Attributes of God Exhibited in Christ

By ROBERT ASTY of Norwich
(and from a sermon published in 1683).

Now, do but consider the attributes of God apart, and you will find that they are no way relieving out of Christ; but in Christ they are full of grace, and they are all exhibited and revealed through him as saving.

1. As to the justice of God. Why, the justice of God out of Christ is terrible. To consider that God is a most exact, righteous God, that will give everyone their due, and will mete out a portion to everyone according to his desert. This is most terrible to consider God out of Christ, and what may we expect but as Psalm xi, 6, “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup.” This will be the portion of all those that God hath to do with out of Christ. But now in Christ Jesus this attribute is atoned, and all that wrath, and justice, and vengeance had to execute, is poured out upon Christ Jesus. Justice dealt with the Lord Jesus in its utmost severity, and received satisfaction in him and from him; so as now, says the apostle, in I John i, 9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins”; and so Rom. iii, 26: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Why, justice hath nothing to say against thee, but it speaks all for thee, because God is a righteous God, therefore he will love thee; and therefore he will bless thee with all blessings, because he hath received full satisfaction from Jesus Christ thy Surety.

2. Consider the power of God out of Christ, and it is enough to fill thy heart with terror. “Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee, I the Lord have spoken it” (Ezek. xxii, 14). Hast thou a strength to grapple with me, or canst thou set thy foot against me? No, verily; what are all the nations of the earth? They are less than a crawling worm before the foot of the great God; thou canst not stand before it. But now in Christ Jesus this attribute is atoned too, and the mighty power of God is engaged to carry on, and to manage a salvation design in thee. Therefore, says the apostle, “That ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power” (Eph. i, 19). So as let the power of God be ever so great, it is a power engaged for thee to manage and carry on salvation work in thee; whatever be the opposings that it meet with, either from thy own heart or from others.

3. If you consider the attribute of God’s wisdom, it is not relieving out of Christ. That God is so infinitely wise, and so deep, the soul may think all this is against me, and what is he now doing but contriving new torments, that are more fierce and exquisite for me? And surely there will be no end of these torments? But now in Christ Jesus the wisdom of God is employed in such a design of salvation, that the angels are said to pry into it; they are astonished at the design that is brought to light by the wisdom of God.

4. If you consider the patience of God out of Christ; it is no way relieving. For what will it advantage a soul that God does bear with it a while, when under all, there is wrath treasuring up for him against the day of wrath. “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction” (Rom. ix, 22). So that the patience of God is exercised in bearing with a sinner a little while till he increase his sins; but God will come in upon him notwithstanding all, though he bear a little while. But now in Christ Jesus the patience of God is reconciled. “The

Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter iii, 9). Why, God in Christ Jesus is patient; and God glorifies his patience, that he might be known to be gracious.

1. The love and goodness of God out of Christ are not relieving; for they are at an end. The soul may think, Well, his love is at an end; he hath no more love for me; I am his enemy. Man, when he had sinned, must turn out of paradise. See my face no more, says God. But now in Christ Jesus is the love, goodness, and mercy of God revealed.

2. The immensity and benignity of God, out of Christ, are not relieving. What though God may give considerable portion in the world, he may fill thine hands with wealth, and thy house with treasure, and fill thy chest with store: but all this may be given to those with whom God is displeased. There is the curse of God upon all thy store and plenty; this will not at all avail thee. But now in Christ Jesus the immensity and benignity of God is reconciled, and how doth it speak out love and grace! God is an immense God, and he gives out according to his own immensity. And what then are the gifts of his love and grace? They are such as cannot be weighed; they are such as cannot be measured; there is a height, and depth, and length, and breadth, in all his goodness that cannot be fathomed. And all this he is to the soul through Christ.

3. If you consider his eternity out of Christ, it is no way relieving. That God is my enemy, says the soul, and is an everlasting God; he will be my enemy for ever, and all that is in God will be engaged against me for ever. His justice, his wisdom, and his power, and all his attributes will be engaged against me for ever. But now in Christ Jesus, the eternity of God is matter of great comfort to thee; because he is an eternal God, being thy God, he will be thy God for ever, thy dwelling-place for ever, and thy portion for ever. He will never depart from thee; he will never leave thee; he will never cease to be what he hath promised to be, because he is an everlasting God.

Thus you may run over all the attributes of God, the glory and the fullness of them are exhibited and unfolded, published and revealed by Christ Jesus unto us. And hence it is in Scripture that the mercy and kindness of God to sinners through and with respect to Christ Jesus is mentioned: “Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. i, 3). And hence it is said, that we with open face behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (II Cor. iii, 18); and “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Cor. iv, 6). And hence it is that Jesus Christ is said to be “the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person” (Heb. i, 3). So that here is another thing that is an abiding ground of joy and rejoicing for us in Christ Jesus, he is the exhibiter, revealer, and unfolder of the fullness of all the blessed and glorious properties of God’s nature in a way of salvation. Hence, when God comes to enter into covenant with a believer, he doth not enter into covenant with him absolutely, but in and through Christ Jesus; and hence is it that all the promises of the covenant that are God’s gifts of grace to

us, are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. Now, do but consider this, and you may see that Christ is one your souls may take comfort in. Consider the glory of his person as he is Mediator, and consider the graciousness of his nature as he is full of love, and consider how he is the exhibiter and unfolder of the fullness of all the blessed and glorious attributes of God in a saving way. And whatever discouragement, christian, thou hast here below, look up to Jesus, and you may see God in him engaged to be your God; God’s power engaged for you, God’s mercy, God’s name, and God’s glory, all engaged for you. Thus as to the first particular, what Jesus Christ is.

The Throne of Grace.

SERMON by ROBERT TRAIL (London, March 25th, 1696).

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace, to help in time of need (Heb. iv, 16).

THE main drift of the blessed apostle, the Holy Ghost’s penman, in this excellent epistle, is to set forth the pre-eminence of our Lord Jesus Christ, first, in his divine person, far above all angels, who are bid worship him, even when dwelling in man’s nature. If the god-head of our Lord Jesus Christ be hid from the readers of this epistle, it must be a special power of the God of this world on their unbelieving minds (II Cor., iv, 3, 4). Will blinded men forbear to call the Son God, when the father speaks so? (Chap. i, 8). Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Then the apostle speaks of his incarnation (Chap. ii, 11, etc.). And therewith speaks of his priesthood (Chap. iii). The apostle compares Christ with, and prefers him above Moses (Chap. ii); then above Aaron as a priest (Chap. vii); and compares him with Molchizedec, an eminent type of Christ. By this epistle we may know what Paul’s reasonings with the Jews were (Acts ix, 22, and xvii, 2, 3), and what is the right way of dealing with the Jews at this day. Till Christ’s divine person, and righteousness, and priesthood, have more room in the religion of the Gentiles, Christianity is not like to leave the Jews. This doctrine of Christ’s priesthood, and of the sacrifice of himself he offered in that office, the apostle doth often intermix, with suitable exhortations from it; as in the context (ver. 14). Seeing then that we have a great high priest (all the Old Testament high priests were but types and shadows of him, and were but little high priests), that is passed into the heavens (no high priest but Christ went farther than the holy of holies, for the people’s advantage), Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. The dignity of Christ in his advanced state, as well as his grace in his humbled state, lays Christians under a strong engagement to cleave to him with steadfast confidence. Yet for as great as this person is, and for all that he is in heaven, and in unspeakable dignity and glory there, you must not think, that he in heaven, and we on earth, can have no communion (ver. 15). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (though now he hath none of his own, yet can he feel those of his people, and his feeling engageth speedy relief. The reason the apostle gives for this sympathy of Christ with his people, is from Christ’s

experience when on earth); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. The apostle delivers the mind of the Holy Ghost about Christ’s sympathy negatively, We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; in which manner of expression he reflects on the meanness of the Levitical priests, to whom it was impossible to know and feel all the infirmities of the people, for whom yet they appeared before God; and he implies the affirmative strongly, We have an high priest which can be (and is) touched with the feeling of our infirmities. How a sinless man as Christ ever was, can be touched with the feeling of the infirmities of sinners, and many of these infirmities sinful ones; how a glorified man, as Christ now is, exalted to, and possessed of the highest glory and bliss, can be, and is touched with the feeling of all the infirmities of all his people, is what the word plainly reveals to be believed; but it is not to be fully known till we come to heaven. But he is the head, and all his people are his body, his members, of his flesh, and of his bones (Eph. v. 30). A marvellous word! Can the flesh be torn, and the bones be broken, and the head not feel it? Though he be glorified above what we can conceive, he is a living, sensible, and compassionate head; and as nearly and closely united to all his members now, as when they saw with their eyes, and heard with their ears, and with their hands handled the word of life (I John, i. 1). There is nothing ails a poor believer in Christ, there is no groan riseth from his distressed heart, but it is immediately felt at the tender heart of the Lord Jesus, at the Father’s right hand. We would groan and sing with the same breath, if we believed this firmly.

