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Do you desire to behold "the righteous judgment of God" in absolute manifestation? Go, then, to Gethsemane's garden : hear the solemn declaration that is there made, "I WILL SMITE THE SHEPHERD, and the sheep shall be scattered." Look at the Holy Lamb of God, falling upon the ground; pouring out his soul in strong agonizing cries and tears-" Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." See him treading the wine-press alone:

'Twas here the Lord of life appeared,
And sighed, and groaned, and prayed, and feared;
Bore all incarnate God could bear,
With strength enough, and none to spare.
The powers of hell united prest,
And squeez'd his heart, and bruis'd his breast:
What dreadful conflicts raged within,
When sweat and blood forced through the skin.
Backwards and forwards thrice he ran,
As if he sought some help from man;
Or, wished, at least, they would condole
('Twas all they could) his tortur'd soul.
Whate'er he sought for, there was none.
Soon as the chief to battle led,
Our Captain fought the field alone:
That moment every soldier fled.

is a word which embodies at once all the ment of our peace was upon him; and, fulness of the gospel of Christ: it is, "THE (wonderful to relate,) with his stripes we RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF THE LORD!" are healed. He was oppressed, and he was What a striking and expressive title-page afflicted. His Father bruised him, and put and index to the gospel is this! The him to grief; and his pure and precious righteous judgment of the Lord." The soul was made an offering for sin; yea, gospel, from beginning to end, is a declara- the gospel in declaring the righteous judgtion and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, says, that " He who knew no ment of the Lord. As by one man," (says sin, was made sin FOR US; that we might the gospel) sin entered into the world, and be made the righteousness of God IN HIM." DEATH BY SIN: SO, DEATH PASSED UPON ALL MEN; for that all have sinned. Here is an awful position! God made man upright but he rebelled against his maker; brought down upon his own head, and upon all his posterity, destruction and death, so that now, the Almighty is perfectly justified in saying to the sons and daughters of Adam-"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." This is one part of the righteous judgment of God; and a soul-alarming part it is. Blessed be God, it is not the whole. No! The gospel is like the good Samaritan, in his conduct towards the fallen sinner that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. First; the thieves came; they robbed him, stripped him, wounded him, and I dare say they thought they had killed him outright; so away they went. Then came the priest and the Levite, and they looked on him, and said, no doubt, his case is beyond the reach of any cure, so away they went. But there came a certain Samaritan, who, when HE saw the poor creature lay, had compassion on him. And it is not a little singular, this certain Samaritan had in his possession every thing that was calculated to be of lasting benefit to the poor wretch as hemount of Olives, sacred grove. O garden, scene of tragic love! lay down in the dirt, with his blood flowing, what bitter herbs thy bed produce! his wounds open, his nakedness manifest, How rank their scent, how harsh their juice ! and all his strength departed. In the first place, the sight of him was enough to turn Turn from this to Calvary itself. See many away; he was in deep disgrace, and there the SON OF GOD nailed to the cross; in a most dreadful plight. But the Sama- hanging between the heaven and the earth; ritan had a very large and an exceedingly bereft of every earthly and of every hea compassionate heart; therefore, when He venly comfort: his overwhelmed heart at saw him, He had compassion on him; and length burst out-"My God! my God! went unto him. But, dear me, compas- why hast thou forsaken me?" Oh, what a sionate as his heart may be, what can display of the righteous judgment of God is He possibly do in a case like this? Why, here! See it in a three-fold point of view. he is wounded from head to foot, and all First, in the slaughtered Lamb-" by that his blood is running from him. Well, the one offering, he perfected for ever them case is a sad one to be sure, but then this that are sanctified." There the righteous Samaritan is a good physician. He under-judgment of God, (as far as his own glory, stands the nature of wounds; he knows how and the redemption of the church was to bind them up: and more than this, he concerned,) was essentially finished; and carries oil and wine with him, for the ex- upon the ground of this, the Saviour began press purpose of healing and comforting his two-fold glorious work of INTERCESSION poor sin-sick souls. And, therefore, he["Father, forgive them; for they know pours in to the poor man's afflicted parts not what they do," and REMISSION— plenty of oil and wine; lifts him up, sets ["Today shalt thou be with mein paradise."] him on his beast, and takes him to an inn. It is just so that the gospel comes. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, CHRIST DIED FOR US." For though he was a Son, and an only Son, and a well-beloved Son; yet, it pleased the Father to make to meet on him the iniquities of us all; the chastise

