wrath-a burden which would have unavoidably crushed the whole human race, nay, the whole universe of intelligences, had it come in contact with it, to the very depths of hell. As man, he was capable of dying in our room and stead; as God, he was able to impart infinite value and merit to his death. As man, he entered into the very territories of death, and permitted "the king of terrors" to bind him in his iron chains; as God, he broke them asunder "as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire," and rose triumphantly, having deprived the governor of the prison of his keys. "I have the keys (says he) of hell and of death." "Mighty to save."

He sustained

Let us again briefly observe his official qualifications. the office of a Saviour by divine appointment. He has been delegated, authorized, and commissioned to save by the supreme Governor of the universe; hence he says he was anointed, and sent "to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." He has received his diploma from the highest authority. An official power has been reposed in him. The high authority of God's exalted throne rests with him: hence the salvation of sinners is represented under the emblem "of a pure river of water of life, proceeding out of the throne of God." He appeared upon earth for the sublime purpose of destroying the works of the devil; and besides, he has accomplished all that was necessary, in respect to merit, to save sinners. He has "magnified the law, and made it honorable." He has endured the punishment due to sin, and thereby became the propitiation for sin; he has triumphed over man's spiritual foes; he "hath abolished death ;" and he has ascended into heaven as a mighty conqueror to intercede for transgressors. The stupendous work which he has already accomplished, as preparatory to our salvation, is a decisive evidence to the whole universe of intelligences that "he is mighty to save." Devils have grievously realized the vastness of his overcoming power; angels have been astounded witnesses of the exceeding greatness of his redeeming power; and the Father exultingly glorifies in the ever-glorious manifestations of his saving power, saying, "I have laid their help upon one that is mighty."

2. The nature and extent of the salvation effected by him, constitute an indisputable evidence of his mightiness to save. He is mighty to save, in the first place,

From the curse of the law. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law." Infinite power is embodied in God's curse. It was sufficiently mighty to hurl legions of angels from the heights of celestial happiness, and plunge them into the depths of hellish misery. It was powerful enough to open the windows of heaven with one hand, so to speak, and with the other to burst asunder the fountains of the great deep, in order to drown a world of rebellious men with an overflowing deluge. It is so mighty as to be capable of inflicting irreparable de

struction, in the twinkling of an eye, upon all the hosts of obstinate rebels throughout the vast dominions of God. Moreover, when its fiery cloud burst upon the head of the Saviour, it came in contact with its superior, inasmuch as its devouring flames were extinguished with his blood; and his office now is, to save sinners as brands plucked from the burnings.

He is almighty to save from the dominion, pollution, and defilement of sin. He does not only save from the guilt of sin involved in the curse of the law, but also from the reigning power and contaminating influence of sin. The strength of man's corruption is terrific: hence it is called "the law of sin and death." Its power is utterly invincible to all human effort and skill. Sin is stronger than the energetic and persuasive powers of reason-stronger than the agonizing pangs of a guilty conscience-stronger than the potent ties of the most endeared friendship-stronger than the forcible restraints of scientific knowledgestronger than the prevailing edicts of earthly potentates-nay, it has survived the most horrible and desolating judgments of Jehovah himself. It enfetters men in its iron chains in spite of the light of reason— in spite of all the accusations of conscience-in spite of the bitter tears of the dearest friends and relatives-in spite of respectability and renown-in spite of the ameliorating efforts of philosophers and the rapid advancement of science-in spite of the resolute enactments of human governments; yea, in spite of the frowns and inflictions of the divine government. My fellow-sinner, beware of the delusive and destructive power of sin, or it will drag you to the bottomless pit, from the midst of all your earthly comforts. But, "who is this that cometh from Edom," etc. His name is Jesus; ah! he is mightier than sin; for "he saves his people from their sins." "Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace, good-will toward men." "Our Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name."

He is almighty to save from the power and malice of Satan. In reference to this the inspired apostle says of himself and his brethren, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." Satan is represented under the different emblems of a 66 strong man armed ;" and a "roaring lion." As a "strong man armed," he watchfully and diligently "keepeth his palace" in the heart of the unregenerate man; but, blessed be God, Jesus is "stronger than he." He comes upon him in the chariot of the gospel-storms the palace by the cannons of conviction-overpowers the tyrant-drives out the usurper-divides his spoils, and then takes possession of the mansion, so that henceforth, he dwells therein by his Spirit. He is almighty to save from the sting of death-the power of the grave, and the wrath to come. Death is a mighty conqueror. He is not only "the king of terrors," but the terror of kings. He has irresistibly driven the most powerful potentates that ever flourished from

their royal palaces into the small, cold, and dismal "house appointed for all living." He has easily triumphed over the most renowned conquerors that ever displayed their skill on the field of battle, and he has caused the morbid worm to crawl upon their brow. The most robust giants that ever signalized themselves by their undaunted courage and strength, have been crumbled to dust by his mighty and chilly hands. And besides, he has a poisonous sting, with which he envenoms the soul to irretrievable destruction. And the grave is the strong prison in which he incarcerates the human family-there they are, as it were, securely deposited and locked up, bound in the chains of mortality, while the power of God's anger is sufficient to consume all the sources of the soul's comfort, and cause it to weep and lament throughout the untold ages of eternity.

But, listen! a greater than death and the grave is here. Here also is one whose atonement is an ample refuge from the destructive storm of divine wrath. He has gloriously triumphed over the former; and has completely appeased the fury of the latter. He loudly exclaims in reference to his people, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plague; O grave, I will be thy destruction." Let us address him in the for

cible words of the poet :

"Death of death, and hell's destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan's shore:

Songs of praises,

I will ever give to thee."

