"Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, tell her that her warfare is accomplished, and that her iniquity is pardoned; say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God." But not only was the Messiah promised as a Saviour, but as a God; not merely a temporal, but an eternal prince; not only a deliverer for a season, but as a king for everlasting. " And the government shall be upon his shoulders, and he shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

Who can, at this distant period of time, read these heavenly writings of prophetic inspiration, without feeling that to him also is the Redeemer promised? and that to him the promise has been accomplished, that to him has been born a "Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." He sees the kingdom of Christ upon earth, and by faith he beholds it in heaven. He is convinced that in Christ, and in Christ alone, are all these prophecies completed, all these predictions accomplished; and that of his kingdom both here and hereafter, there is no end. And shall he not bless the Almighty for his gracious preservation of these holy books, which so powerfully convince him of the truth of the Gospel, and that through patience and comfort of the holy Scriptures he has hope?

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Before, however, he quits the writings of the prophets, let him view their predictions respecting the promised Messiah in another, and far different point of view. Let him turn to another page, and he will find that this mighty Saviour shall be "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." was cut off from the land of the living, and for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Who could ever have imagined such an union of opposite circumstances in one man? Who could conceive that the mighty Conqueror, should himself be conquered; that he whose kingdom. should have no end, should himself be subject to the dominion of an ignominious death. Who could ever have reconciled such inconsistencies, much less have dared to predict them? Yet they have been reconciled, they have been fulfilled, in the person of Christ; in his person has every inconsistency been accounted for, and every mystery unravelled. He is "the mighty God,. the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,” "who was wounded for our sins," and stricken for our infirmities. Though despised and rejected of men," of the increase of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

These then are the prophecies in which we view the promised Saviour; we view him there in every character, in which Christ appeared

upon earth; in Christ are all the various predictions centred, and in him are they fully accomplished. He, therefore, is the promised Saviour. When, then, as Christians we dwell upon the more ancient parts of the Sacred Volume, whether it be upon its history, or its prophecy, wẹ find in it a well-spring of consolation and comfort; we find our hopes enlarged, and our faith confirmed. No one can thoroughly understand the Scriptures of the New Testament unless he be well acquainted with those of the Old. No one can entirely comprehend the more perfect system of Christ, unless he sees it prefigured in the more imperfect system of Moses. The law is our schoolmaster unto Christ. It was from the confidence inspired by these holy books that the devout Simeon waited in patience for the consolation of Israel; and having seen the object of his long-expected hope, exclaimed in all the ardour of humble faith and holy love, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

I have hitherto spoken of the Old Testament as preparatory to the coming of our Lord, and of the hopes to be derived through patience and comfort of the holy Scriptures on this grand point alone. But it is not only in their relation to Christ, but in the lives and histories of the

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patriarchs, that the Christian will confirm his hope. He will there read of all the fathers of Israel, who "died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims upon earth." He will there more immediately view the awful dealings of God to mankind, he will read the tremendous justice of the Almighty executed on wilful rebellion, and he will learn to dread its consequences. He will view the afflictions of the suffering Job, and though in adversity and distress, in pain and trouble, like him, will fix his hope on that Redeemer, who liveth; and at the latter day shall come to judge the earth. Like him he will rest assured, that though after a life of sickness and sorrow, "worms destroy his body, yet in his flesh shall he see God." Thus then, were "the things which were written aforetime, written for our learning; that we, through patience and comfort of the holy Scriptures, might have hope."

As I have now applied the words of the Apos tle to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, it will be the object of my next discourse to apply them to those of the New,

SERMON XXV.

ROMANS XV. 4.

Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we, through patience and comfort of the holy Scriptures, might have hope.

ALTHOUGH the more immediate object of the Apostle's exhortation was a diligent and faithful attention to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, yet as his words are so closely applicable to those of the New, it is my intention to consider them as recommending the study, and enforcing the doctrines of the second part of the Sacred Volume. Whatever consolations are to be derived from the lives, and from the examples of the patriarchs of old-whatever learning is to be deduced from a consideration of the dealings of God with man in the Mosaic covenant-whatever patience, and whatever hope, will spring up from a meditation either on the histories, on the prophecies, or on the evidence of the Old Testament, will be to a wonderful extent increased