should make of Christ to their soulss by his freely loving, dying, and rising again for them, they should be enabled to give themselves entirely into his hands, and all their concerns, both spiritual and temporal, for time and eternity, and should rejoice in him with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, and so take up their eternal rest in him. He freely giving himself to them, and they freely giving themselves to him, and that for ever, and so perfecting that actual, blessed bond of union, that never shall be dissolved through all eternity.

only constituted the Mediator of the covenant, but was also the administrator of all the blessings contained in it; it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, even the fulness of a fountain, to be communicated to his people in due time; there was treasured up in him a fulness of the Spirit-a fulness of pardon and peace-a fulness of righteousness-a fulness of strength-a fulness of wisdom, and a fulness of happiness and glory; so that he was to be their all in all, and that they should know the Father loved them as he loved his Son. It was also proposed that the third Person in the adorable Trinity, God the Holy Ghost, should at the set time quicken, and give spiritual life to the souls of all those, whom the Father had elected to everlasting life, and for whom the Son was given for a covenant, and should enlighten their understandings, so that they should both see and feel their need of a Saviour, and prepare their hearts for those very blessings, which the Lord Jesus merited by his covenant engagements, and the Father had determined freely to give them; this he was to do, by bringing about that blessed and actual union, which legally subsisted before time, between the blessed Jesus and them, and so to shew them his covenant, and give them some blessed evidences of their own interest in it! and this he engaged to do, (after having convinced them of their awful state, and of their utter helplessness) by giving them strength and power to come to Jesus for mercy and salvation, by opening the eyes of their understanding, and discovering to them the suitability, all-sufficiency, and ability there is in Christ to relieve their souls, and by enabling them to believe in the infinite merit of his precious blood to pardon and save them; also persuading them of the willingness of Christ to receive them, causing them to believe to the saving of their souls, and by those glorious discoveries that he

He should also give them to see the great love the Father has to them by giving his Son for a covenant, and all the blessings with him freely, and that he should shed that love abroad in their hearts, so that they should have a pledge and earnest of eternal glory even in this world; he should seal them unto the day of redemption, would also be their guide, their sanctifier and Comforter, by making known and applying to them the glorious promises, contained in the covenant, as they shall stand in need of them. He would also bear witness with their spirits that they are the children of God, enlightening their souls to see his own blessed work there, by calling out into exercise all the graces he has implanted, so that they shall see and feel they have the features and evidences of the children of God. He would also dwell in them for ever, to preserve and carry on the blessed work in their souls unto the day of Christ. He would also graciously assist and enable them to come to the throne of grace, under all their temptations, sins, and infirmities, by helping them to come by faith, and plead what Jesus has done for poor sinners, and his intercession at the Father's right hand, and to plead the promises made in him for all those mercies and blessings they feel they need, and so they shall find sweet relief and comfort there; and when the enemy comes in like a flood

be would lift up a standard against him. Oh, the wonderful love, and matchless grace manifested in this covenant; it has excited the wonder and the admiration of angels, the envy of devils, and will fill the redeemed with those rapturous praises of glory to the triune God, that will be increasing throughout a blessed eternity. Well might David say, "It is all my salvation, and all my desire;" and I am sure every poor sinner says the same when he is brought to know his own interest in it, as was David.

As it is of eternal consequence for us to have an interest in it, it must also be of great moment to know that we have an interest in it. I would here endeavour, as the Lord shall enable me, to give some scriptural evidences of interest in this covenant. The writer has partly done this in describing the gracious office and work of God the Eternal Spirit in the souls of God's elect people, and that by comparing the state of your own souls, and finding there even but one evidence of his work agreeable to the written word, that will prove you to be in this covenant as much as many. If you have been taught to see the great evil there is in sin, and the great danger you are in by your own sins, and are groaning under its bondage for deliverance; this is one evidence of interest in it. Again, what is the ground and foundation of your hope before God, is it of a truth, upon the obedience and death of Christ, to the utter exclusion of every thing of your own, whether good or bad? If so, you have indeed a blessed evidence of interest in it, and may without presumption take the comfort of it. Again, do you really love God's salvation, or his way of saving sinners; do you love it, not only because it saves from the guilt and punishment due to sin; but also because it is a most holy salvation, delivering from the reigning power, love, and pollution

