back upon sins committed in past years, the recollection of which fills our souls with alarm; but there are the transgressions of every day as it comes. Here is nothing right—nothing done as it ought to be-while in many things there is clear and open guilt. The penitent will say, 'It would be wondrous mercy that would blot out all the transgressions of my past life;' but were God for Christ's sake to do this-to do it fully-to bury all these sins in the depths of the sea; and then to say, "here my mercy must end; I have forgiven thee enough, now take care-go and sin no more:" even though that word-"go and sin no more"-expresses the ardent desire of his most inmost soul, yet the sentence would drive him to despair. He knows that he cannot serve God as he ought,-his past experience assures him, that he shall want mercy every hour-the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life; and that when the period approaches which shall decide his eternal state, his prayer will be like that of St. Paul for Onesiphorus, "The Lord grant that I may find mercy of the Lord in that day." Oh! were the fountain of mercy closed, so that the best Christian upon earth could no more drink of it, his soul would sink at once into misery and despair. My dear brethren, have you ever felt the inestimable value of the privilege which the text calls on you boldly to exercise? Have you been used to look on yourselves, as so ruined by sin, and so deeply plunged into guilt

that mercy is your only hope? Until this is the case, you will not perceive the value of such an high-priest, such an advocate as can secure mercy

for you.

But our petitions are not to be bounded by calls for mercy. We are taught that we are, at the throne of grace to "find grace, to help in time of need." The word grace is used in the Scriptures in a very extensive sense. Every blessing, temporal or spiritual, which we receive from God is grace it is all undeserved favour-good bestowed not only without our deserts, but contrary to what we have deserved. In the passage under consideration, it seems to refer to those supplies of wisdom and strength, which the Christian feels his need of, in his intercourse with the world, and when he is labouring to attain the salvation of his soul, or to glorify God upon earth. Such are times of need-times when unsupported he will fail, and make his weakness and his folly apparent. At such seasons he finds that of himself he can do nothing-God must be his helper, prayer must be his resource, the throne of grace his refuge. But who can conceive the comfort there is, when he recollects that he has a high-priest,—an all powerful advocate standing by the throne of grace to plead his cause! one who is touched with the feeling of his infirmities, and can supply all his deficiencies! with such an intercessor, he may in

thanksgiving let his request be made known unto God-and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep his heart and mind through Christ Jesus." Am I then speaking to one who, after having lived for years in neglect of God and of religion, has now begun to feel the importance of becoming a Christian, a penitent, a believer, a new creature; but who, when he makes the attempt, finds such hindrances and difficulties in his way, as make it seem utterly impossible that he should succeed. Here is a time of need-all your difficulties must be overcome by prayer. Come then boldly to the throne of grace.

Are you one who is seriously inquiring after the way of salvation; and desiring to know the right path; but when you look into the Christian world, find such a diversity of opinions as perplexes your mind, so that you cannot tell what is truth and what is error? so that you fear lest even when you go to the Holy Scriptures, the fountain of religious knowledge, you should thence make out some heresy-some false religion for yourself? Here is a 66 time of need," a time when you want the gracious teaching of the Holy Spirit. Go then to the throne of grace; go, as feeling your ignorance, to your high priest, who is made of God unto you wisdom. Religion studied without prayer will never be studied effectually, even by men of the highest talents; they may obtain a knowledge of

it as a science; but they will never feel its sanctifying and consoling influence on their hearts.

Or are you struggling under severe temptations; terrified at the power of Satan, and expecting one day to fall by his wiles? Remember your high priest who has himself been tempted, and has learned to feel for you. He who prayed for Peter when Satan desired to sift him as wheat, will now intercede for you. Come then boldly to the throne of grace in this your time of need.

These times of need are continually occurring; and they will never cease while we are in this world. The command is therefore "to pray without ceasing ;"" to watch unto prayer." Without prayer nothing will prosper; but if we come boldly to the throne of grace, all will go on well with us, and our eternal blessedness will be secure.

SERMON XIII.

THAT REPENTANCE

LUKE xxiv. 47.

AND REMISSION OF SINS, SHOULD BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME AMONG ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM.

THE passage from which these words are taken derives a peculiar interest from the circumstance of its containing the last conversation which our Lord held with his disciples, previously to his being received up into glory. Within a short period, their minds had been most grievously harassed and perplexed. Indeed it is almost impossible for us to conceive to what a degree this must have been the case with those who had been taught, from their childhood, to expect the coming of that glorious personage, of whom so much had been said, for ages, by the holy prophets. The disciples were indeed too spiritually-minded to look only for temporal benefits from his appearance, as almost all their countrymen did; but they were also too carnally-minded to look only for spiritual advantages; so that while they had willingly become the disciples of a master as poor,