The Doctrine of DIVINE Obedience to the Law of God asserted, and defended, agaanst the unscriptural notion of mere HUMAN Obedience.

(In a Letter to the Editor of the Spiritual Magazine.)

Mr. Editor,

I Take the liberty to address you on a subject of considerable importance to the church of God; as such I beg the favour of a corner in your useful Magazine for an unequivocal statement of the same, humbly soliciting a few observations from your own pen, on the subject in question.-You must know, sir, that a few days ago I was called in providence to visit a few friends, (and to preach) in the town of N- where, after I had finished my commission, I found myself surrounded by an host of opposers to what I esteem the great and fundamental doctrines of the cross of Christ; doctrines, which I trust I am daily labouring to advance, advocate, and maintain, from the sacred record of divine revelation, and that even in the very teeth of some of the most inveterate enemies to the cause of God and truth in the neighbourhood where it is my lot to be cast.

The doctrines I allude to, you will I consider be led more into the knowledge of, in proportion as I subsequently bring forward their opposite, as advanced, and endeavoured to be maintained by the parties in question, which by the by, consisted chiefly of what some folks call "divines."-Now, sir, the FIRST was, that the righteousness of our adorable Jesus consisted of nothing more, than mere HUMAN obedience to the law of works; and that divinity had neither directly nor indirectly any hand at all in the business! or that the divinity of Jesus was by no means whatever concerned, in working out and bringing in of that righteousness in which the church of Christ must ever stand justified before God. Consequently, it could be nothing more, after all, than a creature performance; or, in other words, nothing more than a mere HUMAN righteousness!

But if our Christ did, what he did, independently of his divine essence, or abstractedly from, and without the aid of his essential Godhead; or, if He without the immediate assistance of the divine Father, wrought out, brought in, and openly produced the righteousness in which the church of God stood from everlasting justified; then, I ask, what am I to understand by such a text as this, "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will HOLD thine hand, and will KEEP thee and give thee for a covenant of the people," &c. Again, "this is the name whereby he shall be called, (not the man, but) the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS;" and again, "in the LORD have I righteousness and strength-in the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." Besides if the righteousness of the saints be nothing more than a HUMAN righteousness; how came the inspired apostle to call it "the righteousness of God?" Rom. x. 1, 2, 3. Phil, iii. 9.

The cavilling and unprofitable controversy arose from a decided opposition in the minds of some of the party to Dr. Hawker's views of the subject of Christ's fulfilling the law for his people, as stated in his 5th Village Sermon, page 9, (viz.) "He fulfilled the whole law, magnified it, and made it honourable;" consequently he was the law-fulfilling GOD; for the Godhead was in all he did, &c.

And from hence arose the SECOND point at issue between us, "that Jesus Christ was not sustained or aided by the Father in any thing he either did or suffered." And these wise men of Gotham challenged and defied me to produce one single portion from the word of God to prove to the contrary. I referred them to John xiv.

10. but this not suiting their purpose, they replied, it had nothing to do with the subject. Allow me to ask them, (for 1 have no doubt they will see this letter) whether the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet has any thing to do with the point in hand? It is written "when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee:" Isa. xliii. 2. 1. Who is the speaker here? 2. Who is the person addressed? and to whom is the promise made? and 3. What is the import of the promise contained in the text? Again, I ask, what am I to understand by Isaiah xii. 10. also Ps. xxxiv. 19. —Ps. 1. 15. see also Isa. xlix. 15, 16. Isa. xlii. 6. also our Lord himself, "verily, verily, I say unto you, the SON can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do, these also doeth the Son," -again, "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me-and he that sent me is with me; the Father hath not left me alone:" &c. see John v. 19, 20. John viii. 28. Heb. v. 7. John v. 17. Surely, Mr. Editor, the above portions of sacred truth savour some little of the notion, of the Father sustaining or upholding the Son in the work of salvation, redemption, justification, and glorification of the church of Christ.

The THIRD particular, as the subject of debate, was something touching the pre-existence of Jesus Christ; it was as follows—“I believe that Jesus Christ was set up, and did exist, not in mere purpose, decree, forethought, &c. nor do I believe that he actually existed in human nature; but I believe that a pure, spotless, being did actually exist, unto which the elect were united, and taken, from which I believe to be the good seed spoken of in the word; but I do not believe that Jesus Christ was set up as a divine Son, or in human nature," &c. So you must also know, Mr. Editor, that the idea of divine Sonship was indignantly rejected, and divine relationship scouted as a non-entity; the objectors thereto openly declaring, that there could be no such thing as relationship existing between the Father and the Son, considered as GOD. Nay, they went so far as to insist, that the covenant of grace was entered upon and established between God and man! and that the HUMAN nature of Jesus was a

party in the engagement! but, sir, whatever may be your conclusion

on the above sentiments, I, for one, look upon them as exhibiting the prominent features of Arminianism, Sabellianism, Arianism, and Socinianism! The whole of which are embraced and maintained in the said corrupt sentiments, by thousands of professors and preachers who pass for sound men in the faith, in this dark and awful day of corruption, delusion and folly. From all such good Lord deliver us. Your's, Mr. Editor,

In the bonds of the blessed gospel of our TRIUNE JEHOVAH,
A DISCIPLE.

Sept. 21, 1825.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

THE SOUL'S MEDITATION ON THE NEW BIRTH. AND canst thou, O my soul! amidst all thy mighty trials and conflicts, forget the glories, the felicities of that happy day, when thou first felt the quickening power of almighty grace in regeneration! Can the joint efforts of sin and satan, the hurries of the world, or thine own present darkness and confusion, hinder thee from reflecting that it was the blessed, glorious day of thine espousals to Jesus! and has my mournful soul no cheerful notes, to sing the triumphs, and celebrate the joys of that blissful time, when the Prince of life, the Lord of glory, held out the golden sceptre of his mercy; dispelled by the light of his countenance, those clouds of ignorance and guilt which involved my soul! shone upon me with the strong beams of his love; washed me in his precious blood, and covered me with the robe of righteousness! enriched me with the graces, and enlightened me with the teachings of his Spirit; betrothed me to himself in an everlasting covenant, and made me one with him, by an union that can never be dissolved!

And, O my soul! what was infoided and wrapt up in that happy change! what joys, what glories were entailed in that heavenly match! from what a dreadful eternity of woe wast thou snatched in that hour, by the arms of this celestial bridegroom! he then introduced thee into the presence of his Father and thy Father, with favour and acceptance; sent down his most Holy Spirit to dwell in thine heart for ever: appointed thee a guard of angels; told thee what his thoughts were from everlasting, made thee look with longing for his second coming, and sealed thee to the day of redemption! That Sun of righteousness which rose upon thee, my soul, in that happy morning, though clouds and darkness may frequently interpose and interrupt the light of his glorious beams, will never set more! The blessed Jesus then commenced that acquaintance with thee which shall never be broken off, but be improving to eternity! the sacred Spirit then took away the veil of thick darkness which covered my understanding, and opened the eyes of my mind to behold the great things of a future world! 'twas then he broke the iron chain of my obstinate will, erected the throne of Immanuel in my heart, turned out the infernal fiend who had long governed and deluded my

immortal powers, and restored me to the happy freedom of adoring that blessed Being who alone had a right to my allegiance. It was then he fixed my affections on the Redeemer; represented him in the most amiable and affecting light, and forgetting all other beauty, constrained me to confess and embrace him, as one every way worthy my choicest and supreme love! yet all the joys and glories of that blessed day, all the tenderness he then shewed thee, my soul, all that grace and goodness, he has ever since made to pass before thee, is but the glimpse of heaven, the dawning of eternal glory!

