whose lips, like lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrh, will graciously revive you under all your discouragements, who will never leave you nor forsake you, and (in spite of sin and Satan, death and hell) whose glory will crown you, when all your toils of this short and transitory pilgrimage are ended. Fear not, thou little one of the little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure (the immutable purpose of his good will) to give you the kingdom; so says Truth himself. Then all the powers of darkness may try, and try in vain, but cannot jockey you out of your inheritance. It is all of grace from first to last, and grace experienced now is glory in the bud. Your everlasting Lover has coupled grace and glory together. The Lord God, who is a Sun to enlighten, invigorate, and warm you, is in every attribute and perfection of his nature, a Shield to defend you: he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly," Ps. lxxxiv. 11. I suppose you would think it presumption indeed to say, you are sure of glory, and yet having experienced the Lord is gracious, it is your privilege, whatever hesitation may arise from a sense of personal unworthiness. When Paul is speaking out the certainty which not only himself but other believers had of eternal glory, see 2 Cor v. 1, and the earnest desire they felt for the consummation of their hope, verses 2, 3,4, he gives in verse 5 their grounds of certainty: "Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit." What God does is done for ever. "The gifts and callings of God are without repentance;" whom he loves, he loves to the end. There is our neverfailing blessedness.

I notice what you say of being left to doubt, since the Lord shone upon you, whether the Lord had begun a work of grace in you or not, and

whether it is not all a delusion. I wonder not at it; it is natural for you to doubt, it is supernatural that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and behold him a suitable and precious object, and your Saviour. For although you are a new creature in Christ, yet you have naturally the same evil heart of unbelief, you are exposed to the insidious attacks of a tempting adversary. The carnal reasonings of your mind will ever be in opposition to the simplicity of faith; and you will find the warfare between the flesh and the Spirit so long as you remain in this earthly tabernacle. You may be left to question the good work of God again and again, yea, you may be called to pass through many wintry seasons of trial and temptation; but, my dear child, let not this discourage you, for you cannot be in any state of distress, darkness or trial, in which you will be alone. The Lord Jesus Christ is now and will be your inseparable companion, whether you know it or not, that is, have the sensible enjoyment of it or not; you have his word for it, Isa. xliii. 2: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee:" and that is secu rity good enough, his word cannot be broken. But perhaps you say. Yes, if I have but the application, or the sensible enjoyment of it, through a feeling of divine power. Give me leave to say, The application or feeling enjoyment, through divine power, may give you more ecstacy and delight, but cannot add to the immovable safety, or glorious irreversibility of the divine word; and if the Lord gives us power to trust his word, and believe the certainty of its fulfilment, even when we have no sensible enjoyment of it, it is great grace indeed. And even, however we may be suspicious, and doubt its fulfil

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ment, yet the grace therein contained is sure to be proved to and by us, who have no other trust whatever than Jesus Christ.

But perhaps this is language you do not altogether understand as yet, for in your present state of experience you long for the breasts of Zion's consolations, the sensible comfortings of the Holy Spirit. When you feel the love of God in its sweet operations, you are full of hope and joy; but when these subside, you are ready to question all that has passed of a comforting nature in your mind. I know your path, I have walked through it before you; and you will be brought to know at length, that Christ is the same to you, and you are equally dear to him, and as much the beloved of his soul, when you are most miserable, as when you are most rapturously comfortable. The babe in Christ is equally safe, with the oldest father or strongest believer; the same life is in the one as in the other. The Holy Spirit takes possession of each elect soul in regeneration, once for ever: "He shall abide with you for ever," John xiv. 16. While the regenerate vessel of mercy is in its spiritual infancy, that gracious, holy Guide indulges it with sweet frames, melting seasons, it may be, and many a full breast of gospel milk he gives the spiritual weakling to suck at, and be richly feasted with. Through after stages he leads us gently, he teaches us effectually, and by many trials brings our souls to trust to the faithful word alone.

I do fully believe the Lord has circumcised your heart to love him, for which I bless him; and I trust he has and will circumcise your ear to know his gracious voice, and distinguish it in the means of grace from that preaching, which pretends to be the voice of Christ and is not. It shall be my prayer for you, that the Lord may so instruct and keep, as not to permit you to receive the legal logic of the day. The hotch-potch

of modern mock gospel, is as opposite to the simple, unadulterated "truth as it is in Jesus," as any thing in nature can be. That sort of preaching which directs a poor sinner to his duties, tears, repentings, humblings, and I know not what, as grounds of safety or tents of confidence; in a word, to any thing beside the Lamb and his blood, is not the gospel. The truth lies here, Jesus is a whole Saviour, his salvation is entirely free, it is perfectly full, it is everlastingly finished. He gives a poor sinner to feel his need of it, warrants him by his word to take it for himself, just as it is, and just as the sinner is, and omnipotently draws him, by the power of his Spirit, in the riches of his grace, to believe it, and rest his soul on it for time and eternity.

