the heart. They may be firmly fixed (as ministers or more private men) in the letter of truth-in ordinances and forms-but no root in themselves. How many of these internally vacant professors are now in our pulpits and our pews, God only knoweth. By their practice, these stony grounders will soon tell you that they are not godly ones. How so? Why the Holy Ghost says, "If any man will live godly he must suffer persecution," he must endure hardness; but these shallow gospellers they say, they will not suffer persecution-they will not endure hardness. The fire of persecution burns up their temporary zeal, their fleshly pride, and out comes anger, hatred, malice, and envy. Oh, dear; this conduct is condemned by Christ himself" If any man will come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF"-[Oh, what hard words are these for one that has no root !] "let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY; and follow No wonder God's people are a tried people; but for them, his grace is made sufficient. Glory to his name. VII.-Having no root in themselves, Their religion perhaps does not go out at once. "they wither away." with many a gradual withering, until at length they go out altogether, or stand in the church, as a blighted, withered, unfruitful tree is permitted to stand in the garden. Reader! Art thou a stony ground hearer? Examine thyself, whe IV. They endure for a while, or for a time; that is, they stand well, run well, speak well, and according to all appearances, for a time, they look like christians. There are two wonderful things in the Gospel church, which none but deeply exercised christians can understand:-1. A man with only a stony heart, may stand long in theme," church, and nothing can be found against him in outward things. 2. A man with the life of God in his soul, and much depth of experience, may be suddenly thrown down, and seemingly destroyed; the one is left alone by the devil, the other is hunted and tempted, and may, for a moment, be left of God. These stony-ground hear"endure for a while." say how long it may be weeks, months and years. Oh, gospel hearer! remember," He that endureth to the end, shall be saved." How many times I have feared I should lose all my religion in a dying hour. May God, for Christ's sake, prevent it. Amen. ers It does not V. They have opposition and persecution for the word's sake. How this shall arise is not for me to say, but they are sure to have it. If you are only a stony-ground you will be sure to be led to believe you are persecuted in some way or other; the minister will offend you; the deacons will offend you; there will be persecution; the flesh, the devil, the world, and the professing church, will be an offence in some way or other. The fact is, Mr. Stony-ground must be made a wonderful deal of, or he is soon offended. Nurse his pride, feed his ambition; tell him he is a wonderful man, a very useful man; let him be first and foremost in everything; and then it will do; but only dare to dispute and to think little of his religion, and off he goes. Good bye to Mr. Stony-ground. VI.-Well" by and by he is offended." Ah, there it is; flesh breaks out and says, "I will not endure this; I will leave this, and will turn away from this;" oh, a fleshly, formal, lifeless religion cannot stand the day of trial, nor the hour of temptation. ther thou art in the faith! The Precious Sons of Zion. It is That promise in the 122nd Psalm, is a great and glorious one indeed! "They shall prosper that love thee." Who speaks this promise? It is a covenant GodGod that cannot lie. See how concerned he is for the welfare of his church: he says plainly and positively, if you love my church, you shall prosper. You may be called to make many sacrifices, to bear many crosses, to endure many trials, but if you do really love, and labour for poor Zion, you shall prosper. Oh, I say, take a word of advice, if you can; do not forsake Zion in her troubles: pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love Jerusalem. Here, then, you have an indirect denunciation, and an absolute promiseIf you hate Zion, you wont get on: but, if you love Zion, you shall prosper spiritually... Why is so much promised to these lovers of Zion? 1. Because none can love her sincerely but new-born sons. These are called the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold. Notice, they are the Sons of Zion not bastards nor strangers, but sons born of God, brought up and nourished in the church. They are the precious Sons of Zion. Loved with an everlasting love; redeemed by the precious blood of Christ; made precious to God and Christ, and to one another, by the Holy Ghost's work. The man that is born and brought up in Zion cannot but love her. 2. Because they are so few who love Zion-"This is Zion whom no man seeketh after." It is but very few that really love Zion. 3. So great a promise is made to those who love Zion, because this love is a most labourious, persevering, allconquering