"I will run in the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart." Believer, is thine obedience relaxed? Does worldly-mindedness increase? Are Zion's ways more burdensome than pleasant to thy feet? Then we know, without being prophets, that it is long since thou hast had a visit from the King; the apprehensions of his love have faded from thy remembrance; and the rod or a kiss must quicken thee, and draw thee out of this thy lifeless state. But let us take a glance at the obedience called "Gospel" in the present day. It consists in a round of disjointed duties imposed upon professors, partly by the Devil, who thereby blinds their eyes to the view of Christ, made of God unto his people "wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, and partly by their own feverish zeal in what is termed "the cause of God." A certain quota of excited feeling is devoted to God, that can be spared from self and the world. A running to and fro after novelties-a party zeal—an eager pursuit after the mammon of unrighteousness for religious purposes-and an idolizing regard for a favourite ministry seem to be the sum of Gospel obedience. But what wonder we should see such, when the character of the so called preached Gospel is only the law remedied or Evangelized; and though salvation is proclaimed by Christ yet is obedience demanded by the law? To set forth Christ as the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth," and the apprehension of this truth by faith, the spring and source of Gospel obedience, is termed Antinomianism, and too dangerous a doctrine to be extensively disclosed, so that the preacher keeping all to himself, begins to forget it, and ends in denying it, and like priest, like people "Truth is fallen in our streets and equity cannot enter." The effects of this are but too plainly seen in the flock so fed; worldly conformity in all its various shapes overspreads the profession of the present day. But here we must come a little closer in our lamentation upon this point, and in the language of grave expostulation address those who erect a higher standard of truth than the teachers and hearers of a yea and nay Gospel profess to hold. Can we then feel otherwise than grieved, when beholding the manners, customs, and dress, of those who are esteemed (and justly as respects their views) pillars of the church of Christ? When we see the simplicity of ministerial attire exchanged for dandyism, the minister's wife leading the ton in the congregation, and the poor misled flock readily taking two steps into the world, when the minister takes one? Surely such things are painful to the believer to witness, who has not departed from the simplicity of Christ. Mothers in Israel! Daughters of Zion! Do your dress and your views correspond? Do you hear from Sabbath to Sabbath of God's eternal separation of a people for his praise, and are you amongst his called ones? Then we ask, why do you not esteem it a Gospel privilege to keep the lines of these pleasant places conspicuously clean, fair, and broad? Why should you emulate in appearance the daughters of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Hittites, and wish to be like those here from whom you hope to be eternally separated in the kingdom of God? Ah! take care lest amidst all your flaming profession, your heart be not lowing after the world, though to all appearance you are bearing the ark of God. A head gaudily crowned with flowers, is an ill omen that your heart is right with Christ; and though christian charity may lead us to hope you are not a wolf in sheep's clothing, yet, may the Lord give you to see what dishonour you are bringing on his truth, by adopting the wolf's clothing, if indeed you be a sheep. We are no advocates for a Pharisaical exterior, but we see with grief to what a fearful extent the church of Christ has gone in the opposite to this, so that the features of that church which the Lord describes, when he says, "I will leave in the midst of thee a poor and afflicted people," are individually, but not collectively to be traced out in our day. Sisters in Christ! we would say to you consider the time these idle decorations require-consider the attention they demand and receive— consider the money they cost which might be so much better appropriated-and consider the stab yonr Babylonish appearance gives to the high and so separating doctrines you profess, and may the Lord enable our female readers especially to lay these few remarks to heart, remembering the apostle's injunction, "I will also that women adorn themselves in modern apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but which becometh women professing godliness with good works." Yours for the Lord's sake, D. F. REVIEWS. Reminiscences of Past Experience. By the late Mrs. G. SOPER, of Plymouth. With a Portrait. London: Darton and Clark, Holborn Hill; Groombridge, Panyer Alley. Pp. 204, 2s. 6d. THE contents of this very excellent volume, and its moderate price, render it deserving a place in the collection of every one who knows anything experimentally of divine truth. The countenance, which forms the frontispiece to the volume before us, is one that cannot but sufficiently interest the reader to peruse the Memoir of the individual it is intended to represent. Truly she was one of the "excellent of the earth". "mother in Israel "—and whose removal from earth must have left a