"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; out 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."

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

"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.”

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. 1—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

rest for a light of the people; and therefore we find this of great use. 1. In hearing preachers; for if they cannot enter experimentally into all the holes and corners of the coming sinner in this judgment and acquittance, they are not in the secret; they may have the letter of truth, notions of the gospel, but they do not teach as this anointing teacheth; consequently we need no such teaching. Again, if in company with people that are high in a profession of Christ, if they tell us that they never were judged, but drawn by love in an easy way all through, we know they are deceived; and if they live and die so, they are bastards, and not sons. If others say they are converted, and now keep the law of Moses, and please God, that it is their rule, &c., we know that nothing of this is like God's work; and therefore let them be what they may, or profess what they will, we are enabled at times to bring it all to the test; this judgment rests for a light to this spiritual nation; and it is the same in respect of books, called experience books; and many of them are done in imitation of this good work, but God enables his people to discover the cheat, sooner or later."

We may, if the Lord will, and opportunity be granted, draw further attention to the writings of John Rusk. We believe that we have extracted enough to make our friends desire to see more. His experience has been published by him, but we understand that it is out of print. It is a very remarkable book, and we should be glad to see it republished, and circulated among the family of God.

EDITORS' REMARKS.

An expression which we made use of in our Review of Dr. Everard's work (March No., page 95) has been much criticised by friends and enemies. It is where we expressed a wish that our remarks might not injure the sale of the work.

Our feeling was this a natural one we admit, that as we believed the persons who projected the republication were ignorant of the errors in Everard's work, and did it sincerely though mistakenly, we were sorry that our condemnation of the work should be a means of their pecuniary loss; more especially as we were certain that great expenses must be incurred from its republication. A correspondent has very well illustrated our feeling by instancing the case of a judge, who is compelled to pass sentence upon a criminal, yet expresses his sorrow that he is obliged to do so, as feeling what the consequences of the sentence will be.

A printed Reply, or rather an attempt at one, by the "Watchman,” has been sent us to our remarks upon Everard; but such a jumble of confusion and absurdity deserves no serious notice from us. Controversy we dislike at all times, but it is worse than useless with a writer who can neither make use of an argument himself, nor understand one when put before him; but flits hither and thither like a will-o'-the-wisp, and writes much as a man would walk with his head in a sack, stumbling against everything and everybody, and not able to move two steps forward in a straight line. We therefore leave him, and advise him for his own sake to keep quiet. We believe that we know him better than he knows himself.