from the wrath to come." Indeed, there was none of them but that were ready to pour out their lives, if by that means sinners could be brought to comply with the terms of life. Is it not then true, dear reader, that by this view of the subject, the importance of the law-the penalty of the law the character of Jesus Christ, as the great sacrifice and the deep anxiety of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that men should repent, and embrace this sacrifice, are in perfect accordance with each other.

4. Do you doubt the reality of the New Birth? Is it not, dear reader, precisely such a change as the heart of man requires, to fit him to be permanently a friend either to his fellow-men or to his Judge? We see them, in a multitude of cases, from a fit of sympathy, or by the effect of fear, appear to be kind and friendly for a time; but as soon as these causes have passed away, they have manifested their former character. They need to have their love of sin broken up at the foundation, or the love of holiness can never be implanted in their hearts. The dominant influence of selfishness must be overcome, before men can dwell in peace and harmony with each other. Is it not a fact, also, that this change is to be produced by the instrumentality of truth? If it were effected by any other instrument, it would shew that men are not rational and voluntary agents. This also accords with what the Bible tells us upon the subject: "Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth." Is it not a fact, also, that is clearly ascertained from actual experiment, in perfect accordance with the Scripture, that nothing but the influences of the Spirit, can make the truth effectual to produce this change? As it respects the necessity of this change, dear reader, do you not clearly enough perceive it in the feelings of your own heart? Does your heart delight in meditations upon the purity and holiness of God? Are you pleased with the worship of God, just in proportion as it is holy, and as it resembles the worship of heaven? Do you not need to have the love of holiness implanted in your bosom, before you can hope to join in the worship and songs of heaven?

5. Have you not encouragement to embrace the offers of your Saviour? You have only to yield to that Spirit that has often strove with you. "As many as are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God." Is it unreasonable that God should require you to yield to the Spirit's influence, when you know that he would lead you to everlasting life? Nothing, my dear dying reader, has ever made repentance, or the service of God appear difficult or hard to you, but a love of sin, and an unwillingness to forsake it. It is nothing but the suggestion of the enemy of your soul, that tells you that you have no encouragement to forsake your sins, and to come to that Saviour that died for you. You cannot believe that he would give his life for you, and so kindly and tenderly entreat you to come to him, and to come now, if there was anything to hinder but the unwillingness of your own heart.

CERTAIN SUCCESS OF MISSIONS.

But there are other grounds of confidence in our missionary labours. If there is anything towards which the eyes of pious men ever turn with peculiar and profound interest, it is the death of Christ. It was the burden of prophecy and the strength of hope to righteous men of old. On this theme "Isaiah's hallowed fire" burned with intensity. Since its occurrence, the church of God, by all her enlightened and spiritual members, has sung: "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." In the modern astronomy the sun holds no more important place, than in pure Christianity is filled by the death of Christ. It is the great central truth of the system. A world without a God would not be more an object of pity than a church of sinful men without a crucified Saviour. No tragedy compares with that of the upper room, of Gethsemane, of the Judgment Hall, and of Calvary. Yet there is something in the death of Christ far more moving and influential than its tragedy. The pious mind looks upon those remarkable sufferings, and asks their cause. Inspiration answers, the mysterious sufferer was drinking the wine of the wrath of God, was expiating human guilt, was redeeming sinners, was treading the wine-press alone. God was smiting the man that

was his fellow. The glittering sword of Eternal Justice was buried in the bosom of spotless innocence. If we reverently inquire what occupied the mind of this holy Sufferer while in his agony, the word of God gives the answer. He was thinking of the glory of his Father. He was thinking of the preservation, unity, peace, purity and growth of his church. For a moment he thought of his aged mother, now perhaps a widow. At another time, he granted salvation to the only man that asked of him in his agony any favour, and bore the cup of blessing and of mercy to the parched lips of the dying thief. To the inquiry-" What sustained him in this hour?" I answer, his divinity was his efficient support. But the Bible goes further. It lifts up the vail from the rational soul of this sufferer in that hour of shame and wrath. Paul has told us many a great truth and many a sweet truth respecting Christ. He says

