cr and faith," and fulfilling in us "the work of Ruth (or faith) must go and glean them. faith with power," causing "the life of But here faith is shut out again, and Jesus to be manifest in our mortal that substituted in its room which the flesh;" "the kingdom of God is within Lord will never thank us for. Now, you, ," and it standeth "not in word, but my dear brother, I hope you will see in power." I think you will admit that that what I contend for is the doctrine this is a divine and scriptural experi- of faith, both in precedence and preference; and I feel persuaded you will fur-ence, to that of "applications ther agree with me, that while it is the manifestations. Peter had a manifestaoffice and work of the Holy Ghost to tion on the mount; but he says, we "quicken," "convince," "testify," "re- have a more sure word of prophecy, whereveal," and "strengthen," it is also the unto we do well to take heed." And I province and work of faith to "hear" feel confident that were weak believers (Gal. iii. 2), to "feel" (Acts xvii. 27), to study and practise William Maude's to " see (Heb. xi. 13), to "under- article in the last month, it would be stand" (1 John v. 20), to be "per- better for them. As for you and me, I suaded" (Heb. xi. 13); also to "attain" believe we are the same in substance; and "apprehend" (Phil. iii. 11, 12), to and while you contend for the special "obtain" (Heb. xi. 33), to " compre- teaching of the Holy Ghost, I contend hend" (Eph. iii. 18), to "embrace" for his indwelling presence. And while (Heb. xi. 13), to "lay hold" (1 Tim. vi. you contend for the application of the 12), and to "hold fast" (Rev. ii. 25): Word, I contend for the "Word becomand when the work of faith is thus ful- ing flesh," by the power of the Holy filled with power, there can be no mis- Ghost, and faith " finding it and eating take. Here, then, my brother, is the it" (Jer. xv. 16). And if you contend foundation of that objection which you for a manifestation of Christ, I contend say, with heart and soul away with." for an inward revelation (Gal. i. 16) of And what, in reality, is the objection, Christ, Christ in you, dwelling in the heart that you should cast it away with a by faith. And, my brother, what I have seeming measure of contempt? Is it said I believe to be the doctrine of not the doctrine of faith, or believing, Christ; and he that abideth in the docboth in precedence and preference to trine of Christ hath both the Father and that of special applications, &c.? Now I the Son: so we carry precious treasure will not attempt to enter into your in our poor earthen vessels. And I have meaning, lest I should misunderstand also endeavoured to write in the Spirit you, and commit another error; for I of Christ, knowing that in proportion as cannot believe or think for a moment I departed from that, I should suffer for that you would say, away with faith, it in my own conscience; and if the though the words appear like it. But Holy Ghost should show you anything, the most charitable conclusion I can my brother, after reading this, whereby come to is this, that it is not contending myself or the family of God may be for the faith, neither can I believe the benefited, I am open to conviction and expression was dictated by the Holy to instruction also; and if there is anyGhost, without whose teaching and guid- thing that I have written aforetime, deance we are all very liable to err. Faith rogatory to the honour of God, and calis the gift of God, and the Spirit's own culated to lead souls from Christ, smite work; and it pleases God to allow it a me, my brother, but try to do it in love, sphere to work in to the glory of God, and it shall be an excellent oil that shall and he commends its exploits. Let us not break my head. Sincerely praying beware how we place anything before that you may" be filled with the Spirit," it, or use any term or doctrine in prefer- and with the fulness of God," ence to it, thereby putting that into the shade which our God and Saviour is pleased to honour and speak well of. And when sister "L. C." alludes to the "handfuls of purpose let fall by Boaz," I must say she would have spoken more scripturally if she had also said that I remain, dear brother, yours, &c., in the bonds of everlasting love, WILLIAM. [We despatched the foregoing letter to the printer, having hastily read it coming in from a preaching journey; and considering it was only fair that our correspondent should be allowed the the Holy Ghost with His Person. His privilege of replying to those who had indwelling in the hearts of His people is animadverted upon his former letter. a glorious truth; faith is His gift, and The impression which his present epistle a fruit of His indwelling and operating left upon the mind was, that "WILLIAM" in and upon the soul.