the blessed Spirit, into the courts of heaven. Young men of impressible minds and quick apprehensions little think what errors they may imbibe and what consequences their theoretical views lead to. The Old Testament saints, it is true, had not the same clear views of "the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that should follow," though "the Spirit of Christ which was in them" (and if "in them," they had both his presence and influences,) testified of both to them beforehand; but they had the same faith, hope, and love, and these as fruits of the Spirit, as believers now; and as they were chosen in the same decree of election by God the Father, so were they redeemed by the same precious blood of God the Son, and were sanctified by the same presence, grace, power, and influences of God the Holy Ghost. To deny this is to cut the body of Christ asunder; and, under the idea of investing New Testament believers with higher and peculiar privileges, to degrade the Old Testament saints, of whom the world was not worthy, into natural, unregenerate, and therefore ungodly men. As our Review is already so unduly lengthened, we shall not here touch upon Mr. Coles's pamphlet, though all we have said about the views of the Brethren applies as much to him as to Mr. Marston, so far as he has embraced them; but as it dwells chiefly on one point, what he calls "the liberty of the ministry in the Church,” we have some thoughts of examining the subject, it being one of some importance, (God willing,) in our next number, in a separate paper, without inflicting on our readers a further continuation of the Review. Let any one who owns the Scripture to be the word of God, to contain an infallible revelation of things proposed to be believed, and who has any conscience exercised towards God for the receiving and submitting unto what he declares and reveals, take a view of these testimonies, and consider whether they do not sufficiently propose this object of our faith. Shall a few poor trifling sophisms, whose terms are scarcely understood by the most that are amongst us who make use of them, accordingly as they have found them framed by others, be thought meet to be set up in opposition to these multiplied testimonies of the Holy Ghost, and to cast the truth confirmed by them down from its credit and reputation in the consciences of men? For my part, I do not see in anything, but that the testimonies given to the Godhead of Christ, the eternal Son of God, are every way as clear and unquestionable as those are which testify to the being of God, or that there is any God at all. men acquainted with the Scriptures as they ought to be, and as the most, considering the means and advantages they have had, might have been; did they ponder and believe on what they read, or had any tenderness in their consciences as to that reverence, obedience, and subjection of soul which God requires to his word; it were 'utterly impossible that their faith in this matter should ever in the least be shaken by a few lewd sophisms or loud clamors of men destitute of the truth and of the spirit of it.-Owen. Were POETRY. "THOU ART MINE." Hark! hark! the soft whisper, the sweet, solemn voice! How blest the assurance, the promise divine, And the favor I bore thee no time can remove; "When thy foes shall beset thee, and dangers assail, As a brand pluck'd from burning, behold, thou art mine! "When the grave closes o'er thee, in darkness and gloom, "When the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall arise, The song of salvation, the chorus divine, Shall burst from thy lips, and proclaim, Thou art mine!'" London, 1854. E. J. Mr. Editor, Many times in reading the piece by Nathaniel, on the "Mystery of Godliness," the following lines, by an old saint, pressed on my mind; and if you think them worthy of a place in the "Standard," I place them at your disposal. "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." 1780. A CONSTANT READER. Before this lower world was made, By the Eternal Three; In counsels of electing love, Foundation work I do adore, And long to know it more and more, And all its glory see; On this foundation would I rest, To all eternity. AUGUSTUS CLARK. THE GOSPEL STANDARD. MATT. v. 6; 2 TIM. I. 9; ROM. XI. 7; ACTS VIII. 37, 38; MATT. xxvIII. 19. No. 235. JULY, 1855. VOL. XXI. THE UNIVERSAL INVITATION OF THE GOSPEL.: BY RUSK. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."