is no relaxing of justice to deal with us as found in such a substitute. His death is more demonstrative of the unchangeableness of the law, and more honouring to its prerogatives, than the death of the actual transgressor. or suffering, but not a self-loathing culprit. But let him be renewed in the spirit of his mind, and what formerly seemed to him a mere scripture hyperbole, or perhaps a calumny against our His righteousness is infin-nature, will be seen and felt to be a certain and humbling truth. Let his eyes be opened to the holiness of God, and like Job, too much a selfapprover before the appearing of the Holy One, he will be brought to exclaim, 'I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.' Let him by faith be brought to the great High Priest of our profession, to have his character, as a sinner, judicially pronounced, and like the leper with his clothes rent, his head bare, and a covering upon his upper lip, he shall be constrained to cry out, Unclean, Unclean. itely more meritorious as a ground of acceptance than that of any creature, even the most innocent and exalted. It is the righteousness which is of God.' Found therefore in Christ, 'not having our own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,' the justice of God, instead of being relaxed or impaired, is confirmed and magnified in our salvation. What an emphasis does this view of salvation by the gospel, give to the words of Paul! And, O God, grant that I through faith may be enabled to appropriate them.' 'We have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.' SECOND DAY.-MORNING. 'But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our 1. Self-loathing. We are all as an unclean thing.' It is of the nature of uncleanness to be insensible to its own defilement. The swine is not only an unclean, but an unconsciously unclean beast. It has a sense of its own, but that sense seems to find gratification equally in the unclean and the clean. So is it with the impenitent. He is insensible to spiritual defilement, either in himself, or in his sinful enjoyments. He has a sense of right and wrong, of happiness and misery; but by that sense he can know only, and that but partially, the punishment of sin, or at most, its worthiness of punishment. He cannot, while impenitent, feel its offensiveness as a self-polluting uncleanness. Consciousness of guilt may make him a fearful 2. Nor will it be uncleanness of person only, but uncleanness of covering, that will then be discovered and confessed. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags,' tainted with the leprosy of sin.—It would seem that it is possible to form too low an estimate of the value of our righteousnesses in the sight of God. Let a man form ever so low an estimate of his benefactions towards his fellow-men, and he will be commended not less for his humility than for his beneficence. He may be thought more humble than necessary; yet his very excess of humility will command reverence; while a self-complacency, less even than an exact estimate of his benefactions would warrant, will provoke envy and detraction. But it is, and if we are to be taught by the wise in this world, it ought to be otherwise, when we speak of righteousness in the sight of God. We must not, it seems, suppose that the humility and self-renun ciation which commend us to our fellow-men are acceptable and well-pleasing in the sight of God. Let us speak of the worthlessness of our good deeds done to our neighbour, and the stronger our language, and the greater our sincerity in using it, the greater will be our commendation. But let us speak of the worthlessness of our good deeds as done to the holy heart-searching God, and the stronger our language, and the deeper our sincerity, the greater will be our reprobationthe stronger our language, the more will we be deemed hypocrites; the deeper our sincerity, the more will we be deemed fools and fanatics. But, O my God! be mine the sincerity of such hypocrisy! be mine the wisdom of such folly! Enter not into judgment with thy servant. innocence I have worn to rags. My moralities, my charities, my prayers, my love, my zeal, my holiest, heavenliest frames of mind and heart have been leavened, leprosied, and polluted by Mine sin; and they all need the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, and thy forgiving mercy. Be mine the righteousness of the Redeemer. All my righteousnesses are as filthy rags. 3. But whence this all-pervading and polluting sinfulness? From our estrangement from God, from our inherent depravity, and from our consequent spiritual impotency for what is truly and only good. We all do fade as a leaf,' and our iniquities like the wind have carried us away.' The primary application of this text is without doubt to the Jewish nation; and therefore the withering of the leaf, and its dispersion by the wind, evidently describe the withering of their national energies, and their dispersion as a people by a sin-avenging providence. But the figure no less aptly describes the character and condition of the whole human race. In all, the green leaf is seared, has lost its freshness and vitality, is severed from the parent stem, and if left to itself, is susceptible of nothing but tossing and