as well as giving existence to his own graces. Poor sinners may be discouraged when detecting their unpreparedness to meet the evils perpetually arising before them; they may deplore-and will when in their right mind-the state in which their tribulations find them; but they may be assured that if faith be in possession, the sister grace abides also, and in its prescribed degree exercises itself for the stay and solace of the soul. On this point, in the believer's experience the fault lies in his making a false estimate of the quality of the heavenly principle possessed. His being restrained from turning into the forbidden path he once pursued his preservation amidst the innumerable enemies and dangers that waylay him-his present security from the pangs of black despair-proclaim the nature of the grace: its degree is proportioned to his actual necessities, and guided by wisdom which cannot err. O ye faint-hearted and sorrowful, take courage! Look rather to the author and revealer of every good and perfect gift, than to the blessing bestowed. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength,"-and faith, and hope, and patience, and every grace provided in covenant for the objects of eternal choice and favour. Believers have need of patience, that they may be enabled to shew forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. As the church of old exclaimed, "We hanged our harps upon the willows," so now, from the bottom of the heart of many, the same mournful confession is extorted: how shall we sing," say they, "the Lord's song in a strange land?" And whether they who require of them a song, make their request in derision, or from a better motive, the result is the same for unless the Lord deliver, they still continue in captivity,-unless he open the heart, the tongue will remain dumb to his praise. By and by, believer, it will not be so! your God saith--the King that reigneth in righteousness saith," the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly!" for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ! A SONNET. The tomb's dark gloomy horrors, shall no more By faith upheld, I long to quit life's shore And lay these weary limbs, in death's mild peaceful arms. How senseless now are all earth's gaudy toys! My Father God, I wait the appointed hour, When I shall taste immortal heav'nly joys Beyond the doubts of life, and sin's most dreadful pow'r. March, 1827. B. S. S. REVIEW. Secret Thoughts of a Christian Departed. By Ambrose Serle, Esq. A new Edition by W. B. Bowes, Minister of Enon Chapel, Woolwich. Palmer. 66 To those who know and appreciate the writings of AMBROSE SERLE, it were vain to raise an argument in commendation of the work before us; to the admirers of sterling truth, who may be unacquainted with his former invaluable productions, this will prove a fair specimen both of the excellence of the man and the work of his labours. The worthy compiler of the present edition, to whom we feel individually indebted for this labour of love to the church, has well and justly affirmed,as an author he is almost universally renowned for the native vigour of his mind, connected with a heart richly embued with the influence of the Holy One; which is manifested in the general consistency of his views, as well as in the pleasing vein of spirituality which runs through all the efforts of his pen, and in the holy practical tendency of all his works." The contents of the volume, which consists of detailed pieces on a great variety of spiritual subjects, appear to have been written during the last year of the author's life, and intended for posthumous publication; as they received from his own hand the title which they bear, and in a memorandum found among his papers he earnestly prays that they may be made useful to others, adding, "I leave them in the hand of Him who alone can bless them to this purpose." On the divine principle implanted in the soul at regeneration, we extract the following, as truly seasonable at a time when many are disputing its nature, and torturing holy writ to establish their own baneful peculiarities. "Grace affords a sentient principle, peculiar to itself, acting particularly upon divine things, through the medium of the natural spirit or understanding, as the natural spirit acts through the medium of the natural senses upon natural things. It sees, tastes, perceives, feels, understands, in a way so much above the conceptions of the natural man, however wise or learned, that (as our Saviour says in the 3d. of St. John) he cannot see or enter into them, or (according to St. Paul) he cannot know them. See also 1 St. John, i. Of these spiritual senses the apostle speaks, when he says of certain believers, that they have them exercised to discern between good and evil; i. e. good and evil principles as well as (what are more obvious) practices." The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." He hath not the faculty, by which alone they can be truly discerned, even by the mind of the Spirit of God. There are many other texts, which relate to this taste and discernment; among them are the following:-Psalm xxxiv. 