My dear Sir, you must bear with me while I attempt a further explication of what I really know of this matter. The restless disquietude of my mind for many years caused me to wade through a painful exercise on these particulars; and what I now write is not ideal, nor are the dark shades I have drawn too prominent, when the honour of God is concerned. I am convinced, and I desire with all becoming humility to declare it, that had I not been delivered by the strong arm of omnipotent grace, I should have stuck fast in the gulph of Arminian ruin, or sunk in the quick-sand of "moderate Calvinism;" and so continued a despiser of that way which is every where spoken evil of, and held up to the rising posterity as an odium, because it connects itself with Jesus, who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of real practical religion. I am confident the great object is lost sight of by the greater number professing godliness. I mean the ministry of the Holy Ghost. And while this defect of spiritual tuition is disregarded, the refined powers of enlightened reason may establish upon the mind of the unthinking community a plausible system as void of personal application as heaven is from hell." Ye cannot serve God and Mammon;" yet we find by the prophet's declaration, that "seven women should take hold of the arm of one man, desiring to eat their own morsel, and wear their own apparelonly to be called by his name to take away reproach." But such being only in the flesh can never please God; nor can that people who are said to "worship the Lord, yet serve their own God""Behold the axe is laid to the root of the tree ;" and all the high professional standing in the congregation of the dead, shall be brought low when the Holy Spirit discovers their inborn depravity, and pluck them as brands from the evil of sin. The spiritual preceptor of covenant love not only convinces of sin, but shows the utter impossibility of doing any thing afterwards independent of almighty power. Legality forms a barrier against this conviction; and many struggles arise for the conquest; but at length grace shews its lawful reign in the development of its love, in making known to the chosen and precious that without their divine Lord and Master they can do nothing. No longer a nay and yea faith held to an indefinite salvation of human rule-but set at a happy liberty in the Lord, becomes a free-born subject, and walks at large. "Great is the mystery of godliness." Weak, helpless man, laying hold of God's strength, and "going from strength to strength in the Lord," relying upon his great arm; and, like Jehosophat taught to cry out, "O Lord, who is sufficient to go out against this great host"Help thou me, or I shall fall unable to stand a single moment, but as upheld by super-abounding grace. O may it be the will of Jesus to shew his people their daily need of his help, their own vileness, yet his holy robe that covers all deformity and brings them into a near acquaintance with him as their alone acceptance with the Father: and so mounting up from this dunghill earth, may enjoy a 66 fellowship and communion with him, more to be desired than all created good. I cannot give men credit for their " capability in matters relative to doing good." While the will is to act evil, and that continually, there is no inherent quality of uprightness in the heart of man indebted for all he possesses and enjoys. And, if not a slave to his lusts and vile passions, it is from another quarter he is prevented. I know this is a humbling lesson to learn, yet easy to him who desires to give glory to God. The further we are led on in this path of self-acquaintance, the more we shall be enabled to inquire with the Psalmist, "Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him?" Mercy and loving-kindness go before, and thankfulness follows after to place the crown upon the head of King Jesus, who is "precious to them that believe." Had I not the belief of his lasting friendship, I should under my daily load of complicated ills and mortal woes, connected with this lowland state, sink to rise no more. "On him I rest my weary head, It is enough, that he is mine, I want no other friend; He will support me by the way, And keep me to the end." May you, dear Sir, with every spiritual mariner keep this in view, in honour to their dear Lord and Master, Is the earnest prayer of your and their friend and brother, Essex, 1834. J. G. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. On Tuesday, October 7, the public settlement of Mr. Samuel Hewlett, late of Reading, as the pastor of the Baptist Church meeting in Romney Street, Westminster, took place. The service was commenced at two o'clock, with reading and prayer, by Mr. Stenson, of Chelsea-Mr. Cox, of Woolwich, stated the nature of a gospel church, and asked the usual questions-one of the deacons gave an account of the leadings of providence in reference to the connection between Mr. Hewlett and the church-Mr. H. then gave an outline of his experience, and call to the ministry, with his confession of faith. Mr. Peacock, of Goswell Street, prayed; and Mr. Pritchard, of Keppel Street, delivered a most solemn and impressive charge to the pastor from Ezek. xl. 4. In the evening an excellent and appropriate sermon was preached to the people from Eph. i. 2. by Mr. Comb, of Oxford Street. Messrs. Denham, of Unicorn Yard; Broad, of Kensington; Dovey, of Bermondsey; and Hamblin, of Walworth; took parts in the services of the day. There was a good attendance, and the presence of the Lord of Hosts was experienced and enjoyed. "WHO REMEMBERED US IN OUR LOW ESTATE," 66 ac O WHAT amazing goodness and inconceivable love was there in the breast of Jehovah, in all his divine Persons, that he should employ his thoughts about his fallen children! It is great condescension in the Almighty to take notice of the angelic host, but his condescending to take knowledge of fallen man, is the mystery that angels desire to look into: but this wonderful mystery must be solved in divine sovereignty; he has loved his people, because he would love; and employed his thoughts about his chosen, because it was cording to the good pleasure of his will." Such is our low estate by nature, that we never should have thought on God, and been troubled; we never should have remembered him, if he had not designed to have remembered us there was nothing in the fallen elect to allure the eternal God to remember and bless them, but the reverse; by nature alienated from the Lord, at enmity with him, and in rebellion against his sovereignty and holy law: "the carnal mind is enmity against God;" not subject to his law, neither indeed can be. The Lord remembered, and still doth remember all mankind in a providential way and in this sense God is good even to the unthankful and unholy, for "his tender