Page images
PDF
EPUB

dangerous. Often have some, whilst listening to the word of God, felt its force; his spirit has convinced you of your error, and you have promised yourselves, your friends, and your God, you would begin to seek him. And are you still undecided? Oh may God give you no rest, until you have found peace, where alone it is to be found. And now I offer you another field wherein to glean. Forget not his Holy Word, there you will glean something of the mysteries of Redemption, there you read of the willingness of Christ, to receive all that come to him. Come and receive from him now, the pardon of your past sins, rest only on him, seek him by prayer and you shall find him to the joy of your souls. Pass not a day without asking yourselves, Where have I gleaned to-day? What good have I got, or what have I learnt, that will be profitable to myself or others? This will lead you to a spirit of self-examination, in which, may God help you for his mercy's sake."

Sunday Afternoon, Dec. 2, 1832,

MR. MORGAN,

"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."-TIT. ii. 14.

"Holiness to the Lord is the Christian's motto; and holiness to the Lord is inscribed on his heart. Whether at home or abroad, alone or in company, he aims only at the glory of God. Be ye holy, for I am holy, saith the Lord; this is the great end of our salvation that we might be delivered from the hands of our enemies, might serve him in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life.'

"In the passage before us let us consider,

First, who it is that has redeemed us: and

Secondly, the purpose of such redemption.

How could a man

And 1st.-It was not man. who is himself a fallen being, atone for the sins of the world. He can by no means redeem his brother. Though there are in the world a few men, who loving God with all their hearts, love their neighbours as themselves; but it was one infinitely superior to the most beneficent of men.

"It was not an angel. Though the Angels

are pure, yet are they finite beings, and when they worship Him, they cover their faces with their wings, and cry Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. No: it was one infinitely superior to the highest Archangel! It was the same that was in the beginning with God, the very and eternal God. Was it not then amazing condescension, to take our nature upon him! To be made bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh! Yet to him belong the incommunicable attributes of deity: such are

omnipotence, the omniscience, and the omni

presence of God.

On

"That he was omnipotent, call to mind what passed in the garden of Gethsemane. asking the soldiers, 'Whom seek ye?' They answered, we seek Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith, ‘I am he;' and the power with which he spoke, made them go backward and fall to the ground, and the same almighty power could have sunk them lower than the grave. That he knew all things, he told his enemies their thoughts, and needed not that any man testify of him, for he knew what was in man. That he was omnipresent, he says, 'Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,' and that to bless them. And again, 'Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world.'

"He likewise received those honors, which cannot consistently be paid to any but God, for we read of them falling down and worshiping him, yet he took upon him a human body and

human soul, that he might give himself for us. Mind, 'He gave himself,' and he says, 'No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.' Had he not died as man, sin would not have been atoned for, and infinite justice would not have been satisfied. But 'he gave himself for us.' Who does the Apostle include in 'us'. He was writing to a young minister of the Gospel, and undoubtedly he includes himself and Titus; for 'me' Paul, and for 'thee' Titus, and likewise all the people in the church with Titus, and all those from whence St. Paul was writing, and with them all mankind; for 'He is the propitiation for our sin, and not for ours only, but for the sin of the whole world.' He bore the sins of all mankind, in his own body, on the tree, and purchased life and salvation for all. It is the fault of those who do not accept salvation, as it is offered in the gospel, that they are not saved.

'He gave himself, but it was for us.'

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »