AN ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE COLONIES
ESTABLISHED IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND NORFOLK ISLAND.
By the Rev.
Richard Johnson, A.B., Chaplain to the Colonies Written in the year 1792
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THE FIRST CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA Built by the Reverend Richard Johnson The Christian message in
presented form was of paramount importance to some early Australians. For
instance, the first pamphlet printed in South Australia was written by Thomas
Quinton Stow, their first Congregational Minister, and was entitled
Redemption Interesting to Angels published in 1838 by k Macdougal. George Robertson (not of A & R) built up a
huge wholesale business last century, especially amongst country booksellers,
to whom he granted extensive credit. His first publication was also a gospel
message. AN ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE
COLONIES Established in New South Wales and Norfolk Island By the Rev. Richard Johnson, A.B.--Chaplain to the Colonies Written in the year 1792London: Printed for the Author: And sold by Mathews, Strand;
Deighton, Holborn; Trap, Paternoster-Row; and Goff and
Amey, No. 8, Ivy-Lane, MDCCXCIV. TO ALL THE INHABITANTS AND ESPECIALLY TO
THE UNHAPPY PRISONERS and CONVICTS IN THE COLONIES ESTABLISHED AT PORT
JACKSON and NORFOLKISLAND This affectionate address is dedicated and
presented, by their very sincere and sympathizing friend, and faithful
servant, in the Gospel of Christ, Richard Johnson. To the British and other European Inhabitants of
NEW SOUTH WALES and NORFOLK ISLAND. My Beloved, I do not think it necessary to make an apology
for putting this Address into your hands; or to enter into a long detail of
the reasons which induced me to write it. One reason may suffice. I find I cannot express
my regard for you, so often, or so fully, as I wish, in any other way. On our first arrival in this distant part of the
world, and for some time afterwards, our numbers were comparatively small;
and while they resided nearly upon one spot, I could not only preach to them
on the Lord's day, but also converse with them, and admonish them, more
privately. But since that period, we have gradually
increased in number every year (notwithstanding the great mortality we have
sometimes known) by the multitudes that have been sent hither after us. The
colony already begins to spread, and will probably spread more and more every
year, both by new settlements formed in different places under the crown, and
by a number of individuals continually becoming settlers. Thus the extent of
what I call my parish, and consequently of my parochial duty, is enlarging
daily. On the other hand, my health is not so good, nor my constitution so
strong, as formerly. And therefore I feel it impracticable, and impossible
for me, either to preach, or to converse with you so freely, as my
inclination and affection would prompt me to do. I have therefore thought it might be proper for
me, and I hope it may prove useful to you, to write such an address as
I now present you with. I transmitted a copy of it to my friends in England,
with a request, that if they approved of it, a sufficient number might be
printed, and sent to me. Thus I am now able to leave with you a testimony of
my affection for you, and of my sincere and heart-felt concern, for your
best, because your eternal, welfare. My times are in
the hand of God. He, and He only, knows how long I may live, or how long my
present connection with you, may continue. I trust, however, that so long as
the all-wise Disposer of all events shall be pleased to spare my life, and
strength; and government shall deem my services in this remote land,
necessary, it will still be, as it has hitherto been, my most ardent desire,
my uniform endeavour, and my greatest pleasure, to promote your happiness.
And when recalled to my native country, or removed by my God to my
eternal home, to receive that crown of righteousness, which I humbly trust is
laid up for me, by reading and carefully perusing the following pages, I hope
you will be convinced, and reminded how sincerely you were pitied, and how
dearly beloved by At this date, exclusive of those who died or
were born on the voyages from England:
Baptisms.......................... 226 ADVERTISEMENT The Author hopes that all well-disposed persons
will excuse the imperfections they may meet with in this Address. It is the
first time of his appearance in print, and may be the last. Nor would he have
attempted it now, were it not for the very peculiar situation he is in, and
the hope he entertains, that his feeble, but he trusts, sincere, attempt,
may, by the blessing of God, be made useful to those unhappy persons, with
whom he is so nearly connected, and for whose salvation and happiness he is
so deeply concerned. And he returns his most sincere and hearty thanks
to true Christians of every denomination, for their kind remembrance of him
at the throne of grace. He still hopes, because he still needs, a continuance
of their fervent prayers to God for him, That he may be endued with those
gifts, and with that wisdom, zeal, and faithfulness which are so needful to
direct, support, and strengthen him - and may be favoured with more manifold
and abundant success in that arduous, trying, yet honourable, and at times he
can say, pleasant and delightful work, in which he is engaged. ADDRESS I beseech you, brethren, suffer this word of
exhortation. Your souls are precious. They are precious in the sight of
God. They are precious to the Lord Jesus Christ. They are precious in my
esteem. Oh that you yourselves were equally sensible of their value. We have now been here almost five years. During
this time, I trust, I have been faithful in the discharge of my duty,
faithful to my God, my country, my conscience, and to your immortal
souls. I would, nay I do, humbly hope, that my labours
have not been wholly in vain. Some of you, I trust, have been convinced of
your folly, sin and danger; you have earnestly sought, and happily found
mercy with God through a Mediator. You can now approach him as a God
reconciled, a merciful Father and Friend, and are evidencing the reality of
your conversion, by an upright life and conversation. But I must express my fear, that those of you,
who are thus convinced of sin, and converted to God, and reformed from your
evil courses, are comparatively very few. It is too evident, that the far
greater part of you discover no concern for religion. The Great God, the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, death, judgment, eternity, heaven and hell -
these are subjects which seldom, if at all, engage your attention; and
therefore you spend days, weeks, months and years, in a profane and careless
manner, though you are repeatedly informed and reminded in the most plain,
faithful, and alarming language I can use, that the wages of sin, without
repentance is death (Rom. vi.23), the curse of God, and the eternal
ruin and damnation of your souls! Oh, I intreat you, brethren, to consider what is
contained in these two words, salvation and damnation ! The one
implies everything that an immortal soul can want or desire to make it happy.
