and looked, and, behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns." So with precious Mary; "Jesus saith unto her, Mary: she turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master." "Master-precious, precious Lord, is it Thou? I knew not with whom I had been speaking! I had not the slightest thought that Thou wert so near. Oh, let me once again embrace those precious feet, let me anoint those dreadful wounds of Thine; oh, permit me once again to wash them with my tears, for what have my sins cost Thee ?" "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." Oh, beloved, speak not of sin standing between a poor sensible sinner and an all-gracious and an almighty Saviour. Here is Jesus, giving the precedence after His resurrection to one of the most notorious of sinners, and committing the most sacred of commissions to that sinner. He shows himself first to Mary, and, from His own lips, she was to be the first preacher of the great and glorious fact, that Christ had risen from the dead. Oh, what volumes of encouragement does this fact contain.

c How clearly does your next remark, in reference to the hard thoughts you feel struggling within against Jesus, on the one hand, and your desire that He would arise and plead your cause, on the other, prove the existence of the two natures, flesh and Spirit. You are engaged in that glorious warfare between Adam earthy and Adam heavenly; that which is born from beneath, that which is born from above. Hence blessed Erskine sings

"To good and evil equal bent,
I'm both a devil and a saint."

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But mark, though it is a desperate warfare, and a ceaseless warfare, the issue is by no means doubtful. Gad, a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last." These two natures (as we once expressed it) present themselves as fighting on and on to the very grave; and at last, with one desperate effort, the new man pitches the old man headlong into the pit, and then, for once, playing the part of the sexton's assistant, shovels in the clay exultingly to the words, "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust." It is a glorious deliverance we have in view, beloved-a full and final deliverance from that wretched Canaanite which we find, daily and hourly to our cost, still dwells in the land. Such a release-such a victory—is worth waiting for and fighting for.

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e I feel my heart is quite as bad as Satan," you say. Worse, beloved, because Satan was never redeemed by blood divine, as we have been, and therefore, sinner as he is, he never sinned against those redemption-privileges as we have done. He never, as a mystic member, stood in covenant and indissoluble union with the head Christ, as we do; and therefore our sin against light, knowledge, and grace-union privileges, exceeds (in our view) even the sin of Satan, inconceivably great as that sin is. But still there is forgiveness for us, though not for him, for we-not he-are heirs to that gracious, glorious assurance, "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's dear Son, cleanseth us from ALL sin." "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."

f You say, beloved, you know not what you are, nor where you are. If you turn to the 38th of Isaiah, you will find (if so be the Holy Ghost is pleased to shine upon His word) both what you are, and where you are; for there a poor, troubled, afflicted brother of yours is adopting precisely your

language, crying out of precisely the same depths in which you at this moment are, “O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for [margin, ease] me." The Lord was so teaching him, and the Lord is now so teaching you, that both the one and the other shall exclaim of the deliverance He so sovereignly and so graciously vouchsafes, "Himself hath done it ;" and "Himself shall have the glory." 6. You remark, Oh, how my heart pleaded for that dear woman mentioned in this month's Magazine. I felt the same, and in sympathy did plead for her." And why this, if you had not been alive? Why this, if you had not loved her as a sister in our common Lord-a living member of the household of faith? If you had not been a fellow-partaker of life, and light, and love divine, you never could have " pleaded" for her. But she has since obtained the victory—and now beholds Him face to face—and soor, very soon, shall you obtain the victory, and behold His glorious, lovely face likewise.

Finally, you say, "Remember me at the mercy-throne, and tell me what is the answer you get. Let my sentence come forth from His lips, Lord, do deliver me from the hand of the wicked, and redeem me from the hand of the terrible,' is my cry." We have remembered you at the throne, beloved, and our answer is, 'Say ye to the righteous, That it shall be well with him"-well in life, well in death, well to all eternity.

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Well when thy soul with sorrow breaks,

And thou no Christ can see.

""Tis well when at His throne,

They wrestle, weep, and pray; 'Tis well when at His feet they groan, Yet bring their wants away.

""Tis well when they can sing,

As sinners bought with blood:
And when they touch the mournful string,
And mourn an absent God.

"'Tis well, when on the mount,

They feast on dying love;
And 'tis as well, in God's account,
When they the furnace prove."
-EDITOR.

OUR BROAD-SHEET, "OLD JONATHAN."

cruel bondage. In like manner, three years ago, Satan and his agents looked for the publication of this Journal; and I believe none feared the issue more than dear "Old Jonathan" himself, when tremblingly commending the work to the covenant God of Israel; but they that wait upon the Lord shall never be ashamed.

