Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

:

question particularly but it would surprise me very much, if two such early productions of my pen, (one of them, indeed, before I had come to manhood) did not contain many injudicious statements, and perhaps some false sentiments; though I believe they both contain, and am sure that one of them contains, all the essence of that truth which I am now so much more offensively, because more clearly witnessing. Nothing, however, from them, or from any thing else that I have ever written, will I allow to have the smallest force against the truth; nor would I turn aside from the declaration and vindication of that truth to discuss the question, whether it is opposed or not in this or that passage, adduced from my former publications, or how far back my knowledge of it may be traced in my writings. Nor can I wonder that, in the earlier productions of my pen, even after I knew the truth, my modes of expression are such as would now leave me doubtful about another whether he knew it. But at any period that I would have rejected the great truth clearly expressed, I am ready to admit that I was an unbeliever dead in sin. My paper is so nearly full, that I can only add, that I shall, as soon as possible, answer the remainder of your letter.

Affectionately yours, &c.

VI.

TO THE REV. MR. M.

July, 29, 1804.

REV. SIR, I shall make no apology for addressing you on the sermon which I heard you deliver this day-it is one of the things which my hand "findeth to do," and which (according to the exhortation of your text) I would therefore "do with my might "- -remembering that "there is no work nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither I am going." I heartily hope and pray that you may not be offended by the liberty I am about to use. But in a few years at most it will be of little consequence to me whether all the world has been offended at me as a disturber of its peace; while it will be a matter of eternal consequence to me, whether I am found "faithful unto death"-not ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified-and therefore to testify against those who deny that faith and corrupt his gospel.-I can truly declare that whatever desire I felt of having an opportunity to preach the gospel of Christ, this morning, in the church of S- it would have given me

tenfold more joy to have heard it faithfully preached by you. But it gave me proportional pain and grief to find that throughout your sermon there not only was not a syllable like the Gospel, but that its fundamental principles were directly contradicted-to hear the congregation told that sobriety, honesty, and diligence, in their respective callings, would "entitle" them to the favour of God and "merit”

his rewards, and this-not even followed by the poor salvo, with which such sentiments are usually accompanied, the complimentary mention of Christ's merits and the Divine mercy.

Too often have I heard the truths of God opposed from the pulpits of our churches; but seldom indeed have I heard them so unequivocally contradicted as this day.-O! sir, it is a solemn office that you undertake, when you undertake to be the guide of immortal souls ; and awfully will the blood of those, who believe what I heard you declare to the people, be required at your hands, unless they and you receive repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth.-It would degrade the authority of those truths which you have contradicted, to refer you to the Articles and other formularies of the Established Church in which they are asserted. The truths which you have contradicted are the Truths of God. He has declared that "by the deeds of the law no flesh living shall be justified"-that those who are saved are saved by grace through faith, and that not of themselves, "not of works lest any man should boast;" that they are a people "saved by the Lord," and "justified in the Lord," "his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works indeed, which God hath before ordained that they should walk in them-to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he has made them accepted in the beloved."—But if you will address your congregation as those who may be entitled to eternal life by the works of the law, and may merit the rewards of God by something they can do; take heed how you substitute the meagre system of sobriety, honesty, and diligence, which I heard you describe, for the demands of that divine law which enjoins-"thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and mind and strength; and thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself." If they keep not this law, if they be sinners, take heed how you cherish their hope of escaping the curse that it denounces against every transgression of it, by any thing they can do. "Christ has redeemed his people, from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them,"—and is, "the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth." "He hath received power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given him." "Neither is there salvation in any other." He is the only foundation laid in Zion; and is, at the same time, the great Rock of offence, to those who stumble at the word "which reveals him," to those especially who have most of that religion which leads men to "trust in themselves that they are righteous." "But whoso shall fall against that stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder."

May he have mercy upon you, and upon the poor blinded people to whom you have hitherto been a blind guide! If you yet become a preacher of the faith, which you are now destroying, it will be but one of those miracles of saving grace, of which (blessed be God) there are numerous instances.

Pardon, sir, the plain freedom of my testimony-indeed it is not designed to irritate or offend you; though I am well aware how offensive it is likely to prove, unless it be blessed for your profit. Were I to be another Sunday in S I should attend in the

:

Church for the worship of God, during our sound and scriptural Liturgy but I should feel myself called on, not to wait longer in it to countenance by my presence, a system of doctrine from the pulpit, which I know must issue in the eternal ruin of those who believe it. -With every earnest wish, that you may be saved yourself, and be made the honoured instrument of declaring the Saviour's name to others,I remain-Rev. Sir,

Your faithful humble servant, &c.

VII.

TO MRS. N

66

Nov. 4th, 1804.

