to contend. In this conflict we are taught many hard, but salutary lessons, the issue of which result for our good. Oh, how often are we in such seasons, routed by our enemies, when in the heat of their sharp engagements, we have lost sight of our divine Immanuel. Then we are oppressed very sore by overwhelming doubts and fears, until we are again favoured with a renewed manifestation of loving-kindness, and the exercise of faith is again wrought in our hearts, so as to enable us to behold our Jesus with us. Oh, the sweet serenity, and heavenly tranquillity we enjoy, when held again in his embrace. It is the frequent lot of God's children, to walk much in darkness but "darkness shall only endure for a night :" the resurrection morn will soon appear to disperse all the midnight terror which so frequently surrounds them, and usher their immortal spirits into the glorious consummation of all their wishes. We must not expect, nor are we warranted from the will and testament of our beloved Jesus, to hope for a path of roses. The rose which is the glory and ornament of the garden, and emits to the smell the most fragrant perfume, must have a piercing thorn its constant adherent; and the lily, the humble lily of the valley, has only a valley for its birth, and obnoxious weeds for its companions so it is in life, we must have in our cup many bitters, mingled with the sweets of mercy: all of which are nicely proportioned to us in that exact ratio and degree which shall produce the important end designed; and oh, when these light afflictions are accompanied with sanctified effects, how powerfully do they remind us that this is not our rest, but that in heaven, we have a more rich and enduring substance; and how effectually do they discover to us, under the operation of the blessed Spirit, the surpassing excellence and intrinsic worth there is in spiritual

blessings, compared with those of an earthly nature, which perish in their using. We are only as travellers at an inn, for a night, and shall soon arrive at home, our entertainment here is all provided by an unerring wisdom. It may not be exactly correspondent with our natural desires; but this I fully know, it is exactly such as best suits our case. The entertainment we meet with, and the accommodation we may have given us at the inn, in which we abide for the night, may prove inhospitable, but we are going home, and when we safely arrive, we shall be crowned with immortal glory, and our sun there shall no more go down. What then are a few trials, compared with the blessedness which shall follow ? And what are a few crosses, compared with the starry crown of glory, which will be given us at that day? These contemplations into which I have been led, have often been a source of consolation to me, and have frequently been made the means of checking my murmuring spirit, in outward tribulation, (of which I have had a large share) and the end thereof has been most salutary to my soul. Our dear Lord, who sees at one comprehensive glance the end of all things, as well as their beginning, knows well that thorny trials in our path, are best adapted under his sanctifying influence, to wean us from the beggarly elements of this present evil world. And though our gracious Father might remove his children from the surrounding scenes which allure their eyes and captivate their senses; yet he has sovereignly appointed for the trial of their faith, that they should sojourn for a time,

to humble them, and to prove them, and to instruct them what was in their hearts." "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but deliver them from the evil thereof," was the solemn and effectual prayer of our gracious Lord. We might soon arrive at Ca

naan's happy land, were it the good pleasure of his will, and consistent with the gracious purposes of his infinite and unchanging love towards us, we might have been new creatures in Jesus, and just sipped at the streams of his precious love, and have been immediately introduced to the overflowing fountains, without tasting the bitter draught of sin, or have painfully comprehended by lamentable experiences the extent of evil in our hearts, if it had been for our advantage: but unerring wisdom, and absolute predestination, run counter to such a course, for the decree has passed, that the way to the crown is by the cross. And how frequently

has it been manifest to be his blessed will, that we should endure a great

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fight of afflictions," and be subjected to many bitter portions, ere we arrive at our last long home. I have often had to bless God for the wisdom of the plan in appointing tribulation for the path of his dear children; sensible as I am, that when he is pleased to sanctify them, there is much blessedness realized; and especially have I had reason to adore his love in the appointment of these trying seasons, as without them I should sail without ballast, and soon become a desolate wreck on the quicksands of pride, vain glory, and high-mindedness, or founder on the dangerous rock of self-righteousness and error, to my inconceivable confusion. It is in the school of affliction we rightly estimate the real value of outward good; and in this school we are taught by the influence of the Holy Spirit, what we are by sin, by nature, and by practice; and it is only in this school we can learn the exceeding sinfulness of sin as beheld in the light of Calvary's cross, our lost and undone state as sinners, and that our only refuge and asylum of mercy is in Jesus. For our spiritual life is a pilgrimage of affliction; we are favoured with a deep conscious. ness of the incurable nature of the

