and hate our own doings; yet at the same time, to rise up in divine strength, and plead, and claim all the privileges and honours of sonship to the eternal Father; membership with our all glorious Head; union to the Almighty Spirit, and as heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus, to the great Three-One, our divine inheritance. Oh the joy to be assured of the favour of God! this is heart ease, this is the rest and sabbath of the soul. How sweet and comfortable are the thoughts of a Saviour to you, believer, when you can

say,

My beloved is mine, and I am his." It does thee good to view his wounds by the eye of faith, and put, as it were, thy hand into his side, when thou canst call him ex. perimentally, my Lord, and my God. With what delight do you turn over the charter of your future inheritance, and ponder that exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which you shall one day possess.

But O! what draughts of bliss unknown! What dainties shall be given !

over the grave, and take death cheer. fully by the hand, and even long to be gone, and to be with Christ. The assured soul desires to depart, and needs as much patience to live, as other men do to die. Let us then, my brethren, not only seek to be in safety, but know, by the Spirit's witness, that we are so. I shudder when I reflect upon the awful day in which we live in which the profession of the gospel is so common, whilst the power of it, I fear, is known by few. The most prominent adversaries against the way of truth, and men of truth, are found clothed in the robes of profession. Nothing but the gospel, experimentally known, can throw a light upon the dark passage of death and the grave, for "Life and immortality are brought to light by means thereof;" nor is there anything, save the grace of God, that can fortify the mind with composure when reflecting upon the solemnities and the important concerns of another world. All earthly systems, and worldly accmulations, expire at the foot of the grave, and

We join the feast of heaven.

There joys, immeasurably high,
Shall overflow the soul
And springs of life, that never dry,
In thousand channels roll.

What a strong cordial will this be, under the sharpest afflictions, to consider that God meaneth us no hurt; but, on the contrary, he hath pledged his faithfulness to make them all work together for our good. One who hath eternal life in the eye of his faith and hope, can look through tribulation and see the sunshine at the back of the darkest cloud. And then what comfort does it give in the hour of death? How miserable is the soul that must be turned out of doors, shiftless and harbourless, and is not provided with an everlasting habitation, or a better place to go to ; but assurance makes the soul to triumph

in the swellings of Jordan, and reason itself is inadequate to steer the soul over the immense profundity, but the mighty power of God the Holy Ghost boasts of excellencies far superior to those above-named, and exhibits to the world and to believers, unparallelled splendour, by blessing the souls of the departing with courage and consolation, even in the hour of their dissolution; and though it is not our province to determine how many of the Lord's children go out at the door of time in the dark, at twilight, or at noon-day, in point of divine support and consolation, yet we fearlessly assert, that however they may vary as to the circumstances attending their departure, that they each of them land safely and triumphantly at that celestial port, where the inhabitants shall no more say they are sick. How cheering is

this thought to a believer! His time on earth is fixed, and all his sins pardoned through atoning blood, and lo, he is waiting for his Father's chariot to bear him to the skies. He feels his need of Christ; all his hope is fixed him : upon and he longs to behold him face to face. When death comes, all his pains will be healed, and the work finished. The world to him is less than nothing; but the persuasion of his being a child of God, and born of the Spirit, consoles his mind. Being an object of eternal, unchanging love; having the evidence of it in his soul; what a stay is this to his mind. Come pain, come sickness, or death, this love is the same. He longs to enter into rest, and sing with the glorified throng, of love, blood, and power, in the mansions of light and glory. Amen. Hallelujah!

that morn;

When the sun sets no more, but for ever shall shine,

Unsullied in beauty, in glory divine.

White thy robe, washed in blood, the price that was giv'n,

To redeem thee from earth, and raise thee to heav'n;

Where love blooms in peace, and blest joys feast thy sight, Where God is thy glory, the Lord thy delight.

Oh! pilgrim, till then, be thou constant in pray'r,

Life's sorrows, and pains thy Redeemer will bear;

Reposing in death, still the love that ne'er dies,

Sheds a light to conduct thee in peace to the skies.

Brighton.

W. C.

hereafter for

you.

I wished this had

been my case, fearing I should be left to put a period to my existence. My inward cry was, "What must I do to be saved?" These words con"Cursed is tinually followed me, every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them :" and he that word, or deed, is guilty of all. I offends, but in one point, thought, out of my mind, but could not: I tried to get away from it, and get it wished I could hide my thoughts from the Lord; this was more trouble to me than all, and stirred up the rebellion of my heart. I longed to be any thing but a human being; every I; my heart seemed to rise against living creature appeared happier than the Lord, for making me a living soul; I thought how cruel it was; and the words of Job were applicable to my case," Thou markest all mine iniquity, and searchest out all my sin." Job was my chief companion, for he only seemed to sympathize with me; every one's trouble appeared light to mine. The troubles of this world were nothing in my estimation," but a wounded spirit who can bear?" I took up Mr. Hart's hymns, and opened upon these words which were a great surprise to me.

