to an unconverted soul, let it not be merely a man speaking about Christ unto him, but let the Spirit of God reveal Him,--and there is revealed, not a truth, but the truth. You put the key-stone into the arch of truth; you restore the sun to the centre of the system. All truth becomes orderly and serviceable in that mind.

Now He knows the truth with regard to himself. Did the Son of God really leave the bosom of the Father to bear wrath in our stead ?-then I must be under wrath. Did the Lord Jesus become a servant, that He might obey the will of God instead of sinners ?-then I must be without any righteousness,-a child of disobedience.

Again, knowing Christ, he knows the truth with regard to God. Did God freely give up his Son to the death for us all ?-then, if I believe in Jesus, there is no condemnation to me. God is my Father, and God is love.

My friends, have you seen Christ, who is the truth? Has He been revealed to you, not by flesh and blood, but by the Spirit of our God? Then you know how true it is that in Him “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,"—that He is the “Alpha and Omega,” the beginning and the ending of all knowledge. But if you have not seen Christ, then you know nothing yet as you ought to know; all your knowledge is like a bridge without a key-stone-like a system without a sun. What good will it do you in hell that you knew all the sciences in the world, all the events of history, and all the busy politics of your little day? Do you not know that your very knowledge will be turned into an instrument of torture in hell? Oh, how will you wish in that day that you had read your newspaper less and your Bible more,—that with all your getting, you had got understanding, that with all your knowledge, you had known the Saviour, whom to know is life everlasting !

III. Christ is the Life.—The whole Bible bears witness that by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins,--that we are as unable to walk holily in the world, as a dead man is unable to rise and walk.

Both Scripture and experience alike testify that we are by nature dead in trespasses and sins; and yet it is not a death in which we are wholly inactive, for in it we are said to walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.

This truth is taught us impressively in that vision of the prophet Ezekiel, where he was carried ont by the Spirit, and set down in

the midst of an open valley full of dry bones ; and as he passed by them round about, behold, there were very many in the open valley, and lo! they were very dry.

Just such is the view which every child of God gets of ne world. The dry bones are very many, and they are very dry; and he asks the same question which God asked of Ezekiel : “Can these bones live ?” Oh yes, my friends; and does not experience teach you the same thing ? True, the dead cannot know that they are dead; and yet, if the Lord touch your heart, you will find it out. We prophesy to dry bones; for this is the Lord's way ;-while we prophesy, the breath enters in. Look back over your life, then. See how you have walked according to the course of this world. You have always been like a man swimming with the stream,- never like a man swimming against the current. Look into your heart, and see how it has turned against all the commandments : you feel the Sabbath to be a weariness, instead of calling it a delight and honourable. If ever you tried to keep the commandments of God-if ever you tried to keep your eyes from unlawful desires, your tongue from words of anger or gossiping or bitterness, your heart from malice and envy and covetousness,-if ever you have tried this, and I fancy most unconverted men have tried it,-if ever you have tried this, did you not find it impossible? It was like raising the dead. Did you not find a struggle against yourself? Oh how plain that you are dead, -not born again! Marvel not that we say unto you, Ye must be born again. You must be joined to Christ, for Christ is the life. Suppose it were possible for a dead limb to be joined into a living body so completely that all the veins should receive the purple tide of living blood,-suppose bone to join on to bone, and sinew to sinew, and nerve to nerve,- do you not see that that limb, however dead before, would become a living limb ? Before, it was cold and stiff and motionless, and full of corruption ; now it is warm and pliable, and full of life and motion. It is a living limb, because joined on to that which is life. Or, suppose it possible for a withered branch to be grafted into a living vine so completely that all the channels should receive the flow of the generous sap, do you not see that that branch, however dead before, becomes a living branch ? Before, it was dry and fruitless and withered ; now, it is full of sap, of life, and vigour. It is a living branch, for it is joined to the vine, which is its life. Well, then, just in the same way, Christ is the life of every soul that cleaves to Him. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Is your soul like a dead limb-cold, stiff, motionless, and full of corruption ? Cleave you to Christ, be joined to Him by faith, and you shall be one spirit, —you shall be made warm and vigor ous and full of activity in God's service.

Is your soul like a withered branch-dry, fruitless, and withered, wanting both leaves and fruit ? Cleave you to Christ; be joined to Him, and you shall be one spirit. You will find it true that Christ is the life ; your life will be hid with Christ in God. You will say, I live; “yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Remember then, my unbelieving friends, the only way for you to become holy is to become united to Christ. And remember you, my believing friends, that if ever you are relaxing in holiness, the reason is, you are relaxing your hold on Christ. Abide in me, and I in yon; so shall ye bear much fruit. Severed from me, ye can do nothing.

DUNDEE, 1836.

SERMON II. " Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. ·

Heb. iii. 1. When a traveller passes very rapidly through a country, the eye has no time to rest upon the different objects in it, so that, when he comes to the end of his journey, no distinct impressions have been made upon his mind,-he has only a confused notion of the country through which he has travelled.

This explains how it is that death, judgment, eternity, make so little impression upon most men's minds. Most people never stop to think, but hurry on through life, and find themselves in eternity before they have once put the question, “ What must I do to be saved ?” More souls are lost through want of consideration than in any other way.

The reason why men are not awakened and made anxious for their souls is, that the devil never gives them time to consider, Therefore God cries, Stop, poor sinner, stop and think. Consider your ways. “Oh that you were wise, that you understood this, that you considered your latter end !” And, again He cries, “ Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.”

In the same way does the devil try to inake the children of God Coubt if there be a Providence. He hurries them away to the shop and market. Lose no time, he says, but make money, Therefore God cries, Stop, poor sinner, stop and think; and Jesus says, “ Consider the lilies of che field, how they grow; consider the ravens, which have neither storehouse nor barn."

In the same way does the devil try to make the children of God live uncomfortable and unholy lives. He beguiles them away from simply looking to Jesus : he hurries them away to look at a thousand other things, as he led Peter, walking on the sea, to look round at the waves. But God says, Look here, consider the Apostle and High Priest of your profession ; look unto me and be ye saved; run your race, looking unto Jesus ; consider Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

I. Believers should live in daily consideration of the greatness an:? glory of Christ.

(1.) There was once a time when time was not, when there was no earth, neither sun, nor moon, nor star; a time when you might have wandered through all space, and never found a resting-place to the sole of your foot, when you would have found no creatures anywhere, but God everywhere, when there were no angels with golden harps hymning celestial praises, but God alone was all in all.

Ques.- Where was Jesus then? Ans.—He was with God. “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." He was near to God, and in perfect happiness there. “ The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. Then I was by Him as one brought up with Him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before Him.” He was in the bosom of God: “ The only-begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father.” He was in perfect glory there : “O Father, glorify Thou me with thyself, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was !"

Ques. What was Jesus then ? Ans. He was God. The Word was with God, and “ was God.” He was equal with the Father. “He thought it no robbery to be equal with God.” He was rich. “He was the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person."

Now, brethren, could I lift you away to that time when God was alone from all eternity ; could I have shown you the glory oi Jesus then,-how He dwelt in the bosom of the Father, and was daily his delight; and could I have told you, " That is the gksrious Being who is to undertake the cause of poor lost sinners, that is He who is going to put himself in their room and stead, to suffer all they should suffer, and obey all they should obey, - consider Jesus, look long and earnestly, weigh every consideration in the balance of the soundest judgment,-consider his rank, his nearness, his dearness to God the Father,—consider his power, his glory, his equality to God the Father in everything, -consider, and say do you think you would entrust your case to Him? do you think He would be a sufficient Saviour ?”-oh, brethren, would not every soul cry out, He is enough-I want no other Saviour ?

(2.) Again, there was a time when this world sprang into being, --when the sun began to shine, and earth and seas began to smile. There was a time when myriads of happy angels springing into being, first spread their wings, doing his commandments, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

Ques.- What was Jesus doing then? Ans.—“ Without Him was not anything made that was made.” “By Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers : all things were created by Him and for Him." Oh, brethren, could I lift you away back to that wonderful day, and show you Jesus calling all the angels into being, hanging the earth upon nothing ;-could you have heard the voice of Jesus saying, “Let there be light, and there was light;"-and could I have told you, “ That is He who is yet to undertake for sinners; consider Him, and see if you think He will be a sufficient Saviour; look long and earnestly;"-good news, good news for sinners, if this mighty Being undertake for us !-I can as little doubt the sureness and completeness of my salvation as I can doubt the sureness of the solid earth beneath my feet.

(3.) But the work of creation is long since passed. Jesus has been upon our earth. And now He is not here-He is risen. Eighteen hundred years and more have passed since Christ was upon the earth.

Ques.- Where is Jesus now? Ans.--"He is set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” He is upon the throne with God in his glorified body, and his throne is for ever. A sceptre is put into his hand-a sceptre of righteousness, and the oil of gladness is poured over Him. All power is given to Him in heaven and on earth.

Oh, brethren, could you and I pass this day through these heavens, and see what is now going on in the sanctuary above,could you see what the child of God now sees who died last night, - could you see the Lamb with the scars of his five deep wounds in the very midst of the throne, surrounded by all the redeemed,