held back the face of his throne again, and my fears returned like a band of armed men. I again sank in deep waters, and could find nothing for my soul to rest upon. The enemy told me I was deceived, and that my joy was but a thing of fancy; and I sometimes felt as if his lies were true. In this distress of soul I passed another week, expecting that my destiny was irrevocable ruin! But, blessed be the Lord of life and glory, he paid me another visit at the end of the week, about the same time in the morning as before. And O! what unction, sweetness, life, and power did I feel in the application of these words: "Thy will be done." I knew they were from the Lord Jesus Christ, for I was so humbled in the dust of self-abasement, and I loved Jesus with my whole heart. If that had been the time for me to die, I was willing to die, and should have died in peace, for the Prince of Life and Peace possessed my soul. My feet were on the rock, and my tongue was filled with praise.

But again my joys subsided before the day ended, and I had another gloomy week to go through, with horrors of mind such as I have never been able to tell. I had many taunts from the enemy about my pretended joy. But, blessed be the dear Friend of sinners, the time was coming, though I knew it not, when the foe was to be routed, and the lawful captive again delivered. On the following Lord's day my health was somewhat better. I thought I would try and get to a place where the gospel was preached, about a mile from my house. I reached it with difficulty, and was informed that the minister was from home. A sermon was read, and it happened to be one by John Warburton, of Trowbridge. It was preached. several years ago in London. I dare say the dear old man little thought that sermon was to be the means of good to one whom he had never seen or known, and many miles away from him. I hope the remembrance of his name, for the truth's sake, will ever be dear to me. I trembled when the text was read; "Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him." I sank I know not how low with a load of guilt. Far enough from "righteous" did I feel myself to be! My ears were opened to every sentence that was delivered; and as the preacher began to enter into the subject, he picked up such as none but a God of tender mercy and unbounded love could in any way notice. I felt myself oppressed and tempted by the devil, plagued almost to death by sin, and sinking with the most fearful apprehensions of dying without a felt pardon of my guilt through the love and blood of Jesus. I felt the claims of a broken law, and had no friend in sight. But blessed be the name

of the Lord, Mr. Warburton was wisely appointed in that sermon to preach the gospel of peace to such a poor guilty, filthy, worthless wretch as I felt myself to be. O! how sweetly was the word applied! How the tears ran from my eyes! What a blessed humbling time, feasting time, and time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord! I felt and saw that death was swallowed up in victory. My poor soul was set at liberty. Jesus became the Chiefest among ten thousand; yea, he was to my poor shipwrecked

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soul "all in all." How sweetly did the preacher enter into my soul's feelings, and how sweetly did he set forth the Lord Jesus as the Balsam of life, the Tree of health, the Hope of the hopeless, the Salvation of the lost, and the Righteousness of the filthy! "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercy." I hope that day will never be forgotten by me. It was a Lord's day indeed to me, -a day when God communed with me from off the mercy-a day when my fears were chased away, when Christ was precious to my soul, and his word was as ointment poured forth. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in deep waters, these behold the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep."

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Should you see Mr. Warburton, give my kindest regards to him, with my best wishes for his present and eternal welfare. The following Lord's day was a high day to me. I heard a sermon from the words, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." While hearing this sermon, my soul was not so blessed as in hearing Mr. W's. Nevertheless, I felt what

I should be glad to feel every day. But in all let me say, the Lord's name be magnified for his mercy to me.

