them in their affliction. But that the seven | whom is the residue of the Spirit has been were ever called in Scripture "deacons," ap- honourably and usefully called to fill the paspears to me to be very questionable, and I toral office. And to such men I conclude the think is more than can be proved. term deacon in a scriptural sense belongs. Your's affectionately in the Lord, SILAS.

It then might be asked by what name those esteemed brethren are designated in the New Testament? We know how the Holy Ghost distinguishes one of them, Acts xxi. 8,Philip the evangelist who was one of "the

seven.

The first appellation refers to him as a preacher; the second as one of the brethren chosen by the church at Jerusalem to attend to her temporalities. And though Stephen also had a similar gift, it would appear, with Philip, for preaching the word of life, yet we have no such account of the other five. When I say

the term DEACON was never used in reference

I again thought I had done wrong; and my mind sunk into a state of despondency and dejection, which (added to a naturally nervous habit,) rendered me very uncomfortable; and it soon appeared that it was not the will of God in providence that I should continue there long; for in the month of March, 1823, the Lord was pleased to lay his afflicting hand upon me; and from that time to this my afflictions have increased, and become more heavy. So that in February, 1827, I am daily expecting dissolution. I was first seized with an attack of pleurisy, which left me so weak and full of pain, that I never could preach regularly afterwards. This was followed by an abscess on the shoulder, connected with the spine of the back-which has been continually discharging since November, 1824; so that I am now reduced to the borders of the grave.

people in Mason Street; and once more cast myself and family upon the Lord, to the care of his kind and gracious providence; and from that time to the present, a period of two years and a half, I have had no means of support for my numerous and increasing family, but the kindness and liberality of Christian friends, and what assistance I have received from different funds.

to the seven as such, I of course mean not in the same sense in which we find it in the first epistle to Timothy, third chapter; for the Apostle is there evidently speaking of a class of men whose work was not temporal but spiritual. Still if those godly men were only known in the New Testament as the seven, it would be a strong argument in favour of every church having that number, which would not in all cases appear to be needful. "I will therefore shew mine opinion,' without the least wish or desire to hurt the mind of any of our esteemed brethren who are generally believed to fill the office of deacon in our churches. And this I would do with all modesty; for though I am now of some five and twenty years standing in the pastoral office, and during that period I have had abundant cause to bless God for wise, judiIn the month of August, 1824, in consecious, and sympathetic fellow officers, yet I do quence of increasing bodily affliction, I was not think it would be to honour them to as-obliged totally to resign my charge over the cribe to them a name by which they are not known in the word of God. But if we turn to 1 Cor. xii. 28, we shall find that they are very honourably associated with apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, and such who had the gift of healing. And in this verse they are called HELPS; which name is every way suited to express their office and work, which is evident if we refer to Acts, vi., see verses 2, 3, 4. It now only remains that I should say a few words on the office and work of those good men who in Scripture phraseology are called DEACONS, an account of which we have in the first chapter of the epistle to the Philippians and first verse; also in the first epistle to Timothy, iii. 8-13. and it is worthy of remark that in both places deacons are named in connection with BISHOPS, and their qualifications for their office are very similar, though not called to occupy the same station in the church as the bishop or pastor. From which I infer there were in the church then, as now, a number of godly, wise, and gifted brethren, who were capable of preaching the gospel, so that the saints were edified by their labours; and doubtless many a stout-hearted sinner brought to Christ through their instrumentality. But it does not follow from these facts that such brethren are qualified to go in and out continually before the same people, though many of them, no doubt, in time, by using the office of a deacon well. And the blessing of Him with

Here I am lost in astonishment and wonder. Could I have foreseen the long continuance of my affliction, I should have sunk under the sight, and concluded that my family would be destitute of daily bread; but He that feedeth the ravens when they cry, hath not_forsaken me, nor suffered us to want. The Lord has not indeed literally rained down manna from heaven, or caused the rock to gush out for our supply; but he has, I think, wrought as wonderful works on our behalf.

To attempt to relate the whole of his goodness in this respect would be fruitless and in vain. I have received kindness from persons known and unknown, from professors and nonprofessors, as a proof that the Lord has all hearts in his hand, and that the gold and silver are at his disposal. At the commencement of my affliction, the cup was so filled and made to run over with temporal blessings, that I really was constrained to say, Why is this? what can it be for? But my long affliction has taught me that the whole was needful. The Lord knew what was coming upon me,

BRIEF NOTICES.

