For his pleasure was his spouse created anew in Christ Jesus; and the matchless beauty in which she shines pre-eminently resplendant, will secure a reversion of praise to a triune Jehovah for ever. All the experience of the church shall infallibly produce this desired end. And it is a fact that, as in nature, so in grace, wintry seasons will invariably succeed the blooming spring, the herbage of summer, and the falling leaf of autumn, yet all are needful; yea, the hilarity and enjoyment of spring, and the chilling winter which precedes it, are equally suitable in their appointed seasons. The black and piercing winds of winter check the growth, and annihilate the weeds surrounding the dear believer. And while the conceited pharisee, who has only root in his own sufficiency, unable to endure the cross, falls away, and is no more seen; the poor and needy, weak and helpless, broken-hearted and penitential prodigal, takes deeper root in the heavenly soil, though the wintry blast and nipping winds of persecution and affliction have caused him for a season "to hang his harp upon the willows," and stript him of his garments of lively green.

The rapid succession of his revolving seasons is, however, fast hastening him homeward, to the day of his coronation. Jesus frequently takes his walks perceived and unperceived amidst the golden candlesticks in his paradise of grace; he views with delight the productions of the Holy Ghost, in the brilliant light of his illumination; he weeds the plants amidst his garden, and plucks up, and waters by the Holy Spirit's influence, at his pleasure. He feeds his chosen with the wholesome bread of eternal life; and a plenitude of waters descend to her from the everlasting hills. He gives her to sip sweetly at the streams emanating from the wells of salvation; enamours her with a sight of his superior and truly incomparable loveliness on Calvary; and thus leads her onward to the eternal banquet. Notwithstanding this, the spouse of Christ is "a spring shut up, a fountain sealed;" but this must form the subject of another paper. This subject will lead to another view of Christ's beloved, as black though comely;" as nothing, though possessing all things: at present I forbear, and shall draw to a close.

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Believer in Jesus, what think ye of Christ, from whom thy glory and happiness emanates? Surely you must be constrained to say, "my beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand, he is the altogether lovely." Thou wilt assuredly soon behold him, freed from a body of sin and death, and then thou wilt feast for ever with him. Very soon will he have finished transplanting his shrubs from the garden of nature to the garden of his grace. He is now often walking within it, and gathering his lilies, but when he has done transplanting from the church militant to the church triumphant, then the curtain of time will drop for ever. Then, Oh then! my brother, may it be thy portion and mine to join in the everlasting song, "unto him that hath loved us, died for us, and washed us in his blood, be glory for ever and ever, amen." AMOR VERITATIS.

Peckham, August 16, 1827.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

THE FIERY TRIAL OF BELIEVERS.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which shall try you, as though some strange thing had happened to you."-1 Peter iv. 12.

THE apostle is generally understood in this scripture to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem, which in the course of a short time was to take place; though, from the circumstances of the epistle being directed to saints scattered over a considerable portion of the known world, his allusion was more direct to the "ten days' tribulation," which the church was to endure under pagan Rome, as described in the address to the angel of the church at Smyrna, Rev. ii. 10. and awfully fulfilled in the ten fiery persecutic as endured by the christians, under ten Roman emperors, from Nero to Dioclesian; after which the saints were delivered for a time from this scourge by the conversion of Constantine. But as no prophecy is of private interpretation, we may fairly consider this precious scripture as directed to the Lord's people in all ages.

How truly interesting is the manner in which the apostle addresses his companions: he had known what it was to endure fiery tribulations, and hence he discovers the most marked affection towards those in similar circumstances. "Beloved"-they are beloved by Jehovah, Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, with an everlasting love, and this love shed abroad in their hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost binds them one to another in bonds of the sweetest affection; and how evidently was this interest in their welfare evinced by Peter, when alluding to their sufferings, he would have them remember that no extent of suffering could deprive them of their inalienable interest in eternal love; nor the utmost degree of distress be any evidence against their interest in this love, but rather contrariwise, as when the Lord informs his church, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."

In the next place we may notice how the apostle warns the soldiers of Christ of these things, lest they should be surprized; in this the honoured servant copied the example of the glorious Master who said, "these things have I told you, that when they come ye may remember that I told you of them." Young christians may be compared to young soldiers, who when they first volunteer view the fairest side of their future prospects, and are in truth more attracted with their present enjoyments, as the youthful warrior with his trappings, than concerned respecting their future route. They are unacquainted with the hardships of the campaign, and ignorant of the toils, dangers, and disappointments of the spiritual camp. Peter was a veteran; he had been in dangers and death; oft he had been foiled by satan the encmy; and lest his successors should be taken by surprize, when the subject of fiery trials, he informs them of their nature and design, as well as lays before them a solid ground of consolation, that when these things were brought into their real experience, they might not think some strange thing had happened to them, but rather what was common to men engaged in spiritual warfare.

Let us consider the nature of the exercises the apostle alludes to,

"fiery trials." Their nature will be soon evidenced, if we consider what the ordinary sources of tribulation to a believer are-and of these I would name

By

I. Dark and mysterious dispensations of divine providence. these the Lord tries the graces and makes manifest the character of his saints. Satan would insinuate when all things go prosperously as to outward matters, as in the case of Job, " Doth Job serve God for nought?" The Lord, to prove that real faith and love are not founded on sensible objects, grants the enemy permission to take away all his substance; by this the genuine faith of the man of God shines bright. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." And again, his love induces him to turn for shelter to the Father's hand which holds the rod: " though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” The same was the result of the prophet's bereavements: " although the fig-tree shall not blossom," &c. " yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Nor let it be argued that these could hardly be called fiery trials where such divine consolations were administered; for though the inward man be supported and consol d, the outward man suffers the severest anguish; and the heat of the fire, the extent of the pain, is always apportioned to the degree of grace imparted, which must be tried, and so as by fire.

II. Sharp temptations from the great accuser of the brethren. These are expressly called fiery darts from the wicked one, and to these the christian soldier does not long remain a stranger; by them his armour is proved, by them he is coustrained to exercise the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, the word of truth, and especially the incomparable weapon, all-prayer. And where would be the proof either of the usefulness of these weapons, or the believer's possession of them, but under violent opposition from the enemy. We dare not dispute the suitableness of the term, fiery trial, when used by a man to whom it was said, "satan hath desired to have thee, to sift thee as wheat," &c.-truly he was not ignorant of satan's devices.

III. The withholding sensible enjoyments of the Lord's presence. To a soul once in possession of communion with a covenant God, nothing can prove a sorer trial than the withdrawment of that countenance whose smiles induced all his delight. This fiery trial consumes all the believer's comforts, and the anguish he endures is known only to such described by the appeal: "who is he among you that feareth the Lord, obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?" While in the sunshine of divine favour nature can make her boasts, but in the absence of all sensible comfort it is faith alone that can say in truth, "I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God."

IV. Persecution for righteousness sake. This is a furnace the Lord often prepares for his jewels, yea, warrants them all to expect, and hence directs his servants to say, "yea, and if any man will live godly in Christ Jesus he must suffer persecution." The man who stands in life-union with Christ cannot be exempt from this, for the

offence of the cross has never in reality ceased. What makes this the more severe, it generally proceeds from a quarter from whence it ought to be least expected-professors of the gospel, children of the bond woman, who like their proto-type Ishmael, mock at the children of promise; and being themselves only fleshly, persecute them that are born after the Spirit. This is indeed a fiery trial, for nature cannot endure contempt, reproach, or buffeting. But think it not strange, beloved, remembering the same afflictions attended your glorious head; and the servant is not greater than his Lord.

There is no path, however thorny, a believer is called to tread, but has been first travelled by his glorious Redeemer; no affliction, however grievous, but he has first sustained, and with all the additional weight of the curse. "Wherefore, consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds." As ye have been partakers of his sufferings here, so when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. EZRA.

Chatham.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

THE ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

"But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry."-Luke xv. 22, 23.

THIS robe is the righteousness of Jesus; as it is written, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness;" the best robe, as mentioned in the text, which is put upon all the elect. This robe was appointed by God the Father in the covenant of grace; God the Son as the Surety of the said covenant engaged to work it out, and at the appointed time was born of a woman, was made under the law, and did actually perform all the law required, in thought, word, and deed; so that he has not left a single command unfulfilled, nor any part of the curse unsatisfied, but has perfectly and everlastingly delivered his people from the law. He is called "the Lord our righteousness;" which denotes we have none of our own, that he has wrought out one, and that it is our's upon the ground of our union to him. The prophet says, "the Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake." And, believer, the Redeemer did not work out this robe for himself, but for his people; for whatever the Saviour is in his mediatorial capacity, he is that to his church, and whatever he has done or is doing it is for his given seed.

And it is the work of God the Holy Ghost to make this robe manifest in the hearts of the elect. "He shall take of the things that are mine, and shew them unto you." The Spirit convinces the elect of the sin of their lives and hearts by bringing the law to their minds, and gives them to see and feel that they have broken it in thought, word, and deed; and then he reveals this blessed robe to their understanding, and causes them to long after a knowledge of interest in

and enjoyment of it, and enables them to receive it by faith as the robe in which they are justified, accepted, and exalted, as beggars from the dunghill of nature, to stand among princes and inherit the throne of glory for ever. Blessed robe! a robe which is ever new, and freely given to the chief of sinners.

It is called the best robe, which denotes there are others; yes, there is the robe of angels, and of Adam in innocency, but this is better than their's: it is better in respect of dignity, for their's is but the righteousness of creatures, but this is the righteousness of God. It is better in respect of security, for Adam's could not secure him from falling; but this secures the whole elect from the charge of sin, the condemnation of the law, and the sting of death. And it is better in respect of duration, for it is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; neither sin, satan, the world, nor all the believer's changes, can ever alter or defile it. Some call it the first robe, because it was first fixed on by the Lord for the justification and salvation of a poor sinner : and it was fixed on in Jehovah's mind before angels or men were created, or sin committed, and will continue for ever without any alteration. And it is to be brought forth by the Father's servants, the ministers of the gospel, in all its dignity, perfection, glory, suitability, preciousness, freeness, and everlasting nature, as the only robe which will do for a poor sensible sinner.

"Put a ring on his hand." By this ring we are to understand the love of God to his people; for as a ring is without beginning or end, so is the love of the Most High to his people. This love is as ancient as his nature, as it is written, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Many tell us that the Lord's love to us commences when we believe, &c. but I would ask, did not the Lord choose, bless, and accept us in Christ before the foundation of the world? yes, and that as the effect of his everlasting love toward us. The Redeemer confirms this truth in his prayer to the Father, "thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me, and thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." John xvii. But a ring is without an end; so the love of God to his children, for he not only loved them before time, but he loves throughout time, and to all eternity. He loves in all states both before and after conversion; he loves them when dead in sin and in a state of rebellion against him, and as the effect of his love to them he quickens them, and brings them as conquered rebels to his feet to supplicate pardon; yea, he loves them when they are in darkness and in light, in bondage and liberty, fasting and feasting, doubting and triumphing, in life, death, and to all eternity. But the Lord has assured me again and again that this ring shall never be broken, by saying, my kindness shall never depart from thee; therefore I am persuaded with Paul, that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ. And when this token of love is put upon the hand of my faith, or, in other words, I am enabled to believe my interest in it, and take a view of it in all its immensity, I can triumph in the God of my salvation, and say, I will trust and not be afraid.