electing love-discriminating mercy-and free, all-conquering grace, can, as occasion may require, touch a chord as tender for its sympathy, and as prompt in its respondings, as those who would make WORKS the parent, rather than the offspring, of FAITH. Readers, whilst I assure you that you never dwelt upon my heart with livelier interest than since I have been called into this desolate land, may I express the hope that I shall be borne upon your hearts before the Lord? Such of you as may question the propriety of my present proceedure, suspend, I beseech you, any hasty conclusions. Your opposition cannot be greater-if equal-to my former opposition; an opposition which only the Lord could subdue, but which, having subdued, He has made me-yes, even in this dreary, dangerous country -to drink of streams so sweet, so full, so glorious, such as I believe can only be surpassed by the Fountain itself! I am, dear Brethren and Sisters, Ireland, Jan. 20, 1847. THE EDITOR. ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE LATE REV. WILLIAM NUNN. SIR To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine, Herewith I send you a copy of a letter I once received from that dear man of God, the Rev. William Nunn. The occasion was my soliciting a pulpit for him in this place, but was refused. The reason stated to be, was, that he made many rash expressions-the one named in the letter being given as a proof; but not believing it in the manner stated, I wrote for information, which drew from him the enclosed. And as this is still a day of much profession and false accusation, I have been induced to send it you, in the hope it may find a place in your valuable Magazine, and that those who are falsely accused, and are ready to faint under it, may find encouragement, by seeing that others before them have been in the same situation. I remain, Sir, Yours respectfully, Warrington. J. L. MY DEAR BROTHER IN OUR COMMON LORD, Grace, mercy, and peace to you, as treasured up in our covenant Head for the chosen of God. Your desire to investigate truth concerning what you heard of me, so 96 ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE LATE REV. WILLIAM NUNN. unworthy your notice, or the notice of any of my Lord's family, deserves an immediate reply. In the course of my ministry I have had frequent occasion to prove the absurdity and vanity of the world's opinions respecting the doctrines of the word of God, and these, by whatever sect maintained, I have often exposed, in order that the truth might be more fully illustrated. I know not to which of my discourses your friend may refer by his statement, that I once said that the doctrine of Arminianism was a "damned lie;" but I should think his report arose from an expression I was led to adopt, not a very great while ago; and as perhaps he was not there to hear it and if he was-it is right that he shonld either know the truth of what he did not hear for himself, or should have his memory refreshed, I will state as near as I can, what has most likely given rise to the information with which he has favoured you. Alluding one Sunday evening to the Pelagian theory of justification by works, I said, that whether this opinion was found among members of the Established Church, Papists, Socinians, Quakers, Independents, Baptists, or Arminians, it was a damnable lie. I then gave some proof that this heresy might be found existing amongst them all. You can let your friend read this paragraph, and if he judges I have made a wrong statement, I shall be very glad to receive from him better information. It is, my dear friend, a subject to which the Church should be universally directed-I mean the universal inclination of professors to reject the glorious truths of the everlasting gospel. How many there are who, while they talk of the sovereignty of God in saving sinners, limit that sovereignty in the particular act of the sinner's separation from the world unto himself. How absurd to talk of free graee, and at the same time limit the eternal counsels, manifestations, and operations of he giver to the will of the creature. Away with such unhallowed, selfwilled, self-righteous thoughts. May our hlessed Lord lead you and me to come, poor self-abhorred, helpless, creatures, seeking the testimonies of his everlasting love and immoveable grace, throngh our covenant union into, and eternal redemption in, the only Redeemer of the accepted in Him. Remember, I shall be glad of a call from you when you come again to Manchester; in the meantime, may the blessed Three-One Jehovah make known to you, as he does not reveal to any but the predestinated to everlasting glory, the riches of his love to you, so shall you be kept from the pollution of the world and your own depravity, and believe me to be your sincere, though unworthy friend and brother, Manchester, 1824. WILLIAM NUNN. IRELAND. To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. DEAR BROTHER IN THE LORD, How delightful is it to occupy a position, however humble in the dear Lord's vineyard, or in other words, to be used as the honoured instrument in His hand, of doing good. I hear that the Lord hath disposed the hearts of his children in this country, to send you upwards of sixty pounds for you to distribute among the poor starving Irish, and that it is