ps my faithfully in St. William Duncansong. Pushed the Gope. vagaz...e Oct 1849 by W Courage. City Press gane THE GOSPEL MAGAZINE. "Comfort ye, comfort ye, my People, saith your God." "Endeavouring to Keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace." "Jesus Christ, the same Yesterday, To-day, and for Ever. Whom to know is Life Eternal." No. 10. NEW SERIES. OCTOBER, 1849. No. 106. OLD SERIES. CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH ONE; OR, THE PRIVILEGES OF THE MYSTICAL UNION. BELOVED, the privileges which the Church, as the Bride, the Lamb's wife, enjoys, may be summed up in three words counsel, comfort, and care. Of these and all that is included in them-she is made the rich partaker even here in the wilderness. Let us, as God shall enable, consider them. The first great privilege, then, is counsel. And what can be a higher privilege what a richer mercy-when covenant and indissoluble union has been confirmed than the right to resort to our covenant Head for counsel? In conducting his Bride through the wilderness, it has ever been the pleasure of the Lord to lead her by a chequered route; and continually has she been at a loss to know how to act, or which way to take. But what is the end and purpose of the difficulty into which she is brought? That she may know the sweetness of spiritual intercourse with her heavenly Lover; for it is by these very means that such intercourse is maintained. There is an ever-constant disposition in the human breast, to think and act for itself—it loves independence. Conversion, or the first movements of spiritual life, makes no change. What the human heart was before it, that it continues after it. The preciousness of childlike simplicity and gospel dependance, is known only unto, and recognized only by, the inner or new man. Whilst therefore the old nature despises a felt pauperism both in wisdom and worthiness, the new nature delights in it, as bringing it into constant communication with its divine Author. Reader, if you are living the life of faith, or, in plain language, if you are married to the Lord Jesus Christ, you are experimentally acquainted with the nature and operation of these two distinct principles. And pain ful as it is to nature, is it not pleasurable to grace, to be coming continually with child-like confidence to the throne, that we may "seek mercy and find grace to help in time of need?" instruct me. If we are really in the "footsteps of the flock," how very soon do we find that those footsteps lead into the midst of a difficult and trying path. Two distinct ways present themselves, or perhaps and which is less dangerous—no way at all. What is to be done? If nature is followed, and the dictates of the poor carnal heart are observed, it is more than likely that of the two the wrong course will be taken; but, if distrustful of self, and fearful of going wrong, we are kept in waiting upon the Lord, how blessed! Observe the Bride in this position, when in the practice of her privileges. Conscious-deeply so of her own waywardness and weakness, she appeals to her Head and Husband. Hear her language; "Lord, I am in perplexity, and know not what to do. Condescend to Thou hast said, 'In all thy ways acknowledge me, and I will direct thy paths.' Be mindful of thy promise, and do as thou hast said. I come. Encouraged by thy word, I wait on thee. Let me see thy gracious leadings; let me hear thy voice, saying, 'This is the way; walk ye in it.' I fear to go alone. I cannot-dare not-venture without thyself. I want the inward and constraining power of the blessed Spirit. Let me see the moving of the cloud, and trace the leadings of thy providential hand. I would be earnest with thee. Mine is a pressing case. Thy promises are most suitable. Lord, verify them. I will instruct thee, and teach thee, in the way that thou shalt go; and I will guide thee with mine eye.' Lord, what can I want more? very summit of my desires. What shall so satisfy me as the conscious assurance that thou art with me, to guard, to guide, to comfort? Oh, open the way. Show me thy will. Make known the path in which thou wouldst have me go. I want to feel it's thine-the very way thou didst eternally appoint. "Tis not for me to ask what shall befal me there. With the morrow and its cares I have naught to do; but it is to-day, with the steps I am to take, about which I am concerned. Lord, lead! I want to see thy opening hand-to feel an inward, but all-powerful constraint; yet not to look within, but to thyself alone." This is the Reader, this is communion; this a child-like way of seeking counsel. This it is that brings the soul into sweetest intimacy with its Head and Lord! This is not the freezing-point where slaves reside, and servants follow out their calling; but it is the privileged place which children оссиру. These come 66 not to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest," 'but "unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel." Whence hesitation? why fearful? Is He mine, and am I his? Then it is my privilege at any time, and under all circumstances, to wait upon him. To whom shall children go but to their Father? And shall not the wife, when needing succour, flee unto her Husband? Assuredly. "And because ye are sons (says the apostle, Gal. iv. 6), God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your heart, crying, Abba, Father." Precious privilege! Beloved, do you feel the sweet vibration of it in your hearts? Do you know anything experimentally of a kind of instinctive drawing upward, and heavenward, and Christward? How fall the notes, "Abba, FatherAbba, dear Father," upon the ear? Cold and comfortless? or with power and preciousness, finding its way, as it were, at once into the heart, and infusing such a sweet warmth—such a soothing glow—as seems to animate even the very bodily frame? Sweet sensations these! There is no philosophizing upon them; nor do children need it. These are family secrets, and have to do with family mercies. These high and holy favours are the fruit of freedom, proving the truthfulness of the testimony, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John viii. 26). And though all the children are not as yet made the joyful partakers of this freedom, yet how speedily is it known when they are so. How different are the "prayers" of a servant to the pleadings of a son. The former chill, the latter cheer; the one distresses, the other delights; the former brings bondage, the latter blessedness; the one causes you to cleave to the dust, the other to soar aloft and sing, "The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted." Beloved, how different is the atmosphere in which sons and servants live! But a hint for the timid ones, lest they be disheartened. The want of the freedom to which we have adverted, is your source of sorrow; "If I were a child," say such, "should I not realize the freedom and the fearlessness of a child? Do not the darkness, and the dread, and the doubt, united with that slavish fear of which I am the subject, augur against me?" Beloved, it is one thing to desire, and quite another thing to deny. You not only admit, but earnestly contend for, the prerogative of childship, though not yet (as you conceive) the privileged partaker in personal realization; others deem such privileges presumption; and so continue to render the mere servile obedience of a slave-a service of no value. Thus whilst they deny, you desire; whilst they are at enmity with the children because they contend for their rights, you envy the children as such, and long to be the happy partakers with them of like precious faith, which brings such blessed freedom and holy boldness with it. And if these are among the privileges which the Church, when characterized as the children of the living God, enjoy; are those less, either in quantity or quality, of which, as the Bride the Lamb's wife, she is made the partaker? Most certainly not. Let us appeal to the merely natural tie for confirmation. The child, as a child, may inherit many and distinguished favours; there is a oneness of nature and a oneness of interest; love is reciprocated; it flows to and from-backwards and forwards-between the parent and the child. Still, from the disparity of age and the very nature of circumstances, there are certain lawful limits. The father never tells the child how much he loves-it were imprudent so to do, even though he had the power; nor can the child express-for he knows it not-the extent of his affection. But between husband and wife the case is widely different. Restrictions here are needless. The mind of each matured, they think, and speak, and act, as one. They see and know-or ought at least-but to admire. They dwell on terms of mutual confidence. The freer the intercourse the fuller the interest; the less the reserve the less the restriction; the more they confide, the greater their comfort. Is this the case naturally? It is. And just in proportion as we have grace to act upon these principles spiritually, do we realize all the satisfaction and the sweetness that necessarily arise therefrom. We know of nothing that can be more timely than the privilege of resorting to a kind, and gracious, and unerring Adviser in all our seasons of perplexity. But for the pride of our hearts, and the stubbornness of our wills, we never need be at a loss. This gracious Counsellor is always at home; his office-hours are every day and all the day. He is constantly at command, and ever holds out a hearty welcome to all comers. And had we grace to present our plea, and to wait, and to watch, we should assuredly see the most blessed results. We should practically respond to the exhortation-and feel the blessedness of so doing"Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you." But, alas! how few are the instances in which we are not choosing and contriving for ourselves, and thereby securing for ourselves naught but trouble and dissatisfaction? and though we have seen the folly of it again and again; though we have had line upon line, and precept upon precept, yet, beloved, is there not in our hearts the same sad snare-a snare into which we are sure to fall if not restrained by Almighty grace? Seeing, then, that we are perpetually prone to it-that there is not a day nor an hour in which we are not thus exposed-what reason have we to acknowledge and admire that wisdom which keeps us under restraint. Many a loving husband has detected certain weaknesses in his wife ; the very love which he bears to her prompts him to a corresponding caution, so that every occasion for the display of that weakness may be scrupulously avoided. Precisely is it so with our heavenly Husband. He knows full well-yea, ten thousand times better than we-our manifold weaknesses, follies, and sins-and hence, with the most consummate wisdom, he exercises towards us a loving discipline. Like the poor frail wife, we ofttimes think it hard, and fancy that neither this nor that could do us any injury; but, he knows best; and, by-and-bye, when he gives us a bird's-eye view of the pathway through which we have travelled, and we see some few of the myriads of dangers we have escaped, oh! how we shall love him-oh! how we shall admire himoh! how we shall bless, praise, and adore him for his faithfulness, forbearance, and favour. Therefore, grant us, Lord, to trust where we cannot trace thy wonder-working hand. Do thou, thyself, conduct us onward; and though the path be dark and dreary, yet gladden us with the sound of our Master's footsteps! "Though dark be our way, since thou art our Guide, 'Tis ours to obey, 'tis thine to provide; Though cisterns be broken, and creatures all fail, We have, secondly, to consider the Lord's comforting grace, as the Head and Husband of his Church. And now, reader, the Lord the Spirit enable thee to look back upon the journey. Thou hast, in all probability, been travelling Zion's road for a good many years, and, whilst on pilgrimage, have been called to encounter a great many trials and temptations. But pause a moment, |