generacy, &c. are often used to denote, the first transgression, and the depravity consequent upon it; but there is no propriety in them, and they really are absurd on the supposition, that the first moral exercises of man were selfish and sinful; or that man did not begin to exist, in an holy manner. So the terms, regeneration, renovation, &c. seem to imply primitive holiness to which the subject is restored by that divine operation.

Permit a concluding remark. The scriptures contain a history of the works of God-of creation and providence of the

that man, who was created in this image, was formed an holy creature, and began to exist in an holy manner; and this, until it is proved, that they use the term in a different sense-that the image of God in which man was created does not imply holiness, will be considered as sufficient and conclusive. It is indeed said, Jam. iii. 9, That men are made after the similitude of God. But as this (if it refers to men in their natural state, and not to those Christian brethren whom the apostle particularly addressed, which perhaps is the least probable) may consistently be understood to ex-formation of man, and God's press, that natural image of God which they sustain, by possess ing intellectual faculties, &c. it ought not to operate against the preceding reasoning neither will it when the other scripture assertion is contrasted with it, Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright-and the scriptures ever use the term upright to express moral rectitude, or holiness. A perfect and an upright man. Mark the perfect and behold the upright man. Unto the upright, there ariseth light in darkness. Each one walking in his uprightness and it is evidently so used in this passage. Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions; contrasting and opposing their present corrupt and degenerate state, to his primitive rectitude and purity.

The terms, fall, apostacy, de

* Is not the original, xao poíστον Θεοῦ γεἷονότας, more correctly translated, have been, then are, mude in the similitude of God.

moral government over him—of the revolutions and events, in the natural world in subordination to it-of his gracious dispensations towards his church, as the immediate object of it; and its consummation in heaven.

Now it is observable that the description of the concluding scene in the grand drama, Rev. xxii. 1.is taken from the garden in Eden, from the river which watered it, and the tree of life which stood in the midst of it. Gen. ii. iii. Was not this designed to teach us, is it not a natural inference, that all the intervening dispensations of God's providence, all his mighty works and all the displays and exerci ses of his grace, are to restore, confirm, and perpetuate to his chosen people, that purity, favor, and enjoyment of God, in which man was originally created?

The following reflections naturally suggest themselves from the preceding observations.

1. What an excellent and happy creature was man in his primitive state! Formed with

ward serenity, the happy fruit of conscious rectitude, all was agitation and tumult within, like the troubled sea when it cannot rest. His mind full of darkness which might be felt, his conscience accusing and terrifying him, his heart full of malignity, and his soul of consternation and amazement, trembling and quaking through apprehensions of realizing the intolerable vengeance of his incensed sovereign, pale and aghast, he became a spectacle of horror and dread to angels, and a terror to himself. O Adam! what art thou now— and ah! what a train of evils, of guilt and woe and misery, did he entail on his posterity to all eternity!

noble powers and faculties, understanding, conscience, will and affection, adorned with the beauty of a divine impress, the lovely image of his Maker, honored with an immediate intercourse and communion with him, and enjoying the sensible expres sions of his favor and love, and exerting his noble powers in the most pure and sublime exercises, in the admiration, love and praise of his Sovereign, and furnished with matter for their delightful and endless improvement, in the effects of divine operation, acting in perfect harmony and consent, diffusing thro' his soul an heavenly serenity, the peace of God which passeth all understanding, and inspired with the most animating prospects-occupying a distinguished rank, constituted the subordinate Lord of the creation-placed in an Eden, the situation of pleasantness and delight, and supplied with the riches of divine bounty, how excellent and happy was man, made little low-wise in their own craftiness, and er than the angels and crowned with glory and honor!

3. How glorious the work of restoration effected by Jesus Christ!

The beauty of man effaced and the world laid in ruins, thro' the malice and subtilty of Satan, it became the honorable employment of Jesus Christ to take the

make all the evil contemplated by Satan subserve the important interests of God's glory and the felicity of his system, and recoil on himself. For this cause the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Invested with the

2. How great and sad the change of his condition in consequence of his transgression ! Man being in honor abode not. Foiled by the subtlety of the serpent, and induced to eat the forbidden fruit, his glory instant-prerogatives requisite for the ly departed from him. His Maker's fair and beauteous image which he had sustained, forsook him, succeeded by all the deformity and odiousness of sin. No longer was he honored with intercourse and communion with his Maker, but fell under his in-mated at the appointed time, and finite and awful displeasure, and when he shall have frustrated all became an outcast from Eden, the malicious and subtle deviand an alien from his God. In- ces of Satan, have subdued all stead of being refreshed with in- things to himself, and introdu

execution of the important design, and laying the foundation in his own most precious blood, he commenced the blessed work, and is now conducting it to a glorious issue. Already it hath far progressed, and will be consum

then go to the throne of grace, for more and more of it. Take the direction the sacred scriptures give you. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hoid

ced universal order into the system, have made all the wrath of man, the darkness, sin and confusion of the world, subserve an infinitely more illustrious display of God's immutable perfections, and the purity, glory and felicity of his holy and eter-fast our profession. For we have mal kingdom, have produced his new heaven and new earth, having the glory of God, how wonderful and excellent the work, and how honorable and glorious will the Son of God appear! How worthy of the highest respect, affection and gratitude of all intelligent creatures! O angels, magnify and extol him! O saints, admire and love him! and thou, my soul, though it be in humble strains and feeble accents, cease not to celebrate thy Saviour's praise!

