Our kind friends, James Smy and his dear wife, have always given to the Lord's servants a bed, a candlestick, a chair, and provision by the way; and I do hope the rich blessings of heaven will descend upon them all for their pure love to Zion, and to Zion's Covenant Head. Very early yesterday morning (GoodFriday) the following sentence came rolling in upon my soul-" Zion shall be redeemed with blood, and her converts with righteousness." With the words came a soft impression that the Lord would do good to some of his dear family by those words. When I found thein in Isaiah i. 29, I found they read, "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment," &c. This confounded me. I could not obtain any light into the Scripture; but was led to go up in the morning and preach a little upon the burnt offering. The chapel was filled with anxious hearers, and I was helped-still, the words would follow me "ZION SHALL BE REDEEMED WITH JUDGMENT." In the afternoon, Mr. William Gooding, of Halesworth, preached a gospel sermon from the words "The people shall dwell alone," &c. I listened very comfortably to his good discourse; but immediately the words came again-" Zion shall be redeemed with judgment." Presently, the text opened asunder in two parts:-1. A departure, or a being sold, implied. 2. A redemption declared; both thoughts opened very fully; and to a crowded congregation, and with great liberty, I spoke from the text. On Easter-Sunday, I preached three times, and then went to Norwich; we had good meetings in Mr. Corbitt's Chapel, Monday and Tuesday; and on Wednesday evening I was favoured to preach in Mr. Gowen's chapel, in Cherry-lane, Norwich; and a most blessed time I had. The friends at Norwich manifested the greatest kindness. I hope both the churches may prosper, and be greatly united. ASHFORD RAILWAY STATION, THURSDAY, May 9.-Last Lord's-day was one of the best we have had in Unicorn Yard for some time. We sometimes hope that our captivity may yet be turned. About 200 sat down to the Lord's Supper, and our souls were much favoured with the dew of Hermon. On the Tuesday evening following, the Lord again exalted his dear Son in the ministration of the gospel. On Wednesday morning I left home for Egerton Fostall, in Kent. But on my way thither I turned into Cranbrook, to look once more at the graves of my ancestors, at the place where first I learned my business, and where from childhood to youth I spent fifteen years of sinning, sorrowing, affliction and woe. What an amazing alteration thirty years makes in the inhabitants of a small town! There stood "Old Time," with his long scythe in his hand over the large clock of that beautiful parish church. I could not perceive that he had sustained any alteration whatever; but, as I looked at him he seemed to say,"Ah! man, since you removed from these parts I have cut down many. That noble piece of humanity, the clergyman, whom you heard read so many sermons for so many years, even that strong cast-iron frame has fallen into the dust. Isaac Beeman, too, whose 66 life and lips were so deeply consecrated to the glory of Christ, and the feeding of thousands of immortal souls, he is silent in the grave, and h's mortal remains lay beneath my feet; and nearly all the lawyers, and doctors, and tradesmen, rich men and poor men, all have yielded up the ghost, and here (awaiting the judgment throne, the resurrection morn, the final audit, here) they moulder into dust." Lord, what is man ?" A brief existence on the earth, and from hence he goes for ever. The old Independent Chapel, where Mr. Skinner conducted worship for many years, is fallen into decay. The old Baptist Chapel, where George Stonehouse and his son spoke to a few people, was also closed in darkness; even "Providence Chapel," where Isaac Beeman gathered hundreds and hundreds, has been divided and weakened. Thomas Beeman, I was sorry to hear, had ceased to preach through ill health; but in the midst of all these declensions the Congregationalists have commenced the erection of an amalgamation house of worship, and I saw the stately and the aristocratic Independent Cresswell, of Canterbury, assisting to lay the foundation stone. I much fear that truth is departing from that sacred spot, Cranbrook, where William Huntington went to school, where he stole the bread from the soldier's boy, where in after years he preached and planted a living testimony for God; and where that excellent man of God, Isaac Beeman, was so amazingly successful in the work of the Lord. But we know not what the Lord may yet have to do, even in this beautiful little Kentish valley. In the ministrations of Dr. Burch, at the Old Dane House, and William Burch, of Staplehurst, the gospel, in measure, is preached; and I learned that both these witnesses for God are made a blessing to many