the Word, and the Word was with God, "and the Word was God. All things 16 were made by him; and without him

was not any thing made that was made." This "Word," adds he, "was made flesh, "and dwelt" or tabernacled " among men." "He who was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with "God, made himself of no reputation, took,

upon him the form of a fervant, and was "made in the likeness of men: and being "found in fashion as a man, he hum"bled himself, and became obedient unto "death, even the death of the crofs."-This death is uniformly reprefented by all the New-Teftament writers as an atoning facrifice for the fins of men.

is styled "the Lamb of God

away the fin of the world."

Hence Chrift

which taketh

He is faid

to "have borne our fins in his own body

on the tree," and "to have made peace

by the blood of his crofs;" to have "been "made fin for us, who knew no fin, that we "might be made the righteousness of God "in him ;" and "to have fuffered, the just "for the unjust, that he might bring us to

"God." The Apostle John calls him "the

propitiation for our fins;" and the author of this epiftle, in another letter addreffed to the Chriftians at Rome, (the principal aim whereof was to explain and vindicate this important doctrine), exprefsly fays, that we are juftified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Chrift Jefus, whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to "declare his righteousness for the remiffion "of fin; that he may be juft, and the ju"ftifier of him that believeth in Jefus."

The gospel doth every where present him to our view, as a powerful, a fuitable, yea a necessary Saviour; fo necessary, that "there is

σ

not falvation in any other;" fo powerful,

that "he is able to fave to the uttermoft all. "that come unto God by him;" and fo fuited to the circumstances of fallen creatures, that they who are funk into the most deplorable ftate of ignorance, guilt, pollution, and fervitude, are rendered ແ comc plete in him,"-"who of God is made "unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemption."

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We

We are further taught, that faith in

Christ, or a cordial acceptance of him, in the full extent of his character as Mediator, is the appointed means whereby we become interested in this all-fufficient Saviour. For "this is the command of God, that we be"lieve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.”

"He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life; he that believeth not the "Son, fhall not fee life, but the wrath of "God abideth on him." Which laft expreffion plainly implies, that the finner is previously under à fentence of condemnation; and that by rejecting the offered ranfom, the sentence remains in full force, and his former guilt becomes ftill more aggravated by his ingratitude and obstinacy:— whereas upon our believing in Christ Jefus, we forthwith obtain the remiffion of fins; for "the blood of Jefus cleanseth from all "fin. And "being thus juftified by faith, "we have peace with God through our "Lord Jefus Chrift:" nay, we are adopted into the family of God; for "to as many as receive Chrift, to them gives he power "to become the fons of God, even to them

" that

99

Neither is

"that believe on his name.' this a mere honorary title; but they on whom it is conferred are actually enriched with all the privileges the title imports: together with the dignity, they receive the nature of children. They are regenerated by grace; the Spirit is given to them, both as a fanctifier and a comforter, to heal their difeafes, and to make them "partakers of "the divine nature;"-" to shed abroad "the love of God in their hearts;" and to bring them with filial boldnefs to the throne of grace, where they fhall obtain mercy, and find grace to help them in every time of need, till the divine life, which is begun on earth, fhall attain its full perfection in the kingdom of heaven, that undefiled and permanent "inheritance, which is reserved "for all thofe who, being born of God, are "kept by his power through faith unto "falvation."

Once more, the gospel informs us, that this Jefus," who died for our fins, rofe again for our juftification;" hereby giving the most authentic evidence, that he had finished his great undertaking, and was accepted.

conqueror,

accepted by the Father in all that he taught, and acted, and fuffered upon earth; " that "he afcended up on high," as a triumphant "leading captivity captive;" where, being conftituted "head over all "things for the church," he now fits enthroned at the right hand of God; from whence he shall once more descend to this earth, not in the form of a fervant, but clothed with Majefty, and attended by all the holy angels, to gather together his elect, in whom he fhall be glorified; while at the fame time, as an awful and righteous Judge, he fhall "take vengeance on them that know "not God, and obey not his gofpel; who "fhall be punished with everlasting destruc"tion from the prefence of the Lord, and "from the glory of his power."

All who are acquainted with the Scriptures must be fenfible, that in delivering this fummary of Chriftian doctrine, I have done little more than repeated the words of the New-Teftament writers as they are tranflated into our own language; and therefore I may take it for granted, that those capital articles, to which many others might