'Brought to nought." AH! beloved, do you not know what it | in Christ to go to the throne expressly is to be "brought to nought" in your on your behalf, and at the same time go experience, to feel as helpless as a child yourself. Oh! such united breathings in the hands of a Heavenly Parent, to be must gain His ear, and melt His heart. levelled to very nothingness? Hallowed It is unlike Himself to be deaf to such position! the Lord has brought you appeals. Well, how was it in Jehoshathere; self never did. Perhaps it is phat's instance? Through his desire, some deep heart-felt trial that has re- Judah gathered themselves together to duced you to nothing; blessed tribula- ask help of the Lord, even out of all the tion that has had this gracious effect! cities of Judah they came to seek the It is all well, my afflicted brother, my Lord; and then in the midst of this tried sister. When my strength is dried congregation of fearing and trembling up like a potsherd, then my cry is, "O souls, Jehoshaphat pours out his soul in Lord, my strength, haste thee to help earnest prayer to God for deliverance, me;" and when His help comes, it is so reminding Jehovah "that in His hand significant, so opportune, so efficacious, there is power and might, so that none so to the point, that then do I feel is able to withstand Him." Surely, and know that "when I am weak, then beloved, this is true prayer-reminding am I strong." With such feelings, and the Lord what He is, and leaving all heart-felt experience, under a trial so to His power and might. Art thou not deep that none but the Lord can deliver, a God who didst drive out the inhabiwe opened just now upon that hal- tants of this land before thy people lowed description of Jehoshaphat and Israel ?-as if he would say; and is thine his little army, in a position of imminent arm shortened that it cannot save from peril before the great multitude of Moab- this fresh emergency? Art thou not ites and Ammonites that had come up from the same yesterday, to-day, and for beyond the sea on this side of Syria, ever? He who hath delivered, and will with the determination to annihilate deliver still? Oh yes! "I will trust, them (2 Chron. xx.). It is a critical and not be afraid to trust." Now, the position; the odds in favour of their idea of Jehoshaphat praying under such enemies is very great; certain destruc- circumstances, when there was the tion seems inevitable. But "Jehosha- mighty company of Moabites and Amphat feared, and set himself to seek the monites drawn up in fearful array, all Lord." What cowards are the poor ready to be put in terrible action against children of God; surely none more so him, would be, in the eyes of the world, when danger threatens; fear drives a most absurd thing; they would argue them to the throne, and affliction brings that a man should be personally prethem to the cry, Lord, save, or we pared for all difficulties; he should perish." Well, it is the best resort. learn the art of defence, and not, when Why, then, should we quarrel with the an enemy comes up the brow of the hill, Lord, because He suffers us to be fall down on his knees and pray; thus brought into such exigencies, that the really putting himself in a position to result is, we are driven into His be cut in pieces. Ah! faith has a little presence? Well, Jehoshaphat feared better argument than this. "O our and sought the Lord; yea, he bid his God," said Jehoshaphat, "wilt thou not brethren do so also: he wanted their judge them? for we have no might against united prayers to ascend, knowing that this great company that cometh against when the throne was besieged by the us, neither know we what to do, but Lord's helpless ones, He could not, and our eyes are upon thee." would not, turn a deaf ear. Beloved, we pause here for a moment, just to observe, that, depend upon it, this is a most efficacious way of gaining personal and needed help. Ask a brother or a sister no Ah! there is real strength in the acknowledgment that we have might." He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might He increaseth strength." Well, it was thus D such extraordinary conduct, the Lord set ambushments against them, so that they were sorely smitten. And did it prove only a trifling deliverance ? No, no; when the Lord works, marvellous is the result in our eyes. As in the case of poor Sarah, so contrary to human calculations, she received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age; "therefore (the Lord's "therefore") sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable." So in this instance, great was the result of the Lord's working: for when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil, they found among them "abundance of riches and precious jewels." So the realm of Jehoshaphat, notwithstanding all his fears and forebodings, was quiet, for his God gave him rest round about. And can we not, beloved, draw some soul-profiting lessons from this most interesting sequel? that Judah stood before the Lord with the result? Did it end in a signal distheir little ones, their wives and their appointment? Was it found that Jehochildren, and their poor praying leader, shaphat's special appeal at a throne of Jehoshaphat. Doubtless, he thought grace was fruitless? No, no. The much of "the little ones," so helpless, so Lord worked marvellously, and, as He feeble-Lord, spare them!