doctrine of God as well as we; and they call him Father.

J. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but, he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

C. What do you infer upon this, if it be the last times as you have said?

J. Let that therefore abide in you, doctrine concerning Christ, which ye have heard from the beginning: [which the Apostles preached, and before them the Prophets, since the beginning of the world.] If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye believing and obeying it, ye also shall continue in the same, and in the Father.

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

C. We cannot persuade ourselves of perseverance, seeing men so commonly fall away from Christ among

us.

J. These things have I written unto you, concerning them that deceive you; (not meaning them of you, as you seem to take it.)

But that anointing (the spirit which ye have received of Christ, and which hath led you into all truth,) which ye have received of him, dwelleth in you, (abideth in you, and will so continue:) and ye need not that any man teach you, (any other doctrine beside this which ye have learned already :) but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we (being justified in Christ,) may have confidence, and not be ashamed (neither Satan nor our

consciences accusing us of sin,) before him at his coming. C. We are still in doubt (to return back to that which you said before,) how an endeavour to keep the commandments should be a sign of fellowship with

Christ.

J. If ye know that he (God) is righteous, know ye that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him, (as a child is known to have such a man for his father because he resembleth him.)

Lord, thou knowest all things, thou know'st my heart's desire,
And what those secrets are that oft my bosom fire;
Yes, dearest Lord, to thee my way is wholly known,
My ev'ry rising up, and ev'ry sitting down:
Things that are hidden and profoundly dark to me
I know are open and perfectly plain to thee;
Even my thoughts, the most secret that e'er can be,
Are to thee known, and that, long ere conceiv'd by me.

And here my Hope that's feeble and t' appearance dead,
Up to thy throne again may raise her drooping head;
Because these earnest pantings after thy embrace
Are thereby prov'd as guided by thy loving grace;

Which pantings thy Word proclaims shall be crown'd with bliss,
Yea, crown'd with thine own everlasting righteousness.

And therefore, while I feel I'm in thy hands as clay,
And that thou workest but by thine own sovereign way,

Let pure submission in my breast be ever new

To bow to thy Providence all my journey through.

WRESTLER.

ERRATA.---In the 32nd line of the 2nd page in No. 1, of this Work, for "the anti-type," read "also the type."

THE

SPIRITUAL WRESTLER,

OR,

ZION'S CHILDREN IN THE WILDERNESS.

"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you." ISAIAH xxxv, 3, 4.

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." MATTHEW v, 4.

No. 3.

MARCH, 1847.

THE WRESTLER.

One Penny.

"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." GENESIS XXxii, 24.

(Continued from page 15.)

"And Esau, (like the God of his spirit, who, not being thankful to his Divine Maker for the happy state in which He had placed him, saw no beauty in giving all praise and honour unto Him, and therefore, despised his possessions, thus rebelling in the face of God, abiding not in the truth, because there is no truth in him,') said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me ?" Having his eye fixed only upon the comforts of this life, which life appearing fast departing, he fully saw the end of his comforts also, not desiring the life that shall be hereafter; and thus, in order to keep body and soul united, so as to enjoy the vanities of time and sense yet longer, he sware unto Jacob his brother, and sold his heirship. He saw no beauty in worshipping God, but "served himself, both eating and drinking, after which, he rose up, and went

his way," (not the way of the Spirit of God.) And thus, the Word says, "Esau despised his birthright.”

And, in this way, the Lord's counsels shall stand good, "the elder shall serve the younger." Here then, is the first visible testimony that God has begun a Good Work in us:-our natural spirit is nothing but the breathings or essence of the God of this world, which likes its master much, and would dearly love for ever to stay in this world to serve him, always rebelling against his enemy, -the great Majesty of heaven, and if occasion offer, curse and swear by His Holy Name that He is not, so co-equal is it in all devilism. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Psalm xiv, 1. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." Rom. viii, 7. But, now, on the contrary, we feel a Spirit within us warring against these rebellious members of our natural spirit. Now we cry, O, that I could be free from these deadly things of my flesh! O, that I could "serve God in spirit and in truth, for he seeketh such to worship him." John iv, 24 & 23. But, "I find a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." Rom. vii, 21, 22.

And beloved, this change in us, proves decidedly that we are born again, born of God, that He has put His Spirit into our hearts, (not crying, "Abba, Father," the language of one who has his sonship manifested to the comfort and witness of his soul's interest and eternal unity to, and inseparability from the Covenant of Mercy, and of his everlasting oneness with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." John xvii, 20, 21,)

but, that we, like Jacob, desire the Lord's blessings, not to feed our carnal lusts, nor to get the name of Christian, neither for an old pair of shoes, nor for loaves and fishes, but, with the only view of living with Him, to praise Him for ever, heedless of the scoffings and canting jeers of this persecuting world, and of our own flesh. We see, in His presence is fulness of joy; yea, in Him we see more than enough to last out Eternity that is without either beginning or ending. Ah,

"Tis ever telling, yet untold."

What a proof of a Spiritual mind! Not merely the name of Godliness will satisfy, no, we do from our very inmost souls desire to be godly in word and deed, in life and death, and to keep where the Lord shows himself; and, "to be spiritually minded, is life and peace." Rom. viii, 6.

And though generally at this stage of the soul's experience, we see nothing distinctly, we know not what our own strength is, nor the extent of God's Holy Law as it has to do with condemning sin in the flesh, nor the way and manner in which we shall obtain remission, only "seeing men as trees walking," Mark viii, 24, yet, in time, it is proved, that "neither our might nor power is requisite for this thing to be obtained, but the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts;" which blessed Spirit is manifested in "bringing us by a way we knew not, and leading us in paths that we had not known, making darkness light before us, and crooked things straight; and that it doth not wholly leave us," Isa. xlii, 16, but, now and then, at intervals, bursts forth from our souls in holy raptures of joy and thankfulness, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give we the glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake." Psalm cxv, 1.