MORGAN AND SCOTT'S EDITION. FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS. A COMPLETE AND AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF THE LIVES, SUFFERINGS, AND TRIUMPHANT DEATHS, OF EARLY CHRISTIAN AND PROTESTANT MARTYRS IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. By John Foxe. With Twelve Full-page Illustrations The EDITOR of "Christian Progress" writes as follows: "A new edition of this useful and standard work. Is a most masterly exposure of what Popery really is; and what it can do when it has the upper hand. The perusal of this book should form part of the education of our youth. Heads of families should purchase it for their children to read. Popery could find no favour wherever FoXE'S MARTYRS' is studied." NEW EDITION. Complete in One Volume, Handsomely bound in cloth, 10s. 6d. May also be had in SIXTEEN MONTHLY PARTS AT SIXPENCE EACH. THE MARTYRS MEMORIAL OXFORD. LONDON: MORGAN & SCOTT, 12, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS. And may be ordered of any Bookseller in the Kingdom." (MORGAN & SCOTT'S EDITION.) FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS. New Edition, Complete in One Handsome Volume, Notices of the Press. "Messrs. MORGAN AND SCOTT deserve most cordial thanks for the production of this noble edition of a noble book; and we are specially pleased to observe that the aid of pictorial art has been invoked to attract to the volume the attention of the young. Only let this book have a place in every British home, and we may smile at the efforts of Rome and of the Anglican Ritualists to undo the blessed work which was achieved for our nation and the world by the thousands of faithful witnesses to the truth who, in dark days of priestly domination, resisted unto death." Christian Leader. "Messrs. MORGAN AND SCOTT have just published a new edition of 'FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS,' which deserves a word of greeting. Nothing we could say would add to the fame of so wellestablished a Protestant classic as 'FOXE'S MARTYRS.' The present edition extends far beyond FoxE's times, having been enriched by the Rev. J. Milner and others, and brought down to the present century by the Rev. Ingram Cobbin. Altogether, it is a cheap and complete Book of Martyrs, well printed and elegantly bound, and suitable for a gift-book."-The Record. "As a complete edition of 'FOXE'S MARTYRS,' this is by far the handiest and most attractive we know. In paper, type, illustrations, and binding, the book does great credit to Messrs. MORGAN AND SCOTT, to whom the Christian public are indebted for this timely publication."-Primitive Methodist. "A new edition of 'FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS' has been issued by Messrs. MORGAN AND SCOTT, which is well worthy of attention from those who have not already placed this famous work upon their shelves. The present edition is well bound, and contains the Rev. J. Milner's valuable notes and comments, and an essay on Popery by the Rev. Ingram Cobbin.”— -The Rock. .1885. To Mr... Bookseller. Please supply me with a copy of FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS (Morgan & Scott's Edition), 10s. 6d. Name......... Address... WALKING AT LIBERTY. 43 promises? Why not make a collection of the precepts into a book?" We have now arrived at the secret of much of the unrest of many earnest souls. They are really anxious to grow in grace, but are unaware how much of self enters into their motives. The discovery and the cure of this are painful, and sometimes lengthened processes, in which the wisdom, gentleness, and patience of the Holy Spirit are beautifully manifested. His dealings in this, as in other matters, are, of course, varied to suit the case of the individual soul. Nevertheless, there are two particulars which probably enter into the experience of every one with whom He thus deals: These are (1) The revelation of the fact that God's will, however it may be expressed, is always, and altogether, and only, love; and, consequent upon this, (2) The adoption of His will as our will. That this is much more than mere submission may, perhaps, be made clear by an illustration. Let us suppose a steamer in a mighty river, steaming against the current. This is opposition to God's will. Let us next suppose the steamer, with its engines stopped, drifting with the current. This is submission to God's will. Finally, let us suppose the vessel to be steaming at full speed with the current. This is the cordial adoption of God's will. It is more than passive yielding. It is active concurrence. The difference between the two things is the difference between having to do a thing, and wishing to do it. When this point is reached, and our wills work along with the will of God, availing themselves of it, how swiftly and pleasantly is progress made! This is the bright prospect viewed by the Psalmist in the verse before us. He resolves not merely to go the length of non-resistance to God's will, as expressed in His precepts, but to devote his energies to learning what that will is, in order that he may do it; and he sees that a life regulated by this principle is indeed a life of liberty. In this dispensation of the Spirit, and with the New Testament in our hands, it should be easier for us to attain to this blessedness than it was for the Psalmist in his day. For example, do we not "know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. viii. 28)? And do we not know that the "good" here spoken of is in the next verse defined to be conformity to the image of Christ? Shall we not, then, welcome all God's dealings as being designed to this end, and cease to think and speak hardly of them if they disturb our ease or run counter to our cherished plans and pleasant dreams? Nay, shall we not seek grace to rise even higher than this, to the height of the command: "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess. v. 18)? The confidence which springs from the believing knowledge that we are in the safe and blessed pathway of the Divine purpose is good, for it strengthens the heart. The song of gratitude as we walk in that pathway is better, for it glorifies God. We may not understand in this life the cause for thanksgiving in a particular dealing, but the command to give thanks "in everything" shows that there is cause for thanksgiving in it. If the command is obeyed in believing humility, blessing will result to us and glory to God, both in time and eternity. Nor can I close without referring to the help which we receive by studying the example of the Lord Jesus with reference to this matter, noticing how completely He identified His own will with that of His Father, and, consequently, how the doing of the Father's will was meat and drink to Him. It is sweet to remember, too, not only that He came to do that will of God in which He himself delighted (Psalm xl. 7 and 8), but that He is now the "LET US KEEP THE FEAST." 45 Mediator of the New Covenant, by which He undertakes to make us also delight in doing it (Heb. viii. 6 and 10). As we ponder His example, His utterances, and His Mediatorial office, we shall not fail to understand how His yoke is easy and His burden light. The taking of that yoke upon us will cease to be the dreadful thing that our unbelief and selfishness caused us to imagine it to be. Instead of a farewell to liberty and gladness, it will then be seen to be the beginning of a life of "perfect freedom." May the blessed Spirit of all grace reveal to us more and more the fact that God's will is love, in order that we may regard and treat it, not as a crushing weight to be endured, but as a mighty sustaining and enabling power of which we may avail ourselves. If, not resting content with theories and generalities, we set ourselves honestly to seek to know and to obey God's precepts in reference to our own personal circumstances and conduct, we shall soon begin to know something of what it is to "walk at liberty." Let us Keep the Feast. By Miss Mason. IF then we have been "crucified with Christ," let this year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five be the commencement of the feast of unleavened bread. What have we been feeding upon during the past years of our Christian life? * These sensible words of timely and needful Christian counsel are from a New Year's Address, by Miss Mason, in her little pamphlet, "The House of Rest Monthly," which is probably unknown to most of our readers. They are words, not for New Year's Day only, but for all the year round. We print them here with hearty thanks to the writer, and with cordial sympathy in her many labours of love. |