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 FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
 REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,  D.  D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM  TO 
 
 THE   LIBRARY  OF 
 
 PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 
 
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KELSO    TRACTS 
 
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 "  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound." 
 —Rom.  v.  20. 
 
 "  The  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the 
 promise  by  faith  of  Christ  Jesus  might  be  given  to  them 
 that  believe." — Gal.  iii.  22. 
 
 KELSO: 
 JOHN    RUTHERFURD,    MARKET    PLACE. 
 
 EDINBURGH:  J.  JOHNSTONE;  W.P.KENNEDY;  AND  C.  ZIEGLER. 
 LONDON:  J.  NISBET  &  CO. 
 
 MDCCCXLV 
 
GALASHIELS  : 
 PRINTED  BY  BROCKIE  AND   JAMi 
 'BORDER  WATCH"  OFFICE. 
 
CONTENT  S. 
 
 Tract 
 
 1.  The  Door  of  Salvation  Opened 
 
 2.  Tbe  Faithful  Saying. 
 
 3.  The  Well  of  Living  Water. 
 V"  4.  Jehovah  onr  Righteousness. 
 
 5.  Believe  and  Live. 
 
 6.  Sin  Put  Away  by  Christ. 
 V  7.  Words  of  Warning. 
 
 8.  Electing  Love. 
 
 9.  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  recorded  in  the  Scriptures. 
 V^IO.  Now. 
 
 11.  The  First  Epistle  of  John— to  Fathers,  to  Young  Men,  and  to 
 
 Little  Children. 
 
 12.  The  White  Robes,  for  Sabbath  School  Children. 
 
 13.  The    Works   of  the   Holy  Spirit,   as   Recorded   in    the    New 
 
 Testament. 
 \r  14.  Luther's  Conversion. 
 V*  15.  Sin  our  Enemy,  and  God  our  Friend. 
 16.  The  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 V  17.  The  Anchor  of  the  Soul. 
 
 V  18.  Do  you  Go  to  the  Prayer  Meeting  ? 
 19.  The  City  of  Refuge. 
 
 V"  20.  Night,  Day-break,  and  Clear-day. 
 
 21.  Behold  He  Cometh  with  Clouds. 
 
 22.  God's  Unspeakable  Gift. 
 
 23.  Salvation  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 24.  The  Love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 \*  25.  Who  shall  Dwell  with  the  Devouring  Fire? 
 
 26.  Righteous  Reconciliation. 
 
 27.  The  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 28.  The  True  Heart. 
 
11  CONTENTS. 
 
 Tract 
 
 \r     29.  Without  God. 
 
 \f  30.  The  False  Peace  and  the  True. 
 
 •>,/  31.  God's  Purpose  of  Grace. 
 
 32.  The  Chosen  One. 
 
 33.  The  Last  Time. 
 y-  34.  The  Sin-Bearer. 
 
 35.  The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 36.  Trihulation. 
 
 3/.  Grace  and  Glorv. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 These  Tracts  were  originally  designed  solely  for  the  benefit 
 of  the  Author's  congregation,  and  for  his  own  use,  in  gene- 
 ral distribution.  He  had  no  idea  of  the  extent  which  their 
 circulation  was  to  reach.  He  sought  merely  to  teach  his 
 own  people  by  them,  nor  had  he  any  ambitious  aim  of 
 writing  for  a  wider  circle.  He  thought  of  them  only  as 
 helps  to  his  own  pastoral  work,  and  commenced  them  as 
 such.  He  meant  them  but  as  words  of  instruction  to  his 
 flock,  words  which  should  speak  when  his  voice  was  silent, 
 words  which  should  tell  the  infinite  tale  of  grace  in  the 
 quiet  dwellings  of  his  people,  perpetuating,  not  superseding, 
 the  public  ministry  of  the  Word,  carrying  on  at  home  the 
 work  of  the  pulpit,  or  the  prayer-meeting,  or  the  class, 
 both  in  .the  closet  and  in  the  family.  God  has  been  pleased 
 to  own  them  in  many  ways,  and  to  give  them  a  much  wider 
 circle  to  traverse  than  was  reckoned  on,  or  aimed  at.  To 
 Him  be  the  glory  and  the  blessing,  throughout  eternity  ! 
 
 They  are  rather  miscellaneous  in  their  contents,  and  im- 
 methodical  in  respect  of  order  and  connection.  This  arose 
 from  the  way  in  which  they  commenced,  as  just  stated.  No 
 outline  was  sketched,  no  special  plan  adopted,  because  no  in- 
 tention was  entertained,  at  the  time,  of  extending  the  series 
 to  above  five  or  six  numbers,  instead  of  the  thirty-seven 
 which  it  now  embraces.  Having  once  begun  without  a 
 plan,  it  became  a  matter  of  difficulty,  or  rather  of  impossi- 
 
VI  PREFACE. 
 
 bility,  to  strike  out,  or  follow  one  afterwards.  Besides,  the 
 desultory  method  had  some  advantages  of  its  own,  inas- 
 much as  it  left  the  author  more  unfettered  in  reference  to 
 subjects.  He  could  more  readily  .take  advantage  of  passing 
 circumstances,  and  direct  attention  to  peculiar  topics  of  im- 
 portance, without  being  obliged  to  smoothe  them  down  into 
 a  consecutiveness  which  did  not  belong  to  them.  Had  he 
 been  writing  a  treatise,  nothing  would  have  been  more  pre- 
 posterous ;  but,  as  he  was  merely  throwing  out  casual  frag- 
 ments of  instruction,  there  was  nothing  unsuitable  or  awk- 
 ward about  the  plan.  It  suited  himself  best ;  and  upon  the 
 whole,  he  believes  it  was  most  suitable  for  his  people.  It 
 may  be  well  for  the  reader  of  this  volume  to  keep  this  in 
 mind,  lest  he  should  commence  its  perusal  under  the  idea 
 that  he  is  to  find  in  it  a  regular  and  consecutive  series  of  trea- 
 tises and  expositions. 
 
 But,  though  these  Tracts  are  not  at  all  arranged  in  connec- 
 tion, or  after  a  system,  yet  they  do  in  some  measure  hang,  the 
 one  upon  the  other,  being  knit  together  by  oneness  of  senti- 
 ment and  thought,  if  not  by  regular  coherence  of  plan.  There 
 may  be  among  a  hundred  fragments,  the  unity  of  a  pervading 
 thought,  which  is  to  be  found  in  each  of  them,  though  not 
 one  of  the  pieces  may  properly  fit  in  to,  or  link  on  closely 
 with  the  other.  So  we  think  it  will  be  seen.  There  is  a  lead- 
 ing idea  throughout,  as  any  careful  reader  will  soon  discover, 
 and  by  observing  it,  he  may  not  only  derive  more  profit 
 from  the  Tracts,  but  be  saved,  perhaps,  from  mis-apprehen- 
 ding and  mis-judging  the  Author. 
 
 The  leading  object  of  the  whole  Series  may  be  said  to  be, 
 to  endeavour  to  bring  out  with  some  fulness,  perhaps  with 
 some  repetition,  the  Work  of  Christ,  and  the  Work  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  in  reference  to  the  zuants  of  sinners.     There  are 
 
PREFACE.  Vl  l 
 
 not  a  few  other  points  touched,  more  or  less  largely,  but, 
 this  may  be  said  to  be  the  prominent  and  ever-recurring 
 theme,  set  forth  under  many  various  aspects,  and  embodied 
 in  innumerable  passages  of  the  Word  of  God. 
 
 It  was  found,  in  conversation  with  the  troubled  and 
 doubting,  that  much  confusion  prevailed  in  their  minds,  as 
 to  both  of  these  points,  the  Work  of  Christ,  and  the  Work 
 of  the  Spirit.  There  seemed  a  continual  tendency  to  inter- 
 mingle these  two  things,  and  so  to  subvert  both  ;  to  build  for 
 eternity,  partly  on  the  one,  and  partly  on  the  other,  and  so  to 
 come  short  of  any  true  and  sure  establishment  of  the  soul  in 
 grace.  Many  seemed  most  perversely  bent  on  taking  these 
 two  works  as  if^they  were  one  compounded  work,  trying  to 
 build  their  peace,  their  forgiveness,  their  salvation,  upon  a 
 mysterious  mixture  of  the  two.  The  external  and  the  in- 
 ternal were  not  kept  distinct ;  the  objective  and  the  sub- 
 jective were  confusedly  tangled  together,  so  that  neither  was 
 understood  aright,  and  both  were  misapplied.  It  was  not 
 Christ  for  us,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  in  us,  but  it  was 
 Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit  together,  both  for  us  and  in  us. 
 Thus,  all  was  vagueness  and  indistinctness  in  reference  to 
 what  Christ  had  done,  and  in  reference  to 'what  the  Holy 
 Spirit  had  been  sent  down  to  do.  Hence,  all  was  darkness 
 in  the  soul.  There  was  no  peace,  for  the  ground  of  peace 
 was  not  rightly  seen ;  there  was  no  holiness,  for  the  source 
 of  holiness  was  but  imperfectly  apprehended.  This  Popish 
 mixture  of  these  two  things — "  Christ  for  us,  and  the  Spirit 
 in  us,"  required  to  be  exposed  to  view,  its  unscripturalness 
 condemned,  and  its  evil  influence  neutralized. 
 
 It  is  Christ  for  us,  that  is  our  peace.  It  is  the  Holy 
 Spirit  in  us,  that  is  our  regeneration  and  holiness.  Woe 
 be  to  the  soul  that  intermingles  these  two,  and  seeks  to  rest 
 
Vlll  PREFACE. 
 
 his  peace  and  hope,  partly  on  what  Christ  has  done  for  him, 
 and  partly  on  what  the  Spirit  is  doing  in  him.  * 
 
 In  consequence  of  this  attempt  to  separate  what  had  been 
 so  sadly  confused  and  mixed  together  in  the  minds  of  many 
 with  whom  he  conversed,  the  Author's  meaning  has  been 
 exposed  to  much  mis-construction,  and  a  sense  put  upon  one 
 of  his  Tracts  against  which  he  most  strongly  protests, — a 
 sense,  which  he  cannot  help  calling  a  most  unfair  one, — a 
 sense,  which,  when  he  wrote  the  Tract,  he  never  so  much  as 
 dreamt  of, — a  sense,  which  is  not  only  contradicted  in  the 
 body  of  the  Tract  itself,  but,  most  explicitly  and  repeatedly 
 set  aside  in  the  other  numbers  of  the  Series.  It  was  written 
 before  certain  new  doctrines  arose,  with  wkich  it  has  been 
 supposed  to  coincide,  when  larger  liberty  of  speech  was  al- 
 lowable, because  not  liable  to  misinterpretation.  Subse- 
 quent controversies  may  have  led  some  to  put  a  less  favour- 
 able construction  upon  it.  But,  is  this  just  or  charitable  ? 
 What  work  almost  is  there,  written  anterior  to  an  age  of 
 controversy,  that  will  stand  the  rigid  test  of  a  terminology, 
 framed  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  subsequent  discussion,  and 
 
 *  "  Some  are  all  their  days  laying  the  foundation,  and  are  never  able 
 to  build  upon  it,  to  any  comfort  to  themselves  or  usefulness  to  others. 
 And  the  reason  is,  because  they  will  be  mixing  with  the  foundation 
 stones  that  are  only  fit  for  the  building.  They  will  be  bringing  their 
 obedience,  duties — mortification  of  sin  and  the  like,  unto  the  founda- 
 tion. These  are  precious  stones  to  build  with,  but  unmeet  to  be  first 
 laid  to  bear  upon  them  the  whole  weight  of  the  building.  The  founda- 
 tion is  to  be  laid  in  mere  grace,  mercy,  pardon,  in  the  blood  of  Jesus 
 Christ :  this  the  soul  is  to  accept  of  and  rest  in  merely  as  it  is  grace, 
 without  the  consideration  of  anything  in  itself,  but  that  it  is  sinful  and 
 obnoxious  to  ruin.  This  it  finds  a  difficulty  in,  and  would  gladly  have 
 something  of  its  own  to  mix  in  it ;  it  cannot  tell  how  to  fix  these  foun- 
 dation stones,  without  some  cement  of  its  own  endeavours  and  duty, 
 and  because  these  things  will  not  mix,  they  spend  fruitless  efforts  about 
 it  all  their  days.'" — Owen  on  (he  130th  Psalm. 
 
PREFACE.  IX 
 
 to  oppose  errors,  which  were  not  till  then  in  existence  ? 
 Besides,  is  it  right  to  tear  off  a  single  leaf  from  a  man's 
 book, — a  book  of  more  than  three  hundred  pages, — and  to 
 hold  it  up  to  view  as  a  full  statement  of  all  that  he  believes 
 on  a  particular  point,  regardless  of  the  most  distinct  expla- 
 nations in  a  hundred  other  parts, — more  especially,  when 
 one  of  his  chief  designs  was  to  isolate  each  topic  as  much  as 
 possible,  not  in  order  to  disjoin  them  in  reality,  but  merely 
 for  the  sake  of  clearness  and  explicitness,  to  present  them 
 separately  to  the  reader  ? 
 
 It  is  only,  then,  by  setting  distinctly  forth  the  Work  of 
 Christ  for  us,  and  the  Work  of  the  Spirit  in  us,  that  we  can 
 really  present  tjie  sinner  with  what  he  needs.  As  abso- 
 lutely helpless  and  unholy,  he  needs  an  Almighty  Spirit  to 
 new-create  him.  As  condemned  and  accursed,  he  needs  a 
 Divine  substitute  and  peace-maker.  And  in  making  known 
 the  latter,  we  preach  the  Gospel.  For  the  Gospel  is  the 
 good  news  of  what  another  has  done  for  us.  It  is  not  sent 
 to  tell  me  what  to  do,  but  to  tell  me  what  God  has  clone. 
 If  it  only  made  known  what  I  had  to  do  or  to  feel,  it  would 
 be  no  Gospel  to  me,  for  there  would  still  remain  a  vast  gulf 
 between  it  and  me ;  but  it  comes  to  make  known  to  me 
 what  God  has  clone, — has  done  so  completely,  that  he  has 
 left  nothing  for  me  to  do,  but  merely  to  take  possession  of  a 
 purchased  gift. 
 
 And  in  setting  forth  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  we  are 
 called  upon  to  be  careful  on  the  one  hand,  to  shew  the 
 necessity  for  the  direct  and  special  operation  of  His 
 power,  and  on  the  other,  to  guard  the  sinner  against  rest- 
 ing upon  the  Spirit's  work,  as  if  it  were  part  of  the  founda- 
 tion on  which  he  builds  for  heaven.  The  work  in  us,  how- 
 ever deep  and  decisive,  can  never  pacify  our  consciences  or 
 
X  PREFACE. 
 
 reconcile  us  to  God.  It  can  never  make,  or  maintain,  our 
 peace.  It  cannot  be  our  resting-place,  or  our  Saviour. 
 Convictions,  feelings,  prayers,  repentance,  duties,  can  never 
 be  our  peace.  No  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  however  precious, 
 can  ever  make  us  acceptable  before  God.  Nor,  as  too 
 many  seem  to  suppose,  is  it  our  faith,  that  is  our  peace  or 
 our  salvation.  Neither  as  an  act  of  our  own,  nor  as  a 
 fruit  of  the  Spirit,  can  our  faith  be  our  Saviour.  It  is  said 
 to  save  us,  simply  because  it  is  a  giving  ourselves  up  to 
 Christ  to  be  saved  by  him.  It  excludes  not  only  works, 
 but  its  own  self,  in  the  matter  of  salvation.  It  is  what  we 
 believe,  not  our  act  of  believing,  that  saves  us.  On  this 
 point,  an  old  writer  thus  speaks : — "  Faith,  a.s  we  have  often 
 heard,  rests  upon  Christ  alone.  It  in  effect  excludes  itself 
 as  a  work,  in  the  matter  of  justification.  It  is  not  a  thing 
 upon  which  a  sinner  rests :  it  is  his  resting  on  the  Surety. 
 Therefore,  that  man  who  would  bring  in  his  faith,  as  part  of 
 his  justifying  righteousness  before  God,  thereby  proves 
 that  he  has  no  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  He  comes  as  with  a 
 lie  in  his  right  hand;  for  such  is  the  absurdity,  that  he 
 trusts  in  the  act  of  his  faith,  and  not  in  its  object,  i.  e.,  he 
 believes  in  his  faith,  not  in  Jesus  Christ.  Having  taken 
 Christ,  as  he  pretends,  he  would  have  that  very  act  where- 
 by he  received  him,  sustained  at  the  divine  tribunal,  as  his 
 righteousness.  Thus  Christ  is  bid  to  stand  at  a  distance, 
 and  the  sinner's  own  act  is  by  himself  bid  to  come  near,  in 
 the  case  of  justification.  This  is  nothing  else  but  works 
 under  another  name.  It  is  not  faith ;  for  that  necessarily 
 establishes  grace.  This  being  a  matter  of  the  utmost  im- 
 portance, we  cannot  be  too  plain  or  precise  upon  it.  The 
 proud  deceitful  heart  of  man  has  a  diabolical  dexterity,  so 
 to  speak,  in  destroying  the  doctrine  of  grace,  and  therewith 
 
PREFACE.  XI 
 
 iiimself.  The  sinner  will  seek  a  thousand  lurking  holes  at 
 the  foot  of  Sinai,  burning  as  it  is,  rather  than  repair  to  Mount 
 Zion.  Men  may  dispute  with  others,  and  deceive  themselves 
 as  they  will,  but  as  Christ's  surety-righteousness  only  would 
 be  sustained  as  satisfactory  to  law  and  justice,  so  nothing 
 but  it  can  support  a  sinner  at  a  dying  hour.  Everything 
 else  will  then  be  swept  away  as  a  refuge  of  lies,  and  the 
 sinner,  not  in  Christ,  exposed  to  one  eternal  storm."* 
 
 It  is  of  the  utmost  moment  that  these  things  be  attended 
 to,  otherwise  we  shall  never  present  the  Gospel  in  any 
 really  tangible  shape.  Nay,  we  shall  so  confound  things 
 that  differ,  that  they  to  whom  it  is  preached  shall  not  be 
 able  to  see  in  it  any  glad  tidings  at  all.  With  much  that 
 is  evangelical,  both  in  phrase  and  sentiment,  in  our  state- 
 ments, we  may  yet  miss  the  real  point  and  burden  of  the 
 Gospel,  and  so  leave  men  nearly  as  much  in  the  dark  as  if 
 we  had  set  them  upon  providing  a  righteousness  for  them- 
 selves. And  as,  in -these  last  days,  there  are  so  many  re- 
 fuges of  lies,  within  which  sinners  have  entrenched  them- 
 selves, it  becomes  all  the  more  necessary  to  let  men  see 
 what  the  real  refuge  is,  and  how  secure  a  hiding-place 
 from  the  storm  it  affords  to  any  sinner  that  will  only  avail 
 himself  of  its  divinely-erected  shelter. 
 .  For  thus  only  it  is  that  any  thing  like  true  religion  can 
 exist.  A  man  may  be  anxious,  solemn,  earnest,  and  yet 
 have  nothing  of  what  God  can  recognize  as  religion.  So 
 long  as  he  is  mistaking  the  way  of  acceptance,  he  cannot 
 have  what  God  calls  religion.  For  he  has  not  yet  got 
 upon  the  foundation,  he  does  not  as  yet  know  the  way  of 
 approaching  God,  the  only  way  in  which  God  will  receive 
 him.  Therefore  his  worship  cannot  be  acceptable,  for  he 
 *  Bell  on  the  Covenants. 
 
Xll  PREFACE. 
 
 himself  is  not  yet  accepted.  And  how  can  there  be  true 
 religion,  where  the  worshipper  and  the  worship  are  alike 
 unacceptable  ?  The  idea  which  many  have  of  religion  is, 
 that  it  is  a  most  necessary  and  becoming  thing,  by  means  of 
 which  they  hope,  in  course  of  time,  to  work  themselves 
 into  God's  favour,  and  so  to  obtain  forgiveness  before  they 
 die.  But  this  is  man's  religion,  not  God's.  It  has  no 
 resemblance  to  that  in  which  God  delights,  and  which 
 alone  he  will  accept.  Its  chief  feature  is  a  direct  contra- 
 diction to  that  which  the  Bible  presents  to  us.  It  is  an 
 entire  inversion  of  God's  order.  It  ends  with  securing  for- 
 giveness, whereas  God's  religion  begins  with  securing  it. 
 Man's  religion  is  just  a  series  of  solemn  efforts  to  recom- 
 mend himself  to  the  favour  of  God,  in  which  efforts  the 
 only  recommendation  which  God  will  acknowledge,  that  is, 
 the  Work  of  His  own  Son,  is  lost  sight  of.  God's  religion, 
 on  the  other  hand,  is  the  holy  self-sacrificing  life  of  one 
 who  having  secured  forgiveness  and  favour  at  the  very  out- 
 set, simply,  in  believing  the  record  which  God  has  given 
 of  his  Son,  is  walking  with  Him  in  the  calm  consciousness 
 of  being  entirely  accepted,  and  working  for  Him  all  the 
 day  long,  with  the  delighted  eagerness  of  one  whose  only 
 reward  for  toil  is  the  smile  of  love  ;  who  having  been  much 
 forgiven,  loveth  much,  and  is  seeking  to  shew  forth  by  a  life- 
 time's untiring  service,  how  much  he  feels  himself  a  debtor 
 to  the  grace  of  a  redeeming  God. 
 
 Kelso,  October,  1846. 
 
•■ 
 
 No.  1. 
 
 THE  DOOR  OFSALVATIOxN  OPENED 
 
 77ie  everlasting  Door  of  Mercy  and  Salvation  opened;  or  a  loud  and 
 shrill  voice  from  heaven  to  unregenerate  sinners  on-  earth.  Plainly 
 showing  the  necessity  of  opening  your  hearts  that  the  King  of  Glory 
 may  enter  in:  for  He  is  coming  in  flaming  fire  to  take  vengeance  upon 
 them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock! — Rev.  iii.  20. 
 
 It  has  pleased  the  most  wise  Disposer  of  all  things,  out  of 
 the  riches  of  his  free  grace,  to  offer  Jesus  Christ  to  poor, 
 lost,  and  undone  sinners  ;  and  also  it  has  pleased  the  Lord 
 Jesus,  not  only  to  die  for  sinners,  that  He  might  open  up  a 
 way  for  them  to  return  to  God,  but  to  stand  knocking  at  the 
 door  of  their  hearts  to  intreat  them  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 
 Therefore,  as  you  love  your  souls,  as  you  love  your  bodies, 
 as  you  would  not  bring  damnation  on  yourselves,  hear  and 
 fear,  and  do  no  more  wickedly,  but  open  your  hard  and  stony 
 hearts  that  the  King  of  Glory  may  come  in !  O  sinner ! 
 Christ  is  now  standing  and  calling  to  thy  soul,  "If  thou  wilt 
 hear  and  open,  I  will  come  in  unto  you  !"  Now  Christ  is 
 saying,  "  I  know  thy  works;"  I  know  well  enough  that  thou 
 hast  been  a  blasphemer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  unclean,  or  a  thief, 
 or  a  swearer,  or  a  Sabbath-breaker,  or  a  scorner,  yet  I  stand 
 at  thy  door  this  day  and  knock  !  I  will  receive  thee  to 
 mercy,  I  will  forgive  all  thy  sins,  I  will  accept,  I  will  heal, 
 I  will  save  thy  soul,  if  thou  wilt  open  thy  heart  this  day  unto 
 me  and  let  me  in !  O  brethren,  for  Christ's  sake,  refuse  not 
 Christ,  neglect  not  so  great  a  salvation,  lest  ye  perish  ! 
 
 1.  Consider  your  need  of  Christ.  "Give  me  Christ,  or  I 
 perish  for  ever."  Can  you  be  saved  without  Christ  ?  O  I 
 if  you  may  have  Christ  but  for  opening  the  door,  then,  while 
 it  is  called  to-day,  hear  and  open  to  him.  2.  Consider  what 
 answer  thou  wilt  be  able  to  make  at  the  great  day,  if  thou 
 wilt  harden  thy  heart  and  not  open.  What  wilt  thou,  what 
 canst  thou,  plead  for  thyself  at  the  day  of  judgment?  Wilt 
 thou  say  that  the  gospel  never  offered  thee  Christ?  Why,  thou 
 hast  heard  it  this  day,  "  If  any  man  will  hear  and  open  I  will 
 
 j.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  1. —  The  Door  of  Salvation  Opened. 
 
 come  in  to  him  and  will  sup  with  him."  Wilt  thou  say,  I 
 would  have  opened  my  heart  had  it  not  been  for  the  love  of 
 sin,  or  friends,  or  companions  ?  O  how  will  men  and  angels 
 hiss  at  thee  !  This  is  the  man  who  for  his  lusts  forsook  his 
 mercies,  who,  for  a  little  vanity  neglected  his  own  salvation, 
 O  how  wilt  thou  curse  thyself,  to  think  that  for  nothing, 
 yea,  for  what  is  worse  than  nothing,  thou  hast  put  off  Christ 
 and  his  salvation  !  Therefore,  men,  brethren,  and  fathers, 
 hearken  unto  me,  I  this  day  propose  to  you  blessing  and 
 cursing,  life  and  death  ! — salvation  if  you  open  unto  Christ, 
 damnation  if  you  refuse  Christ. 
 
 For  the  Lord's  sake,  choose  not  cursingbut blessing;  choose 
 not  death  but  life ;  choose  not  hell  but  heaven  ;  choose  not 
 sin  but  Christ.  Though  you  have  formerly  slighted  him, 
 yet  if  you  will  now  regard  him,  if  yet  you  will  yield,  if  yet 
 you  will  consent,  if  yet  you  will  become  willing  to  open  unto 
 Christ — Christ  will  be  yours,  mercy  will  be  yours,  salvation 
 will  be  yours !  And  what  would  you  have  more  ?  Will 
 not  all  this  do  ?  Will  not  love  constrain  you  ?  In  love  and 
 mercy,  let  me  beg  of  thee  to  ask  thy  soul  this  question,  how 
 long  will  this  life  and  its  comforts  last  ?  Is  the  world's  hap- 
 piness everlasting?  No,  surely.  Thy  money  and  thy  corn 
 and  thy  land  will  do  thee  no  good  in  the  great  day.  O 
 what  hast  thou  laid  up  for  the  world  to  come  I  Is  the  door 
 of  thy  heart  open  to  Christ  ?  Alas,  alas,  is  thy  poor  soul 
 unconverted  all  this  while  I — what  will  become  of  thee  when 
 this  life  and  all  its  comforts  are  gone?  O  hard-hearted  sin- 
 ner !  this  broad  way  in  which  thou  walkest  will  never  bring 
 thee  to  the  promised  land.  Thy  gold  and  silver  key  will 
 never  open  heaven's  gate  for  thee.  Thy  care  about  this 
 world's  good  will  not  plead  for  thee  before  the  Judge.  All 
 thy  friends  and  acquaintance  with  whom  thou  hast  spent 
 many  joyful  hours — their  good  words  will  stand  thee  in  no 
 stead.  Then  thou  wilt  be  ready  to  cry,  O  where  is  the 
 Christ  that  I  have  despised  I  O  where  is  the  Jesus  that  I 
 nave  resisted  !  Will  he  plead  for  me  !  No  surely.  Go  to 
 the  gods  whom  thou  hast  chosen.  O  what  will  become  of 
 me — of  my  lost  soul !  Must  I  not  die ;  and  whither  will 
 death  carry  me  ?  Into  the  land  of  light  or  of  darkness  ?  To 
 which  of  them  am  I  travelling?  Surely  the  way  of  plea- 
 sure, the  broad  way  of  the  world,  is  not  the  way  to  heaven 
 and  everlasting  happiness.  Say  then,  O  sinner,  to  thy  soul* 
 thy  poor  lost  dying  soul,  what!  must  I  be  taken  from  all  my 
 glory  and  greatness,  from  all  my  delights  and  pleasures,  and 
 be  thrown,  like  Lucifer,  son  of  the  morning,  from  all  my 
 
iVo.  1. —  The  Door  of  Salvation  Opened.  3 
 
 brightness,  into  blackness  and  darkness  for  ever !  When 
 death  hath  closed  my  eyes,  must  I  awake  in  everlasting- 
 flames  !  Yes,  sinner,  thou  shalt ;  and  that  without  remedy, 
 unless  thou  open  thy  heart  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Ask  thy  soul  on  which  hand  thou  art  likely  to  stand  in 
 the  day  of  judgment;  on  the  right  among  the  sheep,  or  on 
 the  left  among  the  goats.  What  will  be  the  end  of  those 
 joys  which  now  make  so  glad  thy  heart  ?  Thou  art  now  in 
 the  broad  way  to  destruction  and  uttereparation  from  God's 
 presence  for  ever!  Thy  pleasures  here  we  may  judge  of; 
 but  O  who  can  tell  the  thousandth  part  of  those  fiery  tor- 
 ments to  which  thou  art  liable  in  the  other  world  I  When 
 thou  diest  thou  shalt  be  a  damned  creature ;  while  thou 
 livest  thou  art  fed  like  a  beast  by  common  Providence  ;  thou 
 art  an  utter  stranger  to  feeding  promises.  If  thou  lookest 
 upwards,  God  is  frowning,  and  his  wrath  is  revealed  from 
 heaven  against  thee.  The  heavens  and  their  host  are 
 ready  every  moment  to  discharge  God's  curses  like  thunder- 
 bolts against  thee.  If  thou  lookest  downward,  thou  mayest 
 see  hell  opening  its  mouth  to  swallow  thee  up  quick  ;  many 
 dangers  attending  thee  every  day,  many  miseries  every  mo- 
 ment. Legions  of  devils  stand  watching  thee,  and  waiting 
 only  for  the  leave  of  God  to'  drag  thy  soul  into  the  lake  of 
 fire.  As  long  as  thou  refusest  to  hear  Christ's  voice,  thou 
 hast  a  hell  upon  earth.  It  is  not  the  multitude  of  thy  com- 
 panions that  shall  lessen  thy  torments  ;  but  they  shall  ra- 
 ther increase  them.  Thy  life  that  hath  been  full  of  worldly 
 joy  shall  end  in  deadly  woe ! 
 
 All  you  into  whose  hands  this  little  book  shall  come,  0  let 
 me  beg  you  to  consider  how  your  hearts  can  endure  to  think 
 of  being  shut  out  of  heaven,  out  of  blessedness  for  ever ! 
 Ask  your  heart  these  questions.  Can  I  burn  ?  Can  I  en- 
 dure the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire  ?  Will  a  glowing  oven, 
 a  scorching  furnace,  be  an  easy  lodging  for  me?  O 
 why,  my  soul,  wilt  thou  not  be  persuaded  to  repent !  Is 
 there  too  much  pain  in  that !  Talk  to  thee  of  crucifying 
 the  flesh,  or  parting  with  thy  worldly  companions,  of  enter- 
 ing in  at  the  strait  gate;  O  these  are  hard  sayings,  who 
 can  bear  them  !  But  how  wilt  thou  dwell  with  devouring 
 fire!  How  wilt  thou  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings! 
 Think  on  hell,  O  poor  soul,  and  then  think  on  Christ ;  and 
 consider  if  a  Redeemer  from  such  misery  be  not  worth  the 
 accepting  of.  Think  on  hell,  and  then  think  on  sin,  and 
 carnal  pleasures ;  consider  how  thou  wilt  relish  them  in  the 
 everlasting  fire  I     Are  these  the  price  for  which  thou  sellest 
 
4  No.  1. —  Hie  Door  of  Salvation  Opened. 
 
 thy  soul  to  hell !  O  bid  these  lusts  and  pleasures  be  gone  ! 
 bid  your  companion-sins  be  gone ;  and  though  you  loved 
 them  well,  and  have  spent  your  time  sinfully  with  them, 
 yet  tell  them  you  must  not  burn  for  them :  that  you  will 
 not  damn  your  soul  to  please  your  flesh.  Having  thus  briefly 
 laid  down  the  use  of  terror,  to  awaken  some  poor  souls  out  of 
 the  depth  of  carnal  security,  I  shall  proceed  to  encourage 
 poor  sinners  to  lay  fast  hold  on  Christ  before  it  be  too  late. 
 
 O  poor  soul !  Hast  thou  kept  Christ  out  a  long  time, 
 and  art  thou  not  yet  resolved  to  open  thy  heart  to  him  ? 
 What  shall  I  say  to  thee?  Let  me  say  this — Christ  waits 
 still  for  thee  ;  Christ  is  still  willing  to  receive  thee  I  Why, 
 then,  wilt  thou  undo  thyself  by  neglecting  so  great  a  salva- 
 tion ?  Think  wha,  message  He  sends  to  thee,  what  errand 
 he  comes  on  ;  it  is  no  dismal  message,  it  is  no  dreadful 
 errand.  If  Christ  had  come  to  destroy  th,y  soul,  could  he 
 have  had  less  welcome  than  thou  hast  given  him  ?  O  for 
 thy  soul's  sake  receive  Him !  O  ye  fools,  when  will  ye  be 
 wise !  Come  unto  Jesus  and  he  will  have  mercy  on  you, 
 and  heal  all  your  backslidings,  and  love  you  freely. 
 
 But  some  poor  soul  will  say,  I  have  a  desire  to  come  to 
 Christ,  but  I  am  afraid  Christ  will  never  receive  such  a 
 wretched  sinner  as  I  am,  who  have  stood  out  so  long  against 
 him.     In  answer  to  this,  let  me  give  you  some  directions. 
 
 1 .  Ah  poor  soul,  art  thou  willing  to  come  to  Christ  ? 
 Then  will  Christ  in  no  wise  cast  thee  out,  if  thou  comest  to 
 Him  poor,  and  miserable,  and  blind,  and  naked.  O  sinner 
 come  not  to  him  in  thine  own  strength  !  but  come  thou  and 
 say,  O  Lord  here  is  a  poor  soul  not  worjth  any  thing  I  O 
 Lord  make  me  rich  in  faith  !  here  is  a  miserable  soul,  O  Lord 
 have  mercy  on  me  !  here  is  a  poor  blind  soul,  O  Lord  en- 
 lighten me  from  above  !  here  is  a  poor  naked  wretch,  O 
 Lord  save  me,  lest  I  perish,  for  I  cannot  help  myself. 
 
 2.  Come  to  Christ  by  believing  in  him.  Yes,  when  thy 
 poor  soul  is  sinking  into  hell,  and  sees  no  way  to  escape  the 
 fearful  wrath  of  God,  O  then  at  such  a  time  seize  fast 
 hold  on  Christ !  O  apprehend  and  apply  all  his  benefits  to 
 thy  soul !  Come  and  grasp  him  in  the  arms  of  thy  faith, 
 and  say,  I  believe  in  thee,  Lord  ;  help  my  unbelief.  And 
 the  answer  which  thy  Lord  will  give  thee,  will  be  this — 
 be  it  unto  thee  according  as  thou  wilt  .Let  Christ  be  in 
 your  hand,  and  the  promise  in  your  eye,  and  no  doubt, 
 though  thou  hast  been  a  rebel  and  a  traitor,  yet  Jesua 
 Christ,  having  received  gifts  for  the  rebellious,  will  shew 
 mercy  to  thee,  and  receive  thee. 
 
N'o.  1  —  To  all  Carnal,  Unconverted^  Christless  Sinners,  5 
 
 3.  Come  to  Jesus  Christ  by  repenting-  and  forsaking"  all 
 thy  sins.  Thou  canst  never  come  to  the  wedding  without 
 the  wedding  garment;  the  old  man  must  be  done  away  be- 
 fore all  things  can  be  made  new.  "  O  Jerusalem,  wash  thy 
 heart  from  wickedness,  that  thou  mayest  be  saved  ;  how 
 long  shall  thy  vain  thoughts  lodge  within  thee?"  Jer.  iv.  14 
 
 [  The  above  is  from  an  old  and  scarce  Sermon  of  the  Rev  Samuel 
 Rutherford.] 
 
 TO  ALL  CARNAL,  UNCONVERTED, 
 CHRISTLESS  SINNERS! 
 
 Miserable  Souls! 
 With  the  eye  of  a  sure,  though  too  feeble  faith,  we  see  the 
 heaven  which  you  neglect,  and  the  blessed  souls  in  glory 
 with  Christ,  whose  companions  you  might  be  for  ever  !  We 
 see  the  multitude  of  souls  in  hell  who  came  thither  by  the 
 same  way  that  you  are  going  in,  who  are  shut  out  of  the 
 glorious  presence  of  God,  and  are  now  among  the  devils  that 
 deceived  them  !  With  our  bodily  eyes  we  see  abundance  of 
 poor  sinners  living  about  us  as  if  there  were  no  God,  no 
 Christ,  no  heaven,  no  hell,  no  death,  no  judgment,  no  eter- 
 nity !  O  what  a  deceiver  is  the  devil,  that  can  thus  lead  on 
 souls  to  their  own  damnation  !  O  what  a  cheater  is  this 
 transitory  world,  that  can  make  men  so  forget  the  world 
 where  they  must  live  for  ever !  O  what  an  enemy  is  this 
 flesh,  that  thus  draweth  men's  souls  from  God !  O  what  a 
 besotting  thing  is  sin,  that  turneth  a  reasonable  soul  into 
 worse  than  a  beast !  O  what  a  world  is  this,  where  men  are 
 .abouring  to  undo  themselves,  and  gratifying  the  devil 
 against  that  God  and  Saviour  who  would  give  them  ever- 
 lasting blessed  life  !  Poor  sinners  !  will  you  still  be  cheated 
 by  this  deceiving  world  ?  Were  you  made  for  no  better,  no 
 higher  work  than  this?  What!  not  one  awakened  look 
 into  the  world  where  you  must  be  forever?  Not  one  heart- 
 raising  thought  of  everlasting  glory?  Not  one  heart-piercing 
 thought  of  all  your  Saviour's  love?  Not  one  tear  for  all 
 your  sinful  lives?  O  God  forbid!  Let  not  our  labours 
 be  so  despised  !  Let  not  your  God,  your  Saviour,  and  your 
 souls  be  set  so  light  by. 
 
 Alas!  what  heart  can   now  possibly  conceive,  or  what 
 tongue  express  the  pains  of  those  souls  that  are  under  the 
 
6  No.  1. —  To  all  Carnal,  Unconverted,  Christless  Sinners. 
 
 wrath  of  God  !  Then,  sinners,  you  will  be  crying-  to  Jesus 
 Christ,  "O  mercy!  O  pity,  pity,  on  a  poor  soul!  Why, 
 I  do  now,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  cry  to  thee,  "  O 
 have  mercy,  have  pity,  man,  upon  thy  own  soul !"  Shall 
 God  pity  thee,  who  wilt  not  be  entreated  to  pity  thyself? 
 If  thy  horse  see  but  a  pit  before  him,  thou  canst  scarcely 
 force  him  in ;  and  wilt  thou  so  obstinately  cast  thyself  into 
 hell,  when  the  danger  is  foretold  thee?  "  Who  can  stand 
 before  the  indignation  of  the  Lord?  and  who  can  abide 
 the  fierceness  of  his  anger?"  (Nahum  i.  6.)  Methinks 
 thou  shouldst  need  no  more  words,  but  presently  cast 
 away  thy  soul-damning  sins,  and  wholly  deliver  up  thyself 
 to  Christ.  May  the  Lord  persuade  thy  heart  to  strike  this 
 covenant  without  any  longer  delay!  But  if  thou  be 
 hardened  unto  death,  and  there  be  no  remedy,  yet  say  not 
 another  day  but  that  thou  wast  faithfully  warned,  and  hadst 
 a  friend,  that  would  fain  have  prevented  thy  damnation. 
 
 Poor  souls,  consider, — God  is  in  earnest  with  you ;  and 
 why  should  not  you  be  so  with  him  ?  In  his  commands, 
 his  threatenings,  his  promises,  he  means  as  he  speaks.  In 
 his  judgments  he  is  serious.  Was  he  not  so  when  he 
 drowned  the  world?  When  he  consumed  Sodom  and 
 Gomorrah?  And  when  he  scattered  the  Jews?  Is  it 
 time,  then,  to  trifle  with  God  ? — Jesus  Christ  was  serious 
 in  purchasing  our  redemption.  In  teaching,  he  neglected 
 his  meat  and  drink.  In  prayer,  he  continued  all  night.  In 
 doing  good,  his  friends  thought  him  beside  himself.  In 
 suffering,  he  fasted  forty  days,  was  tempted,  betrayed,  spit 
 upon,  buffeted,  crowned  with  thorns,  sweat  drops  of  blood, 
 was  crucified,  pierced,  died:  there  was  no  jesting  in  all 
 this.  And  should  not  we  be  serious  in  seeking  our  own 
 salvation? — The  Holy  Spirit  is  serious  in  soliciting  us  to 
 be  happy.  His  motions  are  frequent,  pressing,  and  impor- 
 tunate. He  striveth  with  us.  He  is  grieved  when  we 
 resist  him.  And  should  not  we  be  serious,  then,  in  obeying 
 and  yielding  to  his  motions? — God  is  serious  in  hearing 
 our  prayers,  and  bestowing  his  mercies.  He  is  afflicted 
 with  us.  He  regardeth  every  groan  and  sigh,  and  puts 
 every  tear  into  his  bottle.  The  next  time  thou  art  in 
 trouble,  thou  wilt  beg  for  a  serious  regard  to  thy  prayers. 
 And  shall  we  expect  real  mercies,  when  we  are  slight  and 
 superficial  in  the  work  of  God? — the  ministers  of  Christ 
 are  serious  in  exhorting  and  instructing  you.  They  beg 
 of  God,  and  of  you ;  and  long  more  for  the  salvation  of 
 your  souls  than  for  tiny  worldly  good.     If  they  kill  them- 
 
No.  1. —  To  all  Carnal,  Unconverted,  Cliristless  Sinners.  7 
 
 selves  with  their  labour,  or  suffer  martyrdom  for  preaching 
 the  gospel,  they  think  their  lives  are  well  bestowed,  so  that 
 they  prevail  for  the  saving  your  souls.  And  shall  other 
 men  be  so  painful  and  careful  for  your  salvation,  and  you 
 be  so  careless  and  negligent  of  your  own  ? — How  diligent 
 and  serious  are  all  the  creatures  in  serving  you !  What 
 haste  makes  the  sun  to  compass  the  world !  The  fountains 
 are  always  flowing  for  thy  use ;  the  rivers  still  running  ; 
 spring  and  harvest  keep  their  times.  How  hard  does  thy 
 ox  labour  for  thee  from  day  to  day  I  How  speedily  does 
 thy  horse  travel  with  thee  I  And  shalt  thou  only  be 
 negligent?  Shall  all  these  be  so  serious  in  serving  thee, 
 and  thou  so  careless  in  thy  service  to  God? — The  servants 
 of  the  world  and  the  devil  are  serious  and  diligent.  They 
 jvork  as  if  they  could  never  do  enough.  They  make  haste, 
 as  if  afraid  of  coming  to  hell  too  late.  They  bear  down 
 ministers,  sermons,  and  all  before  them.  And  shall  they 
 be  more  diligent  for  damnation  than  thou  for  salvation  ? 
 Hast  thou  not  a  better  Master,  sweeter  employment,  greater 
 encouragements,  and  a  better  reward? — Time  was  when 
 thou  wast  serious  thyself  in  serving  Satan  and  the  flesh,  if 
 it  be  not  so  yet.  How  eagerly  didst  thou  follow  thy  sports, 
 thy  evil  company,  and  sinful  delights !  And  wilt  thou  not 
 now  be  as  earnest  and  violent  for  God  ? — You  are  to  this 
 day  in  earnest  about  the  things  of  this  life.  If  you  are 
 sick  or  in  pain,  what  serious  complaints  do  you  utter!  If 
 you  are  poor,  how  hard  do  you  labour  for  a  livelihood!  And 
 is  not  the  business  of  your  salvatiou  of  far  greater  moment? 
 — There  is  no  jesting  in  heaven  or  hell.  The  saints  have 
 a  real  happiness,  and  the  damned  a  real  misery.  There  are 
 no  remiss  or  sleepy  praises  in  heaven,  nor  such  lamentations 
 in  hell.  All  there  are  in  earnest.  When  thou,  reader, 
 shalt  come  to  death  and  judgment,  oh  !  what  deep,  heart- 
 piercing  thoughts  wilt  thou  have  of  eternity!  Methinks  I 
 foresee  thee  already  astonished,  to  think  how  thou  couldst 
 possibly  make  so  light  of  these  things.  Methinks  I  even 
 hear  thee  crying  out  of  thy  stupidity  and  madness. 
 
 Poor  sinners  !  We  are  in  good  earnest  with  you  !  Can 
 any  man  be  in  jest  with  you  who  believeth  God?  Our 
 object  is  the  saving  of  your  poor  souls.  What  else  do  we 
 study  for,  labour  for,  suffer  for,  live  for  ?  Come,  then,  and 
 help  us,  who  are  seeking  to  help  you  !  Give  over  striving 
 against  God  and  conscience.  Give  over  fighting  against 
 Christ  and  his  Spirit.  Take  part  no  more  with  the  world 
 and  the  flesh,  which,  in  your  baptism,  you  renounced.     We 
 
8    No.  1. —  To  all  Carnal,  Uncunverted^CIiristless  Sinners. 
 
 oiler  you  nothing  but  what  we  have  chosen  for  ourselves. 
 O  increase  not  your  guilt,  your  pain,  by  refusing  these 
 calls.  O  turn  not  our  complaints  to  God  against  you.  Turn 
 us  not  from  beseeching  you  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  to  tell 
 him  that  you  would  not  be  reconciled.  Force  us  not  to  say 
 that  we  invited  you  to  the  heavenly  feast,  but  you  would 
 not  come.  Poor  sinners  I  your  case  is  not  yet  desperate. 
 O  make  it  not  desperate  I  Heaven  may  yet  be  yours  if  you 
 will.  O  will  you  not  be  saved?  Will  you  prefer  the  world 
 and  the  flesh  before  your  Saviour  and  your  God,  before  a 
 sure  and  everlasting  joy  ?  O  retire  for  a  little  into  thyself, 
 and  use  the  reason  of  a  man.  Look  before  thee  whither 
 thou  art  going,  and  look  behind  thee  how  thou  hast  lived  ; 
 look  within  thee  and  see  what  state  thy  soul  is  in,  whether 
 it  be  ready  to  enter  on  eternity ;  look  above  thee,  what  a 
 heaven  of  glory  thou  dost  neglect,  and  what  a  God  thou 
 hast  to  be  thine  everlasting  friend  or  enemy ;  look  beneath 
 thee,  and  think  where  they  are  that  have  died  unconverted. 
 When  thou  hast  soberly  thought  of  these  things,  then  do  as 
 God  and  thy  conscience  shall  direct  thee.  And  is  this  an 
 unreasonable  request. 
 
 If  now,  poor  soul,  thou  art  fully  convinced,  and  askest, 
 what  should  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  the  Lord  make  thee  will- 
 ing, and  I  will  quickly  tell  thee  in  a  few  words. 
 
 1.  Come  to  Christ,  and  take  him  for  thy  Saviour,  thy 
 teacher,  thy  king,  and  he  will  pardon  and  save  thee. 
 —John  i.  12.      1  John  v.  11.  12. 
 
 2.  Believe  God's  love,  and  the  pardon  of  sin  and  the 
 everlasting  joys  of  heaven,  that  thou  mayest  feel  all 
 else  to  be  vanity  in  comparison  with  these. 
 
 Pity,  O  Lord,  and  persuade  these  souls  I  Let  not  Christ's 
 blood,  his  doctrine,  his  example,  his  Spirit,  be  lost  unto 
 them,  and  they  lost  for  ever  I  Let  not  heaven  be  as  no 
 heaven  to  them,  while  they  dream  and  dote  on  the  shadows 
 of  this  world.  O  save  this  land  from  the  greater  destruc- 
 tion, than  all  plagues,  and  famines,  and  divisions,  and  wars, 
 which  our  sins  and  thy  threatenings  make  us  fear.  O  Lord 
 in  thee  have  we  trusted,  let  us  never  be  confounded ! 
 
 [Abridged  from  Baxter."] 
 
 Kelso  :     Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd. — Price  3s.  per  100. 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 andrew  jack,  printer,  eeinbi  rgh. 
 
No.  2 
 
 THE  FAITHFUL  SAYING. 
 
 God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gouts  hu  only  begotten  Son,  thai 
 whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish." — John  hi.  16. 
 
 Here  God,  who  is  infinite  and  unspeakable,  gives  after 
 such  a  manner  as  passes  all  things.  For  that  which  he 
 gives,  he  gives  not  as  the  wages  of  desert,  but  of  mere  love. 
 This  ought  to  encourage  our  hearts,  and  to  abolish  all  sorrow, 
 when  this  exceeding  love  of  God  comes  in  mind,  that  we 
 might  trust  thereto  and  believe  stedfastly,  that  God  is  that 
 bountiful  and  great  Giver,  and  that  this  gift  of  his  proceeds 
 o£  that  great  virtue  of  love.  This  sort  of  giving,  which  has 
 its  spring  of  love,  makes  this  gift  more  excellent  and  pre- 
 cious. And  the  words  of  Christ  are  plain,  that  God  loveth 
 us.  Wherefore,  for  this  love's  sake  we  ought  greatly  to 
 esteem  all  things  that  he  gives  us.  And  as  God,  the  giver, 
 is  exceedingly  great,  so  is  the  gift  that  he  giveth,  which  is 
 his  only  Son. 
 
 But  here  unbelief  troubles  us,  and  also  incredible  dark- 
 ness and  ignorance,  so  that  when  we  hear  of  this  so  great  a 
 gift  we  do  not  believe  it.  When  it  is  told  us  that  God  hath 
 ^iven  unto  us  his  Son  out  of  mere  love,  we  are  without  any 
 desire  to  receive  it.  We  care  not  for  the  promise  of  this 
 gift,  but  bestow  all  our  cares  on  worldly  things.  Yet  no- 
 thing is  asked,  save  that  thou  shouldst  joyfully  embrace  it! 
 But  alas !  what  an  unworthy  thing  is  this,  that  there  be 
 neither  hearts  nor  hands  to  receive  this  gift !  And  yet 
 God  asks  nothing  else  of  us,  but  just  to  take  it  as  our  own. 
 But  this  is  our  madness,  that  though  we  are  mere  beggars, 
 we  scorn  to  be  provided  for.  Judge  then  what  a  grie- 
 vous sin  is  unbelief! 
 
 Hence,  also,  it  appears  how  mad  the  world  is,  that  it  has 
 no  joy  in  the  gift  of  God.  For  so  little  does  the  world  de- 
 serve this  love  and  gift  of  God,  that  nothing  can  be  more 
 against  God  or  nearer  to  the  devil  than  the  world  is.  And 
 yet  this  is  the  true  testimony  of  Christ,  that  God  so  loved 
 the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son.  But  because 
 of  these  sins,  and  this  misery  with  which  we  sinners  are  bur- 
 dened, and  so  burdened  that  we  could  never  escape  without 
 the  help  of  God,  God  doth  put  forth  this  love,  and  bestows 
 
 j.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  2—  The  Faithful  Saying. 
 
 this  gift  freely  upon  us.  Is  not  the  merciful  Lord,  there- 
 fore, worthy  to  be  loved  again  ?  And  ought  we  not  to  put 
 our  whole  confidence  in  Him  ?  Let  us,  then,  understand 
 that  God  is  not  here  said  to  be  angry  with  the  world,  but 
 to  love  it,  in  that  he  gave  his  Son  for  it.  God  is  merciful 
 to  us  and  loveth  us,  and  of  very  love  gave  his  Son  unto 
 us,  that  we  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 
 And  as  God  giveth  by  love  and  mercy,  so  do  we  take  and 
 receive  by  faith,  and  no  otherwise.  Faith  only — that  is, 
 trust  in  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God,  is  the  very  hand  by 
 which  we  take  this  gift. 
 
 This  gift  is  given  to  make  us  safe  from  death  and  sin. 
 For  even  as  a  great  flame  is  in  comparison  with  a  drop  of 
 water,  so  is  Christ  in  comparison  with  the  sins  of  the  world. 
 As  soon  as  they  touch  Christ,  and  as  soon  as  the  gift  is  re- 
 ceived by  faith,  our  sins  are  quite  consumed  and  abolished, 
 even  as  a  dry  stalk  is  by  a  hot  fire.  These,  then,  are  excel- 
 lent words,  and  words  of  life :  God  grant  us  his  grace  to 
 print  them  in  our  hearts.  For  he  that  hath  these  words 
 surely  fixed  in  his  heart  can  neither  be  afraid  of  the  devil, 
 nor  of  sin,  nor  of  hell,  but  will  be  of  a  quiet  heart,  and  say, 
 "I  am  without  all  fear"  for  I  have  with  me  the  Son  of 
 God,  whom  God  hath  given  unto  me  by  his  love,  and  by  the 
 gospel  which  assures  me  of  it.  And  thy  word,  O  Lord,  and 
 thy  Son  Jesus,  will  not  deceive  me,  in  whom  alone  I  put 
 my  trust.  If  I  be  weak  in  faith,  grant  me  grace  that  I  may 
 believe  more  stedfastly.  For  besides  this  I  have  no  other 
 help  in  this  evident  gift  and  love  of  God,  but  that  we  should 
 all,  by  a  little,  and  a  little,  believe  more  and  more  in  this 
 gift.  And  the  stronger  faith  is,  the  greater  is  the  joy,  plea- 
 sure, and  security,  that  is  felt  rising  in  the  niind,  so  that  we 
 are  ready  to  do  and  suffer  all  that  God  requires  of  us,  know- 
 ing that  He  is  loving,  and  uses  nothing  but  love  toward  us. 
 
 But  thou  wilt  say,  If  I  were  as  Peter,  Paul,  and  Mary 
 were,  this  gift  would  be  comfortable  unto  me.  For  they 
 are  saints,  and  doubtless  this  saying  pertains  but  unto  them. 
 How  should  I,  who  am  a  sinner,  by  any  means  understand 
 that  it  pertains  unto  me,  who  have  so  often  offended  God  by 
 my  sins, and  have  made  him  my  enemy  ?  But  such  thoughts 
 are  nothing  but  mere  incredulity  and  unbelief,  which  goeth 
 about  to  withdraw  us  from  this  sweet  gospel.  And  truly 
 unbelief  can  be  overcome  by  no  other  means  than  by  the 
 word  of  God.  Of  this  Christ  spake — that  we  should  not 
 doubt  of  this  word;  saying,  that  his  Father,  the  true  and 
 eternal  God  in  heaven,  did  so  love  the  world)  that  he  deli- 
 
No.  2.—  The  Faithful  Saying.  3 
 
 vered  his  only  begotten  Son.  And  this  is  sure,  that  the 
 world  here  does  not  signify  Mary,  Peter,  and  Paul  only; 
 but  the  world  signifies  all  mankind.  Therefore  if  thou  takest 
 thyself  to  be  of  mankind,  or  if  thou  dost  not  believe  that, 
 compare  thyself  with  other  mortal  men,  that  thou  may  est 
 understand  that  thou  art  a  man.  For  why  shouldest  thou 
 not  suffer  thyself  to  be  of  this  name,  seeing  that  Christ  with 
 plain  words  saith,  that  God  gave  not  his  Son  only  for  Mary, 
 Peter,  and  Paul,  but  for  the  world,  that  all  should  receive 
 him  that  are  the  sons  of  men.  Then  if  thou  or  I  would  not 
 receive  him,  as  though  he  did  not  appertain  unto  us,  truly 
 it  would  consequently  follow,  that  Christ's  words  are  not 
 true,  whereas  he  saith  he  was  given  and  delivered  for  the 
 world.  Wherefore  it  appears  that  the  contrary  thereto 
 is  most  assuredly  true,  that  this  gift  belongs  as  well  unto  thee 
 as  to  Peter  and  Paul,  forasmuch  as  thou  also  art  a  man  as 
 they  were,  and  a  portion  of  the  world;  that  God  may  not 
 be  judged  in  his  word,  and  this  thought  rise  in  our  heart, 
 thinking  on  this  wise,  Who  knoweth  whether  I  am  also  of 
 their  number,  to  whom  the  Son  of  God  is  given,  and  eternal 
 life  promised.  For  that  is  as  much  as  to  make  God  untrue 
 to  his  promise.  Wherefore  when  this  thought  comes  upon 
 thee,  suspect  it,  as  thou  wouldest  suspect  the  devil,  lest  thou 
 be  therewith  deceived.  And  say  thou,  What  is  that  to  me, 
 that  I  am  neither  Peter  nor  Paul  ?  If  God  would  have 
 given  this  gift  to  them  only  that  should  have  been  found 
 worthy,  he  would  have  given  it  to  the  angels,  to  the  sun,  and 
 to  the  moon ;  for  they  are  pure  and  undefiled  creatures,  which 
 always  obey  God,  and  never  decline  or  swerve  from  his  pre- 
 cepts. But  this  is  the  truth  of  the  matter,  he  gave  Him  to 
 the  world,  and  the  world  is  no  worthier  thereof  than  as  I 
 said  before.  Wherefore,  although  I  am  neither  Peter  nor 
 Paul,  yet  will  I  not  suffer  myself  to  put  aside  this  gift, 
 but  will  challenge  as  much  for  my  part  as  David  and  all  the 
 holy  apostles  did.  Whatsoever  I  am,  yet  God  is  not  to  be 
 taken  as  unfaithful  to  his  promise.  I  am  a  portion  of  the 
 world,  wherefore  if  1  take  not  this  gift  as  mine  own,  I  make 
 God  untrue. 
 
 But  thou  wilt  say,  Why  does  He  not  show  this  to  me 
 alone  ?  Then  I  would  believe  and  think  surely  that  it  ap- 
 pertained unto  me.  But  it  is  for  a  great  consideration  that 
 God  speaks  here  so  generally;  to  the  intent,  verily,  that  no 
 man  should  think  that  he  is  excluded  from  this  promise  and 
 gift.  He  that  excludes  himself  must  give  an  account  why  he 
 does  so.     I  will  not  judge  them,  saith  He,  but  they  shall  be 
 
4  No.  2.—  The  Faithful  Saying. 
 
 judged  of  their  own  mouth.  For  this  gift  was  given  to 
 the  world,  and  they,  by  their  unbelief  and  mistrust  of  God's 
 word,  will  not  receive  it.  Yet  if  a  man  will  consider  well, 
 he  shall  perceive  that  baptism  and  also  the  communion  of 
 the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  were  ordained,  that  every  man 
 should  take  this  gift  frankly  and  freely  as  his  own.  We 
 are  saved,  then,  only  by  the  mercy  of  God;  and  we  obtain 
 this  grace  only  by  faith,  without  virtue,  without  merits,  and 
 without  works.  For  the  whole  matter  that  is  necessary  to 
 the  getting  of  everlasting  life  and  remission  of  sins  is  alto- 
 gether and  fully  comprehended  in  the  love  and  mercy  of 
 God,  through  Christ.  God  grant  us  his  grace  that  we  may 
 believe  and  trust  to  this  surely— that  we  may  suffer  all 
 things  with  a  glad  and  ready  heart,  and  may  so  die  that  we 
 may  be  saved  for  ever,  through  his  Son  and  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ.     Amen. 
 
 [Extracted from  the  Works  of  Thomas  Becon,  one  of  the  English 
 Reformers,  who  was  born  a.  d.  1610;  died  15G7.] 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 Hath  the  invitation  ended, 
 
 Is  the  cry  of  mercy  dumb  ? 
 Still  salvation  is  extended, 
 
 Still  the  call  is — "  freely  come  ? 
 
 Still  for  sinners  Jesus  pleadeth 
 
 In  compassion's  gentlest  tones, 
 Still  the  Spirit  intercedeth, 
 
 With  unutterable  groans. 
 
 Still  the  Bride,  the  Church  would  gather 
 
 Every  wanderer  to  the  fold  ; — 
 Still  the  everlasting  Father 
 
 Would  with  love  each  child  behold. 
 
 Then  let  every  soul  that  thirsteth 
 
 Freely  to  this  fount  repair, 
 And  while  yet  the  tide  out-bursteth 
 
 Drink  and  grow  immortal  there. 
 
 Kelso  :    Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd Price  Is.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
No. 
 
 THE  WELL  OF  LIVING  WATER. 
 
 Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath 
 no  money :  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  with- 
 out money  and  without  price." — Isaiah  lv.  I. 
 
 Jt  is  God  who  is  speaking  to  us  in  these  gracious  words. 
 It  is  he  who  says,  Ho!  and  thus  calls  the  attention  of  heed- 
 less men  to  his  message  of  love.  It  is  God  himself,  even 
 our  own  God,  who  is  thus  calling  on  the  children  of  men 
 to  come  to  the  waters.  He  sees  men  every  where  turned 
 away  from  Him,  wandering  in  search  of  other  objects, 
 their  ear  closed  against  every  voice,  but  that  of  the  world, 
 and  He  summons  their  attention.  He  invites  them  to  stop 
 and  listen  to  his  message.  Ho,  every  heedless  sinner;  ho, 
 every  thirsty  soul,  there  are  tidings  for  thee !  Come  to  the 
 waters  ! 
 
 Is  this  invitation,  then,  to  all  sinners  without  exception? 
 Or  is  it  only  a  certain  class  that  is  addressed  ?  Are  all  in- 
 vited just  as  sinners  ?  Is  every  one  at  once  to  take  the 
 message  as  spoken  to  himself?  Or  is  it  only  those  who  art 
 qualified  and  prepared  in  some  way  that  are  addressed  ?  It 
 is  evident  that  the  term  "thirsty,"  is  here  used  not  to  single 
 out  a  peculiar  class  of  sinners,  but  simpiy  to  describe  the 
 natural  unhappy  state  of  every  unconverted  soul.  The 
 thirst  spoken  of  is  not  the  thirsting  after  righteousness,  but 
 simply  the  sense  of  misery,  and  the  desire  to  be  happy 
 which  is  in  every  fallen  child  of  Adam,  before  he  ever  be- 
 gins to  thirst  after  righteousness  at  all.  This  is  plain  from 
 the  second  verse,  where  those  who  are  invited  are  describ- 
 ed as  "  spending  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread,  and 
 their  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not."  That  is  to  say, 
 they  are  poor  worldling*,  throwing  away  their  all  upon  va- 
 nity ;  toiling  for  what  cannot  feed  their  souls,  nor  yield 
 them  any  return.  Their  way  of  spending  their  money  and 
 their  labour,  is  one  which  will  do  nothing  for  their  souls 
 
 J.  RUTHERFURD  S  SERIES  OF  TRACTS. 
 
2  No.  3 — The  Well  of  Living  Water. 
 
 It  brings  them  no  ease.  It  does  not  fill  the  dreary  void  of 
 the  heart,  that  is  left  by  the  absence  of  God.  It  leaves 
 them  emptier,  thirstier,  hungrier,  than  before.  These  are 
 the  men  that  are  invited.  They  are  the  same  that  Jesus 
 invites  when  he  says,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour  and 
 are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest;"  in  which  words 
 he  speaks  of  the  burden  which  every  man  is  bearing,  who 
 remains  away  from  God,  just  as  the  prophet  declares  the 
 thirst  that  every  man  is  enduring,  who  has  forsaken  the 
 fountain  of  living  waters. 
 
 The  words  are  therefore  addressed  to  all !  Come  ye  to 
 the  waters.  To  every  sorrowful  soul  that  says,  "  Who  will 
 shew  me  any  good ;"  to  every  weary  sinner  that  would  fain 
 be  happy,  but  knows  not  how;  to  every  worldly  sinner 
 that  is  drinking  from  the  world's  broken  cisterns ; — to  all 
 such,  it  is  said,  "  I  will  give  to  him  that  is  athirst  of  the 
 fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 
 
 Here  then  is  God's  solemn  declaration,  that  there  are 
 waters.  It  is  no  uncertain,  no  doubtful  thing.  There  is 
 such  a  thing  as  perfect  blessedness  for  the  soul.  Most 
 men  seem  to  think,  that  as  they  have  long  gone  from  one 
 thing  to  another,  seeking  happiness,  and  have  always  failed, 
 they  must  just  be  contented  to  remain  unhappy  and  make 
 the  best  of  a  bad  bargain.  They  have  had  their  trials,  but 
 they  are  not  worse  off  than  others.  They  do  not  say  that 
 they  have  got  their  heart's  desire,  but  merely  that  they  have 
 got  all  a  man  is  likely  to  get,  and  have  therefore  no  right 
 to  complain.  This  is  the  best  the  poor  soul  can  hope  for, 
 in  that  world  to  which  he  clings  so  fondly ! 
 
 But  there  are  waters  !  There  are  none  in  the  world  ;  it 
 is  a  wilderness.  But  they  are  to  be  found  in  God.  God 
 says  he  has  waters  for  us.  He  has  that  which  will  satisfy 
 the  soul;  which  will  give  us  perfect  peace, — something  that 
 will  make  us  supremely — infinitely  blessed,  so  that  we 
 shall  never  thirst  again.  And  he  not  only  provides  those, 
 but  he  presses  us  to  come  to  them.  He  would  not  have 
 us  remain  another  hour  without  them.  It  is  the  poor  and 
 the  miserable  that  he  invites ;  and  he  repeats  the  message, 
 "  Come  ye/'  to  shew  how  earnestly  he  is  pressing  us  to 
 come.  And  lest  we  should  imagine  that  we  are  to  buy  or 
 to  earn  these  blessings  ourselves,  he  tells  us  they  are  alto- 
 gether free.  They  have  been  bought  for  us  already.  They 
 are  ours  for  the  taking.  It  is  not  needful  that  we  should 
 have  something  of  our  own  to  buy  them  with.     Our  get- 
 
No.  3—77/6?  Well  of  Living  Water.  3 
 
 ting  them  does  not  depend  upon  our  having  any  thing,  but 
 takes  for  granted  our  wanting  every  thing.  Our  plea  with 
 God  is  not  what  we  have,  but  what  we  need.  Nor  does 
 the  word  "  buy"  here  used,  contradict  th.s.  It  is  employ- 
 ed to  shew  us  that  though  we  have  nothing,  we  are  to  come 
 with  the  same  confidence  as  if  we  had  the  full  purchase- 
 money  to  give  !  Though  we  could  buy  them  all  ourselves, 
 we  could  not  be  more  certain  of  obtaining  these  blessings  ! 
 "  Buy  wine  and  milk,  without  money  and  without  price.*" 
 Every  kind  of  enjoyment — every  kind  of  refreshment  is  to 
 be  found  here.  And  all  free, — all  within  your  reach.  It 
 matters  not  how  poor  you  be, — how  sinful,  how  helpless, 
 how  undeserving, — the  waters  are  free, — free  to  the  vilest, 
 free  to  you !  Come  with  all  your  poverty,  with  all  your 
 guilt,  with  all  your  misery,  and  take  the  free  waters  of  this 
 "pure  river,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
 of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb."  Drink  and  be  blessed !  Drink, 
 yea  drink  abundantly !  Why  spend  money  for  that  which 
 will  not  satisfy  your  soul  ?  God  expostulates  with  you,  in 
 regard  to  this.  He  asks  you,  Is  it  wise  to  act  thus  ?  is  it 
 reasonable?  is  it  not  madness  in  the  extreme?  why  then 
 persist  in  it  ?  why  not  come  at  once,  and  drink  freely  of  the 
 water  of  life  ? 
 
 Hear  how  God  addresses  you,  and  how  again  he  says, 
 "Hearken  unto  me;  incline  your  ear,  hear  and  your  soul 
 shall  live."  Thus  we  are  taught  that  the  source  of  all  our 
 misery  is  our  not  hearkening  to  God.  We  have  hearkened 
 to  ourselves,  to  our  friends,  to  the  world,  to  the  devil,  but  we 
 have  refused  to  listen  to  God.  This  has  been  our  misery. 
 Now  the  cure  is  just  the  opposite.  We  must  listen  to  God. 
 How  simple,  how  blessed  !  The  entrance  of  his  words 
 giveth  light  and  peace.  In  hearkening  to  him  we  shall 
 find  life  to  our  souls.  Hear,  and  your  souls  shall  live. 
 Listen  and  live.  No  more  !  Oh  sinner,  could  life  be  had 
 on  easier  terms  than  this  ?  Could  salvation  be  brought 
 nearer,  or  made  freer  than  this  ? 
 
 There  is  in  us  a  constant  tendency  to  come  to  God  with 
 money  and  with  price, — to  do  something  to  distinguish 
 ourselves  from  others,  and  to  get  out  of  the  common  state 
 of  mankind;  and  in  this  spirit  men  read  the  words  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  instead  of  encouraging  words,  they  make 
 them  discouraging.  Thus,  when  it  is  said,  "  Come  unto 
 me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
 you  rest,"  people  say,  "  Yes,  but  I  must  come  ;  if  I  do  not 
 
4  No.  3.—  The  Well  of  Living  Water. 
 
 come  I  will  not  get  the  rest."  Now  the  intention  of  God 
 is  to  fix  your  attention  on  the  person  to  whom  you  are  to 
 come, — come  unto  me;  but  in  a  self-righteous  state  we 
 fix  our  thoughts  on  the  Come  ;  and  we  suppose  this  must 
 be  the  money,  this  must  be  the  price,  and  get  at  once  into 
 difficulties  as  to  the  way  we  should  come. 
 
 The  Holy  Ghost  has  used  a  variety  of  expressions,  in 
 order  to  prevent  this  error,  and  yet  men  will  fall  into  it. 
 For  example,  it  is  said  in  one  place,  Come;  in  another  place 
 it  is  said,  Look;  in  another  Believe;  in  another  Hear;  all 
 to  prevent  your  fixing  on  the  act  of  your  own  mind,  and 
 to  fix  your  attention  on  the  object,  which  is  Jesus  Christ. 
 Had  it  been  any  other  subject  than  that  of  salvation,  people 
 would  have  committed  no  mistake  about  it.  If  I  had  said, 
 "  Hear !  I  have  good  news  for  you ;"  you  would  never  have 
 asked,  How  am  I  to  hear  ?  If  I  had  said,  "  Look,  and  you 
 will  be  rejoiced  at  what  you  see  ;"  you  would  never  have 
 asked,  how  you  were  to  look  ?  If  I  had  said,  "  Believe  and 
 you  will  find  it  much  to  your  advantage;"  you  would  mere- 
 ly  consider  whether  what  I  said  was  true,  without  think- 
 ing of  the  act  of  believing.  It  is  not  our  own  act  of  be- 
 lieving, but  the  object  believed,  that  is  to  bring  us  hope 
 and  peace.  If  we  seek  to  draw  our  hope  from  knowing 
 that  we  have  believed,  we  are  as  far  from  the  spirit  of  the 
 gospel  as  the  man  who  rests  his  hopes  upon  his  alms-deeds. 
 When  we  make  our  own  faith  the  source  of  comfort,  we 
 are  drawing  from  a  broken  cistern.  It  is  impossible  to  ob- 
 tain peace,  or  strength,  or  holiness,  from  knowing  that  we 
 believe  a  fact,  however  true  and  important  that  fact  may 
 be.  The  fact  believed  may  be  a  comfort  to  us ;  but  our 
 knowing  that  we  believe  it  cannot  be  so.  When  seeking 
 peace  for  the  soul,  the  question  is  not  "  Have  we  believed?" 
 but  "  Has  God,  in  very  deed,  made  his  Son  a  propitiation 
 for  sin?"  Why  is  it  that  when  such  expressions  are  used 
 in  religion,  they  turn  people's  attention  away  from  the 
 thing  spoken  of  to  themselves  ?  Just  because  men  would 
 turn  the  act  of  believing,  looking,  &c.  (which  is  a  bare  re- 
 ceiving of  what  God  says,)  into  the  money  and  the  price 
 by  which  to  purchase  what  God  gives.  The  variety  of 
 expressions  used, — Come,  Hear •,  Look,  Believe, — is  employ- 
 ed in  order  that  we  might  not  turn  our  attention  away  from 
 what  God  says,  and  be  taken  up  with  thinking  about  some 
 particular  way  of  receiving  it, — "Incline  your  ear  and  come 
 unto  me ;  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live  ;  and  I  will  make 
 
No.  3 The  Well  of  Living  Water.  5 
 
 an  everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies 
 of  David  ;" — "  this  is  the  record,  that  God  has  given  to  us 
 eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  Thus  the  news 
 which  God  sends  you,  is,  just  like  every  other  piece  of 
 news,  to  put  you  in  the  attitude  of  a  listener,  and  not  of 
 doing  something  of  your  own. 
 
 The  thing  which  God  is  here  said  to  give,  is  life,  not 
 mere  safety,  and  security  from  wrath, — not  mere  deliverance 
 from  hell.  What,  then,  is  this  eternal  life  which  God  gives 
 you  ?  God's  gift  is  his  own  life  ;  not  the  life  of  mere  en- 
 joyment— the  birds  of  the  air,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field 
 have  that  life — but  the  life  which  God  himself  had  before 
 worlds  were.  In  other  words,  the  purpose  of  God  is  not 
 simply  to  make  you  happy,  but  to  make  you  happy  with 
 God's  own  happiness ; — not  simply  to  give  you  joy,  but  to 
 give  you  the  joy  of  the  Lord ; — not  simply  to  make  you 
 drink  of  the  rivers  of  pleasure,  but  to  make  you  drink  out  of 
 the  rivers  of  God's  own  pleasures,  and  out  of  the  fountains  of 
 God's  own  happiness,  that  your  joy  should  be  the  very 
 same  as  his,  springing  from  the  very  same  source,  and 
 produced  by  the  very  same  cause.  God's  best  gifts  are  no 
 portion  for  man.  He  himself  is  the  soul's  only  por- 
 tion ; — he  that  does  not  know  God  as  the  light,  the  life,  the 
 blessedness  of  his  soul,  knows  not  God,  and  is  without  a 
 portion  at  all !  Life  eternal  does  not  consist  in  knowing 
 that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  there  is  a  Saviour,  but  in 
 knowing  God,  and  knowing  the  Saviour,  as  the  child 
 knows  his  father,  and  as  the  friend  knows  his  friend. 
 Till  we  see  Him  and  feel  Him  in  his  perpetually  per- 
 vading presence  of  infinite  holiness,  and  love,  and  beau- 
 ty, and  wisdom,  we  cannot  be  said  to  know  that  God 
 for  whom  we  were  created.  This  presence  of  his  is  our 
 real  home  and  our  real  joy,  and  until  we  become  sensible 
 of  it,  we  are  without  a  home,  without  a  joy,  and  without  a 
 portion  in  the  universe!    We  are  friendless  and  desolate ! 
 
 God  himself  is  the  soul's  inheritance :  The  Lord's  por- 
 tion is  his  people,  and  the  people's  portion  is  the  Lord. 
 God  himself,  I  say,  is  our  inheritance.  My  enjoyment  is 
 to  be  in  God,  so  that  it  continues  as  long  as  I  continue 
 and  God  exists,  although  the  whole  of  creation  were 
 swept  away.  How,  then,  is  God  to  be  thus  enjoyed  ?  A 
 person  is  to  be  thus  an  heir  of  God,  by  having  God's  own 
 character  in  him.  You  may  enjoy  God's  gifts,  without 
 enjoying  his  mind  ;  but  you  cannot  enjoy   God  himself, 
 
6  No.  3— The  Well  of  Living  Water. 
 
 without  having  his  mind.  If  there  is  a  person  who  has 
 the  power,  and  also  the  inclination  to  bestow  much  kind- 
 ness upon  me,  I  may  feel  an  interest  in  that  person  and 
 like  his  kindness,  but  if  that  person  is  to  be  enjoyed  him- 
 self, apart  from  his  gifts,  it  must  be  something  in  his  cha- 
 racter, something  in  his  mind,  something  in  him  that  would 
 exist  although  his  gifts  should  cease,  from  which  my  en- 
 joyment is  to  spring.  Now  I  cannot  rejoice  in  God's  ho- 
 liness unless  I  am  holy ;  I  cannot  rejoice  in  God's  love 
 unless  I  love  4  I  cannot  rejoice  in  God's  righteousness  un- 
 less I  am  righteous,  nor  in  his  truth  unless  I  am  true.  There- 
 fore it  is,  that  in  being  renewed,  we  are  said  to  be  made 
 partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  and  are  called  to  have  the 
 same  mind  in  us  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 This,  then,  is  the  thing  contemplated,  when  God  says, 
 Come  to  the  waters.  These  are  the  waters:  it  is  something 
 in  drinking  of  which  you  will  be  partakers  of  a  divine  na- 
 ture,— something  in  drinking  of  which  you  will  share  in 
 God's  own  blessedness.  Where  are  these  waters  ?  How  is 
 man  to  be  partaker  of  a  divine  nature  ?  How  am  I  to  feel 
 as  God  feels  ?  How  am  I,  who  by  nature  hate  my  God,  and 
 hate  my  neighbour,  to  love  as  God  loves — to  be  holy  as 
 God  is  holy  ?  Where  is  the  provision  for  all  this  ?  It  is 
 in  the  sure  mercies  of  David — "Behold  I  have  given  him 
 for  a  witness  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the 
 people." 
 
