second is, that all that pertains to my salvation, in point of responsibility, and in point of merit, and in point of condition, is entrusted entirely to God my Saviour, in his official capacity, as covenant head of the church; and that all that pertains to that salvation, in point of efficiency, in the communication of grace, in sanctification and training up for glorification, is the work of the Holy Ghost, which man cannot touch without polluting. That is my creed; and I think it glorifies God. It glorifies God the Father, in the settlements of His love and grace; it glorifies God the Son, in the covenant headship He sustains; and it glorifies God the Holy Ghost, in the efficiency of His ministry in the church." RESPECTING CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE, MR. I. THUS SPEAKS,-"I know there is a vast deal said in the present day about Christian experience, by persons who understand not whereof they speak, nor what they affirm; a great deal is said about Christian experience that has no Christianity in it: and I mean, as long as I live, to be a determined enemy to the fostering of that falsely called Christian experience, which is in fact nothing more or less than the varied emotions of old Adam. It is not Christian experience; it does not glorify God. The experience which glorifies God is just simply this, (and the conscience enlightened from on high will approve it,)-that which cuts off, crucifies, condemns, and casts away everything pertaining to the creature, and makes Christ all in all, formed in the heart the hope of glory.' It is that which cuts off and casts away all the goodness of man, and the badness too, alike to one heap; and which, claiming the wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,' that is in Christ Jesus, and which He is made of the Father to us,' as our portion and right, receives it into enjoyment; really lives upon Christ; really feeds upon him as its very life; really clings to him as the author of life, and is really panting and thirsting after more of his Spirit, as life divine, in personal experience." Another prominent feature in Mr. I.'s ministry, has been his regard for the walk and conduct of his church and people where he labours, he says, "I want the fruitfulness of the church of God. I have been expostulating with my dear hearers in my last three sermons to them, about it, because there is a certain class of professors now-a-day, who like the tree, and like its branches, and who think a great deal about its stately form, who insist upon all its boughs and twigs, (I mean in doctrinal points) and peradventure with great correctness. Alas! alas! these have no sap; they have no life; and consequently, you may look at them from the beginning of the year to the end, and find no fruit. Now, I do not know a class of professors that fills my mind with more horror than this class. I have an utter abhorrence of any kind of Arminianism, and I hope I shall have as long as I live; but Arminianism, among all its insults to Christ, does not appear so hateful to me as these professors, who will go with me to admit all the doctrines of grace, but have no life in their hearts. If the devil has sharper tools than others, to work with upon earth, these are the ones; if he has a regular regiment of sharp-shooters upon earth, these are the men; they do more to make infidels than any others. I have seen grapes made of wax that are wonderful imitation, but deficient in juice. To know these from real ones is, by pressing. Go and press them, and if you press them you will soon see the juice gushing out. And I will advise you to do the same with christian fellowship; go and press them; go and tell them about Jesus, and ask them what intercourse they get with God; go and press them, and see if the Word is applied, which they hear preached, and press them hard, until you find some juice. Depend upon it, if you begin to press some professors in this sort of way, if they are made of wax, or something or other painted to imitate it, you will never get any juice; there will be no unction, no prayer, no praise, no love one to another. And I would have you keep this by you, as a hint once for all; and you will find whether the fruit is excellent, by pressing it, and trying it." Now some will say, if you write in this way you will make Mr. I. a model. I would rather speak of his higher than his lower standing-as he is in Christ, than as a fallen son of Adam. There is too much evil speaking and insinuations in the day we live. I have no wish to add to it. As a minister of Christ he has been richly adorned with ministerial talent, not of a dazzling but of a useful character, accompanied with much observation on men and things. That he has gone into great extremes few will deny. Brought to a knowledge of the truth by a servant of Christ in the establishment of the country, he has continued a warm admirer of Hawker, Romaine, Toplady, &c., therefore, some allowance must be given for his firm decision for "Congregational Episcopacy," as he styles the order of his church government, and for his so much depreciating churchmeetings, calling that form "republicanism, replete with mischief, and utterly subversive of christian fellowship." Yet this sentence, like his many avowals against the doctrine of Believers' Baptism, no more proceeds from the spirit of truth; and the analogy We The Life and Experience of [We can only in this number, very briefly commence this interesting narrative; it will be continued in larger portions until complete.] he draws between this ordinance and circumcision that he adduces, than speaking against the doubts and fears, misgivings, sinkings, and castings down of God's people, does. But what men of