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gracious dealings with his redeemed family; we feel considerable pleasure in transcribing the following passage; it being in full agreement with the view we have repeatedly recorded of the work of grace on the renewed soul. When speaking of the profitable effects of a gospel-ministry, Mr. H. is represented to have said:

"When you hear the ministers of the gospel expound the word, speak out their experience, and confess what God hath done in and for them, you will meet with encouragement, which will enable you to wait and watch in hope. The Lord is pleased at first to use severity, to root out all confidence in the flesh, to cut off all occasion for boasting, or hope in a broken law; and that we may be brought to understand what is penned by the apostle," Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but of his mercy he saves us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" and you are encouraged to wait upon God, because he hath told us, he hath a set time to favour Zion: and when this power comes into the soul, such waiters and watchers shall not be ashamed; for if they are conscious that they stand in need of this power, they shall wait in hope and expectation; for, says truth, blessed are all they that wait for me. You have perhaps expected that it would be under this sermon, or the other discourse, at this or the other means of God's appointment, and behold you have been disappointed; yet fear not, for the promise is, "at the end it shall speak and not lie, though it tarry long, yet wait for it," because it will surely come, and not tarry beyond God's appointed time; "blessed are all them that wait for me."

To those who possess the works of Mr. Huntington, as published under his own eye, this will be considered a valuable addition; though it may be regretted, that many imperfections have evidently resulted from the careless manner in which the short-hand writer's notes are transcribed.

Dialogues between Walter and Theodosius. Parts 1, 2, 3. By the Rev. B. Isaac, Minister of Gloucester Chapel, Hackney Fields. Palmer.

THE first dialogue, on the sudden and awful death of a profane swearer, is well adapted to strike the unrenewed reader with profound amazement. The writer has delineated the woeful condition of such a character in strong colours-his scripture references are as truly applicable, as they are solemn and terrific, to the particular description of persons addressed. We would rather he had dispensed with the quotation from a profane writer.

Dialogue the second, contains an account of the hopeful death of a young person, to whom the writer's ministry appears to have been blessed. There are very many weak believers who may be benefited by the perusal.

The third, treats on "the fall of man," and presents a well digested statement of its universal consequences. Allowing somewhat for an extensive effort at ingenuity on the part of the writer, we found much to approve in the whole; and recommend them to the notice of our readers.

POETRY.

A SONG OF PRAISE TO CHRIST.

Written on the Anniversary of a Birth-day.

BY thy rich mercy and thy faithfulness,
Which know no limit towards the chosen seed,
Lord of my life; thou still encompassest
And graciously pervadest all my path.
Help me, O Lord, to know that cov'nant love,
Love that is dateless, passing all degree,
And sure to all its objects, binds my heart,
My soul, my affections, yea, my all to thee.

Teach me to know-and knowing-more to know--
The hidden life, the union mystical,

Which joins me to THYSELF, and proves my soul
No less secure, nor from all danger free,

Than thou, inhabiting Eternity!

Shew me-for thou by the eternal Spirit

Canst, and most surely wilt-that as thou livest,
I live in thee; and that because thy life
Continueth, mine also is maintained.

And spare not, Lord, to lead me to the height,
And depth, and length, and breadth of boundless love,
Whose comprehension all the saints desire :
And I, the least of all, would fain implore
Abounding knowledge, being in abundant need.

Borne by time's rapid tide the years along,
Whose number counts a goodly progress made
In life's brief reck'ning; and yet not midway
Of the contracted span the prophet gave;
My soul makes pause-and from amidst the cares,
The o'erwhelming toils of the world's pursuits,
The hostile influence of impure nature,

And the violent blasts of the soul's staunch enemy-
Roves the broad field of scripture, and is stay'd
By a power unseen-and alas! unsought-
Fixes her thoughts on ONE, and meditates.

When I reflect, the years that o'er me roll'd
Have brought me to the age my Lord attained,
When (doleful, blissful thought!) in human clay
A sacrifice he made himself for sin;

My soul, astonished, asks the wondrous cause?—
Ready to burst with grief and gratitude,

Enjoins on all her powers to lend their aid
To exalt the honours of redeeming love,—

Which marks the countenance suffused with tears
Of penitential grief, and holds the feet

That frequent stumbling often else would fall.

For thou, my Lord, hast safe delivered me

From first and second death, and caused me now,

With joyful steps, to tread the living land,—

The place thou dwell'st in with delight-and where
Thy glorious grace reigns all pre-eminent.

In contemplation of the vast amount
Of penal suffering, which my Lord endured,
When wrath in fiery billows overwhelm'd,
And floods of sorrow entered to his soul;

What are my toils, and deep solitude?
Were his an ocean? mine are but a stream—
Yea, but a drop, to that unbounded sea!

Nor of my sufferings can aught be penal:

My Lord hath borne the curse, and set his children free.
Cause me, O Lord, to embrace the afflicting rod,

Thy love paternal lays with gentle hand

And tender strokes upon me. And though I,
Rebellious, oft-times conceive the burden
Too heavy to be borne ; yet may I know,
As is my day so shall the strength be given;
And glorify my Father, who in love
Chastens as sons whom he receives.

Glory to thee, O Christ, my all in all!
In heaven, whom have I for desire and joy?
On earth, save thee, there's none deserve my praise.
The eternal Father's love through thee I have;
And by the eternal Spirit thou'rt made known!-

Jesus, my God, accept these humble strains;
Accept his praises, who so oft complains!
Thou'lt not refuse the notes, though lowly they may be,
If my poor harp is strung, and tun'd, O Lord, by thee.

