.constrained to admit "all this is true, and much more which thou hast left out." And with such a malicious, subtle, mighty, and withal truthful witness against us, did not faith come in, we might indeed despair. We ouce were "waiting for the verdict" with sorrowful suspense, till "the acquittal" was brought to our hearts: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Some perhaps have "waited for the verdict" to be pronounced upon another. They have been intimately acquainted with, and intensely interested in, the spiritual crisis in some relative or friend; even as the wife in the painting waited for certainty as to her husband's fate. How such longed that he might find mercy of the Lord! How they rejoiced when he obtained it, even as that father and mother rejoiced over their acquitted son. Perhaps some of my readers are now "waiting for the verdict." Let me ask who is your counsel? Are you pleading your cause yourself? If so, you will fail. But if you have given it into Christ's hands, who never yet refused a client, though he could pay no retaining fee, should you wait in sorrow for a season, you will in due time have your acquittal. Alas! many wait listlessly for the Divine verdict. In the newspapers we sometimes read: "The prisoner manifested the greatest indifference during the trial, and was scarcely moved when the sentence was pronounced against him." Hardened wretch! we exclaim, and feel sure that such a one was justly condemned. Are you indifferent as to what sentence is passed upon you in the high court of heaven? What character does such carelessness betray? What will your sentence be? None have so great cause with agony to wait for the verdict, as those who are waiting with unconcern. But turn now to THE SAINTS' ACQUITTAL. Matthew Henry says; "If ever Paul rode in a triumphal chariot on this side heaven, here it was; with such a holy height and bravery of spirit, with such a fluency and copiousness of expression, doth he here comfort himself and all the people of God, upon the consideration of these privileges." And herein he follows the example of Christ, who said in prophecy, He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together, who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up." (Isaiah 1. 8-9.) 66 There are many things that urge our conviction, witnesses both powerful and truthful. But Paul is convinced that, whatever may be laid to our charge, whoever may condemn, there are sufficient valid pleas to move in arrest of judgment, to insure that the verdict " Not Guilty" shall be pronounced. Six arguments are put forward by the Apostle, to shew that the saints will not be condemned. God chose them. "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" When Joshua clothed with filthy garments was accused, this was the plea wherewith the Angel of the Covenant defended him: "The Lord rebuke theo O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee." So, those whom the Lord chose with a full knowledge of all that could be said against them, he certainly will not condemn. In the previous verses, we have an unbroken chain, and no power can break it. Whom he foreknew he predestinated, called, justified, and glorified. God justifies them. Men may justify themselves, or the wicked may justify them; and yet they may be under condemnation. But if God justify them, they must be exonerated. For God is himself the Plaintiff; if he be satisfied, none need complain. He is King; and there is no power to execute any sentence apart from his mandate. He is the Supreme Law-giver and Judge; if the highest court acquits, in no lower court can any appeal be lodged against the decision. And God's judgments are according to truth: if he justifies, they are justified indeed. He has justified them in his ancient purpose. He does justify them actually when they believe. He will publicly pronounce their acquittal at the great judgment day. Christ died for them. Hence we see how the just God can justify them though ungodly. He can be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. The law, the devil, their consciences truly accuse them, and sternly condemn them; but this answers all, Christ died. He hath paid their debt, endured their curse, carried away their sin. 66 Christ rose for them. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." His rising proved the acceptance of his person, the efficacy of his death; so that special emphasis is laid by the Apostle on the resurrection, "yea rather, that is risen again." Christ is exalted for them. "Who is even at the right hand of God." He is not only accepted, but is exalted to dignity and honour. Plainly, then, he is mighty to save. Christ pleads for them. "Who also maketh intercession for us." Our Advocate possesses all wisdom, has our cause so at heart that he lived and died for his clients, and with untiring diligence he will watch our case. "Our cause can never, never fail, For Jesus pleads, and must prevail." Therefore "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." In the picture, the greyheaded father heartily thanks the counsel. We, too, will thank our Advocate, now and evermore. Thus, if we are humble believers in Jesus, we may be confident, for God chose us, and he justifies us. Christ died for us, rose for us, triumphs for us, and pleads for us. Who, then, shall accuse us? Who can condemn? "Who shall the Lord's elect condemn? 