proving there are two parties in the matter. "I," that is self, keep "under my body," which is to be understood as the old man. Look Mr. Editor, at the passage in its context relations, and at sight you will perceive that when Paul said, "I keep under my body," that he meant his body-his real body. But allow me to ask Mr. VERITAS how he could affirm that Paul could keep under his natural coruption, or in other words, the old man when he (Paul) acknowledges his own inability to stand against the power and to avoid the presence of the old man? Vide Romans vií, chap. Falsity, Mr. Editor, is everywhere detestable, but in no place is it so odious as in religious controversy. Veritas says, "Your correspondent insists that there are not two distinct influences operating antagonistic." Did he read my piece? If he did not, he had no right to answer it. If he did, he is guilty of a gross misrepresentation; and I regret to say that this is becoming a very popular employment. Veritas knows that the character contemplated in my, perhaps, too caustic remarks, was the practical Antinomian. In dispensing with Veritas, I would remark that I perfectly concur with him in admiration of Paul's address to the Ephesians, what I have been contending against is not "putting off the old man," but putting on the old man, or putting on some supposed old man. I say supposed old man, because, to the mere professor, he is a sort of imaginary being, a mere spectre. I solemnly declare, upon the authority of God's holy word, that sin is in propria persona; and that sin, (or the Old Man) and the sinner, is identical. Sin makes the sinner, and I am a sinner in person; grace makes the saint, and if I have grace, I am a saint in perHence the Scotchman's paradox, "I am at once a sinner and a saint." Paul speaks of his "natural corruptions, or, the Old Man," in the personal pronoun; "I am carnal." "I do that which I would not ;" and he speaks of his spiritual affections, or the new man, in the personal pronoun, "I consent unto the law, that it is good." "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now observe the conclusion; "So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh (I myself serve) the law of sin. I come, son. 66 Secondly, to say a word to Mr. Palmer, and it is quite clear, at the very commencement of his letter, that he never studied the rules of logic, nor the history of words. Indeed his No. 1 paragraph is what our neighbours over the water would call a jeu de mots. True, Mr. Palmer, duty is not one of the household words of Zion, and why? Because, forsooth, it only occurs twice in the New Testament. What a wonderful argument in favour of its disuse! If the word nowhere occurred in the Bible that would be no reason why we should not use it. Indeed, there are words in Mr. Palmer's letter which cannot be found in the oracles of God. But shall I say there is no such thing as "experimental Christians," because the word "experimental" is not a Biblical term? Why is it not one of the household words of Zion? Is it because there are no duties in Zion ? or is it because it is ignored by Mr. Palmer? or is it because the Saviour only once made use of it? or is it because Mr. Palmer confounds principles with duties, mo tives with actions, causes with effects? Mr. Palmer ought to know that principles and duties are distinct things. Does the religion of Jesus Christ release me from secular relations to my fellow-creatures? Certainly not. Will it not follow that as long as we shall hold the scales of commerce in our hands, that it will be our duty to give an even balance? I am sorry Mr. Palmer has no greater respect for the word of Christ than to endeavour to strip it of its importance because he spake but once. Par. 2. Mr. Palmer is not much acquainted with the etiquette of polite invitations : no servant possesses cards of indiscriminate invitation. If Mr. Palmer uses the invitations as they stand in God's Book, he will not deliver them to the wrong persons, for none but those to whom they are addressed will receive them-the thirsty will come to the water, milk, and wine-the pennyless will buy, because it is without price-the heavyladen will lay down his burden at the crossand the weary shall enter into rest. Mr. Palmer's remarks upon the way in which invitations should be given, are perfectly gratuitous. Par. 3. "Mr. C. seems very fond of the law." Yes, that I am, (though in all I sin oft,) and so was Jesus Christ, see his first sermon; and so was Paul-"I delight in the law of God"; and so was John-"My little children I write unto you that ye sin not"; and so is Mr. Palmer-"I respect it as God's righteous law, and would not break its moral precepts, because it is the law of God." Then why quibble? You are going back to Sinai quite as fast as your humble servant. Par. 4. Mr. Palmer says "No child of God, with the fear of God in exercise, will speak of the old man of sin, in the way Mr. C. represents" Who said he would, "with the fear of God in exercise ?" No, Mr. Palmer, it will not do to speculate upon vital Godliness after the manner you have done. The last two paragraphs are without any polemical vigour, and are unnoticable. Praying most sincerely, that VERITAS, Mr. Palmer, and all other of the Lord's people, may study to promote the cause of truth and righteousness, I remain, Mr. Editor, your's in the truth, S. COZENS. 