fixed that thou shouldest be eternally all fair. Dost thou see any beauty in me? Yea, my beloved, thou art all fair; yea, pleasant. My love, if thou canst see my beauties, they are thine. Thou art

as

a mirror set before me, and my communicable glories all reflect on thee, and I behold thee even as my own self. Yea, my love, thou art flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone. What thou art, I was; and what I am, thou shalt be; yea, thou art. When I call thee, my love, I do not merely infer I approve of thee, as being on a level with all the works of my hands, but thou art the centre of my delight-my choice one-my bosom companion-the object of my affections. I have beheld thee but once. I never have, and I never will take mine eyes off thee. I never can abate my affection toward thee-it is infinite, and it shall be infinite. I saw thee numberless years before Adam was formed: thou wast then MY LOVE! I saw thee when sunk in depths of misery, when thou hadst destroyed thyself-I saw thee when I bore thy guilt-when I became a curse-when I expired-when 1 rose, having slain thy foes-when I ascended-when I took my seat at my Father's right hand. In all these changing scenes on thy part, and on my part, thou wast all fair! I see thee now-I intercede for thee-I never once lost sight of thee, and I never will so long as my eternal kingdom shall endure. All thy imperfections are consumed-burnt up-annihilated—I never thought of sin being thine but mine-thy debts were mine-as fast as contracted they were charged to me; agreeable to my wishes I paid off all the score. I have over-paid what thou hast contracted, to account for what thou will yet contract, that nothing might be found to hinder thine eternal admittance into that kingdom to which with me thou art joint heir. Tell me not the greatness of thy sinnership-I am a greater Saviour! Tell me not the depths of thy misery-I have gone beneath it to raise thee up. Tell me not of thy changeability-I am unchangeable! Tell me not of thy inconstancy, I am for ever constant ! Tell me not of thy backslidings- I'll follow thee, and surely bring thee back! Tell me not of thy uncomelinessthou art all fair! Tell me not of thy worthlessness-I account thee valuable, as a proof of which I have paid down a great price for thee! Tell me not of thy poverty-I have riches enough for thee and me! Tell me not that thou art friendless, whilst thou hast a friend that sticketh closer than a brother! Tell me not thy weakness-I am thy strength! Yea, tell me none of thy calamities suspiciously, as though thou wast afraid I should slight thee at all on account thereof; but tell them with a view to my fulness, freeness, and extreme liberality. Not one thing dost thou lack, but I have it for thee. And thou canst not do me a greater honour, than to trust my faithfulness and power. And believe when I say, "Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair, thou art all fair; there is no spot in thee!"

Malmesbury, September, 1830.

DENIZEN.

A NOTE TO W. FROM THE EDITORS.

WE have received the communication from our Correspondent, whose initial we have placed above; and upon renewed consideration, we have decided not to insert it. Contrary to our usual practice of conveying such a determination on the wrapper, we purpose giving our reasons in this instance, within the pages of our Magazine. The object of W.'s communication is to defend the opinions promulged by the Rev. Edward Irving, on the human nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, and publicly to challenge one particular individual to controvert, W. says, if he can, such opinions. Our reasons for declining to insert W.'s letter are not of course because he entertains the same views as Mr. Irving upon this subject: it does not come within our province to dictate to our brother; and he knows our pages have always been open to controversy when conducted in a proper spirit, and with an evident desire only to elicit truth; but we cannot approve that an individual should be publicly signalized and attacked,-who has not, as we can learn, made himself paramount at all in the controversy. In addition to this, he has clothed his remarks in so much personal invective against his anticipated antagonist, that, even if this were the only reason, we should consider ourselves justified in refusing to give it publicity. If W. is desirous only to defend his view of the question, the arena of combat is already open-and shall we say, abler opponents than the one he has selected, and whose conquest would redound more to his fame, are waiting the engagement. W. is doubtless aware that before we received his communication on our last month's wrapper, we announced our fixed determination not to renew the controversy within our pages. He will therefore be unjust if he attributes the rejection of his letter to any personal motive. We should be happy at all times to receive from him communication on subjects tending more to the edification and building up of the saints in our most holy faith; and with sincere desires for his present and eternal happiness, as well as for the blessing of God to accompany his ministerial labours, we, on this occasion, bid him farewell.

