festive way, and it is well with it if it gets out of the field of battle, if it is a very hot one, without being wounded; but this I know, he will come out boasting alone in the Lord's mercy that he is not consumed. But this will make him cry out, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults, keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins," Psalm xix. 13. And this was the cry of a man of God. But though thus tempted, the will is not conquered, but by the gracious fear of God kept on the side of truth, with a conscience tender, enabling the soul to cry out, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God." In this struggle he learns what Paul means, when he says, "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not," Rom. vii. 18. This is not sinning against God, but is a groaning under the painful effects of sin, as felt in our fallen nature, when under the temptation of the devil, and shews there is a holy principle within which bates evil, as saith the word, "Ye that love the Lord hath evil," Psalm xcvii. 10. Now the following scripture characters prove this: look at Joseph, he seemed in a much more dangerous place than David; here was the temptation and the opportu. nity presented to him, and no apparent danger of being found out, as it seems she had spoken to him day by day. Gen. xxxix. 10. It appears to me that this was one of those archers who shot at him and sorely grieved him, and I must believe wounded him in his feelings; but his bow abode in strength, although not in his own strength, but in the strength of the Lord; and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hand of the mighty God of Jacob; and he found that word of the Lord true, "in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence." And his children shall have a place of refuge. To this he fled with the weapon of truth in the hand of his faith, crying out "Oh, how can I do this great wickedness

and sin against God" And though he must suffer for his chastity in prison, yet his God was with him there, and brought him out in his own time. And he found it better to suffer for well doing than David did for evil doing, and so will every poor, fearful child of God. So with Nehemiah, he could not act upon usury and covetousness, therefore he says, "So did not I, because of the fear of the Lord," Neh. v. 15. Neither could he refrain from building the temple for the scoffing of the enemy (chap. iv), nor adopt unlawful means for his own preservation, but he trusted in the Lord, and stood by his workmen in the work. The fear of the Lord preserved him from being a coward. By this was poor old Samuel preserved amidst the wickedness of the sons of Eli, and his own sons too, who were gone after lucre; he comes forth before the great Searcher of hearts, and says, "Behold, here I am, witness against me before the Lord and before his Anointed, whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I taken, or whom have I defrauded, or whom have I oppressed, or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it to you," 1 Sam. xii. 3. So says Paul:

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel," Acts xx. 33. If Paul were here now and used such language, doubtless he would be called a most presumptuous character; and were he to enforce such a line of conduct as the necessity of "walking as becometh the gospel," he would then be stiled an Arminian. But "wisdom is justified of her children," Matt. xi. 19, and an all-wise God will be justified in their deliverance from the power of evil, however long he may appear to hide his face from them in the hour of temptation. "He is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward," 2 Peter iii. 9. It is one thing to be tempted, but it is another thing to fall in with the

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temptation, and sin against light, and then do every thing we can to hide it from man, as was the case with David for a time, although not so after he was brought to feel the effect. Oh, no, he was then brought with shame to confess it before God and his prophet too, and to forsake it; now he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy." The whole circumstance is evidently left on record for our admonition, that we should not lust after evil things. 1 Cor. x. And the Holy Ghost says by Paul, Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry: I speak as unto wise mnen, judge ye what I say." We see Paul does not speak to the dead world or to fools, but to them who are made wise unto salvation, as our Lord says,

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Whoso hath ears to hear let him hear," Matt. xiii. 9. This proves there is a difference between the liv ing and the dead. One is made wise by the Holy Ghost to see his danger and his need of a refuge, and to find that all trust in self, or in any other creature, is dangerous, and a sure way of falling into sin, and to bring the rod of correction upon him. He sees his only place of safety is under the protection of the Almighty, and in Jehovah alone is everlasting strength, so that his cry is, "Hold thou me up and I shall be safe." There is no danger of falling while in this state. Neither have I made any remarks to discourage such a soul, God forbid that I should. The weaker such feel themselves the safer; they go through all opposition and trial, though they may go fearing and trembling nearly all the way, and, like Paul, may have "fightings without and fears within,” 2 Cor. vii. 5.

