or otherwise, are such as every true child of God is subject to; they spring from various causes, sometimes they originate in those who are the appointed leaders and captains of the Lord's host; they do not give a good report of the land; they dwell so much upon difficulties and obstacles in the passage thither; they go so much on conditions and exact fulfilments of the law; they are so unacquainted with their own infirmities and the human heart; they so shut out the Saviour and the freedom of grace, that it should almost seem that heaven was any thing but a free and absolute gift; they make it appear as if it depended partly on works and partly on faith, and that it was not settled on Abraham and his seed for ever; sometimes doubts and fears arise from clouds and corruptions within, darkening our evidences, interrupting our spiritual views of Christ, and so weakening our faith; sometimes from other causes, viz. pride of heart, secret sin, going against light and conviction, &c.

But if any of you, my young friends, are discomforted, through needless doubts and fears of your own or others' making, (sin only excepted, our sin is just cause of fear,) remember, I pray you, that the whole land is before you, in all the plenitude of its mercies, and in all the fulness of its blessings-as the free gift of God in Christ ; as a heritage already given, and not conditionally bestowed; as a free gift for Christ's sake, and not for our deserts; "For the wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans vi. 23.)

Now be satisfied, my children, with this rapid

sketch of the Israelites' travels; enough has been said for your memory to retain,-more would be too much for my strength at this time to give.

Apollos. Certainly; the good of hearing is the measure of our profiting. I now feel, more and more, how little I know in divine things.

Josiah.-Oh, for more enlarged views of gospel truth! I seem hitherto to have attached too much importance to particular passages and verses. I have not been mindful enough of the general bearing, and the great and comprehensive whole, which is to glorify God in the salvation of his people on a broad scale; in the manifestation of his wisdom, in the fulfilment of his promises, and in gradual discoveries of his grace.

Thomas. I also see my failings in a very different point of view, when I thus hear of the triumphs of grace. My shameful unbelief distresses me exceedingly; in the travels of the children of Israel, what wonders of wickedness, and yet, what miracles of mercy; though they were a rebellious nation, a stiff-necked people, a seed of evil-doers, yet God, ever true to his word, and faithful to his promise, guided them at last to their promised rest. "O, may he guide me by his counsel, and afterwards, receive me to glory."

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Philemon.-Yes, if you will but trust God, and lean not to your own understanding, “ though he may lead you by a way you know not," though ofttimes he may cause you to walk in darkness, and to see no light though "neither sun nor stars for many days may appear," still if you cleave to the God of your salvation, He will in his own good time do for you in a spiritual sense,

as Joshua did to the tribes of Israel: he divided to them their inheritance by lot; and so Christ, the great Captain of our salvation, will never leave you, till he has not only brought you into the kingdom of grace beneath, but into the " new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

SECTION XLV.

BIOGRAPHY.

JOSIAH.-PHILEMON.-BARNABAS APOLLOS.-SILAS.

Josiah. The outline you gave us of the travels of God's ancient people, has interested us not a little it has, I trust, profited us all in many points of view; chiefly as it throws light upon God's gracious dealings with our souls, by leading us to apply their earthly pilgrimage to ourselves, after a spiritual manner.

Philemon. It is in this way we make the experience of others our own; and derive benefit from what we read; it is in this way also, the history of past ages becomes the narrative of the present; the spiritual interpretation of the Bible forms a running comment for ourselves: its examples are our lessons; and its details respecting the lives and manners of others, are but so many faithful records of our own daily mercies and

sins.

Josiah. We would now desire, dear Sir, if convenient, to have your thoughts on another, and very different subject. The biography of some of the Old Testament saints, and the recording of their sins, has surprised us; they have proved a stumbling-block to many amongst us.

Philemon.-The Bible is an authentic document; it describes things as they are; it neither exaggerates sin by magnifying it, nor flatters saints by making them think better of themselves than

they really ought: the disorders, and abuses, and flagrant transgressions to which you allude, were both permitted and recorded for our instruction; they are intended to humble us, and to make us watch over ourselves with a godly jealousy.

Barnabas.-Scandals among those who profess godliness, prove stumbling-blocks to the weak: they are a great grief to the more established, and often lie very hard and heavy upon all that truly fear God.

Apollos.-I have not as yet learned the ways of God perfectly: but it strikes me there is great difficulty in reconciling the lives of some of the ancient worthies, as they are called, with a state

of

grace and salvation; some of them were hardhearted and cruel; others were deceitful and inconsistent; many of them fell into most grievous and scandalous sins; where can you find an exception?

Philemon.-Young Christians see themselves in a true light by degrees; they are put into possession of themselves as they can bear the sight; but hypocrites deny, if not the existence of sin, at least they think of it and speak of it as though they had but little of it: they pare down every evil that is in the sepulchre of their hearts, unto some mere shreds and remainders of evil whereas the sacred Scriptures make out sin to have not only its being, but its abode and indwelling in us, even after conversion to God. (Rom. vii. 24.)

Josiah. And my conscience tells me, that sin is still sin, under whatever form it appears; an ulcer is an ulcer still, though it be covered with a silken bandage: it was, as you know, under