one go by the gate of Heaven on their road to Hell;" by which I take his meaning to be, that those who all their life-time are subject to these trying fears, shall not realize them; and, on the contrary, those who live so self-satisfied as to "thank God they are not so bad as other men," and so, in their own view, are at the very gate of heaven, shall realize that awful disappointment which it is to be feared will prove to be the lot of many who, having no oil in their vessels, never discover their imminent need of being saved in Christ. Poor Lazarus had his evil things here; but he had a beautiful lot hereafter! He was safely bosomed in the covenant of mercy made with Abraham; whilst the wretched Dives had his good things here, but his evil things hereafter. It was a man acquainted with griefs who said, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth; therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty; however painful the corrections, the state of such a man is happy. But to return. It seems to me as if Satan was permitted to come in like a flood," and the prayer at once arose from my heart, "Deliver me from temptation!" Save me from the tempter's power, meet all his dreadful and deadly temptations, too horrible to relate! I kept muttering such cries for succour from Christ the Anointed of God, that He would stem the hellish torrent; that He would resist the devil in me, and for me; that the Spirit of the Lord would lift up Christ as a standard against this fearful flood that threatens at its approach to carry down into the gulph of despair; that He would come between me and this threatening chasm. Him Himself as the "wall" of defence; that the "Blast of the terrible ones might be repelled, and roll back on the assaulting enemy. Let Jesus, for none else can, resist the devil; only that Almighty Jesus that was tried in the wilderness, and drove back devils, can deliver us from temptation. To be concluded in our next.) THE PILGRIM'S TESTIMONY. DEAR BROTHER IN OUR PRECIOUS LORD,-Your little piece this month on the "Cross-hand Blessing" was very sweet and seasonable to a poor crossbearing pilgrim. Yes, indeed, the blessing is cross-handed, and will be so long as the Shulamite is a company of two armies. Our Father has crossed His hands, and our flesh cannot reverse it any more than Baalam of old could reverse the blessing settled upon Israel. We do, as you say, often cry out, "Not so my Father;" but His answer is, "Ye know not what spirit ye are of;" for it is ordained, that the elder shall serve the younger. Manasseh was Joseph's first-born; but the Lord says, "Ephraim is my first-born;" having commanded the blessing on the new man, and appointed the thorn in the flesh, and the cross on the flesh, till we shall have put off the tabernacle as our Lord hath showed us. But since the dear Elder Brother "went forth bearing His cross," the younger children may well be content to follow Him. He has extracted all the curse; and whatever be their cross, it may be truly said, a blessing is in it." Oh, my brother! in what various and unexpected ways is the cross laid upon us; so that at times we cry out with anguish of heart, "For peace I had great bitterness;" "I am tossed to and fro like the locust;" "like as a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did : mourn as a dove mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me." All this, and much more, do Zion's pilgrims feel under the cross, as this heart can feelingly testify; and yet there is no curse at all in it. Our precious Kinsman Redeemer Hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." "Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. I seem just to hear the voice of the Bridegroom as well as the voice of the Bride; for He hath lovingly gone before us in every sorrowful path while she says, "Not so, my Father," He hath said, "Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me." When His dear voice is heard, and His company enjoyed in tribulation, it makes the pilgrim praise Him while carrying the cross; sing unto Him, even with the thorn in the flesh, though keenly feeling the smart; and, do you know, I have sometimes thought that tho e are the most unfleshly notes which are heard in the wilderness :* when nothing around is pleasing, and all things look against us, then to have the constrainings of love, by the power of the Spirit, bringing forth notes of praise to the Beloved! O this is blessed! and far above the reach of flesh and sense. There are times when it is even so with the most tried of the family; and at those times how heartily we can say, "What things were gain to me, I count loss for Christ;" for we do not then want gain to self, but glory to Him who has turned sorrow into joy by His presence, and brought us from saying, "Not so my Father," to say, "Even so Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight." To Him, then, be glory, through all our joys and sorrows, ups and downs, in the wilderness, and praise in nobler strains when we see Him face-to-face. I hope you are well, and the work of the Lord going on amongst you. Excuse this hasty line; with best wishes, from your affectionate sister, RUTH. High Pavement, Nottingham, [* Yes, beloved; your brother in