precious souls. I fled from these hallowed scenes, and wended my way to Egerton Fostal, where on Wednesday and Thursday I was helped to preach the words of truth; and I do hope my work there was not in vain. As soon as it was known that Charles Waters Banks was to preach in the Baptist Chapel at Egerton, the enemy arose, and ran through the country, declaring that this said C. W. B. was a byper-Calvinist, an open communionist, and a dangerous man. Poor souls! some of them were frightened; and off they ran to the pas tor and resident minister, informing him of the awful tidings, at the same time declaring they would never sit to hear him. Isaac McCarthy is a patriarchal divine just on the borders of eternity. He has spent forty years of his life as an Irish Baptist Missionary. He quieted their spirits; good congregations were gathered together, and I am happily persuaded that nothing essential to the gospel was holden back; neither was anything advanced contrary to the will, the word, or the work of God. I can hope that the Lord has sent Mr. McCarthy to Egerton to be a blessing to the cause, and the means of extending the visible kingdom of Christ; and that af flicted souls there in bondage may be truly delivered from all their sorrows; and there are some cases there of a severely trying charac was made of a woman; was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh, and took on him the seed of Abraham. Thus it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, the election of grace; and is called Immanuel, God with us, in our very flesh, in us by faith, for us, over us, around us, one with us. O! this miracle of miracles! ter. I may add, I have been entrusted with by hypostatic union of the divine with the a manuscript of Mr. McCarthy's, valuable human nature in his one person, the word and powerful in the elucidation of Divine was made flesh; God was manifest in flesh; truth, which I hope to be the means of giving to the churches of Christ in Christendom. On Friday morning I left the Egerton parsonage, and travelled through fields, woods, and valleys, to the Pluckley Station, and from thence to Sturry, once more to see and converse with my much loved, long and deeply afflicted brother in Christ, Samuel Foster. In his chamber I met the Baptist minister of Faversham, Mr. Beale, my excellent brother Robert, and the family of the dear afflicted Foster. For an hour, or more, he conversed with me on the blessed openings of God's Word, with which he had been favoured. For more than seven years has the fire of bodily affliction gone on to consume his strong athletic frame. Prostrate in helplessness and weakness he lays, but strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Let real Christians remember that Jesus Christ will treasure up a remembrance of every visit made to such dear souls as this. That word well rewarded me for my journey-"I was sick, and ye visited me.' Either by letter or person, I must hope the sympathising saints of God will not fail to enter this chamber; the most solemn and the most consolatory lessons may be learned. It is more than twenty years now since first I entered the village of Sturry to preach the gospel. How thankful do I feel that my friends still hold on in the fellowship of the gospel! Mr. Frederick Hancock now ministers unto them, and the little church is growing. Beside all this, the Lord has opened the mouth of my own dear brother Samuel to speak in his name. If I did not record his mercies, and praise him, the stones would surely rise against "HE IS LORD OF C. W. B. ALL.” "That rebel worms should ever be One with Incarnate Deity !" The apostles knew that this greatest of all subjects threw into the shade every other, and would not substitute lesser for greater things, as is often the case in the nineteenth century. And what is the consequence, but leanness of soul and barreness wherein this abounds? so goes round the question, "children, have ye here any meat?" Where Christ is not the sumnum bonum, all and in all, there is no meat, no solid food, no substantial nutriment, for He is the Bread of Life. So preached they no less his electing, betrothing, redeeming love; his ancient guarantee suretyship engagement, for and on behalf of his mystic body; his incarnation, obedience, blood, righteousness and complete salvation; and his church's completeness in the same, her debt paid, her sin done away, her iniquity removed, her creditors satisfied, her enemies confounded, her crown secured, her triumphant arrival to her final destiny certain and infabillibly sure. So preached the whole college of apostles, and so the Lord wrought precious faith in the hearts of his dear people to receive it, in the love of it, and to set to their seals that God is true. Thus Christ was preached; and as our apostle adds," and I therein do