tainted by reason of the divine personality he sustained. Our nature in Christ, therefore, stood above any possibility of falling, whatever Mr. Irving might say to the contrary. The church also must come under the same denomination of love, with Christ, as it regards supralapsarian grace; for Christ himself acknowledgeth in his prayer, when he aaid, "thou hast loved them, Father, as thou hast loved me." Also, when the church was in vision shewn to the God-man before the world was, she appeared in the personal glories and dignities of the Son of God. It was not the redemption glories he became enamoured with, in the partner of his throne, but the supercelestial vestments; hear him saying, Cant. iv. 9. "Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes, with one chain of thy neck; how fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse; how much better is thy love than wine." Blessings on him he has not changed his mind since; "for he is of one mind, and none can turn him; he is “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." I love to connect his yesterday's conduct (or before the world was) with to-day's, (or, while the world lasts,) and for ever, (when this world shall have passed away). He was God's first-born Son; Jehovah possessed him in the beginning of his way; he was set up from everlasting; he is not an eternal creature, but he is an eternal Person. It does not follow, because his created nature existed before the world was, that it had no beginning; we have no reason to doubt that angels and devils existed before this world was, yet nobody thinks they are eternal creatures. O my friends in Jesus, acknowledge him to be God's Alpha as you do his Omega, you will not honour him too much. Christ married the church before this world was made; go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Jesus with the crown wherewith he was crowned in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart-hear what he saith, "Turn, ye backsliding children, for I am married unto you:" again, Thy Maker is thy Husband, the Lord of hosts is his name, the God of the whole earth shall he be called." The love union, therefore, was above and before the consideration of a fallen lapsed state. 66 But The glory Christ had with the Father before the world was, was not a redemption glory. The redemption work which he accomplished, will add immense diadems to his crown, and he is worthy to wear them. "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, and riches, and strength, be unto him for ever and ever, hallelujah ;" and let all the redeemed say and repeat their never ending amen. in his humiliation day, hear his prayer-" Now, O Father, glorify thou me, with thine ownself, with the glory I had with thee before the world was." Again-"Father, I will, that those also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." So we have a promise from heaven, that Jesus's prayer shall be answered, in his church being called up to see his ancient glory, or the glory of supralapsarian grace. When all the ransomed are gathered in and brought home-when all the honours of a Saviour are consummated, and all the triumphs of the cross realized-when the grandeur of the resurrection morn shall have taken place when the thousand years reign on the earth shall be finished-when the redemption chorus shall be completedwhen the kingdom of saints shall be given up to the Father, and God be all in all-then, God shall display new scenes of bliss, to make our joys complete; unfolding the grandeur of his perfections in all his transcendent glories to an adoring host of angels and saints, with Jesus as their Head, and Medium, Conductor, Leader, Husband, King. Then in chanting immortal praises, Christ will lead the song, with ten thousand smiles on his dear face, and love in every smile-the effect of supralapsarian grace. The glories of Deity will unfold so rapid, the pleasures so transcendently great, and heightened by every opening page, (perhaps) there will be scarce a moment to reflect on what is past, and being swallowed up by the present ineffable joy, the future will seem lost also in one eternal now, for ever and as yet, for ever and as yet. But we shall not lose sight of our best beloved Friend and Husband, for he will constantly, perpetually, never endingly be introducing his church to unspeakable regions of glory to come-and all the effect of supralapsarian grace. Higher and higher still will Jesus escort his beloved spouse, nor ever will reach the summit of bliss. Infinity being above all comprehension, which finite minds can never, never grasp. God will remain the same incomprehensible, when millions of ages shall have rolled away, and creatures remain creatures. O my friends, who have a hope of immortality glowing in your bosoms, grounded on scripture testimony as the truth is in Jesus, what value can you set on itwhat are the baubles of time-what are the pleasures of sense-what are the distinctions among men-what is the world-what is life, with all that is called good or great, compared with an interest in supralapsarian grace. Grafton Street, July, 1830. Dear Sir, (For the Spiritual Magazine.) LETTER TO THE EDITOR. A. B. In reading your address to your Correspondents, for your February Number, I very much admired the affectionate and impartial way you addressed yourself to a Mr. L. who it seems is passing through the furnace of affliction. Indeed, Sir, I feel a glow of affection, and an heart of sympathy towards every vessel of mercy, when I hear it is in storms of persecution, while sailing over the sea of this tem pestuous world: and I rejoice, and that for two reasons—first, because I believe, that though storms of persecution arise, and winds of error blow and beat upon them, insomuch that they are full of trouble, and feel ready to sink, yet Jesus sits at the helm, and will be sure to guide each safe to the haven of everlasting repose. Secondly, (as you justly observe) that the Lord frequently makes him the most useful in the vineyard, who has been called by God to pass through the furnace. Such men as these, that have been brought through fire and water into a wealthy place of gospel liberty, Ps. lxvi. 12. can indeed best declare to the honour of God how they have been delivered" from the noise of archers in the place of drawing water, and are fit subjects to rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord,” Judges v. 11. Such know, from painful experience, what the bondage of the law is, and can sympathize with those of the family of God who are now feeling the same, and under divine teaching they can point out the difference between the killing letter, and the Spirit which giveth life; between truth and error, light and darkness; between the precious and the vile; and shew from the word of grace, fearless of the frowns of mortals, to whom the promised blessings, which is eternal life, belong, and to whom they do not; such men as these will not send poor, distressed, self-condemned sinners to Moses for help. “But rightly will the word divide, And sympathize with those who're tied; Again; you