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Original Poetry.

The Open Valley: The Dry Bones:

AND

THE BREATH OF GOD.

"Thus saith the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, THAT THEY MAY LIVE." Ezekiel xxxvii. 9.

"When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, LIVE:-Yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, LIVE.” Ezekiel xvi. 6.

"The things of God knoweth no man, but THE SPIRIT OF GOD." "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned; who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

live." For until the Spirit of God is poured upon us from on high, "terrible as an army with banners," the church of Christ will not be found.

Never was there so large an amount of natural talent employed, both from the pulpit and the press, in the different branches of theology, than is now in existence. But while it is poetical, pathetical, and pleasing, it is, in the aggregate, wanting in power, in penetration, and in the working out of those principles which give glory to a THREE-ONE JEHOVAH, as the absolute AUTHOR and infallible FINISHER of a sinner's salvation.

In proof of these assertions we now turn to some popular productions, which have, of late, come into our hands; and which are specimens of the failure of which we complainthat is, an acknowledgment of the Person and work-and the possession of the anointing powers of God the Holy Ghost.

The Lord forbid that we should presume to sit in judgment over any real ambassador of heaven-be his name or standing what it may. Still, we cannot withhold a brief enquiry-we feel constrained and compelled to ask-Can that man's divinity be sound-can that sinner's experience be of a saving kind-where the work and the witness of THE ETERNAL SPIRIT is either altogether omitted-or only referred to in a lifeless and unsavoury manner? If, in the result of our investigation, we are scen to be wrong, we stand condemned; but, if the Lord employ us only for the awakening of a solemn enquiry among the inhabitants of our little Zion, in matters wherein their peace and happiness are so closely bound up, truly thankful shall we be.

These are the principal fruits of the indwelling life of the Spirit of God. Where these are altogether wanting; where, instead of "largeness of knowledge" there is darkness and ignorance in matters connected with the new covenant-where, instead of "clearness of discernment," there is confusion of tongues, mingling of spirits, and no taking forth the precious from the vile:where, instead of the tenderest compassion" toward the fallen, the burdened, the wounded, and the feeble, there is selfishness, harshness, narrowness, and a haughty carriage, there it is evident that, as yet, THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD, with all his glorious train, has not taken up his abode. There may be, in all the externals of the gospel-the spirit of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, as in Bezaleel; there may be the spirit of prophecy, as in Balaam; there may be the perfect form of godliness, as in the foolish virgins; but the kindling breath of heaven-the essential blessing of the Great High Priest-the vital union of bone to bone, heart to heart, and spirit to spirit, can be found only where the golden oil has been poured into the inner man by the life-giving power of our covenant God. We are exceedingly jealous lest the cunning, the clever, and the curious workmen in the manufacture of gospel-idols, and in the carrying on of gospel worship, should bewitch, deceive, and lead into Capel Molyneux, the minister of the Lock captivity any whose hearts have been touched Chapel, has, during the last few years, pub. with a sense of the Saviour's love. We are lished some very interesting religious works. fearful that the professing church, even in this His volume entitled "THE WORLD TO COME," day, is little better, if any, than THE OPEN is elegant in its style; but we make no further VALLEY AND THE DRY BONES in Ezekiel's reference to that book at present; as we are vision. THE BREATH OF GOD IS LACKING. anxious to lay before our readers an illustration We want our spiritual, our Anti-typical or two of the deficiency in our modern divinity EZEKIEL to come and stand in the midst of of which we complain. A few months since, our valley, and with his Almighty voice to ex- "a sermon occasioned by the death of the claim, "Come from the four winds, O breath, late Earl of Ducie," and preached in and breathe upon these slain, that they may the Lock Chapel, by Capel Molyneux, was Vol. X.-No. 111.-April, 1854.

E

God's truth-which is no fiction-God's truth in Scripture, verified in actual reality. This I have seen; this manifestation of God's truth, this exhibition of the power and blessedness of redeeming grace, yet also of the power and pressure of remaining sin-the glory and the beauty of the one, the bitterness and the suffering of the other-this I have seen, seen, too, in no ordinary degree-oh, no, but in a most extraordinary degree-in the case of HENRY MORETON, late EARL OF DUCIE.

published by Messrs. Partridge and Oakey. | more particularly at the latter period. It is The text was 2 Cor. v. 4, 5, "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan," &c. After noticing the general scope and drift of this Scripture, the preacher said, "I have chosen it as well fitted to illustrate, and give force to, some remarks I wish to make on the spiritual history, and closing career of one, known by name to most, and personally to many I now address HENRY MORETON, late EARL OF DUCIE! A fortnight ago our prayers were asked, and offered, on his behalf. Now he needs them not, nor might he have them, if he did he is departed, fallen asleep, and, as we confidently believe, in Jesus! He is dead, and though dead, he speaketh, and in no uncertain or doubtful accents, in the testimony delivered in his last, his dying days.

