power. It is then the precious blood of Christ spinkled on the mercy-seat by our great High Priest, that is our simple way of approaching God at all times-we enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. When we experience a difficulty in entering into God's presence, it is because we have forgotten the blood, unless there be sin on the conscience unconfessed. But drawing near to God through the blood of His beloved Son, believing God's testimony to the value of that blood, and what it has done for us, we can then, in the bright light and glory of His infinitely holy presence, pour out our hearts before Him, praise and inagnify the unsearchable riches of Divine love, seek all we need at His hand, and not hesitate to search our hearts, and try our ways before Him, because He witnesses to us there that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. "That rich atoning blood, part, because he prayed, tried, and repented? And if we it also tells us of an everlasting worthiness or shudder. And yet, reader, this is the state of that we might live; all the waves and billows righteousness in which His people stand accepted the great mass of mankind-of every soul out of God's wrath for sin passed over Him, and complete, even in Him who is risen from the dead, and the head of all principality and of Christ,—your state, if not a true Christian, leaving not one drop to fall on those who bebeing even now condemned, because you believe. To whom, then, is the merit, the We are also sanctified by the blood-conse-lieve not on the only-begotten Son of God; glory of the salvation due? To the sinner in crated, or set apart to God. Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered every moment in imminent peril of everlasting without the gate. As sprinkled with that blood, woe. A moment before this accident hapwe are able to serve God as not our own but His, pened, this sailor little dreamed of any danger and are thus taught that we are set apart for being at hand; so swiftly may your summons His service, not in order to be saved, but because come. O let this thought solemnize your we are saved; not in order to be His, but be-mind whilst you read the following, and may cause we are His. The priests of old, after the offering of the sin-offering and burnt offering, the Lord carry His own truth home to your were sprinkled with the blood of the ram of soul with power. But to return to the sick serve to suffer who would not come off the consecration, and anointed with oil, to qualify chamber. After telling the sufferer that God, wreck, and the boat alongside, and after all them for priestly service. The tip of their right whilst He hates sin with exceeding hatred, that had been done? Why, if he perished, ear, and the thumb of their right hand, and the and will by no means clear the guilty, (having it would be clearly his own fault, certainly great toe of their right foot, were all marked with pronounced the fearful sentence of death on no one else's. The means for his deliverance blood, to teach us that because we have an in- the soul that sinneth,) yet loves sinners-pities were provided, but he will not avail himself of terest in the blood of Jesus, we are to listen to sinners, just as they are, in their ruined, lost it. But where should we find any man in his God's voice, to walk in God's ways, and minister in God's holy service; that, as a redeemed, ac condition; yea, though man, since the fall of senses acting such a part? No, no, men love cepted, blood-sprinkled priesthood, we are set Adam, stands in the place of an enemy against their lives (through life) too well for that. apart to serve God, to worship God, to glorify God, God, using his very health, strength, and Ah, my friend, but though the danger is so in our bodies and spirits, because we are not our the many good gifts of a long-suffering God, imminent to men's souls, and though God own but His. against the gracious Giver, as you and I has provided such a way of escape, yet few have often done. Yet, notwithstanding all, care to avail themselves of that. That is a God (who is love) manifested His love, not His solemn question, "How shall we escape, wrath, which was so richly deserved by us. neglect so great salvation?" That puts me He manifested His love by giving His only in mind," said the sailor, "of what happened and beloved Son to stand in the place of the in our bay some time ago. A strange vessel guilty, and for the very purpose of enduring came in, shaping her course in such a direcall the tremendous punishment due to sin. tion that we could see, with the wind blowing He was made sin for us who knew no sin, right on shore, and the sea that was running, that we might be made the righteousness of that she was in great danger of going upon God in Him. Reader, can you read this un- the rocks. It was plain enough that the capmoved? Ought you not to fall down and tain did not know the place, or his danger; worship God for such glorious news as this? so we jumped into a skiff, and, at considerable All this the visitor told the sick man Jesus risk, for there was a terrible sea on, got alonghad done, once and for ever,-put away sin side of her. We shouted out to them their by the sacrifice of himself; He had died the danger, told them we knew the ground well, just