law was older than Adam; Moses saith the Lord made not this covenant) (law) with our fathers but with us, even us (the children of Israel, who are all of us here alive this day; and Paul in this very Epistle to the Galatians saith, the law was not given until four hundred and thirty years after the covenant made with Abraham. How it could be older than the patriarchs perhaps you, my dear friend, at your leisure, will inform me. As to its being the purity and perfection of the divine mind, this statement is too incorrect even to have a remark from a secluded village grazier. The young man as recorded in the gospel, and Paul, even while in a state of nature, may answer; the one says all these things (in the law) have I kept from my youth up, and the other as touching the law, blameless; so that if the law is a transcript &c., these men while in a state of nature might claim equality with Jehovah himself. I must not trespass much longer on your time, only just to observe that you say you have been under the law, and that Christ hath redeemed you from the curse of the same. I trust you have been truly convinced of all sin, not only what may be included in the law, but also that whatsoever is not of faith is sin, so that if not redeemed from all sin, all iniquity, yours, my dear sir, would be a most distressing case. Remember that the precious blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. May you and I live daily in the sweet enjoyment of the same, knowing that we are personally interested therein, and may the presence and blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Leicestershire. W. F. NEWS FROM AMERICA. To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine. My very dear Brother in Jehovah our Saviour, who is the centre of all the glorious purposes of Triune Deity: THOUGH separated by the wide Atlantic, and a stranger to you in the flesh, yet fraternal affection and a sense of gratitude compel me to take up my pen, and to record my thankfulness to the Great Head of the Church, for the sweet refreshments my soul has experienced through the medium of the Gospel Magazine. Dear brother, I am not going to flatter you: for I am persuaded, that Satan knows how to administer enough of that cursed poison to your carnal part, without my aid: but I do desire to strengthen your hands, which often hang down through a sense of your own weakness; to adore that God, who hides pride from man, and assure you that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. It is now more than thirty-six years since the Lord led me through the Red Sea, and tuned my harp to sing the high praises of Him who is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, for the wonders of his might in delivering me from the pursuing foe; and in all my peregrinations through this wilderness, I have never met with a fellow pilgrim whose views of things divine so exactly accord with my own, as yours. Indeed, I could scarcely have hoped, in the present distracted state of things, to have found one, who could so easily step over the circles of distinction, which a sectarian spirit has drawn around the different sections of the visible church; and dwell exclusively within the bounds of the grand circle of electing love, which includes the whole family in heaven and earth, and of which Jesus is the glorious sun and centre. Though you may travel under the banner of Judah, you do not say to a true Israelite who encamps under the standard of Dan (though it be the rereward of all the Lord's host), "You have no right to worship at the tabernacle" because you know who appointed the distinction. And now, brother, allow me, through the medium of your magazine, to salute my dear brethren in Christ, your correspondents. And first, hail! Father Crispin, to whom the King of Zion hath given a sword of "a bright Jerusalem blade" wherewith you have hewn many an Agag in pieces before the Lord at Amen Corner. May he give you strength that you may continue to wield it until he call you from the conflict to the crown. My next visit must be to Yorkshire, to greet the worthy Vicar of Harewood. The Lord bless thee! Brother Hale, and lift upon thee the light of his countenance, and give thee peace. Often have I read your precious Gospel Tracts, until the briney dew has obscured my vision. In the name of the chief Shepherd, I bid you God speed. May Jehovah the Spirit comfort your soul, and make you fruitful in every good word and work. My next call must be at Grove Chapel, Camberwell. Brother Irons, I bless God for the effusions of your pen; the sweet morsels you have gathered from the fields of grace have been very grateful to my spiritual appetite. Many of your little pieces have found their way to the shores of America, and have boldly witnessed for God against the Arminian trash of the day. The Lord make thee faithful unto death, and give thee a crown of life. There are several more of my dear brethren who dwell in the land of my ancestors, whom I should be glad to salute; but time would fail. If any of them would condescend to send a poor obscure individual through the same medium, a love token, it would be highly prized by New Brunswick, July 1845. METRIOS. [WE cannot but feel grateful for any testimony of our labours, not being in vain; but it will be additionally gratifying to us-and doubtless interesting to most of our readers, if our correspondent would favour us with some particulars in connexion with America. How long has he been there? What truth has he in his neighbourhood? Has he brethren in the Lord about him? Are there any periodical publications free from that free-will spirit which so characterizes American works? When did our Magazine find its way into his hands, and under what circumstances? And have the small tracts and sermons to which he refers a tolerably free circulation on his distant shores? These, and any other particulars with which he may favour us, would be to us deeply interesting.-ED.] CORRESPONDENCE OF THE LATE HENRY FOWLER. DEAR BROTHER Radford, I have this moment received thy spiritual and welcome epistle. I was looking this morning for thy address, with an intention to write either to-day or to-morrow, for you have been much on my mind. The Lord help us to pray for each other, and for ransomed Zion. The best of blessings comes in answer to prayer. Spiritual men ought always to pray and not to faint; but this good that I would I do not, and the evil that I would not that do I. The language of your letter I perfectly understand; I can read it without glosses or comments, and receive it without the least doubt of its being a true description. My brother, I am glad to find one in this wilderness something like myself. I have much reason to abhor myself on account of what I feel in myself; but I am not my own, if I were I should soon sell myself to work all uncleanness with greediness-but being another's property, he has bound himself to take care of his property as he speaks, "My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." Your comparison of the soldier's target well suits my own case. The archers have shot at him, and grieved him, and sorely wounded him, but his bow abides still in full strength through the omnipotent strength of the mighty God of Jacob. As it has been with you so it has been with me for many weeks, lukewarmness, deadness, forgetfulness; not that delight in reading God's word that I could wish; powerful unbelief working hard against the promise of my God; as stupid as an ass when going to preach, and as barren as a wilderness, and though when I have been nothing God has always appeared for me, filling my mouth with good things, and giving acceptable words to utter, yet I cannot trust him a second time, but generally mount the pulpit with a complicated burden of what I can hardly describe, yet in the pulpit I am often most happy, and delivered from all my fears, and the people rejoice; and I am often fool enough to flatter myself that I shall find a smoother path to the pulpit, and a smoother path to the kingdom anon. This is my infirmity, and most gladly will I rather glory in mine infirmity, that the power of Christ may rest upon me; for when I am weak, then am I strong. Oh, my friend! how hard a thing it is to live by faith, and not by sense and sight. You inform me of having wrote the Dr. I am glad of it, and am glad of the kind token of love by his means conveyed to you. I wrote the Dr. by my brother, who has been in Birmingham these nine months past, but his wife being in a bad state of health he is returned again to Plymouth, since which Dr. H. has very kindly answered my letter, expressive of every mark of Christian affection. I am glad to hear that Mrs. L. and family are well-sorry for poor H.'s disasters. Oh, what a miserable world this is! and this is the way to our dear Father's house. Well, a few more tossings to and fro, will land us safe at our destined port. It will be of little consequence then what sort of figure we have made, or how much or little we have been esteemed in this world. You ask me 66 what I think of the present times." Think! I feel as well as think, I assure you, my friend, times are truly awful! and the end is not come yet. Last week we had a public meeting in this town, and sent a petition to both Houses with forty-six thousand names, filling up seven hundred skins of parchment; cost about £45; but God hath the hearts of all men in his hands, and he can turn men's hearts sooner than all the petitions in the werld. While we look at second causes only, we cannot but be terrified. But God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble; therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved and the mountains be cast into the depth of the sea. God is known in Zion's palaces for a refuge. May the Lord Jesus, the author of our faith, grant you and myself, and the whole Israel of his love, an increase of that faith which cannot fail, so now paper constrains me to conclude with my love, and the love of my friends to you. Pray for us, my dear brother, and believe me, Ever yours in covenant love, Birmingham, March 13, 1815. HENRY FOWLER. City Steam Press, Long Lane: D. A. Doudney. "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 VOL. V.] IS LIFE ETERNAL." A GOLDEN TREASURY OF THE FAMOUS NAMES AND TITLES OF EMMANUEL. BY THOMAS HARE, B.A., No. III. ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the ALMIGHTY GOD; walk before me and be thou perfect."-Gen. xvii. 1. BOTH the manifestation and revelation of the Lord given here are the more wonderful, because of what is recorded in the preceding chapter. Wherein we have a statement of Abram's attempt, by carnal means, to fulfil the Lord's promise, in answer to his complaint, "Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall No. 59, VOL. V.-New Series. 2 T not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir" (Gen. xv. 3, 4). As in his present account Sarai his wife could not be the mother of the promised heir; he had recourse to Hagar the bond-woman, and the result was the birth of Ishmael. But Hagar was not Sarai-Ishmael was not Isaac, and consequently not the promised child; since the Lord said, "But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year" (Gen. xvii. 21). Beside, Hagar was driven by her mistress Sarai from her house. Whatever therefore hope Abram had prior to this was destroyed, until Hagar, by divine command, returned, and submitted herself to her mistress. And even then the Lord said nothing about the child Hagar should bear, as being Abram's heir. He had been in an extremity on this point for thirteen years; and at length what is recorded in this chapter occurred. But it was not until Abram was ninety-nine years old; and thirteen years had elapsed since he had seen or heard anything of the Lord in an extraordinary manner! It may therefore be well said "The word of the LORD was precious in those days: there was no open vision" (1 Sam. iii. 1). To this number the Lord added another year ere he fulfilled the promise! Wherefore, between the periods of giving the first promise of an heir, and the birth of Isaac, twenty-three years expired! As what the Lord had assured Abram of, was a great promise (utterly impossible to man)-he revealed himself in such a character to him, as to satisfy him what he had promised he would and could fulfil; hence the above, "I am the Almighty God." He that thus spake to Abram, so revealed himself to John, the beloved disciple, after his return to glory-"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. i. 8). Afterwards he appeared to John, and whereof he speaks from the 12th to the 18th inclusive. Thus he appeared to Abram with the like effect, for it is recorded (3rd verse), "And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." But to return. Jehovah appeared to or was seen by Abram. But as he is necessarily invisible, his appearance was anticipatory of his actual manifestation in Abram's seed, in his taking it into personal union with himself. As confirmatory of this sweet truth, it is said, "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding |