wilfully sinning against him. It pleased God under the ceremonial dispensation to ordain and provide a sacrifice for sins of ignorance, and also for wilful sinning; to point out the profession and all-sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice. To show it was to be a personal one, an atonement including and comprehending each, all, and every particular sin of the elect, and to declare that his blood cleanseth from all sin; and, as I think and conceive, the apostle Paul glances at it here, has it in view, and from hence proceeds to set forth Christ in the highest meridian of his mediatorial grace, mercy, and clemency.

Our Lord having once been compassed with the sinless infirmities of his people, covered with their sins and surrounded with their sorrows, encompassed round about on every side by their enemies, is so feelingly touched with a sense of every sorrow and misery which befals them, and his bowels are so inwardly moved, that they break forth into such expressions, as prove that he is rich in mercy to them. His bowels roll within him to do them good. He has in our nature, which he wore by personal union, felt every sort of grief which can possibly befal any of his beloved ones; his heart is towards them, he having on their behalf, and for their benefit experienced sorrows inexpressible ! tasted all sorts and kinds of death for them, been tempted, tried and forsaken as their head and Saviour; he is therefore out of his own heart, with a pity and affection peculiar to himself, experimentally affected with the case of his people, and always disposed to exercise pity and compassion towards them; let their cases be what they may. So that I go on, and will,

Thirdly, observe what a blessed account is here set before us, and given us, of the heart of Christ in heaven, towards his people upon earth, of his bowels of mercy exercised towards them under all and every circumstance of sin and misery which can possibly befal them in this vale of tears.

The people of God being the invariable objects of Christ's love, the travail of his soul, the joy of his heart, his crown and diadem, must be remembered by him, though he is exalted far above all blessings and praise, with everlasting

kindness. He saith expressly, "All my delight is in the saints which are on the earth." When he was about to die for them, he gave an instance how that having loved his own which were in the world, he would love them to the end, or for ever, by performing a servile act, as recorded in the thirteenth of John's gospel. Teaching us thereby, that when in heaven his heart would be so continually engaged and concerned about his beloved on earth, that in the midst of all his glory it would as it were cause his heart to leap for joy to be again in the world to evidence his love, even in the least and meanest instance of it. So full of love was he! Our Lord Jesus being now exalted on his royal throne of mediation, by the covenant and oath of the eternal Three, it is his honour and glory to shine forth in the full lustre of his grace and mercy, and to express and manifest it to the uttermost. The apostle Peter speaking of Christ's exaltation saith, "Him hath God exalted with his right-hand, to be a Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to his people, and the forgiveness of sins."

Jesus as an enthroned, crowned Saviour, in glory everlasting, is upon his throne Almighty to save, bless and defend all who trust in him, to express his love to his called ones to the very uttermost. He is able to save them from all their sins. His blood is efficacious to cleanse them from every spot, stain, guilt, and defilement to heal every wound, to pardon every transgression, to save with an everlasting salvation all who believe and trust in him. He lives in heaven a priest for ever, after the power of an endless life, to bestow the blessings of his mediation on such sinners as he died for. long as they remain here below, they are the subjects of a sinful nature. Through its influences within and upon them, they sometimes fall into evil, which fetches sighs and groans from them which cannot be expressed. Therefore whilst in this state Christ's love towards them is chiefly discovered and manifested towards them, in acts of mercy and pardon. It is hard for them to believe Jesus, in heaven, who "loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood," can compassionate them, when they have contracted fresh

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guilt, brought fresh stains on their minds, and gotten fresh wounds, being overcome by their own false and deceitful hearts. It would make Jesus precious indeed, if they did believe his heart was thus towards them, amid all that befals them of sin and guilt, temptations and misery. Yet his state of exaltation, by which he is so far above them, leads them to think, it can scarce admit that he should be so interested in their sinful cases, as to be naturally inclined, and necessarily disposed, to be full of compassion and mercy towards them. We are forgetful that he hath actually taken up, into the highest heavens, all the sinless infirmities belonging to our nature, that he may express them towards us, as our wounds and wants require. Let us here take Paul for our guide, and therefore listen to what he says. He opens heaven to us, and speaks of Christ as there, in the thirteenth verse of the former chapter, saying, "Seeing then we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." Here is Christ within the veil. Now he proceeds to show us what Christ is to us, how he feels for us, and is disposed towards us. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." O stupendous mercy! marvellous grace! the bowels of Jesus, though on his throne, are what they were on the cross, bowels of mercy! By infirmities, sins are to be understood. Any, and all those which the called are liable to. The mercy of Christ is here set open to our view. It flows forth in acts of everlast

