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wholly maintained, for which service they have 6 masters and mistresses." In the Society's Report for 1736 is the following statement of the progress of the Missions:

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The large

Cape of Good Hope.
book is an Ecclesiastical History in
the Malabarian tongue, the title of
which will give some idea of the
contents of it, viz. A Sacred History
of what has happened in the Church
from the beginning of the world to
this present time, giving a summary
account, through seven periods, of
the Old and New Testament, of the
origin, progress, strugglings, and
vicissitudes of the kingdoms of light
and darkness: with the discipline
and government of the Church, and
the rise of particular doctrines and
ceremonies; expounding also the.
prophetic oracles from historical
records. To which are added, Chro-
nological References to foreign
history, particularly that of India,
for the use of the more learned in
the church of Malabar,' consisting
of about 30 sheets in octavo; the
design of which is, that those people
might be able from thence to judge
what foundation there is for the
Romanists' boast of antiquity, where-
by they impose upon the ignorant,
as the Gibeonites of old did, by
their mouldy bread and tattered
garments. In the account of their
Missions, and of the propagation of
Christianity, they were very much
assisted by the Rev. Mr. Millar's His
tory of the Propagation of the Gospel.”

"The number of persons chris-
tened the last year is 73, including
9 new-born children, whose parents
are members of the congregation:
the rest are adult people, who, with
their children and families, are come
over from the heathen. Amongst
these last, about a dozen people
were brought to Madras by a Ca-
techist from Calliacatta, a Dutch
settlement, where there is a church
and a small congregation of Portu-
guese and Malabar Christians, with
their Catechists, who once in a year
or two are visited by a Dutch
minister from Negapatnam. As to
the present state of the Mission,
there has been last year an encrease
of 319 persons, viz. 22 to the Por-
tuguese congregation; 107 to the
congregation of the natives of Tran.
quebar; 190 to that of the natives
of the kingdom of Tanjore. Of this
number 159 were adult heathen,
and they have still in town and
Country 180 catechumens.
The
whole number of those who through
the Divine blessing have for 29
years past embraced our holy reli-
gion, is 3,239, of which 2,222 are
still living, viz. 259 in the Portu-
guese congregation; 874 natives of
the town of Tranquebar; and 1089
of those that live in the country of
Tanshaup. The Missionaries had
given in their diary an account of
several conferences with Pagans
and Mahometans, together with
some account how the Rev. Mr.,
Pastor Aaron, and Mr. Rajanaken,
the Catechist, exercised their mini-
sterial functions in their district of
Tanjore. They have this year
printed two small tracts, and one
Jarge one. The first tract is a
Grammar in the Malabar and Ger-
man languages, for the use of those
who learn the German tongue, and
the second is a short account of the
Mission in Dutch, for the use of the
Dutch in India and those of the

The Missionaries at Tranquebar state, that the Malabarian congregation in that place, including the increase of 96 converts, consisted of 928 souls; and in the adjacent country, including 57 new converts, of 1140.

The Society's Report for 1739 contains the following statements:→→→

"The Malabarian children learn the Gentoo language from Mr. Schultze's instruction so well, that they can read, write, and speak that language, as also perform the office of writers of what he dictates. By their assistance, he has been able to collate the Gentoo Bible with the original. The Gentoo translation of the Bible meets with many in that place who love and admire the Divine contents of it."

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Mr. Schultze informs the Society, that the Heathen who have examined into our religion, do, with one accord, acknowledge the doctrines contained in it to be divine, but despair of living up to its precepts, concluding it is impossible so to do from the wicked lives of the Christians: that this is one of the chief difficulties attending the conversion of the heathen to Christianity, not withstanding which, it has pleased God to add 56 persons to the number of those christened in the year 1738." The death of Mr. Sartorius is then mentioned with great regret. His death was the more to be la mented on account of his perfect skill in the Malabaric language; the learned of that nation acknowledging that he talked it like a Brahmin.

God to take to himself their dear colleague, Mr. Christian Frederic Pressier, after twelve years labour in a faithful discharge of his functions, whose death, however, had been happily repaired by the arrival of three new Missionaries, Messieurs Obuch, Kolhoff, and Wedebroeck. They further inform the Society, that the Church there was augmented last year with 609 persons, viz. at Tranquebar, 135; in the country adjacent, 474; an encrease that they had never had before in any one year."

In a letter from Mr. Geisler, the Society is informed, that "some years ago the Missionaries at Tranquebar published a new edition of the book of Malabar hymns, with several amendments and additions; that about the fourth part of these hymns are made in short portions of prose, fitted to a very plain tune, which the most unlearned, or even children, could soon learn; that there are two or three of these hymns upon every main point of the Christian religion, some by way of doctrine, others of exhortation, and others of prayer, that other hymns are fitted to metre, and composed with more elegancy as to the language."

