whole, the free salvation thankfully received, God is glorified, and the sinner saved.

Second. It is a full salvation, our eternal all is in it. Are we helpless? Christ is our strength. Ignorant? Christ is our wisdom. Unworthy? Christ is our righteousness. Hungry; Christ is our food. Naked? Christ is our clothing. He is indeed the Captain of our salvation; him to know is life eternal; a sight of him is saving, and a touch of him healing. In Christ there is a perfect remedy for all our maladies, a never-failing spring of consolation; here is pardon for the guilty, cleansing for the filthy, healing for the wounded, cordials for the fainting, comfort for the downcast, and life for the dead; and what shall I more say? He is exactly such a Saviour as we, in all respects, need; his fulness is so suitable, his heart so tender, his blood so full of matchless worth, that we are

constrained to cry, "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift."

Thirdly. It is a finished salvation, so finished that, as the truly judicious and excellent Witsius says, (in Econ. Cov. B. 2, chap. 7.) "nothing remains for the elect either to do, or to suffer, in order to obtain freedom from punishment, or a right to life; but only that each of them in their proper order, and at the appointed time, receive and enjoy the eternal inheritance; for such is the grand effect of the death of Christ, that God cannot now (consistently with his truth and justice, and the covenant entered into with his Son) condemn any of his elect, or exclude them from partaking in his salvation." To which may be added, the testimony of Dr. Gill, in his Body of Divinity, vol. 2, page 206, "sin is so done and put away, and abolished, by the sacrifice of Christ for it, that no charge can be ever brought against his people for it; the curse of the law cannot reach them, nor light upon them, nor any sentence of condemnation and death can be executed on them, nor any punishment inflicted upon them; they are secure from wrath to come." Add to the testimony of these divines (who shone in the firmament of the church as stars of the first magnitude) that of the Holy Ghost, Heb. ix. 26., where Christ is said to "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Should any object that it only designs original sin, which some have thought, because it is not said sins, but sin; let such refer to Dan. ix. 24., where it is foretold that the Messiah was to "make an end of sins," in the plural, so to make an end of them, that "when they are sought for," by Satan or avenging justice, "there shall be none," Jer. 1. 20.; and this shall be our boast in life, this our support in death, yea, the crown of our rejoicing at the judgment day; "he hath by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified," or set apart, Heb. x. 14. Jude 1. This is what I mean by a finished salvation.

Fourthly. It is a holy salvation; the things that accompany it home to the heart are repentance, faith, and holiness; it is a salvation without conditions, but not a salvation without commands; "be ye holy in all manner of conversation; pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. Let no corrupt communication proceed

out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying," with many others scattered up and down through all the book of God. What God therefore hath joined together, let no man put asunder; and for my part, I consider that the holy commands of the word of God are not inferior to the promises themselves, either in value or in sweetness to the regenerate mind. It is sad to hear some speaking of a full, free, and finished salvation as a licentious doctrine, yet many who would hate to call it so with their tongues, it is to be feared, take too little care to prove it not so by their lives.

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Lastly. It is an everlasting salvation, projected in everlasting love, secured in the everlasting covenant, proclaimed in the everlasting gospel, which reveals an everlasting righteousness, and consequently produces everlasting consolation, 2 Thess. xi. 16. Hence Jesus says, my sheep shall never perish," John x. 28. Paul declares "sin shall not have dominion over you," Rom. vi. 14. David says, "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down," Psal. xxxvii. 23. And thus the all-prevailing Saviour speaks, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory," John xvii. 24. For the mountains, of enormous height and immense circumference, shall depart, and the hills tremble and be removed; but my kindness, compared with the firmness of which,

The pillar'd firmanent is rottenness,
And earth's foundation stubble,

shall not depart from thee, though a poor, a puny, and an undeserving worm; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee, Isa. liv. 10.

Here then triumphing in an everlasting salvation, we boldly cry, "who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Name the monster in earth or hell--vain are the efforts, and insignificant the attempts, of all created things; for I so confidently believe the final perseverance of the saints, that I am persuaded, firmly persuaded, that neither death, which separates soul from body, friends from friends, and even limb from limb; nor life, with all its trials, temptations, and vicissitudes; nor angels, nor principalities, who sinning, fell from happiness and heaven, and became enemies to God, his people, and his cause, with all their deep-laid plots, and artful contrivances; nor powers, either of sin, or men, or devils; nor things present, nor things to come, no matter what they are, or how formidable soever they may appear; nor any thing included in the immeasurable height or unfathomable depth of space; and lest I should have omitted any thing, I confidently add, nor any other creature, if any other there be, in all the regions of the amiverse, or all the empire of God, shall be able, in any age, case,

or circumstance, to separate, or exclude us, all unworthy as we are from the everlas.ing love of God, which is for ever fixed upon us in and manifested through Christ Jesus, our rightful Sovereign, and adorable Lord, Amen. Rom. viii. 35, 38, 39.

TRUE RICHES.

Concluded from page 31.

