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No. II.

Votes of the Truflees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut refered to in the preceding Letter. At a meeting of the Truflees of the Miffionary Society of Conneticut at Hartford May 11, 1803,

Ohio, and after confulting my Parents and other friends, I have thought it my duty to accept the fame. The tafk I am fenfible is an arduous one, and I am ready to fay, "Who is fufficient for these things." But when I reflect on the encouraging promise,

Mr. Thomas Robbins, a Can-" Lo I am with you always," I didate for the miniftry, was ap- feel emboldened to enter on the appointed a Miffionary for the work. I defire to commit myTerm of one year, unless fooner felf to the difpofal of an holy recalled by the Board, to labor in Providence, and hope to be made the County of Trumbull, State a feeble inftrument in the adof Ohio. vancement of the Redeemer's Kingdom. I hope for the prayers of the Trustees, and all friends of

Voted, That if the faid Mr. Robbins fhould accept of his appointment, the North Confoci-miffions, that I may be faithful, ation of Litchfield County, be requested to ordain him previous to his entering on the miffion, to the work of the gospel miniftry particularly as an Evangelift, to itinerate as a Miffionary.

Voted, That in cafe faid Confociation fhould confent to ordain the faid Mr. Robbins, if upon Examination he fhould be judged qualified for the work, the Hon. Aaron Auftin, the Rev. Doctor Perkins, and the Rev. Abel Flint be requested to attend as a Delegation from this Board to affift in the ordination.

and that my labors in the new and deftitute Settlements, in the wilderness, may not be wholly in vain. ;-Agreeably to the request of the Trustees, I confent to receive ordination previous to entering on the miffion.

Wishing that the honorable and reverend Board of Trustees may have a divine bleffing to at tend all their labors and exertions in the miffionary caufe, I fubfcribe myself their most obedient fervant,

THOMAS ROBBINS.
To the Rev. Abel Flint,
Secretary to Trustees
of the Miffionary Socie-

A true Copy,
Atteft,
ABEL FLINT, Secretary. ty of Connnecticut.

No. III.

Mr. Thomas Robbins' anfwer of acceptance of his appointment as Miffionary.

Norfolk, June 21, 1803.

REV SIR,

After maturely and prayerfully deliberating on the fubject of my appointment, by the Trustees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut to take a miffion to the County of Trumbull, State of

The Honorable Aaron Austin, the Rev. Doctor Perkins and the

Rev. Abel Flint, Delegates from

the Board of Trustees were invi ted to join the Council.

Alfo the Rev. Nathan Strong, D.D. and the Rev. Meffrs. Hyde, Shepherd, Cleveland and Turner being prefent, were requested to fit with the Council.

The Council then proceeded to examine Mr. Robbins refpecting his knowledge of the doctrines of

Chriftianity; his belief in thefe doctrines, his ability to teach them to others, his experimental acquaintance with the truth, his views in entering on the work of the miniftry, his qualification for a miffionary, and his motives for entering into that fervice; and gaining full fatisfaction on thefe points, Voted unanimoufly, to confecrate him to the work of the ministry, with peculiar reference to his laboring as a miffionary in the new fettlements in the county of Trumbull, state of Ohio; and that the folemnity of his ordination be attended at the meeting houfe in this place tomorrow at eleven o'clock A. M. Voted, That the feveral parts of the ordination fervice be performed by the following Paftors:

The Rev. Abel Flint to make the introductory Prayer; the Rev. Nathan Strong, D. D. to preach the Sermon; the Rev. Samuel J. Mills to make the confecrating Prayer; during which the Rev. Meffrs. Robbins, Mills, Perkins and Hooker to lay on hands.

The Rev. Ammi R. Robbins to give the Charge; the Rev. Nathan Perkins, D. D. to give the Right Hand of Fellowship; the Rev. Afahel Hooker to make the concluding prayer. Paffed in Council, Atteft

After the minutes of the Council were read, the questions usual on fuch occafions were propofed, and the cúftomary religious fervices were performed. Doctor Strong preached from Matthew xxviii. 19, 20.

POETRY.

COMMUNICATED AS ORIGINAL.

The Majefty of God, and Faith in him.

Habakkuk, chap. iii.

K The God of heav'n appears!

