bed enjoyments to those which are boundless indeed, from friends that may prove false and that cannot help us in every time of need, to one that loves at all times, that never leaves or forsakes, and that is able to save us to the very uttermost. Jesus is well able to make up the loss of all earthly sweets we give up for him; and this we experimentally find at times, when we see and feel Jesus and the meanest situation in life, Jesus and a prison or a wilderness, is far preferable to all the earth can yield without him. He fully supplies whatever finite, shelter, support, foundation, encouragement, &c., we turn from to put our whole trust in him, as in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, all communicative fulness. He is as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, we' are said to be complete in him, and he hath said, in allusion to himself, upon this rock I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Do we forsake all creature worth, excellency, or goodness for the sake of him and his righte ousness? surely we are under the conduct of heavenly wisdom in this, for in him there is no curse nor condemnation yea and the great God of heaven and earth is well pleased with us for his righteousness sake. Therefore well sings the Poet, though in self altogether vile and unworthy, when speaking of approaching to God in his worship depending on Jesus : "Nor fear with his righteousness on, My person and offering to bring." "Are they riches that we forsake for Immanuel; with him are durable riches, as well as righteousness; indeed the riches of divine love, grace," mercy, goodness, truth, wisdom, and so on, which are enjoyed in and with him, exceed, we are informed by the sacred penman, the highest conceptions of mortal man In complying with the precious invitation of the text, do we turn our back upon the honours of this world? But Oh! how far the honour of being called to be companions with the Lord of life and glory outstrips these transitory honours; in this privilege we are brought to know something of what is contained in that wonderful scripture; "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be one in us." With Christ then we shall be in safeguard from every enemy and evil, and possess all good, perfection, purity, and blessedness." Plain Sermons for Plain People, Nos. 7, 8, 9. By the Rev. Alfred Hewlett, A. M, each pp. 12. London, E. Palmer and Son. WITH much pleasure we announce the continued progress cf this series. Mr. Hewlett has chosen highly interesting subjects:-The Garden of the Lord Refreshed and FertilizedThe Fulness of Christ-The Church Receiving out of Christ's Fulness. servations or extracts, we cordially And without making any further obrecommend them to our readers. The Railroad, a Tract, by Mrs. Cameron. 12mo. pp. 12. don, Houlston and Co. A Lon very suitable subject for a Tract ingeniously handled; and though there are some few sentences which might have been more scripturally expressed, we do not hesitate to recommend it as likely to be useful. Hook versus Cranmer; an Enquiry whether Baptismal Regeneration is or is not the Doctrine of the Church of England. By a Parochial ClerLondon, gyman, 12mo. pp. 8. Palmer and Son: It would seem to us the more important enquiry, whether baptismal regeneration is or is not the doctrine of the Bible? Let us follow men, whether Hook or Cranmer, only as far as they follow Christ. POETRY. 66 THE CLOUD." Luke ix. 34. Subject to fears of every kind, How oft we faint and droop; We see the cloud o'ershadowing, This 'twas my happiness to prove, Yet, ah! I shrunk e'en at the view, I prayed to have the cloud removed, This he denied, but brought my will His faithfulness I daily proved, His love and tender care; He drew my thoughts to heaven my home, And fixed my treasure there. Lord, while I muse on what is past, I wonder and adore! And think, as I thy mercies trace, Yet, dearest Lord, if thou depart, Deign still to teach thy erring child; By thine all wise command. EMMELINE. LINES ON ELECTION. Ere time its fleeting course begun, Chosen in union with their Head, In Christ, Jehovah's first-born Son, Elected to be like their head, They love the Lord their covenant God, Election! soverign, glorious act, Dear Lord, is this my happy case, Help me to make my calling sure, A COUNTRY MINISTER. LORD REMEMBER ME. Like the expiring thief I cry, " He poured his humble plea; And now thou'rt seated on thy throne, Thou King of saints, thou God alone, Deign to remember me! And when chastisement thou dost send, Lest I a murmurer be; In every place, in every stage In mercy deign to be my guide, Though rough and thorny be the way, Thinking from grief to flee: Save me from unbelief and sin, Oh! when I sink in fears and doubt, Lord my restorer be: The storm though threatening to o'erwhelm, Will soon subside into a calm, If thou, remember me ! Each grace requires a heavenly shower, Now withering seems to be; Wilt thou remember me! And be my shield, my strong defence. I'll cast my all on thee; In all things may thy will be done, EMMELINE. THE TWO DEBTORS. "And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both."