mercies," in a providential way, "are over all his works;" even the most atrocious and abandoned are daily fed by his hand, and preserved in being by his power. The words are discriminating, "who remembered us in our low estate: Jehovah the Father remembered his people in their low estate, in giving the Son of his love; for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son"-gave him from and as the firstfruit of his heart. Jehovah-Jesus remembered his given portion and possession in their low estate, even when they were cast out in Adam, in the open field, to the loathing of their persons in the day that they were born. His eye pitied them when he saw them polluted in their blood, even as a tender parent pitieth his weak, afflicted, and diseased child. The precious Redeemer's eye affected his tender heart: thus his bowels were moved towards the jewels of his love, and objects of his delights, for his delights were in and with his adopted children, by virtual union, before the foundation of the world. Glory-Jesus remembered his strayed sheep when he bowed the heavens, and came down on the theatre of this world, and for their sakes became poor, that they through his poverty might be made rich; he remembered them when he became "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:" he remembered all his elect when in the wilderness of Judea, where he was forty days and nights in a succession of fiery conflicts, exposed to the chilling damps, and cutting winds, and hideous howlings of beasts of prey, and hissing serpents; and not only so, but environed round with all the infernal legions from the pit of hell, filled with implacable and unrelenting wrath-emptying their VOL. X.-No. 129.} 3 C "Quivers of fiery shafts in winged flights The divine Saviour remembered his chosen flock in the days of his flesh, when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. The almighty Saviour remembered his betrothed spouse in the garden of Gethsemane, when he lay prostrate on the cold earth, when his inward agony forced his very blood from his veins; for "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." "Methinks the unnumbered drops of precious blood There was a gradation in the inconceivable sufferings of the Lord Jesus, from his mean birth, till baptized in sorrows, wrath, and blood. Jesus remembered his lambs and sheep when he stood at Pilate's bar, and was condemned to die; afterwards mocked, struck, and clothed with insulting raiment; then crowned with piercing thonrs; then fastened to the ignominious cross, according to that prophetic saying, "the yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; they are wreathed and come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to fail; the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up :" his "face was made foul" with spitting, and "his visage was so marred, more than any man's, and his form more than the sons of men." The glorious Redeemer remembered his chosen seed, when he was led forth to crucifixion " as a lamb to the slaughter," under the ponderous pressure of all their sins. Ah! who can tell the sorrows of his agonizing heart under all the extremity of grief and torture! His seared body covered with one gore of precious blood, at last nailed to the instrument of death, emaciated under excruciating pains, becoming "obedient to the death, even the death of the cross." Methinks I hear the bleeding lamb addressing his people from the cross, through the weeping prophet, in the following pathetic language, "Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger." Almighty Jesus hath remembered, and still doth remember, and ever will remember the dear objects of his love: neither can it be otherwise, because he has redeemed them with his own blood, in consequence of his having "loved them with an everlasting love" they are one with him by ancient union and vital union: they are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, and are united to him by one Spirit, and have a place in his most tender affections, and sounding bowels of his love. Sympathizing Jesus remembers his children now he is in the holy place, on the mercyseat, seeing "he ever liveth to make intercession for them :" he bears their names in indelible characters of blood upon his heart, which is the true breastplate of judgment, as the great high priest of his people he bears them as a continual memorial before the Almighty Father. O transporting words! O soul-ravishing truths! Grant, my Lord and Saviour, that they may be a precious cordial unto my soul under all my trials and afflictions, and in all my fainting moments! May I live under the sweet influence and powerful anointings of the Lord the Spirit! Then shall I sit beneath thy smiles, yea, beneath thy shadow with great delight, and find thy fruit sweet to my taste. WILLIAM. REVIEW. A Letter to Frederick Silver, Esq. on the perusing his pamphlet, entitled. "Immanuel," 12mo. p.p. 16. CHRIST IS GOD. Second Letter to Frederick Silver, Esq. 12mo. p.p. 16. London, J. Nichols. E. Palmer. THESE two letters are written by a Gentleman who signs himself, Amor Veritatis. The first Letter was published soon after Mr. Silver's work issued from the press, and is not so much a defence of pre-existarianism, as it is a refutation of those conclusions which Mr. S. charges on the advocates thereof. We have said that many who hold the pre-existence of the human soul of Christ are as sound in the doctrine of the Trinity as Mr. S. himself can be. The present Letter is written in a very consistent spirit, and argues the writer to be both a scholar and a christian. The Second Letter is a reply to some representations made on the writer's first letter, and which were published in the Gospel Magazine for October, 1833. Our author charges the writer (Mr. Silver) with misrepresenting his sentiments, and strongly defends his belief in the divinity of Christ; states his views on the Trinity; and makes some pointed observations on different parts of the papers as printed in the above periodical. We sincerely hope, that a controversy so unprofitable, will not be continued, especially between those who we do believe both aim to crown Immanuel Lord of all. When will the day come that all bickerings shall cease, and this scripture be fully verified, "Love as brethren?" Clematis Cottage; being a Domestic Narrative of the Afflictions of Mrs. W. caused by the profligate life of her Son, with an account of his after Conversion, 32mo. p.p. 93. London, I. Paul. This little narrative is well told, and calculated to please the reader; but like similar works with which the present day abounds, it indirectly advocates duty faith and general redemption. The apostle Paul speaks of the gospel as proclaimed to all, but is effectual only to those to whom God the eternal Spirit should graciously apply it. |