12, Queen-st., Camden-town, July 1, 1858. Combined with perfect knowledge will be the perfect love of glorified saints. Perfect love will be perfected holiness, or the soul's fullest assimilation into the likeness of God. Perfect love will be perfected blessedness.' "Love," says one "is the music of the soul, which in heaven throbs with hallelujahs, and on earth swells towards God with devotiontowards man with sympathy." The love of glorified saints will be their qualification to enjoy God in the highest degree; and to hold the fullest communion with him, in the manifestation of himself in all the excellencies of his name and nature in the person of Christ. Aug. 1, 1858.] OP THE EARTHEN VESSEL. "THE SINNER SAVED!" THE : RECOLLECTIONS LATE WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. (Continued from last month.) On the 8th of July, he was interred at Lewes, in the same vault where before he witnessed the separating of his true yoke-fellow in the gospel. They were lovely in their lives, and their bodies are not separated in death whilst these moulder there, their spirits bow before the throne. Surely there never was more regenerated souls around a minister's corpse than was this day around our Pastor's, at Lewes. All that could, rode to Lewes, but many that could not, walked. And was a minister beperhaps there never fore in this country that had so many hearers to attend him, who enjoyed the peace of God in their soul's through the ministry. And perhaps there never was a minister more loved, more useful, or more eminent in preaching Christ with power to the guilty and convinced conscience, nor one who had received so clear a discernment in the Scriptures: God the Holy Ghost had revealed Christ and salvation clearly to him. as they were to leave that place early the next morning. He went to bed about eleven o'clock, and at two o'clock he was taken much worse, and was evidently much weaker. Early in the morning, Mr. Morgan arrived, and continued with him till his death. He conversed but seldom all that day, only as Mr. M. would moisten his parched lips, he would often repeat "God bless you, Sir:"-"I thank you."-" and, bless his holy name." Towards the evening he appeared to feel great raptures, and often repeated-"Oh bless! Oh bless bis precious name." A short time before he died, he endeavoured to raise himself up to address those around his bed; but as he found he could not articulate, he laid himself quietly down again. Soon after, a heavy shower of hail fell, and he turned his head to listen. Mr. Morgan told him it was hail striking the glass which caused the noise he heard. He then turned his head back, and soon after repeated-"bless his_precious These are name:" then sighed and died. words that I have often heard him repeat in the pulpit. During his illness, he requested that Mr. Chamberlain should supply for the present; and after his death the pulpit should not be hung with black cloth; that no funeral sermon should be preached: yet there were A few days after his funeral, I went to see his son Ebenezer; and from him I received some ministers who in their own pulpits did the particulars of his illness and death. It so; and cried "alas, there is a great man fallen!" whilst others rejoiced with the infidel appears that the enquiries after his health, &c., and reproachful editors of newspapers. These quite annoyed the step-mother, and there were but few she would permit to see him. sounded and trumped it through the country She was determined to relieve him and her to the no small gratification of Socinians, Arians and Arminians. I felt grief in hearing the self from his London friends, and fixed on Tonbridge Wells. There were but few that rejoicings of those Philistines. I heard Mr. knew of his removal: it was at a great risk, Tindall, of Jewry St. Chapel, preach a sermon to a crowded congregation from "Be for they had almost lost him the first part of thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the journey; they halted a day on the road, and he recovered. The next day, he arrived a crown of life;" in which he entered fully into our Pastor's life, ministry, and private chaat the house where he gave up the ghost. Only one of his children had seen him since racter. As a minister, he feared no man in they saw him in the pulpit. They became preaching Christ and his truth. He was of a most liberal mind in bestowing temporal alarmed; they felt the keenest affection for things to the needy of the people. He might him, both as a father, and a minister of Christ. be esteemed to be a