Imatges de pàgina
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geon, and vile flesh, at present: and we sometimes can only breathe through the key hole, to draw in a little of the pure air of heaven, which keeps the soul from suffocation. May the beloved breathe a little spice and myrrh into your dungeon, to keep you from fainting; and may he drop a few more love-drops into your heart, to soften the affliction of the wearied flesh, and look forth at the windows of your soul, and shew you the pure white wedding robe, that you are to appear in when he takes you to his Father's court to behold his glory. You may know the robes which the heavenly fair one brings by their purity and perfume. None are perfumed like them. They all “smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made thee glad."

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But if thou art afflicted in body, and Jesus hath married thy soul; if the earthly house' is taken down, he will raise it up more glorious at the last day. He has a house ready-furnished, full of good stores, ready to receive you. In my Father's house are many mansions ;' and depend upon it he is no flattering lover; he tells no lies. Amazing love! Yes, it is indeed, that he should take such a poor creature as you are to be his bride, to live in his palace with him and lodge in his bosom of love for ever. And I believe Jesus loves you, and I feel a little of the same love to you. Ah, I have spent many days of love, on the yellow heaths in Suffolk, by the sea-side, in the days of my youth. There I quaffed the wholesome air, and the warm pulsation of my lightsome heart, beat time in love to the music of heaven in my soul; and still, still I love the

simple hearted sea-side Suffolk saints, and the simplicity of your letter roused my thoughts of the long by-gone days of love, and involuntarily compelled me to return thee a few responsive lines to your letter

from the chamber of affliction.

Waft it, ye western winds;
Go, whispering, tell

The sea-side Suffolk saints,
I love them well;
Distance, nor time,

This love can ne'er remove,
Though time kills all
But love, immortal love!

Afflictions are not joyous but grievous,' but there is a needs-be' for our affliction that we do not always see while they are working sometimes when in health and prosperity, and in the bustle of this vain life, we cannot find time to talk with the Lord; but he has means to compel us to find time for reflection, consideration, and communion with him: he took Ezekiel by a strong hand for this purpose: and sometimes he takes us by a strong hand and lays us on a bed of affliction, and then we have

time to talk with him, and he with us in a private chamber. Well, it is all in love to his children, not in wrath, though we may think it a queer way of shewing his love; but it is to learn us some sweet love-lessons in a private chamber, that he knew we would not be willing to learn in health and strength; and if you had been in health and prosperity, probably you would not have found time to write to me.

May the great Father of all mercies, bless you, and the Lord Jesus sympathize with you in your afflictions, and the Holy Comforter comfort you abundantly, and fill you with all the fulness of the Three-One God of Israel; and may the members of the body of Christ, which is his church, sympathize with you in your afflictions, and assist you in temporals, according to their ability, as done unto Christ.

My christian regards to the friend you mentioned, and to all friends of Jesus, whose names are in the book of life, though I cannot call them all by name, but I do remember Mr. and Mrs. Barns, Mr. and Mrs. Whitehand, and a very dear friend of mine whose name is Larter, tender my love to them all, and believe me your's in christian love, W. GARRARD.

Leicester, Jan. 8, 1847.

Some Work for Spiritual Men.

MY DEAR SIR:-May the Lord incline
you or some of your esteemed correspond-
ents to give their thoughts (oh, that they
may speak the mind of the Holy Ghost!)
on the following passages of Holy Writ :-

to the knowledge of the truth."
"Ever learning, and never able to come

how great is that darkness.”
"If the light which is in thee be darkness,

the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth
"If we sin wilfully, after having received

no more sacrifice for sin."

"It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

Believe me, my dear sir, I am not a speculative enquirer, but, indeed, my soul is in earnest. The above passages seem against me. I should feel thankful to have them opened; and also explain the distinction between godly sorrow for sin, and convictions or remorse on account of actual transgression; and also to point out the difference between the intellectual enjoyment, if I may so term it, or creature excitement under the word preached, (or at other times,) and that which comes directly from the Holy Spirit.

Your kind compliance will be a favour for which I shall feel grateful.

Your's very sincerely, A. B.

Fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings.

