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ANSWER TO THE FOLLOWING QUERY:

What are the best Means of Preservation against
Backsliding?

IT is

Tis ufual with us to confine the idea of a backslider to a good man. I apprehend, the Scriptures do not use the term always in this fenfe. Backfliding always fuppofes a religious profeffion; but does not neceffarily imply that this profeffion is fincere. The ungodly Ifraelites, who had not the fear of God in them, are termed backfliders, in Jer. ii. 19. Saul and Judas would be accounted backfliders, in the fcriptural fenfe of the term, as well as David and Peter. The backflidings of the latter were partial, and of the former total.

But I fhall fuppofe the querift to be a good man, and that he feels a pronenefs to depart from the living God: perhaps fome particular temptation may entangle him, or easy-befetting fin perplex him: he may have had feveral narrow efcapes from open scandal, and may be apprehenfive that, in fome unguarded moment, he may be drawn into that which may ruin his future peace and usefulness.

Where I a ftranger to fuch exercises, I fhould be but ill qualified to write upon the fubject. The cafe of backfliders has lately been much impreffed upon my mind. Great numbers, I am perfuaded, among profeffing christians, come under this denomination. At prefent, I fhall only offer three or four directions to the confideration of the querift, or any other whofe cafe they may fuit.

First, Every mean fhould be used that may stop the avenues of temptation, or prevent its coming in contact with the evil propenfities of the heart.-If their be nitre in our habitations, it becomes us to beware of fire. Such was the counfel of our Lord to his disciples, in a season of peculiar danger: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. He had himself entered that field, and came out a conqueror but he knew what was in man, and counfelled them rather to avoid than court the conteft. In cafes where the heart begins to be feduced by temptation, it will foon become reftlefs, folicitous and importunate; it will moan after it, and be exceedingly fruitful in devices to get into the way of it; it will perfuade confcience, for once at leaft, to be filent; it will blind the mind to the evil, and paint the defirableness of

the good and if all this will not do, it will promise to beonly a looker-on, or that thus far it will go, and nof arther -But if thou haft any regard to God or his caufe, or to the welfare of thine own foul, coNSENT THOU NOT! Temptation leads to fin, and fin to death. Whatever company, amufement, occupation or connexion, has frequently caused thee to offend; that is, the eye that requires to be plucked out, left thy foul bleed in the end, beneath the ftroke of God's difpleafure.

Secondly, Beware of the first stages of departure from God.-All backflidings begin with the heart. Jer. ii. 19. From hence are the issues of life. Private prayer, it may be, at first becomes wearifome; no communion with God in it: it is then occafionally neglected: hence public ordinances ceafe to afford their wonted pleasure; christian society is dropped; the world takes up your attention, and you have little or no time to spare for religion: fome carnal acquaintance, perceiving you to be coming, draws you on; recommends you to read fome one of the liberal productions of the times, by which you are to learn that there is no need to be fo rigid in religion, and no harm in frequenting the theatre, or in devoting a part at least of the Lord's Day to vifiting, or amufement. Thefe are a few of the feeds of death, from whence have fprung many a bitter harvest.

"Beware of fin, then crush it at the door;
"If once 'tis in, it may go out no more!"

BUNYAN.

Thirdly, If thou haft in any degree been drawn afide, give no reft to thy foul till thy fin is crucified, and thy confcience reconciled by the blood of the Crofs. It is too common for fin to be worn away from the memory by time and new occurrences, inftead of being washed away at the gofpel fountain: but where this is the cafe, the ftain is not removed, and its effects will fooner or later appear, perhaps, in a form that may caufe the ear of every one that heareth it to tingle. He that honoureth me, saith the Lord will I honour; and he that despiseth me, shall be lightly esteemed. we care fo little for the honour of God's name, as to be unconcerned for fecret faults, we may expect he will care as little for the honour of ours, and will give us up to fome open vice, that fhall cover us with infamy.

If

Fourthly, If fome extraordinary temptation, or eafy-befetting fin perplex thee, bend not thy attention fo much to the fubduing of that particular evil, as to the mortification of fin in general; and this not fo much by directly opposing

it, as by cherishing oppofite principles.-We may heal an eruption in a particular part of the body, and yet the root of the difeafe may remain, and even be gathering ftrength. We may also be employed in thinking of our fins without gaining any afcendency over them: on the contrary, they may, by thofe very means, obtain an afcendency over us. If we go about to quench a fire by directly contending with it, we fhall presently be confumed by its flames; but by applying the oppofite element, it is fubdued before us. thus that the fcriptures direct us: Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. The heart cannot be reduced to a vacuum: if spiritual things do not occupy it, carnal things will. It is by walking with God, and converfing with the doctrine of the Crofs, that we fhall become dead to other things; and this will go to the root of the evil, while other remedies only lop off the branches.