In connection with that tragic scene, you may see that, inasmuch as the righteous judgment of God was finished essentially in the person of Christ, its blessings come down freely to the whole election of grace, of whom THE SAVED THIEF was a fair sample. What! a thief: who never before had repented of, nor forsaken his sins; who

never before had obeyed the law, believed grace; God's everlasting love towards the Saviour, nor walked in his ordinances, his chosen people is still faithfully nor followed with his disciples! Shall this preached, and thousands receive and rethief, simply because he is now, at the last, joice in the same. Complete and particular deeply convinced of his sinnership, and of redemption-(a redemption that gathered the God-head and mediatorial work of in its mighty arms all the sins, and iniquiChrist, and flies and cries to him, and ties, and transgressions, of the whole electo him alone; SHALL HE BE SAVED? Yes! tion of grace, and hurled them into the Hereby the God of heaven practically and depths of the sea) is still boldly proclaimed, gloriously preaches out the very essence and thousands are the happy partakers of and substance of the gospel, that it is NOT the same. And as the Lord was with Jeby works of righteousness which WE HAVE hoshaphat, and constrained him to seek DONE; for he saves us freely by his unto the Lord God of his fathers, and to mercy. And so it came to pass that this walk in his commandments, even so, it is one of the chief of sinners went into glory; manifest that the Lord is with his people; and as he went, methinks I hear him sing, and they are a people that seek to know him, and delight to walk in his ways.

"Hail sovereign love that first began

The scheme to rescue fallen man! Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace, That gave my soul a hiding place." But the righteous judgment of God was seen there also in justly leaving the other impenitent crucified malefactor to perish in his sins; for the gospel sternly declares, "He that believeth not shall be damned."

Brother Emmett, ponder over these things. You see I have made a long digression here, but inasmuch as I had to pass by Gethsemane's garden and Calvary's cross, in my way up to the subject more immediately before me, I could but pause for a moment, and view those solemn scenes. Oh that I could live in a more habitual nearness to, and in a deeper experimental acquaintance with these high and holy matters, wherein layeth the salvation and security of our immortal souls! Stop! and before we onward press, let us look unto the rock from whence we were hewn, and to the hole of the pit out of which we were digged! See you WHAT OUR GOSPEL ZION ORIGINALLY WAS: a valley of dry bones: dead in trespasses and

sins.

"Buried in sorrow and in sin,

At hell's dark door we lay;
But we arise by grace divine,

And see CHRIST AS OUR WAY."

Hence you find the history of Jehoshaphat is introduced in rather cheerful terms: Asa is dead and buried; "and JEHOSHAPHAT reigns in his stead. And he placed forces in all the cities of Judah and THE

:

LORD WAS WITH JEHOSHAPHAT."

In the setting up of our gospel Zion, all this was really done; for wherever the gospel comes in the power of God, there sinners are gathered there churches are planted, and these cities of Judah, with their faithful ministers and devoted followers of the Lamb, like": an army with banners," have been the defence and protection of this highly favoured land for many generations. Blessed be God for the gospel! for, although iniquity abounds; error is rampant; strife, and contention, and parsonic jealousy are making fearful strides, still, we yet have around us, and in the midst of us, the invincible and glorious doctrines of distinguishing

Again, we read that in the third year of Jehoshaphat's reign, he sent his Princes, his Priests, and his Levites, to teach the law of the Lord in the cities of Judah, and among the people; and the fear of the Lord fell upon all the lands, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat; but they brought him presents; he waxed exceedingly great; he built in Judah cities and castles of store; and there he had much business to do.

