knowledge of the families and individuals in the state that are destitute of the Scriptures. Is it a fact, that there are ten thousand families in the state of Ohio, which are destitute of the Bible ! Let us search every corner of the state, and never cease our labours until every destitute family is found out. Let us never remit our exertions until every destitute individual is supplied with that precious book. A necessary mean to accomplish this will be the formation of Bible Societies to embrace, if possible, every portion of the state. We should be gratified in receiving information respecting the extent of the Scioto Bible Society, and the number of destitute families within your knowledge, and would cheerfully co-operate with the other Bible Societies in the state, in measures calculated to advance the good cause in which, I trust, we are all heartily engaged. The members of our Society (with a few exceptions) reside within the Connecticut Reserve; and we judge that the families within our limits are tolerably well supplied with the holy Scriptures. With much esteem and respect, I am, sir, your sincere friend,

Rev. John Andrews.

ELIZUR WRIGHT.

Extract of a letter from Milton, Albemarle county, Virginia, dated 5th October, 1816.

We have just succeeded in forming a Bible Society in this county and Orange, which is to be Auxiliary to the American Bible So ciety; the officers have been appointed; you will shortly, I expect, see its Constitution. It is the first effort of the kind that we have made, and God has caused his own work to prosper in our hands. There is a good deal of wealth in the two counties; much good can be done, and though many who have " large possessions" have not experienced the rejoicing which an abiding faith in the Saviour of sinners produces; yet, God can, and has made use of them as instruments in his hands to "work his own praise."

149

FROM THE RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCER.

The subscribers, having been appointed by a number of gentlemen from different parts of the county of New-Haven, a committee to determine upon a convenient time for a meeting of the citizens of this county, for the purpose of forming a Society, auxiliary to the National Bible Society, give notice, that said meeting will be held on the 16th of the ensuing October, in the state house at NewHaven, at 7 o'clock in the evening.

TIMOTHY DWGIHT,
SIMEON BALDWIN,
DAVID DAGGETT,
NATH'L W. TAYLOR.

THE

VOL. II.]

Saturday, October 26, 1816.

ON WALKING WITH GOD.

[No. 5.

AMONG the many pleasures and advantages connected with reading the Holy Scriptures, we may reckon the pleasing introduction with which they favour us, to those, who, like ourselves, were once inhabitants of this world of sin and sorrow, but who, having fulfilled their course, may now be said, in a grand and peculiar sense, to inherit the promises." The sacred page unfolds their trials and pleasures, their excellencies and defects, in a manner highly calculated to instruct and encourage our minds. Let us turn our attention to one of the ancient worthies, of whom we have a concise account in Gen. v. 21-24. We are informed, that "Enoch walked with God;" and, as "whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our learning," perhaps we shall not be unprofitably employed, if, in contemplating the subject of walking with God, we notice its cause, its rule, some of its difficulties, a few of its pleasures, and its final issue.

'

In turning our attention to the cause of walking with God, we must necessarily advert to the doctrine of a divine change, a new birth; a doctrine, which, however unpopular now, was plainly taught by our adorable Saviour. How forcible his language: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Now, in order to demonstrate, that, except a man be born again he cannot truly walk with God in this world, we need only consider, on the one hand, the state of man by nature, and, on the other, the state of mind which must be produced in order to such a walk as we are now considering. As to the state of man by nature, what say the Scriptures? They describe man as 66 walking according to the course of this world;" they inform us, "there is none that seeketh after God," that "the carnal mind is enmity against God," that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, they are foolishness unto him ;" in short, that he is " alienated from the life of God;" an expression calculated deeply to impress our minds.

But surely it will be admitted, that, in order to our walking with God, a very different state of mind must be produced. The tree must be made good, the enmity must be removed, the heart must be brought into subjection, and the individual must be disposed, heartily to enquire, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" But when does so great a change take place? The Scriptures inform us; viz. when the Lord is pleased to fulfil his own gracious proVOL. II.-No. 5.

E

mises : "A new heart, also, will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Again: "I will give them an heart to know me;" then, " they also that erred in spirit come to understanding, and they that murmured learn doctrine." When such blessings as these are bestowed, there will be a life devoted to God: such characters will desire, not only to live soberly and righteously, but GODLY-or, in other words, will be found "walking with God."

The rule. The renewed man, in aiming to glorify God, feels a real solicitude to ascertain what is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning him ;" and, as he expects no revelation of this will but what is contained in the Scriptures, he endeavours, (as an apostle elegantly expresses himself,) to take heed to them as unto A LIGHT SHINING IN A DARK PLACE." His feet being turned to God's testimonies, his language is, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against thee;" it is 66 a light to my feet;" "I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be 99 To right." "I' delight in the law of God after the inner man. the Law and to the TESTIMONY he wishes to appeal, as to every branch of duty, and as to every thing which can, with propriety, be denominated practical religion; but ah! how deficient does hefind himself when compared with such a rule.

