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other, Mr. Wise man; another, Mr. Clever | God; and in God's time these enemies shall

man; and each must be great in his way, and mode of things; and each must be head of a party; even among those ministers and people who profess the great and glorious truths of the gospel. But, is Christ divided? No. Then why should we, who profess to be in Christ; all one in Christ Jesus, and of one faith, and one Father, and one Spirit? We should endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.' Then, that spirit which endeavours to separate friends and divide saints, is not a good spirit, but an evil spirit; a spirit of pride, which is of the devil. And, in these days, among professing christians, it is something like the reviving of the old heptarchy, or feudal system; each man fighting for the head of his clan or chieftain; and they must hear whether their chieftain love such a preacher before they may love him; and, if he loves him, they will love him, but, if he hates him, they must hate him. 'O,' says the chieftain, he is a corruption man; I have nothing to do with him!' 'O,' says another, 'such an one is a dead letter man; a dead Calvinist.' And then, Mr. Clean man, (in his own eyes,) will say, 'O, you must not have anything to do with that dirty fellow; keep up a respectable connection with us; you might have known that man; he is a sinner; that fellow is a sinner! and, I believe, an enemy to our section and connection; I don't like him!'

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O, beloved! is this the religion of Jesus, the good master? Is this the doctrine that he taught his disciples? O no; no. O holy brethren, pray for more of the spirit of your Father. Shall not he give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him?' 'Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.' Love your enemies; do good unto them that hate you; pray for them that despitefully use you.' So shall ye know; so shall ye have the witness in yourselves that ye are the children of your Father, by feeling his Spirit in you dictating your prayers, the Spirit of your Father, which is love. For, he loved his enemies; otherwise you would never have loved him; for, you and I were his enemies by wicked works; and, he loved us, and gave his only begotten Son to redeem us; and his Spirit to renew and sanctify us. 'For, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. And Jesus loved his enemies, and prayed for them with his dying breath; and he prayed for you and me when we enemies to him. If God had took vengeance on us when we were his enemies, where should we have been? And, if God allowed us to take vengeance on all our enemies, and those that hate us we might destroy some of his people, who are still in ignorance, in nature's darkness, and, at present, enemies to

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be made our friends, and friends to the gospel of Christ; therefore, it is not enough to pray for your friends, and those that love you and your friends. 'I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that despitefully use you.' I know the time when God has so blessed me, melted me down, and filled me with his spirit, and love, and joy unspeakable that I have walked alone, solitarily in the fields, and earnestly prayed for certain individuals that hated me; and grieved and prayed for one in particular, when he was in great distress; and under an operation with doctors, next to death. But, you may say some never will be saved; of what use is it praying for them? Do you know who are to be saved, and how many? And do you know their names? That is a secret with God. The Lord knows them that are his. There is a sin unto death; I do not say that he should pray for it.' Neither can ye love your enemies' sins, wickednesses, folly, malice, &c. But, we must learn to distinguish between things that differ. You may hate your fellow creature's follies, or, your brother's sins and foolishnesses, but, not hate his person, nor his soul. But, love your enemies, and pray for their souls, and their conversion, and leave it with God, the Judge of all. If you have a mind to kill your enemies, nothing overcomes them, and kills them like prayer and love; and if they are killed dead at your feet through their own sin and the law, and your love and prayer, God is able to make them alive again, in Christ, the eternal life; and, if they should be permitted to kill your body, then you will be at home with Christ the sooner; for they cannot kill the soul; that is in Christ:

Little children, love is of God; sin, hatred, and malice are of the devil. You should not hate your natural brother, your own mother's son; nor your spiritual brother, the son of your heavenly Father; neither should you hate your enemies; and, if you have the light of life in you, the spirit of life, truth, and love in you, to see yourself, you will hate your own life, more than all your other enemies without; yea, you will hate your own life, worse than a toad. He that loves his life shall lose it; he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal.

Now, ye dear saints of God, whom mine eyes have not seen in the flesh, watch these things; and watch what manner of spirit ye are moved by: I have been a watchman some time, now; and have watched these things; what I say unto you all, is 'Watch.'

A WATCHMAN ON THE WALLS. Leicester, Oct. 14, 1847.

Mr.J. C. Philpot's "Acknowledgment."