W.

THE SAINTS OF GOD MORE THAN CONQUERORS. "In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us."-Romans viii. 37.

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SHOULD hellish rage the saints annoy,

They've nought to fear, for Jesus lives;
Yea, all the strength it can employ,

Will not o'ercome, their faith survives.

The world and all it can produce,

Dare not, as worldlings them o'ercome;
While for their captain, Christ they choose,
They more than conquerors become.

Satan attacks, but they are secure,

Jesus, their Lord, hath vanquished hell;
And through the storm they shall endure,
For Jesus, he doth all things well.

Tho' darkness for a season may

Pervade, yet while he doth sustain,
They soon with joy shall see that day,
And thus in all the conquest gain.
Death upon them can have no pow'r,
Jesus hath died upon the tree;
And when arrives that solemn hour,

Thro' him, they'll more than conquerors be.

Thro' HIM, I say, who loved them,

HIM, their blest souls shall ever praise,

For them none shall or can condemn,

Lov'd and made conq'rors thro' free grace.
Before the Lamb they soon shall stand,
Victorious conq'rors thro' his name;

That glorious, redeemed band,

Who thro' great tribulation came.
To him they all the glory give,
Who lov'd them from eternity;

From him their fill of bliss receive,
And that to all eternity!

J. H.

THE

Spiritual Magazine ;

OR,

SAINT'S TREASURY.

"There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST; and these Three are ONE." John v. 7. "Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.” Jude 3.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

CONSOLATION FOR THE TEMPTED.

IT must be a source of grief to every humble disciple of Christ, that there are characters to be found, who whilst professing attachment to the precious truths of our most holy faith, are enemies to experimental religion. They treat with contempt the delineation of the christian character and experience, and reply, in scorn to the mourners in Zion," these are all your frames and feelings." Leaving such characters to their own delusions, and such I feel persuaded they will be found at the awful day of judgment, I will proceed to point out some of those temptations that the saints meet with from satan, during their passage through this wilderness. Various are the temptations of this infernal adversary. He lays ten thousand snares to entrap the feet of the saints, and draw them into perdition. His malicious efforts are felt, and often occasions them to fear they shall one day fall by the hand of this enemy. Sometimes he tempts the saints to doubt their interest in the pardoning mercy of the Lord. He suggests to their minds that their iniquities are too great to be pardoned, that they have committed the unpardonable offence, and therefore it is presumption in them to expect forgiveness. The design of satan in this temptation is to check their progress in the divine life; and especially their confidence in the Redeemer. If, however, this temptation does not succeed, he has another. He will tempt them to conclude that they are deserted by the Lord. Their frames and feelings are not, perhaps, so lively as they once were. In the anguish of their minds they resort to the throne of grace, saying, "quicken thou me in thy way." But the cloud is not dispelled; the Comforter who should near, is absent. Satan now comes in like a flood: he tempts them to conclude that if they were beloved of the Lord, such coldness and barrenness would not be experienced. This temptation is often effectual to destroy the peace of believers for awhile; with Gideon VOL. II.-No. 24. 2 S

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they exclaim," if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?" Or with the church, my Lord hath forsaken me," &c. But there is a still more painful temptation of satan, viz. his suggesting to the mind profane and blasphemous thoughts. In those hallowed seasons, when the saints meet for communion with their God, satan sometimes comes in here with his fiery darts; carnal and impure thoughts rise within them; the most improper ideas of the divine being are suggested, and they are even tempted to blaspheme that holy name by which they are called. But in considering the temptations of satan, we must remember that he appears as an angel of light, as well as the Prince of darkness. He knows where believers are vulnerable, and where he can best succeed with his temptations. Sometimes he can best effect his design when they are in the depths of adversity; and at other times when they are on the mount of prosperity. Sometimes when they find an enlargement in prayer, he tempts them to conclude that they are high in the favour of God on this account; if this temptation does not succeed, he will try another. He will represent to the believer how humble he has been, and thus endeavour to fill him with pride. In these, and various other ways, satan tempts believers; nor must they expect a freedom from his malice till they reach that happy place, where "the wicked cease from troubling." Amidst these temptations the saints have, however, great encouragement. Their temptations are all known to the Lord, and must cease at his appointed time. Among the pure truths calculated to encourage them, the following form a part. 1. That satan cannot propose one temptation more than God permits. Enraged as is the prince of darkness, he cannot go beyond the divine appointment. Without the permission of Omnipotence, he cannot touch a believer, or shoot an arrow against him. He may go about to destroy, but Jehovah hath said, "hitherto shalt thou go, but no further. And is the malice of satan thus limited, then what can hurt the believer? Will he who hath said, "I will watch over them for good," suffer them to become the prey of infernal malice ? The compassion, the veracity of Jehovah, forbid such a thought. Rejoice then, O believer, for your times of temptation as well as of deliverance, are in the hands of thy God, and he hath said, “as thy day is, so thy strength shall be.”

2. That active as satan is to destroy, Christ is equally active to save. The eye of the great Shepherd follows all the movements of satan. He knows the force of temptation where his weakness lies, and hath declared, "my strength shall be made perfect in weakness.” His eyes are ever upon his .people lest any hurt them; lest in any unexpected moment their enemy should take advantage of them. It is for want of considering this consolatory truth, that believers are so often dejected on account of temptation. But remember, O exercised christian, that Jesus is ever near you; no enemy can arise to hurt you, no design be formed against you, but he is engaged to defeat.

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