ing, therefore, these fatal delusions respecting God, themselves, and the way of salvation, it can excite no surprise to find that they dislike faithful, evangelical preaching; that they are disgusted with the humbling truths of the Gospel, and repel every attempt to induce them to read a religious book. Thus they go on in a course of sin and unbelief, regardless of the consequences, both as they respect the present and the future.

Again: The readers of such works have their prejudices confirmed against the strict requirements of the divine law.

They have been accustomed to judge of practical religion from the theories and examples presented to them in the books they read. The natural dislike of the heart to the spirituality of the divine law, and to the practice of godliness, has been strengthened by the contempt they have seen exhibited for a strict, that is, a proper attention to the will of God. This sneering against spirituality and holiness of mind is employed against those who conscientiously obey the divine commands. They are taught to view such persons as hypocrites, adopting an appearance of sanctity to gain a name or influence with a certain party; or if they are sincere in their professions, they are considered as persons of weak minds, kept in leading-strings by the influence of their religious teachers. Such a strict attention to moral and religious duties is pronounced incompatible with the enjoyments of the present life; and as they are convinced that the Divine Being wishes his creatures to enjoy themselves in this world, it cannot be what He requires. Taking this for granted, (for they will not reason or think upon the subject,) they view as their enemies the friends of truth and righteousness. The example that they are taught, and inclined to imitate,

is altogether worldly. The model proposed to them is that of the man who can engage with pleasure in the follies and amusements of the world, neglect many of the divine commands even outwardly; who can cherish a spirit of ambition, and an utter dislike to every thing like personal religion; but who is generous, and brave, and honourable, showing a respect for the religion of his country by going occasionally to church, and who keeps, as far as possible, from any thing like the enthusiasm of the day. This man is called a Christian. If this, then, is the perfection of character of a worldly or fashionable Christian, we might expect that many will satisfy themselves, though they come far short of even this standard of imaginary excellence. In the mean time, the ear is shut against the requirements of the law of God, which we supposed to belong to other ages, and to other people. When these readers of modern works are compelled, from circumstances, to witness the exemplary conduct of Christians, instead of producing conviction or assimilation, it repels them, and confirms their prejudice against religion itself. They cannot breathe in the pure atmosphere which surrounds the pious man. They seek an element more gross, and they find it around those who are "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God," and in the productions of clever but irreligious men.

This latter circumstance no

doubt prevents many persons from being beneficially influenced by the example of Christians. They find much to encourage their depraved taste and their pride of heart in modern works: they see the leading writers of the day arrayed on their side; men of learning, talent, and taste; and they conclude that they must be right. They come to this conclusion more readily, because they perceive that

the chief promoters of a very opposite system, the strict, ascetic, and gloomy religion of fanatics, as they call it, are professional men, and have therefore an interest in supporting the influence of the priesthood, which they imagine is chiefly founded on fear.

Much might be said, respecting the guilt of those writers, who, professedly writing for the amusement of the public, can embrace every opportunity of inculcating error, and of strengthening prejudice against pure and undefiled religion. This must ultimately affect the conduct, as well as the opinions, of a numerous class of readers. The defective and worldly system that is recommended, not only renders them unfit to read a serious address, founded on Christian principles; but it makes them more unwilling to give credence to the plain and authoritative statements of the Divine word. Human passions are indulged, at the expense of moral principle. The process becomes easy, from practical deism to the adoption of deistical sentiments. There is a strong desire to believe that Christianity is not true, because they are aware that it interferes with their love of sin. That such effects have been produced, we know that these, in many cases, have resulted from such writings, we greatly fear.

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against the evils which have been considered. At the same time, he confesses his inability to mention any plan which is likely to stop this current of erroneous sentiment, in a channel which should contain only the clear and refreshing waters of purity and truth. A mighty revolution must take place in the public mind. It seems necessary that the Spirit of God should exert his divine influence so widely, that the moral, as well as the mental, aspects of society, must be amazingly changed. He may, however, be allowed to suppose, that instrumentally it will be by means of the same mighty engine, the press

which is now circulating through the breadth and length of the land much that is hurtful, that the injury will be remedied. We may also hope that in distant countries, where our Missionaries have commenced their glorious work of evangelization, the progress of divine truth will be great, and the principles of true religion deeply seated in the minds of the mass of the people, before the worst parts of our literature can reach them. In the natural course of events, our literary works will reach them; but we trust that what is injurious will be withdrawn; or that the works will be rejected, by the influence of that high tone of moral feeling which, to our shame be it spoken, will be stronger in newly christianized countries than in our own. This desirable result, however, may be viewed as closely connected with the state of religion in our own country. For it is from this land chiefly, that all that is fitted to adorn and dignify society, will emanate to distant regions, as well as that which we are now endeavouring to communicate-"the knowledge of the true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent."

