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conviction, that there are more than 7000-nay 70,000 souls in Denmark, who have refused to bend their knees to Baal; and who, if asked whether they also meant to forsake Christ? would certainly reply, "Lord, to whom should we go, thou hast the words of eternal life." In this number are comprised several families of the first nobility of the kingdom..

In Prussia, properly so called, we have a friend at Mohrungen, in the person of old Rev. Mr. Tresho, a blessed minister of the gospel, who has been in connection with us ever since the beginning of our Society. He always has been, and is still blessedly active in the good cause, by issuing publications that have the stamp of the Spirit of God. He but lately complained to us of the lamentable state of vital Christianity in his country, where the number of gospel preachers, and consequently that of practical Christians, is exceeding small; yet even there, a seed is left, and among them a few of the nobles of this world. The same is applicable to Koningsberg, Warsaw, and other places of Prussia, Lithuania and Poland. From Warsaw, the former capital of Poland, we learn in a letter written by an awakened School-master, whom we furnished with books, that the breathing of the Spirit of God is perceptible there in a rather distinguished manner.-—— The above mentioned Mr. Tresho, writes:-"On Epiphany (being the festival of the Heathen) I communicated to my congregation the news of the Mission to Otaheite. I wish to engage at least their minds so far for this work, that they may

give it the support of their prayers, wrestling with the Lord for its prosperity."

The only place in Sweden where we have a friend, is Gottenburg. Our dear correspondent there has taken the pains to translate and publish some of our prints. At the same place preaches a gracious and highly gifted minister of the gospel, with such success, our friend writes, that his church is constantly crowded; and many are forced to return for want of room. In summer, all the outside of the place is encircled with hearers, desirous of receiving a blessing from the word; and the number of believers increases considerably.

Though we are in no connection with Russia, yet we are informed from good sources, that in the German colonies along the Wolga, there are several gospel ministers that labor with blessing.

Finally, we have the satisfaction to state, that by means of our worthy friend Vander Smissen of Altona, our Society has been transplanted to NorthAmerica; and we send our collections and extracts regularly to New-York and Philadelphia.

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render offences against him the more inexcusable, of his omnipresence and omniscience which baffle all attempts to hide trans

not suffice for the purpose of displaying the growing depravity of manners, the decay of morals, churches and states.Still we do not despair; Hegression, and of his almighty who has called us is faithful, power which renders it imposand our cause is his own. The sible for offenders to escape or gates of hell shall not prevail resist him, must necessarily against his church: on the con- make sin appear "exceeding trary,

As long as Jesus Lord remains,
Each day new rising glories gains;

It was, it is, and will be so,
With his church militant below.

From the Christian Observer.

Job xlii. 5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

SELF

ELF-ignorance is the necessary consequence of ignorance of God. While men hear of

him only by the hearing of the ear, and have no spiritual discovery made of him to the eye of their understanding, they will be apt to plead strongly for the merit of human actions, look upon some sins as slight and excusable, and persuade themselves that God will not be extreme to mark what is done amiss. But as light is most evident when contrasted with darkness, and

beauty with deformity, so a clear discovery of the holiness of God which will not suffer him to endure iniquity, of his justice which obliges him to punish it, his goodness and mercy which

sinful," and convince men of the guilt and malignity of those offences, which before they could justify, palliate or conceal. The latent wickedness of their hearts will then be discovered to them; as a sun-beam shining into a room displays every grain and speck of dust, which before was imperceptible. They will then be ready to cry out with Job, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor, &c."-with Isaiah, on a like discovery, "Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean

lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts." Happy are they, who are thus humbled in the dust and stript of every selfrighteous plea; and thankful ought they to be for the methods, however painful, which have been employed to produce this disposition in them; for all the promises in the gospel belong to the poor in spirit and maxim is, that "he that humcontrite in heart, and its grand

bleth himself shall be exalted."

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God justifies none who are destitute of personal holiness.

PERSON

ment of Christ needs no addi-
tion, from any righteousness in
the sinner, that it may be a suf-
ficient foundation for the con-
sistent exercise of pardoning
grace, even to the chief of sin-
ners. He is the only name,

given
under heaven, among
men, whereby we must be sav-
ed. And he is able to save
them to the uttermost, that
come unto God by him. Jus-
tification by Christ alone is a
leading feature of the gospel, so
that all who are united to Christ
are saved, and all who believe
not shall be damned. But if
Christ be the only ground of
pardon and acceptance, and no
holiness be required of us, as the
matter on account of which we
are to be justified, an inquiry
will very naturally arise in a re-
flecting mind, of what advan-
tage then is the personal holi-

