rejoicing in the wisdom and faithfulness of the Divine dispensation, seeing that God is glorified both in them that are saved, and in them that perish; and that nothing can destroy nor contaminate the sweet savour of the atonement. This precious ointment can never lose its fragrance; and the odour of it fills the house when the alabaster box is broken,-when the contrite heart expands itself in the love of Christ,-when the wounded spirit is made sensible of the healing efficacy of His blood,-when the light of life illumines the darkened mind, which before was "dead in trespasses and sins," -when the feet of them that stumbled, upon the dark mountains of ignorance and superstition, are guided "into the way of peace,"and when we, "who were sometime alienated and enemies in our mind by wicked works," are turned by the mighty power of His grace "from darkness to light; and the power of Satan unto God;" the eyes of our understanding being enlightened to see "Him that is invisible," and to "receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith which is in Christ Jesus":

When the ear of faith is open to hear the joyful sound,—when the hand of faith rests upon the atoning sacrifice, and the eye of faith is enlightened to see that "her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned," and that the Lord Himself hath so completely put away her sin, that "the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found." So entirely hath He forgiven all trespasses, that they are even blotted out of the remembrance of the All-seeing God: "Their sins, and their iniquities, will I remember no more." Does it become the children of God to distrust the testimony of their Heavenly Father? But "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft," "making the Word of God of none effect;" denying the blessed truth that "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." Now, the law curses for sin, therefore where sin remains, the curse remains. "Howbeit the Lord our God turned the curse into a blessing." In "being made a curse for us," the Lord Jesus took away the cause of that curse, and all the evils attendant thereupon. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." "Himself took

our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." There is not a grief nor an affliction of any kind which the Lord hath not borne for His people. "In all their affliction He was afflicted;" for He was "acquainted with grief." It is the believer's privilege to partake in measure of these sufferings, as the Holy Ghost testifies, "Unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out the glories of redemption in the soul, enabling us to realise a sweet fellowship with Christ in His sufferings,

"The wonderful love of His heart,
Where He has recorded my name,
On earth, can be known but in part,
Heav'n only can bear the full flame.

"In rivers of sorrow it flow'd,

And flow'd in those rivers for me; My sins are all drown'd in His blood; My soul is both happy and free."

The evangelists relate only one instance in which "Jesus rejoiced in spirit," but it is the believer's privilege to "rejoice evermore.” He is exhorted to "rejoice in the Lord alway: " and, knowing the manifold devices of the enemy to rob the child of God of his appointed portion, the Spirit adds, "Again I say, Rejoice." This sweet word "again" is suited to every state and circumstance through which the believer is called to pass; even unto death He speaks the word with power, "Again I say, Rejoice;" "your life is hid with Christ in God;" and "death is swallowed up in victory."

If we would find the origin of this "joy of the Lord," we must trace its source up to Him; who, in the language of prophecy, has said, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. When He gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment; when He appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." Yet He leaves these realms of joy, and comes to be " a man of sorrows;" still bearing on the breastplate of His faithfulness and love, these "sons of men" in whom is all His delight. Thus "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed "-the seed of the kingdom, the harvest of which shall be manifest at the end of the world-" shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing His sheaves with Him;" "and everlasting joy shall be upon their Head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." "The glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams-rivers of gladness, and streams of joy: nor are these streams withheld from the weary pilgrim here: "There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God." The children of Zion all drink of" that spiritual Rock" that accompanies them, and "that Rock is Christ." Thus they go on their way rejoicing; knowing that they are under the guidance and protection of "Him who is able to keep them from falling, and to present them faultles before the throne of His glory with exceedingjoy:"-ajoy not only exceeding all description, thought, or imagination; but which is, and will be, continually exceeding itself, even to an endless eternity. This is that "oil of joy," that fulness of blessedness, which is to be found in ascribing "to the only wise God our Saviour, glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

January, 1860.

A DAUGHTER OF ZION.

HEART BREATHINGS.

ETERNAL Spirit, thou whose gentle beams
Disperse the darkness from this prison
house

Of clay ;-kind, indulgent Spirit, come !
Set up thy throne within my breast, and
make

My heart a temple fit for thine abode.

Here rest for ever, and true peace impart ;
Give comfort, too, and chase away the clouds
Of unbelief, and mists of error, which
Darken while they last, but ne'er destroy.
Let knowledge grow, and understanding
give;

With thy rich grace revive the mould'ring
flame

Which dimly burns, without thy holy oil:
Still constant flow, to cheer the parched
ground.

Descend, Celestial Dove, in ardent flames
Of pure seraphic fire. Inspire the Muse
With light, and kindle in his breast the
flame

Of never-dying love. Let Jesu's Name,
His resurrection, life, and conq'ring death,
Be still his theme, till nature stops his
tongue.

Let the glories of Emmanuel shine
With brightest rays, till faith is lost in
sight.

O, Holy Ghost, revive the drooping corn
With heavenly showers, rich copious streams
Of blessedness pour down on ev'ry longing,
Thirsting soul, till all the land a fruitful
Field becomes, and every fruitful field
A forest green, planted by thine own hand.
Thy gentlest, sweetest influence diffuse,
That these dull lines may, like some touching
strains

Of sweetest harmony, arrest the vacant ear.
Let the trumpet blast of gospel truth
Be loud and long; not an uncertain sound,
But full, and sweet, and dear, that long
lost souls

GOD AT WORK WITH THE HEART.