rejoice; yea, and will rejoice;" and thus the people were fed with the finest of wheat; walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, bringing forth the fruit of righteousness, which are by (and from) Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God. Kent_writes: "But now as Prophet Priest and King, Who dares thus set him forth; With old wives tales the pulpits ring And themes of little worth." If we take a minute survey of the apostolic ministry, as given us in the Acts of the Apostles, and epistolary part of the New Testament Scripture, we shall find that the glorious Person of their and our Almighty Lord, was their invariable subject, at all places, and upon all occasions. Yea, so determined was The Lord graciously give to the people a Paul to know nothing among men but Jesus pure language, suppress error, and stop the Christ, and him crucified; and Peter adds, mouths of gainsayers; and those who make "when we made known unto you the power and the hearts of the righteous sad, whom he hath coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but where not made sad, by their lies and by their lighteye-witnesses of his majesty," thus preaching ness; make his own dear servants more peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. and more valiant for the truth upon the earth; Declaring that there was no other name under bring his professing church back again to the heaven given among men whereby we must Apostolic preaching, that the all gracious, all be saved. While John subjoins," that glorious, Person of the Son of God, his rightwhich was from the beginning, which we eousness and blood, love, grace, mercy, fullhave seen with our eyes, which we have look-ness, all-sufficiency, preciousness and rich ed upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that which we have seen and and heard "declare we unto you." Whilst the person of Christ is the great subject! yea, greatest in the balance of inspiration, unfolded so was he, his person the subject matter of the apostolic preaching—as God and as man; yet not two, but one Christ, one altogether; not by conversion of Godhead into flesh, but" salvation be the only theme from the pulpit and the only rejoicing in the pew. So may the apostles' words and doctrine vibrate throughout the churches from east to west, and north to south. So "So we preach, and so ye believed." prays a well wisher to the Zion of the Holy One of Israel, W. BIDDER. 22, Sutherland Square, London. A GENERAL REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS, ANNIVERSARY MEETINGS, &c., &c. [TO GIVE lengthened reviews of all the works | text-"THY MAKER IS THINE HUSBANDand reports with which we are this month the Lord of Hosts is his name.' favoured is impossible. We will endeavor to extract the most interesting points from as many as our space will admit.-ED.] "A GRACIOUS HUSBAND." By Samuel Cozens. There is no heavier task for an Editor than faithfully to notice the works which fall into his hands, either for commendation or condemnation, as the case may be. Books are like the herbs and the weeds which grow under our hedges; they are like the trees and the plants found in our shrubberies; or the fruits and the flowers which thrive in our gardens. There is a large variety; and each is either useful and ornamental; or unwholesome, and fit only for fuel. Men's tastes are very different likewise. Some men speak well of every minister; and find savour and comfort in every book that has the words "grace," "gospel," "Jesus" and "heaven" in them. Other men speak well of no man: and as for books, they are in the estimation of such conceited Christians-worse than rubbish. Some men cannot write books themselves; but they can condemn all who do. Some can write a great deal; but they can neither print nor publish; or if they have attempted, as some of our brethren have done, they have been so unsuccessful that it seems to have soured them for ever. And although such men cannot do without books, yet, in public, they generally pour much contempt on all the productions of their more earnest and persevering brethren. We have lived amid thousands of books for the last forty years; and we must confess we never hardly expect to find much sound and savoury divinity in books, unless we turn back to the productions of past ages: but, here and there, our inmost souls are stirred up with grateful emotions when, in reading the effusions of some modern men, "the good Samaritan" seems to come where we are, and pours into our long and deeply wounded spirits the oil and wine of grace and truth. Of late, we have travelled and read the sheets of a new work, now printing, entitled "The Teachers' Thought-Book," &c., by Samuel Cozens, and the further we have gone into this work the stronger have been our convictions that it will be