a ransom for many. He so far reconciled himself to man, when he testified his acceptance of the obedience and sufferings of Christ unto the death by raising him from the dead, and setting him down at his own right hand. And he so far reconciled himself to man, when he gave and continues with man, the ministry of reconciliation. In all these aspects the term reconciliation is applicable to God, and to God only. He alone, though the offended party, could make any active movement towards and upon man, the offender-and this aspect of the case gives a wonderful additional brilliancy to the whole work of human redemption.

Now the reasoning of the Apostle, as bearing on this view of the case, is shortly this-hath God out of absolutely spontaneous loving-kindness thought compassionately on man in his low and lost estate-hath he exerted his infinite wisdom, in devising a scheme, whereby "in the riches of his grace through Christ, he hath even abounded towards man in all wisdom and prudence"-hath the character of the divine holiness been signally vindicated, and the claims of infinite justice and unimpeachable truth satisfied in the obedience and suffering unto the very death of God's only-begotten and well-beloved Son hath the Almighty power of God been put forth in raising up Christ from the dead-have the claims of equity been established in setting the Son down at the Father's right hand, and crowning him with mediatorial glory and honour-hath the Father himself at such a costly expenditure of paternal love, completed the most wonderfully perfect scheme-hath the ransom price not only been

fully paid, but the open acknowledgment of the cancelled debt made in the face of an astonished universe -hath the divine machinery, the pattern of things in the heavens, not only been constructed and perfected, but ready at the bidding of the great Artificer to begin the work of mercy and of love-are the fields more than white unto the harvest; myriads upon myriads of souls ready to perish and requiring redemption—are the very heavenly host, like the cherubim above the mercy seat of old, eagerly prying unto this hitherto undeveloped mystery of infinite love; and wistfully desirous of contemplating its workings in its blessed fruits-when lo! the hand of the divine Artificer, ready to touch the life-giving apparatus is suspended—it is drawn back-it is thrust into his bosom; producing the silence of ungratified desire in heaven, of disappointment on earth, of joy in hell.

And, would such a part be worthy of the great God to act? Would it be consistent with the all-perfect character of Jehovah. Could the wisdom which devised and consummated the scheme, rest satisfied till its excellence was developed in its glorious effects? Could the power which created and gave it energy remain quiescent, when by a single touch of its life-giving energy, all would spring into activity, and efficacy, and universally gracious and spiritual effects? would the unbounded loving-kindness which prompted the original and every subsequent movement of all the other perfections, ever cease stimulating the whole into effective operation, till a harvest of glory redounded to the Godhead in the gathering in of souls from the east and

the west, from the north and the south? It is impossible. Not only is a part like this unworthy of the all-perfect Jehovah, but any thing at all resembling it among men would be condemned as with one and a loud voice.

Were a husbandman at much toil and expence to drain, to clean, to manure, to sow, and to watch and check the growth of weeds that they might not choke the good grain-were his efforts successful even beyondhope the year crowned with the divine goodness—the fruits of the ground cut down and gathered in in safety -were machinery constructed for thrashing out and preparing the corn for food fit for man and beastwere the herd lowing in the stall-cleanness of teeth among all those who had been employed in the previous operations and yet the husbandman withheld his own hands and the hands of all those under his influence and control; and would allow no exertion to be made towards appeasing the cravings of hunger and the very extremities of suffering-would not the indignation and execration of all be concentrated, and that most righteously, upon such an individual? and as a blot upon his species he be held up to the detestation and loathing of every succeeding age? If the thing is never exemplified even among the most degenerate of Adam's depraved descendants, it can never be imputable to the all-perfect Lord God. No! He will carry into effect the scheme which boundless goodness suggested, which infinite wisdom devised, and almighty power executed. The great husbandman will reap a harvest of glory in the salvation of a lost world. He will gather the

"If a

wheat into his garner, fit for the master's use. son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone-or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent—or if he shall ask an egg will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children-how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him."

2dly, The next thing contained in the text, confirming and strengthening the conclusion which the Apostle draws, is the contrast implied between the efficacy and power of the life and the death of Christ. "Much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Now, although the death of Christ is not here specifically mentioned, yet it is directly referred to, and a contrast stated, though tacitly, between his death and his life. How was it that God was reconciled to man, and man to God? It was by the death of his Son. Let us dwell then in thought a little on the strength of the Apostle's conclusion in reference to this topic; and we will discover in it every thing invigorating to the faith, quickening to the love, and animating to the hope of the believer in his name.

Even the most inattentive reader of Holy Scripture must have observed, that much is therein ascribed to the death of Christ. God's coming at all into gracious nearness with man is ascribed to it. Every new covenant blessing as to purchase is ascribed to it. As to bestowal, Christ crucified is the medium. As to efficiency, it is the blood of Christ alone that cleanseth from sin. As to acceptance, this is in the beloved

alone

"for no man cometh to the Father but by him." In short, not only by the rent veil of his flesh is the way into the holiest now made manifest; but through the same efficacy is this way kept open. Like Jacob's ladder, it is the medium of intercourse between heaven and earth-God dispensing blessings through this channel alone, and the persons and services of God's people regarded with acceptance through the same efficacy alone.

Now, if such effects are ascribed to, and naturally flow from the death of Christ, much more may we look for, and naturally expect consequences, even if possible surpassing these, springing from his life. In the natural world, death is the type, the concentrated essence as it were, most emphatically descriptive of all that is torpid, incapable of feeling, and without the slightest power of putting forth the least possible energy-whereas, life is full of sentient feeling, of activity, of motion and power, and the putting forth of that power is limited only by the capabilities of the being in whom it inheres. And was even Christ in these respects an exception to this? He was not. Much as is ascribed to his death, and in the department to which it belongs too much cannot be ascribed to it, yet it possesses this incalculable efficacy and power only in connection with his lifeand that too, only with his resurrection and exaltation life. Had he continued under the power of death, no mediatorial nor saving fruits of it would ever have appeared. "Had Christ not risen, your faith in him would have been vain; our preaching would have been also vain-and we would have been all yet in our