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THE CHRISTIAN'S ARMORY.

No. 28.]

SEPTEMBER, 1807. [No. 4. VOL. III.

Biography.

MEMOIRS OF MISS ELIZABETH HUTCHINSON, (GRAND DAUGHTER OF THE LATE EDWARD HUTCHINSON, ESQ.) WHO DIED JULY 10, 1800, NEAR BIRMINGHAM, ENG. IN THE 21ST YEAR OF

HER AGE.

Compiled from a Sermon occasioned by her death, and a narrative and letters of the deceased, published by the Rev. Edward Burn, A. M.

WERE the design of the following memoirs to delineate a character of strong sense, invigorated by patient inquiry, and enriched by various, and, at her age, uncommon endowments; the life of the late Miss HUTCHINSON would furnish ample materials. But the object here aimed at is of a much bigber nature. It is to show how such a character is adorned by real and distinguished piety. It is indeed to be lamented, that such a combination of excellencies should be deemed rare; but the melancholy truth is, that the age of youth is generally marked by a levity of temper and frivolity of pursuit, which tend to impress the fatal notion, that piety and weakness are synonymous terms; or, at the best, that religion is utterly inconsistent with true happiness. Indeed, the world generally account vital religion to be folly. But the young reader should remember, there is anothVol. III. No. 4. T

er who judgeth; and that, in his estimation, "The fear of the Lord is wisdom."

It was the privilege of Miss Hutchinson to be the daughter of parents, who feared God, and who, by a large acquaintance with the enjoyments and disappointments of life, were eminently qualified to direct and assist her inquiries respecting both worlds. To the religious care of their children, their united exertions were uniformly directed; and God graciously smiled on their endeavours. Parents are here entreated to recollect, amid all their cares, that the religious instruction of their children is a primary duty.

Those young

people, who have unhappily undervalued or misimproved the blessing of godly instruction, should also be reminded, that Miss Hutchinson, during her long affliction, and in her dying hours, was filled with gratitude and praise to God for this singular mercy.

She early discovered the love of knowledge, and pursued it with uncommon ardour and success. Besides a complete acquaintance with what is generally deemed necessary to an English education, she made very considerable progress in zoology and botany, and has left several specimens of her ingenuity on these subjects, which would not dis grace a master.

But she had still higher objects, which engaged her attention, and which sanctified and ennobled every inferior pursuit. At the age of fourteen she became hopefully pious. From that period, the extraordinary vigour and improvement of her faculties may be dated. So true it is, that real piety, far from debasing or contracting the powers of the mind, is adapted to elevate and enlarge them; instead of checking their due exertion, it calls them into action, and consecrates them to their proper

use.

Her inquiries on the subject of religion were attended with peculiar earnestness of mind. Though remarkably vigilant in her attention to the ordinances of public worship, she was much in retirement; and though extensively acquainted with the works of the best modern divines, her principal books were the Bible and her own heart. Here her progress was truly astonishing. Not satisfied with an enlarged and accurate knowledge of what may be attained by our English version, she applied to the study of the Hebrew scriptures; and with such success, that, during the two last years of her life, she read the original of the Old Testament not only with ease, but with a de

gree of critical discernment, that would justly be held reputable in the sacred profession. Such was her facility and delight in this holy study, that she abridged, at the age of sixteen, the Hebrew Grammar and Lexicon of Parkhurst; and, during the last six months of her illness, she compiled, and wrote out with her own hand, a large Grammar and Praxis of the sacred tongue, both of which were executed in a style of superior accuracy and beauty. These were presented to her parents, as tokens of filial regard.

It may be proper to remark, that these extraordinary attainments were not accompanied by any airs of affected superiority. Far from that pert loquacity, which, without regard to circumstances, obtrudes itself on all occasions, she heard in modest silence, discriminated with judgment, and treasured up whatever was valuable in the observations of others.

But the prominent feature in Miss Hutchinson's character was piety; not, indeed, that heartless and formal thing, which consists in bodity exercise, or in accomplishing a round of external duties; nor that superficial and showy thing, which, despising forms, spends itself in profession and words; but, that enlightened, solid, and holy principle, which humbles the heart, magnifies the Saviour, and dedicates the life to his service. Her humility was deep and habitual, and such as becomes every disciple of Jesus. She saw the refuge, which the gospel sets before us, and fled to it for safety; and this she found the sanctuary of peace.

Her views of sin were extensive and deep. Seldom, if ever,

(says Mr. Burn) have I witnessed in so young a person, and of such amiable qualities, so entire a sense of personal demerit before God. Though, in her conduct as a child, an instance of filial disobedience could scarcely be recollected, she nevertheless felt herself to be a sinner against Heaven. Her hours of retirement were spent in meditation on her apostasy from God, her unbelief, and her want of that conformity to his will, which his word requires. Appealing from human judgment, as the criterion of religious character, she directed her attention to the law of God, as the transcript of his own perfections, and the only perfect and infallible measure of the crea ture's obligation. The same gracious teaching, which convinced ber of sin, which discovered its malignity and guilt, as a transgression of the law, brought her also to acknowledge that its sentence would be just, were it to be executed upon herself. She saw, that so far from being able to recommend herself to God by the merit of her obedience to any conditions, legal or evangelical, that "by the law no flesh can be justified in his sight;" and that she must be "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." This discipline of the law, in the hand of the Spirit, was not the result of a sudden or single impression on the mind. It had none of those characters of an enthusiastic profession, which distinguished the stony ground bearers. It was a conviction of the conscience, following the information of the understanding, and vouchsafed in the use of means; that is, in reading the

scriptures, in earnest prayer, and in an attendance on the ordinances of public worship, with a simple dependence on the prom-. ised aids of God's blessed Spirit.

