Joe.-"O no, Deacon; de last time, I begin to think, de Lord send nothin down yet, and he never will, if nobody come to pray but poor old Joe: den I fall on my face and groan and cry loud-I can't speak no more. Den Master Jesus say, 'Joe, why you cast down? why thy heart disquiet in you? hope in God; you shall yet praise him.' When the great King speak to me, den I get up quick, and his train fill de temple; den I cover my face with my hands, and keep silent. He says again, 'Delight dyself in de Lord, and he will give dee de desire of dy heart;' so I go home, and praise God all night till daylight." Deacon B.-" Well, Joe, I hope you do not forget to confess the sins of the church, and plead with God for pardon ?",
We have not room for all the narrative-but its conclusion shews that in answer to poor Joe's prayers several young men were converted, joined to the church, and proved indeed the work to be genuine and a great revival ensued. The circulation of this interesting fact, will, we hope, be useful in the midst of our drowsy churches at home.
BUNYAN'S "PILGRIM'S PROGRESS" VERSIFIED.
BY THE LATE GEORGE BURDER.
(Continued from page 48.)
Book 11.-Christian is turned out of the way by Mr. Worldly Wiseman, but is recovered by Evangelist. Proceeds to the Wicket Gate, and is kindly received.
Poor Christian having thus eacaped his fright,
Directs his course towards the shining light,
When lo! a man of gentle form appears,
Kindly inquires the reason of his tears,
Pities the sorrows of his burdened state,
And asks if good advice would come too late?
Condemns th' advice Evangelist had given,
And vainly boasts an easier way to heaven.
"Desist, (says he,) nor spend your time and breath,
In that dread way that leads to pain and death,
'Twas reading that strange book that made you sad,
Beshrew the book, it drives its thousands mad!
My counsel take. Yon pleasant village see;
Delightful spot! 'Tis called Morality!
Thither with all convenient speed repair,
That honest man, Legality, dwells there,
Apply to him, you'll get a speedy cure,
Nor evermore fanatic fears endure,
There live in credit-live in pleasure there,
Nor shame, nor persecution, ever fear."(a)
Then Christian paused, "If this, (said he,) be true,
There's little more to suffer, or to do."
He turn'd aside, to see the place he saw,
And seek salvation by the moral law,
But ah! no ease he found, his fears were higher;
The mount he pass'd shot forth devouring fire,
Mount Sinai filled his very soul with dread,
It seem'd just falling, on his guilty head.
'Twas then his conscience, pressed with guilt and fear;
Just then, he saw Evangelist appear.
"Christian, what business have you here? (he cry'd)
What lying knave has turn'd your feet aside?
'Twas Worldly Wiseman, rightly is he named,
'Twas he, the way of righteousness defam'd,
I know he hates the doctrines of the cross:
For which the saint must count his gain but loss,
By his advice, your case is rendered worse,
For all who trust the law, incur the curse;
Abhor the counsel, go not more astray,
But turn your feet into the narrow way;
Thus, only thus, your sins shall be forgiv'n,
And you shall find the path that leads to heaven."
Christian, thus caution'd by his Gospel guide,
Pursues his way and dreads to turn aside,
(a) Mr. Worldly Wiseman, represents teachers of mere morality, who dislike the doctrines of the Gospel. Christian, through his advice, for sakes the right way for a time.
Looks eagerly to see the Wicket Gate,
And sadly fears lest he should come too late;
When lo the wish'd for gate appears in sight,
Crown'd with resplendent rays of light.
Above was written, "Knock, and never fear,
The man who knocks shall surely enter here."
He knock'd and listen'd, then he knock'd again,
Meanwhile his bosom heav'd with anxious pain,
"Will he, (said Pilgrim) will the Lord on high,
Admittance grant to such a wretch as I?
O! would he deign to open mercy's door,
My happy soul should praise him evermore."
At length he hears a voice, distinct and grave,
"Who's there without, and pray what would you have?"
"A sinner, Sir, (he answered,) that's my name,
Sorely oppress'd with guilt, and fear, and shame,
This is the way I'm told to flee from sin,
O! will you let a burden'd sinner in ?"
