of Israel, Isaiah x. 20.-come down to him, from all self-exaltation and self-confidence, and like Zacheus receive him joyfully, Luke xix. 6.-receive him, in his threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King; as their Prophet to instruct them, and their Priest to make atonement for them, and their King to rule over them and in them by his laws;-receive him, as " of God made unto them wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. wisdom to enlighten their dark minds, righteousness to justify their guilty persons, sanctification to cleanse their polluted natures, and redemption in the resurrection of their bodies. Yea, these saints possessed that grace of faith which comes from Christ, of which he is the author and the finisher, and which returns to him and lives upon him. And it is not to be wondered at that the apostle should thank God for bestowing this grace on those whom he called brethren, and loved as such; for consider the various blessings which flow to God's people through faith. They are justified by faith, Rom. v. 1. that is, by faith they receive the blessings of Christ's justifying righteousness from him. By faith they receive the blessing of adoption, as the apostle says, 'we are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ," Gal. iii. 26. that is, they become manifestly by faith what God has decreed they should be from eternity, his children by adoption and grace, Eph. i. 5. By faith they receive the remission of sins, for the apostle says, "God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, of the remission of sins," Rom. iii. 25. that is, by faith they receive some sweet sense of the remission of their sins, as flowing from the grace of God, through the blood of Christ. They are sanctified by faith, as Christ said, "sanctified by faith that is in me," Acts xxvi. 18. and their hearts purified by faith, Acts xv. 9. not that faith has such virtue in it as to sanctify and purify from sin, but as it has to do with the blood of Christ which cleanses from all sin. Eternal life and salvation are connected with faith, for it is eternal life to know Christ, that is, to believe in him, John xvii. 3. and he that believes on him has everlasting life, John vi. 47. not that faith is the procuring or meritorious cause of it, for "eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ," Rom. vi. 23. but faith looks unto the mercy of Christ for it.

By faith the saints have communion with God, with Christ, and with his people, in his word and ordinances; they have access to God at the throne of grace, and can use freedom, boldness, and confidence with him, in asking of him what they stand in need of: "in whom (says the apostle) we have boldness and access with confidence, by the faith of him." Eph. iii. 12. The inhabitation of Christ in the hearts of his people is through faith, for the apostle prayed for the Ephesians that "Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith," Eph. iii. 17. not in their heads by fancy and notion, but in their hearts by faith. The saints live by faith, as St. Paul says, "the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. and no life is so comfortable in this world. They stand by faith, 2 Cor. i. 24. that is, they keep their ground, do not turn back, and are not

moved from the hope of the gospel. And as they stand by faith, so they walk by faith, 2 Cor. v. 7. that is, they go on believing in Christ, till they receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls. And faith makes Christ precious to them, for St. Peter says, "to them that believe, he is precious," 1 Pet. ii. 7.

I would observe, however, though this grace of faith is alike precious to all on whom God bestows it, as to its nature, its object, and its acts; yet it is not alike to all as to measure, or the same at all times; for we read of "little faith," Matt. vi. 20. and of "faith as a grain of mustard seed," Matt. xvii. 20. One said, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief," Mark ix. 24. Others said, "Lord, increase our faith," Luke xvii. 25. Abraham had great faith, but not at all times, for he did not trust God as he ought to have done, at Gerar and in Egypt. David had faith, but not at all times, and this was his infirmity:" hath God forgotten to be gracious, (said he) and hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? and I said this is my infirmity," Psalm lxxvii. 7. But though faith may be weak and low, it is great comfort to the saints to know, that he who is the author, is also the finisher of their faith, Heb. xii. 2. and that it is a grace that cannot be lost, but is one of those gifts of God which are "without repentance," Rom. xi. 29. and flows from, and is secured by, the firm and immutable decree and purpose of election.

