Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

really moved, all their philosophy is only fuel for indignation; and the best balm that the Stoic can bestow, only settles in horror. It is only in the volume of inspiration where the heart meets its Father and its God; and only there where it can find a harbour from the storms of life!"

Upon this passage the Editor has the following note:

"How different is the calm composure which the Christian enjoys, when compared with the doubts and anxieties that haunt the breast of the sceptic and unbeliever! One of the most benevolent characters of the last century, whose mind had been early poisoned by the delusive effusions of the impostor Rousseau, lamented, to the compiler of this Memoir, that though his whole life had been devoted to the public good, and particularly to the improvement of the rising generation, and though he had defended the cause of revelation in his general conversation and writings, and endeavoured to conform his life to the moral precepts of the gospel, yet from that unsettled state of mind, which prevented him from embracing its truths, and having no sure basis upon which to place his hopes of present comfort or future happiness, he could not help envying the placid satisfaction of the humble Christian, and confessing that he was far, very far, from being happy!"

Sir,

"Oh, may these truths upon my parting hour,

Their sacred fires, their holy influence shed!
No darksome prospect then, no gloomy pow'r,
Shall dreadful hover o'er the mortal bed!"

To the Editor.

MICKLE.

The following Address to Young Persons, from Mr. Jay's admirable Sermons, struck me as so beautiful and impressive, when I lately read it, that I could not help wishing all your juvenile readers might peruse it ; and as Mr. Jay's volumes are unhappily out of the reach of many, I shall feel obliged by the insertion of this short Extract in your Evangelicana. Yours, W.

:

"BUT it is with you, my hearers in early life, I wish to close this address. I see some in this assembly, who are distinguished by the fear of God in their youth some Isaacs, who prefer an evening-walk in the field to meditate, to the crowded avenues of Dissipation some Josephs, whose image is "a fruitful bough by a well :" some Davids, who love the harps of Zion, and have no car for "the song of the drunkard," or "the mirth of fools:" some Timothys, who" from children have known the Scripture, which is able to make them wise unto salvation :" and I hail you on your early escape from" the paths of the destroyer," on your early separation from a world, which attracts only to shew its emptiness, and elevates only to depress; on your early union with the wise and good. Go forth, and in all the beauties of holiness" honour God, and serve your generation according to his will. Religiously occupy the stations which you are to eqnoble, and form the connexions which you are to bless. “Adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour in all things." Earnestly pursue the glorious course which you have begun; be not weary in well-doing; grow in grace as you advance in years; " abound more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment;” “ approve things that are excellent ;" and "be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ."

"And what hinders any of you, my young friends, from joining yourselves to the Lord? Weigh the reasonings which you have heard. Suspend for a while the influence of your passions, and endeavour to feel the force of the motives which have been adduced. Deliberate, or rather decide, for there is no time for hesitation, "now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." The language of the Redeemer is " To-day;" and will you say with Pharaoh, To-morrow?' Every delay will leave you more remote from the God you have to seek, every delay will place more bar

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

riers between you and Heaven, every delay will increase your crimes your passions, your aversions, every day will diminish the efficacy of means, the period of divine patience, the time of your probation. While you hesitate, you die; while you promise yourselves years, perhaps you have not days, perhaps the shuttle has passed the loom that wove thy winding-sheet,perhaps, in yonder shop lies rolled up, and ready to be severed off, the piece of cloth destined to be thy shroud: perhaps, feet of them that have buried thy" companion, are at the door" to carry thee out!"

Dear Sir,

To the Editor.

"the

THE following passage I lately read in the Rev. Job Orton's Sermon on Daniel's Seventy Weeks, subjoined to his Exposition on the Prophet Daniel : "In the last century there was a public dispute at Venice, between a Jew and a Convert from Judaism, concerning the sense of this prophecy. A noted Rabbi was chosen Moderator; and a great many Jews were present. The Christian urged his arguments against the Jews with so much force, that at length the Rabbi said, "Let us shut up our books; for if we go on examining this prophecy any farther, we shall all become Christians. It cannot be denied," added he, " that the time of the Messiah's coming is already past; but whether Jesus of Nazareth be the person, I cannot determine." The consequence of this was, that several Jews were converted; and one of them a very learned man, who wrote a large book against the Jews, in the Preface to which he tells this story, as the means of his conversion. Orton, vol. vi, p. 274.

I am,

I regret that Mr. Orton has not given his authority; but perhaps you, or one of your learned Correspondents, can supply the omission. Bromley. affectionately yours in Jesus,

Extract from the late Rev. George Whitefield's Journal
of his First Voyage to Georgia.