It is

GAIUS.

ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE REV. MR. TOMS.

IT

REV. AND DEAR SIR,

Hadleigh, April 28, 1783.

T has frequently recurred to my thoughts, fince peace has been restored with New England, that about the year 1753, at a meeting of the Minifters at Sudbury, Dr. Doddridge being the preacher, after dinner the Dr. propofed to the affembled Minifters, perhaps fifteen or twenty, (I cannot recollect exactly, but I was one of the number) that an attempt should be made, to engage the Body of Proteftant Diffenters to unite in maintaining a Miffionary in America, among the Heathen Indians, after the manner of our brethren in Scotland, who have long done it; and not without the fmiles of Heaven on the labour of love. "I have read in print," faid the Dr. "That Mr. David Brainerd, one of their Miffionaries, was profpered to the converfion of a town of favage Indians, who were brought to fuch faith, humility, diligence, prayerfulness and fanctity," fays the writer, "as furpaffes all I ever read of, to be fo general." He refers to the Life of the Rev. David Brainerd, by Jonathan Edwards, M. A.-I remember, Sir, when Dr. D―ge propofed his fcheme to the Minifters at Sudbury, among other things, he said, "It appeared a reproach, that fo refpectable

a body of men as the Proteftant Diffenters through England did put no helping hand towards promoting and fpreading of the Golpel among the Indian nations of America, and this, when the Scots have an honourable Society for the Propa-1 gation of Christian Knowledge," &e. Can you, Sir, recollect aught of the Doctor's defign and plan? Can you put me into a way of being informed? Could not the Rev. Job Or-* ton fatisfy the defire? I with to know, and having fet my hand together with the other minifters, (no one diffented) would gladly fpend fome of the remaining fands of life. fpeedily. The Doctor's death, foon after the meeting above-mentioned, broke off the pious, truly christian and benevolent attempt I defire, Sir, to excite my brethren to take up this matter into ferious confideration (I am not likely to be a provoker long. Heb. x. 24.): And you, Sir, in particular; and as Dr. Gibbons, &c. &c. are your intimates, wish to have your thoughts concerning fetting fuch a fcheme on foot. Have wrote to enquire of the Rev. Mr. Harmer, whether he can recollect the Doctor's propofal, though am not certain he was there. Mr. Ford and Mr. Hextal, the only perfons I remember they are gone into eternity years paft. This mite, in effay, is humbly laid at the foot of Him to whom we are indebted far beyond ten thousand talents ourselves-our all. To his protection, direction and bleffing, commending you and yours, I remain, with refpects, to all friends,

Rev. dear Sir, your affectionate

Rev. Mr. Palmer, Hackney.

IS. TOMS.

ON THE CIRCULATION OF RELIGIOUS

TRACTS.

MR. EDITOR,

A repo

T the general meeting of the Religious Tract Society reported by you last month, which I had the pleasure of attending, the following ideas ftruck me on the eafe and Practicability of extending the influence and utility of the

Society; and I drop these hints for the information of others, who have not had the opportunity of making the fame ob fervations.

1. I find a number of little focieties are forming in the various towns and villages of many counties, (fome by the aid of fmall weekly fubfcriptions, of a penny or two pence, each) to purchase cheap tracts to circulate among the igno rant or profane. Among the diffenters, many of the churches or congregations might take up this object; and there is no doubt but, like others, they would find the advantage in the increase of their congregations, by the accefs of many who have never been in the habit of attending any place of worship.

2. Where even this object were thought too difficult, or in many cafes in addition to the above, little congregations, or village libraries might be inftituted at the fmall expence of half a guinea or a guinea, with a few volumes of cheap familiar tracts, for circulating among the poor who are, willing to read; but unable or unwilling to purchase for themselves,

3. Those minifters, in or out of the establishment, who are in the habit of itinerating in the unenlightened part of the kingdom, fhould be furnished by their congregations, with a liberal number of fuch tracts, for circulating in their

travels.

Lastly, in the selection of tracts, the greatest care should be taken not to deftribute any of a fectarian tendency, or with the leaft allufion to political fubjects; and am happy to fay, that their idea appears to have been kept in view in all the publications of the above society.

M. A.

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THE TRUE BALANCE.

is obferved by Solomon, "that a falfe balance is an "abomination to the Lord; but a juft weight is his "delight." As this is undoubtedly true when taken in a literal fenfe, fo, I think, it cannot be lefs fo, when confidered in a fpiritual. The world not only abounds with dif honeft tradefmen, but with difhoneft profeffors, who, with the balance of deceit and error, deceive many. It is, therefore, of fome importance to enquire what is the true ba VOL. II.

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