perjury, violence, clamour, malice, and every kind of wickedness and injustice were used without the least scruple or hesitation by his implacable enemies.

Thus was "the Holy One and the Just" arraigned, tried, and condemned, and "who (says the Prophet) shall declare his generation?" The question may refer to our Lord's descent from Abraham and David, according to the flesh, and then the sense will be, Who shall come forward to prove this? Who shall have the courage to stand forth, and declare, that this despised and insulted Jesus is indeed the Son of David and the true Messiah? His enemies denied it, and treated him as an impostor. Either they did not know, or pretended not to know, that he was the son of David; and objected to him because he came, as they supposed, out of Galilee. "But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the sacred Scriptures said, that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, whence David was?" John, vii. 41, 42. And although five days before our Lord's crucifixion the multitude cried as with one voice, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" yet when he was in the hands of his enemies not one of them came forward to give him that honourable appellation, but all united with the chief priests and rulers in rejecting him as the true Messiah. Even his disciples forsook him and fled; and Peter who was the first to own that he was the Christ, and the most forward to profess that he would go with him to prison and to death, denied him through fear in the hour of danger. Thus there was no one to declare his generation as the Son of David, no witness came forward to prove his claim to be the Messiah, but he was condemned as an impostor by his enemies, and forsaken by his friends who be

lieved him to be the Christ, the Son of God.

There is, however, another sense in which the words may be taken. "His generation" may allude to the men of that age in which our Saviour lived, and indeed this is the most usual meaning of the word in the sacred Scriptures. It is used in this sense Acts, xiii. 36, where St. Paul says, that David "served his own generation (i. e. those who lived in his own times) by the will of God." In this view of it, the meaning of the Prophet will perhaps be, Who shall describe the wickedness of that generation who crucified the Lord of life and glory? Who can declare their enormous guilt, their obstinate unbelief, their cruelty and hypocrisy in rejecting, condemning, and putting him to death? Who can bear to reflect on such proceedings, and what must be said, of those who did them? Our Lord in great charity said, "They know not what they do," Luke, xxiii. 34; and St. Paul, who once was a persecutor himself, when brought to the knowledge of Christ, said, that they knew not the wisdom of God, "for, had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." 1 Cor. ii. 2, 8. The sin which they committed in crucifying the Lord of glory can never be thought of without horror and detestation; but yet continuance in sin under the Gospel partakes of the same nature with it, because hereby men declare that they are doing the same things for which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered death upon the cross, and thus in a measure are partakers with the men of that generation who imbued their hands in the blood of Jesus.

The following sentence of the Prophet seems connected with the preceding: "Who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living."

Who can sufficiently describe the wickedness of the men of that generation? for they carried it to the last act, even to cut off the holy Jesus "out of the land of the living." Nothing but his death would satisfy them, and by demanding that, they filled up the measure of their iniquity. Pilate would have only chastised Jesus, and then released him; but when he proposed this to the people, they all rejected it, "and they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man." Pilate made another attempt in favour of Jesus, "but they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him." Pilate again renewed his offer of chastising and releasing Jesus: "and he said unto them, the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him I will therefore chastise him and let him go." But it was in vain, they would be satisfied with nothing short of his death: " and they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified; and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed." Luke, xxiii. 18-23. Nothing would content them but that the life of Jesus should be taken away from the earth; and the Prophet, foreseeing this, exclaims, "Who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living."

The Prophet adds, "For the transgression of my people was he stricken." If we compare this passage with the prophecy of Caiaphas, who though himself a wicked man, spake on that occasion by divine inspiration as the high priest, we may learn who are intended by the people of God. For being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." John, xi. 51, 52. In whatsoever

66

view we look at the great and glorious doctrine of our redemption by Jesus Christ, one thing is cer-tain, that none but those who are indeed the children of God will reap any benefit from that redemption. It therefore highly concerns every individual to examine himself whether he be a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus, or not. Now one mark by which the children of God are distinguished from others is, that they have a lively faith in Christ as stricken for our transgressions. Christ crucified is the sole foundation of their hope. By the grace of God they understand, they value, they desire, and seek for the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. They live a life of faith on the Son of God, and their faith in Christ is distinguished from that barren and speculative belief with which hypocrites and false professors of religion deceive themselves, by their devotedness to God in giving themselves up to the service of Him who died for them and rose again. They are, as the Apostle St. Peter describes them, "born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1 Pet. i. 23. They "have tasted that the Lord is gracious." They come to Christ by faith; there is a real application of their souls to Jesus in prayer, and as they believe in him, so he is precious to them."They are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people to show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light." 1 Pet. ii. 9. Let the reader then examine himself whether this be his own character (for it is that of every child of God), and let us all reflect upon the danger of self-deception in a matter of such importance. A worldly people careless about their immortal souls, a sinful people loving darkness rather than light,

