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The following letter does not bear the appellation “From a Friend in the Country,” which was normally affixed by John Lewis to Dutton’s contributions to The Weekly History. However, given its subject matter (note how it seems to enlarge the subject of her previous letter on ) and the way the letter is framed the style in which it is written, all point to Dutton as the author.
Mr. Lewis,
I take this Opportunity to send you the following Hints, if you think proper to let ‘’em have a Place in your Paper, it may please God to bless them to some dear Souls.
Yours, &c.
The Copy of a Letter to a Friend, concerning Disputes in Religion.
My Dear Friend,
I receiv’d yours: Our Friends here are Strangers to the Controversy you mention, and I shall endeavour to keep them so, because I think such fruitless Disputes are artfully introduced by the Devil, tempting us hereby to mis-spend our precious Time and Talents to cause Divisions, alienate Affections, to obstruct vital Religion, and a close walking with God. Why can’t we be satisfy’d wth a plain Scripture Account hereof? Is it not therein evident that all Christ’s Sheep who stand on his Right-hand in the Great Day (Matt.xxx. 33) in their several Generations, ’tis their Duty and Privilege to believe savingly in Christ; and every one of them have Power and Will given them so to do. But Satan’s Goats on Christ’s Left-hand, not one of these ever did, can, nor will so believe, who are condemn’d, not because they did not perform Impossibilities, but the Cause there express’d by the Great Judge, is, they did not do what was in their Power, and their Duty to have done, Matt. xxv. 41. ult. Why may not this silence such vain and unnecessary Controversies.
My dear Brother, Since the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh; Don’t we hear the Midnight-Cry? (Matt. xxv. 6.) Are we ready? (Ver. 10. Mar. xlii. 33, ult.) Are we sure we shall stand in that Day, when thousands fall? (Mal. iii. 1, 2, 3. Matt. xxv. 11, 12. Rev. vi. 15, 16, 17.) Give me Leave, in Obedience to sacred Advice, (Luke xxi. 34, 35, 36. 2 Cor. xiii. 5.) to recommend a more proper and necessary Subject for Conversation and serious Cnsideration, and if you think it so, I hope you will do the best to introduce it amongst Christians, in the room of the abovementioned Controversy, or any other unnecessary Subject of Conversation, which I trust will be a Service acceptable to God, injurious to the Devil, and profitable to Souls. May the Lord bless these Hints hereunto.
The Criterion of Christianity.
To mark out Truth and Falshood, Wise and Foolish Virgins, Real and Nominal Christians, to the Law and to the Testimony, (Isa. viii. 20.) The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last Day, (John xii. 48.) Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word (Isa. lxvi. 5.)
Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven (Mat. vii. 21, ult. By their Fruits ye shall know them (Mat. vii. 16, – 20.)
Note, The Children of God do the Will of their Father: And the Children of the Devil do the Will of their Father (John viii. 44.)
To whom ye yield yourselves Servants to obey, his Servants ye are whom ye obey, (Rom. vi. 16.)
Note, God’s Servants obey the Will of their Master: The Devil’s Servants obey the Will of their Master.
’Tis plain that whatever is the revealed Will of God, the Reverse is the Will of the Devil.
Examine yourselves whether you are in the Faith, prove your ownselves, &c. (2 Cor. xiii. 5.) In this the Children of God are manifest, and the Children of the Devil (I John iii. 10, 11.)
The Children of GOD do the Will of their Father, and follow Christ to Heaven.
1. The Will of GOD.
It is the Will of God, that in order to our Salvation we believe in Christ by a Faith of the Operation of God (Acts x. 48. Mar. xvi. 16. Col. ii. 12.) That we be born again, converted, and become as little Children (John iii. 3-5. Matt. xviii. 3.)
The Children of the Devil do the Will of their Father, and follow him to Hell.
1. The Will of the Devil.
It is the Will of the Devil, that we expect to be saved with no better a Faith than that of Devils (Jam. ii. 19, 20.) That we expect to go to Heaven without being born again, or being converted, and becoming as little Children, as knowing such cannot escape Hell.
