having closely examined the doc- gan to urge me to accept such trines of the party that wanted to comfortable situations; they remake me a proselyte, I thanked presented my intention to go on God that I had not left my church; mission as fantastical, and my re. and I am very happy to understand liance on God in this point as a that the Church of England consi- chimera. At last it Kad the apders the Lutheran church as a pearance, on account of the preFaithful sister. By the particular sent war, as if my hope should providence of God I became ac- never be realized, and my enemies quainted with the Rev. Dr. Knapp, and those that scoffed at me began who invited me, in a letter, to already to triumph ; when all at come to him, and to finish my stu- once, and unexpectedly, I receive dies in Halle. I accordingly left ed the call of this blessed Society; Leipsic, and Dr. Knap showed me and from the very moment I acthe kindness to take me into his cepted it till the present, the Lord own house. This last year in has been with me in a peculiar Halle every thing seemed to con- manner, in so many respects, that spire to deter me from my design I clearly see it is his good pleasure, to become a missionary. Many and firmly trust in him that I shall lucrative livings were offered to me safely arrive at the place of my in Saxony, Austria, and Russia; destination in India. my own friends and relations be

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. '

ESSAYS ON THE NAMES AND on which we must rest our hopes. - TITLES GIVEN TO OUR DIVINE The proposal of a foundation imREDEEMER.

plies that we are about to build, No. VI.

and so we are ;'we are about to A Rock—the Rock of Salvation build for our souls, and for eterthe Rock of Ages, fc.

nity, in a dangerous and tempes(Concluded from Page 226.]

tuous world, where everything

we attempt to erect will soon be · THE uses of a Rock, as repre. tried to the uttermost by the accusented in Scripture, are various, sations of conscience, by the pucorresponding with the variety of rity of the law, by the severity of blessings treasured up in the Re- divine justice, by the storms of deemer, and suitable to the varied death; and at last, and for eterwants of his people. To these nity, by the strict scrutiny of the only we shall attend.

solemn day of judgment. Surely A Rock is most useful and suitó it becomes us to secure a resting· able for'a foundation, “ Behold," place firm and strong, stable and

