A Monthly Journal,

CONTAINING PLAIN TRUTHS OF ETERNAL IMPORTANCE, FOR "STREETS AND LANES," "HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES."

"Compel them to come in, that my house may be filled."

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

All orders should be addressed to the Pubfishers, Mr. W. YAPP, 70, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, London, W.; or to Messrs. MORGAN & CHASE, Tichborne Court, 280, High Holborn, London.

All Communications, Donations, Books for Re

view, &c., should be forwarded, pre-paid, "To the Editor of the Erangelist," care of Mr. Yapp, 70, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, London, W.

see.

for me," were faintly but most intelligently sung by him as he lay dying.

He looked the picture of health; but I
soon found this was from fever, which
had set in. "Ah!" said his father, "my
A poor woman who nursed him, and
poor boy; its such a sudden thing, you who had, alas! a few weeks before met
He left us three days ago in the me at a very different death-bed, told me
morning, to go to his station (he is a that when, a short time before he died,
shoe-black, sir,) near Temple Bar; and she gave him some water, and told him
coming home with his box and brushes, it was from the drinking fountain, he
he was knocked down by some man, as said, "I shall soon drink of the foun-
we suppose, running away from the of life freely. Oh! do you drink of it;
police, and a great piece was cut right let all drink, there it is for all. God
out of his hand, by falling on the open says, whosoever will."
tin can that held his blacking. He was
brought home to me near dead, my dear
son was."

The father shewed me his school prizes; one with his name, "Nicholas C," printed on it in gold letters.

I spoke to them of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; of God's love in giving His Son to die for sinners. The father humbly and simply expressed his belief that he had been to Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins.

He said to his father, "I see the angels and dear mother coming for me; I am sure I do. Good-bye." This dear boy, I afterwards learnt, had found the Lord Jesus, and peace through His precious blood at a prayer-meeting at the Bible Mission-house next door, six months before his death; and that his love to God's word, obedience to his parents, and gentleness to all, proved he had taken the Lord's words to his heart, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

The Great Prayer Meeting. "VERY few people care to come to our little prayer meeting," said a poor man the other day to another Christian, whom he met. "Very few come, but there will be a great prayer meeting by-and-bye." "Aye," said his friend, "and multitudes must attend, and they will all pray earnestly, and cry aloud for mercy; but 'twill be too late! the Lord will not answer them. He will say, 'Depart from me, I never knew you, all ye workers of iniquity;' and that is an awful sentence." Reader, are you amongst the praying ones in this day of grace? are you one who, whilst the door of mercy stands Oh dear reader, my heart glowed wide open, calls upon the name of the The poor lad on the bed said little, with gratitude and love to God as I went Lord? Or, are you now sleeping and the pain was so great; but evidently lis- home after hearing this joyful news-anslumbering-thus fearfully perilling your tened to every word I said. After read-other of our Lord's little ones gathered precious soul. "What meanest thou, O ing the Word and prayer, I left them, safe home! "Jesus Christ, the same yessleeper; arise and call upon thy God." promising to call again in a day or two. terday, and to-day, and for ever." He who Jesus Christ, God's own dear Son, has In three days I paid another visit to the phen, so that when he "fell asleep" he more than 1800 years ago cheered Stebeen made flesh-He died the just for house, and when C. opened the regarded not the cruelty of the Jews, the unjust. The justice of a Holy God door, he told me that his son was dead. nor the stones hurled upon him from all is thus justified to the full; and because sides, for he saw the heavens opened and of this there is mercy for every seeking the Son of man standing on the right hand of God; this same Jesus does as he did the poor shoe-black with heaeven now cheer many departing saints venly visions, like a tint of golden light coming between the edge of the cloud and the horizon just as the sun is setting.

sinner.

Reader, be wise; seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

Happy Death of a Marylebone
Shoeblack.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
1 Cor. xv. 55.

I felt quite stunned, for I thought the
wound in the boys hand, though severe,

would have soon healed, and the fever
have passed away, he seemed so strong
and healthy; but he had sustained some
internal injury which had terminated in
his death.

He said so little to me when I saw His sheep know His voice. Have you him on the Tuesday before, that I was heard it? Do you, dear reader, know you quite unprepared for what followed. My are His? If not I implore you to flee to DURING the late severe weather, among sorrow was turned into joy when I found Jesus this very day, nay, this very hour, the poor in the neighbourhood of Port- from the testimony of five persons who for that salvation which He gives to all man Market who were suffering from where with him at the hour of his de- who cry to him for pardon. want of work, there was a poor man parture that it had not only been happy but triumphant.

named C-.

I called one day to see him, and asking if he was at home, a girl said, "Oh, yes, sir, he is with his poor son, and he is so bad." I hastened up stairs, and found the son (a handsome youth of fifteen) lying in bed, sighing with pain.

The poor shoe-black died literally sing-
ing hymns,-

"There is a fountain filled with blood,"
was a great favourite, and often on his
lips in his last hours; but the words, "I
do believe; I can believe that Jesus died

This little history is only one among hundreds of frequent occurrence, shewing us that we should not delay till to-morrow "to be wise." Who could have supposed that so apparently slight an accident would have so suddenly terminated in death? and who can tell whether the mandate has not gone forth concerning you-"This night thy soul shall be required of thee.

CROSSING THE JORDAN.

and hear the words of the LORD your God.
you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you

"And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among And Joshua the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites

waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut

bare the ark of the eovenant of the LORD stood firm on

God who brought the pillar of cloud over them to quiver, because they dread it for themselves. No
screen them from the sun's burning rays, and one can write or speak on such a solemn subject,
of the night watches.
caused the pillar of fire to light up the darkness without the greatest seriousness, yet if the truth
See them again suffering of God assures me that Christ has abolished
the due reward of their sin from the fiery ser- death and delivered me from it, ought I not to
pent's bite; and it was God that brought life be in peace? Death abases man's pride, it pros-
to them through the serpent of brass lifted up. trates in the dust earth's most honoured sons, it
See their leader deservedly cut off through trans- brings down man's loftiest thoughts, and hurls
gression; and it was God who raised up Joshua into oblivion all his vain pretensions. Man's in-
to successfully bring them through every obsta-ventions and appliances are made to meet almost
cle, and give them possession of the promised every other requirement, but in regard to "the
inheritance. Lastly, see them on Jordan's bank, king of terrors," as he calls death, he is obliged
afresh learning the lesson of being "without to content himself with perfuming or smoothing
strength," and it is God, the living God, against a dying pillow, and garnishing the grave; but
whom they had so sinned, that in sovereign death he must bow to, death God only has over-
grace made a way for them through the cold come. It is death that men dread, because con-
waters of death, and brought them into their science accuses, therefore they are without God,
long-desired land. All these facts read to us, and without hope in the world. Of course Satan
as they should have to Israel, the happy lessons seeks to fill the eye and heart of men with "the
that we are saved and blessed solely on the ground pleasures of sin," but a divinely convicted soul
of mercy, and "not for works of righteousness cannot rest until delivered from the fear of death,
and enabled to sing,

which we have done."

Grace, we sing, God's grace through Jesus;
Grace, the spring of peace to man;
Grace, that from each sorrow frees us;

Grace, too high for thought to scan;
Grace, the theme of God's own love,
Grace, the theme all themes above.

"My sin is gone: my fears are o'er,
I shun God's presence now no more;
He sits upon a throne of grace;
He bids me boldly seek His face;
Sprinkled upon the throne of God,
I see that rich atoning blood!"

passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.""-JOSHUA iii. 9-17. THE scene here described was Israel's last trial in the wilderness. For forty years they had journeyed through the desert, but their last experience, like the first, only proved their own helplessness, and entire inability to enter the land by their own works. The green fields, and luxuriant hills of the "land flowing with milk In order to get a clear understanding of the 2. Now look at GoD's WAY OF DELIVERand honey," were now in sight, but they could instruction of Israel's crossing the Jordan, we ANCE. God shewed that He could bring them not enter in. The overflowing Jordan rolled must endeavour to divest ourselves of the com-through death and into resurrection. It is the before them, and threatened to swallow up with monly received idea that it is a type of the Chris- voice of Jesus in old Testament times that here death any who ventured in nature's strength to tian's experience in the article of death. The says, "I am the resurrection and the life." cross it. But the point was so conclusive, that mistake has most likely arisen from not seeing Joshua said unto the children of Israel, "Come we are not told that any one even proposed it; that the Gospel brings to us a present salvation, hither, and hear the words of the Lord your but Joshua and all the hosts of Israel are pre- and that each believer is spoken of in the Scrip- God.... Hereby ye shall know that the living sented to us as standing on the wilderness side of tures as one who "HATH everlasting life," and God is among you.... Behold the ark of the coveJordan's overflowing banks, in conscious help-"is passed from death unto life." From not nant of the God of all the earth, passeth over be lessness, and without hope, as far as their own seeing this, some think of death as before them fore you INTO Jordan. Now therefore take you resources were concerned. They again had to instead of behind them, and that which they have twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of find that the Law could not bring them into the "passed from." Hence, some speak of "daily every tribe a man; and it shall come to pass, that land, and this lesson they had often bitterly to dipping their foot in Jordan," that is being daily as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests prove in their experience, though, like ourselves, exercised about death. A friend of mine once shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters they were very slow to learn it. It is remark-visited a sick Christian who was much distressed of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that able how prominently this is brought out at the about how she should "cross the Jordan;" and come down from above, and they shall stand up close of their wilderness course. Only about a we have heard of others who commonly speak of upon a heap." Thus we see that the waters of year before the scene we are contemplating, death as "crossing the Jordan." The fact is, death fled before the ark of the covenant, “a new those who had so willingly placed themselves that we who believe, are delivered from death, and living way" was made for the people, and under the Law, the terms of which were, "this and are made partakers of a risen life, by the they were delivered from death, and its terrors, do, and thou shalt live," were dying in all direc- death and resurrection of Christ; the blood of and at once enabled to enter the land. It tions, from the fiery serpent's bite, which not Jesus has removed the sting of death, and though was all of God-His wisdom, His power, His only shews us that they had not kept the Law, we may fall asleep in Jesus, it is not death, grace, and is a vivid illustration of the well but that they were so disobedient as to bring strictly speaking; for Jesus said, "If a man known text, "By grace are ye saved through upon themselves the special judgment of God; keep my saying, he shall never see death." That faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of so that instead of having life as the fruit of obe- Israel crossing the Jordan cannot refer to this is God, not of works, lest any man should boast. dience, deliverance from death could only come to clear, because when they crossed the river they On referring to the construction of the ark in them in the way of grace-the free