Now all this is beautifully descriptive of what the gospel has done for us; and of the true character of our gospel Zion. What has not the gospel (through the power of God) done for us? It has taken the beggar off the dunghill; it has fetched the coal-heaver out of his dark dungeon; it has called the dirty and wicked tinker from his haunts and his hovels; it has translated the obscure country clown; it has removed the ignorant, the rough, the uncultivated ploughman; it has put an end to the miserable street wanderings of the poor Jew; it has enabled the poor carpenter to lay aside his tools and leave his bench. The Holy Ghost, by the gospel, has brought the life of God, the truth of God, the love of God, the mercy of God into these poor men's souls. And the gospel has so enlightened their dark minds, so completely reformed their previous wicked enflamed their once hard hearts, and so lives, that one has left his tinkering, anoing, another his wheelbarrow, another his ther his coal-heaving, another his ploughpeddling, another his trowel, another his weaving, another his baking; and lo! and behold, now they are set among the princes of God's people: they have become teachers of the citizens of Judah; they are employed in meditating upon, and in proclaiming abroad the mysteries of immortal and eternal love; and through their instrumentality the fear of the Lord has fallen upon thousands; much peace and prosperity has been enjoyed. And, my dear brother Emmett, if you just compare what these gospel Priests and Levites once were, with what they now are, you will be as well assured as I am, that the GOSPEL OF CHRIST never impoverishes any man. No, no! as is said of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xvii. 11.) so it may be said here; some of

ware, therefore, my brother, of that fleshpleasing, presumptuous, and popish spirit which, in the cities of Judah, hath now almost universally taken the place of that gospel humility, spiritual uprightness, and brotherly affection, which are essential characteristic evidences of vital union to Christ.

the Philistines brought their presents, | us, and chasten us for these things. Besilver and gold, and flocks, and so on. And the consequence is, some of them have built large chapels, gathered large flocks, inhabit large houses, and have altogether become very large men, and, no doubt, are doing, as Jehoshaphat did, a very large business. Well, well! let them not so far forget what they were, and WHAT IT IS THAT HAS MADE THEM TO DIFFER, as to become proud, high-minded, and independent. Let them rather be found gratefully acknowledging and extolling that mighty, that marvellous GRACE OF GOD, which has not only so highly dignified them in time, but also secures unto them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, when time shall be no more. Oh, thanks be to God for the gift of His Son, and for the glorious things spoken unto us, and wrought within us, by the gospel.

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There are four things in this part of the history, which I would wish to dwell upon; but the space allotted me compels me to be brief. I will merely call your attention to them; they are matters of deep interest to the church of God at this time.

FIRST.-Jehoshaphat being caught in the snare which Ahab had laid for him, (as we read in 2 Chron. xviii. 31.) his life appeared in danger; the enemies compassed about him to fight: "but Jehoshaphat CRIED OUT: and THE LORD HELPED HIM; and God moved the enemies to depart from him." This one thing will distinguish the elect living child from all the

It is a rare thing, my brother, to have a morning without clouds, here; scarcely a day passes over our heads, but there is some unhappy event connected with it. So in Jehoshaphat's history: "JEHOSHA-bastards in Ashdod. The living child may PHAT JOINED AFFINITY WITH AHAB." Oh, naughty Jehoshaphat! After certain years he went down to Samaria," and Ahab made a mighty fuss over him, and provided a great feast for him; and having thus caught Jehoshaphat in his trap, he persuaded him to go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battle. I am grieved to tell you, my brother, that this feature in Jehoshaphat's history, is not lacking in the present condition of our gospel Zion,

Well, but you do not mean to say that our British-Gospel Jehoshaphat has gone down to Samaria, and joined affinity with Ahab!" Yes! I do; what meaneth, and from whence springs all that jealousy, strife, and beating, and backbiting one another, which is now so painfully manifest amongst the ministers and churches of Jesus Christ? I tell you it is Jehoshaphat and Ahab together.

