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that an eternity of misery in the place of woe is the necessary result or issue of a state of alienation from God.

Here, then, we perceive that the only infallible criterion by which the great question, "Where shall I spend my eternity?" can be solved,-is, the fact of our having or of our not having become supreme lovers of the Redeemer,-of our being or not being regenerated by the grace of the Holy Spirit,-and of our evidencing or our not evidencing both by a perpetual aim to live a life of holiness. For, "if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha,”—that is, let be accursed at his coming. And, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see [or, enter] the kingdom of God." And, "without holiness," resulting from a knowledge of the Saviour's love in dying for us, "no man shall see the Lord."

To imagine, therefore, that we shall spend our eternity in heaven while we are now giving no true evidence of supreme love to the Saviour,-manifesting no fruits of the Holy Spirit in our habitual spirit and deportment, is the very essence of self-deception-of a hope which will make us eternally ashamed. And if we have no evidence now that we shall spend our eternity in heaven, then, judging from the past and present, there remaineth nothing for us but the dread expectation of spending that eternity with the devil and his angels. Tremendous conclusion! Would that every unpardoned reader were led by it to awake from his delusive sleep and flee, while it is called to-day, from the wrath to come!

But, oh! how infinitely happy is he who hath fled, with all his sins, hardness of heart, and depravity, to the Redeemer, and thus received, through grace, a free pardon, and a well grounded hope of being ever with the Lord. For he feels, amid all his unworthiness, that as surely as he can go boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, so he can, in some degree, look forward with calm confidence to eternity, and finally enter with joy the unveiled presence of God. True, he is a sinner; he knows and feels it. But he knows, too, the boundless freedom of divine grace. He has received the dawning of eternal life, and he is conscious that divine grace will sustain and animate his soul in the valley and shadow of death, and shine forth without a cloud in eternal glory.

Thus, eternal life, which the gospel reveals, is not merely endless existence in a happy locality, called heaven; it is not merely deliverance from the dreadful penalty of the second death; but it is the unceasing enjoyment, begun in this life, of the favour, the fellowship, and friendship of God, and of His

Son Jesus Christ. It is a participation of the Spirit-the holiness-the happiness of God. And though the true believer only tastes of this blessedness on earth, yet even this commencement presents to him an earnest and assurance of his eternal dwelling in the presence of God and the Lamb.

How, then, can he envy the men of the world, who have their portion in this life; who, whatever they may enjoy, go down in a moment to destruction? "As for me," he exclaims, with unspeakable gratitude, "I shall behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness." E. C.

What sinners value I resign

Lord,, 'tis enough that thou art mine.
I shall behold thy blissful face,
And stand complete in righteousness.

This life's a dream-an empty show-
But the bright world to which I go
Hath joys substantial and sincere.
When shall I wake and find me there?

O glorious hour! O bless'd abode!
I shall be near and like my God;
And flesh and sin no more control
The sacred pleasures of the soul.

My flesh may slumber in the ground
Till the last trumpet's joyful sound,
Then burst the chains with sweet surprise,
And in my Saviour's image rise

J. F. SHAW, BOOKSELLER, SOUTHAMPTON ROW, AND
PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON;

AND W. INNES, BOOKSELLER, SOUTH HANOVER STREET, EDINBURGH.

London: J. & W. RIDER, Printers, 14, Bartholomew Close.

THE YOUTHFUL DISCIPLE.

AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE.

He

ELIZA H- was the child of earnest and devoted christian parents. Her father was a wealthy manufacturer in one of the principal towns of the West Riding of Yorkshire. occupied an influential position in the religious community to which he belonged, and was not less distinguished for zeal and liberality in the cause of Christ than for energetic enterprise in the business of the world. The training of his household was regulated by a simple but enlightened deference to the will of God, and an intense solicitude for the everlasting welfare of his children. The society which he cultivated was of an order to second very powerfully the instructions and example of himself and his excellent wife; and the ministry which they attended was of an eminently faithful and evangelical character. Yet, though Eliza was thus surrounded by religious influences from the very dawn of consciousness, it is somewhat remarkable that for a considerable time she never seemed to be the subject of those impressions which are common to children so favoured. When about seven years old, she narrowly escaped with life from a severe attack of scarlet fever; but no family traditions remain, proving that she had any sense of her immortality, or any desire for salvation. The school to which she was sent was conducted by ladies who, whilst distinguished by the intellectual vigour with which they directed the studies of their pupils, were most anxious that all their instructions should be imbued with the spirit of vital piety. Her general progress was sufficiently satisfactory. Her lessons were mastered with ease, and for some studies she displayed considerable aptitude. Still there were no indications of religious sensibility. She grew up into girlhood without any additional thoughtfulness, manifesting a taste for dress and show remarkable in one so young. In short, had any one ventured to prognosticate her future life from the tendencies displayed at fourteen, they would assuredly have

predicted that she would grow up a clever, vain, attractive woman of the world; perhaps maintaining the forms, but utterly rejecting the power of religion.

