ments, he came! In the wine-press of God's wrath he trod down our potent foes; bruised Satan's head; conquered the world; vanquished sin, death, and the grave! Hear with rapture; hear, ye sin-burthened souls, inviolate truth proclaim the only begotten of the Father was given, that whosoever (extensive mercy!) believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'

The adorable Jesus, as our divine Surety, undertook the work of reconciliation; he suffered all that justice demanded, and thereby made a complete atonement for sin committed, such as would be commensurate with the awful glories of the offended Legislator, and the severe sanctions of the broken Jaw. He wrought out a full and complete righteousness, conformable in every punctilio to the positive precepts of the divine law; a righteousness in which the flaming eyes of infinite unblemished holiness can discover neither flaw nor deficiency. By this righteousness the believer is acquitted from every charge, is perfectly justified, and shall be eternally saved. None can be saved by the covenant of works; for all Adam's posterity' are, by the Fall, brought into an estate of sin and misery;' and consequently cannot fulfil the conditions of that covenant, namely, perfect obedience. There is no salvation for any but by the covenant of grace, of which Christ is the Mediator; he is the Mediator of the New Covenant, and his blood speaketh better things than that of Abel. Come, ye naked souls, who have no robe to hide your poliution with, no obedience sufficient to answer the sublime demands of Jehovah's law, or on account of which you may advance a solid plea for divine favour, and the mansions of eternal felicity,

come to the adorable Jesus! to Him who justifies the ungodly, who saves eternally all those who believe in his precious name. Look to the cross of Christ! Fly, instantly fly on the wings of faith to the bleeding wounds, to the meritorious righteousness, of the divine Redeemer. 'Tis there, and there alone, you will find an open friendly asylum from all that is terrific or destructive in time or eternity! Look, therefore, to this almighty Saviour, this Friend of sinners, ye prisoners of hope. His blood will cleanse you from all your accumulated aggravated guilt; his resplendent robe will recommend you to the Almighty's favour, and make you shine brighter than the loftiest seraph in the realms of eternal day. The free participation of favours inestimably precious as these, will not, cannot fail to pour through the soul something of that ecstatic flow of adoring gratitude, expressed in these remarkable words, Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! and in that triumphant song:

Glory to God, in highest heav'ns supreme,
And smiling peace thro' earth's remotest realms

Be spread abroad: good-will tow'rds favour'd men!
The promis'd Seed is born, the great Messiah's come?
Thus sung the flaming host.-Let ev'ry human tongue,
Loudly responsive. tune the lofty lay.

Let ev'ry breast, with fire seraphic fraught,
Proclaim the birth of heav'n's incarnate King,
And with triumphant songs this happy day
Employ. Glory to God, who sits enthron'd
In peerless bliss, above the starry sky!

Welcome, sweet peace, thro' Bethle'm's Babe made known:
Divine good-will to guilty men, thro' all

The grand transactions, sweetly, clearly shines.'
Dublin.

ADOLESCENS.

A CONCISE VIEW OF

THE PRESENT STATE OF EVANGELICAL RELIGION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. [Concluded from p. 455.]

NO. XIII.

THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

THE adventurous spirit of our navigators, and the elarged circle of commercial speculation, have brought into view a multitude of islands in the Pacific Ocean, hitherto almost unnoticed and unknown. The loss of America induced the British government to look out for some other distant region of the earth to which we might transport the outcasts of society, who had endangered the peace of their fellow citizens by their crimes, and where, secured from escape, they night, by a life of labour, be rendered useful to the nation they had injured and dishonoured, and thus again be restored to society, corrected and amended. New Holland, the largest island in the known world (if it be reckoned such, instead of a new continent), was fixed upon as the place of settlement; and Botany Bay at first, and shortly after Port Jackson, be came the seat of the first colony. After struggling with the greatest difficulties for subsistence, they, by degrees, surmounted all obstacles; and, often on the verge of ruin, have Jately risen to an increased stability and prosperity beyond every expectation:-their agriculture flourishing, their bands multiplied, and their numerous flocks of sheep promising a supply of the finest wool to the parent country. A variety of settlements have progressively been formed at Sydney Cove, the Hawksberry, Parainatta, at Norfolk Island, and more lately at Port Dalrymple on Van Diemen's Land; and every appearance promises stability and increase, though hitherto at a great expence to the mother country. It is a singular cir cunstance attending this expedition, that the first chaplain of the colony, who embarked with the first cargo of con victs, was a man of an excellent spirit, and a faithful minister of the Lamb of God. His labours were indefatigable in the

colony; and when he returned to his native land, his successor, the worthy Mr. Marsden, laboured with equal zeal and diligence in his station, and endeavoured to make a crucified Jesus known to the vilest of mankind, as well as to those who equally needed the same Saviour. Returning with his family for a while, with a view to obtain fellow-workers for the increasing calls, it pleased God to give him favour in the sight of the government; and never could a wiser and more politic (as well as Christian) step be taken. They allowed him to chuse associates in the ministry, and schoolniasters of his own mind and principles, so satisfied were our rulers with his conduct. With these he is returned to the station for which Providence and Grace seemed to have fitted bim, and where a still greater blessing, I trust, will attend their ministrations.

