David.-Yes, and moreover, I feel humbled in another respect. For some years I have been occupied with the brethren; I have had the place of a teacher in the school of Christ; but yet I feel as if, instead of testifying of Him, I have been engrossed with self, and with what I, as a creature, think and feel. Now, this falls short of Christ. Paul.-Yes, but they are useful lessons withal. We must all pass through the alphabet class, as the interlude to higher teaching. David.—True; but what I want now to know is Christ. I want to be taken up with him and his doings, rather than with myself; for I find that, however pleasing and profitable it may be to dwell upon the Lord's dealings, there is a still higher and a more blessed theme, and that is, HIMSELF HIMSELF; what he is, and what he has done. Now, if it were his gracious will, I should like thus to be engaged during the remainder of my pilgrimage. I should love it now to be, as one has very aptly expressed it "Him first-Him last-Him without end." Peter.-Nothing else will stand; so to speak everything short of this, yea even our joyful frames and wondrous deliverances, will wear out-pass away from the remembrance, so that we shall have nought left but Christ. Mary. And He will be enough to feast upon not merely for time but to all eternity. Lydia.-Ah! that He will, Mary. I feel the truth of this daily; so that the language of my heart is, "Tell me, O thou whom my soul lovest, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?" Thomas.-Brother Paul, we shall not have your subject to-night if we go on at this rate. Paul. But it is all in connection, Thomas. These are among the choice mercies and desires of that "flesh which shall rest in hope." Thomas. But don't you think it meant Christ's flesh resting in the sepulchre until the morning of the resurrection? ever. Paul.-Yes, certainly, and more likewise. It is a glorious contemplation that it was not possible that Christ should be holden of death (Acts ii. 24). He surrendered to him, and then snatched away his sting. So to speak, there is no more death left for the children. Death wears a frightful visage, but he has no sting. It is gone, and gone for All the poison on the arrow was left in the heart of Jesus. Death drew it forth an harmless weapon. There has never been the slightest vestige of that which would do an injury since Christ received the fatal dart. I believe this as much as I believe in my own existence. Hence I cannot regard death as an enemy, but as a friend. Christ met him as a foe for himself, but he made friends with him for his people. Mind this. There is not- there cannot be—a sting-a curse-left; if there be, then Christ must return, and meet him again. But he has now been subdued-silenced-made friends with, for nearly four thousand years, and he has no power left to do the children an injury even had he the inclination. And the grave-why, since Christ laid there, it is but as a downy bed to his dear followers. I love that expression of Watts' "There the dear flesh of Jesus lay, The grave! 'tis a sweet spot ever since Jesus lay there. Just the little narrow house where the Lord, like a kind parent, puts his children to rest. He loosens their clothing-soothes their troubled breast-sings them to sleep-then lays them down to rest; there he watches over with an ever-vigilant eye their sleeping dust. Thomas. But do you know, brother Paul, I am greatly troubled about the thoughts of their rising again. It seems so highly improbable, if not impossible, that ever these self-same bodies can rise. Consider their destruction, and how they must be scattered. Paul.-If you look through nature's glasses, well you may say so, Thomas; reason cannot fathom it; nature cannot compass it; but faith holds it as a blessed mystery. But mark one thing, if you hold the theory with which we started the conversation this evening-that our bodies are sinful-then the whole is plunged into a labyrinth at once. 'Tis this same body that is to rise-yea, though it be crumbled to dust of tiniest kind, and scattered hither and thither to the winds of heaven; though it were plunged into the depths of the ocean, and centuries before its final rise, had supplied for food those who in their turn had wasted to decay; yet shall every particle be gathered up, and the finny tribe disgorge their victims, though themselves reduced to nothingness. So precious in the sight of Jesus are the sleeping relics of his bride, that every atom shall be gathered to himself afresh, but freed-for ever freed from its former treacherous inhabitant. Oh! 'tis a delightful thought, this body put to sleep, but it again shall rise. Yes, with Job, I joyfully exclaim, "I know that my Redeemer liveth; and though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not anothers." Blessed truth! sweet comfortable mystery! I shall lay me down to sleep, when my appointed hour arrives, "in sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection." Thus my flesh shall rest in hope. Mary.