the sons of men, that would chuse to shew the world all his private works? For it is a man's private works which declare his character. Are not his sins from youth to age, in thought, word and deed, (as calculated by a reference to the spiritual law of God) more in number than the hairs of his head, or the stars in heaven? And if he dare not reveal his deeds, even to an unrighteous world, how shall he speak of being justified in the sight of a holy God, "who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity;" and who hath revealed his judgment against every sin of man? doth he mean that he will produce his alms and prayers as a counterbalance to his evil deeds, and as an expiation for his sins? This, my brethren, is the delusion of the heathen world, and particularly of the idolatry of Brahma, by which Satan holds millions in his chain. They depend for acceptance with the Deity on their own expi

Or

ations. The Hindoos expect to be justified by their ablutions or baptisms by water; by prayers to the Idol; by charities to the Idol; by tortures and austerities of body; and by shedding their blood. They often" cut "themselves with knives," like the worshipers of Baal;* and sometimes devote themselves to death. They indeed occasionally set forth the ceremony of an atonement, or vicarious suffering; which hath been handed down to them, as to all the world, from the primary revelation to mankind; and the blood of a Lamb is sometimes shed: the innocent for the guilty. But they do not understand the meaning of their own sacrifice. Just as it is with many in the Christian world, who never meditate on "the Lamb that was slain," nor endeavour to know their interest in the great propitiation.

Let us then understand that, the guilt

* 1 Kings xviii. 28.

of the soul cannot be expiated "by works "that we have done ;" and that he who dependeth in any degree on his own deeds. for atonement, hath not the garment of righteousness. He hath a garment of his own, not that given by the king of the feast. But hear now the doctrine of Christ. "Him that cometh to ME, I will in no wise cast "out. Whosoever cometh to Christ in penitence of heart, believing his words, that he is "come to seek and to save that which was" LOST," and that "his blood is shed for "the REMISSION of sins ;" and praying for the aid of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the understanding, and to sanctify the heart, the same will be ACCEPTED; he will obtain peace of conscience, and grace to do works acceptable to God. And this constitutes the wedding garment; justification and sanctification; * our being justified by

* JUSTIFICATION and SANCTIFICATION are the two pillars of our Church's doctrine.

faith in the blood of Christ, and our being sanctified by the promised influences of the Holy Spirit; that is, in other words, faith and its fruits. For these cannot be disjoined. They form one seamless robe; and this is "the robe of righteousness." A LIVING

FAITH is the wedding garment.

On this subject we may be permitted

to quote the sentiments of a venerable authority.

"The history of the Baptist," saith

the late Bishop of London,

66

""

gives a

strong confirmation to that great EVANGELICAL doctrine, the doctrine of

ATONEMENT; the expiation of our sins by "the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. "We are often told that there was no need "for this expiation; that repentance and

"reformation are fully sufficient to restore "the most abandoned sinners to the favour

"of a just and merciful God; and to avert

"the punishment due to their offences. "But what does the great Herald and fore"runner of Christ say? He came pro❝fessedly as a preacher of repentance.

Re

pent ye, and bring forth fruits meet for

"repentance.'

This was the unceasing

language of the voice crying in the "wilderness.' If, then, repentance alone "had sufficient efficacy for the expiation of "sin, surely we should have heard of this, "from him who came on purpose to preach "repentance. But what is the case? Not

withstanding the great stress he justly lays on the indispensable necessity of

repentance, yet he tells his followers, at "the same time, that it was to Christ only, "and to his death, they were to look for "the pardon of their sins. Behold,' says