ently and invariably righteous through life, he would still be an unprofitable servant, and have no claim to any reward, because he would have done, that only which it was his duty to do. But our belief is, that in proportion as any one has discharged his duty will be his future recompense. To what then is he indebted for this recompense? Not to any inherent right—not to any claim he can make-but solely and exclusively to the mercy of God. And it is our belief that such is the mercy of God, that he will bestow this unmerited recompense upon all who having repented of their transgressions, sincerely and conscientiously endeavour to obey his commands. The reward is originally the free gift of God. It is to be bestowed on certain terms. The terms are, sincere endeavours to fulfil all the duties required of us. Without these endeavours the reward can be expected by none. Upon all who make these exertions it will be bestowednot as a right, but as a gracious boon from the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

1st. If we consult the prophecies relating to the Messiah in the Old Testament we find no hint or allusion that the object of the mission of Jesus was to satisfy infinite justice, or to appease the wrath of an offended God. He was to bruise the serpent's head'; in other words, to rescue mankind from their state of sin and misery. This end we all acknowledge to have been accomplished by our Lord's excellent instructions, his perfect example, and the doctrine of a future state of retribution, which he has completely ascer

tained by his death and resurrection. Though the prophets in the Old Testament often declare positively that the sacrifices were insufficient for the pardon of sin, they never add that nevertheless there was to be a more effectual sacrifice afterwards, which would fully accomplish that object. And though, throughout the whole, good works are in the strongest manner recommended, there is never any salvo or caution that they of themselves would not be acceptable to God without the all-atoning sacrifice of his Son. Are not these very great and important omissions? Do they not convey an insinuation against the Deity, that he had led astray his chosen people of old and not pointed out to them the only path by which they could obtain salvation? For I add

2nd. That all the wisest and best men recorded in the Old Testament looked for acceptance with God, solely and exclusively on account of their repentance of what they had done amiss, and of their subsequent obedience to his commands. The Almighty is represented as declaring the acceptableness of Job because he was an upright man, one that feared God and hated evil, and still held fast his integrity. The good Hezekiah pleading before the Lord, says, Remember now O Lord I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfeci heart, and have done that which was right in thy sight. The worthy prophet Daniel: ascribes the favour of God to the following circum

stance.

Forasmuch as before him, innocency was found in me. And the excellent Nehemiah thus addresses

the Almighty. Think upon me, my God for good, according to all that I have done for this people. Remember me O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. What shall we say to this? Can any thing be plainer than the ground upon which. these worthies expected salvation? Obedience to God. And what, did they all live and die under a gross mistake? Did the Almighty never set them right by explaining to them the fallacy of their hopes? Did he suffer them to place all their most important hopes upon a false confidence, a refuge of lies? Who will thus arraign the veracity and faithfulness of God?

3d. The Jews at our Saviour's time had no belief in any such doctrine, for they did not even expect a suffering Messiah It is so well known and acknowledged that they expected a victorious temporal prince, instead of a suffering, crucified Saviour, that it is needless to undertake the proof of it.

4th. Notwithstanding this, John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, never tries to prepare their minds for the doctrine of atonement, by stating the necessity of such a sacrifice to appease the wrath, or satisfy the justice of an angry God. On the contrary the great strain of his preaching, as we are told by the evangelists, was, Repent ye. Bring forth fruits, worthy of repentance.

5th. Hitherto then, till our Saviour began to preach, the minds of his countrymen were totally unprepared for this doctrine of an all-atoning sacrifice. From him

may

therefore we are to expect a full and clear elucidation of this important point. We may expect the plainest, the most ample, the continually repeated statement of a doctrine, the belief of which is so essential to salvation. Now then we come to the object of his mission as stated by himself. He selects twelve disciples-Le collects a vast multitude of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan. He ascends a mountain that he address them all so as to be heard, and proceeds to announce the object of his mission. Now then if the orthodox system as it is called be true, we shall hear of the infinite justice and excited wrath of God, the filthy rags of righteousness, the all-atoning blood of the God-man, the vile nature of good works, the eternal torture of all those who expect acceptance. with God, in consequence of what they have done. Reader, how great should be your astonishment, if you believe these doctrines, when you find that not a syllable of the kind is uttered, nay, how should your astonishment be increased when you learn that the whole drift of this long discourse, addressed to all these nations, at the opening of his mission, to explain its nature and object, the whole of it is to recommend righteousness, to teach the absolute necessity of good works as the only ground of acceptance. What will you say when the whole is summed up in these emphatic words. Not every one that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Depart

from me ye that work iniquity. If language can be plainer, I know not what interpretation is to be given to words. If the object of the mission of Jesus can be more clearly stated, then modern divines are wiser than their Saviour, and know better than himself what he meant to say.

6th. Not only on this occasion was the doctrine omitted to be stated by our Saviour, but on no occasion whatever was it stated by him during the whole of his ministry. I shall merely mention one or two occasions in which the introduction of it would have been natural, had Jesus believed it necessary, and had he thought the belief of it essential to his followers. In the form of prayer for instance, which he has left for our model, it is natural to expect that a doctrine so important would be introduced, a hope, a request, or a reliance upon salvation on account of the merits and blood of Jesus Christ. But what must we think when we find that Jesus himself has bid us solemnly address our prayers for the forgiveness of God, solely upon the terms of kindness and good conduct to others. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. But what a solemn and dreadful mockery of God is this, if we are to hope for forgiveness, or rather be sure of acceptance, because the debt has been paid by another. In the beautiful parting scene between our Saviour and his disciples before his death which occupies four chapters in John, was another occasion, on which we might reasonably expect a clear statement of his sentiments on this subject.