grace. It is not a momentary whim or fancy-it is not a flighty flash -nor is it an indolent lazy notion-nor is it a novelty seeking spirit. No; it is a down-right, persevering, laborious passion; it lays all other things aside, and goes after its object. I have heard married men sometimes say, how many hundred miles they had travelled to see and to seek their wives, and how many years they had patiently waited. Well, and after the woman has become the lawful and affectionate wife of the man; then, perhaps, she has to travel and to wait for the husband. It has been thus with the Lord Jesus Christ and his beloved spouse: he waited and travelled for her: she, by grace, is called to wait and travel for him. JOINING THE CHURCH. My Dear Sir is I have, for the last fortnight, felt it much laid upon my mind to write to you, with a desire that the dear Lord may encourage your heart in receiving such as may come from the church where Mr. Wlabouring. The ministry of that man of God has not become barren, for the Lord is blessing him still as an instrument in calling many out of nature's darkness; but there are some in the church, and some among the hearers, who cannot hear with that profit they once did. I for one can say this, I have learned by painful experience that God is a Sovereign, he blesses where, and by whom he pleases. I had a great desire to unite with that church about three years ago, but could not see that it was the will of the Lord, yet I did apply for admission, and as soon as I had done that I was filled with slavish fears, so much that I went twice to go before the church, and returned home without; the third time I went, I was under much bondage and darkness of mind. While I was in the vestry waiting to be called, a woman who sat next to me was telling a friend how the Lord had in the space of ten months convinced her of her sinnership, and manifested to her his blood-bought pardon. Instead of me rejoicing with the poor woman, I could her and went to another seat. In this unnot bear to hear her talk, and got up from happy state of mind my name was called, and I went before the church, I believe in my own strength, for the Lord shut my mouth, and I felt as if I had never known anything about the Lord or his mercy either, consequently I was told the church would hear me another time; this mortified my pride very much, and the enemy set in upon me with this, that I had now shewn the painted hypocrite. In this way I was harassed people what I was, which was nothing but a all the week; when the Lord's day came, I he preached from these words-"Unto you went to hear Mr. Hoadly, in Golden-lane, is the word of this salvation sent; he described the characters who received this salvation; and what were the fruits and effects of it; the Lord applied the text to my soul's comfort, and I was enabled to believe that I was one of the characters set forth in the sermon In the evening I went to hear Mr. Wbut the whole of the discourse, was shut up to me, and I felt separated from that spot sins; this led me to enquire of the Lord where I had first realised the pardon of my for his direction, for I longed for a settled home; I asked him to lead me to one of his own sent servants, where he himself would come and bless; this he has done, in bringing me to C- R—. After hearing many good men with profit, the first time I came to hear you, I felt careless about coming, I seemed more desirous of going to hear Mr. Hoadley, but the Lord met me under your ministry, so powerfully that I could not keep away afterwards, and I gradually saw and felt that the Lord had heard and answered my poor prayers, and even my secret sighs and groans he was openly answering, for I soon felt one with you. I now asked if it was his will to unite me to the church, to manifest the same, for I desired not to rush in without his authority. Bless his precious name, he gave what I asked for; one Tuesday evening you were enabled to speak a few words upon-" he hath set before you an open door." This was so blessedly opened up to my view, that I saw my way clear, and solemnly believed that the Lord had opened the door into that church for me. with a full assurance of this, that I came to speak to you. I can truly say that I find it a home indeed; the union I feel is stronger than it ever was to the church I belonged to before. Your's in Christian love and unity, JF It was HENRY FOWLER'S CALL TO THE MINISTRY. (Continued from our last.) as my "I was now just passed my twenty-first year. Upon reflecting, as well memory will assist me, I think I had something like the feelings of the patriarch Jacob, on his return to his native place. There is, somehow, a predeliction for the place of our nativity, more especially when we are young, and have not travelled much. I think I looked back with admiration on the goodness of my God, who had preserved me amidst many sore trials both in body and in mind, during my rambling here and there. I was This old thatched