"It is most paiuful to me, after an union of more than nine years with a most affectionate and excellent wife-a union never

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let me make a distinction. I cannot, I do not repent of having for a partner a most attached and excellent wife, the mother of my dear children, against whom, her enemies and mine cannot justly breathe a disparaging word, to whom I am most warmly attached with a love that increases every year, and who does every thing to consult my comfort and happiness, to the sacrifice, were it called for, of her own. I cannot say, therefore, I repent as a busband, at possessing a wife so suitable to me, and so deserving of, as she so fully has, my tenderest love, affection, and esteem. But I do repent of it in a spiritual point of view; for it was a breach of God's word, a sin for which I have often felt wounded in my conscience. In my case, too, it was aggravated and, therefore, the breach of the precept was, by the circumstance that I was a minister, I frankly acknowledge, much worse in me.

IN the Gospel Standard, for October, broken by one real dispute, that I am comthere is a letter from Mr. J. C. Philpot, pelled, thus, publicly to acknowledge_my entitled "An Acknowledgment," or pub-repentance for having married her. lic confession of some evils which have been charged upon him by Mr. Tryon of James Deeping, in Lincolnshire. Deeply pained as we have felt at all the circumstances connected with the bringing forth of this acknowledgment, (and the Lord knoweth we have sorely grieved in secret, at the unholy, the unchristianlike spirit which Mr. Philpot's assailant has manifested; still) we should not have presumed to notice it, but for the conviction that there is manifested in Mr. Philpot's letter such real godly sorrow, such unfeigned humility, christian meekness, and gospel uprightness, that we are persuaded the publication of it will be attended with the most salutary effects. It seems, to us, impossible for any right-minded individual to read this laying open of conscience without deriving very considerable benefit; therefore, knowing that the Earthen Vessel falls into the hands of many who do not see the Gospel Standard, we have felt constrained to lay a portion of this acknowledgment before our readers. Almost universally do the churches of Christ sympathise with Mr. Philpot in his present most acute afflictions; thousands of fervent prayers are going up to the throne on his behalf; and, should it please the Lord to raise him up, and bring him forth again into the ministry, we are fully persuaded his usefulness and acceptableness, among the Lord's people will be very great. The weapon that has been formed against him will only prosper in the working out of real good to his own soul, and to the bringing of glory unto his forgiving Lord.

The only really important part of this acknowledgment is that which relates to Mr. Philpot's marriage: and, with reference to that event, Mr. P. writes as follows:

"The first, evil, then, and by far the most prominent, which I wish to confess, is, my marriage in 1838 with a person of whom I was not persuaded that she was, at that time, a partaker of grace.*

"I cannot forbear adding, that I have a hope that the Lord has, since then, touched her heart with his grace. Should this be clearly manifested to be the case, though it does not, in the least degree, justify me in my original offence, nor do I mention

"I should have been an example to the flock; but, instead of that, I set a bad example, and, perhaps encouraged others to commit the same sin. This last consideration has more particularly of late grieved my mind. At first, I felt more acutely the sin itself; but, since the subject has been brought more closely before my mind, I have felt grief lest I should have led aside any of the Lord's people. This, I am sure, is a grievous offence, especially displeasing to the Lord, and adding sin to sin. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but, whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.' (Matt. v. 19.)

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"My most intimate friends well know that I have never justified my marriage, but always confessed it was wrong when the subject was named. I have never taught men so,' publicly or privately, by preaching or conversation, but I have taught it by my example, which is as bad as by word, and, indeed, often more forcible.

"This consideration, I freely acknowledge, makes the offence worse in me than in a private christian. I do not wish, there

fore, to evade or diminish the additional evil

in my particular case. I deserve to be reforbear adding, that had the reproof been proved for my conduct; though, I cannot administered in the spirit of love and affec

it in the remotest degree with that view, yet, I shall consider it the greatest blessing, next to my own salvation, which the Lord could give me, the vilest and unworthiest of men."

tion, it would have more nearly resembled | ing men referred to, have never yet known

that excellent oil, which does not break the head, but touches and softens the heart. (Ps. cxli. 5.)

what gospel liberty is; they have dwelt in dark uncertainties; and are under the delusion that all expressions of liberty, as

are bold and wicked presumption. We pray that they may know what it is to have the yoke destroyed because of the anointing :' and, then, would they be better prepared to understand and to receive such a ministry as Mr. Osbourn's. The people at Sherbourn are a quiet, humble, discerning, God-fearing, truth-loving, and consistent little flock. The following extract from a correspondent, will show how they received and esteem him.

