thus the same apostle reasons: therefore, being justi. fied by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. v. 1.) Not that our faith can be the meritorious cause of our justification, but the resurrection of Christ, who rose for this very purpose, namely, for, or that we might be justified; and we, by believing this truth, have peace with God in our own minds.

The Scriptures abound with testimony of the insuffi. ciency of the law, and the all-sufficiency of grace in Christ Jesus. In the epistle to the Galatians, Paul says, I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righte ousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Gal. ii. 21.)

Now, we think, that every man calling himself a Christian, is bound to inquire whether Christ died as a martyr or as a sacrifice. We have no hesitation to assert,that he did not die as a martyr, but as a sacrifice. The martyr suffers the death he cannot avoid, rather than abjure his faith. It is even his duty to use all proper means of avoiding martyrdom. His Lord commands him thus to seek his safety by flight, when he says, when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another. (Mat. x. 23.) Such is the duty of the follower of Christ. But Christ himself was no martyr, he was a willing sacrifice. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. (1 Cor. v. 7.) Is it possible for any one who reads the New Testament, and knows what Jesus himself says of the end for which he came into the world, to consider him merely as a martyr?

Speaking of himself as the bread of life which came down from heaven, he says, and the bread that I will

of the

give is my flesh, which I will give for the life world. (John vi. 48. 51.) I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John x. 17, 18.) I lay down my life for the sheep. (John x. 15.) And in view of his sufferings and death, he says, for this cause came I unto this hour. (John xii. 27.) Is this the language of a martyr? No. It is the representation of him who was at once the victim, and the offerer of the sacrifice, Jesus Christ, the High Priest of our profession. (Heb. iii. 1.) Believing this truth, we do not frustrate the grace of God, and to us Christ is not dead in vain; but to those who do not thus believe, they cannot trust in the death of Christ for salvation; and while continuing in unbelief, Christ must to them be dead in vain. Here let us at once declare our firm conviction, that every man is a Christian, just in proportion as he trusts in Christ for salvation.

The same apostle continues the same subject when he says, Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid for if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (Gal. iii. 21.)

This text ought to put an end to all controversy, on the insufficiency of the law to give us life eternal. The law is not against the promises of God; it rather shows us the absolute necessity of a better way; it deepens in our mind the truth of the fact that we are sinners, and makes us more earnestly desire that God would be pleased to find out some way of mercy. And, as if the apostle intended to put this matter beyond all

possibility of doubt, he says, Christ is become of no ef feet unto you. Whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace. (Gal. v. 4.) There appears to be a continual struggle in the world, between the principle of salvation by the law of God, and the principle of salvation by the grace, or favour of God, in Christ Jesus. The absurdity of the first has, we hope, been too clearly manifested to admit of doubt. There is then nothing left us but a dependence on the mercy of God; but we are constrained to say, that we think there may be an unwarranted dependence on this mercy; and every hope that does not depend on that mercy as manifested in Christ Jesus, is unwarranted by Scripture. But if we are not mistaken, there has something like a middle way been struck out for us, that seems as if it intended to unite both law and Gospel; and the lovers of this way say, what God hath joined together let no man put asunder. But we know no other way in which they can be seen in Scripture, than the first making more manifest the necessity of the second. When speaking on this subject, we have been accustomed to speak of it something in the following manner.

Suppose we consider the subject of our salvation as graduated on a scale of a hundred degrees; the whole must be filled up or we are not saved. What portion shall we allow to the righteousness of Christ? and what portion must be allowed to our own obedience or righ. teousness? For we are told, if we do our part, God will do his; or God hath done his part, and it is our business to do ours. The question still returns, what belongs to God, and what to us? Shall we say, that he hath laid the foundation in the grade of one, and on this we must

have to perfect the You are shocked at

build the remainder; that is, we work in the degree of ninety-nine. this; for it gives to the creature ninety-nine degrees of honour, and the Creator one only. This will never do; for it exalts the creature above all that belongs to him, and puts God almost out of the question. Shall we then take the middle line, and say that God hath done, or will do his part of fifty degrees, and we also must do our fifty to complete the work? Neither will this answer; for though it has some appearance of making us coworkers with God, it has also the difficulty of making us co-equal with God in this all-important matter. This, therefore, will not answer, and the line must be drawn elsewhere. And if, to give God as much glory as possible, and allow as little as possible to human righte ousness, we place ninety and nine degrees wrought, or to be wrought by God, and one degree only left for poor weak man to perform, neither is this without difficulty; for if poor weak man should not perform his little part, all the ninety and nine parts of the work of God go for nothing. And does it not, if man does perform his little part, does it not give him an importance beyond all reason or revelation? Have we erred in drawing the line; then do tell us where it ought to be? But as we think this never can be done; let us acknowledge that our salvation belongs entirely and exclusively to God; and to him therefore belongs the glory; and for this, glory be to God.

Our testimonies for God and his salvation, have been drawn from the New Testament; but, as our Lord says, search the Scriptures; (of the Old Testament ;) for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they

which testify of me. (John v. 39.) We will look at some of the important truths relative to the Redeemer taught us by the Prophet Isaiah. We are told of him,

that his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. (ix. 6, 7.) There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious. (xi. 10.) He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (xxv. 8, 9.) The LORD is our judge; the. LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us. (xxxiii. 22.) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong; behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. (xxxv. 4, 5, 6.) Behold my servant whom I uphold; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth: he shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law. (xlii. 1, 4.) I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins: return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. (xliv. 22.) Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation. Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. (xlv. 17.) Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. (xlv. 22.) It is a light thing that thou shouldest be