A BEAUTIFUL NECKLACE FOR THE CHILDREN OF ZION.

"My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck." -Prov. i. 8, 9.

WHILST we testify that spiritual food is what the living family of God are, under the benign influence of the Lord the Spirit, panting after; we make no reserve in declaring that vast numbers are satisfied with the form of godliness, being destitute of the power. We know also that the letter of scripture is sufficient for those whose religion begins and ends in the flesh. We admit that such characters may, if we may be allowed the expression, make a bad use of the glorious doctrines of grace as recorded in the volume of inspiration; yet, notwithstanding this, those doctrines remain in their beauty, grandeur, and unsullied perfection, equally the same and I verily do believe this to be a most substantial truth, that such souls as have been made alive by God the Holy Ghost, and taught to feel the need of these precious doctrines, and have by faith embraced them in unfeigned affection, they must, as grace is in holy exerJune, 1841.]

cise, admire them and speak well of them, and not keep them in the back ground for fear of evil consequences. I would ask any objector, what induced the apostles of our exalted Lord to dwell so much upon this all-important subject? The answer is obvious,because the divine Teacher of spiritual Israel, namely, the Spirit of God, had engraved them as with a sunbeam upon their hearts. The triumphant victories of King Jesus, his conquest over hell, the final perseverance of all his saints, their eternal union to him, &c. &c., are doctrines that their ransomed souls delighted to proclaim in the gates of Zion; nor did they fail to show the blessed effects those peerless doctrines have upon the minds of the living in Jerusalem (see Titus ii. 12).

We err not when we affirm that the penman of the passage of scripture cited at the head of this paper, namely Solomon, rejoiced to lift on high the lofty praises of the Eternal Three, in saving freely by an act of most distinguishing grace his people from the grasp of irrecoverable woe. And it appears very evident that his heart was pregnant with this subject when he uttered or wrote the words now under consideration.

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First, we will notice how the words before us are ushered in, " My son," &c. This expression sets forth the indissoluble union between Christ and the members of his mystical body the church. This doctrine brings a revenue of glory to the Eternal Three. The dear Sinner's Friend dwelt largely upon it just on the eve of his last conflict (see John xvii). Again, the term " my or my son is speaking personal. The Holy Scriptures are embellished with this doctrine from one end to the other. The Lord spoke personally to Noah, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Moses, to David, to Samuel, to Isaiah, to Jeremiah, and others recorded in the old testament; and if we refer to the new testament, we find ample proofs of his personal acts. And does my reader know indeed from heart-felt experience what it is for the Lord to speak personally to his soul?" My sheep (said Jesus) hear my voice." His voice is heard and felt, first, in the inflexibility of his justice; secondly, in the more welcome acclamations of mercy.

But I proceed, Secondly, to lay before the reader a few of the lessons the Lord sets his children. But as the subject is truly spiritual, and all the objects of eternal love are by nature like the deaf adder, that stoppeth her ears, which will not hearken to the voice of charmers charming never so wisely (Ps. lviii. 4, 5), I deem it right to show how they listen to the sacred dictates of their divine Instructor. It is said, that He open eth the ears of men and sealeth their instructions," Job xxxiii. 16. And again, "The ear trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat," Job xii. 11. All of which is to show that it is the royal prerogative of God the Holy Ghost to illuminate the dark understandings of the favourites of heaven. I hinted above that the first lesson the Lord sets his children is, to read more distinctly their own condemnation. This lesson is a very painful

one, but I am sure it is a profitable one; it enables these spiritual pupils to renounce all confidence in the flesh. Secondly, he instructs them in the amazing plan of salvation. This lesson is so well suited to their poor hearts, that they are at times overwhelmed with astonishment that the great Jehovah should, in boundless love and infinite compassion towards poor lost man, devise such a glorious plan, wherein all his perfections harmonize in saving the vilest of the vile from the lowest hell and not in

fringe upon his justice. Their divine Instructor leads them to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness: yea, he so washes away the thick darkness that envelops their minds, that they behold with inexpressible delight the King in his beauty. When this is the case their hearts are so enlarged that

They praise the great Eternal Three,
Whose love is great, immensely free
Towards the helpless and the poor,
Who cry aloud at mercy's door.

Thirdly, he instructs them in their war-like achievements. They are taught feelingly to know that they are surrounded with potent adversaries within and without, but their heavenly Father has provided for them holy armour, which in due time he puts upon them (Eph. vi. 11), and then leads them forth against the enemy, and instructs them in the war; and though their opponents are very crafty, and great in power and in number far beyond all human calculation, and they in themselves exceedingly weak and very insignificant, yet it is astonishing what victories they have in the strength of the great Captain of their salvation obtained. (See Lev. xxvi. 8; Judges iv. 15; 2 Sam. xxiii. 16: Heb. xi. 34.)

