raise any one from the dead is an almighty work; to give life to the meanest insect that creeps upon the earth requires an exertion of almighty power, but to give life to Christ, to raise him from the dead, this is passing wonderfulhe had the heaviest gravestone to keep him down. The weight of sin lay upon him, for the 'Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all ;' yet he was raised by the Spirit of the Father from the grave to glory. Now then, the power that God puts forth upon the soul in working faith is according to this in the resurrection of Christ, and yet faith in him is sweetly drawn forth. Time will not allow me to trace, even if I were enabled to trace, the experience of the living soul till it comes to repose on the bosom of the beloved. We only observe, faith is sweetly drawn. The Spirit, as his final work in engrafting the soul upon the true vine, puts forth an act of renovation upon the will, by which he sweetly, but powerfully inclines the will (once rebellious) to accept of Christ, and to make a free deliberate choice of him as Saviour, Lord, and King, the King in Zion. We say, a free deliberate choice worked into the soul by apprehensions of wrath, as a man may run into an enemy's house in a storm, when he would have passed it by in fair weather, or, as the manslayer would fly to the city of refuge when the avenger of blood was behind. Yes, dear brethren, extremities will make a sinner not only willing but thankful. The poor will gladly receive the gospel. The hungry can find sweetness in bitter things, and the passover, ('Christ our passover is sacrificed for us') was eaten with bitter herbs. It is so, and the hand that works 'precious' faith deals gently. It is a drawing with loving-kindness, it is a drawing with the bands of love and the cords of a man'—it is a causing of a man to approach to God, a holy offended God, as a God of love: yea, it is a drawing with such an arm of love and power, as that there is no pain in it, but much, (), how much pleasure, for this is our first love.' Here, dear brethren, we behold as in a glass 'the mystery of the wisdom of the grace of God.' The natural heart is averse from faith, hates both the gift and the giver: but when the Lord works it, he offers no violence to the nature of a man. The day of the Lord's power makes the sinner willing, as the promise stands, which, blessed be God, has often been fulfilled-Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.' Ah, how many know by experience the truth of that Scripture. How many? Oh, how few, in this day of the form of godliness withont the power,' know anything of such bitterness, as 'the arrows of the Almighty sticking fast in the soul, and drinking up the spirits'-or of such bliss, as to desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better!"

Having thus shown that faith is produced in the heart by the mighty power of God, Mr. Townley goes on to trace out something of its nature and effects:

6

"All other graces take their rise from faith as the fountain head. We read-other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.' God forbid. The foundation, the all in all' of faith, as we observed before, is the righteousness of Christ and upon this faith, faith in the one atonement once offered,' all that adorns the new man is builded. This we call reposing, trusting, Spirit-wrought faith. Upon such faith other graces are builded. Hope lies upon faith: for no man hopes for that which he believes not. Love is builded on faith. Unto them that believe Christ is precious: and the more faith the more precious, and therefore the saints pray always, Lord, increase our faith;' for with the increase of faith there is increase of all, and the more that faith becomes the 'substance of things hoped for," the more that faith realizes Christ as "made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,' then does it indeed appear that the path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Truly, great is the honour of faith. We read these glorious words, Jehovah our righteousness. (Jer. xxiii. 6.) That righteousness when applied to the elect soul, is even called the righteousness which is of faith." (Rom. ix. 30.) Here then the saint can stand when all outward sensible comforts fail, aye, even when earthly friends fall off like the leaves in autumn-and can say cheerfully,

'The will of the Lord be done.' 6 By faith ye stand.' We have many sorrows and trials even as brethren in the faith. Christ hath borne our griefs, carried our sorrows, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' And O, is he not, has he not been proved a 'tried cornerstone,' able to bear the weight? Yes, but with faith as feeble in operation as à bulrush, we should be ready to conclude, 'There is no hope'-and as David said of Saul, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul'-so we should, and so we often do say of sin, I shall one day sink under the load of sin.' But when faith is in exercise she can send a messenger to Christ: yea, when death, the king of terrors, draws near, faith has recourse to the righteousness of Christ, faith flies to the everlasting refuge, faith runs for shelter to the clefts of the Rock of Ages, and beseeches, Come and help;' and O, how often does the beloved appear then as he never appeared before, more than chief among ten thousand and all together lovely;' he eases the pang and he sweetens the pain, and the bitterness of death is past. Surely, faith is the gift of God.' What shall we more say? We have spoken of the gift; we have spoken of the giver; we will now glance at the receiver; and we hope to place him where he should be with his head in the dust."

