At this time, the neighbourhood was but thinly inhabited, and for some years the Chapel at Old Penshar was sufficiently large for the congregation. But the Collieries becoming more extensive, the population rapidly increased, and it became necessary to obtain a larger and more central Chapel. They exerted themselves exceedingly to procure ground and money for this good work. MR. ALLAN gave £110 towards it, superintended the building, and travelled from place to place to solicit pecuniary assistance. In these engagements the LORD greatly blessed his soul; and, at many times, when he sat down to his meals, he was so filled with spiritual consolation, that tears of delight would roll down his face, while his heart was overwhelmed with grateful love to God. Soon he had the happiness of beholding a large and commodious Chapel erected at Shiney-Row; the work of God began to revive; many were soon converted to righteousness; the heavenly flame spread into the adjacent villages; and great numbers of those who were the first-fruits of this pious undertaking have finished their course with joy. In their holy lives, and peaceful deaths, MR. A. used to rejoice as a father. His liberality was great. There are few Chapels, within a large circle around Shiney-Row, to which he did not freely contribute; and few benevolent Institutions among the Methodists, which he did not support by his cheerful subscription. Nor was his generosity confined to those of his own religious denomination; for it extended to every sect, where he believed that the work for which his aid was solicited was pleasing to God. He tenderly sympathized with the afflicted, and was always ready to relieve them. Often, by his kindness, the fatherless have been succoured, and the widow's heart made to sing for joy. He had a great regard for the rising generation of the poor, and established a Sunday-School for their benefit: he gave Five Pounds annually towards its support, and personally attended it every Sunday, from its commencement to the time of his last illness. Every instance of its usefulness to the children, afforded him peculiar pleasure. He took special notice of those scholars who behaved well; and when he could no longer attend the School, he would frequently request MRS. A. to draw back his window-curtains, that he might have the pleasure of seeing the children as they went or returned. His integrity was inviolable: his word was his bond, and might be fully depended upon, even if, in any case, it operated to the injury of his temporal interests. His uprightness and fidelity procured for him many friends; some of whom were persons in the first rank in life, who were induced to favour the cause of God among the Methodists on his account. His natural disposition was kind and peaceable, and this temper was greatly strengthened by the grace of GoD, SO that he was seldom ruffled or disturbed in spirit.-From the time when he first received a sense of peace with GOD to the day of his death, he was in general very careful to retain it: but in one instance, being in company, and not duly watching unto prayer, he gave way to what was evil; which robbed him of his spiritual comfort. He mourned over his loss; repented before the LORD in dust and ashes; soon again obtained mercy; and was restored to that joy of salvation, which he never afterwards lost. For more than three years before he died, it was evident that he was rapidly declining in health. He suffered strong pains, which he endured with great submission; and carefully attended to that admonition, "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live." He not only settled all his temporal affairs, but diligently examined his heart, and found that he had built his hopes of future felicity on a sure foundation. "The precious blood of CHRIST" was that in which alone he trusted for salvation. He had some powerful temptations from Satan, one of which was grounded on the conviction he felt of the comparative uselessness of his past life; but he was enabled by faith to overcome it. He never lost his hope in CHRIST; but had firm hold of the promise of eternal life, and often said, "Though I walk through the valley and shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and staff they comfort me." He had not those dying raptures which some have experienced; but his peace and joy were solid and constant. Not a doubt rested upon his mind respecting his acceptance with GoD. To a friend he said, "Had I now to seek religion, I should be in an awful state; but, blessed be GOD, I have it in possession." When any called to see him, who were not experimentally acquainted with CHRIST, he exhorted them to begin immediately to seek the LORD, as the only way to secure a safe and peaceful death. As the closing scene drew near, his confidence in God became stronger, and he was enabled more triumphantly than ever to vanquish the temptations by which he was occasionally assailed. A short time before he died, he was very happy, and frequently expressed his gratitude to God for all his goodness towards him; crying out, "Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name." To a friend he said, "I feel firm footing on the Rock of Ages. JESUS is precious to me." On Thursday, April 10th, 1823, his spirit took its flight to eternal joy. -Thus died WILLIAM ALLAN, of Shiney-Row, aged seventy-three; who was greatly beloved and esteemed by a numerous circle of acquaintance, many of whom came from far, unrequested, to attend his funeral. May they follow him as he followed CHRIST, and meet him again in heaven! Sunderland. J. WALMSLEY. FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS: THE SUBSTANCE OF A DISCOURSE DELIVERED BEFORE THE NEW ENGLAND CON- (From the American Methodist Magazine.) PSALM lxii. 12. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. THE Bible is the history of GoD, as the Creator and moral Governor of the world. It teaches man the relations he stands in to God, and the obligations he is under to Him. It also holds out to man motives to obedience. These motives, none can doubt, are designed to have an influence on those to whom they are addressed. And as they make up a considerable part in the volume of revelation, and are every where in the Scriptures represented in an important light, it is very evident that the influence they are designed to have in the divine administration is very essential. It is necessary, therefore, that they should be rightly understood, or their designed influence will be counteracted. For in the same proportion as our views of these motives are erroneous, will their effects upon our minds be lessened or destroyed. Now some of the principal of these spurs to duty, these incitements to obedience, are the rewards and penalties annexed to GOD'S law. They are summarily contained, and comprehensively expressed, in that declaration, "JEHOVAH renders to every man according to his work." With the certainty, import, and extent of this truth, therefore, we should be well acquainted. And it is also becoming that we should feel and acknowledge that these sanctions to the divine authority are suited to the nature of man and the character of God; and that, therefore, for the very reason that he has fixed and will enforce these sanctions, he is to be acknowledged as a God of Mercy. How important and instructing, then, is an examination of this subject! And how well suited as a foundation for this investigation, are these words which we have selected from the Psalmist :"Also unto thee, O LORD, belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his work." In these words we have the two following heads of doctrine. I. God rewards and punishes every man according to his works. II. Because God rewards and punishes every man according to his works, he is therefore a God of Mercy. I. God rewards and punishes every man according to his works. 1. The truth of this proposition rests not on one or two passages of Scripture, but on the whole tenor of the Bible. Every where, in the Book of God, we learn that he gives his approbation, accompanied with specified blessings, to the righteous; while his displeasure, manifested in specified rebukes and penalties, rests upon the wicked. And this general scope of the sacred writings, which is, of itself, an abundant confirmation of the doctrine under examination, is rendered clearer and stronger, by the express passages interspersed through the whole volume of revelation. We notice a few of them. "And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works ? " (Prov. xxiv. 12.) "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jer. xvii. 10.) And again, "Great in counsel, and mighty in work for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jer. xxxii. 19.) "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matt. xii. 37.) And, "For the SON OF MAN shall come in the glory of his FATHER with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works." (Matt. xvi. 27.) "Who" (that is, GoD) "shall render to every man according to his deeds." (Rom. ii. 6.) "And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour." (1 Cor. iii. 8.) For, "We must all appear before the judgment-seat of CHRIST, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. v. 10.) "Be not deceived; GoD is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Gal. vi. 7.) Knowing that of the LORD ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD CHRIST. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons." (Col. iii. 24, 25.) " And I will give unto every one of you according to his works." (Rev. ii. 23.) And again, "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Rev. xxii. 12.) These passages are so plain that they need no comment. And they clearly prove, that every man shall receive at the hand of God a righteous retribution for all his works." 2. When does God render to every man according to his works? The text says, "Thou renderest," in the present tense ;-though in most of the passages, it will be seen, it is expressed in the future. "He will render," &c. But we cannot fix upon the time when this shall take place, merely from the tense of the verb.. When we read, "Thou renderest," we are not to infer that God always renders, at the present time, and at the present time only, to every man according to his works, but that this is his character, this is the established principle of his government. Neither when it is said, "He will render, Ye shall receive," &c., does it certainly follow, from this mode of expression, that this retribution will only be in the future world. But the time must be determined from God's known method of proceeding, and from the period marked out by his word. Now, we know God does not reward every man according to his works in this world. It is true, he administers his government in such a manner, as to show in many instances, even in this life, his approbation of righteousness, and his disapprobation of sin. But the sinner is not always the most wretched here, neither is the saint always the most happy. Compare their outward enjoyments. GOD has chosen his people in the furnace of afflictions. And more than one has had occasion to say, "If in this life only we have hope, we are of all men the most miserable." Many of them have lived in jeopardy all their lives, so that they could say with truth, "I die daily," and at last have suffered the most painful martyrdoms ;while their only support has been, "Great is your reward in heaven." And if Gon himself has directed them to look to heaven principally for their reward, who will presume to say it is in this life only? The sinner, on the other hand, frequently flourishes. "He is in great power, and spreadeth himself like a green bay-tree. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued as other men. Their eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than heart could wish." And when they die, "they have no bands in their death, but their strength is firm." This, before he reflected upon the retribution which awaited them, made the Psalmist "envious at the foolish," when he "saw the prosperity of the wicked." And he began to conclude, that he had "cleansed his heart in vain, and washed his hands in innocency;" for he had been "plagued all the day long, and chastened every morning." But when he went into the sanctuary of GoD, and was there taught, from his holy oracles, the principles of his government, then he "saw their end." Neither can it be conceded that the balances of retributive justice are equalized in this world, by the compunctions of conscience in the one case, and its approbation in the other. For many a scrupulous saint has suffered more in his feelings, for his inadvertent errors, or even for his unavoidable imperfections, than some hardened transgressors do for heinous crimes. Some, in consequence of weakness of nerves, or through the power of temptation, are kept trembling for years till death introduces them to the regions of light and joy : While the hardened sinner, having seared his conscience with a hot iron, goes on, without compunction within, or affliction without, daring heaven and disregarding man, till by some sudden stroke, he is unexpectedly, and with little pain, hurried into the eternal world. |