Page images
PDF
EPUB

ing it, does not alter the truth. The anxiety manifested and the exertions made to proselyte to the universal faith, is strong evidence, that its supporters expect the more they bring over to their creed the stronger will be their system. This however is a mistake. A false system is not the less false for being embraced by thousands. And a true one is not the less true because thousands reject it.

I would caution you, my brethren and friends, against embracing, and warn you against propagating, the doctrine of universal salvation. If that system be true, there is nothing gained by propagating it. All will be equally safe, at last, whether they believe it or not. Should it be said, it makes men happier here, I reply, what then? This system tells us, temporary suffering is necessary to increase the relish for positive enjoyment. And the apostle, speaking of those who will finally be saved, declares that for such, their "light affliction, which is for a moment, worketh out a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory." What if sinners happen to be in an error, on this point, and therefore mourn for sin, and tremble at the thought of meeting death, and appearing at judgment, in an unprepared state? What if the pious, by this mistake, should fear for others, and thereby be induced, like the apostle, to warn every man, night and day, with tears?" What if it should cause parents to mourn and weep for their unconverted children? Still, this error would lead men to nothing worse in this world than to use greater circumspection, with res pect to their own walk, and to use with greater diligence and solicitude, those means that are calculated to reform others. And in the other world, they will be rewarded for all their additional suffering, with a "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

66

But what if an eternity of woe await the finally impenitent sinner? And this may be true. Who will say he knows it is not? Who will say his opinion on the subject is infallible? If none dare assert this, then all must acknowledge that the doctrine of endless punishment may be true. If it may, there is danger.And to propagate a contrary sentiment, increases that danger, because it destroys caution. This danger becomes, at least probable, by the hitherto unanswered arguments adduced in the foregoing discourse. And by the consideration, that the doctrine of eternal punishment has been the established doctrine of the church in all ages. Here then we have a danger acknowledged by all, who have not the presumption to assume to themselves an infallibility of judgment; and this danger is increased to probability, in the opinion of all, who can feel the force of arguments, or who have any regard for the opinion of the learned and good, in all ages of the church. In view of this danger, how cautious aught you to be in embracing and spreading a sentiment, which, to say the least, may be false! And if false, the believing and pro

pagating of it will be attended with an infinite evil. And if true, the not spreading of it, will not diminish, but rather increase, the positive good.

This evil is the more to be avoided, because it will not rest on yourselves only. It involves the eternal interest of others. Many, through your influence, may be induced to embrace this system, and rest secure in this hope. Thereby they may lose their souls. You have been induced, it may be to favour this system, from your love to mankind. For this very reason, I would exhort you to be cautious how you seek to build it up. If it should finally be found, that this doctrine is false, and you will acknowledge this may be the case, eternity alone can unfold to you the injury your influence may have effected. Take heed therefore, what you do in this matter. If the system be of God, all shall be well; and just as well, if you do nothing. If it be not of God, it shall come to ruin, together with all who build thereon their hopes of Heaven. That ruin will be the more dreadful by your helping on the work-that ruin will be the more irretrievable, because you will not know it till eternity shall have stamped upon it its awful fixedness.

You have been led, it may be, to favour this system, from the affection you feel for your friends, and especially for your children. You have been asked, whether you could endure to have them cast off for ever? Whether the joys of heaven would be any compensation for the anguish you must feel, to know that your bosom friend, or the fruit of your body, was miserable? Thus the sympathies of your nature-these short-sighted sympathies, that were given you, not as a standard by which to determine there should be no punishment, but to excite you to save yourselves and others from that punishment; these sympathies, I say, have been wrung, till in the anguish of your soul, you have overlooked all argument, you have given up your judgment, and resolved it could not, must not be so. Do you love your friends? Can you not endure the idea of their being in a dangerous situation? Then be careful how you instil into their minds, or encourage them in the belief of universal salvation. If it should prove true, all will be well with them in the end; but since, as we have seen, it may be false, there is danger; and their not believing it, instead of lessening, will increase that danger. And how aggravated would be your anguish, if, at the bar of God, you should find that your influence had encouraged your friends or your children, in a false security till all was lost for ever!

You

Fathers and Brethren in the ministry-to you I turn, as to those who, under God, may do much to check the spreading influence of, what is believed to be, a dangerous doctrine. believe, with Christ, that the soul inay be lost. And that it is of such value that its loss could not be compensated by the gain of the whole world. In view of this danger you cannot be inactive.

You have the tenderest sympathies for your fellow beings: and these sympathies must lead you to zeal and diligence in the discharge of your duties. You will sow your seed weeping.-Warn every man night and day with tears-knowing the terrors of the Lord, you will persuade men-saving some by fear, pulling them out of the fire.-The wasting forms, and numerous diseases of many; the voluntary sacrifices and arduous labours of all, are proofs that you feel, in some measure, as felt the apostle, when he "could wish that himself were accursed from Christ (that is, that his body were offered a sacrifice by Christ, or as Christ was) for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh." Go on my brethren in the good work. In opposing error, let us be firm and courageous. Let us bring forth our reasons, our strong reasons. Let us take, as our principle weapon to oppose this stalking error of the day, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. In winning souls to Christ, may we be incessant and zealous. And to strengthen and support us in the work, we will take the encouraging declarations of scripture. "He which converteth a sinner from the error of his ways, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins." 66 They that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as stars for ever and ever." Amen.

Biography.

From the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine.

