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consolation of the Lord's dear tried ones in the wilderness. It is the cause of truth, sir, that is so much wanted and so violently opposed, openly hated, and inwardly abhorred, both by Satan and his host of hirelings in this present and pestilential day of open rebuke and blasphemy against the God we love! What a day is this of almost universal departure from the truth as it is in Jesus, or faith of the Gospel; and yet these awful times are by no means the effect of chance, as there can be no chance work in Jehovah's divine check-book. The beast and the false prophet seem evidently to carry the sway, while the three unclean spirits, like frogs out of the dragon's mouth, everywhere gain attention, and obtain the admiration of the gaping crowds. The old serpent has for some time been threatening the destruction of the woman and her man-child, and he now appears to be gaining ground very fast, while his busy whelps are by no means idle in forwarding the dirty work of their father, in dexterously seeking means to stab in the dark and stab to the heart every faithful witness for God and his truth. It is not enough, it should seem, for the witnesses to be clothed in sackcloth and ashes, but they must heap upon the dear servants of the Lord the vilest of odium and ungodly filth they can possibly collect from the loathsome dunghill of carnal corruption, in order to blacken and, if possible, to conceal or hide their persons and usefulness from the service of the Lord and the good of the Lord's family; while, at the same time, they vainly fancy themselves to be the very acme of perfection and genuine piety. Even many of the dear people of God are not totally free from this leaven; in fact, how little is now to be seen, even among those of whom we dare not say, They belong not to God, yet many of whom have so much of the serpent in them that they appear never so happy as when they feast themselves and others with the dust of a brother's or sister's imperfections. How little is to be seen of that brotherly-kindness and charity spoken of in the word of God (1 Cor. xiii. chapter throughout), and which, in point of fact, is in itself a very striking feature in the Christian character; and, although many great and good men are too apt to seek applause from creatures like themselves, for even we may see that the very best of men (as they are sometimes called) are but men, nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. What a mercy it is, that in these dark days and dregs of time there are still left a few names in Sardis that are not suffered to defile their garments with Rome's whores or Rome's offsprings, or her bastard race of Arminians and moderate Calvinists, who now infest our land like the locusts in Egypt, and eat up the household bread from the children of God, leaving such to starve for the lack of food (Lam. iv. 4). God help you, and all your able and valuable correspondents to stand fast in the faith, to quit you like men, be strong, be faithful unto death (unto His death), and your crown of life is sure. Never be afraid, my dear brother, of hoisting the colours too high, in the very face and teeth of yours and the church's enemies; let the royal standard of the cross be exhibited very high, "Lift ye up the standard for the people" (Isa. lxii. 10).

I have been a constant subscriber and an occasional scribbler to the GOSPEL MAGAZINE for now upwards of FORTY-TWO YEARS, save and except the few months the said work became a prey to the lion of the forest, whose ponderous and powerful jaws threatened to devour the little brat, without leaving even so much as the two legs and the piece of an ear! No sooner did the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls call home that dear under-shepherd, the late Walter Row, whom I had the honour personally to know and spiritually to love, than the said lion, with the rapidity of lightning, darted upon his object of destruction, and with his jaw-teeth inflicted the most deadly wound upon the same. But the Shepherd of Israel's eye was upon the lamb of truth in the lion's mouth, and kindly, it should seem, directed you, as the honoured instrument in his hand, to deliver the lawful captive from the mighty; which you having so done, I again became a cheerful subscriber unto, and a supporter of, the same; and shall most likely continue so till death terminates my earthly career, which, according to the course of nature, cannot be long with me; indeed, the strongest buildings in human materials are not intended for long duration here; such dwelling-places must come down, and return to their original dust-"Dust

thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." The blessed God did not make man to dwell for ever here, nor did he, when he first formed him, intend him to stand one moment longer than the set time allotted in Jehovah's eternal mind and purpose, having formed him at first for a higher purpose (Isa. xliii. 21), and an eternal existence in a world where his very nature and life shall be for ever finally secure from every vile attack from the grand enemy of souls, and for ever free from all possible defilement, corruption, and every vile ingredient of rotting quality whatever. There disease of every kind shall not touch the saved soul, sickness and sorrow shall no more annoy him, nor infirmity of any kind or sort enfeeble him; no malady infect him, no sin shall plague him, nor temptation distress him; his happy soul shall there be for ever at rest, and far beyond his enemies' reach, himself no more to go out, but for ever remain a pillar in the temple of his God, yea, for ever, even for ever and ever (Rev. iii. 12; Dan. vii. 18). Departure while here is inevitable, and separation unavoid. able; but in our eternal home nothing of this nature can take place; there our life will be for ever holy and for ever happy, everlastingly secure, and of endless duration in the heavenly regions of our ever adorable and incomparable God, the great Jehovah, in unity of essence one, but in distinction of persons three (John, v. 7). The word farewell is our earthly language, i. e., in human intercourse; not so in heaven; those we know there we shall know them for ever; those we love there, we shall love them for ever; those we are with there we shall be with them for ever; our existence and possessions will remain in eternity, eternally the same, and be eternally our own. There no death to demolish and remove us; no heirs to succeed our left inheritance (if any); no wills to make, no oaths to take, no promises to break, no crazy frame to prop, no pulse to stop, no last gasp to breathe, no more sighs to heave; there death is for ever swallowed up in victory; "I live (saith one) and you shall live also," i. e., live with the best, live on the best; where every face and every grace look heavenly and divine. Oh, happy state!

"With God eternally shut in,

Far from a world of grief and sin."

Many have said before to-day, "Lord, I long to be with thee;" yet many have said, and do now say, "I could like stay a little longer here;" and if we do not speak it out, we think so, we wish it, we want it; yet, to be finally absent from the flesh is our eternal condition; flesh and sense will not control us there; yet we like the flesh very well while here, nor can we bear to see or have it mortified; and, although flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of⚫ heaven, still we at times seem as if we cared not how long we are out of heaven so long as we can be with what we love here below. It is said, "All flesh is grass;" and who, while in the flesh, does not like to see the grass, to walk in the grass, to lie down on the grass, to rest on the grass, to indulge on the grass? i. e. to solace ourselves in fleshly enjoyments and earthly comforts. I speak as a man, judge what I say; even our father Adam chose Eve before God, and Eve believed the devil more than God; who then, 1 ask, can wonder at the feelings, flightiness, and wild conduct of the offspring of such crazy-brained parents? The blessed God, however, knows what is best for us, and what is best to do with us; he sovereignly removes hell out of us, and sovereignly keeps us out of hell. The Most High saith, "I will be their God;" who shall hinder him?"They shall be my people;" who shall prevent them? God cannot deny himself. Oh! union strong as God can make it. Oh! union firm as God can keep it. Fear not, poor disheartened, disconsolate, sin-burdened, deviltempted, conscience-smitten, self-condemned, heart.overwhelmed, poor and wretched, miserable and naked (in thy own esteem) soul; cheer up, dear and afflicted heart; if Satan accuse thee, the Angel of Jehovah's covenant will stand by thee (Zech. iii. 1, 2); if the world despise and persecute thee, Jesus has overcome the world for thee (John, xvi. 33); if hypocrites hate thee, Jesus loves thee (Gal. ii. 20); if thy heart deceive thee and condemn thee, Jesus is greater than thy heart and knoweth all things (1 John, iii. 20); if sin and transgression trouble thee, Jesus made an end of one and finally finished the

other on thy behalf (Dan. ix. 24-26); if the law harrass and distress thee, Jesus has satisfied the law's demands in thy room (Rom. x. 4; Isa. xlii. 24); does death alarm thee? death has no sting for thee (1 Cor. xv. 55; Heb. ii. 14); does the grave terrify thee? Christ has already passed through this gate to make it easy and pleasant for thee (Micah, ii. 13); and He who cannot lie hath said, no good thing shall be withheld from them that walk uprightly (Psalm xxxiv. 11).

"Rejoice, ye saints, in every state,

Divine decrees remain unmov'd,
No turns of providence abate,

God's care for those he once hath lov'd."

Mr. Editor, I could wish not to weary you, but I have certainly gone to a greater length than I intended when I first began. May the rich anointings of the holy Three-in-One Jehovah sweetly rest upon you and be blessedly felt within you. May Jehovah in his Trinity of Persons own and bless you, and keep you firm and faithful to and in the truth as it is in Jesus; and may God the Holy Ghost enable you to stand your ground in these days of abounding error, darkness, and death; and may an entrance into glory be your eternal portion when your work is finished below, is the sincere breathings of, dear brother,

Hull.

Yours, truly and affectionately, in the sweet Lord Jesus,

THE OFFENCE OF THE CROSS.

