The Descent-the Character-and the Work of the Patriarch Noah. MY DEAR BROTHER, JOHN HALKE:In your last letter to me there are three questions. First, you ask-Where are you? Well, I will endeavour to tell you, my brother. Soon after reading this question in your note, I was on my knees begging the Lord to favour me with a message to carry up to the people at Hephzibah Chapel; when these words fell into my soul-Ask for the old paths.' This word was repeated again: and I arose and searched for the words, and found them in Jeremiah vi. 6, which verse reads thus- Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS, where is the good way, and walk therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein.' These words, my brother, were so fixed in my mind, that I went off to the scene of my Friday-evening labours but there was such a dreadful fog without, and so much coldness and darkness within; that I could neither see nor feel much to the comfort of my soul. However, what I told the people will be an answer to your first question- Where are you?' I declared that ever since God called me by his grace, I have been standing more or less, in the ways that is, in searching the Scriptures; in the hearing or preaching of the Gospel; and in some measure of secret prayer, before the eternal God. As regards the old paths, I found out seven, that I have been led to ask for, and at times to realise in some measure. There are, 1. God's everlasting and electing love: I want to walk sweetly in that. 2. The glorious covenant of grace: I want to prove again and again my interest in that. 3. Eternal union to a precious Christ: I want solemnly to be assured of this. 4. The downcoming and indweiling of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Ghost: I do desire to be deeply acquainted with that. 5. Redemption by the blood of Christ. 6. Justification by the righteousness of Christ. And, 7. An ascension into the kingdom of Christ these are the old paths my soul is asking for, desiring in them to walk; and therein to find rest. But they said, we will not walk therein.' This is just where I am. I am standing in the ways: I am asking for the old paths: but all the powers of my fallen nature-all the deceitful workings of my wicked heart, loudly and daily cry out-'We will not walk therein.' Secondly, you ask, 'Are you growing downwards, and bearing fruit upwards, as good trees do?' Truly, my brother, in many ways I am growing downwards, and how low I shall ultimately sink in soul-feeling, I cannot tell: I trust there is at times a little fruit, or incense, which being found in my poor soul ascends upwards in desires, as before expressed. But, really, John Halke, I see and feel so much within that is contrary to me, and am oft'times so afflicted in outward things, that I wonder where the scene will end. In the third place, you say, your dear spouse, wishes to know whether you are to have a line for a Christmas box, or a New Year's Gift. Yes, my brother, tell your good wife, whom I love in the truth, and for the truth's sake, that I am now about to send to you some little account of a rather large box, whose history I have found described in the book of Genesis: it is the Lord give you some little comfort in commonly called 'NOAH'S ARK. May your soul, while you peruse the following fragments gathered up from three sermons preached by your poor servant at Crosby Row, last Lord's Day, and on the Tuesday evening following, from Genesis viii. 21, 22. "And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's evil from his youth; neither will I again sake; for the imagination of man's heart is smite any more every living thing, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Of course, I cannot put into this little box, all that I said in that great box(the pulpit at Crosby Row,) but I will (by the help of the Lord,) put down a few things. First-Of Noah's descent and origin. In the book of the generation of Adam,' (or, as Bezer renders it, in 'the rehearsal of the stock,') Noah's great grandsire is called Enoch, and the Holy Ghost, (by him by faith and prayer. But enough of myself; I only want to speak of the old paths wherein our Lord was seen. that stern apostle Jude) very emphati- | with my adorable Lord and Master. In cally says of Enoch, that he was the one of them, I seemed to be drawn by seventh from Adam: or, a perfect his love; in the other, I wrestled with man from God,' which the comment of the Holy Ghost seems fully to justify, for, of Enoch he says-he 'walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.' I am no scholar myself: but the learned ones tell me that Enoch means, one that is dedicated, or taught; and he was, I believe, a sweet type of the Christ of God, as set up in the everlasting covenant: for so Christ speaks himself— (Isaiah 50.) The Lord God hath opened mine ear he hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.' In the council chamber of the ancient covenant Christ walked with God-was hidden in God-and embraced by God: these three things were typified in Enoch; as the old Bible renders it-Enoch walked with God; he was not seen; for God held him.' Noah's grandfather, (Enoch's son,) was called Methuselah; three interpretations are given of this name: he sent; his death; or, the spoiler of death. This Methuselah represents the incarnation of Christ, and the great end to be answered by his taking upon him the form of a servant; it was that he might spoil death, and him that had the power of death, that is the devil. Noah's father is called Lamech; one that is very poor; humble; and smitten; all this became the SON OF GOD: though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; one that