he gospel preached unto them." This was as much as to say, that he was the true Messiah, who was both to preach and work miracles. When the Jews called his Divine authority in question, he first appealed to the testimony of John concerning him, and immediately added, "But I have a greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." And when his own disciples manifested their doubts respecting him, after his resurrection, he still appeals to his works, which he had done agreeably to the predictions concerning him. "And he said unto them, these are the words that I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me." Thus it was necessary that Christ should pay perfect obedience to all that God enjoined upon him as man, and as mediator, in order to secure the Divine approbation, and to manifest to the world that he was the true Messiah.

2. Christ's obedience was no more adapted than designed to make atonement. Who can suppose, that his obeying his parents, or his mechanical labor, or his preaching, or his working miracles, had the least tendency to atone for the sins of the world? Though his obedience to the moral, ceremonial, and mediatorial law, was absolutely perfect, yet no part of his obedience, nor the whole taken together, was in the least degree adapted to make atonement. We might as well suppose, that his wearing a seamless coat, or his washing his disciples' feet, could make atonement, as that any other part, or the whole of his perfect obedience, could make atonement. It has been the common opinion of all nations, that an atonement for sin, must be made by some other method, than that of obedience. Christ's perfect obedience had, therefere, no tendency to make the atonement; but only to prepare and qualify him to make it; just as the perfect, unblemished form and figure of the paschal lamb, qualified that to make a ceremonial atonement. Accordingly, the apostle represents the spotless character of Christ as necessary to qualify him to perform the priest's office, which was to make atonement, by offering sacrices. "For such an high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered

up himself." Here the apostle expressly asserts, that Christ did not make atonement by his obedience, or his holy life; but by making his soul an offering for sin, or by the single act of his death. This leads me to show,

ence.

cross.

III. That Christ did make complete atonement for sin, by his blood. The atonement of Christ is sometimes called a price, a ransom, a redemption; or Christ is said to purchase, to ransom, or to redeem mankind. But by whatever name the atonement is called, it is expressly said to be made by blood, or by death, or by sufferings, in distinction from obediThe apostle calls it "redemption," and ascribes it to the blood of Christ, in the text. He says to christians, "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." And in the second verse of the context, he represents the atonement as made by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Paul represents the atonement as made by the blood, the death, and the sufferings of Christ on the He says to believers, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." Again, he says, "But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." If we now turn to the epis tle to the Hebrews, we shall find that the apostle has most clearly determined, that it was the blood or death of Christ, that made the atonement. He there says, "Without shedding of blood is no remission." That is, nothing but shedding of blood can make atonement, or lay a foundation for pardon or remission of sin. He refers to Leviticus xvii. 11, where we read, "The life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is blood that maketh atonement for the soul." In this connection, the apostle repeatedly asserts, that it was by offering up himself once, that he made atonement for sin. "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands-neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Again, he says, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands-but into heaven itself—Nor yet

Jerusalem, three times in a year, after he was old enough to attend the Passover. He likewise regularly attended the service of the temple and synagogue, and every religious institution enjoined by the laws of Moses.

3. He was no less obedient to the mediatorial, than the moral and ceremonial law. The mediatorial Jaw had respect to him, and to him alone. This law required him to do many things which he was not required to do, as a mere man, but only as mediator between God and man. It required him to preach the gospel to the poor, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And in obedience to this command, immediately after he was baptised, he went into the principal towns and cities in Judea, declaring the glad tidings of salvation, and calling upon sinners to repent and believe the gospel. And he continued in this sacred work for about three years and a half; though it seems he met with very little success among the stupid and selfrighteous Jews. Another mediatorial precept required him to work miracles; and this precept he perfectly obeyed with peculiar tenderness and dignity. The miracles which he wrought, were not only very various and numerous, but very great and marvellous. He healed the sick, when present and when absent. He caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb He to speak, the lame to walk, and the dead to rise and live. dispossessed those who were possessed of evil spirits, and made the devils obey his voice. He commanded the winds and waves into silent submission. And without speaking a word, he miraculously multiplied a few barley loaves and a few fishes so as to satisfy the craving appetites of more than five thousand persons. And we are told, that he would have wrought many more miracles, had it not been for the prejudice and unbelief of his enemies. But after he had wrought so many miracles, and preached in so many places, the mediatorial law required him to perform a far more arduous, painful, and selfdenying act of obedience; and that was to lay down his life, and be obedient even to the death of the cross. This commandment he expressly says, he had received of his Father. He knew that his Father had appointed the time, the place, and the circumstances of his death. Accordingly, when the appointed time was come, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and there make his soul an offering for sin. Though the prospect of this awful event filled his soul with sorrow, and caused him to sweat great drops of blood, and his agonies final