During my long and severe affliction, a few of the Lord's saints called to see me; and I doubt not that I had a place in their affections, for they talked and acted as if I had. One thing I would not omit. On a day of deep distress, I said to my wife, "How I wish I could write to Mr. M.; and though the distance is more than thirty miles, I think he would come and see me; but," I added, "I shake so much I cannot write, and you have not time." Then I said, with a gloomy feeling, "Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness." So I lost all hope of seeing my friend. But on the evening of the same day, about half-past seven o'clock, there came a rap at the door, and behold! two men sought me, my dear friend Mr. M., and a friend of his-the very man I had been longing to see but a few hours before. O! I think I shall never forget this meeting. I fastened my eyes upon them, and believing, as I do, that they are the Lord's children, I entered feelingly into the apostle's words, "We know that we are passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." "O! that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works towards the children of men." It is blessed work indeed, when the Father of Mercies shines through his Son upon a poor sinking soul, and when the Holy Spirit directs the eyes of that soul to gaze upon the unfading glories of the Lamb slain for its redemption from the pit! Blessed be his dear name! I have been indulged a few times to look there till my poor sin-stung soul has been filled to the brim with a peace that passeth all understanding.

""Tis heaven to rest in his embrace,

And no where else but there."

It is a blessed situation indeed. Here the poor sheep are

favoured to hear and know the voice of the Shepherd. They feed on green pastures, and lie down by still waters.

But I fear I shall tire you with my long epistle. May the Father of Mercies bless you! May a precious Jesus be your Saviour! May the Holy Spirit be your Guide! May the saints be your companions, and heaven your eternal home!

Yours most affectionately, for Christ's sake,

R. M.

STRENGTHEN YE THE WEAK HANDS AND CONFIRM THE FEEBLE KNEES.

My much esteemed Friend,-Yours of the 25th instant came safely to hand. Its contents are to me both weighty and valuable, and bring confirming evidence that my dear fellow traveller is in the footsteps of the Lord's flock, feeding his kids beside the Good Shepherd's tents; while so many who are denominated "the sheep of his pasture" are wandering about upon the barren mountains of Gilboa, where is no dew, no rain, nor fields of offerings; nor have such wanderers as yet found the true resting place.

But you have not been left to settle upon your lees, or to seek rest or satisfaction in this solitary wilderness, destitute of a dwelling place; but have, I am persuaded, in tender mercy been led forth by the right way that leadeth to a city of habitation. Let it be admitted that you have not as yet reached the summit of Mount Zion, nor yet obtained the full accomplishment of your earnest desires. Is it not by a rich display of sovereign, discriminating grace and mercy that you have been gathered out of the wretched mass of lost and ruined sinners, and your lot cast where and as it is? Not only in the dispensations of God's holy providence, (though they have been wonderful) have grace and mercy been manifested, but also in the almost imperceptible openings and unfoldings of the Almighty's gracious purposes towards you in the casting of your lot, in the gift of God-fearing parents, in their instructions and restraints, in the various instruments and means of grace prepared and appointed for your profit; and above all, in the rich gift of the Holy Spirit, in his quickening, illuminating, sanctifying, and regenerating influences and operations, and in his various leadings and teachings unto the present day. Now, all these displays of divine goodness, and many more, loudly call for adoration, thanksgiving, and praise; and, under the same gracious tuition, these blessed influences will continue to enlarge your heart, expand the cheering prospect before you, and animate and sacredly inflame the faculties and affections of your soul.

Many expressions in your epistle confirm me in drawing these conclusions, although you may not as yet fully coincide with me in this statement. You express a fear that I misunderstand your meaning respecting the exercises of your spirit under some of the changes and impressions that occupy and try your mind. This may be true as it respects my judgment of the matter, for I am

very conscious that I am a poor fallible creature, liable to err and full of mistakes; yet my dear friend may sometimes misunderstand himself, and be at a loss to make out his own meaning. But I hope we shall understand each other better before long.

By your own account, your greatest trouble arises from the apprehension that you are not troubled enough; or, in other words, the contrariety of your feelings and sensations is such that you are a complete paradox to yourself. At the same time you give so plain and lucid a description of what passes in your soul, that in my weak judgment it demonstrates that the Almighty has not only begun the good work of grace in you, but that he is in rich mercy carrying it on with power; and wherever God begins this blessed work, it will assuredly be perfected in the day of Jesus Christ. But, remember, the whole work is of God-the beginning, the progress, and the issue.

