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done nothing amiss. Hear Pilate, who judicially examined him-I find no fault in this man: I am pure from the blood of that just man. Hear Judas, the domestic spy, after three years of intimacy with him -I have betrayed innocent blood. No one ever had more keen or malicious observers, especially in the Pharisees, whom he had exasperated to fury, by laying opon their pious wickedness to the people. But he challenged every adversary-Which of you convinceth me of sin? If there be any thing in us susceptible of evil influence, Satan will be sure to find it; for he has a bait to suit every disposition-but the Prince of this world came and had nothing in him. He struck the sparks, but there was no tinder. Events, whether prosperous or painful, are severe trials. If there be mud at the bottom, the waves will cast up mire and dirt-But he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He was made under the law; and this law is so spiritual, that the holiest of men, when they have compared themselves with it, have always prayed, Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified-But even this law had nothing to complain of in him; it found, in principle and in practice, all the obedience it required. And how was he viewed by Him, who is greater than the heart, and knoweth all things? He always did the things that pleased the Father.

-The fact, therefore, is undeniable. But whence this exception? How came this one man alone to have no sin in him, while, as to the myriads of the human race beside, they are all gone out of the way; there is none righteous, no, not one? It can only be accounted for upon the admission that he was the Lord from heaven; the holy One of God; the Word made flesh; the Only Begotten of the Father-full of grace and truth; who received not the Spirit by measure; in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

This is not an unimportant decision. The innocency of his character affects the credibility of his mission and his doctrine. A being in whom was no sin, could not have been a deceiver: but he constantly declared that he came forth from God; that he came to seek and to save that which was lost; that he would cast out none that came to him.-Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

It serves to evince the nature of his suffering and death. He had no sin of his own; and therefore if he died not for the sins of others, he died without any reference to sin at all. And where is the God of judgment? That be far from him, to slay the righteous with the wicked. No one ever suffered under his government absolutely innocent; but either as personally or relatively guilty: bearing his own desert, or the desert of others. But in him was no sin-yet he was esteemed stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. And so he was-"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Without this, he could not have been qualified for his work. He had immediately to approach Infinite Purity. His sacrifice would not have been accepted, unless he had offered himself without spot to God. Such an High Priest became us, who was harmless, holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners; and who needed not to suffer for his own sins, dying only for those of others.

What a character is here! Others are lovely; but he is altogether lovely.-And see what humanity can become and will become, in all his followers. For they are predestinated to be conformed to him. The spirits of just men will be made perfect; and though they will be re-embodied, their bodies will have no seed of corruption in them; for they also will be not derived, but produced. They could not have full communion with him, without complete

likeness to him-But this we know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

SEPT. 21.-"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Exod. xxxiii. 14.

THIS exceeding great and precious promise belongs to the Christian, as well as to Moses.-What is he authorized to expect from it?

My presence shall go with thee to guide thee, and I will give thee rest from perplexity. How miserable would a man be in travelling, if his journey were important, and yet he was ignorant of the way, and every moment liable to err! In this case nothing could relieve him so much as a guide who was willing to go with him, and able to shew him the course he should always take. And his satisfaction would be in proportion to the confidence he reposed in the disposition and capacity of his leader. Nothing can equal the importance of the journey we are taking; life or death, salvation or perdition, depends upon the issue: and "the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." If left to himself, he will err at every step, and in the greatness of his folly go for ever astray. The Christian feels this, and therefore prays, "Lead me in thy truth, and guide me, for thou art the God of my salvation, on thee do I wait all the day." And does God disregard his cry? "Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit; which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go." This extends to doctrine; to experience; to

all his temporal concerns. He is not indeed to look for miracles, but he is under the conduct of God; and he has given no promise but can be, and shall be fulfilled. When the Jews were marching to Canaan, they had a pathless desert to go through: but they were free from all perplexity, because they had a fiery, cloudy pillar, to regulate all their movements. We have the same. For "this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death."

My presence shall go with thee to guard thee, and I will give thee rest from apprehension. A Christian has not only a pilgrimage, but a warfare to accomplish. No sooner has he set his face Zionward, than he has reason to exclaim, "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many there be which rise up against me; many there be that say of my soul, there is no help for him in God." And what wonder if, while without are fightings, within are fears? And how is he to rise above them? He knows, that if left to himself, he must perish, long before he reaches that better country. But he is not alone. There is One at his right hand, who says, "Abide with me; for he that seeketh thy life, seeketh my life; but with me thou shalt be in safeguard." At the sound of this, his mind is relieved, his confidence rises, and he sings, "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?"

My presence shall go with thee to provide for thee, and I will give thee rest from anxiety. The manna was not to be hoarded, but gathered daily; and we are to feel our constant dependance upon God for the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And is this trying? Could we wish it to be otherwise?

"Though in ourselves we have no stock,

"The Lord is nigh to save:

"The door flies open when we knock,
"And 'tis but ask, and have.”

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." "My grace is sufficient for thee." What more can we desire ?-When we have trusted in God for the soul, it might be imagined that it would be easy to trust in him for the body. But temporal things are sensible, and near, and pressing: and some cases would be enough to awaken all their forebodings: but he has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.""Fear the Lord, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord, shall not want any good thing." Jehovah-jireh! The Lord will provide.

However

My presence shall go with thee to comfort thee, and I will give thee rest from sorrow. you may be stripped, you shall not be destitute of consolation. Though the fig-tree shall not blossom, nor fruit be in the vine-you shall rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of your salvation. His presence is a substitute for any creature; it more than repairs every loss. Some leave us from rottenness of principle; some from infirmity, rather than depravity. Death abridges our circles. Who can look back over a few years, and not exclaim, "Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness?" Yet if the lamps be extinguished, the sun continues. If the streams fail, we have the fountain. Are the consolations of God small with thee? In the multitude of thy thoughts within thee, do not his comforts delight thy soul?

But there is an event that must take place-Oh! when I shall gather up my feet into the bed, and turn my face to the wall-then, all creatures withdrawn, and flesh and heart failing-oh! what can support me in the prospect, and, above all, in the reality? Be of good courage. He who is with thee in the Wilderness, will be with thee at the swellings of Jordan, and open a way through the flood, and

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