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children of men. The day-spring from on high rises on the unjust, as well as the just. The Gospel at once invites sinners to repentance and salvation, and diffuses a serene joy through the souls of the righteous. Nor is it designed, like the ancient systems of philosophy, for the rich alone; the poor also have it preached unto them. Its expressive symbol, baptism, aptly represents that spiritual regeneration; in which the blood of Christ washes us from all our sins, and in which the Holy Ghost initiates us into newness of life. And in its other soleinn sacrament, the Lord's supper, we are all equally concerned, equally interested. Christ died for us all; yea rather is risen again from the dead, and for ever maketh intercession for us at the right hand of God. To all nations therefore does the memorial of his precious blood-shedding equally belong.

S. The ordinances of the Jewish church were particularly specified, and minutely laid down. One temple and one form of worship was appointed, for one selected people. But, as the Christian church was designed to comprehend the whole globe, each separate nation was left at liberty to establish a church and a ritual, independent upon any other; provided only, that all things were done decently and in order. The grand outlines of our religion are defined with precision and exactness by God himself: the intermediate spaces, such as the outward forms of prayer and those ceremonies which are necessary for decency, are

left to be filled up at the discretion of pious men lawfully appointed.

4. As the Jews were strictly required to wash before meat, and to abstain from divers sorts of food; so Christians are commanded to be earnest in their pursuit after true holiness, and to refrain from the only real pollution, that of the heart and conversation. The kingdom of heaven in the soul of man does not consist of meats and drinks and external purification; but of love, joy, peace, and every other fruit of the Spirit.

5. The Law, for the hardness of men's hearts, permitted divorces, on every trivial occasion; but the purity of the Gospel utterly forbids such an abuse, and allows a separation only in cases of adultery.'

6. Under the Mosaical dispensation a spirit, which bore the semblance of revenge, was permitted; an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but the milder genius of the Gospel of Christ breathes nothing but love and forgiveness. This disposition our blessed Lord places upon the best and the only solid foundation. Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. In the prayer which he himself hath taught us, our forgiveness of others is made a term of God's forgiving us; and we daily supplicate, that he would remit our trespasses, only as we remit those of our brethren.

7. The prophet of the Mosaical dispensation

1 Matt. xix. 3.

was a servant: the prophet of the Christian dispensation is a Son. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every

house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, AS A SERVANT, for a testimony of those things, which were to be spoken hereafter: but Christ, AS A SON over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope, firm unto the end.'

8. In fine, the Christian religion may be pronounced perfect in three several points of view. Whether we consider, that a way was prepared for it by the sure word of prophecy, both verbal and figurative, exactly fulfilled in this dispensation and its divine Author; and therefore proving, that it was predetermined by, and that it originated with, an all-wise God. Whether we call to recollection the numerous and wonderful miracles, wrought in attestation of its truth, at the time of its first promulgation, both by Christ and his Apostles; miracles, which we cannot, without a mixture of blasphemy and absurdity, suppose that the Father

I Heb. iii, 1-6.

of truth would have permitted to be wrought in confirmation of a falsehood; miracles, the real existence of which the bitterest enemies of Christianity, the Jewish priests and the Pagan philosophers, never dared to deny, though they maliciously attributed them to demoniacal agency. Or lastly, whether we examine the holiness of its doctrines and the spirituality of its precepts, every way worthy of that God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.

III. Such is the mysterious plan of redemption, which was predetermined by the divine wis dom, ere the foundations of the earth were laid. The simplicity of the Patriarchal worship, the typical splendor of the Levitical ordinances, and the pure devotion of the Christian church, form only different parts of one grand whole. Dark and obscure is the first prophetic intimation of a Saviour; but the light gradually increases, till the allegorical morning of the Gospel, till the dayspring of the Sun of Righteousness. The ancient Scriptures of the Israelites, and the last complete revelation of the counsels of the Almighty, unite together in perfect harmony; and declare with one voice, that salvation can only be obtained through the blood of the Messiah.

Upon this sure foundation the Christian builds all his hopes of acceptance with God. While others weary themselves with disputing upon the fitness of the covenant of grace, it is his privilege to enjoy its benefits. He is conscious of his own

imbecility; he acknowledges the total depravity of his nature; and he avails himself with joyful gratitude of those offers of peace and pardon, which are held forth in the Gospel.

Meanwhile, the current of time rolls rapidly on; and every day brings him nearer to the confines of the land of promise. Rescued by an Almighty arm from the Egyptian bondage of Satan, he has long traversed with weary steps the wilderness of a sinful world; but his pilgrimage now approaches swiftly to its termination. After a life spent in the service of his God, he draws near at length to the banks of that river, over which every son of Adam is doomed to pass. But his courage is not appalled at the prospect of his speedy dissolution. gracious promises of God are now a precious cordial to him; and the true Joshua, the all-powerful Saviour, is his guide even unto death.

The

Full of comfort, rejoicing in hope, and stedfast in faith, the Christian advances into the river of death. The limits of this world are quickly passed; and all heaven opens upon his enraptured senses. His ears are saluted with the songs of angels; and he is conducted in triumph before the throne of grace.

But what mortal tongue shall describe the happiness, which is prepared in the heavenly Jerusalem for those that love God? The most vivid imagination sinks beneath the task of conceiving an eternity, a whole eternity, to be spent in glory. When millions of years shall have rolled on, the

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