ފ

Eran over.

joy; instead of despondency, there was confidence in God. The trumpet of the jubilee was now sounded, the year of release was come. The debtor was freed from his obligations, the prisoner from his chains, and the - bondslave from his thraldom. The feast of fat things was made, the table was spread, the head was anointed with oil, and the cup The darkness was past, and the true light now shined. The tempter fled, and the soul escaped like a bird out of the hand of the fowler. Oh, how precious was C the Saviour now! There was music in his name, salvation in his blood, and true free=dom in his service. Oh, how sweet was grace now! It was grace that arrested the criminal, and grace that brought the pardon. It was grace that wounded, and grace that healed. All was grace, free, sovereign, distinguishing grace. Never was creature further from God, or sinner less likely to be converted, than I was on that day, when the word came home with power. Never was soul in a more helpless or hopeless condition than I was, when the Lord passed by me, and in his love bade me, LIVE. At his word, death and darkness fled from me. At his bidding, I stood up a new creature. Truly, I was his workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God had before appointed, that I should walk in them.

And now, forty years have passed away,

since that memorable day. Many have been the changes I have passed through, and many the trials I have endured. Satan has thrust sore at me that I might fall, the world has done its worst to lead me astray, but having obtained help of God, I continue unto this day. The life imparted so long ago was immortal. The change effected was permanent. The transformation was divine. The Lord who called me has kept me. The grace that renewed me has employed me. And being kept by the power of God, and used in the service of God, I wish to give all the glory of all that has been wrought in me, or done by me, to the grace of God alone. The Lord sought me, when I did not seek him. The Lord converted me, when I was mocking and insulting him. If ever sinner was unlikely to be called of God, I was that sinner. ever creature was unlikely to be employed in the service of God, I was that creature. If, therefore, others can ascribe their change to free will, I cannot; I must ascribe mine to free grace. If any other man can take credit to himself, for any thing that is good, I cannot, for I never had a good thought, or felt a good desire, or did a good deed, but as the effect of God working in me, to will and to do of his own good pleasure. Glory be to God the Father, for choosing me to eternal life in his beloved Son. Glory be to God the Son, for redeeming me by his most precious blood. Glory be to God the Holy Spirit,

If

for quickening me by his divine power, and translating me out of darkness into his marvellous light. Glory, glory be to God, Father, Son, and Spirit, as the author of my salvation, the source of all good, and the giver of every gift and grace!

And now, my soul, I charge thee, never let this day pass by without raising an Ebenezer to thy God; nor let any day pass without some effort to bring glory to his holy name, for his most free, powerful, and sovereign grace. Oh, what evils have been prevented, what blessings have been conferred, and what good has been effected, in my experience, by God's free grace! All I am, all I have, Lord, is thine. From thee I have received all, and to thee, and thy service, I devote all. Ere this-oh, awful thought!-ere this, but for grace, I had most probably been in hell! Ere this, I had degraded my nature to the lowest, and disgraced my name beyond recovery, but for the grace of God. How can I do otherwise than speak of grace, write of grace, and glory in grace, who am laid under such obligations to grace? It is wonderful that I do not prize it more, praise it more, preach it more, and glory in it more, than I do. But in heaven, in eternity, when I review all the Lord's dealings with me, and all the way the Lord has led me, I shall no doubt look back to the little sanctuary where he met with me, and the hallowed day when he called me, and with thrilling pleasure and

holy joy, praise, bless, and adore his holy name, for his rich and sovereign grace!

Reader, do you know anything of a change of heart, which always produces a change of life? Have you been arrested, convicted, condemned, pardoned, and set to work for God, of his free grace? Can you say, "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears ?" You must be born again, or perish. You must seek the Lord, or die in your sins. Every one is not stopped suddenly as I was; many are drawn gradually to the Saviour. How we are brought to Christ is of little importance; the question is, Are we brought to him? All are not sought out by grace just as I was; but no one ever sought the Lord but as the effect of grace; nor did any one ever seek the grace of God in vain. If you seek the Lord, he will be found of you, reveal himself to you, and save you with an everlasting salvation. And, never forget this, for it is a thought as full of comfort as of truth, that the very desire to seek the Lord comes from the Lord, and is a proof that he has a favour toward you. Never should we seek him, if he did not first seek us; and his seeking us is evidenced by our seeking him. Having loved us with an everlasting love, with his loving-kindness he draws us to himself; and as he draws, we run; nor can we rest, until we find rest in Jesus. Oh that the Lord would draw millions more, as he has drawn us, to the praise of the glory of his grace!

A JUST GOD AND A SAVIOUR.

GOD must be just, for justice is essential to his nature; but he is under no obligation to save, for salvation is an exercise of his sovereignty. Justice requires that every creature have his right, but no creature found in rebellion against God can in any sense claim salvation. If all had perished, God had remained infinitely just; and if any are saved, God must be just in saving them. His word must be kept. His law must be honoured. His justice must be satisfied. But if we

have sinned, and God has said, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die"-if we have broken God's law, and that law must be honouredif we deserve to be punished, and justice requires that we be so punished-then how can we be saved, and God remain just? This is a question that could never have been solved by us; if God had not solved it for us.

God would save us, and he could only save us in accordance with justice. In order to do this, he agreed to accept of a substitute, if one could be found who would undertake