attempt to tell what were my apprehensions of the consequences. But, blessed be God, he that implanted the tender feelings between the parent and the child, knows how and when to call them into exercise; and I have reason now to think that my love is not abated. I took a twig once, because my child was self-willed and disobedient, and laid it smartly on her arm; the flesh of a child is tender, more so than I had calculated-the marks were plainly planted on her arm, but much more deeply graven in my heart. That child is dead now, but my feelings are not dead. That look-that beseeching look-is as fresh as ever in my memory, though five long years have passed away since the occurrence; nor do the bowels of sympathy, compassion, and inexpressible affection cease to mourn over that child. I never hear the cry of a child-be that child whose it may-without its entering into my very heart, and stirring up peculiar feelings of sympathy and interest there. Reader, shall you and I, as poor, sinful, comparatively unfeeling and polluted worms, have these emotions, and yet shall we deny them to Him who gave them birth within our breasts? Oh! if we, as parents, feel, what must He who graciously styles himself the Father of spirits and the God of all comfort? We see but partially the dangers to which our children are exposed, and yet how sensibly we feel for them ; but our God sees all the dangers and the difficulties which beset our path; and is not-cannot be-an indifferent spectator. But my reader says, "Ah! did I know I was a child! then, methinks I should be contented with my Father's dispensations. I feel that as a Father, he would do all that was right for me-supply me with all that was needful-and never withhold from me that which was for my real profit and advantage;" and yet those who can call him Father do but now and then arrive at these conclusions. They said once what you say now; but they speak in a different language, even though the Lord has granted them their heart's desire. There is a vast deal of self-will and fleshly dictation yet in operation; and He who gave them the sweet evidence of childship, must give them, as children, quietness and placidity, and a simple falling into the hands of a loving Father, or the bursting forth of rebellion and ingratitude will be the consequence. As a child, I often offended an earthly parent, yet never in all my disgrace -when he would send me from his presence for days together-no, never did I question that I was his child, or that he was my father ; yet I did not think he loved me so much as he really did I thought that the rebukes and the chastisements were but a poor way of showing his affection; and I fancied if ever I became a father, I should manage things much better. But now I see my father loved me; and he rebuked me, and chastised me, and sent me out of the room in which he was, because he loved me. : "I am fearful that I am deceived as to my sonship," says another, "because I have so many troubles, exercises, and peculiar perplexities. Really I look around, and some professing godliness seem to travel heavenwards so smoothly and comfortably, whilst I am so plagued and harassed from morning to night, that I long for night to come to forget in sleep my sorrows, and I dread for morning to break because of the burden I shall have to take up again." Ah! I did not like going to school when I was a boy-not at all. The master was so cross-the lessons were so hard and uninteresting and he used to make me go over the same thing again and again, that it annoyed me excessively; and yet I feel now that the master was right, and that it was very thoughtful and very kind of my father to send me to school, even though the master appeared so cross and unkind. Why it seemed very rare that I saw a smile upon his countenance. "Really, you "Ah! but I get so many stripes," says a third. would be surprised could I tell you how the Lord seems to meet me at every turn with rebukes and chastisements. I have stroke upon stroke-sorrow upon sorrow-affliction upon affliction. All my fair designs are crossed; my gourds are withered; my expectations seem raised to be disappointed; and oh, frequently I fear that the very next trial or calamity will utterly overwhelm me. My cry continually is, 'I shall one day fall by the hand of this or that Saul;' for my enemies seem so to prosper, whilst I feel as if I were defeated in everything." Yes, when young I wanted a great many toys, and my father would not let me have them; I thought how much I should like to go here and there, but he would not let me go; this and that youth seemed very desirable companions, my father would not let me keep their company. So that altogether he appeared so strange and perverse-so unlike a great many other parents-that at times I thought it would be very nice to be for a time free from his yoke. But now I think he was a very wise and a very kind parent, and I feel so thankful for all the chastise. ments he inflicted on me, though the knotted rope and the stinging cane were at the time so very unpleasant. And now I see that some of the toys I wanted would have cut my hands-and the places I wanted to go to, and the companions I sought, would have been most destruc tive. "I believe him to be my Father," says another, "but I cannot think the reason that he permits me to walk in such darkness. Time was when I enjoyed his dear smiles; the world had no charms for me; earth was but a barren waste. My Jesus and I were bosom friends; he unveiled the glories of his face, and I told him of the love he had kindled in my heart towards himself. His name was the burden of my song, and his love my ever-constant theme. But now he veils his face; he talks no longer with me; and my position seems best described by Abraham's, " And the Lord left communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned unto his place :" "I to my own sad place return, My wretched state to feel." It was only now and then, in youthful days, that my father talked with me. When young-when very young-he would take me upon his knee, and tell me pretty stories; then, a little older, I would stand between his legs-look up into his face, and he down into mine, whilst he smoothed my forehead, and told me of his youthful days. And when he walked he would take my hand in his, and converse by the way. "Twas very nice. But when I grew a bigger lad, and wanted to leave home because of learning trade, he looked, yet said but little. He was not anxious for my going; he seemed to thwart my wishes. Several were the presentations, but all, except the last, he peremptorily refused. I could not think it right-it seemed unkind. And when another channel opened, 'twas long-'twas very long-before he gave consent. I thought him selfish-void of a father's feelings; but now I think far otherwise. I see the thought-the care the fond solicitude he exercised, and can understand his frequent silence. But when he did con. verse-when he chose to open up the secret workings of his mind, I felt astonished at the interest he had taken, when to me he had appeared indifferent. And his love-the openings of his bosom-seemed to me a thousand times more fond and fatherly. Reader, take the few scattered hints; and if to thee it is suggested I have used a line of human argument-which cannot stand the test in spiritual things-the answer I deduce from Scripture: thus it reads, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord piticth them that fear him." THE EDITOR. MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE. Plymouth. 