many affectionate admonitions to the child, I he would pray with him and make him the witness of the agonies and strong cries, with which, on his behalf, he addressed the throne of grace. Go, ye fathers and mothers, and do likewise; and the Lord fulfil all your petitions. A child, eight years of age, once asked his father why he did not pray for him, as some good parents he had read of, prayed for their children. The father, looking stedfastly at his dear boy, paused-then sighed-then wept and pressing the child to his bosom, said, "No wonder I have not prayed for you, my dear, I have never prayed for myself." "Then I will pray for you, papa," said the child. This was the means of the conversion

both of the father and mother. Dear children, ask your parents to pray for you, and with you; and if they will not, then, each of you, go by yourself, and pray for them.

Ye godly parents and relations, who have been favoured with such a blessing from your heavenly Father; a child you so loved, blessed with such pleasing evidences of the gracious state of her soul, is now realizing more than has ever entered into your heart to conceive. Rejoice, and wipe every tear from your eyes. Her light afflictions, which were but for a moment, are now exchanged for an eternal weight of glory. God has done great things for her, whereof you have cause to be glad. Child's Memorial, by the late Rev. J. Griffin.

THE BUILDING OF ZION-THE WORK OF THE EVERBLESSED AND GLORIOUS TRINITY.

"Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field, and afterwards build thine house." -Proverbs xxiv. 27.

Fourthly-The field represents the world, from the creation down to the end of time, in which Jesus has his peculiar treasures. And the work to be fitted therein, leads us to contemplate. Jesus himself, from his birth to his death, and every individual member of his mystical body.

IT is evident that this portion of Holy | Jesus and his holy Father, in the counWrit relates to the wonderful transac-sel of peace, which was between them tion of the Holy Trinity-Father, Son, both. Zech. v. 13. and Holy Ghost, in the counsels of eternity, to bring about the mystical union of Jesus and his Bride, which was to be made manifest in due time, for "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; and when the Lord, after his resurrection, showed himself to his two disciples, as they were travelling from Jerusalem to Emmaus, it is said, Fifthly-This house to be built, de"He, beginning at Moses and all the Pro- notes the whole election of grace, which phets, expounded to them in all the Scrip- house or holy habitation, Jesus, by His tures, the things concerning himself." Holy Spirit, makes His own temple in a And doubtless the temple which Solo-time state, preparatory to presenting it mon built, was typical of Christ and his to himself, a glorious Church in the Church, for in the building of that sacred brighter and better world, without spot edifice, "The work was made ready or wrinkle. before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was building," (1 Kings vi. 7), and when it was finished at the dedication, "The glory of the Lord, filled the house of the Lord," (1 Kings viii. 11). In offering a few remarks on this portion of Holy Writ, the first idea that strikes the mind is, Who is the speaker? which I humbly conceive can be no other than God the Father-for Jesus says, "I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.'

وو

Secondly-This command could be spoken to no other than to Jesus, His co-equal Son, who lay in His Father's sacred bosom, from all eternity.

Thirdly-The work to be prepared, and to be made fit, evidently sets forth

First-In saying a few words of the Sacred Person, who in this command is the speaker, it may not be altogether foreign from the subject, to premise, that in the great work of the redemption of the Church, each of the glorious Persons in the ever-blessed Trinity, are equally concerned. Hence it follows that Jehovah in the infinitude of his wisdom from everlasting, saw what would take place in time; the fall of man by "sin entering into the world," was all clearly foreseen by Him, who then designed the means as well as the end, of the salvation of the whole Church-for God the Father chose the Church in Christ, from before the foundation of the world, as the Apostle Jude, at the commencement of his epistle expresses, where he writes, "To them that are (not shall be) sanctified

him."

(or set apart) by God the Father, pre-vah saith of Jesus, "This is my beloved served in Christ Jesus, and called." And Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Jesus Himself says, (John xvii. 8, 9,) “I And what are the words of for them; Î pray pray not for the world, Jesus? Deliver him from going down but for them which thou hast given me, to the pit, I have found a ransom ;" and for they are thine, and all thine are mine, Whosoever cometh unto me, shall never and I am glorified in them." Therefore perish. I will give unto them eternal the words, "prepare thy work without," life." All which clearly sets forth Jesus lead the mind back to eternity, as the to be the Person spoken to, "To prelate Mr. Irons beautifully observes, pare the work without." Who was as a "In that striking and wonderful lan- Lamb slain from before the foundation of guage, employed by the Prophet, Isaiah the world. vi. 8, wherein Jehovah the Father, is saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Whatever may be its inferior meaning, with regard to the Prophet, it is the Son of God, who in behalf of his Church replies, "Here am I send me !" (see Sermon 172, Grove Chapel Pulpit); Jesus himself also says, "I came not of myself, but my Father sent me, and I came to do the will of Him that sent me: In the eighth of Proverbs, Jesus by the spirit of Prophecy says, I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.' From whence I infer, that the whole scheme of Redemption and Grace. "The work to be done without," was ordered, arranged, and planned, in the councils of eternity, nor can anything be added to it, nor anything taken from it; which clearly sets forth Jehovah the Father, to be the Almighty Speaker, in this beautifully mysterious prophecy. For in the economy of salvation, (as Dr. Hawker says), "It is the Father's personal act to send, but never to be sent."

Thirdly-The work to be prepared, and to be made fit for Jesus himself, leads us to contemplate Jehovah in his covenant character. The apostle Paul in the first chapter to the Ephesians says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before Him in love." Thus we perceive that God the Father Himself chose the work that Jesus was to prepare, and make to fit for himself. And Jesus, in addressing His holy Father, saith, "Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify thee, as thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life, to as many as thou hast given Him." This then was the work that Jesus was to prepare, and to make fit for himself; namely, to give eternal life to as many as his Holy Father had given him; whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness, for he is declared to be the Spirit of truth, and the Testifier of Jesus, who is not to speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.