He remarks in another letter, that "so many and so great are the impediments to be surmounted by the natives of that country, before they can resolve sincerely to embrace Christianity, that had he no other strength to depend on but his own, he should despair of success: but as he knows that God's grace is sufficient for those that rely upon it, he resigns himself, and trusts the success of his labours in the mission to the blessing of his Providence, and the conduct of the Holy Spirit."

The Danish Missionaries at Tranquebar write," that it has pleased

The whole congregation amounted to 1892; and the number converted from the beginning of the Mission, to 4610 souls.

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They add, that the political affairs of the kingdom of Tanjore have had some influence on those of religion, which they, hope, by insensible steps, may providentially make way for the destroying the heathen idolatry, and establishing Christianity; and that they, continue to cultivate their correspon dence with the Dutch settlements, who confer many favours on the Mission. Baron Van Linholf, governor of Ceylon, has set up a printing-press at Columbo, where the New Testament, is translated into the Cingalese language, and is now in the press; the author of this praiseworthy undertaking has published two small books in that language, copies of which they have presented to the Society, one containing the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments; the other, the abridgment of the Protestant Confession and Creed, designed for such as are about to learn Christianity, and go to the Communion. They have sent to the Governor a large quantity of the books of Moses, and other historical ` books of the Old Testament, printed there in the Portuguese language, and also to Batavia 150 copies of the same books for the use of the Portuguese congregation there, which is numerous. They labour much, and pray for nothing

more than that every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, and that all the undertakings of the Society to that end may be attended with success."

(To be continued.)

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THE letter of your correspondent S. J. p. 143, respecting the expression double, has induced me to examine the different expositors within my reach. His assertion, that "it signifies remission or forgiveness" was new to me, and I was desirous of ascertaining what authority we have for the existence of the custom from which that meaning is deduced. But my researches have hitherto been unsuccessful. In Vitringa, from whom he thinks that his friend adopted it, I have not been able to find any traces of it. Neither Calvin, nor the Lowths, nor any of the Commentators quoted in Poole's Synopsis allude to it. As the word translated double at Is. xl. 2. (b) is quite distinct from the word translated double at Is. Ixi. 7. (mw), and as I do not see how this interpretation can be applied to the latter obscure text, I shall confine my observations to the former.

Calvin informs us, that two expositions are given of this passage; viz. first, That the people of God, whose sins deserved a double punishment, had received on the contrary a double portion of grace : second, That their punishment was ample, because God was unwilling to punish them farther. He ac knowledges the soundness of the doctrine, couched in the first, but, with Jerom and others, adheres to the second; and he guards against the blasphemous conclusion, which your correspondent notices, by adding. That we must not accuse God of injustice, as if he inflicted too severe a punishment on offenders; for what adequate punishment can be CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 149.

inflicted on the smallest sin? but we must refer this expression to the mercies of God. He chastises his children with the unwillingness of a tender parent, and is as desirous to limit the term or the measure of his chastisements, as if they had already more than satisfied the demands of justice. Such is the substance of Calvin's note. Our translators seem to have followed his sense of the passage.

Parkhurst says, that the punishments inflicted on God's people for their sins are not double of what they deserve, but double of what, or much greater than, would have been inflicted on the heathen for the like offences. Comp. Jer. xvi. 18, xvii. 18, and Rev. xviii. 6. For "it is to be observed," says the learned Daubuz, on the passage last cited, "that the method or rule of the Divine Justice towards men is such, that he is more severe upon his own people in their transgressions than towards strangers or heathen: the reason of which is given in those words of our Saviour, Luke xii. 47. On the other hand, when they repent, a double reward is promised for their sufferings, as in Is. Ix. 7, Zech ix. 12, Job. xlii. 10."

But notwithstanding the decisive tone of Calvin, I venture to incline to the first interpretation: nor is this an act of temerity, for I merely side with Vitringa, the prince of commentators. The remaining part of this paper will be little more than an abridgment of his note, which is too long for insertion.

The consolatory declaration, which the ministers of God are ordered to make to Jerusalem, consists of three distinct members, each commencing with the particle "that." The last clause therefore is more correctly translated, "that she hath received," &c. Each particular of

Bishop Lowth reads, "that she shal

receive;" although the verb is in the past

tense here, as in the two preceding clauses. Arbitrary charges in the tense are repeatedly made by most translators without adequate reason: and surely in the present ju

