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to come.

He is entered with his own blood into heaven itself, to appear in the presence of God for us:" consequently is under the strongest engagements of office, to mediate effectually for all who shall ever come to God by him.

And lest we should fear we are too mean or vile to engage his most active pity, particular mention is made, that he is "touched with a feeling of our infirmities, having been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Therefore, from an experimental knowledge of all our difficulties, hardships, and distresses, he hath that exquisitely tender sympathy with us, which otherwise would not have been possible.

Is your spirit then wounded by sin? Listen not to your fears; parley not with the accuser; look to the intercessor for the transgressors. He must first prove false to the engagements of his most holy of fice, and do violence to the bowels of mercy, which constitute his fitness for it, before your humble dependence on his blood and intercession can be disappointed.

After all we have advanced, blessed be God, there remains yet another ground of confidence in the Saviour for remission of sins, to all who call on him, I mean repeated assurances from God, that the sacrifice of his Son is in his sight a complete atonement for their sins, who believe in the name of Christ, and shall save them for evermore. Declarations of this import are so many, that we can select only a few of the chief.

Isaiah, in his affecting account of this great event, having affirmed that Jesus suffered as a substitute for sinners, being wounded for our transgression, and bruised for our iniquity, thus magnificently describes the efficacy of his sufferings: "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his

knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities; bear them away, as the scapegoat did, carrying them into the pathless wilderness. no more to be found, though sought for by the malicious tempter and a cuser.

The angel Gabriel is commissioned to revive the heart of Daniel, greatly beloved of God. For this purpose he assures him, that when Messiah the prince was cut off, he shall, in that oblation of himself on the cross, accomplish a work of infinite glory: "He shall finish transgression," by expiating it, and redeeming all from its curse who should believe in him. "He shall make an end of sin," by delivering (in virtue of his death) all from its detestable dominion, who shall call upon him. "He shall make reconciliation for iniquity," by a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice and satisfaction. "He shall bring in everlasting righteousness," a righteousness which will justify all who believe, throughout all ages, and with which everlasting life stands connected by the promise of God. After the testimony of a prophet, and an angel, hear the voice of God from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." His life and death magnifies my law, redeems sinners from its curse, and is of all things on earth, or in heaven, incomparably the noblest in my eyes. The Redeemer himself bears the same strong attestation to the efficacy of his death, as the salvation of his church. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all who believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. My flesh I give for the life of the world -This is my blood of the New Testament, shed for the remission of the sins of many." Weigh well these decisive testimonies. They will constrain you to say, nothing more could have been done to take away every objection a guilty wounded spirit

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can make against its obtaining forgiveness. With equal propriety and mercy is this call addressed to perishing sinners: "Come unto ME, all ye that layou.' bour, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh My body bore your sins on the tree, when I suffered, the just for the unjust; my blood was shed to cleanse you. I, the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, who uphold all things by the word of my power, purged away sin by the sacrifice of myself, and am set down a mediator on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Believe, therefore, on me, and you shall receive remission of sins, and never perish.

SUNDAY XVIII.

CHAP. XVIII.

The same Subject continued.

We have proved the exceeding abundant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to save from the guilt of sin. We are now to shew what foundation there is to depend upon him for knowledge, strength, and everlasting salvation.

As man's first disobedience sprung from his impious desire to be as the gods in knowledge, the righteous punishment of his sin was, extinction of light in his soul. Hence we are born blind to God, and the things of God, though the knowledge of them be far more desirable than life itself. Hence we are in perpetual danger of delusion, and, by our lusts, prejudiced strongly against the truth.

In these circumstances, God is pleased graciously

to command us to depend on the Lord Jesus Christ, to recover our sight, and enrich us with spiritual knowledge. To prove the reasonableness of this dependence, the Father declares, he hath given Christ for a light to the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, Isa. xlii.

Malachi calls him the Sun of Righteousness; for as the sun in the firmament dispenses invigorating influence through the whole earth, unveils the face of every object in the visible creation, and gives it to be seen in its true situation; so the Redeemer, by his word and spirit, scatters darkness from the mind, makes divine truth visible, and strengthens our dim faculties to behold the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Zacharias, full of the Holy Ghost, celebrates the appearance of Christ as an effectual teacher of men in things of the utmost moment, which the use and exercise of their own rational faculties could never have discovered. He calls Jesus the day-spring from on high, rising through the tender mercy of our God, to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide their feet in the way of peace. The Baptist points him out as the person from whom all the divine knowledge proceeds, which ever was or will be amongst men. This is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

The Redeemer himself confirms these high testimonies, when the Jews attempted to ensnare him by their subtle and captious questions. He said unto them, "I am the light of the world:" what possibility then is there of deceiving me, or deluding, by your falsehoods, my disciples? "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." How could he more strongly assert, that he came to make the way from earth to heaven plain before sinners.

St. Paul, inspired by the Holy Ghost, teaches the church, that Christ is made of God, unto all who believe, wisdom; and that God, "who caused the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid:" covered under the veil of humanity, and the depth of his humiliation. Observe the strong import of his expression; the apostle does not say treasure in the singular number, though this implies excellency and abundance of knowledge, but treasures. He doth not only say treasures, though this would have greatly enlarged our conceptions; but he saith, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid. So that nothing pertaining to spiritual life and godliness can be imagined, no knowledge in the least degree profitable to poor, weak, helpless, sinful creatures, which is not to be found in Christ, as in an inexhaustible magazine, provided by the God of glory for the supply of our necessities.

In this emphatical manner do the scriptures exalt Christ, in his prophetic office, as appearing to make a complete revelation of the name of God, his will and designs concerning us; and after having delivered, as the prophets before him, the words of pure truth, he was not, as they, impotent to impress effectually what they taught. This prophet of all ages and nations declares, "I will send unto you another Comforter, even the spirit of truth, he shall lead you into all truth.”

Do you then feel your ignorance in religion, and bewail the dulness in your understanding to appre hend spiritual things, and a weariness when your attention is turned to them? Are you grieved to find so much obscurity rest upon the book of God, when it is before you? Behold your relief. The

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