gift of God. began to fight; whereas, when we "sleep in Exodus xxv. and its use as recorded in Numbers Just before this, the venerable Law-giver, not- Jesus," all our fighting is over; we put off our x. 33, we cannot fail to recognize that Christ is withstanding all his previous meekness and faith-battle garments for ever; we exchange our hel- prefigured by it. As the ark of the covenant fulness, so grievously dishonoured the Lord, that met for a crown, and our sword for a golden going before into Jordan, and resting in the he could not be allowed to bring the congregation waters of Jordan," made the way for Israel to of Israel into the land. (See Numbers xx. and But what does this scene at Jordan mean? It enter the land, so it is by Jesus going into xxi.) Thus, we see that the Law could neither means that deliverance from death, and that death, that "he destroyed him that had the give them life nor righteousness, but was the spiritual resurrection we have now, through faith power of death, that is the devil," and delivered ministration of condemnation and death, and that in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our state by nature them who through "fear of death were all in its working it served to prove the New Testa- is that of being dead in trespasses and sins their lifetime subject to bondage." Does not ment doctrines, "By the Law is the knowledge of children of wrath-exposed to death and judgsin," and "by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh ment. But God, in marvellous grace, quickens be justified in His sight." And how blessed it is or makes alive dead ones, and those who are so to contemplate that all these failures of man, quickened are made nigh to God by the blood of were only occasions for bringing out, in types Christ, delivered from death, and the wrath to and shadows, the resources of God's abounding come; they have been quickened together, raised grace, as the realities were afterwards so won up together, and made sit together in heavenly drously manifested in the sufferings, death, and places in Christ Jesus. Israel's crossing the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. How Jordan, therefore, sets before us the blessed docimportant, also, it is to notice in the history of trine, that God's children have died with Christ, those under the Law, that whatever blessing they have been buried with Christ, are risen with had, it came to them not as the fruit of their Christ, and made sit together in heavenly places own worthiness, but only in the way of Divine in Christ Jesus. Thus, virtually and legally, by mercy. If you see them in Egyptian bondage, faith, we are in heavenly places, while actually or exposed to the destroying angel's sword, it is we are walking in an evil world. But let us now God that shelters and delivers them through the look more particularly at the Scripture before us. blood of the lamb. When Pharaoh and his 1. ISRAEL'S STATE, as we have before noticed, host hotly pursued them to the borders of the was one of helplessness. Moreover, the fear of Red Sea, it was God that wrought deliverance death filled their minds, for Jordan overflowing for them, by dividing the waves and heaping its banks was between them and the promised them up in a liquid wall, thus bringing them land. They could not see how they could enter through as on dry land, and cutting off their into their much desired inheritaace. And is not 、enemies in judgment. See them again with this exactly what all feel, whose consciences are parched lips murmuring beside Maral's waters, roused to consider their eternal state? They and it was God who directed them to that mystic cannot think of heaven, and glory, and fulness of tree which could make the bitterest water sweet. joy, without feeling that they are exposed to See them, also, hungry in the barren wilderness, death; and they seem to view glory afar off, and or burning with thirst in a land of drought, and know not how to reach it. Their consciences it was God that rained down daily bread from accuse them of sin against God, and they fear heaven to feed them, and caused the flinty rock death as the consequence-"The wages of sin is to gush forth rivers of water to refresh them. It death." They recoil from death and tremble at was God who led them by the right way, it was its expectation. A death-bed scene makes them

