Hence we hear fo much against the doctrine of the faints perfeverance. The ordinance of baptifm is difregarded by many; the holy fabbath given up; family prayer difcarded, and the worfhip of the fanctuary neglected. And hence Arminianifm, Univerfalifm, Infidelity and Atheism, together with all the unfcriptural errors and practices of this ungodly world. But I must conclude, earnestly praying, that God of his fovereign mercy, would guide us into all truth; make us faithful to do his will; give us all that grace and ftrength which we need; grant that we may manifeft our love to him by keeping his commandments, and that he would glorify his grace in our falvation; that he would difpel the thickening cloud of error and confufion of the prefent day, and fill the earth with his glory through Jefus Chrift. Begging your prayers for me, I fubfcribe myself yours, &c. MESS'RS. EDITORS, THE following remarks and facts, illuftrative, of, the danger of adopting falfe principles of religion, you will please to infert in your ufeful Magazine, if you judge it will be beneficial to your readers. There is a young man of my acquaintance who was once amiable and promifing, regular in his life and converfation, and fteadyin attending on public worship. A few years ago he embraced the doctrine of: univerfal falvation— fince which he appears to be totally changed. He is no longer the amiable and steady young man that he formerly was. He has become ferocious in his mannersprofane-contentious-fo that his family and neighbours often feel the effects of his contentious fpirit. He has thrown off all appearance of refpect to religion, and lives in the total neglect of public religious worship. I have often endeavour. ed to convince him of his errors from fcripture arguments, but in vain. Ina late converfation, I argued with him on the tendency of the doctrines he had embraced. I referred him to his former courfe of life and to his prefent conduct, and afked whether he did not think his fentiments tended to make hirr relax the duties of religion, and purfue vicious courfes, and whether he did not feel more eafy to neglect duty and commit fin now, feeing he hoped in this way to go to Heaven at laft, than he formerly did? He ingenuously confeffed to me that he did that he used to have, fome trouble of confcience about these things, but now he had got in a great meafure relieved. I then afked him, whether that could be a doctrine, of Jefus which in its effects was fo pernicious and tended to the destruction of moral virtue? He was greatly confounded--but still it was a doctrine fo confonant to his feelings and wishes that he could not give it up and confent to receive a holy falvation. He is in the hands of a fovereign God, who is able to bring him off from this dangerous and pernicious error-and in his hands we must leave him. As principles like these will not do to live by, fo they, will not do to die by. However they may flatter the fecure finner, and cafe a guilty confcience in health and profperity, they will be a poor fupport in a dying hour when the finner feels himself just about to appeat in the prefence of a holy God. was vifited with fickness during which time I frequently faw him.. His confidence was fhaken. He faid that tho he had felt confirmed in the doctrine of, univerfal falvation, yet now he began to fear he was in an error. As his disease encreafed his fears were more alarmed. He now did not find that evidence in fupport of his doctrine which he thought he did beforeconfcience was alarmedthe character of a holy God came into view-his confidence was I have been acquainted with another perfon, who died a few years fince, who in health difbe-gone and with it his hope of dilieved the divinity of Christ and believed that all men will be faved. He was a perfon who was very fond of difputing. I faw him when in health and had frequent difputes with him on thefe fubjects. vine merey. He frequently asked with apparent carneft folicitude "what can I do? I must relinquifh the hope of all mankind being faved, and as I have never become holy, but depended on no hope of the mercy of God. 'As for Jefus Christ I know him not and cannot believe his divin 'brace him as God-man mediator. I can hope only in God's mercy without regard to an atonement." He was told that God displayed his mercy in faving finners, only through Jefus Chrift as the great attoning facrifice, and that out of Chrift he was a confuming fire. He then faid he could have no hope. I told him that tho he might be fat-being faved in my fins, I can have isfied with his fcheme in health, it would fail him, in the near view of death. He had a few months before been very fick. I remind-ity-and therefore cannot emed him of his ficknefs, and asked him whether he was then fatisfied with his principles and was willing to die by them. He faid he was not but was much diftreffed in his mind, left they should not prove true. I asked him whether it was safe trusting to a scheme, which would not fupport him in the time when he most needed fupport? He" But O, faid