Let me endeavour to impress on your mind, the Holy Ghost's counsel by Paul to the Colossians, ii. 6. Your letter tells me that you have a thorough conviction and sense of your need of Christ. I also find the Holy Spirit has given you some soulattracting views of the Father in his covenant love, of the glorious Immanuel in his Saviourship and offices. Your renewed spirit heartily approves, and has rejoiced in God your Saviour. The Lord keep you in this simplicity. As a poor trembling sinner you looked to Christ, and proved his power, love and mercy, pardon and peace. So may your eye be drawn to him continually. If you look into yourself, to see how fit you are for Christ, there is nothing but misery, confusion, death and woe. As a sinner you are exactly fit for him, and as the Saviour he is expressly suited to you. Peace cannot be maintained in your soul but in this way. I began my poor labours this year with these words for my text, out of Heb. xii. 2, "Looking unto Jesus:" it is my motto for the new year. I pray to be enabled to practise it, if my life is prolonged, all through the year. I told my con

gregation, there could not be one sentence found more suitable for poor sinners, who feel the need, their daily need of Christ. I must tell you the same. In looking to Jesus there is a present salvation, let the felt misery be whatever it may; and to walk in Jesus, in my view, is to depend continually on his strength, converse with him, pour out our hearts to him, pay implicit deference to his holy word, carry about with us a daily sense of our need of him, meditate on his stupendous love, and seek his glory.

I must come to a conclusion. I notice some other parts of your letter to which I cannot reply at present. The dear flock at Godmanchester have a place in my warmest christian affections; not a day passes without remembrance of them, frequently many times in a day. Our God will do all things well in his own time. Mrs. Burnett desires me to express her christian love to you, though unknown. You are welcome to write whenever you please. To the loving heart of Jesus I commend you.

Your's in Him,

JOSEPH BURNETT.

A FEW REMARKS ON 1 TIM. VI. 17-19.

BY THE LATE JOHN BUSK.

(Continued from page 40.)

THIS shall bring me to the third general head, which is this," Laying hold of eternal life." Take particular notice then, that this laying hold of eternal life, is mentioned after laying up in store this good foundation.

Let us treat a little about this blessed subject. Then observe, it is no easy thing to lay hold of eternal life, for great opposition ever will attend this. When Adam fell, and all us in him, you have the following account: "And the Lord God said, Behold the

man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live for ever. So he drove out the man, and he placed on the east of the garden of Eden, cherubims and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Gen. iii. 22, 24. Now when God is pleased to open the eyes of his elect, and to quicken their souls, they will find five things stand in their way of this laying hold of eternal life; and it is very needful for a convinced sinner to travel this path, painful as it is.

1. Then there is sin that stands in his way, and sin separates between us and our God: actual and original. And we find that we are nothing but sin, a mass of corruption, sins of omission and sins of commission.

2. A broken law stands in the way of such, and "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law, to do them. This shuts us up in prison, and we are fast bound.

3. A guilty, accusing conscience stands in the way, for such have keen feelings; they feel sin a sore burden, and though they labour hard to alter themselves, yet the love and power of sin conquers them continually: and thus they add sin to sin, by endeavouring to clothe with a covering but not of God's Spirit. This conscience is like a bailiff, pursuing us go where we will, and do all we can. So that we are wretched to the last degree, and like Job we are weary of our life.

4. Truth stands in the way, which declares that The soul that sinneth, shall die;" that is, eternal death: that "God will by no means clear the guilty." And a thousand such texts will come to the mind to cut us off from all hope and help in God.

And lastly, the flaming sword of divine justice stands in the sinner's way, and turns every way to keep the way of the tree of life. My sword

shall be bathed in heaven, and shall come down upon Idumea, the people of my curse, to judgment."

But, say you, is sin so great as to deserve everlasting punishment? Indeed it is, for the aggravation of a crime arises from the greatness of the person offended. It is never considered that a poor man sinning against his equal is so great, as sinning against those in authority and power. Yes, and the higher they are advanced, the greater the offence. And therefore as we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, our iniquities are said to be infinite. Were they only against man, however great, yet they would only be finite but not so with God. Hence Eli says to his sons, who were base characters, "If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him," 1 Sam. ii. 25. But will God be strictly true to his holy law? Yes, "I am God, and change not.' "He is not man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent." And therefore he declares, that when once a man gets into a prison, he shall not come out thence till he has paid the utmost mite, or farthing. Matt. v. 26.

