which is most correct and accordant with the word of God. But this we may affirm, that that view of election which tends to exalt one sinner above his fellow-sinners -which would permit the person professing it to look with a cold and careless eye at the multitudes perishing in ignorance and sin— which would lead him to sit with folded hands until the grace of God come to him, excusing his want of diligence by the vain but oft repeated phrase, I can do nothing by myself, and if God does not help me it is not my fault;' or, ‘if I am to be saved I shall be saved;' or, grace is the gift of God, and he will give it if he sees fit:' such a view of election and absolute decrees is not only erroneous, but fatal to the hopes of all who entertain it. This persuasion cometh not of him who calleth you.

And who shall say how many have turned away in hopeless despondency, and because they cannot presume that they are of the elect, conclude that it is in vain for them to attempt to perform the duties and to obey the precepts of religion, or avail themselves of its privileges. Such persons surely forget that God would have all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Oh that they were wise-that they would consider this in a humble, thoughtful, praying spirit. Let me remind them of the imperative duty of using all the means of grace which God has appointed. I being in the way the Lord led me," Gen. xxiv. 27. said Abraham's servant. And if we will but keep in the way, in the plain path of duty, we need not fear but the Lord will lead, and guide, and draw us to himself, "them that honour him, he will honour." "Those who ask shall receive." "If any will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." When we are in doubt, let us strive to keep close to the plain and practical meaning of Scripture,

66

not troubling ourselves with what an Apostle found hard to be understood; not speculating upon the secret things which belong to the Lord our God-not exercising ourselves in great matters which are too high for us; but in all humility and godly fear, let us refrain our souls and keep them low as a child weaned of its mother; that " we henceforth be no more tossed to and fro, and carried away with every wind of doctrine, but being established in the truth may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Jesus Christ."

As the warm weather advanced, poor Rachel became worse in her health, and even more depressed in spirits. The sallow complexion, pinched up nose, sunken eyes, difficulty of breathing, and frequent faintings, prepared me to expect that in a little while death would claim her as his victim. I could seldom see her alone, and for many successive visits could not get her to enter into any kind of conversation. It was heart-rending to see her fixed depression. After trying every effort to rouse her, but in vain, I suggested that she might find some relief in change of scene, and it would be easy to procure a lodging in a more airy situation. She started at the mention of it, but made no reply.

Then Rachel, I will see if Mrs. Horton has a room at liberty, you might move there to-morrow.

Move there to-morrow,' she replied, as one bewildered; move where? I stay here till they carry me to the church-yard.'

But think, Rachel, change of air and scene would cheer your spirits more than any thing else, and she has such a nice little garden where you might sit and smell the flowers, and hear the birds; you are so fond of the country, Rachel, it might do you good.'

The tears gathered in her heavy eyes, and coursed in torrents down her pale cheek.

'God in heaven bless you for all your goodness to me; but I cannot be moved from the house where he and I,' meaning her husband,' have been so happy together. And what would he think to come here and find us all away.'

'But my poor friend, your husband will not come here for many a day.' • Hush! will see.'

don't say that--you

Much as I deplored the delusion under which she laboured, I could not force myself to undeceive her. On this subject she refused to listen to any one. She had with much difficulty succeeded in persuading herself that she should not die without once more seeing her much-loved husband; and all her talk was of what she should say when he did come,-how she would beg of him to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,―to train up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and not to mind what his aunt said against teaching them to pray while they are little; enforcing her injunctions by many passages and examples in the Old and New Testament, which proved her to be well acquainted with Scripture. Instead therefore of wasting time and strength in endeavouring to convince her of the false impression, I felt thankful that she was so well prepared to improve the imaginary interview and determined that her dying advice should not be lost to the ear of her husband. I therefore directed all my efforts to bring her mind to dwell upon the future meeting at the bar of God, and she listened with eagerness when I spoke of that happy country where the captive's bonds are loosed, where sorrow and sighing shall for ever flee away; and I left her in prayer that she might be of this blessed number. She was evidently more anxious than I had seen her for many weeks, and whilst I felt thankful to witness

any improvement in her state of feeling, I could only find relief from the anxieties which still remained, by praying to the Father of mercies that He would graciously spare her a little until she recovered strength before she was removed hence to be no more seen.

