as a sinner; Satan may roar, sin threaten destruction, the world persecute, and everything forbode the ruin of the soul. Another of Heman's troubles was, he thought the Lord had cast off his soul. We learn from this that a man may believe in eternal election, particular redemption, everlasting love, and final perseverance; and yet, under a dark and dismal cloud, he may think his soul is cast away. Yea, after having had clear evidences of his interest in Christ, he may be brought into a despairing state. Another of Heman's troubles is-God had put far from him lover and friend. They could not, perhaps, afford him any comfort, because they could not enter into his experience any more than Job's friends could understand his case. Perhaps by lover in this psalm, a servant of God may be meant, for these are lovers of the sheep and lambs; but the lover here spoken of might not have sufficient experience of his own to meet the case of Heman, and so Heman could get no comfort under the word. The meaning may be this all society, such as Heman desired, was put far from him, so that he seemed to be shut out from that company his soul so much longed for. But here are troubles of another kind we may now look at. Sin is the cursed seed that was sown in the Fall, and the harvest we reap from this sowing is all our troubles. When God hides his face, and we cannot feel satisfied that our sins are forgiven, this is a sore trouble. When filled with doubts and fears, and unbelief, and when we are under the hidings of God's face, we are made to roar out with poor Job, "O that I knew where I might find him!" But again, there are inward troubles of another kind, and which consist of God's terrors and a guilty conscience, and which ungodly professors are sometimes the subject of. Cain had an inward trouble; the murder of his brother was constantly before him. The voice of God-"What hast thou done?" was constantly in his ears. Saul's terror and trouble was, he could feel nothing, only that he was given up to the hardness of his heart, for the Lord would no more speak to him either by Urim or Thummim.

The terror and trouble of Judas was, he had, for the love of money, betrayed the innocent blood. His trouble was, he had sold Him who was all goodness; and had, in the very face of conscience and abundant proofs, delivered Jesus into the bonds of wicked men, who was full of compassion, and always went about doing good.

But to pass by all this, there are troubles of a peculiar character by which Christians are sorely exercised. Constitutional sins are very distressing to quickened souls, and cause some to walk the greater part of the way to heaven in darkness. Satan's suggestions and temptations are sore troubles; and besides these, there are troubles bred in our very nature which cause almost incessant sorrow. For instance pride troubles one; a bad temper troubles another; an inclination to covetousness troubles another; a propensity to strong drink troubles another; thoughts tending to uncleanness troubles another; and continual darkness and hardness of heart, through a nervous and phlegmatic constitution, trouble another. Once more. There are outward troubles concerning which I must say a word. We all have our share of these; some more and some less; the rich have their troubles as well as the poor. The monarch on the throne is not without troubles any more than the poorest peasant in the kingdom. The Government is not without its troubles any more than a private family. The Church of God is full of troubles as well as earthly communities. People in the single life have their troubles, being subject to crosses and disappointments. People in the married life have their troubles. They have great troubles in seeking bread for themselves and their little ones. They have trouble in earning money; and much more trouble, after earning it, in making the pence and halfpence go as far as they possibly can. The husband has his wife's troubles; the wife has her husband's troubles; and both have the troubles of a large family. Again. The most favoured servant of God is not without his troubles. He has his own personal troubles-the troubles

of a family, the troubles of the church, and the troubles of the poor and afflicted; in addition to these, he is in troubles by sin, Satan, and the world. Now, when all these things are duly considered, we need not wonder that our text should say, "My soul is full of troubles."

SIGNS OF HOLY LIFE. BY C. J. SILVERTON.

OF TRINITY-STREET BAPTIST CHAPEL, TRINITY STREET, BOROUGH.

