power and glory, for ever and ever. Let's fight, let's fight! Avaunt, Satan, avaunt!"

Godfrey Varall of Piedmont: "Hangman, do thine office; my death will be fruitful to myself and others."

Hallewine of Antwerp, and Harman of Amsterdam, to the margrave of Antwerp, offering mitigation of torments upon abjuration: "We are resolved these momentary afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shall be revealed." Peter and Nicholas Thiesseu, brethren, used the like speech.

Annas Burgius, in the midst of his torments: "Lord, forsake me not, lest I forsake thee!"

Peter Clarke, with the root of his tongue plucked out, pronounced audibly (to show that none ever wanted a tongue to praise God): "Blessed be the name of God;" as of old Romanus the martyr, mentioned in Prudentius.

Godfrey de Hammele, to one that called him heretic: "No heretic, but an unprofitable servant, yet willing to die for his Lord, and reckoning this death no death, but a life."

Bucer: "No man by talk shall withdraw my mind from Christ crucified, from heaven, and my speedy departure, upon which my soul is fixed." When one advised him to arm himself against Satan's temptation: "He has nothing to do with me. God forbid, but now my soul should be sure of sweet consolation.' Tremelius, a Christian Jew: "Let Christ live, and Barabbas perish." Ferdinand, emperor: "If mine ancestors and predecessors had not died, how should I have been emperor? I must, that other may succeed me."

Frederick the Third, Elector Palatine, to his friends about him, wishing him recovery: "I have lived enough to you, let me now live to myself, and with my Lord Christ."

Leonard Cæsar: "O Lord, do thou suffer with me; Lord, support me and save me."

Windelmuta, to one that told her she had not yet tasted how bitter death was: "No (said she), neither ever shall I, for so much hath Christ promised to all that keep his word; neither will I forsake him for sweet life, or bitter death."

Henry Voes: "If I had ten heads, they should all off for Christ. God forbid I should rejoice in anything save in his cross.'

The minister of Brisgo: "This skin, which scarce cleaves to my bones, I must shortly have laid off by necessity; how much more willingly now, for my Saviour Christ."

Adolphus Clarebachius: "I believe there is not a merrier heart in the world at this instant, than mine is. Behold, you shall see me die by that faith I have lived in."

Alexander Cane, when a fool's cap was put on his head: "Can I have a greater honour done me, than to be served as my Lord Christ before Herod? Lord, seeing my persecutors have no mercy, have thou mercy on me, and receive my soul."

66

Almondus a Via: "My body dies, my spirit lives. God's kingdom abides ever. God hath now given me the accomplishment of all my desires." Giles Tilman, urged to know what he believed of purgatory: Purgatory and hell I leave to you, but my hope is directly to go into Paradise. Neither fear I this great pile of wood, whereof some might have been spared to warm the poor; but will pass through it purged for my Saviour."

Peter Bruce; "I thank God my broken leg suffered me not to fly this martyrdom."

Marion, the wife of Adrian, seeing the coffin hooped with iron, wherein she was to be buried alive: "Have you provided this pasty-crust to bake my flesh in?" Lewis Paschalis: "It's a small matter to die once for Christ; if it might be, I could wish I might die a thousand deaths for him.”

John Buisson: "I shall now have a double gaol-delivery; one out of my sinful flesh, another from the loathsome dungeon I have long lain in.”

Hugh Stallour to John Pike, his fellow-martyr: "Yet a little while, and we shall see one another before the throne and face of God."

Levine de Blehere, to his friends that offered to rescue him by tumult: "Hinder not the magistrates' work, nor my happiness. Father, thou foresawest this sacrifice from eternal: now accept of it, I pray thee."

Christopher Fabrianus: "First bitter, then sweet; first battle, the victory when I am dead; every drop of my blood shall preach Christ and set forth his praise."

Francis Soet: "You deprive me of this life, and promote me to a better, which is, as if you should rob me of counters, and furnish me with gold."

Guy de Bres: "The ringing of my chain hath been sweet music in mine ears, my prison an excellent school, wherein God's Spirit hath been my teacher. All my former discourses were as a blind man's of colours in comparison of my present feeling. Oh, what a precious comforter is a good conscience!"

Dionysius Peloquine, to the inquisitor telling him his life was now in his own hands: "Then (said he) it were in an ill keeping. Christ's school hath taught me to save it by losing it, and not, by the gain of a few days or years, to lose eternity."

Lewis Marsake, knight, seeing his other brethren go with halters about their necks, which they offered not him because of his dignity: "Why, I pray you (quoth he), deny me not the badge and ornament of so excellent an order. Is not my cause the same with theirs?" Which obtaining, he marched valiantly to the stake with them.

