may supersede it; he may leave it alone, and take the work into his own hand, and it will be done; but if I try to intrude into God's province-to pardon sin, to regenerate, by sprinkling, the human heart, to make man, by ministerial manipulations, a new creature, I instantly go into a province where I ought never to be, and, like the fabled hero who rose on waxen wings to reach the sun, I shall only be melted by its beams, and my last end shall be worse than my first. I believe that the great secret of the innumerable errors of the day is, that we have not made a strict line of demarcation between what man, the minister, can do, and ought to do, and what the Lord the Spirit alone can and will do, when, where, and how he pleases.

*

Melancthon, when he first saw the light of the glorious gospel, and felt its precious influence on his heart, thought that he had nothing to do but to go forth and speak it, and the whole earth would accept so grand a gospel. But he soon found himself compelled to make the just remark, that, 'Old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon," that some men could not, and some men would not; and between the two, the progress that he made was of the most discouraging description.

crease."

"But the apostle Paul, on the other hand, states, that one of the grand secrets of his success was the combination of ceaseless, personal effort, with ceaseless leaning on, and looking to the Holy Spirit of God. Just mark his words: I have planted,'-there is toil,' and Apollos watered,'-there is additional toil,-"but God gave the inYou see man's part-planting and watering; but also God's grand part, without which, the planting and the watering would be fruitless God gave the increase.' And when the apostle speaks again of his labours, he says, 'I have laboured more abundantly than ye all:' but mark how exquisitely and delicately he corrects himself, yet not I, but the grace of God that was in me.' Whereever there is the most prayerful heart, there is the most diligent hand; wherever there is the deepest dependence upon God, there is the putting forth of the greatest energy by man. 'Prayer and painstaking,' said one of old, are sufficient to convert the nations.' I believe, that what is wanted in the present day is greater personal exertion on the part of ministers in their own sphere, and a still greater dependence on the Holy Spirit, who is omnipotent in his sphere.

"The most eloquent tongue will lose its power, and the most able right hand its cunning, unless sustained, encouraged, and endued by the Holy Spirit of God. Cease to quarrel about patronage and popular election, and begin to pray; cease to dispute about Epis

copacy and Presbytery, and begin to pray; cease to look to the Bishop or the General Assembly, and begin to look above them to the Spirit of God alone. If anything exerts on the mind a larger directive influence than Christ, you may call yourself a Protestant, but you are essentially a Roman Catholic. A Roman Catholic is not a man who believes in the Pope of Rome; but who believes that the priest can forgive sin, that baptism gives regeneration, who excludes all but his own, who thinks that no man has a commission separate from his church. The man who places the church in the room of Christ-tradition, the confession of faith, the Thirty-Nine Articles, in the room of the Bible-or himself in the room of either, is essentially a follower of the Church of Rome.

"Let all our theology be comprehended in this-no justifying righteousness except in Christ; no regenerative power but in the Holy Spirit; no church upon earth, the way to heaven, but Christ alone; the Bible without a clasp; the throne of grace with infinite welcome; heaven with all its glory, not bestowed or won by might or power, but by the Holy Ghost.'

There is immortal truth in these lines: truths worth weighing, and receiving; and happy the man who can truly carry them into practice.

WHAT ARE THE PRIVILEGES OF BEING
SEALED BY THE SPIRIT?

(Concluded from page 63.)

Uses. The point speaks to three sorts of persons-viz., 1. To those who have not yet been sealed. 2. To those that once had, but now want, the comfort. 3. To those that enjoy the comforts

of it.

1. To those that yet want this mercy, who have not been formally sealed by any assurance of their title to Christ, but all their days have been clogged with fears and doubts of their condition. To such my counsel is, First, that you be not quiet under these uncertainties, but pant after the assurance of peace and pardon. Say unto Christ as the spouse did - Cant. viii. 6"Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm." Pant after it as David did-Psalm xxxv. 3-"Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." How can you look upon such precious promises, and not dare to

taste them? How can you hear others talk of their satisfaction, peace and assurance, and be quiet, until you also have attained it? What is it that hinders this mercy, that it cannot come home to your souls Is it your neglect of duty? O, stir up yourselves to take hold on God! Is it want of a thorough search and examination of your state? O, let not thine eyes find rest, till that be fully done. Is it some special guilt upon thy soul that grieves the Spirit of God? Be restless till it be removed. I know this mercy is not at your command, do what you can do; but yet I also know when God bestows it, he usually does it in these ways of our duty.

2. To those that once had, but now want this blessing; who say as Job xxix. 2, 3, " O, that it were with me as in days past." The darkness is the greater to you, because ye have walked in the light of the Lord. The sum of Christ's counsel in this case is given in three words-Rev. ii. 5-"Remember, repent, reform." First, Remember-i.e., ponder, consider, compare time with time, and state with state, how well it once was, how sad it now is.

