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if a man saw the agonies of the damned, and heard the awful wailings of all the infernal host, and the law rattled through his conscience, like thunder in the azure vaults of heaven, it would never bring him to loathe himself, and repent in dust and ashes. No! nothing but a solemn inlet of love and blood into the conscience by the power of the Spirit, will ever effect this; as the poet sings, and I am witness to the fact:-that

'Law and terrors do but harden,
All the while they work alone;
But a sense of blood-bought pardon,
Soon dissolves a heart of stone."

"I believe there are thousands of eagleeyed professors that know this theoretically, as well as I do, but have never had the soul travail of it experimentally; and therefore all their speculation will only tend to augment their misery in the world to come." To be continued.

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he says:

"Whom gave he then? Himself, who was both God and man; that so participating of both natures, our mortality and God's immortality, he might be a perfect mediator. He came between mortal men and immortal God, mortal with men and just with God. As man he suffered, as God he satisfied; as God and man he saved. He gave himself, himself, wholly, only.

"All himself, his whole person, soul and body, Godhead and manhood. Though the Deity could not suffer, yet in regard of the personal union of these two natures in one Christ, his very passion is attributed in some sort to the Godhead. So Acts xx. 28, it is called the blood of God;' and 1 Cor. ii. 8. 'The Lord of glory' is said to 'be crucified.' The school's distinction here makes all plain. He gave all Christ, though not all of Christ; as God alone, he would not, as man alone, he could not, make this satisfaction for us. The Deity is impassible; yet was it impossible, without this Deity, for the great work of our salvation to be wrought. If any ask, how the manhood could suffer without violence to the Godhead, being united in one person, let him understand by a familiar comparison. The sunbeams shine on a tree, the axe cuts down this tree, yet can it not hurt the beams of the sun. So the Godhead still remains unarmed, though the axe of death did for a while fell down the manhood. His body suffered both sorrow and the sword; his soul sorrow, not the sword; |

his Deity neither sorrow nor the sword. The Godhead was in the person pained, yet not in the pain."

We purpose to ransack this little volume of Adams's Sermons, and next month give our readers some savoury meat from it: but can only now add the following few words on

TRUE GOSPEL REPENTANCE.

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"Of Repentance, (he says), this is a true picture, Which I desire not to be set up in your houses, but to be laid up in your hearts.' It is in fact the same picture, with a few additional touches, such as these: "You shall even see her sitting in the dust, her knees bowing, her hands wringing, her eyes weeping, her lips praying, her heart beating, her lungs panting ** She is not gorgeously attired: sackcloth is her garment. She hangs the word of God as a jewel at her ear, and ties the yoke of Christ as her charm about her neck. The ground is her bed. She eats the bread of affliction, and drinks the waters of anguish. The windows of all her senses are shut against vanity. She bids Charity stand the porter at her gates, and is fasting. She would wash Christ's feet she gives the poor bread, even while herself with more tears than Mary Magdalene; and costlier unction. * if her estate could reach it, give him a *Lastly, she is lifted to heaven, where angels and cherubim sing Immortality set her on a throne of glory!" her tunes of immortal joy, and God bids

The Messenger of Peace.-The fourth and fifth numbers of this little periodical are now published. It is printed on a larger scale, and improves in matter as it goes along. If the friends of divine truth are constrained to assist in promoting its circulation, we have no doubt it will be a very useful work. There is a large company of true believers in the Church of Christ in our day, who stand in need of comfort and encouragement: and who can tell, but the "MESSENGER OF PEACE" may be an instrument in the hands of God, of doing good to many souls?

"A Letter written to a Friend, in reference to a Dream; or, a remarkable Answer t Prayer." By WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN Pastor of the Baptist Church, Providenc Chapel, Jubilee-street, Mile-end. Lon don: Published by Paul. Price 1d. WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN is, perhaps, br little known as yet, to the Church of Christ but the remarkable circumstances recorde in this tract, of divine revelations not onl made to him, but, happily fulfilled in his ex perience, confirm the impression some tim since made upon our minds, that the Lord de signs to make much use of him, as a ministe. and pastor in Zion. We feel persuaded thi "Letter" will obtain a most extensive circulation.

PRECIOUS PROMISE OF A PRECIOUS COVENANT GOD.

"I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." Zeph iii. 17.