So far the best hopes of her friends seemed doomed to disappointment, their prayers seemed unheard and their labours unrewarded. But it is most likely that in this, as in many other cases, a silent secret preparation was in progress, till at length the heart was brought beneath that influence which was destined, in the order of God's gracious providence, to lead her to a knowledge of the truth. To a superficial observer, the work seems, in such instances, to be accomplished by that particular influence; but it may be questioned whether that instrumentality does not owe its efficiency, in no slight degree, to those precious influences which had seemed to be in vain ;just as the luxuriant harvest is not to be traced merely to those few bright summer days which ripen the golden grain, but equally to the labours of the seed-time and the showers of the spring. When, however, she was about fourteen years old, in common with several friends of her own age, she attracted the notice of a young lady of singular talents and devoted piety, who subsequently became the wife of a missionary, but whose career of usefulness was soon terminated by one of the fatal fevers of India. This lady, in the true spirit of a missionary, sought to lead her youthful charge to the Saviour; and she was eminently successful. Her instructions and counsels were the means of leading many to a right decision, and amongst them not a few of Eliza's intimate associates. For a long time, however, she continued cold and careless as ever. But at length a change came over her, gently, quietly, unaccompanied externally by anything in the least remarkable. Her mind seemed to open to the truth, as the flower opens to the light, and by-and-by she found true peace in Christ. The following extract from a letter, written shortly after the commencement of her fifteenth year, shows very beautifully the spirit in which she sought salvation, and the joy with which she was inspired by its conscious possession:

"It is not without some particular reason that I now write to you. Oh, Helen! how shall I tell you? How can I convey to you any idea of the peace, the delightful happiness, I now experience? I believe, Helen, by the mercy and everlasting kindness of God, my sins are pardoned, and my iniquities forgiven-I now can call God in Christ my reconciled Father. Oh, my friend! rejoice with me, and do you obtain the same blessing from Jesus Christ, and then we can sweetly aid each other in the way to heaven. I shall now

briefly tell you how this great change came to pass. You will most likely remember that I was much perplexed concerning the doctrine of election. Mary (her sister) got to know of it, and spoke to me on Saturday night about it. I cannot tell you now exactly the arguments she used. Suffice it to say, she clearly proved to me that it was a device of the great adversary of souls to get me to cease to pray, and to think if I was to be saved, I was to be saved. I then remembered that true repentance was the first thing to be experienced. I knelt down alone, and entreated God to grant me repentance unto life. He graciously heard my prayer, and before I rose from my knees, I felt that God had, for Christ's sake, pardoned my sins-I could call God my Father. Since then I have been tempted to believe that I had not received so precious a gift; but if I was deceived, how is it that I feel so happy-so ready to die, or so willing to live? I feel ready to die at any time. Oh, Helen! this is what I have so long wished to experience. May God, who has so graciously blessed me, make me humbler, that no pride may have dominion over me, and that I may be kept stedfast unto the end. And that my dear friend may never rest till she has obtained the same sweet peace, is the earnest prayer of her affectionate ELIZA."

The reality of the change was soon evident. The irritability of her temper was rapidly and completely subdued, and it never regained its former ascendancy; her passion for dress subsided; and her gentle, lowly spirit was matter of surprise to those who had known her so different before. Yet though nothing occurred to render it in the least doubtful that she had experienced a true change of heart, that freshness of feeling and high enjoyment, which are so well described in her letter, gradually gave place to a very different state of mind, which continued for some time. She became the subject of severe and singular temptation. Every employment, every recreation, seemed full of danger and sin; her conscientiousness degenerated into the most painful scrupulosity; every source even of innocent pleasure was poisoned; she was only restrained by positive. parental command from observing frequent and rigorous fasts; and every moment she could spare was spent in closet duties. At one time she was tempted to think she was not in the true church; at another, that the Bible was an imposture; and again, that the Socinian heresy was really the truth. Had she been a Romanist, no earthly power could have prevented her from seeking rest in a convent. As it was, never was sister of mercy more devoted to works of charity. They were her only delight. The money with which she was liberally sup

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