THE SUBSTANCE OF A SERMON BY THE LATE MR. B. GATWARD,

Minister of the Gospel, Hitchin, Herts.

the account of our sins, he felt all that we deserved to eternity, and that to the full. Christ's sufferings was not a sip of our sins, but the whole. Christ suffered in body and soul, while body and soul were united, because we deserved this. But after Christ died, he suffered no more, nor dieth no more on this account. There was nothing wanted to make the sufferings of Christ complete, equal to what we deserved, and justice required; so that in his sufferings he became a perfect Saviour. However, I believe he felt what answereth to the words I have taken, and they are applicable to him-'The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.' But did not our Lord sink under this? I answer, in one sense he did; he died under it. But in another sense he did not sink. He did not sink so as not to endure all. He bore all God's wrath due to us; but, in his trouble he says, he called upon God, (in Gethsemane's garden)-being in an agony he prayed, 'If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not my will, but thine be done.' And when on the cross, he cried out My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'

"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord-O, Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul; gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple; I was brought low, and he helped me." Ps. cxvi. 3, 4, 5, 6. THERE is no doubt but the Psalms of believe he felt all that we deserved on David have respect to Christ both as God and man, the glorious work he performed, in his obedience and death to save his people from everlasting perdition; and also the feelings he had in his soul and mind, in the performance of this great work of redemption. I consider the words I have taken particularly applicable to Christ and his sufferings. It may be truly said of Christ and his sufferings that the sorrows of death compassed him, and the pains of hell gat hold upon him.' There was not a trouble, pain, or suffering but what the Son of God endured for his elect, and their salvation. His sufferings came from every quarter; from men who afflicted his body with spears, nails, and thorns; they afflicted his mind, as a man, with that insult and mocking which they gave him. Our Lord was afflicted in that designed cruelty in men, in the death they inflicted upon him, which is perhaps the most tormenting a man could die. He was afflicted by satan, who, for a season triumphed, as Christ said, this is your hour, and the power of darkness;' and he says, the world shall rejoice, but you my disciples shall have sorrow.' Oh, what shoutings through the regions of hell while Jesus groaned upon the tree. But as the Scripture says, the triumph of the wicked is short;' it is but for a moment. It is like the crackling of thorns under a pot. I believe this triumph of the wicked refers to satan's supposed victory over Christ while he hung and died on the tree. But his triumph was short, for in three days Christ triumphed over death and the grave: he arose with power to the right hand of God, and assumed his rest as conqueror, henceforth expecting till his enemies should be made his footstool.

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But if you come to take in all the sin of God's people that was laid upon him, and charged to his account, and the wrath of God which he endured it is wonderful. We cannot conceive what Christ the Lord must have felt. However we VOL. III.

Now, here I believe our Lord felt the pains of hell, a separation from his Father for a time; and this accords with that Scripture, In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee.' I consider the same Scriptures that are applicable to a believer, are also to Christ; therefore it may be said as in my text- Then called I upon the name of the Lord.' But you may say, Why did Christ pray thus, in his trouble and distress? I answer, he prayed to shew that he was really man, and that we might also know that he did really suffer. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee,' is God's promise. This Scripture has respect to Christ also, as well as it has to us; therefore, he prayed to his Father;

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But what did Christ want? Did he want | soul trouble, as David was, and in it

the affliction removed? As man, he did, Therefore, he said, 'If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.' But as the Son of God, anointed by the Spirit, he prayed with submission to God's will; 'Not my will but thine be done.' But what did he want? Was he unable to bear? As man simply considered, he was; there fore, he wanted help. It is said he was heard, in that he feared;' an angel was sent to strengthen him, so that he did not pray in vain. This is evident from verse 5, where he says, Gracious is the Lord, and merciful.' Then he had an answer, and this is confirmed in the sixth verse- The Lord preserveth the simple;' Christ was simple; the word simple signifies meek, holy, humble, and honest; and as to Christ being preserved | the promise is this-'I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant of the people.' And as to this hour of darkness, suffering, and death, Christ was preserved in all, and through all, even when in the grave, and raised to glory at last. But, says he, I was brought low, and the Lord helped me.' Surely, dear Lord, thou wast brought exceedingly low; but thou by dying hath conquered for us, and art now raised everlastingly high Thus, I conceive these words to have respect to our dear dying Lord and Saviour,

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But though these words may be applied to Christ, you cannot separate his people from him in any sense. The same promises belong to us as to him; they have to a degree the same enemies and afflictions; the same God and Father; the same glory and he says, 'As he was in the world, so are they; and they taste of his bitter cup, and if we suffer with him, we shall be glorified together. I shall now shew how these things contained in the text, are fulfilled to a certain degree in all the elect of God. And here we may consider David as a man of God, great and eminent. He says in the first verse that he loved the Lord; but why did he love the Lord? He says the Lord heard his prayer.' David accords with that Scripture, viz., 'We love him because he first loved us;' and this is the substance of these words, because he has heard my prayer.' His giving a spirit of prayer, and answering prayer, is a manifest proof of his love; therefore, David loved him, and I am sure, unless a soul is brought into

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calls upon God, and he is pleased to hear, answer, and deliver, there is no true love to God in the heart. There may be a profession of it, but God is the judge of hearts.

