140

THE BODIES OF THE SAINTS THE RESIDENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

cleanse me from secret faults, and keep | but it is usual that these exercises are long me back from presumptuous sins. Cre- and great before they come into any ate in me a clean heart, and renew in settled peace; first, they must be taught me a right spirit. Hast thou not said, that nothing can be done in this temple that he who confesseth his sins, and for- of any good, but the Holy Ghost must saketh them shall find mercy? O, Lord, be the doer of it, in a much higher sense thou knowest that I hate them, and than Joseph in Pharaoh's prison; but it would fly from them as from a deadly is no uncommon thing with those who enemy; my iniquity is gone over my are exercised as before described, to head as a heavy burden, yea, they are think they can do something to the proto heavy for me. All this is nothing motion, perfecting, or extending the less than the Holy Ghost making room limits of Zion. Of this cast are those for himself in the heart of those whom who think that by christening their chilhe will inhabit for ever; and the cries dren they are initiated into Christ's vihere set forth are nothing less than sible church, or by their charitable acts the breathing of the Holy Ghost in this and strict attention, think to merit sometemple before the person knows either thing, or that the comforts of the Holy what it is, or from whence it comes. He Ghost are conditional. Thus, many even is so confused, and in this state he will of God's children begin to build upon be crying out,'Come, Lord Jesus, come the sandy foundation of their own deeds, quickly; or I shall surely be lost for and to daube with untempered mortar ever. Sometimes it pleaseth the Lord until the Lord returns and upsets all to answer those whom he is preparing their earthly schemes and frustrates the for himself by terrible things in right- tokens of our false and deceitful hearts; eousness, and in the secret places of thus when Jesus, the glorious Lord, thunder by the sudden appearance comes to rectify the judgments of his of his person, but in such a different people, he finds in his temple those that way to what they expected. They sell oxen, sheep, and doves, and the expected him in a way of prosperity, peace, and ease; but he came not to send prosperity, but a fire; not peace but a sword; not ease and union, but separation. Thus, the Lord, whom they seek, comes suddenly to his temple, but who shall abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. The soul, by those exercises is made still more confused, and confesseth that he is not worthy of the least of all God's mercies, and like poor Peter he is ready to make his own sinfulness an excuse for Christ's absence; and says, Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man;' but no, the Lord will not depart, bless his dear name, though he meets with so many slights and insults from us. What a good thing it is that the Lord does not answer all our prayers; only such as are indited by the Holy Ghost. 'The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation, this is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it.' Thus it is that preparation is made for the residence of the Holy Ghost to dwell in the temple of our bodies.

changers of money, and when he hath made a scourge of small cords, he drives them all out of his temple, and overthrows the tables, and says, 'take these things hence ; make not my father's house a house of merchandize.' How many of the Lord's temples have been infested with the merchandize of selling some precious doctrine, or softening down some plain expression to please the polite ear of some influential person, until the ministers mouth is more filled with butter, than the uncompromising word of God; and how many of those who have thought that they were doing God service by entering their children into the visible church of Christ, have lived to see to their distress, that the child has lived and died without hope, and without God in the world. Thus God often rectifieth the judgments of his snared and entangled people by making them to see that all that is got by this trading in the temple, is a fee into the priest's pocket, and guilt in their own consciences; and it is only by those small cords of a lascerated conscience that these traders will be dislodged from this temple; and how many of the Lord's dear children have, like poor Job, thought that for their benevolence, kindness, and honesty, that they should surely die in their nest; thus, childishly

resting on conditional comforts, until
the Lord, to cure them of their igno-
rance, lets loose the devil at them, and
thus teacheth them that it is not of
works lest any man should boast; but by
grace we are saved, through faith, and
that not of ourselves, it is the gift of
God. It is not of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth, but of God that
sheweth mercy.' Dear Lord, how often
hath my poor soul been tormented with
those temple traders, and how often have
I commenced business with them, and
should most assuredly continued dealing
in these carnal accommodations, had not
my master come with his scourge of
small cords. Dear Lord, then be pleased
to pity and deliver any of thine that may
be thus snared and taken; for thou know-
est that these temple dealers will not go
out but by thy presence. Come, then,
dear Lord, and take and keep daily pos-
session of this temple, my body, and reign
and rule there by thy sovereign love, and
watch and rectify every wrong notion of
the mind, and bring every thought and
action into subjection to thyself. Amen.

