łation, he, like the angels, loves to look into these untold treasures; and in his pursuit, sometimes hears the Spirit's voice," all are yours.' This increases his curiosity; he doubles his diligence; and is overwhelmed with what he hears, sees, and feels, and wonders that others are not following on to know the Lord; and in the use-making of this treasure, he finds it to be like the bread in the hands of the church's provider, the more it is dispersed the more it is increased. But to observe some particulars respecting this soul-enriching treasure. First, it is the richest of all treasures. Secondly, it can never be exhausted. Thirdly, it is exactly suited to all ranks of society, to all situations in life, and to all circumstances in providence. Fourthly, the blessings of it continue for ever and ever. 1. This treasure is the richest; it comprises all the blessings of the covenant of grace, and an interest in and a union to the great and glorious covenant makers. Sin has made man a most miserable creature; almost every day brings some misery with it; a saint continually groans under the weight of the misery he meets with, in the church of God, in the world, and in his own breast: but the riches of God's mercy, treasured up in Christ, are sometimes apprehended and enjoyed; adopting favour is felt, pardoning mercy is experienced, supporting grace is granted, the rich robe of Jesus is by faith put on, the Holy Spirit applies the rich and precious promises; and union to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the husband of his church, is born witness to by the divine Teacher, God the Holy Ghost. We might here dwell upon the rich blood of Jesus, of its power to redeem, of its efficacy to cleanse, of its merit to plead, of its virtue to obtain pardon, to make peace, to reconcile to God, as the never-ending song in heaven, and as that sea of glass clear as chrystal, whereon the church stands without a stain or spot before a holy God. This is a treasure rich indeed, which none but God can give. 2. This treasure can never be exhausted, and it is endless in duration. When we look at the great former and maker of this mine, Jehovah, the almighty, the all-sufficient God; and when we contemplate the many millions that have been working in, and receiving out of this treasure, and all bear the same uniform testimony to its abundance. The proclamation made, after that horrible sin of idolatry committed near mount Sinai, beautifully sets forth this treasure, Exodus xxxiv. 2 to 7, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin," &c. The church in Nehemiah's day, chap. ix. 19. offer their meed of praise, yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness." The royal Psalmist found a plenty remaining in this treasure, and records it for the information of all enquirers; "with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." Holy Daniel cannot remain silent upon so sweet a subject, "to the Lord our God belong mercies." We might look over the whole long muster-roll; and call out of the ranks the Syrophenician woman, VOL. IX.-No. 116.] 66 3 C and she would sing and say, "He sent help from the sanctuary, heard my cry, sanctioned my little faith, and sent me home happy in heart, and joyful in hope." Call up the name of Mary Magdalene, and hear her evidence. "Oh!" she would say, "I drew very largely out of his treasury; Jesus saved me, pardoned me, and spoke peace to my soul; but an abundance of riches are left still, and are given gratuitous." Hear what the woman of Samaria has to say, "Come, see a man that told me all that ever I did." He met me when in my sin and blood, and my time of blood was his time of love; he tore the veil of ignorance from my mind, lodged eternal life in my dead soul, spoke kindly to me, although I spoke insultingly to him; and as I have found grace in his sight, Oh! come neighbours and friends to this treasure-house; and who can tell but God may be gracious to you? But the time would fail me to tell of Zaccheus, and Matthew the publican, and the prodigal son, and the converted dying thief, and the three thousand, and the cold hard-hearted Philippian jailor; but we must produce Paul to whom, under God, the church of Christ are under such everlasting obligations. He had a most extensive acquaintance with the riches and revenues of his Lord; he gives most sublime descriptions of them, he was favoured with a great enjoyment of them, he delighted to recommend them, and he rejoiced to see any put into the possession of them, and to live in the happy usemaking of them from day to day. 3. This inexhaustible treasure is needed by, and suited to all ranks and classes. We are quite aware that all do not feel their need of it, but very few are to be found who have any desire to be found rich in faith, and rich towards God; but sin has made us all miserably poor, most dreadfully destitute of any riches to recommend us to a holy God. No earthly rank or riches, nor misery, nor poverty, have any avail with Zion's Lord and King; "all that the Father hath given to Christ shall come to him ;" and these given ones feel their own poverty, the world's emptiness, and the misery marked upon all creatures; but being directed by the word of God, the Holy Ghost, and good men, to this rich and royal treasure, they find it suitable and satisfying; and the more Jesus is glorified by God the Spirit, the more he is prized; he is suited to every station. Adam, with all the satisfying pleasures of paradise, must have been poor and miserable, without these riches. It must have comforted Noah, when nature all around him was one complete wreck. It afforded Jacob real happiness, when houseless, and banished from a fond parent's home. The three lovely youths found and felt this treasure in a burning blazing furnace, where no human hand could help them; and Daniel was calm and composed in a lion's den, surrounded with those cruel creatures, because his God and Creator sent the Angel of the covenant to comfort his servant, and confine the animals; to make their keen appetites more keen, to make them ready to destroy the enemies of Daniel. The disciples soon found the wind cease, and the sea calm, when Jesus came on board the vessel; and Paul and Silas sweetly sung from a heart overflowing with grace the praises of God, in the jail at Philippi. This rich and precious promise is often recorded" I will be with thee; I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Well may the poet sing, "In every condition, in sickness or health, In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth; 4. This treasure is everlasting. We leave all earthly good behind us at death; we can carry no property with us. The body of the prince, peer, or peasant, will afford the same food for worms, or moulder in the same heap of dust. But there are riches of glory to be enjoyed beyond time; at the fountain of life saints are to live; they will be put into the possession of pleasures for evermore; the Lamb in the midst of the throne they will be satisfied with; and he will feed them, and eternally bless them. "Soon with Him we to heaven shall go; His riches then in gtory know; And all eternity along, A precious Christ shall be our song. Till then, what an exchequer we have to draw out of! What a rich Christ to live upon! What bills and bonds, signed and sealed with blood divine, (always payable) to present our heavenly Banker. May God all-sufficient, make all grace abound toward us, and bless his own truth, amen. Hampstead, Oct. 17, 1833. JAMES. GOSPEL UNION SOCIETY LECTURES, AT CUMBERLAND CHAPEL, SHOREDITCH. The following is the List of Preachers, aud Subjects for the Month of December, 1833. Thursday.