for the unjust," standing in the place of and would put them into a safe roadstead. the guilty. God did not spare Him; the sen- And now, would you believe it? they hardly tence, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die," cared to notice us. The mate did certainly was executed on His person to the full, and look over the ship's side, but nothing more; the justice of a holy God was thereby satisfied and as for the captain, he wouldn't trouble to to the full; and that satisfaction was mani-notice us at all; and so we pulled ashore Well then might the apostie say unto the be-fested by God raising Him up again from the again. Well, sir, she drifted nearer and lievers at Ephesus, "now, in Christ Jesus, ye dead; and He is now seated at the right hand nearer on to the shore, and then they tried who sometimes were far off are made nigh by of all power. the blood of Christ." Once they were in the And now, in consequence of to tack or wear; but 'twouldn't do, and so world and of the world, but now not of the world, this full atonement having been made, this they thought they'd run her ashore; and so even as Jesus was not of the world. Once ene- fearful debt having been all answered by our they did, but not on the beach, as they exmies to God, now friends. Once children of Surety,-through Jesus is preached forgive-pected, but on about the very worst spot in disobedience, now children of God. Once afar ness of sins to all who believe this testimony. the neighbourhood-on the sharp, rugged off, but now made nigh by the blood of Christ. Reader, pray do not hurry this once; this is a Oh, that God's dear people did know their message, remember, to you, and life or death nearness to God, their standing, their privileges, eternal depends on the use you make of it. their present blessings, their deliverance from the guilt and power of sin, their rescue from this He that believeth shall be saved; but he that present evil world, its ways and maxims, all by believeth not shall be damned! "Now," THE BLOOD OF CHRIST! said he who sat by the bedside, "suppose a vessel were fast on the Goodwin Sands, and that a heavy sea were fast breaking her up; her boats all shattered to pieces, and useless; would not a man on board that wreck be Reader, whosoever you are, one thing is utterly helpless? Most certainly he would; certain concerning you: you, as it regards what could be more so? But now, suppose a yourself, as a child of fallen Adam, are lost, crew of brave, hardy fellows, such as the ruined, and utterly without hope or help. If coast of England abounds in, were to man not a Christian, your danger is imminent; you the life - boat, dash through the boiling surf, are like the vessel of which we have been reach the wreck, snatch the poor shivering, speaking, getting nearer and nearer to deperishing creatures thereon from certain de-struction. A warning voice hails you; do struction, and land them safely on the shore. listen; don't be like the listless mate, or the to whom would the merit (under God) of self-sufficient captain, or you may wish you their deliverance be due? Most assuredly had hearkened, when it's too late. In hell altogether to the crew of the life-boat. The despisers will lift up their eyes in torment; poor things on the wreck might have mingled and, oh, what anguish to remember that God their shrieks and cries with the howling blast, called, and called, but they would not." and the deafening roar of the devouring Perhaps these men despised their good adBy the bedside of a seaman, who lay dis-breakers; but what would that have done to-visers, because not regular pilots, or it may wards their deliverance? Not an atom; their be they were wise in their own conceits-not abled, having fallen from the rigging of his feeble cries could never reach that distant liking to be advised or meddled with. Well, vessel to the deck, sat a friend, who sought shore; no, they were seen and were delivered. we see, which ever way it was, what was the to point him to the Lamb of God that taketh Now, just so is it with us sinners; dead in away the sin of the world. It was indeed a trespasses and sins, we can do nothing to marked mercy that the poor fellow was not merit pardon or life by our righteousness at killed upon the spot; and so he appeared to the hands of a holy God. But He saw our feel it, remarking, that had he then been lost estate, pitied us, and sent His own dear killed, his soul must have been lost for ever, Son, "mighty to save." He (blessed be His ―a state one cannot contemplate without a dear and holy name!) willingly came to die Which on the throne we see, My reader, where are you at this moment? Are you still living and walking according to the course of this world? Do its pleasures, honours, fashions, and its so-called progress, or its falsely-called science engage your heart and mind? We cannot serve two masters. It must be either God or mammon, Christ or the world; which is it with you? Sure I am that a believing view of Christ crucified for sinners will alone deliver you from the world and bring you nigh to God. It is vain to look elsewhere, either around you or within you, for the God of truth declares that there is salvation in no other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ. "Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.' rocks, that soon broke her up into a complete wreck. And, sir," said the sailor, "I met the captain a few days after; he looked very down, poor fellow; his shoulder was dislocated, his ship lost, and altogether he was in a pitiable plight. So I said to him, You had better have listened to us, captain; 'twould have been very different with you now.' 