this condition he should humble himself and become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Just this composition of attributes in the Person, and just these items and conditions in the history of an efficacious atonement, were the requisites fixed upon in the counsels of eternity, and actually consummated in the life of Christ. We do well here to accept the truth as we find it in the Bible, whether our philosophy can or can not discern the mutual relation of all its particulars. We may not be able to adjust the elements of this supernatural plan to each other, as they exist in the mind of God. We are not the judges in the case. The requirements of the problem lie beyond the reach of natural reason. We do not know beforehand the necessary antecedents of a sinner's salvation; and hence it will be our wisdom to accept the truth as the Bible states it, rejoicing in the facts declared, even if the method of their relation should entirely transcend the most penetrating search of our philosophy.

Thus seeing the truth, we look upon Jesus the Man as the consecrated tent, the created organism of the world's Redeemer, the human visibility and locality, the victim and the altar of an oblation whose property is to cancel guilt and save the soul. Our thoughts rest upon a tangible object, and our faith, upon an appreciable method. His humanity and divinity are both involved, each being necessary to the other, and both uniting in the great work to be done. Jesus dead, is therefore a conqueror reposing in his glory, most victorious when apparently most blasted. He has finished his work. Those who sought and buried his body, knew little of the marvel so near to their eyes. Earth before had never received such a trust. Human hands never before carried such a corse to the tomb. The sad elegy of friendship was never before chanted over such a celestial presence. No wonder that angels watched while all that was mortal in the Prince of Peace lay sleeping in the sepulcher. Wait a moment! A glorious sequel is at hand! The resurrection morn has dawned! Jesus slain has left the tomb; at intervals for forty days he has met his disciples, and identified his person to their knowledge; he has given them their commission; and now you behold this same Jesus who bowed his head in death, mounting the heavens, greeted by the hosts of the world above, and taking his position as the Lord of heaven and earth to the glory of God the Father. He is now highly exalted; his name is above every name; and at his name every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth. See then for what purpose Christ came in the likeness of men, for what purpose he humbled himself, and in what relation he was put to death in the flesh; let the Bible be your guide upon these points; and you will never want a theme for gratitude, or a spectacle for devout wonder. This glorious Person, this Word made flesh, into whose marvelous movements the angels desired to look, of whom the

prophets sang, to whom the apostles bore witness, and for whom martyrs have bled-this Lord Jesus Christ who hath ascended up far above all heavens, and who will come again to awake the dead, and judge mankind-this wonderful Counselor, who in his humanity sweat great drops of blood, who stood at Pilate's bar, who wore a crown of thorns, who breathed out an earthly life upon the cross in extremest agony-this great High Priest of our profession who made the atonement, for the joy that was set before him, despising the shame and apparent ignominy of the mortal struggle -this august Mediator between God and man, this heavenly Intercessor and final Judge-yes, this is the Being whom we preach as the Saviour of the world, of whose life we make mention, and to whom we point the thoughts of guilty men as their only ground of hope.

The doctrine of God in Christ, implying as its foundation a Divine Incarnation in the person of this Christ, was, and is, and ever will be, a complete pertinency to human want. The ends sought thereby, are those in which humanity has the very highest interest. The doctrine is not a speculation to bewilder thought, but a divine reality, a stupendous miracle of grace, for the salvation of our souls. Looking here, faith deals with the most exciting things that faith ever believed. Trusting here, faith finds a comfort pure as heaven and stronger than death. If the doctrine be true, and the four particulars we have named, express its relation to our instruction and salvation, then judge ye as to what ought to be the conduct of that man, or that community of men, or that world of men, to whom the knowledge of this truth is given. To be indifferent in its presence, negligent of its appeal, and disobedient to its mandate, supposes a torpor of thought paralleled only by the depravity which it implies and the doom it deserves. Come then, ye sons of earth, ye fallen children of Adam, ye men of all climes and ranks, come to your Redeemer-God. Taught by his wisdom, and pardoned by his grace, come and live forever.

"I MUST work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."-JOHN 9: 4.

OUR text primarily relates to Christ. But it may be considered, by way of accommodation, as referring to ourselves. This is the important and interesting light in which we are next to view it. 1. We have, each of us, a work to perform: we are, while here, to secure the salvation of our never-dying souls. This is the prime object; the grand end for which we are sent into this world.

At our birth, "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world"-lying in moral ruins-depraved in our dispositions-fastening our affections upon forbidden objects-impure in the motives that reign within us, and disobedient in our external conduct; this being our melancholy, our guilty state, God requires of us a radical change in our character, our dispositions, our motives, and our external conduct. "Except a man be born again," it is written, "he can not see the kingdom of God," and without holiness " no man shall see the Lord."

Qualified, however, in our faculties, to know and serve God; with the volume of inspiration before us; surrounded, on every side, by an abundance of such works as clearly declare the character of their author; warned by the afflictions, and encouraged by the blessings of his providence; he justly commands us to love him. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” He is to have our supreme regard. Our own selves--earthly objects-nay, all things else-are to dwindle into their proper insignificance; while our affections are to be permanently fixed upon him who is worthy of our love.

