"walking after their own lusts," find it their interest to overlook, or disbelieve the declarations of Scripture on this head; who are willingly ignorant of the method of the divine proceedings, and say, "Where is the promise of his coming; for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation?" Know O vain man "that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water, and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men... And behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Ye, beloved, who have through grace " set your affections on things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God... seeing ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless... What manner of per sons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" But "when he who is your life shall appear, then shall then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

A bow in general bespeaks terror, but the rainbow has neither string nor arrow, and is directed upwards, and not to the earth, intimating that the seals of the covenant were intended to comfort, not to terrify the sincere Christian. Therefore, Christian, however weak thy grace, however manifold thy corruptions, yet fear not to take hold on the hope set before thee in the Gospel. For," the Spirit and the bride say, come; and let him that heareth, say, come; and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

On the other hand, let the wicked, hardened, and impenitent sinner remember, that God has a bow with strings and arrows, and he has ordained it against the persecutors; for "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready; he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death."

As God has appointed the bow for a confirmation of his grace and faithfulness, let us look upon it too, that we also may be mindful of the covenant with faith and thankfulness. If we are true Christians, we may sing, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble; therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof... For the mountains shall depart, and the

hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." The covenant of grace on which our everlasting hopes are built, is

'Firmer than the solid poles,

On which the wheel of nature rolls.'

The day will come, when all " the mountains shall depart, and" all "the hills be removed;" for "the earth and all the works that are therein shall be burned up;" but then the covenant of peace between God and believers shall continue in the everlasting bliss of all who are children of that covenant. Creature confidences shall all fail us; for in vain is salvation hoped for from these hills and mountains; but when our friends fail us, and every earthly refuge and portion is swept away, our God does not fail us, nor does his kindness depart. When "the overflowing scourge shall pass through, and the hail shall sweep away the refuges of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place," then "surely shall one say, In the Lord Jehovah have I righteousness and strength... Lo! this is our God we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation ... for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength... Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

SERMON IX.

THE PURPORT OF THE MESSIAH'S EMBASSY.

LUKE xix. 10.

For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Or all the themes that can engage the attention, awaken the anxiety, and reward the pursuit of a rational, an immortal, a guilty creature, salvation is unquestionably the most important, the most interesting, and the most delightful. Whatever other object may present itself, must be comparatively trifling and uninteresting to the awakened mind of him who knows and feels that he has a soul to be lost or saved; and who cries out in trembling anxiety, "What would it profit me if I should gain the whole world, and lose my own soul?" Oh! "what shall I do to be saved?" To such inquirers, my message this evening is, "glad tidings of great joy; ...for unto you is born" as on "this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord;" and his name is called Jesus, because he saves his people from their sins. "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." May the Holy Spirit, whose alone it

is to apply the blessings of the Gospel of salvation, assist and bless our present meditations, giving to each of us a deep and heart-felt conviction of our absolute need of a Saviour, and leading us to Jesus as able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him."

"

Imploring and depending on his gracious aid, let us from the words of our text notice,

I. An affecting implication ;-that man is in a lost state;-and

II. An encouraging declaration;-that the divine mission of the Son of God, was for the express purpose of rescuing and saving the ruined race.

I. Our text suggests the lost and ruined state of man by nature. "The Son of Man came to seek, and to save that which was lost."

And how shall I describe or illustrate the lost state of man by sin? Shall I lead you back to Paradise, where man first tasted being, and consciousness, formed by his great Creator in his own image, in righteousness, and true holiness; favoured with constant and intimate communion with him; furnished by his beneficent hand with all that could delight the senses, and all that could assist and confirm his moral perfection; and inspired with a glorious hope of an easy transition, at some period marked by infinite wisdom, from the blessedness of Paradise, to the full immortal bliss of glory? Oh! what could interrupt the