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before us the mystery of his love to his church in the sacred scriptures. In and by them, it most evidently appears, his love passeth knowledge. The heights, lengths, depths, and breadths of it cannot be explored; neither can it be fathomed by saints in heaven to all eternity.

The words before us, have respect to the manifestation of this love. It was discovered immediately upon the fall: then light sprung out of darkness; the voice of the Lord, the seed of the woman shall bruise the ser

pent's head. This was the essential Word, or Son of the living God, who assumed a human form, shone forth in glory like as he appeared on the mount of transfiguration. The presence of the Lord was a divine glory, called by the Jews shechinah, which appeared from the beginning, and was a symbol of the divine presence. And the essential Word is styled the glory of the Lord, the God of glory, the King of glory, the Lord of glory, throughout the scriptures of the Old Testament. He appeared to Adam in paradise; he inhabited the cherubim; he was seen in that exhibition as the glorious one who was to be made sin and a curse for us; he it is who speaks in the words of my text

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church, will most easily appear; not only from what hath been already suggested, but from various and most express passages of scripture. The Song of Solomon conveys this very idea to the mind. It treats of the marriage union which is between Christ and his church. It sets him forth as adorned in all his wedding robes, and the church in all the glory and excellency of her nuptial attire. So does the forty-fifth Psalm, which is a marriage song, where you have the King of glory, and the queen his spouse clad like herself. She is said to be all-glorious within, her raiment is said to be of wrought gold; which is the rightousness of her heavenly husband, in which she is made righteousness of God in him." is in purity like the lily, as washed and purified in his most precious blood, which is her purity in the sight of her heavenly lover, who hath expressed his love to her by washing her from her sins in his own blood. In herself, she is as the moon, all darkness; but as enlightened by Christ, who is the light of everlasting life, she is fair as the moon. Christ her Lord and Husband shining on her, makes her all-glorious. He, as the Bridegroom, is compared to the material sun. The Psalmist, speaking of the visible heavens, says, " In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. The sun is in the midst of the planets as I will endeavour, for the sake of principal, and when it ariseth is glomethod and order, to observe, First. rious and majestic. It is the greatest That the Lord Jesus Christ is the of all the heavenly bodies. The name bridegroom of his church. Secondly. of the sun is applied to Christ. Mal. That he betroths her to himself in iv. 2., where he is styled the “ Sun of righteousness. Thirdly, That he righteousness," who is said to arise seals the nuptials by putting on a on his church and people with healring containing five jewels, with ing under his beams. His face apwhich he adorns his spouse. And, peared to shine" like the sun in his lastly, his promise, which closes all-strength," when he appeared to his "And thou shalt know the Lord."

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And I will betroth thee unto me for ever: yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord."

My first particular, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the bridegroom of his

beloved John in the Isle of Patmos (Rev. i. 16). With him, as the spiritual uncreated sun, his church and

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xii. 1), and kingdom of The union

spouse is clothed (Rev. shall also shine in the glory (Matt. xiii. 43). between our Lord and his beloved ones, is also expressly declared in so many express declarations by a marriage union. Hence the prophet Isaiah saith, for the comfort of the church, Thy Maker is thine Husband, the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called," liv. 5. And in the words before us, the same doctrine is expressed and exhibited. So indeed in the New Testament, which again is but the fulfilment and exposition of the Old, our Lord himself represents the gospel feast to a marriage dinner, prepared for the solemnization of the marriage of the King's Son, to the bride the Lamb's wife. Such is the union between Christ and his people: so close, so perfect, that as it is set forth in the sacred scriptures by a variety of images, so by this, which is the nearest in the world. The Lord Jesus Christ, the bridegroom of his church, saith to her in the words before us, “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever: yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness (and adds), and thou shalt know the Lord."

I will therefore, Secondly. Set forth how he betroths her to himself in righteousness.

As he loved his church from eternity, and gave himself for her; as he became her Surety with his divine Father on her bebalf; so he is pleased to espouse and betroth her to himself in a manifestative way. He shines

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tual perception of his beauties, which fills her with admiring thoughts of him she says, "He is altogether

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lovely, the chiefest among ten thousand, the fairest of all the fair." He lets in his heavenly influences on her mind, vouchsafes her his life-giving and life-maintaining presence; and she that his loving-kindness says, is better than life itself." He overcomes her mind with his grace; courts her affections, by setting before her and bringing to her remembrance his agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion. He saith unto her under such discoveries, “I have loved thee; I bore thy sins in my own body on the tree; I sustained the curse due unto them, in the garden and on the cross, where I was encompassed about with the whole storm of divine wrath." His love to his beloved was such as many waters could not quench, nor all the floods of divine wrath abate or dry up. As he is pleased to open to the view of his spouse the love wherewith he hath loved her from eternity; and by the everlasting gospel and its pure ministry gives her to know he left heaven for her, laid aside the glory he had with the Father before the world was, emptied himself, became poor that she through his poverty might be rich and as he is pleased to set on this on her mind, by the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, this wins her heart, melts her affections, ravishes her mind, engages her will, so that she is made willing in the day of the Lord's power, to give up herself to be the Lord's for ever. She rejoices in her heavenly lover; she esteems her heavenly Bridegroom: she says of him, The Lord is my portion, therefore I count all but dung and dross in comparison of him.' "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee."

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As in natural marriage, it is most pleasing when love sprung up in the heart of the Bridogroom first, and

was the cause of begetting love originally in the partner of his joys, it being most regular, and generally the most lasting. So in Christ this is the very singular case: he loved before his beloved had the least thought of him. He loved, therefore we love him. He loves in all states, cases, circumstances. His love is burning, flaming, vehement love. It is always

active; it is perpetual love. It is immutably fixed on his bride; he will remember her with everlasting kindness. And, like as a bride is on her nuptial-day clothed with a robe suited to the dignity of the person to whom she is espoused; so our Lord Jesus Christ espouses us poor dunghill worms, in a garment of his own working out and perfecting, in which his spouse is all-glorious. He betroths her to himself in righteousness; his own personal righteousness is put on her, she is presented to him in that raiment of needle-work, and it makes her in his sight all-glorious within and without, so that he says, Behold thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair." How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse: how much better is thy love than wine, and the smell of thine ointments than all spices." The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

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I will observe, thirdly, that our Lord seals the nuptials by putting on a ring containing five jewels, with which he adorns his spouse. A ring is given in marriage, and put on the spouse's finger as a seal or token to confirm the engagement between the woman and her husband. It is spoken of as a seal to confirm friendship and reconciliation in the parable of the prodigal son; so here the Lord says to his church, I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies." The ring is composed of these most precious gems righteousness, judgment or January, 1840.]

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wisdom, loving-kindness, mercies and faithfulness-expressive of how deeply fixed his heart is on his spouse, and shews how our Jesus takes his church to himself to bestow himself wholly on. His relations are hers; his names and titles, so far as they are communicable, are hers; his riches and honour are hers; his Spirit is hers, to conduct and guide her to his holy habitation; his heaven is her, home. She is his glory; his names and titles are put on her, and she wears them. Is he called Beloved? she is also said to be beloved of God. She wears the name of her heavenly bridegroom, as is expressly called Christ (1 Cor. xii. 12). She is interested in his unsearchable riches both of grace and glory. Is he the Son of God and heir of all things? she in her members are called the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. She is beloved by the Father in him, accepted in him, holy in him, righteous in him, blessed in him. His Father is her Father, his God is her God. He puts his comeliness on her; he dwells in her heart by faith; he fills her, and will for ever in heaven fill her with all the fulness of God: he endows her with honour which cometh from God; he bestows riches on her which are durable and everlasting; he saith to her, Thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

He puts the nuptial ring on her finger, containing these five inestimable jewels-righteousness, judgment or wisdom, loving-kindness, mercies. faithfulness- as a seal of his own heart's love unto her, that she may be fully satisfied he rests in his love towards her, and joys over her with singing. He engages to bestow all grace on her in time, and that she shall in due season be with him, where she shall see his glory, and feast and banquet on his love for ever and ever. He hath said on her behalf to his Father, and is always heard by him, 'Father, I will that those whom thou

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hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory," John xvii.

1 Our Lord closes with a promise, which, lastly, I shall conclude with: "And thou shalt know the Lord.",

our divine Lord, and give us a real view of his bowels of mercy. And when he is pleased to give us to say,

My Beloved is mine, and I am his," then we are all ear to hear his voice, all eye to see his beauty, all heart to love and entertain him. He is then our all, and we do rejoice exceedingly in him as our all in all. There is a season yet to come, when our most glorious Bridegroom will celebrate the solemnity of his marriage with his church, when he will present her worthy of himself, fully clothed and dressed with immortality and eternal glory. She, in his righteousness and atonement, in all the perfection of grace and holiness, adorned as a bride prepared for her husband, will be presented by him before his Father, with a Lo, I and the children thou hast given me!" Then she will have her heavenly husband for her everlasting light, and her everlasting glory. She will then shine forth in all the solar rays of her heavenly Bridegroom! Oh, that the Lord the Spirit may bless these truths, and communicate spiritual light, life, and comfort to our hearts, and to his great name shall be all the praise. Amen."

This is true blessedness to know the Lord. To know Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as the God of all grace, to know them as the Lord our God, this is grace indeed! for this way for having divine fellowship with the Eternal Three, in which is contained the very essence of blessedness. It is in the person and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ that the Father makes known his everlasting love, and shines on us, and reflects the splendour and majesty of it on our minds. So saith the apostle," God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Cor, iv. 6. In our most adorable Lord, heaven, eternal life, and inconceivable blessedness break in on our minds. The Holy Ghost leads out and off self and sin, and fixes our hearts and hopes on Christ, who made his soul an offering for sin, in whom we are saved with an everlasting salvation, and are I conceive the above to be the without all blame before the throne substance of what was delivered. of God. To be the subjects in The matter of fact is, that preaching whom these truths are realized, and seasons so frequently returning, and to whom this most divine promise is years coming on, this makes it not so fulfilled, gives cause for saying- easy for me to recollect every parti"Blessed is he who hath the God of cular after it is passed from me. Jacob for his help, whose hope is in anything written serves to increase the Lord his God, which made hea- your light, and warm your heart with ven and earth, the sea, and all that is the love of Jesus, give the Lord the therein, who keepeth truth for ever." whole glory of it: no thanks is due To be led by the Holy Ghost to to me. You are remembered by me survey the person and love of Christ before the throne; I request for the the heavenly bridegroom is heaven best of blessings, neither do I omit upon earth. When we are admitted temporal. I pray your comforts may by him into communion with our be increased and multiplied by the precious Christ, and have our hearts birth of a son if the Lord please, on truly impressed with his love, then whom his name and image may be the words of our text are precious, stamped: so that though the first because they open the very heart of name of it will be a sinner, its se

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cond may be that of a sinner saved: yea, saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation.::

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Mr. Flavel gives this advice to married persons, when it is evident a child is to be expected, to pray for it before the birth that it may be the Lord's. I have ever esteemed it excellent advice. We do not think it in the least unnecessary to pray the mother may he supported by the Lord, and encompassed in the trying moment with mercy; then why should we leave out the child, seeing it ought to be (especially as it can reap the benefit of prayer) the subject of the parent's prayers and supplications before the birth, as truly as afterwards.

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May the Lord himself bless Mr. and Mrs. S, in their persons, in their house and servants, in their every concern and connection: that they and all their's may evidently appear to be the blessed of the Lord who made heaven and earth. May the children which the Lord may be graciously pleased to bestow on them be" the blessed of the Lord." May you, and your beloved consort, and issue, enjoy all contained in these words, Ye are e the blessed of the Lord, and your offspring with you." May you come up out of the wilderness leaning on the beloved Jesus. May you look to him continually, and trust simply and alone on him. May his word dwells richly in you; may his love warm you; his merey encircle you; his presence refresh you; his Spirit teach you; his power defend you; and his mercy and goodness follow you all your life long, that in your dying moments you may sing and say, Surely goodness and mercy hath followed me all the days of my life, and I shall I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

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I will conclude with the words of David, turning the same into a prayer for you and your's, and sealing it with my most hearty Amén....

Spirit, let it please thee to bless Mr. and Mrs. S. Let it please thee, thou Eternal Three in the one incom. prehensible Jehovah, to bless their: issue, their house, their servants; for thou blessest, O Lord, and thou only canst. Do thou therefore bless them as their Lord and God for ever and ever. Amen, and amen, and amen.

Dear sir, should what is written fall far below your expectation, you will most kindly excuse it, as you may rest assured I could not recollect it any otherwise than I have laid it before you. I am, with the greatest respect, your most obedient, humble servant,

SAMUEL EYLES PIERCE.

PULPIT SAYINGS OF THE REV. J. CARTWRIGHT OF DEVONPORT.

Messrs. Editors,

F HAVE sent you a few select sentences; from sermons of my pastor, the Rev. J. Cartwright, Devonport, by inserting them in your valuable Magazine, you will much oblige many of your subscribers in this quarter, likewise your constant reader,

SELINA.

1. FAITH steps over the threshold of mercy and centres in Jesus; what heart but glows at mercy like this: and while contemplating a subject so fathomless as covenant mercy, faith mounts us higher and higher, till by the power of God the Holy Ghost, the heart becomes enraptured and inflamed with the love of Christ.

You may lavish all the riches of eloquence, you may bring forth the fullest powers of argument, and embellish the sermon with the most brilliant ideas; but if God the Holy Ghost is not in the minister, and the mighty seal to the word preached, at the best, it will prove but a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal-th noise of nature destitute of spiritua

Lord God! Father, Word, and music.

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