This is the first beginning and cause of David's love to God. But the words I have taken give a description of the soul-trouble that God's people are made experimentally to feel and know.

I shall, in the first place speak a word or two of death. Secondly of the snares of death. Thirdly, of the pains of hell, and the effects therefrom; and then speak of his prayer and other things.

Now, by death in this place, I do not understand natural death, the separation of soul and body, though this is a solemn thing, even to die and leave our earthly. connections. But this is not all, we remove to a world unknown; we must appear before God, and have our state finally fixed in happiness or misery. This death hath its snares or things which forerun it, in which the person becomes entrapped. But, I believe, by death here, we are to understand eternal death or destruction from God's presence. This is death in the strictest sense of the word. David could not mean natural death, for that he was not delivered from. When he had finished his generation work, he slept with his fathers, he died. The death he speaks of, he was delivered from; and he blessed the God of his salvation. That which David was afraid of, and had expectation of, was eternal death, or separation from God, who is life; and banishment from his presence, which is death. But was David always afraid of this? I answer, No. There was a time when he was not; and so I have found it; but how came David to be so alarmed with this death and the fear thereof? Why, he says, 'I had got into the snares of it.' "The snares of death compassed him about.' So a sinner is taken in the snares of death, and he begins to struggle, to be alarmed, and expects to die; but when the snare is not felt there is no fear or alarm. He gives the dead sinner light, life, and feeling, then he comes with the snares of death. But the snares of eternal death in which his people are taken, are sin and the law. Here the soul is hampered and enthralled. The law reveals the man's sin. By the law is the knowledge of sin.' And as David says, 'the sor

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rows'—that is, those things which cause | dren of God, sooner or later, are brought my death-those things which cause to this experience-to know themselves sorrow, which is sin and the law, and utterly lost. And then he says, 'I have God's wrath revealed therein against sin. Now David found his sin compass him about. He looked around him and found nothing but sin, destruction, and an angry God. He looked within, and there was a wicked, corrupt, and rebellious heart. So, look which way he might, there was nothing but sin and folly. Thus he was surrounded and ensnared. This produced what he calls The sorrows of death-or, the snares of death produced sorrow.' If you look into the eighteenth Psalm, what he calls sorrow, he there calls a snare. The snare is the sorrow-it produces sorrow. Solomon says, (Prov. xiii. 14.) The law of the wise is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death.' And in the 14th chapter and 27th verse he says, • The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death.' Now, this sorrow or snare of death, is

SIN.

To be convinced and convicted for sin, this is dreadful. Most men would avoid conviction if they could; they would do anything to escape it. But, no; the quickened soul is sometimes held in conviction day after day, month after month, and year after year. He cannot get free nor into liberty-he sees others, he hears them rejoice, but he cannot say as David did 'the snare is broken, and I have escaped,' or, I have escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler.' But, what makes the snare of sin so strong? Why, the apostle says, 'It is the law. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.' The law reveals sin in its true colour, and it is out of the sinner's power to alter it.

Now, what think you, will follow next in this poor, lost, perishing sinner's soul? Why, he will find as David says, The pains of hell gat hold upon me.' Thus, a further experience and a greater degree of distress, I conceive by this expression-he meant the fear of hell-a dread of damnation worketh in his mind, and it also expresses the torment and anguish of soul which ariseth from the thoughts of being for ever miserable, and considering the greatness of his sin, and the strictness of the law, and God's holiness, truth, and justice, he had no hope of being saved-here he was completely lost and miserable. I believe all the chil

found trouble and sorrow; meaning, his mind was filled with gloomy expectations, dreadful apprehensions, and slavish fears; and as he says in another Psalm, sank in an hopeless state, which he calls deep waters, where there is no standing.' In this state he called upon God; but, what was his prayer? Why, no form would do. His prayer was suited to his situation and feelings-, Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.' He was a man in a lost condition; and therefore prayed for deliverance. I believe no man truly prays, nor acceptably to God, till he experiences his lost estate. It is remarked of Paul-Behold he prayeth and the publican also said, God be merciful to me a sinner.' But a man may acknowledge himself a sinner who never felt his sin, nor his lost estate through sin, but such prayer is mere form, and is an abomination to the Lord; but the Scripture speaks of cries to God in trouble; and that prayer has the promise of God annexed to it-Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver, thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' Well, poor David stands as a pattern for others-'O, Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.' But, was he heard and answered? Did God hear such a man? and will he still hear? I answer, he did and he will. This is plain by these words- Gracious is the Lord.' By this word, gracious, righteous, and merciful, we are to understand three things in God which are mentioned to encourage the guilty, lost, and needy person; under the Spirit's influence to call upon God in faith and hope. The word gracious, here means that God is kind, tender and willing to hear and help a soul that calls to him in this condition. Many doubt God's willingness, but they have no cause. We read of the Lord being nigh-being present-being ready to save. I believe he is as willing to save his people as he is able; if not willing, what use is his power? His power is at the disposal of his will. The apostle makes his will every thing, 'Of his own will begat he us.' Saves whom he will. May you be enabled to believe in his will as well as his power.

