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JESUS CHRIST THE CHURCH'S FULNESS.

The Christian traveller is not permitted to travel far in the pathway to heaven, before he finds that all things here below are vanity and emptiness. If he is looking to the world for happiness, he will soon discover that it cannot perform what it promises; that it is only a maze to entangle, and its most refined pleasures are only a shadow. If he builds his hopes and expectations upon friends, and their fair promises only a harvest of disappointment he reaps. Those cheering frames that he has often been indulged with, he finds transient and pass away like a dream. But God, the Holy Spirit, who has undertaken to be his guide, does not leave him long, without giving him some intimations where he may find a Friend, whose friendship is boundless and unchangeable; who never turns with the times, but whether in winter or summer, poverty or wealth, prosperity or adversity, famine or plenty, sickness, health, life or death, on earth or in heaven, He is Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day, and for ever-in all the treasures of his mercy, efficacy of his blood, bounties of his providence, faithfulness to his promises, and power of

his arm.

The Apostle Paul, seemed raised up for this special purpose to preach and set forth the fulness of Christ. He saw the ceremonial dispensation to be but a shadow of good things to come, the body or substance was Christ; and it seemed his alone object and aim to point all enquirers after that which could only give them heart content, to Jesus. Here his own soul found a fulness that satisfied himthe love of Jesus often warmed his soul and fired him with zeal to set the Saviour forth, as suited to every sinful case. The clear apprehensions he had of the God-like perfection of his Redeemer's blood, made him introduce the subject into almost all his epistles; he had found the liberty

bought with this blood; he enjoyed reconciliation through Jesus' death; he hoped soon to sing with the ransomed above, the long ago prepared song, "unto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood;" and he had most enlarged views of the law fulfilling, magnifying righteousness of his elder Brother; this beautiful blood-stained garment, he saw, with his keen eye of faith, a fulness of justifying merit and beauty in, that brought all the whole adopted family into a safe sweet state of righteousness, and non-condemnation. In this robe Enoch and Noah walked with God and millions more.

From this ever over-running river, flow all the streams of consolation that often revive and refresh the homeward bound traveller; many painful scenes often present themselves in his path, which he often fears, will quite prevent him reaching his long desired home; that rest, he says, I shall never reach, that I have so often waited for; prayed for; hoped for, and sometimes thought I had the title deeds of, in my bosom, but I lose my evidences so often; and the Comforter that should relieve my soul seems so far from me. But the Lord is faithful to all he has promised; he has said I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice: and when he retnrns, what blessings he brings, they are almost numberless, all flowing from his fulness. If the mind is bowed down with a very heavy burden, it dissolves at the presence of Jesus, like snow before the fire; if the heart is as hard as steel, a communiaction from this fulness will soften it, so that every impression of Jesus can be made. We have it recorded in the Evangelists, Matthew and Mark, that one possessed with the Devil, was effectually healed by Christ the great Physician. He did not cry to be cured: but Jesus cured him; pardoned and saved him: drove satan out of him, all out of his free and royal beneficence. This poor possessed man might well say, out of

his (Jesus') fulness, I have received grace for grace. Not long since I had a legion of devils within. I run wherever he drew or drove me. I was a most furious maniac-no one could bind me-nor could I dwell with any one; and when I saw Jesus I did not cry to him for mercy and salvation; I did not pray for pardon; I did not beseech him to eject Satan out of my bosom ; I knew that he was God over all but I knew him not as my covenant God, as the Lord my ransom and righteousness. But be astonished, oh ye heavens, that out of the exceeding fulness and riches of his grace and mercy, he like a good Samaritan came where I was; he saw me in my forlorn, wretched, and most miserable condition; and my time of misery and blood, was his time of life and mercy, and peace and forgiveness; he relieved my body of its most horrible maladies; and my soul of its guilt; translated me out of the kingdom of the prince of darkness; opened my ears to hear the good shepherd's voice; allrued me and spoke comfortably to ine; gave me a heart to know and love him; feet to follow in the footsteps of the flock; a tongue to sing his praise and speak good of his blessed name : a will to take my place at his feet, where I love to sit. He has sanctified me by his Spirit; clothed my poor body with raiment suitable; but beyond all, has clothed me with the princely robe of his righteousness; taken

