being enemies to God, and doing You will probably afk; how fhall I get out of this deplorable ftate, and obtain the favor of God? 1 anfwer. You muftrepent and be lieve on the Lord Jesus Chrift. You must be regenerated, must have the enmity of your heart slain,the natural heart destroyed, and an entirely new heart given; agreeably to the words of our Saviour, John ini. 3"Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God." To be born again, a perfon muft receivve a new heart; a heart conformed to the moral image of God, delighting in holiness for its own fake; being difpofed to love God fupremely, to renounce all dependence on its own doings, and to truft wholly to Chrift, through the atonement. People under awakenings, are excedingly apt to think, that they muit do fomething themfelves, whereby they may recommend themselves to the grace of God, and obtain the pardon of fin. But here they mistake. Chrift must be all in all, in the falvation of mankind. A finner, who is endeavoring to obtain falvation by his own doings, or good works, is purfning a wrong road; one that will never lead to the paradile above. For, a finner, while in a ftate of nature, notwithflanding the greatest con That all mankind, are, by nature, in a state of enmity againft God, and oppofed to his holy law and government, we are abundantly taught from his holy word; and all, who are truly awakened to fee their own hearts, will readily acknowlede it. And while in fuch a ftate, they do nothing acceprable in the fight of God; as the apoftic declares, Rom. viii. 8. "Sovictions, the most frequent prayers, then, they that are in the flesh and all his religious performances, cannot please God." Then what by which he is endeavoring to a dreadful fituation are thofe in, grow better, and recommend himwho are yet in a flate of nature, felf to the fagor of God, still be comes more guilty in the fight of importance of attending to your God, until his heart is regenera-fpiritual concerns, be careful to ted. i. e. The more a finner is awakened, and the more he fees of the true character of God, the more will his heart rife against it, till it is fubdued by fovereign grace; till he is brought to renounce all dependence on himself, or his own doings, to give himself wholly to Chrift, and truft entirely to him. Those who are never bro't to this, and made willing to be in the hands of God, to be difpofed of as he shall fee to be moft for his glory, can never obtain falvation. They must be confidered and treated as the enemies of God. obey the important call. Attend to the words of the apostle, I Thes. v. 19. "Quench not the fpirit." This, probably, is not the filt time you have felt concerned about your foul; but, perhaps, it may be the laft, if you quench, or difregard it. If you do not receive Chrift now, and turn to God by unfeigned repentance, you have reafon to believe, that you will never be awakened again; but that you will be left to perish in your fins. But you will, perhaps, say; "I carmot turn myself. I cannot In Chrift there is a fufficiency change my own heart and love for all. He has made a complete God fupremely." But let me atonement for fin, by bearing the tell you, that your cannot is owing curfe of the law, and thereby ren- only to a totally wicked heart. dering it confiftent, for God to Your inability is wholly of the morfhow mercy; and the finner has al kind, for which you are criminothing to do to purchase falvation; nal. You have the fame natural but mult receive it as a free un- ability to love God, that you have merited gift, without money, and to love the world. And to fay without price. I would not here you cannot will not excufe you. be understood, that we are not to Cry to God, like Ephraim of old, pray, read the bible, or attend to faying, "Turn thou me, and I external duties. These are by no fhall be turned." Jer. xxxi. 18. means to be omitted. But they Seek Chrift by faith. He fays; are not to be performed with a view "Afk and ye shall receive, feek to merit any thing. For when we and ye shall find." If you would have done all, we are unprofitable | obtain mercy of the Lord, throw fervants. Every religious duty, to away all oppofition of heart to be acceptable to God, mult be him and go to Chrift by repentance performed with humble obedience to and faith. And, O, my friend, him, trufting wholly to the right-let nothing prevent you from reeoufnels of Chrift as meritorious.ceiving Chrift, and fecuring the Chrift fays, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John xiv. 6. Therefore, let me recommend you to Chrift, through whofe merits only, you can obtain the forgivenefs of fin, and acceptance in the fight of God. If the spirit of God hrave now called up your attention to eternal things, and caufed you to fee the falvation of your immortal foul. Go to the bible for inftruction. You will there find fufficient. That is the only infallible book to direct you in the path to heaven. God there pofitively declares, that finners must be converted, have their hearts changed and renewed by the Holy Spirit, or be finally mif erable. Indeed, the bible affords matter of conviction, instruction, DEAR FRIEND, CONSIDERING the anxiety of your mind, relative to your fpiritual concerns, and the danger of dependence on your own doings; I have, agreeably to your request, endeavored to fuggeft a few ideas for your inftruction, which I think to be fcriptural. being enemies to God, and doing all they do in oppofition to him! They are in a state of condemna. tion, and nothing but the flender thread of life, feparates them from eternal mifery. Nothing but fovereign mercy holds them a fingle moment from the pit of deftruction. You will probably afk; how fhall I get out of this deplorable ftate, and obtain the favor of God? 1 anfwer. You must repent and be lieve on the Lord Jefus Chrift. You must be regenerated, must have the enmity of your heart flain,the nat ural heart deftroyed, and an entirely new heart given; agreeably to the words of our Saviour, John ini. 3. "Verily, verily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God." To be born again, a perfon muft receivve a new heart; a heart conformed to the moral image of God, delighting in holinefs for its own fake; being difpofed to love God fupremely, to renounce all dependence on its own