GALATIANS, V. 11.

SAMUEL LANE.

THAT the offence of the cross, or, the flesh-humbling, God-exalting proclamation of poor hell-deserving sinners being saved by rich, discriminating grace, has not ceased, is evident, otherwise we should not see the church of Winchelsea closed for want of a supply, because its minister was too plain for his neighbouring clergymen to proffer their aid during a season of temporary sickness, and too faithful to arouse the sympathies and active influence of his parishioners in endeavouring to procure the same, even supposing that assistance were desirable. Hence spiritually-hungry-and-thirsty souls must travel five, ten, and even fifteen miles to church, in search of Gospel nourishment, to be disappointed.

That the offence of the cross is not ceased, is evident, or a GOWRING Would not be so readily assailed in the proclamation of a full, a free, and a complete salvation; the result of a pre-ordained, God-glorifying plan, irrespective of all the vain proffers, fleshly pleadings, and free-will efforts, of men who have dared to thrust themselves into the priest's office, to set up themselves as preachers and teachers, while their mode of argument proves to a demonstration that they stand in need of the instruction of the veriest babe in the school of Christ. Oh! that God would ride forth in his glorious majesty and power, scattering the darkness that envelopes his church, and undermining the very foundation and rasing to the ground such superstructures as those are attempting to raise who, while, they professedly are engaged for God, are rebelling against his sovereign power, and proving themselves thereby to be the enemies of the cross of Christ.

That the offence of the cross has not ceased, is obvious, or a bishop, within whose diocesan range it was a HEWLETT'S lot for a season to labour, would not so readily be apprised of his having propagated high Calvinistic doctrine. We pity the man-we despise his act-who could thus treacherously seek the exercise of a power placed within the reach (we will not stay to consider with what

propriety) of fallible men, who are at liberty to exercise that authority in calling to account clergymen within the circumference of their dominion, whether that authority is reposed in them in unison with a heart humbled by grace, and a mind divinely instructed, or not. Let the name of such a man-a mere informer-sink into utter insignificance; tell not in Gath of such a cowardly act; and bid such "a whisperer," such "a spy," such an enemy to God and truth, for once to retire to his closet, and re-peruse what was so nobly read in the hearing of the congregation on the Sabbath morning succeeding that to which he made it his business to refer the 17th of those Articles by which the church, of which he is so useless a member, professes to be controlled. Let him read that Article, and endeavour (if the natural alienation of his mind from the things of God, and his own foolish notions of dignity and self-importance, form not too strong a barrier) to comprehend the spirit and meaning of those blessed men whom God the Holy Ghost employed to pen those Articles; and then let him seriously ask the question, and his conscience (if it be not already seared as with a hot iron) as seriously give the reply, whether such men would not blush to acknowledge such as himself to be a brother in a "contention for the faith once delivered to the saints ?" Nay, would they not readily class such a character among those who contend against the faith? We tremble for that man, and we adopt this our only medium of communication (as we know not who he is nor where he is), with all faithfulness to rebuke him, should this Magazine fall into his hands; but more especially to caution others against ever resorting to such unmanly, contemptible modes of complaint. If they must find fault, let them meet their minister face to face, and fairly and openly bring their charge, in preference to resorting to the under-handed expedient of addressing a bishop. Such practices are detestable, and those who resort to them may well be reminded of the language of Holy Writ respecting the jealous care which God exercises towards his family, "Whoso toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." THE EDITOR.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

MY DEAR BROTHER,

Peace be with you, and the presence of Him, even Jesus, whom to know is life eternal, and in whose blood and righteousness the church, even the election of grace, is saved. As I sat reading the word of God this morning, this Scripture came with power to my soul, "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts" (1 Thess. ii. 4). It seemed as if our kind and gracious God directed me to that passage to cheer me, to encourage, and to strengthen me, even against that opposition, contempt, and enmity, which ever has been, still is, and ever will be, the trial of every really faithful minister of Christ, who has been separated for the work by the Holy Ghost (Acts, xiii. 2), and can show his commission from God. And having had a sweet moment over this verse in my own soul, I seem led, as it were, to put down a few thoughts upon it, in the hope that, if you insert this in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE, it may tend to cheer and revive the hearts of others in the household of faith especially the sent ministers of the Gospel.

Oh, my brother! I sigh to think how few there are who are preaching the Gospel; how few there are realizing in their own souls the great, and glorious,

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