but the Lord will be with us and stand at our right hand to deliver us. Finally, my brethren, in the words of the Apostle, seeing that we look for such things, what manner of person ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Let it be the prayer of our hearts that we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, that our lives, our tempers, dispositions, and habits may be such as becometh the Gospel and Revelations our Lord hath made known unto us; and that we may be constantly looking forward in the sweet language of our Apostolic Church, to those unspeakable joys which God hath prepared for all them that unfeignedly love him. Let us see that our faith never stands in the wisdom of men; one whisper from Christ our Head will do us more good than all the changing systems of men or advice can ever do; and may the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that we have suffered awhile, establish, strengthen, and settle you, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen. Leicester, Sept. 27, 1839. H. R.

CORRESPONDENCE.

TWO LETTERS ON THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER FOR THE SALVATION OF RELATIVES.

LETTER THE SECOND.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-In one of your former letters, you requested my opinion on a subject of paramount importance; viz. "The efficacy of prayer for the salvation of relatives." I gave you my views, which I believe accorded with your own, and which, I trust, were strictly in accordance with the word of God; but as it is impossible in the short limits of a letter, where other subjects must be referred to, to enter fully upon one so interesting and so momentous, I wish to confine myself in this, more especially to that part of your letter, With reference to prayer, which is and ought to be the Christian's element, we are told that it has power with God and prevails; and I think a Christian poet goes so far as to say, "Prayer moves the hand that moves the world." Various instances are recorded in Holy Writ of the efficacy of prayer, and in the case of Hezekiah even to the extension of his natural life. (Isaiah, xxxviii.) Here is a contingency apparently, for the prophet had declared to him that he should die and not live, but with God there is neither past, present, nor future, all is foreknown by Him. The same with regard to Nineveh, which is recorded in the book of Jonah. The Lord foreknew the effect the prophet's message would have upon the Ninevites; their repentance and fasting was in his mind before the prophet received his commission to warn them of the destruction of the city. I only mention these instances to prove how very closely the means and the end are connected, and we may say that throughout the volume of inspiration, this is strikingly manifest, and it affords abundant encouragement to make our requests known unto God by prayer and supplication. We know that salvation, either temporal or spiritual, is of God; and we also know that the spirit of prayer would not be granted to his people but for a specific purpose. The Lord has some end to answer by it, and if his

children ask bread, He will not mock their petitions by giving them a stone. on the contrary, it is graciously declared He will fulfil the desires of those who call upon him in truth; read also Luke xi. xiii. I have stated above, that the spirit of prayer is often vouchsafed for a specific purpose; the Lord has some end to answer in it. Surely, when He says, " Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened;" the very means which He directs us to use is a warrant to expect its accomplishment. O, my dear friend, that we were favoured with more faith in our prayers, both for ourselves and others; we have not, because we ask not in faith. I stated to you, very candidly, my views on the doctrine of election; but I feel assured that you will not consider what I advanced on that subject as contradicting or setting aside the foregoing remarks. I am sure that no child of God will ever abuse the doctrine of particular salvation. For instance, although a firm believer in the doctrine of an overruling providence, man will have a greater dread of leaning to his own understanding, and wandering into a wrong path; so likewise, though he has no fear of being disinherited by his Heavenly Father, no one would have a greater fear of acting contrary to his will, he would avoid sin as his most deadly foe, and would pray for that tenderness of conscience, which would render him so circumspect in his walk and conversation as never to bring a reproach upon the cause which he professes to espouse. I feel it right to state my views on this point, as well as the other, for I am aware that what I wrote to you in my former letter is strong, and may be considered high doctrine, though I am assured it is nevertheless perfectly scriptural; and the Lord has impressed these views on my mind more particularly at this time, as a warning against the numerous errors which abound at the present day. Some are absolutely making man his own saviour, and the saviour of others, rather than giving all the glory to God-and if the children in a family are not seriously disposed they say it is the wrong training. Now, we may go to the extreme either way, by resting too much in the means, or using no means at all. The Lord, we know, is of one mind, none can turn him. Job, xxiii. He giveth not account of any of his ways to us. But while he acts as a sovereign, dispensing or withholding spiritual life, there is an awful responsibility attaches to those to whom he has made known the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus. They are to be fellow workers with God, He condescends to own them as such, but while the husbandmen are to labour in the vineyard, let the lord of the vineyard have all the glory. If we read the Scriptures attentively, how very strictly do the doctrines of the Gospel harmonize. There is no perplexity, no contradiction, no folding of the hands, nothing that will be found to paralyze our efforts, either with regard to our own salvation or that of others. "Work out your own salvation,” saith the Scripture," with fear and trembling (no vain confidence), for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure;" and, again, to him thou saidest, "Seek ye my face" my heart said unto thee, thy face, Lord, will I seek." Psalm xxvii. I made some allusion to the errors which are propagated in the present day; many hold the doctrine of perfection, as well as man's free will; both of these we must contend against; the former no fallen child of Adam will ever attain; none but the blessed and glorious Christ could say, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" and as to the latter doctrine we may solve it all in these words: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." There is no willingness on the part of a sinner, but as the mind is acted upon by the Holy Spirit. It is a delightful truth that not one soul for whom Christ died can be lost. "My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

