The sorrows forgotten, the day of mourning be ended, and everlasting joy be upon thine head. Ah! it is worth waiting for, but unbelief says, " It will never be thine. King delight in thee indeed! poor fool, thou art the devil's delight, thy vile heart suits him well. Heaven and glory are none so cheap as thou dreamest of." It is written, though he was a liar from the beginning, and his character is unchanged; well then, will he begin to speak the truth now? What can we expect, his whispers will breathe but the vapours of hell, and so try to disunite God and the soul if he can ; but that cannot be, the sheep are all safe, and the lambs lie in the bosom of Jesus' love; and as well could Satan pluck out his heart, as pluck out the weakest lamb, for they are all folded there, Precious Jesus! Because he lives, such weaklings as you and I must live also-aye, and be more than conquerers too; for grace shall prevail; and the cross shall triumph. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied;" and may the Lord satisfy us of our unconditional irrespective interest in covenant love. My soul has been grieved for Zion, and I must utter my lamentation to you, my dear Sister; I am mourning over the political leaven, which has appeared so openly in the late ministerial convocation to discuss the corn-law question. I cared not for Pseudo-Evangelicals and Semi-Pelagians mixing themselves up with the openly wicked, so much as that any who know, love, and preach the doctrines of a full and free grace salvation in Christ, should have been found joining their numbers. "How is the gold become dim, the most fine gold changed;" when Zion's standard bearers take hold of a potsherd, and flee from mountain to hill after a shadow. O vine of Sibnah, I will weep for thee, with the weeping of Jazer. "The spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits, and upon thy vintage" (Isai. xvi. 9). Just as if the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, were esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter, as if the feeding them was base work. "Poor Israel is a scattered sheep, the lions have driven him away; first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones" (Jer. i. 17.) Let the base-born sons of earth disturb themselves about earthly things, but let Zion's pastors and Zion's people boast their origin divine, dare to be singular, and boldly shake their hands from intermeddling in such things; except before the throne of their God. "Let the dead bury their dead"; while God's Israel pillow themselves on eternal purposes, and acknowledge, in the wisdom of God's declared will, "By me kings reign," united with this truth, "all things shall work together for good to God's elect; and while carnal men revel on raven's food, and gnaw the bones, let Zion's children feed in the green pastures, and beside the still waters; and their only contention be for "the faith once delivered to the saints." The apostle Paul disturbed neither himself, nor his people, about such things. The reception of the Gospel, and not politics, was his care; his charter the covenant of grace; his assertion of rights, the spirit of adoption in the hearts of God's elect; his agitatian of corn laws, the setting forth a full Christ, that finest of the wheat, who was bruised for the bread of the church, according to the law of the Spirit of life, and fed upon the divine decree. These were Paul's politics, from which if Zion's ministers depart, woe, woe be unto then, according to the word of the Lord, to the idol shepherd. arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened (Zech. xi. 17). Blessed be God, for his soul's sake not both, but the arm that ruled the people, and the eye that guided shall be punished. The ministers of Christ are too few, and the truth too precious for them to encumber themselves, and be entangled with the affairs of this life. 66 My kingdom is not of this world," said our dear Lord, "then would my servants fight, but now is my kingdom not from hence." But say these ministers, we will fight; well I wish them no worse rebuke than Peter got, when our Lord said to him "Put up thy sword into the sheath," followed by the after admonition, "feed my lambs." "Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth' (Isa. xlix. 9); But let Zion remember her rest remaineth, and that to live as a stranger and a pilgrim here is the portion allotted her by her Lord, till He shall take her home to reign with him for ever and ever. "His May the Lord abundantly bless you, my dear Sister, satisfy your soul with favour, and fill you with the blessing of the Lord. Your's with true love, in undying bonds, August 1841. L. [Whilst, as we have again and again stated, we are anything but advocates for the falsely-named "charity," which is the watchword among the vast mass of professors in the present day, we do, as respects the real church of the living God, most heartily respond to the sentiments contained in the following letter. Strife and division among the real worshippers of the Lamb, appear to us to be one of the lamentable signs of the times; and while circumstances have called upon us (in various parts of our present number especially) to dwell upon this subject more at large than usual, we are forcibly reminded of the memorable words of the late venerated WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, when he exclaimed, in the contemplation of these things, "I am sick of professors-sick of possessors-and, most of all, am sick of myself.”