useful, especially to that numerous class of men who have but little time for study; and yet are doing much good in filling up vacant pulpits, and supplying destitute churches. We shall (the Lord permitting) give our readers such extracts from this work as we consider fairly represent its true character. The following sentences are from an excellent article on that beautiful marrieth a wife he oweth unto her seven "ACCORDING to Jewish law, when a man things; and she oweth three things. The things which he oweth are, 1, her food; 2, her raiment; 3, her marriage duty (that is, to give her a dowry, to go in unto her, and to converse with her); 4, to heal her, if she be sick; 5, to redeem her, if she be taken captive; 6, to nourish her, of his goods; and, 7, to let her dwell in his house. And the things which she oweth are, 1, that the work of her hands be his; 2, that her attendance be upon him; and, 3, that he eat of all the fruits of her goods during her life. Now, whether the Hebrew doctors have given us precisely the doctrines of marriage or not, we know that such are the doctrines of that spiritual union, subsisting betwixt Christ and his Church. He hath engaged, by oath and promise, to perform the Kinsman's part; to feed her; to clothe her; to heal her; to redeem her; to nourish and cherish her; and to bring her home to dwell with him for ever. These things will he do 'I will unto her and not forsake her. betroth thee (says thy Husband) unto me for ever: yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment (sanctification), and in lovingkindness, and in mercies, and in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.' Here, beloved, you perceive the union is lastbut he hates to put away: he knew the worst ing it is for ever. You may fear a divorce, of thee before he married thee; and he took thee into union to himself, as we take our wives, with all their bad, as well as good qualities; it is true we marry them for their without the bad; and, therefore, we take them good qualities; but we cannot marry the good for better or worse: it is legal: it is in righteousnes.' He obeyed the commandments of heaven, and satisfied justice for your transgression of the law: he bore away sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness: it is loving, in lovingkindness. Love was the foundation of this union righteousness is the strength of it; and eternity is the duration of it. It is living, in judgment;' or sanctification. Christ will have a living love,' a sanctified spouse, a worthy wife. It is merciful: 'in mercies.' Mark, it is not in mercy, but in mercies.' O, what a mercy for a bad wife, that she has a merciful husband, whose pardoning and comforting mercies are new every morning! In the morning he kisses away all the mourning and gloom of the night. 'Mourning may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.' It is faithful: in faithfulness.' He is not only merciful, to pardon all the faults of his bride, he is also faithful to the performance of all the articles of the marriage compact. ་ "Beloved, there is one thing that greatly delights my soul in this matter; and that is, that it is not lawful for a woman to put away her husband; there is no law by which a woman can put away her husband; and I am sure there is no law by which a believer can put away Christ; and I am equally certain that there is no law by which Christ can put away his Church; for he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit; and what God hath thus joined together, no man, no, nor devil either, shall put asunder. Some people talk as though the union of Christ and his Church was much more loose than the union of man and wife; but the union of Christ and his Church as far exceeds this, as God's Sacrificial Lamb (who took away the sins of ages and of millions) exceedeth the fleecy typical lambs of Judea. Yea, the union of Christ and his Church exceeds our marriage union, as far as the substance exceeds the shadow; for, let it be distinctly observed, that whatever domestic comforts are derivable from the institution of marriage, it is but a type after all. "The titles of Christ, and the appellations of the Church, prove that there is a marriage relation betwixt him and her. For instance, he is the Church's Beloved; and she is Christ's 'love.' She calls him, My Beloved;' and he calls her, My love.' Again, he is the Bridegroom, and she is the bride. He is the Husband, and she is the married wife. We will notice, 6 notwithstanding her froward temper, her brutish ignorance, her absolute weakness, her consummate insolence, her infamous character, and her repeated rebellions, he declares himself her Husband. Secondly, the infinite advantages to the bride of such a Bridegroom. By the marriage compact he hath made himself over to her in all he is, and all he hath, and all he hath done. Is he an Advocate? he is the Advocate of his Church. Is he a Bridegroom? he is the Bridegroom of his Church. Is he a Jesus? he is the Jesus of his Church. Is he a Prince ? he is the influential Head of his Church, &c., &c. "Thirdly, let us glance at the spring, source, or cause of this marriage relation. Love, everlasting love, is the source of this union,—' I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.' Love summoned the great council in which the marriage bond was drawn up; love engaged to do all things necessary to consummate the mar riage; love brought him down to earth; love nailed him to the cross; love put him to death; love made him an offering for sin, love laid him in the grave for her. Love is the golden chain that brings and binds the sinner unto God.' The love of a Triune Jehovah shines resplendent in this match. In love, Jehovah the Father contrived it; and, as the most infallible evidence, sent his Son to be the Husband of his Church; in love, Jehovah the Son consented to it; and in love Jehovah the Spirit consummates it. The Father in covenant said to the Son, take so-and-so to be thy wedded wife ?' The Son unreservedly responded, 'I will.' The Spirit in conversion says, 'Wilt thou take this Man, this God-man, to be thy wedded Husband?' and she answers, without hesitation, I will. Thus the nuptials are solemnised by the Father and the Spirit: the Father in covenant gives the Son to the woman; and the Spirit in conversion gives the woman to the Man; and a union thus formed and consummated is as indissoluble as the personalities in the Godhead. 'Nothing shall separate Christ his Church." -Wilt thou "First, the infinite disparity between the bride and the Bridegroom. Should a nobleman marry his servant, there would be a disparity; should a prince marry a beggar, there would be a greater disparity; should a king set his love upon, and marry a prostitute, there would be a much greater disparity; should an angel marry a reptile of the earth, there would be, I was going to say, the greatest disparity; but, it is not so; the greatest disparity is in my text. Thy Maker is thine Husband.' The Bridegroom is the richest Being in the universe: the bride is the poorest: he possesses all things; she possesses nothing: he hath enough to discharge her liabilities, and to spare; she is deep in debt, and hath nothing to pay: he is theWILL THE GREAT COMET, NOW RAPIDLY Brightness of the Father's glory; she is the blackest human representation of sin's malignity: he is the glorious Lord of love: she is the inglorious lady of enmity: he is the Son of the Highest; she is the daughter of the lowest: he is the image of the invisible God; she is the image of the devil: he is the blood royal of heaven; she is the base born slave of hell: he is her Friend; she is his foe. In fine, he is all love; she is all enmity: he is all life; she is all death: he is all light; she is all darkness: he is all perfect, and all over glorious; she is all pollution, and all over loathesome: he is all righteousness; she is all unrighteousness: he is all fulness; she is all emptiness (of course, I am now speaking of what he is in himself; and what she is in herself). But notwithstanding the poverty of her state; the blackness, deformity, and loathesomeness of her person; the meanness of her birth; the enmity of her heart; the darkness of her mind; the death of her soul; the pollution of her conscience; the unrighteousuess of her conduct: APPROACHING, STRIKE THE EARTH ?" issued a pamphlet, bearing the above title, James Gilbert, of 49, Paternoster Row, has containing a brief history of comets, and worth some attention. A French prophet has said this comet will strike the earth, and crush us: but the writer of this pamphlet opposes such a prediction upon the ground of yet unfulfilled prophecy. In Caryll's Commentary on the Book of Job, we have a beautiful chapter or two on the celestial heavens, &c., which, with reflections on the comet, we hope to publish soon. "Pulpit Dialectics:-A Letter to Mr. C. H. Spurgeon. By an Oxford Layman." London: Painter and Sons. If this "Oxford Layman" had put his own name to his production; and if he had placed his thirty pages of rebuke within the reach of the reading public, there would have been some ground to hope he was sincerely aiming to do good:-if the gigantic powers of mind, which he evidently possesses, had been employed with "THE MEN WHO CAME AFTER THE APOS- Ward and Locke, of 158, Fleet Street, have issued the first part of a work entitled "The Great Sermons of the Great Preachers." From this work we may gather brief memoirs of the lives and labours of some of the earlier fathers, "A Narrative of some of the Lord's dealings with JAMES COMLEY, many years a Professed Infidel, but now a Disciple of Jesus Christ. Written by Himself." London: Jarrold & Sons, and R. Banks & Co., Dover Road. James Comley is, evidently, a very clever man; and he is, at present, under the influence of much zeal, and an earnest desire to know the truth. It would not be just either to Mr. Comley, or to our readers, to say we are fully satisfied his conversion is of God, and to God. We must endeavour to read, mark, and inwardly digest his narrative; which we most sincerely hope is but the commencement of a long and devoted career of usefulness in the Redeemer's cause. Mr. Comley's narrative is exceedingly interesting-full proof of which we hope to give next month. "Peniel: or, the Angel Wrestling and Jacob Prevailing. By Rev. J. Denniston, M.A." London: Judd and Glass, Gray's Inn Road, and Paternoster Row. : which now we find them. Oh! precious and most valued book is this volume of expository and of experimental letters, which were drawn from the deepest gushes of a heart that was baptised in the Godhead and incarnate glories of the great Messiah. Christians read it, and read it again. Let it be in company with your Bible; it will often throw light upon the revelations of hea ven; and as often will it move your hearts, and melt your souls, under the sweet peepings which it will let you into, of the immortal and never-dying beauties of Israel's Prophet, Priest, and King. And, if poor tried and tempted souls are driven from their happy enjoyments of felt interest in Jesu's love, we would say,read the Psalms; read John's Gospel; read Paul's epistles; and, withal, read Rutherford's letters. Oh, if there is one spark of holy, fire laying among the ashes of the poor sacrificed spiritual feeling, sure we are, these letters will kindle that spark into a flame; and out will burst your songs of praise to Him who lives, and loves, and reigns, for you. The bonny little Irish lads of the Bonmahon Printing School, in Ireland; under the superintendence of Mr. Doudney, have produced a most complete edition of the well known work; and it is now to be had of Mr. Collingridge, who is literally filling the world with books of an excellent kind. No better, or more complete edition of these letters (at the price) can be had than is this. It has an index prepared expressly for this edition; and introductory and prefatory literary, mental, and biographical passages, which, like so many outer rooms of exordium, prepare you for the feast. Please God, we will give this work a thorough canvass, and furnish our readers with the richest morsels. There are some precious thoughts in this THE BACKSLIDER'S WOE AND little book and some things we never saw before which, in a future review, will come under notice. "LIFE AND LETTERS OF SAMUEL RUTHERFORD." W. H. Collingridge, Long-lane, London. WARNING. HAVING seen in the VESSEL of February Something which I believe to be one of the mysterious, yet sorrowful, paths of some of the Lord's dear family (viz.) "The Companions If ever there was a man who entered fully of a Sorrowful Heart," am encouraged to into the vital glories of Solomon's Song, solicit the favour of a small space in your who came up out of the wilderness, leaning vessel, as I have to my shame and sorrow upon the arm of the Beloved, that man was backslidden from the Lord. At the age of Samuel Rutherford; and we know of no one 24, the Almighty convinced me of my awful individual whose life and experience furnish-state as a sinner; and for many months I ed a more demonstrative witness of the gen- walked in bitterness of soul, feelingly deuineness of the union which between Christ serving nothing but hell, yet crying for mercy; and true believing souls doth exist, that is to be my sins were many and weighty; neverthefound in the pure and unvarnished, and con- less, the Lord remembered me in mercy, and stant out-flowing experience of that holy saint from these words I felt comfort-" In that and most devoted servant of God, "the Scotch day sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine, Professor of Divinity, in St. Andrews." I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." My unbelieving heart, was wont to doubt if it was from the Lord; but the Friend of Sinners would not leave me here and as these words were delivered by way of text, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven;" so I felt it settled in my soul, confirming the truth of the word, and I did sing while by faith beholding a suffering Saviour Men may say what they please of us, and of our testimony, but we most unreservedly proclaim it as our unbiassed persuasion, that if one quarter of the men who profess to be the ambassadors of Jesus Christ in these days, lived as much in the faith and fellowship of the dear SON of GOD as this noble Scotch martyr did, our Churches would not be in that dead and drowsy, in that cold and divided state in |