Oh,

wound sin has made, and the train of miseries that issue from it; and we are brought into a sweet experimental acquaintance with the efficacy of the balm of Jesus' blood, and the value of so great a physician. Here I can behold nothing desirable to court my stay longer than the number of my days allotted me. The presence of my precious Lord and the enjoyment of his love can alone make earth tolerable. Without it I want all that can yield true peace. I am tired of sin, and feel my spirits heavily clogged with cumbrous mortality. for more patience and resignation. The footsteps of our Lord are fre quently in the deep; we cannot trace his hand in many of his dispensations, yet we are assured that " what we know not now we shall hereafter." Of this we may rest assured, that although we know not the wisdom of the plan devised in eternity, and brought forth into action in time, by which all our intricate course is regulated, that all his dealings are fraught with love, and shall hereafter form part of that celestial anthem, we hope to sing when we reach the heavenly city. The days of our mourning shall then be ended, and God shall wipe away every tear from our eyes. The blessings of eternity will be ever unfolding, yet never unfolded. Oh, my fellow travellers to the abodes of bliss, my companions in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of JeChrist; may we endure hardships as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, knowing he is leading us by a right way to a city of habitation.” Here

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we meet with and see, to our eternal joy, the glorious High Priest of our profession, who died for us: it is he who by his death. hath opened the way for the ransomed of the Lord to pass safely from time to eternity. Death, in truth, transmits the weary labourer or fatigued traveller, into the embraces of God in Christ; his journey is ended, and now he shall rest in the palace, in the presence and

in the love and joy of Immanuel. When the tent of the body in the course of nature is taken down, the spiritual inhabitant must leave it, not for ever, it is true, but for a time; that is until the end of time; then it shall be raised up again, in a manner suitable to the dignity of the blessed spirit which inhabited it; for it is laid in the grave a natural body, a body of the same nature as the earth in which it is laid; but it is raised a spiritual body, changed into a spiritual nature, capable of immortality as well as the soul. But the soul is glorified, when the house of this tabernacle is dissolved: it enters into glory immediately, and is conducted into the heavenly regions of eternal peace. Now the immortal spirit opens its eyes on beings like itself, of a spiritual nature; glorious creatures, such as it never saw before, and is ushered into the presence of the eternal King: leaving suddenly the regions of darkness and woe, they quickly arrive at the splendour of eternal day. The pearly gates of the celestial city are open continually, they enter, and are conducted to the throne where their glorious Saviour sits the precious soul enters into his glory, and feels more transport than the happy apostles did on the holy mount; it is glorified with his glory, clothed with splendour and majesty as a king and priest unto God; put in possession of the mansion prepared for it; an house eternal, an immortal, unchangeable home in the presence of God and the Lamb, and in the enjoyment of every glorious blessing, and all illuminated with that light of which God in Christ is the source and fountain. How great, how glorious, how resplendent the dignity of the redeemed, glorified, happy soul; thou hast now eternal repose in the bosom of thy God, for ever, Amen. Hallelujah!

On pilgrim! that hill richly circl'd with rays, Is Zion; lo, there is the "city of saints !"

A bee stinging a dead body takes no hurt, but stinging a live body, loseth both sting and life together. In like manner death, so long as it stung mortal men only, which were dead in sin, was never a whit the worse, but when it stung Christ once, who is life itself, by and by it lost both sting and strength. Therefore, as the brazen serpent was so far from hurting the Israelites, that contrariwise it healed them: after the same sort death is so far from hurting any true Israelite, that on the other side, if affliction as a fiery serpent, stung us, or any thing else hurt us, it is helped and redressed by death.

THE EXPERIENCE OF A DEPARTED SISTER.

(Continued from page 259.)

After this I went with a friend, to hear Mr. S-, at Pentonville chapel. As we were entering the chapel, my friend said, they have begun, if you do not go, in the name of the Lord, you will not be accepted; this was such a blow; I felt as if a feather would have knocked me down: though I did not know what that meant, I desired with all my heart, to go in the name of the Lord, that I might be accepted. After the service, as we returned, she remarked, they saw the difference between us, for they put me in a pew; I believed her, and wished I was as good as she. I lived with her eight months, then lived with another who made no profession, sometimes we went to church, to hear Mr. Gurney, and oftentimes to chapel, to hear Daniel Wilson; indeed to speak truth, I went to many places of worship, and all I could learn, was "without holiness no man shall see the Lord:" to me they were all miserable comforters, for I had no holiness to bring, but seemed to get more unholy. I now began to see the holiness of the Lord; that he must be just to his threatenings, and would in no wise clear the guilty. Now I felt more undone, than ever I did before; when I lay down at night, I was afraid of sleeping, dreading fire in the night, that I should be burnt, and then what would become of me. At other times I had such a sight of the holiness of God, and my own wickedness, that I was fearful the devil would be permitted to take me away in the night, both body and soul, for it frequently appeared to me, as if he stood at the foot of my bed, ready to tear me out of it. Oh, who can describe these feelings, they to me were so awful, my blood seemed to run cold; I have laid and trembled so much so, that the bed felt as if it shook under me; my fear was, I should

