have never regretted it for one moment, for, having drank a little of the "old wine of the kingdom," sipped the "sincere milk of the word," and fed on 66 strong meat," under your ministry, I felt I could never feed on "husks" again, and I felt towards that "sect that is every where spoken against," like as Ruth when she clave to Naomi.

We have been at Chatham now five years; we felt our removal keenly, but " mercy and goodness hath followed us," and we have proved the Lord's faithfulness until this day. And in the review of this we are often humbled and ashamed of our fears and unbelief. Well, indeed, is it, that our salvation is all of free and sovereign grace, from "first to last," for daily experience teaches me, as I told Mr. G.— the other day, that I can as soon look to Satan himself, as to any thing within, or that I can do.' Mr. G.-had preached very sweetly from "Christ is the end of the law," &c. it just suits my case, and on that truth my soul hangs for time and eternity.

Mr. and Mrs. R.-'s love also; they are pretty well, but feel the increasing infirmities of old age, and you will please to accept this as coming unitedly from them and us. My wife joins with me in love to you both, and to all the brethren about you.

And now, dear sir, farewell; the Lord bless you, and hear our poor petitions concerning you and your dear partner. Jesus bless you.

Yours' very truly in him,

GOSPEL TRUTHS.

F. J. D.

Ir is the glory of the gospel, that it sets the believer free from all condemnation, whether from the law, sin, death, hell or the grave, and that none of his transgressions, however great and aggravated, or

whether before or after his conversion shall ever be laid to his charge, seeing that they were all laid upon Christ in the everlasting covenant, and blotted out by him, even before they were committed. Let those who would cavil at this assertion first try the truth of it, and let them consider how they will get peace to their troubled consciences any other way; perhaps there may come a time when they will be glad to embrace it. If they seek to obtain peace more or less in proportion as they keep or break the law, they are quite out of God's way of arriving at it, for he has ordained that peace shall never come by doing, but by believing; for the law as a ministration of condemnation, worketh wrath, but "being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ;" and the God of hope fills his people "with joy and peace in believing;" but if the sins of all the elect were not laid upon Christ at once, if they were not all blotted out at once, if they were not all pardoned at once, whether past, present, or to come, how or when will they be taken away and pardoned? Is Christ again to descend from heaven for this purpose; or does he dispense his pardons one by one like the Pope of Rome? The knowledge of forgiveness of sins, it is true, is brought to the soul by believing; but pardon itself, (at least the ground of pardon) is of the same date with the grace and love of Jehovah to his people; it has no dependance whatever on any thing in the creature, or that ever would be in the creature, whether of good to procure it, or of evil to prevent it; the motions of the eternal mind, are in itself; "He ordereth all things after the counsel of his own will;" his will is immutable, it knoweth neither obstacle nor controul; "I will work, and who shall let it ?" "With him is no variableness, nor shadow of

turning," not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

"I the Lord change

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When the everlasting covenant was planned between the three persons in the glorious and co-equal Trinity, it was ordered in all things and sure;" all the spiritual seed were then chosen in Christ their head, and grace was given them in him as members of his mystical body; all the sins that ever they should commit, with every aggravation with which they should be swelled, were taken into the account, payment was then virtually made, and it was actually made when Jesus hung on the cross; and all the powers of earth and hell combined, can never charge one sin upon the soul for whom it was so paid and accepted; "for who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ?" Still the poor awakened sinner will be crying, Oh, if I had not gone such lengths in sin; oh, if I had not fallen so and so, I might have hoped for acceptance, but I am so vile, surely the Lord will have no mercy on me.

How contrary is all this to God's method of salvation by grace, but the Lord in his own time will beat the poor soul off from these legal selfrighteous reasonings, and teach it to live by the faith of the Son of God, a life hid with Christ in God: and this is the only way to be crucified unto the world, and to get victory over sin, and to make holiness the delight and element of the soul; nor can the believer "have access with boldness to the throne of grace," but as he sees every impediment and bar to his approach removed by Christ Jesus, and all his enemies under the feet of the captain of his salvation.

FRAGMENT.

E. E. P.

When we are most ready to perish then is God most ready to help.

THE CHRISTIAN'S CONFLICT.
Dear and worthy Friend,

Since I saw you last I have been plunged into nature's mire, but God's own hand held me up. There is, indeed, such a thing as spiritual invisible powers, both good and had, celestial and infernal, as sure as there is a sun and moon, earth and sea. Oh what glory doth our God reap even from a devil, though Satan meaneth not so! Black nature's rebellious motions, when observed, cast an amiable lustre upon free grace. Satan's strong assaults, subtle stratagems, industrious, vigilant catches, and actual success, give occasion for the glorious Jehovah's profound wisdom, unspeakable power, transcendent goodness, wonderful omnipresence, inconceivable omniscience, and his immaculate faithfulness. greater the adversary be, the conquering general's glory is the greater, and his spoils the richer. This adversary is so potent and subtle, that a strong, sinless, knowing Adam was at the first rencontre totally overthrown; but oh, the strong Jehovah soon rescued the captive slave, and gave the head of this dragon to be meat for those who inhabit the wilderness.

