and composure, mingled, as it were, with holy surprise. With the death of Voltaire most are acquainted-soul-harrowing, the acme of despair! If ever the horrors of the damned were, in a measure, realized in dying hours, it was by that miserable infidel. "O Galilean, thou hast conquered," said Julian the apostate; but the despised hated Nazarene was despised and hated to the last by this enemy of all righteousness. The heart of Cowper was by nature no better than the heart of Voltaire. Grace made all the difference-sovereign, electing grace; and, therefore, to the God of all grace be ascribed all the glory. H. "THE GOOD OLD WAY." To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. DEAR SIR,It is my desire to tell | power, or to appropriate detached senyou a little of the goodness and favour tences from the Word of God, without of the Lord, and how he hath taught me seeking to understand the mind of the to hear His voice, and to know it from Spirit in the whole, is not according to all others, having been prompted so to His will, but that it is a Bye-path do by reading the inquiry in the Gospel meadow, which leads to Doubting Castle. Magazine, "Is it from the Lord ?" I often meet with a remark in your address which affords some meditation. You ask this month, Why should a child, whose father is in heaven, be concerned ?" Why, indeed? Should not the knowledge of such an astonishing fact make us exclaim, with the beloved apostle," Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God?" We are to receive the kingdom of God as little children. How many profitable lessons we may learn by witnessing the simple reliance of our children on the power and ability of their parents. Our heavenly Father knoweth what things we have need of, and He saith, "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him ?" We do not allow our little children to help themselves, neither do we place jars containing honey within their reach, or at their control; but when we get one from the depository, open it, and distribute the contents, they never question their right to it; they know the hand which gives it, and the youngest generally gets the largest share. a The Lord hath taught me that " man can receive nothing except it be given him from God." And that to seek to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in His own I have been favoured, more than once, to hear a voice from heaven_speaking powerfully, not to the outward ear, but to the inmost soul, "I will speak to her heart." The first passage was from the Old Testament (the sweetest words in the whole Bible), and others from the New, but all were what the writer of the "Wayside Notes" aptly terms Church Property, common to the family. Hav ing been led by the same Divine Teacher to search for a hidden and spiritual meaning in the miracles which Jesus wrought, when on earth, I am constrained to believe that the literal meaning was confined to that time. So also with the parables, which He spake unto the multitudes, but unto His disciples (and not to them only, but unto all them also who love His appearing, in the word of truth, in the ministration thereof, or in the ordinances of His house), "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom." The literal meaning cannot satisfy the longings which are inspired by the Holy Ghost, as Mr. Hart says, we want more than sign, "I faint unless I feed on thee, And drink thy blood as shed for me." When Jesus was in the act of raising Lazarus from the dead, how blessedly did He draw the mind of Martha from her brother to Himself, as "The Resurrection and the Life." "Blessed and holy is he that hath a | at variance with His promises; when part in the first resurrection (a part in storms of various kinds threaten to Jesus), on such the second death hath overwhelm us; when it is dark, and no power." Jesus is not come. And what but a demonstration of the same almighty power could have raised us from a death in sin, delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of God's dear Son? Was it not a miracle which opened our eyes, to see the King in His beauty, and to behold the land which is very far off? to read our names in the Lamb's book of life, and to view with holy awe, astonishment, and admiration, the glorious robe of righteousness, that beauteous, costly robe which Jesus wrought? He also unstopped our ears, to hear the still, small, yet quite unmistakeable, voice, which spake words of love and pardon, Dost mind the place" and how He made thee, who before was dumb, to sing, "For who like sinners saved from hell, It was indeed a feast of fat things, for "He brought me into the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love." Many years have passed since that never-to-be-forgotten period, and numberless have been the proofs of the unchanging love of Jehovah; many darksome paths have lain in the way. "We walk by faith, not by sight." We are to wait. The Psalmist says, "I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Our heavenly Father grants us a privilege, which I have often thought is quite peculiar to Himself. We tell our little children not to ask twice; but we are encouraged to "Pray without ceasing." Sometimes we are obliged to wait a long time; and though we would say, "I will trust Him, and not be afraid," yet we do fear; and instead of waiting patiently, we often get very impatient, when the Lord's dealings with us seem What a mighty wrestling is that which the power of the Spirit sometimes exercises in our hearts, making intercession for us according to the will of God, and revealing Christ unto us, as exactly suited to our emergencies, giving us access unto the Father, and "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.' How blessed is it to be favoured with the witnessing of the Spirit, sometimes without the particular application of any word; but the peace of God, which passeth all understanding" so fills our hearts and minds, that every rebellious thought is hushed, and our turbulent wills are absorbed in the will of God. "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still." Nothing may be altered; but, "A word from Jesus fires our heart, And helps our feet along." "In His presence there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore." The love of God, shed abroad in our hearts, makes us exclaim, "It is the Lord." He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with good things. And though He give us but now and then a sip of honey by the way, yet we know that in our Father's house there is enough, and to spare; yea, enough to last all the children for ever. "I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.' If there be, therefore, any consolation in Christ; if any comfort of love; if any fellowship of the Spirit, I know "It is from the Lord." Yours in the best of bonds, Without the powerful agency of the | hands, somewhat like blind Bartemæus, blessed Spirit, to enlighten our under- sitting amidst the beams of day: or standings, and to apply the doctrines of like the withered arm with invaluable the Bible to our hearts, we shall be, even | treasures before it.