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< Behold I am vile.' Yea, so very poor in spiritual things, that I cannot raise up one single longing or spiritual desire or affection, or command one ray of light or opening into the word, the mysteries of the kingdom, or the covenant of grace. Yea, the Lord has so ordered the whole of my path in every particular, as to have the whole glory to himself; not only in giving every spiritual blessing in Christ from everlasting, but also the amazing depths of wisdom and sovereignty displayed in the opening and giving out of those blessings, as to baffle and confound my wisdom and pride, and leave me nothing to glory in but Him, who is the glory of his people Israel. (Luke ii. 32.) And in closing this preface, I desire to bear my testimony to the sweet fruits produced by the Spirit, as 'love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,' (Gal. v. 22, 23); and to induce the tenderest affection and regard to His dear name, His honour and glory.

I now desire to commit the whole to the sovereign will and pleasure of the Lord, humbly praying him to pardon every error; and that, so far as His purpose, His word and work are found in it, His blessing may be upon it, to prosper it in the thing whereunto He hath sent it; well knowing, that the whole government of His kingdom is upon His shoulders, to order it; and by His own power, teaching, and witnessing, to confirm and establish that kingdom in the souls of His own people: and the sure effects will flow, to the eternal praise and glory of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, now and for ever. Amen. (Isaiah ix. 6, 7: Matt. vi. 13; Luke xvii. 21; Romans xiv. 17.)

July, 1831.

JOHN WADE.

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

THE first edition of this work has been sold off some years since, and several applications were made for copies, to which I could pay no regard without a reprint, to which I had a great reluctance. As applications still continue, it should seem to be a call in the Lord's providence; and under this persuasion I concluded to make an effort to revise and reprint it.

In going through it for this purpose, I must confess I was shocked at the unchristian spirit and expressions it contained; and though it certainly bore the marks of the teaching of the Spirit of God, yet there was by far more of the bitter, proud, and scornful spirit of JOHN WADE, than of the lovely sweet mind and spirit of the Lord JESRS, and of which I am most truly and deeply ashamed (especially the latter part.) It is a mass of blind confusion and ignorance, most disgusting to my present mind, and most dishonourable to the name and glory of the Lord. I loathe it as I do myself and all that comes from me. I am obliged to leave out the whole of that piece, and have begged a few thoughts of the Lord, in reference to the exceeding riches of his grace,' to the dry bones of the house of Israel, the blessed effects of redeeming love in the crucifying of Self, and a partaking of Christ in his mind and spirit as the effects of suffering with him.

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As far as my knowledge goes on the subject, experimental redemption from Self, is a subject very rarely insisted upon. Peradventure it may fall into the hand of some poor sufferer under the cross. The Lord preserve such from the weakness and errors of my judgment, and lead them by his Spirit into the 'fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.'

Once it gratified my poor vanity under the cloak of humility, to publish what is thought a deep experieuce, in a miserable detail of sin and rebellion, and to manifest a spirit of enmity and bitterness against those who could not see with my eyes. I scorned the idea of free-will and the spirit of the proud pharisee, not knowing I was the very man, and was manifesting the very same spirit myself which I condemned in others. (Rom. ii. 1.) The beam was in my own eye. (Math. vii. 3.

In the view of such poor vanity and sin I am made to abhor myself before God; and those who were once my scorn, have now my pity and my prayers, and myself the reproach.

Under these convictions, through the Lord's mercy. it is my one continued effort to look unto Jesus, 'who is holy, harmless, undefiled,' the pure and spotless' lamb of God,' to the perfection of his righteousness, sacrifice, and mediation, now in the presence of God, and the Father's love, delight, and satisfaction in him, as the God of love and peace.' From this rich fountain of pardoning love and peace flows the soul-healing and soul-sanctifying power and virtue of redeeming love, as a rich and pure stream from the fulness of Christ to purge the corrupt fountain from its strife and bitterness. It is as the apostle saith, Beholding as in a glass the glory of the

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Lord, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.'

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Reader; may the Lord awake your spirit to see, to seek, and enjoy your high, happy, and holy privilege, of being made a partaker of Christ, in his holy person, his obedience, sacrifice, and mediation, in his lovely mind and spirit, that you may show forth the praises, the virtues (margin) of him,' that he may have the whole glory of his love from all the powers of your ransomed spirit; and that the name, the person, the love, the goodness, mercy, wisdom, power, holiness, and all that is contained in the name and person of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.' (2 Thess. i. 12.)

JOHN WADE.

Uppingham, October, 1841.

THE

DRAWINGS

OF

EVERLASTING LOVE.

It is not my design, neither is it possible, to note down the first visits of the Lord to my soul, which were early in life; and which, though they were not attended with power to deliver me from the works of darkness, yet they are marks of the tender mercy and love of the Lord to me, when dead in sin. The relation of all the events which filled up the space of more than twenty years, would be too tedious to insert: the first three or four years of which were made up of convictions, and vows, and backslidings, until the word of the Lord came into my soul, Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' (2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.) The power that came into my soul with these words of life, broke, as it were, my covenant with sin and sinners, and separated me from my old company and outward sins. My awful state by nature as a sinner, and a whole life of sin, were brought before me; and I was led to cry for mercy day and night as a poor guilty creature before God.

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