There are those who do not love to minister amidst these scenes of death; they long to be where souls are alive, and where there are other living ministers with whom they can hold sweet converse, with whom they can take sweet counsel, and from whom they may receive encouragement and support; but the Lord's servant must be where his Master sets him down, even though it be in the valley of dry bones, where there is no other prophet; where the people are not only all dead, but where their bones are all dry. But let the minister of Christ never forget that all the work is the Lord's.

Now for the trial of the prophet's faith. The Lord says, "Son of man, can these dry bones live?" "Has not the same question often occurred to the mind of God's servant since that time? As he looks around his people, and beholds them in their sins-as he remembers his own weakness, the depravity of human nature, and the temptations of the enemy-has he not often said, "Can these dry bones live?" But let him remember, HE has only to declare the Lord's message, and it is the Lord who is responsible for the result-it is the Lord who performs the work. The Lord asks the question, and the reply is, "O Lord God, Thou knowest.' The prophet has not sufficient faith to say, “Yes, they can live," and he has too much faith to reply in the negative, and therefore he resolves all into God's knowledge, "O Lord God, Thou knowest." And now the message begins, "Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord." Did the prophet reply, "They are dead and lifeless; they cannot hear?" Oh, no. He remembered, "The hearing ear, the Lord hath made it," and "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Neither did the prophet set before them their dry and deadened state, nor did he show them that it was their duty to be up and doing, nor did he exhort them to live to God. He delivers the Master's message: "O ye dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord." And what was the Word of the Lord? what was the message which they were to receive? What did the prophet call upon them to do? Did he call upon them to do any thing, either natural or spiritual? No, the declaration was of what the Lord would do for them, "Thus saith the Lord unto these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live; and I will lay sinews upon you, and will put flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord." How full of mercy is this declaration! And how beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of Gospel salvation through free and sovereign grace, who do not call upon dead sinners to perform acts of LIVING MEN, but who rejoice in the Lord's message, "I will," and " YE shall."

"Oh, for this love, let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break,

And all harmonious human tongues
Their Saviour's praises speak."

Kennett, Marlborough.

J. F. P.

THE first mention made of Satan is in Gen. iii. 12. Eve listened to his temptations, fell into his snares, and so brought sin and death upon herself and her posterity. The curse was threatened, and, having been incurred, it fell upon a whole world.

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,-Your leader in the Magazine for November was used by the Holy Ghost to bring to my remembrance several solemn interviews which I had with a dear friend and brother in the faith of Jesus. He was a man that did earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints. His knowledge of, and love to, the doctrines of sovereign grace, and his skill in defending them against gainsayers, was of no common order. Indeed, I have many times admired his zeal, and the ease with which he penetrated disputed points in covenant verities, and the perspicuity of his arguments, if not to convince, yet to silence his opponents.

But after some months' intimacy with my friend, to my surprise, I found at times we clashed in our views, even upon points in which at other times we seemed to be in unison. This led me to ask myself, what could be the reason, and to search to find out where the fault was, whether in him or in me; for to meet him, and before we parted to jar with him, this, to me, was painful.

One day we met, as usual, and, in answer to his question, I told him I was well in body, but in my soul I was dreary, dead, dark, and miserable. I wanted the Holy Ghost to do for me what David felt he wanted, and made him cry out, "Quicken me, O Lord, for Thy name sake; for Thy righteousness sake, bring my soul out of trouble;" and, as Paul hath said, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." "Ah! my friend, this is what I want: the renewing of the Holy Ghost, for I am like Gideon's fleece-unwatered and dry; and it is not in my power to remove this barrenness. I want the Lord the Spirit to be to me, in me, and felt by me, as He hath promised: 'I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon;' for, until He is unto me what He has here promised to be, I know I must continue in dark places, as they that be dead of old; for it is not in my power to hold my soul in life, nor to keep it lively."

"Tush," said my friend, "I know what you want, but I am better taught. You want to strut about in your robes, rings, jewels, and finery. I am content to be without these things, because I know, 'Once in Christ, in Christ for ever.

"He is my Sun, tho' He refuse to shine,

Tho' for a moment He depart,

For ever I dwell on His heart,

For ever He on mine.'

"Here I am ever at rest, nor do I at my time indulge questionings; rather I give to the winds my fears, and the wind carries them away; I hope and am undismayed, for I know that the foundation standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His.'”

"And is it so, then; and is my friend a stranger to the good fight of faith? Oh! do remember, my friend, that there is the fight of faith, as well as the sight of faith. But you seem to be always feasting, and never fighting-always triumphing, never wrestling-always joyful, but never 'going forth weeping'; and if so, then you have no tears for the Lord to put into His bottle, as David had; nor for Him to wipe away, according to His precious promise."

"And is my friend, then, in soul enjoyment at all times, upon the mount of vision? Has not your faith been, and is it not now at times, tried as with fire; that it might at the appearing of Jesus Christ be found

unto praise, honour, and glory? Depend upon it, that all the visions of everlasting love are not unfolded upon the mount. Oh, no, there is the valley of vision, as well as the mountain of prospect. The Lord has exalted many a valley in my affections, by the gracious lessons He has taught me there, and by the endearing manifestations of Himself, in His wisdom, love, and faithfulness."

"I am as sure of this as I am of my own existence, that the Lord leads His children about in providence, and in soul He makes them to pass through many changes, that they may be humbled by a knowledge of what poor weathercocks they are, and also to know the stability of His covenant love.

"If we did not pass through many changes, and were not 'emptied from vessel to vessel,' and made to go into captivities, we should soon 'settle upon our lees'; our taste would remain of ourselves, and in ourselves; and our scent would be unchanged."

"I know," he said, "what you are driving at; but I know also that I shall never sink so low as to call in question my interest in the covenant of grace."

"I do not want my friend to call this in question; but I would say, 'Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.' David was as deeply taught in spirituals, and as highly favoured with communion, as you and I judge that he exceeded you; yet, before he had finished his triumphs in the Lord's favour, that had made his mountain to stand so strong that he said he should never be removed,' yet he was obliged to confess, Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled'; that He will by no means clear the guilty.'

.

"You must remember I told you, when the Lord spoke these words into my heart, that I was greatly distressed by the terrors of the law. And, when those words were spoken in me, there was such a light given to me that I distinctly saw the settlements of the everlasting covenant that took place between God the Father and His Christ. In that covenant Jesus was set up the Wisdom-Mediator, and all my sins were put upon Him, and they were so charged to His account, and reckoned His, as though He was the only guilty one, and I was as truly free from guilt as though I had never had one single lust in my heart. Now the guilt of all my sins being imputed to Jesus, and found upon Him, He must and did endure the penalty, and by His own blood made the atonement which justice demanded; therefore I was not guilty, neither in myself, because Jesus was made sin for me; nor yet in Him, because He had put it away by the sacrifice of Himself. Now, never since that revelation have I had one doubt of my interest in the covenant love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

"But has not my friend at times wanted, and felt that he needed, a new edition, or a renewing of this by the Holy Ghost?"

"Oh, no! I know the covenant that secures my salvation is 'ordered in all things and sure.' This is enough for me; and here I look and rest, come what may."

"Now let me tell my friend that I want daily-renewings, visitings, and watering; yes, every moment, or I soon become dry, and painfully feel I want the promise again to be fulfilled, 'I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground.' It is not sufficient to

satisfy me, for the Lord to do this for me once in my pilgrimage; no, I want Him to do it over and over again. It is not enough for the Lord to shine upon me once, and then to hide His face; for, when His face is hidden, then my trouble begins. I have been so beclouded by Satan and my own unbelieving heart, that I have called in question the sweetest and most glorious manifestations of love the Lord has ever indulged me with.

"I know that when the Holy Ghost's witnessing impressions with our spirit, or hidden man of the heart, are suspended, then our spirit falters. We may try to call to remembrance the soul-satisfaction, refreshment, and rest we have found by and in the application of some portion of the word of truth; but, instead of drawing comfort from this source, it is discomfort. Ah! when I have tried this, Satan has started in my thoughts the question, 'But how do you know that what at such a time you thought was so blessed, and you set it down as a token for good, was really of the Lord? How do you know that it was not of Satan, or of your own deceitful heart, that thus put a cheat upon you? or the mere strength of your memory, retaining a recollection of what you have read or heard read? Remember, it is a fearful thing to be deceived in these matters, although to flesh it is very congenial. The man of wisdom does not only ponder upon the end of his race, that he might be established in that, but also the paths of his feet; that his ways may be established in 'running with patience the race that is set before him.'"

