had grieved because the dear Lord had granted my desire in taking me from this world of sin and woe, to be for ever with Himself, where sin can never enter; then, thought I, how can I grieve for one, whom the dear Lord has done all this for? But truly I could not help thinking of one thing that came powerfully to my mind, as with a voice from heaven, at that time that I should not die yet. He had more wonders to show; I little thought at that season I should be spared to see my dear mother, and several others, who then watched over me, safely housed on Canaan's happy shores, while I am still spared to sojourn in this vale of tears! It brings to my mind a sermon I read soon after that time, which caused me to shed many tears. It was taken from the children of Israel's journey, who were just standing on the borders of Canaan, and through sin were commanded to turn back into the wilderness; I thought that was my case, my soul had stood on the borders of the heavenly Canaan with expectations to enter in. There was everything in that blessed Canaan my soul could wish or desire, but I was not ripe to be gathered in, it was not the Lord's time. Oh, when I look back on the many years I have been spared since then, how much have I to be thankful to the dear Lord for, who has preserved and kept me thus far. I well remember what a dread I had to come back into the world again, and many a cry was put forth from my heart that sooner than I should get well and fall into sin, and bring a disgrace upon His name, that I might rather be afflicted until the day of my death. Ah, when you used to pray so earnestly for the dear Lord to bring me out to unite with the people of God here on earth, you little knew the working of my soul; and what fear I had to come forth. But as you still continued the same petitions at a throne of grace, I became more reconciled, and I believe to this day I was brought forth in answer to your many prayers; I was laid on your heart, which caused you to plead and wrestle with the Lord. He has ever been known as a prayer-hearing and answering God, and He was pleased to answer your's, and bring me forth. May you and I have grace to praise Him here below, and in His own good time may he bring us, with all the bloodwashed throng, to join in that one song of never-ending praise, 'unto Him who has loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own most precious blood. We may well say, none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good. Ah, sir, hold Him up high on the Gospel pole, as the lost sinner's only hope, for you have found Him such. Speak well of His precious name, go forth boldly

in your dear Master's cause, against all the opposition you may meet with, ever keeping in view that greater is He that is with you, than all that can come against you; for who can harm you if a precious Jesus is on your side, and God's glory your aim, and the salvation of immortal souls; the longing desire of your heart that you may win them to Christ? Oh, may He give you here and there a proof that He is with you, owning and blessing the word with power, to the salvation of your hearers, and that many may be led, through real soul concern, to cry out Sir, what shall I do to be saved?' then I know it will be your soul's delight, to point them to that all precious Jesus, whom you have found so dear to your own soul, and in whose bleeding side you have taken shelter, and found a sweet resting-place."

From Farnham I removed to Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. In that place I met with much opposition on account of my principles; but the Lord enabled me to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. The people were Independents, and, of course, are strongly opposed to the ordinance of baptism. After preaching there a few times, I accepted a four months' invitation. At the same time I had one from Wolverhampton; but I gave the preference to Hitchin. At the expiration of the four months I thought to leave, but the majority of the people would not allow me to leave, and I accepted a further invitation for six months. At the expiration of that time I was invited for twelve months. This invitation I accepted conditionally, viz., that either I might leave at the expiration of that time, or, if I stayed, might carry out my principles.

At the end of the twelve months it was unanimously agreed that I should remain; and, in course of time, formed a little Church. After staying about six years, and not seeing so much prosperity as I could wish, I began to think of leaving. Some time after, my mind began to be exercised about leaving Hitchin; Leicester and Manchester were presented, and I had an invitation from each of those places. My mind was much perplexed as to which of the two I should accept. Manchester appeared in some points more pleasing, and my income would have been greater. Leicester, again, I viewed as an old established place for the cause, and was in hope there was a goodly number of godly people in the Church who loved experimental truth. I was influenced, in some measure, by their very urgent and pressing solicitations. After great conflict of mind, I accepted Leicester. During the first twelve months I was very much tried in mind as

to whether 1 had done right in going thither; but, seeing things comfortable, I endeavoured to settle myself. The cause of my leaving Leicester was an unpleasantness with the deacons, the particulars of which I intend, God willing, to publish separately in the form of a pamphlet. Having heard that the chapel in Salford, Manchester, where I thought of going previously to settling at Leicester, had been shut up for some months, my thoughts were turned in that direction. I knew there was a large field, although the congregation were entirely scattered.

Thus, my dear reader, I have given a very brief account of my natural and regenerated state, and also of my call to the ministry. Now may God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, command His divine blessing to the hearts of the readers, that it may redound to the honour and glory of a blessed Trinity. Amen.

THE

TRIUMPH OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS.

CHAPTER I.

THE cross of Christ has been in all ages, a Stumbling block to the Jew and foolishness to the Greek." The great Apostle of the Gentiles declared "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." And the Holy Spirit speaking under the old dispensation by the prophet Isaiah confirms the language of the Apostle; "He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised and we esteemed him not." Yet the salvation of immortal souls and the glory of God depended upon the atonement made by His death. As the Cross of Christ was the way to His glory; well might He thus reason with His disciples. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" His cross is also the way to our enjoyment of glory; this was the cause of the Apostle's glorying in the cross. "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," he was sensible that without the cross there could be no crown. As He rose for our justification, so He died for our offences. It was on the cross that Christ, as the great High Priest, offered Himself as the great atoning sacrifice, on the cross He exhibited His God-Head and Manhood, as Man in Suffering, and God in ability, and power

of endurance. As God-man he triumphed on the Cross over Sin and the Sinner; and this, God enabling us, we will endeavour to prove.

That Christ triumphed on the cross is declared by the holy Apostle, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Col. ii. 14-15.

There was a combination of circumstances in connection with the death of Christ on the Cross, which testify his glory and majesty in his twofold human and divine character.

1st. What a wonderful circumstance was the superscription written by Pilate, and affixed over His head upon the cross,, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Titles and inscriptions were placed over the heads of malefactors, in order that beholders might know the reason of their punishment, and derive admonition and warning from public disapprobation of their crimes. Pilate in this matter followed the Roman custom. But when I come to consider two things in this superscription, I am bound to look to a higher cause, namely, to God Himself. As the crucifixion of Christ was according to the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," so was the language of the superscription, determined by the invisible and constraining power of God over Pilate. "Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." In this superscription we have the sum and substance of the whole gospel. First, when we consider the matter, and secondly, the manner of that superscription, we shall see this.

I. THE MATTER. "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews." Here we have Christ declared as the Saviour, the same title which Mary received from the angel. "His name shall be called Jesus," and the reason is given, "For he shall save His people from their sins." This title was preached by the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles; "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord," Gen. xlix. 18; "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler and the horn of my salvation, Ps. xviii. 2; "In thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice," Ps. 21. 1; "And he shall send them a Saviour and a great One, and he shall deliver them," Isa. xix. 20; "I am the Lord, and beside me there is no