he, whither fhall I acknowledged it was not, but ad ded he was not fo well confirmed in his fentiments then as he had fince been, but now he was willing to die by them. I told him was altogether probable he would change his mind when he came to look death in the faceand that as he had made one trial and found no comfort in the principles he had embraced, he would act a wife part to renounce them, and endeavor to fix his hopes on a more firm bafis. He ftill perfifted in his error. Soon after this he fly, or what can I do?" He was indeed a moft pitiable object-His eyes deemed to roll in anguish, terror took hold upon him, the view of a holy God filled him with dif trefs, he kept calling on all about him for help, his ftrength failed, but his fears became greater and greater without any fenfible alteration until he expired. I fhall only add, it is a miserable fcheme of doctrine which encourages a finful life and will yield no rational comfort in the folemn hour of death. another," fee. Where two of three fhall meet together, in the name of Chrift, the glorious Immanuel hath promifed his prefence. Thofe who are united in the fame bleffed God and Saviour, who are The above defcriptions are not | fictitious, but realities. Ichoofe to conceal their names and my own, out of tenderness to the furviving friends, but am willing the facts be published in hope they may ferve as a beacon to warn others of the dan-influenced by the fame fpirit, who ger of fuch erroneous fentiments. have one common enemy to oppofe Oh, that finners might tremble and the same grand intereft to purat the thought of embracing fuch fue, and who firmly expect all to pernicions principles. Let them dwell in the fame holy and happy admit nothing into their scheme of fociety forever; must neceffarily religion which will not encourage a take peculiar delight in religious, holy life and yield peace in the hour focial intercourfe. Such meetings, of death. There is no neceffity when conducted in that manner of flying to fuch vain refuges if which becometh the worshippers of they are willing to lay afide their the God of order, are happily calfins and become holy. And the culated to increase divine knowlfcriptures of truth affure us that edge, to quicken and animate, to avithout holiness no man shall see the fupport and comfort, and in a word, Lord. to ripen for glory. With thefe views, when in different ftages of Letters concerning conference meet- my miniftry, it hath pleafed the ings. LETTER I. From PRECO to the Editors. father of mercies, in fome small meafure, to revive his work among us, I have thought it my duty to encourage them and to attend them myfelf, when circumstances would permit. Connecticut, Oa. 18, 1800. TO THE EDITORS OF THE CONNECTICUT EVANGELICAL MAG-attended them weekly, and both AZINE. Rev. Brethren, I have for more than a year past experienced and feen, I humbly truft, their beneficial effects. Of late, fearing it would be too much NDER proper regulations, I for the state of my health, and aphave always been in favor of prehending the attention which what we commonly term, confer- might be termed special was deence meetings. However fome clining, I intimated that the meetmay ftigmatize them as enthufiaf-ings would probably foon be dif tic, being righteous over much, or continued. as night meetings, as tho' it were The two following letters were lawful and commendable to keep fince handed me. The firftis from unfeasonable hours for the purpofes a young woman a conftant attendof carnal mirth, but wrong to keepant who hopefully became a fubeven feasonable hours for the wor-ject of religion a few years fince. fhip of God; yet I have ever The other is from a fingle woman viewed them as perfectly agreeable in a different part of the parish, to the tenor of fcripture and the where there hath been fome special fpirit of Chriftianity. In ancient attention of late, who appears to times, we read that "thofe who have the cause of Zion at heart. feared the Lord fpake often one to If you find room in your Mag azine and judge the publication of them may tend to encourage both minifters and people to perfevére in improving every convenient opportunity of communicating and receiving religious knowledge, they are at your fervice. Rejoicing in the profpect of the extenfive utility of your evangelical repofitory, permit me to fubfcribe myself, Rev. Gentlemen, Your affectionate brother, PRECO. LETTER II. From SERENA to ber Paftor. Monday evening Oct. 13, 1800. I Hope Sir, there are none of the youth who attend your fabbath evening lectures, that are entirely infenfible of the privilege they enjoy, and of their obligations to you for the pains you take to inAtruct them in the best things I truft there are at least a few who are not wholly deaf to your pious admonitions, and who feels a in fome good degree, the force and propriety of them. But whatever return you may meet from us, fure 1-am that your care and pains fhall not fail of an ample reward. And fhould the feed, which you are now implanting in our minds, appear at prefent to