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE HUMILIATION OF JESUS CHRIST.

ENLIGHTENED Christians believe the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ, not merely because they conceive that, in many passages of Sacred Writ, they are expressly taught it; but also because the doctrine is interwoven throughout the whole of the inspired volume. Rejecting this doctrine, the entire religious system of the Bible falls to decay; but receiving it, the whole retains not only its usefulness, but also its beauty and coherence. To him who rejects the doctrine of our Lord's divinity, the scriptural representations of the humiliation of Jesus Christ must lose much of their force and utility; but to him who receives that doctrine, these representations are full of beauty and instruction.

Jesus Christ humbled himself in becoming subject to all the innocent infirmities of our nature. He was "found in fashion as a man." Hunger is an innocent infirmity of our nature; and Jesus wasan hungered," after his long abstinence in the wilderness. Thirst is an innocent infirmity of man; and Christ was athirst upon the cross. Weariness is an innocent infirmity; and our Lord was wearied when he sat on Jacob's well. Sorrow, though in fallen men a result of sin, is in itself an innocent infirmity; and the Son of God became" a man of sorrows."

The consideration that Jesus Christ was subjected to the innocent infirmities of our nature has a powerful effect in reconciling

good men to the endurance of suffering. Is it the lot of the Christian to sustain poverty and want? he remembers, "the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man had not where to lay his head." Is it his lot to endure pain? he remembers the extremity of pain which his great Master sustained, when nailed on his cross. Is it his lot to meet with contempt and reproach, and especially to bear them for consciencesake? he remembers that Jesus Christ was reviled,-now, as a magician, as one that "cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils;" and then, O'disgrace to human nature, that such a reproach should ever have been uttered, he was reviled as a hypocrite, who concealed his excesses under the garb of sanctity, "Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." Is it his lot to be treated with coldness by professed friends? he remembers that at the period of his Lord's bitterest distress, "all the disciples forsook him, and fled."

Jesus Christ humbled himself by submitting to die. This is represented in the Scriptures as a greater act of humiliation in our Lord, than his merely becoming subject to the ordinary innocent infirmities of our nature; "being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself;" he humbled himself still further, "and became obedient unto death." The life of our Lord was a life of humiliation, and especially a life of humiliation for Him. And yet his life was attended by many circumstances of glory. Which of the prophets had appeared in such attributes of grandeur as those, which Jesus Christ occasionally assumed? Now he calms the raging sea with his word; and then he multiplies a few loaves and fishes into an ample provision for

an

immense multitude. Now, with a sovereign word, he cures the most inveterate diseases; and then he raises the dead to life. Deeds like these shed a glory around that life which was so eminently a life of suffering. But

how extreme a humiliation was it for Jesus Christ to die. Death had never visited the happy regions from which he came and not only was death a stranger there, but he was the Lord of life. "For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him." He had appeared first as the Creator of angels; and then he appeared as the Creator of men. Mysterious scene, when this glorious person assumed a human form; but it was a scene far more mysterious, when on that form was imprinted the image of death; when for a season death was allowed to assert a sovereignty over the Lord of life.

In thus submitting to the humiliation of death, Jesus Christ performed an act of obedience to the Father. It is said of our Lord, that he" became obedient unto death." He obeyed God his Father until death, and especially he obeyed him by dying. There is a delightful union betwixt the Father and the Son, with regard to human redemption. Redemption on the part of the Son of God is voluntary. He could say, no man taketh my life from me;" no man against his will took his life from him. His delights were with the sons of men," and therefore he gave himself up to the bitterest sufferings for a time, that they who repent and believe, might, consistently with the nature and government of God, escape suffering throughout eternity. And yet, though redemption is volun

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tary on the part of the Son of God, his undertaking and completing the work was according to the command of the Father. "This commandment," said our Lord, when referring to his death and resurrection, "have I received of my Father." And how instructive and delightful is the fact, that the obedience of Jesus Christ in these respects is represented as calling forth the love of the Father to the Son; "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again."

