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that they would stand forward and open up those passages which seem to favour the Arminian scheme; that through their instrumentality the feeble might be strengthened, the ignorant instructed, the host of freewillers weakened, and the God of Israel glorified.

The word of God is to me the gospel standard, and the Spirit of God is the standard in the gospel. The apostle has exhorted the church at Ephesus to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and not only the sword, as a weapon to fight with, but the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, wherewith to stand against all the fiery darts of the devil. Not a, word about our experience standing forth to constitute any part of the weapons or the armour. The Lord worketh by his word and Spirit in calling and in building up his church; and by his word will he judge and condemn the ungodly.

That portion of the word of God which I have reference unto, has been and still is a stumbling-stone to many of God's children, more or less. I have found it so many times, and been confounded when opposed by the Arminians on the subject. If you think a few thoughts on that portion of the word of God worthy a place in your pages, Messrs. Editors, their insertion will much oblige one whose desire it is to understand the mind of the Spirit in the word.

In taking up the words of the Lord, we will first consider what we are to understand by-Jerusalem. The Lord could not mean the city that was composed of inanimate materials, but the inhabitants; and he addresses himself unto them in a solemn manner," O Jerusalem," &c. Here we have set before us, Jerusalem and her children. The Lord does not say,. O Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee together" but it stands thus, how often would I have gathered thy chil

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dren together, as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not." On this point hangs all the consistent viewing of that portion of God's word; in taking it up under that consideration, and making a distinction between Jerusalem and her children, we shall be able to come to an understanding in the matter. The apostle has set forth the subject in the same light in his epistle to the Galations, the fourth chapter; he saith," Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” So we find here is Jerusalem, and her children also. Now Jerusalem that was then in bondage," appears to me to have reference to the Jews under the bondage of the law. Jerusalem's children I should consider to be the elect of God; not according to the flesh the children of Jerusalem, but of Jerusalem which is above, saith the apostle, who is free, and which is the mother of us all; not all Adam's race, nor yet all the race of the Jews, but all the elect of God both Jew and Gentile and they that are the children of promise shall be brought into freedom, being freely chosen and freely blessed.

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In the next place, under what consideration must we take up the words of Him that could not lie, when he said, How often would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not." The words must have a true meaning, and be left on record to answer some purpose in the wisdom of God. We dare not say, that the Lord intended to gather them. and he could not, because they would not comply! To argue in this manner, would make the Lord deficient both in wisdom and power. Lord testified against Jerusalem for their rejecting the prophets, which-he had sent amongst them; and, according to their will and determination, the Lord acted against them and threatened their overthrow. The Lord, I have no doubt on my mind, addressed himself to Jerusalem in the

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May the blessing of God rest on your labours in the Lord.

Kingston.

D. H.

LETTER FROM THE REV. W. BIDDER
TO A FRIEND.

spirit and declaration of the prophets. of the devil through a false construcIt was the prophets' will and desire tion being placed on the word of that Israel should turn from their God. evil ways, and serve the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord which was in the remnant of Israel, strove against the evil proceedings of Israel. But their counsel was rejected. Yet they were obliged to continue with Jerusalem, because they had no other place of abode. God had fixed the bounds of their habitation, and they could not erect another establishment. Taking the matter up under this consideration, we may understand what the Lord intends by saying, "I would have gathered thy children together, and ye would not."-Not gathered them into an everlasting covenant; no, this is not intended but would huve gathered them round the altar of God, in the true worship of the Lord, and would have gathered them together in a peaceful habitation.

But the Lord saith in verse 30, "Behold your house is kept unto you desolate." The house the Lord here intends is the Jewish establishment; and the desolation, is the removing or taking away of those things which the Lord had established amongst them as his people also, the withdrawment of his presence from them. Jerusalem was very shortly to be cut off as a nation, never more to be gathered together as the Lord's people: and those of them who still retain the old form of worship, have but a desolate house, for the Lord is not with them, neither shall they see the Lord, until they can say by the Spirit of the Lord, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."

Messrs. Editors, if you or any of your correspondents will give a few thoughts on the subject, by way of explanation, to open up the matter more fully, it will be, without doubt, through the blessing of God, a great benefit to many of the Lord's children, who are in bondage through darkness, and oppressed by the power August, 1842.]

My dear brother in covenant love, whom I love and esteem as one of my brilliants designed to shine in the crown royal of heaven, do, my brother, think of your mighty honour, spend the cream of your thoughts on this vast subject.