-Hervey. with the Word of light and life in our THE PILGRIM'S LETTER; OR, HELPS FOR THE DOUBTING. we may remark, most of His disciples, if not all, went forth or out by the north gate, for they sealed Christ's testimony with their blood. Now the way the Lord led me was by the north gate, through a sea of trouble, affliction, and bondage, before He revealed His love and mercy to my soul; and no wonder, seeing I was so flagrant a sinner before Him, my iniquity, transgressions, and stubbornness, being so great; yea, my hatred to God's ways and people so great, that with oaths I declared, if that is the way of salvation, He may keep it, for I will never submit to it." I write this to my shame. DEAR DAUGHTER IN THE FLESH AND IN THE LORD,-I received yours, and desire to bless the Lord for His goodness towards you in applying His word by His Spirit with power to your soul. These favours, waterings, and renewings, are precious tokens of His love and mercy, and are to be highly prized; and they call upon all the powers of the soul to bless and praise His holy name. You mention your fears or doubts respecting the beginning, that is, whether you came in by the door. If you turn to Ezekiel xliv. 2, 3, you will see that none but the Prince could enter by the east gate. Our gracious | Lord God of Israel, Christ Jesus, did "But, lo, the chief of sinners now, enter by that gate, magnified the law, fulfilled it for us, and left not this world Is brought before His feet to bow." until He had finished the work the Think again, would He ever manifest Father gave Him to do; and now, said His love to your soul, if He had not He, "Father, glorify me with the glory I brought you into the way. This is one had with thee before the world was;" of Satan's stratagems to rob you of your yea, and something more too, "Father, jewels. Say, rather, with Manoah's I will that those thou hast given me wife (Judges xiii. 23), "Neither would be with me where I am.' Thus Christ He have showed these things, nor would becomes our righteousness, and all in He have told these things.' Your reall, and hath opened the kingdom of marks in the close of your letter, fearing heaven for His saints. Now go to the some heavy trial, leave that in the Lord's 5th verse of the 44th chapter, and see hand. Through my weakness and unwhat the Lord enjoins upon the prophet belief, I have often taken bitter for (and, remember, to us too). Mark well, sweet and sweet for bitter. Judge the coming in, or entering in, with every nothing before the time. "In the world going forth; and then turn to the 46th ye shall have tribulation; but in me ye chapter and 9th verse," He that enter- shall have peace." Do not so foolishly eth in by the north gate shall go out by as I have too often done-kick, murmur, way of the south gate; and he that and rebel; but keep on the watch-tower, entereth by the way of the south gate or rather pray the Lord to keep you shall go forth by the way of the north." there, looking to Him for strength; When Christ called His disciples, it was, "For as thy days, thy strength shall "Follow me," ," "Come and see." They be." For often I have found that that appear all to come in by the south gate. which is sweet in the mouth has been So did Zaccheus when he ran before, bitter in the belly; and that which I out of curiosity, to see Christ, climbed have greatly feared, the Lord has never the sycamore tree. Christ called him, permitted it to come to pass. May the "Zaccheus, come down, for I must cry of your soul be, "Give us this day abide at thy house." And the Lord our daily bread." It was a wonderful said, before He left it, "This day is sal- providence for Elijah to be fed morning vation come to this house." He came and evening by ravens, but a greater in by the south gate. So did Cornelius, wonder and mercy we experience the for as soon as Peter began to preach Lord communing with our souls from off Christ, the Holy Spirit descended upon all. the mercy-seat; the blessed Spirit of God is a gracious Sovereign, and His gifts the Lord taking of the things of Christ and callings are without repentance. But, and revealing them to us. the You never heard a dead child cry for the breast, nor a sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, entreating the Lord for the light of His countenance, and for that favour which is better than life. The Holy Spirit indites the petition, and then, glory to His holy name, answers it in the soul. My kind love to all them that love our Lord Jesus, especially my son J, and love to all the little Ärminians, as Mr. Hunt ington used to say when he wrote to T-- B-. I have not quoted the passages of Scripture at large, because they would have taken up so much of my paper, therefore you can refer to them, and may the blessed Spirit open their sacred contents, more and more, for your soul's profit. Yours truly, HENRY WILLIAMS. Deptford, April 23, 1839. WHERE AM I? AND WHAT AM I? To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. REV. AND DEAR SIR,-May grace, I am sure I feel my need of Him; no mercy, and peace be multiplied upon poor creature was ever more brought to you. I did indeed rejoice, and I think nought (as our dear brother "Barnabas " that the whole family known to you in so sweetly touches upon) as myself, My earth and heaven must also have rejoiced, path, too, has