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LADY, who for the last three years and a half has Superintended the Household of the Undersigned, since the death of his wife, is now, in consequence of his intended re-marriage, seeking a similar situation, or one of like responsibility, such as the Care of Children, where nothing meuial would be required.

Her skill, management, and economy; her thorough devoted. ness, her humbleness and gravity, and, above all, her singleness of heart as unto Christ, will render her invaluable.

All inquiries will be gladly answered by P. H. GOSSE, F.R.S.,
Sandhurst, Torquay.

Just Published, post Svo., cloth, price 5s., free by post,
NEW VERSION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS.
By LORD CONGLETON.

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It has been thought that if the Psalms were thrown into the metrical form, as suggested by the parallelisms in the original Hebrew, and divided into paragraphs, and if, further, every effort were made to preserve uniformity of translation, that is, to give the same English word where the same Hebrew word occurs, the English reader would be in a much better position to understand this portion of God's precious word. To carry out this thought, taking care, at the same

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time, that the translation should be correct in other respects, PRECIOUS TRUTH, roy. 32mo., cloth, 1s. Cox

has been the object of the present work.

It has been a studied aim, whilst so doing, to preserve as much of the authorized version as possible.

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TENTS-What is a Christian? The Christian's Heavenly
Calling. Obedience. Whom say ye that I am? What is the
Gospel? The Kingdom of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Days of Noah, and the Days of the Son of Man. Prin-
ciples of Truth. Christ's Cross. Moses a Type of Christ.
The Passover. The Manna. On Leviticus viii.-x. The

HEALING LEAVES FROM THE TREE OF Feasts (Lev. xxiii.) The Nazarite. Dagon (1 Sam. v.) The

In a Series of Short Letters, chiefly addressed

to Young Persons. By an Old Disciple.
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Crumbs for the Lord's Little Ones,

EDITED BY H. H. S.,

CONSISTING of hundreds of Original Papers on
of Christ, for the edification and comfort of the Lord's people.
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Scriptural Subjects, written by various honoured servants

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1 The Love of God to Sinners

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14 Only One Word; or, that
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19 Friend and Traveller.
20 The Blind Warrior
21 I have found a Ransom
22 The Poor Charwoman,
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3 What is the Gospel?
4 Grace

5 The Serpent of Brass
6 The Compassion of God

7 A Just God and a Saviour

8 Sin, its Punishment and
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9 The Good Physician
10 What must I do to be saved?
11 All have Sinned

12 The Dutchman's Family

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24 Now and Nigh

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[Heart

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Naaman, the Syrian
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The Two Thieves
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Almost and Altogether
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The Compassion of God
Death and Life

Friend and Traveller

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sibility of Making the Best of Both. Some reply to Mr. Binney's Lecture, entitled "Is it Possible to Make the Best of Both Worlds ?

FIRST LOVE-They forsook all and followed Him. DECLENSION They all forsook Him and fled. APOSTASY-Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.

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the Year.

BY T. W. MEDHURST, COLERAINE, NORTH OF IRELAND.

death."

