ness of Christ, as appointed of God for the justification of the ungodly, and freely imputed to all that believe in, and embrace it. God eternally justified them with an unchangeable design to make them happy and joyful in the knowledge, belief, and experience of their justification; and that they being made happy by these means, should cheerfully serve him without slavish fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives. He therefore to effectuate his gracious and glorious designs, sends his Holy Spirit, who searches and reveals the deep, the eternal secrets of God, to make known to them the hidden mystery of their justification, which had been hid in the bosom of God, not for ages only, but from all eternity. That divine agent in a manner deeply mysterious and concealed from all, but those whom he vouchsafes to teach, passes, by means of the gospel, which is the ministration of righteousness, the very same justifying sentence in their consciences, which was passed in the divine mind before the world was. He bears his decisive testimony within them to this most blessed truth, that God was in Christ, in his ancient counsel, reconciling them to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, but to Jesus, and imputing to them the righteousness of Christ, and by that means the fruit of his own free will and sovereign love, justifying them from all their sins. By this revelation and this testimony the Holy Spirit produces in their minds peace, true, spiritual, permanent peace with God, which passes all understanding; they receive the atonement; they rejoice in Christ with joy unspeakable and full of glory; they are introduced into the liberty with which Christ has made them free, (a liberty not to live in sin, but to live unto God;) and they now serve God, not in the oldness of the letter, but in newness of spirit, and in the beauties of pure evangelical holiness. And now, brethren, we commend you to God. May the peace and love of God our Saviour dwell richly in you, that you may live in peace and love with each other; and may his grace reign in your hearts always, that you may be stedfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, to whom be glory in the churches, through all ages, world without end. Amen. (For the Spiritual Magazine.) SOLACE FOR SORROWING SOULS UNDER TEMPTATION. IN God's most holy word the church is informed, that she has an implacable, powerful, persevering enemy in satan, who as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. And though it be a most consolitary truth, that he can never devour one of those whom our blessed Lord is graciously pleased to call," the very elect;" yet it is evidently true, that he is sometimes permitted most grievously to distress them, as their painful experience frequently testifies. When the infernal foe can no longer entirely obscure the light of the glorious gospel, nor prevent the cry of a poor, burthened, wounded needy soul after Christ; it is plain, by the tears and fears of many who are renewed by grace, that his aim is if possible to bewilder their understandings, and keep them in bondage; by infusing into their minds such thoughts and apprehensions, as excite painful alarms, and most distressing fears for their safety. And of all the devices of the devil, there is, perhaps, not one more common, than persuading them that none of the Lord's people ever had such feelings, ever had such corruptions, or ever walked in so painful, so perplexing, so gloomy a path as they do. Now such thoughts must certainly come from the father of lies; for the word of truth declares to every renewed soul, there hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man;" so that no subject of grace, be his sorrows or temptations whatever they may, can possibly be alone in his experience. But how is it the enemy so prevails, in persuading the dear child of God that his situation is peculiar? Probably in the following way more frequently than any other. The base depravity of our fallen nature excited by temptation, produces feelings and desires so detestable, as that shame forbids us to mention even to a bosom friend: and when this is the case, the suffering soul cannot certainly know that another feels as he does; because every one in similar circumstances, finds the same reluctance to communicate all he feels; and hence many tried souls rashly conclude, that their experience is such as no true believer ever had. If any thus exercised should read this scrap, they are assured by the writer, that he has long suffered in this way; and though now through sovereign grace an established believer in Christ, he is still the subject of those base propensities, which prove to him daily the awful depravity of human nature, which nature is the same in every believer, and will continue to be the same in every believer, till his corrupted body falls into the grave. The privilege of the church of God does not lie in carnal nature being cleansed of its