corruption. In other words, a blight has passed upon the mental, and moral faculties, and spiritual sensibilities of every human being; and the energy that remains is an energy which, if left to itself, inevitably tends to corruption in morality and religion. This tendency all history and personal experience prove, and sadly exemplify. This the true penitent has come to know experimentally. He sees wha the should have been, and where he should have been, and how far and how violently he has been driven away by the gusts of evil passion within, and the current of evil influences and example without. He sees how when he was living in rebellion, all his actions were the actions of a rebel, anu partook, some more, some less, but all in some degree of the spirit and offensiveness, of rebellion. He is sensible, too, of this offensiveness belonging not only to himself, but to all his fellow-men; and penitentially confesses in the words of the prophet, 'We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; we are all withered away like a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have carried us away.' SECOND DAY.-EVENING. 'I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see,' Rev. iii. 18. THERE are two kinds of riches spoken of in the Bible. There are the 'deceitful,' 'uncertain,' and 'unprofitable' riches;--The deceitful, which prompt the rich farmer's soliloquy, 'Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry;' but 'to whom God said, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee:'-the uncertain, that are not for ever,' and that 'take to themselves wings and flee away:'-the unprofitable, 'that are kept by the owners thereof to their hurt,' and that 'profit not in the day of wrath.' Such were the riches of the rich man, who was clothed in purple, and fared sumptuously every day, but afterwards lifted up his eyes in hell being in torments, and saw the once mendicant and diseased, but now glorified Lazarus afar off in Abraham's bosom. In contrast to these, there are 'the treasures in heaven,'-' the true riches,' the durable riches and righteousness,'-'the riches,' 'the exceeding riches of his grace,'-'the riches of the glory of his inheritance,'-'the unsearchable riches of Christ.' These last are the only riches worthy of the name. All past experience has proved the deceitfulness, uncertainty, and unprofitableness of the former. All Christian experience, and the word of God, have proved the truth, the durableness and unsearchableness of the latter, proved them to be gold tried in the fire. Again, there are two kinds of raiment mentioned in scripture; the 'rags of righteousness,' and the garments spotted by the flesh;' in contrast to which we have 'the wedding garment,' the garment of salvation,' 'the robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.' The former is the clothing of spiritual poverty and impurity; the latter is the clothing of divinityspotless purity—fine linen, clean and white, which is the righteousness of saints.' With respect both to the riches and the raiment, there are those who are disposed to say, 'I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.' But to such, 'The Amen, the true and faithful Witness,' saith, Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.' Thou sayest I am rich-rich already, and have need of nothing. Thou sayest I am rich-rich in and of myself, and need not depend upon another. But the Amen saith, Thou art poor-thy riches are poverty; thou art poor-poor in and of thyself thou and not another. I counsel thee, take my advice, and lean not to thine own understanding, for he that trusteth to his own heart, especially in such matters, is a fool. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in a fire, in which your gold would be consumed to ashes; and white raiment without a spot, and in which there is no rent through which the shame of thy nakedness can appear. Thou ing servility. The bond-slave is his master's hast nothing with which to buy, for thou art property. His sinews are his master's substance, poor. But my invitation is the old invitation of and he can claim no reward. His master may the prophet, Come, buy, without money and feed him; but he may do so, just as the manufacwithout price. turer does his machine-to keep him going. The chief difference between the bond-slave and the machine is, that the machine is inanimate, but the bond-slave can feel, and fear, and hate-feel the rod, fear its infliction, hate its inflictor. -Buy of me, and what thou receivest without money and without price, shall be as rightfully thine own, as if it were an actual purchase. Thou art blind, blind to thy poverty and nakedness, to my riches, and the glory of my regal vestments. But I have an eye-salve. Come and anoint thine eyes that thou mayest see. How kind, how forbearing the Redeemer, towards the pride of self-sufficiency! I counsel thee.' It might have been an indignant 'I command thee.' But 'my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.' How pure, how precious, how lasting, the blessings of the gospel! Gold, gold tried in the fire, seven times purified. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. How condescending the Holy One, to disrobe himself of his divinity, and invest himself with our humanity, that he might weave for us the robes of righteousness and immortality! "How bright these glorious spirits shine! Of everlasting day? Lo! these are they from sufferings great, Who came to realms of light, And in the blood of Christ have washed Those robes which shine so bright.' Such is the spirit of bondage, and it aptly describes the state of the unreconciled sinner's heart towards God and his law. God is to him clad in terrors-a consuming fire, and he cannot think of God without disquietude. The just requirements of God's law he feels to be severe and imperious exactions, and his toilsome endeavours to fulfil them bring no reward. From the lash of the law he cannot escape, and its lacerations whet his spirit into real, though it may be unconscious hatred of the authority by which they are inflicted. But, says the apostle, 'Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption;' that is, the Spirit of love and confidence; and these, in their most endearing and confidential form. The love is endearing, for it is the love of the loving child toward the loving parent. But it is more. It is confidential, for it is the love of the loving son toward the loving father. A son loves his mother with the love of tender endearment; but he loves his father with the love of endearing confidence. His father has power to protect him, and promote his happiness, as well as, like his mother, the inward emotions of disinterested affection. Hence the twin sentiments, love and confidence. How conformable the grace of the gospel to our necessities! Vain is the light of the brightest sun to the darkened eyeball-vain the most Nor are these less ardent, because they are glorious promise to the unbelieving heart. How the offspring of adoption, and not of natural suitable then the eye-salve of spiritual influence! relationship. Adoption, when complete, gives that we may see and believe, believe and rejoice in 'that light, with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' But the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not. Yet they say, We see. Yes, they see enough to condemn them, but not enough to save them. Therefore their sin remaineth. all that natural relationship can give, with this additional incentive to love and confidence; that it is on self, as an outcast and perishing, that its gifts and affection are bestowed. When were the filial love and confidence of the prodigal more deeply and strongly felt? Was it when his father gave him the portion of goods that fell to him, and with an embrace permitted him to take his leave on his journey of prodigality? Was it not rather, when, after having forfeited his sonship, his father had compassion on him, and ran and fell upon his neck, and kissed him, and adopted him anew into his family, with formal investiture and rejoicings; saying, 'Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry: for this my son was dead, ourselves that they are ours, we can never come and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' But to have a satisfying persuasion of our personal this is precisely the adoption vouchsafed to the adoption. Whereas, were we to connect our estranged but returning child of God. We are adoption, as the Bible does, with our faith alone, all his offspring' by nature, but have lost our the reality and strength of which is so easily filial affection, and have become estranged from ascertainable, we should have less difficulty in dishim and his unfallen family by sin. Yet, let us covering that we are personally, and in very deed, remember that he is our Father still, and return the sons of God; and we should then enjoy the to him by true repentance, and he will freely re- happiness of being conscious of such exalted and instate us in all our former honour and happiness, promising relationship. Let us first ascertain and near relationship unto himself. By the that we really believe; let us then take for Spirit of adoption he will cause us to feel towards granted, as a heaven-ordained consequence, that him a love, and to address him with a confidence, we are sons and heirs of God, and joint heirs all the greater that he condescends rejoicingly to with Christ. Let us habitually dwell upon the say of us, 'This my son was dead, and is alive honours and the rights with which we are invested, again; he was lost and is found. and the inconceivably blessed prospects, which, with the certainty and rightfulness of an inheritance, await us; and how great will then be the comfort and enjoyment which our faith will afford us! how strong will then be the induce ments to walk in all the statutes and ordinance of the Lord blameless! and how great our freedon and delight in doing so! Obedience will the flow from a cherished persuasion of our adoption and not from a vain attempt to found our adoptio on our obedience. If great or habitual subjectio to any sin create in us a doubt, as it may well d of the reality of our faith, and so of our adoption we will thereby be led to entertain the questi anew, and all the more earnestly and searchingl on account of our backsliding, 'Dost thou belie on the Son of God.' But although disobedien may prompt such a question, obedience cann answer it. The heart alone can answer. Ot dience may fortify the answer of the heart, but cannot supply it when awanting. It may ke out doubt from the heart already believing, t Abba, Father!' Is this language the privilege of the believer? Is it language prompted by the Spirit which proceedeth from the Father?' Lord, help our unbelief. Let the Spirit also help our infirmities, and make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.' 