266 THE ROOT OF THE MATTER. The Root of the Matter. "But ye should say, why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter is in me ?"—JOB xix. 28, Concluded from page 243. root. would have been the case, but the root of the matter was in him, which still retaineth the vital sap of divine life. We have another instance of this in the history of Peter, who fell by the same axe of sin before the damsel in the High Priest's hall :-stroke after stroke fell heavier and heavier as hour after hour advanced. "I know not what thou sayest," said Peter: and again, he denied with an oath, "I do not know the man.' "" And it follows, then began he to curse and swear, "I know not the man." Could we have been present and beheld the scene, our conclusions would have been very unfavourable of Peter's state. We should have been classing him with Judas, who had just before fallen to rise no more. The circumstances of whose fall was now, no doubt, fresh upon the mind of Peter, and the rest of the people. We should have said, "Ah Peter, thy friend Judas has just now disclosed his hypocrisy, and proved himself to be a vile apostate, a wretched cast It is a well-known fact, that the root contains the life of the tree, and the stem and branches receive all their verdure and fruit from thence; as the Apostle says, on another occasion, "But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee." Nor is it true, only, that the root contains the life of the tree; but it retains it also, so much so, that the felling of the tree does not divest the root of its life or virtue; but, that it retains all its former qualities, and appears again the first opportunity. This is true of the root which Job felt himself to be possessed of; as in another place, he declares, "There is hope of a tree if it be cut down, that it will grow again; and the ten-away for ever, for betraying his Lord and der branches thereof will not cease, though Master. And now, Peter, thou art following the root thereof was old in the earth, and the in the same steps, in denying the same grastock therof die in the ground; yet, through cious Master, which will lead you, doubtless, the scent of water, it will live and bring to the same end!" Such might have been forth boughs like a plant." It is granted our expressed opinions, and not altogether that Job is not here, speaking of the root of without ground either; but the root of the divine grace in the heart, but of man's matter was found in him, which these axes mortality: yet, nothing can be more apt to had never been able to reach. There was a shew the life retaining quality of that mystery in those words of Jesus to Peter, heavenly root, which the Lord, the planter," But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith sets deeply in the prepared soil of the hearts fail not ;" the truth of which, Peter, now, of his chosen. It is often the case, that the most blessedly proved. Some trees are the professional character of God's people, are better for felling— only one stem is cut down; cut down, and levelled to the ground; yet, but many young ones sprout from the same the divine root, and vital sap of that root re-root, so it was with Peter; no thanks to sin, mains, in a manner, unmoved! How though he was a better man after his felling many axes are raised against the character than before. "When thou art converted, of the christian man! The axe of sin, and the strengthen thy brethren." Yes, those bitter axe of affliction, are both in their turn, tears which Peter wept when looked upon by lifted high, and often succeed in levelling all Christ, soaked down to the deepest fibre of above ground but the pick-axe of satan this root; by the scent of which (says Job) himself, shall never succeed in removing he brought forth boughs like a plant. Rethat root which "the wicked one touches pentance, faith, and humility, like so many not." 1 John v. 18. How did the felling boughs now sprang from this bruised but not axe of sin come against the character of destroyed root, which rendered Peter now David, as a christian, in the case of Bath- more useful than before. O the value of sheba; the strokes of which he so severely this root of divine life, which nothing can felt, and penitentially confessed in the 51st destroy! It is said, that vegetable life is all Psalm! The battle-sword had not more but imperishable; an instance of which, is deeply pierced Uriah's heart, than the sin of given in the travels of Lord Linsey, in David, in putting Uriah in front of the bat- Egypt, who found a dahlia in the hand of a tle, had blasted David's character, and laid mummy, which proved to be two-thousand him low for a time. "Thou hast caused years old, and which, when planted in a the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme," sunny soil grew, and bore a most beautiful said Nathan to him, and he felt it severely. flower. Here we have a singular instance of Who could but have thought that David, at the life-retaining quality of a vegetable this time, and under these circumstances, root, which excites our wonder; but how was a hypocrite; and conclude, that hell much more wonderful is it, that the root of would be his portion, especially when it is divine life, in the soul of Peter, should still said, "that no murderer hath eternal life have retained its power under such circumabiding in him?" John iii. 15, And this stances. Truly we must say, with John, EDWARD JOY'S EXPLANATION. Fourthly. The folly and sin of judging rashly of the state of a person from outward circumstances. 