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venant mercies are still sure, everlastingly sure (2 Sam. xxiii. 4, 5); for "unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness" (Ps. exii. 4); and "to this man will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." (Isa. lxvi. 2.)

God almighty enable you to trust in him at all times, and that he may direct your hearts into his love, and into Himself as Love, and into the patient waiting for of Christ, is the Yours to serve in the gospel of his grace, prayer of

July 20, 1835.

A LOVER OF ZION.

A SAINT INDEED.-No. I.

(Extracted from Letters.)

My dear Friend, for Jesus' sake,-Being informed that you wished to hear if any change took place in the health of our much-esteemed friend and brother and he also wishing you should be made acquainted with his present state, I have this day promised him I will write to you for him.

Soon after you left these parts, he went to the waters, and upon his return, he thought himself much improved in his health. But this was of short duration, for it pleased his covenant God, who has been a very present help to him in this trouble, to afflict him with a brain-fever delirium, at times arising to a very distressing height, except when he spoke of the things of God, and then he appeared to be himself, was sweetly supported in his soul, and gave a blessed testimony to the Lord's faithfulness and power. He is now improving in his health, though still very weak and low, and has had near forty leeches applied, besides bleeding in the arm and perpetual blistering. His mind is considerably more composed, though he occasionally discovers much excitement; and we hope, in answer to many prayers, he may be restored to the church of Jesus Christ below. I said to him, "Well, dear friend, what shall I say to Mr. for you?" He replied, "Tell him I love him dearly, and have long felt my heart united to him. Tell him I am a happy man!--for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain! Here I lie, waiting my Father's will: whether my time is long or short, I am satisfied!" Shortly after, he added, "What is dying? It is only going home!" then sweetly smiled, and again said, "Strangers into life we come! Dying is but going home! The love and blood of Jesus enjoyed, appears to fill his soul to the brim.

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and I think a little more would be too much for his poor, weak, tender frame to bear. At his earnest request, my dear husband and I went to see him before this afternoon service. I remained with him the afternoon, and I believe our hearts felt a sweet bedewing from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power, which seemed to fill the room, making it a little sacred spot. I persuaded him to close his eyes, and try to sleep a little, for he only slept three hours last night. He rested about a quarter of an hour, and then began again to make his boast in the dear Friend of sinners, particularly speaking of his finished work, and frequently was melted to tears, telling me they were only tears of joy, which he would suppress if he could. I said, "Don't, my dear Sir, try to suppress them; they will relieve your feelings; let them flow: they proceed from the most blessed feelings the mind is capable of on this side glory." He said, "I will, I will, weep to the praise of the mercy I've found!"

These are only a few out of the many precious things that have this day dropped from his lips. So much of heaven, on earthly ground, I have never before witnessed. He is certainly apparently mending in health; but I cannot help thinking, from his humility of soul, his happy looks, and sweet enjoyment of Jesus, together with his warm affection to all the saints, that his end is at hand; and if so, his sun is indeed setting with such rays of glory surrounded, as are only now and then witnessed in Zion.

I must conclude. My husband unites with me in Christian love to you. Hope you will write to our beloved friend. If his life be spared (which God grant, if his blessed will, it may), I know he would value a letter from you greatly: so do write directly.

Farewell! May God bless you in your own soul, both at home and abroad, in the house and the church. Believe us both, Your much-esteemed friends, for Christ's sake.

H

-, Sept. 27, 1829.

CHRIST ALL.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE GOSPEL STANDARD.

Gentlemen,-The accompanying little tract may not, perhaps, express all you could wish upon so glorious a subject as that on which it treats; nevertheless, there are undoubtedly some sweet remarks in it, and if you can find room for it in

your announced magazine, I hope and trust some of your readers will reap the benefit thereof, by being enabled, through the dear Spirit, to cull a few flowers, or gather a few figs. It was written by Mr. Thomas Wilcox. I have, as you will perceive, suggested several alterations, the responsibility of which I must take upon myself. Hoping that the dear Lord Jehovah will prosper you in your work, that you may indeed at all times stand hard against error, mowing down alike mere full-headed high doctrinalists, dead formalists, and hypocritical professors; and that, whilst, through your instrumentality, your brethren in Zion are edified, comforted, and instructed, you may be exceedingly refreshed in your own souls, believe me to be, Yours sincerely, for the truth's sake,

Manchester, July 18, 1835.

THOMAS.

In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. (Isa. xlv. 24, 25.) It is only the dying of that Just One for us who are unjust, that can bring us to God. (1 Pet. iii. 18.) He, who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we, who were nothing but sin, might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Cor. v. 21.)

Christ is the Father's fulness of grace and glory. He must have the pre-eminence. He alone is worthy, who is to build. the spiritual temple of the Lord, and to bear the glory. Every vessel of this temple, from the cups to the flagons, must all be hung upon Christ. He, by his Father's appointment, is the foundation-stone, corner-stone, top-stone.

