the ministry of the word, the ordinances of the Lord; a con viction of good and evil from a monitor in your own breast; you are warned by the eternal horrors of hell, and persuaded by the everlasting joys of heaven. To despise these blessings, to neglect these means, not to feel these motives, and to relax in your exertions to save your souls, implicate you in the crime of murder, self-murder of the worst description-the murder of your own soul. Could Satan weep at such a sight as this, we should almost look to see the big round drop roll down his iron face. Let it even be admitted, that your talents are few, (this can seldom be admitted under the ministration of the gospel,) yet if they be neglected, you become criminal." (p. 137.)

"I am old, (says one,) and have, all my life, neglected the salvation of my soul; how then can I be saved?" After giving much true gospel encouragement to aged, penitent sinners, the author concludes that part of his work thus: "While it must be admitted that we have heard but of few conversions in old age, it must also be granted that we meet with few elderly persons convinced of sin, and anxious about the salvation of their souls. Could we see the latter, we might expect the former with confidence, because anxiety about the soul is the forerunner of its happiness. You are certainly anxious on this subject, or you would not have framed this objection, which I am attempting to answer; but I have only one remark to make, that the gospel is limited by no age; but that the old transgressor has the same warrant to believe in Jesus, as he would have, had he applied in youth. Mercy is held out to the latest period of life, that if a sinner be condemned, it will not be found to arise from want of compassion in the Saviour, but from a rejection of that mercy which God offers to all, and denies not to any." (p. 177.)

As the end Mr. Cox has in view, is evidently to promote the interests of vital religion, and as he is sound in the essential doctrines of Christianity, we have purposely abstained, in our observations upon his book, from formally touching on the pecu liarities of his system. We sincerely respect, and cordially love, sound practical Christians, however they may decide on such matters of controversy, as involve neither faith nor practice.

THE WORD OF GOD ILLUSTRATED.

Dear Sir,

IF

REMARKS ON REVELATION iii. 12.
To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

you think the contents of the following paper, (by no means critical,) suited to occupy a page in the department of

your work, denominated "The Word of God Illustrated," their admission into your instructive Miscellany, will oblige,

Kettering.

Dear Sir, your's, in the best of bonds,
ELUCIDATOR.

Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

THE above passage includes four grand and important ideas. 1. Stability. "Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God." The hypocrite is a reed shaken with the wind; out, the conquering saint is a pillar. A pillar for strength, and a pillar in the temple, for sanctity. Some say a monumental pillar in the temple of God. Not a pillar to support, no; heaven needs no such props as these; but a monument of mercy, and of the powerful grace of God. Pillars that have supported the most splendid edifices, have mouldered away; witness the ruins of Palmyra: but the pillars of heaven, are not subject to any mutilation or decay. Even when all the pillars of the earth shall tremble, those in the temple of the living God, shall be as the Rock of eternal Ages.

A second idea in the subjoined passage, is that of honour. For on this monumental pillar, is a very honourable inscription. The name of God, in whose service the christian hero had engaged. The name of the city, the Church of God, the New Jerusalem. On this pillar (according to some) will be recorded all the services that the believer performed for the Church of God. How he asserted her rights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; and enlarged her borders by the prudent expenditure of his property, or other means that lay in his power; and defended her purity, and promoted her honour. But another part of the inscription is, "I will write upon him my new name." The name of Christ, the glorious Redeemer, is no doubt here intended. By this it will be evident, under whose banner the conquering believer had enlisted, and by whose influence he was brought off more than a conqueror. But another view may be given of the subject. "I will write upon him the name of my God;" i. e. he shall be considered as my son, it being common for the son to bear the father's name. "I will write upon him the name of the city of my God;" as if it was said, the successful hero shall be enrolled as a denizen, or citizen, of the New Jerusalem; he shall be made free of the angelical society, and partake of the immunities of the kingdom of God. A third idea is that of permanence, or duration, which, as it respects the joys of heaven, will be eternal. This may be gathered from the words,

He shall go no more out." After the christian hero hath overcome, he shall go no more out to the wars, never have any more sin or temptations to conflict with; no more sound of drum, trumpet, or cannon, shall be heard, but the believer, having won the field, shall now stay at home and divide the spoil.

"No horrid alarm of war

Shall break their eternal repose."

They have now ample security, being out of the reach of every enemy; and not any thing can abridge the perpetuity of their Joys. "They shall go no inore out." It is this that stamps heaven's glory with perfection. An eternity of happiness even in prospect, gives an elevation to our hopes, and a dignity to our joys, so as to render them unspeakable and full of glory. Finally, the last idea is that of glory. Glory everlasting! But who can possibly answer the question, What is comprehended in glory? Some have said, that glory is a perfect state of bliss, which consists in the accumulation of all those good things which immortal souls are capable of. No doubt, a part of heaven's glory will consist in our seeing of God-loving of God-and being loved by him.

1. An ingredient of glory is the seeing of God. An Apostle saith, "We shall see him as he is." This sight of God will indeed be very glorious. The saints will behold the glorified body of the adorable Jesus, and if it be a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the sun, how much more so to behold the Sun of Righteousness, in his full dimensions, and meridian glory. Solomon saith, The eye is never satisfied with seeing;" but, such orient brightness, will satisfy the eyes of all beholders. A second ingredient in glory will be our loving of God. It is the grief of the true christian here below, that his heart so much resembles a frozen lake, that his affections are so congealed, that the flame of God's love does not meet with a suitable return: but, in heaven, the saints shall be like seraphs, burning with divine love. A third ingre dient constituting the glory of God, will be God's loving of us. Notwithstanding God's infinite glory, yet if love were wanting, the joys of heaven would be eclipsed; but God is love. The saints glorified cannot love so much as they are loved. What is their love to the love of God! What their star to this sun! Their drop to this ocean! The highest felicity of heaven is the enjoy ment of God's love, to be the delight of the King of Glory. The seeing of God-loving of God—and the being beloved by him, will create such holy raptures, as are to mortals above conception. Let the christian soldier look forward to that state, the grand characteristics of which are, Stability, Honour, Permanence, and Glory; and, though while engaged in his earthly warfare, the Sampson of infidelity, of temptation, of persecution, may

attempt to overturn the pillar, let him keep in view the prospect, when he shall become a pillar in the temple of heaven, to go out no more for ever!

THE WORKS OF GOD DISPLAYED.

Rev. Sir,

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

THE following remarks, taken from a celebrated Writer, are calculated to display the wisdom and goodness of God in the works of creation. If they are adapted to your valuable Miscellany, their insertion will oblige, Rev. Sir,

Kettering, Sept. 30, 1812.

Yours most respectfully,
W. CONSTABLE.

ON FISH.

NOT one among the innumerable myriads which swim in the boundless ocean, but is watched over by that exalted EYE, whose smiles irradiate the heaven of heavens. Not one but is supported by that Almighty Hand, which crowns angels and archangels with glory. The condescending God has not only created, but beautified them. He has given the most exact proportion to their shape, the gayest colours to their skin, and a polished smoothness to their scales. The eyes of some are surrounded with a scarlet circle; the back of others is diversified with crimson stains. View them when they glance along the streams, or while they are fresh from their native brine; and the burnished silver is not more bright, the radiant rainbow is scarce more glowing, than their vivid, glistering, glossy hues.

Yet, notwithstanding the finery of their appearance, we are under painful apprehensions for their welfare. How can these poor creatures live under the suffocating waters? As they have neither hands nor feet, how can they help themselves, or how escape their enemies? We are soon freed from our fears, by observing that they all possess the beneficial, as well as the ornamental furniture of fins. These, when expanded, like masts above, and ballast below, poise their floating bodies, and keep them steadily upright.

We cannot forbear congratulating them on the flexibe play, and vigorous activity of their tails, with which they shoot themselves through the paths of the sea, more swiftly than sails and Oars can waft the royal yacht.

But we are lost in wonder at the exquisite contrivance and delicate formation of their gills,-by which they are accommodated VOL. XXXVI. APRIL, 1813.

even in that dense medium with the power of breathing, and the benefits of respiration. A piece of mechanism this, indulged to the meanest of the fry, yet surpassing, infinitely surpassing, in the fineness of its structure, and the facility of its operations, whatever is curious in the works of art, or commodious in the palaces of princes.

It is impossible to enter on the muster-roll, those scaly herds, and that minuter fry, which graze the sea weed, or stray through the coral groves. They are innumerable as the sands which lie under them, countless as the waves that cover them. Here are uncouth animals of monstroms shapes, and amazing qualities.

Monstrous shapes :-such as the sword fish, whose upper jaw is lengthened into a strong and sharp sword, with which he sometimes ventures to attack the ships, though armed with thunder; and is capable of piercing their sides, though ribbed with oak. This may be called the champion of the waters, who, though never exceeding sixteen feet in length, yet confiding in a weapon, at once so trusty and so tremendous, scruples not to give battle even to the whale himself. The sun fish has no tail, seems to be all head, and was it not for two fins, which act the part of oars, would be one entire round mass of flesh. The polypus, remarkable for its numerous fect, and as many claws, by which it has the appearance of a mere insect, and seems fitted only to crawl; at the same time an excrescence arising on the back, enables it to steer a steady course in the waves, so that it may pass under the two-fold character of a sailor and a reptile.

Amazing qualities.-Among these may be reckoned the torpedo, which benumbs on a sudden, and renders impotent, whatever fish it assaults; and, which is more extraordinary, strikes even the waterman's arm, when he offers to lay hold on it, with a temporary deadness; by this means it possesses the double advantage of arresting its prey, and securing itself. The cuttle fish, furnished with a liquid magazine, of a colour and consistence like ink, which, when pursued by an enemy, the creature emits, and blackens the water by this artifice: the foe is bewildered in the chace; and while the one vainly gropes in the dark, the other seizes the opportunity, and makes his escape. The nau tilus, whose shell forms a natural boat. The dexterous inhabitant unfurls a membrane to the wind, which serves him instead of a sail. He extends also, a couple of arms, with which, as with two slender oars, he rows himself along; when he is disposed to dive, he strikes sail; and, without any apprehension of being drowned, sinks to the bottom. When the weather is calm, and he has an inclination to take his pleasure, he mounts to the surface, and, self taught in the art of navigation, performs his voyage without either chart or compass, and is himself the vessel, the rigging, and the pilot.