Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

Oh, here is the finger of God! Nature never produced these feelings; oh, no! 'tis the work of God the Holy Ghost. He has taught thee some saving, useful lessons, poor soul, though he has not as yet made them pleasant and comfortable to you. He has not only given you a deep sense of your own personal need of salvation, but he has blessed you with strong faith in the ability of Christ to save; now ask him---entreat him-give him no rest, until he adds the faith of appropriation--of assurance, to what he has already so graciously bestowed. Turn to the Book of Esther, and read the encouraging account there given of her importunity; and the Lord enable you to make the like resolve--" to go in before the King," and

"if you perish, there to die."

Go with the simplicity of a child--with the importunity of a poor dying creature. Have you fears? tell the Lord those fears-enumerate them--tell them out one by one, as if you were unbosoming your heart to a dear confidential friend. Does Satan say you are too great a sinner? tell the Lord what Satan says. Do you feel yourself a fickle, an unstayed, a forgetful creature---as sure to break your resolutions as you are of the returning day? tell the Lord all about it. Keep nothing back; but, as these and a multitude of other misgiving thoughts press in upon the mind, put them into words, express them to Jesus. And then, when you have told him all, remind him of his own words, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance," and say, "Lord, I am a sinner-save me;" The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick;" "Lord, I am sick, and none can heal me but thyself." Tell him of his great name as a Saviour --of the thousands that he has saved; the thousands that are travelling home to glory, resting their hopes exclusively upon him as a Saviour; and the thousands yet unborn that will be saved by him; and then venture to ask, "Canst thou not-wilt thou not, save me? Will it not prove the strength of thine arm--the freedom of thy grace--the extent of thy love, to rescue from the jaws of destruction, poor, wretched, sinful me?" Go again, and again, and again, poor soul. Never give it up! The spirit of prayer is the earnest of the blessing. The desire after the gift is the sure forerunner of the gift. The ery for life proves there is life. The desire to be a child proves relationship. But give him no rest--go morning, noon, and night; in season and out of season; in your closet (when you can get there), and amid your daily engagements; until Jesus, the eternal Sun of righteousness, bursts through the cloud of darkness, sin, and uubelief, and says, I am thy salvation." The dear Lord hasten that happy hour, poor soul; it will as surely come as that you are now in existence.

"The time of love will come,

When you shall plainly see,

Not only that he shed his blood,
But shall exclaim For me!

And we believe, whoever you are-for we know you not--that you will one day see his face in glory, and bow before the throne. Happy, happy day !---ED.]

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE LATE YOUTHFUL H. A. HARRIS.
LETTER II.-To. MR. J-
S-

MY DEAR JOSEPH,

According to your wish, I take up my pen to write a few lines on the security of God's people. It demands a nobler pen than mine; yet (as I hope you will read as a friend, not as a critie) I will say something.

The everlasting security of the people of God is a subject full of consolation to those who have the blessed assurance that they are born from above; for let them be in what circumstances they may, frequently they can say, "Oh, my God!" We learn their security, in the first place, from the purpose of God before the world was created, or the angels swept their golden harps with songs of praise to the Majesty of Heaven; for the glorious scheme of man's redemption entered the counsels of the eternal Jehovah, the Lord Christ undertook to become incarnate (Imma'nuel), to bear the curse, to satisfy justice and every attribute of Deity. Upon this foundation, which standeth sure, the believer may rest secure from the attacks of the great enemy of souls, knowing that God is an unchangeable God, and never will hate those whom he has loved with an everlasting love. We may see their security in the second place, from the unconditional promises of God, of which there are many left on record for their encouragement and consolation. "The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, &c." Is it possible we should think for a moment that their can be any doubt when God's shalls and wills stand opposed to the guileful malice of the wicked adversary, who, knowing he cannot destroy, often distresses and makes them cry out with Paul, "Oh

wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Christ has said, in him alone we can live, "Because I live ye shall live also," which is a great proof of their security, for it is as possible for Christ to cease to exist, as for his people, the purchase of his blood, to be cast into the gulf of perdition. The feelings of the saints seem often contrary to the experience of a real believer, but this is a temptation of the Devil, who never parts very quickly with his subjects. May God the Holy Ghost enable us to take these thoughts from whence they come, and may he indite a good matter in our hearts, continually causing us to live upon Christ.

