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from being so kept in blindness, darkness, ignorance, and error, respecting God Almighty's revealed truth, as to continue resisting it under the influence of the enmity of their natural hearts. Hence one use to make of this truth is, to search the word which reveals, and wait upon the ministers of God who preach it. We strove to show the importance, under whatever circumstances we are, of realizing Christ with his fulness of grace, continually around us as a wall of fire (Zech. ii. 5), or a hedge of thorns (Hosea, ii. 6, 7), or a rock of defence and shelter (Isa. xxxii. 2; xxxiii. 16), or that river whereby passes no gallant ship or galley with oars (Isa. xxxiii. 21). We referred to Isa. lix. 19; Ps. cxxi. and xci., in proof of what we had said; also to Isa. xxxi. 4, 5. We adverted to Job's trials, and how impossible his endurance under them, cleaving to the truth, but for this hedge.

OUR PORTRAIT FOR JULY.-MR. HANSERD KNOLLYS.

[See his Portrait in the July Number.]

WE promised in the last Number, to furnish our readers with some particulars of "that ancient and faithful servant of God, MR. HANSERD KNOLLYS, who departed this life in the ninety-third year of his age, having been employed in the works and service of Christ, as a faithful minister, for above sixty years; in which time he laboured without fainting under all the discouragements that attended him, being contented in all conditions, though never so poor in this world; under all persecutions and sufferings, so he might therein serve his blessed Lord and Saviour. I have myself known him (says the biographer), for above fifty-four years, and can witness to the truth of many things left by him under his own hand. It is a great pity that the last twenty years of his life cannot be found amongst his writings, which to the knowledge of many were attended with the same sufferings as formerly, and with the same holy behaviour under them. He was in that time a prisoner in the New Prison for the truth's sake many months, where with great cheerfulness he remained, comforting and encouraging all that came to visit him with many blessed exhortations to cleave to the Lord; none were sent away, without some spiritual instructions; and many of his fellow-prisoners were greatly strengthened and comforted by that heavenly counsel that dropped from his lips, spending much of his time there in prayer and study of the word of God, daily preaching to them the things that concern the kingdom of God.

He was chosen an Elder to a congregation in London, with whom he laboured for nearly fifty years, under many difficulties that attended him; but neither the poverty of the church, nor the persecutions that he endured, were any temptation to him to neglect his duty towards them, but was willing to be poor with them in their poverty, and to suffer with them in their sufferings. He was willing to labour for his own and his family's bread, by keeping a school, when the church were not able to supply his wants, although he wanted not opportunities to have advanced himself in the world if he would have accepted of them; but like a faithful Pastor he chose rather to be poor and suffer affliction, than to leave the duty and work he was called unto, until he arrived to the age of above ninety years. When he found weaknesses attend him, his love and affection to that poor church was such, that he was daily exercising his thoughts to find an able minister for them in his room; declaring to several of his friends, what great satisfaction it would be to him to see one settled amongst them; and that he would be willing to part with something of that little which he had (if there was need) for his maintenance from the church, towards his support: and it pleased God to provide one for them, to their great satisfaction and rejoicing. So great was his natural affection and tender care for his daughter and grand-children, who he knew were like to come to some distress, that he did accordingly, at that great age, again undertake the teaching of a school, that he might do to the uttermost of his ability to provide for them.

And having finished his work, he fell asleep in the Lord, September 19, 1691."

Speaking of himself, he says, "I was born at Cawkwell, near Louth, in Lincolnshire, and was removed thence with my parents to Scarthe, near Market Grimsby, in the same county. About the sixth year of my age, I fell into a great pond, and was preserved from being drowned by the water bearing up my clothes, till my father came, leaped in, and pulled me out. About the tenth year of my age, I having construed the thirtyfifth chapter of Jeremiah in my Latin Bible to my father, he took occasion to dissuade me from the love and use of strong drink, and said he would give me twenty pounds if I would drink water, but withal told me he would not have me do it to the prejudice of my health; and charged me to make no vow to God so to do, for I did not understand how sacred a thing a vow is, and how it binds the soul, and that it would be sin not to perform my vow: whereupon I drank water eleven years, and never in all that time drank any wine or strong drink.