It will give us much pleasure if the author of the above sermon should prove to be a true man. Doubtless he has much to learn. The tinsel will have to be burned away, and much that he has learned in the Church of England to be thrown to the dunghill. And should he ever be called to preach out of the Establishment, he will have to shake off much of that genteel style that rounds off the sharp points and jagged edges of truth, and speak more simply, plainly, and personally.

It will rejoice us to find him led into all truth by the blessed Spirit; and should this be his happy case, he will have to look back upon his present persecution as a signal instance of God's favour and love to his soul, and a bright link in the mysterious chain of Providence. He will have to learn, perhaps more experimentally than he has yet known, in this trial, the truth of his text, that "faith is the gift of God;" and should the Lord mercifully appear in the furnace for his soul's strength and comfort, he will not envy the lordly luxury of bishops or deans, but, with Moses, will deem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.

Lines written on the Death of Mr. William Eadsby, 38 years Minister of the Particular Baptist Chapel, St. George's-Road, Manchester, who died January 27th, 1844, aged 71 years.

BY A LATE TEACHER IN THE ST. GEORGE'S-ROAD SUNDAY SCHOOL, MANCHESTER.
Stretch'd on his bed, with pain acute oppress'd,

While mortal throes upheave his labouring breast,
(Though nature groans, free grace maintains its fires,)
And shouting, "Victory!" GADSBY "bold" expires,-
GADSBY, who once a simple rustic youth,
A stranger to the powers of God and truth,
Living in folly, far from Wisdom's rule;
Sin was his jest, and ignorance his school;
No wish for heaven, with scarce a fear of hell;
Void of all good (as oft I've heard him tell):
Such GADSBY was, when call'd by matchless grace
To see God's glory in the Saviour's face;
To feel that blood which cleanses from all sin;
To feel that life which God implants within.

Blood freed his soul from Hell's terrific hold,
Brought him a brand to Jesus' long-loved fold.
God stopp'd not here, but soon ordain'd the man
To preach salvation, on the gospel plan;
For He who wrote on Sinai's barren steep
Wrote on his heart Election's mysteries deep.
The news spread round, "A "fool' is call'd to preach

A gospel, school-taught bishops never teach."

The Churchman scorn'd,-the blind free-willer raved,

When GADSBY cried, "None but the elect are saved;
Saved in Immanuel, long before the flood,
Or Heaven's blue arches on their pillars stood;
Saved without works, without one jot of merit;
But fore-ordain'd, God's kingdom to inherit."

These truths he preach'd; and preach'd that creature power,
To please Jehovah, fell in Eden's bower;
Man (sin by nature) must again be born,
Or be from endless bliss for ever torn.

"These lead to sin," the merit-mongers cry;
But, while they rail'd, his actions gave the lie.
Silk gowns had oft to preach to empty pews,
While crowds from GADSBY heard the gospel news.
The Lord was with him; and through Albion's isle
The quicken'd sinner met him with a smile;
Confess'd by preaching he for sin was grieved;
For mercy cried, and on the Lord believed.
In July's heat, or chill December's snow,
Where God prepared, he murmur'd not to go;
In cellar, barn, or humble cottage door,
Glad tidings met the broken-hearted poor.
Girded with truth, he paced from town to town,
To speak of Christ, the plant of great renown.
And Lancashire will miss the gospel bell
That chimed redemption from the power of hell;
For Blackburn oft has join'd with him to sing
The notes which from a free-grace gospel spring,
"Immortal honours rest on Jesus' head,
My God, my portion, and my living bread."
Ye chosen few who meet in Rosendale,
And heard with joy the never-tiring tale,
"In him I live, upon him cast my care:
He saves from death, destruction, and despair;"
And Bury's saints, who wade through flood and fire,
With cheerful hearts have join'd the sacred choir,
"He is my refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength, and glorious righteousness."
Ye tried, truth-loving band, at Upper Mill,
That lately join'd the tongue which now lies still,
"Through floods and flames he leads me safely on,
And daily makes his sov'reign goodness known.”
And Warrington has saints who claim'd a part
With him to bring the incense of the heart,
"My ev'ry need he richly will supply;
Nor will his mercy ever let me die."
And Liverpool's adopted sons could taste

