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son and work of our divine Redeem- | er, perhaps these subjects are more impressively exhibited in those events with which he was immediately connected.

I. The flood.

Of all the dreadful judgments which an holy God has inflicted upon a wicked and guilty world, is not this the most terrible and extensive? The earth was corrupt before God, and filled with violence. Gen vi. And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, and behold I will destroy them with the waters of a flood. And all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were openedand the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered -and all flesh died that moved upon the earth. In what strong and glowing colors does this represent that flood of wrath which an incensed and holy God will pour upon a wicked world for its complete and eternal destruction? In the destruction of the world, overwhelmed by the waters of the flood, what a lively picture have we of the absolute interminable perdition of the wicked in hell by a destructive deluge of divine wrath and vengeance? The waters prevailed exceedingly, rose fifteen cubits and upward, covering all the high hills and mountains, and destroyed every refuge and hope of a perishing world; in like manner, will not the fathomless floods of divine vengeance sweep away all the refuges of lies, overwhelm the wicked, and involve them in remediless destruction and eternal horror and despair?

II. The Ark, the appointed medium of preserving Noah and his family from the destructive waters of the good.

And God said to Noah, Make thee an ark of Gopher wood; prescribing the size, dimensions and various a partments of it. How significantly does the ark typify Jesus Christ, that hiding place from the storm and covert from the tempest, which God hath graciously provided for the preservation of his people, amidst all those scenes of woe and misery, those terrible judgments and that eternal perdition with which he will destroy the

ungodly? To the work of building the ark, Noah applied himself with great assiduity, patience and persoverance, and when the appointed period of destruction had fully come, the ark being completed, God said to Noah, Come thou and thy house into the ark; so when the period of divine wrath and punishment shall fully come, and God shall proceed to the terrible work of destruction, the work of redemption being completed, and divine patience exhausted, will he not say, Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment till the indignation be overpast ?-When Noah and his house entered the ark, it is said, The Lord shut him in. And when, by faith, God's elect enter into Christ the spiritual ark, God confirms their secure and happy state. After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. And when they shall enter heaven, they will be for ever delivered from all the tempestuous scenes of this present evil world, and be ever with the Lord.

III. The preservation of Noah and his family in the ark from the destructive waters of the flood-typifying the deliverance and eternal salvation of the righteous by Jesus Christ. Wherein (the ark) few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure (type) whereunto baptism doth now save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The windows of heaven were opened, the rain descended, the flood of waters came and all flesh died; but through this dreadful scene the ark rose above the waters, and Noah and his family abode in safety, astonished at the judgments of the Lord, and filled with holy wonder and joy at the marvellous device of his wisdom and love for their peaceful and happy preservation.-In like manner will not the righteous, in Christ, be for ever preserved from that flood of wrath and vengeance which will destroy the wicked; and safe in the Lord, with holy admiration and delight contemplate the manifold wisdom and unsearchable grace manifested in the wonderful device of saving mercy?

Noah was a preacher of righteousness, warned the world of the ap

The apostle, Heb. xi. 7. produces Noah as an instance of that faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and exemplifying the faith by which the just do live. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, prepared an ark to the saving of his house. In like manner true faith realizes all the instructions and warnings of God, relating to the invisible and eternal world, and by an irresistible influence, moves all the subjects of it, in the way of universal and persevering obedience to the commandments of the Lord, to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. May we be subjects of like precious faith to the saving of our souls! Amen.

proaching deluge, and exhorted them to repentance, that iniquity might not prove their ruin; yet his words seemed to them as idle tales, which they ridiculed and despised; but with what mighty consternation were they filled, when they saw the flood coming and taking them all away. So Christ, by his word and ministers, admonishes sinners that the end of all things is at hand, and warns them to flee from the wrath to come; while disbelieving mockers, willingly ignorant of the destruction of the old world, say, Where is the promise of his coming? But what mighty consternation and despair will seize their souls, when they perceive all his threatenings about to be verified, and themselves overwhelmed and destroyed in floods of vengeance, for ever and ever? When Noah and his house, secure in the ark, were floating on the surface of the mighty deep, what an admirable spectacle did they exhi-iam L. Strong, was ordained to the bit to the astonished universe-But a spectacle how much more admirable and wonderful, amidst the dissolution of the heavens and earth, and those displays of divine wrath which will destroy the wicked, will be the eternal salvation of the righteous, in Christ, to astonished spectators in

heaven and hell?