minister of Christ on equal Mr. and Mrs. Blake, and Mrs. Burrell went footing in divine things with the best minister down to Tonbridge Wells, they supped with since the Apostles. The text was truly appli him the night before his death. He said, "I cable unto him. for all the days of his minam heartily glad to see you-I will set up and sup with you before I die, it will be the istry he had been faithful; and now he had received the crown. Indeed Mr. Lindall last time; I do love my children, and should have been glad to have seen them all here, if spoke as affectionate of our Pastor as it was they could have come." He was very cheer- possible for man to speak. His death made a ful, and shewed much joy at seeing them. great stir in London, which was followed up After supper, he discoursed about half-an- by several coming forth to preach and to hour on the words-" Blessed are the dead teach, but in a short time they nearly all disthat die in the Lord," and shewed by his own appeared again, because there was no power feelings and situation, what an unspeakable attending their ministry. blessing it is for the soul who dies in the Lord [We purpose reviewing this great man's life Jesus Christ. He was not carried out into and ministry, for the benefit of the thousands those ravishing sensations, like some who are brought in their first love, but as an old who are now springing up in our churches; established servant of the Lord Jesus, he stood but who have never seen or read the masterly and the marvellous records the Lord helped firm on him. He had no doubts, no fears; him to leave behind. We know there are he knew whom he had believed; and the power of God that had supported him, and many in the ministry, and in the visible Church, who do not sympathize with us in our carried him through evil, and through good views of, and feelings toward Mr. Huntington, report: who had upheld him in the ministry in his life, and now was his oy in death. He and his works. But such persons will never book an affectionate farewell of his children move us. We are as deeply persuaded as man can be, that a more powerful preacher | gress of his folly, cause him to reform his and writer than William Huntington was, conduct, and pursue a different course. He has rarely been found. If in this persuasion we are considered extravagant we cannot help it. We are" Huntingtonians" to the heart, except in the ordinance of Baptism by immersion. There Mr. Huntington, like Joseph Irons, and many more, was decidedly wrong. The nearest approach to Mr. Huntington's ministry that we have heard of late years, was Mr. James Wells's sermon, at Dacre Park, Blackheath, July 13. It was on Christ coming into the soul. We watched and weighed every word. It was a blessed discourse; and augured an increased penetration, and power in that dear brother's ministry, whom the Lord is blessing to thousands.-ED.] THE MEMOIR OF LATE JOHN KEEBLE. [CONTRIBUTED BY JOHN ANDREWS JONES.] (Continued from page 147.) JOHN KEEBLE was born, in the year 1764, in the city of Londonderry, in Ireland, of which place his mother was a native. When he was about nine years of age, his parents removed into Suffolk. Even at this early period, the seeds of human depravity, unrestrained by education, and fostered by evil example, grew luxuriant. Singing profane songs, and the love of sinful company, led him frequently to public-houses. According to his own account he would at times absent himself from his own place of abode, three or four nights in a week, engaged in scenes of riot and dissipation, even after he was married, and was the father of two children. The partner of his youth was a prudent and industrious person, but destitute of all real and personal religion. She was preserved from a participation in her husband's folly, but she had bitterly to share in the sad consequences of his conduct, so as frequently to be reduced to want the common necessaries of life. He remarks, in one of his letters to me, (Chin)" Notwithstanding my bad conduct, my wife and I seldom had an angry word, for if I came home intoxicated, and she began to complain, I used to say, it is in vain to talk to me now, as I am not in a condition to attend to any thing you may say. And when afterwards, she resumed the conversation, I told her it was a pity to repeat old grievances." Pinching poverty was frequently their portion. He says. "Many times have I gone to mow and reap for a whole summer's day, without a morsel of bread, and my wife has remained at home under similar circumstances; and frequently, when we have gone to the cupboard in the morning, and found a piece of bread, too small to be divided, she would always insist upon my taking it, saying, "I can do better without food than you, who have to labour hard in the fields." She did this, when she had a sucking child at her bosom. "The way of transgressors is hard." But he had his seasons of sorrow, and most powerful appeals of conscience, would arrest