The

This grand victory over the serpent, by the death of the Lord of life, and the consequent defeats of Satan in our own nature, putteth an ever-green crown of laurels upon Christ's head; and also, for the believer, there is a crown of victory prepared.

My soul is oft-times like a field of battle grace and nature are the two contending powers: the causes of the battles and conflicts betwixt them are many. First, grace says, Oh, I see beauty in holiness: nature replies, It is wearisome, and irksome, and takes much attendance. Grace says, I cannot be obedient enough, thankful enough, humble enough: nature replies, He is a precise Lord; he gathereth where he scattereth

not; he seeketh the full tale or task of bricks, and giveth no straw: if he will not furnish me with strength for obedience, I will not wait upon his work; if he give not signal extraordinary mercies, I will not praise him, and so on: I am not so vile in word or deed as some persons whom I know are, and why should I abase myself? I will rather say with the pharisee, "I thank thee I am not as this publican:" but this is whispered by nature, for it will not ordinarily be so barefaced as to vent this publicly. Grace says, I will give myself to much secret prayer, and to meditation on his sweet word: nature replies, Not at this time; it is not convenient now; and it will abuse the Scriptures; and God accepteth the will for the deed; "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows for so he giveth his beloved sleep." Thus the war goes on in the matters of commanded duties.

Secondly. When I am under any piece of out trouble, as just now I am, grace says, Feed upon the promises nature says, While I do so, providence crosseth the promises, and what better am I? when I think, Surely now he will deliver, I am faster in the snare than before. Grace says, This does work for your good nature says, It rather hinders my good. Grace says, Ye will be delivered in God's due time; and the longer you wait for a deliverance, it will be all the sweeter to you: nature replies, I had rather have present deliverance, for I cannot wait any longer and if I get not a deliverance from God just now, I shall not care so much for it afterwards; a little now is worth twice as much as afterwards, and if God hear me not, I will go a whoring after the creatures.

Thirdly. With respect to my estate in the world. Grace says to me, The world is vanity, why should you desire it? it cannot satisfy your February, 1852.]

it

soul; it is a bewitching business, it benumbs the spiritual senses; made Jeshurun to wax fat and kick; it destroys the souls of the greatest part of the great ones; it is accompanied with fears, snares, and diverting temptations. Nature replies, I wish I had it, for all that; profit, pleasure and credit are most excellent things: I cannot think to be poor, base, and mean in the world: in short I must be no lower than my neighbours, that is a disgrace, and I would rather push a step higher, that I may be singular, and something thought of. Grace says, Carry no higher than providence seems to offer; walk very cautiously, and live soberly, as well as righteously and godly nature replies, I will go some steps higher than my station; I will take my venture of future events; I cannot give myself any trouble of pensive thoughtfulness about ordering my affairs with discretion, for I desire to live and fare sumptuously, like others; I envy all others who are in better circumstances that and so on.

way,

Fourthly. As to the graces of the Spirit, here is a fierce combat indeed; and no wonder, for the contending parties are strong. There are first the two kings, who are at stated war against one another, the Lamb of God, and the prince of the power of the air-the Lord Jesus and the red dragon. and the red dragon. Upon Christ's side, is, first, the champion grace of faith, and the march upon the field is thus: first Christ, the captain general, sitting upon a white horse, conquering with his bow (Rev. vi. 4); next him follows that noble, heroic, captain-like grace of faith; upon faith's right-hand marches the divine, invincible grace of love, and the lively grace of hope upon the left-hand, and all the three march in a breast together, strongly acting together, and helping one another, not unlike David's three mighty men, who drew water out of the well of

Bethlehem which was by the gate, and that through the host of the Philistines; and also, not unlike Joab and Abishai his brother, who agreed they should help one another against Ammon and the Syrian. Then, in the march, follows humility and patience, at the very back of the first three they can bear many a stroke ere they fall, being not unlike Jacob in Padan-aram, biding the frost by night and heat by day, besides many injuries from Laban, and yet is an overcomer, and a rich one too. Next follows godly fear and watchfulness, who, though in the rear, yet most necessary, for they are as sentinels about the camp, and, were they wanting, great would be the soul's loss, and many the dangers we should every day fall into. But, oh, this is a sweet march ! In the next place, prayer, without which no victory, is the constant intelligencer and messenger betwixt the captain general and the blessed camp of graces, and well does it deserve to have a place among the first three mighties. It shows the King, the disposition, intention, aspect, assistants, strength, and movements of the enemy, on the one hand, and the weakness, poverty and weariness of his own camp, on the other hand, and craves help accordingly, and will have it. Not only is prayer the messenger and intelligencer, but it is also armour-bearer. So faith and prayer are like Jonathan and his armour-bearer, who, climbing the most difficult rocks, make the garrisons of the Philistines to flee. The grace of saving knowledge comes next, who is guide and counsellor to Christ's camp. Christ sends all his

wise letters of counsel and advice to the court of the understanding, where saving knowledge dwells, to be communicated by it to the rest. Thus faith, love, hope, patience, humility, godly fear, watchfulness, prayer and knowledge, in their respective sta

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tions, make a strong party in this conflict.

