though thine interview may have been but very brief, and thou mayst fancy that surely the heavenly Boaz will not regard thee, of such worthless and contemptible origin, yet, "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this day,"

PASSING THOUGHTS.

AN EDITOR.-The fable of the Donkey and his Master bears a strict analogy to the position of an Editor; who, if he be a man of shallow principles, or without an opinion founded upon sound experience, will, by sophistry on the one hand, and abuse on the other, twist and turn like a weather-cock.

TRUE ZEAL.-Good old George the Third said, when asked to favour Catholic emancipation, "I can vacate my throne, and I can lay my head upon a block, but I can never violate my coronation oath;" and there are those still who can sacrifice personal interest and forego worldly aggrandizement, where the precious truth of God is at stake. "Take care of my truth," says God, " and I will take care of you."

CHARACTER. -When in my right mind, and enabled to exclaim, "My witness is in heaven, and my record is on high," I would not turn a straw to make any one think a whit better of me. It is quite enough that my God knows all about me, and the motives by which I have been actuated.

A TELL-TALE-A believer should be always telling tales to Jesus, but the less he tells to men the better.

PRIDE. A fine head of hair saved the proud Absalom the expense of a halter. BALLAST.-A vessel never puts to sea without a freight or sufficient ballast to keep her steady; otherwise, under a press of canvass (as the sailors say), the first smart breeze would throw her upon her beam-ends or capsize her entirely; so the Lord's messengers have to be well-ballasted with anxiety, temptation, and care, to keep them from being overthrown by the pride of the human heart, and the subtility of the great Adversary.

WISHES.-We often mistake our desires for God's intentions.

PRAYER. Our waiting upon a throne of grace too much resembles the conduct of reckless children, who not waiting to hear it out, run off with half a message; and then have to return, and receive their commission afresh.

CAUSE AND EFFECT.-Thousands work for life, whilst few work from life. ANTINOMIAN.And can you, sir, in a day when truth is mutilated, and a yea-andnay Gospel substituted for the pure, unadulterated word, professedly with boldness and fearlessness maintain the soul-comforting, God-honouring doctrines of eternal election, effectual calling, and final perseverance; and yet escape the charge of Antinomianism? We fear, then, sir, that there is a something wrong—that there is rottenness at the core. SOCIETY. A man may be cheerful and complaisant to his fellow-man; but when the subject of religion is broached, and he appears equally at home amongst all grades of professors, we think there are just grounds for apprehension. We are at a loss to know where lies his jealousy for truth. The word of God says, "Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing."

SLAVISH FEAR.-"I can't do that," said one boy to another, "for my father will punish me."

FILIAL FEAR." I cannot," said another; "by so doing I should grieve my father."

HOME DISSENSIONS.-It is remarked that the outbreak of the late American war so diverted the attention and aroused the energies of our countrymen, as to stay the thirst for civil war, which was just then upon the eve of bursting forth: if the real church of God were more intent upon its outward-if we may so speak, its foreign foes, she would have less time and inelination for inward contention upon points of minor consideration. ALFRED.

THE GREAT BLESSEDNESS OF AN INTEREST IN

CHRIST JESUS.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.-Romans, viii. 3.

