THE Spiritual Magazine ; OR, SAINTS' TREASURY. "There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST; and these Three are One." "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." 1 John v. 7. Jude 3. AUGUST, 1834. THE THRONE OF GRACE. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."-Heb. iv. 16. THE great apostle speaks in the context of Zion's sacred High Priest, who is passed into the heavens to appear in the presence of God for us, as our glorious Advocate, there to plead our cause by pleading the merits of his own blood, on behalf of his ransomed family. Paul makes use of this as an argument to stimulate us to hold fast our profession. Oh that writer and reader, through grace, may hold fast, even unto death, the sterling truths of the everlasting gospel; and let no man take our crown of God-glorifying, Satanconfounding, sin-mortifying, world-conquering, and soul-reviving truth. What ought further to encourage us to hold fast, hold on, and hold out to the end, is the happy consideration suggested by the apostle, of the sympathy of our High Priest, who in the days of his flesh was tempted like as we are, yet without sin; and therefore knows how to succour, support, and comfort those who are tempted. Let the christian reader cast all his care upon him, hoping to receive that consolation which he has promised to bestow. "We have a great atoning Priest, By the term throne mentioned in our motto, what are we to understand? A throne is a magnificent seat whereon sovereign princes generally sit to receive due homage from, and to administer justice to their subjects, see 1 Kings x. 20. Sometimes the term is put for regal authority; "only in the throne," said Pharaoh in his royal VOL. X.-No. 125.] 2 G address to Joseph, "will I be greater than thou," Gen. xli. 10. But we are called at this time to look up to a much brighter throne, namely, the eternal power and unbounded majesty of God, whose throne, though surrounded with thick clouds of impenetrable darkness, has judgment and justice for its everlasting habitation, Psalm Ixxxix. 14. This is purely a throne of grace, because inhabited by the God of all grace, who is gracious to sinners through the merits, From his throne of grace sufferings, and death of his dear Son. Jehovah administers free and everlasting salvation to the lost-righteousness to the unrighteous-inexhaustible riches of grace to the poor and needy-complete forgiveness to the guilty-sweet peace to the troubled soul, and a good hope of everlasting glory. John informs us, that when he was in the isle of Patmos, "an angel shewed him a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb," Rev. xxii. 1. Oh matchless grace! dying and unequalled love! what hast thou wrought? Though roaring thunders and vivid lightnings once proceeded from the throne of God, yet now sprinkled over with rich, atoning blood, rivers of full salvation flow down to the sons of wretchedness and woe. The throne of grace is therefore the christian's sanctuary, where he finds a peaceful refuge-a place of retreat where safety dwells, and where the troubled soul may at all times pour out its complaints before the Lord. "Come, sinner, come, with all thy woes, Unto the throne of grace; Where God his richest mercy shews, In Jesus' smiling face." Sinners have the greatest encouragement to come to the throne of grace, for they are invited by their condescending Lord, who says, "come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Such, I presume, are the characters intended by the apostle in our text; for as coming supposes local motion, I contend, that a sinner dead in sin must be made spiritually alive before he can come to Jesus; nor will he beg for mercy until convinced of his misery, but like one of old will exclaim, "to beg I am ashamed." And in order that we may come boldly to the throne of grace, it is requisite that we know something of the endearing relationship that subsists between God and us, or too much like the sons of Jacob when they came cringing to Joseph, not knowing that he was their brother, we shall come as bond slaves rather than as sons. Does Jehovah want slaves to grace his throne? he loves to see his children draw near to him by faith, and cry, "Abba, Father;" but, alas! alas! instead of this, doubting souls often come cringing to him like slaves to a tyrant, rather than as children to a parent. To this I would ask an evidence of having received the spirit of adoption. Is this honouring God as a Father? or, is this the way to receive consolation from heaven by means of prayer? no, no; this is the baneful effect of unbelief operating on no; the mind, and often proves a barrier in the way of the reception of comfort. When we come to our God by prayer and supplication, it is to plead with him. And will he, said one, plead against me with his great power? No, no; he cannot plead against praying souls, but will fill their mouths with arguments, and help them to plead their cause with him. Go, dear brother, and plead the provision which God has made for all the sons and daughters of Zion. He has made ample provision in his covenant-in the cross of Christ-and in the sacred volume; and respecting his spiritual Zion he has said, "I will abundantly bless the provision of her house, and satisfy her poor with bread," Ps. cxxxii. 15. May writer and reader at all times, like the returning prodigal, plead the rich abundance of living bread in our Father's house, Luke xv. 17. And every time you come to God remember he is your Father, that you may plead relationship to him. Relationship between God in Christ, and his people, is not distant but near; not founded in nature, but in divine sovereignty-it runs in the line of imperishable grace, and is never to be broken. "I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall, (not ye may) be my sons and daughters saith the Almighty," 2 Cor. vi. 18. When Zion was in trouble this was her prayer, "Look down from heaven, and behold, from the habitation of thy glory ;" and at the same time this was her plea-" Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our Father; our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting," Isa. lxiii. 15, 16. A child knowing the interest it has in the affections of its parent, hangs upon his tender care-throws itself into his arms, and freely asks to have its little wants supplied. And where, I ask, is the father, who "if his son ask bread will give him a stone? or, if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent ?" See the blessed improvement which our dear Lord has made of this. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him," Matt. vii. 9, 10, 11. Go then, praying soul, and may the Holy Spirit help you to plead relationship. But do not forget to plead in the name of Christ. May all your supplications be covered with his brightness, and weighted with his fulness, and you shall surely prevail; " for whatever ye ask the Father in my name," said the Saviour," he will do it for you." From this we may infer, that believers are welcome to plead the worthy name, the merits and intercession of their crowned Mediator. A believer in Jesus may be much cast down, and his cries to God but feeble, but he cannot be rejected, nor his prayer cast out, while he pleads for the sake of the Lamb upon the throne. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed in pure water,” Heb. x. 19—22. Plead also the many exceeding great and precious promises of God. Thus will your faith be exercised, and its divine Author honoured. When the troubles of the soul are great, so that wave beats against wave, and one billow cries to another, this is the time to plead the promises of God. Hence we find, that Jacob when his furious brother Esau was coming against him with an army of four hundred men, threw himself into the arms of his promise-making God, and exclaimed, “ Lord, thou saidst thou wouldst do me good;” and the Lord fulfilled his promise by subduing the fury of Esau, and causing him to meet his brother on the most endearing terms of friendship, Gen. xxxii. 11, 12. Go, my tried brother, and plead the yea and amen promises of thy God, and he will soften thy heaviest woes, and deliver thee from thy fiercest enemies, for he is a prayer-hearing and a prayer-answering God. "Go, plead his word, and he will bless, 66 While praying souls are encouraged to plead the word and faithfulness of God, they may at the same time plead their own unworthiness; as Jacob did when he exclaimed, “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, nor of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant ;" and as the centurion did when he said, “ Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed;" and as the returning prodigal did, saying, "I am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as thy hired servant." Let the broken-hearted sinner confess his sins before God; depart from them, and acknowledge his unworthiness; and he shall obtain mercy of the Lord, see 1 John i. 9. Plead also the many past favours which God has bestowed. Think over your Jordan spots and Hermon visits. Look to your Ebenezers, and ask, if they are not so many confirmations of the goodness of God to help you quite through; for he who has delivered, will yet deliver; he will never leave you nor forsake you, but will be your everlasting friend. The end for which believers come is, that "they may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Though christians have received mercy in salvation manifested and in pardon bestowed, still they need fresh manifestations of mercy every day, and grace to help them continually. For every time is with the believer a time of need. We need grace to help us to love God-to serve him— to hate and depart from evil-to bear up the mind in trouble—to lead the soul to Jesus-to help our infirmities in prayer-to enable us to put our trust in God—and at last to support in the swellings of Jordan. Wortwell, May 14, 1834. A COUNTRY MINISTER. ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE LATE MRS. SUSANNA PEARSON TO MR. H My dear Friend in the Lord Jesus, 66 D OF C AT length the wheels of unerring providence have brought round the long-desired period, in which I am empowered to say to you, come over and help us." I bless the Lord, the way is now opened for the standard of truth to be erected, and the blessed trumpet of the everlasting gospel to be blown. Several, I trust, are ready to hear the truths of sovereign grace as often as the Lord in mercy shall please to send faithful servants to proclaim his great salvation. You, my friend, kindly said whenever the way was clear for your coming, you would afford us your assistance; we therefore make this application. Many, I am persuaded, will be glad to hear you; and I can truly say I have inwardly desired this privilege for many months. I trust the church of Christ whom you serve constantly, will spare you one Lord's day; and thus out of their abundance communicate to the real and pressing necessity of thirsty souls who have long sought for water in this dry land. We should be glad to have you preach to us either the 4th, the 11th, or on the 18th of October, which ever of the three Lord's days best suit you the 11th would best suit for the moon, but as that is Michaelmas-day, it may not so well suit you, otherwise we should like that day best. When you do come, we shall hope to hear you also on the Monday evening at Ringshall, and at Bildeston on the Tuesday evening. The place where you will be expected to preach is at Mr. Stebbing's, Battisford, where Mr. Stevens preached, and Mr. Freeman also, and I may say where the Lord's blessed presence was sweetly enjoyed. There is quite a spirit for hearing all round; and though there is only a house here and there to be seen, yet several hundreds assembled to hear the word, and ever since there has been a cry for more bread there. Several friends who used formerly to attend at Wattisham, feeling their own destitute situation, and seeing the spirit for hearing at Battisford and Ringshall, have united together in a weekly subscription to raise a small fund to defray the expenses of such ministers whom the Lord may be pleased to send occasionally amongst us. Our desire is to have faithful men, and enjoy their labours as often as we can indeed, were a sound experimental good preacher constantly to preach, I feel persuaded that a good congregation would soon be gathered to hear. However, that we must leave at present; good preachers are scarce. There is an opening now for something to be done. May the Lord move your heart with sympathy towards the despised and dispersed of Israel, and fill you with the rich treasures of his most free and pure grace, that the longing souls of the truly hungry may be satisfied. I feel sweetly impressed with a cheerful hope that your labours shall not be in vain. I believe that Christ will speak to us by you, and that some sweet tidings shall come down from heaven by the blessed |