GOSPET, - The Gospel Magazine

l IIE SCRIPl'URES. :,I/
on llitn whom they have piercerl." 'Ihevcome to him. "thev ehall come rvhich
rvere ready to perish." They call rrpon hinr, ,. they shall cail on my narne, and
I rvill say, It is nry people, and they shall say,the Lord is my God." - Theylrope
in lrirn, " the Lord rvill be tlre hope of his peolle and the slrerrsrh. of tha clrilrlren
of fsrael." l'hey trust in hiin, " they
'Ihey
ilrail trust irr the name of the Lord,"
sealch the scripiures, " In the volume of the book it is rvritten of m€,"
under tbe prornised teachinq of the I{oly Spirit, to find their Saviour, Cl}rrist the
Lord, " as the truth is in Jesus;" rvho is the surn and substance of the Bible,
anrl the end oftlre larv for riglrteousness to every one that helicvetlr ; being made
of God to his peollle, rvisdorn, righteousness, sanctification, and redeniption,
Thc mere letter of the rvord killetli; it is tlre Spirit s'ho giveth life, as verified
in the heart and conscience of every believerr., is not my word like a fire ? saith
the Lord; and like a lramrner that breaketlr the rock in pieces!" In the hands
of.the Spirit, the sinner experieuces that'. the rrord of Gotl is quick and porverful,
and sbarper tlran any two-edged srvord ; piercir)g even to tlie dividini asunder
of soul and spirit, antl of tlre,ioints and marrow, and is a discerrrer'of the
thorrqhts and intents of the heart."
The scriptures are the Will and Testament of the covenant l{ead of tbe Church
of the living God, and by ttre death of this ever blessed and glorious Testator,
all the prornises contained therein, are sure to all Christ's seed; thev are yea,
and aldamen in hirn to the glory of God by us." It is through-the iomfoit oi
the scriptures the sinner is to have hope, but thcy nrust rot be vierved by the eye
of reason, for human judgrnent will niver underitand God's proviclential deilirrgs,
or rliscern tbe glorious rnystery of Jelrovah, in rhe grace of Chri.t, tlre luve
oftbe Father, and tlie rvitness bf th'e Splrit. ,. tthere is'a treasure to bi desired,
and oil in the dwelling of the u'ise;" and all our lread knorvledEe rvill never find
this pearl cf great price, without rve haye oil in our vessel. "We must have
divine liglt to rn_ake rough places plain, and crooked tbings straight; the work
of the Spirit in the heart, then spiritual things rvill correspond with the rvord of
God. Tbe HolySpirit rnust shine into our iiearts to discirn to us our own sinful
nature, and shine into his rvord to Eive us.. the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God iu tlre face of Jesus t,t,rist,,' 'lhere can be no real siglt of
sin._or understanding of the rvord of God, which is tlre onlv and unerring iule of
faith and practice, uotil the Spirit of revelation illunrinates our minds to understand"rhe
holv scriptlres, rvhich are able to make us wise unto salvation, through
faith ',vhieh is in Christ Jesus,"
The prophet Jeremiah had oil in his vessel, so fonnd the treasure; he says,
" thy rvords rvere found, and I did eat thern i aud thv rvord rvas unto me the
joy, and reioicing of mine heart," God manifest in ihe flesh, is the incarnate
Word, " the lVortl rvas made flesh;" the scriptures that testify of him are the
.rritten rvord ;'" search the scriptures; for iri them ye think'ye have eternal
life, and theyare they rvlrich tesiifyof me;" and Christ in us ourhope of glory
is the ingrafied word; "receive with meekness the ingrafced rvord, rvhich is able
to save your souls." Now secrethings belong untolhe Lord, but ,. all scriptu:e
is [iverr by inspiration of God, ant is ploftahle for. tloctiine, for repro6f,
for correction, for instruction iu righteousuess ;" and belongs to the living mernliers
of Christ's body the church, " thar rve through the patience and comfort
of the scriptures might have hope." It is there rvi read, that " affiiction cometh
not ibrth of the dust, neither dorh trouble spring out of the ground,', for it bas
pleased the Lord to make himself knorvn to his-people in t'6e furnace. It is
rvhen in -their a{niction, He makes his cboice kn6rvn'to them, and saysr'. It is
my people;" and their prayer out of the furnace is to be heard, theri they are
to say, " the Lortl is my God," Tbus rvhen God brings a cloud over the earth,
antl the sun's rays shine upon the falling rain, our natliral eyes behold rlre rainbow;
so it is, rvhen the Lord brings tribularion over his people; he sets his bow
in the cloudy and dark dispensation, hy the bright bearni of the Sun of righteousness,
rvhose " countenaoce was as the sun shineth in his strengtb," shining
through the affiiction into our hearts, his enlivening rays convevirrg healing and
comfort to the soul ; then, rvith the eye of faith rve are enabled 1o see the token
of God's everlasting covenant of graie and mercv, ordered irr all things and