"Thine's alas, a lost eondition,

Works cannot work thee remission,
Nor thy goodness do thee good,
Death's within thee, all about thee,
But the remedy 's without thee,
See it in thy Saviour's blood.

Jesus thus for sinners smitten, Wounded, bruised, serpent-bitten, To his cross directs their faith;

Why should I then poison cherish, Why despair of cure and perish? Look my soul though stung to death."

Oh, how suitable were these words to my case; I thought Mr. Hart had felt something of my grief. I strove hard to recommend myself to the Lord, but this still followed me; You have broken every precept, and he that offends in one point is guilty of all. It then came into my mind, suppose you could from this time do every thing that is right, what is to become of the long scroll of your evil life that is behind? My reply was, I hoped the Saviour would make that up for me. But suppose you should be disappointed of your hope; you know it says, the hope of the wicked shall perish, and their expectation shall be cut off, the righteous shall see it, and be glad," you will soon lose your senses, for you know you can hardly manage your business, you will be left to utter what is in your mind in the work room before them all, which will cause the ways of religion to be evil spoken of: you know you are tied and bound with the chain of your sins, and will soon be cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Oh this grieved me very sorely, the thought of causing religion to be evil spoken of, and I begged the Lord to keep the door of no evil. my lips, that I uttered These words were then suggested to You know Miss C- said, the Saviour would reject you at a future time if you did not then turn, therefore it is of no use to pray to him. For Esau afterwards, when he should have inherited the blessing, found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully and with tears. This stirred up the enmity of my carnal mind, my heart fretted against the Lord, and it grieved me that I could not fly from his presence; the thoughts of my heart were only evil, and that continually," and I was greatly troubled when I remembered,

me.

"All things were naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do." For the eye of the Lord seemed upon me continually; his holiness and justice were a continual terror to my soul. I found what Paul says to be true," that by the law is the knowledge of sin,” “and it wrought in me all manner of concupiscence," sin appeared to me exceedingly sinful; thus when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died died to all hope of ever being saved by works; when I have attempted to pour out my soul to God, in prayer, such wicked thoughts have come into my mind, I have been obliged to rise up from my knees, for my prayer seemed nothing but sin, and I concluded the Lord never would hear such a polluted creature, as I felt myself to be. I knew he would be just in sending me to hell and that his righteous law approved it well; my soul was bowed down within me, and there appeared no sorrow equal to mine. "In the morning I said, would to God it were night, and at night, would to God it were morning." These are depths in which there is no standing; it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God. But it is a great mercy he is not angry for ever. These verses continually followed me:

"Oft as the bell with solemn toll,
Speaks the departure of a soul,
Let each one ask himself, am I
Prepared should I be called to die?

Only this frail and fleeting breath, Preserves me from the jaws of death, Soon as it fails at once 1'm gone, And plung'd into a world unknown.

Then leaving all I loved below,
To God's tribunal I must go,
Must hear the Judge pronounce my fate,
And fix my everlasting state.

But could I bear to hear him say,

Depart accursed far away,

With Satan in the lowest hell,

Thou art for ever doom'd to dwell.

Lord Jesus, help me now to flee, And seek my hope alone in thee, Apply thy blood, thy Spirit give, Subdue my sin and let me live.

Then when the solemn bell I hear,
lf sav'd from guilt I need not fear,
Nor would the thought distressing be,
Perhaps it next may toll for me.

Rather my spirit would rejoice,
Gnd long and wish to hear thy voice,
Alad when it bids me earth resign,
Secure of heaven if thou art mine."

My heart seemed so swelled it appeared too large for my body, and I often thought it would burst; my conscience felt so defiled with iniquity that it would never be cleansed, and if I attempted to pray, my thoughts were so wicked that it seemed adding sin to sin. The devil would suggest to me, the Lord will never hear your prayer, you are sinking in the pit of corruption, and you will soon sink to the bottomless pit where hope never comes. My mind was so humbled with grief on account of my sin, and I was so troubled that I could not speak, but sighed out my complaint to the Lord, with groanings that cannot be uttered. I felt as one shut up in prison, who feared he never would be set at liberty. But the Lord was better to me than all my fears, for he heard the sighing of the prisoner. One evening being sunk very low, we had some work, that required me to make a fresh pattern; the adversary suggested, You will never be able to accomplish that, it will now be made manifest what you are, and what wickedness is working within; you will now go out of your mind, it will soon be all over, and you will be lost for ever. With a heavy heart the work was set about, and I felt myself sinking never to rise. When in a moment, to my great astonishment, a light shined within me, which illuminated my understanding, and this came with power, "I will not be angry for ever, neither will I be always wroth, lest the spirit should fail before me, and the soul which I have

