has said on the subject of female teaching,"
&c., she instantly replied, "we have nothing
here of real truth to be found or heard.
Arminianism and creature holiness is the Idol
of the day; as it respects myself, I can assure
you that had we an IAWKER or a Lane here,
our people would never heard me in the pul-
pit." The captain and indeed most of them
who have heard her, and almost all of the
captains from Hull, and indeed many of their
men used constantly attend her chapel when
there, and one and all pronounced her a
surprising woman! a modest yet a bold cham-
pion for declaring the truth as it is in Jesus.
Mrs. Bond also was no mean poet, as a proof
of which, I herein enclose a short specimen.
Wishing you prosperity, both in basket and
in store, and every comfort a blessed God in
Christ Jesus may think good to bestow, and
heaven itself your eternal inheritance: I
subscribe myself, Mr. Editor, your's in the
sweet Lord Jesus,
S. LANE.

Hull, March 8th, 1856.

SUCH is the weighty title-page of another re-print, with Preface by J. A. Jones, of Jireh meeting, London."

The pamphlet contains "The substance of Two Ordination Charges, one delivered in the year 1682, by John Owen, D. D.; the other in 1813, by Samuel Rowles, of Colingbrook." Sold by James Paul, and by the Editor, 50, Murray Street, City Road."

In the course of the Preface, Mr. Jones

says:

"Christian reader! I have been engaged in the work of the ministry more than 47 years; and I present you with these two Charges on an eventful day to me.-It was on March 13, 1816, that I was ordained to the Pastoral office, at Hartley Row in Hampshire, when the following sterling gospel ministers were present, and all of them took part in the solemn services of the day, viz., brethren John Stevens, John Bailey, George Francis, James Comb, James Castleden, and Samuel Parrott. All the above brethren have entered into their rest; and-I alone remain! "Mr. Stevens delivered the Charge from Col. iv. 17: "Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it."

"Forty years, therefore, of continued Pastoral labours, have this day ran their eventful round with me, amid sore temptations, many grievous trials, and most eventful providences. Still I am preserved, though unworthy, as a Watchman on Zion's wall's; awaiting the Master's summons to receive, I trust, my laid up Crown." 2 Tim. iv. 7,8.

This Preface is dated March 13, 1956; the day on which Mr. Jones's anniversary was held, a report of which is given in another part of this number.

If there are many Pastors who really stand, vitally, practically, and perseveringly in the principles and ministerial business which Owen here lays down, in these days, then we are deceived. As regards this powerful Ordination sermon, we desire always to have its weighty words before the eye of our mind; and truly thankful shall we be, if the perusal of this pamphlet lead many of our brethren deeply to examine their standing; and again to cry mightily unto the Lord for a double portion of his Spirit.

The following few sentences taken from OWEN's charge will be sufficient, we think, to convince our readers we have not spoken of it in exaggerated terms. The Doctor says:

"I think truly, that no man preaches that Sermon well to others that did not first preach it to his own soul. He that doth not feed on, and digest, and thrive by, what he prepares for his people, he may give them poison, as far as he knows; for unless he finds the power of it in his own heart, he cannot have ground of confidence that it will have power in the hearts of others.

"It is easier to bring our heads to preach, heads to preach, is but to find out and fill our than our hearts to preach. To bring our

memories with some notions of truth of our own, or of other men, and then go into the pulpit and speak them out to give satisfaction to ourselves. But, to bring our hearts to preach, is to be transformed into the power of these truths; to find the power of them before preaching, in fashioning our minds and hearts therein; and to find the power thereof in preaching, even in the delivery thereof, that we, and the people to whom we preach, may have real benefit, and be fed with knowledge and understanding.

"Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds." Proverbs xxvii. 23.

"He who hath not the state of his flock continually in his eye in his private studies, and on his mind in his work of public preach. ing, fights uncertainly, as a man beats the air. If he doth not consider what is the state of his flock-of the people among whom he labours-with reference to their temptations, to their light or to their darkness; to their growth, or to their decays; to their flourishing or their withering; to the measure of their knowledge and attainments; their age and standing in the Church of Christ: he who doth not duly consider these things, never preaches aright unto his flock. indeed, a minister should have a knowledge of his people; their measure of stature; the times and seasons in which they are exercised; their seasons of adversity and prosperity; yea, in a word, as far as possible he should know from time to time how it is with them, in order that he may preach and divide the word aright unto them.