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Look at old Ahab, and listen to his wicked tongue for a moment, I say, Jehoshaphat," (says Ahab) "I WILL DISGUISE MYSELF, and will go to the battle." Yes, yes; old Ahab knows how to disguise himself; and it is Satan transformed; it is Satan getting into the hearts of good people, and among the boys and girls that play in the streets of Jerusalem (Zechariah viii. 5.) that causes such mischief in the beloved family of the blessed Lord. Oh, how sad is the thought, that ever a minister of Christ, or a dear child of God, should go down to Samaria; but so it is; and what the consequences will be, I cannot tell; but this, I believe, is the cause of our distress at this time, and the Lord will visit

become entangled: he may join affinity with that which will disgrace him; but, sooner or later, he will cry mightily to God; and the Lord will help him. The Lord will not forsake his people, though they may in practice forsake him. His covenant He will not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth: and the thing that is gone out of his mouth, is this-" I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

The second thing is Ahab's destruction. He thought to have hid himself so as to be secure; "but a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and he smote the wicked king; so that he died." Sin is a deceitful thing: it thinks to hide itself, so as not to be seen; but the all-piercing eye of God is upon it: it is that dreadful thing which he hates; and He will destroy it, Sinner! think not to hide up, or to cover over your sins. God will search them out.

In the third place, see you this; although the Lord delivered Jehoshaphat, and allowed him to go home in peace; yet He raises up a man sharply to reprove him for his folly" Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord." Sin, in a child of God, will never pass without correction; and I do not hesitate to tell you, brother Emmett, that I firmly believe the rod will surely come upon many of our mighty Jehoshaphats. There is a day coming when they must die, and the fire that God still keeps up in Zion will burn up their dross, and rubbish; of this you may be certain.

The fourth thing is a very comely and sweet-scented flower which grows in the garden of truth: it is the existence and exercise of A LIVING FAITH: ushered in by a nevertheless there are GOOD THINGS FOUND IN THEE." These GOOD THINGS

which God implants in the hearts of his
own elect, are indestructable; and because
of them, the Lord will go on to do his
people good. And you may see how this
internal possession of good things pro-
duced an external repentance and restitu-
tion. (Read 2 Chron. xix. 2 to 7.) I have
heard of some of Zion's standard-bearers
who have fallen; and, as some of the
citizens have told me, they expected to see
deep soul humblings on account of these
things. But, no; a bold face, and a daring
front, with lies and treachery, have suc-
ceeded. Ah, my friend, JUDAS IS NOT DEAD
YET. "He that eateth bread with me hath
(secretly) lifted up his heel against me:"
and as a kind of covering for his wicked-
ness, still kisses the Saviour with his lips;
but the heart is far from him. Well might
the prophet Malachi ask that solemn ques-
tion, when he saw some of these things-
But who may abide the day of his
coming? and who shall stand when he
appeareth? for HE IS LIKE A REFINER'S
FIRE; and like fuller's soap."
"His fan
is in his hand; and he will thoroughly
purge his floor; he will gather the wheat
into his garner; but he will burn up the
chaff with UNQUENCHABLE fire."

I must close up this letter by simply recording a few things which I was led to draw out of the text itself: "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle," &c.

ercises; and I think this should be THE POSITION OF OUR GOSPEL ZION at this critical period of time.

The declaration-" Ye shall not need to fight in this battle," goes to prove that God is with his people; he will fight all her battles: overturn all her foes, and therefore she is not to use carnal weapons, nor resort to unholy means; but she is to stand fast by the faith; and be patient in tribulation; for the Lord is our law-giver, and our King; and he will save us.

I must not further enlarge. The deep affliction of our beloved brother Herring is much on my heart. What deep waters he is in! Still I hope the Lord will bring him through them, and enable him again to preach the gospel of his grace. Give my christian love to your dear spouse. I cannot but believe that when God makes up his jewels, you will both be found among them: therefore be of good cheer, and pray, if you can, for your poor servant in the gospel of Christ,

CHARLES WATERS BANKS.

SOME OF THE

LAST WORDS OF RUTHERFOORD,

DURING HIS SICKNESS, AND
BEFORE HIS DEATH, FEBRUARY
LAST, 1661.

THE

[HE uttered many savoury speeches in the time of his sickness, and often broke out in a sacred kind of rapture, extolling and commending the Lord Jesus, especially when his end drew near; whom he often called his blessed Master, his kingly King.]

