,transcribed from the #aheg ,leary ,getz edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,picture3 ,portrait of ,christmas ,evans ,,sermons ,,of ,,christmas ,,evans4 ,a ,new ,translation from the ,welsh4 ,,with ,a ,,memoir ,,and ,,portraiture ,,of ,,the ,,author4 ,,by ,,rev4 ,,joseph ,,cross4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,philadelphia3 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,,publishers4 ,,for ,,sale ,,by ,,carlton ,,porter1 ,,meth4 ,,book ,,concern1 ,,new ,,york4 ,,swormstedt ,,poe1 ,,cincinnati1 ,,ohio4--,,stevenson ,,owen1 ,,nashville1 ,,tenn4--,i4 ,p4 ,,cook1 ,,baltimore4--,,james ,p4 ,,magee1 ,,boston4 ,,wm4 ,m4 ,,doughty1 ,,chicago1 ,,ill4--,j4 ,l4 ,,read1 ,,pittsburg4 ,h4 ,h4 ,,matteson1 ,,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y41 ,,and ,,all ,,booksellers ,,throughout ,,the ,,united ,,states4 #aheg4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,entered according to act of ,congress1 in the year #ahdf1 by ,j4 ,,harmstead1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court of the ,eastern ,district of ,pennsylvania4 ,,advertisement4 ,,the ,sermons of ,christmas ,evans contained in this volume1 and the extracts from his journal and other writings given in the following ,memoir and ,portraiture1 are translated by two different hands1 and in very different styles4 ,the former are clothed in very good ,english1 but the diction of the latter requires an apology4 ,unable to procure a better version1 we have furnished such as we found2 and it is hoped that even this1 with all its imperfections1 will not be wholly unprofitable to the reader4 ,the writer does not wish to be held responsible for the ,theological ,views put forth1 either in the extracts alluded to1 or in the sermons4 ,christmas ,evans was a ,calvinistic ,baptist1 and several of his sermons inculcate1 to some extent1 the peculiar doctrines of that denomination2 though they are generally free from sectarian bias1 and may be read with advantage by spiritual ,christians of all evangelical creeds4 ,,joseph ,,cross4 ,philadelphia1 ,may #aj1 #ahdf4 ,,contents4 ,,memoir ,,and ,,portraiture4 ,page ,,introduction #i ,,memoir4 ,early ,years #ag ,profession of ,religion #ag ,commencement of ,preaching #ah ,backsliding and ,recovery #ai ,change of ,views #ai ,depressing ,views of ,himself #bj ,labors in ,lyn #bb ,visit to ,south ,wales #bc ,settlement in ,anglesea #bd ,powerful ,sermons #be ,sandemanianism and ,sabellianism #bg ,time of ,refreshing #bh ,covenant with ,god #bi ,studying the ,english ,language #bi ,new ,troubles and ,sorrows #cc ,legal ,prosecution #ce ,caerphilly #cf ,another ,covenant #cg ,cardiff #ci ,sermons for the ,press #da ,welsh ,jumping #db ,caernarvon #di ,pulpit ,popularity #ej ,interesting ,letter #ea ,tour through the ,principality #ef ,monmouthshire ,association #eg ,last ,sermon1 ,sickness1 and ,death #eg ,funereal ,sorrow #eh ,,portraiture4 ,personal ,appearance #ei ,moral and ,christian ,character #ei ,social ,disposition #fj ,reading and ,study #fj ,devotional ,habits #fa ,christian ,beneficence #fb ,spirit of ,forgiveness #fc ,catholic ,generosity #fd ,ingenuousness and ,honesty #fe ,sarcastic ,rebukes #ff ,pulpit ,talents and ,labors #fg ,,sermons4 ,,introduction #gi ,serm4 ,i4 ,the ,time of ,reformation ,heb4 ix4 #aj4 #ha ,,ii4 ,the ,triumph of ,calvary ,isaiah lxiii4 #ij #a-f4 ,,iii4 ,the ,smitten ,rock #a ,cor4 x4 #d4 #ii ,,iv4 ,fall and ,recovery of ,man ,rom4 v4 #ae4 #ajh ,v4 ,one ,god and ,one ,mediator #a ,tim4 ii4 #e4 #abj ,,vi4 ,the ,living ,redeemer ,job xix4 #bc-bg4 #abi ,,vii4 ,messiah's ,kingdom ,dan4 ii4 #dd1 #adj #de4 ,,viii4 ,the ,sufferings of ,christ #a ,pet4 ii4 #bd4 #aec ,,ix4 ,the ,purification of ,heb4 ix4 #ad4 #afd ,conscience ,x4 ,the ,cedar of ,god ,ezek4 xvii4 #agb #bb-bd4 ,,xi4 ,the ,prince of ,salvation ,heb4 ii4 #aj41 #ahb v4 #i4 ,,xii4 ,finished ,redemption ,john xix4 #cj4 #ahi ,,xiii4 ,the ,resurrection of ,jesus ,mat4 xxviii4 #f4 #aif ,,xiv4 ,the ,ascension ,acts iii4 #ba4 #bje ,,xv4 ,tribulation conquered ,john xvi4 #cc4 #baf ,,xvi4 ,the ,glory of the ,gospel #a ,tim4 i4 #aa4 #bbc ,,xvii4 ,the ,song of the ,angels ,luke ii4 #ad4 #bcf ,,xviii4 ,the ,stone of ,israel ,zech4 iii4 #i4 #bdb ,,xix4 ,justification by ,faith ,job ix4 #b4 #bej ,,xx4 ,the ,shield of ,faith ,eph4 vi4 #af4 #bei ,,xxi4 ,the ,paraclete ,john xiv4 #af1 #bfi #ag4 ,,xxii4 ,the ,father and ,son ,john xvi4 #bgd glorified #ac-ae4 ,,extracts4 ,i4 ,the ,demoniac of ,gadara #bhg ,,ii4 ,entering ,port #bib ,,iii4 ,the ,unclean ,spirit in ,dry ,places #bid ,,iv4 ,satan an ,angel of ,light #bif ,v4 ,the ,young ,child #bih ,,vi4 ,varieties of ,preaching #cjj ,,vii4 ,the ,six ,crocodiles #cja ,,viii4 ,envious ,ambition #cjc ,,ix4 ,the ,dove1 the ,raven1 and the ,eagle #cjd ,picture3 ,picture of ,christmas ,evans ,preaching ,,introduction4 ,,the introduction of ,christianity into ,britain is said to have taken place about sixty-three years after the crucifixion4 ,by whose agency it was effected1 cannot now be satisfactorily determined4 ,tradition has ascribed it to ,joseph of ,arimathea4 ,this1 however1 is exceedingly doubtful4 ,it has also been attributed to the apostle ,paul4 ,that the apostle ,paul visited ,britain1 is quite probable1 from the testimony of ,theodoret and ,jerome4 ,that he was the first preacher of the gospel in ,britain1 is certainty a mistake4 ,the weight of evidence seems to be in favour of ,claudia1 a ,welsh lady1 belonging to ,csar's household4 ,the circumstances were these3-- ,the ,romans invaded ,britain about fifty years before the incarnation4 ,failing to conquer the ,welsh1 they made peace with them1 and dwelt among them in amity4 ,many ,welsh soldiers joined the ,roman army1 and several ,welsh families went and resided at ,rome4 ,among the latter were ,claudia and her husband4 ,saint ,paul was then a prisoner under ,nero2 dwelling1 however1 8in his own hired house10 and receiving all who came to hear the word of ,god4 ,under his ministry1 ,claudia was converted to ,christianity4 ,she soon returned to her native country1 and scattered 8the ,seed of the ,kingdom0 among her own people4 ,this was in the year of our ,lord sixty-three4 ,about a century after this1 ,faganus and ,daminicanus went to ,rome1 were converted there1 and became 8able ministers of the ,new ,testament40 ,in the year of our ,lord #ahj1 they were sent back to ,wales1 to preach to their own countrymen4 ,they were zealous and successful laborers4 ,they opposed the pagan superstitions of the ,welsh with wonderful energy4 ,they pursued ,druidism to its dark retirements1 and poured upon it the withering blaze of the gospel4 ,through their preaching1 ,lucius1 king of ,wales1 was brought to embrace ,christianity4 ,he was the first king that ever bowed to the ,prince of ,peace4 ,the royal convert was exceedingly zealous in the propagation of the truth4 ,the ,macedonian cry issued from the throne of ,wales1 an earnest appeal to ,eleutherius for help4 ,then 8the word of the ,lord had free course1 and was glorified40 ,under the reign of ,dioclesian1 about the year #cjj1 the ,welsh ,christians suffered a dreadful persecution4 ,their books were burned1 their houses of worship were destroyed1 and multitudes obtained the crown of martyrdom4 ,the first three were ,alban1 ,aaron1 and ,julius4 ,they were all excellent men1 and greatly beloved by their brethren4 ,they died in triumph1 and their blood became the seed of the church4 ,many others soon followed them in the same path4 ,dioclesian gave strict orders for their destruction4 ,not a ,christian was to be spared1 not a ,christian church1 not a book or a scrap of writing that could transmit their faith and history to future generations4 ,this was the tenth persecution4 ,the great dragon had sent forth his flood to destroy the church4 ,but 8mightily grew the word of ,god and prevailed40 ,the bush still lived1 8,and flourished unconsumed in fire40 ,the first ,christian king1 we have said1 was a ,welshman4 ,so1 in part1 was the first ,christian emperor4 ,constantine the ,great was born in ,britain4 ,his father was ,roman2 his mother ,welsh4 ,having resided some time in ,britain1 they removed to ,rome4 ,constantine ascended the ,imperial throne4 ,converted1 he made ,christianity the religion of the empire4 ,the intolerant edicts of his predecessors were abolished2 and the absurd rites of paganism1 as far as possible1 suppressed4 ,the emperor employed all his energies and resources in spreading the gospel4 ,but his course1 if honest1 was injudicious4 ,in the end1 he dishonoured ,christianity more by his imprudence1 than he glorified her at first by his zeal4 ,he opened the door of the church so wide as to admit ,antichrist himself4 ,the 8man of sin0 came and seated himself in the temple of ,god4 ,intoxicated with her prosperity1 the church throughout the empire gradually embraced the grossest superstitions4 ,but the ,welsh ,christians strenuously resisted all innovations4 ,they adhered firmly to the primitive simplicity of ,christian faith and worship4 ,yet they lost a portion of their spirituality4 ,the storms of tribulation are often more favourable to the growth of vital religion1 than the sunshine of prosperity4 ,the church becomes dizzy when placed upon the pinnacle of worldly praise4 ,the boatmen wax careless when their craft glides gently along on a smooth sea1 before a pleasant gale4 ,this is the natural tendency of the human mind1 in circumstances of prosperity4 ,it was thus with the ,christians of ,wales4 ,other things operated unfavourably4 ,the ,pelagian controversy divided and distracted the churches1 and destroyed the spirit of ,christian meekness and love4 ,the ,welsh were soon involved in a civil war with the ,picts and ,scots4 ,in their distress1 they solicited the aid of the ,saxons4 ,the ,saxons promptly responded to the call4 ,but the ally soon became an enemy4 ,they fell upon the ,welsh1 drove them to the mountains of ,cumry1 and took possession of their land4 #aa ,these disasters threatened the extermination of ,christianity in ,wales4 ,but there were a few faithful ones1 whose ark outrode the deluge4 ,gildas1 ,dyfrig1 ,dynawt1 ,teil1 ,padarn1 ,pawlin1 ,daniel1 ,codag1 ,dewi1 and several others1 stood firmly against the degeneracy of the times1 and were 8valiant for the truth upon the earth40 ,through their labors1 the religion of ,jesus survived among the hills of ,cumry4 ,in the beginning of the seventh century1 ,austin came to ,britain1 under a commission from ,gregory the ,great1 to make proselytes to popery4 ,he succeeded well with the ,saxons1 but not at all with the ,welsh4 ,this is not strange4 ,the ,saxons were ignorant idolaters1 and the transition was easy from ,paganism to popery4 ,the ,welsh were enlightened ,christians1 and it was difficult to seduce them from their allegiance to ,christ4 ,they consented1 however1 to hold a large meeting on the borders of ,herefordshire1 and hear what ,austin had to offer4 ,his doctrine did not suit them4 ,they rejected alike the proposals of the monk and the commands of his master4 ,this awoke the fiend within him4 ,he instigated the ,saxons to murder them4 ,twelve hundred ministers and delegates were slaughtered1 and afterward many of their brethren4 ,their leaders being slain1 the majority of the survivors reluctantly purchased peace at the sacrifice of conscience1 submitting to the creed and the usages of ,rome4 ,yet there were some who repudiated the doctrine of the pope's supremacy1 and maintained for a season the simplicity of the gospel4 ,but they lived among the mountains1 in seclusion from the world1 like the inhabitants of the vale of ,piedmont4 ,we hear little or nothing of them again till the time of the ,reformation4 ,while the ,lord1 through the labors of his servant ,wickliffe1 was preparing his way in ,england1 ,wales also was remembered in mercy1 and visited with 8the day-spring from on high40 ,walter ,brute was a native of the principality4 ,he had been at ,oxford1 where he had formed an intimate acquaintance with ,wickliffe4 ,he entered fully into ,wickliffe's views concerning the reformation of the church4 ,his heart was moved with compassion for his countrymen4 ,inspired with apostolic faith and zeal1 he left the university1 and returned to his native land4 ,he determined to resist1 even 8unto blood10 the delusions and abominations of the papacy4 ,he soon distinguished himself as a courageous reformer4 ,he preached in the streets1 in the markets1 and from house to house4 ,he blew the trump of ,god throughout the principality4 ,the temple of ,antichrist began to tremble1 and its gilded and pampered occupants manifested considerable uneasiness and alarm4 ,everybody saw that ,brute was generous and disinterested4 ,friends flocked around him1 for the people had long since become disgusted with the corruptions of the church1 and heartily sick of ecclesiastical despotism4 ,men of all classes gathered to his standard4 ,his labors of love soon elicited1 of course1 the hostility of the clergy4 ,but so numerous and respectable were his friends1 that all the attempts of ecclesiastical judicatures1 and officers of the civil law1 were ineffectual4 ,a petition was at length sent to ,richard ,,ii41 ,king of ,england1 entreating his interference4 ,the king issued an order to the nobility of ,wales1 requiring them to assist the ,bishop of ,hereford in apprehending and punishing the heretic and his adherents4 ,this was in the year #acia4 ,still ,walter ,brute went on1 preaching the gospel1 denouncing the papacy1 and exposing the corruptions of the church1 without material molestation1 till #acic4 ,he was then cited to appear before the ,bishop of ,hereford1 to answer to a charge of heresy4 ,he appeared1 defended himself against the allegation1 and contended boldly that the pope was ,antichrist1 and the papal church ,babylon4 ,in this argument1 ,brute triumphed over his accusers1 and made many converts to his cause4 ,several of the clergy now embraced his views1 and became zealous defenders of the faith4 ,one of these1 ,davydd ,ddu of ,hiraddug1 on the border of ,cardiganshire1 undertook a translation of the ,scriptures into ,welsh4 ,portions of this translation were extensively circulated4 ,another1 ,john ,kent1 ,d4,d41 of ,grismond1 in ,monmouthshire1 was a learned man and a fine poet4 ,he labored incessantly with his pen1 to expose the vices of the clergy1 and promote a more spiritual religion4 ,these divines were variously opposed and persecuted by ecclesiastical power4 ,they were stigmatized as magicians1 and accused of intercourse with evil spirits4 ,but all was unavailing4 ,the zeal of ,ddu and ,kent was unabated1 and the progress of truth was unretarded4 ,the hand of ,god was with them wherever they went4 ,revivals occurred in the cloisters1 and monks came forth from their seclusion to reinforce the reformers4 ,in the monastery of ,margam1 ,glamorganshire1 a large number of the monks were converted4 ,one of them1 ,thomas ,evan ab ,rhys1 travelled the mountains of the principality1 at the constant peril of his life1 to remonstrate against popery1 and recommend a purer form of ,christianity4 ,in #aehj1 ,john ,penry1 an ,episcopal minister1 dissented from the established church1 and became a ,baptist4 ,he was a man of liberal education and fine pulpit talents4 ,after having prosecuted his ministry more than seven years1 with remarkable zeal and success1 he died a martyr4 ,penry was the first ,baptist preacher in ,wales after the ,reformation4 ,in #afbj1 ,erbury and ,wroth followed his example4 ,the conversion of the latter was very singular4 ,a nobleman belonging to his parish went to ,london to attend a law-suit4 ,hearing that he was successful1 ,mr4 ,wroth bought a new violin1 and prepared to welcome his return with music and dancing4 ,while these preparations were going on1 news came that the nobleman was dead4 ,the joy of the party was suddenly turned into mourning4 ,the vicar fell upon his knees1 and poured out his heart in fervent prayer to ,god4 ,this event occasioned his conversion4 ,erbury1 his friend1 was converted about the same time4 ,both began to preach with wonderful unction4 8,jesus ,christ and him crucified0 was their constant theme4 ,their zeal drew down upon them a violent storm of persecution4 ,but they were not discouraged4 ,god owned their labors1 and many were the seals of their ministry4 ,in #afce they were ejected from their parishes4 ,but they 8cared for none of these things40 ,they went from valley to valley1 from mountain to mountain1 preaching the word4 ,the recent ,welsh translation of the ,scriptures proved a powerful auxiliary to their work4 ,people read and investigated for themselves1 and found that these were men of ,god1 speaking 8the words of truth and soberness40 ,erbury and ,wroth both organized ,baptist churches2 the former1 on the plan of 8strict communion20 the latter1 on more liberal principles4 ,these were the first ,baptist churches instituted in ,wales1 after the ,reformation from popery4 ,it is said1 however1 that there existed1 even centuries before1 many ,baptists in the valley of ,carleon1 the ,piedmont of ,wales1 and among the neighboring mountains4 ,their origin is1 very unfortunately1 involved in obscurity4 ,some pretend to trace them back to the year #fc1 the time of the introduction of ,christianity into ,britain4 ,this is a very convenient theory for those who wish to show that the first ,christians were exclusive immersionists2 and who deem it of primary importance to establish a regular succession of such ,christians1 from the apostles of our ,lord1 down to the present day4 ,but it is unsustained by a single shadow of evidence1 beyond the bare assertion of interested witnesses4 ,during the ministry of ,erbury and ,wroth1 arose that morning-star of the ,baptist church in ,wales1 ,vavasor ,powell4 ,he was born in ,radnorshire1 ,south ,wales4 ,he was educated for the ministry of the established church4 ,for some time he officiated at ,clun1 on the borders of ,shropshire4 ,while there1 his conscience was awakened by a reproof from a ,puritan for violating the ,sabbath4 ,he was soon afterwards converted1 under the preaching of ,walter ,caradock1 a noted preacher among the ,independents4 ,in #afcf1 he joined the ,baptists1 and shortly became a very popular preacher among them4 ,he was a man of great eloquence and power4 ,many were converted under his ministry4 ,but the red dragon was roused to pursue him4 ,in #afdb1 he fled his native land for the safety of his life4 ,in four years1 however1 he returned1 and preached boldly throughout the country4 ,the people flocked to hear him1 by thousands1 to the market-houses1 to the fields1 the woods1 and the tops of the mountains4 ,his ministry was wonderfully blessed to the salvation of souls4 ,after the death of ,cromwell1 in #afeh1 ,charles ,,ii4 returned to ,england4 ,now commenced a dreadful persecution of the ,baptists in ,wales4 8,hundreds of them were taken from their beds at night1 without any regard to age1 sex1 or the inclemency of the weather2 and were driven to prison1 on foot1 fifteen or twenty miles2 and if they did not keep up with their drivers on horseback1 they were most cruelly and unmercifully whipped2 and while their drivers stopped to drink at the taverns1 they were beaten like cattle1 during the pleasure of the king's friends2 and all their property was forfeited to the king1 except what was deemed necessary to defray the expenses of their drivers4 ,but all this was only the beginning of sorrows1 and nothing to what they suffered for the space of six-and-twenty years afterward40 ,in these persecutions1 ,vavasor ,powell bore his part4 ,he was immured1 at different times1 in thirteen prisons4 ,indeed1 he was a prisoner most of the time till his death1 which happened in #afgj4 ,on his tomb is this inscription3--8,he was1 to the last generation1 a successful preacher2 to the present generation1 a faithful witness2 to the next generation1 an excellent example40 ,contemporary with ,vavasor ,powell1 and immediately succeeding him1 were many faithful laborers in the cause of ,christ in ,wales4 ,one of them was the noted ,roger ,williams1 who subsequently removed to ,new ,england1 and founded the ,baptist sect in ,america4 ,but after the death of ,powell and his coadjutors1 the revival in ,wales declined1 and the churches gradually settled into a spiritual sleep1 in which they remained a century1 when they were roused by the trumpet-tongued eloquence of ,harris and ,rowlands4 ,harris and ,rowlands were ,methodists4 ,while ,whitefield and ,wesley were rekindling the fires of the ,reformation on the altars of ,england1 these men of ,god were scattering some sparks of it among the mountains of ,wales4 ,under their labors commenced such a revival as was never known in that country before4 ,they adhered to the established church2 and1 on that account1 were1 for a season1 but little opposed4 ,but when the blessed fruits of their ministry began to be developed in the conversion of thousands of souls1 the wrath of ,satan and his emissaries arose against them4 ,but1 as ,christmas ,evans remarks1 it was now too late4 ,the sword of the ,spirit was drawn2 the gates of the city were opened2 the fire was kindled in the stubble1 and not all the floods of persecution could stay the progress of the flame4 ,harris and ,rowlands went forward in their work of love1 clothed with power from on high4 ,a great and effectual door was opened to their ministry1 and the leaven spread rapidly through the lump4 ,the ,baptists shared largely in this work of grace4 ,it was the rising of a new sun upon them1 which had been heralded a hundred years before in the powerful ministry of ,vavasor ,powell4 ,the revival developed whatever of talent and energy lay dormant in the denomination4 ,many a ,david went forth to meet the ,philistine1 and returned in triumph4 ,one of these1 and the most successful of them all1 was ,,christmas ,,evans4 8,he was a man of ,god10 says ,dr4 ,cone1 8and eminently useful in his generation40 ,his natural talents were of the highest order1 and his ,christian graces have not been surpassed in a century4 ,the celebrated ,robert ,hall regarded him as the first pulpit genius of the age4 8,had he enjoyed the advantages of education10 writes one who knew him well1 and often sat under his ministry1 8he might have blended the impassioned declamation of ,whitefield with something of the imperial opulence and pomp of fancy that distinguished ,jeremy ,taylor40 ,his two celebrated 8,specimens of ,welsh ,preaching0 have been read throughout ,protestant ,christendom2 and ranked1 by universal suffrage1 among the most splendid productions of sanctified genius4 ,who that has seen them does not wish to know more of so remarkable a man8 ,to gratify this desire is a secondary object of the present publication2 the primary1 is the religious benefit of mankind4 ,the matter of the following memoir and portraiture is compiled from several authentic sources of information4 ,may their perusal afford the reader as rich a harvest of profit and delight as their preparation has afforded the writer6 ,,memoir4 ,,early ,,years4 ,,christmas ,,evans1 second son of ,samuel and ,joanna ,evans1 was born at ,ysgarwen1 ,cardiganshire1 ,south ,wales1 on the #beth of ,december1 #aggf4 ,his birth happening on ,christmas day suggested his ,christian name4 ,samuel and ,joanna ,evans were poor1 and unable to educate their children2 and at the age of seventeen1 ,christmas could not read a word4 ,when he was only nine years old1 he lost his father and went to live with his uncle1 who was a farmer1 and a very wicked man4 ,here he spent several years of his youthful life1 daily witnessing the worst of examples1 and experiencing the unkindest of treatment4 ,he subsequently engaged as a servant to several farmers successively in his native parish4 ,during these years he met with a number of serious