We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

THOUGHTS ON 2 COR. V. 10. IN ANSWER TO THE REQUEST OF A TRIED CHILD OF GOD.

MY ESTEEMED FRIEND AND BROTHER:
I have been a long time answering your last
letter; but the subject referred to, by you,
in 2 Cor. v. 10, and upon which you wished
my thoughts, appeared to me in a view, I
had never before observed; not wishing to
give my thoughts hastily, I have waited se-
veral weeks; and in course of prayerful
meditation, I found an increasing difficulty
of establishing in my own mind, the gene-
rally received opinion upon the subject.
After frequently asking counsel of him who
indited the truth, I was brought to the fol-
lowing views.

his will in heaven, earth, and hell. He therefore, according to the good pleasure of his will, takes the stoutest hearted sinner, and brings the poor rebel low at his feet, with a cry, Lord, what, wouldst thou have me to do?' And 'be merciful to me a miserable sinner.' According to his will he slays the enmity of the heart; overcomes the strongest prejudices, and produces by this blessed change of heart, an inquiry after things which before, it was entirely averse to. In the next place, when a person is born again of God, there is a divine life implanted; not merely a form of godliness; but where this That the language was addressed under divine life is, there are new feelings, new particular circumstances, and was of special views, and new designs; so that the person import, directed to a particular people, united is brought to a feeling religion, not satisfied into a body of christian professors at Co- with a mere notional one. In this new state rinth; and that in that body of people, were they are brought to see and feel where they some of doubtful character; 1 Cor. iv. 19; have been, and what they have been from v. 1; vi. 7, 8; and that they-as professed their youth up-sinners against God; and believers in the Lord Jesus Christ-would thus brought to see and feel, as guilty have to appear before the judgment seat of sinners, that unless God has mercy on them, Christ, to receive the things done in their they are lost for ever. They feel, likewise, body, according to that they had done, &c. that real, vital, and personal religion, is of I was, therefore, led to draw the three fol- all subjects, the most important to them. lowing distinctions:-First, the difference Desires are now felt to be preserved from between the righteous and the unrighteous. things, that before, produced their greatest Secondly, their state and condition. Thirdly, pleasure; they desire now, to love more and the final judgment and decision. My ob- more what they once hated; viz., the ways ject for thus dividing the subject, was that I of God; the things of God; and the people might be enabled to draw (for my own soul's of God: would give anything to be like comfort, as well as others,) a distinct line them. What a change! A blessed, grabetween those who fear God, and those who cious, and effectual change! without which fear him not. My first general division led we can never enter the kingdom of God. me to think-First, that a manifestation of The next idea is that the will and affections. being a righteous one was evidenced by be- of the persons so born of God, are taken ing born again, not of blood, nor of the will possession of; so that they are neither dragged: of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of nor driven into this religion against their God, John i. 13. Thus evidencing that real will and inclination; on the contrary, when and vital religion in the heart, is not com- the divine principle is in lively exercise, they municated to us by virtue of a relation to feel a holy pleasure in the ways of righteousreligious parents; nor does it in any shape, ness, and holiness, and delight in the will form, or degree, spring from the flesh; nor of God; and at times are enabled to kiss his is the will of man, in the least degree, in-hand, even while he strikes their natural clined to God, or godliness, till Jehovah comforts dead; and at times are favoured puts forth his almighty power to create the to feel an overflowing heart of gratitude, soul anew, by implanting a principle as holy as himself, in the heart, thereby making it willing in the day of his power; thus it is proved to be sovereign and effectual; sovereign, because it is disposed according to God's will; for he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy; so then it is not of him that willeth, but of him that sheweth mercy; Rom. ix. 15, 16. It is effectual; for what can prevent the Lord doing his will? It was his will to make a world? And having made it, who can stop its course; or frustrate the predicted will of God? He doeth

under a sense of his wonderful mercy and goodness; so as to enable them to say, in various trials It is the Lord, let him do as seemeth him good.' 1 Sam. iii. 18. In the next place, when a person is born of God, there is not only life, but there is divine faith, the spiritual vision of the soul, by which it is enabled, when in exercise, to see a beauty, blessed and precious adaptedness in Christ, and the gospel of his salvation to their personal necessities, by which faith it is persuaded of the truth as it is exhibited in, and made known by and through Jesus