The other includes an idea, the most gloomy and dreadful that can be
conceived. The former will be the admiration of angels, and the song and joy
of the redeemed; the latter will be the torment of devils, and of all
impenitent sinners, for ever and ever (I Pet. i.12. Rev. vii. 9-17.
Rev. xiv.11.) Remember likewise, that ere long, either this
endless inconceivable happiness, or unutterable misery will be your portion,
or your doom, and mine. Our glass of life is running away apace. Our time is
fast hastening to a period. Death is making sure and speedy strides towards
us daily, judgment is at hand, and the Judge himself is at the door. And oh!
consider, when the breath we now draw shall depart, the tender thread of life
be cut, our state will be unalterably and for ever fixed; either to live with
God, with angels, and glorified saints, in heaven; or to dwell with devils,
in the darkness and torments of hell. On these accounts your souls are, as I have
already observed, very precious, not only in the sight of God, but also to
me. My brethren, God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the
bowels of Jesus Christ (Phil. i.8). Next to the salvation of my own soul,
nothing in this world lies so near my heart, as the conversion and salvation
of my fellow creatures; and especially of you, over whom I am appointed more
immediately to watch, as one who must give an account. (Heb. xiii. 17) And oh, my friends, if this affectionate, though
plain address, should answer my ardent wishes and prayers, if it should prove
the happy means of converting even one soul to God, I should indeed rejoice,
as one that findeth great spoil. (Ps. cxix. 162) For once, at least,
endeavour to lift up your hearts with me in prayer to Almighty God, the
bountiful giver of all grace. He only can make this or any other means
effectual; and should it My brethren, I trust I can say in truth, and
with a sincere conscience, That I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
(Rom. i.16) It is a knowledge, and I hope an inward experience of this
precious gospel, that bears up my spirits when I am ready to sink as in deep
waters, and when I am almost overwhelmed by the many heavy and daily trials,
crosses, difficulties and disappointments, that I meet with in this, alas!
most uncomfortable situation. An acquaintance with this gospel, an experience
of its truth and power, sweetens every bitter, makes my crosses comforts, and
my losses gains. It is by this knowledge that I am enabled to bear the cross
of Christ, not only with some degree of patience and resignation, but at some
seasons, with consolation and joy; while I at one time reflect on what our
dear Lord and Saviour endured for me, and at another anticipate the
unspeakable honour and pleasure, which, through grace, I hope ere long to
enjoy at his right hand for evermore. And to endeavour to bring you, my dear
friends, to a saving knowledge of what is contained in this gospel, is not
only my duty and inclination as a minister, but also my earnest desire and
pleasure, and that which I long for more, than for any other thing that can
be named. (Rom. x.i) I have often explained to you, according to my
sentiments, what is contained in the gospel. But as I fear, and am indeed
well aware, that many of you, after all you have heard, still remain
ignorant, I will now tell you again briefly and plainly, what my views of the
gospel are; that by putting this book into your hands, you may, if you
please, more carefully and The gospel, I conceive, in its most extensive
sense, comprehends the whole revealed will of God, recorded in the holy
scriptures of the Old and New Testament. (Tim. iii.16) This sacred book, which we call the Bible,
describes the original state of man, as a state of perfect purity and
innocence. He was made in the image of God. He was made upright. (Gen.
i.26,27 Eccles. vii. 29) His understanding, will, his affections
and conscience, his body and soul, were free from defilement, guilt, or
guile; and while he continued so, he was not liable to pain, misery, or death.
But man did not continue in this state. Our
first parents disobeyed their Maker. By sinning against God they lost their
original righteousness, and became earthly, sensual, devilish. Such are all
his posterity: for who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Man is now
the very reverse of what he was when first created. His understanding (2 Cor.
iv. 5. Ephe. iv.18. And is not this threatening, at least in part,
already put into execution? Whence is there so much ignorance and contempt of
God? Why do mankind so eagerly, so universally pursue the vain pleasures and
follies of the world, while they seldom think of God their Maker? From whence
proceed the infidelity, blasphemy, lying, theft, sabbath-breaking,
slandering, and the many horrid evils, which every where abound? Whence is it
that so many in this colony, labour under such sore and complicated
disorders, pains, and miseries? Why are so many, both young and old, taken away
by death? And why is that others, who see all those things, do not take
warning by them, to prepare for their own latter end? Brethren, all these are
so many undeniable proofs and evidences of what I have said; namely, that we
are fallen and guilty creatures. These are the effects of Adam's sin and
disobedience. The certain consequences of which would have been unavoidable
and endless misery, both of soul and body, to himself and all his posterity,
had not some means been provided, some way laid open, for his and their
recovery. But, blessed be God, a door of hope is opened by
the gospel for miserable sinners! A gracious promise was given early, even to
our first parents, immediately after their fall, The seed of the woman shall
break the serpent's head. (Gen. iii. 15) This promised seed is the Lord Jesus
Christ, who, in due time, was to appear in the world, to be born of a woman,
that by his life, sufferings, and obedience unto death, he might recover
fallen man from the misery and ruin in which he was involved. Brethren, this
gospel, which, as the ministers and ambassadors of God, we are commissioned
and commanded to preach to sinners, proposes a free and gracious pardon to
the guilty, cleansing to the polluted, healing to the sick, happiness to the miserable,
light for those who sit in darkness, strength for the weak, food for the
hungry, and even life for the dead. (Gal. iv. 4,5; Gal. iii 13; I John i.7;
Matt xi. 28; Matt. xi. 5) All these inestimable blessings are the fruits
and effects of the death and mediation of Jesus Christ. His great design in
coming into the world was to seek and to save those who are lost (Luke xviii.
10; I Tim. i.15); he came from heaven, that he might raise us to those holy
and happy mansions; he endured the curse, that we might inherit the blessing;
he bore the cross, that we might wear the crown; he died, that we might live;
he died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. (I Pet.
iii.18) These blessings become ours, only by believing,
or faith. Thus it is said, God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son - For what purpose? Why, That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life (John iii. 16,18); - he that
believeth in him is not condemned; - he that believeth in him who justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness (Rom. iv.
