OBITUARY OF THE REV. W. WATTS always bore the evident impress of WILKINSON. THIS venerable and well known clergyman expired on Monday, the 14th of December last, at the advanced age of eighty-five years; and was interred on Saturday, the 26th of December, in Bunhill Fields burial ground. The Rev. W. Watts Wilkinson was born in the year 1755, of dissenting parents, but having always, it would appear, a decided partiality to the National Church, and a great desire for the ministerial office, he was, in 1776, matriculated at Worcester College, Oxford. In 1780 he obtained the Sunday Afternoon lectureship of St. Mary, Aldermary; and, some time afterwards, the Chaplaincy of the Haberdashers' Alms Houses, Hoxton, and the rich Tuesday Morning lectureship of St. Bartholomew, by the Bank. At the time of the erection of the new Alms Houses at Hoxton he vacated the Chaplaincy, but the two Lectureships he retained until his decease. The last sermon he preached at St. Mary's Church, was on September the 7th, thus closing a ministerial labour, which had been extended over the almost unexampled period of sixty-one years. Of very retired habits, and possessed of but slender natural endowments, this revered clergyman, by the simple force of a most amiable and delightful deportment, joined to a very winning and persuasive mode of address, and a most patriarchal personal appearance, has secured an abiding place in the dearest affections of all who love the Lord Jesus Christ. A sentence from his lips, attended as it always was with pathos and feeling indescribable, reached the heart of the hearer, and was often, by the divine blessing, more beneficial in its results, than a whole sermon delivered by other and more talented individuals. It came from the heart; it love to souls; and like the live coal which touched the lips of the prophet, it warmed, and subdued, and humbled, and comforted. Who shall count the number of those to whom his ministry has been made useful: arresting some, it may have been, in the broad road to destruction; pointing others, whose faces were Zionward, to Him who is emphatically the way, the truth, and the life: and comforting and strengthening others in dark and dreary moments when Satan, or the world, or our own corrupt natures, seemed almost to have attained the ascendency: few there are, indeed, who cannot remember some moment when he was made a blessing to their souls, for he was indeed a father in Israel. Amid the scenes of business, or perhaps while on a visit to the metropolis, it was an engagement, by most ever to be remembered, to be present at the Tuesday Morning lecture; deeply in this respect will his loss be felt. Our wishes rather than our expectations would express a hope that one likeminded may be appointed his successor. The hearts of all are in the hands of our God, and though contrary to all present probability, it may be that he will so order it. The Rev. Henry Vallance, the esteemed assistant of the deceased, delivered a funeral sermon for him at the church of St. Mary's, Aldermary, on Sunday the 27th of December, as did likewise the Rev. Mr. Harding, at Blackfriars'; and on Tuesday Morning, at St. Margaret's Church, Lothbury, there was a funeral sermon preached by the Rev. W. Borrows, minister of St. Paul's Clapham. The Rev. Mr. Wilkinson has left, we are informed, nine children, three of whom are clergymen of the Established Church. He has also one grandson a clergyman. We hope soon to have the pleasure of perusing, aud introducing to the notice of our readers, a biographical memoir of this highly honored and distinguished man. REPLY TO Ww. w.'s SECOND QUERY. Messrs. Editors, WITH reference to W. W.'s second query, I beg leave to remark that man is not condemned because he" rejects the gospel," but because he rejects God, who shines into his natural conscience (Prov. i. 24; John iii. 19; Rom. i. 28), and in that manifestation of himself, is invariably rejected by fallen man. Much error arises from our overlooking the fact that the gospel finds us condemned already."- -"If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." 2 Cor. iv. 3. I remain, 66 Messrs. Editors, One whose sole trust is in the mercy of Him who translates his children from a state of condemnation to a state of justification:-the free conferring of the latter, presupposes the taking away of the former. Col. i. 13. UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF THE LATE No. 1.-To be continued. My dear Friend, THERE is one universal voice that cries aloud in animate and inanimate creatures, in events and circumstances good and bad: to catch this voice is our wisdom. But there is one universal din and uproar also, which often drowns this still small voice; and as our ears are in themselves very gross, this voice does not easily penetrate. But how remarkable doth God deal to bring us to listen: he pulls away our senses from this miserable scene of confusion and disorder, and brings us into the chamber or closet of our own hearts. Every man must walk alone that he may walk with God. I have often thought how attentive must good men of old have been to catch every whisper of God to their souls. You may observe he generally kept them aloof from all flesh. Noah had no company, and God said to Noah, and Noah knew the voice. Abraham was secluded from cities, and society, and had sweet