fuse the Physician whom the same God has mercifully provided for your soul, though you cannot see the wisdom or justice of God's perinitting sin to enter into the world? Let us leave these deep things with Him who is infinitely wise, and seeth not as man seeth. But let us never refuse to taste the streams of grace, because we cannot fathom the depth of the fountain. What the scriptures say of human depravity, your own eyes may see, and your heart confirm. While the distemper is upon you, in vain do you oppose groundless objections to evident facts. Truth has an appeal to the heart. That man is not whole, conscience is made both the witness and the judge.

II. And if we are not whole, that we need a Physician, follows of course. Till a leopard can change his spots, and the Ethiopian his skin, no man can of himself become pure and righteous before God. Still less, if less may be, can he make expiation for sin, or be justified by his own works, and for his own deservings. The grand inference is, that the Redeemer must be our Righteousness-that there is no name under heaven, but that of Jesus Christ, by which we can be saved. If we are sinners, we cannot be justified for our own merits, nor can we in our own strength stand before the judgment of God.

The subject shows us the infinite worth of that Saviour whom God has given and accepted. It shows how precious is the name of Jesus, so named by an angel from heaven. It teaches us to rejoice and be exceeding thankful, that "we have an Advocate with the Father :" that he who provides a physician for our weak and decaying bodies, is also merciful to our souls.

And who that hears the tidings of this great mercy, can be so strangely blind, or foolish, as to refuse so great a blessing, so freely offered? Shall we suffer the poison to rage, with the antidote within our reach? Shall we permit this sickness to be unto death, when a sovereign remedy is at hand?

Some there are, who proudly reject this salvation of God, because they cannot fully see and feel its necessity. They spurn from them the greatest of God's mercies, the richest of his blessings, because he has not given them wisdom equal to his own! They reject what they most need, because the demands of pride are not complied with. Such are those who think themselves whole who have never felt their sinful, perishing state. : But let such, and let all be cautious, how they charge God foolishly. Let them reflect of what" punishment they will be worthy, who have trodden under foot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified, (or might be sanctified,) an unholy thing, and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace." Let them remember that "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

In the light of our subject we also discover the reason, why Christ by so many is not received. They think themselves whole they do not feel and acknowledge their sinfulness. In their conduct, at least, they endeavour to justify themselves, and make God a liar. For what reasonable man, who feels himself to be a sinner against GoD, can hope, without a Saviour? Or who can reasonably believe that Christ will save those who obstinately reject him?-who resist the strivings of the Holy Spirit, and receive God's grace in vain? We should then, and if we are wise, we shall, bring this subject fairly to the test of truth, and know of a certainty, whether we do indeed receive this Divine Physician. And, if he be not received, for what cause do we reject him?" Other foundation can no man lay ;" and none can be truly Christians except they build on this ;-on an experimental knowledge that "we have no health in us ;"—an awakened sense that we need" an Advocate with the Father;" and a thankful acceptance of Jesus Christ, as the propitiation for our sins. The Author of your being now calls upon you, as reasonable creatures, to decide this momentous question, Are you sinners, or are you not? When days, and months, and years are swiftly passing away, and death and judgment are near at hand, are you still confident in your own righteousness? Are you prepared to appear before God's tribunal? Be at least decided. To be halting between two opinions, in such circumstances, is not mere folly; it is madness-it is inexpressible guilt. Which leads us to remark,

Lastly; Our subject shows the great sin of unbelief. So great indeed, that Christ himself has commanded us to preach to every creature, "He that believeth not shall be damned." The sinfulness of unbelief does not consist in a mere dissent of our judgment from certain propositions; but in the repugnance of our hearts to the righteousness of God; the opposition of our feelings to his wisdom, and goodness, and offered mercy. It is setting ourselves against that dispensation, which has for its end the salvation of our own souls. It is cleaving to our sins: it is justifying ourselves, in contradiction to the word of God, and in defiance of his judgment.

"Take heed, then, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God," and rejecting the only Saviour. Take heed "lest ye be found fighting against God." It is a great sin to break God's commandments: it is a far greater to reject his offered mercy. From this far greater sin may we all be preserved; and be kept by the mighty power of God, through faith, unto eternal salvation. AMEN.

SERMON XXXIII.

BY ALEXANDER V. GRISWOLD, D.D.

CHRIST THE DIVINE AND ONLY SAVIOUR.

ISAIAH, XLV. 22.-Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.

THESE words are very remarkable; and to all men it must be exceedingly interesting to know, by whom they were uttered, and to whom addressed. An invitation so extensive and so gracious, if from Divine authority, cannot, surely, be disregarded, or lightly esteemed, by any who desire to be saved.

In discoursing upon the subject, I propose to consider, First, the Person who thus calls; "Look unto me:" Secondly, the invitation given; "Look unto me, and be ye saved:" Thirdly, to whom it is addressed; even to "all the ends of the earth :" And lastly, the reason assigned, why we should look unto him and be saved; "For I am God, and there is none else."

I. To whom, then, are we indebted for such unparalleled mercy? Who is the gracious Benefactor,—the mighty Saviour, that thus invites us? A due attention to the whole chapter, and to the quotations from it found in the New Testament, will make it clear and evident, that the Person who thus calls us to himself as the only Saviour, is "Christ the Son of the living God." Throughout the chapter, it is positively declared, and several times repeated, that there is no Lord besides him. From this we might justly infer, that Christ is the Person who speaks: for not only is he Lord; but this is his most appropriate title: "To us there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." There is no other Beingthere is no other Person of the Deity to whom this appellation more justly, or more peculiarly appertains. The Father is Lord, and the Holy Ghost is Lord but to the Son is all power given in heaven and on earth : "He is

Lord of all:" He," the Lord from heaven," it is, who thus graciously invites us.

In this chapter he declares himself to be our Maker: "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded." And such, as St. Paul writes to the Hebrews, is the language which God the Father addresses to the Son: "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands: they shall perish, but thou remainest." For as the same apostle writes to the Philippians, "by him (the Son of God) were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers; all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

In the verse next before the text, he speaks of himself as the Prophet, by whom we know God's will: and this is an office peculiar to Christ. He also declares himself to be the only Saviour: so that unless we deny Christ to be a Saviour, we must admit that Christ is the Person here speaking. But we know that Christ is a Saviour, and the only Saviour. He was called Jesus, and was so named of an angel," because he was His, indeed, as St. Peter says, is the

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to " save his people from their sins." only name whereby men must be saved.

That it is the Saviour who here speaks, the text itself implies. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." But "to whom else shall we go," except to him who "has the words of eternal life," even to Jesus Christ? To whom else shall "all the ends of the earth," or any part of its fallen race, look, but to him who alone is "the way, the truth, and the life?" He it is, who, being lifted up on the cross, draws all men unto him.

In the twenty-fourth verse we further read, "Surely shall one say, (this shall be the language of believers,) In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." And in what other name have we righteousness and strength, but in the Lord Jesus Christ? "This is the name whereby he shall be called:" this is an appellation highly descriptive of his nature and office, "The Lord our Righteousness."

The following words conclude the chapter; "In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory." But no one shall be justified, but in the Lord Jesus: nor will true believers glory in any other. "God forbid, (saith an apostle,) that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." The true Israel are they who believe in Christ: they only are counted for the seed."

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Twice in the New Testament is a part of the context cited as the words of the Messiah: as having been spoken by the Saviour of the world. First, in the fourteenth chapter to the Romans: where the apostle says, "We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ: for it is written, (to wit, here in the verse next following our text,) As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." And the same apostle says, in his second chapter to the Philippians, "God hath highly exalted him, (Christ Jesus,) and given him a name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Without controversy, therefore, our text is the declaration of our Divine Saviour, that he is God, and that there is none else. And this momentous truth, that Christ is God, or Jehovah, shall, the apostle predicts, hereafter be the confession of all the creatures that he has made. But this homage, thus rendered by all creatures to the Messiah, far from diminishing the honour of the first Person of the Deity, shall be, he adds, " to the glory of God the Father." There is no way in which we can more highly honour or please the Father, than by receiving and adoring his only begotten Son, as the Lord our Righteousness, and as the only Saviour. Such then is the Person who invites all mankind to look unto him for salvation, even our "Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,"

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II. We proceed therefore to consider the invitation which he gives: "Look unto me, and be ye saved." This phraseology is very remarkable: Look, and be saved!" · If, (said the servants of Naaman,) the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather, then, when he saith unto thee, Wash and be clean !” What is there possible to be done, which a wise man would not do to be saved? to be delivered from sin and death? Is any thing worthy to be compared with heaven and immortality? Is any labour too great, any sacrifice of temporal pleasures too much, for a pearl of so great price? How wonderfully gracious then is this language of "the Lord from heaven," promising salvation to those who will look unto him, the Saviour! And this you well know is the doctrine of his Gospel. This is the same Lord who said, "He that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" that same Son of God, who came into the world, not to condemn, but to save it: who, in the days of his flesh, "stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And this he spake of the Spirit, which they who believe on him shall receive." The like of this he had spoken, many centuries before, by this same prophet Isaiah: “Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk, without money, and without price. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.”