undergo a purification, we must become new creatures before we are meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; for this purpose a Sanctifier is no less offered to man than a Redeemer, who sheds his purifying influence upon those who devoutly implore it, in the name of Jesus. Thus redeemed and sanctified, what a scene of glory opens to our view. The earth, with all its thrones and potentates, their dignities and splendours, fade before it like the shadows of the night before the rising sun. But it is a theme too vast for mortal tongue, a vision too bright for human eyes." Here Theophilus paused for a few moments, absorbed in contemplation of the divine wisdom and benevolence displayed in the redemption of man. "Such (continuing his discourse) is the glorious hope which God in Christ has revealed to us; it is no fiction of the imagination, but rests upon the immutable promise of the eternal Word, by whom the world was made. He calls upon all men to accept it, and prescribes the indispensable conditions of repentance and faith. Believe and be saved; but faith, let it be remembered, must ever be shewn in love to him evinced by obedience to his commandments; that love which will make the duty of obedience easy and plea Edward, to escape it, whilst yet the hour of grace is given to you. The first step towards religion is a deep humiliating conviction that you are a sinner, and as such, an offence to a holy God, whose eyes are purer than to behold iniquity; this will lead you to the consideration how you are to escape his wrath, and to the interposing mercy of Christ. May the divine grace impress this conviction deeply on your heart; implore it in the name of Jesus; put up your petitions also for understanding to comprehend the great mystery of redemption through a crucified Saviour, for repentance and faith; and I will offer up mine that the Holy Spirit may pour down upon you his illumination, and by his sanctifying influence renew you in that righteousness and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." The tears fell from his eyes as he concluded, and mine had bedewed my cheeks whilst he was speaking. He strained me to his bosom with an affectionate embrace, and we separated for the night. I was too much affected by his discourse to enjoy much repose, and although my mind was in some degree prepared for its impression, it excited a variety of ideas which I had never before, or imperfectly, entertained. "If this be true, in what condition am I? Have I not lived without God in the world? a mere conformist to the practice of religion, without any knowledge of its spirit? What would become of my soul, if God this night should require it of me?" Such amongst many others were the reflections which occurred to me. I felt a desire to pray, as well as the necessity of prayer, but I could scarcely utter more than repeated ejaculations. In the morning, though dejected, I was somewhat more composed, and I then confessed my sins to God, and implored his pardon in the name of Christ, with a devotion which I had never before felt. I made no hesitation in communicating all my emotions to Theophilus; he rejoiced to perceive them, and whilst he endeavoured to relieve my mind from despondency, earnestly inculcated the duty of benefiting by the grace of God, which through his means had been offered to me, as well as the danger of rejecting it. You will anticipate the conclusion of my narrative: my invaluable friend, who, by the blessing of God, sowed the seed of the word in my heart, never ceased to water it and promote its growth. We daily read the scriptures together, he shewed me the connexion between the Old and New Testament, pointed out the most remarkable prophecies which had been completed, particularly those relating to the Messiah; explained difficult passages, and noticed others as affording important subjects for meditation; and he read the sublime strains of devotion in the scriptures with a rapturous animation that seemed almost inspired. How different do I now appear to myself from what I was when I entered the house of Theophilus. I look back with horrour to many scenes of my life, which I used to retrace with complacency; and I feel more Satisfaction from this contrition than I ever derived from that dissipation in which I formerly thought myself happy. Under a deep and humiliating sense of the iniquities of my past life, I take a delight in spiritual meditations, which, six months ago, I was incapable of conceiving. I look with trembling hope for pardon and redemption, through the atonement of a crucified Saviour; and whilst, in humble dependence on the assistance of divine grace, I endeavour to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, I feel a joy and peace in believing, unknown before. Such, Sir, is my present state, for which, by the blessing of God, I am indebted to Theophi lus. This narrative, if it have no other effect, will exemplify the great importance of a conformity between external manners and internal rectitude. If, instead of appearing to me as he did, I had found my friend reserved, formal, and precise; if he had not won my esteem by the kindness and urbanity of his deportment; in short, if Christianity in him had not appeared as amiable as his profession of it was sincere, though I might have respected his virtues, if I could have discovered them, I should probably have left his house after a few days residence in it with the same mind with which I entered it. But I would not be understood, by any thing I have said, to depreciate from the worth of those plain, simple, unpolished characters, who bear the rich jewels of Christian faith and love in an unseemly casket. The religion of Christ is, doubtless, made for the poor and uneducated, as well as for the rich and polite. Its proper effect, however, in all, is to produce that genuine politeness of manner which consists in affability, kindness, courtesy, and condescension; and although many are debarred from acquiring the easy and graceful manners, and the external polish of Theophilus, yet the Christian humility and the Christian love, which give to these their intrinsick value, are equally attainable by all who are truly religious, and ought to be uniformly exhibited in their conduct and conversation. This last week has placed Theophilus in a new point of view. He has been confined to his room, for the first time of his life, with a most painful disorder, which scarcely allows him sleep or repose. But his temper has suffered no alteration; placid, patient, and submissive, he bears the severity of disease without a murmur, and leaves the event to him with whom are the issues of life and death. There are intervals in which the fer vour of devotion suspends the in tensity of pain; and when he expatiates on the ineffable love and mercy of God, as revealed in Jesus, the animation of his countenance bespeaks not only gratitude, but all the joy of hope. You will ask, Sir, what are my feelings on this trying occasion: I know not how to describe the mixed sensations of grief, anxiety, admiration, fear, and affection; they are best expressed by my fervent prayers to God for his recovery. The crowd of anxious inquirers, which surrounds his house, shews how extensively he is beloved; and returning yesterday from the church, the humid eyes, desponding faces, and unsuppressed sighs of his friends and neighbours, who explored my looks with penetrating anxiety, affected my heart in a manner which I cannot describe. He is now somewhat recovered, and we have a fair prospect of his restoration to health. I tremble, however, whilst I write ; but would say, Thy will, O God, be done. ASIATICUS. Religious Communications. For the Panoplist. ON THE PAGAN DÆMONS. THE religion of the ancients consisted chiefly in the worship of Dæmons.