the Master's presence even to old age and hoary hairs, is the only condition which can render that stage of life desirable.

"AN OLD DISCIPLE."-No stone with this, or any other epitaph, is ever likely to mark the spot where now lies the dust of one who deserved it well. She, never heard of half-a-mile from home," need not be named here; her record is above. A sojourner on earth during ninety-five years, by far the greater part of that time she had been a pilgrim to Mount Zion. Her circumstances were the humblest. Daily labour in the field, and domestic cares when the day's work was done, had been her lot through a long life, till the infirmities of age laid her aside from labour, and threw her on the parish allowance for support, and on the kindness of a few christian friends for some additional comforts. For twenty years she had been shut out by total deafness from all intercourse but by signs with those around her, and from the enjoyment of the means of grace, save those which her bible and hymn-book afforded. Here were extreme old age, helpless infirmity, abject poverty, severe privation; what then was there to render life desirable, or even tolerable, to such an one? Yet was she cheerful as the day, and happier than most of those who retain the comforts of which she was deprived. No complaint, not even the faintest murmur, escaped her lips, but oft that solitary and apparently cheerless cottage was filled with the sounds of gratitude and praise, and the listener might hear her repeating to herself, when she could no longer sing, the hymns that set forth the triumphs of redeeming love. While she could sit up, her open bible was almost always before her, her sight being good; and her pastor would occasionally endeavour to converse with her by pointing to a passage appropriate to her condition, to which she would instantly reply by turning to and pointing out another as appropriate to his. The strangers who sometimes visited her, or even friends when she failed to recognize them, she ever directed to the Saviour, and besought them not to despise the warn. ing or advice of a poor old woman, for she knew and felt that all she said was true. Death had long lost all his terrors to her. Every indication of his approach put new gladness into her heart, and as the indication passed away she spoke in a subdued tone of resignation that the Master's time was not yet come. How clear and discriminating were that old disciple's views of divine truth! how simple her dependence on the Lord Jesus and his finished work! how warm her love to his person! how strong her desires to be with him! At length these desires were fulfilled. Quietly she passed away from these scenes of trial to the unclouded sunshine of the Saviour's presence.

What a trophy to divine grace is an OLD DISCIPLE! Drawn in early life from the course of this world, "preserved in Jesus Christ and called," not taken "out of the world, but kept from the evil that is in the world," "bringing forth fruit in old age," he shows "that the Lord is upright, and that there is no unrighteousness in him" (Ps. xcii). None more ready than he to confess that "few and evil have the days of his life been," yet from how much evil has he been kept, into which his graceless co-evals have fallen! Well for him that his has been the narrow way! Its straitness has been a wall on either side to preserve him from unnumbered ills into which those who feared the restraints of piety have wandered and perished. How rich his experience in the ways of God! His memory is loaded with proofs of those truths which young faith finds it so hard to receive. He knows now what he believed with but a fitful faith before. He is firm now where unstable once; and soft and cautious now, where rash and presuming before. If still apt to be timid in expedients, none so strong in principle as he. In times of fiery trial apostates were only found among the young or lately baptized; the old disciples, like Polycarp,

invariably stood fast. They spoke of God's faithfulness to them through long years, and this preserved their fidelity to him. That old tree that has seen so many saplings yield to the blast, has clasped the soil too deeply to bend before the storm. That lofty sea-beaten rock which has looked on a thousand tempests, still breaks the angry waves into empty foam, The veteran warrior stands unmoved in the battle, and fixing his eye on the position to be carried, allows the instruments of death to fall around him unheeded. The old disciple may have to say, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me;" but he can add, "Nevertheless the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, and will deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom." Ripe for

glory, he is " now ready to be offered." He is a-weary with his long day's

work, and now "desireth the shadow;" he has wellnigh finished his course, and now looks and longs for the promised rest. Though an old disciple he is a disciple still, and has lost nothing of his young desire to sit at Jesus' feet and learn his word, but he wishes to be nearer to him still, that he may "know even as he is known." He fears not to die. He dies daily. He has conversed so long with the eternal world that he has become familiar with it. He has waited for God's salvation like Jacob, and watched for his coming Lord more than they that watch for the morning, till impatient of delay his prayer has been, "How long, O Lord, how long?"

