itself." Many have parted with their lives rather than the truth;-" They loved not their lives to the death." We infer again, necessity to submit to the will of God, to lay in his hands passive, as clay in the hands of the potter. In times of affliction or public calamity, how safe are all that join themselves to the Lord and his people; hence the command, Seek ye the Lord, seek meekness, it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."

What a striking figure in these Gibeonites, have we, of a poor sinner who longs for peace with God, for eternal life, and is willing to do, and bear anything, even martyrdom itself, if he can but enjoy his interest in the dear Saviour; though perhaps after this indulgence, he may murmur at the good man of the house, that he enjoys no more than others, quite forgetting he made his agreement for the penny a day: Lord I will do anything, if I am but favored with the light of thy countenance.

And

where these desires are really genuine, God will answer them, to the joy of the soul; for, saith the Lord, Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth.”

In further considering this important history, I would take a view of various characters exhibited to us in the conduct of the Gibeonites, not that I dare to say it is fully the mind of the Holy Ghost in this history; but in reading the events recorded, several reflections occur, which I think necessary to introduce in this subject. I am well aware of the old, stale objection, namely, of putting that in a text, or fancying we discover that in a text, which God never put in, or ever designed. But in answer to this, I would ask, is there any God-fearing person, that for a moment supposes he can comprehend all God has designed, in any one text in the sacred pages; for who can find out God to perfection, or the profound depth of his holy word? With humility,

therefore, may I not enquire, does not the history of these Gibeonites, afford a striking figure of the calling in the gentiles to our spiritual Joshua, as the part of his inheritance. given him by the Father in the councils of eternity; for whom he engaged, as well as for the elect among the Jews, to ransom, to pardon, justify, and save with an everlasting salvation. This was promised him in the covenant. Isaiah saw this glorious subject, and relates some parts of the very promise of the Father to Jesus, -"Seeing it is but a light thing that thou shouldst raise up the dispersed of Israel, I will give thee for a covenant of the people, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends (as well the middle) of the earth: I have gi ven thee a covenant to the people, a light to lighten the gentiles," chap. xlix. The prophet Jeremiah says the same," The gentiles shall come to thee, saying, Our fathers have inherited lies.'

The dear Saviour, in the fulness of time, took part of the children's flesh and blood, and in the act of his being made a curse, stretched forth his dear hands, and pointed to the ends of the earth, while he suffered in the midst of it, to shew he had not forgotten them, but that he was dying to make atonement for poor gentiles, who were afar off by wicked works.

The apostle Peter had the purpose of God concerning the conversion of the gentiles, showed him in the vision of a sheet, knit at the four corners, with this gracious answer to his carnal objection,-" What God hath cleansed; intimating they were holy in God's purpose, perfect in Christ, and actually redeemed; and now, only waiting to be called out of darkness, and made partakers of the rich privileges of God's house, word, and family and though we have no legal right, yet we believe that we shall be saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus, even as those gentiles, who were quickened by the Spirit, alarmed in

conscience through faith, moved with fear, come over to the standard of the cross, want peace with God, the pardcn of sin, are made willing in the day of God's power; and though called to bear much service in the cause of Jesus, yet when love is shed abroad in the heart, find his yoke easy, and his burden light.

Many poor gentiles come as the Gibeonites did, but find a blessed exchange; their husks for the bread of life, their old bottles for new hearts, their rags for clean linen, white and pure, and their patched shoes for them that will never wear out; yea, a ring for the beggar's finger, and a hearty welcome at all times to Jesus.

At this league and covenant, sin, Satan, the world, pharisees, and false professors, these five kings are enraged, and make war against them; but our spiritual Joshua protects them, baffles the schemes of their enemies, and overturns all their devices; while faith, upon the watchtower, exclaims to all her enemies, "Walk about Zion, count the towers, tell her bulwarks,-every covenant name of God, every divine truth of the gospel,-mark her palaces, every believing heart where Jesus dwells that ye may tell to the generation following, this God is our God, for ever and ever."

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Let us view this circumstance as exhibiting the men of the world in their true characters,-seeking for felicity where it can never be found, endeavouring to fill an empty mind with the unsatisfying things of time and sense, though they repeatedly find that bread dry and mouldy: yet, their hearts being set on vanity, vanity is all their recompence, either in pursuing the giddy round of pleasure, or daringly opposing the truth of God's word in the enmity of their heart; they profess to be very easy about their souls, and thus they waik the broad road to destruction, in those shoes that will not suit them,

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when sickness and death comes, and judgment and eternity stare them in the face; they will then find their vessels unable to endure the wine of God's wrath, their garments of selfpride, self-righteousness, and scattered notions of a God all mercy, neither alms deeds, the sacrament, nor vows, will sustain the soul in death and judgment. Hence God asks the solemn question, Can thy heart endure, or thine hands be strong in the day that I do these things unto you." The bed of carnal security will be found too short in sickness, wrath, and death; and the covering (mere human performances) too narrow to screen from the anger of a sin-avenging God: but, Christless, helpless, and hopeless, they must be driven away. Such awful scenes

continually pass with those who die enemies to God; and though they may strive to quiet their own minds in health, when occasionally fears may alarm them, either with false notions of God, or try to bravado it that there is no hell but man's own conscience; they will feel that will be quite hell enough to them, when eternity, with all its horrors, seizes them, when conscience is awakened with the wrath of a sin-avenging God, and when the Judge pronounces, Depart ye cursed:" they will feel there is a hell then, both in a state and a place.

