of GOD, in which consisted his real happiness, and life; and the Glory of GOD, which, to say the least of it, must have contained in it the Perpetuity of both. In this view, he is exhibited to us as a lost Creature. A Creature, still possessed of vast capacities; but, like a magnificent Temple in a state of ruin, and only to be contemplated as an object of gloomy and desolate Grandeur *.

The inestimable value of the christian Salvation, can never be made apparent,

* Such was the dire effect

"Of man's first Disobedience, and the fruit
"Of that forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste
"Brought death into the world, and all our woe.
"Man, disobeying,
"Disloyal breaks his fealty, and sins
"Against the high supremacy of Heav'n,
"Affecting Godhead-and so, losing all
"To expiate his treason hath nought left;
"But, to destruction sacred and devote,
"He, with his whole posterity, must die;
"Die he, or Justice, must; unless for him
"Some other, able and as willing, pay
"The rigid Satisfaction-death, for death."

MILTON.

but by this contrasted view of it; which corresponds with those dark shades in a fine painting, by which the brilliancy of the brighter colouring is thrown out. If we wilfully close our sight, either from Pride, Prejudice, Ignorance, Infidelity, or Vice, to the dangers and miseries of our lost condition, we never can discover either the beauties, or the blessings, of that Salvation, which unavoidably leads us to a retrospect of the State of sinfulness, or moral depravity-the State of guilt and condemnation-the State of wrath, and wretchedness, into which we are all, by nature, plunged *.

• Should this Idea, mortifying and humiliating as it may seem, be given up, not only are two-thirds of the sacred, Writings sacrificed, but, one of their most distinguishing peculiarities is obliterated: which is the fact, in many of our modern publications on religious subjects: so that, in these times, we have a deformed species of Christianity, in which, the principal Features are omitted! In the place of which, we hear of an equivocal sort of Virtue, which nobody can comprehend and of a high-toned Morality, which nobody can define.

In the whole System of the christian Faith, there is no Position more fundamental than that, which asserts the

To Beings in such a state, there is a Voice-a Voice celestial-more delightful to the ear of those, who are not "like the deaf adder," than the softest, sweetest strains of Melody-more enchanting to the soul, than all the joys of earth—which proclaims the glad tidings, of what? of

SALVATION.

This was the theme and song of the angelic Choir-the multitude of the heavenly host-when they descended from the mansions of bliss, to hail their incarnate God in the most lovely, benevolent, and condescending character of, A SAVIOUR-Which is Christ, the Lord*."

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entire Depravity of man: though few more generally, or more resolutely, opposed. Permit a single question on this point. Can they be taught by the same divine Instructor, who do not subscribe to the humble and ingenuous Confession of that great Character, which said, as in Rom. vii. 18?

*No person therefore ought to be accredited by us, as a Minister of Christ, sent forth by him to "shew unto us the way of Salvation," who does not direct us to HIM.

I am therefore speaking only the compendious sense of the whole Book of God

And, for what? That we may be brought into a State of Salvation: or, that we may be actually delivered by Him, from all those miseries, which are the consequence of our apostacy from God, and be conducted to the possession and enjoyment of all those spiritual Blessings, the Fulness of which it hath pleased the Father should dwell in Him. Consult Gal. iii. Eph. i. 3. Col. i. 18, 19.

Should not the public Teachers of our Religion keep this characteristic distinction of the Scriptures principally and constantly in eye-that they are "The Word of Salvation?" And, why "the Word of Salvation?" Because, it gives an account of Christ, the Author of Salvation: and of the Salvation itself; that it is great, perfect, and everlasting and of the Persons, who are interested in it: and because, it is not only the Mean of revealing it—but, of applying it, to them that believe. Rom. i. 16. The Gospel itself, strictly taken, is a pure Promise of Salvation by Christ: and, if a Man has a right understanding of this, he is in a capacity to be wiser, and better, and happier, than if he were intimately acquainted with the whole contents of the once celebrated Library of the Ptolemies in Alexandria, This is no bombast: it will stand the test of Reason, in its strongest exercise. Put it to the trial.

Sola Scriptura ultimum finem designat, nempe unionem cum Deo, et media suppeditans accommodata, viam sternit nunquam tritam ab humana prudentia. Sola imaginem Dei obliteratam instaurat. Sola viam indicat ad Salutem. Sanctis cogitationibus animum imbuit,

K

of which, this indeed is the great line of life-when I affirm, that SALVATION, is the complete Deliverance of Man from all the shame, the degradation, and the miseries, of his Fall from original righteousness, and felicity. It is his Deliverance from a state of moral depravity, of humiliating guilt, of eternal destruction, by the Restoration of his soul, to the Favour-to the Image-and to the Glory of GOD: all which are inseparably connected, by his sovereign Constitution, "who worketh all things after the council of his own Will."

From this very brief statement of what the simple dictates of The word of God, undisguised, and unsophisticated by any human alloy, oblige us to understand, by Salvation, I advance to the next link in this golden Chain*.

frænat appetitus, Dei timore timorem hominum pellit, vehementiore animi affectu minores motus comprimens et quasi absorbens.

• Which, however unclassical it may be deemed, we suppose to deserve at least as much attention, as that,