Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

no particular temptation or disease or we shall soon faint in our to cloud the soul in its expe- course. riences, to trace a work of grace - Divine service, besides the pubin our lives and conversation. If lic honour which it does to the Althis be wanting, we cannot, by mighty, is designed for our good partaking of outward ordinances, and benefit-to keep our hearts in a make our calling and election sure. proper frame-to revive our lapsed Such Scriptures as the following powers--to animate the mind by must ever be against us, and be frequently setting before it the fulfilled in our destruction:-Bring hope of glory--to kindle holy afforth fruits meet for repentance. fections in us, and administer moBe ye doers of the word, and not tives for holy actions, that the man hearers only, deceiving your own of God, as the Apostle speaks, selves. Not every one that saith may be furnished for every good unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter "word and work. Without a freinto the kingdom of heaven ; but he quent recurrence, indeed, to the that doeth the will of my Father means of grace, there is reason to which is in heaven, These Scrip- apprehend that,, in the business of tures it is ever necessary to bear life, and in the hurry of an active in mind, lest we should be found station, we should lose our spirito have taken up with a fancy of tuality, become cold in our affecour own deceitful hearts, instead 'tions towards God and his people, of true faith ; lest in the use of and should thus sustain an injury ordinances we should be speaking for which no good works, however peace to ourselves when there is splendid and useful to others, no peace; and lest a false vision could make us amends ; even if it should have occupied the room of were not certain to follow, as it real spiritual experience.

invariably is, that, in proportion as A zeal for attendance upon we become less heavenly-minded, means, and apparent delight in we become less fruitful in good public devotion, has sometimes works. been seen where there was cause

D. E. to fear that it was not accompanied 'with an equally zealous discharge of religious and moral du. ORIGINAL LETTERS FROM PIOUS ties. This is awfully suspicious.

CHARACTERS DECEASED. But, on the other hand, let us not

No. LXVIII. proudly imagine that the ordi. nances of public worship are of so From the late Rev. John Newton. far inferior importance, that they Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, to may at any time, and for whatever Miss reason, be neglected, or made to MY DEAR MISS, give place for the more active du-, . It is high time to thank you for ties of life, as the manner of some your obliging wishes respecting is. For it is in hearing God's my birthday, and for your other word, and in the use of ordinances letters, which I have not yet acin general, that faith comes, and knowledged in writing. I have by which it is wont to be increased: two before me, and believe there even that faith which purifies the is another, which I cannot at preheart, which worketh by love, which sent find. Accept my thanks for

is the victory that overcometh the all. , ' world, and without which it is in- I thought of you on my birth* possible to please God. We must day; "the morning half of it I drink of the fountain by the way, spent in some of our pretty retired

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1814.]
Original Letters, &c.

201
walks, and my heart was enabled After so much mercy past,:'
to breathe forth some desires which

can he let me sink at last? I trust the Lord will in his own In short, I have no comfort in way and time answer, because I looking to myself: but when I look hope he gave them me. I was on Him who lived, and died, and ashamed (though not sufficiently rose, and reigns, my soul is satis$0) in taking a review of my past fied. There is all I want or wish; life. What goodness on the Lord's and my only remaining cause of side! what perverseness on mine! grief is, that my love is so faint, How much time 'mis-spent-how and my services so feeble. , many instances of unthankfulness The Olney Hymn Book will

how much of his bounty abused bring me often to your mind; there —what innumerable sins of omis- are few hymns of mine in it but sion-what awful proofs of a de- are copied froin my own experipraved nature, recurred to my me.' ence. Some will tell you what I mory !and yet the greatest part am-some what I would be. If most probably unnoticed and for- any of them suit you likewise, it gotten!

is because our hearts are alike, · My soul is like a besieged city. and our relief the same. Yet, as

