THE Spiritual Magazine ; OR, SAINTS' TREASURY. "There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One." "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." SEPTEMBER, 1833. 1 John v. 7. Jude 3. CURSORY THOUGHTS ON CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD, AFFECTIONATELY ADDRESSED TO THE READERS OF THE Beloved Brethren, SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE. THAT man is an accountable being, created in the image of him who created him, invested with the attribute of immortality, and possessed of intellectual powers and responsible faculties, is a fact so irrefragably demonstrated from his very constitution, that it cannot be resisted without subjecting the objector to the charge of doctrinal atheism; a burthen which neither he nor his fathers were able to bear. But, studiously passing by such, as not being among the recognized readers of the Spiritual Magazine, and addressing those, who, with the letter, receive, cordially embrace, and live upon, to the sustentation of their souls, the power of the written word, I would commend myself to such, in the glowing and energetic language of the holy apostle Paul, in his address to the church at Philippi; "Being confident of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of the Lord Jesus." Nevertheless true it is, (though sorely painful is the concession) that very many who are made wise unto salvation, through faith in the crucified One, are lamentably ignorant of the resurrectional power of their risen and exalted Lord, as is too frequently manifested by the carnal tendency of their affections, and their deplorable propensity to make that their resting-place which their Lord hath declared to be the seat of their warfare; and such is the propensity of our carnal minds (to the gratification of which, we too often sacrifice our dearest interests), VOL. IX. No. 113.] 2 L inasmuch as we are apt to expect ease in warfare, and uninterrupted peace in the very heart of the direst conflict; and to arouse us from lethargic propensity requires more than mortal energy; and to rescue us from impending desolation needs the imperative command of Omnipotent Mercy-"What meanest thou, O Sleeper? arise ye and depart; for this is not your rest; it is polluted!" Shame, shame to ye, O believer, that thou art so unmindful of him who careth so much for thee! "Is it thus you requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? And is this thy kindness to thy friend?" who hath from everlasting betrothed thee unto himself in faithfulness; and whose mighty arm remains nerved with immortal strength to defend and succour thee against the machinations of thy deadliest foes. When, when, will the children of the kingdom cease from their vain imaginings, and "consider Jesus the High Priest of their profession?" When will they consider it their highest honour to devote the powers of their consecrated souls for the promotion of the interests of their Lord? Shall it, brethren, be a perpetual reproach to the church of Christ, that the children of the world are wiser in their generation than those who profess themselves to be the children of light; and shall there always exist that spirit of vacillation, that near approximation to antichrist, and that close affinity between the children of God and the accursed seed of the serpent, that the line of demarkation shall be so far obscured, as to justify the cruel taunt of the scoffing infidel, and make sad the hearts of those who "watch for their souls, as they that must give an account?" O my brethren, these are things which ought not to be so much as named among the saints; yet, true it is, that the church hath lost much by conformity to the maxims and pursuits of this sinful world; and is woefully deficient in decision of character. The subtile and serpentine beguilings of the devil hath blinded her eyes, and the alluring blandishments of the "lust of the flesh, and the pride of life hath won her affections, and hardened her heart." “Jeshurun hath waxen fat, and kicked, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation." The church hath turned a deaf ear to the soothing accents and affectionate requests of Him, who is emphatically "the truth," and hath received the Devil's lie to the injury of their souls. "How has the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed." How far are many of the "precious sons of Zion" from exemplifying the characteristics of the primitive christians! it was their honourable distinction to be accounted strangers and pilgrims upon the earth-disassociated from the philosophic spirit of the age in which they lived, and in which they shone as "burning and shining lights;" it was their distinguished privilege to be esteemed by their contemporary literati as a by word, and a reproach unto all people," because they dared to be singular in evincing their attachment to the humiliating doctrine of the cross, and their readiness to sacrifice worldly aggrandizement at the shrine of the "Crucified One;" esteeming their life's blood as not too great a sacrifice to convince a scoffing world that there existed a divine reality in the religion of the cross; the veracity of which they were determined to maintain at all hazards, being "determined to know nothing among men, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified, by which they were crucified unto the world, and the world crucified unto them." They indeed appeared in the christian hemisphere, as radiant meteors, burning their way through the murky atmosphere of error, and the chilling and blasting regions of superstition; and reflecting the rays of the "sun of righteousness" upon a slumbering and idolatrous world; bringing "life and immortality to light," by the exhibition of "Christ crucified." This was to the infidel Jews a "stone of stumbling," and to the accomplished and philosophic Greeks "a rock of offence;" but to them that believed it was the wisdom of God, and the power of God unto their salvation. But, beloved, where shall we look now to see the same spirit cherished? and where are we to discover its identity now?