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Religious Intelligence.

Extract of a letter from Rev. DA-
FID BACON, Miffionary to the
Indians, dated MICHILIMAKI
NAC, May 18, 1803.

THE fpirited exertions of the board of Trustees, and the liberal donations which are made by the children of God, who are ardently praying for the fuccefs of the Miffion to the Indians, foudly call for thanksgivings to the Great Infpirer of every good defign, and afford the highest encouragement to hope, that the Lord is about to do great things for thefe poor, wretched and long neglected heathen, who have been for thousands of years under the entire fubjection of the powers of darknefs. The directors and fupporters of the Miffion feem to have done their part, thus far, very faithfully; and as they have fowed bountifully they will doubtlefs reap bountifully. May that liberal foul in Vermont be rewarded with a plentiful harveft of grace here, and of glory hereafter! pray that I may not be left to counteract thefe noble exertions by flothfulness as a laborer, or to wafte, by unfaithfulness as a steward, the facred treasure which has been depofited for fuch a benevolent and godlike purpofe. If the Lord was not fovereign in the choice of inftruments to be employed, as well as in the ends to be anfwered, I could have po hopes of fuccefs, unless baptized afresh with the fire of that love which is ftronger than death. I know that it is my fin and fhame that I am so destitute of that faith, love, zeal and fortitude which are foneceffary to fit me for the work. But why is it that I am fo un

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prepared when fuch great prepar-
ations are made in other refpects?
Is it not becaufe that for all these

things God will be inquired of,
and the friends of the Miffion,
depending too much on temporal
means, and too little on his power
and grace,
have offered more mo-
ney for my fupport than prayers
for my fanctification and fuccefs.
They would do well to remember
that, next to the powerful accom
panying of the word, the fanctifi-
cation of the Miffionary is of the
highest importance. If the ef
fectual fervent prayer of one right-
eous man availeth much, what
might we not expect from the
united, effectual and fervent pray-
ers of all the righteous who are
fupporters of this Miffion? If
they fhould pray for a large meaf-
ure of grace to be bestowed on
their unworthy Miffionary, they
might reasonably hope that he
would prefs forward through all
dangers and difficulties, for the
glory of God in the falvation of
the fouls of the poor heathen, tho'
he might have to endure hunger
and thirst, cold and nakednefs;
and that the Lord would do great
things by him for the establish-
ment of the Redeemer's kingdom
where Chrift has not been named.

"I hope to fee my interpreter here within a month. As foon as he comes I calculate to go directly to Arborcrofh, and fpend the most of the time there through the fummer."

ORDINATION..

On the 25th of May 1803, was' ordained to the work of the Gof-* pel miniftry in DANBURY, the Rev. Ifrael Ward, a Licentiate from the Prefbytery of New-York.

The Rev. Nathaniel Bartlett, of Reading, made the introductory prayer, the Rev. Samuel Blatch

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Donations to the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, from May 19, to

July 6.

May 19.

From Deacon David Hubbard, Glaftenbury,

28. A friend of miffions, to purchase books,

June 3. A stranger from Berlin,

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Rev. Seth Willifton, contributed in new fettlements, 49 63.

28. A friend of miflions, to purchase Teftaments,

29.

From a Lady of Vermont,

Samuel P. Robbins, Plymouth Maff.

A friend of miffions,

July 6. A friend of miffions,

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God's all-fufficiency a fupport against | to and underflood, will furnish

defpair, and a fource of encour agement, in the view of difficulties in the way of falvation, which it is impoffible with men to fur

mount or remove.

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ANKIND are very apt to run into extremes; and as much fo, perhaps, in regard to religion and their fpiritual concerns, as with respect to other things. Whilft fome go along eafy and fecure in fin, under a vain imagination that they are able to do all that is requifite to infure their final happiness, whenever they fhall find it neceffary to apply themselves in earnest to the bufinefs; others, perceiving dif ficulties, which neither they nor any mere men are in all refpects able to furmount or remove, may be almost ready, in a kind of defpondency, to abandon the hope and relinquish the attempt of attaining to happinefs beyond the grave; haftily concluding, that because it is impoffible with men to effect all that is neceffary to their falvation, it is therefore utterly and abfolutely impoffible.

The fcriptures, duly attended
VOL. IV. No. 2.

inftructions amply fufficient to guard against both thefe extremes. It is, however, only with respect to the latter, that fome obferva tions will now be made, taking for our guide or ground work, an important truth mentioned by Chrift to relieve the minds of his difciples, when diftreffed with the view of a feeming impoffibility in the way of men's falvation, on account of their love of the things of this world, and attachment to earthly riches.

A young man, who very refpectfully addreffed to Chrift, this ferious queftion, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ?” upon being told by Jefus to fell whatfoever he had, and give to the poor, and he fhould have treasure in heaven: and to come, take up the crofs, and follow Chrift," was fad at that saying, and went away grieved; for he had great poffeffions." this occafion, Jefus looked round about and faid to his difciples, "How hardly fhall they that have riches enter into the king dom of God." His difciples be ing astonished at his words, he

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anfwered again, and faid unto | Hence, it may fometimes feem,
them, "Children, how hard is it especially to fuch as have any con-
for them that truft in riches to fiderable understanding and con-
enter into the kingdom of God!viction of the true tenor and vast
It is easier for a camel to go thro'
the eye of a needle than for a
rich man to enter into the king-
dom of God. And they were
aftonished out of measure, faying
among themfelves, who then can
be faved?" But Jefus looking
upon them, to relieve their afton-
ifhed mirds, faid, "With men it
is impoffible, but not with God:
for with God all things are poffi-
ble." See Mark x. 17—27.

extent of the divine law, and of
their numerous tranfgreflions of it
and habitual contrariety to it, as
though it was impoffible that they
or any of mankind fhould be faved,
unl.fs the law is repealed or giv-
en up. See Rom. vii. 7-12.

