would they exchange positions with ourselves? Would they seize Popery by the beard, and brand it to its face? The task were comparatively easy, situated as they are in privileged England, under the protection of the iron arm of the law; but let them venture to speak out in priest-ridden Ireland, with all its Ribbonism and lawlessness, as they vauntingly do in England; and what then?

But enough! Readers, our time is short; yet a few years at most, and we must render an account of our stewardship! Those few years-it may be but months we are increasingly anxious to devote to the honour of the best of Masters, in seeking the good of souls! We ask you to come to our aid in the same prompt and generous way, in which you have ever been wont to do. Let another voice echo and re-echo to the utmost bounds of the habitable globe, from this dark and desolate Village! Meet the libellous charge of Antinomianism, Libertinism, Indifferentism, or whatever ism which our enemies may please to brand us with, in a prompt, powerful, practical way. Rebut the charge, not by words, but by deeds! You have done so. Though under ordinary circumstances and if it merely had reference to ourselves-we would remain silent, yet inasmuch as every subscriber is more or less maligned by the charge in question, we fearlessly assert, that the GOSPEL MAGAZINE (despised as it may be) stands pre-eminent in its practical, selfdenying exertions for the temporal, spiritual, and eternal welfare of the human family. Let its monthly report from the Famine of '46 down to the present time, testify to the truth or otherwise of this assertion. Where is there a parallel? What work of its limits can show equal liberality upon the part of its so-called Antinomian-sympathizers?

Readers, we ask you, in the name of our God, to seek to maintain the character for genuine Christian liberality and kindness to which (speaking after the manner of men), you are so justly entitled. Prove, prove-we say-by conduct as well as conversation, that, though you lay not the weight of a feather upon anything of creature-doings, yet as a necessary fruit and consequence of what has been done for you, you are ready to testify in every possible practical way whose you are, and to whom you belong.

Another opportunity is afforded you. Encourage the circulation of our proposed PENNY BROAD SHEET! Spare the Pence! send the Sixpennies! and the Shillings! and you that have the largest hearts-and can best trust your liberal Lord and Master-follow first impressions (mark this!) and down with your Pound! You'll not miss it at the end of the year. We will pledge ourselves to this. And consider what that Pound will do! It will enable you to scatter monthly Five-andtwenty Copies of our proposed Broad-sheet in the high-ways and the bye-ways, the lanes, the villages, the garrets, the cellars, and the outhouses of our Cities, Towns, and Hamlets. Many a poor Emigrant, as he is borne away upon the bosom of the mighty waters, to some far-off land, may carry with him this little Messenger of Peace! and who shall say what may be effected thereby? Come then, come to our(?) help, Reader! Nay! come "to the help of the Lord against the mighty;" and God, even our God, shall bless!

THE EDITOR.

"MODERATION."

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

DEAR BROTHER IN OUR LORD JESUS master, to symbolize with the divines CARIST,-In the GOSPEL MAGAZINE of who are termed moderate and sublapthis mouth, I observe that one of your sarian Calvinists, in his scriptural docCorrespondents confesses that he trine." widely differs from many of the tenets of the late Dr. HAWKER, and those who are like-minded with him; and that he is more inclined, without calling any man

The great evil arising from substituting the name of Calvin, or the name of any other man, instead of a scriptural term, in opposing error, it is at all times to be

above the Creator, and above the Saviour and the Holy Ghost, and robs each of the Persons in the Godhead of the glory which is due unto them only; in the great plan of salvation by grace according to the eternal purpose which God purposed in Christ, to the praise and glory of his grace, to the shutting out of that proud conceit which every man entertains by nature, that he can do great things for himself, and like those

a babel of his own building: this is natural to men in the flesh, the idol before which they bow, and to which they cleave, and for which they contend; foolish and wicked, blind and ignorant it will be readily granted they are by "moderate grace" men, or those who hold and maintain such a doctrine, a doctrine so subversive of the Gospel of the grace of God, as to leave salvation dependent upon the will and exertions of poor, sinful, vile, and corrupt mau. What said Paul of old, under the gracious influence and power of the Lord the Spirit? If it be of grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace," &c. (Rom. ii. 6). No mixture here, but all springs from that river of God, his eternal love, whose mighty streams quicken, revive, and gladden the city

