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POETRY.

THE NEVER-ENDING SONG OF ALL THE REDEEMED IN HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Rev. i. 5, 6.

AWAKE, my soul, and chaunt the song Of everlasting love,

And join your notes with yonder throng, Who dwell in heaven above.

All the dear sons of Zion's king.

In heaven and earth are one;
To him their humble praise they bring,
And bow beneath his throne.

To Him who loved our souls, they cry,
And washed our guilt away,
And did on Calvary's mountain die,
On that eventful day:

Yea, the Lord washed us from our sins,
In his own spotless blood;

And freely made us priests and kings
To our eternal God.

To him be glory, honour, power,
Wisdom and strength be given;
Praise and dominion evermore,
By all the saints in heaven.

My soul, come strike your golden lyre,
Aloud lift up your voice,
And join with yon celestial choir,
In Jesus to rejoice.

Although in this vain world you stay,

You're numbered with that throng, For Jesus all your debts did pay;

You'll dwell with him ere long.

'T is only death which doth divide The blood-redeemed band;

We soon shall cross cold Jordan's side,
And reach the promised land.

There, on bright Canaan's happy shore,
Sweet anthems we will raise,
With all the saints who went before,
In sweet melodious lays.

There we shall feed on Jesus' love,
And see his smiling face;
And never, never more remove
From that celestial place.
Shouting with all the ransomed host
Around his blissful throne,-

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Is God my Father? yet I am

So prone to wander still;

My heart so hard, my love so faint,
And so perverse my will.

Is God my Father? what could cause
His love to one like me?
Nothing that's in the creature, sure
It is entirely free.

Is God my Father? oh, what love,
Eternally the same;
Nothing can alter his decree,
Blest be his holy name.

Is God my Father? can I want?
No, that can never be ;
His word has said, that as thy day
Thy strength shall surely be.

Is God my Father? why complain
Of what I can't unfold;
He tells me in his holy word,
No good will he withhold.

Is God my Father? all my life

He'll guide and guard my way; Then land me safe on Canaan's shoe, To spend an endless day.

Is God my Father? in his strengtl.
I'll Satan's rage defy;

In every trouble go to him,
And Abba Father cry.

MARY.

LINES ON THE DEATH OF A IF END.
OUR friend and sister dear is ed
We've laid her clay among the l

But lo, her deathless spirit flies,
To fairest mansions in the skies.

Once she was trav'ling here below,
Mid this dark world of sin and woe;
Now seated on a throne above,
She triumphs in almighty love.

While here she did attend that place
Where Christ reveals his richest grace,
Now to heaven's high throne she's come,
Her sacred, high eternal home.

Of truth she lov'd to hear and tell,
And on its lovely themes to dwell,
Through which in Christ she shared a part,
A dwelling in his tender heart.

While in this barren wilderness,
She thirsted oft for righteousness;
But now around her deathless soul
Rich streams of glory ever roll.

While here the christian path she trod
She sweetly commun'd with her God:
But having reached her happy seat,
Her fellowship is now complete.

She's seated on a sapphire throne,
No more to weep, to sigh and mourn;
There sacred joy for ever reigns
Amid those wide extended plains.

She sees the Friend who groaned and died,
Sit glorious by His Father's side;
He owns her as his chosen one,
And seats her near his radiant throne.

Enraptured with the dazzling sight,
Of one so glorious and so bright;
She sinks adoring at his seat,
And lays her honours at his feet.

With angels now her spirit vies, Higher than their's her notes arise; Brought to the palace of her King. She of his royal honours sing.

Hark! how our sister's spirit sings,
Heaven with hallelujahs rings;
She strives to give the glory due,
To Him who brought her safely through.

Thus saved by rich abounding grace,
She's brought unto her destin'd place,
With saints and angels there to dwell,
Beyond the rage of angry hell.

Her dust that slumbers in the tomb
Shall, when the mighty Jesus come,
Be rais'd to life by power divine,
And in immortal vigour shine.

Farewell dear friend till that great day When thou shalt shine in bright array;

May we who've often meet you here, Meet you with sacred pleasure there.

A COUNTRY MINISTER.

THE SINNER'S HOPE.

Who knows but such an one as I May grace and mercy find?

I hear the God of Israel

Is merciful and kind:

Had he been pleased to torture me
With everlasting bands.

He might have done it long ago,
Who had me in his hands.

I do not hear the trumpet sound
To call me to his bar;

The proofs and patterns of his grace
Forbid me to despair :

He does not say, Depart from me
Into eternal fire;

But, Come into my open breast
Where weary souls retire.

The trembling wretch who touched his hem,
But feared a heavy doom,
Received a cure and blessing too,
And went rejoicing home.
The prodigal deserved and fared

Worse than the swine he fed ;
But found a mirthful feast at home,

Who only looked for bread.

Heaven looks upon the publican,

Who was bowed down with shame; Mercy he called, which soon appeared, And answered to its name. My sins are mighty sins indeed. But I have understood, Great sins are foils, which do inflame

The price of saving blood.

My soul has many ghastly wounds,
Yet will I not despair.
Whilst there is balm in Gilead,

And a Physician there :
That I might march to Canaan's land

The silver trumpet sounds; My day still shines, my tent is fixed Within salvation's bounds.

The door is shut, but is not barred,
And he that is within

Does bid me ask, and seek, and knock,
And strive to enter in :

Here then I'll ask, and seek, and knock,
Until the door be ope;

Nor will I stir a foot from hence,
It is a Door of Hope.

S. T.

THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE,

AND

ZION'S CASKET.

"For there are Three that bear record in heaven the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One."-1 John v. 7.

"Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.-Jude 3. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."-1 Tim. iii. 6.

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JULY, 1845.

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THE GOSPEL PULPIT.

A Sermon Preached at Bethel Chapel, Cheltenham, on Sunday Evening, March 9, 1845.

BY J. BLOMFIELD.

"Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and flesh."-1 Chron. xi. 1.

defeat him, blast his fiendish designs, and chain him under his omnipotent hand: but this serpent shall bruise his (the seed of the woman) heelChrist's human nature. Jesus is the sum and substance of the scriptures, the golden vein running through them, the golden thread that keeps the leaves together. "Search the scriptures," this had reference to the "Search the scriptures, for in Old Testament, the New being then them ye think ye have eternal life, and not written; he is the true scapethey are they which testify of me," goat that hath borne away all the says one that spake as never man sins of the elect body, the church, spake. Whatever part of the sacred the desire of all nations, the horn of writings our minds are called to sur- salvation, the golden table, the shewvey, or to look into, we find they uni- bread, the true ensign, heavenly dew, forialy preach Jesus. The first pro- the good old corn, finest of the wheat, mise, Gen. iii. 15, "And I will put manna from heaven; his love being enmity between thee and the woman, from everlasting to everlasting is the between thy seed and her seed, it old wine of the kingdom, blessings shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt on his dear name for ever and ever bruise his heel," displays the sove- he is everything that is precious, reignty of God. The act of sove. glorious, and sublime. Here is subreignty is, I will put enmity between limity unparalleled, a subject vast, thy seed and her seed; it preached ponderous, and profound; there is a Jesus as the seed of the woman. But depth in it that has never been exwhat shall this blessed, precious, glo. plored, a height the greatest mind rious person perform? He shall has never yet attained unto. That is bruise thy head (the serpent's), the the man who knows most of this seat of all his schemes; he shall not blessed theme, that enjoys fellowship, keep at the outskirts, but he shall nearness, and oneness with Jesus. come right into the citadel of the foe, But oh, what a path to travel to July, 1845]

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reach it, for, under beaven's direction and appointment, we must pass through fire and through water to come into the wealthy place." "Search the scriptures," ah, search them, the reason is assigned, they testify of me. That word "me" is big with importance, it is fraught with preciousness, it is full of meaning; in a word, it is ponderous divinity. Blessed Lord, lead us into it. Oh, for the oil, unction, power, blessedness of it; he is the paschal lamb, the rose of Sharon, the great physician, he it is that healeth all thy sorrows, the bundle of myrrh, a prophet, a priest, a king-the head. What saith the word of God, "The wise man's eyes are in his head." Here we see the pre-eminence of Christ, "The head of every man is Christ." The wise, defines character; made wise unto salvation; he has been led to see his own foolishness, his false refuges, his valueless physicians. God's good Spirit thus leading the blind by a way that they not," at last to rest in Jesus, for they that believe do enter into rest,' because they enter into Jesus, the true and glorious rest and sabbath of his people. He is their sun, and shield. Sun of Righteousness; the most impervious cloud flies before him, he is the portion of his dear people. What subject SO near, sweet, and precious to the apostles as Jesus; it is a name that sounds sweet upon the ears of the circumcised. Intrepid Paul preached Jesus, and the resurrection, Acts xvii. 18.

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Christ and him crucified," 1 Cor. i.

23. See him persecuted, reviled, suffering, for so doing; but what says Paul, bless you, he speaks like one feeling the vitality, power, and unction of the religion of Christ, notwithstanding the mighty formidable phalanx of his enemies, he preached Jesus, For the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have believed," 2 Tim. i. 12. There

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is nothing to be ashamed of in the glorious person of Christ, the eternal realities and verities of his kingdom. There is no other subject worth preaching about, but Jesus, his suitability, consummate righteousness, his truth and faithfulness, and his powerful invincible operations. He is "the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning (or the head) of the creation of God," Rev. iii. 14. The sun preaches Jesus: the stars declare him: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work,” Ps. xix. 1. "The bright and morning star." Rev. xxii. 16. Every spire of grass, shining with the dew of heaven, proclaims him to the spiritual mind; every leaf that bends to the breeze, preaches him to the mind, drawn out into the field of spiritual contemplation. The poet says when writing on the heavens, "Those mighty orbs proclaim thy power,

Their motions speak thy skill, And on the wings of every hour, We read thy patience still." This blessed person must be a prccious subject to those who know him. The great trouble of our souls is, because we know so little of him, as our rock, tower, and hiding-place. The mind oft goes out after things of antiquity, here is a subject the most ancient; the mind is so constituted as to want a variety, here is a rich variety, that we can only enter unctuously into, by the Spirit of wisdom and counsel. It is the most important subject, "For there is none other name given under heaven, whereby men can be saved but through the name of Jesus," which is a name above every name, for "he is the chiefest among ten thousand." Listen to the accents of one, who knew what it was to enjoy fellowship with God,

Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon the earth, that I desire beside thee." Oh, says the poor traveller, the broken-hearted sinner, I love to hear Jesus spoken well of, but I want to feel his power, to

enjoy nearness with him. This Jesus whom David sung, whom Paul blessedly proclaimed, his glories are illimitable, his fame in the church indestructible; he is heaven's catholicon, for the broken in heart, the wounded in spirit, cast down, burdened sinner, he is the balm that will suit all the cases of his dear bloodbought family, the balm of Gilead, the tree of life, the plant of renown, Passing over the literal interpretation of this passage, may the blessed Spirit of all truth lead us to search it, to see if it testifies of Jesus and his dear people.

"Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh." In the words we will observe, as far as the Spirit may enable us.

I. The Person, David, as a type of Christ.

II. The People, Israel, as typical of God's spiritual people.

III. The Testimony, "Behold we are thy bone."

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I. The Person, as a type of Christ. 1st In the appellation itself—David, it signifies beloved. The scriptures speak of Jesus under this name, I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,' Ps. lxxiii. 3. He is said to be the chosen of God. In Isa. lxii. 1, "Behold my servant whom I uphold, my elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.' Jer. xxx. 9. "But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king whom I will raise up unto them." They that have been in trouble, soul trouble, spiritual conflicts, that have been in bondage, shall serve the Lord their God. Mark, the blessed relationship, and David their king, the blessed Jesus king of the Jews, reigning in their hearts by powerful, invincible, sover. eign grace, "and David my servant shall be king over them. " Again, "and my servant (observe the capacity of Jesus, servant) David shall be their prince for ever." The dignity, prince, duration

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for ever; and many other scriptures might be quoted on this point, such as Ezek. xxxiv; Hosea iii. 5. But it signifies Beloved. Jesus Christ in his complex character is emphatically styled, the Beloved of God, "Lo, a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." See him also at the mount of transfiguration. Matt. xvii. 5. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;" here is a wonderful development of heaven's glory, he is the Beloved of the Father, and the Beloved of his dear people; what is there resting on this fact, that he was and is the Beloved of his Father, as the Father loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love." God the Father loved his Son from everlasting, so Christ, the God Man, set up from everlasting, in the purposes, counsels, settlements of grace, loved his people from everlasting; the Father loved his Son with an unchanging, eternal love : so Jesus having loved his own, which were in the world, he loveth them unto the end. Here is posses

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sion, his own, mark the position, "In the world," not of it, for they are crucified to it. The testimony, "loved them unto the end." He is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever; the same in person, love, and fulness. What an untellable blessing for the poor and afflicted soul who is oft doing business in deep waters, cast down with doubts and fears, enemies without and within, infidelity, peevishness, and fretfulness. That, He is a friend that loveth at all times, one born for adversity," a "priest touched with the feelings of our infirmities." Well he is truly the Beloved of God and his church.

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2nd. In his employment, shepherd, "behold he keepeth the sheep," 1 Sam. xvi. 11. 'But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem," 1 Sam. xvii. 15. Holy Spirit, aid us, while we look at our most glorious and precious Christ, under this character, a shepherd, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall

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