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divine forbearance in preserving you are called. Believing you a considerable part of those idola- are thus conscious of your high responsibility, I should deem it

ters.

ject, were I not influenced by Christian friendship, and persuaded that sentiments flowing from such a source will claim your attention.

One remarkable effect of the vain to address you on the subseparation of America from the other continent was, that life and immortality were brought to light on the other continent about fifteen hundred years before the message of peace had reached The event which has prompted America. And it may not have me to take up the pen is of everoccurred to some of our readers lasting moment. It is an event, that in less than three hundred by the consequences of which all years a greater proportion of the intelligent beings, of whom we inhabitants of America have pro- have any knowledge, will be fessed Christianity, than on the affected. Every instance of your other continent in the space of ministerial success will fill heaven 1800 years.

NESTOR.

To the Editors of the Evangelical Guardian and Review.

GENTLEMEN,

with joy; and occasion the celestial inhabitants to "strike their harps with sweetest chords," to celebrate the triumphs of Redeeming love, whilst dismay will. pervade the regions of wo, and the malice of the devil and his angels increase the horrors of the damned. You are now going forth under the peculiar accountability incurred by a formal sacerdotal vow of eternal devo、 tion and fidelity to the King of of kings, to wield the sword of the Spirit, and wage a perpetual offensive as well as defensive warfare against the powers of darkness. In this spiritual conflict you have need of the whole arAddressed to a Minister of the Gos-mour of God. The least inatten

If consistent with the plan of your very valuable work, the inclosed letter is offered for insertion in its pages. This letter was addressed by a friend to a minister of the Gospel, on the day succeeding his ordina

tion to the sacred office.

Yours, &c.

A. PRESBYTER.

A LETTER

pel in Philadelphia, on the day succeeding his ordination to the sacred office.

To the Rev.

MY DEAR BROTHER,

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tion to your investment with this panoply will render you vulnerable to the shafts of the adversary. Nor are you called only to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints ;" but also, whilst on the alert to assail the strong holds of Satan, THE solemnities of last evening and to repel his attacks on the have doubtless deeply impressed Zion of your Divine Master; you your heart, and revived in your are, in the character of his ammind considerations of the im-bassador, to treat with the eneportance of the vocation to which mies of the cross, and to beseech

them, in Christ's stead, to be re- our design, and we are compelled conciled to God, through his to mourn our mental imbecility. blood. This is an office of solemn These reflections will suggest to responsibility; and well may you the mind the value of importunate in contemplating the magnitude prayer. Habitual communion with of its requisitions, exclaim, "who the heart and intercourse with is sufficient for this momentous God; the constant study of the work!" Nevertheless, he who Holy Scriptures, and frequent rewill strengthen you in the fight in tired meditations on divine subwhich his cause is concerned, jects, you will unquestionably apwill also communicate that light preciate as important means of to your mind which shall make facilitating your public ministrayou wise to win souls to Jesus.

tions, by promoting your knowIt is not my design to discuss ledge of yourself, and forming the nature of the duties which your character in the significant devolve on you in the office to humility of a practical disciple of which you have been ordained; Christ, enriching your mind with nor to attempt to enumerate the treasures of inestimable value, various trials and exhibit the nu- and qualifying you more abunmerous solaces with which you dantly for the performance of the will be continually becoming ac- vast variety of interesting serquainted in the progress of your vices, for which the minister of work. Permit me however to the sanctuary should at all times remark generally, that whatever be prepared. The apostle's may be your success or your dis- charge to Timothy deserves the couragements, as an accredited serious regard of every herald of minister of Christ, you are still sacred truth-"Take heed to "a sweet savour unto God ;" and thyself." To thy external deif found faithful, the end will de- portment; thy intellectual imvelope to your glorified spirit provement; and thy internal exknowledge which shall constitute ercises. To thy external deportto you everlasting felicity, for ment-as it is natural for those you shall then be assured that who listen to the inculcation of God is honoured in you by having Christian precepts, to look for an made you, in some way, instru- example in the preceptor of that mental in accomplishing his pur-conduct which will commend the poses relative to his Church. Gospel of God. To thy mental You cannot be unconscious of improvement, in order to be a the deceitfulness of the heart. workman that need You are aware that resolutions, ashamed, rightly dividing the not be although the fruit of the best mo- word of truth, giving to every tives, are but futile unless ren-one a portion in due season. To dered efficient by Divine grace. the exercises of the heart, for We but too frequently find our the purpose of becoming persongood intentions evanescent as the ally acquainted with the turpimorning cloud-transient as the tude of sin, its insidious characearly dew. In an unwatchful mo- ter, and the wiles of Satan, of ment some trivial circumstance whose devices the Christian midiverts our attention, or some nister especially should not be infirmity of our nature frustrates ignorant. Attainments in this

