she may. I am beside myself with joy upon times. Nothing troubles me now. There's the infant a dying;* trouble all around me; but I don't give it a thought. Do you know (he continued) my wife's sister sent me some wine, but I won't taste a drop of it, lest they should say 'twas their wine made me happy; 'tis up there on the shelf, and there it may stay for me. Oh, that everlasting love of God -that precious blood of the Lamb! That's the wine that cheers my

heart."

In this frame he continued for weeks, and up half his nights, reading, praying, and praising God. One day he said to me, "My poor wife is as dead as the table. She is a good wife and mother, but she knows not the Lord." "Do you talk to her about her soul?" I asked. "Yes," he replied: "but I see myself over again in her, for she hates God's truth as I did; and half the Christians that come in to see me don't understand me, and when I tell them what God has done for me, and how I fought against Him; they look at me as if I was mad." After some weeks I perceived his joys gradually abated; and, in answer to my inquiries how he was, he used to answer, "Very changeable, but God is just the same."

About six months from my first visit Reid revived wonderfully—was able to get to a place of worship-conduct family prayer, morning and evening, and work a little in his garden. An opportunity offering of a more comfortable cottage for his family he removed into it about this time. "Well, Reid," said I, on entering his new habitation, “I am truly glad to see you in so nice a little place. This is a great change for the better." He looked up from under his shaggy eyebrows, and said, "Yes, 'tis well enough." The tone of voice was not one of satisfaction, and a momentary thought of vexation gleamed across my mind at his want of gratitude." "Well," I said, rather reproachfully, "I did think you would have been pleased to get into such a nice place as this." He looked full at me for a minute, and then said, "This cot will never be to me what the other was-that was a heavenly house-a glorious house; there Jesus found me in my sins; there He pardoned me; there He often talked with me. No other house will ever be to me what that house was." His voice faltered as he spoke, and he dashed away a tear that dimmed his eye. I talked a little of the preciousness of an Iminanuel, God with us— -a Jesus ever the same. "Yes," said he, "God can do much for me here, but what I felt there can't be done twice."

66

Reid's health began again to give way, and his sufferings became most acute. Once I visited him under a violent attack of pain. I inquired how it was within. Why," said he. "I have no more religion in me than the fender these last two days; my religion is all gone." "Well," I answered, "you are to die with nothing to pay; and to the last sand you must learn you have nothing but grace to glory in." "Yes." he rejoined, "that's true, I have nothing to pay; I am a poor ruined sinner to-day in myself; all I have is from Jesus. But I have been thinking all this morning, 'tis no cheat what I have felt; for now I am left in my feelings, if I was left of God too, Satan would

The infant died that same week.

soon

66

overrun my soul, and be too mighty for a fleshly religion." Well," said I, if your religion is gone as to happy experience, Jesus says, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee-I am with you always, even to the end."" This seemed to cheer him.

A few days after this interview I sent to know how he was. Не said to the messenger with great solemnity, "When a man comes to die with his sins all pardoned, 'tis no matter then that he can neither read, nor think, nor talk. Jesus has done all, and left me nothing to do." In a few days I saw him again. His agonies were indescribable. He said, "These two dark days I wanted my wife to kill me, and put me out of my misery; but I am willing to wait the Lord's time now." "How do you feel in your mind?" I asked. "Happy as the child," was his emphatic whisper, and a little smile illumined bis rugged countenance as he spoke. The next day I called; Reid was asleep, and the wife out. The eldest child, a girl about twelve years old, was sitting sewing in the kitchen. From her I learnt her father had passed an awful night of pain. They had all sat up with him. I asked her, "Did he talk at all?" "No," she replied simply; "he seldom says anything now but I am happy." Once, and but once more, I saw Reid. He was in bed. When I entered he smiled faintly, and tossing off the bedclothes hastily, thrust out his bony hand and grasped mine. "I have been lying on the brink of the grave since I saw you last," he said; "but I don't dread it. I long to roll in and be at rest; then I shall be with the Lord. Ah," he continued with affectionate earnestness, while tears of love glistened in his eyes, "I shall see Him for ever who was revealed to me in that house I was so loth to leave; no wonder I loved every stone of it; but I shall soon be above; I shall soon see Him as He is. Oh, what grace it was that enlightened my eyes!" Thus he continued for some time, uttering many precious truths that refreshed my heart to hear. The Sunday evening after this he departed. During the day, as the neighbours dropped in, he shook hands with each and all, and said deliberately and cheerfully, "Good bye, I am going to heaven;" and to his wife many times he said, "Don't trouble -I'm going to Jesus." An hour before his death he said to her in a whisper, "Take care of yourself and our dear children. You have been a good wife. God bless you." These were the last words audible.