-But was there not another view you were about to take of the subject, brother Paul? Paul. Well, the other view, or view in connection, which I take of the subject, is, that it is Christ, as the living and risen Head, speaking of his body the Church. "My flesh-that is, my body, left in yonder wilderness, also, shall rest in hope." The little word," also," is very blessed; "that as I, their Head, Husband, Redeemer, Representative, Friend, and Intercessor, have not been disappointed in rising, in my Mediatorial character, from the tomb, neither shall they be. They also shall rest in hope. My flesh-that is, my body- the other part of myself, shall rest in hope. I am risen as their Head, and they, as my body, must rise, for Head and members can never be separated. I am risen as the first-fruits of them that sleep-as the earnest-the sure pledge that they likewise shall rise. They shall rest; confide in me, depend upon my word, quietly wait the fulfilment of my promise. They know me, and they will trust me; they are expecting me-they will wait for me-abide my pleasure. Though in the wilderness, exposed to wilderness-troubles, wilderness-privations, and wilderness-sorrows, yet shall they rest; remain quiet, calm, collected. They shall not be troubled overmuch they shall not be cast down beyond measure; but there shall be a resting in-a reposing upon-me, and my word of promise. My flesh also shall rest in hope. They have it not yet in fruition-not in full possession; but it is a resting in hope. They have that knowledge of me, and full confidence in me, that they rest in hope, fully assured that" what I have promised, that also I am able to, and will, perform." John.-One verse, dear friends, before we separate: "Once more before we part, We'll bless the Saviour's name; Sing ev'ry tongue the same." WILDERNESS MERCIES. LETTER XVIII. THE EDITOR. THERE are mysteries in God's providence and grace to which his dear children are called, that never can be fully explained while they dwell below; and this of my going to Scotland is one among the number which to this day calls forth to my view both wonder and astonishment; however, the conversation then entered upon with my new friend, gave me an opportunity of correcting some mistakes he had made on the Sabbath, and with honest desire explained to him more fully how I had been made acquainted with the truth, and what I considered was the truth experimentally, as the Spirit makes it known to the soul. But, strange as it was, while I thus fearlessly stated my views in a happy belief thereof, I did not find my mind so united to the man as I could have wished; but before we parted, up came a second person, who immediately lent his ear to my conversation, and then giving a few words in reply, I found my soul united to him in a moment; the same divine fire was kindled in his heart towards me, and he said he blest the Lord for meeting with me, for the way in which I spake of the love of God, and how grace does all for a poor sinner (contrary to duty-faith and the works of the creature, which were so much insisted upon), was the theme of his soul, which he longed to have testified more clearly among the few friends where I had been, of whom he said he made one, but had gone to Glasgow the day before to meet a few poor ones there, who were led in the same way. He said people were swallowed up in religious form, and expressed great surprise at finding one like myself drop into their little room, as they were despised and held at a distance, for maintaining that man could do nothing but sin, while the religion of the day was, that man was capable of doing much, and was called upon to do much in his state, as being under a moral obligation to his Maker, losing sight of the spirituality of God's law, his word declaring that man is dead in trespasses and sins, and at enmity against the Lord. This conversation revived my spirit. I rejoiced that on Scottish ground I had at last found one with whom I could talk of the things I had handled and felt to be life to my spirit. What a mercy the Lord saw me toiling in this land to find his name recorded, and, after all, directed me to one who had tasted of the good word of life, and felt that he was walking through a tribulated path in this wilderness. I hastened back to tell my wife of my meeting with "Peter." The Lord had taught him to cry, "Lord, save me or I perish ;" and he had proved the arm of the Lord strong to save in his weakness. This man had been to America, and gave me as woful an account of things there as I found in Scotland. I asked if he could inform me where the pure, unadulterated Gospel was preached. "Alas! I know not," he replied, "we have a few poor brethren in Glasgow to whom we stand united; but elsewhere I know of none who truly value free grace without works." I said, "I hope you are mistaken, having been informed there are some in that great city who love and read free grace publications preached by God's servants in England." This he was not inclined to believe; but in order to be convinced I went to Glasgow, called upon a noted bookseller in Irongate Street, and inquired for some books published by Gadsby and Philpot. "We have none," was the answer. "How is that," said I, "as I saw it noted upon the cover of the Gospel Standard?'" "Yes, we had some sent to us, but could not sell them here, and we have returned them." I said, "This is a sad evidence, and I ought to shake off the dust of my feet against you." He smiled, and I left his office. Walking down Argyle Street, how did my soul pant for the pure streams of Gospel love. I praised the Lord for enabling me to make a better choice; I longed to drink at a purer fountain, and remembered the sixteenth century when Scotland breathed a more spiritual air, and had a greater love for experimental religion; not that I lacked hearing how piety abounded from morning till night. I heard of this minister and the other being godly men, whose duties called them to labour abundantly, sometimes giving lectures on one subject, then on another; now to the young, then to the old; anon to this institution and the other; mechanics, teetotalism, sciences, &c., which constantly kept their minds and tongues employed. All these things made it an overflowing place of rich plenty to my good sister-inlaw, in whose house I was requested, night and morning, to engage in family prayer, so called. What a drudgery I sometimes found it to be! This was a secret known only to myself and dear wife, who felt the mockery of the service when the heart was not engaged; and I found my breathings were like an outlandish sound to their ears. I did not pray for the young sinner to come to the house of God-I did not plead for the old sinner to break off his sins by repentance-I did not ask that the wicked might beg of God to follow after righteousnessand I was always pleading man's total inability to perform what ministers exhorted them to do; in short, I did nothing that I ought to do. To this I pleaded guilty, but added, what a favour it was for poor, sensible, bankrupt, guilty, polluted sinners, like myself, that Christ had done all, and nothing remained for me to do-that it was mercy, rich and free, without money and without price. The Gospel knew of no other way than this for living souls, whom God's Spirit brought up from the death of sin, to take freely and fully the benefit of the Saviour's grace act, and as I found I was a daily sinner by nature and practice, so I needed an every day Christ. I could only plead his grace to guide me my journey through this sinful waste, in obedience to his sovereign will, that all my prayers must be so directed. This I found to be a Gospel privilege that always sounded better than duty. I now had an opportunity of visiting several parts of this sweet country "of mountains and of floods," where the lofty Ben Lomond and many others rear their towering heads, and was favoured to glide along the beautiful Clyde: here nature wears her gaudy attire, to charm and ravish the traveller's eye, and from the summit of Dumbarton castle I found it sweet to look around and say, "My Father made them all." My new friend "Peter" being acquainted with the country, we enjoyed many sweet walks together; talking of Jesus by the way we had many pleasing tales to tell each other, how the Lord had led and appeared for us in a way of grace and providence; and on the mountainbrays above Stanly castle we sat down while I related to him some of my history, little thinking at the time I should ever write the events of my life. He shed tears of joy at the old Englishman's account, and we both sang aloud the praises of Jehovah. The spot I have now before me in the eye of my mind, and I believe we shall have cause to be glad we knew each other there in the flesh, though to all human appearance we shall never meet again in this vale of impurity. As before stated, I had gone to Scotland to have remained, if possible; but this was not to be. The proffer made to me before I left London, was so interwoven with difficulties, I thought it best to decline; added to this the climate was too cold for me, and my mind was made up to return to England. The main question was, How will you find means to accomplish the voyage? Here I stuck fast in the mire-doubts and fears pervading my mind. Just so it was with literal Israel in the wilderness, when the Lord had displayed his power for them at the Red Sea. He had done the same for me over the north sea, and I had blessed his name for it; but oh, the stupidity of the mind when unbelief takes the sway! Be it spoken to my shame, at this moment I could not |