paralleled woe! I have often thought of his language to his mother, when with a weeping heart he said, woman, behold thy son! and again, as if the Saviour addresed the sun, and said, sun, behold thy Maker! but we find the sun clothed in mourning, and forbare to witness the last agonies of the Redeemer. O the cruelty that was there inflicted. He that bare up earth's huge pillars, and was emperor of the kingdoms of heaven and earth, was now borne up by a log of wood amidst two malefactors, as if he were the worst of the three. But, all glory to his name, we must not detach the nature of his sufferings from their connection; their nature was horrible, but they stood connected with the safety, peace and salvation of his people. At length the ninth hour arrives, in which the Saviour cried, It is finished; and then he gave up the ghost. We now find the work completed, and the Saviour's body a lifeless corpse, having given the finishing stroke to the grand project of redemption. The earth might well quake, and rocks might well rend, and the vail of the temple part in twain, when the hero died as a victim in the hands of incensed justice. His conflicts now closed, and the grand work of salvation was accomplished in a meritorious way.

This brings me, lastly, to notice, the way in which this salvation is experimentally applied to the Lord's people. We see the purpose of the Father in regard to the plan-the sufferings of the Son in point of its accomplishment-and now we have to observe a few things relative to its application by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost the Comforter; whose office it is to take of the things of Christ, and make them known to the people of God. It is necessary that the necessities of the sinner should be laid open to his view before he is brought to enjoy the great blessings of salvation. The new-birth is

an important doctrine, for except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Regeneration is a fruit of electing love, and a true evidence of interest in redeeming blood; for neither the former nor the latter can ever be realized personally and experimentally, only by the sweet and powerful teachings of the Holy Ghost. Regeneration, or being born again, is the root of experimental religion, and conversion is a fruit of the same. In regeneration God influentially goes after the soul, but in conversion the soul actively moves after the Lord. I consider the horrors of mind I underwent after I was changed by the grace of God, to be the evidences of regeneration, but when I was brought from the flamings of Horeb, to the foot of Calvary by precious faith, this I date as the time of my evidential conversion. The scripture says, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven; plainly implying that unless the converting power of the Holy Spirit is enjoyed in this world, that no glory can be inherited in the next. The operations of the person of the Holy Ghost are as absolutely necessary for regeneration, as the obedience of the person of Christ is for redemption; and it is because ye were sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, abba, Father.

Indeed, except the workmanship of the Holy Ghost be maintained as absolutely necessary to change a sinner's heart, it is subverting God's order of things, and sinking religion into that which is only nominal. When we look at the Lord's people while in their natural condition, we find them dead in trespasses and sins, and in regeneration the soul is as passive as the body will be at the resurrection-day. The Lord works irresistibly upon his people, and a man might as soon accomplish the creation of a world as he could change his own heart, The callings of God are substantial ones, which come in authority to the heart. But a regenerate heart sees things in a very different light to what it formerly did; hence mount Sinai is discovered in terrific attire, and the dreadful threatenings of God's word causes the sinner's heart to tremble. Also he now sees something of his own corrupt heart, which is but a sink of sin and wretchedness, answering to the prophet's description of the same, when he says, the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; for, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, we are full of nothing but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. Indeed the Lord will be sure to convince such a soul that all his righteousnesses are but as filthy rags, till at length he will say, I abhor myself! or, behold I am vile! O wretched man that I am! Thus the Lord weighs the sinner in the balance of justice, and shews him that he is found wanting, and this is preparatory to having an application of this precious salvation. A soul thus changed by sovereign grace is the subject of much concern, and craves some powerful proof of interest in Christ; many wish for miraculous interpositions, and others to see Christ visibly, or to hear his voice plainly and powerfully declaring that their names are in the book of life Satan will lay every thing in their way he possibly can, but after all they are favoured at times to say, whereas I was born blind, yet now I see; and the apostle says, we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. But the little ones in God's fold are prone to think they see with only a natural light, and that they love the people of God with only a natural love, and thus all they share is bondage and slavery. Jesus Christ first empties a sinner before he fills him; thus he satisfieth the hungry soul with good things, but the rich he sendeth empty away. An empty sinner and a full Christ are well met in the royal exchange of sovereign mercy. At length a sensible sinner is brought to behold the Lamb of God as his portion; but previous to this he is led to see the sufficiency of the Saviour, and to gaze unshakenly upon his ability to save, and knows that he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him; and his language is, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean. The ability and sufficiency of the Saviour he cannot doubt, but his willingness is what causes him to stagger, seeing he is fearful that his will stands against one so vile. But at length after many cries and tears, the Saviour is pleased to say, I will, be thou clean; then the soul is happy. It is the day of salvation when the Lord the Spirit makes this known to the hearts of his people, I have loved thee with

an everlasting love; and then the soul by a precious and living faith is enabled to say, my Lord and my God! and in the finished work of Christ he alone makes his boast. Thus a soul that is interested in electing love, and benefited by redeeming blood, is sure in the day of God's power to be changed, or born again, by the mighty agency of the Holy Ghost; and through all the fears and groanings that result from a law work upon the conscience, shall at last be brought to realize a certain and absolute salvation. Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; and the glorious plan, execution, and application of the same, involve that threefold cord which cannot be broken, and this secures the Lord's people for ever and ever.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

OBITUARY OF MRS. CHAMBERS, OF STEVENAGE, HERTS. Mr. Editor,

It is written,“ precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints ;" and we are exhorted to "mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for their end is peace.”

I have therefore sent you a brief account of the departure of a long afflicted child of God, Mrs. Chambers, of Stevenage, Herts, who through much tribulation entered her rest, on the 23d. of April, 1825, in the thirty-sixth year of her age.