Con

lasting punishment with the devil and Lord." "A man can receive nothing, exBy the donations received from several of our kind his angels. This punishment is accord- cept it be given him from above." What ing to the strict demands of Divine will it avail you, if, heaping up this justice-"The WAGES of sin is death." world's wealth, you miss heaven and He who rebels against the laws of His lose your soul? O be wise, and turn Maker, voluntarily enters into an agree- unto the Lord; with weeping and lamenment with death, and, consequently, tation, look to Jesus; so shall you enjoy receives the due reward of his iniquity. true riches, which will endure for everThe damned in hell must ever blame more. themselves for their damnation. The Would you begin the New Year, PROOF SEEK JESUS. cerning Jesus, thus it is written-"We have not an High Priest which cannot The year is nearly ended-I am nearer to my grave. Is there any way wherein be touched with the feeling of our infirThoughts for the Conclusion of I can escape from the certain con- mities." "In all their afflictions He was sequences of my guilt? There is; listen afflicted." Jesus Christ the SAME yesterto the gospel declaration, yield obedience day, and to-day, and for ever." When THE Scriptures are very explicit in de- to its requirements, look unto Jesus, and sorrow comes, you will surely sink beclaring the total ruin of all mankind by be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth. neath its weight, unless supported by sin. Such solemn passages as the follow-"The BLOOD of Jesus Christ (God's Son) Jesus. Take Jesus as the antidote for ing occur frequently in the word of God. cleanseth us from all sin." "Him that all pain-as the balm for every wound— "In sin did my mother conceive me." cometh to me I will IN NO WISE CAST as the support of your heart in the hour "All have sinned, and come short of the out." "He is able to save them to the of distress, and your portion for ever. glory of God." "The soul that sinneth, UTTERMOST that come unto God by Him." Would you begin the New Year singit shall die." "The wages of sin is Though man has sinned, yet God can ing? SEEK JESUS. He who has found The first of these passages save the sinner, and maintain the require-Jesus, can sing one of the Lord's songs. teaches us, that man is a sinner from ments of His justice, through the shed- He can "rejoice evermore;" yea, he can He was born in sin, and ding of Jesus' blood. God is willing to “rejoice in the Lord always." The wanshapen in iniquity. Sin is natural to pardon ALL WHO COME pleading the effi- derer from God cannot rejoice, he may man, he inherits it from his parents, and cacy of Jesus' blood. No sinner, making experience excitement, but to real, to by his whole life proves that he loves sin an application for forgiveness of sins lasting joy, he must ever be a stranger, by choosing its paths. The second pas- through the shedding of Jesus' blood, until he is brought back by Jesus. The sage brings before us the universality shall ever be rejected. "Why will ye die?" worldling's mirth is of short duration; of sin, with its terrible results. 66 'All Be determined that you will secure the in a few brief years it vanishes away. have sinned." Every man, woman, and salvation of your soul before this year None, save Jesus, can give solid joy child are sinners against God. All have has closed. You may not live to behold and lasting peace. SEEK JESUS, as the transgressed His commands, insulted is the commencement of the New Year, source of all real pleasure -- pleasure justice, defied His authority, and de- therefore, Now come to Jesus, and you flowing from the right channel, even from spised His grace. High and low, rich shall obtain eternal life. Let this year a knowledge of sins pardoned, iniquities and poor, young and old, all, ALL have see you a penitent, lying low at the blotted out, transgressions covered, and sinned. By sin, all have "come short footstool of mercy, pleading for pardon the soul saved. If you would be happy, of the glory of God." God's glory is for the sake of Jesus; then shall the you must SEEK JESUS. If you would tarnished by the transgression of man- New Year see you rejoicing in the Lord, be enabled to live, you must SEEK JESUS, kind. Shall the transgressor go unpun- as your Redeemer. Would you If you would be prepared to die, you ished for this? No. "The soul that mence the New Year PROSPEROUSLY? must SEEK JESUS. sinneth, it shall die." Death is God's SEEK JESUS-"Seek ye first the kingdom curse against sin, and he who delights in of God and His righteousness, and all sin, shall surely be visited with that these things shall be added unto you." The death of the body is the SEEK JESUS, So shall ye be able to sing, SEEK JESUS, then you shall find Him, sure forerunner of the death of the soul, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not and shall thus be enabled to begin to all who die impenitent. The death want."

his birth.

curse.

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com

"Tis Jesus only that can give,
Sweetest pleasures while you live;
'Tis Jesus only must supply,
Solid comfort when you die."

Eighteen Hundred and Sixty One with

of the soul consists in everlasting banish- Would you be RICH? SEEK JESUS. the certainty of realizing A HAPPY ment from the presence of God, and ever- "The silver and gold is mine, saith the NEW YEAR!

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

A SOLEMN WORD TO PROFESSORS.

“A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant frits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief sreams from Lebanon. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south: blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits."-SOLOMON'S SONG iv. 12-16.

spices: a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and

In a time like the present, when men are tacking on the word church to so many things, and when, we fear, so many are deceiving themselves, by supposing that all is right with them, because

they belong to some so-called church, it becomes spot in this wilderness world; all else, whether of God. It is the indwelling Spirit that is given

pagan or professedly Christian, is barren and
corrupt; no sweet spices flow from any part of
it; it is Christless, and therefore dead. The
Lord knoweth them that are His, and He assures
us that all that have been taught of Him have
come to Christ for salvation.