-so inno- always does, in a most contrary way to cent of impending danger, nestling into carnal reason. He caused the people to a mother's bosom, completely uncon- consult together, and appoint singers, scious of surrounding circumstances. who should go before the army, saying, Ah! there is One above, higher, far "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endurhigher than Jehoshaphat, that thinks eth for ever;" and while they were of "the little ones "too, whose will singing, and the attention of the Moabit is that not one of these "little ones "ites and Ammonites were drawn towards should perish; they are especially dear to Him: hence the prophet Isaiah sweetly tells us, "He shall gather the lambs with His arms, and carry them in His bosom." Fear not then, little one in Zion, if such should be reading our words at this season; the Lord is not going to suffer these threatening Moabites to destroy his little ones, any more than He will suffer a hair of your head to be touched by the enemies of your soul now. He is the same God; Jehoshaphat's Jesus, thy Jesus, and ever will be. Well, there they stood, a helpless company; but the mercy was, they felt it, and knew where to cry for help. And were they deceived? The issue tells us. Upon one of the company, Jehaziel, the son of Zechariah, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation. How special the manifestation! How peculiarly and signally does the Lord work! The Spirit did not come upon the praying prophet; no, but upon another. Oh! how frequently does He raise up instruments where the least looked for, and not calculated upon, 1st. In time of trouble to resort imto bring us to nought, and show us our mediately to the throne of grace, and calculations are vain and worthless. that in co-operation with other tried Now listen to this Jehaziel's sanctified ones. Perhaps it is a domestic trial; words: "Thus saith the Lord unto you, let husband and wife together shut Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason themselves in their chamber, and pour of this great multitude, for the battle is out their souls before God upon the not yours, but God's. To-morrow go ye especial point that presses so heavily; down against them. Ye shall not need or let friends in Jesus agree to go to the to fight in this battle; set yourselves, throne at an appointed time, to plead stand ye still, and see the salvation of with their God concerning the specific the Lord with you, O Judah and Jeru-object that oppresses them. Jehoshasalem: fear not nor be dismayed; to- phat not only sought the Lord himself, morrow go out against them, for the but gathered Judah together, and bid Lord will be with you. And Jehoshaphat them ask help of the Lord. bowed his head, with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord." And what was 2nd. We learn to roll our burden upon the Lord, and to leave it there. "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle;" simply set yourselves in a patient, enduring, watchful spirit; stand ye still, while the Lord works-stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Ah, beloved, it is no slight mercy when He works, so that we are obliged to lay our hand upon our mouth, and be silent; when the trial is so great, that we palpably feel our nothingness; that vain is the help of man; and that if deliverance is to be obtained, it must be the Lord alone who can effect it.. Had there been only equal numbers, Jehoshaphat might have been tempted to go forth in his own strength; but the magnitude of the opposition drove him to the acknowledgment, "We have no might against this great company:" and so it is the urgency of the case drives us direct to the only source of help. Even agencies, however before valued and prized, fail now; and the felt need gives nerve to approach the inner chamber, where the King sits. So that, beloved, the depth of the trial makes our negotiations with heaven nearer, and shows where alone can come our help. Thus does the Lord in His wonderful dealings with his children, discipline them for an eternal world; and as "the churning of milk bringeth forth butter," so the Lord, laying His hand upon the handle of our affairs, consolidates our experience into this one centre "None but Jesus, Can do helpless sinners good." Art thou thus "brought to nought," dear ""Tis no strange thing the saints of old, The consecrated road. "Go on, the prize is just in view, The struggle can't be long; PASSING THOUGHTS. WHAT a marked distinction there is between being dead in sin and being dead to sin. The world at large is dead in sin; it is only believers, by the power of the Holy Ghost, can be rendered dead to sin. The child of God delights in what he once detested, and detests that in which he once delighted. A worldly hearer is bad enough, but a worldly preacher is infinitely worse. "Lead us not into temptation," is a clause in the prayer commonly offered immediately before the sermon. The preacher may well plead that prayer for himself, for he is the very first in the assembly likely to be tempted. He is in danger of preaching to please rather than to profit his hearers. What said the great apostle upon this matter? "If I preach to please men, I am not the servant of Christ." The gospel of Christ, full, and free, and glorious as it is, never was, nor can be, acceptable to the natural mind. A man must be killed to all hope in and from himself before he can value the news which proclaim life to the dead-salvation to the lost-liberty to the captive-heaven for the hell-worthy. The gospel is much talked about, but little known. A deputation waited upon a newlyappointed minister, to remonstrate with him upon his great plainness of speech," and to assure him that he was mistaken in the character of his people, for they were not such great sinners as he imagined them to be. Poor men! they had better have gone to their minister, and asked him to talk to them a little about what the great apostle Paul meant, when he said, "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." I am most tried with a cold and thankless heart when I have the greatest cause for gratitude. This, again, teaches me the utter bankruptcy of human nature, and proves that thankfulness is as much the work of the Holy Ghost in the heart, as this or that deliverance on account of which praises are due unto Him. D. A. D. HELPLESS, BUT HELPED. On the other hand, and as I have before said, Jerusalem is God's favourite spot; so are we, if found in the covenant of grace. Are we not God's choice? the objects of His love? ever under His care? and, in His own words, called a bundle of myrrh, and many other choice names; but does not say anywhere, I or your feet, if your head or heart were better. This is far from Him; but of His own self says, "Thou art all fair, my love," from head to foot; yea, further, "there is no spot in thee." IN connexion with the few remarks made in your January Number, I