CORRESPONDENCE.

THE CASE OF ELIZABETH EDWARDS.

DEAR SIR,

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

Through a divine manifest experience of the love of the Three-One God, in his eternal purpose to foreordain to eternal life as many as should believe in the day of his power, in the name and Godhead of his dearly beloved Son, to the saving of the soul; from this spring I feel an inclination to lay before you a remarkable instance of the total desertion and present position of one of the members of the mystical body of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whom he has visited with terrible things in righteousness. She is in the horrible pit of despair of the mercy of God. If it were not a singular and peculiar case, I should never have brought it under your notice. My object in it you will see in the sequel. But as an introduction, it will be indispensable to lay down some of God's dealings with her soul. For if it should be the will of God the blessed Spirit to incline your heart to give it a place in your Magazine of good tidings to sensible sinners, who know what it is to be translated out of the kingdom of this world into the glorious kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they will be able to judge whether it is a case that deserves their attention. First, I will lay before you some of her own words which I have heard from her in answer to questions; and out of one of her letters which I have received concerning the Lord's dealings with her, and it may be read as if it were her own composition, but she is quite ignorant that I should make use of it here. Secondly, I shall endeavour in as few words as possible to give a descriptive view of her in holy writ; and thirdly conclude with my object. "In the early part of my life I felt desires after Jesus Christ. My parents used to take me to Dr. Ripon's, of Carter Lane. At fourteen years of age, while walking in my father's garden, blasphemous thoughts against the Holy Ghost came violently upon me. I had the hardest work to stop the words from coming out of my mouth. I put my hands before my mouth, and wished my tongue was cut out for fear of committing the unpardonable sin; but the tempter came upon me after this, and words too horrible for me to relate came. I concluded now it was all over with me, and that I had committed the unpardonable sin. In consequence, for some years I did not go to chapel at all. After the death of my mother I went many times to hear Alexander Fletcher preach; but at last he took the following text, Mat. xii. 31, and the issue was, from the explanation that he gave of what the unpardonable sin was, I was delivered, and went home with rejoicing of heart, although I do not believe him to be an experimental preacher. It was about twelve years I was under this awful anguish of soul. I went on now for some months, and thought all was right; but the concerns of my soul were laid upon me with more weight. I was from time to time waiting upon the Lord, but could not find him. One day being alone, I thought I would for the last time fall down upon my knees, and

pray once more; and while in this position, pleading with the Lord to manifest himself to me, these words came to me with power, "Behold, thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee." All the time I felt the glory of it, I beheld myself all white within and all white without. After this I was fearful to leave my room to go into my little shop, for fear I should smile or sin. In these days of joy and gladness of heart, I had many visitors come to see me, to hear me speak of Jesus' love to my soul. At this time I was sitting under Mr. W. Wales Horne, then minister of Zion Chapel; and I was soon brought before the church, and received as a member, and afterwards baptized. This was about the year 1822-I am now about fifty-five. Some time after I joined the church, through the death of our beloved pastor the church broke up, because they were dissatisfied with the minister that took his place. After this I came to live at Lambeth about the time that Mr. Wells, of the Surrey Tabernacle, came there, and I sat under his ministry about eight years, and was much blessed under the word from time to time; and ever since my deliverance I enjoyed a good hope in the mercy of the Lord. But on the never-to-beforgotten day, Nov. 13th, 1841, some remarkable and heavenly desires flowed into my soul to go down upon my knees to pray to the Lord to manifest himself unto me and to bless me; and these words flowed into my mind very sweetly :—

"Just as the sun should dart her orb of light,

Into the secrets of the black broad night,

So Jesus opened to me his love, my soul's delight,"

I felt an unusual heavenly glow to go to the Lord; but while in this solemn position, to the great horror of my soul I beheld a vision. I was kneeling before some wooden shutters which were against the window, and through them at some distance appeared the representation of a large heart spread open, of a dark copperas green colour, clothed with dark clouds, and coming gradually towards me, and as it drew near it closed suddenly, and at the same time my hope left me—and these words came to me, "The soul that sinneth presumptuously shall die." It was like an electric shock; all the horrors of the damned directly possessed me. I got up and walked about like a mad woman, for I found it no use to call upon God; and I am now in the same pit of despair. Go where I will the wrath of God surrounds me."

I have copied the following from one of her letters to me:-

"In 1839, being a widow, I married again, and my dear and affectionate husband died Nov. 11th, the same week I went into this indescribable terror; though his death had nothing to do with my horror. He was such an indulgent husband to me, that it is almost too much for me to speak of him. Although I have lost my blessed hope in Jesus, I have not lost my faith; oh, no, that is as firm as ever in his glorious grace and Godhead, and shedding his blood for his own beloved ones, but not for me. Mrs. C. S. has seen Mr. R. N., who informed her of the last moments of Mrs. P. S. She sent me a note some months past, saying how unhappy she was. She was a very deeply taught Christian. She laid ill a very short time, but died a triumphant death in the Lord Jesus Christ. She was unable to call the Lord her God till she came on her death-bed, which had been her grief. But the Lord broke in upon her soul before she died. But what is all that to me? I must die alone, for I cannot find any peace, I am in bitter distress."

Beloved Editor, I will now after mentioning something concerning the object here, which I consider prudent so to do, set down some passages of holy writ to show the cause why the Lord so hid his face from her, and cast her in her feelings at the ends of the earth; and if it be the will of God it should come before some of his beloved children, I would beg of them to refer to the texts just as they stand here. To make the article as brief as possible, they will discover her in a manifest way, and how she stands in the holy will of God. Her second husband was a man of the kingdom of this world, and being left to go the way of his own heart, the god of this world accomplished his murderous purpose upon him, by causing him to put an end to his life. Ps. lxxxix. 30-34; 1 Cor. vii. 39, 40; Matt. vi. 24. My object in setting down this latter text is what we may expect if any object on earth has the preference of our love and affections; for this is holding the kingdom of this world in one hand, and our Redeemer in the other. And I have found out by a very painful and bitter experience, that he will not have half our hearts, but the whole. "Give me thine heart." Again, Prov. xviii. 19; 1 Cor. v. 5; 1 Cor. iii. 15; Hosea xiii. 7, 8; Job. xxx. 19-24, 26-29; Ps. cvii. 9, 10; Isa. liv. 11; Lam. iii. 8—15, 17, 18—31; Isa. xl. 29; Isa. xli. 17; Isa. lxvi. 9; Luke iv. 18; Isa. xxxv. 4—7.

Without making any further remarks, I will conclude and make known my object. From the time the Lord removed her hope, in consequence of her indescribable horror of soul, she has been totally unable to earn anything towards the means for food and raiment. She was then getting a comfortable living in a business, but in consequence of leaving it to others it soon came to nothing, and since then she has somehow or other lived upon charity. But now it is come to this, she is at the present time sheltered under the roof of a very poor man, who has a large family and but little work; and if the Lord does not open the hearts of a few of those who have their tables well furnished with the good things of this life, she probably may have to end her days in a madhouse. For if she were to go to a poor-house, they would very soon come to the conclusion that she was mad; for she is in a perpetual state of groaning, crying out in the bitterness of her soul to God for his mercy: the pains of hell have a fast hold of her-she feels something of Jonah's terrors (Jonah ii. 2), "I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice."

Dear Sir, I now leave this letter with you, but the disposal of it to him to whom all his elect are indebted for their first and second birth, and may his will be done.

4, Cambridge Road, Bethnal Green.

R. B.

[The foregoing is the case which was mentioned in the Gospel Standard some two or three years ago. About Mrs. Edwards' real state before God we entertain no doubt; we believe the work to be a genuine work, and that God in his own time will vouchsafe deliverance to her at present deeply dejected soul. At the same time it is one of those cases which we prefer our readers seeing, hearing, communicating with for themselves, in order personally to come to their own conclusions. We believe the deliverance she once experienced to have been a real deliverance, the which the Lord has since seen fit to test by severe mental disease, as well as by some of the most painfully afflictive circumstances to which poor human nature can be subjected. The manner of her husband's death, which we have had from her own mouth; the gradual decline of circumstances; the sleepless nights-the agonizing days she has since passed, combine to bring us to the conclusion that Elizabeth

Edwards is a standing miracle of the mighty power of God in sustaining, upholding, and bringing through from day to day, where the comforting operations of his love are altogether withheld. The case is one of those which strikes the spectator with astonishment, and leads to the solemn inquiry, "Who are the children of God, and in what circumstances are they to be found?" Quite certain we are, that when permitted, as he was with Job, Satan by his crafty insinuations, fiery darts, and continual worrying, will shatter the mental and bodily part of a poor believer almost all to pieces; so that his life will become a burden, and he will fancy it impossible (unless God miraculously appears) that he can hold on and out to the end. But, blessed be God, actual experience proves to the contrary each day and hour; the power of God shall be made known, and when the time appointed in the ancient settlements of eternity shall have arrived, the inquiry, "Shall not the prey be taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive be delivered?" be answered in sweet affirmative.-ED.]

The address of Mis. Edwards is No. 5, Portland Place, Thomas Street, New Kent Road, near the Elephant and Castle.

