thought the ground of it unques- | light-but they were deficient, tionable. I should, therefore, or destitute, of the oil of saving take it as a favour, if any of your grace; in consequence of which, readers would solve the per- what they possessed soon became plexities which attach to their extinct. Our lamps" say they, clashing phraseology; or, if I am" are gone out." too rash in my conclusions, to convince me of my mistake. NOVITIO. LAMPS EXTINGUISHED; OR, Reflections on Matthew, xxv. 8. OUR Lord, in his public ministry, warned sinners of the misery to which they were exposed; and plainly informed them what was necessary to salvation.Hence he said to the Pharisees, "How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" And to a Jewish rabbi, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Those who made pretensions to religion, while destitute of saving grace, were apprized of the insufficiency of all their attainments, and taught, that not every one who said, Lord! Lord! would be saved. In the parable of the virgins, he strikingly sets forth the possibility and danger of being deceived; teaching us, that many who have the form of godliness are void of its power; and, while they seem to live, are dead in trespasses and sins. Such, while they make a blazing profession, are like meteors, that shine for a time, and soon disappear; or, to use the awful language of an apostle, they are" wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." In the character of the foolish virgins, there are three things observable, possession-deficiency -extinction. They were possessed of lamps, and a kind of They had lamps, by which we understand a Christian profession. But they had no oil in them; which intimates they had no grace in their hearts. We may conclude that they heard the gospel; or how could they have professed to love, receive, and be interested in it. Many sit under, and profess to approve, the most evangelical and faithful ministry, without receiving saving benefit. How many heard the apostles, and Christ himself, the great prophet, and yet remained in their sins! even Why," said Jesus, " call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" We may readily suppose they not only heard, but talked about religion. That, however, was no proof of grace in the heart. David speaks of one, who had been his familiar friend, with whom he had taken sweet counsel, and in whose company he had gone up to the house of God, that became an apostate. Their profession might also include a reformation of conduct. But lopping off the branches will not make the tree good. Ahab humbled himself, and Saul was greatly altered; but neither of them became a new man. They, no doubt, performed some religious duties, like Simon Magus, who believed and was baptized: and they joined themselves to the people of God. But all are not Israel who are of Israel. Saul was among the prophets, Judas among the apostles, and Demas among the first Christians; but neither possessed the root of the matter. in some degree have moved their passions, it never changed their hearts. Simon Magus believed the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, and was baptized, and continued with the apostle, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done; but, notwithstanding all this, it soon appeared that he was in the "gall of bitterness, and in the All this might be included in their profession, and the words seem to imply, that they possessed something more than this; for they had not only lamps, but some kind of light in them, or they could not have gone out. They had the light of a speculative knowledge. The apostle teaches, that it is possible to be in some sense enlightened, and taste the heavenly gift, and yet fall away, so as never to be re-bond of iniquity." They might covered again by repentance: yea, that we may have all knowledge, and understand all mysteries, and yet be destitute of love; which is the essence, the sum and substance, of real religion. They had, we may suppose, convictions of sin. These, men in general have, who do not go so far as to take up the lamp of profession. In seasons of affliction, when death stares them in the face, or in seasons of retirement, when reflection imposes itself, the consequences of sin are presented to their view, and their consciences accuse and condemn them; so that they are filled with dreadful apprehensions, and tremble at their impending doom. But when the present danger is past, they put the evil day afar off-their consciences are at rest, and they go on in sin, regardless of God and religion. They had a kind of faith. Not the faith of God's elect-that faith which is the gift of God, which purifies the heart, and works by love; and which, with true humility, receives Christ, so that he is formed in the heart the hope of glory, and becomes the life of the soul, the foundation of hope, and the object of supreme desire and delight. Their faith was unconnected with that influence, which is necessary to prove it divine and saving for though it might have had zeal