I had been prevented visiting poor Rachel for nearly ten days, from severe indisposition, when early one morning, ere I had finished my breakfast, I received a message from her ;-thinking herself dying, she felt it were impossible to leave this world without one more interview. I was ill prepared for the scene which awaited me. 'There, there,' she exclaimed in a sort of delirious transport.

You said he had forgotten me, you said he'd never come again.' And after bestowing an angry and almost withering look upon nurse Browne and some stranger, whom I inferred to be the man at the Meeting down the lane,' who left the room as soon as I made my appearance, the poor invalid burst into a flood of tears. 'God forgive me, for being so angry,Sir, what a wretch am I, how can I hope for deliverance from this vile heart, tell me, Sir, my dear Sir, tell me once more, is there

-0

hope for me?' "O yes, be com

forted, the "blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin,"-" though they be as scarlet they shall be white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." So I thought,-but you have been so long ill, and I have no one but you to lead me to the Saviour. I hope poor James has, -O if I could but be sure of this, -tell him all I wished to have said if he had come for a little while. I thought he did, but I could not speak to him; but God won't be extreme to mark what is done amiss, or who could abide his anger; and now pray with me.' I knelt down and prayed in the words of the commendatory prayer

entered upon the boundless ages of eternity. And was there hope in her end?-it is not for us to form or express an opinion. We have the comfort of knowing that much may and does pass between the soul and its Maker, of which an outward observer is ignorant, that the dew of God's Holy Spirit may visit and fertilize the most barren soil, though we hear not the sound of abundance of rain; that those who confer the least with their friends, may hold much secret communion with their God.

So far as my own feelings on the subject of her end, may interest my readers, I most cheerfully acknowledge that I could give hearty thanks that it hath pleased our heavenly Father to deliver this our sister out of the miseries of this sinful world.

from the office for the visitation of the sick. This ended, she exclaimed, The Lord bless thee, my only friend, and grant us a joyful meeting in heaven. And O that my dear James and all my children might come.' She seemed to wish to add more, but the cold perspiration, the chill of the tomb was already on her brow, she breathed with fearful difficulty, and there was that last distressing sound in her throat, which indicated that yet a very little while and all would be over; and as these symptoms increased, her mental agitation appeared with redoubled violence. Our only refuge, the throne of grace, was still open to us, and whilst life remained, I prayed that God would give her peace in believing, that he would not in this her last hour, suffer any pains of death to shake her trust in the love and mercy of her Redeemer. She spoke I have begged of God to receive me, but will he? I am a back-slider, an idolater, a Sabbath-breaker. “ He willeth not the death of a sinner." 'Stop-what said he to Ephraim, -let him alone.' But He also exclaims, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim, I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy." Again, "Is Ephraim my son, is he a pleasant child?" Again, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him.' 'Then there is hope,-I might have died. without feeling it,--Oh how good of God. Tell dear James my last thoughts, my last prayers are, that God would pity and guide and lead him and the poor children to his mercy.'

This was her last prayer, and in a few hours she was released from the body of sin and death, She had exchanged the life of this transitory dying world, for the never-ending future. She had burst the narrow limits of time, and

I have said it is not for us to form or express an opinion upon the condition of the departed; the only question with which we have anything to do relates to our conduct as friends or as ministers. Have I been faithful,-have I done all in my power to lead that sinner to the Saviour? Have I been instant in season, out of season? Have I endeavoured to seek that which was lost, to bring again that which was driven away, to bind

up that which was broken, to heal that which was sick, to strengthen that which was diseased and ready to perish? (Ezek. xxxiv. 4, 16.)

And when called upon to visit the sick and dying, we should regard it as a voice from God to prepare for our own departure; we should seek with renewed diligence for an interest in Christ, that "when he shall come in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may rise to the life everlasting."

And whilst we guard against the spirit of curious inquiry which would lead us to speculate upon the condition of any; let us not on the other hand forget that every

event of this nature lesson for ourselves.

contains a And in the case of poor Rachel, I saw and felt the evil of having the affections so firmly settled upon the creature. This was the thorn in her dying pillow. She felt how grievously she had mocked her Creator by setting up an idol in her heart, and the passage," Ephraim Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone," came home to her in her dying moments with fearful application.