267 that being incorruptible seed, the believer's | 8. And it was so, that after the Lord had root liveth and abideth for ever. spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz, the Temanite, "my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath ; therefore, take unto you now, seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him I will accept, lest I deal with you after your folly; in that, ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job." NATHAN, (Burgh.) It is indeed folly thus to judge, and by so doing we are led into a thousand errors; we shall bless the wicked because of their prosperity and curse the righteous because of their adversity. Good Asaph, and others of God's servants, fell into this error, in different ages, by which they have been led to take a wrong view of their own state and character before God; and also, a wrong view of his dealings with them. Job's friends had evidently judged of his state and character upon this principle: hence their bitter invectives; their tantalising reproaches, and rash and false conclusions. But folly is not the only thing growing out of the error of this judging; there is a sin connected with it also. Surely, it is a wounding of those whom God would not have wounded, and comes under that reproof, "judge not, lest ye be judged ;" and again, "who art thou that judgeth another man's servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth ?" As also, indulging in such a spirit, we slight our Saviour's admonitions: "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven: and whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea." Matt xviii. 10; Mark ix. 48. The sin of thus judging God's people will not go unpunished by him. It was a part of the sin of the Jewish nation that they misjudged the character of Christ, for they "did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted;" and the punishment which follows is too plain to need any comment. There was also a severe censure brought by the prophet Amos against those at ease in Zion, because they were not "grieved for the afflictions of Joseph," Amos vi. 6. And a heavy threat, by the prophet Zechariah, against the heathens; for the Lord says, "I was but a little displeased with my people, and ye have helped on the afflictions." he says, There is no doubt but Job had an eye to this doctrine of retribution in his reply to his friends, for in the next verse to the text, "Be ye afraid, for wrath bringeth the punishment of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment." And the end of the Lord, with Job, shews that this censure was not unfounded; for the Lord was pleased to justify the character of Job, and condemn that of his friends; and would only be pacified towards Eliphaz, through the medium of a sacrifice by Job. Job xlii. 7, Edward Joy's Explanation RESPECTING THE WINCHESTER CLOUDS. DEAR MR. EDITOR-I find in the Vessel an enquiry, by Josiah Pontis, after a description of the cloud which I referred to in the September number of the Vessel, as hanging over the little cause at Winchester. I can He goes on to enquire whether I meant such a cloud as the prophet's servant_saw from the top of Carmel's mount? truly say to brother Pontis that this would not produce any grief of mind to me. For having been taught of God the liberty of into possession of the same. the gospel, my desire is to see others brought The next enquiry he makes, is to know whether I meant the cloud of witness' that overshadowed the saints when on the mount of transfiguration? No; I say; this would be no grief to me. But I wonder whether our brother knows what it is to be overshadowed in the self-same manner? to feel the witness within that God hath accepted him in his dear Son? I say, this makes the poor soul forget all his poverty; at least, it does my heart good when the Holy Ghost leads me within the veil, and there to commune with God in Christ, without a veil between, with an holy witness springing up within, that what justice demanded at my hands, Christ, being an High Priest, raised up by God the Father, hath stepped in in my stead, and paid off the bill, and the Holy Ghost hath given me the receipt in my conscience by blood; and this is namely, that he hath taken my sins and my holy mountain of transfiguration; imputed to me his righteousness! And I hope, brother, that you are not a stranger to this mountain of transfiguration, in your experience; if I thought you were, I should say to you that you had no right to be in the ministry; but I hope better things. Could you suppose, in your mind, whilst writing to the Vessel, that this was the cause of fear in my mind, to think that you being under the sweet witnessing of the Spirit of adoption, that this was the cloud that I was in fear about? I am persuaded not. But to proceed : The next enquiry is, whether it was an amalgamation of law and gospel? Some people so dress up the law, by gospelising, 268 PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE. it is a hard matter to know the face of camp seems gloomy, yet there is some sterMoses in some ministers, though it will be ling metal in the camp; and if the Lord discovered by the fruits it produces. My should fulfil this promise in their midst, persuasion was, and is still, that the lead-in making the first last, and the last first, ing part of your cause is much more free we shall find some of the right