1. The events recorded in this chapter show what God can do, and what he will do, for the deliverance of his people and the overthrow of his enemies. Here, too, it should be noted that the same element which was the defence of one was the destroyer of the other. An awful retribution upon the incorrigible king and people who had hardened themselves against God, and had bid defiance to his demands, threatenings, and fearful judgments. Here overwhelmed in the depths lie king, host, heroes, and chariots, filling a watery grave or drifting to the shore, a monument of the folly of rebellion and the righteous indignation of heaven. Absolutely and utterly was the power of this guilty nation broken and destroyed, so that for forty years Israel abode in the wilderness but a short distance from Egypt, and no future effort was made against them. Dark and mysterious are all the dispensations of providence to those who fight against God. Who can stand before him whom all creatures must obey? Still he leads his people in strait and narrow paths, and if led by him into circumstances where there is no possible means of escape, there shall they see his deliverance so as to admire his power and adore his love. God's deliverances are not always in the ordinary course of things, and scarcely ever as human wisdom expects. In this case they were the operation of a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, controlling the winds, clouds, and waves, and subduing the most ungovernable elements to his purpose: a suspension, or at least new and unknown direction, of the established laws of nature. Can we not love such a deliverer? The love of other parents is as transitory as the occasions and trusts committed to them. But the unremitting care and providence of God are never restrained, as his authority never comes to an end. His vigilance never ceases, because his offspring are always impotent, needy and dependent.

2. These are wonders that we are considering, but because we witness none such now, as the occasion for them has passed, still let us not forget those common displays of power and wisdom which we are so apt to lose sight of, simply because they are common. There is now no dividing of the waters, but on the shore of every sea you may behold, every twenty-four hours, the dry land covered by water, and water again become dry land. The whole waters of the globe are elevated or depressed by the motion of one of the smallest lights of heaven. And this is regular, because the wisdom of an Almighty power has so ordained. Can we not, then, trust with the confidence of children that invisible and incomprehensible power which, by causes no human wisdom has yet discovered, causes the sea to overflow its banks, or its channel to become dry? It is the same power which in Winter makes the liquid stream as solid as the rock, and in Summer as transparent as a mirror. These changes are regular and often unobserved. But were he who produces them to change the position of our globe, the briny deep would become one vast mountain of ice, gloomy and terrible in its frigid vengeance upon the earth and its inhabitants. I am not astonished when I view these usual operations of God in nature, on opening the Book of the same God, to find him dividing the sea, congealing the floods, or doing whatever he pleases: "For who is like Jehovah, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"

3. The fame of this deliverance is referred to in many passages of Scripture. Paul in 1 Cor. x. calls it a type of our baptism and our salvation in the king. dom of God. All Israel is spoken of as having been baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, "for they were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. The cloud accompanied them in their journeyings, and was spread over them as a covering. By being thus brought under the cloud and into the sea by the command of Moses, they were baptized into him, and were enabled after their baptism to sing a song of salvation to the Lord their God. The similarity between them and us consists in the following:

1. They believed in Moses. We believe in Christ.

2. They passed under the cloud and into the sea at his command, as we pass into the burial in baptism by the command of Christ.

3. By their passage through this baptism they were delivered effectually from the slavery of Egypt, and their enemies were destroyed in the floods. By our baptism we are relieved from the slavery of sin, and our baptism is the death and burial of our enemies with the sinful passions and inclinations of the old man of sin.

4. Their baptism brought them fully under the authority of Moses. Ours brings us under the authority of Christ. "For as many as have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have put on Christ."

Thus were they initiated, by baptism under the authority of Moses, into the protection of the cloud, so that afterwards God was their keeper, their portion, and their defence. He sustained them by manna, and gave them water from the rock, which he caused to follow them in all their wanderings. So, by baptism, the believer is brought under the protection of that God who is a special Saviour to all that believe, where he may enjoy his blessings-the rich provisions of his ordinances and have the refreshings of his Spirit to follow him with the spiritual food of his Word through all his pilgrimage upon the earth; and if he abide faithful, to give a resurrection among the just, and a glorious inheritance in the heavenly Canaan! J. B. F.

SPIRITUAL DYSPEPSIA.-No. IV.

AFTER this digression, Dr. Evangelicus returns to the narrative of James Conformitas, relative to the circumstances of his nativity and education, in order to show their influences upon his spiritual health in after life.

I was bred and born, says he, in the town of Vainshow, and in the State of Carnality, where I lived to the age of manhood. Shortly after I became of age, I entered into the service of Mr. Oldman, a near relative, with whom I spent several years as an assistant in the mercantile business. Mr. Oldman being the first settler in the State, he, with a view to the settlement and aggrandizement of his family, obtained from the Founder of the State, one Diabolus, grants of settlement so extensive as to engross its entire territory.