'I wish I had,' said he. But 'twas too late." consequence of scorning good advice. And "Watchman, what of the night ?" misery. Reader, ask, is this thy condition? BY T. W. MEDHURST, Night is the time when thieves abound; and is not Satan now prowling about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour? Are not the gayeties of the world seeking to rob men of peace, of pardon, of happiness, and of joy? Are not the fancied pleasures of Come, with your guilt and fear opprest, I know His courts, I'll enter in, SIN is the cause of all the ills which man is heir to. Pain of body, grief of mind, and the distracting cares of the soul, are a few among the many woes which are entailed on humanity by reason of multiplied trans-sin robbing men of joy in life, peace in death. from Jesus; yet listen, the voice of free mercy gressions. These thoughts cross my mind as I lie awake, racked with the pain of a gnawing tooth. Let me, by the Holy Spirit's help, turn them to a profitable account. " The clock strikes ONE." The dolorous voice of the watchman is heard beneath my window. "Past One." The words of the Prophet rush across my memory-"THE BURDEN OF DU "The morning cometh, and also the night. If ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." Israel and Dumah, or Edom, are in bondage to Babylon, where they have been carried as a chastisement from God for their sin. Edom, the descendant of Hagar the bond woman, asks tauntingly, "Watchman, what of the night?" The watchman replies, "The morning cometh for Israel; but for you, O impenitent Dumah, there cometh the night." and hope throughout eternity? Reader, art poor Night is the time when drunkenness walks through the streets; and are not all those who have not Christ formed in their hearts the hope of glory, in a state of intoxication? Ah, poor foolish man, beware; No drunkard shall ever enter the kingdom of heaven. Perhaps you look with an eye of pity on the fool who staggers to his home in a state of insensibility, after his night's debauch, and well you may; but bear in mind that you as much need washing in the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, as does that poor drunkard; and if you are now intoxicated with the seeming joys of sin, you surely shall be a companion with that man in the regions of perdition, unless Almighty grace prevent, which may God of his great mercy grant, for his Son Jesus Christ's sake. My reader, art thou of the night, or of the day? The watchman's ANSWER concerns eternity “The morning cometh, and also the night." Ministers of the glorious gospel are, in The present is inseparably linked to the many places of Holy Writ, compared to watch-future; how near that future may be no livmen, standing on the walls. It should be the ing man knoweth. To the sinner trusting to business of the sinner, who is in bondage to Jesus for his soul's salvation, "the morning Satan, to enquire,-"What of the night?" cometh," a morning bright and glorious. The Man's earthly existence may well be com-light of Calvary's cross has already dawned pared with the night season. Night is a time upon his soul. The full light of the Sun of of darkness; and is it not true, that uncon- righteousness shall greet his gladdened eyes, verted man loves darkness rather than light, when Christ, who is his life, shall APPEAR the because his deeds are evil? The light of the second time, without sin unto salvation. glorious gospel of Jesus Christ shineth full "Fly, time, away, with rapid wings, before him, directing to that city that hath no And hasten on the hour that brings My Saviour, clothed with power and grace; need of the sun: but, alas! the careless sinner When saints shall see Him face to face. loveth not the light, but would rather cover When the last trumpet sounds, the just up his guilt, notwithstanding eternal destrucShall rise triumphant o'er the dust." tion is awaiting him. Dear reader, is this To the ungodly who have despised the prothy case? clamations of free grace, who have set at naught the counsels of Jesus, and would have none of his reproof, cometh "the night," a night black, cloudy, and terrible. That which is night to the unbeliever, shall be the morning of the believer, even the second coming of Jesus, just as the pillar of fire was light to the Israelites, while to the Egyptians it was a dense pillar of cloud. The darkness cometh to the finally impenitent from Sinai, from an outraged law, from insulted justice. God hates sin, from his Holy nature; therefore, my reader, rest assured, if thy sin is found on thee in that day, thou must be cast into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels, where there shall be weeping, and a Night is a time for slumber; and is it not sad fact that sinners are even now slumbering on the very brink of perdition. The law thunders in their ears,-"The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”—“The wicked shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God." Yet still the sinner slumbers on, muttering in his drowsiness, "I see no danger." The gospel shouts in his ear," Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light;" but the sleeper does but turn himself on the bed of his indifference, saying,-" Time enough yet." My friend, art thou in this sad state? Backslider, here is a gracious word for you, "return." You have wandered far, very far, "COME, ye souls by sin afflicted, Mercy flows through HIM ALONE." Faith in Christ. THERE are many persons who profess to believe in Jesus as their Saviour, whose faith, compared with the living faith of the believer, shews itself to be a counterfeit-belief. Those who give only an assent of the understanding to the doctrines of the gospel are quite strangers to "faith in Christ," "a believing with the heart unto righteousness." True faith in the Son of God is possessed only by those who have felt their guilt and wretchedness. They have been brought into the presence of a holy God, seen themselves as sinners, and have been made willing to receive the sentence of death in themselves. As convinced, humble sinners, they have felt the power of the word, "thou hast destroyed thyself," and through the gracious teaching of the Holy Spirit received the blessed soulreviving truth, "In Me is thine help." (Hosea xiii. 9.) Saving faith beholds the suitableness, sufficiency, and completeSeeking sinner, I have a word of counsel ness of the Saviour's work; it puts away for you. "If ye will inquire, inquire ye." all self-confidence, gives up every other Inquire ye at the mercy seat, whereon Jesus ground of hope, and trusts wholly in is now seated, waiting to pardon all who draw Jesus. The sinner who has faith in Hear him saying for your encourage-Christ feels the preciousness of the ment, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in Night is the season when men do dream; and is it not most solemnly true that thou-wailing, and gnashing of teeth. sands are, at this very moment, but dreaming of heaven. They have never repented of their sins; they have never fied to Jesus for refuge; they have never laid hold on the hope set before them in the gospel; they have not been born again. Alas, alas! they but dream of heaven, and, on awakening, discover they are in hell. Then "too late, TOO LATE," rings in their ears, sealing their eternal doom of near. no wise cast out." 'Come, humble sinner, in whose breast sprinkled blood of Jesus, and knows his safety in the day of wrath, whilst with wonder he admires the robe of righteous. ness which his loving Father has put keep God's statutes. He who gives the God's hand was laid upon him; and he felt upon his soul. rule must give the wisdom and the he could not escape-that the long-lookedDear reader, can you say with the strength necessary to observe it. He for time was come when he must yield his Apostle, "I am crucified with Christ: that requires obedience is ready to give spirit into the hands of Him that gave it, and nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christus ability to render it. Let us then take he was not ready for the terrible hour. Yet he had had long warning. For sixteen months liveth in me; and the life which I now every precept to His throne, and-with had that hand been upon him. He knew live in the flesh I live by the faith of the a hearty desire to do all that God com- what the end must be, and yet, when it came, Son of God, who loved me, and gave mands, just because He commands it, and he was unprepared to meet his God. And himself for me?" (Gal. ii. 20.) If you with a view to His glory-cry out from why?-Dear reader, can you answer that know not Christ as your Saviour by faith the depths of the soul, "O that my ways question?-Why are we, dying men and in His blood, may the Holy Spirit help were directed to keep thy statutes!" women, now living on from day to day, knowyou to look with the eye of penitence ing not but that each breath we draw may and hope to Jesus. be the last this moment promising life, and health, and strength-the next a lifeless corpse-this moment full of plans and prosAnd scan Eternity. Trace to their source pects, of hopes and fears for this world-the His wisdom and His power. Fathom, if thou canst, next ushered into eternity; so it has been His everlasting mercy. Should thy brain Grow dizzy, and refuse to sound such depths, Confess thy feebleness, and meekly say,The well is deep. Hear His gracious invitation— "Dwell upon thy sins no longer; Well I know their mighty guilt; E. P. Precept and Prayer. BY JAMES SMITH, CHELTENHAM. "The Well is Deep." John iv. THE well is deep. Look back into the purposes of God, The well is deep. Take for thy longest line The well is deep. The well is deep. Mark now the wounded side of living waters from the riven rock PRECEPTS call for prayers; for, as they And humbly bend the knee, and own again, Gush freely forth, ponder the depths of woe Hear that loud bitter cry from off the Cross, THE COMMAND. To keep His precepts. These refer to moral duties, and positive institutions. He has commanded us to depths The well is deep. God's infinite decree; His boundless love; Drink! stranger, drink! and quench thy thirsty soul, From out of depths which ceaselessly abound. The more thy need, the fuller