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Son of God in his divine näture? To consider the brightness of divine glory as manifesting itself only in the human nature of Christ, very naturally shuts out from the urind the idea of Trinity

er. But it is asked, "If this Son, by whom God spake, in these last days, were a Son in his divine nature, why is it said, that God hath appointed him heir of all things-He must, of necessity have been heir by nature and inherent right-in the Godhead. To acknowledge Jenot receiving this honor from any supe- sus to be God as well as man, and thus rior?" To this it may be replied, that, admit the brightness of Divinity to apin the subordinate character, in which pear in him, will still, give no idea at all he condescended to act,-the character of any other person in the Godhead, of Mediator and Redeemer, he was far than that, which inhabits the human nafrom being necessarily the heir of all ture of Christ. So that, in the passage things. He now heirs all things as a re-under consideration, we not only, on ward for the work he accomplished in || that construction run into the absurdity his mediatorial character. This is the of supposing divine honors to be attribulight in which the apostle represents ted to a creature, but exclude the idea the matter, Philip. ii. 6-10. Here he of there being more than one person in tells us, that he, who was in the form of that God, who, in these last days, has God, and thought it no robbery to be spoken to us by his Son. equal with God, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death: "Where fore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow-and every tongue confesst hat Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

It is submitted, whether the sentiment that Jesus is the Son of God only in his human nature, do not tend greatty to obscure the evidence of a Trini ty in the Godhead. If he be a Son only in his humanity, in all the great works which are attributed to the Son, he is but a mere instrument-the power When it is urged, that the Divinity of is all of God. There is not a Father, Christ is as truly exhibited under the Son and Holy Ghost in the Godhead :title son of man, as it is by the title Son And if not, where is the evidence of a of God, (as this has been urged,) why Trinity? It is admitted and believed, may it not thence be inferred, that he by the advortes of the opinion, that was the heir of all things by nature and Christ only as man is the Son of God, inherent right, with as much justice, as that divine nature was united with the if can be inferred from his divine Son-human in the person of Jesus. But, as ship, on supposition he is indeed the this divine nature was not the Son, the Son of God in his divine as well as hu- evidence fails of their being a Son in man nature? But it is represented,on the the self-existent God. Though divine other side of the question, as being un-nature be so united to the Son as to connatural, if not absurd, to suppose, that stitute one person, the evidence seems Divinity in one person, was the bright-to fail, of there being any other divine ness of the glory of Divinity in another nature or person, than that, which is persor. Consequently, that Son, by thus united to the man Jesus. Thus, it whom God spake,and who was the bright- is apprehended, that the sentiment, ness of his glory, could be no other than that Jesus is the Son of God only as a, the man Jesus. On this it may be ob-an, is, both of dangerous tendency, served that, if the term Son, when ap- and without divine authority for its supplied in scripture to the Lord Jesus, al-port.

ways implies Divinity as well as humani- How, and in what way, Jesus became ly, which is conceded by those, who ad the Son of God in his divine nature, we mit him to be the Son of God no other-may be unable to comprehend. No wise than as man, will it not thence as idea of his being so derived from the clearly follow, that Divinity in one di Father as to imply. either inferiority, or vine person, was the brightness of the beginning of existence, is to be admitglory of Divinity in another divine per-ted. That he should be a Son, is, howsʊn, as though he be admitted to be the ever, no more incomprehensible, than

that an infinite all perfect Being should The world is their chief good, and the exist from eternity-having neither be- kingdom of God only occupies a seconginning of days, nor end of life. Every dary place in their affections. They thing, with respect to this glorious Be- wish to attend to their everlasting coning, is, by us incomprehensible. If the cerns; but they cannot spare time.→ opinion, that Jesus is the Son of God in Now we can commonly spare time for his divine, as well as human nature, that which we love best. The sensualhave the authority of the holy scriptures ist can find time for his pleasures, and for its support, it becomes us to rest sat-the man of the world for getting money. isfied. They can think of these things when The preceding observations, it is hop-sitting in the house, or walking in the ed, may be the means of exciting chris-way; and every thing else is made to tians, particularly the ministers of the bend, or give way to them. The result gospel, to a more close and careful at-is, this preposterous conduct mars the tention to the subject. For if Jesus whole; for God and religion must be Christ is indeed the Son of God only in his human natúre, divines, in all ages have been in an error, in supposing that God exists in a Trinity, consisting of Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

SENEX.

The necessity of seeking those things first, which are of the first importance.

supreme or nothing. There are certain relations even amongst us in which it is impossible to be contented with a secondary place. If a wife give her heart to another than her husband, and aims only to oblige him so far as to keep him in tolerable good humeur, it is what cannot be endured; he must be first, or nothing; and such is the claim of Heaven.

2. It is owing to this, among other causes, that many christians go from year to year in doubt with respect to their interest in Christ and spiritual blessings. It is very desirable to have clear and satisfactory views on this subject. To live in suspense on a matter of such importance, must, if we be not sunk in insensibility, be miserable. How is it that so much of this prevails amongst us when, if we look into the new testament, we shall scarcely see an instance

A great part of the evil which pre vails in the world, consists in an entire neglect of what God commands, or in doing what he hath expressly forbid den; but not the whole of it. There may be an attachment to many things, which in themselves are right, and yet the whole may be rendered worse than void by the want of order, or a regard to things according to their importance. Our Lord did not censure the Pharisees for attending to the lesser matters of the law, but for attending to them to the neg-of it among the primitive christians ?— lect of the greater.. If we pursue things Shall we cast off all such characters as as primary, which ought to occupy on- unbelievers ? Some have done so, ally a secondary or subordinate place in leging that it is impossible for a person the system, we subvert the whole, and to be a believer without being conscious employ ourselves in doing what is worse of it. Surely this is too much; for if the than nothing. grace of God within us, whatever be I think I see the operation of this its degree, must needs be self-evident principle among us, and that to a wide to us, why are we directed to keep his extent. I sec it amongst the unconvert-commandments as the mean of knowing ed, amongst the converted, and amongst that we know him?* The primitive different parties or denominations of christians, however, had but little of this christians.

1. It is by this that great numbers who lay their accounts with obtaining the kingdom of heaven will be found to have deceived themselves.-It may be too much to say of them, that they do not seek the kingdom of God; but they seek it not as a first or primary object.

fear; and the reason of it was, they had more of that perfect love to Christ, to the gospel, and to the success of it, than we have, which tended to cast it out.f If we make our personal comfort the first ject of our pursuit, (and many attend the means of grace as if they *1 John, ii. S. †11 John, iv. 18.

for it is a general principle in the divine administration, "He that honoureth me, I will honour; but he that despiseth me shall be lightly esteemed. If we seek the honour of God, we shall find our own peace and comfort in it; but if we make light of him, he will make light of us, and leave us to pass our days in darkness and suspense.

are heard of" the decline of the dissenting interest." Where they are believed and taught, and their progress, whether among dissenters or others, viewed with satisfaction, we hear of no such complaints. It is a curious fact, that while a certain description of dissenters are inquiring into the cause of the decline of the dissenting interests, a certain description of the established elergy are in. quiring into the causes of its increase!

did,) God will make it the last of his: If we wish to promote the disserting interest, it must not be by expending our principal seal in endeavoring to make men dissenters, but in making dissenters, and others christians. The principles of dissent, however just and important, are not to be compared with the glorious gospel of the blessed God; and if inculcated at the expense of it, it is no better than tithing mint 3. It is owing, if I mistake not, to the and cummin to the omitting of the same cause that various denominations weightier matters of the law. Such enof christians, who at some periods have deavors will be blasted, and made to debeen greatly blessed of God, have defeat their own end. Those dissenters aclined as to their spiritual prosperity. mong whom the doctrines of the puritans Several of our religious denominations and non conformists have fallen into have arisen from a conscientious desire disrepute, are generally distinguished to restore christianity to its primitive by this species of zeal; and it is princi purity. From this motive acted, I be-pally from such quarters that complaints lieve, the greater part of the reformers, the puritans, the non conformists, and the baptists. I do not know that any one of these denominations were censurable for the separations which they made from other professing christians. It may be alleged, that they have torn the church of Christ into parties, and so occasioned much evil: yet some of them did not separate from the church of Christ, but from a wordly community calling itself by that name; and "those who did, pretended not to be the only people of God in the world, but considered themselves merely as withdrawing from brethren who walked disorderly. It is a melancholy fact, how-lay out ourselves in the common cause ever, that no sooner have a people form of christianity, the Lord will bless and ed themselves into a new denomination, increase us. By rejoicing in the prosthan they are in the utmost danger of perity of every other denomination in concentrating almost all their strength, so far as they accord with the mind influence, zeal, prayers, and endeavours of Christ, we shall promote the best infor its support; not as a part of Christ's terests of our own. But if we be more visible kingdom, wishing all good to oth-concerned to make proselytes to a parer parts, in so far as they follow Christ, ty than converts to Christ, we shall debut as though it were the whole of it and feat our own end; and however just as though all true religion were circum- our sentiments may be with respect to scribed within its hallowed pale. This the subjects and mode of baptism, we is the essence of a sectarian spirit, and shall be found symbolizing with the the bane of christianity. pharisees,who were employed in tithing mint and cummin, to the neglect of judgment, mercy, and the love of God. Fuller's Essays.

