marks of his divine and discriminating favour, and blessed is that soul, that endures his chastisements.

The plague of the heart, the risings of corruption, and the workings of unbelief, are among our incurable diseases, and Satan's rage at our hopes exasperates him to be continually rubbing fresh nitre into the old wounds, but we are to have a daily cross, which is the peculiar lot of those, who follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

When God pulls down Zion, he appears in wrath, in judgment, and terrible majesty, but it is charity that raises the edifice ; "when he builds up Zion, he appears in his glory," in his beauty, his love, his mercy, his pity, and in his compassion; he delighteth in these, and at these unbelief kicks, and to keep these from us, Satan by unbelief works.

& DIALOGUE BETWEEN MR. O., AND MB. T., ON SPIRITUAL SUBJECTS,

BY TAE LATE REV. JOHN RUSK.

Continued from page 13.

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T.- A man who is grown up to wisdom and knowledge in the things of God, may look back, by what you have assert, and see what he himself was in the leading strings and I think it right to bring forth them all things, the zeal, marks and evidences, to encourage every honest heart; for you know the word says, "strengthen the weak hand and confirm the feeble knees; say to such as are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not, behold your God will come and save you."

0. Yes, my friend, and it is the delight of such to do this, for they will know what benefit it formerly was to them, under God. But I have more to say as it respects these little children, being shallow in knowledge. It appears by what John writes, that these little children had met with some, who would pervert February, 1845.]

the gospel of Christ, and say, that as salvation was all of grace, and not of works, in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, there was no call for them to be so particular in their life, walk and conversation. Now here the

devil was at work, either with false teachers, or false professions; and therefore John says, Let no man deceive you, little children; he that doeth righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous; he that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin:" that is, he doth not make a trade of sin; "for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

T.-Doth not it appear, my brother, as though John contradicted himself, when he says, such cannot sin? You know he said before," if any man sin, we have an advocate," &c. Now if one born of God cannot sin, why say, "if any man sin," &c. I do not see these things clear.

O. If you and I cannot make scripture out, the darkness lays in us, not in the word. John's meaning may be taken two ways, 1. Such cannot sin presumptuously, nor live knowingly and wilfully in sin; but they sin through weakness and temptation; hence he guards his pupil against this, by saying, I write these things unto you that ye sin not." 2. He shews, what it is that will keep them, namely, the seed of God, and this seed cannot sin. It is the old nature, and not the new, that draws us away from God. But again, the shallow knowledge of these little children further appears, because, although they had in times past overcome their enemies, yet these things all seem forgot by them, and they hearken to these seducing spirits. Hence John says, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God, &c. 'Ye are of God, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you,

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(which is God) than he which is in the word," that is, the devil, for although Satan's power is very great yet it is all by divine permission. But the power of God is above all: he is almighty; none can stay his hand and say unto him, What doest thou?" Then what has a believer to fear when God is in him? Lastly, on this head, Satan comes another way, and that was to try all he could to draw the heart and affections of these little children from God to other things, for he works all ways, either by fraud, or force, or both, hence John says, "Love not the world nor the things which are in the world for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, these are not of the Father, but they are of the world."

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T.-Your speaking of Satan's working, by fraud and force, it brings to my mind two different ways in which he has accosted me, the one is this when I have been cast down, and full of fears owing to my slips and falls, and wretched backslidings of heart, he has come suggesting that I was an hypocrite and tempting me to despair of God's mercy altogether; but when I have been happy and comfortable and could say, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon eerth I desire but thee," &c. Is it so, quoth Satan, I will try over all this, there are a good many things upon earth which are very desireable: and then he comes and sets before us as he did the Saviour, the glory of the world, and every thing he can that is pleasing to flesh and blood. Now here he gained no ground with the Saviour, for he had nothing in him; but he has plenty in us, and generally gains ground, and it is like striking a light in a tinder box, for our nature soon catches it. Thus in the first way he comes by force to drive to despair, but in the latter by fraud, to draw us

if possible away from our best beloved.

O.-You are right; he gained much ground here with these little children, hence the apostle says, little chilkeep yourselves from idols." But fifth and lastly, these children are but very little in the eyes of the world, whether professors or profane, and on this the Scriptures are very clear, and it must be so, for the servant is not greater than his Lord; we should remember whose cause it is that we have espoused, even the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was despised and rejected of men, and abhorred of whole nations. To him whom the nations abhorred." And yet we think it very strange. But this is a war that will go on, more or less, not only when little children in grace, but all our journey through: for as he was, so are we in this world. They that are after the flesh, will persecute them that are after the spirit. Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth, but a sword and a fire. There shall be a house divided against itself, three against two, and two against three, and a man's enemies shall be them of his own house." Neither is it possible to unite these parties together. And it is Satan in the world, working against Christ in his people. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of this world, to confound the wise; and weak things of this world, to confound the things that are mighty; and base things of the world, and that things are despised, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence."

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T.-From what you have said, it is no wonder that they despise these little ones. However their end will be awful, for Christ says. it were better for a millstone to be tied about their neck, and they cast into the depths of the sea, than that they should offend one of these little ones

Acts. xxviii.-READER, let us bless God the Holy Ghost for those precious Acts of his apostles in his church, for most blessed and delightful they are, as monuments of the Lord's grace in his servants' ministry. Think what multitudes now in glory, enjoyed the sweet savour of them, while on earth. Think how daily now the Lord is blessing them to his people. And, think what numbers yet unborn, will in succession rise up to the enjoyment of them, when you and I shall have been gathered to our fathers, and have sean corruption. Let us close our perusal of this sweet book of God, with thanks to the almighty author of it, for all the mercy shewn in it, and by it, to ourselves, and to all that are past. And let our prayers be added, that the Lord may continue to bless its use to endless generations. Amen.

Rom. iii.-READER, behold the awful state by nature, both of Jew and gentile. See what a portrait to humble our souls to the dust, the Lord the Spirit hath twice drawn, in his sacred pages; once by David, and here by Paul, of our utterly lost, and ruined estate, by nature and by practice; as we stand in ourselves before God. And this we are told, was the result of that inquiry, when the Lord looked down from heaven, to see if there were any that would seek after God. 66 All were gone out of the way. All together become unprofitable. None good, no, not one." And how then could it be other wise, than while beheld in our Adamnature, and without being considered in Christ, "all the world must become guilty before God?”

And, can it need any argument of persuasion, to prompt the heart, convinced of this, to look to Jesus; yea, to flee to him, from the wrath to

come? Am I, are you, convinced of these most unquestionable truths, and do we pause, or remain stupid, and senseless, in the view of these vast concerns; hath God set forth his dear Son, as a propitiation through faith in his blood; and do we hesitate in the acceptation of it; is it declared from heaven, that by the deeds of the law, no flesh can be justified in God's sight; and are we looking to that quarter, either in whole, or in part, for favor with the Lord? Oh, Sir, if at that awful tribunal, when God cometh to judge the world in righteousness, and minister true judgment unto the people, we are found without the righteousness of Jesus, and his propitiation, to be our security; what paleness, what horror, will mark the countenance of every son and daughter of Adam? Precious Lord Jesus, be thou my propitiation, my high Priest, my altar, the Lord my righteousness now and sure I am thou wilt be my everlasting glory then. When law and justice, in the multitude of brea ches I have committed against both, would give in their verdict against me; Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God." Oh the preciousness of that voice now heard by the ear of faith, and then confirmed with the unalterable determination from the throne: "Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ran som."

Rom. iv.- BLESSED be God the Holy Ghost for the boundless condescension of his grace, in explaining to the church the precious doctrine of justification by faith, without the works of the law. And blessed be his name for illustrating the truth yet more abundantly in the instance of the patriarch Abraham. Now, Lord, through thy blessed teaching, we see, wherein the call of God consisted, in taking the great father of the faithful from his country and his kindred, and his father's house, to come unto the land which a covenant God in

Christ shewed him. And doth not the same God in covenant now, command all the church to forget her own people, and her father's house, that she may be brought into the king's palace? Oh, precious faith, in a precious precious Saviour. Lord, give all thy redeemed grace, that when called upon by grace, like Abraham, to go out into a place hereafter to be received as an inheritance, they may, like him, by faith go out, in full confidence in thy grace and mercy.

But let thy people learn, O Lord, from this beautiful illustration of the precious doctrine in the instance of Abraham, that the justification of thy church and people is by Christ's person and righteousness, and not our faith.

That which was, and is counted for righteousness, is not our faith in that righteousness, but the righteousness itself imputed to the persons of the faithful, from their union and oneness in Christ. By faith in the person and righteousness of Christ, we do in- deed enjoy the blessedness of it, but the work of faith, no more than other works in the creature, can give any title to it. And faith itself comes from and is by this righteousness. Oh, for grace from the Lord to have a right apprehension of the important distinction. And do thou, blessed Lord, grant to thy whole family the sweet enjoyment of their vast privileges. Neither the circumcision of the Jew, nor the uncircumcision of the gentile, are any thing, where Christ and his righteousness are imputed: "Seeing it is one God which justifies the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel, (both Jew and Gentile,) be justified, and shall glory."

Rom. vi.-READER, let us both learn from this most blessed chapter, how to answer the character, of everv description, who ventures from the pride or corruption of his heart, to charge the doctrine of free grace with

a tendency to an unholy life. Never, surely were the motives to an upright and conscientious conversation ever found in the least powerful or persuasive in the soul, until, brought home to the soul, in the death of Christ. And the child of God, who is dead with Christ, baptized into Christ, and buried with Christ, in his death; cannot but feel from the Holy Ghost, an implanted conformity to the likeness of Christ, so as to bear part with Christ in his resurrection, and walk in newness of life. And, what dominion shall sin have over that soul in whom the Holy Ghost dwells, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin? What shall tend to mortify the deeds of the body, but living in the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit? Blessed Spirit of holiness, give grace thus to live and walk, that we may manifest to all gainsayers, thy people are dead to sin, and cannot live any longer therein.

But oh, thou precious Lord Jesus, while seeking daily, hourly, grace from the Holy Ghost, to adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour, in all things: never, never for a moment may my soul forget that the whole, and every part of redemption work, and redemption glory, is thine. God be thanked that we were the servants of sin. And that the whole church, both in heaven and earth, are brought out of this prison-state, is all of grace. And do thou, dearest Lord, cause me to have my redemption by thee, always in remembrance. May my soul be more and more humbled to the dust before thee, that my God and Saviour may be more and more exalted. Through life, in death, and for evermore, be it my joy to acknowledge, that there can be no wages mine, but the wages of sin, which is death: and all the Lord bestows, even eternal life, with all its preliminaries can only be the free, the sovereign, the unmerited gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.