and Christ will not have it otherwise; for He delighteth to take up fallen bairns and to mend broken brows: binding up of wounds is His office, Isa. lix. First, I am glad Christ will get employment of His calling in you. Many a whole soul is in heaven which was sicker than ye are: He is content ye lay broken arms and legs upon His knee, that He may spelk them. Secondly, Hiding of His face is wise love; His love is not fond, doting, and reasonless, to give your head no other pillow while ye be in at heaven's gates, but to lie betwixt His breasts, and lean upon His bosom: nay, His bairns must often have the frosty, cold side of the hill, and set down both their bare feet among thorns: His love hath eyes, and in the meantime is looking on. Our pride must have winter weather to rot it. But I know Christ and ye shall not be heard: ye will whisper it over betwixt yourselves and agree again, for the anchor-tow abideth fast within the vail; the end of it is in Christ's ten fingers; who dare pull if He hold? I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying, Fear not, I will help thee,' Isa. xli. 13. Fear not, Jacob. The sea-sick passenger shall come to land; Christ will be the first that will meet you on the shore. I hope your Ladyship will keep the King's highway; go on in the strength of the Lord in haste, as if ye had not leisure to speak to the inn-keepers by the way: he is over beyond time in the other side of the water who thinketh long for you,"

The Present, brethren, is a season of immense external excitement; and a time for carrying on a great transition. The True Church stands, where she ever did stand, IN CHRIST; in THE GOSPEL; in the power and fellowship of the SPIRIT; in the love of GOD; in the pathway of deep tribulation; in the sore and daily conflicts and warfare between the flesh and the SPIRIT; in the temptations of Satan; in the good fight of faith; and in the prospect of eternal glory. In these things, oh ye beloved sons and daughters of the Lord God, in these deep mysteries doth the true Church of God ever stand while here; but the professing Church has no real standing; she is floating upon the rolling waves of the times; she is passing over from spirituality to carnality; she is being carried away gradually, and attractingly from the eternal and holy verities of GOD's Covenant, from the immutable and undying relationship of God's CHRIST, from the sacred and secret communions of the HOLY SPIRIT, and the regenerated saints; from these old safe and certain foundation principles of a realized religion is the professing Church now removing, to a floating position on the sands of creature arrogance, of outward shows, of tremendous floods of popular feeling, until the amalgamation of the Church and the World is almost completed.

We almost begin to think the world will be converted. Converted to What? Why to a Profession of Churchism, and of Gospelism, and of Religionism, of some sort. Is not Romanism working hard to convert the world? To be sure she is; and the brilliant Dr. Manning fully believes by the overthrow of Protestantism, and the extension of the Papacy, he, and his cardinals, and priests, will soon accomplish this gigantic enterprise. Is not Puseyism throwing her mantle over millions of spirits, and by her beautiful pictures, her splended altars, her lighted candles, her spicy odours, her charities, and offerings, her confessionals, and multitude of prayers, does she not believe she shall convert the world? Does not every section of High Church, Low Church, Broad

Church, and Narrow Church, say something about the entire conversion of the world? Yes, they do. And does not all this appear most plausible, and good? Then, add to this, the wide-spreading arms of Congregationalism, Wesleyanism, Plymouth-brethrenism, Weaverism; and last of all, though not the least by any means, Spurgeonism; and when you have surveyed the rapid progress, the wide-spreading energies, successes, and triumphs of these renowned and popular bodies, does it not appear most feasible that the world must be converted? It does. But, inasmuch as conversion to man may be, where conversion to God is not inasmuch as conversion to Churches may be, where conversion to Christ is not: inasmuch as conversion to systems may be, where conversion to the HOLY GHOST IS NOT: inasmuch, as it is possible to have the form of godliness, while, in some sense, denying the power; therefore, it behoveth every man who is concerned to be everlastingly SAVED in and by GOD'S SALVATION, to try the spirit, to examine himself, and to take good heed unto his ways.

Dr. Gill thought, before the spiritual reign of CHRIST, that God would raise an army of Gospel Ministers who should instrumentally raise up a standard against the enemy when he should come in like a flood. And some men will say, in considering the present state of things, that the enemy is coming in like a flood by Anti-christian spirits, such as Popery and Puseyism, and that the army of men who shall raise up the standard against the enemy, is, in part, at least, that fast-growing family of students and pastors sent out from the Metropolitan Tabernacle College by C. H. Spurgeon, and others; and that they will, under God, overcome, overturn, and drive back, the one common foe; and that, under God, they will usher in the spiritual reign of the great and glorious Redeemer.