VERY DEAR FRIEND, I have been slow in answering your kind letter of the 27th ult., and, in fact, have been obliged to run in debt to all my correspondents. For much that I have to say on the subject of the late changes in my views and circumstances, I must refer them all to a printed address, which I have been busy drawing up, and is now at press. I suppose it will be published in about a week. I am to be congratulated, indeed, on the goodness of our dear Lord to me in rectifying my judgment, which was so long beclouded as to the rule by which his people are led to walk. May he graciously discover it to all the little flock, and give them one heart and one way, that his glory may be seen upon them!" I share in your desire to have the disciples at C-, be they ever so few, gathered into one body, that they may walk together as a Church of Christ, according to the same rule with the Apostolic churches. And I trust this will be increasingly effected wherever there are disciples. But it is most important that, at the commencement of the attempt especially, those who join in it should be of one mind, have a clear view of the object which they propose, and pursue it with scriptural simplicity. If a visit from me may be subservient to this or any other part of the Lord's work among you, gladly will I visit you as soon as any opportunity may offer. For the present, however, my itinerancies must be greatly abridged, by the scantiness of my pecuniary means, and the necessity of staying for the most part in Dublin to earn my bread. I am under a promise also of visiting Scotland, as soon as my engagements at Bethesda shall terminate, which will probably be very shortly. Still I hope to see you before winter is over. I suppose you have heard that

has also

come out and given up his curacy. I believe he is likely to reside for some time in Dublin to study medicine. Five disciples have united at P- to walk together as a Church of Christ. They are labouring men, and I think I never saw the power of divine

is

teaching more strikingly than in them. Thus, though about to be removed from P- —, the standard of the cross will remain there. And surely it ought to be, in any place,—not with an individual preacher, but with the body of disciples. And so it will, when the disciples (wherever they are) walk in one body, by one rule (not any rule of man's invention, but those delivered by the apostles to the first churches)—and consequently separate from all who believe not. I pray that you, and all with you, who know the truth, may be kept standing fast in one mind and in one spirit, walking in the truth and holding it forth to the world. My love to all who love the Lord in sincerity. I long to speak with you face to face. Remember me to The Lord be gracious to her, and make his name known to her! Then she will not let Mr. Fletcher or Mr. Anybody say a word against his truth. Whenever she knows the only true Gospel, she will not be afraid to adopt Paul's sentiment, Gal. i. 8. 9.

[blocks in formation]

MY DEAR M-Your letter affords me great satisfaction, as it shews a readiness to give a fair and serious discussion to a subject which certainly demands it; and indicates a particular readiness to act according to the discovery of our Lord's will upon the subject from his word, whatever may be the issue of our discussion. May this mind be continued and encouraged in us throughout our communications, and then I do not fear but we shall ultimately agree both in judgment and in practice. As far as I know the spirit which is given me I can say, that it is not a zeal for proselyting to my own opinions that makes me forward to embrace every opportunity of calmly and patiently discussing it with every one that I consider a fellow disciple. No; I trust it is because I have been led to see our Lord's will plainly marked in his word, and to see also, in some degree, how much his glory is connected with his people's walking according to his will in this particular. But it is only so far as I have reason to think that others follow the same rule, from a discernment of it, and from subjection to its divine authority-it is only so far that I would feel any satisfaction in their acting as I have acted. Continue fairly to write all your objections, and to say every thing that you think is to be said against my views. But as we both appeal to the Scripture, and I trust heartily desire to be regulated by that rule, let us pray, and let us expect to be brought in the course

of the discussion to a discernment of what the word commands, and to a consequent agreement in mind.

Your first argument for mixed communion.-But here, to prevent mistakes, let me precisely state what I mean by that mixed communion which I hold to be unlawful. I mean outward church fellowship with those who deny any of the essential principles of the Gospel of Christ, or with those who, confessing it with their mouths, manifest the insincerity of their profesed faith by walking after the flesh in any of its lusts (in either of which cases the Scriptures do not warrant my acknowledging them as brethren), or lastly with those whom I can scripturally acknowledge as brethren, but who will not, after admonition and instruction, walk with a church of Christ according to the rule of his word—or, in short, brethren that "walk disorderly." Except in these cases, the existence of mere professors in a church does not constitute its communion mixed in the sense that I hold unlawful. Other cases belong to the searcher

of hearts alone.

Your first argument, then, in favour of mixed communion is drawn from our Lord's parable of the tares and the wheat growing together in the same field, and not to be separated till the harvest. You truly observe that this parable is explained by an infallible interpreter; and what does he tell us that the field is? A Christian church? nay -"the field is THE WORLD." And do I plead for the ministers of divine vengeance prematurely destroying the wicked from the earth? Nay-then indeed among those who now appear in that character many would be swept away who shall yet be found children of the kingdom. I believe I need say no more to convince one of your candour that this parable, so often applied to the defence of mixed communion, has nothing to do with the subject. Only let me add, that even if it had not been so decisively interpreted in a different way by our Lord, you might be certain that you mistake its meaning, because on the supposition of your application being just, not only would mixed communion be lawful, but any attempt at separating from a church, the most openly wicked, would be unlawful, and an inspired Apostle would be found expressly commanding a church to violate his Master's command. If our Lord's words, "let both grow together," bear the meaning you have supposed, what should we say of Paul's command-" put away from among yourselves that wicked person?"

Your next argument is borrowed from the visible mixture that confessedly existed in some of the apostolic churches. There were, as you say, in the Corinthian church particularly, very wicked persons. Well, but the question is, does the Apostle countenance your principle that they ought to be retained in the church? Does he not, on the contrary, solemnly and expressly enjoin the church to remove them? to purge out the old leaven that they might be a new lump, and not so much as to eat with any man called a brother who was a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner? nor is it the question whether the Corinthian church did fully act up to the apostolic injunction; but whether the apostolic injunction did not bind them to put away from

« AnteriorContinua »