In my text, there is a most blessed exhortation, from this same ground of Christ’s sympathy in heaven, unto a bold approaching to the throne of grace. The nativeness and strength of the inference, is obvious to the most ordinary attention. The exhortation is unto the improving of the greatest privilege, an erected and revealed throne of grace; and that in the practice of the greatest duty, believing approaching unto his throne, or unto God sitting on this throne of grace.

What I would take up in, and handle, in speaking to these words, shall be the resolution of four weighty questions, which should be in the hearts of all worshippers of God.

1. The first great question is, Where may I find God? This was Job’s question and wish (Job xxiii, 3); O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! And that this seat was a throne of grace to Job, is evident from verse 6. This text tells you, God is on a throne of grace: a fit place for God to be sought in, and where only he can be found graciously by a sinner.

2. The second question is, How should we come to God on this throne? Let us come boldly, saith the apostle. The original word signifieth, coming freely; with free, open, bold speaking, pouring out all our hearts and minds to him. Let us come, without making use of saint or angel to introduce us to this throne. Any poor sinner may come himself alone to this court, and that boldly, without fear of being repulsed.

3. The third question is the hardest, What ground hath a sinner for this boldness? The ground the apostle gives for it, is hinted in the word

therefore, which relates to verses 14, 15, because of Jesus the Son of God, our great high priest in heaven. If we had not such an high priest, ministering in glory at the high altar above, no sinner could come boldly to the throne of grace on earth. So he argues, chapter x, 19, 20, 21, 22.

1. The last question is, What shall we get, and for what may we come to this throne of grace? The apostle speaks fully to this in the text: Let us come, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. These precious things, mercy and grace, are scattered round this throne. Any poor needy creature should come for a saving alms from this throne, and may have it for the coming.

HEAD I. The first of these I would begin with. Where is God to be found? The apostle tells us, on a throne of grace. The word is only here; no where else in the scriptures is the word to be found: but what is signified by it, is frequently in the Old and New Testament, as we shall hear. But though the phrase, The throne of grace, be only once named in this (Heb. iv, 16); yet the thing signified is so precious, and the expression of it so savoury, significant, and suitable, that this form of speaking, The throne of grace, is become famous, known, and used among Christians, and will doubtless be till the end of time. As long as God hath a mind to give mercy and grace, as long as any of the children of men are sensibly needy of grace and mercy, and askers and receivers thereof from the Lord (and that will be till the heavens be no more), this throne of grace will be plied and praised.

I would first consider the proper meaning of this word, a throne of grace. It is obvious, that the apostle, in this epistle, doth everywhere (if I may use a much abused word) christen the Old Testament types, and gives them New Testament names, and applies them to the doctrine of Christ he is teaching the Christian Jews he writes to. The Old Testament church knew what a high priest was, what his institution, office, and performance were in the tabernacle in the wilderness, and in the temple of Solomon in Canaan: but both Aaron and his successors, and the tabernacle and temple, were but types and shadows of Jesus Christ in his person and office. There was the holiest of all, into which the high priest went alone, and only once a year; in this was the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat, and cherubims covering it: whence these common expressions in the Old Testament, of God’s dwelling between the cherubims, and of believers trusting in the shadow of his wings. Now, the holiest of all was their type of heaven; and the ark, cherubims, and mercy seat, were all but shadows (as the apostle calls them, Heb. x, 1) of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of that peace with God, and access to God, that he hath wrought out for men. More particularly, that most sacred of all things in the Jewish Old Testament worship, that was called the mercy seat, the apostle calls a throne of grace; thereby teaching us, that whatever of divine grace was revealed and tendered to, or perceived and received by the faith of the Old Testament believers, in their right use of these sacred old institutions of God to his church, the same, with great advantage, believers under the New Testament have in Jesus Christ, the body, antitype, and substance of them.