was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted; but out of this low estate, from under these smitings and wounds, he has arisen. GOD IS GONE UP WITH A SHOUT; having led captivity captive, and received gifts for men. Noah, then, was certainly a very great type of Christ. Noah was a builder; he built the ark; and Zechariah's heart seems to have been filled with zeal for Christ, when he cries out-" Even he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory." Ah, that he shall! and a good builder he is; he builds his house upon a rock; and it can never fall. Noah was a priest: he builded an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings on the altar; and Paul (speaking of Jesus) says, We have a great High Priest, who is for us entered into heaven; one that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, because in all things he was tempted like as we are, yet without sin.' Noah was a prophet: he said, 'God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem: but cursed shall be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.' In looking at the character of Noah, I find I must be very brief; otherwise the four-fold description of him, (when applied to our glorious Lord) would be found to be full of rich gospel truth. I only give a word on each; you will do well to work it out in meditation and prayer. 1. Of Noah, it is said, 'he found grace in the eyes of the Lord,' that is, God delighted in him; he loved him: in the 18th of the first chapter of St John's gospel, Christ is said to dwell in the bosom of the Father; expressive (says Bezer) not only of the great love and delight which the Father has in Christ, but that Christ was straitly joined to the Father in nature, essence, and union. Oh, sweet theme this, brother Halke; but Peter says, only to them that believe. Can you rejoice in the exaltation of Christ? Surely, you are one with him. Lamech also represents a poor child of God when laid down under the smitings of a guilty conscience, the terrors of death, and the fears of eternal condemnation. Yet out of this poor Lamech, the Holy Ghost brings forth NOAH -(that is rest and comfort;) and then precious faith, with Christ in her arms, sings aloud, and says this same shall comfort us concerning our work, and toil of our hands.' Oh, how solid the rest; how solemn the comfort, when Christ, by precious faith, is thus brought forth! I have, my brother, been a little indulged in this way of late. I have 3. Noah was perfect in his generations. had two distinct seasons of communion 2. Noah was a just man; this meaneth a man that renders unto all their due. Christ, as Mediator, was a just man. He gave all the glory to his Father; he gives all new-covenant blessings to the church; and to impenitent rebels, he will give the just wages of their sin, which is eternal death. Oh, what a mercy to have our sins washed away in his blood, and our naked souls adorned in his righteousness! So is Christ. To generate is to beget; Christ is perfect in all his begettings: where he begets life, he begets faith, and hope, and love; love begets obedience, peace and perseverance; he will never forsake the work of his own hands. 4. Noah walked with God. This denotes not only close fellowship, but a oneness of heart and mind. Christ loves whom the Father loves; and redeemed all the Father gave; and he calls home, (through the Spirit) every one whose names the Father wrote down in the Book of Life. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, will together, work together, walk together. The Father prepared the work without; the Son made it fit for him in the field; the Holy Ghost doth build the house. This 1. That the patriarch was especially instructed to make rooms in the ark. Bezer renders this word cabins; but in the Hebrew it is nests, or secret places. In the professing church, (as well as in the ark,) there are places for unclean beasts and for many unholy things, as well as for truly spiritual souls. has staggered me as much as anything in my life, to find really wicked men, hardened in their wickedness, and both secretly and openly following after, and living in such things as are contrary to God and godliness, yet many such stand in a gospel profession; and there are not a few, who render great temporal support to poor Zion, who advocate her cause, who keep open her doors, who help to support her ministers (in a casual way,) who give no certain evidence that they ever had any dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. Noah's work is the next thing to be noticed; that is, his being commissioned to build an ark. I am aware that some of the greatest commentators have not hesitated roundly to declare that Noah's Oh, my brother, how solemn is the ark was a type of the person, and medi- consideration, that many a man (like the atorial work of the Lord Jesus Christ. foolish virgin) will run along with the But, to me, this seems painful. I have church (in her external seeking for felt deep inward grief in my soul that Christ) until the dark night of death the person of my Lord, and his glorious shall discover the awful fact that his work should thus be spoken of. Did lamp was destitute of oil! God almighty Christ build himself? Did he die to grant that you and I may have the pure redeem reprobates as well as vessels of oil of grace in our hearts; and if we mercy? Was his person and work done have this, depend upon it, our spiritual with, and flung away so soon as the Aaron will often dress our lamps for us, storm was over? I cannot look upon (Exodus xxx. 7, 8,) we shall often feel the ark as anything more than a repre- as though all our light was gone out, and sentation of the gospel church, called by an horror