eternal life. I cannot wish you a greater blessing than to hear with power, and to find what I did in my journey. Cease ye from living upon man, and live upon me! So we do, Lord Christ; "the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God."

From hence I was led to see the necessity of ceasing to hope for happiness from all these things about us. They have it not to give. It grows not out of that earth which "lieth in wickedness," nor can it be increased by any good under the sun, because it is one of the "perfect gifts which cometh down from the Father of lights." And when it is given by His grace, and received by faith, then this true philosopher's stone turns all things into gold. Faith, living upon Jesus, can turn those things into happiness which, in their own nature, could produce nothing but misery. Wonderful transmutation!-it changes darkness into light, death into life, weakness into strength, sin into righteousness, mourning into joy, hell into heaven. By this faith we have "Christ in us the hope of glory," Christ dwelling in the heart; and where He is there all He has is. "All things are ours; "salvation from all evil, a title to the love of God, and to the glory of God, and a fitness also and meekness for the eternal enjoyment of God in His love and glory. "Cease ye from man," then, and all is yours. Oh, may you and I learn to cease from all schemes of happiness in any object but in Jesus. The more we live to Him, the more dead He will make us to everything else. He will let you love your relations, nay, He commands you to love them; but, then, you must take them from Him as His bounty, and use them as His gifts, dependent on His sovereign will, free to give, free to take away, when and what He pleases. When your will can be made thus really resigned to His will, then He will make you happy, and you will feel something of their blessed oneness with Him who have no will but His, and therefore follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. I mark what you say upon that point. A resigned will is not where there is no rising of the flesh against God's will, but where there is victory over the will of the flesh. Pray take notice of this, and try whether you have not this evidence of your adoption, that you desire the Father's will, and not yours, may be done. W. ROMAINE. How needful to remember the above every day, every hour, every moment! Lord, help us so to do.

"What is the world with all its store?

"Tis but a bitter sweet;

When I attempt to pluck the rose,

A pricking thorn I meet.

"Here perfect bliss can ne'er be found,

The honey's mixed with gall;

'Midst changing scenes and dying friends,
Be Thou my All in all."

"WHERE IS BOASTING, THEN?"-Reader, if you turn to the early part of page 65, you meet with these words from the beloved "Wayside Note Writer:" "We are ashamed to acknowledge that the longer we live the greater coward we become in the prospect of anxious cares and trials." Such is the testimony of one who, as you are aware, has recently been to the very "borders of the goodly land;" and yet such is his present experience-an experience in which, we doubt not, he has many sympathizers besides his old friend, the Editor.

PRACTICAL RELIGION.
(1 PETER iii. 9.)

Blackfriars, Oct. 27th, 1771.

MY DEAR SISTER,-Often remembered, and interest made for you at our court. I have been upon the King's business, travelling from place to place, to exalt and honour Him, for near three months. He has been pleased to bring me safe home for the winter, and I sit down at the first opportunity to thank you for all your kindness to me at Hartlepool. I did not doubt of your love, but my visit this year confirmed me in it. Your whole behaviour convinced me that I was a welcome guest, and has kept a warm desire in my mind to see you again. Thankful am I for what I met with of the same kind both in Newcastle and Sunderland, especially at the latter, as I was never so highly honoured before as to be suffered to speak for my glorious Jesus. Although things were not so pleasing at Yarum, yet I forgive, from my very heart, Mr. O.'s treatment; for I believe G. M. is a dear child, and was misled by his partner, who misrepresented me. People will quarrel. I would hinder them if Í could, but quarrel I will not-no, not with Mr. O. Thanks be to the "Prince of Peace," He has taught me better things. I know Him, GodMan; I believe in His work. It is the greatest work of God—a complete, an eternal, salvation. Oh, marvellous grace! I enjoy it. While others dispute about it, I am possessing it. They busy themselves about shadows, and I am rejoicing in the substance. Would to God Mr. O. had the same fellowship with Jesus! Poor man, he would not talk of himself before the Lord God, and plead his own doings; he would not urge this plea, "Lord, my works last July were very meritorious, for I stood and tried to stop all I could from going to Yarum Church to hear that heretic, Romaine, who was going to teach them that they were to be saved wholly and solely for what you had done and suffered, and all glory, as well as all grace, by the way, was to be had entirely out of your fulness." But enough of this; Mr. W. forgives him; so do I. Christ forgive him.

My motto has long been, "Cease ye from man.” All my experience leads me to trust man less and God more. My Bible is my study, and the Holy Ghost my Commentator. I have done with names, great authorities, and living popes, for we have an English pope, in opposition to whom I am a Protestant. I protest against the merit of works, and all its long train of errors; but I will not dispute with any pope, I will rather pray for him, as I do. God open his eyes, and turn him from darkness to light, from blind popery into Gospel liberty!

