figure of a soldier, which term may be considered as very significant, the more so by the addition of the adjective "good," still more so as employed in connection with Him in whose service he is a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

A soldier differs from the vassal or the volunteer. A soldier is one who takes pay, the vassal is one who is obliged to serve at his own expense. The volunteer serves at his own expense and of his own accord. Now, neither the second or third term is applicable to the Christian, who is called "a good soldier;" he is not a vassal, not being compelled to serve against his will; but by a wondrous act of sovereign grace is made willing in the day of God's power. Nor does he serve at

his own expense, for not one of his soldiers "goeth a warfare at his own charges," all his expenses being met and provision made by Him who hath called him to be a soldier. Neither is he a volunteer, for none of Adam's fallen race would ever volunteer into Emmanuel's army without the drawing influence and love of the Great King. Hence His army is composed of such who are drawn by love, strengthened by love, provided for by love, and rewarded according to the riches of His grace; clothing each one in the spotless robe of His righteousness. The outline of our subject, on which we now attempt to meditate, may be seen in the following sentence :- -The good soldier is a separated man, under martial orders, loving his Prince, and the cause he is called to serve and defend, for the interest of which he is daily exercised that he may be ready for every duty.

There are doubtless very many bad soldiers; but it does not follow that all are. We believe there are many soldiers in our own and other countries who are good soldiers, faithful to the crown and to their country, who are also faithful soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in the Acts of a "devout soldier," in which we have the best authority for the belief that a man may be a soldier, and yet a follower of Christ. Now, take a few thoughts to illustrate the language of the text.

A soldier is in many respects separated from the rest of mankind: he leaves his father's house, and feeds at another table; he lays aside his own garments, and is clothed in others provided for him. Hence he is a separated and marked man; he is taken knowledge of that he is a soldier. So the good soldier of Jesus Christ is truly a separated man; he has been called out from the world to be a soldier of the cross, and now he no longer dwells in Egypt, but with the people of God; no longer a child of wrath, but through the rich mercy of God a child of light; no longer under the prince of the power of the air, but under the banner of Emmanuel, the Prince of Peace. Forgetting "his own people and his father's house," his ear inclines towards the voice of the King, which came with power, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord; and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you." He no longer feeds at the worldling's board, at which he sat so long feasting on the unsatisfying pleasures of sin and Satan, but upon food provided for the "King's own," even the bread of life which came down from heaven, of which if a man eat he shall live for ever. As it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat," "Man did eat angels' food." As to his tattered flimsy garments, they are all cast away; his filthy rags in which he once delighted, yea, was proud to

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wear, are now changed for the better robe his Captain puts on him, even the royal robe, which at once distinguishes him, so that men take knowledge of him that he has been with Jesus.

Every soldier is under special orders; he has taken the oath of allegiance, and is bound by the laws of his country to obey. This is quite true of the good soldier of Jesus Christ. The vows of God are upon him, and he is under the orders of the great King. The centurion whose servant was "grievously tormented " truly represented the dignity of our Lord when he said, "Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say unto this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." For not only diseases go and come at the command of the Sovereign Lord, but all His good soldiers are under the same control. How precious to feel ourselves under the divine orders of the Heavenly Prince, whose we are, and whom we serve, not our own, but His who bought us!

To this spiritual obedience we were elected, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." And our supreme Leader himself couples an illustration of His own obedience with a kind remembrance of His requirements from His soldiers, "If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love;" and shows how He became obedient unto death, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps. Hear His voice: this is the way; walk ye in it-" I counsel thee to keep the King's commandments." This is your path, even though it may be through much tribulation.

The good soldier loves his prince, his country, and the cause he serves. So the good soldier of Jesus Christ loves the Prince of Peace, the spiritual kingdom, and the cause of God and truth. There may be a kind of service without love; but acceptable service can never be without this spiritual principle, for

""Tis love that makes our cheerful feet

In swift obedience move;

The devils know, and tremble too,

But Satan cannot love."

If love begets love it must be so, for the strongest love was manifest on the part of Jesus both in doing and suffering: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." No suffering in being or prospect could abate His love or daunt His zeal in fulfilling the purposes of the same until all was fulfilled..

