THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

DEAR MR. EDITOR,

I have sent you the following on the Atonement of Christ, from the pen of that eminent servant of Christ, the late Rev. Christmas Evans, who, "though dead, yet speaketh."

I am, dear Mr. Editor, yours, &c.

EBENEZER.

Newport-on-Yske, May 16th, 1849.

THE doctrines of the atonement, and of the Godhead of Christ, lie very deep at the foundation of the Christian theology. Let us consider1st. The necessity of it. 2nd. The atonement itself in the blood of Christ. 3rd. The fulness and the perfection of it.

1st. The necessity of the atonement (see Rom. iii. 25), "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation in his blood." The atonement is not the cause of the love of God in the person of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost to sinners, for the atonement is represented in the Scriptures as the effect, and not the cause of the love of God: "God so loved the world that he gave his Son." The necessity of it is glanced at in Rom. iii. 25, 26, "That God might declare his righteousness in the remission of sins," as well as his great love in the method of saving those he loved in their low estate. Suffer me to introduce this simile or metaphor. All men fell in Adam-as fallen they were viewed in the divine plan. Methinks that a very extensive grave-yard makes its appearance, full of dead men's bones, like Golgotha, being walled round about with death and destruction, much stronger than the ancient walls of Babylon, having massy iron gates, bolted and locked up by the divine threatening of the law, with this inscription on the doors," In dying thou shalt surely die," inscribed by an omnipotent hand. Divine love and mercy were often observed looking in through the iron gates on the inhabitants of this dreary place with delight and compassion, and at length exclaiming, "Let mercy be built for ever; let love be commended by God and man. Oh, that we may be permitted to enter the graveyard, to visit the prisoners of death; we would very soon apply the balm of life, nd we would plant the tree of life in the yard of death, and would justify and sanctify an innumerable company of the poor inhabitants." But without a Mediator there was no admittance. "Mercy, break the locks and enter in.' No, I would not, for the locks are the locks of justice, and are under the sanction of the moral law." Methinks I perceived, on an ever-memorable day, at the very dawning of it, Divine Mercy and Love resorting to the gates of the grave-yard, accompanied by an august personage, in form like unto the son of Mary, who proved to be the seed of the woman. Their very countenances appeared more cheerful, and their steps bolder. They cried out, "Divine Justice, where art thou?" He sternly replied, "Here am I." The divine visitants said, "Permit us to enter thy territories, and save the inhabitants with

an everlasting salvation." "No," replied Justice," without shedding of blood there is no remission." "Wilt thou accept a Surety?" "Yes, provided he should be of sufficient worth and dignity to counterpoise the weight of sin." Then Jesus (who stood by) said, "Wilt thou accept my name instead of theirs?-behold I come." "Yes, yes;" replied Justice. "Behold, then, if thou dost acquiesce, put down my name in the roll of the book." Jesus asked, "What must be the sum I must pay for them?" Replied Justice, "Thou must make the law honourable, by living and dying in their room-die the dead to save." "When and where dost thou fix the time of payment?" Justice replied, "At the expiration of 4000 years." "Where?" "It must be from BethlehemJuda to the place of skulls; there thou must appear, covered with their shame, to taste their death." Jesus replied, "I accept the condition." His name was put in the bond, and the keys of the grave-yard were delivered to Mercy in the name of Jesus. By the virtue of this engagement did Mercy save the patriarchs and prophets of ancient times.

2nd. The atonement itself, with its memorials. "Divine Justice, seeing thou didst accept my suretyship, therefore thou canst not be unwilling that I should set up memorials of this covenant. The price of redemption by my blood must be commemorated through the whole space of 4000 years, by bloody victims of an inferior kind. The blood of animals must perpetuate the remembrance of the blood of the cross." "Yes," replied Justice, "I approve the plan." Now let us view all the sacrifices slain on Jewish altars; though they made nothing perfect, yet they represented the blood of the covenant, the true atonement.

3rd. The completeness of the atonement in the blood of Christ. Methinks I perceive, during the long period from the sacrifice of Abel to that of Jesus, thousands of rams, lambs, bullocks and bulls, brought to the altars for sacrifice. The fire from heaven consumed them all to ashes. None of them ever appeared alive among their companions as recovering from the burning altars-that was a sign of their insufficiency, therefore the fire was stronger than were they all. Behold, a new wonder comes to view. Yonder, very high, at the summit of Golgotha, a new kind of sacrifice makes its appearance, and it is drawn by heaven, hell, and earth to the horns of the altar, to be a burnt-offering for sin. The fire comes down from heaven and begins to consume it, saying, "I got millions of rams and bulls, but am not quenched-my flame is unquenched-I will burn to the lowest hell if I get not satisfaction. Woe to the inhabitants of the grave-yard. I continued burning from the sixth to the ninth hour; but on the ninth, the fire touched the altar of the divinity, and immediately expired, saying, 'I am satisfied.'" Here we find a sacrifice stronger than fire; at the quenching thereof a great shock like an earthquake penetrated through the kingdom of Satan and death, the sun darkened, the rocks rent, and many of the inhabitants of the grave-yard got the doors of their prison opened, the walls broken in pieces, and a jubilee was proclaimed to them. The Immaculate Sacrifice himself, who was in himself both the priest, altar, and victim, after remaining three days and three nights in the ashes under the altar, revived and came alive from the burning, and appeared alive among his companions in the midst of the throne. Death shall never have any dominion over him again. This proves the sufficiency of his sacrifice. The way is free to Mercy and Love, to save to the end of time the chosen vessels buried in the grave-yard.

AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM "RECLUSE."

"RECLUSE" has not been unmindful of the comforting messages of some of the brethren and sisters; they have been borne on the heart, though so long unacknowledged. Will they each accept the thanks of "Recluse" with Christian love for Christ's sake? "The heart knoweth its own bitterness, and no man intermeddleth with its joy." But there is a Spirit-taught union which can "weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who do rejoice;" a teaching by the same Spirit, which can feelingly enter into the exercises of each other. This union of the spiritual family is one of our time-state privileges, and the understanding the heart-exercises of another, one of the "secrets of the Lord," belonging to those who are taught and led by the same Spirit. The communion of believers, where heart meets heart, when the love of God is shed abroad, and Jesus is felt to be most precious, is the highest earthly privilege, next to the secret overflowings of the soul in communion with the Lord, absorbed with the love of Jesus, when no fleshly feelings can intrude, and all the thoughts are heavenward.

Most highly to be prized is Christian communion; and for believers to come together "in remembrance" of their Lord, "to show forth his death till he come," is a bond of union, but not salvation; the privilege of the new-born soul, not a passport to heaven. We must spiritually "eat his flesh and drink his blood, or we have no life in us." Yet we dare not reject the outward manifestation, nor must we expect to meet with a congregation of wheat without tares. But if the mind is led to reject certain tenets we cannot conscientiously join; yet with realized renewed souls, of any part of the visible church, we could readily unite. This is the union to be desired, not 66 are you this, that, or the other?" but " are you born of the Spirit?" Do you believe in the heart in the Lord Jesus Christ-united to the living vine from which every principle of spiritual life proceeds-from whom every act of faith comes, every exercise of grace is derived? Yes, Jesus is the vine by which the branches live-the door through which they enter heaven-the shepherd who knows his sheep-who calleth them by name-who has pledged himself that they shall never perish. Jesus is the sinner's friend; he came to call the sinner, not the righteous, to repentance. He is the refuge of the poor and needy. He binds up the broken-hearted, proclaims liberty to the captive, and comforts those who mourn. He is the rock of ages, which can never be moved; an eternal well, springing up into everlasting life. What is he not? We might dwell for ever on this precious subject, and yet the half would not be told. Where shall we find the responding heart, who will join in the praise of Jesus, who will glory only in the Lord? Many, many are yet left in the wilderness, whose hearts leap for joy, whose lips can speak his praise, who will join the multitude which no man can number, in singing eternal hallelujahs to the Lamb.

JACOB'S LADDER; OR, THE PROTECTORSHIP OF ZION: BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF A DISCOURSE ON GENESIS XXviii. 12, 13. Delivered in the Year of our Lord, 1654.

BY FRANCIS RAWORTH.

[A Correspondent has called our attention to the following Sermon. There is such a fulness in it, together with so much point and power, that we feel compelled to insert it. We wish our readers the same enjoyment in its perusal as we have been privileged to realize.-ED.]

"And Jacob dreamed, and behold a ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it; and behold the Lord stood above it."-Gen. xxviii, 12, 13.

THERE is a threefold sense in this vision-Literal, Allegorical, and Providential.