My love to Mr. Heslup. I fear for him lest these times should take him off from Christ, and get him into disputing. Desire him, from me, to read his Bible more, and not busy himself about opinions. What has he or I to do with Mr. Wesley? Let him go on in his way, and let us go on in ours. But let us be as diligent as he, our lives as exemplary, our good works as many; and let us beat him all to nothing in charity. If he revile, let us pray. If he be dogmatical, let us be meek and lowly. I cannot give any account for my writing about him, but it came into my mind, and I let it stand. I should rejoice to hear from you. We are all well. I am yours, and Mr. Heslup's, very heartily, W. ROMAINE.

Sermons and Notes of Sermons.

THE MOST HOLY PLACE.

(REV. v. 8, 9.)

SIXTH LECTURE ON THE FURNITURE OF THE TABERNACLE, BY THE REV. THE HON. SAMUEL WALDEGRAVE, LATE BISHOP OF CARLISLE.

WE have already entered into the Most Holy Place. It is a chamber four square, separated from the rest of the Tabernacle by a veil of costly materials and cunning workmanship. Around us all is purest gold. The Ark is of cedar-wood, overlaid with gold; the Mercy Seat is of gold; the Cherubim are of gold; the walls are of gold. All are illuminated by a bright cloud, the glorious symbol of Jehovah's presence! Meet emblem this of heaven itself, of which is written, Heb. ix. 24; Rev. xxi. 16-23. Beloved brethren, "a new and living way" hath been opened into this Most Holy Place; the gates of this golden city are open continually (John x. 9; Heb. x. 19—22; Rev. xxi. 24-27). Dear people, search and try yourselves, lest, though the veil be rent, though the gates be open, you should never enter in (see Heb. iii. 18, 19; iv. 1; Rev. xxi.. 27). Oh, then, Phil. iii. 12, 13; 2 Peter i. 10, 11.

Meet emblem, too, this Most Holy Place of that secret communion with Jehovah, in which even here below the saints do exceedingly rejoice. Thanks be to God that there are amongst us those who have, by grace, been brought into the sheep-fold; who have, by grace, passed through the gates of the heavenly city. I speak not of saints gone to glory; no, I speak of saints yet militant here on earth (see Heb. iv. 3). Such can tell us that there are, even here below, days like those described in Deut.. xi. 21, for their citizenship is in heaven (Phil. iii. 20); and they do indeed "in heart and mind thither ascend whither Christ is gone before;" and they do "with Him continually dwell," according to that which is written Col. iii. 1, 2, 3. It cannot, brethren, be otherwise; for, saith not ourLord, Luke xii. 34. The happy child of God hath found the treasure hid in a field; that treasure is in heaven. There, then, must his heart be likewise.

Dear brethren, I cannot but think that the Cherubim were placed in the Holiest of All to shadow forth the saints of God, as well in their secret life now as in their glorified state hereafter. Their life, visible to the world (as they are fed by the Word, and are preserved by the prevailing intercession of Jesus), was exhibited in the Golden Candlestick,... standing over against the Altar of Incense, and the Table of Shewbread. Their secret life, their life with God (as resting upon the Lord Jesus, they walk in the light of Jehovah's countenance, and, in the midst of great tribulation, have a joy with which the stranger intermeddleth not), was exhibited in the Cherubim of Glory which rested upon the Mercy Seat, and were lighted up by the divine Shekinah "in the secret place" "of the Tabernacle of the Most High." Such was the life, the secret: life, of David (see Ps. xxvii. 5), and such is the life, the secret life, of every one of the Lord's full-grown children (Ps. xxxi. 20). Observe, the Lord's full-grown children, "such as are of full age" (see Heb. v. 14).

May grace be given to you, my brethren, humbly to listen, and faithfully to try yourselves by that which you hear; for, indeed, none can

H

ever have the fruition of God's eternal and glorious Godhead hereafter who have not known here what it is, like Enoch, to walk with God. I

will now,

I. Describe the Cherubim, so far as it is possible so to do, from Holy Scripture.

II. Endeavour to bring forth some of the lessons they were intended to teach.

I. The Cherubim are mentioned in Exo. xxv. 18, 19, 20, but not described; it is to Ezek. i. and x. and to Rev. iv. and v. that we must look for a minute account of these mysterious figures. From these chapters it may be collected that the Cherubim, seen in vision by the Prophet Ezekiel and the Apostle John, were winged beings, swift as lightning in motion, full of eyes within and without, having four faces each-the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle. Of these living creatures, thus seen in the visions of God, the Cherubim in the Tabernacle of Moses were doubtless counterparts. They were two in number, resting one upon each end of the Mercy Seat, with which they were one piece, being made of the purest gold beaten out. Their wings were stretched out, overshadowing the Mercy Seat, upon which their faces looked bending downwards, while the Shekinah hovered over them, lighting up the inmost recesses of that most holy chamber. It was from between these Cherubim that the voice of the Most High was heard when He communed with Moses (Ex. xxv. 22). Having thus briefly sketched the Cherubim, let me

II. Endeavour to bring before you some of the lessons which they were intended to teach.

First. The Cherubim were of gold, gold being the symbol of the divine nature. Now are we not the saints of God, "partakers of the divine nature?" (2 Peter i. 4). Are not the saints "born of God?" (1 John iv. 7; see also John i. 13). And doth not this incorruptible seed remain within them? so that they keep themselves pure (1 John iii. 9). May you, my dear brethren, who fondly hope that the Lord will, when He writeth up the people, count you among the precious sons of Zion, remember well Lam. iv. 2; Rom. xii. 1, 2; 1 Thess. v. 23.

