most blessed name, for so great kindness manifested to one so weak and fearful. Before Sunday came, and on Sunday morning too, I was sadly beset. I recollected it was about twelve months since that my head was so bad; and I thought, if it should now be so again! with a great many more things: but my headache, in the morning, was taken away, and I was carried through in, I may say, an extraordinary manner, proving my fears groundless: to Him be all thanks given for the whole. "The sons of them that afflicted thee, and them that despised," being made to bend and bow, and to see the truth and feel it so bringing them to a full conclusion who and what the true church of God is, and calling it the city of the Lord, and the Zion of the Holy One of Israel, was proved from scripture evidence, and experimentally explained; and you are one living witness of its truth, as well as Paul and many others. Then was set forth the long and desolate state of the Gentile world; hated of the Jews, and no true church amongst them, and of course no wayfaring men to be found there; yet, having the promise of the gospel, and by that a more excellent ministry than under the law, and this gospel to be preached in all the world, and then shall the end come. kingdom is not to be removed by any succeeding one, so she is an eternal excellency and joy of many generations; for Christ being the substance of all the old shadows, and the glory of Lebanon that is come to this church, God the Father promises that he will make, by this ministry, his name to be remembered in all generations, "therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever." "To you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This Saviour was to be great joy to all people. This Her provision comes next: "Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles." The gospel of peace being extended to the Gentiles, and the glory of it as a mighty stream, this flowing into the hearts of spiritual converts, caused them to suck the breasts of its consolation; to milk out and be delighted with the abundance of its glory. And what delight is experienced, and what glory is seen, when the understanding is enlightened, and the heart filled with distinguishing grace, and having a place in the spiritual Jerusalem! Then such know Christ as a Saviour, which was not, nor could be, known before, and their Redeemer to be the Mighty One of Jacob; for none less than him, who was almighty, could redeem them from the curse of the law, nor the power of death. The gold instead of brass, the silver instead of iron, brass for wood, and iron for stones, I handled as well as I could, with experience and the word of God on my side. The officers of this church, preachers of peace; her exactors the same, standing by divine authority preaching righteousness, and shewing its fruits in all that truly fear God; and none that fear God will ever oppose their doctrine. Violence is no more to be heard in this church, nor wasting nor destruction within her borders; Paul, as well as the most profane, was full of violence and outrage; but, when brought down, this was destroyed: the wolf then fed with the lamb, and the lamb and the kid laid down together, and a child in grace might lead them. The time past of our life may suffice, says Peter; we live now no longer to the lust of men, but to the will of God. Babylon was laid waste and swept with the besom of destruction; Nineveh was to be empty, void, and waste; Jerusalem, literal, lies : waste but not so the church; her cords are not to be loosed, nor her stakes broken; she is to be internally a quiet habitation, a tabernacle for God to dwell in, and shall never be taken down; for, saith He, "This is my rest for ever, for I have desired it:" her grace shall not waste finally away; for the water that is in her is to keep her alive, and give her all her revivings; that her leaf may be green, and that she may not cease from yielding fruit. And though they that despise Christ, and never obey his gospel, shall be punished with everlasting destruction, not so the members of this church; he who redeemed their life from destruction, and crowned them, in the day of their espousals to Christ, with loving-kindness and tender mercy, says that his loving-kindness he will never take from them, nor shall his faithfulness towards them ever fail not one of these little ones that believe in Christ shall ever perish. Christ, as their salvation, is the walls of this city, and their covenant - God the bulwarks of Zion and against this city, or any member thereof, the gates of hell shall never prevail. Assaulted she may be, but destroyed she cannot be; for God is a wall of fire against her enemies, and Christ the wall of salvation to her, and her gates praise; there is no gate to this city but Christ; he is both the gate and door, which has the same signification: " Open to me," says David, "the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord." Open the gates, that the righteous nation, that keepeth (believeth) in Christ, may enter in by faith we enter the strait gate, by faith we enter the door of hope; and all that enter by faith into the enjoyment of salvation by Christ are sure to praise God, when they enter this gate of life and door of mercy. Salvation to these is their walls, : : and every entrance is attended with thanksgiving; thus salvation shall be thy walls, and every gate be praise. Yours affectionately, ISAAC BEEMAN. DEAR MARY, TO THE SAME. Nelson Square, Monday Morning, May 23, 1831. We had not so large a congregation yesterday morning as I expected. I did not feel well till within about half an hour of leaving off, and was very flat afterwards. In the evening the congregation much increased, and I was carried through the whole discourse with much more freedom than in the morning. I hope I felt some gratitude for the kind assistance I received; for it is not often we are led to where God enabled me to go. My subject was Psalm xlviii. 8-14. I hope there were some who felt the good that God has spoken concerning Zion; but I can discern, as I think, that the gospel has but little place in London: the city is almost wholly given to idolatry. The cares of this world, the lust of other things, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and no fruit, in most professors, can be found. God's peculiar servant, who long bore testimony for Christ, was hated and despised, though, as he said, "beloved of his God," and was also loved by God's own children but there are but few of these now left; these will own the truth still, though much of its power be not ; enjoyed. As for the rest, popular applause, without the experience and power, will and does carry them away; but their state is not to be desired. If professors are destitute of the experience and power of the kingdom of God, when this is described and insisted on, their countenance falls, their mouths are shut, and they cannot cleave to it; smooth things, and things at a distance, suit them best: "Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us :" "Prophesy smooth things, prophesy deceits:" but the deceiver and the deceived are both in his hand. I cannot help entertaining fears that in London things will grow worse and worse. I would willingly see the cause Mr. H. was instrumental in raising up still go on; but things look dark, and no light upon this appears My subject yesterday was from 1 Cor. ix. 24-27. I endeavoured to give a solution of my text as I was enabled, without respect to any, and left them that could to judge: "Let one speak, and let the others judge." The literal race, in which all run, but one only of the runners receives the prize, shews us the profession of religion in the world; and all, in one way or another, pretend to run; but there is but one sort, of all runners, that shall receive the prize, or |