-ED.] was somewhat confounding the work of ¦ AM I RIGHT? IS JESUS MINE, AND AM I REALLY HIS? To the Editor of the MY DEAR SIR,-The remarks of your beloved correspondent "A Servant of the Church," on Job xlii. 5, have been a source of comfort to me. The subject is one which has at times caused me the greatest pain and sorrow from my youth up till now. From my earliest years, I think I can say, my great desire was to be one of the Lord's people. And oftentimes when a boy have I asked the Lord to make me His. And twice, I remember, when quite a boy, a divine light shone into my soul which filled me with wonder, and, for the moment, an unearthly peace. I remember the very spots now where I was. At one of the times I was puzzled about that passage, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." I always felt that I wanted something to satisfy me, which earth could not give. A power within kept me from following sin as other boys did. What was it, dear sir, but the fear of the Lord that made me thus? What but a divine nature-a principle of life-the light of life, working within ? And may I not appeal to you, dear sir, and say, what made you carry things to the Lord as you did when a boy? What made you so anxious as to what your 14th year would bring to pass, as related in Conversations by the Way?" Was it not from a new and divine nature which the Lord had implanted within you? Do the cries, and groans, and intense desires arise from our own evil nature? Who could dare to say so? How it has made me to groan and beg of the Lord to make me feel that I was of sinners chief; and that had He long ago sent me to hell, I should have justly deserved it. When I have heard those whom I know to be the Lord's children describe how they have been made to feel this, and then add, "Unless Gospel Magazine. you have felt the same, you are not as yet right;" oh, what pain and agony this has occasioned me! And, added to this, perhaps just before doubting one's sincerity, and then Satan coming in saying, "You may as well give all up, your case is different from others; you can't say you have been in such depths, and had the law brought home to you as such a person says he has; and that, before you can be right, you must also." I have been at times almost ready to wish I had lived in a state of open sin till such or such a time, and then to have been suddenly convinced of sin, and to feel that I was of sinners chief; or, in other words, to have had a deep law work going on in my soul for some length of time, and then to have been enabled to look to Jesus by faith, as dying for me; and to feel His precious blood applied to my soul, and through that to feel the burden, the guilt, taken away; and feelingly to say, 66 He loved me, and gave Himself for me." Then I have thought I should be able to point to the exact time of my conversion, and have no, or at least not so much, doubt about it. What deep agonies it occasioned me some years ago, when I believed the time was up for the appearing of Jesus (and I believe now that time is very near), because I could not make out that I was really converted, and therefore not prepared. The fear that I did not know enough of myself that I had not felt myself a hell-deserving sinner, &c., as I have before described, and a sense of guilt on account of not confessing Jesus before men as I ought, were almost too much for me to bear; but yet, then the Lord did not bring home the law to me, as I have heard said it must be. But, in the midst of my pain and misery, I trust He enabled me feelingly to lean on Jesus. And that text in Solomon's | forth to the God and Father of all their Song, "Who is this that cometh up from mercies. the (I think it was out of the wilderness that came to my mind) wilderness lean ing upon her Beloved ?" and also that verse "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds," &c., were exceedingly sweet and precious to me. وو The "opening heavens did, indeed, "shine with beams of sacred bliss," because I trust I could realize that "He was my Beloved." That sweet peace lasted about a day and a half, when the thought struck me, "How easy it is to believe;" but I think, immediately a cloud, as it were, overshadowed me, and I was taught that faith was not in my own power. Since then, when cast down, the other part of that precious verse in Solomon's Song was brought home with some sweetness to me-"I raised thee up under the apple-tree: there thy mother brought thee forth.” The apple-tree, I believed, was no other than our most precious Saviour, under whose shadow I trust I had been, ever since I was born, "Preserved in Christ Jesus." But, dear sir, after all this, fears will arise at times whether I am not wrong; it is not because I disbelieve I