Pleasures. slippery I do not think my dawting | Bathing in the River of Spiritual world will still last, and that feasts will be my ordinary food; I would have humility, patience, and faith, to set down both my feet when I come to the north side of the cold and thorny hill. It is ill my common, to be swier, to go an errand for Christ, and to take the wind upon my face for him. Lord, let me never be a false witness, to deny that I saw Christ take the pen in his hand, and subscribe my writs."-Rutherford. Fondling, Flattering. ED. It ill becomes me to be unwilling. ED. (To be Continued.) TOPLADY'S TESTIMONY. "I DESIRE in the most public manner to thank the great Author of all consolation for a very particular instance of his favor, and which I look upon as one of the most felicitatous circumstances of my whole life; I mean my early acquaintance with the doctrines of grace. Many great and good men, who were converted late in life, had the whole web of their preceding ministry to unravel, and have been under the necessity of reversing all they had been delivering for years before. But it is not the smallest of my distinguishing mercies that from the very commencement of my unworthy ministrations, I have not had a single doctrine to retract, nor a single word to unsay. I have subscribed to the Articles, Homilies, and Liturgy, five separate times, and that from principle: nor do I believe those forms of sound good words because I subscribed to them; but I, therefore subscribed them because I believed them. I set out with the gospel from the very first, and having obtained help from God I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than Moses and the prophets, Jesus and his apostles, have said before me. And in an absolute dependence on the divine power and faithfulness, I trust that I shall, to the end, be enabled to count neither health, wealth, reputation, nor life itself, dear to me, so that I may finish my course with joy, and fulfil the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." MY DEAR FRIEND :-Agreeable to promise, I now give you a line to say, that through the preserving mercy of the Lord, we are here in safety; and the sea-air, and sea-bathing have quite recruited the health of us, and we are under the roof of gracious people and kind friends. ing; but bathing in the softer seas of God's Bathing in this wide sea is quite refresh love in Christ Jesus is much more refreshing we do, you know, have a refreshing bathe, now and then in those soft seas, and swim too; only, we, in this time-state, come a-shore again; and creep and crawl like worms in earth and mud: but when we leave the shores of mortality for good; and leave this poor flesh and blood that hang and stick to us like mud, we, I trust, shall have a sweet and comfortable bathe together in the sea of everlasting love, that cannot be passed over. (Ezek. xlvii. 5.) Can you swim, Susan? I wrote to friend Walker, and told him that I am persuaded he is in the waters of the sanctuary up to his knees, if he cannot swim; but if I mistake not, I think you can swim a little; well, we shall have a swim soon in the boundless sea of the love of Christ, without any clogs of sinful flesh and blood, and put off the filthy rags of light and love, white linen, clean, and white, mortality, and be clothed in garments of and pure, and walk with happy spirits in white, and lodge with the best Beloved for ever, and enjoy that pure, and uncloying love when the marriage of the Lamb is come, and "the bride hath made herself ready." Come, cheer up, my child; the wedding-day is not far distant; the wedding robes are all ready; and there is a dress for you, I am persuaded; "be ye also ready." The bridegroom will knock at your door soon, thougn "you know not the time of his coming;" his chariot is on the road, watch, look out, you know his voice, he will say, won't you be willing to go? His looks and "Come away, my love, come away; and his love will make you willing. And you will say to the angel, the messenger-Ah, what will you say?-They called Rebekah, and said unto her, "Wilt thou go with this man?" And she said, "I will go," and you will say so too. Jesus bless you, Amen. Your's truly, W. G. "Whatsoever it be that makes you pleased with yourself, that is not true grace: and whatsoever makes you displeased with yourself is not true grace, unless it bring you humble to Christ, and make you put more trust in him." DEATH OF THE LATE MR. THOMAS LORD, Minister of the Gospel. UNDER all the circumstances, there is much that seems to call us into the valley of soul-humbling reflection, arising out of the sudden removal of the late Mr. "why did you not write to me? you know I would have preached for you." Mr. LORD said in answer to that, "I was too ill to write." After which conversation, a highly THOMAS LORD. A large field for the deep-respectable and truly Christian lady did ac est contemplation seems to lay open before us: but-as our "God giveth not account of his matters"- -as we are exhorted "to judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come -we shall merely, in the present number, give a simple detail of facts as they have been laid before us; purposing in our next, to furnish our readers with a more comprehensive review of this solemn event. The simple detail of facts to which we at present confine ourselves, will be found in the following correspondence, with which we have been favoured: just premising that Mr. LORD having left his church and people at Birmingham, he was invited to become the pastor of the little assembly, meeting for worship in Edward Street Chapel, Dorset Square. It does appear that he was well received, and exceedingly acceptable in Edward Street for some little