Father himself has laid Christ as the foundation, as the prophet Isaiah was commissioned to write; and millions have found him what the scriptures declare-a tried stone. Saints often try

him, but find him firm; his Father tried him with the weight of his church's crimes, then the weight of their exacted payment, then an atonement to be made, a reconciliation to be brought about, the horrors of hell to be endured, the hidings of his Father's face to be felt, his dreadful anger to be pacified, his holy law to be honoured, all the demands of his inflexible justice to be completely satisfied—and this tried stone failed not; nor has he ever failed in his love to, or affection for, his chosen. In times of temptation, saints try him, and he succours them; in providential difficulties, and he delivers them; they go to him with their darkened dejected frames, and he revives and comforts them; with their backslidings, and he heals them; with their wants, and he supplies them; and with their every-day sins, and he pardons them.

They find that his most precious blood never fails in its cleansing, peace-making, power; that his glorious righteousness beatifies and still justifies from all things: that his fulness is still everflowing and overflowing; that his precious promises are as valuable and rich as when first made; that his intercession is still available, and often obtains for them pardon, peace, and access to God; that his everlasting arms are a sure protection; and that his smiles and presence make a heaven begun below. His ordinances often bring them the best of blessings: the bread of life, honey out of the rock, water from the walls of salvation, an explanation of heavenly mysteries, a reproof for sin connived at, a word to direct in difficulties, and a blessing from the Lord.

A precious corner stone; no gem or jewel so valuable as Jesus; no ore or metal so precious. Christ is precious to his Father, to God the Holy Spirit, to the elect angels, to all the ransomed of the Lord in glory; to the ministers of the everlasting gospel he is a certain subject at all times to preach; and he is very precious to seeking souls, when precious faith is given them to lay hold of him, as their rich portion, rich righteousness, rich foundation, rich husband, rich Father, rich banker, rich Redeemer, and their rich and royal sovereign.

Here is a rock that no time can decay, no attack from enemies can erase, no powers of hell can prevail against, that nothing can undermine. May both writer and reader be built upon, and closely cemented to, this foundation, in life, in death, and for ever. The Lord Most High grant it, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

Hampstead, Jan. 31, 1833.

JAMES.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

SALVATION THE RESULT OF PURE SOVEREIGNTY, IN PURPOSE, BLOOD, AND POWER.

"Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but God." John i. 13.

SALVATION is of Jehovah, is absolutely and altogether of him; has its rise in the ocean love of his heart; is the bestowment of his infinite good pleasure, the fruit of electing grace; and its primary end the everlasting purification of His Eternal Majesty. That there are a certain number foreknown and ordained by the Eternal Council and determinate will of Jehovah to obtain salvation by Christ Jesus to eternal glory, is supported by the body of revelation, and demonstrated through all the ages of time to the praise of the glory of his grace. The great scheme of salvation is the project of infinite wisdom, the vast settlement of eternity, founded in the sovereignty of his will, and will terminate in the display of divine perfections in harmony. The holy people by electing grace, the redeemed from among men, and the called according to purpose, were always one in Jehovah's eye. He looks not upon the church through the different states they pass simply, but on the centre, where they are ever beheld with delight. The people that lay on his bosom from everlasting, are for ever his; as much his when children of wrath by nature as when anciently folded in his breast, or drawn to the heights of communing love by the attracting grace of the Comforter. When Jehovah went forth for salvation, with his anointed, in the days of eternity, the whole family elect were as much in the mansions of glory in fact, as they will be in reality when introduced into their given inheritance. The past of the church, the present of the church, and the to come of the church, always stood open to the inspection of our God from everlasting; he saw the church in Christ, in Adam, in her recovery, glory, and glorified blessedness.

The Father, in the great separating act of eternal sovereignty, assigned the chosen of his love to be the heirs of salvation; our God hath appointed us to obtain the salvation which is in Christ. He entered into covenant with the representative of Zion for all that were chosen to salvation. All that Jehovah willed, decreed, and appointed by an act of distinguishing grace to be saved, are gathered up from the lap of ruin, and the rest are left to perish in their sins. All that the Father sovereignly loved and embraced in the arms of electing favour, Christ undertook to redeem; for them he laid down his life, poured out his vital sources to rescue from destruction, and is now exalted a prince and a Saviour to impart the blessings he procured. The Holy Ghost, equal in majesty and essential greatness with the Father and the Son, always works under the throne and the

cross. The objects of Eternal love and redeeming grace become the subjects of converting power. The Holy Ghost, having an infinite knowledge of the Life Book and all that were embraced in redeeming favour, in the day of his power quickens to life eternal. The Trinity are in unity in salvation, and always work in harmony. The time, the manner, the means, and all the circumstances connected with the birth of the children of the kingdom, was predestinated in the arrangements of eternity; was determined by the will of Jehovah, and comes to pass according to his counsel and foreknowledge; when the purposed moment arrives, the Holy Ghost visits the sinner elect, and it becomes the day of his power, who worketh all things after the council of his own will, called according to his purpose, "Who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.' Not one in all the ranks of Zion but owe their spiritual birth to God, and must own the discriminating act of Eternal Sovereignty that quickened them who were dead in trespasses and sin. Here it is expressed as an act of Jehovah altogether, independent of the creature; the will of man is put out of doors altogether. Jehovah has no motive out of his own breast when he goes forth in calling grace, to say to a sinner, "I am thy God;" but moves upon the basis of his sovereign will, saying, to whom he will, "Follow me." Not of blood, not a corporeal birth, but spiritual; not of man, but of the Spirit Jehovah; not of nature, but of grace; not of earthly parents, but celestial; not of corruptible, but of the incorruptible seed, which liveth and abideth for ever; nor of the will of the flesh. Man has no desire spiritually to live to God, but loves his chains and fetters, and calls them freedom; nor of the will of the flesh of the new-born. When they are just looking out of obscurity, tasting that the Lord is gracious, and rejoicing in his great salvation, then they are for taking all they know to heaven, writing to all their relatives to escape the wrath to come, and embrace the salvation of Jesus; but they soon find their relations have no taste for spiritual things, and that salvation is as sovereign as free; they have a zeal, but not according to knowledge; it is not of the will of the flesh. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, not of the will of the flesh in the prayers of the saints. When I hear the saints praying for all their children, it is but their fleshly wills expressed. What has natural affection to do with spirituality? Am I a believer in electing sovereignty and discriminating grace, and ask Him, who has fixed the destiny of all, to call all my family? I say, where is the practice of faith? You meet with an Arminian, who begins to cavil at the doctrine of election, which you contend warm for by the scriptures of truth, then turn into our prayer meeting, and pray for all your children. Where is the practice of faith? Is this worshipping in the light given you?

