on the former, John vi. 27. earnestly intreating the influence of Jehovah the Holy Spirit to guide my mind into a spiritual view of the truth as it is in Christ, and to accompany these feeble observations with divine power to the establishment of the wavering of his flock amongst whom they may be sent, and the bringing them into the fellowship of the gospel of peace.

"Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you," John vi. 27.

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In the first place I would take a view of the meats here spoken of by our blessed Immanuel: and here I would observe, that our Saviour had no doubt a reference to the treasures of this life, about which his people were not to be over anxious, as he cautions them in his admirable sermon on the Mount-" Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth," &c. Matt. vi. 19. Thus when addressing the multitude he says, "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, (and were convinced of my Messiahship), but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled," (because of the worldly advantage they had gained from him): and he well knowing the proneness of the carnal mind, (that still dwells in the believer) to follow after earthly things, makes the cautionary remark to put his dear children on their watch tower against this enemy of their peace, carnal mindedness and worldly affection. But I think our dear Lord had something more in view than this, when he addressed this language to his dear children; appears evident to me that he had an allusion to the pharisaical and hypocritical works and performances of the multitude around him, whose hope of salvation rested on their own performances: and knowing the proneness of the carnal heart to be doing something in the work of salvation, he would thus bring them off from every thing but Christ and his finished work. Thus he says to them, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduces; Matt. xvi. 6. Luke xii. 1. and why? Because it was hypocrisy! meat that would perish, and give no strength and vigour to the soul, but on the contrary, tend to impoverish and weaken their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But the blessings of the everlasting gospel are supplies from the great table of our beloved (who is in himself, the bread of life, and the water of salvation) meat that will satisfy the hungry, starving soul, and establish the new-born child of grace in the ways of peace, while passing through this waste howling wilderness of sin and sorrow, to his heavenly rest in Canaan's happy land. Thus how sweetly does the Holy Spirit address his people by the prophet, " Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not?" (why toil and strive for acceptance with God by your own doings? Why attempt to satisfy your perishing distressed souls by flying to the empty law, which is no provision for a sinner.) "Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness," (take of the rich provisions of my grace, and be satisfied with the free pardon of all

your sins in Christ your righteousness.) Isa. lv. 2. Yes, believer, come and take this spiritual and everlasting meat which endureth unto eternal life.

Having taken this brief notice of the meats here spoken of, let me go on to notice the labour. And here it might be observed, that mankind as an accountable creature, and under the moral law of Jehovah, is bound to fulfil that law on pain of suffering the penalties inflicted by the same, for disobedience; and in this sense had Jehovah addressed the multitude, it must have been to have offered salvation by an obedience to the law, which could not be the case, because the law already broken admits of no such thing, without a full and ample satisfaction for the injury done, which could not be given by a mere mortal, whose duty it was and is to render to the law a full and perfect obedience. This then is not the sense of the expression; but I think the apostle gives a description of this labour, when he says, give diligence to make your calling and election sure," 2 Pet. i. 10. By which I understand they were to seek diligently and earnestly for the evidences of divine truth to prove their ownselves; to see whether they were in the faith; or to examine the grand foundation on which they were resting; to take a view of their calling of God, and see if it were a calling out of a love of sin into a love of holiness; out of a state of darkness into the marvellous light and liberty of the gospel, whereby Christ hath made them free. Thus I conceive our Saviour in this passage is exhorting his children to an earnest research after those blessings which he hath promised to bestow on his family, and with which they shall be fed to divine satisfaction.

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But I would proceed to notice the characters to whom this address or exhortation too is given; and here I must say, it was to his disciples, and to them only, and is still made to all the Lord's dear disciples in the wilderness; and perhaps some of my readers may be ready to shrink at so contracted an idea, and be ready to ask, why then address such language in the presence of such a multitude? I would answer, "Because to them (the disciples) it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to them (the world at large) it is not given." And here let it be observed, our Lord had a special message to communicate to his family, and a divine truth to convey to their minds, by way of exhortation or caution, which he does in this forcible manner, by declaring the principles that actuated on the minds of the multitude, and caused them to follow him, (which were carnal); and then taking occasion by this, to shew the prevalence of this carual principle in the mind, exhorts his dear family that they eat not of this perishable meat, but of that which endureth to eternal life. And now I would entreat the reader to notice the connection of the verse, and he will find a very gracious promise connected with these labours, to which he (Christ) exhorts, "Labour not," &c. &c. "which the Son of man shall give unto you." Now let me ask, does Jehovah bestow his gifts on his people as a reward for their doings? If so, salvation is no more of grace but of debt. But rather, does

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not our blessed Lord give his gifts and graces freely, as an act of his rich, free, and sovereign grace, love, and mercy? It is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified freely by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus iii. 5, 6, 7. By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. ii. 8. From whence it is evident, that these divine blessings flow from the sovereign love of Jehovah to the church, irrespective of their doings or deservings: and these blessings shall be given unto you. To whom? To all the spiritual labourers, those who are influenced by the Spirit of divine grace to seek this spiritual good;yes! because the principle of divine grace being implanted in the heart, they shall receive fresh communications according to their necessities; for the grace of the Holy Spirit to quicken being given, they shall for the same, or in consequence thereof, receive continual supplies out of his fulness. Indeed the labours themselves being spiritual, imply a spiritual life imparted, so that grace must begin in the heart, ere the labours of love can be manifest; and if so, these divine blessings must of necessity follow, because the hand that causes the heart to work the works of faith, bestows the blessings on the same. Wherefore, I conclude, that the exhortation is given to quickened sinners, and not to those dead in trespasses and sins; and until the bond of union between the effect and the cause can be broken, I cannot see how this declaration can be viewed as addressed to the multitude at large, who then thronged our blessed Redeemer.

