tion from God or not, the misery and blindness of man exist the same; the fall of man is the same; the violence of human passions the same. Mark then the gentle, holy current of Christianity, as she flows through the world, opposing all evil, undoing every yoke, speaking pardon to guilty, and freedom to captive man; laying down the doctrine of the atonement of Christ as the foundation of hope; and dispensing the aids of the Holy Spirit to enable man to build upon it for eternity.

But, further, realize the blessed tendencies of religion for yourselves, by admitting it into your own hearts. Feel your own captivity; be broken in heart for sin; acknowledge your wounded and bruised spiritual state. Admit your natural blindness. See in the description of the captive, your own picture. Go to the bottom of the dissatisfaction and unhappiness of which every human being is conscious; and trace it to a fallen nature, apostacy from God, unbelief, rebellion, separation from the fountain of bliss.

The jubilee of the gospel will then be a joyful sound to you. Listen to its voice. Pray for that rescue which the Son of God died to procure. Rely humbly on his atonement. Implore his Holy

Spirit to break the bands of sin, to restore your sight, to heal your wounded heart, and bring you out of the dark prison-house of Satan and sin. You will thus become a witness to the blessed tendencies of Christianity.

On the other hand, if any who hear the glad tidings, turn from them in unbelief; if they accept not the deliverance, but go on in their degrading bondage, love their idols and lusts, and resolve to follow them still, they must be reminded of that day of vengeance of our God," of which the prophet speaks in the words following those which our Lord quoted in the text. There is no other alternative. Mercy rejected will aggravate our previous woe. Now then welcome the jubilee of grace, and implore pardon and peace from Christ the only

source of both.

Lastly, Exemplify in your temper and conduct the holy character of Christianity more and more. Carry your religion with you wherever you go. Guard against worldliness on the one hand, and mere human philosophy and science, on the other. Maintain the meek, gentle deportment of a true Christian. Follow Christ. He not only taught the true religion; he not only died as a sacrifice for sin; but he was what he taught; he EMBODIED his precepts in his own life. Imitate HIM, and you will best demonstrate the beneficial character of his gospel. You have all rules reduced to one easy precept, BE LIKE TO CHRIST.

Do not dwell on this or that objection raised against Revelation. Do not allow particular difficulties to harass your mind. Stand on broad ground. Here is a religion supported by direct evidences of so irrefragable a nature, that men

venture all their worldly interests on testimony far

less secure. Here is a religion whose internal texture abounds with proofs of a benevolent design. Here is a religion whose mysteries are the means of healing. Here is a religion whose obvious tendency for eighteen hundred years has been to produce "peace on earth, and good-will towards men." Here is a religion whose whole impress is concentrated in the matchless innocency and loveliness of its Founder. Truth imprints holiness; and holiness is happiness.

Venture eternity then upon this blessed gospel. Such a religion cannot but be from God, because it resembles him, leads to him, and centres in him. Plant your foot here, and you are safe for ever. Propagate this religion, and you are propagating light, truth, love, moral elevation, purity, the seeds of all happiness here and the preparations of endless peace hereafter.

23

SERMON II.

EPHESIANS iii. 8-10.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach amongst the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God.

IN considering the most obvious and general tendency of the gospel as impressed on our Lord's discourse at Nazareth, many references were made to the doctrine of redemption. The mystery involved in this great doctrine we now proceed, in the next place, to consider; with the purpose of illustrating from the excellency of it the benevolent bearings of Christianity.

In estimating the dignity and value of the gospel,

we may not unnaturally inquire, What blessings it contains in itself-what circumstances of discovery and unexpected relief it involves-and what prudence and contrivance the whole of it displays, in the judgment of the most exalted beings. To which questions we are directed to answer, in the words of the apostle, that the blessings themselves, which this mystery reveals, are "the unsearchable riches of Christ" that in its circumstances it throws open a benefit "hidden from ages and generations"—whilst in respect of wisdom and prudence, "to the principaties and powers in the heavenly places is made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."

I. The blessings themselves which this mystery makes known are described by the apostle as "The unsearchable riches of Christ." The import of this figurative expression is easily gathered from similar passages in the same inspired writer. "We have redemption through his blood," saith our apostle in his first chapter, " even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace," where the same figure of riches or treasure denotes the abundant grace and goodness of God in the remission of sins. In the second chapter we read, "But God who is rich in mercy, according to the great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us together with Christ; that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness to

wards us through Christ Jesus."

Here the

Here the expres

sion signifies the immense mercy of God in com