Stand still and know that Christ is God,

Exalted to his throne,

Clothing his saints in righteousness,
Uncovered in their own.

Righteous in judgment art thou, Lord,

I on thy name rely:

Teach me on thee alone to live,
Yielding to thee, I'll die.

Begging your excuse for this scrawl, and hoping, that if any thing is wrong, it will be reproved in the spirit of love,

I remain, your most sincerely,

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

MY DEAR SIR,

H. A. HARRIS.

Perceiving some curious remarks from a correspondent in the number of your Magazine for this month, relative to different degrees in glory; and thinking he would do well to look further into the matter for the edification of his soul in spiritual wisdom, permit me to draw his attention to an admirable pamphlet lately written on the subject, by a Mr. T. B. Crowest, of Billericay, in this county. It is entitled, "A Treatise on the Perfection and Equalization of the future Felicities of the redeemed Church of Christ; or, the perfect Equality of Saints in their glorified state being the basis of harmony at the celestial Banquet."

No language of my own can sound the praises of this performance, nor can I find words to express what a blessing it proved to my soul; truly the Lord must have directed the author's pen, and given him sensibly to enjoy his presence and soul-melting smiles as he wrote what is contained therein. There are fifty-two pages of Christ-exalting truths, and the whole to be had for a shilling, at J. C. Kelly and Co.'s, No. 32, Houndsditch, London; and may the same Lord Jesus bless the reading to "James" as he did to his unworthy Chelmsford, August 2, 1841.

JOSIAH.

REVIEW S.

Feniton Tracts. By HENRY ERSKINE HEAD, M.A., Rector of Feniton, Devon.

A SERIES of tracts written with masterly ability, and (as far as we have seen) uniting sound truth with a figurative style of authorship. The writer, without any preliminary harangue, comes forth at once, and, fearless of contradiction, with boldness and intrepidity, attacks and opens his subject in a style calculated to arrest the understanding, call forth the thinking powers, and, under the blessing of God the eternal Spirit, to touch the heart of the reader.

The Goodness of Divine Providence Explained and Illustrated. By ROBERT MAXWELL MACBRAIR. London: Nisbet and Co. Pp. 249. THERE is much in this volume to charm the ear, to gratify the intellectual taste; but little, in our apprehension, to feed, nourish, and strengthen, the hidden man of the heart. The refined mind and cultivated intellect may be enamoured of the work on account of the beautiful imagery employed, and the peculiarly easy style in which it is written ; but we think the reader that is taught of God, will discover, upon a very superficial examination, that the volume before us is too deeply tainted with a free-will heresy ever to be profitable to him who findeth day by day that in him, that is, in his flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. The author, talented as he is, raises a superstructure, and, like Babal of old, very beautiful is its aspect; but when we read of a man's "restoration to original holiness" (p. 160), and such like expressions, we begin to suspect the soundness of the foundation, and to prognosticate that the building must fall. Creature-holiness will never take a man to heaven; if he has not something more than this, even the imputed holiness of the God-man, Christ Jesus, he will find himself in a painful dilemna in the great day of account; even in the condition of him who at the marriage-feast had not on the wedding-garment.

Tales of My Father. By the Rev. J. YOUNG. London: Darton and Clark. A TONE of melancholy runs through these Tales; they are too deeply tinctured with the "piety" of the present day. Some parts are highly coloured, though others convey many a useful lesson. One of the tales, entitled "THE VISIT," presents, we admit, too clear a description of the fashionable religion so extensively abounding in the day in which we live. Under the character of "innocent," "no-harm" recreation, we, or rather they who choose to accept the invitation of such professors, are invited to "play a hand at cards;" join in the dance: or to unite in the song, till morning well nigh dawns. And is this the way you train your offspring? Is this bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Sirs, we tremble for them; we tremble for you. Whilst we are no advocates for an hypocritical, pharisaic demeanour abroad, nor would attempt to defend the movements of those who are "righteous over-much," at home, we do, sirs, condemn the leniency, the criminality, of those who allow-nay, who sanction, by example, the more than half-way adoption of the pursuits of an ungodly world. "Can a man put fire in his bosom and not be burned?" and can ye suffer the wayward minds of your children to be familiar with the "card," and the "dance," and the "glee," and not be contaminated? Look forward, sirs, a few years, and, if grace prevent not, where will you see them? At the theatre, the ball-room, the race-course! Look again, sirs, and behold them growing indifferent to the means of grace, and becoming Christ-despisers! Again, sirs, look, and you see them infidels, blasphemers, and "bringing down your gray hairs with sorrow to the grave!" And then ask yourselves the question-Where, oh! where, were the seeds of these evils first nourished? and see if your consciences answer not " In the midnight revellings to which we first admitted them." Sirs, as we said before, we are no advocates for extremes. Ye can have your social parties; ye can occasionally augment your family circle by the presence of Christian friends, whose conversation is savoury and instructive; ye can invite the children of such to increase the number: but, sirs, as the heads and as the examples of your households, see to it that the order of the evening be as becometh the sons and daughters of the Most High God. Invoke, in a short petition, the Master's presence; ask him to come among you, and preside; and if you sing-and why should you not?-let it be the songs of Zion. If among your number be an aged pilgrim-and oh! they are happy additions to our numbers-seek to draw them out in cheerful conversation.

Let your object be that the young ones may be encouraged by the narration of the dealings of the good hand of the Lord their God upon them. If they are aged Jacobs, be desirous that, instead of your children and their young associates being discouraged by the mournful, unbelieving exclamations of some of the Lord's old, illtempered, crabbed ones, by which the heart of many a young disciple has been wounded, and the devil, for a time, permitted to triumph; that they should be encouraged by the hopeful recollections and grateful responses of such as can say, "The God that hath led me and fed me all my life long unto this day; the angel that hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads." An evening spent thus will bear reflection; it will cheer-it will animate-it will unite the hearts of those presentit will encourage the desponding minds of the young of the flock; and, as we can recollect formerly sitting, with intensity of interest, to listen to the narrative of gracious deliverances of some of the Lord's veterans-especially one old John Radford, lately deceased at Exeter ;-so now the attention of children is arrested, the heart is cheered, and the mind receives impressions which, under the blessed operations of God the Eternal Spirit, it never loses.

A Word of Caution to the Church of God. A Letter to Mr. Arthur Triggs, Minister of Zion Chapel, Waterloo Road. Being a few Observations upon his Sermon delivered July 4, 1841. By THOMAS OXENHAM, Guildford; formerly of Welwyn. London: Palmer and Son, Paternoster Row. Pp. 16.

SEVENTY-SIX years of age* are you, venerable sir?—and, with one foot in the grave and the other fast approaching it, might not your time, your talents, and your purse, think you upon calmer reflection, have been better employed in giving us, like the ancient patriarchs, an encouraging address, descriptive of the Lord's kindly dealings with you through all the wilderness, and of your prospects in the near approach the consummation of your desires-" for now is your salvation nearer than when you at first believed?" Such a pamphlet would have been of value. When you are "gathered to your fathers," we should have highly prized it, as being the encouraging testimony of him, "who, though dead, yet spoke to us." It would have endeared your memory-warmed our hearts-and encouraged us, as we, weary pilgrims, wended our way through this waste, howling wilderness. But now we shall gladly consign this tract to that oblivion whence it issued. We will strive to forget it—to think it had no existence; for should the recollection of it intrude, it will always bear upon the face of it marks of human frailty, which will tend, in some measure, to eclipse the pleasing recollections which we would entertain of you! Ah! sir, never did a voice from heaven sound louder in our ears, "Cease ye from man," than when we saw this pamphlet emanate from your pen. It brought to our recollection a circumstance relating to one now in glory. It was an aged believer, standing, as you are, upon the threshold of heaven, but still entrammelled with the habiliments of earth. We were cast down-depressed; many fears had we in the prospect of the journey. Those apprehensions, in broken accents, we expressed, and asked him about the way by which he had travelled. He answered us uncouthly. With a heart halfbroken by the reply, we said, "You have travelled the road-have braved its difficulties and its snares, and we thought you would have told us how." Evidently reproved, he replied, "Son, you must look higher. We are still encompassed by much infirmity." Yes, sir, we must look higher indeed; and, stripped of every human de pendence; never yet having met with either the minister or the private Christian of whom we can say, "Here is all I desire; nothing more I want; I can add my hearty 'Amen' to all he advances, and justify his every step;" we seek to look away from earth and earthly objects, unto Him who alone is worthy of our entire regard.

