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ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE REV. JOHN NEWTON.

DEAR SIR,-You are not wholly a stranger to me, though we are not personally acquainted. My late honoured friend, Mrs. Thornton, informed me of you, upon your first settlement at Knaresborough. I had from her frequent accounts, during her life, of your diligence in preaching the Gospel, and of the success with which the Lord honoured your labours, which gave me much pleasure.

I have not heard much of you since her removal. I hoped, however, that you were going on comfortably, and with a prospect of growing usefulness. It was, therefore, with real concern, that I read your last two letters to Mr. Samuel Thornton, which he put into my hands yesterday, expressing, at the same time, his desire that I should write to you.

If your own apprehensions respecting yourself are justly formed, you may possibly not be living, or not able to open or read my letter. But I am willing to hope otherwise, as the mournful strain in which you write is not the usual manner in which the Lord's faithful servants express themselves when drawing very near the close of their life. Should it be His pleasure to call you home by this illness, I trust, before your departure, you will be enabled to bear a comfortable testimony of the power of those truths in your own soul, by which, in the course of your ministry, you have been instrumental to the comfort of others. But with submission to His will, I pray that this sickness may not be unto death, but to the glory of God, for the sake both of your people and your children. And, as I have hinted, I take some encouragement to pray thus, from the state of your mind when you wrote your last letter. However, the event may prove, I trust you have a good right to say, Whether I live I shall live unto the Lord, or whether I die I shall die to the Lord; so that, living or dying, I am the Lord's." The right to say thus, and the power of saying it, are distinct things, and may, upon some occasions, be separated for a season. For, from the near and intimate union between body and mind, sickness and pain often darken and obstruct the actings and views of the soul, and afford the enemy, if he is permitted, some peculiar advantages of assaulting it with temptations. But though he may disturb, he cannot destroy those who have committed themselves to Jesus and devoted themselves to his service.

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Is not the case of Joshua, the high priest, described by the prophet Zech. iii. 1—5, applicable to you, as it has been to many before you? When he stood before the Lord in his filthy garments, Satan was at his right hand to resist him. Joshua had nothing to offer in his own behalf; he could not deny the charge, or pretend that his filthy garments were white and clean. But he had a powerful friend to plead for him, who claimed him as a brand plucked out of the fire, silenced his adversary, and clothed him with a change of raiment.

Thus totally undeserving are we; thus abundantly gracious is the Lord. Do not, therefore, speak of yourself as without hope, but rather say, 66 Why art thou cast down, O my soul. Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him."

Your expression, "Oh that I had lived more to God, and less to myself," is what becomes me also to adopt. Surely, when I draw near to the gates of the grave, I shall (if sensible) feel the force of that

thought more than I do at present. I am a debtor for innumerabl blessings, for which I have made no suitable acknowledgment, and for innumerable sins which I have committed. "If thou, Lord, wert strict to mark what is amiss, O Lord, who could stand? I could not answer to one of a thousand." But our comfort lies in the solemn assurance given, "There is forgiveness with Him." No Israelite, however severely bitten and wounded, needed to despond while the brazen serpent, erected by God's appointment purposely for his cure, was always within his view. It is true, I have sinned; my best service is defective; my all is defiled; my heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; my every power is disordered and depraved, so that my services and duties, my preaching and my prayers are sufficient to ruin me, if the Lord should enter into severe judgment. But it is true, Christ died for sinners; that he is risen, is ascended, is able and willing, and determined to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him; his precious blood cleanses from all sin; his grace is sufficient for us; and when he has begun a good work, he will carry it on. Upon this Gospel ground I desire to stand, and I trust you likewise will find a firm footing, solid rock, a sure foundation; and that when your enemy sees you resolved to take refuge in Jesus Christ crucified, he will be put to shame and flight.

