ever clearly it may be understood, will, in itself, be of no avail whatever; but when grace is implanted in the heart, a correct view of this wonderful scheme will be found a great blessing, for in seasons of soul-desertion, Satan has not such advantage over those who possess it, as he has over those who do not let it then be the concern of the believer to obtain as much scriptural knowledge of the whole plan of grace in all its parts as possible. Eternal truth will appear very different at different times to even the believer; sometimes appearing only as a system which has nothing inviting in it, at least to him, and were it not that he had a constant Leader, would soon lose all relish for it; but he who keepeth Israel smiles most graciously upon his people, and leads them into such green pastures as strike them with astonishment to behold, at the same time giving them such an appetite to feed, that they find it a rich repast, and delightful foretaste of that fulness of joy to be enjoyed hereafter. By being led into the pastures of truth, understand the glorious doctrines of free and sovereign grace opened up to the believer by the Holy Spirit, shewing how the adorable Trinity hath from eternity been engaged in the salvation of creatures, afterwards to be brought into being, leading the mind to see how the plan in wisdom laid has been effected by the Son of God entering into our place; thus becoming a covert from the tempest, and an hiding-place from the wind, witnessing home the soul's interest therein, enabling it securely to dwell, although the storms surrounding may beat against the Rock, which stands firmer than all the earth. When this is the case, the mind will be engaged in contemplating antient love as the source of all, begetting love again, until the whole soul will be ravished, and like those upon the mount of transfiguration, will be saying, "it is good for us to be here." But this path is not to continue, perhaps it may last a very little time only, shortly the shades of night will gather round and darkness draw on, indicating a change is taking place, and the soul finds itself in the dark valley below, and begins to fear fatal consequences will be the result: but, as the cloudy and fiery pillar never left the travellers in the wilderness, but always went before them by day and by night, so will our great Leader ever go before his people; and although they cannot see his hand, it is that which has conducted them to that very spot, which though hard to credit, and far above reason's powers to unravel, is as good for the Lord's people as being upon the mount. To conclude this part, it is he that leads them through life and death, to the end of their appointed time: he will bring them through all the windings of human life, over all the obstacles and difficulties they are exposed to, and when the river of death is seen, and the traveller approaches nearer and nearer, his guide will not forsake him, but lead him into that rest which remaineth to the people of God.

How secure, then, are the favoured sons of the Most High God! all their way appointed by infinite wisdom-every provision made for and

freely given to them-a guide to conduct them, and eternal glory as their home-all secured by immutable promise and confirming oath.

But still, let not those whose faces are Zionward, build their expectations of present comfort too high; the church is not merely to be viewed as the flock of the Lord's pasture, or a company of travellers to the heavenly Jerusalem, for in the concluding part of our text the Redeemer appears in another of his official engagements, in the very naming of which something like the distant sound of war is heard; for if he is a Commander to the people, they have some enemies' forces to go against, therefore let them buckle on the harness and prepare for the battle. It could not be expected the church should pass through this wilderness without being opposed, as they are, by Satan, the world, and the flesh; these all beset the christian, and endeavour, not only to impede his progress, but would all of them rejoice could they entirely overcome him; but for the church spiritual armour is provided, and they have a Commander to go forth with them to the battle: he enlists his people into his service, and they having before been active in the cause of the enemy, are not altogether ignorant of his devices; but to themselves they are never left, for their Commander collects them together, or sends them single-handed to the battle, just as his sovereign pleasure ordains, but always goes with them himself; and whilst he directs them to wield the sword of the Spirit against, or aim a dart at, the enemy, he secures them from all attack, for he sees the arrow coming, and wards it off those it is meant for. In every engagement, then, let the eye be fixed upon the great Commander of Israel, and dependence placed upon him for wisdom and strength, and all will be well; for none of his soldiers have been lost in the hottest battle, nor can his honour and faithfulness ever be stained by allowing any taken under his command to fall a prey to the enemy; as says the poet,

"All that his heavenly Father gave,

His hands securely keep."

