a 14; 2 Tim. i. 2.) The Father promised grace, and glory, and every good thing to the Son on the conditions of his assuming their nature, dying for their sins, and obeying the moral law for their justification: and the Son received the promises, accepted the conditions, fulfilled them to the letter, and then ascended into heaven, that he might send forth the spirit to apply the blessings of his purchase-the gifts which he had received of the Father-to the ransomed ones (2 Cor. i. 20; Gal. iii. 16; Isa. liii. 11, 12; xlix. 8, 9. &c; John xvi. 7.) See how, complete the covenant of grace is in its provisions, It meets all the wants of the elect-the covenantees. Do they require pardon ? Here it is, full, free, and irrevocable. Do they need righteousness ? Here it is, by a royal act of imputation, bright and spotless as an angel's robe. Do they need title to eternal life? Here it is, chartered and sealed-approved and acknowledged by the righteous Judge. In a word, do they need a complete salvation? Here it is, a salvation from sin in its curse, and a salvation from sin in its power. The notion that man in his natural state in which he is wholly destitute of spiritual life, can treat with God, and engage to perform such spiritual acts-as believing in Christ for life, repenting of sin, and mortifying the deeds of the body, on condition of his receiving the full salvation of his soul, is too preposterous to be palmed upon any other person who has the least glimmering of divine light. Why, the Scriptures assure us that man by nature is dead in trespasses and sins, and under the exclusive dominion of the flesh, having a carnal mind, which is enmity against God (Eph. ii. 1; Rom. viii. 5, 6.) He must be first quickened by the Spirit, and made spiritually alive in Christ Jesus, ere he can perform any spiritual act whatever. I fear Mr. B. and his brethren lave never realized, in their own experience, the affecting represention of man's natural state given by Paul, in the 3rd chapter of this epistle to the Church at Rome, otherwise they would not utter the blasphemy that man is a co-worker with God in the matter of salvation. To me it seems most surprising, that any person who pretends to the slightest acquaintance with the Scriptures of truth, dare affirm that faith and regenerating grace are conveyed to men in the ordinance of baptism. If this be so, why did Christ send Paul not to baptise but to preach the gospel? (1 Cor. i. 17;) and why did Paul thank God that he had baptised so few persons at Corinth? (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) These circumstances are utterly irreconcileable with the notion of baptismal regeneration. Moreover Paul declares that faith is imparted to Yes, and, blessed be God, the only conditions that stood in any way connected with this covenant were between the holy Covenanters. So to speak, the Church, or those covenanted for, were neutralized. As a matter of course-by an irresistible power-they fell in with, were absolutely brought within the conditions of the Covenant, as the effect of the determinate mind, will, and pleasure, of the Covenanters, according to those blessed declarations, "My people shall be willing in the day of my power," and "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Hence the whole weight and responsibility of the Church's security and salvation rested in and upon Christ, as entering into covenant; and blessed indeed is the consideration, that the Church is as it were lost sight of in Him; and, by virtue of the full accomplishment of all suretyship engagements in Christ and by Christ, stands in Him and with Him entitled to all the blessings and blessedness of the same.-ED. men through the preached word (Rom. x. 17,) and that they are born again or begotten through the Gospel (I Cor. iv. 15.) In exact harmony with the language of Paul is that of James and Peter. "Of his own will begat he us"-by baptism? No, but "with the word of truth" (James i. 18.) "Being born again," How? By baptism? No, "but by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Pet. i. 23.) With these remarks I conclude, and remain, Harewood, April 16, 1816. Yours, in the best bonds, JOSHUA LAYCOCK. LINES ON PSALM CXXIV. LET the fearful flock of Jesus, Sing of their eternal safety, For the Lord is on their side. Sore afflictions them abide, Griefs most bitter may distract them, Still the Lord is on their side. Still the Lord is on their side. THOMAS BIDDle, WILDERNESS MERCIES. CONCLUDING LETTER. In my last I noticed how I felt the important need of Jesus to set the heart in tune, to praise his dear, long-suffering, and ever-loving name, in reflecting upon our deliverance from all harm. Why was it our fellow-passengers received such great injury? One was talking aloud of her prosperity, the other on a pleasure jaunt, big with the expectation of meeting her lover. In an instant their pleasures were at an end. Our God had put out his invisible hand, and saved us, who were as unworthy of his favour as the rest; but he was pleased to keep back the grace of love and gratitude from me, so that I could only groan at the hardness of my heart at the time of so great a mercy displayed before me. After a time, we again proceeded, and reached our destination in all safety. I now entered a town which recalled to my mind many pleasing and painful recollections. Here rested under the "clods of the valley" the dear remains of my beloved friend Daniel Herbert ; and here was the spot my once dear partner spent many pleasing and profitable days, months, and years; but now they were gone, themselves too, and their dwelling-place occupied by strangers. I was obliged to procure a lodging at a public-house, where clamour and noise prevailed all the night, and to us it appeared like a hell upon earth. The next morning was the Sabbath, and we walked early to visit the spot where my dear friend lay buried: there I talked with him, and fancied I heard him say, "Dear brother G., is it you now beholding the hillock where lies the mortal body I have put off? Rejoice rather; you will soon, with me, hear unutterable things.' Sin no more clogs and discomforts me. I am now in the presence and full enjoyment of Christ. I behold you weeping in the dark valley, but tribulation's path shall prove a blessing, sanctified to all the seed. The sealing testimony of divine grace is a sure earnest of future glory. Rest satisfied to believe the promise realized; for my God shall supply all your need.' 