Your pamphlet, sir!-No; we will not review it. It is beneath you, as a gentleman and a Christian. It was penned in haste-under excited feelings; unintentionally making a man an offender for a word; not making sufficient allowances for acknowledged imperfections, and for peculiarities of manner; and therefore we say, "Let it cease to be remembered; let it have no dwelling-place in the annals of time."

* Page 16.

331

LINES ON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON.

"THY love, my beloved, is better than wine,
Thy kisses can kindle a transport divine;
The virgins will love thee, because no perfume
So sweet as thy name, ever scented a room.

If thou with allurements my soul will but draw;
My feet will then run, in the ways of thy law,

For in the King's chambers my heart has been seal'd,
When wonders of love to my soul were reveal'd.
How can I forget such a heavenly frame?
How can I forbear to rejoice in his name?

Around my fond heart what endearments did twine,
'Tis better be fill'd with thy love than with wine,
No excess can be there, for thy love doth impart
A spiritual joy, to the upright in heart."
"Ye daughters of Salem, though black I appear,
As the tents are of Kedar,* yet still I am clear
From spot, stain, or blemish, so gloriously bright,
The curtains of Solomon are not so white.
My outward appearance, though some may despise,
Yet look at the beauty which under it lies.
The sins of my people on me were all laid,
And for these was my soul a sin-offering made,
In the day I sustained the fierce anger of God,
And the wine-press of wrath I willingly trod.
The sons of my mother together combined,
No favour, nor pity, from these could I find;
The charge of the vineyard was given to me,
And whilst I have kept them from injuries free,
I've not kept my own. Yet still I'm content,
The work I have finished for which I was sent."
"Since thou art the Shepherd in whom I delight,
Then teach me, and feed me, and guide me aright.
Those pastures I seek, and no pastures beside,
Which thou for the sheep of thy fold dost provide.
O show me that shade into which I may run
To be shelter'd and screen'd from the heat of the sun.
How great is my danger should I turn aside,
Deceived by the craft of some flattering guide."
"If fearful, my fairest, lest some might deceive,
Then follow the footsteps of them that believe.
Look out for those Shepherds of whom I approve,
Who feed you with truth, and confirm you in love;
Are taught by one Spirit, by which you'll be led
To love one another, as join'd to one Head.
Your order and beauty, how glorious the sight,
When in truth, peace, and love, your souls do unite,
To the horses of Pharaoh, which draw side by side
In his chariot of State I have link'd my Bride,
Though the bridles inlaid with studs on their cheeks,
Though chains of pure gold should adorn all their necks,
Yet these cannot equal thy glorious array,

Which never can tarnish nor ever decay."

"The table when spread, the King shows his face,

His spikenard sends forth the sweet odours of grace,

As myrrh I have kept in my bosom all night,

So is my beloved, in whom I delight.

In seasons of darkness on Him I'll recline,

Whose body, though sinless, was yet made like mine,
As Camphire that's brought from Engedi so sweet,

My beloved's to me, and I'll lie at his feet.
Here Justice and Mercy sit smiling to see
How God can do justly in pardoning me.

* Christ is here set forth as the sin-bearer of his people; in no other sense than as their divine Surety can our "altogether lovely "Lord be regarded as "black as the tents of Kedar."-Ev.

« EdellinenJatka »