2 COR. XII. 9. WHEN Satan's temptations assail, Defend me, dear Lord, with thy hand; Ne'er suffer the foe to prevail, But help me his wiles to withstand: Thou knowest, dear Lord, I am weak, Do thou be my guide unto death: ELIZUR. THE BIBLE SCHEME OF SALVATION EXAMINED. [Reprinted, by permission, from a tract just published by BINNS and GOODWIN, of Bath.] WITHOUT entering here into the question, whether or not there is any other mode or way of salvation than that which is revealed in the Bible; or, in other words, whether or not there is any hope of salvation irrespectively of the scheme therein unfolded, and of a personal interest in the Covenant arrangements of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of which that scheme consists; or whether (in short) there is any ground for hoping for salvation from what are called the " uncovenanted mercies of God, as some seem (though without scriptural authority) to suppose, it is clearly important that the scheme of salvation revealed in the Bible should be understood in all its particulars, so far as God has been pleased to render it capable of being understood by our imperfect faculties. Now, as different texts of Scripture taken separately, and interpreted literally, according to their strict verbal signification, convey very different, and even opposite meanings, which circumstance has given rise to different and opposite opinions, in support of which their respective advocates all appeal to the Bible, it is desirable in order to overcome the difficulty arising from these verbal discrepancies and apparent inconsistencies as to meaning, to consider the whole scope and tenor of Scripture, with a view to deduce therefrom elementary truths, or fixed principles; which, if not so far available as to enable us to arrive at the meaning of every individual passage (a consummation not to be expected), shall, at all events, show us what meanings (although otherwise possible in themselves) are to be rejected, because inconsistent with the said whole scope and tenor of Scripture. Now, the following propositions appear to be deducible from the general scope and tenor of Scripture; and if so, they must be taken as fixed principles, real inconsistency with which will prove the incorrectness of any opinions that may be held, and of any meanings that may be attached to particular passages. And, although, undoubtedly, a heart reception, a life-influencing conviction, of the truths of the Gospel, is beyond the power of human reason; it is conceived, that all that is required to ensure the assent of the understanding, to the conclusions arrived at, through the following simple course of reasoning, is a full, unqualified assent to these propositions, together (of course) with the ordinary power of perceiving the justness of right conclusions from admitted premises. Under this impression, and in the belief that there are many regenerated children of God, whose views of the Bible scheme of salvation are more or less confused, in consequence of their not having (firmly settled) in their minds such well defined, fixed principles, as are necessary for the purpose of appeal, in cases of doubt and difficulty, this tract is, at the suggestion of friends, put forth. The propositions spoken of are these : God is all-wise, and is, and always was, omniscient, both as to the past, present, and future. God is omnipotent in every respect; as well over mind, as matter; as well over the heart of man, as his body; as well in matters of grace, as of providence; as well with regard to regeneration, as to creation. God is unchangeable in every respect-in his nature, character, purposes, decrees, determinations, will, desires, wishes. This unchangeableness involves non-successiveness of purpose, decree, determination, will, desire, wish; in other words, no new purpose, decree, determination, will, desire, wish, ever arises in the Divine mind. Nor does God ever do anything otherwise than in accordance with previous eternal purpose. According to God's plan of salvation, revealed in the Bible, none are to be saved through and in accordance with the same, without being born, or rather begotten again, or regenerated,* this being part of the said plan. This being born, or rather begotten again or regenerated, is the work of God alone. God does not regenerate all men. Now God (being all-wise) never came to a determination but what was proper, or formed a plan but what was perfect in every respect; By regeneration is here meant, not any outward reformation, but that change of mind towards God which is denoted by the expressions, "A new spirit," ," "A new heart," "A new creation" (see Ezek. xi. 19; xxxvi. 26 ; Ġal. vi. 15)—in other words, the gift of spiritual life (a principle not possessed before in any degree), which is understood to be the meaning of John iii. 3. The word there translated "born," would be more correctly rendered "begotten," as it is so frequently in the genealogy of Christ, in the first chapter of Matthew, and in other places, where natural generation is spoken of, and also in different places where spiritual generation is spoken of (See 1 Cor. iv. 15; Phile. 10; 1 Pet. i. 3). Begotten again" is not only the more literal translation, but is the preferable expression, as more obviously excluding all idea of self-agency or co-operation (on the part of the subject of the work) in the work itself; inasmuch as that while previous to the natural birth a kind or degree of natural life exists, and may even be instrumental in the birth, no kind or degree of spiritual life exists before spiritual birth, or as it may more properly be called spiritual generation; for the carnal, or natural, or unregenerate mind, is enmity against God, and not only is not but cannot be subject to the law of God (Rom. viii. 7), and goes about to establish a righteousness of its own (Rom. x. 3), as a ground of justification before God, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God, and thankfully acknowledging and feeling his to be the only way of salvation, and desiring no other; which is the case with the regenerate soul. |