-In what congregation-in what church-in what christian family-yea, in what individual are we to look for its analogy in the nineteenth century? Does not the refinement in the literature, the philosophy, the poetry, the politics, and the religion too, of this renowned epoch bear the impress of infidelity? and (think me not harsh or censorious) do not the accredited ministers of the sanctuary develop more the nature of " wandering stars," than of stars in God's right hand "to guide the steps of the way-worn pilgrim to the heights of Zion ;" and like John Bunyan's Evangelist, direct the awakened sinner from the "city of destruction" to the hill of frankincense and myrrh?"else, why this drought of spirituality in the churches-why such leanness of soul in its individual members-and why the oft reiterated lamentation of the simple-hearted disciples of Jesus; "they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him!" We have, my brethren, indeed we have as a whole, "followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts," in following in the wake of carnal policy and worldly aggrandizement. Is it not a painful fact, that many, very many who profess to be "crucified to the world," do deliberately and repeatedly join the luxurious revellings of the sons of Belial, and quaff with them the wine of (spiritual) fornication! It hath ever formed a part of Satan's policy, in order to increase his spiritual dominion as "the god of this world," to make the world an instrument for corrupting the church. It may be traced in the history of the old world before the flood, in the history of the Jewish church, and subsequently in the Christian. During the first ages of the latter, when more or less she suffered persecution and contumely, she walked humbly with her God; but, experience proved that persecution could not spoil her, for "the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church :" some were always ready to "be baptized for the dead." Hence, when peaceful times succeeded, and the religion which for more than three centuries had been persecuted, became, under Constantine, the religion of the empire, Satan had recourse to his old device, and the seed of corruption was sown in the church. Her crosses were of gold, and her crown, no longer a crown of thorns, became one of earthly splendour; and those christian graces, which, in all their native brilliancy had shone forth in the dark night of affliction, grew pale and disappeared when the sun of worldly prosperity arose upon her. And what spiritual person can consider the actual state of "the sons of God," and the world at this hour, without just cause of alarm? It is often said, (but with what truth I leave my reader who is an observer of the " signs of the times," to determine,) that the times are much improving, that there are no longer such open, unblushing, infidel publications, as are too well remembered; that the peculiar doctrines of the gospel are far more tolerated than they used to be; and that the world does not manifest such decided opposition as it once did to the saints. By just so much the worse, I humbly submit, as a secret foe is more dangerous than an open enemy. Who is the god of this world? the bible tells us that Satan is. And has his cunning craftiness ceased ?-Does he no longer lie in wait to deceive ?—Is he not at this moment equally anxious to enlarge his dominion, and to do despite unto God; and to all in whom the renewed image of God is found, as he ever was?-And are we so utterly simple as to believe that this forbearance of the world toward the children of God has no object?—Are we so very easy as to suppose there is no object to be answered by this new and tolerant spirit, so much extolled in the present day?-What! has the offence of the cross ceased ?-Never, believe me, neither can it cease, till righteousness hath fellowship with unrighteousness, and light hath communion with darknes, and Christ hath concord with Belial. Are we then so grossly deceived as to suppose that the world intends to give up its principles ?-it has nothing to substitute in their place: the thing, therefore, is impossible: the world has no idea of such a sort as this. But how shall two walk together unless they are agreed? If, therefore, the church will mingle with the world, one party must conform; the world cannot, and the church it is which must stoop to worldly conformity, at the peril of her present comfort, and even at the risk of her everlasting glory. Now, my friends, if these views fix a mark on those who conscientiously entertain them; if thereby, their names be cast out as evil, and the world account them mad, and their end be without honour, then has the offence of the cross revived in a part; at least, of the professing church of Christ: and that part must of necessity come out from the world, and be separate; and no marvel if the world hate them: for if they do such things in the "green tree," what will they not do in the dry " ་་ Having far exceeded the limits to which I originally circumscribed myself, I beg to apologize for my prolixity; and in conclusion, would fain stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, and urge you to consider, that it is your imperative duty, and your privilege too, to bear a decided testimony against, and not to mix with the abominations of the world, the very friendship of which is enmity against our God. Think it not a disgrace, my brethren, to reflect the image of Jesus, though you should be branded as precise and puritanical. Think of him who endured the contradictions of sinners against himself for you! and who shrunk not from the charge of being the friend of publicans and sinners, and who is not ashamed to be called your brother: yea, a brother born (for the express purpose of suffering) adversity for you. He it was that could say to the concentrated demands of law and justice, "If ye seek me, let these go their way;" as saith the apostle, "God spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up for us all;" and, is it too much for him to expect, that we should not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ? especially as we do so ardently profess, that, "The gospel bears our spirits up: And when we have been driven to embrace Christ as the impregnable fortress, for want of a shelter from the "stormy blast" of insulted justice, and from the downfalling vengeance of a violated covenant of works, is it right that we should shrink from acknowledging our refuge?-and shall our energies be so far paralyzed, that when we see thousands of our fellow-mortals tossed to and fro upon the tempestuous and threatening sea of destruction, without a cable, and without an anchor; rolling with awful impetuosity towards the devouring gulph: exclaiming, as they are irresistibly towed by the destroyer of souls, "friend and comforter have I none-refuge faileth me-no man careth for my soul." Can we with such a scene before us, indulge in a selfish, stoical apathy, and witness such accumulated distress, and enfolding ourselves in the abstract decrees of election and reprobation, indifferently behold a sinner being led captive by the devil at his will; without telling him of the Saviour we have found, without making one effort to direct his attention to a sheltering Zoar? As an individual, it is my firm conviction, that he, who feels not for the condition of a perishing sinner, never felt experimentally the need of salvation himself! for the Lord hath promised that he will not only bless his people, but that he will also make them a blessing: and they that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the sun for ever and ever. Which of us, beloved, considering our state by nature, and our many provocations, and lamentable backslidings, since we have known the Lord, as a sin-pardoning God, but can adopt the pathetic lamentation of one who has entered into the joy of his Lord. "Alas! my inmost spirit mourns, And well my eyes with tears may swim; |