W. N.

THE following remark serves to shew the habitual disposition of that excellent man to turn the most common occurrences of life to purposes of improvement :-" Monday, March 20, 1738. To-day Colonel C. came to dine with us; and in the raidst of our meal, we were entertained with a most agrecable sight. It was a shark, about the length of a man, which followed our ship, attended with five smaller fishes, called Pilot-fish, much like our mackarel, but larger. These, I am told, always keep the shark company; and, what is most surprizing, though the shark is so ravenous a creature, yet let it be ever so hungry, it will not touch one of them. Nor are they less faithful to him; for, as I am informed, if the shark is hooked, very often these little creatures will cleave close to his fins, and are often taken up with him. Go to the pilot-fish, thou that forsakest a friend in adversity, consider his ways, and be ashamed."

Journals, second Edition, page 77.

Awful Judgment of God upon Pride.

SIMON TOURNAY affords a memorable and affecting proof of the truth of that Scripture," Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”, In 1201, after he had outgone all at Oxford for learning, and became so eminent at Paris as to be made the Chief Doctor of the Sorbonne, he grew so puited with pride as to hold Aristotle superior to Moses and Christ, and yet but equal to himself! At last, he grew such an idiot as not to know one letter in a book, or one thing he had ever done.

Crew's Survey of Cornwall, p. 59.

* Rom. i. 22.

Obituary:

MR. JAMES ROGERS. MR. James Rogers was born of respectable parents, in Castle Hedingham, Essex, Oct. 13, 1788. It was the constant solicitude of his friends that his mind in early life should feel the importance of religion. From the books which are generally used in the religious education of children, and from the Holy Scriptures, his memory was stored with the most important truths of the gospel. It is believed that very permanent impressions were made upon his mind from the evangelical ministry which he attended, and from the catechetical instructions and familiar discourses which he, with other young persons, received from their pastor; insomuch that he made conscience of secret prayer from a very early period of his life.

In the spring of 1803, he was placed in the family of his elder brother, in Bassingbourne. In this pious house, the privilege of familyprayer was enjoyed. But, even in this situation, he met with a temporary interruption, from the influence which a gay and irreligious young man had upon him. Unable to sustain the ridicule which was profusely poured upon him, the devotions of the closet were for a time neglected, and he lost much of his serious spirit; the magnitude of eternal realities seemed to lessen in his view, and his savour of the precious gospel was greatly abated.

By various methods does the God of all grace produce the lasting effect upon the hearts of his children, and powerfully draw them to himself. Having before employed religious education, pious example, and serious admonition, he chose, in cooperation with the energy of his grace, to accomplish his work, by calling in another of his mighty agents, personal affliction. In the month of April, 1805, our young friend was visited with an illness, which obliged him to return to his native air; and during this season it was that views of his depravity

and guilt appeared to expand before him, while he was favoured with some perception of the glory, the suitableness, and the all-sufficiency of the great Redeemer. From this period, the provisions of his Father's house were his food, and Christian conversation his refreshment.

His health having been in some measure restored, he returned again to Bassingbourne; and, in the month of July, 1805, he thus expresses himself in a letter to Mr. P. H. a pious youth of Hedingham: " May

we be enabled to build on Christ, the Rock of Ages, for he is the foundation. It is here! it is here! This only is the foundation for our pardon, our peace, our eternal felicity! For ever happy will the people be whose God is the Lord! They shall look in the day of judgment up to the grand Arbitrator, look round on all the solemnity of his appearance, and look forward to the unalterable sentence, and neither feel anxiety nor fear damnation." In a subsequent letter, written to the same friend, during the season of harvest, says, Every harvest may think and meditate on the approach. ing great harvest-day, when the Lord will gather his wheat into the garner, and the tares will he burn with fire. I am glad to hear you mean to be a member of the church. You say you wish me. You don't know what a hard heart I have got; for I have no love to the blessed Re

he

::

we

deemer compared with what I ought; my love is so cold. O that I could know I was the Lord's!

'Tis a point I long to know

Oft it causes anxious thought;
Do I love the Lord or no?

Am I his, or am I not?

A short period before his last removal from Bassingbourne, where he was greatly beloved, the Rev. Mr. Judson, being then upon a visit at his brother's, was engaging in family-prayer one morning, in the midst of which our young friend was called into the shop by a knock at the door; when he told the customer, that he had rather have lost'

[blocks in formation]

""Tis religion that can give Sweetest pleasure while we live," &c.

Conversing with another, who was frequently with him, he observed, of the love of Christ, "The mercy was so great, surely, it was too much for such a sinful creature as I am!" The life of that truly excellent man Mr. Pearce, gave him much pleasure. "O that my faith,"he said," may be as strong as his !"

In the former part of his last illness, his reserve was extremely great, arising from the excessive timidity of his spirit and the tenderness of his conscience, lest he should not only deceive himself, but his friends. Not a single word could be obtained from him concerning the state of his mind; but in proportion to his increasing debility, his spirit became more settled, and his prospects less clouded.

On the 29th of last August, he said to his mother, whose tenderness and assiduities were incessant, "I think, mother, I shall not be here long, for the dropsy will soon take me off: I hope I am not building upon a I know I am a wrong foundation. sinner, and all my hope is in the sighteousness of Christ!