avoided: for men are not aware of the blasphemy often spoken against the eternal Three in covenant, by following such a course; and it is particularly made manifest by the expression which the multitude of professors adopt, to designate their creed. "A moderate Calvinist!" now if we omit the name of Calvin, and say, I hold the doctrine of "moderate grace"-the God-dishonouring Christ-debasing, and Holy Ghost, despising doctrine, will immediately of old, imagine he can get to heaven by appear to all who are under the teaching and gracious operations of the Holy Ghost. To call the electing love of the Father in predestinating his people to the adoption of children in Christ before the world began, and blessing them in Him with all spiritual blessings (Eph. i. 3-9), "moderate love;" to call the love of Christ, as made manifest in his coming forth in the covenant of grace, and engaging on behalf of all whom the Father had given unto Him, to assume their nature in time, and by his own offering to put away their sin and pre: sent them in Himself all glorious in the sight of God, "moderate grace,' ," to call the love of the Spirit, in quickening the Church into spiritual life when dead in trespasses and sins, giving them spiritual faculties to apprehend the great mystery of faith, and working in them day by day to will and to do of God, which is encompassed with of his own good pleasure (Phil. ii. 13), those mighty bulwarks of electing "moderate grace," is at once to deny union, adopting grace, &c., which all the Scriptures of truth, in which God is the wiles and crafts of the adversary revealed as the God of all grace, (1 Pet. cannot overleap, or any enemy enter. v); "who hath made us accepted in the Here our King reigns triumphant, and Beloved, in whom we have redemption we in Him; for we are more than conthrough his blood, the forgiveness of querors through Him who hath loved us, sins, according to the riches of his grace." who hath subdued Satan, abolished (Eph. i. 6, 7). By the same grace we death, made an end of sin, and brought are saved, (Eph. ii. 14, 2 Tim. I. 9); by in an everlasting righteousness for all the same grace we are justified, (Rom. the election of grace; who have never, iii. 23, 24), by the same grace we are and can never, contribute any thing tocalled (Gal. i. 15), by the same grace wards their salvation; and who are made we believe (Acts xviii. 27, 28), by the willing in the time appointed, by the same grace we are kept, for " grace power and grace of the Holy Ghost, to reigns through righteousness unto eter-ascribe all to the free, sovereign, distinlife, in Christ Jesus our Lord," (Rom.guishing, and special grace of the eterv. 22). The grace of our covenant God nal Three, the one covenant God, who in Christ excludes all boasting in the doeth all these things that He may be flesh, lays the sinner low in the dust of glorified. The sinner called by grace, self-abasement, and leaves him nothing does not look upon these great and to glory in, save Him who of God is blessed truths, as a mere matter of opi made unto his chosen wisdom, righteous- nion, and on which men may indulge in ness, sanctification, and redemption; their speculations as is done on scientithat no flesh should glory but in the fic subjects: but IIe beholds them and Lord," (1 Cor. i. 30, 31). "Moderate his salvation, so indissolubly connected, grace' implies some inherent power that they are the joy and rejoicing of his and merit in man, exalts the sinner heart, emanating from the love of God,

and just suited to his state and condition, |" moderate Calvinism," or moderate as a poor, vile, sinful worm of the earth, grace." Should you think proper to give all whose righteousnesses are no better these few observations a place in your than filthy rags, and only fit to be cast Magazine, I can have no objection to away, renounced, and abhorred. their insertion, but they only touch upon the subject. Believe me,

As I know, my dear Friend, you are jealous for the truth of the Gospel of the grace of God in all its glorious fulness, I have written these few and hasty lines to say, that I should be glad to see a paper in the GOSPEL MAGAZINE, exposing the God-dishonouring doctrine of

My dear Brother, Affectionately yours in Christ, ELIOTT SEWARD.

Cheltenham, April 9, 1856.

THE GREAT ARITHMETICIAN..

one of these disciples had an existence, save in the Eternal mind.

We also, speaking after the manner of men, read of books as existing in hea ven-books, mark, for two classes of people. Rev. xx. 12, "And the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of life." Mark, only one is said to be the Book of life, the others must then be books of death. What a fearful fact! one Book sufficient for the told people of Godbooks for those who are not His people. This leads the mind to that statement of the Lord, "Strait is the gate and narrow the way, and few there be that find it. But broad is the gate and wide is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many go in thereat." I would here call attention to the two monosyllables, find and go, that are used in the above remarkable words of Jesus. See, how applied!