I am a dissenter and a baptist. If I confine my remarks to the faults of these denominations, it is not because 1 consider them as greater sinners in this may than all others, but because I wish more especially to correct the evils of my own connexions.

If we wish to see the baptist denomi• nation prosper, we must not expend our zeal so much in endeavoring to make men baptists, as in laboring to make baptists and others christians.

If we

Mission to the south-western parts of the United
States-(Continued from p. 73.)

"The Illinois Territory when the last census was taken, contained 12,000 in

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habitants. Its present population may | annum, for preaching a part of the time, be about 15,000. The hostilities of the and instructing a small school. neighboring savages have prevented any giving another portion of his services to very considerable increase. Until the the people of St. Genevieve he might Last summer, titles of land could not be obtain an addition of 2 or 300 dollars.— obtained in this Territory. But now Six miles from Kaskaskias there is an Land offices are opened-and some Associate Reformed congregation of 40 portions of the country are extremely families. Besides this we did not hear fertile. It is probable, therefore, that of a single organized society of any desettlers will now begin to flock in, espe- nomination in the county, nor of an incially if the war should soon terminate.dividual Baptist or Methodist preacher. The principal settlements in the Terri-The situation of the two upper counties tory, at present, are situated on the Ohio, is in this respect somewhat different.and the Wabash, and on the Mississippi Baptist and Methodist preachers are and the Kaskaskias. The eastern set considerably numerous; and a majori tlements are considerably extensive,ty of the heads of families, as we were spreading 30 miles up the Wabash, and informed by Gov. Edwards and others, forty down the Ohio. They include are professors of religion. A Methodist the U. S. Saline, where a considerable minister told us that these professors number of people are employed in man- were almost all of them educated Presufacturing salt, to the amount of 3,600 byterians. And they would have been bushels a week. Of this county, Shaw-so still, said he, had they not been neganeetown is the seat of justice. It con- lected by their eastern brethren. Now tains about 100 houses, situated on the they are Baptists and Methodists. How Ohio, 12 miles below the entrance of the many of them could be restored to the Wabash, and subject to be overflowed Presbyterian connexion by a prudent at high water. But it is continually de-and pious missionary, it is impossible luged like most other towns in the Ter- to say. In all this Territory there is not ritories, by a far worse flood of impiety a single Presbyterian preacher.-And and iniquity. Yet even here a faithful that is not all when we arrived there missionary might hope to be extensively we learnt that very considerable districts useful. The people heard us with fixed had never before seen one. Already and solemn attention, when we address- have the interests of orthodoxy and of ed them. The western settlements in vital godliness suffered an irretrievable this Territory are separated from the loss. And they must suffer more and eastern by a wilderness of 100 miles.-more, until missionaries are employed They lie in a country highly interesting, and sent to erect the standard of the considered as missionary ground. The truth, and establish the institutions of American Bottom is an extensive tract the Gospel. of alluvial soil on the bank of the Mis- "The Missouri Territory is fast rising sissippi, 80 miles in length, and about 5 into importance, and is well worthy in breadth. This land is endowed with the attention of missionary societies.-a surprising and an exhaustless fertility. In 1810 it contained little more 20,000 It is capable of supporting, and is doubt-souls. At present we have reason to less destined to receive an immense believe from information obtained from population. The high lands back are Gov. Clark, that this Territory has a also extremely fertile. Kaskaskias is population little short of 30,000. It the key to all this country and must has never been explored, as we could therefore become a place of much im-learn, by any person having its religious portance, although at present it does not state and interests in view. Our regreatly flourish. It contains between 80 marks, therefore, except with respect to and 100 families, two thirds French those parts visited by us, cannot be ve Catholics. The people of this place ry particular. In St. Louis, and its neighare very anxious to obtain a Presbyteri-borhood the call is extremely urgent an clergyman. Gov. Edwards assured for a clergyman. It contains about 2, us, that a preacher of popular talents, || 000 inhabitants, one third perhaps`are would receive a salary of $1000 per

