God knew all my vileness, and he made me sometimes so to feel the miserable bondage I was in, that I ofttimes groaned for deliverance, but had no power to stop the continual outbreakings of sin. When about twenty-three years of age, the affection that I had for a young woman of moral habits and good character, was the means of restrainme from my outward abominations, and we, by the blessing of God, were soon after united; and God was pleased to send us outward prosperity and happiness. Shortly after, being on a visit, the conversation turned upon the cholera, which then raged in the land. While walking home, my wife said to me, "Do you think that if I were to die to-night, I should go to heaven?" I answered, “I do not know, my dear." The effect of this question and answer I cannot describe, but we went home meditating upon death and eternity, and that night, for the first time, bowed our knees together before God, with strong crying and tears for mercy. We now "walked softly," attended upon the worship of God, and cried to ourselves, Peace, peace; in fact, became thorough Arminians. I thought myself safe on the ground of sincerity, despised the free grace of God, and hated the distinguishing doctrines of the gospel. Shortly after this, Mead's "Almost Christian," Bunyan's works, several volumes of Mr. Huntington's writings, and Crisp's "Christ Alone Exalted," fell into my hands, by the reading of which my false hopes were mercifully removed, one after another, until again and again I have found myself in the "miry clay." Yea, now so convinced was I of my unbelief, that I thought it impossible that I could believe, without an immediate revelation manifest to my bodily senses, and that should I thus have a knowledge of salvation, I should go singing all the way to heaven. I hoped in God, but looked to the work in my soul to build upon; yea, looked for love to God in my soul, before I would believe that he first loved me. But, alas! I found that I loved myself more than God, so foolish was I and ignorant. But one day, as I was reading those beautiful sermons by Dr. Crisp, on the words, "And he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all," the Lord revealed himself as my Saviour, and enabled me to believe on and trust in him alone. I instantly found peace with God, my burden fell off on sight of the cross, and I entered into rest. I did not experience those raptures that many do, but I enjoyed solid peace and joy in believing. Shortly after, when speaking of these things to a few friends, I was so overwhelmed in tears of humility and joy, on a view of my own abomi-" nable vileness and long-continued rebellion against God, and of his discriminating mercy and goodness in choosing me and leaving others, although not so far sunk in sin as myself, that I could not speak for some time, and I believe that I shall never forget that foretaste of heaven. After this, I began to feel the power of temptations, such as I shall not defile paper with, and also the fiery darts of Satan, which caused me to start, to shake myself, and to bite my lips, fearing lest I should give utterance to my abominably vile, blasphemous, and obscene thoughts of God and of Christ. But I could by no means free myself from them, especially while reading and being in heaviness, fearing I should fall into evil through the power thereof, and my own weakness. The Lord was pleased, whilst reading the 17th chapter of John, to apply to my mind that most delightful and suitable prayer to the Father in behalf of the elect, and I saw by faith Jesus pleading for me, and I knew that the Father always heareth him. Thus was I taught my need of the intercession of Jesus and the final perseverance of the saints. was soon after also taught my interest in eternal election, while reading Ness's "Antidote against Arminianism." The Lord was pleased

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to shine upon his own work in my soul, so that I did indeed rejoice that my name was written in heaven. The language of my heart, and the sweet communion with Jesus I enjoyed at these times, I cannot describe. The Lord now made me leave my Arminian teachers, by applying these words powerfully to my mind; "Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err," &c. Many and continued have been the mercies of the Lord to me since that time, which demand increasing praise, especially for his blessing upon my dear partner; but nevertheless, I am frequently as cold, sinful, and rebellious as if I had never had a manifestation of his tender mercies and loving-kindness. Thus much must for the present suffice, as my paper is full, although the tenth part of the aboundings of sin in me and the superaboundings of the grace of God to me has not been told.-Yours in Christ Jesus,

Elmswell, Suffolk, February, 1839.

JABEZ.

Mr. Editor, I had been in great distress of soul for three years past, until I read the verses written by a Teacher of Babes, in your last number, which were so blessed to my soul while reading them, that they caused me, a poor sinner, to rejoice in the salvation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I never could before this time call him mine. Permit me, therefore, through the medium of your magazine, to express my gratitude to God, and to a Teacher of Babes, as the instrument in the Lord's hand, of bringing my soul into the liberty of the gospel, and at the same time to request a Teacher of Babes to favour me with a few remarks upon the bruised reed and smoking flax, mentioned in Isaiah xlv. 3. Mr. Editor, if you will insert this in your next magazine, you will much oblige a sinner saved by grace. April 10th, 1839.

