purpose. He puffs up a carnal man with his good deeds, and discourages a good man with his bad ones, while he puts his black hand over what the Lord has done in their souls, and only dwells on that which is sinful. Well may it be said, "Watch-be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil goeth about, seeking whom he may devour." What are we to watch? and how? Ah! my friend, without him we can do nothing; but we are not without him. Though the wise precepts of our Lord enjoin activity on us in various ways, yet his promise is engaged to give strength for the action by affording the power of his Spirit. So we are not to reckon ourselves alone in the paths of obedience; nor have we any just ground to fear, though our adversary is subtle, for Christ, the wisdom of God, has broken his government over the purchase of his own blood, and by the power thereof in the hand of the Holy Spirit, the love of sin and its dominion is broken in the hearts of the elect. It is in the virtue of this blood, the heart melts in contrition, and breaks forth into liberty from sin's galling yoke. "Watch," says our dear Lord. Indeed there are many things to watch against. One thing out of many I have had occasion to watch consciously against lately in particular, which is, the devil's drift manifested in various ways to separate between spiritual friends. He well knows that spiritual union and communion is much against his interest, both as it respects our communion with our Lord, and one another; and therefore he sets himself against every means by which such fellowship is carried on. A throne of grace, a preached gospel, church fellowship, reading the scriptures, spiritual contention for the faith, spiritual conversation, or letters, are all things he will oppose by methods most likely to succeed, according to the dispositions and circumstances of the persons he wishes to overthrow. If he is suffered to draw any of the Lord's people into any indiscretion, he will present a magnifying glass to the eye of a friend, in order to separate them from communion, and suggest many false and bitter things to each against the other, in order if possible to raise a doubt of each other's spirituality. But God be praised for light to see his craft, and for that precious direction, "Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." All strength is in union; no spiritual strength or fellowship can be maintained, but on gospel principles; from their grand union to the Head of the church it is that all the members thereof receive their nourishment, and are knit together in love. I think I may with truth say, I have felt this truth many a time; our Lord says, "Blessed are the peace-makers." I have found it well to turn a deaf ear to the little tittle tattle which too often intrudes amongst the Lord's people, and to aim to keep up the conversation, and investigation of spiritual things, wherewith one may edify another; for by these things our love to God and to each other is warmed, the devil disappointed, the flesh denied, and our God glorified. "Seek peace, and ensue it." All wisdom's paths tend to promote our enjoyment of peace with God and each other. but An instance of this has lately occurred. You are acquainted with a shyness that took place between our friends at S and ourselves. It was put into my husband's heart to write a kind and spiritual letter to Mr. S. manifesting his desire that all cause of shyness and distance might be buried for ever, and that spiritual and mutual friendship might be restored on gospel principles: the effect was, that the other morning we received a very kind letter from both; they were of the same mind with us; peace is restored, and I trust God is glorified. What you say in your letters respecting the foundation of your hope, and what it is draws your heart, and truly I can say with you, that a sight of the person of Christ, and what he has done for his people, wins my heart's confidence and affections, humbly hoping, as you say, that I am complete in him. Seeing then that such is our experience, you have, I am persuaded, good ground to go forward, and publicly shew yourself on the Lord's side, leaving it with him to give courage, and such words as shall prove your union to the living vine. Why should you, sinful dust and ashes who shall harm you, in following that which is good? May the Spirit of Christ work in you to will and to do his pleasure, that you may no longer neglect the rare opportunity you have put into your hands of joining the Lord's household, for many would rejoice to have the same, but it is not granted to them. We have read Mr. F's book, but have shewn it to none, as the circumstances alluded to are not understood here; and therefore we thought it was not calculated to do any good. The evil spirit in which it is evidently written, will do no real harm to Mr. on the contrary, I trust it will do good by the Lord's hand overruling it for that purpose. What Mr. F. says, betrays ignorance of the complex person of Christ, or else great enmity of heart. Such distinctions as these in my mind set the matter plain" He that suffered was divine-that which suffered was human." And in Acts it is said, "feed the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood." Thus far had I written in order to return it by Mr. S.—, but upon his arrival I found he brought me a welcome messenger from you. I thank you for it; but as Mr. S.'s time is short, I shall take another opportunity of writing to you. It is, however, a matter of thankfulness to me, you are so much impressed with the sacred truths, which are more important than all the concerns of this lower world. May the Lord preserve you pressing forward, for the prize is your's. Tender my very kind love to Mr. L. and Mrs. C. I aim to remember both them and you, as well as I can, at a throne of grace; but it is a satisfaction to me under all my mindfulness many times of God's people, yet that the tender-hearted High Priest ever retains them on his heart, and for ever represents them before the throne acceptable, and will finally present both them and me spotless before the eyes of his Divine Majesty with exceeding joy. My dear friend, I often think that my pilgrimage is nearly at a close; but I rest in Christ, come life or death, all is well for me there, notwithstanding all sin and trials of every sort. Farewell! the choicest views and enjoyments be granted to thee, my sister. My husband joins his sincere regard. We should often like your company. I will endeavour to write before long again, and should have written before, but what with business, and other matters, my time has been filled up. I am glad to hear of my sister attending in G. Street; I trust it has its usefulness. Excuse this scrawl; my pen is bad, and I am in haste. I have fared well in the best things through the visit of our dear friend Mr. S―, and I hope many more have been benefited. Am truly glad he is going to visit B. (For the Spiritual Magazine.) S. PEARSON. "I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED." 2 Tim. i. 12. THE holy triumph and undaunted confidence avowed by the great apostle in the above, and in similar language, when set side by side with the experience developed by the conversation of christians of the present age, presents a difference so apparent and