HER soul has fled ! The lifeless tenement, commingled now With its original; and her fair form, Which once we loved to look upon, And which still lives in mem'ry's retrospect, Is food for worms. That eye so bright, So beautiful, which fleet as thought convey'd The inward sentiment, and always beam'd With hope and love-that tongue, Which pleased with its soft eloquence—that hand,

So lately with the purest friendship warm; All now beneath the monumental stone

Rest dead and silent, withered, cropped, and gone.

Just like the early rose, which lovely bloom'd
In spring-tide sunshine, till the rude storm
Came hurrying by, and swept it on to death.
Hence let us learn the sad uncertainty
Of every earthly joy. Dost thou inquire
Where lives th' immortal spirit? That is

the fane

Of earthly bliss. but like the Hebrew king
She found inscribed that all was 66
vanity.
Her Lord, in his wise purposes of love,
Stopt her career; with pale affliction's hand
Call'd her aside, and then made known to
her,

The only path to lasting happiness.
The Holy Spirit showed her inward guilt,
Gave a new heart, behold! she prays and
weeps,

Believes, and gains the rock-the Rock of

Life; And now to all around declares how free, How suitable, how precious Jesus is To sinners sensible of utter want. Like those whose history in the sacred page Stands for the comfort of succeeding saints, Her sky again was gloom, dark doubts And fears beclouded, and faith, with feeble tongue,

Prayed

as the dying malefactor prayed, "Dear Lord. remember me." Her Saviour heard:

His voice again revived: beneath his smile

Doubts vanished, and her constant theme Was Him who groaned, and bled, and died on Calvary.

Thus ripe for death, the fatal dart soon came, Stingless and harmless, and her spirit free Ascended pouring her last breath in prayer.

How sweet, how safe to die,

Thus sheltered in the everlasting arms :
To sleep thus pillowed on a Saviour's breast.
"Behold the upright, and the perfect mark:
Their end indeed is peace."

GREAT God in mercy condescend,

To meet thy children here;
While we before thy footstool bend,
Oh hear and answer prayer.

Direct our hearts to seek thy face,
And teach us how to pray;
Each soul that comes to seek thy face,
Lord send not lean away.

Thou art the fountain of all good.

From whence all blessings flow; We come to ask for heavenly food,

That we may thrive and grow.

We ask not, Lord, for worldly wealth,
Though that is thine to give ;
But that our souls may be in health,
And in thy presence live.

Our wants are many here below,

And we are prone to fear;

But thou, great God, all hearts must know,
And every wish that's there.

We want to have these hearts renewed,
With grace, from day to day;
And these vile passions, Lord, subdued,
Which lead us oft astray.

We want to taste thy sovereign love,
And feel it reigns within;
We want to rise and live above

The world, and self, and sin.

We want to see thy guiding hand,
In all the way we go;
To taste the fruit of Canaan's land,
Were milk and honey flow,

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."-Heb. xiii. 8.

OH! what a glorious, blissful thought
Thus does the soul sustain,
'Midst all my sin, and fear, and doubt,
My Jesus is the same.

When darkness overspreads the mind,
And Satan seems to reign;
Sweet comfort from thy word I find,
My Jesus is the same.
Though in affliction's path I tread,

Oh, why should I complain;
Since all must tend to work for good,
My Jesus is the same.

Though many snares beset my feet,
And strong temptations aim
My overthrow, they 'll ne'er complete.
For Jesus is the same.

Though Satan, flesh, and world combine,
Their malice is in vain ;

Ere long dominion shall be mine,
For Jesus is the same.

Through all the changing scenes of time
May this sweet truth remain,
Imprest for ever on my mind,
My Jesus is the same.

The same in purpose, will, and power,
In counsel and decree;

The same to-day and evermore,
Throughout eternity.
Wareham.

J. JENKINS.

TO A FRIEND IN SICKNESS.

With delight, and yet with sorrow,
I my lay to thee address;
May Jehovah in his mercy,

All thy woes and griefs redress.
Though he seem to deal in anger,

At his chastening ne'er repine; 'Tis in love thy pride to humble,

Purge thy dross-thy gold refine, Though his hand be laid upon thee, He is still the faithful God; Bastards may, but not his children, Live without his chastening rod.

As the rose, whose balmy fragrance
Perfumes all the neighbouring plain,
Pleases more by its rich odours
After the refreshing rain;

So wilt thou who, oft delighted,

And refreshed, we've heard proclaim, Christ the Way, and Truth, and Saviour, Of believers in his name.