The following extract from a letter, written to her mother, expresses her own views relative to her awakening and conversion.

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"You give me encouragement freely to state to you the concerns of my soul, and you say, the more open and free I ain, the greater satisfaction it will afford you; and therefore I shall write what first occurs. I shall begin, by telling you, the first thing which put me upon an inquiry, was hearing the ser mons of Jonathan Edwards, upon man's enmity to God, which you read on Sunday evenings. doubt you remember the dislike and opposition, which I then shewed to them. Before that time, I had no notion of my character as a sinner, and even then I was not fully convinced of it; for though unable to deny, I was yet unwilling to confess it. But the Lord was so merciful to me, that, from that time, I daily felt the burden increasing, till at last I found it was too heavy for me to bear, and that I must seek help from one that is mighty. Fisher's "Marrow of Modern Divinity," and Boston on the "Covenant of Works," were of great use to me in convincing me what a sad state I was in. O! how heavy did I then feel the curse of the law hanging upon me! I knew not what to do, nor where to flee for safety. I had no one, to whom I could open my mind, for this was at the time when you were confined. heart was indeed overwhelmed within me, and I felt no comfort,

My

till the Lord, of his great mercy, set me upon the "Rock that is higher than I." A sermon, Mr. preached from Is. xxvi. 1,2, "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; we have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation, which keepeth the truth, may enter in ;" the Lord was pleased to bless to me, and it was the means of restoring peace to my troubled soul. This text also, "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest," was graciously applied to me. O! what a change did I then feel! My burden, like poor Christian's at the cross, seemed to fall from off my back, and I could go away rejoicing, as he did."

In the following extract she bewails her short comings in duty, and her depravity: "Alas! what do I render to the Lord for all his mercies unto me? Do I live to his glory? Do I honour his name? or rather, do I not daily dishonour him? I find, indeed, that the good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do; and this it is which makes me cry out with the apostle, "O wretched creature that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death!" May I also say with him, "I thank God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."

She entertained high and animating views of Christ, and the method of salvation. In a letter to her mother, she says: "Who can describe the love of Jesus! Who can tell what he hath done

to ransom fallen, guilty man! It surpasses, far surpasses all human power even so much as to conceive of it." He is altogether lovely, the chief among ten thousand." I find my heart drawn out after him; I love, I praise, I wonder. O! that I could express what at times I feel, when enjoying his presence ! "In his presence is life, and at his right hand there are pleasures forevermore." Jesus is my portion and my all: "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth I desire in comparison with thee." I love him supremely; every thing else, compared with him, is less than nothing, and vanity. “As the hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" In him, and in him alone, will I rejoice. "My soul shall triumph in the Lord, and make her boast in the God of her salvation." It is the delightful theme of praise, which occupies the tongues of angels and redeemed spirits throughout eternity. O! I long to join with them in singing this song, which is ever new. Jesus is gone before to prepare a place for me, and when he has made it ready for me, and me for it, then will he take me home to himself, to join the church triumphant, in ascribing "praise and glory to the Lamb forevermore." Till then I would follow the church militant here on earth, and raise my voice with hers, in praising our great Redeemer."

These expressions are not to be resolved into rhapsody and passion; they are such as we ought to use respecting him, "who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person;" him, who loved his church, and gave himself for it;" him, to whom Miss H. felt indebted for all her salvation, and to whom she delighted, from gratitude, to ascribe all the glory. "We love him because he first loved us ;" and so far are we from carrying this generous affection to excess, in our admiration of the Son of God, that our highest and best expressions of love to him fall infinitely below their adorable object; and come short even of the sense of obligation we feel to his rich mercy. It may be conceived by some a strange thing, to speak of religion, as an inward, vital, and transforming principle. But surely it is more strange to conceive how it can benefit any one, without being so. There is no such absurdity as this in the common concerns of life. Riches, in speculation, are held of little value by those, who have them in possession; and all persons can distinguish between the reputed efficacy of a medicine, in the prescription of a physician, and its actual effect on the health of the patient. Persons may acknowledge the authority of the Bible, and express a preference for certain sentiments, without the admission of religion into their hearts. The difference be tween the form of godliness and the power is essential; and this important distinction turns entirely on receiving, or not receiving the religion of Christ into the heart.

The effects of evangelical principles were conspicuous in the conduct of Miss Hutchinson. "The tree is known by its fruits." The wisdom of this maxim is universally allowed; but, unhap pily, neither the tree nor its fruit is, in general, properly discriminated. Nature is constantly confounded with grace, and the fruits of nature mistaken for those of the Spirit. If a young person be amiable, discover a decent respect for the institutions of relig ion, and, especially, if correct in his morals, he is, of course, with the generality, a religious and good man.

We mean not to disparage amiable qualities, much less would we discourage, in youth, a reverence for the appointments of religion, or the sanctions of morality; at the same time, we admonish them to beware, how they mistake qualities, which may be purely natural, for grace; and effects, which may proceed from education and habit only, for the genuine and distinguishing fruits of the holy Spirit. The truth is, these properties, though excellent in themselves, are manifestly defective, not only in their principle, but in the measure and motive. The fountain of desire and of action, the heart, is corrupt before God; and the Lord, who searches the heart, declares, "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.” The tree, therefore, must be made good, and the fruit will be good also. Where this change is real, the man not only becomes "a new creature," but a new character; his religious and moral deportment, though formerly correct, will now receive

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