this appropriating faith, is to be in darkness, doubt, and perplexity: to have it, is to walk in the light and love of the gospel, and in that delightful, holy liberty, where, with Christ maketh his people free. Look, then, unto God the Saviour, besides whom there is no other. Look unto Him, whose salvation is so full, so unlimit ed, so freely bestowed, you, my dear bre thren, who have hitherto been looking with complacency and satisfaction on yourselves, and have seen no beauty in Him, that you should desire Him. Oh! believe it as the truth of the Bible, that if you are ever to be saved, it must be by "looking unto Jesus," and in an exclusive dependance upon His finished work. Your own works, resolutions, and intentions, can never save you, though you may think to make use of Christ to supply the defect of them; because they are altogether sinful; and Christ will not share the work of salvation, nor the honour connected with that work, with you. He alone is worthy, and His worthiness must be your only plea. May God, in great mercy, show you your need of Christ, and enable you so to believe in Him, that you may be just in His righteousness, and holy in His complete and perfect holiness; for thus, and thus only, can you be meet for the enjoyment of the inheritance of the saints in light. Look unto God the Saviour, and be saved, you, too, beloved brethren, whose sins appear to you so great and innumerable as to deter you from receiving, as your own, this precious salvation. Why, when this glorious gift is fully granted to all the ends of the earth, should you, for a moment, imagine it is not designed for you? Why, when Jesus says, "Ho! every one that thirsteth, every one who is in need of the living water, come," should you shut yourselves out from an interest in this endearing invitation? Can you think that He, who "is not mocked," has any intention to mock you? He calls to you with the most unquestionable sincerity.-Believe and be saved: believe, and have the peace of God. Your unworthiness no one disputes; but let a feeling of that unworthiness drive you, as it drove the prodigal, to your Father and your God in Christ Jesus. He calls you: let your soul echo to the call, and you shall rejoice in the "best robe" of righteousness, and in the brilliant "ring" of adoption into the family of heaven. Look unto Jesus; He will be this day, as it were, evidently set forth, crucified before Him with the eye of faith; for whoso seeth Him, hath everlasting life. Eat His flesh, and drink His blood, for whosoever so eateth and drinketh, shall live for ever.* you: look upon And as for you, beloved brethren, who have been enabled to look unto God the Saviour, and are still looking to Him for all your salvation, I can only say to you, may He continue to shine upon you, in the brightness of His countenance, and manifest Himself to you with increasing clearness, and to the production of increasing joy! May He meet you at His holy table, and in all the ordinances of His own appointment; and while He enables you to feed upon Him in your hearts, may it be in the high strain of grateful praise :-"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." * Preached before the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 142 SERMON VIII. RECONCILIATION TO GOD. 2 COR. v. 20. We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. IT has pleased Him, whose thoughts are not as our thoughts," and who spake as never man spake, to identify Himself with His people, and more especially with His ministers, in a manner which surpasses all power of human conception, and of which it is impossible even to think without admiration. Of His people He declares, that they are, individually and collectively, one with Him, and He with them; that in all their affliction He is afflicted; that whosoever persecutes them, persecutes Him; and that he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of His eye. Of His ministers He saith, "He that receiveth you, receiveth Me;" he that heareth you, heareth Me; "he that despiseth you, despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent Me." "It is enough for the disciple, that he be as his Lord." And in the verse from which our text is selected, the ministers of Christ are said to be "ambassadors for Him;" and their employment to be that of imploring sinners of mankind, “in His stead, to be reconciled unto God.” Now, there is, most undoubtedly, in such a representation as this, every thing calculated to produce in the soul, the most unaffected and the most entire humiliation. There is every thing in it to produce in a mind, that practically and experimentally knows what Christian privilege is, the grateful and self-renouncing sentiment"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift;" and, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise, for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth's |