extent of its requirements; and unless his righteousness is imputed to us for justification as our only title for heaven, as well as to influence us by those holy principles imparted to us by the Holy Spirit, which is our qualification for the enjoyment of heaven, our perfection would appear so awfully defective, that we should sink for ever from the presence of God; who, because he is perfectly holy, could not suffer any created being to be in his presence, unless he had a perfect righteousness in which to stand. If we are sincere, we shall undoubtedly take example from the great apostle Paul, who scrupled not to acknowledge that he "had not already attained, either were already perfect;" but he tells his Philippian brethren, "that he followed after, if that he may apprehend that for which he was apprehended of Christ Jesus;" and declares, "that he counted not himself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus: let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded." Phil. iii. 12-15. After such a declaration of the great apostle of the Gentiles, we cannot but see how great the difference must be between him, and those who hold absolute perfection as attainable in this life: must not such persons be completely ignorant of themselves, as well as of the strict demands of the law of God? What can it be but consummate pride and ignorance, for any to imagine, for a moment, that they can possibly attain to that which St. Paul declares he had not attained? Whoever reads Rom. vii. with a mind free from prejudice, must see that the apostle did not expect to arrive at the full standard of perfection whilst in the body; and that for a very obvious reason, because he there declares, “That in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good, I find not." Though he confesses he cannot discover any thing in his own nature to lead him to perform that which is good, yet he informs us, in 1 Cor. xv. 10, of the source from whence all his goodness springs; for he there tells us, "That by the grace of God, I am what I am: that I laboured more abundantly than they all;" meaning, I presume, the other apostles. Yet, to shew he trusted in nothing which he performed, he assures the Corinthians, that whatever he did which was good, could be derived from no powers of his own; and he puts the matter out of all doubt, by ascribing all to the sovereign grace of God, as he concludes the subject in these words, yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me." 66 66 And To close these remarks I would just observe, that though Job is described, as perfect and upright, one who feared God, and eschewed evil;" yet he speaks of himself, as all who are taught of God will confess, with profound humility, "If I say I were perfect, it should prove me perverse," Job ix. 20. when he comes near the close of his pilgrimage, he has a still deeper sense of his imperfections and depravity, as he exclaims, “ Behold, I am vile; I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." This most assuredly meets the writer's experience; and I believe that most of the people of God feel the same, as they get nearer the end of the journey of life. FRAGMENT FROM DR. OWEN. 2. He is no true believer to whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow, and trouble. THE VOICE OF THE ROD. Dear Brother and Sister, MAY the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. I am exceedingly glad that you are helped to bear your loss patiently, believing that the Lord will do you good by it. Our dear Father never takes any good thing from us, but in order to give something better. He has taken away your pebbles, to give you pearls ; emptied you of riches in show, to fill you with true riches and never failing substance. Bless him, therefore, for taking as well as giving. His love cast the lot this way; believe it, and you will like it well. A little grace is better than much gold; you will be great gainers by your loss, if the Lord give you submission to his sovereign disposal under it, acquiescence with his good pleasure in it, and a further acquaintance with himself as your everlasting All by it. Mr. Rutherford calls the world the clay portion of bastards; not the inheritance of children.' It is a great thing for a saint, that is rich in this world, to be thoroughly sensible of its nothingness, and to live beside his outward enjoyments upon that infinite inexhaustible fulness he has in God. The creatures stand as a blind between us and him. And God loves his children so that he calls for our hearts, and rather than want them, he will strike the creatures dead, that himself, the life of all our joys, might be exceedingly endeared to us. He will dry up the streams of creature-comforts, that our thirsty souls may learn to drink their fill at the fountainhead. And so great is his grace, that it pleaseth him well to see his children come to his bosom for all they want, when starved out of creature supplies. Oh what fools are we to catch at shadows, and let go the substance, the sum and Oh quintessence of all our bliss. how happy should we be, if infinite sweetness did always ravish our souls, and unheart us from all the creatures. Oh the crystal streams which proceed out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, how sweet are they at the well-head. What a pure river of water of life should we swim in, if we had always lived in God. This will be our life in heaven, to the utmost perfection; and happy they who are aspiring after the rising glory, and highest degree of it here on earth. The Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, fill you with all joy and peace in believing. I am your's in Christ for ever. PRAYER. G. R. It is an astonishing thing to see, how, under fervency of prayer, and a seeming fervency therein, many of us are at a stand as to visible thriving in fruits of grace, and it is to be feared, without any increase of strength in the root of it; and, which is yet more astonishing, men abide in the duty of prayer, and that in constancy, in their families and otherwise, and yet live in known sins : and the fault and guilt is wholly their own, who have effected a consistency between a way in sinning, and a course in praying: and it ariseth from hence, that they have never laboured to fill up their requests with grace. No man was ever absolutely prevailed on by sin, who prayed for deliverance according to the mind of God. Every praying man that perisheth. was an hypocrite; the faithfulness of God in his promises will not allow us to judge otherwise, Ps. 1. 15; xci. 15. For men to be earnest in prayer and thriftless in grace, is a certain indication of prevalent corruptions, and want of being spiritually-minded in prayer itself. He who prays as he ought will endeavour to live as he prays. To pray earnestly and live carelessly, is to proclaim that a man is not spiritually-minded in his prayer. We may hear prayers sometimes that openly discover themselves to spiritual sense to be the labour of the brain by the help of gifts, in memory and invention, without any evidence of any mixture of humility, reverence, or godly fear, without any acting of faith and love: they flow as wine, yet smell and taste of the unsavoury cask from whence they proceed. Ezek. xx. 16; Prov. xv. 8. ANTICIPATION. Dear Brother, As to my health, blessed be God, I am not worse than I was when brother was here. I dwell in a crazy tabernacle, which I think sometimes is near its dissolution. But I rejoice in that house, that building of God, eternal in the heavens, which I know, through grace, is prepared for me. I, in this tabernacle, groan, being burdened, by reason of that sinfulness and weakness which offends and renders me incapable either to know or to serve the Lord as I would, and as perfect spirits do; and this makes me long for the time when "mortality shall be swallowed up of life.” We have no reason to be afraid of a separate state; for, "blessed are the dead which die in the Lord," Rev. xiv. 13. Nor yet should the saints be afraid to die; as if they should be forsaken, and left to go through the last trial alone. No, our God will be with us when we come to the river of death; he will divide the water before us, and so marvellously appear in carrying us through it, that we shall take thence a memorial of his infinite grace and faithfulness, as the children of Israel did when they passed through the literal Jordan. 66 We should come up from the wilderness, even to the last step of it, leaning upon our beloved, who hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. xiii. 5. This word, never leave thee," reacheth through our whole lives, even unto death; yea, into death, through death, above and beyond death, even to endless eternity: and unless everlasting arms could wax weary, unchangeable love alter, and infinite faithfulness fail, we have no reason to be afraid; no, not "in the valley of the shadow of death." Ps. xxiii. 4. Our God will be "our refuge and strength, a very present help in that time of trouble." Ps. xlvi. 1. And as he will be "the strength of our hearts," when "heart and flesh fail us," so our "portion for ever," or our eternal lot. And who can count up a thousandth part of those vast treasures of glory we have in his immense being, as he has made over his great self to us in Christ. Why, should we then, that are "the king's sons, be lean from day to day?" The Lord grant us true greatness of mind, that with a princely spirit, we may behave as heirs of glory under all our present trials. Wishing all prosperity, and begging a share in your prayers, I commit you to Israel's keeper and rest, With dear love, yours in the POETRY. CEASE thy conflict, christian warrior, Jesus waits to bid thee welcome, Come up higher in thy feelings, Come up higher in enjoyments, Come up higher in thy prospects, Come up higher, to the people Come up higher, to His footstool, Come up higher, to his right-hand, Come up higher, yet come higher, This is heaven-thy heaven of heavens ; Christian warrior, then no longer Fight the fight with death and sin; Heaven awaits thee; saints and angels Wait to bid thee welcome in. Enter, christian, to thy glory, Death's the pathway to thy God; Welcome! cry the saints immortal, Welcome! saint redeemed by blood! SAMUEL. HYMNS ON THE JOURNIES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. (Concluded from page 380. last volume.) XXXVIII. JJE-ABARIM.-Confused heaps. OUR passage-way to rest above Is strewed with thorns and briars; The congregations of the Lord, Shall grieve our souls no more; XXXIX. DIBON-GAD.-Knowledge. SWEET understanding let us find Through which we view thy ancient love; Happy we are in Christ our Lord, Bound up in his most loving heart; Redeemed and washed in his own blood, And joined in bands that cannot part. XL ALMON-DIBLATHAIM.-Hidden. THE life of saints is hid with Christ, WE soon shall pitch in Moab's plains, XLII. JORDAN.-A sweet savour. THROUGH Jordan we shall surely come, The appointed way unto our home; But in that river we shall prove The strength of faith and power of love. The valley, death, is paved with love, Which is to make our last remove; To be for ever with our Lord Who hath redeemed us with his blood. The final death of sin and pain, And freedom from all foes within ; Washed white in blood that is divine, And in our Saviour's image shine. Comforts our Christ has got in store To help us in a dying hour; And then ascend to joys above To be for ever with our love. Short Remarks on the loving kindness of the GUIDE us, our Jesus, and our Lord, Since we are thine, redeemed with blood, A covering cloud is Christ to me, Spiritual Remarks on the unbounded love of AWAY the pillar did not move To guide the camp redeemed with blood, Behind the camp the pillar came, Night dispensations here we find, “I sat under his shadow with great delight, Rich, manifestive love is sweet, London. WILLIAM. |