truth deem very objectionable is, Mr. I.'s frequent use of the word CLAIM. The Lord says, For all these things will be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for THE intention of the writer in this narrathem," and "Ask and ye shall find " tive is, to shew forth from his own experience, once heard Mr. Smart on this point very some of the things he has passed through, strongly express himself concerning a minis(being now in my 72nd year), the wonderful ter he once heard claiming these blessings.condescension and sovereignty of that God, He said "it was presumption; he believed who has ordered all things after the counsel of the man would go to hell." of his own will; and who in his good time, must not be said of Mr. Irons; we would called me by Jesus Christ his beloved Son; recommend humility in speaking in the name delivered me from the power of satan; and of the Lord. Mr. I. only means the grace brought me into his kingdom of light, grace, rights, and privileges of believers. and glory, according to his own good will and pleasure. To whom be glory and praise, power and dominion, now and evermore. But so much We must now leave Mr. I., not wishing to peck at the failings of a great man, as too many have done, whose usefulness in Zion, in the fruits of a thirty years' ministry, is to be seen; we would, as before expressed, rather speak of what the Lord has done, than what Mr. I. has. Acts xxi. 19. Yet we must pause on this favoured spot before we say,we think the glory is departing-the glory of the Holy Spirit's power. The word that was once like fire among stubble, is now much like those around, so low as scarcely to be heard above them. It is not heard like an hammer, but falls soft and easy, compared with past days. We ask, is there not a cause? Is the ease of Zion indulged in? It is true, Mr I. is still there, in health and strength, and for substance the same truths are set forth; but we ask, "Is there the same power?" We write calmly. Camberwell friends, remember the glory of former days still. We advise a close perusal of the first chapter of Isaiah, that this spot be not "as a garden that hath no water.' The real enemies to truth-those most likely to close a man of God's mouth, or to render ineffectual his ministry-are not outward enemies, but those in the form of friends, that would be an arm of flesh, that would bring us from a day-by-day dependence on God for supplies, spirtual, temporal, and eternal. We make these state ments for profit and caution; should they wound. "The life of the Son of God was infinitely too precious to be given for perishing things, nor would it be consistent with divine wisdom to venture it for an uncertainty," "Elisha Cole. Amen. I, John Nicholson, was born at Dunhamupon-Trent, Nottingham, January 6th, 1775, being the day called Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles; and on the 6th January, 1776, they had me christened and called me JOHN; and when over, all parties amused themselves with smoking, drinking, and card-playing, and before twelve o'clock both the parson and the clerk stripped to fight. This I have heard my father and some others many a time talk about. early years I grew up very mischievous, and wicked; at six years of age I had the ague which wore me to a skeleton. At eight years' old I went with some boys to bathe in the Trent, and here I was near being drowned, and was taken out of the water for dead; but in moving me they saw the water run out of my mouth and afterwards vomited up the water, and then began freely to breathe again. In my He Now, I shall pass on until I was thirteen years old, abont the 20th of August, when driving a load of sheaved wheat out of the field, I had got on the shafts to ride, when the fore mare turning off the road, I tried to jump off the shafts I fell flat on my face, and two wheels run over the small of my back. Another man, not far off, ran and stopped the horses, and came to help me up. lifted me up and took me home; the doctor was sent for; he came and bled me; I was put to bed, but they never expected I should get up again. I laid three nights and three days, and on the fourth day the neighbours came to ask after me, and to see me. member hearing one say, it was a thousand mercies that the wheels did not cut him in two; poor lad, he will never get better any more. Oh, no, said another, he is dying. I had been very restless a little while before, but now I had become very still, so they concluded I was dying. (To be continued.) I re 1 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LATE THOMAS LORD. (To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel.) DEAR SIR, The following is a copy of a letter written to me, from London, Feb. 6, 1846, by our departed friend, Thos. LORD.-T. K. Dear Brother in our crucified, risen, and glorified head, the Lord Jesus Christ, peace and truth be with you. No doubt, my brother will begin to think himself neglected and forgotten by me altogether, seeing I have not written, since I left Birmingham, unto him; but what shall I say by way of extenuation of my faults? Why, I think I hear my friend saying-Why, tell the truth; and, now, have I not been neglected ?' True; you have; and I may plead the same; as you have not written to me: but, no; I will not; but, take shame to myself for not writing sooner; and now I hope you will forgive me, and my faults this time; I can say, and the Lord knoweth it is true, that I often think of you, and remember you at a throne of grace, for, you are dear to me, in the Lord Jesus. Now, I do assure you, since I last saw you, my time has been taken up very much indeed with my work as a minister; to which, the best of masters has called me, and employed me in, although