GOD!

:

The Gospel of Christ is a very precious | from darkness to light; and from the power treasure this will appear first by contrast, of Satan, to seek and to serve the living secondly, by an examination of its contents. The gospel is a precious treasure, as seen in contrast with all the perishing treasures of time. It is by contrast, and by adaptation, we often see the beauty and the benefit of the works and ways of God; as for instance, the sun in the kingdom of nature. That bright and splendid orb has a four-fold power: the power of fulness and perfection in itself: it is a glorious body of light indeed; but then, our God did not want a sun merely to look at; much less did he require a sun to enlighten him; for God is light, and in him is no darkness at all: beneath him, however, there was, the dry land, earth; and to light up this otherwise dark world, he said, "Let there be light in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day; the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also." The sun, therefore, hath now a reflective power; she throws out her cheering rays upon the earth; and shows its form and fullness too: then the sun has a communicative power; it gives out light, heat, and life to the earth; and brings its fruits to perfection; and then men laud the sun; thousands of millions bless their Creator for a gift so useful, so essential, and so good. So, in a higher sense, it is with CHRIST: as, a High Priest, as a Mediator; as a sacrifice for sin; as a Saviour; God did not need the Messiah; but, on looking into the predestinated ages of time, the Almighty saw there. deep in the fall, the ensnared and enslaved spouse of Christ-the election of grace. To redeem, to justify, to pardon, and to present them unto himself, God called, anointed, gave up, and sent his Son. To the awakened, the alarmed, the guilty sinner, how precious doth the Lord appear, when in the soul of such an one, the Holy Spirit shews HIM!

The gospel is a precious treasure, when contrasted with the law. There was the Levitical law. What a gorgeous ceremony! Look at the tabernacle: examine its contents; see the beautiful table of shewbread; the candlestick; the altars; the mercyseat; the high-priest in his splendid robes! Ah! saith the Jew, look at our religion! Here is something to look at; something to admire; but you, poor Gentiles! you have nothing but a mean place to meet in a few poor old people to speak to, and an unlettered man as your preacher. We admit there was a glory in the Levitical ritual; but it was but a shadow. Presently, the GREAT HIGH PRIEST himself arises; and in the full blaze of his immortal glory all these shadows pass away. In the ceremonial law, there were cleansings, and healings, too; but they were only for the body; and for time; but CHRIST, in the gospel, sanctifies, purifies and saves: gives grace, and then he gives glory. By his blood, he purifies and pardons: by his righteousness, he justifies and honours; and, by his power, he prepares the sinner for heaven; preserves him unto the heavenly kingdom; and, having perfected the work begun, presents him to himself in all the reality, the dignity, and purity, which heaven demands-which God bestows. Oh! there is, indeed, an excellent glory in the precious gospel treasure! And, was there no glory in the moral law? Read that twenty-eighth of Deuteronomy. What streams of blessings! Blessed in the city and in the field; in basket and in store; in coming in, and in going out; yea, in every part, and in every place beneath the sun." But there are two iron gates, which you will see, enclose these blessings. First-the gate of a perfect obedience:-'if,'-what an if! If thou shalt hearken diligently, to observe and to do ALL his commandments; but, if you fail in one point, the iron gate of condemnation closes upon you-ringing in your ears all the curses There are pleasures and treasures too, be- of a justly offended-an angry Judge. See, side the gospel: but what are they, when then, the gospel asks for no perfect obedience compared with this? The Bible plainly on the part of the sinner. It comes from Him says-Through faith, Moses chose rather to who put away sin, and brought in everlasting suffer affliction with the people of God, than righteousness; and, having done so, he said, to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.Gospel-Go, and cry aloud; say-WhosoThere are the pleasures of sin: the world- ever will; let him come; and take of the ling sings his song, enjoys his dance, ob- water of life freely'— tains his desire, and rejoices in his possessions; but, as God made man for holiness and heaven; Satan came and turned him to unholiness, and then presents a thousand treacherous snares to beguile and deceive his heart; and after all, where grace prevents not, drags him down to the regions of death, We say, in some sense, the gospel is better where mercy never smiles; where not one to us poor sinners, than the covenant of whisper of salvation is ever heard. How grace. The covenant provided everything; precious that gospel, then, which calls us arranged everything; promised everything;

It is by contrast, and by adaptation, then, that the glory and excellency both of Christ and the gospel doth appear.

"Without money:

Come to Jesus Christ and buy. There is a fulness of mercy, a freeness of gracious bestowment in the gospel, which makes it a precious treasure indeed.