I doubt not readers will be found who may denounce my share in these conversations as unguarded, injudicious, and dangerous. Let results speak, and let God's people take encouragement therefrom to tell all they know, whether men will hear or forbear, and leave the God who gave the truth to guard it.

[Well, readers, what think you of the " story of grace in poor Reid? We have had a "second benefit" in reading the proof-sheet, and can but admire and adore Jehovah's free-grace. "Nothing-nothing to pay !" Blessed be God! But now listen! The very effect on your heart of the reading of this narrative will show your state. If it crumbles you into the dust of self-abasement, causes you to feel a union to the poor man, and kindles the flame of love to the Lord for mercy so kindly shown, you are a partaker of the same grace; but if, on the contrary, it causes you to cavil-contend-if it sits uncomfortably upon you, it is a mark that you have never yet been brought to feel the truth of Rom. iii 19, therefore as yet know nothing experimentally of vital godliness.-ED].

"GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON."--GAL. IV. 4.

TWAS when the great powers of Persia and Greece,
With Assyria, had shaken the world to its base;
When Rome thought that nature a God would bestow;
That she might have rule o'er all nations below
When heathens expected some monarch to rise;
And sang in their eclogues his praise to the skies :
When Pharisee Jews hoped the day was at hand,
For "Messiah " to raise them o'er all in the land:
That the "fulness of times" to the Gentiles did come,
And t'exalt the true Israel" God sent forth his Son."

By sinless conception, most holy in birth,

Heaven's offspring came not with the tainture of earth :
The first-born" of God, by miraculous power,

Laid hold of perfection in embryo's hour;

And the child when brought forth - by omnipotent grace-
From his cradle drew wisdom her fountain to trace.
Born to Israel-a Saviour by promise-his name
Was pronounced to be Jesus! as soon as he came :
That babe and that suckling to strength fore-ordained;
In the "body prepared " by his blood to be stained :
That his people (as Isaac released) might go free,
Through the Lamb God provided himself in decree.
In Adam the second was formed a "new carth".
A creation of nature with God in the birth:
His image in Spirit-the pure offspring of love :
A temple shekinized by our God from above.
Yea, Deity's self had existence in form,
When the holy child Jesus of Mary was born.
A mystery great, yet a truth ripe for faith,
That credits whatever the word of God saith.
Now for "Zion bereaved," yet beloved, did appear,
This great "King of Jacob" in the land of Judea ;
For then as a nation in spirit to raise,

And lift up their souls, to the triumph of praise.
Salvation by grace was to Israel's throng;
Redemption by blood their New Testament song ;
Acceptance with God, in a righteousness given;
Perfection imparted, that made meet for heaven;
Yea, all that pertained to salvation was done,
For eternal demand, when "God sent forth his Son."
My soul, take thy harp, and in strains of love tell,
The part Jesus took in thy ransom from hell;
For God in the praises of Israel doth dwell.
Come forth in the power and the fulness of might,
And "sing of his goodness"-'tis salvation's delight;
For who like the ransomed to praise has a right?

}

O Jesus my God, and my Saviour, and King,

Of thy grace, and thy mercy, and love, will I sing:
Thou didst take my poor nature and suffer for ine;
Make thy righteousness mine, put my sins upon thee;
Transfer them as God has in type ever done,

In his visits for sin, to set forth his Son!

