to which all the nations of the redeemed are ascending, as pilgrims and strangers on earth. He indeed had no cause for humiliation and repentant grief. But still to redeem for us the forfeited blessing, he became sin and underwent what sin deserved; being in the form of God, he emptied himself of his glory, and humbled himself even to the death of the cross; though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor; and from his cradle upwards until he uttered his dying cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me," he was 66 a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." He was also "meek and lowly in spirit," "reviling not again when he was reviled; threatening not when he suffered :" it was "his meat to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work;" "he went about" showing mercy and "doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil;" though "tempted in all points like as we are," he preserved spotless purity of heart; he knew no sin, and therefore he ever saw the Father-"I knew, O Father, that thou hearest me always1;" even while on earth, he was also in heaven 2 by his spiritual affections, as well as by his supreme Godhead; he is the true peace-maker, reconciling both Jew and Gentile unto God by the cross. And to fill up the wonderful picture, he was rejected, hated, persecuted and cruelly murdered by those his brethren, on whom he conferred unspeakable benefits, both by his life and his

John xi. 42.

2 John iii. 13.

death. On this rock then let us stay our fearful and doubting hearts. "The disciple is not above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master 1." Fear not them which are not able to kill the soul. A faith which looks to Christ, and an hope built on him shall never be ashamed. The love which they generate abideth always, and shall inherit the blessing. Would you know whether you possess this love? David gives you the unerring test; "It hath respect unto all his commandments."

1 Matt, x. 24, 25.

2 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

SERMON VII.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

SECOND.

SALT OF THE EARTH AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

MATT. V. 13-15.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his

savour, wherewith shall it be salted?

It is thenceforth good

for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."

MAN consists of two parts, a soul and a body, and both of these were created for one great and common end-that they may be eternally joined together, and blessed with the knowledge and in the service of their most glorious Creator. True religion, therefore, claims both soul and body; it includes inward desire and outward work: it is neither a mere abstracted contemplation, or rapture, or intention; nor a cold performance, susceptible of number and weight and measure. This undeniable truth is, I appre

hend, brought forward in my text, and in our Lord's lively and interesting manner. The Beatitudes engaged our attention last Sunday, and I then endeavoured to show that these Christian tempers are indissolubly united, so as to constitute one perfect whole. Some of them are more obviously of a secret and spiritual character, to be scrutinised and determined on by God and our own conscience; while others have their most apparent reference to outward action. But still this mark, that both soul and body must be engaged in all of them, or else that they are of a bastard or hypocritical nature, is common to them all. They must have the property of salt; and they must have the property of material light. Salt is the emblem of that all-pervading principle, whatever it may be called, which frees the soul from the bondage of Satan and sin, and causes it to love and rejoice in the God who made it for himself. There is a mysterious power in salt which penetrates into every particle of the fleshly substance to which it is applied, and causes an extraordinary revolution in its qualities. Leaving it nearly what it was before as to outward seeming and usefulness for food, it arrests the progress of the corruption, to which all flesh is heir by nature. It is therefore a fit emblem of that predominating influence, which we believe to be the operation of the promised Spirit, so far at least as that influence converts and cleanses the heart. But another view must also be taken of the great, regenerating work:

this almighty Agent enlightens, and warms, and rejoices also. And while the incorruptibility of salt works its changes in secret, it is impossible that light should be hidden: it were a direct contradiction to affirm it, "for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." Light therefore is an equally apt illustration of that outward, consistent, uniform and persevering performance of good works springing from this secret inward principle, by which the child of God glorifies his heavenly Father.

3

It is an inseparable quality of true religion that nothing can hinder its being seen; a city set on an hill cannot be hid: it is also God's declared intention that it should be seen; a candle is not lighted that it may be put under a bushel. Could the neighbouring city, to which our Lord directed the eyes of his hearers-whether it was Capernaum exalted to heaven, or Sephor, as others tell us, it matters notcould that conspicuous city, on which the Sun was shining in his strength, be blotted out from the gaze of the surrounding multitudes? No more can the words and deeds springing from the abundance of an holy heart remain undistinguished from impure, foolish talking and works of darkness. "The sons of God shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life 2" And further, it is the very object with which God does place his chosen, where they