dead to self. Neither righteous nor sinful self can be any longer trusted; and this is a death that accompanies us in all our journey. Our nasty pride, base self-sufficiency, cruel envy, and that inward lurking self require continually to be kept down, and therefore our wise Lord is pleased to ballast his vessels with much affliction, and to purge our dross by those trying and cutting dispensations that lay open the flesh, and cause us to cry, "Heal us, O Lord; save us, for thou art our praise." They are dead to the world. Its maxims cannot satisfy the heaven-bound traveller; its gaudy toys are worthless trash in the esteem of the quickened mind. He goes into it and its spirit, imperceptibly, and is dearly taxed in the employ; he is a stranger passing through mystic Moab, but he has a better land in view. He often feels it to be a very narrow path to his home, and agonizes, in secret prayer, to enter therein. In short, he is an exile in a foreign land; he has his passport to the place of destination, but is sorely vexed with intruders on his way thither. "Such are not of the world, because Christ hath chosen them out of it." But such are also said to live with Jesus. Yes; indeed, he is their life; they have it as the gift of a Triune God; the Father gave it in Christ. Immanuel declares, “I give unto my sheep eternal life;" and the eternal Majesty, the Comforter, gives it in regeneration. Thus, by the quickening of the Spirit, the family are known, electing love is declared in power, the redemption of the slain Lamb is felt, and that grace needed, thirsted after, and longed for which is treasured up in the church's holy Head. "Your life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

But, further; this is a life of inward testimony. It is a faith in hope of repose upon the everlastingness of Immanuel's work. It exhibits that faith that lives in and feeds upon Christ; "He that eateth me, even he shall live by me;" "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." This is the unspeakable privilege of every true believer. Such derive sweet support from the soul-nourishing doctrines of justification by the obedience and death of the Son of God; such glory in sanctification by Christ; such are happy only in Immanuel's smile; such glory in free and unmerited grace. This faith is often sorely tried by sad desertion, horrible darkness, inward temptations and buffettings of our unwearied foe. This faith often faints, but die she never shall, for in her dreadful encounter with the foe, she is strong, not in herself, but in "the grace that is in Jesus Christ."

These, Messrs. Editors, are, I conceive, some of the steps in the consecrated path to bliss; and we know that those who are thus trained in this divine school, led in this way, tried in every step in the strength of their Lord, disputing every inch of ground with the arch foe, must be more than conquerors. Such are like Gad; though seemingly overcome, "they shall overcome at the last."

The Lord be with your spirits to guide you in the good and right Yours in Him who is all in all,

way.

Stamford, Lincolnshire.

F. W. N.

THE ISRAELITES.

My Friend, I suppose it is generally thought that the Israelites were a typical people, and set forth the Lord's dealings with his people under the gospel dispensation, and that their servitude under Pharaoh sets forth the travail of a child of God under the law. We are well aware they were most grievously oppressed, and before their deliverance their strength was very much reduced. But will our experience accord with this? Do we know anything of the bondage of the law? Many know something about the letter of the law, but very few about the spirituality of the law. On this point I am often very much tried. I want to know whether my convictions are natural or spiritual, for if we never were spiritually convicted, we were never spiritually pardoned. It seems very evident the children of Israel had a promise of deliverance before they enjoyed liberty, which, no doubt, kept them from utter despair; but mark well, they suffered much before they obtained it, as the Lord said, "I have heard the cries of the children of Israel, and I will go down and deliver them." So I consider it is the case with a man under the law, when he is brought to his wits end, and all hope of ever being saved is given up, he may have some such words as these come forcibly to his mind, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee," which creates a hope, and the man says, "Who can tell but that I may obtain mercy?" But this is not deliverance, neither can he rest until he enjoys deliverance; but when God's arm is stretched out and saves him from all his foes and fears, he can then truly say, "Salvation is of the Lord alone." But it is the travels of the children of Israel I wish to say a word about. I recollect what you said to me, that is, "If you come to talk about walking, you cut most of us off." I must confess it is a bad state to be in, to be at ease in Zion; and I do believe a quickened soul is not long at ease. When the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, with an outstretched arm, they did not slide into the land of Canaan at once. O, no; they had some trials to wade through, and dangers on every hand, and most of them that suffered various afflictions never reached the good land; and I do firmly believe that numbers in our day, as well as in the Apostles', suffer many things, many outward trials, as well as inward checks of natural conscience, and are excluded heaven after all. I feel fully persuaded that nothing short of a manifested salvation will stand the test, and the soul that has enjoyed it is sure to meet with a heavy cross; for it is "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom." If it was not so, should we need shoes of iron and brass ? And these shoes are for heavenbound travellers. The way to heaven is a trying path. Israel had not long left Egypt before they were in a more trying situation than ever. To see a host armed with weapons, intent upon their destruction, and apparently no way of escape, was truly dreadful, and a child of God has many such dreadful times. The trial of faith differs vastly from the sweet and comfortable assurance of faith, and yet where there are no trials there are no deliverances. God has joined these things together, a day of prosperity, and a day of adversity; a time to mourn, and a time to rejoice; sighs and songs; frowns and smiles. And if we have not the two, have we not ground to believe we shall be castaways at last? Things round this part have been in a dreadful state. You have had teachers to lull you asleep, but truly they have been very ignorant of the true state of things. Most that have had a stock in hand bave had a false stock, and in the time of trial it will be proved so. They have been dealing in the works of the flesh, and thought them the fruits

