and, conscious of the victory which he had gained over sin, and death, and hell, did not now refuse those public marks of honour which the multitude had been so often desirous of paying to him, but suffered himself to be conducted towards Jerusalem, rather as a triumphant conqueror, than a humble teacher. And à very great multitude "spread their garments in the way; others "cut down branches from the trees, and "strawed them in the way;. and the "multitudes that went before and that "followed, cried, saying, Hosanna" (or, save, we beseech thee)" to the Son of "David! Blessed is He that cometh in the "name of the LORD." They had seen the glorious works which he had performed; heard the "gracious words" which he had spoken; and believed the merciful promises he had made. They acknowledged him, therefore, to be the expected Messiah,“ the "Lamb of GOD," and "the Saviour of the "world;" and, full of joy, and love, and gratitude, for the mercies of redemption, which had, through him, been at length vouchsafed to mankind, they expressed their rapture in this short, but triumphant hymn: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed

is He that cometh in the name of the. "LORD! Hosanna in the highest."

My brethren, the joyful festival is ap proaching, when we, as Christians, celebrate the advent of our LORD JESUS CHRIST into this world of sinners; the anniversary of that day on which he took the "form and "fashion of a man," in order to confer those blessings upon mankind, which he alone can bestow-redemption from everlasting death; our reconciliation with GoD; the pardon of our sins; and the hope of eternal happiness to the penitent and good. It is natural, therefore, for us, as it was for the disciples and multitudes in the days of CHRIST, to "rejoice and be exceeding glad". on such an occasion, and to say with them, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of "the LORD."

But, that you may the more forcibly feel it as your bounden duty to be grateful for the manifestation of JESUS CHRIST in the flesh; I will remind you, somewhat particu larly, of those gracious purposes for which he came into the world; and direct your attention to those returns, which you are expected to make for such precious benefits bestowed upon you.

"This is a true saying, and worthy of all "men to be received," saith St. Paul," that JESUS CHRIST came into the world to "save sinners." How man became a sin

ner, and was reduced to that situation which made a Saviour necessary for him, we find related in the third chapter of the book of Genesis. He had been created, you know, " in the image of GOD;" that is, without sin, and as perfect as a human being could be; placed in the garden of Eden, full of every thing that could administer to his delight; and intended, (as it should seem,) after a life of innocence and peace upon earth, to be removed, without suffering, pain, or death, to an everlasting enjoyment of happiness in heaven. In order, however, that he might deserve such high privileges, it was necessary to put his obedience to some proof; since there can be no virtue without trial; because a great part of virtue consists in resisting temptation. GOD, therefore, thought proper to place our first parents under that law, which is mentioned in the 2d chapter of Genesis: " of every tree of the garden "thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of "knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not "eat of it; for, in the day that thou eatest "thereof, thou shalt surely die :" thus giving to man an entire freedom of will that made him perfect master of his own actions,, (without which he could not have been an accountable being,) a liberty of choosing between good and evil; and placing before

him an opportunity of securing his present enjoyments in Paradise, and inheriting, for a certainty, that greater happiness which was reserved for him in heaven. Sacred scripture, however, goes on to inform us, that man disobeyed the law which had been given to him, and ate the fruit that he was forbidden to touch; and that, in consequence of his transgression, he was driven out of Paradise, and became subject to sin, misery, and death. Let it not be supposed, however, that the condemnation of man was occasioned by the mere act of his eating the fruit. No! this would have been an indif ferent matter, had not GOD forbidden him to eat it. The LORD GOD had seen fit to make his refraining from it the proof of his obedience; the trial of his virtue; and, consequently, the act of eating it, however trifling in itself, was as much rebellion against GOD, as if the ALMIGHTY had commanded him to do "some great thing," and he had not done it. From this fatal moment, Adam, and all his posterity after him, became sinners. Human nature was changed and corrupted; that is, as, before the Fall, man had cheerfully served GOD, and delighted in all that was good; so, after the Fall, the "evil one" had dominion over him: "the thoughts and imaginations of

"

66

"his heart," were turned from holiness to sin; and he rather delighted in following his own unlawful and violent passions, than in obeying what his conscience told him was the law of GOD. But the wages of sin "is death," and man having thus fallen, and being thus corrupted, could look for nothing but the fiery indignation" of that Maker, whose commands he had thus transgressed. "In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou "shalt surely die," was the sentence pronounced upon him if he sinned; he had sinned, and consequently must expect the sentence to be inflicted on him, which included not only the penalty of temporal death, but, what was infinitely more terrible, everlasting punishment.

Such was the cause, my friends, which made a Saviour necessary for lost mankind; one, who could make an atonement to God for the sin of man; intercede with him for their pardon; reconcile him to the offending race; and restore to us those hopes of everlasting happiness in heaven, which we lost, through Adam, when he was guilty of a breach of the commandment. We will now look into the Holy Scriptures, and see in what manner JESUS CHRIST has performed this merciful office for us, and what great reason we have