my mother's children often cast dust upon me, (the serpent's food,) with unjust statements, foul reproaches, and wicked untruths; yet, blessed be my kind Master, I still receive nothing but kindness from him who is kindness itself, with good and liberal wages, love-smiles; and would you believe, I have been so very pettish lately, that nothing would do but the kisses of the mouth of my sweet Lord Jesus; so that my very soul cried out within, I want the first ripe fruit; the first begotten from the dead; oh, let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine.' Well, at length he came, when I was sunk as low in my poor mind and feelings, that I thought it would be impossible for me to preach any more; oh how my knees trembled, and my flesh did leap on my bones, while the devil stood before me buffetting my conscience, accusing me with sin; and thus going against and over my head, more than I could endure or stand under; but, oh, bless his dear name, which is 'as ointment poured forth,' he came to my soul, with power, love, and blood, with this text, and kissed my mouth therewith, 'Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law.' Well, and do you know, I was so taken with dear Jesus, and his sweet kisses, (for, truly, they are sweet,) that I requested him to turn in with me, and tarry, if it were but for a night, and truly, my friend, he suffered me to prevail with him, who is God, and I, but a worm, for he turned in with me until four o'clock in the morning; and, truly, since, my mouth has been sweetly opened, my soul greatly enlarged in my ministerial work, even the building up of living souls in their most holy faith;' so that since, I have been enabled to say-O, come, taste that the Lord is gracious; and, oh, my friend, how bold it has since enabled me to be, and feel in the work of my Master, which is to root out and pull down all things, as well as I can in my little way, and feeble manner, that stand against my Lord Jesus Christ, and his great truths of grace and electing love, for so it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell,' in whom we are complete; and, truly, it doth please my soul well, that all things are in him; and doth not this please my brother? O, yes; I know it doth; O, that you and I may be enable to say with holy Paul,For, of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen,' and that we may be enabled in drought to go to this Spring, which is never dry, and drink our fill of living water, and, hear his sweet voice, which is sweetness itself, saying unto us drink, O, beloved, yea, drink abundantly,' for I am the liberal that deviseth liberal things, and, by liberal things shall I stand, for I am eternal.' No doubt you will wish to know how I am in body, and how I am going on in my ministerial work: well first, as to the body, I am very well in health, for which I do pray the dear Lord to make me more and more thankful. And next, as a minister, I have great cause to say the Lord is doing great things by me. I have testimonies of the word being blessed to many of Zion's · travellers, and I can truly say my Bible, and land us safe into eternal rest. My love to the friends and brethren, and believe me, yours truly, T. LORD." was never more sweet to me, nor so much read by me with so much profit. I can say, his word is found of me, and I, a poor worm, favoured to eat it; and find it to be to me the joy and rejoicing of my soul. I do hope the dear Lord is with you as a people, and them that speak unto you the word of truth, in the name of a three-one-God, and now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless, before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. I commit you. From yours, in the sweet Lord Jesus, T. LORD." The following is an extract of a letter written to two other members of the church at Birmingham, dated February 14, 1846. [To the same, Dated April 28, 1846.] "And now my brother I hope the dear Lord will direct you in all things, that you may be 'wise as serpents, harmless as doves,' in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, and do, my dearly beloved, attend to all the ordinances of God's house, blameless: fear not the scorn of good or bad men, for thus it is written, him that honoureth me, him will I honour;' do not forsake him to follow the ways of men, which are crooked and contrary to the command of him, who said, "as often as ye do this, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come," and now may 'the good with and rest upon you in love and power from day to day, so prays yours in a will of him who dwelt in the bush,' be sweet Jesus. T. LORD." [To the same, Dated April 28, 1846.] is that though you and I are full of "O my Brother my mouth has been most sweetly opened of late to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the end of the law for Righteousness, the sin atoning Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, which shall not be left to the god of this world, (the devil,) but shall be brought to know and feel themselves sinners in time, and to know the truth, even Jesus Christ, the life and soul of the word of truth, and that it is a true saying that Jesus Christ came in time, and amongst time things, and died for sins committed by you and I, (or viewed as committed) being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God might stand; yes, my friend he came to seek, and to save that which was lost; to remove their iniquity in one day! Onay look for our sins, when once faith has beheld them laid on the Son of God, that you and I may be enabled by God the Spirit, to set our affections on things cast into the river of his blood, which is they will never find them, for they are above, not on the