concerned for you, thanks may be given to the Lord on your behalf. I am persuaded the Lord has taught you the truth of this, 'That the school of the cross is the school of light.' You had not known so well, either your own vanity or the vanity of the creature, and of all human help, nor the marvellous lovingkindness of the Lord in stepping in betwixt the bridge and the water many times for your help, had you not learned these things by being in the school of affliction; and I am encouraged to believe, that the Lord hath reserved you and restored you, that you may be, through his grace, greatly instrumental for the glory of his name, in turning many to righteousness; the most eminent servants in the Lord's work have been prepared for it by manifold temptations; our blessed Redeemer himself was tempted, that he might be able to succour those who are tempted; and the Lord comforts his servants in all their tribulations, that they may comfort others with the same comfort wherewith they have been comforted of God. The Lord hath brought you out of the depths of distress, that you may be a more skilful pilot, to lead others through the waves and billows, which they are afraid will swallow them up.

Now, dear brother, what doth the Lord require of you, but what Paul sets before young Timothy? Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity' (1 Tim. iv. 12): your sound speech, holy converse, fervent love, and spiritual-mindedness; richly improving spiritual gifts, both in sincere professing and publishing the truth; and unspotted purity of life, will be a speaking rule to others, and so adorn both your person and profession, that it will appear you have been with Jesus, and that the life of Christ doth shine forth in you. And that you may be long a shining and burning light in this world, and at last be abundantly recompensed with the reward promised to the wise and faithful, is the fervent desire and prayer of your unworthy, but affectionate Brother in the service of the gospel, RALPH WARD.

York, Nov. 6, 1690.

GRACE and glory differ not specifically, not in nature, but in degree; grace is nothing but the beginning of the kingdom of glory; the first is glory in the seed, the second grace in the flower; grace is glory in the daybreak, and glory is grace in the full meridian.-WATSON.

THE TWO MYSTERIES.

26th June, 1882.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-How hard it is at times to believe our steps are ordered by the Lord; yet it is written, 'The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.' We can believe that; but to be good, there must be a union to the Lord Jesus Christ; and if a union with him, the Holy Ghost takes the charge, applies the word, plants his own graces in the soul, and brings them forth in various ways to bear fruit to his glory, as it is written, 'Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good; a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit;' and we feel so corrupt and depraved, so barren, hard, stupid, foolish, ignorant, unprofitable creatures, such out and out sinners, that we sometimes think surely if the Holy Spirit dwelt in our heart he would turn this crew out. O, my dear friend, how little I feel to know, less than ever; I get more foolish, my ignorance seems more glaring; I feel ashamed and confused, and think at times I ought to say nothing upon divine things, unless I am farther enlightened: I have to beg daily, Lord, give me wisdom; Lord, give me understanding; even in my daily calling I feel such a fool. The Lord giveth wisdom; he giveth understanding to the simple.' There is indeed, as you name in your letter, the two mysteries,' the mystery of iniquity and the mystery of godliness: the mystery of iniquity does already work in a very solemn manner, and makes us at times wonder wherever the scene will end; and the apostle says, 'Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh:' you speak of it in your kind letter to Mr. King, which I have seen. The babe in Bethlehem :

He held up heaven and earth,

Whilst Mary held up him.'

Mr. Gadsby somewhere says, 'The angels preached, "Unto you is born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord;" but poor redeemed sinners say, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given;" it all hinges on relationship: am I his or am I not.' The dear Lord said to his disciples, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.' O what a teacher the Holy Spirit is, what a wonderful privilege to be taught by him! he has a thorough knowledge of all his pupils: he knows which class to put us in; if you are in the first class and I am in the last, it is not for me to dictate; but fools will have a say, if they get the rod for their advice.

Mr. Bourne says, 'The Lord often suffers us to fall into a long and lingering affliction, and so sanctifies it, that the sin of our nature is crippled, a fainting faith strengthened, a languishing love quickened, and strong corruptions wounded. In this way the Lord teaches us to be sober and watchful.' Mr. Chamberlayne says, 'What straits and difficulties have I been in at times, and what hard thoughts of God have arisen in my mind, together with fear and dismay working within, and yet how great the goodness, mercy, love, and longsuffering of God! he has never failed me, he has never forsaken me: I have had the happiest moments when in the sharpest trials, and the clearest manifestations of his favour when in trouble; this kills the spirit of this world; and a view of God reconciling me to himself in Christ Jesus crucifies me to everything beneath the sun.' The late Mr. Hardy, in one of his good letters, says, 'I am truly helpless and heavy laden with temptations and bodily infirmities; and the worst of all, my feelings seem to be that my faith seems so infirm also; but by the help of the Lord I get some comfort from my trouble: I find I cannot do without it, it is most needful ballast; it curbs pride, evil lusts, covetousness, and drives to prayer; sharpens the appetite for divine mercy, tries faith, brings hidden dross to light, and promotes the fear of God. Trouble is the fruit of sin,— its bitter fruit; but to the child of God, trouble is no longer of the nature of the curse, but a hallowed gospel blessing,-the family rod applied only for gracious purposes, by the hand of unchanging love. Grace reigns over all trouble to bless it to us; troubles are God's messengers, and we should endeavour to find out their errand, "let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." Selfexamination, self-humiliation, and cleansing of the camp are called for by trouble; and the great cordial is, “Our God is a refuge for the afflicted; a refuge in times of trouble." He is to be trusted at all times, for all grace to help in time of need. The more we dislike trouble, the more we need it, and the more we may expect it; the more it troubles and mortifies us, and the longer it endures, the more it shall profit us. But the just shall come out of trouble.' Mr. Bunyan says, 'It is the great design of God in all the troubles he sends upon his people, effectually to teach them the exceeding vanity of the creature, to embitter the things of this world to them, to wean their hearts from them, to bring earthly things out of request with them, to make them see there is no true contentment nor solid satisfaction for the soul to be found in them, and to make

