without spot: He bare thy sins in his own body upon the tree, that thou being dead from sin mightst live unto righteousness.' When thou art meditating on thy present privileges, the pardon of thy sins and the reconciliation of thy person, on thy translation from the rude, wretched family of nature, to the high dignity of a son of God, and an heir of eternal life; when thou art experiencing in thy soul the manifestations of thy Father's love, and rejoicing in the prospect of his more intimate fellowship hereafter, remember that to Jesus the Surety thou art utterly and eternally indebted. "He was wounded for thy transgressions; he was bruised for thine iniquities." For thee he stooped to the meanness of the manger; for thee he endured innumerable "sorrows through life;" for thee he underwent the more exquisitely painful sufferings in the garden and the cross; all these he underwent in thy nature, placed in thy covenant room, and bearing by imputation thy transgressions. "It became him, of whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory," in bringing thee to glory, "to make the Captain of thy salvation perfect through sufferings."

2. This life is in the Son of God as the glorious proprietor; as the great trustee of all the blessings of redemption. He is therefore represented in this capacity as "full of grace and truth; as having all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;" as

possessing "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." It constituted a part of the Redeemer's humiliation, that he became the Father's servant as the purchaser; it also constitutes a part of his mediatorial glory, that he is now ordained the proprietor of the covenant with its boundless benefits. "The Father loveth the Son," delights in him as that illustrious personage through whose undertaking and offices "glory in the highest results" to himself, and never ending happiness to man, "and hath committed all things into his hand." The blood of the covenant, which procures the remission of guilt; the righteousness of the covenant, which constitutes our title to heaven; the grace of the covenant, by which we are restored to the image of God, and made meet for his enjoyment; the promises of the covenant, which are the great instrument of our sanctification, and support, all center in Jesus as the glorious proprietor.

3. "This life is in the Son of God" as the constant administrator; To him is entrusted the communication of all blessings, both in grace and glory; both in time and through eternity. He is the only medium of communion between an offended God, and an apostate world. "I am the door," he declares, “by me if any man enter in be shall be saved; he shall go in and out and find pastures." This is no inconsiderable part of his exaltation as Mediator, that he dispenses in the church militant on earth, and the

cross.

church triumphant in heaven, that salvation which he procured by the sufferings of his He is now elevated as "head over all things to the church, which is his body; the fulness of him that filleth all in all: Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sin." He constantly intercedes, as the advocate within the veil, and sends down the Holy Ghost in his purifying influences and abundant consolations. His administration of the covenant, however, is not peculiar to this world, but shall continue in heaven through eternity. True it is, the Lord Jesus, at the general judgment, "will deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father" as a faithful servant he will render an account of his work fully accom. plished; he will present the whole society of the redeemed, all that were chosen of the Father, all that were bought with his own blood, all that were sanctified by the Spirit, a "glorious church: He will justify his own procedure in every circumstance of bringing them into the covenant, of keeping them from final apostacy, and of building them up to the "stature of perfect men; but this surrender will only be temporary, and as it respects the present manner of administration; this mediatorial kingdom shall afterwards be assumed in a form more glorious and unchanging. To the Son as Mediator, as their common head, the redeemed from among men will continue subject for ever;

and through him they will remain most intimately related to each other, and to unsinning angels. Through HIм they will enjoy the most blissful, transporting fellowship with the Father and the Holy Ghost. As a prophet He will eternally remain the light and glory of the Jerusalem above, and shining upon the understandings of his spiritual offspring, he will lead them deeper and deeper into the misteries of redemption; he will enable them to form more exalted conceptions of that wisdom, and sovereignty, and condescension which are displayed in this wondrous dispensation. "The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it;" no need of ordinances, the word read, the gospel preached, the sacraments dispensed; "for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." The Son will continue through eternity "a priest upon his throne:" he will present himself as "the Lamb that was slain," exhibiting to his righteous Father the marks of his crucifixion, and demanding on this account a perpetuity of blessedness to his people. As a king, elevated to the highest glory, he will everlastingly stand forth the object of adoration and thanksgiving to the blessed inhabitants. The armies of heaven will pass in review before him; they will cast their crowns at his feet in the most profound humility, and with adoring lips worship him as "the Lamb that was slain, and redeemed them to God by his own blood. I beheld, and lo, a great multi

tude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb."

Thus our Lord Jesus will retain for ever his mediatorial character, and continue the inseparable bond of union between the Father and the redeemed. Through his per-. son as Immanuel, the glories of the Godhead will burst forth upon them in inconceivable lustre, and their adorations in return ascend with acceptance to the Godhead. The Christian's life is therefore represented as "hid with Christ in God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of their present hope and future consolations." him all the promises were made from eternity past, and by him and through him they will all be executed through eternity to

come.

""Tis Jesus fills our hearts below,
With holy faith and heavenly love,
From Jesus all our joys shall flow
In the blest realms of light above.

Jesus, his love, his grace, his name
Pour gladness round the heavenly throng:
These all their golden harps proclaim,
These swell the notes of every song,"

In

Your own imaginations must naturally suggest the application of this doctrine.

Are we not justly called to admire and adore the goodness of God in thus appointing his beloved Son to be the Saviour of men; VOL. 4.

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