accidents1 in some of which he narrowly escaped with his life4 ,once he was stabbed in a quarrel4 ,once he was so nearly drowned as to be with difficulty resuscitated4 ,once he fell from a very high tree1 with an open knife in his hand4 ,once a horse ran away with him1 passing at full speed through a low and narrow passage4 ,,profession ,,of ,,religion4 ,his first religious impressions he dates from his father's funeral4 ,but they were fitful and evanescent4 ,to use his own language1 8,they vanished and recurred once and again40 ,when he was eighteen years of age1 an awakening occurred among the young people of his neighborhood4 ,christmas himself was 8much terrified with the fear of death and judgment10 became very serious in his deportment1 and joined the ,arminian ,presbyterians at ,llwynrhydowen4 ,his ,christian experience was evidently very imperfect4 ,he had a conviction of the evil of sin1 and a desire to flee from the wrath to come2 but no evidence of acceptance with ,god1 and a very limited knowledge of the plan of salvation4 ,yet his religious impressions were not entirely fruitless4 ,they produced1 at least1 a partial reformation of life1 and led to many penitential resolutions4 ,he thought much of eternity1 and was frequent in secret prayer4 ,he soon felt a strong desire to understand the ,scriptures1 and with this view began to learn to read4 ,according to his own account1 8,there was not one in seven in those parts at that time that knew a letter40 ,almost entirely unaided1 he prosecuted his purpose2 and in an incredibly short time was able to read his ,bible4 ,,commencement ,,of ,,preaching4 ,he was now called upon to exercise his gifts in public prayer and exhortation4 8,to this10 he says1 8,i felt a strong inclination1 though ,i knew myself a mass of spiritual ignorance40 ,his first performance was so generally approved1 that he felt greatly encouraged to proceed4 ,shortly afterward1 he preached a sermon at a prayer-meeting1 in the parish of ,llangeler1 county of ,caermarthen4 ,the discourse1 however1 was not original1 but a translation from ,bishop ,beveridge4 ,he also committed one of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,rowlands' sermons1 and preached it in the neighborhood of the church to which he belonged4 ,a gentleman who heard him expressed great astonishment at such a sermon from an unlettered boy4 ,the mystery was solved the next day2 he found the sermon in a book4 8,but ,i have not done thinking10 said he1 8that there is something great in the son of ,samuel the shoemaker1 for his prayer was as good as the sermon40 ,his opinion of the young preacher would probably have suffered some farther abatement1 if he had known1 what was the fact1 that the prayer itself was memorized6 ,young ,evans now received frequent invitations to preach1 in sundry places1 for different denominations2 especially in the ,baptist church1 at ,penybont1 ,llandysil4 ,he spoke occasionally in the pulpits of several eminent ministers4 ,all who heard him were delighted with his discourses1 and gave him much encouragement4 ,these labors drew him into the society of many excellent ,christians4 ,he seems to have profited by their godly conversation1 and soon acquired an experimental knowledge of justification by faith1 though the witness of the ,spirit was not so clear as in many cases1 and he could never fix upon any particular time when he obtained the blessing4 ,,backsliding ,,and ,,recovery4 ,the young preacher shortly felt the need of a little more learning1 to qualify him for his calling4 ,he commenced going to school to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,davis1 his pastor1 and devoted himself for about six months to the study of ,latin4 ,this involved him in pecuniary distress4 ,he took a journey into ,england1 to labour during the harvest season1 for the purpose of replenishing his purse1 and enabling him to continue his studies4 ,while thus engaged1 he fell into temptation1 and his religious feelings suffered a sad declension4 ,he thought of relinquishing the school and the ministry1 and devoting his life to secular pursuits4 ,while revolving this matter in his mind1 the children of the wicked one came upon him1 and buffeted him back to his duty4 ,he was waylaid by a mob1 who had determined to kill him4 ,they beat him so severely1 that he lay for a long time insensible2 and one of them gave him a blow upon his left eye1 which occasioned its total blindness through the rest of his life4 8,that night10 says he1 8,i dreamed that the day of judgment was come4 ,i saw ,jesus on the clouds1 and all the world on fire4 ,i was in great fear1 yet crying earnestly1 and with some confidence1 for his peace4 ,he answered and said3 #8,thou thoughtest to be a preacher2 but what wilt thou do now8 ,the world is on fire1 and it is too late6' ,on this ,i awoke1 and felt heartily thankful that ,i was in bed40 ,this dream produced a deep impression upon his mind1 and recovered him from his spiritual declension4 ,he began to preach with renewed energy and success1 and all his friends predicted that he would 8yet become a great man1 and a celebrated preacher40 ,,change ,,of ,,views4 ,there was living1 about this time1 at ,aberduar1 a ,mr4 ,amos1 who had left the ,arminian ,presbyterians1 and joined the ,calvinistic ,baptists4 ,he came to visit young ,evans1 and converse with him on the subject of baptism4 ,the latter was unpractised in argument1 and little acquainted with the ,scriptures4 ,he strove strenuously for a while1 but was at length silenced by the superior skill of his antagonist4 ,encouraged by his success1 ,mr4 ,amos made him another visit1 during which he shook his faith in the validity of infant baptism4 ,after this he came again and again4 ,mr4 ,evans was at length brought to believe there was no true baptism but immersion by a ,baptist minister4 ,now it was suggested that he ought to be immersed4 ,other ,baptist friends interested themselves in his case1 and put into his hands such books as were best adapted to their purpose4 ,he was shortly satisfied what was his duty4 8,after much struggling10 says he1 8between the flesh and the spirit1 between obedience and disobedience1 ,i went to the ,baptist church at ,aberduar1 in the parish of ,llanybyther1 in the county of ,caermarthen4 ,i was cordially received there1 but not without a degree of dread1 on the part of some1 that ,i was still a stout-hearted ,arminian40 ,he was baptized with several others1 by the pastor1 ,rev4 ,timothy ,thomas1 in the river ,duar1 and admitted to the communion of the church4 ,this was in #aghh1 when ,mr4 ,evans was about the age of #bb4 ,it is not strange1 that1 after such a change1 he should gradually imbibe the doctrine of election1 and its concomitants1 as held by the ,calvinistic ,baptists2 but it is quite evident1 not only by inference from his own account1 but by information from other sources1 that he had not yet relinquished his ,arminian theology4 ,whether he would have been more pious and useful1 by adhering to his ,arminian views1 and remaining among his ,arminian friends1 is a question not for us to answer1 and perhaps of little practical importance4 ,it is certain that he became a ,calvinist of the highest school1 and 8a burning and shining light0 among his ,baptist brethren4 ,that the ,calvinistic faith is not incompatible with eminent holiness of life1 we have other evidence than that afforded by the history of ,christmas ,evans4 ,the seraphic piety of a ,bunyan1 a ,baxter1 a ,whitefield1 and a ,payson1 should silence for ever the clamors of ,arminian bigotry6 ,,depressing ,,views ,,of ,,himself4 ,for several years after this1 ,mr4 ,evans entertained painfully depressing views of his ,christian character and ministerial talents4 ,he thought every other believer had more light than himself1 and every other preacher greater gifts4 ,he called himself 8a mass of ignorance and sin40 ,he imagined his discourses entirely useless to his hearers4 ,this he attributed partly to his habit of repeating them memoriter4 ,others appeared to him to speak extemporaneously1 and he 8thought they received their sermons directly from heaven10 while he1 by memorizing his1 forfeited the aid of the ,holy ,spirit4 8,i therefore changed my method10 says he1 8and took a text without any premeditation1 and endeavored to speak what occurred to me at the time4 ,if bad before1 it was worse now4 ,i had neither sense nor life1 nothing but a poor miserable tone1 which produced no effect upon the hearers1 and made me really sick of myself4 ,i thought ,god had nothing to do with me as a preacher4 ,i had no confidence in my own talents and virtues1 and the very sound of my voice discouraged me4 ,i have since perceived the great goodness of ,god herein1 preserving me from being puffed up by too good an opinion of my own gifts and graces1 which both before and since has proved fatal to many young preachers40 ,these views of himself often occasioned him deep distress of mind4 ,he entered the pulpit with dread4 ,he conceived that the mere sight of him there was sufficient to becloud the hearts of his hearers1 and intercept every ray of light from heaven4 ,he could not ascertain that he had been the means of the salvation of a single soul during the five years of his preaching4 ,it might have been some relief to him1 could he have ventured to develope to some judicious ,christian friend the disquietude of his soul4 ,but this he dared not do1 lest he should be deemed an unconverted man in the ministry1 and exposed as a hypocrite to the world4 ,so he wrapped up the painful secret in his heart1 and drank his wormwood alone4 ,from all this1 what are we to infer8 ,that ,mr4 ,evans had never been converted1 or was not now in favour with ,god8 ,we think not4 ,all who knew him had full confidence in his piety1 and thought him an excellent ,christian4 ,whether his attention to the subject of baptism1 or the ,calvinistic views he had recently imbibed1 had acted injuriously upon his religious enjoyment1 would be an unprofitable speculation1 if not otherwise improper4 ,perhaps these distressing doubts were but the permitted buffetings of ,satan1 to preserve him from spiritual pride2 the preparatory darkness1 which enabled him more highly to appreciate1 and more earnestly to recommend to others1 8the ,bright and ,morning ,star40 ,many of ,god's chosen servants have been disciplined for their work in darkness4 ,dr4 ,payson1 during all the earlier part of his eminently useful ministry1 and ,john ,summerfield1 when his sweet persuasive tongue was leading multitudes to the ,cross1 were constantly distressed with doubts of their own spiritual condition4 ,though it is certainly the privilege of every believer to know that he is 8a new creature in ,christ ,jesus10 we cannot thence infer that all such as have not constantly the direct witness of the ,spirit are in an unregenerate state4 ,,labors ,,in ,l,,yn4 ,in #agij1 ,mr4 ,evans attended the ,baptist association at ,maesyberllan1 in ,brecknockshire4 ,some ministers from ,north ,wales persuaded him to accompany them on their return4 ,he found the ,baptist people at ,lyn1 in ,caernarvonshire1 few and feeble4 ,they earnestly besought him to remain with them1 to which he at length consented4 ,he was immediately ordained a missionary1 to itinerate among several small churches in that vicinity4 ,now he began emphatically to 8live by faith on the ,son of ,god40 ,the burden which he had borne so long1 rolled away like that of ,bunyan's ,pilgrim4 ,he received 8the oil of joy for mourning1 and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness40 ,from this time1 a wonderous power attended his preaching4 ,many were gathered into the church1 as the fruit of his labor4 8,i could scarcely believe10 says he1 8the testimony of the people1 who came before the church as candidates for membership1 that they had been converted through my ministry4 ,yet ,i was obliged to believe1 though it was marvellous