the pro writes, "For more than three months I forsook my companions, spent my evenings at home; and feeling a strong desire to learn to read, I bought a spelling book, and, with my wife's assistance, I made a little progress. I also laid up a little money to pay our rent; and thought to appear the sober honest man. But, a few weeks before rent-day came, a friend called, and by fair promises, got me to lend him my all. When rent day came, my friend told me that he could not repay me. Mortified at the loss of my money, and of the credit of my new-formed character, I despaired of making any further effort at reformation; I went to the ale-house, and there continued drinking till I had spent every farthing 1 had. Thus my best efforts proved but as "the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away." Hosea xiii. 3. Thus he spent several years of sinning and repenting. But when he arrived at the age of twenty-five, it pleased God to produce an effectual and lasting change upon his heart and conduct; of which he himself gives the following circumstantial account: "At the time of my conversion to God, I lived next door to a good man, who used to go three or four miles every Lord's-day to meeting. There was but a slender partition between his house and mine, so that I could hear his devotional exercises, which produced in me great seriousness, and made a deep impression on my mind. My wife observed it, and became alarmed for fear I should become contaminated with this man's religion! She anxiously cautioned me, saying, "These people are what they call Ana-baptists, and they don't believe the Bible," &c. I replied, "I do not know what they believe, nor what they are called; this I know, they are much better than we are; they pray, we swear; they keep the Sabbath, we break it; they read the Bible, and we neglect it." So by comparing my conduct with this man's, I felt a longing desire to be in his situation and condition. This desire increased, and, at seasons I cried earnestly to God for mercy and salvation. This was the prevailing desire of my heart, and to obtain it I determined to use every possible means. make me a good man, and, save my soul. My prayer was, that God would The heavenly light had just began to dawn on his soul; and while his conscience was thus partially awakened, he went one Lord'sday to Ipswich about three miles distance, to purchase provisions. On his return home, he met some religious people going to meeting. Their appearance contrasted with his conduct, caused him shame, and his conviction of Sabbath-breaking increased. He carried home his provisions, opened his mind a little to his wife, and then immediately returned again to Ipswich, with a view to find out the meeting-house. But when he arrived there, he was ashamed to go in, and went round to the back of the house, and took his station where he could hear the minister without being observed, he says, "I heard with astonishment, things that I never heard before. I became convinced of a guilty life, of a pollu- | enemies to religion determined on a more for. ted nature; I began to see something of the midable expedient. They summoned the poor wickedness of my depraved heart; and how man before the meeting of magistrates, which impossible it was for a sinner like me, to ob- he attended. Being placed before their wortain salvation, but as an act of God's free ships in due form for a hearing, his accusers and distinguishing grace." He now regularly being called upon for their charge, said, attended on the means of grace, and obtained "This man is a disturber of the peace of our somewhat of a quiet conscience before he knew parish; he has a prayer-meeting; and preachthe depths of his disease. So that having ing in his house." The magistrate asked for a time attended constantly to most of the Keeble for his license: this was produced. On external forms of christianity, he felt some this the magistrate said to the farmers, "Genconfidence in the goodness of his state, and tlemen, have you any other charge against thought that he now had only need to be this poor man? Does he break your hedges, baptized to make himself a perfect and com- or steal your turnips, or is he a drunken and plete Christian! So vain was he of his attain- riotous man?" They replied, "no, he is ments, that when his fellow-labourers sat very sober and honest." Then (said the magdown in the field to eat their morsel, he would istrate) you have committed a great error in take his place at a distance from them, lest bringing him here; you have no more right by coming near they should defile him. In to interrupt or interfere with his religion than the true spirit of Pharisaic-pride, he said in he has with yours." His accusers received his heart, Stand by, come not near me, for suitable reproof and advice, they returned I am holier than thou." Under the influence home baffled and disappointed, and were of this frame of mind, he made known his wish obliged to