for ever, because "He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, with Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning," when all which amongst human creatures is now called glorious, sinks into insignificance, and is buried in oblivion, the eternal God will shine forth in the full blaze of his glory, before an assembled universe; angelic spirits created in glory, and human spirits raised from earth to glory, and now reunited to their risen and glorified bodies. Then the glory of God must endure for ever; it is unspeakable, ineffable! no created mind can fully comprehend it; in vain devils rage against it, and are joined by the carnal and ungodly amongst men; they are mad when we talk of God's glory, and of his method of salvation; they hate it, let them go on, while God permits them, we know where it must end. God has spoken and declared that He will be glorified in the destruction of all who lift up a finger against his plan of salvation. Blessed be his name, that we see his glory shining with the utmost brightness in the glorification of mortal men who were sunk in the dreadful abyss of sin and ruin; but, dear friends, little think what rage there is in the human heart against God's method of salvation; it is foolishness, it is nonsense, to the wisdom of this world. "We," says Paul, "preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks; Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." for ever to adore Him. He has his church, called the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven; chosen from amongst men, and called out by his glorious grace to know and love Him, to show forth his praise, and dwell for ever in his presence in heaven, there they shall all appear before the throne, purified and made glorious through beholding their beloved Saviour as He is. "O Israel," says the Lord, "thou art my servant in whom I will be glorified." Thus He addresses the church in union with Jesus Christ, "Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is;" God sees them perfect as his Son is perfect. The glory of the Father shines in the face of the Son; the glory of the Son is seen in the Gospel as in a glass, and in the glorification of all the saints transformed into his likeness, all this glory must endure for ever, and in this glory God himself and all his people shall rejoice for ever. I trust you will not consider this language extravagant. The Scriptures bear me out, when they speak of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and the union of the people of Christ with him, and their transformation into his likeness. I cannot conclude with any thing better than leaving you to contemplate the church of God as it is in Christ Jesus, blessed by the Father with the same glory, and loved with the same love. "For thou hast loved them," He said, "as thou hast loved me," and "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." FREE-WILL AND JESUITISM SHAKING HANDS. WE read not long since, Count Condenhoven, a Ligourian or Redemptorist priest, while preaching in a church in the suburb of Josephstadt, averred, "That the crucified Saviour had made a mistake when, after having taken vinegar, he said, It is consummated."" By your wickedness," said the preacher, elevating a crucifix, "the sufferings of the Saviour are prolonged, and they will only cease when you cease to sin. Now here on the spot make a solemn vow never to sin again." A part of the congregation, which was almost exclusively composed of women, repeated aloud after the priest, "We solemnly vow to sin no more. But many persons had sense enough to understand that his language was blasphemous, and they left the sacred edifice in disgust. Ah! blasphemous indeed as is the assertion of this miserable Redemptorist priest, it is precisely the language of free-will. Christ said, "It is finished." Freewill says, The Saviour made a mistake. He died for all, and nothing is finished till the sinner "closes with the offer of salvation." Christ said, "It is finished." Freewill says, The Saviour made a mistake; nothing is completed; because the sinner will not come unto Him, that he may have life, and until he does and lives a life of "piety" (we rather think of pity) and dies composed and happy; then it is finished. Christ said, "It is finished." Freewill says, The Saviour made a mistake. As He is the Saviour of all men, nothing can be finished until He knows how many will come unto Him, and how many will not. Before his half of the work is completed, He must count the numbers that will be saved. Christ said, "It is finished." Freesays, The Saviour made a mistake, will because He died for some that will perish, and therefore nothing can be settled; because He does not know who those are that will perish. Oh, dear reader, have we over-painted that monster "Free-will ?” Are not these the lineaments of his Jesuitical character. Blessed be Gɔd, we rejoice that the mighty Conqueror, “whose government is upon his own shoulders," spoke the truth (nor could anything else escape his blessed lips) when He said, "IT IS FINISHED." G. C. Birmingham, March 26, 1856. GETHSEMANE. They came to a place which was named Gethsemane.”