scribed as good and faithful, and the servant which receives one talent is described as wicked and slothful. He is wicked and slothful, in that he rejects the counsel of Christ by digging in the earth; that is to say, receiving the testimony of man rather than diligently searching the Scriptures (John, v. 34-39); and by using the enticing words of man's wisdom (1 Cor. ii. 4) he hides his Lord's money (the word of faith) in the wisdom from beneath, which is earthly, sensual, and devilish: beguiling by subtility the minds of men, corrupting them from the simplicity that is in Christ, that their faith should stand in the wisdom of men rather than in the power of God (1 Cor. ii. 5), in “reaping where he had not sown, and gathering where he had not strewed." Whereupon, it will be observed, such servants will be judged out of their own mouth; "and cast into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

By this parable we are not to understand all mankind are meant by the servants, to whom the talents were committed. As by the kingdom of heaven is meant the church of God, so by the servants we are to understand the ministers of the Gospel, who in a peculiar sense are Christ's own servants; the faithful are spiritual ministers, and the wicked are intellectual preachers. And although this parable was spoken to the disciples then with Christ, it is nevertheless applicable to all the ministers of the Gospel in this time-state.

By the talents we are to understand the gifts for the ministry, which Christ distributes in a sovereign way and manner-to some more and to others less; which unequal distribution of them perfectly agrees with ministerial gifts. The gift for the ministry is given to some who have the grace of the ministry, and are heirs of salvation; but the gift for the ministry is not given to all the heirs of salvation. And it also appears by this parable, that as Balaam had the gift of prophecy, and not the grace of God; so there are some servants who are not heirs of salvation, although they have a ministerial gift. A gift for the ministry was given to Judas, for "he obtained part of the ministry" (Acts, i. 17), and was chosen to be an apostle although a devil (John, vi. 70); that is to say, he was a natural man, under the rule of the prince of the devil, that subtle and guileful spirit. As Judas received one gift according to his ability, so the rest of the apostles received two or more gifts according to their ability. As Judas with his one gift betrayed Christ, so there are now servants with one gift who do the same; they betray him, as Judas did, into the hands of his enemies with a KISS! The Arian, Sabellian, and Human Pre-existerian preachers kiss him by speaking respectfully of his offices and also of his works; but they hate the eternity of his person, and therefore they betray him into the hands of his enemies. All men who profess Christianity from natural education, have a natural regard to the mercy of God, and a natural regard for the offices and work of Christ; but not having the Spirit of God, they cannot say in their heart that Jesus is Jehovah, and therefore their hatred to the eternity of the Person of Christ is latent in some, and manifests itself in others. Reader, ask yourself this ques

tion, Whether Christ was a Person before he took part of human nature? And if he was, then it must follow that although Christ is now a Divine Person in human nature, yet his human nature doth neither constitute him a person nor constitute him the Christ of God; for the eternal appointment constituted him Christ, which is plainly revealed in the Scriptures, and shown in that Aaron was a high priest by divine appointment before he was either clothed in the priestly garments or anointed (Heb. v. 4). And it may be farther observed, that Saul was anointed and offered sacrifice; but because he was not appointed a priest, his kingdom was not established (1 Sam. xiii. 11-14); and therefore neither the anointing nor the officiation as a priest, constitutes the priest, but the appointment.

There is not an Arian, Sabellian, or Human Pre-existerian, who glorifies Christ with the underived glory he had WITH God the Father, even the Father's OwNSELF, underived glory; which underived glory Christ had with the Father before the world was (John, xvii. 5)! Indeed, there is not one of them ever did delight to set forth the eternity of the Person of" the Christ of God" (Luke, ix. 20). But had they known Christ by revelation, or should they have ever known him by revelation, they would, and they will, bear the same testimony the apostle did by the Holy Ghost, of Christ Jehovah" (Luke, ii. 11); "Paul an apostle, not of men, neither by man "-mark, reader, neither by man- but by Jesus Christ," &c. (Gal. i. 1.) Again, he saith," I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man "-mark, he certifies that he did not receive it of man, neither was he taught it" but by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Gal. i. 11, 12). A spiritual minister prefers the honour and glory of God to his own reputation; and as soon as a spiritual man, having been ensnared by the subtility of Satan, has been delivered therefrom, he can find no rest until he hath acknowledged his wickedness, and publicly renounced his error.

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Ministers with one gift are remarkable for their subtility; the learned Hugo Grotius was of that number, a most subtle writer, and he in common with natural Christians, kissed Christ and betrayed him. The end of his and their conversation was, and is, opposition to the eternity of the Person of Christ; but had these men the grace of God, they would never oppose the Holy Spirit's threefold testimony to the eternity of the Person of Christ as recorded in the first, seventh, and last chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews. In the first chapter it is written, 'Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens (plural number) are the works of thine hands; they shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same (immutable), and thy years shall not fail" (Heb. i. 10-12). And if the reader will turn to the 102nd Psalm -for it is a quotation from that psalm-he will find the Person addressed is eternal! Again,

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In the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Christ is spoken

of as Melchisedek, "without beginning of days or end of life;" and as he that is without beginning of days must be eternal, so is Christ: and a priest "after the power of an endless life" (Heb. vii. 3—16). Again,

In the last chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, our remembrance is requested of them who have preached unto us the word of God, whose faith follow. But what is their faith which we are to follow? The Scripture saith "it was the end (the sum and substance) of their conversation;" namely, "Jesus Christ, the same (immutable) yesterday, and to-day, and for ever" (Heb. xiii. 7, 8).

