"was darkened," Rom. i. so that he totally lost the knowledge of his Creator, and how entirely his happiness depended thereon. He forgot God and himself, and sunk so low as to worship the work of his own hands. His life became vain and miserable; in prosperity, without security or satisfaction; in adversity, without support or resource; his death dark and hopeless; no pleasing reflection on the past, no ray of light on the future. Such was the unhappy case when Christ undertook the office of a prophet; in which character, under various dispensations, first by his servants inspired of old, and afterwards more clearly in his own person, and by his apostles, he has instructed us in the things pertaining to our peace; not only renewing in us the knowledge of the true God, which, where revelation prevailed not, was universally lost out of the world, but disclosing to us the counsels of divine love and wisdom in our favour, those great things "which

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eye hath not seen, nor ear heard," and which never could have entered" into the heart of man to con"ceive," had not he who dwelt in the bosom of the Father declared them to us. We can now give a sufficient answer to that question, which must have for ever overwhelmed every serious awakened mind, "Wherewithal shall I appear before the most high "God," Mic. vi. We have now learnt how God can declare and illustrate his righteousness and truth, by that very act which, without respect to satisfaction given, would seem the highest impeachment of both, I mean his justifying the ungodly. We have now a glass by which we can discover the presence of the Creator in every part of his creation, and a clue to lead us through the mysterious mazes of divine providence. But who can enumerate the various, the important, the

interesting lessons we receive from this Heavenly Teacher, when, by the influence of his Holy Spirit, he powerfully applies his written word to the hearts of his real disciples, who search the Scriptures with a sincere desire to be made wise unto salvation! Whatever is necessary to make life useful and comfortable, and to gild the gloom of death with the bright prospect of a glorious immortality, is there contained : so that, instructed by these writings alone, a poor illiterate mechanic has been often enabled to converse upon a dying bed with more dignity, certainty, and influence, than any, or all the philosophers, ancient or modern, could attain.

But, besides the natural ignorance of fallen man, he was chargeable with aggravated guilt. Guilt and ig-. norance are reciprocally causes and consequences of each other. Every additional guilt tends to increase the stupidity of the human soul; and every increase of this, increases in the same proportion the natural indisposition for the practice or the love of virtue, makes the soul more blind to consequences, more base in its pursuits, and thus become a more willing and assiduous servant of iniquity. No wonder, therefore, that when the understanding was totally darkened as to the knowledge of God, the will and affections became wholly disobedient to his law. But when a divine light has, in some measure, discovered the heart to itself, and at the same time set an offended God in view, every such sensible sinner would undoubtedly imitate our first parents, and fly (were it possible) from the presence of his Maker and his Judge. "I heard thy voice," says Adam, " and I hid myself, for I was afraid," Gen. iii. Vain attempt; and if it was practicable, a dreadful alternative, since absence from God imports the utmost misery to a creature who can be happy only in his

favour. But here the Scriptures bring us unspeakable comfort, testifying of Christ as our great High Priest. To point out and illustrate this part of his character, is the chief end and design of the whole Levitical law; the main points of which are explained, and applied to our blessed Lord throughout the epistle to the Hebrews. The principal parts of the priest's office were, to sacrifice in behalf of the people, to make atonement, to pray for them, and to bless them in the name of the Lord. No sacrifices could be offered or accepted; no blessings expected, but through the hands of the priests whom God had appointed. Thus Christ, the high priest of our profession, offered himself a sacrifice without either spot or blemish: he entered with his own blood within the vail, to the immediate presence of our offended God; and through him peace and goodwill is proclaimed to sinful men. He continues still to exercise the other part of his appointment; he makes continual intercession for his people; he presents their prayers and imperfect services acceptable before the throne; he gives them confidence and access to draw nigh to God; and he bestows upon them those gifts and blessings which are the fruits of his sufferings and obedience. The Levitical priests were, like their people, sinners; and were therefore constrained first to make atonement for themselves; they were mortal, therefore their service passed from hand to hand; their sacrifices were imperfect, therefore needed continual repetition, and had at last only a typical and ceremonial. efficacy; "for it was not possible that the blood of bulls "and goats," Heb. ix. and x. could remove either the guilt or pollution of sin. "The law made nothing "perfect." But Jesus, the "mediator of the new "covenant," is "such a high priest as became us;

holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners; "who needeth not (as those of old) to offer sacrifice "first for his own sins, and then for the people; for "this he did once, when he offered up himself," Heb. viii. The great inference from this doctrine, several times repeated by the apostle in a variety of phrase, is, that we may now have boldness to appear before God, that our prayers and services are pleasing in his sight, and all the blessings of grace and glory ready to be bestowed on us, if we faithfully apply for them, through the merits of his Son.

Once more: Man is not only ignorant of God and himself, and too full of guilt to plead in his own name, but he is likewise weak and defenceless; unable to make his way through the opposition that withstands his progress to eternal life, or to secure him from the many enemies" that rise up against him," Psal. iii. We read, that when the Gibeonites made a league with Joshua, Jos. ix. which was the only step could save them from utter ruin, the neighbouring states and cities all united to destroy them; so the soul that is desirous to submit to Jesus Christ, immediately finds itself in the midst of war: the world, the flesh, and the devil, unite their forces, either to recall such a one to the practice and service of sin, or to distress him to the uttermost for forsaking it. And none could support this conflict, if not themselves supported by a higher hand. But Jesus, the antitype of Joshua, the true Captain of the Lord's hosts, reveals himself in his word as the King of his Church. He can inspire the fainting soul with unseen supplies: he, "when the

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enemy comes in like a flood," Isa. lix. can by his Spirit lift up a standard against him; he can take the prey even out of the hand of the mighty. He has said

it of his church in general, and he will make it good to every individual that trusts in him, that the gates of hell shall never prevail against them. What though a sense, of the guilt and remaining power of sin often fills the humble soul with inexpressible distress! He that stills the raging of the sea, and the violence of the winds, with a word, can, with equal ease, calm all the unruly motions of the mind. What though the world opposes in every quarter, and presents snares or terrors all around! what though rage or contempt, threats or allurements, are by turns, or all together, employed to ruin us! Behold, "greater is he that is in us, than "he that is in the world," 1 John, iv.; Christ has "overcome the world for us," John, xvi. and has promised to make us conquerors, yea more than conquerors, in our turn. What though "the devil goes "about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may "devour!" 1 Pet. vi. It is an argument of the strongest kind for watchfulness and prayer; but we need not fear him the "beloved of the Lord shall dwell in "safety," Deut. xxxiii.; "the Lord shall cover him "all the day long; he shall deliver him from the snare "of the fowler," Ps. xci. "His truth shall be a shield. " and buckler" to all who enlist under his banner; and at length, yea shortly, "the God of peace shall bruise "Satan under our feet," Rom. xvi.

It is thus the Scriptures, to help the weakness of our apprehensions, testify of Christ, under the threefold view of prophet, priest, and king of his people. These are his principal and leading characters, which include and imply the rest; for the time would fail to speak of him, as he is declared to be their head, husband, root, foundation, sun, shield, shepherd, lawgiver, exemplar, and fore-runner. In brief, there is hardly