—Mark xiv. 32. GETHSEMANE! What was the cause of | Ghost: and these Three are one" (1 Jesus going there? Was it to save John v. 7). One in the matter of the fallen angels? No. Was it to save salvation of sinners. Then the love of Himself? No. Even his enemies con- the Three-One Jehovah was the cause of fessed, "Himself He cannot save." No Immanuel entering into the garden of one answers the question so well as He, Gethsemane. "Now may I put off my of whom it is said, "Never man spake shoes from off my feet; for the place like this Man. The Son of man came whereon I stand is holy ground" (Exod. to save that which was lost." Paul, in- iii. 5). "Jesus saith to his disciples, spired by the Spirit of Christ, testifies, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And He This is a faithful saying, and worthy of taketh with Him, Peter, and James, and all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into John, and began to be sore amazed, and the world to save sinners, of whom I am to be very heavy" (Mark xiv. 32, 33). chief" (1 Tim. i. 15). Then Jesus loves The sword of Justice is drawn, accordsinners, or he would never have under-ing to ancient prophecy, Awake, 0 taken their salvation. But when did He sword, against my Shepherd," &c. (Zech. first think of saving sinners? When xiii. 7). It smites his holy soul. Oh, did He not? When this can be ascer- the piercing cry, "My soul is exceeding tained, then may we think of the begin- sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and ning of everlasting love. He Himself watch" (Mark xiv. 34). We would declares in John xvii. 23, that his Divine tarry, Lord, and watch thy sufferings, Father loved Him and them with the for thou indeed art " the Man that hath same love. "And hast loved them, as seen affliction by the rod of his wrath" thou hast loved me, and thou lovedst me (Lam. iii. 1). See Him in the majesty before the foundation of the world." of Divine love, going forward a little; What a fulness appears in those words his human nature appears too weak to of the Apostle (see Eph. ii. 4), "His stand: He falls on the ground, beneath great love, wherewith He loved us.' "the dreadful load of sin. He was With satisfaction and peace we repeat made sin for us who knew no sin" (2 the words of the beloved disciple, "God Cor. v. 21). Again, he prays, that, "if is love." In this was manifested the love it were possible, the hour might pass of God towards us, because that God from Him" (Mark xiv. 35). "And He sent his only-begotten Son into the world, said, Abba, Father, all things are pos that we might live through Him" (1 sible unto thee; take away this cup John iv. 9). See next verse, also John from me" (ver. 36). iii. 16; Jer. xxxi. 3. Then they (that is, sinners, who are called saints) are the objects of divine, and being divine, it must be eternal, immutable love. "There are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy 66 Dear, agonizing Lamb of God, I would sympathize with thee a little, humbly hoping, believing, that my sins have now prostrated thee. Art thou now enduring the curse which I have merited? Ah! Abba, Father, must thou thus afflict the elder Brother? Is it so, that away," "Then reflect what sin must be, Gazing on Gethsemane." Look at that dear face, "marred more than any man's, and his form more than the sons of men" (Isa. lii. 14). 66 weak." "And again, He went away, Could so delight my ear." Jesus is called in Isa. ix. 6, "The everlasting Father." But oh, this bitter wrath-cup, if it be glorious prophecy of God's prophet fulSee, then, that possible, take it away, Father, neverthe-filled in the sacred garden of Gethseless; repeat the word, Nevertheless, mane, Isa. xliv. 17, "Israel shall be not what I will, but what thou wilt" saved in the Lord with an everlasting (Mark xiv. 36). Poor, broken-hearted salvation." Do notice the blessed exsinner, Behold the Lamb of God;" pression of the good Spirit of our God, behold, it is He, the I AM, who appeared when He constrained his dear servant unto Abraham on mount Moriah, who ap- thus to testify "beforehand of the sufpeared unto Moses, in the burning bush; ferings of Christ, and the glory that who is now enveloped in the flames of should follow." "Israel shall be saved divine wrath, the wrath which I should in the Lord with an everlasting salvahave endured to all eternity, but for this tion." Oh, soul-supporting truth! Here glorious Substitute. I fancy I hear a is a safe, rich, peaceful-yea, eternal trembling one saying, Didst thou suffer resting-place for the weary, heavy-laden for me, Lord? Speak, thou Glorifier of sinner. Saved in the Lord-in the perJesus, to the heart of both writer and fection of the covenant God and Father's reader. 