"gether: declare thou, that thou mayeft be justified."a His readiness to forgive is confirmed by innumerable examples. "I acknowledged my fin unto thee," fays David, "and "mine iniquity have I not hid: I faid, I will confefs my "tranfgreffions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the ini"quity of my fin." He even delights in the exercise of pardoning mercy.c

Encouraged by the evidences of this truth, we fhould anxiously enquire, through what medium is God ready to forgive? He cannot be indifferent to the mode of difpenfing pardon. He is not ready to forgive through the abfolution of a priest,-through the merit of our repentance or reformation, or as an act of abfolute mercy, without any regard to the claims of juftice. Chrift is the only medium of divine mercy to guilty finners. "Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man, is preached unto you the forgivenefs of fins."d God is ready to forgive, through the undertaking of Chrift as our furety-through the fufferings of Chrift as our facrifice through the interceffion of Chrift as our advocate. "Him hath God fet forth "to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare "his righteoufnefs for the remiffion of fins that are paft, "through the forbearance of God; to declare, I fay, at this "time his righteousness; that he might be juft, and the jufti"fier of him that believeth in Jefus."e If we wish for divine forgiveness then, let us feek it through Chrift. The word of God has revealed no other medium of forgiveness-the purpose of God has appointed no other-the juftice of God will admit of no other; and if we feek it through any other way, we reject the provifion of infinite wifdom and grace; and, inftead of obtaining forgiveness thereby, we exceed. ingly aggravate our guilt and condemnation.

That forgivenefs which God is ready to exercise toward finners through Chrift, poffeffes the most admirable properties. It is entirely free and gratuitous, requiring no meritorious condition or qualification whatever on our parts. The facrifice of Chrift is the only proper condition of divine forgivenefs; and through this it is difpenfed freely to the most unworthy. Herein God acts like the creditor towards his two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty: and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. It is a plenteous forgiveness.

a Ifaiah xliii. 25, 26. b Ps. xxxii. 5. c Mic. vii. 18. Acts xiii. 38.

Rom. iii. 25, 26. f Luke vii. 41, 42.

"Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man "his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he "will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will "abundantly pardon." a However numerous and aggravated our tranfgreflions may be, we have no reafon to be difcouraged in applying to God through Chrift for pardon. "all manner of fins and blafphemies thail be forgiven unto "men." It is a plenary forgivenefs, extending to all the fins of the perfon toward whom it is exercifed. "The ini"quity of Jacob fhall be fought for, and there fhall be none; "and the fins of Judah, and they fhall not be found: for I "will pardon them, whom I reserve, faith the Lord."c"I "will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have finned, "and whereby they have tranfgreffed against me."d"there is now no condemnation to them that are in Chrift "Jefus," e "They are freely forgiven all trefpafles."f That forgivenefs which God is ready to exercife towards finners through Christ, is unchanging and eternal. "Their "fins and their iniquities will I remember no more," fays God. g "He that heareth my word (fays Christ) and be"lieveth on Him that fent me, hath everlafting life, and "fhall not come into condemnation." h This divine for

giveness refts not on any thing precarious, but on the immutable purpose of God; on the infinite merit of Chrift; and it remains as abiding as the foundation on which it ftands.

How exceedingly are the riches of divine grace magnified in the revelation of God's readiness to forgive!-How carefully fhould we beware of flighting or abusing this gracious revelation!-What abundant encouragement it affords to the poor alarmed finner !-With what humble boldness ought we to apply unto God, through Chrift, for the fenfible experience of divine forgivenefs !-How ftrongly does the revelation, and efpecially the experience of pardoning mercy, demand the return of grateful obedience and devotedness to God !-What obligations are pardoned finners under to copy this amiable character of God; on every occafion imitating him in his readinefs to forgive!

a Isaiah lo. 7.
d Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9.
g Heb. viii. 12.

b Matt. xii. 31.
e Rom. viii. 1.

MANCUNIENSIS.

c fer. l. 20. f Col. ii. 18.

h John. v. 24.

I

ON FAMILY DISCORD.

"LOVE ONE ANOTHER."

F ever this divine precept became forcible on believers, or the obfervation of it appeared peculiarly graceful, it muft be, when difplayed in that tendereft and molt endearing of all ties,-Marriage. Love is the very cement of that facred bond and on the cultivation of this amiable principle depends all the happiness which may be reafonably expected to flow from fo prolific a fource. Hence the unerring Spirit, by the apoftolic pen, commands hufbands to love their wives as Chrift loved the church, and wives to fubmit themfelves unto their husbands, &c. For want of this affection, fubmiffion, and confidence on either part, we frequently hear of difputes and contentions between the heads of a family, difhonourable to christian characters, and pernicious in their influence on thofe around them. My brethren and fifters, these things ought not to be fo; the kingdom of Jefus will not be established, nor his truth prevail, while fuch unchristian and unnatural tempers predominate, as to occafion fhynefs and diffenfion between perfons fo clofely united: on the contrary, you furnish the world with a ftrong argument against Religion, when it has fo little influence on the behaviour of its profeffors in domeftic life.

