POETRY.

"WHOM JESUS LOVED, HE LOVED UNTO THE END.”
WHOM Jesus loves! say, who are these'

Why all whom God the Father chose
In Christ himself, the Eternal Word,
Their living, dying, risen Lord!
Say are they blest whom Jesus loves?
Oh! yes-a constant friend he proves-
He bids each wave of sorrow cease,
Or waft them to a port of peace :
Fresh consolation does he send,
Until they reach their journey's end.
Ever they praise him, and adore,
His love doth last for evermore.

But whence their sorrows and distress?
If thou art taught aright, thou'll guess
With Paul exclaim, I've felt within
The burden and the plagues of sin.
Oh sharp the pangs, and great the guilt,
Which are by each tried sinner felt,
When justice stands with flaming sword,
And shows the broken law of God.
'Tis then the sinner finds alone

Can Jesus for his sins atone!

Can only save his soul from hell,

And fix him where himself doth dwell:

And never does the Lord remove,

The cheering influence of his love.

When storms of trouble o'er them roll,

He calms the tempest of the soul:

When passing through temptation's fire,
Oh never does their Lord retire:

When dark adversity o'erwhelms,

And when they reach death's shadowy realms,
Oh they are cheered with beams all bright,
From Jesus-fount of heavenly light!

What though they can't his footsteps trace,
They oft by faith their Lord embrace;
And glory in his holy name,

Who keeps them in the flood and flame-
Who makes them joy to bow the knee,

And sue for pardon full and free.

LINES ON THE HAPPY STATE OF A DEPARTED FRIEND IN JESUS.

Her pains and sorrows all are o'er,
Temptation frights her soul no more,
Nor sin affects with woe:
Her sun no more goes down at noon,
No cloudy pale or sickly moon,

No tears of sorrow flow.

Her brightest joys are now begun,
Thro' endless ages they shall run,
Insensible of bounds:

They flow from Christ her gracious
Lord,

The sacred everlasting Word,

And run eternal rounds.

Spread forth, my soul, thy soaring wing,

Come mount aloft, and hear her sing

Of Jesus' dying love!
See how she joins the sacred throng,
The once slain Lamb is all her song,
In the bright world above.

Wortwell, Feb. 3, 1835.

While Gabriel strikes his shining lyre,
And all the bright angelic choir,

Adore the sacred name:
She tries the loudest note to raise,
While heaven re-echoes shouts of
praise,

To the exalted Lamb.

There overwhelm'd with love's bright
blaze,

Her spirit's wrapt in vast amaze,
And infinite delight:
She sinks adoring at the feet
Of Him whose name to her is sweet,
And precious in her sight.

Her poor remains that sleep in dust,
Shall rise with all the ransom'd just,

When the last trumpet sound:
Sleep on, dear friend,and take thyrest,
Thy slumber's soft, thy grave is blest,
'Tis consecrated ground.

A COUNTRY MINISTER.

CONSOLATION FOR THE SPIRITUAL TRAVELLER.

Poor Pilgrim! what a chequer'd scene
Thy past experience hath been,

Yet thou art in the way;
Thy lot is cast mid thorns and briars,
Mid waters deep, and blazing fires,
To make thee watch and pray.
This is the way cast up by God,
The way mark'd out with lines of
blood,

From Jesus' wounded side:
Think not to make a downy nest,
Here thou shalt never take thy rest,
Here thou must not abide.
But rest there is prepar'd above,
And in the mansions of his love

With Christ his saints shall dwell;
When risen there his chosen know,
That sorrow, care, and pain below,
By him are ordered well.

The Lord whose scales the mountains weigh,

Hath balanced well for every day

Thy cares and comforts too;
Thy cares will prove the Lord is
strong,

Thy comforts few, will make thee
Jong

When he shall bid, to go.
'Doth Satan rise and sound to arms?
Jehovah's everla sting arms,

Shall be thy sure defence; Northamptonshire.

Do floods of lusts and malice rise?
The voice that rear'd the lofty skies,

Commands the deluge hence.

Are sickness, pain, and fear thy lot,
The sin that brought them as a blot

Appears before the throne?
Tho' thy desert is flaming fire,
The direful bolts of sacred ire

By Christ for thee was borne.
Do earthly friends, professors too,
Cast stumbling blocks where'er you
go,

To make you halt and fall?
Remember, Christ thy only friend,
Whose love for thee can never end,
Will disconcert them all.

Do children rise and wound your
heart,

And make a parent's feelings smart,
While they rejoice in sin?
Thy Father often has reprov'd,
For thou hast foolish idols lov'd,
And fondly hop'd therein.
Does conscicuce smite thy weary
soul?

The Lord who wounds can make thee
whole,

He'll never cease to love :

Go, weary piglrim, wait his time,
Sweet rest and pleasure most sublime
Await thy soul above.

SHEMUEL.

THE

Spiritual Magazine;

OR,

SAINTS' TREASURY.

There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST; and these Three are One."

'Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

APRIL, 1835.

THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

1 John v. 7.

Jude 3.

THE "sacred influence of religion on the mind, is a proof of the superiority of eternal truth over every other system of morality or refinement in the world; for while philosophy, in its elevating principles, expands the mind and enlarges the powers of conception, the religion of Jesus influences the heart and raises the thoughts and affections to the great source of all that power, wisdom, and glory, that "sparkles in every rolling star," and is reflected in every particle of matter, composing or inhabiting this terrestrial ball.