In last month's paper we promised in some other month to speak of some other signs of life divine. There

may be signs of life in a child, yet it may soon be dead. But not so with the Christian; if he ever lives at all, he will live on for ever and ever. It is no matter how faint the life may be, if he have a breath of spiritual life in his soul, he shall never die. If children breathe in their birth, they are counted among those who once lived, and are dead. It is not how much life you have; but have you any? I say one breath of spiritual life insures eternal glory. Then, beloved, cast not away thy trust because you art not strong. Do not say you are not alive because you are weak. The weakness of our poor bodies may bring on death; but the weakness of life in the soul shall never so end. Thou shalt never die -no, never. The candle of natural light may burn out; with some, it is growing very dim even now; but the candle of God's grace, lit up by the Holy Ghost in thy soul, my reader, shall never go out, nor shall it be put out. This living spring shall never dry up. Oh, saints, if God has once breathed into your souls the holy breath of new life, you are safe for the land of rest. Yes, and if the life be only as the life of a new-born babe, and that babe a sickly one, still thou art safe; for thou art a living child, and all who live in God's family can never die. There are no deaths in God's household; His sons and daughters never die. That which is born in the second birth is born to live. The saints may be, and many of them are, very weak, very sickly, look thin and bad; but the inward

man is not to die, for all that-no, but as the outward drops away, the inward is to grow stronger and stronger.

As chaff is taken from wheat,

The body into dust will turn, The soul with glory then will meet, And with eternal love will burn.

The question is-is there life in the soul?-the life of God's elect-a holy, heavenly life. If there is life in the soul, there will be a breathing after God-a looking to Jesus-a crying for the Spirit. The soul will go out of its own town to seek the Saviour. Those who live are mostly on the look out for Christ Jesus the Lord. Why should they seek him if they did not love him? Do dead sinners make a journey after Christ? Do they seek whom they love not? A child seeks its mother's breast; so a saint seeks his Father's care. Thou couldst not have a pure wish for heaven and Jesus if thou wert not a living child. The reaching cut the hand proves there is life in the body; and if the hand of the soul is stretched out toward Christ, does it not also show a sign of life in the soul? From the cradle our face is set hellward; we should never have turned to look after Christ-if Christ had not turned to look after us. Well now, poor Christian, you say there is not a spark of life in thee. Very well. This is what you say you would not like to be told that by any one else. Well, if you are not a saint-if you are not right for heaven, give up all care about it -don't think any more of it-don't be troubled about that which will do thee no good-have no more to do with God's book, nor with God's house, nor with God's people. Oh, say you, I could not give it up for all the world; bless you, no; give it up! why then I should be lost for ever. Then, you have a little hope, after all. Well, I can't give it up, as you say, hope or no hope. No, I know you cannot; and bless the Lord of heaven and earth, it will never give you up. It has kept you till this day, and will not let you go. You will part from all your sins, but not from your Saviour.

The Lord help thee to pick up a sign that thou art a true child of the Most High God. Can'st thou not find in the book of thine experience a repenting sign, a praying sign, a believing sign, a rejoicing sign, a looking sign, a longing sign, a wishing sign? If you cannot prove your relationship to Christ, can you prove your relationship to Satan? Can you prove you are not a Christian? Are you sure there is no grace in your heart? Are you quite certain that you have no love for Jesus? Do you mean to say you do not care for salvation, and that you would as soon be lost as saved? No, no, no, say you, I cannot prove that I do not love the Lord; my trouble is, because I do not love Him more. Well, now, if you love at all, then God is your Father, and heaven is your home.

He would not have shown thee all these things if He had been pleased to have killed thee. I will now speak to thee in a few verses.

My soul, why art thou sad,

What mean these gloomy fears? If thou no Saviour had,

"Twere reason for thy tears; But since the Lord is thine alone, Now bow and worship at his throne.

Has Jesus turned away,

Is darkness in thy sky,
With trembling dost thou pray,

And heave the mournful sigh?
Yet since the Lord is thine alone,
Bow ye and worship at his throne.

The Lord will pour his light,

My soul shall sing for joy, And this my gloomy night

Shall ne'er my heart employ ;
Till then I'd serve the Lord alone,
Would bow and worship at his throne.

Why, then, should'st thou complain,
God is thy Father still,
He'll cheer thee yet again,

And thou shalt learn His will;
So since the Lord is thine alone,
I'll bow and worship at his thrcne.

And when the silver cord,

My Jesus' hand shall loose, And grace shall me afford

To view my heavenly house My crown I'll cast to God alone, Will ever bow before his throne.

