come with a solemn sound upon a thoughtless tongue, He abhors the sacri fice; and when we regard iniquity in our hearts, He will not hear us. If even His redeemed people sin, He will chastise them, and show them its bitterness. Often did His chosen people answer severely for their transgressions. The best saints have not escaped severe chastisements when they have sinned. Awful threatenings are denounced upon those, who draw back from the love and service of God. The dangers and evils of apostacy ought therefore to be well considered by all, who think they stand in the favor of God: "For thus saith the Lord to transgressors, though ye were the signet upon my right hand, yet will I pluck you thence; and I will give you into the hand of them that seek your life, and into the hand of them whose face ye fear; for 1 spake unto thee in thy prosperity, but thou saidst I will not hear."

3. Christians should be fearful of a single sin. It is dangerous to begin in the way of transgression. We do not know where we shall stop, when we have once stepped aside from the path of rectitude. The moment we sin, we incur the displeasure of God, we forfeit some of the most precious promises, and are exposed to apostacy. We are safe only in the hands of God. But in the way of transgression, we renounce His authority, and must not wonder if He refuse us. Let professing Christians never say, when tempted to sin, "is it not a little one?" It is always the first step in a direct line to the greatest, and therefore, is to be feared, and avoided as the greatest. Avoid the small beginnings of sin, and you will be sure to escape the dreadful end of God's en

emies.

It is commonly the case that those churches, on which the wrath of God rests, are spoiled by some one sin. Under the influence of knowledge and a quick conscience, Christians do not come to a universal and rapid declension. Appearances are kept up, and outward forms preserved, while inward lusts are cherished, and the restraining and sanctifying spirit of religion is fled. It is commonly a sin of some one particular kind that gains possession of the heart, and leads astray the church devoted to judgments. The ruin of the church at Ephesus was the loss of love, although she was orthodox and patient and laborious. The sin of the church at Perganos was, that she cherished and retained heretical members, throwing the mantle of her charity over those, whom God hated. The sin of the church at Thyatira was, that she harbored and listened to false teachers, who ought to have been resisted because they taught not the truth. The sin of Sardis was, that she had become unwatchful and unfaithful. The sin of the church at Laodicea was lukewarmness and pride. All these churches gradually declined under the judgments of God, and finally became extinct.

All this train of evils may grow out of the sin of a single individual. I will suppose a person of reputation and influence in the church maintains an expensive and extravagant style of living, disregarding or restricting the common claims of charity and reli. gion; that he reasons thus. "Riches depend on industry and economy, and therefore are within the reach of all. The poor are so of choice, or by their own fault. What we possess is our own to enjoy, to keep or expend. Every person, therefore, has a per. fect right, amenable only to himself, to regulate his own expenditures, and incur any expense within his means.' These specious but fallacious arguments, from such a source, would have a great weight when addressed to a certain set of our natural feel. ings, and might easily gain advocates, until the sentiment might prevail through that class of society within the reach of its application. Suppose his arguments, on the other hand, went to vindicate a spirit of parsimony, the effect might be the same. Men naturally seek from others license to do what they desire. Therefore it is we find dif ferent sins prevailing in different communities. By gradual concessions particular sins, limited at first, become general, although others are still held in abhorrence. church at Ephesus was orthodox, but lacked zeal. The church at Pergamos was not charged with want of zeal, but was heterodox. Great declensions commonly proceed from small beginnings. It is by a single sin, at first cherished, perhaps in the heart of a single Christian, and next imbibed by another, which often brings the greatest calam. ities on whole churches or communities. The discipline, necessary to sustain the character of the church against a single sin of a single individual, disposed to persevere in

The

his wrong, sometimes involves a whole community in a controversy, which agitates the church for years, and terminates in its ruin. How prayerfully, then, should every Christian seek to avoid a single sin.

4. Sinners have occasion to fear, for they are in danger, when Christians transgress. It is not the people of God alone that are injured by their sins. The impenitent, always in danger, are then in greater peril. If judgment begin at the house of God, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous ecarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" The sins of Jonah endangered all that were in the ship with him. And when David the king fell under the judgments of God, the blood of his people profusely flowed. So when God begins to punish a church, wo to the people among whom they dwell. It shall be a time of ter. ror and darkness to His enemies. When the wrath of God was provoked against the house of Israel, he said he would have destroyed them, had not Moses, a righteous man, stood up to plead for them; and when these prayers do not prevent the execution of wrath on the church, how can the people be saved?

A church, under the displeasure of God, furnishes cause for mourning to sinners. If they could see the influence it has on themselves, they would run to Christians, and plead with them to pray to God that his wrath come not on them to the uttermost. Churches have been extirpated for their sins; and what greater calamity can come on a people than to have the light of the gospel among them extinguished? Where are now the once flourishing churches of Asia, reproved in the Apocalypse? They exist no longer. And what are the people who inhabit the places where they flourished and shone? Miserable, degraded and pagan.