Query, Do I thus believe, am I born again, converted, &c. – Or, Do I rest easy in the Will of the Devil?
2.
It is the Will of God, that we be Holy in all manner of Conversation (I Pet. i. 15, 16.) That our Thoughts, Words, and Ways be Holiness to the Lord (Heb. xii. 14.) That our Speech be alway with Grace (Col. iv. 6.)
2.
It it the Will of the Devil, that we be unholy in our Thoughts, Words, and ways; that we speak sinful, idle, and unprofitable Words: Because he knows such are in the direct way to Hell (Heb. xii. 14. Jam. i. 22, – 26. Matt. xii. 35, 36, 37.)
Query, Am I doing the Will of God, or the Will of the Devil? Am I going to Heaven or Hell?
3.
It is the Will of God, that we from our Hearts forgive all Offences and Trespasses (Matt. vi. 14, 15. Chap. xviii. 23, – 25.) That we love God with all our Hearts, &c. and our Neighbour as ourselves (Matt. xxii. 37, – 39). That we love our Enemies, pray for, and do good to them that hate us, and despitefully use us (Matt. v. 44.) That we overcome all Evil with Good (Rom. xii. 21.)
Note, The Children of God do the Will of their Father, and go to Heaven.
3.
It is the Will of the Devil, that we do not love God with all our Hearts, nor our Neighbour as ourselves; that we do not love our Enemies, nor do good to them who hate us, that we do not overcome Evil with Good, nor forgive Offences abd Trespasses, because then he knows that ours shall never be forgiven (Matt. vi. 15. Chap. xviii. 23, – 25.)
Note, The Children of the Devil do the Will of their Father, and go to Hell.
Query, Whose Will do I obey? Who is my Father? What am I doing? Whither am I going? [p. 4]
4. The Will of GOD.
It is the Will of God that we do unto all Men as we would they should do unto us (Matt. vii. 12.) That we confess our own Faults (Jam. v. 16.) and what we conceal the Faults of others (Prov. x. 12.) That we reprove them faithfully in Meekness and Love (Lev. xix. 17. Eph. vi. 11. 2 Tim. xi. 25.) And that we receive Reproof thankfully (Psal. cxli. 5.) That we do not receive Reports nor Reproaches against other (Psal. xv.) that we judge no Man, nor no Case, ’till we hear the Accused’s Defence (Mat. vii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.) That we be not guilty of evil Surmisings (Zech. viii. 17. I Tim. vi. 4.) That we carefully and constantly abstain from those horrible Sins of Tale-bearing (Lev. xix. 16. Whispering (2 Cor. xii. 20.) Evil-speaking (Jam. iv. 11.) Sowing Discord (Prov. vi. 18.) Slandering (Psal. l. 20, 21, 22.) Lying (Rev. xxi. 8.) and all other Sins of the Tongue (Jam. i. 26. Chap. iii. 1, 2, &c.)
4. The Will of the Devil.
It is the Will of the Devil that we do not do unto all Men as we would thy should do unto us: That we conceal our own Faults, and talk of the Faults of others: That we do not reprove faithfully, nor receive Reproof thankfully: That we receive Reports and Reproaches against others, and judge or censure Persons without hearing their Defence: That we be guilty of Evil-surmising, and imagine Evil in our Hearts against others, and that we be guilty of some, or all of those horrible Sins of Talebearing, Whispering, Evil-speaking, Sowing Discord, Slandering, Lying, and other sins of the Tongue: Because these things are a main Support to the Devil’s Kingdom, and secures his Interest in those who belong to the Synagogue of Satan. These do the Lust, or Will of their Father the Devil, and are in the direct Way to Hell (Rom. vi. 21.)
Query, What is my Practice? Who is my Master? Am I going to Heaven, or Hell?
5.
It is the Will of God, that we redeem Time (Col. iv. 5.) Do all to the Glory of God (I Cor. x. 31.) That we love not the World (I John ii. 15.) have our Conversation in Heaven, that we simpathize with the Afflicted, and minister to Christ in his afflicted Members (Matth. xxv. 34, to 41.)
