Thus the conflict continues between the flesh and spirit, or grace and sin, like "two armies," (Cant. vi. 13.) till at length,

"Death, that puts an end to life,
Shall put an end to sin."

5. The crucifixion of the flesh with the affections and lusts, denotes the believer's designed application of all spiritual means, and sanctified instruments for that purpose; there is nothing in this world which a gracious heart more vehemently desires and longs for, than the final destruction of sin, and perfect deliverance from it, (Rom. vii. 24. 2 Cor. v. 2, 3, 4.); the sincerity of which desires accordingly manifests itself in the daily application to the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, for pardon and acceptance; and, indeed, to all God's appointed means, (for the communication or multiplication of his promised 66 grace, mercy, and peace" to the souls of his waiting people, 1 Tim. i, 2. 1 Pet. i. 3. Jas. iv. 6. John xvi. 24.), such as prayer, reading, and meditating on the scriptures, attendance on public worship, conversation with experienced christians, selfexamination, &c.; and, add to this, a daily watching against the occasions of sin, "I have made a covenant with my eyes," Job xxxi. 1., and a more than ordinary vigilance over their special and besetting sins, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection," (I Cor. ix. 27.); and again, notice the exhortation of the apostle, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us," Heb. xii. 1. Earnest cries to heaven for preventing grace, "keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me," Ps. xix. 13. Deep humblings of soul for past backsliding, which under God is an excellent preservative from future sins; "In that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought!" 2 Cor. vii. 11. A being on our guard lest we should give any furtherance or advantage to the design of sin, by making "provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof," as others do, Rom. xiii. 13, 14. Willingness to bear due reproofs for sin, "let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness," Ps. cxli. 5. A careful and conscientious regard to their moral character and general deportment as christians before God and man, "lest occasion should be given to the adversary to speak reproachfully," and that they may adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things, abstain from all appearance of evil, and therein to exercise themselves to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and man," 1 Tim. v. 14. Titus ii. 10. 1 Thess. v. 22. Acts xxiv. 16. These, and such like means of self-denial, or mortification, regenerated souls who are "walking in the fear of the Lord," (Acts ix. 31.), are daily using and applying, in order to "glorify God in their bodies and spirits which are God's," (1 Cor. vi. 20.), while at the same time they know and feel that they are "unprofitable servants," (Luke xvii. 10.), and place their whole dependence for salvation on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts iv. 12. Gal. ii. 16. Happy are they who are enabled by the Spirit to mortify sin, and to

be" perfecting holiness in the fear of God;" and are longing for more likeness to Christ here, and expecting complete conformity and uninterrupted communion with him in heaven. Now to him who died for our sins, rose again for our justification, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, be glory, with the Father and Holy Spirit, three persons, but one Jehovah, for ever and ever. Amen.

Birmingham, Sept. 1834.

TIMOTHY.

CHRISTIAN Reader,

PENITENCE.

THOUGH thy doubts and fears be many, let thy mind dwell upon this truth with sweet satisfaction -no individual shall ever shed the tear of despair in perdition who is privileged to shed the tear of penitence on earth, And why? because the tear of penitence is the evidence of a new heart, and a new heart is an undeceiving earnest of everlasting salvation.

Many will tell thee thou canst not count upon thy future blessedness until thy voyage over Jordan's billows, and would thus lead thee to conclude thy state uncertain, till thou be actually possessed of thy paradise: but let not these unscriptural reasoners steal away the many antidotes against mental depression-keep closely unto the word and the testimony-repeat the divine promises incessantly in the ears of him who made them unto thee in Christ Jesus; and be it thine ever to say, "Lord, thou hast declared, him that cometh unto thee, thou wilt in no wise cast out;" therefore as I come unto thee, through the blessed drawings of thy Spirit, I am assured thou wilt regard thy word, and never cast ME out.

It is true, promises are not made specifically to persons, but they are made positively unto character; therefore if thou be the selfrenounced, self-condemned character-if thou be the one to hunger and thirst after righteousness-if thou be the true wrestler against sin- thou mayest fairly conclude the promises of victory, glory, and perfection are revealed for thee.