Secondly-The Person spoken to, can be no other than Jehovah the Son, because such is the work of Redemption, that none could undertake it, but He who is Jehovah's fellow-none but He who says, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning Fourthly-In contemplating the field, of His way, before His works of old. where this fitting is made manifest, leads I was by Him, as one brought up us to look at the parable of the Tares with Him; I was daily His delight, re- and the Wheat growing together, which joicing always before Him, rejoicing in evidently sets forth those whom the the habitable part of the earth, and my Lord fits for Himself, and those whom delights were with the sons of men. ." He in His infinite wisdom, is pleased to Jesus also says, "Since sacrifice and of leave, who through the Adam fall are fering, and burnt-offering for sin, thou shapened in iniquity, and born in sin. wouldst not accept, Lo I come to do Then, how did the Lord Jesus fit this thy will, O God, in the volume of the work for himself? First, in leaving the book, it is written of me." Such is the realms of bliss, and becoming incarnate, heinousness of sin, that if man were to taking upon Himself the likeness of singive his firstborn, for his transgressions, ful flesh, (though sinless himself,) bearing or the fruit of his body, for the sin of the wrath of God, the just desert of his his soul, it would be utterly contemned; church, who are emphatically called, nor would he please the Lord, with" The bride, the Lamb's wife," who by thousands of rams, or with ten thousand nature and practice had become aliens rivers of oil; but hear what Jeho, to God by wicked works; sustaining the

curse, agonizing in Gethsemane's guides them into all truth. Thus having garden, and dying the just for the the loins of their mind girt with truth, unjust, on Calvary's mount. Thus by they can do nothing against, but for the his active and passive obedience, his truth as it is in Jesus. As it is written, holy Father's righteous law was honour-"I will cause the whole house of Israel

ed, and every jot and tittle thereof obeyed. It was then He finished the work his righteous Father gave him to do, and when He ascended up on high, on entering the portals of glory, exclaimed, "Here am I, and the children thou gavest me, not one have I lost, save the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled." Secondly, then as all his children are called his bride, He fits them for himself, in a time state, by the Holy Spirit, showing them the awful consequences of the Adam-fall transgression, and that without holiness, no man can see the Lord; which causes great perturbation of mind-here they learn that nothing they did or ever could do, in and of themselves, would ever save them from eternal ruin; therefore, under a deep sense of their hopeless state and condition, they cry out, Lord save or I perish." Here they are led to see, and feel too, that

All the fitness they require,

Is to feel their need of Jesus,
And this He gives them,

"Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

to cleave to me as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man," (Jer. xiii. 11.)

The Holy Spirit also leads them to behold Jesus as their life, for saith Jesus, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life;" here they know by blessed experience, the truth of the Apostle's declaration, "The life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," which is an earnest of the rest that remaineth for the people of God, in whom they live, and move, and have their being. His everlasting arms being underneath them, they shall persevere unto the end, their life being hid with Christ in God, and fitted for Himself to enjoy his company, throughout the countless ages of eternity.

In this field which Jesus makes fit for himself the Holy Ghost has been pleased to mark down in his Holy Word, how beautifully Jesus and his bride, (or llis Church), are fitted for each other, a few will suffice. Jesus is called a Plant of Renown, (Ezek. xxxiv. 29). His Church planted together in the likeness of his And being by the Holy Spirit taught, death, (Romans vi. 5). He is the Tree they behold Jesus, as the only way by Trees of Life full of sap, (Psalm cvi. of Life, (Rev. xxii. 2). His Church the which a poor sinner can ever obtain mercy. In Him they see a suitableness 14). He is the True Vine, (John xv. 1). every way answering to their forlorn His Church the branches, (John xv. 5). state; his precious blood to cleanse He the Apple Tree, (Song ii. 3). His from all sin; his righteousness to justify der his branches eating his fruit, which Church represented as sitting down unthem in the sight of a holy God. His holiness to qualify them for the life of is sweet to her taste, (Song. ii. 3). He God that now is, and for that which is the Rose of Sharon and Lily of the valto come; and his Almighty power to ley. His Church described as beautiful preserve them through all the temptaas a lily among thorns, and in the vinetions and trials of this life, and land them yard, even at the gates, Jesus has laid up safe in the realms of unutterable joy and all manner of pleasant fruits, both new felicity, there to behold His face in righ- and old for his beloved. The Church teousness, and never, never sin; is also called a garden enclosed, which Jesus the Sun of Righteousness shines upon, with healing in his beams, and as his heavenly Father has planted them in Him, they shall never wither away, but shall bear fruit in this world, and in the world to come they shall reap life everlasting.

There from the ocean of His grace, Drink endless pleasures in. They are also led to see by the same Almighty Teacher, Jesus as the Truth: they see all that ever came before Him, into their hearts and consciences were thieves and robbers, physicians of no value; but in Jesus they behold the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth; therefore his truth becomes their shield and buckler. The Holy Spirit being the Spirit of truth

Fifthly" The house which is afterwards to be built;" now although the word afterward is here used, "afterward build thine house;" we cannot suppose for one moment, there are first, second, and third acts with the infinite Jehovah-the Holy Three in One; for

with the GREAT I AM everything to his, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also omniscient eye, is a one eternal now; indeed it is written, "A thousand years in His sight are as one day."

LINES ADDRESSED TO ONE CONTEMPLATING MARRIAGE WITH A WORLDLING.

2 Cor. vi. 14, &c., Matt. xxv. 31, &c.