striking, that, if it be admitted that the religion of the former and the religion of the latter owe their origin to one and the self-same Spirit, the question why that difference should exist, would furnish at least an interesting, and perhaps a profitable topic for discussion. It is not the writer's intention now to discuss that question: he believes that the subject involves matters both circumstantial and personal. The times in which the apostle lived, were such as rendered it necessary to have a goodly measure of faith to enable one to make the sacrifices which attended a profession of attachment to Christ crucified. He suffered the loss of all things, and many others did the same; and "counted not their lives dear unto them, so that they might finish their course with joy." But the times in which we live require no such sacrifices; if they did, it is highly probable that the number of professors would be less than it now is; and those who disavow their attachment to the cross would be a little more anxious to possess the confidence that was in vogue when Paul declared, " I know whom I have believed." And it is not incredible that if the fan should be now employed to purge the floor of profession, and tests of character, similarly painful to those used by the enemies of God in the first century, should again be set up to try them that dwell on the earth, the child of God, who is now easy in being able to say he hopes he is a believer in Christ, would be anxious to come to a decision, and to know whom he has believed; lest, peradventure, he should suffer the loss of all things, without gaining the "manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting," as promised in Luke xviii. 30. Of circumstantial causes, perhaps the above-mentioned may be considered as one of general influence; of those that are presonal or individual, doubtless much might be said; but as the discussion of the subject is not here intended, one only will be glanced at, and that as subordinate to the sovereignty of Jehovah, who deals out to every man the measure of faith. As waters are impregnated with the quality of the soil over whose surface they roll, so spirits imbibe an influence corresponding with the bent and bias of fellow spirits with which they associate. If these possess a large portion of heavenly fire, and much of the unction of the Holy One, the heavenly warmth and the unctuous property will in some degree be felt by those. And on the other hand, if our associates are strangers to holy joy, and lively affection in the ways of God, we, inhaling the chilled atmosphere, imbibe the influence, and, in the ordinary course of things, shall seldom rise above the freezing point; especially if such be persons of influence, and such as are generally regarded (and in many particulars deservedly so) as pillars of the church. If they avow their opinion that it is safest to travel on our hands and knees, who would think of soaring on the wings of eagles? If the dark valley of unbelief (sometimes mistaken for that of humiliation) be recommended as a desirable and salutary region, who would think of climbing to the top of Pisgah, to survey the land of light, and anticipate its blessedness? And if doubt and fear be ever held forth as friendly companions by the way, who would aspire after that perfect love which casteth out fear? The writer has witnessed things of this kind, and his soul has been grieved within him. He has known the holy confidence of apostolic faith, whose author is the Spirit Jehovah, counted as one with the rash presumption of the poor wretch who holds the truth in unrighteousness; and the same held up as a frightful spectacle; while himself has been ready to ask whether there is such a thing still possible, as to KNOW whom we have believed. The inquiry urges itself with increased importunity on the writer's mind, the more closely he looks at that period when he must bid adieu to terrestrial things. He looks at that period; he imagines himself passing through the dark valley of the shadow of death; he fancies he feels the resistless grasp of the grim monarch; he sometimes endeavours to realize the circumstances of dying, and anticipates the helpless struggle for a gasp of breath, which no attendant friend can relieve. I anticipate all these things with the probability of their being nearer or more distant, just as the Sovereign of life and death may determine; and if I can but connect with the solemnities of that day the confidence of the apostle, "I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day;" if I can but embrace this, then I am satisfied. I would reckon each struggling effort to heave these lungs, and keep this frame in motion till the appointed moment of entire freedom, as one more victory obtained through the blood of the Lamb; as bringing me one step nearer to the happy period when I shall realize a pleasure I have sometimes feebly and tremblingly anticipated, that of casting my crown at Immanuel's feet, and engaging in the service of ascribing all honour to him, without the temptation which I now so frequently feel, and so often yield to, of ascribing some to myself. With this prospect, I can sing "The holy triumphs of my soul, Shall death itself outbrave." But if I must look forward to a change which I cannot escape, with no confidence like this; if while there is " a mortal paleness on my cheek," there is no "glory on my soul," I shrink from the dark uncertainty with dread, and cling tenaciously to life with all its evils, more anxious to have the knowledge I have glanced at as a confirmed principle made manifest in the time of health and vigour, and more desirous of being fully persuaded that Jesus will keep that which 1 have committed unto him against that day : Halsted. "Jesus to thee I breathe my prayer, **B. Sir, REPLY TO JOHANNES. (To the Editor of the Spiritual Magazine.) THE remarks of your correspondent Johannes, have not had the effect he desired, of slaying my doubts, or preparing the way for their removal; in fact, his arguments tend greatly to strengthen me in my former opinions. I do not see what reasonable objection there can be to the idea, that our Saviour suffered either the pains of a guilty conscience, or the horrors of despair. That the agonies he endured were not eternal, none will dispute; and the same mysterious agency, which compressed such an extended term of unutterable pains, and the endurement of such severe penalties, into the bounds of time, and designed and accomplished a yet more wonderful union of Deity with humanity, sufficient of itself to sustain those agonies, and satisfy the demands of divine justice, could inflict pains which in common only arise as the consequence of the commission of sin. Surely this proposition is not more extraordinary than the truth, which is undeniable, and the fact, which surpasses our finite comprehension, and which Johannes so fully expresses of the mysterious union of God and man! It is not derogatory to the mighty Jesus, to say that He suffered from the pains of a guilty conscience, or those pains which torment a guilty conscience, for here is the distinction: HE came to stand in the law stead of his chosen people; " HE bare the sins of many." Does not this seem as rejectable, that an innocent being should suffer VOL. VII.--Nɔ. 74. Ꭰ |