still the fount; meet together for worship-to believe of woes profound, and worship and exclaim, It cries, Come unto me and drink,--invites The truth of words she ignorantly spake with thousands of souls, so it will be till time shall be no more; and yet men give no heed to the things that belong to their peace. They live on unmindful of Him who holds the brittle thread of their life in His hands, and whose one word, when His time is come, shall snap it asunder, and launch them into a world unknown. Oh that men would consider these things-would take their true standing-place between time and eternity, and realize the awfulness of their position! Few, even of the Lord's own children, live in the presence of this thought; if they did, how different would life be to them. How empty, how dream-like, is every thing but GodHis word and His work. What men and women of prayer and watchfulness would they become-how zealous for souls-how would they feed upon the word which alone giveth life; but alas! it is not so. God's children are lukewarm, they slumber and sleep, and though the Bridegroom's voice shall awake them, and the oil be found in the vessels, still they will lose the fulness of that promise, "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if He shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants." (Luke xii. 37, 38.) May God give us His children grace to "repent and do the first works," to live more in the spirit of" the Lord is at hand," that at His coming we may be found watching. But how had it been with poor J. C., and why, after so long affliction, was he not ready to stand before his God? I had visited him for some time, and found him well instructed in head knowledge of the word of life; in fact he had, I believe, been a Sunday school teacher. He knew his danger, he knew the need of salvation, he knew Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, he knew that whosoever came to Him He would in no wise cast out, he knew he was a sinner, a dying heart. sinner; but it was not the knowledge of the Several days before the visit I spoke of at scene. There lay the poor sufferer gasping first, I had called to see him, and found him hinders; the world hinders; the flesh for breath, with a face full of agony and ter- sitting as usual by the fire side. "Well, J-, hinders. It is a recognition of weakness, ror, as is only seen and known where the soul how is it now? Have you found Jesus to be and a desire for Divine strength. Divine realizes its unprepared nearness to the unseen your Saviour?" I could get no satisfactory influence is necessary to enable us to world, and the presence of its Maker. answer. "He was doing the best he could;" “hoped God would be merciful," but I told him that would not do to die upon. He felt his sins a heavy burden, too heavy for him to bear, that we must be pardoned souls here, if we would be accepted there. I tried then to put before him the present willingness of Christ to save, the perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sins, in the precious blood of Jesus, the freeness and fulness of the invitation to take the water of life, and that all he needed was to take God at His word, and find his place, as a pardoned sinner, at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ; for He has said, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." But that to do this he needed the of the blessed Spirit of God, who power could alone take of the things of Jesus, and reveal them unto him; and I asked him if he were praying earnestly to God for this help. "I cannot be always agate," was his reply. I felt and told him, talking could do nothing for him. My words, God's own words even, could not help him, except the Spirit of God applied them to his soul; and so I left him, sad at heart, for the very knowledge he had seemed his hindrance. After this I kept away for many days, until passing the end of the street he lived in one evening, after visiting another afflicted one, I felt constrained to go to him, and then it was he greeted me as I have mentioned. I saw death was not far off, and said at once, in answer to his words, "Must we pray till you are?" Gladly he acceded then, and for long he pleaded with me as he had never done before, but he seemed to get no nearer, till at last I used the words (so often said)—“J. cast yourself upon Jesus." "I don't know what you mean." "Why, I mean, take your sins to Him, and leave them there, come back without them."-"I know now what you mean; you can go, but come again in an hour." I felt he wanted to be alone with Jesus, so I left him, and in an hour returned; but oh, what a change!—the look of terror gone-peace, glowing peace, for his face shone with peace and love, and joy and praises were pouring from his lips." Well, J., what have you done with your sins now?"