Christ, is further characterized by fruit-bearing- that all is directed by the God of love for our
"brings forth fruit unto God;" as is beautifully good.
set forth in the figurative language of our text. 3. GOD'S CHURCH IS FROVIDED FOR IN THE
"Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, WILDERNESS,-"a spring shut up, a fountain
with pleasant fruits; camphire with spikenard, sealed." A spring of living water is in her.
spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, This garden inclosed is not refreshed and watered
with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, by enticing words of man's wisdom, but by the
with all the sweet spices." Yes, a good tree Holy Ghost-the Spirit of truth who guides into
bringeth forth good fruit. By abiding in Christ, all truth. Paul was a planter, Apollos was a
living upon the fulness of Christ, we glorify the waterer; he was "mighty in the Scriptures;"
believers bring forth fruit unto God, more or
Father, and bear fruit unto holiness. All true under the Spirit's guidance, he was enabled so to
less, some thirty, some sixty, and some an hun- were revived, the thirsty were refreshed, and
expound the written word, that drooping plants
dred-fold. God's church is the only fruitful sweet spices flowed out to the praise and glory
to believers, as the earnest of our inheritance,
until the redemption of the purchased possession.
His own blood, the Holy Ghost was able to come
The Lord Jesus having purged His church by
down and dwell in her as His habitation. He
came down on the day of Pentecost, and took up
His abode in her; according to the word of
Jesus, "He shall abide with you for ever." The
doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in
the church was constantly taught by the Apos
tle" Know ye not that ye are the temple of
God, and that the Spirit
of God dwelleth in
you ?" It is by the Holy Ghost's taking of the
things of Christ and shewing them unto us-
bringing the things of Christ to our remembrance,
and showing us things to come, through the
written word-that our souls are watered and
strengthened unto every good word and work;
and, by the various operations and actings of the
Holy Ghost in the different members, His church
is edified in love. Alas! how much the Holy
Spirit is grieved and quenched!

a matter of the deepest importance that we
should clearly understand what the church is, as
God speaks of it in the Bible, which is the only
infallible standard of truth. What folly for
persons to think they belong to a church, when
God pronounces them to be still without any
part or lot in the matter! What a fearful mis- Again, though the living members of Christ's
take for persons to flatter themselves that they church are in the world, they are not of the
have an interest in God's salvation, because they world; for His church is "a garden inclosed."
have a place in what is called Mr. So-and-so's Thus there is a line of separation between the
church! The fact is, that the true church is church and the world. 1. She is separated by
God's church; the false or counterfeit thing is by God's choice: "ye are not of the world, but
the work of the devil. The devil deceives people, I have chosen you out of the world." 2. She is
by having some spurious imitations of God's separated by the blood of Christ: "who gave
realities. God has wise virgins; Satan says,
Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us
"I'll have virgins too"- foolish. God has from this present evil world, according to the
wheat growing in His field; Satan has some-
will of God our Father." 3. She is separated
thing like it-tares. God has a true vine; from the world by the Holy Spirit: "God hath
Satan has a vine-the vine of the earth. God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts."
has a city-new Jerusalem; Satan has a city
"As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they
too-Babylon. Christ has a bride; Satan has a
are the sons of God." "If any man have not
harlot. God has spiritual worshippers in power; the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." We
Sitan sets up carnal worshippers in form. Hence might also add that the church has life and
it is of the greatest moment that every professor salvation in Christ, while the world is under
that reads these lines should unsparingly search condemnation, and death, and lying in the
his heart and ways, and consider whether he wicked one. There is, then, really but one class
really has an interest in Christ, and belongs to the of persons outside God's church, and that is "the
church of God; for, from our Lord's own words, world." Hence the apostle Peter, writing to be-
we fear that many members of so-called churches lievers in Christ, says, "But ye are a chosen
are still unsaved-still in their sins. Jesus generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and
in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? and then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you; de-
part from me, ye that work iniquity.'

