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exhibiting the happy fruits of them, in the most inviting and perfuafive form -The fubject hath been protracted to an enexpected, and very probably to a tedious length; but if it gives any rational conceptions of the agency of invifible fpirits-if it produces an habitual and realizing fenfe, that we are at all times in their view, and efpecially in the view of an all-feeing and heart-fearching God and judge -if it induces us to exercife a difcreet and holy circumfpection over all our conduct, and to perform the duties of our characters and relations with affiduity and fidelity, and fo to prepare for the fociety of an innumerable company of angels, and to unite in the employment, delight and praife, of the general affembly and church of the firstborn-the fruits of it will be glorious and happy.

FOR THE CONNECTICUT EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

MESSRS. EDITORS, READER of your Magazine requests an anfwer to the following questions, viz.

A

1. Did God from all eternity, decree that a certain part of mankind, viz. the Elect fhould go to heaven do what they will?

2. Did God from all eternity decree that the other part of mankind, viz. the Rebrobates fhould go to Hell do what they can ?

3. Can Godbe juft in fo doing?

P.

Religious Intelligence.

The following Extract from the Miffionary Journal of the Rev. Seth Willifon will show the ra pidity with which fettlements have been formed and churches gather

ed in a part of the county of Ontario, fate of New-York, The date is Pittftown, October 7th

1800.

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"In the beginning of 1799, there was a fmall church here (Pittstown) confifting of only 9 or 10 members; this church was formed in 1796, when Mr. Rolph became their minifter. This was the only Congregational or Prefby. terian church in the county, which had a paftor in the beginning of 1799. At this fame date, there was a church in Bloomfield No. 10, confifting of about 30 members; fome of thefe belonged to the neighbouring focieties. There was a fmall diforganized Presbyterian church at Charleston-1 believe there were not more than 7 or 8 members. There was, at the fame time, a church upon the fame plan, confifting of a few more members, but in a neglected and unfocial ftate, in Palmyra. These were, I believe, all the pedo-baptift churches in Ontario county, in January 1799.

"There are now the following churches upon the congregational confifting of about 20 members. plan, viz. One at Canandarqua,

One at Bloomfield No. 11, confifting of about 20 members. The church at Bloomfield No. 10, 4th range, is now compofed of nearly 70 members.

In the fame town,

No. 10, 5th range, there is a church formed of about 24 members. At Bristol, No. 9, a church was formed in May 1799, which now confifts of 67 members. The church in No. 8, has increased to 22. A church was formed in Middletown in January of the prefent year; it contains 12 members. The church at Charleston has been

Mr. Rolph has been lately difmiffed.

revived out of its ruins and re-organized, upon the congregational platform, and now contains more than 20 members. The church at Palmyra has had confiderable ad. | ditions, but I cannot tell how many.

"The local fituation of these churches is fuch that they all adjoin each other, except Palmyra, which is fevered from the reft by a fingle town. Thefe churches have, during the prefent year, formed themselves into an Affociation for mutual affistance. The church at Bristol, No. 9, is furnished with a pastor, the Rev. Mr. Grover. The church at Bloomfield, No. 11, have the Rev. Reuben Parmele for their paftor. The church at Palmyra have the Rev. Mr. Fairbanks for their mifer ; and the Rev. Mr. Fld is ordained paftor of the Larch in Canandarqua. Thefe four minifters have all been fettled fince the revival of religion began in the county, the winter before lalt. The Rev. Zadoc Hunn who refides in the county, occafionally preaches in the deftitute fettlements. The revival of religion which took place in Ontario, the last year feems to have produced moft of these happy fruits."

In other parts of his journal Mr. Willflon mentions the formation of many churches in other counties, and it appears that the religious ftate of the country is on the whole flourishing. It will be a long time before the new fettlements at the weftward can be fupplied with regular, fettled paftors, and all who have at heart the intereft of the Redeemer's kingdom will feel the importance of contributing generoudly to the fupport of Millionaries, that thofe new and fcattered fettlements may not be wholly deprived of the

preaching of the gospel and the admimftration of Chriftian ordi

nances.

Extract of a letter from the Rev. David Huntington, Miffionary to the northern counties of New Fork and Vermont, dated Hardwick, Feb. 5, 1801. "Ever fince I began my miffion, I have experienced much of the goodnefs of God, in the fpecial divine fupperts he hath given me, and in the fuccefs he hath afforded to my attempts to promote his glorious caufe. In many pla ces the hearts of the people have been inclined to receive me with cordiality, and to hear the word of God with great seriousness. Ia various parts of the ftate of NewYork and alfo of Vermont, the fpirit of the Lord has been evidently poured out, and the appearances of reformation have been and still are encouraging. Once in particular, when I had much exhausted my strength in preaching, the young people were fo deeply impreffed with a fenfe of eternal things, that they defired me to preach again in the evening, which I accordingly did; and I truft the feafon was not loft. This was in a place near the Province line, never before vifited by Miffionaries. The people have agreed to keep up public worship on the fabbath and are many of them engaged in religion.

"In many other places there are evident beginnings of a good work; the harvest in these northern fettlements is truly plenteous, but alas! the labourers are few. Faithful guides to fouls, who are fkilful in the word of righteoufnefs, are greatly needed. Many enquire whether more Miffionaries may be foon expected, and anxious to have preachers among

are

them who may teach them the right way, and confront falfe teachers. The greater part of the people are well indoctrinated, and are most fond of found, evangelical preachers. Never fince the firft adventurers came into these parts, as it appears to me, has there been fo urgent a call for preachers of this caft. And it is my ardent wish that more Miffionaries be fent this way in future, than the Society has formerly fent, even if fewer fhould on the fame account, be fent in other directions."