The dictate of nature is, "Love thyself"-the dictate of fallen nature is, " Worship or idolize thyself"-the voice of God in the renewed soul is, "Abhor and renounce thyself." The very voice of Jesus through the ministration of the Spirit causes an overflow of the fountain of spiritual feeling; and thus the tears of penitence are beheld upon the pilgrim's cheek-truly, then, the penitent are the self-renounced; the self-renounced are the characters upon whom heaven smiles, and unto whom sovereignty hath made promises; whilst on the other hand, the self-confident and complacent are, in the idolatrous feelings they cherish for themselves, only demonstrating their recklessness both of grace and promise.

Pardon arises from the free favour of the Father to admit his dear Son to sustain the curse for his many brethren: the procurement of that pardon in conformity with the equity of divine government,

:

rests in the actual sacrifice of his dear Son, who was voluntarily offered the application of that pardon is effected under the covenant operations of the Holy Ghost, who has engaged to reveal the great salvation unto all for whom it was realized. But what we would demand must be the effect of such an application? What must attend so precious and so salutary a revelation? Assuredly we shall find it will promote the charm of contrition, it will humble the soul into confession, it will check the buddings of pride and vanity, it will occasion much self-suspicion, it will indite the song of thanksgiving, and attract the powers of intellect to heaven and to God.

Thus pardon in the mind of the Father becomes pardon procured through the blood of the Son, and pardon enjoyed by the power of the Holy Ghost; and this pardon enjoyed or revealed by the Holy Ghost, issues in that humility and penitency of mind, which are the sweet assurances of eternal life.

The tear of servile fear is distinguishable from the tear of filial fear. When the mind is affrighted in the prospect of leaving her natural residence, when the sense of guilt oppresses the conscience, and the agonies of despair prevail-the tear of terror may start from the eye, and yet leave him, who so irresistibly pourtrayed his misery, with a heart equally opposed unto holiness, and equally unappeased in its terrific apprehensions. But, on the contrary, when the tear of filial fear wets the pale cheek in latest moments, it is happily accompanied with that lowliness and spirituality of heart, which resign the christian to present privations and infirmities, and which also carry forward his reflections to future privileges and delights. glories of the heavenly world break upon the vision of faith, the beauties of Jesus give occasion for the indulgence of an animating hope, and covenant provisions anticipated most fully, absorb the fluttering spirit, and engross her love.

The

Christian reader, canst thou not unite with me in extolling that grace and mercy that have brought thee to bathe the feet of thy Redeemer with tears! If Adam could damp the dry ground on which he stood, in the contemplation of having lost a world, prior to his expulsion from the enclosures of Eden, through the keenness of even fallen sensibilities, how much more shall we be unable to restrain the tears of gratitude and affection, of penitence and praise, in the meditation of him who hath raised us above our earthly destitution and abasement, and hath purchased our freedom to an eminence from which we never can fall, being garrisoned by the protecting presence of our Deliverer, and secured eternally within his encircling sceptre !

Perhaps we may describe a tear, as the most impressive word the mind can speak. When does the mind speak so impressively, as when she speaks in tears? When are prayers so fervent as when offered in tears? When is the oracle of God read so profitably as when read in tears.

And when, believer, is heaven so moved as by the tears of the

saints? The sight of a penitent pilgrim awakens the sympathetic channels of an angel's mind, and draws another sigh-a sigh of compassion from the Saviour's breast. Heaven loves the sinner in his tears, and sends a solace to the heart, that bids them cease to flow immediately. The christian has most ground to triumph when overpowered in tears of repentance: it is then he may appreciate the righteousness of Jesus unto himself by faith; it is then he may look without envy upon the wealth of worlds; it is then he may reason with his heavenly Father," putting him in remembrance," and pleading with him for his justification, preservation, and per

fection.

