Though we cannot form a distinct and clear idea of the manner of God's operation in any case; yet we can clearly perceive the effects he produces by his operations. And it is just as easy to conceive of his operating upon mind, as upon matter. So that there is no absurdity or impropriety in enquiring how God governs all the minds of men in their free and voluntary conduct. Here let it be observed, then,

1. That one thing God does to govern the conduct of men, is to exhibit motives of action.-No person can act without a motive. He cannot walk, without a motive to walk; he cannot speak, without a motive to speak; he cannot choose or refuse, without choosing or refusing some object in view of the mind. Adam and Eve acted in the view of motives, in transgressing the divine prohibition. One motive was the pleasantness of the forbidden fruit; and another was to become as gods, knowing good and evil. Cain had a motive in killing Abel, and we are told what it was. Judas had a motive in betraying Christ; and Christ himself had a motive in laying down his life, the joy that was set before him. But it is needless to mention particular instances, since it is true of all men, in all cases, that they always act from motive, and cannot act without some object in view. When God designs that any person should act in a certain way, he always exhibits before his mind some motive of action, and that which is best adapted to the purpose. He always knows the nature and tendency of every external motive, and among an infinite variety of motives, he always presents the most proper, in any given ease. He can fix the mind of any person upon a present, or a distant, a visible or an invisible ob ject. What a variety of objects possess the minds of a religious assembly in the house of God? What a variety of objects possess the minds of a coneourse of people at a funeral, or any other solemn or joyful occasion? God can bring the mind to an object, or an object to the mind. When God intends a person shall walk, or converse, or rejoice. or mourn, he always exhibits proper motives to these exercises of body and mind. And it is no impeachment of his omnipotence to say that he cannot make mankind act, without exhibiting motives of action. But since motives do not act upon the mind, as weights do upon the scale, God cannot govern the conduct of men, by the mere exhibition of motives. Any objective motives may be rejected. This all men know, by their own experience. The same persons will sometimes reject motives to a good action, and sometimes to a bad one.— Hence men never know when they present motives to one another, whether their motives will be rejected or not.

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Something more, therefore, is necessary for God to do, in order to govern men's conduct, than barely presenting motives to their view. And this leads us to observe,

2. That he governs men's conduct by making them willing to act agreeable to the motives which he exhibits. He made Abraham willing to leave his own country, in view of the promise he made him; and willing to sacrifice his son, in the view of his command. He made Moses willing to quit the court of Egypt, and suffer affliction with the people of God, in view of the recompense of reward. He made San willing to go to Samuel, in view of the motive which his servant suggested. And in the same manner he makes every person willing to act just as he does act, in the view of the motive he suggests to his mind, in the moment of acting. To do this he puts forth an act of his power, and produces the desire, the affection, the volition of the external action, which he designs the person should feel or express. He operates directly upon the heart of the agent, and causes him to feel and act just as he pleases. To take a scripture instance: "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth it whithersoever he will." When Nehemiah made his request to the king of Babylon, to go and assist his afflicted people at Jerusalem, God moved his heart to grant his request. And thus he moves the hearts of all men, to feel and act. just as he pleases, through the whole course of their lives. He directs all their steps, by operating directly upon their hearts, and moving them to act. This is doing more than any created being can do. Good angels may suggest good motives, and bad angels bad motives, to action; but neither good nor bad angels, can make either good or bad men act. It is the prerogative of God, to work in men both to will and to do, or to make them act in view of the motives he presents to their minds. Thus we see how it is, God leads all mankind in the ten thousand different ways in which they walk, and directs all their steps. It is by holding up proper motives before them continually, and continually operating upon their hearts, in the view of the motives presented. He makes the heart follow the motive, just as the needle follows the magnet. He governs the heart, which governs the external conduct of every man in the world. It now remains to show,

IV. Why good men are willing to acknowledge this truth. The prophet seems to speak with peculiar satisfaction, when he says, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." This expresses the feeling of all good men; they are all will

ing to acknowledge, that God governs all the conduct of men. The question now is, why are they willing to acknowledge this truth? The following reasons naturally occur.

1. Because they fully believe it. They have had their eyes opened to see the relation which God bears to them, and which they bear to him, as their Creator. They have been made to realize that in God they live, and move and have their being; that they are in his hand, as the clay is in the hand of the potter. They have found their minds to be under his supreme control; and that it is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. They have found that all the motives of eternity, would have just such an effect as God pleased, and produce either love or hatred, according to his influence upon their hearts. Here the prophet represents the whole church of God, as saying to him, "We are the clay, and thou our potter." All saints have been made to feel that they are creatures, and this has made them feel and know, that God does constantly govern the hearts of all mankind. They have no more doubt of this truth, than they have of the struggles they have felt in contemplating the sovereignty of God, in the dispensations of providence and grace; or of their unwillingness, that God should form others, and not them, for the kingdom of glory, This is one reason why they are willing to acknowledge, that God governs all the conduct of men.

