vlIt is very common with the wise to deny that man is lost. Persons who know so much, talk so well, are acquainted with so many things, will not confess that man is lost. Observe the feelings of those in a high condition in life. They raise their heads as it were to the stars; they worship themselves as far higher and more precious than the image set up by Nebuchadnezzar. But that man is so,—that he is lost, is the unequivocal language of Scripture. No serious reader can go through the bible, and come out with a gratifying idea of the nature of man. If you say he is lost and ruined, he will acknowledge it; yes, ruined; there is every thing but despair. If you say, Despair, the reader of the bible will say, "No, not that; I see there is a power that can change man; there is an atoning sacrifice that can pardon the greatest sins." But man is lost in every degree short of that. Besides, what is the matter of fact? We do not say that man has lost any of his faculties; but they are in a lost condition. A great ship may sink to the bottom of the sea, the ship may be there, complete in all its parts, and yet we say the vessel is lost-lost to its proper use. We have read accounts of earthquakes swallowing up a church or a house entire. Now, we say, there is the house and its furniture entire; but it is lost nevertheless. To be in the image of God is the state man should be in. Now, how far is he from this! If man was God, could you bend the knee and adore him? The heathens made gods like themselves. Well, and what sort were they? Odious, detestable, wicked, mischievous gods. Man was reflected in the imagery of superstition. Man must be in the image of God to be happy, and the proper condition of the soul of man is to be happy. Look at man, and what do we see all over the world so prominent as sin, except misery?

To be in readiness to remove from this world whenever the voice of God shall call, that is the proper condition of the soul of man. As we dwell only for a short time on earth, is anything so desirable as to be ready to go to another state when God shall call us? Let us appeal to men's own feelings on the subject. Are you ready to go at the Creator's will to another world? Or does anything produce so much horror as this messenger of Almighty Power? There is no visit so dreadful,-nothing men wish to escape from with greater ardour and rapidity to the very ends of the earth. We justly, then, reckon the state of man to be wrong and

wretched.

Important things are difficult to be redeemed. When a king is taken captive, it is difficult to redeem him; other prisoners are easily ransomed. The soul of man is originally a glorious thing. It must have required something unusually great in the councils of heaven to effect its redemption. Nothing man could do or give could obtain its redemption. The bible tells us so in every part of it, but conscience tells us so too. A man cannot forgive his own sins. All men cannot redeem a man; for redemption includes a transformation of the state of man. But still the soul of man is not without an attempt made to redeem it. In this enterprize, one Being was found, and that one sufficient. That great divine personage came with the certainty of accomplishing it. Nothing from earth or hell could withstand Him; and what a joyful thing for man! If the enterprize had failed, and the designs of the Redeemer had been frustrated, what emotions would have arisen! it would have made our despair still darker and blacker. We do not apprehend the full difficulty of this design. If we could form an idea of the weight of one sinner's guilt laid on the Saviour, and then add the vast number of transgressions, we should approach more fully to an idea of the greatness of the enterprize. If we Could form any adequate idea of the perfect holiness of God, which must go forth in wrath against all unrighteousness,-if we could form an idea of

this, then we could form some idea of the difficulty of making this holy Being propitious. If we could form an idea of the misery and wretchedness into which man is plunged, we should see more of the difficulty of redemp tion, and better infer the glory and power of Him who performed the work. But we should think of these things,-of what our Lord had to suffer, and of what He gave for our redemption. He had much to give short of himself. But our text says, "He gave himself." We are perfectly sure God would not have afflicted Him without necessity. What an idea it gives of the awful condition men were in, that the Messiah descended from his lofty throne as a sacrifice for sin. But men do not care, in the first place, that they are lost; and, secondly, that the Divinity has given this strong aggravating proof that they are lost. But the great work is done, and we hear of it. Now is there any one come to years of maturity that can make light of it? Each one here, we hope, believes that he has a soul, and needs a Redeemer. Now, it is very strange if we make light of this. Death is on the road; life is uncertain, and if it is ended before an appropriation of the sacrifice of Christ, the soul is lost certainly. It cannot be that the soul of man should despise this great salvation with impunity. There is nothing true in the book of God if this is not solemnly confirmed in another world. By rejecting the Son of God, we keep under the weight of all our sins. How men love their sins, and hate their souls! They seem to say to God, "I will keep my sins, and take the consequences;" "Evil, be thou my good;" "I have loved my sins long, and will keep them still: I will go into eternity with them." A person who has only a dim, faint notion of sin, will make little endeavour to get hold of Redemption.

Christ "gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity," not from suffering only. How many would be glad of a Redeemer who would accomplish only the latter. But it is an essential part of his work to redeem from the state of depravity and sin into which man had sunk.