 Now,  do  you  understand  these  things — do  you  see  the 
 difference  between  God's  giving  you  a  happiness,  and  God 
 giving  you  his  own  happiness,  and  that  this  last  is  what  God 
 gives  you  in  Christ?  Are  you  giving  God  glory  for  this  un- 
 speakable gift  ?  And  can  you  bear  witness  that  it  is  eternal 
 life  to  know  Christ  ?  Can  you,  individually,  say  of  what  you 
 have  heard,  "  I  know  it  is  God's  plan,  because  I  am  under 
 its  operation;  it  is  taking  effect  in  me;  I  find  all  things  per- 
 taining to  life  and  godliness  in  Christ  Jesus ;  I  am  made  a 
 sharer  in  a  divine  nature  ?"  If  not,  you  are  still  without 
 God  and  without  hope  in  the  world.  If  not,  you  are  not  of 
 that  family  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  elder  brother ;  you 
 have  not  in  you  the  mind  of  Christ.  You  may  be  earnest 
 — you  may  be  serious — you  may  be  pains- taking,  but  you 
 are  not  yet  a  Christian;  God's  plan  has  not  yet  been  ac- 
 complished in  you. 
 
 I  beseech  you  see  if  this  be  the  case.  If  so,  and  if  GocPs 
 purpose  is  not  accomplished  in  you,  why  is  it  so  ?  What  is 
 
No.  3 The  Well  of  Living  Water.  7 
 
 your  excuse  ?  There  can  be  no  excuse,  for  there  can  be  no 
 reason  but  one.  You  are  making  God  a  liar.  You  are  re- 
 fusing to  believe  the  record  which  He  hath  given  you  of 
 his  Son.  There  is  no  excuse  but  this  horrid  one,  that 
 when  God  is  giving  you  in  Christ  all  things  pertaining  to 
 life  and  godliness,  you  do  not  believe  that  all  these  things 
 are  yours ;  and  your  reason  for  making  God  a  liar,  for  re- 
 fusing to  bolieve  that  these  things  are  yours,  is  the  pride  of 
 your  heart. 
 
 The  pride  of  the  heart,  in  respect  of  pardon,  is,  that  a 
 man  would  have  it  said  that  he  himself  had  bought  it. 
 Though  you  should,  in  doing  what  you  can  in  the  way  of 
 purchase,  say  it  is  little,  and  talk  of  its  unworthiness,  and 
 call  this  humility,  your  attempt  to  purchase,  sufficiently 
 6hews  your  pride  ;  and  all  your  professions  of  humility  will 
 not  screen  you  from  the  charge  which  God  has  against  you, 
 for  not  rejoicing  in  what  he  has  provided  for  you  in  Christ 
 — for  refusing  to  glorify  him  in  giving  thanks  for  his  un- 
 speakable gift.  There  are  waters  for  you ; — free  to  you  at 
 this  moment, — open  to  you  as  you  are !  God  invites  and 
 welcomes  you  to  the  fountain ;  yet  you  will  not  come, — or 
 when  you  think  of  coming,  you  insist  upon  bringing  a  price 
 in  your  hand.  This  is  your  pride,  your  presumption.  O 
 let  it  not  be  your  ruin ! 
 
 I  have  now  declared  to  you  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of 
 God  ;  and  I  beseech  you  that  you  refuse  not  the  word 
 spoken,  for  that  word  shall  judge  you  at  the  last  day ;  and 
 take  heed  that  you  are  not  found  at  that  day  on  the  left 
 hand  of  the  throne,  from  being  too  proud  to  receive  salva- 
 tion freely — to  take  the  water  of  life  without  money  and 
 without  price.     This  is  the  awful  condemnation. 
 
 Oh,  then,  wilt  thou  not  come  to  the  waters  and  take 
 them  freely  ?  And  if  thou  canst  not — if  thine  evil  heart  of 
 unbelief  will  not  allow  thee — wilt  thou  not  cry  to  him 
 who  made  thy  heart,  and  who  can  new-make  it,  and  ask 
 Him  to  lead  thee  to  these  living  streams  ?  And  surely  he 
 will  lead  thee.  "  If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who 
 it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  Give  me  to  drink,  thou  wouldst  have 
 asked  of  him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water." 
 The  woman  of  Samaria  had  told  our  Lord  that  he  ought 
 not  to  have  thought  of  asking  anything  of  her,  on  ac- 
 count of  the  disputes  between  his  nation  and  hers.  Such 
 is  the  love  of  man  to  man !  The  Jew  refuses  water  to  the 
 Samaritan,  and  the  Samaritan  to  the  Jew !     But  such  is 
 
8  No.  3 The  Well  of  Living  Water. 
 
 not  the  love  of  God !  His  is  a  free  and  boundless  love, 
 which  gives  liberally  to  all.  If  she  had  known  the  fulness 
 of  that  love — how  willing  to  give  and  how  much  it  had 
 already  given  unasked — she  could  not  have  allowed  one 
 suspicion  to  enter  her  mind.  If  she  had  known  that  he 
 who  spoke  to  her  was  himself  the  great  gift  of  God  to  a 
 lost  world,  and  the  dispenser  of  all  other  gifts,  she  would 
 have  asked,  and  he  would  have  given  her  living  water ! 
 He  speaks  of  his  giving  as  the  natural  consequence  of  her 
 asking !  How  touching  the  declaration,  how  precious  the 
 promise !  Sinner  as  she  was,  He  told  her  that  she  had 
 but  to  ask,  and  she  was  sure  of  receiving!  Sinner  as  she 
 was,  she  sought  and  she  obtained ! — she  asked  and  He  gave! 
 Ask,  then,  and  you  shall  receive ;  and  when  you  receive, 
 oh!  then,  all  is  well  :  the  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true 
 light  has  risen !  "  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
 delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also 
 freely  give  us  all  dings." 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 Ho  ye  thirsty !  parch'd  and  fainting, 
 Here  are  waters,  turn  and  see  ! 
 
 To  the  thirstiest,  poorest,  vilest, 
 Without  money,  all  is  free  — 
 Thirsty  sinner ! 
 
 Drink  and  stay  not,  'tis  for  thee. 
 
 Ho  ye  weary  !  toiling,  burden'd, 
 With  a  world  of  woes  opprest ; 
 
 Come  ! — it  is  thy  Lord  invites  thee, 
 Lay  thy  head  upon  my  breast. 
 Weary  sinner ! 
 
 Come  to  Jesus,  come  and  rest. 
 
 Ho  ye  wounded  !  bruised,  broken, 
 Come,  and  health  divine  receive ; 
 
 Look  to  him  who  heals  the  wounded, 
 He  alone  can  healing  give. 
 Wounded  sinner ! 
 
 Look  to  Jesus,  look  and  live. 
 
 Kelso:  Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd. — Price  3s.  per  J  Oft, 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 ANDREW  JACK,  PRINTER,  EDINBURGH. 
 
No.  4. 
 
 JEHOVAH  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
 
 *  Thy  beauty  was  perfect  through  my  comeliness,  which    I  had 
 put  upon  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God." — Ezlk.  xvu  14. 
 
 Give  me  leave  to  ask  you  one  question :  Can  you  say  the 
 Lord  our  righteousness  ?  Were  you  ever  made  to  see  and 
 admire  the  all- sufficiency  of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  ex- 
 cited by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  hunger  and  thirst  after  it  ? 
 Could  you  ever  say,  My  soul  is  athirst  for  Christ,  yea,  even 
 for  the  righteousness  of  Christ  ?  O  when  shall  1  come  to 
 appear  before  the  presence  of  my  God  in  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ!  Nothing  but  Christ!  nothing  bu*- Christ  I  Give 
 me  Christ,  O  God,  and  I  am  satisfied  I  my  soul  shall  praise 
 thee  for  ever. 
 
 Was  this  ever  the  language  of  your  hearts  ?  and,  after 
 these  inward  conflicts,  were  you  ever  enabled  to  reach  out 
 the  arm  of  faith,  and  embrace  the  blessed  Jesus  in  your 
 souls,  so  that  you  could  say,  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I 
 am  his  1"  If  so,  fear  not,  whoever  you  are.  Hail,  all  hail, 
 you  happy  souls  I  The  Lord,  the  Lord  Christ,  the  ever- 
 lasting God,  is  your  righteousness.  Christ  has  justified 
 you,  who  is  he  that  condemneth  you  ?  Christ  has  died  for 
 you,  nay,  rather,  is  risen  again,  and  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
 tercession for  you.  Being  now  justified  by  his  grace,  you 
 have  peace  with  God,  and  shall,  ere  long,  be  with  Jesus  in 
 glory.  For  there  is  no  condemnation  to  those  that  are 
 really  in  Christ  Jesus.  WThether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  life, 
 or  death,  all  is  yours,  if  you  are  Christ's,  for  Christ  is  God's. 
 My  brethren,  my  heart  is  enlarged  towards  you  !  O  think 
 of  the  love  of  Christ  in  dying  for  you !  If  the  Lord  be 
 your  righteousness,  let  the  righteousness  of  your  Lord  be 
 continually  in  your  mouth.  Talk  of,  O  talk  of,  and  recom- 
 mend, the  righteousness  of  Christ,  when  you  lie  down,  and 
 when  you  rise  up,  at  your  going  out  and  coming  in  I  Think 
 of  the  greatness  of  the  gift,  as  well  as  of  the  giver  I  Shew 
 to  all  the  world,  in  whom  you  have  believed  !  Let  all  by 
 your  fruits  know  that  the  Lord  is  your  righteousness,  and 
 that  you  are  waiting  for  your  Lord  from  heaven  !  O  study 
 to  be  holy,  even  as  he  who  has  called  you,  and  washed  you 
 
 j.  rutherfukd's  ser.es  of  tragts. 
 
2  No.  4. — Jehovah  our  Righteousness. 
 
 in  his  blood  was  holy  !  O  think  of  his  dying  love  !  Let 
 that  love  constrain  you  to  obedience  I  having  much  for- 
 given, love  much.  Be  always  asking,  What  shall  I  do  fo 
 express  my  gratitude  to  the  Lord,  for  giving  me  his  right- 
 eousness I  Let  that  self-abasing  God-exalting  question,  be 
 always  in  your  mouths,  "  Why  me,  Lord  ?  why  me  ?"  why 
 am  I  taken  and  others  left  ?  why  is  the  Lord  my  righteous- 
 ness ?  why  is  he  become  my  salvation,  who  have  so  often 
 deserved  damnation  at  his  hands  ? 
 
 But  I  must  turn  a  little  from  congratulating  you,  to  in- 
 vite poor  Christless  sinners  to  come  to  him,  and  accept  of 
 his  righteousness,  that  they  may  have  life.  Alas,  my  heart 
 almost  bleeds  !  What  a  multitude  of  precious  souls  are 
 now  before  me  !  how  shortly  must  all  be  ushered  into  eter- 
 nity !  and  yet,  O  cutting  thought !  were  God  now  to  re- 
 quire all  your  souls,  how  few  could  really  say,  the  Lord  our 
 righteousness. 
 
 And  think  you,  O  sinners,  that  you  will  be  able  to  stand 
 in  the  day  of  judgment,  if  Christ  be  not  your  righteousness! 
 No,  that  alone  is  the  wedding-garment  in  which  you  must 
 appear.  O  Christless  sinners,  I  am  distressed  for  you !  the 
 desires  of  my  soul  are  enlarged.  O  that  this  may  be  an  ac- 
 cepted time  !  That  the  Lord  may  be  your  righteousness  ! 
 For  whither  would  you  flee,  if  death  should  find  you  naked  ? 
 O  think  of  death  I  O  think  of  judgment  I  Yet  a  little 
 while,  and  time  shall  be  no  more ;  and  then  what  will  be- 
 come of  you,  if  the  Lord  be  not  your  righteousness  ? 
 Think  you  that  Christ  will  spare  you  ?  No,  he  that  form- 
 ed you  will  have  no  mercy  on  you.  If  you  be  not  of 
 Christ,  if  Christ  be  not  your  righteousness,  Christ  himself 
 shall  pronounce  you  damned.  And  can  you  bear  to  think 
 of  being  damned  by  Christ  ?  Can  you  bear  to  hear  the 
 Lord  Jesus  say  to  you,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into 
 everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels/ 
 Can  you  live,  think  you,  in  everlasting  burnings?  Isyoui 
 flesh  brass,  and  your  bones  iron  ?  What  if  they  be  ?  hell- 
 fire,  that  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,  will  heat 
 them  through  and  through.  And  can  you  bear  to  depart 
 from  Christ  ?  O  that  heart-piercing  thought !  Ask  those 
 holy  souls,  who  are  at  any  time  bewailing  an  absent  God, 
 who  walk  in  darkness,  and  see  no  light,  though  but  a  few 
 days  or  hours ;  ask  them,  what  it  is  to  lose  a  sight  and  pre- 
 sence of  Christ  ?  See  how  they  seek  him  sorrowing,  and  go 
 mourning  after  him  all   the  day  long  I     And,  if  it  be  so 
 
No.  4. — Jehovah  our  Righteousness.  3 
 
 dreadful  to  lose  the  sensible  presence  of  Christ  only  for  a 
 day,  what  must  it  be  to  be  banished  from  him  to  all  eter- 
 nity ? 
 
 But  this  it  must  be,  if  Christ  be  not  your  righteousness  : 
 For  God's  justice  must  be  satisfied;  and  unless  Christ's 
 righteousness  is  imputed  and  applied  to  you  here,  you  must 
 hereafter  be  satisfying  the  divine  justice  in  hell-torments 
 eternally ;  nay,  Christ  himself  shall  condemn  you  to  that 
 place  of  torment.  And  how  cutting  is  that  thought  1  Me- 
 thinks  I  see  poor,  trembling,  Christless  wretches,  standing 
 before  the  bar  of  God,  crying  out,  Lord,  if  we  must  be 
 damned,  let  some  angel,  or  some  archangel,  pronounce  the 
 damnatory  sentence :  but  all  in  vain.  Christ  himself  shall 
 pronounce  the  irrevocable  sentence.  Knowing  therefore 
 the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  let  me  persuade  you  to  close  with 
 Christ,  and  never  rest  until  you  can  say,  "  the  Lord  our 
 righteousness."  Who  knows  but  the  Lord  may  have  mercy 
 on,  nay,  abundantly  pardon  you  ?  You  need  not  fear  the 
 greatness  or  number  of  your  sins.  For  are  you  sinners  ?  so 
 am  I.  Are  you  the  chief  of  sinners  ?  so  am  I.  Are  you 
 backsliding  sinners  ?  so  am  I.  And  yet  the  Lord  (for  ever 
 adored  be  his  rich,  free,  and  sovereign  grace  I)  the  Lord  is 
 my  righteousness.  Come,  then,  O  young  men,  who  (as  I 
 acted  once  myself)  are  playing  the  prodigal,  and  wandering 
 away  afar  off  from  your  heavenly  Father's  house,  come 
 home,  come  home,  and  leave  your  swine's  trough.  Feed  no 
 longer  on  the  husks  of  sensual  delights :  for  Christ's  sake 
 arise,  and  come  home  I  your  heavenly  Father  now  calls  you. 
 See,  yonder  the  best  robe,  even  the  righteousness  of  his 
 dear  Son,  awaits  you.  See  it,  view  it  again  and  again. 
 Consider  at  how  dear  a  rate  it  was  purchased,  even  by  the 
 blood  of  God.  Consider  what  great  need  you  have  of  it. 
 You  are  lost,  undone,  damned  for  ever,  without  it.  Come 
 then,  poor,  guilty  prodigals,  come  home ;  indeed,  I  will  not, 
 like  the  elder  brother  in  the  Gospel,  be  angry;  no,  I  will 
 rejoice  with  the  angels  in  heaven.  And  O  that  God  would 
 now  bow  the  heavens  and  come  down  !  Descend,  O  Son 
 of  God,  descend ;  and,  as  thou  hast  shown  in  me  such  mep- 
 cy,  O  let  thy  blessed  Spirit  apply  thy  righteousness  to 
 some  young  prodigals  now  before  thee,  and  clothe  their  nak- 
 ed souls  with  thy  best  robe  ! 
 
 And  what  shall  I  say  to  you  of  a  middle  age,  you  busy 
 merchants,  you  cumbered  Marthas,  who,  with  all  your  get- 
 tings,  have  not  yet  gotten  the  Lord  to  be  your  righteous- 
 
4  No.  4. — Jehovah  our  Righteousness. 
 
 ness  !  Alas  !  what  profit  will  there  be  of  all  your  labour 
 under  the  sun,  if  you  do  not  secure  this  pearl  of  invaluable 
 price  ?  I  see,  also,  many  hoary  heads  here,  and  perhaps 
 the  most  of  them  cannot  say,  the  Lord  is  my  righteousness. 
 O  grey-headed  sinners,  I  could  weep  over  you !  your  grey 
 hairs,  which  ought  to  be  your  crown,  and  in  which  perhaps 
 you  glory,  are  now  your  shame.  You  know  not  that  the 
 Lord  is  your  righteousness :  O  haste  then,  haste  ye,  aged 
 sinners,  and  seek  an  interest  in  redeeming  love  I  Alas,  you 
 have  one  foot  already  in  the  grave,  your  glass  is  just  running 
 out,  your  sun  is  just  going  down,  and  it  will  set  and  leave 
 you  in  an  eternal  darkness,  unless  the  Lord  be  your  right- 
 eousness !  Flee,  then,  O  flee  for  your  lives  I  be  not  afraid. 
 All  things  are  possible  with  God.  If  yon  come,  though  it 
 be  at  the  eleventh  hour,  Christ  Jesus  will  in  no  wise  cast 
 you  out.  Seek  then  for  the  Lord  to  be  your  righteousness, 
 and  beseech  him  to  let  you  know  how  it  is  that  a  man  may 
 be  born  again  when  he  is  old  ! 
 
 But  I  must  not  forget  the  lambs  of  the  flock.  To  feed 
 them,  was  one  of  my  Lord's  last  commands.  I  know  he 
 will  be  angry  with  me,  if  I  do  not  tell  them  that  the  Lord 
 may  be  their  righteousness ;  and  that  of  such  is  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven.  Come,  then,  ye  little  children,  come  to 
 Christ ;  the  Lord  shall  be  your  righteousness.  Do  not 
 think  that  you  are  too  young  to  be  converted.  Perhaps 
 many  of  you  may  be  nine  or  ten  years  old,  and  yet  cannot 
 say,  the  Lord  is  our  righteousness;  which  many  have  said, 
 though  younger  than  you.  Come,  then,  while  you  are 
 young.  Perhaps  you  may  not  live  to  be  old.  Do  not  stay 
 for  other  people.  If  your  fathers  and  mothers  will  not 
 come  to  Christ,  do  you  come  without  them.  Let  children 
 lead  them,  and  shew  them  how  the  Lord  may  be  their 
 righteousness.  Our  Lord  Jesus  loved  little  children.  You 
 are  his  lambs ;  he  bids  me  feed  you.  I  pray  God  make  you 
 willing  betimes  to  take  the  Lord  for  your  righteousness. 
 
 [Extracted  from  one  of  Whitefield's  sermons.] 
 
 Kelso  :  Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd — Price  \s.  6d.  per  100 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 EDINBURGH  :    PRINTED  BY  ANDREW  JACK. 
 
No.  ». 
 
 SIN  PUT  AWAY  BY  CHRIST. 
 
 u  But  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away 
 sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself. — Heb.  ix.  26. 
 
 This  verse  states  the  end  for  which  the  Saviour  of  the 
 world  appeared.  It  was  "  to  put  away  sin."  This  end  he 
 has  accomplished.  It  is  no  longer  a  mere  purpose,  some- 
 thing future;  but  already  finished.  He  has  done  that 
 which  he  came  into  the  world  to  do.  He  hath  put  away 
 sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself.  That  sacrifice  was  offered 
 and  accepted  eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  And  by  that 
 sacrifice  sin  was  put  away.  If  sin  was  not  put  away  then, 
 it  certainly  has  not  been  put  away  since,  nor  can  ever  be. 
 There  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin;  there  is  no 
 other  putting  away  of  it.  The  offering  up  of  that  sacrifice, 
 and  the  putting  away  of  sin,  are  things  now  past.  And 
 both  of  these  were  finished  together  upon  the  cross.  We 
 have  therefore  glad  tidings  to  proclaim  to  every  sinner; 
 glad  tidings  for  thee,  whosoever  thou  art,  who  readest 
 these  lines.  Christ  hath  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of 
 himself ! 
 
 But  in  what  sense  has  He  put  away  sin?  Not  in  the 
 sense  of  putting  it  out  of  existence.  He  has  not  put  it 
 away  so  that  it  has  ceased  to  be.  It  still  exists,  as  you 
 know,  and  perhaps  lament.  It  exists  in  your  heart,  and 
 it  exists  in  your  life.  It  mingles  in  every  thought  of  the 
 one,  and  in  every  act  of  the  other.  To  such  an  extent 
 does  it  exist,  that  in  God's  pure  all-seeing  eye,  there  seems 
 to  be  nothing  in  either  but  sin.  The  whole  is  nothing 
 but  one  vast  mass  of  sin.  In  this  sense  sin  is  not  put 
 away  from  any  in  the  world  that  now  is; — so  far  from  it, 
 that  it  overspreads  the  whole  race  of  man,  as  widely  as 
 the  waters  of  Noah's  deluge  overspread  the  earth.  To 
 that  eye  which  takes  in  the  whole  of  it  at  one  glance,  and 
 sees  the  guilt  of  each  man  minutely  and  fully,  so  hateful  a 
 sight  does  this  guilty  world  present,  that  the  wonder  is, 
 
 J.  RUTHERFURD  S  SERIES  OF  TRACTS. 
 
2  No.  6. — Sin  put  away  by  Christ. 
 
 that  God  does  not  put  sin  away  by  the  destruction  of 
 every  being  on  whom  it  appears.  So  awful  a  doom  could 
 only  be  stayed,  even  for  a  moment,  by  that  sacrifice  of  Him- 
 self, which  Christ  has  offered  up.  This  sacrifice  is  the 
 only  barrier  between  a  guilty  world  and  the  wrath  of  an 
 angry  God.  It  is  the  only  thing  that  prevents  the  ven- 
 geance of  eternal  fire  being  poured  out  for  the  instant 
 destruction  of  this  sinful  earth. 
 
 Neither  has  Christ  put  away  sin  in  such  a  sense  that  it 
 cannot  and  will  not  be  punished.  Notwithstanding  what 
 He  has  done,  it  may  be  punished,  and  it  is  punished  in 
 the  case  of  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  in  the  world 
 of  woe.  Christ's  death  has  not  blotted  hell  out  of  being. 
 It  has  not  quenched  the  everlasting  burnings,  so  as  to 
 make  it  an  impossible  thing  that  any  sinner  should  ever 
 feel  them.  He  has  done  everything  that  is  necessary  to 
 keep  you,  or  any,  even  the  guiltiest  sinner  upon  earth, 
 from  going  to  hell.  But  hell  still  exists,  and  the  work  of 
 Christ  has  not  made  it  impossible  that  you  should  fall  into 
 it.  And  notwithstanding  that  work,  the  penalty  of  sin — 
 of  all  your  sin — may  yet  be  inflicted  on  your  soul  there, 
 even  as  at  this  very  moment  it  is  inflicted  upon  countless 
 myriads  of  souls,  once  within  the  reach  of  mercy.  Just  read 
 these  two  plain  passages  (and  there  are  thousands  of  such) 
 Eph.v.3 — 6;  Col.iii.5,6;  and  beware  of  flattering  yourselves 
 that  because  Christ  hath  put  away  sin,  you  shall  not  be 
 punished.  On  the  contrary,  while  that  precious  fact  pro- 
 claims that  forgiveness  is  free  to  all— free  to  you  just  now, 
 and  as  you  are;  nothing  in  the  universe  proclaims  so  loudly 
 that  escape  from  punishment  is  impossible,  and  condemna- 
 tion inevitable,  if  you  refuse  what  has  thus  been  so  gene- 
 rously provided.  Even  Christ  himself,  who  was  God 
 clothed  with  our  nature,  behoved  to  die,  because  standing 
 in  the  room  of  the  guilty.  And  while  this  fact  proclaims 
 to  us  that  none  need  to  die  for  their  own  sins,  since  this 
 mighty  One  has  died  for  sin  already,  it  also  declares  that 
 none  can  possibly  escape  from  death  on  whom  any  sin  shall 
 at  last  be  found.  For  if  it  was  punished  when  found  upon 
 the  Son  of  God,  though  not  his  own,  is  there  any  being, 
 even  the  highest  in  creation,  that  can  escape,  if  even  so 
 much  as  one  sin  be  found  in  him? 
 
 Christ  then  hath  not  put  away  sin,  so  that  it  does  not 
 exist  or  cannot  be  punished.  But  he  hath  already  put 
 away  sin,  in  such  a  sense  that  it  no  more  stands  as  an 
 obstacle  in  the  way  of  your  going  to  God.  He  has  so  put 
 it  away  that  you  may  go  to  God  just  now  and  as  you  are, 
 
No.  6 Sin  put  away  by  Christ.  3 
 
 with  all  your  filth  and  sin,  even  as  a  child  goes  to  the  bosom 
 of  its  own  father.  He  has  so  put  it  away  that  you  may 
 go  to  him  with  every  thing  you  fear,  to  spread  it  out  be- 
 fore Him, — with  every  thing  you  want,  to  obtain  it  from 
 Him.  He  has  so  put  it  away  that  you  may  go  to  him  now 
 with  all  boldness,  nothing  doubting.  That  which  gives 
 you  access  at  all,  gives  you  access  with  boldness,  and  as- 
 sures you  of  a  welcome.  That  which  gives  you  any  hope 
 at  all,  gives  you  every  hope,  nay,  takes  away  all  ground 
 for  unbelief  or  fear.  Where  is  there  room  for  doubt, 
 or  suspicion,  or  want  of  assured  confidence,  if  Christ 
 has  really  done  all  that  this  passage  declares  he  has?  Once 
 your  sin  was  such  a  barrier  that  there  was  no  access  to 
 God,  the  fountain  of  life,  for  a  guilty  creature  like  you. 
 It  made  a  gulf  between  you  and  that  blessed  fountain, 
 which,  but  for  the  work  of  Christ,  none  could  ever  have 
 crossed.  It  barred  his  throne — it  shut  his  presence  against 
 you.  It  made  you,  for  anything  you  could  do,  an  eternal 
 exile  from  that  presence,  which  is  the  paradise  of  the  soul, 
 and  where  there  are  rivers  of  pleasure  for  ever.  And  but 
 for  the  work  of  Christ  putting  away  your  sin,  this  exclu- 
 sion must  have  continued  for  ever.  But  blessed  be  his 
 precious  name,  He  hath  now  put  away  sin,  so  that  there  is 
 no  more  exclusion  of  you,  or  any  poor  sinner  upon  earth. 
 The  sentence  of  banishment  is  repealed.  The  throne  of 
 God  now  stands  open  to  you.  There  is  not  an  obstacle, 
 not  a  single  stone  or  straw  in  your  way  to  it.  It  is  open 
 and  free  to  all.  God  is  now  calling  his  banished  ones 
 home.  He  is  inviting  you  to  himself  just  now— inviting 
 you  once  more  to  share  in  all  the  fulness  that  is  in  Him- 
 self. And  on  this  invitation,  and  because  the  Lamb  ot 
 God  has  put  away  sin,  you  may  go  to  Him  at  this  moment 
 as  freely  and  confidingly  as  if  you  had  never  sinned  at  all. 
 You  may  go  to  Him  with  as  confident  a  heart  as  any  ot 
 the  unfallen  angels  round  his  throne.  Nay,  more  so,  for 
 they  approach  on  the  ground  of  a  creature's  innocence — you 
 are  invited  near  on  the  righteousness  of  Him,  who  is  God  over 
 all.  And  coming  on  this  ground  you  may  freely  ask  for 
 every  thing,  in  the  full  assurance  that  all  shall  be  given  till 
 you  happen  to  ask  for  something  better  and  dearer  to  God, 
 than  what  he  has  given  you  already  unasked — His  own 
 Son.  Poor  wanderers!  why  not  on  such  a  ground  return 
 to  s.uch  a  home?  Why  stand  afar  off  in  poverty,  rags  and 
 wretchedness,  when  through  the  sacrifice  of  His  own  Son, 
 the  way  to  your  Father's  house,  your  Father's  arms,  the 
 fulness  of  your  Father's  love,  is  entirely  open  ?     Luke  xv. 
 
4  No.  6. — Sin  put  away  by  Christ. 
 
 Christ  hath  also  put  away  sin  in  so  far  as  it  was  an  ob- 
 stacle in  the  way  of  God's  love  flowing  forth  most  freely 
 towards  us,  towards  any  sinner  upon  earth,  towards  the 
 poor  guilty  sinner  who  may  now  be  reading  these  lines. 
 In  consequence  of  the  sacrifice  of  Himself,  none  of  our 
 past  or  present  sins  are  any  reason  why  that  love  should 
 not  fix  on  you,  and  enrich  you  with  all  its  boundless  trea- 
 sures. Notwithstanding  them  all,  God  can,  honourably  to 
 himself,  and  safely  in  respect  to  his  government,  make  you 
 its  blessed  object,  and  pour  out  upon  you  its  immeasurable, 
 inexhaustible  riches.  And  what  He  can  do  He  is  most 
 willing  to  do.  You  have  the  assurance  of  this  in  the 
 numberless  invitations  by  which  He  is  inviting  you  to  come 
 to  Himself  for  every  thing.1  For  each  one  of  these  is  as 
 much  addressed  to  you  personally  and  specially,  as  if  it 
 had  been  inscribed  with  your  own  name,  or  sent  to  you 
 expressly  down  from  heaven.  And  all  of  them  not  only 
 imply  that  he  is  ready,  but  even  longing  to  bless  you  with 
 the  free  forgiveness,  the  overflowing  love  of  a  Father's 
 heart.  These  are  just  the  calls  of  His  love  to  you — now 
 that  all  obstacles  are  taken  out  of  the  way  of  its  freest  and 
 most  unlimited  exercise — they  are  the  voice  of  love  sound- 
 ing upon  earth  in  the  ears  of  every  poor  wanderer,  a  wel- 
 come to  all  the  treasures  of  a  father's  grace,  a  welcome  to 
 the  place  of  a  son  in  a  father's  heart.  And  of  this  blessed 
 fact  you  have  likewise  the  assurance  in  the  past  doings  of 
 that  same  love.  What  has  it  already  done  to  take  every 
 obstacle  away  that  once  withstood  your  enjoying  it?  What 
 has  it  already  given?  It  has  given  His  own  Son.  This 
 is  the  measure,  the  manifestation  of  the  Father's  love! 
 Think  of  it.  Try  and  take  its  dimensions*  That  gift 
 proves  it  infinite.  And  dare  you  not  trust  an  infinite  love 
 — that  love  being  also  free?  Dare  you  not  cast  yourself 
 without  reserve  or  fear  upon  a  love  that  is  perfectly  free 
 and  perfectly  infinite  ?  And  now  that  it  is  as  free  to  flow 
 out  upon  you,  as  the  very  light  or  air  of  heaven,  can  you 
 not  leave  yourself  at  its  disposal?  can  you  not  expect 
 every  thing  great  and  blessed  at  its  hands?  If  there  is 
 nothing  in  the  way  of  that  free  and  infinite  love,  why 
 may  not  you  enjoy  it,  as  much  as  any  guilty  sinner  that 
 has  ever  gone  before  you  ?  And  from  that  love  which 
 has  already  given  the  Son,  and  thus  made  a  free 
 course  for  every  other,  may  you  not  hope  to  receive  even 
 "all   things?"     If  it   gave   even   the   Son,    when   every 
 
 1  Isaiah  h.  1.     Matt.  xi.  28.     Rev.  xxii.  17. 
 
No.  6. — Sin  put  away  by  Christ.  £ 
 
 obstacle  stood  in  the  way,  what  will  it  not  give  now 
 that  every  obstacle  has  been  taken  out  of  the  way  by  the 
 propitiation  for  sin  which  that  Son  has  made  ?  Before  that 
 sacrifice  was  offered,  it  might  be  said  to  be  pent  up  and 
 confined  in  the  Father's  bosom,  waiting  till  the  hindrance 
 should  be  removed.  Now  it  is  no  longer  pent  up.  It  has 
 a  righteous  opening  out  of  which  it  may  issue  forth,  and  a 
 righteous  channel  along  which  to  pour  itself.  Now  it  is 
 streaming  over  on  every  side.  It  is  flowing  on  in  full  tide 
 towards  sinners.  It  is  seeking  to  flow  in  to  each  of  you. 
 And  it  would  enter  if  you  would  not  close  your  hearts 
 against  it.  It  would  come  in  and  fill  your  soul  with  its 
 blessed  peace,  just  as  the  light  pours  in  when  the  eye  is 
 opened  upon  the  sun.  As  there  is  no  more  obstacle  in 
 the  way  of  the  poor  prodigal's  return  to  his  father,  so  is 
 there  no  more  any  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  Father's 
 most  gracious  welcome  to  the  poor  prodigal.  The  one  is 
 free  to  return,  the  other  to  receive  ;  the  one  may  come 
 without  fear,  the  other  may  welcome  without  dishonour. 
 Christ  has  made  way  for  both  at  once,  and  by  the  same 
 act — the  sacrifice  of  Himself.  Now  that  the  way  is  open, 
 and  a  Father's  arms  stretched  wide  to  welcome  thee,  poor 
 prodigal  wilt  thou  not  return  ? 
 
 In  a  word,  Christ  hath  put  away  sin,  so  that  now  it  is 
 no  more  a  necessary  and  unavoidable  cause  of  punishment 
 to  those  who  have  personally  committed  it.  But  for  His 
 sacrifice,  it  would  and  must  have  been  so  in  every  case 
 whatever.  The  honour  of  God's  character,  and  the  safety 
 of  His  holy  moral  government,  would  have  made  this 
 indispensable.  But  the  one  is  now  so  entirely  vindicated, 
 and  the  other  so  inviolably  protected  by  the  one  great 
 sacrifice  of  the  cross,  that  no  necessity  now  compels  the 
 moral  Governor  of  the  universe  to  punish  sin  in  the  person 
 of  those  who  commit  it.  In  consequence  of  that  one  great 
 event,  and  on  the  ground  of  it,  God  can  now  most  honour- 
 ably dispense  forgiveness  and  eternal  life  to  every  guilty 
 rebel  upon  earth,  and  that  most  freely — without  any  re- 
 striction or  term  whatever — even  without  money  and  with- 
 out price.  That  great  sacrifice  did  more  to  vindicate  His 
 character  and  uphold  the  rectitude  of  his  government,  than 
 the  eternal  death  of  all  would  have  done.  In  so  far  as 
 these  are  concerned,  that  one  event,  once  for  all,  has  there- 
 fore rendered  this  unnecessary  ;  and  God  is  accordingly, 
 in  consideration  of  that  alone,  with  which  He  is  entirely 
 and  for  ever  satisfied,  now  offering  to  pass  from  the  sen- 
 tence of  death  in  the  case  of  everv  sinner  whatever,  who 
 
6  No.  6. — Sin  put  away  by  Christ. 
 
 is  wishing  it  at  His  hands.  And  should  any  necessity 
 henceforth  arise  for  inflicting  eternal  death,  it  must  be 
 created  by  the  sinner  himself — by  his  obstinate  refusal  to 
 accept  deliverance,  so  generously  procured,  so  freely  of- 
 fered— put  thus  freely  and  entirely  at  his  own  disposal. 
 Poor  soul !  just  look  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross,  and  tell 
 me  after  this  why  you  should  die  ?  That  was  the  sacrifice 
 of  Himself  God  in  your  flesh !  Think  of  Him  who  was 
 the  lawgiver,  rising  up  from  his  throne,  and  in  the  nature 
 of  a  creature  rendering  obedience  to  its  utmost  demands. 
 Was  not  this  doing  higher  homage  to  the  Majesty  of  God's 
 holy  1  w,  than  could  have  been  done  by  the  entire  and 
 eternal  obedience  of  all  mere  creatures  ?  After  this,  what 
 can  be  needed  to  assert  its  dignity,  and  maintain  its  honour? 
 Think  of  Him  who  was  God  over  all,  the  source  of  all  life 
 and  being,  and,  therefore,  by  infinite  degrees  better  than 
 all, — think  of  Him  in  our  flesh,  dying  in  the  room  of  the 
 guilty  !  It  is  in  consequence  of  this,  and  this  alone,  that 
 God  is  now  proclaiming  free  forgiveness  to  all.  He  can 
 give  you  pardon  and  eternal  life,  free  as  He  gives  you  the 
 light  of  His  sun ;  and  in  consequence  of  the  sacrifice  of 
 Himself,  no  stain  is  thereby  cast  on  His  character,  no 
 danger  accrues  to  His  holy  government.  This  is  the 
 righteous  and  honourable  way  in  which  the  holy  Go- 
 vernor of  the  universe  is  now  offering  life  to  all  of  our 
 fallen  race.  Go,  poor  sinner,  take  it  at  His  hand.  Go 
 to  Him  and  be  pardoned.  Go  to  Him  and  be  freely 
 loved.  Go  to  Him  and  live  for  ever.  All  has  been 
 done  that  is  necessary  for  this.  All  you  need  now  waits 
 your  mere  acceptance.  Sin,  the  only  obstacle,  has,  in  the 
 sense  j  ast  stated,  been  taken  away.  All  sacrifice  has  now 
 ceased.  Why  ?  Because  that  has  been  offered  which  an- 
 swers all.  Look  to  that  sacrifice,  and  to  that  alone — and  if 
 the  Spirit  sheds  His  light  upon  it,  it  will  also  satisfy  you. 
 It  will  satisfy  your  conscience,  and  take  from  it  the  convic- 
 tion that  sin  must  also  be  punished  in  you.  That  is  your 
 life,  your  light,  your  peace,  your  joy,  your  all.  That  and 
 that  alone  will  fill  you  with  a  sense  of  forgiveness — will  as- 
 sure you  of  every  thing,  by  assuring  you  that  God  is  pa- 
 cified— that  God  is  your  friend. 
 
 There  is  no  room  for  any  soul  to  deprive  himself  of  all 
 this  .omfort  by  saying — "  but  is  it  my  sin  ?  no  doubt  He 
 hath  put  away  some  sin,  but  can  I  be  sure  it  is  mine  ?" 
 There  is  no  room  for  such  a  question,  if  the  sense  above 
 stated  be  given  to  the  words.  In  that  sense,  it  is  all  sin 
 that  is  put  away.     Mark  the  very  language,  "  to  put  away 
 
No.  6. — Sin  put  away  by  Christ.  7 
 
 sin" — sin  in  general — not  some  person's  merely,  but  sin 
 Think  of  the  sense  above  given  to  the  words,  and  ask 
 yourselves  if  it  be  not  the  burden  of  the  whole  gospel,  the 
 sum  and  substance  of  the  good  news  proclaimed  therein  to 
 every  sinner  without  exception  ;  that  considered  as  a  ne- 
 cessary cause  of  eternal  death  to  the  guilty,  or  as  any 
 barrier  in  the  way  of  coming  to  God,  and  of  God's  full 
 tide  of  love  coming  to  him,  sin  hath  been  put  away  from 
 every  poor  soul,  still  in  this  world  and  on  this  side  of  hell. 
 Besides,  if  this  were  not  true  of  all,  how  could  it  be  true 
 of  any  ?  Where  could  even  the  Apostle  Paul,  or  any  of 
 the  Apostles  or  primitive  Christians,  obtain  the  assurance 
 of  their  sins  being  put  away,  if  it  was  not  in  the  general 
 declaration  respecting  Christ's  offering  once  for  all.  They 
 had  no  revelation  of  this  blessed  fact,  special  and  peculiar 
 to  themselves.  If  they  found  it  at  all,  they  found  it  just 
 in  such  an  universal  declaration  as  that  before  us.  If  they 
 found  it  there,  why  may  not  you — why  may  not  any  ? 
 Their  names  are  no  more  there  than  yours.  And  if  sin 
 has  already  been  put  away  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself, 
 how,  if  that  sacrifice  did  not  put  away  yours,  can  you  ex- 
 pect them  to  be  put  away  now  and  henceforth  by  some- 
 thing done  in  or  by  yourself?  In  that  case,  yours  would 
 be  put  away,  not  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself  but  by  some- 
 thing  in  you  ?  If  by  that  sacrifice,  the  thing  is  done 
 eighteen  hundred  years  ago ;  if  not  then,  should  it  ever 
 be  done,  it  must  be  owing,  not  to  Christ's  sacrifice,  but  to 
 something  else  which  is  future  and  yet  to  be  done. 
 
 Oh  that  men  but  knew  the  completeness,  perfection, 
 infinite  efficacy  of  this  one  sacrifice,  and  the  absolute  free- 
 ness  with  which,  on  the  ground  of  it  and  of  it  alone,  all 
 the  blessings  of  salvation  are  offered  to  every  sinner  with- 
 out exception.  The  knowledge  of  this  would  ease  their 
 hearts  at  once,  would  assure  them  at  once  of  every  thing — 
 of  safety,  of  free  forgiveness,  yea,  even  of  life  everlasting. 
 This  grand  atonement  is  the  ground  of  all  assurance. 
 Look  to  the  subsequent  context,  and  say  if  it  be  not  so, 
 (ch.  x.  19-22.)  What  is  the  blessed  doctrine  of  this  con- 
 text? Is  it  not  that  Christ  hath  done  by  the  one  offering 
 of  Himself,  once  for  all,  what  all  the  offerings  under  the 
 law  could  not  do,  and  which  their  very  repetition  proved 
 they  could  not  do  ?  All  offering  is  ceased,  just  because 
 there  is  remission  now  free  to  all,  (verse  18.)  And  what 
 is  the  result  of  the  whole  in  respect  to  us  ?  Why  just  that 
 we  may  come  with  consciences  entirely  disburdened  by 
 this  one  offering,  of  all  dread  and  apprehension,  even  in 
 
8  No.  6. — Sin  put  away  by  Christ. 
 
 the  full  assurance  of  faith,  that  in  his  Son  God  is  now  well 
 pleased.  In  this  blessed  and  child-like  asssurancewe  may  now 
 go  to  God  as  our  Father  for  every  thing  we  need  or  wish  for, 
 in  this  world  and  in  the  world  to  come  ?  Oh  yes,  this  sa- 
 crifice is  the  ground  of  all  assurance.  It  is  the  mere  sight 
 of  this  sacrifice  in  all  its  glorious  sufficiency,  that  heals  our 
 whole  spiritual  case— that  sets  us  right  at  once  with  God, 
 and  makes  us  safe  for  eternity.  It  is  not  the  sight  of  this 
 sacrifice  and  something  else — something  of  our  own  added 
 thereto,  our  own  faith  in  it  for  instance,  that  assures  th? 
 soul  before  God  and  forms  the  ground  of  everlasting  con- 
 solation and  good  hope  through  grace.  Our  faith  is  just 
 our  seeing  that  this  sacrifice  is  complete  and  perfect  by  itself 
 alone,  neither  needing  nor  admitting  the  addition  of  any- 
 thing else  whatever,  as  a  ground  of  confidence,  a  ground 
 of  child-like  approach  to  God.  For  this,  it  is  the  sacrifice 
 alone  that  needs  to  be  seen,  and  not  our  faith  along  with 
 it.  It  is  because  we  think  that  the  latter  must  be  seen 
 along  with  the  former,  and  because  we  are  always  going 
 in  quest  of  the  latter  as  the  more  important  of  the  two, 
 that  our  souls  see  no  light,  or  the  mere  twilight,  the 
 mingling  of  light  and  darkness.  In  seeking  the  latter,  we 
 lose  sight  of  the  former,  and  therefore  of  all  our  light  and 
 comfort,  for  it  is  the  former  which  is  the  source  of  all. 
 Oh  that  you  would  look  to  the  sacrifice  alone,  and  by  it- 
 self. Nothing  else  but  that  sacrifice  seen  in  all  its  solitary 
 naked  glory,  is  necessary  to  make  a  heaven  within  your 
 hearts  even  now,  and  make  you  sure  of  heaven  hereafter. 
 I  want  nothing  as  my  ground  of  confidence  before  God,  as 
 the  means  of  assuring  me  of  everything;  nothing  between 
 me  and  hell,  but  the  simple  sacrifice  of  Christ.  Let  me 
 see  just  that  sacrifice,  and  I  see  the  everlasting  proof  that 
 there  is  a  love  in  the  heart  of  God,  which  is  absolutely  in- 
 finite, and  which  is  now  free  to  me  and  to  every  humar 
 being  whatever.  Can  more  be  needed  ?  Can  more  b< 
 obtained?  This  is  all.  "  None  but  Christ — none  bu 
 Christ." 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso  :  J.   Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 
 Edinburgh:  J.  Johnstone;  W.  Whyte  &  Co.;  and  C.  Ziegle* 
 
 London:  James  Nisbet  &  Co. 
 
 Price  3s.  per  100. 
 
No.  9 
 
 THE 
 
 WORKS  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT, 
 
 AS  RECORDED   IN  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
 
 The  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him 
 not,  neither  knoweth  him — John  xiv.  17. 
 
 God  has  lately  been  sending  showers  of  his  Spirit  upon 
 many  dry  places  of  Scotland, — "  he  has  caused  waters  to 
 run  down  like  rivers."  At  such  a  time,  therefore,  it  is 
 specially  needful  for  us  to  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord, 
 "  Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour."  For  how  bitter 
 would  be  our  regret,  and  how  awful  our  responsibility,  if  we 
 were  to  grieve  him  away  by  neglect.  Reader,  may  the 
 Lord  keep  you  from  this  sin,  lest  you  should  have  to  mourn 
 all  your  after-days, — bewailing  the  heavens  over  you  as 
 brass,  and  no  souls  converted, — none  of  your  friends  awak- 
 ened,— love  waxed  cold  among  the  saints, — your  own  soul 
 become  like  Pharaoh's  ears  of  corn,  "  thin,  and  withered, 
 and  blasted  with  the  east  wind." 
 
 In  order,  therefore,  to  honour  the  Spirit,  you  must  know 
 his  workings.  "  The  world  cannot  receive  him,  because  it 
 knoweth  him  not,"  John  xiv.  17.  And  many  believers  give 
 him  little  honour,  because  they  know  him  not.  O  then, 
 reader,  come  and  see  what  He  has  wrought  upon  the  earth ! 
 
 Let  us  begin  with  his  works  as  recorded  in  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament ;  and  for  the  sake  of  distinctness,  we  shall  divide 
 this  part  of  the  history  into  seven  periods. 
 
 The  First  Period  is  the  Creation. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit,  as  one  of  the  persons  of  the  glorious 
 Godhead,  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  The  sea,  the 
 sky,  the  earth,  and  even  man  himself  were  his  work.     He 
 
 j.  Rutherford's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 removed  the  waters  from  the  face  of  the  solid  earth,  and 
 gathered  them  into  their  beds.  "  The  Spirit  of  God  mov- 
 ed upon  the  face  of  the  waters,"  Gen.  i.  3.  He  moved  the 
 vast  unwieldy  volume  of  the  immense  ocean,  and  put  it  in 
 its  place.  Soon  it  became  a  calm  expanse,  like  the  sea  of 
 glass  in  an  unfallen  world,  reposing  in  clear  purity.  And 
 above  this  ocean,  he  adorned  the  sky ; — "  by  his  Spirit  he 
 hath  garnished  the  heavens,"  Job  xxvi.  13.  He  put  every 
 planet  and  star  in  its  orb  and  station,  and  upholds  them 
 there.  He  garnished  the  sky  for  man's  sake.  The  beauti- 
 ful clouds  of  sunset — "  the  spreadings  and  balancings  of  his 
 clouds,"  Job  xxxvi.  29  ;  xxxvii.  16, — and  the  deep  blue  sky 
 at  noon,  and  these  stars  seen  in  the  clear  night,  all  were  the 
 work  of  the  Spirit.  And  this  earth  was  adorned  by  him. 
 For  even  now  this  is  his  work  ; — "  thou  sendest  forth  thy 
 Spirit,  they  are  created,  and  thou  renewest  the  face  of  the 
 earth,"  Psal.  civ.  30.  It  is  he  who,  even  in  our  fallen 
 world,  brings  verdure  over  the  earth  when  winter  is  passed, 
 drawing  forth  anew,  in  the  season  of  spring,  from  the  soil, 
 all  that  is  nourishing,  and  all  that  is  pleasant  to  the  eye  of 
 man.  And  by  this  specimen  of  his  work  on  earth  still,  we 
 may  infer  the  glory  of  the  unfallen  creation,  and  what  will 
 be  the  restored  glory  of  earth,  when,  by  this  same  Spirit, 
 "the  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  to  it,  the  excellency 
 of  Carmel  and  Sharon,"  Isaiah  xxxv.  2.  He  prepared 
 man's  dwelling, — the  heavens  over  his  head  shining  with 
 unfallen  glory, — the  sea  within  his  view  reflecting  the 
 splendour  of  the  sky,  and  itself  full  of  wonders, — while  the 
 earth  he  trod  upon  scattered  its  wealth  in  profusion  for  his 
 enjoyment.  And  when  all  things  were  thus  ready,  he  cre- 
 ated maw; — "the  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me,  and  the 
 breath  of  the  Almighty  has  given  me  life,"  Job  xxxiii.  4. 
 
 1.  Reader,  were  you  ever  despairing  ?  Were  you  ever 
 saying*,  that  none  cared  for  your  troubled  soul  ?  Behold, 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  who  has  specially  to  do  with  the  spirits  of 
 men  !  behold  his  love  to  man  !  The  interest  felt  in  man 
 by  the  Spirit  is  not  less  than  that  felt  by  the  Son  and  the 
 Father. 
 
 2.  Learn  the  beauty  of  holiness.  For  if  the  beauty  of 
 the  unfallen  creation  in  its  external  aspect,  was  so  perfect, 
 infinitely  more  excellent  will  be  that  wrought  in  the  inner 
 man.  For  the  external  beauty  was  in  a  manner  only  the 
 bye-work  of  the  Spirit;  whereas,  the  adorning  of  the  inner 
 man  is  his  peculiar  operation.  Judge  by  this,  how  beauti- 
 ful and  glorious  he  will  make  the  soul  that  receives  him. 
 
No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  $ 
 
 3.  What  a  mighty  creating  Spirit  is  he!  How  easily, 
 then,  he  could  renew  you,  reader,  if  you  are  still  unconvert- 
 ed. Conversion  is  creation-work;  Psalm  li.  10,  "  Create  in 
 me  a  clean  heart ;"  and  here  is  he  who  can  accomplish  it. 
 Or,  are  you  troubled  ?  The  Spirit  who  brought  order  out 
 of  confusion, — making  hills  take  their  proper  place,  and 
 seas  move  to  their  bed, — heaving  at  his  pleasure  the  un- 
 wieldy mass  of  deep  waters, — he  it  is  who  can  bring  you  to 
 rest.  As  he  cleared  the  face  of  the  sky,  cleaving  asunder 
 the  thick  darkness,  and  shewing  "  the  body  of  heaven  in 
 its  clearness/'  so  he  can  dispel  your  clouds,  and  shew  you 
 the  face  of  Jesus. 
 
 The  Second  Period  is  the  Fall. 
 
 We  are  sure  that  the  Holy  Spirit  felt  the  awful  ruin  of 
 man.  He  is  now  "  grieved/'  Ephes.  iv.  30,  at  each  indi- 
 vidual sin.  O  then,  how  deep  must  have  been  his  feeling 
 when  he  saw  the  flood-gate  of  all  sin  opened  !  And  as  he 
 had  been  the  medium  of  communicating  to  unfallen  man 
 the  love  of  the  Godhead,  so  now  it  grieved  him  to  with- 
 draw. 
 
 But  we  find  him  not  forsaking  man.  We  find  his  re- 
 generating and  converting  work  made  known  the  very  day 
 that  Adam  fell.  In  the  promise  that  conveyed  the  glad 
 tidings  of  the  Redeemer,  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
 contained; — "  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  wo- 
 man; and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed/'  Gen.  iii.  15. 
 In  his  "  enmity"  to  Satan  lies  the  whole  principle  of  rege- 
 neration. So  that,  we  have  here  a  statement  of  conversion, 
 and  that  too,  in  its  connection  with  the  work  of  Christ. 
 By  means  of  the  work  of  Christ,  the  Spirit  works  in  the 
 fallen  man,  love  to  God,  and  enmity  to  the  devil's  seed. 
 
 1.  Reader,  observe  that  the  doctrine  of  regeneration  was 
 taught  in  Eden.  It  is  an  old  truth,  and  one  so  important, 
 that  it  is  found  among  the  first  principles  of  redemption. 
 
 2.  There  is  need  of  the  entrance  of  God,  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 to  enable  man  to  escape  from  Satan.  Satan  holds  the  sin- 
 ner fast.  Look  at  Satan's  undisputed  dominion — hell ! 
 See  how  awfully  fast  every  soul  is  secured  !  None  escape 
 from  it ;  they  have  chains  that  never  break — fetters  that 
 never  snap — and  a  hand  grasps  them  that  none  can  unclasp 
 but  the  Holy  Spirit ! 
 
 3.  The  Holy  Spirit,  in  delivering  a  soul,  brings  the  soul 
 
4  No.  9 — The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 to  side  completely  with  Christ  and  his  cause.  "I  will  put 
 enmity,"  &c.  The  man  cannot  any  more  hesitate  about  his 
 choice.  He  becomes  decided.  Instead  of  a  lingering-  love 
 to  the  world,  and  Satan's  tempting-  offers,  his  soul  is  in  the 
 state  of  "  enmity"  towards  him. 
 
 The  Third  Period  is  the  Flood. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit  had  often  entered  into  souls,  and  saved 
 them  by  pointing-  to  a  promised  Saviour.  And  he  had 
 breathed  on  Enoch  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  that  fallen  man 
 might  know  more  fully  of  a  coming  Saviour.  The  Holy 
 Spirit  preserved  this  record  of  his  own  love  to  men,  by 
 keeping  the  prophecy  of  Enoch  in  the  memory  of  the  fa- 
 thers, and  at  last  inserting  it  for  our  use  in  the  epistle  of 
 Jude. 
 
 But  as  the  wickedness  of  man  increased,  his  love  began 
 to  be  more  strikingly  seen  ;  just  as  the  brightness  of  a 
 beacon-light  is  most  seen  when  darkness  has  covered  the  sky. 
 It  is  well  worthy  of  our  notice,  that  at  every  new  crisis  he 
 comes  into  full  view.  We  shall  see  this  verified  in  all  the 
 after  periods  of  the  history.  And  it  proves  to  us,  that  he 
 was  all  along  pervading  the  ways  of  God  to  man. 
 
 We  find  the  Holy  Spirit  before  the  flood,  "  striving  with 
 men,"  Gen.  vi.  3.  The  Holy  One  strove  even  with  the 
 giants  that  were  on  the  earth  in  those  days,  and  with  mon- 
 sters of  iniquity  I  He  strove,  and  they  resisted  during  120 
 years.  So  unwearied — so  patient  was  his  love  I  And  it 
 was  he  who  raised  up  and  qualified  Noah  to  preach  salva- 
 tion, and  enabled  him  all  that  long  period  to  persevere 
 amidst  the  mockery  of  the  whole  earth  !  For  1  Peter  iii. 
 19,  tells  us,  that  this  same  Holy  Spirit,  who  afterwards 
 shewed  his  love  to  man,  by  quickening  Jesus,  was  in  the 
 days  of  Noah,  while  the  ark  was  preparing,  sent  by  Jesus 
 to  enable  Noah  to  testify  to  that  wicked  generation,  who 
 are  now  "spirits  in  prison," — cast  into  hell,  because  they 
 would  not  hear  the  call. 
 
 The  object  of  his  "striving  with  men,"  was  to  lead  them 
 into  the  ark,  that  they  might  be  saved.  For  he  foresaw  the 
 terrors  of  the  flood,  and  the  more  awful  terrors  of  hell,  into 
 which  the  flood  would  sweep  them.  He  heard,  though  it 
 was  yet  distant,  their  cry  of  woe  and  despair, — the  weeping, 
 wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth  in  endless  remorse.  Therefore 
 he  strove  with   thousands  that  afterwards  perished.     He 
 
No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  5 
 
 strove  with  old  men  and  little  children,  young  men  and 
 maidens ;  and  yet  they  resisted  him  and  perished. 
 
 1.  Here  is  an  awful  fact;  the  Spirit  strives  with  many 
 whom  He  does  not  convert.  How  this  should  be  so  we  are 
 not  told;  for  He  could  as  easily  overcome  as  strive.  But 
 the  fact  is  beyond  a  doubt;  and  its  very  mystery  makes  it 
 more  tremendously  impressive.  If  you  read  the  Bible  and 
 are  not  converted,  you  resist  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit;  for, 
 Heb.  iii.  7,  shews  you  that  He  speaks  in  every  verse.  And 
 so,  when  you  hear  Christ  preached,  and  are  not  moved,  you 
 are  exactly  as  1  Pet.  iii.  19,  represents  the  men  before  the 
 flood.  And  Stephen,  Acts  vii.  51,  declares  that  opposers  of 
 the  truth  are  in  the  act  of  continual  resistance  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  How  awful !  A  silent  contest,  spirit  against  spirit ! 
 the  spirit  of  man  against  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 
 2.  Notice  the  times  when  He  specially  strives.  We  saw 
 He  did  so  under  Noah's  preaching,  and  so  still.  But  His 
 reason  for  special  striving  by  very  powerful  ministers  is, 
 because  a  flood  is  coming  on  you.  It  may  be  an  intima- 
 tion of  calamity  near  to  our  land,  that  He  has  raised  up 
 some  to  preach  with  special  power  throughout  the  land.  At 
 all  events,  the  general  fact  is  plain,  that  he  strives  specially 
 before  any  calamity  comes.  Reader,  perhaps  before  you 
 are  to  be  overtaken  by  some  sore  trouble  or  wasting  sick- 
 ness, or  deadly  disease,  God  is  striving  with  your  soul ! 
 That  alarming  passage  which  you  last  read  may  be  sent 
 to  arouse  you  now,  because  the  billows  of  a  flood  are  almost 
 wetting  your  feet. 
 
 3.  Learn  the  object  of  all  the  Spirit's  strivings  and  convic- 
 tions. It  is  in  his  deep  love  to  draw  you  into  the  ark.  No 
 doubt  he  enabled  Noah  to  persuade  with  great  earnestness, 
 and  to  shew  the  place  of  safety — to  describe  the  ark,  and 
 its  security,  impenetrable  by  water,  proof  against  the  dash- 
 ing billows.  Just  so  now  he  enables  his  ministers,  in 
 prospect  of  the  fiery  deluge — when  the  gates,  instead  of 
 "  the  windows"  of  heaven,  shall  be  wide  opened  to  let  the 
 flood  pour  along — to  urge  sinners  to  flee.  He  it  is  that 
 enables  them,  for  your  sake,  reader,  to  set  forth  the  full 
 provision  made  for  you  in  Christ — to  tell  you  that  there  is 
 an  ark  ready,  if  you  will  only  be  pleased  with  it,  and  go  in — 
 a  Saviour  ready,  with  whom  the  Father  is  well  pleased,  and 
 with  whom  he  wishes  you  to  be  satisfied,  as  he  is  himself. 
 If  you  believe  your  danger,  and  that  an  ark  with  an  open 
 door  is  offered  you,  you  will  certainly  enter  in. 
 
 4.  Ministers  learn  that  their  strength  lies,  like  Noah's,  in 
 
 i 
 
6  No.  9 — The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 being-  upheld  by  the  Spirit.     They  are  raised  up  by  the 
 Spirit  to  testify  of  Christ,  the  ark. 
 
 5.  Behold  the  immensity  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  love!  He 
 goes  through  thousands  upon  thousands  1  As  at  Pentecost 
 he  displayed  his  love  by  coming  on  some,  from  all  kindreds 
 and  people,  so  here  also. 
 
 The  Fourth  Period  is  the  First  Centuries  after  the  Flood. 
 
 Earth  was  peopled  again,  and  the  Spirit  did  not  forsake 
 the  place  where  he  had  striven  in  vain.  The  confusion  of 
 tongues  at  Babel  was  undoubtedly  his  work,  just  as  the 
 gift  of  tongues  at  Jerusalem.  The  love  of  the  Spirit  is 
 here  seen,  in  as  much  as  he  thus  took  direct  means  to  pre- 
 vent man's  pride,  and  broke  up  their  company,  and  led 
 them  away  one  from  another.  He  wished  to  stem  the 
 torrent  of  sin.  And  then  he  exhibited  his  marvellous 
 power,  by  setting  apart  individuals,  and  keeping  them  safe 
 amidst  an  apostate  generation.  He  formed  such  a  cha- 
 racter as  Abraham,  full  of  faith — like  a  lofty  pillar  erect 
 on  a  desolate  heath.  He  gave  Joseph  his  holiness  and 
 discretion,  so  that  Pharaoh  said,  "The  Spirit  of  God  is  in 
 him,"  Gen.  xli.  38.  It  is  every  way  probable,  also,  that 
 about  this  time  Job  was  kept  separate  in  a  heathen  land 
 — a  monument  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  opposition 
 to  the  "  spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedi- 
 ence." In  him  "  the  enmity"  between  Satan  and  the 
 woman's  seed  was  eminently  displayed.  And  Job  knew 
 the  Spirit  who  preserved  and  sanctified  him;  for  he  speaks 
 of  his  works  in   passages  which  we   have  already  quoted. 
 
 1.  Believers,  learn  from  this  the  immense  power  of  the 
 Spirit.  You  see  He  can  keep  a  spark  alive  amidst  the 
 ocean — Joseph  in  Egypt.  There  is  immense  power  mani- 
 fested in  regeneration,  and  also  in  the  preservation  of  the 
 regenerated,  as  you  find,  Ephes.  i.  19,  "the  exceeding 
 greatness  of  his  power  to  usward  who  believe."  Never 
 despond.  If  you  are  tried  by  friends,  or  "  by  iniquity  at 
 your  heels,  compassing  you  about,"  Psalm  xlix.  5,  yet 
 remember  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  will  glorify 
 hirn  the  more  to  keep  you  safe. 
 
 2.  Sinner,  you  cannot  excuse  yourself  by  saying  that  you 
 are  hedged  in  by  insuperable  barriers,  that  your  situation 
 makes  it  impossible  for  you  to  obey  God.  It  may  be  you 
 are  rich,  or  perhaps  poor,  and  on  that  account  tried  with 
 
No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  7 
 
 the  prospect  of  temporal  ruin  if  you  are  to  be  on  God's 
 side.  Therefore  you  say,  ';  There  is  a  lion  in  the  way/' 
 Frov.  xxii.  13.  But  the  Holy  Spirit  is  able  to  make  you 
 stand,  and  keep  you  from  falling-,  and  present  you  spotless. 
 The  root  of  your  hesitation  is  a  willingness  to  find  it 
 impossible — a  desire  to  be  able  to  say  with  apparent 
 fairness,  "  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused."  If  you  doubt  the 
 Holy  Spirit's  power  and  willingness  to  keep  you  from 
 falling,  you  make  God  a  liar,  and  you  love  darkness  rather 
 than  light. 
 
 The  Fifth  Period  is,  Israel  in  the  Desert. 
 
 In  this  period  we  find  the  Spirit  manifesting1  himself  in  a 
 threefold  manner.  The  first  was,  his  leading  Israel  through 
 the  great  wilderness.  When  any  great  thing  was  to  be  done 
 for  man,  we  always  find  the  Spirit  come  into  view.  Now, 
 one  great  end  to  be  accomplished  by  separating  Israel  from 
 other  nations  was,  the  coming  of  the  Redeemer — it  was, 
 therefore,  a  scheme  that  breathed  love  to  the  whole  world. 
 No  wonder,  then,  that  we  find  it  written,  "As  a  beast  goeth 
 down  into  the  valley,  so  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caused  him 
 to  rest,"  Isaiah  lxiii.  14.  We  find  him  directing  and 
 counselling  the  people,  and  turning  the  heart  of  enemies. 
 When  their  desert-state  was  nearly  ended  he  put  into  the 
 lips  of  Balaam  some  of  the  sweetest  words  of  comfort  and 
 blessing  that  Israel  ever  heard. 
 
 1.  Providences  are  under  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 He  turns  the  heart  of  men, — suggests,  hinders,  excites.  A 
 person  that  speaks  to  you  on  the  road  may  be  sent  by 
 Him.  A  person's  change  of  plan  or  purpose  may  be  His 
 direct  act.     And  thus  he  may  answer  many  a  prayer. 
 
 2.  Ministers  get  words  from  the  Spirit,  like  Balaam. 
 And  this  is  a  most  encouraging  truth,  when  connected  with 
 the  preceding.  The  ministrations  prepared  for  you,  Acts 
 x.  19,  and  your  being  led  by  Him  up  to  the  temple,  like 
 Simeon,  Luke  i.  27,  all  will  be  arranged  with  divine  wisdom 
 for  your  salvation. 
 
 3.  Your  sphere  in  life  has  been  directed  by  the  Spirit.  He 
 leads  you  in  the  desert.  He  prevented  people  offering  you  a 
 better  situation — and  He  reconciles  your  mind  to  the  place 
 where  you  are — "  causes  you  to  rest." 
 
 But  a  second  way  wherein  the  Holy  Spirit,  at  this 
 period,  manifested  his  love  to  man  was,  in  the  Tabernacle. 
 
8  No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 While  in  the  desert,  the  tabernacle  was  set  up,  full  of  the 
 types  of  Christ.  And  we  read  how  the  Holy  Spirit  filled 
 Bezaleel,  and  Aholiab;  "  I  have  filled  them  with  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  in  wisdom,  and  in  understanding-,  and  in  knowledge, 
 and  in  all  manner  of  workmanship,"  Exod.  xxxi.  3.  The 
 object  of  the  skill  so  imparted  was,  to  enable  them  accu- 
 rately and  faithfully  to  form  the  various  vessels  and  furni- 
 ture, which  were  all  to  typify  the  Redeemer.  As  no  man 
 can  know  Christ  except  by  the  Holy  Spirit's  teaching-,  so 
 none  could  successfully  execute  the  patterns  of  heavenly 
 things  except  by  his  guidance.  And  therefore  these  two 
 men,  and  as  many  besides  as  were  engaged  in  the  work, 
 were  filled  for  it  by  the  Spirit ;  "in  the  heart  of  all  the  wise- 
 hearted  I  have  put  wisdom,"  Exod.  xxxi.  6.  It  was  a  day 
 of  Pentecost  to  the  Old  Testament  church — "  he  gave  gifts 
 to  men,"  that  they  might  make  known  Christ.  Learn  from 
 this, 
 
 1.  The  Spirit's  deep  concern  in  your  salvation.  He 
 takes  care  to  have  the  way  pointed  out  clearly  and  accu- 
 rately. 
 
 2.  No  one  can  come  to  a  saving  acquaintance  with  Christ 
 without  the  Holy  Spirit,  John  xvi.  14. 
 
 3.  Ministers  are  taught  that  they  cannot  set  forth  Christ 
 to  their  people  without  the  direct  teaching  of  the  Spirit. 
 Without  him  they  may  show  a  Christ,  but  not  a  full,  living 
 Saviour — some  lineaments  of  his  form  will  be  wanting, — 
 something  of  his  beauty  hid. 
 
 But  there  was  a  third  way,  during  this  period,  whereby 
 the  Holy  Spirit  manifested  himself.  He  gave  a  type  of 
 himself.  He  taught  them  to  erect  a  Laver  in  the  taber- 
 nacle, opposite  the  altar.  This  Laver  was  a  type  of  the 
 Holy  One.  It  stood  filled  with  pure,  clear,  crystal  water; 
 and  when  the  sun  shone  upon  it,  it  would  attract  the  eye  of 
 every  worshipper,  and  would  resemble  the  stream,  "clear  as 
 crystal,  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  throne  of  God,  and  of  the 
 Lamb,"  Rev.  xxii.  1.  Israel  was  urns  taught  how  beauti- 
 ful is  holiness,  and  that  all  purity  came  from  this  full  source, 
 the  Holy  Spirit.  Even  after  he  had  cleared  away  sin 
 at  the  altar,  he  found  himself  requiring  a  purity  that  could 
 be  communicated  only  by  God.  The  worshipper  saw  that 
 being  justified  by  the  blood  of  atonement,  he  must  forth- 
 with look  for  sanctification  from  the  Spirit.  The  work  of 
 Christ,  and  the  work  of  the  Spirit  were  held  forth  in  equal 
 clearness;  and  there  was  no  possibility  of  passing  into  the 
 Holy  Place  without  approaching  both  Altar  and  Laver. 
 
No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 The  Sixth  Period  is  the  time  of  the  Judges. 
 
 After  Israel  had  reached  the  land  of  Promise,  and  set  up 
 their  tabernacle  there,  they  soon  forgot  the  Lord.  They 
 turned  their  eye  away  from  the  glorious  mass  of  types 
 whereby  they  might  have  been  kept  ever  looking  to  the 
 coming  Saviour.  As  a  consequence  of  their  sin,  the  enemy 
 came  in  as  a  flood.  Often  there  seemed  no  hope  of  deli- 
 verance— often  it  had  come  to  the  extremity,  that  the  Taber- 
 nacle and  the  Ark — the  type  and  pledge  of  a  coming-  Re- 
 deemer— as  well  as  the  very  people  from  whom  Christ  was  to 
 come  were  on  the  point  of  being  swept  away.  Had  this  been 
 permitted  to  take  place,  where  would  have  been  the  hope 
 of  man  ? 
 
 But  the  love  of  the  Spirit  appeared  now  again.  It  was 
 he  who  raised  up  judges  and  deliverers.  "The  Spirit  of 
 the  Lord  came  upon  Othniel,  and  he  judged  Israel  and 
 went  out  to  war,"  Judges  iii.  10.  And  so  it  is  said  of  Gi- 
 deon, *«  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  clothed  Gideon,"  vi.  34 ; 
 and  of  many  others. 
 
 Reader,  be  excited  by  this,  1.  To  pray  for  the  raising-  up 
 of  instruments  for  the  work  of  the  Lord.  We  need  them 
 in  church  and  state,  and  he  is  willing  to  send  them,  and 
 often  does  it  suddenly.  In  your  prayer-meetings  ask  this 
 specially  from  the  Holy  Spirit;  for  it  is  written,  "  when  the 
 enemy  comes  in  as  a  flood,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  raise 
 a  standard  against  him,"  Isaiah  lix.  19.  And  we  might 
 have  noticed,  in  the  desert-time,  that  Moses  no  sooner 
 sought  help,  because  unable  to  bear  all  the  people,  than  lo  ! 
 the  Spirit  came  upon  seventy  of  the  elders,  Numb.  xi.  25. 
 And,  reader,  2.  If  you  want  courage  to  confess  Christ  be- 
 fore men,  the  Spirit  is  he  who  gives  it.  He  gave  it  to  Gi- 
 deon, who  before  shrunk  from  all  trial,  and  was  threshing 
 wheat  in  a  retired,  concealed  spot,  from  fear  of  men. 
 3.  If  a  day  of  trial  is  near,  then  our  provision  is  in  the 
 Holy  Spirit — "a  Spirit  of  power" — able  to  prepare  Christ's 
 weakest  saints,  even  if  they  be  called  to  endure  tortures  and 
 martyrdom. 
 
 The  Seventh  period  is  the  time  of  the  Kings. 
 
 Though  often  grieved  and  vexed,  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  his 
 wondrous  love,  continued  from  time  to  time  to  raise  up  de- 
 
10  No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 liverers,  until  the  days  of  Saul.  Israel  had  sinned  in  seeking 
 a  king-,  yet  when  Saul  had  been  appointed,  "  the  Spirit  of 
 the  Lord  came  on  him,"  1  Sam.  xi.  6,  and  ix.  9,  to  give  the 
 heart  for  his  office.  It  was,  however,  only  a  gift  to  be  used 
 for  others,  it  was  not  grace  to  himself.  And  farther,  in 
 his  days,  Samuel  the  prophet  presided  over  those  schools 
 of  the  prophets,  where  there  was  so  much  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
 rit, that  many  who  mingled  with  these  for  a  night  became 
 new  men.  1  Sam.  xix.  20,  21. 
 
 Memorable  lessons  were  taught  to  the  world  at  that  time, 
 viz.  Gifts  are  not  the  same  thing  as  grace.  A  minister 
 may  edify  his  people,  and  yet  be,  like  Saul,  just  a  rod  in 
 the  Spirit's  hand  to  smite  the  rock,  or  as  an  iron  pipe  through 
 which  pure  refreshing  water  flows.  In  our  days  it  is  a 
 warning  much  needed.  Public  zeal,  and  being  a  blessing  to 
 others,  is  not  grace  in  itself.  It  may  often  be  Saut's  gift. 
 On  the  other  hand,  the  schools  of  the  prophets  exhibited 
 a  work  of  the  Spirit  in  reality,  and  they  were  the  salt  of  the 
 land.  The  gifts  and  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  were  dis- 
 played separately,  perhaps  on  purpose  to  shew  how  certain 
 it  is  that  they  are  not  the  same. 
 
 But  soon  after  both  were  united  in  the  person  of  David, 
 1  Sam.  xvi.  13.  During  many  years  he  was  tried  in  the 
 furnace,  and  all  that  time  the  Spirit  was  sanctifying  the 
 man  for  his  future  work.  He  was  deepening  his  holiness,  that 
 it  might  be  unshaken  amidst  the  honour  of  a  kingdom.  Hav- 
 ing finished  his  preparatory  work  on  David,  he  raised  him  to 
 the  throne,  and  suggested  to  his  mind  many  schemes  for 
 the  advancement  of  the  glory  of  God.  The  ark  was 
 brought  to  mount  Zion  with  great  honour  and  triumph,  and 
 so  Christ  in  type  was  thus  brought  eminently  into  view  of 
 all  Israel.  And  then  the  book  of  Psalms  was  dictated  to 
 David  by  the  same  Spirit,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  2;  a  book  where  the 
 name  of  Christ  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  in  his  sufferings 
 and  in  his  glory. 
 
 The  same  was  repeated,  but  in  a  higher  degree,  in  the 
 days  of  Solomon.  The  Holy  Spirit  suggested  the  plan  of  . 
 the  magnificent  temple,  1  Chron.  xxviii.  19,  which  being  at 
 last  completed,  the  Saviour  in  type  was  exhibited  thereby  in 
 a  glory  never  known  before.  The  splendour  was  such  that 
 all  ends  of  the  earth  came  to  see  it.  All  this  was  the  work 
 of  the  Spirit,  "  the  pattern  of  all  that  he  had  by  the  Spirit," 
 1  Chron.  xxviii.  12;  he  was  taking  the  things  of  Christ,  and 
 shewing  them  to  the  world.  No  doubt  many  souls  that  came, 
 attracted  by  the  splendour  of  the  temple,  learnt  the  way  of 
 
No.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  11 
 
 salvation,  and  returned  home  glorifying  God.  The  Song  of 
 Songs,  written  at  the  same  time,  set  forth  the  glory  of  the 
 Redeemer,  as  the  book  of  Psalms  had  done.  And  we  find,  as 
 a  consequence  of  all  this,  that  both  in  the  days  of  David  and 
 of  Solomon,  there  was  a  most  extensive  revival  of  true  reli- 
 gion. These  were  times  of  refreshing.  Indeed,  there  were 
 never  in  Israel  such  happy  times  as  when  Solomon's  temple 
 was  finished;  as  if  to  show  the  endless  streams  of  joy  that 
 flow  from  a  fully  set  forth  Saviour. 
 
 Learn  here,  1.  That  a  revival  proceeds  from  the  love  and 
 power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  raises  up  instruments  and 
 gives  the  blessing.  If  a  minister  come  among  a  people, 
 and  be  blessed  to  him,  it  was  the  Spirit  who  sent  him,  and 
 clothed  him  with  power;  and  the  people  who  would  keep 
 what  they  obtain  must  acknowledge  his  love. 
 
 2.  The  Spirit  revives  and  quickens  souls,  whether  indivi- 
 dually or  on  a  large  scale,  by  bringing  Christ  fully  into 
 view.  At  the  time  when,  in  behalf  of  the  whole  nation,  he 
 was  setting  forth  Christ  in  the  magnificent  temple,  he  was 
 also  carrying  in  the  same  truth  to  private  dwellings,  and 
 making  it  permanent  there  by  means  of  the  Psalms  and 
 Song  of  Songs. 
 
 O  reader,  this  wondrous  Spirit  shewed  in  detail  at  that 
 time  many  of  his  peculiar  acts.  He  taught  David  that  he 
 alone  is  the  author  of  conversion,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
 heart," — and  of  continuing  holiness,  "  Uphold  me  by  thy 
 free  Spirit,"  Psa.  li.  10,  12, — and  of  all  discoveries  of  God, 
 "  Thy  Spirit  is  good,  lead  me  into  the  land  of  uprightness," 
 Psa.  cxliii.  10.  And,  O  reader,  he  shewed  that  he  is  tra- 
 versing the  earth  seeking  souls,  "Whither  shall  I  go  from 
 thy  Spirit,"  Psa.  cxxxix,  and  that  he  will  come  and  reside  in 
 souls  that  turn  their  eyes  to  the  glorious  Saviour,  "Turn  ye 
 at  my  reproof;  behold,  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  into  you,"  Prov. 
 i.  23. 
 