'Then let us, with a filial heart, "That mercy we may there obtain And grace to help in time of need, 'Then let our hearts no more despond, THIRD DAY.-EVENING. 'And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, to ourselves as believers. We say, to ourselves as believers. For, while we do not doubt that believers are the children of God, we may be in great and habitual doubt whether such a character and such privileges belong to ourselves. This doubt may arise, not so much from conscious want of faith, as from conscious defectiveness in our obedience, and therefore we add,-to ourselves as believers,-as believers, not as workers. There is a tendency to connect our adoption and its privileges with works instead of faith; and being unable to satisfy ourselves that we have worked enough to assure it is no certain indication of faith in the he that is unconscious of believing. But, not only are we entitled, and (if we e sult our happiness and progress in holiness,) cal upon, to argue directly from our faith to adoption. We are also entitled to argue fr our adoption to all that that word implies; name heirship, heirship to him who has been plea to adopt us, co-heirship with him, in and thro whom we are adopted. If sons then heirs, h of God, and joint heirs with Christ. -Heirs, that is, sure expectants of an inh tance. Nay, legal claimants; if we consider economy of the gospel, and the relationship the Disposer of the inheritance, into which gospel brings us. According to the law of nat the son is the legal heir of the father. The go is no exception. Nature is in this an illustrat of grace. If sons then heirs. Heirs of whom? Heirs of God, that is, legal claimants and expectants, deriving our claims. and expectations from him who is the source of all law, authority, and power, and whose will as Testator is sealed with the seal of immutability, and ratified by the blood of his own dear Son. If sons, then heirs, heirs of God. But heirs of what? Of all the good that is in God, up to our utmost capacity of receiving. God is the portion of his people. He is 'the possessor of heaven and earth,'-'all in all;' and therefore an all-sufficient portion. He is from everlasting to everlasting,' and says, 'I change not, therefore a never-ending portion. He has 'all power in heaven and earth; therefore an inalienable portion. No power can wrest it from 13. Omnipotence is pledged to its preservation and perpetuation. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth whom I desire besides thee.' But see another bulwark of our faith and hope: Joint heirs with Christ,' that is, having our expectations built not only on our own adoption, but on his eternal sonship. We are in him. His heirship is our heirship. We are joint-heirs. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them. Nor are our expectations founded on relationship only, but on the rights of purchase. He redeemed us by his precious blood; and it is the privilege of the bought, as well as of the buyer, to urge the payment that has been made. Nay more, our rights and expectations are those of actual possession by our head and representative. He has arisen the first-fruits of them that sleep.' Heaven is our inheritance, whither our forerunner has for us entered.' 'I go to prepare a place for you. And, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there ye may be abo. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? or, from the love of God which is in Thrist Jesus our Lord? the eyes of our underEnding being enlightened, that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' *Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jens Christ, which, according to his abundant Bercy, hath begotten us again,' as sons and heirs, nto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; to an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, served in heaven for us, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.' FOURTH DAY.-MORNING. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God,' 1 John iii. 1. 'THE sons of God! what tongue can tell The glory and the grace, These little words are teeming with For our rebellious race? The sons of God! what heart can know Which speaks in words so comforting To man, from heaven above! -'To man, so worm-like, so defiled, A crown, a crown, for nought. Behold what love hath done! And let the wonder wake 'In vision waft it to the realms, That I may see and wonder more, And kindle at the sight; And with the hosts above proclaim; Who Holy, Holy, cry. 'Love gave to that adoring throng, Their crowns and harps of gold, Love winged the cherub, fired the seraph; 'How great such love! but greater far, "That, is the benefactor's love, This, of the injured Father, Around his throne to gather. This, of the Elder Brother; That, is the benefactor's love, Who saves by groans and cries; |