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fenfibly acquire a habit of exalting or debafing them beyond the bounds of truth.

I am led to make these remarks principally by an interview I had with a perfon fome time ago. Soon after being in his company, I found he spoke with much fluency and propriety, particularly about religion. My attention was excited by his converfation, for he appeared to have more enlarged views of men and things than most I had met with. He spoke in terms fo high of fome particular characters, as induced me to think that their value was not fufficiently known. But foon after I was rather confounded by a fentiment he dropped concerning another character, which was as remarkable for its detraction, as the other expreffions were for their approbation. I had, indeed, heard fomething relative to the latter; but it was a circumftance that I fuppofed would never have been set forth in a criminal light, which he did in a very high degree. While I remained with him, he purfued the fame method in his difcourfe, and I faw plainly he fell into the fin of exaggeration; for while he could fcarcely find words to exprefs his encomiums on fome, he again appeared at a lofs to reprefent in a manner fufficiently horrid the faults of others.

To check this evil, which is wantonly indulged by too many profeffors of religion, let us think before we fpeak; and let us fpeak as dying men, who may the next moment give an account before "God the Judge of all." Let us not be lavish of our words; nor appear in extacies while de fcribing things which please us, nor agitated with a paffion bordering on malevolence towards thofe objects which offend us; for, having roufed the attention of difpaffionate and more judicious minds to an examination, and the refult being different from the reprefentation made, we shall become the objects of contempt, and our friends fearful to confide in us. Befides, by not carefully avoiding fuch habits, we fhall plunge deeper and deeper into the evil; till we are fo loft to real fact, as not to rest satisfied without fome unneceffary and unlawful addition to the most plain and fimple thing.

May the reader of this in future guard well his expreffions. We all need the caution; but thofe in a peculiar manner who poffefs warm tempers and lively imaginations; for they are almost fure to run into the error, without a conftant If we are not puffed up with felfwatch over their words. conceit, probably we may ftop and enquire, "Have I not been guilty of this crime?"-Such a fufpicion of ourselves is entering on the direct way to be reclaimed. SB-. WIDOWS.

Rotherham.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST THOUGHTS

W

OF CHRIST.

HEN Chrift made his appearance on earth, the opinions of men refpecting his person and character were various. The fame diverfity of fentiment still prevails even among those who profefs to be Chriftians. Some imagine, that he was the moft exalted character among men, but nothing more than human: others fuppofe, that in dignity of nature, and priority of existence, he is inconceivably fuperior both to men and angels, a kind of inferior Deity: Others again believe, that he is independently poffeffed of all the effential perfections of Godhead, co-equal with the Father.

As thefe fentiments are fo directly oppofite to each other, fome of them muft, doubtlefs, be falfe. Many fuppofe it is comparatively indifferent which of them we embrace; and that, if we fhould inadvertently entertain an erroneous idea on this fubject, God will confider it as an innocent mistake. The defign of this paper is to guard against that spirit of indifference, which engenders the dangerous delusion, and to fhew that just thoughts of Christ are of the utmost importance.

The manifest care God hath taken to give a clear and just representation of Christ is one confirmation of the fact. The principal defign of God in the facred Scriptures is to lead us into the knowledge of Chrift. Therein his perfon, his characters, his work, his authority, &c. are defcribed with exactnefs, as a matter of the utmost importance. His Godhead is therein unequivocally affirmed.a Divine honours are demanded as his due.b His affumption of human nature is exprefsly declared, whereby he became and continues to be God and man in one perfon.c With equal plainnefs it is afferted, that this God-man is the only mediator and Saviour.d Now as God hath taken care, in the Scriptures, to give the most clear and exprefs revelation of Chrift; fo he most folemnly charges his minister to preach Christ, to unfold the dignity of his perfon, the completeness of his work, the fulnefs of his grace, &c. as the grand design of their ministry.e

a Isaiah ix. 6. chap. liv. 5. John i. 1. chap. x. 30. Rom. ix. 5. Heb. i. 8. and 1 John v. 20. b John v. 23. c John i. 14. Phil. ii. 5, &c. Heb. ii. 14, &c. d 1 Tim. ii 5. John. xiv. 6. Acts iv. 12. 1 Cor. iii. 11. e Eph. iii. 8.

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The Apostles, who spoke under the immediate influence of the Holy Ghoft, clofely adhered to their charge; and woe to those minifters who do not follow their example.a

Can we fuppofe that God would take fuch constant care, both by the Scripture, and through the medium of the Gofpel-miniftry, to give a juft and clear reprefentation of Chrift, if just conceptions of him were not of the utmost importance?

Of such importance are just thoughts of Christ, that without them we cannot form a just conception of God. The perfections of God are indeed, in a measure, difplayed in the works of creation, and providence; but it is in the perfon and work of Chrift alone, that we can have a discovery of the nature, the purposes, the covenant-characters of God, as he ftands related to finners.b He is therefore called the image of God, or that, whereby God is reprefented unto us, and every other reprefentation is infufficient. It is in the face of Chrift, in his perfon and work, that the glory of God's wisdom, his justice, his goodness, his grace is difcovered.c Wrong views of Chrift will therefore lead us to wrong ideas of God. The truth of this remark is exemplified in those who differ in their thoughts of Chrift. As a natural confequence they differ likewife in their thoughts of God. Those who have low conceptions of the perfon and work of Chrift, are thereby led to form low, and unfcriptural ideas of the ftrictness of God's juftice, and the riches of his grace. If then, our thoughts of Chrift, have a neceffary influence on our ideas of God, which is an experimental fact, furely juft conceptions of Chrift are very important indeed.