The opposing party, are, first, the red dragon, next him is the great antichrist, unbelief; upon its righthand is atheism, and despair upon the left; enmity is the intelligencer and armour-bearer, in my present thought; next to them follow pride, discontent, and heart-risings against God; then follow the carnal mind, and profanity, while self, upon the rear, presses forward all the rest. Next comes ignorance, who is at the bottom of all the conduct. So that unbelief, atheism, despair, enmity, pride, discontent, heart-quarrelling, carnal-mindedness, profanity, self, ignorance, and many more, are the opposing party, under Satan's colours.

self!

A black company, like him

The conflict is strong betwixt them. Even in a child of God, like Jacob and Esau in Rebekah's womb, they strive which of the kings shall have the palace of the soul in possession. To be sure our Christ always conquers, and will finally conquer, but Satan will ever aim at retaking and recovering his losses. When Christ by his blessed train of graces seeks to sanctify the soul, Satan, by his black train, seeks to keep the soul in the old bondage, and to bring it back again to Egypt.

For the particular pieces of the conflict, my dear friend, you are not ignorant, only, in the general, grace takes a strong hold of a covenanted God, of the promises, of the free covenant, of the revealed standard of truth, and of all the pieces of religion, in the midst of temptations, afflictions, sharp siftings of persecutions and new trials, sad desertions, weariness and sorrows, while the contrary party continually aims at parting the soul from his God, and at shaking it from off its foundation, Christ, and his blessed word; at discouraging the poor thing from

following the Lord and duty. But, oh, blessed for ever be his great name, although Satan bruise the heel, yet he can never reach the Head, Christ; and the head keeping possession of the heart, our life is treasured in our head, and infused into the heart by his influences, For my part, I find my enemy has not yet got the advantage he desired, notwithstanding all the afflicting dispensations I ever met with my compassionate Lord has kept my soul in his own hand: and though above all creatures I be most sinful, yet he hath been pleased to let me see, by faith, the dragon slain by the blood of the Lamb, and he condescendeth graciously to give a little taste, now and then, of the final victory, after which my soul pants, though the subtle enemy gets many a catch of me, even in actual transgression, for which I desire to be humbled before him, yet, I wait for his salvation.

And now I desire to recommend you to the tender guardianship of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and remain,

Your unworthy servant,

J. M. O.

LETTER TO A FRIEND.

On His Majesty's Service.

To the King's most highly honoured servant, and my very greatly beloved brother in a precious Jesus, whom to know is everlasting life.

AFTER long silence, I, who am less than the least, yea, a poor insignificant worm of the earth, who deserves nothing but banishment from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, once more before I go hence to be no more seen, in this waste howling wilderness below, but having a good and solid hope, founded alone on the complete and entirely finished atonement of that sinless, harmless, and

holy Lamb of God, Jesus by name, and Saviour by office, "the only wise potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords," ""God over all, blessed for evermore, Amen," with all my heart, and I well know that my beloved brother in the bond of tribulation will heartily respond, if not on the bended knee of his body, on the knee of his immortal and neverdying soul, Amen and Amen. Oh, I know not how, or in what language to magnify, extol, and exalt that glorious Amen, that went forward in love-acts for such poor, ill, and hell-deserving children in the councils of eternity. Ah, long before. yon beautiful bespangled sky appeared in its great, grand, and glorious order, which bespeaks loudly the handy-work of nature, no, no, but of nature's God: "For the heaven's declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork" but when I look aloft, and behold that brilliantly grand orb of day, with the moon and stars that rule the night, I am constrained, with one now in glory, to cry out with wonder and astonishment, "Lord! what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him." Oh the condescending and unbounded as unabating love of our gracious God; well He, the glorious He, may proclaim himself as "gracious and merciful, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth," ,""not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth." Aye, say you, what is T. P. fell into the beggarly elements of Arminianism ? To which I answer, no, no, my beloved, for my dear Lord delivered me from such trammels many years since, but I must not go from God's word, you know, therefore I say, that God never did will the death of one of the election of grace; and I am sure and certain that each and every one of them, were and are from Adam all through the elect