ceived, an unbounded confidence placed in him, the soul, under all circumstances, cheerfully acquiesces in his will and government, and experiences the beneficial effects of being so enabled to believe and act, that it "shall not make haste," but feel and behave as good Mr. H. above describes.

Should this short illustration of the two Scriptures in question be deemed apposite, by inserting it, as soon as convenient, the Editor will oblige his willing servant,

A CHURCHMAN.

A LETTER FROM A YOUNG MAN

TO THE

MANAGERS OF BROAD STREET SABBATH EVENING LECTURE.

Young Man requests you to join him in praises to Almighty God for a blessing received under the word delivered in this house.

THE sermon to which the writer alludes, was preached on a Sabbath evening so long since as March or April last, from the Parable of the Tares*. Convictions of sin and the fear of death followed; which brought on such an unhappy state of mind, and such weakness of body, as nearly to realize his fears; and he was obliged to go to the country, where God was pleased to direct him to that great Physician, whose blood alone proved an antidote to his afflictions.

Independent of the blessing resulting to him as an individual, from being, he would humbly presume, a subject of mercy, he is happy to join his mite with the thousands who bear testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus. Previous to this, he attended the moral ministry of Dr. R. and knew nothing of the necessity of an atoning sacrifice for sin to enable man, in his fallen state, ever to approach his Maker; but the Spirit of God, by this sermon, shewed him he was a sinner, and that he could not appear before a just and perfect God without being condemned. Indeed, so strong were his convictions, and so sensible that his good works, on which he had placed his reliance, were all done from a wrong motive, that he recollects praying to God, in despair, to send him at once to Hell, and not to bring him to judgment !—This awful experience should influence every young person so to examine themselves, that they build not on this sandy foundation, which must inevitably give way. When, under these distressing circumstances, it was im pressed on his mind that religion was the only thing that could alleviate his trouble; in consequence he attended closely at his stated place of worship: but, alas! the preaching of morality

Mat, xiii.

only served to deprive him even of hope, for he found himself unable to keep the perfect law of God for an hour.

Those blessed doctrines of the imputed righteousness of Christ, and complete pardon for those who are enabled, through mercy, to apply the blood of sprinkling to their conscience, he had before this been unhappily led to consider as enthusiasm and madness; which now, being realized, made him one of the happiest of mortals: and now he lives to sing of mercy, and to declare, and he trusts, through grace, it is his sole desire and ambition to be an humble follower of the Lamb. To him, with the Father, and Holy Spirit, be praise and glory now and evermore. Amen!

LETTER FROM THE REV. ARCHIBALD HALL, LATE MINISTER OF THE ASSOCIATE CONGREGATION, WELLS STREET, OXFORD ROAD, LONDON,

TO ONE OF HIS ELDERS,

who had gone to Scotland for the Recovery of his Health. Very dear Brother,

IT is some alleviation to the grief that presses my mind, firmly attached to your present and everlasting interests, that I have the pleasure to find you are brought to an humble dependence upon, and resignation to your God. Why should you be cast down and disquieted by feeling the transgression Emmanuel hath finished, the sin he hath ended, and the iniquity for which he hath made reconciliation? Why should you be afraid of the law he hath magnified, of the divine justice he hath atoned, or of the offended Deity he hath reconciled? Why should you, my dear Sir, be dismayed at the Devil he hath conquered, at death which he hath destroyed, or at the grave which he hath sanctified? Why should your joys be abated for light afflictions which are but for a moment, and that work for you an exceeding and eternal weight of glory? Still hope in God, for you shall yet praise him, who is the health of your countenance and your God. If you sin, you have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; who also is the propitiation for your sins. If you are tempted of Satan, you have a sanctuary in the Son of God, who was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil. If the law in your members carry you captive to the law of sin and of death, you have relief in Jesus, who hath honoured the law by his obedience and death; and so hath removed the strength of sin. and disarmed death of all that is hostile. If conscience roars and condemns with tormenting rigour, you have the blood of sprinkling, which is precious in the sight of God, and may

well

pacify his deputy. Does judgment appear terrible and solemn ? you know, the Man who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, is the appointed Judge. Is your mind dead to sensible and heavenly affections? you have a more sure word of prophecy, to which you do well to take heed. This light shines to the discerning of faith in those dark places where frames, and experiences, and sensible comforts are cast down. Indeed, whenever they rise, it is upon the appropriating view of divine truths: "Believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."

My worthy brother does not imagine, I dare say he does not, that I assume any airs of importance, when I stir up his pure mind, by way of remembrance, to review those precious sources of everlasting consolation and good hope, through grace, which our Lord Jesus, and God even our Father himself, hath given. us, that we may live in the daily and delightful improvement of them, for establishment, growth, and comfort. I would fain flatter myself with some hopes of your getting better, and fit for some higher degree of usefulness among us, while you serve your generation according to the will of God. It is my ardent submissive wish that it might be so; but the will of the Lord be done in you, and by you, and on you! May God sanctify all your trials, and furnish us with an abundant supply of the blessings of the gospel, and of all the fruits of the Spirit, which come down by the hearing of faith!

London.

