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eternity, troubled my breast. I went | In my sermon, I was led to shew that the and preached from the words, and I know Christian's life was principally made up of many souls were blest.

The next day, a little before the time came for me to preach at Shoreditch, I was in a waiting posture of soul, when these words were spoken directly into my spirit -in which are some things hard to be understood.' My mind went to work with these words, and when I got into the pulpit at our little Beulah, I began to preach about them, and pretty warmly to declare that between law and gospel, between the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit, between the possession of gifts and the possession of grace, there were indeed many things hard to be understood' by flesh and sense. I little thought that these striking Scriptures which were speaking so loudly in my soul, had to do with something more immediately touching myself.

The following day, Tuesday, I had to preach at home; but was in a poor, low state of soul until about six o'clock, when (being alone by myself in my little cabin, and wondering what I was to say to the people when I reached the chapel) these words struck in upon my heart Now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, BUT OF THE SHIP. Howbeit, we MUST BE CAST upon a CERTAIN ISLAND.' With this text, away I went to chapel; the service had begun; and my brother Packer was giving them that sweet hymn,

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'Begone unbelief, my Saviour is near, And for my relief will surely appear.' How marvellously suited to my soul's feelings, and to my contemplations appeared these words

66 With Christ in the vessel,

I smile at the storm."

Seeing my honest ship-mate and brother Bill Skelton in the vestry, I presses him to go and read and pray for me. Up he goes, and reads the 107th Psalm. They that go down to the sea in ships, and do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep,' and so

on.

No sooner had he done, than up gets our clerk, and begins

"God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform, He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm." Bless me, why one would have thought that Banks and Skelton, and Packer had been agreeing together to have a service all about the seas, and the storms, and the ships; whereas not one word had been said, nor had we even met together, until by the blessed Spirit's guidance, singing, praying, reading, and preaching all harmomised to declare that

"Tho' painful at present,

"Twill cease before long; And then, oh, how pleasant The conqueror's song."

storms-but that his life could never be lost; he might lose every thing, even the ship and all her tackle, and like a poor drenched destitute creature, be cast upon an unknown island, yet, even there his God would be with him, supply his needs, and preserve his soul. I cannot tell how deep an impression those words made upon me "There shall be no loss of any man's life, BUT OF THE SHIP.' Why, says I to myself-I have lost the ship before now; destitute and dismayed, I have been cast upon the providence of God: and he has never forsaken me yet. Bless his precious name!

I am led to record these things, because on my first being raised up from my recent affliction, as soon as I was out of bed, I took up the Bible, and opened right upon these words in the 28th Psalm, Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hand, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.' From this solemn Scripture I resolved (by the help of the Lord,) to record his mercies, as manifested to one who is the most unworthy. Passing over Wednesday and Thursday, (though they were days much to be remembered) I come to the Friday night when I was taken ill. I had, as usual, to preach at Mile End; and although I felt very ill, yet I set off for that place, and walked all the way, with these words on my mind-Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him.' When I reached the chapel, it was full, and very hot: and I was in a strong perspiration, I went into the pulpit and preached from Acts xx. 10, 11.

And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. When therefore, Paul was come up again, and had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he a glorious fulness in the gospel before. My departed.' Never, I think, did I feel such soul was ready to burst with the precious matter that came bubbling up. First, I spoke of Paul's preaching till midnight, Eutychus, and of Paul's raising him up; and of the vast subject he had; then of and so on; until I felt compelled to hold my peace; and no sooner had I left the pulpit, than I felt illness was coming on me. I crawled home as I could, retired to bed, and there I lay for nearly eight days.

Never did I know what it was to lay so quiet and comfortable in an affliction before. Every day the Lord appeared to give me some token of his presence; and, for the encouragement of his people, I will simply state things as they occurred. Some will sneer, but others will rejoice. I will tell you the truth, and leave it with the Lord to deal with it as seems him best. On the first day of my illness, I had this word-Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.' I saw that word stayed,' means, one whose mind

I must close this poor, brief, imperfect epistle, by declaring unto you that I am thus far raised up with a stronger desire than ever to be found more devoted to, and useful in the cause of my loving and glorious Lord. What I have seen and heard of him in this affliction has greatly stirred up my soul to be living and walking in peace with all the saints; in great boldness against the devil and all his works; and in encouraging the weaklings in Zion to lean upon him

"Whose heart is made of tenderness,

Whose bowels melt with love."

