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two false witnesses" (Matt. xxvi. 59, 60.); and though they witnessed falsely against Him, "yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth; "but I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut Him off from the land of the living, that His name may be no more remembered" (Jer. xii. 19). "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance" (Matt. xxi. 38). "Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him" (Matt. xxvi. 3,4). So He, the holy, harmless, undefiled, and therefore innocent, one "suffered the just for the unjust," was betrayed into the hands of sinners, wrongfully accused, being witnessed against falsely; they laid to His charge things that He knew not, or was not guilty of; and yet, wonder O heavens ! and be astonished O earth! He was constituted guilty, "made sin for us, who knew no sin; that we (even we) might be made the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Cor. v. 21). He, then, being made the sin, was by justice found to be sin; and though sinners were false witnesses against Him, yet there were three true witnesses in heaven, also three on earth, as we read: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, the water and the blood; and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself."

Such are living epistles known and read of all (spiritual) men; and are even manifest before ungodly men by their upright conversation as having been somewhere, and taught something the world are entire strangers to. Ah! somewhere indeed! Taught something? Truly, they have been taught something, even the fear of the Lord, and not (O, the mercy) by the precept of man, but by that Holy One Jesus promised to send,—the Spirit of Truth. O wondrous love! O matchless mercy! condescending goodness! thus to become the true witness in our heart, testifying of love, blood, and righteousness; speaking loudly of Him, exalting Him the lowly One in our soul, to the praise of the riches of thy grace, as "the true God and eternal life;" as the man made strong for the Father's work, who came not to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him as the Saviour of poor, undone miserable sinners as the fountain open for sin and all uncleaness: as the compassionate high priest, who in all points was tempted like unto His brethren, yet without sin: as the shepherd of all His own loved and cared-for sheep, which were so dear to Him, that He laid down His own invaluable life, lovingly, willingly, and cheerfully to prevent their being a prey to the roaring lion, who goeth about seeking whom he may (mark that!) devour.

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Who

Who would be without such a witness of such a precious Christ? would care to live, having but a portion in this life, and no witness of their eternal sonship? What are all the dying vanities of this life compared with a good hope through grace? What if we possess all the honours attainable, all the gold imaginable, all the luxuries producible; relations most affectionate, and friends most kind; a mind most mighty, a countenance most lovely and

comely; a knowledge of the arts and sciences;-it is all less than nothing and vanity compared to a good hope through grace, of an interest in the doing, dying, and glorious resurrection of Christ, the name written in the Lamb's book of life, and the blessed Spirit of God witnessing the precious fact in one's own soul.

The child of God can well respond to the pure spiritual breathing of the immortal Toplady :

"Compared with Christ, in all beside

No comliness I see;

The one thing needful, dearest Lord,
Is to be one with thee."

The sense of thy expiring love,
Into my soul convey;

Thyself bestow, for thee alone,
My all in all, I pray."

Toplady was indeed a man well taught by the true unerring witness, and was made a faithful witness in his day and generation; but not without meeting with great opposition from the miscalled religious world; especially among that noted class of religionists called the Wesleyans, (in which faith, a man, living and dying, must eternally perish ;) for they, like the ancient Jews, were "going about to establish their own righteousness, not submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God," having no idea, although contained in scripture, of Christ being the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth; they therefore stumbled at that stumbling stone, were offended with Christ, and of necessity, His servant, who was sent as a witness to the truth, found them hostile when contending "earnestly for the faith once delivered to saints." But though Toplady was not highly esteemed among fleshly men, and natural religionists, yet he could say, in the fear of the Lord, and with becoming boldness,

"Careless myself, a dying man,

Of dying men's esteem;

Happy, O Lord, if thou but smile,
Though all beside condemn."

The Lord ever has, and ever will have His witnesses; and why they prove to be His witnesses, is, He makes them exactly what he would have them be; fits and prepares each for his appointed usefulness; and one cannot take the work out of another's hand, nor appoint another to do his work. No, all is harmony in God's management, every person, thing, and circumstance is under His immediate all-wise control.

Well might the Lord say by His prophet: "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood" (Isaiah x. 15). Jesus Christ is the true witness given by God to His people; and what a witness He is! He is a witness of His Father's love, of His holiness, and the inflexibility of His justice.

There is a wide field now opened before our mind; and may the Lord in love lead us to contemplate our glorious Christ,

First, as a witness to us of His Father's Love;

Secondly, His Holiness;

Thirdly, His Justice;

And lastly, His Faithfulness.

First, a witness of Love: "Behold I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people" (Isaiah lv. 4). What love in our covenant God to give such a witness as a precious Christ! "I have given him;" not, they have merited him. O no, impossible!

"There was nothing in us that could merit esteem,

Or give the Creator delight;

'Twas even so, Father, we ever must sing,

For so it seemed good in thy sight."

And, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." Here are heights, depths, lengths, and breadths immeasurable: "God so loved!" Well might dear Hawker say, speaking of the people as the Bride the Lamb's wife,

"He cannot love her more,

Nor will He love her less;
In loving her, Himself He loves

(To be continued.)

A GOSPEL POEM.

"Say ye to the Righteous that it shall be well with him, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." ISAIAH iii. 10.