3,6). My friends, search the scriptures, and you will find that this is
the tenor of the whole Bible; I may add of our church also, in the Articles
and Homilies. This believing is sometimes called a coming to Christ, a
looking unto Christ, a trusting in him, a casting our burden upon him (John
vi.. 37; Isa. xiv. 22; Eph. i.12; Ps. lv.22).
And remember, that until we do thus come to Christ, trust in him, cast our
cares and burdens upon him, we have no part or interest in what the gospel
unfolds and offers; however others, who have believed, and daily act faith
upon him, are rejoicing in the participation of those rich benefits and
blessings which the gospel freely offers to guilty and perishing
sinners. The faith whereby a sinner receives Christ, and
becomes a partaker of all the blessings of the gospel, is the sole gift of
God, wrought in the heart by his Holy Spirit (Eph. ii.8). This Holy Spirit
produces an inward change in the soul, called, in the scripture, the new
birth, regeneration (John iii. 3-7), or conversion, and thus enables a
sinner, convinced of his sin and misery, to look to Jesus, and to believe on
him. But though repentance and faith are the gifts of
God, which none can obtain by any endeavours of their own, yet we are
encouraged and commanded to pray for them (Luke xi. 17). All who have thus, through grace, believed, and
are daily living a life of faith in the Son of God, shall be saved: but such
as carelessly neglect, or wilfully reject this gospel, must be damned (Mark
xvi. 15). Think, I beseech you, of this! Remember, that it is the solemn
declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Now is the time to obtain the blessings revealed
in the gospel, and which are set before you when it is preached. Many have
had these gracious declarations made to them, before we were born, and they
will be repeated to many after we are dead. But this is our day.
Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation (I Cor. vi. 2.).
Today - for you and I may not live to see tomorrow. Today; if you
will hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Heb. iii. 7,8). My brethren, it
is your duty, your wisdom, and will finally prove to be your greatest
happiness, to seek an interest in this salvation for yourselves. It is your
personal, and must be your heart concern, to make your calling and election
sure (2 Pet i. 10). For death will soon put a period to all the
overtures of grace and mercy, with which many, and particularly you, are now
favoured. It is, as I have said, both my duty and my pleasure, to preach and
proclaim these glad tidings. But to whom? Not to the dead, but to the living;
even to you (Acts xv. 22). To you is the word of this salvation sent. But,
alas! should you still put it from you, and should death at last find you in
an unprepared state, it will then be too late for you to begin to cry for
mercy. (Eccl. ix. 10). A day is likewise coming, when our mortal
bodies, which must shortly moulder into dust, will be raised again from the
dead. Whether believers or unbelievers, whether saints or sinners, we must
all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. (2 Cor. v. 10; Dan. 12.2;
Matt. xxv. 21). For the Lord Jesus will shortly appear in the clouds of
heaven, the last trumpet shall sound, the graves shall open, the sea give up
her dead, and all who have lived upon the earth, from the creation to the
final consummation of time, will then be judged, and rewarded or punished
according to their works. Mark well St. John's representation of this solemn
transaction, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the
books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of
life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works." (Rev. xx. 12, 13) Such are the
declarations of scripture respecting this awful season! Sinners, whatever you
may now think of these things, or think or say of me, for declaring them to
you, in this plain and solemn manner, I must and will tell you, that there is
not a profane oath which you have uttered, nor a lie which you have told, nor
a sabbath which you have broken, nor a single act of adultery, fornication,
theft, or any wickedness of which you have been guilty; in a word there is
not an evil you have committed, nor a duty you have omitted to perform, but
what is noted down in the book of God's remembrance, and will be produced
against you in the day of judgment, unless you repent, and believe the gospel.
You must then give an account how you improved the advantages now afforded
you, for attending to the things pertaining to your peace. If you do not
improve them, the Bible will condemn you, every faithful sermon you have
heard will condemn you, nay, every sermon which you might have heard, but
would not, because you despised and neglected the ordinances of public
worship, will condemn you: And alas! this address, by which I try to warn
you, because I love you, and wish well to your souls; which you are now
reading, or perhaps, about to throw aside with scorn, will then condemn you.
The admonitions, intreaties, prayers, and tears of godly parents, the advice
and reproofs of pious friends, the warning and expostulations of faithful
ministers, will all witness against you. My brethren, what shall I say? The
law of God, the gospel, saints, sinners, Then all ungodly and impenitent sinners, being
tried, cast, and condemned, must hear that final terrible sentence pronounced
upon them, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and his angels. (Matt. xxv. 41)! And remember that those who have been your
associates in wickedness here, will then be your companions in misery. This
will, if possible, aggravate your torment. You and they will rue the day when
you first met; and mutually charge the ruin of your souls upon each other.
Oh, think of this, and pray for grace to repent, before it be too
late! At that solemn season, the righteous shall be
publicly and fully acquitted before the assembled world. The Judge will say
to them, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you,
from the foundation of the world (Matt. xxv. 34). The holy angels will then
conduct them to the mansions of eternal bliss. Happy souls! They will then
have no more cause to weep and mourn, to fight and wrestle. They will no more
be exercised with darkness or temptation; for sin, which is the cause of all
their conflicts and sorrows, shall be done away; and God their gracious
Father, and everlasting Friend, shall wipe all tears from their eyes (Rev.
vii. 17). The righteous, however obscured and reproached
upon earth, shall then shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their
Father. They are represented to us, as standing before the throne, clothed in
white robes, with palm branches (the emblems of victory) in their hands, and
singing to their harps their Redeemer's praise (Matt. xiii. 43; Rev.