Our dear friend Bhas just delivered me your most affectionate letter, for the which accept my sincere thanks; and promised to call again, meanwhile I hasten to catch the pen for a moment, to tell my brother his letter is sweet and refreshing to my mind, I believe the Lord dictated it. Write often, do not feel timid, I shall always be most happy to receive a letter from you, or any of the dear few around you, I love them all in the bowels of our all-glorious Lord, and will embrace the earliest oppor→ tunity to pay you another visit; for remember one moment before our Lord's time would not be our mercy. I have several times, since I saw you last, intended to write you a long letter, but my time has been so occupied; however, I hope soon to do so, when the cruise runs well. It is dreadful hard work to write, preach, or compose hymns, unless the Holy Ghost is present with his gracious renewings. Blessed be that gracious Comforter, there is nothing to be done spiritually without him. Every day do I prove the truth of this. He it is who directs the heart into the love of God the Father, as it is in himself, subject to no mutation, no ebbings; there always the same from everlasting to everlasting. This is most blessed in its manifestation.

B B

Not so a long wintry night between sometimes, This the elect have all known that have travelled a few miles. Aye, beloved, for the trial of their faith, not for its destruction. All hail! Avoid all the changing circumstances of a dying world, a corrupt nature, a deceitful heart and a tempting devil. The church is safe, and cannot be more secure, in His person, blood, and righteousness, without spot, and blameless.

Excuse this hasty scrawl as time forbids enlarging. Fail not to give my love to all the royal family, my never ceasing affection to them all. Do pray for a poor worm. Do not forget me when you go in before the King.

I am, and remain, your ever truly and affectionate brother in the Lord,

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WE will notice a few of those blessings with which believers are blessed in Christ. There is a spirit of opposition in Satan and ourselves against God. The carnal mind is enmity against him. One great blessing is, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost to counteract this opposition. This blessing is according to the covenant: " Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you," 1 Prov. 23. It comes through the mediation of Christ. The Holy Spirit is engaged to complete the whole church of Christ. Man by nature is dead in

sin.

The people of God are blessed with regeneration. If we love the Lord, it is the effect of his love to us. The apostle confirms it: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regener

ation, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost," Titus iii. 5. If we are awakened by the Holy Spirit, we know that we have broken the whole law, and merit everlasting punishment.

But the Lord's chosen are blessed in Christ with justification: "They are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." They are delivered from condemnation (Rom. viii. 1).

But the redeemed are blessed in Christ with adoption : " 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."

They are blessed in him with saving faith. If we are blessed with this living principle, we are commanded to come out from among a wicked and ungodly world, and be separate. We read, thar" without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" how then are we to enter the mansions of eternal glory?

The

Men are blessed in Christ with sanctification. This is another blessing of the covenant of grace. Holy Ghost excites hatred to sin. We cannot make ourselves holy; it flows freely to us through Christ.

In him we are blessed with wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Are we lamenting, with the apostle, over a body of sin and death? We must go to Christ with all our sorrows, he is the meritorious cause and principle of sanctification.

In him the believer is also blessed with spiritual enjoyments. All the regenerate have more or less the enjoyment of peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a spiritual joy and communion experienced by them.

But men are blessed in Christ with persevering grace unto the end. They are made faithful unto death.

Finally, they are blessed in him with the glory of heaven. The dear Lord will not be satisfied until this be accomplished. Oh! what cause have we to bless his name.

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REVIEW.

The Fame of Jesus; a Sermon on the Godhead and Mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. By the Rev. Isaac Bridgman, A. M. Svo, pp. 16. Walworth, E. Wood.

OUR readers will remember the controversy at the beginning of the year, in which this author, under the signature of Biblicus, opposed the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ; and, they will remember, that in the conscientious discharge of our editorial duty, we denounced Biblicus as unsound on the fundamental doctrine of the Trinity, and no other than a Sabellian in disguise. This Sermon, it would appear, has been published to rebut that charge; and we should rejoice if we could herefrom recognize him what we heretofore regarded him as a brother in the faith. Now it is very possible, that had this Sermon come to us without any knowledge of the author, and without any knowledge of the circumstances which called it forth, we might have said of it, This Sermon exalts the name and the fame of Jesus very highly, and though in some parts there are phrases, which, being ambiguously expressed, do not exactly please us, nevertheless the author speaks well for his Lord, and is, we should hope, a recipient of his saving grace: but as it is, remembering what Mr. Bridgman has formerly written remembering his scornful jeers upon the absurdity of three Persons existing in the one undivided Jehovah; knowing too, that the Sabellian who denies the doctrine of the Trinity, will nevertheless, as his fancy (or his intellect, if you please) may have decided him, exalt some one of the persons in the Godhead as