TYPIKOS.

The Copy of a Clergyman's answer, to a letter written by one of his female hearers.

RESPECTED MADAM,

not an High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our in firmities. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Follow this direction given you in the word-of God, as an answer to your question. There we are also taught, always to pray, and not faint to make known our requests to God, and to ask wisdom of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, (i. e. with vileness and ung worthiness in us); do this therefore, and go to the throne of grace for mercy and for grace to help. Cast yourself on the divine mercy, and grace, for forgiveness through the atonement of Christ; and for deliverance from sin, the dominion of it, by the power and grace of

OUR request is in these God in Christ, who is of God

YOUR request is ich you, made unto us wisdom, sanctifica

Sir, now to tell me, one of the greatest and vilest of sinners, how to obtain a desire to be freed from this sin and vileness, and to become interested in the great atonement Christ hath made?"

Your request is conceived in such terms, as, if not strongly expressive of it, do at least imply a desire to be delivered from your sinfulness and vileness.If you had not, you ought to have such a desire, and to pray to God, to deliver you from your sin and vileness; and if you have, as appears by what you say "I besarch you &c."

tion, and redemption, as well aș righteousness; and hath, by express declaration and promise, assured us, that he will in no wise cast out any that go to him-who will save his people from their sins; and gave him self for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity-You may think yourself so vile, that you may not hope in divine mercy. I have found, there may be such apprehensions of vileness in ourselves, as to doubt, whether it can be fit for God to shew us mercy, and as to be ashamed to ask for it. What

upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer, make no tarrying,

ever I might then, I do not now think such a sense of vileness, any thing to forbid our hope in divine mercy, through the atonement of Christ. And now I view it as one of my best frames-have wished for it a-ing, sufferings and doctrine;

my God. In the words of the Psalm preceding, the 12th v. the spirit of inspiration mani»` festly respects Christ, his com

and if the words in the 12th, 18th, and 17th verses, are to be considered as those of Christ, in his

as man, he cried to God, and was heard when he feared; in which he is an example for us to follow, when our iniquities take hold of us so that we can not look up. And as Christ, as man, cried unto God and was heard, so we may cry and be heard, through him. If we consider the 12th v. and on, only as the prayer of David, and not as personating Christ therein, then the prayer, v. 12, and on, teacheth us, that David, when overwhelmed with a deep sense of his sins prayed to, and hoped in God, for pardon through Christ; and what we, under the deepest sense of sin, are to pray to, and hope in God for. And whether the words cited be considered as the words of David, or of Christ, it is said v. 16. Let all those that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee, let such as love thy salvation, say continually, The Lord be magnified. Now do not such as desire to be delivered from sin, and

gain; and think it more in my favor, than the frame of mind I am too commonly of. Was not the Publican covered with sufferings, under the load of our shame, as a sinful, vile, un-sins, then it shews us, how, worthy creature, when he would Not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner? Of him our Saviour saith, This man went down to his house justified, rather than the Pharisee, who thought more highly of his religion, and of himself, as a much better man than the abased Publican, with shame confessing himself a sinner, and imploring mercy to such a sinful creature. You seem to entertain some good opinion of the discourse last Sabbath. I then said, any apprehension we can Have of our sinfulness, cannot exceed, or be adequate to the truth, or be what it really is; but that our sins cannot exceed the sufficiency of Christ's atonement for sin, or the mercy of God to forgive through the atonement of Christ-who is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world; and whose blood | cleanseth from all sin. David its vileness, and to be interested saith Psalm xl. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head; therefore my heart faileth me, and v. 13. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me ; and v. 17. I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh

in the atonement of Christ (as the earnest manner in which you desire me to tell you how you shall attain to these, shews you do,) do not such I say, love the salvation of God, which is from sin? and such the words teach us, may say, The Lord be magnified; implying a joyful hope and trust in him.

Humbleness of mind becomes | renewed mind, and evidential of

us sinners-and our sins call for confession and abasement before God; but not for desperation or distrust in those, who have the revelation made to them of a Saviour; and of such a Saviour of sinners, as Jesus the Son of God. Our sins and vileness do

not forbid our hope in Godly, but not strictly, with the senthrough Jesus Christ; for his timents of another, so far varied blood cleanseth from all sin. in expression, as best suits me, In him it pleased the Father, all and as to express my own sentifulness (of grace and of mercy)ments. We may have a sense should dwell and of his fulness we receive, and grace for grace, and may go to the throne of grace for mercy, and grace to help.