the glorious person suffering-the eternal Son of the eternal God, the Father of spirits-the Word that was in the beginning with God-yea, was God, and is God over all, blessed for evermoreby whom all things are and were created-and without whom was not any thing made that now is! Look back, O my soul! and think upon that gracious Covenant of redemption, wherein thy glorious Redeemer undertook the desperate cause of fallen man! There see him undertaking to satisfy the divine justice. The Father willingly accepts of the Son as a surety for man; and the Son willingly gives himself as such for man.The Father demands a full and perfect satisfac

up to pronounce the eulogy. Again "What subject can be more fit for meditation, his voice was stifled. He bowed O my soul, than the sufferings of thy dear Redown and wept for several minutes. deemer, when thou hast so near a view of celeA third time the aged pastor of Lin-brating them in the sacrament of the Holy Suplithgow attempted to pay the last tri-per? Is it not with wonder that thou beholdest bute to one whom he loved as his own soul. But he burst again into tears, and wept aloud. The whole audience melted into tears; and the most of them sobbed and wept. And after a long silence, interrupted by sighs and groans, the Clerk rose, and gave out the 15th verse of the hundred and sixteenth Psalm, [Scottish version.] "Dear in God's sight is his saint's death," &c. And the mournful melody of " Old Martyrs," floated from the quivering lips of two thous-tion to be made to his offended justice and broken and weeping people. It was without affectation, and without design. And it was one of the most touching, and eloquent perorations, perhaps, which ever closed a funeral sermon over departed piety and worth.

I would venture on a comparison of it with the celebrated display of eloquence and piety by Bossuet, in his Funeral Oration, pronounced over the Princess Henrietta of Orleans; even with that part of it which produced such an effect on his audience. I allude to the following words, which, as he pronounced them, caused the whole of his audience to start up from their seats with looks of anguish! "O vanity of vanities! O nothing! O mortals! O night of wo! O night of horror! when, like a peal of thunder.... the dreadful words....Henrietta is dying...... Henrietta is dead......burst upon us! Nothing could be heard, but cries! Nothing was discernible but grief, despair, and the image of death!"

We shall conclude with the following specimen of Dr. Laidlie's youthful meditations. It is a meditation on the sufferings of Jesus. It is taken from the second leaf of his earliest Diary.

law. The Son graciously undertakes this.--
Accordingly, he is manifested in due time. He

veils his glory with humanity; and, though Lord
of all, he takes upon him the form of a servant;
and for our sakes becomes poor, that we who are
poor, might become rich. Oh! unparalleled
condescension! He was born of a woman. He
submitted to all the indignities of meanness of
He yielded a strict obedience to that law of cere-
birth, and all the inconveniences of poverty.-
monies, of which he was the legislator. If I
trace my Saviour, God's dear Son, from the cra-
dle to the grave, I find his whole life spent in do-
ing good, and in enduring reproaches, and the
most cruel sufferings; even from those-O most
wondrous!-for whose sake he came! He went
about always doing good.
own, and his own received him not!

He came to his

He was wounded in the house of his friends! The fowls of the air have nests, and the beasts of the field have holes; but-O wonderful humiliation of my dear Saviour-He, the Son of man, had not where to lay his head! I would now accompany my dear Redeemer to the garden, where his soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. There wrath. There I hear a strange dialogue between his innocent human nature, and his love to man. There I see clouds gathering thick about him.— There I see him sustaining the weight of all the

I behold him drinking the cup of the Father's

sins of an elect world. And there I see the Father loading him with our sins, and the demerit of them. I would now follow him through all the various steps of his sufferings; and with him let me now climb Mount Calvary, and see-Oh! amazing!--my Redeemer nailed to the Cross! Here, O my soul, pause and wonder!..... Behold-1stly. The dreadful nature of the guilt and demerit of sin. 2dly. The strict severity and

purity of the justice of the Father. 3dly. The amazing love, the astonishing condescension of thy dear Lord. 4thly. The glorious display of the wisdom, the holiness, the power, the love, and the mercy of God. 5thly. The veracity and the faithfulness of God; and the exact fulfilment of all the gracious promises and predic-light, and descends to us, conversing tions, with respect to the Redemption by Jesus Christ's death and sufferings. 6thly. The sure and comfortable ground of the Christian's faith. 7thly. Here, my soul, thou findest a sovereign antidote against all fear, either from the remains

carnation, during which he should appear, as he did, when he "dwelt with the lowly," would be the highest enthusiasm. To suppose that he clothes himself in the form of an angel of

of sin, or from the Devil, or the world. 8thly. Here thou findest a perfect remedy against all the fears of death. 9thly. Here is the best encouragement for the most extensive hope, and most liberal expectations for every necessary good. 10thly. Hence, I feel the rich effects of divine love. Hence I derive a fixed hatred against sin. Hence I derive a growing strength to watch against its motions and inroads. Hence my heart is warmed and enflamed with ardent affection and love to God, the Father, and to my gracious Saviour. Hence I learn to contemn the world, and all its pomp and grandeur. Hence I learn to look to the place where my treasures are, and to send thither to my God, the earnest and affectionate outgoings of my heart!"

