earth was." We must say of him in the words of David, "From everlasting to everlasting thou art God." And is this a matter of small importance? Does the Christian feel no interest in this truth? Yea, is it not the very foundation of all his comforts? He may be deemed a bigot for laying such a stress on the divinity of Christ: but having once tasted the bitterness, and seen the malignity of sin, he is well persuaded, that the blood of a creature could never have availed to expiate his guilt, nor could any thing less than "the righteousness of God" himself, suffice for his acceptance in the day of judgment. Know then, believer, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever: he is the eternal and immutable Jehovah: he is worthy of all thy love, of all thy trust, of all thy confidence. Thou needest never be afraid of thinking too highly of him: when thou" honourest him as thou honourest the Father," then thou regardest him in the manner that becomes thee: when thou bowest the knee before him, and confesses him as thy Sovereign Lord, then thou most effectually glorifiest God the Fa ther. Remember then, under all the trying dispensations thou mayest meet with, and, most of all, under the be reavement which thou art now so bitterly lamenting, that he, in whom thou hast believed, is an all-sufficient Saviour; and that when thou lookest to him for any blessing whatsoever, thou mayest cry with confident assurance,

My Lord, and my God." The ministers of the church "are not suffered to continue by reason of death." That tongue which lately was "as a tree of life," under the shadow of which you sat with great delight, and the fruit whereof was sweet unto your taste, now lies silent in the tomb. Our departed friend has experienced that change, which sooner or later awaits us all: he will ere long experience a still further change, when "his corruptible shall put on incorruption, and his mortal, immortality;" when his body, that now lies mouldering in the dust, shall be "raised like unto Christ's glorious body," and "shine above the sun in the firmament for ever and ever:" he is not to-day what he was yesterday; nor shall be for ever

5 Prov. viii. 23.

h Phil. ii. 10, 11,

what he now is. This honour of eternal, immutable selfexistence belongs not to the highest archangel; for though the angels may be subject to no further change, it was but yesterday that they were first created. To Christ alone belongs this honour; and "with him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

II. As Jesus Christ is eternally the same in the dignity of his person, so is he also in the extent of his power. We are informed, both in the Psalm from whence the text is taken, and in the first chapter of this epistle, where it is cited, that Jesus Christ was the creator of the universe; "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands." And from the first moment of its existence he has "upheld it by the word of his power." In the days of his flesh, he still exercised the same omnipotence:"Whatsoever the Father did, that did the Son likewise." On ten thousand occasions he wrought the most stupendous miracles, and shewed that every created being was subject to his will. He not only cleansed the lepers, and caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk, but he raised the dead, cast out devils, and controlled the very elements, saying to the wind, Be still; and to the waves, Be calm. Nor, in this, did he act as one that had received a delegated authority; but as one who had an essential, and unalienable right to exercise universal dominion. Though, as man, he acknowledged subjection to his Father, and, as mediator, spake and acted in his Father's name, yet, in all his miracles, he put forth a virtue inherent in himself; he made his own will the rule and measure of his conduct, and stamped the impression of divinity on all his actions. And is he not still the same? What he was yesterday, will he not also be to-day, and for ever? Is there any disorder of the soul or body, that he cannot heal? Are any lusts so raging, that he cannot calm them, or so inveterate, that he cannot root them out? Cannot he that formed the rude and indigested chaos into order and beauty, create our souls anew? Cannot he that said, "Let there be light, and there was light," transform our corrupted hearts into the divine image in righteousness and true holiness? CanVOL. IV. 3 H

not he that "" triumphed over all the principalities and powers" of hell, "bruise Satan under our feet also?" In short, "is there any thing too hard for him?" No, he is still the same: he, to whom "all power in heaven and in earth has been committéd," still holds the reins of government, and "ordereth all things after the counsel of his own will." What comfort may not this afford you under your present affliction! It pleased him for a season to set over you a faithful pastor, by whom he has called hundreds into his fold, and " turned multitudes from the error of their ways." But though your honoured minister was the instrument, he was only an instrument; he was but "an axe in the hands of him that heweth therewith," an "earthen vessel in which was deposited the heavenly. treasure," and by whom Christ communicated to you his