With men it was impoffible to
devife any method, or to make
any provifion for the pardon of
tranfgreffors, confiftently with the
divine law's remaining in full
force. But that which, in this
refpect, was impoffible with men,
was poffible with,God, and is ac-

The fcriptures inform us with great plainnefs, that God hath fet forth his fon Jefus Chrift, whe

In thefe laft words, this general truth is plainly fuggefted, That all things neceffary to the falvation of men are poffible with God.tually accomplished. Though in other refpects, as well as in that which occafioned the furprife and confternation of the difciples, yea, though in ever fois both God and man in one permany refpects, the falvation of fon, "to be a propitiation thro any be impoffible with men; yet faith in his blood, to declare his it is not abfolutely impoffible, be- righteoufnefs for the remiffion of caufe with God all things are fins-that he might be juft, and poffible. Therefore, the juftifier of him who believeth Agreeable to the defign, with in Jefus"that" Chrift hath rewhich this important and intereft-deemed us from the curfe of the ing truth appears to have been mentioned by Chrift, it may with propriety be improved for the relief and encouragement of thofe, whofe minds are greatly dejected and nearly overwhelmed with a view of things, on account of which falvation may feem impoffible, and really is impoffible with men. Particularly

I. Death is the wages of finits deferved reward. The law of God, which is holy, and juft, and good, and muft, at all events, be fupported, curfes every one who doth not perfectly obey it. It is alfo fact, that all have finned, and come fhort of the glory of God: that all have tranfgrefied and daily tranfgrefs the law of God.

law, being made a curfe for us"-
and that "God hath made him to
be fin for us," that is, an offer-
ing and facrifice for fin in our be-
half, "who knew no fin; that
we might be made the righteouf-
nefs of God in him." This di-
vine perfon, having in our ftead,
as our reprefentative and fubfti-
tute, rendered a perfect obedience
to the whole law, under circum-
ftances moft peculiarly difficult
and trying, and borne our fins, or
the expreffions of God's righteous
anger against them, in his own
body on the tree, " is the end of
the law for righteousness to every
one that believeth"-to every
true believer in him he is instead
of the perfect perfonal obedience

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required by the law; or in regard | to his juftification before God, he answers for the believer every end, every purpose, which would have been anfwered by the perfect perfonal righteousnefs required in the law as the condition of his juftification.

But admitting the fufficiency of Christ's righteoufnefs and atonement, to render the juftification of every true believer in him, confiftent with the juftice of God, and with the honor and authority of the divine law; nevertheless

who is rich in merey, for the great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift;

and hath raised us up together, &c.For by grace are ye faved thro' faith, and that not of your, felves it is the gift of God.For we are his workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus unto good works."

The power of God is every way equal to the production of this effential and all important change. And his grace is like.. wife fufficient, and will be dif played by the effect, in every in. ftance wherein it is, on the whole, wife and beft, that it fhould be wrought,

But one, and another, whofe eyes are opened to see himself, may yet be ready to fay, My cafe is fingular. My fins are fo many, fo great, and fo aggravated-my

II. It is fill true, that without holiness no man fhall fee the Lord-That the finner, in order to be juftified thro' the righteoufnefs of Chrift, muft exercife repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift, even faith which worketh by love, and involves the principle or be ginning of real holinefs. But all mankind are by nature the chil-heart is fo hard and stupid, and dren of wrath, unholy and finful: and many fenfibly find, by their own experience, that they are dead in fin, prone only to evil, but averfe to God and holiness. Hence, to fome it may ftill feem as though it was impoffible that they fhould be faved-as though there could not be produced, in their hearts, fo great and effential change as is neceffary for this purpose.

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With men, it is confeffed, this is impoffible. No man can change his own heart, or produce fpirit. ual life in his heart which is fpiritually dead. Nor can any other man do it for him. But this is poffible with God, and hath often been effected. Paul having made to the faints at Ephefus an affecting ftatement of his own and their former character, as being totally depraved and altogether finful, immediately added, " But God,

my will fo obftinate, and all man, ner of finful lufts and habits, by long indulgence, have become fo deeply rooted, fixed and confirme ed, that is impoffible that I should be converted and faved.

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True: This is impoffible with men.- -By your own exertions you will never overcome the pow er of fin in yourselves, or break its habits, or make yourfelves new hearts, or repent, or believe, or love or obey the truth in fincerity. For all the exertions of a totally depraved heart are oppofed to thefe effects. But the power of God is fufficient to effect all thefe things in you and for you. And it is poffible that he will, notwith ftanding the number, and great. nefs, and aggravations of your fins and provocations. Though your cafe be, indeed, very threat. ening, dangerous and alarming, and you really have great reafon

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