PARDONING LOVE.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

MY DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER IN THE LORD,

I am sure, as a member of the mystic body of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will rejoice with me for the unspeakable mercies which the dear Lord hath made me the partaker of during the past month. I feel something like the deaf man recorded in the seventh chapter of Mark, who, after the Lord had healed him, commanded him that he should tell no man; but he published it the more: and I find it difficult to refrain from telling out even to the ungodly, what God the Lord hath done for my soul. Perhaps my esteemed friend is saying, What particular work hath the Lord been doing for you? Bless the Lord, O my soul, he hath heard my cry; he hath manifestively pardoned all my sins, and blotted out my transgressions. I was born of ungodly parents, who I have much cause to fear died as they lived, enemies to God by wicked works. May the Lord grant that I may be deceived in respect of them; he is a sovereign, and can perform his work when nature refuses to speak, as was the case for many hours previous to the decease of my dear father. From early childhood, however, my mind seemed attracted by what is called religion. I perfectly detested anything of immorality, which no doubt in the hand of the Lord was produced by the conduct of a cousin, whose career of dissipation exceeded anything with which I was acquainted. I attended the Church of England under the specious idea of future happiness by my moral conduct and supposed rectitude. I shudder, my esteemed friend, at the recollection of those days, with all my pharisaic pride of not being as other men were: I could attend the theatre, the horse circus, the dance, the gaming table, &c. without a check of conscience. It is true, bless God for the mercy, I was never suffered to rush into dissipation; but I was permitted to go far enough indeed to convince me since then that I was rife for any sin, had not the Lord in mercy restrained me. But here I may mention a circumstance that hath many times since humbled me to the dust before the God of my mercies, for his boundless compassions to me a worthless worm. Being at this time about fifteen years of age, circumstances separated me

from the parental roof, and settled me at Liverpool. Much impressed by the solicitation of my father to avoid evil company, I only obtained the company of one youth similarly situated with myself. During four years our hearts were kuit together, but, alas, by what tie-deceit and hypocrisy, with religious cant. We corresponded by letter on divine things, while our Sabbath afternoons consisted in perhaps learning our parts for private theatricals, or planning pleasure for the next week. O how deceitful is the heart of man; because I was not a drunkard, or found in the purlieus of a brothel, I satisfied my seared conscience with pharisaic pride, but the Lord put a stop to it under a sermon by a celebrated church minister of that town. I was convinced at least our conduct would not, could not stand the test. I wrote to my friend to the effect. I received for answer, that he should act the hypocrite no longer, but throw off the mask he had so long worn. Unhappy young man, God has as yet given him over to a reprobate mind. I met him two years afterwards at Birmingham, the most determined infidel I ever met with-a Bible hater, a Christ despiser, while at the very time the Lord in unfathomable mercy was just convincing me of my real state and condition as a poor needy and wretched sinner.

It pleased the Lord when I arrived at the age of twenty-one, to bring me up to London, my native place. I soon became acquainted with a dear old saint, many years a hearer of the late Mr. Huntington, but now of Gower Street. Knowing I was a professor, he soon tried me a little about possession, of which he found me indeed barren. Never shall I forget one night when shaking me by the hand, he said, “If you die before the morning, you will not justify the Lord in condemning your soul to perdition." Oh what a state of mind did I lay down upon my bed that night. I saw if what he said was right, that all my former profession was nothing worth. The devil soon began with, Give it all up, one man says one thing, and one man another; how can you tell which is right-give it up. And had not God in mercy kept me, I should have run headlong into infidelity and ruin. On the back of this, the much despised doctrine of election arrested my mind; no sinner on earth ever despised, hated, and abhorred this glorious truth more than I did: and even after I was compelled to believe it, as if to show my cursed pride and hatred to God, I said, Well, it is truth, but it is not so charitable or worthy of a God as John Wesley's plan of salvation. But when the Lord opened by little and little the fountain of the great deep-when my sinnership stared me in the face, with wrath to come, how did my soul cry unto God for mercy. I told him I had not a word to say against his divine sovereignty in choosing one and leaving another. All I wanted to know was, would he, could he show mercy to such a wretch as I. This, my beloved brother, is a solemn time in the experience of the Lord's children. Oh how the enmity of the heart is slain when in a feeling sense the poor destitute bankrupts cry out, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Bless the dear Lord, since first he put this cry into my mouth, about four years since, he hath put joy and gladness into my soul; but at other times, and indeed many have they been, my heart has sank within me when I have listened to that dear servant of the Lord, whom I love from my very soul, Mr. Triggs. How has my heart desponded within me, my old enemy has come over me with, "Mr. Triggs can tell the time when first he was quickened by grace, and felt the pardon of his sins; but you cannot, you are a professor, a downright hypocrite-you will turn a thief or a drunkard some day. "Bless God, the old liar hath been disappointed as yet, and I know that he will, for my God is faithful, who has promised that he will guide me with his eye even unto death.

But I must hasten on to record the marvellous mercy he has communi