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felt, and mercy is earnestly craved; and after that the Holy Ghost hath given the spirit of adoption, and sealed home par'I WILL.' God's wills and shalls, and don, sprinkling the conscience with the Christ's verilies are breasts full of the milk blood of the Lamb, and bringing Christ's of comfort, wombs pregnant with the salvation into the heart, so that the soul richest blessings-I will leave in the can triumph in redeeming love and covemidst of thee.' God has never been nant mercy, sin's afflicting power is not without a seed to serve him, a genera- extinct. It is true that in the day of tion to call him blessed.' In that day espousals, when the soul is ravished with when gross darkness appeared to cover its Love's delights, for the first time emthe face of the earth, and the spirit of braced in the arms of a loving Jesus, the persecution raged, we find Elijah, the principle of sin appears to receive a stunservant of the Lord, saying- I, even I ing blow, and the young convert, standonly, am left, and they seek my life; but ing (like Israel of old at the Red Sea,) God saith, I have left me seven thousand on the brink of the sea of love and blood, in Israel, all the knees which have not lost in wonder, love and praise, at God's bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which delivering mercy, thinks, because in that hath not kissed him.' And in our day, sea, he sees drowned those sins, the sense when profession abounds, and thousands of which did so afflict him, that sin will are crying, the temple of the Lord are no more be a burden to his soul; but we,' there are but few who know the after awhile they feel what the apostle plague of their own hearts, and are found records as his experience, who saithlike polished diamonds, reflecting the Sin revived, and I died.' The first afimage, light, and glory of a precious fliction of the soul on account of sin, Christ. The righteous are like a handful arises from a knowledge given of actual of corn upon the tops of the mountains; guilt and transgresssion; and the babe it is but a remnant left, which shall be in Christ is in a great measure a stranger saved according to the election of grace. to his natural depravity, to his inbred The professing church is now large; in corruptions; so when he feels sin to rethe midst of her is the seed royal; the vive, and still to live in him, and the Lord's spiritual family; this family is the great deeps are broken up, he is horror true church; and it may be said to be a struck, discovering his nature to be like church within a church; a people within a running ulcer, ever gathering, and ever a people. God hath been pleased to give discharging corruption. These discoveries us their character: they are afflicted and are afflicting indeed to the soul, yet poor, but yet a blessed people; for, they endear a precious Christ; for while blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's it strips, empties, wounds, kills, and is the kingdom of heaven;' and it is spi- slaughters righteous self, it is the means ritual poverty, and spiritual affliction, whereby God teaches, experimentally, which is spoken of in the text: blessed the value of interest in the love, blood, they are, for they shall trust in the name grace, work, righteousness, life, power, of the Lord, and they that trust in the and salvation of the dear Redeemer. Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but which abideth for ever.' But what are the spiritual afflictions of God's family? They are afflicted in a three-fold way-by a body of sin-by a tempting devil-by the hidings of God's face. And every regenerate soul hath more or less to experience affliction from these sources, from the moment of his new birth, to his entrance into eternal glory, then God, who caused light to shine out of darkness, shines into the sinner's heart, sin is laid in the conscience and bea heavy burden; travailing pains are PART XXVI. VOL. III-MARCH,

comes a

The very motions of sin afflict that soul whose conscience is made tender by the grace of God; and who can describe the anguish, bitterness of spirit, and poignant distress felt, when, through grace, we would do good, but feel evil present! so that how to do the good that we would, we know not: the cry gushes forth from a broken heart, 'Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me ?'

The temptations and assaults of Satan cause spiritual affliction. We know but little of ourselves, of the power of satan, of the unquenchable love, and eternal

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faithfulness of our God, but as we learn | burden, when my soul has realised Jesu's it in the furnace of affliction, and in the love, and the sweet smiles of his face; fire of temptation. Sinful self, righteous for then all my burdens roll from my self, and the devil, are the three worst back. What had appeared mountains, foes a christian has: they are his com- become mole hills; my fetters fall off, panions all the days of his pilgrimage; the chains that held me snap like rotten they lodge in his house, and though the cords; the devil flies; and the ravening master, the new man of grace, finding beasts crawl into their dens: but when them bad tenants, has once and again he hides his face, and I have no access to given them notice to quit, and tried by the mercy seat, my experience is the very force to eject them, they still abide, to reverse; in anguish of soul, with Job I annoy, afflict, and distress. To attempt cry-'Oh, that I knew where I might to point out the diversity of ways by find him, that I may approach his seat; which satan afflicts Zion's children, I would order my cause before him, and would fill a volume: he lays traps with fill my mouth with arguments.' There all craft, and if the unwary pilgrim gets are times in the christian's experience caught, as he is sure to be, in some of (are they not often?) when the channel them, he then turns accuser in the court of communion appears stopped; no of conscience. Who can portray the af- sweet access, with boldness, to the throne fliction of soul felt by those overcome by of grace-no hallowed feelings, or sacred temptation? It is love that breaks the meltings-no pouring out of the heart, heart, and makes it susceptible of pain and the very breath of prayer seemingly and emotion; but where there is sus- gone. We remember the time when the ceptibility and life, sin will pierce like dew of the Lord rested on our branch; double-barbed arrows. Satan is ever when, by his light, we walked through tempting the saint either to presumption darkness, and the candle of the Lord or despair; to question God's love, his shined on our heads, and we cry—'Oh, mercy, and his faithfulness. At times he that I were as in months past.' But some will overwhelm the soul with hard may say 'Is not God always to be thoughts of God; with blasphemous found? Is he not to be found by prayer? thoughts, with infidel notions: and then-By reading the Bible ?-By attending turn accuser: so that poor christian from a gospel ministry; and in the ordinances his assaults reels to and fro, and staggers like a drunken man, and is at his wits end: then, again, he'll tempt to lust, to idolatry, to despair; he will question, and dispute with the saint his right to every smile every promise every crumb of mercy-every blessing a covenant God bestows; and was it not that these blessings were dropped into the heart with blood and love, savor, unction and almighty power, each would be by him, wrested out of his hands; therefore, 'Oh! thou afflicted! tossed with tempest, and not comforted,' think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try your faith, as though some strange thing had happened unto you, but remember that the like afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the flesh.