harp.

66

this clearly show us that we have deliverance from death only by the death of Christ? Does it not magnify the work of the Cross, and plainly point us to Christ crucified as "the way, the truth, and the life?" Does it not tell us that there is "no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ?” Does not the Holy Ghost here teach us that we have died in Christ, by His having died for us? And do not our souls cry out while contemplating the Cross of Christ, and His triumphant resurrection, "O death, where is thy sting? 0 grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Oh, how blessed is the remembrance of the fact that the Holy and spotless Jesus went into the cold waters of death for us, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God? It is then the death of Christ-the blood of the Cross-that removes the sting of death from us, and enables us to find access with confidence into God's presence. We know that when Christ died, the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom, to shew us, that through the death of Christ every hindrance was removed to the believer's coming into the presence of God.

3. CROSSING THE JORDAN we may look upon as the action of faith on God's way of deliverance. Believing that the living God had made this way, this living way into the land, they "all passed clean

over.'

the Cross. It is the death of Christ we specially I said, "though God is truly most mer-
remember in the Lord's supper- we "shew the
the Lord's death till He come." We do not keep ciful, how can He pardon sin? Are you
the Lord's supper in order to be saved, but in remem- not a sinner?"
brance of Him, by whose stripes we are healed,
by whose death we have life.

66

"Sinner, sir? No!" said the old man, We may next notice that the people of Israel "you are quite mistaken about me; I am when in the land, were circumcised according to quite surprised you should talk to me in the Lord's command. This teaches us that a realization of our heavenly calling and standing in Christ, such a way; I am not a sinner: why, will be connected with self-judgment, and putting don't you see, I have got my prayer-book, off the old man and his deeds; we shall reckon ourselves to have died unto sin, and to be alive and am going to Church? I go to Church unto God through Jesus Christ. Hence, heavenly twice every Sunday, and have done so for worship and rejoicing in Christ Jesus will be assoSinner, sir! ask the clergyman, ciated with having no confidence in the flesh. years. Circumcision was not practised in the wilderness, I won't stop and talk to you any longer;" which shews us typically that trials and necessities and hobbled the away do not give us power over self; hence, those Chrisold poor tians who are pressed down with the cares and his crutch in his one hand and prayerdifficulties of the way, will have little power to book in the other, into the village church, crucify the flesh; whereas those who know the portion, which "perfect love" has given them in a to kneel down and say, "O God, the Farisen Saviour, will judge the flesh to be unfit for ther of heaven, have mercy upon us God's service, and as unclean in its moral or miserable sinners." gious actings as in its grosser workings. We may be assured that abiding in Christ in heavenly places is the secret of true humility.

The

"The more thy glory strikes mine eyes,
The humbler I shall lie;

For while I sink, my joys shall rise
Immeasurably high."

reli

"Their eyes rested on the ark in the river for them, and the wondrous power of that ordinance in delivering from the waters of death, and opening the way into the land. They beheld the liquid wall on the one hand, and the waters fail on the other, "the ark of the covenant" in the midst, and a straight path made for them to pass over dry shod. Thus they were inspired with confidence, all fear and doubt were removed, and onward they went according to the word of the Lord, and quickly planted their feet upon their promised inheritance, the land flowing with milk and honey. And so it is now. It is a believing view of the Cross of Christ, the knowledge of His having died for us, of the curse, and wrath, and death, which we deserved, having fallen on Him instead of us—that He was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification-thus seeing the wondrous love of God in providing such a Saviour, and accomplishing such a work for us, that inspires us with confidence, delivers us from guilt and fear, and enables us to find rest and peace in the holiest of all, in the presence of God Himself. Knowing that the risen Jesus has entered into heaven itself with His own blood, now to appear in the presence of God for us, we follow Him by faith all up the blood-sprinkled path, and know our blessed liberty as blood-washed worshippers in His presence. Therefore by the blood of Christ we, who were once afar off, are made nigh, and by the Spirit of Christ we who were dead have been quickened together, raised up together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Our standing then is heavenly, we are brought into the heavenlies in Christ, we belong to the heavenly family, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places; death is behind us, glory before us, and our expectation is to bear the heavenly image; heaven is our home. "Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body." Our worship therefore is heavenly, we come boldly to "the throne of grace," having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience; and, as a hea- We next notice that the manna ceased, and the venly people, "risen with Christ," we are exhorted people eat the "old corn in the land." (Chap. v. to seek those things which are above, where Christ 11-12.) This is very significant. In days of wilsitteth on the right hand of God, to set our "affec-derness experience, the people were fed by that tions on things above, and not on things on the which came down from heaven; but when in the earth," because our life is hid with Christ in God. land, they fed and lived upon that which sprang It is most important for the believer to see that up from the corn of wheat that died. So now, he not only has forgiveness of sins, but that he those who may be trusting in the blood of the is risen with Christ, and belongs to the heaven- Lamb, who have merely a wilderness experience, lies, is a partaker of the heavenly calling, a hea- will be sustained by the limited though most ven-born, heaven-bound son, and having life, resur- blessed thought of Christ having descended; but rection-life, and union with the glorified Son of those who know their full deliverance from death, God-a member of Christ's body, His flesh and and standing in life and righteousness in heavenly bone. Not like the earthly people of Israel, who places in Christ, find their joy and strength in the were called from Egypt to an earthly land of pro-blessed knowledge that "He that descended is the mise; but called from a state of death in trespasses and sins to heavenly places-an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. The blood of our sacrifice not sprinkled again and again on a brazen altar, but presented once and for ever in heaven itself. Not having a dying priest to minister in an earthly sanctuary, but having a priest for ever in heaven to

make intercession for us.