MEMOIR OF MR. MATTHEW BLYFORD,

Late of Blakeney, near Holt, in Norfolk :

BY MR. SAMUEL EASTHAUGH.

MR. BLYFORD was born July 19th, 1758. His parents were respectable, and of the communion of the Church of England, in which he was brought up. His natural temper was lively and active, and his capacity considerable. In the affairs of this world, he showed much ingenuity and diligence. While engaged in those pursuits, he was found in all the gaieties of life. He was fond of his friend, and his bottle; but he never lost sight of what he considered to be the main chance. In this he was successful. He was engaged in the corn trade, &c.; and with a fair reputation, acquired a handsome property. Having done this, he retired from business, when he had every prospect of further advancing his fortune. But he had no family, and he thought that he had a comfortable sufficiency for himself and his wife.

*

*

This, however, was considerably diminished by his becoming surety for debts SOLOMON's advice on this subject is good. "Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts." (Prov. xxii. 26.)

He bought some premises at Blakeney, where he sat down, freed from the toils of life. But he still continued to walk after the course of this world. He interested himself warmly about political affairs: but so thoroughly was he afterwards changed by divine grace, that I never heard him say to what party he adhered. Our conversation always turned upon more important subjects. How we and others might flee from the wrath to come, was the subject which principally engaged our attention. Not that I think that religious people are bound wholly to abstain from all conversation about national affairs; but there is a great danger of being too much occupied in them. The injury which the souls of men have sustained thereby within the last thirty years, is incalculable. I remember what an aged Minister said, when asked by a friend, how religion prospered in the place where he lived, he answered, "Brother, politics have eaten out the vitals of religion in." This was true; and I fear that it has been the case in many other places. Mr. BLYFORD's politics, after his conversion, were always regulated by 1 Tim. ii. 1-4. He prayed for rulers, and obeyed the laws and this not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. In this I should be glad if every one that nameth the name of Christ would imitate him; but especially every Methodist. The Jews were commanded to seek the peace of the city wherein they were captives and slaves, and to pray for it. (Jer. xxix. 7.) We surely then ought to seek the good of our own country; and to pray earnestly and constantly for its peace and prosperity. O that this and all other Christian duties may be strictly attended to!

During the first years in which Mr. B. lived at Blakeney, although out of business, he was wholly engrossed in the pursuit of earthly things; seeking only, in one way or other, the gratification of his senses. He read; but his reading was confined to such works as suited the taste of his fallen nature. He had perused many of his books; and was thinking, one day, what he should read next. The Bible was at hand, but he said, he supposed that he had not read fifteen chapters of it in fifteen years! He then thought that he would read a chapter. He opened the long-neglected volume, and read, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John ii. 15.) These words were like a two-edged sword to his heart. He saw, and felt, and acknowledged, that he had been acting in opposition to this precept of Scripture all the days of his life. He was conscious that he had always loved the world, and the things of it. This conviction produced feelings of a very painful nature. His whole life of sin stared him in the face. He was like a man wandering.in the dark, when a flash of lightning, darting through the thick gloom, discovers to him that he is upon the edge of a tremendous precipice, and knew it not. He trembled, wept, and spontaneously

prayed. His cry was for mercy. That cry was heard; and the God of all grace soon answered it. His convictions were deep, but not of long continuance. He was like Levi, Peter, and some others, of whom we read in the Gospel; he promptly obeyed the call of his Saviour, and gave up all for Christ, and was quickly translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. In a few weeks he obtained peace with God through faith in our crucified Redeemer. And I never knew a man that was more thoroughly changed. His very look, his language, his conduct, were all entirely new-modelled. He was no longer the eager politician; the bottle-companion; or the worldly-wise man;-he was "BORN AGAIN." This was fully manifested to all that knew him by his subsequent deportment. This happy change took place on Jan. 8th, 1813, which he ever after called his spiritual birth-day. He then boldly took up, and always afterwards firmly sustained, "the consecrated cross." He went to hear the Methodists, and soon cast in his lot with them. He compared the Bible and the tenets of Methodism together. The consequence was, a conviction that the doctrines taught by Mr. WESLEY and his coadjutors are scriptural, and have their foundation in "the truth as it is in Jesus.' He examined with great attention and care the controversy between the Calvinists and us. The result was an abiding persuasion that Calvinism is, as to its distinguishing peculiarities, erroneous. This persuasion he conscientiously avowed; and the benignity of the Almighty, manifested in the gift of his only-begotten Son to die for the whole human race, was a subject on which he frequently descanted with glowing delight.

After he had tasted that the Lord is gracious, his profiting soon appeared to all. Being planted in the house of the Lord, he began to flourish in the courts of our God. He was not a cumberer of the ground. He was a tree that bore, not foliage only, but fruit. The love that overflowed his heart was manifested in his concern for others. God had shewn him mercy; and he had taught him that the same mercy is free for all the human race. This he laboured to make known. He was soon appointed to the care of a Class. In this work he was very diligent and faithful; and he was much owned and blessed therein.-He never thought himself called to preach: but he often read sermons in different places; and sometimes read and expounded the Scriptures. He visited the villages in order to introduce the Gospel. In one village he purchased a building, and set it apart for the preaching of the Methodists. His bowels yearned over the world that lieth in wickedness. He longed for the salvation of sinners, and was most hearty in promoting every thing that he thought tended to that end. The Bible and Missionary Societies received his support, and had his prayers. He attended Missionary Meetings; where he sometimes spoke, and always gave his pecuniary assis

« PreviousContinue »