The hidings of God's face is another cause of spiritual affliction, which only Zion's children know. Sometimes, when the inward motions of sin are most felt, outward afflictions abound; satan is very busy; and God makes darkness his habitation; such was Job's case. For my own part, I have never groaned under a

of his house?' I answer, not always; for it is only by the Spirit's revelation, and in the Spirit's light, that we find him to cur soul's satisfaction. God certainly doth bless when he hides his face, and communicates grace in the darkest nights of the soul's experience; but with the blessing he does not always give the JOY of the blessing. Vegetation is nourished by the dew, which in the night imperceptibly falls; so God secretly sustains, and renews the tender plants of grace. 'He rides upon his red horse amongst the myrtle trees that are in the bottom.' (Zech. i. 8.) We learn good lessons while walking in darkness. Job had to endure much to bring him to the confession of 'I am vile.' Jonah went to the bottom of the sea to learn Salvation is of the Lord.' Whosoever is mourning an absent God, complaining of darkness in the soul, of the want of access to the mercy seat, the sweet visits of love shall in the end realise that precious promise in their souls' experience-'I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you.'

These spiritual afflictions teach us our religion.' In a short time Jesus gave poverty, crucify self, and drive us from me such a view of his sympathy and love creature cisterns, to draw supplies of to me, that satan was hid from me for a comfort from the redundant fountain of season. One Monday morning I was covenant love and eternal faithfulness. walking up St. Stephen's, my soul was None so poor as God's poor: they are drawn out in prayer and praise, for joys brought feelingly to lie in the dust, and excited the preceding day; mine eyes on the dunghill, never any cash in hand, being lifted up towards heaven, I saw in and ofttimes without a promissory bill in vision, distinctly, the Glory-man, between their possession; hungry and thirsty, their the clouds, as Stephen did on the right souls faint within them, then, they cry hand of God, my eye-lids being closed. unto the Lord in their trouble, and he One Sabbath, about this time, I retired delivers them out of all their distresses.' up stairs, and poured out my soul unto "They shall trust in the name of the the Lord, and then again I had another Lord' this is the very end for which sweet token of love, or rather, as the they have to suffer affliction, and are so apostle says, 'the Spirit helping my inpainfully taught their poverty. No trust-firmities.' I saw, as it were, a hand let ing in the Lord till all other refuges fail. God in Christ is the last shift of a poor sinner, but the Lord's poor shall trust in the Lord for all the blessings temporally, they need; for all the blessings spiritually they require; pardon, salvation, righteousness, justification, and eternal glory; for love shall draw them, and the power of omnipotence constrains them. Leicester. EBENEZER.

down lifting up my poor prayers unto God. But ah! not long after this, I was sorely beset indeed: and one ordinance day, the enemy was very quick upon me in the morning with this suggestion, he that eateth the bread and drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, for he eateth and drinketh damnation to himself.' Go to the table I dare not; after dinner I left the house without saying a

The Enemy coming in: the Standard word to any one; I went into the fields,

lifted up.

TO MARTHA FENNER.

I WAS lately reading this passage
(Heb. x. 32.) Call to remembrance the
former days, in which, after ye were il-
luminated, ye endured a great fight of
afflictions.' Here mark, after regenera-
tion this combat takes place between
flesh and spirit, the devil and Christ; I
thought this might be worth your perusal.
About thirty-five or six years ago, I was
sorely thrust at by the devil; this was the
first attack; after I had much enjoyment
of Christ, and much of his love mani-
fested to my soul, satan endeavoured to
persuade me mine was not real religion,
but heated imagination; but then, as
ever since, I have always found the pro-
mise sufficient-When the enemy comes
in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord will
lift up a standard against him.' From
this suggestion I was put to a stand, but
blessed be God, who always makes use
of his own word, to support his own
children, brought this passage to my
mind-Then shall ye know, if ye follow
on to know the Lord;' this put strength
in me for a short season; still, he would
be throwing his dart at me, 'This is not