8. Heb. vi. 4. 1 Peter ii. 3. Job xxxiii. 28. The expression, seeing God, stands for knowing and enjoying him. This cannot be in any carnal sense whatever." Again; on the nature of divine grace in the heart, and the experimental enjoyment of rich communications of grace, as exemplified in the case of the poor woman of whom Jesus said, "who touched me?" "Our Lord knew the touch of faith, which he had given to the poor diseased woman-a touch, essentially different from the touch of the thronging multitude about him. There was a vital communication of spiritual life between the Giver of that life, and the object which had received it; quite imperceptible to the world, or bystanders, like the joy of faith, with which the stranger intermeddleth not. This continuity of spirit (if it may be so named) exists between God, and all that are born of his Spirit; insomuch, that every aspiration, prayer, and touch (for so we must call it) of faith, being the actions of spiritual life, have an immediate intercourse and communion with the head or origin from which they are derived, and by which they are maintained. "The touch of Christ by faith even healed the bodies of men. The whole multitude, at another time, sought to touch him for this purpose; and, accordingly, so great was his mercy, "there went virtue out of him, and healed them all." Luke vi. 19. "This also was typified in the ceremonial law. Exod. xxix. 37, The altar of atonement signified Christ, who, by the emblem of seven days, a perfect number for all days, times, and purposes, was sanctified for the offering of sin and atonement for pity, that whatsoever touched it was reputed sacred or holy. Every gift laid upon it was also sanctified. Matt. xxiii. 19. Joab fled to the horns of the altar for safety, and, legally, he could not there be touched; but there was an exception, provided in Exod. xxi. 14. under which Joab fell. So Christ is not an altar for faithless, and therefore presumptuous sinners. Such have not his Spirit, and so no part or lot in the matter, but remain earthly, sensual, devilish. O what a gift is true faith! the apostle might well call it precious; for it leads to all that is really so in time or in eternity. The disciples prayed, "Lord, increase our faith!" I pray also, Lord, increase mine! I have a dying body, and have need of everliving help." Several of the pieces we are informed were written by the esteemed author after he became the subject of a paralytic affection; the last of which, composed only two days previous to the final attack of his disorder, is as follows: This I leave, It "I know not when, where, or by what disease I shall die. with entire submission, to the will and disposal of my heavenly Father, who hath engaged himself to do the best for me; who hath promised to make all my bed in my sickness, and who hath conquered death for me, through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is, however, no slight affair to be dissolved from the body, and for the spirit to fly into an unknown world. requires no ordinary degree of faith and patience to meet it well, and as becomes a christian. May I never presume upon my own strength, wisdom, or righteousness, but depart hence, as he hath enabled me to live, upon the mercy, help, and righteousness of my Lord and Saviour, who hath engaged himself to me by a thousand ties, not one of which, I trust, shall ever be broken. Lord, help me to believe, and help thou my natural unbelief! Stand by and support me, by thy Holy Spirit, in my dying hour. Let not Satan prevail over the weakness of my mortal frame, but strengthen me with especial might by thy Spirit, in the inner man, that, while the outward man verges to decay, I may meet what is terrible to nature with holy calmness, and with such composure of soul, as may glorify thee, and encourage my christian friends to rejoice in thy goodness towards me, and to be encouraged for themselves! O let me depart in peace, for my eyes have seen, and my soul hath tasted, thy precious salvation! Be with and uphold me, and then all shall be well, and I shall have nothing to do or say, but, blessed be God! who giveth me the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen! HalleluJAH for evermore! Amen! I write this with a trembling hand; but, blessed be God! with an undismayed heart, through the love of Christ vouchsafed to me. Blessing, glory, honour, power, to HIM that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever! Amen! Hallelu-JAH! Be it our happiness, and that of our readers, to close this mortal career as triumphantly: so that the language of the poet may be verified in our experience, while the stream of life is fast ebbing"The holy triumph of my soul Shall death itself outbrave; Leave dull mortality