"* * * * My manner of life, from the earliest dawn of reason to my six and twentieth year of age, was that of a depraved, deplorable, and wretched character. Darkness covered my heart, and gross darkness my understanding, and no fear of God before my eyes. I was left an orphan at the tender age of two years; and was brought up by a brother till the age of thirteen. I was then bound apprentice; and before three years had elapsed, I left my master, and was wandering about the country for four years, and no one knew where I was, until I made my appearance at the death of my master. I then got employment in London at my trade, but was still a drunken, worthless, and dissipated character. "Shortly after this time, I married a very respectable tradesman's daughter; and in a very few months, my home, goods, and every other article worth anything was gone. I then started off again to the country, and got work at my own trade, and then sent for my wife and a dear little boy eighteen months old. I stopped there a few months, and then went off again; and after travelling and tramping for about three months, I again reached London, and got work, where I stopped about two years, and then went off again. And in this wandering and unsettled state I remained until I was six and twenty years of age, being then the father of three dear children. "It was customary for me and my companions, of a Saturday evening, to have what we called a parting pot. But this one pot, or glass, often caused us to spend all our moneys, and go home beastly tipsy on the Sabbath morning. "I generally used to get up on a Sabbath morning, and take what we called a stroll, which generally ended in a drink; and on one of these occasions I came home as usual about one o'clock in the day; and after laying myself down on the floor for, as I thought, to have a sleep, my dear interesting little boy came and stood by me, and said, 'Father, you are drunk! You should not get drunk!' I looked at the boy, and asked him how he knew that? He told me his Sabbath-school Teacher told him so, and that no drunkard should inherit eternal life. I was struck with the boy's expression; it wounded me to the very quick, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and was a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. I was very serious the whole of the afternoon, and began to see that my present life and conduct was all wrong. At last I left the room, resolved to go to a place of worship. But I bethought myself that I had nothing to go in, not so much as a change of linen. But I was resolved to go. I then turned into a chapel in Collier's Rents, Southwark, where the Rev. R. T. Hunt was pastor, and who was then in the pulpit. He took his text from the 45th of Isaiah, 22nd verse: 'Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.' I felt myself a sinner, lost, undone for ever, unless grace prevented. I think I see the dear man of God now exalting the Saviour. I shall never forget him. He appeared to set before me the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world-as such a kind and merciful Redeemer, that I thought I could not but love the Saviour who died for me, and gave himself for me. I was so deeply affected under a sense of my sin and guilt, that I fell down upon my knees, and asked God to have mercy upon me, and to pardon and forgive all my sins, and to soften my wicked, hard heart. I then went home with eyes gushing forth with tears, and my heart overwhelmed on account of sin. I got but little sleep that night. I went to work on the next day, resolved to earn money enough to purchase myself a Bible, and then went and bought myself one; and I trust I have read it earnestly, prayerfully, and believingly. I was shortly received into the Church as a stated communicant, and was then received as a Sabbath-school Teacher, erected a family altar in my room; and I have indeed much reason to adore and magnify the riches of God's mercy, for his great love towards me, even when I was dead in trespasses and sins. Amen and Amen." SCHOOL EXERCISES. JUSTIFICATION. Learn by heart Rom iii. 20 to 28, and texts. 1. WHAT is sin?-1 John iii. And what is the state of every man by nature?-Psalm li. Rom. v. 2. What is the meaning of Justification, or "being justified?"-The being made and accounted righteous before God. Isaiah xlv. 2 Cor. v. 3. Does God require for our justification a perfect unsinning obedience in thought, word, and deed, to his holy law?-Gal. iii. James ii. 4. Is it possible for any one to render such obedience, so as to be justified thereby?-Isaiah lxiv. Titus iii. 5. Of what use then is the Law?-Rom. v. Gal. iii. 1 Tim. i. 6. In what way was "the righteousness of God manifested" by Jesus Christ?-Matt. v. Rom. x. 7. How can a sinner make the righteousness of Christ his own?