ness of Christ as sufficient to justify; faith in the grace of Christ as sufficient to strengthen; faith in the power of Christ as mighty to

save.

Only let a man possess this kind of faith, and he need not trouble himself with any nice disputes about the necessity of works to salvation, or in showing the consistency of the doctrine of justification by faith alone with the parallel, but apparently contradictory doctrine, that "by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Good works will as necessarily follow faith as good fruit springs from a good tree. Works are not co-ordinate with faith; neither are they co-temporary with faith (except as the tree may be said to be contained in the seed at the time it is planted), in the act of justification; but they are consequent upon faith, naturally, and necessarily, where the faith has life, or is real. The tree must be planted before the fruit can be produced. But when the tree is planted, the fruit, if the tree has any goodness in it, will follow of itself. As Luther himself acutely remarks, "We do not say that the sun ought to shine—a good tree ought to produce good fruit. The sun shines by its own proper nature without being bidden to do so; in the same manner the good tree yields its good fruit." In other words, good works are not co-efficients with faith in the matter of our justification, but they are the resulting effects of faith. True Christian faith gives life, and with it power for true Christian deeds. Energised with new life by this faith, which has Christ alone for its author and Christ for its object, men are enabled to tear off those parasitical passions of sin which have hitherto cleaved to them-the fetters of their fears are snapped-those moral obligations which before held them in a distressing bondage become new springs of action: thus captivity is led captive; and they realise in their own blessed experience the truth of the prophet's statement, “in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength."-Jenner.

BIBLICAL NOTES AND QUERIES.

To the Editor.

SIR,—I should like to see in your pages a satisfactory solution of the following question arising out of the passage in the Gospel according to Mark x. 21:

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

The query is, why this amiable young man, intent upon obtaining a reply to his all-important question, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" was required to sell all that he had, and give the proceeds to the poor, as the one thing necessary to be done before following the Saviour?

There seems to have been a difference in this case to the replies usually given to inquiries by Jesus and his disciples, as if the gospel

trumpet did not always give a certain sound.

"He that believeth shall

be saved," is the universal keynote of the gospel; but here there seems to be a discord, "Go, sell all, and give it to the poor." Why was this? If rich and poor must alike enter into eternal life by one way, and Christ be that one way, why this divergence from the one course? Or must we conclude that riches are so heavy a burden that none can bear them while walking in wisdom's way? If so, and looking round on the universal struggle for wealth, shall we not with propriety exclaim with the astonished disciples, "Who then can be saved?" What " successful merchant" will ever enter the portals of the New Jerusalem if this be so?

Now, Sir, I am persuaded of the truth, uprightness, and unchangeableness of the great Captain of our Salvation, and believe that this query and all the questions that branch out of it can be satisfactorily explained, and the whole matter shown to harmonise with salvation by faith in an atoning Saviour; but I should like to see some of the pens of your ready scribes employed upon the subject, for the purpose of enlightening any inquirer, and of edifying any saint, who may, as I once did, stumble over this passage.

[Replies to the above query should reach us by the 13th of March, if intended for publication in the succeeding number.-Ed.]

Biography.

MEMOIR OF MR. JOHN CAYLEY,

OF NEW BROMPTON,

ROCHESTER

CIRCUIT.

OUR departed brother, Cayley, was born in Chatham, in the year 1795, of pious parents, and was the subject of many prayers. His father was many years steward of Bethel Chapel. The fragrance of his devoted father's life is pleasant to some in the circuit to this day; and he had one of those mothers for which Methodism from the beginning has been famous. Much of the pulpit talent and hallowed influence attending the word have been owing to the preacher being sustained by an exemplary mother, whose prayers have brought down the promised blessing of the "Spirit" on their offspring. May the mothers of Methodism maintain this their original sphere of usefulness, and thus support their preacher-sons.

His early days were spent as boyish days generally are. It might be said, in a worldly sense, he was a good boy. Much good seed, both at home and in the Sabbath school, had been deposited in his mind. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed in her Majesty's dock-yard at Chatham, no advantageous position for an undecided youth, seeing that the sceptic and irreligious form by far the preponderating portion of artisans. But our brother seemed not to be swayed either by the reli

gious or the irreligious, until he was 18 years of age, and then he became decided for God, and bade the companionship of sinners an eternal farewell. He was convinced of sin, sought and obtained forgiveness, and, like the Ethiopian treasurer, went on his way rejoicing. Now he felt old things had passed away, and all things had become new. It might have been said of him before, "one thing thou lackest," and now he had obtained that one thing.