"I here, therefore, confess and acknow-surance, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost, ledge, and I desire to do so with grief and shame, that, by marriage, I sinned against God, grieved his people, opened the mouth of his enemies, brought guilt upon my conscience, laid a stumbling block in the way of some, and encouraged others to do evil. My possessing thereby an excellent wife no more justifies me in breaking God's word, than I should be in taking a sum of money by stealth or fraud. I might have had, and deserved to have, a persecutor, a busy body, a scold, a canting hypocrite, a gossip, who might have been my daily plague, and brought upon me a continual reproach.

"I would, therefore, affectionately warn all God's unmarried people, to beware of the snare, and to be assured that, though they may thereby gain the desire of their natural heart, they will certainly suffer chastisement as I have had to endure. We cannot sin without suffering; and though the chastisement may be long delayed, it will most surely come; and, generally speaking, in a way most cutting and wounding to our flesh.

"I would, therefore, affectionately say to any of my spiritual readers, who are entangled in this snare, do not shelter yourselves under me. It will be but adding sin to sin. But plead with the Lord his own promise. 'There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' (1 Cor. x. 13.) "

"Mr. Osbourn's preaching was well received by the friends; and we hope and believe it will be long remembered by many. He preached to us five times; and once at Yeovil. His first sermon was very appropriate to our state from these words, in Acts, 'I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people, and am come down to deliver them.' His second was from Ps. cxlvii. 2, 3, The Lord doth build up Jerusalem,' &c. and said, it implied, although not expressed, that none but the Lord could build her up. On the Sunday he spoke twice from these words, in Isaiah, 'I will satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones,' &c. And his farewell discourse was from the following words- For there is no other name given among men, whereby we can be saved.' This was a precious sermon; I wish I could give you the whole of it. He is a man very little for private conversation; much taken up in writing; upon the whole, I think I may truly say, it was a profitable season to many; and I believe him to be one of the Lord's sent and highly honoured servants; and believe he will stand amidst all the squibs which are thrown at him by men; they seem like snow balls which melt before they hurt, and sometimes before they strike."

Mr. Osbourn's Visit to Sherbourn. How various, and how opposite are the views We do fully believe that Mr. Osbourn's and opinions of professing men in England spirit is more like that of Thomas Brooks, respecting Mr. Osbourn's ministry! We as expressed in the following words: -"I know, for certain, that two of the leading bless God, I am, and I desire more and men, in one chapel where he preached, (not more to be, one with every one that is one-hundred miles out of London,) were so one with Christ. I would fain have as free, harrowed up; so alarmed; and so exaspe- as large, and as sweet a heart towards rated under his ministry, that they cannot saints, as Christ hath. For a wolf to worry even bear the mention of his name; and a lamb, is usual; but, for a lamb to worry they are determined he shall never enter into a lamb, is unnatural: for, Christ's lilies that pulpit again, if they can have their will. to be among thorns, is ordinary; but, But, from what cause doth this arise? Is it for these lilies to become thorns, because Mr. Osbourn does not preach the tear and fetch blood of one another, is gospel of Christ? Certainly not. Is it monstrous and strange. Ah, christians, can because he does not walk out the gospel in Turks and Pagans agree? Can bears and a consistent practice? We believe his walk, lions, can wolves and tigers agree? Yea, (like his ministry) is quiet, sober, straight- can a legion of devils agree in one body? forward, consistent, and scriptural. From And, shall not saints whom one heaven whence, then, arose this dislike to, and de- must hold at last, agree?" This is not termination against him. We answer as in the spirit of many who profess to have the the sight of God, simply because these lead-spirit of Christ. Alas! it is not.

to

The Sufferings of Christ,

AND THE GLORY THAT MUST FOLLOW.

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To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel:DEAR BROTHER:-Having been requested, by some friends to print a sermon preached from 1 Pet. i. 11, The sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow;' and, knowing that printers cannot live unless they are paid, as well as other people, I determined not to do so until I could see my way clear; being told in the word of God to owe no man man any thing but love.' It was then proposed to send it to the Vessel; if you deem it worthy of a berth, take it on board; and, may the great Captain of our salvation deign to command his blessing to rest upon it.