First, Literal: the history of Jacob consists of three general parts→ 1st, Jacob's going to Padan-aran. 2ndly, His stay there. 3rdly, His return from thence. In his going to Padan-aran, the motives which induced him to go thither are recorded; which were, to take a wife of his own kindred, and that he might withdraw himself from the fury of his enraged brother. The accidents that fell out by the providence of God in his journey, and these were, the vision of the ladder, his consecration of Bethel, and his vow, all contained in this chapter. My purpose is to only paraphrase and apply the vision of Jacob's ladder. I pray the Lord to open this vision to our eyes to see it, and open our hearts to understand it. Four things might perplex Jacob in his journey, that he should leave his country, that he should forsake his friends, that he might fall into poverty; lastly, solitariness and want of company; wherefore the Lord seasonably appears to Jacob in this vision: "Though thou leavest thy country, yet be content, I will not leave thee; and as for thy friends, be not troubled, I am thy friend; can you mend yourself, Jacob? And for shame fear not poverty, if the word of thy God may be taken, east and west shall be at thy command." Let Jacob say, "Certainly I shall never see God want, and wherefore should I be dismayed, seeing the Lord saith, I will never see Jacob want; and let not Jacob fear to be alone, for angels shall travel with him; and that which is security enough, Jacob shall have in company not only the angels of God, but the God of angels." The ladder is the journey of Jacob, the angels ascending and descending, his royal attendants going to and returning with him from Padan-aran; the Lord stands on the top of the ladder as guiding and governing all. Jacob, I am persuaded, never had a sweeter night's lodging than at this time, when the stones were his pillow, and the heavens his canopy, when Providence made his bed, and angels rocked his cradle. How pleasant is it to consider! Angels guard Jacob, God guards the angels, and God guards Jacob with angels; what ground then hath Jacob to fear either men or devils to disturb him, when he hath a guard of God and of his angels?

Secondly; an Allegorical sense; and so Christ is this ladder (John i). By his Divine nature he reached to heaven, by his human to the earth, his incarnation being a commerce between divinity and humanity;

the steps of this ladder are either the genealogy of Christ, or the successive works of his redemption. (John x.) He that climbs up, or thinks to climb up, any other way to heaven than by this ladder, is a thief. (John xiv.) He is the only way for satisfaction, for justification, for sanctification, the only way from God to man, and from man to God. Every poor sensible sinner hath liberty to ascend these stairs; and the righteous Pharisee shall never enter the star-chamber of heaven at a back door: every man, by nature, sees the necessity of some ladder or other to climb up to salvation by; the Mahometan makes the Alcoran his ladder; the Jew makes the temple of the Lord his ladder, the carnal Protestant makes his charity his ladder, and the Papist hath his ladder also: there is a red ladder by the blood of Christ, but they will have a white ladder by Mary's obedience; this they account the easier way: methinks these men mistake Jacob's ladder, yet something like it is for they are in a dream as Jacob was; these are all rotten ladders, and the climbers have rotten hearts, so continuing.

Thirdly, a Providential sense; and thus I shall handle the vision; this ladder signifieth the Divine providence, and in this ladder we have many things observable.

1st. The variety of Providence in the many steps thereof. The providence of God hath indeed but one end, yet it hath divers ways to that one end; every living creature hath four faces and four wings, to signify the several appearances and swift execution of Providence (Ezek. i. 6). It is a difficult thing to take the picture of Providence at this time in the world, it maketh and hath so many faces, let our eyes be never so exact in observing, and our hands ready in describing its ways. The locks on the spouse of the Canticles are black and curled, black for their obscurity, and curled for their various intricacy. There are not so many several countenances of men, as there are dispensations of God; and it is as rare a thing to find dispensations, as men of the same complexion. In heaven God will appear to the saints in one glorious form; but now, as it was said of an emperor, that every day he puts on a suit, so it is the Lord's honour to apparel himself in changeable robes: the embroidery of Providence is made up of divers colours; Sion is not always in one condition, nor the soul always in one frame; sometimes Christ frowns, and sometimes he smiles; sometimes he casteth down, sometimes he lifteth up; sometimes the Church of God is in the wilderness, sometimes in Canaan; sometimes on the raging sea, sometimes in her harbour. The Lord keeps his people from infection, by leading them through divers airs; black and bloody providences set off the wisdom and faithfulness of our God the better. Standing waters corrupt and breed noisome creatures, but running waters are pure and preservative. Every new day brings with it a new temptation, and we shall never be experienced soldiers till we are tried at all sorts of weapons. We must not look on the scattered lines of Providence, but tarry till God hath made a conclusion; never say Providence scribbles, till you have seen the whole copy. Princes' letters, we say, ought to be read thrice; let us consider the ways of God, and we shall never censure them.

2ndly, In this ladder we have the seeming uncertainty of Providence: the ladder is partly above the clouds, and partly visible in the air; as the Spirit (John iii.) blows where it listeth, so God in his works worketh how he listeth. It is observable, that usually of old, when God appeared