mandments." Nevertheless, as on the one hand, our works of holiness-of piety towards God and benevolence towards our fellow-creatures, could in themselves have no virtue of merit or atonement; so, on the other hand, our want of them in past time cannot disqualify us, if sincerely penitent, for pardon and acceptance with a just God. We have a more powerful Advocate, a more prevailing Intercessor-One who, in seeking our acquittal from the sentence against us, and "all things that pertain unto life and godliness," asserts his right to them as the desert of his own immaculate righteousness-the just purchase of his propitiation for our sins. For "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

The question, then, which it mainly concerns us to resolve, arises from ourselves. Are we sincere and earnest in the confession of our sins, and our prayers for forgiveness? Do we in our hearts repent of our offences, and resolve in the help of God to forsake them? The willingness and the sufficiency of our Advocate with the Father we may entirely believe, and account to be above all question,-yes, though

our past life may have been defiled with wilful and heinous sins, or all devoted to our own pleasures and objects-wholly unproductive of

the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God,”— that life which was entirely due to the Lord, who bought it with the price of his own. Still may we assure ourselves of the all-prevailing advocacy of our Saviour, to obtain for us the liberty of serving God acceptably, and without the torment of fear.* For what end did He interpose as our Mediator with God, but to obtain for us that best, that perfect liberty? For what else did He quit the throne of heaven, tabernacle in our flesh, and endure the cross? And his power is equal to the extent of his benevolence, and the greatness of his purpose: "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

SERMON IV.

ROMANS XII. 11.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

THE precise import of the term "salvation," in these words, is not material to the purpose for which we have cited them. We receive it, however, in its more frequent and comprehensive sense, as signifying the final redemption of believers in the world to come. But some eminent commentators understand "salvation" in this passage, to import a deliverance which the Christians were about to experience from the persecution of the unbelieving Jews, in the approaching destruction of Jerusalem. Without undertaking a particular examination of the reasoning adduced in support of this opinion, we are unwilling to pass it by unnoticed, lest

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it be supposed that the more general acceptation of the text is wholly incapable of sustaining the test of criticism; and our application of it to the subject of this discourse may seem to be a mere accommodation of the words of Scrip

ture.

The application of the passage to an expected liberation of the Christians from their Jewish persecutors, is judged to be agreeable to the context; inasmuch as the Apostle had been admonishing his brethren of the duty of forbearance towards their enemies, on the ground that it was the prerogative of God only to inflict retribution: a duty, it is added, which, as the wrath of heaven was about to fall on their adversaries, it was especially necessary that they should be prepared to practise.* Now, in reply to this construction of the text, we must observe that the injunction, "Avenge not yourselves; but rather give place unto wrath"-occurring, as it does, at no less a distance than ten verses preceding the words in question-is one of a long series of commands and prohibitions, of the most general nature, and diversified application, comprising, we might almost say, a synopsis

* This application of the passage, however, is maintained on ground somewhat different by Whitby.

of the Christian morality, and having as little reference to a peculiarity of existing circumstances, or an approaching crisis of a temporal nature, as it were possible to conceive. The exhortation preceding the text is one of the utmost comprehension :-" Render, therefore, to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing; but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." The reference of the text, then, to an approaching deliverance of a temporal nature, can hardly be supported by the connexion in which it stands.

Moreover, the history and writings of the first Christians offer little ground for the supposition, that they anticipated a conjuncture when the opportunity would be afforded them, as a community, of retaliating on their adversaries, whether Jews or Pagans: when their enemies, fallen into their power, and prostrate at their feet, would either tempt their vengeance, or prove their lenity and forbearance. The passages in the writings of the Apostles, relative to their persecutors, are rather exhortations to fortitude and patience, than dissuasives from revenge; bespeaking a