"Now Sinai's terrors ceased their angry roll, "Twas now I felt the power of pard'ning blood; The robe, the ring, and all that I can give, I give and promise, sign, and seal with blood!"" It appears he commenced preaching the Gospel, at the earnest solicitations of his fellow-members, in his native village, when thirty-eight years old, and, being chosen as their pastor, continued with them until his death in 1860, a period of forty-three years. A meeting house, Ebenezer, had been erected in 1810; this, during Mr. Sutton's pastorate, was repeatedly enlarged, God greatly prospering the cause under his pastoral care. Numerous accesions to the church were annually made; and, during the whole course of his useful life among them, a constant succession of spiritual prosperity attended his labours. "Our Zion's gates are thronged! behold, what crowds! ; He was, indeed, an able minister of the New Testament, a God-fearing Christian, a whole-hearted patron of every society that had in view the moral and spiritual elevation of mankind. Concerning the success with which the Lord attended his ministry, he says in his poem :— "The deeds of mercy now I oft proclaim, In town and village preach the Saviour's Name, Are glad to hear, and many feel His grace. They speak His love; they join the new-born throng: Mr. Sutton's services were, no doubt, in much request in his own neighbourhood. Not much do we find recorded, his day being prior to the present age of reporting public services of a special kind so much in print. Only on one occasion do we remember to have heard or seen any account of his being publicly engaged in London. That was when his friend and neighbour, Mr. John Foreman, of Cambridge, was called, in the providence of God, to remove thence and take the pastorate at Mount Zion, Hill Street, London. On the occasion of Mr. Foreman's ordination there, Mr. Sutton gave the charge to the minister, when he addressed his friend and brother from the words, "And He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John." In the course of his remarks he spoke to Mr. Foreman in the following familiar and characteristic manner : "John, my boy, you have been chosen to be a shepherd, and you will find it very pleasant work, when the sun shines, and the flowers are upon the earth; when the sheep will lie at ease, and chew their cud in peace and contentment. storms will arise and wintry days will come, when the old ewes will blare But about, hungry, and wanting to be fed. You'll have to find them food and shelter, John. You must seek out the green spots, bring them prepared food, fold them for shelter and safety by night, and lead them to the rock by day. The lambs will cry about you; look after the little ones, John-gather them to the sunny side of the bank, lay them in the sheltered, sunny spots, but be sure you lay them with their heads upwards. You've come to this great Lunnen; you must mind what you say, John, and you must mind how you say it; they'll watch you, and perhaps they'll print it. But be careful, or the Holy Spirit won't print it on the people's hearts; and you'll want the Holy Spirit to print what you say, or it won't be food to the flock over which God has made you overseer." Very quaint and singular phraseology, truly, and highly pastoral in a technical sense, but conveying a beautiful meaning to those able to appreciate the force of the metaphors used. Whether the whole charge was after the same parabolic fashion or not, history is silent; but it is pretty certain that neither Mr. Foreman, or any one else who heard it, very soon forgot it. In his usual ministrations, Mr. Sutton was accustomed to speak of the Lord's dealings with his own soul; in wounding and humbling him, and healing him, by leading him to the Cross for pardon, peace, and salvation, in a way that deeply affected his hearers. He was made the instrument thus of consoling and edifying many distressed ones, and, doubtless, many still live to testify how gracious the Lord was to their souls, through his faithful and deeply experimental ministrations. He entered the rest prepared for the people of God in the eighty-first year of his age, being favoured with much consolation in the closing hours. The church, over which he so long and usefully presided, "remember the Word of Life," spoken unto them by him, and abide by the doctrine and fellowship he taught, as being that which the apostles taught and practised. They are at present without a pastor, but, according to latest advices, in a peaceful and prosperous condition. Their chapel is a commodious structure, seating, according the "Hand-book," 700 persons. Favourite Hymns and their Authors. No. 20. JOHN BERRIDGE'S HYMNS. POETRY is a gift bestowed only on few, too often used to vicious purpose; but when sanctified by grace, highly exalts the praise of the Giver, not only in public worship, but in private devotion, "teaching and admonishing one another, or speaking to yourselves, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in the heart unto the Lord." Such writers have received and long held their honour for a talent which no effort or study can attain, imparted to the illiterate as well as to the learned, thus clearly illustrating "the diversity of gifts, but the same spirit." Indeed, its power and influence are such as to be, and not wrongly, regarded as an inspiration. In some authors there is great similarity, but he whom we now notice stands almost alone, both in sentiments, style, and language. There is some re semblance in Quarles. His verse evidences so largely that greatest charm, a surprising originality, united to deep sincerity, honesty, and faithfulness. These are features deserving of high esteem, in a sphere where many temporise, deceive, and compliment to seek the praise of men. To John Berridge, with a heart deeply imbued with the love and fear of God, and the good of men, nothing was more obnoxious. He had a single eye to the glory of God, and laboured in His ministry, when awakened to feel the power of real religion, to that end alone. He copied no predecessor, but wrote as indited by the Spirit on a sanctified heart; hence the clearness of his doctrine, the vitality of his experience, and the vigorous and wholesome practices he so earnestly inculcated. He could thus, where many believers even have failed, take the Word of God in all its parts— "May Thy commands obedience get, Berridge was born March 1st, 1716; his father was a wealthy farmer, who, finding his son as averse to agriculture as he was fond of learning, sent him to Cambridge in his nineteenth year, where he made great proficiency, studying for several years fifteen hours a day, till he became as familiar with the learned languages, as with his mother-tongue. After attaining the highest honours as a scholar and tutor, and a fellowship in Clare Hall, he was, after a curacy