tality, though abundantly shadowed forth, had not been fully brought to light; nor did even the disciples of our Lord himself clearly understand that the Messiah was to be a "light to lighten the Gentiles," as well as "the glory of his people Israel." The prophecies of the Old Testament had indeed largely spoken of this mystery of Divine mercy, and set forth the wisdom of God in the redemption of the world, through the obedience unto death of his coequal Son; but a veil was upon the hearts and understandings of mankind; a more clear and explicit revelation was necessary; so that He who had at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in times past by the prophets, saw fit, at length, to speak by his own Son. Compared with the fulness of this revelation, all former manifestations were feeble. It was now that the way of salvation was to be universally proclaimed; the glad tidings were to go out to all nations; and they who had long sat in darkness and the shadow of death, now for the first time beheld the meridian splendour of the Sun of Righteousness beaming upon them with healing in his wings. Why this particular time was chosen, we are not informed the mystery, it is said in our text, had been "hid in God;" and he was not constrained to open to us the secrets of his eternal wisdom. In the fulness of time, however, according to the foreordaining of his all-perfect will, his beloved Son was born into our world, and fulfilled those purposes of Divine grace which he had undertaken to accomplish. And reason enough might it be for the postponement of this purpose of mercy, that in the mean time its necessity had been the more fully proved. The guilt and impenitence of mankind had been so fully displayed, as for ever to justify, in the sight of all created beings, the righteous awards of Jehovah; and the inability of human wisdom to devise, and of human strength to execute, any plan of redemption, which should

at once honour God and rescue man, had been proved, beyond the possibility of future denial, by four thousand years of sin, misery, and spiritual ignorance. At length, all the preparations for this manifestation of Divine goodness being complete, the atonement was offered, and the message went abroad: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned."

The nature of this mystery of Divine wisdom, and the period chosen for its promulgation, having been noticed, we proceed to consider,

Thirdly, the persons to whom the disclosure was made. The Apostle says in our text, first, "all men;" the whole of our fallen race, without distinction of age, or rank, or nation. It had been partly made known within the precincts of Paradise, when, at the fall of man, the promise was given of a Deliverer who should bruise the serpent's head: it was foretold to the patriarchs of old; Abraham, especially, saw afar off the day of Christ, and was glad: and it was, as it were, visibly embodied in the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish law, and proclaimed by a long succession of inspired prophets. Still the communication was but partial. The nation of Israel had indeed the lively oracles of God, so far as then revealed; but the world at large was in darkness; so that even the most learned and enlightened nations of antiquity were not better informed respecting the character of God, the nature of the human soul, the fallen and helpless condition of mankind, and the only way of pardon and acceptance, than the most ignorant barbarian. But now the message of mercy was to be made known to the whole world; now were to be fulfilled those prophecies which foretold that the heathen should be given to Christ as his heritage, and the uttermost parts of the earth as his possession; now was the wall of partition

between Jew and Gentile broken down; now was the whole family of believers in heaven and earth named of Christ, the common Lord and Saviour of all; and now began that dispensation of Evangelical illumination and grace under which we at this moment live, and the knowledge of which is to be diffused more and more widely, till the whole world shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. All men have not yet heard, much less cordially received, the message; but the promise is made, the word has gone forth, and soon the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever, King of kings and Lord of lords.

But the Apostle does not confine the disclosure of this mystery to the human race; for he adds, that "to the principalities and powers in heavenly places" is made known, by the Gospel," the manifold wisdom of God." And how greatly does it elevate our feeble conceptions of the glory of this Divine mystery of mercy in the redemption of mankind, that the most exalted archangels in heaven desire to look into it Though having no personal concern in the sacrifice of Christ, and not themselves needing an atonement, they see in this plan of Divine mercy so bright a manifestation of the attributes of their adorable Creator, the author of all their blessedness, that they rejoice to contemplate the heights and lengths and breadths and depths of the love of God in Christ Jesus to a fallen and guilty race. Yes, never shall there cease to be a grateful choir to swell the anthem of praise "to Him who loved us, and gave himself for us;" Him"who was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his blood." For, even if the whole human race had refused to acknowledge this Divine beneficence, if not one of the sons and daughters of Adam had embraced the offered mercy, heaven would not have wanted wor

shippers, the praises of God would not have been unsung: the principalities and powers of the heavenly world, who rest not day nor night, saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, would add to their wonted anthem "a new song," as this new and brightest illustration of his power and wisdom and goodness awakened in them still higher conceptions of his all-perfect attributes. But, no: they will not be thus left alone; for, debased as is our nature by the fall, and hardened as it is by actual transgression, it will still, through the reclaiming power of God, supply a company which no man can number, to join in that heavenly chorus of love and gratitude: so that both "the voice of many angels around the throne," and that of "the spirits of the just made perfect," yea, "every creature which is in heaven and on the earth," shall be heard saying, "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever."

