only so many conjunctures divinely appointed for the profitable exercise or honorable manifestation of those gracious attributes with which the Gospel will enrich and beautify its disciples.

It is meet and right, and our bounden duty, to welcome such views of the Gospel, and to stir up our spirits to the exercise of such a faith. It is the high privilege of every good man to go forth under the inspiring and assured conviction that all things work together for his good; that light afflictions here will certainly add to the exceeding weight of eternal glory; and that, if he is led on by an invisible hand through the deepest waters and the hottest fires, it only betokens a more splendid triumph and a higher destiny, and should admonish him to lift up from depths that have come over his soul a louder cry unto God, and to urge through the thick clouds beyond which the divine presence dwells concealed the acclamation of a braver faith, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."

Here I could wish that I had a moment to contrast with the divine system which I have so imperfectly developedthe system which regards all physical and social good and evil as instrumental in the production of great moral results with that mere worldly philosophy which esteems these only as the accidents and anomalies attendant on what is called human progress—a theory which can give no better account of the revolutions and sufferings of the race in all past time than that they have developed great principles in government and art, and the economy of life; and that they tend to a consummation already visible in the dim future, in which the masses shall be well fed, taught, and governed-in which China shall enjoy trial by jury, and Russia universal suffrage. How worthy of a wise, merciful God is the former view, making all things promotive of holiness and happiness! How heartless and worldly the last, which accounts of imnortal men and of past generations as of the rank vegeta

tion that grows and decays to fatten the soil for a better crop !

The Gospel also satisfies the anxious inquiries of the soul with regard to its moral obligations, relations, and tendencies. It answers the momentous question, What does God demand of us? Its announcements on these points are, indeed, sufficiently repulsive and appalling. As to all moral interests, it declares that we are hopelessly ruined. The Almighty is our enemy-we are his enemies. We are without strength or power to relieve us and the curse-the wrath of God abides upon us. Repentance can not atone for the past, or insure acceptance for the future. No efforts of any sort can bring us upon a better footing. So radical is the moral defection, that, do what we will, we can not obey or love--we can not even desire to do so; so that the alienation from God, and banishment from all holy associations, and all elevating, spiritual pursuits and enjoyments, result no less from our own dispositions and tendencies than from the divine justice. Such announcements from the "God over all" are truly calculated to “trouble the heart;" but when danger is real and imminent, any thing is better than false security -than to sleep on the brink of ruin. The soul would know the worst of its prospect. Effort, even when vain, ministers a temporary solace, and the human mind would rather look its fearful destiny in the face, and even make a covenant with hell, than be surprised into it.

Surely no homily upon sin and the sinner's doom was ever half so appalling and effective as a silent contemplation of the great catastrophe upon the cross. We see God's abhorrence of sin-what an odious, terrible element it is in his moral system. The dignity, the suffering, the condescension of the holy victim-what do they teach but God's utter abhorrence of our moral character? his irreconcilable opposition to man in his present false position? The agony of the Garden is a more fearful manifestation of this than the dam

nation of the entire race, of which it is a kind of epitome. How deep the stain, how desperate the malady which called for such an interference! I think this view of sin, if fairly entertained, would be strictly intolerable-overwhelming to the human soul. We need preach no more about the atrocity and danger of sin, could we induce men to look upon the exhibition of its consequences as seen upon the cross.

This

The cross teaches another lesson. It "troubles" the heart by a fearful manifestation of God's hatred of sin, but it inspires hope by the provision which it makes for the sinner. Why this sacrifice? It had been easy to apply a cheaper remedy, to destroy, to cut off the tainted race of men. costlier plan speaks of God's compassion for the sinner. He hates sin, but will save the transgressor. It is not wrath, wholly or chiefly, that is manifested. No. "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This shows his disposition toward the sinner. He will make smaller, having made the great sacrifice. He will withhold no needful help, now that the mighty design has been so seriously entered upon. Christ, too, was voluntary in the sacrifice, not compelled. He contemplated the burden he was about to assume. He would have turned the cup away, but not if he must drink it. Let this cup pass," he said, when the agony, the mocking, the cruel injustice of Pilate's tribunal, the contradiction of sinners, the contempt of the people, the final pang were full and near before him. be possible, let this cup pass," but not if it be thy will-not if the condition be imperative-not if the great plan will thus be frustrated; for, for this end came I into the world.

