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are powers superior to their own, as one man is stronger than another. But they regard their existence as their own property, though liable to be invaded and affects ed by superior powers, and on this proper ty they can stand fand parley, and make conditions with these powers, whatever they may be. The spirity of dependence is the spirit of religion, and other spirit of independence is the spirit of atheism and of idolatry.stars 9uivib to tizz000m silt 16 This atheism of the heart, then, this insensibility to God, this blindness to his dis rect actings, this spirit of independence, under the influence of which we liye sur rounded by God, and sustained by him, and yet entirely unconnected with him in spirit and desire,this being the evil to be remedied by Christianity, does it not seem most reasonable to expect, that there should be in the remedy an especial putting forth of the direct agency of God, and that he should reveal himself through it, in such a way that the soul may know and feel that it is God of a truth that worketh, and none other than he? The branch separated from the vine cannot graft itself

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on again if it could, the order of nature would be subverted. And man separated from God cannot, according to the border of a higher nature; again unité himself to God. Indeed this appears toomeso full of the highest reason land Levidence, that I should consider the great purpose of Christ. ianity absolutely defeated, were it possible for man to become a Christian by his own unassisted efforts, or without sa conviction of the necessity of divine assistances Nay, it wouldrobe an absurdityait would be teaching the spirit of dependence, by an argument for independence, it would be leading man to repose his allion God,bby showing him that he could do without Godid The true state of the creature is a state of absolute dependence on the Creator, and when he has left his true state, he can only be brought back to it, by a way of absolute dependence. All the messages of God to man have related to this way of return, and have been filled with the most urgent calls to come back by it, and the most solemn warnings against refusing the voice of him who speaketh from heaven. All these messages have been messages of

love. And man needs a message of love from God, for his conscience testifies against him, and tells him of his sin, and of God's just. displeasure at sin, and thus forbids the spirit of confidence at the same time that it commands the spirit of dependence. To such an one the gospel is indeed a welcome message; for it tells him of the love of God to sinners, and of his having provided an atonement for sin, and of his open arms ready to embrace all who come to him. through this atonement, and thus the knowledge of the grace of God through Jesus Christ converts his dependence of necessity into a dependence of love, and grafts him into the true vine.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and mind, and soul, and strength, and thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law, and the prophets, and the gospel. They describe the perfection of man's spiritual state. They describe his confiding devoted dependence on the great root of the spiritual family, and his fraternal sympathy with all the branches. When the

love of the Creator is the dominant principle in the creature's heart, it keeps all the other principles, and faculties, and relations of the soul, in their proper place. It is the true key-stone of the arch which gives strength by maintaining order. It is the principle which connects the crea ture with the spiritual system, and which receives of the fulness of the Creator. The fall of this key-stone from its place in man's heart was, and is, the fall of man from his place in the family of God. Self and the creature took the place, and each man became an independent individual, loving, and desiring, and approving things according as they affected himself, without regard to the will of God, or the sympathies of the universal family. This is the fall, and the sin, and the misery of man,that the first and paramount relation has not the first and paramount place in his heart, and that self-the principle of individuality has usurped that place, and has thus cut off the blessed communication between God and man, which had been, and could only be, maintained through the channel of a supreme affection. And as

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'this is the fall of man, Isosthe restoration of man can be nothing else than the restora tion of the love of Godon the heart as the paramount principle iniit and the due subordination of selfitand the creature un4 deroitduAny remedy whiehl, falls below this orestorationi falls below man's need: No pardon which leaves this undone is of any Valde to him. He needs ho infliction from without to make him miserable,and it is not the removal of any outward inflies tion that ban give him happiness!daHe. must love God supremely. He must know that God is better than happiness, and that sin is worse than sorrow! It is not the de sired of happiness, but the love of God. which is the true key stone of the arch "He that will save his life shall lose it, and he that will lose his life for my sake shall find it," but if he loses his life not for Christ's sake, but with the hope of sav ing its he is out of the order of the bless! ingqqua bas motostory has 9189.91 Ha lis The remedy which God has given to man is the gospeltants object is to displace self and the creature from the heart, to rel store the love of Gods to othe supremacy

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