sort in their froni Moses in doctrine, than they are in right place; and when God counts up his experience. Now, this is the cloud which jewels these praying souls shall be found I feared hung over them. Whilst they, in there; and I would say to them that groan sentiment, are rich-yet, in experience, are and cry, ' Fear not little flock, for it is your very poor! You must not judge things by Father's good pleasure to give you the an outward appearance; or else we should kingdom. Your's in gospel bonds, E. JOY. have thought that Simon the pharisee had Neather Street, Alton, Hants, Oct. 13, 1849. been in love with Christ when he invited Persecution for Righteousness Sake IN WILTSHIRE. him to his house; but we find that Mary Magdalene ran away with the salvation, whilst poor Simon was left in the dark! We find in all things that God is a Sove- "BLESSED are they that are persecuted for reign, and that he works according to his righteousness sake; for theirs is the kingwill in all things. I am sure (without pre-dom of heaven." Matt. v. 10. Wednesday judice I write for this I know) that what- last, October 17th. I was walking from ever a man may get in a bare sentimental form, must leave him either in life or death; it must be truth which is trod out experimentally to bear a man up through the silent shade of death, when all human help must fail. When I was at Winchester I heard all I could, as my manner is, and I was truly afraid that there was a great deal that only laid in notion, which was got by reading other men's writings, and had not been got by experimental travail of soul. I think when a man is brought out of Egypt into gospel rest experimentally, he can give us a description of that Mount Sinai which he must pass under in his travail to rest; and he will tell also how most exceedingly he was made to fear and quake whilst passing underneath it, by the voice that he heard from the top of that mountain, the dreadful Majesty of the Lord of Hosts; he will tell us also how he found a Law-fulfiller-Justice and mercy meeting together, righteousness and peace embracing one another in the Person of Christ; and he will also testify that as he hath heard a voice from Mount Sinai, with all the curses of God's holy law against him, being a sinner; that he hath also heard a voice from Mount Sion, God speaking to him out of a covenant of grace, saying 'Fear not; for I have redeemed thee; thou art mine. Now the soul in experience can testify what salvation is, and you will find him contending for power; and this is what I was in search for at Winchester. My humble hope is, that you can prove that instead of the leading part being in a sentimental form, that it is in possession of power and much assurance. Now I have given you some account of the cloud that I was in fear of hanging over the little cause, I should just notice the other word,' We must not despise the day of small things.' No; I feel my heart is truly glad to find the high-way of God set up in that notorious dark place, Winchester, which is overspread with the doctrines of men; and it appears to me that God is inclining the hearts of his children there, to make an holy stand for truth; and though the foremost part of the little B to W -, and, looking towards it, thought much of the persecution there endured by the Lord's poor people, surrounded, as they are, with a persecuting lord of the manor on the one hand, and a dead opposing clergyman on the other. Many of the dear saints of God have had notice given them by the steward to leave off going to chapel, and to come to church, or turn out of their houses at Christmas next-honest, industrious people, against whom they can bring no charge of any evil, but only because they cleave unto the truth. As I was walking and thinking on these things, those words came into my heart with power, "Brethren pray for us;' and I took it as a call from the Lord unto the church of Christ throughout the land, that shall hear thereof, to be earnest in their prayers at the throne, that the Lord may give grace and strength to those dear people to endure, or bear up under this fiery trial; and that he will bring this crafty counsel of the heathen to nought; and that they may see the dear promises of their God made good on their behalf, for whose truth's sake they are called upon to suffer those things; that no weapon formed against them shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise up against them, he will condemn;" and that, for his own sake, and his truth's sake, he will defend those poor sheep of his pasture, and suffer no man to have power to turn them, with their wives and children, into the streets. Now, my dear brother, I pray you, for the Lord's sake and his people's sake, which I believe you have got at heart, that you will make room in your Vessel, that this account, or, as I consider it call from the Lord unto his churches, might go forth wheresoever the Vessel goes. And I pray that the Eternal Spirit that indited and inclined the hearts of his people to wrestle with him on behalf of his servant Peter, will cause his churches to do likewise on behalf of this little persecuted band; and that that prayer might be made without ceasing, by the church, unto God, for them. So prays, your's in the gospel, GEORGE HOLLIDAY. Malmesbury, October 22, 1849. 