ORDINATION.

ON the 3d of April, the Rev. Will

pastoral office, over the Congregational church and society in Somers, in the presence of a large and respectable concourse of people; who observed great propriety of conduct, and manifested deep and unusual solemnity of spirit. The public religious solemnities were performed by the following gentlemen-The Rev. Timo Our Saviour draws a parallel, Mat. thy M. Cooley, of Granville, made the xxiv. 38. between the spirit and prac-introductory prayer; the Rev. Joseph tice of the old world, and the conduct W. Crossman, of Salisbury, preached of the Jews before the destruction of the sermon from Malachi ii. 7, "For Jerusalem, and of mankind before the beis the messenger of the Lord of Hosts;" end of the world. For as in the days the Rev. Dr. Williams, of Tolland, that were before the flood, they were made the consecrating prayer; the eating and drinking, marrying and Rev. Dr. Willard, of Stafford, gave giving in marriage, until the day that the charge; the Rev. Azel BackNoah entered into the ark, and knew us, of Bethlehem, gave the right hand not until the flood came and took of fellowship; and the Rev. Mr. them all away; so shall the coming Prudden, of Enfield, offered the conof the Son of man be. cluding prayer.

Donations to the Missionary Society of Connecticut. March 26. From Nathaniel Hubbard, of Bolton,

April 8.

19.

23.

Rev. E. Hyde, contributed in new settlements,
From the church in Yale College,

A Friend of Missions, per Mr. Flint,

$ 20
24 88

50

60

$ 154 88

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On Covenanting with God, (Continued from p. 406.)

PART III.

An Address to professing Christians.

DEAR BRETHREN,
HE people of God are a

Those generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, designed to show forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. That they might act up to this high character, it is commanded that they should exhort one another daily That they should consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works.* They should consider the relation they stand in to each other, as brethren in Christ; as under indispensible obligations to him, and to one another. They should consider their mutual dangers, temptations, weaknesses and tears, and counsel and warn each other against sin, encourage, assist and stimulate one

* Hebrews x. 24. VOL. V. No. 12.

another to every Christian duty. They should walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise redeeming the time. They are commanded not only to exhort one another daily, but to do it so much the more as they see the day approaching.t Time is short, and flies away with rapid

wing. The awful day of death and judgment is swiftly approaching: A day in which the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the world and all that is in it shall be burnt up: A day in which all things shall be made manifest; when all men shall be rewarded according to their works, and time and opportunities shall be no more. This awful, this momentous day is constantly approaching. It comes nearer every hour and moment; whether we sleep or wake, whether we stand all the day idle, or whether we enter into our master's vineyard, and do the work to which he hath called us. He commands that we exhort and press one another daily to grow in grace and knowledge,