every weight, and the sin that does so easily beset them. It is this divine principle in the heart that produces the warfare, so that the living Christian more or less, day by day,

the Spirit against the flesh, and that these are contrary, the one to the other; the flesh is not made more holy, but it is this divine nature residing within at all times, and which cannot slip, that produces a feeling of hatred to, and a longing desire to be preserved from every thing that is displeasing to God, from every sin they feel working in their members, and which war against the law of their mind; like the apostle, they find, 'to will is present, but how to perform (in themselves,) that which is good they find not.' Rom. vii. 18.

Christ and him crucified; so much so, that | the poor soul is brought to feel that it could part with all that it might win Christ and be found in him; and be enabled to say, He is mine, and I am his. It is by this pre-feels the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and cious grace of faith, they are, in Jehovah's set time, enabled to see the grace, wherein they stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God; they now see that their standing is not in the wisdom of men, nor in fleshly resolutions, nor fastings, nor prayers, nor external observances, however strictly attended to, but in the everlasting love of the Father, the precious blood-shedding of Christ, and the effectual operation of the Holy Comforter, by whom they are quickened into life; and that if love, and faith in love divine, is wanting in the heart, all external observances are lifeless, and the mere duty and dirty work of a slave; and not the willing, affectionate, goings forth of the heart of a new-born child of God; a child of God is generally dissatisfied with self, and can get on solid comfort only as he is enabled by faith, like the dove mentioned in Sol. Song ii. 14., to hide in the clefts of the smitten Rock Christ, and get into the secret settlement of God's oath and promise in Christ; opened up to view in the wounds, flowing blood, and perfect righteousness of a precious Saviour, as their substitute, as their only place of safety from every devouring enemy, and from all the consequences of the damning power of their vile and numerous transgressions. It is by this precious faith, such are enabled in the Lord's good time to build upon this Rock, on his glorious Person, finished work, and indescribable worth, as their solid comfort, in every storm, within or without; and at times are favoured, feelingly, as they journey on in the rough path-way of cares, (though like Jacob, resting or halting upon the thigh,) to sing

"Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given; More happy, but not more secure, The glorified spirits in heaven." In the next place it must be remembered that although the above is the case of those born again of God, and blessed with divine love and faith; yet, notwithstanding, they have the principle of sin in all its parts and powers, still remaining and living in them; and will find it is a law in their members, warring against the law of their minds, so that they cannot do the things that they would; but there is likewise the divine principle in the soul that is born again, that produces in the soul, (that's labouring in this warfare,) an hatred to all that is contrary to God and godliness; so that they hate the very feelings of iniquity that work in their members; and will cause them to cry to God for grace to enable them, to lay aside

We follow on to notice that every soul that knows, experimentally, something included in the former remarks, is born again of God, and is interested in the everlasting love, good will, and pleasure of Jehovah, because they are born again, according to the good pleasure of his will, and are evidenced thereby as the heirs of glory; for, there never was yet a soul under the heavens of God found, mourning the workings of sin in their members, and, tl.erewith longing in their hearts to be preserved from all evil, but those who have been quickened into life divine by the power of the Holy Ghost, and thereby made manifest to be the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty; and if children, then heirs of God; heirs to all his bequeathed property; and joint heirs with Christ Jesus; are loved with the same love Christ is loved with, and blessed with the same blessings, and shall share in his glory, by virtue of union to him, and by his life, death and resurrection; all of which was for their benefit, in connection with Jehovah's glory. Being born again, therefore, is a witness to the soul, that its sins are all blotted out, that it is righteous before God, without spot or blemish, complete in Christ as much as ever they can be; Christ died to redeem them; and as he is never to die again, they must of necessity be perfectly redeemed, and if fully redeemed from the curse, then there can be no penal punishment for them to undergo; in the righteousness of their Lord and Saviour they shine before Jehovah as though they had never sinned. Their being born again of God is not the cause of their interest in the blessings of grace, nor does it procure nor secure them; but is an evidence to the soul of an interest in, and a putting the soul into a position to enjoy them: the Spirit therefore, takes possession of their hearts, because they are loved of the Father, redeemed by Jesus' precious blood, and to bring them by his divine influences into the blessedness of them, by his enlivening, enlarging, restor