people also kept the passover, and, oh, with what rejoicing must they have celebrated it. (Chap. v. 10.) They must have valued the blood of the lamb more than ever, when they remembered where it had brought them to, as well as what it had delivered them from. And who estimates the redeeming love of God, and the unutterable preciousness of the blood of Christ, like those who know it, as not only blotting out their sin, but as enabling them to enter with boldness into the holiest of all?

man,

with

The old man might have been upright and moral, but see, how blind about his soul! Had he not sinned? Yes; daily, hourly sinned in thought, and word, and deed. Did he not, week by week, in lip, confess himself a lost and ruined sinner, and in a formal way beseech for pardon through the precious blood of Christ? and yet so blind, so hardened in his guilt, that when accused of having sinned, he turned away, and in a rage denied the fact! He was putting the church in the place of Christ, and rested on his regular attendance there to quiet his conscience, and save him from the wrath to come.

O how many are doing the same thing: trusting in what they can do, instead of resting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by His own offering, hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified!

This poor old man was feeding on ashes; a deceived heart turned him aside; and decrepit in body and on the verge of the grave, his soul was well nigh perishing for ever. "He was no sinner;" at least, so he said; and, therefore, there was no Saviour for him, for the Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven to save SINNERS, and to deny that we are lost and ruined, is to put ourselves outside the pale of salvation.

same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He night fill all things." They live on resurrection food, on Christ risen, Christ exalted, Christ the abolisher of death, Christ crowned with glory and honour, Christ our Lamb and Priest now in the presence of God for us, Christ our Lord, Head, Righteousness, and Life, Christ soon coming to take May we not fear that there are millions us unto Himself, that where He is we may be also. in this so-called Christian land exactly in Thus we are not of But though God gave them the land and brought them there, they had to fight the fight of faith to the same state? and if they spoke out keep it. So we have to "put on the whole armour plainly, would say as this old man did? of God" to maintain our heavenly standing. Satan Nothing can be more lamentable, more and his host only consult to cast us down from our blind, more hopeless, substituting religion excellency, and we need divine strength, and di- for Christ, observance of ordinances for vine armour to wrestle with principalities and powers, to enable us to maintain in our soul's experi- faith in the Son of God. Surely, this ence, our standing in the blessing our God has is putting darkness for light, death for given us, and brought us into in Christ Jesus. life; and the end, instead of being everMay the Lord bless His own truth! lasting blessedness, must be the worm that never dies, and the fire that is never quenched.

the world, but knowing its doom, and that the earth and all things therein will be burned up, we find our peace and blessing in heaven, inside the vail, and that "our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." These things known in the soul as God's eternal truth, answer a thousand perplexing questions, and plainly mark out for us a path of heavenly-mindedness in a self-seeking, Christ-rejecting world.

"Sinner, Sir? No."

4. Lastly, let us look at ISRAEL IN THE LAND. We are repeatedly told that they clean passed over, and the waters again returned to their place as before, which facts speak solemn and comforting lessons to our hearts. The people now lived in the BEING one Sunday in a lonely village in Dear reader, is it thus with you? If promised land. God gave it to then, and brought Herefordshire, I saw a respectable look- so, let me solemnly warn you that you them into it dry shod. They were no longer in the desert of drought and barrenness, but in the land ing old man coming out of his house, are yet in your sins, and the wrath of flowing with milk and honey, where grapes and walking up his garden; he leant upon ment you may be lost! yea, lost for ever! God abideth on you! In another mopomegranates abounded. The way which God brought them was never to be forgotten, therefore the wicket gate, and thinking it a good Oh flee, flee for your life; flee from the they were to "take twelve stones out of the middle opportunity to speak to him of Jesus wrath to come; flee to the only SAVIOUR, of Jordan, and carry them over with them into the place where they lodged, for a memorial unto the and His great salvation, I addressed him. the LORD JESUS CHRIST; in HIM alone children of Israel for ever...and they are there He was very civil, and answered my ques- is safety; HE receives sinners, even the vilest. Believing on Him your danger

unto this day;" so that ages and generations to

come might know the exceeding goodness of God tions very readily. I spoke to him about to them. (comp. Josh. iv. 4-24, with Eph. ii. 7.) his soul, and he said, "He was quite And so in ages to come the church shall be to the

is past, your sins forgiven; for, to as many

as receive HIM, HE gives power to become the sons of God, even to them that us through Christ Jesus. We shall ever remember | harm, and God was merciful." "But," believe on His name. (John i. 12.)

