rupt, and unable to pay one duty which we owedfrom the dreadful consequences of that insolvency to which we were reduced.

But an important question, and one in which man is deeply interested, remains to be answered, namely, what proof have we that the Father accepted the work of Christ in His life and death as the fulfilment of His covenant obligations?

Christ repeatedly declared that after His death He would rise again. He stated to the Jews that though they should destroy the temple of His body, in three days He would re-build it; and to His disciples He said, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shalt be betrayed unto the chief priest and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him, and the third day He shall rise again.” (Matt. xx. 18. 19.)

Christ, in fulfilment of this prophecy, died upon the cross, and was buried; but is this all we have to contemplate for our comfort? The death of Christ is, indeed, the sole remedy for sin. It was not by the preceding nor the succeeding circumstances of His death that we are saved, but by that death alone. Neither did His sufferings nor His resurrection add to the efficacy of His death, for "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John, i. 7.) Yet, though this averment is true, had Christ only died, what hope could we have from that fact? How can we know that He made an atonement for sin?

The promise

What proof would His crucifixion afford of our pardon and rescue from condemnation ? "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." "If Christ be not raised, ye are yet in your sins, then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” (1 Cor. xv. 14-18.) But we have no reason, on this ground, for despair. of Jesus was fulfilled. He died and was buried, and "now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." (1 Cor. xv. 20.) On the third day He burst the bars of death-the seal was broken, and the stone was rolled away. All the efforts of man to prevent the fulfilment of His prophecy were foiled, and Christ came forth from the sepulchre in the very body which was slain and buried,-a living man.

Thus has God proved to us the value of Christ's work. Had He come simply to declare the intentions of God, or to afford us an example of virtue, then He might have died as other prophets and holy men have died before Him, and God would have left His body in the grave to natural decay; but, in that he raised Him from the dust-in that He suffered not His Holy One to see corruption, (Ps. xvi. 10; Acts ii. 27-xiii. 35.), He has manifested the glory of His Son, His approval of His work, His acceptance of the penalty he paid, and His power and determination to save to the uttermost the souls and bodies of all who sleep in Jesus.

Now, we have been told of the covenant made between God and Christ. We have seen that Christ undertook to perform the conditions of that covenant, and we know that upon the fidelity with which these were performed depends our salvation. If Christ failed in his self-appointed duty, we are lost. He came to obey the law and to die for us; and if it can be proved that He did not accomplish these ends, we, who are looking to Him for salvation, are deluded and deceived. But we have seen His work and labour of love. We have witnessed His miracles and His prophetic power. We have followed Him to Calvary, and beheld Him expire on the cross, and we have seen that His work was accepted by God, who, in attestation thereof, raised Him from the grave; then, should we not be satisfied and full of hope? Do we believe that Christ has faithfully finished the work which his Father gave Him to do? Then should this faith give us comfort, and the assurance that God will, on his part, also faithfully perform all that He has promised to man through Christ, man's representative in the covenant of redemption. Our debt is paid; our Substitute has suffered the penalty of death for us, "therefore, now there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. viii. 1.)

Let us, then, in every moment of despondency, when clouds of unbelief surround us, and, for the instant, hide from view the face of our heavenly

Father-when tempted to despair, and when humbled by sin, behold the fulness of our salvation. We shall, then, see that every thing which was essential to our justification has been accomplished. Christ finished His work, and God is satisfied. The terms of the everlasting covenant are fulfilled, and now God can be just, and yet justify every sinner who will come to Him through Christ for the blessings promised and purchased.

If, then, we receive this atonement-if, as sinners, we cast our guilt-dyed souls upon this once crucified but now exalted Saviour-we should have peace in believing, and a hope full of immortality; for, "if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." (1 Thes. iv. 14.) Washed in the blood which Jesus shed, the sinner shall stand before God fully justified; for the cup which His Father gave Him to drink Christ hath drained; and now there is no condemnation to those that are in Him, and show that they believe, by the fruits of faith they produce. Christ has died, the just for the unjust, to bring sinners to God. It is finished. The work undertook in the covenant of redemption is finished. Salvation is accomplished, and sinners may be saved; and, therefore, may all who, as sinners, are interested in this redemption, join in the song of the blessed and sing "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Rev. v. 12.)

CHAPTER XIX.

GOD'S PROMISES ALL YEA AND AMEN IN OUR

COVENANT REDEEMER.

66

"O God, who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass man's understanding, pour into our hearts such love towards Thee that we, loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord." The Sixth Sunday after Trinity.

As we have examined the work of Christ, and found therein the fulfilment of all the conditions to which He was pledged in the everlasting covenant, we are, naturally, led to reflect upon the stability of the promises made by the Father unto his Son as man's federal head and representative, and to man through Him. This knowledge is essential to our comfort and hope; for the promises of God are the objects of a Christian's confidence, and the ground upon which every child of God establishes his expectation.

In our investigation of this subject, our first inquiry is, what are the promises? and in determining the question we find that they relate both to temporal and spiritual blessings "All things are yours-things present-or