of the Spirit. This is a horrible delusion, and I think the worst of delusions is a freedom from internal trials. The conflicts of the soul look dark. They that have no changes fear not God, and God is not the God of the dead but of the living; and where there is divine life there is sure to be a continual struggle. I for my part find it so, for I sin daily through the weakness of the flesh, and am daily grieved for it. I am often walking in darkness and am very uneasy about it. I am often tossed with a terrible tempest and fear I shall make shipwreck of faith. I am often full of troubles and my life boweth down to the grave, yet the Lord has heard my cry, and brought me from the dust of death. Heavenly travellers stand in need of heavenly way-marks, but how few can I find round this part that know the way to the city. When the Lord delivered Israel from their enemies at the Red sea, they could then sing his praise, but they had a terrible wilderness to pass through after that. It has shaken me very much when I have seen professors drop off like untimely fruit. David was much alarmed when Ahitophel fell off; and the apostles, when the Lord said, “One of you shall betray me," were very much afraid; and a man that knows something about the deceit of his own heart, is truly fearful at times. He may be deceived, and he has great searchings of heart upon this point, neither can he rest without divine manifestations of his interest in Christ. Now, my friend, I do not wish to alarm you. You acknowledge you have been in a bad state as it regards the life of the soul, and I am not sorry to see you tried about it, and I hope your trials may lead you to a throne of grace, and that you may be like the woman of Samaria, take no denial, and give the Lord no rest until you obtain a blessing; and if the Lord should answer your prayers, you will be something like Hannah, for your face will shine, and your soul weep to the praise of the mercy you have found; and you will be weaned from the dry doctrine preachers of the day, and count them but dry breasts. May the Lord cause his face to shine upon you. Amen. Rochford, Essex.

A TRAVELLER.

THE MINISTRY.

My dear Father in the Gospel of Christ, I received yours this morning, and feel myself much relieved by the prospect held out of seeing you ere long. Your presence will stop the trade for awhile of those who are so busy in doing mischief. N- will be in Liverpool on Lord's day, I expect. He may prove a God send to those individuals who are charging revealed truth with Arminianism, and are blessing God they are privileged to sin! From the present state of things, as they exist among persons in a profession of religion, I am ready to believe that Truth first presented herself to the world, and went about to seek entertainment, but finding none, she resolved to leave the earth and take her flight to heaven; but as she was going up she let fall her mantle, and error, waiting by, snatched it up, and ever since hath gone about in it; but to me it appears evident that they who think they are bound for heaven in the ways of sin, have either found a new way, untrodden by all that have gone thither, or will find themselves deceived in the end. In vain do men pretend to love the gospel which proclaims peace, while they reject the precept which requires obedience. I have been sorely tried for some days past, but when I received yours this morning, I said to myself, well, I have two friends yet, one in my covenant God, and one in his sealed servant, my father. This opened

to me a new train of thought. My precious Christ, said I, lets temptations and tribulations assault me; but this neither disproves his love nor endangers his right in me; yea, it doth but give evidence of the invincible firmness of both. He suffers worldlings to lie soft and sit warm, and pamper their flesh at leisure, but he hath nobler business for his champions, and most of all for the stoutest of them; he calls them forth to honourable services; to the hardest encounters. He sets them on, one to fight with sickness, another with poverty, another with reproaches and persecutions, others with prisons, doubts, fears, despair, and death itself. Yet, all this while he loves them, and will not suffer any to set upon them to hurt them, for the cross, and strength to bear it, are alike ours in Christ, as sore eyes to Leah, a thorn in the flesh to Paul, a feeble tabernacle to Timothy, a peculiar sickness to Elisha, barrenness to Hannah, a thigh out of joint to Jacob, a plague all day long, and a rod every morning for you and me, my father. Thus we are taught to know that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and is not to be attained by slothfulness and sitting still with folded hands, crying Peace, peace, but must be invaded by the sword of the Spirit, and the shield of faith, with armies of prayers and tears; and they who, under the teachings of God the Holy Ghost, thus set upon it, are sure to take it; for thus saith the Lord; "They looked unto him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed." "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good." Although “many are the afflictions of the righteous," yet Jehovah "delivereth him out of them all." "He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken."

