prophetic image? I answer it points to the toes of this image; and it has done so for more than thirteen hundred years, as all who know that the Vandal invaders partitioned among themselves the Roman empire, and that uniting with the Papacy they have co-jointly slain an incredible number of God's people for the long period of twelve hundred and sixty years, so that history, all must see, has exhausted the prophecy found in the image of Daniel to a very fraction; and the sign having been so long in the toes of that image, there can only be the paring of a nail between us and the grand crisis; the cleansing of the sanctuary; the restoration of the kingdom as at the beginning; the restoration of the theocracy.

Therefore the image, history, prophecy, the promises of God, and the desires of his people do all concur with the great interpreters of scripture, Newton, Hurd, More, Sir Isaac Newton, Faber, Irvin, Cox, Wilson, Venema, Wells, &c., to assure the man of God that the end is nigh, even at the door. The single fact that the wicked governments signified by the toes of this image have been in existence upwards of thirteen hundred years, is of itself sufficient to enable any one who believes in God to make up his judgment in the case. Let us then, beloved, prepare for the crisis, let us lift up our heads for our redemption draws nigh. WALTER SCOTT.

PERFECTION.-No. XXII.

JULIUS AND NEREUS.

Nereus.-METHINKS, Julius, it would in no mean degree facilitate my way to that perfection to which you would have me aspire, were you to tell me in your own obliging manner, what is meant by it.

Julius-To have it in my power to be obliging to you, Nereus, is very grateful to my feelings, and therefore I shall proceed to please you accordingly. Let me say then that perfection is a word of some latitude, and used with no small extent of meaning in our religion. It is employed of the conscience, the understanding, the affections and feelings, and the life and behaviour, and it may be of something else. Nereus. Very good, my Julius. Now suppose we take these uses in order, beginning at the first of them. Pray what is meant by perfection of conscience?

Julius.-Well, as to that, I think it signifieth neither more nor less than that purity, ease, and peace of mind that

follows forgiveness of sins through Christ, which peace, in all instances is experienced by the sincerely penitent. You understand me, do you not?

Nereus. I understand you very well, Julius; for I shall ever remember the inexpressible sweetness and peace of mind which I enjoyed subsequent to my entrance into the reign of Christ. But then, see Julius, here is a perfection. for which one evidently can claim no merit; for, being bestowed by Christ at the period of our pardon, no applause is due; even as no one can be admired for possessing that which was given to him by another.

Julius.-Nereus, I admit your saying to be very good; there is no merit on our part in this perfection; it comes to us, and is bestowed upon us as a gift, and so can never be the cause of self-complacency; but is rather one of deep humility and unceasing gratitude to God, the giver of it. We understand one another, do we not ?

Nereus. Let us conclude that we do, and so proceed to further explanation. What would you have me understand, Julius, by perfection in knowledge

Julius.-This I can explain in a very few words, Nereus. Any one acquainted with the truth and structure of our religion in an enlarged degree, or one thoroughly skilled in the primitive gospel, would not be improperly styled a perfect man in this sense of the word. The apostle said to the Corinthians, "We speak wisdom among those who are perfect;" in other words, he spoke of the higher parts of Christianity only with those who were somewhat advanced in knowledge, and not with the newly converted, who were babes, and for whom milk was more proper: and the word in this use of it differs from that of which we first spoke; importing nothing less than a superior knowledge of our religion, acquired by reading, study, exercise of the mind, and experience. Does this satisfy you, Nereus ?

Nereus. It does, and so you may explain what is meant by perfection of the affections.

Julius. Here I need not at all depart from scripture: therefore I will say nothing but what Paul has said before me, of this matter. He has commanded us to set our af fections on things above, and not on things on the earth. To love God, and to set our affections on Christ, who is above, to have our heart full of heaven, hastening to the day of God, and the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, with his saints, and the holy angels that we may enjoy his presence and their communion, and so be divine in our

life and nature, is therefore what I would have you understand by perfection of the heart or of the affections.

Nereus. Very well, Julius, I think I do not misunderstand you thus far; but may not our affections be greatly defiled without being wholly corrupt?

Julius. Indeed, Nereus, without making any apology for such a case I will answer you in the affirmative, and say yes; but I would add too, that I think one in such a state very near to satan. And if he did not cleanse himself from the desires of the flesh and mind, he would go to satan in the end such at least is my judgment.

Nereus.- Indeed, Julius, I reckon you very correct in this matter; for we who are Christ's are said to be dead to sin, and alive to God. Our former life is hid: we have been buried, are now waiting for the appearing of our head, who is Christ; who also is our life, that we may appear with him in glory. Well, go on, Julius.

Julius.-Touching perfection of feeling, Nereus, I have much to say; but why should I disturb you with it? and yet I see by your eyes you would have me to speak of this matter. Well, I will say just this much, and you will think it enough, Nereus, namely, that the perfect gevernment of our feelings is one of the noblest of all attainments; for what would it profit us to be perfect both in conscience, knowledge, and in our affections, if nevertheless we suffered our feelings of anger, wrath, envy, or reproach, ever and anon to break out to the extinguishing of all else but themselves? So that you can see the perfect government of our feelings is not only very comfortable but indispensable to the enjoyment of other perfections. What say you to this, Nereus ?

