the gospel in its purity, he shewed the arrogant their danger, and exalted the riches of grace by opening a door of hope for the chief of sinners. When the Lord Jesus Christ, as the surety of the church, had finished the work which the Father gave him to do, he ascended up on high as a triumphant conqueror. He led captivity captive: he spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them on the cross:' and when he entered the mansions of blessedness as a public Person-as our Forerunner-it was proclaimed throughout the heavenly regions- Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle.' · Such was the reception with which the despised Galilean met in the realms of glory! This was a part of the joy that was set before him, for which he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. For this exaltation he ardently prayed during his abasement on earth. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee-I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.' He prayed to him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. 'Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' This Jesus, remember, is possessed of sover reign dominion. All power in heaven and in earth is given unto him. He is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. He has commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations;' and to this command annexed, for the encouragement of his faithful ministers, a promise that he will be with them alway, even unto the end of the world. Now to this almighty Saviour, this prince of peace, who sits as a priest upon his throne, you are encouraged to come. In his name you may confidently trust; for by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.' If, then, all power in heaven and in earth be in his hands and at his disposal-If his blood, as the Redeemer of mankind, cleanse from all sin, and his righteousness, as a substitute, justify the ungodly-If he be the resurrection, and the life, and it be true that whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall never die-If he have invited sinners to come to him for complete salvation, and have promised without limitation and without exception, Him that cometh, 1 will in no wise cast out'-What should hinder your approach? It is still, and ever will be the language of his heart while there is a redeemed sinner upon earth-Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me-And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world→→→→ Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.' From considerations so animating, the dejected Christian perceives there is forgiveness with God, that he may be feared. Neither the multitude nor the magnitude of his sins gives reason for despair. The price of his release from condemnation is already paid by the blood of Immanuel. Not a sin remains uncancelled-unforgiven-and he may rest assured of a full, an everlasting discharge from the accusations of a guilty conscience, and from the righteous claims of a violated law. The work of Jesus as a surety is complete-is all-sufficient-so that the believer may say, in reference to interest in the perfection of his work, as the apostle did concerning the supply of his own necessities, I have all, and abound,'-for what can he want to whom Christ is made of God wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption ! I am yours, &c. LETTER VI. Believe and live Too many, shock'd at what should charm them most, Heaven on such terms! they cry with proud disdain, THE fears suggested in your last, in reference to pardon, evidence a suspicion that the love of God cannot be extended to any objects except those who are, in some way or other, more deserving than yourself. You are ready to say, Had I a heart to love God like David, had I talents to glorify God as Paul; were I like Nathanael, an Israelite without guile, then might I hope, with them, to have my imperfections pardoned, my person accepted, and my services rewarded. But this heart, with which I should love God, is carnal and not spiritual; my talents and abilities with which he should be glorified, are few, if any. My sincerity, which should be conspicuous in every duty, is strongly tinctured with hypocrisy and selfishness. With what confidence then can such a wretch draw near to Christ, or ever expect a welcome reception?" But this reasoning is fallacious: it proceeds, not on the ground of justification being an act of grace to the absolutely unworthy; but a reward conferred in consequence of pious dispositions or devotional duties, than which nothing can be more erroneous, nor more dangerous. The supposition is repugnant to the very genius of the gospel, which signifies glad tidings-good news. But would either of the epithets accord with the wonderful intelligence, if, in order to share the invaluable blessings it reveals, the man to whom this gospel comes must previously possess inherent righteousness, or evince by exterior conduct that he really deserves it? Can he be clean before God, that is born of a woman?-Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?-Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.' Circumstanced as we now are, the tidings, so far from being good, would be quite the reverse. I say quite the reverse; because to be interested in the good they contain, I must be the subject of qualifications which I never had, which I am unable to acquire, and which no human efforts can produce. A consideration therefore of my own deficiency respecting these pre-requisites, and of my utter inability to remedy the defect, would have a natural tendency, not to excite hope, but to genedespair. What qualifications did Saul of Tarsus possess when Christ shone into his heart on the road to Damascus? He says himself, in reference to this astonishing transaction, I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy. These, says a celebrated foreigner, are the preparatory deserts the Apostle produces; for nothing intervenes between his having been all this, and his obtaining mercy, as the cause, or as fitting him for it; and had he been guilty of adultery, of drunkenness, and of perjury, he could, and no doubt would have said, I Paul, the adulterer -the drunkard-the perjured wretch-obtained mercy. What moral qualifications did the Saviour of sinners find in the unchaste Samaritan with whom he graciously entered into familiar conversation at Jacob's well; to whom he revealed himself as the Messias, who asked, and received of him that living water which she found to be as a well springing up into everlasting life? What evidence either of compassion or compunction did the jailor at Philippi manifest to Paul and Silas, previous to the earthquake which shook both his prison and his conscience; and to whom, in the distraction of inquiry, they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved? What previous qualifications had those Ephesian converts who were quickened when dead in trespasses and sins?-or those highly favoured Romans, who, when enemies, were reconciled to God by the death of his Son? What moral worth was beheld in Zaccheus-in Matthew.-But why do I select Saul of Tarsus, Zaccheus, or Matthew; the woman of Samaria, the jailor at Philippi, Ephesian or Roman converts, as instances of unparalleled unworthiness! All the world is be |