vii. 9,10). There they will join in company with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
with the apostles, prophets, and martyrs, with their dear friends and
relatives, who died in the faith before them, and with the glorious angels;
and above all, (without which heaven itself would be no heaven to them) they
will enjoy the unclouded presence of their Lord and Saviour, who once
suffered pain, and shame, and death for them. They will see him seated upon a
throne of glory, and unite with all the heavenly host, in ascribing
salvation, glory, and honour, and praise to him who loved them, and washed
them from their sins in his own blood; and has made them kings and priests to
God, and to the Lamb for ever and ever (Rev. v. 9). For the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell
will be eternal. Otherwise, indeed, neither the happiness nor the misery of a
future state could be complete. It would damp the joys of the blessed, to
apprehend that they must at length terminate. And the horrors of the damned
would be in a degree alleviated, if there was the most distant prospect, that
they would have a period. But the word of God assures us, that believers,
after death, enter into life eternal, and that the punishment of the wicked
will be everlasting. (Matt. xxv. 46; Dan. xii. 2; 2 Thes. i. 7-10) I have now given you a summary of the great
truths, which, as a minister of the gospel, I am commissioned and commanded
to preach. And I can call God and your consciences to witness, that I have
not shunned thus to declare to you the whole counsel of God. (Acts xx. 27) I
have explained to you the meaning, and I have urged the importance of these
things over and over. I have pointed out to you, the wretched and dangerous
condition of sinners, the necessity of conversion or the new birth, the
nature of this change, and by what power it is wrought, and the fruits and
effects which such a change will produce in a man's tempers, words and
actions. I have also shewn you the way, in which you may and must be
saved, if you are saved at all. I have told you again and again, that
Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and that there is no coming to
God with comfort, either in this world, or in that which is to come, but by
him. He has told you so himself (John xiv. 6; Acts iv. 12). And the apostle
assures you, that there is no other name under heaven, given unto men,
whereby they can be saved. Look unto him, and you shall be saved; if not, you
must be damned. This is the plain truth, the express declaration of the
Bible. Life and death are set before you. (Deut. xxx. 15) Permit me then, as your minister, your friend,
and a well-wisher to your souls, to press these serious and weighty considerations
home upon your consciences once more. I hope and believe that I have asserted
nothing, but what can be proved by the highest authority, the word of the
living God. They certainly deserve your closest and most careful attention,
since it is plain beyond a doubt, that upon your knowledge or ignorance, your
acceptance or rejection of this gospel, your everlasting happiness or misery
must depend. Brethren, I do not ask you, what religous
persuasion or denomination you have espoused. I fear, that, if I may judge of
your hearts by your actions, too many are destitute of any sense of religion
at all. But I do not address you as Churchmen or Dissenters, Roman Catholics
or Protestants, as Jews or Gentiles; I suppose, yea, I know. that there are
persons of every denomination amongst you. But I speak to you as men and
women, as intelligent creatures, possessed of understanding and reason. I
speak to you as mortals, and yet immortals; as sinners, who have broken the
laws of God, and are therefore obnoxious to his displeasure. And my sole aim
and desire is, to be instrumental in turning you from darkness to light, from
sin to holiness, from the power of Satan to the service and favour of God
(Acts xxvi. 18), Seek then, I beseech you, above all things, an interest
in the blessings of the gospel. Be assured it is a matter of much less
moment, whether you are rich or poor, respected or despised in this world.
The rich have their cares, fears, crosses, and vexations, no less than the
poor; but admitting that they could pass through life with greater ease than
others, we all know that they cannot escape death. The great point is, how we
shall die? whether as believers or unbelievers, as saints or sinners. One
soul, according to the our Lord's declaration, is or more value than the
whole world (Mark viii. 36) If you lose your soul, you lose all at once. You
lose heaven and happiness for ever. Whatever, therefore, you do, or leave
undone, for God's sake, and for your own sakes, neglect not for one day or
hour longer, the vast concerns of another life. Delays are dangerous. The
more we have to risk or lose, the greater folly it would be accounted, to
defer securing our property and goods, which we know to be in danger. What
folly, therefore, what madness must it be, to put off with careless
indifference, the concernments of eternity; and to prefer the trifles of this
transitory life to heaven, and the favour of God! Let the parable of the rich
man, who pleased himself with the thought of having so much good laid up for
many years, be a warning to you! (Luke xii. 16-28) That very night his
soul was required of him. Such persons may now deem themselves wise;
but ere long they will be sensible they were fools. If you consider what a valuable price was paid
for our redemption, you must be convinced that the soul of man is very
precious in the sight of God, and that sin is not so light and small an evil,
as many of you have supposed. To disobey the commandments of the just and
holy God, is, as far as in us lies, to renounce our allegiance to him, and
our dependence upon him, and to set up for ourselves, and even to join with
the devil in open rebellion against our Maker. It is, in plain terms, to fly
in his face, and to bid defiance to his almighty arm. Sin is such a horrid
evil, that unless it is forgiven, and blotted out, by the blood of Jesus, it
will sink your souls lower than the centre of the earth, even into the very
depths of hell, never, never, never more to rise (Mark ix. 44-48). So heinous was sin, in the sight of God, that
rather than permit it to pass unpunished, he would punish it in the person of
his own, his only, his well-beloved Son, who was made sin, that is, treated
as a sinner deserved to be treated, for us. He was delivered up into the
hands of wicked men, and crucified, that by his sufferings and death, he
might make atonement for our sins, and procure an honourable and happy
reconciliation, between a righteous God, and offending sinners (2 Cor. v.
18-20). I beseech you, therefore, to prize and to study this gospel,
that you may obtain a growing experience of its benefits. Praise God for such
a Saviour, and such a salvation as he has provided. Adore him, for that
infinite wisdom and boundless mercy which he has displayed in the redemption
of fallen man; and never rest, nor be satisfied, till you have good and
scriptural reason to hope, that this Saviour is yours, with all the blessings
he is exalted to bestow without money and without price. Our food, my brethren, then only can nourish us,
when it is eaten and digested. Medicines can only profit us, by being applied
and taken. It is exactly thus with the gospel. We may hear, and talk of these
things, but so long as they remain matters of speculation, and do not enter
into our hearts, into the very vitals of our souls, (if I may so speak) we
cannot be the better for them. Christ is the bread of life. His flesh is meat
indeed, and his blood is drink indeed! But unless we ourselves do
spiritually eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of man (for our
Lord speaks of food for the soul, not for the body) we have no life in us
(John vi. 52-58). Moses, by the express command of God, erected a
brazen serpent upon a pole, in the view of the camp of Israel (Numb. xxi. 9).