possessing all the honours and attri butes, and fulfilling all the covenant engagements of the Three: knowing and remembering these things, we have read this Sermon with more suspicion, and we assert, without a fear of misrepresenting him, that Mr. Bridgman has by this Sermon in no way cleared himself from the charge formerly made. He has exalted Jesus, but he has failed to recognize the covenant transactions of God the Father, and has said nothing of the covenant work of God the Spirit. The engagements of all are promiscuously ascribed to Christ, in whom our author evidently believes the Trinity solely to exist. Jesus is exalted as the one God-the only object of worship-the only author of salvation. --the only Guide of the church. This is not the scripture revelation of the God of Israel. This is not He who is manifested to the awakened sinner-" the Three which bear re cord in heaven, and which Three are One."

Christ is all! Oh this is a soulsatisfying and a soul-ravishing truth, which cannot be too often or too loudly proclaimed. He is ALL in a sinner's salvation, and ALL in a saint's desire. But though in reference to poor wors of the earth, who by him are raised to a hope of everlasting life, Christ is thus all in all; when, as the Son of God, he is spoken of as one of the undivided Three, it is possible to ascribe to him covenant engagements which belong exclusively to the Father and the Holy Ghost. This, theorists in religion do; by this often may be discovered hypocrites in Zion, loud boasters of a Saviour they have never known, and of a salvation they have never realized. Valuable,

unutterably invaluable as is the redeeming and justifying work of our all-glorious Saviour, we desire never to forget, that but for the electing love of God the Father, and the awakening and manifesting grace of God the Spirit, all the blessedness and all the safety resulting from the efficacious atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, would be to us of nothing worth; and thus the soul who actually realizes the benefits of salvation, sees a harmony and a necessity in the work of each of the Persons in Jehovah, which they who are strangers to a real participation therein cannot understand. The Holy Spirit, who is emphatically the Teacher of the church, and who reveals Immanuel to the living soul as the only way to the Father, teacheth him thus experimentally the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, as well as the distinct personality and work of each; and the truth so engraven on his heart, all the gainsaying of adversaries cannot overturn and thus the humble, and it may be unlearned, child of God, stedfastly believes in the mystery of the sacred Three, while they who are led only by their own intellect, and who acknowledge only according to their own comprehension, go floundering along, ever learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Let Mr. Bridgman, if he would clear himself from the charge which we reiterate against him, devote his next Sermon, which he has already announced, to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity; to the distinct personality and separate work of each; or if, as we believe, he denies that fundamental doctrine, let him honestly acknowledge his real creed, and not continue to assume a name which belongs not unto him.

Lord's Day Literature; or Meditatations of the Book of Psalms, from the 119th Psalm Consecutively. By R. B. Sanderson Esq. 12mo.

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The Greek Church Identified by means of the English, and the Church of Scotland acquitted of the PseudoProphetical character implied in the Description of the False Prophet and his Exploits.-Rev. xvi. 13, 14. 8vo. pp. 20.

The Stagnation of Trade, a Subject of Prophecy both in the Old and New Testament; also, the Law of Leprosy, as it Relates to the Present State of the Establishment in these kingdoms. 8vo. pp. 24.

THESE three publications are written by a gentleman who is related to distinguished individuals, each very eminent in their very different stations. Mr. Sanderson is the nephew to the late Earl of Eldon, Lord Chancellor; and by marriage, the son in law of the Rev. William Huntington.

The first of these works consists of twenty two discourses on texts selected from the 22 sections of the 119th Psalm. They are generally illustrated by instances adduced first from the old, and ther from the new testaments; and not unfrequently by quotations from ecclesiastical history. They contain much that we very much approve.

The second pamphlet is the third of a series, in the former two of which, the author considers himself to have identified the Church of England and the Church of Rome with the first and second beasts of the Apocalypse. The recent consecration of a Bishop at Jerusalem, seems to have been the deciding cause influencing him to regard the Greek Church as equally included in the prophecy.

The title of the third pamphlet sufficiently explains its purpose and its contents. All of them prove the author to possess a powerful mind, capable of grasping large ideas, and abilities commensurate to the task of defending them.

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