Having made a few brief observations, relative to our Father's instruction to his children, I hasten, thirdly, to notice our Mother and her law, and shew what effect it has upon the minds

of our ancient family. That the spiritual church is called our mother scripture clearly shews, see Gal. iv. 26; Isa. lxvi. 10, 11. The covenant of grace appears to be the womb where all Zion's offsprings lay. Zion is spoken of as travailing in birth and bringing forth her children in Isa. lxvi. 8; Gal. iv. 19. The Holy Ghost does this, sometimes, by the ministry of the word; he brings Zion's progeny into the liberty of the gospel. When this is the case, then they attend to the law or laws of our mother, which are all spiritual.

It is called, first, a perfect law of liberty (James i. 25), which the children of Zion are said to look (by faith) into, which is a most delightful sight and pleasant to behold: here they see how honourably their souls are acquitted from every law-charge that justice can demand, and all through the great atonement of our unequalled High Priest, who by his one offering hath buried all their disgrace, and sunk all their awful, deep-dyed crimes in the sea of eternal oblivion. It is called the law of the spirit of life; this frees them from the law of sin and death (Rom. viii. 2). It is called the law of kindness (Prov. xxxi. 26): this is to shew, first, the loving-kindness of our Lord in engraviag this law upon the hearts of the election of grace ; and, secondly, to shew how the love of God teaches its recipients to be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, &c. (Eph. iv. 32.) It is called the law of

truth; which implies that it leads the soul to embrace nothing but what will bring honour to God (Mal. ii. 6), and to protest against error. It is called the law of the wise (Prov. xiii. 14); to shew that only those who are made wise unto salvation by the Holy Spirit are led into its sacred mysteries.

It

is called the law of the house (Ezek. xliii. 12), or church of God, to shew that all Zion's children are governed by it. It is a law that the isles are said to wait (by faith) for (Isa. xlii.

4).

And, lastly, it is called a law that is bound up and sealed among the disciples of the Lord (Isa. viii. 16). This is the law or laws of our mother, which she receives from her venerable Husband (Isa. liv. 5), and which she, under the reign of grace, proclaims in the ears of her children, and will whilst time shall last.

The Holy Ghost in the words at the head of this paper, speaks of this law or laws under these figures; first, of an ornament for the head; which signifies the minds of God's people are to be by the Spirit enriched with it (1 Peter i. 13): and, secondly, under the emblem of a chain or chains about the neck.

Now it must be very obvious to the christian reader that there is a spiritual meaning annexed to all this, and as this is the case I will, as the Lord shall enable me, give you my thoughts respecting this neck, and shew what I conceive it represents and sets forth.

The neck, you know, is that which holds the head and body together. I have before shewn* that love to a doing covenant, or rather to our own doings in seeking to enter heaven by what our own puny hands can perform, is the neck that holds all the bond-children to that covenant. Here we were all held until the sword of justice cut this neck in twain, then we give up the ghost and die to all hopes of ever thinking to obtain salvation by the deeds of the law. may we not fairly infer that pure and unfeigned love to the covenant of grace, to a God of grace, and to the people of his grace is the neck which holds the elect body to Christ her living head. This is a neck which the sword of justice can never cut asunder; and the reason is, because Jesus has borne all the wrath due to his beloved family.

And

Now if we connect with what I have said before relative to the laws

* See June, 1839, page 122,

of our mother, the precepts, the promises, the ordinances, and the choice invitations of the gospel, may we not say that these are beautiful links in this chain; and when we view, by faith, the whole united together, we conclude that it forms a most delight ful chain; then may we not call it, according to the motto inscribed at the head of this paper, a beautiful necklace for the children of Zion? most surely we may.

But, christian reader, love made choice of each link in this chain; love unites each link together; love puts it upon the people of God's choice; and love makes the living family to admire this necklace. To tell you the full value of this necklace I cannot, suffice it to say it far exceeds those which Joseph and Daniel were adorned with. True it is they received their's as free-gifts, and so do all the children of Zion.

