stand in doubt whether it profits us or not; by it we dishonour God, either in making him as though he were not true, or else as though our salvation came not only and altogether from him, but hanged partly on ourselves; by it the devil will bring men at length to despair and hatred of God. Doubt once of thy salvation, and continue to do so, and surely he will ask no more. It was the first thing wherewith he tempted Christ: "If thou be Son of God," &c. (Matt. iv.) It is the first and principal dart that he casts at God's elect; but as he prevailed not against Christ, no more shall he prevail against any of his members; for they have the shield of faith, which quenches his fiery darts. (Eph. vi.) They praise God night and day. (Luke, xviii.) How then should they perish? The angels of the Lord pitch their tents round about them, (Psa, xxxiv.) How then should Satan prevail. They are borne in the hands of the angels, lest they should hurt their feet at any stone; God has given commandment to his angels over them, (Psa. xci.) The angels are ministers unto them, (Heb. i. ;) their names are written in the Book of Life, and therefore Christ bade them rejoice, (Luke, x.) as Paul does to the Philippians, in the fourth chapter; for nothing shall separate them from the love wherewith God loveth them in Christ Jesus, (Rom. viii.) who saith, that it is impossible for them to err finally to damnation, (Matt. xxiv.) for he is their light to illumine their darkness. (Psa. xviii.) They are given to him to keep, and he is faithful over all God's children. He saith he will keep them so that they shall never perish. (John vi. 10.) After they believe, they are entered already into everlasting life, (Heb. iii.) Christ has set them there already, (John v. 6.) he has committed them into his Father's hand by prayer, which we know is sure, (John xvii. Heb. v.) and therefore neither death, hell, devils, nor all power, sins nor mischief, shall ever pull us out of our Head's hands, (Rom. viii. John x.) whose members we are; and therefore receiving of his Spirit, as we do, we cannot but bring forth the fruits thereof, though now and then the flesh fail us. But the Lord, even our Lord, be praised, who is stronger in us than he which is in the world. (1 John iv.) He always putteth under his hand, that we lie not still as the reprobates, whose piety is as the morning dew, (Hosea vi.) soon come, and soon gone, and therefore they cannot continue to the end. Cannot! no, they will not if they could, because they hate God and his glory, and therefore hate all them that seek it, and set it forth; whereas the elect love all men, and seek to do all men good in God, suspending their judgments of others, that they may stand or fall to the Lord, and not to them. (Rom. xiv.) If the matter of election and predestination be so fully set forth to God's glory, and to the comfort of his church, out of this one place of Paul to the Ephesians, how may we suppose this matter is set forth in the whole body and books of the canonical Scripture, whereto I had rather send thee, good reader, with this candle-light which I have now given thee than in a matter so manifest make more ado than needeth. God's foresight is not the cause of sin or excusable necessity to him that sinneth; the damned therefore have not nor shall have any excuse, because God forseeing their condemnation, or through their own sin, did not draw them, as he doth his elect, unto Christ. But as the elect have cause to thank God for ever for his great mercies in Christ, so the

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others have cause to lament their own wilfulness, sin, and contemning of Christ, which is the cause of their reprobation, and wherein we should look upon reprobation—as the goodness of God in Christ is the cause of our election and salvation, wherein we should look upon God's election. He that will look upon God or any thing in God, simply and barely as it is in God, the same shall be stark blind. Who can see God's goodness, as it is in God? Who can see his justice, as it is in him? If therefore thou wilt look upon his goodness, not only look upon his works, but also upon his word; even so if thou wilt look upon his justice, do the like. Then shalt thou see that election is not to be looked on but in Christ, nor reprobation but in sin. When the second cause is sufficient, should not we think that they are too curious that will run to search the first cause, further than God gives them leave by his word? Which first cause, because they cannot comprehend, therefore they deny it. God be merciful to us for his name's sake, and give us to love and to live his truth, to seek peace and pursue it; because God of his own goodness, for the comfort of his children and certainty of their salvation, opens unto them in some degree the first cause of their salvation, that is, his goodness before the beginning of the world to be looked upon in Christ; a man may not therefore be so bold as to wade so in condemnation further than God revealeth it. And forasmuch as he has not revealed condemnation except in sin, therefore let us not look on it otherwise. Seek to be delivered from sin, and fear not reprobation; but if thou wilt not, thou shalt find no excuse in the last day. Say not that thou art not warned.