Finally, the salvation which he effects for believers, includes the elevation of the soul into the full and eternal enjoyment of heavenly bliss and glory; the resurrection of the body from the tomb of mortality; and their united glorification in the mansions of immortality and joy. "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working," or as the Welsh version renders it, the mighty working, "whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself."

3. Let us notice the examples of his saving power as exhibited in the Scriptures. We shall classify them under three distinctions-sinners of all ranks and stations-of all character and description-in all circumstances and emergencies.

He has saved sinners of all ranks and stations. We shall mention only one instance of each kind. He has saved a king-David, the king of Israel. He has saved a prince—Abijah, the son of Jeroboam. He has saved a prime minister-Daniel, in the Chaldean court. He has saved a lord-lieutenant-Joseph, in Egypt. He has saved a chancellor of the exchequer the mighty eunuch under Candace, queen of Ethiopia. He has saved a member of the Congress or Parliament-Nicodemus. He has saved a chamberlain of a royal city-Aratus. He has saved a

counselor-Joseph of Arimathea. He has saved an attorney at law— Zenas. He has saved a physician-Luke. He has saved a collegianSaul of Tarsus. He has saved a collector of taxes, the chief of them— Zaccheus. He has saved a toll-collector-Matthew. He has saved a mechanic-Aquilla. He has saved a jailor—the one in Philippi. He has saved an unfaithful servant-Onesimus. He has saved a beggarLazarus. "Mighty to save."

He has saved sinners of every character. He has saved an idolater— Manasseh. He has saved a voluptuary-Solomon. He has saved a worldling Zaccheus. He has saved a blasphemer and persecutor-Saul of Tarsus. He has saved a backslider-Thomas. He has saved a harlot— the woman of Samaria. He has saved a thief-the one on the cross. He has saved murderers, nay even his own murderers. His blood was sufficiently efficacious to wash away the stains of guilt stamped on their conscience, by shedding his own innocent blood. It is more than probable that many of his executioners were numbered among the three thousand souls saved on the day of Pentecost. Just observe the description given of the atrocious characters which he saved at Corinth: "Fornicators, idolaters, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers and extortioners: and such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”—“ Mighty to save."

He is mighty to save in all circumstances and emergencies. He saved Thomas from the powerful grasp of unbelief. He saved Peter from under the destructive claws of the roaring lion. He saved Solomon from the enchanting delusion of carnal pleasure. He saved Daniel from the of ferocious beasts. He saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the burning, fiery furnace. Such were the displays of his power on their behalf, that, on the one hand, he peremptorily ordered the devouring element to consume their bands and fetters, and, on the other hand, restrained it to singe a single hair of their heads, or even to pass its smell upon their clothes. The fire had no power over them, because the mighty Saviour was present with them. He saved Jonah from the whale's belly. He saved the thief on the cross from the very jaws of destruction, and snatched his soul into paradise, as a trophy of his victory over the powers of darkness. In short, the immensity of his power will not be fully developed, until the unnumbered multitudes of the redeemed shall be exhibited to the universe of intelligences at the final day.

But what is necessary in order to realize the saving power of Christ in our own souls? We must be conscious of our lost and perishing condition; we must renounce all confidence in human merit, and surrender ourselves, as hell-deserving sinners, to his care and custody. May God grant us a heart to believe in him, being "fully persuaded that he is able to keep that which is committed unto him against that day." Amen.

THE REV. Mr. Rees is a minister among the Congregationalists. His father's and mother's names were David and Anne Rees, who lived at a farm called Cheribren Isaf, in the parish of Lansanan, Denbighshire, North Wales, where William, the subject of our sketch, was born in the year 1802. He is, therefore, in his 55th year.

He entered the ministry about the year 1830. In 1831 he received and accepted the unanimous call of the Congregational church in the town of Mostyn, Flintshire, N. W., where he performed the onerous duties of his office with great acceptance and success.

In the year 1837 he accepted the unanimous and urgent invitation of the church assembling in Swan-street, Denbigh, N. W., as the successor to the late devoted and faithful servant of Christ, the Rev. D. Roberts. Sometime about the year 1847 he accepted the unanimous and importunate call of the Congregational church assembling in Great Cross Hall, Liverpool. About the year 1852 he resigned his charge at this place, and accepted an invitation from another church of the same persuasion and in the same town, assembling at Salem Chapel, where he now remains. In all the above places, he has been owned by his Master as a "workman that needeth not to be ashamed."

His published works are, "A Memoir of the late celebrated and renowned preacher, the Rev. William Williams, of Wern;" "An Essay on Natural and Revealed Religion;" "Providence and Prophecy," which has been published in English. In our author, there is, like Moses, a happy combination of the preacher and the poet. Several of his bardic productions have appeared in a volume entitled, "Caniadau Hiraethog; or, the Songs of Hiraethog,"-" Gwilym Hiraethog," being his Bardic name; the term "Hiraethog" being borrowed from a mountain of that name, near his native place. The most eminent of his poetic compositions is his "Ode on Peace," which is a distinguished prize poem.

Mr. Rees is a tall, slender man, long face and neck, with a prominent forehead, body well-proportioned, and features deeply marked with the small pox. He has suffered the loss of one of his eyes, probably by the ravages of that disease. He is a man of original genius and philosophic mind, cultivated and refined by hard study and close application. His self-possession, intonation, attitude, fluency, eloquence, and elevated sentiments render him one of the most renowned orators of the day. The following beautiful, condensed discourse will interest the reader, and give an idea of the peculiarities of his style.