remembered only to moan their sorrows, as the power and cruelty of their oppressors left them without hope of escaping their ignominious shackles. But when the light of the gospel was spread abroad; when the lust of power and the pride of dominion was attacked; when these great ones were called to look on all men as their brethren, they stood amazed and dismayed, and could not bear truths so humiliating to hu man grandeur and they impiously combined together to crucify the author of doctrines so contrary to their worldly interests.

But unable by their cruelty and persecution to oppose truths so salutary, and of such heavenly origin, they cunningly contrived to ingraft religion, or pretended religion, on the old stock of their usurped governments, and by their union of church and state, once more rode triumphantly secure in persecution, revenge and murder. He who reads the bloody history of church and state persecutions, turns sickened and disgusted from so horrible a display of the fiend-like disposition of his fellow men, glutting to the full of every evil propensity of his nature, and impiously calling on the prince of peace to sanction crimes, the very recital of which makes us tremble. This union of church and state, and the imposing cry of "Religion, Government, and order," was the cloak which tyranny so closely wrapped round itself that the ignorant, although they felt the evil, where unable to say were it o riginated; and if an observing individual discovered the imposture, terror kept him silent 分

or if he ventured to unmask the cheat, fire and faggots were his inevitable portion.

If then the sincere professors of christianity, for so many hundred years, suffered for conscience sake, reviling, stripes, persecutions, and death, how great should be our rejoicing, that in this favored land the chains that have hitherto been entwined round the brethren, are broken asunder, and all are left in complete liberty to worship according to the dictates of their own consciences? Precious inestimable privileges! How ought we to cherish them; how carefully guard and preserve them, lest ambition should again exalt itself and deprive us of so great a blessing! Fully aware of the evil of church and state union, a monster that had de. stroyed so many millions of innocent victims to its lust of power-the people of America wisely and gloriously cut asunder the bands with which they were united, and in the great char. ter of their liberties have declared, "That no religous test should be required of our citizens," thus leaving, in the true spirit of christianity, all descriptions, of men to the enjoyment of their own opinions, and their errors to the chastisement of that great Being who has declared Vengeance is mine: I will repay saith the Lord."

A FRIEND TO CHRISTIANITY.

119

SELECTED SCRIPTURES.

CHAP. I.

The Benevolence of God.

HE that loveth not, knoweth not God: for,

God is love.(a)

And we have known and be lieved the love that God hath to us; God is love and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.(b) For, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.(c) And JEHOVAH passed by before him (Moses,) and proclaimed JEHOVAH, JEHOVAH God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, & abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity; and transgression, and sin, that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.(d) Know, therefore, that JEHOVAH thy God, he is God; the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep

(a) I John, iv. 8. (b) 1 John, iv. 16. (c) St. John, iii. 16, (d) Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7,. and xx. 5. and Deut. v. 9, 10.

his commandments, to a thousand generations.(e) Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. (f) He hath remembered his covenant forever; the word which he commanded, to a thousand generations. (g) JEHOVAH is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not al

ways chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For, as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as

a father pitieth his chiidren, so JEHOVAH pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (b) For JEHOVAH is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations. (i) JEHOVAH is long suffering, and of great mercy; forgiving iniquity and transgression.(j) For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.(k) As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of JEHOVAH is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's chil

(e) Deut. vii. 9. (b) Psalm, ciii. 8(4) Psalm. xxx. 5,

(f) 1 Chron. xvi. 15. -14. (i) Psalm, c. 5.

(g) Psalm, cv. 8. (j) Numb, xiv. 18.

f

dren to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments, to do them.(1) JEHOVAH is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.JEHOVAH is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. (m) For the Lord will not cast off forever. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.(n) For how great is his goodness! and how great is his beauty.(0) Oh! that men would praise JEHOVAH, for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. (p) O give thanks unto JEHOVAH, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of JEHOVAH say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.(q)

Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us ?(r) Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles?—Yes, of the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God who shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncir-, cumcision through faith.(s) For there is no respect of persons with God. (t) Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but, in every nation, him that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.(u)

(Psalm, ciii. 15—18 31, 32, 33. (0) Zech. ix. 17. cvii. 1, 2. (r) Mal. ii. 10. (u) Acts, x. 34, 35. L

(m) Psalm, cxlv. 8, 9. (n) Lam. iii. (p) Psalm, cvii. 8, 9. (9) Psalm, () Rom. iii, 29, 30. (t) Rom. ii. 11.