason to hope, that the Christian church were so equally divided, that five of ten in it had the oil of divine grace in their hearts, to render them burning and shining lights." We may, with propriety, adopt the same pious wish respecting our New England churches.

The reasons which lead to such an apprehension are many. Some of the most obvious will just be mentioned.

The first and most weighty is, the practice of nominal Christians. Some are notoriously immoral. Dishonesty, Sabbath-breaking, and intemperance are often seen in those, who name the name of Christ. How many discover a worldly, selfish, or revengeful spirit, as inconsistent with the

Christian character, as any vice whatever. Of how many may it be said, that although they can. not be charged with any particular sins, their habitual conduct towards the church and the world clearly manifests the want of grace. Of how many others must we, at best, entertain very uncomfortable doubts. In what various ways do men, without open irregularities, render their piety justly suspected. How many, whose deportment is commonly blameless, show, on discriminating occasions, that they have not the love of God in their hearts. By professing Christians in general, the holy morality of the gospel is little regarded. If we judge them by their fruits, and their fruits by the precepts of Christianity; we must conclude, that vital religion is in a very low state in our churches, and that a proportion of their members, greater than we would willingly name, have at most, the form, without the power of godliness.

We may, secondly, infer this lamentable truth from the inadequate and false opinions of religion, which many nominal Christians entertain.

At present these opinions will be only hinted at, as proof of the fact under consideration. There are errors, which the inspired writers consider, as a perversion of the gospel, and as exposing every one, who embraces them, to the censure of the church and the heaviest anathema of the Bible. Such errors, without doubt, are found in our churches. Indeed, they could not have obtained such currency; they could not be avowed with such boldness, and defended with so much success,

without the concurring agency of large numbers. These prevalent errors are the fruit of an unchristian spirit, and a direct proof, that many church members are destitute of gospel faith. The inadequate opinions, which are generally held respecting the nature of saving religion and the requisite qualifications of church members, lead us in a different way to the same conclusion. It is to be presumed, that men will act according to their sentiments. When they disbelieve the scripture doctrine of regeneration, and consider no moral change necessary to prepare them for the visible kingdom of Christ; we may expect that their conduct will be agreeable to such opinions, and that they will unite themselves to the church in an unrenewed state. Multitudes, who profess religion, think it weakness, to inquire after any evidence, that they are born of God. When such principles govern men in entering into the church, and the church in receiving them, it is easy to see, of what characters the church will be composed.

These observations must not be applied, without many favourable exceptions. The unadulteThe unadulterated faith and practice of primitive Christianity are not yet expelled from our churches. But after all the exceptions, which truth admits and candour requires, we have great reason to fear that large numbers of nominal Christians among us are not washed from their sins.

This, we apprehend, is the radical evil. Without removing or lessening this, other evils,

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which flow from it, must be expected to remain. It is often remarked by judicious writers, that civil society can never enjoy permanent tranquillity and happiness, while the civil principles and moral character of its members are corrupt. It is certainly as true, that-peace and frosperity can never be enjoyed by the church, while the religious principles and moral conduct of its members are unchristian. The body cannot be in a healthy vigorous state, while its constituent parts are unsound and decaying.

As far as this radical evil extends in our churches, it prevents them from answering the great end of their Founder. While made up, in a considerable degree, of ungodly members, how can it be imagined that they will adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour, or show forth his praises, by the abounding fruits of holiness? How can they be the salt of the earth, if they lose the savour of religion, and participate in the corruptions of the world? Can churches be lights, to illuminate the surrounding multitude, when they themselves are enveloped in moral darkness? Will men contend earnestly for that faith, which they have not cordially received? Will they recommend to others that gospel, which they practically reject? Will they faithfully maintain that discipline, which is an unwelcome restraint to their own guilty passions? In short, will they uniformly support the character, while they want the temper of saints?

PASTOR.

Selections.

THE DEATH-BED OF A MODERN

FREE-THINKER.

Exemplified in the last hours of the Hon. Francis Newport, son to the late Lord Newport.* [From the Christian Observer.]

AT sixteen the honourable Francis Newport was sent to the University, perfectly acquainted

with the Latin and Greek languages; where he continued five years, and behaved so agreeably to his religious education, that he was looked upon as a blessing and ornament to his family.

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At twenty-one he came to London, and entered himself at to study the law. His new acquaintance began to rally him for his religion to whom he would say, "Gentlemen, you, who pretend to reason, cannot count laughter a conclusive argument; if religion be so absurd, as you would have me believe, why do not you give some fair reasons against it?" This, some of them would attempt; and though their arguments at first were as unsuccessful as their raillery, yet the poison

....

When I first thought of sending you the affecting history, which I now enclose, it was my intention to have omitted the name of the unhappy person, who forms the subject of it. But happening lately to look into Simpson's Plea for Religion, a book, which has been extensively circulated, I found the name of that person at full length, accompanied by a few of the circumstances of his miserable

end. I can no longer, therefore, have a motive for concealment.

sunk by degrees, and at last tainted him as deeply as themselves. He was adopted into their society, which met to lay down rules for being so critically wicked, that the law should not be able to take hold of them. He had too much prudence to fay himself open he still kept a fair correspondence with his friends, and in strange places was sober and reserved; but in secret, and among his acquaintance, he was as wicked as good parts, abundance of temptations, and a fair estate, enabled him to be..

On November 30, 1692,* he was ill; and found, notwithstanding all his precautions, that he had not shook off the expectations of another life.

This made him throw himself upon a bed, and break out into these expressions: "Whence this war in my breast? What argument is there now to assist me against matter of fact? Do I assert that there is no hell, while I feel one in my own bosom?

Am I certain there is no after retribution, when I feel a present judgment? Do I affirm my soul to be as mortal as my, body, when this languishes, and that is vigorous as ever? O! that any one could restore me to my ancient guard of piety and innocence! Wretch that I am! whither shall I fly from this breast? what will become of

me?"

*This date corresponds to the account given of this person in the English peerage.

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