you can find me a captain and seamen truly religious. Can I hire a ship, or purchase, and at what rate? Are the regions to which you are directing your mission well known to them? I have ventured to subjoin a petition to your King on the subject, in my own tongue, not being sufficiently ac quainted with the idiom of the English to offer it in that language. This is the last favour I would ask, if you could undertake to present it for me. The love of Jesus Christ our Saviour, for whom we live and labour, engaged me to hope that my requests will meet a favourable reception, and that I shall soon have the pleasure of hearing from you. I shall never cease to wish and pray that your attempt to call the heathen to the knowledge of the Redeemer's cross, and to the salvation purchased by his blood, may be blessed by the almighty Lord, and to desire that the benefits, of his passion may be preached throughout the world. To him I recommend your valuable life and labours, flattering myself with the hope that I shall find you as willing a friend and adviser, as I may venture, Rev. Sir, to assure you I shall ever be Your most affectionate AUGUST VON SHIRNDING. P. S. If you have any connections with West-India planters, or in America, I wish you to inform yourself from them if they have any among their slaves brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ by the Brethren or others, and if they would be willing to part with them, especially any such as have been helpers with the Brethren. I should very gladly purchase any such, of a proper age, and single men. I should receive any information of this kind with great thankfulness. Inclosed you will receive an Address to the inhabitants of Great Britain, which I drew up six months ago, in order to send to England: Make what use of it you please. An Address to the British Nation. AT a time when the first principles of Christianity are attacked, disfigured, or renounced, according to men's caprice at a time when the characteristic doctrines of Protestantism are decried as irrational, and their defenders treated with contempt and ridicule, and, as occasion offers, insulted and persecuted---at such a time, indeed, the dictates -of རྣམ of wisdom, as well as duty, call upon us to inquire into and espouse the doctrines of Christianity, which our Lord hath given to us, and Luther, the great reformer, amidst a thousand perils, rising superior to the fear of men, confessed, and faithfully defended: Nor shall we go unrewarded, notwithstanding the apostacy which we daily behold around us. However the truth as it is in Jesus in their view is become obsolete and antiquated, we regard it in all the beauty of primitive splendour, as when it first irradiated the earth at his appearing. O that our souls might more deeply feel that all our blessedness is comprised therein! It may be indeed our lot, that for such faithful adherence to Christ and his truth, we may share the hatred of an ungodly world, and be exposed to danger---we may indeed be exercised with anxious care, and fear for the future; but shall we sit supine and careless? Are we not bound to have at heart the kingdom of God and our Saviour? We cannot, indeed, foresee all the wise dispositions of his providence; but we are bound to lift up our heads, and look to him, under all the changes of this disordered world, and to be ready to stand before the Son of Man. We cannot stay his arm, nor follow him through all the wondrous mazes of his dispensations; yet are we bound, admiring and adoring, ever to cry out, "Who is like unto thee, O Lord ?" When was there a time when it became more necessary than at present to have respect to the interests of his kingdom? In ages past, his cause was opposed by those who did it ignorantly in unbelief; now, with wilful malice, by rebellious apostates: The former knew not the blessings they despised; but these sin against their own mercies, and reject the revelation, with all its evidence in their hands, The time was, when thousands were converted in a day; now thousands, perverted from the truth, herd with the infidels, and increase their multitude. When we see infidelity using every effort, that the very name of Christ shall be had no more in remembrance, and self-taught reason of corrupted worms idolized, how can the faithful servant of Christ sleep unconcerned, and not be afflicted with the objects in his view? He knows what has been the fate of nations. Christ will not continue his truth where despised. He has abandoned various parts of the world, and withdrawn his light from numberless churches, when, despising his grace, they have filled up, by their ingratitude and apostacy, the measure of their iniquities. In awful times, like those into which we are fallen, what is more needful, than that every friend of Christ and his truth, anxious what will be the end of these things, and looking up to his Lord, should ask who is on the Lord's side? Who? and unite with the faithful few, who love the Divine Master, his revealed word, and the day of his appearing. How should they encourage one another, to join in one compacted phalanx, and redouble their efforts to promote the great objects of the religion of Jesus? But where hath such a society been formed? Have not the Moravian Brethren set a noble example? Hath not their success demonstrated the practicability of the attempt? They lay no other foundation than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Thereon they affect to build nothing novel, but to pursue invariably the same truths Apostles preached and taught. They have felt for the miserable state of the heathen world. They looked on the ignorance of the heathen and their unacquaintedness with the Saviour, and their eye affected their hearts; the view entered deeply into their souls. They have indeed found many difficulties in the arduous enterprize; but, by the grace of our Saviour, they are ready only to live and to die for him. How should it