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tion of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually;" that "there is none that doeth good, no, not one ;" that "all have sinned and come short of the glory (that is, the image, the favour, and the enjoyment) of God;" that "every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God." This is the Scripture account of the moral history and character of human nature. They therefore, be they who they may, who speak more favorably of it than Divine revelation authorizes, are impostors, deceivers, and cruel enemies to the best interests of their fellow-men. "From such turn away." And why? Because they attempt to supersede the propriety and necessity of the great undertaking of the Redeemer; and while they keep mankind in a state of ignorance respecting their misery and danger, they keep them also in a state of the most fatal disregard about the means of recovery. To know ourselves diseased is half our cure so, to be truly sensible of the desperate condition in which we are by nature, is the first step towards a speedy and effectual application to Him who alone can deliver us out of it,-who is able to restore us to the favour of God, to make us new and holy creatures,

such as he can delight in and love; to redeem us from sin, and death, and hell, and to introduce us to the Divine presence and enjoyment, to the kingdom of heaven, and glory for ever.

Thus the true knowledge of ourselves is the first advance towards true felicity. Therefore, to the law and to the testimony: search the Scriptures, and, like the noble Bereans, see whether these things be so or no. Judge for yourselves. Be not satisfied with what ministers tell you, lest the blind lead the blind, till both fall into the ditch. Remember, it is neither learning nor education that makes the minister or the Christian; but Divine grace, and Divine teaching; and the poorest peasant has as much right to these, as the greatest scholar upon earth. They are both the gift of God. "There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding." "Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above." What! from the pulpit? from the man in the lawn-sleeves, or in the black cloak? No; but, "from the Father of lights." Therefore, "if any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of GOD."

Poetry.

THE COMMUNINGS OF CHRIST AND
HIS CHURCH:

A Poetic Paraphrase, and an occasional Com-
mentary upon the Book of Canticles. No. XXIII.
BY J. W. COLE, BRAUNSTON, Rugby.
CHAPTER IV.

Verse. 6. "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense."

TILL breaks the day, till shadows flee away,
Till darkness, doubts, and fears vex thee no
more,

Till morn with purple radiance floods thy soul,
And bids me gaze upon thy perfect form,
I'll get me to the mount of scented myrrh,
Fair Zion's hill, the new Jerusalem,
The church below, house of the living God,
Hill of frankincense, breathing forth delights,
Filling the world with odoriferous sweets:-
For there, my bride, I know thou lov'st to dwell.
Yea, while around us twain time's dusky hand
His sombre drapery draws, with thee I'll stay,
Granting thee favours fitting earthly state.

DE COETLOGON.

Yea, I'll abide with thee, throughout earth's night;

My presence shall irradiate thy soul,
And give thee solace such as time affords,
Till dawns the morning of eternity,
Till breaks the day of immortality,
When thy whole nature shall be like to mine.❤
Then, my fond bride, my love, my gentle spouse,
Then will we roam o'er amaranthine fields,
In that fair land, where night is known no

more.-t

We consort now upon this darksome earth;
Then shall we move amidst the blaze of heaven,
While seraph-quires chant the creation new,
And nature renovate and pure again;
Filling the air celestial with the sound
Of music fitted to the world's fresh birth.

Verse. 7. "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee."

"Thou art all fair," my gentle love,
No spot is in thee_now;

No purer creature's found above,
Or known below, than thou.

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"Thou art all fair;" my heart's best blood Has washed thy conscience clean; O'er thee has roll'd the purple flood,

No sinful stain is seen.

"Thou art all fair;" the crimson tide
Has made thee snowy white;
My merits now on thee abide,
And make thee God's delight.

"Thou art all fair;" my comeliness

The Father puts on thee; Hence thou shalt in his presence standHis endless glories see.

"Thou art all fair;" then upward soar,
Contemn all carnal toys;

Let earth's vain scenes allure no more,
But seek celestial joys.

"Thou art all fair;" and fair and bright
Is thy prepared home;
Where ransom'd sinners, robed in white,

O'er heavenly landscapes roam.
"Thou art all fair;" the day will come
When thou and I shall stand
Triumphant 'fore Jehovah's throne,
In yon bright spirit-land.
"Thou art all fair;" and fair am I;
We shall united be,

And dwell in love beyond the sky,
Throughout eternity.

A HAPPY HOME.

"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." John xi. 5.

WHEN in my little home serene

The happy hours like minutes pass'd;
While Jesus in our midst has been,

(Times which were far too sweet to last-)
How have I thought of that lov'd spot
At Bethany, where, long ago,
Dwelt Lazarus in his humble cot,

When Jesus sojourn'd here below.
By faith I've seen the happy three,
When the long day of toil was o'er,
Sitting in blessed harmony,

And watching at the open door
Until the well-known form appear'd,
Whose sweet, sad face they loved so well;
And how their hearts in turns were cheer'd,
As nearer still each footstep fell—
Have seen His tired and drooping form,
Faint with the long, long hours of toil,
Return their salutation warm

With a serene, benignant smile.
Then, while he of their food partook,
They wash'd his languid sacred feet,
Thrice happy if a word, a look

From Him their work of love should greet.

No matter how the world might scorn
His warning voice-his wise reproof;

Nor offer him, from eve till morn,
The shelter of a humble roof;

Fain would they have him aye abide
With them, nor ever from them rove-
Be ever happy by his side,

And hear his voice, and feel his love.
And oh, methinks, if he would here
In love and mercy condescend
To let us feel his presence near-
A constant, never-failing friend-
Would in our humble cottage dwell,

Not transiently, but in each breast
Make his abode; it would be well;

Come weal, come woe, 'twere doubly blest. No matter what the world might sayMight laugh, or mockingly derideOne moment would it all outweigh,

To nestle near his wounded side. Well, it will come-the moment when Our willing souls shall mount above This sublunary sphere, and then Dwell in the sunshine of his love! Gravesend. G. NEWMAN.

RYE LANE JUBILEE.

An Acrostic, written on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Baptist Church, Ryelane, Peckham, 11th August, 1869.

REJOICE! ye saints, rejoice!
Your great Redeemer praise,
E ach, with the heart and voice,

Let all with one accord,

A dore, and praise, and pray;

N or fail to bless the Lord,

E re ends this time-mark'd day.

oin hands and hearts, dear friends,
U pon a day like this!

Behold the love which sends
IMMANUEL, peace, and bliss!
Let all with sacred glee
Extol the Lord of all!
Enjoy this Jubilee.

W. A. ADAMS.

"A SOLEMN LAUNCH."*

O WHAT a solemn launch 'twill be
From time into eternity!
Ready or not, we soon may go,
To endless weal, or endless woe.
Poor sinner, dost thou never think,
How thou art standing on death's brink?
And who can tell but thou may'st be,
Soon launch'd into eternity?

It is appointed once to die,
From death it is in vain to fly;
The day, the hour ordained is
To take thy soul to woe or bliss.
Dear Lord, to such as read impart
The faith of this into the heart,-
That each from time must launched be,
Into a long eternity.

* Henry Blackstock died the 19th October, 1838. About seven hours before he departed, he said, "O father, I shall never see the morning light;" and he added, "What a solemn launch!"

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To the stranded ark, o'er the waters dark,
And it spoke of peace and love.

It hovered so kind on the sleeping mind,
Its silver wings outspread,
When all the foes to the soul's repose-
Its rival thoughts-had fled.

But ere blushing dawn of orient morn,
Bright smiles over earth had thrown,
Came cumbering care, went my visitant fair,
And left me weary and lone.

Oh fugitive thought! in vain have I sought
Thy ethereal path to track;

Thou balmy air, if it lingers there,
O bring my lost thought back.

Spiritual Correspondence.

THE THORN IN THE FLESH. BELOVED FRIEND,-You want to know what is meant by the thorn in the flesh. It is easy to ask the meaning of a difficult passage of Scripture, but not so easy to answer such questions truthfully. However, in this case there is no difficulty, for Paul tells us what it was, he says it was "the messenger of Satan." But then you will ask, "What messenger of Satan?" and I confess I cannot tell; and it is quite unnecessary for us to know. I am acquainted with a large number of his Satanic Majesty's infernal "messengers," but none of them have ever told me, nor did I ask if they were sent to "buffet" Paul. I have no doubt if they were sent they did their work effectually, and buffeted him till they were told by a stronger than they, to let him be quiet for a while. Anyhow, if they served him as they have me, he had a hard time of it. But then there was a "needsbe" for it, even in an apostle. Paul was in danger of what is called spiritual pride; -for my own part, I think all pride spiritual,—but Paul was in danger of being lifted up by his great acquaintance with spiritual things,-"Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me' What? Why, a little,-nay, much ballast, to keep him steady; and if Paul needed thus to be dealt with, how can we escape a thorn in the flesh ?"- -a messenger of Satan to buffet us? My opinion is that every Christian has is own thorn. I know what mine is, although it is not always the same; but no sooner is one removed and the wound healed than there comes another, and sometimes many at once, for if the

