you in the hour of death, help you triumphantly to pass through the darksome vale, and give you boldness at the tribunal of God. The apostle, who lived his life in the flesh "by faith of the Son of God," was calm and happy in the nearest view of dissolution, though most tragical, and with exulting joy said, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day." The atonement Christ has made is equal to all the guilt of sin, silences the clamours of conscience, removes the curse of the law, disarms death of its terrors, and enables the Christian, in whose soul the Holy Spirit has revealed Christ as the hope of glory," with Simeon to say, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." Let believers therefore pray, that the Lord would increase their faith, and let them endeavour always to keep the great object of it in view, continually pleading the merits of the blood of Christ for acceptance, holiness, and eternal life; committing the keeping of their souls into his hands. This will render life pleasant, death easy, and eternity glorious: we shall know him in the power of his resurrection, and in the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to both, in dying to sin, and living to righteousness.

66

ON THE LOVE OF GOD TO FALLEN MAN. "O how omnipotence is lost in love!

Father of angels! but the friend of man!

Thou, who didst save him, snatch the smoking brand From out the flames, and quench it in thy blood!"

YOUNG.

THE wonders of Divine love, discovered in the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ, are adapted to fill the human soul with exquisite delight and unutterable joy. The Supreme Being would be an object of alarm and terror to fallen man, if not contemplated as reconciled through the incarnation, obedience, and death of our Redeemer and Saviour. Redemption, effected through the assumption and sacrifice of our nature, causes the material world to smile, and every object to appear beautiful. I am lost in thought, while musing on the pleasing theme, and scarcely know where to begin, or how to express my amazed conceptions. Deep and mysterious are all the works of the Almighty: but this of human redemption abounds with mysteries too great for finite minds fully to comprehend. Where shall I begin to celebrate this amazing display of mercy and love to sinful and degenerate men!

Let the infinite wisdom that contrived the wondrous plan, and the rich grace conspicuously displayed in it, occupy my active thoughts. While thus employed, let my heart be deeply penetrated with a sense of the Divine majesty, and the free manifestation of his unspeakable goodness; for even the holy angels, stooping

down, "look into these things" with intense desire and profound veneration.

The incomprehensibly glorious Jehovah, being immutably blessed and happy in the perfections of his own nature, does not need the adoration of the most dignified and exalted of all created intelligences; nor can he be any way profited by their constant devotion and exact obedience. How wonderful is it then that he should concern himself for the happiness of frail creatures, especially for the recovery of guilty, depraved, and rebellious man, who, by voluntary transgression, had incurred his heavy displeasure, and was obnoxious to his angry resentment! Yet, while in that miserable and helpless condition into which we had brought ourselves, he cast a pitying eye on us; and our time of misery was the season of communicating his love. Nothing but the infinite goodness of God could move him to show such favour; for from our recovery could result no addition to his essential blessedness and glory, nor could our everlasting ruin lead to any diminution of his excellence and felicity. Yet, notwithstanding these considerations, he contrived a scheme for effecting our redemption and salvation! This is love that demands our warmest admiration, and imperiously calls for our highest praise! "Herein is" exhibited the climax of Divine "love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

This love is still more astonishing and dis

tinguishing, as extended to sinful man, and not to fallen angels. Those unhappy and degraded spirits, for their disobedience, have been cast down from elevated seats of bliss and glory, and now are reserved in chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day, to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire; while mercy is extended to our guilty and apostate race! With gratitude and awe would I adore this amazing clemency, and rejoice with trembling that I am one of the descendants of Adam, and not identified with those angels that revolted from the throne of God.

Here I would meditate on the sad condition of mankind, when Divine mercy cast a compassionate eye on us, and infinite wisdom, prompted by infinite benevolence, contrived the means of our recovery.

How great was our sinfulness! We had broken out of the fold of God, cast ourselves out of his family, and would not have him who created to rule over us. We had rejected his authority, disobeyed his injunctions, slighted his counsel, and would have none of his reproofs. Having departed from his holy and righteous ways, we were walking in the crooked paths of our own choosing. We were resolved to do things pleasing in our own sight, and to cast off the yoke of the Almighty: neither did we acknowledge our dependence on him, nor our obligation to serve and obey him. Of him who made us we were unmindful, and lightly esteemed the Author and Fountain of

all good. He, like an indulgent Father, nourished and brought us up with great care and indulgence, but we had rebelled against him. When his eye pitied us, we were dead in trespasses and sins; enemies to God, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate.

How complete was our misery! As our revolting from God was our sin, so it was also the source of all our wretchedness. We thereby fled from his protection, became exposed to innumerable snares, imminent dangers, malicious enemies, and were walking in the road that leads to everlasting burnings. To how many perils are harmless sheep exposed in a howling desert, when from under the shepherd's eye? Such was our awful condition when we wandered from God, and made choice of the broad way that leads to destruction. We lay open to the rage of the devouring lion that unweariedly seeks to make our precious souls his prey. We were on the very brink of the bottomless pit, and in danger every moment of falling into it. We were exposed to the displeasure of the Almighty, as his enemies, and without ability to help ourselves.

But O how great was the compassion and mercy of God, who pitied us in our low and lost condition, and devised a way for our restoration. We had no strength to assist ourselves, and there was no other eye to commiserate, nor arm to help us. Then did Jehovah, who is infinitely rich in goodness and mercy, extend his compassion toward us, making known a plan