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important work, in reference to the future spread of Popery, which this author considers will attain even to the Pope fixing in this land the place of his residence. He brings forward scriptural proofs for much of what he advances, and without professing to coincide with all his views, we regard his watchword as deserving the attentive and prayerful consideration of our readers, and which should induce them to call off their minds, from the puny littlenesses which now form subjects of controversy among us, to unite in repelling the advances of an insidious and dangerous foe, who is making daily the most rapid inroads upon our peace. The Lord reigneth, but the believer will do well to use his war engine of all-prayer against this enemy; for the Lord hath said, that for "all things I will be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them."

God's Judgments against Sin, A Sermon, by Rev. Benjamin Isaac. 8vo. pp. 32. London, Palmer and Son.

THIS Sermon was preached on occasion of the death of a female, who had been brought under Mr Isaac's notice, by the awful circumstance of her having been suddenly struck blind, while attempting to disturb him when preaching (as is customary with him during the summer months) in the Mile End Road. We extract the letter which supplies the details, and at the same time corroborates the fact.

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the everlasting gospel in the open air. Mrs. Sharpe having great enmity to the gospel, endeavoured to make a disturbance, and according to her custom using awful language, was struck stone blind,

"This awful judgment of Almighty God was seen by several persons then present. Mrs. Sharpe was taken home and medical aid sent for. During her state of blindness (which lasted about three or four days) several christian friends visited her, and exhorted her to flee from the wrath to come, to Christ the only refuge. But alas! when God in his mercy gave her a little sight, a person whom I very well know informed me that they have seen her feeling her way to the public house. And as her sight returned, so she returned to her former sins of drinking and swearing. Until at last, brought to a death bed, her friends seeing her approaching end, asked her if they should fetch Mr Isaac to pray by her; they knowing the awful life she had lived, her No, I have been a great sinner, I must die as I have lived.'

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the attention of the reader, while it developes the heinous nature of the crimes alluded to.

Predestination relative to those whose names are Not written in the Book of Life; also, relative to those whose names Are in the Book of Life, a Sermon, by James Wells, 12mo. pp. 66. London: Palmer and Son.

THE title of this Sermon will to many be objectionable, and certainly it conveys the idea that the author purposes to range beyond the scripture boundary; but the Discourse will be found to be (as indeed each of the former numbers of this Series have been) an able exposition of the subjects brought forward, and supported by evidence from the Book of God.

Three leading ideas are given as the foundation for the subject, namely the state of man by nature: the decrees of God relative to those whose names are not written in the Book of Life and, the decrees of God relative to those whose names are in the Book of Life. On the first topic the author chiefly dwells on the helplessness of man; on the second, he regards the decrees of God as permissive, restrictive, and retributive; and on the last, he notices them as preservative, saving, and receptive. From this last division, which is by far the longest part of the Sermon, we extract the the following, wherein the author is speaking of the preserving power and care of the Lord towards his church while in a state of nature.

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but the Lord. In a word, if there were no security then, there is none now; for what the Lord Jesus Christ is for his people now, he was before the world began. He was made a Priest by an immutable oath, and this his priestly office includes every other office which he sustains, as also the dignity of his person as a priest. He was to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, but this sacrifice could not have put away sin, unless he were God as well as man, and man as well as God: no man can redeem his brother, yet without shedding of blood is no remission of sin. Christ was and is an almighty and eternal Priest, for his priesthood is not after the 'law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” As a Prophet all the promises he uttered are rendered yea and amen by his blood. As a King he reigns over all the sins, circumstances, and persons of his people, by the infinite efficacy of his own blood. He pleads their cause with his own blood; they have by his blood, boldness to enter into the holy of holies; by his blood they overcome all their enemies, in life, death, and judgment. It is by the blood of Christ, that God in all the attributes and perfections of his nature is on their side. God being thus for them, who can be against them? He is not on their side conditionally, but freely: not partially, but fully; not merely for a time, but from everlasting to everlasting. And if they cannot be lost while in a state of nature, how much the less when brought into a state of grace."

We cordially recommend the Sermon to our readers, as one which we believe will be made a means of establishing many of the weak and feeble of the Lord's family, in a doctrine tending much to the soul's

comfort.

LITERARY NOTICE.

We are requested to announce, that a new edi tion of LECTURES on POPERY, by the Rev. J. S. SERGROVE, is now passing through the press.

POETRY

GLORY ANTICIPATED.

Lord send a sweet foretaste
Of heaven above,
By granting thy presence,
Thy visits of love.
The gems of the mighty
Are worthless to me,
'Tis Jesus my Saviour
I'm panting to see.

I have riches and titles
More than earth can afford,
My God is the giver-
Beneficent Lord!
I'm a king and a prince,

And prepared near his throne,
For me there's a mansion,
And for me a crown.

Though now I am travelling
A desert below,
I've a lasting possession
Where soon I shall go.
Though sorrows oft press me,
And much me dismay,
When Jesus is with me
The clouds flee away.

A few more dark seasons
Of sorrow while here,
A few more eclipses

To me must appear;
But oh; the bright prospects
Displayed to my sight-
The glance of that kinghom
Where never is night.