been so peculiar and diswhen God so manifested His mercy tressing; for while I have thought I towards you in leading you to your pre- most earnestly and humbly desired to sent sphere. May a double portion of serve God, and to be a hewer of wood His Spirit rest upon you for the sake of or a drawer of water in His service, how the many dry bones around. Dear Sir, have I from time to time been left to that letter in a recent number of the drink the sour wine of astonishment by Magazine, from "One of low Estate," being deceived both in persons and and your reply to the same, were places. And indeed, dear Sir, God has exceedingly encouraging to me. The and does now seem to say to me, I piece which he refers to by our valued neither will accept you nor your serA Servant of the Church," my_eager vices. eyes and heart grasped at; for I may say, from my youth up these terrors (the absence of a law work wrought in my soul) have I suffered with a troubled mind. When very young, I remember meeting with this verse in dear old Kent's hymns, which distressed me so much, that I wrote to him, beseeching him for an explanation, but which he took no notice of; so that I thought that this good old man considered me an hypocrite, and I set myself down as such. The verse was this "One of low Estate" writes very lowly, but he is not half so low as I; he reverts to sweet revelations, and evident tokens of God's favour. He may truly say "Did Jesus once upon me shine, Then Jesus is for ever mine." But I! oh, dear Sir, I am a dead log: no light, no sweet application of Scripture. Blind as to my spiritual path; blind as to my temporal path: and He sees that I have no power of myself to help myself. While others talk of their love to Christ, alas! where is my love? cold as ice. My prayers! they are only broken sighs and sobs in the midst of my gatherings of stubble instead of straw. Oh that I knew where I could find Him ?" I often think of the ten virresembled the wise. gins; how nearly those five foolish A FATHER'S LOVE-WORD; OR, PEACE, PEACE TO THE HOUSEHOLD. To my three daughters in the faith, fear, and love of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, grace, mercy, peace, and truth, be multiplied. my thing of that glory that there is in the bond of peace; the bond of charity or perfectness, as Paul says, writing to the Colossians; yea, leadeth us to see something of that bond which Paul to the Hebrews so blessedly opens up in the eighth chapter, wherein our sins and our iniquities He will remember no What a sacred, holy bond hath our most gracious Lord ordained-the bond of the covenant which our dear Lord and Saviour has fulfilled and sealed with His blood, and God the Father hath ratified it by the resurrection of His dear Son; and God the Holy Ghost is a witness in our hearts to the sacred truth and blessed contents of the same. heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and there are three that bear witness on earth, the Holy Spirit, the washing of water by the Word, which He applieth to His chosen, and the precious blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all our sins; whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed, in faith, in covenant, in truth, and in love. Thus we love to worship the Trinity in Unity, as Paul says in his sacred blessings to all the churches, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion, or fellowship, of the Holy Ghost." May the good Lord make you a blessing to your husbands and families, and may they prove a blessing to you. Remember the time is short, the days are evil, as sayeth the apostle. Quench not the Spirit; resist not the Spirit; grieve not the Spirit; for the Lord hath said, There are three that bear record in It being on my mind these several weeks past to send you a few lines, as I have entered my threescore and thirteenth year, and not knowing how soon this, my frail tabernacle, may more. be taken down, being encompassed about with infirmities, and yet blessed with inany mercies; something by way of remembrance, when I am removed to that inheritance which the Lord gracious God will bestow to all them that love His appearing. My good and kind Lord brought the savoury meat early one morning from the 4th of Eph. and 3rd verse, "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Meditate on it; turn it over and over in your minds, it is fraught with rich blessings. Endeavouring, say you, we sometimes think the more we strive the further we seem to get from the restingplace, viz., a fixed reliance upon the Lord Jesus, who is our only hope; it may be so, and it is so, if we strive in our own strength. Such blessed petitions as, Hold thou me up; uphold me with thy free Spirit." "Look thou upon me as thou usest to do to them that love thy Oh, remember me with the favour thou bearest unto thy chosen." "And be thou my strength and salvation." Only consider what a rich blessing is the unity of the Spirit; one with the Father of all mercies, chosen before time; one with His dear Son, redeemed by His precious blood, atoned for by His sacrifice, cleansed by His merits. He taking away all our sins, and bestoweth upon us His righteousness, which is without spot, wrinkle, or any such thing; one with the Spirit, who name." 66 my 66 My Spirit shall not always strive with men," therefore endeavour to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." You will find enough to try you in the world, in your families, in the evils which befall us by the but remember, a way meek and quiet spirit is, in "God's sight, The Lord bless you of great price.' hath made the riches of His known grace unto us, wrought faith in our hearts; led us to Jesus, and to the Father through Him, the God of all consola- and keep you. The Lord make His face tions, who taketh of the things of Christ to shine upon you, and be gracious unto and revealeth them unto us; blesseth you. The Lord lift up the light of His us with union to His church in time, countenance upon you, and give you and with elect angels in eternity. The peace; and the Lord put His name upon union of the Spirit known, felt, enjoyed, thy families, and bless them. Amen and and lived in, gives us to see some amen. HENRY WILLIAMS. |