never see the light of another day; but, bless the Lord, he spared my sinful life, and did not give it into the hand of the destroyers, at the remembrance of which, I desire to be thankful for his goodness co me, an unworthy sinful creature, as I feel myself to be, at this day, though it is above 23 years since. At this time I got much weaker, and very unable to sit close to work; the person with whom I was, was much displeased, because I did not sit up with his wife till twelve at night, she worked at the lace joining, and did more if I was with her. When nine o'clock came, I was so weary, and my sight so bad, I could sit no longer, and obliged to go to bed, though I could not rest. At times, all my sins from my childhood, were set before me, and this troubled me, seeing the Lord was a just God, as well as holy, but how he could be just, and justify the wicked, I could not see; it seemed to me, a thing impossible. This was also set before my mind: you are a miserable creature, you cannot eat, and you will soon go blind, your inward part is very wickedness; the Lord looketh at the heart, and will by no means, clear the guilty;" you had better put an end to yourself at once; out of your mind you will go, and then what will become of you. My heart meditated terror, and my life hung in doubt about me. Mine I thought a very singular case, and that there was no one like me; I went from one place of worship to another, and as none ever touched upon my trouhle, I concluded it must be singular indeed; my heart seemed so desperate that I dreaded seeing a knife when alone, for fear I should commit suicide, for which I knew there was no forgiveness. seemed no way of escape, all refuge failed me, and no man cared for my soul. One Lord's day evening, I went to a chapel in Little St. Martin's Lane; the preacher was a stranger; he read his sermon, the text was, "I am the

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There

way, the truth, and the life:" here I saw for the first time, there was a possibility of the Lord, being just, and yet justifying the ungodly; this raised in mea little hope, I was thankful there was a way, for to me it seemed a great thing; and how good the Lord was to make a way, though I feared he would never save me; yet I could not help thinking, what a mercy it was, the Lord could be "just and the justifier" of the wicked: this appeared very wonderful. Soon after this, it came into my mind to pray the Lord, that if it was his will, he would place me with those that did indeed fear his name. A way soon appeared, and I went to Stratford, (in Essex) to Mr. Tovey's. I had been there but a little while, when it came into my mind, you see the Lord has answered your prayer, he has granted your request, in placing you with those that fear his name, and love his truth. If they knew what was working within, they would not permit you to remain in their house! I thought I would take care and not let them know, and I kept it from them for a time. But I must go back a little, as it shews the mercy and goodness of God in not cutting me off in my iniquity. The friend with whom I had lived took me to Covent Garden Theatre: I once visited one before, and was very much delighted. I thought it would divert my mind; but when there, I wondered how they could make such fools of themselves; these thoughts went through my mind, Suppose the place should take fire, and you burnt, what would become of you?' They then brought up a ghost, covered with a white mantle, with a fiery serpent on each side; this appeared to me very awful, and seemed to say, 'you will not be long here;' after this came thunder and lightning. This was to me so presumptuous, I thought if the Lord had sent thunder and lightning, and destroyed us, what an awful thing it would be. Then there was a repre

sentation of a palace on fire: now I feared it was all over me, for I should be crushed in the crowd. If the Lord would but spare my life,

and bring me out safe, I vowed I never would go into one again: and, bless the Lord for ever, he has so put his fear in my heart, that I have been kept by his mighty power, from ever entering one, to this day; I may truly say, "the Lord preserved me whithersoever I went." One night, I dreamed the devil was flying after me, that he caught hold of me. I screamed out, and awoke in great horror and agitation, fearing, though he had not got me, it would not be long. But, bless the Lord, here I am, a monument of mercy to this day. About the year 1818, I went to Stratford; Mrs, Tovey had asked me to come and reside with them, some time before I decided to go; but from what turned out since, I am sure it was the Lord's will I should go; being now near WestHam, I paid a visit to my old mistress, who had frequently told me, when I wanted advice or a friend, to come to her; for while she had a shilling I should have half. When I got there, she said to me, 'Some of my young friends have offended me very much, when I see you it brings their conduct to my mind; therefore I do not wish to see you any more; I know you have done more for me than any one apprentice I ever had.' I wished her good morning, and have never seen her since. The Lord in his kind providence provided for me, and I have never wanted her friendship. [To be continued.]