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Almighty, and realize their own guilt and the divine displeasure, are far from being weary and heavy laden. They are strong and resolute to take the kingdom of heaven, by violence. And they will not be weary and heavy laden until they are still-and resign themselves into God's sovereign hand.

2. It appears from what has been said concerning coming to Christ, that none can come to him before they repent. They may feel their guilt and danger; they may groan under their burdens; and they may seek and strive for heaven: but they must be truly sorry for their sins, before they can come to Christ for pardon.

3. We learn from what has been said concerning coming to Christ, that none can come without submission to divine sovereignty. They cannot feel the full weight of their burdens, until they renounce all claims to relief-and are reconciled to carrying their burdens to all eternity.

4. We learn from, what has been said concerning coming to Christ, that none can come to him for regeneration, but for pardon only. It is not the office of Christ, as Mediator, to regenerate. This belongs to the Divine Spirit. It is not the office of Christ, as Mediator, to make sinners weary and heavy laden, but to relieve them of their burden: and this is done by his atonement. Many urge sinners to come to Christ as they are, for regeneration -but

5. It appears from what has been said of coming to Christ, that it is as difficult for sinners to comply with the invitations of Christ, as to obey any of his commands. They must come weary and heavy laden-penitently and submissively.

6. It appears from what has been said concerning coming to Christ, that sinners must love Christ in his mediatorial character, in order to come to him, and not only as their friend.

7. It appears from what has been said concernthat rest, which heavy laden sinners find by coming

to Christ, that it does not essentially consist in a sense of safety, but in the enjoyment of God.

8. We learn the absurdity of those sinners, who complain that Christ is not willing to save them; when they are not willing to come to him. Many do complain, who are not willing.

9. We learn from this discourse, that those who have come to Christ may know it. They may know whether they have been weary and heavy laden. They may know whether they have found rest, and whether they continue to find it.

This subjects speaks to two sorts of sinners: those who slight Christ, and those who oppose him. Come-Christ's invitation will shut your mouths for

ever.

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RELIGIOUS DECLENSION.

While christians desire and receive the doctrines of divine truth in their purity and simplicity, they grow in knowledge, holiness, usefulness, happiness, beauty and strength. They then maintain the pure and lively exercise of holy affections in view of the objects, which the gospel of God places before their minds. They are then constant, faithful and humble in the performance of the duties, which they owe their Creator, their fellow creatures and themselves. They are patient and joyful in all their afflictions and sorrows. And they are watchful and prayerful against every delusion and temptation. They also easily take unto themselves the whole armor of God.While they stand in the truth and strength of God, they enjoy communion with the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, and with their christian brethren, in the ordinances and privileges of the gospel. But christians may decline from the service and favor of God. Churches are liable to err from his ways and to harden their hearts from his fear, and their declension always begins by turning from the true knowledge of God. If they turn from the knowledge of his supreme object in his decrees and conduct, in his law and gospel, they turn from the fountain of light and of life; and they will fall into darkness and weakness, into trouble and shame. And they easily, though insensibly, fall into the hands of their enemies, who are ever watchful to take advantage of their unwatchfulness and unfaithfulness. By turning from the true knowledge of God, his ancient people turned after idols and erred from the path of truth and peace. In the same way christian professors and christian churches declined in religion, during the ministry of the apos

1832. Is there no good done except during a revival.

409

tles and in the following centuries, until they were involved in the delusions and abominations of the antichristian apostacy. In the same way the churches in Europe declined after the protestant reformation. In this way the churches in New England have always been liable to religious declension; and they have declined, in this way, for the last thirty years with peculiar and astonishing rapidity. And in this way they will still decline, until they die; if they do not return to the true knowledge and love of God, as he manifests his sovereignty, his holiness, his glory and beauty, by the great doctrines of election and reprobation; as well as by the doctrines of regeneration, justification and depravity. If the character, decrees and conduct of God, as they are revealed in the holy scriptures and manifested by the salvation of the elect and destruction of the nonelect, are not taught, maintained and vindicated against all errorists and opposers, it will be impossible to understand and defend a single doctrine, or duty of natural, or of revealed religion. For God intends to manifest all his greatness and all his goodness forever and ever, by his decrees and conduct respecting the salvation of the elect and the destruction of the reprobate. So far as any churches, any christians, or any preachers, decline from God and his truth, on these great subjects, they will decline in respect to all the doctrines, and duties, and blessings of the gospel. For it is for the greatest, wisest and best reasons," he hath mercy on whom he will have and whom he will he hardeneth." God intends, for the mercy glory of his great, holy and dreadful name, to have vessels of wrath, as well as vessels of mercy, according to the counsel of his own will. They, who decline from the supreme object of God, in the gospel, will in all respects, decline in religion. ANTIPAS. [Boston Chr. Herald.]

From the Journal and Telegraph.

is THERE NO GOOD DONE EXCEPT DURING A REVIVAL?

