SATANIC AGENCY OVERRULED FOR GOOD.

"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God."-2 Cor. iv. 15.

language when He addresses, either in warning or exhortation, His finite creatures. He has revealed sufficient to satisfy and guide His children of such limited capacity, and commanded all, whether within or beyond our capacity of understanding, to be received by faith. Blessed faith! gift of God! what wretched and impotent creatures should we be without it, but what blessedness and power do we gain by it! We know that "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." Everything that is incomprehensible, and that has not been explained to our finite intelligences, must be classed among the

Ir is an interesting subject of inquiry, | and Infinite in the Bible, but He never whether the chastening and the afflic- attempts to explain these attributes, tions which are allowed by God to befall and always uses finite and intelligible His children are to be considered as the direct acts of God Himself, or the result of satanic agency permitted and controlled by Him. The latter opinion is the one that I have arrived at, after prayerful consideration. It has proved a source of much consolation to me, though at first sight it might appear calculated to produce the opposite effect. It is one of those points which is not directly communicated to us in the Bible, and, therefore, like all mere inferences, however strong the argument may appear to our minds upon which they rest, it should be held the reverse of dogmatically. Certain portions of the Scripture which mention incidentally the satanic agency seemed to warrant a train of reflection upon the subject, which I have condensed in the following lines. May they be blessed, so far as they are in accordance with the mind of the Spirit, to some poor afflicted child of God, who may not have been led to see the matter in this light before.

66

Paul

His wonderful experience, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"

secret things," into which we shall dive in vain. Moses, the favoured man, was enabled to receive by faith a view of some of those "secret things "-of those thoughts which are not as our thoughts, and those ways which are not The existence of evil, its seeming as our ways; for we read that "He prosperity and almost universal sway, as made known His ways unto Moses, His part of the economy of God's govern- acts unto the children of Israel." ment in this earth, is a mystery that too was favoured with revelations untransends our human comprehension.utterable and blessed, and has left us We know that it does exist, and that God's Word has said that it shall exist; but we cannot say how or why it exists. We read, "It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel," but we cannot say how it was that "the prince of the power of the air" was thus allowed to stand up and bruise His heel, in order that His glory might be manifested in crushing his head with the very heel that seemed to have been injured. We read, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain;" but we cannot see why the wrath should have been allowed, or how such wrath can conduce to the praise of God. We simply believe that it must and does. God never shunned to declare Himself both as the Absloute

God has revealed Himself as a God of love, and the Author of all good to His creatures. His language is, "O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them for ever" (Deut. v. 29; Psal. lxxxi. 13; Matt. xxiii. 37). Al suffering and evil on the other hand are the results of sin; and fallen man and the devil are the only authors of the latter. The why and the wherefore of this state of things are among the "secret things" of God. The fact that

they are so-patent to all-is part of that | of bringing glory to God and good to which has been revealed and belongs to man. The fall of man has been overus and to our children. It is the latter ruled, in God's goodness and mercy, to fact that forms the basis of my argument, from which I think it may fairly be inferred, that all suffering consequent upon sin, which falls justly and righteously upon all transgressors, is inflicted either by man upon man, by man upon himself, or, more generally, if not universally, by Satan himself. For God cannot be the Author of ill-of chastisement, whether it arise from bodily suffering or mental disquietude. It is true that He is not only spoken of in Scripture as a Father who pitieth His children, but as one who chastiseth every son whom He receiveth; as in such passages as, "I will visit their offences with a rod;" and again, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." But we must remember that the Bible is a practical revelation addressed to finite comprehensions, many of which are of the most limited capacity. The consequences of sin would seem more certain and terrible when inflicted apparently by Him who was in reality only their director and controller. A comparison of other portions of the Bible will lead us to the conclusion that God is sometimes represented to us as the Author of that of which He was but the sovereign Director and Authorizer. We read that Eliphaz said to Job, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty." But upon considering Job i. 12, and ii. 6, 7, we must decide that God did not personally chastize Job, but only allowed Satan to do so. So in the New Testament, it appears evident that those afflicted with devils were vexed directly by Satan; and our blessed Lord Himself said of one poor woman whom He had healed, that she had been bound of Satan for eighteen years.

the carrying out and extension of this blessed purpose. We know that the afflictions and trials that are necessary, in God's sovereign wisdom, to prepare each saint for glory subserve again the same end. Do we not now see something of the "needs be," not indeed of the existence of evil, but of the presence and power of Satan? Does not the supposition which makes him the prompter of temptations and the inflictor of chastisements, satisfactorily show that the arch-enemy himself constitutes a part of the "all things" that work together, and conduce to the glory of God? There lurks a wonderful truth in this mysterious arrangement which discloses the exceeding and wonderworking power of our God. Suffering comes before glory, and faith must be put into the crucible ere it is perfected. The old serpent, the devil, might have been bound in chains of darkness when first he rebelled. But, no, he is not to be bound till the commencement of the thousand years, till he has performed the necessary part allotted to him in the purposes of God; and soon after they are passed away, "he must be loosed a little season.' How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out."