in my eyes4 ,this made me thankful to ,god1 and increased my confidence in prayer4 ,a delightful gale descended upon me1 as from the hill of the ,new ,jerusalem1 and ,i felt the three great things of the kingdom of heaven1 righteousness1 and peace1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost40 ,during the first year of his labors in ,lyn1 he was united in marriage to ,miss ,catherine ,jones1 a pious young lady of his own church1 and a very suitable companion4 ,after this event1 his duties were increasingly arduous4 ,he frequently preached five times during the ,sabbath1 and walked twenty miles4 ,his heart was full of love1 and he spoke with the ardor of a seraph4 ,constant labor and intense excitement soon wore upon his health4 ,he became feeble1 and his friends were apprehensive of consumption4 ,through the mercy of ,god1 however1 he was spared2 gradually recovered his strength2 and performed1 through the remainder of a long life1 an incredible amount of ministerial labor4 ,,visit ,,to ,,south ,,wales4 ,mr4 ,evans naturally felt a strong desire to see his friends in ,south ,wales4 ,during his second year at ,lyn1 thinking it might benefit his enfeebled health1 as well as refresh his spirit1 he determined to make them a visit4 ,he was unable to procure a horse for the journey1 and the small societies to which he preached were too poor to provide him one4 ,so he set forth on foot1 preaching in every town and village through which he passed4 ,his talents were now developed1 and he had received 8an unction from the ,holy ,one40 ,all who heard him were astonished at his power4 ,his old acquaintances regarded him as a new man4 ,a great awakening followed him wherever he went4 ,hear his own language3-- 8,i now felt a power in the word1 like a hammer breaking the rock1 and not like a rush4 ,i had a very powerful time at ,kilvowyr1 and also pleasant meetings in the neighborhood of ,cardigan4 ,the work of conversion was progressing so rapidly and with so much energy in those parts1 that the ordinance of baptism was administered every month for a year or more1 at ,kilvowyr1 ,cardigan1 ,blaenywaun1 ,blaenffs1 and ,ebenezer1 to from ten to twenty persons each month4 ,the chapels and adjoining burying-grounds were crowded with hearers of a week-day1 even in the middle of harvest4 ,i frequently preached in the open air in the evenings1 and the rejoicing1 singing1 and praising would continue until broad light the next morning4 ,the hearers appeared melted down in tenderness at the different meetings1 so that they wept streams of tears1 and cried out1 in such a manner that one might suppose the whole congregation1 male and female1 was thoroughly dissolved by the gospel4 #8,the word of ,god' was now become as #8a sharp two-edged sword1 dividing asunder the joints and marrow1' and revealing unto the people the secret corruptions of their hearts4 ,preaching was now unto me a pleasure1 and the success of the ministry in all places was very great4 ,the same people attended fifteen or twenty different meetings1 many miles apart1 in the counties of ,cardigan1 ,pembroke1 ,caermarthen1 ,glamorgan1 ,monmouth1 and ,brecknock4 ,this revival1 especially in the vicinity of ,cardigan1 and in ,pembrokeshire1 subdued the whole country1 and induced people everywhere to think well of religion4 ,the same heavenly gale followed down to ,fishguard1 ,llangloffan1 ,little ,new-,castle1 and ,rhydwylim1 where ,mr4 ,gabriel ,rees was then a zealous and a powerful preacher4 ,there was such a tender spirit resting on the hearers at this season1 from ,tabor to ,middlemill1 that one would imagine1 by their weeping and trembling in their places of worship1 and all this mingled with so much heavenly cheerfulness1 that they would wish to abide for ever in this state of mind40 ,the fame of this 8wonderful work of ,god0 spread through ,south ,wales on the wings of the wind4 ,an appointment for ,christmas ,evans to preach was sufficient to attract thousands to the place4 ,in a very short time he had acquired greater popularity in ,wales than any other minister of his day4 ,,settlement ,,in ,,anglesea4 ,on ,christmas day1 when ,mr4 ,evans was forty-six years of age1 he removed from ,lyn to the isle of ,anglesea4 ,according to his own account1 8it was a very rough day of frost and snow40 ,unencumbered with this world's goods1 and possessing the true apostolic spirit1 he 8commenced the journey on horseback1 with his wife behind him10 and arrived on the evening of the same day at ,llangewin4 ,whatever the motive of this removal1 it was certainly not the love of money4 ,his salary in ,anglesea was only #ag per annum1 and for twenty years he never asked for more4 ,he had learned1 with the apostle1 8having food and raiment1 therewith to be content40 ,he found his reward in his work4 ,the privilege of preaching ,christ and saving souls1 with him1 was preferable to mountains of gold and silver4 ,on his arrival in ,anglesea1 he found ten small ,baptist societies1 in a lukewarm and distracted condition2 himself the only minister1 and no brother to aid him within a hundred and fifty miles4 ,he commenced his labors in earnest4 ,one of his first movements was the appointment of a day of fasting and prayer in all the preaching places4 ,he soon had the satisfaction to realize an extensive revival1 which continued under his faithful ministry for many years4 ,,powerful ,,sermons4 ,in #agid1 the ,south ,west ,baptist ,association was held at ,velin ,voel1 in ,caermarthenshire4 ,mr4 ,evans was invited1 as one of the preachers on the occasion4 ,it was a journey of about two hundred miles4 ,he undertook it on foot1 with his usual fortitude1 preaching at different places as he went along4 ,the meeting was to commence with three consecutive sermons1 the last of which was to be preached by ,mr4 ,evans4 ,the service was out of doors1 and the heat was very oppressive4 ,the first and second sermons were rather tedious1 and the hearers seemed almost stupefied4 ,mr4 ,evans arose and began his sermon4 ,before he had spoken fifteen minutes1 scores of people were on their feet1 some weeping1 some praising1 some leaping and clapping their hands for joy4 ,nor did the effect end with the discourse4 ,throughout the evening1 and during the whole night1 the voice of rejoicing and prayer was heard in every direction2 and the dawning of the next day1 awaking the few that had fallen asleep through fatigue1 only renewed the heavenly rapture4 8,job ,david1 the ,socinian10 said the preacher afterwards to a friend1 8was highly displeased with this ,american gale40 ,but all the ,socinians in ,wales could not counteract its influence1 or frustrate its happy effects4 ,mr4 ,evans continued to visit the associations in ,south ,wales for many years3 and whenever he came1 the people flocked by thousands to hear 8the one-eyed man of ,anglesea40 ,it was on one of those occasions1 and under circumstances somewhat similar to the above1 that he preached that singularly effective sermon on the demoniac of ,gadara4 ,the meeting had been in progress three days4 ,several discourses had been delivered with little or no effect4 ,christmas ,evans took the stand1 and announced as his text the evangelical account of the demoniac of ,gadara4 ,he described him as a naked man1 with flaming eyes1 and wild and fierce gesticulation2 full of relentless anger1 and subject to strange paroxysms of rage2 the terror and pity of all the townsfolk4 ,they had bound him with great chains1 but he would break them as ,samson broke the withes4 ,they had tried to soothe him by kindness1 but he would leap upon them like a furious wild beast1 or burst away with the speed of a stag1 his long hair streaming on the wind behind him4 ,he inhabited the rocks of a ,jewish cemetery2 and when he slept1 he laid down in a tomb4 ,the place was a little out of town1 and not far from the great turnpike road1 so that people passing often saw him1 and heard his dreadful lamentations and blasphemies4 ,nobody dared to cross his path unarmed1 and all the women and children ran away as soon as they saw him coming4 ,sometimes he sallied forth from his dismal abode at midnight1 like one risen from the dead1 howling and cursing like a fiend1 breaking into houses1 frightening the inhabitants from their beds1 and driving them to seek shelter in the streets and the fields4 ,he had a broken-hearted wife1 and five little children1 living about a mile and a half distant4 ,in his intervals of comparative calmness1 he would set out to visit them4 ,on his way1 the evil spirit would come upon him1 and transform the husband and father instantly into a fury4 ,then he would run toward the house1 raving like a wounded tiger1 and roaring like a lion upon his prey4 ,he would spring against the door1 and shatter it into fragments2 while the poor wife and children fled through the back door to the neighbors1 or concealed themselves in the cellar4 ,then he would spoil the furniture1 and break all the dishes1 and bound away howling again to his home in the cemetery4 ,the report of this mysterious and terrible being had spread through all the surrounding region1 and everybody dreaded and pitied the man among the tombs4 ,jesus came that way4 ,the preacher described the interview1 the miracle1 the happy change in the sufferer1 the transporting surprise of his long afflicted family4 ,then1 shifting the scene1 he showed his hearers the catastrophe of the swine1 the flight of the affrighted herdsman1 his amusing report to his master1 and the effect of the whole upon the populace4 ,all this was done with such dramatic effect1 as to convulse his numerous hearers with alternate laughter and weeping for more than half an hour4 ,having thus elicited an intense interest in the subject1 he proceeded to educe from the narrative several important doctrines1 which he illustrated so forcibly1 and urged so powerfully1 that the people first became profoundly serious1 then wept like mourners at a funeral1 and finally threw themselves on the ground1 and broke forth in loud prayers for mercy2 and the preacher continued nearly three hours1 the effect increasing till he closed4 ,one who heard that wonderful sermon says1 that1 during the first half hour1 the people seemed like an assembly in a theatre1 delighted with an amusing play2 after that1 like a community in mourning1 over some great and good man1 cut off by a sudden calamity2 and at last1 like the inhabitants of a city shaken by an earthquake1 rushing into the streets1 falling upon the earth1 and screaming and calling upon ,god6 #bg ,,sandemanianism ,,and ,,sabellianism4 ,about this time arose among the ,baptists of ,north ,wales a bitter and distracting controversy1 concerning ,sandemanianism and ,sabellianism1 which had been introduced by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,jones1 a man of considerable learning and influence in the denomination4 ,mr4 ,evans was at first inclined to fall in with these doctrines1 and participated largely in the strife of tongues4 ,he says3-- 8,the ,sandemanian system affected me so far as to quench the spirit of prayer for the conversion of sinners1 and it induced in my mind a greater regard for the smaller things of the kingdom of heaven than for the greater4 ,i lost the strength which clothed my mind with zeal1 confidence1 and earnestness in the pulpit for the conversion of souls to ,christ4 ,my heart retrograded1 in a manner1 and ,i could not realize the testimony of a good conscience4 ,sabbath nights1 after having been in the day exposing and vilifying with all bitterness the errors that prevailed1 my conscience felt as if displeased1 and reproached me that ,i had lost nearness to1 and walking with ,god4 ,it would intimate that something exceedingly precious was now wanting in me2 ,i would reply1 that ,i was acting in obedience to the word2 but it continued to accuse me of the want of some precious article4 ,i had been robbed1 to a great degree1 of the spirit of prayer and of