Such of the people as were stung by the fiery serpents, were directed and
commanded to look up to the brazen serpent. They who did so were healed. But
if any refused, they were sure to die. For no other means or physicians could
relieve them. In like manner Christ Jesus our Saviour, once lifted up on the
cross, is exhibited in the preaching of the gospel. Sinners, who are wounded
and diseased by sin, are directed, exhorted, encouraged, and commanded to
look up to him (John iii. 14, 15). And they who are pursuaded so to do, are
infallibly cured of all those spiritual maladies, under which they have long
and sorely laboured. But all, who despise and reject this sovereign remedy of
God's gracious appointment, either by a total indifference to religion, or by
expecting salvation in any other way, will be left, and that most deservedly,
to perish in their wilful obstinacy and unbelief (John iii. 36). In the former part of this address, I have
already laid before you, in the plainest manner I was able, my view of the
gospel of Christ. And as an experimental knowledge of this gospel is so very
important, I have endeavoured to press that importance upon your consciences.
Whether you have paid that attention to the subject, which it deserves and
requires, yourselves best know. I can only say, that if I did not know it to
be of great weight, I should not either speak or write of it with so much
earnestness. But being persuaded and assured, by the express testimony of the
holy scriptures, that these things are true; and truths, the knowledge of
which is essential to your present and future happiness, I must be plain and
faithful in declaring them. I ought to be very indifferent what men of
depraved morals, and corrupt principles may say, or think of me, if I
have the witness of a good conscience, and the approbation of the God whom I
serve. My concern is for your welfare and salvation; for I am certain,
as I have told you before, and now tell you again, that unless the gospel is
made the power of God to your souls, you must be miserable in time, and to
eternity. I propose now to give you some advices, to
assist you in understanding the gospel for yourselves, which if you observe,
I trust, you will attain to the possession of those principles, and walk by
those rules, which will both afford you present peace, and secure your future
happiness. For godliness has promises pertaining to the life that now is, and
to that which is to come. Let me then exhort you to attend seriously to
what you are to believe; and to what you are to do. These two points include
the sum and substance of the gospel, the whole of the christian life, and may
be comprised in two words, faith and practice. All who thus believe, through grace, are
required and commanded to be careful of maintaining good works. (Titus iii.
8) As our moral, and what are often called, our virtuous actions,
are to be tried by our religious principles; it is equally true, that our
religious principles, or at least the proof that they are indeed our
principles, must be evidenced by our moral conduct. These two are so
inseparably connected, that you may depend upon it, where one of them
is wanting, what bears the name of the other, is no better than pretended. If
what we profess to believe does not make us humble, honest, chaste, patient,
and thankful, and regulate our tempers and behaviour, whatever good opinion
we may form of our notions or state, we are but deceiving ourselves. The tree
is known by its fruits. (James ii. 17, 17; 18; Matt. vii. 20) In this way
true believers are equally distinguished from profane sinners, and from
specious hypocrites. The change in their hearts always produces a change in
their whole deportment. Sin, which was once their delight, is now the object
of their hatred. It was once necessary as their food, but now they avoid it
as poison. They war, watch, and pray against it. And their delight is to study
the revealed will of God. By these tests you may judge of your true state
before God. Surely you cannot suppose that your inward state is good,
while your outward conduct is bad . Hence you may be assured that no
unclean person, or profane swearer, no one who lives in direct opposition to
the commands of God, can be, while he continues in this course, a true
christian. Such a supposition would be no less absurd, than it would be to
suppose, that a man is a good and peaceable subject, though he lives in open
rebellion against the king. You may as well conceive of a holy devil, as of
an unholy christian. I hope you will not mistake me. I do not mean
that true christians are without sin. But I affirm that no true christian can
live in an habitual course of sin. No, sin is their grief, their burden (I
John iii. 8, 9; Rom. vii. 23, 24); and when through temptation, or
unwatchfulness, they are drawn aside, like the dove sent out of the ark, they
can find no rest, till by hearty repentance, and true faith, they obtain a
new sense of forgiveness. I now proceed to offer you some directions, with
which if you comply, I trust, that by the blessing of God, you will enjoy
peace in your souls, and be enabled to regulate your conduct and
conversation, as becometh the gospel of Christ. Read and study the scriptures. This was our
Lord's direction to the Jews. Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye
have eternal life, and they testify of me (John v. 37; Acts xvii. 11)
The Bereans were commended for their attention and diligence in this respect.
They received the word with all readiness of mind, not with a blind and
implicit faith in what they heard, even from an apostle, but they searched
the scriptures daily, to know whether what he taught them was agreeable to
the word of God. The Bible is our only sure and infallible guide.