"AND hath God a peculiar chosen people ?" I asked myself after service one Sabbath evening. If He have," said I, "then assuredly He knoweth the number of them, He must have counted. Is it so? and taking down my Concordance, I turned to COUNTED-ETH; not there! "TELLETH." Yes! Jer. xxxiii. 13, "They shall pass again under the hand of Him that telleth them, saith the Lord." Then they have been told, for if not the Holy Inditer would be multiplying words to no purpose, which is impossible, He being the Spirit of Wisdom, clearness, and order. Now it is plain that there is a pretelling, from the construction of the sentence, For they shall pass again under the hands of Him who now telleth them," the present form of the verb. This would lead the mind back into eternity, when the Triune Council sat, and planned the redemption of man. But, as if to put all doubt out of the question, the adverb of repetition Recurring again to Rev. xx. 12, "The AGAIN is introduced, thereby showing the Books were opened." Before these redoing of what was then doing, or had words could be used there must be a prebeen previously done. Again, look at supposition of closed books. This canthe future form of the sentence "shall not be denied. But when closed? At pass again," pointing to time future, when the time when the Telling was finished, the telling shall once more take place. and the names and number of God's peoNow it is evident if this were done, ple inserted in the Lamb's Book of life: the number must be known, and that when the Father gave the church to such is the fact, we easily gather from Jesus, as the purchase of His blood, long the Scriptures. Our blessed Redeemer, before one member of that church had a in conversation with his disciples after being before the foundations of the their return from the mission he had earth were laid, or ever the sun and sent them on, and speaking of the power stars knew their appointed course. Eph. he had given them, said, "Notwithstand-i. 4, and iii. 14, John xvii. 6, Prov. viii. ing in this rejoice not, that the spirits are 22-32. But some say, "God did no subject unto you; but rather rejoice, such thing before the world was." Well, because your names are written in hea- I would ask, when does God do so? I ven." "Are written," the perfect form of once asked a man that question, and the the verb, not "shall be written." No, answer he gave was, "God does it every it was a thing perfect-complete e're day," and I doubt not but thousands

there was none of them." Phil. iv. 3, " My fellow labourers, whose names are in the Book of life."

would give the same. For argument sake, I say granted (though I deny it in toto) then the act of writing the names of God's people goes on till the moment In fact in all the passages I turned the Eternal Judge summons the people to, bearing on the subject, I find to his bar-a moment which Christ has the perfect form of the verb used; all declared as known only to the Father- evidently pointing to, and proving the a moment, that the same unerring lips election of the people of God, "When as said should come as a thief in the night. yet there was none of them." As we ponSuch then being the case, there must be der over these blessed statements and the Book, and Books open; take notice, facts, does it not appear that the telling OPEN, not closed books-open, when at the number and writing the names of a the instant the living God took his seat people in and closing of a Book, as also on His blazing throne, and the nations the giving of that people to Jesus, as the were gathered before him. But the purchase of his blood and obedience, was blessed Spirit by the mouth of John, the glorious work of the Father in conexpressly tells us, that it was only " when nection with the Spirit sealing the Book; the risen dead small and great stand and that such was the case may be gabefore the judgment seat of God," that thered from the language of Jesus, withthe Books were opened. Soul! art thou out attempting to strain the expressions, alive to this fact? if not, may God the "Thine they were, and thou gavest them Holy Spirit arouse thee to give "due me, and (blessed consequence!) they have diligence to make thy calling and elec- kept thy word" (John xvii. 6,) as one tion sure," as thou readest, "Whoso- with Him they did! Again contemplatever was not found written in the Booking them, He expresses the delight and. of Life was cast into the lake of fire." joy of His loving heart; "Surely, they Again the Holy Spirit tells us that the are my people; children that will not Book was not only closed, but sealed-lie;" and so saith the Spirit, "He was yea, even sealed as it lay "in the right their Saviour," (Isa. xliii. 9.) and again, hand of him that sat on the throne." "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is Rev. v. 1; and in verse 5, we find that mine," (Song vi. 3.) "My delights WERE none was able to open that Book, but [the past-perfect, not are, or will] with the the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the sons of men.' But does it not also Root of David hath prevailed to open appear, as it was the work of the Son to the book, and to loose the seven seals redeem a people received from the Father, thereof." Any reader, prayerfully com- that it shall also be His, as the opener paring this 11th chap. with the account of the Book to read out the names of of the judgment in the 20th chap., will and again tell that people ere He delivers see that it is one and the same book them up with "Here I am, and the meant, containing the names of the "Re-children thou gavest me?" "I kept them deemed to God, by the blood of the in thy name: those thou gavest me I Lamb, out of every kindred and tongue have kept, and none is lost," (John vi. and people." That the Prophets and 39). Apostles believed that a book existed in which their names had been written, I need only refer to a few passages to prove, Exodus xxxii. 32,-"And ifnot, blot me I pray thee, out of thy Book which thou hast written." The perfect form of the verb "hast written." What was done. Unless Moses believed that his name was written in the book, he could not, would not, use such a word as "blot me out," &c. Moses knew his God did not wait till his earthly career was run to write his name in the Book. Psal. Ivi. 8, Are they not in thy Book (lxix. 28.) "Let them be blotted out of the Book of the living" (and cxxxix. 16, "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy Book all my members were written, when as yet

