"they know not him that sent him." "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are." Heaven is his "Father's house." The Comforter is "from the Father." The cup of suffering and death is given him by the Father. The heir of the owner of the vineyard is slain, because he is his Son. On the Cross he prayed for his murderers, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." He ascended to his Father. He is now at his "Father's right hand." He is appointed judge at the final day by his Father, and shall come then in "the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."

2. He glorified his Father in proclaiming his will. I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." As a prince who publishes the sovereign's pardon to rebel subjects, on the condition of future obedience, honours his Sire, so Christ glorified his Father. "Even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." He publishes his Father's will, which is that all mankind are objects of his pity, that he he has no pleasure in the death of any-that if they forsake their wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, and come to him, he will show mercy and multiply pardons to them. That the way of deliverance from the guilt, power, and penalty of sin is through himself, the "Lamb of God," "slain from the foundation of the world." "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." That he is the medium of access in being a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck," and is the "one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." "The Mediator of the New Covenant." That heaven is entered by the "sprinkling" of his blood, which purifieth the unclean-cleanseth from all sin." And that each and all of these blessings may be inherited, FAITH,-resting as on a foundation,-feeding as in eating,-trusting as to a staff, in him, must appropriate them. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." "By grace are ye saved through faith." "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." "If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." And this glorious doctrine of salvation by faith in the Son of God," is not taught by him in theory alone, but demonstrated by many indisputable facts. The palsied man of Capernaum, and the weeping woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee, are recipients of the heavenly gift.

3. Christ glorified his Father in obeying and worshipping him.

8

Obedience to another does not necessarily imply inferiority, nor compulsion, though this often may be the case. But true obedience is voluntary. Submission to another for the accomplishment of purposes in which such bowing down is requisite, is obedience. And Christ's obedience to the Father is of this character. His being "born" a child, his being "found in fashion as a man," his endurance of hunger, thirst, and weariness, temptation, reproach, pain, and death, are acts of his holy obedience. And whom he obeyed he also worshipped. Though God, he is also man, to be capacitated for obedience; and being man, it became him to adore-to give thanks, to supplicate, but not to confess, at least for himself, for he was "blameless" and "separate from sinners." These devotions too, were frequent, fervent, and protracted. He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. "God is glorified

in him." John xiii. 31.

II. The work Christ had now completed.

ness.

1. A triumph over sin. He is "without sin"-guile is never found in his mouth." "The prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me." Every enticement to evil is instantly and fully repelled; "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Every invitation to virtue is cheerfully and completely obeyed; "He went about doing good." He is born immaculate, and so he always lives. And this life is anticipated by him long before it begins, always needed by man for whom it is lived, and ever required by the "Father," by whom the "Son" is sent. God in his holiness is eternally offended with sin, and the sinner as a consequence is for ever cut off from him, in wretched"In the day thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die. The soul that sinneth it shall die." But God, who in his justice is necessarily inflexible, is in his love abundantly compassionate, and "finds out a ransom." "God is love." He sent his Son into the world not to condemn it, but to save it; "He came to seek and to save that which was lost." "God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." All the claims of the moral law, the changeless meter of humanity, are met by the Lord Jesus Christ, as fully as they could have been by Adam, to whom it was essentially given, or any of his posterity, had there been no "FALL." This fulfilment of the decalogue is chosen, official, and declaratory, that is, of its equity, and one great and indispensable part of the Saviour's business to this world. Christ lives holily because he is man, and because he is the representative, second Adam, exemplar, and redeemer of the whole fallen family. In him all have a living pattern to imitate, and a head absolutely pure, through whom, as the body, we are received of his Father and our Father, his God and our God, whose never varying justice and purity require such perfection and holiness; also a Redeemer

and Mediator, whose merit avails for all, because "he by the grace of God tasted death for every man;" and whose advocacy is never suspended, "Seeing he ever liveth to make interces

sion."

2. He triumphed over error. His superiority to error is exhibited in his never being deceived, in his never deceiving, in his dissemination of truth that supplants all error, and in the discomfiture of all who sought his entanglement. Witness his conduct toward the Chief Priests, Scribes, and Elders, who "came upon him, and spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who gave thee this authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me; "The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not? But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. And Jesus said unto them, neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." Likewise his answer to the hypocritical spies of the same intermeddlers, feigning themselves "just men," who "asked him, saying, Master, is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no? but he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cæsar's. And he said unto them, render therefore unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar's, and unto God-the things which be God's. And they marvelled at his answer and held their peace."