But what is the church? The text for our consideration beautifully shews us at a glance, what we find brought out so fully in various parts of the New Testament. 1. It is a people, though in the world, not of the world; having life, and bearing fruit"a garden inclosed." 2. A people standing in near relationship to Christ,my sister, my spouse." 3. The church is watered by living water," a spring shut up, a fountain sealed." 4. Under the special culture of God,-"Awake, O north wind." &c.

1. The church, then, is composed of those who have life-living plants. They were the fruitless branches of the corrupt tree, briers of the wilderness; but the Spirit of God hath put breath in them, and they live. They were dead in sins, but they have heard the voice of the Son of God, and live. They have believed in Jesus, and have everlasting life. They are now in Christ, justified by His blood, and passed from death unto life. Thus they belong to God's church, by union with Christ. Hence the apostle says that the church is the body of Christ, and that Christ is the head of the body the church. (See Eph. i. 23, and Col. i. 18.) How different this is from what man naturally supposes! The common thought is, that we must first belong to the church, in order to belong ultimately to Christ; but this is, as we see, entirely opposed to Scripture, which teaches us that those only really belong to God's church who have a vital union with the risen Son of God. These are the plants of God's right hand planting. They have life in Christ, and therefore, not like those who have only a name to live, and are dead. They know in whom they have believed, and are persuaded that He is able to keep that which they have committed unto Him against that day, and dread not the fulfilment of our Lord's thrilling declaration, "Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up." Thus we see that no Christless soul really belongs to God's church; he may think he does, and even be an official by man's appointment, but he belongs not to the church, because he belongs not to Christ.

The true church, from her vital union to

peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the
praises (or virtues) of Him who hath called you
out of darkness into His marvellous light."

2. THE CHURCH IS A PEOPLE STANDING IN

The great sin of the professing church is refusing the Holy Ghost and exalting man. Human eloquence, which charms and intoxicates the senses, is preferred to the way of faith and dependance on God. Therefore, men ransack their mental faculties, and work hard in the study, to meet the intellectual cravings of those around them, instead of labouriug in prayer, and selfexamination, and searching the Scriptures in the closet, in dependance on the Spirit's teaching, and going forth with firm reliance on His neverfailing help. And also those who hear, looking to men instead of depending on the Holy Ghost to use them, tends to grieve and quench His holy operations. When the Spirit of God is honoured, the message reaches the heart, stirs the affections, and raises the conscience, while the persuasive eloquence of man's wisdom leaves the heart as careless and the conscience as dull as it found them.

NEAR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST,-"my sister,
my spouse." We must ever remember that love
is the spring of divine action toward the church.
"Christ loved the church and gave himself for
it, that He might present it to himself, a glorious
church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such
thing." The intensity of the Father's love to
the church is declared by our Lord to be "
'as the
Father loved Him;" while Christ's own out-
Oh that the Holy Ghost were more honoured
flowing of affection to His people could only be now, not only as to His regenerating work in
truly expressed by His saying, "As the Father souls, but also in His person, Godhead, and
hath loved me, so have I loved you," and He various operations and ministries in the Church
confirmed it by the wondrous act of laying down of God. In this way Christ would be exalted;
His life for us on the Cross. It was God's pur-Christ and His blood, death, resurrection, ascen-
pose and grace that gave birth to the church, sion, intercession, and coming would more occupy
and the same unchanging love doth and will ever the hearts and minds of those who love Him.
sustain her. The manner or sort of love is not Christ in His fulness would be ministered and fed
merely that of a master toward servants, or of upon. Nothing would so tend to strike off the
a king toward snbjects, but that of a father dead weight of empty professors, nothing so re-
toward sons, and that of a bridegroom toward fresh the plants which our heavenly Father has
His bride. It is the manner of love that Christ's planted, nothing would so lead to practical sepa
heart has toward His church, that is so full of ration from the world. In many ways the Lord
comfort; He can speak of her as His sister and His seems to be calling loudly upon us to remember
spouse; and, after His resurrection, we find Him that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by
declaring the Father's name unto His brethren, my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Like in
saying,Go to my brethren, and say unto them, Gideon's day, when he took an humble man from
I ascend unto my Father and to your Father; the threshing-floor to deliver the whole nation of
and to my God and to your God." When He Israel, so the Lord is now working mightily by
comes again He will be revealed as the Bride-His Spirit, by plain, unlettered men, who testify
groom to take His long-loved bride to the marriage blessedly of salvation alone by the blood of
Supper. Then it will be said, "Let us be glad Christ to crowds of listening hearers, while the
and rejoice and give honour to Him, for the mar- cold, intellectual, and formal, however orthodox,
riage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath are comparatively little used. As the Holy
made herself ready; and to her was granted that Ghost is really honoured, so man will sink down
she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and to His proper level, and Christ be rightly ex-
white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of tolled as above all, and in all.
saints." The true church, then, stands in the 4. GOD CARES FOR HIS CHURCH. His saints
tenderest relationship to God the Father and are the especial objects of His care.
Christ, therefore we have not received the spirit pleasure in them that fear Him.
of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adop-bandman of His own garden. The ungodly
tion, whereby we cry, Abba, Father! The Apostle sometimes go on in sin deeper and deeper, without
addressed the Thessalonian believers as "the being interfered with. Jesus said of some, “Let
church of the Thessalonians which is in God the them alone." Not so with His church. His loving
Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ." These heart sometimes lifts His arm with the rod of
are blessed realities, and to be enjoyed now by chastisement. "As many as I love, I rebuke
faith; and, when in this mind, if we cannot un- and chasten." Carnal professors may escape the
derstand the way God is leading us, we look only rod, but all His own children must be partakers
to His love on the Cross, and consider Jesus as of it. They get dull, and droop and wither, and
our elder brother in resurrection, and are assured are bowed down with unprofitable accumulations,

