in the midst of these inward fluctuations, he may fall into some open sin but, if the latter be not the case, yet he finds not only languor in christian duties and exercises. but much impurity of heart, many evil lusts, thoughts, and inclinations, and too much attachment to things below; from which, at times, he is led to suspect the sincerity of his heart, and is afraid he never has experienced any saving change. 4 These doubts and reflections give him uneasiness; for he is afraid all his religion will finally prove not to be of the right kind. A view of his situation, at such times, creates inward groanings, grief, and lamentation, and he makes some feeble attempts to regain better satisfaction; but dark clouds still remain; and, perhaps, the darkness and glooms may grow thicker and thicker, until he is ready to cry out, Can it be? Is it possible that a real Christian should ever get into the situation in which I am? Hard conclusions are drawn against himself; yet on a more thorough search and examination, between hope and fear, he cannot give up all hope, aud say, I have no special love and regard for Christ and divine things; but the preponderancy of his mind is so little, that it is with trembling he takes courage. The situation of a Christian, as here desc.ibed, may continue for a longer or a shorter time; but let this be as it may, his case is somewhat similar to the Apostle Paul's: "For i know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would do I do not; but the evil which I would not, that do I." The Christian, sometimes, has a most deep and affecting sense of the dreadful wickedness and in purity of his own heart; he feels as if he were, of all creatures the most sinful and vile; especially, he is ready to conclude, that no real child of God ever had such a dreadfully wicked, impure heart as he finds within himself. After passing through such a state of declension with respect to lively animating views of Christ and divine things, and which may at last, perhaps, excite the greatest solicitude about his real moral character, he may stili find a long delay of those refresh Is not the best method of procedure, in such a case, to leave the past, and come afresh to Christ as a poor perishing sinner? Jon. ii. 4. + Rom. vii. 18, 19. ing, reviving, and soul-satisfying cordials from God's word, a preached gospel, and holy ordinances, which he once hoped he had felt. There are at times, even in dark and gloomy seasons, inward breathings of soul, however, in the real child of God, after Christ, and the comforting presence of the Lord. Many times, when the humble, mourning Christian feels himself at a great distance from clear, sensible, and animating views of God and divine things. - the divine spark of heavenly grace in his heart is blown up into a flame by the invisible agency of the Holy Spirit; light breaks into the soul, holy affections take wing, and swiftly mount on high; rivers of joy, divine peace and consolation spontaneously flow, and, ere the soul is aware, it is on the glorious mount with Christ, and filled with the most transcendent views of his eternal beauty and glory. In such seasons, an heavenly refreshing is felt from the presence of the Lord, which dispels darkness and gloom from the mind of the real child of God, then his mourning apparel and filthy garments are taken away, his heart is filled with rapturous delight, and all his soul swallowed up in eternal things: the united efforts of human language and abilities are at once baffled in the attempt to describe the real exercises, substantial joy, and solid comfort, which arise in such a soul. None but those who experience it can have the most distant idea of the reality of such divine manifestations. It causes that joy, with which the stranger inter meddleth not. And, indeed, the discoveries, joys, and satisfactions of the pious heart are so great, excellent, divine, and eternal, that the Christian himself feels utterly unable to describe them to others; he finds no words, no language, that is in any measure adequate to the representation of those pure, holy, and sublime enjoyments. The most he can say is, "Come and see. Is not this the Christ, the Son of the Highest, the glorious Redeemer? O! come, taste and see, how good and gracious the Lord is !” When the Christian enjoys these clear, and animating views of eternal glory, his doubts respecting his own real character all vanish; he cries "Abba, Father! my Lord and my God! I know that my Redeemer liveth! Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." With the utmost satisfaction, he makes the solemn appeal to Heaven," Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." And when he comes to look back upon his days of dark ness, ness, stupidity, mourning, and doubts, he stands astonished: Where have I been? What could have induced me to forsake this infinite fountain of living waters? is now the language of his reviving heart; while he feels the force of our Lord's condescending expostulation: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" Thus the chilling days of winter pass away, and are succeeded by the eternal bloom of holy affections; the soul is brought into the banqueting-house, and finds, by happy and joyful experience, that the divine bauner over it is love. While the soul thus mounts on high, filled with heavenly raptures, and enjoying paradisaical pleasures, the most ardent desire is excited for the continuation of a divine frame, and he is extremely solicitous that nothing should interrupt his communion with his Lord and Saviour. REPENTANCE [To be concluded in our next.] ON REPENTANCE. EPENTANCE originates in conviction of sin, is mani fested by a concern of mind which nothing can divert, and is renewed and deepened by the word of God, which penetrates the heart, and discovers