66

Now another grace possessed by the saints at Colosse, and for which the apostle gave thanks to God, was the grace of love, love to one another. This grace is wrought in the soul in regeneration, and of which men are quite destitute while in a state of unregeneracy; for the world hates those that are chosen out of it, and called to be saints. John xv. 18. and 1 John iii. 13. And even the people of God, before their conversion, are described as "hateful, and hating one another," Titus iii. 3. but when they are regenerated, they are taught of God to love one another," 1 Thes. iv. 9. and this is an evidence of their regeneration, for St. John says, "we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren," 1 John iii. 14. St. Paul speaking of this grace says, it "suffereth long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own; is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 1 Cor. xiii. 4. Those who are possessed of this grace bear and forbear much, and are kind to all men, and seek to do them good, and especially those who are of God's family, and of "the household of faith." Neither do they envy the superior gifts and graces they may see in others; neither do they carry themselves high towards their inferiors; neither are they puffed up with their own attainments; neither do they behave themselves unseemly by shewing contempt for others; neither are they selfish, or seek profit, honours, or pleasures for themselves, to the exclusion of others; neither are they easily provoked to wrath against those that offend them; neither do they listen

to groundless reports of others, or think evil of them; neither do they rejoice at, or like to commit iniquity themselves, or see it done by others: but they rejoice in the truth, and in speaking it, yea, and in hearing it faithfully preached. They bear with patience the evil things that are said of them by others; believe all good reports of others, and hope all things for the best of them; and they endure all things, even the ill manners, the rudeness, and the ingratitude of those whose welfare they have sought to promote. Without this grace, religion is no better than a name; and where it is wanting, though a man may talk of his love to God and Christ, he is a liar: St. John says, "If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen ?" 1 John iv. 20.

But the apostle not only thanks God for having bestowed on the saints at Colosse, the graces of faith and love, but of hope also; they had a hope laid up for them in heaven; or rather they enjoyed a hope of endless happiness in heaven; and though there are various kinds of hope, this is the only one worth having. Job speaks of a hope which shall be cut off, and as being like a spider's web, Jol viii. 14. and so will be the hope of all who seek for acceptance with God on any other ground than Christ's merits only. Hypocrites have hope; but says Job, "what is the hope of the hypocrite, when God taketh away his soul?" Job xxviii. 8. Some have a hope of which they will be ashamed, and therefore David prays, "let me not be ashamed of my hope," Ps. cxix. but says he, "happy is he whose hope is in the Lord his God." Ps. cxlvi. 5. Happy is that man whose hope is in Christ, " God manifest in the flesh." Happy is the man who hopes for salvation, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life, through him and him only; for such as hope in him shall not be ashamed and disappointed. That hope only is good, which makes a man comfortable in this world, which has God, his grace, and promises, for its object; Christ and his righteousness for its foundation; and the Spirit grace for its author. This is a good hope, and where it is enjoyed, it is through grace: it is as the apostle says, " a good hope through grace," 2 Thess. ii. 16. it is not of a man's self, but flows from the grace of God, and which he grants more or less to all whom he designs should live with him in glory; yea, sometimes, he causeth them to" rejoice in hope of the glory of God," Rom. v. 2. and "to abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost," Rom. xv. 13. And the means by which God communicates this grace of hope to his people, is the gospel; and therefore St. Paul calls it "the hope of the gospel," Col. i. 23. It is by the good news and glad tidings which the gospel brings of free and complete salvation by Christ, of full pardon of sin by his blood, and of reconciliation and atonement by his sacrifice. Yea, it is God's word of promise applied by the Spirit which causeth hope; and it was no doubt some word of promise which first caused David to hope, and by which he prays the Lord would revive his hope. "Remember the word unto thy servant," said he, “ upon

of

which thou hast caused me to hope; this is my comfort in my affliction," Ps. cxix. 49.

Indeed the saints are never quite without hope; for though like their faith and love, it may be sometimes weak, it is an abiding and everliving grace, and is to Zion's pilgrims in the wilderness of the world, as a sweet cordial to their fainting souls.

You will no doubt observe, that the apostle not only thanks God for his three precious gifts of faith, and love, and hope, bestowed on the saints of Colosse, but he prays for them, as all good men do for one another, that they may have more grace; that their faith may increase to the "full assurance of faith;" that their love may be warm and fervent; and that their hope may abound, and be "as an anchor of their souls both sure and steadfast." Heb. vi. 19. May 4, 1826.