Soul, is thy name in that Book? Did thy God tell thee when He told His church to Jesus ere time began? and wilt thou stand as a member of that church, to be told again by the great Shepherd, when it shall be made visible to angels, men, and devils, that Jesus is able to preserve in and collect his jewels from among the ruins of a lost worldpolluted with and wallowing in sin and wickedness? Dost feel warmed at the thought-interested in the mysterydesirous of seeing Jesus longing for sight of the King in his glory-and cu appeal to the heart-searching God, with

a

Thou knowest all things-yea, thou knowest, Lord, I weep and mourn over my cold heart and feelings-quicken, warm me with thy word, for it is life?"

MY DEAR FRIEND,-To your note in a former Number, are you indebted for this communication, and I earnestly hope that the result of it may be to procure for many Christian people similar privileges, and to many a Clergyman more communion and satisfaction in, and with his work, than he has heretofore possessed. You know pretty well the state of this village, when the all-wise and all-gracious God sent me, in January, 1832, to labour in this part of his vineyard. Not more than about a dozen adult worshippers in the Church. When I look now at the altered state of things, I am lost in astonishment. But what I am more particularly induced to write to you about, is the infinite value of a CHURCH MEETING, both to the Lord's people in a parish, and also to the Clergyman himself. I began this meeting with about half-a-dozen believing souls, and we are now increased to 130, besides 15 who have been called home to glory, and eighteen who have left the neighbourhood. I shall subjoin our rules, from which you will perceive that all the members of this meeting are communicants, though from various reasons, all the communicants are not members.

The advantages of this meeting are to us very great. We can meet for spiritual conversation, and be sure to meet with sympathizers.

lasting Father-and being thus known, each, as occasion serves, may exercise a watchful care on a brother's behalf.

With regard to our communicants, generally, as it is well known in my parish, that I wish to have conversation with every individual who comes to the Lord's supper for the first time, such a thing as a person coming for form's sake, or one of whose life and conversation we have no reason to think well, very rarely occurs.

I am very far from imagining that meetings of this sort can be conducted, so as to be a source of unmitigated good. Much depends on the chairman; if he unite gentleness and firmness, very little that is unpleasant will ever arise; ant when it does, it will soon subside.

We have rules and articles for our guidance, but simply observing that the articles embody the great truths commonly known as the doctrines of grace, or the five points, I will copy the rules.

RULES OF ASTLEY CHURCH MEETING.

1st. This meeting is established for the view to glorify God in obedience to his expromotion of Christian communion with a hortation (Heb. x. 25); and shall consist of all such persons as, having been examined by the Minister, shall satisfy him that they are believers (in heart), in the Lord Jesus Christ, and are desirous of glorifying Him, and enjoying the communion of saints, by attending the Supper of the Lord.

2nd. All admissions of members to be on

a member unless two of the members testify

Conversation on doctrinal, practical, and experimental subjects is encouraged, and is often attended with much profit: parties have an opportunity of stating the first Monday evening in January, April, their difficulties on any subject connected July, and October. No person to be admitted with, or arising out of Christian experi- to the consistency of such person's conduct ence, or Christian practice. The members are known to each other, as far as members to be addressed by the Minister, during the six months previous. The new it is possible for such a fact to be known, and shall, on admission, sign the rules and as persons bought with the same preci- articles of the meeting. Any member who ous price (the Rodeemer's blood)-called may have been suspended for inconsistency of by the same Almighty Spirit (the Holy conduct, can only be re-admitted on the same Ghost), because chosen by the same ever-conditions.