Christ are all alike the objects and subjects of this grace; are all equally dear, and all equally included in this rich salvation; and every one becomes an equally interested and essentially necessary member in the mystical body of Christ Jesus our Lord. There may be, and indeed there must be, a diversity of gifts in the several members of Christ's body, for the general welfare of the whole, and to carry on the purposes of His government; but this makes no difference in respect to union with the glorious Head, and the communion in all that belongs to Him: the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee." No, nor even the glorious head himself, Christ Jesus, cannot say to the foot, I have no need of you. For if an atom of the Lord's body were wanting, how would the whole be perfect? The little ones, therefore, are as dear to Christ, and as much united to him, as prophets or apostles; and for this plain reason, they are all equally given by the Father, all equally married and redeemed by the Son, and all equally regenerated and anointed by the Holy Ghost. True, indeed, such of the Lord's family as He has given than others, will have larger those of smaller attainments. salvation, all are upon a level.

larger portion of faith to enjoyments therein than Nevertheless, in point of For as none are saved but for what Christ has

for any work wrought in them, wrought for them; it is by every one in this particular, as by Israel gathering their manna in the wilderness— "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack." The faith of Abraham was God's gift, and not the patriarch's merit; hence, added nothing to the soul's safety, no more than the weakest

babe in Christ. For it is not what we feel, but what Christ is; not our faith in holding him, but his grace in holding us. Very sweet are the words of our Lord to this effect "Fear not, little flock; it is your heavenly Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."* Observe what a volume of comfort is contained in the bosom of this short verse; and how it corresponds to the leading feature of this discourse. The little ones of Christ's fold are, for the most part, fearful ones; but their safety is not in themselves, but in the Lord: and it is their heavenly Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom, not from their deservings, but his gift; and not simply his will in doing it, but his good pleasure. And thus it runs up to the same fountain-head as from whence we began: "For the Lord hath pleasure in his people; he will beautify

the meek with salvation."

Reader, I cannot better offer my salutation on this subject, than in once more repeating the prayer of the Apostle: "Wherefore also, we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him; according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ."†

演

CHAPTER XIV.

God's support of His Church, in the view of impending Judgments; its security and stability in the midst of portentous times.

The heaven-born soul, in her journey through the wilderness of this world, is not only the subject of fears within, but exposed to trouble without, and the fluctuations of circumstances in the Church, when exposed to great changes in spiritual matters. There are seasons when the waters of the sanctuary run low; and there are times when, as things appear to the child of God, the Lord seems inattentive to his bitterest cries, and appears not to answer. Yea, and what tends to aggravate the sorrow, both of the sons and daughters in Zion, to the brimful cup of affliction, the Church herself is threatened to be ploughed as a field. The present moment brings forward most alarming exercises, and augurs most portentous times. Everything around us, in this our insular situation, in reference to religion, bespeaks some mighty convulsions at hand. Add to these, the Scriptures themselves, in relation to the present era, unite in teaching the people of God to be on the lookout for the time of Jacob's trouble. The last days are foretold as perilous days. Great events are said to be pending over the Church of the Most High God. And we are admonished that a vast struggle for a while, will be maintained by the kingdom of darkness, against the kingdom of Christ. The sounding of the seventh trumpet closeth the mystery; for then "the kingdoms

ever.

of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ."* Nevertheless, during the conflict the Lord will accordingly let loose the whole power of the enemy; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time. And we have already beheld in part the preparations for the eventual scene. Popery, which at one time was paralyzed in this land, now, like the frozen serpent brought into the atmosphere of warmth by the incautious husbandman, hath emerged from her benumbed state, and will recompense the kindness by stinging her children.

She hath unfurled her banners, and is now, as she formerly has done, again attempting a legitimate footing in this kingdom, while with equal earnestness, but with more secrecy, Infidelity, with her hydra heads, hath been and is privately at work, to sap the foundation of the Christian Church, by digging up the very first principles of our most holy faith. I stay not to notice those various auxiliaries, which have no object but disorder, and are only waiting the period of some general convulsion, to join in the battle of Armageddon. What further portentous signs will appear before the dreadful crisis of the slaughter of the two witnesses, is not revealed; only, in general terms, it is said, that "men shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." There may appear at times a seeming suspension of hostilities, but an inactivity should cause a suspicion. Naturalists have observed, that a more than ordinary quietness in the elements precede

*Rev. xi. 15.

an earthquake; and burning mountains give no symptoms without, of the combustion working within, until the volcano bursts forth from the crater with the fiery lava, to desolate the regions below. The prophet's servant saw nothing but an unruffled surface on the waters, when he first went to behold them. But when, at the command of his Master, he went the seventh time, he saw a cloud, which, though no bigger than a man's hand, carried with it the tempest in its womb.

In a moment like the present, the solemn demand of Christ becomes a matter big with the weightiest considerations, in the prospect of impending judgments; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. “When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" The question is infinitely appalling to the most faithful among the Lord's people; but to every one unconscious of an interest and safety in Christ, the tremendous challenge is calculated to ring like a peal of thunder through all the chambers of the heart. And what answer can be given, in the millions of instances among all such who have the form, but deny the power of godliness? It were almost needless to observe, that those words of our Lord, though put in a way of question, as if the matter was doubtful, are not so, but rather as a thing already known and settled. It is that kind of question which answers itself. It is as if the Lord had said, It will be a rare instance to find any. I have thought the subject in itself highly interesting. And with those prophetic Scriptures in our hand concerning the latter day, and the corresponding signs of the times before our eyes, I have thought nothing can be more