"God maketh my heart soft; and the Almighty troubleth me."

READER, can you say so? Is the Lord at work with your heart, making it soft? Is the Almighty so troubling you, that you can find no happiness or peace in this world, but art driven, as a poor helpless, hell-deserving worm, into the arms of the Almighty? Oh! what a mercy, what a mercy, that He has not left you in your sins to perish; that He has not let you fall asleep in the nest of

carnal security; but is stirring you up to wing your way to realms of joy!

This language at once betokens an experience of sharp exercises. Some persons' religion seems to be an easy sort of thing. They seem to sail on smoothly enough. They appear outwardly very religious, and would not neglect attending church on any account; but if you talk to such of sharp exercises of soul-of a heart broken to pieces of the Almighty being a troubler to His own peoplethis is all a strange language to them, and they set you down as one misguided, if not actually wrong in mind. But, dear reader, let me honestly tell you my conviction, that, if your religion is of this smooth character, it is not worth a straw to you. It is but the "wood, hay, and stubble" sort of religion, that will be consumed at the first outbreak of God's wrath on the great day of account; and, depend upon it, nothing but a well tried fine gold religion will stand at that solemn hour.

"Beware," said our dear Redeemer, "of the leaven of the Pharisees:" and solemn warnings directed against this soul destructive principle was one of the main points of His ministry on earth. Hence, in the 23rd chapter of Matthew's gospel, no less than eight times does He repeat, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees."

Then, beloved, we see that Job's religion was one of sharp exercises; and, in looking a little further into this language, we may notice

1. The Eternal Breaker at work with the heart." God maketh my heart soft."

2. The Almighty troubler.-" And the Almighty troubleth me." 3. What was all this wonderful process for?-Job tells us, in a previous verse, it is that, "When he hath tried me, I might come forth as pure gold."

1. The Eternal Breaker at work with the heart, making it soft.— Some think that all His discipline with Job was on account of sin; but how can this be, when God saith, that "He was a perfect and an upright man; one that feareth God, and escheweth evil;" and then, after this, suffers him to be the subject of trial upon trial? No, beloved, this discipline is the means a Father takes, in love, to sunder the heart of His people from earthly dependencies. Hence, in Job's instance, He first takes away his cattle and oxen, to show Himself to be a God of providence-Jehovah Jireh "The Lord who will provide," to prove to him that where the entire trust is placed in Him, such shall find that the barrel of meal shall never be wasted, nor the cruise of oil ever run out, all the journey through. Secondly, God takes away his servants and camels, &c., that he might not sit on the couch of worldly ease, but be up and doing, resting upon the promise, "Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and, as thy day thy strength shall be." Thirdly, God takes

away his children, that he might have no idols; for He is a jealous God, and wants all the heart. Do you know what it is to have a darling child torn from your embrace, and to be made to say, "Thy will be done ?” We do. Fourthly, He suffers the wind to blow upon Job's house, and it falls to the ground, to show him that he must be a dweller in tents in the wilderness—a sojourner, seeking a city whose foundation and builder is God. Fifthly, Job's wife proves false to him, that he may be led to see the poverty of arms of flesh, and lean alone upon that arm which is ever" Mighty to save." Sixthly, Job's friends prove miserable comforters, that he may be driven to the only true refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, now, dear reader, this is the sort of work that softens the heart, and brings down the poor sinner to very nothingness; and what will be the result-what is the effect of this softening work? First, a softened heart will receive impressions, just as the softened wax receives the impress of the seal stamped upon it. Christ is God's express image, and the real child of God is Christ's impress image-His name, and His work, and His righteousness is sealed upon the heart by the Holy Spirit: hence are they called, Sealed And then, secondly, a softened heart will be shown in the daily walk, life, and conduct—“ Old_things are passed away, and all things are become new"-sin is loathed, whereas it was once loved. You can tell from the language and conversation of the man whether he is a follower of the Lamb of God, or a slave to Satan. Thirdly, a softened heart is prepared for fresh supplies-ever craving. As the earth thirsts for more rain, so the softened heart longs for more grace, fresh displays of God's mercy and favour, and cannot be satisfied with anything short of it.

ones.

And now, beloved, glance at the expression,

2. The Almighty troubler." The Almighty troubleth me." Is it so with you? For our part, reader, we can truly say that it is so with us that if we wake in the night, eternity is before us; the first thing in the morning, eternity is before us; during the engagements of the day, this one theme thrusts itself upon us-eternity, eternity -am I right, am I right for eternity? Oh! this is the Almighty troubler at work. Thank Him for it. Look at Him at work with a wrestling Jacob (Gen. xxxii.), touching him in the hollow of his thigh, and not granting Him the blessing till the break of day. But oh! how great the blessing when it came! The Lord said, Thy name shall be no more Jacob, but Israel," which means, a prince of God.

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Look at Him at work with a sleeping Samuel (1 Sam. iii.), calling him three times, till Samuel was obliged to respond, “Lord, here am I, for thou didst call me." The Lord thus woke him up, to be an instrument of bringing glory to His own great name.