on the Cross ! revealed to you,

The way of escape was and with trembling steps

you hastened to follow it.

Thus of free

and by free

grace were you rescued; grace are you saved. "Light after light, well used you shall attain, and to the end persisting safe arrive.”

But, my friend, what do you owe your great Deliverer? Surely the language of thanksgiving and praise, of rejoicing and confidence, not of mournful complaint, or distrustful despondency. Your heart should especially feel the appeal of "Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good; and his mercy endureth for ever." "Serve the Lord with gladness. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

But this you will never be able to do

consistently and abidingly, until you receive the "glad tidings" of the gospel of peace, as they were sent from heaven in all their freeness, and fulness of present peace, and present acceptance. It is this which gives a life, a power, a delight, to all the services of religion, in public and private. What before was felt to be a duty, is now considered a privilege; what was wearisome, is now enlivening; what before was a burden, and a fresh cause for despondency, from the sluggishness of the spirit, is now a source of real enjoyment, and a fresh spring of hope and comfort. And must not that be the right view which produces such effects?

But we are not left to conjecture on this point; our Lord prays that his disciples may be "sanctified through the truth." It is the reception of the whole truth which is to produce this heavenly influence upon the affections. And he also tells us, that

when we know the truth," the truth shall make us free." The heart is melted and purified by the belief of this glorious and comforting truth, that for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ we are entirely forgiven, that God is at peace with us,has accepted us,-is preparing for us a place in his presence above, and will safely bring us to the land of rest and glory. It is this which sets it free from those chains which bind it to earth, and which before seemed indissoluble.

Thus the Lord, when speaking of the nearness of his great salvation, and of his perfect righteousness, adds, "Blessed is the son of man that layeth hold on it." And immediately after, when sending a message of especial mercy, he thus distinguishes those who were to appropriate it-" That keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant." And as if this were not

enough, one of the most encouraging and comforting promises follows: "Also every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant, will I bring to my holy mountain, and make joyful in my house of prayer." St. Paul also tells the Hebrews that those who have fled for refuge to Jesus, have "laid hold upon the hope set before them." And he thus exhorts Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." And the prophet Isaiah thus laments the deplorable state of his people, "There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee."

These words exactly describe the actings of faith, when contrary to all the whispers of suspicious guilt, it stretches out a trembling hand to lay hold of the promises of grace; and it was the entire

absence of this which the prophet so touchingly deplores.

Thus you see, my dear friend, to appropriate to ourselves the blessings of the the gospel of Christ, is not only a privilege, it is a positive duty, and a Divine command which we are bound to obey. It is, as I observed before, a most holy doctrine. For what is it to be at peace with God, and in a state of acceptance? It is to be united to Christ. And what is it to be united to Christ? It is to have his Spirit within us. And what is his Spirit, but his eye! Oh, solemn thought to have the eye of the Most Holy within our hearts; continually abiding with us, and intently watching every thought as it arises, every feeling as it swells! Thus when the Lord Jesus Christ is described by the Holy Spirit as a foundation stone, it is a stone

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