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Jacob's Experience ;

A TEST OF VITAL GODLINESS.

THERE is much said, and written in our day about spiritual travail, (or the experience of a heaven-born soul.) Now, I believe that 'Tekel' may be stamped upon ninety-nine parts out of every hundred, of this, so-called, experience. Therefore, I have selected Jacob as a specimen of the grace of God; and his experience as a test of our profession. I know that Esau's experience is more extensive, and more generally received than that of Jacob; and I do verily believe that it was not so much Isaac's blessing that Esau wept so much for, but that which was necessarily connected with it. Self-convicted sinners do not weep because they have not the blessing, but from a sense of the curse; deep convictions may rouse up the soul to self-pity; and a man may weep over his self-wretchedness, but self is all in the mat

ter.

from Christ, as a free gift, and goes back to the Giver, in confession of our sin and shame. Hence, when David had repentance planted in his heart, he cries out, I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.' You see, by this, that evangelical repentance goes up, and pardon flows down. The only way we can learn the genuineness of our repentance is by this blessed concomitant, the forgiveness of sin-Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.' Observe! he is a 'Prince to give repentance,' and a 'Saviour to forgive, and save from sins.'

Now, let us look, as the Lord shall enable us, at Jacob. We find that Rebekah, the mother of Jacob, was many years barren, and Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, A man may violate the laws of his and the Lord was intreated of him, and country; he is condemned to transportation, Rebekah, his wife, conceived; and the childor death; now, he does not hate the sin he ren struggled together within her; and she has committed, but the law which commits said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she him; he does not weep because he has vio- went to enquire of the Lord. Now, mark lated Her Majesty's laws, but he weeps from the Lord's answer. My object in referring self-pity in anticipation of the punishment. you to this, is to shew you that the Lord reSo it is with thousands of professors; they vealed Jacob to his mother before he was do not weep because they have sinned against born, as an elect vessel of mercy; and this God, but because they have sinned against will account for the mother's after conthemselves. Cain wept not because he had duct to, and with Jacob. And the Lord sinned against his Maker, but because he was said unto her, two nations are in thy womb; cursed as a fugitive and a vagabond, and be- and two manner of people shall be separated cause his punishment was greater than he from thy bowels; (mark, shall be separated could bear-And Cain went out from the from thy bowels. Sin and grace are in the presence of the Lord.' And every mere pro- same heart; but, by and bye, God will sefessor will follow him. When God's judge-parate them, by concentrating sin in hell, ments were upon Pharaoh he could say, 'I and grace in glory :) and the one people shall have sinned.' But when God's judgements be stronger than the other people; and the were removed, he sinned yet more, and elder shall serve the younger.' The boys hardened his heart, he and his servants.' grew, and Isaac loved Esau; but it was (Exodus ix. 34, 35.) Balaam, when he saw fleshly, because he did eat of his venison. the sword in the hand of the angel, said, 'I But, Rebekah loved Jacob, and Jacob was a have sinned;' but his practice contradicted plain man, dwelling in tents.' Here is his confession, for he went fully bent to curse Jacob's original. Now, mark the wordsGod's Israel. The devil has plenty of en-dwelling in tents.' What is a 6 tent?' chanters in our day that practise magic with immortal souls. But Jacob shall be delivered from all that run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward. When God rejected Saul, he said, 'I have sinned;' but he was a very hypocrite, for he only wanted Samuel to honor him before the elders, and at last his guilty soul dispatched him, by falling upon his own sword. And when God laid righteousness to the line, and judgment to the plummet in the soul of Judas, 'he repented himself,' mark, 'repented himself;' saying, 'I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood,' and he went and hanged himself. Now, we learn from this that a man may repent himself, but this all begins and ends in self. Saving repentance comes