Secondly, Repent; mourn over these your sinful relapses; sure you may challenge the first place among all mourners in the world. Your loss is great. O, better to have lost the light of your eyes, than this sweet light of God's countenance. Your sin hath separated between you and your God: O, mourn over it!

Thirdly, Reform. Do your first works again. O, Christian! consider thy heart is sunk deeper into the world than it was wont to be. Thy duties are fewer, and thy zeal and affection to God are much abated. Return, return, O backsliding soul, and labour to recover thy first love to Christ, whatever pains it cost thee.

Lastly. To those who do enjoy these choice and invaluable mercies-the sealings of the Spirit. First, take heed that ye grieve not the good Spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed to the day of redemption." Ephes. iv. 30. He hath comforted you; do you not grieve him. The Spirit is a tender and delicate thing; you may quickly deprive yourself of his joy and peace. Secondly, Be bumble under this advancement and dignity. If your hearts once begin to swell, look out for humbling dispensations quickly. 2 Cor. xii. 7. This treasure is always kept in the vessel of a contrite and humble heart. Thirdly, Keep close to duty; yea, tack one duty to another by intermediate meditation and ejaculation. If care of duty be once remitted, you are not far from a sad change in your

condition. Fourthly, improve all ordinances, especially this great sealing ordinance of the Lord's Supper, for your farther confirmation. and establishment. Act your faith to the uttermost of its ability upon Christ crucified; comfort will flow in. The more the direct acts of faith are exercised, the more powerful and sweet its reflex acts are like to be. JOHN FLAVEL.

To the Readers of “Cheering Wards.”

DEAR FRIENDS.-I have for some weeks been travelling and preaching in the West of England; and could not devote so much time to the compilation of this number of "CHEERING WORDS" as I could wish. If you discover any deficiency, I hope you will kindly remember that the Editor has been labouring hard in the pulpits of some widowed and destitute churches; beside which, a heavy cold has brought him down to a low and weak state. Sympathise, therefore, but do not condemn.

IN

A few penny pamphlets are now publishing by Messrs. Houlston and Stoneman, of Paternoster Row, entitled, "LETTERS FROM THE WEST OF ENGLAND: A FAITHFUL RECORD OF MY LABOURS THE MINISTRY." If you order your bookseller to procure these for you, you will therein find as full an account of my travels and exercises as time, health, and powers of mind would allow me to give.

I may say one thing-there is nothing very cheering in the circumstances of the churches among whom I am travelling. Division, dissension, coldness, poverty, and a want of holy power-are signal marks of their state. Nevertheless, I have been favoured to fall in with some real Christians - some good godly souls-some of the Lord's hidden ones; and I purpose to give you a few "SKETCHES OF STERLING CHRISTIAN CHARACTER, as soon as I have time. I beseech you to aid me in the circulation of those "CHEERING WORDS;" and believe me your devoted and willing servant in the gospel, CHARLES WATERS BANKS.

Predicted Events coming upon the nations of the Earth: a Sermon preached more than 200 years ago, before Oliver Cromwell and the Houses of Parliament on a National Fast Day. By Dr. JOHN OWEN. To which is added, A MOST GLORIOUS SCRIPTURE PROPHECY. By C. NESS. 2nd Edition, price 6d. Published by Houlston & Stoneman, Paternoster Row.

Vol. IV.1

JUNE, 1854.

[No. 39.

THE CHURCH'S ROCK AND REFUGE, IN THE DAY OF TRIAL.

MY FAREWELL SERMON AT TRINITY CHAPEL, PLYMOUTH.

DURING the month of April I have been in the West of England, labouring among many hundreds of the Lord's living family. I found the word very good there; and many solemn seasons did I experience in the ministry. My labours closed at Plymouth on Monday evening, May 1, by a short discourse on the 61st Psalm. I gathered up a few fragments in the hope, (as many declared the Lord made them a blessing to their souls in hearing,) that the perusal of them may be attended with comfort to many a seeking and sorrowing soul,

C. W. B.

Plymouth, Monday, May 1. IN speaking a few words this evening by way of farewell, I felt determined to speak of the Lord, and of his grace and mercy to his people, and poor burdened souls. But the word "uttermost" came into my mind, which led me to notice Deut. xxx. 4, "If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather them, and from thence will he fetch them." I remember years ago this word was useful unto me--but I could not rest on it at this time. David's experience in the fulfilment of this was brought to mind, as recorded in Psalm lxi. 2-5. Many comforting Scriptures have rolled over my soul this day like this, "He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out;' and then this, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." But I was obliged to return to Psalm lxi.

First, I noticed the two-fold description of David's distress. He was at the end of the earth; his heart was overwhelmed.

Price One Half-penny, or 10 copies for 4d.