 During  the  reign  of#the  other  kings  of  Judah,  many 
 books  of  Scripture  were  written  for  all  ages;  each  a  gift  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  to  the  children  of  men.  And  the  nearer  the 
 prophets  lived  to  the  day  of  Christ's  actual  coming  in  the 
 flesh,  more  and  more  of  the  Spirit  was  revealed.  The  more 
 fully  Christ  is  revealed  and  glorified,  then  the  more  of  the 
 Spirit ;  this  is  a  principle  that  pervades  the  whole  ways  of 
 God.  In  the  prophets  he  is  always  spoken  of  in  connec- 
 tion with  Christ's  work.  Isaiah  was  told  that  in  future 
 days,  he  would  rest  on  Jesus,  to  furnish  him  for  his  work ; 
 and  three  times  is  this  truth  declared,  see  chap.  xi.   1-3, 
 
12  JVo.  9.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 chap.  xlii.  1.  and  lxi.  1 — 3  ;  and  see  in  this  fact  his  desire  to 
 fix  our  eye  on  the  infinitely  peffect  work  of  Jesus !  His 
 desire  is  to  lead  you,  sinner,  to  rest  there.  When  Christ  did 
 come,  there  was  no  spot  on  earth's  surface  whereon  the 
 Spirit  would  rest  but  the  person  of  Jesus.  He  passed  by 
 the  rich  fields, — the  mines  of  gold, — the  wealthy  cities, — 
 the  ceiled  palaces,  and  repaired  to  the  desert,  that  he  might 
 rest  and  abide  on  Jesus  !  And  so  we  find,  while  Christ's 
 coming  was  still  only  foretold,  he  looked  through  the  future 
 scenes  of  earth,  and  no  one  seems  to  attract  attention  ex- 
 cept the  work  of  the  Saviour  and  its  effects.  When  the 
 men  of  Israel  lost  sight  of  the  hope  of  their  fathers,  seven- 
 ty years'  captivity  ensued,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  revealed  to 
 Ezekiel  and  Zechariah  that  he  would  be  the  author  of  their 
 deliverance,  by  turning  them  to  the  Redeemer,  and  then 
 dwelling  in  them.  The  remedy  for  Israel's  still-continued 
 desolation  will  be,  the  Spirit  directing  their  eye  to  Jesus, — 
 "  I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David  and  the  inhabitants 
 of  Jerusalem,  the  spirit  of  grace  and  of  supplications,  and 
 they  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  pierced,"  Zech.  xii.  10. 
 I*  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall 
 be  clean,  from  all  your  filthiness,  from  all  your  idols  will 
 I  cleanse  you," — (this  is  the  Saviour's  work  applied,  the 
 hyssop  passing  through  the  conscience;  and  then,)  "Anew 
 heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  with- 
 in you  ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
 flesh,  and  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh  ;  and  I  will  put  my  Spiill 
 within  you,"  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25. 
 
 Thus,  reader,  the  love  and  office  and  power  of  the  Spirit 
 were  sounded  in  the  full  voice  of  prophecy  over  ages  and 
 generations;  and  they  have  reached  you.  Behold!  he 
 strives  to  find  entrance  into  that  soul  of  yours.  Will  you 
 resist  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  or  is  he  to  come  in  and  say  of  your 
 soul, 
 
 <•'  This  is  my  rest,  here  will  I  stay, 
 "  For  I  do  like  it  well  ?" 
 
 Kelso  :  Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd.  Price  As.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 (SERIES  TO  BE  CONTINUED.) 
 
No.  11. 
 
 THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  JOHN. 
 
 FATHERS,  TO  YOUNG  MEN,  AND  TO   LITTLE   CHILDREN. 
 
 "  These  things  write  we  unto  you,  that  your  joy  may  be  full." — Chap.  i.  t. 
 
 That  which  was  from  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard, 
 which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled, 
 of  the  Word  of  life  ;  (for  the  life  was  manifested,  and  we 
 have  seen  it,  and  bear  witness,  and  shew  unto  you  that  eter- 
 nal life  which  was  with  the  Father,  and  was  manifested  un- 
 to us) ;  that  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto 
 you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us :  and  truly 
 our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus 
 Christ.  And  these  things  write  we  unto  you,  that  your 
 joy  may  be  full. 
 
 This  then  is  the  message  which  we  have  heard  of  him, 
 and  declare  unto  you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no 
 darkness  at  all.  If  we  say  that  we  have  fellowship  with 
 him,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth  : 
 But  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we  have 
 fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
 his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.  If  we  say  that  we  have 
 no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us.  If 
 we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our 
 sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.     If  we  say 
 
 j.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  11.—  The  First  Epistle  of  John. 
 
 that  we  have  not  sinned,  we  make  him  a  liar,  and  his  word 
 is  not  in  us. 
 
 My  little  children,  these  things  write  I  unto  you,  that  ye 
 sin  not.  And  if  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with 
 the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  :  And  he  is  the  pro- 
 pitiation for  our  sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for 
 the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  And  hereby  we  do  know  that 
 we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments.  He  that 
 saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is 
 a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him.  But  whoso  keepeth 
 his  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected :  here- 
 by know  we  that  we  are  in  him.  He  that  saith  he  abideth 
 in  him,  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked. 
 
 Brethren,  I  write  no  new  commandment  unto  you,  but 
 an  old  commandment,  which  ye  had  from  the  beginning: 
 the  old  commandment  is  the  word  which  ye  have  heard 
 from  the  beginning.  Again,  a  new  commandment  I  write 
 unto  you,  which  thing  is  true  in  him  and  in  you  ;  because 
 the  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true  light  now  shineth.  He 
 that  saith  he  is  in  the  light,  and  hateth  his  brother,  is  in 
 darkness  even  until  now.  He  that  loveth  his  brother  abid- 
 eth in  the  light,  and  there  is  none  occasion  of  stumbling  in 
 him  :*  But  he  that  hateth  his  brother  is  in  darkness,  and 
 walketh  in  darkness,  and  knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth, 
 because  that  darkness  hath  blinded  his  eyes. 
 
 I  write  unto  you,  little  children,  because  your  sins  are 
 forgiven  you  for  His  name's  sake.  I  write  unto  you,  fa- 
 thers, because  ye  have  known  him  that  is  from  the  begin- 
 ning. I  write  unto  you,  young  men,  because  ye  have  over- 
 come the  wicked  one.  I  write  unto  you,  little  children,  be- 
 cause ye  have  known  the  Father.  I  have  written  unto  you, 
 fathers,  because  ye  have  known  him  that  is  from  the  begin- 
 ning. I  have  written  unto  you,  young  men,  because  ye  are 
 strong,  and  the  word  of  God  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  have 
 overcome  the  wicked  one.     Love  not  the  world,  neither  the 
 
 •  i.  e.  There  is  nothing  which  can  cause  him  to  stumble  or  fall, 
 for  by  walking  in  love  he  walks  in  light,  and  therefore  sees  his  way. 
 
No.  11 — The  First  Epistle  of  John,  3 
 
 things  that  are  in  the  world.  If  any  man  love  the  world, 
 the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him.  For  all  that  is  in  the 
 world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and 
 the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world. 
 And  the  world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof:  but  he 
 that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever. 
 
 Little  children,  it  is  the  last  time :  and  as  ye  have  heard 
 that  antichrist  shall  come,  even  now  are  there  many  anti- 
 christs; whereby  we  know  that  it  is  the  last  time.  They  went 
 out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  :  for  if  they  had  been 
 of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us :  but 
 they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that  they 
 were  not  all  of  us.  But  ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy 
 One,  and  ye  know  all  things.*  I  have  not  written  unto  you 
 because  ye  know  not  the  truth,  but  because  ye  know  it,  and 
 that  no  lie  is  of  the  truth.  Who  is  a  liar,  but  he  that  de- 
 nieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  ?  He  is  antichrist,  that  de- 
 nieth  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Whosoever  denieth  the 
 Son,  the  same  hath  not  the  Father:  but  he  that  acknow- 
 ledged the  Son,  hath  the  Father  also.  Let  that  therefore 
 abide  in  you  which  ye  have  heard  from  the  beginning.  If 
 that  which  ye  have  heard  from  the  beginning  shall  remain 
 in  you,  ye  also  shall  continue  in  the  Son,  and  in  the  Fa- 
 ther. And  this  is  the  promise  that  he  hath  promised  us, 
 even  eternal  life. 
 
 These  things  have  I  written  unto  you,  concerning  them 
 that  seduce  you.  But  the  anointing  which  ye  have  receiv- 
 ed of  him  abideth  in  you ;  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man 
 teach  you :  but  as  the  same  anointing  teacheth  you  of  all 
 things,  and  is  truth,  and  is  no  lie,  and  even  as  it  hath 
 taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in  him.  And  now,  little  chil- 
 dren, abide  in  him ;  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  may 
 have  confidence,  and  not  be  ashamed  before  him  at  his  com- 
 ing. If  ye  know  that  he  is  righteous,  ye  know  that  every 
 one  that  doeth  righteousness  is  born  of  him. 
 
 •  i.  e.  The  anointing  of  the  Holy  Ghost, — so  Christ  had  told 
 them  that  the  Comforter  was  to  "  teach  them  all  things,"  John  xiv.  26. 
 
4  No.  11.—  The  First  Epistle  of  John. 
 
 Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
 upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God  I  there- 
 fore the  world  knoweth  us  not,  because  it  knew  him  not. 
 Beloved,  now  are  we  the' sons  of  God ;  and  it  doth  not 
 yet  appear  what  we  shall  be:  but  we  know  that,  when  he 
 shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  see  him 
 as  he  is.  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him 
 purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure.  Whosoever  commit- 
 teth  sin  transgresseth  also  the  law  :  for  sin  is  the  transgres- 
 sion of  the  law.  And  ye  know  that  he  was  manifested  to 
 take  away  our  sins ;  and  in  him  is  no  sin.  Whosoever 
 abideth  in  him  sinneth  not :  whosoever  sinneth  hath  not 
 seen  him,  neither  known  him.  Little  children,  let  no  man 
 deceive  you :  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous,  even 
 as  he  is  righteous.  He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil ; 
 for  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning.  For  this  purpose 
 the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the 
 works  of  the  devil.  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not 
 commit  sin  ;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him  :  and  he  cannot 
 sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God.  In  this  the  children  of 
 God  are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil :  whosoever 
 doeth  not  righteousness  is  not  of  God,  neither  he  that  lov- 
 eth  not  his  brother.  For  this  is  the  message  that  ye  heard 
 from  the  beginning,  that  we  should  love  one  another.  Not 
 as  Cain,  who  was  of  that  wicked  one,  and  slew  his  brother. 
 And  wherefore  slew  he  him  ?  Because  his  own  works  were 
 evil,  and  his  brother's  righteous. 
 
 Marvel  not,  my  brethren,  if  the  world  hate  you.  We 
 know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we 
 love  the  brethren :  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth 
 in  death.  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer: 
 and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in 
 him.  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid 
 down  his  life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives 
 for  the  brethren.  But  whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and 
 seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of 
 compassion  from  him,  how  dwelletb  the  love  of  God  in 
 him? 
 
 { 
 
No.  11. —  Tlie  First  Epistle  of  John.  5 
 
 My  little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in 
 tongue ;  but  in  deed,  and-  in  truth.  And  hereby  we  know 
 that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before 
 him.  For  if  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our 
 heart,  and  knoweth  all  things.  Beloved,  if  our  heart  con- 
 demn us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  toward  God.  And 
 whatsoever  we  ask,  we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his 
 commandments,  and  do  those  things  that  are  pleasing  in  his 
 sight.  And  this  is  his  commandment,  That  we  should  be- 
 lieve on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one 
 another,  as  he  gave  us  commandment.  And  he  that  keep- 
 eth  his  commandments  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  him  ; 
 and  hereby  we  know  that  he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit 
 which  he  hath  given  us. 
 
 Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whe- 
 ther they  are  of  God,  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone 
 out  into  the  world.  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God : 
 Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in 
 the  flesh  is  of  God  ;  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not 
 that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God ;  and 
 this  is  that  spirit  of  antichrist,  whereof  ye  have  heard  that 
 it  should  come ;  and  even  now  already  is  it  in  the  world. 
 Ye  are  of  God,  little  children,  and  have  overcome  them  ; 
 because  greater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the 
 world.  They  are  of  the  world  ;  therefore  speak  they  of  the 
 world,  and  the  world  heareth  them.  We  are  of  God :  he 
 that  knoweth  God  heareth  us  ;  he  that  is  not  of  God  hear- 
 eth not  us.  Hereby  know  we  the  spirit  of  truth,  and  the 
 spirit  of  error. 
 
 Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another :  for  love  is  of  God ; 
 and  every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth 
 God.  He  that  loveth  not,  knoweth  not  God ;  for  God  is 
 love.  In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us, 
 because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the 
 world,  that  we  might  live  through  him.  Herein  is  love, 
 not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his 
 Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  Beloved,  if  God 
 so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another.     No  man 
 
6  No.  1 1 .— The  First  Epistle  of  John. 
 
 hath  seen  God  at  any  time.  If  we  love  one  another,  God 
 dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us.  Hereby 
 know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because  he 
 hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit. 
 
 And  we  have  seen,  and  do  testify,  that  the  Father  sent 
 the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  Whosoever  shall 
 confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him, 
 and  he  in  God.  And  we  have  known  and  believed  the  love 
 that  God  hath  to  us.  God  is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth 
 in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him.  Herein  is  our 
 love  made  perfect,  that  we  may  have  boldness  in  the  day 
 of  judgment:  because  as  he  is,  so  are  we  in  this  world. 
 There  is  no  fear  in  love ;  but  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear ; 
 because  fear  hath  torment.  He  that  feareth  is  not  made 
 perfect  in  love.  We  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us. 
 If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a 
 liar;  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen, 
 how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ?  And  this 
 commandment  have  we  from  him,  That  he  who  loveth  God 
 love  his  brother  also.  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is 
 the  Christ  is  born  of  God :  and  every  one  that  loveth  him 
 that  begat,  loveth  him  also  that  is  begotten  of  him.  By 
 this  we  know  that  we  love  the  children  of  God,  when  we 
 love  God,  and  keep  his  commandments.  For  this  is  the 
 love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments:  and  his 
 commandments  are  not  grievous. 
 
 For  whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world: 
 and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our 
 faith.  Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he  that 
 believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?  This  is  he  that 
 came  by  water  and  blood,  even  Jesus  Christ ;  not  by  water 
 only,  but  by  water  and  blood  :  and  it  is  the  Spirit  that 
 beareth  witness,  because  the  Spirit  is  truth.  For  there  are 
 three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  these  three  are  one.  And  there  are 
 three  that  bear  witness  in  earth,  the  spirit,  and  the  water, 
 and  the  blood :  and  these  three  agree  in  one.  If  we  receive 
 the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is  greater ;  for  this 
 
No.  11 The  First  Epistle  of  John,  7 
 
 is  the  witness  of  God  which  he  hath  testified  of  his  Son. 
 He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in 
 himself:  he  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him  a  liar , 
 because  he  believeth  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his 
 Son.  And  this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us 
 eternal  life  ;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son.  He  that  hath  the 
 Son  hath  life ;  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God  hath 
 not  life. 
 
 These  things  have  I  written  unto  you  that  believe  on 
 the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  ye  may  know  that  ye 
 have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye  may  believe  on  the  name  of 
 the  Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the  confidence  that  we  have 
 in  him,  that,  if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will  he 
 heareth  us.  And  if  we  know  that  he  hear  us,  whatsoever 
 we  ask,  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions  that  we  desired 
 of  him.  If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not 
 anto  death,  he  shall  ask,  and  he  shall  give  him  life  for  them 
 that  sin  not  unto  death.  There  is  a  sin  unto  death :  I  do 
 not  say  that  he  shall  pray  for  it.  All  unrighteousness  is 
 sin :  and  there  is  a  sin  not  unto  death.  We  know  that 
 whosoever  is  born  of  God  sinneth  not :  but  he  that  is  be- 
 gotten of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one  touch- 
 eth  him  not.  And  we  know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the 
 whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness.  And  we  know  that  the 
 Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  understanding, 
 that  we  may  know  him  that  is  true;  and  we  are  in  him 
 that  is  true,  even  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the 
 true  God,  and  eternal  life.  Little  children,  keep  yourselves 
 from  idols.     Amen. 
 
 HYMN.     1  John  iii.  2,  3. 
 
 What  must  it  be  to  dwell  above, 
 At  God's  right  hand  where  Jesus  reigns, 
 
 Since  the  sweet  earnest  of  his  love 
 O'erwhelms  us  on  these  dreary  plains ! 
 
 No  heart  can  think,  no  tongue  explain 
 
 What  bliss  it  is  with  Christ  to  reign. 
 
8 
 
 When  sin  no  more  obstructs  our  sight, 
 When  sorrow  pains  our  hearts  no  more. 
 
 How  shall  we  view  the  Prince  of  light, 
 And  all  his  works  of  grace  explore ! 
 
 What  heights  and  depth  of  love  divine 
 
 Will  there  through  endless  ages  shine ! 
 
 This  13  the  heaven  I  long  to  know  ; 
 
 For  this  with  patience  I  would  wait, 
 Till,  wean'd  from  earth  and  all  below, 
 
 I  mount  to  my  celestial  seat ; 
 And  wave  my  palm,  and  wear  my  crown, 
 And  with  the  elders  cast  them  down. 
 
 KELSO  :   Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd.     Price  3s.  per  100. 
 
 (SERIES  TO  BE  CONTINUED.) 
 
No.  13. 
 
 THE  WORKS  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 
 
 PART  II. 
 
 AS  RECOltDED   IN  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT. 
 
 "  Tliere  were  seven  lamps  of  fire,  burning  before  the  throne;  which 
 are  the  seven  spirits  of  God  .  .  .  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth"  Rev.  iv. 
 5. ,  v.  6. 
 
 Reader,  do  you  often  consider  your  special  privilege,  and 
 responsibility  now,  when  there  is  more  of  the  Spirit  within 
 reach  of  fallen  man  than  before  Christ's  coming?  The 
 fact  is  stated  in  John  vii.  39,  and  the  reason  of  it  also. 
 
 The  Spirit  would  not  have  breathed  at  all  upon  fall- 
 en man,  unless  atonement  had  been  offered  for  sin.  The 
 love  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  holy  love  ;  it  waits  for  a  holy 
 channel  through  which  to  flow.  Such  a  channel  was  opened 
 by  the  promise  of  a  Redeemer  in  Eden,  and  the  Spirit  forth- 
 with began  his  work  of  regenerating  man.  Abel,  Enoch, 
 Melchizedec,  Abraham,  and  thousands  more,  were  renewed 
 and  sanctified  by  him,  long  ere  Jesus  had  died.  But  all  was 
 done  on  the  understanding  that  Jesus  was  yet  to  die;  the 
 sins  of  those  whom  he  sanctified  were  reckoned  as  suffered  for, 
 and  the  Lamb  was  reckoned  slain  from  the  beginning  of  the 
 world.  Still,  in  order  to  keep  the  world  in  mind  that  the 
 righteous  God  would  never  give  up  his  demand  for  entire 
 satisfaction  ;  there  was  only  a  part  of  the  Spirit's  fulness 
 given  out,  previous  to  the  time  when  Christ  actually  came 
 and  paid  the  full  ransom.  The  anxious  world  was  kept 
 waiting  for  the  joyful  cry,  "  It  is  finished  !''  "Because  Je- 
 sus was  not  glorified,  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet  given." 
 WJien  we  see  only  the  hands  and  feet  of  a  man,  we  do 
 not  say  we  have  seen  the  man  ;  for  we  have  not  seen  his  face 
 and  form ;  so,  says  the  Evangelist,  a  right  idea  of  what 
 the  Spirit  is,  was  not  yet  given  to  man.  But,  as  the  time 
 drew  on  to  Christ's  actual  death,  more  was  given ;  and  when 
 the  Saviour's  work  was  declared  to  be  accepted  in  his  ascen- 
 sion, the  streams  of  the  full  Spirit  poured  down  upon  the 
 earth.  Like  the  seven  streams  of  the  river  of  Egypt,  this 
 copious  flood  came  down  ;  the  one  infinite  Spirit  emptying 
 himself  on  the  earth  in  seven  streams,  Rev.  i.  4.  Let  us, 
 then,  draw  your  attention,  reader,  to  some  of  the  wonderful 
 things  recorded  of  him,  as  he  came  forth  in  this  fuller  ma- 
 nifestation. 
 
 I.  His  wonderful  work  on  the  soul  of  John  the  Baptist. 
 
 He  entered  the  soul  of  the  forerunner  of  the  Lord,  while 
 
 J.  RDTHERFURD'S  SERIES  OF  TRACTS. 
 
2  No.  \3.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 yet  an  infant  in  the  womb.  John  was  thus  sanctified  from 
 the  womb ;  and  the  evidence  of  the  Spirit's  -work  appeared 
 in  him  even  then,  in  as  much  as  a  distinct  intimation  of  the 
 Saviour's  coming  made  the  babe  leap  for  joy. 
 
 Little  children,  see  how  the  Holy  Spirit  loves  you.  Look 
 at  John  the  Baptist,  and  you  can  no  more  say  it  is  too  soon 
 for  the  Spirit  to  love  you,  and  too  soon  for  you  to  need 
 him.  Look  at  John  and  tell  us,  why  you  too  should  not 
 be  holy  now?  Look  at  this  infant  boy,  filled  with  the 
 Spirit,  and  tell  us  why  you  have  not  got  him  yet  ?  Did 
 you  ever  know  that  on  the  day  that  you  were  baptized,  he 
 offered  to  come  to  you  ?     Will  you  resist  the  Holy  Ghost  ? 
 
 Parents,  the  Holy  Spirit  can  sanctify  souls  in  the  womb; 
 why  are  your  children  not  thus  sanctified  ?  Some  of  you 
 complain  of  your  children's  temper  and  conduct ;  but  have 
 you  asked  for  them  the  Spirit,  offered  in  baptism  ?  And 
 have  you  taught  your  children  that  he  did  offer  himself  to 
 them  ?  O  for  your  own  soul's  sake,  care  for  your  children ! 
 Many  pious  parents  are  punished  in  the  barrenness  of  their 
 own  souls  for  the  carelessness  of  their  families.  Holiness 
 in  your  seed  would  come  back  on  yourselves.  <c  Elizabeth 
 was  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  the  babe  leapt  for  joy 
 at  Mary's  voice,1  and  Zechariah  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost  and  prophesied,"  when  he  recognised  the  work  of 
 God  in  his  infant  son.2 
 
 II.  His  wonderful  work  in  the  birth  of  Christ. 
 
 Gabriel  was  sent  to  tell  Mary  that  Immanuel  was  to  be 
 born  of  her.  "  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee."3 
 Mary's  sinful  nature  was  by  him  sanctified  that  she  might  be 
 a  habitation  for  "  the  child  that  was  to  be  born  to  us."  When 
 Christ  shall  come  to  set  up  his  throne  on  earth,  earth  shall  be 
 fully  purified ;  so,  when  Mary  was  to  receive  the  heir  of  that 
 throne,  she  was  fully  prepared,  and  the  child  born  of  her  was 
 "  the  holy  child  Jesus,"  without  spot  or  wrinkle  of  sin.4  What 
 a  moment  was  that  wherein  the  Word  became  flesh  !  Reader, 
 here  is  the  "  mystery  of  godliness  I"  The  Spirit  who  at 
 creation  fashioned  the  unfallen  earth  and  sky,  prepared  in 
 that  hour  the  human  nature  of  Christ.  The  Father  gives 
 the  word,  and  the  Son  responds  to  the  Father,  as  he  saw 
 the  Holy  Spirit  complete  his  work,  "Lo!  I  come  to  do  thy 
 will,  O  God — a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me  !"3  and  forthwith 
 He  is  on  earth,  in  our  nature,  who  was  to  be  our  sacrifice ! 
 
 Learn  here,  1.  The  sovereign  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 His  sovereignty  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  Father;  he 
 comes  in  free  grace  to  whom  he  will.  He  is  doing  for 
 man  what  he  never  did  for  fallen  angels;   he   is   giving 
 
 1  Luke  i.  41.  ■  Luke  \.  67.  »  Luke  i.  85. 
 
 *  Acts  iv.  30.  Hebrews  x.  5. 
 
No.  13—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  3 
 
 his  own  nature  to   fallen    man !     0  reader,  may  you  be 
 one  of  the  vessels  of  mercy  whom  he  fills! 
 
 2.  The  Holy  Spirit's  anxiety  that  a  complete  Saviour 
 should  be  provided  for  man.  It  was  on  this  account  he  so 
 prepared  the  person  of  Immanuel.  The  sacrifice  chosen 
 for  us,  was  one  that  from  the  first  was  spotless,  and  there- 
 fore sure  to  be  accepted  whenever  it  should  be  offered. 
 And  when  our  great  sacrifice  was  shewn  in  the  temple  soon 
 after  he  came,  the  gracious*  Spirit  led  Simeon  to  behold 
 him,  and  filled  his  soul  with  peace.1 
 
 III.  His  work  during  Christ's  thirty  years'  retirement. 
 He  continued  to  dwell  in  Christ's  human  nature,  like  the 
 
 glory  filling  Solomon's  temple.  He  daily  breathed  more 
 and  more  wisdom  into  Christ's  human  soul,  and  brought 
 out  more  and  more  grace  into  manifestation ;  rays  of  the 
 indwelling  glory  were  made  from  time  to  time  to  stream 
 forth  upon  the  surrounding  darkness.  "He  increased  in 
 wisdom,  and  stature,  and  in  favour  with  God  and  man."2 
 All  this,  too,  while  Nazareth  was  his  place  of  abode.  Du- 
 ring nearly  thirty  years,  Jesus  lived  in  Nazareth,  a  city  not- 
 ed for  its  wickedness;  the  Holy  Spirit  carried  on  the  holiest 
 work  ever  seen  on  earth  in  the  midst  of  the  vilest  city. 
 The  contrast  made  the  work  more  evident  and  marvellous. 
 How  powerful  the  holiness  of  God  !  O  reader,  Christ's 
 salvation  is  a  holy  salvation;  in  his  person,  the  Spirit  shews 
 you  the  possibility  of  being  holy  even  in  the  midst  of  an  evil 
 world,  "  godly  in  this  present  world."*  The  Holy  One  of 
 God  emerges  from  polluted  Nazareth.  Are  your  neigh- 
 bours evil  ?  Are  your  friends  ungodly  ?  Are  your  parents 
 enemies  of  God  ?  Yet  behold  the  Spirit'6  work  in  Nazar- 
 eth, and  be  of  good  cheer. 
 
 IV.  His  work  at  the  baptism  of  Christ. 
 
 He  came  then  specially  to  give  his  human  nature  all 
 gifts  for  his  office,  and  Isaiah's  prophecy  (lxi.  1.)  was  then 
 fulfilled  to  the  very  eye  of  man.  Anxious  that  nothing 
 should  be  left  undone  for  us,  he  so  anointed  Jesus  that 
 '*  he  returned  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  to  Galilee."4  Jor- 
 dan, when  it  overflowed  all  its  banks,  would  be  but  a  feeble 
 type  of  the  abundance  of  the  Spirit  poured  that  day  on 
 Jesus ;  for  he  was  poured  out  on  him  without  measure.5 
 
 But  notice,  reader,  that  the  Spirit  did  this  in  a  way  that 
 shewed  his  own  intense  desire  for  your  salvation.  Heaven 
 opened — there  was  brightness  above  the  brightness  of  the 
 midday  sun,  and,  while  every  eye  was  fixed  on  "the  body  of 
 the  heavens  in  its  clearness,"  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down 
 from  the  Father  and  rested  on  Jesus,  "in  a  bodily  form,  like 
 
 1  Luke  ii.  27.  "  led  by  the  Spirit."         3  Luke  ii.  52. 
 *  Titus  ii.  12.     *  Luke  iv.  14.  »  John  iii.  34. 
 
4  No.  IS.-— The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
 
 a  dove."  He  did  the  nearest  thing  to  becoming  visible; 
 for  he  caused  his  presence  to  be  marked  by  a  u  bodily  form, 
 like  a  dove."  As  at  Pentecost  tongues  of  fire  rested  on  the 
 disciples,  so  a  bright  form,  like  a  dove,  rested  on  Jesus  as 
 he  stood  in  the  streams  of  Jordan ! 
 
 We  see  here,  1st,  The  Holy  Spirit  glorifying  Christ  in  the 
 sight  of  sinners.  He  points  him  out  to  the  notice  of  a  care- 
 less world.  He  recommends  him  to  you  by  bringing  attrac- 
 tive glory  round  him.  Oh  he  longs  to  draw  your  attention 
 to  Jesus  that  you  may  be  forced  to  cry,  "there  is  beauty  in 
 him  that  I  should  desire  him." 
 
 2c?.  We  see  the  Spirit  teaching  anxious  souls  that  it  is 
 Christ  who  brings  peace  to  the  sinner.  For  he  chose  the 
 form  of  a  dove  when  he  abode  on  Jesus,  and  so  brought  into 
 view  the  feelings  of  God  toward  the  world  when  the  deluge 
 was  past.  Noah's  dove  was  the  messenger  of  peace,  bring- 
 ing good  tidings  that  the  flood  of  wrath  was  assuaged.  And 
 so  on  Jordan's  waters,  the  Spirit  points  to  Jesus,  "  who  is 
 our  peace" — his  olive-branch  is  the  plant  of  renown. 
 
 And  3d.  We  see  the  Spirit  teaching  us  that  Christ  brings 
 in  a  new  creation.  He  had  never  come  in  such  visible 
 energy  since  the  day  when  he  "  moved  on  the  face  of  the 
 deep."  But  now  he  does  so  again,  because  the  Creator  is 
 here,  and  a  new  creation  begun. 
 
 V.  His  work  during  Christ's  public  ministry. 
 
 As  soon  as  he  had  publicly  anointed  the  Saviour  and 
 furnished  him  fully,  he  led  him  to  be  tempted  forty  days  of 
 the  devil.1  The  Spirit  thus  shewed  his  own  power,  for  he 
 kept  the  slightest  breath  of  evil  from  entering  him  whom 
 he  upheld,  although  every  form  of  sin,  in  every  pleasant 
 disguise,  was  successively  presented.  But  his  special  in- 
 tention in  this  case  was  tp  let  us  see  that  our  Ark  was 
 well  able  to  withstand  the  storm,  that  it  was  waterproof  and 
 indestructible.  He  was  anxious  that  we  should  know  this 
 truth,  and  therein  possess  strong  consolation ;  anxious,  too, 
 that  by  Christ's  example  we  might  learn  how  to  overcome 
 when  tempted;  and  anxious  that  we  might  see  sympathy 
 ready  for  us  in  our  Redeemer's  breast,  "in  that  he  himself 
 was  tempted."3 
 
 When  our  Redeemer  was  performing  his  miracles,  he 
 declared  that  he  acted  by  "  the  Spirit  of  God."3  He  said 
 this  when  casting  out  devils,  thereby  teaching  us  that  the 
 Holy  Spirit  is  Satan's  grand  opposer,  and  takes  his  place 
 in  the  heart  that  Christ  has  cleansed.  And  when  you  see 
 also  how  being  "  full  of  the  same  Spirit,"  Jesus  raised  the 
 dead  and  healed  diseases,  remember  that  it  may  be  through 
 the  direct  operation  of  that  Spirit  w  who  made  you,"  (Job 
 
 1  Luke  iv.  1.  Matt.  iv.  1.     *  Hebrews  ii.  18.     3  Matt.  xii.  28. 
 
No.  13.— The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit  5 
 
 xxxiii.  4.)  that  health  is  breathed  through  your  frame,  and 
 refreshing  sleep  made  to  restore  your  wearied  body. 
 
 But  never  were  the  Spirit's  power  and  love  to  man  more 
 manifest  than  at  Christ's  death.  It  was  "  by  the  eternal 
 Spirit,"1  that  he  offered  himself  to  God  without  spot.  The 
 sacrifice  was  all  put  in  order  by  him,  so  that  obedience,  love, 
 intense  desire  for  the  Father'6  glory,  and  yearning  over  sin- 
 ners, were  felt  in  their  highest  degrees  in  the  soul  of  Jesus 
 at  that  awful  moment.  And  all  was  completed  when  for  our 
 sakes  the  Spirit  caused  the  communications  of  love  towards 
 the  beloved  Son  to  run  so  low,  that  he  cried,  "  My  God,  my 
 God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  I"  And  in  the  same  anx- 
 iety of  love,  how  fully  did  he  shew  himself  in  Jesus  at  the 
 Tesurrection-morning — "  the  Spirit  of  holiness"  raising  him 
 from  the  grave  and  declaring  him  the  Son  of  God  with  power.2 
 And  ever  since  that  hour  he  has  delighted  to  give  power  to 
 the  witness  borne  of  the  finished  work  of  the  Redeemer;3 
 because  therein  a  sinner  finds  all  that  is  needed  for  his  par- 
 don and  peace. 
 
 VI.  Christ's  Discourses,  and  Promises  concerning  Him. 
 
 We  have  seen  the  Spirit's  operation  in  the  various  scenes 
 of  Christ's  life-time  here;  let  us  see  also  what  Christ  him- 
 self used  to  tell  of  him  to  his  disciples. 
 
 When  he  first  began  to  teach,  he  pointed  to  the  Spirit — 
 11  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me."4  And  the  first  of 
 his  recorded  conversations  is  that  with  Nicodemus,  wherein 
 he  explained  how  no  man  can  enter  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
 ven till  he  is  born  of  that  Spirit  who  was  typified  by  the 
 pure  water  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation.  Reader, 
 Christ  has  seen  all  the  souls  that  ever  entered  heaven, 
 and  he  declares  that  not  one  has  entered  who  had  not 
 first  been  born  again.  He  puts  his  seal  to  his  truth, 
 44  Verily,  Verily,"5  three  times  in  the  course  of  that  one 
 conversation,  and  declares  with  awful  solemnity,  "  We 
 speak  what  we  do  know,  and  testify  what  we  have  seen !" 
 Reader,  has  the  Spirit  come  to  you  ?  Are  you  new-born  ? 
 Has  he  ever  come  to  you,  like  "  fire,"  to  burn  up  the 
 stubble  ?6  or  as  "  the  rain"  softly  entering  your  soul, 
 while  you  read  the  Scriptures  ?  or  as  a  "  quick  two-edged 
 sword,"  piercing  you  with  deep  convictions  ?  and  then 
 descending  as  a  dove,  has  he  shewn  you  peace  after  your 
 many  alarms  ?  The  time  and  manner  of  his  coming  it  would 
 be  interesting  to  know ;  but  this  can  be  wanted  ;  the  all- 
 important  question  is,  Has  he  come? 
 
 During  his  ministry,  Christ  often  spoke  of  him  as  the 
 
 1  Hebrews  ix.  14.  3  Romans  i.  4.     Ephes.  i.  19. 
 
 "  Acts  iv.  31,  33.  *  Luke  iv.  14,  13. 
 
 *  John  iii.  3,  5,  11.  ■  Isaiah  iv.  4. 
 
6  No.  13.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 great  gift  he  would  bestow  on  his  children.1  Often  he 
 warned  those  around  him  of  blaspheming  him.  On  one 
 of  the  most  remarkable  days  of  his  ministry — the  great 
 day  of  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  he  held  forth  this  gift 
 as  the  grand  effect  of  believing  on  the  Saviour.2  But 
 when  the  time  drew  near  that  he  must  leave  the  world, 
 he  spake  of  Him  more  and  more.  How  full  of  him 
 are  his  discourses  in  John  xiv.  xv.  xvi.  He  taught  his 
 disciples  to  lean  on  the  Spirit  as  their  guide  into  all  truth  ; 
 and  told  them  that  in  doing  so  he  would  convince  them  of 
 sin,  fixing  the  sinner's  gaze  especially  on  the  sin  of  reject- 
 ing his  Saviour — next,  would  convince  them  of  righteous- 
 ness, satisfying  them  that  it  was  to  be  found  in  the  Re- 
 deemer, because,  after  wearing  the  garment,  he  had  gone 
 and  shewn  it  to  the  Father — and  finally,  convince  them  of 
 this,  that  judgment  was  given  against  Satan,  the  Prince  of 
 this  world,  and  that  his  cause  was  ruined,  the  head  of  the 
 Serpent  being  crushed.  He  further  told  them  that  his  of- 
 fice would  specially  be  to  take  up  the  things  that  concerned 
 the  Saviour  and  shew  them  to  souls;  so  that  doubting, 
 dark,  anxious  minds  might  at  once  be  relieved,  when  no 
 minister  or  guide  on  earth  could  help  them  (see  1  Cor. 
 li.  12.)  Already  he  had  taught  them  that  all  their  useful- 
 ness would  depend  on  the  measures  they  received  of  this 
 Spirit;  "out  of  him  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water/' 
 and  they  found  it  so  in  their  after  experience.  (See  Acts 
 iv.  31,  33,  and  the  account  of  Pentecost.)  On  the  very 
 day  he  left  them,  when  just  about  to  ascend,  he  said,  "  Be- 
 hold, I  send  the  promise  of  my  Father."3 
 
 Reader,  observe,  1.  How  in  all  our  Lord's  ministry  he 
 led  his  disciples  to  the  Spirit,  even  as  the  Spirit  leads  all 
 souls  to  Christ — the  Spirit  leads  all  coming  sinners  to  the 
 Altar;  and  when  there  they  have  met  Jesus,  Jesus  sends 
 them  to  the  Laver.  2.  The  best  gift  that  our  ascended 
 king  could  select  for  his  beloved  disciples,  out  of  all  the 
 riches  of  heaven,  and  all  its  joys,  was  the  gift  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Does  it  seem  small  in  your  eyes?  3.  Put 
 together  all  that  Jesus  said  of  this  gift,  and  can  you  for- 
 bear to  covet  it?  Reader,  if  you  are  a  believer  you  have 
 access  to  large  supplies  of  this  Spirit.  For  Luke  xi.  13.  de- 
 clares the  Father's  heart  toward  you,  and  John  xvi.  7.  gives 
 you  a  resistless  plea — "  If  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  !"  Say 
 then,  "  he  has  departed- — we  are  waiting  for  our  Head,  for 
 be  is  in  the  heavens — therefore  Lord,  send  the  Comforter  !'* 
 If  you  have  not  large  supplies  of  the  Spirit,  it  is  as  much 
 your  guilt  as  it  was  in  the  case  of  any  weary  and  thirsty 
 Israelite  who,  though  he  walked  beside  the  stream  from  the 
 
 4  Luke  xi.  13.     9  John  vii.  39.     3  Lukcxxiv.  49.     Acts  i.  8. 
 
No.  13.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  7 
 
 smitten  rock,  yet  drank  only  sparingly,  because  he  was  re- 
 luctant to  stoop  down. 
 
 VII.  His  work — his  full  outpouring  after  Christ 's  death. 
 
 We  have  seen  why  he  was  not  fully  poured  out  till 
 Christ  was  glorified.  But  in  his  ascension,  Christ  was 
 fully  glorified  ;  his  person  being  the  sacrifice  once  offered  ; 
 and  that  sacrifice  during  forty  days  after  the  resurrection, 
 6hone  upon  by  the  Father's  glory,  as  its  resplendent  seal; 
 and  thereafter  presented  in  heaven.  There  was  now  no 
 hindrance  to  the  Spirit's  full  outpouring ;  He  therefore  pre- 
 pared to  come  down.  Ten  days  he  kept  the  disciples  at  Je- 
 rusalem waiting,  that  they  might  be  the  more  thirsty,  and 
 welcome  his  coming  the  more.  Meanwhile  he  brought  all 
 his  fulness  to  the  person  of  the  now  glorified  Immanuel,  and 
 made  him  the  fountain  out  of  which  the  living  waters  were 
 to  flow.  The  Laver  in  the  heavenly  temple  was  thus  placed 
 beside  the  Altar — so  that  behold,  sinner,  you  cannot  be  sanc- 
 tified otherwise  than  by  approaching  the  Saviour  I  This  ful- 
 filled that  ancient  prophecy,  "  thou  hast  ascended  on  high, 
 thou  hast  led  captivity  captive,  and  received  gifts  for  men."1 
 And  in  the  visions  which  have  been  granted  to  the 
 Church,  the  full  Spirit  resting  on  and  abiding  in  the  person 
 of  Immanuel  has  ever  attracted  the  notice  of  those  who  saw 
 them;  John  saw  the  seven  spirits  in  Christ's  hand,2  and  at 
 another  time  he  saw  the  Lamb  "  with  seven  eyes,  which 
 are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth  to  all  the  earth."3 
 And  since  that  day,  it  has  been  usual  to  speak  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit  in  his  relation  to  the  Church  as  u  the  seven  spirits ;" 
 because  he  is  poured  forth  from  Jesus  in  fulness,  of  which 
 a  sevenfold  measure  was  the  symbol. 
 
 Our  ascended  High  Priest  had  no  sooner  got  the  oil  thus 
 poured  on  his  h*»ad,  than  it  ran  off  even  to  the  skirts  of  his 
 garments — as  typified  in  Aaron.  Can  you  number  the  drops 
 of  dew  ?  or  the  copious  rain  ?  or  the  drops  of  the  sea  ?  as 
 little  can  any  tell  the  dew,  the  rain,  the  living  water,  that 
 has  come  down  from  him.  He  began  at  Pentecost  to  re- 
 fresh his  heritage ;  ever  since,  he  has  from  time  to  time  re- 
 peated such  showers;  and  he  meditates  a  shower  more  abun- 
 dant still,  when  he  will  empty  out  the  blessing  promised  by 
 Joel,4  the  first  drops  of  which  fell  in  the  days  of  Peter,  and 
 the  rest  of  which  is  to  be  sent  in  "the  times  of  refreshing." 5 
 The  day  of  Pentecost  taught  that  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  is 
 entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Redeemer.  None  can  be  holy 
 before  coming  to  Christ;  none  can  get  the  Spirit  except  out 
 of  his  hands.  It  taught  the  world,  the  Spirit's  desire  to  save 
 sinners  of  every  kindred  and  people.     This  was  his  object  in 
 
 1  Psalm  lxviii.  18.  9  Rev.  iii.  1.  »  Rev.  v.  6. 
 
 4  Joel  ii.  23.  «  Acta  iii.  19. 
 
8  No.  13 — The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 bestowing-  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  in  doing  it  when  men  were 
 present  from  every  nation  under  heaven.  The  day  of  Pen- 
 tecost teaches  us,  why  there  are  few  conversions  amongst  us. 
 It  is  the  fault  both  of  ministers  and  people — there  is  little  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost  amongst  us.  There  is  little  of  such  preaching 
 as  that  described  by  Peter,  when  he  speaks  of  men,  who  had 
 preached  the  Gospel  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
 heaven1 — and  there  is  little  of  such  prayer  as  Jude  re- 
 commends, "  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  But  the  day 
 of  Pentecost  has  taught  us  to  pray,  and  expect  reviving 
 showers.  Reader,  if  Christ  has  the  Spirit  in  his  hand,2 
 will  you  not  look  often  up  to  him,  and  cry  "  open  thine 
 hand,  and  satisfy  the  wants  of  living-  souls  !" 
 
 It  was  after  this,  that  a  regular  ministry  began.  There 
 never  had  been  such  before.  The  Spirit  used  in  former 
 times  to  raise  up  instruments  on  particular  occasions;  but 
 now  he  was  more  fully  given,  and  in  his  great  love  institut- 
 ed a  standing  ministry.  This  is  recorded  as  his  work  on 
 Christ's  ascension;3  and  ministers  are  called,  "  ministers  of 
 the  Spirit;"4  and  their  office,  "  the  ministration  of  the  Spi- 
 rit;" and  for  their  encouragement  they  are  told  that  "  the 
 seven  stars"  are  held  in  the  same  hand  that  holds  the  seven 
 spirits.  How  full  of  gratitude  ought  you  to  be,  reader,  if 
 you  ever  have  been  blessed  in  the  house  of  God.  All  the 
 profit,  or  joy,  you  ever  found  under  the  ministry  of  any  one, 
 is  a  result  of  the  Spirit's  work  when  he  established  this 
 order  of  men.  If  ever  you  got  light,  or  had  conviction  of 
 sin,  or  were  made  joyful  under  the  preaching  of  the  word,  it 
 is  all  to  the  glory  of  the  Spirit's  love.  Well  may  minis- 
 ters themselves  stand  and  adore.  Their  office  is  but  the 
 channel  through  which  the  living  waters  flow  1 
 
 VIII.  His  great  gift,  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
 
 There  are  some  particular  instances  of  his  power  which 
 we  have  omitted,  such  as  that  day  when  5000  souls  were 
 saved;5  and  that  other  when  he  first  shewed  such  patient 
 kindness  in  leading  the  Ethiopian  to  the  truth,  and  then 
 such  mighty  energy  in  having  caught  away  Philip.6 
 
 But  now  it  was  that  he  completed  a  revelation  of  the 
 will  of  God  to  man.  Long  ere  now  he  began  to  do  this; 
 but  he  never  finished  his  work  until  the  clear,  foil, 
 completed  work  of  Jesus  was  recorded.  It  was  He  who 
 wrote  the  Old  Testament,  using  the  prophets  as  his 
 instruments,7  and  so  entirely  guiding  and  inspiring  the 
 record  that  every  thing  and  every  word  therein,  small 
 and  great,  has  his  authority.8  From  the  day  when  the  book  of 
 Genesis  was  written,  he  was  continually  selecting  events  to 
 
 1  1  Peter  i.  12.     *  Rev.  iii.  1.     3  Eph.  iv.  11.     4  2  Cor.  iii.  6. 
 *Actsiv.  4.    «  Acts  riii.  39.     »  2  Peter  i.  21.     8  2  Tim.  iii.  10. 
 
No.  13.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  9 
 
 be  recorded,  and  matter  for  the  use  of  the  church.  But 
 he  left  the  volume  unfinished  until  all  Christ's  work  was 
 finished,  and  then  he  used  apostles  to  write  his  will  for  com- 
 ing- ages;  the  whole  word  of  God  is  now  our  perfect  manual 
 for  all  knowledge  relative  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  he 
 has  thus  given  us  a  full  river  along  whose  banks  we  may- 
 walk.1  Reader,  remember  he  uses  this  word  as  his  instru- 
 ment for  conversion  and  sanctification.  Let  John  xvii.  17. 
 never  be  a  day  out  of  your  memory  ;  "  sanctify  them  by  thy 
 truth;  thy  word  is  truth?  Formerly,  he  converted  and 
 sanctified  souls,  by  leading  them  to  see  Christ  in  the  types 
 of  the  temple  ;  but  now  you  are  "  to  grow  in  grace"  by 
 growing  "  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus."3 
 
 IX.  His  daily  work  in  the  saints  below. 
 
 Here  we  shall  merely  point  out  the  leading  operations  of 
 the  Spirit  on  the  believer.  He  dwells  in  him  and  shall  never 
 leave  him.3  Sometimes  he  is  made  to  retire,  by  a  believer's 
 backsliding,  into  the  deepest  recess,  and  is  scarcely  seen; 
 yet  he  never  leaves  a  dwelling  he  has  once  come  to  possess. 
 In  the  case  of  Samson,  you  see  him  in  the  solitary  dungeon 
 of  Gaza,  coming  forth  from  his  retirement  and  raising  in 
 that  man's  heart  the  cry,  "  O  Lord  God,  remember  me"* 
 In  David's  case,  though  retired  far  within  for  a  year's  space, 
 at  length  he  put  forth  his  power,  and  the  prayer  wa9  heard, 
 "  Take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me  !"3 
 
 Thus  dwelling  in  his  saints  he  calls  them  his  temple? 
 even  their  bodies  are  reckoned  his  temple;  and  he  says  of 
 their  souls,  "  I  will  dwell  in  them  and  will  walk  in  them."7 
 He  it  is  that  makes  the  walls  of  this  temple  strong,8  and 
 then  fills  it  with  Himself.9  He  cleanses  it,  as  Christ 
 cleansed  the  temple  from  buyers  and  sellers ;  "  ye  mortify 
 the  deeds  of  the  body  through  the  Spirit."10  Upon  the 
 walls  of  this  temple  he  pictures  the  glories  of  heaven,  and 
 causes  clear  manifestations  of  truth  to  shine — as  in  old 
 times,  palms,  and  flowers,  and  cherubims  adorned  the  tem- 
 ple-walls to  regale  the  sight  of  the  worshipper.  He  is 
 the  "  seven  lamps"  mentioned  in  Rev.  iv.  5.,  shewing  the 
 heaven  of  heavens  just  as  the  seven-branched  candlestick  gave 
 light  and  shewed  the  priest  his  way  into  the  holy  place,  and 
 let  him  see  what  was  there.  Above  all  he  keeps  the  Altar 
 conspicuous  in  their  view,  "  glorifying"  Christ,11 — and  giv- 
 ing "  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him."12 
 Everything  here  is  regulated  according  to  the  law  of  the 
 Holy  God;  every  one  in  this  temple  exhibits,  "meekness, 
 long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,   faith,  patience,  tem- 
 
 »  Psalm  i.  2.    »  2  Peter,  iii.  18.   •  John  xiv.  16.    4  Judges  xvi.  28. 
 
 •  Psalm  li.  11.     UCor.  vi.  19.     '  2  Cor.  vi.  16.     •  Eph.  iii.  16. 
 
 •  Eph.  v.  18.    w  Romans  viii.  13.    "  John  xvi.  14.    12  Colos.  i.  9. 
 
10  No.  13.—  The    Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 perance."1  And  as  an  "earnest  of  the  inheritance,"  Ephes. 
 i.  14.  first-fruits  are  brought  into  this  temple,  and  they  are 
 such  as  these,  "Love,  joy,  peace."2  And  joy  expresses  it- 
 self in  songs,  "in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,"3 
 — such  as  were  heard  at  Pentecost  when  they  eat  their  meat 
 with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God,"  and 
 such  as  the  prophet  Isaiah  foretold  Christ  was  to  give,  when 
 the  anointing  Spirit  sent  him  to  put  on  "  the  garment  of 
 praise."4  If  enemies  assail  or  storms  beat  upon  the  walls, 
 then  especially  are  these  songs  heard,  and  joy  felt ;  they 
 endure  all  "  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and  are 
 "filled  with  joy  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost."5  yet  many 
 many  are  the  cries  and  groans6  that  are  heard  from  this  tem- 
 ple; but  they  are  groanings  after  more  holiness.  Some- 
 times, it  is  a  cry  for  deliverance  from  the  body  of  sin  ;7 
 sometimes  a  cry  for  wisdom  and  understanding  in  the  know- 
 ledge of  Christ  ;8  sometimes  for  faith9  or  love  or  persever- 
 ance in  retaining  the  truth  to  the  end.10  Incense  is  kept 
 continually  burning  on  the  golden  Altar  in  his  temple,  and 
 the  Spirit  is  he  who  keeps  it  burning,  "  the  Spirit  himself, 
 raiseth  the  intercession  within  us."  Christ's  voice  is  heard 
 in  this  temple  through  the  Spirit.  "  He  that  hath  an  ear 
 let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches." 
 Reader,  remember  this  each  Sabbath  morning  as  you  go  up 
 to  the  house  of  God.  Has  he  come  to  make  you  such  a 
 temple  ?    Are  his  groans  and  cries  ever  heard  within  you? 
 
 X.  His  work  on  the  saints  at  death,  and  onward  to  the 
 second  coming  of  Christ. 
 
 The  interests  of  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit  are  all  one. 
 The  saints  are  therefore  alike  precious  to  him  as  to  the 
 Redeemer.  As  soon  as  the  hour  of  a  believer's  departure 
 from  the  body  arrives,  he  makes  him  perfect  in  holiness. 
 Then  the  saint  commits  his  soul  to  his  Redeemer,  and 
 dies  \  Immediately  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  express  one 
 feeling  of  delight.  The  Son  presents  the  believer  arrayed 
 in  righteousness  to  the  Father;  the  Father  seals  his  well- 
 pleasedness,  saying,  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  that  die  in  the 
 Lord,"  that  is,  in  Jesus;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  catches  up 
 the  word,  "  From  henceforth,  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  for 
 they  rest  from  their  labours,  and  their  works  do  follow 
 them."11  He  rejoices  to  make  perfect  their  holiness  ;  and 
 yet  they  go  before  the  throne,  without  their  works,  in  order 
 that  their  justification  may  be  seen  to  depend  wholly  on 
 Christ.     Yet  at  the  same  time  he  promises  to  be  a  witness 
 
 1  Gal.  v.  22.  a  Gal.  v.  22.  3  Colos.  iii.  16. 
 
 '  Isaiah  lxi.  3.  6  Acts  ix.  31.  and  xiii.  52.  6  Rom.  viii.  26. 
 
 7  Rom.  viii.  23.  8  Isa.  xi.  2.    Eph.  i.  17.  9  2  Cor.  iv.  13 
 
 «°2  Tim.  i.  7.  14.  »  Rev.  xiv.  13. 
 
No.  13.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  U 
 
 of  their  labours,  their  holy  thoughts,  words,  sufferings,  at 
 the  great  day  of  recompense. 
 
 Forthwith,  therefore,  he  begins  to  breathe  into  them 
 stronger  desires  than  they  ever  had  before  for  the  coming 
 of  Christ.  For  the  comfort  of  friends  left  behind,  he 
 tells  us  some  of  the  thoughts  of  departed  saints.  And 
 this  is  the  chief,  viz.  intense  delight  in  Jesus  still,  and 
 the  wish  to  see  him  more  glorified  in  their  own  sight,  and 
 in  sight  of  all  the  world.  Christ's  Bride,  that  is,  his  Church 
 above,  is  stirred  up  by  the  Spirit  to  invite  Christ  to  come 
 speedily.  "  The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say,  Come  j"1  these 
 holy  souls  that  form  the  redeemed  church  above,  are 
 not  complete  till  they  get  their  resurrection-bodies  ;  nor 
 will  they  be  fully  satisfied  till  they  get  w  the  grace  that  is  to 
 be  brought  unto  them  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ."2 
 The  Spirit,  therefore,  in  his  love  to  them  and  desire  for  their 
 full  enjoyment,  helps  them  to  urge  on  the  day  of  the  Re- 
 deemer's second  coming.  He  had  done  this  while  on  earth ; 
 "  we  who  have  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  we  oui- 
 selves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to 
 wit,  the  redemption  of  our  bodies."3  And  now  since  they 
 have  reached  heaven,  he  enlarges  their  capacities  and  stirs 
 up  the  same  cry  more  and  more. 
 
 Reader,  this  is  the  last  view  given  us  of  the  Spirit  in 
 the  word  of  God.  And  it  shows  the  position  in  which 
 every  saint  should  be  standing.  It  shows  us  that  the 
 church  above  is  ever  crying  to  Jesus,  "  Come,  Lord,"  and 
 that  the  church  below  should  do  the  same.  "  Let  him 
 that  heareth  say,  come  !"  But  there  is  a  word  for  the 
 sinner  too.  The  church  below,  "  he  that  heareth,"  has 
 another  duty  besides  seeking  their  own  bliss  and  perfection 
 by  inviting  Jesus  to  come  quickly.  They  must  also  stand, 
 and  looking  on  the  unconverted  world,  must  cry,  "He  that  is 
 athirst  let  him  come/'  We  are  to  stand,  with  our  eye  up- 
 ward on  Jesus,  with  our  hand  stretched  out  to  you, 
 bidding  you  come  quickly  to  that  Saviour  whom  we  are 
 entreating  to  come  quickly  to  us.  The  Spirit  who  knows 
 your  secret  thoughts,  and  is  ready  to  bear  witness  against 
 you  at  the  great  day; — he,  he  it  is  who  stirs  us  up  to 
 cry  to  you  most  earnestly  now,  "  O  sinner,  come  and  take 
 the  water  of  life  freely."  He  places  you  within  sight  of 
 the  judgment-seat,  and  then  cries,  "Come,  and  take."  He 
 shews  you  the  fountain  full  to  the  very  brim,  and  thereby 
 would  provoke  your  thirst,  while  he  cries,  "  Come  and  take 
 the  water  of  life."  He  takes  away  the  possibility  of  your 
 saying  that  he  does  not  address  you,  for  he  cries,  "  Whoso- 
 ever is  athirst;"  and  you  are  surely  thirsty  for  joy  and  rest. 
 
 1  Rev.  xxii.  17.  *  Peter  i.  13.  »  Remans  viii.  23. 
 
12  No.  13.—  The  Works  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
 
 He  would  make  it  impossible  for  you  to  invent  any  ex- 
 cuse even  for  hesitation,  and  therefore  he  cries,  "Whoso- 
 ever will"  And  lest  any  shadow  of  excuse  should  remain, 
 he  makes  the  word  "  Freely,  freely,"  be  the  word  that  dies 
 upon  your  ear.  He  takes  up  the  testimony  of  the  Old 
 Testament  prophets,1  and  unites  it  to  that  of  the  Saviour 
 uttered  on  earth,2  and  from  heaven,3  and  thus  he  entreats 
 you,  to  take  and  live  for  ever,  as  if  he  were  holding  the 
 living  water  in  one  of  the  golden  urns  of  his  heavenly  tem- 
 ple to  your  very  lips;  he  cries,  "  Whosoever  will,  let  him 
 take  the  water  of  life  freely."  O  reader,  were  you  ever  near- 
 er bliss  than  now  ? 
 
 Meanwhile  the  church  continues  longing  for  the  day 
 of  their  Master's  glory.  The  Spirit  joins  his  cry  to 
 theirs,  his  voice  to  theirs,  asking  Jesus  to  "come  quickly." 
 For  on  that  day  when  Christ  is  fully  glorified  with  his  own 
 and  his  Father's  glory,  then  shall  his  people  receive  of  the 
 Spirit  in  ample  measures.  The  Spirit  shall  flow  forth  in 
 immeasurable  streams  on  every  saint,  "  and  the  earth  shall 
 be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.''*  What 
 understandings  of  God  shall  we  have  then.  What  attainments 
 in  holiness  !  How  deep  our  love  !  How  loud  our  praise  ! 
 while  in  fellowship  with  all  saints,  we  comprehend  what 
 is  the  height  and  depth,  and  length  and  breadth,  and  know 
 the  love  of  Christ  that  passes  knowledge,  and  are  filled  with 
 all  the  fulness  of  God  !  O  then,  let  him  that  heareth  join 
 the  Spirit  and  the  bride  crying,  "Come,  Lord  Jesus." 
 
 And  now,  reader,  we  leave  you,  gathering  up  all  we  have 
 said  into  a  prayer,  which,  after  what  you  have  read  will  not 
 seem  unmeaning  or  unimportant.  It  is  that  which  your 
 minister  breathes  over  you  every  Sabbath  as  you  leave  the 
 house  of  God — "  The  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be 
 with  you.     Amen."5 
 
 1  Isaiah  Iv  1.  2  John  vii.  37.^  3  Rev.  ii.  6. 
 
 *  Habakkuk  ii.  14.         s  2  Cor.  xiii.  14. 
 
 Kelso  :  Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd,.  John  Johnstone,  "W. 
 Whyte,  &  Co.,  and  Chas.  Zeigler,  Edinburgh.  Jame» 
 Nisbet,  &  Co.,  London. — Price  4s.  6d.  per  100. 
 
No.  16. 
 
 THE   LORD'S   SUPPER. 
 
 "  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
 Jood  of  Clirist?  the  bread  ivhich  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
 hody  of  Christ?"— I  Cor.  x.  16. 
 
 u  Take,  e«.t;  this  is  my  body.  .  .  .  Drink  ye  all  of  it" — Matt. 
 xxvi.  26,  27. 
 
 "  The  king  hath  brought  me  into  his  chamber;  we  will  be  glad  and 
 rejoice  in  thee;  we  will  remember  thy  love  more  than  wine." — Song  of 
 Solomon,  i.  4. 
 
 "  Let  a  man  examine  himself.  .  .  .  If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we 
 should  not  be  judged,"— I  Cor.  xi.  28,  31. 
 
 The  Lord's  table  is  spread  for  the  Lord's  people,  and  for 
 them  alone.  No  one  ought  to  go  to  that  table  who  is  not 
 a  real  follower  of  the  Lamb.  It  is  a  feast  for  the  disciples, 
 and  for  them  alone.  It  is  bread  for  the  children  ;  it  is  pas- 
 ture for  the  flock  of  Christ.  All  who  go  to  that  table  in  an 
 unconverted  state,  are  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
 Lord.1  We  must  first  come  to  Christ  before  we  can  come 
 to  his  feast.  For  He  has  prepared  his  feast  for  his  saints 
 alone, — for  those  whom  he  calls  his  sister,  his  spouse,  his 
 bride,  his  love,  his  dove,  his  undejiled.*  These  are  wel- 
 come ;  all  others  are  forbidden. 
 
 I.  The  Lord's  supper  is  a  memorial  of  Christ.5  It  is  a 
 memorial  of  the  Man  of  Sorrows.  It  is  a  memorial  of  Him 
 who  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions  and  bruised  for  our 
 iniquities,  upon  whom  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
 laid,  and  by  whose  stripes  we  are  healed.  It  is  a  memorial 
 of  the  crucified  One.  It  is  a  monument  of  bleeding,  dying 
 love.  It  proclaims  the  Lamb  that  was  slain.  It  sets  be- 
 fore us  his  bruised  broken  body, — his  shed  and  sprink- 
 led blood, — his  face  marred  more  than  any  man,  and  his 
 form  more  than  the  sons  of  men.  Its  simple  common 
 elements  speak  of  Him  who  was  meek  and  lowly,  as  well 
 1  1  Cor.  xi.  27,  29.         *  Song  v.  2.         ■  Luke  xxii.  19. 
 
 J.  rutherfttrd's  series  of  tracts* 
 
2  No.  16.—  The  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 as  of  Him  who  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death.  In  all  its 
 parts  it  speaks  of  Jesus, — of  Jesus  alone, — of  none  but 
 Jesus, — Immanuel,  God  with  us, — Messiah  the  anointed 
 One, — the  Beloved  of  the  Father's  soul !  It  reminds  us  of 
 his  incarnation,-— his  life, — his  humiliation,— his  agony, — 
 his  cross, — his  death, — his  grave.  It  takes  us  back  to  the 
 upper  chamber  in  Jerusalem, — to  the  passover  table, — to 
 Kedron,— to  Gethsemane, — to  Gabbatha, — to  Pilate's  hall, 
 —to  Calvary, — to  Joseph's  tomb.  It  brings  to  mind  the 
 gracious  words  of  Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake,  and 
 into  whose  lips  grace  divine  was  poured.1  It  says  to 
 us,  Behold  your  king, — behold  the  man, — behold  the  Lamb 
 of  God, — behold  my  servant  the  Branch  !  It  brings  to 
 mind  the  mighty  deeds  of  him  who  did  all  things  well.  It 
 tells  us  of  the  grace  of  Him  who,  though  he  was  rich,  yet 
 for  our  sakes  became  poor.  It  calls  especially  to  mind  the 
 decease  which  he  accomplished  at  Jerusalem, — the  glorious 
 work  whereby  he  finished  transgression,  made  an  end  of 
 sin,  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  made  recon- 
 ciliation for  iniquity.2  The  voice  that  proclaimed  from  the 
 cross  "  It  is  finished,"  still  proclaims  the  same  from  the 
 communion  table  by  the  bread  and  wine.  These  symbols 
 tell  us  that  the  way  to  God  is  open  now,  and  the  access 
 free, — that  the  blood  has  been  shed, — the  sacrifice  offered 
 up  and  accepted, — the  veil  rent, — and  liberty  secured,  even 
 for  the  guiltiest  to  draw  near  with  perfect  confidence  to 
 God.  They  preach  the  gospel,  the  glad  tidings  of  great 
 joy  which  are  to  us  and  to  all  people.  All  that  Jesus  did 
 for  us  is  represented  in  them.  All  the  blessings  of  the  new 
 covenant  are  set  forth  to  us.  That  table  tells  us  of  a  full 
 Saviour  and  a  full  salvation  ;  a  full  Redeemer  and  a  full  re- 
 demption. A  full  Saviour,  a  free  gospel,  and  a  finished 
 righteousness,  are  set  before  our  eyes.  There,  truly,  Jesus 
 is  "  all  in  all."  No  name  is  heard  but  that  of  Jesus.  The 
 symbols  speak  of  Jesus.  The  service  breathes  of  Jesus. 
 The  praise  is  all  of  Jesus.  The  words  are  all  of  Jesus. 
 And  it  seems  as  if  the  still  voice  of  Jesus  himself  were 
 heard  in  the  silence  of  that  solemn  scene.  Truly  the  Lord's 
 6upper  is  the  memorial  of  Jesus. 
 
 II.  The   Lord's  supper  is  a  seal  of  the  blessings  of 
 Christ.     It  seals  these  to  us.     It  puts  them  into  our  hands, 
 
 *  Luke  iv.  22.     Jo.  vii.  46,     Ps.  adv.  %  ■  Dan.  ix.  24. 
 
No.  16.—  The  Lord's  Supper.  3 
 
 and  says  to  each  of  us,  all  these  are  thine.  In  it  Christ  says 
 to  the  soul,  I  am  thine, — all  my  blessings  are  thine,  all  that 
 I  have  is  thine.  He  takes  the  bread  and  wine;  he  gives 
 them  to  us,  saying,  Here  is  my  royal  seal; — take  it,  handle  it, 
 taste  it,  and  doubt  no  more.  Blessed  pledges!  Can  I  ever  doubt 
 again!  I  am  ray  beloved's  and  my  beloved  is  mine.  The 
 supper  is,  (1.)  A  seal  of  pardon.  (2.)  A  seal  of  adoption. 
 (3.)  Of  eternal  life.  (4.)  Of  union  with  Christ  and  with  the 
 saints  who  are  his  body.  (5.)  Of  his  love  to  us ;  and  our 
 receiving  the  symbol  is  a  seal  of  our  love  to  him.  (6.)  Of 
 the  kingdom  to  come:1  hence  he  speaks  of  the  cup  being 
 the  Testament.  (7.)  Of  all  the  promises.  These  are  all 
 yea  and  amen  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  but  here  they  are  specially 
 and  personally  confirmed  to  us.  This  ordinance  is  the 
 broad  seal  of  heaven  affixed  to  all  that  God  has  said;  giving 
 us  a  direct  pledge  and  assurance  that  all  that  is  in  Christ  is 
 ours.  It  not  only  signifies  but  "  seals  to  us  all  the  benefits 
 of  the  covenant  of  grace."  It  says  in  our  ears  and  to  our 
 hearts,  "  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  re- 
 moved, but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither 
 shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed."  Believing  souls, 
 let  this  be  your  prayer,  "  set  me  as  a  seal  upon  thy  heart,  as 
 a  seal  upon  thine  arm?"2 
 
 III.  The  Lord's  supper  applies  and  conveys  the  bless- 
 ings of  Christ.  It  is  more  than  a  sign  ;  it  is  more  than  a 
 seal ;  it  is  a  real  communication  of  spiritual  blessings  to 
 believing  souls.  By  it  "  we  are  made  partakers  of  Christ's 
 body  and  blood,  with  all  their  benefits,  to  our  spiritual  nour- 
 ishment and  growth  in  grace."  Christ's  body  and  blood 
 are  the  two  sources  of  blessing.  His  body,  broken  for  us, 
 is  the  storehouse  in  which  all  manner  of  food  for  the  soul  is 
 treasured  up.  His  blood,  shed  for  us,  is  the  fountain 
 whence  living  waters  flow  to  us,  and  out  of  which  comes 
 the  "  clean  water"  which  is  sprinkled  upon  us  to  wash  away 
 our  sins.  Both  of  these  are  at  all  times  open  and  free.  In 
 believing  we  at  all  times  are  nourished,  refreshed,  and 
 cleansed.  But  in  the  Lord's  supper  we  receive  fuller 
 measures  of  blessing.  The  symbols  of  bread  and  wine  are 
 the  channels  through  which  God  conveys  to  us  the  new 
 covenant  blessings.  He  makes  use  of  them  for  pouring 
 into  believing  souls  all  the  blessings  which  flow  from  the 
 
 •  Matt.  xxvi.  29.     Luke  xxii.  16,  18.  2  Song  viii.  6. 
 
4  No.  I  j. —  The  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  the  Lord.  "  In  the  supper, 
 rightly  used,  Christ  Jesus  is  so  joined  to  us  that  he  becora- 
 eth  very  nourishment  and  food  to  our  souls."1  The  elements 
 are  to  us  what  the  hem  of  his  garment  was  to  the  woman 
 who  had  the  issue  of  blood.  When  we  partake  of  them 
 believingly,  virtue  comes  out  of  them,  to  feed,  to  strengthen, 
 to  heal,  to  cleanse,  to  refresh,  to  nourish  the  soul  unto  life 
 eternal.  All  that  is  in  Christ,  faith  draws  out  of  these 
 symbols,  and  thus  they  become  "a  feast  of  fat  things" 
 to  the  soul.  Out  of  them  we  draw  new  and  more 
 vigorous  life, — spiritual,  heavenly,  everlasting  life.  At  this 
 lable  we  especially  find  Christ  to  be  the  bread  of  life,  and 
 we  feed  upon  him  as  such.  At  this  table  all  our  graces  are 
 nourished  and  strengthened.  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are 
 ripened  in  us.  We  "  grow  in  grace,"  and  are  brought  into 
 nearer  resemblance  of  our  Lord  himself.  Sin  is  mortified; 
 the  flesh  is  crucified  with  its  affections  and  lusts.  The  old 
 man  receives  a  deadly  blow.  The  union  between  Christ 
 and  the  soul  is  strengthened ;  and  in  all  their  parts  the 
 members  of  the  body  are  drawn  closer  to  their  living  head. 
 The  union  between  the  saints  is  here  cemented  and  con- 
 firmed. Here  the  bonds  of  love  are  gently  yet  firmly 
 twined  about  believing  souls,  and  we  learn  to  love  one 
 another  with  a  pure  heart  fervently,  as  one  holy  family,  one 
 blessed  brotherhood.  It  is  here  we  partake  together  of  the 
 "  hidden  manna,"  and  the  tree  of  life  which  is  in  the 
 midst  of  the  paradise  of  God.  It  is  here  we  are  fed  with 
 the  finest  of  the  wheat.  It  is  here  we  drink  the  new  wine 
 of  the  kingdom,  and  are  anointed  with  fresh  oil.  We  feast 
 with  Jesus  in  the  upper  room.  We  lean  upon  his  bosom 
 like  the  beloved  disciple.  We  sing  with  him  the  hymn  he 
 sang  ere  he  crossed  the  Kedron.  We  go  with  him  to 
 Gethsemane,  and  with  him  we  kneel,  and  agonize,  and 
 pray.  We  stand  in  Pilate's  hall,  and  hear  the  voice  which 
 says,  "behold  the  man  I"  We  take  our  place  by  the  foot  of 
 the  cross,  and  are  sprinkled  with  the  drops  of  the  crimson 
 shower.  We  are  brought  close  to  his  very  side,  and  from 
 his  precious  wounds  we  drink  in  salvation,  receiving  into 
 our  souls  the  healing  virtue  that  flows  from  his  hands,  his 
 feet,  his  side. 
 
 Thus  we  see  that  the  Lord's  supper  is  intended  to  be  to 
 1  Old  Scotch  Confession  of  Faith. 
 
No.  16.— The  Lord's  Supper.  5 
 
 nfi  a  full  storehouse, — an  overflowing  fountain  of  spiritual 
 blessings.  It  is  designed  to  furnish  us  with  an  abundant 
 supply  for  our  manifold  wants.  Let  us  mention  in  order  a 
 few  particulars  concerning  these: 
 
 1.  It  strengthens  our  faith.  For  it  holds  up  the  glorious 
 gospel  of  the  blessed  God  to  us  in  the  most  striking  and 
 impressive  of  all  ways,  namely,  by  outward  signs.  And 
 also,  it  puts  the  seal  and  pledge  of  all  blessings  into  our 
 hands  and  lips. 
 
 2.  It  makes  plain  the  truth  to  our  minds.  For  by  em- 
 bodying invisible  truth  in  visible  signs,  it  renders  it  far 
 more  clear  and  easy  to  be  understood.  It  illustrates  the 
 whole  truth  concerning  Christ.  It  shews  how  free,  how 
 rich,  how  sufficient,  how  suitable  is  his  salvation; — yet, 
 like  the  common  food  of  life,  both  absolutely  necessary,  and 
 within  the  reach  of  all. 
 
 3.  It  nourishes  the  soul.  Here  we  find  how  true  are  Christ's 
 words,  "  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink 
 indeed,"  (John  vi.  55.)  Here  we  eat  angels'  food;  we  feed 
 upon  the  bread  of  heaven.     How  can  we  be  but  nourished  ? 
 
 4.  It  pours  new  life  into  the  soul.  Here  we  not  merely 
 have  life,  but  we  have  It  more  abundantly.  Life  pours  into 
 us  from  the  fountain  of  life.  We  mount  up  with  wings  as 
 eagles,  we  run  and  are  not  weary,  we  walk  and  are  not  faint. 
 
 5.  It  ripens  our  graces.  We  here  bask  in  the  rays  of 
 the  sun  of  righteousness.  The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  ripen 
 apace; — love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  good- 
 ness, faith,  meekness,  temperance.     Gal.  r.  22. 
 
 6.  It  kills  sin.  Here  we  are  taught  to  "reckon  our- 
 selves dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  Rom.  vi.  11.  We  feel  as  if  nailed  to 
 the  same  cross,— buried  in  the  same  grave,  rising,  ascend- 
 ing, sitting  with  him  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
 
 7.  It  kindles  our  love.  It  is  truly  a  feast  of  love.  It 
 speaks  wholly  of  love.  The  time  when  it  was  instituted  ; — 
 the  facts  which  it  commemorates,  the  feeling  which  dictated 
 the  institution — every  thing  in  it,  breathes  of  love.  It  tells 
 us  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  Immanuel,  God  with  us, — love  as 
 real  as  the  symbols  which  we  touch  and  eat, — love  as  per- 
 sonal to  us  as  these.  How  fitted  to  kindle  love, — to  warm 
 the  coldest  bosom, — to  soften  the  hardest  heart, — to  thaw 
 the  most  frozen  soul  I     How  can  we  but  love  when  seated 
 
6  No.  16. —  The  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 at  the  feast  of  love, — receiving  tbe  emblems  of  love, — lis- 
 tening- to  the  words  and  tones  of  love. 
 
 8.  It  unites  us  to  one  another,  and  separates  us  from  tho 
 world.  It  is  at  once  an  ordinance  of  union  and  separa- 
 tion,— union  with  Jesus  and  his  people,  separation  from  an 
 ungodly  world.  It  is  the  badge  of  discipleship.  It  marks 
 us  out  from  the  world.  It  is  a  banner  of  defiance  raised 
 against  the  world.  Like  Noah  the  preacher  of  righteous- 
 ness, "we  condemn  the  world."  We  confess  that  we  are 
 strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth  ;  without  a  rest  or  a 
 home  on  earth,  but  looking  for  a  rest  and  a  home  beyond  it, 
 when  pilgrim  days  are  over,  and  the  perils  of  the  wilderness 
 are  exchanged  for  the  plenty  of  our  Father's  peaceful  home; 
 without  a  city  here,  but  waiting  for  the  new  Jerusalem,  that 
 cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  God  ;  without  honour 
 or  authority  here,  but  expecting  to  reign  with  Christ  for 
 ever. 
 
 9.  It  gives  new  ardour  to  our  hopes.  It  looks  back  to 
 the  first,  and  forward  to  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord.  It 
 points  to  future  glory.  It  carries  us  forward  to  the  inheri- 
 tance,— the  kingdom, — the  crown, — the  restitution  of  all 
 things,— the  rest  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God, — 
 the  bridal-day, — the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  We  sit 
 here  as  at  our  eastern  window  to  watch  the  first  rays  of 
 coming  day  ; — to  see  star  after  star  fading  from  the  heavens 
 as  the  dawn  approaches,  and  the  sun  prepares  to  rise, — "the 
 sun  of  a  morning  without  clouds,"  bringing  in  the  splendour 
 of  the  everlasting  day.  We  seem  to  hear  the  voice  which 
 sounded  over  the  lonely  rocks  of  Patmos  in  the  ears  of  John; 
 "  He  that  testifieth  these  things  saith,  surely,  I  come 
 quickly."  And  with  him  we  eagerly  echo  back  the  joyful 
 words,  "Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 
 
 But  who  are  to  come  to  this  table,  and  who  are  not  to 
 come  f  It  concerns  us  much  to  settle  this.  It  was  to  his 
 disciples  that  Jesus  gave  this  bread  and  wine,  and  therefore 
 none  but  disciples  are  to  come.  It  is  to  remember  Jesus 
 that  we  come,  and  therefore  we  must  first  know  Jesus  ;  for 
 unless  we  know  him  we  cannot  remember  him.  It  is  to 
 have  our  souls  nourished  that  we  come,  therefore  they  must 
 first  have  been  made  alive,  that  is,  we  must  be  bom  again. 
 We  come  to  get  the  seal  of  forgiveness  and  adoption;  there- 
 fore we  must  have  been  forgiven  and  adopted  before  we  can 
 
No.  16. —  The  Lord's  Supper.  7 
 
 come.  We  come  to  declare  our  love  to  Jesus ;  therefore 
 we  roust  first  have  learned  to  love  him.  The  feast  is 
 for  the  followers  of  the  Lamb,  not  for  the  followers  of 
 the  world.  It  is  for  saints,  not  for  the  unholy  and  uncon- 
 verted. It  is  not  for  the  profane,  or  the  prayerless,  or  the 
 formalist,  or  the  self-righteous.  It  is  not  for  the  drunkard, 
 or  the  unclean,  or  the  swearer,  or  the  Sabbath-breaker,  or 
 the  Sabbath-walker,  or  the  Sabbath-visitor,  or  those  who 
 only  attend  the  house  of  God  once  a-day,  or  who  buy  and 
 sell  on  the  Sabbath.  It  is  not  for  the  lovers  of  gaiety  and 
 pleasure, — for  the  frequenters  of  the  ball-room,  or  the  the- 
 atre, or  the  card-table,  or  the  race-course.  All  such,  if  they 
 come,  "  eat  and  drink  damnation  to  themselves."  What 
 have  men  to  do  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  who  never  shed  one 
 tear  for  sin, — who  never  had  an  anxious  hour  about  their 
 souls — who  never  sought  God,  nor  prized  the  Saviour? 
 what  fellowship  hath  Christ  with  Belial  ?  Ye  cannot  drink 
 the  cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils,  ye  cannot  be 
 a  partaker  of  the  Lord's  table,  and  the  table  of  devils.  Let 
 unconverted  souls  stay  away  ;  or  rather  let  them  come  im- 
 mediately to  Christ,  and  then  without  delay  come  also  to 
 his  table.  Come  to  Jesus,  and  then  come  to  the  feast,— 
 none  more  welcome  than  you. 
 