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is a pavilion. What is a pavilion? A shelter. Now Jacob everlastingly dwelt in the tent of the covenant. He was eternally sheltered in Christ, the pavilion of his church-' How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, Ó, Israel.' Jacob was not a lodger in this tent, but a dweller to dwell in, implies to live in, to continue in, to abide in; he had then an undying existence in the person of Christ, before he was formed in the fashion of perishing mortality. And it was by virtue of this life-interest in the eternal God, that Jacob was diverse in birth, life, and experience to Esau. Esau, like all Arminians, was a cunning hunter;' but with all his 'cunning,' and with all his hunting,' he came short of the blessing. Now, ob

serve what he hunted; it was something like | God, while godly fear loves his name, relamb, though it was not lamb. It was veni- veres his name, adores his name, and son. Now, the Holy Ghost tells us in the triumphs in his presence. After this ma27th verse of the 25th chapter of Genesis, nifestation, Jacob goes on his journey; he that he was A man of the field.' Yes; arrives at Padan-aram, and we find that dead professors, with all their professional Jacob had twenty years of sorrow, hard lahunting, are only 'men of the field,' (the bor, disappointment, and distress-Thus, I world,) they profess to hunt after Jesus Christ, was in the day the drought consumed me, but in heart they hate him, this heavenly and the frost by night, and my sleep deLamb, is not so savoury to them as the parted from mine eyes. Thus have I been earthly venison of their own doings; bye twenty years in thy house.' Gen. xxxi. and bye, when the blessing is gone, they will 40, 41. Some of the Lord's Jacobs have weep, and that for ever. When Esau was to pass through twenty years' drought, begoing to die, Jacob's red pottage was more fore they experience their manifested intevalue to him than his birthright. Yes; poor rest in the love of God, but Jacob had it deluded professors, when on a dying bed, after. We do not read of the Lord speakwould give their birthright, their earthly ing once to Jacob, till just before he left substance, for Jacob's mess. Padan-aram.

We are told that the Lord found Jacob in a desert land, in a waste howling wilderness.' This desert land' was doubtless, Luz, which lay between Beersheba and Padan-aram; whether the above Scriptures have reference to Jacob being found at Luz or not, I cannot say; but I know that Jacob was found at Luz; and every child of God is in Luz, till called by divine grace. Luz comprehends our position in a fallen state, as being separated from God in the Adamfall transgression. Well, the Lord found him at Luz, a poor wandering outcast; and it does appear to me that God quickened his soul, while he lay slumbering on the pillow of stones, and that he did reveal his glory to him; and apply the promise to his heart, by, and through the visions of a dream. How true it is that God speaks once, yea, twice, in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon man, in slumberings upon the bed; then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction.' Job, xxxiii. 14-16. You see there was no FREE WILL in this matter. Free-will was fast asleep, while free-grace did all the work.' 'And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said surely, the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, how dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven; and he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.' Gen. xxviii. 10, to the end. Now, here are two things especially in the experience of Jacob, the first is godly fear'And he was afraid.' The second is solemn and sweet assurance-'Surely, the Lord is in this place.' These two graces were remarkably prominent in the whole of Jacob's journey through life. Now I will just make one remark upon Godly fear,' and go on. Godly fear dwells in the bowels of assurance, and goes to, and lives near with God, whilst slavish fear cries, whither shall I flee from thy presence? Slavish fear cannot bear the name of God, cannot endure the presence of

Farnborough.

S. COZENS.

Brethren dwelling together in Unity.

ONE of the happiest days we have seen lately, was Wednesday, May 12th. On that day was held the first anniversary of Mr. Isaac Spencer's ministry amongst the people meeting for worship in the late Mr. Houghton's Chapel in Guildford. In the morning, Mr. Spencer opened the services of the day, by reading, expounding, and prayer, and he was evidently exceedingly happy, and in much liberty of soul. C. W. Banks then preached to the people.

