for others, as that he should suffer what could only be a consequence of crime? for the punishment is not the mere agony of suffering humanity, that the Saviour underwent during his sojourn, when he was a 66 man of sorrows and acquainted with grief:" but it was on the cross in his last moments, that the vials of God's wrath were poured fully upon his glorious head, and then it was that those torments, decreed to be sustained, and never exhausted by a guilty world, whom his merits and humiliation then resuced from their deserved fate, torments unutterable, the consequent punishment of the actual commission of sin, were exhausted on him, and those pains are" the worm which dieth not." Although justice admitted of a change of persons, yet a change of punishment was impossible, as inconsistent with the dignity of its inviolable purity; therefore, the Saviour must have suffered those pains: and though the pains of guilt, and the horrors of despair, did not fall upon the Saviour as a consequence of sin, yet they were inflicted on him necessarily as a portion of the agonies he came to endure-as the punishment due for the transgressions of his people.

Johannes seems to think it inconsistent with the dignity of the Saviour's character, that he should suffer any of the weaknesses of humanity; and affirms that as he knew he should triumph, he could not possibly despair. Was he not the omnipresent God when he asked, "where have ye laid him?" Was he not still the Creator of the universe, when he wept? And did not the manifestations of his Deity instantly follow, when he commanded the unwilling grave to yield its prey? and " he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot." And did he not in the garden pray that the cup might pass from him, his humanity shrinking from the anticipated agonies it should undergo ? Are not these, I speak it with profound reverence, evidences of weakness? The proofs might be multiplied. With such facts before us, it is too much for Johannes to assert that “Eloi, eloi, lama sabacthani," was only an expression of agony, without allowing that it arose from despair. When is it that the believer feels this horror? When deprived of the presence of his God. And the great High Priest of his people was touched with the like infirmities that affected his followers.

Finally, he died; he suffered the mortal punishment pronounced to Adam, as the consequence of eating the forbidden fruit, the penalty of sin committed. Then surely no objection can lie against the suffering of other consequences, which flow necessarily from the curse attendant on an infraction of God's holy commands. He did not commit sin in any way, and yet suffered the punishment due to those sins. If Johannes is the respectable minister whom I heard advance what I have objected to, I think he has failed in supporting his premises; if not, I should be glad to know what yet can be advanced in defence of them.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

VIATOR.

ORIGINAL ESSAYS.

LX.

THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER DELINEATED UPON EVANGELICAL PRINCIPLES.

THE FIRST ESSAY.

In attempting to give a brief outline of the christian character, we must not forget that the subject is wholly spiritual, and what we may say upon it must be founded upon the testimony of God concerning of it in the scriptures. Much has been said and written upon this important topic, but it is not evident that the character of the christian has been delineated at all times so as to maintain the divine perfection of the christian dispensation. True christianity is a supernatural thing; and in our present attempt we must keep in view" the truth as it is in Jesus." It is not needful at this time to enter into a description of the lapsed creatures of God, for every believer has living proof of the awful fact in his own bosom, and he is daily mourning over the accursed thing before God. But we must not forget, that the character of the saint is formed upon principles which can never decay, and that it will abide through all the changing scenes of life, yea, that it will continue for ever to reflect the perfection and supremacy of the agent by whom it is formed.

Before we proceed any farther, suffer me to say, that no man has a native right to be a christian, nor is it within the compass of a creature's ability either to arise out of the ruins of, or to lend a helping to those who are under the dominion of sin so to do. Since it is a fact that no creature has a right to natural existence, but he is called into being according to the will of God, I presume that it will never be proved from the scriptures that any one of the guilty sons of Adam has a natural right to spiritual life in Christ Jesus.

True religion implanted in the heart of man by the eternal Spirit, is the result of ancient and endless union to the person of the Son of God. Apart from such an alliance, it is impossible for any one to be made a partaker of the "divine nature ;" and without a participation of such a disposition of mind, no one can "see God and live.” It is therefore imperatively binding upon us at all times, when we speak of the christian character, not to deny the proper source of support to the christian while travelling through earth to heaven. By our relation to the person of the Son of God, we were in him representatively in the world of light before this our globe was forined; and when, as the just cause of our transgression, we in the common parent of mankind were expelled from the garden of Eden, our gracious Head then retained a supernatural interest in us; and when he became incarnate, he practically proved the immutability

of his love for the church by appearing at the appointed time in this our world, to remove our sins, establish the rights of justice, maintain the honour of the divine government, and to procure by his life, blood, and glorious righteousness, a legal title for his brethren to follow him home to his eternal kingdom and glory. Permanent as was the interest of the church in immutable and unforfeitable love, it was nevertheless necessary for the honour of God, and our eternal well-being, that the Prince of life should appear in our world in the fulness of time, to perform the work assigned to him in the council of heaven. It is impossible that any perfection of God can be denied or shaded when he is pleased to admit any of his creatures to fellowship with him. We therefore perceive the harmony of truth in all its forms, whenever we see a christian who is an epistle of Christ, and a living temple of the most high God.