In such reflections the execution of any sentence decreed by the infinite justice of God is not seen to be at variance with the display of His infinite love. Far from it; since, speaking after the manner of men, they seem rather to remove certain apparent difficulties to the harmonious working of these Divine attributes. The creation of this earth and of man was for the two-fold purpose

And should the believer shrink in alarm at this idea of Satan's agency? Should he not rather rejoice that the vague and uncertain notions of the power and enmity of the evil one, so likely to produce anxiety and dread, are thus cleared away, and made to give place to the feeling that he is "not ignorant of his devices," whose power only exists as long as it furthers the end of God's glory? Satan's power is limited and permitted. A clear apprehension of the fact that there is a devil, and what his exact position and power is, will enable us intelligently to resist him in order that he may flee from us.

His power is limited. In the case of Job he had no power to take his life. Had he even such power formerly, he has it not now; for we read, "Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that

"

I

through death He might destroy him that the power of Christ may rest upon that had the power of death, that is the me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirdevil; and deliver them who through mities, in reproaches, in necessities, in fear of death were all their life-time sub- persecutions, in distresses for Christ's ject to bondage." We know that "the sake: for when I am weak, then am Son of God was manifested, that He strong." might destroy the works of the devil," and "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." What cause -what room is there for fear?

Mark, reader, the wonderful process. The devil roars and tears, and the believer cries to God. He will be inquired for all this by the house of Israel. He Again, his agency is permitted. Is loves to be sought by His people, and not this a sufficient cause for rejoicing? He loves to magnify His name in their Can anything be permitted to reach the salvation, and in answering their peti believer which is not for his good? He tions. How many saints must confess has been left a legacy of joys and tribu- with the psalmist, that before they were lations. "In the world ye shall have afflicted they went astray, but that now tribulation," said our Saviour, "but be they have kept His word. Afflictions of good cheer, I have overcome the lead to Jesus, when sanctified by His world." The child of God would not grace; and when they do this they are have one stroke, or one pang of afflic- but blessings in disguise-part of that tion less than that permitted by his refining process, which must be carried loving Father, for He knows that it will on till the Refiner can see His own face produce a double amount of joy. The clearly reflected in the shining silversecret of his peace and joy is that he is part of that meetening for heaven which, permitted to suffer the will of God. All whether there be grades of glory in that men suffer the will of God, but it is only blessed place or not, will form an abunthe believer who rejoices in the suffer-dant theme of thanksgiving to all etering, because it is His will, and in the nity. How much did Paul value this full conviction that though for the pre-process, is seen in his judging to deliver sent it may seem to be not joyous but one who had been guilty of an unworthy grievous, yet that afterwards it shall yield "the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Oh for more faith to realize that wonderful word, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth."

This permitted agency of Satan should be rejoiced in, since it tends to magnify the operations of God's grace. St. Paul has left the fact on record that a thorn in the flesh was given to him, the messerger of Satan to buffet him; lest he should have been exalted above measure. He besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him. And He said unto him, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Thus do the very attacks of Satan call forth exhibitions of grace from our sympathizing High Priest, who has Himself been made perfect through suffering, that He might be able to succour them that are tempted. All the heirs of glory are likewise partakers in the tribulations, that they might be realizers of the same grace, and each exclaim with Paul, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,

deed, and had not repented thereof, into the hands of Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. v.)

A just estimate of trials and afflictions in this world, will enable us truly to rejoice in tribulation, and to "reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us;" and to understand how "our light afflic tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (Rom. viii. 18; 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18). Well may we triumph and rejoice when we know that ere long Satan will be bruised under our feet, and that a crown of victory is laid up for us, who in all these things are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us " (Rom. viii. 37). T. B. L.

Brighton.

A PAGE FROM CRISP.

To the Editor of the Gospel Magazine.

MR. EDITOR,―The following extract believer's apprehension of it, or the apfrom the pen of that master in Israel, plication of the grace of God. There Tobias Crisp, needs no apology for its are two distinct acts-there is God's introduction into the pages of the Gos-laying sin upon Christ, and Christ's pel Magazine. The divinity of the day application of the act to us. Our appreclouds the point he touches upon so hension doth but introduce the knowluminously; and through fradulent or lege of that which the Lord hath done ignorant teachers, the hearts of the before, and so we come to have the righteous are made sad, while Pharisees comfort. and letter religionists are built up in a notional faith, that will expire with the

blast of God's mouth.

There are very few standard-bearers in our day who are qualified to distinguish between gospel facts and Christian experience, and, while showing up the great truths of revealed religion, declare plainly that these truths are matters of divine revelation to the soul. Herein lies the true exaltation of the work of the Spirit; not splitting hairs about the nature of the Trinity, or multiplying Scripture quotations upon the office of the Spirit, but giving Him the glory due unto His work, in revealing to the elect the truth of God in the Person of Christ, and their personal interest in His great salvation.