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species of knowledge will not souls, be successful in bringing fail to keep the inquirer humble many of his wandering sheep at the feet of Jesus; will induce back to his fold, and of guiding him to look for purification to his lambs in the footsteps of his him whose blood alone cleanseth flock. That you may be qualifrom all sin, and desire its conti-fied to comply with the solemn nual application to his soul by apostolic injunction, to "feed the the Holy Spirit; will excite con- Church of God which he hath fidence in the Lord Jesus, the purchased with his blood," you prevailing intercessor for his peo- will ever feel your dependence ple; and constrain him, by a on Him to whom his church is sense of the love of Christ, as a most precious; and whilst you messenger of reconciliation, to ask his counsel that you may be direct, with the energy of legiti-taught right judgment, you will mate feeling and affection, heavy- find it your privilege to avail ladened, penitent sinners to the yourself in seasons of the appacross, assuring them, from a rent spiritual desolations of Zion, cheering conviction of the truth, of the soul-exhilarating assurance that "Jesus Christ is the author that the Almighty Saviour hath of eternal salvation to all them" set her as a seal on his heartwho obey him," he having borne as a seal on his arm;" that ultithe sins of his people in his own mately he will effect her deliverbody, when he endured the mys-ance from all her tribulations, terious agonies of Gethsemane and cause her to come forth and the law-inflicted pangs of" beautiful as Tirzab-fair as the Calvary. Hitherto moon, clear as the sun, and teryou have been fa- rible as an army with banners." voured in some instances, by the But do you inquire what ostensimanifestations of Divine power in ble agency you shall have in this your evangelical pursuits. God great work of the Lord? Hath has been graciously pleased to not the King of Zion ordained the confer honour on his word Gospel to be the wisdom of God, through your instrumentality. and the power of God to the salHaving now in his providence vation of sinners? Hath he not invested you with authority to committed this treasure to earthexercise pastoral functions, the en vessels? Hath he not comeyes of those who pray for the missioned you to be a herald of prosperity of Jerusalem will be this salvation? And does not the turned to you, expressing a hope, Holy Spirit rejoice in those who that when you shall be required proclaim the messages of peace to perform the peculiar duties of to rebel men, and thus express a shepherd of a portion of the the Divine complacency in the Redeemer's flock,* you will be humblest of his co-workers-enabled to lead your charge in "How beautiful upon the moungreen pastures, beside the still tains are the feet of him that waters; and, blessed by the bringeth good tidings, that pubgreat Shepherd and Bishop of lisheth peace; that bringeth good salvation; that saith unto Zion, tidings of good, that publisheth Thy God reigneth." Let then

*The person to whom this letter is ad dressed was ordained without a particular

charge.

the reflection, that though weak priation by faith of the righteousin yourself, God is the strength ness of Christ for justification; of his ministers, and will illus-and the continual application by trate the glory of his grace the Holy Spirit of the blood of through the efforts of the weak- atonement for sanctification: the est whom he calls to labour in his pilgrimage and almighty preservineyard, refresh your soul, vation of the redeemed: the rewhen you may feel inclined to velation of the righteous judgment cry out under the depression of of God; the final consummation spirit occasioned by unsuccessful of the bliss of the followers of solicitude, "Who hath believed Jesus; and the eternal exclusion our report?" from heaven and interminable

