ZION'S DECAY, HER SOLILOQUY, HER REST, AND HER PRAYER.

TOGETHER WITH A BRIEF REVIEW OF

THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF THE LATE QUAINT AND VENERABLE
FRANCES QUARLES.

up. I purpose, therefore, to invite my spiritually-minded readers to a little banquet of herbs and heavenly bread, with wine and oil, and other wholesome provisions, prepared by the late old Master Quarles. Boanerges and Barnabas are both to speak to the guests. Boanerges is a powerful fellow. He lays it on to the consciences of poor wretched sinners without any shew of mercy. He lays judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummett; and plainly declares that if a sinner know not "the secret of the Lord," if the covenant of grace be never revealed unto him, if a living faith in IMMANUEL's Person,

THERE is, to my soul, a spiritual beauty, and sweet, soul-comforting power in some of the writings of our fathers who have long since fallen asleep. But I find they thought (as we often think) that the state of Zion was bad; and that if her children would behave better, the state of Zion would be of a much more peaceful and prosperous character. But "offences must come;" they will come; it is impossible entirely to avoid them, in this imperfect state. Nevertheless, one thing appears plain to me, that those who have received THE TRUTH in the love of it, should keep from all unnecessary controversies on questions which only gender strife, and tend to separate, in-blood, and righteousness, be never wrought in stead of cementing the brethren in Christ, and pervert that holy and necessary exhortation"Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Christian brethren, let me beseech you, most earnestly, to read again-(and pray the LORD the SPIRIT to read it into your minds so deep, that you may practically read it out in all your preachings, writings, and conversations by the way)-the words which Boaz spake unto RUTH-"Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence; abide here fast by my maidens; let thy eyes be on THE FIELD that they do reap; and go thou after them." | In the field of pure gospel truth, let us abide; and unto all we meet therein, let us be kind, courteous, tender-hearted, and unitedly determined to exalt our MASTER-to do his commands-to encourage his saintsand if the sound of our Master's voice be heard in the lanes and streets around, and doth so reach the hearts of any poor Moabitish sinners, as to induce them to come truly seeking for the service and for the salvation of our LORD, let us welcome them with,-" Come thou with us, and we will do you good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel." A precious volume hath lately been put into my hands, entitled, "BOANERGES AND BARNABAS: Judgment and Mercy; or, Wine and Oil for Wounded and Afflicted Souls." By Francis Quarles. And so pleasant and profitable hath it been to me, that I cannot hide it

him, then into the pit of eternal death he must sink. This, under God, makes many a guilty soul to quake, to quail, and tremblingly to cry -"God be merciful unto me a sinner."

When BARNABAS sees and hears this, he springs from his seat, he falls upon these broken, bleeding hearts, and, pouring in wine poor, and oil, and pointing them to the Lamb of God who taketh away sin, doth most amazingly magnify his office, as "the son of consolation."

Some scenes of this description witnessed by Quarles and others, I wish to lay before my readers; but first will notice Quarle's Life, and his heart-breathings respecting Zion's Decay, her Solace, and her Rest.

Mr. Brett, the Head Master of Wirksworth Grammar School, in Derbyshire, has given, in the commencement of this volume

66

A SHORT NARRATIVE OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE. to know all we can. And if the stone be of Concerning those we love, we are curious price, we are not contented the least fragment of this book was a Gentleman of an ancient should perish. Know then that the Author family. His father was James Quarles, of Rumford, Esquire, Clerk of the Green-cloth, and Purveyor of the Navy to Queen Elizabeth, his education at school in the country and at younger brother to Sir Robert Quarles. After Christ's College, in Cambridgeshire, and last Lincoln's Inn, he was for some time cupSecretary to the Reverend and learned the bearer to the Queen of Bohemia, and then late Lord Primate of Ireland; last of all Chronologer to the city of London, in which

office he died. And the world had known | Zion, the glorious Corporation of the elect, is that by a more eminent testimony, if death factious in itself, and her members are dishad not kept him from finishing what he had jointed. Ah! how can my distressed soul find designed and begun. He was the husband of one wife, and by her the father of eighteen children. As in his life he had been most religious, so was he in his death; in both a great example of devotion. He died September 8, 1644, being two and fifty years old, and lieth buried in the Parish Church of Saint Foster, London."

The singular volume from whence the above quotation is made, contains, in the first part, a powerfully dissected review, exposition, and discovery of the thoughts, the convictions, the boastings, the revellings, the presumptions, and awful conscience-smitings of sinners of various character and degree, to which is appended, their supposed soliloquies and prayers. Frances Quarles knew man's heart, and the fallen sinner's inward parts. These he draws out with a precision, perhaps, equalled by none, save the Holy Spirit in the inspired Word.