A Gospel Minister's Life,
By the late Henry Fowler.

miles, for all appeared reasonable and true. But the good Lord was pleased to help me with a little help, and I saw that my whole dependance for success was on him.

This sharp contest began as we passed over Bromesgrove Lickey; and as I have passed the same spot many times since, I have always recollected this field of battle, and blessed God for the victory by faith. But this seemed a strange trial to me at this time, because I had seen the Lord's hand so conspicuous in my movements before this. But I find the Saviour was sorely tempted by Satan, when he entered constantly on his work; and I believe it is generally so with his servants, that by these things they might be instructed to speak to tempted souls.

heavy seas;
I was now at anchor, after many gales and
I was now released from that
tormenting uncertainty that I had laboured
under for so many years; I was now in the
situation where I had long wished to be, and
found a heart to spend, and be spent, for the
dear Redeemer's glory, and for the good of
immortal souls. Great things in this world
I did not want; popularity I did not desire;
and if I had, my line of preaching was not
likely to procure it.

I should have observed, that on my arrival at Birmingham, that dear disciple who first spoke to me relative to my coming to Birming.. ham, met me at my lodging, and said to me,

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Well, were my observations to you, faith or presumption? I was as sure that you would Continued from page 69. be sent here, and that God would make all WHEN I left Plymouth, I looked back un- things straight, as of my existence." I der a sense of sweet gratitude for the mercies would observe, that my temporal prospects which had followed me up to that day, and on going to Birmingham, were not very flatwas fully satisfied that my removal was of tering. The number of my hearers did not God, and that wheresoever I went he would amount to one hundred; the far greater part be with me, and bless me. I took several of them were poor labouring people. They days in going to Birmingham, and stopped at did indeed enter into voluntary subscriptions, several places for the rest and comfort of my and set down the sums on paper, but many of family; and by the blessing of God we arrived them through sickness and for the want of safe, and were kindly received by our friends. labour, were not able to fulfil their engageWhen I was within ten miles of Birming-ments. I had, therefore, some work for faith ham, I had a most horrible attack from to do; but these things did not move me, the enemy, as I imagine, which shook though it roused the fears of several; and my whole frame: this was the sugges- they said, I never could be supported with my tion-"You have acted a most foolish part family, unless I went to business again. I in this business; you have given up a cer- said, "No; I have had a sad proof that God tainty for an uncertainty; you are going does not intend me to struggle any longer in to a strange place, without any prospect of business, but to preach his gospel; and I am success; you know how often you have been persuaded, if he has sent me here, he will supembarrassed in preaching, when you were on- port me, and enable me to give myself wholly ly occasionally engaged; what are you to do, to the work of the ministry; for God takes care when you have to preach constantly to the of oxen; and they that preach the gospel should same people? you will never be able to preach live of the gospel. At all events, I will wait to above a half-a-dozen times, and then the peo- see God's hand for twelve months." ple will grow weary of you, and dismiss you, and then how are your poor helpless children to be provided for, more than two hundred miles from their home? You have not the common feelings of a man towards his wife, nor of a father to his children." These suggestions quite overwhelmed me for several

When I entered on my ministry in this place, I found great liberty, and so it continued; so that I proved Satan a liar, and God true to his word. I perceived, also, a gradual increase of hearers; and, according to the testimony of many, the word of God which I delivered was blessed among them,

to the comfort of their souls, which became | more that I could call such a house a comfort

an additional confirmation to me, that the Lord had sent me there.

able one; and for their satisfaction I will observe, I had a neat parlour and a roomy good kitchen on the same floor, and two good bedrooms above; an arched cellar below for beer, coals, &c.; a good back-house for washing, and brewing; a neat little garden in the front, and a long slice of a garden behind, and the use of a pump of good water for all necessary purposes.