DEARLY BELOVED EDITOR,-I most! the instrument of deliverance from his truly rejoice to hear from Mr. Colling ridge of the increased sale of the "Old Jonathan," even to the last copy of the February Number. What hath God wrought! Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to Him? May He deign to guide the circulation of each sheet, and leave a blessing behind Him. However mighty Satan may be, he is not omnipotent, and our God worketh wondrously in the pulling down of his strongholds. Had Pharaoh seen the trembling hands prepare the slender ark, and place it, with its precious treasure, in Jehovah's keeping on the perilous waters, he would have laughed to scorn

The God of peace_give you peace alway, by all means. His peace be with you all. Amen.

Ever yours affectionately in Him,
E. A. C.
Bolton Street, W.

SOUTHAMPTON CEMETERY.

sin

YEARS ago I knew Southampton_well. I the utmost difficulty I could proceed. Few were the faces with which I was It was a very young child whose body I not at that time familiar, but during a was then committing to the ground, three weeks' tarry there last autumn, I" earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to scarcely recognised a single countenance. dust." The mother of that dear departed A multitude had passed away. Their one was among the mourners; and, as names I found recorded in the neigh- the solemn service dropped upon her bouring cemetery; which, though only ear, she became convulsed with anguish. open from ten to eleven years, I found Leaning heavily upon her husband's contained the mouldering ashes of nearly arm, her head reclining on his shoulder, one-fifth part of the population. I she sobbed aloud; and I was all but really felt astounded, and, as I walked choked for utterance, as I thought of that grave-yard, could but ask the ques- the misery, and distress, and sorrow, tion, "Our fathers, where are they? the had brought into our world. Glad inprophets, do they live for ever?" deed was I to look beyond it, and death, and the grave, and to anticipate that glorious resurrection morning, when the graves shall be opened, and the sea give up her dead; when "Christ, who is our life, shall appear, and when we also shall appear with Him in glory." Oh, how I longed to tell that poor weeping one of the glorious fact, that, "all those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."

Whilst thus musing among the tombs, an undertaker's assistant stepped up, and asked me to officiate at a funeral, as they had been disappointed in the attendance of the parish clergyman. Of course I readily complied, and I know not that I was ever more struck with the solemnity of our beautiful burialservice; it so fell in with my then present feelings. But, arrived at the grave, and resuming the service, it was with

THE RIOTOUS PASSENGER.

I HAD taken my seat in one corner of a third-class carriage, at the Plymouth station, and made myself up as well as I could for the journey to Bristol. The frequent changing of passengers in a third-class carriage brings the traveller not only in contact with a larger number of persons, but, upon the whole, I think he has greater access to his fellowmen. For comfort, if I could afford it, I should like always to travel by firstclass, but for usefulness, I think I should choose the third; and should not the hope of being of use to our fellow-men take the place of personal convenience or comfort? Among the many regrets with which I look back upon my past life, are those of lost opportunities for talking with one's fellow-passengers. I am, for the most part, a silent traveller, when perhaps it would better become me to be anxiously looking out for an opportunity to speak a word on behalf of my Lord.

As soon as they had left our carriage, I found that the woman had been so repeatedly imprisoned under various charges, that the magistrates were at length really at a loss to know what to do with her; and that they were now sending her to Exeter as a last resource.

Order being restored, and the train having started, I thought, "Is there nothing to learn here? Is there no teaching suggested by this painful incident ?" The question was followed by the reflection, that much might be learnt from what had occurred.

First, the dreadful nature of sin, and the sad consequences of the fall. Man was the masterpiece in God's creation. It was His finishing stroke. He never said of anything but of man, "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

The passengers were crowding into the carriage, upon the occasion above How fearful was the dominion which referred to, when up came a woman, in Satan had obtained over man thus pricharge of a policeman. Her appear-vileged, and how marred was that gloance was disreputable in the extreme; rious image in which he was created. and, as soon as she took her seat in the What a humbling portraiture is that train by the side of her keeper-for a drawn by the Holy Ghost, even with keeper indeed she needed-she thumped regard to God's own people, “I have the window in the most violent way; nourished and brought up children, and and her lips poured forth a torrent of they have rebelled against me. The ox abuse upon her fellow-passengers, fol- knoweth his owner, and the ass his maslowed by language the most obscene. I ter's crib: but Israel doth not know, really trembled for the consequences, my people doth not consider. Ah, sinand felt that to undertake the journey, ful nation, a people laden with iniquity, under such circumstances, was out of a seed of evil doers, children that are the question. Two or three gentlemen corrupters: they have forsaken the who were seated in the carriage, called Lord, they have provoked the Holy One the attention of the station-master to of Israel unto anger, they are gone away the fact. We besought that the woman backward. Why should ye be stricken might be withdrawn. The request was any more? ye will revolt more and immediately complied with; and, with more: the whole head is sick, and the a fresh volley of oaths, and language | whole heart faint. From the sole of the the most obscene and disgusting, the foot even unto the head there is no wretched creature was conducted to soundness in it; but wounds, and another carriage; and I felt much con- bruises, and putrifying sores.' cerned for the safety of the policeman, how true that expression of the psalmwho, though he had threatened to hand-ist, "I was a beast before thee." cuff his prisoner, seemed more disposed But there were other and more grateto rely upon his own strength than to ful thoughts presented to the mind. restrain hers. The pity and condescension of Jesus