says the Lord, I lay in Sion for a enduring. The eye of faith, surfoundation a stone, a tried stone, a veying all the extent of both precious corner-stone, a sure found- worlds, the earthly and the heaation; he that believeth shall not venly, can discern none but Christ make haste.” (Isa. xxviii. 16.) suited to the purpose, and the beThis is none other than the Rock lieving mind is fully satisfied that on which he has purposed to build “other foundation can no man lay his church (Matt. xvi. 18), and than that is laid, which is JESUS Christ.” If any one is about to house, it falls to total ruin. All erect a building on earth, and other expectations will fail me in wishes it to endure, he will seek the day of extremity, when most I far and dig deep to find a situation need them, and leave me destitute suitable to the structure he intends and disappointed : but the fulness either for stability or beauty. But, of Jesus shall secure the soul that alas ! of how little consequence is flies to him for pardon and salvą. all we are preparing for a dying tion ; upon this foundation I may body, in comparison of the prepa- rest my all. In the sight of Him, ration for a never-dying soul! Of before whom all nations are but as how little consequence the stately the drop of the bucket or the small structure, the costly furniture, the dust of the balance, all my conbeautiful situation, when the inha. cerns, however great they may apbitant holds not only the building pear to me, are but as an atom; but himself upon so uncertain a te- and shall I fear to rest the weight nure, or, rather, no tenure at all, of a feather upon a Rock? He but upon the sovereign will of offers himself in all the dignity of God?' In the midst of all the his person, the strength of his na. glories of earthly possessions," he ture, the eternity and immutability changeth our countenance and of his perfections, to the reliance of sendeth us away." He crushes faith; shall I not forsake all beside the frail body before the moth, and to cast my soul on him ?--to build then “whose are all those things my hope of pardon on his atoning which we have provided ?"-" Be- cross and covenant love ?-my hold! thou hast made my days as hope of salvation on his almighty a hand breadth, and mine age is as power and grace? Let, then, the nothing before thee; verily every rains descend, the floods come, and man in his best state is altogether the winds blow, my soul and all vanity ; surely every man walketh my concerns. shall there be safe. I in a vain show." (Psą. xxxix. 4-6.) will build on him, not the wood, Let me, then, be equally careful; hay, and stubble of legal hopes, or yea, much more diligent, in mak- Antinomian faith, but the faith of ing inquiry for the sure Foundation God's elect, the faith which work. for a sinner's hope, and for an im- eth by love, the grace and virtues mortal soul, since the danger of of his Holy Spirit's producing, being deceived is most awful, the that they may be acknowledged as loss of my soul, and that for ever. his own in the great day of trial. Here, then, is firm footing, here And “if the earthly house of this is solid rock, in the person and tabernacle be dissolved, it shalt work of my Redeemer; he offers only be exchanged for the building himself my sure foundation. of God, the house not made with Tried by the pressure of the law, hands, eternal in the heavens," the weight of divine wrath, and resting on the same Rock of ages, the curse of God, he proved his immutable in glory. power to save. The weight of all A Rock is useful for defence and his people, their sins, their persons, refuge; it affords the best protecand their curse, have rested upon tion to any place : is a natural for him. Here they have fixed their tification, and better than all the hope, and all their souls' concerns, bulwarks that art can raise. In and never have nor shall be asham- reference to this, it is said of the ed of their confidence. Here, upright man, “ He shall dwell on then, I may safely build, but all is high, his place of defence shall be sand beside; and when the rain the munition of rocks.” (Isa.xxxiii, descends, the floods come, and the 16.) And, in allusion to the pe. winds blow and beat upon the culiar security which the holy city derived from the barrier which na- with mountainous and rocky situture had thus erected around it, ations, which were full of caverns, we are told, “ They that trust in where the people retired in times the Lord shall be as Mount Sion, of danger, and which constituted which cannot be removed, but their security under the oppression abideth for ever. As the moune of their enemies. Without attendtains are round about Jerusalem, ing to this, it will be impossible to so the Lord is round about his' understand many allusions of the people, from henceforth, even for Old Testament. Under the opever.” (Psa. cxxv. 1, 2.) The con- pression of the Philistines we are stancy and perpetuity of his care told, “ the people did hide themare here beautifully represented, in' selves in caves, in thickets, and inconnexion with his almighty pow- rocks, and in high places and in er. “ His eyes indeed run to and fro pits.” (1 Sam. xiii. 6.) And when throughout all the earth, to show Jonathan and his armour-bearer himself strong in behalf of them ascended to Michmash, and disco. that fear him.” His mercy and vered themselves to the garrison grace, his goodness and covenant of the Philistines, they said, in love, his faithfulness and truth, contempt, “ Behold, the Hebrews are unchangeable : “the mercy of come forth out of the holes where the Lord is from everlasting to they had hid themselves.” (1 Sam. everlasting upon them that fear xiv. 11.) Here we frequently find him.” (Psa. ciii.) In his eminent David seeking protection from the dignity he rises above all his ene- malicious rage of Saul; as, in the mies, and in his strength is supe. cave of Adullam (1 Sam. xxii. 1); rior to them all. He, the mighty and in strong holds in the wood in God,' as the victorious Redeem- the hill Hachilah (xxiii. 19). So,, er, is mighty in battle, the ever- again, xxiv. 3, 4. It was to some Jasting Conqueror. What purposes such place as this, in the rock soever the surrounding mountains Etam, that Samson retired for safecould answer, in respect to the ty, when he had exasperated the enemies of Israel, these he effec- Philistines by the great slaughter tually answers to the enemies of of their people. (Judges, xv. 8.) his people. All our sins, all our Thus the Benjamites retired in the corruptions, all our spiritual ene- rock Rimmon, after the defeat of mies, can never pass the Mountain the greatest part of their tribe by of our defence, nor rise above the their unmerciful brethren. (xx. Rock of our salvation. Let me be 47.) An allusion is evidently made found in this munition, and put to this when the Kenite is repremyself under the care of Jesus, sented as having a strong dwellingby faith ; let him surround me with place, and putting their nest in a his omnipotent arm, and watch me rock, Numbers, xxiv. 21. And with his omnipresent eye, and all more especially in Isaiah, ii. 10, 21, the host of trials, of corruptions, where the people are represented or of hell, shall never prevail as fleeing from the desolating judg, against me, Here, indeed, all ment of Jehovah into the holes of comparisons fail ;. he is therefore the rocks, and into the caves of the called “ a wall of fire,” to satisfy earth, for fear of the Lord, and my soul of unparalleled security un, for the glory of his majesty, when der his care ; and when the strong, he ariseth to shake terribly the est mountains shall crumble to earth; or, in reference to a subdust, he shall yet remain, sur, ject much more pleasing, when rounding his chosen people in the the security of his believing people pew Jerusalem, which is above. .is represented by being led to the

The land of Judea abounded Rock that is higher than they,

Thus, also, the church is described cret place of the Most High shall in the allegorical language of the abide under the shadow of the Alsacred song, as the dove in the clefts mighty. I will say of the Lord, of the rock, in the secret places of He is my refuge and fortress, my the stairs. (Cant. ii. 14.) Here God, in him will I trust.” (Psalm the people of Israel secured them- xci. 1, 2.) Yea, let me bring all selves and their property, and es- that I have into the sides of this: caped the observation and slaugh- Rock. Thy opened heart, O, my ter of their enemies, till the Lord Redeemer! has room enough to appeared for their defence, raised receive, grace enough to welcome, them up a Saviour, and destroyed and power enough to preserve me! their opposers. Here then let me be- O, my soul! what an infinite fulhold, in another point of view, the ness is there in the Lord my Saexcellency and suitableness of my viour! Thou art not straitened in Redeemer. This is the view which him, but in thyself. Little faith seems frequently to have occupied brings but little enjoyment. Let his the mind of the Prophet, when, in glories and his grace attract thy allusion to his outward situation, attention more, and shame thy unhe rejoices in his Rock, when he belief into silent adoration ! prays, “ Be thou my strong Kock, When Moses was favoured with whereunto I may continually re- a discovery of the glory of the sort ; thou hast given command- God of Israel, he was hid in the ment to save me, for thou art my cleft of the rock; there the hand strong Rock, and my fortress... of Jehovah hid him while the glory (Psa. Ixxi. 3; again, Ps. xxvii. 5). of Jehovah was displayed. “And Let me then, with him, " say of the the Lord said, Behold, there is a Lord, Thou art my hiding-place, place by me, and thou shalt stand thou shalt preserve me from trou- upon a rock; and it shall come to ble, thou shalt compass me about pass, while my glory passeth by, with songs of deliverance.” (Psa. that I will put thee in a cleft of xxxii. 7. Let me secure a place the rock, and I will cover thee in the clefts of this Rock; where with my hand while I pass by." it was broken by the hand of jus- (Ex. xxxiii. 21, 22.) “And the tice, or the strokes of the law; or Lord stood with himn there, and where the soldier's spear pierced proclaimed the name of the Lord; to the heart. Nothing else, my and the Lord passed by before soul, can be thy defence from the him, and proclaimed, The Lord, storms of guilt, or the enemies of the Lord God, merciful and grathy soul; or secure thee and all thy cious, long-suffering, and abundant concerns from the dreadful de- in goodness and truth ; keeping struction which shall meet the mercy for thousands ; forgiving wicked in death and judgment, or iniquity, , and transgression, and from the wrath of a holy God. But sin; and that will by no means. here, when “flesh and heart fail," clear the guilty: visiting the iniGod my Saviour shall be the quity of the fathers upon the chil. strength of my heart and my por- dren, unto the third and to the tion for ever. Here I may trust fourth generation,” &c. (xxxiv. 5, and realise my safety; strong in- 6, 7.) This is the constituted mea deed is the dwelling-place of those thod of his glorious manifestation. whose nest is in this Rock. In There is no beholding the glory of this retirement let the inhabitants. God as a covenant God but in the of the Rock sing, secure and at person of Jesus, as sheltered in ease; let them shout from the top his hearty and protected by his of the mountains (Isa. xlii. 11); arm: there even you and I may for “ he that dwelleth in the se- behold the same displays of mercy, hear the same voice of love, and till after this event. " And Moses behold the same glory of the God lifted up his hand, and smote the of Israel. Place me there, thou rock twice, and the waters came glorious Saviour! and cover me out abundantly, and the congregawith thy hand.

tion drank.” (Numbers, xx. 11.). In those hot sultry climates, How refreshing to the dying Iswhatever afforded a refreshing sha- raelite, and how salutary the dow must have been exceedingly streams that followed them through useful : and hence the reviving in the wilderness to the promised fluence of the Redeemer's glorious land! “ But this Rock was Christ;" presence is compared to an over- as unlikely in his outward appear. shadowing mountain that rises on ance to pour forth the blessings of the side of the weary traveller, af salvation, as this flinty rock to fording its delightful covert from pour the refreshing streams; dethe scorching sun or turbulent spised, therefore, and rejected of winds, while traversing along the men, the man of sorrows and acburning tracts of the sandy desert. quainted with grief. But, by diAn allusion which can never be vine appointment he was stricken, fully understood without realising smitten of God and afflicted; but such a scene.“ A man shall be as wounded for our transgressions, an hiding-place from the wind, a &c. when “ it pleased the Father covert from the storm; as rivers of to bruise him." He was stricken water in a dry place, and the sha- by the Jews, who fixed him upon dow of a great rock in a weary, the cross, nailed his hands and his land :” (Isaiah, xxxii. 2.) Not the feet, crowned his sacred head with transient shadow of a tree, however the lacerating thorns, and pierced full and spreading; not of a little his side till the sacred stream of salhill, which may be soon passed by; vation issued forth. These, how. but of a great rock, spreading it. ever, were but the instruments of self to the end of the road, afford- the divine pleasure: “ Him, deli. ing no temporary, but a continued vered by the determinate counsel and permanent shadow throughout and fore-knowledge of God, they the wilderness.

with wicked hands crucified and · Such is Jesvs in his almighty slew.” It was the law and justice of power, infinite sufficiency, and un- God that fixed the wound " when changing love to his people, through he made Him to be sin for us who the wilderness of this world; af- knew no sin, that we might be made fording protection and consolation the righteousness of God in him ;" in all and every danger: from “ when the chastisement of our every consequence of guilt and peace was upon him, that by his sin ; from every fear and every stripes we might be healed." Thus enemy. Let me ever walk under he opened this Rock of ages, and his shadow to the Canaan of eter- the waters of salvation gushed out; nal rest.

they ran in the dry places of this Here our meditation must have earth like a river. (Psa. Cv. 41.) closed, had not the Scripture, by The waters of life flowed in that the recording of a peculiar trans- crimson stream; the fountain was action at the Rock of Horeb, given opened for sin and for uncleanness; us another view of the infinite and therich abundance of spiritual blesseternal sufficiency of the Saviour's ings was thus poured down upon grace, not by any particular qua- guilty men. They follow his church lity of a rock, but by the circum- through the wilderness of this stances attending this. And it is world in rivers of pardoning, healalso remarkable, that Jehovah is ing, and saving grace. Here is the never called a Rock in Scripture constant supply in every barren .