5.
It is the Will of the Devil, that we mis-spend Time, seek our own Glory, think little of Heaven, and love this World, that we do not simpathize with the afflicted, nor minister to Christ in his afflicted Members: Because he knows such will be condemned to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angesl. (Mat. xxv. 41. ult.)
Query, What is my Practice? Shall I stand or fall in the Judgment? (Eccl. xii. 14. Ps. i. 5.) [no. 49, p. 1]
6.
It is the Will of God that we be meek and lowly in Heart and Life (Matt. xi. 29. I Pet. v. 5.) That we esteem others better than ourselves (Phil. ii. 3.) That we abstain from, and put off Anger, Wrath, Envy, &c. and that above all things we put on Love (Eph. iv. 22.—31, 32. Col. iii. 14.) That we dwell in Love (I John iv 16.) and walk in Love, (Eph. v. 2.)
7.
It is the Will of God, that we deny ourselves Self-Wisdom, Self-Will, Self-Honour, Self-Dependance, Self-Righteousness, and take up our Cross daily, and follow Christ, (Mark viii. 34.) Living in the Will (Mat. vi 10.) Strength (Isa. xii. 2.) and Righteousness of God (Jer. Xxiii. 6. Phil. iii. 9.) Seeking the Honour that cometh from God only (John v. 44. I. Cor. x. 31.)
6.
It is the Will of the Devil, that we be proud, and esteem ourselves better than others: That we put off Love, and put on Anger, Wrath, &c. whenever we are offended; this being the very Nature and Will of the Devil, the Element in which he lives, moves, and delights; herein Men have one Nature and Will with the Devil.
7.
It is the Will of the Devil, that we do not deny ourselves, but seek to please ourselves, seek our own Will, Honour, and Interest; lean to our own Understanding, and trust in our own Wisdom, Strength, and Righteousness; these are governing Principles in all unregenerate Persons, whether openly prophane, or Professors of Religion, whereby they discover that they have one Nature and Will with the Devil.
Query, On which Side stands my Name? Whose Son and Servant am I? Am I going to Heaven or Hell? Have I been doing the Will of God, or the Will of the Devil? How will it be with me when God shall bring every Work into Judgment (Eccl. xii. 14.) When they are tried by Fire (I Cor. iii. 13.) and I must give an Account of myself unto God (Rom. xiv. 12.) [p. 2]
Hence we may learn (1.) That Persons may be great Professors of, and Practisers in Religion, and think themselves the Children of God, and yet be the Children of the Devil; thus the Jews formerly (John viii. 41,--44.) and foolish Virgins now (Matt. xxv. 11, 12. Chap xxii. 11, 12, 13.)
2. That those who profess to do the Will fo god, and ractise the Will fo the Devil in Life, and expect to escape Hell and go to Heaven at Death, are under a strong Delusion: As also are all who expect to be saved by their own Works; when God in his Word declares, they shall not (Eph. ii. 8, 9.)
3. It appears that true Godliness is another thing than what most People think it to be; and that the Devil has a far larger Kingdom, and far more Subjects among Professors of Religion, whom he deceives and governs, as transformed into an Angel Of Light, than what most are aware of.
4. A Person may earnestly contend for the true Faith, and with much Zeal and Delight daily preach the Great Truths of the Gospel, with the Experimental and Practical Parts of Chrisitanity in a proper Consistency, and yet be a Child of the Devil. A most shocking Instance of this Nature I was lately conversant with. See I Cor. xiii. 1, 2, 3.
5. How shocking and terrible must an everlasting Disappointment be at Death!
6. Since such Subjects as these are so awful and necessary, may all that fear God labour to introduce them instead of fruitless Disputes and unprofitable Conversation, in Obedience to the repeated Calls and advice of God in his Word, and now his awful Calls of Providence. My Best Wishes attend you, and all the Friends of Christ (John xv. 14.) with you.
Yours Affectionately, &c.
Text: The Weekly History, no. 48, 6 March 1741-2, pp. 2-4; no. 49, 13 March 1741-2, pp. 1-2.
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