Who can tell what it is to see God face to face! to dwell in his immediate presence! to behold the glorious discoveries of his love, grace, power, and majesty, that are to be seen in the court of heaven! what it is to behold the fountain of electing love, and with one delightful survey, to see how all the various dispensations in time, conspired to accomplish, and strictly subserved, its eternal purposes! to be perfectly transformed into the likeness of thy Lord, and for ever swallowed up in the joys of beatific vision! Who can tell what it is to be perfectly and for ever freed from the guilt and power of sin! what it is to possess a glorified spirit in a glorified body, and under such happy circumstances, to converse with glorified saints, and a glorified Saviour for ever! This is now, my soul, the matter of thy sober, but ravishing hope, though not actual fruition. Thou hast never yet seen the crown, the throne, the palm, the robe, that are prepared for thee, worthless, undeserving creature! thou hast never yet sung to thy golden harp, nor seen thy heavenly companions, nor heard the melody of paradise! 'tis not now possible for thee to utter or conceive, how transporting it will be to sing the triumphs of victory gained over the powers of darkness; and after all the foils and repulses thou hast met with, how glorious to come off more than conqueror over death and hell!

And are these the effects of that mighty change which was wrought in me by the blessed Spirit, on that day? are these the fruits and consequences of a true conversion? hail! happy day! thrice blessed and glorious morning! mayest thou shine with a peculiar fairness, and be distinguished from all the rest of the days of the year with a superior lustre! Hosanna, ye saints! hallelujah, O ye angels! sing, and celebrate this day of my espousals to Jesus! let heaven and earth make up one delightful chorus, to record the memory and sing the glories of this day! Why flows not my joyful pen with pure adoration! why exults not my raptured spirit in glorious triumphs! what! Jesus! is Jesus MINE! in all his offices, relations, and engagements! in all his personal endearments and perfections, in all his fulness, glory, and sufficiency as mediator! mine undoubtedly, and for ever! Can neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers below, nor powers above, separate me from Christ, who is my life? O unspeakable happiness! infinite, all-comprehending bliss! Lord, when wilt thou take me to thy glorious arms, that I may breathe forth celestial praises, and sing to thy blessed name among the choir of angels!

REVIEW.

Zion's Banners. A series of Original Pieces on Theological Subjects. By S. B. Haslam, Minister of Zion Chapel, Waterloo Road, London. R. Baynes.

WHERE the banners of Zion are borne with faithfulness and in triumph, there the armies of Immanuel assemble and rejoice to follow, knowing that their victorious Captain, having laid the whole of his and their enemies prostrate, urges them onward to the possession of the spoils of the victory he hath accomplished, and to the enjoyment of the triumphs he hath achieved. The ensign of an alien may attract the notice of the soldier of Christ, he being deceived by its apparent similarity to that of Zion; but if he be well instructed in the mysteries of the kingdom of which he is free, he will never be seduced from his loyalty, so as to desert the privileged ranks in which he is enrolled, nor forsake the standard under which he is marshalled. Many, in this day of self-assumed loyalty to the king of Zion, very many, who wear the apparel, who are called by the name, and who expect the reward of Immanuel's followers, rally around the ensign of the aliens, presuming that they are warring a good warfare; when, alas! the weapons of their hostility are levelled against the holy city of which our Jesus is sovereign, and the denizens of Zion are tempted to desert from her banners, and the army of the faith is encouraged to relax its fealty to the king of kings.

Mr. Haslam's title and motto, connected with our unalterable opinion of the sad state of the professing church, have led us unwarily to extend our introductory remarks to the review of that gentleman's first prose "statement in print, of the doctrines maintained in his public ministry." His "collection of hymns" we have never seen, and his public ministry we have never heard; nor do we reget the circumstance; for we now come to the consideration of his "doctrines," --and indeed they are strange doctrines-with neither the prejudice nor the prepossession such opportunities might have elicited.

The subject of the treatise before us is thus opened on page 8. "It will not be possible, in so limited a work, to enter elaborately into all the ramifications of the subject betore us: what I intend chiefly to investigate, and, I hope, scripturally to establish, is, that the regenerate Church, in conjunction with her glorious Head, is really and essentially IMMANUEL: and, moreover, that this sacred appellation, with prudent reserve, however, in the use thereof, may be recognized by every true believer in Christ, in conjunction with the whole spiritually baptized Church, as applicable to himself."

The scriptures chosen in support of the theory are such as these: "this is the name wherewith she shall be called, the Lord our righteousness." 'He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life," &c. &c.

Now, on the first view of this production, (after having perused it throughout attentively) we are prepared to contend that the writer holds unscriptural notions of the incommunicable Jehovah, as existing