66 ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WITH THE LORD.”

AMONG the many blessed truths which are calculated to afford strong consolation to the dying believer, when the soul quits this transitory state, is that of being for ever with the Lord. We have this assurance, in his own words, to his disciples, when about to leave them, "Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions ;" and, as if to remove every doubt from their minds, he adds, "if it were not so I would have told you :" "I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be also.' The doctrine of the resurrection is so blended with Christian faith, that to be a believer in Christ, must consequently connect with it the hope and assurance of the fulfilment of that gracious declaration and promise. "I am the resurrection and the life, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die ;" and again, "Because I live, ye shall live also." There are some professing Christians who believe in what they call an intermediate, or separate state, that when the soul is released from the body, it retains a happy consciousness of rest from sin and suffering, but that it does not enjoy that full manifestation of glory in the presence of God which will be revealed when He comes to judge the quick and dead. That there is a separate state for the body, which slumbers in the grave till the resurrection morn, when the last trump shall sound to reanimate every particle of dust and re-unite it to its kindred

spirit, is both sound and scriptural, for the Apostle Paul gives a sublime description of this solemn day in the 15th chap. of the 2d Cor. But beyond what is revealed on this subject in the word of God, we dare not presume to speculate. Much has been said in favour of the soul resting in Hades, or the separate state, probably from the account given in the 1st book of Samuel, xxviii. of Saul's visit to the witch of Endor. It would, indeed, lead us to take a very cold and discomfortless view of death, if the wicked were permitted to disquiet the Lord's people after their dismissal from the body; and it cannot be doubted, as some commentators have stated, that the apparent disquietude of Samuel was for some purpose permitted to take place through Satanic agency; and that it was not a real, but visionary appearance. Satan's power, under the Old Testament dispensation more particularly, was often exercised in a very remarkable manner, and it is impossible to say, even at the present time, to what extent the Lord might, and does permit his agency. He is styled the prince of this world, ruling in the hearts of the children of disobedience, and he is ever ready to invent and to practise every species of craft, subtlety, and wickedness. To suit his own purpose, he can quote Scripture, and although he is the father of lies, he is sometimes permitted to tell out the truth; assuming the form of Samuel, he tells Saul that the spirit of God had departed from him for disobeying his command in not slaying the Amalekites; and he adds, that on the morrow Saul with his two sons would be with him. Now, this is a strong argument to prove that it could not really be Samuel speaking, for the spirits of the righteous and the wicked do not mingle together. So far from this, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus shews that while one was carried by angels into heaven, the other was lifting up his eyes in hell, and a great gulf separated them from each other. But while Satan would hold both body and soul in his trammels, and, if possible, plunge us into the bottomless pit, blessed be God, his power is limited, and he cannot, without his permission, touch a hair of the head of any of the Lord's people; he may and does annoy, but he cannot destroy. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints; yea, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest not only from the trammel of sin, but they have escaped the storm and tempests of this world's sorrows, and are ever before the throne of God. When the Apostle Paul was contemplating his departure hence, he was in a strait; to abide in the flesh was needful for the Church; but, nevertheless, said he, "to depart, and to be with Christ is far better." The space of separation from his Lord (in one sense) was, while he was sojourning here, but he spake of no intermediate separation, after he had quitted the body, for while for him to live was Christ, to die was gain.

Heaven is a place of perfect purity, peace, and happiness; nothing can enter in that defileth; the inhabitants shall no more say they are sick; and every tear will be wiped away. While the happiness of the blessed is complete, it is likewise unceasing, for there is joy in heaven among the angels of God over every redeemed and repenting sinner; and when the last elect soul is brought into the church militant upon earth, the great archangel shall stand with his right foot No. III. VOL. 1.--New Series.

K

upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and lifting up his hand to heaven, shall swear that time shall be no longer: and the countless multitude of the heavenly choir shall unite in harping that song of praise, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." The believer in Jesus may take a very enlarged and consoling view of death, inasmuch as it is the portal through which he is admitted to the heavenly Canaan; while the sins of the clay-formed tabernacle are loosened and gently taken down, he may confidently repose on the bosom of his Saviour while he hears that still small voice, which only whispers love, "It is I, be not afraid." "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. O, death! where is the sting? O, grave! where is thy victory ?" O, the blessedness of those, who, when the Master calls, can cheerfully respond, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." Thou hast been my hope and support in life, and thou will not forsake me in the dwellings of Jordan. When heart and flesh fail, and my soul is about to be unclothed from the body, thou wilt receive my departing spirit into thy everlasting arms, for thou hast redeemed my soul from the power of the grave, and though for a little season my sleeping dust moulders in the tomb, by thine almighty power thou shall quicken it again, and bring it up again from the depths of the earth, and this vile body shall be fashioned like unto thine own glorious body.