—ED.] To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. DEAR SIR, AND ESTEEMED BROTHER, Impressed with the sad state of disunion existing in this day among believers, I cannot refrain from expressing to you how heartily I concur in the views of our dear brother Luckin; to whom, though unknown to him after the flesh, I feel that spiritual union which will never be dissolved, though we may not worship in the same earthly building. Worshipping God in spirit and in truth, and loving the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, should be our bond of union; and I cannot but most solemnly deplore that lack of Christian union, that bigotry to "our church or chapel," which so awfully prevails among new-born souls. Where is the spirit of him whom we profess to follow? Alas! do we shine as lights in the world? But I am not going to intrude on your pages, by adding to the excellent remarks of our brother. I would only earnestly call the attention of the brethren to those remarks, and exhort them for the love of Christ to beware of giving the hand of fellowship to professors because they belong to their community, and refusing it to the beloved of the Lord who worship in another temple. The Lord of his great mercy pour out his Spirit upon his children, and enable us indeed to "attend practically to the injunction." That our merciful God may impart to you increasing strength, and wisdom, and fidelity to the cause of truth, in this awful day of heartless profession, is the prayer of, September, 1841. Dear Sir, yours faithfully in the love of our blessed Lord, Letter From a Father to his Daughter. MY DEAR Daughter, S. As I have not had an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you for some time, I feel inclined to chat a little in this way; and as we are all through rich mercy well here, and nothing particular to say to you of family or domestic affairs, I want to talk to you a little of one Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and in word before God and all the people. This prophet is the man that was approved of God, among his disciples, by miracles, signs, and wonders wrought by his hands; the man that David prays God to look upon, saying, "Look upon the man of thy right hand, even the Son of Man made strong for thyself;" made strong by joining his Godhead to his manhood. The same is he that the prophet Isaiah says, “A man shall be an hiding-place from the wind, a covert from the tempest, as rivers of waters in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." This is the man that was mighty in deed before God and all the people; he was mighty in his works of creation, for he is the Creator of all things in heaven and in earth John says, "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not;" there is not a creature in heaven, earth, or hell, but was made by him; nor is there one creature in all these but is upheld and sup-, ported by his power. He is not only mighty in his works of creation, but he is mighty in his works of redemption. Had we seen him in the manger in Bethlehem, he would, as Mr. Hart says, have appeared "a babe like others seen." So likewise in every stage of his life in this humiliated state, he was to all outward appearance a poor and needy man; but mighty works did show forth themselves in him: the blind received their sight, the lame were made to walk, the dumb spake, the deaf to hear, the lepers cleansed, and the dead were raised. These were the outward signs of his Messiahship, but how much greater was the work of redemption; he is represented by the prophet Isaiah, when about to assume human nature in order to redeem his church, as looking down out of heaven, and taking a survey of all his and his church's enemies, and equipping himself for the work. Therefore it is said, that in this his survey "he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness it sustained him: for he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garment of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as with a cloak.' Thus equipped, he came forth, assumed human nature, and in the garment of our flesh he began his conflict. The devil, his most powerful enemy, attacked him in the destruction of the two thousand infants in Bethlehem, but failed in this his first attempt; and when he came into his ministry here, he came into the field of action with a witHere he met the powers of hell in the whole Jewish Sanhedrim, and the whole nation; but he went through these briers and thorns, and burnt them together. But when he came into the garden his sore conflict began, here he met his most formidable adversaries. Divine justice, with his flaming sword, finding on him all the innumerable sins of his elect family, smote the