ciliation on the part of God, far more than on the part of the sinner; and that Divine and eternal justice is an inseparable attribute of the all-perfect Being. The more we are taught by the Holy Spirit, the more we shall discern of the holiness of God, and of the hatefulness of sin in his sight, and of the absolute necessity of the atonement, in order that infinite love might redeem a lost race from eternal destruction. But now that the atonement is made, and that God has not withheld his only begotten Son, we may rejoice that all walls of separation are thrown down, that the veil is rent in twain, and that God, when we believe in the Lord Jesus, is our Father and our friend forever.

X. That the Divine justice is appeased, God gave a signal proof when he raised his Son from the dead. The penalty being fully paid, and the new head of the human race being raised to the right hand of God, the body is raised with the head, and all those who are connected by faith with the victorious chief, partake with him in his triumph over sin and death. All obstacles that formed a barrier between God and his rebellious creatures are overthrown, the congregated storms of Divine wrath are dispersed, and the favor of God in the face of Jesus Christ shines out upon the world without a cloud. There is no sensible communion as in Eden, for we walk by faith not by sight," but there is the communion of the Holy Spirit, there is peace on earth, there is victory over sin, and the prospect of interminable glory.

"Placatumque nitet diffuso lumine cœlum."

PART VI.

JUSTIFICATION.

1. God reconciled to Sinners, it remains that Sinners be reconciled to God. 2. Two Heads of the Human Race. Regeneration. 3. Advantage of Faith as the connecting link. 4. All men called upon to Believe, none naturally obey the call. 5. Election and Predestination. 6. Holy Spirit and Prayer. 7. Faith, Repentance, and Godly Sorrow. 8. Faith Indefinable from its Simplicity. 9. Faith, Assent, Trust, and Appropria

tion. 10. Faith remarkable for Simplicity of Means and Greatness of Results. 11. Faith in its operations at once Natural and Divine. 12. Freeness of the Gospel. 13. Fullness of the Gospel. 14. Certainty of the Gospel. 15. Tendency of the Gospel to Infinite Happiness.

I. RELIGION is either objective or subjective, it either regards the Divine character existing in its attributes, and manifested by its works, or it regards the effects which that character ought to produce on the mind which contemplates it. On the part of God salvation is complete. "It is finished" from the time that the Saviour expired upon the cross. To its infinite fullness nothing can be added. It is one and the same now and forever. The Divine justice is satisfied, and there remains no obstacle, not the slightest, to the reception of the chief of sinners into the Divine favor. The word of God has gone forth, the Holy Spirit is moving over the ruins of the moral world, as formerly over the darkness of the primeval God is reconciled to sinners, nothing remains

waters.

but that sinners should be reconciled to God. Hence, religion consists of these two great divisions-what God As the Divine works for us-and what God works in us. Being lived in all the fullness of existence before he had breathed the breath of life into any living thing, so on the part of God salvation was complete before any were saved. All things are ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb before the guests are invited, and before one sinner is clothed with the wedding garment, and sits down to partake of the bread of life, and to drink of the water of life freely. It is necessary that this distinction be observed; for though salvation be a whole, and one flowing and continuous proceeding on the part of God, yet the feeble understanding of man must advance from part to part before it comprehend the whole. In the Divine mind the plan of redemption existed complete from all eternity. That plan was begun to be carried into effect from the fall of Adam, and had its full accomplishment on the part of God, when Christ, having fulfilled the law on our behalf, and wrought out for us a perfect righteousness, completed the salvation of all believers, by dying in their stead on the cross, and drinking for their sakes the cup of the wrath of God. But salvation on the part of believers is only begun when by faith they look to this great atonement. Whether they look through types to a Saviour yet to be revealed, as did the holy men of old, or whether they look backward, as does the Christian Church, to a salvation already perfected, "by faith they are saved," and "have set to their seal that God is true," by receiving the testimony of his messengers. Far from there being any hindrance or obstacle on the part of God, he himself has broken down the middle wall of partition, he has done all to manifest his love that infinity itself could do. God, though he be wonderful in counsel, almighty in resources, and inexhaustible in compassion, could do no more than

"give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life." As a Father he is waiting to be gracious, he has come forth to meet the returning prodigal, or rather the first thoughts of returning are the work of His Spirit, recalling the lost to their only sure refuge. His word has gone forth, giving life to all who will receive it, bringing to every hearer and reader the sound of peace, conveying to every region of the earth the character and superscription of Jehovah, and sealing with blood to every believing sinner the sure mercies of David, the covenant of everlasting salvation.

His heralds and messengers are gone forth to proclaim the glad tidings of glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will towards men. Wherever the stars in their courses had proclaimed his almighty power and Godhead, in language which not the confusion of Babel could obscure, the glad tidings of salvation have followed after, and his apostles and messengers, those better lights of the world, have pointed out a way of escape from darkness and death to regions of superior glory, and more unfading magnificence, than is opened out to us by the midnight heavens and their multitude of suns. What then remains for the sinner but to close with the Divine offer, taking up the exulting language of the prophet, "O Lord, I will praise thee, though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortedst me. 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, therefore, with joy shall we draw water out of the wells of salvation."

II. As the two heads of the human race are dissimilarly constituted, so the links which connect the human race with these two heads have a corresponding dissimilitude.

It was fitting, that, as the generations of men derive their condition, so they should derive their existence,