vacuum in her family, her connexions, and in the church among which Dr. Hawker was called to labour, not easily to be filled. "a The volume is written in a series of letters to her sons at a distance, in which, with all simplicity and maternal tenderness and affection, she relates the dealings of God with her from her childhood, through the recklessness of youth to womanhood, and even to hoar age; and then the editor favours us with particulars of the closing scenes of her useful life. It appears that in the earlier part of her career, she was associated with the Wesleyans-was caressed and led on by them to a dangerous extreme of pride and self-sufficiency; in this juncture we meet with her in Letter 5, as follows::- I here remark that my dear mother ever cherished a secret hope that I might be the Lord's, and only needed a fresh manifestation of grace to establish my soul; but, according to the free-will scheme, which I knew most of, I had forfeited all right to expect that I should ever enter the heavenly kingdom. I now fell under conviction that I had no power of my own to repent and believe, or to merit the favour of God by anything I could perform; it were as easy to call upon the stones to rise from their level, as for me to believe savingly under the consciousness that I had sinned against all the light and knowledge I had professed; and now felt myself so powerless that unless the doctrine of election were true, I never could obtain the grace of God. One evening, in the month of November, some of my young companions were engaged to meet at a party of pleasure, and I was requested to join them early; but about the time of going, my mother and I fell into a serious conversation, and I felt disgusted at partaking of the proposed supper. I determined accordingly, and we sat down to read; my attention was directed to the thirty-third and thirty-fourth chapters of Ezekiel, which I read with lively interest; when I entered on the thirty-fourth the tears flowed down my cheeks, and as I proceeded, more glory burst upon my view; so that before I had finished the chapter I was persuaded that the Lord had kept me in the bonds of the covenant all the time I had been treacherously wandering from him, and that I was one of his own sheep, though "diseased," and "broken," and thrust at "with side and shoulder." I believed what the Lord said about searching and seeking out his sheep "in the cloudy and dark day," and that he would lead me and cause me to "feed upon the mountains of Israel."yea, that before I knew it, he had done all these good things for me, and I cried out in the midst of my reading--"Oh! my dear mother, the doctrine is true; I am the Lord's, and he has given me to know it. A great glory is on the Bible; my eyes are so dazzled that I can hardly see. Oh! (said I), the Lord will bless me, and make it manifest that I am one of his.” This is the way we love to see a knowledge of such soul-comforting doctrines as eternal election, effectual calling, and final perseverance, obtained; even by personal and heartfelt experience. This will ever run counter to a mere head-acquaintance with divine truth, which, if it never reaches the heart, will leave its possessor in a far worse predicament than it found him. What more painful than to come in contact with an individual who has an extensive knowledge of the mere letter of truth, and yet in whose conversation there is no savour, unction, nor power; respecting whom there is an inward conviction that his faith stands in the wisdom of man, but not in the power of God; that he is attempting to instruct others, while himself has not learnt so much as the first rudiments of grace. Better, far better for such an one could he but lisp the name of Jesus, and stammer in his utterance of those truths in which the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err. Again, upon sanctification, Mrs. Soper says: Thus I still took an incorrect view of the doctrine of sanctification; and so infatuated was I, that I began to imagine I could reach such a height as to live without sin, yea, to be perfect. It is evident the grand idol self was not abolished, and its wickedness but little known. I remained under this delusion about six months, until my Babel-building became a heap of ruins; for I found within me anger, pride, and sin, in all their varied workings. Oh! how deeply laid are the stratagems of Satan: how artfully he endeavours to suit his bait in order to entrap our unwary souls! if he fails in one attempt, he instantly tries another. But then how gracious is our mighty Conqueror, who does not leave us to work out our salvation in our own strength, but "worketh for us and in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure." Subsequently she became the subject of deep depression and heavy conflict with Satan and unbelief; but in Letters 8 and 9 we have an account of the glorious manner in which she was brought forth. Did space allow we should be glad to quote the whole of them; the following must suffice, at the same time with considerable pleasure we direct the attention of the reader to the work itself: God knows best when to accomplish his designs of mercy and grace towards us, and it would be well if we could leave the whole in his hands; his time being the best period for us in all things. My case was a desperate one; I was truly conscious, that sin was ever living in my