EEP filence all! Behold the Lord,

His glory fills the heav'n of heav'ns,
The earth his glory wears.
The peftilence before him walks,
Bright fires furround his feet;
The mountains at his presence flee,
The bending hills retreat.

He ftands and circumfcribes the earth,
Looks forth-the nations break,
Proud Cufhan feels his juft rebuke,
The tents of Midian shake.
The trembling rocks behold and riv'n,
Like rattling hail-ftones pour,
The floods divide-the waters flow,
The deep is heard to roar.

The finking fun delays its beams,
The deadly fhaft the glitt'ring fpear,
The changing moon ftands ftill;
Make hafte to do his will.

I faw-and terror feiz'd my foul!
I heard my bones decay'd;

My quiv'ring lips befought the Lord,
The Lord his vengeance fray'd.

PETER STARR, Scribe. Now tho' the fig no more fhall bloom,

Nor fruit enrich the Vine;
The fieids forbear their meat to yield,

On Wednesday July 20, 1803, Nor flocks nor herds be mine.
the Rev. Thomas Robbins, in
purfuance of the above vote, was
folemnly confecrated to the work
of the ministry in the prefence of a
ferious and attentive audience.

Yet in the Lord will I rejoice,
My refuge and my prop;
My everlasting hope.
Still will I joy in God my ftrength

Donations to the Miffionary Society.
Auguft 23. From a Friend of Miffions,
Do.
Dca

1 Dollar,

I

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Saving faith distinguished from those exercifes, which men are in danger of miftaking for it. (Continued from p. 94.)

HE defcription which has

gofpel, are more or less according to truth. Men may be great proficients in fpeculative theology, and may be able to exhibit, in a clear and correct manner, the na> ture and obligation of the law,

Tbeen given of the nature and the fallen ftate and depravity of

effects of faving faith, it is conceived, will go far towards enabling ferious minds to diftinguifh it from all other schemes and exereifes, which mankind are liable to miflake for it. But becaufe, from the deceitfulness of our hearts, and a natural difpofition prevailing in us, to judge favorably of ourselves, the defcription given may not be fufficient to prevent fatal mistakes, we shall now notice the nature and effects of feveral kinds of faith, which men are liable to mijlake, and have in fact mistaken, for that which is faving.

The firft kind of faith, which I fhall here mention, is fometimes called biflorical faith. This is a fpeculative belief of fome, or all of the doctrines of the gofpel. It exifts more efpecially in the underftanding. The heart is not interested in it. The notions which fuch, as have only this faith, entertain of the doctrines of the VOL. IV. No. 4.

man, the character and work of Chrift, and the office of the Holy Ghoft, and may poffefs a much larger share of knowledge in their understandings, than ordinary Chriftians, and yet have no other faith but that which is merely fpeculative. They may give clear and abundant evidence, from the holy feriptures, in proof of their fyftem of doctrines, and yet hold the truth in unrighteousness. Our Saviour faid of the fcribes and pharifees, "They fit in Mofes' feat: All therefore, whatsoever they command you to obferve, that obferve and do: but do not after their works, for they fay and do not." This is an excellent defcription of merely speculative believers. They were carnal, and deftitute of any religion at heart. They loved to be feen of men, and to be called Rabbi.

It should also be observed, that thofe who have this faith, tho' they are deftitute of any fincere

because thofe, who have only this faith, do not know of any other beauty, or delight, which is to be feen or taken in the gospel but this, which is but the mere amufement of a contemplative mind, and falls unfpeakably below his, whofe heart is engaged in the caufe of God.

That this is not the gospel faith is evident from feveral confiderations. It needs no change of heart in a natural man to have this faith, and this contemplative pleafure in it, any more than it does in an enemy to admire the military arrangements of an army. Even the devils believe, and the ftony ground hearers rejoiced in the word.