unsearchable riches:" "The excellency of the power was altogether Christ's." And has the power ceased, because the instrument is laid aside? "Is the Lord's ear heavy, that he cannot hear? or is his hand shortened, that he cannot save?" Oh remember, that though the stream is cut off, the fountain still remains; and every one of you may go to it, and "receive out of your Redeemer's fulness grace for grace." Yea, who can tell? That same almighty arm that raised him up to be a faithful witness for the truth, that enabled him to despise the pleasures and honours of the world, and to devote himself wholly to the great work of the ministry, can do the same for his successor. You well know, that he, whose loss we bemoan, was not always that able and excellent minister that he afterwards proved. Be not then hasty, if all things be not at first agreeable to your mind: exercise meekness, patience, forbearance: seek to obtain nothing by force or faction: let the whole of your conduct be conciliating, and worthy of your Christian profession: above all, continue instant in prayer: beg that "the Lord of the harvest, who alone can send forth faithful labourers into his harvest," will pour out in a more abundant measure his grace upon him, who by the good providence of God is about to take the charge of you; and then I do not say, that God will at all events grant your requests; but this I say with confidence, That your prayers shall not fall to the ground; and that, if God, on the whole, will be most

glorified in that way, your petitions shall be literally fulfilled, and "the spirit of Elijah shall rest on Elisha.”

III. A third point, which it is of infinite importance to us to be acquainted with, is, that Christ is ever the same in the virtue of his sacrifice. Though he was not manifested in human flesh till four thousand years had elapsed, yet his sacrifice availed for the salvation of thousands during the whole of that period. The sacrifice, which Abel offered, did not obtain those distinguished tokens of divine acceptance on account of its intrinsic worth, but because the offerer looked forward by faith to that great sacrifice, which in the fulness of times was to be presented to God upon the cross, even to him, who, in purpose and effect, was the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." As for all other sacrifices, they had no value whatsoever; but as they typified that "one offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." When we see the high priest and the elders of Israel putting their hands upon the scape-goat, and transferring to him all the sins of the whole congregation of Israel, that they might be carried into the land of oblivion, then we behold the efficacy of Christ's atonement. It is not to be imagined that the blood of bulls or of goats could take away sin-no: in every instance where the conscience of a sinner was really purged from guilt, the pardon was bestowed solely through "the blood of him, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God." And is not that, which throughout all the Mosaic despensation, and from the very beginning of the world, availed for the remission of sins, still as efficacious as ever to all who trust in it? or shall its virtue ever be diminished? Could David, after the commission of crimes, which "make the ears of every one that heareth them to tingle," cry," Purge me with hyssop' and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow;" and may not the most abandoned sinner now hope for mercy through "the blood of sprinkling?" Could Saul, that blasphemer, that injurious and persecuting zealot, say of Christ, "He has loved me, and given himself for me?" Could he say, "I obtained mercy, that in me, the chief of sinnners, Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them who shall

bereafter believe on him to life everlasting?" And shall any one be left to doubt whether there be hope for him? Surely we may still say with the same confidence that the apostles declared it in the days of old, "We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: he is the propitiation, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world: through him all that believe shall be justified from all things: the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from ALL sin." How sweetly have many of you experienced the truth of these declarations, when your dear minister has been insisting on this favourite topic, and "Christ has been set forth crucified, as it were, before your eyes!" How many of you, while lying at Bethesda's pool, have embraced the opportunity afforded you, and plunged beneath that water to the healing of your souls! Some others perhaps among you have been long hesitating, as it were, upon the brink, and doubting and questioning your right to wash in it: ah! chide your unbelief: know that "the fountain was opened for sin, and for uncleanness." Look not then so much at the malignity of your offences, as at the infinite value of Christ's atonement: and under every fresh contracted guilt, go to the fountain, wash in it, and be clean. Let there not be a day, if possible not an hour, wherein you do not make fresh application to the blood of Jesus: go to that to cleanse you, as well from "the iniquity of your most holy things," as from the more heinous violations of God's law; thus shall "your hearts be ever sprinkled from an evil conscience," and your "conscience itself be purged from dead works to serve the living God." There are some of you indeed, it is to be feared, who have hitherto disregarded the invitations given you, and are yet ignorant of the virtue of this all-atoning sacrifice: you have unhappily remained dry and destitute of the heavenly dew, which has long fallen in rich abundance all around you. How long you may continue favoured with such invitations, God only knows: but O that you might this day begin to seek the Lord! He that once died on Calvary, still cries to you by my voice, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else." Now then, obey his voice: say to him, "Draw me that I may come unto thee; draw me,