Nor did he deceive any one. That he was estimated unjustly by many we know, and that those who valued him most saw not the fulness of his excellence is plain; but this is not chargeable to him, as in the one case unbelief, pride, and sensuality closed their eyes, and in the other the infinite distance between him and his adherents make it what it is. His discourses are delivered openly, his miracles are not performed in secret. No one then need be in doubt as to who he is, and whence he is. And when he is consulted seriously as to who he is, he answers not ambiguously. To John's disciples he says, "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the leper's are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." Even to the council which interrogated him as to his being the "Son of God," though he answered not in direct terms, he speaks so plainly that he is charged with "blasphemy," and said to be "guilty of death." To Pilate also he replies in like manner, as to his "kingdom," and being "a king," who fully understood his answer.

Error he vanquishes, lastly, in revealing "the truth. "Truth

in opposition to falsehood-truth without any mixture of errortruth the most paramount and necessary-divine truth, that leads man to holiness, happiness, and heaven. Truth-that God is merciful-that man is a sinner-that He himself is a deliverer-that all may live through Him. This is the truth that shall out-live all others-that all others ere they die shall be auxiliary unto; the truth that shall fill the world-for

"He shall have dominion
O'er river, sea, and shore,
Far as the eagle's pinion,

Or dove's light wing can soar."

"All shall know him from the least to the greatest." But we anticipate

III. Christ had now finished the foundation of his kingdom on earth. The "Golden," the Babylonian; the "Silver," the Medo-Persian; the "Brazen," the Grecian; had passed away: and the "Iron," the Roman; is at its apex. Now "the Lord God sets up his kingdom that never shall end. But there are no whirling chariots, nor prancing steeds, "smelling the battle afar off;" there is no marshalling of armies, nor blast of the trumpet of war; there are no flying javelins, nor glittering spear; no bloody carnage or shrieks of death. All is serenity, all is kindness. It is the war of love, the beginning of the reign of "Immanuel," the "Prince of Peace." Sublime doctrines, charming parables, and stupendous miracles are the weapons of his warfare. With these he marches, with these he "rides in majesty prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; his right hand teaching him terrible things:" "The world is gone after him." He dies, and ransoms all the rebellious, that "the Lord God may dwell among them." them." Listen to his discourses on the mount and on the shore, in the synagogue and in the temple, to strangers and to his acquaintance "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." "I am the bread

of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst: if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever." "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters." "As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation, &c." "And all men did marvel." Gracious words. Rich in meaning, suitable in character. Never man spake "And many believed on him there.'

like this man."

Now read his Parables.-The Sower-the Wheat and the Tares -the Merciless Servant-the Kind Samaritan-the Barren Fig Tree-the Lost Sheep-the Prodigal Son-the Rich Man and Lazarus-the Unjust Judge-the Pharisee and the Publicanthe Wise and Foolish Virgins-the Sheep and the Goats, &c.How truth inspiring! how edifying!

And now behold his miracles.-The Nobleman's Son is cured -the Widow's Son is raised to life-the Demoniac is in his right mind-the man born blind can see-the Impotent man walks-the Leper is sound-the hungry thousands are fed with a few loaves and small fishes-the brother of Martha and Mary, four days an inhabitant of the grave, walks about again with his sisters, &c. What power! what beneficence ! How astounding! how convincing! "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works. "It was never so seen in Israel." tainly this was a righteous man." "Is not this the Christ?" "He has finished his Father's work, while it is yet day, but the night approaches. What remains is rather the passive than the active, and to this, his death, he has already consecrated himself. The sacrifice is ready to be slain, when the fire is ready to consume it. The church's foundation is immoveably laid"The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." "It is finished." The world is redeemed. He bows his head and dies.

""Twas well my soul he died for thee."

"Cer

"There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." John xxi. 25.

What a pattern to imitate! "For even Christ pleased not himself." He says "follow me." Not in his Godhead and Messiahship, for there he stands unique, as divinity is not a component of our being. But he is also man. "It behoved

him to be made like unto his brethren." He submitted to scarcity, scoffing, and death, without complaint. "He opened