66 The Nature and Advantage of Diligently Observing the Works of the Lord. 3rd. The advantage of a wise and careful ob- the 'fear of the Lord,' and by which, we have servance of the Lord's doings. First. The things to be observed, are, God's various ways of dealing with men, especially with his own people, as set forth in this Psalm. God proves their folly and sin, and his own wisdom and grace. We bring ourselves into trouble, which is the fruit of our own doings; then we cry to God in our distress, he hears and delivers us, and we are humbled and God is glorified. Our first parents sinned, and brought their posterity, as well as themselves, into trouble and death but every one who is truly humbled under a feeling sense of their wretchedness, and who cry to God for mercy, are heard and forgiven for the sake of Jesus the dear Redeemer. God thus takes the advantage of our miseries, to reveal and exercise his mercy. We have four cases in this Psalm-1st, the Jews in captivity, are represented as poor weary travellers, ready to die in a dry and barren wilderness, where they could not find any city or any succour, hungry and thirsty their souls fainted in them;' 'they cry to the Lord, he hears and delivers them.' Secondly. They are compared to prisoners bound in chains. Thirdly. They are set forth as a people suffering under some dreadful malady, brought upon themselves by their own folly. And fourthly. To mariners in a storm, and at their wit's end; yet, God worked all for his people's good, and he is still the same: the righteous shall see this and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.' We had sinned, by despising that useful root, the potatoe, when we had every prospect of abundant crops, some said they will be of no value;' and some said, 'we shall be obliged to fill the ditches with them.' But, behold! how God at once smote the potatoe with disease, so that the ditches and dunghills and fields stank with their loathsome stench. And then, the corn farmer took the advantage, and made us give double for our bread. We cried to the Lord, and he delivered us; we were humbled, and God was glorified. right views of ourselves, and of God; we experience God's goodness, so that we must love him, and delight in pleasing him. The will is the bent of the mind, the desire of the heart; they that are wise delight to know the will of God and obey it. Teach me thy will O God, lead me in the way everlasting!' 'His testimonies are sure, more to be desired than fine gold.' The wise search God's word, seek his Spirit, and watch his hand. Thirdly. The advantage of a wise and careful observance of the Lord's doings: They shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. First, They shall see that he permits sin to produce its own evils. If sin did not wound itself with its own weapons, it would be a conquering giant indeed. If angels could have sinned without falling, and man without dying; if we, who have found mercy, could sin without piercing ourselves through with many sorrows-if man could cast off God, and despise heaven without sinking into death and hell, how could God's honour be maintained, or how could man be kept back from the paths of death, or how could heaven itself be a pure and desirable place? But, God's lovingkindness does appear in causing sin to be its own tormentor, by feeding death with its ownself. When we, who are God's own people, sin, it breaks our bones, wounds our spirits, and makes some of us go groaning to our graves. Oh, my dear brethren, how often do we make a rod for our own backs, and pierce ourselves with sorrows. Secondly.-The lovingkindness of the Lord, makes us feel the bitter evil of sin, giving us repentance and godly sorrow for the same. These festering wounds are painful, and God sometimes arrays himself in his terrors, till we cry out of the deep, let not the pit shut its mouth upon me.' Thirdly. His lovingkindness appears in healing our diseases and forgiving our sins, our hearts are melted under a sense of his dying love, our sins are brought in sight of the cross, where we nail them, But how has he smitten us with cholera! tens and feel all our powers brought into obedience of thousands have fallen under this awful scourge, with Christ: we hate sin with a perfect hatred, and have not our sins called aloud for this scourge? and long and pant for holiness. And now we The faculty had been running to parliament gird up our loins, to be more watchful, more almost every session, to get their authority and prayerful, and humble, and useful; our hearts privileges enlarged; they boasted of their skill, burn with zeal for the glory of our God, and the and almost defied the cholera to have its influence good of his cause. We confess that to us, bein England; but they too must be humbled, and long shame and confusion of face, but unto the all the wisdom and prudence of man must be Lord belongeth mercies and forgiveness.' We baffled. Also, our trifling with religion, and our are, in our own eyes contemptible, whilst God is opposition to the truth, with our pride and con-highly exalted in our esteem; and we delight in tention, both in civil and in religious things, are all things to honour and glorify his name. sins, which have called aloud for God's judgments, VOI V.-PART LIX.- December. North Bradley, B. WILKINS. 2 K 270 FORGIVENESS; OR, THE TWO DEBTORS. Forgiveness; or the Two Debtors. MATT. Xviii. 22-35. decree, he "delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto Him." Who can depict the number and variety of the tormentors which beset a child of God in his fleshly mind? The Psalmist had experienced their diversified attacks when he exclaimed "All nations compassed me about-they compassed me about like bees;" Ps. cxviii. 