First. I spoke of the battle itself. The Moabites and the Ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle. This battle is still raging against the church of God as a body, and against every individual believer. The world and the espousers of a counterfeit faith are the Moabites and Ammonites which are daily coming against us; and against us they will come. The world is full of infidelity, rebellion, and a hatred of SOME days before his death he said, I shall God's saints. In the false church, there is shine, I shall see him as he is, I shall see hypocrisy, pride, errors of every kind, and him reign, and all his fair company with a casting away of God's truth. And I find him; and I shall have my large share, my to my sorrow that these Moabites and eyes shall see my Redeemer, these very eyes Ammonites have entered right into my of mine, and no other for me; this may very nature; and they have so often let fire seem a wide word, but it is no fancy or dein me such a volley of their ammunition, lusion; it is true, it is true, let my Lord's that my wounds are deep indeed; they name be exalted, and if he will, let my stink and are corrupt; and my apparently name be grinded to pieces, that he may be unheeded groans and sighs, my sinkings all in all. If he should slay me ten thoudown and bitter cries under these attacks, sand times ten thousand, I'll trust. have often made me think within myselfthat often repeated Jer. xv. 16, "Thy words were I was nothing but a Cain, or a Balaam, or a found, and I did eat them, and thy word was Judas, and that into hell I should certainly unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." fall. But, blessed be the God of all my Exhorting one to be diligent in seeking of mercies, I can say, and will say, grace God, he said, 'Tis no easy thing to be a divine has wrought in me as it did in Je- christian, but for me, I have gotten the hoshaphat. He set himself to seek the victory, and Christ is holding out both his Lord; he proclaimed a solemn fast; he arms to embrace me. At another time, to made a most solemn appeal unto the God some friends about him, he said, At the of his fathers, and said-" O, our God! beginning of my sufferings I had mine own wilt not thou judge them? for we have no fears, like another sinful man, lest I should might against this great company that faint, and not be carried creditably through; cometh against us, neither know we what and I laid this before the Lord: and as to do: but our eyes are upon thee." This sure as he ever spake to me in his word, so has been the position of my soul many sure has his Spirit witnessed to my heart, times. This, I believe, to be the experience he had accepted my suffering, he said to me, of every living soul under these heavy ex-fear not: the outgate shall not be simply mat

He

They have broken their covenant oftener than once or twice: but I believe "The Lord will build Zion, and repair the waste places of Jacob." O! to obtain mercy, to wrestle In the afternoon of that day, he said, O! with God for their salvation. As for this that all my brethren, in the public, may Presbytery, it hath stood in opposition to know what a Master I have served, and me these years past; I have my record in what peace I have this day "I shall sleep heaven, I had no particular end in view, in Christ, and when I awake I shall be but was seeking the honour of God, the satisfied with his likeness." And he said, thriving of the gospel in this place, and the This night shall close the door, and put my good of the new college, that society which anchor within the vail, and I shall go away I have left upon the Lord; what personal in a sleep, by five of the clock in the mornwrongs they have done me, I heartily for-ing, which exactly fell out according as he give them; and desire mercy to wrestle with God, for mercy to them and all their salvation.

The same day, Mr. James M'Gill, Mr. John Wardlaw. Mr. William Violant, and Alexander Wedderburn, (all members of the same presbytery with him) coming to visit him, he made them heartily welcome, and said, My Lord and Master is the chief of ten thousand of thousands, none is comparable to him in heaven or in earth. Dear brethren, do all for him; pray for Christ, preach for Christ, feed the flock committed "The snuffers in the temple were made to trim the to your charge for Christ, do all for Christ; lamps: these lamps were typical of ministers of Christ, beware of men-pleasing, there is too much the oil that supplies them points out, their supply of grace from CHRIST, and the lamp burning conof it amongst us. Dear brethren, you know tinually before the Lord, denotes, their hearts burnI have had my own grievances among you ing with zeal for God, and flaming with love to souls. of this presbytery. He, before whom I The snuffers may be typical of the nipping dispensastand, knows it was not my particular, but tions of divine providence, for the more the lamp is the interest of Jesus Christ, and the thriv-trimmed, the brighter it shines, and the greater light it gives."-Spiritual Mag. 1762. ing of the gospel I was seeking. What