away all my black stains; cleansed all my crimson scarlet sins, and blotted out all my bad backslidings with his own most invaluable blood, and made me all glorious within, with the wonderful garment of the ever blessed Spirit's work of sanctification. This garment is my heavenly meetness and his holy robe of imputed obedience is my heavenly life. Of all the fallen, sinful sons of Adam, none have greater cause to sing of measureless mercy, of grace abounding to the chief of sinners, of free unmerited justification, pardon, and reconciliation

than I have; and am now sitting at his holy feet, in my right mind, conscious that I am in myself, one of the vilest of the human race; that my salvation originated, and completed by the Lord; and the sweet savour and sense of it imparted, was all an act of pure free favour, for sure I am, I should never have sought Jesus, had he not first of all sought me. He drew me to himself; and then I ran, and I find that although I am under such everlasting obligations to him, that I need the drawing cords of his love continually.

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What a fountain fulness of grace we see springing up in this man's eventful and encouraging history. As the prophet's expression in Isaiah,lviii. 11." and thou shalt be as a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.’ We have in this one circumstance, a strong and striking proof of the power and deity of the Lord Jesus; even the devils and diseases are subject to him. Here we have Jesus, the wise and skilful Physician set forth, from whom all pbsicians receive their wisdom and krowledge, and without his blessing no means or medicine can benefit. looks upon this poor afflicted man with bowels of compassion; and by a word of his power, heals him of all his direful diseases, and gives him a command and a commission to go and publish to all his friends, for the information and benefit of all who felt their need of healing. What great things the Lord had done for him, and had compassion on him. They were, indeed, great things; great diseases removed; a great number of devils cast out; great transgressions cast into the sea great love and compassion manifested: great wisdom and power put forth; a great Saviour does all this, and great mercy and condescension to suffer him to sit at the Lord's feet.

And most marvellous goodness is here manifested in causing the history of this changed and converted man to

form part of the annals of Holy Writ, for many of the Lord's redeemed sometimes feel as if they had a legion of unholy spirits within them, a legion of enemies without them; and both combined, often threaten ruin and everlasting destruction; a legion of corruptions lodge in the bosoms of the most holy, and most devoted to God; and the sad soul-entangling, soul-destroying, Christ-debasing, Goddishonouring errors that are propagated, may be said to be legion, for they are many.

It is not improbable, but these humble lines, may fall into the hands of some fellow traveller, whose trials and temptations are very many-every step of their journey disputed-many of the Lord's servants, who labour in his vineyard, are often in the field of battle, through the many turbulent and troublesome tempers and spirits of Church Members, lordly Managers or domineering Deacons; and sometimes their own unmanageable temper kindles a fire not easily extinguished; but long and daily experience proves, that the leprosy of sin has spread through all creation-every society is affected with it; and it is only lived down, as we live upon the fulness of Jesus; and when that long looked for period shall arrive, when the Spirit shall be poured out from on high, and Jesus be the alpha and omega of all our motives, aims, objects, and designs, then these legions will be trodden underfoot,

But to you who have legion of fears within, and fightings without, and often think it quite impossible that you can hold on and hold out unto the end, I can only say, that if the issue of the war depends upon you or me, the battle is lost, the victory is certain to fall on the side of Satan and his legions. Satan is a mighty foe, his legions are mighty, his darts are sharp and mighty, our trials and temptations are many and mighty; but our Jesus is God Almighty. "Come out of the man thou unclean spirit,"

was all he said, and the legions were obliged to obey, without a reply; and out of his fulness, he sends a supply which sweetly sustains the traveller with his heavy burden, heals every wound a devil's dart may leave behind it,.is a refreshing cordial to a law-condemned sinner; and fires the soul with a longing zeal to plunge into Jordan's waves, to be ever with the Lord, to drink of the river of the Lord's pleasure above. But we must tarry the Lord's leisure, and may have to take our empty pitchers again and again to Jesus' fulness,—well, be it so, go as often as we may, (and we cannot go too often) it does not lessen by imparting, there is still a fulness of merit in his infinitely glorious person, precious sacrifice, all prevailing intercession, everlasting righteousness, covenant and promises, May writer and reader often experience a little reviving in our bondage by a communication from this exhaustless spring; and whether we are private or public characters, may it be our delight to proclaim the heart cheering truth, "that it hath pleased the Father, that in Jesus all fulness should dwell."

O fathomless abyss,

Where hidden mysteries lie;
The angels find their bliss,
Within the same to pry,

Lord, what is man, thy desperate foe, That thou shouldst bless, and love him so. Hampstead.

JAMES.