Oh grant me, Lord, to stand,
On yonder happy shore,
With Jesus hand in hand,

To sin to fear no more;

And then I'll praise the Lord alone,
Will bow and worship at his throne.
I hear the Master's voice,
He comes to set me free,
I am his holy choice,

I can my Shepherd see;
He is my Lord, my God alone,
I bow, I worship at his throne.
E. J. SILVERTON.

BLESSED MOMENTS.

DEAR READER,-Dost thou know what it is to have them? Hast thou felt the preciousness of Jesus passing by, and pouring out of his cup of joy the sparkling drops of that " river, the streams whereof make glad the city of our God?" Yes, hast thou "drunk of the brook by the way?" If so, thou can'st at least say with

me

"Sweetest moments, rich in blessing, Which before the cross I spend, Life and health, and peace possessing, From the sinner's dying friend."

I pen these few lines from a bed of affliction, which has extended to a period of nine months; the cause immediate was a rupture of the lung on the left side. I mention this, that critical readers may not say this is written in a spirit of lowness and weakness; for although such is truly the case, yet it is not the immediate cause of my attempting a word of comfort to "the people whose God is the Lord." I trust the love of God constraineth me ever, when I have a desire to speak to His glory.

I will tell you one lesson I have learned in this school of affliction, and that is, to have no respect of per

sons.

When the Lord, by His Holy Spirit, was pleased to show me some of the deeper truths of the word, I imbibed such a spirit of exclusiveness that I thought strict Baptists were about the only people who knew anything of real religion; but judge my surprise to find that my own pastor took a turn of "self-importance" by fancying that the chapel we worshipped in was not large

enough to accommodate his congrega- | tion, and he consequently went (unknown to the church) and engaged a hall to preach in, instead of the humble little sanctuary which had suited every preacher but himself.

We then find him sitting quietly, and "taking the uppermost place at a feast," whilst amongst the assembly below there were persons actually selling his portrait!! We hear of him also being the procuring cause of the dismissal of a deacon, whose services to the church had been greatly arduous, and much esteemed. Other circumstances tended to prejudice my mind against such an empty form, without the mind of Christ; but judge of my astonishment to find that the poor despised Methodists afforded me relief in temporal things, as did also the Indepen

dents, whilst " my pastor" kept away from me altogether, and his people too. This was consequent on his meeting Mr. Ormiston, a clergyman of the Church of England, at my house on one of his visits.

When will this cursed bigotry cease? And when will men learn to "love all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and in truth," and leave off bitterness to those who cannot see that which has first to be given to them? JOHN HARVEY.

Barnsbury.

NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

evident salvation of a relative of one of our members. She had been very immoral. Now, being seriously ill, with symptoms of consumption, she was brought to her father's house. I visited her, and she expressed her anxious concern about her soul, confessing she was a great sinner. Several times I read, and talked, and prayed with and for her, her distress of soul being acute. The suffering of her body was great, and she sank rapidly. But a few days previous to her death, she told me that Christ had given her a sense of His pardoning mercy, and that I had been the means of greatly comforting her. By request, I officiated at her interment in the cemetery, and felt a confidence in committing her body to the earth, "in sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection." And on the following Sabbath I was constrained to speak of the "plucked brand" as a trophy of distinguishing grace; and to show how she participated of the riches of Divine favour, which manifested her soul to be a 66 a vessel of mercy afore prepared unto glory.”

"The Things which shall be Hereafter, or, Gods Testimony about the Future." By Septimus Sears. Nisbet and Co., Berner's-street.

In Mr Sears's introduction, he has so exactly written out the experience and faith of our own soul, that we became at once delighted with, and thankful for the book, especially as it is from the word of God, almost ex

the Gospel."