Shepherd. Here our sins and his Father's wrath met, and forced that bloody sweat through his blessed skin : ness. "Of his sufferings so intense, Angels have no perfect sense." From this tragic scene we must follow him to the judgment hall, to Pilate's bar; there view the insults of the rabble, the crown of thorns, the purple robe and reed; mock royalty, “Hail, king of the Jews;" and in mockery bow the knee before him. From thence we follow him to the cross, bearing the pondrous weighty load on his shoulders; nailed to it, and raised up; and here all the powers of earth and hell racked their last rage: "This is your hour and the power of darkness." However, he bore all silently until his beloved Father withdrew, then comes that pathetic lamentation, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" At length he bows his blessed head, and cried with a loud voice, "It is finished," and yielded up the ghost. It is finished-transgression is finished agreeable to Daniel's prophecy; sin was finished, righteousness was finished, Justice was satisfied, the wrath of God was endured, the curse was removed, death was destroyed, the devils destroyed, hell vanquished, pardon obtained, God reconciled, heaven opened, the types, and shadows laid by, reconciliation made, and the redemption of the church completed. And now follows a more pleasing scene: the honourable counsellor begs the body of Jesus, wraps it in a linen cloth, and lays it in a virgin tomb; here he peacefully sleeps three days and three nights, and as dear Hart says, "Perfumed the chambers of the grave, And made even death our gain." He rises on the third day for our justification, and after forty days ascends to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God; takes his seat at his right hand, and thus commences his mediatorial office. This is the prophet mighty indeed before God and all the people, but his mighty deeds are not yet done with by any means. His quickening dead sinners, regenerating them, raising them from a state of enmity and death, to a state of reconciliation and life, and making them from enemies to be friends of God, and spiritual worshippers of him. This is no mean part of his mighty deeds : "What can Christians have to fear, When they view their Saviour here? No tongue nor pen can describe the love, the tenderness, and compassion, of this our Jesus in his mediatorial office now in heaven. Oh vile unbelief, what but thou canst keep the soul from being happy in and with Jesus? But, alas! we entertain such wrong notions of him. He is a fountain open for sin and uncleanness, but we cannot come to him in our filth and in our blood; but we must cleanse ourselves first, and then go to the fountain. He is our covering robe, but we must enrobe ourselves in filthy, base righteousness, and then go to him who is the Lord our righteousness. He is our strength, but we must at least join our strength (which is perfect weakness) with his arm. He is our wisdom, but we must choose our own way, devise our own plans, and put our own vain schemes in execution, and then go to him as a co-worker to help us out; thus "the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord." And when our poor souls have been driven out of all these refuges of lies, and we have been forced to make this sweet Jesus our refuge, sink or swim, how have we fared? Has he let us sink? Has our head gone under water? Hath he not stretched forth his hand with, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" At this time, 66 "With him was there anything mixt, Then what wouldst thou mix with him now?" How free did this love appear when we felt it shed abroad in the heart; then believing is easy, trusting is easy, casting our care upon him is easy. Thou hast a loving husband, and a tender father, but canst thou dare say that the heart of thy Saviour is not a thousand times more tender and loving than any earthly friend? But say you, I am afflicted and tried, and I do not feel his love, nor appear like the spouse of Christ. You sometimes cover your bits of silver over with rotten stone, or the like, and they appear truly vile; but what do you aim at? Is it because you despise them? Oh no, say you; I mean to polish them, and make them look so bright that all my friends may admire them: and hear what thy Saviour says, "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee; comely through my comeliness. Well, my dear daughter, I must come again to dear Mr. Hart, and conclude with him, we are "Only wise by fits and starts." However, we have proved what human power, wisdom, and righteousness is; and we dɔ count it dung and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. We have seen such a glory, beauty, and excellency in him; his person, office characters, and full, free, and finished salvation, and we are so satisfied, that it is our greatest grief that a thought should ever rise in our base hearts of adding anything to his perfect work. Oh that we, poor empty sinners, may ever come to him, to him a full fountain; insolvent debtors, for a free pardon; filthy sinners, to the fountair of his blood for cleansing; as naked, to him for a covering robe. May Jesus be my daughter's guide, And smile her into love; Till she shall soar above. E. P. D. To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. DEAR SIR, A stranger to you, but who has lately read the GOSPEL MAGAZINE, begs you will consider the case now sent, and give, in your next Number, some word which may help in peculiar need. Under an awakening ministry, I was, in early life, led to see something of my misery, by nature, and the need of a Saviour's finished righteousness. The habit of prayer was gained and comfort found. Too soon, however, did the world, the flesh, and the devil, prevail, and gradually all was given up save the profession of godliness. For many long rebellious years, though labouring at times under trouble of conscience, and often chastened by God, I yet resisted the voice of the Spirit of God; I prayed not at all in the spirit; I neglected the word of God, and my restless spirit endured all the "horrible drought" which such rebellion deserved. In a late visit to a watering place, I attended the ministry of Mr. Daniell, and became exceedingly interested and affected by the earnestness of his entreaties to his hearers to press after an interest in Christ by means of prayer. I trust I have been led to retrace my unhappy course thus far; that I have been brought to see my sin and misery, my loathsomeness and base ingratitude. I have been brought, with shame, to confess to God my nature's defilement, but chiefly to mourn over my wretched backsliding. The Scriptures have again been opened in new lights to my soul, and I see that faith in Christ, as a finished salvation, a perfect propitiation, is what God demands of me. I have had some nearness in communion with God; some power with strong crying and tears to bewail my sin. Daily I make an effort to take hold of Christ as my Redeemer, but I cannot yet feel that I have had an answer of peace, or that the word I long to hear" I am thy salvation"-has yet been spoken to my soul. I dare not say "Peace, peace," till I have the witness of the Spirit to enable me to do it. How may I know whether I have at all the "faith of the operation of God." "What shall I do to be saved?" The answer to that question, "Believe and thou shalt," is not within my power. I feel that the work of faith is as much out of my reach as it is to span the poles. I have entreated to be made partaker of it, and have dwelt much upon the duty of waiting till "he arrive with healing in his beams." Will you, if you can, speak some word of exhortation or rebuke; I feel I need both. Sept. 13, 1841. Ever yours, for Christ's sake, A. B. [Our Lord said, in the days of his flesh, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it unto dogs," (Matt. xv. 26); and again we read (Luke x. 62,) "No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." What word of encouragement, then, can we offer to our Correspondent, after all her profession of religion, fair promises, &c.? She says, the "habit of prayer" was gained, and "comfort found;" what! comfort from prayer as a mere habit or duty, but not from Him who is the object of prayer? Thousands, alas! are in a similar delusion. And then she tells us, that "the world, the flesh, and the devil, soon again prevailed;" and well indeed they might, for a mere duty-faith system of religion will never stand in the hour of temptation; being the mere servitude of a slave, and not the willing obedience of a son, it must give way when that hour arrives in which every man's work shall be tried of what sort it is (1 Cor. iii. 13). "All was given up," says our Correspondent, "but the profession of godliness." Oh! it is fearful to be a mere professor-a Christian in name only. You became exceedingly interested and affected by Mr. Daniell's entreaties to his hearers to press after an interest in Christ by means of prayer;" did you? Ah! many are 'exceedingly interested" and "affected" under the sound of the Gospel, whose hearts God has never touched. -But stop! 66 You are feelingly the subject of "sin" and "misery,"-" loathsomeness" and "ingratitude," are you? You have a "nature's defilement," and wretched backslidings," to mourn over, have you? And, seeing that "CHRIST's is a finished salvation and a perfect propitiation," you "daily make an effort to lay hold of him as your Redeemer," do you? Oh, this presents the matter in a very different light. Come, come, then, poor soul! with all your sorrow, and disquietude, and distress, would you be willing to part with the little hope you have? Do you feel disposed to turn about after another Christ? Do you seem to have any misgivings about the truth of the poet's words, "None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good?" or, satisfied of his power to save, are you saying, "If I can but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be made whole?" Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.' "I will not let thee Are these the expressions of your heart, poor trembling soul, who concluded you were an hypocrite, or merely an outer-court worshipper? go, except thou bless me.' just now thought we had |