You will find something of this experience beautifully set forth in the 107th Psalm, which has been very sweet and precious to me at times: " Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

O, my dear friend, many are the trials of the righteous, but the Lord has promised to deliver them out of them all; for "he knoweth them that are his," and he knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. What an unspeakable mercy it is for such poor, guilty mortals as you and I, that salvation is absolutely free! For my own part, I am free to acknowledge that if it were conditional, I should be without any hope or expectation of ever being saved, but must sink into utter despair; therefore, I must say,

"O to grace, how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrain'd to be!

May that grace, Lord, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to thee!"

Now I must conclude by wishing you every blessing that the Lord may see fit for you, that will be for your real good and his honour and glory; that you may be kept from the world and its delusive charms, and also from the many errors that abound in this day of profession; that you may be kept poor in spirit, and a beggar at the throne; and may the Lord grant that you may never be satisfied nor suffered to rest in anything short of his blessed self, manifested to the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost. That his blessing and influence may rest upon you from day to day, is the prayer and desire your soul's well-wisher in the bonds of the everlasting covenant, the chief of sinners, and the least of all saints.

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C-, Nov. 2, 1843.

EDITORS' REVIEW.

Zion, the Peculiar People of God: in which is shown, that God's Dealings with them differ greatly from his Dealings with all the rest of Mankind. "Written from both painful and pleasant Experience of the Truth of God. By John Rusk.-Sold by P. Blackman, London.

How much more pleasant it is for us, in the exercise of our office as Reviewers, to be able honestly to speak well of and recommend works to our readers than to be obliged to condemn and censure them! Though often compelled for conscience' sake to condemn, we feel much more pleasure in being able to recommend. The work of which we have given the title page has not been sent us for review; but having fallen into our hands, and being commended to our conscience as written by a spiritual and welltaught man, we believe we shall do our readers service by bringing it under their notice. We have indeed more than one review

in hand of works that have been sent us; but finding it hard work to get on with them as we could wish, we prefer roaming a little at large into some of the green pastures that we have found in the book before us.

The object of the work is to show the dealings of God toward his spiritual Zion, and especially to every individual of that favoured nation.

John Rusk had a deep insight into the general profession of the day, and clearly saw its hollowness and deceitfulness; and being a deeply-experienced man in his own soul, was well acquainted with the work of grace in all its various branches.

Our copious extracts will show this far better than any words of ours. We will commence with what he says upon the actings of divine life in the soul in its early communication:

"But again, this life will further discover itself in your having an hunger and thirst after righteousness; for this life will make you feel that you' are destitute of every branch of righteousness. And how such a soul will long after Jesus Christ, and what a glory and beauty will it see in his perfect obedience, praying, with Paul, to be found in him, not having on its own righteousness; if so be that, being clothed, it shall not be found naked.' And these are the breathings of such a soul; 'O Lord, search me and try me; let me not be deceived whatever I may suffer. Lord, I fear that I am not right, for sin certainly has dominion. Lord, do not leave me; do not give me up. O Lord, thou hast promised to cleanse thy people from all their filthiness, idols, and uncleanness; lead me to that fountain that is opened for sin and for uncleanness, and grant that the blessed righteousness of Christ may be placed to my account.' I say, such a poor soul is fond of secret retirement in order to come to the light, although he often trembles at it, for fear he should not be able to endure it. O this is struggling hard at the strait gate; and he fears he never shall be admitted.

"But I do not intend to enlarge, for I have treated on this life in my other books. Now in such a soul you may discover several things. 1. The fear of the Lord, and that is a fountain of life. Such are very tender, and forsake evil company; the fear of the Lord is to depart from evil.' 2. A love to the Lord's family, as far as they discover them to be so; and although they are often mistaken, at first in particular, yet this does not alter the love which they have, which is pure, and not dissembled; and by this they prove that they are passed from death unto life, agreeable to what the apostle John says. But then some poor soul may say, 'I certainly have felt this love to Zion which you are describing, but so far am I from being delivered, or passed from death unto life, that I feel the fear of death worse than ever; so that I certainly am deceived. To this I answer, that you do not understand the apostle John's meaning. He means that wherever this love to the image of Christ is found, that such are passed from the sleep of death unto life; such are quickened; they are not dead in trespasses and sins as they once were; and others may see the motions of spiritual life in them. But for perfect love to cast out all fear, this is a full deliverance; and yet although such cannot come up to this, yet they are born of God, for John does not say, when perfect love has cast out all fear, then such are born of God, but he that loveth is born of God.' Loveth what? Why, loveth God's family, his truth, his ways, &c. Such are born of God; yes, they are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and

abideth for ever.' But can such say they are sure that God loves them? No, they cannot; but in God's time they will be brought to this also; and this is being made perfect in love. It is this perfect love which easteth out all fear and all torment.

