Mary.-I can understand how God justified His people, by freely giving up His Son for them, and accepting what He did, and imputing it unto them; but I should like to understand a little clearer concerning the time when He did it.

George.-Well, then, we will consider it in this manner,

1st. God did it, in purpose, from all eternity.

2nd. He did it virtually, when He justified, or cleared, Jesus, their Surety, from all those sins which, by imputation, were laid upon Him; which was when He raised Him from the dead.

still, though thus made righteous; yea, George. Yes, that is just what I righteousness through Him, and in mean; and I understand that passage, Him, I could not see how His righteous-being justified by His (God's) grace,' ness did it; whereas, it was His bearing in the same manner. It was God's the curse, His shedding His own blood, grace, His goodness, His love, which His obedience unto death, that justified led Him freely to give up His only Son us, and made us righteous. But, Dr. to die in His people's stead, and to Goodwin says, "It is Christ that paid accept that which He did for them as if the price, that performed the righteous- they themselves had done it. ness by which we are justified." Therefore, you see, He calls His bearing the curse, His shedding His own blood, His obedience unto death, a performing the righteousness by which we are justified. But look at it in this way, Mary, and then you will be no longer puzzled. You know one of the family of old said, "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." You may therefore do the same. Say, then, I have the most honest, the most upright, the most just, the most righteous husband that ever lived, or that ever will live. He may well be most emphatically called the "Just One;" for when He set His love upon me, He knew I was deeply in debt, a debt which corruptible things, such as silver and gold, would not cancel; but yet, so righteous was He, and such was His love for me, that He freely took my debt upon Himself; and when He knew it would cost Him His heart's blood to cancel it, He did not shrink back. No, His righteousness and His love sustained Him. And at the time appointed He freely came forth from the bosom of His Father, and took my nature upon Himself, and in that nature suffered all the righteous demands of His Father's most holy law, by which He paid my debt to the uttermost farthing. But, oh, who can tell what those sufferings were which He endured to deliver me? Have I not reason to boast of His righteousness, which led Him thus to suffer, bleed, and die for me? Yes, it was His righteousness, His love of justice, and His love for me, that led Him to do it. Do you see my meaning?

Mary. Yes, the righteousness of Jesus, and His love of righteousness, led Him to put it on as a breast-plate, and freely to do those righteous loveacts by which His spouse is justified and made righteous. It might well be said, therefore, she is justified by His righteousness.

3rd. He does it personally, when they believe in Jesus.

You know the scriptures very often speak of things as done, which were not actually done for hundreds of years afterwards; thus we read, "Fear not, I have redeemed thee." And again, "He was wounded for our transgressions." Now, Jesus was not actually wounded, nor His blood, by which His people are redeemed, actually shed, till about 800 years afterwards. God is not like us, poor worms; what He purposes, is as good as done. It may be said, therefore, of everything which takes place in time, whether it respects the whole church of Christ, or each individual member of that church, that it is only carrying into effect that which was done, in the Divine purpose, from all eternity. Everything is done in accordance with His eternal purpose, "which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Therefore we read, "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." It may, then, in truth be said, God's people were justified from all eternity. But in the second place, we see them virtually, or effectually, justified by God the Father,

For

when He raised Christ from the dead; the debtor is freed. There is, therefore, for "He was delivered for our offences, now no condemnation to them who are and was raised again for our (His in Christ Jesus, for God the Father, by people's) justification." It pleased God freeing their Surety, freed them also. the Father to lay on Jesus the iniquity Aud therefore it is said, "Likewise of all His people; and because of that, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead we see Jesus delivered up into the hands indeed unto sin, but alive unto God of justice, that He might make full through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now, satisfaction for iniquity. IIis Father that which we are dead to, cannot have any could not, because of covenant engage- dominion over us; oh, no, the dominion ments, let the cup of suffering pass from of sin, as regards any power to condemn Him, till He had drunk the very dregs. those who are in Jesus, is for ever done Oh, no, the debtor cannot go free till the away. The soul that leans on Jesus can debt is paid. But when the debt is never come into condemnation. paid, the law's righteous demands fully God the Father looks upon the believer satisfied, justice itself demands the as having died with Jesus, as having debtor's release; and therefore we see been raised with Him, and as being now when Jesus had fully satisfied Divine sat down in heaven with Him. "But justice for His people, God, who is a God, who is rich in mercy, for His great just God and a Saviour, freed Him from love wherewith He loved us, even when the dominion of sin, by raising Him we were dead in sins, hath quickened us from the dead, and presented Him to together with Christ; and hath raised His people as a living receipt which us up together, and made us sit together clears them entirely from all law charges; in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." yes, and all Satan's charges too. Peter But, in the third place, they are justified had such a precious view of what God personally by God the Father, when the Father had done for His people, in they believe in Jesus; they are, through raising Jesus from the dead, that His faith, then made partakers of it, brought full soul could hold no longer; and into a justified state. Therefore being therefore He burst forth in blessing and justified by faith, we have peace with praising God the Father, saying, "Bless- God through our Lord Jesus Christ." ed be the God and Father of our Lord Not that faith itself actually justifies the Jesus Christ, which, according to His believer; for the same apostle explains abundant mercy, hath begotten us again it in another place by saying, "For by unto a lively hope by the resurrection of grace are ye saved through faith." The Jesus Christ from the dead." He, as law of the Spirit is, believe and live; well as the rest of the Lord's chosen and God's people are not actually and ones, had a hope before, begotten in personally delivered from a state of con them through the promises; but when demnation till they believe; but as sure they see Him, on whom all their hope as God the Father justified them in purwas built, taken, and, by wicked hands, pose from eternity, and virtually, with crucified and slain, all that hope, through Jesus, when He raised Him from the their not understanding the scriptures, dead, so sure will He, in due time, jusseemed to have been lost. But now, tify them personally, by giving them when their understanding is opened, faith to believe in Jesus; and they will, and they behold Him, raised by the more or less, realize the blessedness of Father from the dead, they are begotten it; for the least act of faith brings into again to a lively hope, for they now un- the soul some little enjoyment of that derstand that He died for their sins, peace which comes through being justiaccording to the scriptures, and by His fied by Jesus from all things. And death had made an end of sin, and when the Lord blesses them with a full brought in an everlasting salvation for assurance of faith, so that they are them. Well might he call upon his enabled to look back and read their inwhole soul to bless the Lord. "If terest in all that Jesus did, and, therefore, Christ be not raised," says Paul, "your know they belong to that family whom faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.' "God the Father predestinated, called, But He is raised; by which we know justified, and glorified from all eternity; sin is put away; the debt is paid, for they will indeed be stablished, strength.