-ISAIAH lv. 1. THE prophet Isaiah is called by some the evangelical prophet; and indeed he was led by the Holy Spirit to treat wonderfully about the Lord Jesus Christ and his finished work, from the manger to the cross; so that one would have thought those things took place in his days. In the 53rd chapter, he briefly traces the life of the Saviour, and in the 54th encourages all sensible sinners to rejoice in the complete work of the Son of God. Hence he says, "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud," &c. But what is all this rejoicing about? Why, Christ has finished the whole work; and he did it for the barren, the desolate, for those that are ashamed, confounded, forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and that feel God's wrath; afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted ;" and as he did the whole work for such characters as these, he says, "Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame ;" and here is the whole cause; "for thy Maker is thy 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." What a wonderful thing this is: "Thy Maker is thy husband ;" and all this to the poor rejected and despised outcast Gentiles. Surely here is a foundation for real happiness, an everlasting union between the God of heaven and earth and all sensible, lost, and perishing sinners. By the Lord's help, I shall show, I. What we are to understand by this thirst: II. Take notice of these waters, and show the difference between a coming sinner, and one that is already come: III. What it is to have no money: IV. How it can be that such are to buy: V. Take notice of the provision such are to have. ; We shall go through every particular as the Lord shall assist and O that the Holy Spirit may guide me in writing, feeling, as I do, my utter inability, and my reader in reading, without which it will be all in vain, and make it a blessing to our souls. POETRY. "THOU ART MINE." Hark! hark! the soft whisper, the sweet, solemn voice! How blest the assurance, the promise divine, "Eternity saw thee enshrined in my love, And the favor I bore thee no time can remove; "When thy foes shall beset thee, and dangers assail, As a brand pluck'd from burning, behold, thou art mine! "When the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall arise, The song of salvation, the chorus divine, 6 Shall burst from thy lips, and proclaim, Thou art mine!'” London, 1854. E. J. Mr. Editor,-Many times in reading the piece by Nathaniel, on the "Mystery of Godliness," the following lines, by an old saint, pressed on my mind; and if you think them worthy of a place in the "Standard," I place them at your disposal. "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 1780. A CONSTANT READER. Before this lower world was made, By the Eternal Three; In counsels of electing love, Foundation work I do adore, And long to know it more and more, On this foundation would I rest, To all eternity. AUGUSTUS CLARK. THE GOSPEL STANDARD. MATT. v. 6; 2 TIM. I. 9; ROM. XI. 7; ACTS VIII. 37, 38; MATT. XXVIII. 19. No. 235. JULY, 1855. VOL. XXI. THE UNIVERSAL INVITATION OF THE GOSPEL.: BY RUSK. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."-ISAIAH lv. 1. THE prophet Isaiah is called by some the evangelical prophet; and indeed he was led by the Holy Spirit to treat wonderfully about the Lord Jesus Christ and his finished work, from the manger to the cross; so that one would have thought those things took place in his days. In the 53rd chapter, he briefly traces the life of the Saviour, and in the 54th encourages all sensible sinners to rejoice in the complete work of the Son of God. Hence he says, "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud," &c. But what is all this rejoicing about? Why, Christ has finished the whole work; and he did it for the barren, the desolate, for those that are ashamed, confounded, forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and that feel God's wrath; afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted ;" and as he did the whole work for such characters as these, he says, "Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame;" and here is the whole cause; "for thy Maker is thy 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." What a wonderful thing this is: "Thy Maker is thy husband ;" and all this to the poor rejected and despised outcast Gentiles. Surely here is a foundation for real happiness, an everlasting union between the God of heaven and earth and all sensible, lost, and perishing sinners. By the Lord's help, I shall show, I. What we are to understand by this thirst: ; II. Take notice of these waters, and show the difference between a coming sinner, and one that is already come: III. What it is to have no money: IV. How it can be that such are to buy: V. Take notice of the provision such are to have. ; We shall go through every particular as the Lord shall assist and O that the Holy Spirit may guide me in writing, feeling, as I do, my utter inability, and my reader in reading, without which it will be all in vain, and make it a blessing to our souls. |