its climax. Divine assurance, "live in a calm and cheerful mood," assured that Christ is unto them "the hope of glory," and that when they depart from this wretched, miserable, sinful world, it will be well with them. Surely this is the greatest of all blessings, and it was Cowper's only hope, only trust, and only reliance; and as he says Since the dear hour that brought me to thy And cut up all my follies by the root, Were but the feeble efforts of a child: "When I traversed the apartment in the most horrible dismay of soul, expecting every moment that the earth would open her mouth and swallow me, my conscience scaring me, the avenger of blood pursuing me, and a city of refuge out of reach and out of sight, a strange and horrid darkness fell upon me. If it were possible that a heavy blow could light on my brain, without touching my skull, such was the sensation I felt. I clapped my hand to my forehead, and cried aloud for the pain it gave me. At every stroke my thoughts and expressions became more wild and indistinct; all that remained clear was the sense of sin and the expectation of punishment. These kept undisturbed possession all through my illness, without interruption or abateThat they proceeded from a grateful heart; ment. Such was the pitiable condition Cleansed in thine own all-purifying blood, Forgive their evil, and accept their good: to which he was brought. Now then, I cast them at thy feet; my only plea what was the cause of this attack? Was Is what it was-dependence upon thee. it his religion? Was there not sufficient to account for his first illness, combined But this happy, quiet, and peaceful with the fact that his malady was a con- frame of mind, was not to be enjoyed by stitutional disease, which nothing could him all his life. We have no right to avert, to cause such an unhappy event? question God's dealings, or doubt Nothing shows the wretched ignorance of whether they are beneficial. If one the facts than to state such an accusation. Christian suffers more than another, we What was the religion he professed? should not inquire whether they are Read that excellent and unequalled poem, beneficial. If one Christian suffers Truth;" and the high distinguishing more than another, we should not indoctrines of free grace and God's eternal quire whether God manifests clemency election are done justice to, without the according to His high and noble chaleast tinge of the hydra Antinomi-racter. We cannot tell why it is that anism. This is the religion that has one Christian is thrown into dark and for ages, and will, so long as this world incessant despair, and another exalted exists, be the cause of vituperation and and joyful in the things of the Lordsplenetic venom by the opposers of God's how that one is cast down, and often truth. The reflection is cast upon the devoid of hope, while another lives in religion of Cowper, and then upon that the happiness of a blessed assurance; good old saint, the Rev. John Newton, but all these things shall be revealed. his pastor. But the accusation bends At present, however, they are a mystery. under its own weight. It never has been proved, and I venture to assert it never will. But although the malady lasted for a long period, there was a happy period when he should be released from it; indeed, there was a double change to be relieved from this most distressing of maladies is a great blessing; but what is the greatness, compared with that of the release from the bondage of sin and Satan, and having the assurance of an interest in the salvation of Jesus Christ. Ah! how truly envious is the lot of those who, possessed of this The second attack. What was the cause of it? Obvious enough. It is the same with a bodily as a mental disease. A person subject to a complaint is liable to a second-nay, many attacks, and at different periods; and so it is where there is a constitutional disease (as it was with Cowper), it is liable to a recurrence. The second attack of the malady has been attributed especially to religion. But surely, is it possible for a person, possessing a lively and well-grounded hope, to be so elated, and so "exalted above measure," that their overjoy results in madness? It appears to me ludicrous. I should like, Mr. Editor, your opinion upon it. I agree with the Bishop of Ripon, that Cowper, being "predisposed to mental delusion and self-accusation, it might have been indiscreet to encourage the poet to ponder much on his own personal experience;" but, at the same time, there is sufficient to account for the second outbreak of his malady. His brother's death, ill-health, and pecuniary difficulties were sufficient to account for the recurrence of his awful malady. It is as equally clear that, in the first attack, religion was not the cause of his hypochondrias, as the second attack resulted from the circumstances alluded to. As is generally the case with those who have been visited with this dire malady, Satan impresses upon his mind that he has committed the unpardonable sin, and he is consequently lost, helpless, undone, and not the shadow of forgive ness. In this gloom he remained till within a few weeks of his death (nearly thirty years' duration; but his kind and loving Lord appeared to him in the apprehension of a speedy dissolution, enlivened his hopes, and gave him the assurance of a blessed eternity.* *He * I am aware that it is generally understood that Cowper remained in soul-bondage all his existence, but this is disproved by the happy frame of mind in which he was, when in the article of death, and from the "And now, secure from every ill, To the bright world of glory flown, Where sorrow, sickness, pain, and death, To endless ages are unknown." Thus I have endeavoured to disprove the generally-conceived notion, that Cowper's insanity was caused by his practical religion. The accusation made against John Newton, that, by imposing upon him spiritual duties which he was unable to perform, is scarcely feasible, when the first attack took place before Newton was personally acquainted with him, and when the second was merely a recurrence of the first. The accusations are merely made by those who are ignorant of Divine truth; and would appear scarcely worth denying, were it not that it is often the case that even Christians are led to attribute his insanity to his religion. the [Time forbids our touching upon words he said to Earl Cowper, "In the foregoing subject this month. Possibly we may do so in our next.-ED.] world to which I am hastening, a merciful Redeemer hath prepared unspeakable happiness for all His children, and therefore for me." THE CLOUD AND THE CONFLICT. The path of the child of God through this ever-changing and dying world, is one chequered and thorny; light here, and shade there; now a gleam of bright sunshine, succeeded often by a dense overhanging cloud; a calm peaceful day, followed by a stormy night; a season of wealth and prosperity of soul, and then a time of adversity and famine; the enjoyment of health and God's smile, which frequently gives place to affliction, and the hiding of a dear Father's countenance. and There is no promise in the Word of God, that the way of His people shall be always calm and prosperou, blessed indeed it is for them, that it has been so arranged by Him, who ever watches over them with a jealous care. If they were suffered to be at peace with the world, to sink down into a quiet rest on this earth, successful in business, In this progressive pilgrimage, we free from care and anxiety, as it regards breastplate of our own fancied goodness, their temporal welfare, and surrounded but one, glorious, complete, and imby friends, to whom they have become pervious, which the keenest of the shafts united by the silken bands of love; of Satan can never pierce through. they would, by degrees, but surely, lose "Our feet shod with the preparation their taste for the reading of God's of the gospel of peace;" "the shield of Word, it would become a dull, insipid, faith;" "the helmet of salvation;" and book to them, and its glorious messages, most useful of all, "the sword of the and full and powerful promises, would Spirit, which is the Word of God" drop on their hearts like water on a (Eph. vi. 14, 17). With this last, which stone; prayer would be in their lips as is a "two-edged sword in our hand, we a foreign language, and by their constant may fight our way through all opposing association with worldliness, they would powers, executing vengeance on the forget the "Songs of Zion;" they heathen, and punishments on the people" would also forget the home "prepared" (Ps. cxlix. 6, 7). for them; they would feel, when called to die, that life was far dearer and more must not expect a corresponding propleasant to them than death, even though | gressive sanctification of our own hearts; they were departing to be with that on the contrary, we shall find that the precious Jesus, whose blood was shed further we go on our way, the more we in order to purchase their inheritance shall discover their desperate wickedness of the "house not made with hands, and deep deceitfulness. More grace will eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. v. 1). be given as we proceed (James iv. 6); But, thanks be to our wise and sovereign grace to help in every time of need Ruler, He has so ordained our every step, (Heb. iv. 16). But this grace does not that we cannot rest here, there is no improve the old nature, that will never peace for us in this world; and we are get better, but daily the light of God's clearly told in our holy guide-book, that truth will reveal to us the dark corners our journey (and the very fact of its and hidden recesses of sin and unholiness, being termed a journey, implies, that we which lurk within; sin will even dwell in must not expect a cessation from toil us as long as we carry about with us and weariness, until we arrive at our this body of death; and so far from our destination) must be through this evil attaining to perfection in this life, we world, ever fighting against sin, Satan, shall to the end be continually discoverand self, waging a continual warfare ing fresh imperfections; and although, as with the powers of darkness; a warfare looked upon by our God in the face of in which we must face the foe, for ob- His dear Son, we are purer than the serve, there is no armour provided for angels; we shall, to the hour of our the back-to fly, is to be conquered, death, possess the fallen nature of old to lay down our arms, is to be overcome; Adam, and the evil heart of unbelief, a warfare in which there is no truce, no inherited by every one of his race, which surrendering, but a continual warfare, will be constantly fighting against the which will only terminate with our new Spirit given by God, in the instant earthly existence. And we find for our of regeneration. There are some who comfort, that we are not expected to assert that they can and do arrive at a maintain this constant striving and fight- state of perfection in this life; but if ing against the enemy, without strong this be true, it is a state of being, the weapons, which " are not carnal but possibility of arriving at which was mighty, through God, to the pulling down never presented to the mind of the great of strongholds' (2 Cor. x. 4). Neither apostle Paul: and if not believed and set have we to make or supply these to our- forth by those who by special inspiration selves; the hand which guided us into were instructed to write all things nethe "fight," has also prepared for our cessary for our salvation, profitable for use a complete "armour, that we may doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for be able to withstand in the evil day" instruction in righteousness, they have (Eph. vi. 13). We have " our loins girt no other warrant for their belief of it, about with truth,' "the "breastplate than the persuasion of their own Phariof righteousness," not a manufactured saical hearts, and blinded understandings. وو Look at Paul's experience, Romans vii., | unite with the Psalmist, as he exclaims, especially verse 18. If in this present "Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my life we could attain to a perfect state, glory, and the lifter up of my head" surely the "flesh" would have something (Ps. iii. 3). "The Lord is my strength whereof to boast, which can never be" and my shield, my heart trusted in Him, (1 Cor. i. 29; Eph. ii. 9). And if it and I am helped" (Ps. xxviii. 7). And were possible that we could reach this more than this, we shall see that, so far (through God's infinite mercy) unattain- from being driven back, we have really able position, we should completely and advanced, we shall find that the Lord for ever shut ourselves out from any has been enlarging our hearts, so that share in the great and all-sufficient we are now ready to "run in the atoning work of Christ, and could way of His commandments. Again, we never lay claim to that righteousness, may have been going along our way which was wrought out for sinners only, for some time without interruption, as our Lord Himself declares, Luke v. 32, sunny days and cloudless nights, when "I came not to call the righteous but suddenly down comes a dense cloud, and sinners to repentance." If then we can we are enveloped on all sides in the imof ourselves become perfectly righteous, penetrable fog. What can we do now? we cannot be among those for whom We know not the road before us—we the Saviour died, but of that number dare not turn back; and to move a step who are attempting to climb up some to the right hand or to the left, might other way. Blessed indeed, then, are plunge us into some terrible abyss. they who, knowing the plague of their There is nothing left but to stand still. own hearts, are enabled to turn away How comfortable is it, then, to feel that their eyes from looking for any good our feet are on the rock. There is no thing in themselves, but for everything fear of this sure foundation sliding away in Jesus; and who can sing with the from us in the dark. Although we immortal Toplady :cannot see it, it is there as surely as though our eyes rested upon it. No; the rock is strong and firm, and can never be moved; but the cloud can, and will be, when our soul has been well exercised in the "waiting patiently for breath of His mouth, disperses the He graciously, by one gloomy vapour which surrounds and the Sun of Righteousness once more the road, we go on our way rejoicing. beaming forth his glorious rays upon : "Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears for ever dow, All for sin could not atone, Thou must save, and thou alone." Throughout the journey of life, there are many things which impede our progress, and render our wayfaring painful and wearisome. Who among the Lord's people cannot look back upon times when he could cry out, with David, "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me, many are they that rise up against me?" Sometimes our enemies come around us on every side, and such is the buffeting and persecuting we receive, that we are almost ready to believe that we are being driven backwards, and shall finally be overcome and destroyed; but when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are once more able to flourish the two-edged sword, and so scatter and put to flight those who were fighting against us, we are then able to THE TRUE MIRROR.