N disappointment to me, the preacher I do not expect that any minister before Mr. H. was ever led to explain the law and the gospel so clearly, and to expound and open up the viith chap. of Romans, and the Galatians, and other parts of the word, that speak of the law as he was, and because he ascribed the glory to God, as a God of proivdence, and cut at the universal charity of fallen man, exposed Arminian pride, Arian, and Socinian errors, and would have no confederacy with those who only sought the praise of men, therefore his name and his work, was by them cast out as evil, they watched to catch him, to expose him to the world, both from the pulpit and from the press, which was the cause of his publishing so many books in defence of the gospel, his ministry and character, which in his day were made so useful to expose the errors that abounded; but now there is no such a champion to stand forth and to collar those errors from the press, the few that have light and strength for this work are so crippled in their temporal concerns that they have not the power to buy the publications that the enemy sends forth, nor means to answer them, therefore these authors range through the country as the Philistines did through the holy land, when Israel had no power to oppose them; the most we now have is confined within the walls of a few chapels. In reading the sermon preached on opening the New Chapel I was refreshed, in remembering that circumstance, when such a numerous assembly broke forth in singing the first hymn, that was sung there in public, which was the five last verses of the hundred and thirty second psalm, "Arise O King of grace arise, The sensation was so great that I My very dear and respected Friend Will, I have no doubt, pardon my apparent neglect of his kind and affectionate letter; I assure you it is not that you have been forgotten by me, for I know scarcely an individual the recollection of whom gives me equal pleasure. As I consider myself indebted to you instrumentally in making many things clear to my mind at a time when much exercised with things of infinite importance. I now look back with pleasure on the time I tarried in Yeovil, the place where the Lord in his mercy led me to "search the scriptures," to distinguish between truth and error, and light and darkness, so that I was led to acknowledge the justice of God in acting in accordance with his will in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth; however men may oppose his sovereignty, the truth must stand, "he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." This is truly humbling to proud nature, and I cannot believe it possible for any in sincerity and truth, without the enmity of his carnal mind being subdued by God the Holy Ghost, to bow to the divine sovereignty, and say, "thy will be done." Oh, nothing but free and distinguishing grace can soften the heart, and lead us to see a preciousness in the Lord Jesus, and to behold him as "the chiefest among ten thousand, yea, altogether lovely." Oh, for grace to feel after the blessed I I shall never forget while my senses are spared me, a sermon preached by you, at a time when I was deploring the carnality of my nature, and wondering that I did not make greater advances in christian perfection, as it is called, from these words, Slay them not, lest my people forget," in which sermon you were enabled very blessedly to set forth the two natures, which keep up a continual warfare; and you remarked that a child of God when first brought into spiritual liberty, in the days of his first love, imagined that the Canaanites, were slain. Oh no, you said they are only knocked on the head, or as it were stunned for a season. I have experienced the truth of the assertion, so that there have been seasons when I have feelingly known that, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but may we be enabled to rejoice, that notwithstanding all our sin, depravity and hard heartedness, our God changeth not: with him there is no varibleness nor shadow of turning. I am truly glad to hear that the would-be great men are removed, and that you go on more comfortably. I sincerely hope that your ministry may be more and more blessed, and that you may be the means of bringing many a dear vessel of mercy into the knowledge of the truth. May your ministry be a savour of life unto life to many a sheep redeemed by blood; and the Lord grant you a sweet enjoyment of the truth you set forth in your own soul. I wish heartily I had now the privilege I once had of hearing you from sabbath to sabbath; it is only when an individual is debarred hear ing a faithful experimental preacher that he can set a proper value on the ministry of a person raised up by God, to separate the precious from the vile. I hope at no distant period I shall have the pleasure of seeing you. I must now conclude, praying that the Spirit of Christ may dwell richly in you, is the sincere desire of your admiring friend, Jesus Christ will not break the bruised reed, because a contrite heart is his sacrifice. A bruised spirit sends forth tears, which are as precious wine. A bruised soul is big with holy desires, yea, is sick of love; therefore if a bruised reed hath such virtue in it, Christ will not break it; no spices when they are bruised, are so fragant to us, as a contrite spirit is to God. The bruised reed shall not be broken, because it doth so nearly resemble Christ: Jesus Christ was once bruised on the cross. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, his hands and feet were bruised with the nails; his ́side was bruised with the spear. bruised reed, resembles a bruised Saviour; nay a bruised reed is a member of Christ, which though it be weak, Christ will not cut off, but cherish so much the more. A Will not Christ break the bruised reed? This tacitly implies he will break unbruised reeds, such as were never touched with trouble of spirit, but live and die in impenitentcy; these are hard reeds, or rather rocks. Christ will not break a bruised reed, but he will break an hard reed. Many know not what it is to be bruised reeds; they are bruised outwardly by affliction, but they are not bruised for sin, they never knew what the pangs of the new birth meant. You shall hear some thank God they were always quiet, they never had any great anxiety of spirit, these bless God for the greatest curse. Such as are not bruised penitentially shall be broken judicially, they whose hearts would not break for sin shall break with despair; in hell there is nothing to be seen but an heap of stones and an hammer; an heap of stones, that is, hard hearts; and an hammer, that is, God's power and justice breaking them in pieces. Will not Christ break a bruised reed? See then the gracious disposition of Jesus Christ, he is full of clemency and sympathy; though he may bruise the soul for sin he will not break it. The surgeon may lance the body and make it bleed, but he will bind up the wound; as Christ hath beams of majesty, so bowels of mercy: Christ gives the lion in his escutcheon, and the lamb; the lion, in respect of his fierceness to the wicked, and the lamb in respect of his mildness to his people; his name is Jesus, a Saviour, and his office is an healer. Christ made a a plaister of his own blood to heal a broken heart: Christ is the quintessence of love. One saith, it if the sweetness of all flowers were in one flower, how sweet would that flower be? How full of mercy Christ, in whom all mercy meets. Christ hath a skilful hand, and a tender heart: He will not break a bruised reed. is POETRY. A FEW OF MY WANTS. I want to know that thou hast chosen me, I want to know that Jesus died for me, I want to trinmph in thy boundless grace, I want to feel his love's constraining power, I want to feel my doubts remove, I want the sealing of the Spirit's love, I want to feel my faith more strong, I want to make thy love my song, I want thy charming voice to hear, I want to make his ways my choice, I want to trust my soul in Jesus' hands, I want to shelter in his wounded side. I want the joys of heaven while here. I want more than I can express, I want to feel my faith and love increase, I want the precious corner stone, I want to build my hopes thereon, All that I want is to be found, THE HIDINGS OF GOD'S FACE. Alas when Jesus hides his face, Then I in vain for comfort seek, From God's most holy word, For that seems as a sealed book. Without the power of God. I go unto a throne of grace, Then Satan tempts me to believe, That God forbears to hear, Because I'm not a chosen sheep, He disregards my prayer. He says of sinners I am chief, But still to mercy's door I'll go, And seek till I obtain, I'll plead the precious blood of him, Who was for sinners slain. And that shall be only plea, It pardons sinners vile as me, MARY. "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto."-2 Samuel vii. 18. Lord what 's my house, or who am I, And often be so very nigh, Dear Lord, thou hast been good to me, What shall I render unto thee, Oh may I ever thankful be, And sound aloud thy matchless grace. Thou brought'st me young in years to know, How often hast thou cheered my heart, My heart is sometimes set on fire, But now alas I seem as dead, O feed me on the coming day, Attend the word with thine own power, ANN. "The joy of salvation.-Ps. li. 12. Hail happy saints of God, By his blest truth imprest; Who here oft feel his rod, But in him find your rest, The joy of his salvation proves, That he for ever firmly loves. How blessed is your lot, To feast on Jesus' love; But feel you 're drawn above; How great the joy on earth, You heavenly comforts know: Free is the grace which flows to sinful man, Salvation how melodious is the sound, AN ACCROSTIC. Ebenezer glorious sound, Now through all the saints below. Raise the voice to Zion's king. Christ hath help'd you hitherto, ZOAR. J, T. |