of sin in the heart, and for its blessed, holy. and purifying effects? Do you love it on these accounts, do you feel your own poverty and emptiness, and are you coming daily to the blessed Jesus that you might receive out of his fulness? why then indeed the Lord hath done great thiugs for you, and these are blessed evidences of interest in his covenant love. Again, what do you think of his person do you believe him to be God in our nature, over all blessed for ever— has his matchless beauty, excellence and loveliness, attracted all the powers of your soul to him, so that you have been enabled to say, "he is your beloved and the chiefest among ten thousand ?" Oh, this is sweet work. Do you know anything about soul trouble, have you ever felt the condemnation of the law in your conscience, has your mouth been stopped and have you been brought in guilty before God? have you ever trembled at future judgment and the wrath to come, have you felt yourself a guilty, helpless, undone sinner, and has the Lord the Spirit enabled you in that very condition to come to Jesus to Have save you a perishing sinner? you been enabled to discover his atoning and cleansing blood, and by the discovery believed from the heart? Has the good Physician applied this healing balm to your guilty conscience, and the purifying streams run through all the powers of your polluted guilty soul? Have you ever perceived the great love of the Father to you by giving his Son to die for you, and has a sense of it melted your heart, and brought you to weep before him in secret on account of your many provocations and transgressions against him? Have you grieved and mourned in your soul for the blessed Jesus in his suffering for you; has it broken your heart for sin; have you been cut to the heart to think you should have wilfully offended so good a God, and loathed and abhorred yourself for it? Has he indeed proclaimed his glorious

and gracious name and character to your soul, through the precious blood of Christ, as the Lord God, gracious and merciful, long suffering, slow to anger, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin? If this has been any thing like your experience, then you have known and felt the spiritual resurrection of your soul: yes. the Lord has opened your grave, and brought you into the land of Israel, as to your own land, even to his holy mountain, and to his banqueting house, and his banner over you has been love; here you have sat down with him at his table, and he has feasted you with some of the rarities and dainties of his kingdom; here he has caused you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and fed you with the heritage of Jacob your father; here your soul has been fed with redeeming grace and dying love, as with the finest of the wheat, and honey ont of the rock; here he has satisfied you and given you to eat of the hidden manna; you have found his flesh to be meat indeed, aud his blood to be drink indeed; your heart has rejoiced, and your very bones flourished like an herb. Here he has give you the white stone, with a new name written in it, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it, even a name written among the living in Jerusalem; here upon this mountain you have had blessed views of the heavenly Caanan, the land that is very far off, and have had some of the clusters of grapes brought from the other side of Jordan, that grow there in abundance, to refresh your soul in this wilderness; here you have had some sweet views of all his designs towards you in all his providential dealings to you even from your earliest infancy; little were you aware then that he was so near and about you in all your concerns making all to work together for your good, and preserving you all the time you were in your state of nature; here also you have seen yourself in

terested in God's everlasting covenant love, so you had no need to go to any one to resolve your doubts and fears, but have had blessed assurance of it, by the Lord the Spirit witnessing with your spirit of your interest in this covenant, so that your happy soul has earnestly desired to depart. and to be with Christ, which is far better than staying here, even when in your best and happiest days upon earth.

Do you love his precepts as well as his promises, and pray that you may be enabled to walk in him; do you indeed love his word even those parts of it that most reprove you; do you love his ordinances, and the spiritual exercises of his house. I do not ask, whether you go to church or chapel on the sabbath, read your Bible, and say your prayers, alas, thousands do these things, and many even join churches, and at the same time have no secret delight and love in any of them. Does sin trouble you more than suffering, the sins of others, your own sins especially and mostly that which is within you, which no mortal eye can see, but your own soul and God? Do you feel this the greatest burden you have in the world does your soul feel grieved when you are conscious of having offended so good a God-do you love his people above all other people, for his sake; not because they are of your way of thinking, or belong to the same church, but chiefly because you discern some likeness in them to the blessed Jesus? Oh, these are glorious evidences of interest in the covenant; no others in the world have such, but those who are interested in it; even a cup of cold water, or any service done to any of his peo. ple, from love to him shall never be forgotten.

Indeed, there is a time coming, when one good thought of Christ will be found worth more than a thousand worlds; even to them that thought "and they shall be

upon his name,

mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." All these are evidences agreeable to the written word, of interest in this everlasting covenant; therefore, as I said before, if you can truly find but one in yourself, that will prove you are interested in it, as much as many.

The writer has endeavoured, as far as the Lord has enabled him, to describe the blessedness of God's covenant and those who are interested in it, and some evidences of that interest. Having, through the riches of free and sovereign grace, some knowledge and experience in his own soul of its blessedness, he feels willing and desirous of imparting it to others; and should the Lord condescend to own and bless any part of this, to his poor, tried, tempted, and afflicted people, his soul will rejoice to give him all the glory.

[This Communication has just been adopted as No. 17. of Palmer's Series of Gospel Tracts, and may be had of the Publishers, price 1d. or 5s. per Hundred for distribution.]

THE SAINT'S REFUGE IN THE DAY OF
TROUBLE.

Being the substance of a Sermon Preached at Cave Adullam Chapel, Lower Norwood, Surrey, on Sunday Evening, May 11, 1845.

BY CORNELIUS SHARP.

"Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Ps. 1. 15.

Concluded from page 156.

Fresh contracted guilt will, and does meet with the chastening hand of God, but never with his vindictive wrath again. The soul at this time is very simple, and knows but little how to express his feelings doctrinally. I remember at this time offering a free will offering unto God from my heart, not knowing my insufficiency in the performing of the sacrifice, or offering. It was this, as near as I can recollect, O Lord God, since thou hast been merciful unto me, and redeemed me, who was once a blasphemer and an injurious man, take

me,

I pray thee, body and soul, to spend, and be spent, in thy service all my days;' and I perceive that God hath accepted of the sacrifice, in that he hath called me forth into the ministry, and bid me study to show myself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," which I have hitherto done according to the ability God hath given me, and hope never to shun to declare the whole counsel of God, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear.

But to turn from this digression. The soul having experienced his justification from guilt and wrath is often brought into difficulties, as I have before shown, from which he needs the promised deliverance, but the way and the means by which this deliverance is to come about, the soul is utterly at a loss to conjecture. Perhaps, the very way in which you thought this deliverance was to come was all as straight as could be made by flesh and blood; and, perhaps, at the very verge of the settlement some obstacle has been thrown in which has frustrated all the designs. Which news, when brought to the poor soul, is enough to break his heart, for the honour of God is so near to him that he knows not what to do. Now to such a soul in this distress, God says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee." Hast thou not faith, poor soul, to call ? Come, then, and beg of God to give you more faith, to increase your faith, and to enlarge your heart, and enable you to look up, and behold the boundless treasure there is in Christ. And the apostle Paul says, "My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Christ Jesus." The way in which God is now about to deliver this tried christian, will be to the confusion of his carnal reason, and to the glory of God, which will produce matter for praise and adoration: thou shalt glorify me," saith the Lord.

Again, the poor soul that has been mourning sore like a dove for the presence of his God; he hath called upon God in the means but found him not, like the Church in the Canticles "by night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth; I sought him but I found him not. I will arise now, and go about the city, in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" vain was the help of man here, she was obliged to go farther, and "it was but a little that I passed by them, but I found him whom my soul loveth; I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me." The instrument or the means by which this blessed interview is brought about again, is perhaps the most unlikely, which God in his wisdom oftentimes uses to confound the wisdom of the wise, and to bring to nought their understandings; that all the earth shall know that God the Lord is a sovereign. Manoah and his wife could only look on while the angel did wondrously; and this is the blessed position God brings his church into, more or less, sooner or later, to know that God will work and none shall let or hinder. Now these are some of the features of a child of God, and some of his troubles and trials which he meets with in his pilgrimage, with many more too innumerable to mention now, "for many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all," wherein they shall have to glorify God; and the last difficulty that re. mains to endure is the article of death, but Jesus Christ having gone through that before, hath taken out the sting, whereby the soul shall have to say when he meets it, "surely the bitterness of death is past," and the happy employment he will be engaged

in will be to glorify God; "then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father," and till then wait patiently my friends on the Lord, and when thou comest into any difficulty let it be never so trying, "call upon the Lord in the day of trouble and he will deliver thee;" and so sure as you follow this rule, so sure as the Lord God of Israel liveth, will you meet with his helping hand. May he add his blessing and I add no more.

BRIFF ACCOUNT OF THE LAST DAYS

OF THE LATE MR. JOHN RUSK. [We publish this memorial of one whose writings have often adorned our pages, without alteration, just as it was penned down at the time by his widow. It is suitably followed by, we believe, the last letter his widow wrote, and which is addressed to their daughter, some verses written by whom on her Father's death will be found in our poetical department.-Eds.]

When I came home from chapel I found my poor husband very ill. I went no more to chapel while he lived. He continued to get worse every day; his bodily sufferings were very great; his throat so sore and burning hot that for weeks he was not able to swallow any thing, but constantly spitting, and a dreadful cough, fearing he would break a blood-vessel, or burst something in his head. He had shocking nights with bodily pain, and he suffered greatly in his soul; Satan was permitted to sorely try him, he suggested to him that all his experience was vain, only notional, that he never had a change of heart, that he was destitute of charity, that he had gifts and knowledge, but had no real love to God and his family. He felt much rebellion and self-pity, and hard thoughts of God at times; he said to me, Oh, how hard I do feel; oh, that I could feel resignation and submission to the will of God. He said, I am afraid that the hard and blasphemous thoughts that I feel against a