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our valued correspondents may ever mar their fair and beautiful features, by defending them in a bitter spirit, or by abusing others who may differ from us. Truth in its own temper, is most effectual, cuts the deepest, and becomes the most mighty. Let our manners be christian; our determinations firm; our statements clear and savoury; and if in these we do not succeed, we shall be willing to be silent.

We believe it will be found, upon a careful examination, that this volume contains as rich a vein of gospel truth, as will be found in any other periodical of the present day. We thank God for so many of the very best men of the age to enrich our pages; and we very gratefully assure them, that this their labour of love is not in vain. Their work is appreciated; their reward is in it; and thousands rejoice on account of it. It is impossible to calculate the extent of the benefit; eternity must tell that tale. A continuation of their labours, we trust and have no doubt we shall be still favoured to enjoy.

Most sincerely do we thank the God of our mercies, for deigning to accept these labours of love; for the pleasures mingled with the toil'; and for the success that has hitherto crowned our efforts. And on him and on him alone we depend for all our future success, while to him shall be all the glory and the praise.

During the year, we have done the best we could to supply our monthly board with wholesome and savoury provision; and have reason to believe, our labour has not been in vain in the Lord.

We shall be obliged by our friends giving publicity to the Herald, at the commencement of the new year. Its sale might still be much extended among the family of God, which would be productive of good to all concerned.

To our correspondents and friends, we tender our sincere thanks; and beg to assure them, that it is by their help and support, as fellow-labourers, that we have continued at our post with so much comfort and usefulness. May the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, deign still to bless and preside over us, and help us to occupy honourably till he come.

EDITOR.

Grundisburgh, Nov. 23, 1843.

THE

GOSPEL HERALD;

OR,

POOR CHRISTIAN'S MAGAZINE.

"One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism," Eph. iv. 5.

"Holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure conscience," 1 Tim. iii. 9.

LETTER TO M. W.

My Dear Friend in the Friend of Sinners,

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In addressing you at this time, I would aim to speak of him who is the fountain of all good, and to look for assistance, in the attempt, to him who has said, "Without me ye can do nothing.' We are made to prove the truth of this declaration continually, as we journey through time; for we are as incapable of resisting evil without his sanctifying influence, as we are of performing a spiritual act unassisted by divine power. We are entirely dependent upon our heavenly friend for every good, whether it be spiritual or temporal; nor is it a small mercy to be conscious of this dependency. The ungodly are unacquainted with the fact, and live in a state of heedless security-being the recipients of constant favours, but still remaining ignorant of the source from which their mercies proceed. But although God is not acknowledged in his providential dealings in the unregenerate world, he nevertheless regardeth the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust; he openeth his hand, and satisfieth the wants of every living thing: but his own, his chosen people, behold him not only as the God of providence, and as the founder and upholder of the universe, but it is their mercy to embrace, and to possess him, as the God of distinguishing grace, as the redeemer and sanctifier of their souls, and the fountain-fulness of supplies for all their necessities, however numerous they may be; and he has said, for the confirmation of their hope, "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." This is a precious promise, my dear friend; let us endeavour to contemplate its fulness and suitableness for the Lord's dear family.

"I will give." Here we have a promise of bestowment, the VOL. 11. JANUARY, 1843.

A

value of which depends upon the ability of the promiser to perform it. There is no allusion made to the possibility of a failure in the fulfilment of the design; but there is expressed in these words the Lord's determination to bestow, and his allsufficiency to do so; and a consideration of his character, in connexion with the promise, is calculated to be a powerful assurance to the minds of his people of his bounty, his willingness, and his immutability. The promise, we find, is made to him that is athirst; and we infer, from the description, that the individual is in a needy condition, and that he does not possess the power of supplying his own wants. Thus may the whole family of God be described, for they are all (by divine grace operating upon their minds) made acquainted with their destitute condition by nature, the danger sin has exposed them to, their incapability of escaping deserved punishment, and their need of a perfect righteousness to render them acceptable to God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. They form that class of individuals of whom our dear Redeemer spoke, when he said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness," and he sweetly gives the reason why they are so blessed" for (said he) they shall be filled.” Experience has taught them that the fulness of Jesus is the only source from which they can gain the supply they need; how welcome, then, to such needy and dependent souls, is the promise, "I will give thee of the fountain of the water of life freely." O how great has been the condescension of our dear Lord, thus to become the fountain of grace to his people, an inexhaustible fulness of good, the streams of which make glad the city of God; each inhabitant may drink freely, nor fear the streams may cease to flow; each may wash, and be cleansed from all pollution, but it will still remain pure water, clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, imparting life, eternal life, to each partaker. O! precious fountain this! What sin-stung sinner doubts the pardon of his guilt, while such a source of love divine stands open to cleanse from all sin? Here garments black as hell are made white and spotless as the Lamb of God; here transgressions great and numer ous, as would sink ten thousand worlds to ruin, are swallowed up to rise no more. Thus will this fountain ever stand, and thus its streams will flow, till the last soul redeemed by blood shall be brought home to glory, and every ransomed spirit shall aloud proclaim salvation finished through Immanuel's bleeding wounds. Then will the happiness of Zion's children be completed; they will then be united in one glorious church