It was given by inspiration of God. All other books, however good and useful,
are but of human composition, and are therefore not perfect (2 Tim. 8-16;
Isa. viii. 20). This sacred book, as I have already observed to
you, contains all that is needful to make us wise unto salvation. It informs
us of our original, how pure and innocent; and our present condition, how
guilty, polluted and miserable! and the happiness or misery which awaits us
in a future state. From this book we may learn, the malignity of sin, the
holiness, spirituality, extent, and sanction of the law of God; and
consequently, the just and certain condemnation due to our disobedience. It
shews us, likewise, the way of our recovery. How perfectly the mediation of
Christ is suited to vindicate the honour of the law, and to display the
justice of God, in harmony with his mercy, and thereby to give peace to the
consiences of convinced sinners. I intreat you, therefore, to read the word of
God carefully. Many of you have had Bibles or New Testaments given to you,
and others might have them, if they had but an inclination to read. II. Observe and reverence the sabbath, or
Lord's day. Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it holy (Exod. xx. 8), is
a solemn and positive command of God. To live in the neglect of this
commandment, is absolutely to despise God, and to defy, him, as it were to
his face. Consider, my friends, you have orders frequently given you here, by
your superiors, which you know you must obey, or you know the consequences of
disobedience. Judge for yourselves, what have those persons to expect, who,
in defiance of the authority of the great God, presume to neglect and profane
the day which he has so expressly enjoined to be kept holy? Consider, what have been the consequences to
many who have thus broken God's commands. I have known, and you likewise have
known, those who have been brought to an untimely and disgraceful end, and
who have dated their ruin from this one evil, the profanation of the Lord's
day. Instead of spending it in the manner which he has enjoined, they kept
bad and profligate company. By this practice, all serious impressions (if
they formerly had any) have been driven from their minds. Their hearts have
become more and more hardened and insensible; till at length, lost to all
prudent reflection, they have regarded neither the tender solicitations and
tears of parents, relations, and friends, the faithful warnings of ministers,
nor the checks and rebukes of their own consciences. And what has been the
event? I need not tell you, that having given way to their own wicked wills,
the advice and example of their ungodly companions, and the temptations of
the devil (for, be assured, that he is always at the bottom of these
mischiefs) they have, at length committed some act of depradation and
villainy, which has brought them to an untimely grave. Besides, If you would reasonably hope for the
blessing of God to succeed your labours, it is certainly your interest, as well
as your duty to obey his commands. And this in particular, Keep the sabbath
day holy. If, in direct opposition to this plain precept, you will work and
labour, as on other days, what ground can you have to expect that God will
bless and prosper your undertakings? You have much greater cause to fear that
his curse will follow you in your affairs, and blast and disappoint all your
wishes and prospects. Let then the misconduct and fatal ends of
others, and the calamaties and troubles that you have brought upon yourselves
- Let the gracious promises of God, on the one hand, and his awful
threatenings on the other, induce you, in future to remember the sabbath day,
to keep it holy! And let me offer you a few plain directions, as
to the observance and improvement of the sabbath: If you have families, you should call them
together, and pray with them, and for them. There are many promises made to
worshiping families, and those who, like Abraham, endeavour to teach their
children and household to know and serve the Lord (Gen. xviii. 19; Prov. iii.
33). And the neglect of this is one reason, why many families live
uncomfortably. They live without prayer, and therefore without peace. Having thus endeavoured to impress your minds
with serious thoughts, in secret or at home; attend constantly upon the
public worship, and there pay a close attention to every part of the service.
Remember that the eye of God is particularly upon you there. He has promised
to be with two or three that meet together to call upon his name (Matt.
xviii. 20; John iv.24). He is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth; and
whether they assemble in a church, or in the open air, he can give them cause
to say with Jacob, This place is surely the house of God, and the gate of
Heaven (Gen. xxviii. 17). Attend the public worship again in the afternoon,
with your hearts lifted up to God, that you may not hear in vain; and
accustom yourself in the evening to recollect what you have heard, concerning
the miseries which sin has brought into the world; the love of God in sending
his own Son to redeem sinners from those miseries; the sufferings, life,
death, and resurrection of the Saviour; and that eternal rest, which
remaineth for the people of God - For you, and for me, if we are
believers in Christ. If, by the blessing of God, I can happily
persuade you thus to observe and improve the Lord's day, I am sure it will
promote both your pleasure and your profit. Can it be a question with you,
whether the God who made heaven and earth, or Satan, the god of this world,
is the best master? Indeed I too well know the indisposition and averseness of
the carnal mind to God and his ways. Hence the thought of many is, What a
weariness is it? And, When will the sabbath be ended? Hence that open
contempt and scorn, which is cast upon the sabbath, and upon public worship
by many, both high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, old and young, men
and women. To them the worship of God is tedious and disagreeable. They
neither find pleasure in it, nor expect benefit from it. And therefore their
attendance is not from choice, but from constraint. But the thoughts and the conduct of true
Christians are very different. No day is so welcome to them as the Lord's
day; not merely considered as a day of rest from labour; but because, having
their heads and hearts freed from the cares and incumbrances of the world, it
affords them opportunities of waiting upon God. And, brethren, you must allow
that these persons are best qualified to judge of the question I have
proposed, Whether is best, to walk in the ways of God, or in the ways of sin?
For they have experienced both sides of the question. They have tried the
pleasures of the world, and they have also tried the pleasures of religion.
And they will readily assure you, that in their deliberate judgment, one day
thus spent in devotion, and the exercises of religion, is preferable to a
thousand days wasted in the vain and unsatisfying pleasures, which they
sought in their former wicked practices (Ps. lxxxiv. 10). I have written thus largely upon the due
observance of the Lord's day, because of that shameful, open, and general
neglect, that daring profanation of the Sabbath, which abounds amongst us. It
is well known, and it is a matter of great grief and concern to me, that
numbers of you pay not the least regard to this day. Numbers of you will not
come to public worship at all, others but seldom, and then with much
reluctance. And when spoken to, different persons frame different excuses,
all which, when examined, amount to little more than a want of
inclination. I have here a more special reference to
those of you, who are called Settlers and Free People. You think,
perhaps, and some of you say, That having served out your appointed term, you
are now your own masters, and have therefore a right to employ your time as
you please. But, indeed, it is not so. I must tell you, brethren, that my
commission from God, and my appointment from government, extend equally and
alike to all the inhabitants, without distinction. It is my duty to preach to
all, to pray for all, and to admonish every one. And it is no less the duty
of all, to come to public worship, to hear the gospel, and to pray for me.
These mutual ties and obligations between you and me, are not lessened by any
change in your circumstances. And remember, that the slight you put upon the
public worship, is not property a slight of me (if that was all, it would be
a matter of utter indifference) but upon the Lord himself; for I trust it is
his message, and not my own, that I deliver to you (Luke x. 16). I wish,
therefore, what I have said upon this subject, to be understood as addressed
to all, whether of higher or lower rank, who are guilty of breaking the
sabbath. Whatever our station or calling may be, our obligations to keep holy
the sabbath-day, are precisely the same. If any are more inexcusable than the
rest, it must be those, who, from their station and office, are peculiarly
bound to set a good example to others. I hope this friendly hint will be
received in good part. I mean not to offend. But I must admonish you, that
whatever be your situation in life, you will gain nothing in the end, by
doing what God forbids, nor will you be a loser by yielding strict obedience
to his commands. III. Be constant and diligent in
prayer to God. Intreat him to give his blessing to what you read and hear,
and to all your concerns. As we are weak and needy creatures, always
dependent upon God, and always receiving mercies and favours from him, we
ought to be frequent and earnest in prayer. Daniel was accustomed to pray
three times in the day (Dan. vi. 10; Ephes. ii.12). I hope you will be
punctual in prayer, morning and evening, at least. So long as any of you live
without prayer, you live without Christ, without hope, and without God in the
world. They, who do not pray to God while upon earth, will not be admitted to
praise him in heaven. When the rich careless man who had fared sumptuously
every day, for a time, lifted up his eyes in torments, he only desired and
prayed for a drop of water to cool his tongue, but it was not granted to him.