Now, troubled, trembling member of Immanuel, lift up thy voice, cry aloud and shout: the acceptable year of the Lord is with theethy sighs and tears are gifts from heaven, and heaven loves to see thee exercise his gifts. Sin may depress, but grace abounds, and Jesus reigns-reigns now and ever; so that "the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness: and sorrow and sighing shall flee away for ever." Blessed Saviour, speed thy chariot of salvation.

J. M. D.

FRAGMENT FROM STEPHEN CHARNOCK.

IF God has made thee of a great sinner the object of his mercy, thou mayest be assured of a continuance of his love. He pardoned thee when thou wast an enemy; will he leave thee now thou art his friend? He loved thee when thou hadst raged out in a great measure his image and picture which he had set in thy soul, will he hate thee now, since he has restored that image, and drawn it with fresh colours ? He justified thee when thou wast ungodly, and will he cast thee off since he hath been at such pains about thee, and written in thee a counterpart of his own divine nature in the work of grace ? Were his bowels first moved when thou hadst no grace, and will they not sound louder when thou hast grace? Thou hadst a rich present of his grace sent thee when thou couldest not pray for it, and will he not much more give thee whatever is needful when thou callest upon him? He was found of thee when thou didst not seek him, and will he hide himself from thee when thou art enquiring after him? considered before he began with thee what charge thou wouldest stand him in, both of merit in Christ, and of grace in thee, so that the grace he hath given thee is not only a mercy to thee, but an obligation on himself; since his credit is engaged to complete it, thou hast more unanswerable arguments to plead before him than thou hadst, viz. his Son, his truth, his promise, his grace, his name, wherein before thou hadst not the least interest. To what purpose hath God called thee, and washed thee, if he did not intend to supply thee with as much grace as shall bring thee to glory? Hath God given thee Christ, and will he detain any thing else?

God

CHOICE EXTRACTS FROM ANCIENT AUTHORS.

OF THE PENITENT THIEF.

Extracted from Dr. Anthony's "Gospel Physician, Prescribing Divine l'hysic for the Soul." Printed in 1655.

66

CHRIST was crucified between two thieves, one of them had no remorse of conscience, nor grief of heart for his offences, but began to rail upon Christ, to revile him, and blasphemously to taunt him, saying, "if thou art Christ, save thyself and us." But the other was touched by the Holy Ghost with a godly sorrow, and a relenting heart for his sins, and did freely confess that they two did justly and deservedly suffer death for their offences; but he did justify our beloved Saviour for his blameless iunocency, and he rebuked his fellow, saying, "Fearest thou not God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation ?" Then he turned to Christ to implore his mercy, and made this short and sweet prayer to him: "Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom." To whom Christ immediately gave this gracious answer, verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise :" surely these gracious words of Christ did much mitigate and assuage the sorrow of his perplexed mind, and much eased the bitterness of his torments; and this blessed promise gave him good assurance, that after his present sufferings and pains, he should enjoy the blessed society of Christ in the heavenly paradise. For as faith wrought in his heart a true contrition to repentance, and opened his mouth to make a good confession of his sins, and to vindicate the innocency of Christ from the aspersions of his fellow malefactor; and also to present his humble request unto Christ his Lord, for some gracious remembrance of him; so no doubt it sealed such an holy assurance of future happiness to his sorrowful soul and wounded conscience, that he did stedfastly believe the promise, and faithfully looked for the performance of it: whereby his fainting spirits were much comforted, and the cruel tortures of his body, which he suffered, were sanctified and sweetened to him.

Here set the meditations of thy heart upon the free love and mercy of Christ to poor sinners, he chooseth whom he will, and whom he will he refuseth; his gifts of grace are free, his love and favour is not necessitated to any.

There were twins in Rebecca's womb, God loved the one and he hated the other. Two men may be in one bed; God may take the one, and he may leave the other: so likewise there were two thieves crucified with Christ, and he had compassion on the one, but he rejected the other: for he bestows his grace upon whom he will, and when he pleaseth. There is no person so vile, no condition so base, and no time so late as to hinder Christ from shewing mercy to a poor sinner that is truly sensible of his misery, and feels the burden of his sins, and doth humbly acknowledge his miserable condition, and his unworthiness to him, and doth earnestly sue for