Secondly. The Cherubim rested upon the Mercy Seat, which was a type of Christ, who, by His precious blood-shedding, paid the penalty of His people's guilt. Accordingly, Christ is called by the very same name in Greek as that by which the Mercy Seat is called (see Rom. iii. 25; Heb. ix. 5).

Now, what is signified by the Cherubim resting upon the Mercy Seat, sprinkled as it was with blood, and covering as it did the Ark, which contained the Tables of the Law? Surely we are to learn herefrom that the right by which the saints do now hold communion with God, and shall hereafter behold His face in righteousness, is the finished work of Jesus (Rom. v. 1, 2; Eph. iii. 12).

Dear people, try yourselves by this. You have followed me, as I have offered up many prayers, to the Most High; did you venture heedlessly into the presence of Jehovah? or, resting upon the finished work of Jesus, did you boldly, but reverently, approach the Divine Majesty? (Heb. x. 19-22).

Observe, thirdly, the Cherubim lifting up their wings, and veiling their faces, looked towards each other, bending down toward the Mercy Seat. Just so the saints of God, while they approach Him boldly, in

the name of Jesus, at the same time draw near "with reverence and godly fear" (Heb. xii. 28). Note well that the saints of God have ever been remarkable for the reverence with which they draw near to Him (see Exod. iii. 4, 5, 6; 1 Kings xix. 11, 12, 13; Isa. vi. 1, 5). Remember this in your approaches to Him in His house, and in your chamber. An unholy familiarity with His name, in word or in manner, is quite inconsistent with a truly gracious spirit.

Alas! there are many in these days, among those who call themselves saints, whose very prayers prove that they know nothing of the reverence which the seraphim pay to the Most High (Isa. vi. 2, 3, 4). To such might well be addressed the words in Mal. i. 6. Sure I am that the poor man, or the rich man, who really knoweth the Lord, who is really born of God, who really does depend upon Jesus, and who does truly come to the throne of grace, as Heb. iv. 16, never forgets that though it be the throne of grace, yet it is still a throne (see Ps. lxxxix, 7).

I might now point out, fourthly, that the Cherubim (as they bent downwards) looked continually upon the Mercy Seat. Just so, Christ in His finished work is the subject of continual meditation to the saints of God (Eph. iii. 14—19).

Dear people! what say you to the word of the Holy Ghost by the mouth of Peter? (See 1 Epis. ii. 7.) You remember how precious He is in the eyes of His Church (Song v. 9-16). But I must pass on to point out, fifthly, that the Cherubim and the Mercy Seat were inseparable, for they were of one piece of gold. Are we not reminded thereby of the oneness of the people of God with Jesus? He is the "Head," they are the "body" (Eph. i. 22, 23). Yea, they "are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones" (Eph. v. 30). How great, then, the security of the saints! (Zech. ii. 8; Rom. viii. 35-39; John x. 27, 28.) Wherever the Mercy Seat was, there were the Cherubim; just so with the saints, for John xii. 26. And may not the saints learn another lesson-even the duty of maintaining constant communion with Jesus? As the Cherubim never were parted from the Mercy Seat, so, dear children of God, it behoves you at all costs to maintain your communion with Jesus, your Lord. All things, places, companies must be eschewed in which you find Him not; in all lawful employments, places and companies He must continually be sought. He said to His Apostles, Matt. xxviii. 20. He promised, John xiv. 23, and so St. Paul found it (Gal. ii. 20). Now, if the saints of God, being partakers of His divine nature, do rest continually on Jesus, meditating upon Him, reverently approaching His divine majesty, and by continual communion with Him realizing their oneness with Him, what shall certainly follow? (Ps. lxxxix. 15).

Sixthly. Jehovah dwelt between the Cherubim (Ps. xcix. 1; lxxx. 1). And just so even here below is it written, Isa. lxvi. 1, 2; lvii. 15; 2 Cor. vi. 16. Happy that holy and humble man of heart who finds this promise true! I might go on now to dwell particularly upon the several features in the description of the Cherubim, given in the book of Ezekiel, and in the book of the Revelation. "They were full of eyes within" and without (Rev. iv. 6, 7, 8). "Full of eyes within," because the saints, and the saints only, have the eyes of their understanding enlightened (see Prov. xxviii. 5; 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15). And this is an important truth to bear in mind; the saints of God alone have eyes, the advanced saints of God alone are full of eyes. How foolish, then, of the unconverted man to attempt to pronounce upon doctrines! How unwise in the young beginner