Oh! if you value your souls, pray earnestly to God. Consider your obligations
to do so. He is your Creator, Preserver, Benefactor. In him you live and
move, and have your being. And therefore not to acknowledge, by prayer, your
dependence upon him, would manifest the greatest ingratitude and
insensibility. Consider, likewise, the encouragement you have to pray.
Though you are by nature sinners, and by practice enemies and rebels, he
gives you free and sure promises, that whoever is disposed to return to him,
and seek him by earnest prayer, shall not seek him in vain. Oh! my brethren,
that there was less cursing and swearing, and more prayer among you! After these positive directions what you ought
to do, I proceed to some necessary cautions, against what you
ought to avoid. I. Profane swearing is one thing against
which I am especially bound to warn you, because it is an evil which so much
abounds amongst you. God has said, Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his
name in vain. Our Saviour likewise has said, Swear not at all (Exod. xx. 7;
Matt. v. 34) But how can you reconcile these prohibitions to your conduct; or
your consciences? When instead of not swearing at all, many of you seldom
open your lips, but the first and last words which you utter, are blasphemous
oaths, and horrid imprecations? Is this acting like rational or accountable
creatures? Who gave you the powers of reason and speech? Was it not God? And
can you think that he gave them to you, that you may blaspheme his holy name,
and to use the most profane, obscene, and desperately wicked language your
hearts can invent; a language only fit for incarnate devils, and shocking to
the ears of the ignorant heathens? This is a dreadful evil which you may be
assured, will not pass unpunished. This sin has often brought heavy judgments
upon individuals, families, and kingdoms. Because of swearing the land
mourneth (Jer. xxiii. 10). Shall not I visit for these things, saith the
Lord? As a proof of the enormity of this sin,
you read, that Moses, by the command of God, ordered a man to be stoned to
death, for cursing and blaspheming (Lev. xxiv. 10-16); and it would be well,
both on their own account, and for the good of others, if magistrates would
strictly discharge their duty, by enforcing the laws of our land, which are
enacted against this horrid practice. And in few places, perhaps in no place,
such strictness would be more needful, or more salutary, than in this
colony. Our Lord assures us, that for every idle word
that men shall speak they shall give an account in the day of judgment (Matt.
xii. 36)! How dreadful then will be the case of those persons, who during
their whole life have employed their tongues in cursing, swearing, lying, and
all manner of vile and unclean conversation. Oh! think of this in time, and
tremble and repent, and learn to use your tongues to better purpose in
future! Read carefully the third chapter of James, and pray to God for his
grace, and use your best endeavours to bridle your tongue, which, if you do
not subdue and conquer, will surely destroy and ruin you. II. Consider, also, what must be the
consequence of that unclean and adulterous course of life, which many of you
follow. Common as this wickedness is in our colony (I believe no where more
so) do not suppose, that the frequency will take away, or in the least abate
the criminality of it. Neither suppose that this sin is less odious in the
sight of God if commited in Port Jackson, than in England. You may frame excuses
or plead necessity, for what you do, or permit to be done; but the word of
God by which you must be at last judged, admits of no plea, or excuse. The
command is positive and absolute. The declaration of God, Thou shalt not
commit adultery (Exod. xx. 14), is equally binding upon persons of all ranks,
to whom it is known, at all times, and in all places. Think not, that the
holy and just God will dispense with his law, or relax the sentence he has
denounced against the breach of it, that you may with impunity indulge your
corrupt desires. No; it is written, whoremongers and adulters God will judge.
The apostle declares that no fornicator, adulterer, or unclean person, can
enter into the kingdom of God; he repeats this warning nearly in the same
words, a second and a third time. The heavens and the earth shall pass away;
but not one jot or tittle of his word can fail. All shall be fulfilled
(Heb. xiii. 4; Gal. v. 17-21; Eph. v. 3-5). And therefore, however this sin
may be connived at by some, and committed by others, God will severely punish
offenders, unless they repent of their wickedness and forsake it. But whether you will hear, or whether you
will forbear, I must repeat the unwelcome truth. My conscience, my duty, and
my compassion, all urge me to deal faithfully with you. I mean and desire to
be understood, and therefore I must speak plainly. It is my intention and
desire to awaken and alarm your consciences: but alas! after all I can say or
do, I am too little understood or regarded. But I must deliver my own
soul, whether you will regard me or not. The day is coming when the
Lord himself will judge between you and me. Oh, repent, repent, before it be
too late. III. The conduct of too many of you
induces me to exhort and caution you farther against theft, and all kinds of
dishonesty and villainy. I have often told you, both publicly and
privately, that honesty is the best policy. None have more reason to be
convinced of this, than you who come hither as convicts. You have known by
bitter experience, the unhappy consequences of dishonesty. Have not many of
you, for the sake, perhaps, of a few shillings, unjustly obtained, plunged
yourselves into misery for the remainder of your lives? Several have made
this acknowledgment to me, in their dying moments. Learn therefore, to
strive, and pray to be honest. Honesty has its present advantages. An honest
man, however poor, can face this world with confidence. But a dishonest
behaviour, with its constant attendant a guilty conscience, will always fill
the mind with fear and dismay (Job xxiv. 16, 17). IV. Beware of idleness. This is the
forerunner of many evils. Poverty, disease, disgrace, misery, and too often
an untimely death, are the consequences of sloth and indolence. Yield not to
idleness; if you indulge it, you will find it grow upon you. Therefore, be
diligent and industrious in your lawful callings. It is written in the Bible,
and confirmed by experience and observation, The idle soul shall suffer
hunger, but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (Prov. xix. 15 &
xiii. 14). V. Be careful also to pay due respect,
submission, and obedience to your superiors. It is the good pleasure of God
that some should be placed in more exalted, and others in a more humble
station. And it is proof of his wisdom and goodness. The present state of the
world, and the general good of mankind, render such distinctions necessary.