And is this our case? Are we trusting in an arm of flesh, relying for peace and happiness on the creature, rejoicing with great joy on account of the gourd which is prepared for a shadow to our heads? Are we saying of any temporal good, this same shall comfort us? Are we hewing out water in earthen cisterns? The arm of flesh shall be removed. The creature on whom we lean shall prove a spear, and pierce us through with many sorrows; the gourd shall wither and become the prey of the worm; the thing which should have been for our good, shall become a snare, an occasion for stumbling; the cisterns shall be made empty. And wherefore? that we may trust in the Lord for ever, in whom is everlasting strength, that we may set our affections on things above, and mortify our members which are upon the earth; that we may remember the source from whence our comforts flow, and forget not the God of our mercies. O, let us strive more and more to realize that there is a needs-be for every trying dispensation; that the chastening rod of our heavenly Father is never used for his pleasure, but for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness, that he afflicts not willingly, nor grieves the children of men, that

he takes no delight in crossing the wills, and defeating the plans of those whom he has created, and that he does not desire to render them unhappy, but would by

every dispensation lead them to true happiness, to the fountain of joy, and the rivers of pleasures which are at his right hand. And when we note how wisely the different trials are adapted to different characters, and how exactly each one receives his portion in due season, we cannot but wonder at and admire the care and Iskill with which our God doth devise means that his banished be not driven from him.

It

"Before I was afflicted I went astray." It is good for me that I have been in trouble, is the testimony alike of the living and the dead, of many on earth, of multitudes before the throne of God, and it is in heaven alone that the full benefit of earthly afflictions shall be known and enjoyed. And what can better reconcile us to such discipline, than the reflection that it will terminate in perfect holiness and peace, and that it is the necessary preparation for this blessed consummation. will terminate. Yes, the period is not far distant, when all our trials and privations shall come to an end, "where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." There, in the peaceful tomb the changes and chances of this mortal life shall affect our comfort no more. And yet it were but poor consolation for the active zealous Christian, that the afflictions of the present scene shall terminate in the stillness and silence of the tomb, "Behold! saith the Scripture, behold I create a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness;" there his servants shall serve him; there ministering spirits shall minister to heirs of salvation. There the broken heart shall be bound up, the mourner shall be comforted, beauty shall be given for ashes, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

Jedidiah.

How searching and instructive is the question of our blessed Lord to Peter. "C Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? The word these, is somewhat ambiguous; but to those who were present on the deeply interesting occasion on which the inquiry was made, it was probably determinate enough. The meaning of it would be fixed by the gesture with which our Saviour accompanied his interrogation. He might point to the fishing implements, the boats, the nets, or to the unusual draught of fishes which had just been taken. He might point to some of Peter's kindred, who possibly were present, or to those friends and associates who, undoubtedly were at hand. But to

denying liberality. Let it be submitted then to the judgment of your serious readers, whether, since the Lord Jesus is all our salvation; since of God he is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption; since we have not a reasonable hope towards God which is not founded on the glorious truth that the only-begotten of the Father loved us and gave HIMSELF for us,-whether, I say, we ought not, and whether, if real believers, we shall not, unreservedly, devote our souls and bodies, our time and substance, to his service and to his glory?

The subject is one which,

viewed in connexion with the circumstances of many religious professors, may excite a reasonable, and it is hoped, not an ungodly jealousy. There is no one pretend

in the heart of redeemed sinners. If Jesus is loved at all as he ought to be, he must be loved incomparably. "He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Matt. x. 37, 38.

Now let these words of our blessed Lord be remembered in connexion with that most solemn sentence of St. Paul. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha."

Is there not a subject opened here important enough for the Christian Guardian to suggest to the serious reflection of his hearers?

How solemn are the times in which we live; how loud is the call for Christian devotedness, and self

We

Christ, who does not devote a part of his substance to the Lord. will take the case of those who give liberally; that is, as respects the amount of their donation, as it stands compared with others in a list of contributions.

But when this liberality is compared to the means of the contributor, what is it? Take the whole amount of his subscriptions and donations, and yet what has he sacrificed to make them? What retrenchment has been made to enlarge Christian bounty? What privations have been endured for the sake of advancing the kingdom and glory of the Lord?

When one enters the houses of some professors, when one observes not only their comforts but their luxuries, though one forbears to judge or to condemn, or to say in every case, this is absolutely inconsistent with Chris