we secure.

In the last place, then, what shall we thereby avoid, and what shall If ye do these things, ye shall never fall." The promise here is sure, that, so long as we are found giving all diligence, we shall never fall. So that we may certainly conclude, if we have fallen into sin, or done despite unto the Spirit of grace, by being ashamed in any way of Christ or of his words, that we must have been negligent in seeking the Lord's grace, that we might continue diligent. This was the case with Peter, who, being self-confident, and trusting in his own strength instead of seeking strength from the Lord, was left to himself, that he might see what was in his own heart, like Hezekiah of old. But, as no child of God, in his right mind, would desire thus to tempt the Lord, in order to avoid the danger of thus falling, and bringing dishonour upon his God, he must and will be diligent in using every means which the Lord has appointed, that so he may in all things adorn the doctrine of Christ his Saviour. But we have not only set before us what we shall avoid, but in the following verse what we shall obtain. "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom." This kingdom may refer either to the future hope of the church, or to their present state and condition. There is a kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, but this they will not fully enjoy till the coming of our Lord. And though to depart, and to be with Christ is far better than to remain here, yet we do not at our death enter into what is distinctively called the joy of our Lord;* and only therefore in a limited sense can these words refer to our departure out of this world. I would, therefore, rather refer them to the present dispensation of grace, which is also called the kingdom of God, for it is God's reign in the hearts of his people; and the establishment of that kingdom, and the setting of it up is plainly set forth in the words which Gabriel spake to Mary, Luke i. 32, and also referred to by James in the 15th of Acts, who quotes out of the prophet Amos, and assures us that now the tabernacle of David is set up. If by God's grace we are found diligent in adding to our faith these various fruits of the Spirit, and are diligent in seeking and serving the Lord, the more abundant will be the entrance given us into this kingdom-i. e., the more shall we have of the earnest and first-fruits of that eternal inheritance which awaits us-the more shall we have and enjoy the joys of salvation, and abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. But if we be negligent we shall find coldness and deadness prevail; for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

In conclusion, my brethren, let me again warn you how you tamper with, and fritter away, any part of God's word, and call in question his wisdom and prudence. Exhortations are needed, or they would

The state of departed believers is, "Absent from the body, present with the Lord;" and they are most certainly with Christ, but still they will not enter into the full glory, until their bodies are renewed and glorified, as well as their souls, and this will be at the coming of Christ, when "we shall be like Him, for we shall shall see Him as He is" (1 John, iii. 2).

not have been given. They do not contradict grace; yea, rather, they establish it, and our wisdom is, instead of cavilling, and saying, How can these things be? rather to pray to our Father in secret for his upholding power and guidance to be with us-to direct us and support us as pilgrims and strangers, who look for a city that hath foundations, whose maker and builder is God. Look to Heb. x., where you will find the doctrine first stated, and the exhortations founded upon the sound doctrine. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil-that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful that promised). And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Heb. x. 19—25). Stockwell. J. W. GowRING.

THOUGHTS ON JOHN I. 29.

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him."

We hear much of sinners going to Christ; and one would almost think He had to be stirred up by them to show mercy. Such may be our thoughts; they are not his, except so far as He allows himself to be acted upon by his people's grace. But it is most desirable to remember that all the movements towards Him, in a gracious soul, are from Himself; and the effect of his having first come within the reach of the soul just like the loadstone and the iron; we know where the power lies, yet it lies not where it appears-for any one ignorant of the matter would think, what wonderful power the iron has to go to the loadstone; whereas the iron has no power to resist the attraction of the magnet. So with Christ and the soul; He draws, we do but obey the drawingmade "willing in the day of his power;" and strength to go to Jesus is communicated, yet it proceeds from His attraction; there is no power in us to move towards Him; and, therefore, if we do move in this direction, we have come within the influence of His power. As the magnet draws at one end, so it repels at the other. And oh ! how many are repelled by a crucified Christ, stumble at that stumbling stone; and so would it be with each of us, unless He use his influence to draw us; and thus the Father testifies, "I drew them with cords of love." Then we see that a meeting with Jesus must lie with Him; He must go forth to the soul, and then the soul will go to Him, and communion will follow. Thus, "John seeth Jesus coming unto Him." Jesus is

active-John passive. Blessed season for the soul, when Jesus goes forth; yet the Christian sighs and cries, Oh that He would come; oh for a meeting between Christ and my soul? Beloved, He cannot but come- -He has gone forth to meet you, therefore you feel the drawing influences of his love. Yet it is a matter of faith, because, like the magnet, the power is secret, yet not the less real and mighty. He knows his own influence over you, as in the case of Nathanael, "Jesus saw Nathanael coming unto Him;" and He sees you, though you seem to go to the merey seat for nought. You cannot find Him whom your soul loves, yet He is watching the movements of faith, and is secretly drawing you nearer to Himself. You are never invisible to Him, though He is to you. "John seeth Jesus." A good sight truly for a needy. sinner! Oh, would not the very glimpse of Him turn your mourning into joy? John seeth Jesus "coming to Him." It is good to see Jesus coming into the world to save sinners, but to see Him coming to me, oh, this is love and grace indeed! He came for me when Bethlehem was illuminated with its beauteous star. He comes to me every time He vouchsafes the promised communion, spoken of in John xiv. And He cometh unto me yet again in glory in the cloud, for me, He cannot forget me; He comes-yea, He is now coming, for the ear of faith is on the distant roll of his chariot wheels. O Jesus, who savest from sin, come yet again, and often manifest thyself, till thou comest in the cloud, for thou lovest me, and gavest thyself for me."

even me.