observe that we live in a day of great profession. This, Sir, is a truth; but is a mere profession calculated to ease a troubled mind, or give the least solid comfort to a poor tempted sinner? I think you will cordially agree with me, when I say, I know it will not. I have had a long experience of this; six years did I sit under what thousands call gospel, five years in church fellowship, and we were supplied by a variety of ministers, some few from the country, and a number from the academy; but never did I hear any one in an experimental way describe what the bondage of the law is, or what a poor sinner feels when arraigned at the bar of divine justice; and if they knew nothing of this, you may be sure they knew nothing experimentally what the liberty of the everlasting gospel is. If they knew nothing of being killed by the law, it is impossible for them to know any thing what it is to be made alive. If they knew nothing of being wounded, they could not know any thing of the healing virtue which the gospel affords to those who are brought to feel the need of it. What I suffered in soul affliction those six years, no tongue can fully express; the limits of this paper will not allow me to enlarge. With every sentiment of regard, I am, dear Sir, your's, Great Waking. W. W ORIGINAL ESSAYS. LXVIII. THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER DELINEATED UPON EVANGELICAL PRINCIPLES. NINTH ESSAY. THE more we examine the holy scriptures, the more forcibly are we convinced that christianity is holy in its nature and tendency. If the scheme of grace and wisdom revealed in the holy volume is not beneficial to the heirs of grace, it cannot be a disclosure of mercy and truth from God to man, but it is a spiritual manifestation of the living Jehovah in the person of his Son; and it is productive of great good to the sinner, and much glory to his great name. In all the ways of God he is shewing the absolute perfection and independency of his being, together with his sovereignty over the creatures that he has formed. There is no confusion in the arrangement of divine wisdom, nor in the execution of it. The nature of the doctrines of the gospel are misconceived by many persons, or they would not misrepresent them as they do, nor employ such arguments as they do to seduce weak minds from that attention to them which they merit from all that fear the Lord. By the light of truth we see our way to God, and by the influence of it we are sanctified to worship him without any confidence in the flesh. In proportion as the mind is enriched by the Spirit of truth, we are separated increasingly from the evil of the world. It cannot be otherwise; for by it we learn that the good will of God towards his people is made known to them in the use of the means which he has chosen for them to use, and by which he is training them for an eternal state of glory. The eternal God of love is manifesting his delight in his people as they are comprehended in the person of his Son; and, as we perceive that we are humbled to take our station at the feet of the great Redeemer, and learn of him, so as to become before men in a practical manner what we really are in his judgment. There are uumerous theoretical professors of the gospel who are as ignorant of the nature and genius of the things which they believe as an Egyptian or a Chinese. Such persons often cause the ways of God to be evil spoken of; because while they pretend to be religious there is no principle of spiritual life and fruitfulness in their hearts, and when they obtain the end for which at first they clothed themselves in the garments of eternal sanctity, they can as easily put off the dress which they have worn as they thoughtlessly decked themselves without knowing of the worth and excellency of true godliness. But he who is arrayed in the garment of salvation, has within him a vital spring of spiritual activity, which, like his person, is in the keeping and under the protection of the Son of God. The mystery of vital union to the person of the Son of God, is not known nor regarded by the man of the world, but it is the real source of fruitfulness and devotion to God. The manner in which religion is described by many who represent the subjects of it, as performing various services by which they are desirous to recommend themselves to the notice of God, is contrary to the word of truth; for those who worship in the spirit are first approved and sanctified in and through Christ Jesus, before they carry their services to God, and lay them upon that altar which is greater than the worshipper and the gift which is presented upon it. It is of great importance for the true believer to keep this fact constantly in view. Many persons who did not consider it in the day of their religious minority to be of such vital importance as it is, have when their judgment in divine things was matured, learned that Christ is the holy root of activity from whence they have derived all their fruitfulness. The ministers of the gospel too frequently forget this solemn fact when they exhort their hearers to perform the numerous duties which God has commanded them to practice; and it is quite certain that the pride of the human heart is not offended thereby, for it supposes that the hearer has a natural power within, that only requires to be excited to arouse it to activity. This is one of the reasons why we have so many professors of christianity in the present day, who are ignorant of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. The christian man is employed for, and publicly consecrated to God. Religion is not a matter of trivial consequence. We cannot be devoted to God by means of a sponsor. We are redeemed by a Sponsor, but we cannot be personally sanctified by one; nor can we be actively devoted to God by any such paltry means. Every thing which in the judgment of God may be called religious, is the act of the man who is truly set apart for his honour. Baptism being a personal act whereby the person baptized publicly professes his faith in the eternal Trinity of persons in the one Jehovah, can never be rightly attended to but by faith; because the person baptized voluntarily gives himself up to God in this holy ordinance, which he commanded his children to observe. Indeed, a good man cannot in this respect adopt the mechanical method so much in practice at this time, viz. of performing of duties in the person of another. We find it to be our interest to mingle with the followers of Jesus, and with them to visit his throne, and to ask mercy at his hands for the whole church which he has redeemed to God; but while a brother is addressing of the Divine Majesty, and imploring of him to manifest his friendship to his waiting children, we are actually engaged in the same service, although we are employed in an audible manner, for whatever he asks of God according to his will that is ever needed by the holy brethren, and they will add to it their hearty amen. Besides this, as we are enlightened to discern that God has an immutable right in his people, they under the influence of the |