66 Say unto my soul, I am thy heart of everlasting love. Saved in the salvation." I am a vile, rebellious, Lord-washed in the blood of everlastguilty, helpless sinner. I mourn over ing covenant, shed by that dear anointed my sins at thy blessed feet: One, that precious One (for "unto you that believe He is precious;" how precious, who can tell!) that glorious One, who is the God of peace. Ah! dear afflicted, tried, tempted, wounded soul, here is the blessedness of the Spirit in his Almighty operations upon the heart; these saving truths being brought home with divine and sovereign power; whom," that is in Jesus, "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise "Sealed unto the day of redemption." This causeth us to joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have now received the atonement " (Rom. v. 11). Yea, they produce in us joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet. i. 8). Seeing we were in Jesus "Sins immense as is the sea Hide me, O Gethsemane." O Lord God, Friend of sinners, have respect unto thy precious blood, let a drop or two fall into the ground of my heart, healing the wounded spirit, bind ing up the broken heart-and oh, if it be possible, let me completely lose my burden while looking at thy agony and bloody sweat, seeing thou hast said, oh, remember thou hast said it, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else" (Isa. xlv. 22). I therefore flee unto thee to hide me. Behold, he cometli to his disciples (He cometh still) and findeth them sleeping. Ah! human eyes are too weak and feeble to endure such a sight as this. "He saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour ?" Peter, with the others, were sleeping for sorrow. Alas! how often am I sleeping, not in Gethsemane's garden, not upon the bosom of Jesus, but in the treacherous embraces of carnal ease and worldly forgetfulness. But what a mercy, He, the compassionate Redeemer, suffers me not to sleep the sleep of death, but saith, as in ver. 38, "Watch ye, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation: the Spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is "Before the daystar knew its place, "in Or planets went their round," "Here I would for ever stay, But let us walk to Calvary. In Jesus, when He uttered that heart-rending cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou for saken me (Mark xv. 34). And in Jesus, when in dying, He conquered, and | xii. 2). "The glory that shall follow!" said, "It is finished," and gave up the who can describe it? Oh ye angels that ghost (ver. 37), and thus“ put away excel in strength, excel in praising Him, our sins by the sacrifice of Himself." if ye can; but your song is not like my In Jesus, in the sepulchre,-Yes, thou brethren's song, the spirits of the just that art afraid of death and the grave, made perfect, ye have not tasted of such yet can only find hope and refuge in rich grace, such precious danties as your looking to Jesus;" hear what Watts Eternal King bestows upon his ransomed sings,ones. Praise Him, then, ye stars of light, who will shine in his righteousness for ever and ever! Praise Him all yethe Bride of Christ, the exalted Lamba people near unto Him, in Christ Jesus for ever, according to his own sweet words, "That they all may be one in us, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee." Praise Him, my soul, for He alone is worthy! O my dear redeeming Lord! "The graves of all his saints He bless'd, Perfumes their dying bed!" (Oh! precious perfuming blood, is it not, beloved?) "Where should the dying members rest But with their dying Head ?" In Jesus, risen to die no more. In Jesus, ascended to his Father, and to our Father, to his God and to our God. ""Tis I in them, and thou in me, For thus the union stands." In Jesus pleading before the throne. Satan, bring thy accusations. Conscience, witness to the truth of them. "The blood shall be to me for a token." Justice, and the holy law of God, smile upon a poor sinner in Jesus! Oh, my dear Heavenly Father, look at Jesus, and smile upon me! Look through Jesu's wounds on me, and smile away my doubts and fears! then will I sing, Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my Strength, and my Song; He also is become my Salvation" (Isa. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF CHRIST. "Unto you, therefore, which believe, He is precious.”—1 PET. II.7. OH, He's a precious Saviour; He's all-in-all to me; He bore my misbehaviour; Has shown His bleeding side. I bring my every grief; To Him I bring my sadness, And tell Him all my woes; He kindly breaks the gloom; He comes and wipes the tear; And stills my every fear. He's close, and hears the sigh; He brings His presence nigh. Oh, He's a precious Saviour, Wisbeach. M. A. G. METHODISM IN S To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. Gospel, which human learning could never have discovered, which carnal reason cannot understand; which the envy of the Devil, and the pride of man, will always oppose, but which to the poor convinced sinner is the very perfection of wisdom, esteemed as the joy of his heart, embraced as the rock of