IV. The ends and designs. And first, the perfecting of the saints. And this word perfect has various applications; viz., to number, to quantity, to quality, to stature, to the knowledge of any science, trade, or business. If the people have wrong notions they are imperfect, &c. Secondly, to edify the body of Christ; that is to build; and this is done by collecting materials, and laying them on the rock; by nursing babes, by feeding, and by educating them,

In the evening it devolved on brother Foreman, from the absence of others, to address the church, which he did from James ii. 12, 13; and through the goodness of the Lord he was enabled to say many precious things. On the subject of adoption he was very clear and beautiful; but as space fails me, can only say that the day closed very pleasantly; and the congregations, which had been very good through the day, dispersed. And may the blessing then in a measure enjoyed, richly rest on our friends and brethren at Had

look cheering, and I thank God and take courage. O what a friend is Christ to me! If we could take our walks a little oftener to the mount of Calvary, and to Gethsemane's sacred grove, and gaze upon that tragic deed, and see our Lord wade through seas of blood, in order that we might bathe in seas of bliss, methinks it would sweeten the bitters of life, and help us to consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, so that we should not be so weary, and faint in our minds. What a mercy to look prospectively, and to have a good hope through grace, that when this poor body shall sleep in the dirty tomb, the spirit shall mount to the plains of paradise, and gaze with extatic pleasure on him that died for me

'This is the man-the exalted man,
Whom I unseen adore;

But when my eyes behold his face,
My heart shall love him more.

I have been thinking of the Lord's mindfulness to poor sinners before time, in time, and after time. His mindfulness before time shines conspicuous in the sacred page: the fixed, unalterable, determination of the Trinity was, that the church of his love should be saved; and his busy thoughts ran upon the plan, and the way in which it was to be brought about; and that blest covenant that is the stable base of my soul, was then found

'In all things ordered well.'

This shews the mindfulness of God before the wheels of time began to move, and in the fulness of time the God-man Mediator steps forth from his hallowed secrecy, and clothed himself in the raiment of feeble flesh, and shrouded his glories beneath the form of a man of sorrows, and laid himself under obligation to cancel the mighty debt, and although it cost him his life and blood; yet he, by his omnipotent arm, hurled the mountain into the depths of the sea of sacrifice, there to perish from the gaze of God and man, and, as I have heard you say, Satan can't find them; the church can't find them; and God, blessed be his dear name, will never give himself the trouble to look for them. O bless the Lord, my soul! Ah, my friend, and when time shall cease to be, and a confused world shall tumble into a disordered chaos, and the wheel of time shall be swallowed up in vast eternity,

when He shall be a consuming fire to the wicked; then his mindfulness to his saints shall be as new and fresh as ever; and when millions of poor sinners shall groan out under the justice of the eternal God, may it be your happiness and mine to join the assembly of the first-born! Ah, then

'O how pleasant the conqueror's song.

The Lord prosper you in the great work of the ministry, if it be his dear will. While I subscribe myself a debtor to mercy alone, brought to know it by Thomas Poock's preaching at Eden Chapel, Cambridge,

Cottenham, June 15.

DAVID MALE.

[An experimental Letter by Mr. Poock, in answer to this, in our next.]

Consolation for the Christian.

"But ye are a chosen generation, a peculiar people."

Ye are a holy nation,

Ye people of the Lord,
A chosen generation-
For so declares his word;
How wonderful the features
That unto you belong,
The firstfruits of his creatures,
To him address your song

A royal priesthood bearing-
Come pay your willing vows,
As lively stones appearing-
A spiritual house,
Jehovah's favoured dwelling,
Where he will still abide,
And in his eyes excelling

Each dwelling place beside.

Ye are the Lord's own portion,
Ye happy, happy few,
Of all earth's wide creation
He loveth only you;
He form'd you for his glory,
Ye shall show forth his praise,
And tell the blissful story

To everlasting days.

Prosperity in Zion.

A Scrap from Cave Adullam, High Wycomb.

WITH respect to our little cause, we have
great reason for thankfulness, for the
Lord has done and is doing great things
for us, whereof we are glad. When bro-
ther Evans first came amongst us we
were sunk very low indeed; for at that
time we could scarcely muster twenty at
supper time, but through the tender
mercy of our God we have greatly in-
creased: during little more than the three
years that brother Evans has been here,
he has baptized twenty-one, I believe;
besides, several have been added from
other churches; and others which had
wandered away in the cloudy and dark day
have returned, so that now when all the
family come together at supper time, we
muster, I think, sixty-one, so we are con-
strained to say, what hath God wrought?
May we not justly conclude, that we are
about midway between Mispeth and Shen?
for in turning over the leaves of Reve-
lation, we have found the old monumen-
tal stone "Ebezener!" and we have had
many blessed opportunities of pouring
fresh oil upon the top of it, and adopting
the old motto, "Hitherto the Lord hath
helped us." One of our happiest_sea-
sons was on the first sabbath in July,
when brother Evans baptized two men;
one a widower, whose wife, before her
death, regularly attended with us, but
was consumptive, and gradually wasted.
away, but witnessed a good confession,
and died in the faith. Her husband at
that time was in a state of ignorance, but
after the death of his wife (which affected
him very much) he attended with us very
regularly, and it appears, got entangled
in the gospel net, and was baptized as
afore stated. The other man was not
Alexander the coppersmith, but Joseph
the blacksmith, whose history is some-
what remarkable, as it will appear. His
wife, about two years ago, was constrained
by a power unknown to her, to come to
the Cave, where the Lord met with her,
and after a time she was a candidate for
baptism; her husband at that time was
exceedingly mad against her being bap-
tized;
he abused her, and threatened to
beat her, so that the poor thing was at
her wits end; but she persevered, and
was baptized, and he did not put his
threats into execution, but was more calm
than could have been expected; however,
not very long after her baptism, he felt
inclined to come with his wife to the

