fo to do, take heed that you imbibe the true, noble, liberal, benevolent fpirit of the Gospel, in all its purity and extent. Be not afhamed either of its doctrines or precepts. Its doctrines are oracles, its precepts are fanctioned with penalties of a nature the moft tremendous that can be conceived. Hold faft the former then, regardless of the obloquy of felf-righteous Moralifts, in all their purity and extent. They form one grand, well-compacted fystem, far more glorious than the whole univerfe of visible created things. The heavens declare the glory of Gon, the wonderful variety of creatures upon earth his wifdom, power, and goodneis; but the fcheme of faving a loft world, by the interpofition of his Son, outfhines all the other works of the DIVINE BEING that have ever come within the ken of mortal creatures. God, who at fundry times, and in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the fathers by the prophets, bath in thefe last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he bath appointed heir of all things; by whom aifo be made the worias; who, being the brightnefs of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himjelf purged our fins, fat down on the right hand of the MAJES TY on high. This is perfectly in the spirit of ancient prophecy: Unto us a child is born, unto us a fon is given, and the government fhall be upon his fhoulder, and his name fhall be called, WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE MIGHTY GOD; THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Of the encrease of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of DAVID, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment, and with justice, from benceforth even forever. The beloved Difciple of our LORD difplays the original grandeur of this MIGHTY ONE more fully than the Prophet: In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.-And the WORD was made fresh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the FATHER, full of grace and truth. This amazing idea of the creating power of the REDEEMER REDEEMER is ftill more expanded by the great Apostle of the Gentiles: By him were all things created, that are in beaven and that are in earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things confift.-He being in the form of GOD, thought it not robbery to be equal with GOD; and though he was GOD'S FELLOW, he made himfelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he bumbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore GOD alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name; that at the name of JESUS every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue shall confefs that JESUS CHRIST is LORD to the glory of Gon the FATHER. So that, though all* we have finned and come fhort of the glory of *It may be fafely afferted, I apprehend, that all truly serious and religious minded people are nearly of one opinion concerning the great doctrines of the Gospel. They live in the comfort and die in the faith of them. The Calvanist and Arminian here at least are of one mind. When the Rev. JOHN WESLEY came to die, his language was, "I the chief of finners am, 29 "There is no way into the holieft, but by the blood of JESUS." I'll praise my MAKER with my breath." &c. The late Mr. TOPLADY alfo appears to have been greatly fupported with divine confolations during his laft fickness. A few days before his death he faid to a friend: " O, my dear fir, it is impoffible to defcribe "How good GOD is to me. This afternoon I have enjoyed fuch a fea"fon, fuch fweet communion with GoD, and fuch delightful manifesta"tions of his presence with, and love to my foul, that it is impoffible " for words, or any language to express them. I have had peace and joy "unutterable." To another friend he said: "The comfort and manifeftations of "God's love are so abundant, as to render my state and condition the "most defirable in the world. I would not exchange my condition with "any one upon earth." The fame friend calling upon him a day or two before his death, he faid, with hands clafped, and his eyes lifted up and starting with tears of the most evident joy: "O, my dear Sir, I cannot tell you the com ‹‹ me forts I feel in my foul. They are paft expreflion. The confolations "of Gon to fuch an unworthy wretch are fo abundant, that he leaves of GOD, we are juftified freely by bis grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST JESUS; whom GOD bath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his rightecufness for the remiffion of fins that are past, through the forbearance "me nothing to pray for, but a continuance of them, I enjoy a heaven "already in my foul. My prayers are all converted into praife." At another time he faid: "O how this foul of mine longs to be "gone! Like a bird imprisoned in a cage, it longs to take its flight. "O that I had wings like a dove, then would I flee away to the realms " of bliss, and be at reft forever! O that fome guardian angel might "be commiffioned; for I long to be abfent from this body, and to be “ with my LORD forever." At another time, and indeed for many days together he cried out: "O what a day of fun-fhine has this been to me! I have not words to "exprefs it. It is unutterable. O, my friends, how good is GoD! "Almoft without interruption his prefence has been with me." Near his end, waking from a flumber, he faid: "O what delights! "Who can fathom the joys of the third heaven?" And again, a little before his departure: "The sky is clear; there is no cloud; come, "LORD JESUS, come quickly." The learned reader will not be forry to compare here the dying scenes of two or three of the German Chriftians with the above of WESLEY and TOPLADY. MUSCULUS's Soliloquy before death appears to me in the highest spirit of the Gospel of CHRIST. Nil fupereft vitæ; frigus præcordia captat : Quid trepidas, Anima? Ad fedes abitura quietis; Linque domum hanc miferam, nunc in fua fata ruentem, Peccafti-Scio: Sed CHRISTUS credentibus in fe "Peccata expurgat fanguine cuncta fuo. "Horribilis mors eft? Fateor: Sed prozima vita est, "Ad quam te CHRISTI gratia certa vocat. "Præfto eft de Satanâ, peccato, in morte triumphans CHRISTUS: Ad Hunc igitur læta alacrifque migra." THEODORE ZUINGER, a famous German Phyfician, when he lay upon his death-bed, took his leave of the world in the following fine copy of verfes, which is a liberal paraphrafe of the 122 pfalm. "O lux candida, lux mihi "Per CHRISTI meritum patet "Me ftatus revocat dies 1 "Jam bearance of GOD-to declare his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in JESUS: CHRIST being the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, Thefe things being laid together, and duly confidered, may we not exclaim with the fame devout and admiring Apoftle? Without controverfy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifeft in the flesh, juftified in the SPIRIT, feen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on the world, received up into glory. Such are the doctrines of CHRIST, of which the Apostle declares he was not ashamed, and of which no Chriftian ought or need to be afhamed; because they are "Jam vifam Solyma edita <6 Auguflam populo urbem: "Juffam cælitus oppidis "Cuncta in fecla beati. 66 Semper te bona pax amat: "Et te femper amantibus "Cedunt omnia recte. "Semper pax tua moenia 66 "Spefque Fidefque, valete." How different is the fpirit of thefe dying fcenes from thofe of our modern Philofophers, who usually depart this life like unto the Emperor ADRIAN, or in a manner much inferior: "Animula vagula, blandula the the power of GOD unto falvation unto every one that believeth in his name. And we may fay of them what St. PAUL fays upon another occafion, Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other geffel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed. As we faid before, fo fay I now again, If any man preach any other gofpel unto you than that ye bave received, let him be accursed. Harth as thefe words may feem, they were written in all the plenitude of apoflolical authority, and apply to every cafe where the effential doctrines of the Sacred Writings are concerned. What thofe doctrines are may not be expedient for me here to fay; the Scriptures are in every one's hands, and no man need continue in ignorance of what the LORD GCD requires of him. And then, as to the precepts of the REDEEMER's religion, they are fuch as have been admired in all ages, and as no man need feel himfelf afhamed to own. The fubftance of them is: Whatfoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even fo to them: A precept fo held in admiration by one of the Roman emperors, that he had it infcribed in various public places to be feen and read of all men. This excellent laconic fentence is more expanded by our LORD himself in another place: Thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy ftrength, and with all thy mind. And thy neighbour as thyjelf: and ftill more by St. PAUL: The grace of GoD that bringeth falvation hath appeared to all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lufis, we should live feberly, righteously, and godlily in this prefent world, looking for that bleed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD, and our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto bimfelf, a peculiar people, zealous of good works. May I not then exhort you, my ferious readers, in the words of the fame Apoftle, to prefent your bodies a living facrifice, boly, acceptable unto Gon, which is your reasonable fervice? and not to be conformed to this world; but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that he may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of GOD? Endeavour to be uniformly and confcientiously, inwardly and outwardly |
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