A series of events, some of them very afflictive, drove thither, from Tongataboo and from Otaheite, some of the Brethren who had been sent from the London Missionary SoCiety. There some of them have fixed with their families, and contribute greatly to maintain the knowledge of divine truth in the colony. They teach the rising generation, in schools erected for that purpose, where the children of convicts, orphans, and others, are initiated in the principles of true Christianity, they preach at the different settlements, on the Lord's Day, to the convicts and settlers, and have met so great encouragement as to form congregations, and erect places of worship. The natives, few, dispersed, and awfully stupid, seem hitherto to have resisted not only all religious instruction, but every approach to civilization; but the colony, by a continued accession of banished ones, is growing in extent of cultivation and improvement, puts on daily a more promising appearance, and gives hope that the vast expence incurred, will in time be repaid to the mother country by its produce. Meantime, what, in our view, is the most important consideration, the religion of the Son of God scems to take root, and afford expectations that from thence a beam of glory may dart on the adjacent lands, and add one link more to the chain of causes, and means of spreading the knowledge of a Redeemer's grace to the isles of the sea that are afar off. The Society and Friendly Islands were the first objects of the Missionary Society. The impulse arising from the first very successful voyage of the ship Duff, was strongly felt, not only through the British dominions, but in every Protestant country in the world. A divine ardour seemed to be kindled in every land for Missionary exertions; and they have continued increasing to the present day. The vast contributions increasingly made for its support, and the number of persons at present employed in the work, with yearly additions, encou rage confidence, that He who hath begun will perfect the same, till the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the

Lord as the waters cover the sea.' Otaheite and Tongataboo divided the Missionaries. It had not been so originally intended. Many thought they had best settle together, and not divide till they had acquired a thorough knowledge of the manners and language of the natives. Their division weakened their influence. A war of desolation at Tongataboo drove them to take refuge at Port Jackson, where, though their original object has been defeated, those who have not deserted the work, are still very usefully employed.

The Brethren at Otaheite have continued to labour, and many of them have not fainted in the midst of danger and difficulties; and though their progress has been slow, their fidelity hath been approved; and much divine knowledge has been instilled into the minds of the natives. The improvement made by their royal pupil, Pomaree, in reading and writing, is well known to the public; and shews the favour and influence they have attained, and the progress made from savage ignorance to some advancement in letters. The great difficulties of the language have been surmounted; and they are now able intelligibly to preach and teach Jesus Christ in the native tongue; of their proficiency in which, their late publication is a curious and pleasing specimen. They have been, from time to time, recruited with fresh Missionaries from England, to fill up two vacancies by death, and more by desertion; and at this time one of their body, who came to England to obtain a suitable partner for himself, and to carry with him suitable wives for his unmarried brethren, is on his voyage for Matavai, caring for the souls of a woman - convict ship, on its voyage to Port Jackson: and if the Lord fix a number of Christian families at Otaheite, strong hope may be entertained that the light will no more be put out in obscure darkness. We have been of late alarmed with intelligence of a war among the natives, against the present Governor the Married Brethren, with their families, in consequence removed to a neighbouring island, to which they had been invited, and were cordially welcomed. As all the islands speak the same language, they are equally in the way of usefulness. The Bachelor Missionaries continue to occupy the Missionary House and Gardens; and, if it please God that the present disturbances be appeased, a day's sail will bring back the Brethren to their own abodes on the island. We are anxiously waiting intelligence, and pray that the issue may be peace, and the momentary separation attended with a greater blessing to the island they have made their asylum, than a loss to that which they have been induced to leave! We still hope and pray that the Star of Bethlehem may guide them all to the House where the Child Jesus is worshipped, and that it will shortly from thence diffuse its brightness to the numberless isles of the Pacific Ocean! How

:

can we despair, when we see what hath been done in so short a space of time! - the number of Societies formed for this great object, the pecuniary means provided, and the number ready to offer themselves willingly to seek the souls redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!

One effort more I would mention, of Missionaries sent to New Zealand by the last established Missionary Society for the East: Two faithful men are devoted to the beginning of so desirable work. May the Lord crown the attempt, however feeble, with abundant success; and manifest, that it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord!'

I have thus taken a rapid glance over the habitable Globe, and sought to discover the living seed that are counted to the Lord for a generation; and from whom light and salvation may be expected to dispel the darkness that covers the earth, and the gross darkness that envelopes the people of all lands. Awful, indeed, is the scene! The more it is contemplated with the Bible before us, the more deeply we shall be affected with a fearful apprehension, how few there can be saved, if God is credited as true in his gospel-word, and every man a liar that dares dispute or doubt the revelation he hath made. Sure I am, if we really believe that revelation, we shall feel ourselves the most inexcusable of human beings, if we do not put forth every nerve to seize the moment that remains, and use every exertion and influence in our power to seek the souls which the Son of God came down from Heaven to save.

།

UTILITY OF DISTRIBUTING RELIGIOUS TRACTS.

A YOUNG man in the north of Scotland, about five years ago, received a religious tract as he was going to work, which proved the means of his conversion. The title of the tract was A Dialogue on Regeneration.' He never entertained a serious thought about his soul before this. This young man continues, through grace, a serious godly person.

A pious officer in the army lately obtained a serious soldier to be his servant. He was filled with so much gratitude to God that he kneeled down with him, and prayed, thanking God for this kind dispensation of his Providence,

A pious surgeon in the army takes the following method in distributing the Sacred Scriptures. He divides New Testaments into twenty parts each, and gives then away among the soldiers. In a letter he wrote lately, he says, he finds this the best way of doing good, and of making God's word as extensively known as possible.