How safe, then, is the foundation which is laid for the hopes of the returning sinner! If he is renouncing his own righteousness; if he is seeking to be invested with the righteousness of Jesus Christ; if he is groaning under the burden of his sins; if, under the agency of the Holy Spirit, he is seeking a temper and a life of Christian purity; he does not dishonour the divine faithfulness by indulging in doubts. The religion of the Gospel is a religion of certainty, and therefore whatever fears the professed Christian may entertain of himself, and most just and salutary are such fears, he ought to be sure that he entertains no doubts as to the security of the foundation which God has laid for the hopes and happiness of guilty men.

But Jesus humbled himself still further, in submitting to that particular mode of death by which he was released from his sufferings. Death would have been a strange mysterious humiliation to our Lord, had he met with it in an ordinary, or in what is, according to human apprehensions, an honourable form. Had he died in a chamber of comfort; had the affectionate friends, who administered to his necessities in life, been permitted to do what they could, to smooth the rugged passage to the grave; had his countrymen been sensible, that in him,

they had lost their best friend, and had they borne him with distinguished honours to the tomb, death to Him would have been a degradation, which no mind could have conceived, no tongue could have expressed; but it was not sufficient humiliation for him to die; he must endure the death of the cross. Nor is the providence of God, in restraining the enemies of Jesus Christ from other modes of putting him to death undeserving of notice. The Jews wished to put our Lord to death, by stoning him, and by "casting him down headlong from the brow of the hill;" but their attempts were not allowed to succeed. It was needful for him to "be lifted up from the earth, that he might draw all men unto him."

The death of the cross was an accursed death. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Gal. iii. 13.) The passage is quoted from Deut. xxi. 23: "He that is hanged" (on a tree, ver. 22.)" is accursed of God." The infliction of death by nailing the condemned person to a cross was not a Jewish but a Roman punishment.* Hence the reference of the passage cited from the book of Deuteronomy is to the Jewish practice of hanging a malefactor on a tree after he had been put to death by stoning: and this being done only in the case of enormous offenders, as

Had the Jews, in the time of our

Lord, possessed the power of the sword, they would in all probability have stoned him as a blasphemer; but not having this power, they say nothing of his alleged blasphemy when they brought him before Pilate; this was a crime of which he would not have taken cognizance: but "they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying, that he himself is Christ a king." On this charge our Lord was condemned,

and received the Roman punishment of

crucifixion.

N. S. No. 28.

In

idolaters and blasphemers, they were regarded as accursed. like manner, among the Romans, the punishment of the cross, being in general inflicted on the refuse of society only, was considered as peculiarly infamous. Hence the reproach of the cross, so frequently referred to in the New Testament. The Jewish scribe and the Gentile philosopher united in considering it as the extreme of fatuity and degradation to adhere to a religion of which the author died on a cross.

It is evident that the death of the cross was, according to the conceptions of both Jews and Gentiles, an accursed death; and Jesus Christ, though perfectly innocent, was made a curse for us. He bore the curse of the law instead of the believing sinner, who otherwise must have borne it for ever. Here, then, was the lowest point of our Lord's voluntary degradation; in dying he was the type of the sinner, all covered with the loathsome defilement of sin, and on account of that defilement bearing the curse. Our Lord had a different standard of elevation and of degradation from what is natural to us. In his mind, and in the minds of the holy angels who viewed his mysterious sufferings, a seeming unlikeness to God must have been a circumstance of far greater humiliation than the reproach, the stripes, the purple robe, the crown of thorns, or any other of the indignities which the Saviour underwent; it was his lowest degradation, that in dying he was the type of the defiled and accursed sinner.

The fact that Jesus Christ submitted to the accursed death of the cross, teaches the impenitent sinner how awful a curse rests upon him, and especially it teaches him how awful a curse, if he remains impenitent, will rest upon him throughout eternity. The reflection suggested to the impeni

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