house, and I gladly joined them as there was no true gospel preached in the village. After some conversation an old disciple who lived in this humble cottage, said to me, "I wish you would read a chapter; and, if anything strikes you, do tell us about it." I did as she requested me, and continued more than half-an-hour. was the first time I had attempted to speak in the name of the Lord; nor did I feel the least embarrassment in speaking, nor any condemnation in my conscience after I had spoken. From that time I concluded, that the Lord was about to employ me in his vineyard; but I kept all these things to myself. The circumstance of my speaking to these few people was soon spread abroad; and I was requested, soon after this, to speak at the Old Tabernacle in Plymouth, which put me into great straits; refuse I could not, and yet to attempt it was horrible to my feelings. For some days before I made this attempt, I felt a wish that I had not made a promise; and such was the darkness and perplexity of my mind, that I could with the utmost difficulty attend to my labours and as the hours passed away, I fancied I was something like the man in a dark cell looking with horror towards the day of his execution. "Being brought to my native place, and having gained by spiritual trading, and as the Lord gave a door of utterance, I soon became the companion of many gracious people, too many, as I now think; but my heart was warm, and I could not forbear speaking of the precious name of Jesus; for he was to me the fairest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely! His word also was my meditation day and night; for he had made darkness light, and crooked things straight, according to his blessed promise. therefore always ready for spiritual conversa- Thus I was tormented up to the day aption at this period, which united many to pointed for me to preach. I had been often me, and we have walked and talked of Jesus preaching to myself; and found plenty of and his grace; and of his righteousness and matter to flow when alone in meditation; blood; of his precious promises and sweet but now from the darkness of my mind, the invitations; of the high and blessed privi- confusion of my thoughts, and the preleges of his saints, as heirs of God and joint-valence of my unbelieving fears, I felt that heirs with Christ; and of their inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, until midnight. These were times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, that ought to be borne in remem brance. I had now a longing desire to spread the savour of the dear Redeemer's name to my fellow sinners; but oh! when I thought of the vast importance of the work of the ministry, I trembled in my very soul, and often viewed it as an act of the greatest presumption ! A poor illiterate man as I was, to think of preaching the gospel! I used to tremble at the thought, and wished to get rid of it, but could not. I have caville and objected, again and again; and as fast as I have objected, God has by his word knocked it all down. These words used to run in my mind:-"I will make thee a fisher of men-Who made man's mouth ?-Say not I am a child-Thou shalt go unto all that I send thee:" No one knew at that time my thoughts respecting the ministry. One day when I went to see my dear relations, a few of God's people met together for prayer and spiritual conversation in an I should be confounded before the people; and it appeared nothing less than presumption to enter the pulpit. Is aid, my pride has brought me into all this misery; and I greatly feared that God was about to publicly expose me. The sign being given for me to mount the pulpit, I trembled from head to foot; and as I entered the pulpit, it suddenly crossed my mind, this is he pulpit that George Whitefield has often preached in, as well as other able men; and can such a presumptuous fool as I dare to stand and attempt to preach after such men ! This added to my confusion, while my knees smote each other as I sat in the pulpit. The hymn being sung, I felt as if I should have fainted. I rose as well as I could, and concealed my trembling from the people as well as I was able, hiding myself by the help of a large velvet cushion. When I began to pray I found my trembling began to abate; and finding liberty in calling upon the Lord, I began to take courage, and I pleaded his promises as one that really stood in need of his helping hand. Having finished my prayer, I sat down, and thanked the Lord that he had been better to me than my fears thus far: but while the hymn was singing, I was overwhelmed with fear again. It was suggested to ine, you have gone through your prayer because you have been in the habit of praying; but what will you do when you stand up to preach? why the people will all laugh at your folly! Thus was I buffetted till the hymn was sung; when I stood up trembling, with my eyes fixed on the Bible, and gave out for my text, Zech. ix. 