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life, with a scanty provision of the temporals; a special messenger of Christ sent out to do his bidding, without purse or scrip. God sometimes withholds even the natural bread, and takes away the natural appetite, while he showers down the spiritual manna in rich abundance. He is not only wonderful in counsel; but marvellous in working. I once heard one of these popular ministers, as they are called, remark from the pulpit, that a scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry;" then, of course, a well-paid ministry makes a very good one: but money never yet made a minister of the gospel. These letter ministers are clear in doctrine. but they are without a root, though there are plenty of flowers. By a root I mean the life, and unction, and experience they set forth. They are without the grace of God in their hearts, for a tree is known by its fruits. From all hirelings, wolves in sheep's clothing, and lying prophets, good Lord deliver thy

church, for Christ's sake. Amen.

But he who seeks to live

A godly life in Christ, And unto Christ will give

The praise from first to last; Is surely doomed to worldly shame, And born to bear a wicked name.

Though friendly in his will,

And meek his answers are,
Some persecution still

Attends him every where :
Faith in the cross brings high disdain,
And usage coarse from carnal men.

Oh, let the cross's scorn

Be welcome to my heart,

And patiently be borne,

Though bringing daily smart; Nor let me turn my head aside, Through dastard fears or fretful pride.

Yea, let me count that pain

Which Jesus' cross will bring,
As most substantial gain,

A present from the King:
But, let the king smile on my face,
When for his name I meet disgrace.

A WORD IN SEASON FOR TEMPTED
SOULS.

Is it not wonderful comfort, for a man to know, there is something that he can never be robbed of? When a man is travelling on his journey, if he meet with thieves, they take away the money that he hath about him; but when they have taken all his money he hath about him, Well, says he, though they have taken away my I did wear about me, yet I have spending money, and that which land at home that they can not rob me of. And so says the child of God, or at least he may say so, when Satan comes and tempts him, and robs him of some comfort; yet, blessed be the Lord, I have union with Christ that I have an inheritance in heaven can never be robbed of; and I that thieves cannot break through and steal away. Satan may take away my spending money, my spending comforts that I have here in this world; but oh! blessed be God, I have such comforts, and such an estate, such durable riches that I can never be robbed of. Oh! you that are the saints and people of God, lift up your heads: : you that have been bowed under temptation, these things have I spoken to you, that you may not be overwhelmed with temptation, you that are tempted, but that in the midst of all you may breathe out your souls in the bosom of Jesus Christ.

Well, but you will say, It is not comfort that I look for, or that I follow after; but the truth is, I am sorely tempted, and Satan lies heavy on me, following, and dogging me at the heels to

yield unto his temptations; what shall I say, or what shall I do, that I may not yield unto his temptations?

What shalt thou say: if it be possible, do not stand to treat with Satan, do not stand to parley with him; he will dispute you out of all your comfort if you stand and parley with him. You have half lost the field when ye honour Satan, and you honour him when you follow him into his disputes if it be possible, therefore, do not stand and parley or dispute with Satan, but if you must say something to him, and ye must treat, ye must speak; tell Satan, then, that therefore you believe it, because he denies it: therefore you do not believe it, because he affirms it; that you believe the contrary because he speaks thus. When ye are to deal with a great liar, one that is your enemy, and he comes and tells you very ill news, you will say, He is a liar and he is my enemy, and he does it to scare me, and therefore I believe the contrary. Satan is a great liar, and he is your enemy, and thus when he says unto thee, there is no hope for thee, thou hast been a great sinner, a drunkard for thus many years, a swearer thus many years, there is no hope for thee: say to Satan, therefore I believe the contrary, there is hope for me, because thou sayest there is no hope, for thou art a liar, yea, the father of lies.

Again, if ye must speak with Satan; then speak of Christ, of grace, of the infinite love of God in Christ he cannot stand before words of grace, and before words of love: not a word of

grace, or of free love in all his temptations.

Yea, if you must speak with Satan, tell him, Oh! tell him, what ye find in the ways of God, and tell him, that you believe beyond what ye find; thus: Satan for the present I find nothing but sweetness in the ways of God: thou told me that if I would turn godly I should never have a merry day again, but I tell thee what I now find; I find of a truth that the sourest part of godliness, is sweeter than the sweetest part of wickedness. Satan, I find, that all that ever thou told me is false; thou saidest, I should lose all my friends: I have better. Thou saidest, I should lose all my comforts if I turned godly; I have better, Satan. And this I find, Satan; that all that ever Christ spake unto me, is true: oh! I find infinite sweetness in the ways of God, and I believe beyond what I find; that if the wheels of providence should run never so cross, yet through grace I would believe. Beloved, know ye what the apostle says, "Whom resist, stedfast in the faith:" and "By faith we quench his fiery darts." Must ye therefore needs speak with Satan, speak to him words of faith; not of sense, man, not of reason, but speak words of faith: I charge ye in the Lord, if ye will stand and parley, and will speak with Satan, speak words of faith to him, speak words in a way of believing; and it is only faith that brings Christ and the soul together in the time of temptation; and when Christ comes in, Satan goes out.

WILLIAM BRIDGE.

DIVINE REMONSTRANCE AND CONSO

LATION.

Isaiah xl. 27, 28.

Ho! ye children of Jehovah,

Ye who feel your weakness great; All your worthlessness look over,

Hear what God himself doth state:
Now attend him,

At his throne for mercy wait.

Why, O Jacob, art thou saying,

That thy way is hid from me? Why, O Israel, now complaining That I'll not thy jugment see? Fear not, fear not,

I am ever near to thee.