am a helldeserving sinner; but do I feel it? What law work can I look back on? But, dear sir, is it not possible that there are still some Obadiahs? Such cases were doubtful, said a friend to me once. But was Obadiah's a doubtful case? Where there is no life, there must be death. Cannot the Lord breathe spiritual life into an infant or a child? Does not life show itself by the effects it produces? Is there any reason to believe that Zaccheus had a lawwork going on within him for a month, a day, an hour, or a moment? Did not life accompany the voice of Jesus? Who can doubt it? and were not its effects seen directly? Has the Lord less power now? I know that in due time the Lord will make all His people feel what they are in themselves'earthly, sensual, devilish," and that, were it not for His grace, they would be walking in the broad road to destruction; and as they are taught this they will be humbled and melted down, whilst holy joy and praise will be going Have we not reason to believe, dear sir, that most of the disciples were called, and had felt the life-giving voice of Jesus, before they knew much of themselves? I desire to thank "A Servant of the Church," or rather his or her Lord for the remarks he or she has made on this subject. And may I not ask the favour of a word or two from you, dear sir, on the subject, or from any other of the Lord's dear family? It is a subject which, no doubt, some others feel deep interest in, because they feel their com fort now, and their eternal salvation depends on whether they are truly born again or not. May the Lord be indeed with you, dear sir, during this year. May He cheer and comfort you, and may the Gospel Magazine be indeed made a blessing to all God's dear people. I am, dear Sir, Yours very affectionately and respectfully, ONE OF LOW ESTATE. [Our Correspondent, whom we hap pen to know and love in the Lord, asks for a word or two upon the foregoing subject. As the Lord may enable us, we shall readily comply with his request. دو In common with himself, the arguments which we have heard advanced about " a law work have, in years past, given us the deepest possible anxiety. And many and many a time have we come to the conclusion that ours was not the spot of God's elect, because we could not express ourselves, truthfully and unfeignedly, in the same terms in which we have heard others speak. Now the question is simply this-What is a law-work, or what is intended to be conveyed by the idea? It is this: a man is going on in a thoughtless, carnal, dead condition, the downward road to destruction. He is suddenly stopped. Divine justice arrests him with, “Thou art my prisoner; pay me that thou owest." The man is surprised; at first indignant; and, sparring and plunging, he seeks to disentangle himself, to get away, and to pursue his onward course. His efforts are fruitless. Somewhat wearied by his exertions to free himself from a power that he now finds to be superior to his own, he asks the meaning of this arrest. 'Tis then the long, black catalogue of sins long since forgotten, or but just now committed, are presented to his affrighted and astonished view. He stands aghast as concerning these huge debts, he hears in a voice like thunder, the demand, "Pay me that thou owest." He is about to reply, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all," when by an internal conviction he is reminded of former admonitions, and similar promises which all have come to nought; and between which time and the present the dreadful score has only been accumulating. Now this is the law-work. Its application varies; the time of the arrest; the character of the demand-its par-. ticular items, and length of standing; the suddenness of the appeal; the amount of resistance; the apologies, excuses, or promises; all this may differ in the experience of individuals, but the result in each and all is precisely the same namely, a consciousness that a debt has been contracted-that there is an utter inability to pay-a falling down with none to help-a sense of being shut up in prison, with no hope whatever of being liberated by either personal payment or promises of so doing in time to come. such terms, they think that of necessity they must be wrong; they fear they fall short! and that theirs is not the spot of God's elect. Whilst at the same time, in simplicity and godly sincerity, they are following on hard after Jesus, and can with the utmost truthfulness say, "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee." It does grieve us at heart to hear these little ones discouraged and wounded; those made sad whom the Lord would not have made sad; those who are near to Him and dear to Him as the apple of His eye. If our correspondent had not "passed from death unto life," why does such