But, to conclude, God's truth carries its own evidence to the believer's conscience through all opposition, and truth is the safest ground to stand on. But without this made known to the heart by the Holy Ghost, we cannot be proper judges of the matter for ourselves or others, either of the na

ture of the evil of sin, or the power of divine grace to preserve us through a feeling sense of it from day to day, and yet kept from falling; for" the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them," 1 Cor. ii. 14. But, without presumption, I can say I do know something of these things, and they have made my soul to tremble many times; but having obtained mercy I fait not, having obtained help I continue to this day on the same ground he set me on when he gave me peace in believing and joy in the Holy Ghost. He then made himself manifest to my soul as my righteousness, and I have none other now, neither do I want any other, for this will last to all eternity.

I have kept as near as possible to the word of God, in these few remarks, to shew thereby the clearer the difference there is between temp tation and sin committed presumptuously.

I leave the result with him who maketh no mistake in any one of his movements. Amen.

A COPY OF A LETTER TO A FRIEND.

In answer to some questions from a Dissenting Minister and one about to take Orders in the Church of England.

My dear Friend,

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So you think you have shut me up it is evident from your letters that you are not shut up; for if you were, instead of boasting of your own will and power to perform spiritual acts, you would cry out with the psalmist, Bring my soul of prison that I may praise thy name," or with Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death, for I am carnal and sold under sin." But you do not know what Paul did; that he was without strength, and that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For the natural man discerneth

not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But God's children have the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things, that are freely given them, (not offered) of God. "Which things also they speak not in the words which men's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth," 1 Cor. ii. 13. "For unto you (says Jesus) it is given (not of fered) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to them that are without it is in parables." For the Lord hath poured out upon them the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed their eyes, and the vision of all is become unto them as the words of a book that is sealed, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay, for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He hath no understanding?" Isa. xxix. "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. For the children being not yet horn neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him that calleth :" and they are called according to God's purpose. "For whom he did predestinate them he also called, and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified. Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth." "Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work in which ye shall no wise believe though a man do declare it unto you." "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Rom. ix. The fact is, the Lord hath said, "The election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded." Rom. ii. It is his elect he August 1844.]

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will gather together from the four winds of heaven. It is the wheat he "will gather into his garner, but the tares he will bind up in bundles to burn." It is the sheep he will divide from the goats at the last great day, Matt. xxv. "Then whosoever was not found written in the Lamb's book of life was cast into the lake of fire, Rev. xx. 15. I read of some, "Who stumble at the word, being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed." Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.' The Lord made all things for himself, yea even the wicked for the day of evil." "Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour?" "What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction ?" He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted." Jesus saith to some, Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do." When Jude exhorted the saints to contend earnestly for the faith, once delivered to the saints, he adds, " For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained unto this condemnation." As it respects Judas, Jesus says, Have I not chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iseariot for he it was that should betray him." John vi. 70., speaking of true disciples he says, "none of them is lost but the son of perdition (hell) that the scriptures might be fulfilled," so it was not left to his own will, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. That he filled up the measure of his iniquity that he might go to his own place (hell.) See Acts i. 16-25.

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If you affirm, that if God has determined to condemn a part of mankind, man is not an accountable crearure, I have no hesitation in declaring you blind, and dead in trespasses and sins, and that on the foundation of God's truth. You do not know that man by nature is under the law, and that what the law says, it says to them that are under it, "Cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them" in thought word and deed; here is his accountability and dread ful it is to be found under it," for he that offends in one point he is guilty of all." God has not lost his power to command, if we have lost ours to obey. It is the ministration of death and condemnation, and by it no flesh living can be justified. Besides we are under condemnation in our first head for by the offence of our first parents, judgment is come upon all men to condemnation; for by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned Rom. v. If you have felt the spirituality of God's law applied to your conscience and were possessed of faith of the operation of God that receives Jesus as the Surety of the better testament founded upon better promises you would then talk of the responsibility of Christ, without whose responsibility for you, you cannot be saved. God's word declares some are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Tim. iii. 7. But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption. There is not such a thing in the Bible as salvation offered to all mankind, nor is it used in the Bible where salvation is mentioned: there is salvation brought nigh, and all Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, and shall never be ashamed or confounded world without end."