as a natural passion, employed in religion, though not as a Christian grace. Jehu said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord;" but notwithstanding the vehemence of his zeal, he "took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin." They might have felt joy and pleasure ;—a sort of love to, and delight in, the things of religion; and all this without any true grace implanted or exercised. Is not this the case with many now? Perhaps conscience has terrified them, and they are pleased with the gospel because it proclaims pardon; they receive the news with a sort of joy, because they are glad to escape hell; and indulge a hope of heaven, without any living transforming union with the Saviour. Thus, in the parable of the sower, stony-ground hearers received the word with joy, and endured for a while. Perhaps they hear of the sufferings of Christ, and are ready to weep; the same as in seeing or hearing à tragedy. Perhaps they feel joy while assembled with a multitude, to hear a new or favorite preacher; the same as they would feel in going to any place of public resort or amusement. But such joy is only like the pleasure a person who has a taste for music feels at the sound of it. It is said of some, who heard the prophet Ezekiel, "They sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo! thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not." But what light they possessed was soon extinct. There is nothing more uncertain and fluctuating than the religion of false professors; and they are often very injurious to others, before it becomes quite extinct in themselves: like the ignis fatuus, or some false light, driven hither and thither by every wind; leading silly ones, who follow it, into bogs and mire, and then disappearing. When professors forsake their post, and are driven about with every wind of doctrine; when they have itching ears, and are following every lo! here, and lo! there; when they are running to see every reed shaken with the wind, being exceedingly pleased with one thing to-day, and another thing to-morrow. tan entered into the latter, and inflamed the covetous desires of his heart, he betrayed his Master, and sold his Lord and his profession at once. So have we seen professors apparently run well, and their profession shine for a season; but when their circumstances and connexions have been changed; when their own interest has come in contact with their religion; when powerful temptations have been presented to their passions; or, when they have been removed and placed in different society, we look for them as our brethren, with whom we used to associate; but, lo! they are no more as professing Christians! their lamps are gone out! 2. Sometimes it expires more gradually by sloth. The man that hid his lord's talent, instead of improving it, soon lost what he had. So the foolish virgins slumbered and slept, till their lamps went quite out. The wise slumbered, but they had real grace, and it never was extinct; though their lamps, from neglect, wanted trimming. "Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." "Give all diligence, that ye may be found of him in peace." There is in some countries an animal called a sloth, which is said to begin feeding at the bottom of a tree, and slowly ascends, as necessity impels, until it has stripped the tree of all its bark and leaves, and, consequently, must leave it in a dying state. Just such an obnoxious, destructive thing is that sloth which is seen continually hanging about 1. Sometimes it is extinguish- some professors of religion; and ed suddenly, by a blast of perse- though its advances are slow, it cution or temptation. Thus it will strip them of all the fine fowas with the stony-ground hear- liage of their profession; and, ers, and with Judas: when perse-like the worm in Jonah's gourd, cution arose, the former were cause their religion to wither, and immediately offended; when Sa- totally die away. All this is a sign their lamps are going out: like as you have seen a candle nearly consumed in the socket, it blazes, and presently is scarcely seen; it languishes again and again, till it is quite gone out. The lamp of a false profession goes out different ways: cannot possess too much love to God-delight in his ordinancesor zeal for his glory. Religion claims your supreme regard: it ought to employ all your powers, and influence all your passions; for it is the delight of God-the 3. Sometimes it is put out by depraved tempers and passions. As there is no principle of grace to subdue and mortify them, they grow and gather strength, even under a profession of religion, till they make the lamp appear very dim, and at length ex-admiration of angels-the chief tinguish it. concern of mortals, including 4. Some never cast away the their present and eternal happilamp; but all their zeal, affection, ness. "Wherefore, brethren, give joy, and supposed religious feel- diligence to make your calling ings go out. Instead of letting and election sure; add to your their light shine, they are en- faith, virtue; and