He taketh He is the hus

and the chilling north wind is necessay to purify, Supper; am always to my post in the Sunday-sure we can get on better than we do now." and invigorate, and cause the spices to flow out. school; subscribe to my utmost ability to every The mother looked at him, and she saidJonah tells us that he cried unto the Lord by religious institution; have long filled a credit-"No, my child, I would sooner live on bread reason of his affliction (chap. iii.), and so we find able office in Mr. So-and-so's church; am and water all my life than lose you." Howit now. Many are so oppressed with cares, that following in the steps of many of our good old they cannot find time for reading the word and forefathers, and it is uncharitable to suppose that ever, in a day or so, he persuaded his mother prayer; their souls, therefore, grow lean. They they and I can all be lost. Stop, my friend. Allow to let him go; he was determined not to go on get away from God, and converse not on heavenly me to say that this shews me that you have only thus any longer, so she consented, and they things. But God calls the north wind-He lays a false hope, that you are on a sandy foundation; went to look at the vessels, and at last found them low on a bed of sickness-then they turn in fact, that you have not been born again, that a good captain, who said he would be kind to to God, read His word, pour out their hearts you are still without an interest in the blood of the lad. Then his mother packed up his before Him, and soon speak again of Jesus and Christ, and therefore have not peace with God. clothes, and the day for his departure came. His love. Then the spices flow out. The north Oh! let me beseech you to consider your state On the last morning, as he was having his wind has done its work, and it ceases. On before God, for He says that "all have sinned," breakfast for the last time with her, she put a other occasions, God sees a different way the best "all are guilty," "all have gone astray;" this little Bible in the chest for him, and asked for His people. He encourages, comforts, cheers, therefore, is God's testimony concerning your him to grant one last request. "What is it?" and sends abundant. answers to their prayers, and be assured that none of your fancied good and they experience the war south wind; they works can blot out one sin, not any of your he asked, "To kneel down here, and I will feel that the beauty of the Lord their God is supposed holiness is acceptable to God for with- pray for God to be with you, when you are upon them, and that He prospers the work of out faith it is impossible to please God. All the away upon the billows, and that you may retheir hands. Thus, their hearts are melted with creature-merit with which you may holster member you have had a mother's prayers for divine love, and constrained by God's gracious yourself up, cannot make you fit for God's pre- your safety." They knelt together for the dealings increasingly to serve and honour Him, sence, and only proves that you are still living last time, and she said, "The Lord go with they dedicate themselves afresh to His service. in rebellion against Christ, that you are "going Thus, again, the spices flow out. Thus, we see it about to establish your own righteousness, and my dear little Johnny; the Lord be with him." is clearly the mind of God that His people should have not submitted yourself to the righteousness When they got to the pier, and he put off to bear fruit to His praise. We are taught elsewhere, of God." As long, then, as you refuse to come the ship, the mother's last words were, "The that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, to Christ, as an unclean and undone sinner, for Lord be with you!" And when the ship had long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meek-pardon and cleansing through His blood, what-left the shore his mother still prayed for him. ness, temperance." (Gal. v.) Happy indeed are ever you have, or whatever you think of your- One night, about five or six weeks afterwards those who, in the consciousness of living in the self, or whatever others think of you, you are they were still out on their long voyage, when Spirit and drawing out of Christ's fulness, are still guilty of the most hellish, foulest, and the wind began to blow, and threaten a storm. able to say, "Let my beloved come into His gar- eternally-condemning sin of rejecting Christ as The poor old mother was awake, and thought den and eat His pleasant fruits." the Saviour whom God hath sent. O my, reader, Great beyond description are the privileges of let me remind you that it is written, that He of her boy out at sea, and she fell upon her God's church; but the obligations also are very that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, knees, and prayed for God to be with him; solemn. It is blessed to feel ourselves in the enjoy-but he that believeth not the Son shall not see there was one upon those billows whom she ment of the one, and profitable to be occupied life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Think, loved. And there upon that ship the lad with the other. Those only are really happy then, of these words, O Christless professor! found his Bible, and read it and talked about Christians, who, drawing all comfort and bless- and while thou still hast the words of our it to the sailors, and they grew to like him ing from Christ crucified, bear fruit to the church," "our people," and "our religion," on very much, and to wonder at the number of honour of His name. thy lips, oh, fear and tremble, lest God's fierce things he knew, as he said repeatedly, "My anger fall upon thee; for wherever thou art, His truth declares, that the wrath of God abideth on mother taught me this, or, my mother taught thee, in health or sickness, day and night, alone me that." When the storm came that night, or in company with others, in thy so-called and the vessel was expected to perish, the church, or out of it, on a dying bed and in crew got into the boat, till there was no more eternity, oh, how terrible to utter, but alas! room, and two were left on the deck, the how true, THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON widow's son and a man. He had the Bible THEE. in his hand, and he said, "Tell my mother, if you get to land-tell my mother that her Johnny went down in the waves, with the Bible in his hand, and that God was with him."