the spirit of preaching40 ,mr4 ,evans thus describes the effect of this controversy upon his people3-- 8,the ,sandemanian spirit began to manifest itself in the counties of ,merioneth1 ,caernarvon1 ,anglesea1 and ,denbigh1 and the first visible effect was the subversion of the hearers1 for which the system was peculiarly adapted2 intimating1 as it did1 that to ,babylon the crowd of hearers always belonged4 ,we lost1 in ,anglesea1 nearly all those who were accustomed to attend with us2 some of them joined other congregations2 and1 in this way1 it pulled down nearly all that had been built up in twelve or fifteen years1 and made us appear once again a mean and despicable party in the view of the country4 ,the same effects followed it in a greater or lesser degree in the other counties noticed2 but its principal station appears to have been in ,merionethshire2 this county seems to have been particularly prepared for its reception1 and here it achieved by some means a sort of supremacy40 ,,time ,,of ,,refreshing ,mr4 ,evans had been a long time in this controversy1 destitute of all religious enjoyment1 or1 to use his own expressive phrase1 8as dry as ,gilboa10 when he experienced a remarkable refreshing from the presence of the ,lord4 ,the following account is extracted from his journal3-- 8,i was weary of a cold heart towards ,christ1 and his sacrifice1 and the work of his ,spirit--of a cold heart in the pulpit1 in secret prayer1 and in the study4 ,for fifteen years previously1 ,i had felt my heart burning within1 as if going to ,emmaus with ,jesus4 ,on a day ever to be remembered by me1 as ,i was going from ,dolgelley to ,machynlleth1 and climbing up towards ,cadair ,idris1 ,i considered it to be incumbent upon me to pray1 however hard ,i felt my heart1 and however worldly the frame of my spirit was4 ,having begun in the name of ,jesus1 ,i soon felt as it were the fetters loosening1 and the old hardness of heart softening1 and1 as ,i thought1 mountains of frost and snow dissolving and melting within me4 ,this engendered confidence in my soul in the promise of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i felt my whole mind relieved from some great bondage3 tears flowed copiously1 and ,i was constrained to cry out for the gracious visits of ,god1 by restoring to my soul the joy of his salvation2--and that he would visit the churches in ,anglesea1 that were under my care4 ,i embraced in my supplications all the churches of the saints1 and nearly all the ministers in the principality by their names4 ,this struggle lasted for three hours3 it rose again and again1 like one wave after another1 or a high flowing tide1 driven by a strong wind1 until my nature became faint by weeping and crying4 ,thus ,i resigned myself to ,christ1 body and soul1 gifts and labors--all my life--every day and every hour that remained for me2--and all my cares ,i committed to ,christ4--,the road was mountainous and lonely1 and ,i was wholly alone1 and suffered no interruption in my wrestlings with ,god4 8,from this time1 ,i was made to expect the goodness of ,god to churches and to myself4 ,thus the ,lord delivered me and the people of ,anglesea from being carried away by the flood of ,sandemanianism4 ,in the first religious meetings after this1 ,i felt as if ,i had been removed from the cold and sterile regions of spiritual frost1 into the verdant fields of the divine promises4 ,the former striving with ,god in prayer1 and the longing anxiety for the conversion of sinners1 which ,i had experienced at ,lyn1 was now restored4 ,i had a hold of the promises of ,god4 ,the result was1 when ,i returned home1 the first thing that arrested my attention was1 that the ,spirit was working also in the brethren in ,anglesea1 inducing in them a spirit of prayer1 especially in two of the deacons1 who were particularly importunate that ,god would visit us in mercy1 and render the word of his grace effectual amongst us for the conversion of sinners40 ,,covenant ,,with ,,god4 ,mr4 ,evans now entered into a solemn covenant with ,god1 made1 as he says1 8under a deep sense of the evil of his heart1 and in dependence upon the infinite grace and merit of the ,redeemer40 ,this interesting article is preserved among his papers4 ,we give it entire1 as a specimen of his spirit and his faith3-- ,i4 8,i give my soul and body unto thee1 ,jesus1 the true ,god1 and everlasting life--deliver me from sin1 and from eternal death1 and bring me into life everlasting4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,ii4 8,i call the day1 the sun1 the earth1 the trees1 the stones1 the bed1 the table1 and the books1 to witness that ,i come unto thee4 ,redeemer of sinners1 that ,i may obtain rest for my soul from the thunders of guilt and the dread of eternity4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,iii4 8,i do1 through confidence in thy power1 earnestly entreat thee to take the work into thine own hand1 and give me a circumcised heart1 that ,i may love thee1 and create in me a right spirit1 that ,i may seek thy glory4 ,grant me that principle which thou wilt own in the day of judgment1 that ,i may not then assume palefacedness1 and find myself a hypocrite4 ,grant me this1 for the sake of thy most precious blood4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,iv4 8,i entreat thee1 ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 in power1 grant me1 for the sake of thy agonizing death1 a covenant-interest in thy blood1 which cleanseth2 in thy righteousness1 which justifieth2 and in thy redemption1 which delivereth4 ,i entreat an interest in thy blood1 for thy blood's sake1 and a part in thee1 for thy name's sake1 which thou hast given among men4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,v4 8,o ,jesus ,christ1 ,son of the living ,god1 take1 for the sake of thy cruel death1 my time1 and strength1 and the gifts and talents ,i possess2 which1 with a full purpose of heart1 ,i consecrate to thy glory in the building up of thy church in the world1 for thou art worthy of the hearts and talents of all men4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,vi4 8,i desire thee1 my great ,high ,priest1 to confirm1 by thy power1 from thy ,high ,court1 my usefulness as a preacher1 and my piety as a ,christian1 as two gardens nigh to each other2 that sin may not have place in my heart1 to becloud my confidence in thy righteousness1 and that ,i may not be left to any foolish act that may occasion my gifts to wither1 and rendered useless before my life ends4 ,keep thy gracious eye upon me1 and watch over me1 ,o my ,lord1 and my ,god for ever6 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,vii4 8,i give myself in a particular manner to thee1 ,o ,jesus ,christ1 the ,saviour1 to be preserved from the falls into which many stumble1 that thy name 7in thy cause7 may not be blasphemed or wounded1 that my peace may not be injured1 that thy people may not be grieved1 and that thine enemies may not be hardened4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,viii4 8,i come unto thee1 beseeching thee to be in covenant with me in my ministry4 ,as thou didst prosper ,bunyan1 ,vavasor ,powell1 ,howell ,harris1 ,rowlands1 and ,whitefield1 ,o do thou prosper me4 ,whatsoever things are opposed to my prosperity1 remove them out of the way4 ,work in me every thing approved of ,god1 for the attainment of this4 ,give me a heart #8sick of love' to thyself1 and to the souls of men4 ,grant that ,i may experience the power of thy word before ,i deliver it1 as ,moses felt the power of his own rod1 before he saw it on the land and waters of ,egypt4 ,grant this1 for the sake of thine infinitely precious blood1 ,o ,jesus1 my hope1 and my all in all6 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,ix4 8,search me now1 and lead me in plain paths of judgment4 ,let me discover in this life what ,i am before thee1 that ,i may not find myself of another character1 when ,i am shown in the light of the immortal world1 and open my eyes in all the brightness of eternity4 ,wash me in thy redeeming blood4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,x4 8,grant me strength to depend upon thee for food and raiment1 and to make known my requests4 ,o let thy care be over me as a covenant-privilege betwixt thee and myself1 and not like a general care to feed the ravens that perish1 and clothe the lily that is cast into the oven2 but let thy care be over me as one of thy family1 as one of thine unworthy brethren4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xi4 8,grant1 ,o ,jesus6 and take upon thyself the preparing of me for death1 for thou art ,god2 there is no need1 but for thee to speak the word4 ,if possible1 thy will be done2 leave me not long in affliction1 nor to die suddenly1 without bidding adieu to my brethren1 and let me die in their sight1 after a short illness4 ,let all things be ordered against the day of removing from one world to another1 that there be no confusion nor disorder1 but a quiet discharge in peace4 ,o grant me this1 for the sake of thine agony in the garden6 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xii4 8,grant1 ,o blessed ,lord6 that nothing may grow and be matured in me1 to occasion thee to cast me off from the service of the sanctuary1 like the sons of ,eli2 and for the sake of thine unbounded merit1 let not my days be longer than my usefulness4 ,o let me not be like lumber in a house in the end of my days1--in the way of others to work4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xiii4 8,i beseech thee1 ,o ,redeemer6 to present these my supplications before the ,father3 and ,o6 inscribe them in thy book with thine own immortal pen1 while ,i am writing them with my mortal hand1 in my book on earth4 ,according to the depths of thy merit1 thine undiminished grace1 and thy compassion1 and thy manner unto thy people1 ,o6 attach thy name1 in thine upper court1 to these unworthy petitions2 and set thine amen to them1 as ,i do on my part of the covenant4 ,amen4--,,christmas ,,evans1 ,llangevni1 ,anglesea1 ,april #aj1 #ah--40 ,mr4 ,evans1 in speaking of this solemn transaction and its influence upon his spirit1 subsequently observes3 8,i felt a sweet peace and tranquility of soul1 like unto a poor man that had been brought under the protection of the royal family1 and had an annual settlement for life made upon him2 from whose dwelling the painful dread of poverty and want had been for ever banished away40 ,thus 8strengthened with might in the inner man10 he labored with renewed energy and zeal1 and showers of blessings descended upon his labors4 ,in two years1 his ten preaching places in ,anglesea were increased to twenty1 and six hundred converts were added to the church under his care4 8,the wilderness and solitary place were glad for them1 and the desert rejoiced and blossomed as the rose40 ,,studying ,,the ,,english ,,language4 ,mr4 ,evans made several visits to ,liverpool1 ,bristol1 and other parts of ,england4 ,on these occasions he was frequently solicited to preach in ,english1 to which he several times consented1 to the great gratification of his ,english friends4 ,these sermons evinced the same energy of thought1 and the same boldness of imagery1 as those which he preached in ,welsh2 but in the power of his peculiar delivery1 they were inevitably far inferior4 ,his brethren in ,england were much delighted with his performances1 and said it was 8no wonder the ,welsh were warm under such preaching20 but his language was broken and hesitating1 and they could scarcely have any conception of his animation and energy when he spoke in his vernacular tongue4 ,his success induced him to commence a systematic study of the ,english language1 that he might be able to preach in it with greater freedom and effect4 ,he could read ,english before1 and was somewhat familiar with the best ,english authors of his day2 but never acquainted himself with the grammar of the language till he was thirty-three years of