of darkness will come over the our Lord, the kingdom of heaven,' and soul; we shall often be mortified and which, in this time state is made up of crucified in all our fleshly desires and both wise and foolish virgins. There pursuits; we shall often be laid in the were in the ark four typical characters. dust of self-abasement, and be compelled Noah, (of Christ ;) Shem, (of the Jews ;) to groan and sigh in secret before God; Ham, (of the cursed seed;) and Japheth, but, if we have the true oil of grace in (of God's elect among the Gentiles;) just our hearts, depend on it, it will shine shewing that the professing church should and shew itself in that dark valley, whose contain elect Jews, elect Gentiles, and cold mists and deadly vapours extinguish non-elect persons, who should be as all natural lights, kill all natural powers,servants to the church of Christ; who but in which the light and life of God should have business to do in the church; is often made most blessedly transparent and who should thereby escape the pol- even to such as possess not this light lutions of the world, through the know- themselves. Look at Joseph in the ledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.' (2 Pet. prison; at Daniel in the lion's den; at ii. 20.) And such is the real condition Jonah in the whale's belly; at Paul and and constitution of what may now be Silas in their chains; at John in the termed the professing christian church. Isle of Patmos; at Bunyan in his cell. Under this impression, I have it in my Oh, how the oil of grace did shine in heart to point out to you one or two those dark nights of affliction; and true things with reference to this ark, as de-grace is still the same. Many obituaries in scriptive of the circumstances in which we as a professing people, are now placed. Not to dwell upon the material of which the ark was made, I notice. this month's Vessel will shew you how in death, the light of heaven discovers itself. But in the ark, there were cabins, nests, or secret places. So, in the gospel church, from place to place, crying out- Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Oh! what zeal and boldness this man appears to have! I am determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.' Well, this is a nice place to be in ; but even here I perceive there are some afflicted souls. Did you hear what that man said which lays down at the feet of the throne? No. What did he say? Why,-'Lest I should be exalted above measure, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to buffet me.' Ah! I see how it is. There are some wicked spirits even here, and though they cannot destroy Japheth's children, yet they have power to worry, to tempt and afflict them. there are thousands of the Lord's hidden | she says- If I may but touch the hem of ones, who are in secret places: in places his garment, I shall be made whole.' known only to God and their own souls. There is another woman, running about Oh, could you see some of them snared and taken in old besetting sins, spending sleepless nights and awful days, having guilt in their consciences, and heavy sorrow in their hearts. Others are laying under the terrors of a broken law, and closely pursued with the hottest temptations to put an end to their existence. Others are raised up by the power of the Holy Ghost, and by faith are enabled to look unto the Son of God-to look into the love of his heart-to look into the fountain of his blood-to look into the glories of his great redemption; and as the eye fetches light out of the sun, so faith brings forth the virtue of his love, his blood, his grace, and salvation; and herewith faith warms the sinner's heart, cleanses his conscience, seals home pardon and peace in his soul, and gives him secretly to bless and praise the riches of super-abounding grace. I cannot enlarge upon the window which looked up to heaven; the door which was 'set in the side thereof;' nor upon the pitching of it within and without; but I close by simply observing there were lower stories; second stories; and third stories in the ark; and so I find there are in the gospel church. True gospel experience, or the exercises of divine life in the soul, may be divided into three distinct departments. I may say that Saul of Tarsus was in the lower story, when he laid three days and three nights in darkness, and could neither eat nor drink. In this place, too, once laid my poor old friend and brother Jeremiah, when he said, 'my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord.' And in this lower story there are many living souls; but they see not their signs; they know not their standing; the days of darkness with them are many, and their trouble of soul is heavy. Come up into the second story. Look at the precious things written all round the sides of this part of the ark. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him there is plenteous redemption.' 