behind, And fly beyound the grave"" Original Hymns and Poems, on Spiritual Subjects. By W. G. Lewis, Minister of Sion Chapel, Clover Street, Chatham. Palmer. This neat little volume of Hymns and Poems will form an admirable companion for the christian, whose heart is attuned to spiritual melody, whether in the social circle, in his private walks, or in the closet. "They are submitted," says the author, "to the "judgment of those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, under "a full persuasion that such persons will pardon the simplicity and imperfection of the style, if they receive and realize the invaluable "truths recommended and enforced. It is humbly hoped the true "believer will find therein something suited to his spiritual exercises "and desires; and, by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, "be enabled to employ the language of the verses in expressing the "triumphs of his heart." 66 66 We Our desire fully accords with Mr. Lewis's, and, moreover, we consider the volume well calculated to effect the designed object. have room for one specimen only. THE That all, his love might see. With the first dawn of morning light, And all my work was praise; When night's dark shadow veil'd the sky, I to the throne of grace drew nigh, But, Oh! what bitter changes since, VOL. III.-No. 37. HARP. My harp on weeping willows hung And all obscure within. Behold, the glory of the saints, Around Jehovah's throne! Once like thyself they mourn'd below, Your harp with sweetest accents flow, 3 C A Memoir of Miss Frances Augusta Bell, who died in Kentish Town, on Monday, the 23rd of May, 1825, aged fifteen years and six months with specimens of her compositions, in prose and verse. By the Rev. Johnson Grant, M. A. Minister of Kentish Town. Hatchard and Son. FROM a careful perusal of this book, we rise with a belief that the subject of the Memoir was a subject of grace, and died in a wellfounded hope of interest in Christ. But, notwithstanding the attractive and interesting manner in which the narrative is composed, the judicious observations with which it is interspersed, and the vein of piety running through the whole, we find it our duty seriously to protest against the ruling principle of the narrator, and the application of the incidents he details. We give, from the introduction, an idea of the Rev. Author's design : "Here is no sudden conversion:-no religion merely of the feelings. Here is unfolded no tale of extreme wickedness, succeeded by extreme assurance: no unguarded misapplication of the sacred language, “I will take away the heart of stone; and give the heart of flesh." Here are no fervours; no transports; no ejaculations; no despairing terrors; no seraphic exultings; no snatches of mystic hymns; no presumptuous confidences; no illustrations of divine love by allusions at which delicacy revolts. Yet there is deep principle and sober piety, and much reflective religion. There is a conversion too: but how admirably it was conducted, under the vigilance of an extraordinary intellect, which would pray with the spirit, and pray with the understanding also, the narrative from the pen of the patient herself will testify." Here are allusions to a certain mode of thought and composition which our readers are aware we frequently condemn-it were needless therefore to particularize;-but the paragraph too plainly indicates the writer's object, to be mistaken by those who are led by the Spirit into an acquaintance with the things that are revealed of God. To what influence, then, can we attribute these repeated cautionary hints, but that of a determined enmity to the sovereign and irresistible operations of the Holy Ghost? We need not have travelled beyond the first page of the volume, to detect the author's unscriptural views of human nature: and in these both the cause and effect of the errors which follow are involved. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. The General Annual Meeting of the Protestant Society for the protection of Religious Liberty, will be held at the City of London Tavern, on Saturday, May 12th, at eleven o'clock in the morning-Earl Grey is expected to preside. We have received a long communication from the Secretaries of this Society, with the resolutions agreed to at a monthly meeting of the Committee, held March 26th, when it was resolved, that renewed exertions, on the part of Protestant Dissenters of all Denominations, be recommended by petitions to the Legislature for relief from the Test and Corporation Acts. The resolutions of the Committee will supply materials by which the friends of the measure may be assisted in furthering their object. [How far the above recommendation may stand connected with the question of "Catholic Emancipation," we leave our dissenting friends to determine for themselves. The advocates for the relief of Protestant Dissenters, say-the application has "no necessary connexion with that theme.”—ED.] |