mixed with the most bitter ingredients, which the Father put into his hand. As he came to do his will, so he did it perfectly; and, as became him, "fulfilled all righteousness. His death was not of debt, or what he was compelled to undergo, but entirely free and voluntary. It was more than could have been required at his hand antecedently to those engagements relating to our salvation, into which he entered with his Father. He obeyed the law, and suffered its penalty in his own strength, and of himself was in every respect competent to accomplish the work he undertook. "He laid down his life," and no man" by irresistible violence "took it from him: he had power to lay it down, and to take it up again." There was an exact proportion between his unparalleled sufferings, and the invaluable reward they obtained. With his own precious blood he procured salvation for us. St. Peter says, "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ." Thus Milton introduces God speaking to the Messiah, on the subject of Adam's sin, and his own merit :

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"His crimes make guilty all his sons; thy merit
Imputed shall absolve them, who renounce
Their own, both righteous and unrighteous, deeds;
And live in thee transplanted, and from thee
Receive new life."

Therefore, on these different accounts, his obedience and death were meritorious.

We may further observe, concerning Christ as the foundation of the church, it is said that he is a chosen As corner-stones, on which the weight of the whole building rests, are usually chosen with much care

stone.

by the chief architect; so Christ is a stone chosen and approved by the Supreme Being. "A living stone, disallowed of men, but chosen of God." And infinite wisdom always makes the best choice. Jesus is chosen by God the Father as having every requisite qualification to mediate between God and man, satisfy divine justice in all its claims, and effect eternal redemption for sinners. Was he disallowed by the Jewish rulers? It was because their state of mind could not relish his character, the purity of his doctrine, and his pointed manner of applying his word; therefore "they would not come to him that they might have life." They looked for a secular deliverer, a pompous Messiah; evidently preferring temporal to spiritual and heavenly things; and for this reason they stumbled and fell on him, and were broken. He was to them "a stone of stumbling, and rock of offence, because they were disobedient."

He is a tried stone. Christ is a foundation that has long been tried by men; and has always been found a sufficient support. Abraham, the father of the faithful, good old Jacob, pious Job, and David, the man after God's own heart, as well as many others under the Old Testament dispensation, had large experience of the Redeemer's ability, care and faithfulness; in all their trials and sufferings they always found him near to help them. And he has been the same to those who have trusted in him in all ages, none of them being confounded. Many, in circumstances of great suffering, have been much comforted with his gracious presence; and have left the world, bearing their dying testimony to his goodness, faithfulness to his promises, and that in all their temptations and difficulties he had never forsaken them.

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He is a precious stone. Jesus is possessed of all excellencies both of the human nature, and of the infinite perfections of the Godhead. A man who relinquishes all he has, in order to gain this pearl of great price, makes a most wise bargain, and shall be for ever possessed of unsearchable riches. Every thing is valuable according to the relation it bears to Christ. As all excellencies are united in himself, so he is dear to God, to holy angels, and to real Christians. He is dear to his Father, as one brought up with him, and always his delight. Angels pay him religious reverence, and perform cheerful obedience to all his commands. He is the joy of the sons of men, but especially to all "them that believe." It is true, that there were some in the days of his flesh who saw no form nor comeliness in him; but they despised, rejected, and were offended at him: while others perceived. him to be fairer than the sons of men, having "all grace in his lips," and being "altogether lovely."

He is a sure foundation. Christ is a strong rock, the rock of ages; that rock on which he said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

"Temples may fall, with sects and states,

But Truth's imperishable gates

Resist each hostile shock!

The Church of CHRIST can never fall;,

Strong stands her heaven-protected wall;
'Tis built upon a rock."

Ever since God made known to Adam, in the first promise, his gracious purpose of building his Church on this foundation, the combined energies of hell have been employed and directed to overturn it: but all the rage

and malice of evil spirits have hitherto been in vain. The sacred structure yet stands, and shall continue to do so, through all the ages of time, and to eternity. For this foundation is laid in the wisdom of God, too deep for these enemies to undermine, and too strongly built for them to destroy. He who is the foundation of our hope is the Mighty God, the Father of the everlasting age; the government of the church and the world is on his shoulders, and he will uphold in safety all those who build their salvation on him. He will defend them against all the rage and hostile attacks of every malicious foe, support their faith and hope in the hour of death, and bear them triumphant to the heavenly world.

And though St. Paul says, "Other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Jesus Christ;" yet men have been in all ages for laying other foundations than that laid by infinite wisdom and goodness in Zion, the church of the living God. He has laid no other: all that are saved of the human race must be saved by Christ. There is salvation in no other; "for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Christ was laid as the foundation of our salvation in that early gospel promise made to our first parents, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." And all good men before his advent, were saved through faith in him: all true believers among Christians are built on him: if there are any saved among the heathen, it must be through his mediation; and yet foolish and presumptuous men pretend to lay another foundation, of which we have several instances.

THE JEWS.-They were first favoured with the gospel. The blessed Redeemer commanded his disciples, saying, "That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at

Jerusalem." They were told that Jesus was the Son of God, the promised, the expected Messiah, by whom they were to be saved, and that he was the head cornerstone, which was by them and their rulers despised and set at nought. But they refused to comply with this method of salvation; would not own the humble, meek, and suffering Saviour. The apostle describes them thus: "They being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God." And to this day these unhappy people tread in the steps of their unbelieving forefathers, reject the gospel as a fable, vilify the blessed Author of it as an impostor, look for a great deliverer yet to come, endeavour to work out a righteousness for themselves, and build their hopes of happiness on their birth, privileges, and a strict observance of those legal ceremonies, which once were commanded, but have been long since antiquated.

THE MAHOMEDANS.-They have the gospel revelation among them, and believe it to be a true history. They esteem our blessed Lord a great Prophet, superior to Moses, one who wrought many miracles, and preached excellent doctrine, for reforming the manners of the age in which he lived. But after all this, they will not admit him to be the only Saviour, the only foundation of man's everlasting happiness. They deny that he died on the cross, say that a phantom was crucified while he ascended into heaven, and consequently set aside his being a propitiatory sacrifice for sin. They prefer a base impostor before him, as being much higher in the favour of God; and account the Koran a much surer guide to heaven than the Scriptures, and on that they build their hopes of eternal happiness.