@onclufion refults, it must be valid. But what if it fhould be afferted, that entering into covenant does not imply fo much, as we have fuppofed; that it is a mere acknowledgment of the ob-, ligations of the covenant, and not a profeffion of true godliness; and of course that the unrenewed may do it without hypocrify?. Fid. Let this matter be well understood. We do not expect that men, in covenanting with God, will pofitively affirm that they are godly. But we do expect them to profefs and exhibit thofe things, in which real godlinefs confifts. That covenanting with God implies a profeffion of those things in which godliness confifts, appears, I think, from these two confiderations. 1. The terms, in which the tranfaction is generally expreffed, plainly imply a profeffion of godlinefs. In entering into covenant, men avouch the Lord to be their God, receive Christ as he is of fered in the gofpel, and promise unfeigned obedience to all his commands. If a profeffion of godlinefs can be made in human language, it is made in fuch terms as these. 2. The bleffings promised to those, who comply with the conditions expreffed in the covenant, are the bleffings of eternal life. This could not be, were not true godlinefs required by the conditions of the covenant. Other confiderations are omitted.

Before we leave the covenant tranfactions of the Ifraelites, I beg liberty to make one or two appropriate remarks. Giving all poffible weight to their example, we can deduce from it no argument favourable to the halfway practice. The difference be tween what they did and what is common with us is material and very plain. The covenant which Moses and Joshua adminiftered was complete. That which the people took upon them was complete. They bound themfelves by folemn engagement to hearken to the voice of God and keep all his commandments and ordinances. No exception was made or fuffered by the adminif trator. None was afked or expected by those who covenanted. So that Mofes and Joshua were nowife acceffary to their hypoc rify and disobedience. But the halfway practice is different. Those who covenant mean to have it understood, that they leave out the Lord's fupper. The churches do understand it, and have made provifion for fuch an exception. And the exception is either exprefsly or implicitly made by the administrator.

Hum. Were not thofe who covenanted excufed, in certain cafes, from celebrating the paffover?

Fid. Yes; even prohibited. And the difqualifications for the paffover were fully defined. To be abfent from the paffover on account of ceremonial uncleannefs was an indifpenfable duty. Now fhow me, Humanus, where the Head of the church makes a diftinction among the duties of the new covenant. Show me where he points out the particular things, which difqualify his difciples for the ordinance of the fupper; and his word shall be

our

our rule. Tell me, brother Humanus, where is the appearance of any fuch practice in the apoftles' days? Where is the leaft evidence that two fuch ftandings, as are now made, were ever appointed by God? What fhadow of proof, that any who profeffed to believe, and enjoyed church privileges, were excused from partaking the Lord's fupper?

Hum. Really, fir, the difficulties are great on both fides. I want more time to examine. I ftill fufpect there is fome weak place in the argumentation, which has brought my mind into this doubtful ftate. I fhall wait with earnest defire for one more interview.

Can. I have liftened with filent, prayerful attention to what has been faid. I think myfelf happy in this interview. My perplexity is abated. My mind is more at eafe. Whatever remains to be fettled in this controversy, I am refolved in this→→ to do thy will, oh my God."

From an English Correfpondent.

A WORD TO THE PROFANE.

N. B. If the former part does not fuit you, give it to a neighbour.

Don't be Damn'd.

AMNATION is infinitely dreadful! If you do n believe there is any fuch thing, how foolish is it to talk fo often about it; and if you do, how much more than foolifh is it, to talk fo lightly about it!

DAMNA There's in to

Could you really with your worst enemy to be damned for ever? Would you seriously ask God to fend him to hell, and pour out his wrath upon him, to all eternity? Would it not startle you, to fee the earth open and fwallow up the man, whom you had curfed? Would it not fhock you, to fee his eyes start out of his head, or rot away in their fockets? Would it gratify you to fee his limbs wither, as foon as you had curfed them? or to find, that when he had ftretched out his arm, it was dried up, like the arm of Jeroboam, fo that he could not pull it in again to him? How then can you ufe fuch awful imprecations? And yet you use them fometimes refpecting your friends, as well your bitter enemies; yea, fometimes, (what madness!) with reference to yourself!

You

You have often faid, I will be damn'd if, &c. If what? Is there any one thing for which it is worth while to be damned? Would it be worth being damned, if you could get all the world, and enjoy it for a hundred, or a thousand years? Do you think that a hundred years fenfual pleasure, would compensate for five minutes fuffering in hell? What then will the pleasures of fin do, to counterbalance eternal damnation ?

However, you will be damned moft affuredly, if you do not forfake fin, and turn to God with your whole heart; or if you do not repent, and believe the gofpel, fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon that bleffed hope which is fet before you.

You will be actually damned ere long, if you are not pardoned; for you have finned abundantly against God, and are condemned already, by the fentence of his holy law. "Curfed is every

one who continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." How many times over have you merited this curfe? How will you then escape it? God is merciful, but he is alfo juft. He will not clear the guilty. He is angry with the wicked every day. Without fhedding of blood there is no remiffion. But God hath provided for himself a Lamb. He hath fent his own Son in the likeness of finful flesh, and made him a facrifice for fin, condemning fin in his flefh, and fhewing at once the goodness and the feverity of God. Thus Chrift gave himself a ranfom for many, and made reconciliation for tranfgreffors. His blood cleanfeth from all fin. God has fet him forth as a propitiation for fin, through faith in his blood. But there is falvation in no other; and without faith in him, you cannot obtain the pardon of one fin. You must thankfully receive God's teftimony concerning his Son, and return home to God in his name, imploring forgivenefs for his fake. Thus fhall you be juftified from all things, from which you could not be juftified by the law; for Chrift is the end of the law unto right

coufnefs.