Do observe, reader, that the remembrance of the faithful pastors is laid upon the church to follow the faith of their pastors; and that the faith of their pastors and the end of their conversation was Jesus Christ, "the same (immutable) yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." Now immutability is a divine perfection, and therefore the Holy Spirit draws our attention to the eternity of the Person of Christ in this last chapter of the epistle by the words "the same;" which words are used in the 102nd Psalm, which is quoted in the first chapter of this epistle, where he testifies, in as strong terms as words can express, "the eternity of the Person of Christ." Now as there is no salvation for those who die ignorant of, or are enemies to, the eternity of the Person of Christ, and as there are many ministers with one talent who have a natural belief in a future state; how dreadful must be their condition, and how hateful their sin before God! they may be like Balaam with one talent, honoured by men, but abominable in the sight of God. Surely an heir of salvation ought not to be surprised to hear of a Balaam with one talent desiring to "die the death of the righteous, and his last end to be like his " (Numb. xxiii. 10); or that the learned Hugo Grotius should in his last illness declare "he would gladly part with all his learning" for a grain of that faith which his poor ignorant neighbour John Ulrick enjoyed.

It is a solemn consideration that men having the gift of the one talent should employ their intellectual wisdom, which is earthly and devilish (James, iii. 15), against him who created all things-use all their reasoning power to hide the eternity of the Person of Christ from the knowledge of their fellow-creatures; whose damnation will be the fruit of their wickedness. And it is equally solemn, and the consideration ought to humble every man born from above, that in an age of freethinking liberality he has been made to differ; and that God has placed enmity between him and Antichristians of all denominations.

James' Street, Westminster.

S.

THE GREAT BLESSEDNESS OF AN INTEREST IN
CHRIST JESUS.

Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.- Rom. viii. 1.

VARIED as are the actions of men-strange as are the differences of their pursuits on the stage of life, so that the variety may branch out into as many forms as the ingenuity of fallen man could imagine; yet, specifically, there are but two directions in which they all move. They are either walking after the flesh, in the "broad road;" or after the Spirit, in the narrow way "which leadeth unto life." There may be, and doubtless are, many pursuing the former course who, from the mere casual observance of their lives-being ranked with the people of Godwould be least suspected of it. At the same time the same observation would with equal truth be applied to the latter. Natural objects illustrate this. "The tree is known by its fruits ;" the winterly appearance of which makes it difficult to decide what they are, because of their general or common appearance. This difficulty is but little lessened in the spring; they bud alike, leaf alike, bloom alike, and, it is very worthy our remark, from the self-same cause-viz., the sun and rain which descend on all alike. So it is with regard to outward means of grace. But the time hastens to make the discovery. The fruit appears, ripens and falls, and fills the lap of autumn expectation. Some to the taste is sweet, delicious, and pleasant; while the other is found to be of such a kind, the which, if a man eat thereof, his teeth would be set on edge. The motives also which move to an honourable profession of the Gospel of the ever-blessed Jesus, and the dishonourable or hypocritical resemblance, will both be laid naked and bare, so as distinctly to show the difference between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. "For the word of God is quick and powerful: sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."-Heb. iv. 12, 13.

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Reader, let us bring our religion here for a trial; surely it would be better to be thus examined, even were we to suffer loss by it, than to deceive ourselves by concealing some "wicked way in us. The words to be considered refer to character, which brings me to consider-first negatively, or that which the character here alluded to does not do-viz.

"Who walk not after the flesh."

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And what is walking after the flesh? Answer-Sowing to the flesh, and reaping corruption, for what a man sows that shall he also reap. is not only giving a loose rein to our fleshly appetites by wallowing in all the filth of sensual gratification, but it is discovered by the light of

truth in a less conspicuous garb.-2 Peter, iii. 3. "The seat of the scornful,' where the ungodly sit in council to profane the name of the Most High, is a place and a snare as much to be avoided as the less suspected open scene of vice in general. It is next to impossible to mix with either, without partaking (if not of their evil deeds) of their spirit. "My soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united."

There is a fleshly pride extant among men in all ages, which prompts them to pretensions to which, in reality, they have no real claim. They pretend to be men of great discernment, and call themselves "men of science." There appear to have been infidels of this shape in the apostles' days. (1 Tim. vi. 20.) There is a thirstful propensity in the mind to acquire knowledge, but, as the wise man tells us, sorrow increases with it. The word of exhortation bids us "watch," and although Christ has become a curse for his people, and thereby for ever freed them from condemnation, and eternally justified them before God (which has been already considered); yet these cautions, if diligently compared with the word of God, will be found salutary and needful. But another sort of condemnation stands in the way. It is very possible to be so far assured of our interest in Christ Jesus, as to exclaim in the language of holy writ, "This is our God." Yet, having turned aside to vanity, they feel so much guilt on the conscience, such depression of mind on the account of it, that they dare not assume such language. For this very reason, "their heart condemns them ;" and well they are assured that God is greater than their heart, and “knoweth all things."

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The words considered read thus-"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus (on this ground) who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Moses dares not to make even a complaint against them, because Christ died. God the Father is well pleased with them, for his dear Son's righteousness' sake. All things are made sure to them by the immortality of Jehovah. Yet, while guilt remains on the conscience, their heart condemns them, and they are not in circumstances to enjoy it; because, as Christ procured this vast blessing for them by acts of obedience to the Father's will, so they also enter into the enjoyment of it by obedience to Christ. though united to Him by an indissoluble union, yet they must be purged to bring forth fruit. "Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love, as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." -John, xv. 1 to 27. There is, in every one of God's family, an evil nature which makes him groan-a continual opposition, a constant quarrel-they fight till the believer groans, being burdened. (Rom. vii.) Let us, therefore, brethren, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die :