fo the Son of God affumed our nature, obeyed the law, fuffered and died, that there might come forth a new and more beautiful creation by the Holy Spirit. When the perfons of the Trinity are diftinguished in their operations, the great work of making effectual application of the benefits of the Redeemer's purchase, is manifestly attributed to the Spirit. It is God the Spirit who arrests finful men in their stupid and mad career down to eternal ruin, who convinces them of fin, and after effectually humbling them, acquaints them with the things of Jesus and leads them to embrace the Saviour. Thus by faith he constitutes a vital and most blessed union between perishing sinners and the Lord of glory. As the Spirit regenerates or begins the work of fanctification, so he effectually carries it on under all circumstances thro' life, and at length prepares the happy subject for glory complete and ineffable. In order to this, every chosen vefsel must be gathered in and rendered perfect both foul and body im the glorious likeness of the Saviour All the members must be perfectly conformable to the head, must be brought into the most intimate union and be filled with all the fullness of God, as his spiritual, living and most glorious temple, in which he will delight to dwell forever and ever. Since then the operations of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of finners are so glorious to the Deity and fo happifying to man, they are worthy to be recorded and had in everlasting remembrance. Is there joy in heaven over one finner that repenteth? Is the event viewed as of fufficient importance to be published thro' the heavenly world and doth it cause the holy angels and faints in glory to rejoice; and shall it be overlooked by the church militant? Verily fo important is every instance of faving converfion that it is worthy to be proclaimed thro' heaven and earth, and to be celebrated thro' everlasting ages. It is the glorious character of the fame God which shines in creation, redemption and sanctification. But in redemption and sanctification, with the greatest possible brightness. Hence we read of the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the faints. This astonishing work of grace on the hearts of those who were chofen by the Father in Chrift Jesus and fore-ordained unto eternal life be- | must ascend as sweet incense before the world began, which is daily carrying into effect by the Holy Spirit, is the crowning point or grand issue of all the operations of the Deity of which we have any knowledge. And when it shall stand forth in all the perfection of Jehovah we may rest assured its glory and beauty will far furpass all which the eye of man hath seen or his heart conceived. In this view authentic narratives of the revival of religion, or of the wonderful operations of the Holy Spirit in one place and another, are to be perused and contemplated with pleasure. They are to be viewed as a tribute of praife to God, and when thus offered up by those who love his appearing, they fore his throne. They are the They exhibit to the world the 7 ners, so perhaps no means are more frequently blessed to this end. every believer, and hardly admit of a doubt. Now should we forbear to notice such instances because possibly we may be deceived in some, we should neglect to acknowledge the finger of God They are eminently calculated to quicken, edify, comfort and support the Lord's people. As their hearts are bound up in the ❘ when most confpicuous, and un profperity of Zion, so no news can be to them so refreshing. In this way they become extensively acquainted with what God is doing in the earth. Their hearts rejoice and they give glory to God. By intelligence of this kind exhibited of late in Rippon's Baptist Register, in the London, Missionary, and Connecticut Evangelical Magazines, how is the revenue of Divine glory increased, how many ❘ thousands of Christians are made acquainted with the most gracious and wonderful works of the Spirit, and with those dear brethren and fisters whose faces they never saw in the flesh! What a foundation is thus laid for those delightful personal interviews among the redeemed, recognizing each other and recapitulating their particular histories, or the dealings of divine mercy in bringing them severally home to glory; which may probably occupy no fmall portion of the first ages of a blessed immortality! The writer is aware of an objection which may be raised to an encouragement of publications of this kind, viz. There is such danger of impofition, and fo many specious appearances prove abortive, that it is more prudent to leave all these matters in an undigefted mafs, and wait the decifion of the great day. In answer to this objection, it is to be observed, that tho' no man can pretend with infallible certainty to determine the heart of another, yet these astonishing changes are manifeftly wrought by the power of divine grace, which fatisfy the mind of doubedly grieve the Holy Spirit. For if God the Spirit be indeed operating upon the hearts of fome of the children of men in the manner supposed in this essay, it manifestly calls for the most grateful acknowledgments and the sublimest praise of heaven and earth. Should these hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out. Undoubtedly he designs to make his own efficiency so confpicuous in these