I do not understand it: there are doubtless many select passages in that work, worthy of admiration, but I never could comprehend the force of the arguments, or feel their weight. But I go into a poor man's house, and I open his Bible, and there read, Verily there is a reward for the righteous; doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth." "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." "The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous, into life eternal." "If we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so, them also that sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him." "We shall not all sleep, we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." "Wherefore, comfort one another with these words." Are not these truths calculated for every understanding, and such as must warm every heart with gratitude and

love? And shall we not highly prize a religion which is thus adapted to every circumstance and disposition of man? Let us prove our attachment to this sacred volume, by a diligent and practical attention to its contents! Let us maintain its validity, assert its sufficiency, establish its excellence, and live its truth! Amen.

SERMON XXV.

COMPARATIVE

OF THE

VIEW

OFFICES OF CHRIST.

Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. ACTS ii. 36.

We have lately been discussing the grand essentials of natural religion,-the being of a God; his moral attributes and perfections, and his designs respecting mankind. But were we to limit our inquiries to this branch of the subject, how small would be the light and comfort we should derive from the discussion. The religion of man in paradise, and the religion of man fallen from innocence, ought to be (and thanks be to God they are) essentially different. Sin has entered into

the world, and death by sin; judgment has been passed upon all men, and mankind were sunk in wretchedness and misery, till revelation dispelled the gloom, and brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel.

To mitigate the curse pronounced upon our first parents, it was declared, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head.” The promise was ratified to Jacob on his death-bed. It was repeated with clearer intimations by succeeding Patriarchs and Prophets, each adding a feature to the portrait, till Isaiah and Malachi, by their full and striking delineations, completed the picture. And in the fulness of time, God fulfilled all these predictions. He sent his Son, “made of a woman, made under the law," to redeem a lost and perishing world. It is to the consideration of this great fact, and more especially of the different offices he sustained for our benefit, that we are now to direct our attention.

My text I have merely chosen as a motto. I shall not enter into the particulars of this truly interesting chapter, containing the admirable defence of Peter, after the communication of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. It exhibits a glorious proof of the power of that gospel which could thus change the heart of a coward disciple, into a courageous defen

der of his Master's cause. Not many weeks before, he was alarmed at the bare suspicion of a maid servant, and trembled at the very thought of the High Priest. Now he stands forward boldly before an assembled multitude, vindicates the honour of his Master, and publicly and fearlessly accuses them with having crucified the Lord of Glory.

In the division of my subject, I shall,

1. Endeavour to point out the different offices of Christ.

II. Take a comparative view of their value.

I. I shall endeavour to point out the dif ferent offices of Christ.

And here I must observe, that were I to include under this head all the various metaphors and figurative expressions under which he is mentioned in Scripture, I should extend my discourse to an unusual length, and not embrace the specific subject allotted for our meditation. At one time, our Lord declares himself to be, "The Way, the Truth, and the Life." At another, he says, "I am the Door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." On another occasion, "I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Husbandman." And again, "I am the Light of the world."