(To be continued.)

Jesus in Gethsemane.

(Discourse, Sabbath Forenoon, 18th October, 1818.)

By REV. DR. JOHN LOVE, Glasgow.

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.’ And there appeared an angel unto Him from Heaven, strengthening Him, and being in an agony He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground, and when He rose up from prayer and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, ‘Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation’” (Luke xxii, 41st to 46th verses).

Those parts of the sacred record which relate to the humiliation and sufferings of the Lord of Glory are peculiarly interesting and important. That we may rightly enter into the meaning of the passage now read, it will be useful for us to recollect the situation in which the Lord Jesus had appeared a little while before the period now pointed at. We have to think of the nature in which He then appeared as asserting the glory of His own Divinity and of His priestly office in the midst of the murderous Jews; or as He appeared at the grave of Lazarus as the compassionate Lover of Men and the mighty Conqueror over Death; or as He appeared in the Upper Room where he instituted the Ordinance of the Supper; but now we see Him, as it were, a lowly supplicant, and engaged in a conflict unspeakably awful. Let us now enquire, first of all, into the nature of that cup of suffering which in so strong and pathetic a manner the Holy Redeemer now deprecated. His cup of suffering was no matter of surprise to Him. He had premeditated it deeply, and yet He now appears to recoil from it. The suffering here referred to was of an entirely spiritual and inward kind. It was formed from no impression that could be produced by the power of man. We are not left in doubt as to what was the true cause of this agonising sorrow. We learn from the Scriptures that it was indispensably requisite for the salvation of the people of God that their Surety should suffer the curse of the law in all necessary ingredients, and one chief ingredient thereof is Divine wrath; the impression of God’s wrath upon the soul on account of sin. We have to think of the collected iniquity and crimes of the whole multitude of the sinners of this world whom He came to save from the beginning to the end of time as at this moment realised and presented to the view of the suffering Saviour, and in connection with this the fearful cloud of Divine wrath against their sins is beginning to open and to impress its terrors upon Him.

Second, let us consider some of the different steps of the approach and impression of this load of imputed guilt, and contemplate the righteous indignation of the Godhead, as operating against such a mass of iniquity. First, this impression began to come on the Lord Jesus before the prayer commenced which is recorded in Matthew xxvi, 39th verse: “Oh! my

Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” He was a man of sorrows all along, but now He began to be sorrowful in a much mightier and in a greater degree. Second, we see reason to conclude that the pressure of this load increased at the very instant of His attempting to engage in prayer. He at first kneeled down, but immediately afterwards He fell on His face. Third, a further increase of this pressure attended the first opening of His supplication, showing in a holy manner how He approached this burden, manifesting strong aversion to it, and yet controlling that aversion by the most entire submission to the will of God the Father. Fourth, the appearance of an angel strengthening Him is here mentioned. Probably this angel appeared in human form. Of what importance was this? It was an important memorial used to direct the attention of The Man Christ to power infinitely greater than that of an angel, and the appearance of this angel was a token of the presence of the Father, of the further approach of the infinite power of the Godhead.

Fifth, after this the distress of the Holy Redeemer was still more evidently increased. The strengthening derived from the angel was a preparation for His enduring deeper sorrow still. There was now, therefore, inflicted on Him an agony; that is, a state of violent agitation and fearful struggles, and this agony became the occasion of His engaging with even more intense earnestness in prayer, this increase of vehemence being the effect of increase in strength.

Sixth, we have still further here to think of the visible effect of this agitation. “His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” There was an unnatural straining of the blood, causing it to pass through those narrow pores which are usually the channel of sweat, and it bedewed the ground on which He lay prostrate.