ERSONAL holiness implies holiness of heart; this is a necessary preparation for every duty. Repentance, faith, obedience, submission and dependence, are so many expressions of holiness. Impenitence, unbelief, disobedience and rebellion, are acts of iniquity, and evidences of a perverse spirit. Tho' indwelling holiness is necessary to salvation, yet this is not the meritorious ground of the sinner's pardon and acceptance with God. The redemption of Christ is the only satisfaction for sin. Men are not justified at all for their holiness, as that which conciliates the favor of God; for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight. Christ is the end of the law for righ-ness of sinners, in the affair of ~ teousness, to all them that believe. This is a truth supported by the whole tenor of the gospel. Christ came to be a propitiation for our sins; and pardon is offered us on account of his redemption. The atone VOL. V. No. 6.

justification; and why may they not be accepted without holiness. If men, who have no holiness, were justified, an objector would say, then it would decidedly appear that they were justified for the sake of Christ A a

alone, and so he would have the whole glory of their salvation without any scruple. And there are some among us, who profess to believe, that no qualifications in the sinner, during his continuance in this life, are necessary, in any sense, to his salvation, and that the sufficiency of Christ's atonement secures - the salvation of all mankind, and even obliges the Father to pardon and receive all into favor. But it is the design of this paper to shew, that according to the gospel, no man can be saved, unless he has real holiness of heart.

It will be acknowledged, by all who believe any thing of the gospel, that all mankind are sinners, for otherwise there could be no propriety in providing any atonement, as the ground of their acceptance with God. If Christ died for all, then were all dead. If men are not sinners, why is there any mention of a pardon? Where there is no offence, the offer of a pardon is abuse.

If men are sinners, as the redemption of Christ supposes, and the scriptures every where assert, then if any of them are justified, it must be matter of free grace; for God can be under no obligation to the sinner to grant him a pardon. The very idea that one deserves wrath, proves that it would be just to inflict it; and therefore, that justification must be an act of pure sovereign grace. It must therefore, depend on the mere good pleasure of God, whether any sinner shall be forgiven, whether he will save all or a part only, and what part, and what description of sinners. For certainly no one who de

serves the wrath of God can have any claim in justice to his favor. To say that a sinner deserves to be pardoned is absurd; it is the same as to say, that he deserves better than to be treated as he deserves.

Since, as has been stated, it is a matter of pure grace in God, to extend pardoning mercy to sinners, then it is his unquestionable prerogative to appoint all the circumstances of this salvation as he pleases, and to determine, among other things, whether he will limit the application of the atonement of Christ, to those who have personal holiness. We must then inquire, whether God has ever signified his pleasure on this subject, and this must decide whether holiness is necessary to justification with God; for it must be a matter of revelation. And if God has declared it his pleasure to receive only those, who have personal holiness, this should be esteemed sufficient evidence to us, that it is perfectly reasonable, because it is with him to do as he pleases with his grace. Proud man indeed, is unwilling to place implicit confidence in the decision of God on this subject; not so our blessed Redeemer, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight."

The holy scriptures have fully explained the will of God, on this subject. They teach us that he does not justify the impenitent, unbelieving and unholy: 66 Except ye repent, ye shall all perish. He that be

lieveth not shall be damned.Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." We are also assured that we shall be judged, and have our destiny decided, according to the deeds done here in the body, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. God has assured us also, that those who are holy shall be saved. "He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." To these a multitude of similar assurances might be added from the scriptures. Indeed this is the language of all the motives, arising from rewards and punishments, which are exhibited in the scriptures. Thus the scriptures acquaint us, that it hath pleased God to justify.such, and only such, as have personal holiness; not because their holiness is in the least degree the meritorious ground of their justification; but because it hath seemed good in the sight of God, to dispense his mercies to such characters.

We are not, however, to suppose, that the Lord hath made

holiness necessary to justification in a mere arbitrary manner; this would be an unworthy tho't of him. He never does any thing for no other reason than merely because he will do so, but he both wills and performs all his works because he discovers sufficient reasons why he should do them. Tho' it becomes us to place confidence in the propriety of all God's administrations, when the reasons of them are above our researches, because we have sufficient evidence of his wisdom, power and goodness; yet it hath pleased God, in many things, to shew

us the reasonableness of his conduct, and he hath, in particular, done this, in the matter under consideration. Some of these reasons, why God saves only such as have real holiness of heart, will now be noticed.

There is a great propriety in requiring repentance, faith and other holy acts of the soul, as necessary pre-requisites to a gracious pardon, because those who have these exercises, are prepared to spend their days, and employ their eternity, in his service and to his glory. They will respect his government, and exercise obedience, submission and attachment to Christ and his cause. And their holiness also, as it is the effect of the transforming power of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts, displays the glory and power of divine grace. But if men were pardoned, who were not, holy, but under the full dominion of sin, they would have no inclination to serve and honor God, but would remain in enmity against him. And certainly, there is a manifest impropriety in the pardon of such inveterate enemies to God.

It was an object with Christ, not only to save his people from wrath, but to save them from their sins. This end, is not attained by pardoning those who are unholy; they would be saved from nothing, but from the necessary execution of the holy law of God.

There is also a propriety in confining justification to those who have personal holiness, be cause no others are capable of enjoying the blessings of heav

en.

Can the unholy enjoy an holy God? Rebels enjoy government? The vicious and im

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