The study of nature is calculated to teach the contemplative mind the existence of a great first cause of all things, while the well-regulated order existing throughout creation bespeaks almighty power and wisdom infinite. To this knowledge, heathen philosophers have attained; but it is the christian's privilege alone, to know Him on whose shoulders the government is placed; and by the light of revelation, to travel to those regions which shall exist in endless perfection and glory, when nature itself is crumbled into dust, and the elements are dissolved by the brightness of his coming, who first "spake and it was done, who commanded and it stood fast." But from whence is this superior knowledge derived? It is from above, and is the fruit of righteousness; the particulars of which it is our present object to inquire into.

Righteousness necessarily implies a principle of holiness, and is connected with a holy, and consequently, a happy state of existence : these were possessed in a perfect degree by our first parents, as they came forth from the hands of Jehovah; and the fruit of such a holy principle inherent, was a pure and disinterested attachment to the person of their divine Benefactor, perfect freedom in his service, and pure delight in his presence. The whole range of creation, which was made to serve them, was but a reflection of that beneficence that VOL. XI.-No. 134.]

filled their innocent minds with holy satisfaction. But such a state of things is past, and creature perfection, with its blessedness, is sacrificed at the shrine of pride and arrogance, so that no flesh living can henceforth be justified by the deeds of the law. Creature righteousness hath been destroyed by the introduction of sin, and the fruits thereof for ever annihilated; nevertheless, we rejoice that the destruction thereof hath opened the way for a far more glorious theme, which is, "Jehovah our righteousness."

Without entering into the particulars of this righteousness, it will be sufficient for our present purpose to say, that it is one of substitution, in which the believer is interested in all the work of Jesus, and as truly possesses all the perfections of that work as though it had been performed in his own person. This work was accomplished on behalf of the church, for the bringing in a righteousness, in which she being clothed might appear without spot before God. The difference between Adam in his state of perfection, and the believer in this time-state, is this: Adam was a perfect man in a holy state of existence; the believer is a perfect christian in an unholy state of existence, so that the obedience of the former was more perfect, but less elevated and glorious than the latter, whose righteousness is in Christ.

These observations bring us more immediately to notice those "fruits of righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus,” Phil. i. 11. All the blessings of the Saviour's death are revealed to us by the Holy Ghost, through whose powerful agency we are introduced to that state of spiritual experience that discovers our interest in Christ and his salvation; he it is bears testimony to the efficacy of redeeming blood, and the rich and overflowing abundance of grace blessings that are to be enjoyed in communion with Christ, while at the same time he operates on our minds to bring us to the enjoyment of that fulness by working in us all that is well-pleasing in the sight of God, so that the fruits of righteousness in the believer's heart are all the effects of spiritual operation. Now the apostle, in writing to the Galatians, v. 22, says, "the fruit of the Spirit is love." This is the principle that was first destroyed by sin, but is now restored with infinitely superior properties. The principle, though the same in its nature, has a different object and a different end, which are Christ and his eternal glory. This principle is not natural, but spiritual; and is the effect of supernatural power and influence. Love is of God; and that love which secured the blessings of salvation to the fallen sons of Adam in Christ their spiritual Head, at the same time secured their manifestation through him; in consequence of which, the Holy Spirit becomes the witnesser of the truth to the family of God, through the successive ages of time; and having performed his sacred office as the quickener, he leads the broken-hearted sinner to Jesus, the source of spiritual life and comfort; points to the fountain of his blood as the remedy for his deadly disease, and then applies the precious balm to his conscience, and

proves its efficacy to take away sin. This gives the sinner a view of Jesus which he never before enjoyed or possessed; it proves him to be a Saviour, and a great one too, able to save to the uttermost all those who come to God by him: and the discovery operates sensibly on the soul, drawing out the affections of the heart after Jesus, so that the individual begins to love God because God hath first loved him, and shed abroad that love in his heart. A few more lessons from this heavenly instructor teaches him that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth;" so that while he feels self-condemned before the dictates of its spiritual code, he is enabled to plead exemption from its rigorous demands, through the satisfaction offered by him whom he fondly calls his Saviour, while he feels a certain degree of confidence in proportion. to the strength of his faith, that divine justice being once satisfied with the sacrifice offered on Calvary, will no more draw its flaming sword to smite the soul that hangs on Jesus.

These consoling truths lead the mind into a serious and devout meditation on the source from whence they spring-the love of God in Christ Jesus, where an unfathomed ocean attracts the admiring attention of the astonished beholder; and as he gazes his soul melts within him, and he devoutly gives himself up to the Lord, body, soul, and spirit, as his reasonable sacrifice, only lamenting that the return he makes is so disproportionate to that he receives.

Union to Christ, thus manifested by divine operation, attracts the heart and draws out the affections after him; so that we make the language of Paul our own, "counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord." And as the believer grows in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, this fruit of righteousness strengthens, and we hear him exclaim in the fervent glowing of love in the soul, "My beloved is the chiefest amongst ten thousand, yea, he is altogether lovely:" or "as the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved amongst the sons. I sat down beneath his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." And should seasons of darkness attend his course, that he is not blessed with such manifestations of divine favour; and the soul-piercing question be put, "lovest thou me ?"— like Peter in his grief, he appeals to Him who sees the desires of the soul, and exclaims, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Outward conflicts and inward fears may at times check the ardour of the flame, but the oil of grace secretly communicated prevents its extinction; and though the chilling blast and howling tempest may long keep the sap of christian love secreted in the root, the vernal beams of Jesus' smiling face will reanimate the plant, bring forth the bud, and blossom in its season. Nor is it possible that this fruit of righteousness can be hid, it invariably discovers itself in attachment to the household of faith. "By this

shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." The christian is one who wears the image of his Master