God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee." Job 33:6, 7. Upon these commissioned officers of Christ he poured forth excellent gifts, in great and useful variety, to fit the capacities and various dispositions of men's souls. When he ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men, Psalm 68:18; this ministerial office is by him established in the church, "till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Eph. 4:13. Unto these his ministers he gives the highest encouragements to quicken them in their labors. If one do one part of the work and another the other-if one soweth and another reapeth, he tells them both, "He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." John 4:36. He tells them that every soul they win to him shall be as a jewel in their crown of glory. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." Dan. 12:3. What is Christ's intention in all these encouragements to his ministers? Surely, it is as if he should say to his servants, Study hard, pray earnestly, plead with sinners affectionately; every soul you win to me shall make an addition to your glory in heaven.

Weigh now the force of this second demonstration from the life of Christ. Will you have a proof of Christ's earnestness to gain the hearts of sinners? his whole life on earth was a proof of it; his doctrine, so full of pathetic invitations, proves it; the joy of his heart at the success of the gospelhis tears and sorrows for the obstinacy of unbelievers-his labors and travels to gather sinners to him—his admirable encouragements put into general invitations-his dreadful threatenings to all who reject his invitations-his commis

sioning and qualifying, continuing and encouraging his ministers to carry on his suit in his name-all these things make a full demonstration that Jesus Christ is an earnest suitor for union and communion with the souls of sinners.

III. THE DEATH OF CHRIST is the fullest demonstration that ever was or can be given of his love to sinners, and desire after union and communion with them. His doctrine and life discovered much, but his sufferings and death abundantly more. In his doctrine he spent his breath, but upon the cross he spent his blood. Here he comes suing to the souls of sinners in his scarlet robes, his red garments-garments dipt in his own blood. You may now propound the same admiring question the church propounded, Isa. 63:1, 2: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah; this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat?" Wilt thou know, sinner, why he comes to thee in red garments? It is to give thee such a demonstration of his love as may draw forth all the love of thy heart to him; by this blood he has purchased thy soul as a spouse for himself. Acts 20:28. There are two things in the death of Christ which prove the fervor of his desires after us the greatness of the sufferings which he endured, and the end to which they were designed; both of which show how the heart of Christ is heated with the vehemency of his own desires after union with our poor souls.

1. The greatness of the sufferings of Christ shows the ardor of his affection. Christ's sufferings are twofold, external in his body, and internal in his soul; both together making up the fulness of his sufferings. When you shall see what Christ has endured to purchase you to himself, then you may learn what a value he placed upon you, and what desire he has after you.

(1.) The external sufferings of Christ in his body were

exceedingly great, for the death he died was not a natural, but a violent death. This death was not in accordance with his nature; for he was not a sinner, and no punishment was due to him. His body was intended for a sacrifice to God, and as a sacrifice it died; therefore it is said, he was "put to death in the flesh," 1 Pet. 3:18-his soul and body were violently rent asunder in the fulness of his strength and vigor. And this violent death was also a cursed death: he was "made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Gal. 3:13. A ceremonial curse was affixed to the death of the cross; he that is hanged is accursed of God, saith the law: the intention of that death was to show that the person who died was so vile that he was not worthy to touch heaven or earth, and therefore was hanged between both. Moreover, the violent death Christ died was a most painful death-full of torture, slow and lingering; the cross was a rack to the body of Christ: "I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me.' Psalm 22:17. But yet,

(2.) The sufferings of his body were but the body of his sufferings; the sufferings of his soul were the very soul of his sufferings. These inward sufferings of Christ may likewise be considered two ways. 1. In his bitter sufferings in the garden. O what agonies and conflicts, what sharp encounters and distresses his soul there met with from the wrath of God endured for your sakes. Once and again he cried out, Abba, Father, all things are possible, let this cup pass; Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass: thrice he returned to the same place, falling on his face to the ground. The sufferings of his soul threw his blessed body into a bloody agony: "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22 : 44. 2. In the fulness of his sufferings on the cross. There was his soul for a time deserted of the Father, as to any communications of joy and comfort from him, which occasioned the bitter

outery, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt. 27:46. Never was such a cry heard since the heavens were spread over the earth; never had Christ seen a frown in his Father's face, from eternity, before this time; `but now the smiling face of God was hid, and a strong impression of his wrath made upon his Son. And now, brethren, you see what Christ hath endured both in his body and in his soul; and all for the sake of sinners. What think you now; is not Christ an earnest suitor? Does not all this fully and plainly speak the ardor of, his love, the fervor of his desire after union and communion with us? If this do not, then nothing can demonstrate love and desire.

2. Let us next consider the intention of these sufferings of Christ, and how this also demonstrates the earnestness of his desire after union with us. There was a double use

and end of the sufferings of Christ.

(1.) One end of Christ's death was to purchase our freedom, that we might be capable of being espoused to him; for we were not in a capacity, while under the curse of the law, to be married unto Christ. The apostle compares the law to a husband, to whom the wife is bound as long as he liveth, and not capable of a second marriage until her husband be dead. Rom. 7: 2, 3. The death of Christ law, as a covenant of works hold

was the death of the

ing us under its curse; and so it gave us a manumission or freedom from that bond, and a capacity of espousals to Christ: "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead." Verse 4. A slave to another is not capable of being disposed of in marriage until made free: you were in bondage to the law the slaves of sin and Satan; Christ bought your liberty, for his blood is called a ransom, Matt. 20:28, and so put you into a capacity of being espoused to himself. Here you see Christ loved you not for any advantage he could re

ceive from you, for you had nothing to bring him; nay, he must purchase you, and that with his own blood, before he could be united to you: O incomparable love; O fervent desires!

(2.) Another design of the death of Christ was to gain our hearts and affections to himself by the arguments of his death; this he himself has declared to be the intention of it:

'I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." John 12:32, 33. Christ endured all that you have heard, and infinitely more than the tongue or pen of man can express; and all to draw thy soul, and win thy consent to come unto him.

The Lord Jesus, by his sufferings, casts a threefold cord over the souls of sinners to draw them to himself.

The death of Christ obtains complete righteousness for guilty sinners; and if any thing will draw the heart of a sinner to Christ, this will. The anxious search and inquiry of a convinced sinner is after a perfect righteousness to justify him before God. This is what the sinner wants; conscience says, Thou hast broken all the laws of God, and art therefore condemned: the law sentences thee to hell. Now what would a poor sinner give for a release from this sentence of the law? O, ten thousand worlds for a pardon! Why, here it is, saith Christ; come unto me, and thou shalt receive a free, full, and final pardon; my blood cleanseth from all sin, my righteousness answers all the demands of the law. I have taken away the handwriting that was against thee, and nailed it to my cross. Col. 2:14. Come unto me, and take up thy cancelled bonds; come unto me, and divine justice shall never fright thy conscience more; nay, thou shalt build thy hope upon it. You read that God hath set forth Christ "to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I