About that time my father kept a tutor in his house to teach me and my brother, who was a godly and conscientious young man; he gave us good instructions for our souls, and convinced us of the sin of Sabbath breaking, and of disobedience to our parents. After my father had preferred our tutor to a place of greater profit, we went a little while to Grimsby free school, till my father got another tutor for us into his house: and one day going to the free-school, we fell out and fought; upon which I was much convinced that we had sinned against God, and against our father, who had often told us we were brethren, and ought not to fall out by the way: and I said, 'Brother, we have sinned, come let us be friends, and pray God to pardon this and other our sins;' whereupon we both kneeled down upon the ploughed land, and I prayed, wept, and made supplication to God as well as I could, and found so great assistance from God at that time, that I never used any set form of prayer afterwards; which done we both kissed each other, and went to school.

Afterwards I went to Cambridge, and there a godly minister preached on Hosea, iv. 17; his doctrine was, that the joining to sin by often committing it after conviction of conscience for it, did provoke God to give over many to the power of their corruptions, and let them alone to die in their sins. I was thereby convinced that it was my case, for I had oftentimes broken the Sabbath after conviction, and I had disobeyed my parents, and had often told untruths. The same Lord's day at night, another godly minister preached at five o'clock upon Ephes. ii. 3; and thereby I was much more convinced of my sinful condition, and that I was a child of wrath, without Christ, and grace, &c., which work of conviction remained strongly upon me above one year; under which I was filled with great horror, and fears of hell, sore buffettings and temptations of the devil, and made to possess the sins of my youth: but yet I prayed daily, heard all the godly ministers I could, read and searched the Holy Scriptures, read good books, got acquainted with gracious Christians then called Puritans, kept several days of fasting and prayer alone, wherein I did humble my soul for my sins, and begged pardon and grace of God for Christ's sake; grew strict in performing holy duties and in reformation of my own life, examining myself every night, confessing my sins and mourning for them, and had a great zeal for God, and an indignation against actual sins, both committed by myself and others.

June 29, 1629, I was ordained Deacon, and the next day, I was also ordained Presbyter by the Bishop of Peterborough, having preached about sixteen sermons before I would be ordained, by way of trial of my ability for that great work of the ministry.

After my ordination the Bishop of Lincoln gave me a small living at Humberstone, where I preached twice every Lord's day, and once every holy-day. That which made me strict and laborious in preaching was partly the work of conviction upon my conscience, but more especially a providential acquaintance that I had gotten with a very godly old widow in Gainsborough, where I taught the free shool before I came to Humberstone, who told me of one called a Brownist, who used to pray and expound Scriptures in his family, whom I went sometimes to hear, and with whom I had conference and very good counsel. Whilst I was at Humberstone, there lived a very religious widow, who falling sick sent for me, and charged me that I would not depart her house in the day-time until she ended or mended, lest Satan should tempt her above her strength. The doctor of physic had given her over, some godly ministers, friends, and relations, did take leave of her as a dying woman. She received nothing for several days but a little julep, which was put in her mouth with a spoon and ran

most of it out again, laying speechless two or three days, her family mourning over her, and expecting her death every hour. I had brought some of my books to her house, and was studying her funeral sermon, and when I had almost finished the same the devil set upon me with a violent suggestion, That the Scriptures are not the word of God. He had suggested this temptation to me divers times before, but prevailed not; now the tempter assaulted me with this argument: whatever you ask in the name of Christ, God will do it, but that Scripture was not true; and if I would put it now upon trial I should find it not to be true, for if I would ask the woman's life in the name of Christ, God will not grant it, and thereby I should know the Scriptures were not true; nor are they the word of God, for his word is true. To which I answered, Satan, thou art a liar, a deceiver, and a false accuser. The holy Scriptures