"This was compassion like a God,

That when the Saviour knew
The price of pardon was His blood,
His pity ne'er withdrew."

His heart was ever brimful of love, overflowing in actions of love, panting to make His love known and felt in the hearts of all His good soldiers. Not only "Lovest thou me?" but also "Love one another,” are the teachings of the Captain of our salvation. So that love is the lifeblood of true religion, and without it there can be no spiritual life, no true service in the cause of Christ, no good soldiers. of Jesus Christ. Good soldiers are called upon to defend their country and their sovereign. Is it not so with the good soldier of Jesus Christ? Indeed it is. What! weakness defend Omnipotence, and ignorance Wisdom? This is

God's mercy, Jehovah's condescension, Wisdom's plan of making feeble man a co-worker together with God, the instrument by which He is pleased to accomplish His marvellous works and tell forth the glories of His name; to fight the Lord's battles, sometimes aggressive, sometimes defensive, but always to fight with such weapons and in such a manner as his Prince has provided and instructed him in. They, our Book of laws shows, are not carnal, but mighty for the accomplishment of the spiritual warfare. Using such, victory is certain; taking up others, and the defeat is dreadful. If we would fulfil our high mission which the Captain's love has assigned to us we must defend Him, His cause, His truth, and our fellow-soldiers in the same army; fight against sin, against Satan, against the world, and against error, ever under the banner and in the strength of Jesus.

The Gospel minister in particular, but the private Christian in general, must know that he is set for the defence of the Gospel, with this exhilarating encouragement from his great Leader, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Nor is success doubtful, for under such discipline it is a great truth.

"A feeble saint shall win the day,

Though death and hell obstruct the way."

A good soldier is deeply interested in the advancement of his country. True, there are very many who care nothing about it, and are nothing more than traitors, deceivers, self-pleasers, self-servers, too.

But is not the good soldier of Jesus Christ deeply interested in the cause of Emmanuel? Most assuredly. Nor does the fact that among the professed ranks of Jesus many are found who are deceivers and being deceived, both among the privates and officers in command, change the blessed truth that each soldier of the cross is known to the Prince, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His, and such have a deep interest in Zion's welfare; and as they press onward from place to place as itinerants, having no settled home or rest but in the path of duty, and under the Saviour's command, resting in his tent or journeying as shall best please his Commander, the language of his heart is, Arise, O God, plead thine own cause.'

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A good soldier must be acquainted with the military exercise, and the good soldier of Jesus Christ is not left without a knowledge of the movements his Lord would have him make. The thoughtless observer may have regarded this as a useless performance as he has glanced at the line of men under the command of their officer passing through the exercise to qualify them for the engagements of war; but experience has taught the necessity of daily exercise in such evolutions relating to military operations, and our Captain knows well the exercise His soldiers need to fit them for the great battle in which we are engaged, for the tactics and manœuvres of which nothing else can prepare. We need the whole armour, and also all the discipline which the wisdom of the Leader sees fit, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Read on, in the 6th of Ephesians, 13th to 18th verse, and may God teach us to "war a good warfare," "fight the good fight," "lay hold on eternal life." We do well to listen to those special words by which we become acquainted with our exercise in spiritual things. Inexperience in these matters would be a serious drawback to

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our present comfort, happiness, and progress in such a warfare. To be very simple, and as brief, listen to the Commander's voice :-" unto all, Watch." "Have faith in God." "Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks." "Be diligent." "Search the Scriptures." "Let patience have her perfect work." "Trust in the Lord at all times." "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord."

A good soldier stands in readiness for action. As truly the good soldier of Jesus Christ is ready to do all His will, the armour on, the sword in hand, the accoutrements clean, the mind prepared, ready to face the foe in whatever form or at whatever time he may come: Listen to one of God's faithful and courageous champions, and may that grace by which he was what he was lead us also to say as he did, "I am ready to preach the Gospel." "I am ready, not to be bound only, but to die." "I am now ready to be offered." And may we be ready always to give an answer to every man of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear. Then shall our song be, "Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Reader, which art thou, a good soldier of Jesus Christ, or dost thou belong to the service of the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience?

Jetters from the Heart.