"I feel it my duty, and privilege, to bring his case before you. The fact of our having publicly prayed for him, demands the public acknowledgment that our prayers were heard -heard, and answered; not, perhaps, in the way in which we in our blindness might most have desired; but in the better way which God hath chosen-better, no doubt, both in relation to the glory of God himself, and the well-being of him for whom we prayed! Also the fact, that a case so instructive in itself, and so appropriate for public mention by reason of publicity of character-does but rarely occur, seems to forbid its being passed over in silence; and to lay upon one, who was privileged to witness the grace it displayed, the paramount obligation to do what he can to improve it to the benefit of others. Sure I am, that had I asked his mind on the matter, or could it now be expressed, the burden of it would be this: 'Oh, make use of me, hold me up as an instance, an example of the power of saving grace! at all rates, let God be magnified by my instrumentality,-if so it may be whether by life or by death.' So would he have spoken, so would he, most assuredly, were it allowable, speak now. I shall endeavour to comply with his wish; and may God render

I

"It has been my lot, as a minister of God, to witness the closing scene of many a man's mortal career, and various, both in character and degree, has been the experience which, at those solemn seasons, has come under my observation. I have seen joy, and triumph, and holy assurance, equal to HENRY MORETON'S; 1 have seen bodily distress, groaning, anguish, equal to, far greater than, his; but never in the case of any one individual have I witnessed the combination of both, as they were realized, and displayed, in his last hours. say it deliberately, that as an exhibition of grace on the one hand, and of nature on the other-of grace, uplifting the soul to God, fixing, and concentrating, and absorbing it in the love of Christ; and of nature wearing out, pressing down, and exerting its dread power, in distress of the body--I say in this two-fold aspect, in this two-fold experience, I never saw its equal! It was, without comparison, the most instructive termination of life I ever beheld-the most impressive, the most profitable! I learnt then, as never before, what God can do, yet, what nature, while it remains, also will do! I learnt then, as never before, to what grace can uplift the soul, yet, also, to what the body of sin and death can depress the man! I learnt-invaluable lesson!-that though the believer has received the adoption of the Spirit, he has not received the adoption of the body. No! that of a truth is not here, not yet, the body is not yet redeemed; we wait for that: Great God! hasten it in thy time !"-How very precious are these truthful testimonies! And, but for the lack of one thing, we should be ready to say, this is one of the richest specimens of divine favour we have met with for a length of time. It would appear that HENRY MORETON'S Christian career brief. Previous to that, he was a man living in and for the world, and nothing else. Molyneux's remarks upon A DEATH-BED REPENTANCE, are both solemn and sound. Speaking of the deceased, he says: "Though his career as a Christian man was not long, After expatiating largely, 1st, upon "the nor his character, or rather personal experipower and pressure of nature," 2ndly, upon ence, during that time demonstrative, do not "the power and preciousness of grace," the suppose that his Christian history was limited preacher brings us to the main object of the to a death-bed repentance! Verily, no! I discourse. He says: "Now let me say, this am not going to describe a death-bed repentis not theory or fancy, not speculative or mere ance; I never saw a death-bed repentance of descriptive theology but very truth and this character, never such fruit, such expressliteral fact; it is the history of what is rea-ion of grace, or grace so employed, when the lized, not in the imagination, but in the death-bed was the commencement of gracious actual experience of the believer's whole man, operation. Mark me well-the death-bed may from the time of his resurrection in the spirit, serve to develope and mature, and marveltill the time of his dissolution in the flesh-lously expand into flower and fruit, the seed

the effort subservient to the desired end."

From these interesting introductory remarks our readers will be somewhat prepared to receive some important particulars descriptive of a saving work of sovereign grace as wrought in the heart of one of high and noble birth among the sons of men. Nor do we, for one moment, seriously question the fact, that HENRY MORETON found grace in life, and glory, after death had released his sanctified spirit. Our jealousy has more to do with Mr. Molyneux's ministry, than it has with Henry Moreton's conversion and salvation.

was

Mr.