We pass the First Part by, for the present, and come to the Second Part. It takes up the many in Zion, who are walking in the furnace and through the fiery pathway of tribulation's deep.

rest, when Zion, the rest of my distressed soul, is oppressed? How many of her dearest children are now tugging at the slavish oar of infidels! How many roaring under the imperious hand of the daughter of Babylon! How many banished from their native soils, and driven from their usurped possessions! This Vine, which heaven's right hand hath planted, is decayed, her fences broken, her hedge trodden down, her body torn by schismaticks, cankered with hereticks, blasted with fiery spirits; her branches rent with the wild boar, her grapes devoured by the wily fox. Her shepherds are turned wolves, and have devoured her flocks. Confusion is within her walls, and desolation is near unto her gates. O Jerusalem! if I forget to mourn for thee, let my right hand forget her cunning; and if I prize not thee above my greatest joy, let my tongue cleave to my roof.

"HER DEFENCE.

THE MILLENNIUM.

We select one portion, headed, "Zion's Decay," "Her Defence," "Her Proofs," "Her Soliloquie," and "Her Prayer." We To the Editor of the Earthen Vessel. entreat a careful perusal. If this sample is DEAR SIR,-Eschewing all controvery with useful to our readers, we can give them many your April" Gosling," allow me to offer a few more. If we are not mistaken, many thou-extracts from pre-millennarian writers, with sands in our churches will be glad to read and reflect upon the deep-fetched thoughts contained in the following:

"ZION'S DECAY.

the view of shewing that in the address I delivered at Meard's Court, some time since, a report of which appeared in the VESSEL for March, I did not misrepresent the pre-millennarians by stating their belief in a resurrection of the just at the supposed pre-millennial advent of the Saviour; nor in further stating that, according to their view, the glorified saints would reign over the embodied inhabitants of this sin-smitten sod.

"Dost ask me, Why so sad? or can my sorrow be thy wonder? Canst thou, or canst thy eye expect a sun-shine where the greater lamp of Heaven is eclipsed P or can my soul be frolick when the vineyard of my heart is (1.) Mr. Tyso, in his Elucidation of Problasted? Can the children of the bride- phecy, pp. 246, 247, says, "the millennium chamber choose but hang their heads, to see kingdom is evidently after the resurrection, the Bridegroom slighted, and the Bride's when the saints shall be prints of God and of lovely cheek profaned with every peasant Christ, and shall enjoy with him a thousand hand? Can poor affrighted lambs, wanton years." "They will inhabit their bodies after and frisk upon the pleasant plains, whenas the resurrection, therefore their reign must be their worried mothers tremble at the quest of personal." Note: Mr. Tyso has not troubled every cur? What member can rejoice, with Origen's principles of interpretation. whenas the body is dismembered? Zion, the He understood the Scriptures literally,-very glory of heaven, is darkened, and her bright literally, I may say, for he believed the bindbeams obscured. Zion, the vineyard of ouring of Satan, to be literal; the armies of heasouls, is blasted, and her clusters are grown sour. Zion, the Bride of my Redeemer, is defiled, her blood-washed robes are sullied and slubbered. Zion, the Mistress of our flocks, is over-powered, and her tender lambs have no protection. Zion, the mother of us all, is barren, and her uberous breasts are dry.

ven, to be literal; the woman clothed with the sun, to be a literal woman, &c. &c.

(2.) Mr. Burgh, in his Lectures, pp. 266, 267, believes the Mount of Transfiguration supplies the pattern of a millennial reign: Jesus, Moses, and Elias, representing the glorified, governing party; and Peter, James

minute.

You are misrepresenting them. | although, as here expressed, it may be in You are slandering their system; blasphem- broken and feeble language. In memory, ing their views; so you are never right, "nohow," as Sambo said. Like the man with the cat-o'-nine-tails, do your best, you cannot lay it on right. Now you are too high, now you are too low, and now you are too hard; so that it seems impossible to please, however desirous a person may be of doing so. Will you credit it, Sir? the simple report of my speech at Meard's Court, in the columns of your journal, has brought around, or about me, a nest of hornets, who seem to have unsheathed their stings in very wrath. The last letter on this subject came to hand yesterday, and was written by a Plymouth brother, probably known to you, signed Flora Street, who says Mr. Gosling is clearly wrong; and I am wrong too; but that his millennium is the true one, which he has believed in for forty years, and which, according to a pretty plain intimation, the Holy Ghost taught him.