2. They are willing to acknowledge this truth, because it reflects honor upon God. It places God on the throne, and throws all his creatures at his footstool. It exhibits him as ruling in the hearts of all the intelligent creation, and doing all his pleasure in the world below, in the world above, and in all worlds. We cannot form a more exalted idea of God, than to view him as holding the moral world in his hand, and turning their views, their desires, their intentions, their designs, and all their actions into that direction, which will best promote his own glory. Those who love the glory of God, equally love to acknowledge his supremacy over themselves, and the whole intelligent universe.They are pleased to give unto God the glory of his universal and absolute government. Besides,

3. They are willing to acknowledge this truth, because they derive peculiar consolaton from it. It gives them joy to reflect, that the Lord reigns, and that he reigns in the hearts of all moral agents, and governs the conduct of all mankind from the highest to the lowest, from the king on his throne, to the smallest and meanest of his subjects. They cannot trust in their own hearts, nor in the hearts of their

fellow men; but they can trust in him, who governs the hearts of the whole human race, with perfect wisdom and goodness. Though they may be involved in darkness, yet they know there is no darkness in God, and in his light they can see light. This makes them willing to realize and acknowledge the moral government of God over the moral world. For it is in the view and love of this truth, that they can rejoice in God at all times, and under all circumstances. Con. Evan. Mag. N. A. D.

From the Massachusetts Missionary Magazine. MESSRS. EDITORS,

HAVING been somewhat acquainted with the churches in the new settlements, I have seen reason to lament, that, in many instances, they are not furnished with suitable articles of faith and practice; and in some instances they have none. As the Missionaries have not always prepared articles beforehand, they have been obliged, at the time of organizing a church, to form them in haste. Different Missionaries have adopted different articles, and so has the same Missionary at different times. It is obvious to every one, who is acquainted with the subject, that every church should be furnished with distinguishing, well arranged and well expressed articles, both of faith and practice, as well as with a covenant. It is very desirable that all the Missionaries should adopt substantially if not verbally, the same articles. And might it not be expedient for a Missionary Society to put into the hands of its Missionaries such articles as they believe and approve? I have taken some pains to form a correct confession of faith and practice. And in view of the facts just stated, I have been induced to send you a copy. I can, by no means, suppose that all, even of those who are sound in the faith, will fully approve these articles. Nor do I imagine that they are the best that can be formed. My object, in desiring them to be published, is to awaken the attention of those who are concerned, to the subject. But they are cheerfully submitted to your disposal. SERAIAH.

Articles of Faith.

1. There is one, and but one God, who is the Creator, Preserver and Governor of all, and possesses every natural and moral perfection.

2. The holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect rule of faith and practice.

3. God exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and these three are one; the same in essence and equal in every divine perfection.

4. God hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. 5. God created Adam perfectly holy, and made him the representative of all his posterity.

6. By Adam's fall all his posterity are born wholly depraved; and they are justly liable to endless punishment. 7. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is God and man, hath by his death, made an atonement for the sin of the world.

8. God hath purposed to apply the atonement to those only, who were predestinated to be holy and to be heirs of eternal glory.

9. The foundation of the elect's acceptance with God is Jesus Christ, in whom they become interested by faith alone. 10. To exercise any gracious affection, a sinner must be renewed by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit.

11. God hath covenanted to bring all the elect to his heavenly kingdom.

12. The church ought to require a credible profession of holy love of all whom they receive to their communion.

13. Adult believers, who have not been baptized, and the children of professing believers are the proper subjects of baptism.

14. God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, who will then receive the righteous to endless happiness, and sentence the wicked to endless punishment.

Articles of Practice.

1. A church consists of a number of visible saints, united and bound by a covenant to walk together according to the Scriptures.

2. The members of a church are bound to watch over each other with great care and tenderness; and to admonish, reprove. and discipline such as trespass.

3. Heresy and unchristian conduct are trespasses against

the church.

4. A church has a right to determine what is heresy and unchristian conduct.

5. None ought to bring a complaint against a member before the church, unless they think there is ground of complaint, and evidence of the offence; nor until they have taken the private methods to convince and reclaim him.

6. A church ought not to receive a complaint against a a member, unless it be brought by two, or three, who testify that the private methods to reclaim him have been taken, and that he will not hear them, and that he ought to be called to an account by the church.