66

(For the Spiritual Magazine.) REFRESHMENT FOR THE WEARY.

(Concluded from page 5.)

ELAH.

LET it be further observed, that when the apostle Paul wrote in defence of the gospel, and in opposition to the systems of men, whom he styles "false apostles," he spake of the true gospel as the Lord's treasure; which, (says he) we have in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us;" and to distinguish it from the false gospel, and to encourage the persecuted saints amidst their numerous conflicts, he said, "now to Him that hath power to stablish you according to my gospel," Rom. xvi. 25. From hence we discover his claim to it, as his own personal right, by virtue of union to Jesus, its author; and his heavenly commission to preach it as the ministration of the Spirit; which wholly differs from that gospel which was preached by false brethren of ancient times, and continues to be preached by their successors in the present day. "But (said Paul to the Galatians) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." Gal. i. 6, 7. MARK, it is not another gospel, though it passeth for such; and by comparing the general preaching of the day, with the preaching of those who sought to bring the saints at Galatia into bondage, we shall discover an exact correspondence. In Gal. iii. 1. Paul says, "who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth?" And in chap. iv. 9. he says, "how turn ye again to the beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" From hence we learn that the things of the law are beggarly elements, when contrasted with the gospel, and it clearly shews that those who sought to introduce the law, and thereby direct the attention of saints from the person of Christ, were perverters of the gospel, troublers to the church, and while contending for the letter of the law, were ignorant of its true spirituality, and consequently under its

curse: in which awful condition is every one that preacheth a pel in which Christ is not all in all." Gal. i. 8.

66 gos

Then how blessed to remark, the apostle sought the establishment of the church according to the gospel committed to him by God, therefore, (says he) my gospel; being a witness of its power in his own conversion, and by his ministry in the conversion of others. And what it was to him, and all the witnesses of its power in old times, it continues to be in the experience of all that truly believe; whose daily privilege is to prove it the power of God, to quicken, to humble, to support, to deliver, to keep, to comfort, and establish. And while that gospel, which talks of law observances as necessary to salvation, troubles the weak in faith; the true gospel, declaring Christ "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth," settles and confirms the spiritual worshipper in the assurance of a new life, received in union to a new Covenant-head, and of perfection in a new righteousness, a new peace, a new way, and on a new and spiritual foundation.

The true gospel is known also by its distinguishing properties, which are severally spoken of in the scriptures. It is of God in its origin, as declared by Paul in Rom. i. 1. and in 1 Tim. i. 11. therefore it uniformly exhibits the Holy Three in One in all its doctrines. It is the gospel of Christ, Rom. i. 16. because as God-man he is the centre and substance of its blessings; he was anointed to preach it, and to open a channel for its communication in his blood and righteousness and all its doctrines, promises, and invitations are founded on his divinity, and oneness with the Father and the Holy Ghost. It is the gospel of peace, Eph. vi. 15. its messengers are shod with peace; its subject is the Prince of Peace; its proclamation is peace with God through Jesus Christ; its recipients are the sons of peace; and its end is eternal rest in a kingdom of peace.

It is the gospel of the grace of God, Acts xx. 24. revealing a God of grace, a covenant of grace, salvation by grace; and it is received under the divine influence of the Holy Spirit of grace. It is the everlasting gospel, Rev. xiv. 6. proceeding from everlasting love, the contrivance of everlasting wisdom, the opening of an everlasting will; it proclaims an everlasting pardon, brings near an everlasting righteousness, bestows everlasting life, imparts everlasting consolation, and points to everlasting glory. And it is glorious in its Author, in its revelation, in its wisdom, love, holiness, justice, and perfection; since in Jesus its center, 66 mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." By this gospel millions have been instructed, comforted, supported, and established in a knowledge of their election of God. 1 Thes. i. 4.

Having glanced at the gospel in its Author, and distinguishing benefits, let the reader attend further to the Lord's design in causing it to be preached, as expressed in his own scriptures. The great trumpet shall be blown," and they shall come which were ready to perish," Isa. xxvii. 13. "He shall send his angels with a great sound