Brother John Dixon has issued the second part of his life. It can be had of him for six stamps, from 17, Buckingham Road, Kingsland. Of the simplicity of Mr. Dixon's style, of the sincerity of his heart, and of the good success which sometimes attended his labours, we cannot promise any better proof than is to be found in the following paragraph. Of one event during his pastorate at Maidstone, he says :

"When we are witnesses of the fulfilment of God's Word, and in a peculiar manner, it surely becomes us to publish it. Within my observation and knowledge, "There was a brand plucked out of the fire," in the

conclusions, and furnished heaven's testimonies with reference to the future. We heartily rejoice in finding Mr. Sears on the side of truth in these great and solemn themes. Mr. James Wells's sermon "Unchangeable Times," created in us a strong desire to lay before the churches the mind of God, and the true meaning of the Scriptures with reference to those developments of the Divine glory unto which the Gospel Dispensation is designed to carry the Church of Christ; but Mr. Sears, in this volume, has, we believe, so fairly and honestly given for every branch a "Thus saith the Lord," that nothing can be produced superior to this. Nevertheless, we look with some

anxiety to the Letters to Mr. Wells, by Dr. John Mason, which we expect to see in the GOSPEL GUIDE. We heartily recommend all opponents to the future fulfilment of prophecy, to read Mr. Sears' book.

"The Infancy and Manhood of Christian Life." By W. Taylor, London S. W. Partridge.

Mr. Joseph Taylor comes from California, where he was instrumental in raising a large church, and in a moral point of view, of doing much good. He has travelled over large parcels of this earth's surface, has seen some strange things, and has a strong mind of his own for studying, for writing, for lecturing, and for all evangelistic labours. He makes some statements which puzzle us; his views of the Gospel in some parts we cannot understand; still, in some narrations and illustrations he appears vers happy. We heard him deliver part of a lecture, and could not perceive any particular gifts for public speaking; but then, while we are hot and hasty, he is slow and sure, and much the better pleader of the two, no doubt.

"The Watchman of Ephraim."

John Wilson, Esq., of Brighton, issues through the house of W. Macintosh, a sixpenny monthly, entitled The Watchman of Ephraim, which contains more solid and truly edifying scriptural knowledge than any modern work at so cheap a rate. To the honest students of God's holy book of prophecy, this monthly will be to their pure minds strong and wholesome meat indeed. Mr. Wilson's labours must be heavy, but his reward is, and will be, righteous and incalculably large. In spirit we love and esteem him highly for his devotion, discernment and faithfulness to his God.. In CHEERING WORDS for June we have given a small paper from Mr. Wilson's May number of Watchman of Ephraim. We ask our readers to read and circulate it.

Weekly Communion: a Privilege and Duty. By Charles Morgan, Baptist minister, Jarrow. London: Elliot Stock.

This is an interesting tract, and in

more senses than one, we hope it will benefit the good cause it seeketh to serve. As a Missionary, as a Pioneer, Mr. Morgan has done well. In every Gospel way, we wish him all the prosperity the Lord has promised unto those who faithfully honour Him.

The Second Man; or, the Lord from Heaven, being an inquiry into the unity of the Godhead. By Rev. J. LonM. Taylor, M.A, I.C.D. don: W. H. Collingridge.

This pamphlet is, to us, exceedingly difficult to understand. Mystery, solemnity, and timidity, all have prevented us from feeling pleased or profited with it. But we hope to weigh its contents more carefully, and refer to it again.

The River of Life Pilgrims, &c., a Sacred Allegory, in Shilling parts. London: W. H. Collingridge.

We do think the author of this Allegory means well, but what he means in some things we cannot tell.

A HYMN

COMPOSED FOR THE WHITSUNTIDE FESTIVITY OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS CONNECTED WITH THE BAPTIST CHAPEL, KING STREET, OLDHAM; TO BE HELD ON JUNE 14, 1867.

BY WILLIAM STOKES, MANCHESTER.

Awake our youthful tongues,
In notes of holy praise;
Awake to honour in our songs,
The Guardian of our days.
To Him, our God and Friend,
We owe another year;
His tender love that knows no end,
Has kept us safely here.
While others, young and strong,
Have found an early grave;
We live to sing in joyful song
His mighty power to save.
Then let us, while below,

Praise Him, with all above;
And let all earth and nature know,
That God, our God, is love.

Praise Him, ye hills and dales,

Praise Him ye fields and flowers;
Pour fourth His praise ye lowly vales,
Ye plains, and quiet bowers.

Him let the world adore,

Who gave His Son to die:
And may His praises evermore,

Sound through the earth and sky,

See Psalm 148, as a noble specimen of universal praise.