sinner, than that which we have in the text; that "his name whereby he should be "called, is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUS

NESS. "Behold, the days come, saith "the LORD, that I will raise unto David a " righteous branch, and a king shall reign "and prosper; and this is the name whereby "he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHT

EOUSNESS." Here we have not only a prophecy, that our Saviour should be born "of the house and lineage of David,” which was actually the case; but, that he should be righteousness unto his people; that his death upon the cross should make an atonement for our sins; and his merits render our imperfect endeavours to please GOD acceptable with him; make up our deficiencies, if we earnestly strive to be as good as we can be; and be counted to us for righteousness, or, a complete obedience to the divine law. That CHRIST has truly done all this for us, we have innumerable assurances in the holy scriptures: they tell us that, "CHRIST is our righteousness;"-that "by "his righteousness the free gift hath come

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upon all menunto justification of life;"-that "he is made unto us wisdom, and righteous"ness, and sanctification, and redemption;"

that" we are justified freely by his grace, "through the redemption that is in JESUS

"CHRIST, whom God hath set forth to "be a propitiation, through faith, in his "blood; to declare his righteonsness, for the "remission of sins that are past, through the "forbearance of GOD; to declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, that he might

be just, and the justifier of him that believeth "in JESUS ;-that CHRIST is the end of the "law for righteousness, to every one that be❝lieveth; and that, therefore, there is now no "condemnation to them who are in CHRIST "JESUS; who walk, not after the flesh, but "after the spirit."

Such, my friends, is the great argument, drawn from prophecy, for the truth and divinity of our holy religion; which is so clear, that no one who will be at the pains of "searching the scriptures;"" comparing

things spiritual with spiritual;" and using his eyes and understanding; can, for a moment, doubt that all these things, which were written" in the law of Moses, and in the "Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning "CHRIST," were " fulfilled" in him. But, above all, he will be convinced of this great truth, asserted in the prophecy, and contained in the epistle for the day, that "Christ is our "righteousness," and that through him (and him alone) "we have remission of our sins, "and peace with God the Father." Oh!

happy, glorious thought, that the miseries of our fall in Adam are removed by our recovery in JESUS CHRIST; that our sin is swallowed up in his righteousness; that through his merits we are no longer the children of wrath, but made the children of GoD, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven; that "he who knew no sin, hath been under sin "for us, that we might be made the right66 cousness of GOD in him.' "Blessed, therefore, be the GOD and Father of our "LORD JESUS CHRIST, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in CHRIST."

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But, my brethren, while we thus rejoice in the view of what JESUS CHRIST has done for us; and lift up our souls to God in gratitude and adoration for the mercy of redemption through his everlasting Son; let us not forget those terms or conditions on which the righteousness of the Saviour can alone become serviceable to our souls, or procure their salvation. Let us not imagine, that because he has done so much for us, we have, therefore, nothing to do for our selves; that we may rest upon his merits as a certain passport to heaven, without taking the least care or pains on our own parts; that his atonement is all-sufficient to reconcile us to GOD, without our "working to

e gether with him;" or that we may claim an interest in his righteousness, and be safe at the great day of judgment; though we pass our lives in sin, carelessness, or folly. Such notions as these are equally vain and destructive; for the mouth of eternal truth hath said, that "he only is righteous, that "doeth righteousness ;" and that "without "holiness no man shall see the LORD." It is true, that, fallen and sinful as we are, we can never be sufficiently good to deserve everlasting happiness on our own account; and that, however good we may be, our sins will still merit punishment; and, consequently, we must want something to save us from their effects: but though we are thus, at best, but "unprofitable servants;" yet GOD expects, that we should serve Him to the best of our ability; that we should repeat sincerely of our sins; have a lively faith in the truth of his gospel; and strive, with all the powers of our mind and hearts, to obey his holy commandments, and lead upright christian lives. If we thus, sincerely, endeavour to be good; then the merits of CHRIST will make up for what we cannot do ourselves. Then will GOD impute the righteousness of our Redeemer (or his perfect obedience to the law) to all his faithful followers; and consider them as justified in

his sight. Salvation will still, indeed, be a gift of free grace from GOD; and all our claim to it will stand upon the foundation of CHRIST'S atonement and merits; but the merciful conditions on which they are made applicable to us miserable sinners, will then have been fulfilled on our part; and infinite compassion will, for the sake of JESUS CHRIST, Overlook our imperfection, and seal us to eternal life.