made." It appeared to me, as if the glory of the Lord filled the room, my burden was all gone, and I was as happy as I could be, for I was led to see the Lord would not be angry for ever, and was as much satisfied with this assurance, that the Lord would not be angry for ever, as if I had been going to heaven; I was so happy, I could hardly believe it was myself: I soon made my pattern, it seemed as nothing, and it suited very well. Never did I have such a night as this my heart was filled with joy and comfort: it would keep running in my mind, over and over again, "I will not be angry for ever, neither will I be always wroth." This was a happy change indeed, and the remembrance thereof is sweet to my soul. What a mercy the Lord did not leave me to build upon my own good deeds. But as the devil helped me to build, the Lord by gending home his righteous law to my heart, threw down all the building; I have blessed him for it a thousand times since, for had he not, I should have rested on that sandy foundation. Soon after this little lift, I seemed very low, but I do not remember feeling the wrath of God, or the fierceness of anger, so heavy upon me as before; but I knew I had not received the full manifestation of my sins being pardoned, and that was a cause of grief to me. I saw the power of the Saviour able to save to the uttermost, and that he was just such a Saviour of which my soul stood in need. But I feared it was too great a blessing ever to be bestowed on one so sinful as I. Soon after this, I took up Elisha Coles upon Election; here again I was very much staggered. The adversaly came with this suggestion, You see it is all over with you now; it is no use to strive, if you are not elected, you cannot be saved. This seemed such a dreadful thing to me, and so stirred up the rebellion of my heart, and so cut me off, that I felt

as though I should sink through the boards, as I sat in my chair, when all in a moment, I received such support and these words came with such power, Who knows that you are not elected? that it raised a hope in my soul, and caused me to cry out, Who indeed! With great wonder and astonishment, I was led to see, this was one of the secret things that belong to God, and as no one knew I was not, there was a secret hope, that I might be one of the favoured number, but it still, at times, would come with force upon me, suppose you should not be, it is of no use to ery to the Lord, for he is of one mind and none can turn him.

To be continued.

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE CONVERSION AND DEATH OF JOSEPH BRIMBLE,

Younger brother of John Brimble, whose conversion and death is inserted in the December Number, 1842, page 273.

Sent and addressed to C. Sharp, London; and related by his father and sister; together with three Letters addressed to Major Y——, minister of the gospel, Spa-Rooms, Bath, written by himself.

My Dear Brother in the Lord,

I received your truly sweet, affectionate, and brotherly, loving epistle on the 13th inst., and found it truly refreshing to my weary soul, and wondered at your forbearing one another in love" so long, in accordance with the apostle's exhortation; seeing I had not answered your last, although I prized it highly, and now thank you kindly for it. But, my dear B

one reason I do assign for it is, of a Sunday afternoon, when I generally used to begin (at least if I did not finish) answering a letter, I now go to the Spa-room, to hear Major Y, whom I generally hear sweetly and to profit. Another reason is, I am generally down-hearted and discouraged because of the way; nor do I ever feel sufficient to write a

letter or to think a thought, and therefore, do generally shift it as long as I can. Bear with this infirmity, frailty, and weakness of mine, dear F, if you can, for it does not appear to me that I ever shall get any better, it seems to be such a constitutional complaint with me. But, though sorrowful of late, I have had some rejoicing, and though the tears are now flowing so that I can scarcely see to write, yet it is a mixture, "sorrowful yet rejoicing:" "Sorrowful" that I have lost another be

loved son, yet rejoicing" that he fell sweetly asleep in his beloved Jesus, yesterday morning, at about half-past eight o'clock, after contending with much darkness, and many doubts and fears. Three of his letters to Major Y- I will shortly send you, as soon as my dearly beloved daughter (who is also among the faithful) can get time to copy them; wherein I think you will per ceive the progress of the grace of God in his soul. In the last letter of the three is an account of the Lord's sweet visit to his soul, notwithstanding, the enemy disputing with him afterwards, caused many doubts and fears, which would so far prevail sometimes, as to cause him to sav,

Father, I am afraid I shall not be saved after all; I fear that I did not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ aright." Why, my dear, said I, you bring to my mind the poor man whose eyes Christ had truly opened when he met with him some time after, and said to him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" And he seeming in the same anxious state, said, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe?" and he said, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he who now speaketh to thee." And the poor

man, anxious enough to believe aright if he had not, answered, "Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him.” I then spoke to him of the unity of the Trinity, and how poor Phillip, on the other hand, was (I suppose) per