The precious promises of the Gos. each particular face has, together pel are as my walls and bulwarks; with a general resemblance to but the enemy often makes such others, its own discriminating feaassaults and lodgments against tures ; so, I take it for granted, me, that I can hardly maintain my some things in my case will not ac.ground. I am driven at times cord with any thing in yours. You from one and another, and pent were led early and gently to his up in strait quarters, till the Lord feet; but I was not only blind, but clears my way, and restores them mad-my name was Legion. I again to my possession. There was a sneerer, a blasphemer, who are, however, three or four prin- had not only broken his law, but cipal texts, like strong holds or renounced and vilified his Gospel. citadels, from which sin and Sa- I am glad you go on comforttan have never yet been able to ably. May you still go forward, drive me; not because I am strong leaning upon your Beloved! How enough to maintain them, but be- well is the intimacy to which he is cause the Lord has supported me: pleased to admit us, and our weaksuch as. « The blood of Jesus ness and inability to move a single cleanseth from all sin;" Him step without his supporting arm, that conneth I will in NO WISE cast expressed by the word leaning! A out;" “ He is able to save to the weak and weary person might be uttermost;" “ Sin shall not have glad to lean upon a stranger; but dominion over you; for you are we are invited to lean upon our not under the law, but under Beloved. grace." These are strong holds :Assure Miss - of our best indeed; but for such as these I love, and that we shall be glad had been long ago trodden down when the time comes that we may like mire in the streets. But hope to see you all at Olney. through help obtained of Him, I I am your affectionate and still continue, and, I humbly trust, . obliged servant, my enemies shall not finally pre- Olney, John NEWTON, yail :-.

Aug. 9, 1779. do

[graphic]

THE POOR MAN'S FRIEND.

[ocr errors]

Yours,

Obituary... will think this statement the less

deserving his notice, because the MÅS. EB, OF 0. subject of it appeared in an humTo the Editor of the Christian

ble situation of life.

This departed disciple of Christ . Guardian.

had always borne, as far as I have If you should deem the follow

been able to learn, a highly re

spectable character. The person ing account of the latter days of

under whose roof, and in whose one of my parishioners worthy of

employment, she passed the seven a place in your valuable miscel

years which immediately preceded lany, by inserting it you would

that change of views and characmuch oblige

ter which I shall presently notice,

speaks of her in terms of high esJan. 1814.

N. S. G.

timation and regard. She seems

to have been what is commonly Proverbs, xiv. 32. .

termed “ a very good liver.” When The righteous hath hope in his

ther we take into the account her death.

performance of her duties towards It was not till she was far ad- God or towards her neighbour, she vanced in life that E Bm began seems to have been one who, in the to pay a serious attention to reli- general estimation of the world, gion. Through the powerful in. was already to the full righteous Auence, however, of the Holy Spi- enough. She was in the same rit, she learnt much in a short state with thousands of others, time; she grew rapidly in grace, who, because they are honest and and, under circumstances of pecu- orderly, do no one any harm, and liar trial, and in death itself, ex- pay every one their due; and, beperienced in no common degree sides, are not inattentive to some the hope of the righteous, and the religious duties; think that they solid consolation which it admi- are in a safe state, that they enjoy nisters.

the favour of God, and that they Before I proceed to state the may well look forward with the circumstances of her case, I would expectation of experiencing in only express my hope that there death, the hope of the righteous. is no professed servant of that While, however, she was in this God with whom there is no re, state, and while any further atten. spect of persons, who regardeth tion to religion in her would be not the rich more than the poor, considered by many as a being who has in so many instances cho righteous overmuch, she was in sen the poor of this world, rich in fact, and in the sight of God, not faith, and heirs of the kingdom: righteous at all : she was a stran, I would hope that there is no pro- ger to real repentance, faith, and fessed disciple of that condescend. holiness; she was in a state in ing Redeemer, who himself ap- which had she continued, as she peared on earth as a poor man, aftetvaros, acknowledged to me, and had not even a place where to she would hkve been lost. lay his head : I would hope that "The ciroumstances which first there is no professed worshipper led her to seek earnestly the fa. of our God and of his Christ, who 'vour of God, and, in the issue, to adopt those views of religion ing her guilt 'in haying so long which, being received into her neglected the things which belong heart, proved the source of her to her everlasting peace; and ears hope in death, are somewhat ex- nestly entreating that now at length traordinary, and affording, as they her peace might be made with God, do, an important piece of instruc- through Jesus Christ our Lord. tion, are not unworthy of mention. Just then, I conceive, words simi

