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THE

Evangelical Guardian

AND REVIEW.

BY

AN ASSOCIATION OF CLERGYMEN IN

NEW-YORK.

"PROVE ALL THINGS; Hold fast tHAT WHICH IS GOOD."

"TO THE LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY."

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BEIT REMEMBERED: that on the sixth day of May, in the forty-first year of the Independence of the United States of America, JAMES EASTBURN & CO of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words and figures following, to wit:'

"The Evangelical Guardian and Revie. By an Association of Clergymen in New-York. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. To the law and to the testimony" Vol. I.

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States entitled "an Act for the encouragement of Learning by ecaring the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the timeg therein mentioned." And also to an Act, entitled "an Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled an Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints "

THERON RUDD,

Clerk of the Southern District of New-York.

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IN order that we may "know what we ought to do," it is necessary for us to possess an "understanding of the times."* Without such an understanding, we cannot rightly estimate the nature and effects of scenes which daily present themselves to our view, and invite our examination. Different events call for the discharge of different duties; and, therefore, it is necessary to know the character of the first, that thus we may rightly perform the last. In this important knowledge, the multitude in Christian lands, at all times, are lamentably deficient, and therefore suffer incalculable mischief in their best interests. They seem, as if by general consent, age after age, to have fallen into two prominent mistakes; which, as they pervert our judgments, always produce disappointment.

eir importance, and

The first mistake is, that they view passing events in a light exclusively political; estiroating calculating their issues, upon principles of political science; which has ever been, and in no age more so than the present, merely a system of expediency; without ascertaining, or even inquiring, how far these principles accord with the word of God. Christians themselves, it is to be feared, forget that they have

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a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto" they ought to "take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place;"† and.

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floating down with the tide of popular opinion, are lost among the crowd of them that "regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands."*

The other mistake of the multitude is, that they attend only to the influence or effects which passing scenes have on political society. They look merely to the state of commerce, agriculture, manufactures; in a word-to their temporal interests. Amidst their solicitude for these, they forget those which are heavenly and of everlasting importance. Whilst they are regarding the events which occur in the world, that little company-the Church-the body of Christ, is forgotten. In spite of the wo denounced upon those who, being at ease in Zion," are not “are grieved at the afflictions of Joseph," few are concerned for her welfare, or asking what effects passing scenes will have upon her state and prospects.

These two mistakes are inseparably connected together, and both mislead the opinions and feelings of the multitude. To attempt a correction of such ruinous errors, is the duty of every man who fears God and keeps his commandments. With this view, the attention of our readers is solicited to the relation which subsists between the Church and the world. The right understanding of this relation alone can enable us to form a just conclusion, at all times, of the events which we witness.

The Church is composed of those, throughout the world, that profess the true religion, together with their children. They constitute the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God; out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. The rest of mankind are the world; without God, and without hope, dead in trespasses and sins. Between these two classes of persons, which divide the whole human family, there is a wide-a vast difference. The one, regardless of their duty and their interest, "obey not the Gospel of God," rejecting His offers of pardon through Christ. The other manifest" obedience to the faith,” accepting the testimony of God, concerning Christ, for salvation. The one are yet in the

* Isa. v. 12.

world which "lieth in wickedness," subjects of the prince of darkness. The other are gathered from out of the world, and formed into a separate community, of which Christ, the Prince of Peace, is the head. The one are under the power and condemnation of sin, being aliens from the family of God, and enemies of Him through evil works. The other profess to have hope towards God, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. The one, being children of disobedience, walk in darkness themselves, and have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. The other walk in the light, even as God is light, and have fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

Thus they are separated from each other in their temper of mind, in their habits of life, and their prospects for eternity. Yet still, being upon the same theatre of action and responsi bility, and being brethren according to the flesh, they mingle together in society; each, however, retaining their distinctive character; the one born after the flesh, and the other after the Spirit. This distinctive character, whilst it prevents them from agreeing together, or forming an alliance, unfolds to us the nature of that relation which the latter sustains to the for mer; though they are not of the world, they are in it: And constituting the house of God, as built by him, inhabited by his Spirit, and designed to show forth his glory, they hold a station among their fellow-men, to the last degree interesting and important. On their account, the world is preserved from ruin; they afford evidence to the world of the truth as it is in Jesus; and constitute the central point, to which all the events of God's providence do point. The illustration of these three particulars, will explain, with sufficient clearness, the relation which the Church sustains to the world.

First. On account of the household of faith, the world is preserved from ruin. They constitute "the salt of the earth,"* and as such, prevent that corruption of it which would necessarily terminate in its destruction,

Matt. v. 13.

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