more than Mr. Cooke, why there should not be a fair distribution of offices among the several denominations in the state. As "the Trinitarian denominations together comprise three fourths of the people," we cannot see, more than he, why " nine tenths of the political influence should continue in the hands of Unitarians." But let them treat us fairly and justly, and (as we said) we will not quarrel with them, or with any other sect, on this ground. They are in power, and let them rule us impartially, in the fear of God, and protect us in our dearest rights, and they may keep their seats without interference or molestation from us. But as we do not desire our rulers to treat us the better for our Orthodoxy, so we cannot consent to be treated the worse for it. The Societies of other denominations usually receive incorporation, when they ask it; and why should not ours? The churches of other denominations are not yet made the subjects of legal plunder; and why should ours be? We do not hear other denominations accused of treasonable designs against the State; and we cannot submit, without a shadow of evidence, to bear the odium of such accusations ourselves. It will be worse than vain, in this enlightened Commonwealth, to think of promoting one set of religious opinions, or putting down another, by political favoritism, or legislative enactments, or judicial decisions; for this is a people of many eyes, and such proceedings, if attempted, will certainly be discovered, and as certainly reprobated.

Our prayer for our civil rulers is, that they may be just and holy men, richly endued with that wisdom which is from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy ;'-and for our Christian brethren, that they may have grace to bear, with becoming patience and moderation, whatever they may be called to suffer-committing their cause to Him who judgeth righteously, and who will assuredly overrule all events (not excepting even the purposes of the wicked) for the interest and glory of his church, and the honor of his holy name.

MISCELLANEOUS.

SENTIMENTS OF MINISTERS FORMERLY SETTLED IN AND AROUND BOSTON.

No people had ever more reason to revere their ancestors than the native inhabitants of Boston and the vicinity; and probably none ever exceeded them in professions of respect for those from whom were derived their existence and privileges. It is the more strange, therefore, that so many among this people have radically departed from the religion of their fathers, and are engaged in promoting a system of faith which those devoted men rejected, as erroneous and

unsafe. In tracing the progress of this revolution, we shall find it was accomplished, in some of its stages, by slow and almost imperceptible degrees. Each succeeding generation, while professing to follow the footsteps of its predecessors, gradually receded from their path, until, with many, nearly the whole compass of error has been traced, and they have learned to scoff at those holy doctrines, on which their fathers rested the hope of salvation.

It is not pretended by the liberalists of this day, that they agree in sentiment with the Pilgrims, the first planters of New England, or with those who immediately succeeded them in the care of these churches; but it is confidently alledged by the Unitarian clergy, and their people are instructed to believe, that they accord, in general, with their more recent predecessors, and are dutifully following in the steps of their faith. The names of Chauncy and Elliot, of Mayhew, Howard and Thatcher, and of many of their cotemporaries, are highly honored, as belonging to those who it is said were liberal, in the modern sense of the term, and cherished almost the identical faith of those who now minister to the same congregations.

Now we do not say that all those, whose names have been mentioned, or to whom we shall hereafter refer, were fully Orthodox in their religious opinions. Some of them had swerved not a little from the holy doctrines of their fathers, and were preparing the way for the defection which has followed. But we do say, and we design to shew, that they were an entirely different class of men from many now on the stage, who profess to be their admirers and followers. If they had departed from the principles of their fathers, modern Unitarians have departed still more widely and fearfully from their principles, so that they can properly claim no religious affinity with them. In shewing this, it will be necessary to present quotations from the writings of distinguished men, formerly settled in the ministry in this vicinity. We begin with Dr. Chauncy, long Pastor of the first Church in Boston.

DR. CHAUNCY." When the faith men are the subjects of is justifying, the true bottom of it is the testimony of God. They have a view of God, as speaking in the sacred books, different from what they had before. They don't now read the Scriptures merely as the writings of apostles, or prophets, but as the writings of God; and God as truly appears to them in these writings, as though he spake the things that are here wrote. And herein the persuasion of believers, that are in Christ, differs from that of others, who are not."