"I will, with all my heart, (Good-will replied,)
It was for burden'd sinners Jesus died; (b)
Be quick, come in, from yonder Castle wall,
See, how the showers of poisoned arrows fall.
'Tis thus that Satan, filled with rage, annoys
The soul that flies to Christ for endless joys,
Now you are safe, dismiss your every fear,
The enemy of souls can't reach you here."
Then Christian lifted
And said, "My Lord, I tremble and rejoice.
his grateful voice,
up
O! what am I? Why should I see thy face?
O free, distinguishing, and sovereign grace!
But for that mighty grace I still had been,
A hardened rebel, perishing in sin,
And now again, lest I should go astray,
Direct me how to keep the heavenly way.
(b) Great encouragement is given to godly penitents. Satan envies those who enter by Christ.
To whom, with look serene, and accent grave,
Good-will this admirable counsel gave,
"Shun every crooked path, your road is straight,
Straight as a rule can draw it, from this Gate.
False ways are broad, the narrow is the true,
Be sure, remember this, your journey through;
A friendly house will soon appear in sight,
And yield divine instruction and delight.
(To be continued.)
THE ATONEMENT.
"We have now received the atonement."
Oh my soul can this be true, that thou hast received the atonement? And that not notionally only but in the energy and power of the same?
In faith and holy reliance of one utterly undone, without it. Think again, Oh my soul of this immense immunity. Thanks for ever, thanks be unto thee, heavenly Paraclete, for working in the deep feeling necessity of this eternal satisfaction to injured Justice, on behalf of the church; for, thou wast as carnally independant in thy suppositiously meritorious works, as thou wast ignorant of the ineffable virtue of Christ's one efficient sacrifice. Lord, in conscience, self pollution, and condemnation from nature's guilt, and practical offensiveness, through sin, to thine amazing purity, I lie in deep abasement of soul; but oh, unutterable grace! not one stain in all that mass of impurity-not one sin in all that aggregate of condemnation, but what was considered in and covered over with the atonement of the Godman-Mediator. No claim hast thou, Oh my soul, apart from the everlasting covenant, sealed by the blood of Jesus; for any of the large benefits arising out of this once offered expiatory sacrifice! Still, many many times hast thou had to come to God, with the felt pressure of newly contracted sin; yet, cans't thou say, the Lord turned a deaf ear to thy cry? Did he ultimately send thee away without a new manifestation of the cleansing and justifying tendency of that blood? So far from this, out of these depths of soul trouble and exercise, hast thou not found renewed sweetness of the application of the blood of sprinkling! Lord, make me to hate all sin more and more; also to love, more ardently thy dear Son! By whom through faith, we have received the atonement. ROBERT ABBOTT.
I'm a child of Adam's race;
And oh! how dreadful is my case!
I'm ruined in the fall!
Sin, death, and hell, upon me stare,
And fill my soul with dark despair-
That cup of bitter gall.
Fain would I fly from this dark cage,
That I might flee from satan's rage;
But sin doth hold me fast.
I try to fly, but cannot move;
I try my greatest strength to prove ;
But all is vain at last.
What can I do? Where can I go?
My sins deserve eternal woe;
They're dark, and black as hell.
Whene'er I try to paint them o'er,
They look much blacker than before:
How large they seem to swell.
Sometimes I've said, "I'll try to mend ;"
And thus upon my works depend;
But soon I've had a fall.
I've been afraid for grace to pray,
To drag me out of satan's way:
These things to me were gall.
Satan hath said, "How can you pray?
Since you still walk in such a way,
You sin, and then repent.
For you to pray, 'tis all in vain ;
Your sins upon you still remain;
To hell you must be sent."
How this distressed my weary soul !
To think that sin had such control
O'er my poor sinful heart.
Satan's advice I could not take;
The thought of it my soul would shake;
With prayer I could not part.
A great desire I had within,
To be made free from death and sin,
And feed on food Divine.
This great desire from Jesus came;
Blest be his great and holy name!
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