"Purify unto himself a peculiar people." The very act of the Messiah appropriated souls to him. There can be no such thing as being redeemed and brought into the friendship of Jesus Christ, but by being purified and changed. It seems fit that saved sinners should belong to the Messiah in some peculiar manner, as Messiah's redeemed captives. His name shall mark them; they shall be held in some sacred connexion with him. He has a hold on them which he will never let go. In the heaven of the redeemed he will be the Sun. They will be happy as redeemed ones,quite as happy as if they had never sinned; but through all their joys, there will be this distinguished feeling, that they enjoy their happiness in consequence of their connexion with the Messiah. Downend, April 12th, 1818.

A RIGHT SPIRIT.

BY THE REV. CORNELIUS ELVEN.

"Renew a right spirit within me.”—Psalm li. 10.

Divine grace is an exotic in the human heart, and so uncongenial is the soil, that it would perish as soon as implanted, were it not indestructible as its Author. And it will languish, and wither, and be sickly, if it be not watched, and guarded, and watered continually. David had neglected that watchfulness and prayer; consequently the plant of grace was weakly and ready to die; the weeds of corruption became rank and towering; and he who first was a "backslider in heart" was afterwards "filled with his

own ways." It was a heavy fall, and for some time he seemed stunned and insensible; but when he "came to himself" he cried, "Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice." The Spirit was grieved, and had withdrawn his influence, and therefore he prayed, "renew within me a right spirit.”

This is a very important and suggestive prayer, and fully to expound it would be to embrace the whole of experimental and practical godliness. We can only therefore advert to a few of the particulars it involves.

And, first, a right spirit is a humble spirit. Reader, hast thou lost in any measure this excellent spirit? Oh, then, seek for its immediate and gracious renewal! The great Teacher in Israel hath said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." The most eminent saints have always been the most humble. True greatness is always associated with true humility. Hence the loftiest intelligences in heaven are marvellously represented as abounding in humility. For as Mr. Simeon somewhere remarks, "If ninety-nine out of a hundred of even good men were now informed, for the first time, that Isaiah in a vision saw the seraphim before the throne, and that each seraph had six wings, and then were asked, 'How do you think that they employ their wings?' their answer would probably be, 'Why, in flying with all their might at the divine command; and if they had six hundred wings they would do the same, exerting all their powers in the service of God.' They would never dream of their employing two to veil their faces, as unworthy to behold His glory, and two to veil their feet, as if unworthy to be employed in His service. Yet these high and holy beings know best what most becomes them in the divine presence. Surely, then, conscious unworthiness should pervade every act and exercise of our souls, -we should be clothed with it as with a garment, of which, however brilliant be the woof, humility should be the warp.' Think, then, how safe it is to be humble! Witness David looking haughtily from the house-top, and Mary weeping at the Saviour's feet. How Christ-like! "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of mind." How happy! if communion with God can make us happy. For while he "beholdeth the proud afar off, he will have respect unto the lowly." "A broken and a contrite heart he will not despise." It is heaven begun below to feel a self-annihilation at the cross of Christ, and to sing with sweetest melody of heart,

"Tis thus our pride and self must fall,
That Jesus may be all in all."

A right spirit is also a loving spirit. "Lovest thou me ?" is a question we should entertain day by day; and because there is so much within us, and so much without and around us, calculated to damp and lessen our love to Christ, we have need to pray, "Renew a right spirit within me." In connexion with this prayer, we should do well also to meditate much on Christ's love to us. If we would be warmed we must go into the sunshine. Think of that blessed Saviour who came from a height no seraph could ever reach, and plunged into a depth of ignominy and suffering that Gabriel could never fathom, and all that we, with the weapons of rebellion in our hand, and the deadliest enmity in our heart, should be redeemed from sin and hell, and be "made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." But it may be you are saying, "How may I know whether I have love to Christ ?" Well, "by their fruits ye shall know them." Many who have true love to Christ, may not have the full assurance of it, as Peter seemed to have when he said, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee;" and yet we must not break the bruised reed, nor deal hardly with the weak in faith. The Jews would not willingly tread on a piece of paper that had the name of God upon it, and

though this might be somewhat superstitions, yet it may teach us not to trample upon any weak or trembling enquirer, who is saying,

"Do I love the Lord or no ?"

