A FREED SINNER. TO THE EDITORS of the gospel STANDARD. Sirs,-You perhaps have not forgotten a worthless being addressing you, calling his name John. Hoping he has not quite tired you, he has ventured to speak once more, by way of thankfulness to his dear Lord and Master, for what he has done for his soul; for he cannot hold his peace, but would say with the psalmist, "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for my soul.—He has raised me out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and has put a new song into my mouth, even praise to the God of my salvation.-Ō taste and see that the Lord is gracious: I was brought low, and he helped me." After I had written to you, Sirs, I continued much cast down in my mind, doubting whether I had any part or lot in the matter; and Satan told me I had been acting the hypocrite, that I had deceived myself, and wanted to deceive you too. Also, in a day or two after, a person began to converse with me about my religion, who told me that God had done his part, and both myself and he, if we would be saved, must do our part too; that he died for all men alike, that he did not wish any of his creatures should go to hell, but that they by their wickedness sent themselves there. This, and a great deal more, did he tell me, which sunk me lower still in my feelings, and despair seemed to be on the throne of my heart. I took up Mr. Huntington's "Love of Christ Always the Same," in the 33d page of the second part of which, he describes a hypocrite. I thought that was me, thus sealing my own destruction. I took up my Bible; when lo! my heavenly Father directed my eyes to Rom. viii. 15: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Here was a treasure for a wretch like me! Why, Sirs, were I to hold my peace, I think the stones in the street would cry shame on me. I cannot, I dare not. My dear friends, bear with me a little, and ( rejoice with me. I have a Father, and with Thomas I can say, " My Lord, and my God." O what amazing love, what matchless condescension, to redeem me, worthless me, as a brand from the burning! O, dear Sirs, thank God for me, for I cannot thank him enough. I am safe; and I know with Job, that my Redeemer liveth. Well might the apostle cry out, "Who shall separate us from the love of God?" Who indeed! Is he your God? He is mine too, and he will be my guide even unto death. "My soul shall make her boast of the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." O what an unspeakable gift is this, for such a filthy, black, polluted, hell-deserving wretch, to call God, Father! It is a wonder that shall last, and shall be my song, through the countless ages of eternity. O, my brothers, rejoice with me, for you can enter into my feelings. You are the only people that I can approach with confidence. I unbosomed my sorrows to you; I must unbosom my joys also, Were I to tell your members, or even you openly, I fear you would call it presumption; but my heavenly Father knows it is not. My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, EDITORS' REVIEW. A Letter to the Provost of Worcester College, Oxford, by J. C. Philpot, on Resigning his Fellowship, &c.-Fowler, London; J. Gadsby, Manchester, We had intended commenting somewhat lengthily on this little work, but are compelled to refrain, our pages being already very crowded Suffice it to say, we look upon it as a master-piece, every letter of which ought to be printed in gold, and placed on the table of every conscientious man in the kingdom. Clergymen of the Church of England-you especially who profess to have tasted that the Lord is gracious! READ THIS WORK, and then remain in the Establishment if you can; but, if you can, we envy not your state. What doth it profit you to try to smother your consciences, by snatching up the language of your poor, superannuated oracle, and saying, "If we do leave, to what church would you recommend us-Is there one quite pure?" Search the Scriptures; and if you cannot find one strictly conformable thereunto, tell us, can you find one more at variance therewith, more impure, than the Church of England? We almost think not. Therefore, come out from among them, and give proof that you are on the Lord's side. He'll take care of your families, never fear. Never mind your respectable friends: if they will not follow you, "cast them to the moles, and to the bats." Remember, "The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." POETRY. ON THE FIRST PART OF THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. "That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth," &c.-Isaiah xlix. 9. Come, Holy Dove, my breast inspire; Anoint me with thy heavenly grace; And fill my soul with sacred fire, That I may sing thy wondrous praise. Far from the paths of holiness; An enemy to God and man; A wretched sinner, blind and base. To do my duty then I tried; But all my toiling made me worse: In vain my daily task I plied, For all I earn'd was Moses' curse. As helpless in the field I lay, The lovely Jesus came that way, And on me smiled and bade me live. A ray of hope my bosom cheer'd; That Christ would never come again. Not half so glorious is the Sun, When he ascends the mid-day sky, As in mine eyes the Saviour shone: "Fear not," said He, "Thou shalt not die." The lily may be spotless white; And mocks the grandeur of the field.