of six years, presented by his college to the vicarage of Everton, Beds, the duties of which he discharged with great zeal, but with no effect, being himself ignorant of the way of salvation. His labours were in vain till, taught his own sinnership and need of Christ, he was enabled to preach Him as the only Saviour, and many were converted, but not one before. He could then count what the world admires as gain but; loss for Christ, and sing a theme which no earthly wisdom could reach : "Thy blood shall be my peace, Thy breast my safe retreat; Thine eye shall guide me lest I stray, Thine arm uphold me day by day." Again, in referring to Enoch walking with God, he wrote: "No pattern more plain Or striking than this: This Divine change caused old things to pass away, and all to become new. He preached in villages round his own so as to incur the wrath of carnal priests, and the censure and threatenings of his bishop. Then, in the open air, to thousands, when the Word was with power, and the result extraordinary for miles around. He overcame all opposition, for God was with him, while he showed his astonished hearers the emptiness and peril of dead, formal profession, and the need of regeneration and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, as they often had heard, to "all those who truly repent and unfeignedly believe the Holy Gospel." But few clergymen then, as now, could thus lay the axe to the root of ritualism, love of architecture and sensational devices : "With solemn, weekly state, The worldling treads Thy court; Content to see Thy gate, And such as there resort. "Whilst formalists admire The pillars, walls and roof, And are but weather-proof, Then how forcible are such right words as these : "A godliness which feeds on form And lip-devotion (barren cheer), Will satisfy an earthly worm, Who learns to think and call it Contented with the husky part― "But God must work the will Humility is one of the brightest features in religion. The apostle counted himself "less than the least of all saints, even as nothing;" so Abraham prayed as "dust and ashes" only before God. This genuine self-abhorrence, not in any forced hypocrisy, pervades Berridge's character and writings; renouncing all pride in his learning, attainments, labours, &c. How beautiful, from such an honoured coadjutor of the celebrated Whitefield, are such confessions as the following: "How shall I come to Thee O God, who holy art, But with a loathing heart? For my untoward heart; "In vain I seek for rest In all created good; And makes me pant for God. "Without Thee, O Lord, No heart to adore Thee, No feet for the race, No thirst for Thy glory, No hunger for grace." In Berridge's day some doctrinal controversies raged fiercely, separating into conflicting parties the Church of Christ. The Vicar of Everton, bent on making full proof of his ministry, evidently had no taste for this strife, and wisely kept aloof, yet could reckon some on each side as his brethren in Christ-Wesley and Whitefield,_John Fletcher and his neighbour, Henry Venn. Yet how affectionately and deeply he mourned over the discord and divisions is very evident in many such lamentations as these : "One cries, 'I am for Paul;' And one Apollos takes ; Each thinks his leader all in all, And wild dissension makes. "But when Thy simple sheep For forms and shadows fight, To see their shallow wit, Who leave their bread to gnaw the stones, And fondly break their teeth with bones. "And while such waspish worms Each other's side devour, And buried are in forms, Give me, O Lord, the powerThe power to feast upon Thy grace, And live the lite of godliness." His fervour in holy aspiration has seldom been excelled, either in prose or verse. Such as the following abound; and, it should be remembered, were penned from heart-experience in private reflection, and not for publication : "I would be near Thy feet, Or at Thy bleeding side; Feel how Thy heart does beat, And see its purple tide. Face all the wonders of Thy death, And sing Thy love in every breath. "Oh, that most precious Love, Which saints and angels know; And makes our heaven below! "Oh, let my Lord bestow That broken heart on me, "O Lord, Thy spirit's aid impart, And fill me with devotion's fire; Bid heart and flesh cry out for Thee, On buying without money or price, he wrote: 65 Take my burdens for Thy rest, Take my death for Thy life given; Take my rags for Thy rich vest, Take my hell for Thy sweet heaven." John Berridge lived the truth he taught; he remained single, that he might be more devoted to the cause and people of God, to whom he disbursed his ample fortune. He was constantly aiding the poor around, and on Lord's-days supplied, at his own expense, hundreds who attended his ministry from afar. It seems, from his letters, that latterly he impoverished himself, and had to solicit pecuniary help from rich friends for small personal expenditures. Thus, he did not, as many have done, exclude or neglect the practical parts of God's Word, but could consistently enforce them by precept, as in his lite; to which instruction his hymns bore testimony, such as this: - "Oh Lord, give me a heart upright, "Such faith in Jesus fill my mind, Such love to Jesus may I find, Such worth in Jesus see, That I may hold His truth and name More dear than wealth, or ease, or fame More dear than life to me." "Some of this robe can lightly talk, Yet show they want it by their walk; The world a welcome guest within, The robe a goodly cloak for sin !" "And let me be viewing Thy love, a sweet stock, Berridge has not been honoured and appreciated as a hymn-writer as he deserves; for a number of Selections, now in use, do not include a single hymn of his, many of which, as these specimens prove, are far superior to scores that are inserted. He wrote one "Marriage," that held its place almost alone as a "Wedding Hymn' for a long period; rather singular a subject, and so well done, by a bachelor. This is the only one of his in Rippon's (anonymously), and in Spurgeon's Psalms and Hyınns, commencing, on "Our Jesus freely did appear To grace a marriage feast," &c. (Sometimes printed, "Since Jesus," &c., which is an improvement). Denham chose ten for his "Saints' Melody," and eight short portions for his Supplement; but, showing how tastes differ, one Baptist selection includes no less than seventy-six from Berridge. One reason of this neglect may be that he is too discriminating and spiritual for modern taste; not because many are in the first person singular, for the same pervades, and has not hindered the insertion of Charles Wesley's. Another may be that his book has been generally scarce, and never in cheap editions. It is rather singular that his poetical ability and taste, such as it was, is not manifest in any other way than in his hymns, written at one period only of his life, and under peculiar circum |