It is our duty to consider the mediation, the atonement, and the death of Christ, in a broad and general sense, as the appointed means, by which the Almighty is pleased to accept our imperfect services, and to promise remission of sins. Accordingly, all the prayers and petitions in our excellent Liturgy are, with propriety, offered up at the throne of Grace, in the name, and through the mediation, of Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Jew found it impossible to comply strictly with every precept of his divine Legislator; the heathen could not always live agreeably to the light of nature;-and the frail disciple of Jesus, after all his endeavours, must fall far short of that perfect holiness, and purity, which his blessed Lord exhibited, and which the holy Gospel prescribes. All, therefore, have need of the mercies of God; and we, as Chris tians, know the appointed means, by which those mercies are to be obtained. But let us carefully guard against any misapprehensions on this awful, and interesting subject. Some may imagine that, by faith in Christ, aided by the fervor of a heated imagination, they are called to such a state of grace and security, adoption and justification, as to render it impossible to fail of

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attaining the blessedness of heaven: but we may venture to say that this is ignorance, presumption, and fanaticism combined. They who pretend to it must be lost in the labyrinths of spiritual pride, and hold themselves superior even to the inspired apostles themselves; particularly the venerable Paul, who "labored to make his calling and election sure ;" and who kept his body under," as he asserts, "lest that by any means, after having preached to others, he himself should become a cast-a-away." We are all graciously called into the state of salvation by the holy rite of baptism, and are made, as our Catechism expresses it," members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven;" but it is evident, that all may forfeit these privileges by sin, apostacy, and disobedience. Contrasted with the Mosaic dispensation, and the terms that were offered to Adam, Noah, and Abraham, we are said to be admitted, by the death of Christ, into a new covenant; and how far that surpasses all others in the excellence of its doctrines and duties, the purity of its worship, the wisdom and simplicity of its ordinances, as well as in the sublimity of the hopes which it inspires, and the rewards which it offers, I need not at present declare: but the

very essence of a Covenant is to admit of parties, and conditions. God graciously promises pardon to sinful mortals, through the merits and mediation of his only begotten Son: but then the indispensable duty on our part, and that which we solemnly promise, is faith, repentance, and obedience. By wilful and presumptuous sin, persisted in with hardness and impenitence of heart, the terms of salvation may be forfeited, and all our hopes be lost. Of such the apostle Peter speaks in these very impressive words:

If, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world," says he, "through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latterend with them is worse than the beginning: for it had been better for them," he continues, "not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

How far the mercies of God, through Christ, may be extended to sinners, after repeated omissions and transgressions ;-what period of penitence and prayer may be required of us;— what length of probation may be necessary to prove the sincerity of our faith and obedience in future, we are not permitted, with any pre

cision, to know; nor is it proper that we should. The interesting uncertainty that envelopes the awful subject of our state and condition in eternity, is wisely adapted, by exciting our hopes, and yet alarming our fears, to make us "rejoice with trembling." It encourages the despondency of the weak, and checks the presumption of the strong. It permits not the best of men to relax their efforts, or to slumber in security, and bids "every one who stands, to take heed lest he fall."

We must acknowledge the insufficiency of human reason, also, to teach us why the sacrifice and death of Christ should be the appointed means of procuring remission of sins, and reconciling us to God. Those who are prone to indulge a mixture of scepticism and presumption,

may

find themselves surrounded with the same difficulties, on contemplating almost every other ordinance of divine providence. Let us duly appreciate the powers of the human mind, and not dare to question, but reverence, the plans of infinite wisdom. As the philosopher has long since been taught, instead of attending to the mysterious subject of causation, patiently and carefully to investigate the laws, by observing the phænomena of nature; so let us diligently

study the words of holy Scripture in order to learn our duty; and when we cannot understand the reason of some peculiar means, by which God is pleased to dispense his grace to us, in preference to any other, let us quietly leave it among the numberless subjects that stop the progress of human knowledge, and mark the obvious use and benefits of the divine appointment. On contemplating the death of Christ, let us consider that "it brought life and immortality to light :" and while it manifested, in the most striking manner, God's abhorrence of sin, it assured us of the riches of his divine love, in admitting such an expiation and atonement for it. The publicity of the sufferings on the cross, when thousands and ten thousands were assembled at Jerusalem, was ordained to convince the world, that our blessed Lord really died, and was buried; while his resurrection from the tomb, and his ascension into heaven, assured to his faithful followers the same glorious privileges of the Gospel covenant.

Farther, the death of Christ." sealed up the vision, and the prophecy," to use the language of the prophet," caused the oblation and sacrifice to cease, and brought in everlasting righteousThe pious worshippers of the only true

ness."