'Tis God that justifies their souls; And mercy, like a mighty stream, O'er all their sins divinely rolls. Who shall adjudge the saints to hell? "Tis Christ that suffered in their stead; And, the salvation to fulfil, Behold him rising from the dead! He lives! He lives! and sits above, For ever interceding there: Not all that men on earth can do, Or wean our hearts from Christ our love." HEY are like the steam-engine before Watt took it in hand. Watt was They are ventor of that marvellous machine, but he might as well have been, for any good it did before his time. Not that it "would not go," it went often most unexpectedly, and in most eccentric ways. The fault was that it worked by fits and starts, and the reason was that while Newcomen, its inventor, had discovered how to make the piston rise in the cylinder, he did not know how to send it down again. It had to drop when the steam which sent it up had condensed; and in order to produce condensation more quickly, he managed to inject cold water into the cylinder, while the piston was up, which of course brought it down more quickly than it went up; but this process had another effect, viz., that of cooling the cylinder; and, then, there bad to be a fresh heating of the cylinder before the piston would rise again. So the thing went on, the engine suddenly starting off, and then feeling the cold water, as suddenly stopping, or only going so long as the momentum of its first impulse lasted. Of course there was no work got out of a machine like that. 66 There are plenty of human engines after the Newcomen mcdel. Fire their zeal by a rousing sermon, and they are off before you can say Jack Robinson; but, suddenly, they stop: they have felt the cold water, and oh! what a warming up" it takes to get them "off again.” It is astonishing to see how they subside, how they fail you when you are depending on them most. Mr. Watt found out the remedy for the spasmodic engine, and it was this :— He first attached a side pipe to the cylinder into which the steam might escape, and then be condensed, without cooling the cylinder. Then he brought to bear upon the piston a second pressure from above, thus working it by a double process, viz., power from below and power from above. In this way we got the real working engine, and all its splendid achievements followed. My fitful friend! it is not that you have no zeal; you have too much at times. You need a reserve pipe. You boil over, and put your own fire out. You start with too much energy at first, and then there's no time to get up steam again before you stop. Now, let me advise you. Put the rein on before you start, mature your plans, look a-head, see all the difficulties before you begin: expect the cold water too (for lots of engines work in the wet). It is the unexpectedness of difficulty that brings you to a standstill; but, if you foresee it, you will say, when it comes, "Ah! yes, I've been looking out for you, I'in ready, you can't cool me, I've got my waterproof on." So on you go steadily and perseveringly doing real work. Then may I add that while there must be the under-pressure, the strength of body, the willingness, the common sense, and all that belonging to yourself, you must also have the power from above, the love of Christ constraining you, the energizing influence of the Holy Spirit, which not only enables you to work with grand results, but gives your work that which nothing else can give it, acceptance in the sight of the great Framer of us all. A DEACON. Baptist Country Mission, AMONG the many useful institutions which find their centre at the Taber nacle is one called the Baptist Country Mission. We have marked its rise and progress with the utmost pleasure. We have scores of young men of fiery zeal who need opportunities to speak for Jesus; on the other hand, hundreds of dark villages need just such burning and shining lights; this Society endeavours to bring the two together. With very small funds as yet available the work has been contracted, but with larger means it could be at once extended; the expenses are simply those incurred in the hire of rooms and in travelling; all the labour is gratuitous. The Society has a station at Sutton Valence, in a hall now far too small. A barn at Tiptree, Essex, is used for a like purpose. The open air is our friends' principal field of labour, and they maintain preaching under the arch of heaven at Forest Hill, Tooting, Mary Cray, and other villages of Kent and Surrey. As there are 96 members of the Association pledged to active service, and as their esteemed leaders, Elders Bowker and White, are men of warm and earnest hearts, we expect great things from this squadron of the Tabernacle host. We pray that the Association may be enriched with all grace, and crowned with success. Friends who wish to encourage a really useful and increasingly hopeful agency, can send any sums to us, and we will see them rightly applied. We look on this Society and our Evangelists' Association as a sort of militia, efficiently supplementing the work of the College trained bands.-C. H. S. Reviews. [MR. ORMSBY requests us to say that the work entitled Heart Poems is not written by himself, but by his daughter. We apologise for the mistake.] OUR usual Penny Almanack is now ready, | Kidnapping in the South Seas: being and we hope it will be as much approved a narrative of three months' cruise of of as its predecessors have been. We H. M. S. "Rosario." By Captain have also, with no small labour, written GEORGE PALMER, R.N., F.R.G.S. an Almanack for the walls, which is Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas. called John Ploughman's Sheet Alma- EVERY philanthropist should make himnack. Our friends tell us that it will self acquainted with the nefarious traffic have an unprecedented sale, and we in human flesh, which under various only hope it may, but not to the detriment of the older one. They are quite British flag. Captain Palmer has done disguises is being carried on beneath the distinct things, and very different in all respects, except that they are by the what he has seen and heard. Surely good service to humanity by detailing same author, cost