Finally, we would next consider the conduct of the Saviour towards His disciples at those intervals when there was some abatement of His awful agony. There is an apology here made for them when it is said that they were “sleeping for sorrow.” Sleep was a proper object for rebuke by their Lord, but how gentle was His rebuke! He simply warns them of the danger of temptation. “Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”

Having thus far endeavoured to explain this series of things here stated, I shall now make a few remarks in the way of application:—

First, let us think of the general design of this part of the sacred record. Here there are four things to be specially considered. First, it was one design of the record of these solemn transactions to give proof that in the infliction of Christ’s sufferings there was a direct application of Divine power, such as was entirely distinct from all human or created agencies, for here the human enemies had not yet annoyed, nor was this agony merely an effect of the thoughts of the Man Christ. This presumptuous idea is quite contrary to what appears in the very face of this history, for the distress here recorded came suddenly upon the Redeemer, in an instant.

We find also that this distress was an object of the Saviour’s pure and strong aversion. Therefore, the anguish He now experienced was not brought upon Him by any working of His own human spirit. It included in it a direct application of the infinite power of the Godhead, according to the voice uttered by the Eternal Father in these lofty terms (Zechariah xiii, 7th verse): “Awake, Oh sword against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow! saith the Lord of Hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”

Second, there is here very decisive proof of the Substitution of the Lord Jesus in the Room of His people, and of His suffering for their iniquities. It is manifest from the greatness of the distress here recorded, that it did not come upon Him merely in the way of a trial of virtue or character: it was evidently of a personal kind.

Third, the record of these transactions is also intended to impress the minds of believers with the just views of that fearful anguish which is included in the curse of the law, from which Christ has redeemed His believing people.

After taking some general views of the subject before us, we have begun in the way of application to point out the design of this part of the sacred record, and some of the objects intended by it, and now (fourth) we observe that it is a further design of this record, to show the amiableness of the spirit and conduct of the Man Christ towards His disciples and people. We have here some striking traces of the love of Christ as operating towards His disciples in the midst of His sufferings on theirs and His people’s account. He did not frown upon them when He found them asleep. The kindness and faithful care of Christ shone forth even in His gentle warning on this occasion, and this is a testimony and evidence of that love to men which continually animated the Great Surety of Sinners. There was always the infinite power of love operating first and principally towards God, but along with this there was always in Him the weighty operation of love towards His disciples and people. The proofs of the infinite love of Christ are indeed manifold, and manifested specially at times when we come near to anything that in the Providence of God is awful and overwhelming.

Second, I have now further, in the way of application, to call you to consider how great is the crime of slighting these sufferings and making light of them! “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation”? (Heb. ii, 3rd verse). This sacrifice of the love of God is an object sufficient to keep awake the whole world. The professed Christian world is ready to say, “We are not guilty. We are doing no great harm. We certainly avoid the gross wickedness of the heathen world!” Yes! but you disregard the sufferings of the Son of God. How trifling is the impression that these sufferings ever make upon you! All kinds of sinners meet together in this one crime, and if they repent not, they shall meet together in hell.

Third, we have to learn from this subject that there is difficulty in attaining to just views of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Surety of Sinners. There are parts of these sufferings that are awfully sublime and mysterious. There is difficulty arising from the carnality of our minds, as well as the spirituality of the subject, but this difficulty will not excuse us from the duty of making earnest enquiry regarding the sufferings of the Holy One of God.

Fourth, we have to think of the great commanding example here given of self-control and of submission to the great governing will of God, when this will is contrary to ours. This is the case in a special manner when we are called to quit our hold of friends to whom we have been endeared. I may just make mention of this in reference to a beloved pastor lately removed by death, with whom many of us have had very familiar intercourse.*

Let us observe what powerful machinery is set up by the Gospel, so as to produce self-control suitable to every case. No true Christian will ever be called to take the cup of Divine wrath into his hand, and if the exercise of faith be properly directed, he will see that nothing is left for him to suffer which is of a penal nature, and that he will have to endure no suffering of the Divine wrath in execution of the curse of this law.

Lastly, we may here learn what interest, what feeling, what power, are included in the praises and gratitude—of the Redeemed in the heavenly world! To them these mysteries of Christ’s sufferings and death are discovered in a manner of which we cannot in the least degree conceive. Who can tell what are their impressions of holiness and gratitude, and their sense of the love of Christ, and of the love of God to Him. We here see some of those sublime objects which will command the attention of the people of God throughout Eternity. Our departed Christian friends have already entered upon these things, and in this view we, who are still on the earth, may in some measure enjoy communion with them. May God teach us this important lesson, and to Him be all the praise!

