remedy provided for all who are willing to make use of it. Moses was directed to tell the Israelites, when he set up the Brazen Serpent, that "every one, who was bitten, when he looked upon it, should live." No exceptions were made. All were invited to share the blessings. And all who sought a cure in the appointed way obtained it. No. stage, no state of the disorder, made any difference. "It came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the Serpent of Brass, he lived." Thus it is with the salvation of the Gospel. It is expressly said in the text, "the Son of Man shall be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." Take notice of that word "whosoever." It includes all persons of all descriptions. Every child of Adam whether high or low, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, young or old, whosoever he may be, yet if he believe on Jesus Christ, he shall live. Let him look with a penitent sorrow, and a believing trust, to this great sacrifice for the sin of the world, and he" shall not perish, but shall have eternal life."

What comfortable words, what tidings of great joy, are these to all, who know and feel themselves to be sinners; How ought

every heart among us to leap for joy; for we are all sinners. Sin has given to every one of us a dreadful wound, which no art, nor wisdom, nor labour of our own can heal. Jesus Christ alone can heal it: and it is only by looking to him, that we can obtain a cure. O then look to him for health and salvation! Though you may fear that you are far off from him; though you can, as it were, but dimly see him; though your faith be weak, your ignorance great, your hope wavering, yet still look to him. Make him your all in all. See him crucified, bleeding, dying for your sins; and while you grieve with a godly sorrow for your transgressions, still hope in his mercy, and trust with humble confidence to the sufficiency of his sacrifice, in your behalf.

On the other hand, my brethren, remember, that the faith of the gospel is a sanctifying faith. It is a faith, which makes holy all who have it. You cannot believe in Christ, and yet remain unholy. The salvation of the gospel is a salvation from sin. Now a man cannot be saved from sin while he serves it, and lives in it. You' would not have said, that the Israelite was cured of the serpent's bite, while the poison still raged in his veins. Neither are you saved from sin, if sin still reign in you. Be not

deceived. Are you obeying sin in any of the lusts thereof? In this case, you are no true believer in Christ. You are not really looking to him. You may have heard of him; but you have never seen him by faith. He is lifted up, but you behold him not. Your hope at present is not the hope of the gospel. It is not the hope by which we are saved, "for every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure."*

* 1 John, iii. 3.

SERMON X.

JESUS CHRIST THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL

SALVATION.

HEBREWS, V. 9.

And being made perfect, he became the Author of Eternal Salvation, unto all them that obey him.

IF there be one truth more clearly laid down in the Bible than another, it is this: that men cannot draw nigh to God but through a Mediator, that is, through the means of some person, who may stand between them and GOD, and may make up the breach between them. The whole Jewish religion taught this truth in the plainest manner. The appointment and office of the High Priest especially shewed it forth. He was the appointed Mediator between GoD and the people. By Him the sacrifices, which they brought, were offered up. It was his

office to go alone into the Most Holy place, which represented heaven, bearing the blood of the sacrifices in behalf of the people. It was his office to burn incense every morning and evening in the Holy place, by which acts his prayers and intercessions for the people were signified. It was his office to bless the congregation in the name of the LORD. But there was one thing, which shewed that in discharging all these parts of his office, he was only a typical Mediator, that is, that he only represented some other person, who was the true and real Mediator. It was this. The High Priest, while he of fered up sacrifices for the sins of the people, offered them up also for himself, for his own sins. It was therefore plain, that there could be no real power in his mediation, seeing that he himself also stood in need of a mediator, by whom he might draw near to GOD, and be himself accepted. Need we be told, my brethren, that this one, only true Mediator whom the High Priest represented, to whom all the ceremonies of the Jewish religion pointed, was Jesus Christ? He is the real, great High Priest of the Church; through whom alone sinners can draw nigh to GOD, and find acceptance with him. It is this High Priest, of whom the Apostle speaks in the text. In the former part of