He of course became a member of the Wesleyan Society, and there many spheres of usefulness were presented to him. He became a teacher in the Sabbath school, a work in which his soul delighted, and in which he engaged with all his powers. His was indeed religion in earnest, both with respect to getting and doing good. Many remember to this day the instruction they received from him as a Sabbath school teacher. He laboured thus until the Lord, by his Spirit, called him yet more fully into his work, and the Church, recognising the call, constituted him a local preacher about the year 1828.

As a preacher he was exceedingly acceptable. He was not a Boanerges, or son of thunder, but rather a son of consolation, and rarely preached without an hallowed influence resting upon the congregation. An influential member told the writer of this sketch that he can never forget the unction that accompanied some of his sermons twenty years since. He went forth weeping, bearing precious seed, and he has finished his labours, and without doubt some of his sheaves are garnered with him.

For many years he was greatly afflicted, being incapacitated for the fulfilment of his duties in the dock-yard; but he was superannuated about ten years since. Still, unless entirely laid aside by illness, he was always ready to fulfil his appointment on the plan. The last time he preached, which was two months before his death, he was supported in the pulpit by a chair. Thus it may be said that he

"His body with his charge laid down,

And ceased at once to work and live."

As a Christian, his character was exemplary. The writer knew him upwards of twenty years, but never heard an individual speak lightly or disrespectfully of him. In a measure he was an exception to the rule that a prophet is not without honour, save in his own country; for he was held in abundant honour in the locality in which he resided. By the society to which he belonged, he was considered a man of sterling worth; and when health permitted, he was ever about his Master's business. The writer met his class for tickets some twelve months since, and, when addressing him, said, "Well, my brother, you can say with Jeremiah, 'I am the man that hath seen affliction.' "Yes," he replied,

"and I can say I am the man that hath seen the Lord's mercy." He appeared to live close to God, and hence justified him in all his dealings. He had that which is beyond price to the believer-a tender

conscience, and was just and upright in all his dealings with men. He might (and a less considerate person would) have claimed the benefit of the Local Preachers' Mutual-Aid Association fund some weeks before he died; but he knew that noble institution was not supported in his circuit by the society as it should be, and therefore (although in needy circumstances), abstained from it. A distinguished modern writer, meditating on the value of mutual aid, writes thus :-"The race of mankind would perish did they cease to aid each other. From the time that the mother binds the child's head till the moment that some kind assistant wipes the death damp from the brow of the dying, we cannot exist without mutual help. All, therefore, that need aid have a right to ask it from their fellow mortals: no one who holds the power of granting can refuse without guilt."

A day or two before he died, he remarked, he had not religion to seek; and when taking leave of his all in this world, he said, "My hope is grounded on the Rock of Ages ;" pronouncing the word grounded as only a dying man can. A friend, standing by, said, "My brother, Jesus loves you." "Yes," he said, "and having loved me, loveth to the end." These were his last words. To his friends he appeared to realise the sentiments of the stanza

"At anchor laid, remote from home,
Toiling I cry, Sweet Spirit, come!'
Celestial breeze, no longer stay,

But fill my sails and speed my way."

And, in a calm reposing state, he remained till the afternoon of Saturday the 25th of October, 1856, when, without a sigh or groan, he fell asleep in Jesus. Thus died a brother, beloved and lamented by a numerous circle of friends. His remains were interred on Sunday the 2nd of November, followed by the local preachers of the circuit; and in the evening of the same day, his death was improved to a deeply affected and crowded audience. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.

Rochester.

Lessons in Parables.

DAY DREAMS. "I LOVE," said my uncle Joshua, "to think and write, although I rarely take up my pen but regret its feebleness. We are told that the gifted Robert Newton, was upon one occasion preaching at Baltimore (U. S.), and a portrait painter was present, anxious to catch the full expression of his countenance, that he might the better transfer it to

T. A. N.

pencil in hand, but soon forgot his work through interest in the sermon. He felt that the minister was preaching for his salvation: his conscience was awakened and he wept like a child.

"And thus, in some wise, it is with me, when I attempt to remind myself or others of Him who hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of