loathe it—I would not live always." But each as he finishes his course, and as the time of his departure arrives, having occupied his talents, fought the good fight, and kept the faith, is released from all his toils, delivered from every conflict, removed from every danger, and, stripped of the debased garments of mortality, is caught up before the throne, there to rest with God, and await in peace and joy the redemption of his body, and his glorious manifestation among the sons of God. Their flesh also, meanwhile, shall rest in hope, till time having run its course, and its predestinated events having been all fulfilled, the longed for day shall shine forth, when the Redeemer shall descend in his glory, to terminate the long and dreary reign of death, and fulfil the prophecy;—" Thy dead men shall live; together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust." They answer the call with their exulting shout," Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." They had previously realized, in successive stages, victory over death; yet this enemy had retained, in part, its gloomy dominion, while it triumphed over their bodies, which Christ had redeemed, and held these parts of his purchase, as trophies of its pristine victory, and could exhibit, in the condition of heaps of ruined dust, what were once the living temples of God. But it shall not be allowed always thus to triumph. It shall not be permitted to share victory with the King of Glory. It shall not be suffered to retain a single trophy-a single portion of spoil. It must be cast out of God's blessed kingdom utterly, and be extinguished and be no more. Its remotest effects must be as perfectly swept away from that blessed kingdom, as though it had never been. And the long preparation having been completed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, shall this, by the mighty power of Christ, be effected. Then, what, supposing sin, Satan, and death, never to

have entered into our world, the human family would have been, translated as we may conceive, to the heavenly paradise, all that, shall the ransomed of the Lord be, and even more. The free gift shall far exceed all that has been lost by sin. Man's ransomed state shall far excel what Adam forfeited. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one, much more they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one Christ Jesus." Where sin hath abounded, procuring forfeiture and condemnation, grace hath much more abounded, dispensing more than restoration and recovery. Those over whom death once reigned, shall themselves reign in life by Christ Jesus. Thus at once, and entirely and for ever, shall the universal, resistless, gloomy reign of death have passed away. Thus, completely, shall the remotest vestige and memorial of its powers be annihilated under the Redeemer's reign. Thus, perfectly, shall it be swallowed up in victory. How triumphant, then, shall be the shout of the ransomed millions of millions, once its victims, from the helpless babe which never saw the sun, to the hoary saint who was gathered to his fathers, as a shock of corn in its season. "O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory! The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord."

As the practical improvement of this subject, we remark; 1. That it is adapted to inspire a song of grateful adoration, and praise to our victorious Redeemer.

You may now pass through the valley of the shadow of death, without fear, for he has shown you, opened through it, the path of life into the divine presence, where there is fulness of joy, and to God's right hand where there are pleasures for ever more. You shall behold the dissolution of the world, not only without dismay, but with triumph, for when

he appears, ye shall be like him, and shall appear with him in glory. This you owe to his love, and zeal, and might, who ransomed you from death, by enduring its sting for you, vanquished it by dying, entered its dark abodes to conquer it, and burst its bands and came forth triumphant, opening the way for your return from its captivity, and holds the keys of its prison, and will manifest his dominion over it, when at his call, the countless millions it holds in custody shall be delivered up. "Unto him who is the first and the last, and the living One, who was dead and is alive again, and is the first begotten of the dead, and lives for ever more, and has the keys of death, and of the unseen world-Unto him that loved us, and hath washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, unto him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

2. This subject conveys warning to those who are not united to Christ, nor living to him, and in preparation for eternity.

What an enemy must that be, the conquest of whom cost him a struggle so agonizing and deadly, who is the Mighty One, strong and mighty in battle! You must meet this enemy, and contend with him in all his unconquered might, and fall pierced by a sting which does not only kill the body, but penetrates the soul with the agonies of the second death. Go where you will, this enemy pursues you gain what you will, you cannot ransom your life from his power; prevail as you may in other conflicts, and over other evils, this enemy you cannot conquer. The conflict is near and impending. In a moment you may be summoned to it. If you meet this enemy in his power, you are undone. What is this world to dying men? Be reconciled to God through Christ. Yield yourselves to the Lord. Enter on the paths of piety. If you pass on without decided piety, whatever semblance of it you may assume, in the last battle which must soon be fought, the victory will be lost, and your

souls shall perish for ever. Reflect on the alternative before you, and on your critical situation in relation to that alternative. Your soul while it is not in Christ, is in a state of forfeiture: : a ransom is paid, ready to be made availing. It is depraved and diseased: a remedy is ready, waiting application. It is condemned: there is respite; a pardon is held forth which may at any moment, if not accepted, give place to a sentence of final condemnation. Satan is tempting ; your depraved heart is seconding his power and wiles: God waits; Christ pleads, spare the barren fig-tree; the Spirit strives. Angels are intent,-providence moves onward in its swift course, hastening the moment when death shall strike. The call may now be addressed to you, after which, you shall not have another, or refusing which, you shall be left to yourself. To-day you may be savedto-morrow lost. Oh! let nothing engage thy soul till it be determined, whether all that is tremendous in eternal condemnation, or glorious,n salvation, shall be thy portion for

ever.

SERMON V.

THE SIN-OFFERING OF CHRIST.

BY THE REV. WILLIAM LINDSAY, GLASGOW.

2 COR. v. 21.

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin."

It is owing to the aggravated wickedness of the human race, that the glorious truths of the Gospel do not excite admiration in every breast. A scheme so magnificent, so worthy of God, so beneficial to man, whose origin goes back before the commencement of time, and whose results the revolving ages of eternity shall continue to witness, might reasonably be supposed to possess charms sufficient to excite the wonder of all intelligent beings, and the wonder mingled with the grateful homage of those for whose benefit it was devised. But though such expectations are certainly such as the nature of the case would lead us to form, it is a lamentable fact that the proclamations of mercy made in the Gospel, too frequently fall unheeded upon the ears of men, and fail to excite any sentiments of gratitude in their breasts. While the passing scenes of a frivolous world are regarded with deepest interest, and the various pursuits of life employ every faculty of our souls, the dread realities of eternity are contemplated with indifference, and the voice of God himself is refused a hearing. The spectacle of a crucified Saviour, bearing the sins of the world, touches not the hearts, nor brings tears into the

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