It may be, this is the faith of the president himself. We shall not presume to judge or determine. But, in the consoling words of the apostle we hide ourselves, "Even so at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace." And as certainly as CHRIST lives on the right-hand of the Majesty in the heavens, so certainly will He build up His church upon the sure foundation, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her.

Men, brethren, and fathers-in carefully considering the present, we envy no man, we seek no man's honour. In the truly evangelical triumphs of every man over sin, Satan, death, and hell, would we, with heart and soul rejoice. But, we pause as we approach the closing sentence of our paper this month: we ask,

First. Is not the great lack of the time we live, the want of OIL IN THE VESSELS? Every man has his lamp, good or bad, he has his lamp; but has he THE LIGHT, the unction, the experience, the power of the Holy Ghost?

Secondly. Instead of this, is there not most visible, a secret contempt cast upon the conflicts, crosses, sorrows, and spiritual and temporal adversities of the Christian? We say, think on these things; for with one word we close.

The 59th of Isaiah, we believe, was written as a prophecy true of our own times. It will be a pleasing piece of labour to us, if in our next we may be permitted to open a little of the glories of our good

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Physician," and the uses of His healing Word. We give no pledge; we make no promise; but if the flood at all abate, if, in the consulting room of the Good Physician we may sit down, the result shall be known. That 1866 may be to all our churches a year of Gospel peace and of spiritual prosperity, is the prayer of your humble servant in the Lord, THE EDITOR.

A REVIEW OF THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF THE LATE WILLIAM BURCH.

IN the Weald of Kent, in that quiet and pretty little town called Cranbrook, near fifty years since, we often saw a stout and sturdy looking Crispin, in the broad road which leadeth down to dark and endless sorrow-that then sottish-looking man was William Burch, whose Life and Letters are now recently published by Mr. Collingridge; and a very respectable and well-prepared volume it is. But what the immense army of preachers and professors in our time will say to such a testimony as this, we shall not anticipate. All the tried and truly saved people of God will find in this volume the travail of a living soul-the pangs and pains of one passing from death to life-the delusions and disappointments of one seeking after God's CHRIST, and His great salvation-the sorrows of one who was sorely hindered by sin and Satan-and the spiritual rejoicings of a man who, at last, at the end of his name could confidently write- a sinner saved alone by grace.'

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Cranbrook was the scene of some of our earliest days: from seven years of age until over twenty, we sorrowed, suffered, sinned, and laboured in that small metropolis of Kent's little wilds. There, at one time, we nearly lost our sight altogether; there, on another occasion, we were flung aside as almost dead from some destructive fever; but in the darkness of the night, as on the floor we lay, with none to watch and none to help, a sudden bursting forth of blood turned the course of that fell disease, and instead of then being laid in the grave, we were raised up, to live on even until now. Dwelling beneath the roof of the good parish clerk, we were early led to the parish church, where this William Burch did prayers say, and sermons hear. His venerable father was a tenor singer in the church's choir; and beside him, in our boyish days, we often sat, and sung the psalms and hymns in treble notes. Those days to us, as back upon them we look, were days of darkness and of dire distress. Satan, and our own deceitful hearts, made the pathway bitter; and many a thorn which then did pierce our wandering spirit, leaves still a sense of sorrow, and often causes sighs and groans more deep than should be told.

Perhaps there was, in very early life, a little seed of grace implanted. Oh! yes, there must have been. A tender mother's tear-a Christian mother's prayer-her voice—her finger raised to heaven-her words,

"There is beyond the sky a heaven of joy and love," &c.,

all are still in living remembrance; and although in weakest childhood

removed from her, although floods of Satanic poison has been poured into the heart, the little seed could not be destroyed; truly,

"It liv'd and labour'd under load;

Was damp'd-but never died."

Cranbrook was a sacred spot. There were parsons not a few. For a town so comparatively small in compass, there were many who professed to be the heralds of salvation. The Mossops and the Davises; the Skinners and the Stonehouses; the Dobles and the Methodists, all said they came to tell of God's great mercy to us fallen men. But, in Cranbrook, or near to it, was William Huntington born; there he went to school; there he preached the internal work of God in saving the ransomed tribes; and as one of his sons in the faith, ISAAC BEEMAN (for many, many years in Cranbrook's quiet town, and to some thousands of souls), did unfold the Book of God, and proclaim salvation by the one Great Sacrifice, the Holy Lamb of God.

