LIFE AND TIMES OF NATHAN BANGS
(Originally Published in 1863
In 1800, At Age 21, Shortly...)
Originally Published in 1863
In 1800, At Age 21, Shortly After His Conversion
A mind so profoundly imbibed with religious earnestness as that of young Bangs, could not fail to seize on a truth like this. "From reading the holy Scriptures," he writes, "Mr. Wesley's Plain Account of Christian Perfection, and Mr. Fletcher's writings on the subject, I clearly saw the necessity of a deeper piety than I had yet attained; of being sanctified throughout, soul, body, and spirit. As I went on in observance of Gods commands, divine light shone more brightly upon my understanding, disclosing to me the remaining impurities of my nature. This gave me a more and more acute sense of my native depravity than I had ever had, so much so, that doubts were sometimes excited in my inexperienced mind whether I had indeed been justified. And yet on mature reflection I could not question the reality of the change which the Spirit of God had wrought in my heart, for I felt no condemnation for past sins, and I was often blessed with great peace and joy in the holy Ghost. My experience verified St. Paul's description of the justified man: Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. My conscience also was extremely tender, so that I could not neglect any known duty, as fasting, secret prayer, social or public worship in class-meetings or the congregation or exhorting others to flee the wrath to come, in doing which I enjoyed much inward comfort, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. But notwithstanding all this, I felt such an exquisite sense of normal defect that I was led, like Job, to abhor myself as in dust and ashes. There was, however, a great difference between my present distress and my former sense of condemnation. Formerly I was condemned as a guilty sinner, and hardly dared to look up to God for mercy; now I felt reconciled to him, could pray in faith, and enjoyed peace, while a sweet compunction weighed me down at the footstool of divine mercy. I hated sin with a perfect hatred, and consequently felt an utter aversion to all its pleasures. Such confidence had I in the Christian purity and influence of Mr. Warner, who professed the blessing of sanctification, and, I doubt not, enjoyed it, that I loved his very presence, and in prayer-meetings I wished to kneel close by his side.
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