time; but circumstances of which we have no knowledge, induced him to accept an invitation to preach to the church and congregation in Jamaica Row, Bermondsey, for three months; and so useful did his ministry prove to the people there, that they were preparing for his settlement over them, as their stated minister and pastor. Just at this important juncture, he was laid down on a sick bed for a few days, and on Friday morning, August 28, he breathed his last. We subjoin the following letter, written by an aged friend, who often heard him during his residence at Jamaica Row MY VERY DEAR BROTHER:-It is but a short account that I can give you respecting the death of Mr. LORD. I heard him preach the last sermon he ever preached in his life; it was at the Baptist Chapel, Jamaica Row, from Gal. v. 23; and a heavenly discourse it was; as many can truly witness with me. After he came down out of the pulpit, he said to a minister who was there to hear him, "Mr. J. I wish you had been here sooner, so that you might have preached for me to night; I am so ill. But, (says Mr. LORD,) that will do for to night.". Mr. J. said, PART XXI. October, 1846. In company him home to his own house. walking home he said to this christian friend "Now it is all up with me; I shall never preach any more." He said the same words to his dear wife when he got home. He was for the two first days rather beclouded in his mind, but after that short season of darkness a change took place; he then saw clearly, God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as his unchanging God. He therefore could, and did assuredly triumph in Christ, over sin, death, hell, and the grave, until his dearest Saviour took him triumphantly home, after have named a good man, whom I know set up with him the last night but two before his death; and he told me that Mr. LORD spent almost the whole night in prayer, and praise, and made several short speeches, as far as his labouring breath allowed, to the praise of his covenant God. The dear man once said in the time of his illness, he had never been so happy in his mind and soul, since the Lord Jesus put him into the ministry, as he had been with the people of Christ in Jamaica Row; "for, (said he,) I feel such a love and union to them, if it were the Lord's will, I should like to be instrumental in doing their souls good." And, I add that I know the people felt a sincere love and union to him, although he was only with them about ten weeks constantly. a short illness of about two weeks. I should I am, my very dear brother, Your's, J. S. Funeral of Mr. Lord, and brief Sum mary of Mr. Wells's address. The committal of his earthly tabernacle to the vault in the chapel, was fixed for Tuesday-afternoon, September 1, 1846. At the time appointed we repaired to the scene of mourning and woe; and found Jamaica Row Chapel filled with a crowd of spectators, who were evidently anxiously waiting to hear what might be said respecting the departure of this servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. The pulpit was hung in black cloth; many of the congregation were in deep mourning; and we noticed some bitterly weeping over that painful dispensation which D d had taken from them the man, who (according to all human appearances,) they felt assured was sent unto them to build up the walls of Jerusalem, and, instrumentally, to feed their souls with knowledge and with understanding. It was to us a most soul-humbling scene; we thought within ourselves." What a solemn voice is this!-By it, the Lord saith, My ways are not your ways; neither are my thoughts your thoughts! By it, the sovereign Governor of all, and the great Head of the church seemed to say, I work all things after the counsel of mine own will-I will work, and who shall let it?' With our God, age is nothing, talent is nothing, prospects of usefulness are nothing; the anticipations of the church are nothing; when a man's time is come; and the end of his earthly existence answered, the message arrives, • Come up hither" and who shall stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou ?' 'Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.' Let your lights be burning; and ye, yourselves, like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately." While deep in thought upon these things, the coffin (followed by mourners,) was brought into the chapel, and placed in the table pew. Oh, what is death? We looked up into the pulpit: we said, "but a few days ago, he stood in that place apparently in health, proclaiming with vigour and delight, the wondrous grace of God: but now his eyes are closed, his tongue is silent, the tabernacle is dissolved, the soul is gone! Lord, what is man ?'" The service commenced by singing "Not all the blood of beasts, On Jewish altars slain."' Mr. WELLS ascended the pulpit, and read part of the first chapter of the second epistle of Peter, making a few very suitable remarks as he passed along. After prayer, "God moves in a mysterious way was sung; and Mr. W. read as an introduction to his oration, Zech. i. 5. "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets do they live for ever?" He first endeavoured to substantiate the fact that the deceased was a good man, a Christian. It was evident from the first part of the address, that Mr. WELLS felt it laid upon him to produce evidence that the deceased was a partaker of grace, and a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ; and this he said was manifested in the consciences of many of the Lord's people, by the savour and power which accompanied both his prayers and his spiritual conversation: many living souls had felt great union of soul to Mr. LORD from the solemn and savoury prayers which flowed