Should these few thoughts meet your approbation, I shall feel obliged by their insertion in your valuable Miscellany, hoping they may satisfy the inquiry of many of Christ's inquisitors.

I remain, Mr. Editor, your's, in bonds of the everlasting gospel, T. E. R.

Romsey,ept. 4, 1829.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

OBITUARY.

DEPARTED this life, April 13, 1829, aged 35, Mrs. CATHARINE DAY, whose loss is severcly felt by all who knew her, but more especially by her surviving and afflicted partner. Her loss to society and the church will be long felt: but in particular by her relatives and christian friends, for her godly deportment and unassuming manners. She was a valuable member of the church of Christ, at Sion Chapel, Orpington, Kent.

About sixteen years since, she received the first impressions of divine grace under the ministry of the Rev. J. SIMONS, Rector of

St. Paul's Cray, whose ministry was much blessed to her soul. In the month of June, 1821, she united in church fellowship at the above chapel. From that time she has been a steady follower of the Lord Jesus Christ; her mind sweetly receiving and firmly resting upon the doctrines of free and sovereign grace, and her soul being fully established in the covenant plan of Jehovah's salvation.

The complaint which brought her to the chambers of the grave, attacked her about two months previous to her death. Under much pain of body, she continued to attend the means of grace, as long as strength would allow her. Those who loved the truth, and especially those who preached the truth in its purity, by the teaching of God the Holy Ghost, shared deeply in her warmest affections. Often she has visited the sick chambers of the needy; not forgetting to relieve their necessities; and at the same time, in the most affectionate manner speaking to them on the great importance of salvation by Jesus Christ. When a sister member once called on her, she exclaimed with a degree of joy, that Christ is God I am confident; I can venture my all upon him!' Not long before her death, she said, I have no rapturous joys; but I have a firm footing on the Rock of Eternal Ages!' She took a most affectionate leave of her friends in the Lord; and about eleven o'clock at noon, on the above-mentioned day, sweetly slept in Jesus.

Her pastor being in the West of England, she requested that her funeral sermon might not be preached until his return; which request was complied with on Lord's Day Evening, June the 7th, to a crowded congregation, from John xxi. 20. "The disciple whom Jesus loved." The following lines are taken from her diary, written under severe exercises of mind, viewing my interest in the covenant of grace, October 16, 1821.'

"Wretebed and guilty as I am,

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I shall possess a throne in heaven;
And view the sin-atoning Lamb,
The Lamb who has my sins forgiven.

There shall I view his lovely face,

Who died and rose to set me free;

Whose glories bright surround the place,
Where dwell the holy sacred Three.

Then shall I tune my harp to sing,
The glories of his gracious name;

And make the heavens with echos ring,
Through all eternity the same."

Orpington, Kent.

J. C.

FRAGMENT.

A christian should be ready to take up the cross, to bear the cross, to embrace the cross, to love the cross, yea, to glory in the cross; but should never worship nor adore the cross of Christ-that alone is due to Christ, who was crucified on the cross.

REVIEW.

The Works of the English and Scottish Reformers. Edited by Thomas Russell, A. M. Vol. 4. Palmer.

The volume on our table is the fourth in arrangement; and the third published, and contains the Works of JOHN FRYTH. They evince the soundness, the faithfulness, and the intrepidity which were the characteristics of our early reformers. We have been imformed by the Publisher that the first Series of this important work will be completed in Five Volumes; and this plan he has been induced to adopt by the suggestion of several friends, in whose opinion we fully concur, as it will afford purchasers the opportunity of selecting the Writings of those Reformers they may most approve without having an imperfect work. We sincerely hope the Publisher will meet with success, and shall close with one extract from which our readers may estimate the worth of the book.

"The blessed apostle Paul, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, the third chapter, speaking of our Saviour Christ, the very and only foundation of all our faith and salvation, saith, if any man build upon this foundation gcld, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, every man's work shall be made open, for the day of the Lord shall declare it; for in the fire it shall be showed, and the fire shall prove what manner of thing every man's work is. If any man's work that he hath builded thereon do abide, he shall have a reward; if any man's work burn, he shall suffer harın, but he shall be safe, but yet as by fire." And finally he concludeth that this word fire must needs signify the fire of purgatory.

"He that considereth the order or process of the text, shall easily perceive that this man erreth; for the text speaketh of the preachers, and blameth the Corinthians that they made such sects and dissensions among themselves; for one said that he was Paul's man, and held on his side; another said that he was Peter's man; the third did stick to Apollos, and so forth, even as our friars do now-a-days: one sect holdeth on St. Francis, another of St. Dominic, the third of St. Austin, &c. St. Paul rebuketh these sects, and called the persons carnal, commanding them to take Christ for their head, and to cleave only to him; and as for Apollos, Peter, and Paul, he saith, that they are but ministers of the word, every man according to the gift given him of God, the one more, the other less.

"Paul planted, Apollos watered, that is, Paul set the Corinthians in the ground of Christ's faith, and then came Apollos and preached them further of Christ, and comforted them to abide in the way which they walked in; howbeit, it was only God that made them prosper in the word, and gave the increase. Nevertheless, every man shall receive according to his labour; if he preach much, the more shall be his reward; if he preach little, thereafter shall he be rewarded. For we are God's workmen to preach his word, and you are God's husbandry, whom we must till and dress, in declaring you the word and perpetual will of God. You are bccome God's building, through the grace of God, which he hath given me, whom we must frame and so couch by the word of God, that we may make