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shipped, or shall worship, the beast, "whose end shall be, that they perish for ever." A star has come out of Jacob, a sceptre has arisen out of Israel, that shall destroy the nations that call not upon his name." “And Israel shall do valiantly." Yes, brethren, the Lord is our helper. We can do all things through Christ strengthening us. "For out of Israel has come he who shall have dominion, and shall destroy him who remaineth of the city."

We contemplate the coming year in the full assurance that "the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth," who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will;" that his word is Yea and Amen, that whatever he hath purposed, shall come to pass.

The wheels of time are moving on in the vast machinery of the universe, according to the good pleasure of Him who set them in motion; all things in order-all things fulfilling his word, and who dares say, "What doest thou?" We are upon the threshold of another period of time. Are not many of us on the threshold of eternity? But, blessed be God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, whether for life or death, it is well with the righteous-" whether we wake or sleep, we shall live together with Him;" and although no outward festivities mark the season, the heart rejoices in the remembrance, that unto us a child is born, who (hath) saved his people from their sins; and ye who have seen him in his kingdom of grace, rejoice, rejoice, for ye shall assuredly behold him in his kingdom of glory-ye shall behold him nigh-shall see him face to face-shall cast your crowns before his throne; for those only, O Lord, art worthy to receive thy glory, and honour, and power.

Brethren, come forth to the help of our tried and beloved Editor for the truth's sake. It is an evil day of profession-of opposition to the sovereignty of God, and the finished work of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer.

Praying that the Holy Spirit may direct the pens of the household of faith, and that every spiritual blessing may attend the footsteps and efforts of our dear Editor,

I am, in the bonds of love to the Church of Christ,

A RECLUSE.

CHRIST'S MEDIATION, ETC.

As soon as the frailty and inconstancy of the creature in his best estate became apparent to the angels, by the violation of the covenant of works, under which Adam was placed immediately after his creation,

Christ, the surety of a better covenant, even a covenant founded upon absolute promises, entered on his mediatorial work, to which he had been appointed by the Father, even from all eternity (Heb. vii. 22; viii. 6; Rev. xiii. 8; 1 Pet. i. 20; Isa, xlii. 1). Then he presented himself before the Father, clothed with the mediatorial character, pleading his covenant engagements on behalf of the Church; and thus wrath was prevented from going forth in the plenary execution of that curse, which man had incurred by his disobedience (Job xxxiii. 23, 24). Hence, the mercy and grace of Jehovah began to be exercised to the faithful, immediately in the acceptance of their persons in the beloved, and the consequent bestowal of all spiritual blessings upon them, and the forbearance and bounty of God to be forthwith manifested towards the wicked, in preserving them from immediate destruction, and crowning them with natural blessings, during their sojourn in this world (2 Tim. i. 9; Eph. i 3, 6, 7). The first grant of the earth and its fruits to man, of which we read in Genesis i. 28, was founded exclusively on the covenant of works, promulgated to Adam in the shape of a command, and when that covenant was broken, the right of possession and enjoyment conveyed by it, was forfeited and cancelled (Gen. ii. 16, 17). If there had not been another covenant, styled the covenant of grace, and the everlasting covenant made by the Father with the Son and the Spirit, even from all eternity, the earth and its fruits, yea, even natural life itself, must have been taken from man, immediately on his becoming a sinner, and could never have been restored to him (2 Sam. xxiii. 5), because man, by reason of his finite nature, could never exhaust the curse of the broken covenant of works. That curse is infinite, and could not be fully sustained by any being whatever, except Jehovah's fellow. As Christ engaged from everlasting to become a curse for the elect of the Father, and as the ungodly are mixed up with the faithful in this world, so they necessarily share in the benefits of his mediation (1 Peter i. 20; 2 Tim. i. 9; Matt. xiii. 36—44). They have the crumbs that fall from Immanuel's table, while the saints have the table itself, laden with rich abundance of the choicest viands-delicacies exquisitely rich-old wines perfectly well refined (Isa. xxv. 6).—Louth's Translation. After the fall of our common nature in Adam, natural blessings then forfeited by disobedience, were restored to our race through the intercession of Christ. Hence, as Paul saith, God, that is, God the Son, is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe (1 Tim. iv. 10). Yes, the faithful are saved in him from the flood of wrath, which shall overwhelm the world of the ungodly, and blessed in him with all fulness of spiritual bles-ings (Rom. viii, 1; 1 Cor. xxx; Eph. i. 3; Col. i. 19; ii. 9, 16). Their sublime destiny is, that they shall be even as Christ is Rom. viii. 29; 1 John iii. 2). Oh what blessedness is here, "Await great teacher, Death, and God adore!"

the

Harewood,

December 11, 1846.

JOSHUA LAYCOCK.

"A NEW HEART ALSO WILL I GIVE YOU.”

EZEKIEL XXxvi. 26.

To Recluse.

MY DEAR RECLUSE,

Owing to certain causes, I did not see the "Old Building" till the 5th, and then to glance at it only for a few minutes, being on my way from home; but peeping through one of its windows, I saw you sitting in pensive mood, and sadly musing over one of the worst things under Heaven-" a deceitful heart;" and, as the subject escaped your lips, my soul was grieved at your sorrow, and perhaps I may add, your lack of wisdom; and I felt my love would speak out, and interrupt your melancholy reverie, and ask, "Why look at the things that are seen-that are waxing old, and ready to vanish away?" Amidst the whole race of Adam's sons, you could see but one only not possessing a deceitful spirit-one only appearing what he really was-all the rest base and deceitful? A solemn truth, but written on the dark side of the picture, which, blessed be God! is vanishing away.

