ren, and admire; hear and adore the wondrous truth. It was his Equal; his Fellow "the man of his right hand; the Son of his love; the brightness of his glory; the express image of his person. He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Awake, O sword," was the dreadful command; a command not more full of wonder in itself; nor more full of horror to the Surety, than of consolation to us; a command which filled all heaven with amaze, and raises to their highest notes the harps of its shining throng; "awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my Fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts. Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us." Let us all begin in time the employment of eternity, and aim at comprehending with all saints "what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge."

2. This doctrine may be improved for serious inquiry; for an impartial examination of our spiritual condition. Have we a real interest in the blessings represented? are we the legal heirs of this eternal life? The reply to this question is short and simple. "If we be Christ's, then and not otherwise are we Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. This life," says the word of

truth, "is in his Son," and by union to the Son of God, by appropriating him as the free gift of the Father, we become interested in this unspeakable blessing; we secure our title to all the promises of the Gospel, to all the privileges of the Saviour's purchase, to the inheritance of grace and glory.

As a means of assisting you in ascertaining your spiritual character, the following plain, scriptural marks are proposed. Have you ever been deeply convinced of your guilt, of your danger by nature, and brought to despair of recovery by any wisdom, or sufficiency of your own?-The sinner must discover his disease to be desperate; to be entirely beyond the skill of man or angel, before the great Physician will be employed, or the balm of Gilead, the healing influence of the cross, will be applied. The first office, therefore, of the Holy Ghost, in the application of redemption, is "to reprove, or convince the person of sin; to abase him in his own estimation by discovering his aggravated guilt, his deep pollution, his abject wretchedness. Thus HE throws the sinner at the feet of sovereign mercy, and obliges him, with the apostle, to cry out, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Or, with Hezekiah the king, "O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me." The high towering imaginations of the man are then levelled; his pride and self-confidence are prostrated in the dust; he renounces his own wisdom. as the veriest folly; his own righteousness as

mere guilt and condemnation; his purity as loathsomeness and pollution; every scheme of self-justification utterly vanishes, and he is willing that free grace become all in all in his salvation.

Again, "to them that believe," says one apostle, "the Lord Jesus is precious." The true circumcision is described by another apostle as "rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh." What think you of Christ the Saviour? Does he appear in your esteem "altogether lovely, the chiefest among ten thousands;" incomparably glorious in his promises, and relations, and righteousness, and salvation? Are you rejoicing in his various offices; delighting in him as your prophet, who enlightens the spiritually blind; who gives all necessary instruction; who has promised to guide by his counsel, and afterwards receive to his glory? Are you glorying in his righteousness as your only confidence, as the only foundation of your acceptance with the Father? When conscience accuses of guilt, have you immediate recourse to that fountain which he has opened for pardon, desiring to be justified freely through the redemption that is in him? Are all approaches to the living God in the name of Jesus; through his atonement and intercession? Do you transact with the eternal God, meditate upon him, pray to him, covenant with him only as reconciled in Jesus Christ? Do you also rejoice in the kingly office of the adora

ble Immanuel? Do you glory in him, not only as "the Lord your righteousness," but as "the Lord your sanctification?" Are you willing to bow to his sceptre of government, no less than to his sceptre of grace; to be ruled by his law, as well as reconciled by his righteousness? Examine yourselves particularly by this mark. Many there are who would willingly be saved by this divine Redeemer, who are not willing to be sanctified by him; they are desirous of being happy through eternity, yet are not desirous of being holy in time. But the offices of Christ cannot be divided.Whom he pardons as a priest, he purifies and governs as a king. The designs of his death cannot be defeated, and "he gave himself for us not only to redeem from all iniquity, but to purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Brethren, I ask you again, is Jesus, the incarnate Jehovah, your chief joy? Do you glory in him as your righteousness and sanctification? Could you part with every thing in creation, "with houses, and lands, and brethren, and sisters; nay," could you resign a thousand worlds, were they at your disposal, to be with him, and enjoy more fully the communications of his love? Then you may exclaim upon scriptural authority, "the Lord Jesus is my Saviour, and eternal life through him is my portion: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength

and my song; he also is become my salvation." Endeavor daily to be advancing nearer to perfection; to be growing "in grace, and in the knowledge," and love, and admiration" of our Lord Jesus Christ." O brethren, the thousandth part of his glory has not been yet discovered; the thousandth part of his consolations have not yet been experienced. His name "Immanuel, God with us," Jehovah yet Jesus, is truly wonderful; it contains a mystery of wisdom, and condescension, and love, which the most eloquent tongue cannot describe, nor the most enlarged heart comprehend. Ten thousand angels, through ten thousand ages, could not unfold the ten thousandth part of its excellence and glory. His offices as our prophet, and priest, and king, so perfectly suitable to our circumstances; his relations as our head, our husband, our shepherd, our father, our portion, our refuge, our guide, so divinely endearing in themselves, are an eternal source of wonder, and triumph, and joy. "Look," therefore, christian, at all times, and in all circumstances, " to Jesus as the author and finisher of thy faith," and the perfection of thy happiness. Let it be thy increasing desire "to know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."

3. This doctrine is replete with consolation to the children of God. What could a bounteous God have given them more? He