warm from his heart, through the door of his lips. We remember once asking a sober, honest, and faithful brother in the ministry, the following question-" What do you think of His answer was this-"I Mr. LORD?" got nothing from his ministry to satisfy my versation upon the best things." soul; but I felt much union to him in con The testimony of a christian friend-at whose house he abode for some months-was to the following effect, "During Mr. LORD's stay under our roof, his manner was reserve, his conduct was exemplary, and he seemed almost entirely to devote himself to study, and private contemplation." These testimonies seem to us to speak loudly in favour of the spiritual estate of his soul. But we return to Mr. WELLS' address. We do not profess to give our extracts from his address verbatim-we only aim at the substance. About two years ago, Mr. W. said, when he went down to Manchester, some Christian friends there spoke highly of Mr. LORD; which favourable testimony induced Mr. W to invite him to supply at Surry Tabernacle during the month he was preaching in Plymouth; and the many favourable letters which he received during his stay in Plymouth, and the power and acceptance with which Mr. LORD's ministry was received at the Surry Tabernacle, was to him a source of considerable comfort and gratification: and to prove that he, (Mr. WELLS,) was happily delivered from parsonic jealousy, on his return to London, he wrote to Mr. LORD, stating that if he could get a chapel in London that would hold ten or eleven hundred people, he, (Mr. WELLS,) would do his best to assist him in opening it; and if there were three or four hundred in his congregation who would prefer hearing Mr. LORD, he would rather they go and feed under Mr. LORD, than starve under Mr. WELLS. This proposition however was never acted upon. Mr LORD had been much tossed about. Some thought him wrong in leaving Edward Street and coming to Jamaica Row, but, (said Mr. W.) I had an impression that Paddington was not the place for him but that Jamaica Row was. "When I visited him, Mr. WELLS admitted that from that time ministers generally,) being concluded, the coffin was lowered into the vault, and the solemn service concluded with prayer. during his short illness, (said Mr W.) he told me he never had experienced so much peace and happiness at any place as he had in Bermondsey." It is evident the period On the following Lord's day, (we are inof labour assigned to this deceased minister formed,) collections were made at the Surry was short: "it was as though the Lord had Tabernacle, for the purpose of raising a fund said to him-' you shall be a little while in for the widow and fatherless children, when Birmingham, I have a little work for you upwards of fifty pounds were contributed. Colthere; and then you shall go to Surry Taber-lections in other quarters, have since been nacle, I have a little for you to do there; and then you must remove to Paddington, I have something to be done by you there; when that is done, you must go to Bermondsey, I have a little work for you there; and then you shall come home." In alluding to the state of his mind, Mr. W. shewed that there had evidently been a secret preparation, for the solemn exchange, wrought in his soul for some little time. About two months previous to his death, those beautiful verses, (of which our correspondent Theophilus in his letter subjoined hath spoken,) were so powerfully applied to his mind, that his sleep went from him, MR. WELLS spoke in a very interesting and encouraging manner of the circumstances connected with his visit to MR. LORD, while he laid upon what proved his death bed. Mr. W. said he found his soul very peculiarly and blessedly led out in prayer; and the dying man was thereby greatly refreshed and comforted. In a subsequent part of the address, MR. WELLS made some exceedingly encouraging remarks upon the variety which the word of God affords, as regards the deaths of true believers: there is no reason to be fearful of the death of an individual, because that individual was not so happy, and did not say so much, as they could wish in their dying hour-citing as a proof of the same, the case of Abraham and Isaac-of whom nothing more is said in the scriptures than that "they died," whilst of Jacob's death so much is related. "I (said Mr. W.) am more concerned about how I shall live, than how I shall die." Truly, truly, this should be the deepest concernment: he that lives in Christ, because Christ liveth in him, will certainly go to glory, though the passage through Jordan may be both dark and rough. "When I look (said Mr. W.) at the broad seal of MR. LORD's ministry-and see that he was always useful to some, and never rejected by all, I cannot but conclude that he was a man of God. Nay, I say more, if ever he was instrumental in snatching one sinner from the jaws of death, he has gained a greater victory, achieved a greater honour, than ever did a Cæsar,- -an Alexander, or a Napoleon, for his will be an everlasting honor, whilst their's will be a lasting disgrace." The address (which was a lengthened one and contained much wholesome counsel to made: thus the Lord has stirred up the heart of his people: and is manifestly maintaining His most endearing character, "a father to the fatherless, a husband to the widow." We conclude this brief and imperfect notice, by making an extract or two, from some correspondence which has subsquently come to hand. Reflections on the death of Mr. Lord. DEAR FRIEND:-As your pages are open to correspondents, I venture to drop a word or two concerning the death of Mr. LORD, who departed this time state on Friday, August 28th, after being laid aside but a very short time. Little did I think