will, as the Lord may enable me, pass a few brief remarks upon the passage quoted, which is recorded in 2 Sam. ix. 13. "So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem; for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet." 1st, I would say, how many Mephibosh-like your head, if your feet were better; eths there are, if not by name, yet by experience and failures. For where is there one of the Lord's dear family that is perfect in all things? As it was in times of old, so we find it now, to our sorrow; that where one good quality dwells, how many bad ones! But how few of us can come so self-abasing as did the Apostle Paul, and feelingly say, "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing?" The will is oft present with us, but to put it into lively act and exercise-why, we could as well make a world, unless the Holy Spirit be pleased to aid us in so difficult a task. It may be most profitable to divide these few words into three heads. 1st. His dwelling-at Jerusalem. 2nd. His maintenance, place, and perpetuity-"and did eat continually at the king's table." 3rd. His failing-" and was lame on both his feet." 1st. His dwelling. Many of our readers are aware that Jerusalem is a city fenced in, where, at certain seasons of the year, the saints of old met together for the worship of God, many of them coming a long way. But this was customary- -a place of God's especial care, and constantly under the eye of Him to whom the darkness and light are both alike. The saints are a beautiful type of such a city in many ways; but old nature drags us down, and says, you must not place yourself so high. It is truly a glorious thing that we can not place ourselves on a level with God; for, naturally, if we were to look at Jerusalem, we should perhaps see little or nothing to take our attention; and then take a glance at ourselves, and what do we see but a body of sin and death? and can with the poet say, From head to foot defiled by sin," &c. 66 2nd. His maintenance, place, and perpetuity. We all know we must be maintained, there must then be a place and also continuance; but let us look at it in a spiritual point of view. Where is there a child of God but that has, one time or other, had a Bethel or a Penial visit, and is led to exclaim, "this is none other than the house of God, and the very gate of heaven ?" Is not this refreshing to that poor soul that has been in the dark for a considerable time, mourning an absent God? Should we not starve if we had not a meal now and then, although few and far between? What depending creatures we are-cannot help ourselves; and could we receive such sumptuous fare elsewhere? No, the King's table is the only place; who but a God of all grace could supply all our needs? He knoweth exactly everything that is and has pronecessary, mised that no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. But let us look at the last head-his failing-lame on both his feet. It has been said that religion ought to dwell in the feet as well as the head, to signify the walk to be in accordance with that we profess in our heads. Where is there a Christian man or woman that does not have to mourn with lameness, or many other things in which we fall so short? Lameness on one foot is bad enough; but on both feet, what hobbling, for we can call it nothing better: but what a good thing it is that the race is not to the swift, or where would the hobblers be but shut out? There are many who make an outward show of religion that seem apparently to run so | trial, hungering and thirsting, until our sentence shall be, "Rise up, my love, DEATH-BED TRIUMPHING. MY DEAR BROTHER G. C.,-We do she has got beyond this. I can assure find sometimes among the poor of God's you, my dear brother, she has attained family eminent godliness. There is in to the "full assurance of faith;" and I this town a very sweet instance of this have thought, how I should like you to in a cottager, a poor, comparatively see her, as she lies longing, longing to young woman, who has been for some be gone, and yet waiting with such submonths living with one lung. It is a mission. Her cottage is a little sanctuwonder, the doctor says, she lives on; ary, where she tells to all who come, of but it is God's will, and this reconciles the preciousness of Christ. And what her to her present sufferings, of which, was once this redeemed one? A hater of when she speaks, it is but for a minute, the Word of God; so much so, that her spirit quickly rises above them to when her husband would sit by the bed talk of Him who is so precious to her, side at night and read the Bible, she and by whom she is momentarily ex- would jump out of bed, and blow pecting to be called. In this waiting out the candle in his face. Oh! what and longing posture she has been for hath God wrought! From this precious months past. Oh! how sweetly she Word, once despised, how much she has speaks of Jesus. Call this dying!-oh, been taught of herself as a sinner—of no! As she said last night, regarding Jesus her Saviour. Ah! my dear the flight of the spirit, when she ceased brother, how precious is the Word of to breathe, there would be no long | God, when taught it by the Spirit of passage for the spirit to pass through truth. after death; it will be immediate glory-in a moment in His presence. She says she cannot doubt Him, she WALTER. P. S. Since the foregoing was written Oh to fol has so much of His presence, realized this happy soul has winged her way to so much of His glory of late, that she realms of never-ending joy. has not now to say, I think and I hope-low her! WASTE TIME. Ir is sad to think how little time we the manner in which it has been passed. really turn to account. We talk so Precious as time is, how much of it is much, and do so little. What with indeed wasted; yet well we know that sleeping, eating, and vain and foolish not even a moment can be recalled. conversation, how small a portion of our Lord, "so teach us to number our days, time is spent to advantage. How sel- that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom can we look back upon any one dom." day, and reflect with satisfaction upon |