MISSIONARIES.

The Rev. David Huntington returned lately from a mifhionary tour to the northern part of the ftates of New-York and Vermont.

POETRY.

COMMUNICATED AS ORIGINAL.

The Chriftian Soldier exulting in the near

profpect of death and judgment. I'M now prepared, thro' grace divine,

My life to yield, my breath refign; To bid thefe earthly fcenes adieu, And hail the fcenes, which rife to view.

All hail grim death! relentlefs king! I now defy thy potent sting! And thou infatiate, dreary grave! Since great Emanuel, ftrong to save,

Has paft thy gates, in humble clay, And rent the maffy bars away; No more thy mighty victory boaft,Thy trophies fpoil'd, thy victory loft.

I've fought, array'd in arms divine, And heaven proclaims the conqueft mine ;

The arduous race, with patience run, And now the prize of glory won.

My foul, on wings of faith, deferies Her crown immortal, in the skies, Where faints redeem'd,with angels join, In lofty notes of praife divine.

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The Gospel a Doctrine according to
Godliness.
(Continued from page 375.)

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NUMBER VI.

O the argument ftated in the laft preceding nuniber, fome may be ready to urge an objection, derived from the fuppofed tendency of fome of the doctrines taught by Chrift and his apoftles. They may be ready to admit, that the gofpel, by its invitations, calls and offers, promifes and threatenings, would be well adapted, and greatly tend, to promote true religion, and to excite to the fludy and practice of univerfal holiness, if it contained nothing of a contrary na. ture, tending to weaken the force and to counteract the tendency ot thefe. But, according to their view of things, there are other doctrines in the gospel, of a very difcouraging nature, tending to prevent the good effects, which might otherwise be expected from its invitations, promifes and threatenings. It feems neceffary to pay fome attention to this objection, that the truth may not be obscured, or its beneficial tendency obftructed by it.

VOL. I. No. II.

66

According to the doctrine taught by Chrift and his apostles, They that are in the flesh can not please God. Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God." This, fome may be ready to plead, is very dif couraging doctrine, and tends to make men neglect all attention to religion, from an idea, that no attention or concern of theirs, no endeavors or exertions, will be of any advantage to them, till they first find themselves wrought upon, or their hearts changed, by the Spirit of God.

In reply to this, I fhall make a few brief obfervations.

1. Encouraging people to think they are better than they are, or lefs dependent on divine grace, may ferve to ftrengthen a felf-fuffi cient, felf-righteous fpirit, to ftim. ulate to action from such a spirit, and to make them think they are very pious and godly, whilft they perform no true and acceptable obedience to God; but it has no tendency to promote gofpel holinefs, or true religion. It tends to make them reft in those selfish affections, and fuperficial performances, which fall entirely fhort of Cc c

real holiness or real obedience to the will of God revealed in the gofpel. But this, inftead of ferv. ing, would manifeftly tend to differve the caufe of real piety and true religion.

2. It being a fact, that mankind are fo depraved, that none ever do or will repent and turn to God, and ferve him in fincerity and truth, without fpecial divine influences a change of heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, being indifpenfibly neceffary to holy practice; it is important and neceffary that this fhould be plainly declared, and well underflood and believed, to prevent their refting in a form of Godlinefs, without the power or life and reality of it.

A thorough conviction, that they who are in the flesh, cannot pleafe God-that except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God, is fuited to produce, in those who are fenfible that they have not been the fubjects of any fuch change, a conviction and fense of their dangerous and miferable state-to prevent their fettling down quiet and eafy, without fome good evidence of a change of heart -to excite earnest inquiries as to the most hopeful way of becoming partakers of fo great a mercy, &c. In this view, the doctrine under confideration, when understood and thoroughly believed, instead of tending to produce a carelefs inattention to the things of religion, really tends to directly the reverfe, even to excite the moft ferious alarm in the unconverted, and fuch earneft inquiry and attention, and cries for mercy, as are not gone into by men whilft in a state of carnal eafe and fecurity. And, if I am not greatly miftaken as to matters of fact, awakenings, ferious attention, deep concern, earnest inquiries, and happy revivals of re

ligion, have much more frequently taken place under the preaching, in which the total depravity and helplefs ftate of mankind, without fpecial grace-the neceflity of being born again, and other doctrines of the like tenor, have been clearly exhibited and urged, than under the preaching, in which thefe doctrines have been kept out of fight, and either plainly or implicitly denied. This leads me to obferve,

3. That the gofpel clearly holds forth, that notwithstanding the neceflity of fpecial divine influences on the heart, to render the truth favingly efficacious; yet, according to the method of God's operation in this cafe, the word of truth is neceffary, and fome way fubfervient to the faving converfion of finners--a caufe without which, no man has any reason to expect a true and faving converfion.

When Chrift appeared to Saul, to make him a minifter and a witnefs, he fent him to the people and to the Gentiles, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknefs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them who are fanctified by faith."-Paul accordingly told the Romans, that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." To the Corinthians he faid, "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but minifters by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increafe. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giv. eth the increafe." In this paffage the apoftle plainly denied, that he or Apollos had any power or fufficiency, to render their preaching and intructions of any elect upa ī

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