PULPIT.

Yes, and there he first saw the now first revealed as CHERUBIMS! the covenanting three in the mysteEach conditionally rious ONE.* bound to their sacred office; emblems of those great ones, as should hereafter be more particularly unfolded to the captive prophet, as he mourned and wept for Israel's sons, beside the banks of Chebar! Captives of every clime and race! here behold the dispensations of Providence, and the design of mercy, grace, and peace!

Yes, and with the cheering vision, the very PLACE where it was seen, would impart instruction, and might assuage their grief; for see, like the star of Bethlehem, it appeared in "the East," emblematic of another sun than they saw; even the Sun of Righteousness, who should hereafter arise to heal, to fructify, to irradiate, guide and cheer his church; and who should "KEEP, preserve, and show "the way "of everlasting life! Yes, here CHRIST was preached in type and figure as "the way, the For him whom truth, and the life.' "the tree of life" represented, was still seen as the same source of being and blessedness to their souls; for though, as has been repeatedly enforced, our first parents could no longer approach as heretofore, and when clad in innocence, yet the blessings it prefigured were still served, though shown in another, and even in a superior way. Here, then, was a standing type of redemption; and to this they did approach; for here profoundest wisdom was discovered, and covenanting mercy was displayed.

pre

And here, too (for where else?) was that presence of the Lord, from which Cain afterwards departed,

"We may safely assert, that the cherubim of glory in the holy of holies, were divinely instituted, and proper emblems of the three eternal persons. in covenant, to redeem man; and of the union

of the divine and human natures in the person of
Christ. We find that immediately on Adam's
expulsion from Paradise, and the cessation of the
first or paradisaical dispensation of religion, Jeho-
vah Aleim himself set up these emblems, together

with the burning flame rolling upon itself,
to keep the way to the tree of life; undoubt
edly, considering the services to be before them,
it was not to hinder, but to enable man to pass
through it.--Robinson's Dict. under "Cherub."

327

while it long continued as the place
before which Abel, and every pious
worshipper would delight to bring
his sacrifice, to pay his adoration, and
to perform his vows.

To conclude. Many observations
and inferences might be made from
the whole subject, and a variety of
characters addressed; but we confine
ourselves to the grand and leading
topic of discussion prominent through-
out the discourse; and reverting to
the observation with which we began,
apply it to our Jewish brethren, as
for
well as to our Christian friends;
we intreat both, to mark the harmony
existing between the institutions of
the Old Testament, with those of the
New.

Keep, then, in mind, that from the Genesis of Moses, to the Revelation of St. John, the same faith and hope is set forth, and held out to man. You will find but one Saviour, one hope, one refuge, even Christ Jesus, the true wisdom, the only tree of life, once seen in Paradise, and again seen by the beloved disciple St. John, in the midst of "the New Jerusalem, the city of our God;" with its symbols on the banks of the river, while the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

Certainly no one confounds "the sundry times and divers manners in But all which these truths were taught, or these mysteries appeared. inculcated the same lesson, and all are to be construed and expounded on the same plan; for they will be found to terminate in the same awful and interesting truths-eternal life and the means of its attainment; and to these great ends subserve all the symbols in Paradise, the sacrifices of the patriarchs, the types of the law, the visions of the prophets, and the sacraments of the gospel.

And, "O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen; hear your own prophets! we call not upon you to believe the New Testament on its own internal evidence (as well we might); we say nothing to you at present of Christ's miracles, however confessed; of his character, however perfect; of his pretensions, however true; or of his

doctrine, however pure. To you we say, "Search our Scriptures," but try them by your own; "to the law and to the testimony;" for if they speak not according to this light," we will own" there is no light in them!"

Say not, then, ye who are so zealous for the honour and integrity of Moses (the historian of the text) that we despise whom ye so long and deservedly have reverenced; think not that we would subvert what he was so anxious to establish. "The blessed Author and Finisher of our faith," (and one day ye will call him blessed too!) hath taught us otherwise; he himself hath said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Destroy the law? Yes, just as much as the infant is destroyed, when he attains to perfect stature and to manly strength. Destroy the law? Yes, as much as the instrument is destroyed, because it wakes to sweeter melody or bolder tones, and when

"To nobler themes, sublimer strains belong."

vacant districts, no untenanted habitations they can lawfully possess ; for wherever any other opinions have established themselves, it is by usurpation; for this revelation has been before them. This will also show, that what passes for Christianity dern, more local, more rational, and with many, as something more momore refined, is utterly unworthy of the venerable name. the several parts of the divine ecoUnite, then, nomy, compare the Old Testament with the New, and "you see it pervading all time, characterizing one person of superior dignity, and proclaiming the accomplishment of one purpose-the most beneficent, the most divine, that any imagination itself can project, and such a glorious character can perform!