Hebrews x. 25. Ggg

and to discharge all covenant du- | holy conversation and godliness? ties, in proportion to the swift Wherefore, beloved, seeing that and near approach of that day in ye look for such things, be diliwhich we shall all stand togeth-gent that ye be found of him in er, before the judgment seat of peace, without spot and blameChrist. Our love, faithfulness, less.* In this day the secrets zeal and energy, in pressing each of the heart will be revealed, and other to duty, and in perform-judged according to the gospel. ing all our covenant obligations, Every deceit and specious preshould increase, and rise higher tence will be detected, and every and higher as the day of death mask and false covering removand judgment is approaching. ed; and how we have payed, or This duty, this brotherly and neglected to pay our vows will kind office, the writer has been be made manifest, to our exattempting to perform in the ceeding joy and triumph, or preceding papers, on covenant-shame and contempt, before asing with God; and is now still sembled worlds. No pleas of further attempting to fulfil, infair professions, of distinguishthis address. This will natural- ing privileges, of offices and ly follow what hath been written high standing in the church, of on that subject, and serve fur- common or extraordinary gifts, ther to stimulate us to the du- without grace, will be of the ties already suggested. It be- least avail. Unless we are born hoves him to exhort you in re- of God, united to Christ by faith, alizing views of the day which is and live godly in Christ Jesus, approaching, of its near and the door will be shut against us, hasty approach to himself and and no pleas will ever avail to you, and of its immense, eternal open it. What solemn and deepconsequences to us both. It is ly affecting admonitions hath of high concern to you to re- our Lord and Judge given us of ceive this brotherly exhortation this? Not every one that saith in the love of the truth, and in unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the near and realizing views of into the kingdom of heaven; but death and the judgment day, he that doeth the will of my Faand to be quickened and anima- ther which is in heaven. Mated to all holy living, so much ny will say unto me in that the more as ye see the day ap- day, Lord, Lord, have we not proaching. The belief of such prophesied in thy name? And a day, how it approaches, what in thy name cast out devils? a day it will be, and what its And in thy name done many eternal consequences, should a- wonderful works? And then will waken, in every breast, the high- I profess unto them I never est concern to keep covenant knew you: depart from me, with God; to be circumspect, ye that work iniquity. When prayerful, sober, vigilant, sted-once the master of the house is fast, immoveable always abound-risen up and hath shut to the ing in the work of the Lord. door, and ye begin to stand withThe apostle, having spoken of out, and to knock at the door this day and its concomitant

events, observes, What manner of

persons ought we to be in all

* 2 Peter iii. 11, 14.

Matthew vii. 21, 22.

saying, Lord, Lord, open unto | mands of our divine Redeemer.

It is written, this is the will of
God, even your sanctification.*
Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord
your God am holy.†
Let every
one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity.
This is a faithful saying, and
this I will that thou affirm con-
stantly, that they which have
believed in God, might be care-
ful to maintain good works.||
God requires that his people
should be eminent in holiness,
abounding in every good word
and work. Let your light shine
before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify
your Father who is in heaven.S
That ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God with-
out rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation,
among whom ye shine as lights
in the world. Be ye there-
fore perfect, even as your Father
who is in heaven is perfect.**
This is the express language of
the divine word, and do we
profess ourselves to be the sons
of God, and that Jesus Christ is
our Lord, and shall we not obey
him? How can we pretend to
love him, or to be his disciples
if we keep not his words? How
can we stand before him in the
judgment, if we despise his
commandments?

us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are: Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence you are: depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven, and ye yourselves thrust out.* How should premonitions like these, penetrate the heart of every professor, of every minister, and of church officers as well as common Christians? Since persons so distinguished by gifts and privileges, and of such high standing in the church, shall thus be disowned by Christ, and shut out of his kingdom, how should it engage all to work out their salvation with fear and trembling? To be in an agony to enter in at the strait gate? To watch and pray always that they may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man? Suffer me, dear brethren, to plead this with you by the solemnities of that day when we shall stand together at the judgment seat of Christ. How dignifying and blissful, will it then be, to be found among those whose hearts have been found in God's stat-ple, and the excellency of the utes and stedfast in his covenant? But who can bear to be thrust out of the kingdom of God, and to dwell for ever where there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth?

At the same time, be intreated by the will of God and com.

* Luke xiii. 25, 26, 27, 28.

The faithfulness of God in keeping covenant with his peo

covenant which he hath made with them, as everlasting, ordered in all things and sure, furnish further and endearing motives to activity and fidelity, in keep

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