I have indulged myself sometimes in reviewing with secret and holy pleasure the following three-fold character of the gospel minFor, with Satan outside, unbelief inside; reistry. I may appear to occupy unnecessary views of sins in the past, and fearful fore- space by giving it here in few words; but afbodings in the future, all these have said-ter some struggles I venture, resolving patiently to bear all the contempt which my taller, stouter, and nobler brethren may be permitted to cast upon one who is 'a little one' indeed.

THE EARTHEN VESSEL.

[Jan. 1, 1859. ant of grace is represented by that bright cloud | walk it practically; and I think our consowhich overshadowed them. Peter speaking lations within, and our prosperity without, of that event afterwards, says, Christ there will be much more abundant. 'received from GOD the Father, honor and the Lord Jesus, preached the gospel, in a Our Master, glory. When there came such a voice to him three-fold manner more particularly: (1) by from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' Here there a delightful declaration of doctrines: read was God the FATHER, the covenant GoD of all the evangelist John through, and there in is his chosen and predestinated family; and with such a chain of New Covenant doctrines as out personal interest in this covenant, certainly never before nor since proceeded from the none can be saved. Secondly: there was the dis- lips of man. Surely, this is the garden of cipline of the law represented by Moses: by herbs, the garden of nuts, the garden of GOD, the law is the knowledge of sin; and in all of which the Old Testament saints so freJehovah's dealings with Moses, His holy ab- quently spake! Brethren, for Zion's sake I horence of sin was most solemnly declared. beseech you, gather the herbs, they will, It is true, the law makes nothing perfect, but under the divine blessing, heal it has its preparatory work to do. See, then, you, and your Moses is there; and I know our God will take people too; open the nuts, they will feed the care he shall so deeply wound the chosen seed, souls of saints, and encourage seeking ones : that they shall feelingly need a salvation and, if withall, the Lord shall make you and which none but Jesus can give. Thirdly, me. more useful in bringing poor sinners Revelations from Heaven are represented into this garden of the glorious. GOD-MAN, by Elijah. You know how God instructed it will be an honour indeed. The spiritual the good old prophet. Fire came down from pleasure, and deep soul-profit I have, at times, heaven for him; and in the still small had while in this garden, I have, with the voice the Lord was found. Fourthly, there Saviour walked, none can ever conceive, but stands JESUS in the midst. I presume not those who thus have with HIM walked. to say one word of Him: His Father speaks Jesus to us say, 'come with me!' Let aloud to proclaim His person and His worth. Let him Prostrate at his feet, there are three others. 'take us aside!' Let him there anoint our A living Faith represented by Peter; a lively Hope, by James; a perfect Love by John. When Jesus comes to take a sinner up into glory, He taketh Peter, and James, and John. He takes the sinner up into the exercise of a heaven-born faith; faith produces a hope that shall not be ashamed; faith and hope conduct the soul through the desert; and love takes them in to dwell with HIM for ever. Forgive this little effort to stir up your pure minds.

eyes, fill our hearts, purify our consciences, and talk to our souls; and we shall be well prepared to feed the church, to find out sorrowful spirits, and to search into the dark deep dens where his yet uncalled hidden ones are laid. (2) Jesus preached the gospel by practical parables. these more specially. The sower goes forth Read Luke's gospel for to sow his seed: the good Samaritan goes down to the place where the poor man lay The gospel, then, brethren-to preach THE for the barren fig-tree :-we are too ready to bleeding of his wounds: intercession is made gospel, is our work. We cannot make men say of a poor captive-bound soul, cut it see its beauty; we have no power to carry it down, why cumbereth it the ground! But into the hearts and consciences of our fellow- the kind Intercessor says, Let it alone this man; we cannot even unite the hearts and year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung hands of those who profess to know and love it.'. Oh! precious, ADVOCATE! Almighty it. No; there are divisions, party strifes, Friend! If he had not stepped in near twenty and petty jealousies; but, if our impotence years ago; when friends and foes, saints, be such, that we cannot bring up men from and sinners, pastors and people said, cut it the pit, nor unite those who are brought up; down! If he had not stepped in, Oh! where if we cannot do these things, we may, (if should we now be found? Ah? where? truly called and anointed of God, we may,) But that, Let it alone! It was like an iron aim more than ever to preach THE GOSPEL wall of defence to us for full four years; and of the ever blessed God: it is the power of then the digging and the dunging commenGod; it is the sword of the Spirit; it is the ced; and all the good we have ever done; revelation of Jesus Christ; it is the church's all the fruit we have ever borne; all the lamp of direction, and her light of comfort: hope we have ever had, has been because Yea, it is, instrumentally, the TREE which He has abode by his promise, him that the Lord shewed unto Moses. Let us, dear cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." brethren, take this healing, healthful, sweet- But, withal, let us notice (3rd) Jesus began ening Tree, and cast it into all the bitter to preach the gospel experimentally. He waters of jealousy, strife, divisions, and went up into a mountain and opened his discord, which now so much afflict and great commission, by shewing what kind of weaken our cause. Let us labour to live charàcters they were; and what special exmore in, and upon, the gospel ourselves me-periences they were the subjects of, who ditatively; let us be concerned to proclaim were blessed.' The poor in spirit: they and publish it ministerially; to wear and that mourn : the meek: they which do hun

