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school, or rather preparatory school for the ministry. I know a man will have to learn a great deal more than can be learned in a Sunday school or in the Sunday school work, but he may learn a good deal there. There he'll learn a little about human nature, and a little about his own nature too; and this is very needful to make a good minister of the Gospel. But if he be a good teacher, he will necessarily become a Bible student, and the study of the Holy Scriptures will certainly do much to qualify for the preaching of the Gospel. Then if he be a successful Sunday school teacher he will now and then be put into the desk to address the children. And if these things do no more, they will at least test his gifts. Then if he be successful in this work, I think he might go into the villages around this great metropolis on Lord's day evenings and preach the Gospel in the open air. And if he discover gifts for such work as this, such gifts will be sure to be acceptable, for "a man's gifts shall make a way for him." And if God own and bless these labours he will discover the third qualification or credential for the ministry, viz., usefulness. But should a man of God labour all his days in such works as these and never enter a pulpit, will he have done nothing for the spread of the Gospel; nothing for the good of God's cause; nothing for the salvation of souls, and as such, nothing for the glory of God? And is there no honour due to men who shall thus labour? O! let us have more men burning with holy zeal to tell to sinners what they know. And let such men be encouraged in such works as here described, and surely we shall find some good men willing thus to spend and be spent for the glory of God, without attempting to thrust themselves into pulpits, or force themselves into pastorates without credentials for the work.

But to the question-"What am I to do?" As regards the ministry I should say, Stand still; watch, and pray, and wait. Wait God's time ;; wait and watch for God's way. And if God has ordained you for the ministry, most assuredly He will qualify you for it-bring you to it; sustain, and maintain, and prosper you in it. But all in His own time and by His own means. As regards the kind of work described above, I would say, Go forward! Come and see me personally You address me as your pastor, I trust I have a pastor's heart, and shall know how to sympathize with you; and would seek to counsel you to the very best of my ability. And should time, and a growing personal acquaintance, and the workings of providence, increase or strengthen the hope already formed, viz., that God is calling you to the ministry, we will gladly do all we can to help you forward. While on the other hand, should time prove, as in David's case, that God does not accept the desire of your heart, still we would sympathize with you and encourage you, like David, to be content to do what you can. For though David was not permitted to build, he was not prevented from preparing for the building, and this he most cheerfully did. With all Christian sympathy, with all brotherly love, we would say, Go ye and do likewise! By all the means within your reach, with all the powers and capacities God has endowed you,, with all the talents God has given you, help the builders, till God shall more clearly say to you, "Arise and build." And may God Almighty very abundantly bless and make you a blessing.

Salem, New North Road.

WM. FLACK.

The Enthronement of Jesus, the Safety and Glory of His People.

BY RICHARD BAX, MEOPHAM, KENT.

"CHANGES AND WAR ARE AGAINST ME,” was the lamentation of the patient patriarch of Uz, and doubtless, this language has oft expressed the feelings of the Lord's people in all ages of the world; nor is it surprising that such unbelieving fears, and peevishness of spirit, should escape the lips of God's deeply exercised and tempted children; sin is the proximate cause of all this, but, to the eye of faith, the remote cause hath its foundation in the sovereign pleasure and purpose of Jehovah. The purposes of God are "a great deep," which creature ken can never fathom; neither is it the pleasure of the Most High fully to reveal His eternal designs in this life; indeed if such were the counsel and holy will of the blessed One, the necessity of living and walking by faith would be superseded; but "we walk by faith and not by sight," and hence it is, we are oftentimes constrained from real necessity to say, "What time I am afraid I will trust in thee." The reason of this language is obvious; the dear afflicted saint having been driven from every "refuge of lies," and false confidence, can find refuge and help nowhere else, and therefore makes Jehovah's arm his strength. Darkness in the understanding by reason of the sinfulness of our nature; the sovereignty of God asserted and unfolded in the mysteries of His word, His works, and His ways; together with the malice and craft of Satan and his emissaries, and the abominations of one's own heart, make up the grand whole of our trials in this vain life, " For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope." It is the privilege of the believer to know by experience, "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose;" but he does not at all times find his spirit submissive under the chastening rod; perhaps there is not a Christian upon earth but has had to plead in bitterness of spirit, "Shew me wherefore Thou contendest against me.' They have felt the stroke, but saw not the hand of Him who dealt it. Their "gourds" of earthly comforts have "withered" before their eyes, but they saw not the "prepared worm," by which their bereavement and loss was effected. Yes, beloved, you have gazed upon the scene of desolation and blighted prospects with amazement and consternation, and have leaped to the conclusion, “An enemy hath done this;" like to the brethren of Joseph, had they have seen the "coat of many colors upon the person of their brother, they might have discovered in the same some evidences of their father's handicraft, whereby the spell would have been broken; but Providence ordered it otherwise. It was a part, and a principal part too, of the great and mysterious plan of the Great Revealer of secrets, that these things should be hidden from their eyes. The stern rough voice and manner of Joseph, his majestic and lordly appearance, and the magnificence of his court, so awed and terrified his brethren, that they thought of nothing but evil and past wickednesses. And who indeed