produce no good fruit, yet perhaps hereafter it may fpring and flourish, when your lips fhall be feated in death and your body mouldering in the tomb. O how unhappy! I beg your prayers, dear Sir, that I may not only be a hearer, but a doer of the word; that I may not be of that genera tion who are pure in their own eyes, yet are not cleanfed. There is fo much oppofition in my heart, that I find it much easier to speak well of religion than to act at all times agreeable to its precepts. The power of the God of this world is at prefent very great. O that I may put my whole dependance upon him, who is the ftrength of all thofe who put their trust in him! If I have allowed my pen too much liberty, be pleafed, Sir, to pardon and believe me atall times, Your fincere and affectionate friend, SERENA. LETTER III. From SPERINA to her Paftor. Honored and worthy Paftor, condefcended to vifit the peoINCE our glorious Immanuel ple in this vicinity, there has been a great, an amazing alteration, efpecially among those who have attended the meetings. I must charitably hope, that a confiderable number have refigned themselves up into the hands of a merciful God, and may be stiled the friends of Jefus. And there are many more who feem in fome degree to liften to the things which belong to their everlasting peace. The converfation is changed in almoft every houfe. The tongue which was employed in vain trifling dif courfe is now talking about meet Never can I fufficiently render that tribute of gratitude I owe to the great author of all mercies, -for the innumerable advantages I enjoy for obtaining religious inftruction. Should I at last fall fhortings and religion. The hands of the One thing needful, fhould I which were employed in trifling not follow the example of the ami- plays and vain pleafures, are now able, the pious Mary, who chofe ufed in handling the book of life. that good part, how aggravated! The eyes that were looking round reafon to fear that the human mind, ever inclined to extremes, having once broken its anti-christian shackels, will now vibrate into the oppofite extreme of fcepticism indif on every object to find pleafure, are fixed upon the holy fcriptures; the ball-chamber is paffed by, and the chequer-board, which confumed fo much precious time, is laid afide, together with all vain amufe-criminately rejecting the whole of ments. Chriftians have been alive Chriftianity. The ftrong abhorin religion, and we may fay with ance of the corruptions in falfe reJacob," The Lordis in this place."ligion, while the strength of the And I believe the bleffed Jefus indignation lafts, will tend to blind is now knocking at the door of the the mind and harden the heart, and hearts of many poor finners among ferve as a pretext for rejecting the us, and I cannot but hope they will real gofpel of Jefus Chrift. The be called to the sheep-fold of Chrift. want of a proper diftinction, beAltho' fuch vifits of grace are gen- tween true Christianity and Anticrally short, yet Chrift ftill contin- chriftianity, has probably been one ues to hear and it seems is carrying principal ground of the fatirical on a glorious work. writings of Voltaire and other de I hope Sir you will not be dif-istical writers. For when Voltaire couraged about keeping up the examined the holy fcriptures, and meetings, fince Chrift fpent three their excellent doctrines, he could years with little fuccefs. He per- not firmly refift their convincing fectly knew every foul that would influence upon his own confcience. be converted, yet he calls upon The affrighting horrors of his last finners till his head is filled with ficknefs, and his wretched death, dew and his locks with the drops are ominous of that state of mif of the night. Methinks he caft a ery, which awaits the ungodly be wifhful look towards this place, and yond the grave. what we have experienced of the power of divine grace, it may be hoped, are as it were only a few drops before a plentiful shower. But, Sir, you may be weary of reading thefe lines. It is with regret I write, but I am frequently defired to request you, Sir, to conrinue the meetings. The people appear to have a great defire for it. They fear they fhall turn back to former ftupidity and vanity, which God only is able to pervent. SPERINA. But, it is to be feared, that many inconfiderate mortals, notwithftanding the miferable death of this great teacher of infidelity, will think it an honor to be ranked among his difciples. The utter rejection of the papal religion in many parts of Europe has had a ftrange effect upon the morals of many people in this country. Without diftinguishing the true religion from its corruptions-Christianity from Anti-chriftianity, emboldened by the example of infidels who have been thus mifled, they are Obfervations onthe Maxim-RID ready to decry all religion-to def pife the real gofpel of Jefus Christ -to hate the real friends of piety and to think it a mark of genius, to fhow their contempt of God of the Lord Jefus Chrift-of the Chriftian fabbath-of prayerof virtue-of picty-of judgment |