 How  are  we  to  come  ?  Let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  let 
 him  eat  of  that  bread  and  drink  of  that  cup.  If  we  judge 
 ourselves  we  should  not  be  judged.1  Let  us  wash  our  hands 
 in  innocency  (in  the  blood  of  the  innocent  one,  the  spotless 
 Lamb  of  God),  and  so  let  us  compass  the  altar  of  the  Lord.* 
 Let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the 
 leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened 
 bread  of  sincerity  and  truth.5  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me 
 gold  tried  in  the  fire  that  thou  mayest  be  rich  ;  and  white 
 raiment  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of 
 thy  nakedness  do  not  appear,  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with 
 eye-salve  that  thou  mayest  see.4 
 
 A  few  questions  on  the  Lord's  Sup>per. 
 
 1.  Q.  By  what  names  is  the  Lord's  supper  known? 
 An8.  It  is  called  the  sacrament,  because  it  is  an  holy  ordi- 
 nance.    It  is  called  the  Lord'*  Supper,  because  instituted 
 
 1  1  Cor.  xi.  28,  31.  •  Ps.  xxvi.  6. 
 
 *  1  Cor.  v.  8.  *  Rev.  iii-  18. 
 
S  No.  16 — The  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 by,  and  in  memory  of,  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  is  called  the 
 breaking  of  bready  because  of  the  bread  there  broken. 
 It  is  called  the,  communion,  because  therein  we  are  made 
 partakers  of  Christ's  body  and  blood,  and  have  fellowship 
 with  Him  and  with  the  saints.  It  is  called  the  Eucharist, 
 because  Christ  gave  thanks,  and  it  is  an  ordinance  of  thanks- 
 giving-. It  is  called  the  feast,  (1  Cor.  5,  8.)  because  Christ 
 our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us,  and  we  feed  upon  him. 
 
 2.  Q.  What  do  the  broken  bread  and  the  poured  out  wine 
 set  forth  to  us  ?  Ans.  They  are  memorials  of  Christ 
 bruised,  bleeding,  dying  for  us;  and  do  also  set  forth  his 
 body  and  blood  as  the  whole  food  of  our  souls. 
 
 3.  Q.  Are  they  mere  signs  ?  Ans.  No,  truly  ;  they  also 
 "  seal  and  apply"  to  us  all  the  blessings  of  Christ.  They 
 are  God's  appointed  channels  for  conveying  these  to  be- 
 lieving souls. 
 
 4.  Q.  Is  it  not  enough  that  we  look  at  the  symbols  f 
 Ans.  No,  truly  ;  we  must  eat  and  drink  of  them  ;  thereby 
 signifying  our  partaking  of  Christ  spiritually  by  faith, — our 
 receiving  him  into  our  souls  just  as  we  receive  the  bread 
 and  wine  into  our  bodies.  Eating  and  drinking  in  faith 
 draws  out  special  blessings,  just  as  the  woman's  touching 
 the  hem  of  Christ's  garment  in  faith  drew  out  special  bless- 
 ings to  her. 
 
 5.  Q.  Who  ought  to  go  to  this  table  ?  Ans.  Living 
 souls ;  for  dead  souls  cannot  eat  and  drink.  Hungry  and 
 thirsty  souls;  for  otherwise  what  would  a  feast  be  ?  Loving 
 souls ;  for  without  love,  how  can  we  compass  the  table  of 
 love  ?  Believing  souls  ;  for  without  faith  we  cannot  feed 
 on  Christ.  Regenerate  souls;  for  none  but  they  have  a 
 right  to  the  children's  bread.  In  short,  Christ's  disciples, — 
 Christ's  people  ; — those  whom  he  calls  saints,  beloved  ones, 
 his  sheep,  his  members,  his  branches,  his  bride. — None  else. 
 
 6.  Q.  To  what  does  the  Lord's  Supper  point  forward  ? 
 Ans.  To  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord,  in  glory  and  ma- 
 ;esty,  to  set  up  his  kingdom,  and  sit  down  with  his  people 
 at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 
 
 [8EEIES  TO  BE  CONTINUED.] 
 
 Kelso  :  Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd.  Edinburgh  :  John 
 Johnstone,  W.  Whyte  &  Co.,  and  Charles  Zeigler.  Lon- 
 don :  James  Nisbet  &  Co.     Price  3s.  per  ICO. 
 
No.  19. 
 
 THE  CITY  OF  REFUGE. 
 
 '*  Appoint  for  you  cities  of  refuge,  whereof  I  spake  unto  you  by  the 
 hand  of  Moses ;  and  they  shall  be  your  refuge  from  the  avenger  of 
 blood" — Joshua  xx.  2,  3. 
 
 "  We  have  a  strong  city ;  salvation  will  God  appoint  for  walls  and 
 bulwarks.'1 — Isaiah  xxvi.  1. 
 
 "  God  is  a  refuge  for  us." — Psalms  lxii.  8. 
 
 "  Escape  for  thy  life;  look  not  behind  thee;  neither  stay  thou  in  all 
 the  plain  ....  haste  thee,  escape  thither  " — Gen.  xix.  17-22. 
 
 There  were  six  cities  of  refuge  in  the  land  of  Israel. 
 These  were  so  situated  that  any  manslayer,  when  pursued, 
 might  find  his  flight  directed  and  his  escape  assisted  by  the 
 very  ground  where  they  stood.  (1.)  Three  of  them  stood  on' 
 one  side  of  Jordan  and  three  on  the  other.  No  river  rolled 
 between  him  and  his  place  of  safety.  (2.)  All  of  them  stood 
 in  plains ;  Kedesh  in  the  plains  of  Zaanaim,  Sychem  in  the 
 plains  of  Moreh,  Hebron  in  a  level  wilderness,  Golan  and 
 Ramoth-Gilead  at  the  foot  of  their  adjoining  hills.  The 
 manslayer  had  no  uphill  race  to  run  in  seeking  deliverance; 
 there  was  nothing  in  his  way  which  might  hinder  his  flight. 
 (3.)  Near  each  city  (except  Bezer,  which  required  no 
 further  mark,  being  seen  afar  on  the  long  spacious  heath) 
 stood  a  hill,  that  served  the  purpose  of  an  ensign  to  guide 
 the  guilty  man,  and  to  invite  him  to  the  refuge.  Kedesh 
 had  the  hill  of  Naphtali  close  by.  Sychem  had  mount 
 Gerizzim-  Hebron  had  its  vine-terraced  heights,  on  which 
 Abraham  once  stood  and  saw  the  smoke  of  Sodom.  Golan 
 had  the  heights  of  Bashan;  and  Ramoth-Gilead  stood  un- 
 der the  lofty  hills  of  Gilead.  He  who  appointed  these 
 cities  took  care  that  they  should  be  marked  afar  off,  that 
 the  steps  of  one  seeking  refuge  might  without  difficulty  be 
 guided  towards  them.  For  it  was  intended  by  all  these  pecu- 
 liarities, jto  show  the  sinner's  road  to  the  Redeemer.  No  river 
 rolls  between  him  and  Christ  I  No  hills  raise  their  barrier 
 between  him  and  the  Saviour!  The  way  is  plain  and  open; 
 it  is  broad  and  level;  and  while  yet  afar  off  his  eye  catches 
 a  glimpse  of  that  ensign  which  waves  on  Calvary,  over  the 
 the  city  of  refuge, — "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no 
 
 J.  rutherfubd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  19.—  The  City  of  Refvge. 
 
 pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked;  but  that  the  wicked 
 turn  from  his  way  and  live;  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your 
 evil  ways,  for  why  will  you  die."1  This  even  while  he  is 
 yet  a  great  way  off,  kindles  hope  and  keeps  it  alive. 
 
 One  of  these  cities  of  refuge  was  Hebron, — well  known 
 as  being  the  place  where  Abraham  once  sojourned.  Let 
 us  linger  for  a  little  at  this  city,  and  call  to  mind  some  of 
 those  sights  often  seen  in  other  days  from  its  walls  and 
 within  its  gates.  The  inhabitants  there  dwelt  safely  as  in 
 a  "  peaceable  habitation,  in  a  sure  dwelling,  and  in  a  quiet; 
 resting-place."  The  vines  clothed  the  surrounding  hills, 
 and  rich  fields  waved  over  the  plains  of  Mamre. 
 
 Not  far  off  was  the  spot,  where,  under  a  spreading  oak, 
 Abraham  "  the  friend  of  God"*  had  held  communion  with 
 his  Redeemer.  Oftentimes  in  the  cool  of  the  day,  when  the 
 breeze  of  evening  had  begun  to  awake,  the  people  might 
 be  seen  on  the  flat  roofs  of  their  houses,  or  the  top  of  their 
 city  walls,  enjoying  the  scene  and  remembering  former  days. 
 Many  a  song  of  praise  ascended,  many  a  holy  meditation 
 was  enjoyed,  many  a  thankful  emotion  kindled.  But  oc- 
 casionally this  happy  hour  was  suddenly  disturbed  by  a 
 piercing  cry  of  alarm  that  resounded  from  the  valley, — a 
 cry  of  fear,  and  a  cry  of  rage  and  wrath.  They  stopped  their 
 song  and  saw  a  trembling  murderer  with  horror  on  his  brow, 
 in  full  speed  making  for  the  gate,  and  behind  him  with 
 bare  sword,  the  avenger  of  blood  passing  on  with  relentless 
 fury.  Sometimes,  on  such  occasions,  if  for  a  moment  the 
 pursuer  seemed  to  slacken  his  speed,  they  saw  the  weary 
 manslayer  incautiously  sit  down  to  rest,  thinking  that  he  was 
 now  so  near  his  refuge,  that  he  might  abate  his  anxiety;  and 
 then  the  avenger  would  seize  the  favourable  opportunity, 
 dart  on,  and  plunge  the  sword  into  his  soul.  Oh !  the 
 agonizing  look  the  wretched  man  gave  in  death  toward  the 
 city!  and  his  awful  cry  of  despair,  as  he  yielded  up  his 
 breath  with  guilt  in  his  conscience,  and  remorse  gnawing 
 his  soul  I  Sometimes  too  they  saw  one  in  his  flight  come  close 
 up  to  the  gate  ;  but  he  hesitated  to  enter,  stood  doubting, 
 afraid  .to  go  in  and  trembling  for  the  approach  of  the  avenger, 
 until,  ere  ever  he  was  aware,  the  avenger  smote  him  to  the 
 dust,  and  he  breathed  his  last  with  his  dying  head  bent 
 down  on  the  very  threshold  of  the  gate  I  But  oftener  still 
 they  saw  the  pursued,  flying  murderer  come  with  full  speed 
 
 '  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.  *  Gen.  xxxv.  27. 
 
No.  19.-27^  City  of  Refuge.  3 
 
 down  the  valley,  reach  the  open  gate,  bound  over  the 
 threshold,  and  stand  in  safety  within !  The  elders  of  the  city 
 met  him,  and  asked  him  how  he  had  ventured  thus  boldly 
 in.  "  You  are  stained  with  blood,  and  your  trembling 
 frame  testifies  that  you  are  a  guilty  man?"  "  Yes,  I  own 
 it  is  true,  but  on  that  very  account  I  fled  for  refuge.** 
 *  But  why  have  you  come  -hither?  no  native  of  the  city  is 
 like  you ;  they  are  all  children  of  Abraham."*  "  True,  but 
 though  no  native  be  like  me,  yet  many  like  me  have  got 
 in,  for  God  himself  has  called  it  a  city  of  refuge."  "  But 
 you  bring  no  recommendation  ?"  "  God  never  spoke  of 
 any  recommendation  being  needed."  "  Still,  you  have  given 
 no  reason  whyyou  in  particular  should  expect  to  be  received?" 
 "  Yes,  for  the  warrant  is,  that  any  aiad  every  man-slayer  may 
 come."  The  elders  smiled  well-pleased ;  the  man-slayer  was 
 secured  in  the  place  of  refuge ;  and  there  was  praise  in  all 
 the  city  because  another  was  saved.  The  delivered  man 
 soon  joined  in  their  hymns  to  the  God  of  his  life;  but  oftener 
 still  sang  in  their  hearing  some  peculiar  songs  of  praise,  which 
 none  could  sing  but  a  man-slayer  that  had  fled  for  refuge. 
 (Rev.  xiv.  3.)  Frequently,  too,  the  whole  company  of  deli- 
 vered men  would  meet  together,  talk  over  their  dangers, 
 tell  of  their  escape,  and  unite  their  voice  and  heart  in 
 these  songs  of  deliverance. 
 
 These  events  that  happened  in  Israel  were  intended  as  a 
 type  of  what  takes  place  in  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth. 
 The  man-slayer j  wet  with  the  blood  of  his  fellow,  is  the  type 
 of  a  sinner.  And  in  choosing  no  other  than  a  man-slayer 
 to  be  the  type  of  a  sinner,  God  points  out  the  murderous 
 nature  of  sin.  Sin  brings  death  on  the  man  himself,  and 
 thrusts  the  sting  of  the  second  death  into  his  soul.  The 
 sinning  soul  crucifies  Christ  afresh ;  it  quen-ches,  or,  in 
 other  words,  tries  to  extinguish  the  life  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
 it  wishes  that  there  were  no  God,  or,  in  other  words,  aims  at 
 the  very  being  of  God  the  Father.  O  sinner,  how  deep  is  the 
 crimson-dye  of  your  soul !  How  can  you  escape  the  damna- 
 tion of  hell  ?  On  the  other  hand,  the  avenger  of  blood  re- 
 presents the  stern  but  most  righteous  demands  for  ven- 
 geance, made  by  the  holy  law,  pursuing  the  unforgiven  sin- 
 ner, in  order  to  execute  the  sentence,  "  thou  shalt  surely 
 die,"  (Gen.  ii.  17.)  And  the  city  of  refuge  is  the  salva- 
 tion provided  for  the  sinner  in  Christ  Jesus,  bestowed  with- 
 out money,  and  without  price,  without  preparation  and 
 without  delay  on  every  soul  of  man  that  flees  to  him  as  the 
 refuge  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
 
4  No.  19.— 77**  City  of  Refuge, 
 
 From  the  walls  and  battlements  of  heaven,  angels  have 
 seen  many  such  sights  as  the  men  of  Hebron  used  to  see. 
 Let  us  lead  you  to  some  of  them. 
 
 1.  They  have  seen  many  a  man-slayer.  They  have  seen 
 many  a  soul — and  you  among  the  rest,  stained  with  crim- 
 son guilt,  yet  sitting  at  ease.  Have  they  not  seen  you  de- 
 stroy your  soul  ?  Then  you  are  a  manslayer.  Have  they 
 not  seen  you  by  your  words  and  influence  prevent  others 
 from  being  saved  ?  Have  they  not  seen  you  wishing  in 
 your  heart  that  God  were  away,  or  that  there  was  no  God  ? 
 And  is  this  not  really  wishing  for  and  attempting  to  com- 
 pass the  death  of  God  !  You  have  wished  there  were  no 
 Christ,  and  no  Holy  Spirit  I  O  blood-stained,  murderous 
 soul,  you  stand  charged  with  murder,  accomplished  in  re- 
 gard to  yourself,  and  your  neighbours,  and  with  designs 
 against  the  life  of  the  Holy  God  I  Perhaps  the  devil 
 keeps  you  at  rest,  and  persuades  you  not  to  be  alarmed. 
 Eat,  drink,  and  be  merry  !  But,  nevertheless,  you  are  a 
 man-slayer.  You  ruin  your  own  soul,  and  your  example 
 ?uins  your  friends ;  and  you  are  an  enemy  that  entertains 
 murderous  designs  against  God.  The  avenger  has  not 
 forgotten  you. 
 
 2.  They  have  seen  many  a  man-slayer  awakened.  Few 
 sinners  in  our  parishes  remain  unvisited  by  some  convic- 
 tions ;  yet  few  of  them  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Some 
 are  left  miserable  by  a  sense  of  guilt,  that  hangs  over  them; 
 like  a  black  cloud,  night  and  day, — "  all  their  life-time  sub- 
 ject to  bondage,"  (Heb.  ii.  15.)  They  have  many  fore- 
 bodings, yet  companions,  and  pleasures,  and  their  dislike 
 of  a  change,  and  the  secret  hope  that  perhaps  all  is  not 
 true  that  is  threatened,  stifle  their  feelings,  and  hinder 
 them  from  fleeing.  Is  this  your  state  ?  Are  you  a  sin- 
 ner aware  of  your  danger  ?  If  so,  surely  you  must  flee  ? 
 You  dare  not  sit  still.  What  though  you  repent,  and  are 
 sorry,  and  shed  tears,  and  reproach  yourself  for  your  folly 
 — all  that  is  vain.  The  avenger  of  blood  never  ceases  for 
 that.  Indeed,  you  are  more  likely  to  be  cut  off  suddenly 
 than  many  others ;  for  your  convictions  will  make  Satan 
 afraid  of  losing  you,  and  your  delaying  to  flee  will  pro- 
 voke God,  so  that  he  will  wait  no  more.  Up,  up  and 
 flee  for  your  life  I  You  dare  not  sit  still.  O  if  you  would 
 flee,  there  would  be  deep,  deep  interest  in  you,  felt  by  the 
 people  on  the  walls  of  Hebron — the  angels  in  heaven.  To 
 see  you  running  to  the  city  of  refuge — O  that  would  be  a 
 blessed  sight !     Up  and  run  speedily  I     Many  have  run 
 
No.  19—  The  City  of  Refuge.  5 
 
 along  that  road  to  the  city ;  the  way  to  Christ  has  been 
 traversed  by  thousands,  some  more,  and  some  less  guilty 
 than  you,  who  knew  that  he  was  their  only  refuge.  "  The 
 kingdom  of  heaven  is  preached,  and  every  man  presseth  into 
 it." 
 
 3.  They  have  seen  many  fleeing  towards  the  city.  This 
 is  more  than  being  awakened  to  a  sense  of  danger  and  need. 
 They  have  begun  to  seek  deliverance ;  they  flee  !  Are  you 
 a  fleeing  sinner  ?  If  you  are,  there  are  some  marks  that 
 you  will  not  fail  to  have.  For  example,  you  will  be  affect- 
 ed  by  a  sense  of  your  own  personal  guilt  and  danger ;  you 
 will  not  be  fleeing  just  because  others  are  doing  it.  You 
 will  have  a  feeling  of  immediate  need;  you  cannot  put 
 off  the  matter  to  a  distant  day.  You  will  also  feel  engross- 
 ed to  a  great  degree  with  concern  to  escape;  a  fleeing  man- 
 Blayer  would  not  be  hindered  with  the  trifles  on  the  road, 
 or  the  people  whom  he  met.  You  will  forsake  the  com- 
 pany of  friends  that  hinder  you.  Above  all,  your  eye  will  be 
 ever  looking  toward  the  mountain-height  that  marks  the 
 place  of  refuge,  and  along  the  plain  that  leads  to  it ;  your 
 thoughts  will  be  occupied  with  the  open  door ;  and  your  de- 
 light will  be  to  hear  of  them  who  fled  and  got  in  safely. 
 You  will  be  ever  looking  for  Jesus,  and  rejoicing  in  what- 
 ever leads  to  a  view  of  him,  whether  a  sermon,  or  the  Bible, 
 or  prayer.  You  will  be  meditating  on  his  completed  work, 
 which  opens  the  fountain  for  sin  and  uncleanness.  You 
 will  delight  to  read  and  hear  of  such  as  Paul,  and  Man- 
 asseh,  and  those  Jerusalem-sinners  who,  in  every  view, 
 were  more  than  manslayers,  for  they  crucified  the  "  Son  of 
 Man,"  "  the  fellow  of  the  Almighty."  But  remember  there 
 can  be  no  safety  for  you  short  of  the  city;  none,  none,  till 
 you  are  within  it.  It  is  not  being  "  almost  persuaded  to  be 
 a  Christian ;"  it  is  not  being  "  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of 
 God,"  that  will  save  your  soul.  It  is  not  setting  out  and 
 running  toward  the  city,  nor  getting  within  sight  of  it,  nor 
 arriving  close  at  the  gate,  nor  even  touching  the  threshold, 
 but  it  is  getting  over  the  threshold  and  getting  in,  that  will 
 be  your  safety.  If  the  man-slayer  stopped  short  of  this,  he 
 might  as  well  have  never  tried  to  flee.  No  sinner  can  be 
 pardoned  until  a  sufficient  testimony  is  left  against  his  sin, 
 and  this  can  be  done  only  by  his  coming  to  Christ  Jesus. 
 No  man-slayer  could  be  forgiven  until  he  got  to  the  city, 
 the  very  appointment  of  which  was  God's  testimony  to 
 the  man's  guilt  and  deserved  punishment.     No  sinner  caD 
 
6  No.  19—  The  City  of  Refuge. 
 
 be  forgiven  in  a  righteous  way,  except  by  being  hid  in 
 Christ.  Hopes,  desries,  wishes,  convictions,  fears,  sorrows, 
 may  be  no  more  than  shrubs  that  line  the  road  to  the 
 city 
 
 4.  They  have  seen  the  joyful  entrance  of  many  into  tne  city 
 of  refuge.  Fearful,  weary,  faint,  they  came  up  to  the  open 
 gate,  and  ventured  in,  because  it  was  set  open  for  such  as  they. 
 They  believed  Christ  to  be  the  sinner's  way  to  the  Father. 
 They  came  to  view  his  finished  and  perfect  work  in  behalf  of 
 sinners  ;  they  examined  it,  and  perceived  both  its  fitness  and 
 its  fulness ;  they  saw  that  the  Father  considered  it  a  wide 
 enough  entrance  for  any  sinner;. and  so  they  ventured  in. 
 Jehovah  had  declared  it  to  be  sufficient,  and  that  was  enough 
 for  them.  Let  us  trv  them,  and  see  their  grounds  of  faith. 
 u  You  are  stained  with  blood,"  it  might  be  said  to  them ; 
 "  you  have  been  guilty  of  trampling  under  foot  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  aiming  many  a  blow  at  the  life  and  heart  of  God ; 
 and  your  conscience  tells  you  that  you  deserve  vengeance  ; 
 and  nothing  but  filth  appears  on  your  person.  How  dare 
 you  come  thither  ?"  They  reply,  "  For  the  very  reason  that 
 we  are  blood-stained  sinners  we  fled  to  Jesus."  Ask  again, 
 "  How  could  you  ever  hope  to  see  the  king  in  his  beauty  ; 
 his  people  are  a  holy  people?"  They  reply,  "  True,  but 
 blood-stained  souls  have  become  white  in  his  bloody — his 
 precious  blood  shed  for  this  very  end."  "  But  you  bring 
 no  recommendation  ?  you  say  nothing  of  your  previous  ef- 
 forts, prayers,  tears,  good  deeds,  sincere  obedience  ?"  "  No, 
 we  say  nothing  of  these,  for  they  are  not  required  to  our 
 being  accepted  in  the  Beloved."  "  Well,  then,  at  least,  shew 
 why  you  in  particular  venture  to  come  ?"  "  Our  warrant  ia 
 his  own  sure  word,  whosoever  cometh,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
 out." 
 
 And  now  the  gate  closes  them  in.  They  shall  go  no 
 more  out.  Angels  welcome  them  with  songs,  and  Father, 
 Son,  and  Spirit,  rest  over  them  in  love.  There  is  joy  in 
 heaven  over  them !  These  that  are  thus  redeemed  are 
 nevertheless  not  perfect  yet.  Their  iniquities  are  forgiven, 
 and  every  sin  blotted  out ;  but  their  hearts  retain  much 
 corruption.  They  keep  much  in  each  other's  company  and 
 help  each  other's  joy.  They  often  sing  such  songs  as  that 
 of  Romans  viii.  31-4,  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be 
 against  us  ?  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  deliver- 
 ed him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
 give  us  all  things  (    Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge 
 
No.  19.—  The  City  of  Refuge.  7 
 
 of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifieth;  who  is  he  that 
 condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is 
 risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also 
 maketh  intercession  for  us!"  O  what  peace  and  joy  !  No 
 frown  of  a  displeased  God,  for  his  anger  is  turned  away,  and 
 he  comforts  them !  With  joy  they  draw  water  out  of  the 
 wells  of  salvation. 
 
 And  as  they  survey  and  examine  their  city  of  refuge, 
 they  find  new  reaions  for  joy  and  enduring  gratitude.  Now 
 that  they  are  in  Christ,  they  inquire  freely  as  to  the  past; 
 and  they  find  that  all  along,  from  the  first  hour  they  began 
 to  flee,  it  was  the  Holy  Spirit,  sent  by  the  Father  in  the 
 name  of  Christ,  who  was  drawing  them,  John  vi.  44.  At  the 
 time  that  they  felt  alarmed  and  yet  lingered  in  their  sins,  it 
 was  a  secret  drawing  of  the  divine  hand  that  enabled  them  at 
 length  to  get  beyond  others  and  really  to  flee  for  refuge.  At 
 the  time  when  they  had  nearly  stopped  short,  attracted  by 
 the  golden  apples  which  Satan  scattered  in  their  path,  it  was 
 the  Spirit  that  drew  them  on.  At  that  moment,  when,  fakit 
 and  weary,  they  had  well  nigh  sat  down  in  despair,  it  was 
 the  drawing  of  the  Father  through  the  Holy  Spirit  that 
 brought  them  onward  still.  And  when  at  length  they  saw  so 
 clearly  where  to  rest,  and  felt  themselves  able  to  rest  satisfied 
 in  Christ  alone,  it  was  the  Holy  Spirit  who  caused  the  scales 
 to  drop  from  their  eyes,  and  who  effectually  persuaded  thei 
 souls.  O  how  full  now  is  their  gratitude  to  Father,  Son, 
 and  Spirit, — "  Thou  hast  loved  us  with  an  everlasting  love, 
 and  with  everlasting  kindness  hast  thou  drawn  us!"  They 
 are  never  heard  to  boast  of  any  thing  but  of  him;  not  even 
 of  their  own  faith,  their  eager  running  to  the  city.  No ; 
 for  that  too  was  owing  to  the  Spirit  he  sent  into  them, 
 (Eph.  ii.  8.)  and  it  was  not  that,  but  the  city,  that  saved 
 them. 
 
 They  reach  farther  still  in  their  discoveries  of  God's 
 wondrous  ways  towards  them.  They  are  taken  into  a  cham- 
 ber in  the  council-house  of  the  city  of  refuge,  and  allowed  to 
 read  its  records.  The  Book  of  Life  is  shewn  to  them,  and 
 they  find  now  that  they  were  elected  from  all  eternity !  and 
 that  it  was  in  consequence  of  the  purpose  of  God,  that  they 
 were  called  and  drawn  by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus.  Amazing  grace  I 
 How  deeply  fixed  is  the  foundation  of  their  safety !  They 
 feel  humbled  at  the  same  time ;  for  they  were  chosen  for 
 no  good  in  themselves  at  all,  but  wholly  to  the  praise  and 
 glory  of  Him  who  called  them.     Every  new  discovery  yields 
 
8  No.  19.—  The  City  of  Refuge, 
 
 matter  for  praise  and  adoration.  They  go  down  to  the 
 gates  to  praise  the  Lord  among  the  assembled  people, 
 They  forsake  not  the  assembling  of  themselves  together, 
 but  go  to  their  own  company,  (Acts  iv.  23)  whensover  op- 
 portunity occurs.  Their  life  is  a  life  of  happy,  cheerful 
 faith  in  Him  whose  finished  work  redeemed  them,  and  of 
 unceasing  love  and  devotion  to  Him  who  called  them  out 
 of  darkness  into  marvellous  light.  Often  are  they  heard 
 singing,  "  We  have  a  strong  city ;  salvation  will  God  ap- 
 point for  walls  and  bulwarks.  Open  ye  the  gate,  that  the 
 righteous  nation  that  keepeth  the  truth  may  enter  in. 
 Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed 
 on  thee,  because  he  trusteth  in  thee.  Trust  ye  in  the 
 Lord  for  ever;  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  the  rock  of 
 ages."  (Isaiah  xxvi.  1-4.) 
 
 But  like  the  saved  man-slayer  who  dared  not  be  found 
 beyond  the  gate  of  the  city  until  the  High  Priest  had 
 gone  to  glory,  (Number  xxxv.  25)  they  dare  not  for  an 
 hour  go  out  of  their  place  of  safety.  They  abide  in  Christ. 
 However  holy  they  become,  whatever  reputation  they  have 
 gained,  however  honoured  and  distinguished  for  spiritual  at- 
 tainments, they  abide  in  Christ  alone.  Their  first  security 
 was  found  in  him,  and  it  is  their  security  to  the  last. 
 Though  laden  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  and  filled 
 with  all  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  they  depend  for  safety  on 
 the  enclosing  wall  of  their  city  of  refuge,  as  much  as  does 
 the  sinner  that  only  yesterday  came  in.  And  so  they 
 will  remain  till  their  High  Priest  enter  upon  "  his  glorious 
 rest"  (Isaiah  xi.  10.);  and  then  they  shall  share  with  him 
 in  that  joy,  each  one  receiving  his  inheritance  and  possessing 
 an  unchanging  love.  For  this  they  are  always  longing. 
 Oftentimes  they  ascend  the  battlements  and  towers  of  their 
 strong  city  to  look  out  for  any  signs  of  thccoming  glory ;  or 
 sitting  at  their  windows,  they  turn  their  eye  to  the  east  to 
 see  if  there  be  any  streaks  of  the  dawn.  For  when  from 
 the  New  Jerusalem  the  tidings  shall  arrive  that  Jesus  our 
 High  Priest  has  entered  into  his  rest,  then  shall  his  redeem- 
 ed return  to  Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
 heads,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away. 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso:  Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd.  Edinburgh:  John 
 Johnstone,  W.  Whyte  &  Co.,  &  Charles  Ziegler.  Lon- 
 don: James  Nisbet  &  Co.     Price  Ss.  per  109. 
 
No.  2\ 
 
 BEHOLD  HE  COMETH  WITH  CLOUDS. 
 
 *  Behold  the  Lord  cometh  urith  ten  thousand  of  Bis  saints." — Jdde  14. 
 
 *  Behold  I  come  as  a  thief  I  Blessed  is  he  that  waicheth  and  keepet 
 his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked  and  they  see  his  shame — Rev.  xvi.  15. 
 
 Mr  Dear  Reader, — Let  me  speak  to  you  a  few  words 
 respecting  this  solemn  subject — the  second  coming  of  the 
 Lord.  In  doing  so,  I  shall  confine  myself,  as  much  as  pos- 
 sible, to  the  words  of  God  himself,  both  because  they  are 
 the  fittest  and  the  plainest — "  quick  and  powerful,  sharper 
 than  any  two-edged  sword ;"  and  because  I  do  not  wish  you 
 to  evade  the  matter,  by  saying  that  I  am  pressing  upon  you 
 the  uncertain  opinions  of  man.  "  He  that  hath  an  ear  let 
 him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches/'  Reader ! 
 "  that  same  Jesus  who  was  taken  up  into  heaven  shall  so 
 come  in  like  manner  as  he  went  up  into  heaven"1  The 
 heavens  must  receive  him  until  the  times  of  restitution  of 
 all  things.2  Then  shall  he  come  in  his  own  glory,  and  in 
 his  Father's  glory,  and  with  all  his  mighty  angels,  to  call 
 you  to  account  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body.  Are  you 
 ready  for  his  coming?  Can  you  abide  his  presence? 
 Will  you  be  able  to  stand  before  the  Judge  of  all  ?  He 
 once  came  in  meekness ;  he  shall  then  come  in  majesty ; — 
 he  once  came  in  shame ;  he  shall  then  come  in  glory ; — he 
 once  came  in  weakness ;  he  shall  then  come  in  power  ; — 
 he  once  came  to  save ;  he  shall  then  come  to  judge — to 
 give  to  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall  be.5 
 
 I.  He  comes  to  take  vengeance  upon  them  that  know 
 not  God,  and  that  obey  not  his  Gospel.  2  Thess.  i.  S.  This 
 is  the  day  of  grace  ;  that  shall  be  the  day  of  vengeance  ; 
 — this  is  the  time  of  his  mercy;  that  shall  be  the  time  of 
 his  fierce  anger.  His  long-suffering  shall  then  be  wearied 
 out,  and  his  love  shall  have  passed  away.  His  eyes — those 
 very  eyes  that  wept  over  Jerusalem,  shall  then  be  a  flame 
 of  fire,  piercing  you  like  lightning,  and  consuming  you 
 with  their  terrible  glance.  His  feet — those  very  feet  that 
 rested  in  their  weariness  upon  the  well  of  Sychar,  shall 
 
 *  Acts  i.  11.  t  Acts  iii.  21.  »  Rev.  xxii.  12. 
 
 J.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
No.  21. — Beliold  He  cometh  with  Clouds. 
 
 be  "  fine  brass,"  to  tread  you  down,  as  in  the  wine-press  of 
 his  wrath.1  "  The  day  of  the  Lord  cometh ;  it  is  nigh  at 
 hand:  a  day  of  darkness  and  gloominess',  a  day  of  clouds 
 and  thick  darkness.'"2  Are  you  prepared  for  that  day  of 
 terror  and  darkness  ?  Have  you  fled  like  the  dove  to  the 
 clefts  of  the  rock  ?5  Have  you  found  shelter  in  the  man 
 who  is  the  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and  the  covert  from 
 the  tempest.4 
 
 II.  He  comes  to  judge  the  world  in  righteousness.  Ps 
 xcvi.  13.  He  is  now  the  Saviour ;  but  he  shall  then  be  th< 
 Judge;  he  is  now  upon  the  mercy-seat;  he  shall  then  bt 
 on  the  throne — the  great  white  throne,  before  which  the 
 living  and  the  dead,  the  small  and  great  shall  stand.  His 
 judgment  shall  be  just  and  wise.  It  shall  be  impartial 
 and  unchangeable.  His  sentences  shall  never  be  reversed 
 or  altered  throughout  eternity  !  All  nations,  and  kindreds, 
 and  tongues  shall  be  summoned  to  his  bar.  „  You  shall  be 
 there.  You,  who  are  now  reading  these  lines,  and  thinking 
 perhaps  but  little  of  that  awful  day  !  How  will  you  answer 
 the  summons  ?  How  will  you  give  in  your  account  ?  Do 
 you  tremble  ?  Does  unfor given  sin  fill  you  with  alarm  ? 
 Then  look  to  Jesus  now!5  Look,  and  be  forgiven !  Look, 
 and  be  saved  for  ever ! 
 
 III.  He  comes  to  raise  the  dead.  "  Every  man  in  his 
 own  order,  Christ  the  first  fruits,  afterwards  they  that  are 
 Christ's  at  his  coming."  1  Cor.  xv.  23.  The  Lord  himself 
 shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of 
 the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God ;  and  the  dead 
 in   Christ  shall  rise  first.6     That  resurrection-morning  is 
 
 he  believer's  joyful  hope  ;  for  then  he  shall  see  Jesus  face 
 o  face  ;  and  the  last  relics  of  sin  and  suffering  be  left  be- 
 lind  him  in  his  tomb.  But  is  it  full  of  hope  and  joy  to 
 :ou  ?  Does  the  thought  of  that  morning  fill  your  soul  with 
 oy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory  ?  Or  are  you  of  those 
 vho,  when  that  day  arrives,  would,  a  thousand  times  over, 
 vish  to  be  allowed  to  remain  for  ever  in  the  tomb,  rather 
 han  be  dragged  up  as  criminals  from  their  cells,  to  hear 
 heir  final  doom  ?  If  so,  oh  then  flee  noiv  to  a  risen  Sa- 
 viour !  His  resurrection  tells  you  of  a  finished  atonement 
 —an   open  fountain — a  rent  veil — a  free  mercy-seat — a 
 
 gracious  welcome  from  an  injured,  but  still  loving  Father. 
 
 Flee  now — tarry  not;  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth 
 
 nigh  ! 
 
 i  Rev.  xiv.  19.  »  Joel  ii.  1,2.  s  Song  ii.  14. 
 
 *  Isaiah  xxxii.  2.  6  Isaiah  x\v.  22.  6  1  Thess.  iv.  16. 
 
No.  21 Behold  He  cometh  with  Clouds.  3 
 
 IV.  He  comes  to  he  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  he 
 admired  in  all  them  that  believe.  2  Thess.  i.  10.  Reader, 
 are  you  a  saint?  Are  you  one  of  those  in  whom  Jesus 
 shall  be  glorified  in  that  day  ?  Are  you  one  of  those  who 
 shall  admire  him  then  ?  Ah !  do  you  glorify  him  now  ? 
 Do  you  admire  him  now  ?  Or  do  you  despise  and  reject 
 him  ?  All  his  saints  admire  him  :  do  you  admire  him  too  ? 
 Angels  praise  him  :  do  you  praise  him  too  ?  The  Father 
 -delights  in  him  :  do  you  delight  in  him  also  ?  He  is  the 
 Father's  beloved  :  is  he  your  beloved  too  !  Oh  "  kiss  the 
 Son  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way  when 
 once  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little."1 
 
 V.  He  comes  to  make  all  things  new.  Rev.  xxi.  5.  He 
 comes  as  the  second  Adam,  to  undo  all  that  the  first  Adam 
 did.  He  comes  to  repeal  and  remove  the  curse  to  which 
 creation  has  been  subjected  by  the  fall.2  We,  according  to 
 his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  where- 
 in dwelleth  righteousness.3  Reader !  if  all  things  are  to 
 be  made  new,  your  heart  must  also  be  made  new.  There 
 must  be  a  new  creation  within  you,  if  you  would  possess 
 or  enjoy  the  new  creation  without  you.  There  must  be 
 the  new  heart  before  you  can  sing  the  new  song.  Have 
 you  been  renewed  ?  Have  old  things  passed  away  ?  If 
 not,  you  are  as  yet  without  any  hope  of,  or  meetness  for 
 the  inheritance  which  is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that 
 fadeth  not  away?  Oh  hear  the  words  of  Jesus  !  "  I  counsel 
 thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest 
 be  rich,  and  white  raiment  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed." 
 Then  thou  shalt  walk  with  him  in  white,  and  shalt  eat  of 
 the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
 God. 
 
 VI.  He  comes  to  bind  Satan.  Rev.  xx.  1 — 3.  As  the 
 woman's  promised  seed  he  comes  to  bruise  and  crush  the 
 serpent's  head.  In  this  his  saints  rejoice.  But,  Reader, 
 have  you  a  share  in  that  rejoicing  ?  Are  Christ's  triumphs 
 your  triumphs  ?  Are  the  victories  of  the  Lamb  your  vic- 
 tories ?  Or,  are  you  of  the  serpent's  seed,  who  are  all  in 
 that  day  to  share  its  doom  ?  If  you  are  now  in  Satan's 
 *anks,  then  your  overthrow  and  perdition  are  certain.  Oh 
 quit  these  ranks  for  ever !  Join  the  Captain  of  our  salva- 
 tion. Take  up  your  cross  and  follow  him.  Then  the  con- 
 quests of  Jesus  shall  be  your  conquests  j  and  the  spoils  of 
 Jesus  shall  be  your  spoils ! 
 
 4  Ps.  ii.  12.  *  Rom.  viii.  19—23.  *  2  Pet.  iii.  IS. 
 
4  No.  21. — Behold  He  cometh  with  Clouds. 
 
 VII.  He  comes  to  the  marriage  supper.  Rev.  xix.  7 — 9. 
 He  is  the  bridegroom.  He  is  now  "  tarrying."1  He  will 
 not  tarry  long.  He  will  soon  be  here,  and  the  cry  will  be 
 raised — Behold  the  bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye  out  to  meet 
 him.  Reader,  are  you  ready  ?  Have  you  oil  in  your  ves- 
 sels ?  Are  your  loins  girt  about,  and  your  lamps  burning? 
 Have  you  the  fine  linen  clean  and  white,  which  is  the 
 righteousness  of  the  saints  ?2  Oh  be  warned,  lest  you  be 
 foolish  virgin!  lest  you  should  have  no  wedding  garment! 
 lest,  ere  you  seek  admittance,  the  door  be  shut.  Oh  remem- 
 ber, blessed  are  they  that  are  called  to  the  marriage-sup- 
 per of  the  Lamb.3 
 
 VIII.  He  comes  to  "sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory* 
 Matt.  xix.  28.  "  He  shall  judge  among  the  nations."4  He 
 shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem,  and  before  his 
 ancients  gloriously.5  He  is  to  be  the  true  Solomon — the 
 Prince  of  Peace.  All  things  are  to  be  put  under  his  feet.6 
 He  is  to  reign  in  righteousness.7  His  kingdom  and  his 
 sceptre  are  a  kingdom  and  a  sceptre  of  righteousness.8 
 The  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  his  one  glorious 
 kingdom  ;  and  the  crowns  of  earth  be  placed  upon  the  head 
 of  Him  who  alone  is  worthy. 
 
 But  into  that  kingdom  nothing  that  defileth  shall  enter 
 (Rev.  xxi.  27.)  Respecting  it  He  himself  declared,  "Verily 
 verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannol 
 see  the  kingdom  of  God."  John  iii.  3.  Reader!  Are 
 you  born  again  ?  If  not,  then  the  gates  of  that  kingdom 
 are  closed  against  you?  You  cannot  enter  there.  Oh 
 "  repent  !  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand''  (Matt, 
 iv.  17.)  The  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh.  It  is  but 
 a  little,  and  you  shall  hear  the  last  trumpet  sound.  It  is 
 but  a  little,  and  it  shall  be  said  to  you,  "  Come  to  judgment, 
 come  away."  He  that  shall  come  will  come  and  will  not 
 tarry.  The  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the 
 night.  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now 
 is  the  day  of  salvation." 
 
 »  Matt.  xxv.  5.  2  Rev.  xix.  18.  8  Rev.  xix.  9. 
 
 4  Isaiah  ii.  4.  «  Isaiah  xxiv.  23.  9  Heb.  ii.  8. 
 
 7  Isaiah  xi.  4 — 9;  xxxii.  I.;  Psalm  lxxii.2.        8  Psalm  xlv.  6,  7 
 
 April]  842. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 KtfLSO :  Published  by  J.  Rdtherfurd.  Edinburgh  :  Johk 
 Johnstone,  W.  Whyte  &  Co.,  and  Charles  Ziegleb.  Lon- 
 don :  James  Nisbet  &  Co.     Price  Is.  6d.  per  100. 
 
No.  22. 
 
 GOD'S  UNSPEAKABLE  GIFT, 
 
 THE    8INNER'S   PLEDGE   AND   PLEA    FOR   EV2RY   BLESSING. 
 
 *  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  hoit 
 shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things." — Rom.  viii.  32. 
 
 The  apostle  here  first  states  a  fact ;  and  then  he  tells  us 
 what  that  fact  warrants  us  to  expect  from  God.  He  re 
 minds  us  of  what  God  has  done,  and  then  infers  from  thi 
 what  God  will  do.  "  He  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  de 
 livered  him  up  for  us  all ;"  therefore  there  is  nothing  tha 
 he  will  deny  us ;  u  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freel} 
 give  us  all  things." 
 
 Now  God  had  every  reason  to  spare  his  Son,  and  none 
 to  induce  him  to  deliver  him  up.     For,  1.  He  was  the  ob- 
 ject of  the  Father's  infinite  and  unutterable  love.     "  The 
 Father  loveth  the  Son."1     "  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in 
 whom  I  am  well  pleased."2     And  whom  does  an  earthly 
 father  spare  most,  but  his  best  beloved  child  ?5   Whom  is 
 he  most  unwilling  to  deliver  up  to  pain  or  infamy,  but  the 
 son  of  his  affections  ?  And  is  not  this  unwillingness  in  pro- 
 portion to  the  love  he  bears  him  ?   The  more  that  he  de- 
 lights in  him,  the  more  does  he  desire  to  spare  him.     If 
 such  then  be  the  feeling  in  the  narrow,  frozen,  selfish  soul 
 of  man,  what  must  it  be  in  the  infinite  bosom  of  the  infinite 
 God  ?  Which  of  all  the  beings  in  the  universe  would  he 
 have  most  wished  to  spare ;  which  of  them  all  would  he  be 
 most  reluctant  to  deliver  up  ?    The  Son  of  his  love  !    That 
 Son  in  whom  his  "  soul  delighted  ;"4 — that  Son  whom  he 
 loved  infinitely  more  than  all  the  angels  of  heaven.     2.  He 
 was  infinitely  worthy  of  all  that  infinite  love.     He  wa* 
 worthy  of  the  love  of  all  creatures,  worthy  of  the  love  o 
 all  angels,  worthy  of  the  love  of  God!    Of  no  other  bein| 
 can  it  be  said  that  it  is  worthy  of  the  love  of  God,  far  les 
 that  it  is  infinitely  worthy  of  it.     Yet  so  it  was  with  th» 
 Son ;  for  in  him  there  was  infinite  glory,  infinite  excel 
 lence,  infinite  beauty,  infinite  perfection.     In  him  ther«, 
 was  an  infinitely  worthy  object  for  the  whole  infinite  love  o 
 the  eternal  Father.    3.  He  loved  the  Father  with  an  infinite 
 love ;  and  what  more  painful  or  bitter  to  a  father  than  to 
 part  with  a  child  that  loves  him  tenderly,  and  clings  to  him 
 fondly,  and  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  separation  ?   Here 
 was  another  reason  why  the  Father  might  have  spared  the 
 Son.     4.  We  had  no  claim  upon  God  for  such  a  gift  as  this. 
 In  truth  we  had  no  claim  upon  him  for  any  gift  at  all. 
 1  John  iii.  3.5.     2Matt.  iii.  17.     3  Mai.  iii.  17.     4  Isa.  xlii.  1. 
 
 J.  ttUTHERFURD?S    SERIES  OF  TRACTS. 
 
No.  22 — God's  Unspeakable  Gtjl. 
 
 Even  unfallen  creatures  cannot  properly  be  said  to  liave 
 a  claim  upon  God  for  his  blessings,  for  what  he  gives  to 
 them  even,  he  bestows  of  his  free  bounty.  Much  less  then 
 can  fallen  beings  have  any  claims  upon  him.  Even  for  his 
 commonest  mercies  we  have  none.  Even  for  a  morsel  of 
 food  or  a  drop  of  cold  water  we  have  none, — no  claim  at 
 all !  Our  only  claim  is  for  wrath,  for  punishment,  for  hell ! 
 This  is  our  only  claim,  as  sinners;  what  possible  claim  then 
 could  we  have  for  the  gift  of  his  own  Son  !  Yet  it  was  for 
 those  who  had  no  claim  upon  him  for  any  thing  but  an 
 eternal  hell,  that  he  delivered  up  his  Son !  Had  it  been 
 for  angels  who  had  never  sinned,  it  would  not  have  been  so 
 marvellous.1  But  for  us ! — for  sinners,  for  enemies,  for 
 those  who  hated  him, — how  passing  wonderful !  We  might 
 conceive  some  reasons  why  he  should  give  him  for  angels, 
 but  what  reason  can  be  imagined  why  he  should  part 
 with  him  for  us!  The  richest  gift  for  the  unworthiest  of  all! 
 And  then  not  only  undeserved  by  us ;  but  unsought,  unde- 
 sired,  uncared  for;  nay  hated  and  spurned!2 
 
 Truly  the  Father  had  every  conceivable  reason  to  spare 
 his  Son,  and  none  that  we  could  have  imagined  for  deliver- 
 ing him  up.  Yet  all  this  did  not  move  him  to  withhold 
 the  gift.     "  He  spared  him  not." 
 
 And  why  does  the  apostle  use  the  word  "spare"  in  speak- 
 ing of  this  gift  ?  To  show  us  that  it  was  an  infinite  sacrifice 
 that  he  was  consenting  to  make; — to  teach  us  that  it  was 
 no  light,  no  trivial  thing;  the  occasion  of  no  light,  no  trivial 
 ^emotion  in  the  Father's  bosom ; — to  imply  that  (to  speak 
 ,J after  the  manner  of  men)  it  cost  him  an  infinite  struggle 
 to  part  with  such  a  Son  !  As  if  he  would  say  that  had  it 
 been  possible  he  would  far  rather  have  spared  him;  far 
 rather  have  allowed  the  cup  to  pass  from  him,  or  never  put 
 that  cup  into  his  hands  at  all.  And  to  bring  out  this  idea 
 more  strongly,  the  apostle  adds  "  delivered  him  up,"  that  is, 
 he  delivered  him  up  as  the  judge  does  the  criminal ;  handed 
 him  over  as  a  victim  to  his  relentless  foes.  He  took  him 
 out  of  his  bosom,  where  he  had  dwelt  from  eternity,  and 
 gave  him  over  to  the  disposal  of  cruel  enemies.  How 
 amazing !  He  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him 
 up  for  us  all !  He  freely  consented  to  the  mighty,  the  in- 
 finite sacrifice  !3 
 
 And  why  was  it  that  these  weighty  reasons  availed 
 nothing  to  stay  his  purpose  ?  Why  was  it  that  the  Father 
 spared  not  his  Son  ?  That  Son  himself  answers  the  ques- 
 tion, "God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
 gotten   Son,    that    whosoever    believeth    in    him    should 
 
 1  Heb.  ii.  16.     *  Rom.  v.  0—8  ;  ISph.  ii.  4,  5.     3  fca.  Uii.  10. 
 
No.  22. — God  s  Unspeakable  Gift  3 
 
 not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."1  This  was  the  one 
 reason  which  prevailed  against  all  those  manifold  and  infi- 
 nitely weighty  reasons  for  sparing  the  Son,  Though  he  was* 
 infinitely  beloved  of  the  Father, — though  he  was  infinitely 
 worthy  of  all  the  Father's  love,— though  he  infinitely  loved 
 him  in  return,  and  had  done  nothing  to  deserve  any  thing  but 
 love, — though  we  had  no  claim  upoin  God  for  such  a  gift ; 
 yet  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  Son  !  He  spared 
 not  him  that  he  might  spare  us, — he  delivered  up  him  that 
 he  might  not  deliver  up  us, — he  parted  with  him  that  he 
 !  might  not  part  with  us, — he  gave  him  up  to  the  curse,  that 
 he  might  obtain  for  us  the  blessing, — he  poured  on  him 
 the  vials  of  his  infinite  wrath,  that  he  might  pour  out  on 
 us  the  full  measure  of  his  infinite  love. 
 
 Yes  it  wsisfor  us  that  he  delivered  him  up!   It  was  that 
 he  might  take  our  place  and  bear  our  sins,  that  the  Father 
 sent  the  Son !   And  we  know  that  the  Son  of  God  has 
 come  and  stood  in  our  place.     "  He  his  own  self  bare  our 
 sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree."2     "  He  has  finished 
 transgression,  and  made  an  end  of  sins,  and  made  reconci- 
 liation for  iniquitv  and  brought  in  everlasting  righteous- 
 ness."3    He  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us.     He  suf- 
 fered for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust.     He  took  not  merely 
 our  nature,  beeoming  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our 
 flesh,  but   our  place,  our  room,  our  state,  our  legal  re- 
 sponsibilities.    He  is  not  simply  a  saviour ;  but  a  saviour 
 ;  as  being  a  sacrifice,  a  substitute,  a  surety.     Hence  in  the 
 salvation  of  a  soul,  there  is  a  complete  exchange  between 
 the  sinner  and  the  Saviour.    He  takes  all  that  belongs  to  us 
 ,  as  sinners,  and  gives  us  in  exchange  all  that  belongs  to 
 |  himself  as  the  Father's  holy  and  well-beloved  Son.     He 
 I  takes  from  us  all  our  sin,  all  our  guilt,  all  our  un worthiness, 
 |  and  gives  us  in  exchange  all  his  infinite  righteousness,  and 
 ;  innocence,  and  worthiness  in  the  Father's  eyes.     He  trans- 
 fers to  us  what  belongs  to  himself.     Thus  "  He  is  made 
 unto  us  righteousness  ;"4  and  thus  we  are  "  made  accepted 
 in  the  beloved."5     "  As  by  one  man's  disobedience  many 
 1    were  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one,  shall  many  be 
 made  righteous."6 
 
 It  was  for  this  very  end  that  the  Father  spared  him 
 
 not.     It  was  to  bring  about  this  transference,  this  complete 
 
 exchange,  that  he  delivered  him  up  for  us  all.     He  placed 
 
 ]    him  in  our  room,  that  he  might  place  us  in  his.     He  treat- 
 
 '    ed  him  as  we  deserved  to  be  treated,  in  order  that  he 
 
 •    might  treat  us  as  he  deserved  to  be  treated.     He  dealt  with 
 
 1  Jo.  iii.  16.     *  1  Pet.  ii.  24.    »  Dan.  ix.  24.      4  1  Cor.  i.  30- 
 5  Eph.  i.  6.  *  Roin.  v.  19. 
 
4  No.  22 — Gods  Unspeakable  Gift. 
 
 him  as  a  sinner,  in  order  that  he  might  deal  with  us  as  right- 
 eous,,— perfectly,  yea  infinitely  righteous.  He  inflicted  on 
 him  all  that  should  have  been  inflicted  on  us,  in  order  that 
 he  might  bestow  upon  us  all  that  should  be  bestowed  on 
 him.  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."1 
 "  He  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we 
 might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."2 
 
 And  this  exchange  is  free  to  all!  It  is  infinitely  glorious, 
 yet  it  is  entirely  free, — free  to  every  man  as  a  sinner,  jus 
 as  he  is,  just  as  he  stands!  It  is  without  money  and  with 
 out  price.  It  takes  nothing  for  granted,  but  that  we  need 
 it.  It  requires  neither  price  nor  preparation,  nor  prerequi- 
 site on  our  part.  It  is  absolutely  and  altogether  free.  And 
 herein  are  the  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  comprised.  God 
 addresses  each  of  us,  and  asks  us  to  consent  to  this  exchange. 
 This  is  all.  He  does  not  ask  us  to  pay  for  it,  or  to  endea- 
 vour to  deserve  it  or  to  qualify  ourselves  for  receiving  it;  but 
 just  that  we  should  consent  to  it — that  we  should  "  submit 
 ourselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God."  All  he  asks  is  to 
 allow  him  to  clothe  us  with  the  righteousness  of  his  Son  : 
 to  take  away  our  filthy  raiment  and  clothe  us  with  the  fine 
 linen  clean  and  white  ! 
 
 Reader!  are  not  these  "good  tidings  of  great  joy?  "  Could 
 any  thing  be  more  fitted  to  gladden  the  heart  of  a  sinner 
 who  knows  that  ere  long  he  must  stand  before  God  in  judg- 
 ment, and  has  nothing  about  him  but  unrighteousness  and 
 desert  of  hell  ?  And  these  tidings  are  as  true  as  they  are  glad. 
 If  then  you  are  not  comforted  or  gladdened  by  them,  it  must 
 be  because  you  receive  them  not — because  you  will  not  con- 
 sent to  this  blessed  exchange.  It  is  not  because  your  sins 
 are  too  many  or  too  great  to  be  forgiven;  it  is  not  because 
 your  heart  is  too  hard  to  be  softened  or  your  nature  too  cor- 
 rupt to  be  renewed ; — it  is  just  because  you  put  away  from 
 you  he  message  of  peace,  and  are  too  proud  to  consent  to  be 
 freely  forgiven.  "  I  would  have  gathered  you,"  says  Christ 
 weeping  over  Jerusalem,  but  "  ye  would  not."3  And  so  it  is 
 still.  "  1  would;  but  ye  would  not, "  is  the  perdition  or 
 those  who  neglect  the  great  salvation. 
 
 Reader!  The  most  high  God,  the  God  of  heaven  and 
 earth,  this  day  renews  his  entreaties  to  you.  He  proposes 
 to  you  the  exchange  of  which  I  speak.  He  comes  to  you 
 and  says,  "  Wilt  thou  consent  to  have  my  Son  for  thy  substi- 
 tute ?  Wilt  thou  consent  to  part  with  all  that  is  thine  own, 
 and  take  in  exchange  all  that  is  his?  Wilt  thou  part  with 
 thine  own  fancied  claims,  and  take  as  a  substitute  for  these 
 the  claims  of  Jesus?  In  approaching  me  in  prayer  wilt  thou 
 A  Isa.  liii.  6.  *  2  Cor.  v.  21.  8  Matt,  xxiii.  37. 
 
No.  22^-Gods  Unspeakable  Gift.  5 
 
 take  his  claims  instead  of  thine  own?1  In  looking  forward  to 
 the  judgment-seat,  wilt  thou  take  his  claims  instead  of  thina 
 own  ?  In  all  thy  transactions  with  me  wilt  thou  consent  to 
 be  treated  upon  the  ground  of  his  merits  and  not  thine  own? 
 Art  thou  willing,  that  in  dealing  with  thee  I  should  remem- 
 ber what  he  has  done,  and  not  what  thou  hast  done,  or  can 
 do?  I  am  willing  that  this  should  be  the  footing  on  which  we 
 are  henceforward  to  stand,  and  that  this  should  be  the  man- 
 ner of  our  dealings  together;  art  thou  willing?  If  thou  art 
 willing,  then  all  is  well.  Henceforth  we  meet  on  holy  ground  ; 
 henceforth  I  deal  with  thee  as  I  deal  with  Christ;  I  count  thee 
 righteous  as  he  is  righteous,  and  I  treat  thee,  love  thee,  lister 
 to  thee,  delight  over  thee  as  such.  But  if  thou  wilt  noi 
 consent  to  this  exchange;  if  thou  cl  ingest  to  thine  own  claims 
 either  in  part  or  in  whole ;  if  thou  wilt  not  be  wholly  re- 
 presented by  Christ,  and  looked  upon  by  me  in  him,  and 
 not  in  thyself;  then  thou  must  reap  as  thou  art  sowing ; 
 thou  must  be  judged  according  to  thine  own  standard,  and 
 take  thy  stand  at  the  judgment-seat  in  thine  own  name 
 and  not  in  his,  and  be  dealt  with  to  the  uttermost  accord- 
 ing to  thine  own  deservings,  and  receive  the  eternal  wrath 
 to  which  alone  thou  hast  any  claim."2 
 
 Reader!  Is  not  a  proposal  like  this  a  most  gracious  and 
 blessed  one  for  you,  a  child  of  wrath  ?  Could  any  ex- 
 change be  fairer  or  more  profitable  ?  Why  do  you  hesi- 
 tate as  if  you  stood  in  doubt  as  to  its  fairness  ?  Why  de- 
 lay as  if  you  thought  it  unnecessary  ?  Ah !  if  such  a  pro- 
 posal were  made  in  heaven  to  the  unfallen  spirits  above, 
 would  not  the  highest  archangel  round  the  throne  rejoice 
 to  embrace  it  ?  Is  there  an  angel  there  that  would  not 
 welcome  such  an  exchange  ?  They  are  sinless  and  right- 
 eous, no  doubt,  and  live  under  God's  perpetual  smile ;  yet 
 their  righteousness  is  but  that  of  a  creature  at  the  best. 
 How  gladly  then  would  they  put  off  their  own  created 
 righteousness,  that  they  might  be  clothed  with  the  un- 
 created righteousness  of  God !  How  eagerly  would  they 
 part  with  their  own  creature  beauty,  however  glorious  and 
 dazzling,  that  they  might  shine  in  the  infinite  uncreated 
 beauty  of  God's  eternal  Son  ?  And  shall  a  sinner  be  loath 
 to  part  with  his  polluted  raiment,  his  vile  unrighteousness, 
 that  he  may  receive  in  return  such  an  infinitely  perfect 
 righteousness,  such  an  infinitely  glorious  garment,  as  that 
 on  which  the  Father  gazes  with  delight  unutterable  ? 
 
 But  is  the  exchange  really  so  free?   It  is.    And  is  it  free 
 
 to  me  as  I  am  ?     Yes,  just  as  thou  art.     All  things  are 
 
 ready,  come  then  to  the  feast.     "  But  my  sins,  my  sins,  so 
 
 1  ts.  lxxxiv.  9.     John  xv.  7.     2  Heb.  ii.  1—3 ;  x.  28,  :>U.  xi\  '2b. 
 
6  No.  22 — God's  Unspeakable  Gift. 
 
 aggravated,  so  innumerable;  are  these  no  hindrance?" 
 None.  If  thy  sins  were  not  great,  thou  wouldst  not  need 
 such  a  righteousness;  and  the  greater  thy  sins  are,  the 
 greater  thy  need  for  parting  with  them  without  delay. 
 "  But  my  hardness  of  heart,  my  want  of  love,  my  imper- 
 fect convictions  of  sin,  my  dreadful  insensibility,  are  these 
 not  reasons  for  doubting,  and  must  I  not  get  these  in  some 
 measure  removed  before  I  can  venture  to  welcome  the 
 proposed  exchange."  What!  must  you  have  a  soft  heart, 
 a  holy  nature  and  deep  repentance,  before  coming  to  the 
 Saviour?1  Is  the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  you  these  in  order 
 that  you  may  have  some  right  or  warrant  to  go  to  him? 
 Are  you  not  desiring  these  in  order  that  you  may  go  to  him 
 as  something  less,  something  better  than  a  wretched  hard- 
 hearted, wrath-deserving  sinner  ?  Are  you  not  wishing  for 
 some  claims  of  your  own  to  add  to  those  of  Christ,  or  to 
 be  your  own  plea  in  asking  God  to  confer  Christ's  claims 
 upon  you?  If  you  are  utterly  destitute  of  such  feelings 
 as  you  desire,  then  all  you  can  say  is,  just  that  you  are 
 utterly  destitute  of  any  claim  of  your  own  at  all.  And  is 
 not  that  the  point  to  which  God  wishes  you  to  come  ?  Is 
 not  that  the  very  state  of  soul  which  makes  the  claims  of 
 Jesus  appear  infinitely  desirable  ?2 
 
 Reader!  listen  to  God's  loving  proposals  and  entrea- 
 ties. Oh  I  defer  not  to  make  so  glorious  an  exchange.  It 
 is  freely  set  before  you.  If  you  have  it  not,  it  is  because 
 you  reject  it.  It  is  not  because  God  would  not  consent, 
 but  because  you  would  not.  God  says,  "  whosoever  will;"3 
 and  could  any  proposal  be  more  freely,  more  graciously 
 made ;  or  could  any  proposal  be  more  exactly  suitable  to 
 you  ?  "  Whosoever  will"  is  enough  to  answer  all  your  ob- 
 jections, and  to  remove  all  your  fears ! 
 
 Such,  reader,  is  the  fact  which  the  apostle  states ;  now 
 let  us  observe  how  he  reasons  from  it.  "  He  that  spared 
 not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
 he  not  with  him  also  f reel?/  give  us  all  things."  Such  is 
 the  inference  which  the  apostle  draws  from  the  simple  fact 
 to  which  he  had  alluded  I  And  can  any  reasoning  be 
 more  forcible  or  conclusive  ?  He  that  has  already  given 
 the  greater  gift,  will  he  deny  the  less  ?  He  that  has  al 
 ready  given  us  the  whole  ocean,  will  he  refuse  us  a 
 single  drop  ?  He  that  has  given  us  unfathomable  mines  of 
 gold,  will  he  deny  us  a  single  particle?  He  that  has  given 
 us  the  full  sun  in  the  firmament,  will  he  deny  us  a  solitary 
 beam  ?     Will   the  God  that  has  already  parted  with  his 
 
 Acts  v.  31.  *  Rev.  hi.  71,  18.  3  Rev.  xxii.  17. 
 
No.  22 God's  Unspeakable  Gift.  7 
 
 richest  and  most  precious  gifts,  refuse  us  his  lesser  ones  ? 
 Will  he  who  has  given  his  own  Son,  deny  us  any  thing  ? 
 Is  such  a  thing  possible  ?  Is  it  conceivable  ?  Would  it 
 not  be  the  greatest  of  all  imaginable  contradictions  ?  The 
 simple  fact  then,  that  God  has  given  his  Son,  is  of  itself, 
 and  by  itself,  perfectly  sufficient  to  warrant  our  absolute 
 and  unlimited  confidence  in  God ;  so  that  it  seems  a  thing 
 impossible  and  incredible,  that  a  sinner  understanding  and 
 believing  that  simple  fact,  could  have  any  thing  less  than 
 the  apostle's  confidence. 
 
 1.  The  infinitely  weighty  reasons  mentioned  at  the  be- 
 ginning, why  God  might  have  been  expected  to  spare  his  Son, 
 do  not  exist  in  this  latter  case.  These  reasons  stood  in  the 
 way  of  God's  giving  his  son  ;  but  they  do  not  stand  in  the 
 way  of  his  giving  us  anything  else.  Now,  if  he  gave  his 
 Son,  his  unspeakable  gift,  when  there  were  so  many  rea- 
 sons against  it,  will  he  withhold  his  lesser  gifts,  when  there 
 are  none  of  these  reasons  at  all  in  the  way  ?  Impossible. 
 "  How  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 
 things  ? 
 
 2.  It  cost  him  much  to  part  with  his  Son  ;  it  cost  him 
 nothing  to  give  every  other  blessing.  Nay,  so  far  from 
 costing  him  any  thing,  he  delights  to  bestow  them.  He  is 
 weary  of  withholding,  but  never  weary  of  giving.  Now,  if 
 we  freely  parted  with  what  cost  him  such  an  infinite  sacri- 
 fice, will  he  refuse  us  what  costs  him  nothing  but  the 
 delight  of  giving  ?  He  delights  to  give  us  his  Holy 
 Spirit.  He  delights  to  quicken  us,  to  renew  us,  to  sanctify 
 us,  to  fulfil  in  us  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness,  and 
 the  work  of  faith  with  power.  It  costs  him  nothing  to  do 
 all  that.  Will  he  then  refuse  us  his  Spirit  ?  Will  he 
 refuse  to  make  us  holy  ?  Will  he  need  many  arguments  to 
 persuade  him  to  do  so  ?  Impossible !  for  he  has  already 
 given  his  Son  !  and  "  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
 give  us  all  things  ?' 
 
 3.  He  gave  his  Son  unasked  and  undesired  by  us.     We 
 did  not  ask  him  to  give  his  Son.     Nay,  we  cared  nothing 
 about  such  a  gift.     We  cared  nothing  about  God  or  his 
 favour  at  all.     He  might  justly  have  said,  «  They  do  not 
 want  to  be  saved.     Why  should  I  save  them  ?    They  d 
 not  want  eternal  life  ;  they  do  not  want  pardon,  or  recon 
 ciliation,  or  deliverance  from  sin.     Why  should  I  be  a 
 such  a  cost  to  obtain  these  blessings  for  them  ?     Wh} 
 should  I  part  with  my  well-beloved  Son  for  the  sake  of 
 sinners  who  hate  me  and  my  gifts,  who  have  never  asked, 
 never  desired  any  such  blessings ;  nay,  who  hate  and  scorn 
 them."     God  might  well  hav^  said  so ;  but  his  thoughts 
 
8  No.  22 — God's  Unspeakable  Gift 
 
 were  not  as  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as  our  ways,  and 
 therefore,  though  we  desired  nothing  of  him,  he  gave  his 
 Son,  his  unspeakable  gift!  And  having  given  us  such  a 
 gift  unsought,  undesired,  will  he  deny  us  any  thing  when 
 we  apply  for  it?  In  this  light,  how  brightly  does  that 
 glorious  promise  beam  which  came  from  the  lips  of  the 
 Son  himself,  "  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  seek  and  ye  shall 
 find  ?'n  And  was  it  not  in  this  very  way  that  he  taught  us 
 to  reason  when  he  said  to  the  woman  of  Samaria,  "  If  thou 
 knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  unto  thee, 
 Give  me  to  drink,  thou  wouldst  have  asked  of  him  and  he 
 would  have  given  thee  living  water."2 
 
 4.  When  he  gave  his  Son,  there  was  no  intercessor  to 
 plead  for  us ;  no  name  that  could  have  been  used  to  pre- 
 vail with  him  to  do  so ;  yet  he  spared  not  his  Son !  What, 
 then>  will  he  not  give  us,  now  that  we  can  go  to  him  and 
 plead  the  beloved  name  of  the  beloved  Son !  What  is 
 there  that  he  can  refuse  when  we  have  that  Son  for  an  in- 
 tercessor at  his  right  hand  above  ? 
 
 5.  When  ne  gave  his  Son  for  us,  he  saw  nothing  in  us 
 but  sin ;  yet  he  did  not  refuse  his  unspeakable  gift.  Is  it 
 possible,  then,  that  we  can  be  denied  any  thing  when  we 
 appear  before  him  in  the  righteousness  of  his  Son  ?  If  our 
 unrighteousness  did  not  prevent  him  delivering  up  his  Son, 
 what  is  there  that  we  may  not  expect  when  he  looks  upon 
 us  as  altogether  righteous  in  him  ? 
 
 6.  The  fact  of  our  being  sinners  did  not  hinder  him 
 from  freely  giving  his  own  Son ;  is  it  possible,  then,  that 
 the  fact  of  our  being  sinners  now  will  lead  him  to  refuse 
 his  other  blessings  ?  Our  sinfulness  was  no  barrier  in  the 
 one  case,  can  it  be  so  in  the  other  ?  If  our  guilt  was  a 
 sufficient  reason  for  refusing  us  any  gift,  then  surely  it 
 should  have  hindered  him  from  giving  us  his  richest  and 
 most  glorious  gift ;  but  if  it  was  for  us,  when  we  were  un- 
 godly, that  Christ  was  given — if  it  was  when  we  were 
 enemies  and  rebels  that  the  Father  delivered  up  his  Son  for 
 us — if  all  our  ungodliness,  and  enmity,  and  rebellion,  did 
 not  keep  back  "the  unspeakable  gift,"  is  it  conceivable  that 
 any  or  all  of  these  together  can  keep  back  his  lesser  gifts  ? 
 
 God's  gift  of  his  Son  is  thus  the  pledge,  the  sure  and  in- 
 finite pledge  of  every  other  gift;  a  pledge  so  sure  and  so  in- 
 finite as  to  make  it  the  greatest  of  all  impossibilities  that 
 he  should  bestow  the  one  and  deny  the  other;  a  pledge 
 thrown  down  freely  to  sinners,  and  which,  therefore,  every 
 one  who  hears  of  it  may  take  up  and  go  at  once  with  it  to 
 God  just  as  he  is,  in  the  assured  confidence,  that  he  who 
 
 i  Luke  xL  9—13.  2  John  iv.  10;  Rom.  v.  10. 
 
No.  22 God's  Unspeakable  Gift.  0 
 
 spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all, 
 will  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things.  This  simple 
 (act,  that  God  has  not  spared  his  own  Son,  is  of  itself 
 sufficient  to  assure  us  of  every  thing.  What  more  do  we 
 need  to  call  forth  the  most  unbounded  confidence  towards 
 God  ?  What  greater  or  surer  pledge  could  God  give  us ; 
 and  ifthisisnot  enough  of  itself  to  awaken  the  sinner's  con- 
 fidence, what  is  there  in  heaven  or  earth  that  can  do  it  ?  Is 
 there  not  in  that  simple,  but  infinitely  glorious  fact,  a 
 foundation  laid,  broad  enough,  and  deep  enough,  to  sustain 
 the  full  confidence  of  the  chief  of  sinners?  Can  any 
 thing  be  added  to  it  so  as  to  make  it  more  secure  or 
 suitable  for  the  guiltiest  of  the  human  race  to  build  upon  ?J 
 Can  any  thing  in  us,  or  done  by  us,  or  felt  by  us,  or 
 wrought  in  us,  make  it  more  sufficient  or  suitable  ?  If, 
 then,  we  can  hear  of  it,  and  yet  feel  no  confidence  or 
 assurance,  is  it  not  plain  that  we  do  not  fully  understand 
 its  meaning,  or  appreciate  its  glorious  sufficiency?  There 
 must  be  some  mistake  in  our  minds  about  the  matter,  if 
 we  can  admit  the  fact  here  stated,  and  yet  not  draw  the 
 apostle's  conclusion.  That  fact  of  itself  is  sufficient  to  dis- 
 pel every  doubt  and  banish  every  fear.  That  God,  who 
 spared  not  his  Son,  is  surely  a  being  whose  thoughts  are 
 not  as  our  thoughts,  and  whose  ways  are  not  as  our  ways, 
 and  to  whom,  therefore,  however  guilty,  however  worth- 
 less, we  may  come  "  boldly,"  nothing  doubting.  Nay,  to 
 come  with  less  than  boldness  must  be  sin,  for  it  is  just  tell- 
 ing him  that  his  gift  of  his  Son  is  not  sufficient  to  give  you 
 confidence,  without  some  addition,  which  you  hope  in  due 
 time  he  will  confer  on  you,  or  which  you  may  work  out  for 
 yourself.2 
 
 But  you  will  say,  it  was  an  inspired  apostle  that 
 reasoned  in  this  way,  and,  his  example  is  not  exactly 
 suited  to  your  case.  This  might  do  for  him,  but  you 
 do  not  think  it  is  enough  for  you.  But,  iet  me  ask, 
 does  lie  speak  here  as  an  apostle,  or  simply  as  a  sinner  ? 
 Does  he  say,  I  am  an  apostle,  therefore  God  will  deny  me 
 nothing?  No.  Though  he  was  the  chief  among  the  apostles, 
 he  reasons  as  the  chief  of  sinners, — as  one,  who  knew  nothing 
 in  himself,  nothing  in  the  whole  world  to  give  him  confi- 
 dence, but  just  the  fact  that  God  spared  not  his  own  Son. 
 He  reasons  from  a  fact  which  is  as  open  to  you  as  it  was 
 to  him.  He  rested  his  confidence  on  a  truth  which  is  the 
 same  to  you  or  any  sinner  as  it  was  to  him.  Why  not  then 
 draw  the  same  conclusion,  and  with  the  triumphant  confi- 
 
 iii.  11.     1  Tim.  i.  15.  *  Phil.  iii.  3,  4. 
 
10  No.  22 — God's  Unspeakable  Gift. 
 
 But  you  will  say,  this  way  of  reasoning  may  be  right 
 for  advanced  Christians,  but  it  does  not  suit  my  case, 
 who  cannot  venture  to  call  myself  a  Christian  yet,  who 
 am  nothing  but  a  sinner.  Well,  but  was  it  as  a  saint 
 or  as  a  sinner  that  Paul  reasoned  thus?  Did  he  say, 
 because  I  am  an  advanced  saint,  therefore  God  will  freely 
 give  me  all  things.  No ;  he  did  not  rest  his  confidence  en 
 the  fact  of  his  being  a  saint,  but  simply  on  the  fact  that 
 God  did  not  spare  his  Son  ?     Go  thou  and  do  likewise. 
 
 But  you  will  say,  oh!  if  I  were  but  conscious  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit's  work  in  me,  I  would  have  no  hesitation  in  reasoning 
 thus;  but  till  then  it  would  be  presumption  in  me  to  do  so. 
 Now  I  know,  that  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit  that  alone  can  teach 
 and  enlighten  you,  and  that,  if  he  do  not  show  you  the 
 things  of  Christ,  my  showing  will  be  vain.  But  remember 
 that  the  Spirit  works,  not  by  giving  something  new  in  your- 
 self as  a  ground  of  confidence,  but  by  showing  you  the 
 fulness  and  excellence  of  the  Father's  gift,  as  an  infinitely 
 sufficient  ground  of  confidence  for  the  chief  of  sinners.  The 
 Holy  Spirit  does  not  show  you  something  good  in  yourself 
 to  rest  on  or  take  peace  from,  but  he  leads  your  eye  to  the 
 divine  resting-place  for  weary  souls.  And  remember  Paul 
 did  not  say,  "  He  who  has  given  me  his  Holy  Spirit  will 
 not  refuse  me  anything ;"  but  "  he  who  spared  not  his  own 
 Son,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 
 things."  It  was  the  Father's  gift  of  Christ,  and  not  his 
 gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  the  apostle  built  upon ;  and  why 
 should  not  you  go,  and,  just  as  you  are,  do  the  same  ? 
 
 But  you  will  say,  oh !  I  have  no  evidences  of  grace,  no 
 deep  convictions  of  sin,  no  true  repentance,  nothing  but  a 
 hard  heart,  a  blind  understanding,  a  seared  conscience,  a 
 stupid  and  insensible  soul.  Well,  but  was  it  because  he 
 had  got  all  these  evidences  that  you  desire,  that  the  apostle 
 exclaimed  so  boldly,  "  how  shall  he  not  freely  give  us  all 
 things?"  No,  he  did  not  get  his  confidence  from  these,  but 
 from  the  simple  fact,  that  God  spared  not  his  own  Son.  Go 
 then  with  all  your  hardness,  and  deadness,  and  coldness ; 
 go  just  as  you  are,  and  take  refuge  in  the  same  cleft  of  the 
 rock  in  which  the  apostle  found  shelter  for  himself.  It  is 
 as  free  to  you  as  to  him  ;  it  is  as  free  to  you  this  moment, 
 as  it  ever  will  or  can  be.  1 
 
 But  you  will  say,  it  may  be  so,  but  the  state  of  my  soul 
 is  so  bad,  my  heart  so  hard  and  insensible,  I  am  altogether 
 so  carnal  sold  under  sin,  that  I  often  despond,  and  think  it 
 impossible  that  even  God  can  do  such  a  mighty  work  in  me, 
 or  effect  such  a  glorious  change.  Ah  !  and  is  it  thus  you 
 reason,  with  regard  either  to  the  power  or  the  willingness  of 
 
No,  22 God's  Unspeakable  Gift.  1 1 
 
 that  God  who  has  already  given  his  own  Son  ?  Has  he  given 
 his  Son,  and  do  you  think,  after  that,  it  is  too  much  to  hope 
 that  lie  will  change  your  heart  ?  Is  the  renewing  of  a  single 
 soul  a  greater  work  or  wonder  than  the  gift  of  his  Son? 
 Give  up  such  dishonouring  doubts.  Is  anything  too  hard 
 for  the  God  that  has  parted  with  Christ  ?  Is  anything  too 
 much  for  the  love  of  him  who  spared  not  his  Son.  Has  he 
 given  his  Son,  and  will  he  refuse  his  Holy  Spirit  ?  Has  he 
 given  his  Son,  and  will  he  refuse  to  renew  you  in  the  spirit 
 of  your  mind  ? 
 
 Oh !  think  of  this!  Ponder  the  apostle's  glorious  and  re- 
 sistless argument.  Remember  that  the  fact  of  your  being 
 lost,  worthless,  ungodly,  hard-hearted,  an  enemy,  a  rebel, 
 did  not  hinder  him  from  giving  his  Son.  And  if  they  did 
 not  hinder  that,  will  they  hinder  anything  ?  Nay,  so  far 
 from  these  being  reasons  against  God's  sending  Christ,  they 
 were  the  very  reasons  that  led  him  to  send  him  to  save  us. 
 How  perverse  then,  how  unkind,  to  suppose  that  he  will 
 take  advantage  of  your  guilt  or  enmity  now,  to  turn  you 
 away  from  the  mercy-seat,  and  put  your  confidence  to  shame! 
 Can  any  amount  or  any  kind  of  unworthiness  in  you,  make 
 it  less  true  that  God  spared  not  his  own  Son  ?  So  long 
 then,  as  that  simple  fact  remains  the  same,  you  are  not 
 merely  warranted,  but  bound  to  come  to  God  with  con- 
 fidence, whatever  may  be  the  extent  of  your  guilt,  or  the 
 depravity  of  your  heart. 
 
 Two  things  then  are  plain  from  the  apostle's  words,  first, 
 that  we  cannot  ask  too  confidently  ;  and  secondly,  that  we 
 cannot  ask  too  much. 
 
 First,  we  cannot  ask  too  confidently,  for  our  boldne&s 
 comes  from  our  knowledge  of  a.  fact,  of  whose  certainty  there 
 can  be  no  doubt.  That  fact  properly  understood,  is  enough 
 to  assure  us  of  everything.  This  simple  fact,  if  it  be  suffi- 
 cient to  assure  you  of  anything,  is  sufficient  to  assure  you 
 of  everything.  Nothing  less  than  this  could  have  given  you 
 the  shadow  of  a  hope,  and  nothing  more  than  this  is  needed 
 to  give  you  the  most  perfect  confidence.  To  have  less  than 
 this  full  confidence,  is  just  to  say,  that  God  has  given  us 
 '  the  greater  gift,  but  grudges  us  the  lesser.  To  have  less 
 is  to  dishonour  God,  and  to  slight  his  gift.  It  is  just  say- 
 ing, that  this  pledge  is  not  enough  for  you  :  that  the  love 
 implied  in  this  gift  is  not  sufficient  for  you  to  rest  on,  with- 
 out some  inward  pledge,  for  which  you  are  waiting !  Less 
 than  this  confidence  then  must  be  presumption  on  your 
 part ;  it  must  be  self-righteousness  and  pride.  This  is  the 
 only  way  in  which  your  doubts  and  suspicions  can  be  ac- 
 counted for.     For  are  you  not  reversing  the  apostle's  argu- 
 
12  No.  22 — God's  Unspeakable  Gift. 
 
 ment,  and  saying,  that  though  God  has  not  spared  his  Son, 
 but  delivered  him  up,  yet  you  are  not  sure  whether  he  will, 
 notwithstanding  this,  give  you  anything ! 
 
 Secondly,  we  cannot  ask  too  much.  It  is  not  possible  to 
 expect  too  much  from  one  who  has  already  freely  bestowed 
 such  a  glorious  gift.  The  whole  universe  is  nothing  in 
 comparison  with  this.  Nay  all  spiritual  blessings  are  as 
 nothing  when  compared  with  this  infinite  gift ;  so  that  it 
 is  not  possible  for  us  to  desire  too  much,  or  to  ask  too 
 much  so  long  as  we  know  that  the  God  of  whom  we  are 
 asking,  is  he  who  spared  not  his  own  Son.  Is  anything 
 too  hard  for  him?  Is  anything  too  much  for  him  ?  Is  any- 
 thing, therefore,  too  great  or  too  glorious  for  you  to  ask  and 
 to  expect  at  his  hands?  The  conclusion  then  to  which  we  are 
 brought  in  regard  to  this  whole  matter,  is  just  that  in  which 
 the  apostle  in  another  place  sums  up  his  argument,  "  having 
 therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
 the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way  which  he  hath 
 consecrated  through  the  vail,  that  is,  his  flesh ;  and  having 
 an  high  priest  over  the  house  of  God;  let  us  draw  near  with 
 a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts 
 sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed 
 with  pure  water."1 
 
 Here  then  is  the  sinner's  hope,  the  sinner's  welcome, 
 and  the  sinner's  peace!  Come,  sinner,  come!  Come,  wanderer, 
 come  !  There  is  room  enough  for  you  in  the  heart  of  him 
 who  spared  not  his  own  Son.  It  is  an  infinite  heart,  a  heart 
 whose  dimensions  are  altogether  boundless,  and  can  take  in 
 millions  such  as  you !  It  is  to  the  embrace  of  the  everlast- 
 ing arms  that  we  invite  you  to  hasten,  and  their  infinite 
 circle  is  wide  enough  to  compass  myriads  such  as  you! 
 The  bosom  on  which  we  ask  you  to  recline,  is  that  bosom 
 of  love  out  of  which  the  eternal  Son  came  forth,  as  the  Fa- 
 ther's gift  to  man,  and  could  there  be  any  pillow  softer 
 or  safer  on  which  to  lay  your  weary  head?  Return 
 then,  thou  banished  one, — thou  "captive  exile,"2  to  thy  Fa- 
 ther's house  !  Come,  lost  one,  come !  Come  now ;  come 
 just  as  you  are ;  come  without  price  or  preparation.  For 
 Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  unite  in  proclaiming,  "  him  that 
 cometh  to  me  I  will  in  nowise  cast  out."5 
 
 1  Hebrews  x.  19—22.  2  Isaiah  li.  14.  3  John  vi.  37. 
 
 Kklso,   Sept.  1842. 
 
 [SEKIES  TO  BE  CONTINUED.] 
 
 Kelso:  Published  by  J.  Ruthekfurd.  Edinburgh:  John 
 Johnstone,  W.  Whyte  &  Co.,  and  Charles  Zikgler.  Lon- 
 don :  James  Nisbet  &  Co.     Price  4s.  (id.  per  100. 
 
No.  23. 
 
 SALVATION  TO  THE   UTTERMOST 
 
 "  Wherefore  He  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come 
 unto  God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  then. " 
 — Heb.  vii.  25. 
 
 It  is  of  Jesus,  the  great  High  Priest  after  the  order  of 
 Melchisedec,  that  these  words  are  spoken.  It  is  He  who 
 is  the  "Surety  of  the  better  covenant."1  It  is  He  who 
 hath  the  "  unchangeable  priesthood."2  It  is  He  who  hav- 
 ing "  offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down  on  the 
 right  hand  of  God."3  He  therefore  is  a  Saviour  to  the 
 uttermost;  and  this  not  only  because  of  what  he  did  on 
 earth  for  the  putting  away  of  sin,  but  because  of  what  he 
 is  now  doing  in  heaven  as  an  ever-living  intercessor,  carry- 
 ing into  effect  that  glorious  work  which  he  completed  on 
 the  cross.  It  is  in  the  knowledge  of  this  Saviour  that  we 
 have  eternal  life.  Let  us  then  inquire  what  God  has  taught 
 us  in  these  words  concerning  him.  And  may  the  Holy 
 Spirit  testify  of  him  to  us,  enlightening  the  eyes  of  our 
 understanding,  that  we  may  know  the  things  that  are  freely 
 given  to  us  of  God ! 
 
 1 .  Christ  is  a  Saviour.  "  He  is  able  to  save."  It  was 
 on  this  account  that  he  is  described  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,4 
 as  "mighty  to  save;"  and  for  this  he  was  named  Jesus, 
 because  "  he  saves  his  people  from  their  sins."5  This  was 
 the  purpose  for  which  he  was  sent ; — "  the  Father  sent  the 
 Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world."8  This  was  the 
 errand  which  he  fulfilled, — "  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to 
 save  that  which  was  lost."7  It  was  for  this  that  he  spoke 
 to  the  people  when  on  earth, — "  these  things  I  say  that  ye 
 might  be  saved."8  For  this  he  was  born,  for  this  he  lived, 
 for  this  he  died,  for  this  he  rose  again,  for  this  he  ascended 
 up  on  high, — "  Him  hath  God  exalted  to  be  a  Prince  and 
 a  Saviour."9  And  from  what  does  he  save?  He  saves 
 from  sin,  from  guilt,  from  wrath,  from  the  curse,  from  a 
 present  evil  world,  from  hell,  from  Satan  himself.  From 
 all  these  he  is  a  Saviour,  a  complete  Saviour,  the  only 
 Saviour,  a  Saviour  not  for  those  who  deserve  salvation,  but 
 for  those  who  need  it, 
 
 'Heb.  vii.  22.  *  Heb.  vii.  24.  *  Heb.  x.  12. 
 
 Isaiah  lxiii.  1.  *  Matt.  i.  21.  •  1  John  iv.  14. 
 
 ■  Matt,  xviii.  11.  «  John  v.  34.  9  Acts  v.  31. 
 
 j.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  23. — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 But  how  is  he  thus  "  able  to  save?"  (1.)  Because  he  is 
 God — the  Lord  God  Almighty,  of  whom,  and  through 
 whom,  and  to  whom  are  all  things.  All  authority  and  do- 
 minion are  his;  all  power  either  to  save  or  to  destroy. 
 (2.)  He  is  "  able  to  save,"  because  he  is  the  God-Man,  God 
 manifest  in  the  flesh,  Immanuel,  God  with  us ;  and  thus  he  has 
 all  power,  created  and  uncreated,  human  and  divine,  finite 
 and  infinite,  centred  in  himself.  Who  could  be  more  able  to 
 be  a  Saviour  than  he  who  is  God;  and  who  could  be  more 
 suitable  to  be  our  Saviour  than  he  who  is  bone  of  our  bone, 
 flesh  of  our  flesh,  our  kinsman,  our  brother.1  (3.)  He  is 
 "  able  to  save,"  because  of  the  work  which  he  has  done, 
 by  coming  into  our  place,  taking  upon  him  our  responsibi- 
 lities, and  bearing  our  sins.  It  was  not  mere  power,  though 
 infinite,  that  could  save  us.  It  must  be  power  put  forth  in 
 a  righteous  way.  And  until  there  was  a  righteous  way 
 opened  up  for  its  exercise,  it  could  do  nothing  for  our  sal- 
 vation. Therefore  it  is  in  his  work  that  his  great  power 
 and  strength  as  the  Saviour  may  be  said  to  lie ;  for  had 
 there  been  no  sacrifice  or  atonement,  not  even  an  infinite 
 arm  could  have  saved  us.  As  long  as  infinite  righteous- 
 ness was  against  us,  it  was  in  vain  though  infinite  power 
 were^or  us.  But  Christ's  atoning  work  has  brought  infi- 
 nite power,  and  righteousness,  and  holiness,  as  well  as  in- 
 finite love  and  grace,  all  over  to  the  same  side.  None  of 
 these  are  against  us  now.  Our  salvation  is  in  full  accord- 
 ance with  them  all.  Through  the  "  blood  of  his  cross"  he 
 has  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  on  that  cross  pro- 
 vided a  place  where  God  and  the  sinner  may  meet  in  peace. 
 He  has  taken  out  of  the  way  that  which  hindered  God  from 
 having  any  dealings  with  us;  and  thus  it  is  now  as  righteous 
 and  glorifying  a  thing  in  God  to  pardon,  as  before  it  was 
 to  punish  transgressors.  He  has  magnified  the  law  and 
 made  it  honourable,2  so  that  the  dishonour  we  had  done  to 
 that  law  by  our  disobedience,  is  far  more  than  made  up  for  by 
 the  glory  which  he  has  put  upon  it  through  his  perfect  and 
 divine  obedience.  Christ's  work  is  thus  a  full  treasure- 
 house  of  every  thing  the  sinner  can  need  or  desire.  In  it 
 there  is  full  provision  for  pardon,  for  cleansing,  for  renew- 
 ing, for  eternal  life,  for  holiness,  for  complete  restoration  to 
 the  image,  the  character,  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  every 
 blessing  included  in  the  term  salvation,  that  is,  to  the  com- 
 plete reversal  of  and  deliverance  from  every  thing  which 
 made  us  lost,  and  the  full  bestowal  of  every  blessing  from 
 the  hand  of  God,  which  a  saved  condition  can  possibly  im- 
 
 »  Heb.  ii.  16—18.  *  Isaiah  xlii.  21. 
 
No.  23 Salvation  to  the  Uttermost.  3 
 
 ply,  from  the  lowest  degree  of  mere  deliverance  from  hell, 
 up  to  the  highest  glories  of  which  a  created  being  can  be 
 heir.  (4.)  He  is  "  able  to  save,"  because  of  the  offices  he 
 sustains.  As  a  priest  he  saves  from  sin ;  as  a  mediator  he 
 brings  us  to  God;  as  an  intercessor  he  pleads  our  cause; 
 as  the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  souls  he  seeks  and  saves  the 
 lost,  as  well  as  watches  over  them  when  found;  as  Messiah 
 he  anoints  us  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  bestowing  gifts  on  men, 
 even  on  the  rebellious,  that  the  Lord  God  may  dwell 
 among  them;  as  a  prophet  he  teaches  the  ignorant,  and 
 makes  the  foolish  wise  unto  salvation ;  as  the  captain  of  our 
 salvation  he  fights  our  battles  and  leads  the  array  against 
 our  enemies;  as  a  king  he  rules  in  us  and  over  us,  making 
 us  more  than  conquerors  over  earth  and  hell, — over  the 
 power  of  this  ensnaring  flesh  with  all  its  deadly  lusts  which 
 war  against  the  soul, — over  this  gay  seducing  world  with 
 all  its  pomp,  and  pride,  and  bravery, — over  principalities 
 and  powers,  and  all  the  banded  legions  of  the  prince  of 
 darkness. 
 
 2.  Christ  is  a  Saviour  to  the  uttermost.  He  is  not 
 only  able  to  save,  but  infinitely  able.  It  is  the  ability 
 of  Omnipotence.  It  is  the  ability  of  one  who  has  all 
 power  in  heaven,  in  earth,  in  hell.  It  is  the  ability  of 
 one  who  has  shed  infinitely  precious  blood,  who  has 
 paid  an  infinitely  precious  ransom,  who  has  laid  down 
 an  infinitely  precious  life,  in  order  that  there  might  be 
 salvation  to  the  uttermost.  It  is  the  ability  of  one  who 
 has  accomplished  an  infinitely  glorious  work,  and  there- 
 by made  infinite  provision  for  every  thing  that  sinners 
 could  require.  It  is  the  ability  of  one  who  has  not  only 
 mercy  and  grace  upon  his  side,  but  righteousness,  holi- 
 ness, and  truth.  Every  infinite  perfection  is  now  upon 
 the  side  of  salvation.  A  Saviour's  death  did  this.  Before 
 that  they  were  against  it.  Nothing  therefore  can  be  be- 
 yond the  reach  of  a  Saviour  such  as  this.  No  sinner  up- 
 on earth,  no  sinner  on  this  side  of  hell  can  be  beyond  his 
 power  to  save.  His  salvation  goes  to  the  very  uttermost 
 extremity  of  human  ruin,  to  "  the  very  ends  of  the  earth," 
 up  to  the  very  gate  of  hell. 
 
 (1.)  This  salvation  is  "to  the  uttermost"  with  respec' 
 to  a  sinner's  state  and  character.  It  goes  to  the  very 
 extremity  of  ruin  and  death.  There  is  no  degree  of 
 guilt  for  which  it  has  not  provided  a  full  pardon.  There 
 are  no  sins  too  many, — there  is  no  burden  too  heavy  for  a 
 salvation  like  this.  Though  our  sins  be  truly  infinite  in 
 number ;  though  they  be  more  than  the  hairs  of  our  head, 
 or  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore,  or  the  drops  of  the  ocean,  or 
 
4  No.  23 — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 the  leaves  of  the  forest,  or  the  stars  of  heaven,  or  all 
 of  these  multiplied  together,  yet  still  this  salvation  goes 
 infinitely  above  and  beyond  them  all.  Though  they  be 
 awfully  heinous  and  aggravated,  like  scarlet  or  crimson, 
 unspeakably  abominable  and  loathsome,  nay,  black  as  hell, 
 yet  still  this  salvation  goes  far  beyond  them.  Nor  can 
 any  sinner  be  too  vile  and  polluted  to  be  saved.  He  may 
 be  sunk  deepest  of  all  in  the  horrible  pit  and  the  miry 
 clay ;  his  soul  may  be  a  cage  of  unclean  birds,  hateful  and 
 filthy  beyond  human  conception,  yet  still  there  is  salvation 
 for  him  here.  Here  is  blood  even  to  cleanse  such  a  soul, 
 nay,  to  make  it  whiter  than  the  snow.  No  soul  is  too  vile 
 for  Jesus  to  cleanse.1  Nor  can  any  soul  be  too  dead  for 
 Jesus  to  quicken.  They  may  be  lying  in  the  deepest 
 grave  of  trespasses  and  sins,  yet  the  arm  of  Jesus  can 
 reach  down  to  them  and  pluck  them  from  it.  The  power 
 of  Jesus  can  awaken  the  soul  that  is  sunk  in  the  deepest 
 slumbers  of  spiritual  death.2  Let  no  one  then  say,  My 
 soul  is  so  dead,  that  I  despair  of  its  ever  being  quickened. 
 Here  is  life  for  the  deadest ;  life  to  the  uttermost.  No 
 degree  of  death  is  beyond  the  power  of  Him  who  is  the 
 resurrection  and  the  life.  To  speak  thus  despondingly  of 
 your  deadness  is  not  humility,  but  presumption.  It  is 
 limiting  the  power  and  grace  of  Jesus.  It  is  saying  that 
 he  is  not  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost, — that  there  are 
 some  states  of  death  beyond  his  reach !  Neither  is  there 
 any  heart  too  hard  for  Jesus  to  soften.  It  matters  not 
 how  hard  it  be.  It  may  be  like  iron,  that  nothing  will 
 break  ;  it  may  be  like  adamant,  that  nothing  will  melt. 
 It  may  be  both  of  these  together,  or  far  more  so  than  any 
 figure  can  give  you  the  least  idea  of.  But  still  it  is  not 
 too  hard  for  Him.  Neither  is  there,  any  soul  too  needy, 
 too  poor,  too  full  of  wants  for  Him.  It  matters  not  how 
 manifold  be  the  wants,  how  deep  the  poverty,  how  great 
 the  need.  Still  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost ;  and  that 
 surely  is  enough  to  assure  the  very  neediest  that  there  is 
 abundant  supply  for  them.  His  fulness  is  the  fulness  of 
 God,  and  that  is  infinite.  "  It  pleased  the  Father  that  in 
 Him  should  all  fulness  dwell."  And  he  himself  thus  gra- 
 ciously addresses  the  needy  soul,  "  I  counsel  thee  to  buy 
 of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich." 
 None  are  too  empty  for  Jesus  to  fill ;  and  that  in  no 
 scanty  measure,  but  even  to  overflowing ;  "  he  that  be- 
 lieveth  on  me,  out  of  him  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water." 
 Neither  is  there  any  soul  too  miserable  for  Him  to  make 
 
 1  Isaiah  i.  18;  1  Cor.  vi.  9—11  ;  1  John  i.  7. 
 
 2  Jobnv.  25;   Eph.  ii.  1. 
 
No.  23 — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost.  5 
 
 perfectly  blessed.  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour 
 and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  He 
 has  peace  for  the  most  troubled,  rest  for  the  weariest,  light 
 for  the  darkest,  joy  for  the  most  sorrowful,  calm  for  the 
 most  tempest-tost,  perfect  blessedness  for  the  most  wretched 
 of  all !  He  gives  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourn- 
 ing, the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness.  Truly 
 he  -is  a  Saviour  to  the  uttermost ! 
 
 Take  your  station  on  the  highest  eminence  of  earth, 
 which  commands  the  widest  prospect  that  man's  eye  can 
 reach.  Look  around  on  this  fallen  earth.  Look  back- 
 ward on  the  condition  of  sin  and  wretchedness  in  which 
 its  millions  have  been  involved  for  these  six  thousand 
 years ;  look  forward  and  conceive  the  guilt  in  which  it  is 
 yet  to  be  more  fearfully  sunk  ere  the  day  of  its  glory 
 come.  Look  on  every  side  of  you  in  this  present  genera- 
 tion. See  the  pollution,  the  guilt,  the  abominations,  the 
 enormities  with  which  it  is  flooded.  Take  a  wider  circle, 
 and  conceive  what  lie  beyond  these, — the  crimes,  the 
 atrocities,  perpetrated  in  secret,  unseen  by  the  eye  of  man, 
 deeds  done  in  darkness,  and  fit  only  to  be  named  in  dark- 
 ness,— every  thing  conceivable  on  this  side  of  hell.  Take 
 a  yet  wider  circle,  and  imagine,  if  that  be  possible,  how 
 much  more  than  all  that,  God's  eye  discerns,  and  God's 
 soul  abhors  in  what  has  been  done  and  is  yet  doing  on  the 
 surface  of  this  fallen  earth.  Take  the  very  widest  possible 
 circle  of  human  guilt,  the  deepest  mire  of  mortal  sin ;  and 
 imagine  in  addition  to  these,  all  possible  difficulties  and 
 hindrances ;  still  beyond  that  widest  circle, — yea,  infinite- 
 ly beyond  the  farthest  that  man's  guilt  has  compassed, 
 is  the  power  of  Jesus  to  save  !  For  his  is  salvation  to 
 the  uttermost ;  his  is  the  salvation  of  God.  The  sinner 
 may  indeed  have  gone  to  the  very  extremity  of  guilt, 
 — to  the  very  ends  of  the  earth  in  his  wanderings  from 
 God.  Yea,  he  may  have  gone  to  the  very  gates  of  hell, 
 and  be  knocking  for  admittance  there.  He  may  be  a 
 brand  already  set  on  fire  of  hell ;  yet  even  from  thence 
 the  arm  and  power  of  Jesus  can  pluck  him  ;  even  from  the 
 gates  of  hell  can  the  outstretched  hand  of  Jesus  save!1 
 
 (2.)  This  salvation  is  to  the  uttermost  in  respect  to  the 
 completeness  of  the  salvation.  It  is  a  complete  deliverance 
 that  Jesus  brings  to  the  soul.  The  first  thing  he  does  is 
 to  justify  the  sinner ;  and  this  he  does  at  once  and  entirely, 
 so  soon  as  we  believe  in  his  name.  Our  acceptance  with 
 the  Father,  through  his  beloved  Son,  is  a  perfect  and  im- 
 
 1  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  1  —  13;  Zech.  iii.  2;  1  Tim.  i.  13—16. 
 
6  No.  23. — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 mediate  acceptance,  without  any  reserve.  It  is  not  par- 
 tially or  by  halves,  that  he  forgives.  He  forgives  fully, 
 and  without  limitation ;  so  that  not  so  much  as  one  sin 
 remains  unpardoned.  He  forgives  not  merely  until  seven 
 times,  or  until  seventy  times  seven,  or  even  until  ten 
 thousand  times  ten  thousand,  but  without  number  or 
 bound.  Whether  our  sins  be  known  or  unknown,  felt  or 
 unfelt,  remembered  or  forgotten,  he  freely  forgives  all  to 
 the  uttermost.  And  as  he  forgives  entirely,  so  he  sanctifies 
 wholly.  Whatever  be  the  hindrances  or  the  enemies  in  our 
 way,  he  will  perfect  that  which  he  begins.  Whatever  have 
 been  our  past  lives,  the  sins  or  crimes  of  manhood,  still  he 
 saves  "  to  the  uttermost,"  so  as  entirely  to  undo  the  evil  of 
 our  former  ways,  and  wash  away  the  pollution  of  our  for- 
 mer sins.  Hence  the  salvation  of  one  sinner  is  as  com- 
 plete as  that  of  another,  though  the  former  may  have  lived 
 much  longer,  and  gone  far  deeper  into  sin  than  the  latter. 
 The  salvation  of  Rahab  the  harlot  was  as  complete  as  that 
 of  Joshua,  her  deliverer ;  nor  would  her  long  life  of  sin 
 make  her  peace  less  perfect  or  secure  than  his,  though 
 perhaps  he  had  known  the  Lord  from  his  youth.  The  sal- 
 vation of  Manasseh,  whose  sins,  both  in  their  own  enormity, 
 and  by  their  aggravations,  seem  absolutely  without  a  paral- 
 lel, was  as  complete  as  that  of  his  godly  father  Hezekiah, 
 or  his  inspired  teacher  Isaiah.  The  salvation  of  Paul,  the 
 blasphemer  and  persecutor,  was  not  less  complete  than 
 that  of  Timothy,  who  from  his  youth  had  sought  after 
 God.  Nothing  but  an  infinite  salvation  could  have  reached 
 the  case  of  such  vile  transgressors ;  but  when  it  did  reach 
 them,  it  left  nothing  imperfect.  It  purged  their  con- 
 sciences and  cleansed  their  souls  from  guilt,  even  such  as 
 theirs.  It  brought  them  a  perfect,  not  a  partial  or  doubt- 
 ful peace.  It  gave  them  as  complete  an  assurance  of 
 God's  love,  and  as  sure  a  consciousness  of  reconciliation 
 with  him,  as  it  could  give  to  those  whose  past  life  had 
 been  stained  with  no  such  outward  abominations.  It  pre- 
 served unruffled  the  steadfast  calm  of  the  soul,  even  in  the 
 full  remembrance  of  all  the  enormities  of  other  days.  Oh, 
 what  a  salvation  must  this  be,  that  could  accomplish  all 
 this  so  perfectly,  even  for  the  chief  of  sinners ! 
 
 And  then,  all  this  is  eternal.  It  is  not  a  temporary  sal- 
 vation ;  neither  is  it  one  that  can  change  or  give  way  here- 
 after. No.  It  is  eternally  secure;  for  be  who  commenced 
 it,  ever  liveth  to  maintain  and  perpetuate  it.  He  preserves 
 each  saved  soul,  by  his  mighty  power,  unto  his  coming,  that 
 then  he  may  present  them  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his 
 glory  with  exceeding  joy.  Nay,  their  very  dust  to  him  is  dear. 
 
No.  23 Salvatio?i  to  the  Uttermost.  7 
 
 Their  body  as  well  as  their  soul  he  saves,  raising  it  up  and 
 making  it  like  unto  his  own  glorious  body,  that  he  may  place 
 them  altogether  perfect,  completely  saved,  upon  his  throne 
 in  the  day  when  he  returns  to  reign.1  And  throughout 
 eternity  these  saved  ones  remain  as  trophies  of  a  Saviour's 
 grace  and  power;  an  undecaying  memorial  of  the  redeem- 
 ing love  of  him  who  "  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost." 
 No  stain  of  former  sin  can  reappear  upon  their  spotless  rai- 
 ment; nor  can  all  the  infinite  abomination  of  their  former 
 ways  prevent  them  from  shining  in  their  perfect  brightness 
 as  the  sons  of  light — it  may  be,  the  most  resplendent  of  all ! 
 No  returning  mists  of  earth  can  ever  again  overcast  their 
 everlasting  sunshine,  or  cloud  the  pure  azure  of  their  sky. 
 No  remembrance  of  guilt  can  ever  draw  one  darkening 
 shadow  over  their  brow  of  light.  No  consciousness  that 
 they  are  the  very  sinners  who  were  once  in  the  horrible  pit 
 and  in  the  miry  clay,  can  check  their  notes  of  joy,  or  do 
 ought  but  add  to  the  gladness  as  well  as  the  loudness  of 
 the  new  song  they  sing.  How  truly  is  all  this  "salvation  to 
 the  uttermost" — salvation  that  knows  no  bound — no  end! 
 
 3.  They  that  come  unto  Christ  are  saved.  He  saves 
 those  who  come  unto  God  by  him,  or  who  come  unto  him- 
 self, for  both  statements  are  common  in  Scripture.  Those 
 whom  he  saves  are  those  who  come  unto  the  Father  through 
 him  as  the  way,  who  consent  to  take  him  as  the  way  to 
 God;  to  recognise  him  as  "the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
 life" — the  new  and  living  way  into  the  presence  of  God. 
 He  saves  none  else.  Not  but  that  he  has  the  power  to 
 save  millions  more,  even  of  those  who  refuse  to  come;  yet 
 still  he  saves  none  who  remain  away.  Their  remaining 
 away,  their  refusing  to  come  unto  the  Father  through  him, 
 seals  their  condemnation.  To  save  such  would  be  to  pro- 
 claim his  own  work  unnecessary,  to  declare  that  he  had 
 died  in  vain.  Therefore  he  saves  none  who  reject  him  as 
 their  Siiviour;  he  leaves  them  to  die  in  their  sins.  He  saves 
 none  who  persist  in  coming  to  God  by  ways  of  their  own, 
 who  seek  life  by  methods  of  their  own,  who  try  to  obtain 
 pardon  by  doings  of  their  own.  He  saves  none  who  stand 
 afar  off,  and  turn  away  from  God.  None  of  these  he 
 saves,  so  long  as  they  remain  such.  It  is  the  coming 
 ones  that  he  saves;  those  who  consent  to  take  him  and  him 
 only  as  the  access  into  the  holiest — the  way  unto  the  Father. 
 Whosoever  then  persists  in  taking  his  own  way  of  coming  to 
 God,  cannot  be  saved.  Whosoever  comes  without  this  Me- 
 diator or  chooses  another,  cannot  be  saved.    It  is  our  taking 
 
 1  Eph.  v.  27;  Col.  i.  22;  Jude  24. 
 
8  No.  23. — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 him  as  the  appointed  way  to  God,  and  drawing  near  by  that 
 way,  that  saves  us ! 1 
 
 The  special  object  of  the  apostle  in  making  this  state- 
 ment seems  to  be  to  show  that  Christ  is  so  infinitely  able 
 to  save,  that  none  can  possibly  bring  to  him  a  case  too  des- 
 perate— a  case  beyond  his  skill  and  power  to  cure.  Such 
 is  his  power,  that  if  sinners  will  only  bring  the  case  to  him, 
 however  helpless  it  may  seem,  still  it  must  yield  to  his 
 touch.  All  who  will  only  put  their  case  into  his  hands  will 
 find  in  him  an  infinitely  sufficient  Saviour.  And  yet  how 
 many  are  seeking  to  save  themselves,  before  they  come  to  him 
 to  be  saved !  How  many  refuse  to  come  as  they  are,  and  try 
 to  do  something,  however  little,  in  the  way  of  saving  them- 
 selves, before  they  count  themselves  entitled  to  come  to  him 
 for  the  rest.  How  many  think  they  must  begin  the  work, 
 and  then  come  to  him  to  end  it.  They  think  it  would  be 
 presumption  to  bring  a  soul  so  diseased  as  theirs,  a  heart  so 
 hard  and  dead  as  theirs.  They  count  it  humility  to  stay 
 away,  or  at  least  to  come  doubting  and  fearing.  They  do 
 not  see  that  it  is  not  humility  but  presumption  to  stay  away, 
 or  to  come  doubting,  as  if  he  to  whom  they  were  coming 
 were  either  unable  or  unwilling  to  receive  and  save  them. 
 
 Whosoever  thou  art  then,  only  come,  and  thou  shalt  be 
 saved.  Come  unto  God  by  him!  Whatever  be  your  sin, 
 only  come!  Whatever  be  your  un worthiness,  only  come! 
 Whatever  be  your  hardness  of  heart,  only  come!  What- 
 ever be  the  peculiarity  of  your  case,  only  come!  Bring 
 your  oppressed  soul  to  him!  Bring  your  hard  heart  to  him! 
 Bring  your  troubled  conscience  to  him!  Do  not  stand  afar 
 off.  Do  not  try  to  be  your  own  physician.  Do  not  try  to 
 make  yourself  better  before  you  come.  In  the  very  state 
 in  which  this  message  finds  you,  come!  There  is  infinite 
 fulness  in  him.  There  is  infinite  provision  for  you  in  that 
 fulness.  There  is  infinite  love  in  him.  There  is  infinite 
 willingness  to  save  you.  He  sends  you  this  message ;  he 
 stretches  out  his  arm;  he  beckons  with  his  hand;  he  lifts 
 up  his  gracious  voice  to  you,  saying,  I  am  the  way,  and  the 
 truth  and  the  Kfe — him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no 
 wise  cast  out. 
 
 4.  Christ s  intercession  is  the  pledge  of  his  infinite 
 ability  to  save.  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for 
 us.  It  is  for  this  that  he  liveth.  It  is  for  this  that  he  is 
 exalted  to  the  throne  of  the  majesty  in  the  heavens.  And 
 this  is  the  assurance  to  us  of  his  being  able  to  save  unto 
 the  uttermost;  for  it  is  by  this  intercession  that  he  carries 
 
 1  John  x.  9;  xiv.  6;   Eph.  ii.  18;   Ileb.  x.  19,  20. 
 
No.  23.— Salvation  to  the  Uttermost.  9 
 
 on  our  salvation.  His  work  on  earth,  as  the  sacrifice, 
 wrought  out  the  atonement  from  which  salvation  flows; 
 and  his  work  in  heaven,  as  the  advocate  with  the  Father, 
 carries  on  and  applies  that  work.  On  earth  he  finished 
 his  work  as  the  bearer  of  sin,  thereby  taking  it  out  of  the 
 way,  and  opening  the  access  to  God.  In  heaven  he  is  now 
 seated  to  effect  the  reconciliation  for  which  he  had  prepar- 
 ed the  way, — to  introduce  to  the  Father  those  that  approach 
 to  his  name.  Let  us  briefly  consider  what  this  intercession 
 implies. 
 
 (1.)  He  intercedes  by  presenting  his  sacrifice  before  the 
 throne.  He  appears  in  heaven  as  "the  Lamb  that  was 
 slain."1  As  such  the  Father  beholds  him  and  is  well 
 pleased.  And  thus  by  his  presenting  himself  and  his  com- 
 plete work  before  the  Father,  intercession  is  made  by  him, 
 silent  yet  resistless.  His  appearance  pleads, — his  attitude 
 pleads, — his  blood  pleads,^-his  obedience  pleads, — his  sa- 
 crifice pleads.  Just  as  the  altar  might  be  said  to  plead  for 
 every  one  who  laid  his  hands  upon  its  horns,  so  the  sacri- 
 fice of  Jesus  pleads  for  every  one  who  lays  his  hand  on 
 him.  Just  as  the  Lamb,  though  silent,  pleaded  effectually 
 for  him  who  brought  it  as  an  offering,  so  the  Lamb  of  God 
 pleads  for  every  one  who  will  take  him  as  their  offering, 
 and  lay  their  sins  on  him. 
 
 (2.)  He  intercedes  by  presenting  himself  in  our  name. 
 "  He  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us."2  He  was 
 our  substitute  on  earth,  and  he  is  our  representative  in 
 heaven.  Hence  God  sees  us  in  him,  hears  us  in  him,  deals 
 with  us  in  him.  By  presenting  his  blood,  he  obtains  for- 
 giveness for  us;  but  by  presenting  himself,  his  infinitely 
 glorious  self,  he  does  far  more, — he  obtains  for  us  every 
 thing  that  belongs  to  him.  Every  thing  that  we  say  is 
 heard  of  God  as  if  he  had  said  it ;  every  thing  that  we  ask 
 for  is  bestowed  by  the  Father  as  if  he  had  asked  it;  our 
 petitions  are  counted  as  his  petitions;  our  voice  ascends 
 acceptable  in  the  Father's  ears,  as  if  it  were  the  voice  of  his 
 beloved  Son.  Thus  entirely  does  he  represent  us,  and  by  so 
 doing  plead  for  us  irresistibly.  He  appears  in  the  presence 
 of  God  for  us;  and  by  so  appearing  carries  on  his  mighty 
 intercession.  He  invites  us  to  come,  and  be  represented  by 
 him.  He  sees  sinners  coming  to  God  upon  their  own  foot- 
 ing, and  he  invites  them  to  come  on  his.  He  sees  men 
 vainly  presenting  their  prayers  before  God  on  the  ground 
 of  some  personal  title  of  their  own,  and  he  asks  them  no 
 longer  to  attempt  such  folly,  but  to  consent  to  take  him  as 
 
 '  Rev.  v.  6.  2  Heb.  ix.  24. 
 
10  No.  23. — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 their  representative,  assuring  them  that  if  they  will  but  do 
 so,  all  his  infinite  merit  and  acceptableness  with  the  Father 
 shall  plead  for  them!  O  sinners,  self-righteous  ones, 
 self-trusting  ones,  come  and  be  thus  represented  and  inter- 
 ceded for  by  him!  His  holiness  will  plead  infinitely  more 
 for  you,  than  all  your  unholiness  can  plead  against  you. 
 His  glorious  righteousness  will  plead  infinitely  more  for 
 you  than  all  your  miserable  unrighteousness  can  plead 
 against  you.  The  excellent  beauty  of  his  person  will  be 
 a  far  stronger  plea  in  your  favour,  than  all  the  loathsome 
 deformity  of  your  own  person  can  be  against  you! 
 
 (3.)  He  intercedes  by  pleading  for  us.  When  he  was  on 
 earth,  he  thus  pleaded,  and  doubtless  he  has  not  ceased  to 
 do  the  same  gracious  office  in  heaven.  He  pleaded  for 
 Peter,  "  Simon,  Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  thee, 
 that  he  may  sift  thee  as  wheat,  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee 
 that  thy  faith  fail  not."1  Thus  he  took  up  Peter's  case; 
 thus  he  prayed  that  his  faith  might  be  upheld.  And  as  he 
 did  to  Peter  on  earth,  so  doubtless  he  does  in  heaven  for 
 those  who  come  unto  God  by  him.  He  takes  notice  of 
 their  case.  His  eye  is  always  upon  them.  He  sees  their 
 fainting  faith.  He  marks  their  struggles  with  unbelief, — 
 struggles  to  which  no  human  eye  is  witness,  struggles 
 maintained  in  the  solitude  of  their  closet,  and  expressed 
 only  by  the  tear,  the  groan,  the  sigh.  He  sees  when 
 they  would  fain  come  to  him,  and  Satan  keeps  them  back 
 or  casts  them  down,  or  whispers  malignant  doubts;  and 
 seeing  all  these,  he  takes  their  case  into  his  hand  and 
 pleads  for  them  with  God.  How  comforting  to  believers 
 to  remember  this!  How  encouraging  to  those  who  are  but 
 seeking  the  way  to  God  perhaps  in  fear  and  darkness,  to  see 
 how  ready  this  divine  Intercessor  is  to  take  up  their  case 
 and  plead  in  their  behalf!  Again,  in  the  seventeenth  chapter 
 of  John  we  have  a  specimen  of  Christ's  intercession  on 
 earth,  which  is  well  fitted  to  give  us  a  right  idea  of  what  it 
 must  be  in  heaven.  Take  such  passages  as  these — "  Sanc- 
 tify them  through  thy  truth,  thy  word  is  truth."  Again, 
 "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me 
 be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory."2 
 These  are  some  of  Christ's  pleadings  on  earth ;  and  oh! 
 how  consoling,  how  animating  to  think  that  these  are  still 
 his  pleadings  in  heaven !  With  such  an  advocate  above,3 
 what  can  we  fear?  Whatever  be  the  feebleness,  the  imper- 
 fection of  our  pleadings  here,  either  for  ourselves  or  others, 
 his  intercession  is  always  perfect  and  prevailing.     And  it 
 
 i  Luke  xxii.  31,  3'2.         *  John  xvii.  17  24.         3  1  John  ii.  1. 
 
No.  23. — Salvation  to  the  Uttermost.  1 1 
 
 is  his  intercession,  that  is  our  confidence  and  hope.  If  he 
 plead  for  us,  who  can  plead  against  us?  O  sinners,  come 
 to  him!  Come  and  be  pleaded  for  by  this  divine  interces- 
 sor. Come  put  your  case  into  the  hands  of  this  divine 
 advocate!  Allow  him  to  plead  for  you!  Do  not  continue 
 to  manage  your  own  cause.  Intrust  it  to  him  and  all  shall 
 be  well. 
 
 j  (4.)  He  intercedes  by  presenting  our  prayers.  It  is  he 
 and  he  only  that  presents  our  prayers  to  the  Father  ;  and 
 being  presented  by  him  they  are  accepted  and  answered. 
 As  our  High  Priest,  he  both  "bears  the  iniquity  of  our  holy 
 things,"  and  procures  acceptance  for  them.1  Our  prayers 
 must  pass  through  his  hands  ere  they  can  reach  the  Father. 
 As  they  leave  our  lips  they  are  impure  and  earthly,  being 
 breathed  from  polluted  hearts;  but  forthwith  he  takes  hold 
 of  them,  strips  them  of  their  impurities,  purges  away  their 
 imperfections,  and  presents  them  as  a  perfect  offering  to 
 God.  The  hearts  they  come  from  are  corrupt  and  vile;  the 
 desires  they  contain  are  cold,  lifeless,  wandering;  the  words 
 in  which  they  are  expressed  are  poor  and  feeble;  each  peti- 
 tion seems  to  plead  against  us;  yet  still,  being  presented 
 by  him,  they  are  well-pleasing  even  in  the  eyes  of  Him  who 
 cannot  look  upon  iniquity.  Hence  prayer  is  likened  to 
 sweet  incense,  and  in  heaven  the  four  and  twenty  elders 
 have  in  their  hands  "  golden  vials  full  of  odours  which  are 
 the  prayers  of  saints.'*2  Thus  also  Jesus  as  our  High  Priest 
 stands  with  his  golden  censer  full  of  incense,  to  "offer  it 
 with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar  which 
 is  before  the  throne."3  Into  that  censer  he  calls  on  us  to 
 put  our  prayers.  He  stretches  out  his  hand ;  he  lets  down 
 that  censer  to  earth :  he  brings  it  to  our  very  side ;  he  asks 
 us  to  put  in  ourprayers!  Then  he  will  draw  up  that  censer; 
 and,  fragrant  with  rich  incense,  he  will  present  them  before 
 the  throne.  How  apt  are  we  to  overlook  this!  How  prone 
 either  to  present  our  prayers  without  any  censer  at  all,  or 
 to  make  censers  of  our  own!  How  apt  to  look  aside  from 
 Jesus,  even  when  looking  up  to  God!  How  apt  to  under- 
 value the  efficacy  of  this  divine  censer,  and  to  cherish 
 doubts  whether  our  petitions  may  find  their  way  safely  to 
 the  throne!  How  apt  to  make  censers  of  our  own,  and  to 
 attempt  with  these  to  approach  the  Father!  How  apt,  for 
 instance,  are  we  to  make  our  acceptance  depend  upon  our 
 earnestness,  and  say,  "  Alas !  we  are  so  cold  in  prayer,  how 
 can  we  expect  an  answer;"  or,  on  the  other  hand,  to  congra- 
 tulate ourselves,  and  take  courage  from  an  opposite  state  of 
 
 «  Exod.  xxviii.  38.         ■  Rev.  v.  8.         3  Rev.  viii.  3. 
 
12  No.  23 — Salvat'wn  to  the  Uttermost. 
 
 feeling,  saying,  "Ah,  we  have  been  earnest,  we  have  had 
 much  enlargement,  surely  we  shall  be  accepted."  What  is 
 all  this  but  just  making  a  censer  of  our  earnestness;  forget- 
 ting that  it  is  not  our  frame  in  prayer,  but  the  censer  into 
 which  it  is  put,  that  secures  its  acceptance!  The  most  fer- 
 vent petition  that  ever  rose  from  earth  needs  this  censer 
 with  its  incense,  to  prevent  its  being  an  abomination  to 
 God;  and  the  feeblest  cry  that  ever  left  a  sinner's  trem- 
 bling lips  needs  no  more!  O  sinners!  put  in  your  prayers 
 into  this  censer.  The  High  Priest  reaches  it  towards  you, 
 he  presents  it  at  your  side ;  put  in  your  prayers  and  they 
 shall  be  heard!  Ye  who  have  never  prayed  before,  bring 
 your  first  petition  here,  and  even  you  are  sure  of  acceptance! 
 Ye  who  have  been  praying  in  doubt,  lodge  your  petitions 
 here  and  cease  to  doubt.  That  golden  censer  is  enough 
 to  remove  your  fears,  and  give  you  the  full  assurance  of 
 faith  in  drawing  near  to  the  mercy  seat! 
 
 Such  then  is  the  great  High  Priest  of  our  profession! 
 Such  is  Jesus!  Able  to  save  to  the  uttermost!  Ever  liv- 
 ing to  intercede!  Mighty  in  saving — all-prevalent  in  in- 
 terceding! How  secure,  how  blessed  is  the  state  of  those 
 who  have  come  unto  God  through  him!  How  great  the 
 encouragement  for  sinners  to  come  unto  God  through  him! 
 He  is  infinitely  able  and  willing  to  save  you!  Do  not  stay 
 away  from  him;  but  come  at  once,  come  now,  come  bold- 
 ly, come  without  doubting,  come  as  you  are,  and  he  will 
 save  you;  he  will  undertake  your  cause,  and  all  shall  be 
 well. 
 
 Salvation  to  the  uttermost!  This  is  the  message 
 we  bring.  Salvation  for  the  vilest,  the  guiltiest,  the  most 
 wretched  of  all.  Salvation  for  every  sinner  on  this  side  of 
 hell!  None  can  say  their  case  is  too  bad,  for  it  is  salvation 
 to  the  uttermost;  and  where  is  the  sinner  that  is  beyond 
 the  uttermost — beyond  that  which  God  calls  the  uttermost. 
 Lost  ones,  come  and  be  saved!  Chief  of  sinners,  come! 
 Prodigals,  rebels,  wanderers,  come!  Whosoever  will,  let 
 him  come  and  be  saved ! 
 
 Kelso,  February  1843. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso:  J.   Rutherfurd,  Market  Place.     Edinburgh:    John 
 
 Johnstone;   W.  Whyte  &  Co.;  and  Charles  Zeigler. 
 
 London:  James  Nisbet  &  Co. 
 
 Price  4s.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 ANDREW  JACK,   PR1N  fEIt,   F.DTN'BUEIGH. 
 
No.  24 
 
 THE  LOVE  OF  THE   SPIRIT. 
 
 **  Thy  Spirit  is  good,  lead  me  into  the  land  of  uprightness,"  Psalm 
 cxliii.  10. 
 
 *  The  love  of  the  Spirit,"  Rom.  xv.  30. 
 
 Nothing  can  be  more  necessary  for  a  sinner's  peace 
 and  holiness,  than  his  fully  knowing  the  character  of  that 
 God  with  whom  he  has  to  do.  The  more  perfectly  we  be- 
 come acquainted  with  him,  the  more  do  we  joy  in  him, 
 and  the  more  are  we  conformed  to  his  likeness.  In  his 
 word  God  has  fully  revealed  his  character.  He  has  there- 
 in told  us  what  he  is.  Especially  in  the  living  Word,  that 
 is,  in  Christ,  do  we  learn  the  character  of  God.  He  is  the 
 perfect  expression  and  manifestation  of  that  character. 
 But  then,  this  character  belongs  equally  to  all  the  three 
 persons  in  the  Trinity.  What  is  true  of  one  is  equally  true 
 of  all.  "  God  is  holy,"  and  this  means  that  the  Father  is 
 holy,  the  Son  is  holy,  the  Spirit  is  holy.  "  God  is  light ;"  and 
 this  intimates  that  the  Father  is  light,  the  Son  is  light,  the 
 Spirit  is  light.  "  God  is  love;"  and  this  declares  that  the 
 Father  is  love,  the  Son  is  love,  the  Spirit  is  love.  We  are 
 accustomed  to  admit  this  of  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  but 
 we  are  less  used  to  consider  it  as  equally  applicable  to  the 
 Holy  Spirit.  Thus  we  have  lost  sight  of  the  Spirit's  love ; 
 a  love  as  real,  as  true,  as  tender,  as  infinite,  as  gracious,  as 
 that  of  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
 
 We  are  apt  to  think  of  the  Spirit  as  a  mere  influence, 
 like  the  air  we  breathe,  diffusing  itself  around,  and  operat- 
 ing upon  us  by  a  vague  and  indirect  process  of  contact. 
 So  long  as  we  do  so,  our  ideas  of  the  Spirit  must  be  con- 
 fused and  unsatisfactory.  Till  we  realize  his  •personality, 
 it  is  impossible  that  we  can  rightly  acknowledge  him  in 
 any  of  his  divine  perfections;  more  especially  his  love. 
 A  mere  influence  cannot  be  felt  as  a  thing  either  loving  or 
 loveable.  Hence  till  the  Spirit's  personality  is  kept  in 
 view,  his  distinct  and  peculiar  love  cannot  be  rightly  un- 
 derstood or  realized;  and  the  personality  of  the  Spirit's 
 love  must  no  more  be  lost  sight  of,  than  the  personality  of 
 the  love  of  the  Father,  or  the  love  of  the  Son. 
 
 J.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
No.  24—  The  Love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 • 
 
 Again,  even  when  recognising  the  Spirit  as  a  person, 
 we  are  apt  to  dwell  exclusively  on  his  power,  or  wisdom, 
 or  holiness,  and  thereby  forget  or  overlook  his  love.  It  is 
 true  we  can  never  magnify  too  mightily  any  of  his  divine 
 excellencies,  yet  still  we  must  not  allow  one  to  supplant 
 another.  We  must  not  suffer  the  power  or  the  holiness  of 
 the  Spirit  to  withdraw  our  eyes  from  his  love,  a  love  which 
 is  as  infinite  and  glorious,  as  his  holiness  or  his  power. 
 
 Again,  when  we  acknowledge  his  grace  and  condescen- 
 sion in  coming  down  into  this  fallen  world  to  fulfil  his  er- 
 rand of  mercy,  we  are  too  prone  to  think  of  this  merely  as 
 an  act  of  obedience  to  the  Father's  will  in  sending  him. 
 When  seen  thus  alone,  it  is  the  Father's  love  more  than  the 
 Spirit's  that  is  recognised.  But  let  us  remember  that  when 
 he  comes  into  this  world  and  into  these  souls  of  ours,  it  is 
 not  merely  because  sent  by  the  Father  and  the  Son,  but 
 because  he  loves  to  come.  It  is  not  merely  because  he  is 
 pledged  in  covenant  to  accomplish  the  work,  but  because 
 he  loves  to  do  it.  He  works  not  merely  because  it  is  his 
 office  to  convince,  and  comfort,  and  sanctify,  but  because 
 he  loves  to  do  so.  It  is  love  that  brings  him  down  from 
 heaven  into  a  world  like  ours, — free,  unbidden  love, 
 love  to  the  lost,  love  as  amazing  and  immeasurable  as 
 that  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  though  he  was  rich  for  our 
 sakes  became  poor.  The  Father  is  said  to  have  loved  us 
 with  an  everlasting  love;  so  has  the  Spirit.  The  Son  is 
 said  to  have  rejoiced  in  the  habitable  parts  of  the  earth, 
 and  to  have  had  his  delights  with  the  sons  of  men;  and 
 the  same  may  be  said  of  the  Spirit.  Every  fact,  or  decla- 
 ration, or  promise,  that  proves  the  love  of  God,  proves  the 
 love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 Again,  we  are  apt  to  suppose,  that  because  he  is  call- 
 ed emphatically  the  Holy  Spirit,  therefore  holiness  is  so 
 peculiarly  his  attribute,  that  it  is  not  proper  to  ascribe  such 
 peculiar  love  to  him.  But  there  is  nothing  in  this  charac- 
 teristic of  holiness  to  exclude  the  idea  of  love.  Surely  no 
 one  would  say  that  because  he  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 the  Father  or  the  Son  is  less  holy  than  he  ?  If  love 
 therefore  be  so  perfectly  consistent  with  holiness  in  them, 
 it  cannot  be  less  so  in  him.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  holy 
 love  to  the  unholy,  and  it  would  appear  as  if  this  love  were 
 strong  and  intense  in  proportion  to  the  holiness  of  the  being 
 who  loves.  The  Spirit's  infinite  holiness  gives  him  such  a 
 view  of  the  misery  of  an  unholy  soul,  as  makes  him  yearn 
 with  compassionate  love  over  such.  His  infinite  holiness 
 makes  him  long  to  see  them  delivered  from  their  sin,  and 
 
No.  24 The  Love  of  the  Spirit.  3 
 
 made  holy  as  he  is  holy.  Holy  love  yearns  over  the  un- 
 holy. Holy  love  longs  to  save  the  lost.  Holy  love  strives 
 to  deliver  the  unholy  from  the  awful  misery  of  a  sinful 
 state,  and  to  replace  them  in  the  blessedness  of  divine 
 purity,  and  the  perfect  image  of  God. 
 
 Again,  we  may  imagine  that  it  is  the  work  of  Christ,  as 
 the  sacrifice  for  sin,  that  has  brought  the  Spirit  down  to 
 us.  Now,  it  is  true,  that  had  it  not  been  for  that  work, 
 the  Holy  Spirit  could  not  have  come  down  to  dwell  amid 
 unholy  beings.  Had  the  work  of  Christ  not  satisfied 
 divine  righteousness,  and  glorified  the  holiness  of  the  God- 
 head, even  when  dealing  with  sinners,  the  Spirit  never 
 could  have  come  down  at  all.  Yet  the  work  of  Christ  did 
 not  create  or  cause  the  Spirit's  love.  There  was  love  in 
 his  heart  to  sinners  before,  just  as  it  was  in  the  Father's, 
 but  then  it  was  pent  up;  it  could  not  flow  out  till  this 
 righteous  way  was  opened,  this  holy  channel  prepared 
 through  which  it  might  flow  freely  down  to  us,  unstraitened 
 and  unobstructed.  The  Holy  Spirit  could  have  no  dealings 
 with  an  unholy  soul,  till  the  blood  had  been  shed;  still 
 there  was  love  in  him  before, — love  which  led  him  joyfully 
 to  undertake  his  part  in  redeeming  man,  love  which  led 
 him  to  prepare  a  body  for  the  Son  of  God,  on  which  our 
 sins  might  be  laid.  The  Father  so  loved  the  world  as  to 
 give  his  Son.  The  Son  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give  him- 
 self. And  the  Spirit  so  loved  the  world  as  freely  and  glad- 
 ly to  come  down  into  it,  and  there  carry  on  his  gracious 
 work  in  the  sinner's  soul. 
 
 But  let  us  consider  some  of  the  proofs  of  the  Spirit's 
 love.  These  are  manifold.  "  If  we  would  speak  of  them, 
 they  are  more  than  can  be  numbered."  How  precious  are 
 his  thoughts  to  us.  "  How  great  is  his  goodness,  how 
 great  is  his  beauty."  Let  us  attend  to  a  few  of  them. 
 And  may  he  be  our  gracious  Teacher  in  unfolding  the 
 things  concerning  himself. 
 
 I.  The  Spirits  love  shows  itself  in  his  names.— He  is 
 called  by  many  names,  and  set  forth  to  us  by  many  figures 
 expressive  of  his  tenderness  and  love.  He  is  called  "  the 
 good  Spirit,"1  thereby  declaring  to  us  his  loving-kindness 
 and  compassion.  He  is  called  the  "  Spirit  of  grace/'2  to 
 show  us  that  he  is  merciful  and  gracious,  full  of  the  same 
 free  love  to  sinners  as  the  Father  and  the  Son.  He  is 
 called  the  "  Spirit  of  adoption,"3  because  he  imprints  on 
 
 1  Neh.  ix.  20;  Psal.  cxliii.  10.  *  Heb.  x.  29. 
 
 *  Rom.  viii.  15;  Gal.  iv.  5,  6. 
 
4  No.  24 — The  Love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 us  his  own  divine  affections  and  sympathies,  revealing  to  us 
 the  Father's  mind  and  heart,  creating  in  us  all  filial  confi- 
 dence, and  teaching  us  to  say,  Abba,  Father.  He  is  called 
 the  "Spirit  of  liberty,"1  because  he  undoes  our  heavy 
 yoke,  and  breaks  our  grievous  fetters,  possessing  our  whole 
 souls  with  the  blessed  consciousness  of  divine  liberty,  de- 
 livering us  from  the  bondage  of  fear  and  sin,  making  us 
 "free  indeed."  He  is  called  "the  Comforter;"2  "the  hel- 
 per of  our  infirmities,"3  "  the  earnest  of  the  inheritance,"4 
 "  the  Spirit  of  love."5  Then,  again,  he  is  set  forth  to  us 
 under  the  figure  of  "rain  and  dew,"6  mild  and  refreshing; 
 as  the  "  oil  of  gladness,"7  because  of  the  overflowing  joy 
 which  he  imparts;  as  a  dove,8  because  of  his  being  so 
 gentle,  so  loving,  so  peaceful,  so  tender,  so  easily  wounded 
 and  grieved  away.  Such  are  some  of  the  Spirit's  names 
 of  love !  They  are  poor  indeed,  and  feeble  to  express  the 
 vast  reality  of  deep  love  that  is  in  his  bosom.  Yet  they 
 do  give  us  sweet  and  precious  glimpses  of  his  tender  love. 
 
 II.  The  Spirit's  love  shows  itself  in  the  Scriptures  which 
 he  himself  has  written. — The  word  came  to  us  not  from 
 man,  neither  by  man,  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they 
 were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  that  in  these  Scrip- 
 tures it  is  especially  the  Spirit  that  speaks  to  us.  It  was 
 he  who  wrote  them.  It  is  his  language  that  they  speak. 
 It  is  his  mind  they  breathe.  It  is  his  feelings  that  they 
 embody.  A  man's  writings  show  us  his  mind  and  heart: 
 so  do  the  Scriptures  reveal  to  us  the  mind  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit.  And  what  is  the  feeling  that  pervades  them?-*-It 
 is  love.  What  is  their  tone? — It  is  gentleness  and  kind- 
 ness. He  who  wrote  them  must  have  had  a  heart  over- 
 flowing with  love.  No  one  can  mistake  the  feeling  which 
 pervades  the  whole  from  beginning  to  end.  They  breathe 
 the  tenderest  compassion  throughout.  Love  to  sinners 
 shines  out  in  every  page,  and  pours  itself  along  every  line. 
 All  is  holiness,  yet  all  is  love.  The  words  are  the  words 
 of  truth  and  wisdom,  yet  they  are  the  words  of  love.  Ha- 
 tred of  sin  is  stamped  every  where,  yet  love  to  the  sinner 
 is  as  deeply  engraven  on  every  leaf.  Every  invitation  is 
 the  expression  of  the  Spirit's  love.  Every  call  is  the  call 
 of  the  Spirit's  love.  Every  word  of  grace  is  from-  the 
 Spirit's  love.  Every  word  of  comfort  is  from  the  Spirit's 
 love.  All  the  words  in  season  for  the  weary  are  from  the 
 Spirit's  love.     It  is  he  who  saith,  "  Come,  now,  and  let  us 
 
 1  2  Cor.  iii.  1 7.  f  John  xiv.  16.     *  Rom.  viii.  26. 
 
 *  Eph.  i.  13.      6  2  Tim.  i.  7.     6  Psal.  lxviii.  9.     Hos.  xiv.  15. 
 
 *  I'sal.  xiv.  7.     8  Matt.  iii.   16. 
 
No.  24 The  Love  of  the  Spirit.  5 
 
 reason  together,  saith  the  Lord,  though  your  sins  be  as 
 scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow."  It  is  he  who 
 saith,  ""Ho  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters. ' 
 It  is  he  who  saith,  "thou  hast  been  weary  of  me,  O  Israel. ' 
 It  is  he  who  saith,  "  return  ye  backsliding  children."  It 
 is  he  who  saith  to  the  weak,  "  be  strong,"— to  the  sorrow- 
 ful, "  rejoice," — to  the  troubled,  "  comfort  ye,  comfort  ye, 
 my  people."  Oh  how  full  is  all  Scripture  of  the  love  of 
 the  Spirit!  It  breathes  like  sweet  fragrance  over  every 
 page.  It  is  like  ointment  poured  forth.  Were  we  to  read 
 Scripture  in  this  light,  how  much  more  sweetness  might 
 we  find  in  it.  How  much  more  of  winning  attractive 
 power  should  we  discover  in  all  its  words.  We  have 
 often  wondered  at  their  weight  and  wisdom,  but  this 
 would  teach  us  to  wonder  still  more  at  their  love.  This 
 would  take  away  all  seeming  coldness  or  repetition.  It 
 would  fill  every  word  with  a  meaning  of  love  unknown, 
 unimagined  before.  We  should  thus  get  fuller  access  to 
 the  mind  of  the  Spirit; — a  deeper  insight  into  his  gracious 
 heart.  We  should  learn  not  merely  the  grace  contained 
 in  a  promise,  but  we  should  be  led  more  fully  into  the 
 heart  of  the  promiser.  And  we  should  thus  see  how  the 
 Spirit's  love  gives  vent  to  itself  in  these  sacred  pages.  The 
 Father's  love  found  its  vent  in  his  gift  of  the  Son.  The 
 Son's  love  found  vent  to  itself  in  the  offering  up  of  himself 
 as  our  sin-bearer.  But  nowhere  does  the  love  of  the 
 Spirit  get  such  full  vent  to  itself  as  in  the  Scriptures  which 
 he  has  inspired.  It  is  here  that  he  pours  forth  all  the  trea- 
 sures of  his  love ; — love  to  the  lost,  the  guilty,  the  wan- 
 derer, the  backslider,  the  rebel, — love  without  measure 
 and  without  change, — love  that  is  not  regulated  according 
 to  the  worthiness  of  the  object  loved,  or  the  amount  of 
 love  expected  in  return,  but  love  that  embraces  the  un- 
 worthy, and  those  who  requite  nothing  but  hatred  for 
 love,  enmity  for  friendship.  "  He  that  hath  an  ear  let 
 him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches."1 
 
 III.  The  Spirits  love  shows  itself  in  his  anointing  the 
 Son  of  God  for  his  icork  of  love. — The  "  oil.  of  gladness'' 
 with  which  he  was  anointed,  was  from  the  Spirit  of  love. 
 It  was  by  this  loving  Spirit  that  he  was  anointed  to  "preach 
 the  gospel  to  the  poor."2  It  was  by  this  loving  Spirit  that 
 he  was  "  sent  to  heal  the  broken  hearted,  to  preach  de- 
 liverance to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the 
 blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised ;  to  preach 
 
 1  Rev.  ii.  7,  11.  *  Luke  i v.  18. 
 
o  No.  24 — The  Love  of  the  Spirit 
 
 the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord;  to  give.beauty  for  ashes, 
 the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the 
 spirit  of  heaviness."1  It  was  by  the  anointing  of  this 
 same  Spirit  that  he  was  fitted  for  the  gracious  office  to 
 which  he  was  appointed  of  the  Father,  as  described  to  us 
 in  another  passage  of  the  same  prophet.  Speaking  of  him 
 as  his  servant,  his  chosen  one  on  whom  his  soul  delighted, 
 the  Father  says,  #'I  have  put  my  Spirit  upon  him."  And 
 what  is  the  result?  "  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break, 
 and  the  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench."2  It  was  by 
 the  anointing  of  the  same  Spirit  that  he  has  "  the  tongue 
 of  the  learned  that  he  should  know  to  speak  a  word  in 
 season  to  him  that  is  weary."  All  the  heavenly  gifts  and 
 graces  of  the  Redeemer's  character  are  declared  to  be 
 wrought  in  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  with  which  he  was 
 filled  "  without  measure."  His  especial  fitness  and  fulness 
 for  his  mighty  work  of  love  are  ascribed  to  the  indwelling 
 of  the  Spirit  of  love.  Thus  was  he  fairer  than  the  chil- 
 dren of  men ;  grace  was  poured  into  his  lips  ;3  and  hence 
 never  man  spake  like  him,  and  men   wondered  at  "  the 
 
 gracious  words  which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth."  As 
 it  was  by  the  coming  down  and  overshadowing  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  that  he  was  formed  in  the  womb,  perfectly 
 holy  in  soul  and  body,  so  it  was  by  the  indwelling  of  the 
 same  holy  and  loving  Spirit  that  he  was  anointed  for  his 
 work  of  love;  and  it  was  "  through  the  eternal  Spirit  that 
 he.  in  love  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God"  for  us.4 
 Thus  the  grace  of  Christ  teaches  us  the  grace  of  the  Spirit. 
 In  the  love  of  the  Saviour  there  shines  forth  the  love  of 
 the  Spirit. 
 
 Besides,  what  love  to  sinners  is  there  manifested  by 
 the  Spirit  in  his  thus  preparing  the  Son  of  God  as  the  sac- 
 rifice for  sin !  It  was  love  in  the  Father  to  send  the  Son, — 
 to  consent  that  he  should  suffer  so  much  for  us.  But  is 
 there  not  the  same  deep  love  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  under- 
 take such  a  work  as  that  of  preparing  a  lamb  for  the  burnt- 
 offering, — binding  the  victim  for  the  slaughter!  What  but 
 infinite  love  is  this?  It  was  in  one  sense  indeed  a 
 glorious  work,  for  it  was  preparing  a  vessel  for  containing 
 the  full  glory  of  Godhead  in  the  form  of  a  man.  Yet  it 
 was  an  awful  work  to  prepare  that  well-beloved  Son  for 
 bearing  all  the  divine  wrath  against  sin, — presenting  him, 
 if  we  may   so   speak,   to   the   Father,    to   receive   those 
 
 •  Isaiah  lxi.  3.  «  Isaiah  xlii.  1,  3.  3  Psal.  xlv.  2. 
 
 ♦  Heb.  ix.  14. 
 
No.  24.— The  Love  of  the  Spirit.  7 
 
 /ials  of  wrath  which  should  have  been  poured  out  on  us! 
 What  deep  love  is  here ! 
 
 And  what  condescending  love  to  sinners,  to  frame  so 
 many  types  and  figures  under  the  law,  by  which  to  show 
 orth  the  Saviour's  character  and  work.  It  was  by  the  Spi- 
 rit that  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab  were  fitted"  for  making  the 
 various  utensils  of  the  tabernacle.1  It  was  by  the  same 
 Spirit  that  all  the  vessels  of  service  were  devised,  and  all 
 the  ceremonies  ordained  by  which  the  fulness  of  a  Savi- 
 our's work  was  to  be  shown  forth  to  sinners;  by  which  the 
 ignorant  were  to  be  taught  the  knowledge  of  redemption. 
 What  love  is  thus  manifested  in  all  the  pains  thus  taken  by 
 the  divine  Spirit  to  leave  nothing,  however  minute,  untold, 
 by  which  the  sinner's  eye  might  be  directed  to  the  Lamb 
 of  God ! 
 
 And  again  what  love  was  it  in  the  Spirit,  to  record  in 
 the  Book  of  Psalms  the  tears  and  groans  of  the  Son  of  God! 
 — to  preserve  on  record  the  hidden  life,  the  secret  feelings  of 
 the  Man  of  Sorrows,  when  bearing  the  Father's  wrath  for  us ! 
 How  painful  is  it  for  us  to  record  the  agonies  of  a  beloved 
 friend.  We  would  rather  forget  them.  Yet  for  love's 
 sake  we  might  be  induced  to  record  them  for  the  benefit  of 
 others.  So  is  it  with  the  Spirit.  For  love's  sake  he  has 
 put  the  tears  of  the  Son  of  God  "  into  his  bottle,"2  and  told 
 us  "  all  his  wanderings."3  Had  it  not  been  for  the  Spirit's 
 love  in  writing  such  a  record  as  this,  we  should  never  have 
 known  the  depths  of  that  sorrow  that  was  in  the  Redeem- 
 er's heart.  What  love  then  does  the  saddest  word  in  all 
 tfiat  book  show  forth,  love*  not  only  of  the  Saviour,  but  of 
 he  Spirit  tool 
 
 And  then,  what  love  to  testify  of  Christ  and  his  finished 
 work!  This  is  his  especial  office  now.  He  testifies  of 
 Christ.  He  glorifies  Christ.  He  takes  of  the  things  of 
 Christ  and  shows  them  to  us.4  And  all  this  is  not  only 
 aut  of  his  love  to  the  Saviour,  but  out  of  his  love  to  the 
 sinner.  Not  merely  because  he  delights  to  see  Jesus 
 honoured,  but  because  he  longs  to  see  the  sinner  saved ! 
 How  deep,  how  vast,  how  free  must  be  this  "  love  of  the 
 Spirit." 
 
 IV.  The  Spirit's  love  shows  itself  by  his  work  in  the  hearts 
 of  sinners. — Now  that  the  work  of  Jesus  has  been  finished, 
 he  comes  forth  to  do  his  office  of  love.  And  though  he  be 
 the  "  holy  one,"  he  yet  refuses  not  to  work  in  the  hearts  of 
 the  unholy.    He  comes  to  us.    He  speaks  to  us.    He  strives 
 
 Exod.  xxxi.  3.     l  Psalm  lvi.  8.     »  Ibid.     4  John  xvi.  13,  14. 
 
8  No.  24—  The  Love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 with  us.  He  draws  us.  He  awakens  us.  He  convinces 
 us  of  sin.  He  quickens  us.  He  opens  our  eyes.  He  leads 
 us  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling.  Though  he  is  resisted, 
 grieved,  vexed,  quenched,  he  does  not  leave  us,  nor  cease 
 his  efforts.  For  years  he  continues  striving  with  the  soul 
 in  his  infinite  love,  unwilling  to  give  it  up,  unwilling  that 
 it  should  perish.  What  hatred  he  meets  with,  yet  he  bears 
 it  all!  What  coldness  and  contempt  he  meets  with,  yet  he 
 bears  it  all!  He  would  fain  obtain  entrance  into  the  soul.  He 
 would  fain  deliver  the  captive  one.  And  in  seeking  to 
 accomplish  this,  he  submits  to  every  form  of  resistance,  and 
 enmity,  and  scorn.  In  his  love  he  bears  it  all,  rather  than 
 lose  the  sinner !  And  all  this,  though  he  be  "  the  holy  one," 
 though  his  name  is  emphatically  "  the  Holy  Spirit." 
 Sinner,  think  what  his  love  must  be  !  Think  what  his  long- 
 suffering  must  be !  To  strive  so  earnestly  and  so  long  in 
 seeking  to  win  us  to  life !  To  cherish  so  fondly  a  serpent's 
 brood!  To  deal  so  graciously  with  souls*so  full  of  hatred! 
 So  condescendingly,  so  patiently  to  continue  his  strivings, 
 notwithstanding  all  our  perversity  and  stubbornness !  So 
 graciously  to  seek  to  draw  our  hearts  to  the  love  of  God, 
 teaching  us  to  love,  who  by  nature  know  only  how  to  hate ! 
 "  Herein  is  love,  net  that  we  loved  Him  but  that  he  loved 
 us." 
 
 V.  The  Spirit's  love  shows  itself  by  his  work  in  the  hearts 
 of  saints. — It  is  not  less  marvellous  in  the  latter  than  in  the 
 former.  True  he  has  won  the  soul.  He  has  found  entrance, 
 and  taken  up  his  abode  in  it.  Yet  still  how  much  has  he  to 
 bear !  How  much  has  he  still  to  encounter  of  resistance, 
 and  coldness,  and  unbelief,  which  are  not  the  less  grievous 
 because  the  heart  in  which  they  are  manifested  is  one  which 
 qe  can  call  his  own.  No  coldness  however,  can  chill  his 
 love ;  no  unbelief  can  make  him  cease  his  workings.  He 
 meets  with  daily  repulses,  yet  he  ceases  not.  So  unchan- 
 geable, so  unquenchable  is  his  love.  Truly  "  many  waters 
 cannot  quench  it,  neither  can  the  floods  drown  it."  Think 
 what  he  does  for  saints.  He  leads  them  into  all  truth.1 
 He  sheds  the  love  of  God  abroad  in  their  hearts.2  He  en- 
 ables them  to  persevere.3  He  mortifies  corruption  in  them.4 
 He  fills  them  with  joy.5  He  reveals  the  things  of  Christ.6 
 He  helps  their  infirmities  in  prayer.7  In  the  discharge  of 
 this  last  duty  he  is  spoken  of  as  the  Intercessor,  He 
 intercedes  within,  just  as  Christ  intercedes  without.  He 
 stands  at  our  side  to  prompt  us,  to  suggest  our  prayers,  to 
 
 1  John  xvi.  13.   2  Rom.  v.  5.  *  2Tim.  i.  14.  *  Rom.  viii.  13. 
 
 •  1  Thess.  i.  6.    6  John  xvi.  14.     7  Rom.  viii.  26. 
 
No.  24 The  Love  of  the  Spirit  9 
 
 draw  forth  our  desires.  Yea,  he  comes  into  us  ;  he  takes 
 possession  of  our  heart ;  he  identifies  himself  entirely  with 
 us,  and  thus  he  mingles  his  voice  with  ours,  his  cries  with 
 ours.  He  makes  our  organs  of  feeling  and  speech  the  in- 
 strument for  expressing  His  own  desires,  making  His 
 prayers  to  seem  as  ours, — seconding  and  enforcing  our 
 feeble  petitions  with  his  mighty  cries.  And  often  when  we 
 are  praying  in  our  poor  imperfect  way,  in  wandering  and 
 weakness,  he  comes  in  and  lifts  us  upland  kindles  the 
 flame  within.  Then  it  is  as  if  we  were  overpowered  with  the 
 intensity  of  our  longings,  our  whole  soul  goes  up  in  vehe- 
 ment intercession,  till  human  language  gives  way  beneath 
 the  pressure,  and  nought  remains  but  the  unutterable  groan. 
 How  vast  his  love,  thus  to  put  forth  such  power  in  us,  in 
 spite  of  all  our  continued  resistance,  and  unbelief,  and  sin  ! 
 