— In pardon, peace, and mercy sweet; Take down your harps and join my song; To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Wolverhampton, Aug. 20, 1835. MAN. What is proud man at best? a guilty wretch; And then, alas! what are these creatures then? Then nothing else but sovereign grace will do, E. B. The Spirit's power creates their good desires, Sept., 1835. GLEANINGS. ANONYMOUS. Faith is a divine pursuasion, a humble confidence, a living fruit, an active grace, a discerning eye, an appropriating hand, and a moving foot. It is born of God; it is a divine substance, not a shadow; a living fruit of the Holy Ghost, not a barren assent; a comfortable assurance of all promised good, and not a deceiving fancy. The just live by it, they overcome the world by it, the saints' conflicts are called faith's fight, and their conquests are called faith's victory.-Huntington. We are perfect in no lesson so much, as those into which God whippeth un-Huntington. When God took away his word from the Greeks, then, instead thereof, he gave them the Turk and Mahomet. God, for a heavy punishment, hath given to us Germans, and to the Italians, the Pope, and with him, we have all manner of abomination; as the denying of the true faith, &c. No greater plague could come from God unto us, than to suffer us to be bereaved of his word; we might rather wish unto ourselves all manner of plagues and punishments, than to want God's word, or to have it impure and falsified.-Luther. 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. 5. DECEMBER, 1835. THE POOL OF BETHESDA. TO "A BROKEN-HEARTED SINNER." 3d. Dear Friend, I apprehend that an explanation of John v 7, would not enter into your real desire, because the disease of the impotent man there referred to, was not of a spiritual, but of a natural kind. Nevertheless, there are some things connected with his case which may very properly be brought forward to illustrate the methods of God's grace to his people; for, though he had lain at the pool for a very long time, yet he was not cured by the pool, but by the almighty, sovereign word and power of the Lord. And so some of God's people lay at the pool of outward means, with a grievous disease of sin and guilt, and lay there a long time. Sometimes, perhaps, they hope this or the other means will prove a cure; but the disease still remains, yea, rather increases than otherwise, and they often fear they shall die in their sins at last. Very frequently they think of giving it up as a lost matter, or a desperate case, thinking the Lord will not stoop to relieve. But though the Lord appears to put them back, he still secretly keeps them to the point,-panting for mercy, longing for a cure; and at length is graciously pleased to send his word by F the power of the Holy Ghost, and heal them (Ps. cvii. 20); and this most frequently at a time, and in a way, they little expected. If, my dear friend, I understand you aright, you wish to know whether a poor, impotent, hungry, and thirsty sinner, whose soul at times fainteth within her for a ray of hope in the manifestation of an interest in a precious Redeemer's blood, who is waiting on the Lord in the means of grace, yet walking in darkness and having no light, feeling herself a dog, and one which would gladly eat of the crumbs that fall from the Master's table, can, after all, die in her sins; or whether such a character can exist, and yet be dead in trespasses and sins. Now, in reply, let me tell you, if you have truly described your case, I have no hesitation in saying, No-I believe it is not possible for such a character to be dead in sin. But we will for a moment attempt to try it by the word of God. To be impotent, spiritually, I consider, is to be so far made alive by the Holy Ghost as to feel the awful disease of sin, yet so feeble and weak, as to be without power to help oneself; and to be really made to feel that such is the disease, that no natural medicine can heal it; so that we are ready to fear the grievous wound is incurable. (Jer. xxx. 12, 13.) All our sighs, and groans, and cries, only tend, according to our then feelings, to sink us deeper in our miseries; for it is as though the Lord said, "Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee." (Jer. xxx. 15.) Thus the poor soul imagines that his case is desperate. But mark the wonders of God's grace! When all other lovers and all nature fail, the dear Lord brings health and cure: "For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord." (Jer. xxx. 19.) Bless his precious name, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. While the self-righteous pharisee goes dancing about, galliard like, with the laurels of his own imaginary piety and goodness, God brings his own family to feel that all flesh is grass, and that all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field, which withereth and fadeth away, when the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it; and his blessed Majesty gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. The lame take the prey; and it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. The Lord's poor worms Jacob may have a thousand fears and faintings too, for hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but deliverance shall come: "For I the Lord thy God |