Cave. (Ah, my brother, you and I know from whence such inclinations proceed.) Well, he came (although he had often wished the chapel burnt down); and, as God would have it, a spark from the gospel anvil, darted into his soul, which caused such a revolution there, as he had never felt before, so much so that his old enmity, and prejudices, and free-will was cut up root and branch, and he became very zealous and willing to be useful in every way he could, and very soon became a teacher in the Sabbath school, and in less than a year became a candidate for baptism, and was baptized as aforesaid: so that these evidences, with many more that might be mentioned, are great cause for thankfulness. Our congregation has also very much increased, so that often at the evening service we can hardly find room for them; and, blessed be God, we have great comfort and peace among ourselves, and very evidently feel the Lord's presence among us. And now may our crowned Lord accompany with his blessing the contents of the Earthen Vessel, is the humble prayer of an unbleached village preacher, Wycomb, Aug. 11, 1848. W. STEERS.

The Fountain of Life.

[The following lines were composed by a
young man on the eve of his joining a
Baptist church, but who was taken home
to glory before that event took place.
They were given to us by Mr. Gwinnell,
of Greenwich, for publication.]

FARE ye well, ye phantom pleasures,
That have held my heart so long!
Fare ye well, ye cankering treasures,
That inspire the worldling's song!
Vain your efforts, vain your efforts,
My departure to prolong.
Pure immortal pleasures flowing
From Immanuel's wounds I see;
Boundless treasures, rich and glowing,
Every day more full, more free.

What a mercy, what a mercy,
I can say they are for me.

Yes, on me that precious fountain
Has its efficacy proved;

Though my sins rose like a mountain,
By it they are all remov'd.

And what thousands, and what thousands,
Through it have their title prov'd.

What is a Heavenly Call?

A LETTER TO A SISTER IN THE FAITH.

vanity and vexation of spirit; it looks, at God, and trembles with filial fear, lest he, the Judge of all the earth, KIND, affectionate, and sympathising should one day cut him off as a cumberer friend, and sister too, I trust, in the faith of the ground; indeed, from its very of God's elect; saved in the LORD JE-movements and breathings you shall see HOVAH with an everlasting salvation; that Scripture fulfilled, They that becalled to be a saint by an holy and hea-lieve shall not make haste.' venly calling, through the abundant grace of our Lord, and that because he delighteth in mercy. But is this the truth Miss Mary-That you are called with an heavenly calling? Have you been quickened into eternal life by the Eternal Spirit of all truth? Raised from a state of stupor, lethargy, wretchedness and woe-brought, I say, now to be a poor penitent sinner at the footstool of mercy, with weeping and suppli cations? Is mercy all your plea? Is blood and righteousness all your plea? Are you constrained, by the love of God, being shed abroad in the heart, to worship God in Spirit and in truth? Has the Holy Ghost so convinced you of the sin and depravity of your own evil heart, that you have been obliged from real necessity (like poor Lot of old) to fly for refuge and shelter in the Rock of eternal ages, and with ardent desires, from a broken and a contrite heart, to cry

"Rock of ages shelter me,

Let me hide myself in thee "— "Other refuge have I none,

Hangs my helpless soul on thee?" But, perhaps you will say, What is a heavenly call? And how shall I know it? To this I answer, by the effects or consequences which immediately follow. First, the call is triune, the love of God the eternal Father; the grace of God the eternal Son, made known, or begotten in the soul by the quickening influence and power of God the eternal Spirit of all truth, the third person in the ever-blessed Trinity. Secondly, the effects or consequences. This call by grace, conquers, subdues, and overpowers the stubborn will; breaks the rocky heart; sets the man on his feet; illuminates the mind; gives a seeing eye; an hearing, listening, and attentive ear; besides writing death and destruction upon every thing short of God and godliness, the soul becomes like one just awoke out of deep sleep; it stands, and looks, and wonders what has befallen it; disturbance takes place in the mind as to what had better be done, and where to go. It looks around, and pronounces all to be