One thing I can assure you, that I have
felt entirely raised above all the suspicions,
and slanders, and bitter speeches of such
men as cannot receive me. So many of us
by the Spirit of God, shall meet together in
as are redeemed by blood, and regenerated
that blest abode, where there shall be no
more curse; no more night; no more envy.
There we shall see his face,
And never never sin;

can rest no where but on the Lord. Here | pleased to seal home some precious word is where, and only where, my mind can jupon my heart with heavenly power. And stay, and resting here is peace. During the I can say, I had scarcely risen from my night of Saturday I was very ill, and much knees, when these words came again and awake; and, lifting up my heart to the again-'THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD; I Lord, I said, 'Lord is my work done? SHALL NOT WANT. So blessedly was my when I plainly heard these words in the soul instructed and confirmed by these ear of my soul- Your lamp has burnt too words, that I was sure I was to preach; bright of late to last long.' Indeed! thought and accordingly, on Lord's Day morning I I, then, who can tell, but my work is nearly arose from my bed, and having sought for done! I felt no uneasiness about it. Lord's- strength and instruction, I went forth and day morning came; it was the first Lord's- delivered my message-The Lord is my day that I ever had been laid aside by Shepherd, I shall not want.' sickness, since I have spoken in the Lord's name. This, however, did not disturb my mind one moment. I truly felt that I could bless the Lord for the affliction. About noon, as I was laying quietly in my bed, I saw a glorious burst of holy light, by which I discovered, as it were, a beautiful entrance into the mansions of eternal and immortal glory. Never did I before have such exalted, soul-ennobling views of the heavenly state. I did solemnly behold, and in a measure realise such a heavenly peace with, and reverence for, God, as cannot be known by any but those to whom these things are revealed. There seemed but a step between me and those pure and peaceful plains; and for some time after these words were continually with me-' Dying is but going home.' My soul appeared by this vision to be established in two things; first, that the Lord can make death to a believer very easy indeed; and, secondly, that the transition of the soul from a body of sin into the heavenly paradise is instantaneous: 'absent from the body, and present with the Lord.' I really felt I could gladly leave all earthly toys to enter on that rest. On the following day, (Monday) I had these words-Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.' I said, 'How is this to be done?" I was led to see that before a sinner could put on Christ, he must be undressed by the righteous law of God; this being done; the poor sinner being stripped naked and bare, then the Holy Ghost brings the atonement of Christ to view; therein is redemption: then the blessed Spirit brings Christ's righteousness, wherein is justification, and by faith the soul puts on Christ, wears his image, breaths his spirit, and walks in his commands. During the whole of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, it seemed as though the Lord had taken me aside to consider over matters of vast importance to me and to the cause in which my heart is engaged. I received from the Lord much encouragement, counsel, and establishment: and my fervent prayer is that I may be raised up to carry into practice what I received by faith into my soul. Thus I might go on to declare how from day to day, the Lord favoured me, but I pass over all and come to Friday. On this day, I was helped up, and sat for a time in my chair. I was impressed, that weak as I was, I should preach the following Lord's Day. This I made a matter of solemn prayer. I earnestly begged of the Lord, that if it was his will that I should be a mouth for him again, that he would be

But from the rivers of his grace,

Drink endless pleasures in." Dearly beloved, until that blissful period comes, may we have grace to be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing our reward is certain, our inheritance secure. So prays your willing servant in the gospel of Christ,

C. W. BANKS.

Christ's continual care of his Chosen.

I give, saith Christ,' to all my sheep,
Eternal life, and them I'll keep

While in this wilderness below;

I came in their law-place to stand,
And none shall pluck them from my hand,
For they my pard'ning love shall know.
My Father lov'd and gave them me,
By an Almighty fix'd decree,

Long 'ere this lower earth was made:
By whose omnipotence and power,
They're kept in every trying hour,

And in my righteousness survey'd.
The Holy Spirit whom I'll send,
Shall guide, and guard, and safe defend,
And with them take up his abode;
Their souls thus blest, shall pant for me,
And love th' incarnate mystery,

By which they are brought nigh to God.
May we thy grace and power adore,
T'hat sea of love without a shore,

That chose us in eternity;
And called us from our guilt and shame,
To rest on Jesus' precious name,

And bless and praise the Sacred Three.
'Portsmouth.
T. H. B.