Yes,

"Prayer, continual prayer, is required of Ministers, for and on behalf of the Churches over which Christ hath made them overseers."

We must confess the ordination charge by "This is the way we BLESS our congregaDr. John Owen is full of such solemn injunc- tions. There is no better way whereby we tions to Pastors as to make us cry out again-can bless our flock, than by continually pray"And who is sufficient for these things?" ing for a blessing from God to be upon them.

THE

MAZZAROTH:

OR,

TWELVE SIGNS IN THE BIBLICAL HEAVENS.

I LEFT my meditation on "REUBEN," last month, very abruptly. I could not do otherwise. The agony of mind, the distress and daily disturbance of which I have been the subject, these last few months, no man's, tongue or pen can ever describe; and I shall not, in this paper, try to do it. A day may yet come when my captivity shall be turned; and then shall that most amazingly wonderful chapter, the fifth of Job, be fulfilled in me, especially the fifteenth, the sixteenth, and the twenty-first verses"The poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth." I know that "happy" (shall be) "the man whom GOD correcteth," but I know not yet what it is (verse 21) to be "hid from the scourge of the tongue;" neither am I yet fearless of destruction, as it hath many times appeared fast to approach me. My conscience doth bear me witness, that I have earnestly sought to do good to all, and to glorify my Lord; and my exertions have NOT been permitted altogether to fail; albeit afflictions and sorrows have followed me so close that I know there is a truth in the poet's words,

"Sees every day new straits attend,

And wonders where the scene will end." Let even the righteous smite me-let me have patience, power in prayer, and faith to look as Jonah did; and then at times, like Watts I will try to sing

"Let cares like a wild deluge come,
And storms of sorrow fall,
May I but safely reach my home,
My God-my heaven-my all."

I have commenced a review of "THE
NAMES GIVEN TO THE TWELVE SONS OF
JACOB," and I must not tarry; or to the
end I shall never come.

The Character of Reuben has been spoken to. He was the type; and all the churches have the anti-types. It is but few, (as far as my knowledge and observation has gone) who have anything like "Stability" about them. I have been amazed at the painful development of unsteady and unstable minds; the least offence, the loss of a little influence, the slightest cross, and then you will find that the most plausible pretensions, and the strongest avowals of fixedness and of faith, (like earthly riches) take to themselves wings and fly away. These are things, by the way, which should not astonish us; for if we well read our Bibles, we shall find it hath been so in all ages. Before they went out to war in ancient times, I have noticed Vol. XII.-No. 135.

there was a good amount of preparation. Two parts of this preparation, I wish to notice. First, the priest was to encourage the people with words like these:-" Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day, unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified, because of them for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you, and to save you."

Union to the church of Christ is like encouraged, if their hearts be right :-but, going forth to battle; and all such should be after the priests, came the officers,—and they cried aloud, and said-" What man is there that is fearful and faint hearted? let him go and return unto his house." Why?— because it is to be feared that "the fearful man will make his brother's heart to fear and faint as well as he." Oh, it is a mercy when the LORD girds up our loins, as He did Abraham's, by speaking to his heart"Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield, and exceeding great reward;"-the fruit of this mercy will be a living faith, fixing and fastening on GoD himself, as David and Paul do write-"O GOD, MY HEART IS FIXED: I will trust and not be afraid."-" God is our refuge and strength; therefore will not neither count I my life dear unto myself," we fear:"-" None of these things move me ;

&c. &c.

One

Directly opposed to this steadfastness, is the character of REUBEN-"Unstable as wa. ter, thou shalt not excel :" and such is the shifting and changeable mind of many who profess to be so much superior to all with whom they are united, that they are everlastingly changing; and going from place to place, seeking rest, and finding none. old gentleman, I have known for some years, of this description. Upon his confession, he has been a member of a very considerable number of churches but has left them so soon as some "Newman" came within his reach. Two things have marked his career -(1.) Finding fault with all the churches, censuring nearly all the ministers, and pretending to possess a much larger amount of wisdom, grace, and charity, than any of his fellows. (2.) Unduly exalting, and a loud hosannahing of the new man; but almost as quickly denouncing him for another. perfect Demas, in some things, whose name Paul thrice mentions: twice, as greeting the saints, and then, as forsaking him. It is, indeed, a good thing when the heart is established with grace; and when like Ruth we

F

A

can protest" thy people shall be my people," | of the richest blessings. Now, Joseph is ex&c, &c. alted his brethren debased; but Reuben was not a guilty party here. His language is against them. His previous defence of his brother now brings its reward. God will bless them that bless his people. Of his people, the Lord is jealous; and their salvation is sure.

