pel, that is, good news--it sets forth redemption, that is, deliverance out of slavery- salvation, that is, keeping from the power of evil, forgiveness, comfort, and consolation. It summoneth to glory and renown, to victory and triumph, and an immortal crown.

It commandeth not to penance or monastic severity, but to honest, comely deeds ; forbiddeth dishonesty, dishonour, and untruth; encourageth love and kindness; hateth hardness of heart and harshness of behaviour; breathes gentleness, peace, and charity; denounces strife, war, and bloodshed; knowledge it encourages, purity and love still more; all these virtuous and worthy qualities of heart and life it sustains and crowns with the promise of life and blessedness everlasting. The spirit of the law therefore, is to rejoice the heart, to convert the soul, to enlighten the eyes, and give understanding to the simple. And, if we had leisure to trace its effects upon the world, we should find that it hath tended in every instance to promote its happiness and prosperity.

Here then is an argument which the law hath within itself in addition to these many obligations mentioned above, which the author hath upon us for all his bountiful gifts. It is not only the voice of God our parent, preserver, patron, and friend-but it is the device of wisdom for securing the welfare of the world. It is bound upon us not only by early and affectionate ties of nature, but by ties of interest-not only a bond upon the heart, but a preservative of peace between man though Mercy hath, we trust, often a glorious pre-eminence in the hearts of men, as of God, still she cannot bear to be trampled on or abused; otherwise she steps to a side, and lets Justice with her scales and sword come in to weigh and determine.

But, with God, mercy rejoiceth over judgment. All a man's lifetime is the reign of grace. Till he closes his eyes mercy weeps over him, to melt his stony heart. God's own Son, whose daughter Mercy is, weeps over him to melt his stony heart-He shows to him his wounds and his cross, telling him he hath died once, and could die again to save him. There is no argument he does not use-calling upon us by our ancient noble stock from God derived, not to degenerate-calling upon us by all heavenly affections lurking still within us, love of excellence, gratitude for favours, desire of self-satisfaction and inward peace, to attach ourselves to God-calling upon us by the assurance of a glorious regeneration, and reinstatement in the divine image through the powerful operation of the Spirit, to cleave unto the Lord; finally, calling upon us by an unspeakable weight of glory to be revealed in heaven, to persevere in the service of God. There is nothing noble, nothing tender, nothing spirit-stirring, which the Son of man doth not address unto his brethren. His words drop over them like the tears of a mother over her darling child. He watches and waits for their late return-- he comes to their sick. bed suing, and to their death-bed he comes pray

ing. He stands at the door of every heart, and knocks. Our enemies he fought unto the death, and he hath conquered them in death. He hath singly bent our tyrants, and put into every man's hand a patent of his liberty. And now he goeth about and about amongst us, rousing us with songs and sweet melody to rise from slavery and be ourselves again. He asks nothing of us for what he hath done-he lays on no new masterybut shows the ways of heaven and of sinless happy creatures, and craves us by the memory of his death, and by our own eternal life--all our life long, craves us to be ourselves again, to be the noble sons of God as our father was.

Call you this a reign of terror? a reign of judgment ? a reign of punishment? What then is a reign of mercy, persuasion and forgiveness ?-He takes no hostages of you, lays on no fines for the past, no penalties for the future—free forgiveness even' unto the end, unto sincere repentance. Surely God is slower to judgment than 'man isSurely unto the last he putteth off- Surely there is not any thing he would not do, sooner than bring it to the grand and finishing stroke of everlasting doom.

The argument of this discourse thus completes itself. Man, it seems, by all his institutions for securing his welfare, is made for responsibility, and for submitting himself to judgment, when all other methods fail of preserving the peace. This is the nature of man, wherever he is found and into whatever community he enters. God, legislating for man, hath adapted himself to this his nature, placing him under responsibility; yet taking every measure of his wisdom, and applying to every faculty of human nature by each kindly, noble method, to secure sweet harmony; putting off issues of judgment to the last, and not ringing the knell of doom until every other note and signal hath entirely failed to have effect. Therefore, he having taken that course which men uniformly take and admire, is devoutly to be adored for accommodating himself so sweetly to our nature and our condition.

OF JUDGMENT TO COME.

PART II.

ACTS XVII, 30, 31. GOD COMMANDETH ALL MEN EVERY WHERE TO

REPENT: BECAUSE HE HATH APPOINTED A DAY, IN THE WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

THE CONSTITUTION UNDER WHICH IT HATH PLEASED GOD

TO PLACE THE WORLD.

Having shown at length in our former discourse that it is not unpleasant to the nature of man, nor uncongenial with the softest,tenderest relationships of human life, to be held under responsibility to God, and amenable to his future judgment,-we now proceed to examine the constitution under which he hath actually placed us, and upon which he is to enter into judgment with the sons of men. For God, who in this respect might be a pattern to all lawgivers, hath so contrived it in his wisdom, that his laws and ordinances should lie in narrow compass, and he hath brought them by his providence within the reach of slenderest means, wbile in his wisdom he hath written them, so that he who runneth may read, and the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. Upon us, therefore, the knowledge of them is incumbent; and surely he will not hold us guiltless if we refuse to lend our ear to those words which he bath been at so much pains to reveal. Let us, therefore, gird up the loins of our mind, and draw near with full purpose to discover what the Lord our