remedy (for, whilst here, he is only in a convales- cent state, and not perfectly recovered) : and when taken hence to his heavenly inheritance, he ascribes all the glory to his Almighty Physician ; saying, " To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and our Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen'." Now, what is there in all this to dispute about ? What is there that is not perfectly plain and simple ? What is there that a humble and contrite sinner needs beyond this, for the peace of his mind, or the sanc- tification and salvation of his soul ? Here all appears to be of grace : both the Saviour himself, and salva- tion through him, are the entire unmerited gift of God. The whole of the Christian's life, too, is here perfectly plain and simple : he is continually availing himself of the remedy prescribed, and experiencing its beneficial effects. If any one apply to him for information and instruction in relation to the soul, he directs him with confidence to this remedy ; and attests with thankfulness, from his own experience, its divine efficacy. He even appeals to its effects, as evidences of its divine origin. He not only acknow ledges, but is himself forward to assert, that all pre- tensions to divine communications must be tried by this test. He would say, ' Examine the remedy by this criterion : does it operate to bring man to his primeval state in Paradise ; so that, in proportion as it becomes effectual, it subdues his evil propensities, regulates his tempers and dispositions, enables him to sit loose to the things of this world, and makes him to find all his happiness in God alone? Compare him, he would say, with the Saviour in whom he professes to believe, and see whether his faith pro- duce in him somewhat of " the mind that was in Christb," and constrain him to " walk as Christ walked0." Compare him, also, with the Apostles and the primitive Christians, and see whether the
a Rev. i. 5, 6. b Phil. ii. 5. e 1 John ii. 6.