-The Bible is my mirror, in which I see what I was in Adam, before the fall-what I became the Lord." us, the trials and hindrances we meet with This is but a rough outline of a few of remember, with David, that we are by the way, which are sent that we may Strangers in the earth" (Psalm cxix. 19). And may we, with the faithful ones of old, who "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the and the city prepared for us by our God earth," ever desire that better country (Heb. xi. 13-16). West Ham. H. E. W. by the fall-what I am, and what I should be in Christ now, and what I shall be through eternity.-Luther. THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF UNION WITH CHRIST, BRIEFLY UNFOLDED FOR THE EDIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER. (Continued from page 336.) THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE Unfolded. rically different. Alike in the regenerate and in the unregenerate, these faculties, and these only, are to be found. We may argue this on two distinct grounds 1. This spirit-life does not operate as bestowing any new faculties upon its human subject beyond, or differing from, those originally possessed. We have already treated at length, though not physical necessity, and Scriptural eviwithout provoking some objections to dence. We call the first physical, inasour statements, of the nature of the new much as it has its foundation in the very birth of the Spirit; or, in other words, nature of man, and we mean simply, that of the doctrine of regeneration. And, were any new faculties added to the while so doing, we have shown by quo- soul in regeneration, it would be a violatations from their writings, that many tion of the integrity of human nature; evangelical writers have laid great-we for a soul with other, or different faculdo not say too great-stress upon this ties, could no more be a human soul than very point. Thus far, indeed, we quite a body, with other or different members, agree with them. We readily admit, could be a human body. But our second not only that in regeneration no faculties and surest ground of argument is are added to the soul, but, moreover, Scriptural evidence. The Scriptures that the spirit-which we have shown to uniformly represent the spiritual man as be a perfectly distinct principle from the exercising the same faculties as the soul, and which holds a somewhat analo- natural man, and no others. We look in gous relation to it, that the soul itself vain for any intimation of the bestowal holds to the body-introduces no new of new faculties in the act of regenerafaculties of its own into human nature; tion. We read, indeed, of the underfor, on the contrary, as the soul uses no standing being enlightened (Eph. i. 18); senses but those of the body, so, we of the will being divinely rectified believe, the spirit exerts no faculties but (Phil. ii. 13); of the conscience being those of the soul. The untheological purged by the blood of Christ, and reader, however, may here be disposed bearing witness in the Holy Ghost to ask, What are the faculties of the (Heb. ix. 14; Rom. ix. 1); and of the soul? And to this we reply, in popular affections being set on things above, not language, and without taking heed to on things on the earth (Col. iii. 2). the unprofitable metaphysical distinctions But though exercised in a different which beset even this first step in our manner, and upon different objects, inquiry,* that the faculties of the soul these faculties are still only the natural are (1) the understanding, or intellectual faculties of the soul. The understandfaculty; (2) the will, or determining ing by which a man spiritually underfaculty; (3) the conscience, or moral stands the Scriptures is the same underfaculty; and (4) the affections, or desiring faculty. These are the faculties which the great Creator has bestowed upon man as a rational, responsible, and emotional being: and to these faculties we say none are added in regeneration, either numerically additional, or gene * JONATHAN EDWARDS reduces the faculties of the soul to two-the mind and the will, but only by giving to those terms a more inclusive meaning than is either necessary or convenient. standing by which he naturally compre 66 |