ing, and preserving power, for where he be- | walk asbrethren for six years, without ever gins his good work of regeneration, he will bringing the subject before my mind, and carry it on to final perseverance and glory; then, without the slightest intimation, do for he never quickens any but those who are what he could to crush me as a minister, in loved and chosen of the Father, redeemed by the very pulpit where I had been for so the precious blood of Christ, justified by his many years-if that is brotherly, Christian, righteousness, and are eternally to reign with loving conduct, and such as becomes the him in glory, as his beloved bride, where- gospel, I am greatly mistaken. "Millions of years their wond'ring eyes, Shall o'er his beauties rove;

[Mr. W. H. Shakespear, late a deacon at Zoar Chapel, London, has published what he calls "A Refutation of the Falsehoods contained in Mr Tryon's letter to Mr. Philpot." Since the publication of so many tracts by Mr. Tryon against Mr. Philpot and others, we have been repeatedly asked for an opinion, but we shall not at present, enter upon any such unpleasant business, further than to give the following letter written by Mr. J. C. Philpot, and which appears to us well calculated to give rest to many souls who have been much exercised from what they have heard. Mr. Philpot writes in an honest, becoming, and Christian spirit: and since so much has been written against him, we think the following letter cannot be too extensively circulated.]

"My dear Friend:-I am much obliged to you for your faithful and affectionate letter -more especially, too, as it allows me an opportunity of expressing my feelings on a subject which has been brought so prominently before you.

"I feel that Mr. Tryon has acted in a most unkind manner to me, after six years' uninterrupted friendship; but that I could have borne more easily, if he had acted Scripturally. But I can assure you, on the word of a Christian man, that never but once, and that in an obscure manner, did he ever hint at my transgression. And when, do you think, was that? Why, on a Thursday evening, in my little vestry, just before I was going to preach, about four or more years ago. Was that the time and place for an explanation? The subject was never renewed between us; but, even then, I expressed my sorrow for my breach of God's precept. But, to come backwards and forwards to my house, dine at my table, often preach for me, and I occasionally for him, converse on. Christian subjects, and

"I could have told him what I had felt, soon after my marriage, and how pierced my conscience had been with guilt, and my heart filled with sorrow. I could have told him what confessions I had made to the Lord, and what intimations I had received from him, that he had not cast me off in wrathful displeasure. But I did not even know him till eight or nine months after the circumstance, and then not intimately; and as it was a sore place with me, and he did not allude to it, neither did I. But he had no right to assume that I did not feel grief, because I did not open my mind to him. Indeed, he seemed to me to stand so much upon a little hill of holiness, that I, who knew what a poor filthy sinner I was, never had much inclination to open my heart before him.

"But, had I been a hardened hypocrite, he could hardly have dealt with me more severely, first, by denouncing me one of the then writing to me a most cutting letter, ancients,' who were to be slaughtered, and comparing me to Balaam and Saul, and seleast hope that I was a brother, this was not parating himself from me. gospel treatment; but, considering I was a brother minister, well known, and generally received among the churches of truth, it seems to me wholly unjustifiable.

If he had the

"I find in the Scriptures that the prophets of the Lord denounced false prophets, but not true ones. If these latter have transgressed, they reproved them to their face, (1 Kings, xiii.,) but did not publicly denounce them. So Nathan reproves David to his face, and Paul does the same to Peter. (Gal. ii.) But Mr. Tryon never did this to me, though he had the opportunity of a six years' intercourse.

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According to his text and subject on the morning of February 16th I was one of the ancients' that were to be slaughtered without pity. If I were not one of them, the text and subject could not allude to me; and therefore, why was I brought in at all? I understand that Mr. Tryon said he came to clear the pulpit of some of these ancients, and then brought me in. Now, if the church and congregation at Zoar believe Mr. Tryon to be right, and fully justified in all he has said and done respecting myself, I cannot see how they can ever wish to see me in their pulpit again, nor do I feel I can comfortably occupy it.

"If Mr. Tryon had tried every means in