This William Burch, we knew him well, and hope to review most carefully every line of his book; this William Burch, the once poor desolate shoemaker of Cranbrook, was a special seal to the heavenordained ministry of Isaac Beeman.

How exceeding precious is any ministry, any book, any sermon, or any testimony, where the solid life, the precious grace, and the sure and certain salvation of God is found! In ourselves, in our churches, in nearly all the professions of the day, there seems so much of the empty, the creedy, the noisy, the shadowy, and the uncertain, that when we grasp in our hand a book like this of WILLIAM BURCH'S, we receive, in its testimony, a revival of the sense and the holy persuasion, that God hath in His infinite mercy given us grace in CHRIST His Son; and that He will, one day, receive us to Himself. Indeed, even while some power constrains us thus to believe and write, it is hard to realise the blessed assurance.

Pious men-like Mr. Lincoln, of Walworth,-tell the people to "Look to the cross, and say, HE DIED FOR ME!" But to such men as WILLIAM BURCH, and others we might name, that " Look," and that assurance must be the immediate work of God the Holy Ghost within; or we have neither eyes so to look, nor tongues so to speak, of our salvation by Him.

Master Thomas Russell, of Rotherfield, in some opening remarks to the volume before us. William Burch's "Life," shall come fully under month.

Sussex, has written Those remarks, and notice (D. v.) next

Ir is by this abbreviated sentence the newly-issued discourse is now so eagerly called for, which was preached by the late Mr. Henry Nightingale, many years since, and has most singularly been brought to light, at the present moment. The full title is "The End of the Controversy, or, Rahab the Harlot, and the Scarlet Line," publishing at J. Paul's, in Chapter House-court; and certainly should be recommended by all the

reviewers and ministers in the world, who have a good heart toward the publication of right and holy principles. We have the testimony of some who have read this discourse, that it is matchless, powerful, precious, and exceedingly exhilaratory to the spiritual mind. It occupies 28 demy octavo pages, and is sold for three-pence per copy. We shall add no commendation of our own, but will here give the preacher's introduction, wherein his spirit, his faith, and his aim, may be seen. He

says:

"In the 2nd of Joshua my readers will find, at their leisure, the following circumstances recorded. Joshua sent out two spiesto view the city of Jericho, previous to his leading the children of Israel into that land which the almighty God had promised centuries before unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob. It appears the spies took refuge, while so engaged, in the house of one Rahab, an harlot, whose house was built upon the walls of the city. The king of Jericho hears of the circumstance of these spies, and accordingly sends messengers to Rahab the harlot's house, to inquire after them. Rahab replies, after she had first hidden them, 'There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were;' that they had gone through the city gates, and if they pursued in that quarter, they would overtake them. She then goes unto the men at the top of the roof, and assures them that she knew the Lord had delivered the city into their hands. Hearing as she had of the miracles so vast, as that of dividing the Red Sea, &c., which the Lord had wrought for them, left no doubt upon her mind that they were the favourites of heaven, and her city was accursed of God; therefore she says, 'Terror is fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants do faint because of you;' their hearts melted, 'neither did there any more courage remain in any man, because of you;' expressed her belief in God and said, 'For the Lord your God is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.' She then entreats of them to swear unto her, that since she had shewn such great kindness in preserving them, that they would also return the same to her, by acceding to her request, which was, that when they entered the city, they were to save her and her household,' to which they readily agreed: the two spies assuring her, Our lives for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee,' Which we find, by reading the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Joshua was punctually observed. She then lets them down by a cord through the window, over the wall, and advises them to flee to the mountains for three days, and then they might with safety return to Joshua. In order, however, to secure to the harlot (Rahab) and her household the fulfilment of their promise and oath, they gave to her the scarlet line with which she let them through the window over the wall, desiring her at the same time to bind the scarlet line in her window, so that when the Israelites enter they might know her house, and thus she and her household be saved; to which she replies, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. Thus briefly have I now introduced the subject of the harlot Rahab and the scarlet line unto your notice, so far as the letter goes. I would now desire to proceed both to something better and more profitable, but more especially to something more Christ-glorifying. I therefore would look up, and desire by God the Holy Ghost, to have my

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