The pomegranate which these two lines embrace:

"In him there dwells a treasure all divine;
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.”
And Rochdale's flock, in good JOHN KERSHAW's care,
Had heart-felt union with the following prayer:-
"O that my soul could love and praise him more,
His beauties trace, his majesty adore."
And Accrington has her desires express'd
With him to enter into Jesus' rest,
"Live near his heart, upon his bosom lean,
Obey his voice, and all his will esteem."
And London churches have not yet forgot
(Or, if they have, I think the Jews* have not)
The man who touch'd Salvation's joyous springs,
Sow'd in the Spirit, reap'd your carnal things.
But now no more you'll hear his welcome voice
Describe the feelings of the Saviour's choice.
He speaks no more on earth; 'tis God's behest
To take his servant to eternal rest.

One moment here he sore in anguish lies;
The next, he's free with Jesus in the skies,
In endless bliss, a Three-One God to prize.
We mourn his loss; but more the aged poor,
Who found an easy access to his door;
They shared his bounty, from his table fed,
And oft from him received their daily bread:
And pining sickness, on a bed of grief,
Unask'd, obtain'd, but ne'er refused relief.
Yet Slander tried to feast her lie-fed maw,
And in his conduct listen'd for a flaw,-
"He speaks for lucre." Hell disowns the lie,
And man (base wretch !) acknowledges, “"Tis I.”
"He's hoarded thousands." Q thou sland'rous tongue!
Black is the heart from whence those lies have sprung.
Where are his hoards of wealth? say where.
Go ask the needy, and you'll find them there.
Low in his own esteem, he wish'd to be
"Less than nothing," lighter than vanity.
Whate'er of Jesus in his life you trace,

He lived and died a debtor to free grace.

* During the great depression of trade in 1826, Mr. Gadsby was at London, and mentioned the state of the starving poor, when immense quantities of old clothes were given to him for them.

The couplets in italics form a sweet hymn composed by Mr. Gadsby.

Notice concerning the late Mr. Gadsby,

We believe we need scarcely say that, in common with the Church of God, we lament the removal of our dear friend, the late William Gadsby. We have received several letters on his decease, which we should wish to insert, and had indeed also prepared some remarks of our own, but find ourselves too much pressed for time to insert them in our present number. We hope, however, to do so in our next, and trust that his and our friends will excuse the temporary delay.-EDS.

THE

GOSPEL STANDARD,

OR,

FEEBLE CHRISTIAN'S SUPPORT.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled."-Matt. v. 6.

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."-2 Tim. i. 9.

"The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded."-Rom. xi. 7.

"If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.-And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.—In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."-Acts viii. 37, 38; Matt, xxviii. 19,

No. 101.

MAY, 1844.

VOL. X.

THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF THE POWER OF GOD IN THE SOUL OF SARAH WIGHT.

(Concluded from page 103.)

May 31st, being Monday, came to her the Lady Willoughby, of Parham, with Dr. Cox, physician, and Mrs. Cox, Mr. and Mrs. Adderley, then of the Charter-house, &c.

Having heard of her great comforts, Dr. Cox put several questions to her, which, with her answers, were to this effect:

Dr. Cox. Some say of your comfort that it is but a delusion, some say it is not. How do you know it is no delusion?

Sarah. You cannot know what my comforts are, except you knew what my terrors were; but I believe the Lord did not keep me in them, and carry me through them, and deliver me from them, (not from one, but from all my fears,) and give me comfort, to delude me with his comfort; for nothing could satisfy me in those terrors but Christ; therefore it is apparent that it is Christ, because nothing else could do it, to free me from one of my terrors, much less to free me from all. Could anything keep me from such great temptations but the power of God? (Then she told of some of her temptations.) Question. How do you know it was the power of God?

Answer. Because it was the bare arm of God that brought salvation to me. (Isa. lix. 16.) Nothing else could and nothing else did it. I went about seeking rest, and could find none, till he gave me

rest.

Question. How know you this working in you is the Spirit of God? Answer. Where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty. He sets the soul at liberty that was in bondage; for I was in bondage. The

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