state, nor shall any imperfection then exist, for the former things shall then have passed away, and no sin shall ever more separate between Jehovah and the souls of his beloved; and to be among that happy number, my friend, O what a boundless favour! But this is what you are indeed looking forward to, is it not? The world was once your portion, but now Jesus is your all, you delight in his service, you love his word, his ways, his ordinances, his worship; in him you trust, knowing experimentally that there is salvation in no other, and having by his love thus sweetly drawn you into nearness with himself below, and enabled you to commit your all to him for eternity, he will guide you safely home to rest; in dying you will be blessed in having a Saviour who is the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He shall receive your deathless spirit, and transfer it to his throne, there in glory to abide while endless ages roll; there shall you join the glorious strain of praise to redeeming grace; lofty will then those joyful anthems rise; for all who shout the praise are raised from endless death to endless life, all unworthy of the smallest mercy, all exalted to the highest state of blessedness. May we each mingle in the strain, my friend, of glory to electing favour, distinguishing grace, redeeming blood, and glorifying power, throughout eternal ages. Thus praying, I subscribe myself your affectionate fellow-pilgrim to the city of the blest, London. G. A.

PASTORAL ADMONITION,

Addressed to Mr. Whitmore, on his being publicly recognised Pastor of the Baptist Church, Wetherden, Suffolk. September, 1842. By George Wright.

"Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church."
1 Corinthians xiv. 12.

The faithful in Christ Jesus in the church at Corinth were eminently endowed with the gifts of the Spirit, and came behind in none of them, waiting for the coming of the Lord. The possession of these gifts was an evidence of the grace of God, and if they had been rightly exercised, were adapted to promote the prosperity of the church. But, like every other gift in the hand of sinful man, they were perverted in their use, and became an occasion of emulation, vain-glory and dissension. The apostle wrote this epistle to them to correct these

evils, and in doing so, shew, with much simplicity and power, that the most excellent gifts are as nothing without charity, or love; encouraged them, notwithstanding, to covet earnestly the best gifts, and reminded them that, as the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every man, who possessed it, to profit withal, the regular exercise of their respective gifts would contribute to their mutual advantage; one would gain by what another had; the whole body would appear beautiful and comely; and every member would have its share in the excellency, honour and blessedness of the whole.

In the church, as a community of saints, instituted for specific objects, the gifts and talents of the several individuals of which it is composed, are common property, and should be faithfully appropriated to these specific objects. We are not our own, to live or die unto ourselves; according to the economy of divine love, under the government of Immanuel, King of saints, and King of Zion, individual interest is merged in the general interest of his kingdom; and, under the heart-consecrating unction of the Holy One, should, by every believer, be devoted to that object. By this sweet exercise of grace, we glorify God, and act like him, who makes the good of his church, his chief end; and, beyond this, we gain by what we give, and find a recompense in our own bosom, from this work of faith and labour of love.

The words I have read are part of the advice given by the apostle to the Corinthians for the right exercise of their gifts. "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church." It will not be inconsistent with the mind of the Spirit, nor at variance with the scope of this apostolic admonition, to make it the basis of the hints which I shall address to you, my beloved brother, upon this occasion, when you are publicly recognised as the pastor of the church in this village.

The advice relates to what you are to do, and the end for which you are to do it.

I. Consider the advice as it relates to what you are to do. "Seek that ye may excel." One who enters into the spirit, and rightly estimates the nature and design of the ministerial and pastoral office, will never think that he is sufficient for it; nor that he has attained that completeness which renders it unnecessary to seek any thing else. The experience of years increases in the breast of the faithful minister of Christ, the conviction of his unfitness and defects, and makes him more deeply and habitually sensible of his entire dependence on the

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