praise and glory of God, for His kindness toward easy about that; he had done nobody any

God alone can make a Christian. tion, whether God has had anything to that came visitors with presents from the As an illustration of the above statement, do with the profession of faith which King of Babylon, and Hezekiah enter I may relate a fact of recent occurrence; you make. God's work will stand; but if tains the messengers; but what does he although the Word of God is abundantly your faith stands in the wisdom and per- shew them? The LORD's doings, or clear on the subject to those who have suasive arguments of men, it will fail you his worldly wealth? learned, not that they "can believe and in the hour of need. doings," said Mrs. Merton. will believe," but that they don't believe and can't believe; and that it is written, "unto you it is given.........to believe on

Him." (Phil. i. 29.)

a

66

"NOT the Lord's

"The room was dark whilst I lay there, and I thought, 'Oh that I were now allowed to work for Jesus! to tell my friends of this glorious Jesus, His love, His death, His righteousness, and all His marvellous riches and grace.'

"Oh how I wish now I had told dear

I would say, also, to all who preach. 'Surely the Lord must have sent ME the Gospel, don't let us be ensnared by this passage," thought Mrs. M. “Do the craft and subtlety of the devil, who not I resemble Hezekiah? The Lord would call our attention to this and that did indeed deliver me, about two years I was preaching a few weeks ago in most imperfect and even erroneous way ago, from the terrible battle I had with village, and felt the presence of the Lord of preaching the Gospel, (judged by the UNBELIEF; how hard Satan tried to have with me; and that I had preached the light of the Word of God,) and lead us, me; but the Lord was my deliverer, and Gospel, the glorious Gospel of the blessed not simply, to think of it as a matter of He rescued me from the enemy's darts, God, with clearness, and, I may say, with indifference, but would even persuade us and made me His own child by faith: every encouragement to those who feel to adopt that which is wrong, because and then how well I remember my earnest their need, as must be the case where God, in the exercise of His high preroprayers last summer, when I was so ill, Christ's Gospel is proclaimed. On my gative, is pleased to use it often in the so very ill. way home, I got into conversation with a conversion of sinners. Let us therefore young man whom I had observed to be not only seek to know more of Christ, present at the preaching; I asked him if and be more filled with the Spirit (Eph. v. he knew for himself what I had been 18); but take the Apostle's mode, not speaking of. “I know it is true, sir," of offering the Gospel, but of preaching he said, "but I don't know it." This CHRIST, of publishing peace. There was honest; and it would be well if thou- will not be less joy in our cities (Acts viii. sands more who call themselves Chris- 8), though God may be pleased still to tians, would as honestly own that they use man's "offers" of salvation to the gado not believe, that they do not know, thering out of His elect. (Acts xv. 14.) It that which the Christian name they bear would appear that, at the present time, is a profession of their believing and God has much people in England and knowing. This answer, also, was another elsewhere to be called out of darkness voice to myself, saying plainly to me, (Acts xviii. 10); and as many as are or"Not by might, nor by power, but by my dained to eternal life believe the report. Spirit." (Zech. iv. 6.) We may be privi- (Acts xiii. 48.) May we be steadfast and leged with much liberty in preaching, and unmovable; and having put our hand to the Word be sweet to our own taste, and the plough, not look back. May we give a sweet savour indeed unto God (2 Cor. ourselves to prayer, and give evidence in ii. 15), while those who hear may yet our ways that to receive Christ for salvaremain as hard and insensible as ever." tion, is to receive peace, to deliver us "Power belongeth unto God." (Psa. lxii. from this present evil world. So that, 11.) Two, or at most three, weeks after whether we have been converted for many this, the same young man was hearkening years, or only many weeks, we may be to the Word preached by another young declaring plainly that we are Christ's man, one of those Evangelists whom God servants, and not the devil's slaves; that makes and uses, when the Word was with we are elected unto obedience to God's power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in word, and not to the traditions of men. much assurance, deliverance was vouchsafed, and the heart was filled with joy