earth, for we are dead, called the depths of the sea. and our life is hid with Christ in God. When I O my friend, how I can pity the sons and can feel my Jesus precious, time passeth daughters of this world's profession, who sweetly away, it is then I can say, roll are filling their belly with the east wind away time, O do roll on faster, and roll and not with the Christ of God; and me into the bosom of my dear Lord and truly, you and I might have been with God. But ah! my friend, when my prosthem to this day, if the same love which pects look rather gloomy, I then think spread the feast, had not sweetly forced us in. I am now fearing lest my dear Lord the Spirit should withdraw himself. O do pray with me, that he would take up his abode with me, watch over and keep me, (yes and you my brother, and sister) until the night of death come on, and then when we put off this tabernacle | to sleep in the grave, bear our souls up time goes too fast a great deal. Give my kind love to the friends, for I do declare I love them more and more in the Lord, and shall continue to love whereever my lot shall be cast, from yours, T. LORD. To the Editor. DEAR SIR,-I hope these extracts, though few, will be sufficient to shew to the children of God, who were prejudiced against our dear, dear departed brother, that he was a man truly taught of God; and is now, doubtless, singing the high praises of his covenant God and Father, no longer encompassed with infirmities, or distressed by inbred sins, which I believe in my soul were his greatest troubles. He has now attained to all his soul desired, and joins the glorified host above, in ascribing all praise and glory to God and the Lamb; God himself has wiped all tears from his eyes, and he shall weep no more. O that I may never forget the sweet and savoury conversation I have had with him, truly his conversations at times was sweet and encouraging. I do not wish to exalt him as a man, but I earnestly desire to extol and admire the grace of my covenant God as manifest in him, ever wishing to discern between the flesh and the Spirit. Birmingham, October 12, 1846. But I obtained Mercy. DEAR BROTHER BANKS. T. V. Observing a remark which you made and which is to be found in a piece of the Earthen Vessel, page 181 ("the throne of God and of the Lamb,") for the confirmation of which my mind from the first glimpse of it, was impressed to write, as a living testimony to the truth of it in my own individual experience. In the memorable (to me,) never to be forgotten year of 1806, the beginning of it, I was brought into a strange low feeling, so that I had no heart to do any thing as I was wont to do, but was compelled to follow, and to go to my daily labour, (then a ploughman,) but dear sir, I can only give you a little outline or detail of the Lord's gracious, singular and wonderful dealings with me, as I am under a promise, (at some future time if spared,) to that dear man of God, J. C. P. to give a full account of all my life, as it shall please God to bring to my mind from two years old. What, unbelief will say, to begin at two years, I wont believe it; in answer I would say, that a real child of God cannot write lies, no more than he can make or tell lies. I will now proceed, about the beginning of March of the aforesaid year, the devil was let loose upon me, tempting me with all manner of uncleanness and obscenity day and night without any cessation, so that my poor mind became quite bewildered; working one day with a dear departed brother, I opened a little to him. ——, I said, I am in a strange way, and I think, but cannot tell what, that something very strange is coming upon me, so it came to pass, as in the sequel; well, in the midst of temptation the word of the Lord came upon me, (whilst following the plough,) "agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." These words followed me day by day, louder and louder, but as they came, I resisted, saying secretly, let me get married first, then I will be good; I will then be religious. I will, I will. Now it appeared to me by my resisting, that the devil was further permitted, and had a link of his chain let out, and he changed his mode of attack, with all kinds and all sorts, too dreadful and awful to name against God most high; and I was afraid that I had internally consented to them, and was afraid I should belch them out every moment, but was mercifully saved by the skin of my teeth, that is, my lips were kept close from utterance at this time I was awfully terrified with night visions, wild bulls running at and after me in a furious manner; then I used to be carried to a nest of serpents; what struggling I had to get from them, then the French army used to come, encamping in my father's farm, getting upon the tops of the trees in battle array, and I thought all their object and aim was at me, to kill me, and nobody else: then again, I used to see the devil close to my heels, following me go where I would, in the midst of which I would awake, with most dreadful forebodings! All this time, I was insensible of seeking for mercy: now the devil had another link of his chain let out, he came closer and set upon me with such power to blas pheme, to curse God and die, which in my feelings I really thought I had done. My soul became greatly distressed, and I thought all hell was let loose upon me, they appeared to me buzzing around me like a swarm of bees, which bewildered my mind so, I was lost in a maze. O sir, its one thing to know the power of temptation, and another thing to talk about it; now I will leave you to judge whether or no I followed my Lord and master in the wilderness, tempted of the devil, from the beginning of March, to the middle of April. On Easter Thursday |