'The vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak.''He is able to save unto the very uttermost all that come unto God by him.' Dear me; what a many precious souls there are here! There is a woman trying to press through the crowd, and Let us go up into the third story. What sweet words are written on the door'He hath brought me into his banquetting house, and his banner over me is love.' What a delightful song that venerable old prophet sings-Behold God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; though he was angry with me, his anger is turned away, and he comforteth me.' How happy he seems! His eyes seem fixed upwards :-and every now and then, he says- This is not my rest; come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Oh, I see! This is the wealthy place David told us about. It is called Full Assurance.' "Flere we could sit, and sing away, A long, an everlasting day." Brother Halke - let me now ask- "While I draw this fleeting breath, Let me hide myself in thee." THE DYING Testimony of a Restored Saint [MR. EDITOR,-Having received the enclosed from my esteemed brother, I send it you, and should you think it worth a place in the Earthen Vessel, for the good of the Lord's dear family, you are at liberty to do so. I visited her on her dying bed. She died triumphantly happy, and full of confidence in God-that she should be with him in paradise, and said the precious Jesus; sanctified, called, and to me "Jesus can make a dying bed, Soft as downy pillows are." I much admire the Vessel; may heaven's best blessings attend it to the souls of the Lord's dear family, and all your labours of love too, is the fervent desire of one so truly unworthy, REBECCA WELLS.] DEAR SISTER IN ENDLESS UNION, AND IN BOUNDLESS MERCY:-Your letter just received has refreshed me much; it tells me of the happy departure of our dear sister L-, which took place on Tuesday last. I say happy departure; because, "The soul that dwells where Jesus is, And though the malignant may even doubt it for want of that, which here gives the groaner, hope; the dying, peace; the dead, glory-immortal glory! "O hateful Prejudice! like adders deaf, Thou shut'st thine ears against the truth, and will I well remember the tale of her experience, when her eyes poured out tears freely; she said, God inade you the means of reclaiming my backsliding soul, for I had awfully departed from my God. I had grown careless, and neglected every thing I ought to have attended to. I felt wretched, guilty, and miserable. I thought I had no part nor lot in the matter. My burden was grevious to bear. Your preaching searched me, stripped me, condemned me. The hand of God went out against me. Temptation was very strong. I felt no hope. I thought I was eternally lost. I was determined to hear you no more; to go to the house of God no more; concluding it was of no use; God would have nothing to do with such an unholy wretch as me. But the time for worship came; I went heavy, guilty, and fearful. I got up into the gallery; you took your text; the dear Lord wrought with the word; his power, his love, his grace, his mercy entered my hard heart; I was melted; my eyes streamed. I had hope once more. I blessed the name of my precious Jesus. I wanted to praise him. I wanted to tell the friends, and to acquaint you also of his great goodness. But I am very poor, and not likely to be noticed; so this is one reason I let years go by before I told you; and I am now so fearful of myself, sin, and Satan; that if the Lord don't keep me, I shall be a hypocrite at last. O, pray Sir, the Lord to strip me, and keep me from hypocrisy.' Thus did our departed friend express her feelings with that simple sincerity, that convinced me by her after corresponding life, and now by her dying testimony, that she was no hypocrite, but one of the elected of the Father; preserved in, and redeemed by reclaimed by the Eternal Spirit; and though Abraham knew her not, and Israel acknow ledged her not, yet known unto the Lord are all his saints; and precious shall their death be in his sight. And I consider her death worthy of recording for the glory of his great name; and for the encouragement of those who are travelling home to God. Darkness had set in upon her soul it seems for a few days in her affliction, when suddenly she burst out saying-' O good news from a far country, my Jesus is come; he loves me; I feel assured of it; I am full of glory as much as I can hold, and rather more.' And as she drew nearer the final moment, and her sufferings became increasingly great; and one asked her, 'If she felt as happy as ever?' her reply was, 'Why do you ask me that question, nothing vexes me like that; I am as full of joy as ever I can be; I had so much joy for two days I did not know how to contain myself. Do you think the Lord would give me this joy, and then take it away again? It's not likely. I I know he will not take it away again.' She paused a minute or two; and said, 'It is hard work to die; I must die; it will soon be all over; I shall soon be with Jesus; tell every body I am going to Paradise.' The night before she expired, she laid her hand on her bosom; and said, 'I have a cup full of glory here, it runneth over.' She slept again a short time; woke up and said, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me (laying her hand on her bosom) forget not all his mercies.' Soon after, she bid adieu to all below; leaving earth for heaven on the very day she predicted the Lord's-day previous. Faithful is our God who calleth his people; and surely the redeemed of the Lord should say so, for love everlasting fastens on its objects; and notwithstanding the manifold infirmities of the poor wayward runagate, "All Israel must to glory go," There to mingle the loud and lasting song of salvation to God and the Lamb. May the same Almighty arm rescue the surviving family; and may my poor sinful soul be washed in the same fountain; arrayed in the same dress; experience the same supplies and support; reach the same haven; and sing the same Hallelujah for Christ's sake, Amen. The Lord's labourers also may be encouraged by the above. Years may roll over your heads ye servants of the living God, and you fretting in your minds, tempted to think you labour in vain; this cannot be. For he declares- My word shall not return unto me void,' &c. Cheer up, the master whom you serve tells you-'What you know not now, you shall know hereafter.' A poor sinner saved by Christ alone, Ipswich, Nov. 13th, 1847. |