rience that such is our own condition by practice, then, the declarations of our text shine forth as a beam of light from heaven, as a revelation proclaiming "Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace, good will towards men."

Clear, however, as the statement before us is, there are many persons, who acknowledge the general truth of redemption through the blood of Christ, who are altogether ignorant of the manner in which his sacrifice becomes available, "for us men and our salvation." Hence if you ask them, What is their hope for another world? They will readily answer, "Christ,-the blood and cross of Christ;" yet, perhaps, they are as ignorant, as the unenlightened heathen, of the manner in which that blood and that cross can take away sin.

Brethren; attend to this brief explanation. Because of our sins against God, we become condemned, as criminals, by his holy law; but "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Our sins having taken away from us the reward of righteousness, which is everlasting happiness in heaven,—Christ was made to be "sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!" Our iniquities, moreover, having entitled us to suffering,—that suffering is taken away by Christ, because "on him was laid the iniquity of us all." Yea, because "he hath borne our griefs, and car

ried our sorrows; " because "he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities;" and because "the chastisement of our peace was upon him," therefore "with his stripes we are healed!" And again; we having contracted a debt against God and against his holy law,—a debt, as it were, of ten thousand talents, without a single mite of our own to pay,-Christ paid the debt with his own blood, that we might be free; and thus it is written, "ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold;....but with the precious blood of Christ." And, therefore, it is also written, "ye are bought with a price!"

Thus, brethren, Christ being made in all respects the sinner's substitute, all the sins of those who become his disciples are laid upon him, and all his obedience and righteousness are imputed unto them. Not only, therefore, is the condemnation taken away, that they may not perish; but goodness, righteousness, and obedience are made over to them, so that they may have the reward of "everlasting life." And thus it is, that "if we confess our sins" on the head of this all-sufficient sin-offering, the Lamb of God, God "is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Observe the expression-he is "just to forgive us our sins; "—but why, in this view of forgiveness, is it justice, and

not mercy? Because sin, with all its curse, and weight, and penalty, being once laid upon Christ, as the sinner's propitiation, it would not be just to lay it a second time upon those who are made Christ's through faith in his name.

IV. This leads us to the last consideration we proposed for this discourse, namely, THE CHA

RACTERS TO WHOM THE GIFT AND SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ARE APPROPRIATED.

the

Had we argued from the fact of Christ having died for all, that all must, therefore, be saved,our text, were there no other passage to prove condemnation of the wicked, would have sufficiently shown that the ransomed souls are, not all that have sinned, but, all that have believed. For whilst "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son" for its redemption, it was not that rebels might be saved in their rebellion, or sinners in their sins, or unconverted men in their unregeneracy, or unbelievers in their unbelief. No! It 66 was that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Whilst, therefore, it is a scriptural truth that "Christ died for the sins of the whole world," it is not the truth that all the world are saved. died for all,-adored be the unbounded mercy and universal love of the Lord Almighty! in this wise, -to put all mankind in a condition for receiving

He

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salvation; he became "the propitiation....for the sins of the whole world," so as to take away the condemnation of every man's birth-sin and original corruption;-and there was likewise merit enough, in his propitiation, for the sins of all the human race, yet all the world are not fitted for heaven-nor are all the human race delivered from their sins; but only such as believe?

66

This, then, my brethren,-faith in our Lord and Saviour Christ-is the cord by which, for our own salvation, "we bind the sacrifice to the horns of the altar." This is the cable of gospel-hope, "which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast." This is the hand that taketh hold of eternal life. This is the principle by which we obtain an entrance into the ark of the soul. This is the outstretched arm by which we reach the life-buoy, prepared for perishing sinners. This is our act and deed," to the instrument of conveyance, which makes the celestial inheritance our's. The consideration, in the heavenly transfer, is the blood of Christ; the covenant is between Christ, on the part of the world, and the Father, on the part of heaven. And all that we have to do in the great transaction is, the execution of the deed, by the act of faith. We believe that the title is good-not a mere temporal freehold, but an eternal inheritance. We believe that the consideration paid by Christ,

is an ample and sufficient price. We believe that if we execute the deed in the name of Christ, all the advantages of the purchase become our's, even as we are Christ's, and Christ is God's. In baptism the seal is set to the instrument for us; in confirmation we ratify the covenant of our sponsors; in the Lord's supper, we renew the covenant, in grateful remembrance of Christ. But all these may be nothing more than "outward visible signs," merely expressed, but not felt,—and they amount to nothing, without the act of faith, which is the stirring up of "the inward and spiritual grace."

Considering, now, my brethren, how cheap the offered inheritance is unto us, but how dear unto God, we might naturally suppose that all men would come with one consent unto Christ, that they might obtain the inestimable blessing. But is it so? Many, alas, have no anxiety whatever about another world. Many believe not what our text declares, as to the way of salvation. And many live and die in a state of wickedness; without anxiety to obtain, or fitness to enjoy, the pure and exalted happiness of the kingdom of glory. How, it may be asked, comes it pass, that all embrace not the great salvation? The defect is not in God; for he willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. The fault is not in the Saviour; for