"The things contained in the Scripture were wrote by holy men as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. They were received from God and committed to writing, under his immediate, extraordinary influence and guidance."

The first thing observable in the text is, the gift spoken of; viz. the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, as the word is elsewhere translated ;-It is the name of the third of the sacred Three. He is otherwise styled, sometimes, by way of emphasis, the Spirit; sometimes the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of grace, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of holiness; sometimes he is spoken of as the Comforter, the Sanctifier, and the like. That glorious person is pointed out, under all these appellations, in whose name, as well as

in the name of the Father and the Son, we are baptized, and by this instituted rite take upon us the character of Christians.

Only, let it be remembered, where the Holy Ghost is spoken of as a gift from God, we are not to understand hereby the person, but the influences of this blessed Spirit. Not that the Holy Ghost is nothing more than an emanation, operation or influence, from the Father. He is often represented in the Bible, as an agent, a person, as truly and properly so, as either the Father or the Son. But though he be a real, living, active, infinitely glorious person, yet, when he is spoken of as a gift, we are to understand hereby his influence and operations.

"Some, I am sensible, are for confining the gift of the Holy Ghost to the apostolic age; but there is no reason for this. 'Tis plain, from the current strain of the whole New Testament, that the gift of the Holy Ghost is as necessary for persons in all after ages, as it was in the first days of the Gospel. 'Tis therefore declared in language extending to all times as well as persons, Except a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'"

"Nor by the gift of the Spirit, in this sense, are we to understand barely the objective influence of revealed truths, or any improvements of nature that are merely moral; but that immediate presence and influence of the Holy Ghost, whereby a real power is communicated to the purposes of religion. This is the true meaning of those numerous texts, wherein those who are real Christians are said to be born of the Spirit; to have the Spirit dwelling in their hearts by faith; to be strengthened with all might in the inner man by the Spirit; to be led by the Spirit; to walk in the Spirit, and the like. By these phrases, is pointed out a sort of influence beyond what is merely natural or moral. 'Tis evidently their main scope to represent the Holy Spirit as all in all in the business of pure and undefiled religion; the beginner, the carrier on, and the finisher of faith, yea, and of every thing else that is spiritually good, in the hearts of sincere Christians. Nor will any thing short of this come up to the just and full import of these expressions."

"It is abundantly evident, from the general run of the New Testament writings, that our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, while in our world, "in fashion as a man," and "form of a servant," both did and suffered everything that was necessary in order to a worthiness, a righteousness, on account of which God might, in consistency with the honor of his perfections, and the authority of his law and government, manifest his mercy towards sinners, even the chief of them, in saving them from wrath, and admitting them to the joys of his presence in the kingdom of heaven."

"This finished work of Christ is that, with a view to which, for the sake of which, in consideration of which, the sinner is justified and saved. This is the expedient, this the moral mean, the wisdom of God, excited by his infinite benevolence, has contrived for the righteous and holy display of his grace towards the sinful sons of men, in discharging them from the demands of his law and justice. And whoever are made partakers of this grace, the obedience of Christ,

and eminently that finishing act of it, his willingly submitting to die on the cross, is the only meritorious ground of itsbestowment. 'Tis not for the sake "of anything the sinner has about him" that he is acquitted from guilt, and accepted into favor. This is done by grace, through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ."

"IfI know myself, I would always be in a disposition to love and thank Christ, for the great and gloriously benevolent work he finished on the cross; and next to the grace of God, it is, without all doubt, the grand requisite to justification. Nor can we be justified without it. 'Tis an essential part in the merciful plan God has laid, to save sinners from the damnation of hell."