age4 ,but read his own account of the matter3-- 8,the ,english brethren had prevailed upon me to preach to them in broken ,english1 as it was2 this induced me to set about the matter in earnest1 making it a subject of prayer1 for the aid of the ,spirit1 that ,i might be in some measure a blessing to the ,english friends1 for there appeared some sign that ,god now called me to this department of labor in his service4 ,i never succeeded in any thing for the good of others1 without making it a matter of prayer4 ,my ,english preaching was very broken and imperfect in point of language2 yet1 through the grace of ,jesus ,christ1 it was made in some degree useful at ,liverpool1 ,bristol1 and some other places4 ,i was about forty years old when ,i learned to read the ,hebrew ,bible and the ,greek ,testament1 and use ,parkhurst's ,lexicons in both languages4 ,i found that1 had ,i studied the ,english language attentively and perseveringly1 ,i should be able to overcome great difficulties2 and also1 that ,i could without much labor in the course of few years1 even in my idle hours1 as it were1 understand all the ,hebrew words corresponding with every ,welsh word in the ,bible2 and so also the ,greek4 ,i had always before thought that it was impossible to accomplish this1 for ,i had no one to encourage me in the undertaking2 but ,i found it was practicable1 and proved it in some measure1 yet relinquished the pursuit on account of my advanced age40 ,,new ,,troubles ,,and ,,sorrows4 ,here we pass over several years of ,mr4 ,evans' history1 during which nothing of very special interest occurred1 except the agitation of the ,fullerian controversy4 ,this is a matter which requires only a passing notice in this brief memoir4 ,we let it sleep in silence4 ,mr4 ,evans was now nearly sixty years of age4 ,infirmity1 the result of his arduous labors and numerous afflictions1 began to prey upon his system4 ,the several congregations under his care had hitherto constituted but one church4 ,but the number of preaching places had now become too great for him1 in his enfeebled state1 to continue his pastoral visits and labors among them as he had done4 ,he therefore advised them to form themselves into separate churches1 two or three stations uniting in one4 ,this was the occasion of a dark and dreadful storm upon the apostle of ,anglesea4 ,some of the churches refused the ministers he recommended1 and called others whom he disapproved4 ,then arose a bitter party spirit1 and a general contention1 among the congregations4 ,mr4 ,evans was severely censured1 and even assailed with the shafts of slander4 ,many of his former friends forsook him1 and some of those who professed to feel for him in his troubles did nothing for his vindication4 ,the severity of these public calamities was increased by private afflictions4 ,his beloved wife had gone 8the way of all the earth40 ,he was himself brought very low by sickness1 in which he nearly lost his only remaining eye1 and seemed fast tending to his final home4 ,but though cast down1 he was not destroyed4 8,i wonder greatly10 says he1 8that ,i did not sink into the grave under the weight of sorrows that came upon me in my old age1 together with an accumulation of trials of all kinds2 but the ,lord sustained me4 ,there was1 in the midst of all1 a strong persuasion in my mind1 that there was yet much work for me to do for ,god in the world1 as well as much to suffer1 ere ,i died4 ,if ,i only entered the pulpit1 ,i felt raised as it were to ,paradise--above my afflictions--until ,i forgot my adversity2 yea1 ,i felt my mountain strong1 my mind was in such a heavenly frame1 and as anxious as ever for the conversion of sinners4 ,the truth appeared to me in its power like a hammer in its strength4 ,the doctrine dropped as sweet as the honey1 yea1 sweeter than the honeycomb1 and as comfortable as the best wine4 ,i was now particularly wishful that all the ministers in ,anglesea should join with me1 according to the promise1 #8,if two of you agree to ask the same thing1 it shall be given unto you of my ,father which is in heaven2' for ,i had such confidence that then ,i should see prosperity attending the ministry1 and that ,i should not die until ,i had finished my work4 ,i said to a brother3--#8,brother1 the doctrine1 the confidence1 and strength which ,i feel1 will make some persons dance with joy yet in some parts of ,wales4' #8,yea1 brother1' said he1 with tears flowing in streams from his eyes4 8,every thing now contributed to remove me from ,anglesea4 ,the unbending disposition of those who were offended at me1 and the ardor of my own spirit1 believing that there was work for me to do in some other field of the harvest of the ,son of man1 and my having prayed earnestly for twelve months for the direction of ,divine ,providence1 together with the visions of my head in the night seasons1 appeared to unite together to lead in one direction4 ,at length1 the determination to leave ,anglesea1 afflicted as ,i was1 preponderated4 ,i was much like ,jacob1 leaving his father and his mother1 going with his staff only over ,jordan3 so was ,i1 leaving the church3 ,i had prayed1 yea1 ,i had striven with ,god for its prosperity1 and had labored nearly forty years with it--now leaving it--possessing nothing of this world's goods1 save the horse upon which ,i rode1 and a small amount of silver in my pocket2 and scarcely could ,i say that these were mine40 ,,legal ,,prosecution4 ,during the above-mentioned tribulations he received an insulting letter1 threatening him with a civil prosecution4 8,they talk10 said he1 8of casting me into a court of law1 where ,i have never been1 and hope ,i shall never go2 but ,i will cast them first into the court of ,jesus ,christ1 the source of law and authority40 ,so saying1 he retired to his chamber1 and falling upon his knees1 he wept and made supplication in the following pathetic strain3-- 8,o blessed ,lord6 in thy merit ,i confide1 and trust to be heard4 ,lord1 some of my brethren have run wild2 and forgetting their duty and obligations to their father in the gospel1 they threaten me with the law of the land4 ,weaken1 ,i beseech thee1 their designs in this1 as thou didst wither the arm of ,jeroboam2 and soften them1 as thou didst soften the mind of ,esau1 and disarmed him of his warlike temper against thy servant ,jacob1 after the wrestling at ,penuel4 ,so disarm them1 for ,i do not know the length of ,satan's chain in this case1 and in this unbrotherly attack4 ,but thou canst shorten the chain as short as it may please thee4 ,lord1 ,i anticipate them in point of law4 ,they think of casting thine unworthy servant into the little courts here below2 but ,i cast my cause into the ,high ,court1 in which thou1 gracious ,jesus1 art the ,high ,chancellor4 ,receive thou the cause of thine unworthy servant1 and send them a writ or a notice immediately--sending into their conscience1 and summoning them to consider what they are doing4 ,o1 frighten them with a summons from thy court1 until they come and bow in contrition at thy feet2 and take from their hands every revengeful weapon1 and make them deliver up every gun of scandal1 and every sword of bitter words1 and every spear of slanderous expressions1 and surrender them all at thy cross4 ,forgive them all their faults1 and clothe them with white robes1 and give them oil for their heads1 and the organ1 and the harp of ten strings1 to sing1 for the trampling of ,satan under our feet by the ,god of peace40 ,having thus poured out his heart to ,god1 he felt some confidence of security4 ,but he was never satisfied in such cases without an inward assurance of acceptance and success4 ,so he went again and again2 and when1 like ,jesus1 he had 8offered up many prayers1 with strong crying and tears10 like ,jacob 8he had power with ,god1 and prevailed40 8,at the seventh time10 says he1 8,i came down in full confidence that ,christ had taken my cause into his own hand1 and would be my ,savior4 ,i felt as cheerful and happy as ,bunyan's ,pilgrim1 when his load fell off and rolled into the grave of ,christ2 or as ,naaman1 when he came up from the waters of ,jordan1 cured of his leprosy40 ,it is scarcely necessary to add1 the threat was never executed4 ,the ,throne of ,grace is the good man's sure resort in every emergency4 ,jehovah 8hides him in his pavilion from the strife of tongues40 ,,caerphilly4 ,an invitation1 which he received about this time1 to take charge of the ,baptist church in ,caerphilly1 ,glamorganshire1 ,south ,wales1 confirmed ,mr4 ,evans in his determination to leave the scene of his recent trials4 ,he set out alone1 in his sixtieth year4 ,the distance he had to travel was about two hundred miles4 ,on the way1 while dwelling on his past misfortunes1 he found his heart melted within him1 and drawn out in fervent prayer4 ,his faith soon triumphed over his afflictions and his fears4 ,he renewed his covenant with ,god1 and went on his way rejoicing4 ,this revival of his religious feelings had a powerful effect upon his ministry4 ,he had not been long in ,caerphilly1 before the ,spirit of ,god was poured copiously upon the people4 ,previous to this time of refreshing1 he had a remarkable dream1 which he noted in his diary4 ,he thought he was in the church at ,caerphilly1 and found many harps hanging about the pulpit1 wrapped in coverings of green4 ,then1 said he1 8,i will take down the harps of heaven in this place40 ,in removing the covering1 he found the ark of the covenant1 inscribed with the name of ,jehovah4 ,then he cried1 8,brethren1 the ,lord has come to us1 according to his promise1 and in answer to our prayers40 ,in that very place1 he shortly afterward had the satisfaction of receiving one hundred and forty converts into the church1 as the fruit of his ministry4 ,while at ,caerphilly1 he entered into a second marriage4 ,he remained there only two years4 ,he says3 8,i never spent a short time in greater comfort1 for the ark of ,god had appeared there1 and the harps of one hundred and forty souls had been tuned to the song of redemption40 ,happy years no doubt they were1 and gladly would ,mr4 ,evans have ended his life in ,caerphilly2 but troubles arose between him and some of his parishioners1 and1 receiving a call from ,cardiff1 a neighboring town1 he went to take charge of a church in that place4 ,,another ,,covenant4 ,previous to his removal1 and while he was meditating the matter1 he made a new covenant with ,god4 ,we extract again from his journal3-- 8,while returning from a place called ,tongwynls over ,caerphilly mountain1 the spirit of prayer descended very copiously upon me4 ,i wept for some hours1 and heartily supplicated ,jesus ,christ1 for the blessings here following4 ,i found at this time a particular nearness to ,christ1 as if he were close by me1 and my mind was filled with strong confidence that he attended to my requests1 for the sake of the merits of his own name4 ,this decided in favor of ,cardiff40 ,i4 8,grant me the great favor of being led by thee1 according to thy will--by the directions of thy providence and word1 and the disposing of my own mind by thy ,spirit1 for the sake of thine infinitely precious blood4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,ii4 8,grant1 if ,i am to leave ,caerphilly1 that the gale 7of the ,spirit's influence7 and religious revival ,i had there may follow me to ,cardiff1 for the sake of thy great name4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,iii4 8,grant thy blessing upon bitter things1 to brighten1 and quicken me more and more1 and not to depress and render me more lifeless4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,iv4 8,suffer me not to be trodden under the proud feet of members1 or deacons1 for the sake of thy goodness4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,v4 8,grant me the invaluable favor of being1 in thine hand1 the means of calling sinners unto thyself1 and of edifying thy saints1 wherever thou wilt send