'Not more secure my glorified spirit above' than yourself." I left the spot, trodden upon and unheeded by the passing multitude, with these words on my mind, "The Lord's portion is his saints." He will not suffer one of them to be lost, and sure I am one who longs to be made like him. Turning away from the churchyard, and taking a last view of the house where he once lived, I bent my course to the bridge, where I had a full view of the little summer-house which stands at the bottom of a garden, near the river, where he wrote most of his hymns and poems. This little retreat had many times been a "Bethel" to his soul. Here many an agonizing moment had been spent also, while the walls thereof inside, marked, in pencil lines, many Ebenezers to the God of Jacob. Here used to be placed his scraps and papers, with an old Bible, a chair, and table. Bless his memory! Daniel was beloved of God, and his lot was blessed (Dan. xii. 13.) After breakfast we went in search of spiritual food for our souls, and turned into a small Baptist chapel, hoping to find some good things; but, alas! it was only to hear a poor legal erroneous discourse, which reminded me of the lines in my old friend's poems : "The half-and-half sort are the gospel's worst foe; We are plagued with such wherever we go." He had been plagued in the same manner, and in the same old town, for more than fifty years. There was, however, one old friend whom I had known for many years, a poor fallen sheep, though restored from his backslidings to the fold of Jesus, whom no one sought or cared about. I was anxious to find him, and asked a pious one for him, who, repulsed at my inquiry, told me that he lived two miles out of the town. We set off and went to his house. When he saw me he burst into tears of joy, clasped my hand, and wondered how the Lord should have sent me to him that day; nor could he make it out, he said, that so great a favour should be conferred upon such a vile and hell-deserving sinner as he had been-that a man of God, as he thought I was, should come under his roof. He told me he was cast out, and looked upon as the vilest monster on the earth; but not more so than he saw himself in his own eyes to be; yet there was a poor old friend or two that sometimes met at his house for prayer, and he expected them that afternoon. He said I knew them, and they would be as glad to see me as he was. One of them soon arrived, and, blessed be the God, we had a refreshing season together in reading, prayer, and praise. The next day we departed for Colchester, and, blessing on the name of Him who knew every step we had to go, we accomplished our journey with safety, and how could it be otherwise, when the Lord went before, and had evidently been our rereward? When the Lord is pleased to lay his many-indulgent mercies beside my ingratitude, doubts, fears, and unbelief, and enables me to look at them, oh, what shame does it produce then! I wonder how he can forbear with such a vile wretch as I am. Stopping four miles short of Colchester, we walked into the town, where I intended to have taken a lodging. I thought I would first call on an old friend, who used to come to see me when I was at the mill, He welcomed us in, offered a bed, and would not let us go farther that night. We talked over the many delivering mercies I had experienced since we had last met; and after refreshment for the body, and calling upon the Lord by prayer, we retired to rest, again witnessing his hand of kindness to us. I now purposed hiring a cottage, and to remove my furniture from the friend under whose kind care it had so long remained; but the friend where we had stopped said I was welcome to place it in some unfurnished rooms of his which were in a chapel, a part of which he was going to convert into a dwelling-house, and lodge there till something turned up in Providence for me. This favour I readily embraced, viewing it as another mark of the Lord's helping hand in the needy moment. Yes, he once more threw a little light upon my dark path, and gave me a refuge to flee into through the winter. This treaty being settled, I walked to London to see my children; stayed some time with them, and had a hope of engaging premises at Woodford; but the Lord put a stop to it, and I returned to Colchester disappointed, but saw afterwards it was all right. Thus situated, and all shut up to human view, I felt under the strongest necessity to call aloud upon the Lord for help. propa The kindness of my children enabled me to settle all demands with my friend, and I was soon settled in the chapel, where I lived retired; for as my inward travel of mind was great in connection with the outward cross, I sought but little society, except in the conversation of a friend or two who sometimes called. God had given me one great blessing in knowledge and judgment of the religious professing world. I did not want to run after them, nor adhere to the priestly lies gated around my tent. The word of the Lord, written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and demonstrated to my heart, often spared me that confusion which frequently marks the path of the weak uninstructed children who run to the lips of the carnal minister for instruction, by which means they get more entangled in the net of legality, and are never able to make a proper distinction between duty and faith, works and grace, men and things, heaven and hell. I was now under a cloud, passing through a dispensation, and chained fast as the Lord's prisoner. It is not very easy to be still in trouble, and to welcome the situation of dungeon discipline. Affliction never yet sat lightly on the unsubdued parts and passions of fallen man. In himself he lives but to rebel, and kicks at every dispensation where sanctifying grace is not enjoyed. The Christian is the only one who feels this foe in his depraved mind to war with, and oppose his better part. Moses is angry and strikes the rock twice; Jonah goes contrary to the Lord's command, and said "he did well to be angry;" Jeremiah said he was the man who had seen affliction by the rod of his wrath; and Job cursed the day, and said, "Let it perish-why died I not from the womb?" Need we further proof let us take a brief view of every gracious man, including the whole cloud of witnesses who died in faith, yet have left a lamentable evidence of sinful infirmities. The child of God is a wonderful being, and wonderful things have come before his eyes. How true it is he must be brought into circumstances that no others are of all the creatures upon the earth, for "the Lord trieth the righteous." Was it not so, where would be the difference between them and the world? Our natural inclinations are the same; we have earth-bound hearts, and thick clay attaches to our feet every step we take; the flesh cannot shake it off, and independent of saving grace, there is no saying how |