"Now, put all these things together which I have hinted at about life; -1. A feeling sense of our need, and a cry to the Lord for mercy. 2. A hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and the holy breathings of such a soul in secret. 3. The fear of the Lord, which tendeth to life, and this love to the image of Christ in the saints. I say, view these things, and see if thou canst not come in with a humble hope that thou art one belonging to this spiritual nation."

Though the author contends for pardon, justification, and a sense of interest in the atoning blood of Christ, as needful realities to be known and experienced, he is very tender of the first movements of life in the soul, and labours much to point out its secret actings in an experimental manner. He thus speaks of regeneration:

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"But again, another proof of your having this blessed Spirit is this; regeneration, and renewing: and this is all mercy. But, say you, 'what is regeneration? I answer, a spiritual birth. Generation, or being generated, that goes first, and brings us into the world; but, 'except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God:' and this is regeneration, which consists in putting a living principle in us which never was there before—called spirit, grace, the new man, the divine nature, the incorruptible seed, &c. But then the old man is not taken away, only it is subdued and kept under, so that it shall not reign as heretofore. This is regeneration, and such are born again directly this work has taken place, which, I believe, is an instantaneous work in all. Hence Peter says, 'being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.' Now from this arise all those holy desires and longings after what God has promised, for, as newborn babes, such desire the sincere milk of the world, that they may grow thereby.' But although regeneration is once done in a soul, yet not so with renewing, for that is done again and again continually: for every time the old man gets up, we need renewing, and this is done by subduing the old man and raising up the new, and calling him forth into lively act and exercise: this is called anointing us. Now take notice of what is said of the church by the prophet Ezekiel : 'Then washed I thee with water; (here is regeneration;) yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee; and I anointed thee with oil.' There is the renewing. Hence David says, 'My horn wilt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn, and I shall be anointed with fresh oil.' (Ps. xvi. 9.) James the apostle brings this renewing in also: 'Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.' (James v. 14.) And God will own and honour his own work, so that the times of refreshing shall come from his presence.

"Of his mercy he saves us, by the washing of regeneration, (that is, washing us with this water, washing away our blood,) and the renewing of the Holy Ghost,' that is this anointing; for you and I often need this renewing in the spirit of our minds, which is putting off the old man, and putting on the new; and this is generally got in the means of God's appointment, and all this is mercy."

The feelings of the soul under a sense of its need of mercy are well described in the following extract:

"But again, this mercy is further manifested in appearing in our behalf when every other refuge fails, and when nothing appears to our view but ruin and destruction. It is a saying, that 'a friend in need is a friend indeed; and this is true in the highest sense here; and it is for this very purpose that the Lord is pleased to bring us into various straits and difficulties, in order to discover his various perfections to us of love, pity, compassion, power, faithfulness, and truth; and all this is mercy displayed. I never can describe how low, and how often I have sunk under various trials without and within, sore temptations, cutting disapappointments, innumerable fears, tossed up and down, as it is written, tossed with tempests, and not comforted; and in all these things I have been led to discover the mercy of God to me as an individual, when every refuge has failed. For you and I can only know these things experimentally by sore afflictions. All other knowledge, to the exclusion of this, is vain, as it respects doing our souls good. The Almighty will bring us down, in order to discover his mercy to us, which will come when sorely needed. Now if we look at the poor publican, truly his was a pitiful case-a guilty conscience. He smote upon his breast,'-no access to God; he dared not so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven; but in all this labyrinth of wretchedness, the Holy Spirit put this cry in his heart, (and enabled him to come after the Lord in chains,) God be merciful to me a sinner!' And this prayer, although so short, includes every thing, and came from the bottom of his heart; and the Lord answered his cry, 'for he went down to his house justified,' while the pharisee was condemned. David calls this mercy. Take notice of his words, 'who remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever.' You may see this mercy also in the Lord's dealings with Manasseh, Joshua the high priest, Paul, the jailor, and many more; which shows that God deals very different with every individual of this spiritual nation than with any others."