-John v. Rom. ix. Phil. iii. 8. What is a living, saving, and justifying faith?— Acts xxvi. Gal. v. Heb. xi. 9. Can a sinner be justified partly by his faith, and partly by the merit of his works?-Rom. iv. Rom. xi. 10. Is our justification then entirely of God's free grace or favour.-Eph. ii. 2 Tim. i. 11. To what is the righteousness of Christ compared in the Bible?-Isaiah Ixi. Matt. xxii. Rev. xix. 12. How do the Law and the Prophets witness to the righteousness of God?-Gen. xv. Isaiah liii. Jer. xxiii. Dan. ix. 13. What are the evidence or proofs that we are in a justified state?-Matt. vii. James ii. Rom. viii. 14. What is the happy condition of all who are justified by faith in Jesus Christ?-Isaiah xxxii. Rom. v. The Grace of God justifies every believing sinner freely, and without any merit of his own. (Rom. iii. 24.) Jesus Christ justifies from all things, by the merit of his obedience, all who believe on him. (Acts xiii. 39.) Faith justifies the believer, as the hand which puts on the robe of Christ's righteousness. (Gal. ii. 16.) Good Works justify the believer, by proving that his faith is of the right kind. Thus good fruit justifies the tree which bears it. (James ii. 18.) God, the Judge of all, justifies; first, by providing the all-sufficient righteousness of Christ, and then by pronouncing the believing sinner to be perfectly righteous. (Is. xlvi. 13. Rom. viii. 33.) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ justifies, by openly declaring that the justice of God is satisfied, and that now Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. (Rom. iv. 25.) SANCTIFICATION. Learn by heart, Ezek. xxxvi. 25 to 29 verses, and Texts. 1. What is Sanctification, or the making holy?—It is the renewal of the soul, by the Holy Spirit, in the image or likeness of God, which was lost by the sin of Adam. 2 Cor. iii. Col. iii. 2. What is the difference between Justification and Sanctification ?—The one is the removal of guilt,—the other the imparting of grace: the first gives a right or title to heaven,-the second, a character or fitness for it. Rom. v. 1 Cor. vi. 3. Are all believers sanctified as well as justified?— Acts ii. Heb. x. 4. When believers receive the Holy Ghost, what do their bodies become?-Eph. ii. 1 Cor. iii. 2 Cor. vi. 5. What means does the Spirit of God employ to sanctify those in whom He dwells?-1. The Word of God. John xvii. Acts xx. 1 Pet. ii. 2. Afflictions. Is. xxvii. 2 Cor. iv. Heb. xii. 6. What directions does the Word of God give us to help forward our Sanctification?-1. To yield ourselves to God. Rom. vi. 2. To hold faith and a good conscience. 1 Tim. i. 3. To be earnest in prayer. 1 Thess. v. 4. To be temperate and diligent. 1 Cor. ix. 5. To check evil tempers. Eph. iv. 6. To keep from temptation and evil company. Psalm i. gent in attending on the means of grace. 7. To be diliHeb. x. 7. Does our corrupt nature resist the work of Sanctification carried on by the Holy Spirit within us?—Rom. vii. Gal. v. 8. Is Sanctification therefore a gradual work; that is, carried on by little and little in the soul?-Prov. iv. 2 Peter iii. Mark iv. 9. What sweet promises are given that even the weakest believer shall conquer at last?—Isaiah xl. Rom. viii. 2 Cor. xii. 10. What means has God provided for this end?— 1. A throne of grace. Heb. iv. 2. A fountain for sin and uncleanness. Zech. xiii. 3. A righteous Advocate and Intercessor. 1 John ii. 4. A heavenly Teacher. John vi. 5. A never failing Friend. Heb. xiii. 11. What are the blessed fruits of Sanctification?Gal. v. Heb. xii. 12. Can any thing unholy enter heaven?—Heb. xii. Rev. xxi. Dear child, are you Justified? are you Holy? If not, you cannot be happy-you cannot be saved! To the Editor. REV. SIR, I have had great pleasure in making use of your Selection of Scripture portions for the children of our parochial Sundayschool. Our Teachers meet every Friday evening for instruction in the chapter marked in the "Teacher's Visitor" as belonging to the Sunday following. As I have only time to be present with them once a month, I send them on the intermediate Fridays a paper on the evening chapter, which they read, looking out the references to Scripture as they go on. They also use it in the School on the Sunday; one Teacher occasionally passing it on to another. One of these I send you in its original form-or nearly so-which you can insert, if you think it worth insertion. My want of time to correct and draw it out more at length, must be my apology for its roughness and brevity. If you think these papers at all likely to be useful, I can at any time send you some more of them. They may serve for another year, though too late for use in the present. I remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, R. J. R- B JOHN xx. 19-31. 19. The disciples had forsaken him for a time, yet love to him kept them together. |
