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resort.” Thus it is the suitable placed his everlasting arm beneath, emblem of Him who is the strength and in whom, according to the of all in nature, grace, and glory, eternal covenant, is vested the who is essential strength, and power of redemption and of salvaOmnipotence itself!

tion. This was the security to anIt is applied to God to denote cient believers, that He who had all the perfections and attributes undertaken would accomplish the of his Godhead, engaged, as our work of redemption, the ransom Rock, for our defence. When, of his elect; and here is the secutherefore, it is applied to the Re- rity to every believer, that he will deemer, it must, no doubt, include accomplish the work of salvation the same, encouraging us to put the in every vessel of mercy : “ Their same confidence in him, or the term Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of is equivocal and delusive.--With- Hosts is his name; he will thoout this the Lord Jesus Christ would roughly plead their cause.” (Jer. I. more suitably be compared to the 34.) Nothing can be too powerful faithless sand than to the solid and for such an arm to effect, nothing stable rock. It is this which makes 'too weighty to be rested on him. him the glorious object of a believ. To convince us of this, and engage er's confidence, and renders our the confidence of a strong faith, reliance upon him satisfactory and he endured the punishment of our safe. Not only are infinite wisdom sin, the load of our guilt, and the and almighty power ascribed to suffering of our curse, and rose suhim, but works which necessarily perior to them all. He encounterimply their exercise. Creation, ed our enemies in all their united preservation, direction, the disso- ' rage and strength; spoiled princi

Iution of all things, and the final palities and powers, and made a · judgment of all his intelligent show of them openly, triumphing creatures, are the operation of his over them even upon the cross; infinite wisdom and power. We how much more in his resurrecare told that “ By him were all tion, and when, “ascending on things created that are in heaven high, he led captivity captive !!! and that are in earth, visible Glory over him, ye host of eneand invisible, whether they be mies, when his heel is bruised, and thrones, or dominions, or princi- his humanity lies prostrate in the · palities, or powers ; all things were grave !-but soon shall he manifest created by him and for him, and himself the subject of the first prohe is before all things, and by him mise, the seed of the rooman to all things consist." (Col. i. 16,17.) bruise the serpent's head! With . And, according to the Prophet, what patience, what calmness, what 46 the everlasting God, Jehovah, firmness, what constancy, he passthe Creator of the ends of the es through the scene of his unparal- earth, fainteth not, neither is wea- leled suffering ! Had he sunk, the · ry; there is no searching of his world had sunk into destruction ! , understanding.” (Is. xl. 28.) “In He alone could say, " The world - the great day of the Lord” the and all its inhabitants are dissolv· heavens shall pass away with a "ed, I bear up the pillars of it." I · great noise, and the elements shall see the immovable rock standing . melt with fervent heat; the earth, in the midst of the 'ocean ; the

also, and all that are therein, shall stormy winds impel the rising wa· be burned up (2 Pet. iii); and then ters, and the dashing waves assail

Christ shall judge the world in it all around, but they are only : righteousness. This is the glorious broken into foam by their own · Person who, when the world, was rage, and pass away. For awhile sinking under the weight of its sin, it appears covered with the tempest, but it survives the turbu- therefore ye sons of Jacob are not lence of the raging sea, and still consumed.” (Mal. iii. 6.) With lifts its head, and stands firm on this the language of the New Tesits immovable foundation: thus tament beautifully corresponds, re. the storms of divine wrath beat on ferring the same immutable glory the head of Jesus, the Rock of his to the Lord our Redeemer-16 Je. people, the storins of a raging sus Christ, the same yesterday, to world beat all around him, and all day, and for ever" yesterday, the powers of darkness assailed his through an eternity passed in the foundation; for a while he appear- purposes of his love; to-day, to ed, as it were, covered with the supply, the present wants of all his impetuous waves : but he endured people, and for ever, to crown and stood uninjured through them with everlasting salvation. Yes! all, and emerged out of the storm « he is able to save to the uitermore glorious in might and power. most all who come unto God by These displays of his wisdom and him, seeing he ever liveth to make områpotence manifest his all-suffi- intercession for them.” (Heb, vii. ciency to be the object of our 25.) These are the essential profaith and the strength of our sal. perties of a rock, and justly exvation.

hibit the essential glory and me • The stability of a rock may very diatorial excellency of the Lord suitably be used to mark out the our Saviour, and render him suite eternity and immutability, of the able for those uses for which he is Lord Jesus Christ. We read of to be applied by the faith of his “ everlasting mountains and hills;" people. but this mode of speaking we know May our faith rest on him, and is only figurative. These are so prove the all-sufficiency of his savo called because they shall endure ing power and grace! as long as the world stands, the