OF BETHESDA CHAPEL, OLDHAM STREET, MANCHESTER.

THE recognition of Mr. John Corbitt, as pastor of the church assembling for divine worship in the above named chapel, took place on Thursday, September 21st, 1848. Mr. James Wells, of Surrey Tabernacle, London, stated the nature of a gospel church.

Mr. John Foreman, of Mount Zion Chapel, London, called upon one of the church to state the rise and progress of the cause.

After which statement, Mr. Foreman called upon Mr. Corbitt to give an account of his call by grace, and also to the ministry.

In the afternoon, Mr. Foreman gave the charge to the minister; and in the evening, preached the sermon to the church and congregation.

On the following evening, a social tea meeting was held in the chapel, when speeches were delivered by Mr. Wells, Mr. Foreman, and several of the friends. [We give the following verbatim, as received from Mr. Goodfellow :-] “To the christian reader, but more especially to those friends composing the church and congregation worshipping a Three One God, Father, Son, and Spirit, at Bethesda Chapel, Oldham Street, Manchester, is the following account of the rise and progress of the cause dedicated::

66 In doing so, I cannot but exclaim in the language of one of old,' What hath God wrought?' Many of you are witnesses of the wonderful works of the Lord in bringing you together, and in building up the cause you are identified with, and in uniting you in the bonds of the gospel of peace; so that you are walking together in love, giving glory to the Lord's great name, are become strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and the little one has become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation.' Many good men, and many of his sent servants in the ministry stood aloof from you, through false reports of your character and conduct, mistaking your motives and object, prejudicing the minds of very many of the Lord's people against you, and raising an opposition towards you as a people striving together for the faith once delivered to the saints.' But for the help of the Lord you must, (agreeable to the wishes of many) have been broken to pieces and scattered-had not the cause been of God it must have come to nought. But powerful as the opposition against you was, you found as powerful a necessity upon you to persevere in the name of the Lord, notwithstanding the vain attempts of men of whom you had hoped better things. You can say, and that in truth, to the honour of the Lord and to the glory of his great name, that the existence of the cause at Oldham Street, is not by might, nor by power, but by the Lord alone,' who VOL. IV.-PART XLVII.-Dec. 1848.

made bare his arm to defend and prosper you: Choosing the foolish things of this world to confound the mighty, and things that are not to bring to nought things that are.' It is now several years since the Lord, in his providence, brought you together, and from that time to the present many have been the discouragements you have had to encounter, and great has been the trial of your faith; yet, by the help and good pleasure of the Lord, you have been favoured with a firm, prudent, persevering confidence in him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,' superior to all the devices of men and the enemy of souls; and, for your comfort, the Lord is still prospering his word amongst you by the ministry, and turning many sinners from darkness to light, from error to truth, and building up his saints in their most holy faith ;' and others, who once united with you in the courts of the Lord's house, walking in his ordinances, are now passed to their eternal rest, giving glory to God and the Lamb for ever. encouragements and examples, may you With these go on in the name and fear of the Lord, having a proper sense of the importance of your position as a church and people, living from day to day in a feeling sense of your own weakness and the helplessness of your nature, and of the preciousness and suitableness of a free grace salvation; glorying only in the Lord, till you join the ransomed throng to praise his name for ever and ever, is the prayer of your's to serve in Christ, E. GOODFELLOW." The following is the account of the rise and progress of the cause at Oldham Street, as delivered at the meeting above referred to : "Christian Friends, Brethren and Sisters in the Lord,-In the order of the Lord's providence and by the desire of the church meeting for divine worship in this chapel, and at the request of our brother, Mr. John Foreman, I rise to give you a statement of the rise and progress of this cause. doing so, I stand before you this morning with a considerable degree of debility of body and with a sacred feeling of the solemnity of my position; and if ever I felt the great responsibility of my position since my connexion with you as an humble individual, I do feel it to be so on the present interesting occasion; and if I know my own heart, I can say before you, and in the presence of him before whom we must all one day appear, that in the commencing and carrying on of this cause, my only motive and object has been the Lord's honour, in the proclamation of a free grace gospel; next, my own soul's good, and an ardent desire for the moral and spiritual benefit of never-dying souls; and I do desire to bless the Lord that ever he did put it into my heart, as an humble instrument in his

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hands, of being a means, with the rest of my friends, of opening a door whereby the glorious gospel of the ever blessed God is fully and faithfully preached from time to time. And from the time I was called out of darkness into his marvellous light,' I have felt, and do feel, a union to and oneness with the people of God; and can sing with the poet,

'I love her gates, I love the road.

The church adorned with grace.'

'Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill,

He treasures up his wise designs
And works his sovereign will.'

The following letter, written by the then
owner of the chapel, will give some idea
what difficulties had to be encountered,
and what our position was at that time :-

'Manchester, 31st December, 1845.

'My dear Sir,—I have much pleasure in giving my testimony to the zeal and diliAnd if in the progress of our carrying on gence with which you conducted the negothis cause, any brother or sister in the ciation for Oldham Street Chapel, and Lord has had his or her mind wounded by more especially to the christian spirit and anything said or done, I take this oppor- courteous demeanour manifested by you tunity of begging their forgiveness, and throughout the whole of our intercourse. stating that it was not intentional on our When I consider the many difficulties you part. We have (as a church) been called to had to encounter in keeping your friends wade through seas of affliction, and to steadily to the purpose of becoming posencounter difficulty after difficulty, yet the sessed of a comfortable house in which Lord in his great mercy has preserved us they could worship God; when I remember and kept us as a people, amongst the rag- how many fainted under the accumulating ing billows of professed friends and ene- hinderances, both of a legal and pecuniary mies; and though we have had our sorrow-nature, cast in your path; and when I conings we have had our rejoicings; yet we trast these with your great prudence in rehave not been left without hope-we have conciling parties, and your unwearing, yea, proved the truth of that scripture, If God I may say, unexampled perseverance, unbe for us, who can be against us?' And til you brought the business to a close; I though our trials have been principally have no hesitation in adding, that to these from those professing the same faith and exertions, and to them mainly, is the order, who ought to have been helpers of our Baptist church now worshipping in Oldham faith, and promoters of our joy, and well- Street Chapel indebted for the possession wishers of our prosperity: alas! they of what I hold to be a valuable property, lifted up their heels against us, and pro- and a comfortable house for prayer. With phesied that we should be broken to pieces most sincere wishes that you may have and scattered; but God has enabled us to the happiness to behold many souls born surmount every difficulty, and enabled us to God within the walls of your Zion, beto persevere, believing in the omnipotency lieve me to be, my dear Sir, your's faithof truth, against which the gates of hell | fully, WM. MEDCALF, shall never prevail. And when I call to mind the scenes of trials through which we have had to pass, and when I reflect on our present position as a people, what cause for thankfulness and gratitude to him who hath preserved us. And when I review the motive which induced us to open this door for the proclamation of a free grace gospel, I derive an inward satisfaction in believing it was by the appointment of heaven, and as such, supported and encouraged to go forward in the name and strength of the Lord. I well recollect on one occasion having to encounter a trial of no ordinary character-the purchasing of this chapel, which was encumbered with many legal difficulties, that stood in our way of obtaining a safe title to the property. In consequence of which many of our friends drew back and withheld their promised support. Being much cast down in mind, not knowing which way to take, in the midst of trouble and great anxiety, the Lord graciously broke into my mind with those words-Fear not, I am with thee: Let not your heart be troubled.' By this manifestation I was enabled to go on and to encourage my friends also, believing the Lord would appear for us: which he did, by raising up friends, and by their kindness we were enabled to purchase this house to worship the God of our fathers in,

To Mr. E. Goodfellow.' With these remarks, I will now proceed to give a statement of the main features of the rise and progress of this cause:

There are, in the retrospect, things both painful and pleasant; and we think you will not desire a repetition, in detail, of those recriminations and reproaches which did unhappily attend the establishing of this cause. But, while on the one hand, we desire to avoid personalities and unpleasant recapitulations, we should not, on the other hand, do justice to our own consciences, nor to the cause of God in this place, nor to the most solemn motives by which we have been actuated, did we not take this opportunity to repel, to repudiate, and denounce with all becoming gravity, and determination the slanders which have been so liberally and unjustly cast upon us. We are not this day met in the fear of man, but in the FEAR OF GOD. And where is there the christian, the minister, the individual who knows the grace of God in truth and love that can deny but that the Lord of Hosts has been with us, and the God of Jacob our refuge? And what one incident is there to which this cause has been subject, which is not more or less common to all the churches of the saints? Have we had difficuities of a pe