In the dear divine Person of Jesus I see

There's a meeting place made for Jehovah and me,
Where God and my soul each a welcome enjoy,
And pleasure is found, both our hearts to employ.
Dear Jesus, the first and the last of thy race,
In thee the blest image of God I can trace,
A Father! forgiving, forgetting, foregoing;

A Friend! that will love me, my faults all foreknowing;
A Brother! born for my adversity times;

A Kinsman ! to help me in loss of all kinds ;

A Redeemer! to ransom my soul from the grave;
So precious a treasure his delight was to save.

A Martyr to suffer, that I might go free;
For he never could bear to see torture on me.
A Prophet! foretelling me of things yet to come;

Yea, of" things in the heavens" surrounding the throne.
A Priest! (not the pattern) his dear person and blood,

Both the altar and sacrifice were before God.

A King! in the "kingdom of heaven" upon earth,

Where the subjects are all of celestial birth.

A God! having me in all thoughts of his will ;
Whom, though I despised, kept on loving me still.
A Saviour! who died as my Surety below,
To save me from wrath, condemnation, and woe,
My soul, in thy freedom from death now rejoice;
Life eternal's begun, then lift up thy glad voice;

Thou didst rise from the dead in the first resurrection-
The "second death" now to thy soul is protection.

"Peace with God" through the blood of his Son is procured; Pardon flowed with the blood when my death he endured, When He gave me his life for eternity's days;

That I might for ever abide in his praise.

Thus the channel is clear for the current of love,
The ocean of bliss no obstruction can have :
Not death can divide his affection for me;
Nor dying dissolve the blest prospect I see.
Already I feel that heaven's joys have begun,
And that I with my Father in Jesus am one,
To effect which joint union " God sent forth his Son."
Chelmsford.

JOSIAH.

THE WORKINGS OF DIVINE LIFE IN THE SOUL.

(Concluded from page 23).

WE have, thus, at some length, given the previous part of this epistle, in order to show the connection and occasion of our text; and this was the more necessary from the first words, "Wherefore the rather," so evidently grounding the exhortation on what had previously been stated. In order to enter into the mind of the Spirit in these words, we will consider

1. What is the calling and election.

II. What the diligence we are to give.

III. How by giving this diligence, we make our calling and election sure; and the force of the word, rather.

IV. What we thereby avoid, and what we secure; and may, the Holy Spirit guide us into these deep things, and enable us to realize their power.

First, then, What is this calling and election. Election means a choice. A number of objects are brought before me, and I am allowed to take some of them, but not all. Those which I take are chosen or elected by me, according to my own will and pleasure. But in our making these elections, there is generally something in the object which guides our choice why we should prefer it rather than another; so that our election is not altogether free and unbiassed, but there is something in the object which draws our choice towards it. Not so, however, God's election of his people. He indeed chooses some out of mankind, and leaves the rest to the consequences of those sins which they have sold themselves to commit, and so had the elected ones, who, equally with the rest, were enemies to God by wicked works, and afar off from him. The cause of election is not, then, anything whatever in the persons elected to cause them to be chosen, but solely and entirely the mere will and pleasure of Him who chooses to elect some out of mankind, as vessels of mercy, to be recipients of his mercy; therefore hath He "mercy on whom He will have mercy; and whom He will He hardeneth (Rom. ix. 18). This election also had its origin, not in time, but in eternity, before the world was made, and therefore before man was actually created. "Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" (Eph. i. 4). And thus early were these elected men given to Christ, to be brought by Him into that kingdom, "prepared for them from the foundation of the world" (Matt. xxv. 34), for see the 8th of Proverbs, where we find that from everlasting, or ever the earth was made, his delights were with the sons of men. And that they continued to be his delights in time was witnessed by that hard lesson of obedience which he learnt by the things that he suffered, in order that thereby he

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