COME then, ye dear children of God, and pray that you may be helped by the power of the Holy Ghost to rely on a precious Redeemer by faith, and you will find that he will be faithful unto you according to this sweet portion. "He will supply all your wants, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Precious soul, dost thou find a want of a spiritual nature, if so, go unto God in the sweet name of Jesus, and he will surely do thee good in supplying thy wants. Dear soul, I may justly tell thee, that when God hath a mind to bend his gracious ear, he will prepare the heart to pray; therefore look for sovereign aid, in order to approach thy God by faith for a rich supply of whatever thy soul or body need. O, it is good to plead at a throne of grace in our Saviour's name, that we may have a confidential trust in his love, faithfulness, and power, so that we may with appropriating language cry my God, through the blood of the Lamb! My God through the immaculate righteousness of Jesus! My God in the spirit and power of faith; and "my God shall supply my need, yea, all my need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus;" "therefore let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in the time of need." O that we may prove the verity of our Saviour's cordial words, "my grace shall be sufficient for thee." Now in waiting with patient hopes upon God, heaven-born souls have oftentimes had sweet communion with him, and in this communion God doth make sweet and blessed impressions on the hearts of his saints, which humbles them in the very dust at his feet, and fills them with gratitude for the kind intimations of his love and rich aboundings of his grace in supplying all their need "according to the riches of his glory by Christ Jesus." Once more; subjects of discriminating favour are called upon to be looking from themselves to God's free mercy in Christ Jesus, in whom they are accepted and sanctified by the Father, and justified in Christ, and blessed in him with all spiritual blessings. In so doing, under the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit, real believers in Jesus rience the vital power or kernel of faith and hope in the unspeakable pleasure of spiritual communion with Jehovah in all his glorious persons, and can sweetly sing with grace in their heart.

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Brethren, in our Lord Jesus Christ, if you can say my God from your heart, you are truly blessed. If you can say my God in the spirit, your wants shall abundantly be supplied according to God's

riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Do you see and feel your wants or need? if so, you are born of God; soul-wants made known are mercies from a covenant Father, and are undoubtedly an evidence of God's special favour towards you; therefore your God shall supply your need in such a way and manner as will sweetly unveil the matchless beauties and transcendent glory of a precious Redeemer and Saviour, who is the grand medium of all grace communications. My dear fellow-travellers, it is good for us to be carried by the Lord to the potter's house, and there learn the precious lesson of free grace, so that we may glory in the mercy of God which has made us to differ from others who are dead in sin: hence we may justly own, that as God has had mercy, he will supply our need through Christ Jesus our glorious lover.

C. A.

PRECIOUS PROMISES, OR CHOICE SAYINGS OF OUR LORD.-No. 6.

MAN whilst in a natural state can have no right understanding of the spirituality of the law of God, consequently the joyful news of salvation through a Redeemer's blood has not set his obdurate heart in tune; it is only the spiritual family of heaven, that is quickened from a state of spiritual death by the power of the Holy Ghost, that can rightly appreciate his invaluable blessing, nor can they at all times bask in its surpassing splendour ; nor is all the exhortations of gospel ministers, nor the choice sayings of the Lord, without the divine influence of the Spirit of God in the least adequate to keep either the babes, the young men, or the fathers in Christ.

From mourning like poor Job of old,
When Jesus hides his face;

What is it makes thine heart so cold,
In Christ there's stores of grace.

The reason is obvious, because their best beloved has withdrawn himself, and is gone, Cant. v. 6. ; and if they hear men exhorting them to rejoice in Christ, and give their fears to the wind, &c. &c., which is no better than arminianism, this they find is only calculated to augment their sorrows. The language of David is familiar with their feelings, when he expressed himself thus, 'thou (said he to God) didst hide thy face and I was troubled," Ps. xxx. 7. That portion of holy Writ recorded in Job xxxiv. 29. will blessedly establish what we have said upon this subject, and serve to illustrate what we may further advance. When he (said Eliphaz) giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him?" Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man; only this I know, from sixteen years experience in the ways of the Lord,

That when the Lord his face doth hide,
His people will repine;

But all their griefs they will subside,

When he doth on them shine.

That is, when he speaks with Almighty power to the heart. I know the Lord's called family would always like to live remote from sin and Satan; but that is not promised them whilst they continue in these lowlands of misery. If we refer to the experience of the Old and New Testament saints, they all with one voice, declared that they often felt

Conflicts sharp and very strong,

But seldom a melodious song.

And they all unanimously acceded to this truth,

That all the saints at last shall praise
Their Lord through everlasting days.

I have hinted above, that the children of the Most High, after called by grace, would always deem it the highest honour that could be conferred upon them, to be continually shouting the high praises of the eternal Three, and living upon the inexhaustible fulness there is in a precious Christ; but their heavenly Father sees it meet for his own glory, and for their real good, to put some of them into the refiner's fire, Mal. iii. 3., but brings them out again when sufficiently purified, Zech. xiii. 9. Some of them are passing through the waters of affliction, Isa. xliii. 2., others he puts into the sieve to sift their supposed goodness from them, compare Amos ix. 9. with Luke xxii. 31. Some of them feel ready to perish, Isa. xxvii. 13., and are coming to the Lord with weeping and with supplications, Jer. xxxi. 9. Some are upon the mount of praise, Isa. xxv. 1., and others are deeply wounded in spirit, Deut. xxxii. 39., and others are receiving healing from him, Ps. cxlvii. 3. Some are pressing towards the mark for the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. iii. 14., and others feel ready to halt by reason of the roughness of the way, Ps. xxviii. 17. Some are saying, O that I could find him, Job xxii. 3., and others declaring that they have found him whom their soul loveth, Cant. iii. 4. Some are sitting at the feet of Jesus, Luke viii. 35., and others are pressing after him, Matt. xv. 22, 23. Some are contending for the faith once delivered to the saints, Jude 3., and others are laying down in green pastures, and beside the still waters of everlasting love, Ps. xxiii. 2. Some are thirsting for the water of life, Ps. xlii. 1, 2., and others are delighted with the abundance of Zion's glory, Isa. lxvi. 10, 11. Some are enduring hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. ii. 3. and some are but babes in Christ, Heb. v. 13. ; others are employed in feeding the lambs and sheep of Christ's fold, John xxi. 15, 16. Some are drawing water from the wells of salvation, Isa. xii. 13., and others are groaning, being burdened,