jects! And how consoling the prospects which result from them! The power of darkness vanquished, death conquered, the grave perfumed, a direct, safe, and joyful translation to heaven, whither the forerunner for us hath entered; where we shall see him as he is, and be made like him, where we shall for ever admire his love and sing his praise! Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Religious Intelligence. ORDINATIONS. On the 6th of February, the Rev. Sherman Johnson was ordained to the pastoral office over the second church and society in Milford. The Rev. Oliver Hitchcock made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Samuel Austin of Worcester, preached the sermon; the Rev. Doctor Trumbull made the consecrating prayer; the Rev. Noah Williston gave the charge; the right hand of fellowship was given by the Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo, and the Rev. Abner Smith made the concluding prayer. On the 13th of February, the Rev. Samuel Merwin was ordained to the pastoral office' On the 14th ult. the Rev. Jo siah Hawes was ordained to the pastoral office over the second church of Christ in Cornwall. The following gentlemen per formed the parts: the Rev. Ammi R. Robbins of Norfolk made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Peter Starr of Warren preached the sermon; the Rev. Joel Boardwell of Kent made the consecrating prayer; the Rev. Mr. Cornwall of Nine-Partners, N. Y. gave the charge; the Rev. Timothy Stone of Cornwall gave the right hand of fellowship; the Rev. Samuel J. Mills of Torringford made the concluding prayer. Propriety and attention marked the solemnity. Donations to the Missionary Society of Connecticut. Feb. 19. From the Rev. George Colton, of Bolton, - 25 20. Rev. Thos. Williams, collected in new settlements, 44 36 22. From a Friend of Missions, 11 32 $ 80 68 SEVE and their inward part is very wickedness. When there is no judgment in their goings? How can they covenant or promise any thing in the name of Christ, while they have no faith in him, no union to him, nor any spirit PART II. EVERAL interesting remarks offer themselves from a review of the preceding sub-ual life, or covenant communiject on covenanting, and keeping covenant with God. I. That all attempts of unregenerate men to covenant with God, and pretences that they can do it consistently are absurd and delusive. How can they, with the solemnity of an oath, avouch the Lord Jehovah to be their Sovereign Lord and supreme good, while their carnal minds are enmity against him, and they do not like to retain him even in their knowledge? How can they give up themselves to God through Jesus Christ, on the terms of the covenant of grace, when in their hearts they reject him? Will not come to him that they might have life, nor have him to reign over them? How can they covenant to walk in all the statutes and ordinances of God blameless, when there is no faithfulness in their mouth, VOL. V. No. 11. cations from him? Does not every thing essential in covenanting with God, imply a new heart, love to him and union with the Saviour? Does not the Almighty therefore, that he may have a covenant people, who shall indeed be his, and that he may be their God, put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts? Does he not when he makes an everlasting covenant with his people, that he will not turn away from them to do them good, give them one heart and one way, that they may fear him for ever, and that they may not depart from him?|| How do all natural men deceive themselves while they imagine that they covenant with God in sin * Psalm v. 9. + Isaiah lix. 8. cerity and truth, and that he is | They must perform all known duties, whether they respect God, their neighbor, or themselves; or they will violate the express terms of the covenant, and deal falsely with God. When men do neither cordially em their covenant God and Father in Christ? Or that they do, or ever shall, while unregenerate, keep covenant with him? They cannot be accepted in covenanting with him, nor in their persons, nor in any of their relig-brace the terms of God's covenious performances: for men are accepted in Christ the beloved only. God can have no pleasure in them for without faith it is impossible to please himt. They can have no communion with him in time, nor in eternity: For without holiness no man shall see the Lordt ant, nor walk according to the tenor of it, they can have no claim to its blessings. All their expectations of enjoying them are delusive. They are foolish vir gins who have no oil in their lamps. When they shall say, Lord, Lord, open unto us; he will tell them, I know you not, whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. III. How great and awful is the guilt, and how dreadful will be the consequences of dealing falsely in God's covenant? Lying, perjury, and covenant breaking are great crimes, when com more so when committed against God. The more directly sin is committed against God, his perfections and glory, the more heinous it is. The apostle Peter therefore represents the sin of Ananias as exceedingly ag II. That when, in covenanting with God, persons make exceptions, in words or in their hearts, to the terms of the covenant, not renouncing all sin, and determining to perform all known duties, they do not enter into covenant at all; and they can lay no claim to covenant privi-mitted against men; but much leges. Nor can there be any such thing as keeping covenant, without a consciencious avoiding of all known sin, and the performance of all known duties. The terms of the covenant are universal obedience. Walk thou before me, and be thou perfect.gravated on this account, That Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Men must forsake every sin, be it ever so dear to them, or they never can enjoy one covenant blessing, nor escape the vengeance of eternal fire. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: It is better for thee to enter into the kingdomness the truth and sincerity of of God with one eye, than hav- their vows, when they are made ing two eyes to be cast into hell without a consciencious regard fire: Where the worm dieth to either. What solemn perjunot, and the fire is not quenched.ry is this? What a presumptuous profanation is it of that he had not lied unto men, but unto God." This is the case with all those who covenant with him in hypocrisy and deceit, and who take no proper care to keep covenant with him. They swear falsely to their Maker. In his awful presence, before angels and men, they call him to wit • Acts v. 4. great and fearful name, the Lord | ceit. How often do they cruci our God, and of his holy ordinance? What trifling is it with him, and with the momentous concerns of eternity? fy to themselves the Son of God afresh, and tread him under foot? What guilt can be compared unto this, except that of Judas, who betrayed his Lord? Will not the consequence be dreadful to them, as it was to him? Will they not go with him to their own place? Will not their punishment be equal to their enormous guilt? Shall not the congregation of hypocrites be desolate ?* Shall not their hope perish, and be as the giving up of the ghost? Is not Christ's fan in his hand, will he not thoroughly purge his floor, gather the wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire?† Will he not reward every man according to his works? Shall it not be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for those who have thus violated the covenant of their God? For professors after the most solemn covenant engagements, to take no consciencious heed to walk with God, is presumptuous and abominable wickedness. It involves in it not only the grossest hypocrisy and falsehood, but it is rebellion against the most express and positive commands relative to keeping covenant with him, and paying their vows. It is written, thou shalt keep my covenant therefore. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it for God hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands ? The guilt of false professors is further aggravated and increased, in as much as defiled with all this hypocrisy, deceit, covenant breaking, and rebellion against the most express commands of God, they come to the Lord's table, and from month to month, and year to year, eat and drink unworthily, and are guilty of the body and blood of Christ. As it were, at the foot of the cross, in full view of the love and dying agonies of the Saviour, while he is evidently set forth as crucified before their eyes, they still act the same presumptuously wicked part, scaling their cov-communion and worship. They enant vows in hypocrisy and de- join themselves to no other church, and for many years, * Gen. xvii. 9. † Deut. xxix. 9. Eccles. v. 4, 5, 6. IV. This paper not only administers solemn reproof to covenant breakers in general, but particularly to persons of this character, of various descriptions. Some there are who notwithstanding their solemn covenant with God and their brethren, for some private pique against the pastor, or some particular. brother or sister, entirely with.. draw themselves from their communion. Though their brethren can discover no just occasion for it, use all pacific and prudent measures to reclaim them, yet they obstinately persist in withdrawing themselves from their even to their dying day, neglect | They proceed from sin to sin, from one gross violation of their covenant to another. Do not they like Judas betray their Lord? Do they not treat the blood of the covenant as an unholy thing? Can there remain for them any more sacrifice for sin? Any thing, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries? If he who despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy, who thus despise the authority and tread under foot the Son of God? to honor Christ in the sacrament of his holy supper. They will not hear their brethren of the church, will not submit to them as Christ has commanded; will not so much as worship with them, nor do the least thing to maintain the worship and ordinances of God among them, which they had expressly covenanted to do. Have not persons of this character lied both unto God and men? Do they not persist in their wickedness? Are they not gone already, or are they not going to judgment, laden with gross iniquity? With There are other professors hypocrisy, breach of covenant, malevolence and self-will? Is who grossly violate their covenant not this really the case with all vows by an omission of the duthose who are withdrawing them- ties of religion. They cast off selves from the Lord's table, on fear and restrain prayer before the account of some private of God, in the closet and in the fence, or fault in their brethren, family. They in a great measwhich others cannot discover? ure if not wholly omit famEven supposing a brother hathily government and religion.been faulty, can this warrant They pay no consciencious atothers in violating their coven- tention to the bringing up of ant with God and their brethren? | their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Tho' Most certainly it cannot. expressly Others there are who are guil- these duties were ty of falsehood, fraud, theft, in- stipulated in the act of coventemperance, adultery and other anting, and though they are 2scandalous conduct, yet when bundantly inculcated in the Ditheir brethren in faithfulness to vine oracles, they are not reGod and them, attempt to re- garded. They also too much claim them by the discipline of neglect the assembling of themthe gospel, they show them-selves together, and other duties selves to be haughty scorners. of religion: especially, the duThey refuse to hear their breth-ties of their particular relations. There is yet another sort of ren and confess their faults. Instead of this they hate them, professors, who are gross covespeak all manner of evil against nant breakers, who, notwithstanthem. They forsake their wor-ding, are very zealous in some ship, exhibit a most implacable and revengeful spirit, laboring by all means to injure and ruin the churches with which they have covenanted to walk in brotherly love, and to build up. things. They are very defcient in their attendance on the public worship and ordinances in general, appear to be inordinately attached to the world and things present, are careless and leose |