Oh, what an unspeakable mercy it is, to know the Saviour experimen. tally; and to be blest, living and dying, with the clear witness of the Spirit in our hearts, testifying that we are the children of God; and this honour, more or less, have all his saints.

But in reading this account of the Gibeonites, we are also led to view the poor legalists, seeking for life and salvation by a broken law; bringing their good intentions, amiable tempers, pious efforts, and sincere hearts as a recommendation to God, professing what they have done for God,

destitute at the same time of the Spirit's work on their own hearts. Such are desirous to unite with the Lord's Israel, and are often received, and welcomed by them, without consulting the Lord about them; yet, they are too often received, and one day to boast that they have preached in his name, and done many wonderful works; they have effrontery enough to appear before God at his throne, his house and his table, and amongst real saints, in their own tattered, rotten, old-garments of supposed holiness, professing some joys, and moral goodness; but their end will be according to their works :

bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness." Such persons are for eating their own bread, though dry and mouldy;-trusting to their own hearts, though never renewed in their minds: oftentimes such persons appear amongst the people of God, as humble, sincere characters, and as a very holy people, zealous of good works, although they never had the good work of the Holy Spirit ever begun in them. Perhaps to such the prophet Isaiah alludes in his fourth chapter In that day, seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel, only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." Such are Moabites indeed, Moab hath been at ease from his youth, he is settled on his lees, he was never emptied from vessel to vessel. The church of God abounds with such proud easy ones, who are, at the some time, despisers of those whose hearts God has made honest by his grace, and whose minds are illuminated by his teaching: who love electing grace, which has chosen them; atoning blood, which has redeemed them; imputed righteousness, which has justified them; and who, at times, enjoy sweet communion with a covenant God, as the blessed effect of their union with Jesus, and their com

:

pleteness in him. But the day will come, if grace prevent not, when those despisers will cry out to the wise virgins, Give us of your oil,

for our lamps are gone out."

May not these Gibeonites represent some of the Lord's own people, who are under a spirit of bondage to fear, and who daily attend a blind, legal ministry, and who vainly hope that although their works cannot recommend them to mercy, surely their poverty and misery will. This may be urged as a plea, and mercy expected upon that ground; but no, neither merit nor misery has anything to do with it; nothing of this kind can recommend us to the favour of God: it is not of him that willeth, however distrest; nor of him that runneth, however hard he may work; but alone of sovereign mercy: and to this truth every well-taught believer can set his seal. Yet such mistaken distrest ones often fancy, that if they can but subdue their sins, or feel greater misery,-that if they were better, or even plunged deeper in a law work; this would be some motive with God to shew his mercy.

Perhaps the preacher, under whose ministry such persons sit, is in as deep bondage as himself, though ignorant of such conflicts; and he is enforcing duties, strivings, watchings, fastings, ordinances, and legal useless cautions; but these are all found to be physicians of no value, and from such preachers we have a right to depart:-"Cease, my son, to hear the instruction of the foolish, who cause thee to err from the way of understanding." So the children of God have always found it, when going contrary to the direction of God's word. But he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all, for the needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever." Where the Holy Spirit has created a desire, a hunger after the bread of life, the husks, the dry mouldy bread of mere creature

duties, can never satisfy the soul; yet we often see some of God's children have scarcely anything else set before them they have their old clouted shoes, patched up strength of nature, tattered, confused judgments, old garments of good intentions, Vows, and desires, destitute of the wine of truth and love in their vessels, at it respects gracious assurance of interest in it; but he that hath begun the good work, will surely carry it on in the hearts of his people; and having brought them to the birth of hope and expectation, will surely bring them forth. "He shall glorify me; he shall take of mine, and shew it unto you." And when this is done with power, the soul enjoys the liberty of the sons of God;