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"If it

This is the grand central position of the Gospel-is the Gospel itself. He who believes in the crucified Savior believes the Gospel-hath eternal life. This is the true point of view whence it must be contemplated, or all is vain, the source of saving light-of all consolation to troubled hearts.

We stand by the cross of Christ and cry, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." This is our message, our argument, our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our encouragement for the sorrowing, the rich hope of the believer. When we can induce a man to fix his gaze upon the cross, our work is done. He is there taught of God. We step aside, and only beseech him to keep his gaze directed to the Lamb. There he will learn all. He will hate the sins that wounded his Lord. He will believe in all the word of God, which is so gloriously and wonderfully fulfilled. His doubts will vanish in the clear light of such a demonstration. No heart can withstand the affecting vision. The sinner sees Jesus as he is all compassionate, amiable, divine. He will be speedily transformed by gazing upon the exhibition. Gratitude, heavenly love, blessed confidence steal into his soul, as it waits in rapt and adoring contemplation of him "who first loved us." None can bear away from such a presence a lingering doubt, a troubled heart," an unbelieving fear. None but a stupid, hardened sinner can endure the sight unmoved; and even he he has not seen Christ, his eyes are held, he is blind; yea, if our Gospel be hidden from him he is lost, and the god of this world has indeed blinded his eyes.

I linger here, because I feel that this view of Christ involves not only very important but all-essential truth-nothing more is wanting to the soul's comfort or salvation. I must yet speak briefly of other blessed adaptations of the Christian system.

I will refer to the kind and degree of evidence which attends and attests true interior religion-not historical and external evidence, which, however clear and valuable, presents a demand for erudition and study, and a large intellectual grasp, and is, so far, less adapted to the common mind; but internal, experimental evidence, which is liable neither to doubts nor cavilings. Nothing short of certainty can satisfy or ought to satisfy a soul whose eternity is the question in de

bate. It is madness to be quiet and satisfied so long as we are in doubt whether we are the friends or the enemies of God. The soul can not, must not rest in suspense. The heart is troubled-tortured by suspense. Nice deductions, conclusions arrived at by ingenious concatenated trains of argument, may do in the forum or in a show of dialectics, but bring no comfort to a soul that has roused itself to the inquiry, Am I God's friend or foe? Now the great proofs on which the Gospel relies are demonstrations made to the moral perceptions of man, and are quite independent of logic and metaphysics. Even the preliminary evidences and influences of the Gospel are of this sort. The true light shines into all hearts directly from God. The Spirit operates divinely upon all, and all have a witness within that responds to the Gospel message. We rely exclusively on this voice of God within when we press religious truth on sinners. We know they believe, for God insures it.

Still less is the reality of reconciliation with God and justification by faith left to doubtful inferences. The Spirit of God bears witness within to the great moral revolution; and who could endure to rest in such a matter on lower testimony? who could cease from the troubles of his smitten heart? who could rejoice evermore? who could exult in Christ his Savior? who glory in heavenly prospects, so long as doubt hovered over his mind? It were absolute madness. The spirit of a man can not rest till the day-star arise in the heart— till Christ be formed within, the hope of glory-till the filial cry of Abba, Father, comes up spontaneously from the depths within. And this is just the evidence which the Gospel offers; and they who rest short of it enter but slightly into its true genius, and but poorly avail themselves of its provisions.

This evidence, so indispensable to our peace at the outset, is seconded, confirmed, and almost forgotten in the progress of experience, in that of love, which becomes the engrossing principle in a state of mature piety. The tendency of spirit