 Let  us  learn  then  to  love  him  in  return  for  this  love  of 
 his,  so  marvellous,  so  free.  Surely  he  has  claims  upon  our 
 love,  for  having  loved  so  much.  So  long-suffering,  so  lov- 
 ing, so  gentle!  Let  us  no  more  grieve  him,  no  more  dis- 
 appoint him.  Let  us  allow  him  to  take  us  by  the  hand 
 and  lead  us  onward,  whithersoever  he  will.  He  will  show 
 us  the  path  of  life.  He  will  be  our  strength  in  weakness, 
 our  light  in  darkness,  our  joy  in  sorrow,  our  comforter  in 
 the  day  of  trouble.  Let  us  not  thrust  away  his  hand,  or 
 meet  his  love  with  coldness.  Whom  have  we  on  earth  as 
 our  guide  in  the  Saviour's  absence,  until  he  come  again, 
 but  the  Spirit  the  comforter?  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit 
 of  God  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption."1 
 
 Let  anxious  souls  lay  these  things  to  heart.  To  them 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Spirit's  love  ought  to  be  unspeakably 
 precious.  He  who  is  working  in  them  is  love.  He  who  is 
 convincing  them  of  sin  is  love.  He  who  is  seeking  to 
 draw  them  to  God  is  love.  It  is  a  hand  of  power  that  is 
 at  work  in  them,  but  it  is  also  a  hand  of  love.  This  phy- 
 sician is  as  loving  as  he  is  skilful.  Whence  then  so  many 
 doubts,  so  many  hard  thoughts  of  God?  Will  the  Father 
 who  so  loved  us  as  to  give  his  Son  for  us,  turn  his  ear 
 away  from  us.  Will  the  Son  who  so  loved  us  as  to  die 
 for  us,  cast  us  out?  Will  that  loving  Spirit  who  has  so 
 long  been  striving  with  us,  and  so  long  seeking  to  draw  us 
 to  God,  will  he  overlook  our  suit,  or  deal  unkindly  with  us 
 now?  How  can  they  who  know  his  name  fail  to  put  their 
 trust  in  him?  How  can  they  who  understand  his  love  sus- 
 pect his  willingness  to  bless?   Did  we  but  know  the  fall 
 
 1  Eph.  iv.  30. 
 
10  No.  24— The  Love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 character  of  that  God  with  whom  we  have  to  do,  the  Father 
 as  love,  the  Son  as  love,  the  Spirit  as  love,  should  not  our 
 doubting  cease?  You  mourn  over  an  impenitent  heart. 
 Does  the  Spirit  not  love  to  soften  it?  You  complain  of 
 inward  deadness  and  insensibility.  Does  he  not  love  to 
 make  you  feel?  You  cry  out  because  of  unbelief.  Does 
 he  not  love  to  deliver  you  from  that  evil  heart  of  unbelief? 
 You  tell  us  of  the  power  the  wrorld  has  over  you.  Does 
 he  not  love  to  make  you  spiritually  minded,  to  set  your 
 affections  on  things  above?  You  complain  of  your  ignor- 
 ance. Does  he  not  love  to  teach  you?  You  say  you 
 realize  so  little  of  the  glory  of  Christ  and  his  righteousness. 
 Does  he  not  love  to  remove  the  veil  from  your  eyes,  to 
 show  you  the  glory  of  the  Saviour,  to  unfold  to  you  in  all 
 its  infinite  dimensions  and  spotless  purity,  the  robe  of  his 
 perfect  righteousness?  You  mourn  because  you  have  so 
 little  of  his  indwelling  life  and  power,  quickening  and 
 sanctifying  you.  Does  he  not  love  to  come  in  all  his  ful- 
 ness ;  at  the  same  time  showing  you,  that  it  is  not  his  own 
 work  in  you,  but  the  Redeemer's  work  for  you,  that  is  your 
 peace  and  hope.  You  complain  that  you  have  so  little  of 
 childlike  confidence  and  love  towards  your  heavenly  Fa- 
 ther. Does  he  not  love  to  pour  that  love  into  you,  en- 
 larging your  straitened  souls,  unloosing  your  stammering 
 tongue,  and  teaching  you  with  childlike  lip  and  heart  to 
 say,  Abba  Father. 
 
 You  tell  us  of  your  doubts  and  fears ;  and  you  tell  us 
 moreover  that  these  arise,  not  from  any  suspicion  of  God's 
 willingness  to  save  you,  but  from  want  of  evidence  as  to 
 your  own  progress  in  the  divine  life.  Now  in  opposition 
 to  this  we  assure  you  that  your  doubts  do  arise  from  not 
 understanding  the  grace  of  God.  Did  you  but  know  the 
 meaning  of  grace,  your  fears  would  cease.  And  it  is  this 
 that  the  Spirit  in  his  love  is  seeking  to  teach  you.  He 
 wants  to  show  you  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  free  love  to 
 sinners.  And  for  this  purpose  he  is  seeking  to  strip  you  of 
 every  plea  for  any  thing  good  about  you.  His  object  is  to 
 teach  you  that  there  is  not  one  single  thought  in  you,  but 
 what  God  condemns.  Then  he  shows  you  that  grace  takes 
 for  granted  that  you  are  utterly  ruined,  and  that  if  it  did 
 not  do  so  it  would  not  be  grace  at  all.  If  it  supposed  that 
 there  was  any  good  thing  in  you,  it  would  not  be  grace. 
 If  it  supposed  that  before  it  could  reach  your  case,  some 
 good  thing  must  be  wrought  in  you  by  God,  it  would  not 
 be  grace.  If  it  supposed  that  God  did  not  meet  you  on 
 the  spot  where  you  are,  but  asked  you  to  make  some  ad- 
 
No.  24 The  Love  of  the  Spirit.  11 
 
 vances  towards  him  ere  you  could  be  assured  of  his  mercy, 
 it  would  not  be  grace  at  all.  It  is  the  especial  work  of 
 the  Spirit  to  make  the  sinner  understand  what  free  grace 
 really  is,  and  it  is  in  teaching  this  that  he  meets  the 
 strongest  resistance  from  man.  It  is  on  this  point  he  finds 
 the  sinner  most  unteachable.  He  can  believe  almost  any- 
 thing sooner  than  grace.  He  discredits  God's  most  solemn 
 and  explicit  assurances  of  his  free  love.  He  insists  on 
 qualifying  himself  for  receiving  God's  love,  and  till  he  has 
 ascertained  that  he  is  properly  qualified,  he  persists  in 
 doubting,  nay,  calls  it  presumption  to  do  otherwise.  He 
 makes  a  merit  of  his  unbelief  and  calls  it  humility.  He 
 refuses  to  go  boldly  to  a  throne  of  grace  till  he  has  more 
 of  the  Spirit's  witness  within  himself,  to  entitle  him  to  do 
 so.  How  sad,  how  awful  thus  to  frustrate  the  grace  of 
 God !  How  perverse  and  wicked  to  turn  the  Spirit's  work 
 within  you  into  an  instrument  for  frustrating  that  grace ! 
 The  Spirit's  object  is  to  show  you  the  free  love  of  God; 
 and  you  say  that  you  must  wait  till  you  are  conscious 
 of  that  work  in  you,  ere  you  are  entitled  to  believe  that 
 love.  The  Spirit's  object  is  to  show  you  that  grace  meets 
 you  where  you  are;  and  yet  you  say  you  are  waiting  till 
 you  are  conscious  of  making  advances  towards  that  grace, 
 before  you  can  believe  it.  The  Spirit's  object  is  to  teach 
 you  that  grace  presupposes  nothing  but  what  is  bad  in  you; 
 yet  you  say  you  are  waiting  for  some  evidence  of  good  be- 
 fore you  will  believe  it.  How  dishonouring  to  the  grace 
 of  God  is  this!  How  insulting  to  the  Holy  Spirit  is  this! 
 What  perversity  and  unteachableness  does  this  manifest 
 in  you.  Yet  what  deep  love  does  it  display  in  him,  still  to 
 go  on  in  his  loving  work  of  teaching  you  the  free  grace  of 
 God.  He  sees  how  prone  you  are  to  disbelieve  this,  and 
 therefore  he  strives  to  engrave  it  upon  you.  He  sees  how 
 prone  you  are  to  seek  for  something  good  in  yourselves  be- 
 fore you  will  believe  it  possible  that  God  can  be  gracious  to 
 you;  and  therefore  he  strives  to  show  you  that  there  is  no 
 good  thing  about  you,  that  grace  takes  this  for  granted, 
 and  that  if  you  could  discern  anything  good  in  you,  you 
 would  not  be  a  fit  object  for  grace  at  all.  He  sees  how 
 prone  you  are  to  suspect  God,  to  think  evil  and  hard 
 thoughts  of  God;  and  hence  his  object  is  to  lead  you  to 
 think  well  of  him,  to  banish  your  hard  thoughts  of  him, 
 and  to  teach  you  all  the  freeness  and  richness  of  his  grace. 
 Such  is  the  Spirit's  teaching.  Such  is  the  Spirit's  love 
 Blessed  teaching!  Gracious  love!  Can  the  most  disquieted 
 spirit  refuse  consolation  after  this?     Where  is  there  room 
 
12  No.  24 — The  Love  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 for  doubting?  Is  it  not  excluded?  And  excluded  by  the 
 same  law  that  excludes  works  and  introduces  grace  in  the 
 matter  of  acceptance  with  God. 
 
 Let  careless  sinners  tremble.  "  My  Spirit  shall  not  al- 
 ways strive."  What  if  he  should  soon  cease  to  strive  with 
 you  ?  what  if  he  should  turn  away  from  you  who  have  so 
 often  turned  away  from  him?  what  if  he  should  leave  you 
 alone  in  your  impenitence  ?  Then  what  a  wilderness,  what  a 
 hell  would  your  soul  become  ?  It  would  be  soon  ripe  for 
 the  devouring  fire,  like  thorns  dry  and  ready  for  the  burn- 
 ing. Satan  would  come  in  and  occupy  it  all,  seizing  on 
 you  as  an  easy  prey.  What  if  you  should  never  tiave  an- 
 other conviction,  another  desire  awakened  within  you,  but 
 be  left  to  reap  what  you  have  sown  ?  The  Spirit  might 
 well  leave  you.  You  have  done  nothing  but  grieved  him 
 all  the  days  of  your  life.  You  have  requited  his  love 
 with  hatred.  You  are  doing  so  still.  You  cannot  bear  his 
 workings  within  you.  You  try  to  shake  them  all  off;  might 
 he  not  well  leave  you  to  perish  in  your  sins  ? 
 
 Quench  not  the  Spirit.  You  quench  him  in  many 
 ways, — you  quench  him  with  your  unbelief, — you  quench 
 him  with  the  world, — you  quench  him  with  your  folly, — 
 you  quench  him  with  your  lusts, — you  quench  him  with 
 your  idle  company.  How  awful !  You  quench  your  only 
 light !  You  strive  to  put  it  out,  and  in  doing  so  to  make 
 your  destruction  sure.  For  without  it  how  can  you  find 
 your  way  to  heaven.  Oh !  beware  of  "  doing  despite  to 
 the  Spirit  of  grace."  Beware  of  disbelieving  his  testimony 
 to  the  Saviour ;  beware  of  denying  his  love ;  beware  of  re- 
 sisting his  power ! 
 
 Quench  not  the  Spirit.  For  if  you  quench  him,  then 
 what  remains  for  you  here  but  darkness;  and  what  remains 
 for  you  hereafter  but  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever  ? 
 
 Kelso,  April  1843. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso:     Published  by  J.  Rutherfurd. 
 
 Edinburgh:  J.  Johnstone,  W.  Whyte  &  Co.,  and  C   Ziegler. 
 
 London:  James  Nisbet  &  Co. 
 
 Price  4s.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 ANDREW  JACK,  PRINTER,     EDINBURGH. 
 
No.  26. 
 
 RIGHTEOUS  RECONCILIATION. 
 
 "  He  hath  made  Him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  hnew  no  sin,  that  we  might 
 be  made  for  become  J  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him" — 2  Cor.  v.  2 1 . 
 
 "  Be  reconciled  to  God"  was  the  Apostle's  message 
 wherever  he  came.  To  Jew  and  Gentile,  Barbarian  and 
 Scythian,  bond  and  free,  to  all  alike  he  proclaimed  it.  As 
 though  God  did  beseech  them  by  him,  he  prayed  them  in 
 Christ's  stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  This  is  God's  mes- 
 sage still  to  an  alienated  world.  He  is  still  as  gracious 
 and  as  sincere  in  his  proposals  of  peace  and  friendship. 
 He  still  stretches  out  his  hand  all  day  long,  to  a  disobe- 
 dient and  gainsaying  people.1  He  asks  us  and  entreats  us 
 to  become  his  friends,  telling  us  how  willing  he  is  to  forget 
 all  our  past  enmity,  and  to  remember  our  iniquities  no 
 more.  Be  thou  reconciled  to  me,  is  God's  own  special 
 entreaty  to  every  sinner. 
 
 These  proposals  of  peace  are  not  mere  well-sounding 
 words.  There  is  nothing  indistinct  or  uncertain  about 
 them.  They  rest  upon  a  sure  foundation ;'  a  foundation 
 deep  and  broad,  laid  by  God  himself,  such  as  to  assure  us 
 that  the  reconciliation  proposed  is  as  righteous  as  it  is  real. 
 It  is  founded  upon  righteousness.  In  it  there  is  no  com- 
 promise of  justice.  The  law  is  not  annulled,  but  magnified 
 and  made  honourable.  The  grounds  of  quarrel  and  aliena- 
 tion have  been  removed,  and  a  solid  foundation  for  agree- 
 ment laid;  so  that  it  is  not  merely  a  gracious,  but  a  right- 
 eous thing  in  God  to  be  reconciled  to  sinners,  to  love, 
 to  pardon,  to  save,  to  bless  them.  Hence  there  is  no 
 possibility  of  this  agreement  giving  way.  The  controversy 
 between  the  sinner  and  God,  once  settled,  is  settled  for 
 ever.  And  these  are  the  grounds  of  this  settlement,  "  he 
 hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we 
 might  be  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him."  Thus  we 
 learn  that  God  becomes  reconciled  to  us,  not  by  his  passing 
 by  sin  with  indifference  as  if  it  were  a  trifle,  but  by  his 
 laying  it  on  another,  condemning  it  in  another,  punishing 
 it  in  another,  and  so  removing  it  clean  away  from  between 
 us  and  Him,  never  again  to  be  the  ground  of  quarrel,  or 
 
 1   Isaiah  lxv.  2.     Rom.  x.  21. 
 J.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation. 
 
 the  occasion  of  separation  between  us.  Thus  there  is  not 
 merely  grace  for  us,  but  righteous  grace,  grace  that  con- 
 demns the  sin,  yet  justifies  the  sinner,  grace  that  pardons 
 the  transgressor,  and  yet  magnifies  the  law  he  has  trans- 
 gressed. Thus  God,  who  before  was  righteously  our  ene- 
 my, can  now  be  as  righteously  our  friend.  That  righteous- 
 ness which  was  against  us,  is  now  upon  our  side.  It  is  a 
 righteous  peace,  a  righteous  reconciliation,  a  righteous 
 settlement  of  the  controversy  between  us  and  God,  which  is 
 now  proclaimed  to  us  through  the  finished  work  of  the  divine 
 substitute,  the  mighty  sin-bearer,  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
 taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 
 
 I.  Observe  the  author  of  the  reconciliation. — It  is  God 
 he  Father.     He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us.     It  is  in 
 
 the  infinite  bosom  of  the  Father  that  it  had  its  origin.  It 
 is  from  his  eternal  love  that  it  flowed  forth.  "  Herein  is 
 love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us."1  The 
 proposals  of  reconciliation  came  from  him,  not  from  us. 
 He  thought  on  us  ere  ever  we  thought  on  him.  He  sought 
 our  friendship  when  we  thought  not  of  seeking  his.  He  form- 
 ed the  purpose,  devised  the  plan,  prepared  the  way,  accom- 
 plished the  end !  And  all  at  an  infinite  cost !  It  was  He 
 who  saw  us  in  our  blood,  and  said  to  us  "  live."  It  was 
 he  who  in  the  fulness  of  a  love  which  is  absolutely  without 
 measure,  said,  "  I  will  reconcile  them  to  myself,  I  will  re- 
 move the  ground  of  separation,  I  will  level  the  mountain- 
 barrier,  I  will  suffer  nothing  to  stand  in  the  way  of  this  my 
 purpose  of  love,  I  will  love  them  freely,  I  will  receive  them 
 graciously." 
 
 II.  The  instrument  of  effecting  the  reconciliation.— -The 
 Son  of  the  Father, — his  holy  Son,  who  knew  no  sin  j  in 
 whom  there  was  no  spot,  no  stain,  no  shadow  of  iniquity. 
 He  was  "  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from  sinners," 
 infinitely  pure,  and  immeasurably  removed  from  sin.  He 
 was  "  acquainted  with  grief,"  but  not  with  sin.  He  was 
 holy  from  eternity  as  the  everlasting  Son  of  the  Father. 
 He  was  holy  as  Immanuel,  God  with  us — holy  in  his  con- 
 ception,  holy  in  his  birth,  holy  in  his  life,  holy  in  his 
 death, — altogether  holy,  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  with- 
 out sin.2  No  language  of  man  can  express  his  infinite  ho- 
 liness, his  irreconcilable  opposition  to  all  iniquity,  whether 
 as  God  or  as  man.  In  him  dwelt  all  the  infinite  holiness 
 of  Godhead,  and  all  the  perfect  holiness  of  the  unfallen 
 creature.  It  was  his  infinite  holiness  that  fitted  him  for 
 being  the  instrument  of  reconciliation.  By  none  but  an 
 infinitely  holy  Being  could  sin  be  borne  and  put  away. 
 
 '    ]  John  iv.  10.  s  Heb.  iv.  15. 
 
No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation.  3 
 
 It  was  utterly  impossible  that  any  less  holy  being  could 
 accomplish  this.  And  it  was  thus  that  God  set  up  the 
 highest  possible  standard  of  holiness  in  the  very  per- 
 son of  him  who  was  bearing  sin,  that  sin  and  holiness 
 might  be  more  strongly  contrasted  with  each  other,  the 
 hatefulness  of  the  one  exposed  to  view,  and  the  beauty  of 
 the  other  set  forth  in  its  aspect  of  most  loveable  perfection. 
 It  was  thus,  too,  that  God  declared  his  love  of  holiness 
 and  his  hatred  of  sin,  by  means  of  that  very  instrument 
 through  which  he  was  reconciling  the  sinner  to  himself. 
 
 III.  The  manner  of  accomplishing  this. — He  made  the 
 sinless  one  to  be  sin  for  us.  It  was  thus  that  he  laid  the 
 foundation  of  our  peace.  He  did  this,  not  by  passing  by 
 sin  or  treating  it  with  indifference,  but  by  placing  another 
 in  our  room  to  bear  its  penalty,  and  that  other  his  own 
 holy  well-beloved  Son.     "  He  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us." 
 
 1.  He  was  made  sin. — This  cannot  mean  that  he  was  in 
 any  sense  or  degree  sinful,  for  he  knew  no  sin.  Yet  it 
 means  more  than  merely  that  he  was  made  a  sin-oifering. 
 This  would  not  be  giving  the  word  its  natural  meaning,  it 
 would  weaken  the  expression,  it  would  destroy  the  contrast 
 between  his  being  made  sin,  and  our  being  made  righteous- 
 ness. Doubtless  he  was  a  sin-offering,  a  trespass- offering, 
 a  burnt-offering.  He  was  all  offerings  in  one,  the  sum 
 and  antitype  of  all.  Yet  this  does  not  exhaust  the  mean- 
 ing. The  meaning  evidently  is,  that  God  dealt  with  him 
 as  if  he  were  really  a  sinner,  such  as  we  are.  He  treated 
 him  as  if  all  iniquity  was  centred  in  him.  The  Lord  laid 
 on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.  He  was  clothed  with  our 
 guilt.  He  bore  the  burden  of  our  iniquities.  He  was 
 dealt  with  as  if  under  the  curse ;  he  was  made  a  curse  for 
 us.  He  received  upon  his  head  the  vials  of  the  Father's 
 wrath.  He  drank  the  cup  of  trembling  which  is  the  sinner's 
 portion.  In  all  respects  the  Father  dealt  with  him  as  guil- 
 ty of  our  transgressions.     "He  made  him  to  be  sin." 
 
 2.  He  was  made  sin  for  us. — He  was  delivered  for  our 
 offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justification.1  He  suffer- 
 ed for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust.2  He  bore  our  sins  in 
 his  own  body  on  the  tree.  He  was  treated  as  a  sinner, 
 because  he  stood  as  our  sin-bearer,  our  scape-goat,  our 
 substitute,  our  surety.  Our  guilt,  our  curse,  our  chastise- 
 ment, were  all  transferred  from  us  to  him.  Our  debts  and 
 responsibilities  were  all  devolved  on  him.  He  met  the 
 law  in  all  its  claims,  and  satisfied  them  for  us.  He 
 came  under  obedience  to  the  law  in  all  its  duties,  and  ful- 
 filled it  for  us.     It  was  in  our  room  and  as  our  representa- 
 
 1  Rom.  iv.  25.  *  1  Pet.  iii.  IS. 
 
4  No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation. 
 
 tive  that  he  acted,  obeyed,  suffered,  and  died.  He  bore 
 our  sins  that  we  might  not  bear  them;  the  chastisement  of 
 our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  by  his  stripes  we  are  healed. 
 All  this  has  been  done.  It  is  finished.  The  sin-bearer  has 
 accomplished  the  work  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do. 
 
 IV.  The  blessed  consequences  of  this;  that  we  might  be 
 made,  or,  simply  and  literally,  that  we  might  be  the  right- 
 eousness of  God  in  him.  By  Christ's  bearing  wrath  for  us 
 we  are  delivered  from  wrath,  and  receive  forgiveness.  But 
 this  is  not  all.  Through  him  we  are  accepted  before  God. 
 Through  him  we  are  made  righteous;  nay,  divinely  right- 
 eous, obtaining  "  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  By  this 
 exchange  between  the  sinner  and  the  Saviour  we  get  all 
 that  is  his,  and  he  takes  all  that  is  ours.  We  not  merely 
 get  a  righteousness,  but  God's  own  righteousness,  a  right- 
 eousness divinely  perfect,  divinely  fair,  divinely  precious, 
 divinely  glorious.  God  saw  in  Christ  all  our  guilt,  and  he 
 sees  in  us  all  his  righteousness.  He  saw  in  him  all  our 
 unworthiness:  he  sees  in  us  all  his  worthiness.  He  entire- 
 ly beholds  us  in  this  light.  He  ceases  to  see  in  us  any 
 thing  else  than  Christ's  perfection  ;  and  hence  we  are 
 spoken  of  as  actually  being  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 
 It  would  have  been  much  to  have  given  us  what  Adam 
 had  before  he  fell.  It  would  have  been  more  to  have 
 bestowed  on  us  an  angel's  righteousness.  It  would  have 
 been  more  still  to  have  clothed  us  with  an  archangel's 
 beauty  and  glory;  but  he  has  gone  beyond  all  this — infi- 
 nitely beyond  it  all!  He  has  bestowed  on  us  divine  glory 
 and  beauty;  nothing  less  than  the  righteousness  of  his  own 
 eternal  Son!  He  looks  on  us  in  him,  blesses  us  in  him, 
 loves  us  in  him,  and  will  hereafter  glorify  and  reward  us  in 
 him.  We  are  "  complete  in  him."1  It  is  not  said  we  shall 
 be,  but  we  are  complete!  Complete  in  his  completeness, 
 righteous  in  his  righteousness,  comely  in  his  comeliness, 
 perfect  in  his  perfection.  "  Thou  art  all  fair,  my  love, 
 there  is  no  spot  in  thee."2  It  is  our  connection  with  him 
 through  believing  that  gives  us  this  completeness  in  the 
 Father's  eyes.  To  the  end  of  our  earthly  course  we  an; 
 incomplete  in  ourselves;  yet  from  the  moment  we  believed 
 we  became  complete  in  him.  Paul  refers  to  the  same 
 high  standing  when  he  speaks  of  being  "  found  in  him,"3 
 and  explains  this  as  meaning,  not  "  having  his  own  right- 
 eousness," but  "  the  righteousness  of  God."  Being  "  found 
 in  him,"  then,  is  being  regarded  by  God  according  to  what 
 is  in  him,  and  not  according  to  what  is  in  us.  Here  self- 
 righteousness  stumbles,   and  suggests  a  thousand  doubts 
 
 1  1  Col.  ii.  10.  »  Song  iv.  7.  *  Phil.  iii.  9. 
 
No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation.  5 
 
 and  perplexities.  It  says,  were  I  more  holy,  more  peni- 
 tent, more  earnest,  more  prayerful,  had  I  more  evidences 
 of  the  Spirit's  work  in  me,  I  could  be  satisfied.  Now,  what 
 is  this  but  seeking  to  be  found,  not  in  him,  but  in  your 
 own  holiness,  or  penitence,  or  prayers,  or  graces.  What  is 
 it  but  saying,  God  cannot  look  upon  me  as  righteous  in 
 Christ,  except  I  have  something  of  my  own  in  addition,  to 
 recommend  me  to  his  favour.  If  God  is  to  treat  us  in  any 
 measure  according  to  what  we  are  in  respect  of  holiness,  or 
 grace,  or  love,  then  he  must  cease  to  look  upon  us  in  the 
 face  of  his  anointed  Son.  We  must  either  be  wholly 
 found  in  Christ,  or  not  at  all.  We  must  either  be  dealt 
 with  wholly  according  to  what  he  is,  or  wholly  according 
 to  what  we  are.  There  must  be  no  mingling  of  the  two, — 
 no  adding  of  the  Spirit's  work  to  complete  the  work  of 
 Christ  as  our  righteousness  before  God. 
 
 All  this  simply  in  consequence  of  our  connection  with 
 Jesus!  All  this  righteousness,  this  acceptance,  this  com- 
 pleteness, simply  as  belonging  to  him!  But  what  forms 
 this  connection  between  the  sinner  and  the  Saviour?  How 
 is  the  exchange  accomplished?  What  is  the  link  that 
 binds  us  to  this  righteousness,  as  our  sins  were  bound  to 
 him,  so  that  we  get  all  its  benefits.  We  answer,  it  is 
 written,  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
 every  one  that  believeth."1  Again  it  is  written,  "  To  him 
 that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the 
 ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."2  Again 
 it  is  written,  "  We  are  made  partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold 
 the  beginning  of  our  confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end."3 
 It  is  our  believing,  then,  that  forms  the  connection  between 
 us  and  Christ,  not  our  working,  or  our  feeling,  or  our 
 deserving.  When  the  Holy  Spirit  reveals  Christ  to  us  he 
 does  not  so  work  in  us  as  to  give  us  something  in  ourselves 
 to  rest  on, — something  to  prepare  us  for  receiving  the 
 righteousness  of  Christ.  He  opens  our  eyes  and  shows  us 
 the  glory  of  the  Saviour,  so  that  thereby  we  are  wholly  led 
 away  from  ourselves  to  him.  That  which  he  shows  us  in 
 Jesus  is  what  we  rest  on,  not  that  which  he  works  in  us; 
 so  that  as  soon  as  he  shows  us  Jesus,  straightway  we  are 
 irresistibly  drawn  to  him.  We  see  how  altogether  suitable 
 he  is, — how  excellent  is  the  way  of  being  saved  through 
 him,-^how  complete  the  provision  made  for  our  acceptance 
 with  the  Father,  and  believing  we  have  life  through  his 
 name.  His  mantle  is  thrown  over  us,  and  his  beauty 
 covers  all  our  deformity.  We  become  the  righteousness 
 of  God  in  him.     Thus,  in  point  of  acceptance  with  God, 
 
 1  Rora.  x.  4.  J  Rom.  iv.  5.  *  Heb.  iii.  14. 
 
6  No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation. 
 
 there  is  no  difference  between  one  believer  and  another,  or 
 between  the  same  believer  at  the  beginning  and  at  the  end 
 of  his  career,  just  as  in  respect  of  condemnation,  there  is  no 
 difference  between  one  sinner  and  another.  So  soon  as  we 
 believe  we  are  entirely  justified,  and  stand  "  accepted  in  the 
 beloved."  The  question  is  not,  how  far  on  are  you  in  the  life 
 of  faith,  but  are  you  believing  at  all?  Is  Jesus  every  thing  to 
 you  for  pardon  and  acceptance?  All  turns  on  the  one  point 
 of  owning  him  to  be  every  thing, — saying  amen  to  the  Father's 
 testimony  regarding  him.  Then  "  He  of  God  is  made  unto 
 us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption."1 
 Such  are  the  grounds  on  which  God's  message  of  recon- 
 ciliation is  founded.  Without  these,  to  have  spoken  of  re- 
 storation to  God's  favour,  would  have  been  saying  peace, 
 peace,  when  there  was  no  peace.  But  with  these  we  can 
 say,  peace,  peace  to  the  sinner  when  there  is  peace.2 
 Grace  can  flow  freely  forth  now,  because  righteousness 
 has  had  its  due.  On  this  footing  it  is,  that  God  is  now 
 sending  abroad  his  proposals  of  friendship  to  us.  He 
 stretches  out  his  hand  to  all  sinners  entreating  them  to  be 
 at  peace  with  him,  and  telling  them  that  there  is  nothing 
 now  to  prevent .  a  lasting  friendship  being  established  be- 
 tween him  and  them.  God's  gracious  heart  is  now  pouring 
 itself  down  upon  this  guilty  world  of  ours  in  a  full  stream 
 of  love,  through  this  righteous  channel.  It  is  this  that  en- 
 ables God  to  meet  the  sinner  just  as  he  is  and  just  where 
 he  stands.  And  it  is  because  of  this  righteous  provision 
 for  peace  between  the  world  and  God,  that  we  go  forth  to 
 tell  men  of  God's  gracious  mind  regarding  them,  and  his 
 proposals  of  friendship  to  them.  It  is  because  of  this  that 
 we  are  enabled  to  go  up  to  every  man  and  say  personally 
 to  him,  "  be  reconciled  to  God." 
 
 1.  Be  reconciled  to  God,  for  see  how  he  hates  sin. — Be- 
 fore he  could  pardon  it,  he  must  lay  it  on  his  own  Son,  and 
 when  laid  on  him  it  must  be  punished  in  him.  He  must 
 bear  the  infinite  wrath  of  God  against  iniquity.  How  in- 
 finitely he  must  hate  sin,— how  certainly  and  swiftly  will 
 he  avenge  it !  In  clinging  to  sin  you  are  clinging  to  that 
 abominable  thing  which  he  hates,  and  on  which  his  terrible 
 vengeance  is  about  to  descend. 
 
 2.  Be  reconciled  to  God,  for  see  how  earnestly  he  seeks 
 to  be  reconciled. — What  infinite  pains  he  has  taken  to  se- 
 cure this  !  At  what  a  cost  he  accomplished  it !  If  he  had 
 not  been  in  earnest  about  this,  would  he  have  parted  with 
 his  own  Son  ?  Would  he  have  bruised  him  and  put  him  to 
 grief  and  shame  ?    Would  he  have  emptied  the  vials  of  his 
 
 1  1  Cor.  i.  30.  *  Jer.  vi.  14. 
 
No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation.  7 
 
 wrath  on  him  ?  Would  he  have  refused  to  let  the  cup  of 
 agony  pass  from  his  holy  lips  ?  How  much  he  must  have 
 been  bent  on  reconciliation,  when  he  could  consent  to  all 
 this,  rather  than  that  we  should  remain  unreconciled  I  How 
 sincere  and  true  must  his  entreaties  of  reconciliation  be  ! 
 
 3.  Be  reconciled  to  God,  for  see  what  a  righteous  recon- 
 ciliation this  is.' — Its  foundations  are  laid  on  righteousness, 
 and  therefore  they  are  immoveable.  You  cannot  say,  we 
 are  not  sure  whether  it  is  a  real  reconciliation,  or  whether 
 it  will  prove  lasting.  It  is  righteous,  and  therefore  it  is 
 real,  and  sure5  and  lasting.  What  can  ever  occur  to  break 
 up  a  friendship  founded  upon  righteousness  ?  What  can 
 ever  renew  the  breach  which  has  thus  been  healed,  or  se- 
 ver the  golden  link  by  which  the  soul  is  inseparably  bound 
 to  God  ? 
 
 4.  Be  reconciled,  for  see  me  blessed  effects  of  this. — It 
 puts  you  in  possession  of  such  mighty  blessings.  It  accom- 
 plishes such  a  glorious  exchange  between  Christ  and  your 
 soul.  It  clothes  you  with  raiment  so  divine.  It  provides 
 for  you  such  a  righteousness,  so  spotless,  so  precious,  so  di- 
 vinely perfect :  better  than  Adam's,  more  excellent  than 
 that  of  angels, — the  very  righteousness  of  God  !  What  a 
 dignity,  what  a  glory  is  the  portion  of  believers!  Not 
 merely  to  be  restored  to  what  we  lost  in  Adam,  but  to  a 
 glory  far  brighter,  an  inheritance  far  richer,  a  crown  far 
 more  resplendent !  To  be  exalted  above  angels,  and  plac- 
 ed upon  the  very  throne  of  God's  eternal  Son.  "  This  is 
 the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their  righte- 
 ousness is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord."1 
 
 5.  Be  reconciled,  for  learn  the  awful  consequences  of 
 remaining  unreconciled. — If  unreconciled,  then  are  you 
 still  enemies,  unrighteous,  condemned,  children  of  wrath, 
 bearing  your  own  sin  and  sinking  under  its  weight  to  the 
 lowest  hell.  No  removal  of  the  curse  for  you !  No  bear- 
 ing of  the  wrath  for  you  !  No  deliverance  from  the  second 
 death !  Great  is  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  so 
 great  shall  be  your  inheritance  of  darkness.  Souls  saved 
 by  grace  are  made  heirs  of  an  infinite  glory  and  blessed- 
 ness,— so  you  who  reject  this  grace  must  be  heirs  of  infi- 
 nite shame  and  woe.  Ransomed  souls  in  heaven  are  raised 
 far  above  angels, — so  you  who  remain  unreconciled  must 
 go  down  to  a  place  in  hell  far  lower  than  the  devils.  Yours 
 must  be  the  place  in  hell — lower  than  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
 rha,  lower  than  Tyre  and  Sidon,  lower  even  than  Chorazin 
 and  Bethsaida, — for  you  have  rejected  the  great  salvation 
 in  a  way  such  as  no  devil  ever  could  do,  and  such  as  none 
 
 1   Isaiah  liv.  17. 
 
8  No.  26. — Righteous  Reconciliation, 
 
 of  these  guilty  cities  ever  did.  O  dreadful  doom  of  unre- 
 conciled sinners !  The  lowest  place  in  hell ;  the  very 
 "  blackness  of  darkness,"  in  a  region  where  all  is  night ! 
 
 Be  reconciled  then,  for  now  is  the  accepted  time  and  the 
 day  of  salvation.  "  This  is  the  acceptable  year  of  the 
 Lord."1  "  The  day  of  vengeance  ist  a  hand."  "  Agree  with 
 thine  adversary  quickly,  ere  the  day  of  reckoning  arrive." 
 Be  reconciled,  for  time  is  short,  days  and  years  are  flying 
 swiftly  on, — eternity  is  at  hand.  You  may  soon  be  beyond 
 the  region  where  it  is  possible  for  a  sinner  to  be  reconciled. 
 Hope  will  soon  be  exchanged  for  despair.  The  possibility 
 of  being  saved  will  soon  pass  into  the  utter  and  awful  cer- 
 tainty that  you  are  lost,  for  ever  lost !  Be  reconciled,  for 
 days  of  darkness  are  near.  The  last  days  are  already 
 coming  into  view,  if  indeed  we  have  not  already  entered 
 on  them.  The  time  of  fearful  tribulation  is  approaching, 
 and  what  unreconciled  soul  will  be  able  to  abide  it.  Who 
 but  a  child  of  light  will  be  able  to  make  his  way  onward 
 in  those  days  of  utter  darkness.  "  Give  glory  to  the  Lord 
 your  God  before  he  cause  darkness,  and  before  your  feet 
 stumble  upon  the  dark  mountains,  and  while  ye  look  for 
 light  he  turn  it  into  the  shadow  of  death,  and  make  it  gross 
 darkness."2  Be  reconciled  to  God,  for  the  coming  of  the 
 Lord  draweth  nigh  !  This  world's  history  is  rapidly  nearing 
 its  close.  It  will  not  be  long  till  the  bridegroom  come  and 
 the  door  be  shut !  It  will  not  be  long  till  the  judge  de- 
 scend and  summon  you  to  his  bar.  Jesus  has  long  de- 
 layed his  coming,  out  of  long-suffering  love  to  a  rebel- 
 lious world,  but  he  will  not  always  delay  it.  He  will  come 
 at  length.  How  soon  I  know  not.  It  may  be  very  soon. 
 There  is  nothing  that  man  knows  of  between  us  and  his 
 coming.  It  may  be  at  the  very  door !  His  chariot  may 
 be  already  on  its  way.  O  then  be  reconciled  to  God ! 
 "  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry  and  ye  perish  from  the  way, 
 when  once  his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little." 
 
 1  Luke  iv.  19;  Is.  lxi.2.  8  Jer.  xiii.  16. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso  :  J.  Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 Edinburgh  :  J.  Johnstone,  W.  Whyte  &  Co.,  and  C.  Zeigler. 
 London:  J.  Nisbet  &  Co.     Glasgow:  J.  Rutherfurd,  84 
 Trongate. 
 
 Price  3s.  per  100. 
 
No.  27. 
 
 THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE, 
 
 Let  m  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace  that  we  may 
 obtain  mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need." — Heb.  iv.  16. 
 
 Jesus  the  Son  of  God  is  our  Great  High  Priest.  He  has 
 offered  his  one  sacrifice,  whereby  he  hath  for  ever  per- 
 fected them  that  are  sanctified.1  His  offering  has  been 
 accepted,  and  he  himself  acknowledged  of  the  Father. 
 He  has  passed  within  the  vail ;  He  has  gone  into  the 
 heavens  as  our  forerunner,  to  appear  in  the  y.esence  of 
 God  for  us;  He  has  taken  his  seat  upc^  the  throne  of 
 grace, — the  mercy-seat  above  !  This  "  High  Priest  of  our 
 profession"  is  altogether  such  an  one  as  we  need.  Both  his 
 office  and  his  character  make  him  most  suitable  for  sin- 
 ners. In  his  office  there  is  pardon  and  cleansing  pro- 
 claimed to  us ;  and  in  his  character  there  shine  forth  the 
 irresistible  attractions  of  grace  and  love.  He  is  an  High 
 Priest  of  good  things  to  come.2  He  is  a  "  merciful  and 
 faithful  High  Priest  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  to  make 
 reconciliation  for  the  sins  of  the  people."3  He  is  touch- 
 ed with  the  feeling  of  our  mfirmities.  He  can  have 
 compassion  on  the  ignorant,  and  on  them  that  are  out 
 of  the  way.4  Such  is  the  High  Priest  of  whom  the 
 Apostle  speaks.  Seeing,  therefore,  we  have  such  a  friend 
 above,  such  a  condescending,  compassionate,  tender-hearted 
 brother,  now  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the 
 majesty  in  the  heavens,  let  us  no  longer  stand  afar  off, 
 but,  laying  aside  our  guilt  and  fear,  let  us  boldly  approach 
 the  throne  of  grace,  whereon  this  gracious  one  is  seated, 
 that  we  may  obtain  mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time 
 of  need.  The  throne  is  erected,  the  High  Priest  is  there  ; 
 the  way  is  open ;  the  vail  is  rent ;  every  necessary  provision 
 has  been  made  ;  nothing  is  wanting  for  the  sinner's  assur- 
 
 Heb.  x.  14.        2  Heb.  ix.  11.      3  Heb.  ii.  17.     4  Heb.  v.  11. 
 J.  RUTHERFURD's  SERIES  OF  TRACTS. 
 
2  No.  27.—  The  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 ance  ;  access  to  God  is  free  ;  every  thing  invites  us  • — then 
 let  us  approach — let  us  go  up  to  the  mercy- seat,  with  reve- 
 rential feelings,  yet  with  calm  and  trustful  hearts.1  Jesus- 
 is  there,  why  stand  aloof  ?  Jesus  is  there,  why  fear  and 
 doubt?  Jesus  is  there,  why  be  afraid  to  lay  our  whole 
 case  before  him  ?  Does  he  not  say,  "  be  of  good  cheer,  it 
 is  I,  be  not  afraid  ?" 
 
 Looking  then  with  the  vail,  we  see  a  throne,  and  behold, 
 it  is  a  throne  of  grace !  And  for  whom  is  it  reared  ?  For 
 sinners.  And  how  are  they  to  come  ?  Boldly.  And 
 what  gives  sinners  such  boldness  ?  The  throne  itself.  And 
 what  do  they  obtain  by  coming  ?  They  obtain  mercy  and 
 find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need. 
 
 1.  The  Throne. — It  is  a  throne  of  grace.  Elsewhere  it 
 is  called  a  "  mercy-seat."  And  it  is  placed  in  the  holy  of 
 holies — the  immediate  presence  of  God,  to  show  us  that  his 
 mercy  and  his  holiness  flow  from  the  same  deep  fountain, 
 and  that  in  order  to  get  grace  we  must  come  as  near  God 
 as  to  obtain  holiness.2  Many  speak  as  if  grace  were  dis- 
 pensed by  God  only  at  a  distance  from  his  holy  presence, 
 but  here  we  are  taught  that  its  dwelling  is  the  secret  of  his 
 tabernacle — the  innermost  shrine  of  his  temple — the  very 
 holiest  chamber  of  his  secret  presence.  It  is  into  these 
 we  must  enter  if  we  would  have  grace  ;  and  these  are 
 all  thrown  open  to  us  through  the  precious  blood  that 
 is  sprinkled  upon  the  threshold.3  It  is  called  a  throne 
 because  it  is  the  seat  of  rightful  authority,  the  place  where 
 government  is  administered,  so  that  Avhatevcr  is  done  here 
 is  done  by  the  authority  of  the  King,  and  in  a  righteous 
 way,  according  to  the  strictest  laws  of  the  kingdom.  But 
 why  is  it  called  a  throne  of  grace  ?  (1.)  Because  it  is  found**} 
 upon  grace.  It  is  upon  the  free,  everlasting  love  of  the 
 Father  that  this  throne  is  built.  Every  stone  in  its  foun- 
 dation is  free  love.  And  it  is  in  the  infinite  depths  of  the 
 Father's  bosom  that  these  foundations  are  laid.  "  God  so 
 loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son."  (2.) 
 Because  every  part  of  it  throughout  is  grace.  Not  only  the 
 foundation,  but  every  stone  in  the  entire  fabric  is  of  grace. 
 It  is  cemented  together  by  grace.  The  corner  stone  is 
 grace.  The  headstone  is  grace.  Every  ornament  wherewith 
 it  is  adorned  is  grace.  Its  covering  is  grace.  Nothing  is  to 
 ne  seen  in  it,  or  about  it,  or  upon  it,  but  grace.    (3.)    It  is 
 
 1  John  iv.  10.  *  Exod.  xix.  4-6.  *  Eph.  ii.  13. 
 
No.  27.— The  Throne  of  Grace  3 
 
 erected  for  purposes  of  grace.  Here  grace  is  dispensed, 
 nothing  but  grace,  yet  all  in  a  righteous  way.  Nothing 
 but  grace  proceeds  from  this  throne.  Every  tiling  con- 
 nected with  it  and  coming  from  it  is  grace, — grace  unmixed 
 and  pure.  Not  partly  grace  and  partly  something  else,  but 
 grace  altogether  and  exclusively.  It  is  not  called  a  throne 
 of  righteousness,  nor  a  throne  of  judgment,  nor  a  throne  of 
 merit ;  but  in  distinction  from  all  these  it  is  called  a  throne 
 of  grace.  It  is  founded  on  grace.  It  is  composed  of  grace. 
 It  is  adorned  with  grace.  It  is  erected  for  purposes  of 
 grace.  He  who  sits  thereon  is  gracious.  Its  laws  are 
 grace.  Its  transactions  are  grace.  It  has  nothing  to  do 
 with  merit,  or  claim,  or  worthiness,  but  with  the  opposites 
 of  all  these.  It  is  grace  to  the  uttermost,  grace  without 
 mixture,  grace  which  knows  no  bounds.  It  is  grace  with- 
 out terms  and  conditions  and  qualifications ;  grace  which 
 takes  simply  for  granted  man's  total  worthlessness,  helpless- 
 ness, and  sin.1 
 
 II.  For  ichom  is  this  throne  of  grace  erected  ? — For  those 
 who  need  grace,  whose  case  can  be  met  by  nothing  but  free 
 love.  It  is  for  sinners,  for  the  lost,  the  helpless,  the  worth- 
 less, the  undone.  It  is  for  those  who  have  no  merit,  no 
 price,  no  recommendation,  who  are  utterly  destitute  of  every 
 qualification,  who  cannot  point  to  one  good  thing  about 
 them,  whose  "  whole  head  is  sick,  and  whose  whole  heart  is 
 faint.*'  It  is  for  those  who  would  not  be  allowed  to  ap- 
 proach any  other  throne  ;  who  would  not  be  listened  to  for 
 a  moment  any  where  else.  They  would  be  driven  from  a 
 throne  of  merit,  or  righteousness,  or  judgment ;  but  they 
 are  welcome  to  a  throne  of  'grace.  It  is  the  very  place  for 
 them.  It  is  expressly  provided  for  such  as  they.  Had  they 
 any  merit  they  might  go  to  a  throne  of  merit.  Had  they 
 any  righteousness,  they  might  go  to  a  throne  of  righteous- 
 ness. Had  they  any  hope  of  urging  a  successful  plea  in 
 self-defence,  they  might  go  to  a  throne  of  judgment.  But 
 seeing  they  are  utterly  destitute  of  all  these,  whither  can 
 ihey  betake  themselves  but  to  a  throne  which  welcomes 
 those  who  are  rejected  every  where  else,  and  which  asks  no 
 claim  but  that  of  wretchedness,  and  want,  and  sin  ?  This 
 throne  is  intended  not  for  those  who  have  anything,  but  for 
 those  who  are  in  want  of  everything.  And  it  is  just  their 
 having  nothing  that  makes  them  welcome  here.    To  whom 
 
 »  Matt    ix.  11,  12.     Rom.  iii.  24.     Gal.  iii.  22.    1st  Tim.  i.  12,  16. 
 
4  No.  27.— The  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 does  the  physician  come  ?  Not  to  the  whole,  but  to  the  sick. 
 For  whom  is  the  hospital  reared  ?  For  the  diseased.  It  is 
 their  disease  th&x  constitutes  their  claim  for  admittance  there. 
 The  worse  their  disease,  the  more  suitable  are  they  for  it, 
 and  the  more  welcome  should  it  be  to  them.  It  is  their 
 need  of  healing  that  makes  them  fit  objects  for  it.  So  it  is 
 our  need  of  grace  that  makes  us  fit  objects  for  a  throne  of 
 grace. 
 
 But  further,  all  else  are  excluded  from  this  throne  but  they 
 who  need  grace.  Not  only  is  it  intended  for  them,  and  suited 
 to  their  case,  but  all,  save  they,  are  positively  shut  out  from  it. 
 It  is  just  the  very  place  for  a  sinner,  but  for  none  else.  Its 
 gates  are  closed  against  all  those  who  come  with  any  other 
 plea  than  their  wants.  Hence,  so  many  are  sent  empty 
 away.  They  acknowledge  a  throne  of  grace,  profess  to 
 come  to  it,  and  to  come  to  it  earnestly,  but  they  do  not 
 come  empty — they  do  not  come  destitute.  They  try  to 
 establish  some  claim  even  when  professing  to  have  none. 
 They  are  not  content  to  be  mere  receivers,  mere  debtors  to 
 grace.  They  want  to  come  with  a  price.  They  are  too 
 proud  to  come  without  it.  Hence,  they  try  to  turn  every- 
 thing into  a  price.  They  turn  their  earnestness,  or  their 
 convictions,  or  their  terrors,  or  even  their  very  act  of  com- 
 ing, into  a  price,  and  hope,  that  because  of  these,  they  may 
 be  accepted.  No  wonder  that  they  return  as  empty  as  they 
 come ;  for  they  came  as  those  who  had  something,  not  as 
 those  who  were  destitute  of  everything.  They  came  to  it 
 not  purely  as  a  throne  of  grace,  or  at  least  a  throne  of  grace 
 to  them.  They  came  to  it  as  partly  a  throne  of  merit,  which 
 must  be  approached  only  by  those  who  have  some  qualifi- 
 cation to  bring.  Perhaps  they  admit  that  it  is  purely  a 
 throne  of  grace,  and  must  be  approached  only  as  such ;  but 
 then  they  think  that  they,  individually,  dare  not  expect  to 
 reeeive  anything  until  conscious  of  some  inward  feeling,  as 
 a  token  from  God  that  they  are  accepted.  In  other  words, 
 they  profess  to  believe  that  all  things  are  ready,  only  they 
 are  waiting  for  some  personal  invitation  to  the  feast.  Now, 
 what  is  this  but  saying  that  the  throne  of  grace  is  not  open 
 to  sinners  as  such,  but  to  those  to  whom  God  gives  some 
 additional  token  of  welcome ;  and  that  no  sinner  ought  to 
 go  with  boldness  to  the  throne,  until  he  is  in  some  mysteri- 
 ous way  assured,  not  only  that  the  throne  is  erected  for  sin- 
 ners but  in  a  special  manner  for  himself  We  might  as 
 well  deny  that  it  is  a  throne  of  grace,  and  that  we  are  sin- 
 ners; For  if  it  be  such  a  throne  of  grace,  and  if  it  be  erected 
 
No.  27 — The  Throne  of  Grace.  5 
 
 simply  for  those  who  need  grace,  then  it  must  be  as  free  to 
 each  one  reading  these  lines  as  to  any  saint  that  ever  ap- 
 proached it ;  and  each  one  who  really  knows  this,  will  come 
 without  hesitation  or  suspicion.  Though  conscious  of  ten 
 thousand  wants,  and  ten  thousand  sins,  yet  here  is  the  place 
 where  he  is  welcome,  just  because  he  has  all  these  wants,  and 
 is  loaded  with  all  these  sins. 
 
 III.  How  are  we  to  come  to  this  throne  ? — The  Apostle 
 answers,  we  are  to  come  "  boldly," — not  doubtingly,  hesi- 
 tatingly, uncertainly,  but  "  boldly."  We  are  to  come  con- 
 fidently, "  in  the  full  assurance  of  faith,"  certain  of  obtain- 
 ing an  answer,  not  thinking  it  possible  that  we  can  be  refused ; 
 not  counting  it  presumptuous  to  come  so  boldly,  but  know- 
 ing that  it  is  only  when  coming  thus  boldly  that  we  come 
 in  true  humility,  and  that  all  doubting  springs  from  piide 
 and  self-righteousness.  In  aether  part  of  this  epistle'  we 
 read,  "  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  the  full  as- 
 surance of  faith:"  and  again,  "he  that  comethto  God  must 
 believe  that  He  is,  and  that  He  is  the  rewarder  of  all  such 
 as  diligently  seek  him." a  We  are  not  only  warranted  to 
 come  boldly,  but  we  are  commanded  to  do  so.  It  is  our  sin 
 if  we  come  doubtingly.  It  is  as  much  God's  command  to 
 come  boldly  as  it  is  to  come  at  all.  No  one  doubts  that  God 
 invites  and  enjoins  all  sinners  to  come  to  this  throne ;  no  one, 
 then,  can  doubt  that  he  commands  them  to  come  boldly.  If 
 we  are  warranted  to  come  at  all,  we  are  warranted  to  come 
 boldly.  It  is  our  sin  to  refuse  to  come,  it  is  equally  our 
 sin  not  to  come  boldly.  God,  in  providing  this  throne  of 
 grace,  calls  on  us  to  come  to  it  as  boldly  as  the  innocent  go 
 to  a  throne  of  righteousness,  or  the  worthy  to  a  throne  of 
 merit.  Nothing  less  than  such  a  throne  could  have  entitled 
 us  to  come  to  God  at  all,  and  nothing  more  is  needed  to  war- 
 rant us  to  come  with  entire  boldness  and  confidence,  even 
 from  the  first  moment  that  we  draw  near  to  that  throne.  A 
 sinner  coming  for  the  first  time  is  no  more  warranted  to  come 
 doubtingly,  than  is  a  saint  just  stepping  into  glory.  Both 
 have  the  same  throne  to  go  to  ;  both  equally  need  it :  both 
 ought  to  come  with  the  same  boldness,  for  both  come  sim- 
 ply as  sinners.  All  the  graces  of  tli3  saint  cannot  give  him 
 boldness,  and  all  the  want  of  these  in  the  sinner  ought  not 
 to  prevent  it.  Are  we  satisfied  that  it  is  really  a  throne  of 
 grace  ?     Then  let  us  come  boldly  :  let  us  draw  near  in  the 
 
 1  Cb.  x.  VX  -  xi.  6. 
 
G  No.  21.— The  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 full  assurance  of  faith.  It  is  the  simple  boldness  that  glori- 
 fies God.  It  is  this  that  He  expects  and  delights  in.  It  is 
 to  give  this  that  He  has  prepared  such  a  throne.  And  it  is 
 this  that  honours  that  throne  which  he  has  erected.  Why, 
 then,  should  any  sinner  come  with  less  than  boldness  to  such 
 a  throne  as  this  ? 
 
 IV.  What  gives  this  boldness  ? — It  is  the  simple  fact  that 
 it  is  a  throne  of  grace  we  are  coming  to,  that  emboldens  and 
 assures  us.  So  long  as  we  do  not  understand  the  real  na- 
 ture of  that  throne,  or  come  to  it  with  a  price  or  claim  in 
 our  hand ;  so  long  as  we  conceive  it  to  be  partly  a  throne 
 of  merit  requiring  some  qualification  on  our  part,  so  long 
 it  is  impossible  that  we  can  come  with  boldness.  But  when 
 the  Holy  Spirit  opens  our  eyes  to  see  that  it  is  entirely  a 
 throne  of  grace,  then  this  sight  alone  and  by  itself,  dissi- 
 pates our  fears  and  draws  us  in  happy  confidence  to  a 
 throne  so  suitable  and  so  glorious.  Nothing  more  is  need- 
 ed to  remove  every  fear  than  this  simple  fact.  It  was  our 
 not  seeing  this  that  first  raised  suspicions  in  our  hearts,  and 
 made  us  come  trembling  and  uncertain  ;  and  it  is  our  see- 
 ing this,  and  this  alone,  that  allays  these  suspicions  and 
 inspires  us  with  the  confidence  of  a  child  coming  to  a 
 father's  knee.  Whenever  we  try  to  draw  our  boldness  from 
 any  other  source,  immediately  our  souls  are  overclouded 
 and  our  hands  hang  down.  It  is  a  throne  of  grace,  and  what 
 more  can  we  say  ?  What  more  does  a  guilty  soul  need  to 
 know,  in  order  to  assure  him,  not  only  that  he  is  welcome, 
 but  that  it  would  be  most  dishonouring  to  God  and  to  his 
 throne  to  come  with  less  than  the  assured  expectation  of 
 being  heard. 
 
 Our  fears  may  whisper,  "  You  are  unworthy."  True, 
 but  it  is  a  throne  of  grace,  a  throne  just  for  the  unworthy 
 and  none  else.  Why,  then,  should  our  worthiness  make 
 us  doubt  ?  Still  we  may  say,  but  alas  we  have  no  good 
 about  us,  no  evidences  of  grace,  no  deep  convictions  of  sin, 
 no  repentance,  no  right  feelings,  no  faith,  no  love,  no  hu- 
 mility. True,  but  it  is  a  throne  of  grace,  and  why  there- 
 fore should  the  want  of  all  these  make  you  hesitate  to  come 
 boldly  ?  The  want  of  these  would  have  disqualified  you 
 from  going  to  any  other  throne.  You  might  well  have 
 doubted,  had  it  been  a  throne  of  merit  or  of  righteousness  ; 
 but  seeing  it  is  a  throne  of  grace,  all  grace,  nothing  but 
 grace,  how  is  it  possible  for  even  you  to  doubt  ?  To  make 
 these  tilings  reasons  for  not  coming  boldly  would  just  be  to 
 
No.  27.—  The  Throne  of  Grace.  7 
 
 deny  that  it  is  a  throne  of  grace  at  all.  It  is  the  grace  that 
 is  in  the  throne,  and  not  the  grace  that  is  in  us,  that  gives  us 
 boldness.  Nor  is  it  partly  the  one  and  partly  the  other,  it 
 is  the  former  alone  that  can  really  do  so.  It  is  not  what 
 we  see  or  feel  in  ourselves  ;  it  is  simply  what  we  see  in  the 
 throne  that  imparts  confidence.  Every  other  source  of  con- 
 fidence is  fluctuating  and  uncertain.  This  alone  is  steadfast- 
 It  changes  not ;  neither  can  it  ever  lose  its  power.  Nothing 
 will  suit  a  sinner's  case  but  something  icithout  him  and 
 independent  of  him,  something  which  abides  the  same  amid 
 all  his  manifold  changes  and  uncertain  frames.  And  here 
 is  the  very  thing  he  needs — a  throne  of  grace,  and  that 
 grace  the  grace  of  Him  who  is  "  the  same  yesterday, 
 to-day,  and  for  ever." 
 
 He  that  is  not  satisfied  with  this  simple  fact  shews  either 
 that  he  does  not  understand  its  meaning,  or  that  he  is  too 
 proud  to  be  entirely  a  debtor  to  the  free  love  of  God.  He 
 who  is  not  content  with  this,  as  of  itself  sufficient  to  dispel 
 all  his  doubts,  must  just  go  on  doubting ;  for  how  is  it 
 possible  that  the  sight  of  any  thing  else  can  give  him  con- 
 fidence when  a  throne  of  grace  has  failed  to  do  so  ?  And 
 if  at  length  the  Holy  Spirit  graciously  remove  his  fears,  it 
 will  not  be  by  turning  his  eyes  to  any  objects  within,  but 
 by  showing  him  more  fully  the  free  grace  of  the  throne, 
 and  the  assurance  which  that  of  itself  gives  Mm  that  he  is 
 welcome,  though  the  chief  of  sinners. 
 
 Are  you  then  coming  to  this  throne  without  boldness  ? 
 Does  not  this  show  you  that  you  have  much  to  learn  as  to 
 the  nature  of  that  throne  you' are  coming  to?  If  you  un- 
 derstood this,  it  is  possible  that  such  uncertainty  could  re- 
 main ?  You  say,  but  though  I  have  not  this  confidence,  I 
 am  earnest  and  importunate.  Well,  but  you  might  be  so, 
 even  though  there  were  no  throne  at  all  to  go  to.  It  is 
 confidence  more  than  earnestness  that  a  throne  of  grace  calls 
 forth.  At  the  throne  of  judgment  men  will  be  earnest 
 enough,  but  there  will  be  no  boldness  then.  Earnestness 
 without  confidence  shows  that  you  do  not  know  that  it  is  a 
 throne  of  grace  at  which  you  are  pleading.  Your  earnest- 
 ness shews  that  you  are  anxious  enough  to  secure  the  bless- 
 ings sought ;  but  it  does  not  show  that  you  know  the  way 
 of  obtaining  them.  It  rather  shows  that  you  are  upon  a 
 plan  of  your  own  for  buying  them  with  your  own  fervent 
 prayers.  Your  earnestness  does  not  honour  the  throne  nor 
 Him  who  sits  thereon.  Nay,  it  dishonours  Him,  for  it  takes 
 tor  granted  that  He  is  a  hard  and  austere  man  whom  you 
 
8  No.  27.—  The  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 cannot  implicitly  trust,  and  from  whom  you  can  obtain  no- 
 thing but  by  clint  of  earnest  importunity  and  effort.  It  is 
 your  confidence,  your  expectation,  your  trust,  that  honour 
 both  the  throne  and  the  God  who  erected  it  for  sinners 
 such  as  you.  The  sooner,  therefore,  you  trust,  and  the 
 more  implicit  is  your  confidence,  the  more  are  you  giving 
 glory  to  God. 
 
 Our  expectation  of  receiving  should  be  a  confident  one, 
 just  because  it  is  not  founded  upon  any  thing  in  our  charac- 
 ter or  doings,  but  upon  something  altogether  independent 
 of  us,  which  is  not  affected  by  our  fluctuations  in  the  least, 
 and  abides  ever  the  same.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  there  are 
 many  who  think  it  unsafe  to  have  this  boldness  till  some 
 foundation  has  been  laid  for  it  in  the  improved  condition  of 
 their  own  souls.  What !  is  it  unsafe  to  build  upon  the  rock 
 alone  ?  Is  the  fabric  insecure  unless  sand  be  mingled  with 
 the  foundation  rock  ?  Is  the  garment  not  wide  enough  to 
 wrrap  us  unless  eked  out  by  tatters  of  our  own  ?  Are  we 
 to  doubt  so  long  as  we  have  merely  the  throne  to  embolden 
 us,  but  to  cease  our  doubts  so  soon  as  we  discover  some 
 good  thing  in  ourselves  ? 
 
 But  may  we  not  be  Christians  without  having  this  bold- 
 ness ?  I  am  not  careful  to  answer  a  question  like  this. 
 This,  however,  I  may  say,  that  matters  have  come  to  a  sad 
 pass  indeed  when  a  man's  only  comfort  is  that  he  may  be 
 a  Christian  and  yet  not  know  it, — that  he  may  be  a  believer 
 and  yet  have  no  confidence, — that  he  may  be  a  child  of 
 God  and  yet  not  be  sure  whether  God  be  his  Father  or  not. 
 
 Do  you  say  then,  tell  me  what  I  am  to  do  ?  Ah,  are 
 you  bent  upon  doing  something, — thereby  proving  that  you 
 are  not  satisfied  with  what  has  been  already  done  by  another. 
 You  want  me  to  put  you  upon  doing  something  in  order  to 
 get  this  boldness  ;  whereas  I  want  to  put  you  off  doing  any- 
 thing in  order  to  get  this,  and  simply  to  take  it  from  what 
 another  has  done.  But  you  say,  tell  me  how  I  am  to  trust  ? 
 Ah,  do  I  need  to  tell  the  child  how  to  trust  its  parent,  or 
 throw  itself  upon  the  bosom  of  its  mother?  Is  it  not 
 enough  that  it  knows  its  parent's  heart  ?  And  is  it  not 
 enough  that  you  know  the  heart  of  God  and  see  the  throne 
 of  grace  he  has  erected  ?  What  a  display  of  self-righteous- 
 ness is  the  struggle  to  believe  !  What  a  manifest  proof  that 
 all  unbelief  is  the  belief  of  a  lie, — a  lie  which  it  costs  such  a 
 desperate  struggle  to  part  with  ! 
 
 Such  then  is  the  nature  and  meaning  of  that  voice  which 
 speaks  to  you  from  the  Throne  of  Grace,  that  it  leaves  you 
 
No.  27.— The  TJirone  of  Grace. 
 
 no  other  alternative  but  either  to  doubt  God's  word  and 
 deny  his  truth,  or  else  to  enter  upon  immediate  peace  and 
 assured  reconciliation. 
 
 V.  What  do  we  obtain  by  coming  ? — Every  blessing  that 
 we  stand  in  need  of  and  that  to  the  full.  Here  is  the 
 fountain  of  all  blessing,  from  pardon  of  sin  up  to  the  fullest 
 amount  of  holiness  and  joy.  These  the  Apostle  sums  up 
 under  two  heads,  "  mercy  and  grace."  He  says,  "  let  us 
 come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace  that  we  may  obtain 
 mercy  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need."  These  two 
 words  comprehend  every  thing.  First  there  is  mercy,  then 
 there  is  grace. 
 
 1.  That  ice  may  obtain  mercy. — Mercy  is  tender  love  to 
 the  miserable  and  guilty,  showing  itself  in  forgiving  and 
 blessing  them.  It  is  the  feeling  called  forth  by  the  sinner's 
 lost  estate,  and  therefore  regards  him  simply  as  a  sinner, 
 a  lost  one.  Now  this  forgiving  love  is  just  what  the  sinner 
 needs  at  first.  It  is  the  first  thing  that  he  cries  for  when 
 awakened  to  a  sense  of  sin.  It  is  also  the  first  thing  which 
 God  bestows,  and  until  he  has  given  this  he  can  give 
 nothing  else.  Such  is  exactly  the  view  of  it  presented 
 here  by  the  Apostle.  It  lies  uppermost  on  the  throne  of 
 grace,  placed  so  as  to  draw  our  attention  at  once.  It  is 
 the  first  object  that  attracts  our  eye  and  invites  our  hand. 
 Hence  the  words  of  the  passage  literally  are,  »'  that  we  may 
 take  mercy  ;" — take  it  as  a  thing  held  out  to  us ; — take  it 
 as  a  thing  pressed  most  fervently  and  freely  upon  our  notice 
 and  acceptance.  It  is  mercy  that  the  sinner  needs,  for  he 
 is  guilty,  condemned,  under  the  law,  under  the  curse,  under 
 wrath ;  and  it  is  mercy  that  is  first  extended  to  him 
 that  he  may  be  delivered  from  guilt  and  condemnation, 
 sheltered  from  the  curse  and  wrath  which  were  his  due, 
 and  brought  out  from  being  under  the  law  to  be  under 
 grace. 
 
 Sinner !  there  is  mercy  for  thee  !  It  lies  upon  the  mercy- 
 seat  inviting  thee  to  take  it.  It  is  mercy  to  the  viles|> 
 mercy  to  the  uttermost,  mercy  which  embraces  every  sinner 
 on  this  side  of  hell !  And  it  is  mercy  now ;  mercy  to  thee 
 as  thou  standest  in  thy  sin,  mercy  in  which  there  is  no  delay, 
 no  uncertainty  !  Take  it  and  be  forgiven.  Take  it  and 
 enter  into  peace  with  God  ! 
 
 2.  That  we  may  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need,  or 
 more  literally,  "  grace  for  all  needful  help."  Having  ob- 
 tained mercy,  it  is  grace  that  is  next  presented  to  us  ;  that 
 
10  No.  27.— The  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 is,  not  merely  the  free  love  of  God,  but  that  full  measure 
 of  infinite  blessing  which  that  free  love  bestows.  Hence 
 it  is  written  of  Christ  "  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received 
 and  grace  for  grace."1  Hence  also  in  the  apostolic  saluta- 
 tions "  grace"  is  the  whole  sum  and  burden  of  all  their 
 prayers  in  behalf  of  their  brethren.  Hence  also  it  was 
 said  to  Paul  in  his  hour  of  trial  "  my  grace  is  sufficient  for 
 thee,"2  and  hence  Paul  exhorted  Timothy  to  "  be  strong  in 
 the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus." a  So  here  it  seems  to  be 
 used  as  comprising  all  fulness  and  variety  of  blessing,  "  the 
 manifold  grace  of  God."4 
 
 We  enter  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  we  go  up  ro  the  mercy 
 seat.  Its  covering  is  mercy.  We  remove  the  covering  ana 
 wrap  it  round  our  guilty  wrath-deserving  souls.  Then  are 
 we  safe,  for  the  covering  which  wraps  us  is  divine.  Not  a 
 drop  or  ray  of  wrath  can  penetrate  it.  But  having  obtained 
 this,  we  begin  to  discover  that  we  need  much  more  than 
 this.  This  is  enough  to  shield  us  from  wrath ;  but  we 
 need  to  have  our  emptiness  filled,  our  hunger  satisfied,  and 
 our  thirst  quenched.  We  need  to  be  delivered  from  a  body 
 of  death ;  we  need  to  be  made  holy,  and  strengthened  in 
 the  inner-man.  How  are  we  to  obtain  these  ?  We  look 
 around,  and  behold  the  mercy-seat  itself  contains  the  foun- 
 tain of  all  these  needed  blessings.  Beneath  the  covering 
 which  we  had  removed,  we  discern  this  precious  fountain  ; 
 and  now  we  are  put  in  possession  of  every  thing  we  require. 
 We  take  our  stand  at  the  side  of  this  well  of  water,  and 
 drink  without  ceasing  from  its  exhaustless  stores.  We  have 
 found  supply  for  every  want, — free  provision  for  every 
 various  state  of  our  souls.  It  is  just  with  us  as  with  some 
 poor  bankrupt,  whose  debts  some  friend  has  undertaken  to 
 cancel.  He  gets  his  past  debts  paid,  but  what  is  he  to 
 live  upon  ?  His  compassionate  friend  steps  forward,  and 
 tells  him  that  he  is  welcome  to  draw  upon  him  at  any  time, 
 and  to  any  amount  he  pleases.  Such  is  the  manner  in 
 Avhich  we  first  obtain  mercy,  and  then  have  the  fountain  of 
 grace  opened  to  us,  that  out  of  it  we  may  draw  continually 
 and  without  limit  or  condition. 
 
 In  this  infinite  fountain  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God, 
 there  is  every  needful  provision  for  a  saint  during  all  his 
 pilgrimage.  There  is  something  here  for  all  times  and  sea- 
 sons, for  all  states  and  circumstances,  for  all  times  and  trials. 
 We   are  unholy ;   iniquities  prevail  against  us ;   the  flesh 
 
 John  i.  16.     2  2  Cor.  xii.  9.     a  2  Tim.  ii.  1.     *  1  Peter  iv.  10. 
 
No.  27.—  The  Throne  of  Grace.  11 
 
 lusteth  against  the  spirit.  But  here  is  grace  to  enable  us 
 to  be  holy.  We  walk  too  much  with  the  world,  too  little 
 with  God  ;  our  walk  at  the  best  is  uneven,  distant,  change- 
 ful. Here  is  grace  to  enable  us  to  walk  with  God,  like 
 Enoch ;  to  have  our  conversation  in  Heaven,  even  when 
 dwelling  on  the  earth.  Our  souls  cleave  unto  the  dust ; 
 the  things  of  earth  engross  and  depress  us.  Here  is  grace 
 to  unable  us  to  set  our  affections  on  things  above,  to  live  as 
 those  who  are  already  seated  with  Christ  in  heavenly  places, 
 and  from  these  look  down  upon  the  earth.1  We  have  daily 
 infirmities,  both  of  body  and  spirit,  to  struggle  with.  Here 
 is  grace  to  enable  us  to  be  strong  in  the  midst  of  weakness, 
 yea,  to  glory  in  our  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may 
 rest  on  us.2  We  have  a  race  to  run.  Here  is  grace  to  en- 
 able us  to  run  it  well, — to  run«it  with  patience.  We  have 
 enemies  to  war  with,  not  only  flesh  and  blood,  but  principa- 
 lities and  powers.  Here  is  grace  to  make  us  more  than 
 conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.3  Here,  in  short,  is 
 grace  for  everything,  for  every  want,  for  every  time : — 
 grace  wherewith  to  live,  grace  wherewith  to  die.  Why 
 then  should  we  be  poor  so  long  as  God  is  rich  ?  Why 
 should  we  be  weak  so  long  as  He  is  mighty  ?  Why  should 
 we  be  empty  so  long  as  He  is  full  ?  Why  should  any  neces- 
 sity or  trial  ever  be  too  great  for  us,  seeing  we  have  Him  to 
 undertake  for  us,  and  seeing  we  have  grace  like  this  to  help 
 us  in  time  of  need  ?  Why  should  we  ever  either  fear  or 
 doubt,  seeing  we  have  a  fountain  of  free  love  like  this  to 
 draw  from  continually  ?     O  folly,  passing  all  other  folly  ! 
 
 0  wickedness  incredible  and  inexcuseable,  for  the  child  of 
 faith  to  give  way  to  perplexity  and  fear  !    Abide  in  me  and 
 
 1  in  you,  as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it 
 abide  in  the  vine  ;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.' 4 
 
 Such  is  the  throxe  of  grace  !  Such  its  freeness  to 
 every  sinner.  Such  the  boldness  with  which  he  ought  to 
 come  :  such  the  sure  ground  of  confidence  in  coming  :  such 
 the  blessing  to  be  obtained.  Come  then,  sinner,  come ! 
 The  throne  invites  you,  and  says  come  !  The  High  Priest 
 that  is  seated  on  it,  invites  you,  and  says  come  !  God  the 
 Father,  who  erected  that  throne  for  such  as  you,  says  come  ! 
 The  Word  says,  come  !  Ministers  say,  come  !  This  tract 
 says,  come  !  Each  passing  hour  says,  come.  Each  trial 
 that  afflicts  you  says,  come  !  Every  voice  above  you  and 
 around  you,  says  come.   Come  boldly  to  this  throne  of  grace. 
 
 1  Eph.  ii.  6.         »  2  Cor.  xii.  9-         s  Kom.  viii.  37.  *  Jo.  xv.  4. 
 
12  No.  27.— TJie  Throne  of  Grace. 
 
 Remember  that  this  throne  will  not  remain  for  ever.  It 
 has  its  set  time,  After  that,  it  must  be  removed,  and  in  its 
 room  the  throne  of  judgment  will  be  set  up.  And  oh !  how 
 different  the  one  from  the  other !  The  one  is  all  grace  to- 
 gether. The  other  has  no  grace  at  all.  All  about  it  and 
 proceeding  from  it,  is  righteousness,  judgment,  condemna- 
 tion !  Hear  the  description  of  it : — "  I  saw  a  great  white 
 throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth 
 and  the  Heaven  fled  away,  and  there  was  found  no  place  for 
 them :  and  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before 
 God ;  and  the  books  were  opened,  and  another  book  was 
 opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life,  and  the  dead  were  judged 
 out  of  those  things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  accord- 
 ing to  their  works."1  How  soon  the  throne  of  grace  will  be 
 taken  down,  and  this  awful  throne  set  up,  you  know  not. 
 It  may  be  soon.  Time  cannot  always  last.  Christ  will  not  al- 
 ways tarry.  He  will  come.  Then  time  shall  be  no  longer. 
 Then  grace  shall  be  at  an  end.  Then  the  acceptable  year  of 
 the  Lord  shall  close,  and  the  day  of  vengeance  begin.2  Then 
 you  shall  hear  no  longer  the  gracious  invitation  of  the  Sa- 
 viour, "  Come  unto  me."  All  that  you  shall  hear  will  be  the 
 sentence  of  the  Judge,  "  Depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting 
 fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels." 
 
 Stand  no  longer  without.  Tarry  no  longer  by  the  way. 
 Enter  into  the  sanctuary.  Come  within  the  vail,  for  behold 
 it  is  rent.  Go  up  to  the  mercy-seat.  Go  as  thou  art.  Go 
 boldly,  even  though  the  chief  of  sinners.  Remember  it  is 
 a  throne  of  grace  thou  art  going  to  ;  therefore  let  no  amount 
 of  sin  in  you,  lead  you  to  despond,  or  to  draw  near  uncertain- 
 ly. Go  up  to  it.  All  that  thou  needest  is  there.  Take 
 the  full  measure  of  everlasting  blessings.  Fear  not.  Shrink 
 not.  It  is  just  for  such  as  thee.  "  Whosoever  shall  call  on 
 the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved." 
 
 1  Rev.  xx.  11,  12.  -  Is.  lxi.  2. 
 
 Kelso,  Jan.  1844. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso  :  John  Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 Edinburgh:  J.  Johnstone;  W.  Whyte  &Co.;  and  C.  Zieg- 
 ler.  London:  J.  Nisbet  &  Co.;  Glasgow:  James Ruther- 
 furd, 84  Trougate.     Carlisle  :  J.  F.  Whytridge. 
 
 Price  4s.  6cZ.  per  100. 
 
 printed  at  the  border  watch  office,  kelso. 
 
No.  28. 
 THE  TRUE  HEART. 
 
 Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart. — Heb.  x.  22. 
 
 Man's  heart,  by  nature,  is  not  true.  It  is  neither  true  to 
 himself  nor  to  God.  In  some  respects  it  may  be  said  to 
 be  true  to  himself  and  his  fellow-men,  when  it  is  true  to 
 his  own  interests  and  true  to  his  usual  character,  or  when 
 it  is  true  to  the  friendships  and  affections  of  earth.  In 
 the  last  of  these  respects  we  often  hear  of  the  heart's 
 truth.  We  hear  how  truly  hearts  beat  in  affection  for 
 each  other.  We  hear  of  friends  being  true  to  friends,  so 
 as  to  maintain  their  mutual  constancy  unshaken  amid 
 distance,  suffering,  and  peril.  But  in  all  this,  how  seldom  is 
 it  that  we  hear  of  hearts  that  are  true  to  God  and  to  Christ. 
 What  is  a  true  heart  ?  It  is  not  a  perfect  heart,  for 
 where  is  that  to  be  found  on  earth  ?  It  is  not  a  heart 
 where  sin  has  no  place  at  all,  and  where  all  is  holy  and 
 spiritual,  for  who,  save  the  spirits  of  the  just  made 
 perfect,  have  reached  this  stature?  It  is  not  a  heart 
 that  never  wavers,  never  saddens,  never  droops,  never 
 languishes,  never  grows  cold,  for  that  we  must  seek  a 
 brighter  world  and  a  more  genial  clime. 
 
 A  true  heart  is  one  that  has  ceased  to  misunderstand 
 and  mistrust  the  character  of  God,  that  takes  that  charac- 
 ter simply  as  it  is  revealed  in  grace,  and  rests  where  God 
 would  have  the  sinner  to  rest,  on  his  forgiving  love.  A 
 true  heart  is  one  that  has  ceased  to  suspect  God  or  to 
 look  upon  Him  as  an  austere  and  hard  master.  The  true- 
 ness  of  the  heart  consists  in  its  right  apprehensions  of  the 
 character  of  God;  in  "knowing  the  Father"  as  he  has 
 made  himself  known  to  sinners  in  Christ  Jesus.  To  be 
 true  to  God  is  to  know  Him  as  the  gracious  One,  as  the 
 pardoning  One,  as  the  sin-hating,  yet  sinner-loving  God. 
 He  who  has  not  yet  seen  enough  of  Him  in  the  Cross,  as 
 to  dispel  all  his  wicked  doubts  and  guilty  fears,  is  not  yet 
 true  to  God. 
 