About three years and a half lar to those spoken concerning St. ago she was under circumstances Paul after he had been led to Das which excited in her mind some mascus, might be used in reference apprehensions for her personal to her. It might then be said of safety. While she was under this her, “ Behold, she prayeth.” She alarm, a gentleman came up to had said her prayers hundreds of her, and assisted her in reaching a times befcre ; but they had ever place of security; and before he been a poor, formal, unmeaning, left her, addressed to her those heartless labour of the lips; she words which God was pleased so never really prayed till now. And to bring home to her heart, that God did not cast out her prayer, the impression made by them was nor withhold his tender mercies never effaced. The words were from her. Her expression to me, simply to this effect: “ Make your when she gave me the above ac, peace with God, and then you count, was this : that she was “ as need not fear any thing.” Deeply happy as if she had been in a pa. struck with the importance of the lace.” Her views of religious advice contained in these words, truth were indeed then very ob. she related them to a bystander, scure. Still she had a great oband inquired of him if he knew ject before her; she felt her need who the gentleman was. The by- of it; she conceived it to be atstander replied, “ He was a mes. tainable, and entertained hopes senger to you from the Lord Jesus that she might attain it: her joy Christ.”. This reply powerfully probably was produced by some seconded the effect which had just such views as these. The unde. ! . been produced; and the truly se- niable solidity of the work of grace, rious Christian will not fail to ad- in her heart led me anxiously to mire the peculiar case of the gra, inquire into whatever related to its cious Providence of God over her commencement, and authorizes whose heart he had just touched, me, I conceive, in laying the prein throwing in her way a second sent statement before your readers. person, who should fasten the Soon after these circumstances words just spoken, and drive them had occurred, a violent attack of as nails to the head. The grace illness obliged her to leave the siof God, I doubt not, accompanied tuation in which she was engaged, them, and the effect was imme- for that dwelling in my parish diately discernible. Easily finding which became the interesting scene a spot at hand where she was un- of her great sufferings, and of the observed by every eye, except that extraordinary support which she which was now especially over her experienced under them. for good, she knelt down on the Now, full of the important sub. ground, in the open air, and pour- ject which occupied her mind, she :: ed her soul before the Lord; spoke to some of those who came doubtless beseeching him that she in her way respecting it. She ada might be enabled to follow the ex- dressed to them the memorable hortation just addressed to her by words, “ Make your peace, &c.;" one whom she looked upon as a expecting, in the simplicity of her messenger of Christ, acknowledg- heart, that this exhortation would

produce the same effect upon them ding forth, and flourishing within which it had produced upon her. her; to see the Christian character This is no uncommon case with in her gradually advancing; to see the new convert. It was so with her progressively ripening for hea- . the celebrated reformer Melanc. ven; to observe her anxiety rethon. He expected to find that specting her state gradually subthe great truths which he had be. siding; to remark that her fear gun to feel so strongly, need only was at last almost entirely cast out to be proposed to others, to be felt by love, and succeeded by the as strongly by them. But he soon hope of the righteous a hope full found his mistake : in his own ex- of immortality.. pressive words, he soon found, I trust I shall not detain your that “old Adam was too strong readers too long, if I proceed to for young Melancthon.” So it lay before them several observa-' was with our departed sister: she tions made by her during her ill.. found that the persons to whom she ness, and especially towards the spoke on the important subject of close of it, which are calculated making their peace with God, in. to throw light both on her state stead of - laying it seriously to and character, and also on her exheart, as she expected, laughed. pectation and hope ; to show, both both at her and her exhortation, that she was really righteous, and and expressed some apprehensions that she possessed the hope of the that she was going out of her righteous... mind. She, however, was not to She was not, however, one of be diverted from her object of those righteous persons, who are making her peace with God. This so merely in their own vain ima.' one thing she continued to do. ginations; she was deeply sensible Having in some measure recover of her sinfulness, both by nature ed the attack of her disorder, she and practice; she acknowledged contrived, though with much diffi- herself to be .6 the chief of sin." culty, for about six weeks, con-'ners," that she deserved “God's stantly to attend church. Her ill-“ greatest wrath and indignation;" ness then increased upon her, and and that he had not dealt with her she was confined to her chamber. after her deserts, for, if he had Soon afterwards I called upon her, done so, she should have long since and have since, for the last three" perished without hope. When' years, constantly attended her; asked whether she was sensible and constantly have I derived de. that she deserved to be cast into light; and, I hope, edification, the pit of hell, she replied, “ Yes, from my attendance. I was de- into the deepest.” . And once lighted to observe her receive the when her heavy afflictions were inword with all readiness of mind '* ; cidentally mentioned to her, she' to observe that it was the joy and turned round somewhat abruptly, rejoicing of her heart t; to see her and said, that she could not call views of religious truth gradually them afflictions when she consiclearing up, and to witness the in- dered how richly she had deserved fluence which those truths exerted ten thousand times more. on every faculty of her soul. It. It was under this deep and diswas 'a continued source of pleasure' tinct view of her sinfulness by na. to me, to remark every Christian ture and practice, and of her congrace, the exercise of which was sequent desert of condemnation, called for by her distressing cir- that she had fled to Christ for cumstances, springing and bud- justification. Her whole reliance

was fixed on his obedience unto * Acts, xvii. ll. t Jer. xv. 16. death, on his blood and righteous

« FöregåendeFortsätt »