tribulation can well join you in that flesh and blood crucifying fact; it is all embodied in that portion uttered by our dear Forerunner, and left on sacred record for His seed in every generation : "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."] In A REVIEW. The Preacher: Sermons preached by ARTHUR TRIGGS, of Crosby Row Chapel, Borough. London: S. Triggs, 8, Milton Terrace, Stoke Newington; or at the above Chapel. IN spirit we have known the author of these Sermons about nine years; and have had cause to bless and praise the Lord that He ever allowed us to read any of the productions of this, His highly favoured servant. We would say, from the very bottom of our heart, to each of our readers, put yourself in possession of these thirteen sermons. You will then get an introduction to a son and servant of the Lord God Almighty, who, it is our firm conviction, knows as much of Christ as any man we have ever read or heard of. It is true, few, VERY FEW, speak well of him; but that is no marvel at all, seeing he is led to follow the Lamb. As was the case of our Surety, so, in measure, is it with those for whom He became surety: the treatment our glorious Christ met with, awaits His blood-redeemed family, fulfilling Mat. x. 25. The spiritual reader will find in these sermons Christ alone exalted." " The following extract is from Sermon No. 12. 'My heart hath been comforted lately with that declaration of the Lord to Daniel, 'Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness' &c. Has he done it? Yes, bless God, he has. Then rejoice and praise his name, and ever say, "let the God of my salvation be exalted." Therefore, sin, transgression, and iniquity is all put away, and everlasting righteousness brought in, which is to all and upon all them who believe. I used to trouble myself by endeavouring to find out the nature of this righteousness imputed; but if we are believers in Christ, we can assure our hearts before God, that the obedience of Jesus Christ is imputed unto us for righteousness.' And who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?' Mind one thing, our fall was in Adam earthly: our rising up, and standing, living, and abiding, is in Christ, the resurrection and the life; and no sin, death, nor hell can reach us there; no curse nor condemnation can come near, for we are complete in him,' who is the head of all principalities and power; nothing can be added to our completeness, and nothing will ever be taken from it. And by him we are redeemed, saved, and justified; and thus the truth stands, that God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you.' Have I received the pardon of my sins? Glory be to God, I have; 'as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you' God never forgives sins but once; but it is the sweet employ of the children of God to go daily by faith, to the pardon-office, not to obtain fresh pardon, but to have a renewed remembrance of the blessedness, preciousness, and suitability of the pardon received from God. Therefore, how blessed the ministry and the renewings of the Spirit are, 'And he shall bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.' I can never bless God for my forgetfulness and ignorance, but I can for the dear renewings of God the eternal Spirit. And God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.' The knowledge of this truth brings us into a particular acquaintance and love with Jesus Christ; and it will cause us to say from the heart, 'Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.' All the prophets were anointed and sent to prophesy, but not one of them received the Spirit from God the Father, as Jesus Christ did. Not one of the prophets could truly say, with divine propriety, that the residue or the fulness of the Spirit is with me. None but Jesus could use that language. As we are taken into union with Christ, being chosen and accepted in Him, and made of the divine nature; the Spirit is given to us by measure, not that the Spirit is separated into divers parts, but all communication of spiritual gifts is from the Spirit, and we are joined to the Lord and one Spirit. Here we come again to the text The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.' And our Lord used these words in the 4th Luke, And it was in the synagogue of Nazareth he stood up to read.' Then it is certain that before that he was sitting down, and before that he had entered into the synagogue. O what a series of everlasting blessedness opens in such testimonies as these, And he stood up for to read, and there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias; and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord upon me.' When he had read that portion, which was a very short lesson, but which had eternal fulness in it, he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all that were in the synagogue were fastened on him; and he began to say unto them, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." And I believe God made that day on purpose, and it is connected with the day of salvation; and we are children of the day, and not of the night. Cheer up, beloved, and sing on; for those that walk in the day, have no occasion of stumbling in him. I do not wonder at Paul saying, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Jesus Christ,' &c., but it is a greater mercy to glory only in the Lord. The Holy Ghost hath given us a sweet account of the anointing of our precious Christ, And he saith, 'How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity; it is like the precious ointment (or oil) on the head, and it ran down to the beard, Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garment.' And is when the last elect vessel of mercy shall have received of the down-pouring of the oil, then God will house his church for ever. 'Free from a world of grief and sin, INCARNATE DEITY. How can we thank the Lord enough O Lord, thou sorrows did endure, For wretches filthy, base, and vile; And made all things safe and secure; And though we sin, love all the while. How did the Lord His time devote? Not with the gay, and giddy throng; Nor with the rich of worldly note, But with the poor was found among. "Twas with the poor He lov'd to be,- See Him, the meek and lowly lamb; See Him, I say, with sorrow press'd; O, see in Him the great I AM; A Saviour come to the distress'd. He came to seek, and save the lost, O do, my soul, look at the cost! And ask, "What! this rich blood for me?" See Him in the gloomy garden; O, see Him sweating drops of blood! Sinner, it was for thy pardon; To reconcile thee to thy God. O ponder well this act, my soul ! Now, see thy Jesus quite alone, See Him with only strength enough; He look'd for pity, but in vain ; O sleepers is not this a shame? Not watch and see your Jesus weep? He looked for helpers, but found none, Tho' God was watching all the while; Of His followers was not one, Nor could He see the Godhead smile. The hour of darkness, 'twas indeed ;] All creature efforts to explore! O, sinner, see this burthen'd Man; With its great, heavy, iron rod. O, see Him drink the wrathful cup! To damn one soul, but all are free. I do not mean, He died for all; But those He lov'd He freely sav'd. See vengeance's Iron rod now smite; To see Him tortured and thus rack'd? Now, sinner, pause one moment, do; And say,"What caus'd this bloody smart?" It was thy sins that pierced Him through, And broke the harmless Saviour's heart. O can it be that sin 's so bad, To cause this torture and this pain? He that thinks lightly of his sin, Though his profession may stand high, And his belief is in a lie, And 'twill prove at death confusion. (To be continued.) VOL. I. ZION'S WITNESS. JUNE, 1859. CHRIST THE BELIEVER'S LIFE. No. 9. "The Lord liveth; and blessed be my Rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.' PSALMS Xviii. 46. YES, beloved, the Lord does live, and lives for thee, if thou art a subject of grace; and no evil shall befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Why not? Because thy dwelling is far above sin, death, devil, or world, the Lord being thy dwelling-place in all generations. As you are a new creature in Christ, you are dead to the law by the body of Christ, and being dead to that wherein you were held, you now serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter; so that you can not only say, "The Lord liveth" for me, but, "He liveth in me, and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." You, then, are privileged to join in heart language with the apostle Paul: "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Most professors will tell you that they have spiritual life; but, if you question them in a free, homely, family way, you will generally find that they are living their own life, and not the life of Christ. This point, beloved readers, is very important, and worthy your closest investigation. It is true that to profess to have life is quite common in our day; and also true that there are very near approaches to spiritual life extant; but they may be classed under the heading of "almost Christian." As, then, the subject before us is of such paramount importance, being a matter involving eternity, how necessary it is to be at a point respecting our individual state! Though it is true that the Lord liveth, and lives for His people's welfare, and they have an eternal life-union to Christ the Fountain of Life; yet, without the living testimony of God the eternal Spirit in their souls, there is no distinguishable difference between them and the seed of the Serpent," being by nature the children of wrath, even as others." How necessary, then, is the living witness of the eternal Spirit! Reader, is it your privilege to be a living witness of your union to Christ the Life? Can you say, the Lord liveth, and I live in, by, and for the Lord? If your religion consists of a mere profession of the truth in Christ, you lack the grand essential-life. If there is no life in your soul, you have no reason to conclude that you ever will have any. If you are void of spiritual life, you have never had spiritual hunger or thirst, never prayed a spiritual prayer, and never had a spiritual desire; so that your every breathing, from your formation in the womb to the present moment, has been sinful breath; every thought that has arisen from your heart has been a breach of God's most holy law; consequently, an infinite satisfaction is required of thee. Solemn as this statement appears, it is, beyond all controversy, true. |