thy sins behind my back." Reader, are your heart that needs Him, and that heart is captive sins truly behind His back, forgotten? The debt being thus paid, and the Surety accepted in heaven, having gone in with his completed work, the message to us is, that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." The debtor in the far land could never deny the debt was his; but he could say that another had taken it up. So with us who have salvation, we have sinned; but "the Lord hath laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all." God on the cross was imputing our sins to Him, so reconciling us to Himself. And now you say, saved?" "What must I do to be Suppose I am at the antipodes, and one comes to me and says, "You remember the debt you! owed." I say, say, "Yes." to His love. Even on the cross, when He might have said, "Do not speak to me, the nails are in my hands, my mouth is full of clotted gore and noisome gall; don't speak to me in my agony."But no; with a calm irresistible force, He turned to the poor malefactor at His side, and said, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise!” do His mind at leisure from itself, even in that dark houras As flowers open to the unveiling of the sun, so our affections open to the Lord when He Himself is unveiled. Ah, then, with liat a sense of reality in the soul does He make known the riches of His grace, the wonders of His love. When God tells me I am condemned to die, that I have neither life nor anything of my own but sin; that the Lord died instead of believing sinners; He took their condemnation, and rose for their justification, I simply believe God, and, believing, I have life salvation.rol papontoowa Dear reader, may you know God reconciled, Christ as having died for you, the founain qof His blood opened for your sins!volod ad to 177 !! All to 9: temporiɔ ɔ69 Blessedness of Believing d THE »Drez Lore-án 45ldens bluo» "diti THE whole history of believers, from the time He says, "That debt has been paid." Do I of Abel the first martyr down to the present moment, is a record of what faith has acOh, that is an easy matter, or it is simple?"complished. The simple story of the saints of No, indeed; not so simple-but vast singular! wonderful! I ask, Is it really true? I question my informant. If he be true, I am saved. 66 Oh! go to the Book of God, and believe that the Son of God did come down here for sinners; that He died. Observe, He did not deserve to die. He never did a wrong thing; He was God's own Son; never broke a law." Why then did He die? Because He took the place of the guilly; and as God did not spare Him who took that place, it was to save us who are guilty. Jesus took the judgment, and every soul who will take salvation through Him, that soul believing, is, on the authority of God, a saved soul. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."... 66 Jesus, in love, died to save the chief of sin ners." You have only to believe in a crucified, a loving Christ. May God give you to take the gospel as it is in His own word. He would compel you, with love, tenderness, long-suffering, and unselfishness. God who have ever lived, is a narrative of redeemed men and women who believed Goduand were blessed. By faith they lived by faith they walked; by faith they endured hardships; by faith they overcame difficulties; by faith they looked to an unseen, but much-loved Saviour; by faith they fought the good fight against the seductive world, the deceitful flesh,olandgsthe destroying devil; by faith athey conquered all enemies; and by faith they died and entered into heaven. Of this goodly company who shave died in faith," the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, proved herself one. Her cousin Elizabeth' said to her, “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke i. 45.)67 - Howard of bed not sidroq The The faith of Mary was grounded on the word of God albhe. The angel of the Lord shadrgold her of a fact the most incomprehensible promise she believed was the promise of that which was contrary and altogether impossible to Says Christ," Compel them to come in?" It is nature; but she believed, because assured that the compulsion of love the irresistible power" with God nothing shall be impossible." The of love. Love such as led the exiles to their faith of Mary is seen to be great when it is seen David in the lone cave in the wood. Jesus, with in contrast with the unbelief of Zacharias. Mary His own dying love, shows Himself to the poor was a young woman, yet she believed what was incredible to reason, without objecting to it, or He gives him cause to do so;-and that shall requiring a sign for its confirmation; but Zacha- never, never be. Let God's faithfulness to His rias was an old man and a priest, who believed word in our experience stir us up to encourage not though the thing told him, was not incre-weak believers to trust implicitly to God's dible; for in others, there had been instances of promise.. the same thing before. "Tell of His wondrous faithfulness, And sound His power abroad; "Proclaim salvation from the Lord To wretched, dying men; His hand hath writ the sacred word With an immortal pen. Engraved as in eternal brass, The mighty promise shines; Nor can the powers of darkness raze "He that can dash whole worlds to death, "His very word of grace is strong The voice that rolls the stars along, We remark that all things which God has promised He will perform. God is the Author of each book in that library of books-the Bible; and all that is written therein is written for our instruction. The word of promise, in the Bible is as much a thing told us "from the Lord" now, as it was to those to whom it was first spoken, two, three, or four thousand years ago. If we did but believe this, we should not be able to doubt the application of the promise, but should Trejoice that God has spoken to us for our establishment. When by the Holy Spirit a text from the inspired volume is applied to the be liever's soul, it comes home to him with peculiar sweetness; for he at once receives it as the sure [word of his God. God has been graciously pleased to place on record in His word a promise for the believer, suited to each position and to There is a blessedness in believing. Doubts are each circumstance of life into which he may be like to weeds in a garden; they destroy fruitfulbrought. Seeing this is so, a larger acquaintance ness, and spoil that which is beautiful. In bewith hat which is noted in the Scripture of lieving God, we are happy and composed in all truth" would enable us to exercise ourselves unto times of trial or trouble. When the ship was godliness to a far greater extent than we now tossed on the tempestuous sea, and certain ship-do, by reason of our ignorance which arises from wreck stared him in the face, Paul could exhort ours neglect of searching the Scriptures. Our the sailors to eat meat, and to be of "good 1 unbelief is most unreasonable, for God has given cheer." Why was this? He himself tells us, to fuso innumerable proofs of His faithfulness. the "angel of God" stood by him, and told him bUnbelief is a dreadful sin. We are told that that all in the ship should safely reach the land; y even devils believe and tremble.", (James and he said, "I believe God, that it shall be di. 19, The promises of God" are all sure, even as it was told me." (Acts xxvii. 25.) The For all the promises of God in Him are Yea, Christian who believes in God can stand unand in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." moved, though all things around him are shaken; (2 Cor. is 20.) The text at the head of this for he knows" that all things work together for paper does not say, "there may be," but "there good to them that love God, to them who are shall be a performance." The performance" the called according to his purpose." (Romans may be delayed, but at the set time it shall" viii. 28.) 量 come. Let Little-faith remember that God has The Christian labourer experiences a blessedperformed His great promise, and therefore Heness in believing, because he knows that he is able to perform His lesser ones. It is con- cannot labour for God in vain. He goes forth trary to God's character for Him not to perform attempting great things for God, and expecting the word He has spoken: for He is the God of great things from God, and he is not distruth, yea, the God that cannot lie. If it were appointed. Methinks to every zealous Christian possible for God to break His word, it would be worker God says, "Be it unto you according to possible for God to be dishonoured. God dis-your faith." If we would be made useful in honoured?. Perish the thought! He is blessed for evermore. His promise is as immutable as His nature. He can as soon cease to be God as He can cease to be faithful. I' Christ's service, let us exercise strong faith upon a strong God. It is blessed to believe, because faith, of all the Christian graces, honours God most. Faith is an abiding gift of the Holy Spirit, by which, in its exercise in His saints, God is glorified. Faith appropriates all God's promises, so that the believer is not "afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Let the Christian never doubt his God, until Lord." (Psa. cxii. 7.) Faith enables us to ascend di bons To those who fear and trust the Lord, His mercy stands for ever sure : beer. From age to age His promise lives, And the performance' is secure." the watch-tower of prayer, having our eye turned death on the cross, hath magnified the law and unto God, from whom cometh all our expecta- made it honourable, and hath put away sin by tions. Faith enables us to endure present light afflictions, because she anticipates the eternal future weight of glory. Faith enables us to contemplate the Divine majesty, and thus we are made humble. Faith relies on the "finished" work of Jesus Christ, by which we have the blessed assurance that all our sins are pardoned. When we look to our feelings, and trust to our the shedding of His atoning blood; that God, experiences, we are timid and unsettled; but from death thou art blest, thou hast passed unto life; but if thou refusest believe, thou art under the curse. T. W. M.' 76778 ton a:bal # au si i 5 b mozesi J61177 *bod groĺ odw it is certain that believing souls are blessed souls; my neighbour. Self whit "P my krtle book to when we believe God's testimony concerning His and they will be found so at the last, for this one Person; that Jesus, by His obedience unto JI fi and out of season." 66 19. fellow-traveller; how long he That through life's weary way. Now alt And that His gracious hand doth guideli A message from above: emol to drow Hui Like dew upon our way,) orodjed ow gott az 25794 douf Open Thou Mine Eyes. ཝཱ ཝཱ། "A praying Coachman" thonght 1, "and a ນ child of God, and heir of heaven; of that. inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven' for all who love God." What a lesson did I learn! Egen the security of the child of God, and the happiness of having the God of Jacob for our help Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him." It is indeed a comfort when we can leave ourselves, and all that belongs to us, in God's hands, and trust His has been well said, "The ways and words wisdom, love, and power. Then, again, we learn of our west IT blessed are the laws and statutes a lesson from this poor man's spirit of gratitude of the saints of God." But the natural man and thankfulness; viewing God in all His mer- receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;" cies, and praising God for them. nor is the believer, by unassisted natural understanding, able to interpret (if I may so say) the words, and ways of Christ-simple though they be-to p Sprofit. He that is spiritual discerneth. The Spirit of God, in Prov. i. 6, inspired Solomon thus to write. To understand a proverb. and the interpretation; the