have religions (vainly so called) to suit all customers, and offered at all prices. But the pathway to the kingdom lies in a very different direction from what many of its professed followers think; indeed, I find, to my sorrow, that few among the crowd of professors we meet with can talk the language of Zion, or are clad in the garments of salvation. I believe it becomes those who know, and love, and feel the power of Divine truth, to lift up their united voices, and, as faithful watchmen on Zion's walls, to declare the truth as it is in Jesus, with all simplicity and plainness of speech; and although we may be called to suffer for the truth's sake, yet if God be for us, who can be against us?"

I hope, dear Sir, that the day is not far distant when our beloved friend Crispin (according to his own hint), will call on you to assist in turning out the shreds of his stall; and although the pointed arrows with which his stall abounds may make our ears to tingle, yet I think there may be

"A strange pleasure in the pain ;"

and sure am I, if it cause grief and sorrow to any of the Lord's chosen and redeemed and regenerated ones, he will overrule it for their present and eternal welfare. I can assure you that whenever I am called to suffer, either in body or mind (in my right mind), I always consider it a blessed trial that brings me nearer my precious Christ. How often have the lines of the immortal Newton been my experience,

“Trials give new life to prayer,

Bring me to his feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there."

Although my acquaintance with your Magazine does but little exceed the limits of the present year, yet I have reason to be thankful that my eye was ever permitted to see its pages. Wishing you every assistance in your important work,

I am, dear Sir, yours in the bonds of the gospel of Christ, Mesheck.

JAMES.

REVIEW.

Christian Cottager's Almanack for 1847. By the Rev. Alfred HEWLETT. London: B. Wertheim, Aldine Chambers, Paternoster

Row. THIS Almanack is on a broad sheet, printed with a good type. It contains a passage of Scripture for every day, and the Sunday lessons, and also many useful tables of taxes, &c. When we consider the vile trash that is often put forth under the disguise of an Almanack, we cheerfully welcome the "Christian Cottager," and hope that it will meet with a wide circulation, as the price of it is also cheap. It certainly would not disgrace the walls of a mansion.

To Jazer.

"The heart is deceitful above all things "-Jer. xvii. 9.

"RECLUSE " is still in the tabernacle of sin and death, with a deceitful heart, and confirmed in the conclusion, that all things of earth are deceitful and vain.

The remark of a correspondent, who "hoped such an one was as amiable as they appeared," drew forth the reflection, that there was not one upon earth, nor ever had been but One, who really was what he appeared to the eye of mortals.

Dear Editor, dear Jazer, dear brethren all, the thought passed the mind that a few words from the above text might become a source of reflection for the church through the medium of the GOSPEL MAGAZINE, but it has been put aside-rejected, and yet the mind cannot get rid of it. "Recluse" has nothing more given. If the rising thoughts are acceptable, and considered worth a place in our dear "Old Building," which has nearly "weathered out 99 another year, take them as they arise, and the Lord grant his Spirit may be the director.

Brother Jazer, Recluse is spiritually asleep with many of the wise virgins, but awake to the belief that the foolish virgins at present are "up and doing," with the great adversary to vital godliness at their head; but the time will come when they shall be lulled in the cradle of priestcraft, and there and then shall come the chant of the Bridegroom; -then the lamps with the true light shall be trimmed, for "the Lord knoweth them that are his," and has bountifully, graciously, and freely, supplied their lamps with the never-to-be-exhausted oil; but the false lights shall go out-they endeavour to buy a supply of good works, duties, and indulgences, but these only prove soporifics for the conscience they cannot gain an entrance to the gate of heaven; the door is shut: : knocking is vain: the Bride is admitted, and shut in, and she alone can shout, "Glory and victory to the Lamb."

Dr. Hawker's Portion for this evening, 2nd December, touchingly and fully describes the present state of the living Church collectively, and we say individually, "I sleep, but my heart waketh." But this is an unexpected digression from the subject intended. What! not one upon earth really what they appear to be? Some will be startled at the assertion-some will question, and some will deny.

"The heart is deceitful above all things," is an assertation that cannot be blotted out of the Scriptures of truth, and in the mass is, by those who believe in the Scriptures, allowed to be true; but individually-ah, this is another thing; before God we are all deceitful, but do I not know myself-my dear wife-my dear husband-my sister-my brother-my

friend-my child? I am assured they are just what they appear to be. Dear reader, try, prove your own selves; an outward knowledge in part; an inward testimony in part (for here we do but partly know), accedes to the testimony of the prophet, and we again say we believe there is not one upon earth who is really what they appear to be, in all things; for we must take it in the widest sense. If we deceive not one, we do another; if not in one way, in some other. But are the sluices of iniquity to be laid open? Are we to pore over our desperately wicked hearts until we are sick and sunk in despair? Ah, my brethren, do not shrink from the investigation. Assuredly, brother Jazer, if Recluse be awake to anything, it is to this-that the heart is " deceitful above all things" -that we are deceived, and deceiving continually. I say not this to cast the brethren down, but to humble, to pull down that proud self, under the feeling sense of the impression the reflection has made; and, finally, to exalt that ONE who trod this polluted earth holy, harmless, undefiled-the only one whoever appeared without deceit--without guile. The more we see of the creature in self—the more knowledge we acquire of our fellow-sinners, the closer are we driven to the cross-the more loveliness do we behold in the chiefest of ten thousand-the more estimable is the pearl of great price.

"Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.

The eternal love of Jesus is the theme to which the soul would direct the thoughts from the beginning to the end of the year. The comfort to the sin-stricken soul is, that Jesus changeth not; the deceitful heart would fain rest where deceit is not found. The garments spotted with the flesh rolled up in the glorious garments of salvation are all lovely to the eye of Him who is all purity; we are comely in thy comeliness, and no other; we are open to thy scrutiny-thine all-searching eye, and no other; we are complete in thee. Oh glorious time when the shout from the Bridegroom comes, we shall not then require Jazer to cry, "Awake, awake!" The voice of the Beloved will arouse in the twinkling of an eye-the heart will no longer be deceitful—the eye will be single, and the whole soul swallowed up in the love of Jesus.

Brother Jazer, farewell. The Lord grant that thy voice now may arouse some of the sleeping brethren who have laid down their arms, that He may give the power as well as the will to come forth to the standard of truth-that He may enable the Editor to wield the sword of truth with faithfulness, and cause those who are valiant for the truth to arouse come out of their holes, to lift on high the banner of the cross with our dear and tried Editor, against the daily, the increasing innovations, which are being made in the strongholds of Zion.

But the Lord reigneth, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess to Jesus the Lord from heaven, who will in his own time put all enemies under his feet. Glory to the Lamb.

Dec. 2, 1846.

THE

GOSPEL MAGAZINE.

"COMFORT YE, COMFORT YE, MY PEOPLE, SAITH YOUR GOD." "ENDEAVOURING TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE BOND OF PEACE." "JESUS CHRIST, THE SAME YESTERDAY, TO-DAY, AND FOR EVER. WHOM TO KNOW IS LIFE ETERNAL."

VOL VII.]

FEBRUARY, 1847.

[No. 74

THE LORD'S BLESSING,

"WITH a strong hand," (writes a beloved, though personally unknown correspondent), hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt " (Ex. xiii. 9); and His word is engaged to " fight for you" (Ex. xiv. 14). That is a precious word in the 2nd of Deut. 7th verse, He knoweth thy walking through the great wilderness," &c. "A dear Christian friend, (continues the same writer), gave it me as a motto on Jan. 1, and I have felt it very sweet. May it come with some power to your soul."

Readers, it did come with a degree of refreshing; and, as we have no wish to eat our morsel alone, may the eternal Spirit bless our meditations thereon--giving us freedom in writing, and you warmth of heart and enlargment of soul in reading.

Beloved, open your Bibles, and read the verse,—the seventh of the 2nd of Deuteronomy.

"FOR THE LORD THY GOD HATH BLESSED THEE IN ALL THE WORKS OF THY HAND: HE KNOWETH THY WALKING THROUGH THIS GREAT WILDERNESS: THESE FORTY YEARS THE LORD THY GOD HATH BEEN WITH THEE: THOU HAST LACKED NOTHING."

That is a glorious clause-a beautiful comment" Thou hast lacked nothing!" Reader, hast thou? say, when? where? how? Consider No. 74, VOL. VII.-New Series.

E

for a moment. Thou art mistaken in thy fancies, if thou thinkest that thou hast lacked; for hadst thou really done so, thou wouldst not be here to tell of it.

As introductory to our text, read the 1st chapter of this book. Moses had well nigh reached the end of his journey; his work was nearly completed; and now, just prior to his taking his departure, and bidding a long adieu to the chosen tribes, he calls their attention to some of the leading facts connected with their journey through the wilderness. And, readers, but for your knowledge of the human heart in some of its deceitfulness, and forgetfulness, and ingratitude, the wonder would be, to you and ourselves, at the frequent repetition (not merely in the earlier books of the Old Testament, but throughout the whole Bible), of the Lord's mode of leading and dealing with ancient Israel. But the Lord well knew with respect to them, what He is equally conscious of with respect to us, that they required "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little," or speedily would his mercies, numberless and unceasing as they were, have been unheeded or forgotten

"Lie buried in unthankfulness,
And without praises die."

Hence, in this first chapter, Moses takes a rapid glance at,—gives a passing commment upon-some of the more prominent events connected with Israel's history--stamps it afresh upon their minds-and then introduces the beautiful clause now before us, "For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hands: He knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness; these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee: thou hast lacked nothing."

First, there is relationship. "The Lord thy God." Beloved, can you take up the language, and say, "The Lord my God?" Here is the grand-the fundamental point of the whole. It is as it were, the foundation, the very key-stone-of the building! Without it, our comments will be vain-our reasonings be upon wrong principles-our conclusions altogether of a delusive character. Readers, as a dying man addressing dying men-living, as far as we are concerned, in the midst of misery, soul-deception, and natural as well as spiritual death, we are extremely anxious both for you and ourselves, that there should really and truly be, not merely the common scriptural evidence that shall render our case and condition hopeful in the eyes of others, but that genuine, that precious, that soul-cheering evidence to our own souls, which is set forth in Rom. viii. 16, as the witnessing of the Spirit. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God;" and again 1 John iii. 14, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." For what tongue can fully tell-what pen record-the blessings of the man that can say, with the Bride in the Canticles, from personal, heartfelt, ong and precious knowledge, "My Beloved is mine, and I am His," Salth