In the afternoon, Mr. John Bunyan M'Cure delivered a sound experimental discourse from the words of Peter-'Who are kept by the power of God.' At the close of this service, Mr. Allnutt (of Ripley, at the request of the friends) presented Mr. Spencer with a most valuable Quarto Bible, as a token of the very high esteem and affection of the church and congregation towards him. Friend Allnutt made a few most suitable and solemn remarks: Mr. Spencer acknowledged his gratitude in some nice and very appropriate words. A large company then sat down to tea; and the day was concluded by Mr. Allnutt reading, expounding, and prayer, and a sermon by C. W. Banks. The chapel was crowded, and, we have reason to believe that many souls were blessed. Our fervent prayer is this, that the ministry of our brother Spencer, which has commenced and been continued so evidently connected with the blessing of the Lord, may increase abundantly in that lasting usefulness which brings glory to God, and eternal good to never dying souls.

It would be ungrateful in us not to add, that the collections made on this occasion, and which were extremely liberal, have been given to the Society for the Relief of Poor Gospel Ministers.' The Lord be praised. [We hope shortly, to publish some letters

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written by our esteemed brother Spencer.

THE PEOPLE OF GOD LED FORTH BY A RIGHT WAY;

A SPIRITUAL

DISSERTATION

UPON THE TWELVE SONS OF

JACOB.-LETTER II.

(Continued from p. 145.)

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MY CHRISTIAN FRIEND, AND BROTHER [ on the floor I sat to wait and watch for IN THE FAITH OF GOD'S ELECT:-In an answer to my prayers. It pleased my my last letter, I purposed to lay before you a few fragments gathered up from a sermon which I preached upon the typical character of the twelve sons of Jacob, whereby the truth of that glorious text appeared to be confirmed in my soul; (I mean the fourteenth verse of the 25th Psalm,) 'The SECRET OF THE LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew unto them his covenant.'

loving Master not to keep me long this time, for very quickly these words came with a sealing softness into my soul, In Judah is God known;' I soon found the 76th Psalm, and read with some solemn feeling, the first four verses-' In Judah is God known; his name is great in Israel; in Salem also is his tabernacle; and his dwelling place in Zion. There brake he the arrows of the bow,' &c.

Oh, I cannot tell you what a sacred

You remember I set out to notice these twelve sons of Jacob in their four-stream of meditation was then brought fold order, as recorded by the Holy into my mind. I laid down to sleep; the Ghost, in Genesis xxxv. 22-26; and I text was with me. I awoke in the night, told you that the spiritual interpretation the text was with me- In Judah is God of Jacob's first six sons, opened up to known.' I arose in the morning; the the view of my soul these two things text was still there- In Judah is God first, how the Lord God did bring forth known.' I left Reading; came to Lonhis elect in the councils of eternity; and, don by the train; the carriages caught secondly, how he shews, or makes known fire, and a terrible noise and alarm there unto them, in their own souls, 'the fel- was; but my soul was still and quiet— lowship of that mystery, even the ex-In Judah is God known' travelled with ceeding riches of his grace towards them in Christ Jesus.

me, came home with me, slept again with me, went to chapel with me, and Surely, these are great and solemn there I began to give vent to some few things! First, to know something of things which I do hope the Lord the Spithe provision which God has made; and rit put into my poor broken pitcher for then secondly, to know that that provi- the souls of the people. After preachsion was made for us. Yes, yes, my ing in the morning, then, from this brother, this is indeed the realization of Psalm, (lxxvi. 1—4;) I found a fulness that text, I lead in the way of righteous-in it still, and in the evening I went at ness; in the midst of the paths of judgment, that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance.'

In my last, I began with Reuben, and came down to Judah; and having briefly looked at Judah's typical character, my

next business was to shew how what was

concealed in Judah's typical character, is experimentally made known to the regenerated people of God.

it again. So, in this letter, I rather di-
gress from a straight line through my
intended subject, to give you a brief out-
line of what I said in the evening. There
and the subject introduced in this; there-
is a connection between my last letter
fore you must forgive me for not com-
ing, in this letter, to those other parts
which, please the Lord, will follow next
month. After reading my text in the
I said a
evening, Psalm lxxvi. 1-4.
something like what follows:-
You remember this morning I pro-
posed to notice six things:-

I. To speak of Judah, and shew how
God is known in him.

Since I wrote that first letter, I have been travelling and preaching in Berkshire one whole week. After preaching my last sermon in that county, I retired to the bed room appointed for me; and there I besought the Lord to indulge me with the application and sweet open- II. To shew his name is great in Israel. ing-up of some precious scripture in my III. That his tabernacle is in Salem. own soul, to come home with: for I IV. His dwelling-place in Zion. seemed to have preached myself both V. The work he accomplishes in Zion barren and bare. Well, I took some -There brake he the arrows of the bow, books, and (before retiring to rest,) down the shield, and the sword and the battle.'