to virtue, veloped in the shades of worldly-knowledge; and to knowledge, mindedness, and carnal security. Instead of walking as children of the light, and running the race set before them, they loiter, and like Pharoah's chariots with the wheels off, drag on heavily. They find excuses, as often as they can, for the neglect of the means of grace, and the ordinances of God's house; and when they can find none, force themselves to attend, but are almost ready to exclaim," Behold, what a weariness is it!" Thus they continue slumbering and sleeping, till the midnight cry, when they find too late that they have no oil in their vessels. temperance; and to temperance, Downton. CHARACTER OF HOWARD THE PHILANTHROPIST. (Extracted from the Philanthropie Gazette.) "January 20, 1790, died all that was mortal of John Howard, the friend of prisoners. He was on a visit of philanthropy at Cherson, in New Russia, and died a martyr to his benevolence in visiting a lady in a contagious fever. The eloquent Mr. Burke "Exa- says, How awful the end of false professors!" The door was shut." How happy the end of the sincere! They that were ready went in with him to the marriage." How strongly does our subject enforce the duty of self-examination and watchfulness. mine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves: know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" "Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." We do not mean to speak against zeal, and feeling, and the natural passions, being influenced by, and employed in, religion. You 'He visited all Europe and the East, not to survey the sumptuousness of palaces, or the stateliness of temples: not to make accurate measurements of the remains of ancient grandeur; nor to form a scale of the curi osity of modern art: not to collect medals, or to collate manuscripts; but to dive into the depth of dungeons-to plunge into the infection of hospitals-to survey the mansions of sorrow and pain-to take the guage and The Rev. Joshua Thomas dimensions of misery, depression, above mentioned, and William and contempt-to remember the Williams, Esq. of Cardigan, were forgotten to attend to the neg-assisted by some liberal persons lected-to visit the forsaken, and in London, in 1778, to send misto compare and collate the dis- sionaries, or itinerants, from the tresses of all men in all countries. Baptist churches in South Wales, His plan is original, and as full to preach the gospel in the North, of genius as it is of humanity.' for the purpose of establishing Perhaps Mr. Burke did not know the cause of Christ among them. that Mr. Howard was a Dissenter, I am informed, that two ministers a Calvinist, and a Baptist!" were sent every month, or every two months, through Merionethshire and Caernarvonshire. Between the nearest Baptist church in South Wales and Anglesey, where the first church was planted, is 140 miles. It may be information to some of our readers to be told, that Mr. Howard belonged to the church in Little Wild Street, London, then under the care of the late Dr. Samuel Stennett. The excellent Christian principles which led this truly virtuous man to imitate the Saviour in "going about doing good," led him also, in the genuine spirit of that divine precept, When ye have done all, say we are unprofitable servants,""&c., to give orders that no eulogy should be placed upon his tomb; and that nothing should be said, but "CHRIST IS MY HOPE!! EARLY RECORDS Ebenezer Church, at Llangefni, in Anglesey, North Wales. THE History of the Welsh Baptists by the laborious and judicious Rev. Joshua Thomas, of Leominster, mentions three churches only in North Wales, viz. Wrexham, Cefn-by-chau, and Glynnceirog, in Denbighshire. All the rest have been gathered within the last forty years. The first of these, situated in Llangefni, in the island of Anglesey, was founded June 20, 1779; of the means by which this was accomplished, and of subsequent events, I proceed to give a brief account. The ministers mostly employed in this work, whose names are as dear to the Baptists in North Wales, as those of Carey, Marshman, and Ward are to the converted in India, were, the Rev. David Evans, of Doleu, in Radnorshire, father of the present David Evans, who succeeded him in the pastoral office in that church. That venerable man laboured faithfully, and was taken to his rest many years since, much lamented by many. The following were not less faithful and diligent in their work; Rev. church at Aberduar, and brother Timothy Thomas, pastor of the to the Rev. Thomas Thomas, of Peckham. Rev. Zechariah Thomas his uncle. Rev. David Evans, now of Maerybullan, in Brecknockshire; who has made thirteen tours through the North. Rev. Daniel Davies, now pastor of the church at Llannelly. Rev. David Jones, then of Pontypool, one of the most celebrated and popular preachers of that age. Rev. Morgan Evans, of Paul-yceln. Rev. Henry Davis, of Llangloffan. William Williams, Esq. of Cardigan, has also visited the North. It is recollected, that he preached under an old oak, in the vicinity |