But is there no way to get clear of an accusing, guilty conscience, by endeavouring for the future to act more consistent and upright, that we may please God and keep his commandments? No, for we are opposite to it all. God's law requires love to him, and we hate him; and love to our neighbours, and we hate them. Besides, if I owe a debt of one hundred pounds, my paying for every thing I have after, never alters the old debt, for that remains the same. But though this may be done, that is, paying in future, amongst men, yet not so here; no, though keeping the commandments does appear possible, and seems right; yet as Solomon says, The end thereof s the way of death." Conscience

therefore will pursue us, and we shall have no peace, rest nor quietness. Conscience, Satan, sin, law, and every one that appears happy, will condemn us. But suppose a man is sincere in what he does, and does his best, will not God accept this? No, for truth hath said, "He that offends in one point (of the law) is guilty of all." And, sincere obedience is not perfect obedience. God's law requires perfection, in every sense of the word, and nothing short of that perfection will do. But, say you, is not God merciful? Yes, he has declared in his law, that he "will shew mercy unto thousands, in them that love him and keep his commandments." But as we all, to a man, hate the true God, and disobey his commands, justice will pursue us. Thus you clearly see that in these five particulars we are kept from laying hold of this eternal life. But I shall now shew you how these difficulties are removed out of the way by the Son of God, the second person in the ever-blessed Trinity.

Then let it be observed, that the Son of God assumed our nature, and in that nature, according to covenant engagement, he undertook to remove every obstacle an dimpediment out of the way. To this Paul agrees, saying, "when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Now though all the work was finished in the purpose of God from everlasting, so that before Christ became incarnate, numbers of the elect of God found these difficulties removed, and after death entered everlasting glory, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others. Yet all this was done upon the footing of that work which Christ manifestly should accomplish. that it was God the Father trusting to his faithful and well-beloved Son. And he did come and manifestly finish that work which was finished in the

So

decrees and purposes of Jehovah when the holy Three entered into covenant. "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man, my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered (from the stroke), and I will turn my hand (to protect instead of destroying) upon the little ones." And now does sin stand in the way? he removes it, for " he made his soul an offering for sin; he made an end of sin; he was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him: he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

2. Does a broken law stand in the way? the Lord Jesus Christ is "the end of the law, for righteousness, to every one that believeth; for Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.”

3. Does a guilty conscience stand in the way? the blood of Christ purges the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God.

4. Does truth say that the guilty shall not be cleansed? Jesus stands in their law-place, becomes surety for them, and clears the truth of God: hence he is expressly called the truth. 5. Does divine justice hold the sinner fast? Jesus acquits the sinner, and by his blood the prisoners are sent out of the pit in which was no water. The prison doors are opened to them that were bound, for God is faithful and just (through the mediation of Christ) to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Now this is the way we are brought to lay hold, and faith is the hand by which we lay hold of eternal life, and of which I shall briefly treat in an experimental way; for all that I have been writing about must be known by experience; it is of no use my understanding truth in the head, for that will stand us in no stead when the fiery trial comes; wisdom and truth, says David, must be in the hidden parts of the heart of man.

That such things have been known experimentally by Bible saints, is very clear, and we are to take them for example-John tells as follows: “That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and which our hands have handled of the word of life." Paul says, " Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life, unto which thou art also called." The church in the song "I held him fast and would not let him go." Jacob also, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me." There are six ways that are the means used in order to this laying hold of Christ who is this eternal life: and though, in and of themselves, they are useless, yet as the Holy Spirit works by them, we shall at certain seasons find them precious to our souls, and find faith in exercise to lay hold of eternal life.

1. Then prayer is a mean that is used. And oh, how the soul will struggle hard with the Lord Jesus. and from a deep sense of his need of him, for he sees and feels himself plunged into such depths of trouble, and feel such dangers as he never can describe. All sorts of corruption is boiling up within him, Satan tempting and then accusing him, the law cursing him, and all his sins like mountains, in his way, calling aloud for divine vengeance. But yet, under it all, he feels at certain times an earnest cry in his soul after Christ, who is eternal life; and nothing short of his being fully persuaded of his interest in the Saviour, will satisfy his soul; for it is the desire accomplished that is sweet to the soul, and Christ is the desire of all nations. When this desire cometh, it is a tree of life. See Jacob, how hard he wrestled, under the Spirit's influence, for the blessing. And David tells us, that God's blessing is life for evermore. But did Jacob succeed? Yes he did, for it is said "He blessed him there." I remember, some years ago, that I was very clearly enabled to lay