[To be concluded in our next.] constitution and system with which they are connected. But this is literally true of the great Antitype, the Rock of Ages, or of eter. AN AWFUL WARNING, nity : “ Trust ye in the Lord for SIR, ' ever, for in the LORD JEHOVAH is I LATELY met with a narration everlasting strength.” He cannot in the Life of the Rev. John Wesbe moved, be shaken, or destroy. ley, so very remarkable, and tended; “ and with him there is no va ing so strongly to exemplify the riableness, neither shadow of a doctrine of Divine retribution even turning.” Glorious consideration in the present world,--as also powto the troubled conscience of the erfully to impress the minds of returning sinner, the penitent young persons with the awful sancbackslider, or the fearful believer! tion of the fifth commandment, His power, his grace and love, and that I thought it might very prothe virtue of his salvation, shall fitably be transplanted into the endure, unchanging in their firme pages of the Christian Guardian, ness, unchanging in their fulness; and if it meet with your approbaflowing in a stream of boundless tion I should be obliged to you to blessings (Is. liv. 10), as long as give it an insertion. As the faour need, as long as the constitu- mily of Mr. Hume was known to tion of the covenant of grace, of Mr. W. and the circumstances which he is the head, even through were so notorious that he could the countless ages of eternity. The not be misinformed, we may place consolation of the Old Testament full confidence in the narrative; is, “ I am JEHOVAH, I change not, and there are some important les

sons taught therein which demand his spirit, the displeasure of she our serious regard.

Almighty was awfully marked. 1. There is more of retribution Let young persons reflect how in this life than is generally appre. strictly God regards their tempers hended-See Judges, i. 7. An and behaviour towards their paattentive Christian may discover rents, who, next to himself, claim the hand of God in the occurrences their love and obedience. Let us of life, dealing out righteous judg- all cultivate a holy filial fear and ments (rewards or punishments) reverence towards God; though which totally escape the notice of we are permitted to approach him the careless sinner or the superfi- through his dear Son, with the cial observer; and exemplifications confidence of children, crying, of this truth may serve to rouse Abba, Father, yet let us remember the minds of some to solemn con- that holiness and justice are his sideration, and may also conpose attributes; and if we call on che our minds when we see ungodly Father, who, without respect to persons prospering for a season, by persons, judgeth according to every elucidating the words of the Psalm- man's work, let us pass the time of ist : “ Rest in the Lord, and wait our sojourning here in fear; not a patiently for him ; fret not thyself slavish fear, buta godly jealousy and because of him who prospereth in watchfulness over our own hearts : his way, because of the man who remembering, both for our comfort, bringeth wicked devices to pass.”' encouragement, and also our warn-, : 2dly. This relation conveys a ing, “ Verily there is a reward for very instructive and awful lesson to the righteous; doubtless there is a religious persons. Let not the God that judgeth the earth." freedom or fulness of Divine grace,

I am, Sir, which pardons the greatest sins,

Your humble servant, and saves the chief of sinners,

AUSTERE tempt any to trifle with sin because grace abounds; let them not think ABOUT this time Mr. Wesley rea that God regards sin in his people ceived a letter from a friend in Linotherwise than with the greatest colnshire, entreating him to serve abhorrence; and though he par- the church of a Mr. Hume, some don and save them, he will not let time before deceased, during its them go altogether unpunished; vacancy. The occasion of this he will visit their transgressions letter, with all the circumstances with thc rod, and their iniquity connected with it, is so very exwith stripes; he will make them to traordinary, that we doubt not we feel the bitterness of sin in its ef, shall be pardoned if we relate the fects, that they may be humbled, whole. may be made more circumspect, When Mr. Samuel Wesley's para may feel the preciousness of sonage-house was burnt at EpChrist.

worth, many of the neighbouring Thus he dealt with his servant gentry opened their houses to him David; and the same truth is and his family. Mr. John Wesley, shown in the case of the family of who was then only six years old, whom the following extract gives was received into the house of a us an account. Though we have Mr. Hume, a neighbouring clerreason to believe that Mr. Hume gyman, who had four sons and one became a pious man, and we hope daughter. Three of the sons were that he found mercy and peace educated at Oxford, and entered with God through the Lord Jesus into holy orders; the other went Christ, yet in his own person, and into the Guinea trade, and settled that of his family, who partook of on the coast of Africa. Mr. Wes. formation of the death of the last the whole church of Ministers and pf the family, he recollected a re- professing Christians in that large markable observation made to him and populous city and its vicinity. by his mother many years before. These two verses contain the first · He had been commending to her part of what he was to write, which in very strong terms Mr, Hume is in a strain of approbation and and his amiable family.-" John," commendation. In the people replied Mrs. Wesley, .“ depend which composed the church of upon it that family will come to an Ephesus there was much that was untimely end.” Mrs. Wesley was excellent and praiseworthy, much , a woman so far from being given of the truth and power of religion, to censure, that Mr. Wesley asked which was manifest in their lives. with some surprise, “ Madam, why Hereof the Lord Jesus makes hodo you speak so severely of so nourable mention; not to puff lovely a family ?"-" John," said them up with pride and self-admi. she, “ I will tell you why : I have ration, but to show that it was acobserved in various instances in the ceptable to himself, and to encou· course of my life, that where per- rage them to stand steadfast there. sons have grossly violated the fifth in, and to persevere; I know thy commandment, and afterwards have works, and thy labour, and thy pabeen brought to the fear of God, tience, &c. &c. We have in these the Lord has reversed the promise, verses to observe, and punished them for their trans- 1. The dignity of Christ, as begression with temporal death. Mr. ing possessed of all-perfect knowHume and his family lie under this ledge. censure: I remember the time 2, The character of sincere and when his mother lived under his upright Christians in several inroof, he used her cruelly; he grudg- stances. ed every bit of meat she put into 3. The motive of their works her mouth, and the whole family and of their patience-For my partook of his spirit; and, depend name's sake. ... upon it, God will remember them 1. The Lord Jesus Christ says for this."-Coke and Moore's Life to them, I know thy works, &c. of Wesley, p. 137. 1792.

ley, reading the letter above-men- shall be part of her fortune; and tioned, inquired of one of his Lin- Miss Hume has consented, with colnshire friends, whether Mr. much apparent satisfaction, that Hume was dead." Have you not you should be invited to supply the been informed of the calamities of church.” But Mr. Wesley was that family ?? replied his friend. too much impressed with the “ I have not,” said Mr. Wesley. thoughts of eternity to pay any “I will, then," said he, “ relate attention to this proposal. The them to you. , About nine months conclusion of this mournful epiago Mr. Hume was riding out, and, sode should not be omitted. Mrs. watering his horse at a large pond, Hume, soon after the death of her the unruly beast plunged out of his third son, received a letter from depth ; by which Mr. Hume was the only remaining one, informing 80 wetted, that he caught a violent her he was just going to sail from cold, which was followed by a fe- Africa to England with a fortune ver that caused his death. Lord sufficient to make the whole family

, the patron of Mr. Hume's. comfortable; and in a few days' living, was determined it should after she received a letter from the remain in the family as long as captain of a swift-sailing vessel, possible, and therefore gave the who had been hailed by the ship in eldest son a presentation of it. which her son sailed, by whom she. Mr. Hume (the father) had just was informed, that her son had rebuilt the parsonage-house before died on his passage of a disorder he died; the son took possession which then raged in the ship. Mrs. before it was dry, and the damp- Hume, sinking under the weight ness of it soon occasioned his of such a complication of misforspeedy death. The second son tunes, soon died of a broken heart, was then presented to the living, Miss Hume, about a month after

and he died also a few weeks after the death of her mother, was in · his induction. The third son (his company with a physician, who, brother dying suddenly)set off looking steadfastlyat her, observed, from Oxford to receive the pre- « Madám, you take opium, Iknow sentation. In his way he lay at it by your eyes ; and I am afraid the house of an old acquaintance you have put it out of my power of his father. The gentleman of to recover you.” She confessed the house had a beautiful daugh- that the misfortunes of the family ter, with whom young Mr. Hume had so entirely deprived her of immediately fell in love: he, there- rest, that she had taken laudanum fore, before he departed, begged to obtain a little repose. The phy: permission to return and make sician prescribed, in a fortnight proposals, to which the father she recovered her appetite, her coconsented. Mr. Hume, after his lour, and, in a good measure, her induction to his living, returned health. The physician then adaccording to his engagement, and vised her to take a table-spoonful in a few days the marriage was of a julap he had prescribed for completed : but in six weeks after her whenever she found herself inthe nuptials the lady was brought clined to be sick. A few days to bed: and Mr. Hume soon after- after this she desired a servant to wards died with grief. Now, Sir," bring her a spoonful of the julap. said the Lincolnshire gentleman, The servant mistaking the bottle “ you may have a living and a of laudanum for the julap, brought wife : for Lord has declared, her a spoonful of laudanum, which that if Miss Hume is married to a she drank, and soon afterwards clergyman within six months from she fel asleep, and awoke no more. the death of her brother, the living When Mr, Wesley received in

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ven, and reigns there in glory, and ... ON THE SEVEN CHURCHES or

is no longer present in his human

nature on the earth, yet he perASIA.

fectly knows whatever is done or Rev. ii. 2, 3..

transacted here below, and throughI know thy works, and thy labour, out the whole universe, because

and thy patience, and how thou he is God as well as man; whereof cańst not bear them which are his infinite knowledge is a convinevil; and thou hast tried them cing proof. Chap. i. 14: His eyes which say they are apostles, and were as a flame of fire; signifying are not, and hast found them the all-penetrating extent of his liars.; and hast borne, and hast knowledge. The same attributes patience, and for my name's sake are often ascribed to him as to God kast laboured, and hast not the Father, and particularly this fainted,

of omniscience: all things are na In the first verse St. John was, ked and open before his eye ; Peter commanded to write to the angel, said to him, Lord, thou knowest all

or the chief minister, superintend. things, and received no rebuke, as ,,.en't or bishop of the church of ascribing too much to him ; it is.

Ephesus. What he was 'to write said of him, that he knew men's .. to him was to be communicated to thoughts; and he says of himself, ... CHRIST. GUARD. VOL. VI. . Kk ,

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