"Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity." O divine charity! he gave himself for us! We think highly of men, who give a little of their superfluous wealth to build a hospital for the infirm or insane ;—and it warms our hearts to see smaller kindnesses rendered; a night's watching with the sick, and even bread only to the hungry, or a cup of cold water to the thirsty, in the name of a disciple; rejoicing to believe that he, who gives it, shall not lose his reward. But our blessed Lord gave himself—to toil and suffering, to sorrow and death, for us "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. But while we were yet enemies, Christ died for us." We think with admiration of the kindness shown by the exalted to the low and miserable, by the prince to the beggar, by the enlightened to the ignorant, by the innocent to the debased and guilty. What terms, then, can express a proper sense of the love of Christ to men? What a condescension in the Son of God, to leave the glory he had with the Father before the world began; to assume the form of a servant; to be the subject of continual sorrow; to engage with wasting zeal in the work of enlightening and saving the world, and closing his other sufferings with the agonies of the cross, that he might redeem us to God. "Surely," in the words of the apostle," the love of Christ passeth knowledge."

This love appears still more gloriously, when we consider the nature of the redemption he came to accom

plish. He gave himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity. The excellency of the end enhances the gift. It was not merely to redeem us from the punishment of our sins, but from their reigning power, and from polluted and debased, to transform us into holy beings, to refine us into angelic excellence, and to exalt us into angelic felicity and glory. It is a charity of a very exalted kind, when a man, from tender pity of human wretchedness, will venture into the most infectious haunts of vice and misery, and with persuasive eloquence and patient effort will labour at the risk of health and life, to reclaim the abandoned criminals. But the whole business of our blessed Redeemer was, to redeem a world from all iniquity. To this object he devoted himself, and to the chief of sinners he extended his divine charity; and by his attentions to them, brought upon himself the reproach, that he was the companion of publicans and sinners. To which he mildly replied, that he came, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, and that the whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. A few words let me say,

5thly. Of the character of his peculiar people— "and purify unto himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works." This is probably said in allusion to two passages in Exodus and Deuteronomy, where God calls the Jews a peculiar treasure, and a special people to himself, because he had made them his property, by redeeming them from the bondage of Egypt, and

had distinguished them from the rest of mankind, as his, by rites and ordinances of his own appointment. So Christ hath made believers his peculiar people, by giving himself for them, to redeem them from all iniquity, and to purify them unto himself, a people, zealous, not of rites and ceremonies, but of good works. We ought to observe, particularly, with what strength and emphasis the apostle speaks, throughout the verses of the text, of the absolute necessity of good works, of a life of holiness and of purity. And when our Lord, and his apostles have laid such stress upon good works, and have frequently declared them indispensable as a condition of salvation, none, who profess christianity, can neglect the practice of them, without the extreme peril of their souls. This being the great end of Christ's life and death, none who profess to be preachers of the gospel can speak of good works with contempt or indifference, without bringing a grievous offence upon the faith of Christ. Woe will be to them, by whom such offence cometh. No. True christians, as Peter also characterizes them, are a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that they should show forth the praises of him, who hath called them out of darkness, into his marvellous light."

After even this brief and imperfect discussion, I hope we see enough in our text to justify the eminent individual, to whom I have alluded, in resting his soul

upon it; enough to awaken our minds to hope and duty. In reviewing and improving the subject, let

me say,

1st. We should dwell in our thoughts often, and long, and with grateful wonder, on the "grace of God which bringeth salvation," and "hath shone forth unto all men." How willing, how desirous is he to reconcile sinners to himself "As I live," saith the Lord, “I desire not the death of the wicked, but that he return and live."—" Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die," is his pathetic expostulation by the prophet. He observes by the prophet Jeremy to the Jews, and through them to all men, "I sent unto you all my servants, the prophets, rising early and sending them." And in the New Testament, behold him sending his only Son to seek and save the lost, and the train of the apostles and evangelists; all beseeching us to be reconciled to God. Let our hearts be melted by all this grace; let not one resist all this superabundant mercy. Indeed, "how should we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us, by them that heard him."

There being such earnestness on the part of God for our salvation; and the Saviour having done and suffered so much for this great end, some seem easy and confident, that salvation for all men and all characters is made certain, without any active concurrence on their part. But be it remembered,

2d. That the very grace of God requires, in order to salvation, a renovation of heart, and purity of life. It teaches, that ungodliness must be denied, worldly lusts renounced and forsaken, that men must live in sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, and be redeem ed from all iniquity, purified a peculiar people to Christ, zealous of good works. It is in vain, then, for any of us to take encouragement from the grace of God, great, wonderful as it is, except, at the same time, we yield ourselves to the condition, on which it brings salvation. We must be divorced from sin, or renounce the hope of salvation. In the gospel plan, and in the nature of things, sin and salvation cannot go together. Let us, then, abandon false hopes, and judge truly, that no step is taken toward salvation, any farther than it is taken in renouncing sin. Judge, then, my dear hearers, judge of your hope and prospect of the great salvation, precisely according to the degree in which you die unto sin and live unto righteousness, are dead to the world, and alive unto God.

3d. Let us be drawn to the great work of renouncing all sin, by the most affecting fact, that Jesus "has given himself for us," that he might redeem, or deliver us from all iniquity, and purify us unto himself, a peculiar people. Shall the blessed Son of God do so much for this end, and we be contented to do nothing? Shall he leave glory, and live, and preach, and die, to deliver us from sin, and we refuse to give it up? Shall he, at the expense of blood, open to us