When thy God to health restores thee, Strengthening thee to speak again; To make known his free salvation,

And his glorious truths maintain. Publish then the free grace gospel, Preaching peace by Christ alone; Who did once, for rebel sinners, On Mount Calvary bleed and groan. Then thy labours, by the Spirit

Blest, a rich increase shall yield; Come, and on his aid depending, Come and till the gospel field.

MARY.

"I HAVE LOVED THEE WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE."

GREAT God! assist me while I sing,
In feeble strains of sovereign grace;
Loud would my rescued soul exult,
And its triumphant progress trace.

Long ere this earth received its form,
Or man was fashioned from the dust;
Infinite love a plan devised,

Which holiness acknowledged just.

The heaven of heavens could not contain,-
See our Immanuel downward fly;
Trampling on wretchedness he comes,
Induced by sovereign love to die.

When round the throne his ransomed shout,
Unchanging love is all their theme;
Which saw them lost in sin's abyss,
And snatch'd them from the penal flame.

This love immense cannot be more,
Nor can we ever make it less;
It springs from the Eternal mind,
And doth with every blessing bless.

Are they not blest who feel this love,
By sovereign grace so freely given ?
Oh, what to them are earthly joys,
They are inheritors of heaven.

Dear Saviour! can it ever be
That I shall join the host above?
A ransomed sinner saved by grace!
A trophy of redeeming love!

66

THE BLIND RESTORED TO SIGHT, AND

THE TOWN FORSAKEN.

"And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town: and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught? and he looked up, and said, 1 see men as trees walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up, and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any

in the town."-Mark viii. 23-26.

BELOVED in the Lord, we enter upon a subject that hath annexed to it the official engagements, omnipotent reign, and eternal power of the Lord Jesus Christ; a subject that is opposed to the abounding errors circulated by ungodly men, who lift their puny voices against the eternal Godhead of our exalted Lord; a subject that strikes at the very root of Satan's kingdom, and defies satanic rage to overthrow; yea, a subject that is, as the Holy Ghost unfolds its mysteries, pregnant with strong consolation for those who (under the reign of grace) have fled for refuge to lay hold (by faith) upon the hope set before them in the gospel, (Heb. vi. 18,) and is in unison with the real experience of souls born from above.

September, 1841.]

The first thing that presents itself to our notice is the forlorn condition this man was in when the Lord Jesus found him. It is said he was blind. Surely here is a very striking representation of the sad effects of sin, and a true portrait of the awful blindness of mind of all Adam's posterity. This poor man, being literally blind, could have no correct knowledge of the surrounding objects. If at any time he was walking where he was in danger, there was no awe pervaded his mind, until some kind friend apprized him of it. And thus it was with you and me, my christian friends: we were walking in a path that would have led us down to the shades of endless woe, but did not know it, until a powerful voice was felt in our souls, which discovered to us our perilous condition.

Again, may we not affirm that the town where this man resided is an' emblem of Satan's kingdom. That potent adversary is called the god of this world, that is the ungodly world," who hath blinded the minds of them that believe not: so that all who are born into this world or kingdom, are born poor and blind. (Eccles. iv. 14; 2 Cor. iv. 4.) Yet, as I said above, we did not nor could not perceive it

CC

whilst we were led captive by him (2 Tim. ii. 26). Our finite capacity fails at the task of making a full disclosure of the dreadful state we are in by nature. Indulgent Lord,

With blushing shame we now confess,
Whilst we thy sacred throne address,
That we have run the downward road,
And fought against thy name and word.

Secondly, the astonishing miracle of our Lord, and the way he took to restore the sight of this blind man, is the next thing that attracts our attention. All of which beautifully illustrate his eternal divinity, and the unparalleled love he bears to the favorites of heaven, at all times, even when they are openly opposing his kingly authority, under the banner of the prince of the bottomless pit. It is said that he took him by the hand, and led him out of the town." But he takes his spiritually blind people by the heart. They had been walking in darkness, and knew not whither they were going; they knew not that the sword of inflexible justice hung impending over their guilty heads, and the yawning gulph was beneath, into which, had the Lord commissioned the king of terrors (Job xviii. 14) to have cut them down, they must have sunk, into the dreadful . confines of never-ending misery. But now they see and feel what all language fails fully to describe. If I speak of it according to what has passed within my own heart, I must say, that

When God did life and light impart,
And took possession of my heart,
Corruptions did like mountains rise,
Which filled my soul with great surprise.
My deep dyed sins of crimson hue,
Were by the Spirit brought to view;
Distressed at heart, then down I fell
At Jesus' feet, and not to hell.

And it is a decisive truth, that no arminianism, and no false notions of religion can stand this storm, when God ariseth to shake terribly the earth, or the earthly props that his

people are cleaving to (Isaiah ii. 21). Again, by the Lord leading the man, it serves to show, that when the Spirit of the Lord imparts spiritual life to the jewels of his loving heart, that it draws the mind from the vain pursuits of an ungodly world. Again, I think it more than probable that this poor creature was in possession of that precious faith to believe that Jesus was competent to perform this mighty deed, and was willing to listen to the gracious words that proceeded out of his sacred mouth. And thus it is with every one that is awakened from the sleep of spiritual death by the omnipotent power of God the Holy

Ghost. It is the office of that al

mighty agent, not only to sweep away the refuges of lies where the poor sinner was concealed, (Isaiah xxviii. 17,) but he makes him glad to embrace the Rock for want of a shelter, (Job xxiv. 8,) and gives him faith to believe that Jesus is the rock of eternal ages, and has power to screen him from the wrath to come, and ability to give him all that he stands in need of. He can restore his spiritual sight, and give him or her clearly to see by faith their union to his holy majesty. There is this faith wrought in the soul, before it can say feelingly "The Lord is my salvation," &c. Such are made willing in the day of the Lord's power to bow to his sceptre (Psalm cx. 3). Again, by the Lord spitting on his cyes, and making him look up, is a most substantial proof that salvation centres in his immaculate perHe is the head of all supernatural influence: and as this man cited above, felt the literal spittle from the Lord upon his eye; so shall all whom he hath set his everlasting love upon, feel the virtue of his precious blood upon their souls. Again, by his opening his eyes by little and by little. is in unison with the experience of all the ransomed of the Lord.

son.

But I hasten, Thirdly, to make a few remarks respecting the hand of

own;

the Lord being stretched out the second time to complete the work his sacred self had begun. It is said that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up, and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And it is equally true with his powerful work upon the minds of those who have light enough to see and feel their own condemnation ; when they are fully tried he brings them forth as gold, into a large room (Psalm xxxi. 8) of gospel liberty, where they inhale the sweet air of pardoning love. Then it may be said that the winter (of soul affliction) is over and gone, the flowers (of precious promises) appear on the earth, they are embraced by faith as the sinner's the voice of the turtle (the Holy Spirit) is heard in the land of the heart (Song ii. 12, 13): the tempestuous waves of indwelling sin are spoke into a calm; the wounded spirit is made whole; the captive soul is set at a happy liberty; Satan is obliged to retreat; whilst a new song is put into the heart and mouth of this highly favoured of heaven. It may then with propriety be said of such an one, that he sees every man of grace clearly united to Jesus, and safely secure in the covenant of everlasting love. In all probability my In all probability my reader may be ready to acknowledge that he or she does embrace these doctrines, and sees clearly that they are in unison with the word of God. But allow me to ask, whether these precious doctrines have by God the Holy Ghost embraced thee? If so, you have previous to this felt the need of them and should such be thy case, I hail thee as one that has known by blessed experience what it is to be taught of the Lord, to have the eyes of thine understanding illuminated by little and little; and then thou art not one that can live upon dry doctrines, for thou wilt want them dis

;

of mind mentioned above, you, with many of the Lord's family are ready to say with the Psalmist,

My mountains are both firm and strong,

And nothing can molest my song,

Since God hath pardoned me;
But let this stream of comfort dry,
Alas! how soon they mourn and sigh,
Upon the bended knee.

I come now, Fourthly, to inquire what inference may be fairly drawn from the Lord's sending the man to his house, giving him at the same time the special command not to go into the town, nor tell the joyful news to any in the town. By the town, I have said before, that it appears typical of the ungodly world. But why not go to the uncircumcised in heart to apprize them of what the Lord had performed upon him? because the carnal mind is at enmity against God (Rom. viii. 7), consequently could not rejoice at the joyful theme that issued from his heart, that was pregnant with the lofty praises of the great Jehovah. Bat he was commissioned to go to his house, and then give vent to his feelings amongst his friends. And it is equally so with the Lord's people; they have their authority from their heavenly Father to go to their house, which is the church of God (Ps. cxxvii. 1), and there declare the amazing acts of his great grace, in the sublime language of the man of God, with " Come ye that fear the Lord, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul :" and,

Whilst such relate the joyful tale

Of what the Lord hath done; There aged saints repeat All hail! And praise the great Three-one. Great Wakering.

W. WESTHORP.

Just Ready. A new edition, with Additions, of Dr. Hawker's Addresses to the Lord's People at the Lord's Table: Eight Sacramental Meditations upon select portions of Holy Scripture; being a Course of Ser

mons delivered before the administration of the Lord's Supper, in the church of Charles, Plymouth. 18mo, cloth.