But whether we are high or low, whether called to command, or required to
obey, our duties and obligations are mutual. It is in society as in the human
body. There are many members, and every member has its proper place, and its
proper office. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers (Rom.
xiii. 1). Your future comfort and welfare in this
world, depends upon this knowledge. For though no one knows what may befall
him in this life, yet the real christian has the comfort of knowing, that
however it may go with the wicked, or whatever may happen to himself of a
temporal nature, or whatever may become of his body, he is sure (because God
has promised) that it shall be well with his soul at death. Ah! my brethren,
then, more especially then, believers will find the advantage of having made
the word of God the foundation of their hope, and the rule of their
life! Attend to these things, for the sake
of others, who may follow you hither, in the like unhappy circumstances. When
they see your reformation, and that, in consequence of it, you are more
comfortable here, than you were at home, they may be induced and encouraged
to follow your examples. Thus you will be instrumental in saving souls from
death. I would farther plead with you, for the sake of
the poor unenlightened savages, who daily visit us, or who reside amongst us.
If these ignorant natives, as they become more and more acquainted with our
language and manners, hear you, many of you, curse, swear, lie, abound in
every kind of obscene and profane conversation; and if they observe, that it
is common with you to steal, to break the sabbath, to be guilty of
uncleanness, drunkenness, and other abominations; how must their minds become
prejudiced and their hearts hardened against that pure and holy religion
which we profess? Oh beware of laying stumbling-blocks in the way of these
blind people (Lev. xix. 14), lest the blood of their souls be one day
required at your hands. But consider, on the other hand, what may be the
happy effects, were the natives to see, hear, and observe in you, and in all
the Europeans here; in ministers and people, high and low, a conduct
answerable to the doctrine and precepts of the gospel. This might, by the
blessing of God, be one of the most effectual means, to bring them to
reflection, and to engage them to seek an interest in the blessings of the
gospel for themselves. Shall I beg and intreat you, for my
sake, to attend to the things pertaining to your true peace. My dear
people, I will again declare (I can appeal to the great God, who searcheth
the hearts, that I speak the truth) to see you converted from your evil ways,
and seeking the salvation of God, Yes, to see you pay a due regard to these
most important concerns, and to have reason to hope and believe, that you
were brought to a saving acquaintance with the truths which you hear of, or
might hear, as often as the Lord's day returns, would indeed greatly rejoice
my soul. But to see so many of you turn a careless and deaf ear, this, my
dear friends, is a cause of great, constant and increasing grief to my soul.
It wounds me to think, that any (alas! what numbers) should thus refuse and
reject their own mercies; and risk the ruin of their immortal souls, for the
prospect of a small gain, or a short sinful gratification. My brethren, what shall I, what can I say
more. I neither know what to add, nor how to leave off: once more, I beseech
you, for God's sake, for the sake of Jesus the Saviour, who shed his precious
blood to redeem sinners, and for the sake of your own souls: by the holy
incarnation of the Redeemer, by his agonies, temptations, death and
resurrection, by all the terrors of his frown, and by all the blessings of
his love, by the joys of heaven, by the torments of hell, and by the
iolemnities of the approaching day of judgment; by all these considerations,
I most earnestly, affectionately, and faithfully admonish and intreat you,
carefully to weigh what I have now set before you. And oh! that the holy
angels may carry to heaven the joyful news (Luke xv. 10) of some
sinners being awakened and born to God, by reading or hearing this little
book. O gracious God, do thou, by the power of thy Holy Spirit, make it thus
effectual to the salvation and happiness of this people! And now to this gracious Lord, and to his care
and blessing, I commend you. May he enable you to examine your hearts,
principles, and practice, by the standard of his holy word. If you are still
ignorant and careless, it is a proof that you are, as yet, in the state of
nature, which is a state of darkness, guilt, condemnation, and death. Will
you not pray to be delivered from it? You must, at least, allow, that perhaps
what you have read, may be the truth. And even, of a possibility of
these things being true, they deserve your earnest attention. For should they
be found so at last, what will become of you, if you live and die impenitent?
Therefore, read this plain, affectionate Address seriously. Read it a second,
a third, and a fourth time, till your hearts are affected by it. Remember,
this is the advice of a friend, of one who sincerely seeks, wishes, and longs
for your happiness. It is the advice of your minister, expressly appointed to
watch over your souls, and who must shortly give an account of his mission to
the Great Judge of all. Whether I shall die amongst you, or be separated from
you while living, we shall, at last, meet before him. Then I must
answer for my preaching, and you for your hearing. Oh that this
awful day of judgment may be often, yea, always, present to your thoughts,
and to mine! that we may live in constant expectation of its approach! So
that when the last loud trumpet shall sound, we may stand with acceptance and
boldness in his presence, and be admitted as believers in the great Saviour,
into his heavenly kingdom, with a 'Well done, good and faithful servant,
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord' (Matt. xxv. 23). This will be my daily prayer to God for you.
I shall pray for your eternal salvation, for your present welfare, for the
preservation, peace, and prosperity of this colony: and especially for the
more abundant and manifest success of the Redeemer's cause and kingdom, and
for the effusion and out-pouring of his Holy Spirit, not only here, but in
every part of the habitable globe. Longing, hoping, and waiting for the dawn
of that happy day, when the heathen shall be given to the Lord Jesus for his
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession: and
when all the ends of the earth shall see, believe, and rejoice in the
salvation of God (Ps. ii. 8 & xciii. 3). I am your affectionate Friend and Servant in the
Gospel of Christ, Richard Johnson |