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I do not read, Israel shall be offered to be saved. As for your trying to live godly without the Spirit's operation, is like the devil trying to make himself a saint, sepulchres may be whitened but rottenness and dead men's bones are within. It is as impossible for a fallen man to heal himself, or do one act towards it, as it is for the Ethiopian to change his skin or the leopard his spots. Jer. xiii. 23. Without grace the highest cultivation of the natural powers, has only the effect of making men wise in their own conceits. Where the pride of this knowledge reigns, it is only a lamp to lighten to the regions of the lost: it is without a divine principle, and it is like that of fallen angels, who have extensive intelli. gence but no grace. This minister is (or any one, I know not why I say minister) responsible to do three things, or some one must be responsible to do them for him, or he will never get to heaven. He must be born of God, (he must be a God to do it.) He must nake an infinite atonement, (without the shedding of blood there is no remission.) He must work out the righteousness of God and put it on him, or he cannot be justified. If he can do this, he will be self quickened, self pardoned, self justified, self saved and self glorified, and then he will have to sing to self in heaven, for God hath done nothing for him. If he has done one thing towards his salvation, he must sing of it, for he cannot say God has done it. But Paul says "He that has begun the good work will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ." There cannot be two beginners. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing. Look at your

Thirteenth article of the Church of England. Without me (says Jesus) you can do nothing: you say you can pray without him, so then you make him a liar!

As to your friend taking holy or ders, he had better first ascertain if he

is moved by the Holy Ghost, or he will lie to him, then God will say to him in the day of great account "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and casteth my words behind thee?" For he is under the government of the Holy Ghost, or else under the god of this world, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

You ask, Does the soul of a good man enter heaven at its departure from the body, or does it lie till judgment in the place assigned for departed souls as our Saviour's did? What an awful lie! He having purged our sins, is for ever sat down at the right hand of God, expecting till all his enemies are made his footstool: the last enemy is death; then the mystery of God will be finished; he will deliver up the kingdom, and then God-Father, Son and Spirit-will be all and in all. Surely you must have turned Papist or Puseyite, for they inquire, Where did Christ go to when he died? And their answer is, Into that part of hell called limbo: so that when Christ said to the thief on the cross, "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise;" it must have been in that part of hell called limbo. Paul says "Absent from the body, present with the Lord;" yes, in that part of hell called limbo. "I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better" it cannot, however, be better. but worse, if it is in that part of hell called limbo. 66 We have a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens." No, says the Papist or the Puseyite, it is in that part of hell which is called limbo. "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, so saith the Spirit, they shall rest from their labours;" no, says the Puseyite and Papist their rest is in Purgatory, in that part of hell called limbo, and their blessedness is in praising God upon beds of fire until the prayers of

the priest shall have purged them from their sins; so that the blood of Christ does not cleanse from all sin. What blasphemy! Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim 1. 9. The decrees of God are his eternal purposes according to the counsel of his own will whereby for his own glory he hath fore ordained what soever comes to pass. Acts xv. 18. Eph i. 4 to 11. Both in providence and grace He is of one mind and none can turn him, for he is without variableness or the shadow of a turning. He says, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. He doeth his will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and no one can stay his hand or say what doest thou. You say, it is to offer, but he says, hath saved us (in the past tense) you say, it is not certain, but he says it is done. You say, if you pray for it; he says it is not according to our works, for they that are in the flesh cannot please God; it is according to his purpose and grace given to them in Christ who are called according to his purpose with a holy calling. You say it is not given arbitrarily to one and denied to another he says He will gather the wheat into his garner, but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire;" for what is the wheat to the chaff. "That two shall be in a field, the one shall be taken to heaven and the other left to perish." Witness the two thieves as a proof: the wicked shall do wickedly and none of them shall understand. You say hath saved us (christians) Do you know what a christian is? He is one anointed, John say, ye have an unction from the Holy one whereby you know all things. For if any man, (no matter who or what he is, a preacher or hearer) have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Have you the