A SALUTATION, OR YEARLY GREETING, 66 TO THE ONE CHURCH OF JEHOVAH, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS, TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, WHEREIN HE HATH MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED." "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."-2 Peter i. 2, 3. BELOVED, accept this, our annual greeting of you in the bowels of Christ Jesus, as a token of our continued diligence to stir up your pure minds, by way of remembrance of those things, of the which ye have both heard and learned; inasmuch as it came unto you, "not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance;" though received in much affliction, yet "with joy in the Holy Ghost" (1 Thess. i. 5, 6). For you we bow the knee unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the peace of God may rule in your hearts, and the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, that as the one body ye may be thankful; "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him" (Col. iii. 17). Brethren, our province in this our salutation to you upon the opening of another data in the annals of time does not lie in the rehearsal of the items of the past year's catalogue, which, like its forerunners, was only a counterpart of the "prophet's roll," from its commencement to the end thereof, fraught with "mourning, lamentation, and woe.' The flitting moments as they withdrew from us, carried with them the light affliction of the same, reminding us of our high privilege to "forget the things that are behind, and to press forward to those which are before." things, and while passing through "the vale of misery," with all the sorrows of Baca, make it a well, in no way dismayed at the bitterness of its waters, though the pools be filled, seeing the blessedness is ours of having our strength in Him, whose ways are in our hearts; rejoicing in the Lord, and being "joyful in our God," knowing that the promise of our covenant God unto us is, that we "shall come and rejoice upon the hill of Zion, and shall have plenteousness of goods which the Lord shall give them; namely, wheat, wine, oil, young sheep, and calves, and their conscience shall be as a well watered garden; for they shall no more be hungry. Then shall the maid rejoice in the dance; yea, both old and young folks: for I will turn their sorrow into gladness, and will comfort them from their sorrows, and make them joyful; I will pour plenteousness upon the hearts of the priests, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord" (Jer. xxxi. 12-14, old Bible reading). It was this satisfaction from the Lord which gave those triumphs of soul to David, when he called upon his soul and "all that was within him to bless His holy name, for the forgiveness of all iniquity, the healing of all diseases, redemption of his life from destruction, and crowning him with lovingkindness and tender mercy; satisfying his mouth with good, and renewing his strength (Psalm ciii. 1-5); nor has He ceased to satisfy His poor with bread, making the horn of the house of David to bud, and ever lighting up the ordained lamp of His anointed. While "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Eccl. iii. 1), from its vicissitudes we are taught the vanity of all the labour under the sun, and are instructed in that knowledge which cometh from above; and can rest with an unshaken confidence, that "Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it, and God doeth it that men should fear before him." We, then, desire to pass from these Beloved, have we not in these preliminaries of our usual meeting of you at this eventful period of time's transition, said enough to prove that writing to you the same things, unto us "it is not grievous ?" for we have lived to see an end of all perfection, except in Him who is "the fountain of life," and of whom are we "in Christ Jesus, who of B God is made unto us wisdom, and righte- | conceive a more soul-animating subject, ousness, and sanctification, and redemp- or one more suited for our yearly salution; that, according as it is written, tation to the spiritual Church of our he that glorieth, let him glory in the common Lord, than the calling up atLord" (I Cor. i. 30, 31). Hence, our tention to the personal characters and union with God, the fountain of life, work of the three that bear record in being through the person and work of heaven, the Father, the Word, and the the Lord Jesus, as our great Mediator Holy Ghost, as they are made known in between Jehovah and the Church, we the great work of salvation; that while truly live, move, and have our being in contemplating the personal acts of each Him; for not only are we comforted with person in the Godhead, we shall have the assurance, because "He lives, we somewhat to lean upon, so that our comshall live also," but further, the Lord munion will be with each other, while hath shown this great mystery, when our "hearts being comforted, being knit declaring, "As the living Father hath together in love, and unto all riches of sent me, and I live by the Father: so the full assurance of understanding, to he that eateth me, even he shall live by the acknowledgment of the mystery of me" (John vi. 57). Seeing, then, that God, and of the Father, and of Christ " these things are so with us (amidst the (Col. ii. 2): knowing the blessedness of flickering of this mundane state), we that "joy which is unspeakable and full having a more sure word of promise to of glory: receiving the end of your hope in, let us rise up and return thanks faith, even the salvation of your souls" to our God, who has folded up the scroll (1 Peter i. 8, 9). of the year 1858, and with it all the sorrows thereof, hushed for ever in the bowels of His own mercy towards us; and let us, in the joy of our heart, enter upon the new, and, at present, unopened one of 1859, in "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Col. i. 12—14). : How vast the comprehension, and how fully are the grand truths of all that concerns the Church of the Lord Jesus, set before us within the compass of these interesting verses; yet, how true is it in every day's experience to be found, that "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. ii. 14). Hence, the apostle is instructed to draw the attention of the "saints and faithful brethren in Christ, which were at Colosse ;" and with them all those in every age and generation, who, like them, "have the mind of Christ," speaking "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Nor can we for a moment We must no longer detain you upon the threshold of those most glorious things which present themselves before us, upon the opening of this new data of time's revolution, but look up in prayerful dependence upon Him to whom alone it pertaineth "to lead into all truth," fulfilling the Old Testament promise, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord" (Isaiah liv. 13). And our Lord confirmed it by His quotation in the days of His flesh, "It is written in the prophets (says Jesus), And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me (John vi. 45). Let us, then, pause with holy solemnity, while we take but a hasty glance at the stupendous subject before us. First, in that grace-taught position under which we are found upon the first dawn of the new year 1859, "Giving thanks unto the Father." Secondly, in reviewing the things for which thanks are given. And lastly, the blessedness arising therefrom. Giving thanks unto the Father." What an unspeakable blessing, if by the sovereign act of regeneration, the Spirit of God's dear Son hath been sent into our hearts, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father!" for is it not an indisputable fact, that this belongeth unto none except those who are put amongst the children, and taught to say, "My Father ?" The Spirit itself bear 66 way eth witness with our spirits, that we are, we "give thanks unto the Father," the children of God." There is an in- must be considered all that can take describable preciousness in the Word place in the time-state of our existence, substantiating our relationship to the in the continual watchings and watering, Lord Jesus, and confirming our sonship. with the safe keeping of us day and And in giving thanks unto the Father, night (Isaiah xxvii. 3). we can do no less than begin the grate- Nor must we overlook that the meetful thanksgiving of our hearts by running ness for which we give thanks brings us back to where the Lord began with us, into the enjoyment of the inheritance in that meetness we have to be partakers which pertaineth unto the whole family. with the saints of light in their inherit-"Saints in light" can have no more, ance, even from everlasting; for so the and we, who for the present are Lord himself declares, when He would faring men in the lowlands, can have have His dear people look beyond all no less, as the inheritance is not reverthese data of appearances, "Yea, I have sionary or dependent upon the caprice loved thee with an everlasting love or will of any one; the Lord himself (Jer. xxxiii. 4); and of what import is being the portion of His people's inthe word everlasting, but to mean that heritance and cup, maintaining their state which hath neither beginning nor lot. Hence the delight of His people end? Hence all the acts of Jehovah therein, "The lines are fallen unto me in towards the Church of Christ are of equal pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly duration with Himself; for the apostle heritage" (Ps. xvi. 5, 6); thus, though bears witness, under Divine teaching, for the present they are in different that all spiritual blessings are ours in worlds, "grace and glory," it is but one Christ; " According as He hath chosen " 'family, whose names are written in us in Him before the foundation of the heaven"-the one Church, chosen by world;" and that He predestinated and the Father, and given to Christ, whom adopted us children in Christ Jesus, He calls His "Dove." "s My undefiled is "to the praise of the glory of His grace, but one; she is the only one of her wherein He hath made us accepted in mother, she is the choice one of her that the beloved" (Eph. i. 3-6). And bare her" (Song vi. 9). again, the Church of the Thessalonians Secondly, a brief review of those are said to be "in God our Father and things in connexion with our meetness, the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. i. 1). for participation in this "inheritance." Nor should we overlook that this gracious And let us not fail to observe, that the act of the Father is before any personal | whole is for the sake of Christ and His work of the Lord Jesus, or even the com- glory; for all and every act of our mission of sin, and wholly arises from covenant God and Father was so purtheir everlasting well-being in Him: for posed to flow through Him to us, assuring as they stood in Him, as the chosen and us that all the love of the Father conelect of Jehovah, they needed not redemp. cerning the Church, was so arranged as tion, being "holy and without blame;" to secure His people's happiness in the but in the lapsed state of Adam's trans- Son of His love. Thus our deliverance gression, redemption by the blood of from darkness, and the translation here Christ is wrought for them, "Accord-spoken of, are only the effects of our ing to His own purpose and grace, which being heirs of the inheritance He hath was given us in Christ Jesus before the chosen for us, and appointed us unto world began" (2 Tim. i. 9). Thus when (Psal. xlvii. 4). Hence our regenerathe Divine mind went forth in covenant tion" (for the terms used above are only transaction, having for its base the per- synonymous), which is the personal work sonal honour and glory of Christ, He is of God the Holy Ghost, wrought wholly given to the Church that He might be by Him, and without which we could Jehovah's "salvation unto the ends of never know the things "that are freely the earth;" and they given to Christ, given unto us of God;" even this is done that as they were the people the Lord for us through Christ (Titus iii. 5, 6); formed for Himself, they might show the cause whereof is said to be “Because forth His praise (Isaiah xliii. 