11." As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." I had, by experience, known what the pit was, and what it was to be a prisoner in the pit, and how God delivered me, even by the blood of Christ, applied by the Holy Ghost to my sin-burdened soul. I knew also that the blood of Christ was the blood of sprinkling, and the blood of the everlasting covenant which was to be paid as the price of our redemption to divine justice. I had had many a blessed meditation, and sweet feast from these great and precious truths: but now I wanted the door of utterance to be opened for me that I might set these things before the people, that their souls might be comforted, and that Christ might be exalted. As soon as I began to preach I felt the sweetness of my text, my fears and trembling were in a great measure removed, and I was furnished with a full supply of appropriate scriptures to explain and illustrate my text; neither was I at all at a loss for words, and matter flowed faster than I could express it by words to the people, though I think I spoke faster than is commendable in a preacher! for rapid speaking prevents profitable hearing to many persons, whose capacity is slow and dull. I spoke about three quaters of an hour, but dare not take my eyes from my bible one moment, lest I should be thrown into confusion. When I had done, I felt like a man who has been relieved of a burden too much for his strength. The testimony of the leading man at the chapel, as well as several others who heard me at that time, was very encouraging; but of this I shall say no more. I went home rejoicing; but loathed myself in my own sight, that I should have listened to the devil, carnal reason, and unbelief, to the dishonour of God, who had so many times fulfilled his promises to me, and answered my prayers. This news of my preaching was soon blazed abroad, and I was from that time frequently employed in preaching in Plymouth, and in many villages round. "After I had once preached, and having been somewhat favoured, I thought the principal difficulty was got over but alas! I soon found that I was much mistaken: for my trials had but just commenced, as respects the ministry. "Now a new scene of trial opened before me. Some of the brethren, I thought, disapproved of my preaching, and they used to throw stumbling-blocks in my way to hinder my proceeding. Their conduct to me, and the importance of the work of the ministry, greatly depressed my spirits; and I frequently thought I would give up all thoughts of preaching; nay, I have been pleased many times with the idea, that I had for ever done with preaching. But my pleasure was soon at an end, for shortly after some text would press on my mind, and be opened to me in meditation, that before I was aware, I was arranging my sermon: and then I used to recollect myself, and say, Why I have done with preaching, I have quite done with it! I will have no more of it! I am determined to be a hearer !' Thus I used to try to extinguish the light. For a little time I used to get rid of it; and I thought it a delusion of Satan, that had got hold of my mind, and filled me with a vain conceit of preaching. The same day, perhaps, some letter or messenger would bring me word that I was wanted to preach at such a place, that if I did not go, the people would have no one to preach to them. I tried to make all the excuses I could; and if I was poorly, I magnified it in order to get off preaching; this I have done many times. Again, I used to beg a little time before I answered the application; and while reflecting on the matter, I have been so lashed with many scriptures, that I have been overwhelmed with trouble. I was charged home with rebellion against the light, and as not fit for the kingdom of God, having put my hand to the Gospel plough, and now I had turned back. Then the promises I had made to the Lord, and the prayers I had offered up to him in respect to the ministry, used to come fresh to my mind. I laboured hard to get rid of all these things, and tell the Lord that I had no learning necessary for a preacher; that I had not a proper gift of speech; that I was in such a dark state in my soul, that if I attempted to preach again, I should be confounded before the people, and bring dishonour on his holy name, and disgrace on his cause. "Thus I used to cavil and dispute, till the Lord stopped me by such words as these: Who made man's mouth ?-Say not, I am a child, lest I confound thee before them.I will give you a mouth and wisdom.-Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.' These words used to be both reproving and comforting; and I said, I will go and preach this once, and if these promises come from God I shall know by his affording me help in preaching; and by his helping me I shall conclude that he does design me for the work of the ministry. Thus, I set my hand to the plough again, and I received most sensible help from the Lord several times, which so filled me with self-loathing on account of my base past conduct, that could not lay myself low enough at the feet of my gracious Redeemer; his mercy, grace, and long-suffering, quite overcame me. Í was now raised to a comfortable persuasion that the Lord's hand was in my preaching, and that I still should see his hand more plainly. the other, and seemed highly pleased with their performances. Alas! I thought, I was a singular mortal, very different from any one that I had met with: they appeared always ready, and were anxious to preach; I was generally backward and fearful; they found no fault in themselves or their preaching, and I was doing very little else. (To be continued in our next.) "I do not know that I have sworn an oath for these twenty years, certainly not since the Lord touched my heart; but I have had many times the working of it within, though, through mercy, it never has escaped my lips. What a temptation this is to a child of God! But was not Job tempted by it, when his wife, who should have strengthened and encouraged him, proved his tempter, and said, 'Curse God, and die?' Was not Peter tempted with this, when he broke out into oaths and curses, and denied the Lord of life and glory? Was not Jeremiah more than tempted by it? It is true, he did not curse his God; he was saved from that, through mercy; he was kept from passing beyond that bound: but he cursed the day of his birth, and the man who slew him not from the womb. (Jeremiah xx. 14, 17.) Thus encouraged, by some sweet manifestation of Christ, I went forth again boldly when called upon, and made sure that the What the People of God cannot do. Lord would be with me. In this, however I had made a mistake; for I did not see what a vast heap of pride had sprung up in my depraved heart, taking the advantage of God's indulgences to me. Hence, when I attempted to preach again, all my meditations were snatched from me, and such horrible darkness came over my mind, and such trembling of body, that my speech seemed to me quite altered in sound; and in this bondage and misery I have gone on for three quarters of an hour preaching, and when I had done, my sermon appeared to me a complete jumble of confusion. When I have retired, Satan has assaulted me most greviously, not that I then suspected it to come from Satan; but I concluded that my embarrasment was a certain sign that I had presumptuously run into the ministry with out being called of God; and I begged the Lord to take all thoughts of preaching out of my mind that I might not offend him again by assuming that sacred office. Perhaps, not a week after that, I should have more matter flow into my mind than before, and get rid of it I could not, but was like a bottle that wanted vent; applications were also made from different quarters for me to preach. Thus I continued, sometimes encouraged, and at other times so overwhelmed with fear, bondage, and temptation, that I wished I had never thought about the ministry. Some of the Lord's people used to express great satisfaction in hearing me, even when I was in such embarrassment myself, which used to provoke me to wrath; and I concluded, that either the devil had deceived them as well as me, or else that God had used me as a messenger, to carry a morsel to them, as the unclean raven was employed to carry food to the prophet. There were several young men that commenced preaching at that time, with whom I was acquainted. I gave several of them some hints about the trials of my mind but they appeared quite strangers to my path; and they would tell me of their great liberty in preaching; of the way they had handled their text; how much they had been blessed to this, that, and : "Some persons say, 'the unpardonable sin cannot be commited now.' But I want to know this. Is not Jesus 'the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever?' Is not the Spirit, the Third Person in the glorious Godhead, unchanging and unchangeable? Has his power ceased in the hearts of God's people? Then, if men could sin against the Holy Ghost in the days of the Apostles; if men's hearts are still the same, and if the power of the Spirit upon God's people is the same now as then-why should not men now commit the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, as well as then? I believe, it is committed by many. But none of God's people can commit it there is a blessed hedge set round about them; they may sin deeply and foully, and fall into the basest transgressions: but they can never break the bonds so as to commit the unpardonable sin; they can never trample upon the blood of Christ, blaspheme the Holy Ghost, or count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing. Satan may work in their mind all sorts of abominable things, and fill their hearts with all kinds of obscenity; (those who are acquainted with these things best know to what daring lengths the accuser of the brethren can go ;) but he never has,' and never will to the end of time plunge an elect vessel of mercy into the unpardonable sin. |