not from confessions of faith, are derived all the storms which have broken the peace of the church, all the persecutions, which have wasted the saints, and all the fires, which have deyoured the world. If the hearts of men were sanctified; if, under the guidance of God's Holy Spirit, they would practise the noble virtues of the Christian religion; we should soon see an end of division and strife, and rejoice in the prosperity and peace of Zion. But if the passions of men continue unsanctified, it is in vain to expect that any other methods will secure the welfare either of civil or religious society, Will setting aside confessions, and removing the restraints, which religion lays upon mankind, terminate the reign of sin, and procure quiet and happiness? Have we not seen those, who trample on creeds, and even those, who spurn all the restraints of religion, as fond of their own notions, as imperious, and as uncharitable, as the most earnest promoters of orthodoxy? Human depravity is ever active; and if it should cease to be occupied with religious contentions, it would show itself in some other way. The objection before us has no weight, unless it can be proved that the principles, which we have endeavoured to vindicate with respect to confessions, are inconsistent with the amiable virtues of Christianity. But what pretence is there for such an allegation? Are not moderation and meekness compatible with unshaken firmness? Is not the warmest zeal for the faith of the gospel consistent with mod esty, humility, and love? May we not feel and manifest all the excellencies of benevolence, forbearance and candour, while we refuse to choose a man for our minister, or to admit him to church communion, until he gives us some evidence, that he is a disciple of Jesus, and has embraced the faith once delivered to the saints? Thus, however great the evils, which have at any time been occasioned by creeds, there is evidently nothing in their nature and proper tendency, which does not harmonize with the most enlarged affection of Christians, as well as with the most precious interests of the church. But there are many good ef fects of confessions, which, tho' overlooked by our opponents, afford a strong argument in their favour. These effects have been considered in a former number of this SURVEY. I shall only add the words of a late writer in the Religious Monitor. "Not to speak of their effects in primitive times; it was by confessions, that the principles of the reformation were spread; that the scheme was brought to a consistency; and that, under the divine blessing, the fervid heroism was produced, which inspired our fathers to brave opposition, and defy danger." How important it is to secure the blessings which were gained by the reformation! The hero, who has delivered his country, or the patriot, who has introduced salutary laws or institutions, esteems the effects of his prowess or wisdom in proportion to their stability and permanence. It is so in religion. How evidently proper, therefore, it is, that Christian with as much freedom as they would have felt in going to a house of their own. Such, indeed, was the deep interest which both Mr. and Mrs. Hodge took in every thing that related to the church, such their eminent piety, and such the influence of their opinion upon others, that their sentiments on many interesting subjects, were asked by their clerical visitors, and are well known to have had weight in several important public concerns. The house of deacon Hodge was also remarkable as a place in which religious associations, and assemblies of various kinds, were frequently held. Pious conferences, prayer meetings, and the exhortations of the ministers of the gospel to as many as the house and yard could contain, were here always welcome, often witnessed, and in many instances eminently blessed. A general outline has now been exhibited of the life and habits of this pious couple, for a long series of years. Harmony between themselves, active attention to necessary worldly business, with a singular beneficence, charity, and piety, rendered them shining examples of practical and primitive Christianity. Deacon Hodge died A. D. 1783. By his will he left the use of nearly his whole estate to his wife during her life, and at her death, made it a fund for the education of poor and pious youth for the gospel ministry, in the college of New Jersey. Mrs. Hodge bore the loss of her husband, not indeed without keen distress, for all her feelings were remarkably acute, but yet with such a becoming and sweet submission to the divine will, as was extremely amiable and instructive. She cherished a fond remembrance of her husband through the whole remainder of her life, on all occasions she honoured his memory, often spoke of him with tenderness, and yet, after her first sorrows, never with much apparent emotion, but in the same manner in which she would have mentioned a dear absent friend, whom she shortly expected to meet again. Happy spirits! ye are now united, never more to part. The house of Mrs. Hodge, after the death of her husband, was the same hospitable mansion as before, the same place for sacred conferences, and meetings for prayer aud religious improvement. One of these meet. ings was held weekly at her house till a short time before her death, and was, as she acknowledged, a valuable substitute for the privilege of public