In the words may we be helped, first, to look at the sufferer; secondly, to look at his sufferings; and, thirdly, may we contemplate and participate in the glory that should follow. First, the person who suffered was not a common person. Many good men have suffered; this day I stood on the very spot where good Latimer, Cranmer, and Ridley suffered, in Oxford; but, they were only men; and, at most, their sufferings were only exemplary, not expiatory; but, Christ was infinitely superior, in the dignity of his person; he was God's anointed; above his fellows; (Ps. xlv. 7;) he was God's servant; (Isa. xlii. 1;) he was Jehovah's fellow; (Zech. xiii. 17;) he was his beloved Son; (Matt. iii. 17;) his person was complex; partaking of two natures; equal with God, his Father; equal with those for whom he suffered; of him, and to him the Father says, Thy throne, oh, God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.' (Heb. i. 8.) Surely, he is a "The sufferings of Christ and the glory that dignified sufferer! and his sufferings must be

THE SUBSTANCE OF A DISCOURSE.

should follow." 1 Pet. i. 11.

of a dignified, and dignifying nature.

Secondly, his sufferings were peculiar ; None teacheth like our God; indeed, none extending to his holy soul, as well as his sinbut the Holy Ghost ever taught to profit; less body. See xxii. and Ixix. Psalms, comevery other teacher and teaching, my poor pared with Matt. xxvi. 58. Nor can I think soul well knows is only calculated to feed his sufferings were less because of his purity pride and harden the heart. Good Peter of natures; but, dreadful he felt them, for found this out by the mercy of the Lord; dreadful they were. The ponderous wrath his fleshly confidence received an effectual of God Almighty poured out upon him, shock; he boasted; he fell; awful were the taking full vengeance to the very uttermost consequences; he swore he never knew the of this dignified sufferer; for all, and every MAN and I have often thought of the one of the sins of his brethren; for all were goodness of God in preserving him from his by more than mere imputation; (which swearing he never knew THE GOD; for I word in scripture always refers to his rightfind that each of the three evangelists de-eousness being imputed to his children. See clare he said, 'I know not the man.' Does not this prove, however a child of God may fall after his call by grace, the Lord graciously keeps him from denying the Godhead of the everblessed Jesus; everlastingly dreadful must be the state of all who live and die in such an error; but, Peter was chosen to the sanctification of the Spirit. The Lord looked on Peter; that loving look broke his heart; he wept bitterly; the crowing of all the cocks in the world could never have done it. Now he weeps! for Jesus gave him tears; his furrowed heart is affected; he felt sin had done him much harm; his stop and step is mercifully produced by the incarnate Friend of the unworthy backslider; calculated, he now is, by this conversion, to strengthen his brethren, and to declare, all who are kept, are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation; works, of course, he has none to plead; but delightfully traces the whole to the merits of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.'

I feel I know somewhat of the greatness of my text; I feel my inability; I pray the eternal Spirit to help me; and bless you.

Ps. xxxii. 1, 2; and Rom. iv. 6-8.) for they were his, by agreement, voluntary, virtually, to be made sin, and a curse; so that I desire ever to adore, where I shall never explore the wondrous wisdom, mercy and mystery of his being made sin, and a curse; that his church should be redeemed, made righteous, and everlastingly saved. And thus our God was not unrighteous; who took vengeance, bruised and wounded, and put to grief the soul of his dear Son. (See lxiii. Isa. ; 2 Cor. v. 21; Gal. iii. 13.) Consequently, I believe them to be First, substitutional, viz. : for others, for he could not suffer for himself; for guile was never in his mouth, sin never was found in him, his qualifications were more than equivalent, he was not unstable like Reuben (Gen, xlii. 37, 38). Blessed be his dear name, he is our Judah, fully capable to perform, and willing to substitute himself for the whole family, even for little Benjamin too (Gen. xliii. 9.). I consider his sufferings were, Secondly, penal; viz.: vindictive; God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up' (Rom. viii. 32.) Vindictive wrath laid hold on him in the

garden, it pressed out a bloody sweat, it held | feel more white than snow in Salmon. Lord, him fast to ignominy and spitting, until daily so favour my soul. The sufferings of reproach broke his heart. It stripped him, | Christ are limited to all the elected family of nailed him, stabbed him, showed him no mercy, refused light, God himself appeared to know him not, love him not, hear him not, his revenge was absolute, his vengeance was inflexible, his wrath was against sin, his inexorable justice smote the shepherds;

"How vile and black must sin appear,
Most holy God to thee."