suppress that malice for which they to join a Christian Church, to a person in his could find no legal gratification. neighbourhood. The good man said to him, "Do you suppose by this means to deserve the favour of God ?" He replied, "Yes, most certainly." His friend pitied his ignorance, and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly. To this man's house, he used to go frequently, after the toilsome labours of the day; and God was pleased to bless these means of instruction, in opening up the plan of the glorious gospel, so as it became the power of God to the salvation of his soul. Referring to this period of his experience, he says: When I was brought to believe that Jesus Christ was made unto me wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, I enjoyed a very heaven upon earth. Whether I was in the body or out of the body (at seasons,) I cannot tell. Sometimes, when I have been reaping in the fields, my communion with God has been so transporting, that (though unconscious of it,) I have spoken out so loud, that my fellow-laborers have called out to me, "John Keeble, are you mad?" O! these were happy days! when I first obtained the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of my sins." Being now brought to the enjoyment of spiritual things, he could not eat his morsel alone; and being remote from any place of worship, he opened his house for a prayer meeting, and had it duly licensed. This gave great offence to the neighbouring farmers, on whom he was totally dependant both for employ and support. They reproached him for his conduct, and commanded him to desist, on pain of being driven out of the parish. They had a parish-meeting on the subject. He replied to them, "Gentlemen, you know I am always ready to serve you day and night, but having opened my house for the worship of God, I cannot shut it, come on me what will. They dismissed him from his employ, and determined to starve him out of the parish. But God appeared for the relief of his faithful servant; a farmer in an adjacent parish engaged him immediately, to his great comfort, and the confusion of his persecutors. Foiled in their attempt, these Mr. Keeble's family increasing, his difficulty to support them as a day-labouring man was frequently great. "One circumstance (says Mr. Chin) which he related to me while travelling with him from Brighton, I cannot pass over." He said, "soon after the Lord had called me by his grace, I was confined many weeks with a heavy personal affliction and brought very low. Our means of support were also exhausted. On the first Lord's day morning, after my partial recovery, I felt anxious to go to the house of God, though my strength was unequal to the task. And supposing I should want some refreshment by the way, I took with me all the money my house afforded, which was one penny! when I had walked about two miles, I became exhausted. I went into a small public-house, and called for half a pint of beer, that being as much as my penny would pay for. The woman brought the beer, and with it some bread and cheese, and said, " John, you look ill, take some food and refresh yourself." I did so, and enjoyed it very much; and when I had done, instead of her taking my penny, she gave me two-pence. My heart was too full to make suitable acknowledgements, but, when I got into the road, I could not proceed on my journey till I had retired to the side of a bank and poured out my heart in grateful tears and praises to God for his merciful interposition in my favour. It was like bread from heaven, or water from the stricken rock." He now felt and lamented his want of education, and applied himself diligently to acquire the art of reading. And so intense was his desire to be able to read the word of God, that he made a practice for a long time of spending frequently whole nights, in, as well as he could, reading the Bible. For some time after his conversion, his whole literary store was a spelling book, and though anxious to posess a copy of the sacred Scriptures, yet his poverty forbade the purchase. At last by self-denying means, he saved one shilling, with which he bought an old tattered Bible, without a cover, and to preserve it from ruin by frequent use, he bound it about with a leathern strap; and when the minister gave out his text, the book was carefully untied, and he would follow the minister's references through the sermon. While engaged in his licensed room, as already stated, a woman came before the church of which Mr. Keeble was a member, and in giving an account of her conversion to God, she said, "the first impression I ever had of the importance of divine truth, was under a sermon by John Keeble, and his preaching was made a blessing to my soul." On this he was called to exercise his gifts before the church. To this he demurred, saying, "perhaps the church may set me to preach from a text that I cannot read, and grims on the earth, contented and happy with their staff and scrip, 