"And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town." MARK viii. 23.

WE do not find this miracle recorded elsewhere; it was wrought at Bethsaida, a town near the lake our Lord so often went over, O spot, dear to memory, what wonders if they could but speak, might thy deep blue waters unfold, of the words and ways of the man Christ Jesus! He had once more crossed this lake, and, coming to Bethsaida, the people, most probably from the sequel, doubting his power and authority, bring a blind man to him to give him sight; at least, if some believed, many more did not, and they lost the sight of the performance of this miracle. Oh what sights we lose through unbelief! Had we more faith, what precious manifestations of the power and grace of Jesus we should have made to our souls! "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." O gracious Lord, impart the faith which shall ensure a manifestation. Thy presence brings life and healing to our souls.

But, as to the blind man, Jesus took him, and led him out of the town. How kind! He did not desire others to lead him; He led him. He must have taken hold of him. Think, my soul, of the Son

of God taking by the hand a poor blind sinner, and say, did He not lead you when blind? Was He not the first to apprehend you, before you apprehended or took hold of him? A sinner taken hold of by a Saviour! Happy sinner! Blessed Saviour! Whither has He led you? Away from an unbelieving, scoffing world, to retirement, to happiness-holiness to himself. "I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself." You felt his mighty arms, though gently, yet irresistibly drawing you away from all you loved before; you owned a change, though yet you knew Him not, you saw Him not; Satan and the world, and the flesh, pulled hard to draw you back, like Lot to Sodom, but the Lord was merciful to you and kept his hold on you, and none could withstand him; at length, in due time, He would show

himself to you. How must He do it? Present himself before you? No; you were blind, and could not see Him; and He knew it. Yes, He knows our need-all our need. The means He took to cure the blind man were utterly contrary to all carnal reasonings, as in another case putting clay on a blind man's eyes; so by the foolishness of preaching Jesus still cures the blind. But He did not do all his work at once; He will not be hastened-He knows what He is about. Do you see men as trees walking? Bless Him for this; you would have seen nothing had He not begun to work upon you. Has He shown you the evil of sin-the danger you were in, and the necessity of sight? He will show you more in a little time; he watches his work: he asked the man if he saw ought? If he asks you, be sure you tell him just how it is. If you have very imperfect views of his truth, do not be ashamed to tell him so; let him know all. After that," he put his hands upon his eyes."."-After that. You may have to wait some time; many have waited long; but you will not wait in vain; he will put his hands again upon your eyes, and make you look up--and then, oh what a sight shall you see! You shall behold your Deliverer, and be lost in wonder, love, and praise. Having your eyes once opened upon him, you will not care for other things; He will so fix your regard, you will long for the full fruition of him in glory; and while you dwell on earth, you will be looking for another and another manifestation -you will see every man clearly-you will be able to see whose eyes are opened, and whose are not-and you will prefer retirement. To be alone with God will be your delight, and you will not care much to go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town-that is, you will not cast your pearls before swine, though you will recommend your Deliverer to the utmost to the poor perishing souls around "Will you, and say, ye also be his disciples?"

A SERVANT OF THE CHURCH.

THE BISHOPS OF OLDEN TIMES; OR, SUBSTANCE versus SHADOW.

BELOVED EDITOR,

You are too well acquainted with those little trifles, which in many instances form the synopsis of an old man's life, to require any apology from the crotchety inmate of the "stall." The urbanity of you and your readers has long granted me, cum privilegio, to turn out my "shreds before you, and which by me has been done toto corde in those pages which have been my companion from my youth up; and even now, though so many a winter's storm has bleached the once bushy locks, and the furrows of sorrow form the diadem of the brow, it is still the vade mecum in those solitary hours, when more weighty matters give way to relaxation.

The schoolmen were wont to say, tempus omnia revelat, which while it holds good in one sense, would be well if in others it were, tempus edar rerum, for how the heart sickens in the revelation of things the reverse of what they should be, which, if devoured by it ere it was made known, would cause no regret. Amidst the great contrast of almost all things, with the exception of fallen man, none can be of more vital importance in its effects than that of bishops, which might very fairly be put amongst things that once were known, of which the shadow only remains.

Congés d'elire abound with us in these times, and the political, not the spiritual, creed, forms the sine qua non for bishops now-a-days. Thus the ever-encroaching Rome gains strength, and dares to appoint her bishops in the very citadel of Protestantism, and by so doing laying a foundation for the pretext of a future quarrel, "who shall have the dominion." It is an impossibility to be, as the French term it, nonchalant, well knowing the end of these things will be the captivity of our once Protestart nation; at least, so far as Crispin" is concerned, he cannot but ring the knell of gone by days, in the homely, though not very musical, notes of his vibrating lapstone.

Many might be ready to say, why so much din in the "stall?" What can the mender of shoes have to lose, should such an event take place? True, eau benite de cœur, I am under no fear of losing, but the esprit de corps puts in jeopardy the birthright of every Briton, and holds in abeyance the privilege of all those who cannot "bow the knee" to their idolatry. And who is there with the least discernment of the Papal encroachment made within the last fifty years, by this foe to God and man, but must see the "beginning of an end?" Nor shall I cease to make known my well-grounded fears and apprehensions so long as you, beloved Editor, will take the "stock" off my hands, for I am too old to look out for chance custom. In these days, fraught with dissolving views, the philosopher's stone, which is said to turn all into gold, is lost sight of; and, what appears more feasible, is, that