God’s Providence and Grace.

The following extract from the late John Warburton’s Autobiography concerns his wanderings from home during his unconverted days. He later became minister of the gospel at Southill, England, and died in 1892. His father was also well known as a minister of the gospel and is mentioned particularly in this extract.—Editor.

ON Saturday morning I left for Portsmouth and arrived at Gosport in the evening. Now a difficulty presented itself. I was penniless. Ferry boats plied between Gosport and Portsmouth conveying passengers for one penny each. I inquired the distance round the road and was informed it was ten miles. I was then pinched with hunger, tired and faint. I

* This refers to the death of the Rev. Dr. Balfour of the Outer High Parish Church, Glasgow.

thought within myself, “What is to be done? Walk the ten miles I cannot; but if I could get across to Portsmouth I could go to Mr. Doudney’s, a friend of my father’s.” So without further ceremony I got into a boat just starting for Portsmouth. On arriving at the opposite side I told the ferryman to look out for me on my return in a few minutes, as I had no change. “All right,” he said. Many times have I wished to see that man, that I might both thank and remunerate him. I found out where Mr. Doudney lived (the father of the present Dr. Doudney, of Bristol, who is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and a minister in the Church of England). I made myself known to the family and soon obtained refreshment. The old gentleman, Mr. Doudney, was inquisitive, more so than was agreeable to me; but a coach stopping at the door put an end to all further inquiry for the present. Some of the family said: “There is a coach stopped.” “Oh,” said the old gentleman, “it is some of our friends from London.” Then one of the family exclaimed: “Here is Mr. Warburton!” I must now leave off writing, for a flood of tears and my feelings prevent me from proceeding.

On the Friday my father heard of me, and in what direction I had steered, and set off to follow me. The hand of Providence so directed him that he traced me the whole of the way, and as near as I remember arrived at Mr. Doudney’s about two hours after me. What followed can be well imagined; tears of joy flowed in abundance. One thing I have cause to regret, and that is the worthlessness of him who was the cause of so much grief, pain, trouble and expense to such a kind, tender, and godly father.

But in all this stupid, foolish, wicked act in my thus leaving home, cannot the hand of God be traced therein? Yes. Not by way of influence, the instigation was from the devil, and the carnal heart, “For God tempteth no man to evil” (James i, 13-14). The overruling wisdom to ordain good out of evil is from God. Thus in the great wickedness of the Jews in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. “The counsel of God determined before to be done” (Acts iv, 27-28). The providence of God is a beautiful chain of events, so wisely linked together that in the end all will “Work together for good to them that love God” (Rom. viii, 28).

On the Sabbath evening my father preached in Portsmouth. That night a woman was set at liberty under that discourse, who had been for months in deep soul trouble, that she went home rejoicing and singing the praises of God.

Some years after the occurrence, after I began to speak in the name of the Lord, she told me of the circumstance. “Oh,” said she, “What distress, deep sorrow, and despair I had been in for months. I was almost distracted, just at my wits’ end. Well,” she continued, “One night I had a dream, a most remarkable one; in my dream it appeared that I was standing near the sea, when suddenly a storm arose, and the sea raged most fearfully, the waves rose to such a height as if they would exceed all bounds. I saw a man rise up out of the sea, walking upon the waves towards me. He came close to me and said, ‘The Lord will soon appear for you.’ Comfort then sprang up in my soul; with that I awoke.

“In the morning I told the dream to my husband, and said to him, ‘Now if ever I see that man I shall know him, I have him in my mind’s eye now.’”

Not long after this, she said to me, “Your father preached on a Sabbath evening; my husband and I were in our seats when he came out of the vestry to ascend the pulpit. I looked at him, and then turned to my husband and said, ‘That is the man I saw in my dream.’ Ah!” she said, “Bless the Lord! God spoke by him to my heart, and the sweet peace that entered into my heart I can never describe.” Her name was Tylford.

I heard her relate the above circumstances with profound gratitude and emotion of heart. Our God is Almighty, He alone can work marvels. Then let His people trust in Him. God’s providence and grace are both full of displays of His power and wisdom. The Lord grant that such considerations may banish distrust in His fearing, weak, trembling ones. On the Tuesday morning following, my father and I took coach for home, arriving safely in the evening.