Then, being yourself likely to leave this world soon, you feel a tender solicitude for your children. I trust the Lord will take care of them, should they survive you. But it reminds me of our Saviour, who, in his agonies, was mindful not only of his disciples who were with him, but of all who should in future believe through his word. Yes, Sir, you and I were interested in his dying prayers. Therefore he was found of us, when we sought him not; he softened our hearts, opened our eyes, and led us into his chosen fold. Many causes of humiliation we have: we have been poor unprofitable servants, but not wholly so, because he has been pleased to work in and by us. And our services are not the ground of our acceptance: we are not under the law, but under grace; and are invited and encouraged to look to him alone for our salvation, who so loved us as to obey and suffer for us.

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Cheer up, Sir, and commit yourself to the Almighty Shepherd and Saviour. He knows your sorrows, your fears, and your feelings. All your enemies are under his control, and cannot distress you a moment longer than he permits them. I shall be glad to hear that, though the Lord has chastened you sore, he has not given you over to death, but that you are yet to live and to declare his wonderful works. If he appoints, you have but done with cares and trials sooner. have sown in tears, but the harvest will be unspeakable joy. I wish the knowledge I have received of your illness may be sanctified, to quicken me in my work and warfare, that I may abound in the Lord's service while it is day, for the night cometh. Perhaps I may not see you in this world, but I hope to meet you at last, and join with you in the songs before the throne, "to him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood." I commend you to his care and blessing. I remain, Your affectionate friend and brother, JOHN NEWTON.

London, May 21, 1770.

To the late Rev. Mr. Howell, Knaresborough, Yorkshire.

ERRORS IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD.

To the truly pious mind it is a source of deep regret, that so many errors of a fatal tendency prevail amongst professing Christians respecting the nature of true religion-and more especially as there appears no reason why men should embrace error in preference to truth: for whatsoever is essential to salvation is so clearly revealed, that "a wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.

There is one class of individuals who "lay the flattering unction to their souls," and vainly suppose that a regular observance of the outward forms of religion is all that is necessary to constitute a true disciple of Christ; and hence, whatever relates to experience in the profession of their fellow-worshippers, is immediately branded with the epithet of fanaticism or enthusiasm. The communications of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit to the heart of the believer, so repeatedly promised, and so freely offered, in the Word of God, to all who faithfully seek them, are treated with practical contempt, and many of the most solemn declarations of our divine Redeemer set at nought. To such individuals we would affectionately say, on the authority of that God to whom we feel ourselves responsible, that nothing short of the destruction of the carnal mind, "which is enmity against God," and the renewal of the heart in righteousness and true holiness, can support the soul in the hour of death, and secure its admission into the company of the pure and holy inhabitants of heaven. There must be a constant growth in grace, an increasing deadness to the world, ardent aspirations of soul after holiness, a strong feeling of love for the souls of our fellow-men still under the influence of sin, and an untiring zeal for the glory of our Divine Master, in endeavouring, by every means within our power, to extend the blessings of the everlasting Gospel to earth's remotest bounds.

But there is another class of Christians to which we must briefly refer,-who, although apparently sincere and earnest respecting their own salvation, nevertheless put forth little or no effort towards reclaiming their perishing fellow-sinners. There is, if we may so speak, a selfishness about such a line of conduct totally at variance with the scriptural definition of the child of God; and the conclusion must be come to, (however humiliating it may be,) that there is something alarmingly defective in the character of such an one. We appeal to the experience of every individual who has been made the subject of a change of heart, whether one of his first and strongest emotions, upon receiving this blessing, was not an ardent desire that every fallen child of Adam might be blessed with "like precious faith." What is the reason, then, that that desire is not more generally carried out by corresponding conduct? Is there not too much reason to fear, that the rebuke administered by the Spirit to the Church of Ephesus, may be applied to all who are "at ease in Zion."-" I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."

In no period of the history of the Church of Christ was there greater need for the exertions of the pious than at the present day;

and we rejoice to add, that opportunities for Christian exertion were never so numerous. Let the awfully responsible character of the Christian profession induce all who may read these few humble remarks, to betake themselves at once to humiliation, prayer, and selfexamination; and, should they discover that their love for their Saviour hath waxed cold, let them without delay attend to the instructions contained in the conclusion of the passage we have above quoted: "Remember, therefore, from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." D.