Stop, poor sinner! stop and think,
Before you farther go!
Will you sport upon the brink
Of everlasting woe?
Once again, I charge you stop!

For, unless you warning take,
Ere you are aware, you drop

Into the burning lake!
But as yet there is a hope

You may His mercy know,
Though His arm is lifted up,
He still forbears the blow;
'Twas for sinners Jesus died,

And now, my reader, allow me solemnly and affectionately to enquire if you really belong to Christ's Church? I ask not where you go on the Sunday, or what Society you belong to, but I do beseech you to consider whether or not you belong to Christ? The Lord Jesus is coming for His Church; then all belonging to it-all that are Christ's will be caught up to meet Him in the air. How immensely important then, the question as to whether you will form one of that eternally happy company? or be left behind for judgment, and put under His feet? For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. If you really belong to the church of the living God, you have fled to Christ as the only hope set before you in the gospel; you have found deliverance from your guilty fears-cleansing of conscience in the precious blood of Christ; you trust in Christ and in Christ only for present and eternal peace-Christ is precious to your soul, and you willingly obey His voice. This being the case, you need not pray to be justified, for you are justified from all things (Acts xiii. 39); you need not pray for life, for you have everlasting life (John v. 24.); you need not pray to Pray for your Children. be saved, for you are saved (Luke vii. 50); you CHRISTIAN parents! bring up your children need not pray to be made a child of God, for you according to God's word. Train them up in are a child of God. (Gal. iii. 26.) While you the way they should go, and when they are may pray to be more in the power of the Spirit, old they will not depart therefrom. Earnestly, and to be filled with the Spirit, you do not honour continually, believingly, perseveringly, pray God to ask Him to give you His Spirit; for you for them." have the Spirit. (Ephes. i. 13.) You are in God will hear you, and answer Christ, a member of His body, His flesh and your prayers in the name of Jesus, in His bones; and, therefore, belonging to Ilis garden inclosed-His blood-bought church-and have a place of service in relation to it, according to the grace given, and may well rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Sinners He invites to come;
None who come shall be denied;

He says, "There still is room."

