86 AN AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS. amounted to the first rudiments of christian knowledge when it came to be proved. These young soldiers, esteeming themselves such dexterous warriors, fight they must, and would as it were draw the sword to kill a mouse which crossed their path; and would sit in judgment upon kings, priests, and princes; the honourable and the ancient; and judge and condemn those who had been judged, acquitted, and justified in the highest court, even before the Judge of the whole earth.' But after a time, those young inexperienced judges disagreed, and began to judge one another, and condemn one another; and then, of course their admirers, who walked by their judgment, began to be divided in their judgments; and they began to judge and condemn one another. And what is more strange, I have heard even the followers and admirers of those young judges so broken in judgment, through their judge's judgment, that they have even judged and condemned their judges; which is confusion confused. And as the Scriptures cannot be broken, herein are the words of Jesus fulfilled,'For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.' O my brethren! do, I pray ye, give over judging one another, that ye may not be judged. If ye be the followers of Jesus, hear the words of Jesus. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.' For my own part I would judge no man, I would condemn no man; for indeed, I have enough to do to judge myself, and that I have not sufficient judgment to do; I have enough to do to condemn myself for many things, daily before God; and in this I have plenty to help me both within and without. I have been judged and condemned, no doubt, hundreds of times by enemies, weak brethren, and self-important preachers, in many parts of the country. I have seen and heard some men, when they could not overcome me by fair, scriptural argument, rage and roar upon me like savages, with floods of abuse, judging and condemning me, saying I was 'rotten!' 'Well,' said I, 'I don't ask, or seek your justification; that would be of little or no benefit to me; God is the Judge of all; not you.' And 'It is God that justifieth-Who is he that condemneth?' accusing, judging, and condemning one another; and charging each other with being the cause of their being there, and of being accomplices in their wickedness on earth; 'where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth,' hating one another, judging one another, accusing one another, and gnashing their teeth at one another. O brethren! brethren! do give over this evil work of judging one another. Brother ministers! I speak to you as wise men God make us wiser than we have been! And you, private christians, give over judging the ministers of Christ, and leave the judgment to God. 'Speak not evil one of another, brethren; he that speaketh evil of his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.' James iv. 11. Thus you see, sirs, if we set ourselves up to be judges of the brethren, we become judges both of God and his law! O brethren! this is solemn and awful work! None but a God, a long-suffering God and Father in Christ could bear with us. Therefore, desist from judging one another, and leave it to God himself. For 'there is one Lawgiver who is able to save, and able to destroy; who art thou that judgest one another? James iv. 12. There are still in the church of Christ both weak and strong brethren; some can eat only milk and herbs, others strong meat. Some are children under age, under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the Father.' These, as babes, have weak stomachs and weak eyes; they cannot eat strong meat, nor bear the full blaze of the light and glory of the gospel. They are some of them in their swaddling clothes bound and tied; and with much of the dirt and corruption of nature hanging about them; but as they grow in grace, they will grow more out of themselves, and grow up into Christ Jesus, the living Head in all things; and when larger children, they will have their play-things and toys until they become men in Christ Jesus, and 'put away childish things,' and be men in understanding, and eat strong meat. But the weak should not judge the strong, neither should the strong judge the weak. 'Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth, for God hath received him.' Romans xiv. 3. Who are we, poor ruined sinners, born in sin, and under condemnation, that we should set up ourselves to judge and con- I am not master over any man's condemn others, and they at the same time, science or faith; I have no authority to judge and condemn us? Thus, according judge any man; and indeed, it is a small to man's judgment, we should go on ac- matter with me to be judged of any man's cusing, judging, and condemning one an-judgment; for I call no man my master; other to death and hell without a remedy. And know ye not that this work of accusing one another is the work of the devil, the old accuser of the brethren?' And will ye continually help such an old malicious infernal foe? But O, my brethren! hear and consider, it is the work that is, and for ever will be going on in hell! Think solemnly on this; for there they are neither must I have any masters over my faith. Brethren, one is our Master and Judge, even Christ. And this morning, while I stood musing, the fire began to burn within, with a holy melting warmth, while tears were ready to start from my eyes, and I feel them now squeezing out while I write, to think what a good Lord and Master he has been to me, and what THE MANIFESTATION OF DIVINE GRACE. 