You see in him that power and authority with which he is invested by Jehovah, as his high plenipotentiary, to transact the whole work of salvation between him

and you.

SEE then, brethren, what a blessed prospect opens to your view in your Lord. You see with whom you have to deal, and with what encouragement. In coming to him you come to the Father: In receiving him you receive the Father: In seeing him you see the Father: And in enjoying communion with him you have communion with the Father. "Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." Blessed fellowship this! And a blessed medium through which it is enjoyed. Beware then, if you would enjoy this, of having fellowship with your lusts, by indulging them, or making provision for them, or of sparing them. If you do, you can have no fellowship with God. Search them out, and improve the blood of Jesus to cleanse your souls, and God will then delight in you. It is only in your Lord that you can meet with the Father of mercies, and it is only as fitted by him that you can enjoy that mercy. Do not, then, disrespect or misimprove this medium: in no other light can you ever see God, and through no other medium can you ever enjoy him. If ever God shine into your hearts, and give you a display of his glory, it will be in the face of Jesus Christ. Without this medium, in what light can you see God? Why; clothed with vengeance, armed with omnipotence, and ready to lay hold of you as a consuming fire. Offer yourselves a living sacrifice to God through this medium; offer your faith, love, and obedience, through your Lord. In this way approach him with freedom, and you will see nothing terrible, nothing forbidding; but all amiable

and inviting. Cultivate a close intimacy with your Lord, and he will lead you to glorious discoveries of the Father. "For no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him."

2. It becomes the members of the church to form worthy conceptions of her Lord. He is the most High God. Many have stumbled to their eternal ruin at his mean appearance in his humbled estate, because they beheld not in him "The glory of the only begot ten of the Father." Is not the sight the more wonderful and glorious? Turn your eyes to Beth-lehem; see him an infant of days, in a manger, helpless and in want! Follow him to Jacob's well, and you find him sitting, exhausted with his journey, and parched with thirst! Attend him to the High Priest's house, and to Pilate's judgment seat; where he is blind-folded, buffeted and spit upon; scourged, and crowned with thorns! Lift up your eyes to mount Calvary, and behold him expiring on the accursed tree, his body tortured with the instruments of merciless barbarity, and his soul agonized by the arrows of the Almighty! Repair to Joseph's tomb, and you find him in the house of silence! But he is God-"God over all blessed for ever." Beware, then, of mean thoughts of him, when you contemplate his humbled condition in the world. This was the fatal error of the Jews, to whom he was a stumbling stone and a rock of offence. Though his condition was mean, his persor Avine. Why was his ignominy so great? Wh so pungent? Why his cup so bitter, and his sorrows. so deep? It was that you might never experience them. Let this enhance his worth, and endear him the more to you. Though he was crucified in weakness, he was still, "Mighty to save."

re

nds

How secure, how honourable, and how happy is your condition, ye children of Zion, under the patronage of your divine Lord? He is infinitely worthy of the honourable place he occupies. His Father accounts him worthy of it; and certainly you ought to do so too. You can never sufficiently estimate his worth, nor the importance of your interest in him. Improve this privilege; dwell much in holy meditation on his divine excellence, on what he has done for your redemption and salvation, in delivering you from the power of darkness and introducing you into his own kingdom, restoring you to the divine favour, and constituting you heirs of a kingdom. But your salvation is not completed; much remains to be done, and you must employ him to finish his work. His Deity fits him for answering every purpose for which you need him. He knows your hearts, and the state of sin and grace there. It is easy and pleasant work to him, to subdue your lusts, to crush your enemies, to compose your thoughts, to quicken your graces, and transport you with joy.

HERE then, believers, is a fit object of your faith, a fit object of prayer, in every exigence. If the hour of dauger overtake you, if lust intice, if the world attemt to seduce you, if satan assault you, beware of meeting these enemies single handed. The attempt will be accompanied with eminent danger, as you are sure to be defeated. Your Lord wishes the honour of leading the way before you, giving you counsel, inspiring you with courage and strength, and crowning you with victory; and ought not your desires to coincide with his, seeing the advantage will be yours? may often find lust strong and grace languishing, and obedience to your Lord very difficult, so that "The you would

good which

you

You

do not; but the evil which

you would not that you do." When approaching him in his ordinances, you may find your way obstructed by enemies, much darkness resting on your souls, and fears disquieting your minds. Such difficulties are not unsual with the subjects of Zion's king. Beware of thinking that he is inattentive to your interest, cares not for your souls, or takes pleasure in your distresses. He will have you exercised, in this manner, that you may know yourselves and your dependence on him; value him as your Lord, and have recourse to him, in every exigénce, for what you want. The more you are sensible of these things, the better will you relish his seasonable interposition, in relieving you. He is ready to answer at your call. He rejoices to see you employed in his service, and struggling with difficulties, rather than desist from the work; but he is unwilling you should proceed on your own charges, and would have you to apply to himself for whatever you may find necessary. In no case then omit this. If an enemy assault you, he will put your feet on his neck. "If you want strength, remember that, "Grace is pou into his lips that he is anointed with the oil of gness above his fellows;" and that his grace shall be icient for you. Present your request to him, and bare of asking little. Let him have no ground to complain "Hitherto have ye asked me nothing." Like David and the Spouse, pray and promise. "I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart." "Draw me; we will run after thee." Put your trust in him, and wait upon him, and you shall find whatever you need. "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the Lord."

Psalm xxxvii. 14. In

દ

this way you will find to your consolation that, " They

who wait on the LORD renew their strength; mount up with wings as eagles; they run, and are not weary, they walk, and are not faint." Isaiah xl. 31.

3. THE laws of Christ are to be received, and obeyed, according to the tenor of that covenant by which he holds his Lordship over his church.

THIS is a matter of great importance, and requires to be well understood, as the consequences of a misrake here will prove fatal. The natural views of men are incompatible with the free grace of God. In every age of Christianity, and in none more than the present, have some, laying claim to superior wisdom, stood forth as advocates for these views. They have made it their business to reduce the gospel of Christ to a sort of moral government, or merely rational system, exactly adapted to the natural state of men's moral powers. Christ, according to this scheme, does no more than reveal more clearly to men their moral relation to God, the various duties of that relation, and lay before them proper reasons and motives to influence their conduct; leaving them wholly to the exercise of their own natural powers, without the communication of any supernatural grace. The covenant of grace is represented as an instrument of this moral government, offering men no assistance, in order to obey the law; but promising the reward if they keep it, by their own ability: grace is entirely excluded from this scheme, and the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, on which the faith of men should rest, is represented as nothing else than rational evidence. This is the scheme which now very generally prevails, and which, at once, subverts the gospel of Christ, and makes the covenant of grace a mere covenant of works. Human policy never formed a device more dangerous. It professes to regard,