ly extorted the exclamation, "Eloi, eloi, lama, sabachthani,— my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" yet he submissively gave up the ghost, and became obedient even unte the cruel death of the cross. Thus Christ paid perfect obedience to every moral, ceremonial, and mediatorial precept, from the beginning to the end of his life. And in this respect, "he was as a lamb without spot and without blemish."

But,

II. He made no atonement for sin, by his perfect obedience. For it was neither designed nor adapted to make atonement

for sin.

1. His obedience was not designed to make atonement, but for two other important purposes. It was necessary that he should be perfectly obedient to every moral, ceremonial, and mediatorial precept, in order to gain the approbation of his Father. Had he failed in obeying one precept of the moral law, God would have been displeased. Had he failed in obeying one precept of the ceremonial law, his Father would have been displeased. Or had he failed in obeying one precept of the mediatorial law, his Father would have been displeased. And had he forfeited the favor of his Father, and fallen under legal condemnation, he would have been totally incapable of performing the part of a mediator between God and his rebellious creatures. He would have needed a mediator himself, as much as mankind. His perfect obedience, therefore, was necessary on his own account, both as man and mediator. Besides, his obedience to the mediatorial law was necessary, to demonstrate to the world, that he was the true and promised Messiah. God had foretold what the Messiah was to be and do; and had he not been-and done what it was predicted he should be and do, it could not have been known that Jesus of Nazareth, who died on the cross, was the Saviour of the world. But the doctrines which he preached, and the miracles which he wrought, gave infallible evidence of his Divinity and Messiahship. Hence, Christ appealed to these as the highest credentials of his Divine authority and mission. He did this, in answer to two of John's disciples, who said to bim, "Art thou he that should come? or do we look for another?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "Go, and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have

POETRY.

HOPE.

Ah, what is hope? 't is like the ray
That gilds the morning cloud at even-
'Tis like the bright and morning star
Which gems the arch of heaven-
The evening glories fade away,
The star is lost amid the day.
'Tis like the lovely rainbow bright,
That crowns a summer's morn;
"T is like the meteoric light

That doth the heaven's adorn;
And soon the rainbow beauty's flown-
And the fair meteor's paths unknown.
"T is like the lovely, blooming flower,
That not its worm reveals-
Oh! 'tis like the bright hectic glow
That death's cold hand conceals-
'Tis like an airy dream of night
That leaves us sad at morning light.
Follow not this deceitful shade,
Her way is rough and drear;
Amid her fair and soothing charms,
Her votaries are in tears;

In disappointment's fearful hour,
She leaves the clouds around to lower.

There is a hope, a heavenly hope,
Fail not to make it thine;

'T will calm thy soul 'mid every wo,
Its joys are all divine;

It dies not with the fleeting breath,
But triumphs o'er the sting of death.
Without this hope how vain thy joys,
They'll perish with thy breath,
And thine will be the wo, the pain,
That waits the second death;

No gleam of hope will ever dare
Illume thy home of dark despair.

Gospel Messenger.

INTELLIGENCE.

ANOTHER "LITTLE OSAGE CAPTIVE."-Extract of a letter from Rev. Mr. Washburn, dated at Dwight Arkansaw Territory, January 2d, 1832:

"Among the young female converts of our school, is an Osage captive, now about fourteen or fifteen years old, whose history is interesting. She was captured in the year 1821, and remained in this nation, with her captor, till the autumn of 1822, when she was given