—“ Why I've taken them, and left them there; and then more praise and more praise still, and so till God took him, a few days after, to see Him face to face, "whom, having not seen, "he loved," in whom, though now he saw Him not, yet, believing, he rejoiced "with joy unspeakable, and full of glory," having received the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soul. One or two blessed hours I had with him, and never shall I forget that death bed. And now, dear reader, here it all is-do you feel yourself a heavy-laden sinner? Take the sins, the burden, which years have been increasing, which so weighs you down, which surrounds you on every hand, take it all to Jesus, and leave it there. His blood still cleanses His Spirit still bears witness; and it is because we bring these sins, these burdens, and will not let them go, that so few rejoice in the glorious liberty and freedom of the children of God. The blood has been shed, the pardon has been bought. Why then, doubting one, will you carry the burden still, which Jesus has borne for you? Poor J. did at once as he was told. He saw that Jesus was the only one that could help him, and he went to Him, and took Him at His word, and all was well; and so will it be with you now, if, while you read these few words, you Consecration. "Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord."-Ex. xxxii. 29. THUS spake Moses unto the children of Israel on a very trying occasion, and thus he speaks to us. The Lord has a right to us. He takes an interest in us. He wishes us to be dedicated to himself, and devoted to His service. Let us, therefore, attend to the exhortation. WHAT IS REQUIRED? That we consecrate our persons to the Lord's service and praise. believe the record God gives of His Son, That we offer Him the cheerful service of the and leaving all the sin that burdens you, take heart and life. That we surrender, not only Jesus for your all, and rest your soul upon the person, but the property, and write upon the word, that "the blood of Jesus Christ, the whole, "It is the Lord's." That we proHis Son, cleanseth from all sin." May God, fess faith in His Son, and take His name by the power of the blessed Spirit, give us upon us. That we consult His will, as regrace ever to believe and hold fast the blessed vealed in His word, in reference to every hope of everlasting life, which He has given object and subject. That we endeavour to us in Jesus. please Him always, everywhere, and in all we do. That we prefer Him, and His will, to all and every thing besides, even our nearest and dearest relatives. And now, one word, dear reader, to you who have, as you think, no burden. What will you do when you lie as J. C. did, upon your death bed, and feel you are "not reYou may leased," for feel it then you will. not have the time he had, you may not have the power he had. I have stood by death beds where there was no time, where there was no power, and, alas! where there was no will; and these last have generally been the death beds of those who have, in life, and health, and strength, known that they should come to Jesus, and have not come. Will you come now? It is an awful thing to die. For one moment close your eyes, and realize it all, if you can. No more power of repenting, all fixed for ever. Will you not now seek the Lord, while He may be found ITS DESIGN. Consecrate yourself to the Lord, to be His servant, to do His work, to maintain His cause, to fight His battles, and to vindicate His honour. To be His wholly, His entirely, and His for ever, This is what the Lord requires; to this He is entitled, and this we should render Him. We have never answered the Lord's design in our election, redemption, or conversion, until this is the case. THE REASONS. Consecrate yourself to the Lord, because you have received a pardon. You were a criminal; you were condemned to die; you appeared to be left for execution. But the Lord had mercy on you; He pitied call upon Him while He is near? He is you, He pardoned you, that you dedicate nigh to you now, calling to you through these yourself to Him. You have enjoyed His few words, powerless in themselves, but all-presence, for He has manifested himself unto powerful if He bless them. You and I, dear reader, may never meet face to face on earth, but we shall meet one day, and then I may hear you blessing God that you have listened to His call, or crying out in the agony of despair that you rejected it when He, by His Spirit, brought it to your soul. Oh, as you value your soul, let it be accepted now, and peace and joy, in the love of Jesus shall be yours; peace and such good things as pass man's understanding yours, for you, as He does not unto the world; therefore devote yourself to the Lord. You have felt His love; it has been shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost; therefore consecrate yourself to the Lord. THE PERIOD. Consecrate yourself to-day to the Lord. Why should you delay? Have you not delayed long enough? Can you render God too much service, or do too much good in a world like this? Consecrate yourself, therefore at once, and do it from conviction, as your duty; do it cheerfully, as a privilege; do it publicly, with holy boldness. do it fearlessly, with manly courage; do i thoroughly; consecrate your whole person, without the least reserve, and do it for ever. Every believer should profess Christ. In his profession he should consecrate himsel to Christ. After his profession, he should ever consider himself a consecrated person, and act accordingly. Every professor should expect to be treated as a consecrated person: and, therefore look for contempt from the world, love and esteem from the Lord's people, and the constant approval of his God. If we are not consecrated to God, we