God were now relieved from the cumbrous rites of the Levitical law, and no longer bound to the very laborious and expensive service of the Temple. No one can form an idea of what this was, without studying the laws of Moses, considering how they were to be obeyed, and carefully attending to the actual practice of afterages. Not to mention other things, all Jews were bound to attend the annual Passover at Jerusalem. At one of these festivals, near our Saviour's time, it has been calculated that upwards of two hundred and fifty thousand kids and lambs were sacrificed*. The expense and inconvenience of the sacrifice were surpassed by the dangers and fatigue of travelling. Many thousands, on this occasion, used to come from the cities of Asia, and even from the countries beyond the Euphrates, journeying for many weeks through burning plains, and pathless deserts, that were infested with wild beasts, and hordes of plundering Arabs.

But, above all, the death of Christ set before us a heavenly example of those virtues, which in this world of discipline and trial we most want, and are chiefly required to practise. Let

*Hist. of Jews, p. 317.

us distinctly consider his patience and forbearance, his charity and great humility. That mind must be strangely constituted, which is not deeply touched and edified, by meditating on the Redeemer's conduct towards men, and his duty towards God. A series of discourses might be delivered on this interesting subject: but, in order to suggest a few summary heads of duty, adapted to this solemn season, consider the rare and uncommon union of fortitude and gentleness, of dignity and condescension, of fearless independence and conciliating love, which his divine character exhibited for our instruction and imitation. Dwell, also, on the kind and generous sympathies of his nature-his pity and compassion for the ignorant, and the sinful -and his readiness to forgive injuries. In those parts of the Liturgy, which are appropriated to this great day, mark his equanimity, and self-possession, under the rudest insults and severest trials-view in him the serenity of innocence, and the heavenly peace of godliness. See, also, his unbounded trust and confidence in his heavenly Father, his unblemished holiness, his unshaken fidelity, and perfect resignation. Mark these, and other divine qualities, shining with distinguished lustre, not in the closet, or in the

shades of retirement; but while surrounded with bigotry and rage, in the midst of violence and hostile opposition, continuing through all the agonies of crucifixion, and not forsaking him in the moment of death.

Surely, after taking this general view of the great benefits attached to the mediatorial character of Christ, no one will perplex his mind with doubts and difficulties respecting the means of propitiation, which the Almighty Father has thought proper to appoint, or the reasonableness of the grounds on which it rests. Let us all rather study, with pious fidelity, to perform our part of the Christian Covenant, and chearfully accept the gracious terms, on which remission of sins may be obtained, and eternal salvation has been offered to us.

Still more idle and presumptuous are the doubts of those, who state, that they cannot comprehend how Christ, who, as the second person of the Holy Trinity, is represented to be equal to God, and identified with Him, could feel and suffer as a man, or be a model of practical duty to such frail, offending mortals as we are. But it is not for us to limit the powers, or to define, with any precision, the attributes of the divine nature. Our obvious duty is to mark

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the words, and to reverence the precepts, of the holy Scriptures. Whatever might have been the pre-existent state of Christ ;--however glorious, exalted, and co-eternal with the Father, we are assured, that he condescended "to be made man,"-to take our nature upon him, and to dwell among us. If we can possibly have any doubt respecting his perfect humanity, as well as divinity, let us consider, that after the usual period of gestation, he was born, and in his infancy was subject to his parents;-that "the child grew, increasing in wisdom and in stature," and that he was subject to hunger and thirst like us. But if this be not sufficient, let us view him as claiming further kindred with us, by the festive enjoyments in which he shared at the marriage of Cana, and by the tear of sorrow which he shed over the tomb of his friend Lazarus. Let us imagine that we hear him groaning in spirit, and weeping over the approaching desolation of the holy city and temple of Jerusalem. Let us follow him to the garden of Gethsemane, and there contemplate the agony of his sufferings, when "his sweat," we read," was at it were great drops of blood falling to the ground." Lastly, let us see the blood that issued from the wound of the soldier's

spear, and hear him exclaim, when expiring on

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the cross, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me!" and we shall no longer doubt, but that he could feel for our infirmities, and was in all points tempted like as we are, but without sin."

Having directed your attention to some of the many interesting subjects, which the awful solemnity of this day suggests, allow me to conclude by observing, that our blessed Saviour, when, by the sacrifice of himself, he was about to abolish the whole mass of rites and ceremonies, gifts and offerings, that necessarily encumbered the ritual of Moses, thought proper to institute in their room the holy Sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. The outward sign of the former is water, -the significant emblem of purity, as well as the efficient means of washing away pollution; and therefore made the appropriate rite of initiation into the Christian Covenant. The latter He has been pleased to ordain as the means of commemorating his sufferings and death. Its elements, you all know, are bread and wine;-bread that forms the chief, the general, and most necessary portion of human food; and wine, which, when used in mo