another coat, which can never be brought to suit the believer; but will surely bring the soul into distress, and then arise doubts and fears, unbelief and blasphemies; then the enemies prevail; the righteous robe of Jesus is hid; the eye is not single; the blessed realities of the Gospel coat are obscured; the Lord is betrayed, denied, forsaken; the purse, the scrip, are taken, providing for the future; the garment sold to buy a sword, which shall pierce your soul. "But when ye were without purse or scrip, or shoes, lacked ye anything?" What is the reply of those who have experienced the reality of walking by faith in the glorious garment of salvation? Can ye not say with the disciples of old, "Nothing?" The beautiful and glorious garment of righteousness, wrought out by the holiness of Jesus, which he has put upon the church collectively, and is imputed to the believer individually, can never be injured, tarnished, sullied, or hid-displaced or substituted; for it is the work of Him who changeth not. But the renewed soul may strive for a time to put on another coat, thinking thereby to make salvation certain to itself, but in it there is no abiding place for the child of God. Whether it be a law coat or a self-righteous coat, salvation becomes daily more uncertain; and not until all unlawful garments are cast off, will the soul find rest; and a rest indeed is it for the soul when she finds herself bare and naked; and by precious faith, which is the gift of God, shakes herself from the dust, and appropriates the glorious garment of her Redeemer. She then feels all glorious within, that her clothing is of wrought gold, and that she shall come unto her King with gladness and rejoicing. But let us remember that though in Christ is a perfect rest from the labour of the law, from the workings of the flesh; yet this polluted world is not to be a resting-place for the child of God. A rest in our Redeemer does not exempt from bitter and sore trials; but to realize the blessedness of his pardoning love, to experience the glory of his justifying robe, makes every burden light; and though oft cast down, we oft are raised again; and one ray from the light of the Lord's countenance, after a dark cloud, far surpasses all the pen can trace, or tongue can tell. "We can but raise Hosannahs to his name, And offer incense from a holy flame. When light, we'll praise the shinings of his face ; Veil'd in that robe of everlasting love." A RECLUSE. CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER, I have been about to write some time past, for I can assure you I am constantly with you in spirit. You are indeed a companion in tribulation with me, and we seem to be led at times much in the same path of suffering. But I see more and more the "needs be" for every trial. The dear Lord says, "When they are afflicted they will seek me early ;" and have we not found it so? Have not our trials brought us low at his blessed feet with an "Undertake for me, O Lord, for vain is the help of man." The more severe the trouble, the closer we cling to him; and with what importunity do we plead, and what examinations of ourselves to discover what has been so particularly amiss in us as to cause our Heavenly Father to use the rod. And what confession of our numerous faults-our short comings, misgivings, deadness, and coldness; what a purifying tendency do such seasons have; how they soften the conscience through the Spirit's operations upon us. And in the midst of our anguish we cry out with dear old Job, "When he has tried me I shall come forth as gold." How do we unlock, by our own experience, the meaning of many passages of Scripture, that before we seemed to have no insight into; and Oh! how sweetly does the dear Lord lend a listening ear to our cry, and in the last distressing hour, as it were, deliver us; and we have been brought to exclaim, "Oh! how good is our God, for he has remembered us in our low estate, because he delighteth in mercy." And we exclaim with the poet, "Just in the last distressing hour The Lord displays delivering power; My late troubles have been the heaviest I was ever called to pass through; but I am most happy to say I am delivered. The mountain has become a mole-hill. So you see, my dear friend, it hath been good for us that we have been afflicted. I feel sweetly profited, and hope never, never to lose the blessed effects in my own soul. I would not have been without the afflictions; I was brought into that state as to look at the water and long to be under it; and I remember, one morning, just before the deliverance came, as I was walking over a plank to go on board the steamer, to go to I could not for a moment jump over-board, because I knew that would be self-murder, but I secretly hoped I might slip over by accident and be drowned. Oh! what a voyage I had; I went with my heart bursting with grief, full of sighing and groaning. I could not tell my sorrows to any soul, but my countenance bespoke that I was in the deep waters. I went to the chapel, at in the evening, and the minister spoke some things to me. His text was, "Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep or as he said it may be rendered-shall garrison your heart and mind." And in this way of rendering it, I found some sweetness through Christ Jesus. Well, after I came out, I walked away out of the town, up upon the side of a hill, far