5. When the work of the Lord ceases to advance, it is the duty of the ministers and officers of the church to seek out the sins which prevent it. The moment the cause of God began to suffer, Joshua gave himself to prayer, and when apprised that Israel had sinned, he immediately assembled the people, sought out the offender, and removed the cause of God's displeasure. The work, which the disciples of Christ have to do in this world, is explicitly stated and defined. Through their agency, the great work for which this world is sustained, and sinners spared, is to be advanced-the salvation of souls. Other duties and relations in life, share their attention, but this claim is para. mount, and all other interests are subservient to this. When, therefore, they fail to accomplish this object, and exert this influence, they fall before their enemies. There is something wrong. There is an Achan in the camp-the church has sinned, and it cannot prosper. They may be prospered in the pursuits of life, but this is no decided evidence of the Divine favor. A church is never prosperous when they are not grow. ing in grace, and helping sinners to heaven. The first thing for them to do, is to rise up and sanctify themselves, each one for himself; for thus saith the Lord God, "there is an accursed thing in the midst of thee-and ye cannot stand before your enemies, until ye put away the accursed thing from amongst you." The enemies of your reli. gious peace will overcome and destroy you. Nothing can compensate for this state of things; "for the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against you, and he will forsake you, and hide his face from you, and you shall be devoured, and many evils shall come upon you, because the Lord your God is not amongst you." Miserable is such a church, for the curse of God is upon them.

Brethren, when we turn our attention to our own church, what are the facts, which urge themselves on our notice? Are not the faithful few in number? Does not cold. ness and a worldly spirit mark the intercourse of the disciples? Are not the evil dispositions of our own hearts, the wiles of the adversary, the deceits of the world too powerful for the feeble resistance we oppose, so that we do not stand before our enemies? God has given us a promise, but do we plead it effectually? Is it not time for us to search our hearts, and ask why it is that these evils have come upon us, and who is the guilty cause?

I was once acquainted in a village where the people became repeatedly alarmed by the cry of fire. Such was at length their danger, that they could hardly lie down on their beds before the alarm was given, and some dwelling was laid in ashes. Pur. suit for the offender was made in vain, and the alarm was increased, until this miserable people were literally afraid to close their eyes. The consternation became uncontrolable, and could no longer be sustained. At length a public meeting was called, at which every inhabitant was requested to attend. Assembled under the influence of that fear which had taken hold on every heart, and seated with the solemnity and still.

ness of death, with which they seemed to be surrounded-after a pause, one of the principal inhabitants rose, and, adverting to the melancholy scene, through which they had passed and were passing, he says, the author of all this mischief is in this house. It is impossible it should be otherwise. It is one of us, either you or I, and our present business is to prosecute an investigation, and find out the offender. The result of this appeal, vigorously urged, was that one man, and he a respectable citizen, was detected and made confession as the author of all their miseries. When Israel suffered the Divine displeasure for sin, Joshua their leader, assembled the tribes and charged the sin upon them. This also resulted in the detection of the offender, and the removal of the offence. And, my brethren, is not the same appeal and inquiry here demanded? Why is it that the gospel here has no more success? Are we not authorized to say, there is some sin in the church which prevents it? Is it not you or I that is in the way of a blessing? Tell me now, I pray thee, what thou hast done to provoke the anger of the Lord? Did you pray in your closet this morning? No? Then suspicion may well rest upon you. Do you often neglect this duty? Do you perform it coldly, formally, or hastily? Then thou art the man. One, to whom these traits of character apply, is unquestionably an offender of some grade of guilt. Are you the head of a fami ly, and are your prayers before your family marked by the same characteristics? Then the evidence is confirmed. Do you read your bible but little, or less than formerly? Do you find your conversation easily diverted from religion? Are you ambitious, and vain, and proud, and sensual? Do you easily speak evil of your brethren, and estimate a man's character more by his other possessions than his piety? Are you easily detained from religious duty, and often absent from the assemblies of the disciples? Are your joys in other things greater than your joys in religion? Have you made no effort the past week to save a soul from death? Where were you when the church bell rung for that tender interview in preparation for the communion? Where were you when it called to the monthly concert? Where were you when the disciples were worship. ping in the house of Mary? Where do you live, stay, find your pleasure? There lies your influence, and there you may learn what you are.

6. It is the duty of the church to see that offenders, when detected, are reformed, or disciplined, if necessary, even to excommunication. Discipline must be preserved, or the anger of the Lord will be kindled against the church, and the whole congregation experience his displeasure. If, in this subject, any have been detected in sin, let these sins be put away. If any Christian perceives he has neglected his duty, let him suffer no delay in the faithful performance of it. If the church have in its bosom impenitent offenders let those duties be promptly performed, which shall issue in their reformation or excision. Let there be no delay.