The soul, when released from the body, is not pent up in the narrow prison-house of the grave, or separate state, as it is called, to slumber on in happy consciousness, and inactivity; but it wings its flight to the mansions above, to dwell with saints and angels, and the spirits of the just made perfect; and it ranges the vast unlimited space of the heavenly world, seeing God day and night. There the great Head of the Church is, and there are all his members. they join the Church triumphant they behold his glorious majesty; and to the Triune Jehovah they ascribe, with the redeemed out of every kindred, tongue, and people, glory, and honour, and praise, for evermore.

Jan. 9th, 1840.

When

H. R.

CHURCH-RATES AND DISSENTERS.

A NEW species of martyrdom has been invented, in these modern days, by the fertile genius of political dissent. It is not found in a peaceable submission to ecclesiastical requirements, as was the precept and example of our blessed Redeemer on the occasion of an unjustifiable temple-rate being demanded of him; nor in bowing the willing and cheerful spirit to the tortures of fire and sword, as was the experience of that "noble army" whose van was led by the sainted Stephen, and whose rear was brought up by our own Ridley and Latimer; neither does it consist in the resistance to cruel bonds and imprisonment of that intolerant spirit which would constrain men to conform to a church from which they may conscientiously

differ, as was the case with Baxter and Bunyan, and the other foes of the bigot rule of Charles II. The new martyrdom consists in a refusal to pay 5s. 6d. when demanded by the laws of the land, in going to prison in consequence of such refusal, and in sending round of a begging subscription, in order to allow the "martyr" a good per centage on his speculation. But on what ground is the law resisted? Oh, on the ground of conscience, of course! It is so very wrong to pay 5s. 6d. to the Protestant Church of England, that it is worth while to shake the foundations of society by a direct resistance to the law rather than the payment should be made. The money is only 5s. 6d. to be sure, but were it only one halfpenny, the principle would be the same; the law ought to be violated for the sake of that individual halfpenny, for why?-it is a compulsory payment to a Church which is altogether an object of dislike. We believe that the line of argument expressed in our last sentence is exactly the one used by the political Dissenters in the refusal to pay their church-rate debts. Now, every person in this country pays in the public taxes a proportion of the expense of maintaining Popish priests in Canada and Australia, and a whole seminary of them in Ireland. Yet we do not hear of any refusal on the part of the tender consciences of the dissenting community to pay their share of this particular impost; we are not apprised that they make the slightest exertions, even of a legal and honest nature, to remove from the nation the stigma of paying for the support of Roman superstition. How then is conscience disposed of? Are we to understand that the reformed religion is more odious to the political Dissenters than the corrupt church of Rome? We apprehend the truth to be that it is more hated because more feared, more envied. We have much reason to believe that it is because the Church of England is more prospered with divine and human favour than any other religious institution of the land, and especially than any of the thousandand-one Dissenting sects, from the faction of Socinius down to that of Robert Owen; it is, moreover, because her ministers occupy a higher grade in society, and meet with more general deference and respect than those of the various other "denominations" (to use the cant term);-it is for reasons such as these that the "dominant church" excites the vehement resistance of those who are as gentle as lambs in their opposition to Popery.

It was well remarked by Mr. Baron Gurney, on occasion of a recent church-rate trial, that he had heard a great deal about "conscientious" objections to paying dues of this and other kinds; but that he had, in the first place, a great suspicion of that kind of conscience which was displayed by saving the pocket; and in the next place, he generally found that these legal demands were resisted rather by a spirit of faction than a sense of religious duty. Mr. Baron Gurney is a Liberal, and the only Dissenter moreover upon the bench; but he is a man of sound law and strong sense, and therefore he sees through and condemns the shallow pretences which are resorted to by the church-rate agitators. This tax, the most ancient and the best entitled of any public tribute that is levied, has for its object the repairing and maintaining of the fabrics of the parish churches; edifices that are open to the use of all, and which the state has