DEDICATION SERMON, PREACHED IN
THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH AT
LODI, BY THE REV. MR. ABRAHAM
MESSLER, A. M.

[Concluded.]

face to face, as he did with the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, would be no less absurd. Or to assert that he shrouds himself in the glory, and brilliancy of the noonday sun, and meets any of his servants, as he did Paul on his way to Damascus, is a dream as idle as it is foolish. The times in which any such extraordinary displays of his presence are to be expected, like the days of prophetic visions, have passed; and the enthusiast who boasts of receiving the honour of such visitations, betrays not only a weak mind, but exhibits also strong symptoms of a disordered intellect.

Not that Jesus does not possess the power so to manifest himself to his church; but, because it is not required by her situation.The question, therefore, returns, in what manner does the sober and intelligent mind believe, that it sees the presence of Christ in his Church?

1. We answer; he manifests his presence in her by his Spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ, in

every

Having elucidated our first proposi-subsequent age, (since the gracious tion, we solicit your attention, my brethren, to our second,

"That Christ still glorifies his Church by dwelling in her with his presence."

By the church we mean, not only the house in which God is worshiped, but also the assemblies of his people wherever, and whenever convened. This use of the term is common in sacred Scripture. Acts vii 38-ii. 47 -xv. 3. Eph. i. 22, and many others. In order to clear the subject, and at once point out the nature of the evidence, which it will require to establish this position, we ask-in what manner can the glorified Redeemer manifest his presence in an earthly sanctuary? To expect a second in

promise was first made, that his Spirit should "dwell with men") has given, to his Church, this evidence of his love. To know the truth of such a position, look at his sincere followers even when possessed of all those imperfections, which the holiest retain. The Spirit which animates and governs them, is unlike that of the world. I know that the Infidel and the Sceptic laugh at this pretence (for they give it no better name) but I know also that, even when their countenances are distorted by such a profane sneer, conscience is witnessing in their hearts, that it is a solemn reality. They acknowledge it too in their intercourse with the world.Satan has few champions in his cause,

every war with its enemies, it has uniformly been victorious: and every plot, devised for its ruin, has not on

who are hardy enough to stand unawed, even in the presence of the humble and unpretending follower of Jesus. And why? No reason ac-ly utterly failed, but resulted in its knowledged to be sufficient by any candid mind, can be given, but because they feel the influence of that Heavenly Spirit, by which they are animated.

good. Even persecution, though it has gorged the earth with the blood of the martyrs of the Gospel, so far from exterminating, has only tended to increase the number of its disciples. Not only so, her gradual extension In this has been verified the proverb and enlargement also, shews the of the fathers, "That the blood of the presence of Christ's Spirit to be with martyrs is the seed of the Church." his Church. We confidently assert, Whence, we ask again, is this astonthat the unparalleled extension of the ishing result, from means apparently Gospel, amid all the untoward circum- so weak and ineffectual? Is it, bestances which attend it, can be ac- cause men love the Gospel? The counted for, on no other principle. carnal mind is enmity against God. Coming as it does, in opposition to Is it, because it has been advocated all the delights and wayward fancies by superior talents and learning? of the depraved heart, it must long They have, at no time, been greater since have sunk in oblivion, if it had than could be found in the ranks of not claimed God for its author, and its enemies. Is it, because the arm engaged the assistance of his Spirit, of power, and the edge of the sword, like those systems, which the wisdom have, by violence, opened for it a way? of man has, in different ages, divised They have uniformily been against it. for the melioration of society. But What is it then? The presence of instead of this, it has gloriously tri- the Spirit of Christ, working mightily umphed over every obstacle, and for his Church, to the pulling down spread over the earth. Notwith- of strong holds. This is her shield standing men hate the Holy Spirit of and buckler, her high tower and the gospel, its all-subduing power rearward. bows their hearts, as the cedars of 2. Christ manifests his presence in Lebanon bow before the mighty- his Church by his word, and ordinwhirlwind. And why? Because he ances. These are symbols of his whose power directs the planets in presence, and speak to the spiritual their courses, and holds in his hands understanding in language not to be the hearts of all men, has wrought mistaken. And by divesting himmightily in them, to the production of self, in this way, of the terror of his anrighteousness and holiness. cient appearances to the Patriarchs, he has conformed to the mild dispensation of the Gospel. The time was, when at every message from God, the heavens bowed themselves with reverend submission, a star shot down the sky; or mute nature, trembling and retiring, confessed her Creator.

