Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

was not pleased with these sacrifices: but a body was prepared for the Lord Jesus, in which he should suffer for the sin of the world; hence it is said, "the Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all;" "he bare our sins in his own body on the tree." That he is "the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." Whoever, then, confesses his sins with contrition of heart, forsakes his evil ways, and prays to God to pardon his sins for the sake of Christ, will experience that he is merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Do you understand this?

E. I think I do. Is it not thus the justice of God is satisfied in what Christ has suffered for sinners, and that all who confess their sins to God, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be forgiven?

F. You are right.

M. I must just add, that by confession of sin is not merely saying that we have sinned, but it is also being grieved for it; the forsaking of sin is the best proof that we have repented of it, and the Scriptures say, "he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy."

E. The name of the Lord was not only declared to Moses, but all his dealings with his people Israel strictly corresponded with the discovery which he then gave of his glory. Yet they had but faint displays of

the divine character compared with what are made manifest by the coming of the Lord Jesus. In his doctrine, example, works, and sufferings, he has fully displayed the mercy, grace, long-suffering, goodness, truth, justice, and holiness of God. He is himself "the image of the invisible God;" for when one of the disciples said, "Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us, Jesus said to him, have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou then show us the Father?"

E. From what you have now said, I suppose that a right knowledge of the divine character is to be gained by studying the character of Jesus Christ.

F. Yes, Eliza, we are informed that "he is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.'

[ocr errors]

E. But is it essential to our peace and happiness that we have a scriptural knowledge of the character of God?

F. It certainly is. Our Lord said, in prayer to his Father, "This is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Besides, unless we know God as he has revealed himself to us, we cannot worship him aright, we would worship we know not what. He has revealed himself, that under the influence of the eternal Spirit, in the love and contem

[ocr errors]

plation of his character, we may be assimilated to him, and be partaker of his happiness. He says unto all his people, "Be ye holy for I am holy Whatever real or imaginary excellences we may possess, we are solemnly assured, that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." You may often think in what the happiness of heaven shall consist. Be assured, that without likeness to God we can enjoy no happiness. The happiness of heaven is begun in the soul when we begin to love holiness; our progressive happiness in this world will correspond with our increasing conformity to the image of God's dear Son; and the consummation of happiness will be when we shall be like him, seeing him as he is.

་་་

CONVERSATION II.

ON THE ORIGINAL INNOCENCE OF MAN-HIS FALL, &c.

F. Our last conversation was on the discovery which the Scriptures give us of the divine character. We shall this evening converse on what they testify respecting the original innocence and happiness of man, and of his subsequent guilt and wretchedness.

E. I think you formerly mentioned that man was originally happy in the enjoyment of the favour of his Creator.

F. He certainly was; for he was created in the image and after the likeness of God: for it is said, Gen. i. 27, 28, “So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And God blessed them; and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over every thing that moveth upon the earth."

H. But what are we to understand by the image of God?

F. As God is a Spirit, without bodily parts as we have, we must understand the image of God to be in the soul or spirit of man; his body was formed "of the dust of the ground;" he was thus allied to the earth, and his material frame was to be supported and invigorated by its productions; "but God breathed. into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." He was thus allied to heaven, and was blessed so far as his finite nature was capable with the communicable excellences of his infinitely glorious Creator.

E. But what were these excellences of which man was possessed?

F. The Scriptures point them out, when speaking of the renewing of man by the new

creating energy of the Spirit of truth; but we may discover what these excellencies were, by considering what is said of man in the book of Genesis. In the 2d chapter, 19th verse, it is said, “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them, and whatsoever Adam called them was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowls of the air, and to every beast of the field." The names of the creatures corresponded with what he discovered of their diversified natures. What excellency in Adam did this discover, Henry ?

H. I think it shows that he was a very wise

man.

F. Yes; it shows that he was possessed of wisdom and understanding. His God also gave him power, or dominion, over all the creatures, that they might be subservient to his pleasure; and this power being guided by wisdom, would not be abused by cruel usage. There is another excellency that man was possessed of, which you may learn from what is stated in the 3d chapter of Genesis, 8th verse: "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. 9. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou?" This shows us that the voice of the Lord God was familiar to them; that he was

« ZurückWeiter »