worship, from which her infirmities at that time often detained her. For many years after the death of her husband she likewise continued the business of shop-keeping, to which she had long been accustomed. He had left her an easy maintenance, independently of any exertions of her own. But she continued in her former occupation from considerations, which manifested equally her benevolence and piety, and her good sense and knowledge of human nature. The income from her shop, which was considerable, was almost wholly applied to charitable uses, aud semetimes she even added to it from her other resources. Thus, though she did not labour for her own subsistence, she had the satisfaction of providing more extensively than she could otherwise have done for the poor, the friendless, and the pious: and while she performed an important duty, gratified highly the feelings of her heart. But she also well knew the effect of habit on herself. She knew that having long been accustomed to fill up a large portion of the day with active business, she would be likely to feel the want of it, both in body and mind, when it should be discontinued. According. ly, when her infirmities at last com. pelled her to relinquish her employ. ment, she declared that she regretted it, principally because she found it unfavourable to her religious state. "You are very fortunate, madam," said a friend to her pleasantly, "very fortunate, indeed, in having no care or anxiety about the world; no business to take up your time or attention; ; nothing to do from morning till night, but to read, and meditate, and pray, and converse with your friends." "For all that," answered she, "I have not half so much comfort, not even in religion, as when I was bustling half the day behind the counter. I need more variety than I now get. I become moped and stupified for the want of something to Beside all this, vain, fool rouse me. bles or animals was founded on the grant of the Creator. The earth was presented to mankind in general for their use. But as intelligent beings, they were allowed to make the most of this valuable gift. They, who were most successful in improving it, had reason to demand a principal advantage from their ingenuity and labour. Hence the origin of private property. The expectation of this advantage encourages cultivation of the ground, which none would undertake, were they not to receive immediate benefit. A nation of Indians, consisting of two or three hundred, will take up a tract of land, which, with proper management, would maintain as many thousands. Private property also preserves the produce of the earth. Were all in common, fruit would not be likely to arrive at perfection, grain would not ripen, nor flocks and herds come to their full growth. Beside, what contests would arise, what conveniences would be lost. Private property allows men to follow different occupations, which afford the civilized so many advantages over the savage life. The poorest in countries, where each has what he calls his own, are better accommodated, than leading persons in those countries, where most things are in common. Since such advantages arise from private appropriation, no doubt it is pleasing to the great Proprietor, who, in the grant he made to mankind, had their advantage in view. In whatever I call my own, I am fully secured by the eighth commandment. It restrains the fraudulent. It curbs the plunder It takes cognizance of every species of imposition. Let not the workman be superficial in his work, nor the trader overvalue his commodity. Let not the buyer say, it is nought, nor the seller be deceitful in his weights. "Let no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter; because the Lord is the avenger of all such. Let him who stole, steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." Improper deductions have been drawn from the history of the primitive Christians. The gospel does not wrest private property from the hand of the possessor. The apostle Peter disclaims the thought. "While thy possession remained," said he to Ananias, "was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power ?” The disposal of their possessions was left entirely to the discretion of individuals. The offering must be free, that it might be acceptable. The gospel teaches us the blessedness of giving to others. In proportion as we im bibe its spirit, we shall be liberal, But the gospel intermeddles not with civil governments. It leaves them as they are. Taking possession of the heart, it fixes there benevolent and energetic principles. How men would act, if they were all real Christians, is evident from the instances recorded in Scripture. Far from infringing the property of others, they would esteem it their chief joy to be able, in any degree, to be aiding to their fellow crea tures, by their sympathy, their personal services, and their pos sessions. that his mind will incline this way, rather than that. Almost all prayer is offered on this supposition, that our minds are capable of divine influence. We pray that God would direct us to safe and prudent measures in our common undertakings; that he would keep us from error, and lead us into the truth as to religion; that he would lead us to a right use of his providences; that he would establish us in the truth, and sanctify our hearts. The eighth command forbids every act of fraud or imposition, as well as taking