At the time of my entering into his service, Mr. Oldman had determined to establish, in other parts of the State, a number of mercantile houses, for the more easy, cheap, and expeditious supply of whatever the market might demand. Mr. Oldman being a gentleman of enlarged experience and great knowledge, considered that a correct policy should ever have in view the wealth and prosperity of the entire State. Home manufactures, home consumption, and, consequently, home trade, constituted his favorite theory and practice for the prosperity of the State. The native productions of the soil are, however, said to have been much changed from what they once were. Ancient tradition relates, that the soil itself has undergone a change for the worse, though it is still very fruitful. This change in the character of the soil, and of its present productions, is related to have been owing to an inundation of wrath which overspread the whole territory, by which were deposited over its surface the seeds from which have grown its present productions. This flood, it is said, was occasioned by an act of rebellion, on the part of the Founder of the State, against its original proprietor, Prince Emmanuel. This unnatural rebellion of a distinguished subject against his rightful Sovereign, resulted in the expulsion of the former, by the latter, from his dominions. Diabolos, for so the rebel was called, enraged against his Sovereign, was permitted, for wise reasons, to persuade the former occupants of the soil to take sides with him in a grand rebellion. Since this event, he has claimed the dominion of the soil, and has erected the greater part of the territory into a sovereign State, since known as the State of Carnality. Upon its Eastern boundary there is a portion of territory called Beulah, which, though formerly claimed by this Usurper, has been taken from him by Prince Emmanuel, to which he has given laws, and has erected it into a province of his empire, and which is since known as the Kingdom of Grace, because it was founded by its gracious Sovereign, for the benefit of penitent rebels, who may be induced to desert the standard of the enemy and return to their rightful and gracious Sovereign.

Little, indeed, did I know of the danger to health and life to which I was exposed, while I lived in the State of Carnality. None, indeed, can fully realize his perilous condition, who does not know the character of the government under which he lives, as a citizen of the State of Carnality. While I lived in the State

I was ignorant of the fact, that most of my ancestors, as far back as I could trace them, had perished in the army of Diabolos; in that division of it which was commanded by Colonel Oldman.

My ancestors were, indeed, brave men, and fought valiantly; but as madly as valiantly. They were on the wrong side. Both might and right were against them. And had it not been for new recruits continually sent in by those recruiting officers, Mr. Vainself, Mr. Proudlook, and Mr. Selflove, the Colonel would have been totally routed, and every man destroyed.

But of these facts I was wholly ignorant, while living in Vainshow and in the service of Mr. Oldman, the brother of Colonel's. And as I was observing, Mr. Oldman being about to enlarge his mercantile concern, determined to take some of the best and wealthiest men in the State into a copartnery with himself, and establish firms throughout the State. So soon as his intentions were known, that he was about to enlarge his concern, many applications were made for situations deemed so eligible. He made choice of those who had formerly been most faithful in his service. The house which he established at Vainshow, was advertized as the firm of Oldman, Simpleone, Loveshow, and Co. His next house was established at Simpleton, under the firm of Oldman, Vainthought, Haughtyman, and Co. His third house was situated in the eastern part of the State, near the line which separated it from the Kingdom of Grace, in the town of Fairshow, and was known as the firm of Oldman, Fairspeech, Wilyman, and Co. His fourth and last house he determined to locate at Pridesville, on the southern borders of the State, and to be known as the firm of Oldman, Proudlook, Highstyle, and Co. Having established these houses with a view to supply every part of the country with articles of its own manufacture on the lowest and most accomodating terms, I was employed to travel between these marts, and engage the custom and patronage of the different mechanics, manufacturers, and retail merchants and grocers throughout the State. Mr. Oldman believed I had a peculiar talent for conforming to the tastes and habits of the people, and was, therefore, a fit agent for the business. And, indeed, he praised me no little for the success with which I met in procuring him the favor and patronage of the people. The most difficult part of the State to gain over to the interests of our great concern, was that bordering on the land of Beulah, the territory of the Kingdom of Grace. Mr. Fairspeech and Mr. Wilyman, were, indeed, accomplished men for the business in which they were engaged. These gentlemen assumed manners the most pleasing and winning, to such as knew them only as public men in business. With their affected manners, they still professed much regard for their former patrons and friends, who had left the State and become citizens of the Kingdom of Grace. They, indeed, occasionally visited Christiansville, a bordering town of the kingdom, and spoke highly of the good order, kindness, and hospitality of its citizens. They would even join in speaking of Prince Emmanuel as a most gracious Prince, and expressed a hope that a reconciliation, ere long, would be effected between the subjects of the two governments; that the citizens of the State of Carnality would cordially embrace, in the arms of true friendship, the citizens of the Kingdom of Grace, and be one and undivided in all the great interests of the State. Mr. Wilyman expressed a wish that a better state of feeling might be cultivated between the two countries, and gave it as his opinion, that nothing would so much conduce to it as a reciprocity of trade, commerce, and manufactures. Mr. Fairspeech remarked, that he concurred in opinion with his partner, Mr. Wilyman, though he was aware that Mr. Oldman's policy differed somewhat from theirs, in making the prosperity of the State to depend upon home manufactures and home consumption. He presumed that the policy of Mr. Oldman better suited the condition of the State, as it was in former days, when the population was spare, and people wanted but few things, and those plain, and such as merely the lusts of the flesh would demand, which the soil, with but little cultivation, produced abundantly. Besides, the great age of Mr. Oldman has rendered him rather selfish. And indeed, I must acknowledge that it has been owing to his possessing a large share of this kind of feeling, that he has been able to amass so great an amount of wealth. As avarice is, however, the possession of old men, I presume he will not now change his views.

But the age in which we live demands a more liberal policy. If, for example, the policy of a city or state has amassed for its citizens wealth sufficient to supply fully all the lusts of the flesh, all the lusts of the eyes, and every thing desirable for gratifying the pride of life, that policy should, in the spirit of a true liberality, be extended till it shall embrace, in the arms of its philanthropy, the people of every state and kingdom.

Dr. Evangelicus. With whom had Mr. Wilyman and Mr. Fairspeech this conversation?

James Conformitas. With Mr. Lovetruth and Mr. Singlemind, in the store of the former, who was a merchant in the town of Christiansville.

Dr. Evangelicus. Did these gentlemen approve the policy advocated by those merchants from the town of Fairshow?

James Conformitas. Not at all. So far, indeed, was he from approving it, that he pronounced it at once a short-sighted and ruinous policy, at war with the best interests of the Kingdom of Grace. He further showed, that the interests of the Kingdom were antagonistic, and diametrically opposed to what they were pleased to call the best interests of those who lived in the State of Carnality. Mr. Lovetruth finally addressed these men in the following style: "Gentlemen, I regard you as enemies in disguise. You attempt to introduce a hateful and detestable policy. As a revenue officer of the government, I am authorized, by the authority of my King, to brand every commodity brought into our market from the State of Carnality as contraband goods. You have often attempted to smuggle your goods into our ports, that they may be used by our citizens, in direct rebellion to the statute of our Sovereign. They are, sirs, easily detected by our officers. They are but base imitations, and are like your garments, spotted with the flesh. Your connection with Oldman is a most unfortunate one, and if it be not broken up, bankruptcy and ruin are your portion. He is, and I know him well, the most noted rebel in all the State of Carnality. I, too, was once in his service. There is nothing too mean, low, corrupt, or filthy for him to do. Diabolos, the founder and ruler of your State, and the declared enemy of our Sovereign, has had him in his service since he was able, indeed, to serve; and for the sake of filthy lucre, he has been the veriest drudge in his service. You, Mr. Fairspeech, he has now in his service, that he may, through the deceitful lusts, with goodly words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. And you, Mr. Wilyman, are also his most humble servant, seeking, by your wiles and cunning stratagems, to entangle us again in the net of the old Adversary. But be it known to you, we have, through the gracious aid of our good King, put off the old man with his practices. We counsel you, therefore, by all that is sacred and dear, if you would love our King and be happy, to put away the old man, and have no longer any partnership with him, and buy of us wisdom and understanding; for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. Then abjure allegiance to Diabolos, and take the oath of loyalty to Prince Emmanuel. Take off the regimentals of the Adversary, with all their frippery-those garments spotted with the flesh-and put on the armor of righteousness, and be clothed with the garments of humility, and join the standard of our King, live in his fear, and be for ever happy." A. W. C.

To be wholly sanctified is to be wholly conformed "to the will of God." Particularly it is to "be cleansed from all unrighteousness"-to be delivered first from the guilt of our past transgressions, and then from the sway of the passions, that the faculties and affections may be called forth in liberty, health, and power. It results from the "full assurance of faith," "the full assurance of the understanding of the will of God," and leads to the "full assurance of hope" and love. It is the addition to faith of courage, knowledge, temperance, brotherly kindness, godliness, and universal love (2 Pet. v. 8, Col. iv. 1, Heb. x. 22, Eph. iii. 18-19, and kindred scriptures.) A wholly sanctified man is one redeemed from all iniquity, brought back from his alienation and sin and devoted to God, being formed after the pattern of Jesus Christ, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in all godliness, righteousness, and truth (Eph. v. 9.) J. B. F.