doings, and to truft wholly to Chrift, through the atonement. People under awakenings, are excedingly apt to think, that they must do fomething themselves, whereby they may recommend themselves to the grace of God, and obtain the pardon of fin. But here they mistake. Chrift muft be all in all, in the falvation of man That all mankind, are, by nature, in a state of enmity again!t God, and oppofed to his holy law and government, we are abundant-kind. A finner, who is endeavly taught from his holy word; and all, who are truly awakened to fee their own hearts, will read ily acknowlede it. And while in fuch a ftate, they do nothing acceptable in the fight of God; as the apoftle declares, Rom. viii. 8. "So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Then what a dreadful situation are thofe in, who are yet in a flate of nature, oring to obtain falvation by his own doings, or good works, is purfuing a wrong road; one that will never lead to the paradife above. For, a finner, while in a state of nature, notwithflanding the greatest convictions, the most frequent prayers, and all his religious performances, by which he is endeavoring to grow better, and recommend himfelf to the favor of God, still be obey the important call. Attend to the words of the apostle, I Thes. v. 19. "Quench not the fpirit." This, probably, is not the first time you have felt concerned about your foul; but, perhaps, it may be the laft, if you quench, or dif comes more guilty in the fight of importance of attending to your God, until his heart is regenera-fpiritual concerns, be careful to ted. i. e. The more a finner is awakened, and the more he fees of the true character of God, the more will his heart rife against it, till it is fubdued by fovereign grace; till he is brought to renounce all dependence on himfelf, or his own doings, to give himself whol-regard it. If you do not receive by to Chrift, and truft entirely to Chrift now, and turn to God by him. Those who are never bro't unfeigned repentance, you have to this, and made willing to be in reafon to believe, that you will the hands of God, to be difpofed never be awakened again; but that of as he shall fee to be moft for you will be left to perish in your his glory, can never obtain falva- fins. tion. They must be confidered and treated as the enemies of God. In Chrift there is a fufficiency for all. He has made a complete atonement for fin, by bearing the curfe of the law, and thereby rendering it confiftent, for God to fhow mercy; and the finner has nothing to do to purchafe falvation; but must receive it as a free unmerited gift, without money, and without price. I would not here be understood, that we are not to pray, read the bible, or attend to external duties. These are by no means to be omitted. But they are not to be performed with a view to merit any thing. For when we have done all, we are unprofitable fervants. Every religious duty, to be acceptable to God, mult be performed with humble obedience to him, trufting wholly to the righteousness of Christ as meritorious. Chrift fays, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John xiv. 6. Therefore, let me recommend you to Chrift, through whofe merits only, you can obtain the forgivenefs of fin, and acceptance in the fight of God. If the Spirit of God have now called up your attention to eternal things, and caufed you to fee the But you will, perhaps, fay; "I cammot turn myself, I cannot change my own heart and love God fupremely." But let me tell you, that your cannot is owing only to a totally wicked heart. Your inability is wholly of the moral kind, for which you are criminal. You have the fame natural ability to love God, that you have to love the world. And to fay you cannot will not excufe you. Cry to God, like Ephraim of old, faying, "Turn thou me, and I fhall be turned.” Jer. xxxi. 18. Seek Chrift by faith. He fays; "Ak and ye shall receive, feek and ye fhall find." If you would obtain mercy of the Lord, throw away all oppofition of heart to him and go to Chrift by repentance and faith. And, O, my friend, let nothing prevent you from receiving Chrift, and fecuring the falvation of your immortal foul. Go to the bible for inftruction. You will there find fufficient. That is the only infallible book to direct you in the path to heaven. God there pofitively declares, that finners must be converted, have their hearts changed and renewed by the Holy Spirit, or be finally mif erable. Indeed, the bible affords matter of conviction, instruction, and comfort, more than any other, kind of information which could book. The Apostle Paul fays to not be obtained in any other way. Timothy," All fcripture is given In confequence of his return, the by infpiration of God, and is Truftees were called to meet the profitable for doctrine, for reproof, 30th of December, to attend to for correction, for inftruction in the fubject; at which meeting it is righteousness; that the man of expected Mr. Bacon will be direcGod may be perfect, throughly ted to return with enlarged powers furnished unto all good works." of acting. I would therefore, commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all thofe who are fanctified. That God may fanctify your heart, give you comfort in beliving in Chrift, and prepare you for his heavenly kingdom, is the fincere prayer of your affectionate friend, &c. Indians, returned to Hartford about the middle of December. Altho' this was feveral months fooner than he was expected, yet it has not arifen from any circumstance unfavorable to the great ob. ject of his miffion, but quite the reverfe. The Indians whom he faw treated him in a friendly manner, and appeared difpofed to receive Miffionaries among them; but after the date of Mr. Bacon's laft letter, they determined to spend the winter months in hunting, and therefore nothing could be done towards inftructing them in religion till next spring. He therefore chofe this as the most proper time for returning. He has acquired much ufeful information on the fubject, which will greatly aid the Truftees in fyftematizing the future plan of proceeding; and it is a CHOU bleffed Book, be near my What joy divine doft thou impart, How kind is that inviting voice, Not all the wealth that mifers hoard, Sundry articles of Religious Intelligence are omitted for want of room. |