or a self-righteous people, having the form but denying the power of godliness, while they are trusting to their own righteousness for salvation, instead of looking to that divine Saviour who was smitten for our transgressions; these can have no reason to think that they are the people of God, nor can they without a change of heart and life receive any benefit from Christ's redemption. No, they will be stricken for their own sins, and the awful stroke of God's righteous indignation shall lie upon them for ever and ever, when death shall bring them to their last account, and the irreversible sentence shall be passed upon them at the judgment-seat of Christ.

The judgment-seat of Christ! What a contrast does this present to the subject we have now been considering! Here we see Jesus, the Son of God, standing before an unjust and iniquitous tribunal, and by its unrighteous sentence "cut off out of the land of the living." Then will appear the same Jesus seated on the throne of judgment,

and passing a just and righteous sentence upon all his enemies. When the believer looks forward to the proceedings of that great day, and when he alls to mind his past transgressions and present infirmities, where shall he turn for help? To that very Jesus who shall come to be our judge. He was smitten for the transgressions of his people; and if with a penitent heart and lively faith we are looking unto him as smitten for our transgressions, we may humbly hope, that the stroke of divine vengeance shall never fall upon us. At the same time, while the believer reflects on the wickedness of that generation who put the Lord Jesus Christ to death, he will not forget that his own sins were the cause; and when he considers the injustice and cruelty with which the Saviour was treated, he must not be surprised if he should meet with injustice, slander, contempt, or persecution, from a world which still lieth in wickedness.

LITOREUS

SIR,

Guardian.

THE following brief sketch of the Christian religion is a copy of a manuscript now in my possession, which I believe has never been printed. Though made as concise as possible, it is intended to include the chief peculiarities of the Christian revelation. The arguments which support that revelation, and which require us to bow to it with implicit submission, are here supposed to be known and admitted. It is not expected, that this brief sketch will either produce conviction in the mind, or promote vital religion in the heart, unless the references be carefully consulted with humble, fervent, and

persevering prayer for divine teaching.

1. The fall of man, and the inherent depravity of the human race consequent on that fall (Gen. i. 27; Eccles. vii. 29; Rom. v. 12; Article IX.); a depravity involving so much mental darkness (Eph. iv. 18), moral impotence (Rom. v. 6), and actual guilt (Rom. iii. 9, 12, 19) as cannot, by any efforts of man, be overcome (Ps. xlix. 7, 9; Hos. xiii. 9; Titus, iii. 5; 2 Tim. i. 9; Article X.). For man thus lost and helpless there is,

2. A Saviour provided (John, iii. 16, 17; xiv. 6; 1 John, iv. 9), whose atonement by death upon the cross possesses sufficient virtue to absolve from all guilt (comparé

Heb. x. 4, 10, with ix. 14; 1 John, i. 7, ii. 1, 2), and whose grace has sufficient energy to destroy the natural enmity of the carnal mind, and to make fallen man partaker of that new and divine nature without which no man can see the Lord (John, iii. 3, 5; Heb. xii. 14; 2 Peter, i. 3, 4).

It may be proper to observe, that this all-sufficient Saviour (Is. Ixiii. 1; 1 Cor. i. 30; Heb. vii. 25), uniting in his own person the divine and human natures (John, i. 1, 14, 16; Phil. ii. 6, 8), possesses, in consequence of the former, the power to become substitute for the guilty (John, x. 15, 18); whilst his human nature enables him to make atonement in that nature which sinned, and to sympathize in the trials of those whom he has undertaken to redeem (Heb. ii. 10, 14, 18; iv. 15). Such a Saviour provided, we learn,

3. The necessity of a personal interest in him, in order to our acceptance with God (Acts, iii. 18, 23; iv. 12; John, iii. 18, 36; 1 John, v. 12; Article XVIII.), a blessing which cannot be obtained by any works of righteousness, because none are in our power (Gal. iii. 21, 22; Collect, second Sunday in Lent-Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity; Homily for Whitsunday); nor by any qualifications of which we can possess ourselves to make us fit objects of the divine favour; because the Saviour was promised on the ground both of man's actual exposure to condemnation (Gal. iii. 10), and of his total inability in any way to save himself (Luke, xix. 10; Rom. iii. 20; viii. 3). Even the plea of sincere instead of perfect obedience in point of justification before God, is an acknowledgment of defect which destroys all claim to eternal life, since it is written, that he who offends in one point is guilty of all (James, ii. 10), and the holiness of God is such as

to forbid his receding from the strictness of the requirement, "Do this and live" (Gal. iii. 11, 12; Rom. xi. 6). A personal interest in the Saviour, whereby are insured to us every spiritual and eternal blessing, is therefore the effect alone,