In fine. The redemption of our souls by the coming of a Saviour, and his substitution in our stead, is that on which our supreme attention should be fixed; for it is that only on which our future hope is founded, and our alone dependance must be placed. It is what we contemplate date to the latest periods. We see it in the word of God, from the earliest

after the fall-from the cherubic emblem long preserved at the Eastern gate of Paradise-from the burning bush in Midian-from the brazen serpent in the wilderness from the clefted rock in Horeb-to the BLEEDING CROSS On Calvary! Yes,

Destroy the law? Yes, as the vineyard is destroyed, when "a bless-in and from the promise immediately ing" being in its comparatively scant vintage, "the vats now are filled, and the presses overflow," with its gathered produce in the sweetest, choisest wine. Destroy the law? Yes, as the morning light is lost, or can be destroyed, when all its mountain mists are scattered, and all its lingering shadows fled, and the once twilight dawn has travelled onward to a bright and perfect day!

Christians! It is this view of our Redeemer as the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;" and of our most holy faith in him, as founded on the doctrine of an ATONEMENT, he being the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;" which gives to Christianity a paramount superiority over every other scheme; and it is this alone that will hereafter convert the world, as it already once had the entire possession of it. "So to speak, there is not an inch of ground for any other system to stand upon; for all is occupied and full; there are no

"To man the bleeding Cross has promised all ; The bleeding Cross has sworn eternal grace; gave his life, what grace will he deny?

Who

Now to God, &c.

Remarks.

Young.

We are obliged to Mr. Williams for this sensible, elaborate, well-timed discourse, which having been mislaid, we are sorry has been so long detained from public inspection. We hope he

will excuse this unintentional oversight.

THE

PREACHER'S ASSISTANT.

No. XII.

enjoy; but this has no foundation, and generally arises from thoughtlessness or indifference, and on the least light entering their minds, it is banished from them. On some afflic Text, John, xiv. 27.-Peace I leave It is like a peace a person would tive dispensations, &c. it will vanish. with you, my peace I give unto you; have on a precipice. It is a peace not as the world giveth, give I unto you. like Jonah's in the vessel when This discourse of our Lord to his the tempest was beating around him. disciples was delivered under very It is a peace like Samson's while afflicting circumstances. On this resting on the lap of Delilah, and very evening he was to be betrayed allowing his hair to be cut off and to deliver us from the curse of the his strength to be dried up. It is a law, being made a curse for us. He peace that resembles the calmness had before him his " agony and that we see in the atmosphere, prebloody sweat," &c. and the hidings ceding a storm. Naturalists tell us of his Father's countenance, &c. He that earthquakes are usually preceded showed these things to his disciples by an unusual degree of calmness gradually; at length he told them and stillness. And so the peace of explicitly, and "because he had said the ungodly is often a presage to these things, sorrow had filled their ruin, &c.; and if any of you have this hearts. All their worldly expecta- peace, remember it is not the peace tions were vanished. They were of Christ; and there is no prayer about to lose their best friend, and which I would offer up more earto go forth into a world where they nestly, than that your peace may be had nothing to expect but persecu- destroyed. Our Lord calls it his tions. Our Lord felt for their dis-peace. He is called the "Prince of tresses; and he has shown that "he is not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities." Blessed be God, he has carried with him to the throne of his glory, the same heart and affections which he had upon the cross, and he ever feels for his people, and says, "I will never, no, never leave thee; I will never forsake thee." He assures his disciples that he goes "to prepare a place for them," and leaves with them a blessed gift. "Peace I leave with you," &c. We will consider, First. Some peculiarities in the gift bequeathed, and, Secondly, In the manner, "Not" and by his stripes we are healed;' as the world giveth."

1. There is something peculiar in the nature of our Lord's last bequest to his disciples. "Silver and gold" he had none. He did not leave them honours or affluence. It was a blessed state of mind-it was "peace." But you observe there was something peculiar in the nature of this peace my peace, intimating a very different peace from that which men enjoy who are strangers to him. There is a sort of peace which worldly men

Peace." His religion, the "covenant of peace." He is called "Christ our peace." And when he was introduced into our world, angels sung "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men," &c.

The peace he bequeathed to his disciples was,

First, Peace with the great God. We are by nature enemies to God. We are represented as "far off from God." "The wrath of God is re vealed against all ungodliness," &c. and we are all "the children of wrath." Now, Christ is our peace, because he has reconciled us to God,

God and man are now reconciled; yea, he is pleased to adopt us into his family, and has " given us a name dearer than sons and daughters." The apostle says, "being justified by faith, we have peace with God." And if you or I are reconciled to God, it is by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, for without it we must ever have remained in hostility. In consequence of this peace with God, there is,

Secondly, A peace within our own breast. Conscience no more accuses

something beautiful in a Christian's | peace is represented as a passing from life to eternity. He peace"-flowing as a river-"peace which passeth all understanding"peace in death-peace in judgment. "He is willing to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think," and says open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it."