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approbation of heart, and conformity to Chrift, and the doctrines of the gospel, often verily think that they do approve and rejoice in them. They are often zealous in maintaining them, and are in great danger of being deceived in this way. They are wholly blind to the spiritual beauty and excellency of the gospel, they know nothing what it is, and are therefore in imminent danger of mistaking a natural discovery of the system, harmony and confiftency of the doctrines and duties of the gofpel, for their moral beauty, and for an holy delight in them. There is a natural beauty in the adjustment of all the parts of a complicated machine, in fuch proportion and connexion, as to Speculative believers are also have it anfwer the purpose defign-deficient in this. Their faith does ed. There is alfo a fimilar beauty not work by love, and purify the in the fubordination, regularity heart. It is a dead faith. Faith and mutual dependencies of a well without works is dead, being alone.' difciplined army, under the direction of an able commander. This an enemy can discover and admire, while he hates the caufe in which it is employed, wishes the deftruction of the army and its commander, and is zealously engaged in the oppofite intereft. This beauty, a well informed unbeliever, and an enemy to God may fee in the doctrines, connexion and fymmetry of gofpel truths, and take a kind of philofophical pleasure in viewing them, while he does not in the leaft delight in the cause of holiness; but is wholly felfish, and lives in the gratification of his carnal affections. This is the beauty which one, who has but a fpeculative faith, difcovers in the gospel, and mistakes for that beauty and delight, which a true believer fees and enjoys in the caufe of God, and in the fitness of the gospel scheme to advance this caufe. Here is danger indeed,

But

Nor have fuch believers any delight in the good promifed to Chriftians in the coming world. They indeed wish for deliverance from mifery, and defire happiness. But it is the happiness which fuits a finful heart that they defire. They have no delight in holiness, in the fervice of God; in obedience, dependence, felf-denial and fpiritual exercifes. Such an heaven they do not pant after. their hearts go after their idols, they live in fin, and refufe all obedience and fubmiffion of heart to God. And being oppofed now, to the good things promised to true believers hereafter, it is but a vain delufion, for them to conceive, that they defire them, or that they depend and wait upon God that they may be given them in the world to come. Befides : This faith produces no humility and self abafement before God or man. Knowledge puffeth up.'

with the understanding, but the heart.

Let men of information in the doctrines of the gospel, take heed left they be fatally deceived, by a mere hiftorical faith. It is alto

tials of saving faith-in humility, dependence, obedience and holinefs of heart and life. By our fruits we shall be judged, and by them our faith will be approved or condemned.

Such men often manifeft a want of humility, in the manner in which they converfe on the doctrines of the gospel, they often love difcuffions and difputes, but manifeft no reverence for facred things in their examination of them. They ap-gether deficient in the great effenpear vain of their attainments and fuperiority, and they manifeft it in the fame way, that natural men manifest their pride in literary attainments. They do not appear like men, under a deep impreffion, that all they have received, is from There is another false faith with the diftinguishing grace of God. which many deceive themselves, Nor have fuch believers the fub- which ought to be here confiderftance of things hoped for by ed and pointed out, that people humble fpiritual Chriftians, nor may be cautioned against it. It the evidence of things not feen. may be called an Antinomian faith. They have not holinefs, conform- It may take place in the following ity to God, self denial, nor a manner. A finner, after being fenfe, by which they can enjoy more or lefsexercised with the fears God and his government; but of wrath to come, and with fome are felfish, ungodly, and oppofite fenfe of the wickednefs of his life, in heart to the nature of heaven. obtains comfort. This may arise And hence their faith is no evi- from any thing which perfuades dence of heavenly things. There him that his fins are forgiven, from is nothing wrought in them, which dreaming, from impulfes, fudden fhows by example or experience, fuggeftion of fcripture paffages, that there is, or can be any holy from having the imagination wro't happiness or benevolent bleffed-up, fo as to think he fees lights, nefs nor any thing that is an evidence that they shall ever partake of it for they have no preparation of heart for fuch enjoyments. But their unholy hearts prepare them for eternal oppofition to God, and everlasting mifery, by having all their carnal defires ungratified, and the juft penalties of the law inflicted upon them. Such a faith is indeed the evidence of fome things which are unfeen-it is an evidence of disappointment and wrath upon themselves. And the fitnefs of the doctrines of the gofpel, which they difcern, is an evidence, that fo far as they respect unbelievers, they will be executed; and executed against them, un lefs they foon believe, not only

:

or objects, or hears voices. None of these are any evidences of true converfion. All, who build their hopes on fuch things, are on a foundation unfupported by the fcriptures. It is often the cafe with fuch as have fomething of the faith now to be defcribed, that their notions of things are obscure, and they think little of the divine law, of the holinefs of God-his juftice, and of the real ftate of the human heart. But fo far as they have any distinct ideas of their own fcheme and feelings, they are thefe. They believe that God made a law, which was fuitable to the state in which Ad am was created, and a good law for him, and for those who are per

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