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these glad tidings seems to rise in importance above the preceding. "Cry unto Jerusalem, that her warfare is accomplished;" that the time of trouble and conflict, which the decree of God had prescribed to his church, is fulfilled; that is, the time during which she was in bondage under the elements of the law. See Mark i. 15, Gal. iv. 3, 4, 5, that her iniquity is satisfactorily expiated." There is a boldness in the verb, "to be expiated," which is very striking. It includes the idea of being pleased or delighted with; and it appears to intimate, that the atonement is so complete, so abundantly complete, that the very nature of sin is, as it were, changed; that not merely punishment is remitted, but that the sinner is taken into favour. The preachers were to declare, that the time of her warfare being accomplished, the church was now perfectly reconciled to God through the atonement for sin made by his Son; the handwriting which was against her was blotted out, and her sins should be remembered no more, Acts xiii. 38, 39. The church could not be freed from her bitter bondage under the service of the Law, but by the expiatory blood of the Saviour: these are connected as cause and effect, and therefore are thus closely united by the prophet, that she hath re-ceived of the Lord's hand doubles" (the noun is plural) "for all her sins." Doubles: Is it meant that she hath received double blessings or double punishments? Surely a confession that God had already exacted 100 severe a punishment, would not be very consolatory to his people. But a declaration that the chastisement, which conscience told them

that their sins deserved, was changed into a double measure of blessstance there is no greater necessity for using the future than in the two preceding clauses. All these blessings were indeed yet to come: but the prophets perpetually apply the past tense to the counsels of God respecting future events. It marks in a most emphatic manner their immutability and certainty.

ing, was calculated to excite the greatest joy and gratitude in their hearts. And such was the wonderful work of Divine grace which was exhibited on the coming of the Messiah. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound," as St. Paul declares, probably with a view to this passage. Thus the three consolations rise above each other in magnitude : the slavery of the church is terminated; her sins are pardoned; and abundant blessings. are vouchsafed to her-the blessings of illumination, sanctification, joy, peace, love, and access to God by faith.

I am conscious that I have by no means done justice to Vitringa's exposition. I therefore recommend the perusal of it to all who feel interested in the elucidation of the passage. With regard to the interpretation adopted by S. J. it seems that even if the existence of the custom on which it is founded be established, a tame, spiritless sense only will be obtained. It will merely repeat in other words what has already been more nervously declared in the preceding clause, " Cry unto her, that her sins are completely, satisfactorily expiated." I should therefore still hesitate to accede to it. I am, &c.

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require of thee that thy heart's desire, love, and whole confidence be fixed upon Him; and that thou henceforth cleave to Him, and seek refuge in Him as much and more as thou hast before opposed Him and fled from Him. He shows himself to thee as one who is grieved that he once alarmed thee, and made thee to tremble at his punishment and anger; and He now wishes, on the contrary, to make thee blessed and peaceful, and to bring thee to himself with joy.

Christ of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.-1 Cor. i. 30.

This you will understand when you know that all your wisdom is a condemned folly, your righteousness a condemned unrighteousness, your sanctification a condemned impurity, your redemption a miserable condemnation; when you feel accordingly that you are before God and all creatures a fool, a sinner, a man impure, a man condemned; and when you show, not in words only but with your whole heart and by deeds, that there remains to you no consolation nor hope, except that Christ is given to you of God, on whom you may believe and rejoice, seeing His righteousness alone is made over to you.

Let ours learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.-Tit. iii. 14.

It amounts not to a good work, to give our alms merely or pray, except thou givest thyself to thy neighbour, and assistest him, when he has need of thee and thou art able, together with alms, by praying, labouring, fasting, advising, comforting, teaching, exhorting, chastising, blaming, clothing, feeding, and finally even living and dying for him. You say to me, Where are now such works in Christendom? Would to God I had a voice like a thunder-clap, to resound through all the world; and

either to cause that word good-work to be taken away from the hearts, mouths, ears, and books of all men, or to give them a just understanding of its meaning.

And ye fathers provoke not your chil dren to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.-Eph. vi. 9.

Elders, if they have no other means of relieving the distressed, may labour after the salvation of their children; in which, if they educate them for the service of God, hands completely full of employthey will indeed find both their

ment.

For what are the hungry, thirsty, naked, prisoners, sick, strangers, but, so to speak, your own children's souls? In this view, God has made a hospital of your dwelling, and placed you as the keeper of it, that your children may be healed, may learn to trust in God, to believe and fear him, to place their hopes in him, to reverence his name, not to curse or swear, to mortify themselves with prayers, fastings, watchings, labours; to observe God's service and word, to keep his sabbaths, to despise temporal things, to bear afflictions with patience, and not to fear death.

FAMILY SERMONS. No. LXV.

Gal. ii. 20.-I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I MEAN to confine my attention to the latter part of this verse, and would merely remark on what goes before, that the man who is crucified with Christ must be considered as dead to the world, as having no enjoyment in worldly pleasure, and no regard for worldly wealth or honours. He still lives indeed; be still dwells on the earth; but the life which he lives in the flesh is

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