ened, settled. May this, my beloved friend, be the case with us; then shall we rejoice in the Lord always, while, at the same time, we shall have good reason to hang down our heads with deep self-abasement, and the language of our hearts will be, "Why me? why me?” But, let us remember, for our encouragement, what Mr. MAUDE says about faith, "There may be little seeing, little hearing, little tasting; but if there be but a 'seeking after the Lord; if, happily, the soul may feel after Him, and find Him,' there is the law indeed, but yet the satisfactory evidence of faith; and where there is faith there must be life." And I may add, all such are justified from all things by Him whom their souls thirst after.

"No condemnation can be brought

Against the sons of God;
Christ hath for them a clothing wrought,
And washed them in His blood.

They righteous are in what He's done,

And evermore will be;

They stand complete in Christ the Son,
From condemnation free.

Justice demanded all the debt,

Of Christ, on whom it laid;
Just at the time the Saviour set,
The debt He came and paid.
If Jesus had not paid the debt,

Or suffered all the pain;
He ne'er had been at freedom set,

He ne'er had rose again.

But when we see the Saviour rise,
Triumphant from the dead;
Our hopes ascend above the skies,
With our victorious Head."

HINTS FOR HELPING OUR BROAD-SHEET, "OLD JONATHAN."

BELOVED EDITOR,-Many booksellers ance on an aged invalid prevents me do not like to alter the arrangement of being very active in the cause, and it is their windows, even for Old Jonathan; only by gathering up the fragments of and, as a placard is often mislaid time that I can give a helping-hand. in dusting, if your readers would lend a But this convinces me that all may do copy to their booksellers, I think it something, however limited their sphere might influence them in making it known. of action, if they will only "try." One It is better to lend it, as it remains in of my subscribers gives her copy, when the shop to hand when called for; if read, to a poor old workhouse woman, given, it would be taken into the private who says it is "a long day” when rain apartments, and not meet the eye of prevents her kind friend taking the their customers. I have done so from looked-for treasure. Another gives two the commencement, and, upon entering copies to a Ragged School, and a third to the shop the other day, was addressed a family of hawkers-grandmother, husthus-"One of our customers wishes to band, wife, and children-who, when the know how she can obtain a copy of Old toils of the day are ended, assemble to Jonathan regularly; will you supply hear from one of the family the kind her?" "Thank you, willingly, or with words of dear Old Jonathan; and to be any other of Old Jonathan's' publica- helped on their rugged path by the tions. Will you ask if she would like pleasing instruction he has provided: his Almanac ?" was the reply. Perhaps they are cheered, and their home appears some would think three years a long more comfortable, whilst they thank God time to wait for fruit; but I have sown for the handful of fire in the grate, and in hope, and know the promise is sure, breathe "blessings on the kind gentle"Cast thy bread on the waters, and thou man who writes the paper." Who can shalt find it after many days.' I com-refuse a penny for Old Jonathan, when menced with ten copies: my monthly he is the means of diffusedly promoting number is now 145. My plan was to happiness and contentment? ask each person I knew to give me a penny for Old Jonathan. From one I obtained 3d., another 6d., and from another 1s. Their names were entered, and the Journal duly supplied. Three of my first subscribers are now centres of circles, receiving their supply direct from Mr. Collingridge. Close attend

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May you sing merrily unto the Lord our strength this Christmas, and a rich blessing rest on your labours! I am, dear Sir, Yours to serve in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Bolton Street, W.

H. E. A. C.

THE BELIEVER'S RULE OF LIFE.

SERVANTS UNDER THE LAW OF WORKS. SONS OF GOD UNDER THE LAW OF FAITH.