After all, there were some excellent features in REUBEN'S character. 1. There was industry and parental affection. See Gen. XXX. 14. 2. There was a kind, a compassionate, a brotherly heart; when nearly all Joseph's brethren said, "Here comes the dreamer; let us slay him, and cast him into some pit" REUBEN was the man who delivered him out of their hands, and saidNo! LET US NOT KILL HIM: shed no blood lay no hand upon him: and this he said, because he "desired to deliver him unto his Father again."

Josephus tells us of the arguments Reuben employed in order to defend his brother from the cruel designs of his brethren. Reuben said, 1, "God will see you, and God will punish you." Thus Reuben warned them. 2ndly, he said, "Think what grief of heart it will cause our father." 3rdly, he said, "Remember, Joseph is but a child; why should envy slay the lad?" Ah, saith Master Trapp, "God will ever have some Reuben or another to deliver his people in times of danger." And, yet, after all, sometimes the darling saints of God have fallen into cruel hands; and more than that"David, God's darling, fell into the crimson sin of murder, and carried the bruise of that fall with him to the grave. O, the horrors of sin! How dreadful, even in these times, doth it sometimes appear! Shall we not do all we can, under God, to stem the torrent of this black, this awful river of death?

3. There was in Reuben's heart deepwrought sympathy, and vehement love to his brother; for Reuben evidently went forth from his brethren after Joseph was put into the pit; he was not a party to the selling the lad to the Ishmaelites; but hid in ambush as it were, saying to himself, When they are gone from the pit, I will return, and take home my brother, and give him back to his father's arms. So the word, -Gen. xxxvii. 29-says, "And Reuben returned unto the pit; and behold, JOSEPH WAS NOT IN THE PIT; and Reuben rent his clothes, and he ran (in an agony of mind) unto his brethren, and said, "The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?" Reuben, as the eldest, felt that on him his father would lay the blame.

Some good features there certainly were in Reuben; and even so, in some of the most uncertain, and unstable, you will find some of the most useful; but DEPENDENCE upon a Reubenite, never can be placed. No; I hold it better to have-as ministers and officers in the church of God-men that are slow and sure, and stedfast; men that bend their backs and bear the cross; men that can face a winter's rough wind, as well as strut like peacocks, on a summer's fine day, than to have hasty, unsettled, fickle-minded men. Let us not forget the prediction"LET REUBEN LIVE, AND NOT DIE: let not his men be few.”

character-it comes out in that marvellous There is yet another feature in Reuben's scene, where the sons of Jacob come back

with corn, and request that Benjamin may Jacob had looked out for them many a time. go down with them to Joseph. Poor old At length "they came unto Joseph their father. unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them-how roughly Joseph had spoken to them-(though as yet they knew not that it was Joseph)-they told him how Simeon had been detained, and them to bring down their younger brother how the lord of the country had desired been secretly deposited in the sacks, and how Benjamin how every man's money had much they had been affrighted.

The venerable patriarch, on seeing his sons return, had smiled and rejoiced; but

their tale was like a thunderbolt in his heart.

little.

children:

66

Calvin, speaking of the money being deposited in the sack, says, Joseph was herein overshot; he intended to succour his father, and to comfort him, by not keeping the sacks, grieved and frighted him not a the money; but the sight of it concealed in dear old saint could keep silent under; and Altogether, it was more than the he burst out, 66 Me have ye bereaved of my 4. Reuben was a faithful witness. When and ye will take Benjamin away: ALL THESE : Joseph is not; and Simeon is not; Joseph's brethren stood before him conTHINGS ARE AGAINST ME." See here, the demned, Reuben broke out, "Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the love clings to, and weeps over its idols; see pangs and passions of a parent; see how child, and ye would not hear?" Fellows in how a Christian may fear, and fret, and sin oft fall out, and then all comes to light. falsely reckon up his condition. "All things "Evil men, (it is wisely said), are as glass were not against him;" they were all wonthat is soldered together; when the solder is derfully working for him. melted, all is broken and discovered." Fleshly unions are treacherous; and often bring great calamities; but grace-unions are holy, heavenly, and eternal; and productive

poet:

So true is the

"Behind a cloudy Providence
He hides a smiling face."

"Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain; God is his own Interpreter,

And he will make it plain."

Look now at Reuben again. All the others are silent; but Reuben's eyes watch every motion of his beloved father. Reuben's ears are open to every word. Reuben knows Benjamin must go down, or Simeon cannot return. Reuben's mind is fast at work how best to win over his father to the consent At length, he breaks out "And Reuben spake unto his father, saying Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee: DELIVER HIM INTO MY HAND; AND I WILL bring him TO THEE AGAIN."

Young Men! See here a bold and wonderful picture of child-like affection, of pure sympathy to an aggrieved parent, of honorable and earnest deportment in the hour of great distress!

Reuben has faith in the matter. He has a secret confidence that it shall be well with Jacob, and well with Benjamin; and, therefore, he is willing to stake the life of his two sons, rather than his father shall not submit. But Reuben does not succeed. The old patriarch can only look on the darkest side of the scene; and he cries out most vehemently, "My son shall not go down with you."

I can truly feel for Jacob. My heart has been wrung with inward pangs of sorrow, fear, and distraction, until, I have been ready to burst out in the language of despondency, madness, and rebellion. And, although, no effectual deliverance has been wrought, nevertheless, there has been mercy mixed with all my misery; and I know that with God all things are possible. He is my Hope, my Helper, and my Friend; and on Him I will wait. While attempting to write this brief and hasty paper, I am so pressed with calls on my time, that I must again abruptly close Reuben's character is not yet finished. "For the divisions of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart" into these things we must enter-if a kind providence permit.

then allow Benjamin to go from the paternal roof? The very thought of it was agonising. What if aught should happen to him in the way? the rest of Jacob's days would be days of bitterness and grief, and he would go down to the grave laden with trouble and distress. How affecting is the scene before us! See the aged patriarch surrounded by his sons, and deploring thus the loss of the | two absent ones, whilst he is required to give up another also, and that other the dearest one of all that are left. It is a picture this, than which few things more touching will be found in the pages of the most graphic writers, whether of ancient or of modern times.

"But Jacob's determination was formed too hastily. Whilst the food which his sons had brought from Egypt yet lasted, he might keep this resolution, but that food would soon be gone, and then it would be necessary that they should return for more, when the patriarch would be compelled to reconsider the matter. Besides, was Simeon to be left in bondage? and was no effort to be made to restore him to his country? He probably had a family, and, though nothing is said of them in the sacred narrative, we may readily suppose that they experienced much sorrow on his account. It was certain, then, that Jacob must at length deliver up Benjamin, and permit him to go with his brethren into Egypt.

"Whatever man may do, the purposes of God are sure to be accomplished. It had long before been said, to Abraham, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs,' and, as the time was now approaching when the prediction would be fulfilled, Jacob must be compelled to send Benjamin away, inasmuch as his doing this would be another important link in the chain of causes which would, in the end, lead his entire family into the land to which the divine word to Abraham referred."

Dear Readers, for the present, farewell. And when with you it is well, do not forget C. W. B. your servant in bonds,

If, in the events we have so barely reviewed, we forget that a secret and Divine purpose is all the while at work; and that the hand of God is in the whole, we leave out the only ingredient that can minister conso-"I am going," said he, "to the Three lation. Thornley Smith, very nicely says

"The reply of Jacob is not surprising: 'My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone; if mischief befal him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.' (Ver. 38.)

"Who can wonder at this refusal? Joseph, as the old man thought, was dead; Benjamin was the only son he had left of his beloved Rachel, and probably he was the staff of his old age, as he was assuredly the object of his chief regard. And could he

DR. THOMAS GOODWIN'S DYING WORDS. Persons with whom I have had communion. They have taken me; I did not take them. I shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye. All my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of, which I could not be here. I could not have imagined I should ever have such a measure of faith as in this hour; no, I could never have imagined it. My bow abides in strength. Is Christ divided? No; I have the whole of his righteousness. "I shall be ever with the Lord." With this assurance of faith and fulness of joy, his soul left this world.