ger and thirst after righteousness: the merciful: the pure in heart: the peacemakers: the percuted for righteousness sake: the reviled, and so on. On each of these I would wish to dwell. But I dare not occupy more room this month. The special elements of the gospel treasure; the kind of vessels, in which it is deposited; the excellent power which goes with it; and the design of the whole. Shall be considered, if grace and strength be continued to yours in Jesus,

CHARLES WATERS BANKS.

EPISTLES TO THEOPHILUS.

LETTER LI.

But my object chiefly will be the Gospel of these seven seals.' That which is not merely intellectual, but that which bears upon our daily experience, Christian practice, and ultimate destiny.

Now I think that Psalm 45th and the 19th chapter of this book will explain to us the white horse seal.' That this first seal is declarative of the successful progression of the Saviour, not in his humiliation, but in his exaltation; even the very colour of the horses appear to have a meaning. But, before coming to the progression of this first war horse, let us just look for a moment at what is meant by the seal being opened, and also what is meant by John being comman

MY GOOD THEOPHILUS-I wish you dis-ded to come and see. Now the opening of tinctly to understand, that I do not intend to this first seal is in Psalm 45th, called, 'indiThe Psalmist then encumber what I have to say upon the ting a good matter.' 'seven seals with the opinions of others, goes on to speak of the things which he had any farther than just to observe, that learned made out touching the king; that he was writers upon the book of Revelation have fairer than the children of men; that grace generally been in their interpretations too se- is poured into his lips; and he is blessed cular; making the book take notice of wars, forever. Fairer than the children of men,' because sinless. and political revolutions, which have no ma'Grace poured into his terial connection with the church of the lips,' denotes the pure truths of the new living God; and have thus in a great measure, covenant which he, by the Holy Ghost, lost sight of the main and essential object of records. It denotes, also, that nothing imthe book; the intention of which is, to set pure could ever enter his mind; and as he forth the character, sufferings, and final did no sin, he lost nothing: and not as it is triumphs of the people of God; together in the first Adam, where by sin everything is with the destiny of their enemies. And lost, and we ourselves are lost; but this man, thus, as the evangelist sets forth the suffer- the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, ings of Christ, this book of the Revela- hath done nothing amiss, therefore has lost tion sets forth the glory that shall follow. nothing; and has by the sacrifice of himself put that away by which we lost everything. So that he, as King in Zion, is blessed for-. ever;' and of his kingdom there is no end.' May not the Psalmist then well say, that his heart was inditing a good matter? And this grace, by which he reigns over his people; this grace reigning in us; we shall hereby reign with him. Hence it is, that we are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto eternal salvation.

But, if most of the learned have been too secular, there is on the other hand, danger of fancifully spiritualizing everything, and so substituting mere councils for true interpretation. I will aim to avoid both; that I may neither sink into the whirlpool of Carib. dis, nor fall upon the rocks of Sylla. That is, I shall try to avoid going out of my depth, and deal only in that which I can make plain both to you and to myself.

But I cannot forbear saying, that although most writers upon this book have been too secular, yet the labours of great and learned men have thrown much light upon this mysterious book. There is much respect due to such names as Bishop Newton, Mr. Elliot, Dr. Keith, Dr. Cumming, Octavius Winslow, &c. These names shine among the great in Biblical literature; and though one takes the 'four mystic horses' spoken of in the sixth chapter to be four conspicuous Roman Emperors, namely, Vespascian, Trajan, Severus, and Maximillion; and another, that these four horses are the Gospel, Mahomedanism, Catholicism, and Infidelity; yet, notwithstanding these differences among them, they are no doubt right in many things; and cannot, I think, be justly charged with having in their intense and immense labours, any object in view contrary to honesty, and uprightness, and the good of their fellow men.

It

I think you clearly see that this 45th Psalm bears upon the subject of this first seal. You see that 'a crown' was given unto him that sat upon the white horse. And, as I have before said, he did no sin, therefore he does not lose this crown, but is blessed for evermore.' And, indeed, there being a crown given unto him means more than at first sight it seems to mean. means in truth all that is meant in Dan. vii. 14: and there was given unto him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;' power over all flesh-there is the dominion; to give eternal life to as many as are given him'-there is the glory; thus, to save much people alive, come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom. All this then is meant in the one fact, that a crown was given unto him.