are to Satan. If not for the Lord, we are against Him; if not consecrated to the Lord, we take part with Satan. A Catholic Soldier and his Wife. MR. Q. was a marine soldier in the British service, and had served long in many seas and lands. As early as the year 1832, he was, as well as the writer, in the British squadron off Tenedos, with the French, expecting orders to attack a Russian squadron, and enter the Dardanelles, to support the Turks against the advance across the Balkan mountains of their enemies, when the treaty of Adrianople stayed the struggle until the days of Sebastopol. He served also in Canada, and at last four years on the north coast of Holland, where the extreme heat and the baneful character of the climate, brought on the consumptive attack of which he died. After his return, he was removed to Woolwich, and afterwards to the Dockyard, Plymouth, where his health failed so much, that he was superannuated entirely. Through a comrade, he was led to select a residence in B., near a small hamlet on the river Tavy, in hopes to be able the better to make his reduced means meet the demands of a young wife and three young children. He had married late in life, and chosen his partner from one of his own faith-the Romanists; she having been brought up in it as a member of a Cornish family, who are celebrated for their attachment to that view. the gifts they had more used in their first love. | persuasions, the father, after much opposition, Not having been accustomed to such small for the sake of gain, joined that faith. (He means as eleven shillings a week, and needing too died suddenly while plying an oar in a from habit good living, he had found it hard boat.) The daughter was therefore brought to reduce his expenditure to that regulation, up strictly in that faith. As she grew up, and incurred some debts; but, immediately however, an intelligent mind began to work, after his conversion, he saw how inconsistent and she felt much the manner the priests this was with the profession of the name of dealt with her, and the absurd questions Christ, and made such determined efforts to sometimes put at the confessional. pay all off, that it is feared he hastened the Being exercised about her state, she one debility of frame, which, on catching a chill, day took up a Roman Missal, and read over resulted in death in the spring of the year. the "Examination of Conscience;" and imAs a soldier, he had learnt the value of mediately felt the hard bondage of legalism. discipline to win the victories of this world, She shut the book, for while not doubting and after his conversion he was incapable of that such a process of attainment in self was understanding the views of professing Chris-needed for heaven, she felt it was impossible tians, who, because salvation is sure, by faith, in her case; and, thus, practically realized they appear to assume that a life of obedience the Apostle Paul's confession, on the same is of secondary importance. He was a true ground, "When the law came I died." In soldier of the Cross, and all his ideas of its this state of helplessness she remained for duties were sanctified and refined, in the years, and so neglected the usual ministrations truest sense by His conversion to God; and, of her church. On the birth of her first lest he should neglect any written order, he child, however, she applied for its appointed wished to aid, though so poor, the work of ordinance, but was refused because of her past tract distribution; and, after some considera-neglect, and a penance was given her instead. tion how to save for it, he said a voice seemed This made the breach of feeling more decided, to say, "Stop smoking." He did so, and but until the evening recorded, she had no brought the quarterly amount regularly, of idea that the fundamental grounds of her faith three shillings, for that end to the writer, were doubtful. Like many others, she had who knew nothing of his debts or sacrifices been satisfied to see and hold the external to pay them; and he said he never found difference in forms, and enquire no further. himself the worse, but rather better in Immediately the new doctrine was propounhealth for that change of habit. After his ded, she felt as if sin had slain her, by a condeath, his circumstances becoming known, sciousness of its embedded inherent hold on all the burden of his remaining pecuniary her heart, so that salvation by Roman works liabilities were taken off his widow's mind, was hopeless, and that here was a way which by the contributions of gracious friends in made hope possible to her. When Mr. B. came to B, he did it different quarters around. But now we have under the idea of the value of country air; to note the conversion of Mrs. Q., which, to but, as he could not bear a cold better than her huband's consolation, took place during a close warm atmosphere, this being very his life time, and to which the divine change low, surrounded completely by thick woods in him was eminently instrumental. and orchards, was, for the health of his body, about the worst place he could have chosen; "Who shall deliver me from the body of but, as it proved, the very place to lead him to consider the value of his soul. Before we proceed with his after history, it may be well to notice a few things