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ness of his last and decisive judgment. On all these subjects contained in these six remarks, and more particularly on those concentrated in the close of the last, let the natural man examine himself and he will see how greatly both God and Christ, and also the Holy Spirit have received damage by

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The third necessity of the Mediator Christ Jesus, is to offer compensation for the injury done, and the damages sustained. If a rigorous compensation had been demanded of all mankind, according to the literal idea of God's holy law, which demands "Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for "tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for

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burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe," as see Exod. xxi. 24. Levit. xxiv. 20. and Deut. xix. 21. with which compare also Matt. v. 38, then vain had been the mediation and intercession of Christ, to rescue fallen man. A rigorous compensation it is true, was offered by Christ, but not in the strictest sense of the word: for the rigorous compensation which the adorable justice of God had a right to require, was that the offender should himself compensate for the injury done in his own person, on pain of suffering eternal death: and such a proceeding though most highly equitable in God, would have damned all his creatures to the pains of hell for ever and this would have been an actual rigorous compensation. But though the compen

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tion which Christ offered was a rigorous one, yet it was only virtually so, though far transcending that which man could ever make: for what could have been the compensation which man would offer? His own life as forfeited by transgression, his own blood as shed by the just hand of God, and his own body and soul given up, worthily to suffer the pains of hell for ever. And this compensation as it would have precluded merit would have precluded also any hope of salvation. But what better compensation hath Christ offered? He gave his own life a ransom for many, having taken cur nature, excepting sin, he suffered his own righteous blood to be shed instead of ours, by the hand of God, as an atonement and peace-offering for us. In his body he died, and descended into hell. And this virtual compensation of Christ for us, goes on the footing of his transcendant and divine merit, introducing to the mind of many a sinner the firmest hope of an everlasting salvation purchased by the merits, death, sufferings, &c. of a divine Saviour; as the holy life, and happy, and sometimes triumphant death of all God's people in all ages, doth abundantly testify.

Now considering these things, is not Christ a door indeed to his sheep, opening to them, 1st. A sense of the injury they have done to God. ed. Shewing them in what the Godhead hath received damage, and 3d. Shewing them his equitable compensation; thus presenting them to the Father per

fect and complete through his shed blood and imputed righteousness.

But if Christ is alone able and worthy, to fill, occupy, and bless for our good the way of access to God, so that no one can walk therein, in the participation of merit with him, what must we think of him, who "entereth not by the door into the "sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way," but that "the same is a thief and a robber." And what is human merit in whole, or in part; either set up totally against Christ the good shepherd, or mixing with his merit in the affairs of our souls; but a thief and a robber, robbing him of the merits of his blood and of the honor due to his name. Oh! that we may be cleared of all self-righteousness, as well as unrighteousness, that we may come stript of all to him, to be clothed by him, that we may not be found naked.

15th. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life, shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. John xii. 24, 25.

Three things claim attention in the first verse of. the two, which it shall be my business briefly to mention, viz.

1st. The kingdom of nature presents us with a proof of this. Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. A corn of wheat

is mentioned here not in contradistinction to any other seed, but as an illustration that others also grow from the same principle: in which it may be noted, that what is intended to grow must be put into the ground-though it carries within itself the germ of life, yet that germ cannot of itself grow up and sprout, except as acted upon by some life-giving power. Observe a seed, however small; we see a prominent part called the sprout, which by experience we know, is the first part susceptible of life. Yet we know that this sprout will not make it live, till it feels the nourishment of the earth penetrating its recesses, by the joint agency of the moisture of the clouds, and of the warmth of the sun. An apt emblem of a Christian. Man contains within himself the germ of life, the Spirit which as to its essence and origin is a spark lighted by the living God. Though man carries within himself the germ of life, as implanted by God, yet that germ cannot grow up and sprout to the glory of God, except as acted upon by the life-giving Spirit of the Son of God. So faint are the traces of a divine origin in the spirit of man by reason of the fall, that their prominency dwindles into an atom, when the eye of flesh views them in comparison with the things of the body which do appear. Yet the Christian man knows by experience, that this germ of life is the first part susceptible of spiritual life; yet he believes not that this germ of life, will burst forth into real existence, action and intelligence,

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till it feels the support of that ground in which every regenerate spirit is planted-even in the garden of God; till that support reaches and penetrates the seat of life, by the joint agency of the Sun of Righteousness, and of the dew of the Spirit descending upon it. And except we have experienced, and felt the bitterness of spiritual death through Adam, and feel that we die in him, we can not feel any desire to come to Christ, and must abide alone, dead through trespasses and sins.

2d. Death is the only way to glory. Death is the common lot of all men, and the living should lay it to heart. Its commonness should not lead us to push the thought away; for first its approach is preceded by uncertainty. So that many are suddenly taken out of life, and to all it is as Dr. Young expresses it, "A slow-sudden death." 2d. It is the wages of sins; and a most cursed and bitter, yet deserved fruit of man's transgression. 3d. The death of the body is no remedy for, nor security from the second death: for many who have expired in great agonies of body, are now suffering the pains of hell for ever. Hence death is no meritorious way of gaining ease from endless torments. On the contrary, it seals irrevocably the doom of saints and sinners, holds them as it found them to the great decision of the judgment day. Yet is it the way by which the saints will all be ushered into glory, and a glorious way for all that die in the faith of the Lord Jesus. And is it im

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