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could have thought of such a wondrous change of circumstances, and of such tender feeling and brotherly affection as was afterward displayed? The lord of the land could so hide his love and purpose from his brethren, as to cast them into prison and call them spies; yet, when their sorrows and distresses had reached their climax, and supplication was made to him, "Joseph could not refrain himself," but "wept aloud," and said, “I am Joseph." Beloved! there is a greater than Joseph, who once stood in the midst of bereaved, mourning, and weeping ones, and of whom it is said, "Jesus wept." But where is He now? And what is He doing? And for whom doeth He these things? Let the text at the head of this paper, and the following thoughts, answer the questions. In Ezekiel i. 26 we read, "And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness, as the appearance of a MAN above upon it." And whom did this likeness and appearance prefigure but the Man Christ Jesus. We no longer see the appearance or a similitude of a man, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour;" who "is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." This same Jesus who is now upon His Father's throne, holding the sceptre of universal dominion in His hand, and inhabiting the high and holy praises of angels and men, once lay in the "manger" at Bethlehem, and hung upon His mother's breast, and hungered and thirsted like unto the very poorest of His brethren, for "in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”—Heb. ii. 17. At the time of Ezekiel seeing "visions of God," and beholding the glory of Jesus upon His throne, His people were in captivity, and that is just where many of them are now; but their Elder Brother is upon the throne, and hence their present preservation and safety, and pledge of future glory. Jesus having tabernacled among His people upon earth, knows their condition and their sorrows; He knows, too, the fierceness and number of their adversaries among whom they are.

The meaning of the name "Chaldeans" is, as it were, demons, or, to lay waste, to destroy. So is it with the true Israel; they are in spiritual captivity, where demons have their present abode (Eph. ii. 2, and vi. 12), and wasters and destroyers seek to their utmost the destruction of the peace, faith, and happiness of God's people. The world, the flesh, and the devil, are in league against the "anointed ones." But, blessed be God, we have a Prophet in our midst, who has assured us that He will not leave us comfortless, but will come again and receive us unto Himself, that we may behold His glory. O ye sorrowing, weeping ones, because you are in an enemy's land, and feel your distance from God, and who oft sigh the language of Israel of old :-"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion,"oh, forget not that it was by "the river Chebar (abundant, vehement,) the hand of the Lord" was upon the prophet. In the very midst of their captivity and affliction, the "Son of man" saw visions of God. To all outward appearances, your enemies may seem to do as they please, and have everything their own way. But it is not so. Even Jeremiah said, "Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?" And Asaph made a great mistake when he said, "For I was envious at the foolish, when I

saw the prosperity of the wicked;" until he went into the Sanctuary of God, then understood he their end. These self-righteous, self-sufficient, ungodly ones trust in anything rather than the living God. But to you, "O poor of the flock," thus saith the Lord, "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." See Isaiah xiv. 22-25; Zeph. iii. 12; and John vi. 37. To be distressed on account of sin, alienation, and distance from God, groaning on account of spiritual oppression and captivity, inwardly thirsting for the light of God's countenance, and fellowship with Jesus, proves that, if you "suffer with Him," you "shall also reign with Him." Observe in the next place, what Jesus is doing. He is reigning, ruling, controlling, guiding, and directing all creatures, all circumstances and events. In the "vision" which the prophet saw, there were "cherubims," "wheels," "whirlwind," "cloud," and "fire." "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it." So that every thing is in subjection to the authority of Jesus. Cherubims surrounded His throne, awaiting His high behests, and these were working in harmony with the "wheels" that had "eyes," and under their wings were the hands of a man." O what rich and powerful consolation is wrapped up in this beautiful figure! In all their mysterious and invisible movements and operations, we see the wisdom, goodness, and power of God putting forth itself-but how?-through the Man Christ Jesus-the human nature of Jesus. Thus we are taught the precious truth of Christ's sympathy with us, in every dispensation of mercy. O believer!