To the worldly minded, slothful, faithless or desponding ministers and elders of the slumbering churches, the language of our text is the voice of inspiration, and it says"Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?-Ur, sanctify the people, and say," sanctify yourselves against to-morrow-(immediately)-For thus saith the Lord God, there is an accursed thing in the midst of thee; thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye put away the accursed thing from among you.”

ON THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT.

MATT. 20:28-Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

THE coming into the world of God's "only begotten and beloved Son" must have had an important object. It took place four thousand years after the creation. It had been the subject of many promises and propheciesit had been fore-shadowed by many types and figures-and it had excited long and anxious expectations before the "fulness of the time" came. Not, however, more than its importance demanded. And now, the time having arrived, he did come, and found good old Simeon waiting for him, the second temple standing in its glory, the daily sacrifice still smoking on the altar, the sceptre of Judah just passing into Roman hands, and John the Baptist ready to receive him, set him apart to his offices, and introduce him to Israel as the Messiah. He was then "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary," announced and hailed by angels, and honored by "wise men from the East" who had seen his star, and were conducted by it to the place where he lay.

The object of all this he himself declares in the text. He "came not to be ministered unto." His appearance was not splendid and glorious. He was not born in a palace, but in a stable. He was not pillowed on down beneath a canopy of state, but on straw, in a manger. He did not appear amid the splendors of royalty, but in the lowliness of earthly poverty, and in the feebleness of helpless infancy. This was, because he came to "minister" to the necessities of his own creatures. He therefore "took on him the form of a servant" when he "was found in fashion as a man." Hence we have his life of toil in ministering to the instruction and comfort of ignorant and miserable men, for he "went about doing good," as if that was his whole object. However many came to him, he never turned one empty away. However wearied, he never refused to minister. Though "Lord of all" he became "servant of all."

But the great object of his mission remained yet to be performed: "He came to give his life a ransom for many." "A ransom" is a price paid for the release of one who has forfeited or lost his liberty. He is either too weak to break his chains, or too poor to pay his ransom, and a friend redeems him, and sets him free. This was the condition of our race. Our

lives were forfeited: The law of God condemned us to death-eternal death, and the "law was holy, just, and good." The law could, therefore, afford us no relief. We could do nothing but bear the penalty; and that left us hopelessly wretched. From this condition Christ came to ransom us, and that ransom our text informs us was his life-and to give that for this end was the great object of his mission. That object was accomplished on the cross-and his death, under these circumstances, we denominate "The Atonement," or, that on account of which sinners are pardoned and saved.

A right understanding of this most interesting and important transaction, we consider of the highest moment. But important as it is, a great variety of opinions have been entertained on the subject. The friends of the Christian system have been obliged to defend themselves against the whole body of those who deny the Bible as a revelation from God. And then, again, they have been put upon their defence for the truth by the whole body of Unitarians, who claim for themselves the Christian name, although they deny this vital part of the Christian system. In addition to this, the nature and extent of the atonement have been debated at great length, and with much spirit, (not always Christian,) in the bosom of the Christian church. The following definitions of the atonement will show with sufficient clearness the views of the parties to this controversy. The one defines the atonement to be, "A proper satisfaction to the divine law and justice, vicariously made by the Lord Jesus Christ, dying as a substitute, and bearing the sins of his people in his own body on the tree; in virtue of which they are renewed by the Holy Ghost, and freely justified"-The others have defined it to be, "A satisfaction rendered to the public justice of God, giving him an occasion to express his displeasure against sin, and exercise his mercy in the forgiveness of sinners." Out of this distinction has grown, (as I think,) the great question as to the extent of the atonement. We limit the atonement, as to its extent and objects, to the subjects of salvation; but not as to its value, which we fully and freely admit to be sufficient for the salvation of all mankind, if God had so designed it. My present design is to inquire, What the Scriptures teach us the true nature of the atonement is. --I say, the Scriptures, because we can learn the true nature of God's institutions only from God himself. In order to arrive at the object which I have in view, I shall,

I. Show, that that definition of the atonement which describes it as "A satisfaction to the public justice of God, giving him an occasion to express his displeasure against sin, and exercise his mercy in the forgiveness of sinners," gives an inadequate and unscriptural idea of its nature. In the view of this definition, I would reverently ask, Was the death of Christ necessary for such a purpose? Is not the divine displeasure against sin sufficiently illustrated by the death of our race?—by the multiplied and inconceivable miseries under which our world has groaned for nearly six thousand years? -by the everlasting destruction of the finally impenitent? And if God, as an act of mere mercy, had pardoned the whole of our race, would not the eternal damnation of all the fallen angels have been a sufficient and perfect illustration of this?

Now if this illustration could have been made without the sufferings and death of the Savior, (as it is humbly conceived it might,) why was it necessary that he should have died for such a purpose? Would he have died for no higher end? God does nothing in vain. He does not perform a mira