ing kindness. Are any of you who believe, fallen by your iniquity? Jesus saith, I will heal your backslidings, I will love you freely." Are you under present guilt? "his blood cleanseth from all sin." Jesus is a present Saviour. Are ye fallen into sin? thus it is written, "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins." Is there a sense of present sin, guilt, and pollution on your minds? Jesus is now this moment with all the virtue of his blood in heaven, "the propitiation for our sins." O believers look off yourselves entirely,

and look to Christ continually. He hath you in his thoughts continually. He engages never to turn away from you from doing you good. He saith, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." He will be your guide through life, your comforter at death, and your exceeding great reward in heaven.-Samuel Eyles Pierce.

PATIENCE.

HUSBANDMEN know it is best to reap when the corn is fit to reap, even as one handful fully ripe is worth many sheaves of green corn; so heaven will be sweetest to you when you are fittest. for it. The child would pluck the apple while it is yet green, but he might gather it easier, and taste it sweeter by tarrying longer for it. When we have got a taste of heaven we are all in haste to be gone, but surely as God hath contrived thy glory in the best of ways, so he hath appointed for thee the fittest season, and whenever thou art gathered into glory, thou shalt come in as a shock of corn fully ripe.

EXPERIENCE.

WHEN harvest is nigh, the grain becomes solid and pithy. Green corn is soft and spongy, but ripe corn is substantial and weighty; so it is with christians-the affections of young christians are usually fervent and sprightly, but experience of years makes them judicious and solid; even their love to Christ abounds more and more in all judgment, Phil. i. 9. The limbs of a child are more active and pliable, but as he grows up to a perfect state, the parts become consolidated and firmly knit. The fingers of an old musician may not be so nimble, but his ear is more judicious than in his youth

STRONG DRINK.

You complain of darkness: your Lord is teaching you a lesson, the which flesh and blood is, and ever will be opposed and fight against: living by faith and not by sight. You are called upon by your husband to live out of yourself wholly

ever bid so high for your affections as he did, who from vast everlasting betrothed you to himself, and has actually tied the marriage knot, given you the wedding robe, the which you are to wear in his presence for ever; and the ring on the hand, and remember there is no begining nor end to a ring: just so his tender heart's love towards you, it knew no beginning, and never can end. And the jewel on the forehead, the bracelets, and chain on the neck, the ear-rings, and beautiful crown on the head thus art thou decked, the gold and silver, the silk and braided work, the whole together renders thee a perfection of beauty.

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All defilement is buried for ever in the ocean of his precious precious blood. To live by faith is to reckon yourself all this, when you feel yourself to be in yourself nothing but a mass of corruption; nature ever did nor never will be reconciled to this, therefore to live by faith is wholly of the Lord: 'tis to renounce self in its every form, and to live wholly out of all you see or feel in yourself on your precious God, Jesus; what he is, you are all that in him, by virtue of that ancient oneness and eternal union. Whether you live so or not hath nothing to do with the thing itself, I mean your state in Christ, for if we believe not yet he abideth faithful; but it would tend much to the establishment of your mind in the Lord, and increase your joy and comfort, as I know you like to be happy and joyous; live thus on the Lord as your Lord. May the Holy Ghost enable you, and you will not fail of rejoicing, yea, always according to your faith so be it unto you.

God's chosen heritage are too prone to be looking to themselves, instead of the Lord Christ, and poring on themselves, and judging of their state in the Lord by their feelings; but sure I am, this is wrong, sweet and blessed as it is to have an unctious enjoyment of covenant union, yet is there a subject beyond this, for the savour may be lost for a season, yet the union stands the same. W. BIDDER.

COMMENTS.