To be "AN OLD DISCIPLE," to win the "crown of glory," which is "found in the way of righteousness" alone, "the race set before us " must be entered early. We invite you to it, young readers. The word of God, indeed, makes no distinction in its announcement of the “ common salvation." Its call is to sinners, weary, thirsty, poor, and wretched. One is their plague, sin; one the cure, the gospel; one the mode of application; by faith. By one strait gate must all, whether young or old, enter into life. "Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men." But the diversity of circumstances in which it finds us, the Word of God does not overlook, and has a word of warning and encouragement for each. It meets us as wanderers from God at the very threshold of life. "Come, ye children, hearken to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord." "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." It puts an appropriate prayer into our mouth. "O satisfy us early with thy mercy." My Father, be thou the guide of my youth." Nor are the aged forgotten. Many and precious are the promises that speak peace and afford strong consolation to the old disciple, to those who have feared the Lord from their youth. That his honours and joys may be yours, delay not your acceptance of the gospel invitation. True, you may never see old age, but this only increases the urgency of the case. Religion, which fits us for declining age, alone prepares us for an early tomb. The Lord cometh, but whether in the second watch or third watch, none can tell. Blessed is he whose loins are girt for the earliest; though he should have to watch till the latest, the reward will not be the less sweet that he has waited so long!

Bratton.

THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST.

BY THE REV. JAMES SMITH.

"The Spirit of Christ which was in thee."-1 Pet. i. 11.

The Spirit who was in the prophets, inspiring them to make divine communications to men, is said to be the Spirit of Christ. The same Spirit was in the apostles, and the writers of the New Testament.

That

Spirit is now in every believer. He came at different times, in different forms, for different purposes; but it was always the same divine agent, the same loving testifier of Christ. To him we are indebted for all we know of Christ, for all we enjoy of Christ, and for all the resemblance we bear to Christ. One cannot but feel love to the Holy Spirit for his love to Jesus, and the honour that he puts upon our beloved Lord. . O Spirit of Jesus, come now and assist me to write a few profitable lines upon this subject, and then bless them to the hearts of thy dear people!

The Holy Spirit revealed Christ. Every promise of Christ, every prediction of Christ, every type of Christ, in the Holy Scriptures, was given by the Holy Spirit. Even in the very early ages of the church he took of the things of Jesus and showed them to his people. The Spirit reveals Jesus still. No sinner ever saw his glory, grace, and beauty, but in the Holy Spirit's light. The first heart-affecting view of Jesus we ever had, and all the soul-ravishing manifestations of him since, are from this blessed Spirit of Christ. Still had he been to us a stone of stumbling and rock of offence, or like a root out of the dry ground, without form or comeliness, had it not been for the Holy Spirit. He opened the blind eyes of our understanding, he presented the sweet portrait of Christ in the mirror of the gospel, he threw divine light between the eye and the object, he pointed out his varied beauties and excellences, and so won our affections and ravished our hearts. Blessed Spirit, reveal Jesus to us yet more clearly, and let us often bohold him as the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely One!

The Holy Spirit qualified Christ for his work. Hence it was predicted, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord: and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears," &c. Therefore, we read that in the synagogue of Nazareth, when the book of the prophet Esaias was given him to read, he unrolled it and read, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord;" and then added, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." Thus, the human nature of our Lord and Saviour was qualified for the work he came into the world to accomplish; and we read that "he was led by the Spirit," filled with the Spirit, and "through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God."

The Holy Spirit was given to Christ. This seems to have been one of the stipulations in the everlasting covenant, that Jesus was to come, to teach, work, suffer, die, rise, and return to his Father, and then receive the Holy Spirit as a reward for his work. The Spirit, therefore, was conferred on Jesus, promised by Jesus, and at length conferred by him on his apostles, and then upon his whole church. Jesus now possesses the Spirit in all his vast and glorious fulness; he sends the Spirit to quicken, call, and sanctify the purchase of his blood; to qualify, set apart, employ, and sanction, the instruments he uses for the accomplishment of his purposes. He is now the Spirit of Christ, acting as it were under Jesus for the fulfilment of the predictions and promises of the word, and for carrying on the Divine government in the church and in the world. O Saviour, send thy Holy Spirit into thy church, in all the fulness of his gifts and graces, to rouse her up, to put life into her, and to crown her efforts with success! O Jesus, send thy Holy Spirit into my heart, to purify, adorn,

and fill it with holiness, that it may be a fit residence for the living God, and a means of blessing to all around me!

The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. This is his special work. Whatever he does in the world, whatever he confers on the church, whatever he produces in the heart, this is his object,-to glorify Jesus. Low thoughts of Christ, mean views of Christ, or unworthy expressions concerning Christ, never come from the Holy Spirit, or meet with his sanction. But every bright view of his glory, every sweet discovery of his person, every act of adoration, every exercise of faith on his word and work, every heartfelt consecration of ourselves to his service and praise, is from the Holy Spirit. Just in proportion as we are under the work, teachings, and influence of the Holy Spirit, will be our sweet views of Christ, confidence in Christ, love to Christ, zeal for Christ, and desire to exalt him, extol him, and set him on high. The Spirit strips us, empties us, gives us vivid views of our own depravity, pollution, baseness, wretchedness, and misery, on purpose to glorify Christ: and, oh, how precious, how unspeakably precious, is Jesus to our souls, when under such views of ourselves he is revealed to us as our Saviour, Brother, Friend! No language can convey our feelings, or express our desires for his glory and honour. more we are under the Spirit's teachings, the more shall we see of the dignity, majesty, glory, perfection, excellency, and suitability of our dear Redeemer. In every intance where the Spirit of Christ is, he leads the soul to crown him "Lord of all."