10-13, but the moment faith was in exercise to call upon the name of the Lord, they were 66 extinct as the fire of thorns." One of these "horns of the wicked" "thrust sore at him that he might fall;" but this only made him to seek more earnestly for "the help of the Lord against the mighty," and in the end he was enabled to declare "The Lord is my strength and song; and is become my salvation."-By a similar process, the unforgiving debtor was taught to "pay all that was due" unto his Lord: whenever faith triumphed, he could comply with the exhortation, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name;" at such seasons he found himself to be still a partaker of the glorious liberty of the children of God; nor would he by any other means seek to be delivered from his tormenting persecutors. The "divine sentence" which had passed the lips of his king, was dearer to him than all that the flesh could desire. So David never could ask that the sword might depart from his house, yet when he saw the destroying angel "having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem," he fell upon his face and entreated the Lord, "Let thine hand I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me and on my father's house; but not on thy people that they should be plagued." 1 Chron. xxi. 16, 17. WHEN the Lord Jesus Christ had laid down his clear and comprehensive instructions for the treatment of an offending brother (Matt. xviii. 15-17,) the ardent mind of Peter sought in vain to find the boundary within which these instructions were limited; and his inquiry, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" drew from the lips of the Holy One, the instructive parable of the two debtors, or the king who would take account of his servants;" in which he touchingly depicted the case of a poor sinner under an arrest of conscience for the mighty demands of God's holy law, and made to feel himself utterly lost in soul and body, possessions and circumstances. The affrighted debtor sees no hope in any thing short of full payment, he sensibly feels his need of the Lord's patience, and fully acknowledges the justice of the demand. Thus far his views were in accordance with the Scriptures of truth, and with the perfections of Deity; the Lord graciously accepts the acknowledgment, and passes by the vain promise I will pay thee all," until the time appointed to convince him of his folly and insufficiency. Nor was this event long delayed; for after having been brought into the glorious liberty of the gospel," the same servant went out," and in so doing he turned his back upon the rules and regulations of his Lord's household, had recourse to the law from which he had been freed, and attempted to enforce its vigorous demands upon a poor fellow servant who was under an obligation to him. In vain did his fellow-servant make the The severity of God makes manifest his same promise to him which his accuser goodness; and the error of an offending had previously made to his Lord; submis- brother when the case is committed to the sion and entreaties were alike disregarded. hand of the Wonderful Counsellor, is so the penalty of the law was enforced, and over-ruled as to make the very evil itself the poor delinquent was deprived of his to work for the good of the individual, the liberty. Then, and not until then, did his benefit of the brotherhood, and the glory fellow-servants see the uncharitableness of his own great name. The more sin is with which he had been treated; and find-made manifest to be sin, the more the Lord ing by experience that "a brother offended Jesus is exalted; according to the unalteris harder to be won than a strong city; able decree of Jehovah, "6 sit thou at my and (that) their contentions are like the right hand, until I make thine enemies bars of a castle," they referred the case to thy footstool." Psalm cx. 1. Matt. xxii. 44. Him who by his Almighty strength hath Mark xii. 36. Luke xx. 43. Acts ii. 34. "broken the gates of brass, and cut the Heb. i. 13. So long as the conduct of the bars of iron assunder." Deeply grieved relentless pursuer wore the appearance of and wounded in spirit they yet found justice, it excited no alarm in the members access to the throne of grace, "and came of the household, but as soon as his merciand told unto their Lord all that was done." less proceedings appeared to them in their Blessed privilege! Sweet relief! sure token true light, they sorrowed after a godly and earnest of deliverance! But woe to sort," and this godly sorrow was a sweet that man by whom the offence cometh! prelude to the Lord's salvation. The ferHe may have been called by grace, yet shall ment of contending feelings,—“indignation, his transgressions be visited with the rod, fear, desire, zeal, revenge,"-like the conand his iniquity with stripes. The unfor- cussion of explosive elements, cleared and giving servant found it so, for his Lord prepared the way of the Lord, that Jesus after that he had called him," expressed might reign without a rival; and that they his severe displeasure at the part he had who had been made to feel so deeply their acted, condescended to reason with him own inability, might have a clear demonupon the inconsistency and impropriety of stration, that Christ is able to save to the his conduct, after which, by an irreversible uttermost. |