What have they seen in thine
House P

Mrs. R. and her daughters how graciously the Lord heard and answered prayer; it might really have led them to love the Lord; but, alas! alas! I do not remember having told them anything of what the Lord HAS done for me; and are they not like the visitors from Babylon?' I fear they are.

"But let me think-what have they seen in my house?

"There was a dinner given for them last night: I remember every one admired the new paintings in the dining-room very much. After dinner, I showed all our water-colour drawings, and then I took Mrs. N. to my boudoir, to see my

new carpet.

"What did they see on Tuesday? "I do not remember anything, excep ting that I showed to Mrs. R. that beautiful set of jewels my uncle sent me lately.

"How sorry I am that we spent all and peace in believing. I ask, who THE happy guests had just bid farewell, Wednesday afternoon consulting about wrought this? God or man? I know and the carriage was speedily driving our children's new dresses, and what them away from Merton Lodge, where they should wear next Spring, when, they had passed pleasant days.

Mrs. Merton, their kind hostess, returned to her now deserted drawing-room, and seating herself by the open window, felt sad and lonely at the departure of

alas! I shudder to think where poor Mrs. R. MAY THEN be. What an oppor tunity I lost of telling her about the robe that we obtain by faith-the neverfading robe of the righteousness of God. Oh that I had led her to seek my Lord in this house!

nothing of the subject, matter, or style, or anything else of the preacher; that he preached Christ and salvation for the lost through His blood, there can be no doubt; but so, I am bold to say, had I. What, then, made the difference? Surely, we must own that the hand of God was her friends. in it, and that the poor man is now a Looking about her for some book, her Christian, made so by God. I have seen fell upon the Bible, and she opened "And poor dear beautiful Marian, too, him since. He is happy, at peace; he it, and read the words, (Isaiah xxxix. 4,) I might have been of some use to her. not only knows now that the Gospel is "What have they seen in thine house?" She has gone home longing to have a true, but has tasted that the Lord is gra- Strange words! What do they mean? bracelet like the one she saw on my cious, and is in Him that is true. Hastily she glanced at the preceding table, and hopes to persuade her papa to My dear reader, I do not want to get chapters, and learned how lovingly and get her one. If I had but spoken to your mind interested and exercised on miraculously the Lord had delivered her of Jesus, might she not have left me points of difference between Christians, Hezekiah; first from the dangers of to-day determining to speak of Him to but that you may ask yourself the ques- battle, and then from sickness. After her father, and of His glory?

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE HEART AND THE BIBLE. and "He is able" to make a way of escape, From the Journal of an Evangelist who is uncon

Heart. Alas! alas! what shall I do? am so very wicked. I cannot love God with all my strength; I cannot love Him at all! Bible. Perhaps! (1 Cor. xv. 51.) But I cannot love my neighbour as myself, it He is able" to remove death's sting, and to seems to me impossible! I cannot make my-save even from death. (Heb. v. 7.) self holy, pure, good, fit for God to look. Heart. Yes! but the body must descend upon; it is altogether out of my power. I've into the grave, and return to dust! tried, and tried, and it's all in vain. What am I to do? Where am I to go for help? Can you give me any assistance in this difficulty?

Heart. But I must have faith to believe in from His love. (Rom. viii. 39.) Him. I have not even that!

Bible." He is able" to bestow that on you: "it is the gift of God." (Eph. ii. 8.)

Heart. But I must pray for it, and I know not even how to pray!

Bible. "He is able" to teach you to pray. (Luke xi. 1; Rom. viii. 26.)

Heart. And if I were converted, and became a Christian, I fear I should be so inconsistent! perhaps fall away and be worse off than ever!

Bible. "He is able" to keep you from