Reader! dost thou profess the name of Christ, and partake of his ordinances? (Luke i. 6.) They are glorious privileges to the children of God. But if thou hast not the blood of Christ (1 John, i, 7; 1 Cor. iii. 11), at the root of thy profession, it will wither, and prove unprofitable. Many are tossed to and fro, ready to be carried away with every wind of doctrine, by the sleights of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. (Eph. iv. 14.) There are many foundations to build upon that are false, upon which much labour is spent in vain: some are not speaking the truth in love; neither are they growing up into him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ. (Eph. iv. 15.) There cannot be a growing in Christ, without an union with him. Without that union, all that we do is accursed. If thou retain self-righteousness under thy profession, that viper will eat out all the vitals of it. Try, and examine with the greatest strictness every day, what foundation thy profession and the hope of thy glory are built upon (1 Cor. iii. 11): whether

it be laid by the hand of Christ; if not, it will never be able to endure the storm which must come against it. Satan will throw it all down, and great will be the fall thereof. (Matt. vii. 27.) Consider, the greatest sins may be hid under the greatest duties and the greatest terrors. The wound which sin hath made in thy soul must be perfectly cured by the "blood of Christ;" not skinned over with duties, tears, enlargements, &c. Apply what thou wilt besides the "blood of Christ," it will poison the sore. Thou wilt find that sin was never mortified truly, if thou hast not seen Christ bleeding for thee upon the cross. Nothing can kill it, but a sight of Christ's righteousness. Nature can afford no balsam fit for soul-cure. Healing from duty and not from Christ, is the most desperate disease. Poor and ragged nature, with all its highest improvements, can never spin a garment fine enough (without spot) to cover the soul's nakedness. Nothing can do it but Christ's perfect righteousness. Whatsoever is of nature's spinning must be all unravelled, before the righteousness of Christ can be put on. Whatsoever is of nature's putting on Satan will come and plunder, and leave the soul naked and open to the wrath of God. All that nature can do, can never make up the least drachm of grace, mortify sin, or look Christ in the face. Thou mayest hear, pray, receive the sacrament, and yet be miserable, unless thou art inade to see Christ superior to all other excellency and righteousness in the world, and all these falling before the majesty of his love and grace. (Isa. ii. 17.)

If thou hast seen Christ truly, thou hast seen pure grace, pure righteousness, in him every way infinite, far exceeding all sin and misery. If thou hast seen Christ, thou wilt trample upon all the righteousness of men and angels, as to thine acceptance with God. If ever thou hast seen Christ, thou hast seen Him a rock higher than self-righteousness, Satan, and sin (Ps. lxi. 2), and this rock doth follow thee (1 Cor. x. 4), and there will be a continual dropping of honey and grace out of that rock to satisfy thee. (Psalm lxxxi. 16.) Examine if ever thou hast beheld Christ as the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John, i. 14, 16, 17.)

Men talk much of believing whilst whole and sound; none do it-Christ is the mystery of the Scripture; grace the mystery of Christ. Believing is the most wonderful thing in the world. Put any thing of thine own to it, and thou spoilest it; Christ will not esteem it believing. When thou believest and comest to Christ, thou must be stripped of thine own righteousness,. (O, that is hard!) all thy imaginary holiness, sanc

tification, duties, tears, humblings, &c., and bring nothing but thy sins, thy wants, and miseries; else Christ is not fit for thee, nor thou for Christ. Christ will be a perfect Redeemer and Mediator, and thou must be an undone sinner, or Christ and thou wilt never agree. It is the hardest thing in the world to take Christ alone for righteousness: that is to acknowledge him Christ. Whatever comes in, when thou goest to God for acceptance, besides Christ, it is anti-Christ. Make only Christ's righteousness triumphant. All besides that is Babylon, which must fall if Christ stand, and thou shalt rejoice in the day of the fall thereof. Christ alone did tread the wine-press, and there was none with him. (Isa. lxiii. 3.) If thou join any to Christ, Christ will trample upon it in fury and anger, and stain his raiment with the blood thereof. Thou thinkest it easy to believe: was thy faith ever tried with an hour of temptation, and thorough sight of sin? Was it ever put to resist Satan, and to feel the wrath of God lying upon thy conscience? When thou wert apprehensive of hell and the grave, then did God show thee Christ, a ransom, a righteousness, &c.? Then couldest thou say, "Oh! I see grace enough in Christ ?" If so, thou mayest say that which is the greatest word in the world, I believe. Untried faith is uncertain faith.

To believing there must go a clear conviction of sin and the merits of the blood of Christ. A thing more difficult than to make a world. All the power in nature cannot get so high in a storm of sin and guilt, as really to believe there is any grace, any willingness in Christ to save. When Satan chargeth sin upon the conscience, then for the soul, through the blessed Spirit, to charge it upon Christ, is gospel-like; that is to make him Christ. He serves for that use. When the soul, in all distresses, is enabled to say, Nothing but Christ; Christ alone for righteousness, justification, sanctification, redemption (1 Cor. i. 30), not humblings, not duties, not graces," &c., then the soul is got above the reach of the billows.

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All temptations, Satan's advantages, and our complainings, are laid in self-righteousness and self-excellency. God pursueth these by many ways, as Laban pursued after Jacob for his images. These must be torn from thee, be as unwilling as thou wilt. With these Christ will not dwell; and till Christ comes in, guilt will abide. When guilt is raised up, there is no getting it allayed any way but by Christ's blood; all other ways tend to harden the conscience. Christ be thy peace (Eph. ii. 14), not thy duties, thy tears, &c. Thou mayest oppose Christ by duties as well as by sins. Look at Christ,

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