i bus

For the name of God may be written upon that soul, and Jesus may so have loved it as to have shed his precious blood to redeem it. We say, then, that a right and loving spirit is a sin-abhorring spirit. Try your state by this rule, because every gracious soul hates sin, and longs to be holy, even as God is holy; for never did wretched prisoner, confined in a filthy cell, more desire to break his fetters, and breathe the pure, untainted air, than does a true believer exult in the prospect of one day regaling himself with the atmosphere of perfect holiness in heaven.-A loving spirit is also a comprehensive spirit, embracing all them that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity. If, therefore, your minds are soured by bigotry, or narrowed by sectarianism, urge this prayer, "Renew a right spirit within me." We do not mean to inculcate a spirit of indifference to any doctrine or ordinance of God's word. Oh, no; "buy the truth and sell it not," and always let what you believe to be God's truth be outspoken; you need not be ashamed of it; only "speak the truth in love." The flock of Christ is now divided into many bands, but all belong to the same shepherd; and we must love every sheep and lamb of the fold for the Shepherd's sake.— A loving spirit is, moreover, an obedient spirit. No sooner was a spark of love enkindled in the heart of Saul of Tarsus, than he enquired, "Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do ?" Have you lost your sensible delight in God's service, and has a lukewarm frame succeeded to the obedient spirit which enabled you once to sing,

"Through floods and flames, if Jesus leads,
My willing soul shall go ?"

Then you have need to pray, "Lord, renew a right spirit within me.' Are you in an indolent frame of mind? "What dost thou here, Elijah?" Why, you are on the devil's ground, in bye-path meadow; you stand in slippery places. If you are not working for Christ, you will soon be working for Satan. If you are not doing good, you will soon be doing mischief. To the young especially we say, "Up and be doing." We do not ask you to work for salvation that was finished on Calvary; but if you have a "right spirit," you will work from the power of that salvation, which, like a mainspring, will propel all the machinery of the inner life, and enable you to say, "The love of Christ constraineth us," yes, to visit and relieve the sick,-to instruct the ignorant,-to haste with cheerful feet to the prayer-meeting, to hold up the hands and encourage the heart of your pastor. And oh, what a jubilee will 1850 be, if we thus seek and evince a "right spirit!"

Once more, a right spirit is a spirit of acquiescence in the will of God. Have you lost this, and are you murmuring and repining? Oh, then, seek to have that "right spirit" renewed. It is of no use your pulling, and striving, and kicking against God; you have Omnipotence to contend with. But remember also, there is as much love in the heart as there is power in the arm of Jehovah, and they are both alike put forth for your good. But if you are in a wrong spirit, you will say, "How can this be?" and you may be as fretful as Asaph was, because, it may be, you are poor and destitute, and you look with envious eye on "the prosperity of the wicked." Well, read the 73rd Psalm, and go on murmuring as the Psalmist did; but read the whole, till you feel and say with him, "So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a beast before Thee." Then you will be ashamed that you have charged God so foolishly. Another may say, "Oh, but I am not only poor, I am also grievously afflicted in my person or family." Be it so, it cannot be right to repine, but rather to

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182 say, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." For Job was in a "right spirit" then. Others may say, "But I am bereaved of my friends, or my children, do I not well to be angry?" No, poor sufferer, no! The owner of a garden may gather his lilies and his roses when he pleases,— some in the bud, and some in the full blossom,— -some of his fruit green, and some ripe. We should therefore seek to attain to the spirit of him who said, "Even so, father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.” In a word, when you use this prayer which we have endeavoured to explain, set the Lord Jesus Christ always before you. His was the "right spirit." Aspire after conformity to Him.

Bury St. Edmunds.

"His Spirit in our lives be seen,

His image may we bear;
On earth, His holy footsteps trace,
In heaven, His glories share."

THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS IN THE WORLD.

BY THE REV. JOHN BERG.

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil."-John xvii. 15.

This pathetic prayer of Christ to his Divine Father on behalf of his disciples, indicated his undying love for them, and the deep and peculiar interest he took in their welfare. He was about to leave the world, and go to his Father; consequently they would be deprived of his bodily presence, his council and instruction. He knew full well where he was leaving them, that they were in the world, and how unable they were of themselves to battle with its storms, and overcome its temptations; and therefore in this last prayer, he intercedes for them with his Father. Happy disciples, interested in the friendship and prayers of such a friend! He does not desire that they may be taken out of the world, but that they might be kept from the evil.

The evil intended by Christ was not physical, or the calamities which sometimes occur in the world, and light on its children; although from many of these they are shielded by God, according to the declaration given, "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; because thou hast made the Lord, even the Most High, thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee."

"Plagues and death around me fly,
Till He bids I cannot die."

Neither does he mean the trials and afflictions incident to humanity; for so far from exempting them from these, he said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation." But these, though in themselves evil, are overruled for the greatest good. By the evil, therefore, he implies the same as that spoken of by the apostle John. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father. From moral evil, in all its multiplied forms, Christ then prayed that they might be kept, and he now intercedes for all his disciples that are in the world.

Till his purposes in them and through them are accomplished, it is the will of Christ that they should be continued in the world.

The disciples of Jesus are in the world as attestations and manifestations of divine and sovereign grace in their salvation. What a miracle of mercy is a disciple of Jesus! The centre of the most wonderful triumphs, the subject of the most glorious, change-a change from darkness to light, from bondage to liberty, from sin to holiness, from death to life. Wherever