privately or by force what belongs to another. The punishment annexed by the Jewish law to this crime was restitution with a fine. If the offender could not advance the fine adjudged by law, he might be sold and his family, until their labour should amount to what the law demanded. The unjust are ranked in Scripture with the most abandoned characters. They shall not inherit the king- Now these requests, which are dom of heaven. The weight of this command has not been generally felt. It has been openly violated by nations, as well as individuals. Nimrod, the founder of the Assyrian empire, led the way. Successful warriors have trode in his footsteps. History dignifies their names as great, and blazons their deeds with admiration. But their true character is that of public plunderers, whose deeds. are infamous, and whose names are accursed. PHILOLOGOS. ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. It seems to have been the opinion of all ages, that the Being, who is styled, in Scripture, the God of the spirits of all flesh, has easy access to the human mind, and great influence over its determinations. If a man be deliberating, whether to engage in any particular enterprise or not; it is generally thought, that, without diminishing the free agency of that person, God may have great influence over his conclusion, that he may lead him to such a view of the subject, the most common among men, who pray at all, do certainly imply a belief, that God can operate on our minds; for unless this be supposed, how can he direct us to the choice of suitable measures? How can he preserve us from fatal wanderings, establish us in the truth, or sanctify our hearts? Were we to discard all belief in the reality of divine influence on the mind, the reason and ground of prayer would be weakened, and the subjects of it greatly diminished. It is certainly a very reasonable opinion, that Deity, who is himself a Spirit, has influence on the spirits which he has made. One man has great influence over another. A man of clear discernment, great information, and much acquaintance with the ways of the world, will suddenly produce great changes in the opinions, views, and pursuits of his neighbour. How differently will a subject appear to the latter, after having conversed with the other. And how totally changed will be his determinations and actions with regard to it. Now, if such effects arise from the influence of man with man; how dency. She was often searching her heart, questioning and examining herself, to ascertain whether she was truly a disciple of Christ; and this continued to the very last. Few Christians have ever more fully renounced themselves than she, and expected salvation as the purchase of the Saviour, and the free gift of God through him. The idea of human merit in the sight of God was the abhorrence of her soul. Some of the poor, whom she relieved, would sometimes suggest that her abundant charities would render her the favourite of Heaven. Such intimations she always received with manifest disgust, and it is believed never failed to reprove the parties who gave them, and to endeavour to convey juster notions of the manner in which we must be recommended to God. She panted ardently after holiness and inward conformity to the divine law; but a clear sight and a deep sense of her remaining depravity made ker abhor herself, and cleave to the perfect righteousness of Christ, as the only foundation of her hope. Newton's Letters, and Owen on Indwelling Sin, were, next to the Holy Scriptures, the books which she most delighted to read. Thus has an imperfect sketch been given of the character of this excellent woman, of whom a man, who had seen much of the world, was heard to say, as he followed her corpse to the grave, "I would rather be Mrs. Hodge than Bonaparte." Beyond all question, her life was more enviable, her death more happy, and her eternal destiny infinitely more desirable, than that of any wisanctified hero, patriot or sage, whose actions or whose wisdom have furnished the theme of the poet's song, the materials of the historian's volumes, and the objects of emulation to a blinded world. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them." RELIGION. AN OCCASIONAL HYMN. Poetry. THROUGH shades and solitudes profound, The fainting traveller winds his way; Bewildering meteors glare around, And tempt his wandering feet astray: Welcome, thrice welcome to his eye, The sudden moon's inspiring light, When forth she sallies thro' the sky, The guardian angel of the night! Thus mortals, blind and weak, below Pursue the phantom, bliss, in vain ; The world's a wilderness of wo, And life a pilgrimage of pain! Till mild RELIGION, from above, Descends, a sweet engaging form, The messenger of heavenly love, The bow of promise in a storm! Then guilty passions wing their flight, Sorrow, remorse, affliction cease; RELIGION'S yoke is soft and light, And all her paths are paths of peace. Ambition, pride, revenge, depart, And folly flies her chastening rod; She makes the humble, contrite heart, A temple of the living God. Beyond the narrow vale of time, Where bright celestial ages roll, To scenes eternal, scenes sublime, She points the way and leads the soul. At her approach the grave appears Baptis'd with the renewing fire, May we the crown of glory gain: Rise, when the host of heaven expire, And reign with God, forever reign. Montgomery. |