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

It was the opinion of a good man now in glory, that these Gibeonites were emblematic of false preachers, who come as they pretend as ambassadors from a far country, desirous of making a league with the people of God; not to Jay hold on God's covenant, nor from any principle of love, nor any qualification from the Head of the church, but merely to save their lives, and by deceit and falsehood to get amongst the Lord's people. Such are condemned to perpetual slavery amongst wooden vessels in the church of God: and many such there are to this day, whose religion is no more than fleshly piety, and whose preaching chiefly consists in universal redemption, free will, creature duty, the duty of all men to believe and repent-as if it was their duty to regenerate their own souls, for without regeneration they can neither believe nor repent to the saving of the soul; also, offered grace, overtures to the dead, a day of grace, rebellion against the truth, pretended love to sinners, and hatred to real saints; calling the non-elect to the gospel, and binding the law of works

upon the believer. And while a few who dare be bold for God and truth, contend earnestly for the truth, are stigmatized by such preachers as the vilest antinomians, encouragers of vice, and openers of the doors to licentiousness. This is the sad work going on in the present professing age, and many thousands love to have it so. Yet the work of the Nethinims was a holy and honourable office though very laborious: and was highly typical of a true gospel minister's office and employment, which is to hew corrupt trees, cumberers of the ground, with the axe of truth, and by meditation and prayer to hew fuel for the fire of love as kindied in the hearts of God's people, and from the wells of salvation to draw the water of life for the congregation of the Lord.

Lastly, may not the circumstance prefigure the conversion of many of God's dear children, whom sovereign grace has elected from the Canaanites of the world, chosen in Christ, and accepted in him before the foundation of the world, and predestinated to the adoption of sons, according to the riches of his grace; redeemed by the most divine, precious, invaluable, peace speaking, and conscience pacifying blood of Christ. When the set time to favour such is come, like the Gibeonites they are alarmed in conscience, and this alarm is attended with life, with the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. Many have been alarmed in the world who were never quickened.. Felix trembled, and hypocrites have been afraid; but the spiritual alarms given by the Spirit in a way of grace produce their proper effects: the thoughts of death, judgment, and eternity rushes in, and abides there; a conviction of their lost and ruined state, and a firm persuasion if they die in their sins they cannot be saved; they hear and believe the sentence of God's law upon sinners, that the world is condemned to be burnt, and the ungodly to be

destroyed, and they are led to seek a refuge. And it is a mercy to be brought into this state under a freegrace gospel: the Spirit opens the ears to understand and to give credit to the truth; they hear the fame of the Lord God of Irsael, they believe his justice and his power, and though these make the soul to tremble, yet the same gracious Teacher works faith in the heart to believe the Lord is as merciful as he is powerful,

This secret persuasion causes them to come to him, though with many fears, much guilt, and bondage while every gospel sermon is designed to encourage just such persons to make application, to Jesus. A thousand unbelieving fears torment the mind, last they should not be accepted; yet necessity compels them to venture near; to them it seems hazardous, but with the Saviour, salvation is sure to all that come by the teaching of his Spirit. We are obligated to come as we are, seeing we now despair of ever getting better to fit us for Christ, no shoes of gospel peace, or strength to do any thing to obtain his favor, no bread of substantial happiness to eat; no wine of consolation from creature goodness or worthiness; no sound heart to trust in; no garment of obedience, good works, or self-conceit, or pride, to rejoice in -but weak, helpless, guilty, vile, wretched, naked, and miserable, we come; and hearing and believing in the person, blood, and righteousness of a great, an able, a kind, and gracious Saviour, we come for the blessings he has in his hands to bestow; we plead guilty, confess, entreat, supplicate, beseech, and humbly wait. for his salvation, the light of his countenance, the assurance of pardon, and the full persuasion of his everlasting love to our souls; made willing to be, to do, or to bear any thing, not merely to have our lives spared, but to enjoy his favour, secretly at times rejoicing in hope of that divine and gracious exchange," beauty for

ashes, joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heav iness." These are the blessings we want, his manifastative favor, pardon and righteousness, that we being delivered from our enemies might serve him in his temple day and night; be useful in his cause and service; be covered with the robe of his imputed righteousness; and by the comforting, upholding, directing, and preserving power of his grace, sure I am our spiritual Joshua reveals his covenant to them, and manifests the blessings of it at times most clearly and sweetly, in revealing peace to their consciences, and giving them power to walk in peace with God, with his truth, his people, and in his ways. This is having the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: in filling the heart with the love of God-the new heart, which alone is capable of holding the new wine of the kingdom, all other bottles will burst sooner or later (Matt. ix. 17); and leading us to view our union with Jesus, our acceptance in Jesus, and our justification by Jesus.

These are some of the wonders of grace; this is the divine exchange, and safe and happy is that soul, who, being thus taught the value, dignity, and preciousness of Christ, having experienced this change, and in encreasing views of their own vileness, and humbling views of the Son of God, can adopt the language of the poet,

"Thy blood shall be my peace,
Thy flesh my dainty meat;
Thy robe my wedding-dress,

Thy breast my safe retreat :
Thine eye shall guide me, lest I stray,
Thine arm uphold me day by day."

A TRIED SOLDIER.

THE TRUE PORTRAIT OF A COUNTERFEIT MINISTER, AS DRAWN BY THE LATE REV. W. HUNTINGTON.

THERE is a becoming energy in a believing heart when the preacher feels his interest in the things he