and do as much as thou canst. Stand with all thy weight upon Christ's righteousness. Take heed of having one foot on thine own righteousness, another on Christ's. Until Christ come and sit upon the throne of grace in the conscience, there is nothing but guilt, terrors, secret suspicions, the soul hanging between hope and fear.

Whosoever is afraid to see sin's utmost vileness, and to confess the desperate wickedness of his own heart, suspects the merits of Christ. However so great a sinner thou art (1 John, ii. 1), if Christ be thine Advocate, thou wilt find him Jesus Christ the righteous. In all doubtings, fears, storms of conscience, Christ only can relieve thee: do not argue it with Satan, he desires no better: bid him go to Christ, and he will answer him. It is his office to be our Advocate (1 John, ii. 1), to answer the law as our Surety (Heb. vii. 22), and justice, as our Mediator. (Gal. iii. 20; 1 Tim. ii. 5.) He is sworn to that office. (Heb. vii. 20, 21.)

Satan may quote, and corrupt, but he cannot answer Scripture. It is Christ's word of mighty authority. Christ foiled Satan with it. (Matt. iv. 10.) In all the Scripture there is not one hard word against a poor sinner stript of self-righteousness. Nay, it plainly points him out to be the subject of the grace of the gospel, and none else. To be enabled to believe Christ's willlingness, will make thee willing. If thou findest that thou canst not believe, remember it is Christ's work to make thee believe. He works to will and to do of his own good pleasure. (Phil. ii. 13.) By grace thou art saved through faith, and not of thyself; it is the gift of God. Plead with him for that gift. (Eph. ii. 8.) Christ is the author and finisher of faith; and when the blessed Spirit enables thee to feel this, thou wilt mourn for thine unbelief, which would set up guilt in the conscience above Christ, undervalue the merits of Christ, and account his blood an unholy, a common and unsatisfying thing.

Thou complainest much of thyself: doth thy sin make thee look more at Christ, less at thyself? that is right: otherwise complaining is but hypocrisy. To be looking at duties, graces, enlargements, when thou shouldst be looking at Christ, is self-righteous and pitiful. Looking at them will make thee proud; looking at Christ's grace will make thee humble. In all thy temptations be not discouraged. (James i. 2.) Those surges may be, not to drown thee, but to heave thee off from thyself on the rock Christ.

Thou mayest be brought low, even to the brink of destruction, ready to fall. Thou canst not be brought lower than the

belly of hell. (Jonah ii. 2.) Many saints have been there. Yet, there thou mayest cry; from thence thou mayest look again towards the holy temple. (Jonah ii. 4.) Into that temple which was built with hands none might enter but purified ones, and with an offering too. (Acts xxi. 26.) But now Christ is our temple, sacrifice, altar, high priest, to whom none must come but sinners, and that without any offering but his own blood once offered. (Heb. vii. 27.)

(To be continued.)

POETRY.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE GOSPEL STANDARD.

Dear Friends,-It has been my wish for several years that some of our brethren would commence a magazine for the diffus on of unctuous truth, as a mean of refreshment to the Lord's poor, tried family. I therefore greatly rejoiced the other day, when a prospectus of yours was put into my hand. You have my heart, my prayers, and my good wishes, and shall have whatever poor services I may be enabled to render you. The best of blessings rest upon you, and succeed your labour of love. So prays one who is your friend and well

wisher.

Below you will find some lines that I have composed for the Gospel Standard, and which I present to you most affectionately.

Wolverhampton, July 21, 1835.

E. BLACKSTOCK.

ON THE GOSPEL STANDARD.

When th' blue mists of error, their influence spreading,
Enfeeble the godly, and trouble the land,

When sons of false prophets their "wild gourds" are shredding,
Go, flock to The Standard, and join heart and hand.

O may the blest unction enliven its pages;

May truth, love, and meekness The Standard adorn!
With weapons like these, may it triumph for ages,
And prove a rich blessing to thousands unborn.
Here may the Three Persons in God be revealed,
The object of worship, and Israel's Rock;
On many a heart may this great truth be sealed!
Then wave high The Standard, though infidels mock.
Go, tell of the state of mankind in the fall, too,
As hopeless, and helpless, polluted, and dead;

And free will and merit, go, beat them as small, now,
As straw that on Moab's vile dunghill is spread.

Now go, Standard, go, and proclaim lovely Jesus,
Our most glorious Christ! from whom the rich stream
Of Free-grace Salvation, to help and to ease us,
Is constantly flowing!-be this thy choice theme.
Let the doctrines of grace be part of thy bearing,
Nor fear thou the dust which the enemies raise;
For many an outcast shall give them a hearing,
And many a heart shall be tuned to their praise.
Then go, Standard, go, and declare the salvation
Devised by the Father, and wrought by our Lord,
Whose tidings of grace, to the favourite nation,
Are known when the Spirit enforces the word.
Go, publish the doctrine of union to Jesus,

The bride and the Bridegroom, eternally one;
Go, tell the Lamb's wife how He died to release us,
And now He sits down on his heavenly throne.
Ye soldiers, to arms! since the moments are fleeting;
See the foes in the field in a desperate rage!
Our Captain's before us; he'll give them the meeting-
Then flock to The Standard, nor fear to engage.
O Spirit of power! now send down thy unction,
Enriching these pages with savour divine:

Send comfort to mourners-to sinners compunction,
Till thousands on thousands The Standard shall join.