converse with God: he was alone when the best of all company visited him. Isaac walked out at eventide to meditate in the field, and there God shewed him his wife. Thus, when his salvation was to come, Jacob wandered alone to Padan-aram, and was separate all the years he was there; but God was with him in the way. Joseph fed his father's flock with his brethren, but he must be carried away into a strange land, and be in prison, to have communion with heaven. Moses must go from the busy scenes of Egypt into the wilderness, and when alone, the God of his fathers met with him. Joshua was alone when he met the captain of the Lord's host. David was alone, a shepherd's boy, when Samuel sent for him to anoint him: and Samuel himself was alone when the Lord called to him. Elijah was alone at the brook Cherith, and at mount Horeb, and at the great controversy with all Israel. The time would fail me to tell of all. Our Lord Christ was much alone whole nights, and sometimes days, forty at one time; at last all forsook him and fled. Paul was alone when all forsook him. John was alone in the Isle of Patmos when he saw the visions of God. And In solitude the voice was heard. All was hushed without, and the heart was musing within. And that which is the greatest misery to a carnal man, is to a spiritual man the greatest privilege,-retirement from all! Nathaniel was perceptible to no eyes but His that are in every place, beholding the evil and good. And I may add, that my dear friend, on the bed of sickness, found that solitude was no burden nor grief, the Father of all mercies being richly with him, as the best companion and friend. The exhortation is, " Commune with thy own heart upon your bed, and be still." The tumultuous raging of heart corruption, and rising of the soul, must go down: "Be still, and know that I am God." In the holy of holies there was no sound: the blood of sprinkling was on the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat, and all was hushed; this flowed out upon the people waiting without. The blessing runs thus,-" The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." And when the ark rested he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel." The woman at Simon's house was at the foot of the mercy seat quietly waiting for the salvation of the Lord, and lo a voice said, "Go in peace, thy faith hath saved thee." The promise is, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee:" her mind was stayed, and peace flowed in like a river. It was here David found himself when he thus speaks," Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and unto his saints." Be How much our Lord speaks of secrecy, in opposition to the public and ostentatious parade of the Pharisees. That made him urge watchfulness. That caused Paul to say, Watch thou in all things;" and Peter, sober, be vigilant." But how can we watch, if our eyes, our ears, and our thoughts are drawn round about the whole world. There is but one thing, and but one spot that must be fixed upon by all. But you may say, I am much engaged with the needful concerns of this life: true, and so was Abraham with his gold and silver, much cattle, inen servants and maid servants; so was Joseph at the head of Egypt, and Jacob his father managing Laban's concerns by night and day; so was Moses at the head of 600,000 men; so was David, so was Daniel; yet they all walked with God, and watched close his goings forth in their hearts, and in their ways. It is now Saturday noon. I have some of the household of faith, who are looking to me as a means for tomorrow; and I am looking for something to fall round about our tents. If it be a little thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground, it will do, and the people will say it is manna, and we shall Say in return, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat." I have at present no stock in hand, no text; but I have a measure of quietness under God, and I am secluded from all company, waiting in faith for a supply for the people. May you be favoured, my dear friend, to find sweet communion with our triune God. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart; for "I am thy shield, and exceeding great reward," saith God himself. God for ever bless thee. W. J. B. EXTRACTS FROM SERMONS DELIVERED BY REV. J. VINALL, AT JIREH CHA PEL, LEWES. No. 5,-To be continued. Joel ini. 16.-"But the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the Children of Israel." The Lord's people are a poor and afflicted people, if not outwardly poor, they know what poverty of spirit is. "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." The Lord's people are a praying people, "They shall call upon me." "They shall be my people, and I will be their God." Do not some of you know what it is to cry unto the Lord in secret: it is not saying the Lord's prayer, nor going in your closet and shutting the door, and using the same prayer as the publican, this you may do, because you read he was justified, and the Lord bids you go alone &c; the child of God prays from his heart. It is to hear the Holy Spirit prompting us to secret prayer. Sometimes you may go burdened, yet cannot get utterance, so as to feel prayer a delight, a privilege, yet how sweet when we can pour out all the burdens of the soul before the Lord. The Lord's people are a willing people. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." Are they willing by nature? No, for the poor sinner who has followed the vanities of this world, to be brought willing to renounce them and follow the Lord is not an easy thing, not only willing to separate from the world, but willing for the Lord to rule over them, to be their king, willing to be nothing, and the Lord to be exalted. The Lord's people are a righteous people. Are they better than others by nature? No, and when the Lord discovers to them their state as sinners, and the depravity of their hearts, they view themselves the vilest, the most unworthy, of all God's creatures. They are brought to renounce all their own righteousness, good works, prayers and all, and fall down at the Lord's feet this alone is God's work, for it is contrary to nature, and no easy thing, for the poor sinner to be brought to acknowledge himself guilty, vile, and naked; then the Lord clothes the poor sinner with His righteousness, the sinner is righteous in the sight of the Lord. "Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." How happy for those of you who are enabled to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, to 66 66 make your calling and election sure, to examine yourselves, to prove your own selves, compare spiritual things with spiritual, then you will have rejoicing in yourselves, and not in another." Hold fast that which thou hast received; be thou faithful unto death, and the Lord will give thee a crown of life." Some of you may not have had strong convictions, or great terrors, Sometimes when the Lord begins to work in the soul, the poor sinner is restless, uneasy, feels an aching void, is not satisfied that all is right: people may have convictions and wear off, but when the Lord begins a work He will not let the sinner tarry in the plain, the law enters the heart, working wrath, discovers the depravity of the heart, which before the poor sinner was ignorant of. Sometimes such a soul has his case described under the word, which is a little encouragement, or a little liberty in prayer, now and then a promise, then a little hope rises in this valley of Achor, or trouble, the Lord opens a door of hope, the Lord is the author of hope, the foundation of hope, and the object. He is this door and opens it. One look of the Lord to the sinner is enough, the Lord's mercy meeting with the sinner's vileness overcomes, melts, and humbles him; perhaps you will say, this soul will never be satisfied, oh no! now the sinner feels himself the chiefest of all sinners, the vilest of the vile, the most unworthy, and like the poor prodigal I am not worthy to be called thy son, this soul will say with David "I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness: now the poor sinner's mouth is opened, “This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise.' He is clothed with the Lord's righteousness, "I will call them my people, and they shall say Thou art my God." It is all through I will and they shall; thus the Lord is the hope of his people, I have nothing more now, and never shall have, than when I first knew my interest to ground my hope upon, but the sin-atoning blood of the Mediator, and the Lord's mercy, love, and free grace. The Lord is the strength of His people, their rock, their fortress, and the lifter up of their head. He is their strength in secking Him, and will be their strength all through; the poor sinner is apt to think when he is brought out of Egypt, and passed through the Red Sea, there would not be so much trouble, but we need being emptied, for if left to ourselves we soon get independent, self-sufficient, leaning on something or other, and not deriving all our strength from the Lord, not only once or twice, but often nced emptying, having our strength reduced by the way. Many ways the Lord empties or reduces, it is through much tribulation we enter the kingdom, no merit in tribulation itself, but it is the way the Lord has appointed for his children. Sometimes outward trials, the oppression of the enemy, the evils of the heart, or a keen hunger and thirst and not obtaining, hungry and thirsty their soul faints within them. I believe David never more had his strength reduced than after he went to Achish, who gave him Ziglag, when David returned he found Ziglag burnt, his wives and children taken captive; he wept till he had no power to weep, and was greatly distressed, when he went over the brook Besor, "He weakened my strength by the way;" and Peter, after he denied his Lord, and cursed before a servaut girl, never more had had his strength reduced than that time, and most likely never forgot it. Paul, after being in the third heaven, least he should be exalted above measure, had a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buifet him, for this he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him, but the Lord said to him "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness: most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me; therefore I take pleasure in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong." As if the Lord had said to Paul, all the revelations and enjoyments you have had in themselves will not save you, but rest on my everlasting love, mercy, and strength. Although we may be cast down, yet not destroyed; faint, yet pursuing. Lewes. REVIEW, M. |