language as this suit him ? "Should I joy His saints to meet, Choose the ways I once abhorred; Find at times the promise sweet, If I did not love the Lord?" Though vilest of them all. When, thou for them shalt call?" Dost thou not "love to meet among them," brother? Then how is it, since we commenced this reply, we saw thee among others who had travelled some eight miles out, with the same distance This is a law-work, and we repeat, it to return home, on a winter's night, on varies both in degree and duration, but purpose to hear the Word? Was this its effects are always the same-namely, carnal ease? this agreeable to the flesh? in the soul being led, under the teaching Was there nothing in this that savoured and power of the Holy Ghost, to dis- of, "Sirs, we would see Jesus? Uncover that he is a debtor, and has nought doubtedly it was the effects of a spiritual to pay with; consequently, he is shown appetite; a hungering and a thirsting the need of a Daysman-a Redeemer after righteousness; a seeking for Jesus a Substitute; and this is Christ, who in earnestness; a participating of her says, "Deliver him from going down spirit who arose, "whilst it was yet into the pit-I have found a ransom.' "dark" (mark this), and exclaimed, in And all such know, in due time, the the intensity of her love (though at the reality and the blessedness of that truth, time she scarcely knew what it was that "And if the Son make you free, ye shall possessed her, or whence it was), "Sir, be free indeed." if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.' Poor Mary, in her zeal and devotion, she "wist not what she said." "I will take Him away." What, Mary, thyself be the bearer of His precious, lifeless body merely. Ah! thou hast been seeking a dead Christ, and little thinkest that thou art speaking with thy risen and exalted Lord! Words and phrases are calculated to make such havoc with many of the dear children of God. They have experienced the very things of which they hear, but, because they have not been accustomed to this or that mode of expression; and because some whom they doubt not are not only believers, but established and confirmed in the truth, speak in such and دو But one word will establish the fact. I whilst thou canst really set to thy seal, Mark, dear troubled brother, the climax" 'Well, this is true. As God is my had well nigh arrived in her case, and witness, I do know somewhat of these so, we believe, in THINE. "Jesus saith, blessed and unearthly motions; the Mary!" One word, and only one, but which I can no more produce when I that sufficed! Full, sweet, glorious! would, and as I would, than I can create "She turned herself, and saith unto a world.” Him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master." Beloved, this blessed meeting this one word-is generally too much for our hearts. Oh, the grace, the mercy, the tenderness, the bowels of compassion that are bound up in that one wordthat sweet, precious, condescending, gracious salutation, "Mary!" and the astonishment, admiration, devotedness, love, that are equally bound up in that one-word reply,"" Master!" Oh, dear brother, never mind about terms and phrases-don't harass thyself about a so-called "law-work," 66 Oh, precious grace, and dear, and blessed, and holy the God of all grace, that He should have to do with such sinners-so base, so vile, so earthly, sensual, devilish; " and yet by these, and upon these, to show forth the depths of the "riches of His grace." "Oh, for such love let rocks and hills THE BORROWED SERMON. THE beloved travelling friend, mentioned | asked him for the loan of one of his serelsewhere, narrated an anecdote-a circumstance which greatly interested me. A clergyman, in going to his parish, which was at some distance, had to pass by the house of another clergyman. On one occasion, when on his way to hold the service for the day, to his great discomfort he found he had forgotten his sermon. He was at a loss for a moment to know what to do. The time would not admit of his returning home; and to attempt to preach without a book was out of the question. There was only one help for him in his difficulty, and that was to call at the clergyman's whose house he had to pass, and ask him to lend him a sermon. This he was most loath to do, "Because," said he to himself, "he is a Methodist sort of a fellow; however, it cannot, under the circumstances, be helped." He called at the parsonage-saw the clergyman in question-told him of his dilemma, and mons. The clergyman consented, and, A FRAGMENT. D. God is so incomprehensibly excellent | affections, the flower of our strength, that we cannot render Him what He and the cream and top of our spirits.deserves; we must render Him what Charnock. we are able to offer, the best of our |