O Father of mercies! look down upon Zion!

From Jesus, our banner, protection we crave!
In planting The Standard, thine arm we rely on,
Invincible Spirit, and mighty to save!

Wolverhampton, July, 1835.

E. BLACKSTOCK.

THE SAINTS CONFLICT MAKES THEIR REST IN THE LORD DESIRABLE.

"Whither the Forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus."-Heb. vi. 20.

Lift up your eyes ye tempted saints,

And take a sweet survey

Of your inheritance above,

In everlasting day.

No storms nor trials e'er annoy
Those seats of heavenly rest;

But glory, triumph, peace, and love,
Pervade each hallow'd breast.

No cloud obscures their vernal sky,
Nor rising fears assail;

Their unbelief can rise no more,

Nor doubts o'er faith prevail.

Courage, ye souls! who know the grace
Of your triumphant Head;

He sojourn'd in this world for you,
To suffer in your stead.

Though Lord of all the hosts above,
He made himself a worm,

And toil'd, and groan'd through sorrows great,
To bring such wanderers home.
Our sufferings here but trifles are,
To what our Lord has borne;
But ah! how we forget our Lord's,
To pore upon our own.

Dear Jesus, help our feeble faith
Upon thy strength to trust,
And in our travail here below,
Remember we are dust.

Enlarge our hearts, anoint our eyes,
Through faith thyself to see,
Triumphant o'er our enemies,

That we might dwell with thee.

Forerunner of thy people here,
Their centre too above,

Absorb our hearts, enrich our souls,
With thy redeeming love.

Draw thou us upwards to thy seat,
Where joy immortal reigns;
By faith to leave this lower world,
Its pleasures, cares, and pains.
'Tis there without a vail between,
Thy glories richly shine,

Whilst saints and angels hymn thy name,
In fellowship divine.

O could we leave this prison of clay,

And mingle with the blest;

The wicked cease from troubling there,
And there the weary rest.

There sweet and loud our mutual song
Should sound in Jesus' praise;
Whilst all our woes and miseries past,
Conspire the notes to raise.

Our weary souls preserve and keep
'Midst conflicts sharp and long,
For unto thee, O God of grace,
All strength and power belong.
Hasten, dear Saviour, soon remove
The vail that hangs between!
And whilst we groan and suffer here,
Oft let thy face be seen.

Manchester, July, 1835.

DELTA,

GLEANINGS.

Martin Luther was born at Isleben, in Saxony, in the year 1483. He studied at Erfurth, being designed for a civilian; but an awful catastrophe made such an impression upon his mind, that he resolved to retire from the world. As he was walking in the fields with a fellow-student, they were struck by lightning, Luther to the ground, and his companion dead by his side. He entered into the order of Augustine hermits at Erfurth; from this place he removed to Wirtemburg, being appointed by the elector of Saxony professor of theology and philosophy in the university just founded there by that prince. In 1512, he was sent to Rome, to plead the cause of some convents of his order who had quarrelled with their vicargeneral. This gave him an opportunity of observing the corruption of the pontifical court, and the debauched lives of the dignitaries of the church, and probably gave him the first disgust to the Romish Ecclesiastical government, especially as he had engaged in the monastic life from motives of genuine piety. Upon his return to Wirtemburg, it was remarked that he grew unusually pensive, and more austere in his life and conversation. He likewise read and expounded the Sacred Writings in lectures and sermons, and threw new lights on obscure passages. The minds of his auditors being thus prepared, a favourable occasion soon offered for carrying into execution his grand plan of reformation. In 1517, Pope Leo X. published his indulgences. Albert, archbishop of Mentz and Magdeburg, was commissioner for Germany, and was to have half the sum raised in that country; Tecelius, a Dominican friar, was deputed to collect, with others of his order, for Saxony; and he carried his zeal so far as to declare his commission to be so extensive, that no crime could be too great to be pardoned by him, and that, by purchasing indulgences, not only past sins but those intended, were to be forgiven. Against these vile practices Luther openly preached, with wonderful success, and thus began the Reformation in Germany. Luther died in 1546.-Biograph. Dic.

How should God deal with us? Good days we cannot bear, seemingly-evil we cannot endure. Giveth he riches unto us? then are we proud, so that no man can live by us in peace; nay, we will be carried upon hands and shoulders, and will be adored as gods. Giveth he poverty unto us? then are we dismayed, impatient, and murmur against him. Therefore, no