66

upon the headland of 1848, we say, with cheerfulness and thankfulness of heart, to that God who hath brought us safely through, "Thou art the God that doeth wonders;" while to all its bygone troubles and anxieties we pronounce farewell." For, whereas in thee we have seen the Egyptians, we shall see them no more for ever; nor less will we welcome the opening era, which, upon the axletree of days aud months, bears us to a vast eternity. We have in the revolvings of our mind, endured some tossings, not as it regards what ground we should meet you on, or what subject we should come to you with. Long— very long, has all disputation ceased with us, as to the supreme excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the sole prerogative of Him in all things to the pre-eminence; nor would we, now grown old, wish to detract therefrom; it is the same "Jesus in glory," and the same "Church in the wilderness"-thus nothing can efface any of his beauty or affect our interest in Him, be it time or eternity, 1847 or 1848: the same love is by Him borne towards us, and into all the earth is the sound gone forth, "Glorious things of thee are spoken, O city of God. Selah" (Ps. lxxxvii. 3).

Can we do better than upon this foundation, which is in the holy mount, from whence these glorious things are spoken, meet you on the breaking in upon us of this new era of time? Zion is and for ever shall be the "city of God." He loveth her gates, and visits all her dwellings; it has been the speaking home of these glorious things in the gone-by years which has kept our souls alive, and still our hope is towards Him, and the remembrance of his word. We will neither raise your expectations, fellow-travellers, or attempt ourselves an insurmountable task in this our annual address, by supposing it possible to cause before you to pass the whole of those glorious things spoken of Zion; eternity itself, however old it may grow, will leave the pleasing tale unfinished, for they are not only eternal as the mind of Jehovah, but must run coeval with his existence.

Willing to compress as much as possible, that we be not charged with the too often crime of monopolizing the pages of our mutual conveyancer, we will content ourselves by ushering in the eventful year 1818, by viewing-First, Zion's foundation; Secondly, Zion's redemption; Thirdly, Zion's children brought to the birth; and, lastly, Zion's building displaying God's glory.

I.-Zion's foundation. Every house, is said by the apostle, to be builded by some man, but he that built all things is God." Hence when any of those anxious inquirers of the messengers of the nations shall with importunity press on their attention the subjects, it shall be instantly replied unto, "That the Lord hath founded Zion;" thus not only of himself is the foundation, but himself is the very foundatiou. "Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner, a sure foundation" (Is. xxviii. 6), and amongst the glorious things spoken concerning Zion, it is no small mercy to know it standeth sure (2 Tim. ii. 19); no floods, no hurricanes, winds, or tempests, can so much as shake it, much less erase it; in the holy mountain of his own eternal mind it is laid, and, founded upon the immutability of his love, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Upon this foundation has all the stupendous weight

of our numbered years been laid, yet it has not given way. Yea, what are our weights compared to what God himself has laid; all the election of grace placed in Him for security; all the sins of that election charged for the purpose of being cancelled; all the requirements of the law in order to be fulfilled, and all the demands of Justice, as the only legitimate source from whence satisfaction could be obtained. Upon it are placed the "seven eyes " of the strictest scrutiny, yet no defect can be discovered; in the holy mountains it remains the imperishable monument of God's good will to men, but it shall not stand merely as an object to look upon, for "the poor of his people shall betake themselves unto it" (Is. xiv. 32), hearing of its solid and lasting benefits to all those poor and needy, sin.sick, and distressed ones, whose own sandy foundation has given way, and who have proved the fallacy of all other foundations; even they shall betake themselves to it-or, in other words, shall put their trust in it, for "He is a Rock, and his work is perfect." Time shall grow old and die, the poor shall themselves pass from stage to stage in their pilgrimage here, while it shall remain in its twofold nature the same, a foundation and a Rock of offence, and stone of stumbling. Glorious things ever and anon spoken of it. "The firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety."

II. It appears that even these glorious things are dashed with bitters, for does not the voice of retribution cry, "Woe to her that is filthy and polluted "-she that obeyed not the voice, she that received not instruction (Zeph. iii. 1). Alas! is the foundation rent, or has the holy mountain given way? Nay; impossible this, but Zion has fallen by her iniquities, and her sins have separated between her and her God; she is become an alien; she is enveloped in darkness; sold for nought; led captive; cast out in her blood; none to pity; on the furthest side from Priest and Levite, yet not out of the path trod by a feeling Samaritan, who, looking on, finds her wounded, stripped, naked, half dead in her feelings, wholly dead in sins. What is to be done? Are there no glorious things now to be spoken? O yes; her wounds shall be bound upher nakedness covered; her life suspended-yea, wholly restored; for thus runs the manifesto of her voyage, "Zion shall be redeemed with judgments, and her converts with righteousness" (Is. i. 27). What an everlasting certainty is found connected with those glorious things. spoken of the city of God; nothing left upon time contingencies-the immutable shalls and wills of Jehovah making the whole secure which concerns her, and so combining the act of redemption with the Person of the Redeemer, that the greatness of his glory is made to appear through the same. However appalling the awful state and conditions he is under by her fall-an enemy to God, and far off by wicked works— not only is her redemption to be effected, but it shall be with an equity and judgment which shall admit of no resistance. And how fully does this appear in the appointment of Him who shall obtain it for her, and very clear is it to be seen that there was no other Person competent to the work but the Son of God; hence the prophet's declaration, "Thy Maker is thy husband; the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called " (Is. liv. 5)-the peculiarity of it lying, not only in his fitness to redeem, but the infinite value which his greatness and dignity gave to the whole

work. And what an everlasting revenue of glory will arise from that judgment displayed in the appointment. The component parts which constitute his glorious Person, as God and man, qualifying Him as the medium to both, in which nothing derogatory to the higher character could take place, though all blessings should thereby be conveyed to the lower one. "Forasmuch as the children were made partakers of flesh and blood, he also took part of the same." Thus in all that was required in the putting away of sin, rendering satisfaction, and bringing her in free from all guilt and condemnation. "Judgment was laid to the line." A Person no less than Him would have done-a blood not divine would have been abortive; more was not required to be shedless would have been inefficacious; the deed was what it must be to be glorify God, exalt the Saviour, and redeem the Church; so that in the individual case of every convert brought to participate in these glorious things spoken, "the righteousness of God without the law is manifested" (Rom. iii. 21).

III. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." In that thy children shall all be brought to the birth, and shall come forth, "And of Z on it shall be said, this and that man was born in her " (Ps. lxxxvii. 6). Very evident it is that the sins of Zion, in common with the world at large, have thrown her into a dead sleep, rather the sleep of death-the deed and day of transgression calling up the sentence, "In dying thou shalt die "-which death it was which placed her in a state to call forth "redemption," seeing she was originally the property of her Husband, who, having espoused her person unto himself, becomes security for all her actions, as well as the recovery of her from all the consequences of her departure from lim. Not only was it therefore needful for him to die, but he must also give life unto her, in raising her up, and quickening her from all the trespasses and sins in which she lay; nor is the redemption already wrought more certain and sure, than it is that all her children shall be brought forth; the testimony of the whole word of God is, "The flocks shall pass again" under the hand of Him that telleth them; "not an hoof shall be left behind;" it shall be said, "This and that man was born there." Nothing can circumvent or frustrate the act, seeing it is not of the will or inclination of the person so born upon which it depends. "The Highest himself shall establish her"-a work instantaneous, and fraught with godlike power, Jehovah challenging all competition in the great act. "Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth' be made to bring forth in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord. Shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God (Is. Ixvi. 8, 9). And who is he that shall shut when God opens? Very striking are the circumstances under which the birth of Zion's children takes place. Manasseh was born amongst thorns and fetters (2 Chron. xxxiii. 11-13); Matthew at the receipt of custom (Matt. ix. 9); Zaccheus in full pursuit after a natural gratification (Luke xix. 1—9); the Samaritan woman when attending to her household wants (John iv. 5-29); the town sinner in the house of Simon (Luke vii. 37–50);

Magdalene, when devils ruled and reigned in her (Mark xvi. 9); Saul on the highway (Acts ix. 1-9); the Philippian jailer, in the very act of suicide (Acts xvi. 27-34); and the thief upon the cross, when only an hair's breadth between him and the eternal world (Luke xxiii. 42, 43). Yea, what might be further said in regard of us who are living in hope, to have it realized in that day which shall declare it, that "This and that man was born in her."