me1 for the sake of thy name4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,vi4 8,if ,i am to stay at ,caerphilly1 give me some tokens1 as to ,gideon of old1 by removing the things that discourage me1 and are in the way of the prosperity of religion in that church4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,vii4 8,grant1 ,lord of glory1 and ,head of thy church1 that the ,ark of the cause which is thine1 in ,anglesea and ,caerphilly1 may be sustained from falling into the hands of the ,philistines4 ,do not reject it4 ,aid it speedily1 and lift up the light of thy countenance upon it2 and by thy ,spirit1 word1 and providence1 so operate as to carry things forward in the churches1 and neighborhoods1 in such a manner as will produce changes in officers1 and measures that will accomplish a thorough improvement in the great cause1 for the establishment of which in the world thou hast died2--and by scattering those that delight in war1 and closing the mouths of those that occasion confusion4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,viii4 8,grant me way-tokens by the time ,i begin my journey to ,liverpool1 and from thence to ,anglesea1 if it is thy will that ,i should go thither this year4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,ix4 8,o grant me succor beneath the shadow of the sympathy that is in thee towards them who are tempted1 and the unbounded power there is in thee to be the relief of such4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,x4 8,accept of my thanksgiving a hundred millions of times1 that thou hast not hitherto cast me from thine hand1 as a darkened star1 or a vessel in which there is no pleasure2 and suffer not my life to be extended beyond my usefulness4 ,thanks1 that thou hast not given me a prey to the teeth of any4 ,blessed be thy name4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xi4 8,for the sake of thine infinite merit1 do not cast me1 thy servant1 under the feet of pride and injustice1 of worldly greatness1 riches1 and selfish oppression of any men1 but hide me in the secret of thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xii4 8,help me to wait silently and patiently upon thee1 for the fulfilment of these things1 and not become enraged1 angry1 and speak unadvisedly with my lips1 like ,moses1 the servant of the ,lord4 ,sustain my heart from sinking1 to wait for fresh strength from ,zion4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xiii4 8,help me to wait upon thee for the necessaries of life2 let thy mercy and goodness follow me while ,i live2 and1 as it hath pleased thee to honor me greatly1 by the blessing thou hast vouchsafed upon the ministry through me1 as an humble instrument1 at ,caerphilly1 after the great storm had beaten upon me in ,anglesea1 like ,job1 grant that this honor may continue to follow me the remainder of my days1 as thou didst unto thy servant ,job4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xiv4 8,let this covenant abide like the covenant of salt1 until ,i come to thee in the world of eternal light4 ,i entreat aid to resign myself to thee1 and to thy will4 ,i beseech thee take my heart1 and inscribe upon it a deep reverence of thyself1 with an inscription that time and eternity cannot efface4 ,o let the remainder of my sermons be taken by thee from my lips2 and those which ,i write1 let them be unto thee for a praise4 ,unto thee ,i dedicate them4 ,if there should be any thing in them conducive to thy glory1 and to the service of thy kingdom1 do thou preserve it1 and reveal it unto men2 else1 let it die like the drop of a bucket in the midst of the scorching heat of ,africa4 ,o grant1 that there may be a drop of that water which thou alone canst impart1 and which springs up to eternal life1 running through all my sermons4 ,in this covenant1 which probably is the last that will be written between me and thee on the earth1 ,i commit myself1 my wife1 and the churches amongst whom ,i have preached1 to the protection of thy grace1 and the care of thy covenant4 ,amen4--,c4 ,e4 ,,xv4 8,let this covenant continue when ,i am in sickness or in health1 or in any other circumstance2 for thou hast overcome the world1 fulfilled the law1 finished justifying righteousness1 and hast swallowed up death in victory1 and all power in heaven and earth is in thine hand4 ,for the sake of thy most precious blood and perfect righteousness1 note this covenant with thine own blood in the court of the memorials of forgiving mercy3 attach unto it thy name in which ,i believe2 and here ,i1 this day1 set my unworthy name unto it1 with my mortal hand4 ,amen4--,christmas ,evans4 ,dated1 ,cardiff1 ,april #bd1 #ahbi40 ,,cardiff4 8,after having entered into this covenant10 says ,mr4 ,evans in his diary1 8,i came to ,cardiff1 heartily and unhesitatingly1 like a merchant that should send his vessel to sea after it had been registered in the insurance office4 ,i had nothing now to lose1 for ,i had given myself up to the possession of ,jesus1 the ,mediator of the ,new ,testament1 for time and for eternity2 and so ,i have had to abide here in the secret of his tabernacle for these nine months40 ,he removed to ,cardiff in the autumn of #ahbh1 and remained there two years and a half4 ,during this time1 he received into the church about eighty converts4 ,he was much in secret prayer1 and enjoyed intimate communion with his ,god4 ,he not only retired for devotion several times every day1 but ordinarily rose at midnight to call upon the ,lord4 ,but the whole period of his residence was not a cloudless day4 ,some unpleasant matters arose in the church1 which caused him much sorrow1 as is evident from the following entry in his diary3-- 8,april #bg1 #ahbi4 ,i earnestly entreat thee1 blessed ,jesus1 for the sake of thine own name1 to regard me in this request4 99 99 99 99 ,let things be ordered1 ,o ,lord1 that they may not be impediments and discouragements unto me1 and a hinderance to the progress of religion4 ,o1 interpose between me and these obstacles1 ,o ,lord1 that ,i may have no occasion to dispute with any1 and so embitter my spirit6 ,thy power is infinite1 and thy wisdom is infallible4 ,stand thou between me and all contention1 that no ill effect come upon me4 ,i flee to hide myself under the shadow of thy wings4 ,permit nothing to blunt the edge of my talents1 my zeal1 or my success1--nor corrupt the church4 ,grant me this for the sake of thine infinitely precious blood4 ,set thy name to this request in the court of heaven1 and let ,satan's party grow weaker and weaker1 and the cause of truth and righteousness become like the house of ,david1 and the house of ,david like the angel of the ,lord4 ,deliver me1 that my spirit be not irritated1 and ,i speak unadvisedly with my lips1 as ,moses did4 ,hide me in thy pavilion from the strife of tongues 99 99 99 994 ,i am as it were on the verge of eternity2 ,o save and preserve me by thy boundless power4 ,amen1 ,amen1 ,amen4 ,lord1 regard1 behold1 hear1 and spare4--,christmas ,evans4 ,write this in thy book1 ,o my ,lord1 and my ,god4 ,let none be disappointed that wait upon thee1 gracious ,lord4--,remember me40 ,he adds in another passage3-- 8,i have given my soul anew to ,christ2 my body2 my talents2 my influence in preaching2 my name2 my character as a man1 as a ,christian1 and as a preacher of the gospel2 my time1 and the remnant of my opportunities2 my success2 my peace and comfort as a ,christian and a minister4 ,i have resigned all afresh into the hands of ,christ4 ,i have commended to his care1 also1 my wife1 and all the circumstances of my family1 and my friends and assistants in the work of the ,lord1 for whom ,i pray earnestly that they may be blessed1 throughout ,anglesea1 ,caernarvon1 ,caerphilly1 ,cardiff1 and indeed in all the counties of ,wales4 ,there are many of them who were helpers to me in my day4 ,i will say1 in the language of ,paul1 and ,i hope with affectionate emotions of love to ,jesus ,christ1 #8,the ,lord grant unto them that they may find mercy of the ,lord in that day4' ,it is a great privilege to a minister to retain beloved friends1 who have helped him with their prayers and sympathy4 ,o bless those whom ,i have1 and preserve the new race1 the new generation of them that ,i have found in these parts4 ,i committed to ,god1 also1 those who obstruct the progress of the cause here1 and disturb the unity and brotherly love of the church4 ,let ,christ1 whose the church is1 and let not me1 remove every obstacle1 either by changing and melting in the love of the gospel1 or taking them somewhere else1 where they shall not be a curse and an impediment to the cause--and by the means that shall seem fit in his sight4 ,a word or a nod of thine shuts and opens heaven and earth1 and all the locks of the land of ,hades1 or the invisible state4 ,for the sake of the blood of thy covenant1 grant the above things unto me1 thine unworthy servant40 ,,sermons ,,for ,,the ,,press4 ,during his sojourn at ,cardiff1 though now sixty-five years old1 much debilitated1 and almost blind1 he wrote about two hundred sermons for the press1 many of which have since been published4 ,it is certainly very remarkable1 that he should write1 at his advanced age1 with all the vigor and vivacity of his earlier years4 ,perhaps1 of all the sermons he ever made1 those composed at ,cardiff are the best4 ,most of them were preached on the ,sabbath1 and written out during the following week4 ,this circumstance1 with their author's peculiar nearness to ,god1 may account for their freshness and power4 ,mr4 ,evans was in the habit of referring every important matter to ,god4 ,we find in his diary the following paragraph3-- 8,cardiff1 ,february #b1 #ahbi4 ,lord1 ,i have been importuned by many of my brethren in the ministry1 to prepare a number of my sermons1 that have been in the course of my ministry the most useful in thine hand for the conversion of sinners1 with a view to publication4 ,i had no time when in ,anglesea to engage in the work1 because my circumstances required so much travelling every week4 ,i left the work to lie by1 the two years ,i was at ,caerphilly2 but here1 at ,cardiff1 ,i have had a new impulse in my thoughts to enter upon it2 and ,i come unto thee1 my great ,lord1 to consult thee1 who art the ,head of the church1 and the ,head-,prophet and ,teacher of thy people4 ,shall ,i proceed with the work or not8 ,is it a part of my duty1 or is it a useless1 foolish notion of my own8 ,i entreat thy gracious direction in this matter1 for the sake of thy great name4 ,suffer me not to afflict myself1 when my eyesight is so weak1 with a work that thou wilt not bless1 but which shall be buried in the land of forgetfulness4 ,if thou wilt not open a door--with thee are the keys of the house of ,david--in thy providence1 that ,i may obtain subscribers1 and bring the work through the press1 without hazarding myself in such a way as will involve me in debt and disgrace3 and also if thou1 the great feeder of the flock1 wilt not direct me to give the true gospel1 not only without error1 but with the savor and unction which accompanies the works of ,bunyan and others1 which thy ,spirit is likely to make use of whilst thou hast churches in ,wales3 if they should not be for thy glory in the building up of thy church1 and the calling of sinners1--if these objects should not be accomplished by the publication of the sermons1 dispose my mind to relinquish the undertaking4 ,but if thou wilt patronise the work1 strengthen me to accomplish the design4 ,lord1 thou knowest ,i feel my own insufficiency for such an important enterprise1 and my unworthiness to solicit of thee such a favor3 but ,i cannot refrain from making these requests3 therefore1 for the sake of thine infinite merits1 according to thy manner unto thy people1 grant unto me my request4 ,amen40 ,,welsh ,,jumping4 ,in the autumn of #ahbi1 ,mr4 ,evans wrote in his diary extensive notes of a conversation which he had with several ministers