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manner he appoints unto the vacancies which might fall into his hands. What awful scenes have presented themselves before us of learned bishops, without grace in the heart, appointing to the cure of souls their own sons, and other relatives, merely for the sake of the filthy lucre attached thereto; and how has the Church groaned under the profligacy of such ungodly characters being so appointed. How unfit does that man show himself for so high and dignified an office who can tamper with immortal souls in this way! It is nothing short of high treason against God, and shows such bishops to be only carnal, and to mind earthly things. Every godly bishop in these matters will exercise a holy jealousy over his own heart, keeping a conscience void of offence, and will seek out with great anxiety for men of the same mind as them-. selves to fill the vacant stalls and other offices in the Church. The conduct of Archbishop Whilgift, in the days of Elizabeth, are worthy of imitation in this day. See his letter in the "Life of Hooker."

One "word" more, and for the present I have done. The bishop rendering up his account-not to those whose influence obtained for him the exalted station in the Church-not to the political party who placed him on the Episcopal bench-but unto Him who will in no way admit the least deviation from that strict justice required from stewardship, whether bishops, deacons, or laity. And what a rendering up will that be for him, who, though in possession of crozier and mitre, was never changed in heart-was never regenerated, and, not knowing the value of his own soul, could feel no concern for the souls of those committed to his care. The revenue of his see was the all in all to him; and leaving his progeny as an incubus, to fatten upon the spoil, dies unpitied and unregretted-finds too late that he has not only been deceiving but is himself deceived; and this, it is to be feared, will not be a solitary instance in the case of bishops.

Bear with me a moment longer: you have been called to receive the mitre at an earlier age than it is in general. So much for influence. Translation, beyond all doubt, still awaits you; and, like all translations, not as it regards souls, but the augmentation of income. Thus we shall never see you gazetted as Bishop of St. David's. But let me remind you, you have become a bishop at one of the most eventful eras this nation ever knew-a period which has been hastened on by the laxity of our bishops in allowing the enemy to enter the citadel, so that one, if not both Universities, are undermined by the dry rot of Popery ; and the death-toned bell for mass had well nigh rung the funeral knell to Protestantism, in that seat of learning. You have been summoned to the spiritual jurisdiction of that diocese, the eyes of Rome are upou you-the disguised Jesuit, within her cloisters, are watching you-all true Protestants are filled with anxiety concerning you-the stability of our country, in the flower of their youth, are waiting for your example in giving the turning point to their judgment in the formation of their mind-and even poor old "Crispin " trembles in his "stall" lest this ruin should be under your hand. And is there not a cause, when we see our bishops so indifferent to the great advancement made by this enemy to all righteousness? Surely the times in which we live demand

that our bishops should be men of grace, able "to watch in all things," to "do the work of an evangelist," to "make full proof of their ministry," and, above all, "endure afflictions." England's sun is surely setting-and verily this generation shall not pass away before her moon shall be turned into blood. Can you, as a regenerated bishop, say with Henry of Exeter, forbid the Holy Ghost the exercise of his own gifts in his own Church? Can you, with the late Bishop of Oxford, let the seed of Rome be sown in your own diocese? In a word, can you put from you the solemn fact, there will be with you a day "for rendering up the account?" Then do not forget that " a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God," holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able, by "sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

From my Stall,

Amen Corner.

DEAR EDITOR,

CRISPIN.

The irksomeness of writing at my time of life must be my excuse for all blunders. Bear with me, the lamp flickers only. J. G.'s is trimmed for eternity.

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As Israel passing on dry land,

Waters were walls at thy command;

Fire has not burned-floods have not drowned-
With tender mercies thou hast crown'd;

Put foes to flight-o'ercome my fear;

My sins forgiven do not appear;

Yea, if they're sought for there is none :
Complete in Christ, and with him one,
Closing the year, I glad proclaim,
A tender Father is thy name.

The rock has followed in its streams,
The sun shed healing in his beams;
Feet have not swell'd, nor shoes worn out,
The way most sure, though round about.
The garment has not waxed old,
Screening from heat and winter's cold,
Is now as ever to thy view,

All overglorious, every hue

Therein contained, does loud proclaim-
Jehovah Tsidkenu thy name.

The retrospect of all the way,
Since life received unto this day,
Serves to confirm the written word,
There is none holy as the Lord.
Judgment, and truth, and faithfulness,
With wisdom, strength, and righteousness,
Unite as letters in a word,

To spell the name of Christ the Lord;
But all these fail to full proclaim—
Jesus is God Almighty's name.

The first, the last, the all in all,

The past, the present, great and small,
With future, all unite to prove,
Jehovah's name is "God is love."
All good conspires this to express,
Angels and saints can do no less;
Time's coming period shall declare

"The Lord is good;" his saints shall share
In all he is, and shall proclaim-
Immanuel Jesus is his name.