the same price-one penny, and can be had of the same pub- this abomination. our government will not long wink at lishers, Messrs. Passmore and Alabaster. Circular Letter on Eternal Punishment, by the Suffolk and Norfolk Association of Particular Baptist Churches. Rees & Co., Butter Market, Ipswich. WE Congratulate the Suffolk churches upon the issue of this excellent letter, or treatise. We perceive that a thousand copies have been printed, but we hope the type is standing, and that ten thousand will be circulated. The Tabernacle and its Priests and WORKS upon this subject are now very A Memoir of Jane Walker, of Islip; Christian Economy: an Occasional Review. Stevenson, Paternoster Row. In a wide world there is room for all sorts of opinions, and verily the opinions are numerous enough to need a wide world. According to this occasional reviewer, our churches have been too aggressive, and preaching has been thought too much of. We once knew a person who thought bread to be very indigestible, and another who always took salt instead of sugar in his tea: nobody was much the better or the worse for these eccentricities. The Temperance Alphabet for Bands of "A stands for Alcohol! What is this? you cost, This curse to the living, this knell of the lost." This may impress and probably frighten some youthful minds: the aim is laudable. The snakes are on every page, and seem to be fond of coiling round bottles with the corks in; we think they are more likely to be there when the corks are out. Augustine's City of God. Translated | by Rev. MARCUS DODS, M.A. Volumes I. and II. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 38, George Street. RIGHT welcome to scholars will be the issue of this world-famous work of one of nature's princes and the church's saints. Augustine is evermore a master, and has probably influenced the Christian church more than any other uninspired man; Calvin, indeed, is Augustine redivivus, and though far clearer in the gospel, was but one of those scholars who, while surpassing their master, owe to him the skill by which they do so. The City of God, though over-estimated by some and depreciated by others, has, by its longcontinued popularity, raised itself beyond criticism. Much of it is of necessity obsolete, except as history; but there is a residuum of thought which remains living and quickening, and will do so to the end of time. All agree that it is the life-work, the masterpiece of a great mind, produced during his maturest years, and touching upon the weightiest subjects. We hope there is enough of Christian scholarship in the country to remunerate the Messrs. Clark for a somewhat venturesome enterprize. They have already earned the gratitude of all theologians by innumerable excellent publications, and this will increase the debt greatly. It will be the best way of informing our readers as to the contents of the volumes, if we give Augustine's own account of the work. "Rome having been stormed and sacked by the Goths under Alaric their king, the worshippers of false gods, or pagans, as we commonly call them, made an attempt to attribute this calamity to the Christ an religion, and began to blaspheme the true God with more than their wonted bitterness and acerbity. It was this which kindled my zeal for the house of God, and prompted me to undertake the defence of the City of God against the charges and misrepresentations of its assailants. This work was in my hands for several years, owing to the interruptions occasioned by many other affairs which had a prior claim to my attention, and which I could not defer. However, this great undertaking was at last completed in twentytwo books. Of these, the first five refute those who fancy that the polytheistic worship is necessary in order to secure worldly prosperity, and that all these overwhelming calamities have befallen us in consequence of its prohibition. In the following five books, I address myself to those who admit that such calamities have at all times attended, and will at all times attend, the human race, and that they constantly recur in forms more or less disastrous, varying only in the scenes, occasions, and persons on whom they light; but, while admitting this, maintain that the worship of the gods is advantageous for the life to come. In these ten books, then, I refute these two opinions, which are as groundless as they are antagonistic to the Christian religion. "But that no one might have occasion to say, that, though I had refuted the tenets of other men, I had omitted to establish my own, I devote to this object the second part of this work, which comprises twelve books, aleither to advance my own opinions in the first though I have not scrupled as occasion offered, ten books, or to demolish the arguments of my opponents in the last twelve. Of these twelve books, the first four contain an account of the origin of these two cities-the City of God, and the city of the world. The second four treat of their history or progress; the third and last four, of their deserved destinies. And so, though all these twentytwo books refer to both cities, yet I have named them after the better city, and called them The City of God." The Messrs. Clark are issuing Augustine's works at a subscription price of four volumes for a guinea, paid in advance; but to non-subscribers each volume will be charged 10s. 6d. NEAT binding, large type, little matter, tolerably correct rhyme, no poetry, and some reason. The cluster may be judged by this one grape :— "Alas the church, the world's true salt, The manifest deceiver." We are happy that the church here condemned is not one with which we claim membership. Spiritual Life not a Ceremonial Rite. London: J. Gadsby, Bouverie Street. A PLAIN and godly expansion of the title it bears. |