called, the Lord's prayer,) to rehearse the creed commencing "I believe in God," &c; and to say the following, "Little children be so wise, Speak the truth and tell no lies; For ever in the lake of hell." A WARNING TO BACKSLIDERS, AND A WORD TO CARELESS HEARERS OF upon your brow, you at times feel the effect of God's frown; and know what it is to be filled with your own ways; you cannot be quite easy in the world; you cannot face a child of God; they look upon you with sorrow, to think that you once professed to love the Lord, and now deny him. Your children care not to go to God's house, because you go not there; you help them to believe the lie that religion is all a sham, and so you increase their unconcern for their immortal souls, and push them on to ruin. Devils rejoice together at your sad state, to know they have broken your legs, broken your peace, and soon would break your neck if they could. May the Lord stop you, and bring you to his feet, and let you rove no more. If he does not before you are laid upon your dying bed, Oh, what a scene will that be! What poisonous asps will swarm about you, and sting you on your dying pillow! Our excellent brother Miller, of Wycombe ONE THAT WISHES WELL TO ZION. What a lesson this should teach us all who MARY WILLOUGHBY died April 15th. She was baptized, and became a member of a love the Lord! What need to pray for keepBaptist Church at Maidstone, Kent; but being in his ways-to pray for grace to keep us ing removed in Providence to Wycombe humble, to keep us from sin that it may not Marsh, she joined the church at New Land grieve us," to keep us from the vanities of the Chapel, Wycombe; and for a few years was world, and from the deceitfulness of selfrighteousness! an active, useful, member; constant in attendance, and was very happy in the ways of the Lord. But, alas! she got into a careless state, neglected the means; and pained the minds of her fellow members; and though the gospel was preached as well near her residence, she did not encourage the servants of God who preached there by her presence-and no wonder she was a stranger to that joy and peace she formerly possessed. But God in mercy did not let her alone in this dead state, but sent affliction to teach her and bring her again to himself, and by bitter experience she found what the Psalmist says is true; "if my children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments: if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments, then will Í visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes." She was laid upon a bed of affliction, and her sufferings were, at times, very great for near seven years. Geelong, Australia.-Our brother John Bunyan McCure has most generously sent us a draft note for FIVE POUNDS towards Redemption Fund. We tender him our most sincere acknowledgements-and trust his usefulness and prosperity under God, may long continue, and abundantly increase. Liver pool.-Given by Friends in the Chapel, Prospect-street, Low Hill, £1 48. 6d. Manchester.-Collected after sermon by C. W. B. in Mr E. Samuel's Chapel, Salford, £4 78. Gd. Sum already announced £94 1s. 10d. Mrs N. M. 0 26 0 1 0 3. Croofoot, Holloway, Mrs. Atkins But it produced the end intended by her Lord, and her deep sorrow and grief several have witnessed, when she said, "When in health I would not go to God's house, and now, oh! that I could meet with his people, join in praising him, and hearing the glorious gospel!" Thus the Lord was as good as his word in the next verse of the Psalm :"Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I Thomas Rowland, Coggeshall not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail." He restored comfort to her soul, and she, at last, felt his kind, forgiving love, (though she could not forgive herself) and no doubt she is now with her Lord who bought her with his precious blood. D, Town D. H. Do. 0 10 0 0 0 ... 0 2 6 0 ... 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 Oh! that you, dear reader, may be diligent in the use of the means for your soul's good, and you, poor backslider, may this speak Mr John Pledger, Staines to you, for if you really were what you once professed to be, you have sinned a very hell into your soul, although grace prevents your sinning your soul to hell. You find no time for God; but you are a stranger to peace; a blight rests upon you, and with all that smile One who heard C. W. B. to profit in E. T. Marylebone A Surrey Tabernacle Member, JOHN BUNYAN'S DISTINCTION Between the Two-fold Giving out of the Law. [THE following is from an ancient volume of John Bunyan's writings, many of whom, we think are but little known by the Churches in this day. We have felt persuaded that the Lord would render the re-issue of it in THE EARTHEN VESSEL, a blessing to many of His own dear people. With this hopeful, and prayerful persuasion, we here give it. Before reading the following extract from Bunyan, the reader should distinctly examine the nineteenth and the thirty-fourth Chapters of Exodus.-An hour may thus be spent, we trust, much to the edification of the sincere seeker after truth.-ED.] THE law was given twice upon Mount Sinai, but the appearance of the Lord when he gave it the second time, was wonderfully different from that of his, when at the first he delivered it to Israel. I. When he gave it the first time, he caused his terror and severity to appear before Moses, to the shaking of his soul and the dismaying of Israel: But when he gave it the second time, he caused all his goodness to pass before Moses, to the comfort of his conscience and the bowing of his heart. nal ruin if he fulfil not the utmost tittle thereof: yet the believer stands to the law under no such consideration, neither is he so at all to hear or regard it, for he is now removed from thence to the blessed mountain of Zion, to grace and forgiveness of sins; he is now, I say, by faith in the Lord Jesus, shrouded under so perfect and blessed a righteousness, that this thundering law of Mount Sinai cannot find the least fault of diminution therein; but rather approveth and alloweth thereof either when, or whereII. When he gave it the first time, it was ever it find it. This is called the righteouswith Thundrings and Lightnings, with Black-ness of God, which is by faith in Jesus ness and Darkness, with Flame and Smoke, Christ unto all and upon all them that beand a tearing sound of the Trumpet: but lieve, for there is no difference. when he gave it the second time, itwas with a VI. Wherefore when ever thou who beproclamation of his name to be merciful, gra- lievest in Jesus, doest hear the law in its cious, long-suffering, and abundant in good- thundering and lightning fits, as if it would ness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, burn up heaven and earth; then say thou, I forgiving iniquity, transgressions, and sins. am freed from this law, these thunderings III. When he gave it the first time, have nothing to do with my soul; nay even Moses was called to go up to receive it this law, while it thus thunders and roareth, through the fire, which made him exceed-it doth both allow and approve of my rightingly fear and quake: but when he went to receive it the second time, he was hid in a clift of the rock. IV. From all which I gather, that, though as to the matter of the law, both as to its being given the first time, and the second, it binds the unbeliever under the pains of Eternal Damnation (if he close not with Christ by Faith). Yet as to the manner of its giving at these two times, I think the first doth more principally intend its force as a Covenant of works, not at all respecting the Lord Jesus; but this second time not (at least in the manner of its being given) respecting such a Covenant, but rather as a rule, or directing to those who already are found in the clift of the rock, Christ; for the saint himself, though he be without law to God, as it is considered the first or old Covenant, yet even he is not without law to him as considered under grace, nor without law to God, but under the law to Christ. V. Though therefore it be sad with the unbeliever, because he only and wholly standeth under the law, as it is given in fire, in smoke, in blackness, and darkness, and thunder; all which threaten him with EterVOL. XIV.-No. 159. eousness. I know that Hagar would sometimes be domineering and high, even in Sarah's house and against her; but this she is not suffered to do, nay, though Sarah herself be barren; wherefore serve it also as Sarah served her, and expel her out of thy house. My meaning is, when this law with its thunderings doth attempt to lay hold on thy conscience, shut it out with a promise of grace; cry, the Inn is took up already, the Lord Jesus is here entertained, and here is no room for the law. Indeed, if it be content with being my reformer, and so lovingly leave off to judge me, I will be content, it shall be in my sight, I will also delight therein; but otherwise, I being now made upright without it, and that too with that righteousness, which this law speaks well of and approveth; I may not, will not, cannot, dare not, make it my Saviour and judge, nor suffer it to set up its government in my conscience; for by so doing, I fall from Grace, and Christ Jesus doth profit me nothing. VII. Thus, therefore, the soul that is married to HIM that is raised up from the dead, both may and ought to deal with this law of God; yea, it doth greatly dishonour H its Lord and refuse its gospel privileges, if it at any time otherwise doth, whatever it seeth or feels. The law hath power over the wife so long as her husband liveth, but if her husband be dead she is freed from that law, so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man. Indeed so long as thou art alive to sin and to thy righteousness which is of the law, so long thou hast them for thy husband and they must reign over thee but when once they become dead unto thee, as they most certainly will, when thou closest with the Lord Jesus Christ; then, I say, thy former husbands have no more to meddle with thee, thou art freed from their law. Suppose a woman be cast into prison for a debt of hundreds of pounds, if after this she marry! yea, though while she is joined to her husband, her debt is all become his; yea, and the law which arrested and imprisoned this woman, now freely tells her, go; she is freed, saith Paul, from that, and so saith the law of this land. The sum then of what hath been said is this, the Christian hath now nothing to do with the Law, as it thundereth and burneth on Sinai, or as it bindeth the conscience to wrath and the displeasure of God for Sin; for from it thus appearing, it is freed by faith in Christ. Yet it is to have regard thereto, and it is to count it holy, just and good; which that it may do, it is always whenever it seeth or regards it, to remember that he who giveth it to us is merciful, gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, &c. DID THE SAVIOUR TAKE UP THE SAME LIFE AS HE LAID DOWN? DEAR MR. EDITOR-Among the many opinions relating to the Person of the Saviour, there are some very curious ones, and it is upon one of these curious opinions I will, with your kind permission, make just a remark or two. The curious opinion to which I allude is, that when the Saviour rose from the dead, flesh and bones, but not blood, rose from the dead. What end this sentiment aims at I know not, or where the authority for such a sentiment is I know not, or by what circumstance, or by what process of reasoning such a sentiment is sought to be established, I know not; all I can say is that such a sentiment is contrary to my own opinion, and I should think it is a sentiment contrary to the Scriptures, and consequently contrary to fact and to truth. The Saviour laid down his life, but does it therefore follow that every drop of blood of his sacred body must be shed? Is there any proof that all his blood literally was shed? does the piercing of his hands, his feet and his side necessarily convey When such an idea? I think not: I believe he was, as to his manhood, a perfectly sinless natural man, just as Adam was before the fall, (Rom. v. 14.; Heb. ix. 14,) and that he rose again, a perfectly sinless man. I say perfectly a natural man, I mean that he was perfectly human when he rose from the dead; it is true flesh and bones only are mentioned, but then the reason for this is both simple and clear (Luke xxiv.) when he appeared suddenly in the midst of the disciples, they were affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit; but he said, "behold my hands and my feet: that it is I, myself, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Now, to have said a spirit hath not flesh and bones and blood, as ye see me have, would, we at once see, bave been improper; because you cannot with propriety say a spirit hath not blood, as ye see me have: he mentions, therefore, only the visible substance and outlines of the body, and thus spake (as he always did do) as the occasion required. The blood is the life, and he took up the life that he laid down. Here he very materially differed from us: we shall not rise by the self-same life that died, because our natural life is vitiated, corrupt, and must see corruption; but he "whom God raised from the edad," saw no corruption, therefore he needs nothing new to raise him from the dead: for his natural life never was corrupted: "his life was pure without a spot, and all his nature clean." But we need something new to raise us from the dead, and something new, by which we shall be raised from the dead. is the resurrection and the life, but he him. self could rise from the dead as he was, and thus show that while "by man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead." So I understand it, that just as Adam was when he sinned, or rather before be sinned, just such was the manhood of Christ when he rose from the dead: for the children He being partakers of flesh and blood, he likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil. Well, then, he certainly rose the same as he died, a partaker of flesh and blood, for it was with our nature that he was to conquer sin, death, and Satan. Is it then likely he would rise without one of the essentials to perfect manhood? For myself, I have not so learned Christ. I believe his manhood was precisely the same in his resurrection as in his death: if it were not so, how could the purpose be answered? Look at it; he took flesh and blood to conquer and put away sin and death, and to destroy the power of Satan, but if death retained an essential part of his manhood, where, then, would be the completeness of the victory? We are very differently situated. Our victory is not by anything we naturally possess, for our victory is the gift of God, and is, by what the EPISTLES My good Theophilus, I will now proceed with a few more remarks upon the resurrection of the body. I will notice how the body is to be raised up, the state to which it is to be raised, the prospect for which it will be fitted, together with the desirableness of this ultimate state of things. body will be raised as it appears to me, How, then, will the body be raised up? The in a way that will require every perfection; every attribute of the Most High God, and as the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is to raise the dead, will not this great event be a full demonstration of his Godhead, and to the confirming of every one of his friends, and confusion of his foes! And thus it appears that until he entirely finished his sojourn on earth, he remained in the (sinless) likeness of men; and that as a partaker of flesh and blood, had conquered: and as perfect man, as partaker of flesh and blood, he ranged, after his resurrection, over the battle-field, and sees with perfect satisfaction, everything he had done. And had he to live his life, and die his death over again, not one thing would he alter; all the time The living are to be changed, and the dead he staid on earth with us, up to the day of to be raised in a moment, in the twinkling of his ascension, he was, like us, a partaker of that is, infinite knowledge, for if there could an eye. Here, then, must be Omniscience; flesh and blood. But what the kind of be one atom unknown to him that raised the change of state his manhood underwent in dead, he then could not know that the resurits ascension to heaven, we shall better un-rection is complete: something may be gaderstand when we come into the light of perfect day; it was by the perfection of his atonement that he entered heaven: by his own blood, that is, by his death, by the allsufficiency thereof, he entered into the holy of holies, to appear in the presence of God, not against us, but for us. And though the wounds in his feet, and hands, and side, were, after his resurrection, still visible, yet there appeared nothing in other respects different from his general appearance before his death, for even the dis ciples going to Emmaus would have known him from his appearance, were it not that their eyes were holden that they should not know him. But above all, let us be careful how we speak of this wonderful Person, for he is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence by all them that are round about him. I have, Mr. Editor, made these few remarks by request, and singular as may be the notion of the Saviour when he rose from the dead having no blood in his body, yet it is a notion which involves more consideration than I have here space to dwell on. I therefore conclude that the Saviour took up the self-same life which he had laid down; that his flesh and blood were not corrupt flesh and blood; for of corrupt flesh and blood, the Apostle says that it cannot inherit the kingdom of God. He, therefore, will "change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." CAMON. "Our accountability to God was so great, that none but the Almighty shoulders of Jesus Christ could bear the burden."-James Wells. thered up which ought not to be gathered up, or something left to be consumed with the earth, which ought not to be consumed. The Messiah will indeed then demonstrate that he knoweth all things. This infinity of knowledge is one of the seals of our security, and it is a seal that standeth sure. The Lord knoweth them that are his. rection, for it is only where he is, that the Omnipresence is also essential to the resurdead can be quickened, but the dead as well as the living will be found in the four quarters of the globe; and they are to be raised not as they were called by God, one by one, or one at one time and another at another time, for they are to be all raised at the same time, even at the selfsame moment. Omnipotence: for what but Almighty power could raise, in a moment, the dust into immortality of a number which no man can number, heaven, even to the heaven of heaven's most and at the same time lift them from earth to glorious height, that they may not have a lower heaven than the Saviour himself, but that where he is, they may be also. Eternity: for the resurrection is for eternity, and that eternity to the saints maintained by the Person, and by the Priesthood, of the Saviour. Holiness, to assimilate them to himself, and present them holy, and without blame, before him in love. would raise us up into joy unspeakable and Love for what but great love could or full of glory? and this glory follows in accordance with the work of redemption. Skilfulness; he guides them now by the skilfulness of his hand, and feeds them according to the integrity of his heart: but what will be the skilfulness needed to so construct the body that it shall, without fault or flaw, drawback or hindrance, go rejoicing on to all eternity? Thus shall the Saviour appear in his om niscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, eternity, holiness, love, and skilfulness; when every empire, every province, every city, every town, every village, every house within the "wide, wide world" shall be broken up; not one stone shall be left upon another. Landslips, volcanoes, and earthquakes, are but symptoms of the approaching event of nature's final groan. Old Father Time must give up the ghost. There are already some signs of his nearing the autumn of his age; the days (peradventure) of affliction which now keep the nations in darkness, will soon be shortened, and then comes a more extensive spread of the gospel of the grace of God, and a great harvest of souls ingathered to Christ. Then cometh the end, and that end will be sudden, it will be in a moment. The earth will stay her course, and yield up her living and her dead. How these things can be, can be explained only by the will and ability of him who says it shall be so, and as the universe came into being at his word, it, shall pass away at his word. But look, most excellent Theophilus, not only at the glory of the Saviour's mighty power in raising the dead in a moment, but look also at the five-fold contrast given to us by the Apostle in this 15th of Corinthians. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in in. corruption. Incorruption! what does this mean? First, it means freedom from disease; and secondly, freedom from all liability to disease or death. This, then, I will call sub stitution the first. Second, honor for dishonor. Sin is our cor ruption and our dishonour; and so the body sinks under the weight of its own dishonour: but it is raised in glory; fitted for nearer approach to God than perhaps the highest angel can ever reach for Jesus passed by the nature of angels, and took upon him the seed of Abraham, and so shall the body be for ever buoyant, bold, glorious, happy, and bright as the morning star. Third, power for weakness. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, all its Godlike powers will be mighty in oneness with the soul to range in the boundless pleasures and delights of God and the Lamb; no time lost in sleep; no clogging from sameness: everlasting good tidings meeting and following them everywhere; no loss to regret; no foe to fear; no sin to startle the conscience, to burden, or to distress; no accusing devil; no frowning world; no false brethren; no clouds to obscure the vision of a smiling God. Fourth, spiritual for natural. It is to be raised a spiritual body, not etherial, but it is to be substantial, or it would not be a body. The body then is not to be turned into a spirit, but yet the body is to be spiritual; that is that the sights, scents, sounds and touches of the heavenly world will in perfection be recognised and enjoyed by the body; whereas, in our present state, the body, in its various senses, is only fitted for this world: though, my good Theophilus, you are enabled, upon the whole, to "present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God," yet it is not by any delight the body has in the service of God, that you are enabled so to do, for now it is merely a natural body; but then it will be a spiritual body. Fifth, it is to be not an earthly body, but a heavenly body; as superior in all its powers to Adam in an earthly paradise, as is the glorified body of the Saviour to the heavenly paradise. Here, then, will be complete personal conformity to Christ: for "we shall be like him," and "see him as he is:" and for all the nearest and dearest natural ties and affections will be substituted heavenly ties, and pure, perfect, infallible, immortal affections; for we are to be perfect in love, and we shall know each other there by remembrance, much as two persons brought to know the truth, recollect each other while each was in a state of nature, but then this part of their knowledge does not much interest them, for they have the same union of soul to those whom they did not know in a state of nature, as to those they did know in a state of nature; but this part, as I have said, of their knowledge does not much interest them: it is their supremely interests them. And so it will be knowledge of, and oneness in the truth, that in heaven, their perfect knowledge of each other with whom they sojourned on earth, will not much interest them; it will be their then present state and prospects which will supremely unite and interest them: and, therefore, the feasible fables of wives and husbands, parents and children, making a part of the delight in heaven, have no place in the Bible! for if you carry this notion into eternity, most terrible consequences must follow: namely, that if the presence of one who was an earthly relative gives delight, then the absence of others must create distress; therefore, every human tie must perish. I am aware that in thus speaking I am robbing the effeminate ladies-man kind of preacher of a very essential element to his and sometimes an essential element to a good pathos, an essential element to his charity. collection; and nature, as these soft-tongued prophets well known, is much easier affected by its own fables, than by the facts of the gospel. But, my good Theophilus, be not thou like unto them; for in God's truth you must know nothing but the truth, and for the truth sake, band, child, parent, or any other relative, you, let who may oppose, whether it be wife, husI say, for the truth sake, must take up your daily cross, and "know no man after the flesh." Thus then, you see, though some things in this order of things seem hard to flesh and blood; yet, there is enough of glory to more than make up all the sacrifice, which nature has to make all tears for ever wiped away. Prospect. But look for a moment at the passport with which, on the resurrection morning, you will set out for your endless round of pleasures, mixed up with none but those whom you in perfection love-God and the Lamb, angels and saints. How good and pleasant it will be to dwell in that divine |