'knowing that in heaven they have a better and an enduring substance.' Are we not like the virgins who slumbered and slept, because the Bridegroom delayed his coming? O may God himself come to us, by the ministry of the Spirit, and may we hear his voice, saying, Awake, awake; put on thy strength, Ŏ Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, Ó Jerusalem, the holy city:' arise, shine, for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. * ance of the saints in light is not doubtful; "The tenure upon which wehold the inheritthough, in moments of unbelief, we may doubt whether it be ours. Our evidences what shall I do then?" To this it was remay be clouded when our title is sure. In plied, "we will read it for you, and then you manifold temptations we may walk in darkcan speak from it." On this condition he ventured, and having spoken three or four will come. Fresh oil shall be supplied to the ness and have no light. But times of refreshing times, the church was so satisfied as to decide lamp of faith, to brighten and to increase its on his going directly into the ministry. This flame. It is enough. We shall see that in he attributed to their partiality. God intend- sufferings and sorrows all is well: all is well ed him as an instrument for much good, and in God's dispensations; his thoughts are therefore, self was kept out of sight. His thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give us whole experience of himself, was, "I be an expected end. nothing." I shall, in the next month's VESSEL, continue this interesting memoir, with an account of his preaching, by appointment, before the Suffolk Association of Baptist Churches, which resulted in his invitation to the church at Blandford Street, and of his being greatly owned and blessed there, to the end of his days. J. A. J. LOOKING HOMEWARDS. The Suffolk and Norfolk Association, last year solicited our much beloved, and deservedly esteemed brother in the ministry, Mr. Geo. Wright, of Beccles, to write for their this year's Circular Letter, a paper" On the Glorification of the Saints." That paper appears in the Lettter just issued. The spirit in which it is written, is pure, wholesome, and refreshing; the ideas perfectly Biblical, and sound, free from all fanatical, extravagant, or presumptuous speculation. It will be read by many with grateful and exalted feelings. Here are a few hastily gathered sentences as samples of the whole." "Our days on earth will soon be accomplish. ed, and our living Redeemer will take the key from his girdle and unlock the grave where we shall sleep till his second coming; in the meantime, it will lighten our cares, sweeten and sanctify our afflictions and sorrows, give earnestness to our zeal, and cheer us in every work of faith and labor of love, if by faith, we realize what we shall be, and wait for it in full assurance of hope. Never will the churches be what they should be, in beauty and glory, till the children of God shall strip themselves of the garb and ornaments of worldly conformity, and by their spirit, deportment, and heavenly-mindedness, give full evidence that they are strangers and pil "The change in our state and mode of existence form an interesting fact in connection with the hope set before us. The death of the body, which originated with sin, and is part of the punishment to which we became subject as transgressors, effects a change in the mode of our existence which even the heirs of life are appointed to undergo; yet their death is not punishment; sin, the sting of death, was taken away when Christ died; and death is ours, a privilege, a passage to rest, made fragrant by grace; a blessing, not a curse, nor part of the curse: death is ours because we are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Our trembling flesh may shrink back from the dreariness of the valley of the shadow of death; but faith, the precious faith of God's elect, looks into it with quietness and confidence,' and not a few of the redeemed have passed through it with triumph. "In the moment that the sleep of death falls on the eyelids, the spirit, loosened from earth, rises in joyous liberty, clothed with salvation, and passes the gates of the heavenly city to dwell in the light of a day which will never be clouded, nor come to an end for 'there shall be no night there. # "Whatever of evil we are subject to in the present life, will cease in a moment when our change comes. Sin, the disease and deformity of the soul, the law in our members which warreth against the law of the mind, will be for ever done away. "It may seem strange to some, but it is true that the painful sense we have of the captivating and defiling power of indwelling sin, is one fruit and evidence of our regeneration; yet so hateful is sin to those who are born of God, that they loathe themselves for it, confess it before him with sorrow and anguish, and long for the welcome, happy hour, when their purification from it will be perfect." |