that his cry four weeks before his death would so soon have its answer. "Lord, (said he, in his prayer, in the morning service) preserve us, and help us when we shall have to contend with the iron hand of death." This was a weighty appeal unto God; and I have no doubt that the Lord enabled him to cry for that strength he was destined so soon to stand in need of. I am inclined to think so because that sentence in prayer was noticed by another friend to me at the time, and several times since before his illness and departure. The Lord will hear the cry of his people in every state and circumstance into which they may be brought. When the heavy tidings reached my ears, my spirit sunk within me; my heart was overwhelmed; and I was almost ready to ask the Lord why he so soon disappointed the expectations of his people. The people thought, as the providence of God had brought him among them, that they should have the pleasure long to enjoy the truth he was enabled to unfold: but such was not the purpose of him who had purposed to take the tabernacle down, in order that the ransomed soul should be filled with all the fulness of God. Mr. LORD had laboured in Birmingham previous to coming to London. By the providence of God, in a time of trial, he was met by Mr. Wells, who was the instrumental cause of his coming to London; and at the Borough-road there are many witnesses to the power of the word as delivered by him, so that the people in the warmth of affection liberally came forward and ministered to him in his necessities. Some time before his death the Lord was pleased to bless his soul with a solomn en- As sure as the earnest is given; The glorified spirits in heaven." He was favoured to enjoy a sober season of reviving from hearing Mr. W. in prayer: this he mentioned; and the Lord did not leave him, but kept up in his mind the savour and power of the blood of the Lamb, so that HIS END WAS PEACE. How could it be otherwise, seeing that this was all his hope and expectation? This was the theme he testified of in his life, and was instrumental, through God, of pulling down the strong holds of sin and satan. The Tuesday following, being the day appointed for the interment, the chapel was well crowded; Mr. WELLS spoke from Zechariah i: 5; "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets do they live for ever ?" This was a solemn occasion indeed; the servant of God, whose voice was recently heard exalting the great love of God to his people, now laid before us, in which we saw a powerful reply to the text. Upon that occasion, the preacher did not, as very frequently is the case, extol human nature; no; but the grace which reigned in his heart and life; and by which he was enabled to bring forth fruit unto God. Mr. WELLS preached a sermon on Monday-evening, at the chapel, Jamaica Row, upon the occasion, from Matt. xxiv. ; "watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." This was an interesting subject, and full of real reason why eternal things are matters of vital importance. I should have given an outline of the same, had not Mr. WELLS informed the people that the sermon would be in print, the profits of which are intended to be given towards the support of the widow and family. May the Lord bless them and enable them to look unto him in this bereavement, who has promised to be "a father to the fatherless," and "a friend to the widow." The Lord will, doubtlesss, make all grace abound to those who have felt this loss. May it be taken as a voice to the church by which the soul may be admonished, and the heart encouraged; that as the Lord was with him, so he will be with us when we are called to pass through the valley of the shadow of death; then will be brought to pass the saying which is written "death is swallowed up in victory." THEOPHILUS. Mr. LORD'S DYING MOMENTS. WE are solemnly charged to "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for THE END OF THAT MAN IS PEACE." The only perfect man that ever_was found under the heavens, was the GODMAN, the Lord Jesus Christ: but as every elect vessel of mercy is perfect in and by him, it may be said in a covenant sense, that every true believer in the person, blood, and righteousness of our glorious IMMANUEL, is a perfect man. In giving the dying moments of Mr. LORD, we confine ourselves to the very words expressed by the Christian friend who was with him up to the last. This friend says, that the last words he uttered were these-" THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF His She IMMANUEL." After this, he lay for some Soon; very soon after this, he gave two deep sighs (the soul was struggling to depart,) and he was gone. Mr. Lord's Ministry in Birmingham. I would endeavour to send you what little account I can of the ministry of our dear departed friend, Mr. LORD, in this awful place, where satan seems to have his seat, and is carrying thousands headlong to destruction; and oh, what shall I say with respect to the church of Christ itself? I feel constrained from a feeling sense of her situation, to exclaim with the prophet Jeremiah - "O, that my head were a fountain of waters, that I might weep day and night for the hurt of my people." What an awful night it is with the church! so dark that they can hardly discover each other; neither can they discover their true interests: may the Lord help us to cry mightily to him for the outpouring of his Spirit upon us, for only in his light shall we see light. In reference to our dear friend's ministry among us, I would first say that it was of that nature that no hypocrite could sit comfortably under it; in the second place I would say that it was a ministry that traced out the Lord's dear people in their various trials and |