HERE is a subject for our consideration! one which enters largely into the nature of causes, and shows, on an extensively wide scale, the infinite wisdom and mercy of God! There is a peculiarity to be observed in Paul's manner of writing. It would seem that the Holy Spirit led him sweetly along, far, far beyond the grasp of his own intellectual capacity; so that, when straining his mental energies to their full extent in order to attain an intimate knowledge of what he himself wrote, he found a bound set to his crampt-up mind, and he exclaims, "Oh! the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out." But the peculiarity to which I more particularly allude, is, his not having made distinctions between those that differ, but his seeming rather disposed to leave them in an apparently mixed disorder, as though those to whom he addresses himself by letter, perfectly understood him. Perhaps this really was so. Correspondence between parties having had previous intercourse, is certainly best understood among themselves. It is very probable that the topics here given by letter, had been the subject of many an address given to the Romans in person. The word Law used in the second verse (considered in a previous paper), and the same word in the third verse, cannot have one meaning. It is only in a distant sense, that they can be identified, although in both cases implying a 66 rule of action." These premises furnish at least one important consideration a conviction of our weakness, and increase the necessity of praying the Holy Spirit to make known his own word, as we read on from verse to verse; and believe me, reader, it is no ordinary attainment to be sensible of our liability to err, for by mistaking a leading feature in God's word, we in no distant sense resemble the mariner in a storm, who, in the moment's haste, puts the helm in a direction which precipitates him and all his crew into increased and, perhaps, irrecoverable dangers. It is to me not at all unlikely but that Peter alludes to such fatal errors, when he writes a precaution at the close of his second epistle, alluding to certain men, whose reckless haste had led them into consequences which knew no remedy. They were "unlearned and unstable." I again repeat, how very important a part of our attainment consists in knowing our own weakness. Having arrived at this point makes one stable," and if our knowledge of God's word be received in answer to prayer, it is worth having.

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I. The Law to which Paul alludes, and its requirements.
II.-Its weakness through the flesh.

III.-God sending his own Son, who for sin condemned sin in the flesh.

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I.—Then this law was given by Moses-he received it from the hands of God-who, when he exhibited it, so great an effect was produced, that he put a vail over his face." And why so? because it contained a declaration of the righteousness of God! So fearful was the message of God to man that it conveyed the sentence of eternal death to his whole family; God therein declaring that he would by no means clear the guilty. By no means, every avenue of hope shut out (Rom. iii. 19). It demands our undivided affections in God's service, and makes no provision whatever for inability. It interferes as much with a little bias of feeling as it does with a heinous offence. The inspired language concerning it, is it cannot be broken." It cannot pass away till all be fulfilled; yet, severe as it is, he who demands obedience to it, has founded it upon the principles of strict justice and equity; he who quarrels with its sweeping precept, because unable and unwilling to obey it, assumes a position equal to disputing the sovereign prerogative of Jehovah, and asks him, why He makes laws, without first providing him (man) with faculties equal to the task of obedience. This is the ruling passion in the mind of man, for it is clearly observable, that the knowledge of the law alone does not soften the hard heart of man. This must be in all cases the accompaniment of the dawnings of mercy; but mercy cannot be dispensed at the expense of justice. The ransom still remains unknown, until we are fully taught one important lesson-viz. "The knowledge of sin." This is taught by the law in the same way that light discovers deformity ; yet he at least thinks himself within the reach of removing his own difficulties by exertions, and sets to work, not being yet fully acquainted with the seat of sin. It is very possible to toil at this wheel some time, without discovering that God demands, not only the full payment, but also the heart's warmest feelings, together with the "deeds of the law.” Here the man comes to a perfect stand. The spirituality of the law, and the carnality of his heart, are set in array with each other; he is thus, under such a chain of discoveries, supposed to reason with himself:- I had thought, all this time, that the demand of God only related to the amount of work done; I did not suppose the motive would be at all regarded as to whether it proceeded from love or hatred. Now having discovered the seat of iniquity, from whence proceeds every evil, and finding, also, that the heart is more required than the work, makes the "offence abound," and he learns that hitherto he had been but a superficial observer of the righteous, holy, and perfect law of God! The law is now found to be too "weak" to save him, by reason of the "flesh "—instead of which he finds it, to the very letter, "the ministration of condemnation."

While busy pondering, with fearful apprehensions, over the infinite and unalterable law of God—that God who is, in strict accordance with his justice, passing sentence, amounting to nothing less than "every man shall die for his own sins," is busily engaged, providing a messenger

to fulfil that which man had broken; and not only so, but to magnify and make honourable that law which no man could obey in his own person.

The purity of the law and the holiness of God rendered it proper that the only Son of God himself should be sent on this errand. But the penalty of the law must be paid, a punishment must be inflicted, and not merely a punishment for its own sake, but a punishment such as would not only be equal to the cost prices the law demanded, but a punishment rendering merit sufficient to lift man to heaven itself. Here, reader, meditate awhile on the triune arrangements of our God. Had the death of Christ procured only a freedom from the law, then had death been an everlasting sleep! instead of this, he adds to its fulfilment an "everlasting righteousness" for his redeemed. But more

of this in its place.