THE EDITORS.

ON REPENTANCE.

THE true meaning of the word repentance is a change of mind; and how can this be accomplished without faith? and how can faith exist without justification? Genuine repentance then with its meet fruits flowing from Christ, being the effect of the soul's union with and interest in him, is the certain proof that the soul has received mercy, though neither repentance nor any other grace, but, on the contrary, only sinfulness, fits and prepares for mercy. To place repentance before reconciliation, or to affirm that it is preparatory thereto, is (as already noticed) to put the effect before the cause, and to look for fruit on the tree before it is either planted or VOL. VII.-No. 81.

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ingrafted. It is moreover to establish the Romish doctrine of grace of congruity, which our Reformers, in the 13th article of religion, have so expressly borne their testimony against. Indeed it is to preach another gospel than what Paul preached. Yet it is amazing how incautiously some pious and good men have expressed themselves on this point. Again. Repentance, being a change of mind, cannot be eradicated from the believer by any falls into sin, since the renewed mind hates the sin which the believer falls into. His state God-ward is not affected by his falls, though his peace will be much affected; seeing he is as much out of his proper element under the prevalence and out-breakings of corruption, as a fish would be out of its element if you were to take it out of the sea and lay it in the sun-beams: the poor fish jumps and flounders about, so will the poor fallen believer strive and struggle hard till he find himself brought into his own element, which is holiness. An animal, whose nature is cleanly, a sheep for instance, may undoubtedly fall into the mire; but a sheep cannot delight himself in the mire into which he falls, but will pant, bleat and struggle till the shepherd come and help him out. One of Christ's sheep may fall foully into dirt and filth, but the cleanly nature will shew itself by incessant cryings and exertions till deliverance be obtained.

It is not so with a swine. Its nature being filthy, it delights in filth; and though you may wash it again and again, it has no real enjoyment but what it finds in mud and nastiness.-This is just the case with every natural man.

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It may be objected that repentance in scripture is put before faith, Repent ye, and believe the gospel." But when both are necessary, the order in which they are mentioned is no proof at all which of these blessings first takes place in the soul. Sanctification is mentioned by St. Paul previous to justification, "but ye are sanctified, ye are justified," 1 Cor. vi. 11.-2 Thess. ii. 13. Yet no one (I mean none but a blind formalist, or a papist) will affirm that any soul is made holy before it has pardon through the blood of Christ. In like manner, in the Revelation, calling is placed before choice, "called and chosen;" yet every Christian knows that we are called because we are elected, and not called first and elected afterwards.

But whenever the scripture speaks of repentance as a turning of the heart to God, then it is always placed subsequent to faith, "many believed and turned to the Lord." By faith in the exceeding great and precious promises, we are made partakers of a divine nature. However, if we consider repentance in a double point of view, viz. as legal and evangelical, it will readily be granted that the first of these, which is more properly attrition than contrition, precedes faith, or rather the soul's own knowledge of faith, for there must be a degree of faith to put the soul on flight to Christ. But true, ingenuous, melting repentance, is the fruit of advanced faith; and even the nigher the soul rises towards full unclouded assurance, and towards that perfect love that casteth out fear, so much the more genuine will his humiliations be on account of sin.

REVIEW.

The reception of the Gospel, and a Conversation becoming it. A farewell Sermon, preached in the Scotch Church, Chadwell Street, London, by the Rev. W. R. Taylor, A. M. 8vo. pp. 36. Stewart.

THIS discourse, which was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Taylor, on occasion of his quitting the pastoral duties of the church in Chadwell Street, London, to take the charge of a church in Scotland, contains a faithful and affectionate appeal to the consciences of his hearers, urging them to review, with seriousness, the effects produced by his ministry while among them.