 A  false  heart  is  one  which  does  not  know  the  Father. 
 Its  views  of  God's  character  are  distorted  and  dim.  It 
 seeks,  in  self-i  ighteousness,  to  do  something  or  feel  some- 
 thing which  may  draw  towards  it  the  favour  of  God,  and 
 it  cannot  rest  or  trust  without  finding  this.  It  does  not 
 understand  the  entire  freeness  of  the  grace  revealed  in 
 Jesus,  and  will  not  believe  that  this  grace  is  so  free  and 
 wide  as  to  meet  it,  even  as  it  is,  without  one  particle  of 
 good  about  it  either  in  feeling  or  in  action.     It  suspects 
 
 j.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  28.— The  True  Heart. 
 
 God,  because  it  is  not  satisfied  with  itself.  It  thinks  it 
 right  to  cherish  doubts  and  fears,  nay,  and  it  thinks  it 
 wrong  to  have  confidence  so  long  as  there  is  so  much  of 
 evil  and  so  little  of  good  about  itself.  All  this  is  being 
 false-hearted  to  God.  It  looks  like  humility,  but  it  is 
 pride.  It  looks  like  dissatisfaction  with  self,  but  it  is  just 
 a  trying  to  get  something  in  self  to  be  satisfied  with.  It 
 looks  like  a  sense  of  unworthiness,  but  it  is  just  self-right- 
 eousness, and  a  refusal  to  be  content  to  be  so  altogether 
 unworthy,  as  to  be  indebted  for  entire  salvation  to  a  grace 
 that  has  to  do  with  none  but  the  unworthy.  Some  may 
 think  that  though  we  may  call  this  false-heartedness  to 
 God,  it  is  at  least  being  true  to  his  holiness  and  true  to 
 his  law,  for  it  is  a  dread  of  these  that  produces  this  despon  - 
 dency  and  keeps  the  soul  from  rest.  But  this  is  not  even 
 being  true  to  his  holiness,  for  it  is  supposing  that  God's 
 holiness  is  at  variance  with  his  grace,  and  that  we  best 
 magnify  his  holiness  by  distrusting  his  grace.  And  is  not 
 this  being  false  to  God — false  to  his  holiness  as  much  as 
 to  his  grace  ?  Is  it  not  just  saying,  that  God  has  taken 
 so  little  care  to  guard  his  holiness  that  it  is  necessary  for 
 the  sinner  to  do  something  for  this  end,  and  that  the  best 
 way  to  do  this  is  just  to  continue  doubting  until  evidences 
 of  being  holy  can  be  discovered  in  the  soul.  But  God 
 has  taken  care  of  his  own  holiness  and  has  not  left  it  to 
 us  to  do  this.  He  has  so  fully  provided  for  it  in  the  gos- 
 pel, that,  the  more  we  trust  his  grace,  the  more  we  honour 
 his  holiness,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  by  distrusting  his 
 grace,  we  refuse  to  give  to  his  holiness  the  honour  that  is 
 its  due. 
 
 What,  then,  is  the  cure  of  false-heartedness  ?  How  is 
 a  true  heart  to  be  found?  I  need  not  say  that  all  must 
 come  from  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  same  mighty  power 
 that  wrought  in  Christ,  when  He  was  raised  from  the  dead, 
 must  be  put  forth  towards  us.  But  how  does  the  Holy 
 Spirit  produce  this  true  heart  ?  What  is  that  He  shows  us 
 which  removes  our  falseness  of  heart  and  makes  it  true  ? 
 How  does  God  set  hearts  right  with  Himself? 
 
 God  does  all  this  by  showing  us  what  He  really  is.  He 
 snows  us  how  much  we  have  mistaken  his  character  and 
 how  little  we  have  done  justice  to  his  love.  He  shows  us 
 that  He  is  not  what  our  false  hearts  have  supposed  him  to 
 be.  We  have  sadly  misjudged  Him,  and  imagined  Him  to 
 be  such  an  one  as  we  ourselves,  that  will  give  only  as  He 
 gets  and  loves  only  as  He  is  loved  in  return.  Now,  the 
 Holy  Spirit  withdraws  the  veil  and  reveals  the  gracious 
 countenance  of  God.  He  shows  us  how  much  we  have 
 wronged  Him,  how  little  we  have  understood  either  the 
 
No,  28.— Tlie  True  Heart  3 
 
 freeness  or  the  largeness  of  his  grace,  and  then  it  is  that 
 the  suspicions  of  our  false  hearts  give  way;  then,  instead 
 of  standing  afar  off,  we  draw  nigh  ;  then,  instead  of 
 cherishing  fears  and  doubts  because  of  cur  sinfulness,  we 
 lay  all  these  aside,  seeing  that,  since  God  has  not  made 
 these  a  reason  for  not  loving  us,  we  should  not  make  them 
 a  reason  for  doubting  that  love.  When  thus  we  get  "  ac- 
 quainted with  God,"  we  are  at  peace.  We  feel  that  no- 
 thing more  is  needed,  for  producing  perfect  peace,  but 
 this  acquaintanceship  with  God  in  his  true  character. 
 It  was  our  not  knowing  Him  that  filled  us  with  trouble, 
 and  it  is  our  knowing  Him  that  fills  us  with  peace.  The 
 knowledge  of  the  Father  is  the  sunshine  of  Heaven  to  our 
 benighted  souls.  Thus  our  false -heartedness  is  removed, 
 and  we  become  true  to  God,  and  true  to  Christ.  It  is  what 
 we  see  in  them  that  makes  us  true  to  them.  When  we 
 see  them  as  they  are,  trueness  of  heart  springs  up  unbid- 
 den.    We  find  the  resting-place  sufficient,  and  so  we  rest. 
 
 But  do  not  our  sins  rob  us  of  this?  Perhaps,  in  point 
 of  fact,  they  often  do,  but,  most  assuredly,  they  ought 
 not.  For  what  amount  of  sin  in  us  can  make  God  less 
 an  object  to  be  trusted  ?  Can  any  sin  that  we  have  com- 
 mitted make  it  right  for  us  to  be  untrue  to  God,  untrue 
 to  Christ  ?  Is  one  sin  to  be  the  ground  for  our  com- 
 mitting another  ?  Are  we  to  be  false  to  Jesus  because 
 sin  has  been  found  upon  us  ?  Dare  any  of  us  say  it  is 
 right  to  be  false  to  Jesus,  because  we  have  been  guilty  of 
 sin  ?  Ought  we  not  rather  to  say,  we  have  certainly  trans- 
 gressed, but  still  we  dare  not  add  to  the  guilt  of  these 
 transgressions,  the  still  greater  sin  of  being  false  to  Jesus. 
 No  degree  of  sin  in  us  can  make  him  less  the  sinner's  Sa- 
 viour and  the  sinner's  friend.  Nothing  can  alter  his  cha- 
 racter of  grace,  or  render  less  efficacious  his  infinitely 
 precious  blood.  Should  the  consciousness  of  sin,  then, 
 make  us  false  to  Jesus  ?  WTas  it  the  knowledge  that  we 
 were  not  sinners  that  first  made  us  true  to  Him  ?  No  it 
 was  not.  In  the  full  view  and  sense  of  all  our  guilt,  we 
 were  drawn  to  Him,  because  He  was  altogether  such  an 
 one  as  a  sinner  might  lean  upon.  And  how,  then,  can  the 
 fuller  discovery  of  our  guilt  make  us  lean  upon  Him  less, 
 or  make  us  think  it  necessary  to  be  untrue  to  Him  ?  Has 
 He  deserved  this  at  our  hands  ? 
 
 The  knowledge  of  immediate  and  complete  forgiveness, 
 through  the  belief  of  the  gospel,  is  that  which  alone  can 
 give  us  true  hearts.  An  imperfect  knowledge  of  this 
 keeps  us  untrue.  A  doubtful  pardon,  uncertainty  as  to 
 our  acceptance  with  God,  cannot  make  us  true.  A  gos- 
 pel which   brings  us  merely  the  hope  of  pardon,  which 
 
4  No.  28.— The  True  Heart. 
 
 makes  reconciliation  with  God  a  future  and  distant  privi- 
 lege, cannot  deliver  us  from  the  natural  falseness  of  our 
 hearts.   But  a  gospel  that  assures  us  of  God's  gracious  mind 
 towards  sinners,  and  tells  us  of  sin  put  away  by  the  sacri- 
 fice of  God's  own  Son,  does  surely  proclaim   enough  to 
 disarm  our  dread,  to  allay  our  suspicion,  and  to  inspire  us 
 at  once  with  the  most  child-like  confidence.     A  gospel 
 that  tells  us  how  true  Jesus  has  been  to  us  is  the  only 
 gospel  that  can  make  us  true  to  Him,     Any  thing  which 
 would  awaken  in  us  the  very  slightest  doubt  of  His  grace 
 and  love,  tends  to  make  us  false  to  Him.     And  surely  He 
 has  been  true  to  us  whatever  we  have  been  to  Him.     He 
 was  true  to  us  when  he  said,  "  Lo  I  come  to  do  thy  will  O 
 God."  He  was  true  to  us,  when,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  He 
 was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us.     He  was  true  to  us, 
 when,  during  three  and  thirty  years,  He  sojourned  below 
 in  this  world  of  sin,  seeking  the  lost,  and  gathering  those 
 who,  like  sheep  had  gone  astray.     He  was  true  to  us  when 
 He  went  into  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  and  drank  the 
 bitter  cup.     He  was  true  to  us  when  He  endured  the  cruel 
 mocking  and  scourging  and  spitting,  and  when  He  allowed 
 the  hands  of  wicked  men  to  place  upon   His  head  the 
 crown  of  thorns.     He  was  true  to  us  when  He  died  and 
 when  He  went  down  into  the  grave,  when  He  rose  again, 
 and  when  He  ascended  on  high  leading  captivity  captive. 
 He  is  true  to  us  now  in  heaven,  as  true  as  He  was  on  earth, 
 for  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us.     If,  then, 
 He  has  been  so  true  to  us,  how  can  we  be  false  to  Him  ? 
 Look  at  Jesus,  Believers,  and  that  will  keep  you  true  to 
 Him !     Look  at  Jesus,  sinners,  and  the  sight  of  what  He 
 is  and  what  He  has  done  will  make  you  ashamed  of  that 
 false  heart  of  yours.     It  will  make  you  ashamed  of  your 
 doubts,  ashamed  of  your  treachery,  ashamed  of  your  un- 
 kindness,  ashamed  of  your  unbelief,  and  make  you  fall  at 
 His  feet,  saying,  My  Lord  and  my  God  !     Looking  at 
 yourself  may  make  you  afraid  to  trust,  but  looking  at  Him 
 will  make  you  afraid  and  ashamed  to  distrust.     Looking 
 unto  Jesus  is  the  cure  for  a  false  heart,  and  the  only  way 
 for  producing  a  true  one. 
 Kelso,  August,  1844. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso  :  John  Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 
 Edinburgh  :  J.  Johnstone  ;  W.Whyte  &  Co.;  and  C.  Ziegler. 
 
 London  :  J.  Nisbet  &  Co. ;  R.  Groombridge. 
 
 Carlisle  :  J.  F.  Whitridge. 
 
 Price  Is.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 »  rinteb  at  the  border  watch  office,  kelso. 
 
No.  32. 
 
 THE  CHOSEN   ONE. 
 
 11  My  Chosen  One  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth." — Is.  xlii.  1. 
 "  My  Servant  whom  I  have  chosen." — Is.  xliii.  10. 
 "  The  Christ,  the  chosen  of  God." — Lu.  xxiii.  35. 
 
 It  is  Jesus  who  is  The  Chosen  One.  He  is,  by  pre- 
 eminence, the  object  of  the  Father's  choice.  Above  all 
 other  beings  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and  in  a  way  infinitely 
 distinct  from  every  one  of  them,  He  is  the  eternally  chosen 
 of  the  Father, — the  chosen  of  Him  whose  divine  wisdom 
 knew  well  the  value  of  that  which  it  was  choosing,  and, 
 therefore,  could  not  choose  amiss. 
 
 He  alone  was  chosen  for  what  was  good  in  Him.  God 
 may  have  reasons  for  choosing  objects,  apart  from  what  He 
 finds  in  themselves ;  but  in  the  case  of  the  only  begotten 
 Son,  it  was  the  matchless  excellence  and  glory  found  in 
 Him  that  made  Him  the  object  of  the  Father  s  everlasting 
 choice.  It  was  thus  that  He  was  "  set  up  from  everlasting, 
 from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the  earth  was,  being  daily  His 
 delight."1  Other  objects  might  be  chosen  for  something 
 good  in  them,  and  God,  in  looking  upon  these  objects  of 
 His  choice,  might  pronounce  them  "  very  good."2  But  still 
 even  these  had  only  something  that  was  good  in  them,  Jesus 
 had  all.  They  were  destitute  of  many  things  in  which  God 
 delighted,  Jesus  was  awanting  in  none.  He  had  every  thing 
 that  the  Father's  heart  could  desire.  Every  unsinning 
 creature  is  good  according  to  its  kind,  and  may  to  that  ex- 
 tent be  the  object  of  choice.  But  every  creature  is  lacking, 
 — lacking  in  many  things,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  the  ob- 
 ject of  full  and  satisfied  choice  to  him  who  can  be  com- 
 
 1   Prow  viii.  23,  30.  2  Gen.  i.  31. 
 
 J.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  32.— The  Chosen  One. 
 
 pletely  satisfied  with  nothing  but  what  is  absolutely  perfect, 
 not  only  without  a  sin,  but  without  an  imperfection  or  flaw. 
 This  perfection  was  found  in  Jesus  alone ;  and  because  of 
 this  He  was  the  Father's  Chosen  One.  Jehovah's  whole 
 soul  was  satisfied  in  Him  ; l  and  it  must  have  been  bound- 
 less excellence  on  which  the  Father's  soul  could  thus  en- 
 tirely rest. 
 
 The  saints  are  doubtless  the  objects  of  the  Father's  choice. 
 Hence  they  are  said  to  be  "  called  according  to  His  pur- 
 pose?'2 They  are  said  to  be  "  chosen  before  the  foundation 
 of  the  world."3  They  are  said  to  be  "from  the  beginning 
 chosen  to  salvation."4  But  still  they  are  not  chosen  as 
 Jesus  was.  It  cannot  be  that  they  should  be  the  objects  of 
 Jehovah's  choice  as  Jesus  was.  In  their  case  it  is  an  object 
 altogether  unworthy  that  is  fixed  upon ;  in  His  case  it  is 
 the  opposite.  In  their  case  it  is  not  the  good  that  is  found 
 or  foreknown  in  them  that  causes  them  to  be  chosen ;  in 
 Him  it  was.5  He  could  not  but  be  chosen,  for  in  Him 
 there  centred  all  created  and  all  uncreated  excellence.  His 
 claims  to  be  the  Chosen  One  are  without  a  rival ;  for  all 
 was  perfection  in  Him ;  divine  perfection,  without  a  defect, 
 or  blemish,  or  stain.  He  was  the  chief  among  ten  thousand, 
 as  much  in  the  Father's  eyes  as  He  is  in  the  eyes  of  his  saints. 
 In  this,  as  in  all  other  things,  He  has  had  from  eternity  the 
 pre-eminence ;  a  pre-eminence  which  shall  remain  undis- 
 puted and  unrivalled  throughout  all  the  eternity  that  is  to 
 come.     Blessed  pre-eminence  for  us,  for  He  is  our  Head  ! 
 
 1  Is.  xlii.  ].  2  Rom.  viii.  28  ;  2  Tim.  i.  9. 
 
 3  Eph.  i.  4.  4  2  Thess.  ii.  13. 
 
 5  There  are  some  who  deny  this  choosing.  They  are  so  zealous  for 
 man's  free-will  that  they  will  not  admit  of  free-will  in  God.  All  the 
 choosing  they  will  allow  God  to  exercise  is  the  choosing  of  those  whom 
 He  foreknows  will  turn  to  Him, —  t.  e.  choosing  those  who  first  choose 
 Him.  They  quote  in  defence  1  Pet.  i.  2,  "  elect  according  to  the  fore- 
 knowledge of  God  the  Father  ;"  and  they  ask,  Is  this  not  choosing  ac- 
 cording to  foreknowledge  ?  Yes,  beyond  all  doubt  it  is,  But  of  what 
 is  it  the  foreknowledge  ?  Is  it  of  the  evil  or  the  good  P  Certainly  of 
 the  evil]  for  what  else  was  there  to  foreknow  P  God,  foreknowing  all 
 the  circumstances  of  the  case, — the  evil  of  the  whole  race  of  Adam, — 
 that  there  was  nothing  but  evil  about  any,  no  desire  even  to  turn  or 
 believe,  nothing  but  absolute  corruption,  enmity,  helplessness,  and 
 death, —  God  foreseeing  all  this,  chose  some  out  of  this  mass  of  wic- 
 kedness. And  thus  they  are  "  elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge 
 of  God." 
 
No.  32.— The  Chosen  One.  3 
 
 None  can  ever  claim  to  be  the  Father's  Chosen  One,  as  He 
 can  do.  Angels  may  stand  exalted  in  power  and  unfallen 
 excellence,  but  they  come  immeasurably  short  of  His  match- 
 less claims.  The  Church,  the  Bride,  shall  be  presented 
 "  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  ;"  she  shall  be 
 placed  beside  Him  on  His  throne ;  but  still  His  claims  re- 
 main undivided  and  un approached.  In  regard  to  these 
 there  can  be  no  rivalry,  no  equality,  no,  not  the  most  dis- 
 tant conceivable  approach  by  any  other.  Oh,  what  an  in- 
 finite and  ineffable  perfection  of  "  glory  and  of  beauty"  must 
 be  in  Him  to  render  Him  thus  above  all  other  beings,  the 
 supreme  object  of  Jehovah's  satisfaction, — the  Father's 
 Chosen  One ! x 
 
 Doubtless,  the  Church  is  the  eternally  chosen  of  the 
 Father, — given  by  Him  to  Christ  before  all  ages.  This  is 
 her  glory  and  her  joy.  This  is  her  dignity  above  all 
 other  creatures;  and  well  would  it  be  for  her  if  she 
 would  keep  in  mind  this  her  peculiar  pre-eminence,  and 
 Jive  like  Jehovah's  "called,  chosen,  faithful"  one.2  But 
 still  she  is  not  and  cannot  be  the  chosen  one  as  Jesus  is.  He 
 has  everything  about  him  to  render  him  altogether  worthy  of 
 this  honour  ;  she  has  nothing  but  what  makes  her  utterly 
 unworthy  of  it.  It  is  not  for  what  is  good  in  her,  either 
 known  or  foreknown,  that  she  is  chosen,  for  what  is  there 
 in  her  but  evil?  What  has  she  to  boast  of  as  her  heritage 
 but  sin  ?  What  has  she  to  tell  of  in  reference  to  herself 
 but  sin : — sin  all  over,  sin  within  and  without,  the  whole 
 head  sick,  the  whole  heart  faint ;  a  body  of  death,  corrup- 
 tion, pollution,  and  loathsome  deformity.  Her  birth  and 
 her  nativity  is  of  the  land  of  Canaan ;  her  father  was  an 
 Amorite,  her  mother  an  Hittite ;  in  the  day  that  she  was 
 born  she  was  cast  out  into  the  open  field,  to  the  loathing  of 
 her  person,  "polluted  in  her  blood."3  What  claim  had 
 she  ?  Yet  she  was  chosen  !  Notwithstanding  all  her  un- 
 vvorthiness,  she  was  chosen  !  O,  the  depths  of  the  riches, 
 both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God, — how  unsearch- 
 able are  His  judgments,  and  His  ways  past  finding  out ! 
 O,  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace  !    For  it  is  through 
 
 1    Song  v.  9—16;    Ps.  xlv.  2—7;    Is.  xxviii.   16;   xlix.  1  —  7; 
 Matt.  xii.  18  ;  1  Perer  ii.  4. 
 
 *  Jo.  xvii.  2,  6,  11,  24  ;  Rev.  xvii.  14.      3  Ezek.  xvi.  1—6. 
 
4  No.  32.— The  Chosen  One. 
 
 g>'ace  alone  that  she  is  chosen.  Had  it  not  been  for  this 
 there  could  have  been  no  hope  for  her.  It  was  according 
 to  the  eternal  purpose  of  grace  that  she  was  chosen.  It  is 
 grace  that  has  made  her  to  differ  from  the  world  in  which 
 she  still  abides.  It  is  through  grace  that  she  is  thus  "known 
 of  God,"1  and  "  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus."2  It  was  by 
 "  the  grace  of  God  that  Christ  tasted  death"  for  her.3  It 
 is  through  grace  that  she  believes.4  It  is  through  grace 
 that  she  is  saved,  and  has  "good  hope ;"5  for  it  is  the  God 
 of  grace  who  hath  called  her  to  His  kingdom  and  glory,6  and 
 it  is  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His  grace  that  she  is  pre- 
 destinated to  the  adoption  of  children,  according  to  the  good 
 pleasure  of  His  will.7 
 
 Yet,  though  it  is  of  grace,  it  is  as  sure  and  real  as  if  it 
 had  been  all  of  merit.  She  is  as  certainly  and  as  unchange- 
 ably the  object  of  the  Father's  choice  as  Jesus  is.  No  two 
 beings  could  be  chosen  for  more  opposite  reasons,  yet  still 
 the  certainty  of  the  choice  remains  the  same.  Blessed 
 thought !   we  are  as  sure  of  the  Father's  love  as  Jesus  is. 
 
 "  As  my  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you I 
 
 have  declared  unto  them  thy  name,  and  will  declare  it,  that 
 the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may  be  in  them,  and 
 I  in  them."8  In  His  case,  this  love,  this  choice,  cannot  be 
 altered,  neither  can  it  be  in  ours.  Both  are  sure  and  un- 
 changeable. Both  are  from  eternity  to  eternity.  "  It  doth 
 not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,  but  we  know  that  when 
 He  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  Him,  for  we  shall  see  Him 
 as  He  is." y 
 
 But  how  is  it  possible  that  the  Father's  choice  can  fix 
 upon  objects  so  entirely  different  from  each  other  ?  How 
 can  the  same  Being  choose  the  holy  and  the  unholy,  fixing 
 upon  both  in  the  same  eternal  purpose,  and  embracing  both 
 in  the  same  paternal  arms  ?  How  is  it  that  He  can  choose 
 one  object  which  possesses  all  excellence,  and  at  the  same 
 time  fix  upon  another  which  possesses  none  ?  To  this  we 
 can  give  but  a  poor  imperfect  answer.  We  know  not  aright 
 how  all  this  can  be  :  and  we  may  well  stand  amazed  to  think 
 that  so  it  really  is !     What  shall  we  say,  but  "  even  so, 
 
 •  Gal.  to.  9.  2  Phil.  iii.  12.  3  Heb.  ii.  9. 
 
 4  Acts  xviii.  27.        *  2Thes.ii.16.  6  1  Pet.  v.  10. 
 
 »  Eph.  i.  5,  0.  «  Jo.  xv.  9  ;  xvii.  20.     s  I  Jo.  iii.  2. 
 
No.  32. — The  Chosen  One.  5 
 
 Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight."  The  mind  of 
 God  is  beyond  all  measurement  or  comprehension  of  ours. 
 The  heart  of  God  is  a  depth  too  deep  for  us  to  fathom.  Its 
 streams  of  love  flow  down  freely  to  us,  and  we  drink  and 
 are  refreshed.  But  its  hidden  springs  of  affection  and  choice 
 are  altogether  inaccessible  to  us.  The  how  and  the  why  we 
 cannot  reason  out  or  comprehend.  We  shall  know  some- 
 thing of  those  secrets  of  love  hereafter,  but  here  we  only  see 
 through  a  glass  darkly.  Yet  the  fact  itself  is  plainly  re- 
 vealed. God  has  set  His  heart  at  once  upon  the  most 
 worthy  and  the  most  unworthy  beings  in  the  universe,  em- 
 bracing both  extremities  in  his  mysterious  choice.  Of  this 
 we  are  assured  ;  and  it  is  a  thought  as  blessed  as  it  is  true. 
 rt  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  He  loved 
 us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."1 
 
 But  how  is  God  righteous  in  so  doing  ?  Is  there  not 
 something  here  like  inconsistency  ?  Does  it  not  seem 
 as  if  He  were  indifferent  to  the  character  of  the  objects 
 chosen,  caring  little  whether  they  were  holy  or  unholy,  since 
 He  thus  fixes  upon  the  best  and  the  worst  at  the  same  time  ? 
 By  no  means.  His  choosing  Christ  shows  that  He  is  not 
 indifferent  to  the  objects  chosen.  In  choosing  him  He 
 shows  how  He  prizes  perfection,  and  how  He  delights  in  it. 
 Having  given  this  proof  of  his  infinite  love  of  goodness  and 
 holiness,  no  one  can  mistake  his  doings  in  reference  to 
 others.  Whatever  may  be  his  reason,  it  cannot  be  indiffer- 
 ence to  sin  or  a  want  of  regard  to  righteousness.  He  has 
 put  this  matter  beyond  a  doubt,  by  making  The  Righteous 
 One  the  object  of  his  supreme  and  everlasting  choice.  And 
 having  done  this,  who  shall  charge  him  with  inconsistency 
 in  choosing  whom  He  will  ?  Is  He  not  at  liberty  to  fix 
 upon  the  most  unholy  without  being  charged  with  indiffer- 
 ence to  sin  ? 
 
 Having  found  an  object  infinitely  worthy  of  his  choice, 
 and  set  his  heart  on  him,  may  He  not  make  his  choice  of 
 others  depend  upon  reasons  best  known  to  himself,  without 
 the  imputation  of  unrighteousness  ?  Were  He  indeed  to 
 choose  them,  and  allow  them  to  remain  unholy,  this  charge 
 would  be  well-founded.  But  though  He  finds  them  unholy, 
 He  does  not  leave  them  so.     He  chooses  them  that  they 
 
 1  1  Jo.  iv.  10. 
 
6  No.  32.— The  Chosen  One. 
 
 may  be  holy.1  In  their  sanctification  He  displays  his  love 
 of  holiness.  His  object  is  that  they  may  be  delivered  from 
 their  sinfulness,  and  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Chosen 
 One.  And  thus  it  is  seen  that  it  is  still  holiness  that  He  is 
 seeking,  and  on  which  He  has  set  his  heart.  In  all  things 
 He  manifests  that  his  is  a  holy  choice,  even  though  fixed 
 upon  the  unholy.  What  a  motive  for  us  to  seek  holiness !  It 
 is  to  this  that  we  are  called.  It  is  this  that  is  enjoined  upon 
 as,  "  be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy." 
 
 This  choice  is  said  to  be  in  Christ  Jesus.  Let  us  mark 
 this  expression,  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  saints  are  chosen  in 
 him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  Had  He  not  been 
 chosen,  they  would  never  have  been  so.  It  is  because  He 
 is  chosen  that  they  are  chosen  in  him  from  eternity.  It  is 
 the  Father's  choice  of  the  worthiest  that  enables  him  to 
 choose  the  unworthiest.  It  is  this  that  makes  it  a  righteous 
 thing  for  him  to  do  so.  In  him  they  are  chosen,  as  if  form- 
 ing part  of  himself,  so  that  they  are,  if  we  may  say  so,  lost 
 in  him, — so  identified  with  him  that  they  appear  as  one  with 
 him.  They  seem  never  to  be  known  of  the  Father,  nor  to 
 know  themselves,  save  in  connection  with  him.  If  they  go 
 back  to  eternity,  they  see  themselves  in  connection  with 
 him.  If  they  look  at  their  history  here,  they  see  their  con- 
 nection with  him, — dying,  buried,  rising,  ascending,  with 
 him.  If  they  gaze  forward  into  eternity,  then  also  they  see 
 themselves  still  in  connection  wtth  him.  One  with  him  in 
 the  Father's  purpose  ;  one  with  him  in  his  death  and  resur- 
 rection ;  one  with  him  in  his  kingdom  hereafter,  when  He 
 comes  again  in  his  glory  to  make  all  things  new. 
 
 This  is  our  security  and  joy.  Jesus  is  the  Father's 
 Chosen  One !  Let  us  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  this.  The 
 Father  has  found  an  object  worthy  of  his  choice.  This  is 
 the  foundation  on  which  we  build,  a  foundation  broad 
 enough  for  us  to  build  upon  here,  and  to  rest  upon  for  ever. 
 Let  us  sing  the  new  song,  "saying,  with  a  loud  voice, 
 worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and 
 riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory, 
 and  blessing."2  This  chosen  of  the  Father  is  our  chosen 
 too  !  Chosen  in  him  from  eternity,  we  have  been  brought 
 to  choose  him,  by  that  Holy  Spirit  who  quickeneth  the  dead 
 
 ■  Eph.  i.  4  ;  Col.  i.  22  ;  iii.  12 ;  2  Tim.  i.  9.      ■  Kev.  y.  12. 
 
No.  32.— The  Chosen  One.  7 
 
 and  changes  enmity  into  love.  Whom  have  we  in  heaven 
 but  him  ?  "  His  love  is  better  than  Avine."1  "  As  the  ap- 
 ple tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  our  beloved 
 among  the  sons."2  We  have  ravished  Ins  heart,  and  He 
 hath  ravished  ours.3  "  His  countenance  is  as  the  most  fine 
 gold,  his  locks  are  bushy  and  black  as  a  raven,  his  counte- 
 nance is  as  Lebanon,  excellent  as  the  cedars.  *  And  weary 
 with  his  long  absence  from  us,  and  unable  any  longer  to  brook 
 delay,  we  take  up  the  Church's  longing  supplication,  "make 
 haste  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe  or  to  a  young 
 hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices/'5 
 
 It  is  because  there  is  such  a  Chosen  One  that  there  is 
 hope  for  the  undeserving  and  ungodly.  Sinners  !  there  is 
 hope  for  you.  The  Father  hath  found  a  Chosen  One,  in 
 whom  his  soul  delighteth,  and  because  of  this  He  is  willing 
 to  take  you  in,  and  make  you  partakers  of  his  love.  Be- 
 cause this  Chosen  One  has  deserved  everything,  therefore  it 
 is  a  righteous  thing  in  God  to  give  eternal  life  to  you  who 
 have  deserved  nothing.  Because  this  Chosen  One  has  glo- 
 rified the  Father,  therefore  his  love  can  flow  freely  out  to 
 you,  even  though  the  chief  of  sinners.  Did  you  but  see 
 Christ  as  the  Father's  Chosen  One,  you  would  see  what 
 full  provision  this  makes  for  your  forgiveness  and  peace. 
 Had  there  been  no  Chosen  One  in  whom  the  Father's  soul 
 could  rest,  there  would  have  been  no  hope  of  rest  for  you. 
 Had  there  been  no  Chosen  One  there  could  have  been  no 
 accepted  sacrifice,  no  precious  blood,  no  magnified  law,  no 
 justifying  righteousness — no  hope  at  all  for  any  sinner.  But 
 now  there  is  hope,  certain  hope,  for  such  as  you,  even  though 
 the  guiltiest  on  this  side  of  hell,  because  there  is  such  a 
 Chosen  One  as  Jesus,  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father  full 
 of  grace  and  truth.  The  more  you  realize  of  the  infinite 
 excellence  of  Jesus,  the  more  you  will  understand  the  true 
 foundation  of  a  sinner's  peace.  The  more  you  see  in  Jesus 
 what  the  Father  sees  in  Him,  the  more  will  you  compre- 
 hend the  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  concerning  Him,  and 
 learn  to  rejoice  and  sing  "  unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us 
 a  Son  is  given."  Oh,  come  and  share  this  joy.  You  are 
 welcome.    Tarry  not  a  moment,  lest  the  open  door  be  closed 
 
 1  Son?  i.  2.       -  ii.  3.       3  iv.  9.       *  v.  11,  15.       *  viii.  14. 
 
lid 
 
 od 
 er, 
 his 
 
 8  No.  32.— The  Chosen  One. 
 
 for  ever.     Strange  that  the  Chosen  of  the  Father  should 
 not  be  your  chosen  too !    Strange  that  the  Chosen  of  God 
 should  be  the  rejected  of  men  !     Yet  so  it  is  !     Oh,  sinner, 
 is  it  always  so  to  be  ?     Are  you  to  stumble  upon  t 
 stumbling-stone  laid  in  Zion,  till  you  stumble  into  hell  ? 
 
 "  Behold  I  lay  in  Sion  a  chief  corner-stone,  elect,  pre- 
 cious ;  and  he  that  belie veth  on  Him  shall  not  be  confound- 
 ed. Unto  you,  therefore,  which  believe  He  is  precious,  but 
 unto  them  which  be  disobedient  the  stone  which  the  build- 
 ers disallowed,  the  same  is  made  the  head  of  the  corner,  and 
 a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  even  to  them 
 that  stumble  at  the  Word,  being  disobedient,  whereunto 
 also  they  were  appointed." 
 
 "Whosoever  shall  fall  on  this  stone  shall  be 
 broken,  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall  fall  it  will 
 grind  him  to  powder." 
 
 HYMN. 
 
 Saved  from  the  awful  guilt  of  sin 
 
 By  Him  who  bare  the  cross ; 
 We'll  now  a  cheerful  strain  begin 
 
 Where  God  began  with  us. 
 
 We  sing  the  vast  unmeasured  grace, 
 
 Of  height  and  depth  untold, 
 Which  did  the  saints  elect  embrace, 
 
 As  sheep  within  the  fold. 
 
 We  had  not  known  the  blood  for  sin, 
 
 Nor  sweets  of  pardoning  love, 
 Unless  our  worthless  names  had  been 
 
 Enrolled  for  life  above. 
 
 Well  may  we  sing,  since  bought  with  blood 
 
 Of  God  s  eternal  Son  : 
 Oh,  how  secure  God's  purpose  stood 
 
 Ere  time  its  race  begun. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso:  John  Rotherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 
 Edinburgh  :  J.  Johnstowe  ;  W.  P.Kennedy  ;  andC.ZiEGLEK. 
 
 London  :  J.  Nisihet  &  Co. ;  R.  Groombridge. 
 
 Carlisle  :  J.  F.  Whitridge. 
 
 Price  Ss.  per  100. 
 
 printed  at  the  border  watch  office,  kelso. 
 
No.  33. 
 
 THE   LAST   TIME. 
 
 "  Little  children,  it  is  the  last  time  ;  and  as  ye  have  heard  that  Atiti- 
 chrisl  shall  come,  even  now  are  there  many  Antichrists,  whereby  we 
 know  that  it  is  the  last  time." — 1  Jo.  ii.  18. 
 
 "  The  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh." — James  v.  8. 
 
 The  Apostle  John,  in  the  first  of  these  passages,  tells  us, 
 that  the  last  time  was  begun  in  his  days.  It  was  going  on 
 when  he  wrote.  The  Apostle  Peter  tells  us,  that  the  last 
 days  were  to  end  in  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  as  we  read 
 throughout  the  whole  of  the  third  chapter  of  his  Second 
 Epistle.  We  thus  discover  the  beginning  and  end  of  the 
 period  so  often  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  the  last  days.  Its 
 beginning  was  in  the  Lord's  first  coming  and  its  end  was  in 
 His  second  coming.  The  whole  period  between  His  first 
 and  second  comings  is  called  by  this  name. 
 
 Now,  what  was  to  be  the  character  of  these  days  ?  Was 
 it  to  be  good  or  evil  ?  Evil,  undoubtedly,  to  the  very  last. 
 John  tells  us,  that  the  special  mark  of  these  times  was  to 
 be  the  prevalence  of  Antichrists.  The  last  days  were  to  be 
 the  times  wherein  Antichrist  should  have  sway.  They 
 were  not  to  be  Christian  but  Antichristian  in  their  charac- 
 ter. There  were  to  be  "  many  Antichrists,"  but,  as  they 
 drew  near  their  close,  there  was  to  be  One  Great  Power 
 — one  great  adversary  of  God  and  His  Christ  exercising 
 dominion.  He  is  called  Antichrist !  The  Antichristian 
 tendencies  began  to  show  themselves  even  in  the  Apostles' 
 days.  They  have  gone  on  since  then,  showing  themselves 
 in  many  different  forms.  But  as  the  days  draw  near  their 
 close,  there  is  to  be  one  great  Antichrist,  more  hateful, 
 more  blasphemous,  more  atheistical,  and  more  powerful  and 
 extensive  in  his  sway  than  any  heretofore.  He  is  to  rise 
 up  in  awful  strength  and  cruelty,  in  daring  defiance  of  God 
 and  hatred  of  His  people,  till  he  be  utterly  destroyed  by 
 the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 That  the  whole  period  between  the  First  and  Second 
 Comings  of  Christ  is  evil  and  not  good,  may  be  shown  from 
 many  passages,  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament.     We 
 
 J.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
o  No.  33.— The  Last  Time. 
 
 select  a  few.  Our  Lord,  when  answering  the  questions  of 
 his  disciples  about  his  coming,  and  the  signs  of  it,1  makes 
 no  mention  of  any  thing  but  wars  and  wickedness,  tribula- 
 tion and  sorrows,  onward  without  interval  or  cessation, 
 until  his  coming.  So  far  were  these  from  ceasing,  as  the 
 time  of  his  coming  drew  on,  they  were  to  increase  and  grow 
 worse  as  time  went  on.  Iniquity  was  to  abound,  and  the 
 love  of  many  wax  cold.  The  time  before  his  coming  was 
 to  be  like  that  before  the  deluge  ;  like  Noah's  days,  when 
 wickedness  overflowed,  or  like  the  days  of  Lot,  when  Sodom 
 and  Gomorrah  were  consumed. 
 
 Paul,  when  speaking  of  the  last  days,  tells  us  that  they 
 were  to  be  wholly  evil.2  "  This  know,  that  in  the  last  days 
 perilous  times  shall  come."  And  he  adds,  that  so  far  from 
 their  growing  better,  they  are  to  increase  unto  more  un- 
 godliness ;  "  evil  men  and  seducers  shall  wax  worse  and 
 worse,  deceiving  and  being  deceived."  He  tells  us,  more- 
 over, in  the  second  chapter  of  Second  Thessalonians,  that 
 the  "  man  of  sin"  had  begun  to  work  even  in  his  own  days, 
 that  it  would  go  on  increasing  more  and  more,  until  the  ap- 
 pearing of  the  Lord,  and  that  then,  but  not  till  then,  would 
 it  be  overthrown  ; — "  whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  by  the 
 spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  destroy  by  the  brightness  of  his 
 coming."  It  is  plain,  then,  that  the  whole  period  called  the 
 last  days,  the  period  between  the  First  and  Second  Comings 
 of  the  Lord,  was  to  be  one  of  Antichristian  wickedness  and 
 tyranny. 
 
 Daniel  also  gives  us  a  description  of  this  period.  First, 
 under  the  symbol  of  a  great  image,  he  sets  before  us  the 
 history  of  the  empires  which  were  to  exist,  until  the  stone 
 cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands  falls  on  the  toes  of 
 the  image, — that  is,  upon  the  Roman  empire  in  its  divided 
 state,  which  stone  must  refer  to  the  Second,  and  not  to  the 
 First  Coming  of  Christ,  as  that  empire  was  not  divided  in 
 that  manner  till  long  after  the  First  Coming  of  Christ. 
 Under  the  symbol  of  the  four  beasts,  he  gives  us  another 
 picture  of  the  times  of  Gentile  oppression  and  wickedness. 
 These  times  began  in  the  prophet's  days,  and  they  are  to 
 continue  till  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ.  This  is  plain 
 from  the  prophet's  description.  First,  the  Babylonish  em- 
 pire rises  up  into  power,  and  then  passes  away.  Then  the 
 Persian  empire  succeeds,  and  passes  away.     Then  the  Ma- 
 
 1  See  Matt,  xxiv ;  Mark  xiii ;  Lu.  xxi.     2  2  Tim.  iii.  1—5. 
 
No.  33.— The  Last  Time.  3 
 
 ccdonian  empire  succeeds,  and  passes  away.  Then  the 
 Roman  empire  follows,  and  is  still  in  existence,  and  shall 
 continue  so,  says  the  prophet,  until  the  fifth  or  last  king- 
 dom comes, — the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  his  saints.  "  I  saw 
 in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  one  like  the  Son  of  Man 
 came  with  the  clouds  of  Heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient 
 of  Days  ;  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him  :  and  there 
 was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that 
 all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  him."  Thus 
 we  learn  that  the  whole  period  called  the  times  of  the  Gen- 
 tiles, is  to  be  one  of  oppression  and  ungodliness,  and  wear- 
 ing out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  that  this  period 
 does  not  end  till  the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord. 
 
 During  all  this  period  of  the  last  days,  the  Church  of 
 Christ  is  to  be  a  "  little  flock," — a  small  and  despised 
 remnant ;  like  Noah  in  the  days  before  the  flood,  like  Lot 
 in  Sodom,  like  Abraham  among  the  Canaanites,  like  Israel 
 in  Egypt,  like  the  captives  in  Babylon,  like  the  early  Chris- 
 tians at  Rome  and  Corinth.  Her  present  state  is  to  be  one 
 of  oppression  and  persecution  by  the  world.  She  is  an  in- 
 jured and  afflicted  widow,  having  none  to  vindicate  her 
 cause  on  earth  against  the  cruelty  of  her  adversaries.  Her 
 clothing  is  sackcloth,  and  her  only  crown  the  crown  of 
 thorns.  Hence  all  the  promises  of  Scripture,  especially  of 
 the  New  Testament,  take  for  granted  this  afflicted  state. 
 They  suppose  that  she  is  to  continue  in  that  state  until  her 
 Lord  and  Master  come.  In  the  Bridegroom's  absence  the 
 Spouse  mourns  and  weeps.  Consolation  is  administered, 
 and  promise  upon  promise  is  given  to  sustain  her  during  the 
 absence  of  her  Lord.  But  all  these  consolations  point  for- 
 ward to  a  time  when  the  Bridegroom  shall  come,  and  the 
 Church  shall  no  longer  sit  desolate  and  sad.  Till  He  come, 
 however,  she  has  no  promise  of  deliverance  from  her  widow- 
 hood and  sorrow.  Till  He  come,  her  tribulation  does  not 
 end  nor  her  triumph  begin.  These  "  exceeding  great  and 
 precious  promises"  are  to  uphold  her  in  the  day  of  her  sor- 
 row, and  to  be  as  a  light  shining  in  a  dark  place,  until  the 
 day  dawn  and  the  day-star  arise.  Hence  it  is  to  his  coming 
 that  she  is  looking  as  her  blessed  hope.  It  is  for  his  arrival 
 that  she  is  waiting  with  such  longing  expectation,  wearying 
 for  the  times  of  the  restitution  of  all  things,  and  saying, — 
 "  Make  haste,  my  beloved,  and  be  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart 
 upon  the  mountains  of  spices."1 
 
 1  Song  viii.  14. 
 
4  No.  33.— The  Last  Time. 
 
 Meanwhile,  she  has  the  Holy  Spirit  dwelling  in  her,  as 
 "  the  earnest  of  the  inheritance  until  the  redemption  of  the 
 purchased  possession."  She  walks  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight, 
 and  her  faith  is  to  her  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for, 
 and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  Saved  by  grace,  and 
 assured  of  her  salvation  in  believing,  she  has  peace  with 
 God,  and  learns  to  glory  in  tribulation.  Resting  on  the 
 free  love  of  God  to  her,  in  Christ  Jesus  her  Lord,  she  is 
 "  always  confident,"  knowing  that  when  He  who  is  her  life 
 shall  appear,  she  shall  appear  with  Him  in  glory.  Having 
 received  a  kingdom  that  cannot  be  moved  as  her  promised 
 portion,  she  holds  fast  that  grace  of  God  which  she  believed 
 at  first,  and  serves  God  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,  look- 
 ing for  and  hasting  to  the  day  of  God,  when  that  kingdom 
 shall  be  her's  in  possession,  as  it  is  now  her's  in  promise. 
 
 It  is  this  hope  that  separates  her  from  the  world.  It  is  a 
 hope  of  which  it  knows  nothing.  It  is  so  sure,  so  free,  and 
 so  glorious,  that  it  cannot  even  conceive  of  it  aright.  Hence 
 there  can  be  no  community  of  feeling  between  the  world 
 and  her.  She  is  a  stranger  and  a  pilgrim  here,  and  has  no- 
 thing in  common  with  the  world  at  all.  Many  things  mark 
 her  out  as  peculiar,  but  her  hope  especially  does  this, — this 
 hope  she  holds  fast,  knowing  that  it  shall  not  be  put  to 
 shame.  And  as  the  last  days  draw  nearer  to  their  close, 
 and  her  hope  brightens  and  approaches,  she  seeks  to  walk 
 more  and  more  worthy  of  her  calling.  She  comes  out  from 
 the  world  more  entirely,  and  fixes  her  eye  and  soul  more  in- 
 tently upon  the  glory  which  is  so  soon  to  be  revealed.  The 
 thickening  darkness  of  the  last  days  is  to  her  the  sign  of 
 coming  dawn, — the  forerunner  of  the  long-expected  king- 
 dom. As  the  clouds  grow  denser  and  more  threatening  she 
 lifts  up  her  head,  knowing  that  her  redemption  draweth  nigh. 
 
 Kelso,  April,  1845. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso  :  John  Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 Edinburgh  :  J.  Johnstone  ;  W.  P.  Kennedy  ;  and  C.  Ziegl: 
 London:  J.Nisbet&Co.  Carlisle:  J.  F.AVhitridge. 
 Price  Is.  Gd.  per  100. 
 
 printed  at  the  border  watch  OFFICE,  KELSO. 
 
[No.  35. 
 
 THE  POWER  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 
 
 i"  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ;  for  it  is  the  power  of 
 God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth." — Rom.  I.  16. 
 
 We  have  had  frequent  occasion  to  state  the  Gospel  itself. 
 We  have  showed  that  it  is  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  con- 
 cerning Jesus  Christ,  "  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  who, 
 though  He  was  rich,  for  our  sakes  became  poor,  that  we  by 
 His  poverty  might  be  rich/'  We  have  showed  that  he  who 
 believeth  is  justified  from  all  from  winch  law  could  never 
 justify  him, — that  "  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth 
 on  Him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
 righteousness."  We  have  showed  that  this  forgiveness  is  a 
 sure  thing, — sure  to  him  that  believeth,  so  that  there  is  no 
 need  for  doubt  or  uncertainty, — sure  to  him  that  believeth, 
 not  because  better  than  others,  but  simply  because  he  be- 
 lieveth. Our  object  at  present  is  to  bring  before  our  readers 
 some  instances  of  the  power  of  the  Gospel, — to  show  its 
 blessed  results,  so  that  men  may  see  that  it  is  a  real  thing, 
 and  that  its  blessings  are  present  realities. 
 
 We  have  had  frequent  occasion  to  observe  cases  in  which 
 the  effects  of  a  believed  Gospel  were  slowly  and  gradually 
 brought  out, — perhaps  one  after  the  other  successively  in 
 the  course  of  years, — so  that  we  could  only  gather  its  re- 
 sults from  the  summary  of  a  whole  lifetime,  and  this,  per- 
 haps, after  all  only  imperfectly  in  fragments,  so  that  the  true 
 nature  and  effects  of  the  Gospel  were  not  fully  seen.  In 
 such  cases,  it  might  be  supposed  naturally  enough  that  it 
 was  not  simply  the  believed  Gospel  that  wrought  the  happy 
 consequences,  but  the  gradual  inward  process  going  on  in 
 the  soul,  which,  in  the  course  of  years,  produced  joy  and 
 peace.  By  this  means,  the  real  nature  of  the  Gospel  is 
 often  misunderstood,  and  a  series  of  self-righteous  doings 
 and  feelings  substituted  in  its  place.  Thus,  people  are  kept 
 in  darkness  and  bondage  from  supposing  it  necessary  that 
 
 J.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  35. —The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 it  should  be  so,  and  that  a  long  period  must  elapse  ere  the 
 Gospel  can  take  effect,  and  till  they  can  hope  to  experience 
 its  joys  or  taste  the  blessedness  of  knowing  assuredly  that 
 they  are  forgiven. 
 
 It  might  be  enough  to  point  to  all  the  believers  men- 
 tioned in  the  New  Testament.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
 contain  the  records  of  thousands  of  cases  in  which  the  Gos- 
 pel took  immediate  effect,  and  not  one  in  which  its  blessings 
 were  indefinitely  postponed,  and  they  who  believed  it  left  in 
 darkness  and  disquietude.  What  better  instances  can  we 
 have  than  those,  of  the  immediate  and  most  blessed  results 
 of  a  believed  Gospel.  No  man  can  gainsay  these.  They  are 
 so  plain  and  so  explicit.  And  then  they  are  instances  re- 
 corded by  an  unerring  pen.  From  all  these  we  learn  beyond 
 a  doubt  that  the  Gospel,  as  soon  as  received,  brings  along 
 with  it  into  the  soul  joy  and  peace, — light  and  gladness, — 
 the  very  sunshine  of  Heaven.  Now,  if  the  Gospel  wrought 
 such  blessed  effects  in  those  days,  then  why  not  now  ? 
 What  should  hinder  the  same  joy  and  peace  from  taking 
 immediate  possession  of  the  soul  that  belie veth  ?  It  is  the 
 same  Gospel  still.  It  contains  the  same  free  message  of 
 peace.  It  presents  the  same  glad  welcome  to  the  sinner. 
 There  is  the  same  Saviour  still ;  the  same  precious  blood — 
 the  same  justifying  death — the  same  peace-speaking  cross — 
 the  same  perfect  righteousness.  There  is  the  same  Holy 
 Spirit  working  as  of  old,  with  an  arm  that  has  not  been 
 shortened,  and  with  a  power  as  able  to  quicken  and  save  as 
 of  old.  Surely,  then,  there  must  be  something  widely 
 wrong  if  they  who  profess  to  receive  the  glad  tidings  are 
 still  left  in  sorrow, — nay,  think  it  right  to  remain  in  that 
 state,  or  even  count  it  presumption  to  rejoice. 
 
 We  know  not  a  better  way  of  settling  this  point  than  by 
 adducing  some  modern  instances,  from  which  it  is  plain  that 
 to  some  at  least  among  us  the  Gospel  has  lost  none  of  its 
 former  power  and  gladness  ;  and  that  some  in  our  own  day 
 have  found  it  as  glad  and  glorious  a  Gospel  as  did  those 
 who  heard  it  warm  from  the  lips  of  the  Apostles.  This  will 
 show  that  the  blessed  effects  immediately  following  upon  its 
 belief  are  still  manifested  among  us,  and  that  to  them  who 
 receive  the  Word  of  God  concerning  his  Son  simply  and  as 
 little  children,  it  is  still,  as  of  old,  a  record  of  gladness, — 
 dispelling  all  darkness,  and  filling  the  soul  with  light. 
 Take,  first  of  all,  the  following  instance.    It  is  from  a  small 
 
No.  35. — The  Power  of  the  Gospel.  3 
 
 work,  called  St  Helena  Memoirs.  It  is  an  instance  very 
 much  to  our  present  purpose,  and  a  most  interesting  case 
 indeed.  The  narrator  was  conversing  with  an  officer  who 
 was  a  Deist.  In  the  room,  and  hard  by,  there  was  a  young 
 man,  listening  to  all  that  was  said.  The  conversation  passed 
 on  from  a  discussion  on  Deism  to  a  simple  statement  of 
 Gospel  truths.  But  the  narrator  himself  must  tell  us  what 
 these  were : — "  I  began,  as  I  usually  did,  at  the  universal 
 depravity  of  man,  his  need  of  regeneration  and  a  Saviour, 
 the  nature  of  conversion,  instancing  the  jailor,  Lydia,  the 
 thief,  &c,  and  proving  that  when  convinced  of  sin  nothing 
 prevented  our  instantaneous  pardon  and  acceptance  to  eter- 
 nal life  in  Christ  Jesus  but  our  own  wilful  unbelief.  I 
 showed  the  madness  of  looking  to  any  works,  either  of  re- 
 pentance or  any  thing  else,  as  a  condition  to  perform  before 
 we  can  venture  to  believe  or  hope  to  be  pardoned ;  and 
 then  dwelt  upon  the  Scripture  way  of  justifying  the  ungodly 
 through  faith  alone,  and  instantaneously  on  believing.  Then 
 I  dwelt  on  the  richness,  freeness,  and  sovereignty  of  grace." 
 Such  were  the  truths  stated,  and  in  conversation  merely — 
 conversation  not  directly  pointed  at  the  individual  affected. 
 They  were  just  the  common  Gospel  truths — nothing  more : 
 — man's  lost  estate, — the  free  salvation  through  the  cross. 
 
 Now,  mark  the  results,  and  see  what  a  simply-spoken 
 Gospel  can  do.  In  a  short  time  he  began  to  observe  that 
 though  the  Deist  was  unmoved,  the  young  man  was  in  tears. 
 He  sat  weeping,  as  if  utterly  absorbed  in  what  he  was  hear- 
 ing, and  unconscious  that  others  saw  him.  He  seemed 
 most  affected  by  what  was  said  about  the  salvation  being 
 immediate,  and  that  nothing  prevented  him  being  pardoned 
 that  moment  but  his  own  unbelief.  Soon  after  the  conver- 
 sation ended.  The  narrator  and  the  young  man  were  left 
 alone  for  the  night.  As  soon  as  they  were  left  there  alone, 
 he  took  the  young  man  by  the  hand,  and  again  spoke  to 
 him  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart.  He  was  utterly  over- 
 powered. He  seemed  overwhelmed  with  the  deep  convic- 
 tion, and  drowned  in  tears,  till  it  seemed  as  if  he  were  be- 
 coming ill.  The  free  grace  of  God  was  then  dwelt  upon, 
 and  the  Gospel  again  set  before  him.  Suddenly  his  tears 
 ceased  to  flow.  All  sorrow  fled,  and  joy  unspeakable  took 
 possession  of  his  soul.  But  we  must  here  give  the  yery 
 words  of  the  narrator : — "  We  had  committed  ourselves  in 
 prayer  to  God^  and  lain  down  to  rest ;  and  now  I  remem- 
 
4  No.  35 — The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 ber  a  scene  occurred  which  I  shall  never  forget.  It  was 
 this.  '  His  agony  of  sorrow  had  ceased,  and  now  an  agony 
 of  joy  so  possessed  his  soul  that  several  times  I  thought  he 
 would  have  expired.  I  tried  to  allay  it,  but  in  vain.  He 
 would  go  on  crying  out  in  the  most  soul-piercing  expres- 
 sions, addressed  to  Jesus  Christ.  He  wished  to  die, — then, 
 - — that  moment, — and  be  with  Christ,  crying  out,  *  O  blessed 
 Jesus,  thou  hast  saved  me — me,  a  great  sinner,  a  child  of 
 wrath ; — thou  hast  saved  me  this  night, — thou  hast  given 
 me  eternal  life  and  glory ; — I  shall  never  perish ; — oh, 
 never,  never  ; — thou  hast  made  me  thy  child  for  ever  and 
 ever  ; — Jesus  is  my  Saviour,  God  is  my  God. — O  blessed, 
 blessed  boundless  love ; — boundless  grace  and  mercy.  O 
 love,  love,  what  boundless  love  to  me ; — an  heir  of  Heaven, 
 — justified, — glorified!  Oh,  it  is  too  much  to  bear.  O 
 blessed  Jesus,  help  me,  help  me  to  bear  this  agony,  or  I 
 shall  die.  Oh,  support  me,  or  take  my  spirit  to  thyself, 
 that  I  may  bear  it.  Oh,  take  me  now, — take  me  this  night, 
 that  I  may  be  delivered  from  this  great  agony  of  joy,  aud 
 be  with  thee  for  ever  and  ever!'  In  this  strain  he  con- 
 tinued for  nearly  an  hour.  I  saw  I  could  do  nothing. 
 Finding  him  much  exhausted,  I  got  up  and  tried  to  stop 
 him  from  speaking  any  more,  but  he  burst  out  again,  and 
 then  I  thought  that  his  soul  had  fled,  and  that  that  Saviour 
 to  whom  he  cried  in  his  transport  had  taken  his  Spirit  to 
 himself.  After  this,  he  became  more  composed,  and  sank 
 to  sleep.  I  watched  over  him.  He  seemed  an  angel  slum- 
 bering in  bliss.  In  the  morning  he  was  quite  composed, 
 and  in  a  heavenly  frame  of  soul ;  and  really  his  countenance 
 and  manner  seemed  as  if  his  spirit  had  been  absent  from  the 
 body  and  present  with  the  Lord  in  paradise,  where  he  had 
 heard  unutterable  things,  and  had  just  returned  again  to 
 this  lower  world  of  sin  and  sorrow.  The  great  tide  of  rap- 
 ture had  now  subsided,  and  peace,  joy,  and  love  seemed  to 
 breathe  forth  from  him  on  all  around." 
 
 Such  are  the  immediate  effects  of  a  believed  Gospel !  And 
 what  it  did  for  one  it  would  do  for  all.  It  is  as  full  of  joy  to 
 each  of  us.  But  we  put  the  full  cup  of  gladness  from  our 
 lips,  and  think  it  humility  to  taste  it  drop  by  drop  !  It  is 
 unbelief  that  mars  our  joy,  and  so  misrepresents  the  glad 
 tidings  as  to  strip  them  of  all  their  joy.  They  would  glad- 
 den were  they  but  believed.  But  who  hath  believed  our 
 report  ? 
 
No.  35. — The  Power  of  the  Gospel.  5 
 
 But  take  another  instance  of  the  power  of  the  believed 
 Gospel.  It  is  from  the  same  volume.  The  individual  re- 
 ferred to  had  been  visited  with  sickness,  and,  until  that, 
 had  not  only  not  known  the  Gospel,  but  nothing  of  the 
 Bible  at  all.  God  blessed  the  words  of  a  dear  friend  to  him 
 on  his  sick-bed,  and  the  change  was  most  wonderful.  His 
 weakness  prevented  his  being  taught  by  man.  But  he  was 
 taught  from  above,  and  grew  rapidly  in  grace,  manifesting 
 the  most  childlike  simplicity  and  faith  in  God.  It  is  said 
 of  him,  "  His  faith  appeared  to  have  no  mixture  of  imper- 
 fection in  it,  for  he  simply  and  sincerely  took  for  granted 
 all  that  God  had  said  in  his  Word,  and  was  astonished  to 
 hear  any  of  us  express  our  want  of  assurance  of  faith  or 
 conscious  sense  of  our  interest  in  Christ.  This  to  him  was 
 a  mystery  which  we  could  never  explain,  and  which,  happily 
 for  himself,  he  died  in  entire  ignorance  of." 
 
 Take  another  case, — that  of  Colonel  Gardiner.  He  had 
 been  arrested  in  his  ungodliness  by  the  voice  of  God,  and 
 thrown  into  deep  anguish.     His  deliverance  came  thus  : — 
 
 "Within  about  two  months  after  his  first  memorable 
 change  he  began  to  perceive  some  secret  dawnings  of  more 
 cheerful  hope — that,  vile  as  he  then  saw  himself  to  be,  he 
 might  nevertheless  obtain  mercy  through  a  Redeemer  ; 
 and  at  length,  about  the  end  of  October,  1719,  he  found 
 all  the  burden  of  his  mind  taken  off  at  once  by  the  power- 
 ful impression  of  that  memorable  scripture  upon  his  mind  ; 
 (Rom.  iii.  25,  26.)  *  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  for  a  pro- 
 pitiation through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteous- 
 ness for  the  remission  of  sins — that  he  might  be  just,  and 
 the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus/ 
 
 "  He  had  used  to  imagine,  that  the  justice  of  God  required 
 the  damnation  of  so  enormous  a  sinner  as  he  saw  himself 
 to  be  ;  but  now  he  was  made  deeply  sensible,  that  the  di- 
 vine justice  might  be  not  only  vindicated  but  glorified,  in 
 saving  him  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  even  that  blood  which 
 cleanseth  from  all  sin.  He  was  led  to  see  the  riches  of  re- 
 deeming love  and  grace,  in  such  a  manner  as  not  only  en- 
 gaged him,  with  the  utmost  pleasure  and  confidence,  to 
 venture  his  soul  upon  them  ;  but  even  swallowed  up  (as  it 
 were)  his  whole  heart  in  the  returns  of  love,  which,  from 
 that  blessed  time,  became  the  genuine  and  delightful  prin- 
 ciple of  obedience,  and  animated  him,  with  an  enlarged 
 heart,  to  run  the  wavs  of  God's  commandments.     Thus 
 
6  No.  35.— The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 God  was  pleased  (as  he  himself  used  to  speak)  in  an  hour 
 to  turn  his  captivity.  All  the  terrors  of  his  former  state 
 were  turned  into  unutterable  joy.  And  though  the  first 
 ecstasies  of  it  afterwards  subsided  into  a  more  calm  and 
 composed  delight,  yet  were  the  impressions  so  deep  and 
 so  permanent,  that  he  declared,  on  the  word  of  a  Christian 
 and  a  friend,  wonderful  as  it  might  seem,  that,  for  about 
 seven  years  after  this,  he  enjoyed  nearly  a  heaven  upon 
 earth.  His  soul  was  almost  continually  filled  with  a  sense 
 of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ ;  so  that  from  the  time  of  his 
 waking  in  the  morning,  his  heart  was  rising  to  God,  and 
 triumphing  in  him." 
 
 Or  take  another  less  known.  A  naval  officer  was  dis- 
 puting with  a  pious  lady  about  the  necessity  of  the  Spirit's 
 teaching.  He  denied  such  a  thing.  She  simply  replied, 
 "  It  is  so."  "  And  while,"  says  he,  "  the  feeling  was  still 
 contemptuously  curling  my  lip,  in  an  instant  it  gave  way 
 to  a  joy  of  heart,  which  I  cannot  describe  in  any  other  way 
 than  by  what  would  have  been  the  state  of  my  mind,  if  she 
 could  have  persuaded  me  that  I  had  received  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  and  also  that  her  assertions  alluded  to,  were  really 
 true.  It  was  a  clear  and  sensible  perception  of  the  love  of 
 God  in  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  without,  however,  being 
 able  at  the  time  of  giving  any  definite  reason  for  the  con- 
 viction. But  that  was  not  called  for  at  the  time,  as  eye 
 saw  not  the  effect,  neither  did  ear  hear  it. 
 
 "  We  went  in  the  afternoon  to  a  chapel,  where  it  pleased 
 the  Lord  that  the  clergyman  should  read  and  expound  the 
 fifty- third  chapter  of  Isaiah.  Every  sentence  that  he  ut- 
 tered was  as  a  river  of  living  water  poured  into  my  soul. 
 It  was  then,  for  the  first  time  in  my  fife,  that  I  saw  with  the 
 spiritual  eye  that  blessed  being  who  '  was  wounded  for  our 
 transgressions  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities/  It  was  in 
 that  hour  that  I  saw  a  reconciled  God  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ.  O,  it  was  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory! 
 From  that  day  a  treasure  in  the  book  of  the  living  God  has 
 been  unfolded  to  me,  and  on  that  day  the  seal  was  broken." 
 
 Or  take  again  a  remarkable  instance  recorded  in  the  life 
 of  Lady  Huntingdon, — that  of  Dr  Conyers,  minister  at 
 Helmsley,  in  the  last  century.  He  was  almost  a  Socinian 
 when  he  began  his  ministry.  His  conversion  was  very  re- 
 markable— 
 
 While  reading  the  lesson  for  the  day  in  the  public  ser- 
 
No.  36.— The  Power  of  the  Gospel  7 
 
 vice  at  the  church,  the  expression  of  St  Paul  (Eph.  iii.  8) 
 — '  The  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,'  made  a  deep  impres- 
 sion upon  his  mind.  On  this  scripture  he  was  involunta- 
 rily led  to  reflect — l  The  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ !' — 
 1 1  never  found,  I  never  knew  that  there  were  unsearchable 
 riches  in  Him  t  Accustomed  to  consider  the  Gospel  as 
 extremely  simple  and  intelligible,  he  was  surprised  that  the 
 Apostle  should  assert  that  the  riches  of  Christ  were  un- 
 searchable. Immediately  he  concluded  that  his  sentiments 
 and  experience  must  be  entirely  dissimilar  to  that  of  the 
 Apostle.  Deep  convictions  accompanied  these  reflections, 
 and  his  trouble  was  not  a  little  increased  by  considering 
 that  if  he  himself  was  wrong  in  the  fundamental  articles  of 
 religion,  he  must  also,  by  his  mode  of  preaching,  have  mis- 
 guided his  flock,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  their  souls. 
 
 At  length  the  sorrowful  sighing  of  the  prisoner  is  attend- 
 ed with  success,  and  on  the  25th  of  December,  1758,  while 
 walking  in  his  room,  in  a  pensive  frame,  he  was  led  to  con- 
 template those  two  passages  of  Scripture,  Heb.  ix.  22 — 
 '  Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission/  and 
 John  i.  7 — '  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son  cleanseth  us 
 from  all  sin/  The  mists  of  ignorance  were  instantaneously 
 dissipated,  and  finding  that  he  could  centre  his  hopes  in 
 the  atoning  blood  and  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ,  he 
 became  the  immediate  partaker  of  real  and  ineffable  joy. 
 
 u  I  went  up  stairs  and  down  again  (said  he,)  backwards 
 and  forwards  in  my  room,  clapping  my  hands  for  joy,  and 
 crying  out,  /  have  found  him — /  have  found  him — /  have 
 found  him,  whom  my  soul  loveth,  and  for  a  little  time,  as 
 the  Apostle  said,  whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  it,  I  could 
 hardly  tell." 
 
 Or  take  another  striking  narrative  from  the  same  work, 
 — the  account  of  Lady  Huntingdon's  own  conversion. 
 She  was  conversing  one  day  with  a  relative,  Lady  Marga- 
 ret Hastings,  who  had  been  lately  brought  to  Christ.  This 
 lady  told  Lady  H.  that  "  since  she  had  known  and  believed 
 in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  she  had  been  as  happy  as  an  an- 
 gel." This  went  like  an  arrow  to  her  soul.  Deep  convic- 
 tion of  sin  followed.  A  dangerous  illness  deepened  the 
 conviction,  and  her  misery  was  great.  At  length  she  was 
 brought  to  rest  on  Christ,  and  found  peace  in  believing — 
 
 Now  the  day  began  to  dawn.  Jesus  the  Sun  of 
 Righteousness  arose,  and  burst  in  meridian  splendour  on 
 
8  No.  35.— The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 her  benighted  soul.  The  scales  fell  from  her  eyes,  and 
 opened  a  passage  for  the  light  of  life  which  sprang  in,  and 
 death  and  darkness  fled  before  it.  Viewing  herself  as  a 
 brand  plucked  from  the  burning,  she  could  not  but  stand 
 astonished  at  the  mighty  power  of  that  grace  which  saved 
 her  from  eternal  destruction,  just  when  she  stood  upon  its 
 very  brink,  and  raised  her  from  the  gates  of  hell  to  the  con- 
 fines of  heaven ;  and  the  depths  from  which  she  was  raised, 
 made  the  heights  which  she  had  reached  only  the  more 
 amazing  ;  she  felt  the  rock  beneath  her,  and  from  that  se- 
 cure position  looked  with  astonishment,  downward,  to  that 
 horrible  pit  from  which  she  was  so  mercifully  delivered — 
 and  upwards,  in  ecstasy,  to  that  glory  to  which  she  should 
 be  raised.  The  '  sorrow  of  the  world,  which  worketh 
 death/  was  now  exchanged  for  that  godly  sorrow  which 
 worketh  repentance  unto  life ;  and  '  joy  unspeakable,  and 
 full  of  glory,'  succeeded  that  bitterness  that  comes  of  the 
 conviction  of  sin  ;  she  enjoyed,  already,  a  delightful  fore- 
 taste of  heaven. 
 
 Or  take  the  following  brief  account  of  the  conversion  of 
 Mr  Mills,  one  of  the  great  promoters  of  Missions  to  Ame- 
 rica— 
 
 The  spiritual  career  of  this  devoted  servant  of  Christ 
 and  the  church  commenced  in  the  following  manner :  When 
 about  fifteen  years  of  age,  his  attention  was  specially  di- 
 rected to  the  great  concerns  of  the  soul.  For  two  full  years 
 he  continued  in  a  state  of  anxiety,  quarrelling  with  the  sove- 
 reignty of  God,  and  often  wishing  that  he  had  never  been 
 born.  One  morning,  as  he  was  about  to  leave  home,  to  re- 
 turn to  school  in  a  neighbouring  town,  his  pious  mother 
 took  an  opportunity  of  inquiring  into  the  state  of  his  mind, 
 and  begged  him  to  make  an  ingenuous  disclosure  of  his 
 feelings. 
 
 For  a  moment  he  was  silent,  and  wept ;  but  his  heart 
 was  too  full  long  to  suppress  the  emotions  produced  by  so 
 affecting  a  request.  He  raised  his  head,  and,  with  eyes 
 streaming  with  tears,  exclaimed,  '  O  that  I  had  never  been 
 born  !  O  that  I  had  never  been  born  !  For  two  years  I 
 have  been  sorry  God  ever  made  me.'  What  reply  could 
 such  a  mother  make  to  such  a  disclosure  ?  It  was  given 
 her  in  that  same  hour  what  she  should  speak :  '  My  son,' 
 said  she,  '  you  are  born,  and  you  can  never  throw  off  your 
 existence,  nor  your  everlasting  accountability  for  all  your 
 
No.  35. — The  Power  of  the  Gospel.  9 
 
 conduct/  This  heavy  thought  was  like  a  dagger  to  his 
 soul.  His  mother  expressed  her  fears  that  he  had  never 
 thoroughly  seen  the  evil  of  his  own  heart,  and  that  he  had 
 much  to  learn  before  he  was  acquainted  with  himself:  to 
 which  he  ventured  to  say,  ' 1  have  seen — to  the  very  bottom 
 of  hell  !J  With  this  frame  of  mind,  he  took  a  melancholy 
 leave  of  his  parents  for  the  winter. 
 
 The  farewell  to  his  mother  drove  her  to  her  knees. 
 There  is  such  a  thing  as  special  faith  in  prayer.  It  was 
 such  to  this  dear  saint,  when  she  went  to  plead  for  her  poor 
 son.  She  did  not  leave  her  closet,  till  she  found  the  full  re- 
 lief she  sought,  and  till  her  mind  was  confidently  assured 
 that  God  would  remember  mercy  for  her  child  !  On  that 
 very  morning,  it  pleased  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  she  afterwards 
 ascertained,  to  knock  off  the  chains  from  this  unhappy  pri- 
 soner, and  introduce  him  into  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God ! 
 He  had  not  gone  far,  before  he  had  such  a  view  of  the  per- 
 fections of  God,  that  he  wondered  he  had  never  seen  their 
 beauty  and  glory  before.  There  was  nothing  in  God  now 
 which  distressed  him.  He  had  lost  all  his  opposition  to  the 
 Divine  sovereignty  ;  and  such  were  his  views  of  this  ador- 
 able perfection,  that  he  could  not  refrain  from  exclaiming, 
 <0  glorious  sovereignty  !  O  glorious  sovereignty!'  He  re- 
 tired a  small  distance  into  the  woods,  that  he  might  be  the 
 more  at  liberty  to  contemplate  the  character  of  God,  and 
 adore  and  extol  his  holy  and  amiable  sovereignty :  but  he 
 here  saw  so  much  of  God,  that  his  mind  was  almost  lost  in 
 the  overwhelming  manifestation.  The  scene  was  altogether 
 new.  There  was  a  wonderful  change  either  in  God  or  in 
 him.  Everything  was  gilded  with  light  and  glory  ;  and 
 now  and  then,  as  he  gazed  at  the  splendour  and  majesty  of 
 the  Divine  character,  he  would  still  exclaim,  '  O  glorious 
 sovereignty !'  It  does  not  appear  that  in  all  this  he  was 
 bribed  into  acquiescence.  His  mind  was  so  constantly 
 occupied  in  viewing  the  perfections  of  God,  and  in  meditat- 
 ing on  His  word  and  works,  and  so  continued  for  several 
 weeks,  that  he  did  not  think  of  himself  with  any  degree  of 
 concern. 
 
 Or,  lastly,  take  the  following  sketch  of  the  conversion  of 
 the  famous  Mr  Fuller — 
 
 "  One  morning,"  says  he,  "I  think  in  November,  1769, 
 I  walked  out  by  myself  with  an  unusual  load  of  guilt  upon 
 my  conscience.     The  remembrance  of  my  sin,  not  only  on 
 
10  No.  35. — The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 the  past  evening,  but  for  a  long  time  back,  the  breach  of 
 my  vows,  and  the  shocking  termination  of  my  former  hopes 
 and  affections,  all  uniting  together,  formed  a  burden  which 
 I  knew  not  how  to  bear.  The  reproaches  of  a  guilty  con- 
 science seemed  like  the  gnawing  worm  of  hell.  I  do  not 
 write  in  the  language  of  exaggeration.  I  now  know  that 
 the  sense  which  I  then  had  of  the  evil  of  sin  and  the  wrath 
 of  God,  was  very  far  short  of  the  truth  ;  but  yet  it  seemed 
 more  than  I  was  able  to  sustain.  In  reflecting  upon  my 
 broken  vows,  I  saw  that  there  was  no  truth  in  me.  I  saw 
 that  God  would  be  perfectly  just  in  sending  me  to  hell,  and 
 that  to  hell  I  must  g:,  unless  I  were  saved  of  mere  grace, 
 and  as  it  were  in  spite  of  iryself.  I  felt  that  if  God  were 
 to  forgive  me  all  my  past  sins,  I  should  again  destroy  my 
 soul,  and  that  in  less  than  a  day's  time.  I  never  before 
 knew  what  it  was  to  feel  myself  an  odious,  lost  sinner, 
 standing  in  need  of  both  pardon  and  purification.  I  knew 
 not  what  to  do  !  In  this  state  of  mind,  as  I  was  moving 
 slowly  on,  I  thought  of  the  resolution  of  Job,  '  Though  he 
 slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him.'  I  paused,  and  repeated  the 
 words  over  and  over.  Each  repetition  seemed  to  kindle  a  ray 
 of  hope,  mixed  with  a  determination,  if  I  might,  to  cast  my 
 perishing  soul  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  salvation,  to 
 be  both  pardoned  and  purified  ;  for  I  felt  that  I  needed  the 
 one  as  much  as  the  other.  In  this  way  I  continued  above 
 an  hour,  weeping  and  supplicating  mercy  for  the  Saviour's 
 sake  :  (my  soul  hath  it  still  in  remembrance,  and  is  hum- 
 bled in  me  !)  and  as  the  eye  of  the  mind  was  more  and  more 
 fixed  upon  him,  my  guilt  and  fears  were  gradually  and  in- 
 sensibly removed.  I  now  found  rest  for  my  troubled 
 soul. 
 
 "  When  I  thought  of  my  past  life,  I  abhorred  myself,  and 
 repented  as  in  dust  and  ashes  ;  and  when  I  thought  of  the 
 gospel  way  of  salvation,  I  drank  it  in  as  cold  water  is  im- 
 bibed by  a  thirsty  soul.  My  heart  felt  one  with  Christ,  and 
 dead  to  every  other  object  around  me. 
 
 "  From  this  time,  my  former  wicked  courses  were  for- 
 saken. I  had  no  manner  of  desire  after  them.  They  lost 
 their  influence  upon  me.  To  those  evils,  a  glance  at  which 
 before  would  have  set  my  passions  in  a  flame,  I  now  felt  no 
 inclination.  '  My  soul'  (said  I,  with  joy  and  triumph)  '  is 
 as  a  weaned  child  !'  I  now  knew,  experimentally,  what  it 
 was  to  be  dead  to  the  world  by  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  to 
 
No.  35. — Tlie  Power  of  the  Gospel.  11 
 
 feel  an  habitual  determination  to  devote  my  future  life  to 
 God  my  Saviour." 
 
 Such  are  a  few  instances  of  the  power  of  the  Gospel. 
 They  tend  very  strikingly  to  show  both  its  ^eal  nature  and 
 its  effects  upon  the  soul  when  believed.  From  them  let  us 
 gather  a  few  things. 
 
 1.  The  Gospel  is  just  good  news  about  God  and  his  Son 
 Jesus  Christ.  It  is  not  good  news  about  myself, — but 
 simply  and  solely  about  God  and  Christ.  It  tells  me  of 
 the  exceeding  riches  of  the  grace  of  God.  It  tells  me  that 
 there  is  salvation  for  me, — salvation  to  the  uttermost  through 
 the  cross  and  blood  of  God's  beloved  Son. 
 
 2.  We  see  that  the  believing  of  these  good  news  brings 
 peace  to  the  soul.  It  is  not  the  believing,  coupled  with 
 something  else  in  us  ; — it  is  simply  this  believing  that 
 gladdens.  That  which  brings  joy  to  the  sinner  is  what  the 
 Holy  Spirit  shews  him  in  Christ.  There  he  sees  fulness, — 
 infinite  fulness, — fulness  most  suitable  for  a  sinner, — fulness 
 free  to  all, — fulness  pressed  upon  him.  And  it  is  this  that 
 gladdens  him. 
 
 3.  We  see  that  it  is  in  believing  that  there  is  joy  and 
 peace.  There  is  not  merely  joy  as  the  fruit  of  believing, 
 but  joy  in  believing.  It  is  not  joy  as  the  result  of  examin- 
 ing my  faith  and  summing  up  my  evidences ;  but  it  is  joy 
 in  believing.  For  in  these  instances  there  was  no  time  for 
 evidences  to  manifest  themselves,  there  was  no  time  for 
 self-examination  at  all. 
 
