display of God's essential perfections therein. It is indeed a grand, a delightful, and a profitable subject of meditation. The blessed angels themselves regard it as such, though not interested in its consequences as we are. It is for us, that the doctrine of the Cross proclaims "redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" it is for our security it reveals a sanctuary, stronger than a munition of rocks it is for our never-failing joy and delight, it shews the fulness of Christ flowing in an abundant river. Well may we therefore, with grateful and lively joy, contemplate its glories. If we get to heaven, we shall survey them with minds more enlarged, our apprehensions will be more adequate and just, and our songs more lively. How will our hearts burn within us, when Jesus himself, in the language of heaven, shall explain to us these mysteries, and tell of his own love! Surely we shall then feel, though in a far nobler sense, what Jonathan felt, while listening to the artless but animated discourse of David: it is said, " when David had made an end of speaking, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." I would have you, however, my dear R-, be cautious how you listen to discourses which are calculated to lead you to overlook the inflexible justice of God, and to regard only his benevolence and love. It is true, we are not to regard (as you observe) the Deity as a wrathful malignant being: no, he is perfectly amiable and lovely: but

remember, justice is an attribute of Deity, as well as mercy. Had it been possible that the great Lawgiver and Governor of the world could have noticed sin in his creatures without infinite hatred, or passed it by without inflicting its just and full desert, he had never provided such a surety and substitute for us: he had never chosen his own Son to bear our sins; much less had it "pleased the Lord to bruise him." The very beauty of the Lord is his holiness, and that consists in the harmony of all his moral perfections; and no where does this harmony appear so conspicuous as in the Cross of Christ. In that grand contrivance of Infinite Wisdom, the awful glories of justice appear not to lessen, but to heighten and exalt, the glory of the whole; and while profane sinners and unbelievers will not, or rather dare not, behold the majesty of the Lord, the ransomed throng will have to exult for ever in "a just God and a Saviour." You speak of my proposing to you now and then a subject on which you may write your thoughts and exercise yourself in composition. I think, my dear, the motion is a good one, and you may find advantage from it. I would not wish, however, as yet to exercise you on controversial subjects, as you have not yet entered on divinity studies: something of a practical nature, and especially experimental, you will find more useful. Suppose you ground your first essay on Matt. xxvii. 36.: "and sitting down, they watched him there." The reference, you will presently see, is particularly to the centurion and the

Roman soldiers, who were stationed round the cross to see that the sentence of death was fully executed, and to prevent any interference of his friends to rescue him. They seem to have been (at first, at least) very ignorant and heedless spectators of this solemn scene; so was the multitude; and the disciples themselves had no just apprehensión of this astonishing event. But what I wish of you, is, to represent a believer in Christ as sitting at the foot of the cross, in the light of the Gospel, contemplating its wonders, and in a devout soliloquy expressing the sentiments and reflections of his mind, while beholding that amazing spectacle; and while you write to improve yourself in composition, be sure you apply the truths that strike your imagination heart.-I am, my dear R-, &c. &c.

to your

I RECEIVED yours with pleasure. May the Lord sanctify all your studies, and enrich you more and more with the knowledge of himself and of Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent! There is nothing that affords entertainment and delight to a mind enlightened by the Spirit of God, like the excel

lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. There is nothing like it, to prevail against the rooted vices of the mind, and form the heart to a divine and holy temper. The lecture that you speak of, upon Habit, was, I conclude, a good one, as a discourse on a moral subject, and merely on natural principles; but take care that you are not, by discourses of this nature, led to overlook the grand principles on which the system of Christian morality is built. Habit, my dear child, I am ready to allow, has great influence. It has done much for us, who have enjoyed the advantage of a religious education. It restrains the various propensities of the mind, enfeebles the force of temptation, and renders the practice of virtue in external conversation more easy, and sometimes even pleasant. All this it may do, and yet, after all, leave the soul far, very far, from the kingdom of God. It has often produced pride, self-complacency, and self-confidence; but never, in one instance, did it produce that meek and lowly, that humble and contrite, spirit to which the promises of salvation are so often annexed. It has often fixed a poor misguided sinner on the wretched foundation of the broken covenant of works; but never did it constrain any one to fly for refuge to that glorious Hope which the Gospel has set before us in the covenant of grace. It has often produced a fair outside shew of godliness; but never did it prove effectual to direct the heart into the love of God, and to produce those affections and actings

wherein especially consists the life of God in the soul. It has confirmed many a one in principles directly opposite to those of the Gospel; but never did it lead one soul to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and to know the truth as it is in Jesus. There is an essential difference between nature and grace;-as real and as great a difference as between light and darkness, life and death. Nature's obedience is at best formal and cold: it wants that enlivening principle, the love of Christ, which warms the Christian's heart, and the Spirit of Christ, that well of living water which never fails. It is not without reason that the Apostle observes, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;" and again, "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." It was not without reason that

our Lord gave his disciples the promise of the Spirit as a sanctifier and comforter, and that he prayed' for them, saying, "Father, sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." Nor was it without reason that the same blessed Teacher told the Scribes and Pharisees, while they were going about to establish their own righteousness, that "publicans and harlots entered into the kingdom of heaven before them." We live in a day wherein the religion of nature is much recommended, under the specious name of Christianity; but their principles are directly repugnant the one to the other. Nature ineffectually labours to obtain acceptance by her