Thirdly, were not his sufferings plenary;
viz. full, complete? Doubtless he bore the
whole; both as to quantity, as well as
quality. Every sin was known to him fallen
Zion would be guilty of committing, as well
as original sin. Every transgression in her
natural state, and also every fall, failure,
slip, miscarriage, wandering, backsliding,
ingratitude, unbelief, hardness of heart, re-
bellion of mind, and her requiting him evil
for good; all he knew, for all he suffered, for
all he died. Fourthly, His sufferings were
expiatory or atoning; for himself he could
not, personally; yet, for his body mystically
he atoned for every member. Justice and
the guilty appeared a great way off each other,
nor could they ever come nigh; except it
were to judgment. So I really found it.
Atonement is made by his blood; the law
receives a perfect obedience; expiation is
accomplished by his sufferings; which are
also (Fifthly,) satisfactory. God, in all his
perfection of nature, mind and will; is fully,
and for ever well pleased with his Son; with
his sufferings; with his people in glory; with
his children on earth; for Mercy and truth
have met together, righteousness and peace
have kissed each other.' Sixthly, they were
efficacious; sure to produce pardon and
peace for the guilty burdened sinner. Yes;
there was a sufficiency, and an efficiency of
virtue in his sufferings to satisfy for the
vilest of wretches; as the word declares,
All manner of sins shall be forgiven.' The
blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.'
Is our guilt mighty guilt? The efficacy of
his death is almighty. Do we suffer, and feel
no more satisfied? He suffered once for
sin, but now he liveth by the power of God.
Death hath no more dominion over him, he
died unto sin. He now and for ever liveth
to make intercession. Without the shedding
of his blood there is no remission; but
through it, there is no possibility of any poor
sinner who pleads by faith the merits of his
blood ever going to hell; sin is put away in
the death of Christ, and in God's good time
the Holy Ghost will take this of Christ,
apply it to the heart of the quickened,
groaning soul, and put it away from the
conscience; declaring to the surprise of the
sinner, Thy sins which are many are all
forgiven thee;' and in that day the fountain
will be opened, the soul will be washed, and

God. They were in his eye in his work, sufferings and death; and I firmly believe will become the subjects of the everlasting benefits resulting from it, by the grace, power and work of the Spirit of God upon their hearts. Regenerating them, putting a spirit of prayer and supplication within them, giving them repentance unto life; leading them from law, sin and self, to the Lamb of God; who took, and now taketh away sin, works faith to lay hold upon his full merit, relying alone on his atonement; giving to hope in Christ's death, to know the power of his resurrection; to grasp the ever suitable, saving scarlet line which he lets down into the soul whereby they walk with God, believing his promises, until Jericho's walls fall down flat, and a blessed entrance is made, and an inheritance enjoyed within the heavenly city.

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Lastly, The glory of the Lord.' I consider the glory of God is inseparably connected with the sufferings and death of Christ as the great ultimate end. Hence, says David, His glory is great in thy salvation; honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him' (Ps. xxi. 5). Here is a blessed prop for a lost sinner like me, the glory of my Lord is great in my salvation through the sufferings of my dear Christ. O! my dear friends, give him his great glory; he wont lose his glory; he will save his children. Our Saviour in suffering asked it; the Father in answering, secured it for Jesus said, 'Father, glorify thy name. Then have both glorified it, and will glorify it came there a voice from heaven; saying, I again.' And Jesus himself asked our Emaus these things, and to enter into his glory? brethren, 'Ought not Christ to have suffered which is his own mediatorial glory, by promise and by right. 'For we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for, or by the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.' From God the Father he received honour and glory.' He possesses the entire glory of headship, of affluence and influence; and all grace and glory is treasured up for, secured in, and will be given to, every one of his mystical members, and if I am a foot the head will never say he hath no need of me. The divine Spirit reveals this by special operation, in effectually possessing the souls of his people. Too little, my dear friends, is this known by us. Indeed, we do not know the mighty obligations we are under to the Spirit; or if we do, we show forth very little of his praise; our carnal views, words, and actions are proofs of what I say. May

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