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law-in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, that is, by means of a sacrifice for sin 'condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." When our blessed Substitute stands in our stead, reason, innocence, goodintention, simplicity, and sincerity, all are rescued from the debased and proscribed state in which they were held; and having put on a new nature, become truly Christian graces, Christian dispositions, and Christian securities, under the assumption of him "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth 3." Now, then, redeemed sinner! you are "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord" "for God hath made him to be sin [or a sin-offering] for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him ";" holy, pure, and separate from sinners through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The mournful history of this day produces in the heart of the convinced Christian a mixed emotion of sorrow and of joy; for whilst we hail the blessings of the Redeemer, our hearts sink with regret at the

1 Bp. Fell's Paraphrase.-As an expiation for sin. Shuttleworth's paraphrase.

2 Rom. viii. 3, 4.

4 Rom. vi. 11.

31 Pet. ii. 22.

5 2 Cor. v. 21.

necessity of such a sacrifice. The pains of the sufferer are recollected with a tear, even when we reap the benefit, and sing the hallelujah of redemption.

But how is this wonderful redemption from the penalty of sin, to be effectually applied to the soul of the sinner? By faith-that is, by a confident application to ourselves of all that God has promised in his holy word, of all that Christ has merited, and of all the gifts and graces of the Spirit of truth. "By the mystery of thy holy incarnation, by thy holy nativity and circumcision: by thy baptism, fasting and temptation; by thine agony and bloody sweat; by thy cross and passion; by thy precious death and burial; by thy glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord deliver us 11"

As we are now contemplating pure revelation in its inmost recesses, let us recollect to our great and endless comfort, that every person in the Divine Being possesses a peculiar attribute applicable to the salvation of man. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all "." We cannot consider this passage, without remarking the consistency of holy Scripture in every

1 The Litany.

21 Cor. xii, 4, 5, 6.

part. The operation of Faith is derived from a clear conception of the Holy Trinity, such as is visible in its effects. Evincing a right apprehension of the awful majesty of God, who unites in his own person, and according to his own will, every spiritual help for the restoration and renovation of a world of sinners.

These, doubtless, are deep thoughts; but they are not unfathomable, with the holy Gospel in our hands, and in our hearts. "The words of the Lord are pure words." God is gracious in his promises, clearly significant in all his institutions and declarations, and infallible in his revelations. "Hath he said, and shall he not do it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not bring it to pass1?" "Let God be true and every man a

liar 2 "

If ever there were a day of darkness, and gloominess, and dejection, and lamentation for sin, this day of our Lord's passion is that day. If ever there were a day which gave a prospective view of happiness and glory, the effects of pardon and forgiveness, this day of Christ's triumph over death and the grave, over sin and Satan, is that day, marked with peculiar blessedness. The one is the consequence of the other. May the grace of God permit me to shed tears of joy, as well as tears of sorrow!-so shall I, with my ever blessed Saviour, leave the dull earth without regret, and on the wings of redeeming love, ascend to

1 Numb. xxiii. 19.

2 Rom, iii. 4.

heaven!" Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper, thou hast turned my heaviness into joy; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. Therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing. O my God! I will give thanks unto thee for ever!".

XX. The last day of Lent.

THE last day of this holy season bears a strong analogy to the last day of human life; and partakes largely of the same pious feelings, the same current of thought, and the same deep devotion. After the varied feelings of many anxious days and nights, and the intercourse of a tumultuous world, how grateful to the mind, how consolatory to our best principles, is the prospect of an entire change both of our wants and wishes; flying far from every thing that has distressed us, and springing forward to the bosom of that Protector who hath said, "I will never leave thee, no, no, I will never forsake thee:" who is our guide unto death, and who will be in death our comfort, and after death our everlasting portion! Here may we say with David," Sing praises unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks unto him for a remembrance

1 Ps. xxx. 11, 12. 13.

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of his holiness. For his wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye, and in his pleasure is life; heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning1;" in the morning of the resurrection.

Our Church, in the service of this day, brings the same view before us, in our Lord's passage through the "grave and gate of death," to his re-appearance in the joyful morn, when the primitive Christians met one another with this cheering salutation, "The Lord is risen indeed!" Nor let the admonition connected with this event, be forgotten; that, "as we are baptized unto the death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him ;" and thus, by him, attain a title to a distinction which could have been derived from 66 no other quarter; that, as we have been buried with our Lord by baptism unto death, and as Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father, even so, we may walk in newness of life" here, as an happy anticipation of our acceptance hereafter.

This is truly a spiritual resurrection. If the days of our mortification have been well applied, if the proud presumption of the soul has been subdued, and our high aspiring spirit humbled with the spirit of our religion, and brought in subjection to the law of Christ, then shall we be ready for that exaltation which God hath promised to those who love him, and

1 Psalm xxx. 4, 5.

2 Prayer for Easter even.

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