GOSPET, - The Gospel Magazine

516 THE GOSPDT MAGAZINE.
selfor othere, and ury only apology for this long cornrnunication)ust l,e thc
feeling, that error i' tlocLrin-e often leads rlelrrsion in experience, and inconsistency
in practice, and tlrat no point cau be unirnportant in so solemn a matter
as the-truth of rhe_livirrg God. 'fherefore, I have done rny eudeavour to rlrite
y.ou a few lin^es ; if you tlrink them rvorttry your notice, and in accorclance rvith
the rvord of Gori, and yourorvn experience, insert thern ; ifnot rvorthy, cast thern
into vour rvaste box. And, shoulil \ve never see each other in the ilesh. it rvill
not belong before_rve.shall
wholly swallowed up in God, anrl uever- never,
sin again. .Then the-solemn song oi free grace will be more fully undjrstood,
mqe sweetly enjoyed, aud unceasingl_v sun*g.
That God Alruiglrtv may grant yo-u-a coirsrant sense of lris presence, is rhe
pr8yer or
Yours in the Lord,
JouN Gr,escow, Senior.
3, Higher Ardwick, Nlanchester.
THE SCRIPTURES.
" I! is written, thut mut shull, no-t-liue lty brea,l alone, but Iy eaerg word of
God,." Lars,. iv. 4.
Lluruer.r reason and the Christian r.eligion are directly opposed to each orher:
the former being natural and rlre latter spiritual, as diclarid by the son of God.
" that which is lrorn of the flrslr, is flesh, and that rvhich is bo'rn of thc Soir.it.
is spirit. l\llarvel rlot that I said unto thee, ye must be born agaiu.,, All rnankind
partake of the fallerr nature of the first man Adam,', who rvas natural, of
tlre earth, earthy; but " the second man is the Lord froru heaven.,, spirirual. ind
this Iast Adam rvas made a rluickeniag Spirit, and all his seed pu,:take oi Li,
Divine uature,
Hurnan reason, as tlre natural dictates of tlre rnind in fallen man. rvith all tlre
attainments in knorvledge it is capable of, supposes that every man nrav in his
own natural state, prepare himself and turn to seek the Lord; and expects salvation
and acceptance y!q! God, according to moral justice and good rvorks
done here; that eternal life is atrainable by our orvn str.engtlr, strivlnq and labouring;
that divine power is offered to all nrankind alilie, on certiin conrlitions
on man's part, as praying to God to assist us to please hirn here, that rve
may enioy happiness Jrerelfte.r; so that the sinner's compliance or nor, justifies
or condemns ltrnr betore God.
" But to the worrl and to the testimony.',
Religion, as the knorvledge of the true God, Father, Son, and Spjrit, and the
way,of worshipping hirn, is commuuicated to the sinner,s heart'by ihe Holv
Spirit, rvho teaches him, that in his natural stare he rvas dead in sin,'utterlv iri
capable o-fexerting th_eleas!-porver torvards any spirirual good, as it is rvriiten,
" when He is come, He shall convincc of sin;', fbr a seos-e of sin is as much
frorn the Lord, as the forgiveness of it. Tbat the sianer is acquitted. iustified.
and accepte{l by the righteousness of.the Son of God, whose blobd cleal'ses frorn
all sin, freely bestorved without the least regard to his own rner.it or demerir;
that the glory of Jehovah is the end of all his works; tLat the rvicked are rnade
for the day of evil, as vessels of wrath fiJted to destruciion; that the yessels of
srercy or.dained to eternal li.fe and glory in Chrisf, their covenant Head before tlre
foundation of dhe rvorld,; shall be quietened by the Holy Spirit, and receive grace
here, aud enj,oy eternal blessedness hereaftei; that salvAtion to eternal life is
the free antl unmerited gifr of God in a1d through the Lord Jesus Cbr.ist : thar
all rhe good works of believers, wrought in antl liy tlrem, are the fruits of God
the Hol-y Spirit, as revealed in lris rvoih,', I rvill rvork in ihem ro rvill and ro rlo
of m^y goodpleasur-e," Accordingly, the election of grace look for salyarion ro
the Son of God and man, rvho dietl, the just for the'uojust, .. tlrey shall look