Ah! well it was, it is, and must be so

No matter what takes place to such below.
This vale's a wilderness of constant care,
Which makes us long a better world to share ;
Earth's polluted, so saith the word of God ;-
We find it true, who Christians' paths have trod.
O earth thou art condemned to burn with fire;
Then why our hearts so fond with such desire?
For soon-ah! soon-the time will come, O! when
A voice not far, but near, will call us; then
We must exchange this earth for heav'n or hell;
The mercy with the Righteous all is well!
Yes! well it is with those so lov'd of God,
His love makes them revere and watch His nod.
His fear plac'd in their heart, they look above
To know His mind, which He makes known in love.
Earth's empty waste is drear-O yes and dark:
But, notwithstanding all, God has His ark,
And there His people ride, though fierce the storm,
Quite safe, secure, untouch'd, and free from harm.
Sometimes afflictions seize the reins, and bend
The body low, which feels it has no friend;
But yet it has a friend-O! yes indeed,
And one that can supply its every need;
But we are apt to make a sad mistake,
And vainly think an arm of flesh can make
Our pillow smooth, and soft our bed as down,
And e'en suppose a friend indeed we've found;
But, Oh! when God a bitter makes this sweet,
We then find out 'twas all-yes, all a cheat;
For in the creature we alone would rest;
But God, in love and mercy, shakes the nest.

And when He makes us feel 'twas all in love,
Tis then we bless and praise, and look above.
It may be, for a time we're tried by fire,
And fear we shall not have our heart's desire,
But God is true, though we may feel a Hell,
And with the righteous all-yes all is well!
(To be continued)

A LETTER FROM A GLEANER.

MY DEAR BROTHER IN JESUS,

Grace and peace be with you from the Holy Ones, and may the savour of our Beloved's good ointment so flow from soul to soul that we shall forget all beside, being blessedly absorbed in His love and loveliness.

"Sweet the time, exceeding sweet,
When the saints together meet;
When the Saviour is the theme;

When they love to speak of Him.”

It matters not whether it be in person or by pen, if the Holy Spirit indites the good matter, and brings forth things touching the King, other objects are soon eclipsed, and we joyfully say, "Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured into thy lips;" "my meditation of him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord." We find that "Heaviness in the heart maketh it stoop, but a good Word maketh it glad;" even the Word which was made flesh and dwelt among us, and the words which fall from his precious lips; for His word is with power. "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." This is precious eating, beloved. His flesh is meat indeed, His blood is drink indeed; a feast of fat things full of marrow, and wines on the lees well refined. Feeding thus by faith, we forget to lament our poverty in the first Adam, and remember our misery no more in him; for we find in the Second such superlative fulness and glory, that to return to mere creature perfection would be loss indeed. Surely the Church of Christ lost nothing in the first Adam that she can regret; her substance, her all, being stored up in her heavenly Head. It is written, "I cause them that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures." Ah! it is such a filling as makes the best things beneath the sun appear a very vanity. However low, poor, or despised we may be in this world, we tread upon the high places of the earth; and though amidst the ruins of the fall, and the sorrows of the flesh, we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." This is not presumption, neither does it feed the old man; but as we are brought here by the Spirit, we know that our old man is crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. What room is there, then, for the creature to glory? None at all. "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord;" "for this is the name wherewith she shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness;" "I am called by thy name, O Lord of Hosts." How wonderful! It overcomes me while I write it, having the Spirit witnessing that I am in the blessedness. Eternal relationship has been manifested by acts

of love in time. The precious near kinsman has redeemed me unto Himself, and given Himself to me as well as for me, often saying with divine power, "I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel;" and shewing me that in all other things He shall give me no resting place or inheritance; no, not so much as to put the foot on; yet in another sense He says, "all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's" (1 Cor. iii. 22, 23). How easy and quiet we are when He brings us into the secret of having nothing in self, and yet posessing all things in Him; for He is all to us, "Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption ;" and is "Head over all things to the church." Oh, I feel the subject to be so great, so wonderful, that such a worm as I should have all covenant blessings secured in Christ before we fell in Adam; and all manifested and enjoyed in Him our precious Christ while we pass through the effect of that fall. He has stood surety for our persons, and for our debts, and all the costs of this wilderness journey lie upon Him. It has often cheered my heart to hear Him say to "our Father," "I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever." How safe and how blessed are we! and all our blessings come to us crimsoned with the blood of the everlasting covenant, flowing as it were through the pierced heart of our Beloved, who, in His majestic person and matchless love, was mighty to suffer, and mighty to save. Our sweets come through His bitters; and that we might have the cup of blessing, He took the very dregs of our cup of curse, which none ever drained before.

"O, love of unexampled kind,

Which leaves all thoughts so far behind!"

Here I love to be, gazing by faith on my crucified Lord; learning what sin is that cost so much; what love is that endured so much; and pondering over the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which should follow; “which things the angels desire to look into." No wonder, then, that we should, for whom He bore it all.

Doubtless my dear brother is one with me in spirit in these things, saying, "Love I much? I've much forgiven;

I'm a miracle of grace !"

And, exclaiming with the apostle, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Here the love of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit resplendently shine! They loved us from eternity; and the revelation in time was a development of it. This will be the wonder of saints and astonishment of angels to all eternity.

Oh! is it not a miracle of love that it should please the Father to bruise Him, to put Him to grief? And, as you say, to hide us in that dear closet until the indignation was overpast. I have been much enjoying the 17th of John. How the blessed oneness is set forth! Our dear Lord says to our Father, "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me" (John xvii. 23). Indeed, He must; for we are part of Christ, "members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones" (Eph. v. 30).