words of the wise.... And at the opening of chap. ii., from verse 1 to 4 inclusive, are eight things to be done [receive, hide, incline the ear, apply the heart, cry, lift up the voice, seek, and search] before we come to verse 5. Then Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and, find the knowledge of God; for the Lord giveth wisdom. (v. 6.) And in Psalm cxix.: Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments:" "Give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies:" I may keep thy law: "Open thon mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" "Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works." The Psalmist had spiritual understanding, but he asks for more. He w He whose eyes are open cries whole heart, "Open thou mine eyes. I know nothing more of the history of my had travelled with his face Zionwards, or known the blessedness of having God for his friend, his guide, and his prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God: but I would say to my dear readers, that the child of God who knows God in this light, and whose faith, an and love, and gratitude, are abounding always, from day to day, and hour to hour, even the dark valley of the shadow of death will appear light unto him... "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, This is 27 17 100 68 ་། Give me understanding, that testimonies:" his So let it be with us to whom the Spirit of God is given to dwell in us. However simple the It is noticing our mercies, and acknowledging word may be, whatever we have been taught of them continually, which enables us to be full God, let us, while we meditate, conclude that of joy and peace in believing" to leave it all there is infinitely more in all parts of the Word "to with Jesus, and to lie passive in His hands, than we have learned, and know, and keep, and and know no will but His Giving is the great thanks talk about, and that the Holy Spir always. Let this be our motto from hence- teacher of every willing learner. The Holy Spirit testifies of Christ, of His cross, and glory. If we would learn His ways mouth be filled with praise all the day long.* to profit, we must consider His wounds. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him." The Lord] next meeting will be, I trust, where not a wave said to Satan, "Thou shalt bruise His heel," of trouble shall roll over us, I cannot say any They pierced my hands and my feet." "The more, God bless you, and keep you. Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Your affectionate brother, May we set the Lord before us, and may His, ways and words be our law; the lamp to our feet, the light to our path....... "I am Resting on the Rock." CHRIST is the Rock: whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish-shall not be confounded-shall not be ashamed. The winds and waves may beat upon the, soul that rests upon this Rock of Ages, and he is unmoved, It is God's own provision for a needy, guilty sinner. Jesus crucified fully satisfied God's justice touching our sins, so that there is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. By Him all that believe are justified from all things. These are God's own decla rations. God cannot deny Himself. This keeps the soul in peace. God's "perfect love casts out fear." The following letter gives us a beautiful illustration of the "perfect peace" in which the soul is kept in time of the greatest danger through simply reposing in the work of Christ, and the unfailing word of God. Steamship "London." My dear Brother,-Before your eyes will look on this, your brother Frederick and I will be engulfed in the depths of the sea. We left Plymouth on the 6th. The weather was then stormy, but not such as to render any fear of danger. However, as we proceeded, the gale increased, and while I am penning these few. lines the awful rocking of the vessel is such, that it is with the utmost difficulty I can hold my pen. I cannot describe to you the state of agitation which is written on every countenance; some waiting, with the utmost composure, their fate; others so alarmed at the prospect of death, that their shrieks are truly heart-rending. But amidst all I am resigned to my fate. Blessed be God, I am resting on the Rock. I know in GEORGE THOMPSON.' LOOK TO JESUS. kon gi l bud sal Jesus ever fix Give Christ a thousandfold. No more you have to do "Tis finished," He himself has said, ei o “'Tis finished”—done for you. No more the weary weight of sinu miH won T. cortadoreqs tosineq O look to Jesus! fix your gaze simfni diw Go, in each joy and pain, to Him; nie sied! On Jesus ever fix your eyepahit to an edi * For every single look at self? misdr.meds Болідаці Thoughts on Psalm xxfiduit (Read verses 1-7.) ye HOW sweet it is, amid all the perplexities. whom I have believed. Christ is precious to sorrows, and disappointments we find in the me. I do not know whether by any means you world and in the Church, to remember that the will receive this. Oh, that I could see all those Lord Jesus is in the place of joy. ⠀⠀ “If ve loved with whom I have been acquainted! I mourn me," He said, "ye would rejoice, because I said, now over my indifference towards their spiritual I go to the Father." And if our hearts Jare right, welfare; and now, with death staring me in the we shall rejoice that He is there. He joys in face, I feel that I could do anything, if by any the strength of Jehovahi-He, the King, who means I might save some. Tell Sarah not to in the days of His humiliation bowed His blessed neglect the salvation of her soul. Tell Joseph head in death upon the Cross for His people. to give his heart to the Saviour at once. I want Redemption was then and there accomplished; to meet all in heaven. And now, my dear bro-peace was made for all who through grace believe ther, farewell! Many have been the happy in His most holy name. Therefore we may remeetings we have had together on earth; our The Church. J |