EXODUS xiv. 2. When Pharoah hears

ness he pursues them; so when Satan sees a soul entangled with distressing troubles, he thinks it is his hour for temptation. He seeks to winnow when corn is under the flail, Reckon, then, when trouble comes, the prince of darkness cometh also. Now lay hold on the shield of faith to quench his fiery darts. Take heed he does not represent God falsely by calling him an austere master, and of implacable spirit; not seeking your welfare by these troubles, but afflicting you out of hatred, and with a purpose to destroy you. These are usual tricks of this diabolical makebate.

Job xiii. 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him"-that is, I will not let him go. This is the language of the church in the deepest distress. In ourselves we are certainly lost; how the Lord will deal with us we know not. All evidences of God's grace in us, and of his love to us, are out of sight; yet we will lay ourselves down at his feet, and pray and attend the pleasure of his grace. And this sometimes proves an anchor to a tossed soul, which, though it brings not peace, yet saves from despair. His faith rests till more light breaks forth; it will not hide like Adam; nor fly, like Jonah; nor say, desponding, as a king of Israel did.

Psalm civ. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet. Believers, who are much in secret prayer and meditation, have more life and joy than others who are chiefly employed in hearing and reading; because the former are nearer the well-head, and have their supplies immediately from God: we bring our hearts more easily to read and hear than to secret prayer and meditation, because in the former there is more of man, and in the latter we approach the Lord alone; and our natures draw back from the more spiritual duties, though they are the most profitable.

Proverbs iv. 23. "Keep thy heart above all keepings (margin). You watch to keep your lives, your estates, your families, your reputation; but above all, watch to keep your heart, that your affections be not entangled by the alluring baits of sin. Keep your eyes (Job xxxi. 1); keep your tongue (Psalm

xxxiv. 13); keep your feet (Eccles. v. 1); but above all, keep your heart; for the issues and springs of life proceed from the heart. Bodily life proceeds from blood issuing out of the heart round the body; and spiritual life proceeds from holy affections issuing from the heart, and invigorating the whole man.

Jeremiah vi. 28, 29. They are brass and iron. Men may keep brass and iron in the furnace till the bellows are burnt, yet will not be refined into gold or silver; that is, the utmost attempts for mortification of sin will have no avail till the heart is renewed by grace, and thus converted into gold or silver. Men, through grace, must be made gold or silver at the bottom, else refining will do them no good. They are brass on account of their impudent face; they are iron on account of their hardened heart: the lead is consumed in the fire. Lead was formerly used in refining metals, as quicksilver is now. No furnace will refine a sinner, till grace, (called gold or silver,) is planted in the heart.

Matthew v. 6, 7. The substance or matter of the duties mentioned in them is the same under the law and the gospel. What is it, then, that makes duties legal? When their principle is legal fear, and their end is legal or selfrighteousness. What makes duties evangelical? When their principle or spring is faith working by love, and their end is to glorify God for his grace. Thus the same duties are legal or evangelical, according to the principles they proceed from, and the ends they are used to.

Luke i. 75. Holiness must have a root of its own-a divine nature to produce it. The new creature cannot rise from the old. As well may figs spring from thistles, or light from darkness, as a spiritual mind from a carnal, or as love to God from enmity towards him, or as faith from unbelief. Mere morality rises from self, and terminates there; but holiness, springing from a divine nature, tends towards God, centers in God. It contains all morality; but what is called morality may be without holiness, and never will rise up to it. Think not to find in yourselves the materials for gospel holiness, nor to raise it from the dust of natural endowments. Go to a holy God for holiness.

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OBSERVE the greatness of the depravity of our enemies! The gospel which proclaims to us the grace of God, and which promises us righteousness and eternal life, they call" bands,' cords," and a "yoke"! Thus as the ape loveth her young, so the world love only that which is their own: in this they rejoice, glory and exult, and utterly neglect and despise all that which is out of themselves, and placed in faith only, and trample it under their feet as a thing of nought.

But the object of the gospel is one thing to set Christ before the minds and eyes of all, and to teach them to look at him only, to depend on him alone, and to trust and rely on nothing else but him who took our flesh upon him, and who, in our nature conquered satan, killed death, and vanquished and destroyed hell.