A revival of religion, or a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, every Christian must regard as the richest blessing which God ever bestows upon the church or the world. It is a blessing for which God's people should keep pleading and laboring continually; and in view of the bestowment of which, they ought to send up their most devout thanksgivings. Nevertheless, if we mistake not, there is a notion gaining currency at the present day, in connexion with this subject, which is not only false, but of decidedly evil tendency-it is the notion that there is little or nothing done for the spiritual interests of the There are many church, except during a season of revival.

who seem to feel as if the preaching and ordinances of the gospel are of little or no effect, and every thing as it respects the salvation of men, were standing still, unless there is a general

interest and inquiry excited in respect to this great subject. And more than that, if we do not greatly mistake, there are those who imagine that the fact there is no revival around them, is some apology for their own inaction. We fear that there are many professing Christians who think their own apathy is at least to be tolerated during a time of general stupidity; and that they may well enough afford to slumber on till the outpouring of the Spirit comes as a signal for them to awake. And so too we believe there are many careless sinners under the influence of substantially the same delusion, who sleep quietly over their immortal interests on the ground that religion is to be gained only in a revival, and that at any other time they have a sort of warrant for neglecting their soul's salvation. All this is dangerous error and gross perversion.

As to the matter of fact, it is not true that little or no good is accomplished for the spiritual interests of man, except during a revival. The kingdom of Gcd sometimes cometh without observation. Many no doubt are actually the subjects of renewing grace during times in which there is no apparent excitement; and many others we have reason to believe, are then gradually brought in a greater or less degree, under the influence of the truth, and thus are prepared to be the subjects of a renewing operation whenever the Holy Spirit is poured out. Then too, Christians often make much progress in the divine life; they have in many instances more to do with their Bibles and their hearts in such circumstances, than in the midst of a powerful excitement, and when large demands are made upon their time in counselling and directing inquiring sinners. We fear that if we could see a faithful record of the experience of many Christians during a revival, we should find that that was not the season of their greatest, religious improvements; but that on the contrary, owing to their own neglect, they were the subjects of a mere transient excitement, which passed away, without advancing them but little towards heaven.

While therefore we would never be found to undervalue the blessing of a genuine revival, we would protest against the notion that the cause of Christ is not going forward in the salvation of men at any other time. We would protest against it not only because it is fitted to exert a decidedly bad influence both on the church and on the world; and because too, we may add, it is adapted more than almost any thing else, to keep down the true revival spirit.

Let sinners always be pressed with the present obligations of religion, and let Christians always realize that they have no right at any time to grow weary in well doing, and the spiritu al interests both of the church and the world, will be most likely to be advanced; seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord will be most likely often to be repeated, and revivals, when they actually come, will not come under any questionable form, and there is good reason to hope, will be free to a great extent from any spurious admixture. We fully believe that

the best way of bringing about a genuine revival, is not to bring any human machinery in operation that is designed chiefly for present effect, but to keep soberly and earnestly, and believingly, at work in God's appointed way. That something might be got up in the former case, we do not question; but in the latter, we might expect with good reason that God would crown the efforts of his people with the genuine effusion of the Holy Ghost.

From the Richmond (Va.) Whig.

THE SLAVE QUESTION.

What is the question of who shall be President of Banks, of Roads, and Canals, of Tariffs-to this? In our estimation, all other questions of Peace or War, of measures or men,which now engage, or have engaged, the consideration of the people of Virginia since the revolution, are by the side of this, comparatively insignificant. War, in its desolation, embraces its ruin, a few only of those who are parties to it; slavery in its moral consequences, extends its curse to every individual of the State where it exists. War, at the worst, is temporary and speedily, by the disasters it inflicts, produces a mutual desire for peace; slavery multiplies its evils and increases the probability of its perpetuation, at every step, and in every instant of time it is tolerated. No! There has been no question considered since 1775, so momentous as the question of its abolition;there can be no question embracing such multitudes its decision for weal or for woe, and reaching in its effects so far down the stream of time. Not Virginia only is interested-not whether her sons shall be relieved of the reproach, the awful and incalculable oppression, and the piece-meal political death of slavery, and whether the descendants of 450,000 blacks shall in future ages and in their native clime, enjoy libertynot these points of magnitude as they are, present the whole question. That in its wide rang comprehends all the Southern States, and all their inhabitants, and not the living only, but all succeeding generations. What mind can grasp the mighty subject? What intellect can appreciate its magnitude?What Philantrophy can calulate the benefits to mankind, of Virginia's successful execution of a plan of abolition? Unquestionably every Southern State, with what exhibition it might, would follow the iilustrious example. The moral feeling of that example, would impart a resistless impulse.

For our own part, since events have conquered the liberty of free discussion, we have considered the question settled.The moment statesmen were publicly to examine the moral foundation, and the pernicious effects of slavery, and the Press was unshackled to proclaim their sentiments, and to combat in the cause of reason, justice and the common good, that mo

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