Mr. T. takes for his text, the 27th verse of the 1st chapter of Philemon, 66 Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." After some appropriate preliminary remarks, he proceeds to elucidate his subject under the three following particulars :-Let your conversation be as becometh the character, the privileges, and the importance of the gospel of Christ. Speaking on walking as becometh the privileges of the gospel, he observes :

"You are not called to labour in your own strength. You are not called to go to warfare on your own charges. If it is true, that you can do nothing without Christ, it is true also, that you are not called to do any thing without Christ: yea, it is true, that you are forbidden to attempt to do any thing without him, without trusting in him for strength, without trusting in his promise to carry you through, without trusting that from his fulness grace shall be imparted to you, and your wants supplied. You are permitted, you are encouraged, you are commanded to abide in him; to have recourse to him in every time of need, and to look to him, and to him only, for help. As you are exhorted and warned, and charged, in the most solemn manner, and as you would avoid the experience of Jehovah's curse, or the feeling of his paternal displeasure, not to trust in yourself, not to trust to your own wisdom, or righteousness, or strength, not to trust in an arm of flesh: so you are in like manner exhorted, and incited, and charged, to trust in him, -to trust in him as the Lord your righteousness, and the Lord your strength -to trust in his power, to trust in his wisdom, to trust in his grace, to trust in his faithfulness-and for this end, to rely on those exceeding great and precious promises, in which his faithfulness is pledged, and in which his power, and his wisdom, and his love, are engaged, for the present support and eternal well-being of all who flee to him for refuge."

We subjoin another extract from the preacher's exhortation, on the conversation being as becometh the importance of the gospel.

"Should it be the maintaining of the truth, not in opposition to persecntion, but in opposition to error, to which you are called, let me give you this advice in doing so. See that you experience in your heart the power of that truth for which you contend. If a man's belief of any truth arises

merely from reasonings and arguments, and if he should be brought into contact with an opposer of that truth, whose power of reasoning, or whose subtlety was greater than his own; I should not be much surprised, though he left his company denouncing, or at least much shaken in the truth, which he had gone prepared to maintain. But let a man feel in his soul the power and the preciousness of the truth which he is called to uphold, and that man is proof against all the artifices, and subtleties, and devices of the enemy. He has that within him which will strengthen him to stand the test. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables," says the apostle Peter, "when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. And we have thus," adds he, “a more sure word of prophecy," i. e. we have thus the word of prophecy made more sure to our faith-we have a confirmation of the word of prophecy-of the testimony of scripture, respecting the glory of Christ- in what we have ourselves seen and felt. We have seen his glory, we have felt his presence. We have been eye-witnesses of his majesty. We have seen the King in his beauty; we have seen his countenance shining as the sun, and his raiment white as the light. We have seen him in his purity, exceeding white as snow; we have seen him in his glory, more resplendent and dazzling than the sun in the firmament, shining with an effulgence which darkened all created excellence, and which discovered him to be, even as manifested in flesh, the very brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person. Thus have we seen him in his majesty, and therefore, we feel supported in our adherence to his cause. Therefore, we think not the less of him, for all the contempt and dishonour which men may cast upon him. They cannot touch his glory; they cannot abstract one jewel from his crown; they cannot sully in the slightest that robe of purity—white as the light, exceedingly white, as snow-with which he ever has been and now is clothed. We have seen him in his majesty, and hence we have a most satisfying confirmation of our faith in what is revealed of his glory; heuee we know and have the evidence in ourselves, that we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known his excellence, when we declared his present unlimited dominion, and his future coming with power and great glory."

We regret that the preacher, amidst so much sincerity and zeal, should have entirely omitted the person and work of the Holy Spirit; the more so, as we have so frequently to complain of this in many of the preachers in the present day. Surely we shall never witness a revival in our churches while that blessed Spirit is so slighted.

There are expressions in this discourse we do not approve, but we shall not enlarge, hoping that the preacher may be led more clearly into the whole truth.

The Friends: a tale of Woe and Joy, from the East, 18mo. pp. 237. Wightman.

THE leading character in this volume is an active agent in the missions to the east, described under the name of Mr. Gilchrist, and as an eye-witness he vouches for the truth of its contents. The work contains an encouraging account, under fictitious names, of the happy effects attending missionary labours in the east. And if such are the actual results attending those exertions, we do most sincerely wish them success. We subjoin one chapter as a specimen of the whole. "Mr. Theobald had passed through what, in the estimation of the gay world, would be esteemed a brilliant youth. Beloved every where, courted