MARY ANN.

EDITORS' REVIEW.

The Weaned Child putting his Hand on the Cockatrice Den. By Gad Southall.-R. Groombridge, London; J. Gadsby, Man

chester.

This work was occasioned by the author hearing an Arminian preach from *Phil. i. 6,-" Being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,"-in the course of which the preacher so virulently attacked the doctrines of eternal truth, that the author could not keep silent, but immediately determined on having an interview with him, the result of which led him to publish the work before us. The work is written with considerable ability, and in great faithfulness and plain dealing. With many undeniable facts, he has exposed the rottenness of the Wesleyans, laid open their carnality, popery, licentiousness, idolatry, lies, and hypocrisy. We consider he has completely overthrown them, and we wonder how they can read it without even their natural conscience testifying to the truth of it. He mentions several instances, which came under his own knowledge, of awful depravity amongst that "decidedly pious" body, all overlocked by that charitable people, who are, at the same time, calling out lustily that the doctrines which are held to us so dear, lead to licentiousness. "If," says our author, sinning and repenting were not so really in the power of the members of this body, sojourners on this accommodating road would be more thinly scattered;" (p. 19;) and he then goes on to prove what he has said; to which, probably, we may refer in a future number. We strongly recommend every Arminian in the land to obtain a copy of this work. The children of God will also find s、 me very good, substantial things in it. We felt ourselves some benefit in reading it.

66

THE

GOSPEL STANDARD,

OR,

FEEBLE CHRISTIAN'S SUPPORT.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled."-Matt. v. 6.

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."-2 Tim. i. 9.

"The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded."-Rom. xi. 7.

"If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.-And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.-In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."-Acts viii. 37, 38; Matt. xxviii. 19.

No. 43.

JULY, 1839.

SANCTIFICATION.

VOL. V.

"This is the will of God, even your sanctification."-1 Thess. iv. 3. In writing a few lines upon this important subject, I would desire to be under the guidance of the Spirit of God, that I may not condemn myself in the things that I allow; for "happy is the man that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." (Rom. xiv. 22.) Sanctification by the will of God, is by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once; (Heb. x. 10;) and "by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." "And he who sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one." This is a very consoling thought to the man whom God hath set apart for himself; (Ps. iv. 3;) to the poor solitary in families, whose soul hopeth in the word of the Lord, and "waiteth for him more than they that wait for the morning," who sensibly appears delivered unto death and to the will of his enemies because of sin, and whose experience, at times, seems not altogether unlike a wheel within a wheel, and a fire unfolding itself. Now, although this man stands as much sanctified in heaven as he stands justified in heaven, and in the same way as his life is hid with Christ in God, yet there is a communication of this grace to the soul, a drop of anointing oil poured upon the head whereby his cup runneth over to the Lord, and sheds its influence over his conduct and conversation and impresses a sincere desire to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. And it will generally discover itself as a mark of distinction in the church, and also in the affairs of the world, between him who is touched with it and the man who is walking in the light of this world only, and not in the light of life, who,