The

The Holy Spirit endears Christ. Our love to Christ is just in proportion to our sense of our need of him, our realization of interest in him, our feeling of obligation to him, and our intimate fellowship and communion with him. And these are just in proportion as we are under the power and teaching of the Holy Spirit. The faith which the Spirit produces always embraces Christ. Christ in his glorious person, finished work, sufficient sacrifice, powerful intercession, glorious offices, and gracious characters. And to those who believe he is precious. Precious, not only in their estimation, but in their experience. They feel him to be precious. His very name is as ointment poured forth. In proportion as they get near to him they are happy. In proportion to their resemblance to him they are satisfied. When they come up out of the horrible pit, and feel themselves extricated from the miry clay, and view Jesus as their Deliverer, as having delivered them by suffering, bleeding, dying, and rising for them, how precious, how unutterably precious, he is to them! And when they have been walking in darkness, questioning their state, drooping, doubting, desponding, and almost despairing, and they again read their interest in him, realise nearness to him, and are assured of his love to them, how dear, inexpressibly dear, he is to them then! But this experience flows from the work of the most gracious and condescending Spirit of Christ. Without his renewings there would be no revivings, restorations, or rejoicing in Jesus anew. Spirit of Christ, endear Jesus to me daily! I consent that the flesh shall be mortified, that the world shall be crucified unto me, if I may but feel and enjoy Jesus as precious to my heart!

Finally, the Holy Spirit conforms to Christ. This is the great end he has in view. The person of Christ is the model after which he works. We are to be like him. We are predestinated to be conformed to the image of God's only begotten Son. The gospel is the instrument by which he generally operates. In the gospel Jesus is unveiled, and stands forth as the glory of God. There the glory of God may be viewed without injury. He takes away the veil from our hearts, and as Paul writes, so we experience: "We all, in an unveiled face, beholding as in a glass the

glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Every real view of Christ is transforming. We see him now in grace, in his humiliated state, and are changed into his likeness. We shall soon see him in his glorified state, and be perfectly conformed to him. Hence John testifies, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Blessed Spirit, daily carry on thy sanctifying work in our hearts! To that end fix the eyes of our minds daily and steadily on the Lord Jesus; may he be always before us; and may we become gradually more and more like him! Óh, for conformity to Jesus! Oh, for this proof above all others, that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in us!

Reader, those are solemn, heart-affecting words of the apostle, "They that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." None of his! What! not belonging to Jesus! No, unless we have Christ's Spirit we are none of his people: and wherever the Spirit of Christ is, he reveals Christ to the understanding, enthrones Christ in the affections, gives Christ the control of the will, endears Christ to the heart, glorifies Christ in the soul, and conforms the person to the lovely likeness of Christ. What know you of these things? Is the Spirit of Christ within you? Do you know Christ? Love him, live upon him, walk in fellowship with him, and obey him? The Holy Spirit turns the eye from everything to Jesus; and just in proportion as we are under his influence and teaching, shall we turn away our eyes from our works, our wealth, our offices, and our corruptions, and fix them simply and steadily on Jesus. Reader, there is no religion without the Spirit of Christ, and we have not the Spirit of Christ unless we lie low in the dust before God, rest on the finished work of Christ for our acceptance with God, and desire and strive to be like Christ in this present evil world. The true standard of excellency is the example of Christ; and we have just as much religion as we have likeness to Christ, and no more. Spirit of Jesus, descend on the reader's heart; fill the soul with thy presence and power; and make these lines the means of endearing Jesus to his people, and of bringing rebellious sinners to his feet!

Cheltenham.

"MORE THAN CONQUERORS.”.

AN ORIGINAL

OUTLINE OF A SERMON.

BY THE LATE REV. W. JAY.

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.' -Rom. viii. 37.

War has existed amongst men ever since the fall. Ever since the murder of Abel, man has been an enemy to his brother. The evils, wretchedness, and horror of war, are enough to make any one say with Jeremiah, 'My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" (Jer. iv. 19). But we may observe, that the destruction of war is divinely determined (Isa. ii. 4); that pacific principles begin to prevail-arbitration, by many, being preferred to bloodshed; and that we can always turn war to some moral and spiritual account.

In the verses which introduce the text, Paul, in the name of all