"O could I make these doubts remove, These gloomy doubts that rise," &c. Do not weep for me, for the Lord supports me; and I hope will you. Whatever the Lord's will is concerning me, I am sure is right. knows what is best for me; and in whatever way he disposes of me, I desire to acquiesce !

He

"Jesus can make a dying bed

Feel soft as downy pillows are."

Seeing his mother greatly affected, he said," Dear mother, weep not for me I shall soon be in glory! I hope to meet you and all my friends there I shall have the white robe of Christ's righteousness!

"Death cannot make our souls afraid If God be with us there!"

66

frame, which

Having had many restless nights, his mother said to him one morning, My dear, you have had a very bad night.' Not so bad," he replied, "as you think; for I have been His mind was very comfortable!" in a calm and serene continued to the last. For twentythree weeks, which was the duration of his last illness, not a murmuring word was heard to escape him; and when it was observed that his sufhe answered, ferings were great, there were some who suffered more than he did. To a friend standing by, he said, "Welcome Death, welcome glory! I feel myself going : Come, Lord Jesus! Why are thy chariot wheels so long in coming? Lord Jesus, I commit myself into thine hands!" About a week before he died, he called up the servant, and said, "Ann, I have been giving away my books: here is one for you. I shall very soon leave this world; and I beg of you to read it with attention." On the last Sabbath of his life, he said, "I was in hopes I should have spent this day in glory!" To which a kind friend answered, 'I hope you will wait with patience.' He immediately rejoined," All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come!" To his young friend before mentioned, he said, "O how amazing is the love of Christ to me a sinner!" and after lamenting the weakness of his faith, he added,

"The weakest saint shall win the day, Tho' Death and Hell obstruct the way.' He requested that his funeral-sermon might be preached from Psalm cxix. 75. A very little before his departure, he said,

"See the kind angels at the gates,
Inviting me to come," &c.

Having taken a most affectionate leave of his father and mother, his happy spirit soon after entered into the joy of his Lord, Sept. 19, 1806: his remains were attended to the grave on Sunday, Sept. 28, by a rast concourse of people. During the solemn procession, one of his favourite hymns was sung, "Jesus, lover of my soul," &c. After the interment in the Dissenters' burying-ground, the funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Stevenson, to a large and attentive auditory.

R. S.

MR. JOHN ROBINSON, MASTER of the Charity School of the Friendly Society in Fox Court, Brook Street, Holborn, was taken from his charge on earth to his heavenly inheritance, January 8, 1807, aged seventy years. Mr. Robinson was called in early life to the knowledge of Christ, under a sermou at St. Dunstan's, by the late Rev. Mr. Venn, from Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26; the remembrance of which greatly refreshed his soul upon his death-bed. On the institution of the above school in 1792, the primary object of the founders being the spiritual instruction of the children, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were unanimously appointed to the charge; in which situation they have proved themselves highly worthy of the confidence reposed in them; and there are living witnesses who can testify that the spiritual instruction they received from Mr. Robinson were the means of bringing them to Christ.

Mr. Robinson having been called in the church of England, continued in her communion, though he rejoiced to see the church of Christ increase under every denomination; and was always ready to unite with Dissenters in every good work. He was, during several years, an active and truly valuable member of the Good Samaritan Society; and often, by way of relaxation, after close attention to the duties of the school, would employ his evenings in visiting the sick, praying with and exhorting them in the most affectionate manner. In short, he was a man who, living for eternity, was fully sensible of the value of time,

and considered it valuable only as it might be employed for the glory of God and the immortal interests of men!

It pleased the Lord to permit his faithful servant to continue his work till within a few weeks of his death, which was occasioned by a rapid decline of his bodily strength, whilst his mental faculties remained vigorous to the last. During his confinement, he expressed, much gratitude to God. "I might," says he," have been writhing with excruciating pains; whereas I only feel a gradual decay: I bless God that I have, hitherto, the use of my faculties; and, as I lie much awake, I can recollect his word, and meditate a little upon it. I thank God that I have not it now to learn. I find that he enables. me to recollect such precious portions of divine truth as prove a source of much comfort to my soul." He was much engaged in prayer; and rejoiced that his friends were not only kind, but praying friends. On some refreshment being given him, he said, "Jesus had none to sympathize with him when he drank the bitter cup: he drank the vinegar and gall, that I might have wine." He would sometimes repeat part of the 23d Psalm, as applicable to himself; and would frequently say, "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord! Whilst the Lord has work for me to do, I am desirous to remain here; but, when that is done, I am ready to say, with good old Simeon," Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." I have found it truly a salvation, both as to temporal and spiritual things, not only to myself, but also to mine. I have had the happiness to see my children united to Christian churches; and I doubt not that they are also united to Jesus Christ. Christ crucified is a sure foundation to rest upon; nothing else would do for me now! I am thankful that, in early life, I was enabled to make a surrender of myself to him; and he has now led me on to the 71st year of my pilgrimage. When I look back upon that surrender, I have no reason to regret it; but can review with joy the way

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »