Lord Jefus Chrift, in whom he reconciles the world unto himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them.

A copious enlargement upon this branch of my fubject, would carry me far beyond the ordinary limits of a difcourfe: but as it is the will of God, that the heirs of promife fhould have "a ftrong confolation," I cannot conclude my remarks upon the agency of the Father in the work of man's redemption, without reminding you of " the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who,

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though he was rich, yet for our fakes be“ came poor, that we through his poverty might be rich." He who was in the "form of God, and thought it not robbery "to be equal with God, made himself of "no reputation, and took upon him the "form of a fervant, and was made in the "likeness of men: and being found in fa"fhion as a man, he humbled himself, and "became obedient unto death, even the "death of the crofs." The Father indeed freely gave the Son to us; but with equal freedom the Son gave himfelf for us. what alacrity did he accept the office of

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Mediator.

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Mediator? "Lo, I come,-I delight to do thy will: thy law is within my heart." With what ardour did he execute the comiffion he had received! "I have a bap"tifm to be baptized with, and how am I "ftraitened till it be accomplished !”—“ I,” faid he, 466 am the good fhepherd; the good fhepherd giveth his life for the fheep." It is not violently taken from me; I voluntarily lay it down. Nay, he was not only a willing facrifice, like Ifaac, confenting to be bound, and laid upon the altar; but he himself was the priest that offered the sacrifice for thus it is written in the epiftle to the Hebrews, chap. ix. 14. Through "the eternal Spirit, he offered himself with46 out fpot unto Go.i."

Here then is funfhine without a cloud. Around the throne of God, and of the Lamb, all s s bright meridian lendor. What pity is it that any gloom should t upon our minds?" In this was manifefted "the love of God towards us, becaufe that "God fent his only begotten on into the "world, that they might live through him," * John iv. 9.—The love of Chrift was no less clearly

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clearly manifefted, in his " GIVING himself "for us an offering and a facrifice to God, "for a sweet-smelling favour," Eph. v. 2.

These two memorable and interesting fentences, like the cherubims which covered the mercy-feat, have their faces looking one towards another; and both fmile with complacence upon every returning prodigal. For to connect them together, and bring them home to ourselves, I need only direct your attention to a third paffage of Scripture, where faith in the Son is exprefsly enjoined as an act of obedience to the will of the Father: 1 John iii. 23. "This is the command of God, that we "fhould believe on the name of his Son "Jefus Chrift."-Let us this day unite them all in our ferious meditations at the table of the Lord; and improve them, as we ought to do, forthe establishment of our faith, and hope, and joy. We are not straitened in God: let us not be ftraitened in our own bowels; for this is the call which he addreffeth to each believer in particular, "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." Amen.

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SERMON VII.

1 JOHN V. 11.

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This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life: and this life is in his Son.

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WHY do not all to whom thefe good tidings are publifhed, receive them with humble gratitude and joy? Are they expressed in terms fo dark and ambiguous, that their meaning and import cannot be fully afcertained? or is the offer of life loaded with fuch hard conditions, as exceed the powers of those to whom it is addreffed? Were either of these the cafe, unbelief would be furnished with fomething more than a plausible excufe. But every body must be fenfible, that neither of these objections can, with any colour of justice, be charged upon the record as it lies before us in my text. To what then shall we attribute the cold reception it meets with from the bulk of mankind; the contemptuous

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temptuous rejection of it by many; and the violent opposition that is made to it by not a few.

I thall not pretend to enumerate all the different caufes that might be affigned. There is one which, however it may appear a paradox to fome, doth, in my opinion, unfold the most dangerous and fruitful fcource of infidelity. It is briefly this:- The gofpel-record is too plain to be underflood, and too gracious to be believed.

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Here is nothing above the level of the lowest capacity; nothing beyond the reach of the most degenerate among men. quires no acuteness to discover what is meant by a gift; and if the gift he free dif encumbered, all to whom it is offered are equally qualified to receive it. This pulls up at once the deepest-laid foundations of pride and vain-glory, and thwarts that love of diftinction and pre-eminence which from the date of the apoftafy, hath been the fatal inheritance of the human kind. We cannot bear the thought of being fed at a common table, how richly foever that table may be furnished. Each of us would wish

to