"God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."

Having considered that the affections must be wholly on the side of obedience to God's law, so as to render such obedience acceptable to God, and sin being seated in the flesh, alienates the affections from God, at once declares the dreadful position in which man stands. But an offended God makes no compromise, and, in order to maintain the holiness of his throne, in mercy sends his only Son! The glory of God, as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ, begins to develop itself; for, while the law pours forth its threatenings, Jehovah comes forward in the person of Christ, and, as if with a view to surprise and overwhelm his waiting children with the exceeding greatness of his grace, says, "Lo! I come."-If an inquiry is made, as to what Christ came for, himself tells us in the words immediately following-viz. "to do thy will, O God." Here is one equal to the dreadful task, who not only does, but loves the law. Herein HE differs from ourselves to the wide extreme, because HIS affections are on the side of obedience. He says, 66 In the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart" (Ps. xl. 7, 8). This same Divine Person also said, when conversing with the disciples, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John, iv. 34). Again, in John, vi. 38, He tells us that he came down from heaven as the very messenger of mercy, bringing with him all that possibly could be conceived by us of Jehovah; for all the manifestations of God to his church and people are only in and through Christ. In the doing of all this, though coequal and coeternal with the Father, yet (O infinite submission! it makes me wonder) came in the form of a servant, and in reply to tedious interrogations, meekly replied that he came down from heaven "to do the will of him that sent me."

I know of no words by which to give a clearer, more definite, and more conclusive expression to Scripture than to say, God sent God, and in obedience to God, God came. Thus, while God the Son delighted in doing the will of God the Father, the Scripture sweetly

introduces the harmonious concurrence of the one will in both Persons, wherein it says, "Behold mine elect whom I uphold, my servant in whom my soul delighteth."

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In proceeding with a subject like this, it is next to impossible to take into consideration all its wonderful bearings, yet it must be observed, in reference to obedience on the part of Christ and his delight therein, showing that his whole heart's affections were engaged in fulfilling the law as the Surety of his people; yet, while suffering under the dreadful weight of their sin, we find him " exceeding sorrowful; troubled in soul; sore amazed:" and the like. Here we behold the "Son of man," and to this view only of Christ, considering him as a complex person, composed of two natures, can we render that sacred truth concerning him at all subservient-" Whom I uphold; because Deity wants no help-manhood does. Hence, then, the only inference that can be truly applicable alludes exclusively to the man-nature in which he suffered; in that nature which was "made" for the purpose, in the likeness of sinful flesh.

The resemblance or "likeness," consists in its proportions to everything which relates to pain and suffering, but not to sin! "He was made in all points like unto his brethren." The reason the Holy Spirit assigns for this is, "that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of his people" (Heb. ii. 17). But I must hasten to rather an abrupt close. What is to be conceived of " condemning sin in the flesh?" These two wonderful words amount to an admission highly important-viz. that sin is condemned. However difficult may be its exact meaning, one thing is certain, that its effects are destroyed in the person of Christ. It is, however, declared to be that abominable thing which God hates; and the words under consideration seem to imply that it is condemned for its own sake. The marginal reading is, "or, by a sacrifice for sin."

A future paper (God willing) will take into consideration the words immediately following.

Cossey, August 20th.

MODERATUS.

SAUL OF TARSUS; OR, THE CONTRAST BETWEEN

NATURE AND GRACE.

(Concluded from page 311.)

NOR is it among the least things to be observed, how very different the course pursued by the apostle "after he had obtained mercy;" for not only do we find him preaching the faith he once destroyed (Gal. i. 23), but he declares the cause why he did so to be the constraining influence of the love of Christ (2 Cor. v. 14). And being thus constrained, the whole of his preaching and writing was concerning him to whom the prophets gave witness (Acts, x. 43), whom he preached as