then, of my dear and much-beloved daughter, Mary Anne Jeffs, I humbly venture so to do, who her dear Lord took unto himself on the 26th day of February last, aged twenty-five years,-one of my dearest, earthly comforts, which, a few months ago only, we were not at all anticipating such a change, but were looking forward and expecting much comfort in her humble, quiet, and Christian society, for time and times yet to come, which makes this bereavement to me the more affecting. What indeed is life ?-truly, like a vapour, that appeareth for a little while and soon vanishes away; here to-day and gone to-morrow. But in this present instance life is not extinguished. No! it is not blotted out of existence, still remains, but exists in another form, in another manner, far more happy, because freed, eternally freed from all evil, internal and external. Why then regret and grieve at her departure? It is natural so to do; it is like loosing a part of oneself; nature grieves and would repine too, if not checked by a superior principle. Is it not all appointed and arranged by Him who cannot err or be unkind-by infinite wisdom and goodness? Why then grieve? This, to me, is a part of the shadow of death-the valley of the shadow of death"-a striking

Perhaps, Mr. Editor, you will allow me to apologize to some of your correspondents for not replying to their communications; and also to remark, that I am proceeding with a series of tracts on the millennium; and that, if they, or any of your readers, will draw my attention to what is considered the impregnable parts of the pre-millenial fortress, or fur-emblem is this of human life. It is true, nish me with a canon for prophetic interpre- there may be in it, now and then, as we pass tation, to which pre-millennial controversi- along, a "green pasture" in which we find alists will uniformly adhere, he will be en- refreshments and rest, "still waters of contitled to my thanks, and shall have them, solation and peace; but still we are in "the secretly, if not openly. Truth, not triumph, valley of the shadow of death"-not, it is is my my object; and anything that will true, always alike dreary and dark, for even shorten discussion, or even alleviate the pangs in the midst of our enemies our table is supof warfare, is of much value. But it is useless plied; yes, while surrounded with dangers and to deal in these affirmations; for, as in philo- death, we are comforted, for God our Shepsophy and law, so in controversial theology, herd is with us under bereaving circumstances, nothing is known but what is proved. One providences, and heart-rending troubles, and good man says, the Holy Ghost taught him so anoints us with fresh oil, making our cup the affirmative of the question; and could he run over, that we are constrained to say, even prove it, there would be an end of the matter; in this "valley," goodness and mercy hath but another brother, equally good, and per- followed, does follow, and will follow us all haps more intelligent, is confident the Holy our days, and we shall dwell in the house of Ghost taught him the negative of the question. the Lord for ever. What a thought! that a Both of them may be taught of God, and both human being brought into existence in circumbe satisfied for themselves; but it does not stances so unfavourable, born in sin, a subject follow that they are both taught on that of depravity, under the displeasure of God, point, or that their experience can be viewed and exposed to eternal death, should have as evidence in a court where the Scriptures given to him "eternal life!"-provided for are all in all. As for letters and reflections, him in the counsel of God, before the world in which there is nothing solid but ignorance, began-made ready, as it were, for the recepand nothing deep but malice, they are position of sinners, age after age, in long succestively injurious, and should be avoided. am, dear Sir, your's, &c., W. PALMER.

Alemorials of Departed Saints.

MARY ANNE JEFFS. DEAR EDITOR,-"The memory of the just is blessed," and we know him who is the very Just One, and may we not, in his dear name, so hold up his blessed and heaven-born children, that he has called home to himself, and those also that are left, when with a desire for their consolations, under alike bereavements, afflictions, or heavy trials, they may be visited with, in this their time state,

sion, to the end of the world-on receiving of which in the way of Divine appointment, by faith in Jesus Christ, are pardoned, adopted, sanctified, glorified! In this time state, then, we have a knowledge of this unspeakable gift of salvation: the gospel is the announcement of it; it is mine when I so receive it, am by the Word and Spirit of God convinced of my need of it, see my perishing condition, and heartily desire to receive the Saviour, repenting, believing, hoping, obeying. I am in the sight of God justified, pardoned, acceptedwith me, in Christ Jesus, God is well pleased. In me the merciful design God had in view in giving his Son to die for sinners, is so far

