and never did I see God's supporting alluded to. At mention of the case, a grace more manifested than in the case mite was offered. Concerning it, B thus of this poor bereaved one; whilst in per- writes: "When you said, that your desonal appearance she is fully twenty sire to contribute to the relief of my poor years older than she was a few weeks friend was from the Lord, you were not since; there is a calmness about her mistaken. When I recollect how I rewhich unmistakeably proves from whom fused the money, and how you overcame her strength comes. Speaking with her my reluctance; and when I now see that a few days since, she said to me, 'Oh, the Lord has increased that which you I have had such teaching under this as began until it is now nearly eighty pounds, I cannot describe. I was accustomed to I can only say with one of old, Trust look to for counsel, direction, and in Him at all times, ye people." "—Oh, support. I now feel I must look higher, ye that would know the luxury of doing and lean upon the Lord.'-A striking good, and the sweetness of that word, proof of how the Lord "tempers the "It is more blessed to give than to rewind to the shorn lamb," and "stays his ceive," test the same. Mingle with the rough wind in the day of his east wind," poor and the needy-the tried and the was given in connection with the trial tempted-and see if it be not true. The Family Recorder. "GRACE BE WITH ALL THEM WHO LOVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SINCERITY." TO A FRIEND. DEAR BROTHER IN OUR PRECIOUS AND ADORABLE LORD,-I hail and greet you in Him who is the Head of all principality and power; who rideth upon the heavens in our help, and in his excellency on the sky. Our Rock and Refuge, God and King, to Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. As you therefore have requested from me a few thoughts on the first verse of the xlvth Psalm, I now briefly comply with your request, trusting the Lord, the eternal Spirit, will be pleased to give me a right understanding of the same. I shall consult no commentator, but simply transmit you my thoughts on the same. It reads thus, viz. My heart is inditing a good matter; I speak of the things which I have made touching the king; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. We should, in the first place, ascertain who is the Speaker, in order to have a right apprehension of what is spoken. It appears to me that in this single verse, as in many beside, we have all the glorious Persons in the Godhead set forth. There can be, methinks, but one opinion among the saints as to this. David was but the mouthpiece of God the Father; for he unquestionably is the Speaker, as a proof, if we advert to Heb. i. 8, which is a quotation from the the 6th verse in this Psalm. The apostle saith the Person of the Father is the Speaker, so that indeed the whole of this Psalm was spoken by him, and the address is to the Person of his dear Son, as the glorious Head and Husband of his church, and to her whom He calls his daughter by virtue of marriage-union to the Son of his love. He commences it by saying, My heart is inditing a good matter," and a glorious good matter it is for the election of grace, and if this is, as I believe it is, the weighty and all-momentous matter of our salvation, originating in the mind, will, purpose, and pleasures of Jehovah, or as he here saith in his heart, where else can we go for its origin. This therefore is the spring, fountain or source from whence it came, of everlasting date. The apostle calls it the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, Ep. iii. 9; also the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, Rom. xvi. 25, or as the man after said, "The thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light," Job xxviii. 11; or as saith Isaiah, hidden things and thou didst not know them" Isa. xlvii. 6. Paul calls it hidden wisdom, "which God ordained before the world unto our glory," 1 Cor. ii. 7; or the "mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, but now is made manifest to his saints," Col. i. 26. Well then may we say. "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the Holy Ones," the Three that bear record in heaven Gabriel thus informs Daniel, at the beginning of thy supplication the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved, therefore understand the matter and consider the vision ;" and that this matter comprises the whole of our salvation, is clear by the following scripture. "Seventy weeks are determined upon the people; and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness," &c. Dan. ix. 23, 24. It was of this matter that Peter told Simon the sorcerer that he had neither part nor lot, (how awful) and dear Job explains, Why persecute we him, seeing the root 66 of the matter is found in me. What is this, but Christ in him the hope of glory? O how Sovereign the grace of a Triune Jehovah, and how sweetly is our most glorious Christ preached to us in that memorable portion, Ruth iii. 18, "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be at rest until he have finished the thing this day;" so would I say to every poor sensible enquiring sinner, who may be questioning his or her interest in this wonderful matter (salvation,) for at the end it shall speak and not lic, thongh it tarry wait. O wait for it, for blessed are all they that wait for Him. Well now, dear brother, before we proceed further, is not this a good matter, gloriously good? Jehovah saith, I will make all my goodness pass before thee. Is not all his communicable goodness in this matter? and here his chosen are more good as beheld herein that bad in themselves, bless his dear name. O how great is his goodness, surely it cannot but be incomprehensible. Next, he saith, I speak of the things which I have made touching the King, that is, I will declare the decree. What, hide from my Abrahams that thing which