JESUS CHRIST.

up on high for us, and "he ever liveth to make intercession in our behalf," as our advocate with the Father, full of grace and truth. He invites us by his ministers and in his holy gospel, to share the heavenly blessings which he hath purchased for us. He calls and courts us by his grace to accept of him as our "Prophet, Priest, and King." In the first capacity, he is ready to instruct us in all things necessary to our salvation, to direct us in every exigency and difficulty of life, to comfort us in all our troubles, and to refresh us with the most delightful promises in our progress towards heaven. As our Priest, he hath shed not "the blood of bulls and of goats," but his own, as that of a lamb without blemish, that our sins may be blotted out thereby, and that there may be no more any handwriting of remembrance against us on account of our transgressions. But that we may partake of the benefits of this sacrifice, that we may be cleansed by his blood, enter with him into the holy place not made with hands, and be made the objects of his intercession, we must receive him as our GoD and King. As the fallen descendants of a fallen progenitor, we are all sinners from the womb, and rebels against the majesty of Heaven. The prince of this world, as the devil is properly named, hath received from us too ready a compliance with his desires, and we have always been more disposed to hearken to his temptations and to be insnared by his devices, than to regard the commandments or denunciations of the ALMIGHTY. Now, as JESUS came to deliver us from this state of bondage and delusion, he expects that we should submit our hearts and affections entirely to the influence of his grace, and be led and directed wholly by his Spirit. Nor does he exact any hard service at our hands, or propose any unreasonable terms for our obedience. For can any precepts be plainer to the understanding, more easy to be followed, or better adapted to promote even our temporal peace and happiness, than those which JESUS CHRIST has left on record in his blessed gospel? Then what gracious assurances does our merci ful SAVIOUR give us of his strengthening and directing grace, to assist us in all that holy obedience which he requires from us; and what rich consolations does he pour into the hearts of his fainting, desponding, and sorrowful disciples to cheer them in their pilgrimage! In the services of his sanctuary, in the preaching of his word, and at the family altar, he holds communion with his faithful servants now, and will do so to the end of the world. Thus, in his service, they experience much sweetness, and though a licentious, wicked, and unbelieving generation may despise the cross as foolishness, and consider religion as a burden too heavy for a liberal mind to bear; yet they who have felt the value of their souls, who have duly considered the heinous and provoking nature of sin, and who look upon eternity as a very awful state, will prize the religion of JESUS as "the pearl of great price," for which the sacrifice of a world would be a trifle beneath notice. They will gladly abandon all things else, to have an interest in the redemption which hath been wrought out by JESUS CHRIST. The pleasures, and honors, and riches of the world are no longer desirable in their estimation, for these things are lighter than vanity, are dissipated by a breath of wind, and, in a few days, will be lost for ever; but the "unsearchable riches of CHRIST," the blessings which he hath purchased, and which he is ready to bestow on all who apply for them with penitent and submissive hearts, will "endure for ever."

That which poisons all worldly enjoyments, namely, their uncertainty, and the fear of being soon separated from them by death, cannot affect him who hath placed his affection upon the REDEEMER. He finds here an unchangeable object of love, a source of perpetual joy, and the sure prospect of immortal happiness. When all temporal glory is ended, and when nothing but a boundless eternity appears in view, the soul that has chosen JESUS CHRIST for its portion and chief good, shall fearlessly enter the enough to make faith an anchor of our souls, both sure and steadfast. That CHRIST, having the divine nature added to the human, should be perfectly free from sin, is not difficult to be believedthat, having taken our human nature, he should be subject to death, is also a point which we might expect that his divine nature should enable him to rise again from the dead, is agreeable to our notions of divinity: so that in these three propositions, viewed separately and distinctly, human reason would find nothing which it might not readily adopt. That GoD should accept the death of CHRIST as an atonement for the death of all men is undoubtedly an article of faith; it is one which, if God had not revealed it, we could never have discovered; the pride of reason may reject it, and the coldness of philosophy may reduce it to a name; but we have not so learned CHRIST; we know that it is appointed unto all men once to die, and after death the judgment; and who is there amongst us that looks into his own heart, that sees there a consciousness of sins for which he will hereafter be judged, that hears the comfortable assurance that these sins may be washed away in the blood of CHRIST-who will not say with a thankful, though a fearful heart, "LORD, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

mighty expanse, and be borne away in triumph and joy to the bosom of its SAVIOUR and GOD.

THE tendency of this work has been to trace the gradual progress of the work of redemption till it was completed in the humiliation and ascension of JESUS CHRIST We have endeavored to make this point clear, as being of the greatest importance, namely, that there has been from the beginning but ONE FAITH, by which men have been enabled to live righteously and to die happily. With this view it has been proved, that all the saints of old either represented the REDEEMER as types, described him as prophets, or believed in him for salvation.

We have attended minutely to this "cloud of witnesses," and been edified, we trust, by the united testimony which they have borne to this great object of our faith.

We saw the moral world plunged into an awful state of darkness, error, and idolatry, through the artifices of the old serpent; but immediately afterwards our hearts were comforted by the promise given to our fallen progenitors, that this sad breach between heaven and earth should be repaired, that the power of the usurper should be destroyed, and that the "seed of the woman" should bring in everlasting salvation. We have seen righteous Abel offering up an acceptable sacrifice in the strength of this faith, becoming at last a martyr for it, and exhibiting in his life and death a direct type of the MESSIAH.