66

RUFUS.

devil might have his own way we should
have nothing but thorns.
But generally
there is some

66

one thing wherein the
messenger" gets the advantage of us-
a weak point, an easily besetting sin. And
perhaps this is nearly always some secret
thing which we can only tell the Lord
about; for far as the filthy priests of Rome
can go with their wicked system of con-
fession, in which lies the great secret of
their power over the people, yet I cannot
believe that nearly all their victims make
what we call "a clean breast of it." There
is a chamber in the heart whereinto the
father confessor " is not permitted to
look, the blind is always drawn down there;
but the black messenger of hell gets in,
and there he blows up awful lusts which
make us blush with shame before the
mercy-seat. Go over your own experience,
and I doubt not but "exaltation beyond
measure," in thought or desire, has been a
sharp thorn in your soul. You have hated
the thoughts so sinful, and yourself on
account of them, and besought the Lord
more than thrice that they might depart;
but no, there they lurk within the walls of
the town of "Mansoul." But, my dear friend,
is not the answer to Paul intended for all
the tried family of God? "My grace is
sufficient for thee." Yes, blessed be his
name, it is all-sufficient, and is the only
refuge of the poor bedeviled soul. By the
messengers of Satan we learn our own utter
vileness, weakness, and dependence; and
in Divine grace we find all we need. The
glorious gospel shows the precious truth
expressed in these words of the poet-

"My breaches of the law are his,
And his obedience mine."

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MRS. DEBORAH BAYLIS. MRS. DEBORAH BAYLIS, late of 8, Upper Homerton-terrace, Homerton, aged 72 years, departed from this vale of tears to the heights of Mount Zion above, June 25, 1869. To the truly spiritually minded there is something repulsive in the mere formal notice of departed friends, especially when the creature is dressed up and compli mented as a paragon of perfection, a marvel in grace, while he who alone made them to differ from another, and by whose distinguishing grace they were what they were, is far in the background.

Nevertheless, there are good and sufficient reasons why public notice should be taken of a believer's final struggles and glorious victory. First, It is due to the departed; for the Holy Ghost declares, “The memory of the just is blessed," and "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." Secondly,-It is due to survivors. We are to "mark the perfect man, and behold the upright," that we may benefit by his example, be encouraged by his faithfulness, and cautioned by his infirmities. Thirdly,-It is due to God, whose wisdom, faithfulness, and love, in keeping, upholding, and preserving our good sister to the last, deserves a memorial of grateful praise. I said to our departed sister one day, "Have you any Scripture "His name on your mind?" She replied, is most precious; speak of my blessed Redeemer, who has done such great things for me.'

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From her diary, written in the

1821 :

"Vile as the vilest once I lay,
Buried in all my guilt;

But Jesus spake, and bid me pray,
Then what a change I felt!

"Still a much greater when his love,
Shone from his radiant throne;
Then did my spirit mount above,
And praise his name alone.
"But why did Jesus show to me,
The beauties of his face?
Why to my soul did he convey,
The blessings of his grace ?

year

"Oh how could he so sweetly smile On such a wretch as I!

J. S. A.

I, who his name did not regard,
Nor his dear truth believe.
"But 'twas because he loved my soul !
Because he died for me!

Because that nothing could control,
His great, his firm decree.
"Lord, for thy manifested grace,
I'd raise a cheerful song;
Till I shall see thy brighter face
'Midst the celestial throng.'

"The whole of this hymn was mine; the morning my soul was liberated, it was the very language of my heart; but that sweet season is passed. Oh that I may live under the sweet enjoyment I then felt! it was good indeed,-free grace, unmerited, undeserved favour, to such an ill and hell-deserving wretch as I, fast bound in Satan's chains a willing slave to his temptations and lust, pride and envy! But oh the riches of grace and mercy to me! through the blood-shedding of my dear Redeemer, applied by the Holy Spirit, brought home to my precious sinful soul by faith, which was through the operation of the Spirit of God. For all thy mercy towards me

"Oh to grace, how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be! Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee.' for the benefit of the living, they may in"If there is any notice taken of my death deed say, A sinner saved by Christ's precious blood!"