"He makes the believer, and gives him the crown."

The believer is altogether the workmanship of God, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephes. ii. 10.).

Your anxiety to be at a point with respect to the reality of the work, is an evidence that it is genuine; though you may not just now perceive it. We are but as clay in the hands of the heavenly Potter, and can neither hasten nor hinder his work, for he will perfect it in his own time; yet let it be remembered that, although we are as helpless as a lump of clay as it respects our transformation, we are by no means passive, far from it. We are so contaminated, poisoned, and polluted by the fall, and in our fallen state are so entirely under the dominion of sin and Satan, that we resist all control as much as in us lies, and by nature are the willing slaves of these tyrants. Here we should have remained as lawful captives to the devil and sin to this day, had not God, according to his gracious purpose of electing love, sent the Holy Spirit to disarm these tyrants, by binding the strong man, and spoiling his goods, and by his almighty power taking possession of the palace of our hearts. This may be called the commencement of the warfare, in which Christ, by the Holy Spirit, combats with Satan. The object of God's love is the subject contended for; and, like the Shulamite, the soul appears as it were the company of two armies. It is, therefore, no wonder that, at the beginning of this war, we are in much perplexity, continually inquiring of the Lord, "If it be so, why am I thus?"

But when, at the set time to favour our souls, it pleases God to reveal his dear Son in us, by setting him before us as the only Door of Hope, and enables us by faith to embrace him as the Father's best Gift, and our best and eternal Portion, then we are at home, joyful and satisfied, and can cheerfully unite with blessed Paul, and say, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!"

After having for a season bathed in this river of divine pleasure, and after being thus brought into the banqueting house, and abun

dantly satisfied with the Lord's goodness, we, in the plenitude of such surprising grace, and in the enjoyment of such distinguishing favours, then conclude with David, who said, in his prosperity, "I shall never be moved; Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong." Nevertheless, though our safety in salvation, in this respect, stands firmer and faster than the everlast. ing mountains, yet here we must observe that another paradox comes under our consideration; these words were composed by Mr. Hart, from his own experience, and to their truth we subscribe according to our measure:

"When all this is done, and his heart is assured

Of the total remission of sins;

When his pardon is sign'd, and his peace is procured,
From that moment the conflict begins."

This we may call the second part of our spiritual campaign. The first part was fighting for deliverance; this is to hold fast the prize that we have already obtained. For as we read that all the spoils taken in war by Israel of old, which were dedicated unto God, (and of which the tabernacle and temple were chiefly built,) were to pass through the fire and through the water, so, likewise, all the spoils taken from Satan, "the strong man armed," are sure to go through a similar process before the warfare is ended. (Psalm lxvi. 10-12; and 1 Cor. iii. 13.)

These brief hints respecting the later stages of the Christian warfare, may not at present engage your immediate attention, though they certainly do mine.

May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, abundantly bless you with the upper and nether springs of covenant mercies; and when the number of our days in these tabernacles is fulfilled, may we receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls. I remain, affectionately yours, June 30th, 1836.

J. K.

INQUIRIES.

Messrs. Editors,-Is it consistent with propriety and order, for the pastor of a strict Baptist church to administer the ordinance of the Lord's Supper to one of his congregation who is lying on a sick bed at his own house, he not being a baptized member? Your answer will oblige, Your's respectfully,

June, 15, 1847.

AN INQUIRER.

It is neither scriptural nor consistent with the nature of the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, to administer it to individuals privately. It is a public ordinance, to be attended to by the church when the members are assembled together. (See 1 Cor. xi. 20, 33; Matt. xxvi. 17-29; Acts, XX. 7.) The church of Rome and the church of England, which corrupt Scripture ordinances at pleasure, have made a private ordinance of the Lord's Supper; but there is no warrant in Scripture for such a practice. It originated, in the first instance, in the belief of saving grace necessarily attending the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and has terminated, in the minds of many, in the opinion that there is no salvation without it.