21). In ye are sons (or having a title to the the category of our meetness, for which inheritance), God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" the eyes of your understanding being (Gal. iv. 6): not to bring into any new enlightened; that ye may know what is relationship, but to prove our eternal the hope of His calling, and what the and divine union and standing in Him, riches of the glory of His inheritance who being our inheritance, opens up our in the saints" (Eph. i. 17, 18). Such an high birth and parentage in making mani-" inheritance" that called forth "refest that "now are we the sons of God" demption;" such an "inheritance " that (1 John iii. 2). brought forth the greatest of all gifts; such an "inheritance that prevented His glory being given unto another such an "inheritance" that showed the pleasure He had in them when He sent redemption unto His people, and beautified "the meek with salvation" (Psalm cxlix. 4). دو ; Lastly. The blessing arising from the great act of making us meet. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." What a glorious theme is this! not only to sound forth on the opening of a new year! after the imprimatur of death has been stamped upon the whole, with which the last has One word more. The price of our "rebeen filled in; and how vast the blessed-demption through His blood;" a price ness, that the eternal song can be sung only to be found in Him, who was called by the Lord's redeemed in the strange of God, as Aaron, to be a priest, and land of our earthly pilgrimage, and where that "a merciful High Priest " in things the Church is called to realize the en-pertaining unto God. Thus, beloved, we deared characters of her redeeming Hus- are not our own; "Ye are bought with band, "For thy maker is thine husband; a price" (1 Cor. vi. 20); "Who gave the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Himself to be a ransom for all, to be Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the testified in due time” (1 Tim. ii. 6); God of the whole earth shall He be whereof the Holy Ghost, by the apostle, called" (Isa. liv. 5). There are volumes witnesseth, "Neither by the blood of of grace and mercy couched in the word goats and calves, but by His own blood and work of redemption, because in it He entered in once into the holy place, the love of God is commended unto us; having obtained eternal redemption for for by our falling into sin, and becoming us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, transgressors, a way is opened for our and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the redemption, by the sacrifice of God's unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of dear Son; not that the Lord could have the flesh: how much more shall the been prevented having a Church in love, blood of Christ, who through the eternal whom He could have delighted in as Spirit offered Himself without spot to sons, and they have been happy, but this God, purge your conscience from dead would have stopped the flowing of the foun- works to serve the living God” (Heb. tain of mercy, and abrogated the character ix. 12-14). of the Redeemer. This could not be, for the decree had gone forth, "Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee" (Psal. ii. 7). And again, "Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isa. xlix. 3, 6). Beloved, the subject outbounds the utmost sketch of our present capacities; we can only echo in our salutation the Word, praying "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: Lastly. The fruit of this "redemption,' forgiveness of sins." And is not this the first-awakened cry in the new-born babe in grace, "forgiveness;" and we do well in coming in our right character of sinners to the Lord Jesus as the only Saviour, for God pardons all sins in Christ, and by one sovereign act, through His blood, declares, "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy sins as a cloud, and thine iniquities as a thick cloud." Beloved, cast not away your confidence, nor think it strange, whatever the opening of the year now entered upon may be; there is no casualty attendant thereon; but all appointed by that Father who has hitherto called you to be thankful. Recollect, that Him in whom we have "redemption," not only "binds AH! when I look back and think of you Oh, what a sermon followed! what a description of the Church and the world! I was riveted to the preacher; he spoke a new language to my soul, which overwhelmed me. At the conclusion of the service I inquired of the person who sat next to me, if she could tell me who that young man was, and received a very off-hand reply in the negative. Oh! I thought, surely all London would know who this great preacher was. I went down among the crowd that were issuing from the doors of the chapel, and inquired of one and another who he was, but nobody knew him; all seemed cold and indifferent, but this one thing I knew, that, like the blind man in the gospel, "He had opened mine eyes." At least, his Master had made use of him to do so. Well, I returned home full of what I had heard, and days and weeks passed, and nobody could tell me who that young man was; when, one day, a carpenter was called in to do some repairs to the stairs. I hung about that man while he was at work; I did not know exactly why, yet I took every opportunity of trying to learn who that young man was, whose words had taken such a root-hold of me. After beating about the bush for some time, I at last said to the good man, “Pray, do you know the | Adelphi Chapel ?" The old man left off his sawing, and looked up at me, exclaiming, "Oh, yes, to be sure I do! I have been a member there for many years." I immediately inquired, “And pray, can you tell me who that young, thin, pale-faced man was, that preached such and such a Sunday?" "Yes, to be sure I can," responded the carpenter; "that was the Rev. Joseph Irons, of Camberwell." "The Rev. Joseph Irons, of Camberwell," I repeated, again and again, and my mind was made up, come what would, I'd be off on the following Sunday, to Camberwell, although I did not know where it was. Sunday came, bringing with it persecution beyond measure, and most uncongenial weather. It thundered and lightened; but I was bent upon my object. Wind |