I do? Oh no, I am resolved to develop the whole, and it is now made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the mystery of the kingdom, all this is said to be touching or respecting the King. What king? One Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive; not David, Solomon, or any body else, but our precious Immanuel. Moses, David, Samuel, and the prophets wrote of him. Indeed, to this most Holy One give all the prophets witness. This therefore is He who is King of kings, the Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of eternity, Jer. x. 10. King for ever and ever, Ps. x. 16, who reigneth over all, and whose kingdom, which is not of this world (though some will have it be a worldly kingdom, and say, as yet he is not king-blasphemy) but is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion cannot be destroyed. O the mercy of being translated into the kingdom of King Jesus, or God's dear Son. I must avoid being prolix, therefore proceed at once to notice the last clause in the portion, My tougne is the pen of a ready writer. My humble opinion is this, that by this figure of speech is meant the Person and ministry of the Holy Ghost, by whom the mysteries of the kingdom are made known. He shall teach you all things," said the Master "He shall not speak (mark the tongue is the speaking member) of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and show you things to come." We are compelled to admit the Lord Jesus is Speaker in that memorable passage, Isa. 1. 4, "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned," &c. What can it mean but the Spirit? for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him, but unto us, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, compare with Isa. lxi. 1, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Who was it furnished and equipped the college of apostles for preaching the coronation sermon of the Son of God, but this tongue of the learned? God the Holy Ghost, who sat upon each of them, " and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." And this was the fulfilment of Joel ii. 28, 29, also of Mark xvi. 17, where the dear Saviour saith, "In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues." It is then the province and the ministry of this Almighty Lord to give and open unto us the mind of Christ, and the will of the Father, to guide into all truth, yea, in to the deep things of God. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Now, my friend, if I have succeeded in my small degree in throwing any light upon the above portion, by comparing spiritual things with spiritual; and this is the only safe way of attaining a spiritual knowledge of those things which are "hid from the wise and prudent (car. nally wise and prudent in their own eyes) and revealed unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight," give the Lord himself the entire praise. I therefore transmit this brief line to you, hoping the Lord the Spirit will give an unction to his own word in your heart, then shall not I have written in vain, nor you have read in vain. Every blessing for time and eternity be yours for ever. Amen. W. BIDDER. 22, Sutherland Sq., London Aug. 1854. "JUST AS I AM!" DEAR SIR,-Since the receipt of the Gospel Magazine, for this month, which contains a copy of those beautiful lines, “Just as I am, without one plea," I have been requested by some friends to assist in promoting the sale of a few manuscript copies of an air, adapted to those words, and not generally known. The object to which the profits will be applied is a charitable one; and I shall feel obliged by your rendering me your kind assistance in this little labour of love. Copies are to be had at the Dorset Institution, Sackville street, Dublin, 6d. each; or forwarded by post upon receipt of 7 postage stamps by O. F. C. 19, Russell Place, Dublin. Yours in the bonds of Jesus, Dublin, June 14, 1855. M. E. L. REFLECTIONS SUGGESTED BY A THUNDER-STORM. THE SCENE TOOK PLACE IN ENGLAND, AND WAS ONE OF A PECULIARLY AWFUL DESCRIPTION. 'Twas Autumn-yet the rain fell fast Through hills which echo'd back the sound. By Christ's redeeming work made thine; The griefs, the joys which all must know Thou would'st not to her bosom flee; At mercy's footstool humbly fall; The Spirit's power can break thy bands; " *The allusion to the fire burning upon the altar, &c., and the force of the word "atonement in the original Scripture, are derived from recollections of the last Wednesday Lecture, of the late beloved W. H. KRAUSE. "HARD CAUSES." "Thou hast showed thy people hard things,”—Psal. lx. 2. exchange places with one of the world's votaries ? And though you may at present be a seeming stranger to peace-to happiness; yet do you not now know where that peace-that happiness-are to be found? Are you not at a point about this? Whatever affliction, or trial, or temptation may not have done, has it not, instrumentally at least accomplished this? Is not Christ emphatically "the Way, the Truth, and the Life," with you? Is it not by more than a merely nominal assent and consent you admit, that "There is no other name given under heaven and among men, whereby you can be saved ?" Is there not a deep feeling of the truth of it? And have you not long since been brought to renounce all other refuges, and, if perish you must, to perish at the foot of the cross; to die with a "Lord, save,” upon your lips? 66 THERE are several cases pressing upon the mind. One at Leicester-another at Brighton-two in the neighbourhood of London. A poor tempted one in the Isle of Wight. We have not their letters immediately before us, but their state is deeply imbedded in our heart; and we would therefore say a word to them.