You will be damned, if you have not a title to eternal life. For fuch is the alternative before you. You cannot expect a long continuance in this world; and when you depart hence, if you have no manfion prepared for you in heaven, you must needs be turned into hell. There is no other place to receive you. But what title have you to eternal bleffednefs? or how can you expect to inherit a crown of glory? This is an important queftion, to which an answer can be furnished only by the glorious gofpel. Though the wages of fin is death, yet the gift of God is eternal life, through Jefus Christ our Lord. And thus you may inherit it. Believe in Chrift and you fhall not only be faved, but fhall be made an heir of eternal life. His obedience unto death all fuffice to entitle you to endless happiness.

You must be damned, if you are not made meet for the inherit

ance

ance of the faints in light. An unholy heart cannot relish the enjoyments of faints. One who loves darkness rather than light, could not bear the brightness of heavenly glory. One who is difaffected towards God, cannot be made happy by refiding in his immediate presence. Heaven would be a place of torment to an unrenewed finner. He would be totally out of his element there. No marvel that he who came from heaven fhould fay, Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. You must be renewed in the spirit of your mind, you must be created anew in Christ Jefus, or you never can have a portion with the people of God.

But do not be damned! It will be your own fault if you are. It will not only be in confequence of your paft fins, which have indeed deferved damnation; but it will be more immediately owing to your prefent impenitence and unbelief: it will be because you hold fast deceit and refuse to return to the Lord. It will be because you reject the counsel of God against yourself, and make light of his great falvation. It will be because you fcorn the humbling import of the gofpel, and are not willing to ftoop to be faved by grace; or you flight the mediation of the Son of God, and will not believe the efficacy of his blood to cleanfe from all fin: or you hate the holy tendency of the gospel, and are unwilling that Christ should reign over you, and fubdue all your iniquities; and you mind only earthly things, and defpife that bleffed inheritance, which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Thus in the end, (which will quickly come) you will be found to have been a fool!

Nothing can give folid peace to your confcience, but the precious blood of Chrift; nothing can conquer the perverseness of your ftubborn will, but the powerful influence of the divine Spirit: therefore, if you are faved, your falvation must be all of grace, but if you are loft, your blood will be on your own head.

May God incline your heart to liften to this friendly warning, or that which was intended for your benefit will aggravate your condemnation !

From an English Correfpondent.

REMARKS UPON THE NOTION OF EXTRAORDINARY IMPULSES AND IMPRESSIONS, &c.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

INCE I faw you laft, I have frequently thought of you with much concern, and fincerely with you di

vine fupport, under all your trials, and direction in all your embarraffing concerns. As I make no doubt of your being a partaker of divine grace, I believe the Lord will, in the issue, bring you fafely through all your troubles. Yet, if I may speak my mind freely, I am jealous over you, left you fhould increase your own distresses and leffen the benefit you might receive from them, by fome mistakes into which you feem in danger of falling.

You remember the account you gave me of your receiving many promifes from God, particularly respecting your temporal circumftances; and that you expreffed the ftrongest confidence of their literal and punctual fulfilment. Perhaps you will think me your enemy, fhould I endeavour to rob you of any part of the confolation you have derived from this fource. However, bear with me till you have heard me out; and I truft it will appear, that I do not wish to ufurp dominion over your faith, but to be a help er of your joy.

I rejoice that you are enabled to abound in prayer, and thereby to make your request known unto God, being defirous to caft all your care upon him, and to derive instruction and support from his word. I am fully affured, that the word of God will be found a fufficient directory, in all cafes whatever; and a fource of spiritual comfort, under the greatest trials.

It is your duty and privilege to fearch the fcriptures daily, both for direction and confolation; and to endeavour, when you cannot have the Bible in your hand, to recollect the precepts and promifes, and meditate upon them; praying that the Holy Spirit would not only affift your natural power of recollection, but more especially that he would give you a fpiritual understanding of his word, and an answerable frame of heart, properly af fected with the various truths therein contained.

You have reafon to blefs God for the suitable provision he has made in his word, which, I gladly allow, is as exactly fuited to your cafe, as if the words had been spoken to you individually; though, bleffed be God, the fame word of truth is equally fuited to all other believers; and you have no more cause to complain of this, than you have to complain, that while the fun warms and enlightens you, as much as if you lived alone on the earth, it affords the fame benefits to millions more at the fame time.

You ought to be thankful that God has given you a memory, and affifts you, from time to time, to recollect fuitable paffages of fcripture, which fometimes occur to your mind, in a very apt and feasonable manner. But, perhaps, this obfervation will rather displease you; and you will hardly allow that you do recollect them, but think they are immediately fuggefted to you from God. However, if your memory is like mine, it will be very difficult to prove this point. I have, many a time, had good things and bad fuddenly occur to my mind, which at first I thought I

had