But I shall in another part of this seal have to come back again to this 45th Psalm, I will now go to the 19th of Revelation;

But before I enter into the details of this

and see what help we can get there, to en- scriptures to his own disciples; and hence able us to understand what is meant by the the thrones (Dan. vii. 94,) will mean the opening' of this seal. And there, in the 19th truths of the gospel, together with the rights of Revelation, what in the 45th Psalm is and dignities of the people of God. Now, called a good matter;' is here called hea- these thrones were cast down by enemies and ven being opened,' (verse 11). This 19th of persecutors, until the Ancient of Days interRevelation, from verse 11th to the end of the posed; and the man of sin-the mystery of chapter, largely opens unto us this first seal. iniquity-fell, and must yet fall, before the But let us stop and look at what is meant spirit of his mouth, and the brightness of his by heaven being opened,' some take it to coming, and so shall the heavens be opened. mean, the New Testament dispensation; and Thus you will see, this first seal pertains to no doubt it does mean this; and also, some- the Saviour, the opening thereof will mean thing infinitely beyond the mere outward dis- all and much more than I have here said. pensation. Sin and the sentence of the law, had severed us from God. The opening of the heaven therefore will mean the end of sin, and end of the law; both of which we have in Christ. So that of himself he might well say, I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. And well also may he testify, I am the way, the truth, and the life.' It was by him, that Abel obtained witness that he was righteous. It was by him, that Enoch walked with God. It was by him, that the heavens were opened to Jacob on his way to Padan-aram. It was by him, that the heavens were opened to Ezekiel, by the River Chebar. It was by him, that Nathaniel was to see the heavens opened, and theangels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. And as it is by him, that heaven itself is opened, so by him, are opened the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; and by him, are opened the councils of God, in relation to friend and foe; to believers and unbelievers; for all judgment is committed unto the Son.

first seal, I will yet notice the command to come and see.' One of the four living creatures commands John to come.' Now, I have before shewn you, that the likeness of the four living creatures is taken from the square encampment of the Israelites in the wilderness; and here is a representative of the church making John welcome to divine revelations : come and see.' Now this accords with the feeling of every true church toward their minister; as though this living (not dead, mind, but living,) creature should say, John here is something very mysterious; come, and see; and try and explain it to us, who are desiring to look into these things. And so it is, that living souls can never be content with a blind watchman, a blind guide, a miserable comforter, a forger of lies, or with a physician of no value. Living souls see something of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; and by a true seer, they hope to see still more; and go on seeing and seeing until they behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, and, are changed into the same image, as from one degree of glory to another, as by the spirit of the Lord.'

But the opening of this first seal, called here (in the 19th chapter) the opening of heaven: this opening of heaven will mean also the setting aside of human tradition: The true seer is one who is born of God; woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypo- poor in himself, having nothing, yet posscrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven essing all things.' Now this true seer, is against men; for ye neither go in yourselves,made wise unto salvation;' he is but a child neither suffer ye them that are entering to in spiritual things; that is, he is poor, and go in. Such is the tendency of all human but a child in his own eyes, even less than tradition; fleshly meddleings with God's the least of all saints.' Now Solomon truth. Nevertheless, the kingdom shall be (Eccl. iv. 13), saith better is this poor and given to them for whom it is prepared. wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.' This old and foolish king will mean old Adam; and out of the materials of this old Adam are manufactured men for the office of ministers; but they are not new-born, heaven-born children; and though such may be personally, young in years, they belong to the old And beginning at Moses, and all Adam stock, and are of the world; and the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all therefore speak they of the world. But they the scriptures the things concerning himself,' are, in eternal things, self-contradictory, (Luke xxiv. 27.) Now, my good Theophilus, confused, and very cloudy; or, as Solomon remember Daniel is not,-in saying the says, foolish, and their name is legion,' judgment was set, and the books were both in the Church of Rome and in the opened, speaking of the LAST judgment, Church of England, as well as among Dissbut of the judgment which the Saviour enters. Now, for a poor and wise child of would pronounce against his enemies, as God to attempt to admonish one of these simultaneous with the opening up of the great book-made kings, appears in their

Daniel saw in vision the aboundings of human tradition, making void the commandments of God; (Dan. vii. 10.) but he saw also, that the Saviour would open the scriptures. The judgment (saith Daniel) was set, and the books were opened.' What books were these but the books of the Old Testament ?