his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him." These, and many more like passages with which the New Testament abounds, plainly show that Jesus Christ, in his coming, life and death, was a consequence and not a cause of the love of God to men.

Christ died to break down "the middle wall of partition," which separated Jew from Gentile," to make both one, that he might reconcile both unto God." The former dispensation by Moses was limited to one people; the Gospel by Christ is for all to bring all into " one fold."

The great design and end of the death of Christ is that which he states himself, "I lay down my life that I may take it again— therefore doth my Father love me." Or, as the Apostle has expressed it, "Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light." By his death and the miracle of his consequent resurrection, he confirmed his assurance of a future life, and so established the great doctrine of man's immortality. A doctrine which the world had been hoping for and praying for, but which had never been made known, even to that people to whom was given the great truth of one only true and living God. Upon this fact is founded the Gospel. "If Christ be not risen," says Paul," then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," says Peter, "who, according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Christ died that he might rise again; and because he rose, we believe in him and feel that our faith and hope is not "in vain."

Most freely, thankfully, and devoutly do we, as Unita

rians, receive all that we find the Scriptures teach us concerning this important event, the death of Christ, and the great, glorious, and merciful ends effected by it. We believe that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, grace and truth in the highest and best sense. As Jesus himself said "to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." And most fervently do we adore the free grace of God, which gave the Gospel with its revelations, instructions, promises, sanctions and hopes; which gave, too, Jesus Christ with his life, death, resurrection and ascension.

We believe that Jesus Christ saves us by his life, by his death, by all he did, taught, suffered, established. And that "him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance and forgiveness of sins." "Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his not from the wrath of God, but from their

people sins."

We believe that Jesus Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity; to raise us from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. And not that a life of righteousness is made unnecessary by a "covenanted sacrifice." That he redeems us from our "vain conversation ;" not by the removal of any external obstacle in the way of human salvation - since there never was such obstacle — but by removing the great hindrance, that is, the evil that lies in man's own breast.

We believe that Jesus Christ offered himself to God. Not as a guilty substitute, but that "he offered himself without spot to God," to lead us "to purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God." And they

who are thus led are saved. It is not leaning on Christ the substitute, but following Christ the example, that obtains salvation.

We believe that the death of Christ was, indeed, a sacrifice, in a beautiful and affecting sense. To offer himself up, as Jesus did, in the holy cause of truth and goodness; and in so dying, to exhibit an example of patient suffering for the salvation of men; thus to afford proof of the divinity of his mission, and in this way to establish a doctrine by which sinners may be brought nigh unto God, this we consider sacrifice in its highest and fullest meaning. A sacrifice of love, not of anger. And we readily admit the obligation which rests on all believers in Christ, "to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable, unto God, which is their reasonable service."

We do believe that Christ suffered for us through toil and exposure, in the midst of ignorance and malice, misconception and deadly hatred. And that he suffered all that was << necessary to redeem us " from the influences of sin; to awaken us to penitence, to lead us to reformation, and to prepare us for the divine pardon and final acceptance.

We do believe that Christ died for us. And that he did so from motives of the most divine benevolence; as he himself said, "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Nay more — as Paul said, "for scarcely for a righteous man will one die; but God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." And, says the Apostle John, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Truly and gloriously does that man imitate

the example of Jesus Christ, who spends his strength, his time, his means, his life, for the benefit of his fellowbeings. "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind." He, who baptised with the same spirit of love, drinks of the same cup of suffering, shall be made partaker of the same glory.

We do believe, finally, that we are bought with a price. But no price of substituted suffering. No price of atoning blood. No price of an innocent victim offered up instead of the guilty to appease an angry God. Oh no! The price we are bought with, is our existence and the many comforts and possessions that make it a blessing. The body and spirit with which we are to glorify God. Our health; the food that nourishes; the garments that clothe; the habitations that protect. The countless mercies that come with every moment of life. The protection of our past days; the trust with which we may look forward to the future. The bounties of nature, the truths of Revelation. The sources of instruction and happiness every where opened around us. A world filled with gladness. The earth that bears us, with its abounding fertility. The sky above us, with its brightness, its blessed light, its sheltering darkness, its invigorating airs. Our own home, with its quiet peace, its beaming faces, and confiding hearts, and welcoming voices. The religion which teaches us to see in all these the provisions of a heavenly bounty, the manifestations of a divine love to see, beyond these many blessings that we cannot number, an opening heaven of established truth, and ever-increasing happiness. This is the price which God pays us for our love and service. These are

the gifts with which the heavenly Father would win his children to be faithful to themselves.

Let us bring in no corruption of religion to animate us to obedience. Let us not imagine, for a moment, that another being has bought for us, from our God, the blessings we enjoy that the heavenly parent sells, not gives, his mercies to his children. Freely has he bestowed; freely have we received; freely let us obey. Not by imputed, but by personal holiness; not by the merits of another, but by our own humble and earnest efforts; by purity of heart, by uprightness of life, let us offer our daily sacrifice unto God. Let us permit Jesus Christ and his Gospel, his example and his instructions, his life and his death, to redeem us from every thing that renders man unworthy of "the manifold grace of God." Let us be Christians, by an enlightened faith of the mind; by a sanctifying faith of the heart; by a glad and patient devotedness of the life. Loving one another. Doing good to one another. Filled and directed, through all time and all circnmstances, by a true and deep-felt love to God our heavenly father. For of him, and through him, and to him, are ALL THINGS; to whom be glory forever.