Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

"Dear Brother, I have just time to inform you of the mercy of God to Mifs T. She was brought from Swift's Hofpital on Sunday evening, and on Tuesday night, the 18th inftant, about ten o'clock, she was in the utmoft diftrefs. She thought the faw Chrift and Satan fighting for her: and that fhe heard Chrift fay, I will have her. In a moment Hope fprang up in her heart; the promises of God flowed in upon, her. She cried out, "I am taken from hell to heaven!" She now declares she could not tell whether she was in the body or out of it. She is much tempted; but in her right mind, enjoying a fenfe of the mercy of God. She remembers all that is paft, and knows it was a punishment for her fins."

Surely this hath God wrought! Such mercies ought to be had in remembrance: they loudly declare the goodness of the Lord, and his wonderful works to the children of men.

I

am, your's, &c.

J. MORGAN.

LETTER

CCXCIV.

[From Mifs T. H. to the Rev. Mr. Wefley.]

Salop, Dec. 22, 1764.

I

Rev. Sir,

Thank you kindly for your laft favour. I believe God intends me a bleffing by this means, or he would not incline your heart to answer my worthlefs fcrawls.

You ask me, Sir, what it is I ftill want? I now have love, joy, and peace: I have power over fin, and I believe Chrift dwells in my heart by Faith: but notwithstanding this, I feel the ftirrings of Pride, Anger, Self-will, and many other diabolical Tempers, as contrary to the mind of Chrift, as light

to

to darkness, and though by the grace of God, thefe difpofitions are fo far fuppreffed, as not to gain advantage over me, yet, while they remain, my peace cannot flow as a river. I am far from rejoicing evermore.

I know many would tell me, "You must not expect a deli• verance from inbred fin; this keeps you humble, and teaches you to rely on Chrift alone for Righteoufnefs," &c. But, Sir, I learn from my own Experience, that Pride, remaining in my heart, does not make, or keep me humble. Indeed it makes me deteft myself, and convinces me of the neceffity, there is of my nature being entirely renewed, that I may perfectly love God, and worthily magnify his holy Name, I fee this to be my privilege, and believe Chrift has apprehended me for this purpose. His blood cleanfeth from all fin, and makes us more than conqueror over the remains of our fallen nature.

Indeed, Sir, I fhould difhonour God, if I thought he could not refore to me the divine image; and I should give him the lie too, if I did not believe in his ability to fave to the utmoft. Was there not a fingle witness of this in the world, it would matter nothing, seeing there is not a book in the New, nor a prophesy in the Old Testament, but what implies this

truth.

I have been fome days at B. I was obliged to vindicate the doctrine of the Methodifts, fo called. I blefs God I do not find the leaft backwardness in this refpect. I fhould be ungrateful to the last degree if I did, fince the gofpel, by their means, has been the power of God to the falvation of my foul.

I remain your obliged Friend,

T. H.

. D d 2

LETTER

LETTER CCXCV.

[From Mr. J. Dillon, to the Rev. Mr. Welley.]

Reverend Sir,

Dublin, June 13, 1765.

EING one day invited to dine with Mr. F. he asked, if I

BEIN

When I

had heard any thing concerning his maid. Mrs. F. faid, her maid was exceeding happy; and added, that she had been crying to God, for fome time, for deliverance from an evil heart. I was defired to go and fpeak to her. went, I found her praifing God for his mercies. I have feen her feveral times fince. I told her to be much in prayer, and fimply (when called to it,) to declare the goodness of God. I have juft parted with her, and got the following words from her own mouth, which is a fhort detail of her Experience.

"From the age of feven or eight years, I was much afraid of death, being convinced that I was not in a ftate of falvation. About fourteen months ago, my father fent me to Dublin. I made it my bufinefs, at all opportunities, to hear the Methodifts. At laft, I was deeply cut to the heart; and could get no reft. I cried to God for mercy; fometimes thinking I was given over to the hardness of my heart. At others, I found a fweet perfuafion that God would have mercy on me. I continued in this way, till about four months ago, when, as Mr. J was preaching, one Sunday evening, I found my foul fet at liberty; the guilt of my fins being removed, my heart flowed with love to, and confidence in God. After this, I got into doubts and fears; but the Lord foon fhone upon his work again, and gave me a full confidence in Him, that through Chrift, he was reconciled to me. I continued happy in his ways, and found his commands were my delight. About a month ago, I had a deep, and clear fight of the remaining evils of my heart; and it was followed

with a conviction, that God had fhewed me this for no other intent, but that I might be delivered from them. A cry was fet up in my heart for deliverance. But I was often hindered by the following thoughts:-What! thee that art but fo lately juftified, expect fuch a bleffing! Thou haft not yet been long enough in the ways of God; neither haft thou mourned, prayed, or grieved enough: flay a little longer: it is time enough for thee, &c. But I believed, that with God all things are poffible, and faw it to be the privilege of his children, and that he was able to make me a partaker thereof. My heart longed for it, when I came into my Clafs one evening. I was feized with a trembling, and could hardly get off my knees. When you afked me if I had any thing. that I defired to give up, but wanted the power? and when you faid, If you can now only believe, you shall see the glory of God; the words came with fuch power to my foul, that I was inftantly delivered from the remains of Unbelief, and filled with Love."

Lord, give her that wisdom from above, that she may not be led into evil reafoning; but difcover to her the wiles. of the Devil, and give her grace to oppofe and over come! I am, Rev. Sir, your's, &c.

JOHN DILLON.

Captain

POETRY.

WHAT!

's Excufe for not fighting a Duel.

HAT! you're afraid then ?—Yes, I am; you're right:
I am afraid to fin, but not to fight.

My Country claims my fervice; but no law
Bids me in Folly's caufe my fword to draw.
I fear not man, nor devil, but though odd,

I'm not ashamed to own I fear my God,

To

To the Memory of a Lady who was loft at Sea, in the Year 1780.

AIR fprings the gale, where yonder Vessel rides,

FAL

Her fails unfurled are fluttering feen from far,

The young Alonzo scales her lofty fides,

To join his comrades in the field of war.

The fair Maria led by conftant love,

The faithful partner of her husband's care, With him refolves the treacherous fea to prove, With him all dangers and all toils to fhare.

Unuféd to ftruggle through a world of strife,
A parent's hand had every wish supplied;
But eight fhort months by Hymen crowned a wife,
To woes a ftranger, in distress untried.

Her feeling heart, alas! did forely grieve,
Her laft adieu was choaked with many a tear ;

But love and duty call

the Wife must leave

A tender mother, and a fifter dear.

The fleet unmoored before a profperous wind,
A fteady course with flowing canvass bore:
Maria's heart exulting, hopes to find

A speedy paffage to the defined fhore.

Short-fighted mortals catch the present joy,

'Tis all that heaven permits you here to know; Soon fhall mifchance your brighteft hopes deftroy, Nor truth nor innocence avert the blow.

The tempeft howls! the threatening billows rife!
The veffel drives before the whistling ftorm;
Now to the deep defcends! now mounts the fkies!
And fear and fadnefs every face deform!

The

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »