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world? Yes, but not in that sense which the arminians fix to these words. Nothing is more common with the inspired writers than to speak of a part for the whole; and to call the gentiles the world, the whole world, and the nations of the world. Thus, when Jesus

entered into Jerusalem, many who had heard of his raising Lazarus from the dead, went forth to meet him, crying hosanna, blessed is the king of Israel. And hereupon the pharisees exclaimed, " behold the world is gone after him ;" John xii. 19. that is, many had gone after him. Thus again it is recorded by St. Luke, that a decree went out from Cæsar Augustus, the Roman emperor, that all the world should be taxed, Luke ii. 1. that is, that part of the world, which belonged to the Roman empire. Thus again, when St. Paul thanks God for the saints at Rome, that this faith was spoken of throughout the whole world, Rom. i. 8. the meaning is, that it was spoken of by the christians of the world; for America, and other parts of the heathen world were not then known, and had not even heard of Christ. Thus again the same apostle tells the saints at Colosse, that the gospel had come to them and to the whole world, and brought forth fruit, Colos. i. 6. and his meaning must be, that the gospel had come to them and to all true believers in the world, and in such only it brings forth fruit. Thus again it is mentioned in the Revelations, that "all the world had wondered after the beast," Rev. xiii. 3. that is, the unbelieving part of the world; for it is said, "the beast made war with the saints," because they would not worship him; and therefore all the world had not gone after him.

Thus the meaning of the apostle's words is, that Christ is a propitiation for the sins of all those that belong to him in the world; for the whole elect world. That Christ is not an advocate for all, appears from his own words, when he said, "I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me." John xvii. 9. And if he was a propitiation for the sins of all, he would surely be an advocate for all, and plead his sacrifice in their behalf. But in order to understand the apostle's words we should bear in mind, that it was a common opinion among the Jews, that the gentiles, the gentile world, would receive no benefit by Christ the Messiah, and that he would come to procure salvation for them only; and the apostle John who was a Jew, to put them right upon this subject, says, "he is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, (that is, for us jews only) but for the sins of the whole world;" that is, of all God's elect people throughout the gentile world. Yes, Christ is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world of the elect; for God's elect people throughout the world; and for them he is an advocate; for them he ever liveth to make intercession, and will see to it that not one of them is lost, and at the last great day will say, "Behold I and the children which God hath given me." Heb. ii. 13. Yea, in them " He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied." Isa. liii. 11. He shall be satisfied in the complete salvation of those for whose sins he is a propitiation.

June 29, 1826.

ELAH.

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

CHRIST'S FINISHED WORK.

"I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do:”—John xvii. 4.

THESE words form a part of that interesting prayer uttered by our covenant head, when about to offer himself a sacrifice for his beloved and chosen people. While making a few remarks, may the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, apply them with divine power, and shed a rich unction on the hearts of his chosen ones: and need I add, who shall have all the glory? Whatever arminians, or socinians, or arians, or sabellians may assert; the very chapter from which these words are taken is sufficient, were there not another left on record, fully sufficient, to overturn their babel-building of wood, hay, and stubble; and cuts up by the root all the blasphemous and poisonous heresies of the present day.

"I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." What, is there nothing left for creature merit to perform? Nothing left for the church on earth to do? No: the work which the Saviour undertook he was fully competent and able to perform; and he did it fully, freely, and completely, to the satisfaction of divine justice, and to the magnifying and honouring the holy law of God. Yes, and he did it alone. Hear his own word by the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, “ I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with me." lxiii. 3. How consoling are the dying words of the dear Immanuel, "It is finished!" how comforting to the wounded spirit of a sin-sick soul. It was at that very moment that he made an end of sin, and brought in an everlasting righteousness for his church; it was then when he exclaimed on Calvary, "It is finished," that he ratified with his precious blood the treaty entered into by covenant engagements with the eternal Three before the world was.

Behold the perfection of his work. Moses the man of God had a faith's view of this stupendous act of covenant love, and exulted in the personal interest the believer had in the Redeemer's work. "He is a rock, and his work is perfect." Deut. xxiii. 4. Yes, believer, the Rock of Eternal Ages upon which the church is everlastingly built, and remains eternally secure; the Rock against which the gates of hell shall never prevail. It is a perfect work; it can neither be added to, nor diminished. Are you satisfied with such a work? God the Father was satisfied; divine justice was satisfied; hence," this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," was echoed from the realms of bliss; was heard in our lower world; in confirmation of the perfection of the work the Saviour undertook to perform. The saints of God in all ages of the world, have been perfectly satisfied with this work; they were content to rest upon it, convinced that it was fully compleat and gloriously perfect. If the work of Jesus was not perfect; if the salvation of his beloved people had not been complete; if divine justice had not been satisfied; he

never would have risen gloriously triumphant from the tomb, gaining the victory over all his and our enemies. But his rising again from the dead, and bursting the gates of death, doubly proved the perfection of the glorious work he undertook to perform.

"I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." Believer, read the chapter again and again; see the glorious truths it contains, and the mysterious harmony with which it abounds. See the divine sovereignty of Jehovah shining as a sunbeam through the whole. See the electing love of God the Father; the covenant love of God the Son; and if while thou art reading, the Lord the eternal Spirit, the divine testifier of Jesus, is pleased to illuminate thy mind, and to warm thy cold affections, I know thou wilt exclaim," he is a rock, his work is perfect ;" and thou wilt rejoice in the blessed words of thy covenant head and surety, "It is finished!" The believer glories in the perfect work of a crucified Saviour. It is on that robe of immaculate righteousness which he has wrought out, and which is freely bestowed on all his chosen family, that he gazes with infinite delight. Clothed with this robe as with a garment, he views himself complete in him; he is viewed as comely, through the comeliness his Lord and Master has put upon him. But he finished the work his Father gave him to do, and having so done his people are free.

It

may be proper to notice what this work was that required so divine

a person, no less than Jehovah himself to perform.

This work was

the salvation of his chosen people; a certain number chosen in Christ before the world began; selected from the ruins of the fall; covenanted for in the councils of eternal peace; and for whom the Saviour undertook that perfect work which he carried on in their room and stead, and died the just for the unjust to bring sinners to God.

In confirmation of the all glorious and finished work of our gracious covenant head and surety, many passages might be brought forward, but two or three shall suffice. The great apostle of the gentiles in writing to the Hebrews, i. 2, 3. speaking of the dear Redeemer he says, "Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of God." And again, x. 14. "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified;" and our Lord's own words by the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, lxiii. 13. and following, and those which are the subject of these reflections, are here proved and confirmed, by the apostle Paul, or rather by God the Holy Spirit speaking by the mouth of the apostle. Upon this delightful theme all the ransomed millions now in glory are delightfully employed, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," &c. And the church militant is anticipating the glorious period when she shall join the church triumphant in casting their blood-bought crowns at Immanuel's feet, singing," Hallelujah! Hallelujah! worthy the Lamb!"

Believer, before I close, let me ask you and myself, how is it with our souls? Is Jesus to us the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely? Can you and I exclaim with the psalmist, from heartfelt experience, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth I desire in comparison of thee." Is the Saviour's

finished work the joy and rejoicing of your heart and mine? Do we with holy Paul count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord? Do we pant earnestly to be found complete in him, to be clothed in his immaculate righteousness? If such be our experience, we may adopt the language of the poet, and sing,

""Tis mine, the covenant of grace,

And every promise mine;

All sprung from everlasting love,
And sealed with blood divine."

London, May 23, 1826.

THE

(For the Spiritual Magazine.)

A SINNER.

SPIRITUAL MERCHANT.

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." -Matt. xiii. 45, 46.

Is not this very sweet scripture, a most beautiful description of the Lord Jesus Christ as the merchant, and the church of God, in all her individual members, the one pearl of great price? The great merchant found the church in ruins, rags, and wretchedness, involved in debt, covered with a loathsome disease, and a great transgressor; but he sold all that he had and bought her with his most precious blood. He came from heaven, left his Father's bosom, the holiness and happiness of heaven, the choir of angels; laid aside his glory, became incarnate, and raised these precious pearls out of the dust after he had bought them; polished them by his grace and Spirit; he makes them lively stones in his house below; and in his own time will take them all to his house above.

But we may also enquire whether the christian is not a merchant, or one who carries on an extensive trade with heaven? As this is the idea we form of a merchant, an extensive trader, or one who consigns goods to a foreign market; and receives in return promissory notes or good bills, or the produce of a foreign country, that he can turn into money; in this way the children of God gain by trading"Their sorrows and their tears they pour Into the bosom of their God."

They go to their heavenly Father with their trials, temptations, wants, and wounds; the perplexing providences they meet with, the dark paths they walk in, the horrible corruptions they are exercised with, the fiery darts of satan that are thrown at them, their sufferings from a persecuting world, the loose walk and flippant talk of frothy professors, and their own weakness, barrenness, and unbelief. These VOL. III.-No. 28.

M

are the commodities that saints carry to their God. And although heaven is his throne, yet his ears are open to their prayers, and he sends them down soul-supporting promises; heart's ease for all their heart trouble, cordials to relieve and succour them in and under all their temptations, strength equal to their day, and promissory notes in abundance he gives them to present at his bank, and he never dishonours one bill of his; although it may be presented with the trembling hand of faith, yet a faithful God will honour and pay it.

Secondly. A merchant employs agents to dispose of his property to the best advantage, and he leaves it to the integrity of his agent, or a merchant in a distant land-so with the Lord's dear people. They have a most merciful Mediator between God and them, and they commit all their hard cases into his hand; they know that the Father heareth him always, and that whatsoever he asks of God, God will give it him. So that they commit the keeping of body, soul, family, and church, all into his hand; and they frequently feel a sweet resignation to their Lord's will, whether it be in losses or gains, prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, life or death; whether they walk in darkness, or enjoy the light of God's countenance, they can say with the poet

"If sick, or lame, or poor, or by the world abhorr'd;

Whatever cross lays at my door, it cometh from the Lord:

The lions will not tear-the billows cannot heave,

The furnace shall not singe thy hair-till Jesus give them leave." Thirdly. Merchants are often very rich. And all the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty are very rich: they have the riches of their heavenly Father's grace, mercy, patience, and glory to live on; the unsearchable riches of a Mediator's merits for their daily use: Christ is a King so rich, that he can and does supply all the wants of his subjects. As the prophet told the widow to go and sell the oil, and pay her debts, and live upon the rest with her children; so Jesus by his merits, his riches, has paid all the debts of his church, and on his riches they are to live. There was such an infinite richness in the blood and righteousness of Jesus, as to give full content to the law and justice of God; and nothing but this rich sacrifice, and this rich robe, will satisfy an awakened conscience; but these blessings do make poor sinners rich, and miserable sinners happy; yea, the hell-deserving by these riches are made fit for heaven. He is a rich Father, and all the temporal and spiritual needs of his children he will supply; they shall have wisdom to guide them, power to protect them, providence to provide for them, even in old age when past labour; a faithful friend at all times to stand by them; a great high priest to carry on their cause in the high court of heaven; a body guard of angels to attend upon them; and good promissory notes to present at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances; because this blessed banker always travels with his needy bankrupt people.

Fourthly. A merchant may stow his merchandize on board his vessels, but they will remain in port, and never reach their destined

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