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when the sun, the light of this earth is set, has not a single ray left, to make manifest anything that is done in the dark, and in the chambers of imagery, which the light of life is continually opening up to view, and is very particular in this respect, as also in bringing forward all things that are behind. The oil of sanctification runs through the inner chamber, and, like a murmuring stream amid the cragged rocks, it makes a sad complaint about internal things, while it witnesseth to the things of the Spirit. Through the sensitive nature of this life, and the discerning power of this light, my sin is magnified exceedingly. Hard thoughts, filthy desires, and proud schemes are discovered, which the light of this world regardeth not, and which are only seen in the light of life; and hence arises my complaint that I am altogether as an unclean thing; and I am obliged to take the words of the poor leper, and say, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." And I believe the sanctified man or woman can only be washed in blood for even the least guilt contracted. I was alive once without the spirituality of the law, but when the spirit of the commandment came, all my sins revived, and I died, and, as it entered, the offence abounded; but I had before only the things of the flesh to attend to, so that I had not half so much work to do then as I have now. I could then go abroad and also indulge occasionally in what is termed an innocent game of amusement. Some things I made an excuse for, others I pushed out of the way, and the rest I patched up and atoned for in the best way I could; but now I cannot get on so easily because all things must pass under the rod and go into the scale; and what with coming to the light to see that my deeds are wrought in God, and striving to mortify the deeds of the body, I find the way very narrow indeed; so much so, that I often conclude that my footsteps have well nigh, if not altogether, slipped out of it, and, as I still desire to be minding the things of the Spirit, I get often offended, and, in comparing spiritual things with spiritual, I continually find that I am in the balance that is wanting. which, of course, keeps me very near the ground, and grumbling with myself, and sending in a complaint to the King. Sometimes I seem as though I could swallow a camel, and then again the burden of a gnat is too much for me to bear, and a little dust only upon a sore conscience in the light that maketh manifest, will cause me to groan exceedingly. Temptations appear to me to vary according to circumstances, and to be doubly strong in proportion to the situation that I am in; therefore let not him that putteth on his harness boast as he that putteth it off; and I find also that the promises will reach me as I am in need of them with a suitability I cannot taste in another place. They are pearls that are not to be thrown away; they are extreme blessings; and when they come in to the relief of the soul in extreme cases, they always appear to contain an ingredient in them that otherwise is not tasted, and also a greatness and preciousness about them that thereby we might be partakers of the divine nature. (2 Pet. i. 4.) If we are out of the well, the cord may be put by; and while the brook continues to flow freely, a cup of cold water will be lightly esteemed; but if we get into the pit where

there is no water, methinks both of them will be very acceptable. If I am in a very good place for any particular temptation, and a temptation just suitable to the place presents itself, I always found it was not lost sight of, nor yet to be passed by until I had been tried with it; and Satan will practise all his wiles, and puff and blow up every cinder in the heart, and try to make fire to burn up grace, and then begins his oratory with a persuasion that I shall not surely die. And as we "wrestle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places," it is no wonder that we should feel the conflict to be much against us, and to be a very uneven combat; but here the oil of sanctification is discovered by its moving the soul in resisting, and going out after the Lord Jesus in broken accents for pardon and peace in him, and not in swallowing the bait as a lion that is greedy of his prey. But the sanctified man feels, with David, that God hath no pleasure in wickedness, and that he hateth all workers of inquity. In the communication of this grace I cannot help thinking there are different degrees, and where I see it stop the mouth and bridle the tongue, I believe the word of God will warrant me to conclude that it is a good sign at all events; and, as the tongue is an unruly member, which no man hath ever tamed or can tame, I believe Satan moves it with ease, and sets it on fire till it becomes a world of iniquity; (James iii.;) knowing that "He who keepeth his mouth keepeth his life;" (Prov. xiii. 3;) and "Whoso keepeth his mouth keepeth his soul;" and "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin." And some of the sanctified ones whom God has set apart will sometimes cry unto the Lord that he will set a watch upon their tongues and keep the door of their lips, that they may take heed to their way that they sin not with their tongue, (Ps. xxxix. 1,) lest it pour out flattery to its neighbour, (Ps. xii. 2,) and accept the persons of men. (Job xxxii. 21.) One might infer from the word of truth that the devil has a greediness to feed upon the soul of man, and that it is his chief delight, as a lion that is greedy of his prey, to be lurking in secret places, (Ps. xvii. 12,) seeking whom he may devour; and it appears he is very fond of the innocent (Ps. x. 8; Prov. i. 11) for his prey, and in the world he has moved some to lie to the Holy Ghost, and others to make a dead stand against the truth, and in the church he makes Peter boast, and tries to get Paul into his mouth; (2 Tim. iv. 17;) and in this conflict arises much exercise for the sanctified man, wherein he finds and feels that he cannot do the things that he would, and hence that truly sanctified expression when it comes forth from the heart before God, "O, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" But "this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication;" and a drop of this oil is in the earthern vessel that we may know how to possess the vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence as the gentiles which know not God. The man who has this unction from the Holy One hates sin; "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil;" (Ps. xcvii. 10;) "And that which I hate, that do I." Sin is his chief trouble, and if he does the least thing which he believes