about our path, and about our bed, and spieth out all our ways.

It infinitely concerns us not only to know, that there is such a being, but also to be well informed, what treatment we may expect at his hands and accordingly it appeared in the second place, that he has graciously condescended to reveal himself to his intelligent creatures, not only by declaring to them his name and attributes, but also by making clearly known, what is his will concerning them. He has given them a law: and that law we now possess, having been once written by the finger of God in the ten commandments, and being still preserved to us in the bible. Moreover we have it reduced for us into a still smaller compass, and are authoritatively instructed, that, if in obedience to his just expectation we love him with our whole powers, and love our neighbour, as ourselves, we have fulfilled all, that it requires from us, and may confidently assure ourselves of his favour.

But unhappily the next subject of our consideration brought before us a fearful truth, that there is not a man upon earth, who has

lived up to the righteous demands of this law, and that we are consequently, one and all, exposed to the holy displeasure of a being, who will not be offended with impunity, and who has an universe at command, to execute the purposes of his wrath.

This discovery however served in the end to make known to us still greater and more wonderful attributes in the divine mind, and to introduce us to a view of that almighty mercy, which prevails against judgment to the pardon of all disobedience and ingratitude. We were thus introduced to that gracious son of God, who was appointed by the love of the father to save a ruined world, and who by the sacrifice of himself has reopened the door of hope to those, who by their perverseness and disobedience had closed it upon themselves. We saw, that although we stand, condemned for our sins, we may yet by believing on his finished salvation be justified through his blood. We saw, that the father is so well pleased with that wonderful act of love, which was performed by his son in living and dying, as a substitute for man, as to impute the righteousness, which

he wrought for sinners, to all, who believe in him and the end, for which he thus imputes to them a righteousness, which is not their own, is, that, being justified by faith, they may have peace with him, and, being freed from the distress of an upbraiding conscience, may henceforward serve him acceptably with godly

fear.

Nevertheless, as the satisfaction of Christ's atonement removes only the guilt, but not the pollution of our nature, he has prevailed by his merit and intercession to procure for us the gift of the holy ghost; whereby we may be disposed to embrace the offer of his salvation, and to walk anew in the way of his commandments. Thus the doctrine of justification led us naturally to that of sanctification; and we learned, that the life of a christian is one, in which the holy spirit leads him, and he obeys the impulse of a superior agency. Hence it may be truly said, that a christian walks with God, that he is united to Christ through the spirit, and that the life, which he lives in the flesh, he lives by the faith of the son of God, who loved him, and gave himself for him.

This is what renders the possession of gospelblessings a fearful privilege, because we have reason to be afraid, lest habitual sins should estrange the spirit of God from us, and our continued backslidings eventually drive him away. At the same time the privilege can only be lost by neglect; and none can persevere in watchfulness and prayer, without finding that he, who is on our part, is greater than he, that is against us. His word, his sacraments, his providences all work together for the good of them, that love him; and even their falls, if they be truly repented of, though they may entail temporal punishment, and must be followed by real contrition, shall not finally cause them to perish. They may thus look out of themselves for safety, and take refuge from those dangers, which are beyond their vigil ance, in the strength of their almighty deliverer. They may borrow the confident language of the twenty-seventh psalm, and say—' The lord is my light and my salvation. Whom then shall I fear? The lord is the strength of my 'life. Of whom then shall I be afraid?'

On the whole it is obvious, that the fear

of sin and the hope of glory can never be out of season in, the life of a sincere christian. Both must accompany him to the last; and it is not, till he enter on the future state, that the occasion for fear will be superseded by the abolition of sin, and hope absorbed in complete and perfect enjoyment.

It remains to consider more particularly that last scene, which closes the trial, and brings all human principles and actions to their deci sive test, as well as those momentous conse quences, which follow death, and which are all either mentioned or alluded to in the text. "As it is appointed unto all men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was

once offered, to bear the sins of many; and 'unto them, that look for him, shall he appear 'the second time without sin unto salvation.' May these solemn and awakening reflections be so blessed to us, that we may be ready to say in a lively sense both of our danger and of our security- In all time of our tribulation, in 'all time of our wealth, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, good lord,! 'delievr us !'-!

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