love, gratitude, admiration; in the place of that habitual awe and terror, which pervaded the Jewish dispensation. It recommends obedience, from motives best adapted to a dispensation of grace; from gratitude to the Father, "who so loved the world, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us," and "who spared not his own Son, but gave him up forus all;" from gratitude to the Son, "because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and they who live, should not live unto themselves, but unto him that loved them, and gave himself for them."

The distinguished honours conferred upon the immaculate Son of God, also present his disciples with the most animating motives to excel in all goodness, by obeying his precepts, and imitating his example. We are assured, that the exemplary Pious and Good, shall, like him, be exalted in a future world, to stations of peculiar honour. Those "who turn many to righteousness, shall shine as stars in the firmament." Those "who suffer with, or for him, shall also reign with him." We cannot imitate his example in a more acceptable manner, than by uniting with our piety towards God, philanthropy towards the whole human race; becoming fellow-workers with him, in promoting

universal happiness; feeling the warmest sentiments of pity for those who are ignorant of their God, their Saviour, themselves, and their duty; and cultivating the most cordial and complacential affections, for those "who are of the household of faith;" "who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity;" who " are the children of adoption;" of the same family, travelling the same road, and preparing for the same inheritance.

Such principles, duly cherished, would make us ashamed of those little pettish contentions, and uncharitable censures, generated by ignorance, and fostered by pride, concerning speculative questions; all of which cannot be true, and some of which are of no practical importance. These are doctrines of inference; and as we are all liable to err, we should grant, with one consent, the indulgence which, we claim from others.

Jesus Christ hath frequently declared to his disciples, "Whatever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name, he will give it you."* "* The Apostle Paul advises the Ephesians to give thanks always, for all things, unto God the Father, in

* John xv. 16.

He en

the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.* joins it upon the Colossians: "Whatever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the Name of Jesus; giving thanks to God the Father, by him."+

Whenever the word Name is applied to God, it is a generic term, as it were, in which is concentrated all that is great and good. When it is applied to the Son of God, it seems, in a similar manner, to comprehend the whole of his mediatorial character; all that he has done, all that he has suffered, the consequent power and authority which he has received from his father, to govern his church, and to communicate spiritual blessings, according to the respective exigencies of his people. We are commanded to supplicate for every blessing in his Name; that our minds may acquire the habits of humility, being deeply impressed with a sense of the distance, at which our moral character have placed us, from that Being who has made us :-It is to evince that we are unworthy of receiving from an offended parent, whatever may be requisite for our happiness:-It is, moreover, to call to our remembrance the greatness of our obligations to him who has done so much for us; to inspire us with a reverence for that perfection of character

which entitled him to do so much for us; and with a solicitude to imitate what we cannot fail to admire:-It is to teach us to obey him as our Lord and Sovereign, and revere him as our future Judge:*-It encourages us also to "C come with boldness to the throne of grace," by recollecting the assurances given, that "whoever heareth the word of Jesus, and believeth on him that sent him, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life."+

*See Note K.

↑ John, v. 29.

PART III.

ENQUIRY INTO THE EXTENT OF THE BLESSINGS PROMULGATED TO THE WORLD, IN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

We have remarked, that in all human plans and projects, our estimation of the beneficence and the wisdom of the projector, or the agent, will be regulated by the intrinsic nature of the good to be produced, connected with the extent of its promised advantages. As Christianity is the last and best dispensation, as it is the completion of the Divine plan, for the good of mankind, it is natural for us to infer, that the proposed good, will be as extensive as it is in the power of infinite Beneficence to render it. These are the first suggestions of reason, and they would be cheerfuly indulged, had they received the open sanctions of a divine revelation. But the extent of these blessings is not clearly revealed. A dark mist hangs over the subject. Hence the various disputations and diversities of opinion among speculative Christians. The obscurity may, with great propriety, stimulate our