Nereus. Your speech is very agreeable to my judgment, Julius, and I therefore beg you to continue it, and give me your opinion of perfection in life and behaviour, which are your own words.

Julius.-This I am very able to do, Nereus, because I have help at hand. Well, then, I judge that perfecta vita or perfect life, so far as it can be attained in this world, consists in piety towards God and righteousness towards man. Without diminishing aught therefrom, or adding aught thereto, I would repeat what Christ has put into the mouth of us all; namely, that our piety must consist in loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind. This is the first and great commandment

And the second is like unto it: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;" that is, "Do unto others as you would have others, under similar circumstances, do unto you." Do you like this, Nereus ?

Nereus. I would not be over nice to dislike things so truly excellent, Julius, so I like it very well. But see, to begin with your last commandment first, in the matter of a bargain, would you not have me buy cheap and sell dear?

Julius.-Christ would have us do as we would be done by, Nereus; but suppose you had the better end of a bargain, as we say, and knew it, what then?

Nereus. I might be gratified, if I respected profit more than a pure conscience; and enriched too, if I preferred wealth to Christ's approbation. But this thing of good bargains, and of buying cheap and selling dear, is wrought into the very marrow of the community, Julius, and we should be accounted fools not to abide by the practice.

Julius. We ought to become fools for Christ's sake, my Nereus, and by a life and conversation becoming the gospel prove that our affections are set on things above, and not on things which are on the earth. I knew a man of the world go into partnership with a professor, who seemed as if he would have raked hades to make a fortune: I told him to have nothing to do with such a professor, but he desired to help him, for he was benevolent, and the Christian needed help. Well, contrary to advice, he tried it, and was very nigh losing his fortune, just as the Christian came pretty near losing his soul, for they had taken to whisky making. The benevolent man had just wit enough left to follow my advice in time, leaving the concern with the skin of his teeth, and the professed Christian to flounce amid his worms and seething pots till the sins of which he was in this manner guilty, should go before him to judgment, and bring down upon him the righteous indignation of his Lord and Master.

Nereus.-Well, Julius, I will hear you again of all these matters. Farewell. Julius.-Farewell.

WALTER SCOTT.

ITEMS OF NEWS.

Middlestro, March 29th, 1843.

DEAR BROTHER.-It is now some months since I wrote you concerning the congregation in this place. You may perhaps remember that I had then some cause of complaint, arising from the circumstance of an individual or two in our number, objecting to the weekly observance of the Lord's supper. Since that time, however, the in.

dividuals referred to, have ceased altogether to walk with us in the commandments of the Lord, so that it is my pleasing duty now to inform you, that the church has peace, and some are added almost weekly. The hearts of the brethren and sisters were cheered on Lord's day last, at the close of the evening service, by four persons rising and publicly confessing their faith in Jesus as the CHRIST, one of whom is a man of some strength of character, who has for some time been a local preacher among the Primitive Methodists.

I am happy to inform you, that a spirit of prayerful inquiry is prevailing among the brethren in this place. We are regularly supplied with the Messenger by the agent at Stockton. I think our order will increase the next month to about a dozen copies. We have frequent communication and co-operation with the congregations at Newcastle and Bedlington, and often have we been built up and increased by the able administration of our brother Greenwell. We are living in the pleasing hope of seeing brother Reid, we quite expect he will visit us, when we will furnish him with our mite toward the evangelists' fund. J. BORMOND.

Mollington, April 25th, 1843.

DEAR BROTHER.-May I beg to inquire, whether we may expect brother Thomson here soon? I wrote some time ago to ask brother Reid to come, but he replied that his route was northward, and brother Thomson's southward. I consider the state of this neighbourhood such, that a few weeks' labour of an affectionate evangelist, would do much. I confess to feel astonished at the spirit of inquiry and discussion which now prevails among the middle and lower classes on every side. The seed sown by brother Reid is in various stages of growth: some little harvest has been gathered in; some is ripening and some shooting forth; but much is only peeping to light, and is greatly in need of the watering and weeding of a skilful husbandman, there being many hard clods of prejudice, much overgrowth of deception, storms of opposition, thunders of authority, and some trampling of tyranny; so that the tender blade requires care and cultivation, under the genial beams of the Sun of Righteousness and the dew of heavenly favour. We are thus desirous that our little field of labour may have the benefit of brother Thomson's help as soon as convenient to him.

I grieve that we sustain injury by brethren of more warmth than judgment, speaking and printing opinions on prophecies, respecting the immediate coming of the Lord. Unhappily we prove that the hotter they are on this subject, the colder they are as to assembling, worshipping, and building up the congregations-we cannot expect to be exempt from drawbacks. With kindest regards to all, J. D.

Gateshead, May 4th, 1843.

I HAVE taken this opportunity of writing to you, concerning the congregation that meets at the house of a sister in this place. We have been a congregation upwards of three years, and at one time were twelve in number; but since then have been reduced to six, by some of our brethren going into the south and others we cut off through immoral conduct. But we have great reasons to bless God for his goodness, for we have immersed five latterly, which makes us eleven in number, one elder and no deacons. We have much to contend with here, but thanks be unto God for his truth, it is mighty to the