Americans, the remainder French Cath- to have congregations organized, where they are capable of it. Among which are the following: The settlements in the neighborhood of the lead mines are very considerable. At Mine a Burton

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olics. The American families are many of them genteel and well informed ;but very few of them religious. Yet they appear to be thoroughly convinced by their own experience, of the indis-(forty miles west from St. Genevieve) pensable necessity of religion to the there is a village of 20 families. When welfare of society. When we told them the people of that place heard that we that a missionary had been appointed to were in the Territory, so anxious were that station by the Connecticut Mission- they to obtain a Presbyterian preacher, ary Society, they received the informa- that they circulated a paper, and immetion with joy. And they are anxiously diately procured subscriptions to the expecting his arrival. The most res- amount of $200 for a missionary who pectable people in town assured us, that would visit that place occasionally.a young man of talents, piety, and liber-Mr. Austin, originally from New-Eng ality of mind, would receive an abund- land, sent us a pressing invitation to ant support; 12 or 1400 dollars a year come and preach there. But that was might be relied on by such a man; if impracticable, and their hopes were for he would teach a school and preach the present disappointed. These`setbut & part of his time. The remain- tlements are certainly interesting in a der might be devoted to the neighbor- missionary point of view. The annual ing settlements. When we consider produce of the mines, two years since, the present situation of St. Louis, and was 1,525,000lbs. of lead. The numthe high probability that it will become ber of persons employed in digging, a flourishing commercial town; we can smelting &c. is at present very great, not but earnestly desire, that the person and will doubtless increase with rapidialready appointed, or some other suita- ty. On the Saline, five miles from St. ble one, may speedily be sent to occu- Genevieve is an American settlement of ry this important post. Situated just about 50 families; some are Presbytebelow the confluence of the Illinois, rians. At the Bois Brule bottom on the the Mississippi and the Missouri; no Mississippi 15 miles below St. Gene, place in the Western country, New-Or-vieve, are about 30 American families. leans excepted, has greater natural ad- There is also a settlement on the Plavantages. No place, therefore, has high- ten, and a large one of 150 or 200 famer importance, considered as a mission-ilies on the St. Francis. Towards the ary station. Next to St. Louis in point North West from St. Louis very consiof importance, is St. Genevieve. It lies derable settlements are scattered up the one mile from the Mississippi, includ- Mississippi, the Missouri, and their tribing New Bourbon about two miles dis-|| utary streams for near 200 miles. When tant; it has a population of 1500. There we were in the Territory we could not are about 25 American families; the learn that any Presbyterian minister had remainder French. A missionary visit-ever before preached there; yet most ing this place occasionally would be well received and would obtain a considerable part of his support. While a person acting in the double capacity of preacher and instructor of the Academy in that place, would receive a salary of $1000 per annum. Respecting the "In addition to the above detailed religious state of the other towns and account of these Territories, we have a villages in the Territory, we have no few general remarks to offer, applicable definite information. It should speedi-to them all. The character of the setly be inquired into by a missionary on tlers is such as to render it peculiarly the ground. There are also many Ame-important that missionaries should earrican settlements throughout the coun-ly be sent among them. Indeed, they try, that require to be sought out, and The sect of Elias Smith.

of its settlements are frequently visited by Baptist and Methodist preachers.-There was even a man of the New-Eng land sect of Christ-ians* preaching and distributing books in this and the adjacent Territory.

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