4. Of faith (Rom. iv. 5-10; Acts, xiii. 38, 39; Gal. iii. 26; Article XI.); which faith is the gift of God (Eph. ii. 8; Phil. i. 29; Heb. xii. 2), yet acquired in hearing and reading God's word (Rom. x. 11, 17), and in answer to humble, persevering prayer (Mark, ix. 24; Luke, xvii. 5). This faith, wrought in us by the Spirit of God (2 Cor. iv. 13), gives, 5. Pardon of sin and peace of conscience (Rom. v. 1; Isaiah, lvii. 21; Eph. i. 6, 7), because it leads us to rely on the finished work of the Saviour; and teaches us to seek our peace where God finds satisfaction made to his justice in that obedience unto death of the Lord Jesus, which forms a perfect expiation of our transgressions of his holy, just, and immutable law, and establishes that law in all its spirituality and extent, as an equitable rule in the moral government of his creatures (Rom. iii. 23 -31; Isaiah, xlii. 21; 2 Cor. v. 21).

.

7. Holiness of heart and life as produced by the Holy Spirit, the purchase, the promise, the gift of the Saviour (Luke, xi. 13; John, xvi. 7, 14; Rom. viii. 9; Eph. i. 13), the great design of whose agency is to enlighten the mind (1 Cor. ii. 10-14; Eph. i. 18; Whitsunday Collect); to renew the heart (Ez. xxxvi. 26, 27; Collect for Christmas Day); to regulate the conduct (Rom. viii. 1; iv. 14; Collect, ninth Sunday after Trinity); and thus to prepare us for glory (Rom. viii. 23; xiv. 17; Gal. vi. 8; Col. i. 8—12; Art. XVII.; Collect, Sunday after Ascension Day).

Such, it is presumed, forms a correct though brief statement of Christianity, as comprehending the great doctrines of original and actual sin, justification by faith, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, adoption into the family of God, personal progressive sanctification, full and eternal salvation.

According, then, to this view of divine truth, the Christian indeed must be a peculiar character; he must have been humbled under à sense of his guilt and depravity (Rom. vii. 9, 24); he must have fled from the wrath to come for refuge to the hope set before him in the atonement, intercession, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. vii. 18; 1 Pet. ii. 24, 25); he must have seen the equity of the requirement to become a new creature (Rev. xxi. 27; Ez. xviii. 31, 32; Rom. xii. 1, 2; 2 Cor. v. 17); and felt his need of the Holy Spirit (Eph. ii. 1, 5; John, vi. 63; Rom. vi. 4, 14). He must have sought these blessings by earnest and instant prayer, in patient meditation on the word of God, and in the diligent use of all the means of grace; and having obtained pardon, peace, and strength, he is induced and enabled to run the way of God's commands with alacrity and perseverance; not as one who like a bondservant is working for a reward; but as one who like a child to a tender parent is actuated by the most ingenuous dispositions. His life is a life of penitence, faith, and love. His penitence is daily excited by a sense of his deficiencies both in the inward graces of the soul, and the outward tenour of his conduct; his faith is kept in exercise by a daily need of pardoning mercy and sanctification; and his love prompts the inquiry, What shall I render

unto the Lord for all his benefits done to me, in the pardon of sin, in the gift of his Spirit, in the sense of his favour, in the hope of his glory? An inquiry which leads him to renounce the maxims of the world, as if at variance with the will of his heavenly Father, which prepares him to pass 66 through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report," in the performance of every good work; and which fills him with all those graces and fruits of righteousness whereby the moral image of the Saviour is reflected in his people, the honour and glory of God promoted in the world, the souls of his fellow-creatures benefited, and a meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light matured and perfected. So that, notwithstanding the constant struggle against sin and corruption within him, and his natural weakness and insufficiency, and his total renunciation of all dependence on himself, and all claim of merit in any of his services, he actually is the only character distinguished for real piety and usefulness. Where nothing of this character is formed there can be no hope of salvation; and every consideration which the shortness of time and the nearness and duration of eternity can excite, urges an immediate compliance with the divine admonition, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near."

May God grant that this may be productive of beneficial effects in awakening some careless sinner to the way of the Lord!

I remain, Sir,
Your most obedient

Humble servant,

MONITEUR.