"Ah!" said my friend, "you talk very glibly; but you will never make me believe that I can ever sink so low as to question my interest in the covenant love of the Eternal Three in God, or that I have not 'passed from death unto life.' Suppose I was in debt, and was shut up in prison, and a friend was to pay my debt, and set me at liberty, do you think it could be possible for me to question whether I was at liberty or not at liberty?"

"Such a carnal figure as that you have now brought before me will never illustrate, with truthful propriety, the mystery of God the Spirit's ministry in soul-experience. I am willing to allow my friend to retain, for his own solace, all that he can find in such a figure that he might think is in his own favour. But my friend must admit that a man might be a freed man bodily, walking at large, and he may be worth his thousands; yet, if he is labouring under a disease mentally, this of necessity will lead him to judge, though he is in fetters, that he is free; and, if he is free, that he is still in fetters; and the man of riches to be anticipating that he shall die in the Union. Now, do remember, my friend, that the soul hath its diseases as well as the body; and, when some of our soul-diseases preponderate, we painfully feel the power; nor is the soul able to resist the ravages. Oh, no! the great Physician, ‘I am the Lord that healeth thee,' if He does not step in, the case is hopeless; but, when He comes, the soul can sing, 'Bless the Lord, who forgiveth all thy iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.'

"Let the palsy disease of doubting come upon my friend, and very sure I am that he will find it to be more than a match for all the past visits of the Lord and applications of His promises. And this brings to my recollection what a dear aged saint, fifty years gone by, told me. 'Ah!' she said, 'you are young in the school of Jesus. You have much to learn before you will understand experimentally the coming and going of the Lord's operations in the soul.' Sometimes the Lord has applied, to

cheer my drooping heart, a precious portion of Scripture, and I have put a pin by that portion. Then He has applied another portion, and I have put a pin by that also, until I have had a heap of pin-marks. Then, when I have been brought low, I have thought about my pins, and turned over the book to look at them, hoping to find a something to cheer me; but no, there has been no dew, no life, no light, no power, no sweetness, as before; and I have turned away mourning. 'The Comforter that should relieve my soul is far removed.' And in this state, be it as long as it may, I am obliged to remain, until the Lord favours me with a new applicatory visit; and, when I am thus indulged, then I turn to my pincushion, and use another pin, to mark that portion. But sometimes when I come to that portion to mark it, I find an old pin-mark there already : then I know what Jesus means by the householder bringing out of his treasure things new and old; yes, new, as the Spirit makes them new." "Ah!" said my friend, "you are wrong; " and we parted afterwards for many long months: he shunned my company. But one day, when I was passing by his door, he called for me to stop; but, my time being limited, I told him, if spared, I would call upon him on the morrow. The following morning, as the clock was striking nine, I called upon him; and he said, "Oh, how I have longed to see you, that I might tell you some of the dreadful conflicts my soul has passed through since I saw you last."

I replied, "Has my friend been made to feel the truth of some of those things that were spoken at our last interview which made you frown; and, turning away from me, say, 'That you would never believe such stuff?''

"Hush! hush!" said my friend. "Oh, don't say a single word about it. I am ashamed to think how I treated you and your statements. Don't lacerate my feelings by repeating anything that I then said. I acknowledge I was ignorant experimentally of those things spoken by you. I thought you were a poor groveller, but that I was living and soaring in an element that exempted me from those tormenting conflicts you sometimes spoke about."

"Are you, then, at liberty, my friend, now to tell me something about this matter?"

"Why," said he, "I wanted to tell you, and that has made me anxious to see you. For some months my soul was shut up in darkness. The doctrines of grace, that had been honey and milk to me, were dry breasts. I was overwhelmed with all manner of despairing thoughts, and filled with intricate questionings. I felt myself to be a poor, lost, helpless, hopeless sinner, deluded, as I thought, and deceived by my own heart, and the father of lies and liars. All that I ever had, or thought I had enjoyed, of joy and peace in believing, was nothing but delusion; and the more I strove to put away these despairing thoughts, the deeper I should sink in my feelings. And this continued to be my dreadful state day and night, at home and abroad, until I was weary of life. Oh,' I said, 'I must destroy myself, I cannot live under this dreadful load.' But, when at any time I came to a determination to commit the fearful crime of suicide, you would alway be presented as standing before me; and I should then say, 'Oh, what will my dear friend say when he comes to hear of my end? Oh, how he will be wounded and distressed!'* These * And how often has this very thought-the thought of the stumbling-block it would throw in the way, and the anguish it would awaken in many a tried one's heart-been that