Simon Lalous, to one Silvester, his executioner: "Never saw I a man in all my life whose coming was more welcome to me than thine." So cheerful was his death, that Silvester, amazed at it, left his office, became a convert and a Christian himself, went to Geneva for further instruction in the gospel.

Kilian, a Dutch schoolmaster, to such as asked him if he loved not his wife and children: "Yes (said he); if all the world were gold, and were mine to dispose of, I would give it to live with them, though it were but in prison. Yet my soul and Christ are dearer to me than all."

Giles Verdict: "Out of my ashes shall rise innumerable Christians." Which prophecy God so verified by the effect, that it grew a byword after his death that his ashes flew abroad all the country.

Antony Verdict, brother to the former, condemned to be eaten with beasts, to prevent the like proverb, said to his father: "O father, how hath God enabled you to have two sons honoured with martyrdom!”

John Barbevill, to friars that called him ignorant ass: "Well, admit I were so, yet shall my blood witness against such Balaams as you be."

Francisce Colver, to his two sons, massacred together with himself: "Sheep we are for the slaughter. This is no new thing. Let us follow millions of martyrs through temporal death to eternal life."

By all these, which are but a handful of Christ's camp royal, it sufficiently appears they had their faith fresh and lively in the face of this grand enemy, and, by virtue of their faith, their spirits, wits, and tongues untroubled, undismayed, insomuch that an ancient witnesses of the Christian bishops, that they did more ambitiously desire the glory of martyrdom than others did prelacies and preferments; and a late mortal enemy of theirs bade a vengeance on them, for he thought they took delight in burning. What, then, shall we gain by them? I remember Mr. Rough, a minister, coming from the burning of one Austo in Smithfield, being asked by Mr. Farrar of Halifax where he had been, made answer, There where I would not but have been for one of my eyes, and would you know where? Forsooth, I have been to learn the way; which soon after he made good, by following him in the same place, in the same kind of death. Now, if one president made him so good a scholar, what dullards and non-proficients are we if such a cloud of examples work not in us a cheerful ability to expect and encounter the same adversary, so often foiled before our eyes?

N

QUIC

UICK must be the hand if an impression is to be made upon the wax. Once let the wax cool and you will press the seal in vain. Cold and hard it will be in a few moments, therefore let the work be quickly done. When men's hearts are melted under the preaching of the Word, or by sickness, or the loss of friends, believers should be very eager to stamp the truth upon the prepared mind. Such opportunities are to be seized with holy eagerness. Reader, do you know of such? If you be a lover of the Lord Jesus hasten with the seal before the wax is cold. Perhaps, dear reader, you are yourself unsaved; then look at the woodcut, and remember that such is your life. It is like the flame upon the stick of wax, and your soul is like the wax which drops upon the envelope, capable of receiving an impression while you are alive, but soon hardened and made unalterable by the cold breath of death. If the stamp of eternal life is to be set upon your soul it must be now, for when once this life is over change is impossible.

The divine hand can even now set the seal of sacred love upon your heart; but your breath is in your nostrils, and to-morrow may find you where the stamp of grace can never be impressed.

TO-MORROW-YOU MAY BE IN HELL.

No acts of pardon are ever passed on the other side of the grave, but pardons are plentiful on earth. Jesus suffered for the sins of all who trust him; so suffered that they can never be condemned, since Jesus was punished in their stead. He that believeth on Jesus hath set to his seal that God is true, and he shall receive God's seal, setting him apart as a choice and chosen spirit. Oh that the seal would fall upon you now, and impress the image of Jesus upon your heart for ever!

No. 25.-From C. H. SPURGEON'S "Sword and Trowel," published monthly, price 3d.; post free, 4d Tracts, 6d. per 100; Post free 8 stamps.-Passmore & Alabaster, 23, Paternoster Row.

Original Scripture Illustrations,

From the "Tabernacle Teacher's Manuscript Magazine."

66

"Ye must be born again.”—John iii. 7.

A RAW countryman having brought his gun to the gunsmith for repairs, the latter is reported to have examined it, and finding it to be almost too far gone for repairing, said, "Your gun is in a very worn-out, ruinous, good-for-nothing condition; what sort of repairing do you want?" Well," said the countryman, "I don't see as I can do with anything short of a new stock, lock and barrel; that ought to set it up again." Why," said the smith, "you had better have a new gun altogether." "Ah!" was the reply, "I never thought of that; and it strikes me that's just what I do want. A new stock, lock and barrel; why that's about equal to a new gun altogether, and that's what we'll have."