-December 5.-Rev. E. WHITLEY—“ Church of God elected by the Father." 12. Rev. G. FIRMIN-" The Church of God redeemed." Sunday Afternoon.-December 1, at Three.-Rev. C. BRAKE. A Lecture in connection with the Society is opened at the Paragon Chapel, Bermondsey New Road, near the Bricklayer's Arms, Kent Road, on a Thursday Evening, at seven o'clock. The following are the preachers for the present month. December 5-Rev. J. IRONS. December 19-Rev. C. BRAKE. REVIEW. A General View of the Geology of Scripture, in which the unerring truth of the inspired narrative of the early events in the World are exhibited, and distinctly proved, by the corroborative testimony of Physical Facts, on every part of the Earth's Surface. By George Fairholme, Esq. 8vo. p.p. 494. London, J. Ridgway. That all the statements in scripture, whether regarding historical events or natural existence, are true, no one who really believes in its divine inspiration will be disposed to deny, or even to call in question. There may be circumstances mentioned, which the clouded eye and more clouded mind of sinful man cannot reconcile with what, with his short-sighted vision, he conceives to be the physical operations going on around him; and being unable to bring down all things to the level of his degraded intellect he may reject revelation altogether, proudly affirming it to be contrary to his reason! Christianity however, is not opposed to reason, although superior thereto it is of heavenly origin, the construction of an infinite mind, a subject for faith to exercise itself upon. Can it be matter of surprise, then, that a finite mind, without the illuminating aid of the Holy Spirit, should be unable to grapple with it, or would it be a subject for faith, which is a belief of unseen mysteries, if it were laid bare to the unholy gaze of an infidel enquirer? Oh! the men who refuse it, because their poor powers cannot comprehend it, at the same time that they evidence its truth by exhibiting in their own persons a fulfilment of scripture prophecy, find themselves miserably deceived. : We have said that christianity is not opposed to reason: she lives not to be enveloped in the dark mantle of a people's ignorance; her Lord's blessing seldom accompanies her progress there, neither does she sojourn long in a land without dissipating the gloom; she looks with a pleasant eye upon the man who shall be devoting his best energies to the understanding of her theme, and a frequent beam is shed to guide the researches of him who doth it prayerfully. Not so upon the captious and inquisitive sceptic, whose breast unwarmed by the love of God shed abroad there, seeks only for objections to fortress himself up in his own infidelity, and to gain votaries to his cheerless shrine; "their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them!" We have said that there are circumstances told in scripture, which may appear to the darkened eye of man contrary to his opinion of nature's operations; and texts, which his mind, outstretched to the uttermost cannot fathom: but the true believer, (we mean the man who has been compelled to believe the truth of scripture, by the irresistible and internal operations of divine grace) will not, in con sequence reject the bible, neither should he lazily give credence. The Bereans were more worthy than the Thessalonians, in that they searched the scriptures to see if the things were so. Oh yes! and dear for the truth's sake, is that man, who shall have been enlightened by the Holy Ghost to make clearer to his fellow christians any dark portions of God's word. While some "Dig and bore The solid earth, and from the strata there, The author of this volume seeks to prove from the state of the earth's surface, the correctness of the bible history, and to satisfy other enquiries which some may term more curious than profitable. We shall make no enquiries, because our Spiritual Magazine is read by many, who without referring to a dictionary will not know even the meaning of the term geology; to others, we would say, that the volume displays much ingenuity, and is sufficiently interesting to charm as well as to instruct. The author differs from most geologists who have gone before him; but he substantiates his opinions with much argument, and defending as his views do the assertions of scripture, we, of course, coincide with him. His observations respecting the deluge, and upon the fossil remains which are continually discovered, will amply repay the trouble of perusal. We cheerfully recommend the volume to the notice of such of our readers as may be desirous of investigating the subject. A Second Alarm in Zion; the Golden Wedge discovered in God's House, and a Lying Spirit detected there; being a Warning Voice from God to his beloved Saints who meet for worship at the late Rev. William Huntington's Chapel, in Gray's Inn Lane. By T. L. Styles, Z. S.S.S. 8vo. p.p. 224. Hughes. This work is as the title expresses particularly directed to the persons in the connection of the late Mr. Huntington; and contains a virulent attack on the conduct of some of the leading individuals therein, and which, if true, we sincerely regret; and in our opinion the parties accused ought, in justice to themselves, and their own character, to contradict as publicly such aspersions, which must while they remain uncontroverted, injure them in the esteem of every consistent follower of the Lord Jesus. Mr. S. states that nothing but a holy jealousy for the honour of God, and the best interests of the household of faith, have been the cause of this publication, and not any personal feeling of his own towards any who are named in the work. While we willingly give him credit for much of the sincerity of his intentions; we must say, that the angry spirit which is manifested in various parts of the book, lead us to fear that in this case Mr. Styles is not perhaps sufficiently aware how the arch-enemy of souls can and often does darken and distort the mind; that while zeal for the honour of God is our professed |