I am, with regard, dear Brother,
your sympathizing friend,

ARCH. HALL.

HINTS ON THE MEANS OF DOING GOOD.

THOUGH we have the happiness to live in an age distinguished for public and private benevolence, yet, with regard to the eternal interests of perishing souls, we fall infinitely short of that measure of exertion which their importance demands.

God having, in his gracious providence, sent unto us his glorious gospel, in which life and immortality are brought to light, it becomes those who, through grace, are made the partakers of it, well to consider, that they are placed in the responsible situation of the servant to whom his Lord had entrusted ten talents; and as a redeemed sinner is not his own, but is bought with a price, it may well be asked, "What do ye more than others?" A question too important to be passed over lightly; but which should induce every reader to examine his own conduct, as in the presence of him whose omniscient eye not only beholdeth our every action, but also the motives from whence they spring.

XII.

Rr

As the glory of God is the end which every Christian professes to have in view, he is called upon, by the claims of divine love, to embrace every opportunity of promoting that glory, by aiming at the conversion of those who are yet under bondage to sin and Satan; from which state he has himself been liberated, through the infinite compassion of his Heavenly Father.

True it is, that every Christian is not called to be a public preacher; yet every one who has tasted that the Lord is gracious, is to hold forth the word of life;" and this may be done in various ways; which, so far from encroaching on the province of a minister, may much assist those immediate servants of God in the exercise of their ministerial functions.

Doubtless, many who are desirous of doing good, are much at a loss how they may be useful to any considerable extent. To such persons, as well as to every benevolent mind, 1 would recommend a mode of diffusing divine truth; which, as it is in the power of almost every Christian, ought especially to engage their attention:-I mean the distribution of cheap Religious Tracts, such as are published by the Tract Society; whose truly laudable designs have been carried to an unparalelled extent, in furnishing the public with a constant supply of valuable Tracts, in such variety, as to apply to the various situations and circumstances of life.

An account (which has been published by that Society) of its origin and progress, furnishes numerous instances of the usefulness of these little messengers of grace; which should cause every bosom to glow with desire to become also an instrument of conveying such inestimable blessings to mankind.

To what extent each individual might be useful, were they to distribute Tracts in their respective circles, it is impossible to calculate. What opportunities are lost for want of duly con sidering this subject! Many persons who are, more or less, dependent on us, daily afford an opportunity of presenting them with a Tract, and recommending it to their attention. Those who habitually distribute them in this way, not only find that they induce an attention to the most important subjects, but are continually receiving applications for more Tracts for themselves or others.

Who can behold the fields, in the vicinity of every town, thronged on the Lord's Day, with grave as well as with gay Sabbath-bicakers, without feeling an earnest desire to turn them to righteous:ess? There are individuals who are in the constant practice of meeting with such, and, in a courteous manner, presenting them with Tracts; and the event has proved that they have not done it in vain. This practice might be very much extended; and has these considerations for its encouragement, that "a book given by a stranger, excites cu

See the publications of the Religious Tract Society, No. 7, 14, or 15.

riosity;" and that the conduct of our blessed Lord presents us with lively examples of aiming to be useful to the multitudes in

the fields.

In every town or village, the solemnities attending the funeral of a neighbour afford repeated occasions for the distribution of suitable Tracts, which are commonly received with avidity, and at such a season will doubtless be read with some considerable share of attention; from which, through the influence of God the Holy Spirit, we may reasonably expect the happiest effects.

The multitude of spectators which attend the dying moments of those who forfeit their lives to the laws of their country, present seasonable occasions for an extensive circulation of the Tract specially adapted for that purpose +. In short, the opportunities that are continually presenting themselves to the benevolent mind, which has this important object in view, are so numerous and varied, as to leave the Christian much cause to regret that he has done so little in this way for the honour of his Divine Master; who himself went about doing good, and "whose meat and drink was to do the will of his Heavenly Father."

The advantages peculiar to this mode of diffusing the truths of the everlasting gospel are obvious. We may put a Tract into the hands of a person, when we cannot enter on the subject in conversation: the little monitor attends him to his secret retirement, and may arrest his attention again and again. It may fall under the notice of others, who may profit by the perusal, even though the first reader may have forgotten it.

Again, to offer instruction or reproot verbally, requires a larger portion of courage, and of spiritual gifts, than to do the same in the way abovementioned, which has also the advantages of study and deliberation in the composition, and of Christian experience in the writer of the paper, that claims attention; and hereby the wrath of the party reproved is not sa likely to be stirred up as by verbal admonition.

I am aware that some will object that they do not possess a sufficient portion of courage even for this work; but let such ask themselves, as in the presence of the living God, whether, if they were to see a neighbour in imminent danger of some temporal calamity, they would not have the courage to step forward and attempt his rescue?-if so, are they not, therefore, inexcusable, while they habitually live in the neglect of this mode of attempting to rescue them from the impending danger of eternal ruin?

Is it the desire of our hearts to be useful to our fellow-sinners by this mean, and to be the honoured instruments of " plucking them as brands from the burning?"-let us immediately begin the work as we may feel ourselves at liberty; and fail not ta † No. 61.

See No. 48.