Again; because of our obligations to this best of beings, and because of our numberless transgressions, repentance for these transgressions is, with reason, made a prominent part of our great work: "God now commandeth all men every where to repent." This repentance, to be acceptable, must not be merely remorse, arising from the discovery of the fact that we are exposed to punishment. Its grand characteristic is not to be a servile fear-a dread of future torment. This is that "sorrow of the world" that "worketh death." A man may possess it to the highest degree, and yet be one of those upon whose devoted head the wrath of the Almighty shall fall. But "godly sorrow "-evangelical re

pentance has its origin in a deep conviction of the abused goodness and the despised excellence of the Lord our God. It is the heart-rending lamentation of a child that has transgressed against a Father, whom he tenderly loves and greatly reveres. Self-accu

sation is now his business. The ingratitude, the folly and guilt and hatefulness of his transgressions, fill his soul with anguish. The deeper this conviction-the greater this self-abasementusually the better the future conduct, and the more abundant the fruits"meet for repentance."

But repentance is not our only duty; we are not left to mourn for our sins without hope of pardon. Blessed be God, a way of access to his favor is opened; a ransom is provided; our Redeemer's blood is shed: "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not on the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." This faith is not the province of the intellect alone. It is not barely the assent of the understanding to the truth of an historical fact. It does not consist, wholly, in the cold, mental acknowledgment that Jesus is the Saviour of sinners-an acknowledgment that may be reiterated thousands of times in succession, without having a particle of influence upon the conduct. The faith which the Gospel recognizes, also involves the exercise of the affections. "With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness." This faith is not a dead and an inoperative, but a living and productive faith. It is characterized as the faith that "worketh," and that "by love" to the Lord Jesus. Deeply sensible of his excellence, the subject of this faith fixes his affections upon him as "the chiefest among ten thousand," and as one altogether lovely." Upon his merits the sinner builds, as the only sure foundation of his acceptance with God. In proportion as his love to Christ increases, the higher will be his estimate of his Saviour's character; the greater his confidence in the promises of the "anointed" of God, the more marked and extensive will be their influence upon his life and conversation.

These are some of the essential particulars in the work which we are, each of us, sent into this world to accomplish.

2. We are to work "while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." This life is the appropriate time-the only season given for the performance of our great work. This is our day of trial, our period of probation. Our existence here is only preparatory to our existence hereafter. It is but the infancy of our being. This world was designed to be only the nursery of heaven, that men might here be trained up to be inhabitants of everlasting mansions of bliss. Our conduct here determines our destiny forever. "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom" concerning our salvation, "in the grave, whither " we are all hastening. As death leaves us, so the judgment will find us; and as our characters then are, such will they continue

to be through eternity. This life is the only space for repentance, the only time for making our peace with God. When the messenger of death arrives, if that great object is not effected, well may we take up the prophet's lamentation: "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." From the gloomy mansions of despair, with what emotions shall we then look back upon days of negligence, idleness and trifling; of folly, of sin, and of forgetfulness of God! Could we only retrace our steps, how eagerly, how quickly would we set about that great work, the salvation of the soul. But it will then be too late. The die will be cast, the books will be closed forever.

"Great God! on what a slender thread

Hang everlasting things!

Th' eternal state of all the dead

Upon life's feeble strings."

We must, therefore, work "while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

A few remarks in application of the subject, and I have done. Suppose, my friends, that any of you, by accomplishing some task, however difficult, could secure to yourself, perfect and uninterrupted happiness for fifty years: how speedily would you set about it; what exertions would you make; what labor would you undergo; what privations would you endure; what difficulties would you encounter, to attain this happiness. But in the word of God, we are offered happiness, unalloyed, through eternity, the thousands of thousands of ages of eternity, if we will only repent, and place our trust in the Saviour of sinners. "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." These are the terms upon which eternal life is offered to every child of Adam. But have we all complied with these terms? Have we all repented, and placed our trust in the Lord Jesus?

Ye aged fathers, who have not, as yet, begun the great work; when do you intend to enter upon it? Behold, the vigor of youth, and the strength of manhood are gone! Stooping beneath the heavy hand of time, your heads whitened by age, with one foot already in the grave; have you so long lived in vain? Is the great business of your life yet untouched? Have you yet to make your peace with God? Think of the multitudes that have fallen on your right hand and on your left. You have, perhaps, followed to the grave, the friend of your youth-the partner of your joys and sorrows-one now resting in heaven. But did you then part forever? Was that an eternal farewell? Does not your heart say: Oh that this separation may be but for a season? Oh! that we may meet again. Work, then, "while it is day," for " the night cometh," and see to it, that it be not to you the never-ending, starless night of desolation. Those who are younger, expect