accomplished, fulfilled, answered, and this, I have no doubt, was the case with my beloved daughter just taken from us. The love of a father, a parent, the love of a child, there is something peculiar in it, and it is in our very nature. It is called natural, but it is, no doubt, from God. It is a pleasant feeling to love a child, and also to know a child loves in return to love a child sincerely, affectionately, deeply. What, then, must the feeling be, when death snatches from us the object of our love? "Oh, Absalom, my son, my son!" to me it is, Oh, my daughter, my daughter!at such an age too, when hoping and expect. ing in the present life, in her society, much enjoyment yet to come-which deepens the wound and makes it more pungent; and yet there are the best of alleviating circumstances attending it, especially as there can be no doubt as to the safety of her state. That death was to her an alleviation from all evil, as well as an admission into a state of blissful immortality; yet, notwithstanding, to me it is a serious loss indeed, a loss severely felt, my heart, as it were, bleeds; at my time of life I feel it the more keenly. She had ever been endered to me from her love and affection, and never-tired attention, which makes the separation painful indeed; yet the remembrance of these circumstances is pleasing, and, in some measure, tends to alleviate my grief. But oh, how loudly does this painful providence speak to me, just on the threshold of eternity! and yet she is taken first-by which one of the strongest cords binding me to this world is broken. Oh! that I may be enabled to avail myself of it, so as to get, as it were, lift to the heavenly world, in my mind to be really benefited by it, and made more spiritually and heavenly, as I would implore Divine assistance to turn this affliction into a blessing. Oh how I ought to be humbled under the mighty hand of God, "who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,' and that for the good of all his covenanted, elect, and blood bought family; for in this bereavement may I not have sinned, have I not been thinking too highly of my earthly comforts, valuing them too much. "God is a jealous God," and will not, in this respect, let our sin go unpunished: he hath said, "from all your idols will I cleanse you:" he takes them away, and thus convinces us of our folly. Oh, then, I again would pray for deep humiliation and self-abasement before him! so that my mind may be fited for peace and heart-felt submission to the will of God, and especially that it be made the means of drawing my mind from all earthly things, and raising and exciting my affections, my heart, towards God and heaven: that now, and more than ever, I may be "looking for that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God;" have heaven and glory for my chief objeet and end-desiring to have that faith that enables me to be looking at things not seen, which are spiritual, heavenly, eternal; so being enabled to bring my mind and these things in contact more together, and thus being armed for the ensuing conflict, more bereavements, family trials, that may still

a

await me, and especially to meet the last enemy, fast approaching; so as to be able to say, "We are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us," and by him shall be put into a mansion of glory, even eternal life and blessedness, in the uninterrupted friend. ship of God and holy beings, for ever and for ever! This is to be more than conqueror, and is now the happiness of my dear departed daughter,

"Freed from a world of death and sin,

With Christ eternally shut in."
She was baptised a few years since with her
mother-in-law, at the then Mr. Coles's place,
at Hounslow, with her father. She was a
at Brentford: they joined the young church
beloved, humble, quiet, and consistent mem-
ber; a true lover of the blessed gospel of the
grace of God: at times complaining of the
darkness of her mind, when at my house stay-
ing, and also when I visited her for a few
days afterwards: yet eventually found her
heavenly Father, not only a promise-making,
blessed word, "it shall come to pass that at
but a promise-performing God; and that
eventime it shall be light," was so power-
evidenced to those near and dear that were
fully applied to her soul's comfort, and so
about her, and yet more also, when drawing
Every near to her heavenly inheritance, she
was enabled exultingly to shout, "Beautiful!
Delightful! Glorious!" several times; and so,
waiving her dear arms, soared away with
those dear words-"Happy! Happy!"
her dear Saviour, on whose blood and righte
sweetly falling asleep, into the embraces of
for all her salvation, even on that foundation
ousness alone, to the last, she was resting
which God himself hath laid, and desiring the
same should be made known, with its true
value and blessings, to dear relatives, and also
to those near and dear to her, who had been
knowledge of these heavenly things.
made manifestly acquainted with her in a

"Now she slumbers in the ground,
Till the last trumpet's joyful sound;
Then burst the chains in sweet surprise,
And in her Saviour's image rise."

In this sore bereavement I cannot but feelingly sympathise with, feel most keenly for, the dear bereaved husband, my son-in-law, Mr. Alfred Jeffs, to whose kindness I am indebted for his having made known to me the most of those last, heavenly, and glorious expressions of his dear wife. The separation to him from one so dearly and deservedly loved, is a loss that requires more than human aid to sustain. My prayer is that, in this trying hour, he may experience that God is his refuge and strength, and a present help in this time of sore trouble; that it may be to him a dispensation in Providence, though now indeed grievous; yielding a lasting blessing, accompanying him, and others near and dear, in every future step of his and their journey in this vale of tears. Amen, and amen.

EDWARD WARREN. Reading, Berks, March 15th, 1856.