it was "for the joy set before him that Christ endured the cross, despising the shame." (Heb. xii. 2.) "The joy set before him" was his joy in prospect of the return of countless millions of sinners, coming home to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. He looked down the whole length of the vale of coming years, and saw myriads returning to God. This sustained him. Indeed, long before Paul was born, Isaiah had published: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." And yet more plainly: "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." (Is. liii. 10.) And such a seed-a seed compared to the drops of the morning dew for multitude-a seed, not of one generation, nor of one century, nor of ten centuries, but a seed that should serve him while sun and moon endure a seed not mean or despicable; but a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. Glory to God. in the highest, that even now, among those cast out in their blood, are millions, of whom we may hope that Jesus remembered them in the tenderness of his love, while he agonized in the garden and on the cross. Certain, certain is the universal spread of the Gospel, because, seeing the kingdoms of the world becoming the kingdoms of the Lord was the bright vision that sustained the Saviour on the cross. We know that he has not died in vain. We know that he shall not fail, or be discouraged, until he have set judgment in the earth. We know that he never rejoiced in a thing of naught. "He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured

out his soul unto death." (Is. liii. 12.) We are not called to preach salvation to a world for which Christ neither cared nor wept nor died." From everlasting, when there were no depths, before the mountains were settled, he rejoiced in the habitable parts of his earth, and his delights were with the sons of men." (Psalm viii. 23, 24, 25, 31.) On the cross his thoughts and his delights were the same. This doctrine of the death of Christ lies at the foundation of all that brings hope to man, or glory to God. If a dying Saviour can redeem, a living Saviour can get the victory.

And when we send out pious missionaries, they go not to preach a Saviour whom they neither know nor love. Each of them has sung:

I was a stricken deer, that left the herd

Long since. With many an arrow, deep infixed,
My panting side was charged, when I withdrew
To seek a tranquil death in distant shades.
There I was found by One, who had himself
Been hurt by archers. In his side he bore,
And in his hands and feet, the cruel scars.
With gentle force, soliciting the darts,

He drew them forth, and healed and bade me live.

If the pious missionary points the dying heathen to a Saviour, it is to a Saviour whom he knows, and whom having not seen he loves.

LOW STANDARD OF CHRISTIANITY.

Compared with the experience of God's children, as detailed in the sacred volume, how poor and worthless is the great bulk of the so-called Christianity of the present day! Where is that joy in God; that holy breathing of soul after him; that triumphing in him; that simple, child-like dependence upon him? Alas! what babes do the most advanced amongst us appear, when compared to the saints of old. Truly there were giants in those days. And why is this? "The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." (Is. lix. 1.) is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” (Heb. xiii. 8.) The Holy Spirit as omnipotent and gracious as in the generations of old. Why, then, do we not see more of that genuine piety and true happiness in the ways of God, which shone so bright in the disciples of an earlier day? The real reason is to be found in our

"Jesus

selves. Worldliness mars our Christian profession. The spirit of the world has poisoned our religion. Men are only half awake. There is too little distinction between professors and men who make no profession of religion at all. The religion of the vast majority occupies but the second place, at most, in their esteem and affections. Any little worldly business is too often permitted to interfere with an attendance on the means of grace. Worldliness

enters with us into the sanctuary of God. Men do not come into his house hungering and thirsting after righteousness. What wonder, then, that they are not fed. They have all they come for; but their souls are lean from day to day. Is not this too much the case with some of you? You are not happy. And why are you not happy? Because you have too much knowledge of religion heartily to enjoy the pleasures of the world; and have too much communion with the world to enter into the joys of religion. This half-and-half religion is the bane of the church in this our day. Hence the toleration of the follies of Tractarianism; that most dangerous, because the most insidious, form of Popery, the working of the man of sin, which has appeared upon earth: that specious form of godliness, which is without its power: the chain which Satan himself has forged, whereby to bind the souls of men to his chariot-wheels. Satan himself may be transformed into an angel of light, (2 Cor. xi. 14.) but Satan will never love Christ; and never was a more Christ-dishonouring scheme invented, or one which more effectually excluded Jesus from his own Church. Guard against this pestilential heresy, as you value your immortal souls. Beware of every thing that would draw off your minds from a simple dependence upon the finished work of our adorable Redeemer. Of some we stand in doubt. We fear, lest we should see this awful delusion tainting your profession. Beware; keep close to your Bibles, and the best exposition of sacred truth-the formularies of our Church.

FROM

"PROFESSION AND PRACTICE."

BY THE REV. HUGH WHITE.

It cannot be too frequently impressed upon our inmost souls, that God has united in a holy bond of union, never to be dissolved, grateful obedience to his commandments, with the enjoyment of heartfelt happiness; and that it is an attempt equally absurd and