spiritual comfort, and feel a heart in such prayers as David's"God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us"!

66

It is a great mercy to feel our need of mercy and grace to increase with our years. It shows our Teacher is divine, and means to do us good in our latter end. He empties whom He fills, and pulls down whom He designs to build up, and He destroys what, we would preserve. His methods and means are often quite contrary to our expectation or desire, and self starts its objections, and proud flesh lets out its rebellion: This seems all wrong. All these things are against me; and, though we have had so many times to lament and confess afterwards our base unbelief and foolish fears, yet we still are fools and base, and God is faithful still, and His compassions fail not. Oh, mystery of love! What a mighty, mysterious Saviour! He is truly precious to believers. Oh, for grace to love Him more, and stay upon Him always! Oh, could I cease from self; but its black face will show itself in everything, and never so black or base as when it would be something. Satan is worst when he assumes the angel, and self is worst when he wears a white face; and if we play the fool, it is when we dress him up, and set him off for admiration.

March 1st.-I intended to send this before I left home, but was hurried away at last; and I find my little calls enough for my littleness. Berridge fits me—

I intended much more, but, as Rosa is sending, I send this to make weight. With Christian love and affection,

Walsall, February 16th, 1869.

JEHOVAH.

Yours truly,

C. MOUNTFORT.

IT expresses self-existence and unchangeableness. It is the incommunicable name of God, which the Jews superstitiously refused to pronounce, always substituting in their reading the word "Adonai," meaning Lord. Hence it is represented in our English version by the word "Lord," printed in capital letters. Jah-properly an abbreviation of the name "Jehovah "-is used principally in the Psalms. It constitutes the concluding syllable of hallelujah"-praise Jehovah. God gave to Moses His peculiar name, "I AM THAT I AM," bearing the same fundamental signification as Jehovah.

NIGHT THOUGHTS BY A WATCHMAN.

PERFECT DAY.

"THERE shall be no night there." Have you noticed that this precious and inspiring testimony is repeated within the compass of a few verses? (Rev. xxi. 25; xxii. 5)-first, to show that there is no cause for alarm. The gates of the heavenly city are open continually, for there is no night there-no need for the gates to be closed to prevent the entrance of thieves and robbers. There is no foe in that blessed country, and therefore no fear. And, second, to teach us that the immediate presence of God and the Lamb is the soul's perfect bliss. The light of God's favour is heaven; and this He will never withdraw in any degree. The contrast of this is perfect night, where Christ, the true Light, has never shone. There, there is total spiritual darkness, and endless cause for fear. But the Day-spring from on high hath visited us. We who have had a glimpse of His face have been warmed by His rays, and brought forth some fruit to His honour. Yet, while this is the region of the shadow of death, of day and night, of cold and heat, of summer and winter, there will be, from time to time, the morning without the sun. God will bring a cloud over the earth. However, it will never again be total darkness with those who have been once truly enlightened, for He has said, "When I bring a cloud over the earth, the bow shall be seen in the cloud (Gen. ix. 14). The bow is to be seen in the cloud; but we do not see it while we are in the cloud. It is when it has partly or wholly passed over us that we behold it. The light must be on the cloud, and we ourselves on the light side of the cloud, in order for us to see the bow. Here it must be variation continually, in order to prove God's faithfulness. The cloud and the bow, the darkness and light mingling, produce the token of His covenant, and we are thus reminded of His faithful promise. Yes, the trial of faith and the confirmation of faith are joined. There is usually a dark cloud near when we see a bright bow; and when He brings a cloud around, be sure you look for the bow.

The disciples feared as they entered the cloud, although the Lord was with them. Oh, the entering into a dark cloud, even in forethought only! How chilling to our poor fearful hearts! Nevertheless, painful as it was to Peter, James, and John to enter the cloud, it was here they saw the true light; and here it was ordained they should hear the voice which came to their Master from the excellent glory, confirming His Sonship and removing their fears. Was it not in this very place, where they feared as they entered the cloud, that they said, "Master,

it is good for us to be here"? Has it not oft been so, that the place of fear has been the place of joy and strength? They had never seen the Lord as they saw Him then. Surely, they could then say, "The true Light now shineth." However, this was but a visitation of the Sun of Righteousness. They had not entered into the perfect day as they now are realizing it with Him in His glory.

Here it ever will be, as it ever has been, light in the darkness, the bow in the cloud; but when we get to that city of God, there will be no darkness nor fear. Our ignorance will be done away and our fears lost. There the bow ever remains bright, without the attendant cloud causing fear and darkness. The bow is still to be seen in the higher and better world, but there it is round about the throne continually-not as here seen in the clouds of earth for a few moments at a time. The brightest bow ever seen in these regions rapidly passes away. There the Angel, i.e., Messenger, of the eternal, unbroken covenant appears with the cloud and the bow, but not in darkness. The darkness is quite removed, and His face is seen as it were the sun" (Rev. x. 1; iv. 3).