This poor afflicted servant of Christ, for twelve years was the subject of much pain, which no medical aid could remove; and after lingering on the bed of languishing, which she bore with christian patience, yielded her spirit into the hand of her God and Saviour, in joyful hope of a blessed resurrection to eternal life.

Having been acquainted with our departed sister some years, and an eye witness of the sufferings of her body, and an ear witness of the goodness of God towards her, I cannot withhold from the household of faith, a brief account of this tried, and yet rejoicing daughter of the Lord God of Israel. I have likewise extracted from her letters a few things, which may the great Head of the church be pleased to bless to his afflicted followers for their encouragement, is the earnest prayer of

Your's in Christ.

AMICUS.

The furnace of affliction was the school in which she was, by God's power and grace, brought to a knowledge of herself as a lost sinner, and the want of a Saviour: and for many years she suffered much, both in body and mind, till it pleased God to reveal Christ in her the hope of glory. During the many interviews I had with her, I found her hope sweetly fixed on Christ her Saviour, and sometimes rejoicing with such meekness of spirit and love, that her countenance in the midst of her extreme pain, like Hannah of old, was no more sad, but reflected the happy peace which reigned in her soul.

I

shall never forget my last visit, about ten days before her decease, when she put forth her feeble hand, though withered and dried up; yet the sweet brokenness of her soul, and the happy assurance of interest in Christ, and the inward testimony and witness of God the Holy Ghost, was her support. "Oh! sir," she said, "what should I do, in this extremity of pain, if I had not a hope in God? not find much abounding of joy, but I feel a settled peace, and have a firm hope in God my Saviour. Here my heart is fixed, and I long to depart and to be with the Lord." In this sweet, comfortable hope, she remained till the Lord took her to himself.

1 do

The day she died, (for her senses remained unimpaired to the end) her sister said to her, "you cannot last much longer!" she replied, "how long do you think?" and was told, "perhaps an hour or two!" she smiled and said, "then in a few hours I shall be with the dear Redeemer!" then she dozed a little, and shortly after departed in peace.

The following are extracts from some of her letters.

"The pains of the mind are worse to bear than the pains of the body; though both are bad enough, when the Lord lays his afflicting hand upon us; and still worse, when we cannot feel that it is the hand of a loving Father, who sends not one stripe more than what is for our good: but when our minds are stayed on the Lord, our sufferings seem not half so heavy."

"I am sure I have reason to say so, by what I felt a few days since. I was very ill all night; I think I never suffered more, for the time, in my life; I could not help, ashamed I am to say it, feeling as if I was angry with the Lord, that he did not take me out of my misery, and let my sufferings have an end."

"I tried to bring to mind how much my Saviour suffered, but I could not; I could think of his sufferings with the greatest indifference; I could not have one glimpse of the weight that laid upon him, both in soul and body; but the thoughts of it now draws tears from my eyes. O how hard was my heart then; but the dear Lord was pleased to bless and comfort me, before the next day was closed, with a sweet sense of his love and mercy, which made up for all my pains both of body and mind. 1 felt assured that the Lord had put all my sins behind his back, and would remember them no more, and that I should one day see his face: what a happy frame to be in: how I longed for the time to come when I should shut my eyes on sin and sorrow. What a change must that be, to leave this world of sin and misery and dwell with Jesus for ever, without any hiding of his face, and dark, uncomfortable times, that now so often damp our joys."

In another letter she thus writes:

"How much I should have liked to hear Mr.

preach, but it seems as if I never was to hear any one preach again; indeed, when I think of the privileges of others, it almost makes me think Q

VOL. II.-No. 17.

my case

hard; I cannot help sometimes shedding tears when I think what a dreary life I live, week after week, month after month, and I may say year after year; but still I know tribulation is the path,-and why do I wish to be found out of the path? Oh! when will that time come, when I shall lay down this suffering body of sin and death, this lump of guilt and corruption, (for I can call it nothing else) and be where all sorrow and trouble shall be done away? How I long for the time to come!"

In another letter she thus writes:

"What a blessing I am enjoying in being able once more to write to you; it is indeed what I never expected to be able to do,— but I am sorry to say I do not feel grateful as I ought for it."

"I did think before this to have been far away from all sin and sorrow, but the Lord's will be done, for he cannot do wrong. 0 may he give me patience to bear all I have to go through without a murmur. I know I feel rebellious sometimes, when I think how I am afflicted and debarred from comforts which others enjoy." (Our departed sister meant the hearing God's word preached.)

"I can just see the tops of the trees as I sit up in bed, and it often gives me pain, they look so beautiful and green, and it makes me long to look into the fields and gardens. I think I cannot lay here a great while longer; I shall either get better, or the Lord will take me to the garden of paradise; and then Oh! how trifling will all these things appear."

"When any one tells me they think I may get better, it only disturbs my mind, and makes me waver, and I begin to form plans; yet I have no bright prospects to look forward to, if I get better, but sometimes the darkest turn out the best. If I die, I trust it will be to be with Christ, and Oh! what a prospect is that! for ever to have done with pain and sorrow. Those that are not afflicted as I am, I think cannot enjoy the thought of the change as I do.

"But, O blessed Lord, let him do with me as he thinks proper. am willing, indeed I am willing, to be resigned to his will, and to be what he would have me to be !"

I

A Refutation of the Sentiments of the Rev. ISAIAH BIRT, "on the System of Theology, taught by the Rev. DR. HAWKER," &c.

(In a Series of Letters to a Brother in the Faith.)

My Dear Brother,

No. VI.

THE superscription to Mr. Birt's sixth section is, "Doctor Hawker defective on the kingly office of our Lord Jesus Christ;" in which he observes, "I have no hesitation in saying that he fails greatly in holding him up to his people's view in his work, offices, characters, and relations, as head over all things to the church, and as the king