Thus, from the consideration of the mystery of Divine wisdom dis. closed, the time of its disclosure, and the persons to whom it is communicated, we are led,

Fourthly, to the medium through which it is made known-namely, "by the church." There had not been wanting, as we have seen, other channels of communication. The works of creation had not spoken in vain; the whole course of the providence of God, both in heaven and on earth, had not been lost upon such willing and intelligent spectators of his wisdom and goodness. But a still nobler survey was to be exhibited through the medium of the Church of Christ. There the principalities and powers of heaven might trace the mystery of the wisdom of God, unfolded in the course of successive ages; the display becoming brighter and brighter as the dawn became visible, the twilight vanished, the sun broke forth, and

the noon-tide of celestial day enlightened and cheered a perishing world. Angels had been present at each succeeding manifestation. They had heard the promise which was added to the curse pronounced at the expulsion from Paradise; for they were stationed there after the Fall, with a flaming sword to keep the way of the tree of life. They communed with the patriarchs; they attended when the Law of Moses was given, by which the mystery of redemption was more fully shadowed forth; an angel smote the first-born of Egypt, and assisted the chosen race of Israel; -an angel foretold the birth of that Deliverer, who should "save his people from their sins ;"-they were present at his advent; and assembled in a multitude on that memorable day, "praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will to men;"-they ministered to the in carnate Saviour when he was in the wilderness tempted of the devil they deserted him not in his agony in the garden of Gethsemane : when his earthly disciples slept, an angel from heaven strengthened him; they announced his resurrection; they formed a triumphant retinue at his ascension ;-they beheld the struggles of his infant church; and now they witnessed the manifold wisdom of God visibly displayed in the extension of the benefits of his atonement and the call of the Gospel to the whole world. Thus, by means of their intimate acquaintance with Church of Christ, they are acquiring more enlarged views of his love and power: they rejoice over every sinner that repenteth; they minister to his faithful servants amidst their conflicts with the world, the flesh, and the devil; they watch over their death-bed, so that though it were but Lazarus, a beggar, that died in the faith of Christ, they were ready to convey his redeemed spirit to the bosom of his Saviour, and the everlasting enjoyments of the heavenly world.

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 334.

the

ever

And do the principalities and powers above, who have no personal interest in the atonement, thus delight to contemplate, by means of it, the manifold wisdom of God; and shall we, for whom it was offered; we, sinners of the Gentiles, to whom this word of salvation is sent, neglect the offered mercy? Is it nothing to us that Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification, and promises to us the gift of his Holy Spirit to convert and sanctify our hearts? Is it nothing to us, that, notwithstanding all our offences, pardon is offered to us, if only we repent and turn to God; with whom, being justified freely by faith, we obtain peace and an interest in his promises here, and everlasting glory hereafter? Shall we slight this bountiful provision of the grace of God to supply all our wants? Shall we refuse to yield to him our hearts, and to devote to him our lives? No: He deserves, not less than he requires, our obedience; he invites us by gratitude, as much as he commands us by the obligations of his law. Be it then ours, his Holy Spirit assisting us, to understand, to feel the value of, and to embrace for our eternal welfare, this mystery of Divine wisdom, this unspeakable gift of God to man, in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all praise and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

PLAN OF CONGREGATIONAL

DISCIPLINE.

WE at first hesitated as to inserting the following paper from an anonymous correspondent, lest we should appear to approve of all the author's statements, his appointment of presbyters (elders), his exclusive use of the term " church," and some of the "regulations or articles of his "church;" but, with this general explanation, we admit the paper, for 4 I

connected with the formation of the church of which we are professed members.

2. A confession of manifest adoption into the grace of God, through the special influence of the Holy Ghost.

3. Profession of attachment to the services of the Established Church.

4, 5, 6. Statements of faith in the prominent doctrines of Scripture-namely, the fall, personal election, justification, effect of grace upon the conduct, final perseverance, &c. &c.

7. A declaration of approval in the choice of and appointment of elders.

8. An avowal of purpose to attend the public and social means of grace. 9. A description of the mode of admission of members ;-first, by introduction to myself as minister; next, by conversation with the elders ; and lastly, by the unanimous consent of the church.

10. A reference to the statement to be given vivâ você by the members, after admission into the church, concerning the dispensations of the providence of God in their conversion.

11. An explicit statement of the manner in which erroneous conduct is to be detected, reproved, and prevented; first, by private admonition; which if ineffectual, then by reproof from one or two elders; and if that be unavailing, by the censure of the church. In cases where reformation cannot be effected, eject ment takes place.

12. An assent to the payment of one penny per week for the expenses of the rent of the room, &c. where the meetings are held, and for the relief of the sick and infirm members.

13, 14, 15. Resolutions in reference to the admission of strangers to the church meetings; concerning alterations or addition of rules; and the requisition of the signature of each member upon admission into the church.

Immediately following these re

solutions are the entries of members in regular succession, in the manner following. There are ten columns, headed thus: Number; Name; Date of signature; Residence; Occupation; Married or not, and what family; When, where, and how brought to a knowledge of the truth; Date of admission; Date of separation; Cause of separation.

Some of your clerical friends, upon perusing the above mode of congational or church discipline, might be ready to say, And is the execution of such a plan beneficial? I can answer, that, having had practical proof of its utility for nearly ten years, both my people and myself have enjoyed the advantages arising therefrom to our mutual edification. And I would ask, what recognition of Christian character, what church discipline, can be established and maintained without some such system as this? I am aware others would reply, Where is your authority for such a proceeding as this? My answer is, The word of God. The plan does not at all interfere with the labours of any other Christian brother in the ministry. If there were ten or twenty other Christian ministers of our Establishment, and each of them were to divide the town in which I reside into as many districts as the number of their serious people would require, it would make no interference whatever with our regulations and the plan upon which we act might be adopted in any town whatever, whether that town be divided into distinct parishes or not; and a country parish affords. equally as fair a spot for the prosecution of such a plan of congregational discipline. I would observe, that I do not restrict the administration of the Sacrament to those only who belong to our private association of church fellowship; because I have several serious people in my congregation who are too diffident, and are afraid to stand the test of their hope in the Lord by conforming to our regulations. To