been almost altogether negative. And these have been illustrative in their own place, and to a certain extent, of the fulness of that salvation which the divine mercy has wrought out for sinners. But if we rest satisfied with these, and do not go forward to the consideration of the positive blessings with which they stand connected, or to which they are essential preliminaries in the economy of the gospel, we shall have a most defective idea of the plenteousness of the Christian redemption. We must take into consideration all those absolute benefits, to which the mere deliverances we have been speaking of are only preparatory, that we may see from their nature, their certainty, and their permanency, whether as bestowed on this world or to be enjoyed in the next, what a ground of hope is afforded by the great truth that "with the Lord is plenteous redemption."

For example, this redemption implies our deliverance from the wrath of God and the pains of hell. And every one who understands these terms, and is alive to any considerable portion of their import, must be aware that it is încalculably important to escape from the evils which they describe. But how is the importance of this enhanced, and how rich and precious must that scheme of mercy which makes such a discovery be esteemed, when we recollect that deliverance from the wrath of God is accompanied with re

storation to his favour, and that deliverance from the pains of hell brings along with it a new title to the blessedness of heaven-that while rescued from the heaviest calamities which can lie upon the fate of human beings, we are also put in possession of the most exalted benefits that can be enjoyed by them, either in time or in eternity!

This redemption implies deliverance from the reigning power of sin; and doubtless it is of unspeakable consequence that sin should no more have dominion over us and keep us as its slaves; but see what additional worth is imparted to that emancipation from spiritual bondage, by the relative blessing of being invested with "the liberty of the sons of God"-of being " made partakers of a divine nature"-of being sanctified throughout the whole of our intellectual and moral frame,-of having holy principles, holy affections, holy habits, established in our heart and character-of being thus qualified to hold present communion with our heavenly Father, to whom we have been reconciled, and after honouring and serving him, and walking in the light of his countenance, and partaking of the communications of his love upon earth, to be admitted to the angelic employments, and the seraphic joys of his celestial presence!

This redemption implies deliverance from the ills that are incident to mortality, inasmuch as it

gives us support and consolation under them, and finally takes them all away for ever; and to those who have suffered long or suffered much, this is a mighty boon. But how greatly is its worth magnified by the fatherly kindness which is mingled with every one of the distresses to which we are subjected by the anticipation of that happy result in which they are ere long to terminate, and for which they are to prepare us, by the reflection that we are chastened for our good, that the furnace of affliction, by its refining power, raises us to a higher and more divine purity, and that death is not more certain than is a final resurrection to glory, and an immortal existence in the paradise above!

So abundant, in short, is the mercy that has appeared in the scheme of the gospel, and so fully has this scheme provided for the well being of those on whose account it was devised, that not only are all the mischiefs involved in the fall, or consequent upon it, entirely done away, but all the blessings which had been forfeited are regained and made over to the redeemed in their original excellence and in their largest measure-not only shall the sinners who come to be interested in it ". never perish," or be subjected permanently to any thing comprehended in that awful doom, but they "shall have everlasting life," as comprising all that is most worthy and most desirable in the destiny of

man-not only shall every want essentially existing in their nature and their condition be amply supplied, but they shall be raised to honours, and to privileges, and to enjoyments, greater by far than their hearts can desire or their imaginations conceive.

And so plenteous is the redemption here spoken of, that there is not a doubt or an apprehension or a suspicion respecting either its fulness or its security, which can arise in the mind, and for which in some corner of it there may not be found what is more than sufficient to subdue or to dissipate it, at once and for ever. Whenever any thing of this kind occurs, it is only necessary to have recourse to the gospel, as delineated in the word, in order that the mind may be satisfied, encouraged, and built up. Indeed, this one truth, that the author and giver of the redemption is the Son of God, is more than enough to convince the most sceptical and distrustful, that boundless hope may be safely rested upon it, as perfect in its efficiency and overflowing in its benefits. The unspeakable gift of Christ Jesus gives a demonstration of the mercy which sent him, that forbids us to set any limits to its exercise in behalf of those whom it has determined to save, and it is itself a pledge that the beneficent fruits which accompany it must be such, in number, in variety, in fitness, and in intrinsic worth, as to raise

them to all that is perfect in the nature, and to all that is happy in the condition, of restored and regenerated men. For "He that spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up to the death for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?" The Son of God is our Redeemer, and seeing that he is "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person," it cannot be that he should fail in any part of the work he has undertaken, or that he should not put us in complete and unalienable possession of all that he has purchased for us at the infinite price of his own life. We have only to cast an eye on what he is, and on what he has undertaken to do, and on what he has actually accomplished, to have our minds settled in the assured belief, that his redemption must be a plenteous redemption. His blood is of such atoning virtue as to cleanse from all guilt-his power rescues from all hostility-his merit purchases all happiness-his Spirit infuses and cherishes and matures all holy meetness for it-and every attribute of his divine character is pledged to introduce us into that land of vision, where we shall indeed be filled with all the fulness of God." And whatever trials may befal those who have embraced the salvation which he has wrought out,-whatever weakness may cleave to them -whatever enemies may assail them,-what

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