of that character, which it is intended to form, subduing the corruptions of the human heart, reforming the vices and errors of human conduct, and teaching to fulfil the duties of those three grand relations, in which we stand, to ourselves, to our fellow men, and to God; how precious, and worthy of all gratitude and praise, is that grace in this single point of view! It tends to render us healthful in body, and at ease in mind, a blessing to our fellow-men, at peace with God, and exalted into a holy communion and friendship with him. If there be a happy man on earth, it is he who is the subject of that grace; who submits himself to this divine teaching; who renounces ungodliness and wordly lusts, and lives soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." But the comforts, which immediately flow from sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, are but the beginning of the salvation, mentioned in the text; comforts often interrupted by the afflictions of life, often by a bad frame, and the great imperfection of the graces even of the best. It is a further circumstance of deep interest in this passage, therefore, that it declares the coming of Christ to judgment; the

3d Thing to be considered "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

The literal translation of the Greek, in the latter clause, is, not the glorious appearing of the great God, but the appearing of the glory of the great God, and of

our Saviour Jesus Christ. Our Saviour, Jesus Christ, will appear at the last day, clothed in his own glory, attended by his Father's glory, as well as accompanied with all the holy angels, as we learn from several distinct passages of Matthew, Mark, and Luke; and the object of that appearance is, to judge the world and to render rewards and punishments, as the characters of men shall be found to be, and particularly to give eternal life to them, "who have denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, and lived soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world." The assured expectation of eternal life to be so conferred, on the glorious morning of the last day, is a source of unspeakable consolation to those who thus live, renouncing their corruptions, and fulfilling their duties. Whatever troubles they are called to bear, it reconciles them to bear them patiently, by reflecting, that "they are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed." And if they find the conflict with their passions and appetites to be often severe, and even, as the apostle calls it, a "being crucified unto the world," they animate their courage and fortitude, to go resolutely through the whole, by looking forward to the blessed hope of eternal life, at the appearing of Christ to judgment. The motto and watch-word of the christian soldier is" no cross, no crown." We are

now,

4th To consider another subject, the death of Christ, as intimately connected with human salvation, and inquire the particular end for which he died.

"Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity." O divine charity! he gave himself for us! We think highly of men, who give a little of their superfluous wealth to build a hospital for the infirm or insane;-and it warms our hearts to see smaller kindnesses rendered; a night's watching with the sick, and even bread only to the hungry, or a cup of cold water to the thirsty, in the name of a disciple; rejoicing to believe that he, who gives it, shall not lose his reward. But our blessed Lord gave himself—to toil and suffering, to sorrow and death, for us "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. But while we were yet enemies, Christ died for us." We think with admiration of the kindness shown by the exalted to the low and miserable, by the prince to the beggar, by the enlightened to the ignorant, by the innocent to the debased and guilty. What terms, then, can express a proper sense of the love of Christ to men? What a condescension in the Son of God, to leave the glory he had with the Father before the world began; to assume the form of a servant; to be the subject of continual sorrow ; to engage with wasting zeal in the work of enlightening and saving the world, and closing his other sufferings with the agonies of the cross, that he might redeem us to God. "Surely," in the words of the apostle," the love of Christ passeth knowledge."

This love appears still more gloriously, when we consider the nature of the redemption he came to accom

plish. He gave himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity. The excellency of the end enhances the gift. It was not merely to redeem us from the punishment of our sins, but from their reigning power, and from polluted and debased, to transform us into holy beings, to refine us into angelic excellence, and to exalt us into angelic felicity and glory. It is a charity of a very exalted kind, when a man, from tender pity of human wretchedness, will venture into the most infectious haunts of vice and misery, and with persuasive eloquence and patient effort will labour at the risk of health and life, to reclaim the abandoned criminals. But the whole business of our blessed Redeemer was, to redeem a world from all iniquity. To this object he devoted himself, and to the chief of sinners he extended his divine charity; and by his attentions to them, brought upon himself the reproach, that he was the companion of publicans and sinners. To which he mildly replied, that he came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, and that the whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. A few words let me say,

5thly. Of the character of his peculiar people— "and purify unto himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works." This is probably said in allusion to two passages in Exodus and Deuteronomy, where God calls the Jews a peculiar treasure, and a special people to himself, because he had made them his property, by redeeming them from the bondage of Egypt, and

had distinguished them from the rest of mankind, as his, by rites and ordinances of his own appointment. So Christ hath made believers his peculiar people, by giving himself for them, to redeem them from all iniquity, and to purify them unto himself, a people, zealous, not of rites and ceremonies, but of good works. We ought to observe, particularly, with what strength and emphasis the apostle speaks, throughout the verses of the text, of the absolute necessity of good works, of a life of holiness and of purity. And when our Lord, and his apostles have laid such stress upon good works, and have frequently declared them indispensable as a condition of salvation, none, who profess christianity, can neglect the practice of them, without the extreme peril of their souls. This being the great end of Christ's life and death, none who profess to be preachers of the gospel can speak of good works with contempt or indifference, without bringing a grievous offence upon the faith of Christ. Woe will be to them, by whom such offence cometh. No. True christians, as Peter also characterizes them, are a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that they should show forth the praises of him, who hath called them out of darkness, into his marvellous light."

After even this brief and imperfect discussion, Į hope we see enough in our text to justify the eminent individual, to whom I have alluded, in resting his soul