66

Just the sort of repairing that man's nature requires. The old nature cast aside as a complete wreck and good for nothing, and a new one imparted.

"Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”—John v. 40.

We are told that in stormy weather it is not unusual for small birds to be blown out of sight of land on to the sea. They are often seen by voyagers out of their reckoning and far from the coast, hovering over the masts on weary wings as if they wanted to alight and rest themselves, but fearing to do so. A traveller tells us that on one occasion, a little lark, which followed the ship for a considerable distance, was at last compelled through sheer weariness to alight. He was so worn out as to be easily caught. The warmth of the hand was so agreeable to him that he sat down on it, burying his little cold feet in his feathers, and looking about with his bright eye not in the least afraid, and as if feeling assured that he had been cast amongst good kind people whom he had no occasion to be so backward in trusting.

A touching picture of the soul who is aroused by the Spirit of God and blown out of its own reckoning by the winds of conviction, and the warm reception which the weary little bird received at the hands of the passengers conveys but a faint idea of that welcome which will greet the worn-out, sin-sick souls who will commit themselves into the hands of the only Saviour.

"And the door was shut."-Matt. xxv. 10.

Several years ago we heard an old minister relate the following incident: He had preached the Word for many a year in a wood hard by a beautiful village in the Inverness-shire Highlands, and it was his invariable custom, on dismissing his own congregation, to repair to the Baptist Chapel in this village to partake of the Lord's Supper with his people assembled there. It was then usual to shut the gates during this service, in order that communicants might not be exposed to any disturbance through persons going out or coming in. On one occasion the burden of the Lord pressed upon his servant with more than ordinary severity, but anxious to deliver it and clear his soul, he detained his hearers a little beyond the time, and consequently had to hurry to the chapel. As he drew near he noticed the doorkeeper retire from the

outer gate, after having shut it. He called to him, quickening his pace at the same time, but his cry was not heard, the attendant retreated inside and the minister came up "just" in time to see the door put to and hear it fastened from within. He walked round the chapel looking up at the windows, but could gain no admittance; there was only one door, and that door was shut. He listened and heard the singing, and thought how happy God's people were inside, while he himself was shut out. The circumstance made an impression upon him at the time which he could never afterwards forget, and he was led to ask himself the question, “Shall it be so at the last? Shall I come up to the gate of heaven only in time to be too late, to find the last ransomed one admitted, and the door everlastingly shut?"

The Asiatics of London.

BY MR. SALTER, MISSIONARY TO THE ASIATICS.

CHANG WOO GOW, the giant of Fuchau, and his diminutive companion,

Ching Maw, of Shanghae, have now been residents in the English metropolis for several months, and their extremes of stature have attracted the admiration of Englishmen from royalty to the wonder-seeking plebeian of our streets. The curiosities of the world from the savage to the sage, be they presented to us in the grotesque character of the New Zealand chiefs or the more pleasing queen from the Pacific, the cunning Chinese jugglers, or the manufactured savages, supposed to be imported from the island of Formosa, all find a long line of wondering admirers, and a ready market in this far-famed city. The curious may find in them a rich treat, and the ethnologist, who never travelled farther from his native land than I have, may regard them with higher motives and greater advantages; but the Christian man, though he may share largely in the feelings of all these, soars infinitely above them, and looks at the representatives of the human race in the light that comes from the cross of Calvary. Few, however, of the thousands who pay to visit these singular brethren from the antipodes, or see them elsewhere under more or less favourable circumstances, are ever influenced by a thought about their spiritual state. The monstrous errors by which the prince of this world binds the heathen down to darkness and death are numerous indeed; and some of these strange visitors, were our sympathies in that direction, and the colloquial medium at our disposal, would not only supply us with apt specimens of the heathen class, from which they are drawn, but would also suggest powerful motives for prayer and liberality, that the gospel may be introduced among the nations of the earth to which they belong.

The individuals noticed above are but a few prominent characters who come to view, floating, as it were, on the surface of society; and though as objects of attraction they may be regarded as scarce, yet as types of the families of mankind, and representatives of deluding systems of religion moving about in our mighty metropolis, they are by no means scarce. And the reflection is forced upon us that if London were only so evangelized as to make its spiritual influence tell upon the foreign population so largely existing in our midst, in what part of the world would not its sacred influence be felt? There is not a continent, and scarcely an island, that would not more or less be brought in contact with the powerful energy of our faith, and with such a power at home, what success might we not expect from the faithful labours of our brethren abroad?