The Power and Prevalence of the Prayer of Faith.

(Continued from Vol. I.)

Having noticed in a former number of the Earthen Vessel, Jehoshaphat, as being a threefold type of the Lord Jesus Christ, I now come to notice, according to promise, the threefold combination of enemies he had to contend with: but there are three things in Jehoshaphat's prayer, worthy of notice: First, there is the divine relationship acknowledged and laid hold of for support: "O our God." Secondly, the importunate request made, "wilt thou not judge them, for we have no might (or power) against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do," and, Thirdly, there is an entire reliance upon God for deliverance: "but our eyes are upon thee." Every thing that God does for his people is based upon the ground of divine relationship and covenant love; hence, Moses says, when speaking of the Lord's goodness to his ancient Israel, "The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth: the Lord did not set his love upon you because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because he loved you." Deut. vii. 6-8. God's great name to the Old Testament saints, was JEHOVAH :" but his great name to the New Testament saints, is "LOVE." God is love, 1 John, iv. 15; and all whom God the Father loves, God the Son redeems, and all whom God the Son redeems, God the Holy Ghost quickens, and sanctifies; hence we know that God in his Trinity of Persons, is love, by the effects: for "in this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him: herein is love, not that we (in a state of nature,) loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John, iv. 9-10. As Christ lives for ever (Rev. i.. 8.) so he loves for ever. "The Lord hath appeared unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." (Jer, xxxi, 3.) and the Holy Ghost prepares the hearts of all the elect for the reception of this love; and wheresoever this love is shed abroad in the heart by the power of the blessed Spirit, there will be an acknowledging of this divine relationship; and a laying hold of it by a precious faith, for support in the time of affliction and trouble, for that faith which comes from God will be sure to lead the soul that possesses it, to God, with a "doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer, thy name is from everlasting." (Isa. lxiii, 16.) What precious testimonies have we left upon record for our encouragement, of the power and prevailings of the prayer of faith. Prayer did, as it were, fetch God out of heaven; for he says "I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them." (Ex. iii. 6—9.) See also 1 Kings, xviii, 37-38; 2 Kings, iv, 12; Numbers, xvi, 32; Acts, xii, 5—7; Matt, 8, 7—13; and, John, ii, 43; prayer saith an old divine, is the first and should be the last dish; ye must live and die praying as Stephen did. Acts, 9, 59. but I pass on to notice,

Secondly, The importunate request made; they that be strong, saith God, shall do exploits; and how shall they do it? By faith calling upon God, as Moses did when the earth opened and swallowed up Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with all that appertained unto them: by faith calling upon God as Elijah did, when the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench, to the utter confusion of the prophets of Baal (1 Kings, xviii. 38.) and by faith calling upon God, as the saints did when

Peter was in the prison, so that his chains fell off, and the iron gate opened as it were of its own accord (Acts xii, 5-7.) But the importunate request made, leads me to notice the persons referred to: and they are said to be the children of Ammon and Moab, and mount Seir; "whom thou (O God,) wouldest not let Israel invade when they came up out of Egypt; but they turned from them, and destroyed them not. (verse 10.) There are three things said in the word of God with reference to these implacable enemies of the Church of Christ: and the first is, that they were not to be received into the congregation of God's dear people: secondly, that they were the oppressors of God's people: and, thirdly, that they reproached and magnified themselves against God's people in the time of their afflictions: (See Ezekiel, 25,) hence Solomon says "whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; and he that is glad at the calamities (of God's people) shall not be unpunished, or held innocent." Not only those who deride their poverty, but those also that take advantage of the poverty of God's people to oppress them: [and many there be in the present day which do, of whom we would hope better things, to their shame be it spoken: but let all such men know, saith Solomon, that they that thus reproach God shall not go unpunished. But, "how, do we reproach God," say they, I answer, first, by treating with contempt his providence; for he that made the rich made the poor also (Proverbs xxii, 2.) not only their persons, but their conditions: hence it comes to pass, saith an eminent man of God, when speaking of the sovereignty of Jehovah, in the bestowing much wealth and honour upon some, and not vouchsafing it to the more industrious labours of others; some are abased, and others are elevated; some are enriched, and others are impoverished; some scarce feel any cross, and others scarce feel any comfort in their whole lives; some sweat and toil, and what they labour for runs out of their reach; others sit still, and what they wish for, falls into their laps: one hath a diadem to beautify his head, another wants a covering to protect him from the weather: One hath a stately palace to lodge in, and another is scarce master of a cottage where to lay his head; a sceptre is put into one man's hand, and a spade into another's: a rich purple garnisheth one man's body, while another wraps himself in dunghill rags: and what shall we say to these things, but " even so Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.” But these men reproach God, who says, If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother; for the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee saying "Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy in thy land: and blessed is he that considereth thee poor, the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble: but cursed is he that oppresseth the poor and that defraudeth the hireling in his wages, and feareth not me, saith the Lord of hosts." [Deuteronomy, 15, 7—15; Psalm, 41, 1; Malichi, 3, 5.] H. C.

Dear Brother Banks,

MR. STRINGER'S LIFE.

I hope you will excuse my troubling you with a few remarks on reading a part of the Earthen Vessel for this month, I felt on reading some extracts from Mr. Stringer's Life, as published, constrained to call on you to put this account of the poor man into a state of consistency, if you can; for if these quotations are correctly placed, he has in this account of his life, stated that which is not orthodox, but contrary to the gospel. On page 377, when relating his natural exploits of preaching to hearing trees, and hearing stubs, and afterwards to the horse and cart, he says "he (Christ) appeared so precious to my view that I would, and could have preached him to devils:" and then on page 378, he says, "at this time and all this while I knew nothing savingly of God's truth, nor of himself." All I shall say to this part at present is that I am quite confident that Christ, or God's truth, was never precious

as here expressed, to one who "knew nothing savingly of God's truth, or of himself." I might say much on this point, but I know it is not necessary.

I have just used the word natural, in connection with this, what I shall call a natural bias of the mind, or predisposition in some persons for the exercise of oratory or public expression of their ideas; it is certainly quite natural in some, so that they are never happy but when they have opportunity to express themselves, whether the subject be religious, or connected with the philosophy of the world; Paul was well exercised in both; and this desire or bias, is just as natural, as for a child, who has a singular bias for music, and who, will perhaps as early as from four to seven years of age be able to play or sing a tune tolerably correct, which they have heard but once. How many thousands of preachers, my friend, in this present day, are to be found, I know not; who are yet but in this natural state! In many instances, this gift, or bias of the mind, has been cultivated at college or otherways, to the greatest extent possible; and then such are made what carnal professors call them, "very acceptable preachers." I believe this gift is not a pre-requisite for Christ's ministers; their pre-requisite is a new birth, and the baptism of the Spirit, as described in Acts ii. These will be ministers of the Spirit; and will be acceptable enough, to all who are like the poor publican in the temple: while the pharisees will always find the former most acceptable to them.

I beg, dear Sir, you will excuse my troubling you, and believe that I do wish you prosperity in your soul, estate, and in your office as God's minister; if Christ shall be more exalted by it.

Jonah brought out of the Whale's belly.

My beloved brother,

GERSHOM.

This is the third attempt 1 have made to write to you; I felt unable to go on; my poor mind has been so bewildered that I scarcely knew where I was, or what I was. But, blessed be my adorable, precious, and lovely Jesus, I am quite a different man to day. Methinks the devil and my own heart have been in league with each other the last two days. I remember saying (with feelings that I cannot describe,) "I wish the dear Lord would tear it out of me altogether, for it is as bad as the devil himself." On Wednesday I went out and conversed a little at a friend's house, but my conversation did not seem to be at all savory, so that I was in great agonies of mind, all night, and all next day. I dreamed at night I was in a smith's shop, and that by some means or other the light went out, so that I was in awful darkness this pressed upon my mind very much, as I thought I might be in the dark, and a description of the horrifying place was given me, as of my future abode. In the morning I wept; yes, my brother I wept bitterly, floods of tears ran down from mine eyes: I was in extreme agonies of soul for a time. 1 felt 1 could not pray at at all satisfactory to myself. After 1 arose from my knees, I opened that precious Volume which had been as marrow to my bones: and where do you think my eyes were fixed? Why to that awful passage which speaks of the fate of Judas who betrayed the dear Redeemer, "Happy shall they be who taketh his little ones and dasheth them against a stone! "Now I thought this is certainly confirming my dream, viz. that "happy shall they be who shall take me and dash me into that place of which I have been dreaming a description of." I wrote very bitter things against myself, and sent it to a friend: they wrote this morning to say they had not slept the whole of the night in consequenco of it. But, my beloved brother, I have been enabled to write them a living epistle, instead of a dead one, since that. Oh, my brother, how I have been comforted this day! Yes; and am as full of joy as 1 seemingly can be. This morning I took my God-reviving book, and held in both my hands, pressed it together, and begged of God to direct my eye to some passage of comfort; and, my dearly beloved brother, he did hear me. Yes! He did. 1 know he did. This is the very verse. I shall never, never, no never shall I forget this soul reviving verse. It stands in that part of the book of my God, (and written as with a sun-beam in and upon my heart and soul,) the 24th of Proverbs, 14th verse. "So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation (Oh! precious words ;) thy expectation shall not be cut off."

O! can I not rejoice with them that do rejoice! under my present blessed, sweet, and lively feeiings? O, that no interval may ever come! I dread and tremble at the thought of the Spirit ever departing.

Pray for me, my beloved and valuable brother, that I may have as much of this divine wisdom and knowledge imparted, as should enable me to live to the glory and honour of my God. I am, my beloved, and truly affectionate brother, your's in much christian love,

J. N.

THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE SURREY TABERNACLE.

THE seventh Anniversary of the Surrey Tabernacle was held on Wednesday the 7th of January, 1846, on which occasion three sermons were preached; Mr. John Foreman in the morning; Mr. James, of Hartly Row, in the afternoon; and Mr. Wells, in the evening. The opening discourse in the morning by Mr. Foreman, was certainly well fraught with gospel truth: and when we saw this champion for the doctrines of sovereign grace enter the pulpit, and read the third chapter of Paul to Titus ("We ourselves were sometimes foolish,-living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another,")-we could not help feeling a little flow of love and gratitude to God; and we seemed to enter a little into the feeling of the Psalmist, when he said "How good, and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Ah, truly, "it is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments." That the reconciliation this day practically manifested may be for the glory of God, for the good of the church, and for the ingathering of sinners to Christ's fold, is our heart's desire :-Mr. Foreman took his text from the eleventh verse of the sixth chapter of the first of Corinthians, "And such were some of you; but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." "This text goes to declare, (said Mr. Foreman) what an awful state even the people of God are in by the fall; and it also shews forth the glorious change which is produced by the grace of God. A worse creature than sin has made man, cannot be found in the devil; a better creature than the grace of God will make a man, you cannot find in an angel. The text is not a pharisaical one: it does not contain the divinity of the present day. If I look into the zines (said the preacher,) I there read memoirs of persons who began to manifest a spirit of piety as early as four or five years of age; but I can never find such people: those whom the grace of God brings in amongst us, come confessing what vile and wretched sinners they have been before." After some few remarks of a lively and striking character, Mr. F. proposed to notice the subject of the text in the following order. First: the state referred to. Secondly: the contrast exhibited. Thirdly: the order in which the change is brought about. Fourthly: the agency that is employed. The sermon was peculiarly spirited, and replete with sound gospel doctrine, argument, and illustration; in the course of which the author of Priscilla came in for a good thrashing. At the close, Mr. Foreman said there was to be no collection: it was an anniversary of commemoration, a song to call to remembrance.

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In the afternoon, Mr. James, of Hartly Row, preached a lengthened discourse from the thirteenth verse of the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians. "But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." It is possible to give the people more in one sermon than their poor minds have either strength to receive, or patience to wait for: this was evidently the case with some at the Tabernacle in the afternoon: it was however, a very sober discourse; and we think no fault could be found either with the quantity or the quality of the matter.

In the evening, Mr. J. A. Jones, of Jireh Meeting, read and prayed; after which, Mr. Wells preached: the following is the substance of

Mr. WELLS's DISCOURSE:

"And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arın, therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day."-Deuteronomy v.15.

I acknowledge that the words which I have selected by way of text, do not appear to bear upon the circumstance of our present assembling together; but the fact is, I VOL. II.-PART XIII.-FEBRUARY

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have in my mind a very great objection to that spirit and tone which is too frequently exhibited on anniversary occasions; and it may have been observed by you' (what I have too often witnessed) that Ministers have been led to express themselves in a way as if the Lord had only been blessing them and their people, and no others. I would therefore desire to look at the language of the text as having reference to that permanent provision in God's church, which shall be her satisfying portion through life, in adversity, affliction and death, and which is to be her continued portion to all eternity.

In our subject we have the three following circumstances presented :

First. The servitude and state; "remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt."

Secondly. The deliverance wrought out for them; "the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand, and a stretched out arm."

Thirdly and lastly.-The command: "therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to keep the Sabbath-day."

First. The servitude: "thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt."

Observe, they were in a servitude of degradation, and those who were carnal really preferred the miserable bondage of Egypt to the privileges of the promised land; therefore they were ever wanting to turn to Egypt: ah! how true is it that our old nature is ever persuading us to be satisfied with the husks of this world and of carnality, and that they are to be preferred even to the precious things of eternity; and nothing but divine love-free grace-sovereign mercy, can show the poor sinner to the contrary!-Yes, I said it was a state of degradation in which they were, and in which every unregenerated soul is now placed-such are united to the devil; are united to the prince of darkness! and can there be anything more solemn-more terrific— more awful-more degrading than that? to be tending downward to the bottomless pit -to eternal perdition? That the precious blood of the dear Redeemer is as nothing? the illuminating influences of the Holy Spirit are as nothing? Certainly, the mind recoils at the idea that these precious things should be considered by some even as offensive because they are opposed to the vain pursuits of men; I say, to think that his blessed operations in making the poor redeemed sinner acquainted with the counsels of eternity, should be treated as undeserving attention and unworthy of regard, such a degradation of the spirit of a sinner as brings him to prefer with awful avidity the damnable ways of sin-is awful indeed: but O, when the Lord opens the blind eyes of the poor sinner, though he appear yoked to satan, deceived by sin, yet when his eyes are opened, surely he will, like Balaam's ass, drop before the sword of the Lord; he will be humbled in the dust, seeing his own vileness,—and yet at the same time, being permitted to see the preciousness of Jesus; he will be filled with humility, hope, reverence, love; and will prosper in his pursuits under the precious influences of the Holy Spirit, and in this union he shall have a sense of his interest in the atoning blood of Christ, and his whole soul shall be swallowed up in Jesus— he shall know there is a fountain opened for his sins and uncleannesses; feel it effectual to the removing of all his guilt; and finding himself united to Christ -one with Jesus-he shall have hope, joy, peace, in believing, and divine strength which will bear him up through every storm and tempest of life, and through the righteousness of Jesus he shall finally be exalted to the throne of God.

Secondly.-The deliverance wrought out for them. "The Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and a stretched out arm."

The servitude in Egypt, was not only of a degrading character, but it was one of loss; it was to them loss of strength-loss of time-loss of their property-loss of liberty; indeed, to them, it was the loss of everything without the least gain. Pharaoh and the rulers in Egypt took good care that they should have no gain: and, what, indeed, can any gain by serving the devil? What did the cities of the plain gain? What did Pharaoh and all his hosts gain? What did any of the Lord's enemies ever gain under the old testament dispensation? What did Judas and the enemies of Christ ever gain? Yes, search the scriptures through, the world through -all history through-and you will find there has never been any thing but lossabsolute loss; and no gain whatever in the servitude of sin and Satan; you may have thought while under the influence of carnal nature, that it must be otherwisethat surely it was not all loss-that surely there must be some gain in pursuing with avidity the gaieties of life, the enjoyments of self-gratification and of worldly pleasure? but, ah! no! you-many of you-have found out the truth that in following