In conclusion, I must say, that

No earthly prince can ever be
Compared, my christian friend, to thee:
Thou hast a robe. the very best,
In which thy naked soul is dressed;
And gospel shoes, and gospel bread,
And helmet too to shield thy head;
A chain to wear which Jesus gives
While oil and wine thy heart receives.
Thy mother, the blest church of God,
Doth plead for thee before the Lord;
Oh may the Spirit thee inspire,
Then wilt thou all her laws admire.

a sinner and a transgressor of God's holy and righteous law, the words came with power to her mind as though a voice spoke-Hannah, Hannah, forsake your sins and follow me. She felt alarmed, but thought it might be some of her fellow servants who had spoken; still the same words were repeated, which left an impression that could not be effaced. It led her in secret to cry to God for mercy, and when opportunity offered to attend the chapel at Camberwell, where she received many serious impressions.

About this time she became united to Mr. B., and was brought in the providence of God under the ministry of Mr. Nicholson, of Pell Street, where they became members, and remained till he was removed by death; and as the ministry then became yea and nay, they removed under the ministry of Mr. Bailey, at Zoar Chapel; but soon after, as unpleasantnesses arose, she removed to Mr. Shenstone's, where she continued a member for fifteen years; at which time finding herself unable to attend, through infirmities and old age, she sought for a considerable time to find a resting-place near home, but could find none, until the Lord in his goodness directed her to the Cave Adullam, Stepney, where the Lord has often blessed his own word to the comfort of her soul. She frequently spoke of the many blessed opportunities she had enjoyed under the ministry of Mr. Allen, and the sweet comfort and consolation she had realized in the ordinances of the Lord's house among the people at the Cave in prayer-meetings, &c. During her pilgrimage she had to pass through very heavy trials, and, speaking after the manner of men, insupportable; and nothing but al mighty, free, rich, and sovereign grace could have held her up and brought her through. But the Bible and the throne of grace were her resource, and the God of Israel proved himself

to be a refuge and help even in her deep and heart-rending troubles. The promises of God have met her case in many remarkable instances. She was a diligent reader of the word of God, which with her hymn-book she highly prized; and was always ready to attend the means of grace, often in the course of the week expressing an unctious desire to be at the house of God.

On the sixth of February last she spent most part of her time in reading the Testament, and retired to rest two hours before the family, who on their arrival at about half-past twelve found her in a sound sleep. About one o'clock she was siezed with a pain in the chest and shortness of breath, but after taking some medicine there was in the house she became more composed for a short time.

Towards the evening of Lord's-day the 7th she was able to get up and take some tea, &c.; but as night came on she got worse again, and from that time thought she should not recover, but never showed the least fear of death, speaking in a firm confidence that it was only to take her home to her Father's house, adding that if it was her dear Lord's will she was ready to go.

On Monday, the 8th, several of her friends came to see her, and she seemed to revive and appeared much better; but when evening came she grew worse, and her mind rambled through the night.

On Tuesday morning, the 9th, she again became calm, and requested her husband to send for Mr. Allen, as she wished to talk with him, and to tell him what the Lord had done for her soul. She also requested to see an old friend, who was sent for. When we were entering the room, she said, I am going home, and it is all well with me. Give my love to all my christian friends, and tell them I am going to my Father's house where he hath prepared a place for me, and He hath prepared me for it." Her friend

said, "There are many mansions."
"Yes," she replied, "and there is
one for me, and I am longing to be
there." Shortly after a young friend
come in, to whom she said,
"The
Lord bless you and keep you in all
your ways; the good Shepherd car-
ries his lambs in his bosom."
Mr.
Allen said, "You have a good hope
through grace;" to which she replied,

"My anchor-hold is firm in Him,
When swelling billows rise."

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she had much replied, Not When asked if

I

He then enquired if pain; to which she now, all is mercy." she had anything to say or to settle of a worldly nature, she said, “Not any; I have done with it; I am going to my precious Jesus, to occupy the mansion he has prepared for me; I know it is prepared and waiting for my coming." At another time, know my Jesus hath done all things well, and all is settled on a sure foundation, and I am fixed on the Rock of Ages that can never give way; I am only waiting His time to take me home, and place me in the mansion he hath prepared for me: I know all is well and settled, and I am quite ready to go." She then repeated her favourite hymn,

"A debtor to mercy alone,

Of covenant mercy I sing," &c. She then addressed her female servant, whom she highly esteemed, and praying earnestly for her, besought her to seek the Lord. Some time after, she said, "The Lord has called me by his grace in a particular manner; he said unto me, Forsake your sins and follow me; and I never can forget that; and he has upheld me and supported me ever since, so I am confident that he who hath begun the good work, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ :

:

'The work that wisdom undertakes, Eternal mercy ne'er forsakes.' "'

She then repeated the following