Reflect on the confequence of family difcord with refpeet to your children. Do you defire them to love each other? then enforce that precept on their hearts by your own example; and let not unaffectionate carriage between yourselves encourage their too prevalent difpofitions to fraternal ftrife. Bear in mind that you labour in vain to inftil the love of piety into their infant minds, while they difcover fuch difregard to its fentiments in your conduct. If then you love your children, love one another.

Confider alfo the occafion given for the world to blafpheme; what muft it fay of a believing hufband and wife living together in perpetual animofity, or, at beft, on every trivial occafion, treating each other with marked indifference? does it not ftrengthen prejudice, and animate averfion against religion ?-Ceafe then, for ever ceafe this difgraceful deportment, or never let your lips pronounce that interefting petition,

"Thy kingdom come."

PACIFICUS

A PAIR OF MINIATURE PORTRAITS.

NGENUUS is a man of liberal education and fentiments;

of original talents and eloquent addrefs. His compofitions for the pulpit are ftudied with care, and delivered with ease. His flyle is always neat, accurate, elegant; often animated and fublime. His fubjects are generally practical, but recommended on Evangelical principles; and he forcibly addreffes the affections. To crown all, his difpofition is amiable, and his moral character unexceptionable.

'ARDENS is alfo endowed by Providence with good natural abilities, which have been cultivated by a regular education for the miniftry. His compofitions for the prefs fhew him to advantage as a writer. His ftyle is eafy and engaging; and his illustrations are often original and brilliant. But it is in the pulpit that he chiefly fhines. His counte nance is illuminated with a glow of piety and affection; every word, whether addreffed to God or man, feems the expreffion of his whole heart; and he has evidently no object before him-but to convert the finner, or to animate the faint. In order to this, he difcovers no folicitude, about his ftyle or his action, but aims only to be intelligible and impreffive.

In attempting to difcriminate between thefe characters, one word will be fufficient. You cannot hear the former without admiration of the preacher; and it is difficult to hear the latter without devotion to his God. In fhort, the one, though we hope unintentionally, preaches himself, by carefully difplaying his own talents to the best advantage; the other, perfectly indifferent to felf, preaches Christ Jesus the Lord; and, as his faithful fervant, aims fimply to advance his glory. PICTOR.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The following Letters will be read by all the Friends of the Miffionary Society with gratitude and delight. They are calculated to revive the Hope of the moft defponding; and to difperfe the Gloom which Mifreprefentation had fpread, for a while, over the South Sea Miffion. Fuller Difpatches are daily expected, by the Arrival of the Captain; and we doubt not but the Directors will take fuch fteps, to fatisfy the unanimous Requeft of the Miffionaries, as Prudence fhall dictate; efpecially as One of their Body ftands pledged to give a Thousand pounds towards the next Equipment.

I

Letter from Capt. Wilson, to Joseph Hardcastle, Esq;

DEAR SIR,

EXPECTED, when I should reach China, to have had an opportunity of forwarding letters to arrive in London. much earlier than myfelf; but was disappointed in this, as no fhip failed for Europe before the fleet I accompany; and but fome Americans a few days previous to our departure, by whofe circuitous rout I did not think it neceffary to write, except a few lines to Mr. Gillett, which I got on board the firft of them when under fail. If it is received, you will have heard of my arrival, and know generally that all is well. The Society, Sir, cannot be more anxious to know, than I have been to communicate, the ftate of their affairs at Otaheite; which being favourable beyond the hopes of any, would have rendered this duty the more agreeable; and still as the Royal Admiral has to deliver a part of her cargo at the Cape of Good Hope, by which the may be detained, fo as not to reach St. Helena in time to fail from thence with the fleet, I fhall give a few particulars, for the fatisfaction of the Society; who will be farther gratified on my arrival, by the journals and letters of the Brethren, whofe packet I engaged to deliver myself. In my expedition to New-Zealand (which I mentioned in my former letter) events occurred which delayed my arrival at Otaheite to the 10th of July, 1801. The Brethren on board were then all in good health and before we anchored, we had the happiness to know [by VOL. II.

K