Befides, our prevailing sentiments of Christ, will necessarily influence and regulate our deportment towards him. Do not different perfons act very differently, with respect to Chrift? fome pay him divine adoration; depend on him exclufively for falvation; love him as the chief object of their defire and delight; fubmit to his authority, as fupreme. Others purfue an oppofite line of conduct. What can be the reafon of this difference? It is because they have different thoughts of Chrift. If we believe him to be God over all, we fhall feel it our duty to worship him as fuch. If we conceive him to be the alone and all-fufficient Saviour, we fhall exclufively depend on him. If we efteem him as fupremely amiable, we fhall love him fupremely. If we admit him. to be our rightful fovereign, we shall yield cordial and un

a 2 Cor. iv. 5. 1 Cor. i. 22, &c. chap. ii. 2. c 2 Cor. iv. 6..

b John i. 18.

feigned obedience to him. But if our thoughts be different, our conduct will be different likewife. If propriety of deportment to Chrift be important, and it must be inconceivably fo, then just thoughts of him are important.

So important are just conceptions of Chrift, that wrong views of his Person and Office, if persisted in, will inevitably issue in eternal perdition. This, perhaps, may found harsh and awful; but it is not more awful than true.a If a proper knowledge of Chrift, be eternal life, which is declared,b then we may infer, that the want of it is eternal death. The vaft importance of the question in difpute, when seri oufly confidered, will justify the alarming idea. If he were, confeffedly, only a creature, and the difpute were only refpecting his fcale of dignity as a creature, a mistake herein, would be comparatively of light importance: but when the matter debated is, whether he be the very God, or only a creature made by God, then the nature of the question is materially altered. A miftake in the matter then neceffarily involves us, either in idolatry on the one hand, or a denial of the true God on the other. If Chrift be God, it must be as ruinous to deny it, as to deny the godhead of the Father; if he be not, it is idolatrous to profefs it.

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An attention to the leading idea, under the former particular, must convince us, that fo wide a mistake in our conceptions of Chrift will prove inevitably ruinous for if improper thoughts of Chrift, produce a proportionate impropriety of deportment towards him, what can the end of this be but ruin! not believing him to be God, you will not give him divine honours, the refufal of which is ruinous.c Not thinking him to be the all-fufficient Saviour, you will not depend exclufively upon him for falvation; this is threatened with damnation.d Not efteeming him fupremely amiable, you will not love him fupremely, and thofe who do not, are marked objects of the heavieft curfe.e Not admitting him to be your rightful fovereign, you will refufe obedience to him; and the certain wages of this stubbornnefs is destruction.f

You fee then, reader, with what propriety the Apoftle coveted and prized the knowlege of Chrift.g Follow his example. Think much of Chrift; and especially defire that you may have just thoughts of him: juft, as to the matter of them, viz. fcriptural thoughts; and juft, as to their nature and properties; believing, humbling, affectionate,

a John viii. 24. b John xvii. 3. c John viii. 24. Is. xlv. 23, 24. Ps. ii. 12. d John iii. 18, 36. e 1 Cor. xvi. 22. f Luke xix. 27. g Phil. iii. 7, &c.

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transforming, afpiring thoughts. To this end, look unte the Spirit of God, whofe office is to take the things of Chrift and fhew them unto men.

MANCUNIENSIS.

PROFITABLE SUBJECTS OF CONVERSATION.

TH

'HE want of a fubject for converfation, is among many, religious people, a very common complaint, therefore many frivolities, and often worse things are reforted to for entertainment; but furely this arifes merely from want of confidering how many fubjects there are worthy of our attention. Let us reflect,

How many mercies we have been made the partakers of; mercies in every way, and of every kind; mereies in our birth, in our circumstances, in our prefervation and protec tion through the various periods of life; and especially if we have been by the grace of God, called to the knowledge of himself: amidst all these mercies, how can we want a subject? Should it be admitted, (though it ought to be cautioufly admitted, for we are apt to extend fuch allowances too far) that fome of thefe would not be seasonable, or proper fubjects for converfation, yet can we ever say that there is a time, when no one of them could be brought forward with propriety? Surely fome one or other of the divine mercies. may be Ipoken of, where ever, or with whomfoever we may be. We are not obliged to speak of them in a stiff formal way, but with all fimplicity of manner, as inftances wherein. God has been kind and gracious to us, juft as we might speak of the kindness of an earthly friend. Above all fhall we be inexcufable, if in religious company, where fuch things furely cannot want apology, we are backward to introduce them when we find a fubject wanted.

Our fins may often furnish us with fubject. With regard to many fins, they are fo common, that we may safely speak of them, either as our own, or fins which we are in danger from, without exciting any peculiar notice. And we know what a tendency, under the bleffing of God, speaking of fin, in a proper way, may be likely to have: while it is reprefented as abominable in its nature, and dreadful in its confequences, if at all under the influence of the enlightening Spirit, we cannot but be induced to deteft, and flee from it.

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