The souls so taken from his iron grasp.
Omnipotent art thou for evermore,

And wilt preserve by thine Almighty pow'r
The conquests thou hast gloriously acheiv'd.

Thrice Bless'd Immanuel! My soul adores
Incarnate Deity, as seen in thee.

My nature join'd, my very flesh annex'd-
Made one with thy most pure Divinity;
Is rais'd and elevated to an height,
Angelic excellencc can never boast.
'Twas in the body of thy sacred flesh
Thou didst perform the various acts I've sung.
Nor is the whole told out in saying this,
For thou didst clothe thyself in human flesh
That thou might'st by such measure firmly lay
The great foundation for a bringing near
Thy fallen creatures. They never could
Approach thee wert thou only God.

Thy greatness all Divine would them distract,
Would fill them with dismay. But since

Thou wearest flesh, and shew'st thy power, and love,
Through thy humanity they venture near,
And recognize thee as their brother born

For their adversity. Nor wilt thou e'er disdain
To be so known, and so approach'd: and thus
All distance is removed: the deadly fear
That worketh torment is at once cast out;
And love of thee (imparted from thyself)
Has its best influence on their happy mind.
And oh, what bless'd relations Thou hast made
Like Joseph thy fair type thou hast inform'd
Thy brethren dear, how that ere worlds began
They were by thy great Father bless'd in Thee.
Predestinated unto life, and made

Adopted children, and, as children, heirs
To highest glories, great as God can give.
Their great security thou hast reveal'd,

Since thou hast said, "Thou art the glorious vine.
And they in thee are set, and branches are."
Thy loving Father gave thee all his words,
And thoughts of peace, toward thy favour'd race :
Thou hast with heart of love dispens'd the same
And given them freely, richly t'enjoy.

Oh glorious prophet! make me wise to learn
The sacred lessons thou art pleas'd to give.
I bless thee for thy prophets, who foretold
Thy mighty stoop to this our lower world.
They sung thy love as they were taught by thee.
And sweetly hymn'd thy suff'rings and thy death:
Proclaim'd salvation finish'd, free, and full,
And all the church of God for ever sav'd:
But thou, bless'd Prophet, far exceeds them all.

They knew in part, in part they prophecied,

But "Thou know'st all things." They both wrote and spoke As mov'd by thy good Spirit: but then would ask

"Who hath believed our report' to whom

Hath been the Lord's most mighty arm reveal'd !"

Not so my gracious, honour'd Lord with thee,
The power of thy divinity did make

The words which thy most sacred lips did speak,
Both life and spirit too. The enemies of

Truth were greatly aw'd thereby; they could not
Answer thee again; but were obliged

To own, That mortal man did never speak
Like thee." But oh, what grace as well as power
Accompanied thy words of greatest love,
My sister at Samaria's well can prove.
Sir! (was her reply to what thou said'st,)
I perceive that thou a prophet art."
Yes! such a prophet she had never heard.
Her heart was open'd by thy matchless power,
And grace pour'd in thy lips was pour'd by thee
Into her inmost soul. Thus her who came
To Jacob's well drank of the Well of Life:
The water that if once a sinner drinks
It springs within him to eternal life.

Hail, glorious Prophet! thy most sacred name
And wondrous office shall rejoice my heart:
For I have learnt while sitting at thy feet
Some glorious things in part, but thou hast said
"What I can't here attain shall yet be known."
My soul would wait her days of mourning, then
Till that bless'd morning shall both dawn and rise,
When sin and sorrow shall not once molest
My happy ransom'd soul. Then shall I see
Thy beauteous face without a glass between,
And learn of thee the Father: taught by thee
I cannot fail to learn, for thou art meek,
And in the heart most lowly such teacher
Suits me well, who can capacitate

As well as teach, and such thou e'er wilt prove.

Great King of Zion, I thy power confess,
Yea, I thy power enjoy! None but thyself
Could conquer one so stubborn, one so base.
None but thyself could his proud heart subdue,
And captivate his high and tow'ring thoughts
To sweet subjection to thy sovereign will.
I own thy governance, and bless thy name;

That thou alone bear'st rule 'mongst heavenly powers;
Yea, earth and hell are subject unto Thee.
Rule, mighty Lord! till ev'ry foe of thine,
Is crush'd beneath thy feet. My inmost soul,
With all thy blood redeemed shall rejoice,
That soon the conquests of thy mighty grace,
Brought here to bow before thy sacred feet,
Will shortly meet around thy glorious throne:
Will praise eternally thine honour'd name :
And live to bless Thee for thy boundless love.

THOMAS REED.

Jan. 1839.

THE SAVIOUR'S BIRTH.

"There shall come out of Zion the deliverer."

Jesus is come!-the living Spring :
Ye saints arise and greet your king.
This is the day, this is the morn
Your Saviour, God, a child was born.

Jesus is come-th' incarnate God,

And justice sheaths the avenging sword.
Mercy, and Truth, and Peace, and Love,
Spring forth to hail the heaven-sent Dove.

Jesus is come-the promised seed
Is come to bruise the serpent's head:
From sin and death to take the sting;
Your sweetest spices for to bring.