"Another operation, included in the gift of the Holy Ghost, is the change whereby men are made new creatures. We every where read, in the inspired writings, of a change, which it is necessary sinners should pass under, as ever they would hope, according to the tenor of the Gospel covenant, to be admitted into the coming kingdom of God. This change is spoken of under a variety of names. 'Tis sometimes called conversion, sometimes regeneration, sometimes it is compared to a resurrection, and sometimes to a new creation. The same thing is intended in all these phrases; even that change which is made in men, when they become true Christians. Not that there is any change effected in them, physically speaking; their natural powers and faculties are still the same: But in the religious and moral sense, they are strangely altered. There is a change wrought both in their hearts and lives, in all their inward principles as well as outward behaviour in the world. They are, as it were, new moulded and fashioned. They have other thoughts and sentiments, other springs of action, other views and aims; they are so altered as to be quite other persons; they have another temper of mind, another taste and relish, another heart and soul, and they lead another kind of life, are pious towards God, righteous towards men, and sober in respect of themselves."

"This is the change we must pass under, in order to our being made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. And it is to effect this change, that the Holy Ghost is given. Nor can it be effected in any way but by his operations in us. It is not the produce of mere reason, nor of external revelation. It is not brought about by the bare influence of moral motives, whether they are fetched from the law or the Gospel: No, but it is an effect of the power of the Spirit, working effectually in them that believe."

"The apostle's reasoning, with respect to the unattainableness of justification upon the terms of law, ought to be considered as refering, not only to mankind as they existed at the time when he wrote, but in all after ages of the world. He most certainly wrote with a view to after ages as well as that in which he lived; designing to affirm and prove, that no son of man, in any age, till the end of time, could be justified upon law-terms: because, in the eye of law, they could not but be found guilty before God. And the plain truth is, his reasoning, upon this head, is as applicable to mankind universally in these days, as to mankind at the time when he wrote his epis

tle. For it is as true now as it was then, and has all along been so, that they have universally sinned. Not that mankind, in all ages, have been sinners just in the same degree as in the apostle's days: But they now are, and always have been, and always will be, sinners in such a sense, as that it is impossible they should be justified by the rule of strict law."

"I may properly take occasion here to urge upon our young people a care to conform their external practice to the divine law. This, it is true, will not suffice to constitute you good men, in the estimation either of the law or gospel. If you go no further, you will still lack that which is absolutely needful. A mere external conformity to the law, will not argue that men are possessed of the "real power of godliness." There must be a "heart purified by faith," as well as the outward appearance of virtue in the life. But this, notwithstanding, a freedom from sin, especially in instances that are gross and heinous, is infinitely better than an allowed indulgence in vice and wickedness."

"The mission of his own Son from heaven into the world, to become incarnate, that he might, by being obedient to death, make atonement for the sins of men is the grand means by which this stupendous benevolence of the Deity, in the business of salvation, is carried into effect." "So far was the blood of Christ from being intended to work upon the heart of God, and stir up compassion in him, that it was love, and because he delighted in mercy, that he spared him not, but delivered him up for us all.' The incarnation, obedience, sufferings and death of Christ are therefore to be considered as the way or method in which the wisdom of God thought fit to bring into event the redemption of man. wisely concerted method it is."*

And a most

DR. WEST, Pastor of the Church in Hollis Street, Boston.— "The fallen, ruined state of human nature" is "a subject that should be much insisted on by the ministers of Christ. Christ is the remedy provided for the diseased and perishing souls of the children of men; but, alas, who will be solicitous for a remedywho will inquire what he shall do to be saved, before he perceives himself lost? This is a subject of great importance: For though, after all, we acknowledge it is the work of the Spirit to convince men of sin, yet God is pleased to make the preaching of the word an effectual means of producing that conviction; and the word preached becomes, in the hand of the divine Spirit, like a hammer to break, or a sword to pierce the sinner's heart, bringing him, from a sense of his misery, to cry with the publican, 'God be merciful to me a sinner.""

"Christ is to be considered as, in effect, all our salvation. We are not only accepted in the sight of God for his sake, but it is

* Chauncy's Twelve Sermons, pp. 95, 151, 163, 8, 322, Sermon on Enthusiasm, p. 7. Sermon on the Out-pouring of the Holy Ghost, pp. 6-11, 17. Treatise on the Benevolence of the Deity, published in 1784, pp. 166, 167.