operations that those who do not acknowledge him, must be fealed up under the condemning sentence of unbelief. Undoubtedly there are genuine marks by which a true work of the Spirit of God in the revival of religion in any place may be known, a denial of which would be very prejudicial to the cause. It would be yielding a point highly gratifying, no doubt, to infidels. But so long as there are any remains of the precious faith of God's elect on the earth, this point will never be conceded. It is ever to be remembered the present is a state of great imperfection. The wheat it must be confessed it little in bulk to the chaff, but blessed be God, there are some kernels, and for these we never can be sufficiently thankful. In the exercises of the foundest converts or the best saints on earth, there is a mixture. There will be false and impure affections mingled with those which are genuine, but shall we on this account throw away the whole? God for bid. Wherefore let God be praised for all his wonderful works, but above all, for the gracious opera- | and the remarks upon it, are fubtions of his Holy Spirit. mitted to the Editors of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. Matthew iv. 5, 6. PHILO. How a person becomes justified by faith? MESS'RS EDITORS, IF you fee fit, please to give the following a place in the Magazine. Nperfo O person is justified before God, for the fake of any merit there is in his faith; though it be, in the gospel, a fixed term of pardon, reconciliation to God, and of eternal life; yet these precious benefits and inestimable favors are not bestowed upon any of the finful human race, for the fake of any merit there is in faith. the gospel, we are repeatedly said to be juftified by faith; but no perfon is from thence to conclude, that any one is justified, for the sake of any merit there is in faith; but by it (faith) as an instrument and meaas, in special ordained of God as the believer's union to In Christ, and interest in the faving blessings of his purchase as the righteousness of Chrift (the result of both his active and paffive obedience) is the sole meritorious cause of the believing finner's juftification, as faith is appointed of God as the inftrument and means of believers in Christ becoming united to him, and interested in his righteousness (the only meritorious caufe of juftification, and of all the saving bleflings of the covenant of grace) in this sense only, I apprehend, any can be faid to be justified by faith. PHILALETHES. Satan's perverfion of the decrees and promises of God. THE following statement of Satan's reasoning upon the decrees " Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy city, and fetteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and faith unto him, if thou be the Son of God, caft thyself down: for it is written, he shall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, left at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." N this affault on the Son of I God, the grand adverfary was more artful and plausible, than in all his other temptations. He transformed hmself into an angel of light, in coversing with Chrift upon the decrees. He admitted the doctrine in full, and urged him to caft himself down, because it was written, or decreed, that the angels should have charge over him, and bear him up in their hands, fo that he could not at any time dash his feet against the stones. The plain import of his reasoning with Chrift upon the decrees, was this:-"You profefs and claim to be the Son of God. I challenge and demand the proof. For if you make this high profession, and pretend to be the Chrift, you must show a sign from heaven, or exhibit convincing evidence of your character and claims. Now if you be really the Son of God, and not an impoftor, you will acknowledge this obligation on yourself, and comply with my proposal.--The decrees of God, your profeffed father, shall be the criterion, to try, whether you are in reality his Son. These are eternal and immutable. If God, by his absolute and unchangable decrees, owns you for his Son, the matter will at once be decided. In his holy word, this particular decree is written and revealed concerning | heaven, earth, or hell; but as foon the Meffiah. "He thall give his angels charge over him, and in their hands they shall bear him up, left he dash his foot against a stone." Now prove, by fulfilling this everlasting decree, that you are the Meffiah. Cast yourself down from the pinnacle; and if the angels come and bear you up in their hands, I must believe and acknowledge, that you are the Son of God. This will be full and demonstrative proof, be your own witness, and the witness of God, your Father, to your profeffion and claim to be the Chrift. Hishonor and your own, are equally concerned in the manifestation of your perfon and character. You cannot reasonably refuse to comply with the proposed trial; for it is obligatory on you to exhibit evidence of your divine mission; proof of your claim to be the Mesfiah, or otherwife, you ought to be confidered and treated, as a vile impostor. If I were only in your situation, and there was such a decree concerning me, I should not refuse to fatisfy any one in fo proper and reasonable a request, but should be pleased myself, to have my father acknowledge me for his Son by his eternal decrees. I should not hefitate in the