But, he says also, he is righteous; by righteous, it means he is good; it also means he is just a just man is a man

that acts uprightly. Well, in this sense, liverance, there is great encouragement

God is righteous, not only to his law, to hope. You see what hope there is but he is righteous and just inasmuch as for the lost man in God. He is graci.. he has promised to hear prayer and to ous, willing, righteous, and faithful to deliver. Therefore, when he does deliver, fulfil his promise, wanting no goodness he may be said to be righteous in that he at your hands. What he requires of his is faithful to fulfil his promise and word children, he gives them: may you be of grace. And as David had an experi-enabled to lay hold of, and set your ence of this, he confessed it; so that hope in God; and not only so, here is you may look to the promises-you may the Psalmist, who gave his testimony to plead it in prayer, and ground your hope the truth and the earth was never left upon it-for God is righteous to perform without some witnesses to bear a testihis promise; and therefore, it is said, mony to this truth, that God is merciful, Remember thy word unto thy servant, and he will save the afflicted person. upon which thou hast caused me to hope.' The Lord grant you faith and patiBut, a third thing is He is merciful; ence, to keep you waiting, till the time meaning that he is not only willing but to favor Zion comes. This, I beg, for gracious, and faithful to fulfil his word his dear Son's sake. Amen. by righteousness. He will do it freely, being merciful. Mercy seeks no worth

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(Continued from p. 42, Vol. III.}

Now the snare was broken, and I had two things to attend to, that is minding my business, and preaching the gospel. This appeared to me to be what the Lord had designed me to pursue: nor did I think to leave my calling at this time.

or worthiness in the object; of his mercy The Life of the late Henry Fowler. he saves us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. You need not despair, because you have nothing to bring. Yea, says the Psalmist, 'Our God is merciful.' These three things in God, if wisely considered, tend to remove the objections of the coming soul, and to confute all satan's false representations of God, and silence all his temptations about our sins- Gracious is the Lord and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.'

But David gives another sweet testimony, 'The Lord preserveth the simple.' Now, by the simple here, he means an honest soul that is so delivered from guile and deceit as to confess the truth. One honest in heart before God to acknowledge his sin and unworthiness. He is a simple man; one that is meekened and made teachable, and willing to be saved in God's way. He lies at his feet beging mercy-God be merciful to me, a sinner.' The Lord preserveth the simple; meaning he will preserve them from hell and death; and says of such 'Deliver them from going down into the pit, for I have found a ransom.' O, what a mercy! Yea, most assuredly, Our God, mind, Our God is merciful to us. He blesses us freely. Mercy shall be built up for ever. Then, David like a godly man, brings in his own testimony to confirm the whole: 'I was brought low, and he helped me; so that he could speak feelingly and experimentally; and surely some of us can say the same, and heartily join in with the Psalmist. And those of you that have not attained to this de

During the time of my silence before spoken of, I made arrangements to estabonce crossed in my purposes, which made lish myself in business; but was more than sat up late, and ate the bread of carefulness; very rebellious. I rose early, and my heart but after all, it was with difficulty that I could pay my way; and my unbelief has often said, that I should die in debt, and that my family would be left a burthen upon others. These fits of unbelief used generally to come on me after I had been preaching in the villages, on a Lord's-day; and there appeared a shew of reason in my fears, beIf I received my coach-hire and victuals, cause I seldom had any thing for preaching. that was the most I received; and in many cases, I have paid my own expenses, and travelled on foot many miles of a Lord'sday, and preached twice or three times, so that on the Monday I have not been able to labour in my business. In this way I went on for several years. Sometimes I was so tried in my business, and had such darkness of soul, and sore temptations from satan, that I thought I should be deprived of my

reason.

What with labouring all the week at a sedentary business, early and late, the fears and carnal reasonings, my bodily frame buffettings of satan, and my unbelieving was much shook, and my nerves much more. But in the midst of all these things, I embraced every opportunity for meditation and reading. After the business of the day, I

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