them see that their true happiness and contentment are to be had even in God and Christ alone; for whom their souls were created, redeemed, and sanctified. The great work of faith is to take off the soul from the creature and fix and settle it upon God and Christ the true foundation. Naturally, our hearts hang loose from God and cleave to the creature, and when the creature fails our hearts are troubled; but faith takes off the heart from the creature and settles it upon God in Christ, where it finds rest.'

says,

My dear friend, as I have nothing of my own-being so pooryou will I hope forgive me quoting from these good men; as I tell whose writings they are, it is not stealing. I have read them and felt them good; and if the south wind or right wind blow, you will not mind: so while I am about it, I will give you another bit of good old John Rusk's; he knew what a trying path was, for he 'God's various, trying dealings with us in providence is one way of keeping us; it is not so much the trial, as the trial being sanctified to our soul's real good and his glory. Outward mercies independent of God's grace are nothing but curses to that soul who has them, though, like the rich man, they may fare sumptuously every day; it is better to have grace if almost starved, than it is to have all the world without grace; yea more, it is better to have grace without this world, than it is to have grace with it; say you, if a man has grace and this world's riches too, he certainly is doubly blest; you may think so, but you are quite wrong, and so I will make it appear: observe, everything contrary to sense and reason, to flesh and blood, and to all our carnal desires and inclinations is the best soil for grace to grow in; so that temporal prosperity is not at all conducive to our spiritual growth.'

O, my friend, what mistakes I make; how I have sought and do still seek rest where it is not promised; what a restless spirit I have; if this was different, and that was otherwise, it would be better. Is it not so with you? if you were well and strong as you used to be, your dear wife's health good, your affairs all straight and smooth then it would be better. It is a very great favour when helped in any measure to do as Hezekiah did, spread our case before the Lord; it is good to draw near to God in prayer. One says, Why cannot we go at all times with our troubles to the Lord, seeing the promises are so full and so free? is there not a throne of grace, a mercy-seat? and yet at times we feel the greatest reluctance to approach him, as if we hated our highest privilege: the reason is,

evil is present; and sometimes this evil so works that everything good is a burden,-praying, hearing, reading, and talking; we cannot delight in these things. The church prays, “Draw me;" and David says, "I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart."

Dear friend, I need not tell you how pleased I was to see you, it was surely of the Lord; I have only been there once since, and then not to stay many minutes: the Lord ordered us out that morning, you were to come part of the way and I a part; and we were to meet not where we should have chosen, some quiet field or lane, but in the heart of the city of London (Gracechurch Street). I must say the crowd did not trouble me when I saw you; for the matter of outward surroundings it was as good as Epping Forest. How kind the Lord is! O that I could love and serve him better!

Mr. Jackson has been, and was much helped in speaking from the words, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you;' and in the evening from the words, 'Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand: thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory? I wish I was a better hearer and doer of the word.

The Lord keep and direct you in all your ways, and prepare you for all he has prepared for you. Accept our united love, and believe me to be, yours truly,

Mr. Rumsey.

W. BUCKLE.

'UNTO YOU THEREFORE WHICH BELIEVE HE IS

PRECIOUS.'

My soul, art thou anxious to know whether thou art a true believer in Jesus? Try it then by this mark, which the Holy Ghost has given by his servant the apostle: Do you believe in Jesus for life and salvation? Yes, truly, if so be he is precious. Look at him then is Jesus precious in his person, precious in his work, precious in his offices, precious in his relations, precious in his whole character? Do you know him so as to love him, to live to him, to rejoice in him, to cast your whole soul upon him, for life and salvation? Do you accept him as the Father's gift, the sent, the sealed, the anointed, the Christ of the Father? Is he so precious that there is nothing in him but what you love-nothing that you would part with, his cross is as dear, as well as crown, afflictions