professors, respecting so atrocious an offender? Would they not consider him as black with crimes? The truth is, Jacob most expressively figured the race which he was designed to represent; he asked in the name, he assumed both the robe and name, and he stood before Isaac as the very identical Esau, and it was then, and not till then, he received the blessing:

Christ Jesus and the children of men, are, in fact, what these twin brothers were in figure, for Christ is the head of every man ; in consequence of his mysterious union with humanity, the race of Adam are actually the members of that body, of which he, Christ Jesus, is the head; and that Christ hath tasted death for us, is the matter of our justification and redemption before God, and it is putting on the Lord Jesus, assuming the robe of his complete righteousness, which gives us that confidence, that consciousness, the result of which is salvation, complete exemption from every soul-appalling, soul-condemning, soul-damning apprehension. In other words, he who believes is saved, and he who believeth not is damned. Thus are we taught to anticipate the glorious era, when all shall be taught of God, and when consequently, all shall believe.

We have said, and we repeat, that we have no objection to the sovereignty of God. All power in the hands of a Being, who is perfect in goodness, in mercy, in truth, and in justice, must issue in the final felicity of the creature, whom his sovereign word commanded into existence. We are willing to acknowledge that the distinction between Jacob and Esau, was made before they were born, and consequently, before they had done either good or evil. We are willing that God should perform all his pleasure, both in heaven and on earth. We are willing that he should dispose of his creatures precisely according to his sovereign purpose; and we confidently believe, that all his purposes will issue in eventual good. We are sensible, and we acknowledge, that Moses and Pharaoh are both equally the workmanship of God. One was ordained an oppressor of the race of Abraham, the other was destined to bring them out of bondage. Many of the children of God, have conceived that Pharaoh was raised up for no other purpose than to throw him down with the greater vengeance! but the sentiments of the sacred writers do not appear to correspond with this idea. The Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans, ix. 17, speaketh decidedly:

"For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth."

Thus, Paul believed the design of God, in raising up Pharaoh, was for the purpose of making his power known, and his name great in all the earth. And it is evident that Moses was raised up with the self-same view. And if we consider God as hardening the heart of Pharaoh, and stimulating the tardy resolution of Moses, who appeared sufficiently bold in his opposition to his Maker, we shall be ready to ask, in what consisted the mighty difference? As men, it is not surely so very apparent; but the one was a type of the grand adversary, and the other of him who delivered the children of men, from worse than Egyptian bondage.

Moses, although perhaps, the meekest among the sons of men, yet deviates capitally from the very virtue for which he was famed! See him under the influence of prejudice in favour of his own countryman, without even the shadow of investigation, so exceedingly provoked, as to slay the Egyptian who fought with the Hebrew youth; for aught we know, the son of Israel might have been the aggressor. It does not appear that he asked a single question; his only care was to be certain that no eye beheld, and to conceal the victim of his fury beneath the sand, which so fortunately presented. He appears more just on the ensuing day, when two men of the Hebrews strove together, and he adopted the cause of the injured. The following questions are pertinent: "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?" This was sufficient; the discovery was made; one of his own countrymen had betrayed him, and Egypt was no longer a place of safety for Moses. He fled, fled his country for murder! ! !

Why was this circumstance recorded? I presume it would not have been recorded, had the sacred volume been a human production, written by an author, determined at all events to celebrate the praise of the hero of his narration. But truth being the object of the inspired penman, and the design of God to stain the glory of the creature, and illustrate the character of the Creator, occurrences are noted precisely as they took place.

Thus the believer, even in the present moment, acknowledges what every tongue shall ultimately confess: That God alone is holy, just, and good. But let it never be forgotten, that God is the

holy-one of Israel. So, that although Israel be as the sands of the sea for multitude, yet every individual of this wide spreading family hath a deep and unalienable interest in this Holy-One of Israel. Nay, he is their head; and the holiness of this One, is in reality theirs. So that all those who in this state of things, are, for reasons best known to the great Master, rejected and cast off, shall hereafter be renewed and blessed with all spiritual blessings, according to the oath which he sware unto the patriarch, saying, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Truly there is sufficient room, and the blessing is of sufficient magnitude, to admit and encompass the whole family of man. "There is," said the celebrated Mr. James Hervey, "more merit in one drop of the Saviour's blood, than demerit in the sins of the whole world;" but we needed not the testimony of this great man to confirm this truth. Right happy should I be, if these great men were always found witnessing the truth, if they were uniform supporters of the honour of their Redeemer's name. It is really a pity, that such well meaning gentlemen should so frequently expose themselves, by the indecision of their language. How often do we hear individuals, in a mortified tone of voice, remark, "We were delighted with the commencement of his discourse, but by a denial of the testimony with which he began, the close of his sermon involved us in thick darkness."