In the lives of the patriarchs this great object of expectation appeared to be the principle which animated them in all their trials, and guided them in their earthly pilgrimage. The same thing was represented in the deliverance of the Israelites from the house of bondage, in the formation of their civil and ecclesiastical polity, in their different stages in the wilderness, and in their final establishment in Canaan. It became a more distinct object in succeeding times, and was plainly marked and described by David and the prophets.

The harbinger of the day of grace at last ascended above the horizon, and announced the speedy appearance of that glorious orb, before whom all the clouds and shadows of the law were to be dispersed, by whom every doubt was to be resolved, and "life and immortality be brought to light."

We then beheld the Sun of righteousness bursting forth upon a long-benighted world; we have traced his glorious progress; we have witnessed his mighty acts; we attended to his salutary discourses; and we have seen him pouring out his blood upon the altar, between heaven and earth, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. With weeping eyes we followed the pious mourners who bore him to the sepulchre in the garden, but soon were our hearts enraptured on beholding his triumphant resurrection from the tomb; with the most elevated joy have we attended to his victory over death and the grave; and with the most lively gratitude and hope we witnessed his glorious ascension into heaven. By the eye of faith have we followed the mighty conqueror through the regions of immortality, till we beheld him seated as our MEDIATOR at the right hand of the throne of GOD, from whence he cheers us with these transporting words: "Where I am, there shall my servants be."

After contemplating this transcendently glorious object, what other examples can be considered as worthy of our attention? When he appears, angels and archangels, apostles and evangelists, martyrs and confessors, all shrink away to nothing. However deserving of admiration, as the faithful messengers of the divine will, zealous in their obedience, steadfast in their faith, and wholly exemplary in their conduct, still while He is in view, from whom all their grace is derived, and in whose presence all their glory vanishes, it would be derogating from his exalted dignity to distinguish them by any particular notice. Before the ascension of the Sun of righteousness, every star was an object calculated to cheer and direct us; but when he arises all our attention is fixed upon him, and every lesser luminary disappears.

The sweet and benevolent disposition of St. John the Evangelist, the intrepidity and honesty of St. Peter, the zeal and unremitted perseverance of St. Paul, are indeed all worthy of commendation, and are examples of great concern; but while the Master is present, the servants cannot expect that attention which is due to him. While we are "looking upon JESUS" his attendants are forgotten. Infinite excellences appear in his person and character which demand our constant observation; and, as far as human infirmity can follow such an example, our closest imitation. There is not a virtue that

is admired by mankind, that has been described and commended by moralists, or that is enforced in the sacred oracles, but shines forth with an unparalleled lustre in the life of our blessed LORD.

Now if it be a good maxim that to succeed well we should copy the best patterns, and learn of the best masters, should we not, as candidates for a crown of righteousness, "look unto JESUS" as our example and teacher?

Let us follow him in a spirit of humility, and with an earnest desire to have his image perfected in us, to have the ruling disposition of our minds similar to that which was in him, to be lowly, meek, obedient, gentle, patient, devout, tender-hearted, and in love forbearing with one another.

Christians have what none else can boast, a perfect example to copy after, and this they have above all things, that they are not left to follow him in their own wisdom and strength, for then they would never be able to succeed. But He who calls us to follow him, has promised us his grace to enable us to do it. He gives strength to those who need it, he enlightens the understandings of the ignorant, and those who are out of the way, he, as "the good shepherd," brings home to his fold rejoicing. He leaves not his little flock in the wilderness, where it is exposed to so many enemies, but he watches over it with tenderness, and "causeth it to lie down in green pastures, and leadeth it by the still waters." Psalm xxiii. 2.

Thus he communicates that refreshing grace which supports the souls of his sincere disciples, and causeth them to "grow like palm-trees and cedars, which bring forth fruit in their old age." Psalm xcii. 12-14. In the use of all the appointed means of grace, he meets his people and blesseth them; and causeth his face to shine upon them, agreeably to his promise, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt. xvii. 20.

At last, when their course and work draw to an end, he supports them "in the valley of the shadow of death," guiding them through all the difficulties of that awful state, and cheering their souls in the view of dissolution with the bright prospect of immortality. When the last struggle is over, and their eyes close upon all sublunary objects, the spirits of the righteous ascend to the realms of glory, and are presented by the merciful High Priest, their adorable MEDIATOR and SAVIOUR, before the throne of GOD, as those whom he hath ransomed from the hands of the enemy, and purchased at the expense of his own most precious blood.

There shall they serve GOD day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth ou the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water; and GOD shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. vii. 15, 16, 17.

Such being the present and eternal advantages attending an attachment to the religion which God hath appointed, as the only means whereby, as condemned sinners, we can gain his favor, and be admitted into his presence, let it be our earnest care not to neglect so great salvation!"

When we hear so many voices calling to us out of heaven, and saying, "Come up hither," our souls ought to be fired with an exalted spirit of emulation, to tread the path which leads to the same glorious inheritance.

"LET US THEN LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH MOST EASILY

BESET US, AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET

BEFORE US, LOOKING UNTO Jesus, the authOR AND FINISHER

OF OUR FAITH; WHO, FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET

BEFORE HIM, ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING

THE SHAME, AND IS SET DOWN AT

THE RIGHT HAND OF

THE THRONE OF

GOD."

END OF BIBLE BIOGRAPHY.