Taking this view of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Witness, Leader, and Commander of his people, how are their affections drawn out to him, when they see their own nothingness, and the demerit of sin, as being nothing less than eternal banishment from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power. How ardently also they love him, and revere his name, that name, despised by many, treated with actual contempt by others, is by them revered, esteemed, beloved above every name. Now to be engaged in his service is their highest honour; their aim is to manifest their attachment to him by free and ready obedience to all his commands. Victory over every enemy is certain, for the Commander is more powerful than all enemies; and for every victor there is "laid up a crown which the righteous Judge shall give unto them at that day that he shall make his second appearance."

EBED.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

THE GRAND TERMINUS OF A BELIEVER'S HOPES, IN HIS IMMEDIATE BLESSEDNESS AFTER DEATH.

A LETTER TO A FRIEND.

"Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, from henceforth."-Rev, xiv. 13.

Dear Brother in undisturbable Relationship,

YOUR dear spouse having crossed the river of death, and left our mortal shores to return no more for ever, has awakened many serious thoughts in my mind as to the future. It has led me to survey the prospects before us as born for an eternal world, to look well to the groundwork of my hopes for that important hour, when I shall bid a final adieu to all the scenes of time, and take a long farewell to this momentary world. And what can I say to the praise of that mighty, free, and sovereign grace, that has made it all my desire, to know what will become of my immortal soul when ejected from her clay cottage, and where shall I dwell for ever. Blessed be our God for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation sent down to instruct us on these eternal affairs, and the light of the word that shineth in the dark place of this world, to light us through the darkness to the regions of immortal felicity. It is no small mercy, my dear brother, that we who were born on the brink of ruin, and stumbling in a life of sin and rebellion into the very gulf of perdition, are plucked as brands from eternal burning, while thousands are left to sink in the dreadful vortex, even misery endless, and damnation everlasting.

The Lord help me to gather up the few thoughts that have crossed my mind since your beloved wife has been claimed by her first and heavenly Husband, who has taken her into his embrace for ever, into all the felicities of his bosom and joys of his throne. Bear with me while I entertain you with an account of her happiness, and the thought that you will soon share in it will tend to heighten your felicity. I do not wish to tear up your feelings, but under God, to throw up the prospect, and excite your anticipation, that you may exclaim with the spouse, "Until the day (of eternal glory) break,

and the shadows (of time) flee away, I will get me to the mountain (of Zion) of myrrh, and to the hill (of prayer) of frankincense."

She has entered into rest-done, for ever done with all the toils of the wilderness; no more sinking under a weak frame, tormented with carping cares, nor a thousand anxious fears; no more terrified with gloomy prospects, no labouring under the pressure of guilt, nor borne down with the temptations of the bottomless pit; no more weary in travelling to Zion; no more distressed with the loss of his presence, nor worn out with sickness, weakness, and decay-no, no! has entered into rest, she has reached the peaceful shore; she is now in the quiet regions, where the weary are at rest; she now leans on the bosom of Jesus in eternal repose, where all is an endless calm; now harboured in the arms of everlasting love, all her anxiety has VOL. VII.-- No. 77.

P

She

expired, and the noisy strife of this world has given place to the serene stilness of the heavenly world.

