created him;" the Spirit of God thus "sealing him unto the day of Redemption."

By all these means, 3. He is effectually saved from ruin.

Although that ruin was begun-although hell seemed inevitable-he is "plucked out of the fire." Satan has lost a captive; hell, an inhabitant. The believer is indeed still subject to temptation, but it shall not prevail : "the flesh still lusteth," but on the whole he is "led of the Spirit." He may sometimes despond-"I shall one day perish!" But that God who has plucked him out, will keep him out-will "deliver him from every evil work, and preserve him unto His heavenly kingdom."5 Even now, the Angels rejoice over him, saying, "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire!"

4

Let this subject lead you to inquire, whether the all-important change has yet taken place in you. Guilty is your condemnation yet reversed? Filthyhave you yet obtained spiritual cleansing? Lost, by natural corruption, and sinful practice-has the grace of God in Christ Jesus found and saved you?

If you have any hope that this is the case, then take heart, notwithstanding your vileness. There is indeed no hope of "covering your own sins; "6 but much, of having them all "frankly forgiven."7 Go to "the angel," before whom Joshua stood! See the meekness and love which beam in his countenance ! It is your Saviour-he stands there as your advocate. Plead nothing of your own: "make mention of his righteousness, and of that only."8 He will acknowledge you, worthless as you are: "This my son was dead, and is alive again! he was lost, and is found!”

1 Col. iii. 10. 52 Tim. iv. 18.

2 Eph. iv. 30. 3 Gal. v. 17, 18. 41 Sam. xxvii 1. 6 Prov. xxviii. 13.7 Luke vii. 42. 8 Psa. lxxi. 15.

SERMON L.

And the

MALACHI iii. 1.—Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me. Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of

Hosts.

THESE words were spoken in reply to the unbelieving priests of Malachi's day, who professed that they could see no tokens of the presence of God among his people. They had "wearied the Lord" with their infidel speeches; insolently demanding-" Where is the God of judgment?" The God of judgment assures them, in reply, that he whom they pretend to

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seek," and to "delight in," will come probably sooner than they wish; to visit, to prove, and to punish them. And here, four hundred years before the accomplishment of the prediction, he lays down certain marks, by which it should be known hereafter, that he had spoken all these things unto them. The Lord describes, first,

I. THE PREPARATION FOR HIS COMING. " I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me."

You cannot be ignorant, that this promised messenger arrived in the person of John the Baptist.— John "prepared the way" of the Lord,

1. By his singular Birth. His parents were old.

They had never had children—and it seemed impossible that they ever should. But lo! an angel descends to announce, that a child shall be born of these aged persons; thus, by the return of miracles, preparing men's minds for His arrival, by whom such “ works, as never man did," should be habitually performed.

2. By his awakening Ministry. The Jewish church, though still keeping up their hopes of a Redeemer, had become, at the period of his expected arrival, altogether carnal. Spiritual religion survived among a very few only, who, with clearer views, "waited for the consolation of Israel." The true preparation therefore for the Saviour's coming, was, to rouze and alarm the public mind, and to "convince them of sin." Such was the course pursued by John :-" Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

And he

went largely into the nature of repentance; shewing what were the "fruits meet for it "-exposing hypocritical pretenders to it-announcing judgments at hand, to all who should not "bring forth good fruit "and lastly, in every instance of baptism, demanding a full confession of sin: by all which, he so strikingly "prepared the way," that many supposed John to be the very Messiah whom they expected.

3. By direct Testimony. John Baptist was too faithful a messenger, to take to himself the honours that were due only to his Employer. In the full tide of his popularity, therefore, he told them of One "mightier" than himself; One, already" among them, though "unknown; " One,"preferred" far before him; One, compared with whom, he was but a "voice," to be regarded only till his Master should appear. By the providence of God, the Baptist had no personal knowledge of Jesus, till

1 John xv. 24.

2 Luke ii. 25.

3 Matt. iii. 1-12.

Jesus offered himself to be baptized. Then, being miraculously informed of the Saviour's presence, "he saw and bare record, that this was the Son of God”— "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." 1 And this he continued to do, till a prison ended his testimony.-The Lord foretells,

II. THE TIME OF HIS COMING. The period at which He would 66 come to his temple," was to follow" suddenly"-that is, immediately-after the preparation of his way by the "messenger." No. long preparation was to take place: no interval would come between the herald and his Lord: the silence of the one would be suddenly followed by the public ministry of the other.

And how remarkably did the facts agree with this prediction ! "When Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee :"-for what purpose? To hide himself? No; but to make it the habitual scene of his public labours. For St. Matthew adds, very pointedly-" From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;"2 instantly taking up, you observe, the same topic of instruction, which the lips of his messenger had just ceased to utter. So exactly was the precise time of his appearance foretold. But observe,

III. THE DIGNITY OF HIS COMING.

Who is this great Personage, before whom John is to prepare the way ? It is the very Being who engages to send John for that purpose; "I will send ". "he shall prepare the way before Me." Can it be any mere man, who uses such authoritative words? 2 Matt. iv. 12. 17.

1 John i. 19-34.

No-it is Jehovah himself; it is "the Lord of hosts."-Such then was the Messiah to be and such, without all controversy, Jesus of Nazareth was— "the Son of the Highest" the Creator of that world, of which he was now to be the Redeemer. He "thought it no robbery to be equal with God; " yea, he "is over all, God blessed for ever.4

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In order to prevent any doubt on this head, it is added- -"The Lord shall come to his temple; "manifestly alluding to the temple at Jerusalem. And who, I pray, was the Lord of that temple? Who, but "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?" If, then, this be a prophecy of the coming of Christ to the temple at Jerusalem, the conclusion is undeniable, that Christ is the Lord of the temple; and, if so, that he is "the God of Israel." And indeed, his own behaviour in that sacred place declared no less. Having "found in the temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves. . he drove them all out,” and said, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandize." 5 It was one of the first acts of his public life.-But you may object that he calls it his " Father's house," not his own. True-he did not choose at first to offend the Jews, by being more explicit than was needful at that time. But he repeated this act near the end of his ministry; and see the language which he then used, when there was no longer any occasion for reserve. After a solemn procession down Mount Olivet-after passing amid acclamations all through the city to this same temple-after once more casting out the buyers and sellers; with what dignity does the Incarnate God pronounce" My house is the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves!" 6

1 Luke i. 32.

2 John i. 3.

4 Rom. ix. 5.

5 John ii. 13-16.

3 Phil. ii. 6.

6 Luke xix. 45, 46.