Before I leave these temporal matters, I will make an observation or two on some things which rather surprised me: I perceived in the spring and summer after I arrived, a number of men regularly. going to their gardens of a Lord's day morning, furnished with spade, rake, &c., with some shopmates to assist, both to work, and to drink their strong ale; for they were not very sparing in that article. Another thing much struck me, namely, the cottage owners, many of them preferred Lord's day morning to any other time to collect their weekly rents. Perhaps it was wise to collect thier rents weekly, for both parties. But, then, I thought Monday morning was a more proper time, for common decency sake. One of my hearers too, used to come to chapel very late of a Lord's day morning, which I used to be surprised at; but upon enquiry I understood that he was obliged to collect his cottage rents, and could not come sooner. Shame! shame on such professors of religion! Forethought saw two evils in delaying till Monday morning. The poor cottager with his free companions might perchance run through his weekly earnings before Lord's day night, or if not, it would be a great interruption to business to spend all Monday morning in collecting rents! I hope by this time, that that body of people who are so warm for the reform of abuses, have begun a reform at home. But enough of this subject; too much, per

The winter of 1814 was very severe, and I resided in a very cold house; the snow lay for many weeks on the ground, and the frost was most intense. Coming from a much warmer part of the kingdom, my family felt the severity of the weather very much, but through God's goodness we had all good health through the winter: we had not the luxuries, but what was much better, we had all that is necessary for the body, and more I did not covet. I had always been accustomed to plain living, and am still; and I am persuaded it is much the best both for the body and for the mind. High living diseases both the mind and body; and he that pursues that course may expect a pretty large bill from the doctor every year. Poor living, no doubt, has slain its thousands; but high living has slain its tens of thousands. As for dress and gaudy apparel, I detested it, as a proof of a little mind, and highly unbecoming a christian. "Be not conformed to this world," surely has a meaning, and is not to be treated as an abrogated act of parliament. My custom has been through life, never to live on the next year's income: never to run in debt, in order to appear genteel upon other people's property. I would rather make shifts and wait awhile, than follow the too prevailing maxims of people of all ranks and conditions in this loose and frivolous age. I claim no merit because of these things: there may be pride mixed up with it; but if there be pride in it, I am saved a great deal of trouble, and others also by this my proceeding. How many ministers and private christians have I known justly reproached by the public for their careless indifference in the management of their worldly affairs! Some, too, I have known who seek to screen themselves under this idea, that they are suffering re-haps, some will say. proach for their religion; while, I fear, they are suffering reproach for the want of its proper influence over them. Also, I have heard such loose persons reproach the more prudent and managing class: but when, through their want of economy, and extravagance in their family, they are brought into difficulties, they know how to beg, and bow, and cringe to the parties they have reproached. "These things, my brethren, ought not to be."

I passed the cold winter in my cold cottage; but in the spring removed to a comfortable little house in the Bristol road. When I took it, some of my hearers expressed many fears, that I should not be able to pay such a high rent, twelve pounds per annum ! but I had no fears about it; for I saw that the Lord was on my side; and surely there was nothing like extravagance or ambition in my occupying a house rented at twelve pounds per annum. Some of my London friends may wonder at the fears of some of my then hearers, and wonder

I now felt the weight of the ministry more than ever; and the different characters I had to mix with tried me not a little. I had many mercies, and many crosses; the common lot of God's people. When I first came to Birmingham, I was given to understand that the debt on our chapel was about three hundred pounds; and I proposed to go to London, and beg, in order to rub off some part of the debt. This was gladly acceded to, and I went for that purpose in the month of May, 1814. I had a recommendation from Dr. Hawker. I spent six weeks in London, and walked about twelve miles each day; but mine not being a "Board Case," it met with a cool reception.

I continued labouring in this place for upwards of seven years: I shall make some notes and observations in my next letter, that may be interesting to some, during six years of this period.

(To be Continued.)

AN OLD SOLDIER'S ADDRESS TO HIS COM-
RADES, ENTITLED

Holy Anger no Sin.

