away.

This vindicates God's glory, opens a way to communion with God, and sanctification of our hearts through the Spirit, and averts the fearful curse of God's wrath. He is able to succour us.

And he is willing to impart to us all the benefits of this valuable purchase.

But stop, thou sinful man, and consider the value of thy soul. He who "beholdeth the things which

are not, as if they were;" who comprehendeth eternity, and takes it up at a thought; who hath fixed the depth of hell and the height of heaven, and measures in his mind the misery of the one and the happiness of the other; who, knowing the exact worth of this world and the next, hath sent his only begotten Son to rescue thee from destruction, and to refit thy ruinous soul for glory: what dost thou read of the value of thy soul in this his dealing? Were a prophet or an angel sent to thee on an express message from God with a miracle in his hand; did a well-known friend come to thee from the dead; it would bear no equal conviction with it, could awaken no such solemn impression, as the condescension of the Eternal Word to take upon him thy nature, and therein to make atonement, is suited to do. "Hast thou understood these things?" Hast thou learnt the importance of thy soul, whilst thou hast been considering "the holy One of God" manifested to render glory to God, to raise thy defiled nature to holiness, and to redeem thee from the curse? Hast thou been searching after the various steps of this adorable mystery with a trembling concern? and hast thou felt a glad and satisfying joy

and consolation springing up within thee, and growing more quick and lively, as the mystery hath been unfolding, and conviction of the Redeemer's power to save and succour thee, hath grown stronger and clearer upon thy heart? It is well: such as these are the anxious distresses of the self-condemned soul; such the awful importunity with which it waits upon the rising of " the Sun of righteousness." As this light advances, the soul enlarges its prospect, pierces upward to God, and forward to eternity, and downward to hell; extends its view abroad upon the miserable state of man, intimately considers itself, and is mightily engaged in the cause of its eternal interests. For the sacrifice of Christ is so instructive every way; it so warns us of the horrid guilt and danger of sin, of the excellence of eternal glory, and of the terrors of God's wrath, and withal of our own weakness and insufficiency; that whoever attends to it with personal application, shall assuredly find the value of his soul, and insensibly fall into that awakened frame of concern which the apostle so strongly expresses, when he bids us "work out our salvation with fear and trembling."

Say now, have you thus weighed the sacrifice of Christ? Hath it taught you either to tremble under the vast importance of your salvation, or to rejoice in the assured ability of the Redeemer to save you ? Hear then yet farther.

Secondly, He is willing to make you partaker of all these fruits of his sacrifice. A full hand avails nothing to the relief of the necessitous, unless the

possessor be also of a bountiful disposition.

But the heart of our Redeemer is enlarged as his hand is plenteous. He is as willing to save, as he is able. Nor shall I need to set about any long illustration of that, which wants observation more than evidence. That Christ is willing you should reap the fruits of his sacrifice, requires little proof, but much persuasion upon the mind. And here, let all his condescensions and his love confirm you, how ready, how pleased he would be to save you, to give you the peace he hath purchased, the grace he hath to bestow, and the glory he is in possession of. Should a man forego his ease and quiet, go through toil and labour, endure all difficulties, and run the risk of his life to promote your welfare, you would be left without all doubt of his readiness to serve you. And did the Son of God freely leave the bosom of his Father, and clothe himself with your flesh; did he submit to the cradle and the manger, to poverty and persecution, to a life of labour, and a death of shame? Did he deserve nothing of all which he underwent, when malicious enemies accused and condemned him with falsehood and rage, and then insulted him with a cruel triumph; when his false friends betrayed, and his frail ones forsook or denied him; when the wrath of God fell upon him, and the big grief burst out at every pore in drops of blood; when he was mangled with whips, and rent with thorns, and deformed with buffetings, and even then exposed in mock grandeur; when such an object of pity, he was loaded with the cross, and led through the streets before a gazing taunting

multitude?

But what need I say more, or why

speak of that last scene, which surpasses all! All this was a free endurance: he merited not the least pang, or the least stripe; he was the "well-beloved of the Father, in whom God was well pleased." Or, yet again, did he quit his love towards you and this earth together? Is he not gone up to the presence of God, to appear for you, and solicit your interests? And is not your soul the daily object of his providential tenderness, care, and bounty? Surely he is willing to give you any thing, all that salvation you need. Would God we were as ready to receive it, as he is to give it!

But let his invitations and assurances put beyond all suspicion his willingness to save you you cannot doubt what you have from his own mouth. "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." Not only to save, but to seek us, that we may be saved. Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ;" and that with the most winning inducements; "for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come unto me, and drink." Thus himself spake. And how is this his gracious disposition intimated in the words of Isaiah concerning him, "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied!" Words which express such a delicacy and exquisiteness of affection, as to make us feel that all the pain our Redeemer endured, was forgotten and lost in the satisfaction and delight he found in doing us ser

vice.

Away, then, with all thy fears!

Thou art in

deed found guilty: sin hath also defiled thy soul, justice demands vengeance, and thy own accursed wickedness hath made thee fit for the place of wrath, nor hast thou the least power in thyself to avert the dreadful ruin: but the mercy of God hath contrived a way to vindicate the glory of the divine government, to recover thee from sin, and to ward off the curse from thee; and this by the incarnation and death of the Eternal Word. Raise up thy head, and live: "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." Only be sure that thou be found in him, and sin shall not be thy destruction. Only look unto him, with an affectionate loyal heart, with a heart big with detestation of iniquity, which feels somewhat of those wounds which thy sins have given him.

This would lead me to the fourth and concluding point, namely, what that faith is, which gains us an interest in the blessings of this sacrifice, and makes us sharers of Christ's salvation.

as

But I will choose to conclude, for the present, with a practical review of what has already been stated. Consider thyself then, whoever thou art, a man, created to serve the purposes of thy Maker's glory; and yet as an insolent worm, who hast dared to join thy fellows in rebellion against the majesty of God. Thou hast cast off submission; thou hast lost all loyalty of heart towards thy heavenly king; thou hast affected independence, and arrogantly set up to be thy own master. See to it; thou hast been doing thy own will, and taking the