odious nature and horrid criminality of moral evil, and the deep depravity of the human heart, that nothing less than the death of the son of God could save him, from his guilty condition, and rescue him from the penalty due to his crimes; and that nothing short of the agency of God's holy spirit could sanctify him and fit him for heaven? If man cordially accedes to this soul humbling view of human guilt and depravity, from a conviction of its truth, it will bring him to a throne of mercy to obtain the remission of his past sins and the sanctification of his nature, for both are included in the redemption by Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul dwells largely, in his Epistle to the Romans, on this plan of salvation, through faith in the son of God. In the third chapter, he gives a soul sickning view of human depravity and guilt.

In the same chapter he tells us that a propitiation had been made by Jesus Christ; so that he who believes in Jesus is pardoned and stands justified from the guilt of his past sins. In the commencement of the fifth chapter he gives us the consequence of this salvation by faith "therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access, by faith, into this grace, wherein we stand."

Here the apostle shows plainly that this gracious state of pardon and acceptance, though it was the free and unmerited bounty of heaven, extended to mankind through the death of Jesus, it was suspended on faith, as a condition.

A further consequence of this faith he gives us by showing its effect on the sinner's moral condition; he is put in possession of a "hope that maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, that is given unto us."

In the sixth chapter, he gives a further account of this salvation. After adverting to the depravity in which they had been involved, he, in the 22d verse, says, "but now

being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

I now observe, in conclusion, that if the bible teaches any other plan of saving sinners than that which has been noticed above, I have overlooked it. If there is not, then unless men believe in Christ, the spiritual light and life of men, and are saved from sin by the influence of this light and life, they must remain unsaved.

ESSAY I.

The Nature of God's Moral Government Considered.

"Therefore, hearken unto me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and the Almighty that he should commit iniquity; for, the work of a man will he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways; for he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God."-Book of Job, Chap. 34, verses 10, 11, 23, "Hearken unto me ye men of understanding."

In commenting on this passage we observe, by way of introduction, that the first clause in our text is a direct appeal to man's judging faculties.

It is very obvious to the reflecting mind that man stands pre-eminently conspicuous in the creation, as the subject of very special endowments. He was originally made a partaker of the divine nature, created in the image of God, part of which consisted in the liberty of choice, the power of determining his own actions, with an understanding capable of investigating the principles of God's moral government. Hence the propriety of the above appeal, in our text. The excellency of the divine character and the impartial administration of his government, over and towards his creature man, is a subject most worthy of our attention, and cannot be too fully understood. God's moral nature is the fountain of moral happiness, and the better we understand that nature the more fully we are qualified to appreciate its entire superiority over every other source of enjoyment.

"This is life eternal," says the Redeemer, "to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John chapter xvii, 3.

From all these considerations it is obviously both our duty and interest to give the subject a full and entire investigation: -first, our duty, because we owe all possible service to our

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Maker's government: hence, to be able to render such service we must be well acquainted with the principles of that government; otherwise we cannot know the service that is required of us, and consequently will be unable to render it: 2dly, our interest-for, if eternal happiness results from the knowledge of God, we must know God, in order to be happy; and if that knowledge is dependent upon the exercise of our thinking powers, our eternal interest must depend upon the improvement of our understanding.

The second clause in our text asserts the excellence of God's moral character: "Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity."

This shows that all God's actions are at the utmost distance from sin, and like the streams that issue from a fountain, are exactly of the same nature. God is the great fountain of moral excellence, the entire streams from which flow pure and uncontaminated with the smallest degree of imperfection.Hence the equity of the divine procedure, as expressed in the third clause of our text: "For the work of a man will he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways; for he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God."

No language can be more expressive than this of man's free agency and accountability to the moral government of his Maker, nor set forth in plainer terms the equity and impartiality of the divine administration. Here it is unequivocally asserted that God will render to every man according to his ways. If man is not a free agent, capable of fulfilling the divine requirements, there is neither equity nor justice in the infliction of penalties, nor could there be any wisdom in granting rewards. Nothing can be more inconsistent than to suppose that infinite wisdom and goodness could enjoin impossible conditions on any of Adam's children, and then punish them for non-performance. This would be to lay upon man more than right, and afford him incontrovertible ground to "enter into judgment with his Maker."

Shinn's Essay on the Plan of Salvation gives the following view of God's moral government:

"If we would understand the scheme of redemption correctly, it is necessary for us to trace the economy of providence and the principles of moral government to their eternal fountain. Reason and revelation teach us something of the moral nature of God. This nature is the proper foundation of all just conclusions in divinity, and unless we bring our views of redemption to this criterion our inferences are all drawn in the dark. We will, therefore, as the foundation of our present superstructure, lay down the following positions, which will, we presume, be admitted without hesitation, and, I trust, supported by correct and conclusive evidence. f

"First: the Almighty Ruler of the heavens and the earth, being glorious in holiness and perfect in goodness, enjoys unceasing and infinite felicity:

"Secondly: this complete and perfect happiness is not derived from any thing foreign from himself; but results from the harmony and perfections of his eternal attributes.

Third: He is perfectly free and voluntary in all his actions, because he is omnipotent and cannot be controlled by any other power or authority. To deny his free agency is to ascribe our being and happiness to necessity; seeing, if God be not a free agent, our being and happiness depended not upon his liberty of option, and could not be otherwise than they are.

"Fourth: there is no immoral principle in his nature, and no error or mistake can ever enter into his infinite min1. He is the same, yesterday, to-day, and forever: therefore he never has done nor ever will do any thing but what is eternally just, right, and kind.

"Fifth: this great and immortal Being, from the pure benevolence of his nature, was influenced to create various orders of intelligent and moral creatures, that they might behold his glory and participate in his felicity.

"Sixth: to this end, it was necessary for them to possess understanding, liberty, and moral goodness; for if the happiness