have no hurt, (how could they be hurt, when Jesus, the Lord of life and glory was with them) and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God? How could he see and know this glorious form in the furnace but by revelation to open his eyes. O, reader, let us see to it, for truly it is one thing to have the eyes opened with light to inform the head, and another to have the heart influenced by God's power, love, and grace. See this verified in the characters of Balaam, Numb. 24th chapter, with Lydia," Acts xvi. 14. Thus shall every feeble bruised reed in the Lord's hand go on conquering and to conquer in his strength; and at times shall feel a joyful confidence witnessed by God the Holy Ghost, that He who hath begun this good work in him will perform it, and all things in him, with him, by him, and for him, until the day of Jesus Christ; and that the Almighty Lord of all his mercies will keep him pressing on towards the mark of the prize of his high calling and adoption blessings of God in Christ Jesus, his Lord and Redeemer. His mental longings, pantings, and all his spiritual desires are of the same nature (however weak, and weak enough, alas, at times do we feel them,) is produced by the same divine agent, and all lead to the same blessed end, as those created in the heart and mind of the apostle Paul, Phil. iii. 10. "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." These are the heaven-born and heartfelt desires of all in the new creation of grace. The Assurance of Faith. “Now, to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt; but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness," Romans iv. 5. "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant (Christ Jesus is here meant, who is Jehovah's servant, the faithful and true witness, to all his purposes VOL. X.-No. 130.] The Triumph of Faith. "For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect, because the law worketh wrath, &c., therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace: to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed," Rom. iv. 14 to 16. "And blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 3 E See of grace and salvation. Rev. i. 5 to 8.) Whom I (saith God) have chosen (to be head over all things to, and for my church) that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He, John xiv. 1, 2, 3. Before me there was no God formed (or nothing formed of Alheim, margin) neither shall be after nie. 1, ever I (your incarnate Redeemer) am the Lord Jehovah; and beside me there is no Saviour," Isaiah xliii. 10. 11. And we, blessed be God, know and feel that we need no other. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation; for the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed," Rom. x. 10, 11. "I know (saith David) that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence," Psalm cxl. 12, 13. For God so loved the world (so loved) that he gave his only begotten Son, to be all in, and to, and for his church and people; that everlasting love can bestow, that infinite wisdom could design, and Almighty sovereignty be glorified by. O sweet, precious, and everlasting love so loved. See Jer. xxxi. 3. with John xvii. 23, and that "whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. and beloved, John saith, 1st John v. 12. he that hath the Son, (which Paul saith is Christ in us, the hope of glory) hath life and he that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance," Rom. i. 29. The patriarch Job when in the midst of the furnace, triumphed by faith in his goelkinsman. O that my words (saith he, but, perhaps, little apprehending at the time that God the Holy Ghost would hand his word down to us, through so many generations for the use of the church to the end of time; and those sweet words I consider to be at least equal to any language of faith in all the Old Testament) were now written: Oh that they were printed in a book, Thus we see that faith is the substance of things hoped for, Heb. xi. 1.: that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever. Compare Isaiah xlix. 16. with John xix. 28. to 37. and Rev. 4th and 5th chapters, for 66 'I, (though now a poor afflicted child of God, in the fiery trial of my faith) know that my Redeemer liveth; and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin, worms destroy this (sin-diseased) body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, (my Saviour) whom I shall see (love and adore) for myself; and inine eyes shall behold, my husband, Redeemer, and eternal friend," &c., Job xix. 23, 27. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." Read also Ps. cxxxiii. "The love of Christ constraineth," saith Paul; and I am now ready to be offered: yes, and I triumph in the anticipation that the time of my departure is at hand. "I have fought a good that hath not fall his hopes in Christ Jesus) the Son of God, hath not life." These things have I written to you, that believe on the name of the Son of God: (to whom all the epistles are written, and none else) that you may know, with increasing faith, sweeter assurance, and joy of hope, that ye have eternal life; and that ye may (as saith the apostle Peter grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our (or your) Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,) believe on the name of the Son of God," 1 John v. 13. For the which cause Paul suffered persecution; nevertheless, saith he, I am not ashamed: for I know (O blessed saving knowledge reader, let you and I look into our own conscience and see if we have this heavenly gift) to know Christ Jesus, in whom I have believed; and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day, 2 Tim. i. 12. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, (of Christ Jesus) justified in the Spirit, seen (and adored) of angels, preached unto the gentiles, (as Jehovah's salvation to all nations) believed on in the world, (and having finished transgression made an end of sin, brought in everlasting righteousness and eternal redemption for all the chosen of Alehim) was then received (as our forerunner, Lord, Head, Husband, and everlasting Surety) up into glory," 1 Tim. iii. 16. Well might the church of old rejoice, and glory in her fight, (in the best cause, in the most just, honourable, and glorious of all warfares.) I have (as all that believe in love, and by his grace, obey King Emanuel shall do) finished my course (in eternal safety, peace, and everlasting triumph over death, hell, sin, and the grave, and am going to be ever with and like my redeeming Lord, for ever to enjoy, not the reward of my good works, Oh no, but of his infinite merits; I have kept the faith; having been kept by the power of God unto salvation.) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; (before an assembled world of angels, saints, men, and devils,) and that not to me only, but unto all, (0 sweet, sweet indeed to my poor weak heart) to all them also that love his appearing," 2 Tim. iv, 6. to 8. "Therefore, our conversation is in heaven (and by the life, love and power of the Holy Ghost in us, our hearts set on heavenly things, (from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, (delightful thought) according to the working whereby, he is able even to subdue all things unto himself," Phil. iii. 20. 21. "Therefore, (saith the Lord the Spirit) comfort one another with these words. And to you who are troubled, rest with us (saith holy Paul) when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with Lord and King; with a loud call to all her offspring, saying, O clap your hands, ye people; shout unto God, with the voice of triumph, (for our Redeemer Jehovah incarnate) God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet, Psalm xlvii. 1. 5. And blessed is the people that know (for themselves) the joyful sound of a free, full, and everlasting salvation, all arising out of the ocean-fuless of Jehovah's love to, and choice of us in Christ Jesus the Lord: to Him be glory, both now and for ever. Amen. his (mark it, reader, his) mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God. (O wretched, miserable, unalterable, yet just state of all that live and die enemies to the Lord Christ) and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe. "The good Lord of his infinite mercy count thee, and me, reader, worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power," 2 Thess. i. 7 to 11. Read Rev. 12th and 13th chapters. Birmingham, Oct. 1834. W. W. GOD, THE OBJECT AND SUBJECT MATTER OF PRAISE IN THE SONGS OF ZION, AN EXTRACT FROM A LETTER WITH AN ANSWER THERETO. As it respects the selection of hymns entirely on praise, I can only say, that was it in my power I should be happy to assist you in forwarding those truths, and in such a way as might prove acceptable in general to the body of Christ; but considering in this militant church that there is a diversity of attainments, I do not think such a selection would suit the church generally this side the grave; for though it is the privilege of the believer sometimes to experience such blessed manifestations from his dear Lord, as that he is thereby enabled to challenge all the powers in earth and hell, and to say with the apostle, "who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus the Lord;" yet, this is not always the case with him, at least it is not with me. He knows also what it is to experience the hidings of the Lord's face, and the temptations of the devil, with the corruptions of his own heart rising up, which make him drag on heavily, and at such times he cannot praise the Lord, until the Lord is graciously pleased to appear for him again, and cause him to take down his harp from the willow. For my part I see no impropriety in using in public worship such an hymn as Dr. Watts' "Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, In these cold hearts of ours." I assure you, I am no stranger to such language as this for it is what I am daily familiar with, yea, what I am necessitated to use; for such a poor helpless creature am I, that unless my Lord is graciously pleased to warm my cold heart, and call up the powers of my soul to love and praise him, I remain silent; for verily I know that no man can keep alive his own soul, and I believe you know the same. In the church there are a many that are babes in grace; who when they meet with an hymn descriptive of the christian conflict, and how the Lord hath graciously appeared for such, they are sometimes encouraged, and have reason to believe, that the Lord would appear for them, therefore I think such hymns are of use in the church. I have spoken my mind freely in a few words, and I hope my brother will not be offended if he should not see with me. May the great Shepherd of Israel feed you in the green pastures, and lead you daily to drink of the water of life, Is the desire of your's in him, ད་ J. F. My dear Brother in Zion's Crowned Deliverer, As you have freely noticed my remarks on praise, and freely communicated your mind thereon, bear with me while I use the same freedom in reply. We are in a state of imperfection, and prone to extremes, therefore our need to hang on the Guider into all truth becomes increasingly manifest. It is natural for us to imbibe sentiments we are trained up in; but it is a great mercy for us to search the word, and draw our conclusions therefrom. How naturally we fall into ourselves either in a way of pity or pride; and were it not for the incessant ministry of the Holy Ghost we should have little to do with Jesus. In the former part of my christian life I lamented I did so little to glorify the Lord; now I have more to deplore my coming short of his glory in all I do. I used to think to deny self was to put off the old man in the outwalks of society; but now I find it has more to do with the inner apartment. We can manage to keep the outer man decent, but the plaguey thoughts are a constant source of molestation. But to the point. You do not think a selection of hymns entirely on praise would suit the church generally this side the grave. The reasons you assign, are, they are not always experiencing blessed manifestations from their dear Lord, so as to challenge the powers of earth and hell, and in triumph to exclaim, "who shall separate us from the love of Christ ?" also, they experience the hidings of the Lord's face, the temptations of the devil, &c. When I say hymns of praise, I do not mean a rhapsody, nor that which requires an extacy of feeling to express, but which every sober-minded christian can sing; nor do I find fault with experimental hymns to read by the |