Greenwich.

M. P. STONEHAM.

WILDERNESS MERCIES.

LETTER XVII.

VARIOUS have been the methods the Lord has taken with me, his poor wayward child; but, bless his dear name, it has been to instruct and school me in the wilderness, that I should not trust in anything short of himself. I had already seen enough of the religious world, in all its deceptive pious forms, to make me truly hate its lying vanities, both in its priests and votaries. I discovered that the best organised Churches needed purging from much dross and traditional defilement, as there is, to say the best of professed Christian discipline, that which derogates from Gospel simplicity as laid down in the sacred volume; not that I want to impeach the whole Christian community, but rather for my own peace, comfort, and spiritual enjoyment, I chose to withdraw from all trammels of the sort which otherwise would have held me a slave to legality and form. So I say at this time, but let not the reader draw an illiberal view of me, as if I meant to convey the idea that I have monopolised the only and all that wisdom to be perfectly able to draw the exact line of discrimination. No; in this I follow only the dictation of an honest conscience in the sight of God. In following such a course I grew more steadily in the belief that the ministration of the Spirit's teaching is alone sufficient for my faith, rule, and practice, as I then saw and since behold that not one minister in twenty preaches Christ, but themselves; and in nine times out of ten pride and mammon are their chief end. Thus the people are deceived by a letter statement of the truth without the power, either in themselves or their idol.

That the ministration of the word is from God, I dispute not; that the Gospel should be preached to the end of the world is the express command from heaven; that the flocks of slaughter are to be comforted thereby till the last elect vessel is called in, is a sweet and solemn truth; but I do see the present dispensation to be most corrupt; the priesthood are devouring wolves, and the people most frivolous, not having a mind given to them to search, as the noble Bereans of old, to see if the things which they hear will weigh down in the balance of God's word. There must be an eating of the word of God as Jeremiah did, which was in his bowels both sweet and bitter, ere it can produce profit to the soul, ere it can give glory to the Lord, and ere we can mark well, observe, and inwardly digest the same. These were some of the reflections which so acted upon my mind that I viewed with composure and delight the perfect and unchangeable truth of God's nature, love, and grace, which I saw stood in himself as the glorious Head to every member in his mystical body, whether providentially or spiritually situated, that my body was the clay house for the Holy Ghost to dwell

in. The Lord has said, "Where I record my name, there will I come and bless it." If it is not so, how can all things have a bearing for good in the travel of human life to the children of God, when many of the incidents in themselves often appear so contrary, adverse, and so very distressing?

The Lord had now chased in a great measure much earthly trouble from my door; and though I had, at this time, three lads dependant upon me, for whose future welfare I was anxious, the Lord opened a way for one to be placed in the mill; another was put with a linendraper; and the third was taken by his good brother, my eldest son by my first wife; and my employer was not wanting in assisting on their behalf. Was not the Lord's hand in all this, to supply me so liberally in my family demands, and to afford me means by which I could find them with future requisites? All these things were wonderful marks of the Lord's kindness; and, bless his dear name, I had often occasion to wonder thereat.

About this time my dear old friend and father-in-law, Daniel Herbert, was fast drawing towards his heavenly kingdom; in the prospect of which he was most blessedly favoured. We had agreed long before this, that the survivor should publish to the Church of Christ the dying testimony of the other. This soon fell to my lot to do for him; and I communicated a few thoughts respecting the faithful dear old pilgrim, through the pages of the "GOSPEL MAGAZINE," "Gospel Herald," and "Spiritual Magazine." I need not say more of him, as his hymns and poems are before the Church, and have been greatly blessed by the Lord to his tried and afflicted saints.

At this period I was greatly favoured with much epistolary correspondence with many good men-was refreshed by reading and replying to their spiritual communications, and was often consulted by friends on secret Church affairs. I also wrote many pieces, in verse, some of which have come into print in various periodicals, as well as prose on different subjects, in which my soul often engaged to the glory of God, and the real spiritual good and profit of my soul. Often have I mused upon the fulness and freeness of the Redeemer's love, notwithstanding all the rebellion, sin, and depravity of this dreadfully wicked heart within. The revoltings of the proud heart of man, unsubdued by grace, can never submit to the sovereign dealings of Jehovah. To be stripped and wholly emptied of all good in the creature, is a soul-humbling lesson which the Lord's people, sooner or later, must learn; and to be delivered therefrom, requires in some, many years turnings about in the desert. Oh, what a strait gate it is to get through in order to embrace Christ fully and wholly, without works and duties done in us or by us, to see that he hath done all for us. This lesson we all learn over and over again, thousands of times, if we are led by the Spirit to see ourselves sons and daughters of the Most High; but as there are but few in number so taught, the established mind hath to pass through a multitude who are always doing their dark works at Mount Sinai, and seem to know nothing of that liberty which accompanies the free citizens of

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