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the hand of Jesus is in all your concerns, in all your tribulations and bereavements; yes, and it is His hand that brings you relief and succour, peace and prosperity. All nature is at His command, and without Him not a "cloud" can darken your sky, nor the "whirlwind" blow, carrying ruin in its wings, and desolation in its track; no, nor the "lightnings" play till He let them loose, and then they accomplish only His bidding. And mark it well, beloved, that every movement of " the living creatures," and "the wheels," was regulated by the Spirit of life (margin); "Whithersoever the Spirit was to go, they went, thither was their Spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them : for the Spirit of life (margin) was in the wheels." Thus we see that every revolution of the "wheels," whether slow or swift, whether in the vale, or on the mountain top, is regulated by the Spirit; and so also when they "stood," and the cherubims "let down their wings," when there is a pause and solemn stillness in your affairs, and everything seems at a "dead lock,"—this is also because of "the Spirit of life." And now look at the beautiful description of these "living creatures"-angels; first, they had the likeness of the "face of a man," to denote their knowledge and understanding of human affairs, and perform these kind offices "for them who shall be heirs of salvation." Secondly, they had "the face of a lion," expressive of their boldness, courage, and intrepidity in the discharge of their duties; for we cannot tell what opposition holy angels meet with from the foul spirits in the aerial regions. Thirdly, they had "the face of an ox," to set forth their patient labour and endurance in the mediatorial Kingdom of Christ. And lastly, they had "the face of an eagle," denoting their keenness of penetration, alacrity of will, and swift

ness of execution. Well might the apostle exclaim, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" If God be for us, and Jesus be for us, and angels be for us, and providence be for us, and the "elements" be for us, and all these "work together for good to them that love God," how can we need anything for the outworking of our present and eternal salvation? And then there was "the bow" of promise,-expressive of God's covenant goodness and faithfulness to His people-" round about the throne." Thus, believer, all that is done for you, and in you, is the fruit of covenant mercy.

The Gospel Day.

ISAIAH has been called the Gospel prophet, and who that has read his prophecy attentively, and under the divine tuition of God the Holy Ghost, but has found it pregnant with substantial gospel blessings; his often reiterated assertion, "It shall come to pass in that day," led me to consider what day he was so particular in describing, and I have no hesitation in saying that it was the glorious day of the gospel, when darkness should vanish, and the true light, more bright than the meridian sun, should shine into the benighted hearts of poor sinners.

This gospel day was one of anticipation earnestly longed for by Old Testament saints. The promise of this happy day caused our first parents, who stood with downcast eyes, and a guilty conscience, once more to look up, and to look forward in hope; hence said Eve, in anticipation of the fulfilment of the promise, "I have gotten the man, the Lord." In expectation of, and faith in, the one great sacrifice to come, Abel offered the firstlings of his flock, and enjoyed the gospel day. Abraham, too, in the type of his son Isaac, saw the gospel day-saw it, and was glad. Jacob, also, in looking forward to this day, said, with a heart overflowing with gratitude, and with an unwavering faith, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh come;" and unto Him (as the longed-for Messiah) shall the gathering of the people be. And how beautifully did Isaiah depict the advent of this glorious day, when, in seraphic strains, he sang, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given the government shall be upon his shouider: his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." "Behold a king shall reign," but "He shall grow up as a tender plant," and there is no comeliness in him, "he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;" but oh, break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem,-sing aloud, ye saints of the living God, for "he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his stripes we are healed." Sin, and death, and hell have been conquered, and that for ever.

At last, the long looked-for day arrives, and anticipation is changed into realisation: in yonder Temple stands the last of Old Testament saints, earnestly waiting for the Consolation of Israel; and oh! wha must have been his joy when, with the long anticipated Saviour in his arms, with quivering lip, and glistening eye, he burst out in that glowing and never-to-be-forgotten language, "Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation." This gospel day was one of rejoicing. True, at its advent, night had swayed

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