HINDRANCES TO PRAYER.

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WICKLIFF in his day complained of the following Lettings to Prayer.' The knowledge of these is not less important now than in the days of the Proto-reformer.

The first hindrance is, the sins of him who prayeth. According to that in Isaiah," When ye make many prayers, I will not hear you, for your hands are full of blood."

The second is doubting. As saith the Apostle James, "Let a man ask in faith, nothing doubting."

The third hindrance is, when a man asketh not that which ought to be. As in Matthew xx. it is said, "Ye know not what ye ask.' And in James, "Ye ask and take not, because ye ask amiss.'

The fourth is, the unworthiness of them for whom we pray. Thus God in Jeremiah saith, "Pray not for this people, for I shall not hear thee."

The fifth hindrance is the multitude of evil thoughts. Thus Abram, (Gen. xv.) drove away the birds; that is, he that prayeth shall drive away evil thoughts.

The sixth is, despising of God's law. In Psalm xxviii. God saith, "The prayer of him that turneth away his ear from hearing the law of God shall be cursed, as an abomination.'

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The seventh is hardness of soul. And this is in two ways. First, in Proverbs xxi., it is said, "If a man stopped his ear at the cry the poor, he shall cry and shall not be heard." The second is when one has trespassed, and we refuse to forgive him. As Christ says, "When ye stand to pray, forgive ye if ye have any thing against any man, for if ye forgive not to men, neither shall your Father forgive your sins."

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The eighth letting is, the increasing of sin. David saith to God, They that draw themselves from thee shall perish." In James iv. it is said, "Nigh ye to God, and he shall nigh to you." He nigheth to God that ceaseth of evil work.

The ninth is, suggestions of the devil, that withdraw many men from prayer.

MORAL INFLUENCE.

ALONG with a well-administered system of jurisprudence, there must be a powerfully-exerted moral influence, directed at once to the amendment of individuals: and those who are employed in exerting it, stand-not perhaps amongst the most conspicuous, but-amongst the most valuable benefactors of society. We have two or three classes of persons particularly in our view when we say this; and we mention them, because we wish not only to encourage them, by showing them that their labours are not overlooked, but also to stimulate them to increased exertions, by showing them that their labours are more than ever required. We refer, for instance, to the large body of Sabbath-school Teachers-to those who systematically visit the sick poor at their own houses, communicating religious consolation and instruction, as well as imparting relief,-and to those truly valuable labourers in this good cause, who, by means of the distribution of religious tracts, furnish, from week to week, the means of a more important improvement than many would suppose, to masses too often sunk in ignorance, and all but abandoned to that moral corruption which undermines the very foundations of society. We have instanced these three classes, not that only these are employed, but because they furnish examples of that kind of labour which goes directly to the cure of evils which no other process can reach, and which occasion, with lamentable frequency, outbreaks of crime, which the terrors of law can but very partially limit.

For the safety and peace-we say not now the prosperity-of a country like England, the most energetic application of the means of moral improvement to the masses is indispensable; and we cannot look upon the evangelically-religious communities of the land, without feeling that among them are found the true foundations of our hopes of good to the nation at large. With these communities are found the individuals who constitute the classes to which we have referred; and who do their work from a principle of true, and selfdenying, and active benevolence. Even were there no other labourers than are included in the three classes which we have mentioned as connected with the different evangelical communities of the country, it would be impossible to calculate the quantity of crime which they prevent, or to state the numbers whom they are the instruments of transforming into honest and industrious citizens, who instead of preying upon society, largely contribute to its health and wealth. They may be derided as enthusiasts, and their spirit mocked as the spirit of puritanism,' because they are not found among the gamblers of the turf and the ring; but they are among the most valuable members that society possesses. Many of them are poor, but these will be found characterized by two remarkable facts,-they are well dressed on the Sabbath-day, and they enjoy a comfortable breakfast on the Sunday morning with their own families. doubtless are, but their benevolence, as compared with their means is astonishing.- Watchman.

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MARCH, 1843.

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