rouse other Christians to emulation, and engage them zealously to love the Lord Jesus, and shew it in like manner? But whilst I wish many would imitate their example, I by no means think it advisable to form an union with their society. It is evident that many prejudices have been entertained against them; but from whencesoever these prejudices may have arisen, may he, who orders all things according to the counsels of his own will, remove them! May he, who redeemed us by his blood, and broke down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, heal all our unhappy divisions! But should they remain, it is not at all necessary, that all men adopt their modes; or to suppose that the heathen can be converted only to Jesus by their means. They themselves do not wish it, and long to see other Christian societies formed for the conversion of souls to Jesus, though they gather not with them. Nay they are persuaded thereby many prejudices might be avoided, and obstacles removed. And is it not highly desirable to do so, and try a new society, not in immediate connection with the Brethren, but formed in order to bring into nearer communion and fellowship all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerityThus, withVOL. IV. Yy out renouncing our several educational modes, we might form one body of Christians, and true religion receive the greatest advantage from our union. Cordially one with our Moravian Brethren in zeal for Christ, and his truth, without adopting their peculiarities. Should not some attempt of this kind be made for Jesu's sake? Does it not offer many advantages? Would not our numbers be increased, and our efforts more extraordinary? The advantages of such a society may be considered in two views: 1. Within the pale of Christendom; 2. Without it. 1. Within the pale of Christendom, especially among us, preserving the pure religion of the Augsburg Confession, against the artful and violent attacks of its enemies; and more against the rage for change and alterations of false friends. Is not the profession of the true religion of Protestants in imminent danger? Has not God sent strong de lusions even into our pulpits, where men, affecting to be wise above what is written, have changed the truth of God into a lie ?---men without understanding, pretending religion, and, full of high thoughts of themselves, endeavouring to cloak infidelity under their embellishments and futile arguments. Would it not be highly advantageous to make head against such, and preserve the elect of Jesus Christ from their delusions? Such a society also would tend to awaken the life of religion in Christendom, and to inflame the hearts of many with the love of God our Saviour, and produce as happy changes in the hearts of men, as has been done by the Brethren. It would teach men to discern between light and darkness, and effectually tend to support the unity of faith and love. I cannot but regard it as a mercy, that the Society of the Brethren hath been like a fortress, wherein example and discipline have preserved the pure doctrine of Christianity. But 2. The advantages which would arise from such a Society without the pale of Christendom. How many difficulties have the Brethren to encounter in the works of the mission from their very name? What obstructions have they met with from envy, jealousy, prejudice, and persecution in their attempts? Cannot we, without that name, possess the same love for Christ and Christian zeal in our hearts? May we not, without their peculiarities of manner or discipline, preach Jesus Christ among the heathen? Such Such a society for preserving the pure religion of protestantism would, I am persuaded, be of vast advantage, and tend greatly to increase the flock of the great Shepherd by us poor worms. Seeing its vast utility and eternal benefits, and that it requires rather hearts filled with love and truth, than pockets lined with wealth, I cannot but invite all Christians to unite in such a body, to preserve and advance the truth as it is in Jesus. Shall the infidel and profane form their associations? Shall the borders of the kingdom of darkness and false philosophy be thus extended, and shall not the friends of God and truth seek to increase their numbers, and to spread the conquests of the cross? The world will love her own, and will not God approve those who faithfully join themselves to him? There is an eye over the servants of Jesus; their Lord sees, and will prosper their labours of love. He will go forth with them, and their work shall be blessed. Highly, therefore, does it become us to consecrate ourselves to him; deeply are we bound by every tie of love and duty to be workers together with him, to advance the spread of his kingdom. Then, when we come to give an account of the talent with which he hath entrusted us, we shall have joy that we have not buried it in the earth, but improved it for his glory. Dobrilugk in Saxony, 1796, AUGUST VON SHIRNDING, A HINT RESPECTING EFFICACIOUS GRACE. A1 THOUGHT has just occurred, to my mind, which may be of some service in the controversy with the Arminians, concerning efficacious grace, and the nature of true virtue. They insist upon it that virtue must arise from a man's own will*, or it cannot deserve the name; and urge, that if God effectually produced a good disposition, it would i. e. The Arminians assert, that a man's own will must be the cause of his virtue, by a self-determining power. We assert as well as they, that a man must be voluntary in the exercise of virtue, but we affirm God is able to work in us to will as well as to do; and that in consequence of the total depravity of man, a divine efficacious influence of sovereign grace is absolutely necessary to the production of virtue, as well as to its Consequent preservation; and that God must have all the praise of a sinner's conversion, as having not only granted him the Gospel, but given him an inclination to embrace it, &c. Y y z not |