 4.  We  see  that  there  is  no  long  period  nor  laborious  pro- 
 cess required  to  be  undergone  before  peace  is  obtained.  In 
 some  of  these  cases,  indeed,  there  was  a  protracted  time  of 
 conviction ;  but  it  is  evident  that  the  length  of  time  had 
 nothing  to  do  with  the  subsequent  peace.  It  is  clear  from 
 these  that  the  Gospel  is  fitted  and  designed  to  bring  us 
 immediate  peace,  and  if  it  does  not  do  this  the  reason  is 
 because  it  is  not  believed  ! 
 
 5.  It  is  of  the  utmost  moment  to  press  an  immediate  sal- 
 vation upon  the  sinner.  He  is  bent  upon  delay,  and  he 
 tries  to  make  himself  believe  that  forgiveness  is  something 
 far  off, — something  which  he  can  only  attain  after  a  long 
 struggle  of  fears  and  doubts.  Hence  the  necessity  for  in- 
 sisting upon  the  present  peace  which  the  Gospel  is  intended 
 
12 
 
 No.  35. — The  Power  of  the  Gospel. 
 
 to  bring,  and  to  press  upon  the  sinner's  conscience  the 
 urgent  and  imperative  command  of  God,  to  believe  without 
 one  moment's  delay.  It  is  this  urgency  which  the  Holv 
 Spirit  owns  and  blesses  for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and 
 the  comfort  of  the  doubting.  In  nothing  that  God  com- 
 mands does  he  admit  of  one  moment's  delay  or  hesitation 
 in  obeying  it,  and  woe  be  to  us  if  we  lead  any  sinner  to 
 suppose  that  he  is  at  liberty  to  wait  one  single  moment  be- 
 fore believing  the  Gospel. 
 
 It  has  been  always  Satan's  object  to  cloud  the  Gospel, 
 so  as  to  make  it  appear  not  to  be  the  blessed  gladdening 
 thing  which  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles.  And  hence 
 there  is  a  necessity  for  jealousy  in  regard  to  this.  And  it 
 is  very  useful  to  point  back  to  some  such  instances  of  its 
 peace-giving  power  and  say  to  all  gainsay ers  "  such  is  the 
 Gospel."  See  its  nature  ; — see  its  freeness ; — see  its  fruits  ; 
 — see  the  peace  it  brings. 
 
 "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  us  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
 believing  that  we  may  abound  in  hope,  through  the  power 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 Kelso,  October,  1845. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 Kelso:  John  Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 
 Edinburgh  :  J.  Johnstone  ;  W.  P.  Kennedy  ;  and  C.  Ziegler. 
 
 London.  J.  Nisbet&Co.    Carlisle:  J.  F.  Whitridge. 
 
 Price  4s.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 PRINTED  AT  THE  BORDER  WATCH  OFFICE,  GALASHIELS. 
 
[No.  36. 
 TRIBULATION. 
 
 14  As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten  :  Be  zealous,  therefore, 
 and  repent."—  Rev .  III.  19. 
 
 The  washing  of  a  vessel  supposes  that  there  is  some  soil 
 or  stain  upon  it  which  requires  to  be  removed.  There 
 would  be  no  need  for  washing  were  it  not  for  this.  It 
 would  be  labour  lost  to  him  who  washes,  and,  perchance, 
 also  serious  injury  to  the  vessel. 
 
 The  casting  of  gold  or  silver  into  the  furnace  implies 
 that  there  is  dross  upon  them  to  be  thus  purged  out  by  fire. 
 There  would  be  no  need  for  fire,  or  furnace,  or  refiner's 
 labour,  were  there  no  dross.  It  is  the  dross  that  makes 
 the  necessity  for  these.  They  are  but  means  for  getting 
 quit  of  it. 
 
 So  with  chastisement.  It  supposes  sin.  Were  it  not 
 for  sin,  chastisement  would  be  unknown.  In  heaven  there 
 is  no  chastisement,  for  there  is  no  sin.  Angels  know  no- 
 thing of  it,  for  they  know  no  sin.  And  in  the  coming 
 Kingdom,  when  all  things  are  made  new,  there  shall  be  no 
 chastisement,  for  there  shall  be  no  sin.  It  is  only  where 
 there  is  sin  that  there  is  chastisement.  There  being  such 
 a  thing  as  chastisement  on  earth,  is  just  God  saying,  "  I 
 have  found  iniquity  there."  And  God's  sending  chastise- 
 ment to  an  individual,  is  just  his  saying,  "  I  have  seen  sin 
 in  thee." 
 
 But  more  than  this.  Chastisement  implies  a  determination 
 to  get  quit  of  sin.  It  is  not  merely  God's  saying  there  is  sin 
 on  thee,  but  also  his  adding,  "  I  must  purge  it  away  ;  I  can- 
 not allow  it  to  remain  on  thee."  It  is  God's  expression  of  his 
 deep  interest  in  us  and  his  paternal  anxiety  for  our  welfare. 
 To  make  us  clean  is  what  he  seeks  ;  and  this  he  is  resolved 
 to  accomplish  at  any  cost.  It  must  be  done,  for  he  is 
 holy.  It  must  be  done,  for  he  loveth  us.  Sin  must  be 
 got  quit  of  whatever  pain  or  sorrow  it  may  require  to 
 effect  it.  What  is  pain  if  it  expels  sin  ?  What  is  sorrow  if 
 it  purges  away  the  evil  of  our  nature,  or  a  lifetime's  ga- 
 thered dross  ? 
 
 But  chastisement  is  something  more  peculiar  still.     In 
 
 j.  rutherfurd's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  3Q.—Trihalation. 
 
 one  sense,  it  may  be  said  that  all  the  woes  and  wretched- 
 ness of  earth  are  intended  to  drive  men  from  their  sins. 
 God  is  thus  speaking  to  all.  He  is  thus  warning  all.  He 
 is  pleading  with  men  to  turn  from  iniquity  and  seek  his 
 face.  He  embitters  all  sin, — he  embitters  all  pleasure, — 
 he  fastens  sorrow  upon  everything  beneath  the  sun,  that  he 
 may  lead  men  to  repentance  and  salvation.  In  this  general 
 way  he  is  addressing  all.  To  every  sinner  upon  the  broad 
 earth  he  is  speaking  and  sa}ring  "  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for 
 why  will  ye  die."  Every  pang  that  shoots  through  the 
 frame,  and  makes  the  flesh  to  quiver,  is  a  message  from 
 God.  Every  sorrow  that  shades  the  brow  and  saddens  the 
 eye  is  a  message  from  God  to  a  sinning,  suffering  world. 
 They  speak  to  sinners  not  only  of  the  holiness  of  God,  but 
 of  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  and  of  his  deep  and 
 affectionate  interest  in  their  welfare. 
 
 But,  strictly  speaking,  this  is  not  chastisement.  Chas- 
 tisement is  something  more  special  and  peculiar  in  its  na- 
 ture and  design  than  this.  It  is  the  strictly  paternal 
 dealing  of  God  with  the  members  of  his  own  redeemed 
 family.  It  takes  for  granted  the  family  relationship.  It  i 
 a  family  word, — a  household  name.  For  thus  the  Apostl 
 teaches  us  : — "  Ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation  which 
 speaketh  unto  you  as  unto  children,  My  son,  despise  not 
 thou  the  chastening  of  the  Lord,  nor  faint  when  thou  art 
 rebuked  of  him  ;  for  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chastenetli, 
 and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth ;  but  if  ye  be 
 without  chastisement,  whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are 
 ye  bastards  and  not  sons."     (Heb.  xii.  5-8.) 
 
 There  is  then  a  necessity  for  chastisement.  It  is  part  of 
 the  children's  portion  here.  It  is  the  family  discipline,  and 
 no  member  of  the  redeemed  family  from  the  beginning  has 
 ever  been  without  it  in  some  measure  or  form.  It  is  one  of 
 the  family  badges,  and  as  such  has  been  worn  from  gene- 
 ration to  generation  by  all  the  children.  Not  that  they 
 are  a  sad  and  wretched  company.  No  :  They  "  greatly 
 rejoice,  even  though  now  if  need  be,  they  are  in  heaviness 
 through  manifold  temptation."  There  is  no  joy  like  theirs,  no 
 peace  like  theirs.  Yet  they  have  sorrow  too.  There  is  the  tear 
 in  the  eye,  even  when  the  calm  smile  is  playing  round  the 
 lip,  and  peace  is  shedding  the  serenity  of  its  sunshine  over 
 the  countenance.  Their  life  is,  as  to  most  outward  things,  a 
 sorrowful  one  ;  but  as  to  what  is  inward,  it  is  full  of  peace. 
 They  are  forgiven  ;  and  that  is  peace.     They  are  accepted 
 
No.  36. — Tribulation.  5 
 
 in  the  beloved ;  and  that  is  peace.  They  are  delivered 
 from  a  present  evil  world  ;  and  that  is  peace.  They  have 
 a  rich  inheritance  in  reversion  ;  and  that  is  peace.  Yet 
 have  they  fightings  without  and  fears  within  :  they  are 
 "  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing  ;  poor,  yet  making  many 
 rich  ;  having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things/' 
 
 Yes,  chastisement  is  their  lot  on  earth.  It  is  through 
 much  tribulation  that  they  must  enter  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven.     "  Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous." 
 
 Now,  why  is  this  ?  We  are  sure  it  is  not  in  vain.  God 
 sends  no  needless  sorrow  to  any  of  his  children  ;  he  afrlict- 
 eth  not  willingly.  It  pains  him  to  do  it,  if  we  may  thus 
 speak  after  the  manner  of  men.  Why,  then,  does  he  afflict  ? 
 Let  us  inquire  into  this.  It  much  concerns  us  to  under- 
 stand this  aright.  For  affliction  misunderstood  by  the 
 sufferer  becomes  doubly  bitter  and  piercing.  It  then  be- 
 comes not  only  unalleviated,  but  unprofitable  sorrow. 
 
 Chastisement  springs  from  love, — the  deep  love  of  God. 
 Let  us  never  forget  this.  It  is  love  that  fills  and  presents 
 to  us  the  cup  of  sorrow.  Whether  it  is  of  mingled  or  un- 
 mingled  bitterness,  still  it  is  love  that  pours  it  out : — the 
 bitter  as  much  as  the  sweet.  The  love  that  lets  the  child 
 alone  to  do  as  he  pleases  is  foolish  love,  if,  indeed,  it  can  be 
 called  love  at  all.  But  the  love  that  restrains  and  chas- 
 tises is  deep,  wise,  tender  love.  It  is  from  the  very  bottom 
 of  the  loving  heart  that  chastisement  comes.  Chastening 
 love  is,  in  truth,  the  deepest  and  most  self-denying  of  all. 
 Hence  it  shows  us  how  much  God  is  in  earnest  with  us. 
 It  shows  us  what  pains  he  is  taking  to  bless  us.  It  is  in 
 affliction  that  we  see  the  strength  and  the  earnestness  of 
 the  love  of  God.  This  of  itself  may  be  enough  to  lead  us 
 to  acquiesce  in  his  dealings  as  all  right  and  wise, — to  say 
 M  it  is  well ;"  "  it  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  to 
 him  good  ;"  shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
 and  shall  we  not  receive  evil  ?  But  still  it  is  well  to  inquire 
 more  particularly  into  God's  reasons  for  afflicting, — the  ends 
 he  has  in  view  in  bringing  us  under  the  rod.  For  thus  we 
 shall  not  only  be  more  fully  satisfied  that  "  all  is  well/'  but 
 also  learn  particularly  the  lessons  which  God  is  seeking  to 
 teach  us. 
 
 I.  Tribulation  proves  us.  We  really  do  not  know  our- 
 selves till  trial  comes.  Of  many  a  sin  and  many  a  weak- 
 ness we  are  utterly  ignorant  till  affliction  brings  them  out 
 
4  No.  3§.— Tribulation. 
 
 and  exposes  them  to  view.  It  was  for  this  end  that  God 
 led  Israel  into  the  wilderness  to  try  them  and  to  know 
 what  was  in  their  hearts.  Their  desert-trials  proved  them, 
 that  is,  put  them  to  the  proof.  And  when  thus  proved, 
 what  iniquity  was  found  in  them  that  had  lain  hidden  and 
 unknown  before  !  The  trial  did  not  create  the  evil ;  it  did 
 not  make  their  hearts  worse  than  before.  It  merely 
 brought  out  what  was  there  already,  but  had  been  lying 
 unseen  and  unfelt,  like  a  sleeping  serpent.  When  Israel 
 was  thus  tried,  what  worldliness  came  out ;  what  unbelief ; 
 what  rebellious  murmuring  against  God  ;  what  atheism  and 
 idolatry;  what  self-will,  self-confidence,  and  self- pleasing ! 
 They  could  not  have  believed  that  such  wickedness  could 
 be  found  in  them,  or  that  if  their  hearts  did  contain  such 
 evil,  it  could  have  lain  concealed  so  long.  Yet  it  never 
 came  out  till  then. 
 
 So  with  the  saints  still.     God  chastises  them  that  he  may 
 prove  them  and   bring  out  the  evil  that  is  within.     And 
 when  the  trial  comes  what  a  difference  it  makes  !  The  flesh, 
 the  old  man,  is  cut  to  the  quick,  and  forthwith  arouses  itself. 
 When  it  was  asleep,  we  did  not  know  its  strength  and  vi- 
 tality ;  but  now  that  it  has  been  wakened  up,  how  fearful 
 its  still-remaining  might !  The  wind  rises,  the  storm  drives 
 o'er  us,  the  billows  heave,  and  soon  we  know  that  we  are 
 but  a  troubled  sea,  whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt. 
 When  all  was  calm,  there  seemed  nought  but  purity,  and 
 ripple  folded  over  ripple  in  the  brightness  of  their  transpa- 
 rent green.     But  the  tempest  stirs  the  depths,  and  all  is 
 changed.     So  with  the  soul  even  of  the  saints  in  its  hours 
 of  tribulation  and  storm.     The  hidden  evils  come  forth. 
 Sins  scarcely  known  before  display  themselves.     The  heart 
 pours  out   its   wickedness.     Hard  thoughts  of  God  arise. 
 Atheistical  murmurings  break  out.     Questionings  both  of 
 his  wisdom  and  his  love  are  muttered.     Distrust  and  unbe- 
 lief assume  the  mastery.     And  what  a  scene  the  wretched 
 soul  presents !  All  this  was  in  us  before,  but  we  knew  it 
 not.     It  was  needful  that  we  should  know  it,  and  hence 
 God  sent  the  trial  to  bring  it  out.     And  thus  are  we  led, 
 on  the  one  hand,  into  deeper  views  of  our  own  exceeding 
 sinfulness,   and  into  fuller  discoveries    of  the  abounding  \ 
 grace  of  God.     We  learn  to  prize  more  than  ever  the  open 
 fountain  ;  and  to  shelter  ourselves  with  more  confident  se- 
 curity under  the  righteousness  of  the  righteous  One. 
 Thus  the  Lord  proved  Job.     He  let  loose  the  tempter  : 
 
No.  3C—  Tribulation.  5 
 
 Ho  sent  tribulation.  And  straightway  the  hidden  evils 
 of  his  heart  come  forth, — impatience,  unbelief,  self-right- 
 eousness. Then  when  the  Lord  has  showed  him  these 
 tilings,  and  led  him  to  deeper  views  of  sin,  when  he  has 
 searched  him  through  and  through,  and  made  him  to  abhor 
 himself;  then  he  leads  him  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  and 
 sheds  down  anew  the  brightness  of  his  gracious  counte- 
 nance, filling  him  with  the  joys  of  his  salvation,  and  lifting 
 up  his  head  for  ever. 
 
 II.  Tribulation  purges  us.  To  be  proved  is  one  thing, 
 to  be  purged  is  another.  It  is  good  to  have  the  evil 
 brought  out,  but  it  is  better  to  have  it  taken  away.  The 
 heat  of  the  furnace  burns  out  the  dross,  and  leaves  the  gold 
 behind.  Now  this  is  God's  wish  and  aim.  As  he  says  to 
 Israel  so  he  speaks  to  us,  "  I  will  turn  my  hand  upon  thee, 
 and  purely  purge  away  thy  dross,  and  take  away  all  thy 
 tin."  Is.  i.  25.  And,  again,  "  when  the  Lord  shall  have 
 washed  away  the  filth  of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  and  shall 
 have  purged  the  blood  of  Jerusalem  from  the  midst  thereof 
 by  the  spirit  of  judgment  and  by  the  spirit  of  burning." 
 Is.  iv.  4. 
 
 Now  there  is  not  only  much  in  us  that  requires  to  be 
 taken  away,  but  much  that  will  yield  to  nothing,  save  chas- 
 tisement. Other  processes  of  discipline  may  remove  a  great 
 deal,  yet  still  there  remains  behind  very  much  which  no- 
 thing but  trial  and  suffering  will  purge  away.  Some  parts 
 of  the  stone  to  be  polished  are  so  hard  and  rough,  that 
 heavy  strokes  are  needed  to  smoothe  them  down.  They 
 resist  every  milder  kind  of  treatment. 
 
 In  some,  worldliness  is  so  strong  that  chastisement  is 
 needed.  In  others  it  is  simply  love  of  the  creature.  In 
 others  it  is  pride  that  needs  to  be  abased.  In  others  it  is 
 selfishness  that  needs  to  be  eradicated.  In  others  it  is  stub- 
 bornness and  stoutness  of  heart.  In  others  it  is  the  desire 
 of  the  honour  that  cometh  from  men, — man's  love,  man's 
 approbation,  man's  smile.  In  others  some  idol  needs  to  be 
 broken  in  pieces.  In  others  some  creature  comfort  needs 
 to  be  taken  away  lest  we  should  settle  down  and  be  at  ease. 
 In  others  strong  passions  need  to  be  broken  down,  or  a 
 froward  will  needs  to  be  bent  and  subdued.  These  are 
 some  of  the  evils  that  need  to  be  purged  out  of  us.  For 
 the  accomplishment  of  this,  sometimes  the  trial  is  short,  but 
 sharp  and  pointed,  going  into  the  very  vitals  like  a  sword. 
 
G 
 
 No.  36. — Tribulation. 
 
 Sometimes  it  is  long,  protracted,  heavy,  bruising  and 
 crushing  us  with  its  weary  ever-pressing  weight.  Differ- 
 ent processes  are  required,  some  longer  and  some  shorter  ; 
 some  a  sudden  stroke  of  the  rod,  others  a  continual  thorn 
 in  the  flesh  : — some  a  quick  cutting  off  of  the  diseased 
 member,  others  a  long-running  issue  to  carry  off  the  deep- 
 seated  malady.  Yet  all  is  wise  and  all  is  gracious.  Love 
 is  the  prompter  in  all,  and  perfect  skill  is  the  director  of 
 each  operation  or  each  blow.  To  deliver  us  from  sin,  and 
 to  make  us  partakers  of  his  holiness,  is  God's  one  object 
 throughout.  Oh  !  deep  deep  must  be  the  love  which  takes 
 such  pains  with  us.  It  is  love  of  which  we  are  altogether 
 unworthy.  Who  are  we  that  God  should  so  deal  with  us? 
 Surely  if  we  are  not  worthy  of  comfort  and  prosperity, 
 much  less  are  we  worthy  of  affliction. 
 
 III.  Tribulation  rebukes  us.  "  As  many  as  I  love  I  rebuke 
 and  chasten."  It  is  God's  way  of  pointing  out  what  he  sees 
 amiss  in  us,  calling  our  attention  to  it  and  condemning  it. 
 It  is  his  way  of  saying,  "  I  have  somewhat  against  thee,"  or 
 "  I  have  not  found  thy  works  perfect  before  God."  The 
 rebuke  of  God  is  a  solemn  thing.  It  cannot  be  called  anger, 
 or  a  frown,  or  punishment ;  all  these  have  passed  away ; 
 from  all  these  we  are  delivered  for  ever.  Yet  still  there  is 
 something  in  the  rebuke  of  God  that  should  make  us  stand 
 in  awe.  He  rebukes  the  world,  and  it  trembles  and  flees 
 away  in  terror.  But  when  he  rebukes  his  saints,  it  is  that 
 they  may  draw  near,  though  with  reverence  and  godly  fear. 
 A  parent's  rebuke  is  much  to  a  loving  child,  how  much 
 more  is  the  rebuke  of  our  God  ! 
 
 He  administers  many  rebukes,  some  lighter,  some  severer. 
 To  the  former  especially  we  often  give  but  little  heed. 
 The  touch  of  transient  pain ;  a  few  days'  illness  ;■  a  slight 
 indisposition  ;  a  passing  weakness  ;  some  common  domestic 
 care  or  vexation ;  the  severance  of  friendship  ;  some  short 
 parting  from  one  we  love  ;  some  unkindness  where  least  we 
 looked  for  it ;  some  disappointment  on  which  we  were  not 
 calculating ; — these  are  his  fatherly  rebukes.  I  do  not 
 here  speak  of  the  sharper  and  sorer  ones,  for  we  are  not 
 so  apt  to  overlook  them.  They  force  themselves  upon  our 
 notice.  We  cannot  mistake  them.  But  these  briefer, 
 commoner,  slighter  ones  need  to  be  pointed  out  ;  for  they 
 are  so  little  recognized,  so  much  undervalued  or  unheeded, 
 as  if  the  hand  of  God  was  not  in  each  one  of  them  ;  as  if, 
 
No.  36. —  Tribulation.  7 
 
 because  they  were  so  slight,  so  mild,  so  gentle,  they  were 
 not  to  be  owned  as  the  laying  on  of  a  father's  hand,  but  casual 
 things,  coming  and  going,  we  kno^f  not  how  or  why. 
 
 I  feel  that  this  is  a  much-needed  admonition  to  the  saints 
 of  God,  for  the  point  adverted  to  is  a  much  neglected  one. 
 Our  continual  tendency  is  to  overlook  any  slight  ailment 
 or  trouble  as  not  worth  noticing,  and  as  not  coming  from 
 God.  We  are  thrown  into  a  raging  fever,  till  our  life  is 
 despaired  of;  and  in  this  we  do  not  hesitate  to  own  the 
 finger  of  God.  We  take  a  slight  cold  or  sustain  some 
 slight  injury  ;  and  here  the  finger  of  God  is  oftentimes  not 
 perceived  at  all.  The  gentleness  of  the  rebuke  makes  us 
 forget  that  it  comes  from  God  !  Strange  !  Should  not  its 
 gentleness  call  forth  immediate  thanksgiving.  Should  not 
 its  gentleness  be  accepted  as  a  new  token  of  paternal  love 
 and  care  '? 
 
 Ah  it  is  thus  that  we  provoke  God  to  inflict  heavier 
 blows.  We  compel  him  to  send  the  heavier  chastisement 
 by  our  inattention  to  the  lighter.  We  make  bitter  trial 
 absolutely  necessary.  We  bring  it  upon  ourselves.  How 
 gently  God  rebukes  for  a  while  !  If  we  may  speak  after  the 
 manner  of  men,  he  just  hints  or  whispers  his  reproof.  He 
 is  most  unwilling  to  chastise  with  severity.  He  tarries 
 long.  He  tries  other  means.  He  sends  milder  trials,  that 
 we  may  be  led  to  self-searching  and  repentance,  and  thus 
 he  will  be  spared  the  necessity  of  inflicting  a  heavier  blow. 
 But  we  trifle  with  his  gentle  rebukes,  till  he  is  constrained 
 to  lift  up  his  voice  and  speak  in  a  tone  which  can  neither 
 be  mistaken  nor  overlooked.  Oh  how  sad  that  we  should 
 thus,  by  our  heedlessness  and  perversity,  draw  down  upon  us 
 sorrows  winch  God  would  fain  have  spared  us  !  Let  us  learn 
 the  meaning  and  the  use  of  small  trials  ; — of  slight  rebukes. 
 Let  us  count  none  too  small  or  slight  for  our  most  serious 
 thought.  It  will  save  us  much.  It  will  teach  us  many  a 
 blessed  lesson  in  an  easy,  pleasant,  gentle  way. 
 
 IV.  Tribulation  arouses  us.  We  often  fall  asleep.  We 
 dwell  on  the  world's  enchanted  ground,  and  often,  ere  we 
 are  aware,  we  are  soothed  to  sleep,  forgetful  of  the  quick 
 passing  time.  And  while  we  sleep,  all  goes  wrong,  Our 
 faith  waxes  feeble  ;  our  love  is  chilled  ;  our  zeal  cools  down. 
 We  lose  our  earnestness,  our  boldness,  our  energy,  our 
 freshness,  our  simplicity.  All  our  movements  are  those 
 of  a  man  but  half-awake.     Our   schemes   are   carelessly 
 
8  No.  36.— Tribulation. 
 
 formed  and  drowsily  carried  into  effect.  With  how  many 
 in  our  day  is  it  thus  ? 
 
 But  God  will  not  have  it  so.  He  cannot  allow  such  in- 
 dolence and  listlessness  in  his  work.  Such  sloth  makes  but 
 poor  work  either  in  a  man's  own  soul  or  in  his  efforts  for 
 the  souls  of  others.  We  must  be  awakened  at  whatever 
 cost.  He  does  it  gently  first.  He  causes  us  to  hear  some 
 distant  noise ; — it  may  be  the  tumults  of  the  nations,  or  it 
 may  be  the  tidings  of  some  terrible  disaster  afar  off.  He 
 means  by  this  to  awaken  us  out  of  our  sleep.  Perhaps 
 this  fails.  Then  he  comes  nearer  and  makes  his  voice  to 
 be  heard  in  our  own  neighbourhood  or  within  the  circle  of 
 our  kindred.  This  surely  will  arouse  us !  Perhaps  not. 
 Then  he  comes  nearer  still,  for  he  cannot  allow  us  to  slum- 
 ber away  our  precious  hours.  He  speaks  into  our  very 
 ears.  He  smites  us  upon  some  tender  part,  till  every  fibre 
 of  our  frame  quivers,  and  every  pulse  beats  quicker.  Then 
 we  start  up  and  wonder  how  we  slept  so  long.  But  oh ! 
 how  difficult  is  it  sometimes  to  awake  us !  It  takes  many 
 a  stroke  before  we  are  thoroughly  aroused. 
 
 Ah!  let  us  beware  of  the  world's  enchanted  ground. 
 Many  a  saint  has  fallen  asleep  on  it,  and  only  been  awak- 
 ened by  severest  chastisement.  Let  us  beware  of  sloth  and 
 ease,  lest,  being  led  on  from  step  to  step,  we  be  overtaken 
 by  sleep  which  may  yet  cost  us  a  bleeding, — it  may  be, 
 almost  a  broken  heart. 
 
 V.  Tribulation  solemnizes  us.  It  is  a  gay  world  in  which 
 we  live,  and  we  are  prone  to  fall  into  its  levity.  Around 
 us  are  the  sights  and  sounds  of  mirth  by  which  a  vain  world 
 is  seeking  to  cheat  away  its  ever-fretting  uneasiness,  or 
 drown  its  deeper  sorrows.  Oftentimes  the  saints  seem  to 
 catch  the  tone  of  levity  and  frivolity,  making  mirth  with  the 
 most  mirthful,  jesting  with  the  most  foolish,  singing  the 
 world's  songs  of  vanity,  and  joining  in  its  idle  words,  as  if 
 its  friendships  and  its  pleasures  were  not  forbidden  things. 
 Apart,  however,  from  the  contagion  of  the  world's  influence, 
 our  tone  is  apt  to  fall  low,  and  our  deportment  to  lose  that 
 solidity  and  seriousness  which  becometh  saints.  We  get 
 light  and  airy  ;  we  give  way  to  the  current  of  vain 
 thoughts ;  we  do  not  set  a  guard  upon  our  lips  ;  foolish 
 talking  and  jesting  is  too  much  indulged  in,  even  among 
 the  children  of  God.  Our  words  are  not  "  with  grace 
 seasoned  with  salt."     We  forget  the  admonition  "  let  no 
 
No.  36.—  Tribulation.  9 
 
 corrupt  communication  proceed  out  of  your  mouth,  but  that 
 which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  minister 
 grace  to  the  hearers."  And  this  levity,  this  frivolous  habit, 
 grows  upon  us.  Seriousness  becomes  a  thing  reserved 
 entirely  for  the  closet  or  the  sanctuary.  We  grieve  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  who  cannot  dwell  amid  levity  and  mirth  any 
 more  than  amid  profanity  and  crime.  He  retires  from  us, 
 driven  from  his  abode  by  the  laughter  and  jesting  with 
 which  we  were  making  it  resound.  He  can  no  longer 
 dwell  in  a  temple  which,  from  being  the  house  of  God,  we 
 have  turned  into  a  hall  of  revelry,  a  haunt  of  mirth  and 
 song. 
 
 I  do  not  mean  that  the  saint  is  ever,  even  for  a  moment, 
 to  be  gloomy.  Gloom  and  melancholy  are  not  the  inmates 
 of  a  soul  that  has  tasted  the  joy  of  pardon,  and  is  walking 
 with  a  reconciled  God  in  blessed  light  and  love.  No.  He 
 rejoices  "  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  But  still, 
 as  has  been  well  said,  "  true  joy  is  a  serious  thing."  True 
 joy  is  deep.  It  is  the  waking  up  of  the  heart's  deep  springs. 
 Mirth  and  levity  are  not  joy.  They  are  too  shallow  and 
 empty  to  deserve  the  name.  All  is  hollow.  In  coming  to 
 him  who  is  the  fountain  of  all  gladness,  the  saint  of  God 
 bids  farewell  to  gloom.  Tribulation  he  may  have,  but  not 
 gloom.  That  has  left  him  for  ever,  since  first  he  knew  the 
 Saviour  and  opened  his  ears  to  the  joyful  sound.  Peace  is 
 now  his  heritage.  It  is  not  so  much  as  if  joy  were  abiding 
 in  him  as  if  he  were  abiding  in  joy.  It  is  not  so  much  as 
 if  joy  were  poured  into  him  as  if  his  heart  were  ever  pouring 
 itself  out  into  a  vessel  of  joy ;  so  deep,  so  calm,  and  so 
 abiding  is  the  gladness  of  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord. 
 
 But  still  it  is  not  levity  that  is  their  portion  ;  it  is  joy. 
 And  this  joy  is  not  only  far  superior  to  this  vain  mirth,  but 
 it  is  utterly  inconsistent  with  it  This  levity  is  as  much 
 an  enemy  to  real  joy  as  it  is  to  holiness  and  spirituality. 
 Hence  it  must  be  rooted  out  of  them.  God  cannot  suffer 
 it  in  his  children.  His  desire  is  that  they  should  be  holy. 
 This  element  of  earthliness  must  be  purged  out.  They 
 must  be  made  solemn  and  thoughtful.  For  this  end  he 
 sends  affliction.  In  a  moment,  perhaps,  he  smites  him  to 
 the  earth;  or  by  some  more  slow  but  withering  crushing  ca- 
 lamity, he  purges  out  the  foolishness  that  had  wrought 
 itself  into  their  inmost  bein^.  His  purpose  is  to  make 
 them  thoughtful,  serious  and  solemn.  And  what  he  sends 
 to  them  is  fitted  to  make  them  think,  and  that  in  a  way  in 
 
10  No.  36.— Tribulation. 
 
 which  they  have  never  done  before.  The  blow  he  inflicts 
 lays  them  down  in  the  dust.  It  in  a  moment  puts  to  flight 
 all  levity.  It  withdraws  them  from  an  airy  shadowy  world, 
 and  sends  them  into  the  very  inmost  recesses  of  their  spi- 
 ritual being,  or  forward  to  the  infinite  eternity  whose  vast- 
 ness  and  reality  they  had  been  little  heeding.  It  brings 
 them  into  contact  with  solid  certainties,  and  that  makes 
 them  thoughtful.  It  brings  them  acquainted  with  sorrow, 
 and  sorrow  drives  off  all  levity.  Sorrow  and  levity  keep 
 no  companionship.  Affliction  awakens  them  to  a  sense  of 
 their  selfishness.  They  look  around  them  and  see,  as  for 
 the  first  time,  the  world  they  live  in,  with  all  its  sins  and 
 sufferings.  They  had  seen  these  before,  but  now  they  seem 
 quite  new  and  clothed  with  a  reality  which  had  hitherto 
 been  unfelt.  It  is  through  sorrow  that  we  see  truth  best. 
 It  is  when  seen  through  this  sad  medium  that  all  objects 
 assume  their  right  proportions.  Shadows  then  evaporate  ; 
 realities  compass  it  about.  And  realities  make  us  solemn. 
 It  is  shadows  that  make  us  light  and  vain. 
 
 Thus  God  solemnizes  his  saints,  and  brings  them,  in  this 
 respect,  into  closer  sympathy  with  the  mind  of  Christ. 
 All  was  solemnity  with  him.  And  the  nearer  we  are  brought 
 to  resemble  him,  the  more  will  this  calm,  this  blessed,  this 
 happy  solemnity  possess  us.  We  shall  live  solemn  lives 
 and  do  solemn  deeds.  Our  looks  and  tones  will  be  all  so- 
 lemn. We  shall  be  earnest  men ;  men  who  have  no  relish 
 for  levity,  because  it  is  so  incompatible  with  the  deep  peace 
 which  is  their  portion,  and  who  have  no  time  for  it,  because 
 eternity  is  so  near. 
 
 VI.  Tribulation  quickens  prayer.  It  sends  us  to  our 
 knees.  In  the  day  of  prosperity  a  man  has  many  refuges  ; 
 in  the  day  of  trial  but  one,  and  that  is  God.  To  this  re- 
 fuge he  betakes  himself.  Prayer,  perhaps,  was  something 
 to  him  before,  now  it  is  all.  Man's  arm  has  failed,  and 
 there  is  none  to  lean  upon  but  God.  Prayer  becomes  now 
 a  far  more  real  thing  than  ever.  Its  value  and  its  import- 
 ance are  seen  in  a  new  light.  It  is  prized  now  as  it  never 
 was  prized  before. 
 
 We  cannot  do  without  it.  Of  necessity  we  must  now 
 pray,  and  send  up  our  cries  from  the  depths.  It  is 
 real  asking,  a  real  pleading  now.  As  a  mere  form  it  has 
 passed  away.  What  new  life,  new  energy,  new  earnest- 
 ness are  poured  into  each  petition  !  It  is  the  heart  now  that 
 
No.  3(5.  —  Tribulation.  11 
 
 is  speaking,  and  the  lips  cannot  find  w  ords  wherewith  to 
 give  utterance  to  its  desires.  The  groanings  that  cannot 
 be  uttered  are  all  that  burst  forth  and  ascend  up  into  the 
 ear  of  God. 
 
 There  is  new  nearness  to  God  now.  It  is  close  dealing 
 with  him  now.  New  arguments  suggest  themselves  wherewith 
 to  plead ;  new  desires  spring  up  ;  new  wants  disclose  them- 
 selves. God's  fulness  and  our  own  emptiness  are  brought 
 before  us  so  vividly  that  our  soul's  longings  are  kindled,  and 
 our  heart  crieth  out  for  God,  for  the  living  God,  as  the 
 hart  panteth  for  the  water-brooks,  so  we  are  made  to  pant 
 after  God.  It  was  David's  sorrows  that  quickened  prayer 
 in  him.  It  was  in  the  belly  of  the  whale  that  Jonah  was 
 taught  to  cry  aloud.  And  it  was  among  the  thorns  and  in 
 the  fetters  of  Babylon  that  Manasseh  learned  to  pray. 
 
 Such  are  a  few  of  the  blessings  that  flow  from  chastise- 
 ment. Only  a  few  have  been  mentioned,  yet  there  are  many. 
 And  this  the  saint  knows.  Each  sorrow  brings  with  it  its 
 own  train  of  blessings  ;  and  thus,  though  not  joyous  but 
 grievous,  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness. 
 
 But  in  all  this  we  must  see  a  father's  love.  We  shall  lose 
 much  of  the  benefit  of  trial,  perhaps  all  of  it,  if  this  is  over- 
 looked. It  is  out  of  the  deep  love  of  Him  who  gave  for  us 
 his  only  begotten  Son  that  sorrow  flows  down  to  us.  Let 
 us  ever  rest  on  this.  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
 delivered  him  up  for  us,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also 
 freely  give  us  all  things  ?  And  surely  the  blessings  of  chas- 
 tisement are  among  these  "  all  things."  All  things  work 
 together  for  our  good.  Love  can  do  us  no  wrong.  That 
 is  a  blessed  impossibility.  In  all  that  it  sends  of  suffering 
 it  is  only  opening  new  channels  in  which  to  pour  itself  into 
 us,  as  well  as  deepening  and  enlarging  the  vessel  that  it 
 may  contain  the  more.  Every  sorrow  not  only  is  the  proof 
 of  love,  but  draws  after  it  larger  streams  of  love.  It  is  love 
 making  way  for  itself  because  the  place  is  too  narrow.  The 
 inflicting  of  the  wound  is  love  ;  much  more  the  healing  of 
 it.  Surely  all  is  love.  There  is  no  unkindness,  no  harshness, 
 no  inattention  to  our  feelings,  no  needless  causing  of  grief. 
 
 Beloved,  "  it  is  well."  We  could  not  do  without  affliction. 
 We  should  neither  know  ourselves  nor  God.  The  depths 
 of  his  varied  love  would  be  as  a  sealed  spring,  He  wants  to 
 teach  us  all  his  love.  He  is  seeking  for  occasions  to  show 
 it ;  and  if  he  cannot  find  them,  he  must  make  them,  rather 
 than  that  we  should  not  taste  the  riches  of  his  immeasurable 
 
12  No.  36.— Tribulation. 
 
 love.  And  shall  we  call  him  unkind  for  this  ?  Shall  we 
 have  hard  and  rebellious  thoughts  of  him  for  this  ?  Shall 
 we  count  it  a  wrong  done  to  us  to  have  new  streams  of  love 
 flowing  in  upon  us  which  sorrow  has  opened  ?  Shall  wo 
 shrink  from  that  which  opens  up  to  us  more  of  the  Father's 
 heart  ? 
 
 Who  can  tell  or  measure  the  deep  love  which  chastise- 
 ment implies  ?  We  may,  perhaps,  be  able  to  measure  the 
 love  which  sends  us  days  of  gladness, — but  the  love  which 
 draws  the  cloud  of  sorrow  over  our  skies  is  too  deep  to  be 
 measured  or  weighed.  God's  interest  in  our  welfare  is  to 
 be  seen  in  everything  that  he  bestows  ;  but  most  of  all  in 
 his  chastisements.  How  deep  must  his  interest  be,  how 
 affectionate,  how  tender,  when,  in  order  to  secure  our  wel- 
 fare, to  make  us  holier,  and  to  add  to  the  weight  of  our 
 crown  hereafter,  he  can  consent  'to  send  suffering  upon 
 those  whom  he  loves  so  well.  This  is  love, — paternal  love, 
 in  its  truest  kindest  form. 
 
 Beloved,  "  it  is  well."  Let  us  learn,  then,  to  "  glory  in 
 tribulation."  The  world,  perhaps,  submits  to  it,  but  it  is 
 ours  to  glory  in  it.  The  world  tries  to  bear  up  under  it ; 
 but  it  is  ours  to  give  thanks  for  it.  The  world  may  try  to 
 get  over  it  as  an  evil  that  cannot  be  helped ;  let  us  know 
 how  good  it  is  to  be  afflicted.  He  who  is  infinitely  wise 
 and  loving  calls  it  good,  and  shall  not  we  ? 
 
 Beloved,  "  it  is  well."  We  are  not  worthy  of  affliction. 
 We  are  not  worthy  that  God  should  take  such  pains  with 
 us  to  prepare  us  for  his  kingdom.  Yet  he  does  so.  And 
 he  will  continue  to  do  so  to  his  chosen  ones ;  for  it  is 
 through  much  tribulation  that  they  must  pass  to  the  King- 
 dom. And  in  this  let  us  "  greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for 
 a  season,  if  need  be,  we  are  in  heaviness  through  manifold 
 temptations,  that  the  trial  of  our  faith  being  much  more 
 precious  than  of  gold  that  pcrisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with 
 fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise  and  honour  and  glory  at 
 the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ." 
 
 Kelso,  January,  1846. 
 
 [series  to  be  continued.] 
 
 KELSO: 
 
 JOHN  RUTHERFURD,  MARKET  PLACE. 
 
 EDINBURGH:  J.  JOHNSTONE;  W.P.KENNEDY;  AND  C.  ZIEGLER. 
 
 LONDON:  J.  NISBET  &  Co.     CARLISLE:  J.  F.  WHITRIDGE. 
 
 Price  4s.  6d.  per  100. 
 
 PRINTED  AT  THE  EORDER  WATCH  OFFICE,  GALASHIELS. 
 
[No.  37. 
 GRACE  AND  GLORY. 
 
 The  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men, 
 teaching  us  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should 
 live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world,  looking  for 
 that  blessed  hope  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  ou  r 
 Saviour  Jesus  Christ."— Tit  us  II.  11. 
 
 The  Apostle  first  speaks  of  grace  in  connection  with  pre- 
 sent holiness,  and  then  he  speaks  of  it  in  connection  with 
 future  glory.  He  first  speaks  of  it  in  reference  to  the  first 
 coming  of  the  Lord,  and  then  in  reference  to  the  second. 
 
 The  condition  into  which  grace  brings  us  is  that  of  a 
 pardoned,  reconciled  sinner ;  the  character  into  which  grace 
 fashions  us  is  that  of  holiness  ;  the  attitude  in  which  grace 
 places  us  is  that  of  expectation  for  Christ's  second  coming. 
 The  last  of  these  three  results  is  just  as  natural  and  necessary 
 a  fruit  of  grace  as  either  of  the  former  two.  The  same  grace 
 that  teaches  us  to  look  back  to  the  first  coming  of  the  Sa- 
 viour, teaches  us  also  to  look  forward  to  his  second  ;  as  the 
 Apostle  elsewhere  declares,  "  Ye  turned  to  God  from  idols 
 to  serve  the  living  and  the  true  God,  and  to  wait  for  his 
 Son  from  Heaven,"  1  Thess.  i.  9,  10  ;  and  in  the  passage 
 which  we  have  placed  at  the  commencement  of  this  tract, 
 he  states  most  strongly  the  connection  between  "  salvation 
 by  grace"  and  "  looking  for  the  blessed  hope."  The  mo- 
 ment a  sinner  has  found  this  pardoning  grace  that  flows 
 out  to  him  from  the  cross  of  Christ,  he  longs  to  fling  him- 
 self into  the  arms  of  that  Saviour  who  has  opened  for  him 
 this  precious  stream. 
 
 The  great  truth  which  the  Apostle  announces  to  us  in  the 
 above  passage  is,  that  grace  received  necessarily  leads  us  to 
 expect  and  desiro  Christ's  second  coming.  Such  is  the  effect 
 of  grace, — the  certain  result  of  a  believed  gospel, — a  gospel 
 which  brings  to  us  the  certainty  of  forgiveness  and  the  con- 
 scious possession  of  eternal  life.  The  Apostle  does  not  say 
 that  this  grace  may  lead  us  to  long  for  the  coming  of  Christ, 
 but  must  lead  us,  as  its  designed  and  inevitable  consequence. 
 We  do  not  merely  say  it  leads  us  to  believe  in  Christ's  com- 
 ing, but  to  expect  it,  to  desire  it,  to  look  for  it,  to  love  it. 
 
 j.  Rutherford's  series  of  tracts. 
 
2  No.  37. — Grace  and  Glory. 
 
 Nor  do  we  say  that  grace  leads  us  to  long  for  death.  Scripture 
 does  not  teach  us  that ;  it  is  that  "  blessed  hope,"  even  the 
 "  glorious  appearing"  of  the  Lord,  that  it  sets  before  our 
 eye.  Nor  do  we  say  that  grace  leads  us  to  desire  the  spi- 
 ritual presence  of  Christ.  No  ;  his  spiritual  presence  is  not 
 a  matter  of  hope  or  expectation,  but  of  present  and  certain 
 possession,  as  he  himself  has  said  —  "Lo  I  am  with  you 
 alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  This  spiritual 
 presence  is  the  believer's  present  inheritance  and  joy,  but 
 his  visible  and  glorious  presence  is  as  yet  but  the  object  of 
 hope.  That  hope,  no  doubt,  is  a  certain  one,  which  "  mak- 
 eth  not  ashamed,"  but  still  it  refers  to  things  unseen  as  yet. 
 Our  inference,  then,  from  the  passage  at  the  head  of  tin's 
 tract  is,  as  we  have  already  stated,  that  grace  truly  received 
 necessarily  leads  us  to  look  for  and  desire  Christ's  second 
 and  "  glorious  appearing"  as  a  "  blessed  hope."  And  that 
 this  is  really  the  Apostle's  meaning  is  manifest  from  many 
 similar  passages  of  Scripture.  There  is  1  Th.  i.  10,  already 
 quoted  ;  there  is,  also,  1  Cor.  i.  7,  "  So  that  ye  come 
 behind  in  no  gift,  waiting  for  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ :"  Phil.  iii.  20,  "  Our  conversation  is  in  heaven, 
 from  whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ ;"  Heb.  ix.  28,  "  To  them  that  look  for  him  shall 
 he  appear  the  second  time,  without  sin  unto  salvation,"  &c. 
 &e.  Such  passages  sufficiently  confirm  our  inference.  But 
 now  we  ask,  perhaps,  "  Why  is  it  so  ?"  Why  does  grace 
 thus  lead  us  forward  necessarily  to  the  second  coming  of  the 
 Lord  ?     To  this  we  answer  : — 
 
 I.  Because  this  grace  unites  us  to  Christ,  and  this  union, 
 once  begun,  necessarily  leads  us  to  press  forward  to  its  full 
 consummation.  This  consummation  can  only  be  when  we 
 see  him  as  he  is — eye  to  eye,  and  face  to  face.  When  the 
 soul  is  set  in  motion  toward  Christ,  it  cannot  rest  till  it  has 
 fully  beheld  him — till,  like  aged  Simeon,  it  has  grasped 
 within  its  arms  the  object  of  its  fond  desire.  Faith  can  do 
 much,  but  still  it  is  not  sight.  Nay,  the  stronger  that  faith 
 becomes,  the  more  intensely  does  it  quicken  within  us  the 
 desire  for  sight.  To  feel  that  we  are  His,  and  that  He  is 
 ours,  and  yet  not  to  feel  the  weariness  and  bitterness  of  ab- 
 sence, ivould  be  strange  indeed.  To  say  "  I  am  my  beloved's, 
 and  my  beloved  is  mine,"  and  yet  not  to  desire  to  behold 
 him,  nor  to  long  for  his  personal  vision  and  embrace,  would 
 be  an  inconsistency  which,  in  human  friendships,  would  be 
 
No.  37. — Grace  and  Clory.  y 
 
 reckoned  a  confession  of  insincerity  and  estrangement. 
 Love  draws  us  to  the  beloved  object ;  with  nothing  short 
 of  that  will  it  be  content.  If  it  can  be  content  with  less,  it 
 is  not  love  at  all. 
 
 But  it  may  be  said,  have  we  not  Christ's  spiritual  pre- 
 sence, and  is  not  that  all  we  need  ?  We  answer, — Christ's 
 spiritual  presence  is  much  indeed,  but  still  it  is  not  all  that 
 God  has  promised  to  his  Church,  and  therefore  we  cannot 
 be  content  with  it  alone.  It  was  never  designed  to  super- 
 sede his  risible  presence,  nor  to  interfere  with  the  blessed 
 hope  of  his  risible  return.  Nay,  the  more  his  spiritual  pre- 
 sence is  realized,  the  greater  will  be  the  longings  for  his 
 actual  appearance.  It  is  the  experience  of  his  spiritual  pre- 
 sence that  ichets  the  appetite  for  his  personal  return.  For 
 thus  the  soul  reasons, — "  this  spiritual  fellowship  with  Christ 
 is  declared  to  be  but  the  earnest  of  the  future  reality ;  and 
 if  the  mere  earnest  be  so  glorious,  what  must  be  the  per- 
 sonal communion  and  full-eyed  vision  ?"  The  closer,  then, 
 the  present  union,  the  more  ardent  will  be  the  desire  for  the 
 perfection  of  that  union  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 
 
 II.  Because  even  this  grace  itself  is  only  begun,  and  is  not 
 to  be  fully  opened  up  till  the  day  of  the  Lord.  This  I 
 gather  from  such  passages  as  these,  1  Peter  i.  13.,  "  Gird 
 up  the  loins  of  your  mind  ;  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end, 
 for  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revela- 
 tion of  Jesus  Christ.,"  and  Ephes.  ii.  7.,  "  That  in  the  ages 
 to  come  he  might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in 
 his  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus."  This  is 
 emphatically  the  dispensation  of  grace,  and  yet  it  is  only  the 
 commencement  of  that  grace,  now  manifesting  itself.  Here 
 we  have  grace  in  large  and  overflowing  measure, — yet  the 
 full  reserve  of  grace  is  yet  to  come.  It  awaits  us  at  the 
 Coming  of  the  Lord,  for  not  only  is  there  in  store  for  us 
 against  that  great  day,  the  exceeding  eternal  wsight  of 
 glory, — but  the  full  manifestation  of  grace  itself  is  reserved 
 till  then.  Is  this  grace  then  that  bringeth  salvation,  so 
 precious,  so  desirable  now  ?  How  very  precious,  how  very 
 desirable  then  ought  to  be  its  full  developement  and 
 brightness  unobscured  ?  How  much  to  be  desired  and 
 longed  for,  the  day  of  its  grand  revelation !  It  is  grace 
 itself  then  that  teaches  us  to  look  for  the  blessed  hope  cf 
 the  Saviour's  glorious  appearing. 
 
 But  some  will  sav,  "  What  does  this  future  manifestation 
 
%4  No.  37. — Grace  and  Glory. 
 
 of  grace  concern  us,  if  we  can  only  secure  that  which  is 
 present ; — if  I  get  grace  to  save  me,  what  need  I  care  for 
 aught  beyond  this  f  Now  mark  the  meaning  of  such  a 
 sentiment.  (1.)  It  is  saying,  that  provided  you  are  saved 
 you  take  no  interest  in  the  glory  of  your  God.  You  care 
 for  his  grace  only  because  it  saves  you,  not  because  it 
 glorifies  him.  You  care  only  to  know  as  much  of  God  and 
 his  purposes  as  will  save  you.  That  accomplished,  every- 
 thing else  is  to  you  a  matter  of  minor  interest.  Such  a 
 sentiment  from  one  who  is  "  not  his  own,  but  bought  with 
 a  price !"  (2.)  It  is  saying  that,  provided  your  salvation  is 
 secured,  your  sanctification  is  a  less  material  thing.  If  the 
 other  is  only  secured,  that  can  stand  over  !  You  know  not 
 how  much, — how  very  much  your  sanctification  depends  on 
 the  assured  hope  of  these  future  realities.  You  are  as 
 much  bound  to  believe  all  that  will  sanctify  as  all  that  will 
 save  !  Besides,  is  a  man  really  in  a  state  of  salvation  who 
 is  not  eagerly  seizing  hold  of  everything  that  will  advance 
 his  holiness  ?  The  probabilities  are  that  he  is  not.  (3.) 
 It  is  saying  that  you  are  never  to  leave  the  principles  of  the 
 doctrine  of  Christ,  and  to  go  on  unto  perfection,  that  you 
 are  to  be  always  laying  again  the  foundation  of  repentance 
 from  dead  works,  &c,  which  the  Apostle  so  strongly  con- 
 demns, Heb.  vi.  1,  &c. 
 
 III.  Because  the  knowledge  of  Christ  which  this  grace 
 gives  us  makes  us  long  to  see  him  face  to  face.  "  Whom 
 having  not  seen  ye  love,  and  in  whom,  though  now  ye 
 see  him  not,  yet  believing,  &c,  says  the  Apostle  Peter.  This 
 love  to  a  Saviour  unseen  makes  us  long  for  the  nearer,  closer 
 fellowship  of  a  Saviour  seen.  His  being  unseen  does  not 
 prevent  us  loving  him,  but  our  loving  him  unseen  does  not 
 lessen  our  desire  to  see  him  "  as  he  is."  It  is  the  believing 
 perception  of  an  absent  invisible  Saviour  that  quickens  our 
 desire  to  see  him  "  face  to  face."  He  is  said  to  be  "  fairer 
 than  tne  children  of  men,"  "  altogether  lovely."  This  is 
 the  report  we  have  heard  regarding  him,  and  this  report  of 
 his  surpassing  comeliness  only  makes  us  long  the  more  to  see 
 him.  "  They  shall  see  his  face,"  is  the  crowning  blessed- 
 ness of  the  new  Jerusalem  (Rev.  xxii.  4.)  Do  you  really 
 believe  the  report,  and  do  you  not  desire  to  see  the  king  in 
 his  beauty  ?  As  good  old  Samuel  Rutherford  said,  "  I 
 often  challenge  time  which  holdeth  us  asunder  ;  I  half  call 
 his  absence  cruel,  and  the  veil  upon  his  face  a  cruel  cover- 
 
No.  37. — Grace  and  Glory.  5 
 
 ing  that  hideth  a  fair  fair  face  from  a  sick  soul.... I  dare  not 
 challenge  himself,  but  his  absence  is  like  a  mountain  of  iron 
 upon  my  heavy  heart."  Does  this  saint's  experience  ac- 
 cord with  yours  ?  Do  his  expressions  of  desire  to  meet  his 
 returning  Lord  call  forth  the  sympathies  of  your  longing 
 hearts  ? 
 
 Some  may  say,  "  What  does  it  matter  to  me  when  I  see 
 Christ,  if  I  know  that  I  am  his,  and  receive  assurances  of 
 his  love."  Ah  !  but  would  you  say  so  of  an  absent  friend 
 or  brother.  Would  that  friend  believe  you  really  loved 
 him  if  he  heard  you  speaking  in  this  manner  ?  Is  not  this 
 way  of  speaking  an  ill-concealed  disguise,  an  awkward  apo- 
 logy for  the  coldness  of  a  heart  whose  love  beats  with  low 
 and  languid  pulse  ?  What  would  you  think  of  a  wife  say-r 
 ing  of  her  absent  husband,  "  What  does  it  matter  ichen  I 
 see  my  husband,  if  I  know  that  I  am  his,  and  receive  daily 
 letters  from  him  signed  with  his  own  hand?"  Would  you 
 think  her  love  to  be  "  strong  as  death  ?"  Would  you  not 
 think  she  took  the  matter  with  a  cool  complacency  which 
 argued  either  wonderful  composure  or  wonderful  indiffer- 
 ence ?  In  the  case  of  a  faithful  loving  wife,  would  not  every 
 communication  of  her  husband's  love  only  make  her  long 
 more  anxiously  to  meet  him,  to  weary  more  impatiently  for  his 
 return  ?  Or  take  the  case  of  the  disciples  when  Christ  was 
 parting  from  them.  According  to  some,  this  parting  would 
 be  a  matter  of  perfect  indifference.  They  had  already  his 
 spiritual  presence  and  the  promise  of  its  continuance,  and 
 what  cause  had  they  to  mourn  his  personal  absence  ?  Yet 
 they  were  loath  to  part  with  their  beloved  Master.  Not 
 to  hear  the  sound  of  his  familiar  voice  ;  not  to  be  cheered 
 by  the  smile  of  his  gracious  countenance,  was  matter  of  no 
 common  sorrow  : — and  "  their  hearts  were  troubled."  This 
 parting  was  a  trying  event ;  his  absence  was  a  sore  priva- 
 tion, and  accordingly  his  concluding  hours  were  spent  in 
 administering  to  their  comfort.  Was  that  comfort  useless  ? 
 According  to  some  it  must  have  been  so,  if  his  absence  was 
 no  trial.  But  if  it  was  necessary  to  them,  is  it  not  as  ne- 
 cessary to  us  ?  And  yet  many  of  us  seem  to  require  no 
 such  comfort  at  all ;  for  his  absence  never  seems  to  cost  us 
 one  sorrowful  thought,  nor  his  return  one  longing  desire. 
 Our  feelings  ought  surely  to  be  the  same  with  his  weeping 
 disciples.  We  cannot  be  wrong  in  mourning  his  absence, 
 and  wearying  for  his  return,  when  not  only  we  read  that 
 his  disciples  thus  mourned  and  longed,  but,  when  we  re- 
 
6  No.  37. — Grace  and  Glory. 
 
 member  that  the  inspired  prayer  of  that  disciple  who  knew 
 him  best,  and  loved  him  most,  who  had  leaned  on  his  bosom 
 and  had  most  of  his  spiritual  presence,  was  still  the  prayer 
 of  one  who  wanted  something  more,  who  could  not  be  sa- 
 tisfied with  anything  but  his  return.  Even  so  Lord  Jesus 
 come  quickly  ! 
 
 IV.  Our  fourth  reason  for  saying  that  this  grace  neces- 
 sarily leads  us  to  desire  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is,  be- 
 cause it  opens  up  to  us  all  the  corruptions  of  our 
 inner  man,  and  makes  us  groan  by  reason  of  this  body  of 
 sin  and  death.  Many  of  our  corruptions  and  temptations 
 are  from  the  external  world,  and  a  spiritual  coming  will 
 not  remove  these,  however  much  it  fortify  us  against  them  : 
 — And  it  is  "their  existence  that  makes  us  groan,  not  merely 
 their  prevalence.  Others  of  our  corruptions  are  from 
 Satan,  the  prince  of  this  world,  and  a  spiritual  coming  to 
 us  will  not  bind  him.  Others  are  from  a  body  of  mortality, 
 and  a  spiritual  coming  will  not  redeem  the  body,  for,  says 
 the  apostle,  (Rom.  viii.  23,)  "we  ourselves  groan  within  our- 
 selves, waiting  for  the  adoption,  viz.  the  redemption  of  the 
 body."  This  "  vile  body"  will  still  continue  vile,  till  it  be 
 changed  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  and  fashioned  like  unto 
 his  own  glorious  body  (Phil.  iii.  20,  21.)  Then,  and  not 
 till  then,  will  it  cease  to  tempt  us.  Then,  and  not  till  then, 
 will  it  cease  to  be  to  us  the  source  of  manifold  corruptions, 
 the  prison-house  of  earthly  bondage.  Till  then  we  "  groan, 
 being  burdened,  not  for  that  we  would  be  unclothed  (i.  e. 
 not  that  we  long  for  the  disembodied  state,  the  separation 
 of  soul  from  body,)  but  clothed  upon,  (with  the  house  not 
 made  with  hands,  the  glorious  body,)  that  mortality  may 
 be  swallowed  up  of  life,"  (2  Cor.  v.  4.)  And  this  groaning 
 creation  will  continue  still  to  groan,  —  still  to  tempt, 
 still  to  weary  us,~till  He  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in 
 hope,  shall  come  to  lift  off  the  curse,  and  deliver  it  from  the 
 bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children 
 of  God"  (Rom.  viii.  21.)  And  Satan,  too,  will  continue  to 
 be  the  God  of  this  world,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
 air,  until  cast  out  and  bound  by  Him  who  is  to  put  all  his 
 enemies  under  both  his  feet  and  ours  If,  then,  we  do  not 
 long  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  which  alone  can  deliver 
 us  from  these  enemies  without  and  within,  we  surely  do 
 not  feel  the  power  of  corruption,  the  burden  of  this  "  vile 
 body," — we  surely  are  not  alive  to  the  seducing  influence 
 
No.  37. — Grace  anal  Glory.  7 
 
 of  a  sin-accursed  earth, — we  surely  have  no  realizing  expe- 
 rience of  the  tyranny  and  craft  of  the  Evil  One ! 
 
 V.  Grace  leads  us  to  look  for  "this  blessed  hope," — 
 because  by  grace  we  are  brought  into  a  state  of  suffering 
 and  tribulation,  from  which  Christ's  coming  is  to  redeem 
 us.  Grace  brings  along  with  it  many  trials  to  which  we 
 were  strangers  before.  It  brings  the  hatred  of  the  world. 
 It  brings  the  alienation  of  friends.  It  brings  ridicule,  con- 
 tempt, and  persecution.  "  I  am  not  come  to  send  peace  on 
 earth,  but  a  sword."  To  receive  this  grace  is  to  take  up 
 she  cross ;  and  he  who  has  not  taken  up  his  cross  has  not 
 received  grace.  It  is  to  enter  upon  the  path  of  tribulation, 
 — for  "  through  much  tribulation  we  must  enter  the  king- 
 dom "of  heaven."  Such  trials  are  manifold,  —  they  are 
 innumerable,  and  they  are  hard  to  bear.  It  is  a  thorny 
 path,  even  though  a  Saviour's  foot-prints  are  discerned  at 
 every  step  before  us,  and  a  Saviour's  arm  is  held  out  for  us 
 to  lean  upon ! 
 
 How  earnestly,  then,  should  we  desire  that  day  which  is 
 to  end  our  tribulation,  and  introduce  us  to  endless  rest ! 
 How  truly  should  that  event  be  to  us  "  a  blessed  hope,"  which 
 is  the  signal  of  commencing  triumph  to  the  poor  afflicted 
 saints, — which  is  to  unbind  the  crown,  of  thorns  from  the 
 bleeding  forehead  of  the  widowed  church,  and  place  upon 
 her  brow  the  glorious  "  diadem." 
 
 Say  not — "  Death  will  end  this  tribulation  to  me  person- 
 ally, therefore  I  need  not  look  beyond  that;"  for  how,  let 
 me  ask,  do  you  know  that  Christ  may  not  be  come  before 
 that  ?  How  do  you  know  that  your  death  is  to  be  before 
 his  coming  ?  Besides,  such  a  feeling  as  this  is  selfish  in 
 the  extreme.  You  are  a  member  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and 
 you  ought  to  feel  for  the  whole  body,  and  to  regard  the  tri- 
 bulation as  yours  whether  you  be  in  the  midst  of  it  or  not. 
 You  ought  to  long  for  the  day  of  final  deliverance  for  the 
 Church's  sake  as  much  as  for  your  own.  You  sympathize 
 with  the  past  sorrows  of  the  Church — with  the  sufferings 
 of  the  suffering  band  of  martyrs :  you  feel  as  if  you  were 
 one  of  them — as  if  their  sufferings  were  yours.  You  wrish 
 that  "  those  days"  had  been  shortened,  and  would  gladly 
 have  shortened  them  if  you  could.  Ought  not,  then,  the  very 
 same  feelings  to  actuate  you  with  reference  to  that  portion 
 of  Christ's  Church  which  lias  yet  to  encounter  days  of  tri- 
 bulation ?     Ought  you  not  to  desire  that,  "  for  the  elect's 
 
8  No.  37. — Grace  and  Glory. 
 
 sake,  these  days  may  be  shortened"  ?  Ought  not  the  con- 
 sciousness of  trouble  and  suffering  in  your  own  case  to  lead 
 you  to  desire  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  that  the  days  of 
 the  Church's  tribulation  may  be  ended  for  ever  ? 
 
 If  you  do  not  desire  the  coming,  there  is  reason  to  sus- 
 spect  that  you  are  not  bearing  the  cross.  The  cross  not 
 being  felt,  the  crown  loses  half  its  value,  and  the  coming  is 
 little  realised,  little  longed  f6r.  It  is  the  burden  of  the 
 cross  that  makes  the  day  of  deliverance  so  desirable  in  our 
 eyes — that  makes  us  enter  into  the  meaning  of  such  promises 
 as  these :  "If  we  suffer  we  shall  also  reign  with  him" — "  If 
 we  suffer  with  him  we  shall  be  also  glorified  together,"  2  Tim. 
 ii.  12 ;  Rom.  viii.  17 ;  1  Peter,  iv.  13. 
 
 VI.  Grace  leads  us  to  desire  the  glorious  appearing  of 
 our  Lord,  because  it  opens  our  eyes  to  see  this  world's  uni- 
 versal WTetchedness,  and  makes  our  hearts  tender  to  mourn 
 for  it.  Men  speak  of  this  world  as  a  happy  world.  They 
 praise  it  as  if  it  were  all  but  Paradise.  And  once  we,  too, 
 might  be  disposed  to  join  in  their  praises,  and  echo  back 
 their  joyous  sentiments.  Once  it  seemed  to  us  a  peaceful, 
 pleasant  scene,  a  world  of  smiles  and  sunshine,  with  here  and 
 there  only  the  passing  shadow  of  a  cloud  to  intercept  the 
 tranquil  radiance,  or  tinge  with  momentary  sadness  the 
 hour  of  mirth.  Even  disappointment  could  not  dissipate 
 the  gay  delusion,  nor  disenchant  the  bewildering  spell. 
 Cares  and  vexations  thickened  around  us ;  coldness,  deso- 
 lation, and  disease  frowned  upon  us ;  broken  friendships, 
 severed  relationships,  blighted  prospects,  darkened  our  path, 
 and  overshadowed  our  skies; — but  even  all  this  could 
 scarcely  make  us  believe  what  a  wild  waste  wilderness  we 
 lived  in,  what  a  world  of  wretchedness  and  crime. 
 
 But  grace  opened  our  eyes.  We  saw  first  that  we  our- 
 selves were  sinners,  and  then  looking  round  us  we  saw  with 
 what  a  world  of  sinners  we  were  surrounded.  We  felt  that 
 we  were  in  wretchedness,  and  we  began  to  see  what  a  wil- 
 derness of  misery  encompassed  us  on  every  side.  The 
 dazzling  veil  was  lifted  up,  and  beneath  it  we  saw  scenes 
 that  made  our  hearts  bleed  at  every  vein,  and  heard  sounds 
 of  lamentation,  mourning,  and  woe  ascending  from  myriads 
 of  dying  sinners  who  were  living  without  peace,  and  perish- 
 ing without  hope,  and  passing  into  eternity  without  a  par- 
 don and  without  a  Saviour.  It  was  as  if  there  stood  before 
 us  some  goodly  fabric,  built  with  costly  magnificence,  and 
 
No.  37. — Grace  and  Glory.  9 
 
 decorated  with  most  inviting  architecture.  We  went  round 
 and  round  it,  admiring  it  on  every  side.  It  seemed  so  fair 
 and  goodly, — so  peaceful  a  sunshine  rested  on  it,  we  thought 
 we  should  like  to  dwell  within  sight  of  it  for  ever.  And 
 though  now  and  then  a  shriek  was  heard  within,  or  a  fune- 
 ral passed  out,  yet  we  heeded  not  these  interruptions.  But 
 at  last  we  were  taken  in,  and  the  whole  dismal  interior  lay 
 before  us  and  around  us, — a  vast  hospital  of  the  dying  and 
 the  dead, — a  mighty  "  lazar-house  of  many  woes/'  Then 
 when  we  saw  how  the  whole  creation  groaned  and  travailed, 
 then  we  felt  how  infinitely  desirable  was  the  day  of  its 
 deliverance  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glori- 
 ous liberty  of  the  children  of  God,  how  "  blessed"  was  the 
 "  hope"  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
 
 Such,  then,  are  the  proofs  of  the  statement  with  which 
 we  set  out,  that  grace,  rightly  received,  makes  us  long  for 
 the  glorious  appearing  of  our  Lord.  We  think  they  are 
 sufficient  to  show  that  that  event  ought  to  be  to  us  a  blessed 
 hope,  and  that  the  attitude  in  which  we  are  called  upon  to 
 stand  in  reference  to  it,  is  that  of  men  who  are  looking  and 
 longing  for  that  which  is  the  uppermost  desire  of  their 
 hearts. 
 
 Such,  believer,  let  the  coming  of  thy  Lord  be  to  thee. 
 Is  he  not  thy  friend  ?  Does  his  absence  not  make  a  dreary 
 blank  ?  And  art  thou  not,  then,  longing  for  His  appearing, 
 for  the  day  when  He  and  thou  shall  meet  to  be  parted  no 
 more  for  ever ! 
 
 But  if  these  things  be  true,  then  what  manner  of  persons 
 ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness  ? 
 This  hope  is  not  only  a  blessed  one,  but  a  holy  one.  It  not 
 only  gladdens,  but  it  sanctifies.  He  who  has  this  hope  in 
 him  is  called  upon  to  purify  himself,  even  as  Christ  is  pure. 
 It  brings  us  more  vividly  into  contact  with  the  Lord,  and  this 
 elevates  and  purifies.  It  makes  us  overleap  the  dreary  in- 
 terval which  lies  between  us  and  his  coming,  making  us 
 feel  as  if  he  were  already  with  us,  and  this  tends  to  conform 
 us  to  his  image. 
 
 This  grace  believed,  and  glory  hoped  for,  is  no  barren 
 over-curious  speculation  of  man.  It  is  the  very  truth  of 
 God.  Were  it  nothing  but  man's  device,  it  might  be  dis- 
 missed as  unprofitable.  But  it  is  not  so.  The  grace  brings 
 salvation,  and  the  hope  leads  us  ever  onward  and  upward. 
 It  is  like  some  well-known  star  in  the  firmament,  not  merely 
 to  be  gazed  at  and  admired,  but  serving  the  storm-vexed 
 
10  No.  37.— Grace  and  Glory. 
 
 seaman  as  a  guide  over  the  trackless  waste  of  ocean.  And 
 may  not  the  low  condition  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  these 
 last  days  be,  in  no  small  measure,  traced  to  her  having  so 
 sadly  lost  sight  of  that  blessed  hope,  which  was  esteemed 
 so  precious,  by  the  primitive  church,  in  apostolic  days  ? 
 May  the  Lord  not  charge  us  with  the  indifference  of  the 
 unfaithful  servant,  who  said,  "  My  Lord  delayeth  his  com- 
 ing," and  who  began  forthwith  to  live  in  pleasure,  as  if  his 
 master  would  never  return  ?  May  he  not  address  us  in 
 these  last  days,  as  he  did  Ephesus,  "Remember  from  whence 
 thou  art  fallen  and  repent,  and  do  the  first  works,  or  else 
 I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy  candle- 
 stick out  of  its  place,  except  thou  repent." 
 
 How  awful,  sinner,  must  that  day  appear  to  thee !  Thou 
 hast  no  hope  in  it.  It  is  all  darkness  and  sorrow  to  thee, 
 the  beginning  of  thy  endless  woe !  For  he  comes  to  exe- 
 cute the  Father's  righteous  purpose  of  wrath  upon  the  un- 
 godly, to  take  vengeance  upon  them  that  know  not  God, 
 and  that  obey  not  his  gospel. 
 
 And  wilt  thou  live  on  unmindful  of  that  coming  day  of 
 tribulation  and  anguish  ?  It  is  a  day  of  darkness  and 
 gloominess,  a  day  of  clouds  and  thick  darkness,  as  the  morn- 
 ing spread  upon  the  mountains  !  Wilt  thou  live  on  in  thy 
 sins,  as  if  there  were  no  sin-avenging  Judge,  no  sin-avenging 
 day  appointed  by  him,  when  thou  shalt  give  in  thy  account 
 for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body.  What  will  the  end  be  of 
 all  those  pleasures  in  which  thou  art  now  swallowing  up 
 every  care  about  the  day  of  wrath  ?  The  beginning  may 
 be  pleasant,  but  what  will  their  end  be  ?  The  coming  of 
 the  Lord  draweth  nigh,  and  thou  art  yet  in  thy  sins !  Still 
 reckless  of  the  Judge  and  of  his  sentence  !  The  end  of  all 
 things  is  at  hand,  and  thou  art  living  as  if  there  were  to  be  no 
 end  at  all,  as  if  thou  wert  to  live  for  ever  !  The  world's 
 Mighty  King  will  soon  be  here,  and  thou  art  still  a  rebel, 
 whose  doom  shall  be  the  crushing  stroke  of  the  iron  rod ! 
 And  dost  thou  feel  no  terror  ?  Is  there  no  sadness  on  thy 
 brow  as  that  awful  day  approaches,  and  the  signs  of  its 
 nearness  are  becoming  visible  around  thee  ?  Do  you  still 
 say,  let  us  eat  and  drink  and  be  merry  ?  Not  one  sigh  for 
 a  participation  in  the  coming  glory  ?  Not  one  shudder  at 
 the  thought  of  plunging  into  endless  woe  ?  Not  one  cry 
 for  mercy,  not  one  tear  for  all  your  ungodliness  and  worldly 
 lusts  ?  Darkness  is  coming,  wrath  is  coming,  judgment  is 
 coming,  the  second  death  is  coming,  the  eternal  night  is 
 
No.  37. — Grace  ana  GJyry.  11 
 
 coming,  and  wilt  thou  slumber  on,  as  if  thou  wert  on  thy 
 way  to  heaven,  or  as  if  hell  were  all  a  fable,  and  the  threat- 
 ened sorrows  of  eternity  a  lie  ? 
 
 Here  is  the  message  of  God  to  thee,  "  How  long,  ye  simple 
 ones,  will  ye  love  simplicity  ?  and  the  scorners  delight  in 
 their  scorning,  and  fools  hate  knowledge  ?  Turn  you  at 
 my  reproof:  behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  spirit  upon  you,  I 
 will  make  known  my  words  unto  you.  Because  I  have 
 called,  and  ye  refused ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand,  and 
 no  man  regarded  ;  but  ye  have  set  at  nought  all  my  coun- 
 sel, and  would  none  of  my  reproof:  I  also  will  laugh  at 
 your  calamity  ;  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh  ;  when 
 your  fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruction  com- 
 eth as  a  whirlwind  ;  when  distress  and  anguish  cometh 
 upon  you."— Prov.  i.  22-27. 
 
 Yet  there  is  grace  for  thee !  The  free  love  of  God  is 
 still  in  the  Saviour's  hands,  and  he  is  dispensing  it  freely  to 
 all  who  come!  Why,  then,  reject  that  free  love  which 
 would  save  even  thee  ?  Why  madly  thrust  away  the  love, 
 and  choose  the  wrath  ?  Why  prefer  the  curse  to  the  bless- 
 ing of  the  God  that  made  thee?  Yet,  behold,  this  free 
 love  is  still  held  out  to  thee !  The  cup  of  free  grace  is  once 
 more  pressed  to  thy  lips !  Oh,  drink  and  live  for  ever. 
 "  Give  glory  to  the  Lord  your  God,  before  he  cause  dark- 
 ness, and  before  your  feet  stumble  upon  the  dark  moun- 
 tains, and,  while  ye  look  for  light,  he  turn  it  into  the 
 shadow  of  death,  and  make  it  gross  darkness." — Jer.  xiii.  16. 
 
 Rev.  xxii.  20.—  "Even  so  come  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 The  Church  has  waited  long 
 
 Her  absent  Lord  to  see  ; 
 And  still  in  loneliness  she  waits, 
 
 A  friendless  stranger  she. 
 Age  after  age  has  gone, 
 
 Sun  after  sun  has  set, 
 And  still  in  weeds  of  widowhood, 
 
 She  weeps  a  mourner  yet. 
 
 Come  then,  Lord  Jesus,  come 
 
 Saint  after  saint  on  earth 
 
 Has  lived,  and  loved,  and  died, 
 And  as  they  left  us,  one  by  one, 
 
 We  laid  them  side  by  side ; 
 
12  No.  37.— Grace  and  Glory. 
 
 We  laid  them  down  to  sleep, 
 
 TJut  not  in  hope  forlorn, — 
 We  laid  them  but  to  ripen  there 
 
 Till  the  last  glorious  morn. 
 Come  then,  Lord  Jesus,  come  ! 
 
 The  serpent's  brood  increase. 
 
 The  powers  of  hell  grow  bold, 
 The  conflict  thickens,  faith  is  low 
 
 And  love  is  waxing  cold. 
 How  long,  0  Lord  our  God, 
 
 Holy  aud  true,  and  good, 
 Wilt  Thou  not  judge  Thy  suffering  Church, 
 
 Her  sighs,  and  tears,  and  blood  ! 
 Come,  then,  Lord  Jesus,  come  ! 
 
 We  long  to  hear  Thy  voice, 
 
 To  see  Thee  face  to  face, 
 To  share  Thy  crown  and  glory  then, 
 
 As  now  we  share  thy  grace. 
 Should  not  the  loving  Bride 
 
 The  absent  Bridegroom  mourn, 
 Should  she  not  wear  the  weeds  of  grief 
 
 Until  her  Lord  return  ? 
 
 Come  then,  Lord  Jesus,  come ! 
 
 The  whole  creation  groans, 
 
 And  waits  to  hear  that  voice 
 That  shall  restore  her  comeliness, 
 
 And  make  her  wastes  rejoice. 
 Come,  Lord,  and  wipe  away 
 
 The  curse,  the  sin,  the  stain, 
 And  make  this  blighted  world  of  ours 
 
 Thine  own  fair  world  again. 
 Come  then,  Lord  Jesus,  come  ! 
 
 Kelso,  May.  1846. 
 
 Kelso  :  John  Rutherfurd,  Market  Place. 
 
 Edinburgh:  J.Johnstone;  W.P.Kennedy  ;and  C.  Ziegler 
 
 London  :  J.  Nisbet  &  Co.    Carlisle:  J.-  F.  Whitridge. 
 
 Price  4s.  (id.  per  100. 
 
 PRINTED  AT   THE    BORDER  WATCH  OFFICE,  GALASHIELS. 
 
j.  per  100. 
 
 PRINTED  AT   THE    BORDER  \/ATCH  OFFICE.  GALASHIELS. 
 
mm