In the performance of Christian torment in hell of the finally imduties, were we to rest our hopes penitent, are subjects which you of usefulness on our own talents, will find it your business to exhior acquired knowledge, all our bit and maintain with all the attempts to beautify the city of earnestness of one standing beour God would prove abortive. tween the living and the dead, It is by the mighty power of the with the tremendous wo deLord that the spiritual temple nounced against those who do the must be edified. This he is work of the Lord deceitfully, pleased to manifest, not by the sounding in your ears; and the excellency of speech or the wis- cheering prospect of the superior dom of man; but by the energies blessedness which awaits him who of the Holy Spirit, accompanying shall "make full proof of his mihis word, delivered in simplicity nistry," in the view of your faith. by his accredited servants. You If you aspire after an elevation in will therefore doubtless feel your glory, striving lawfully, actuated obligations to preach the preach- by love for your Divine Master, ing that God shall bid you, pro- and an ardent desire that sinclaiming to a world lying in sinners may be saved with an everthe whole counsel of Jehovah, lasting salvation, you will have to and exhibiting to awakened sin- bear the cross; but, animated by ners the unsearchable riches of the blessed Saviour's assurance, Christ. "Lo, I am with you always,”

Of the importance of adverting you will, I trust, be encouraged to the fundamental doctrines of to pursue your avocations with the Gospel, in all your addresses, unwavering constancy. I need not remind you. The Among the numerous ministeuniversal depravity of human na- rial labours which you will exture; the helpless condition of perience to be ever recurring, man the infinite and incompre- those of personal reproof and adhensible Godhead of Christ; his monition you will often realize incarnation, sufferings, death, re-most painfully arduous; but if so, surrection, ascension, and perpe- they are not the least important: tual intercession: the efficiency and if successful, will be producof the grace of God to rectify the tive of more than ordinary gratidisordered faculties of the soul: fication. These duties, together the necessity to the sinner of the with that of imparting instruction imputation and personal appro-to the more ignorant of those

who may particularly claim your which you have espoused, and attention, will require the exer- contribute in the least degree to cise of much prudence, patience, encourage your heart, I shall and forbearance. Administering have additional cause for graticonsolations from the word of tude.

God to the afflicted, the sick, and The time is short in which we the dying, is a duty, the per- are permitted to do any thing for formance of which will yield a our dear Lord. Happy will be rich reward to your own soul, our state, if in the day of final whilst it will afford you the un-awards we shall be found among speakable satisfaction of observ- those who, having a community ing the grateful tear in the eye of nature with Christ Jesus; and of the child of sorrow supplant- having been honoured as his ing that of grief, and the features stewards, though in the improvesignificant of the sadness of the ment of but one talent, shall be heart, assuming an animation acknowledged by the Judge as which the hope of that blissful the blessed of his Father, and immortality which the oracles of permitted to enter into the postruth reveal, only can enkindle. session of an imperishable inheriI need not however dwell on tance, That you, my brother, scenes like these; you have al- may be animated with the hope ready tasted of the pleasures of meeting many in that day to which flow through the medium whom you shall have been the of these salutary duties. Nor is messenger of heavenly peace, it expedient for me, at this time, and who shall then unite with you further to pursue the subject of in the celestial song of "Worthy this address, which the feelings is the Lamb who was slain," is of Christian friendship have led the prayer of your sincere friend, me to extend to a length which I and brother in the Gospel of our did not intend. Should the senti- Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ments here suggested in any wise subserve the precious

cause

* *

Philad. Dec. 10, 1818.

*

REVIEW.

of Languages in Columbia College, New-York.-New-York, published by James Eastburn & Co. 1818. pp. 607.

Sermons on Practical Subjects. By WILLIAM BARLASS, Minister of the Gospel. With the Correspondence between the Author and the Rev. John Newton, late Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, Lombard-street, Lon- HEN we turn over the padon; never before published :- ges of most sermon writers in our and a Biographical Sketch of own times, and contrast them with the Author, prefixed. By Peter divines of less modern date, we Wilson, L.L.D., and Professor cannot but be surprised at the

WE

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