And hence, the gospel declares him alone to be wise, because he alone knew and did the will of his Father; him only to be righteous, because he alone never commits sin, but can and will freely give his righteousness unto all that believe in him; and him only powerful, because he alone conquered the "strong man" armed, and took and spoiled his palace.

Christ therefore would have us confide in, and trust to his wisdom, righteousness, and power; and then he promises that we shall be accounted, and shall be wise, righteous, and powerful. And if we be destitute of this wisdom we are fools, sinners and weak creatures. But the world strives with all its might to burst in sunder this doctrine as "bands," and to cast it from them as a "yoke."

Thus all the contention with Jesus is about the first Commandment, and the Holy Ghost's design in this prophecy is to confirm our minds against this offence; when we see that the most powerful kings and rulers, whose kingdoms and empires are governed with wisdom, and whose righteousness and wisdom are held in high esteem, set themselves against this King; and for no other reason than because they will not and cannot bear to be fools before God, when they hear it declared that all human laws, discipline, honesty, and other good arts are useless

and unavailing to the attainment of eternal life and the remission of sins. And therefore they raise a tumult, they rage, they consult together, and rise up against the Gospel as a seditious and pernicious doctrine, which gives occasion for licentiousness, and which presents good works, or at least casts them away and condemns them, because it says they are of no avail unto righteousness. But how true this accusation is let the godly decide.

The Gospel does not condemn good works; for this would be to condemn and make void the law; whereas the gospel rather establishes the law, as Paul teaches us, because it shows us the way in which alone the law can be fulfilled and satisfied, and continually exhorts to the fulfilling of the law, in this way. It only guards us against and prohibits us from this one thing-putting our trust in these works for righteousness before God-for it shows us that all our confidence and trust are to be placed alone in the crucified Son of God.

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we are to embrace by faith, and he promises that we shall then be righteous before God, though we are sinners in our own sight and in the sight of the world. He promises that we shall be powerful though we be weakness itself, in our selves; and He promises that we shall be wise, though we are fools before the world.

The gospel therefore bids us trust in this crucified Son of God. But the world refuse to do this; they will not be bound under a trusting to things that are invisible, and which appear not : because it is of these things only the gospel speaks, and these only it proclaims. And therefore they call these things "bands," "cords," and a "yoke," whereby they are bound and pressed, and prevented from having their righteousness, power and wisdom, and from holding them in estimation.

Hence arise all these common clamours -What! Is man then nothing? Is not the will of man free, then? Why did he not, then, create us righteous? These are the clamours that are heard and read everywhere. Nor can these blind men be healed, for we continue to admonish, write, preach, cry aloud, and

declare that wisdom, power, and the other good creatures of God are to be used in this life to manage our present affairs, and to govern kingdoms, &c.; and that our reason ought to exert itself in this sphere, but that before God all these things are nothing, and avail nothing unto righteousness and salvation; for, before him a better righteousness, and a greater power than our own are needed. Here, then, you have a picture of the world. They hate both Christ, the King, and his kingdom, and they attempt every means in their power that they think will go to overthrow this kingdom. What, then, is the hope of the Church in the midst of so many perils? That hope now follows:-" He that sitteth in the heavens laughs at them, the Lord has them in derision."

LINES FROM LUTHER.

LIBERTY AND BONDAGE.

THE old man is vanity of vanities; he is the universal vanity; and renders the the other creatures vain, how good soever they be.

A man who is without the pale of God's grace cannot observe God's commandment, nor prepare himself in whole or in part to receive grace; but he rests of necessity under sin.

The will of the man without grace is not free, but it is a slave, and is so of its own accord.

Jesus Christ our strength, our justice, he who tries the hearts and the reins, is the sole searcher and judge of our merits.

Since all is possible through Christ to him who believes, it is superstition to seek other succour, whether in human will or in the saints.

It is true that man, who is become a bad tree, can only will and do what is evil.

It is false that the will left to itself can do good as well as evil; for it is not free, but captive.

It is not in the power of the human will to will or not to will whatever is presented to it.

Man by his nature cannot will that God be God. He would rather himself be God, and that God was not God.