By the Eternal, Time shall be no more.

Shall the angelic messengers command,
To gather first his wheat into his floor;
Then, pause my soul, the tares he will com-
mit,

To flames unquenchable for evermore.

Amongst that chosen few you'll then appear, For whom Christ suffered, bled, and groaned and died,

When on the cross his sacred flesh was torn, And a rich flood descended from his side.

Grant, mighty God, that at that awful day, Redeemed by Christ and ransomed by his blood,

Devoid of spot my blood-washed soul may stand,

Before thy great tribunal. mighty God.

Then, lovely sister, we shall meet again,
Safe landed in those happy realms above,
Where in unclouded vision we shall see
Our great Emanuel, the God of love.

A chequered path was thine while here below,
But all thy painful warfare now is o'er;
Thy Jesus hath thy battles fought and won,
Then praise thy conquering Lord for ever-

more.

While in this wilderness of sin and woe, It pleased thy Lord that tried thy faith should be;

'T was all his love and faithfulness to prove, That as thy days thy strength should surely be.

For ere through Jordan's flood he bade thee go,

He let thee glimpse blest Canaan's site,
And e'en in this his promise he fulfilled,
That" at the evening time it shall be light."

Now unto Him who will his church preserve,
Though Satan with infernal rage may roar;
To Him the Only Wise, our God and King,
Be glory, praise, and honour evermore.

WONDERS OF GRACE.

What wonders of grace

In Jesus are stored,

No tongue can express,

No numbers record;
Its heights and its depths
No mortal can spy,
Nor angel can fathom
So great mystery.

What wonders of love

In Jesus do dwell, To save such poor sinners From sin, death and hell; And though sunk so low

In the ocean of sin, He raised up from ruin The vilest of men.

What wonders of truth

The gospel makes known, To sinners who feel

They're lost and undone; For when deep in debt, Without wherewith to pay, This love everlasting

Bare it all away.

Oh wonders of mercy
That so it should be,
Poor guilt-burdened sinners
Are cleansed and set free;
From sin and pollution,

From thraldom and woe, Released from their burden, Made free and let go.

Oh wonders of love,
Truth, mercy and grace,
How freely it flows

To Adam's lost race;
Yea, to every poor sinner
Born again from above,
Salvation is sure

Through covenant love.
Swaffham.

MARY.

J. E. C.

THE NUMBER WHICH NO MAN CAN NUMBER.

Rev. vii. 13-17.

That heav'nly, bright, celestial band, Arrayed in white around the throne; With palms of victory in their hand, Who are they? and whence did they come?

From tribulation's hottest flame

They 're safely brought by sov'reign grace;
Now reign with Christ th' exalted Lamb,
In realms of everlasting bliss.

These spotless robes which now they wear,
Are washed in Jesus' precious blood;
His glory now with him they share,
Before the glorious throne of God.

On earth it was their whole delight
To praise their Saviour's lovely name;
Now, in his temple day and night
They sing and praise his deathless fame.

Th' eternal God who fills heav'ns throne,
Whom wondering angels love to praise,
Now dwells in glory with his own,
And shall through everlasting days.

Hunger or thirst they 'll know no more,
(All pain and grief is gone and past ;)
The sun, nor heart shall smite no more,-
Through endless years their joy shall last.

The Lamb that sits upon the throne,
Shall feed them now and evermore;
While all the church in glory crowned,
Shall love, and wonder, and adore.

To living fountains then he 'll lead,
And fill his own with rich supplies;
And Christ their glorious sovereign Head,
Shall wipe all tears from off their eyes.

THE SOUL'S TRIUMPH IN THE LOVE

OF GOD.

WHEN the all-blessed Spirit of the ever-living and ever-loving God hath given his testimony, and set his seal to the soul (which before sat quivering and trembling at the door of hope) that God doth own, accept and pardon it. Oh, what a calm there is in that soul; what halcyon days doth it then live in! It enjoys a jubilee every moment. Oh the breathing and mutual interstreamings forth of love that are between God and this soul. Time steals away and is not perceived, the soul is so busily employed in the contemplations of its blessed Redeemer: hours are not accounted for minutes, nor days for hours; it rather seems an eternity than time. The soul is ravished with the shining forth of the rays of light, and forgets itself in minding him, and is ready to say, Am I in heaven, or is heaven in me? Is time gone up, or eternity come down?

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Me

thinks I hear my Beloved calling, Arise, my love, my dove, and come away let me see thy face, for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely," Cant. ii. 13, 14. Oh, how do the love-speaking words of Christ August, 1843.]

All the

affect the heart, and even transport the soul into admiration. pangs of the new birth, and all its sorrows, are now forgotten and swallowed up in ravishment and raptures of joy. The soul is so surrounded with the glittering rays of joy, it is even sick of love, while healed by it. Now it begins to feast itself on loves, and to cheer itself with the Bridegroom's voice. Cant. iv. 7. My Beloved hath pronounced me fair, and there is no spot in me; now the day of my espousals is come, wherein all the hidden treasures, all the precious jewels, all the vast possessions, all the sparkling beauty, all the glorious holiness, all the divine wisdom, all the all-sufficient power, yea, all the all of Christ is made over to me, saith the soul. What shall I now fear, who am more than conqueror ? what shall I want, who have all things richly to enjoy who shall lay anything to my charge? who shall hurt me? who shall daunt me, who have the love of Jesus, and the power of my dear Saviour to guard me? Nothing shall separate between my Beloved and me, for he is mine, and I am his for ever. Rom. viii. 35.

I. The law is so far from being a Boanerges to such a soul, that it

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