pollutions, nor in being rid of the root of sin; but in the sanctifying, sovereign grace, of the Holy Spirit, suppressing and destroying the fruit of it. In the life of the Apostle Paul, the effects of regenerating grace are most illustriously displayed. No man ever felt a greater love to Christ; no man ever proved a greater conformity to the will of God; no man was ever more active, or more useful in the Lord's service: and yet that zealous and honoured servant of Christ, after many years enjoyment of salvation, groans bitterly under a body of sin and death, and deeply laments the depravity, defilement, and rebellion of his fallen nature. In writing his epistle to the Romans, he was instructed to describe his painful feelings: see 7th chap. And for what purpose? Certainly, for the instruction and comfort of those who feel as he felt. Let the tried. and tempted children of God, consider well the lesson laid before them in the experience of the Apostle; and may the Lord the Holy Ghost bring them in due time to Paul's happy conclusion; "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! so then with the mind I myself VOL. II.-No. 15. G serve the law of God; but with my flesh the law of sin." And le all the mourners in Zion remember, that Christ, on whom their hope are fixed, as man-" was in all points tempted like as we are.' And as God-man-" is able to succour them that are tempted." And, being the faithful covenant God, will deliver his people out of all their troubles. G. (For the Spiritual Magazine.) PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF JERUSALEM. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." Psalm cxxii. 7. PRAYER is the pulse of the new man which beats for God; prayer is the opening of the heart to God; prayer is the cry of faith, the tear of distress, the language of hope, the expression of dependence, the acknowledgment of God's goodness, and the privilege of all who feel their need of Christ. With prayer the quickened sinner enters upon a spiritual state; by prayer he perseveres through the wilderness, and with prayer he expires in the arms of covenant faithfulness, saying, with dying Stephen, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" To encourage prayer the Lord waiteth to be gracious; the intercessor appeareth in the divine presence; the Holy Spirit of grace abides with the saints; the promise of a shower of blessings is set before them, Ezek. xxxiv. 26. and the will of God revealed to them, Ezek. xxxvi. 37. In the scripture at the head of this piece we are commanded to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and encouraged by the fullest assurance of prosperity. In humble dependence upon the blessed Spirit, it is purposed to present the readers of the Spiritual Magazine with a few plain thoughts on this portion, commencing with the exhortation, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Here are two main points-first, the blessing, peace; and secondly, the persons for whom this blessing is to be implored, Jerusalem. First, the blessing, peace. This was possessed by Adam in his original state, but from the moment of his transgression war was declared in his heart against God; and all that have been born into the world since that period have manifested war, rebellion, and opposition to God in his law, his gospel, and his providences, as saith Paul; “The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. viii. 7. And although this is the deplorable condition of God's elect, in common with others, and peace is a blessing most desirable, yet upon the principle of the law and creature obedience, it cannot be obtained by any of the sons and daughters of Adam; for the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good, demanding full, perfect, and unsinning obedience; it curseth every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them, Gal. iii. 10. and it leaves the transgressor without help, hope or excuse, Rom. iii. 19, 20. Then "How can ye hope, deluded souls, to see what none e'er saw, 1. The gospel is distinguished from the law as a revelation of peace with God through Jesus Christ, revealing a covenant of peace, or a mutual agreement between the holy persons in the Trinity, for the peace of all whom the Father chose in, and gave unto his dear Son, Zech. vi. 13. and Ezek. xxxiv. 25. 2. It reveals the man of peace, Mic. v. 5. and prince of peace. 3. The work of peace, called the work of righteousness, Isa. xxxii. 17, 18. and Eph. ii. 14, 15, 16, 17. in opposition to the unrighteousness of the first Adam. 4. The perfection of the peace made by Christ, he having presented himself as a perfect sacrifice, for a perfect atonement, paying a perfect price, performing a perfect work, obtaining a perfect victory, revealing a perfect harmony in the divine attributes, mercy and truth, righteousness and peace, of a perfect duration, having no end, for the perfect number of God's elect, who have thereby obtained a perfect discharge from the curse of the law, deliverance from death, a right to glory, and a security of its possession. Thus the blessing of peace is spoken of in scripture, the occasion of war is removed, and the effect of peace made manifest, which is justification in the sight of God, access to God, and personal fellowship with God. Having thus considered the blessing, we pass on to consider secondly, the persons for whom this blessing is implored. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; and as, 1st. Jerusalem was one of the principal cities in the land of Canaan, whither the male Israelites resorted for worship three times a year, it, no doubt, literally referred to the Jewish nation, for the peace of which prayer was made. But 2ndly, and chiefly, by Jerusalem we are to understand the true church of God, the Jerusalem whose sins the Lord has purged, Isa. iv. 4. to whom the Lord commandeth his servants to speak comfortably, Isa. xl. 2. who are exhorted to put on their beautiful garments, Isa. lii. 1. of whom the Lord says, "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people;" and further, the church in her glorified state is spoken of by St. John as the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, Rev. xxi. 2. And this Jerusalem includes all the citizens of Zion, the members of Christ, for whom we are exhorted to pray, in public and private, for the spread of the gospel, the increase of its witnesses, the unity of its recipients, the zeal of its officers, the security of its ornaments, the sensible enjoyment of all its privileges, and the free intercourse of its adherents. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! mark, not Moab, Babylon, or the whole world, &c. no, but Jerusalem, all the chosen, redeemed, called, broken-hearted, humble, and dependent followers of Christ. Not confining our prayers to one particular sect, but Jerusalem, the whole of the spiritual church of Christ throughout the empire of God. Now from the exhortation let the reader pass on to the assurance, They shall prosper that love thee. And here we have a description of character that distinguishes the recipients of the Holy Spirit from all carnal worshippers; since many persons may and do attend the means of grace, and mix with God's chosen Jerusalem, who neither know, love, nor receive the gospel of Christ. Many persons make a profession of religion for the sake of worldly gain, and thereby manifest an attachment to self, instead of Jerusalem; others who appear to love Jerusalem by the sacrifices they make for her external interest, yet appearing totally ignorant of spiritual things, and strangers to communion with God, they are as a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. St. Paul saith, Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. xiii. 3. But all who truly love Jerusalem are born of God, taught of God, and united to God, as he that is joined to the Lord is of one spirit; and are manifest, 1. by an open attachment to the discriminating doctrines of Jerusalem-2. by cleaving to the spiritual inhabitants of Jerusalem -3. by opposing the enemies of Jerusalem, and—4. by sympathising with her members under all circumstances of affliction and privation. And according to the scriptural account of the carnal mind, Rom. viii. 7. and the natural man's inability to receive the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. ii. 14. we may conclude, that all who truly love Jerusalem, must be born of the Spirit; as it is written, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren,” 1 John iii. 14. "and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him,” 1 John v. 1. and the cause of loving God and his chosen Jerusalem is wholly ascribed to God. We love him because he first loved us, 1 John iv. 19. Further remark, They shall prosper. This supposes there are some things in the way of their prosperity, such as the power of sin, the force of unbelief, the subtlety of satan, the wickedness of man, the afflictions of the body, the trials of life, the backslidings of the heart, the temptations of the world, and the shallowness of knowledge, &c. But such is the infinite love and compassion of the Lord, that he engages by oath and promise securing them against all enemies, Isa. xxvii. 3. liv. 17. Luke x. 19. Rom viii. 28. and ensuring to them the most glorious results. Oh! admire his overruling hand who secures prosperity by the very things that are designed by the enemies of Jerusalem for her injury, and thereby teaches each enlightened sinner from daily discoveries of his own weakness, poverty, and instability, to prize the strength, riches, and perpetuity of divine favour. And from the daily trials of the wilderness the believer is furnished with fresh matter for prayer and praise, and is the more qualified to speak as a witness of God's sovereignty and faithfulness. As Israel prospered in the midst of oppression, Exod. i. 12. and Sampson gained strength in the |