quite evident, that it has been the means of preserving many precious lives, and what is still more delightful to think of, may we not hope that your very faithful addresses to them, may be blessed to the conversion of their precious souls, by the Almighty power of the Holy Ghost-bringing them out of the awful delusions of popery in which they are held, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. I hear you have reason to expect interruption from the priests. Should this be the case, I have no doubt you will be enabled to withstand them with "Thus saith the Lord." Oh, what a powerful weapon is the "Sword of the Spirit!" In how many thousands of instances, has it cut its way through the strong holds of Satan, and everything that has exalted itself against our God and his cause. I am aware, dear Editor, that the lives of yourself and family are in jeopardy every hour, from their attacks-yet remember the dear poet's words, "Not a single shaft shall hit, You are in the hand of a covenant God, and it is very evident you are sent by Him on an errand of mercy, to poor Ireland. You have, indeed, to bear much self-denial. Is it not astonishing, that no member of the Houses of Parliament, has courage enough to state the real cause of the poverty and distress there. No doubt it is owing to Popery, for it is a fact, that the most fertile part of Ireland, is inhabited by Papists-yet there is the most poverty, and there nearly all the troops are required, to keep them in order; while on the other hand, the most barren and unproductive part, is where the Protestants reside-and yet they are by far the most happy and prosperous, and scarcely a soldier is required. Does not this speak loudly to us as a nation? But it is quite contrary to the spirit of the day in which we live to say anything against the creed of " our brethren, the Papists," it is so very "uncharitable!" We live in an awful day now, when we have to speak of the wicked we need descend no lower than the generality of the professed ministers of the Gospel. Their walk and conversation so betray that they have run without being sent by the Most High into the ministry. They rail against experimental preaching, because they have not experienced any change from death unto life themselves, consequently, they bring forth no fruit unto God, and they preach a yea-and-nay Gospel, and act as the emissaries of Satan. Oh, how sad will be their end, if grace prevent not! But cheer up, my brother, and let praise and thanksgiving ascend to our God, you can join with the poet "Believer, here thy comfort stands, 66 Oh, that we may be enabled to act up to the direction of the Holy Ghost by Paul (Col. iii. 12), “ Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another," &c. Oh, what sweetness there is in this chapter! The Lord work in us that which is well pleasing in His sight, "the work of faith with power;" to whom be glory, for ever and ever. Amen. No doubt many of your readers, with myself, feel very anxious on your behalf, that you may be preserved, amidst so many dangers. Therefore be it the desire of each one to petition the Divine Majesty to make bare his holy arm, as a shield round about you and yours. In haste, I remain, yours faithfully, Newtown, Jan. 15, 1847. A LOVER OF TRUTH. P.S. May the Lord dispose the hearts of more of your readers who have it in their power to contribute towards the poor starving Irish. REVIEW. Salvation only by Christ. London: William Foster, 6, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row ; 32mo- pp. 28. We have long known and circulated this little tract under another name, viz.— Glad Tidings—but it is not the less welcome because of its change of name, for it still belongs to the same family. It contains a very clear and plain statement of the only way of salvation, and we most cordially recommend it to our readers. The present day is remarkable for a very wide distribution of tracts of all kinds and descriptions, and many tract distributors never read the rubbish they circulate. We would wish such persons seriously to consider, whether they may not, unawares, be doing the devil's work, by circulating that seed which can only produce a crop of tares. It would be much better not to circulate anything, than to do the work at random. With a little care, and a few inquiries, we should easily meet with such sound tracts as the one now before us, which contains the pure unadulterated milk of the Word. [The annexed communication answers an inquiry proposed some time since by a Correspondent at Brighton. We hope our readers will have so good an appetite for the food herein supplied, as to lose sight of the plainness of the dish in which it is served up.-ED.] SIR, To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. I have met with the enclosed in a book, entitled, " Spiritual Songs; ; or, Songs of Praise, with Penitential Cries to Almighty God, upon several Occasions; together with the Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. First turned-then paraphrased in English verse &c. Fourteenth edition: London, 1750; and thinking its publication in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE might interest some of your readers, I have forwarded it. If you think it worthy of insertion, by so doing, you will oblige T. H. R. |