The contemplation of the rapid and successful march of the gospel, is truly animating to the heart of a Christian. No sooner did it appear, than superstition, ignorance, prejudice, and power, all melted away before its influence, as the frost work of morning dissolves before the beams of the rising sun. It borrowed no influence from power, courted no applause or popularity from men, administered no flattery to the depraved heart; but rearing itself in direct opposition to all, it whelmed them in the dust. In

But this "spirit of fear and trembling" as characterising the law, being inconsistent with the liberty of the Gospel, is changed. Hence, there are no more earthquakes as at Sinai, when he spake to the Israelites, clothed in the awful majesty of God

1

-No more visions of "horror and thick darkness," such as passed before the Patriarch. No more stars appearing, as at Bethlehem: and no more choirs of angels, chanting in our ears the melody of heaven, as on the plains of Bethlehem; but with all the mildness, and freedom of the Gospel, we see him in the ordinances of his house, and hear him speaking in

his word.

Neither does the Spirit sufficiently enlighten without the word, because God never performs works of supererogation. If a revelation had not been necessary, it would never have been given to the world; nor would holy men of God have spoken as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. The fact that we possess it, is an undeniable evidence of its use.

of the presence of Christ: because where his peculiar work is carried on, he must be there in some sense. Now, in the great work of salvation, the word and Spirit of Christ go hand in hand, claiming their own work.They are so nearly allied, that they cannot be separated, without doing violence to both. Without the Spiritthe word is a dead letter, and instead of life, works death; and the preachHow sweet and enrapturing, some-ing of the gospel, if unaccompanied times, is such a sight of the Saviour, by this seal, though attended with all to an eye of faith, the joy of many can the energy of Paul, or the divine elotestify. Have not some of my Chris-quence of Apollos, can never be any tian Brethren thus beheld him? have thing but 'a sounding brass, or a tinkyou not felt the influence of his pres- ling cymbal.' ence? yea while sitting under his shadow with great delight, have not the fruits of his salvation been sweet to your taste? You have heard his voice too in the promises of his word, speaking pardon, peace, life and hope, and its accents, as they fell upon your ear, were sweeter to the heart than the softest music-more refreshing to its anxieties, than the most healthful cordials: and more But though neither the Spirit nor harmonious than the melody of the word, are separately efficient, in hymning Seraphim. When with deep concert, they form a most powerful anxieties you sought the peace of engine to sanctify the heart. Hence your soul, it spoke of "the tree of life," the stately steppings of Jehovah are and you heard it with deep-felt rejoic-seen in the sanctuary, when his pure ing-it offered a Saviour's pardoning word, as the dew from heaven, distils blood, and you trusted with all the on the soul seeking his presence, and confidence of faith-yea, you repos- his Spirit comes down to co-operate ed on this word all your eternal inter- with it. ests, with the perfect assurance that it was the word of Christ-and when you had yet scarcely believed, it was made "the power of God unto your salvation." In all this, did you not feel confident, that the presence of Christ was there? Who else gave to its language and promises, such divine efficiency and strength ?-both in conjunction-and therefore Again

3. Christ manifests his presence in his Church, by his Spirit and word in conjunction.

It will hardly be denied, that the saving effects of grace, when experienced in the heart, are an evidence

Let us now return from these wandering and discursive observations, to apply what has been suggested, to the subject under consideration. If such is the manner in which the Lord of Glory manifest himself in his Church-If he inhabits his sanctuary by his word and Spirit, and by

manifests his presence not as between the Cherubim, in a visible glory; nor as at Sinai, in clouds, and tempests, and fire: nor as in his incarnation, having his divine glory veiled in a human form; then we appeal to facts, in proof of our position, that

The evidence of this is also before the world. The word of God is the means of converting the souls of sinners. But can an effect so extraordinary, flow from a cause so inadequate, without the accompaniment of divine power? Truth, however clear-preaching, however powerful exhortation, however pungent He opens, in the Gospel, those treas cannot produce a moral renovation, in ures of divine wisdom, which the anthe hearts of sinners. But this effect gels have endeavoured, but in vain, to does flow from the word of God, and fathom a scheme of mercy, as free as、 the fact proves, that Christ manifests it is incomprehensible. In one word, presence by it, and thus dwells in it contains all that is momentous, prehis sanctuary where it is proclaimed.cious, and sweet. Let us hear then, When his Spirit is poured out, and as those who wish to live.