Lastly, The glorious things spoken further declareth that, "when the Lord shall build up Zion," he shall appear in his glory (Ps. cii. 16). On Him shall they hang all the glory of his Father's house, for this is the mighty Zerubbabel who, having laid the foundation of this house, has also carried on the building, and will ere long bring forth the top stone with shoutings of grace, grace unto it" (Zech. iv. 6—10). And what can be more glorious to us who are left a little while longer here below, than to know that, whatever concerns us, infinitely more concerns the Lord. Here we have, to us, the highest of all considerations, the salvation of our souls; but with him not only that salvation, but the glory thereof. Thus if but one failure, the glory thereof would be tarnished-yea, receive such a stain as never to be erased; but it is impossible even now his glory is seen in gathering out the stones for building; and when that building is complete, how transcendantly glorious shall He appear.

Brethren beloved, we are lost in the subject, for nature's plummet and line can never fathom it. We congratulate you that these glorious things are still with you upon the opening of this new, and, to us, unexplored year 1848 : changes do with rapidity pass before us, and we with haste fly before them, but the termini must be reached ere long, when we shall more fully realize all the vastness of those blessings which we now see and know only in part. With some of us it is more than probable we enter upon the last data of time; and ere the year close in we shall have numbered to us all its units, amounting, as they must, comparatively speaking, to nothing, when standing against the all-absorbing word "eternity." Fear, then, none of what the world's lottery might throw up to you; bear in mind, your prize is with you and before you; time or eternity, the same sweet note can be sounded, "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah." Newick. A STRIPLING.

FIVE HUNDRED "HAWKER'S PORTIONS," FOR ONE SHILLING EACH.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

MY DEAR BROTHER IN The Lord,

Ir is now several months since I had the pleasure of writing you. My many occupations and frequent absence from home have partly been the cause of silence, but the principal reason has been the desire of waiting to see what would be the result of my appeal contained in the January, April, and July numbers of your Magazine.

I must confess it, dear Editor, I am disappointed. With the exception of two correspondents, no one has responded to the call of "Who is on the Lord's side ?" Still I am not in despair. My hopes have been cast down, but not destroyed. I have been discouraged, but not turned away from my object. I cannot yet believe that there is so little care for the church of Christ,- -so little zeal "for providing spiritual refreshment for the little flock who are travelling homewards; their eye fixed on the bright and morning Star." (See July Magazine, page 336.)

It is now exactly twelve months since I first ventured to address you on the subject in question, thus I hope your readers have had sufficient time to well weigh the matter. I would affectionately press them to again read my three letters in the numbers mentioned above, and as a "new-year's gift to the beloved of God,-His little flock," I would beg them to help me in carrying out the following proposition. "Blessed Master, thou knowest that it is made in the hope of doing good to those whom thou lovest and hast redeemed; it is made with a view to thy glory; graciously remember thy words." (Mat. xviii. 19, 20.)

My dear fellow-pilgrims, I propose to purchase ONE THOUSAND COPIES of "Hawker's Morning and Evening Portions," 12mo., the cost of which, bound in cloth, will not exceed 2s. per copy. The regular selling price of this book is 4s. 6d. per copy.

The total amount of money needed for this purchase will be £100. Five hundred copies of the above shall be sold at 1s. each to the poor of the flock, or to the richer members, churches, or ministers for gratuitous distribution or for resale, at the same price.

The remaining five hundred copies to be sold to such as shall subscribe for them, at the cost price of 2s. per copy.

To accomplish the above, I must have subscribers for 500 copies, at 2s. each, 500 copies at 1s. each, and free contributions to the amount of £25.

As perhaps it will be difficult to find these at once, and wishing to begin operations with the new year, so as to supply, without delay, those friends who may wish to have copies, I propose to open a list of subscription for monies to be advanced, in order to immediately make the purchase. This money to be returned as the copies are sold off, when it is not contributed to help me to furnish copies to the poor at

1s. each.

As soon, then, as I have subscribers for 250 copies at 2s. each

250 ditto at 1s.

Free Contributions

Loan

£100 0 0

I will (D. V.) complete the purchase, or as soon as I have "loan money" sufficient.