Yours truly in Him,

The truth is, there is not possibly any person can truly believe his iniquities are laid upon Christ, except there be a previous foregoing act of the Lord's laying the sin upon Christ. I say the Lord's act of laying must go before our applying. He hath a grant from the Lord; that is the very being of His faith, that is a stirring up of His believing. The Lord must make His grant to me; and finding this grant, I have ground to believe. Now we can find no grant, but as the Lord reveals the same in the Word of His grace; and that revelation, through the Word of grace, becomes the foundation of my faith, and the act of God, as made to me, is applied to myself. It is not the faith of believers that gives being to this act or grant that our iniquities should be laid upon Christ. It is the Lord alone gives being to it, and the Lord's act. So, true it is, that iniquity was not laid There is one caution I shall recom-upon Christ till the Lord's act did lay mend to your consideration as very it; but it follows not that our iniquity necessary for the avoiding of confusion, was not laid upon Christ till our act of which is this, that you carefully distin- believing goes along with it, because guish between the Lord's sole and only our believing doth not give being to it, act of laying iniquity upon Christ, and but is only a manifestation of that which the act of application of this grace to had a being before. This then is carethe believer. I find, beloved, that too fully distinguished; namely, the differmany poor wretches, out of ignorance, ence between the Lord's act of laying not understanding distinctly the course iniquity upon Christ, and the act of a of God's proceedings with men, are apt believer in apprehending the grace of to confound God's sole act of laying, and iniquity being laid. Concerning the the act of applying, together, as if they latter, it is present to some, and future were both one, as if our sins were laid to others, as men are enabled to put out upon Christ only when we believe; the act of faith; but the act of laying but it is certain you shall find it evident iniquity upon Christ is the sole act of that there is a distinct act of the Lord's the Lord, and was done before, and not laying iniquity upon Christ, and the now to be done."

A LOVER OF TRUTH.

EXTRACT.

When the heart and spirit are offered up to God, it may be a savoury duty, though attended with unsavoury imperfections.

The Family Recorder.

"GRACE BE WITH ALL THEM WHO LOVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN SINCERITY."

THE SICK-BED AND ITS LESSONS. me about that I cannot get out; He

To A. C.

MY DEAR FRIEND IN JESUS,-I was sorry to hear of your illness, but I suppose death, to you, is a matter neither of surprise or sorrow. Still, the Adam nature clings to earth, and, like the raven, finds plenty to feed upon here to the last sigh. It is the new man in Christ that longs to be with the Head; to see the Lamb in the midst of the throne; to join the ransomed throng above, and to leave behind a body of sin and death, which can never be improved. Sickness is often a favoured time, when, as it were, God puts His children to bed, that He may pet them and nurse them whisper words of love, and nourishes them by His secret consolations. But I know by sorrowful experience this is not always the case. God has a variety of lessons to teach His elect family; sometimes the things concerning Himself, and anon things pertaining to themselves. Hence, while sometimes we can trace back to a sick bed sweet lessons of love and illumination, peace, quietness, and assurance; we can also retrace gloomy days and rebellious nights, when the sick bed has been to us only as a pole to stir all the up hidden evils of our heart, and set the

tadpoles, which before lay quietly at the bottom, frisking about upon the surface in every direction.

hath made my chains heavy." Prisonbound souls must wait God's time for deliverance, and in the set time it will arrive; nor will impatience hurry God. "He waits to be True the Word says, gracious;" but the waiting there, is not to set forth God as subservient to the creature, but as waiting His own set time for the accomplishment of His own plans, which not all the powers of earth or hell can hurry or hinder. The best spot a child of God can be in, is satisfaction with His will, and a waiting, filial spirit while His will is unrevealed. I believe, in this sense, the Church of God, in every day, needs the words of the apostle, which have been so often twisted to "Be ye reconciled to God." This is the character of the gospel messenger, both in doctrine, leadings, and experience; and this is the work of God, to reconcile us to His will, whether in purpose or performance.

Arminian

purposes,

The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth," says the Word, and we have only to look within, to see how continually we need God's power to reconcile us to all His righteous will concerning us.

A poet of our own day says,—

"My thoughts still cling to the mouldering

past,

And the hopes of youth fall thick and fast,

all

For the days are dark and dreary." God has only to slacken the hand that suppresses our evils, and then we see Now at such times, common to the ourselves as we are; and what with the Church of God, how blessed it is for the solitude of a sick chamber, wakeful soul, when Jesus comes with a Divine nights, painful remedies, and the burden manifestation of His love, His grace, we must be to those around us at such His power, and takes hold of the poor times, if the Lord did not send out His sinner's heart, closes the door upon light and His truth-if He did not give earthly things, and holds sweet comout of His divine treasury an extra munion with the soul; breathes the supply to meet this increased demand-spirit of prayer and supplication; melts you and I well know we should disgrace our profession. But a wise God knows best the spots to put His children in from time to time. Said poor Jeremiah, "He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old: He bath hedged

the will into oneness with the Divine will, while the secret pass-word is exchanged between them," All that I have is thine." Oh, how soon the cloud is then removed, and the rainy day is exchanged for the sweet shining of the Sun of