ES

2

" and present conduct; his thoughts, words, actions, tempers, motives, and affections, by this rule: he who sees this law perfectly reduced to practice, in the chaFacter of Christ, and daily compares his own with it; he, I say, will gradually form a more humble opinion of himself, and perceive, that "by the works of the law shall no flesh be "justified in the sight of God." This will lead him to discover sin in every part of his conduct; and shew him his continual need of mercy and forgiveness; and convince him that neither his person, nor his defective services, can in any other way find acceptance with a holy God. He will thus also discern, that his heart is incapable of so loving God and man, except it be renewed and rectified by the energy of divine grace. This humiliation, this broken and contrite heart, this poverty of spirit, forms the chief preparation for the due exercise of every christion grace, and the performance of every christian duty. It is essential in forming such a character as hath been delineated, both in those things, which the world commends, and those which it censures. This was certainly the judgment which our deceased friend had formed of himself: he was fully convinced of the sinfulness of his past life, however blameless in the sight of men: he was aware of the evil of his own heart, and of the manifold defects in every day's conduct; for he weighed the whole in the impartial balance of the sanctuary. These streams, he traced to their fountain, the corruption of the human heart; and he could not refuse to believe the testimony of Scripture, concerning the apostacy and fall of man in our first parents, a doctrine

very gloomy indeed when considered alone; but not so when viewed in its connexion with our redemption by Christ; and by which alone we can explain, and account for, the undeniable state of mankind in the present, and in every former, age of the world.-He was ready to subscribe to the declarations of Scripture on this subject, without any palliation, as applicable to himself, as well as others; and from the time, when his thoughts were first seriously and deeply employed about religion, to the moment, when he breathed his soul into the Redeemer's hands, he could adopt the Publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me and say, "a sinner."-And let any man carefully examine the language of the most eminent and approved characters, mentioned in Scripture, as well as the general tenour of that Sacred Volume; * and he will surely find, that this judgment and disposition are always represented as more characteristick of genuine piety, than any other whatever.

With this doctrine, of man's obligations to God, his demerit through the breach of them, and his consequent need of mercy, those which relate to the real divinity of the Person, and the atonement of the death, of Christ, are inseparably connected. The Scriptures speak of the Saviour as "God manifested in the "flesh," and "as bearing our sins in his own body "on the tree, suffering for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." These great and important truths, and that incomprehensible mys

* Job xlii. 5, 6. Isaiah vi. 1-8. Matt. iii. 11-14. vii. 8. Ephes. iii. 8. 1 Tim. i. 15, 16.

tery of a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead, our friend, of whom we speak, did not hesitate to receive in humble adoring faith. He believed, that the obedience unto death of Emmanuel, the incarnate Son of God, with all his concurrent debasement and agonies, was intended as an exhibition of the justice and holiness of our Supreme Governor and Judge; as a display of his hatred of sin, and regard to the honour of his law; and as a declaration of man's guilt and righteous condemnation, and of his utter inability to ransom, or save his own soul: and that this was intended to make way for the honourable exercise of mercy to sinners, and for the harmony of the divine attributes, in the work of man's salvation.-He was satisfied, that it was right and reasonable for our of fended Creator, to appoint the way in which he would deign to be reconciled to us; that his infinite wisdom had devised, his love provided, and his truth revealed this method of our salvation; and that it was worthy of God, and suited the case and wants of sinful men. He therefore concluded, that we can be justified only through faith in Christ, and an interest in his merits and atonement; and that by him alone, as our risen and ascended High Priest and Intercessor, we guilty creatures can have access to the Father upon a throne of grace, and at length find admission into heaven itself.

In a steady belief and profession of these doctrines, and in an avowed reliance on the righteousness, atonement, and intercession of the divine Redeemer, he lived, and died: and, believing that there was no salvation in any other, he laboured to spread the knowVOL. III

K

ledge of these truths among men, and to recommend them to their attention by every means in his power.

An apprehension of the dignity and glory of the Redeemer's person, and of the consummate excellency of his character, united with a scriptural view of the suitableness and preciousness of his salvation, and of his infinite condescension, and compassion for perishing sinners, cannot fail to excite an admiring love of him, and an ardent desire after an interest in his favour and salvation. And when any person, who hath been deeply humbled before God, under a consciousness of guilt, and hath greatly feared his indignation, finds himself freed from distressing apprehensions, ob, tains peace of conscience, and enjoys a lively hope of heaven, by faith in a crucified Saviour; the greatness of his deliverance and consolations, the glorious prospects which open to his view, the price that Christ paid for these blessings, and the freeness with which he confers them, when deeply meditated on, must form the mind to gratitude for obligations of immense and inconceivable value; and this gratitude must shew itself in obedience to the commands, and zeal for the glory, of him, who in this and all other respects, is so worthy of our highest love and most devoted services.

It may also be observed, that the cross of Christ, in this view of it, is the grand display of the worth of immortal souls, and of the importance of eternal things. When we view by realizing faith this astonishing object, we are struck with the vanity of all earthly pursuits, possessions, enjoyments, and distinctions: it demonstrates the miserable and ruined condition of the whole human race, in themselves; and

gives the most affecting discoveries of the love and mercy of God to sinners, connected with the glory of his justice and holiness: it points out the real nature of true excellence, and of man's happiness, and his proper employment in this life; and it tends to form the believer's mind to a new judgment of almost every object which he beholds, and of every subject which he considers. This leads him to propose to himself new ends in whatever he does, and to feel new motives to activity; to copy other examples, and to conduct himself by other maxims, than he formerly did. In short, he is "in Christ Jesus a new crea

ture, old things are passed away, behold all things "are become new." He now desires to concur, as a humble instrument in the hand of his Lord, in promoting that design of glorifying him, and doing good to men, for which the Redeemer became incarnate, and shed his precious blood. Our deceased friend thus "knew the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he were rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be rich:” and this influenced him in the use of that affluence, and in the improvement of those talents, which were committed to his stewardship.

Hence also arises the habitual recollection, that we are the servants of Jesus Christ, being now under additional obligations, in every thing to do his will. For, as our Redeemer, he is become our Lord and Master by many new and endearing ties. He hath many servants on earth, and hath allotted to every man his work: and he will shortly return to take an ac