Jesus is come-the heavenly head,
To speak the word, and lo, the dead
Will hear his voice, awake and live,
For him eternal life to give.

Jesus is come-the Truth, the Way,
The life for all his sheep astray:

Their shepherd calls, they know his voice.
He calls and makes their hearts rejoice.

Jesus is come-is born to die,

To rise and send gifts from on high:

He dies to live; he lives to reign

With all for whom this Lamb was slain.

Jesus is come-the holy birth

Angels proclaim, and peace on earth.
Jesus is gone, to come again;
Angels and saints their God proclaim.

Ye saints who live to bless the day,
That Jesus came, to wash away
Your sins with his most precious blood
Behold a Child-the Man-your God.

Bring then your richest treasures bring
The fruits which from his Spirit spring.
Faith, Hope, and Love, without alloy;
Oh reuder back his gifts with joy.

Your heart's best offerings to him bring,
Let earth with loud hosannas ring;
A Child is born; a Son is given;

The second man, the Lord from heaven.

Praise him, ye saints, with fervent love.
Praise him, ye saints, in bliss above.
Praise! Praise th' eternal Tree in One,
Jehovah's Spirit and his Son.

A FEMALE WANDERER IN THE WILDERNESS.

ww

THE

GOSPEL MAGAZINE.

VOL. IV.-No. IV.

Of a FIFTH SERIES, for APRIL, 1839.

"In doctrine shewing uncorruptness."

“Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisy.' "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday to-day and for ever. Whom to know is life

eternal."

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.

Ат
AT our creation, sin stripped us naked, as it is said of Laodicea.

Sin hath robbed us of our treasure, insomuch that we are become
beggars, poor, and naked. In short, sin hath robbed us of God,
so that we are become without God in the world." This is a rob-
bery that cannot be paralleled! See what was taken away from God
and man, by the sin of man. I might tell you that sin robbed man
of that paradise of pleasure in which God set him at his creation.
No sooner had man sinned through the instigation of Satan, that
Old Serpent, but he was turned out of the garden of Eden, and a
flaming sword placed, that turned every way, to keep him from
having access to the tree of life in the midst of the garden. Sin
robbed us of heaven. In short, sin hath disordered and disjointed
the whole creation. Whenever man sinned, there came such a load
upon the earth, through the curse of God, that ever since the whole
creation hath been crying in pain, seeking deliverance from that
dead weight that hath been lying upon it. So that, by the sin of
man there is a robbery committed, there are goods stolen from God
and man,
and the good creatures of God.
The first note of the song of the angels, is, "Glory to God in
the highest." It is just as if they had said, Glory hath been taken
away from God, by the sin of the first Adam and his posterity, but
now there is a higher revenue of glory to be brought in to the crown
of heaven, than the whole creation in innocency could afford. Ac-
cordingly, our blessed Lord declares, when his work was finished,
after he had gone through his course of humiliation, he comes to
his Father, and he says, Now, Father, "I have glorified thee on
the earth." Observe the phraseology, for there is something re-
markable in it," I have glorified thee on the earth :" the earth was
VOL. IV.-No. IV.

T

the theatre of rebellion where God was affronted, his law violated, and his sovereignty contemned; but, says he, I have glorified thee on earth, where thou wast dishonoured.

He restores glory to the DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY, bowing his royal neck to take on the yoke of the law which we had broken. He was begotten of a woman, and made under the law, that he might magnify it, and so maintain the honour of the great Lawgiver.

He restores glory likewise to the DIVINE WISDOM; for Christ himself, in his person and mediation, is just " the Wisdom of God in a mystery," even his " hidden Wisdom, the manifold Wisdom of God." Never were the treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge so much expended as in the person and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And then, he restores glory likewise to the DIVINE POWER; for Christ is "the power of God:" and when he went forth to the great work of man's redemption, he went forth armed with infinite power to manage it; therefore he is called the arm of God, whom he hath made strong for the purposes of his glory. How gloriously was the power of God displayed when he came from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength; spoiling principalities and powers, who had spoiled God of his glory, and man of all that was valuable unto him!

He restores glory to the HOLINESS of God. This attribute was injured by the sin of man, but its glory is restored by Christ; and there is such a brightness of divine holiness shines in the person and mediation of Christ, that when the angels look upon him, they are dazzled, they are overwhelmed, not being able to behold it, they cover themselves, and cry, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory."

And then he restores glory to the DIVINE JUSTICE; for in the work of man's redemption, justice gets a complete, and full satisfaction, till it cry, It is enough. And the justice of God manifested in the execution of the penalty of the law upon the Surety, is laid as the very foundation of the throne of grace, that we are called to for grace and mercy to help in the time of need. "Justice and judgment are the habitation, or establishment, of thy throne ;" that is, justice satisfied, and judgment executed upon the glorious Surety.

So he restores glory to the DIVINE GOODNESS. God was good to man, but man trampled it under foot: But Christ makes a higher C display of the divine goodness, than ever was seen by men or angels; for in his person and mediation, and sufferings, the goodness of God breaks out like an ocean, in amazing streams of love, grace, and mercy. The love of God, O how does it shine in the giving the only begotten Son into the world!" Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and gave his own Son to be a propitiation for our sins." And then for grace, GRACE is made to