in the friendship of the Eternal. It is not for beings like ourselves, so alienated from God by the evil that is in us, to sympathize with the mental equanimity of one who "knew no sin," and performed unerringly the will of Heaven. We can ill conceive the energy of his confidence towards God-his grasp of the futurehis converse with the invisible. But, assuredly, if ever there was an individual capacitated to triumph over death in the power of truth and innocence, Jesus was that individual. If ever the dissolution of the frame might have been described as a liberation of the animating spirit, it was so, above all comparison, when the body of Jesus was nailed to the cross. In relation to such a being, the matter for wonder and sympathy, was that he had entered the world, not that he was about to quit it,—that a mind so pure and unearthly should have shared the portion of fallen beings,should have endured the consciousness of a mortal nature, and the sufferings of a human life, should have been associated to want, and toil, and afflictedness,-not that so anomalous a connexion was to be dissolved, and perfect innocence eternally united to perfect happiness. There was nothing, it would seem, in death, bear what aspect it might of cruelty and

revenge, that could severely try the fortitude of a mind like that of Christ, and awake within it an anguish of strange intensity, and unwonted symptoms. There was surely an ingredient worse than mortality, in that cup which he had consented to drink; or his hand would not have trembled in receiving it. Could the dread of laying down the life of this world have caused so deep a recoil in that incomparable Person, strained his powers of endurance, and made it an effort-an agony to proceed and "finish the work of Him that sent him ?” Could any thing so bitter and revolting to his nature, have grown out of his exigencies, or have been engendered by his doings?" Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

We must not dismiss this subject without directing your attention to the goodness which God has manifested towards us, in thus setting forth Christ" to be a propitiation for our sins," -goodness which the sacred writers contem

plated with utter astonishment, and have urged upon us as a motive to unlimited confidence, gratitude, and obedience. We have been considering the inviolability of the laws of God; but need any present be reminded, that it is on the basis of inviolable laws, that he is eternally enthroned in the affections of mankind? It is his inexorable justice which properly illustrates his invincible goodness, and lays open the depth of his compassion; since, rather than that men should reap the fruit of their iniquities, the Son of God himself discharged the penalty of disobedience. He who is revealed to us as claiming equality with God, became "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," submitted to the imputation of our sin, and bowed his head to the stroke of death in the manner of one that was accursed,accounting our exemption from the stroke of retribution, a sufficient motive, an ample recompense-" the joy that was set before him." Truly, this vindicated the judicial rectitude of the Deity; but it no less demonstrated his supreme benevolence, and testified of Him that he is" preeminently, characteristically "love." And here we are tempted to remark, as a most reasonable conclusion, that the goodness which prompted this amazing concession

to the wants and exigence of our fallen nature, must be universal in its objects that no portion of the human race can have been excepted from the merciful design of the Almighty, or not included in his purpose of redemption. We can conceive no such limitation to that goodness which reached the extremity of sacrificing the Son of God for the behoof of the guilty; but are carried at once and irresistibly to the conclusion, that we are here contemplating a principle of benevolence corresponding to the immensity of the Divine nature,―infinite and incomprehensible as the mind of God,--commensurate with his essential perfections, which, like the power that originated the universe, can have no bound to its exercise but incongruity and contradiction; and must have made all adequate provision for the eternal welfare of every human being.

The conclusion is corroborated by the inspired writings; for St. John declares of Christ that "he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."* And if his sacrifice had relation to the whole world, can it be doubted that so likewise had the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of that sacrifice; and that all, without exception,

* 1 John ii. 2.

are assured of that divine assistance which they so much need, to render them acceptable servants of God, and the qualified heirs of immortality? But, indeed, the Apostle directly asserts that "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance;"* and what spirit is it, we would ask, but the spirit of impartial, universal benevolence, which breathes in all the admonitions, expostulations, and warnings of Holy Writ? -which led the inspired penmen to celebrate the slowness of the Almighty's anger, and his delight in mercy ?-which caused that reproachful lamentation of frustrated, rejected goodness, which broke from the lips of Jesus, when he visited the devoted city?"Oh! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" +

Doubtless, we must consent to the method and purpose of the divine goodness. We must acquiesce in the design of Christ's mediation, relying on his atonement as the meritorious cause of our acquittal before God, in a devout and penitent mind, and in the spirit † Luke xiii. 34.

* 2 Pet. iii. 9.