87 to judge all things, but not men; that is God's prerogative. But, he that is spiritual, judgeth all things. He may judge of men's doctrines, actions, fruits, and behaviour, and reject them, if contrary to godliness; but he must not judge nor condemn any man to perdition. Let us rather be coming to the judgment seat of Christ; for we must every one of us give an account to God for ourselves; and we must come there daily, after all our best judgment of others. Beloved Christ's judgment seat is now a mercy seat, where mercy rejoiceth against judgment' for all poor, coming, broken-hearted sinners. Therefore, leave the judgment of men, and come to Jesus for judgment, And as we must soon put off this flesh, and appear before God in the world of spirits, and launch out into the wide and boundless sea of eternity, rather than be judging our brethren, may we be concerned to know the judgment of Christ concerning us before we go hence, and be no more seen on earth. WILLIAM Garrard. wonderful patience and forbearance he has | bourn, Mr. Banks, and other ministers: exercised towards me, such an unworthy, while indeed, the minds of those little fretful, and rebellious servant as I have biggots and judges, who have judged the been; I have stood amazed that my Master above, have but a rush-light judgment of has not turned me out of his service, things compared with any of the above spurned me out of his house, and sent me named ministers. But the way of man is, off bag and baggage into the wide world. If you will judge me, I will judge you; To tell you the truth, I have not only been and so, with what judgment ye judge, ye a rebellious, stubborn servant, but I have shall be judged.' Nevertheless, it is the been treacherous, and even acted the hy-saints' privilege on earth, who are spiritual, pocrite, and that before my dear Master's face; for, sometimes, when I have gone before him, I have appeared so very humble, and used such nice pretty words, when at the same time, my heart was going out after that which I said nothing to him about; and soon he found me out in some very foolish tricks, and would not be seen by me for some long time, though I intreated with all the arguments I was master of; and indeed I expected nothing less than losing my place at one time. But after a time, rather unexpectedly, he called me into his presence, and he smiled the same as he had done before; and it broke my heart; I fell down flat on the ground before him, and said, 'Lord, I have acted the hypocrite! Lord, I am vile! Dear Master, I am not worthy to come under thy roof-I am a sinful man-I have been judging and condemning others for the very same things I have been guilty of myself, and thou knowest it.' Master knew William better than he did himself, 'Ah, you did not know yourself when you first came into my service, and know but little now; but I knew you.' And what do you think the kind Master said to me? said, 'I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and was called a transgressor from the womb.' Isa. xl. 8. And moreover, his words were, 'For my name sake, I will defer mine anger; and for my praise I will refrain for thee that I cut thee not off.' Brethren! is not this a good Master? And are not his words enough to melt a flint into tears? He Come, my brethren, if ye know these things, let us give over judging and condemning one another; and if we must judge, let us rather judge ourselves; for if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1 Cor. xi. 31. Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge this rather,' that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in his brother's way.' Romans xiv. 13. Therefore, let both the weak and the strong suspend their judgment concerning each other, and give the judgment up to God alone.' For, 'who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth.' Therefore, let not the ministers of Christ judge one another any longer; neither let hearers judge and condemn Christ's ministers. It is sad doing, and sorry hearing. I have heard poor little-minded men judging Mr. Philpot, and Mr. Tryon, while they have been judging, cutting off, and condemning others. And some condemning Mr. Os Leicester, Feb. 27, 1849. The Manifestation of Divine Grace. DEAR BROTHER COOK :-Grace to thee and peace from Him which was, and is, and shall be to come; and from the seven spirits of wisdom and understanding, of council and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord with the spirit of grace and supplication, and from Jesus the true and faithful witness, the first begotten from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth, be multiplied, with all spiritual, and new covenant blessings from a triune Jehovah, greeting. I received your welcome epistle with joy, found a savoury morsel, and now may the Lord of Hosts, the teacher of Israel, instruct me in penning an answer thereto. I was struck in again reading your letter, with some such words as these-' And now for a small space grace hath been shewed us from the Lord our God; to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place; that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage." Ezra ix. 8. The children of Israel had been backsliders; they had turned their backs to God rather than their face; nay, said they, after our idols we will go.' They worshipped thereforé, the idols of the heathen; they joined 88 THE ACTINGS OF DIVINE GRACE. O! what surprising grace Jehovah shews to such poor dunghill worms, such base backsliders as you and I: 'I have seen his ways, and will heal him, and I will restore comforts to him, and to his mourners.' Then it is a mercy to be a mourner in Zion, mourning over our sins, our transgressions, and our iniquities. They shall look on him whom they have pierced,' and mourn, saying themselves to the abominations of the land; | saith the Lord.' Blessed be his name, for they rebelled against God; were proof the immutable shalls and wills of a coveagainst all caution and warning; until, nant-keeping God. at length, the Lord caused their enemies to fall upon them, and lead them as slaves into captivity. But did God cast off his people whom he foreknew? God forbid. Yea, 'let God be true, and every man a liar.' Who remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever.' For, though in captivity, through their backslidings, God did not forsake them; but his bowels melted within him; and even caused those who ruled over them, to entreat them well; 'and now (saith the inspired penman) for a little space, grace hath been shewed us from the Lord our God; to leave us a remnant to escape.' And who are the remnant Religionists of the present day, say it is everybody; but if so, there can be no remnant. Suppose that you and I were to go to Shirer and Mackdonald's, and buy a piece of cloth, as it comes into the shop, without any being cut off, should we leave a remnant? Certainly not. So, then, if God takes a remnant to himself, how will this tally with universal redemption? I cannot see. 'Was it for crimes that I have done, And grace beyond degree !' However, to come more particularly "The way of life is above to the wise; that to the words, this remnant were backslid- he may escape from hell beneath.' Well, ing characters; they were not the clean, then, to escape is to flee from, and to come smooth, nice professors who can boast of out of anything which is injurious. Carry sinless perfection and the like, but they this idea into a few particulars connected were those whose language was I am with soul concerns. The world is a snare ashamed, and blush to lift up my face through its vanities and allurements; and to thee, my God; for our iniquities are in- how were you and I bewitched by it, and creased over our head, and our transgres-carried away with it! But God, who is sion is grown up unto the heavens, since the days of our fathers have we been in great trespass unto this day, and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hands of the king of the land, to the sword, to captivity, to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. Such was their language-such their feeling-such their experience. And yet, bless the Lord, these were the people he had intended to shew forth his praise. The grace shewed to them was delivering grace. They had been bondmen in Baby-season.' lon-they were now the Lord's freemen. That is, God had weaned them from their idols, from their pursuits, from their backslidings, and had brought them with weeping and supplication to Mount Zion, to seek their old rest, and their old lover, even Jesus. Therefore, God sheweth to this 'called' remnant, the grace of confession and supplication, and now, I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning him thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.' Then the Lord shows the grace of compassion on him,' Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (although since we have known his name, we have wandered from him) yet he has again and again (because he would do it,) and because he willed not our death, but that we should obtain salvation through Jesus, hath embittered its pleasure to our taste, and brought us to seek him of whom Moses in the law and prophets did write;' yea, and enabled us to say, I would choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a Hereupon, the devil has begun working upon our carnal senses, to wit, the lust of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life; and here hath he tempted, and tried to the uttermost of the chain wherewith he is fastened to God's throne, to ensnare us; and bring us again into bondage. We escape as God's remnant to the Lord-he becomes our hiding placeand satan does not gain his ends. But these wars are painful; and although now and then we get our worstings as well as our gainings, yet, bless the Lord, we escape, though it be but by the skin of our teeth. The religion of the day, I believe, is the greatest blessing of all to really escape from. It is a period of religious agitation; and moreover, of such an accommodating nature is it to flesh and blood, that it needeth great grace to flee from such great THE BLESSINGS OF DIVINE GRACE. profession. Look, my friend and brother,p round Cheltenham as a town, its manifold places of worship, its religious meetings of one sort or another, the missionary enterprise, its various societies; and then, from all this outside shew and sparks, turn to the solemn question-What knowledge of the footsteps of the flock have these? How, when, and where have these been convinced of their state and standing as sinners in the sight of God? Could they give you, think you, from heart-felt experience, any account of the gracious dealings of God with their souls? The bondage and liberty, the castings down and risings up, the emptying from vessel to vessel, and the fillings from the fulness of a precious Jesus? Alas, my friend, it is to be feared they could not. Look how they fight at the glorious doctrines of unconditional election, of particular redemption, yea, in a word, the whole covenant of grace, from first to last. Ask them what knowledge they have of themselves? They cannot tell you. And if of their own blindness, ignorance, stupidity, carnality, sensuality, and depravity they are so ignorant, how shallow their knowledge of the riches of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption there is in Jesus! O! the grace then, that is shewed unto us, that we form part of a remnant to escape from the once dead in the world, and the twice dead in a profession; from the world which lieth in the wicked one, as the prince of darkness, equally with those who lie in him as an angel of light. Turn from this to the errors of the day, and consider what a mercy, that we are not left to follow the delusions of those who love and make a lie. "O to grace, how great a debtor Daily we're constrained to be." Grace all the work shall crown, It lays in heav'n the topmost stone, The first act of this grace was manifest in leaving a remnant to escape. And that they are escaped is manifest in giving them a place to escape to, even to the holy place; where God hath given them a nail, typical first, of establishment; second, of Christ. 89 First, of establishment. We say, when we nail anything up, 'It is a fixture;' and the law holds it impossible, or at any rate, unlawful for any such fixture to be removed. And therefore, Jehovah having given his people a covenant, an oath, a security by two immutable things, whereby his people may have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them.' They shall never be moved, ashamed, or confounded world without end. Tied to him by mercy-bound to him by the cords of love, blood, and faithfulness-and nailed to him by the covenant! Every seeking soul is sure of heaven! Secondly, of Christ. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.'' Upon his head was many crowns.' The glory of the truth of the covenant was hung upon him-the glory of the work of creation was hung upon him-the glory of all the types and shadows of the law were hung upon him, for they all referred to him the glory of the fulfilment of every prophecy was hung upon him, for he was him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write-the glory of magnifying the law, and making it honourable, by his spotless perfect obedience, hung upon him the glory of redeeming his people from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for them, hung upon him-the glory of the plan, and the execution of the plan of salvation, hung upon him-the glory of appeasing the wrath, and satisfying the justice of God, hung upon him-the glory of vanquishing death, hell, sin, grave, devil, yea, every foe of his church, hung upon tive, at his resurrection, hung upon himhim-the glory of 'leading captivity capand now, all the glory of his kingly, priestly brotherly, friendly, husbandly characters, together with his offices as Mediator, Daysman, Intercessor, with all the glory of bringing in his chosen people, delivering, quickening, defending, supplying, teaching, leading, and preserving his people, and at length of presenting them without spot or wrinkle to his Father in heaven, and judging the world, is all hung upon him. Every elect vessel of mercy is hung upon him; 'the vessels of small quantity, and the vessels of flagons, are alike dependant upon him for every supply of grace, in every time of need. Not one of them are independent. It is not they who hold up the nail, but the nail holdeth up them. Do we want faith, hope, love, joy, peace, comfort, consolation, yea, heaven itself, 'all my springs are in thee.' The beggar and the king, if saved, must hang upon the nail. The wayfaring man, though a fool, is as secure as the Doctor in Divinity. The apostle Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, says,' Now, he that hath established us 900 WORSHIPPING GOD IN A BARN. with you, and hath anointed us is God.' Not I Paul, the apostle, one way, and you another. No, no, my brother; if you and I are saved, no other foundation can be laid, or shall be laid, than that is laid, the God-Man Christ Jesus.' Blessings on his name! salvation is finished, and finished for ever; nothing can be added to it, and certain am I, nothing can be taken from it. are shut up! at least, I feel mine so. No entrance at the mercy seat! So in bonds! The same in reading! Until I conclude, I cannot be the Lord's. And then again, the Lord shines :--prayer is freedom-reading is sweet-preaching is pleasant-hearing is savoury-and meditation is profitable! So I go on. Sometimes in bondage to the fear of death-then, again rejoicing in prospect of it! Now in darkness, judging by what I feel then, again, glorying in my King! And so it is in and out, to find pasture. My dear brother, I conclude. May gospel blessings attend thee in thy future wandering in the wilderness, until thou reachest a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is Jehovah. Your's sincerely, in gospel bonds, To Mr. Cook. JOSEPH RUDMAN. Upavon, Oct. 22, 1847. The way grace is manifested, thirdly, is enlightning the eye. And now for a little season grace is shewed us from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, to lighten our eyes.' O! how, sweet is this! Surely grace is as eye salve! It enables us to see glorious things out of God's words, and helpeth us to see our own personal interest in the same. How often is it that you and I read the truth, the promises, the declarations of Jehovah; but, oh, we want the light to read them as ours. But when Worshipping God in a Barn at Midnight. the dear Lord sheds light upon the page then darkness flees, shadows are gone, doubts are removed, fears flee apace, our signs are seen, our tokens are discovered, the way is cast up, our Ebenezers are recognized, our souls melt, our hearts are softened, we are led to the cross, Gethsemane is frequented, Christ is sympathised with, and sought unto, tributes of praise go up to Father, Son, and Spirit, and we go on singing, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.' "Here I raise my stone of help, Hither, by thy strength I'm come; I hasten to the fourth manifestation of To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel. DEAR SIR,-The following is a correct copy of a letter put into my hand by the husband of Mrs. Turner, to whom it was sent; and in reading the same, I felt my heart warmed and comforted, so that I was constrained to weep before the Lord, and bless and praise him for the displays of his mercy toward our brethren and sisters in by-gone days; and there appears the same mind now, with the so-called High-Church party, to have all the rule and authority of teaching; I therefore felt a desire that the contents of the letter should be handed down to the children that will succeed us in the living church on earth; and while pondering the matter to what monthly I should send it, the following Scriptures came to my mind; 2 Cor. iv. 7, and Jer. xxxii. 14; and for this cause I have taken the liberty, with heart pleasure, to send this evidence, which is open to be put in your Earthen Vessel, believing you will count the jewel worthy of a place therein; and I doubt not but that some of the Lord's tried, exercised, and tempted children will be encouraged thereby. I asked friend Turner to ascertain whether the good woman was alive, and if so, to know if I might send the statement to a magazine. He called at the house on Friday, the 29th of December last, and she had fallen asleep at one o'clock P.M., not long before he came. She must be an old woman. The Lord bless you and give you peace by all means, is the prayer of your's in our precious Lord Jesus, A. TRIGGS. January 22, 1849. January, 1839. MRS. TURNER,-My great grandfather, Mr. |