But come now, and let us look on the other side, at the things that are unseen and eternal: and, oh, what shining scenes and brilliant colours are here! In the midst, we behold that same one man, the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely; but look at the ten thousands who stand around. Has one of these a deceitful heart? Not one. Why? Because, being "new creatures," they are all conformed to the image of that one man in their midst. They are even changed into the same image from glory to glory. Regeneration has made them to be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: and you see they stand in the midst of " a pleasant land," called " glorious liberty," or the rest (sabbatism), that is glory. Their sin is all forgiven their iniquity is removed-their persons are immortal-their life eternal; and, being kings and priests, they are "set in majesty," and abide before God in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.

But they appear not thus to Recluse and Jazer, when they look at the outward appearance only. The eyes of the understanding, bedimmed with the dust of sense and reason, can look no further than the leprous walls of flesh and blood, and then the base exterior is taken as a true index to the interior. But the sign is false, and we must reason by contraries, and then we shall find that the decrepid old man who walks without, with hated, hobbling gait, is a proof that a "new

man" lives within, and that, too, in the midst of furniture the most elegant and durable that can be had at the mart of Heaven.

Come, sister, take thy brother by the hand, and let us visit some one of these old buildings-for there are many-and we shall see things that will do thy heart good. And, first, we come to the province of the outer man, and we see, that whatever education, morality, or devotion, may have done, all things are out of course and out of order. The whole scene groans, being burdened with vanity. This gate, these walks, those trees, and garden, all bespeak the abode of some lazy, squalid vagrant. How black and crazy these walls! The leprosy has pierced them through and through. And so inveterate is the disease, that it utterly contemns the scraping hand, and the eye and direction of the priest. These windows, shuttered and darkened. How they repel the light, and hide the inmate from the eye! This door, resisting the force of our hand, how does its rusty hinges creak! (See Lev. xiv. 33-18.

Come, sister, come, and let not thy timid heart make thee believe that the things within correspond to those without; for in those chambers of imagery thou shalt now see wonders. Hark! hark! A voice divine speaks welcome to our feet. It is the voice of the "hidden man." What, dost thou still think to see a vagrant clad in wretchedness and woe? We will pass the threshold of this inner door; and now, where and with whom art thou? Thou art in the midst of a temple, hidden among those ruins; and in this temple, thine eye beholds a priest blooming with eternal youth. Immortal health and life are his. His Father is the second Adam, and his home is paradise; but for a little while he is a pilgrim and stranger here. Look at this costly furniture. How superb! Gold and silver, decked with precious stones. Here, on this side-board, a cabinet of the richest jewels, and there, a casket of lucid gems. Here, on this table, are records embossed with gold. They contain the last will and testament of his Sire, and in them he reads of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. See this chair on which he sits: it is ease itself; and here another, too! For whom? Ah, for whom? Look over thine head, and see that wondrous ascent. Like Jacob's ladder, it reaches to Heaven, and visiters come down-the sons of light, and they commune with this their charge. The Prince of life himself oft descends and sups with this our friend. "Ineffable! How sweetly deceived am I! Who could have thought so rude an entrance could have brought me into such a mansion? Jazer, was it always thus?"

"No, sister, no; once the rude entrance stood index to a ruder stilleven to that black, deceitful thing at which thou bade us look. Then these chambers were filled with abominations, and these walls covered with portraits of unclean things. But our Prince would make a great change; He began here, and this is the effect. And now the internal stands

as an index to what the external soon shall be, when he shall change this our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.' Now, my friend, adieu. May Heaven's richest blessings rest upon thy head, and may we soon again hear Recluse chirping from her cell!

Brenchley, Jan. 12, 1847.

JAZER.

THE CHURCH-AND WHAT IT IS.

(Continued from page 64.)

In order to show the progress of monkery in France, it may be mentioned, that upwards of two thousand monks attended Martyn's funeral. Of the swift progress of error, which eats as doth a gangrene, we have a remarkable instance in the present spread of Puseyism, and, therefore, we need not be astonished at the spread of monkish superstition in former times. Amongst these followers of monkish errors, there might probably be some, whose hearts were truly turned to the Lord, and such, I conceive, was Ephraim the Syrian, who frequently departed from his monkish rules, when the door in providence seemed to be opened for him, to benefit his fellow-creatures. He was a deacon in the church, but to avoid being made a presbyter, feigned himself mad. Such deception, we have seen, was not unusual at this time, but how different from the present day, when men rush into the office of the ministry, as a profitable or genteel employment. Ephraim lived at Edessa, in the desert, when a severe famine raged. He broke through

his monastic rules, and went round to reprove the rich, for their negligence in not relieving the destitute, and having raised the requisite funds, he had three hundred beds brought into the public cloisters of the city, where he received the sick, &c.

In this attempt of Ephraim, we have the outline of a general infirmary, and he certainly was thus much more usefully employed, in serving his generation, than in the greatest will-worship, and voluntary humility. He wrote much, but not with great clearness, on the doctrines of grace; at the same time, from the knowledge he had of the depravity of his own heart, we trust that he was numbered amongst the poor and contrite, and such are declared to be the blessed of the Lord. Take the following as a specimen: "From my childhood I have been a vessel, unprofitable and dishonourable-warning others. I have Whence can fallen myself into their evils two-fold. Woe is me!

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