O that it may please God shortly to accomplish the number of his elect; we know that till that blessed period arrives, he will continue to add to his Church such as shall be saved, and I would pray with you, that not a hoof of your family or mine may be left behind; we know that each of our

deceased parents uttered this prayer, which we trust in the Lord's own time may be answered-delays are not denials. I now bring the subject home to the case you named to ine, which has elicited these remarks, and I would say, my dear friend, go on praying, for praying breath never will be spent in vain. If an individual is laid upon your mind, it is a call upon you especially to pray on their behalf. If you feel your heart drawn out towards them with peculiar affection, it is for this very purpose that your should pray for them. In the mind of a pious friend or relative I cannot connect any other feeling, but that strong affection will prompt to earnest prayer. Can real affection be better expressed? At the same time if your dear brothers and sisters, are chosen vessels, then salvation, blessed be God, rests upon something more tangible than your prayers; and here I establish my first position; that nothing short of an interest in the everlasting covenant of grace, ordered in all things and sure, can constitute them citizens of the heavenly kingdom-and this is neither in your power or mine to give, but it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared. In numberless instances we do see godly parents made instrumental in the conversion of their children, and brothers and sisters also blessed to each other; on the other hand, we often see reprobate parents have godly children, and one or two relatives taken into God's family, while the rest seem to be left. Now what are we to say to these things, but that God alone is the author and finisher of man's salvation. A-a.

March 5, 1840.

REV. SIRS,-A constant reader begs to thank you for the information already obtained from the perusal of the three numbers already published of the New Series of the "Gospel Magazine."

It appears to be just the work wanted; for allow me to observe, that it is my opinion that those who clamour the loudest against our Church know least about her. Many of their objections, when they venture to embody them, evidence that they themselves have no spiritual knowledge of spiritual things, and others are too ridiculous to be worthy of answer. Allow me to you, whether you think that more harm is accruing to "the Church" by false doctrine preached by many clergymen, or by the enemy without— Popery, Infidelity, Socianianism, &c. &c. ?*

ask

I remain your's truly,

J. H. F.

POETRY.

No. 4.

A PARAPHRASE ON THE FIRST PSALM,

SHEWING THAT THEY ARE BLESSED WHO GIVE THEMSELVES, ALL THEIR
LIFE, TO THE STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES, AND THAT THE WICKED CON-
TEMNERS OF GOD, THOUGH THEY SEEM HAPPY, WILL BE FOR EVER LOST
HEREAFTER.

How happy the man, whom the Lord
Directs by his Spirit and Word,
To despise, with a holy disdain,
The iniquitous counsels of men!

His eyes never stray to the path,

Where sinners are sporting with death;
But fix'd on his Saviour and God,

He shunneth the sinner's abode.

* They are both equally enemies to God and injurious to his Church. -- ED. No. IV. VOL. I.-New Series,

N

The word of Jehovah, by night,
Diffusing its heavenly light,
Like sun-beams delightfully play,
Is study'd by night and by day.
As tall as a cedar he stands,
Infix'd in the richest of lands,
Where rivulets water its roots,
And cause a rich harvest of fruits.

His leaf shall not wither; and why?
Each branch is receiving supply
From Jesus, the stock of the tree,
Replete with all blessings for me.
Hence, all things shall work for my good,
The storm, and the tempest, and flood,
Prosperity's riches shall shine,

For Jesus, with all things, are mine.

The wicked have no such delight,
While against our Redeemer they fight,
And, hence, they are hurry'd along,
As a cursed, iniquitous throng,
And, as chaff, unresisting, they fly,
Since the winds of delusion are high,
And are hurl'd into hellish domains,
To be bound with the devil in chains.

How vain their attempting to stand,
When God shall pronounce the command,
Depart ye accursed"-when lo!

They sink into horrible woe!

But the righteous are raised to the sky,
To reign with the Saviour on high;
While the wicked are burning beneath,
In the flames of perdition and death.

CHRIST THE LIGHT OF LIFE.

St. John, ch. i. ver. 4.

I.

LIGHT of Life! 'tis thy beams lighten
. Nature's darkness, souls in gloom,
At whose bidding all can brighten,
Night to day is turned soon.
Safely onward thy saints travel,

Lighted by the glorious ray;

Though the world, flesh, sin, and devil,
Num'rous foes obstruct their way.

II.

When faith's eye on thee is fixed,

They no ills need fear or dread,

Nor afflictions, in cup mixed,

Or the vale of death to tread;

From thee all their strength deriving,
Grace to help in every need,
Promises their souls reviving,

Gives fresh courage, life, and speed,

III.

In thy light (never exhausted,)
Life and fulness doth remain,
To supply their all as needed,

To the end thine own sustain.
Thy blest influence retaining,

Fruits will to thy praise abound,

(While on earth) for heaven training, Where immortal joy is found.

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