The storms which while here
Embarrass my road,
But drive this poor vessel
The nearer to God;
For in life's wide ocean
When troubles distress,
Where else can believers
Resort for redress.
Not one shall be wanting
For whom thou hast died,
When counting thy jewels,
When meeting thy Bride.
Thy Church shall in glory,
The angels out-shine,
Arrayed in thy righteousness-
Garment divine.

MOSES G.

THE FAREWELL GLANCE.

When Israel left old Egypt's land,
Freed from their galling yoke,
They paused upon the border strand
To take one farewell look.

Full many a thought the prospect woke,
Deep thoughts of hope and gloom;
It pictured the taskmaster's stroke,
And all the joys of home.

They saw the long expected shore,
To which their footsteps haste,
And gladly leave to know no more
The bitter bondage past.

Thus when the christian gains the goal.
The terminus of life,

Where end the conflicts of his soul
And every mortal strife.

One retrospective glance he casts
Before he mounts on high,

And shuddering sees the dreary wastes
He trod in days gone by,

He marks the spots where troubles tried,
And where deliverance cheered,

He sees each care, each woe, beside
An Ebenezer reared.

Filled with thanksgivings now he pours
One long glad note of love,

Then spreads his heavenly wings and soars
To tell it all above.

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'Tis sweet to trace the working hand of God In all life's various circumstances known, Whether we tread adversity's dark road, Perplexed with cares, and every comfort gone:

His presence then will shed a frequent ray, Cheering us while the threatening billows roll,

Affording sunshine in the gloomiest day,

And yielding shelter to the wandering soul: Or, if prosperity should brighter beam

If glad should flow the current of our days

"Tis sweet to watch him steer us down the stream,

And 'mid the sunshine, sweet to sing his praise.

All times are in his hand, and each is given, To educate the ransomed soul for heaven.

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REZENEB.

CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART.
PSALM LI. 10.

Dear Lord thou know'st my sinful heart
Is prone to wander and depart,

From thee the God I love;
Desiring here to find a rest
While wandering in the wilderness,
Forgetting things above.

Yet, gracious Lord 'tis thine alone,
To break this sinful heart of stone
This stubborn will subdue;
O speak the word thy servant heal,
And make me savingly to feel,

Thou hast made all things new.
From worldly objects turn mine eyes,
And wean me from all earthly toys,
That prepossess the mind;
Be thou my guardian and my friend
And cause my wandering steps to tend
Where I true peace may find.

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grace,

Must find in Christ, their hiding place.

How great his love no tongue can tell,
That ransomed such vile slaves from hell;
Rejoice then now, and sound abroad
The matchless goodness of your God.

While here below, cease not to sing
The glories of your Lord and King,
Let his rich love each anthem swell,
For Jesus hath done all things well

Though worldlings may your joy despise,
Still press toward the glorious prize,
The unfading crown each saint shall wear,
And all the praise to Christ uprear.
Then when this glorious prize is won,
And every earthly toil is done;

In heaven with Christ we all must reign,
And join the song of heaven's bright train.

There shall we praise the great Three One,
And there know Jesus as we're known;
Sing o'er the glorious prize and tell,
Our Jesus hath done all things well.
Clift House, Bristol.

J. HARDING.

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THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE,

AND

ZION'S CASKET.

"For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One."-1 John v. 7.

66

64

Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."-Jude 3. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."-1 Tim. iii. 6.

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"The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way.”—Prov. xi. 5.

THE latter part of this verse may seem at first sight easy to be understood, but when we remember that all are wicked by nature-the children of God as well as others, and are spoken of throughout scripture in this character-when we view it in this light, the verse does not appear so easy to be understood as at firstthought it would seem to be. There are thousands of fallen sons of Adam, "who are by nature (deservedly) the children of wrath even as others," who shall not fall in the sense here intended. Therefore as there is none perfect by nature, for they are all gone out of the way; there is none that doeth good no not one," the perfect in the text, must be those whom God has made perfect, whose righteousness is said to " direct their

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I shall proceed to notice the words of the text, under these three heads. I. Descriptions of the persons," perfect." II. Possession, the righteousness is said to be "his." And, Lastly. Direction, it " directs his way.” July, 1839.]

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I. Persons, perfect." enquire, 1st. What the word perfect in the text does NOT mean. What it does mean.

2nd.

1.

1st. It does not mean perfection in the flesh. There are three things requisite to prove the doctrine of fleshly perfection to be of God. If I am free from sin in myself, I cannot die, for the "body is dead (or subject to death) because of sin." If you take away sin, you take away all cause of decay; but we do not find those who pretend to fleshly perfection live any longer than others; they are all subject to the same diseases, and finally to death, like the rest of us; which proves beyond all refutation that they are yet sinners.

The fact of Christ being hungry, thirsty, and weary, proves nothing contrary to what I have stated. He condescended to feel all these weaknesses of our nature, but there were times when he manifested his power, see Matt. iv. 2., Luke vi. 12. Thus shewing that he did not feel these things by necessity, but that he condescended "to be made in all points like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God." His hungering, and thirsting, and weariness, did not originate from any ten

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