much we would desire that this great empire should assist in maintaining him in the possession of any just right, or interfering to prevent the perpetration of injustice towards him, we would sincerely deprecate any act of our government which would establish those diplomatic relations between the united kingdom and the pope, which are expressly denounced by the bill of rights.

ANSWER.

Downing Street, Sept. 24th, 1847.

SIR-I am desired by Lord John Russell to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd inst., transmitting a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Dublin Protestant Association and Reformation Society. I am, sir, your obedient

servant,

Thomas H. Thompson, Esq.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

DEAR BROTHER IN THE LORD,

C. S. GREY.

As you found a spare page for my old friend's letter, perhaps you may happen to have a gap that a second can occupy at some future time. The accompanying struck me as coming well after the firstand both together, show the two sides of my friend's religion. I believe in the hand of the Lord is " a mixed cup," and the saints must know something of the taste thereof-both the bitter and the sweet.

But say some, What business have beliers with darkness, doubts, and fears? Now we would ask in return,' What business has gloomy night to darken our hemisphere? What business has icy winter to visit our regions? What business has disease to attack our frame? Busy with us these evils will be, whether we like it or not, in accordance with known and acknowledged laws-therefore, our wisdom is not to deny their existence, but to employ the means appointed us to mitigate the evil.

It would almost seem, that some imagine grace in the heart to be an indwelling deity, invested with omnipotent power, which may be exercised at will; whereas, the Bible history of grace tells us it is but a creature (2 Cor. v. 17); and though as God's workmanship (Eph. ii. 10), a holy, incorruptible, perfect principle (1 Pet. i. 23)—yet, as a creature, the subject of growth, education, and mutation. Now by growth, I mean not the idol of the day, “that all the world worshippeth," progressive sanctification, but that development of spiritual faculties and qualities, that the word of God recognizes—and which is the peculiarity of creatureship; growth in knowledge, as in 2 Pet. iii. 18; growth in faith, as in 2 Thess. i. 3; growth in experience, as in Eph. iv. 5; growth in a sense of interest and union, Eph. ii. 21. The new creature thus putting forth its spiritual developments, that proves it is a living principle-and in this growth (experimentally unperceived

like our bodily stature), passing through the stages spoken of by the apostle John-of little children, young men, and fathers. But further, this creature is the subject of education. Not, indeed, in order to obtain the inheritance-for it is born an heir, but to prepare it for the glory prepared for it,-to lead it into truth, that it may enjoy the earnest of the inheritance here below, and the fulness of the glory above. The developments of the new creature are taken thus under divine training for God's glory, and its own good; but in no respect is salvation dependent upon education-salvation being a past and perfect act -completed for the creature, irrespective of any degree of work wrought in it. Hence the different degrees of teaching in the church during their education-state here below. Some led in a pathway of fiery trials, others gently allured; some taught bitter lessons through falls, others through love; some ready to say, "He hath made my path crooked;" others, "Thy gentleness hath made me great. Some led fearfully-others rejoicingly, into divine truth; some partially-others completely; some led through doctrine into experience-others through experience into doctrine; but "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord," is God's given promise to the church, and each "according to the measure of the gift of God," as shall best subserve His glory here below. But further, as a creature, the new man is the subject of change. It is not, as some represent, an indwelling deity-a Sun without paralax, but it has, as a creature, its mutations and returns, its waxings and wanings, its ebbs and its flows-and this apart from the sinful influence of the old creature it is associated with, and which then comes under the character of warfare and conflict. But I now speak of the new man, which, though perfect as a principle, yet partakes as a creature of sinless mutation. Hence the use of the injunctions, admonitions, exhortations, addressed to the new man. Hence the variations in experience between believers, and the varying experience in each believer Hence the felt weakness of the believer who is made to testify with the apostle, that "it is according to the power that worketh in us," whether much or little, that grace in its workings is manifested. Hence the ever-changing frames of God's people, rejoicing, grieving, hoping, fearing-suspicious, confident, trembling, loving-all proceeding from the new creature, and all varying in their degrees, feelings, and effects; recognized by God in his word, and variously addressed-in the way of argument, expostulation, consolation, and promise, felt by the church in all ages, and shared in by the God-man, when a sojourner here below who passed through the sinless mutations the church is the subject of in her wilderness state (Luke x. 21; Mark viii. 12), irrespective wholly of that solemn scene of soul-desolation, when as the surety of the church He was abandoned by God, and cried out under the agonizing conflict, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Now what is the doctrine deducible from the creatureship of grace The sovereignty of God in its implantation and preservation—" We

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are his workmanship-kept by the power of God," is the church's acknowledgment; thence dependent upon God for the existence of grace, and for the exercise of grace; no self-acting power in it, or belonging thereunto - but acted upon according to divine sovereignty, who "ordereth all things according to the counsel of his own will." The varied character of the word of God testifies plainly to the varied experience of the church, and both fit like mortar and tenise, and prove the divine original of both. Many of the Lord's dear ones, who are the subjects of this changeful state can testify, that many a doubt springs from an humbled, broken-heart, and many a fear from a loving spirit; and though severely exercised by both, hope lies hid at the bottom, which buoys up the soul, and keeps it cleaving to Jesus, saying, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee!" These few thoughts have been presented to my mind, and the Lord may be pleased to own them in the hearts of some of His dear children, who are often led, under their changing frames, to write bitter things against themselves, and suppose their spot is not the spot of God's children, because they suffer such things.