They saw the vessel sink with the poor boy on the deck. In time the Bible got to land. It was the boy's Sunday-school prize, and had his mother's address in it; it was taken to her. You can only realise how she felt by imagining yourself in the same position. There was only one thing which could give her comfort, and that was, that her lad had marked the passage where he had been reading, “The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin," and near it he had written, "Mother, if I never see you again upon earth, I will meet you in heaven." A few years passed away, and the old woman heard of her daughter, of whom she had known nothing for a very long time; and she came to see her mother when she was nearly dying. One day a sailor knocked at the door, and wanted to see Mrs. —. He said "I have news of her son; I was on the same ship with him, and the message he sent was, Tell my mother the Lord was with me.' The message was given to the daughter, who asked the sailor to go up stairs to her mother. When the poor woman saw him, she said, But perhaps my reader says, "This is going Do you know anything about my dear too far; nobody can be sure of salvation till Johnny?" "Yes," he said, "I was on the they come to die." We reply, that this would deck when Johnny went down into the sea; be quite true if salvation depended on our works, or on our righteousness in any degree, we should I knew a widow woman who was left with his last words were, 'Tell my mother that the then be always uncertain whether we had done two children, a girl and a boy to provide for. Lord is with me,"" "Thank God, then," she the right things, or in the right way; but as sal- Her little boy was employed in an office, and replied, for I shall meet him in heaven, and vation is wholly of God, wholly based on what used to get three shillings and sixpence, or my prayer that the Lord might be with him is God has done in Christ by His death and resur- four shillings a week. But the mother had answered. But I think,' she continued, rection, what He has promised in His word, and very hard work to get a living. She used to that eye looks like my lad's eye." "Yes," what He now accomplishes by His Spirit in mak- eat dry bread, and drink her tea without sugar, said the sailor, "I am he; and God has been ing known to souls His grace in Christ, we can in order that he might have butter on his with me, mother, and has blessed me, and he easily see that those who believe the record God bread, and sugar in his tea. One evening it is who has brought me to you once more behas given of His Son have the fullest warrant when he was stirring his own tea, and saw his fore you depart." Very shortly after this, for the present assurance of salvation.

own time and way; but do not cease to pray.
At all times, and under all circumstances,
commend your children to God, wait on God,
and wait for God. "Rest in the Lord, and
wait patiently for Him." Richard Weaver,
in his preaching lately, has related the fol-
lowing interesting particulars of a praying

mother:

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Some may say, we must not be so particular. mother depriving herself for him, he said, "I the poor woman died in his arms, shouting, I am quite content to be as I am. I am a mem- am determined I will not stop at the office; I" Victory! victory! through the blood of the ber of a church; regularly attend the Lord's will go to sea, and seek my fortune, and I am Lamb!"

The Spirit's Work.

BY JAMES SMITH, CHELTENHAM.

atonement of Christ entitles us to glory,
it is the work of the Holy Spirit that

[DECEMBER 1, 1860.

A Word to a Stonebreaker. PRECISELY what the blows of your ham

I LOVE to meditate on the work of the prepares us to possess and enjoy it. We mer are to the stones, the Lord Himself Holy Spirit, to whom we are so much must be washed, justified, and sanctified declares His word is to the hard or rocky indebted, and from whom we receive such in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by heart of man. (Jer. xxiii. 29.) Have you great and invaluable blessings. To Him the Spirit of God, or we cannot be ever felt its power? Some of your blows I feel that I am indebted, for every good saved.

thought, and every good work. If I will

fail to break the stones. Well, that's like the Word of God coming in word only.

that which is good, it is because He Doing is undoing, if put in the Perhaps you have read the Bible all your

wrong place.

John.-"Well, James, how does the

hope so; we
Getting on a

worketh in me to will; and if I do that
which is good, it is because He worketh
in me to do. If I go right, it is because soul get on; and how is your wife? is
He leads me, and if I feel as I should, it she happy in the Lord?"
is because He sanctifies me. How won-
James." Well, yes, I
derful His grace, that He should look are doing the best we can.
upon me at first! how wonderful His little, I hope."
patience, that He should bear with me: John.-"Bad is the best we can do.
so long! and how wonderful His loving-James. The doing of which you speak
kindness that He should confer on me is always undoing you both.
so much!