which will shew the overruling hand of God in his whole life. His father was a stonemason by trade, and came to Liverpool from Ireland, for work; but finding the employers would only take Protestant Irish, he had his son, then an infant, sprinkled by a clergyman of the English Established Church. This parent was at last killed by a large stone falling on him from a scaffold. this death?" It was this hope of salvation which made such an immediate impression on her mind. So powerful was it, that the next morning after prayers, in their room, when all the family had gone down stairs, she ran to her drawer and took out all the old books of delusion, and hastily opened them to see if it were possible she could make them agree with As a visitor to the cottages of the poor, I her new-found hope, or whether she had In the village, besides a small body of constantly find one excuse of females for not made any mistake as to their meaning; and, Wesleyans, there were a few believers meet- seeking the salvation of their own souls, is after studying them awhile, became so overing only in the name of Jesus, and among the burden of unhappiness they have to bear come as to be obliged to call up her little them one, a poor labouring man, who preached from the conduct of the husband, or some-girl to assist her. on Lord's-day evenings, after the morning times of the husband from an ungracious Mrs. Q. now continued in an enquiring service of breaking bread. wife. Let such listen to my story. Of course, as soon as the writer who Mr. Q. was never an unkind man, but of preached there sometimes, knew of this occasional visitor, he sought to see him, and himself having been in the navy, and in the same scenes, made him a peculiarly interesting source of pleasant and profitable reminiscence and thought to Mr. Q. state of mind, and a hearer of the Gospel in in its true character. She bought of the writer a small pocket Bible, and thus, after some time, became truly converted to God. Since her husband's death, she has openly confessed Christ, and salvation by Him alone. Mrs. Q. is now privileged to be used in the establishment, and constant instruction of a Lord's day school, in a town near her former residence, obtaining her livelihood by her needle, and watching over the interests of three young children; happy to be free from Rome and its legal bondage; happier still to know that which can alone give true libertythe truth as it is in Jesus. a free, generous, and affectionate spirit, but quick in his temper: and, as an old soldier, being very stern in his idea of discipline, he carried it into his household sphere, and thus, in sickness and separation from old employments, he made life rather trying. After his On the first occasion, after the points of conversion all was changed, all was new, and past secular biography had been noted, the the entire sweetness of his mind, and patient writer made some particular allusions to the graciousness of his manner, first led his wife path of profit in the past, and Mr. Q. said, to overcome her prejudices, and visit the place 'Ah, sir, and to think that after wandering where the Lord had led him to hear of that all over the world as I have, I never, until I love and that Spirit which was given for the came to this village, thought about the in-true regeneration and regulation of the heart. terests of my immortal soul." It was not One evening Mrs. Q. made up her mind to long after this that Mr. Q. professed peace attend the preaching, and the poor brother, with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and before spoken of, declared to his audience a was received into the communion of saints full, free, and everlasting salvation, through 4 there, and his walk was always peculiarly the blood and righteousness of our Lord striking as a man of honour by a divine Jesus, as imputed to all who believe in His regeneration of heart. 66 He had heard of the words of the Duke of Wellington to a recreant clergyman, about the use of evangelizing in India, and to remember all the written orders was his solemn conviction of duty to God, in gratitude for His redeeming mercy. name. Mrs. Q. was amazed. Though living surrounded by Protestants, she had been quite ignorant of their faith; and, alas! how few Protestants, so-called, are themselves holding this true protest against Romanist self-righteousness, and vain human trust in forms and ceremonies. As he was better able to walk than take any To Mrs. Q. this was a new idea; she had other exertion, he visited with tracts wherever never heard that any persons in the world held he could find a door open; for, by beginning such a view as present salvation. She was to exercise himself in prayer at a little cottage-greatly troubled, and wondered if it could be meeting, he was instrumental in stirring up true. This wrought the more effect on her others who had been converts to the truth a mind from some important experiences in her much longer time, but had been negligent of own history, it is here necessary to narrate. * "Look to your written order, sir, Go into all the Mrs. Q.'s mother was housekeeper to the world," &c. master before alluded to, and, through her BOOKS RECEIVED. E. D. New Version of the Book of Psalms. By Lord The Coronet and the Cross; or, Memorials of the |