VOL. III. PART XXX.-JULY.

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VI. The blessed view Zion has of Christ, and the declaration she makes concerning him-'Thou art more gloriand excellent than the mountains of prey.'

I. Judah.-' In Judah is God known.' This is true-God, in a saving way, can only be known in Christ.

Judah, here, is a type of Christ-Judah is said to be God's law-giver. He reveals and accomplishes the will and purpose of the Father. 'The words which thou gavest me, I have given unto them. I have manifested (said the Saviour,) thy name, unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.' 'Judah is my law-giver.' Ps. lx. 7.

HIS SANCTUARY.' Such is our spiritual
Judah, wherein God is known.

To know, then, how God is known in Judah, consider first Judah's name, and then his work. Judah's name meaneth the praise of the Lord. The whole person and work of Christ is designed to shew forth the praise and glory of the eternal God. Look at Christ's work in creation; it declares his praise. His works in providence are mysterious, but they declare his glory. His work in redemption, declares the electing love, the predestinating purpose, and the boundless mercy of the great God; and his work in the souls of his people doth wonderfully bespeak and shew forth the praises of the Lord, as I hope hereafter to declare.

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Judah is the church's sanctuary. (Ps. cxiv. 2.) The church has been hidden in Christ from everlasting; and shall be In Judah is God known, then, first, glorified with him. Jesus Christ is that by the power of the Holy Ghost. See holy place, or sanctuary which Jehovah's Judges i. 3. Judah said unto Simeon, hands have established; Exodus xv. 17. his brother, come up with me into my Oh, what a precious word is that! Moses lot, and I will go with thee into thy lot.' says-God will bring his people in; and Christ's lot is his church. Simeon typiplant them in the place which he has fies the work and person of the Holy made for himself to dwell in. How very Ghost, as well as the suretyship character wonderful were the views which David of the Son of God. Christ cannot come had of God in the Person of Christ! truly and spiritually into the hearts of When he was in the wilderness of Judah, sinners, without the Holy Ghost. and in deep distress; when Saul was man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but seeking him every day, (1 Sam. xxiii. by the Holy Ghost.' In Judah then is 14.) then poor David remembered some God known, by the life-giving, revealglorious views, and the rich fellowship ing, and sanctifying powers of the Holy he had enjoyed in times past; and he Ghost. 'Come thou with me into my seems to take hold, by faith, of our pre- lot, (says Judah,) and I likewise will go cious Immanuel, saying, 'O God, thou with thee into thy lot.' The Holy Ghost art my God; my soul thirsteth for thee; comes into the soul of an elect sinner, gives my flesh longeth to see thy power and him clear views of, and creates thirstings glory; so as I have seen thee in the sanc-after Christ, and there Christ will certainly tuary.' On another occasion he says come to satisfy that soul- - for all such 'The Lord chose the tribe of Judah, the empty, thirsting souls' shall be filled.' Mount Zion which he loved; (that is, Well, it is said they found Adonithe whole election of grace, the church bezek; they fought against him-he fled of Christ ;) and then he adds and he-they pursued after him-caught him built his sanctuary like high palaces:'-cut off his thumbs and his toes-they that is, as high palaces are built on the strongest foundations, erected with the most costly materials, and designed for royal inhabitants, even so, Christ is built upon the Rock of an eternal, immutable, and all-glorious Deity; all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, dwells in him, and he in it; and he is the church's palace, dwelling place, banquetting house, guest chamber, and her everlasting rest. See, my reader, how he is exalted in the 96th Psalm-The Lord made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: STRENGTH and BEAUTY ARE IN

brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. Adonibezek means the lightning of the Lord, and is a solemn prefiguring of satan, who, like lightning fell from heaven, as Christ says, Luke x. 18. Now God is known in Judah by the resistance of satan, the crippling of satan, the pursuing of satan, and the ultimate overcoming of satan, in the hearts of his dear, quickened and saved family. destroys death, and him that hath_the power of death, that is the devil.' But, experimentally, this is, like cutting off a limb at a time; it is a long, it is a sore,