That the Lord 'may lead us deeper into his glorious, unfathomable truth, is the earnest prayer of

Yours in the Lord,

J. R.

DEARLY BELoved in the Lord,

I received yours of the 9th ultimo, and in reply, I write to say I am now in heaviness through manifold temptations; lost all that sweetness of the Lord's presence and love I was favoured with. I am now in the Hebrews' place, 66 after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of affliction," though it does not say particularly what kind. I am now, and have been of late, amazingly tried and tempted. Yesterday I really had no more love for God's people, His ways, His word, His worship, apparently, than the Devil himself. Oh, the horrid feeling I had the great darkness, and every kind of abomination, with dread, and almost despair. I can no more describe to you the misery I felt, than I could describe the joy, and happiness, and delight, and love, I had before felt in the Lord; His ways-His truth-His word, and His people. I have had some little deliverance this morning, in, and through, the following words, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." I could feel the blessed Spirit fighting against sin and Satan yesterday-and I really feared, by this time, I should have been Satan's prey, so strong was the combat. It actually made me weak in body, and very low in spirit, and hardly able to get about. These exercises-these sore and painful trials, with the sense and feeling of the hidden evils of my corrupt heart—an afflicted wife-tormenting children and one trouble after another, I am surprised I am in the land of the living-that I am on praying-ground, able to look up,

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or speak a word in His name. Yea, I am astonished I am out of hell, where I deserve to be,-were it not that "His mercy endureth for ever." But that can never be, because of His faithfulness, His oath, and eternal covenant. He says, “I will never leave thee;" and where He hath begun a good work, He will carry it on: but fighting there is, and fighting there must be to the end; though faint, yet pursuing;" that's the way throughout. Ah! I had an apprehension of some unforeseen trouble or fight, even in my happiest moments-but I never had a thought the conflict would have been so strong and so severe; but "it is of the Lord's mercies I am not consumed." To pray for you I tried on my return home, but I soon found there was no one at court but Satan and me. The Father had hid his face-the Son was concealed; the Spirit was grieved, and gone to all appearance, and Satan at my right hand rebuking me. There being no light-no seeing what to pray for no feeling sense of want, but a barren-left-helpless-dead state of soul; though corruptions were lively enough-the world enticing my wicked heart after Bael-peor-no delight but in earthly things, and yet dissatisfied with them-no satisfaction in the worship of God, and yet restless and wretched without it-oh! what a state to be in, after such clear manifestations of His love, favour, and blessed presence, that I enjoyed just before;-then one could feel every yoke easy every burden light; then the shoulder was readily bowed to bear, and all was rest and peace (Matt. ii. 28). Is it possible for a christian to feel such changes? I have felt them, and ten times more than I can describe. But notwithstanding all their turns and twists, I am now hoping in His mercy-watching at his gate—and saying again and again, peradventure there may be a crumb dropped for me. Who can tell but God may be gracious, and receive my poor tempest-tossed soul, and shine in again, and lift up the light of His blessed countenance upon me, and make me once more happy in Him.

And now, dearly beloved in the Lord, you have it just as it is, in my poor plain way; and I am sensible none but God's family will understand me. We must know something of the ins and outs of the way the ups and the downs, if we are to be followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the kingdom.

Christian Cottager's Penny Almanack for 1848. By the REV. A. HEWLETT, Incumbent of Astley. London: B. Wertheim, Aldine Chambers, Paternoster Row.

THIS Almanack is published both in a broad sheet and a little book. It contains, in addition to what it had last year, much useful information, and we hope it may still improve in future years. We cordially

recommend our readers to obtain it, and widely circulate it. May the daily passages it contains, become from time to time, through the Lord's blessing, a word in season to the reviving, refreshing, and spurring on the Lord's scattered flock.

Judah; the Book of Psalms Paraphrased in Spiritual Songs for Public Worship. By JOSEPH IRONS. p.p. 210.

MR. IRONS has now continued for more than thirty years, through evil report and good report, a faithful preacher of Christ's gospel-and his name, therefore, attached to any work, brings the assurance that no unsound gospel will be found therein. His works, therefore, need no commendation of ours to recommend them. However, we certainly prefer his prose writings to his poetical ones, and we believe in this opinion most of his friends concur. At the same time, from this collection of Psalms might be gathered a few that might not disgrace any collection. For public worship we certainly prefer a selection from different authors, since thereby a more precious and savoury collection is ensured, and the Lord is honoured by the contributions of the different members of His body,-all tending to the glory of the great Head, Christ. We are glad to find that Mr. Irons acknowledges Christ as the Speaker in many of the Psalms, and we certainly could have wished that he had done so in a still greater number.

The Law of the Offerings in Leviticus. By ANDREW JUKES. London: James Nisbet and Co., Berners Street. 16mo; p.p. 245.

AN old writer speaking of the book of Leviticus, calls it the Gospel according to Leviticus, and we daily become more convinced of the truth of the remark. Moses spake of Christ, and it is but one Gospel that is set forth in the whole Word of God. Our blessed Lord is called the Word of God, and the Holy Scriptures are also called the Word of God-and for this reason: because, so to speak, they are the portrait of Christ. Now in order to trace the likeness in a portrait, we must have a proper light on the picture—so in order to see Christ, Jehovah the Spirit must shine upon the Word, and bring out Christ to our view as therein revealed. When Christ is thus displayed to our view, under the types and shadows of the law, we behold perhaps more of his beauty and sufficiency, than we do even in the less figurative parts of the Scriptures. From the glance we have given at this little work, we are inclined to think that the reader will find much profit from its perusal. It treats of the different kinds of offerings the children of Israel were commanded to make; and the author clearly shows that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. In some few of the details we might perhaps differ from the author, although in the main we fully go with him, and wish his work a wide circulation. The reader will judge by the following short extracts, what the nature of the work will be. "The third ingredient of the