ascertained that it is the gospel these miffionaries preach. But, however we may hope the best, we cannot but feel some doubts on this fubject, when we look at the report of the fociety. In the Poffcript of that report, the arrival of a Rev. Mr. Kicherer from Africa, accompanied by three African converts, is announced. This Mr. K. the postscript says, informed the society of the "judicious methods he took to gain "the attention of the Hottentots, and keep "them together, and of the mode he "pursued in their religious inftruction. Upon "which the Lord has been pleased fo to confer "his bleffing, that of fix hundred Hottentots, of "which his congregation confifted, about three "hundred were praying perfons." Upon reading thus far we were ready to conclude that Mr. K. confidered thefe three hundred perfons, as believers of the gospel, not doubting but that he had learned from that "word" which he profeffes to preach, that none but believers of the gospel are really praying perfons: fince all others are among those wicked whofe every facrifice is abomination to the Lord. How great then must have been our aftonishment, upon reading the next fentence, in which he informs us that of those three hundred, he confidered forty only as converted perfons. What then does Mr. K. mean by telling us of the three hundred praying perfons? Does he mean to infinuate that thefe, though ftill unconverted, though still disbelieving that gospel which reveals the "true God" are notwithstanding in a more hopeful ftate, than the rest of his congregation? Does he mean to infinuate that an unconverted person, that is, one in his natural state of enmity against God, can really pray unto God? If this be his meaning, alas! for the poor Hottentots. We would exhort this Mr. K. before he undertakes another miffion to the Heathen, to go and fearch the feriptures. There, if his mind be enlightened by the Spirit of Truth, he will learn that all unconverted perfons are on a level in the fight of God: all alike alienated from him and enmity against him; and that no circumftance whatever, in the cafe of any one of them can ferve to distinguish him from the reft, or to make his state lefs dangerous. And he will learn also that no unconverted perfon can pray at all unto God: for "how shall they call on him in whom "they have not believed?" Rom. x. 12. He will fee in the hiftory of the apoftle PAUL, that, to pray, is one of the diftinguishing characteristics of a converted perfon: for he will find the Lord, when he was fending ANANIAS to enquire for SAUL OF TARSUS, defcribing the change in his ftate thus; "Behold, he prayeth." Acts ix. 11. Now there can be no doubt that the apostle Paul, in his unconverted state, was, what Mr. K. would call, a praying perfon; for, after the stricteft fect, he lived a Pharifee; and we know that the Pharifees were famous for making long prayers; and yet, it appears from our Lord's addrefs to Ananias, that he never really prayed before. fine, Mr. K. will difcover, that the bleffed Saviour, while on earth, did not regard the unconverted praying perfons of his day, in a more favourable point of view, than the most notorious finners: for he told them plainly, that publicans and harlots fhould enter into the kingdom of heaven before them. In When we see a man, with fuch views of the gofpel as this Mr. Kicherer appears to have, fanctioned as a miffionary by the London Miffi onary onary Society, the pleasure with which we would otherwise contemplate its exertions, is much damped. The question, are all the miffionaries of this ftamp? naturally arifes in our minds; and fuggefts this other, if the blind lead the blind, fhall they not both fall into the ditch? It may be urged that this Mr. K. does not belong to the London Miffionary Society, but to the Rotterdam. Why then infert, as information likely to be grateful to their religious friends, fuch awfully unfcriptural expreffions? We defire to believe that thefe expreffions do not contain the fentiments of the Miffionary Society, nor of the men whom they employ to preach among the Heathen: but how are we to account for their introduction into the report? Do they contain the fentiments of the fecretary, Mr. George Burder? We truft not: but it is that gentleman's part to difprove this. Our object is, not to attach blame to any individual or body of men, but to detect dangerous error, to bring it to the light, and, having expofed it, to confign it over to its author, the prince of darkness; for he is alfo the father of lies. We have thought it neceffary to speak thus at large on this fubject, becaufe, in the English Evangelical Magazine for November, we find, in a paper entitled " Extracts from the periodical accounts of the Rotterdam Miffionary Society," this dangerously erroneous principle put forward in terms even more unfcriptural than those already alluded to. After mentioning the progrefs the Hottentots have made in reading, &c. it is added," and most of them take a delight in the knowledge of God and his fervice; nay there are those who give reason to think that a work of the Holy Spirit appears in their hearts.” So then according according to the gentlemen who conduct this Magazine (for we must confider the fentiment as theirs, fince they have taken the trouble of extracting it from the report of the Rotterdam Society) it is poffible for perfons, whose hearts have never been influenced by the Holy Spirit, to delight in the knowledge and fervice of God. This is in effect, to say that men may be turned unto God and attain unto eternal life, without any work of the Holy Spirit on their hearts: for the Lord and Saviour has told us, that it is life eternal TO KNOW the true God: John xvii. 3: and, fince the carnal mind, that is, the mind of man in his natural ftate, is enmity against God, it is obvious that they who delight in the knowledge and fervice of him, are delivered from its dominion, and have undergone a complete change: if this be true, what occafion is there for the Spirit? But we defire to know from thefe gentlemen in what the work of the Holy Spirit confifts: for, if, independent of its influence, men can delight in the knowledge and fervice of God, it cannot confist in any thing connected either with religion or morality for we are bold to fay, that to know and ferve God, is the fum of all religion and of all morality. Printed by Robert Dapper; AND SOLD BY H. COLBERT, 136, CAPEL-STREET. HAD AD Jefus, when buried, like other mortals, remained in the grave, I had ftedfaftly adhered to the Pharifees, and gloried in being one of them; as being convinced, that the grand controverfy about righteousness, which was carried on with great zeal on both fides, was now fairly decided in their favor, and that they had gained an additional honor by the opposition. I received a liberal and virtuous education among the Sadducees, who admit no fense of our facred writings but what they think agreeable to found philofophy. But happening, about the time that Jefus made his appearance, to fall D acquainted |