constrained to admire the unsearchable heights and depths of his love, we should burst forth into accla- mations and hosannas, " to him who loved us and gave himself for us."
2. What obligations we lie under to put our trust in him!
What does the self-righteous Pharisee declare, but this ? "I will not trust in the Lord Jesus : he was indeed wounded for my transgressions ; but I despise the way of healing by his stripes ; I can heal myself better by my own works ; and I will rather wage eternal war with heaven, than owe my peace to the chastisement of another." Can any thing exceed the ingratitude which such a disposition involves in it ? As for all the mockings and revilings of the Son of God, when he hung upon the cross, they were as nothing in comparison of this, because they were vented through an ignorance of his real character ; whereas we acknowledge him as our Saviour, and yet rob him of his glory, and make his death of none effect. Let us then turn from such conduct with ab- horrence: let us look to him, that we may be "justi- fied by his blood," and experience the full efficacy of his atonement: so shall Jesus himself be " satisfied when he beholds this fruit of his travail," and we shall be distinguished monuments of his love and mercy to all eternity.
Isai. liii. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own ivay ; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
THE lost state of man by nature, and his recovery through the blood of Christ, are the two principal doctrines of our religion. If we would ascertain the comparative importance of all other doctrines, we must judge of them by the relation which they bear to these: and consider those as most important,