One thing we have felt particularly sweet, where he speaks of the long-suffering niercy of God:

"Lastly, upon this head, long-suffering mercy is displayed towards this spiritual nation. Ah, fellow traveller, if you have been any length of time in the ways of God, you well know how vile and base you have acted, and what returns you have made to the Lord for all his favours both in providence and in grace. To speak for myself, I acknowledge that I have gone astray times without number, and have grieved the blessed Spirit, set up idols, and have laboured hard to destroy myself. The love and power of sin has so overcome me against light and love, that I have so secretly fallen again and again, and really wondered that the Almighty did not cut me down as a cumberer of the ground. What is the cause the Lord does not? I answer, it is his long-suffering mercy, and that only. Hence you read, it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, and because his compassions_fail not:' and, says he, Although I make a full end of all nations, yet I will not make a full end of thee; but I will chasten thee in measure, and not leave thee wholly unpunished." This has astonished me greatly, and often brought me down to his feet. This mercy is a part of his covenant name, 'long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth."

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The last point, on which we shall make a copious extract from our author, is that of judgment, and its fruits and effects in the hearts of God's people:

"But this judgment is of use that we may make a right judgment of preachers, professors, books, &c. There is a particular text recorded by

the prophet Isaiah. It is this; 'Hearken unto me, O my people, and give ear unto me, O my (spiritual) nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light to the people.' Now observe what this judgment is which the Lord says shall rest for a light to the people. The same prophet will tell us; 'Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; (this is God the Father speaking to his Son ;) I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. A bruised reed he shall not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth; he shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall wait for his law.' (Isa. xlii. I-4.) Here is a bruised reed, a poor creature that belongs to the election of grace, suitable to Jesus Christ, and under his commission; for in this judgment he is brought experimentally to feel that he is full of wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. Again, here is smoking flax; such as feel holy and very earnest longing desires after Christ, yet feel an emptiness which nothing but the presence of Christ can fill. Joy, which is a flame, they are far from, and conclude (at times) that they shall never get it. However, under all this smoking flax there must be a fire, which in time will break forth into a flame, and which our dear Lord will bring to pass; for he is to bring forth judgment unto truth. What truth? Why the sweet promises which declare their acquittance, and which Matthew calls victory. (Matt. xii. 20.) And here they are cast and condemned, as they often conclude, on all hands. Within they are full of wounds, bruises, &c., and conscience against them. If they look forward to death, an angry God and the day of judgment stares them in the face; and without, all appears wrong-'tongues arise in this judgment to condemn them.' Satan stands at their right hand, called the accuser of the brethren; but notwithstanding all this, and much more, this bruised reed shall not be broken, neither shall this smoking flax be quenched; for our dear Lord 'will bring forth judgment unto victory, and the isles shall wait for his law; and therefore they do watch and wait at wisdom's gates, at the strait (or difficult) gate, looking, longing, hungering, thirsting, panting, desiring, and craving (at certain times) after the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the desire of all nations; (or this spiritual nation scattered up and down among all the rest;) and what they are waiting for is for this law, 'the isles shall wait for his law; that is, for Christ's law, who is the person there spoken of; not the ten commandments, for that is called Moses's law, and this they already have got, in the application of it, and by which they are judged; but now they want a deliverance, an acquittance, and this is to come by Christ's law. But what is that? I answer, it is faith. Faith, say you, pray where is that ever called a law? Why, by the apostle Paul. Hence he says, 'boasting is excluded. By what law? of works? nay, but by the law of faith.' This is the law, as Mr. Huntington used to say, that the people of God wait for: this is expressly called the faith of Christ; he is the author and finisher of it. But why do they wait for this law? I answer, because it brings them all which they need, and which they are seeking after. They want pardon, and he that believeth shall receive the forgiveness of his sins: they want cleansing, and God purifies the heart by faith; they want righteousness, and it is unto and upon all that believe, even the righteousness of Christ; they want rest, and we which believe do enter into rest; they want salvation, and he that believeth shall be saved; they want victory over every foe, and he that believes is justified freely from all things; in short, they want Christ, for he is all, and they get him, for he dwells in the heart by faith. Now the Lord says that this judgment is to