his hope: may God bless you and me with the evidence of it. Yours in the truth of the Gospel, T. J." DEAR MR. EDITOR,-May I be permitted |lowing manner: "I thank God, that he through the medium of your pages, to call hath called us with an holy calling, not acthe attention of your readers, and through cording to our works, but according to his them, perhaps also, that of some of the more purpose and grace in Christ Jesus, before the thoughtful, and less bigoted of that denomi- world began. Faith, with all its precious nation whose name stands at the head of this fruits, is owing to the same cause; from paper? Having had the particulars of the hence also springs justification, together with following case (that of turning out a local all its attendant privileges, being justified preacher) immediately from the party dis- freely by His grace, this is the origin of remissed, my intention is to set forth the con- regeneration and every living principle of duct of those "eminently pious" gentlemen, godliness. Of his own will begat he us forming the Wesleyan Itinerant Ministry, to- by the word of truth.' The consummation of wards any one they meet with amongst their bliss flows from the same all-supplying source; local brethren, whose eyes it may have pleased the gift of God is eternal life; it is in every God to open to a knowledge of his way of respect a gift, not only without, but contrary saving sinners, through the suretyship of a to any desert of ours; so that the foundaRedeemer; and the all-powerful operation of tion is laid in the riches of grace; the superhis Spirit upon their ransomed souls. A structure is reared by the hand of grace; and Miner of the name of T. J. has been for when the top-stone is brought forth,—when some years a local Preacher in the S- our felicity is completed in the kingdom of Circuit, and for a considerable period of the heaven, the everlasting acclamation will be time (as I have been informed) has beenGrace, grace unto it.' This is that glorious looked upon, as not being strictly orthodox, from the Wesleyan point of view; but notwithstanding some differences with them at various times, he has continued to preach for them until the present. In the course of Providence he came into our employ about two years since, but until the last year, I seldom came in his way; after conversing a few times with him, I found that the free, unmerited mercy of God to helpless sinners, through the atonement of Jesus, regeneration by the Spirit of God, the promises directed to special characters, the spiritually poor and needy, hungry and thirsty, the unchangeableness of God's love, and the perpetuity of that salvation which is his gift, were the topics of his ministry. I need not stop to express my surprise at the discovery. I lent him a book or two, and from month to month as they came out, some of the GOSPEL MAGAZINES, from both which he obtained some clearer views of Gospel truth, and the difference between false faith and fleshly religion, and that faith which is of the operation of God, and that religion which is the offspring of the Spirit of God. The consequence of this was that his preaching soon became too hot for some of his pharisaical hearers, and one of his local brethren acted the part of informer against him to the Itineraut Preachers, and here commence their proceedings. Mr. G. second preacher in the Circuit sent a note wishing Mr. J. to meet him, and give explanation, or auswer charges of preaching doctrines contrary to our (Wesleyan) views of Theology," in reply to which, the accused wrote wishing to have sent him the heads of the charges brought against him; and giving a reason why his accuser had, laid them, closing his note in the fol In a short time he received another note from the same preacher, informing him that he was accused of preaching "unconditional election," and "final perseverance," to which the accused replied, that election must be unconditional, or else it would be of works; but he would see him on the subject. Accordingly he went to S- to do so; but not finding him, he subsequently called upon the superintendent Minister, the Rev. J. B., who, after entering on the subject said he simply wished to know whether he believed the doctrines imputed to him; to which J. replied that he did, because they were scriptural; and he wished Mr. B. to say, whether he ought to preach any otherwise than according to the word of God, to which the superintendent replied that those were not Wesleyan doctrines, and they could not allow Mr. WESLEY's pulpits to be occupied by those who did not preach his doctrines. On the point of perseverance Mr. B. was asked if he could point out any Scripture character in proof, who had really been born again of the Spirit, and afterwards finally fallen away? to which Mr. B. replied, "do you want proof?" and the other answered yes he did, before he believed it; Mr. B. then said that the Israelites did not all enter the land of Canaan, but only two," which J. considered had nothing |