leaft, to take the flight; for whatever God has decreed and fixed, he is neceffitated to fulfil in the minutest particular. He cannot lie; and therefore, cannot break his own abfolute decrees. You need not indulge the least distant apprehension of danger in cafting yourself down. The angels willas certainly come, and bear you up in their hands, as the everlasting and unchangeable decrees of God are certain of accomplishment. These decrees never were, and never can be broken by all the powers in as you even begin to defcend, the angels will inftantly appear, eafe you in your passage down, and gently rest your feet upon the ground." Thus reasoned Satan the grand deceiver, upon the decrees, which he said, were written and revealed in the bible. But he reafoned no more absurdly from the doctrine, nor perverted scripture any more, than many of mankind do, at the present day. The following are their statement and reasoning upon the decrees. "God hath absolutely and unalterably decreed and fixed all events and things from eternity to eterni ty, and hath unconditionally elect ed to salvation, all those, who will finally be delivered from the wrath to come: Therefore, if we are to be faved, we shall be saved, let us live in fin, or do as we please; but if we are to be damned, we shall be damed, let us do what we may." The decrees of God, they state justly; but the conclufions, which they draw from them, are abfurd. They reason upon them in a fimi lar manner with Satan, the fabtle adverfary; and answering him, will equally anfwer them. The following remarks will show the deception and fallacy of Satan's reasoning with the Son of God upon the decrees. 1. The reasoning was his own, and like himself. He is a liar and deceiver, the father of lies, and the truth is not in him. Since his fin and rebellion against God, his con ftant object has been, to deceive. This liar from the beginning, is not to be credited, unless we are willing to be fatally deceived. Chrift, our example and pattern, did not believe Satan, nor comply with his temptation, which is a clear proof, that his reasoning upon the decrees was false, and is an admonition to us, not to believe his fuggeftions, nor comply with his fubtle devices. 2. The reasoning was a temptation. Christ confidered the matter in this light, and faid, "Thou fhalt not tempt the Lord, thy God." But if Satan's reasoning upon the decrees had been just, there would have been no temptation in it; and Christ might with safety have complied with his proposal, and caft himself down. The tempter knew, that he, as a man, would have dashed against the stones. This was his fole object, to tempt the Redeemer to kill himself. were to keep him in all his ways. He was to use means to preserve his own life; and not use means to destroy it, as the tempter's reafoning implied. There are two extremes into which men run, in reasoning upon the decrees. The one is, to sepa rate means from the end, and run every thing into fatality. The other is, to deny the doctrine wholly, and run every thing into chance. The true decrees, as stated in divine revelation, are a middle course between these two extremes, and connect means with the end. In the decrees of God, the means are as necessary, and as much appointed as the decrees themselves. "Created anew in Christ Jefus unto good works, which good works, God before ordained, that we should walk in them." The elect of God are said to be " chosen from the beginning unto salva 3. Satan, in his reasoning upon the decrees, artfully perverted scripture, and left out a part of the passage, in which the doctrine was revealed. The passage which he quoted is in the ninety-first Pfalm. "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep ❘tion:" but how are they chofen, thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." The part which he designedly left out, is, " to keep thee in all thy ways." This shows, that there was something for Christ to do; fome way in which he was to go. When he was on the temple, it was not his way, to cast himself down, as the deceiver urged him. It was not decreed, that the angels should keep him in that way, and bear him up in their hands, if he had presumptuously thrown himfelf down, and tempted God.They were to keep him in his way, that is, in the use of appointed means of prefervation. 4. Satan, in his reasoning on the decrees, separated the means from the end. The scripture, in which the decree concerning Christ was revealed, connected the means with the end. The angels VOL. II. No. 9. and through what means will they be saved? "Through fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." Their fanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth come in, as means in fulfilment of their election, and are absolutely necefsary to their salvation. Upon this ground, they are commanded " to give all diligence to make their calling and election fure, and to work out their own falvation with fear and trembling." From the word of God it is manifest, that the means and the end are inseparably connected in his univerfal and absolute decrees, and those, who separate them, and run ali things into fatality, reason just as absurdly, as their father, the devil, did with Christ. " Ye are of your father, the devil, and his reasoning ye will use." Before this subject is dismissed, it will be proper to take notice of Sf |