Again, the soul thus made sensible and sensitive, being actuated by or from a divine principle, power, or supernatural influence; flies from that which is bad, and comes forth to the light with an earnest desire to be instructed, led, and guided in the right way, and so it waits and listens at the posts of the doors, and gates of righteousness, if so be it may meet with a token for good; it hears of God, as the great and terrible One, He who can dash whole worlds to death, and make them when he please, and none dare say,' What doest thou?' Further, this living soul hears of a decree and purpose gone forth from everlasting on behalf of a people formed to shew forth his praise, and wonders if it was there; it hears of God giving them to his dear Son, and wonders if it was there; it hears of their names being written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and wonders if it was there; it hears of bearing them on his heart, and wondersAm I there? it hears of God the Son becoming incarnate, and thus making manifest the union to his people, and wonders if it was there; it hears of his dying the ignominious death of the cross, the just for the unjust, and wonders if it was there; it hears of his rising again for their justification, and wonders if it was there; it hears of his ascending upon high to make intercession for his people to plead his own merits, blood, and righteousness for those who cannot pray for themselves; yea, for those who sometimes are afraid to pray, and wonders if he rememberd me, wretched me

"The vilest of them all."

My dear sister-this I believe to be, in measure, the movements, breathings, and God says, 'My son, give me thine heart; desires of a regenerated soul, and to such I will fulfil thy desires, I will hear thy cry, and I will save.

"His heart is made of tenderness, His bowels melt with love." But I do not say that he will not hide the purpose of his grace to make it better known.

May the Lord, in his mercy, keep,

B b

A Ray of Glory from Heaven : AND A FIERY ᎠᎪᎡᎢ FROM SATAN.

MR. EDITOR :-Believing you are greatly exercised in your soul at times by some of these fiery darts of the enemy, and that many servants of God are readers of your useful publication, I have thought that the following narrative would be read with great thankfulness to him who hath said, by the mouth of his apostle, ' But will with every temptation make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'-W. F.

whelm him; and he fell, almost lifeless, to
the ground. When he had revived a little,
all he could do was to raise a fervent prayer
that God would withdraw himself from
him, or that he must sink under a view
of his ineffable glory. When able to reflect
on his situation, he could not but abhor
himself as a weak and despicable worm,
and seemed to be overcome with astonish-
ment that a creature so unworthy, and
insufficient, had ever dared to attempt the
instruction of his fellow men, in the nature
and attributes of so glorious a Being. Over-
staying his usual time, some of his elders
went in search of him, and found him pros-
trate on the ground, unable to rise, and
incapable of informing them of the cause.
They raised him up, and after some time
brought him to the church, and supported
him to the pulpit, which he ascended on
his hands and knees, to the no small as-
tonishment of the congregation.
He re-
mained silent for a considerable time,
earnestly supplicating Almighty God to
hide himself from him, that he might be
enabled to address his people, who were by
this time lost in wonder to know what had
produced this uncommon event. His prayers
were heard; and he became able to stand
up by holding the desk. He now began

the most affecting and pathetic address
that the congregation had ever received
from him. He gave a surprising account
of the views he had of the infinite wisdom
of God, and greatly deplored his own in-
capacity to speak to them of a Being so
infinitely glorious beyond all his powers
of description. He attempted to show
something of what had been discovered to
him of the astonishing wisdom of Jeho-
vah, of which it was impossible for human
nature to form adequate conception.
then broke out into so fervent and ex-
pressive a prayer, as greatly to surprise
the congregation, and to draw tears from
every eye; a sermon followed; which con-
cluded the solemn service, and made a last-
ing impression on many of the hearers.

He

Mr. W. Tennent, late minister of the A short period after this, on an evening gospel, at Freehold, New Jersey, in Ame- preceeding the Sabbath, he was led to dwell rica, was eminently owned and honoured on a subject which he intended to speak of God in the work of the ministry. So from the following day, and though favored deep were the exercises of his soul, that he with further insight into the subject on was at times greatly weakened by the the morning of the day, he was all at once way? On one occasion he was attending assaulted with the temptation that the the duties of the Lord's Day in his own Bible, which he then held in his hand, was congregation, as usual, where the custom not of divine authority, but the invention was to have the morning and evening ser- of man. He instantly endeavoured to revice with only half-an-hour's intermission, pel the temptation by prayer, but his to relieve the attention; he had preached endeavours proved unavailing. The tempin the morning, and in the intermission tation continued, and fastened on him with had walked into the woods for meditation; greater strength, as the time advanced for he was reflecting on the infinite wisdom of public service. The thoughts and openings God, as manifested in all his works, and up of the word on his pre-meditated subparticularly in the wonderful method of ject were gone. He tried other subjects, salvation, through the death and suffer- but could get nothing for the people. The ings of his beloved Son. This subject sud- whole book of God, under that distressing denly opened upon his mind with such a dispensation, was a sealed book to him; flood of light, that his views of the glory and, to add to his affliction, he was, to use and the infinite majesty of Jehovah were his own words, shut up in prayer;' a cloud, so inexpressibly great, as entirely to over-dark as that of Egypt, oppressed his mind.