—Beloved, trying as is your lot, bowed down as you are under a weight of sorrow and suspense; yet there are mercies in your circumstances of which you at present have no conception. You are the subjects of a spiritual hunger and thirst, the value of which is inconceivable. You might be "clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day;" and yet, from a sense of your own miserable apathy and stoicism, envy the veriest poorhouse pauper in whom you might discover a spiritual appetite. Divested as such were of friends, of com- In heaviness (as you may be) through forts, of almost common necessaries; yet, manifold temptations," and "tied and seeing they were the subjects of true spi-bound with the chain of your sins," can ritual life, you would envy such-you you declare, there is no outgoing of heart would fain exchange conditions with such. after Jesus? Merely that you may be Their peace-their prospects-their even relieved, you will say. From what? present pleasure from the inward sustain- Your burden. And what is that burden? ings of near and dear fellowship with Guilt-the dread of consequences. Ah, Jesus, would stand in enviable conitast beloved, it is more than that. Compawith your disquietude, guiltiness, and ap-ratively speaking, it is very little the prehension of wrath to come. Such is dread of consequences in your view of the true condition of myriads. Rolling the matter, that actuate you. in wealth, immersed in the world, the something higher, holier, more blessed, possessors of all that earth calls good that prompts you. It is not the mere and great, and yet miserable with all, dread of death and hell that influences afar off from peace;" "without God you. It is the frown of Jesus, the ab and without hope in the world." Oh, sence of Jesus, that's worse than death their weight! oh, that anguish which and hell to you. It is love, not fear, that they, but in vain, endeavour to suppress! prompts you. This may appear strange, that care they seek to stifle! that guilt but, beloved, it is true. You love Jesus which hangs like a millstone about their with a love that is stronger than death, heart and conscience! How fruitless all and yet you are not in a position at pretheir efforts to obtain relief! How true sent to know and appreciate it. A holy that testimony, "The wicked is like the jealousy inflames your heart, and yet you troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose are ignorant of the fact. You are the waters cast up mire and dirt." And subject of holy, importunate, heaven-beis this your state, beloved? Is there no gotten pantings and breathings, and yet difference? True as it may once have you fear you still sleep the sleep of death. been, is it so now? Has there been no You cannot hear of Jesus, nor contemcoming out from the world-no separat-plate his gracious acts, without the tening yourself from it? Be the influence derest emotions being enkindled in which you are under what it may, has it heart. Emotions that mean this—“Oh, not at least spoiled you for what you that I knew where I might find Him.~ were once wont to delight in? Would Would God that I might be blessed even you not sooner be as you are, than as you as others have been, and are.- -What were? Miserable as you are, would you would trouble be, or death, or even hell Z It is your itself, if so be I had but Jesus ?-His | of her head;" the self-same hand that smile is heaven, his frown hell! Oh, to roll this load of anguish upon his bosom -to revel there in love and joy. This guilt, this misery, this perfect wretchedness, these clouds, this darkness. What can remove this mountain-load? what afford relief? Nought but love and blood. Love! To know by blessed assurance, He loved me, and gave Himself me;' blood!-to feel its purging power, its cleansing, healing, peace-infusing efficacy: this, this I want!" shall wipe away tears from off all faces, shall remove her's: she "ceased not to kiss his feet;" she, in return, shall receive the kiss of eternal love: she anointed his feet with ointment; she shall be anointed with the oil of joy and gladness; the sweet fragrance with which Jehovah anointed the great High-Priest shall descend to the very skirts of his garments; that skirt spread over this poor outcast, shall banish the offensive odours of vile nature's filthy rags, and If these are not the outflowings of love, rise in sweet perfumes to the everlasting the effect and consequence of divine imper- admiration of Jehovah, and ever-new ishable life, we are in ignorance of what life refreshing of his one redeemed Church. is. We would submit these heart-cravings The test! Reader, upon which part of to one test alone. We will take the last this interesting history dost thou love to fifteen verses of the 7th chapter of Luke. dwell? The Pharisee? the woman? By invitation, our dear Lord sits down to the debtors? or that amazing love, grace, meat in Simon the Pharisee's house. A condescension of Jesus; where, touching man of repute in that day thus entertains her acts of penitential grief, He says, the despised Nazarene. Despite all risks" for she loved much?" Dost thou and impediments, a woman of the city-pause? dost thou hesitate? durst thon a Magdalene-presents herself at the deny that it would be-that by grace dihouse-the guest-chamber-the feet of Jesus. The Pharisee holds his peace, but cogitates. Jesus (omniscient) plies him with a parable; the force of which he honestly admits. Touchingly our Lord thenceforth depicts the case and conduct of the sinner at his feet. Each act had caught his eye, each move had touched his heart. His feet she had washed with tears; in return, her soul he will wash in blood; she "wiped them with the hairs vine it shall be-thy one end and aim to prostrate thyself at his footstool, by faith to wash and wipe those now pierced feet, and there to linger till the self-same loving lips declare, "Thy sins are forgiven thee-go in peace ?"" How satisfied, then, thou must be with Jehovah's Christ, and his way of saving sinners, the which a soul in nature's death and darkness, never, never can be! THE EDITOR. |