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a lingering work; and the more satan's | thers sinners out of the fall ? What is power is cut and crippled, the more he it raises up men to preach the gospel? roars and threatens; but his ultimate What is it binds and holds together the destruction (as regards the church) is churches of Christ? It is Christ's name. certain. God's going to redeem his people, was to make his name great. Many men have had great names in Israel: Abraham, David, Isaiah, Paul, Peter, Luther, Bunyan, Huntington, Hart, Gadsby, and others; but none of these names can do anything; they must all die; but 'HIS NAME shall be called JESUS, for he saves his people from their sins.' What is his Name? It is JEHOVAH-JIREH; that is, the Lord will provide,' which is applicable to his eternal Godhead; by which he has provided all things for the shewing forth of his own glory, and his church's salvation. His name is called JEHOVAHINISSI, the Lord my banner: that is applicable to the person and work of Christ as the Captain of our salvation. name is called JEHOVAH-SHALOM, the Lord will send peace, that is applicable to the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing Christ into the soul.

In this first chapter of Judges, you may trace out the work of Christ, until you come down to the 19th verse-there the text comes in again—' In Judah is God known,' in that he has driven out the inhabitants of the mountain, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron.' The mountain of God, which is Sinai, represents the terrors of the sinner under the law; but Christ has redeemed us from the curse; he has, by blood, and love, and power, given us to escape from Sinai's curse and awful condemnation ; but deliverance from this valley, the fallen powers of a depraved nature, these are with us still; and will be, down to the end of our mortal ca

reer.

In Judah is God known, by the coming of Christ, and then by the church being brought to dwell in him; as the Lord hath said-'I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains, and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.' You may take Judah then, as a type, also, of the spouse, or church of Christ; and say-In Judah is God known by these things following more especially

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First, by the revelations of the Holy Ghost. Secondly, by the resisting and conquering of the devil, Thirdly, by delivering poor, living souls from Mount Sinai. Fourthly, by supporting them in the conflicts they have with the inhabitants of the valley. And, Lastly, by the manifestations of Christ, and giving them in him to dwell and live. God is known in Judah by these five things. II. I come to the greatness of his name in Israel—'His name is great in Israel.' For these two things come to gether in living souls: wherever God is savingly known through Christ, Christ's name becomes great.

The whole church of God is here denominated Israel; they are a company of royal priests, and heavenly princes, who have power given them to prevail with God.

God's name is great in Israel in a gospel sense, in an experimental sense, and in a glorified sense.

1. In a gospel sense.-What is it ga

His

By all this Christ has a wonderful name in Israel. But how has he got this wonderful name? By calling, convincing, converting, by cleansing, curing, clothing, and comforting some of the wildest rebels that ever the earth knew. Take only one or two instances whereby Christ's name has become great in Israel. Look, first, at Saul, a mad persecutor, and bold blasphemer. Well, Christ lays him down, calls, convinces, converts, cleanses, cures, clothes and comforts him. What is the consequence? Why he went every where preaching Christ. "The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love." Devils and men too run after Paul, trying to stop his mouth; but none of them could do it. Says he' I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.' No man shall stop me of this boasting, says Paul: for me to live is Christ-and I am determined to know nothing else-JESUS CHRIST and him crucified. From henceforth, (says he) let no man trouble me. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! All I want now, he would say, is to finish my course with joy,and the ministry I have received; and so down to the end, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God, that Christ may be magnified both in

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