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"BE ye angry and sin not." Anger
rests (or lodges) in the bosom of fools." It
may dart into a wise man's bosom, but he
should not give such a hellish guest a lodging,
no not for one night; because he may set the
house on fire, and as James saith, "with the
fire of hell." And if your house is not quite
burned down, you may be in sad smoke and
confusion, and be so scorched and blistered,
that it will require abundance of water from
heaven to quench the fire, and holy ointment
to dress thy wounds, which cannot be bought
on earth for money. And some poor souls
have been almost burned to a cinder, before
they received health and cure. But, say you,
"God is angry with the wicked." Yes he is;
but his anger is only his righteous ire and
holy indignation against sin and wicked sin-
ners; and when we are angry with that which
God is angry with, "we are angry and sin
not," because it is no sin to be angry with
sin. "Yes;" says the angry nian, full of
spite, malice, envy, and jealousy, "that is right,
I hate such and such a person, I cannot bear
the sight of him or the name of him, I hate
him." I say,
did you ever hate yourself,
did you ever hate your own life? are you
angry with yourself? are you angry with your
own sin? If yours is holy and righteous an-
ger, produced by the Holy Spirit, you have
hated your own life more than any other per-
son's, and been more angry with your own
sins, than you have with all the sins of all
men on the earth beside. Jesus saith, 'except
a man hate his own life he cannot be my dis-
ciple.' These poor blind preachers, and
other blind souls, who are continually railing
and pulling down others to build them selves
up in popular esteem among the ignorant,
and raising their anger and hate against others,
and yet never hated their own lives, are far
from the kingdom of God. And I wish to
make no friendship with such angry men, who
apparently never were angry with themselves
nor their own sins. I knew an angry man,
who was exceedingly angry with others,
even to rage and fury, and had made division
and strife in every church where he could find
his way in, and though he had committed a-
bominable iniquity himself, would be accusing
others, and deploring the divisions and dis-
tress among the churches. This is like set-
ting your neighbour's house on fire, and run-
ning away by the light of it, crying, "fire!
fire!" and saying, what a sorry thing it is.'
'To be angry and sin not' is to be angry with
our own selves and our own sins, and to la-
ment our own sore, and our own plague
within, and to stand in awe and sin not.'
To stand in awful astonishment with our hand
on our mouths before God, and wonder that

our vile bodies are not consumed, and that our souls are out of hell!

O my brethren! old satan's work is to set fire to us, and if he cannot consume us, he will scorch and blister us sorely. He tried hard to destroy the green tree, and think ye not that he will endeavour to destroy the dry? 'It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.' It is a sorry thing if we are found riving and splitting one another into matches, for satan to light his fires with. When he would get a fire to work by, he blows in the coals of our lusts and passions, and dips his matches in stinking brimstone of our filth and sin; a stinking mineral found in the earth, our earthly sensual, and devilish fallen nature, by which he sets the whole course of nature, and 'it is set on fire with the fire of hell.' Tongue, eyes, hands, and feet are set on fire. O how much better it is 'to lose one eye,' an evil eye lusting after evil, 'than have two eyes and be cast into this hell-fire,' which is kindled by the devil and our lusts. Ah! much better, 'to lose a hand or a foot that will be running and puddling in sin and mischief, than have two hands or feet, and be cast into hell.' Come soldiers of the cross, warriors with hell, fighting the good fight of faith,' in the war of eternal life, think it not strange if you lose an arm, or a leg, or an eye, in the cause of your sweet prince the King of Glory, and in the battle for eternal life! Be ye angry and sin not.' Ah, be ye angry with that law in your members, and your lustful instrumental members in this battle, that war against the soul. I have read of a Russian serf, so devoted to his Emperor, his country, and his religion, that when Napoleon had branded his name on the serf's hand, he immediately took up an axe and chopped off his own hand!! And could Nelson be proud that he had lost an eye and an arm in the service of his earthly prince? and shall not we, who have been nourished by our Prince, felt his love in our hearts, and seen something of his beauty and glory, shall not we be willing to lose a leg, or an eye, or a lust, or a wife, or a child, a father or a mother, a house, or land, for his sake, who hath promised us a kingdom, a crown, an immortal body, and immortal glory with him in his kingdom, to enjoy his personal presence for ever? Ah! dear soldiers of the cross, ye glory crowned regiment of the Lamb, these poor perishing time things may stick close to us as our eyes and our limbs; but we must part with them when they stand in the way for Christ. It is better to enter into life halt and maimed, or with one eye, one leg, and one arm, than have them all and suffer hell in our souls. Ah, one eye, if a single eye, fixed on our lovely glorious prince is better than our lusts, when we enter into the presence of our Prince, whose favours are life, whose loving kindness is better than life. Come ye poor maimed, wounded, bleeding