And

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Oh,

were seen in reference to the poor joy, she plucks the pot of ointment sinner who came to Simon's house. from her bosom, and, as she supposes, How beautiful did that scene appear. uncared for and unobserved, proceeds That poor woman (notorious as she was to anoint with ointment those precious -a poor, degraded, street-sinner), made feet which she had already drenched sick at heart of her own ways, and by with tears. She beholds those feet wet the unseen, and as yet not understood with her weeping; she in measure grace of the Lord, having heard of rouses from her sacred reverie, and Jesus, determines at all hazards to seek wipes away those tears with the ringlets Him. She hears He had gone to dine which too long she had striven to make with Simon the Pharisee. Perhaps she an object of attraction, and a help to had for days tracked His footsteps, but ensnare the passer by. She scorns their as yet had not courage to tell her case. former use, and exults already (come It becomes worse and worse-her con- what may) in the sacred privilege with dition more and more desperate. That which she is now indulged. She wets very last night's debauch-whensoever the feet of Jesus-yea, washes them it was had thoroughly sickened her. with tears-and with gentlest touch She had now too much light and too wipes them with the hairs of her head, much anguish to pursue any longer that and kisses those very feet whom perhaps, way. She would die rather than do so. by a sudden but Divine impulse, she She had heard of Jesus. She had foresees shall be stricken through with perhaps seen something of His healing the cruel nails of Calvary. Already power-had heard, it may be, the love- would she bind up those wounds, and strains in which He spoke-had caught anoint them with the ointment. a glimpse of the benignity of His how sweet those moments, though as countenance; and, in contrast with all yet she knew not that hers was an she had ever seen or heard, had secretly acceptable service, unless, indeed, she said, He is all I want. There is that felt, as another did, the healing virtue in Him which alone can meet my con- of His person, ere yet the sweet word dition. I'll go to Him; I'll try Him; forgiveness was pronounced. She waited it is my last hope. If rejected, I for Jesus at the very moment she waited cannot be worse off than at present." Precious distinction, yet Thus she resolves. She is prompt. blessedly, indissolubly connected. Those Her case admits of no delay. It is now who wait upon Jesus shall assuredly or never. She scans her desolate receive from Jesus. The woman with a dwelling. "What can I take with bleeding body touched His garment; me?" she says. She spies a box of oint- this woman with a bleeding heart mentt-perhaps the very same with which touched His person. But mark, in both she had intended to perfume her head, cases, the touches of faith led to the and by means of which she would now triumphs of faith. Sweet, very sweet, deem it her highest privilege to anoint be our case or circumstances whatever the feet of Jesus. She goes forth. With they may, to realize Christ as the one hurried step she threads her way amid simple object of our heart and eye. the thoughtless throng, who, if they Christ our hope, and Christ our help! recognize her, recoil, it may be, lest None but Jesus! Nothing in self, nor they should be contaminated by the of self. No duties, no promises, no passing touch. She finds the house. penances; but simply a poor, diseased, Forgetful of who she is, or where she dying, helpless, hopeless creature, lookis-impelled by an irresistible, hidden ing with strained eye and outstretched power, that is resolved to brave all hand to Jesus! Sweet position that of difficulties, and hazard all dangers, she this poor Magdalene at His feet, weepenters the Pharisee's house-finds the ing; so near Him-and, though as yet apartment where the guests are assem- she knew it not, so dear to Him. Õh, bled-and in another moment stands in what an encouraging case for poor the utmost brokenness and sorrow be- sinners to copy. To fee to Jesus-yea, hind the sacred person of Him whose to crawl to Him, a very mass of sin and grace and power she longed to realize. putrefaction; to recollect-aye, and to With mingled feelings of bitterness and tell Him, if not in words with the

upon Him.