You will say, Do you not pray for your relatives? I do, for all that are ordained to eternal life. How do you know them? I worship, in the fact God knows them, and therefore am always praying for the known yet uncalled part of the mystic body of Christ, that the children loved may be brought into the family; that those whose names are written to life may possess the life; that the Stone's elect may become the living stones, and be added to the building; that the purchase of the cross may become the ransomed of his power. And this is the confidence we have: that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth

us.

In this day of general profession and doctrinal knowledge, the honours of Eternal Sovereignty are eclipsed, and the glories of discriminating grace lost in the stream. It is often the pleasure of Jehovah to open his predestinating will by calling one or another belonging to his people, then we have an outcry of what prayer has done; this is a child of many prayers; prayers are converted into thieves and robbers; instead of recognizing the opening of eternal decree, the sovereign purposing will of God, the ransoming blood of the cross, and the omnipotent love of God the Holy Ghost, the breath of a mortal carries off the meed of praise. Prayer is excellent in its place, but when it supplants the honours of the Eternal, let it be hurled into oblivion. Jehovah's grand design in saving is, to shew himself in doing it. "The Lord of Hosts hath purposed, who shall disannul it? Not for your sakes do I this, but for my own name's sake," saith the Lord. The calling of a sinner from darkness to light is not the effect of prayer, but the result of Eternal intention; not of the will of the flesh, but of the discriminating grace of Jehovah, according to an eternally arranged plan How much of nature passes for spirituality, and passion for enjoyment, who can tell? That God honours the breathings of the saints, and hears the cry of faith, needs no proof. No one relation had I breathe to heaven for me, yet I was interested in the prayers of the saints as being recognized in the body redeemed. God is of one mind, and none can turn him; all the prayers, wishes, and desires of the saints for any one whom God has not eternally loved, are vague and useless, because it is asking God to alter his mind, and therefore are not the diction of the Holy Ghost. His mind is made up for ever as to who shall dwell in his presence. There is no augmenting nor diminishing the body elect. "It is not mine to give," said the great Head of the church to a fleshly request; but for whom it is prepared see the great roll of heaven opened; whom he did foreknow, them he did also destinate, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; who are born not of the will of the flesh, nor by all the fleshly means that men may devise. The hue and cry about converting the world, millions perishing for want of the gospel, is all of the VOL. IX.-No. 108.] P

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flesh, is founded in darkness, and will pass away like the smoke. When time closes its doors, and the day of calling grace ends, then will the Head of the church appear with "Here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me." If one iota of salvation depended on the creature, it would mar the glory of Jehovah and tarnish the lustre of infinite wisdom; but the means and end are all determined and accomplishing by one God. A salvation short of this would have no breasts of consolation for me. Nor of the will of man. The Holy Ghost will have the creature excluded altogether; not of the schemes, device or means that any one may use, nor of the will of man himself, for he is opposed to it, the carnal mind is enmity against God; but grace makes a conquest, sovereign love imparts the great blessing of eternal life, which the Holy Ghost brings from the Head of Fulness. Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, whereby ye cry Abba Father. This is a subject not at all congenial with flesh and blood; but my appeal is to the spiritual mind of those who are acquainted with the grace of the doctrine. It is not what I know of the doctrine, but what use is it to me; and it is only manifest to others that I am a believer in the fact by the practice of my faith. All our peace and happiness in the desert arise from a falling into the sovereign will of our God: what can sustain my faith but a believing apprehension of the sovereignty of Jehovah, founded in love, in my every day's circumstance: this is the pillow whereon I repose, under all that is transpiring contrary to the will of the flesh; no peace of mind, nor satisfaction till I rest on this sacred couch; it is here the agitations of the human breast are calmed, and the feelings of the mind sink into quietude. It is the highest act of worship to recognize his will when his pleasure runs counter to our expectations. It was this shut the mouth of Aaron when his sons were cut off by the Lord, and made David to smile at a Shimei's cursing; caused martyrs cheerfully to embrace the stake, and soothes the mind under the mortifying approach of death. Every day turns over a fresh leaf of his eternal purpose; every soul quickened to life develops his eternal design; all that is taking place in the world is but an unfolding of his eternal decree, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Under all the depression of trade, the sinking of circumstances, and a thousand other appearances, where is your reclining place; if you are quarrelling with second causes and looking at the things around, you will increase your misery; turn ye to the strong hold, the bosom of sovereign love, that employed infinite wisdom to arrange all for your advantage: your present movements are to glorify himself; if he cut off the lower stream it is to bring you closer to the fountain; recognize every day's lot as the result of eternal forethought, and the opening of his predestinated will, and then