from man and beast; and there the dear Lord broke open my heart, and drew forth the contents of my soul (for about two hours) to his blessed self. And oh! what a blessed profitable season I had! I told Him all; and what a sweet calm followed! I could not help blessing and praising his dear Majesty for his loving-kindness and tender mercies to unworthy me. I returned to the town, with my countenance and very soul cheered. I slept sweetly, and the next morning I had to walk on down by the river side, and there, sitting down under a hedge, I had another blessed season. I returned home in peace. O how sweet to look back upon, my dear brother. Oh! may I never lose the sweet savour and profit of those blessed seasons. And what is so astonishing, these enjoyments would not have been felt but for the late troubles. I can now see the needs be " indeed. I do and can say, Sweet, sweet affliction;" but I am still in an enemy's country, and therefore exposed to his assaults. May the dear Lord keep me constantly on my watch-tower. We must expect troubles, my dear brother; but let us not fear but that strength will be given equal to our day, for He is faithful that has promised, and we shall ever have cause to say that He hath done all things well. Blessed for ever be his dear name; he is our immovable and sure foundation-stone. Your Magazine I find very sweet and profitable, and I am sure that it is blessed to many souls. I am also very pleased with the plates. I hope the sale is increasing. I recommend it where I can. 66 Yours, affectionately, E. A QUESTION RESPECTING THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. MR. EDITOR, To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. My lot is so cast that in the course of a year I hear several different preachers. Some preach up works, some grace, and other some preach a confused mixture of both. Some preach Christ and his Gospel of finished salvation, and, at the same time, aim to draw off believers from themselves and their own particular and changeable experiences. Some, again, preach a good deal about themselves, and about others whom they consider worse preachers than themselves; and also about their own shocking and abominable corruptions and temptations—as if it were the promise of Christ and the business of the Holy Spirit to take of these ugly and disgusting things to show to the people for their peace of conscience, and comfort, and joy. Such preachers have been called (and not inaptly) corruption-mongers. I know not how it is with others, but for my part I never found talking about corrupt doings, and carnal and ungodly thoughts, to purify my heart; and I have to pray in the language of the Church of England, "Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit.' And when I hear preachers getting into this corruption strain, I think of the old and trite " saying "Talk of the devil and you'll see his horns." Talk of the vile and filthy workings of the human mind and heart, and it is ten to one that you will feel their defiling influence and force. But lately I have heard something new; and as it is perplexing to many persons, I am desirous to have your editorial opinion expressed upon it. One preacher said, "Christ was not an human person when he suffered on Calvary;" and another said, "Christ's humanity is not circumscribed by personality, but it is the body of his flesh;"-meaning both, as I understood, that Christ's humanity is a thing, a mere impersonal body of flesh, having indwelling Godhead as its soul and animating life-giving principle. Both these preachers said in effect, if not in plain and express terms, that Christ is not, and was not a man. They said, moreover, that if he is personally man, then he must be two persons; and their reasoning in this way is very puzzling to many who should be kept to the acknowledgment of the mystery of Christ, and of the Holy Trinity in Unity. They say, too, that in many places of Scripture, where Christ is called a man, the word "man" is not in the original Greek, but has been supplied by the translators. The translators were no doubt fallible men, but still I am unwilling to believe that they erred by mistaking the sense of the original in a matter of so much importance. I do not know how you, Mr. Editor, regard this most interesting subject, but I own to you that I have hitherto looked upon our wonderful Lord Jesus as a true and very man, in all the personal perfections of manhood; and also as true and very God, in all the personal perfections and attributes of Godhead. If I am wrong, many, very many, besides are wrong; and the desire of my soul is to be led aright, in so important a doctrine, by a satisfactory exposition of those passages of Scripture which speak of Christ as a man, a human person-as I have always understood. Now, Mr. Editor, what I wish to ask you is this, and I pray you to answer me according to the knowledge and ability which God giveth. Do the Scriptures warrant us to believe that Christ is a true and real man personally, as he appeared to the eyes of men in general when he lived and walked upon the earth? Or was his humanity a mere impersonal thing-a body of flesh without soul and spirit, having no animating and motive principle but Godhead? Awaiting your answer, and praying that you may always have a right understanding in all things concerning Christ and his church, Oct. 14, 1840. I beg to subscribe myself, Mr. Editor, Your humble Servant and Fellow-traveller, A SEEKER AFTER THE TRUTH. [Before we attempt to reply to our correspondent's inquiry-which we hope to do according to the light God gives us-we will, in love and affection, drop him a word or two of caution. In the first place, we would have thee, friend, consider, that "there are a diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit ;" that is (if we understand the passage rightly), they are under the same blessed Teacher, but instructed in different ways, and led to teach others according to the manner in which they were taught. Secondly, bear in mind that ministers are but men-men subject to various weaknesses, and liable to err; were it otherwise they would make but indifferent messengers to us, poor fickle, sinful creatures they are dependent upon the same Almighty arm, and need the same divine teaching, as do we; and when we view them in any other light, and look to the instrument instead of unto Him, "whose they are, and whom they seek to serve," we place them in a dangerous position, and do them an injustice; for our God is jealous of his glory, and has plenty of means at hand whereby to humble the creature, and put him in his proper place. We believe that the over-exa tation of ministers in the hearts of some of their hearers has been the means of the temporary overthrow of many a servant of the Lord. This conviction prevents us from so readily cutting off this, that, and the other man, as we have heard many do. Thirdly, our correspondent, in the ardour of his feelings, must beware that he does not too hastily condemn men whom, it may be, the Lord has commissioned to go forth and give a description of the various frames, feelings, and multiplied exercises of the children of God, by which it is made manifest that their conflicts are not peculiar to themselves, and that there really is " hope in Israel" concerning them. If we had not the word of God on our side, should we believe that such holy men as David, Jonah, and Peter, could have been guilty of such acts of sin, rebellion, and weakness, as those left upon record? And yet these circumstances are handed down in indelible characters, age after age, from one generation to another, that we on the one hand might not despair, and on the other, might have the most satisfactory proof of the tender compassions of our God-that "where sin hath abounded, there grace should much more abound." For our own parts we can truly say, in the spirit of the apostle, who said, "He became all things to all men," that we never in our writing go down into these dark places with any other motive than to hold out a helping hand to those who may be in similar distressing circumstances-that we may be the feeble instruments in leading them to look out of themselves to the Rock that is higher than we are. He, even Jesus, our blessed Highpriest, Advocate, and Friend, is the source whence we derive all our encouragement and support, and to Him we desire both our readers and ourselves ever to be looking; well knowing that, while we can look no higher than ourselves, we shall discover nothing but sin, misery, and disappointment. Having said thus much, we, in conclusion, would say to our correspondent, Give no heed to the various dogmas and subtle arguments of men; listen to no "Lo here," nor "Lo there is Christ," but, simply looking up to the Holy Spirit for his divine teaching, let him take the written word for his guide; and our correspondent will find that, as that self-same Spirit is pleased to lead him on step by step in a way of experience, so he will gain establishment of aoul, and a clear, firm, and settled knowledge of the doctrines of grace. We know well the sad havoc which the great enemy makes with many, nay, most, of the Lord's family, upon such essential points as that respecting which our correspondent asks our opinion; but in our view, the shortest and most effectual way of silencing the tempter upon these matters is-if we have ever known what peace and pardon proclaimed to our consciences in and by a Saviour's blood, springing from a faith's view of his mediatorial work-to remind the tempter that our sins were of such a scarlet dye, and our case of such a lost and deplorable character, that none less than He who was very God" and "very man "--God in all the attributes of Deity, and man in all the qualities and sinless infirmities of our nature-could have undertaken it. As our correspondent has expressed his opinion in a similar manner, we say to him, Be it thy concern to maintain that opinion, and to "hold fast that which is good." And when next thy own unbelieving heart, or Satan with his wily interrogations, may perplex thee with their whys and their wherefores, their ifs and hows, the Lord give thee grace to be very short and very prompt in thy reply. Tell them at once, in the language of the poet, "How it was done you can't discuss, But this you know, 'twas done for us." 66 That thou art not among those who wish to be "wise above what is written;" that quite sufficient has been revealed of the power, the grace, the love of our mighty Jehovah, to convince thee that he, in his Trinity of Persons, is just that Almighty Being which thou didst need to help, bless, and save thee in time and to all eternity; that it is thy privilege here to live by faith, in a |