privacies; let her follow him to the mount, and hear his de votions and fupplications to God: carry her to his table to view his poor fare, and hear his heavenly difcourfe: let her fee him injured but not provoked: let her attend him to the tribunal, and confider the patience with which he endured the fcoffs and reproaches of his enemies: lead her to his crofs, and let her view him in the agony of death, and hear his last prayer for his perfecutors-Father forgive them, for they know not what they do! When Natural Religion has viewed both, afk, which is the Prophet of God? But her anfwer we have already had, when the faw part of this fcene through the eyes of the Centurion who attended at the crofs, by him fhe fpoke and faid, Truly this man was the Son of God." 2. ON CLEANING CHAPELS, &c. REV. SIR, To the Editor. As your valuable Magazine often mingles ufeful and faluta ry reproof with that inftruction and entertainment, which have fo well recommended it to the religious world, I fhall efteem it a particular favour, if you will give me leave to bring the following complaint before the public by means of its extenfive circulation. TH HERE are Christian congregations in different parts of the kingdom, but particularly in country towns and villages, that fuffer their meeting-houfes to go without any fweeping or cleaning for many months, and fometimes for years together. The clothes of the worshippers are the only brooms and dufters that are ever ufed; and as thefe only come in contact with the feats on which they fit, the floor, aifles, ceiling and pulpit, are often in a very dirty condition. It is not long fince, I was much interrupted while preaching in a neighbouring chapel, in which there is conftant worship, by inhaling one of the cobwebs, which hung from the founding board and I could mention other places, where the pulpit, cufhion, bible, and hymn book, were fo dusty as to make it quite neceffary to wash my hands, as foon as I had perform ed the fervice. In most of these places, a number of the worshippers have neat, clean, and fometimes elegant houfes. Why then fuch a difparity between their own dwellings, and the houfe they have dedicated to the fervice and glory of God! In divine worship we are inftructed to do all things decently, as well as in order; and if it were not fufficiently obvious to every one who will take the trouble to think on the fubject, many ar guments might be brought to prove that to keep a place of worship clean and neat, is a reasonable service. If thofe Chriftian focieties whom it concerns, are but willing to redress this grievance, the means of doing it are always in their power. The Minister, with the deacons and trustees, fhould fee to it, that this neceffary work is not left undone. The leading people might alternately fend their fervants to clean the chapel. Or, those who have it not in their power to fupport the Gospel with their purfes, might be perfuaded to perform this fervice in rotation, as a proper and grateful acknowledgment for those ineftimable privileges they enjoy gratis. Or, a poor family might be hired for the purpose, and a compenfation made by an annual mite from each of the worshippers. This laft method is adopted, where I have the honour to preach, as well as in many other places throughout the kingdom; and we have the pleafure to fee our chapels as clean as our parlours. If you will have the goodness to infert these hints, I am perfuaded they will not be altogether in vain, and it will be a favour conferred on Rev. Sir, Your obliged humble fervant, Lancaster. P. S. C. TH ON RELIGIOUS RAPTURES. HE fhining of the fun may be controverted, may be denied by thofe who never faw it; but it shines notwithstanding. The foul-animating views, which the believer enjoys through the fhining of the Sun of righteouf nefs, may be reproached and defpifed, by fuch as are dull of themselves and ftrangers to Chrift; nevertheless, the children of God are thus indulged at times, in their way to Canaan. But what I mean now more particularly to confider, I fhall name in two branches. 3 A VOL. I. 1. I have known various perfons whofe talk on this to pic has been loud-whofe pretenfions have run high, who have been very bufy to make themfelves known. Once I envied them; afterwards I pitied them. Had I not been taught that vital godlinefs is personal, and been led to understand the parable of the ftoney ground hearers, I had envied them still. The profeffed experience of one, whe ther real or feigned, can be no ftandard for another. And though the young Chriftian is often entangled with this bait to his diftrefs; yet, as he goes forward, his understand. ing is enlarged, and he is delivered. The ftoney ground hearers have no root in themselves, and therefore endure for a while, and then fall away. Some fuch bold profeffors I have known, drop as a candle in its focket. I ftaggered, I ftumbled; but, through rich grace, I foon recovered. The Gofpel reveals the fupreme good in its beauty and fulness. With this book in his hand, and in his head, it is hot difficult for a natural man to persuade himself that the treasure is his, and that all fhall be well. His confidence is firm; his fin is no burden; his joys have no ebb; for all appears fecure. But when the fongs of the tavern and the play-houfe have charms for fuch perfons, as well as the fongs of Zion-when their conduct is juftly condemned by the world, and cannot be justified by the faints-I ask, does the fanctifying joy of the Holy Spirit produce this fruit? Is Chrift, at laft, become the Minifter of fin? Does no felf denial refult from the light of his countenance? Can they profefs to triumph in his falvation, and