cuniary nature? Have not others, also, had difficulties in this respect? Have we had difficulties in finding suitable ministers? Are we alone in this? Have we had difficulties with unruly men, of whom we had once hoped better things-and is our cause in this respect solitary? Have other churches had no unruly members to disturb their peace? Have deacons of other churches always been what they ought to be? Have other churches had no troubles of this kind? Let facts speak for themselves. We here fearlessly assert, that those who have reviled this cause can point to no anomaly amongst us, the counter part of which has not been found in their own church, or churches. We do not undertake to justify the unchristian sayings of hostility that occurred at the time that the God of heaven and earth was pleased to plant this cause. But, if on the part of some who came to us, there were faults much to be deplored, what shall we say to the conduct of those who seemed delighted to view the rise of this, through the worst medium they could find? Who, or what authorised them to take the judgment seat and hurl at this cause the thunderbolts of heaven-to select the most terrible threatnings of the Bible as applicable to this cause; but, happy for us, the hand that wielded the sword of vengeance was too feeble to render it effectual; the tongue that dealt in threatnings could not obtain sanction of the God of judgment, so that these threatnings fell to the ground as did the accusation of Job's mistaken friends. It has been said that members of a certain church laid their heads together in the dark being afraid of the light. We treat this accusation with scorn and contempt, and are prepared to prove that not only did not certain members lay their heads together in the dark, as the assertion runs, but that this cause positively did not originate with the members of the said church at all. Nor was the question of backsliding or non-chastisement for sin, practically, or indeed at all, connected with the formation of this cause. The persons advocating the above sentiments were, at that time, members of the church charging us with holding the sentiments. Personally, I did not then understand the sentiments, much less advocate them, and the church at Oldham Street, will bear me out when I state that from our first formation, as a church, the above sentiments have not been so much as once named amongst us. It has been said that this cause began in malice and was carried on in malice, headed by several persons separated from the church by various causes. To this statement we give a flat contradiction, and challenge any one present to say to the contrary, that I was separated for any misconduct, or for holding or advocating any unscriptural sentiment. Through mercy, I can say, that whilst a member of that church for twelve years, I was enabled to bear an honourable testimony for the truth as it is in Jesus. My

withdrawal from that people was contrary to the wish of the minister, and solely on the account of one of its officers. I did claim the right of worshipping God wheresoever the Lord was pleased, in his mercy, to bless the word to my soul by any of his sent servants; and I do hope ever to be kept in that spirit, to give the right hand of fellowship to all his servants that love the Lord in sincerity and truth. Nor had Mr. James Wells, of London, any hand in forming this cause, or any knowledge of it until after a notice appeared on the wrapper of the Gospel Ambassador. Nor was it any peculiarity connected with his ministry, but the weighty matters of faith, judgment, and mercy.

will give you some idea of our motive and The following letters which I will read, our object, and bear out the above assertion in reference to Mr. Wells.

Manchester, April 20, 1843. Dear Sir-I write to you on behalf of myself and friends who I may say fear God, and love a free grace gospel, soliciting you (God willing) to preach for us at Manchester two or three Lord's days in May next; say 7th, 14th, and 21st. It will be necessary that I give an explanation to you of our motive. In a few words, we have been members of another church in the town, but not so now; we have not sat at the table of the Lord for reasons which may be herein after explained. We pray that the dear Lord may dispose your mind to serve us in the cause of truth. If so, we pray that the word may be attended with power and with an unction from the Holy One. And that you may come in the fulness of the gospel of peace. An early reply will oblige your's for the truth's sake, E. GOODFELLOW.

To Mr. Chas. Drawbridge, Wellingboro'.

MR. DRAWBRIDGE'S REPLY.

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Wellingboro, April 22, 1843. Dear Sir -I should have replied to your's yesterday but for having returned from a week's pilgrimage in my holy Master's service after post time. I am willing (God willing) to supply in May, May 7th, 14th, and 21st. I am able to sustain fatigue in my Lord's cause cheerfully, therefore, if you know any consistent persons in or about Manchester, who would wish to avail themselves of my labours, I am very willing, say three, four, or five times on week evenings. And may the Lord Jehovah get glory to his great name by the arrangement he has determined upon. Your's very truly, for Christ's sake, C. DRAWBRIDGE.

To Mr. E. Goodfellow.

The following letter is one written by myself to Mr. James Wells, of London, in answer to one written by a person in town and sent to Mr. Wells conveying wrong information.

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