She has entered into the joy of her Lord, sorrow and sighing has for ever fled away. She is now gazing in heavenly rapture on her beloved Lord, rejoicing in the blaze of his perfection, and realizing that in his presence there is fulness of joy: she has all her heart can wish, her soul can embrace, and her most expansive desires can take in. She is participating in all the delights of the heavenly world; she is sounding aloud with all the blissful society the wonders of everlasting love, telling to listening angels and glorified spirits the wonders of rescuing grace and sovereign mercy that saved her from the lowest hell. Her happy soul is rejoicing in her given and immortal inheritance, in the everlasting banishment of all that creates an uneasy thought, and the overflowing delights of a manifested God smiling on all around wells of delight, and oceans of felicity perpetually flow to increase her joys; all the never-ceasing springs of Immanuel's redemption issuing forth from his gaping side, and deepmade wounds, overflow the banks of glory, and roll into the hearts of all the heavenly inhabitants. O the treasures at his right hand! Blessed, thrice happy soul, that is harboured in the port of eternal felicity! She is now blest with the vision of God." Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." This is the consummation of all bliss, and the perfection of glory; to be admitted into the presence of God, and presented faultless before the presence of his glory, is the highest felicity a creature can enjoy. But how does she see God? In the person of the God-Man, where all the perfections of Godhead are exhibited to the greatest extent; all the glory of Jehovah beams upon her through his image; all the love, grace, goodness, and kindness of God shine upon her through the mirror of his Son; all the wonders of his grace, wisdom, justice, compassion, and truth, open in the radiant person of Jesus: there she enjoys Father's love displayed in him who is the brightest reflection of his glory. She beholds God in all the perfections of his nature, in all the immaculate glory of his character, in all the endearments of gracious relationship, in all the bestowments of his love, in all the unbounded excellencies of his almighty greatness, in all the unfoldings of his perfect reign, in all the manifest openings of his amazing fulness, in all the revelation he makes of himself in that perfect world, and all shining forth through the medium of his dear Son. And who can tell the transports of her soul while gazing on a covenant God-while beholding the God of love in the lovely image man, the brightness of his glory! O the ecstacy of her soul in the rapturous sight! sweetly engulphed in all the pleasures of divine communion, and gathered into the greatest possible nearness! Yes, my

the

brother, now she sees him as he is, in all the splendour of his glory, in all the wonders of his God-man person, in all the treasures of his glory kingdom, in all the royal state of his majestic throne, and the perfection of his reign, in all, the honour and glory his Father raised him to, and in all the achieved glory and triumph of his victorious conquest over all the powers of sin, earth, death, and hell. But, alas! what can we say of the felicity of a glorified spirit, wrapt in the vision of manifested mystery, and swallowed up in the disclosures of omnipotent greatness! If but a glimpse of his gracious countenance makes our cup run over, and darkens for ever all the glory of this world from our view, what must be the ravished feeling of the full vision of his face, in which her happy soul is absorbed for ever!

She has entered into full possession of her incorruptible and glorious inheritance; not an acre of ground, or a mansion of brick and wood, but all that world of bliss and glory, to share in unsearchable riches, to possess all the communicable fulness of the great I AM; gone in to possess all that love ordained, all that was given her as an heir of God, to share the all spiritual blessings given in Christ before the world began-all that the power of God could produce to make her eternity happy: to speak comprehensively, Jehovah himself is the portion of his people. He hath made himself over by oath and covenant to be the inheritance of his saints for ever; nothing short of this would satisfy a soul he has quickened to life everlasting; when he can embrace the Lord as his God his felicity is complete; " my beloved is mine, and I am his." To be heir of a vast inheritance, and have the title-deeds in possession, is very gratifying, (as we by faith have), but to enter upon it, and inherit the fulness, is their blissful lot; we can only distantly guess at her rapturous joy in embracing all the fulness of the triune God as her special property and endless treasure. Even heaven as a place must be a rich inheritance; it is the kingdom state of our Lord, where he is adored in perfection, manifests forth his glory, where all his retinue of angels and bloodredeemed saints follow him whithersoever he goeth. It is called the inheritance of the saints in light, the heavenly Canaan, the paradise of God, where the saints dwell in perfection. The overcomers inherit all things, have gone into the possession of all the glory, fulness, blessedness, perfection, dignity, and honour that God has given them as heirs, as his beloved ones, as his adopted sons and daughters, to inherit for ever. "Enter thou into the joy of the Lord." To speak comprehensively of it, it is life eternal in perfect felicity, is seeing him as he is, is being like him.

She is perfectly delivered from the inbeing of sin; the root of all her misery is destroyed, the spring of corruption is for ever dried up, the cursed thing is for ever annihilated; she is for ever emancipated from the filthy dunghill, and raised above the reach of its contagious and deathly influence; no sinful thought ever crosses her holy breast, no evil desire ever steals upon her happy soul, no sinful thought breaks in upon the sacred adorer of divine Majesty, no guilt breaks