hidden depths of vanity and sin, which no words are sufficient to describe. True repentance is deep, universal, and not par tial, as was the repentance of Saul and Judas. It is productive, and not barren. It must be abiding, and not transient. It would be proper to consider the evidences and effects of true repentance, as they appear in the characters of several persons mentioned in Scripture. I shall, however, confine my attention to one, a certain female mentioned in Luke, the seventh chapter, 41 and following verses. This poor woman wept; her tears witnessed the truth of her contrition; recollection of the past supplied matter of sorrow, and created bitterness of soul. Enter into this woman's heart, read the lamentations of her mind: "Oh! that I had never sinned! How many Sabbaths have I prophaned! How many hours have I mis-spent! What idle words have I spoken! What folly have I committed! What commands have I broken! What warnings have I neglected! And what ingratitude have I discovered!" "What shall I do to be saved?" She turns to the Saviour, and falls prostrate at his feet. He sees her tender, dissolving, breaking heart, and is " moved "moved with compassion." It was to her a satisfaction, a relief, to bedew with her tears those blessed feet which went about doing good. Not content with thus bedewing them, she kissed them. Attend to the language of that kiss; what does it seem to say?" This is that blessed Messiah of whom the prophets spake; he who should bruise the serpent's head, that subtle serpent by whom I have been tempted, and, alas! seduced into sin. This is that Saviour of the world who shall take away the curse, and open the kingdom of Heaven to all believers. He came to save sinners; and, if I am saved, oh! what tokens of homage, what expressions of regard will repay the debt of love I owe? This is he who hath power on earth to forgive sins, and hath forgiven mine!" She anointed his feet; this signified that she grudged no expence, no labour, no attention, could she but add to his comfort, or obtain but a smile of approbation from him. The "ninety-and-nine just persons which need no repentance," I apprehend (with submission to those who differ in judgment from me) intend the Pharisees who were then present *, and all self-righteous persons to the end of the world; those openly avow that they do "as well as they can," and so (of course) have nothing to repent of. "There is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth." Why so? Because an immortal soul is plucked from everlasting misery; another trophy is added to the victories of Jesus Christ; the great enemy of God and man is mortified and disappointed; the church acquires an additional member; the gospel receives another witness to its efficacy, and another advocate for its truth; and, lastly, the tide of iniquity is checked in the family and in the neigh bourhood where the penitent resides +. Dear reader, art thou a penitent? come with me to the foot of the cross, "The bleeding cross has promised all, hath sworn eternal grace!" ALETHISO. • Ver. 2. + Matth. v. 13 to 17. ON THE SALARIES OF CHRISTIAN MINISTERS. A To the Editors of the Evangelical Magazine. BOUT a year ago, there were several letters in your Magazine, recommending a more adequate support for the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ: but, as I do not VOL. X. 3 B hear hear that they have produced any effect worth mentioning, I beg leave to resume the subject, which is deeply interest ing to all those servants of the Redeemer in this country. who are not of the established church, and who depend on their congregations for support. Without farther preface, I beg leave to mention what appear to me to be the causes of this sad evil. By specifying them, we shall more plainly see what remedy ought to be applied. 1. It will naturally occur to every person, that one great cause is the increased expence of living. A hundred pounds, fifty years ago, would keep a better house than two hundred pounds now. I am confident that I speak within bounds, when I say, that, in house-rent, provisions, clothing, taxes, travelling expences, and those items which are incident to a minister's way of living, two hundred and fifty pounds now would not go further than a hundred pounds would half a century ago. In some congregations the salary has remained the same; in some there has been an increase; but it may be justly questioned, if there be one congregation in twenty where the support of the minister is equal to what it was at that time. In the greater number of congregations, ministers wish families could live then; now they cannot. It may be alleged, that the wealth of the nation has considerably increased, and that, if the price of provisions be advanced, the people are richer, and as well able to purchase them as formerly; and that the quantity and profits of trade and business have kept pace with the times; but, if the salaries of ministers do not keep pace with the growing expence of living, it is but a poor consolation to thein that the nation is rich, if they must starve. 2. The subscriptions of the people are in general smallFew have considered the subject with attention; they take a pattern from what was the practice of the last generation. There are, doubtless, some very honourable excep tions; but in general, among the middling class of tradesmen, and among people of opulence, the subscriptions are by no means adequate to their circumstances. Some are so unwise, that they think, if they do but attend on public worship at a Methodist or dissenting chapel, the minister is greatly honoured by their company, and they are under no obligations to subscribe any thing. Let them act in the same manner to the apothecary and the lawyer, andthey will find the difference. Some, from penuriousness, are |