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are the word of God, and the Scriptures of truth; and seeing thou hast often tempted me in this kind, and now dost assault me again, that I may for ever silence thee, thou wicked and lying devil, I will trust in God, and act faith in the name of Christ in that very word of his truth which thou hast now suggested. I will leave my study, and go and pray for her, and believe that God will hear my prayers through the intercession of Jesus Christ, and restore her life and health, that thou mayest be found a liar: whereupon I went into the parlour where she lay speechless, without any visible motion, or use of any senses; and having locked the door (candles being in the room), I kneeled down by her bed-side and prayed above half an hour, using my voice, and then she began to stir, toss, and struggle so much that I was constrained to stand up, and holding her in her bed still prayed over her. Satan then gave me a great interruption, and suggested to me she was dying, and these were the pangs of death upon her; I, notwithstanding this assault of the devil, was assisted by the Holy Spirit to pray and believe still, and in a short time she lay very quietly, and I kneeled down again and prayed fervently; and within half an hour, whilst I was yet praying, she said, 'The Lord hath healed me; I am restored to health.' Then I returned praises to God, in which she joined with me lifting up her eyes and hands, still saying, 'I am healed.' I rose up from my knees, and asked her how she did; 'O, sir,' said she, God hath heard your prayers, and hath made me whole. Blessed be his holy name.' Then I unlocked the door, and some of her kinsfolks and servants being at the door came in and asked me if she were dead, to whom I answered, 'No.' Then they asked me how she did, I bade them go to her and ask herself. They replied, she had been speechless four days, I told them she could speak now; and as soon as they came to her bed-side she lifted up herself and said, 'I am well, the Lord hath heard prayer and healed me; I am very weak and sore in my bones, but I am in health, I pray you give me something to eat:' and as soon as they brought her some broth, she sat up and ate it, and took some of her julep; and from that time received strength, and the next day she did rise and walked with a staff: which being heard of, many godly ministers and Christians came to visit her, and to know the truth of what was told them touching her recovery. I told them it was not anything in me, but it was the Lord that had done it for his own glory, and to silence Satan, who was never suffered to tempt me in that kind afterwards; God bruised Satan under my feet, and my Lord Jesus Christ made a conquest of him, and gave me the victory, and helped me to give him the glory of it.

The next year after this I married a wife, with whom I lived forty years (by whom I had issue seven sons and three daughters), who was a holy, discreet woman, and a meet help for me in the ways of her household, and also in the way of holiness; who was my companion in all my sufferings, travels, and hardships, that I endured for the Gospel. She departed this life April 30, 1671, in full assurance of eternal life and salvation." (To be continued.)

USING THE MEANS.-The best means a child of God can possibly use, is the weapon of PRAYER. The phrase, "using the means," as commonly applied, is a free-will expedient, begun in the flesh, continued in the flesh, and ending in the flesh; either nourishing the pride of the heart, or causing the soul for a season to sink in disappointment and vexation. Prayer is an active, yet passive principle: active, in its holy importunate wrestling with God; passive, in a quiet abiding his will-in a standing still" to behold "the salvation of the Lord." lieveth shall not make haste."

"He that be

ALFRED.

258

REVIEW S.

A Summary View of Dr. Henderson's "Commentary on the Prophet Isaiah." By the REV. HENRY COLE, late of Clare Hall, Cambridge; Minister of Tavistock Episcopal Chapel, Broad Court, Long Acre; and Sunday Afternoon Lecturer of St. Mary Somerset, Upper Thames Street, London. London: L. and G. Seeley, Fleet Street. "PUSEYISTIC (or papal) infidelity within the Church of England, and Gospel infidelity without it, are the two fearful signs that mark the present times. These are Satan's mighty means, in this our day, for working the wide ruin of souls, by obliterating the truth, diminishing the spirituality, lowering the divine sanction, contracting the broad authority, and obscuring the glory, of the Bible! By these two heresies are the faith and affections of the church of Christ, in Britain, wounded and aggrieved, her apprehensive alarm excited, and her faithful testimony against them loudly demanded."

These are (as Mr. Cole says) the two fearful " signs" or extremes to which the spiritual church is exposed in this our day; and of the two, we scarcely know which is the greatest evil on the one hand we discover bigotry and contempt united with an assumption of divine prerogative, running parallel with all the treachery and destructiveness of papal superstition; on the other we perceive an evil of another order, but one, perhaps, not less fatal in its consequences. Human learning and free-will accountability depart from that simplicity of the truth in which the wayfaring man, though a fool, is wont to be instructed, and actually fights against that omnipotent Jehovah for whose glory it professes to be engaged. Oh, Britain! thou once highly favoured land, we tremble for thy so-called religious career; and did we not know and rejoice in the fact that "the foundation of the Lord standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his," we should tremble still more. But, notwithstanding the fearfully loose and erroneous opinions entertained by men occupying posts of highest importance in the professedly religious seminaries of our land; and the propagation of those delusive opinions both from the pulpit and the press, whereby we are informed that "souls are now in perdition whose blood will be required at the hands of those who neglected to pray for them;" and we hear of "proposals for the conversion of the world in a given period of time:" we say, notwithstanding these lamentable facts, we rejoice in the blessed assurance that God has still a church in the wilderness; a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments ; a chosen people; a royal priesthood; a people formed for himself, who do show forth his praise in their walk, conversation, and close adherence to the pure, unadulterated truth as it is in Jesus.

Throughout the work before us we admire the kindly spirit in which Mr. Cole has dealt with his antagonist. While he has not scrupled to combat, nor sought to sacrifice one iota of truth, he has fought with

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