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O that I was more deeply minds me of what Paul tells the Galasensible of my obligation! O that I was tians: If ye be circumcised, Christ more grateful, that I might praise Him from day to day!

shall profit you nothing.' If it is trust in

James.-"Why, John, what could hel do? It seems to me that he had to be quiet, and to trust entirely to God to save him.”

life, and never yet known and felt what a vile sinner you are-your danger of hell fire, and your need of a Saviour; but only read it as a duty, thinking you did God service; or, may be, you never read it at all. But should the Word come with power, it will be like one of your good, telling, effectual blows. You will cry out under it, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" And you will believe God's testimony, that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth from all sin.

As you wield your hammer ponder these

things.

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Hymn for the Weary.
HEART, be still!

In the darkness of thy woe,
Bow thou silently and low:
Come to thee whate'er God will
Be thou still.

Be thou still!

*

Vainly all thy words are spoken,
Till the Lamb of God hath broken
Life's dark mysteries-good or ill—
Be thou still.

Rest thou still!
This thy Father's work of Grace,
Wait thou yet before His face :
Thy sure deliverance He doth will.
Keep thou still.

It was the Holy Spirit that quickened Christ, and do a little to be accepted, it me when dead in trespasses and sins, im-is a great dishonour to God; it is as parting a new life, infusing new thoughts, much as saying that Christ's sacrifice and producing new desires in my soul. was not perfect, when God tells us that Having quickened, He conquered me, by one offering He hath perfected for subduing the enmity of my heart, the ever them that are sanctified;' and that obstinacy of my will, the worldliness of He that sanctifieth, and they who are my affections, and bringing every thought sanctified, are all of one for which into subjection to the obedience of Christ. cause He is not ashamed to call them Having conquered, He comforted me, as- brethren. Tell me, James, what had suring me of an interest in the love of Noah to do when God shut him in the God, the perfect work of Jesus, the pre- ark? (which was the place of safety God eious promises of the word, and the rest had planned for him.) I say, what had that remaineth for the people of God. Noah then to do?" By quickening, conquering, and comforting, He sanctified me, separating me from the world, and setting me apart for my Redeemer's glory and praise. As my sanctifier, He became my guide, leading me into the truth, conducting me out of the paths of danger, and directing me into the way everlasting. Not only my guide, but ray guard, preserving me from danger, protecting me from foes, and becoming a wall of fire round about me. Still in all He does for me, He treats me as a rational and accountable creature; (Noah) built an altar, and offered up "PLEASANT words are as an honeycomb, and, therefore, whenever I wander, He re-burnt-offerings unto the Lord; and so, sweet to the soul, and healing to the proves me; when I wilfully go astray, He James, is it with the man who trusts only corrects me, and makes me smart for my in God's salvation — Christ. folly. The work He began so long ago, an one has to do, being 'complete' in He carries on, nor will He withdraw His Christ, is TO BE QUIET as it regards SELF; hand from it until it is perfected, and but to be rejoicing in the Lord always; I am fully fitted for glory. offering up sacrifices through Christ conReader, what know you of the work of tinually, even sacrifices of praise, the the Holy Spirit? Has He quickened fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His you? Has He conquered you? Does name."

John.-"True, my friend, he ceased entirely from his own works when he entered that ark. God shut him in. God steered the vessel. God kept him from shipwreck; and God landed him safely, in His own good time, on the mountains" of Ararat; and there this man of faith

All such

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"Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it to stoop, but a good word maketh it glad."

"A soft answer turneth away wrath." "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver; as an earring of gold, as an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear."

He comfort you? Are you sanctified by James.-"May the Lord, then, help us His presence, power, and operation in to be content with Christ, delivering us your heart? Does He guide you by His from unbelief and this wretched self, "The words of a man's mouth are as counsel, guard you by His power, and clear waters; the well-spring of wisdom correct you for your follies? The work is a flowing brook.". of the Spirit within us is as necessary as the work of Jesus for us; for if the

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