Since it is not natural to man to be a christian, an inquiry will be made by every thoughtful reader of the bible-by whom is man formed to live in the heavenly world? and what kind of influence is that which when shed upon the mind can elevate it above its own level? This truly is a very important question, and it demands the most affectionate and serious attention. The agent who forms the people of God, and who plants them in a state of purity and perfection, is the Holy Ghost; and the influence which he sheds upon them is spiritual in its nature. The formation of the christian state is denominated, "created in Christ Jesus." None but he who is God by nature, can raise the fallen sinner out of the deeps of wretchedness and woe in which he is sunk. Reason-benighted reason, cannot see the fitness of this procedure, and she cannot therefore elevate herself above her own level; but when the Holy Ghost descends to effect the solemn purposes of eternity in the heart of a guilty sinner, he proves the love he has for him by the power he exercises in new modelling of the mind. The eternal Sanctifier ever works upon the human mind according to that perfect pattern to which he conforms the saints. The holiness which there is in Christ Jesus for us according to the good pleasure of God the Father, is actually conveyed to us through him by the Holy Ghost. What a cheering thought it is to every sanctified follower of the Lamb, that our union to his divine person precludes the possibility of our perishing for want of a righteousness and meetness to appear with acceptance in the presence of God. The holy Comforter who dwells in Christ without degree is also given to his seed in him, and he is by his indwelling, "the earnest of the purchased possession," and the witness of our adoption into the family of heaven.

If we consider the soul of man as a single principle of operation, we may perhaps gather a little information by reflecting, that the grace manifested to us in our regeneration gives to us a new spring of spiritual life and activity. We never act above the principles that govern our bosoms. The whole family of Adam constantly act in concert with the disposition of mind that they brought into the world

with them. It would therefore be the height of folly and presumption to expect from them such conduct as we are authorized to hope for in those persons who are renewed by grace. No man spiritually moves towards God, but he who is in possession of a new spring of life and action through Jesus Christ. Whatever Christ is to his people according to the good pleasure of God the Father, that he is in them by the renewing of the Holy Ghost. We can never be certain that Christ is the root of spiritual life to us, but as he becomes by celestial influence the vital source of godliness within us. It having pleased God that Messiah and his offspring should be one family in love for ever, he most supremely displays the order of his heavenly government, by calling of those whom he ordained to life in Christ before the foundation of the world, "out of darkness into marvellous light." By this way of displaying his love, he brings the whole election of grace together in one centre of union, life, and perfection, viz. Jesus Christ; so that the man who was as far from God and the saints as iniquity could possibly carry him in this life, is now visibly brought in and by Christ, through the power of the Holy Ghost, into the nearest vital union to God and his family. Sin scatters and divides the children of Adam; grace collects and unites the brethren of Christ to him and all his church. However diversified the natural tastes and elections of men may be, the moment that the Sanctifier reveals "Christ in the heart the hope of glory," that man is united by faith and affection to him, in whom he is comprehended, and blessed, and through him to the church in both worlds. If besides this we consider that there is no fellowship with God but upon this ground, how is it possible that we can commune with the saints apart from Christ? The various figurative descriptions of Christ and the church recorded in the scriptures, do not only assert union, they plainly involve the idea that there must be a sameness of interest between the parties, and also likeness of feeling in some degree toward each other; but this feeling has no existence but where Jesus dwells within. We admit most cheerfully that Christ being in his people the root of life, or spring of spiritual activity, while he is personally in the heavens, is a mystery of the gospel dispensation; but because it cannot be fully comprehended nor described, that is no reason why it cannot be. Many things in the wide field of nature have never been nor perhaps never will be satisfactorily explained; but as they are beneficial to man and glorifying to God, they still exist, and they will be perpetuated in being until the final consummation of all things. It hath pleased God to ordain that his children should wear to his honour the image of his beloved Son, and be conformed to him in all things. Wherever Jesus spiritually dwells, there he is the beauty and the glory of the man. By the truth our Lord enters the mind, and by the grace spoken of therein, he moulds the same to bear his likeness. The doctrines of revelation are exactly suited to effect the purpose for which they are made known. There is no doubt but that at the

same instant of time, when the Holy Ghost forms "Christ in the heart the hope of glory," that he engraves his likeness there. And when this important change is wrought, the estate and the standing of the man are very different to what they were before. He is no longer considered as " far from God," but being brought nigh" by the blood of Christ," the doctrines of divine truth are exactly suited to his new creation-state in him; and by them he is enlightened to discern his image upon his own mind. The important discovery of this fact by the light of truth also, is an occasion of disclosing the eminency to which he is raised, and the great honour that God has conferred upon him. We may then say, that wherever the image of the divine Saviour is engraven, God looks with special delight and approbation. To wear the image of Christ, is the greatest glory and honour that can be conferred upon any man; but the dignity bestowed so undeservedly upon us is so much the more important, when we consider that endless wrath was all the recipient of this favour deserved at the hands of God for sins committed. The freedom and sovereignty of grace are particularly illustrated in the spiritual conformity of the saints to Christ. Never do we view the perfection of the divine character more to advantage, than when we read the love of God to us in Christ, and the openings of it to us by "making of us meet to be partakers of an inheritance with the saints in light."

Those persons who bear the image of the Redeemer, also possess the same dispositions of mind as those are which he inherits in an unexampled perfection, and an illimitable degree. "How can two walk together except they are agreed ?” Picture to yourself a man that professes to be a christian, but who has not "the root of the matter within him," and you will have before your eyes an unhappy man who increases his guilt before God, while he professes to be humbled for his sin. But the mind who is like unto Christ in the disposition and qualities of his mind, is "created in holiness, righteousness, and knowledge;" so that he is no longer a hater of his Maker, and a violater of his statutes, but he is now affectionately employed in those services that God has commanded him to perform. There is not only a union of interest and design openly professed, but whatever the Redeemer obtained for his people, when he appeared at the bar of justice as their Surety, they being interested in the memorable transactions of that day, that they are taught to ask of God, and to ask it as a reward conferred upon their once crucified Saviour; and as his design was to "purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works," so likewise the object which they keep in view when they seek the purchased good is, that they may be thereby fitted to do all the will of God.

In every religious exercise in which the man of God is engaged, this indivisible relation and interest between the head in heaven, and his members upon earth, is peculiarly interesting and profitable. For how can I expect to come to the throne of God with acceptance