I fear that I shall have exhausted your patience, but the wind blew for a few minutes and I forgot myself. In the faith of God's elect, and in the path of tribulation, I once more subscribe myself, yours in the gospel.

Liverpool, Jan. 31, 1839.

D. K.

Dear Friend,-Yours I received, and am glad to hear that the Lord is prospering you in your business. I hope you will be kept from high-mindedness, for we have a devilish nature, that is soon puffed up. May the Lord keep us thankful and humble for his tender mercies over such worthless wretches. I have humbled many times at the feet of a dear Jesus, to hear from different parts of the blessing the little book that is out has been to many of the Lord's dear children. Who could ever have thought such a thing, that God would ever have owned such an ignorant thing; such a weak thing; such a base thing; such a despised thing; yea, such a nothing, to bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh might glory, but that he that glorieth, should glory in the Lord.

My dear friend, I stand astonished when I think of Besses-o'-th'Barn, and sometimes exclaim, What hath God wrought! and sometimes as carnal, worldly, and beastly, as if I had never tasted the Lord is gracious, and do, indeed, feel at such times as if I was as destitute of one particle of grace as if I was entirely dead in sin. But the Lord appears again, bless his dear name. Hitherto he has helped the poor snail. I am very glad to hear the Standard has such an extensive circulation. I do believe the Lord blesses it. I have been

well pleased you have not encouraged empty controversies. If ever you do that, the savour of it will be over. There is nothing like experimental things for the bulk of the people that read the Standard; and, perhaps, you may be ready to say, why don't you write? My dear friend, the Lord knows I tell you the truth, it is not for want of desire, nor from a wish to smuggle the things of God; it's for a want of ability to put them together with the pen, and you know I cannot give myself abilities, and I believe it's all for the best, for I am such a light, empty, frothy, proud fool, that I believe if the Lord was to give me the abilities to write as he does some of his people, I should hardly know, one half of my time, whether I was on my feet or head. I am like an old pack-horse, I can walk the steadiest with the pack on my back. Well, bless the Lord, it's all right. I have moments when I can from my heart sing,

"My Jesus has done all things well."

I want more of these moments, they are so very sweet and good.
Trowbridge, March 29, 1839.

OBITUARY.

J. W.

Dear Friends,-As many of your readers have been acquainted with Margaret Bibby, of Bolton, I thought it might be interesting to them to hear some account of her last moments. I do not intend to write a flattering description of her experience, as those who knew her will bear witness with me, that were she living, such a relation would have been a stench in her nostrils.

She was one that knew the plague of her heart; a species of knowledge that very few possess. I have heard her say, that her heart was the devil's work-bench; he seemed always busy there, manufacturing his infernal stuff. She felt herself a fool, a beast, a devil. It may well be supposed that for such a soul, nothing but free grace would do. And truly so it was. When young she was a Methodist; but at no time was she suffered to arrive at that pitch of presumption her classleaders had attained, and were desirous of whipping her into. She used to say, she was always behind-hand; and yet, she could not tell how it was, for she found that others did not feel the same. Curiosity at length induced her, with some companions, to hear Mr. Gadsby; he entered into the avenues of her heart, and traced the workings of corruption, and the wiles of the devil, in such a way as she had never heard before. To use her own expressions, he followed her in all her ins and outs. From that time she felt the strongest union to him, and attended his ministry, though she had to walk a distance of six or seven miles. Ever since the Lord in providence called her to Bolton, she had been a speckled bird in the eyes of professors, uniting with the despised few that meet in King-street.

Though for many years the Lord saw fit to deprive her of the privilege of meeting with the saints publicly, yet in mercy, the hearts of the people were inclined to meet with her, and preaching and prayermeetings were frequently carried on under her roof. Although the doctrines of grace were sweet and precious to her, yet she could not always rejoice in them. Often was she found labouring in the fire of temptation, rebelling against the word at the waters of Meribab;