members, and that my heart was altogether defiled by it. I had been alone praying for deliverance as usual, under strong apprehensions of being cut off and lost for ever-about noon-day, passing mournfully over the stairs, it seemed as though I heard these words spoken from over my head"It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait to see the salvation of the Lord." Being surprised I looked above and below, to see from whence the words proceeded; I made a stand, and felt the consciousness of a supernatural presence; and it was obvious to me from whence the sweet sound came. Going into the parlour, where no person was near, I sat down in wonder and amazement, while the words were again and again re-echoed in my ears. “Surely," said I, "this can be no other than the Lord speaking to me! I am utterly astonished! It is good to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Why, I have been about giving up all hope; but, like Jonah, I will look again towards thy holy temple." * * I think about three weeks after that solemn day, when the voice of heaven spake to me, an increased measure of heavenly joy and rapture, filled my heart; and I was not only freed from all suspicions about the safety of my state, but I thought I had entered into a full assurance of an inheritance with the saints in glory: and being light and glad, and rejoicing in the Lord, I could have sung myself away to rest for ever in words like these: "Oh glorious hour, oh blest abode, All day long did I praise the Lord with joyful lips; beholding myself clothed in a Redeemer's righteousness, and walking sensibly in the sunshine of his immediate presence. I often broke out thus, " Many years have I embraced in theory the blessed doctrines which the gospel holds out-many years have I received the doctrine of the righteousness of Christ being imputed to those who believe, as God's truth; yet so different is it to my view now, when conscious that I stand in it, that it cannot be comprehended but by those who have been driven out of themselves to seek for glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life in him who alone has it to bestow. Now shall my soul make her boast in the Lord, for he has brought me up out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, set my feet upon a rock and established my goings; therefore will I praise him as long as I live, for he is all my light and all my salvation. O fear the Lord, all ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him." Indeed, with me the guilt of sin was taken way, and it was one song only with those above, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive blessing and honour, and power, and glory, having redeemed us and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Thus led up to the fountain-head, to participate of those rich streams which make glad the city of God, I could say, "All my fresh springs are in thee. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there are none upon earth I desire beside thee. Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. He hath delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling into hell." The volume has now been some months before the public, and we have heard of several instances in which it has been most peculiarly blessed to the souls of those who have perused it. We recommend it as an agreeable companion, or a suitable present to youth upon leaving the paternal roof. Plain Sermons for Plain People. By the Rev. ALFRED HEWLETT, M.A., Incumbent of Astley, near Manchester. (No 12.) Being the substance of a sermon preached in St. Clement's Church, Manchester, on Sunday evening, March 15th, 1840, the day after the funeral of the late Rev. W. Nunn, the faithful and beloved minister of that church. London R. Groombridge, Panyer Alley, Paternoster Row. : THIS is the twelfth number of this very excellent series of Gospel tracts. They abound with instruction and comfort to the church of the living God, and their moderate price will put them within the reach of almost the poorest of the Lord's family. Here we have twelve pages of soulcomforting truth for three halfpence; even if this small sum is beyond the means of some of the Lord's poor, we recommend the adoption of a similar mode to that which we are informed is practised with our Magazine-namely, to add the halfpence together and purchase the work between them; it is then passed round from house to house, and each in his turn retains a number. The Sermon before us was preached (as expressed in the title-page), in consequence of the death of that beloved and eminently useful servant of God, the late Rev. William Nunn. The text chosen on the occasion was 1 Cor. xv. 10, "And his grace which was bestowed on me, was not in vain." We give the substance in the preacher's own words :— First-The grace of God is fruit given to every child of God in the Lord Jesus, as one with Him, in the divine mind, from all eternity. This is "not in vain," for it is the certain cause of (secondly) redeeming grace in the personal sufferings, obedience, and death of the Son of God in our nature: and this is "not in vain," for from this arises (thirdly) the grace or gracious work of the Holy Ghost; regenerating, quickening, or converting all those individuals who are given to Jesus Christ, their glorious Head; nor is this "in vain," but is followed up by constant acts of grace, which, working in |