-Luke vii. 42. THE child of God that feels the load Amazed at grace so full and free, Bestowed on him so vile, 'Why turn to look on one so poor, THE SPIRITUAL MAGAZINE, ZION'S AND CASKET. "For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One."-1 John v. 7. "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."-Jude 3. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."-1 Tim. iii. 6. 66 GOD'S AUGUST, 1839. LOVE ΤΟ HIS PEOPLE, THE CAUSE OF THEIR LOVE TO HIM, A SERMON, LATELY PREACHED IN THE PARISH CHURCH OF BY THE CURATE, AND FOR PREACH it stains the pride of their fancied greatness, both by laying bare their hidden vices and secret sins, by shewing them their utter unworthiness of the favour of God, and by teach ING WHICH HE RECEIVED AN IN- ing them, that all the spiritual, as STANTANEOUS DISMISSAL FROM HIS CHARGE. "We love him, because he first loved us."-John iv. 19. THE great design of the Holy Ghost through the medium of his inspired penmen, is, manifestly, to exalt the Saviour, and debase the sinner. Man, in his best estate, when renewed in the spirit of his mind, is a proud creature; by reason of the natural haughtiness of the human heart, even the child of God often manifests a spirit of independence and shews great unwillingness in being a debtor to God for the mercies which he daily receives at his hands. Now the great object of the Holy Ghost, is, as we have before said, to lay this accursed pride low, to humble the man in the dust before him, and to teach him that he is indebted to him for all his gifts and graces, and that he has nothing which he has not received. Hence it is, that the word of God becomes to his children a very humbling book. Every page of August, 1839.] well as temporal blessings which they enjoy, are the result of his covenant love. Thus, while God's chosen ones are led to discover their own absolute nothingness and are made to feel that all which they have of good comes from God; the Holy Spirit's object is attained :-" the Lord alone is exalted," and self laid prostrate at his feet. It is thus by the instrumentality of St. John that the Holy Ghost would strip the people of God of all their rags of pride, and make them feel, that in themselves they are poor and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked; that even for the love, which they have towards him, they are debtors to him for it; seeing, "that we love him because he first loved us." May the Lord unite our hearts in love to him, while from the words before us, we consider-I. The love of God to his people. II. Their love to him. III. The spring of it. First then let us turn our attention to the love of God to his people. And with respect to it, we observe that it undeniably appears, that the Lord has chosen his people to salvation from eternal ages. Now we have said that love implies choice; and therefore if God chose his people in Christ before the foundations of the world, he must necessarily have loved them in him at the same time, and therefore we say, that God's love to his people was an eternal love. 66 2. It was unmerited love: that is, there was nothing in the objects of it which deserved his love, For what were they? The Bible declares them to be sinners, enemies, and ungodly. But before the world was made they did not exist! how then could they be sinners? We reply, that they were eternally foreseen of God as such: Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world." With one comprehensive glance he seeth the end from the beginning." Long before Adam existed, was Adam's fall foreseen by him, and its consequences provided for. If this were not so, how comes it to pass that we read of Christ as a Lamb fore-ordained before the foundation of the world: and of his being slain from the foundation. If the Lord Jesus was slain in the purpose of God from eternity, then must the sin, for the atonement of which he was slain, have had a being in the eye of God, when as yet it had no actual existence in the world: so that we say, the objects of God's love, as foreseen by him to be sinners from eternity, were also foreseen by him to be undeserving of his love: and that they were undeserving of his love when they came into actual existence, is not wanting of proof from the word of God. Thus St. Paul writes to Titus, "We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, following divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works From these scriptures it plainly and of righteousness which we have done, |