* These, like the Manes and Lares of the Romans, were supposed to be the souls of departed men. Plato mentions the Dæmons as a race of beings, by whom many things are discovered, and many good offices done to men. He describes them as an order of beings between men and gods. They are the persons, who by their mediation carry the vows and prayers of * Bryant. mortals to heaven, and in return bring down the divine behests to earth. Hesiod specifies, who they were, and when they lived. They lived in the time of Chronus, or Noah. When they died they became Dæmons, benevolent beings, who reside within the verge of earth, and were guardi ans of mankind. Somewhat like this was the account of the Christian father, Clemens of Alexandria. The Lares and Manes, domestick deities of the Hetrurians and Latines, were the same person ages, under different names. They were the arkite ancestors of mankind, preserved in the Laren or ark. The feasts in honour of these deities were styled Larentalia, celebrated by the Romans every year. These Cabiri It is said by Damascius, that to Sadyc, the man of justice, were born sons, who were styled the Dioscori and Cabiri. This is the identical name, which Moses gives to Noah. He says he was Sadic, a just man. are represented as Dæmons, and in number three. Their father is sometimes called Helius, and they, the offspring of the sun. Strabo says they were a kind of Dæmons. Among Pagans the common acceptation of Dæmon was favourable, as in Acts xvii. "He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Gods," or Dæmons.* From these brief extracts from ancient writers several reflections occur. 1. We see how natural has been the idea of a Mediator to mankind. Pagans destitute of revelation, who, having never heard of" the Seed of the woman," the Messiah, the Saviour, the Mediator, feeling their necessities, framed the idea of numerous mediators. Fearing they should be consumed, they adopted an ineffectual measure; they constituted their deceased ancestors and friends to mediate between God and them. How does this reproach the conduct of those, who reject the Mediator, revealed to them in the gospel! 2. The religion of Pagans supports one important fact of revelation, the deluge of Noah. "The arkite ancestors of mankind" were considered as Dx * See Campbell on the Gospels. mons. They were honoured with annual festivals. This important fact was remembered and celebrated even where the doctrines and duties of revealed religion were forgotten. 3. We are led to reflect on the unhappy translation of Daimoon and Daimonion in the New-Testament. The first is used five, the other sixty times, translated Devil. We read of persons possessed with devils, with seven devils, with a legion of devils ; yet scripture abundantly teaches us, there is but one devil; This ought not so to be. The word, so often translated devil, should be rendered Damon, These were sometimes bad, but often among the Pagans considered as good beings. 4. Were those agents real or imaginary? Mr. Farmar has written elaborately and plausibly to prove them imaginary; but when we consider the agency ascribed to them by the sacred writers, their conversations, their requests, their departing from persons, their entering other creatures, we are compelled to believe those possessions real, that these Demons were real beings. EUSEBIUS. For the Panoplist. ON THE NATURE, USES, AND EFFECTS OF PRAYER. No. 2. (Concluded from p. 199.) THE former Number contained hints respecting the nature and uses of prayer. The importance of this duty will appear from a view of the precious advantages which result from it. The fervent, prayer of a righteous man is effectual, and availeth much. Prayer is sure of a rich and abundant reward. In requiring this service, God does not mock, nor disappoint the hopes of devout suppliants. He requires them to ask, that he may convince them how able and ready he is to give. As an encouragement to prayer, our Saviour reminds us, that we who are evil, that is, very defective in kindness, do yet readily give good gifts unto our children. Hence he infers a powerful argument for prayer. "How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to them who ask him." He delights in kindness to his creatures, waits to be gracious, is ever attentive to their cry, and reveals himself the prayer hearing God. That our hopes may nev er languish, he assures us, that he has never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. Ask, and ye shall receive. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. No man can take away the reward from praying saints. They enjoy an immediate, substantial blessing. In their humble, believing application to the throne of grace, they feel pious satisfaction and serenity of mind. Conscience approves the homage which they offer to their God and Saviour. They feel their soul draw near to the Fountain of purity and goodness. The generous affections of their hearts toward their gracious Sovereign and Redeemer kindle into fervour. They commune with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and with the family of heaven. By a transforming divine influence their souls are changed into the moral likeness of their Creator. These are the certain, immediate benefits and joys of the prayer of faith; joys far surpassing all the joys of sense; joys with which strangers intermeddle not. These immediate, transporting, ineffable joys are always the attendants of fiducial, fervent pray, er. Such prayer quiets the alarms of conscience; hushes those fears of wrath which produce torment; fixes the soul in the regular pursuit of duty, and the undisturbed enjoyment of divine love, and gives believers an earnest of future rest with their Father in heaven. They draw near to Christ, and sit under his shadow with delight. Can they commune with God? Little do they regret the absence or loss of other things. The spiritual peace and consolation, which prayer yields, the heavenly graces it enkindles in the soul, the to, kens of God's love and the earn, ests of future blessedness, which it secures, are rewards too great for our conception. If nothing else were gained, but this increase of grace and nearness to God, we might well say, the good man's prayer is effectual, and availeth much. But the good man's prayer has an important influence in procur ing many other blessings. In cases of bodily sickness, St. James directs an application to this du ty for relief. And should bod: ily relief be denied, a mercy of still greater consequence may be obtained. The joint prayers of the languishing sufferer and his pious friends will secure to him the gift of pardon, and eternal life. Scripture history abounds with examples of the singular bles sings procured by prayer. |