yet join with his foes to his face? Of all the modes of felf-deception, this is, perhaps, the most aggravated of any; becaufe, while it profeffes the greatest knowledge of Chrift, it is, in fact, the moft flagrant oppofition to his character and truth. "Miftaken fouls! that dream of Heav'n, WATTS: I am confident, that every manifeftation of the love of Chrift to the foul does, in its own nature, embitter fin, empty of felf, and give a godly jealoufy for his honour. Such profeffors therefore have much reason to fear an awful difappointment at the last. II. When a man tells me, "That he knows his fins are forgiven, that Chrift loved him and gave himself for him, and that his eternal all is fafe in his hands." I do look for more than words: actions, that fpeak louder than words in this cafe, are neceffary for my conviction. I am not fatiffied with negative righteoufnefs, without the addition of fuitable deportment to glorify God. If fuch experience truly exifts, as before expreffed, will it not be operative ? Were it ever known, that the effects of fuch a cause were mere founds? Does the kingdom of God confist in word? Is it not in power? And, can there be power, in the fenfe of the holy Ghoft, where there is not action to the praise of his name? Let the leaft efteemed in the church judge. However, in fome inftances, I am fatisfied-encouraged animated. I behold the late excellent Hervey, and fee profeffion and practice agree to his latest breath! I follow the English Apoftle, George Whitefield, and have before me one continued effort to win fouls to Christ for five and thir ty years! The one though confined to a country parish, employed his purfe, his voice, and his pen, with affection. ate affiduity, to promote and publish the truth of God. The other traverfed half the known world to proclaim the falvation of Chrift. When I hear thefe men speak of " rap. turous" delights, in communion with God, I believetheir profeffion and practice accord. Nor have I any doubt of fuch a man as Dr. Gill, who was confined to his study or his pulpit for upwards of fifty years, to digeft to minifters, and defend the truths of the gofpel. When one man's pen produces nine volumes in folio and eight in quarto, amidst the labours of his ftated ministry, and all to fubferve the caufe of Christ, I am convinced that his application and diligence must have been almoft incredible. Here you have different gifts, but the fame fpirit. They had fuch views of their glorious Lord, and fuch experience of his mighty love, that each was willing to spend and be spent to glorify his name. And, as foon as God revealed his Son in Saul of Tarfus, he chearfully entered on his workmade the tour of the then known world maugre all oppofition, to minister the grace of God to all nations; and rested not till he finished his courfe: as a proof that his whole heart was in his work. The practice of fuch men is an honour to their profeffion, and their mafter. They give evidence that the love of Chrift constrained them. I am far from limiting the Holy One of Ifrael-but I do believe that this caufe will produce correfponding effects wherever it is felt. I know there is a diverfity of gifts and different spheres of action, more various than perhaps I am apprifed of; and to which therefore I am not difpofed to fet bounds. But can it be fuppofed, that large engagements of fellowship with God engender fupineness and inactivity in his work and worship? What, has the love of Chrift loft its efficacy? Or is there no deception in the cafe?* James was ready to atteft the truth of his faith by his works; and, our Lord fays, " By their fruits ye fhall know them." Will not these paffages apply here? Poffibly fuch perfons might not impertinently ask themselves this queftion.-"When I declare my confident affurances of eternal life, and the transporting experience of God's love to my foul; who will give me credit except they fee me zealous and active to promote the kingdom of Chrift? All the world have agreed that love begets love; and, therefore, unanimously reject the profeflion of it where there is not a correfponding conduct. A profeffion of divine love, especially, fhould not be in word and in tongue, but in DEED and in TRUTH, to gain credit with men, or bring honour to God, Muft not fuch perfons feel a reproof of their indolence when they fee the active ufefulness of their inferiors in knowledge and experience, the timid and the fearful, fo far outfhine theirs? The Lord commends the active servant. "Well done, good and faithful fervant: thou haft been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Though his joys and confidence might not abound-his gifts not fplendid his sphere of action not extenfive; yet, being diligent in ufing what he had to the honour of his mafter, his Lord approved his faithful service, This is applicable as well to private Chriftians, as to minifters, to whom it more immediately belongs. MINOR QUAM NIL, * Do not all causes discover themselves in effects suitable to their qwn nature? Were all our professed religious joys and delights analized and reduced to their first principles, there would be found much more dross of natural passion mixed with them than is generally apprehended; for pure spiritual joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ cannot but produce, according to its measure, lively active zeal for his honour, both in heart and life; while natural affection, being merely selfish, is empty in itself, and transient in its appearance. If it be, therefore, an allowed rule of judging, from the effects to the cause, we may safely conclude which cause predominates from the effects which follow. |