Some of the difficulties.. Surely enough has already been said' to prove, that such a life-a life opposed to the course of this world, cannot be an idle, or an easy life. The man who walks with God feels difficulties to which others are strangers; in short, his difficulties are both external and internal. The world is his enemy-he is opposed sometimes by "the lust of the flesh," sometimes by "the lust of the eye,' and sometimes by "the pride of life." Oppositions direct and indirect, continually impede his course; and, viewing their number and extent, he sometimes feels an anxious fear lest he should not hold on his way. But he has. also an internal conflict :—whatever others may find, he is obliged to say, "I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me ;" and, "while with the mind I myself serve the law of God, with the flesh (I serve) the law of sin.' "I know that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing." He is at times so deeply sensible of the carnality, pride, and deceit of his heart,-the coldness of his affections towards spiritual objects,-his indisposition to the most spiritual duties, and a thousand other abominations, that he is obliged to say, with feeling, "Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” These may serve as a specimen of the difficulties; but we will now consider,

A few of the pleasures of walking with God. And let us comhence this view of the subject, by saying, that whatever may be its difficulties, the pleasures of such a walk have the pre-eminence :

Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness; all her paths are

peace."

The real Christian "dwells on high;" not, indeed, out of the reach of storms, but secure in the midst of them.

"Ill tidings never can surprise

His heart that fix'd on God relies:
Tho' waves and tempests roar around,
Safe, on the Rock, he sits and sees
The shipwreck of his enemies,

And all their hope and glory drown'd."

He has a capital pursuit, which raises him, in some measure, above the changes incident to the present life; for "his conversation is in heaven." Is he at one period too much indisposed to duty? at another, in duty, he finds the promises fulfilled; in waiting on God his strength is renewed; he goes "from strength to strength." He derives much enjoyment from the interest, the peculiar interest he is enabled to take in the cause of God in the world; he is no longer buried in his own concerns, nor can he live entirely to himfelf. His heart expands with love to God, and affection to his fellow-men: the spread of the gospel-the progress of truth-the triumphs of grace, touch his heart in the most exquisite manner, and cause the tear of gratitude to sparkle in his eye. "He fears the Lord, and his goodness." The prospects which the word of God opens to his view cannot fail to afford delight; he is looking for "" a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God;" he "declares plainly that he is seeking a country;" he knows, that, to be with Jesus, will be "far better" than to conti→ nue on earth, where all his services are imperfect, and where he dwells among a 66 people of unclean lips."

But what will be the final issue? We have taken different views of the same character. We have seen him, by nature," the servant of sin;" but we have witnessed a change, we have beheld him, by grace, "become a servant to God :" and now, the end," the final issue, the consummation awaits him-" EVERLASTING LIFE." But here we must pause. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” This we know, it is "to be with the Redeemer, where he now is, to behold his glory," "to serve him day and night in his temple ;" and, in the most sublime and exalted sense of the terms, "to come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven; and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant.' This is LIFE, and this life will be EVERLASTING.

Let us now retrace the steps we have taken, and let the writer and the reader inquire-How am I walking? Am I walking according to the course of this world, or am I walking with God? Am I desirous of the happiness of an acquaintance with him? Let me pray with the devout psalmist, "Remember me, O Lord, with the favour thou bearest to thy people, O visit me with thy

any oy the zeal

by ssociations. What need we more? What

salvation." It is written, "Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.' "And the Spirit and the Bride say, COME; and let him that heareth, say COME; and let him that is athirst, cOME; and WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely." BIB. MAG.

Extracts from the Report of the 22d General Meeting of the (London) Missionary Society-Concluded from p. 51. SEMINARY.

There are now in the Missionary Seminary at Gosport, sixteen students, who are pursuing, under the direction of our highly esteemed brother the Rev. Mr. Bogue, appropriate studies, preparatory to their entering upon the great work of preaching the gospel to the Heathen. They are well reported of by their tutor, as men truly devoted to God, and likely to become useful Missionaries.

We are concerned to state that, Mr. Stephens, a very promising young man, has been removed by death, during the last year; and the studies of another are at present suspended by illness.

It is with pleasure we state, that the labours of several of the students among the French prisoners, at the prisons and prison ships, were attended with a divine blessing.

There are also several young men to whom it is not intended to allow the usual term for education at Gosport, who are committed to the care of some worthy ministers in the country, that they may receive useful instruction to qualify them for the stations which they may probably occupy.

Amidst the occasions of congratulation which we have the pleasure this day to present to the Society, we are under the painful necessity of stating a circumstance deeply regretted by us all. We advert to the resignation of our highly valued Treasurer, Joseph Hardcastle, Esq. who, from the commencement of this institution, has, with no less advantage to the Society than honour to himself, fulfilled the duties of that important office. His intended removal from the metropolis, rendered desirable by the state of his health, has induced him to relinquish his responsible office, the duties of which he would no longer be able personally to superintend. This resignation the Directors have accepted with extreme reluctance; assured, however, that the cause itself will ever remain dear to his heart, and that to the last hour of his life he will continue one of its most attached friends and warmest supporters. The Society will therefore be called this day to the performance of a new duty, in the election of a successor in the office of Treasurer.

It would be ungrateful not to acknowledge, with the warmest affection, the increasing liberality of the members of this