and laid upon the grass in great distress; three times that afternoon I was strongly tempted to put an end to my existence; if an invisible hand had not preserved me, I should have committed the deed: for faith at that time, I had none; my dear partner she went to the table, expecting to meet me there; I returned about half-past five o'clock, when tea was waiting; my partner said to me as I went in Father, where have you been, you was not at the table?' I made a slight reply; was very dull; we went to chapel together in the evening, while I was there, I began to have a little light beam upon me, and ease to my mind. Ah! I might say, the Lord lit my candle for me, for it was become wholly dark; when we returned home, and after supper, we had prayer; I think I never witnessed more liberty than at that time. You will percieve that this was a deep impression as well as lasting. I never mentioned it to any one, but to Mrs. REAKS in part, and that a long time since; the scene is quite fresh to me now.

In spite of all malice and rage of the devil, he that hath begun the good work will carry it on; yes, says that mighty deliverer, Upon this rock,' meaning himself, I will build my church, and the

gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' | sermon from-whether it was from God's He being the head of the church, he must mouth, or whether you borrowed it from be destroyed, before the church can books! I am fearful, my brother, that perish; oh, how secure his church! this there are many who look large enough, has been a bulwark to my soul; for, preach well enough, and seem to stand sometimes this, with many other attri- fair enough in the pulpit, but could you butes and perfections of Jehovah, doth get behind the scenes with them; could make my mountain to stand strong; but you really become acquainted with their I know and feel my weakness; if Jesus manoeuvres in the study, you would sewas to withdraw his strength, and the riously question the divinity of their comlight of his countenance from me, my mission to preach. It is evident there is joys would soon be turned into mourn- such a thing as declaring 'God's statutes, ing; but though he may hide his face, and a taking of his covenant into the he will never withdraw his love; no, mouth,' by the wicked. Satan himself blessed be his dear name, that began in is transformed into an angel of light: eternity: yes, and the church has had and the priest's office is sought and obproof of it through all the period of time, tained, for a morsel of bread. The Lord and she will solace herself in that to all of his infinite mercy, keep us from such eternity. Yes, a view of this unchangea- an awful predicament as this! ble love, made Paul exclaim-'Who shall separate us from this love?' I speak it to the honour of Jehovah's name, he cannot, if he did, he would forfeit his word, but that is for ever settled in heaven, it cannot be revoked.

I have had some comfort in writing, though you may not in reading, for I generally find the truth of that passage He that honoureth me I will honour.' Canterbury. R. RAZELL.

The Shew-bread set in Order

UPON THE PURE TABLE.

To William Skelton, a Servant of
Jesus Christ.
www.

DEAR BROTHER WILLIAM-You was led
in your last letter to put some close ques-
tions to me, respecting the inward work
of the Spirit of God upon my soul, in
preparing me for, and carrying me forth
into the ministry. I will, therefore, by
the help of the Lord, give you a brief
account of the exercises, troubles, and
deliverances, which I am made the sub-
ject of, in connection with the proclama-
tion of the everlasting gospel.

It would occupy too much time and space to enter upon these things generally; I shall confine myself to one instance and say, in the circumstances of that one instance, you have a fair sample of the Lord's dealings with my soul in general.

I have often thought of the solemn question which an old deacon recently put to a minister immediately after preaching. He said, 'I ask you, sir, as in the sight of God, where you got that

I feel, my brother a sincere desire that you should weigh well the circumstances which I am about to lay before you; and examine them closely in order to ascertain, whether or not these things are the the good Spirit of God toward me or result of the sovereign dispensations of not. Not that I dare much to question them: but, both from without and within, I am frequently severely tried.

But to the point. It was the first Lord's-day in February. I had been enabled to preach in the morning with some holy confidence, and a small degree of liberty in my soul. After this I retired to my room, and waited in silence upon the Lord, beseeching him to drop message, with which to go forth in the into my soul a living word, a special evening of the day. But a dark, dead, contracted spirit seized me. Something seemed to say, I should get nothing from the Lord. I remembered I had to administer the Lord's Supper as well as preach-and my poor soul did inwardly yearn for a solemn manifestation of my Master's love to my soul. But nothing of the sort could I get. This feeling of bent my knees, I could not pray-if I nakedness in my soul increased. If I turned to the Bible, I could not readif I attempted to look up to the Lord, I could not feel any warm emotions of soul towards him. I sat down pensive. Hours passed away like this. I I find. The time for going up to the groaned and grieved, but no relief could sanctuary drew near. word laying upon my mind-'He that There was this eateth of this bread shall live for ever. But I had no light into it, simple and

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