themselves, before they find him of whom Moses and the prophets did write. God is not confined to character, time or place, to work the work of atonement in the soul; he does all things well, and in the best time and way; and christians do very wrong, to contend about those differences which sin and deception caused in them, before they knew Christ. Two persons are discoursing about the agreeable flavor of the pine-apple; one says to the other, it tastes very differently from what I expected it would before I tasted it; I thought it was a crabbed sour. Says the other, I am sure you never tasted of a pine-apple; for, before I tasted of one, I thought it was a disagreeable bitter. Thus they dispute, each in his turn arguing, that the other had never tasted of the fruit, because they had different ideas about it, before they actually had any knowledge of it. Would you not, kind reader, advise those disputants to come to a solution of their question, in a different way? Surely you would; and if they could agree, about the real taste of the apple, you would advise them to let their former false notions alone. Then, christian reader, go and do likewise, in the religion of Jesus; and wherever you find a brother, who has, in reality, tasted that the Lord is gracious, fellowship him, as one initiated into the kingdom of God. Atonement by Christ, was never intended to perform impossibilities; therefore, it was never designed to make men agree, and live in peace, while they are destitute of love one to another; but it is calculated and designed to inspire the mind with that true love which will produce peace in Jesus. As atonement is a complete fulfilment of the law of the heavenly man, it causes its recipient to love God and his fellow creatures, in as great a degree as he partakes of its nature. Ask one brought out of darkness into the marvellous light of the gospel, how God appears to him; and he will answer, more glorious than he can describe. Ask him how he feels towards his fellow men; and he will say, even of his enemies, he wishes them no worse than to enjoy the blessings of divine faIn times of refreshing, how many thousands have been heard to speak of the goodness of the Lord, and of the infinite fulness of his grace; and with what love, affection and fervency, have they invited their fellow men to the rich provisions of the gospel! vor. The earth, in time of drought, ceases to be fruitful; the streams and springs thereof are dried up ; the fields put off their robes of green, and gardens afford no fragrant delights; but when the heavens give the wonted blessing in gentle showers, how suddenly is the face of nature changed! The purling rill murmurs through the mead, pastures and fields teem with vegetation, and gardens blush with enamelled beauties. So the soul, unwatered with the rain of righteousness, and destitute of the waters of eternal life, is like a barren figtree that yields no wholesome fruit. But behold the transition; the moment atoning grace is effective in the mind, the parched ground becomes a pool, and the thirsty land, streams of water, The soul is like the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom they are dressed; and, like a garden well watered and cultivated, yielding all manner of precious fruits. Look on the trees, after autumn has plucked their leaves, and winter frozen their trunks and limbs : Without faith in spring, their future life would be hopeless; but wait for the season of nature's appointment, when the increasing majesty of the sunbeams gently removes the chains of frost, and warm zephyrs are breathed on the surrounding snow, removing it from the land; the embryo blossom, nicely concealed in frost, now swells with genial heat; and the leaf, so nicely folded in winter's chest, now displays its matchless green, and the whole forest rejoices in expanded delights. So, if we look on man, in the sinful Adam, there is no appearance of heavenly life, or divine animation; the soul is bound in the fetters of sin, frozen with covetousness, and apparently dead in the winter of iniquity. But behold the Sun of righteousness arising with healing in his wings, removing sin, by the power of grace, and killing moral death, with divine life and animation, and causing the soul to rejoice in the kingdom of grace and glory. Then it may be rightly said, "The winter is past, the rains are over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, and the time of singing is How mysterious are the ways of God! What infinite depths of wisdom lie concealed from the sight of mortals! He, who varies the seasons of the year, and diversifies nature through so great a number of changes, without losing the smallest particle of matter, can carry his rational creatures through all the dispensations designed in infinite wisdom, without losing any, and consummate the whole in glory at last. come." Suffer me, kind reader, in my faithfulness with the saints, to excite a close examination. It can be of no avail, to believe, we are partakers of aton ing grace, unless that is really the case. I am of opinion, that many may be deceived in these things; some may suppose they are experimentally acquainted with them, when in reality, they have no other evidence of it, than that some god ly minister, as they suppose him to be, can fellowship them as christians; while others do, in reality, feel this divine spirit of grace, in its atoning operations, but dare not suffer themselves to believe it, because they have not obtained the approbation of some, in whom they have been taught to put confidence. From I would, therefore, note some faithful evidences, in this case, which will not deceive us; and in doing this, I shall keep the reader close to the spirit of the law, which is love to God and man. these two points and their consequences, all the evidence which can be obtained must be deduced. The question then is, do you love God? If you answer yes, I ask, why do you love him? and why do you endeavor to serve him? If you answer, because it is your duty, and you fear his rod, if you do not; I tell you, you are deceived; you have no real love to your Maker. Undoubtedly you would say, (as many vain professors have said) "If you were certain of salvation in the world to come, you would do all the mischief here you could." If the gospel of Jesus Christ have any enemies in this wicked world, you are of that class. Your profession of christianity, for forty or fifty years; your attention to church ordinances, and the mighty parade you have made in a round of (what you call) religious duties, have only served to paint you like a whited sepulchre: You lack the one thing needful, which is love. You are ready to oppose all professors of Christianity who do not The weapons subscribe to your articles of faith. of your warfare are a tongue of slander, and a spirit of persecution; and you are daily raising false accusations against those who faithfully serve the Lord in spirit and in truth. The pharisees of old made as great professions of religion as you do, and were as punctual to those customs, whereby they made void the law, as you are to those, whereby you make void the gospel; and like you, they were zealous of defending their religion; and in their zeal they murdered the Lord of life and glory! Perhaps you will say, the author is hard in his reproofs. I reply, if you, who answer the questions as I have stated, are not of the class of which I speak, you will not feel the rebuke; but if you are, you not only deserve it, but greatly need it. On the other hand, if you can truly say, you love the Lord, on account of the divine beauties and excellencies you behold in him; that he is in truth, to you, altogether lovely, and the chiefest among ten thousand; that you delight in his service, because it is your meat and drink to do his will; that your greatest enjoyment is obedience to his commands, which are joyous and not grievous, and in keeping of which, there is great reward; let your denomination be what it may, let you live in what part of the world you will, you are a friend to the religion of Jesus, and you have sweet communion with him who sits at the right hand of God. Are you rich in the things of this world; you view all your possessions at the will, and you wish to have them at the disposal, of the Master whom you serve; are you adorned with titles of human honor, how sweet is it to lay all these things at the feet of him whom you esteem infinitely honorable. Are you poor in the goods of fortune, |