DEAR BROTHER BANKS,-The following are correct copies of letters received by a lady in the north, from a poor old woman upwards of seventy years of age, living on a very small pittance in a garret at Hull, but who is truly "rich in faith, and an heir of the kingdom of heaven." She appears to have the like experience of Kent when he penned that sweet hymn:

"All things that the cross procured, stand eternally secured; All are yours, ye heirs of bliss, cancelled sin, and righteousness." I forward them, leaving it to your judgment as to whether you think they will be edifying to the readers of the EARTHEN VESSEL. Yours faithfully, W. BLOOM,

Doncaster, June.

Baptist Minister. MY DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD,-We know that God will do His own work. We are quite sure of that, "I will work and who shall hinder?" None can, "His counsel shall stand, and He will do all His pleasure," both in His providence, and in His grace. Such is the God we worship, not a disappointed God, that has made the creature stronger than Himself, and able to resist His will. Those who give credence to such nonsense as that, do not believe the Bible; it would not hang together on that ground, and we know it must harmonize, and it will when viewed in its true sense. Lord, keep me in humble adoration at Thy feet, before Thy sacred Majesty, that I may revere every part of Thy holy Word. For "Thy Word is truth." Jesus said, "I pray not for the world, but for those whom Thou hast given me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me." The right of redemption belonged to Him; He was the nearest of kin; yea, He is a near relation, "We bring Him home to our mother's house, and to the chambers of her that conceived us.' We must have Him, the holy Lamb, in our bosom, in our heart, carry Him about with us daily, "the slain Lamb, that liveth and was dead, and is alive for evermore." Our spirits join to

adore this Lamb; we are joined to Him by one Spirit, "What God hath joined together, none can put asunder." Oh no, once in Him, in Him for ever. Christ and His Church are one, "They were chosen in Him before the world began," that must be eternal union; "Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate; and them He called, He justified, and glorified." All is one eternal now with God: predestination first, glorification last; but regeneration, that is effectual calling, must be between; without which we have no proof, or evidence of interest in them. They are all linked together in one golden chain of Gospel truth, to which none but the redeemed, and chosen of God have any claim. If we can prove our calling, all the rest is quite clear, and by a living faith we grow up into a full assurance, and know our election of God; we cannot know it any other way than by regeneration, "We inust be born again."

And we which have through grace believed, have entered into rest in His name, we trust, and our rest (Christ) is glorious. Oh! what cause to be thankful, what cause for praise, that we are taught by His Spirit, and led into the truth; the children of light, children of the resurrection, and rejoice in a precious Christ, the true light "that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." May we be "living epistles, known and read of all men," having our Father's name in our foreheads, where it is good to read the mark of God distinct from the world, and kept unspotted from the world; attending to the voice from heaven. He that is of God, heareth God's words, treasures them up in his heart, and lives upon them, and oh, may He speak it home to our hearts continually, so that we may rise above earth and earthly things; and meet in spirit on Mount Zion, and join the heavenly harpers in the new song which none but the redeemed from the earth could learn ; they whose ears have been opened to hear the voice of the Son of God, and are the living, the living to praise Him. We love to praise Him, His name is sweet, it is music to our ear, and heaven to our heart, we live upon His love, "and as the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul for Thee, O God ;" the living God, my exceeding joy ; nothing can satisfy but God Himself.

"His presence makes my paradise,

For where He is 'tis heaven."

And now, my dear sister, I think, as far as I can judge, that a time of trouble is drawing near, and will soon be seen; the churches are getting ready with their crosses and candles as fast as they can, and I believe that numbers of professed Protestants are ready to turn over to them. We know not what is before us, but the Lord will be with His own believing people both in life and in death, and if we are called to suffer for His sake, may we rejoice that we are counted worthy, "if we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him, and be glorified together." The will of the Lord be done.

I now draw to a close, but not without a word to my dear elder sister, Lady- I must say how very pleased I should be to see her, or have a few lines from her, if she is able to write; I feel sure we are kindred spirits, all of us; and it gives me very great pleasure when I think you accept so kindly my bits of writing, I beg you will all accept my best, and kindest love. In unity of the Spirit, believe me my dear Mrs. Machine, affectionately yours in Jesus, MARY LEVITT.