I joy to see the diadems upon Thy royal brow,
The state, and power, and majesty in which Thou sittest now;
But 'tis Thyself, Lord Jesus, makes heaven seem heaven to me—
Thyself, as first I knew Thee, uplifted on the tree.
Though higher than the highest, most mighty King Thou art,
Thy grace, and not Thy greatness, first touched my rebel heart.
Thy sword, it might have slain me; Thine arrows drunk my blood;
But 'twas Thy cross subdued me, and won my heart to God.
Thy sceptre rules creation; Thy wounded hand rules me:
All bow before Thy footstool; I but the nail-prints see.
Aloud they sound Thy titles, Thou Lord of lords most high;
One thrilling thought absorbs me—this Lord for me did die.
Oh, this is my Beloved! there's none so fair as He:
The chief among ten thousand, He's all in all to me.
My heart, it breaks with longing to dwell with Him above,
Who wooed me first, and won me by His sweet dying love.
J. G. Deck
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT
We have received a communication on the deeply solemn subject of eternal punishment, from a person whose initials are "C. D. S.," and who would seem to be the exponent of the feelings of a very numerous class. Our correspondent does not, by any means, write as an objector, or a caviler, but as an honest inquirer; and we are not sorry to be called upon to bear a clear and decided testimony on a point of such grave moment. He asks us to let him know "what the Holy Ghost has taught us on the subject," and we cheerfully comply.
We believe the Word of God most clearly and fully teaches the eternity of punishment. The word which is rendered "everlasting," or "eternal," occurs about seventy times in the New Testament. We shall give some examples. "To be cast into everlasting fire." (Matt. xviii. 8.) "That I may have eternal life." (Matt. xix. 16.) "These shall go away into everlasting punishment." (Matt. xxv. 46.) And in the same verse, "The righteous unto life eternal." "Is in danger of eternal damnation." (Mark iii. 29.) "They may receive you into everlasting habitations." (Luke xvi. 9.) "In the world to come, life everlasting." (Luke xviii. 30.) "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." (Jno. iii. 15, 16, 36; v. 24.) "The commandment of the everlasting God." (Rom. xvi. 26.) "An exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.) "The things which are not seen are eternal." (v. 18.) "A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (Chap. v. 1.) "They shall be punished with everlasting destruction." (2 Thess. i. 9.) "Hath given us everlasting consolation." (Chap. ii. 16.) "In Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (2 Tim. ii. 10.) "The author of eternal salvation." (Heb. v. 9.) "Having obtained eternal redemption." (Chap. ix. 12.) "Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God." (v. 14.) "The promise of eternal inheritance." (v. 15.) "Called us unto His eternal glory." (1 Pet. v. 10.) "Into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour." (2 Pet. i. 11.) "This is the true God and eternal life." (1 Jno. v. 20.) "Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 7.)