Our departed sister was brought to the knowledge of the truth in the year 1826, and joined the church at Homerton-row. It affords us pleasure to know that her father had a desire for the worship of God, and opened his house for the preaching of the everlasting gospel; and from that small beginning God has blessed his own eternal truth, and Homerton-row Chapel was erected instead of that.

Our departed sister, with others, laid a brick in this building on a day appointed; but in process of time, about thirty of the members and friends left this place and

opened another room; our sister, with her husband, was among the number, and afterwards removed to their own house, 8, Upper Homerton-terrace, and for years the worship of God has been carried on there. Her prayers for the minister, and members, and family, were fervent and luxuriant; hers was the inwrought prayer of the Spirit, which availeth much. During my visits to her in the chamber of affliction, she exhib

ited, in a remarkable degree, a spirit of patience in tribulation and pain. The last time she was capable of conversing, I asked if the enemy was permitted to assault her mind with darkness, doubts, or fears. She said, "At times." She added, "In my Father's house are many mansions:' and one for me. Bless the Lord, I enjoy a sweet calm, and quiet resting in Jesus-his blood, precious blood! I feel I am on the Rock of

eternal ages." The last time I saw her was June 21; she was then in the swellings of Jordan, but conscious of what was said, and evidently deep in mental prayer; and soon after she exchanged the poor emaciated tabernacle of clay for regions of light, immortality, and glory. Her remains were conveyed to their last resting place, and interred in the family grave with her beloved husband, at Abney-park Cemetery, July, 1869, in a well grounded hope of a joyful resurrection to eternal life. On Lord's-day evening, July 11th, a funeral discourse was preached at Homerton-row Chapel, from Rev. xiv. 13: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth."

W. ARCHER.

MRS. JANE BACK.

Back, of Maidstone, departed this life at a JANE, the beloved wife of Mr. Thomas quarter before twelve on Saturday night, For some time she had been very unwell, 31st of July, in the 50th year of her age. but danger was not apprehended. Hoping it was resorted to; but no benefit being a change of air, &c., might prove beneficial, thereby obtained, she was removed home, hope being still entertained that she would recover. But at the end of a week hope could only be indulged in against hope, and in two days more she was released, without pain or a struggle, from all suffering.

For many years she was a lover of the ples of the gospel were dear to her, and cause of God and truth. The great princithe finished work of Christ was her only ground of hope. She was a steady friend

the years of her residence at Maidstone, to the cause at "Providence," where, all she had been like one at home. She was a lover of the ministers of truth for their work sake, in whose memories she will long hold a sacred place. Many in affliction and Poverty shared her kindness, who now, with gratitude and grief, reflect upon the heaven has received an inmate. A loving "Providence" has lost a friend, husband, affectionate relatives, and a large tion, against which they dare not utter a circle of friends grieve under the dispensa

same.

rebellious word.

A funeral sermon was preached, by the pastor, at "Providence,' on Lord's-day evening, 8th August, from Psalm cxvi. 15: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

Reviews.

A Scriptural Display of Melchisedec; showing by the testimony of the Spirit of Truth that he was the real complex Son of God. To which is added an Appendix, being a Key to the Old Testament Scriptures, and the Sonship of Christ. By W. ODLING. Price One Shilling. Houlston and Wright.

About the beginning of the third century there sprung up a religious sect denominated Melchisedeckians, who affirmed Melchisedec was not a man, but a heavenly power superior to Jesus Christ, because Melchisedec was the intercessor of angels, whereas the intercession of Christ was only for man. Many supposed that Melchisedec

was Shem; and this view has been ably supported by Mr. Taylor in his Edition of "Calmet;" but as the late Dr. Horsely remarked, "According to the most authentic chronology, Shem was dead above four hundred years before Abraham was born." Josephus says Melchisedec was a Canaanitish prince, and this seems a feasible supposition. Some good men have thought Melchisedec was Christ himself; but_to this there seems insuperable obstacles. For (1) There can be no doubt that Melchisedec was a literal priest offering material sacrifices, and a literal king who sat for judgment in "the king's valley;" neither of which can be predicated of Jesus Christ. (2) Melchisedec was made "like unto the

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