he, "Bring out these mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before my face."

But you must obey or perish. This is his decree. You say that God is the God of truth; that he cannot lie; that heaven and earth may pass away, but his word can never pass away. Tell me who has proved that God has ever failed to honor his own word? What promise or what threat has he uttered which he has not made good? None, none. Individuals, families, cities, nations, a whole world perished when he threatened it. Remember the fall of Adam, the curse inflicted upon man and upon woman, upon the old world, upon the sons of Ham, upon the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Babylon, Nineveh, Jerusalem-upon the Canaanites, the Egyptians, the Chaldeans, the Medes, the Romans, the Jews, upon the antichristian nations of Europe. And he that said, "In the day thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die;" who said, "Yet one hundred and twenty years, and the whole world shall be drowned," hath said, that "he who hears the gospel and disbelieves it-that he who knows not God, and obeys not the gospel, shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." Do you believe this, and acknowledge that God cannot lie, and will you promise yourselves impunity in your disobedience!

And are you not disobedient to the gospel? What, do you ask, "Can a person disobey the gospel?" If the gospel be all promise and no command, then you cannot disobey it. We never talk of obedience, but when there is a command. And certainly nothing can be more unequivocal than that God "commands all men every where to reform," that the "obedience of faith," and "obeying the gospel" are common expressions in the apostolic writings. Yes, certainly, you have read that God commands all men every where to reform; and he that has not obeyed this command, has not obeyed the gospel, and is a rebel.

It is not the ten commandments, but the new commandment which will condemn you. Yes, this is his commandment, that we should believe on his Son Jesus Christ; and the condemnation now is, that you obey not him whom God commissioned, but "that you love darkness rather than light."

To command men to reform is a proclamation of mercy-yes, it is the gospel. For who proclaims reformation without forgiveness? It is not God. When he commands reformation, it implies forgiveness when he says "reform," it is "that your sins may be blotted out"-it is "that times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, may come upon you”-it is "that he may send Jesus a second time unto your salvation, to raise you from the dead, and to induct you into eternal life."

And again, I ask, are you not disobedient to the gospel? Have you reformed? Have you turned to the Lord? And what is the proof of it? Nay, rather, what is the first act thereof? Have you put on Christ? In one sentence, have you been immersed into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit? Have you, or have you not? If you have not, you have not obeyed the

Vol. VI first commandment of the Great King. For that reads, “Reform and be immersed for the remission of your sins."

Now what is your excuse?-Ignorance you cannot plead, for you have the oracle. Inability you cannot plead, for here is water; pollution can be no excuse, for the clean need no washing. Would you make your sins a reason why you should continue to sin?your former disobedience a reason why you should always disobey? -your want of disposition a reason for continued indisposition! Would you disobey to-day, because you disobeyed yesterday; and will you promise to be more docile, and more odedient to-morrow, than you are to-day! Will the Lord be more gracious to-morrow, than to-day; and will it be more easy for you to shake off the dominion of sin when it has longer reigned over you, than it is at this instant?

If you did not say, you believe in the divine mission of Jesus, that be is the Son of God, the Saviour of sinners, I should not thus address you. But this you confess. And this is the very reason why your sin is so grievous. Because you say, "We see," therefore your sin remains.

Tell me not that you want a better heart, better feelings, and more assurance of God's favor, before you obey. This is all a deception, a delusion. How could a disobedient heart become better by continuing disobedient? How could you expect better feelings while rebelling against Jesus! How can you expect any more assurance of the divine favor, while you trample under foot the pledges of his love, which he has given. Nothing can cure your heart, nothing can produce better felings, nothing can increase your assurance of the divine favor, but your obedience. Humble yourselves, and God will exalt you. Take Christ's yoke upon you, and he will give you rest. But if you will not kiss the Lord, if you will not bow to his sceptre, if you will not submit to his guidance; and yet feel happy, and find peace, and have good feelings, and a new heart in so doing; though all men should flatter you, there is one who will tell you that it is all delusion, strong delusion, for you to feel peace of mind, while you refuse io obey the gospel, and to come into the kingdom of Jesus through the washing of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit. ECCLESIASTES.

COLUMBIAN STAR.

WITH such precious and interesting morsels as the following does the Editor of the Columbian Star occasionally treat his readers.

“Extract of a letter from a ministering brother in Powhatan County,

Virginia."

"I occasionally read the STAR, and also the Christian Baptist, for I wish to "prove all things," that I may "hold fast that which is good." Whether the Star diffuses any additional light, I leave others to determine; but of one thing I am convinced, and the more I read, the more I am convinced, that the Christian Baptist is exercising a most unhappy influence wherever read. Besides

the opposition manifested by the Editor, against all the benevolent institutions of the wondrous age in which we have the happiness to live, if I understand him, he believes, and contends, that baptism is indispensable to the forgiveness of sins, or that in the act of baptism alone, we receive the pardon of our guilt, and that persons in our day and country never do receive the remission of sins before they are baptized. Now my brother, if ever I received the pardon of my sins at all, I must believe it was several weeks before i was baptized; and consequently, if Mr. Campbell's sentiment be true, I must "cast away" all my hopes of pardon received. Again, he seems (if I can understand him) to deny the immediate agency of the Holy Spirit in the application of divine truth to the sinner's heart; or that the word itself, (the mere letter) without the influence of the Holy Ghost, is the efficient agent in the conversion of sinners. Now, if this be true, I would ask why are not all who read or hear the scriptures read, at once converted to God?

I never saw Mr. Campbell, but I have been informed within a few days, that he has lately preached two sermons in Richmond, each two hours and a half in length, upon the subject of baptism, and studiously avoided saying any thing, either about the subject or the mode, but exerted all his powers to prove the efficacy of baptism in the remission of sins.

If on these two points he is not in error, then I have yet to learn the truth.'

Now nothing can be more harmless than the last paragraph. I will just change the personal pronouns in it, and that will return it to Mr. Brantly's ministering brother in Powhatan. "If, on these two points he is not in error, then I have yet to learn the truth." All this may be, and it may not be, as Doctor Doubty would say. Yet this is as good logic, and as able an argument ás we generally hear. It does not accord with my experience: neither did Jeremiah Moore-no, nor did old father H- so preach; and therefore, it is error. For these old men were inspired, and my experience is infallible. Ed. C. B.

THE BAPTIST RECORDER.

The Baptist Recorder of Kentucky, edited by brother Clack & Co. has ceased to be a two-weekly preacher. It is now to become a monthly herald, and to be issued in a new form. I do hope it may change its matter, as well as its form. Do, brother Clack, come out of the gates of the great city. Your little creed, which met my eye the other day in the "Christian Messenger," I believe every word of. It has seven articles. I believe the articles of faith in it, and I also agree with you in the philological article, and in the articles of opinion. Your philological article, which occupies the fifth place in your creed, is "immersion only is baptism;" or, in English, immersion only is immersion, and no one can make it more or less, is certainly a true and necessary article. I do assure brother Clack I believe all his creed exanimo-will he then cease to sustain them that would excommunicate both him and me, if we believed any thing more or less than his seven articles of faith, philology, and opinion. Ed C. B.

SABBATH MAIL REPORT.

THE Committee on the Post Office, to whom were referred the memorials on the subject of the Sabbath mails, have reported against any alteration in the existing laws. They say, in substance, that some religionists hold to the sanctity of the first day of the week-others to the sanctity of the seventh-and others to the sanctity of none-that their disagreeing among themselves, call upon government to interpose and settle the controversy;-they say that congress, so far from having authority for doing this. have no right to determine whether any day has been designated by the Almighty for religious ceremonies. The Committee do not impugn the profession of the memorialists, but they say, "we are not to forget that Cataline was a professed patriot;-that Arnold was a professed whig—and that Judas, a professed disciple, betrayed his master." They say that "the Persians had their idols, the Grecians their oracles, the Romans their auguries, and modern Europe her priesthood;" and they warn us, if we wish to escape the superstitions, oppressions, cruelties, and crimes, which a blind religious zeal has inflicted upon pagan nations, and is now inflicting upon Europe, not to grant the denominations calling themselves Christians, in this country, any special countenance. Speaking of our clergy, they say "the robe of sanctity too often glitters to deceive;" they further say, that the petitioners might with as much propriety ask congress to suspend a ship of the line in her passage on the ocean, or an army in its march towards the invading enemy; as to stop the transportation of the mail on the Sabbaththey say the mail is intended to improve the condition of man, and were it to be suspended one day in seven, "one-seventh part of the improvement of the country would be lost." They say, finally, in reference to suspending the mail on the Sabbath, that they might, so far as principle is concerned, just as well establish a national church, and endow the clergy. Such is an outline of the reasoning contained in the report, and we leave our readers to judge of its logic and morality. [Ten thousand copies were ordered to be printed.] Washington City Chronicle.

HINTS ON HEALTH.

"A MAN," says Sir William Temple, "has but these four things to choose out of to exercise daily, to be very temperate, to take physic, or to be sick." We may venture to assert, with a much later writer, that the principal secrets of health, are, early rising, exercise, personal cleanliness, and leaving the table unoppressed. When a family rises early in the morning, conclude the house to be well governed, and its inmates to be industrious and healthy. Journal of Health.

BIBLE SOCIETY.

"THE American Bible Society now have 16 steam and 12 hand presses at work; and are able to complete 1000 full copies of the Bible every day. They have about 300,000 Bibles and Testaments now ready for distribution."

{No. 10. }

BETHANY, BROOKE CO. VA.

MONDAY, MAY 3, 1830.

{Vol. 7. }

"Style no man on earth your Father; for he alone is your father who "is in heaven; and all ye are brethren. Assume not the title of Rabbi, "for you have only one teacher. Neither assume the title of Leader; for "you have only one leader-the MESSIAH."

Matt. xxiii. 8-10.

"Prove all things: hold fast that which is good."

Paul the Apostle.

The "Christian Baptist”—worth $2,500 per annum! MESSRS. Clopton, and Brantly of the "Star," have combined their efforts to oppose the reformation. Mr. Clopton has commenced a series of essays against this work and all my efforts towards reformation. These I will examine with all candor in the Millennial Harbinger. Mr. Clopton represents me as in the pursuit of wealth and fame, as Lawrence Greatrake once did; and while Mr. Clopton furnishes the text, Mr. Brantly gives the notes. In a note appended to the first number from Mr. Clopton, the editor of the Star tells the reader that I must, on his data, clear 2,500 dollars per annum on this work. This I shall notice here, reserving Mr. Clopton for the Harbinger.

I have spoken freely and I have written freely upon the Kingdom of the Clergy. I have exposed a good many of the mercenary tricks of hireling ministers, which has brought upon me a world of calumny and censure. I knew it was an invidious task; but finding it as necessary to the demolition of the Kingdom of the Clergy, as it was for Paul and Jude, in detecting the first buddings of Antichrist, to inveigh against the hireling system, I was constrained to speak of some who hold men's persons in esteem for the sake of gain, and of some who served their own belly rather than Jesus Christ. I could have wished that this most irksome part of my duty could have been dispensed with; but it could not.

1 never did suppose that the Baptist preachers deserved much censure on this account. For however mercenary they might be, (and it is to be presumed that they are men of like passions with other religious teachers,) the Baptist people had been long ago taught that the best method to keep their leaders humble was to keep them poor. And they do so.

Still there were some few Baptist preachers of uncommon merit, who were located in some of the most gay and fashionable churches, who became so like other reverend gentlemen of the cloth, that they could now and then hear a loud call, especially in a very calm and serene day. Some of these demurred and protested against my saying a word against hireling priests or mercenary prayers and sermons. Indeed, they took it quite ill that I should impute to the priesthood, no matter how their works appeared, any such motives. vol. vii. 19