Annie's heart being (by the power of the Holy Spirit) thus softened and prepared, she eagerly listened to the message of salvation that Mr. Marsden was that morning to deliver. It was, in substance, much as follows: his text being "The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” He said that day he purposed addressing himself to those who felt their sin to be a burden heavier than they could bear; they had been by the Spirit of God awakened to see their need of salvation; their daily cry was, "Lord, what must I do to be saved?" To such persons he felt he need say very little about the state of their hearts by nature, they knew too well by their own experience that in themselves dwelt no good thing, that they were corrupt and had become abominable, "that the whole head was sick, and the whole heart faint, from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there was no soundness in it." This they knew to be a true picture of their case. And how were they, such helpless creatures, ever to become fit objects to appear in the presence of a God who was of purer eyes than to behold iniquity? Now such persons (he continued) Satan often tempted them to endeavour to work out a righteousness of their own, wherein they vainly hope they may be accepted; sometimes by works of self-denial, sometimes by the repetition of prayers, sometimes by fastings, by almsgiving, by penance, or by mortifications of the body, etc. But such like things avail not. God requires perfect obedience, and man cannot render it. "The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God." Justification by works is the grand delusion of the Church of Rome, and her votaries will find it such at the last day. "We are accounted righteous before God only for the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings." Man cannot recover himself, he is utterly unable to atone for his sins. How then is salvation to be obtained? How are sinners to escape the hell they so richly deserve? In God alone is the remedy to be found. Because our blessed Saviour's work as the sinner's substitute is not comprehended, much misery is often occasioned to the anxious soul. God hath provided a Saviour for us. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Again it is written-" I have found a ransom. I have laid help upon One that is mighty. The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." And our blessed Redeemer was willing that this should be even so. "The Lord hath opened mine ear," (says he), "and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair." "Lo, I come to do thy will, O my God, it is written within my heart." For this purpose He became incarnate. "A body hast thou prepared for me." "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." In this form of sinless humanity, He fulfilled all that the law demanded. He obeyed every command of the ceremonial law: from the day of His circumcision to His last passover feast. He obeyed also every precept of the moral law so completely, that even His enemies could find no fault in Him. "He was obedient to the law for man," and "by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous." He is indeed "The Lord our Righteousness.' "But this is only a portion of His work. The sentence had gone forth: 'In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die;' 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die;' God's justice therefore demanded this penalty. And is there not One who was 'wounded for our transgressions, who was bruised for our iniquities; by whose stripes we are healed,' -One whose soul was made such an offering for sin, that He could say, 'I have finished the work that Thou gavest me to do'? "He also went through all the parts of His active and passive obedience cheerfully and faithfully. He died, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God;' 'He bare our sins in His own body on the tree,' and thereby made for us a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for sin. "Such is the salvation God has provided. But direct and personal application must be made to Christ for salvation. 'Look unto me, and be ye saved.' Look steadily to Him for pardon, for peace, for joy." Annie de Vere listened eagerly to the words that fell from Mr. Marsden's lips. A ray of heavenly light shone upon her soul. These words were to her as good news from a far country, or as cold waters to a thirsty soul. We know that the "Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Though we cannot see into the state of Annie's heart, or watch the Spirit's mysterious power; yet, from her conduct after hearing this sermon, and also from some entries in her note-book made about this time, we can imagine that her experience must have been much the same as that which the glorious dreamer relates of Christian, when he came within sight of the cross: 66 Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go was fenced on either side with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. Up this way, there fore, did burdened Christian run; but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back. He ran on thus till he came to a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a cross, and a little below, at the bottom, a sepulchre. "So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the cross, the burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, ‘He hath given me rest by His sorrow, and life by His death.' "Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him that the sight of that cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheek. "Now, as he stood looking and weeping, behold, three shining ones came to him, and saluted him with Peace be to thee.' So the first said to him, 'Thy sins be forgiven thee;' the second stripped him of his rags, and ́ clothed him with change of raiment;' the third also set a mark in his forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it, which he bade him look on as he ran, and that he should give it in at the Celestial Gate. "Then Christian went on singing "Thus far did I come laden with my sin, Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in, CHAPTER XI. "I lay my sins on Jesus, The spotless Lamb of God; He bears them all, and frees us, WE have often observed after a dark and stormy day, when the wind at length begins gently to rise, a faint gleam of sunshine appears through the mist, very faint and feeble, the light may prove in the first instance, still the clouds round this little focus of light gradually disperse; the circle widens; the clouds yield beneath its brilliancy, and chase each other further and further apart. Thus the sky brightens, the shadows flee away, and the canopy of heaven becomes radiant with celestial clearness. Whenever God says, "Let there be light," whether in the kingdom of nature or of grace, it is even so. Let the Sun of Righteousness arise, and the powers of darkness must vanish beneath its influence. Annie left Westcombe church and returned home; she took the Lone Path along the cliffs, as by this means she should escape further observation, and also because she felt that she could not now converse even with her most intimate friend. However, when she reached Langleigh, she found a note awaiting her from Emily, saying that her mamma was very unwell, and hoping Annie would excuse her returning till late in the evening. Annie was rather pleased, than otherwise, to spend the remainder of the day alone, as she had much that was |