and 'have almost forgotten prosperity,' with
scarcely bread and water enough to keep them
alive. "Let not the sun go down upon your
wrath,' for you cannot make the sun rise,
neither can you open the prison doors if once
you be shut up. But still, thus saith the
Lord, 'unto you that fear my name shall the
Sun of righteousness arise with healing in
his wings." And your kind prince can open
the prison doors to them that are bound, and
tied with their own sins. It is a good thing
to work while it is day, and to be in the fear
of God all the day long; for good things
for necessary uses, if they do not save us from
eternal destruction, they save us from many
sorrows and temporal hells on earth; and if
not our justification before God, they are our
justification before men and the brethren,
and for the glorifying of your Father which
is in heaven. Therefore, above all things,
study deeply the doctrine of sanctification.
And sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,
and let him be your fear, and let him be your
dread. That his fear and love may be in your
hearts, in holy communion with him, and
the dread of his indignation against your sins.
That the Holy Spirit may keep up a holy
anger in your souls against your own sins,
and then you will fear to sin against God,
and the brethren, and other men.
'Be ye
angry and sin not.'

soldiers, regret not the loss of your limbs and members. 'It is better to enter into life halt and maimed,' than retain them for a momentary lust. Entering into life is entering into the presence of your Prince, to hold communion with him, whose favours are life, and joy, and peace, in the soul, the sure pledges of eternal life, and immortal glory with your immortal King. The presence of Jesus is life, health, and peace. Enter into life.' Life in Jesus is sweet indeed, when we see the death of our sin in the death and blood of Jesus, and the life of our souls secured in his life and Godhead; O what a great word is 'eternal life!' 'Be ye angry and sin not.' 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.' There is unhallowed anger and sinful wrath. To be angry without cause is sin, and if persisted in, we are in danger of the judgment; and the Lord's judgment between brother and brother is sure to be righteous judgment, and the sooner it is settled the better, therefore leave off contention before it is meddled with. I have heard of two christian brothers, who had a violent quarrel, and one of them deliberating after retiring home, ran to his friend's house and knocked at the door, while he within answered roughly, and would not open the door. He standing without, entreated meekly for entrance, but without effect for a time; he still continued his suit, and still unsuccessful. He at last said, 'brother! brother! the sun is almost down, the sun is almost down!' 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil.' He within being overcome with love, and melted with the divine word, opened the door with streaming eyes, and many thanks to his brother for coming, when they forgave one another with tears, and settled the affair in love. This was resisting the devil and he fled from them. A heart hard, ening in satan's fire was melted by divine love, and a soft answer turned away wrath.' 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.' 'Work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work.' The light of God's countenance, the presence of Christ, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost, makes our day, experimentally, and that is the time to work good work: but if you should be stirred up to wrath, and 'the sun go down upon your DEAR BROTHER IN THE BEST BONDS OF wrath,' you will not have much comfortable coVENANT TIES-Grace, mercy, and peace sleep in that night. And satan, with the pow-rest upon thee. May Jesus in all his beauers of darkness, will be sure to visit you in the ties, characters, and offices, which he susblack night, and you may be delivered to the tains covenantly, ravish thine heart and tormentors; and there is no telling how long make thy very soul sick of love; that love your night may be. And you may have which is everlasting in its date, overpowerdoleful thoughts and forebodings in the pri-ing in its charms, pure in its nature, winning son house, and lay there until you have paid the utmost farthing by sufferings. And though the sun may arise and shine upon others, you cannot see it in a dungeon underground. Some have laid there many years,

Brethren, I bring you these few spoils of the war from under a heavy fire of the enemy, accompanied with some tears, sighs, and groans. Lay them in your houses, as relics of the wars with hell, from a poor old soldier crossing the plains of the god of this world. Keep them as relics in the armoury house here on earth, that they may teach their children the use of the sword and the bow when I am gone, as I do hope to go home to head quarters, to banquet with the prince and all the royal guests, and go no more out to war. They shall enter into peace.' Peace and love be with you.

A WATCHMAN ON THE WALLS. Leicester, Feb. 24, 1848.

A Letter addressed to Henry Langham,es
Pastor of the Baptist Church at Harleston.

reception drench thy soul in that boundless in its operation, blessed in the effects and ocean, LOVE. God is love; love is of God; we love him, the apostle tells us, because he first loved us. Oh, the riches of grace and love of a three-one God to such a filthy