"No cloud those blissful regions know,

For ever bright and fair;

For sin, the source of mortal woe,
Can never enter there."

Two things are needful to secure for ever this perfect day, this state of unvarying brightness and bliss. There must be perfection and perpetuity. Here, however bright the day, as soon as the sun has arrived at noon he hastens on, and soon hides his glory in the shades of night; but there, where the day is perfect, there will be no fear of an approaching night. What a wondrous surprise it would be were the sun to stand still at noon for one year only! The sun is, when at its height, but one of the creatures of God, ordained of Him to serve man; but in the eternal world of joy the Lord God giveth them light, and will never withdraw His brightness. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov. iv. 18).

Now, in this state, we could not endure continued day. Change is best for us. Even the clouds which enwrap and chill us are necessary; but then our condition will be so improved, so perfect, that full and perpetual day will be quite congenial to, and appreciated by, the spirits of the just. There being no darkness nor change around, neither fearfulness nor weariness within, eternal day will not, cannot, oppress_us. If it were possible to grow faint, or to entertain a fear, the perfection would be marred. A perfect place and a perfect state make heaven.

Is this the heaven you desire? Is sin and a sinful nature that which you wish to be freed from? and the holy presence of God and the Lamb, the place you hope to enter into when death calls you away from earth? Have you ever been enabled to say in spirit

If this is at times the language of your heart, then surely you are being prepared for that better world where there is no night. Could you not, even now, when you see the bow in the cloud, the token of covenant favour, cheerfully part with all that which heaven excludes? Heaven's citizens are glad that "there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie." Perfect holiness and understanding is the devout wish and expectation of the saints, and in this they will not be disappointed. How ignorant and far from holiness is the most advanced Christian while in this world! What will it be to know as we are known, and bear the full image of Christ?

And oh, what will it be to be shut out from this brightness and glory, and to be shut up in the regions of darkness and death, where Christ will never be seen nor God known only as a righteous Judge ?

Reader, is holiness and Christ your desire now? Do you delight in the service of God, and love His people? or do you prefer the company and deeds of the wicked? If the ungodly are your companions, and unholiness your delight, "be sure your sins will find you out." God's eye and hand will never let you go. They will follow you into every hole and corner till you appear before His glorious throne, where you will have no excuse for your conduct; and then will begin your awful night. As you have loved darkness, so will you inherit for ever the sad, sad choice of your heart. What are the thoughts of your heart? What hope have you for the future? Every soul will enter, by death, either the abode of perfect bliss or that of untold woe.

Perfect day, or the blackness of darkness, awaits each of us. "How wilt thou do in the swellings of Jordan?" "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness." His evil character and conduct will cleave to him for ever. May the Lord enable you to "flee from the wrath to come. Remember Christ died, "the Just for the unjust," to bring us to God. There is no other way whereby you can escape the condemnation of God, which is the just reward for your sin. If you live and die an unbeliever, void of an interest in this great truth of the death of Christ for the sins of His people, you must perish in your sin. "But the righteous hath hope in his death." Christ cheers him in his last moments on earth, and meets him first in heaven with—

"Come in, thou blessed, sit by Me;
With My own life 1 ransomed thee;
Come in, thou happy spirit, come;
Thou now shalt dwell with Me at home;
Ye blissful mansions, make him room,
For he must stay for ever."

GOOD COUNSEL TO MINISTERS.

W. B.

DISPENSERS of the Gospel ought to use holy prudence in dealing with those whom they are to instruct. Next to our Lord Himself, Paul is the most admirable example of holy wisdom, tenderness, compassion, and zeal, to all ministers of the Gospel. This the instructions given to his two beloved sons, Timothy and Titus, sufficiently testify. His care, pains, travail, and watchfulness, his patience, love, compassion, and zeal, who can declare or worthily admire? By these means he removed, or at least rendered ineffectual, the great prejudice in favour of Judaism; kept up in his hearers a becoming caution against the insinuations of seducers and false apostles; raised their attention, prepared them every way for instructions, and won them over to Christ. Blessed Jesus! what cause have we to mourn, when we consider the pride, covetousness, ambition, negligence, self-seeking, and contempt of Thy flock, which are found amongst many of them who take upon themselves to be dispensers of Thy Word, whereby the souls of men are filled with offences against Thy holy ways! OWEN.

I SEE and acknowledge the harbour which we must put into in all our ill weather. It is to Thee, O God, that we must pour out our hearts, which only can make our bitter waters sweet.-Bishop Hall.