OBITUARY OF MRS. JULIET ALLEN.

MRS. JULIET ALLEN, the beloved wife of the Rev. William Allen, Minister of Cave Adullam Chapel, Stepney, was in her forty-ninth year. It appears, in taking a retrospective view of her spiritual life, she has (for the most part) through fear of death been very subject to bondage; and though an unwearied and ardent follower in the ways of God, but seldom was she favoured with that satisfactory evidence in her own soul which she much longed for, namely, to unite with the church of old in exclaiming,

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My beloved is mine, and I am his." When first. laid on her death-bed, I asked her how she felt in her mind. She replied, "Quite restless and rebellious, and at times very dark." A friend, knowing that her affliction was painful, said You are very patient." She replied, "No thanks to me." We felt continually an earnest wrestling with God in prayer for her soul's comfort; which blessed be his name he wonderfully answered. As her illness increased, she expressed a strong desire to be raised up again, that she might meet the saints of God, to commune with them, as she regretted having kept her mind so much to herself. She said to her husband, "My dear, how is your mind led to pray for me?" He replied, "I can pray in submission to the will of God;" implying, which she immediately understood, that he could feel but little hope of her recovery. She said, Then you cannot pray faith for my life?" He replied, "I can pray heartily and sincerely for your soul's comfort." Then said she, "It is settled." From this time she appeared somewhat quiet and resigned, and appeared increasingly sensible that her affliction was unto death. A short time after, she said, "The world to me is vanity." She repeated some favourite poetry with pleasure; and then calling her family around her bed, said, Mark your dying mother's command! Live happy and in peace with each other as a family. and the God of peace bless you all, for I must leave you." Then turning to her husband, said, "Give also my dying command to the church; tell them to live in peace as they will shortly follow me.'

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At another time she called her husband to her bed-side, and taking her ring from off her finger placed it upon his, He said, My dear, I am your husband still." She replied, 66 Not now; I love you, but I must leave you also." She exclaimed, "They are coming, they are coming."

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husband said " My dear, you could travel with them, they were weak and doubting, like you, but you can now believe for yourself." She replied "Yes, Yes," at another time, she lifted up her hands and eyes to heaven and said, Oh! my distrustful heart, How small thy faith appeared" (not, appears). Her daughter seeing her weak, said, But greater Lord, she replied, No, No, Better Lord thou art, than all my doubts and fears?'

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After having a very sharp and severe struggle she recovered a little, and sung with a most melodious heavenly sound, three verses of that hymn, How sweet the name of Jesus sounds" &c., when she finished, she took a bason of vinegar and sprinkled the bed, then dipping a cloth in it, calmly wiped her hands and face with it, and then waving the cloth over her head, cried, " Victory, Victory, Victory, through the blood of the Lamb." She then lay down and remained. in a sweet sleep for some time. Her poor body was exercised with sharp pains, so that her sufferings were great, but she was not heard to drop a murmuring word. A friend said to her, You can now say, Jesus hath done all things well." She said, "Yes; though I have oft rebelled against him." When not able to speak she appeared to be (for the most part) engaged in prayer. When she had been sharply exercised with pain, her husband said, " My dear it is hard work," she .replied, "Yes; people talk of dying, but they must come into it to know it;"

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DECLARE HIS DOINGS AMONG THE PEOPLE.

ETERNAL Lord, who in all thy dispensations to thy chosen seed, art too wise to err and too good to be unkind, canst thou in one act prove otherwise than kind? Long ere the orb of light was suspended in the firmament or time began its course, thou wentest forth in covenant for thine elect, and didst agree to anoint the head of Him who bare our sins, and to prepare the saints for endless bliss. Thy ancient people sang of thy unerring deeds when the waters of the great deep, high mountains and threatening foes appeared; thou spake the word, the floods rolled up and the redeemed past through. In the wilderness they experienced many afflictions, temptations and trials, but at the last was seen thy great design; "to prove, to try them, and to show them what was in their hearts," and to bring them to that rest, which was a glorious type of the heavenly Canaan.

Lord! may all the lessons that are given by thee for thy people's good, be learned, digested and understood by them; then, though they may while in this vale of tears, experience many a thorn in their pathway, it will spur them on to that rest, where, without a veil between, they shall behold their risen, conquering Lord; and in eternal peace, tune their golden harps in songs of praise, and celebrate the matchless love of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one God, who is "too wise to err, and far too good to be unkind."

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