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access to God here, and will have uninterrupted access to him for ever. Whoever understands and receives this doctrine, may adopt the encouraging language of the apostle," having therefore boldness to enter into the ho liest, by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; let us draw near with a a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." -Heb. x. 19-22.

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III. The offices of Christ as Mediator. It is as Medi. ator Christ is connected with the church. In that capa city he was born, lived, suffered, died, rose again, ascended to heaven, intercedes there, and will come again to judge the world. It is in this relation the apostle speaks of him in Phil. ii. 9-11, "God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow ;" and in Eph. i. 20-22, "he gave him to be head over all things to the church." In a word he lives, as Mediator, to apply and complete the work which he has undertaken, and to execute, for this purpose, the offices of prophet, priest, and king towards his people.

1. He is the prophet of the church. "He executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation." The subjectmatter of that which he reveals is the will of God. He makes his people acquainted with every thing which it is necessary for them to know. The means which he em, ploys for this purpose are his word and Spirit-the word, in which the will of God is recorded, and the Spirit, by which the word is explained. And the purpose of all this is our salvation, that the mind being thereby enlightened, the man may be delivered from the guilt and impu rity of sin. Let us learn, like Mary, to sit at the feet of Christ, and be made wise unto salvation.

2. He is the priest of the church. "Christ executes the office of a priest in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us." The duties of the priesthood are three, to offer sacrifice, make intercession, and bless. The first of these Christ has already completed, "for by one offering he hath perfected_for ever them that are sanctified." Heb. x. 14.

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others he lives to discharge, interceding for his people on the ground of the sacrifice which he made of himself, and dispensing blessings, as they are needed, in virtue of that meritorious work. It is through his intercession that the benefits of his sacrifice are conveyed to his people.

3. He is the king of the church. This office he executes "by subduing us to himself, ruling and defending us, and restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.” The first conquest he makes is the soul of the sinner, and that being subdued to the acknowledgment of his authority, he rules over him with a gentle but universal dominion-defends him against the assaults of the world, the devil, and the flesh-restrains the wrath of his temporal and spiritual foes-and conquers them in the end, so as to give his servant a complete victory.

Thus it will be seen that Christ, in the execution of his offices, brings his mediatorial work to perfection, by a practical and personal application of it to the conscience and life of man. Till then, let it never be forgotten, we have no reason to consider ourselves interested in its bene fits. And when it is so applied how important, the influence it may be expected to exert over the character! It discovers a good ground of hope, and produces peace. It reveals the way of access to God, and leads to a life of fellowship with him. It brings the love of God to bear upon the mind, and the man is constrained to live to him. It unfolds the necessity of holiness, and engages the believer to the practice of it in all its branches. Would we know then whether we are savingly interested in the me diatorial work of Christ, let us examine whether we have felt and how far we manifest its practical influence. "He is the propitiation for our sins, and hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” 1. John ii. 2, 3.

THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL ATt geneva:

[We publish the following important Article from the American "Boston Recorder."May the Lord grant prosperity to the woble undertaking.-EDIT.]

An appeal in behalf of the Theological Seminary recently established at Geneva by the Evangelical part of the Church in Switzerland, has lately been made to the citizens at Boston by the Rev. Mr. Proudfit. Mr. P. has recently returned from Europe. The object of presenting this

subject to the Churches in Boston was to obtain funds to aid their persecuted brethren at Geneva in their important enterprise.

It is unnecessary to repeat the statements already published respecting the plan of the Seminary and the high character of the gentlemen by whom it was projected and under whose management it will continue. The Professors-four have already accepted appointments—are learned, able, pious, devoted men. A building-the house in which CALVIN died -has been procured and fitted up with the necessary lecture rooms, &c. -the students can have access to a very large public library-the expenses of living at Geneva are very moderate-there are in the city many devoted Christians-and the location combines various other advantages which seem to designate it as the place for a school that shall send out evangelical ministers for all France.

The Protestant churches in France are borne down with dead weight of governmental' patronage' and regulation. The pastors must be educated at schools which are under the dominion of Socinianism and Rationalism. Rev. Adolphe Monod, who is spoken of as the most able and eloquent evangelical clergyman in France, has lately been deprived of his living, on account of his refusal to admit to the Lord's table persons of notorious immoral lives. He will probably form a new evangelical congregation, independent of the civil authority.

"It has been stated in our paper, that the clergymen who are engaged in the establishment of the new School at Geneva, had incurred the displeasure of the Company of Pastors, and would probably be deprived of their livings and degraded from their ministry. A letter just received from the Rev. Samuel Greene of this city, states that this act of intolerance has actually been perpetrated by the 'liberal Christians' of Geneva. Thus it seems probable that Evangelical Christians, both in France and Switzerland, will be driven to take the ground of Independents or Congregationalists; and against their efforts in that character, there is no law in either country.

"France is in such a state that efforts of this kind may be entered upon with strong hope of success. The Romish religion is in disgrace; and Mr. Proudfit related several anecdotes to show that, in many cases at least, the prevalent infidelity is based on the false supposition that Popery and Christianity are identical. Remove this impression, and you gain a willing ear for the truth. It is said that the Romish clergy, as a body, are in such ill repute, that respectable men do not educate their sons for that profession as formerly, and resort is had to the foundling hospitals to obtain candidates for orders!

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"Evangelical Christians in France and Switzerland are comparatively few and have not great wealth at their command; and an appeal has accordingly been made to their brethren elsewhere, and to us, for aid. Funds are wanted for the support of students. This is thought, there and here, to be the most safe and efficient means of assisting in their enterprise and of promoting religion in France. The new school will send forth men of the right character-students will come from the vallies of Piedmont, and from various parts of the French empire-some, it is said, will go from this country; and Geneva may again become a cheering and radiant centre of spiritual light and influence for France and for Europe:

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

THE FOUNDATION, CHARACTER, AND SECURITY of the CHRISTIAN CHURCH: a Sermon, preached before the General Synod, at Monaghan, &c. By the Rev. JAMES MORGAN, Belfast. Pub lished by request. M'Comb, Belfast. P. p. 48.

THE reform that has taken place in the Synod of Ulster, we rejoice to observe, is becoming every year more and more visible, Evidences of its progress in the career of improvement are, of late, crowding upon us from various quarters. And perhaps not the least satisfactory and convincing of these "signs of the times," is furnished by the above discourse, which was delivered at the opening of the recent meeting of Synod and which, we are glad to find, has been published at the request of many of the brethren. The altered circumstances of the church are scarcely any where so observable as in the topics which this excellent sermon discusses, and in the approbation with which they were received. It was a most appropriate and seasonable address, and it will not be less so in its printed form. We listened to its delivery with much gratification and delight, and have now read it with increased admiration. It is written in a very perspicuous style; and is as instructive in its matter, as it is luminous in the arrrangement of its topics and the manner of their exposition. Its circulation among the Presbyterian Ministers, Elders, and people of Ulster, will, we trust, by the blessing of the Great Head of the church, be attended by the most beneficial effects, in directing their attention to the characteristics of the Christian church, and urging them forward, according to their several offices and opportunities, in the work of its spiritual renovation. We need scarcely add, that we cordially and most earnestly recom. mend it to the notice of our readers of every communion, but especially to those of our own church; we take it for granted, that neither Minister nor Elder therein will be so indifferent to the welfare of our Zion and the right discharge of his duties, as to neglect providing himself with a copy of this instructive sermon. As a specimen of the style of the discourse, we subjoin the prefatory remarks.

"The Presbyterian Church in this country, so far as we are connected with it, has arrived at the most critical period of its history, in these latter times. The Synod of Ulster, within a few years, has undergone im

portant changes; and, if I mistake not, changes still more important are yet to be undergone. Our church entered on the labours of Christ's vineyard, in this kingdom, with great zeal-she prosecuted them long with unabated ardour-her God crowned them with almost unprecedented success and our Jerusalem became "a praise" in the land. But prosperity is not easily borne. In process of time she left her first love, she became a backslider from God, and too long did she seem determined to run into final apostacy. She had been an undaunted witness for the truth, but she knowingly permitted error to take shelter under her name; she had maintained inviolate the discipline of Christ's kingdom, but the bar. riers between the church and the world she allowed, to a great extent, to be taken down; she had burned with zeal for the Lord of Hosts and the extension of the Gospel, but the missionary spirit departed from her, and she became indifferent to the evangelization of the land; she had been distinguished for a high tone of morals, but many evil practices crept in and met not with a severe repulse. This low state of the church has prevailed throughout a considerable part of the last century; but we are now blessed to see a revival. For some years there has been a growing spirit of impatience with long tolerated errors and abuses. Lately, a vigorous effort has been made to cast off a heavy weight that pressed down the moral and spiritual energy of the body; effective measures have been taken to restore the church to purity in doctrine and discipline; and there seems generally to prevail a spirit of readiness to obey the command of God by the prophet Jeremiah, "Stand ye in the ways, and see. and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein." To all this there is abundant evidence in the discussions that have already taken place, and the notices of important measures found upon your books. Our church is therefore in a situation the most critical and eventful. She has been roused from her lethargy, and what she may do is a deep concern to her enemies and friends; she has been moved, and what direction she may eventually take, we are anxiously solicitous to know; she has taken the attitude of a reformer, and her acts will determine the destiny, of thousands yet unborn. Should her councils be wise and her measures effective, she will become once more "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners;" but should she take a false step, her hopes may be disappointed, and her ruin begun. May God, in his mercy, enable her to remember and plead his promises with faith: "Acknowledge me in all thy ways, and I will direct thy steps"—“ Lo, I am with you always"-"On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

We cannot withhold the following admirable remarks on the opposition that exists between the church and the world, and the spirit in which that opposition ought to be encountered and sustained by the Christian:

"In proportion as the church is faithful to its principles, and the world governed by its own spirit, the variance will be the more marked and decided. Hence, in an age of lukewarmness, the church and the world may seem to coalesce, and both yielding something, they may dwell to's gether in peace. But let the church be roused to zeal, and immediately the world resents it. And the consequence has been, what all may have observed, that religion and irreligion keep pace with one another; for as the church is determined to advance its principles, so Satan is resolved

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