It is greatly to be lamented, that preachers and writers cannot decide upon what is truth, that they will not declare either for, or against the gospel of God our Saviour; that we might ascertain upon what we have to depend. "If," says the prophet, "Baal be God, serve him; if Jehovah be God, then serve him;" but thus continually giving reason to believe, that the preacher himself cannot admit a plan so inconsistent, must have a tendency to injure the cause of truth. This method, it should seem, has been of long standing. Hence the barriers raised against it under the Mosaic dispensation. The law expressly ordained, that the people should not plough with different animals, nor sow their fields with different seeds; nor were they permitted to habit themselves in a garment constructed of different materials, for it was particularly enjoined on the people of God, that they should not wear a garment of linen and woollen. The linen we are told was the righteousness of the saints, which is certainly the righteousness of Jesus Christ, wrought by him as made under the law, not to break, but to fulfil the law.

The wool, the product of the sheep, leads to the consideration of the righteousness of the creature, these must not be mixed; they are both desirable in their place, yet we had better go naked, than wear this garment of mixed materials.

But there is, blessed be God, no necessity for going naked; we may at all times say, "O Lord, I will praise thee, for thou hast clothed me with the garments of salvation, thou hast covered me with the robe of righteousness;" and, in fact, the righteousness of God is unto all, and upon all those who believe. Whosoever be

lieves the gospel, in that very assent to divine truth, in believing, puts on the Lord Jesus, as made of God unto him righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and having thus received him, as he hath received him, so he walketh in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith which he has been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Thus is the smell of the elder son's garment, as a field which God hath blessed. Mr. Westley piously and emphatically says:

"Let the world their virtues boast,

Their works of righteousness.

I a wretch undone and lost,

Am only saved by grace,

"Other title I disclaim,

This, only this, be all my plea,
I the chief of sinners am,

But Jesus died for me."

But the author of these lines had no objection to human excellence; neither have I who transcribe them. Would to God that virtue, humanly speaking, every where abounded. Yea, we conceive that virtue, virtue of the fairest growth, will abundantly prevail where the garment of Christ's righteousness is put on. We confess we do not worship the virtue or the religion of any person, who has no acquaintance with the Lord Jesus Christ. Acquaint now thyself with God and be at peace, for what is called religion or virtue, distinct from the Author and finisher of our faith, can obtain no place as the matter of our justification before God.

Speaking as a man, I delight in the growth of human rectitude, I am a gratified observer of domestic happiness. A faithful and affectionate married pair, patient and judicious parents, obedient and grateful children, attached and confiding brothers and sisters, obliging neighbours, social excellence, all these I truly admire, all these

possess my veneration, and I am charmed with every thing which can justly be considered as ornamental to humanity.

The philanthropic possessor of opulence. who delighteth to do good and to distribute, who visiteth the sick, who clotheth the naked, who feedeth the hungry, and giveth drink to the thirsty, who breaketh the chains of the prisoner, and receiveth into his mansion the destitute stranger; such an individual my idolatrous heart is inclined to worship. I have wept with pleasure at the benign liberality of a Penn, and I have followed with sensations bordering upon adoration, the luminous footsteps of a Howard; I have, in imagination, entered those prison walls which he hath irradiated by the light of his countenance, and I embrace him in the arms of my affection, of my esteem.

Friendship I have considered as the balm of life, and the virtues which combine in the character friend, possess my entire approbation. The good works which are profitable to my species, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; these I unite with the Apostle to praise; on these I would contemplate with inexpressible complacency. In one word, I would promote with my whole soul whatever would clevate, whatever would adorn human nature.

But the grand work of redemption, that which authorizes my appeal to the great Author of rectitude, that by which I am furnished with the answer of a good conscience toward God, all this must be looked for in a purer source.

Nor can I consent to wear, when making my appearance before my Creator, a garment composed of materials which he has strictly forbid me to mix; I cannot wear the linen and the woollen garment, the garment spotted by the flesh; I cannot sow the field with different seeds. When I appear before the King of heaven, I must have on my wedding dress, the robe of my Redeemer's righteousness, the garment of my eldest brother, that so the smell of my raiment may be like a field which God hath blessed.

I am happy, my friend, that you can understand me., May your views of an opening heaven be brighter and brighter, unto the perfect day of your God. Farewell.