in ,bristol1 on 8the manner of religious rejoicing so remarkable among the ,welsh40 ,his friends condemned it in a sweeping sentence1 under the name of 8,welsh jumping40 ,mr4 ,evans attempted its vindication4 ,we insert his own account3 8,i observed that ,i could find no account of it among the ,welsh until the time of ,harris and ,rowlands1 ,calvinistic ,methodists1 who flourished in ,wales about the same time as ,whitefield and ,wesley in ,england4 ,the preaching of these men was the means of producing a religious revival throughout all the principality1 which had sunk into a state of deep lethargy1 since the time of the great awakening under ,vavasor ,powell1 about one hundred years before4 ,at this period nothing was to be seen in almost every parish but young men and young women flocking together into the churches and church-yards1 and engaging in different gambols and pastimes1 such as ball-playing1 foot-ball1 leaping1 fighting1 and such like frolics1 as if ,wales had been changed into an ,olympic mountain1 and old paganism restored again4 ,it is true1 there were some preachers and churches1 both ,congregationalists and ,baptists1 then existing in the principality2 but their talents1 their spirits1 or their magnanimity could not storm such a fortress of impiety4 ,and1 besides1 there was a dreadful prejudice still remaining in the country against all sects1 since the days of ,charles ,,ii42 and they suffered persecution even unto blood1 for about one hundred years previous to the appearing of these men4 ,but from the ashes of those sufferers the revival by ,harris and ,rowlands sprung up1 as did ,luther from the ashes of ,huss and ,jerome of ,prague4 8,mr4 ,rowlands and ,mr4 ,harris were both of the communion of the ,episcopal church1 and1 as such1 there was not so much enmity against them at first2 but after they had come out1 and when the people understood that they were preachers of the cross of ,christ1 considerable persecution arose against them from the multitude2 but it was now too late--for the gates of the city were opened--the leaven was put in the meal--the fire had been kindled--the sword was drawn from the scabbard1 and many had been wounded1 7spiritually17 and were ready to open the door for the gospel in spite of every danger4 ,harris1 ,rowlands1 and the two ,williams's1 had been clothed with power from on high1 and the hammer of their ministry was sufficiently heavy to break in pieces the northern iron4 #dc ,several laymen of powerful minds were also raised up about this time2 such as ,mr4 ,david ,morris1 and others1 who were valuable auxiliaries to carry on the work4 ,by their ministry1 this praising and jumping in religious enjoyment began in ,wales1 which has not wholly left it on certain occasions until this day4 8,as an apology for them1 granting at the same time the possibility of extremes even in a good cause in the present state2 and that graceless persons may feel something from these excitements as of the powers of the world to come1 in the miraculous gifts of the ,holy ,ghost in the apostolic age2 observe1 8#a4 ,that it appears to me like the residue of the ,spirit1 and the powers of the world to come2 which were necessary to open a way for the gospel through the darkness and obduracy of paganism in the days of the apostles4 8#b4 ,it is no argument of importance against it1 that many graceless persons felt a considerable degree of influence at the time1 as well as others2 for so it was in the case of ,saul1 king of ,israel1 and some besides named in ,scripture4 8#c4 ,there is no essential difference between religious enjoyment in ,wales and that which is now experienced in ,america2 and that which accompanied the preaching of ,whitefield in ,england1 and even in ,scotland3 and that which also followed the ministry of ,president ,edwards1 in ,america1 when whole towns and neighborhoods echoed with the sound of persons praying and praising ,god1 as if a bursting cloud-shower of the ,spirit of grace and prayer had descended upon them4 ,persons under the ministry of ,whitefield wept1 cried for mercy1 and even fainted by the power of this influence4 8#d4 ,and such gracious influences are necessary for the spread of the gospel in every country1 and in every land3 and therefore the ,millennium is described in the ,bible as a period remarkable for the outpouring of the ,holy ,ghost--#8that a nation shall be born at once1' #dd;a--and #8the flowing of the nations shall be to the mountain of the ,lord's house4' #dd;b ,it is this influence that has driven1 as it were1 the gospel into every nook of the mountains of ,wales1 as well as into its cities1 towns1 and villages2 while in ,england1 with all the advantages of education1 the gospel1 in a manner1 is hid in a corner2 and it has not run through the country1 and searched out1 and taken possession of all the inland parts of that spiritual ,africa1 and that for the want of these gales of divine influence1 and powers peculiar to the gospel3 and it can never be spread through every part of ,england as it is in ,wales without these gifts4 ,common preaching will not do to rouse sluggish districts from the heavy slumbers into which they are sunk4 ,indeed1 formal prayers and lifeless sermons are like bulwarks raised against these things in ,england2 and this evil genius has also entered the principality under the pretence of order4 ,five or six stanzas will be sung as dry as ,gilboa1 instead of one or two verses1 like a new song1 full of ,god1 of ,christ1 and the ,spirit of grace1 until the heart is attuned for worship4 ,the burying-grounds are kept in fine order in ,glamorganshire1 and green shrubs and herbs grow on the graves1 but all this is of little value1 for the inhabitants of them are all dead--so is every form of godliness where its power is not felt4 ,order without life is exceedingly worthless4 ,you exhibit all the character of human nature1 leaving every bud of the flower to open in the beams of the sun1 except in divine worship4 ,on other occasions you appear to have as much fire in your affections as the ,welsh have4 ,if you are noticed in a court of law1 the most efficient advocate1 such as ,erskine1 will give you the greatest satisfaction2 but you are contented with a preacher1 speaking so lifelessly and so low that you can hardly understand the third part of what he says2 and you will call this decency in the sanctuary4 ,to-morrow1 ,i shall see you answering fully to the human character1 in your own actions4 ,when the speakers on the platform will be urging the claims of missions1 you will then beat the boards1 and manifest so much life and cheerfulness1 that not one of you will be seen to take up a note-book1 nor any other book1 while the speaker shall be addressing you4 ,a ,welshman might suppose1 by hearing your noise1 that he had been silently conveyed to the midst of one of the meetings of the #8,welsh jumpers1' with this difference1 that you would perceive many more tears shed1 and hear more #8calves of the lips' #de offered up1 in the rejoicing meetings of ,wales4 ,but you will use your heels well on such occasions1 and a little of your tongues4 ,but even in ,wales1 in certain places--that is1 places where the fervent gales are not enjoyed which fill persons with fear and terror and joy in approaching the altar of ,god--you may see1 while hearing a sermon1 one looking into his hymn-book1 another into his note-book1 and a third turning over the leaves of his ,bible1 as if he were going to study a sermon in the sanctuary1 instead of attending to what is spoken by the preacher as the mouth of ,god4 ,if there is joy and gladness pertaining to many1 the light of ,god's countenance in the sanctuary should develope it2 until a fire is kindled1 and he speak with his tongue1 making melody unto the ,lord in his heart1 and praising ,him with his lips4 8#e4 ,it is in vain to urge objections against these powerful gales of divine influence1 and allege that it is under the ministry of the illiterate preachers of ,wales only they are experienced4 ,harris1 ,rowlands1 and the two ,williamses were not so1 for they had been brought up for the established church4 ,whitefield and ,edwards were men of education1 and they preached the doctrine which in ,england is considered evangelical4 8#f4 ,it is also beside the point to affirm that only persons of no weight1 that is1 ignorant boys and girls1 are in the habit of thus rejoicing and praising ,god in ,his temple2 for it is certain1 that those who express their joy in this manner possess so much sound experimental knowledge1 as to make them eminent in that respect4 ,i have listened to many of them in the midst of their enjoyment1 and have often been delighted while they repeated true1 evangelical1 and substantial stanzas1 replete with profound sentiment3 for in such seasons1 they could find out the very best1 which made impressions on their memories2 and these rapturous feelings developed them1 as if the tongue were moved by the heat and force of the fire within4 ,and many other things of an evangelical and gracious character they will utter on these joyful occasions1 with such heavenly eloquence as would be inimitable1 and impracticable even for themselves to utter with the same effect1 without enjoying these meltings of spirit4 ,this enjoyment is accompanied by many tears and much tenderness of heart3 nor are persons of a dry spirit and hard heart ever regarded as fit subjects for this work of praise1 in these blessed seasons of ,christian enjoyment4 ,it does not accord with any1 but with him whose heart melts like wax1 and runs in the form and mould of the gospel4 8#g4 ,there is no way in which churches or particular persons may enjoy this heavenly ecstasy1 but by walking with ,god1 and by cultivating a spirit of watchfulness and prayer1 which shows its pure and holy character4 ,it awakens watchfulness against all evil tempers1 improper expressions1 and wicked actions1 lest the sense of it should be lost4 ,such a frame of mind cannot be expected by living in sin4 ,these individuals come to the house of ,god with an earnest desire for this enjoyment1 and dreading lest there should be a something in them which would cause ,god to deny them this unspeakable privilege4 ,it is an exceedingly easy matter for a minister to manage a congregation while ,christian enjoyment keeps them near to ,god4 ,they are diligent and zealous1 and ready for every good work4 ,but it is very easy to offend this joyous spirit--or give it what name you please1 enthusiasm1 religious madness1 or ,welsh jumping1 7its ,english name17--and make it hide itself4 ,a quarrel and disagreement in the church will occasion it to withdraw immediately4 ,indulging in sin1 in word or deed1 will soon put it to flight4 ,it is like unto the angel formerly1 who could not behold the sin of ,israel without hiding himself2 so is the angel of the religious life of ,wales1 which proves him to be a holy angel1 though he has the name of a #8,welsh jumper4' ,my prayer is1 that this angel be a guard upon every congregation1 and that none should do any thing to offend him4 ,it is an exceedingly powerful assistant to accompany us through the wilderness4 ,but the individual that has not felt its happy influences1 has nothing to lose2 hence he does not dread a dry meeting and a hard prayer1 for they are all the same to him2 but the people of this enjoyment pray before prayer1 and before hearing1 that they may meet with ,god in them4 8#h4 ,the seasons when these blessings are vouchsafed to the churches of ,wales1 are to be noticed4 ,it is generally at a time when the cause of religion is at a low ebb--all gone to slumber4 ,this happy spirit of enjoyment1 like the angel of the pillar of fire1 appears when there is distress1 and every thing at the worst4 ,its approach to the congregation is like the glory of ,god returning to the temple of old2 it creates a stir among the brethren1--they have a new prayer1 and a new spirit given them to worship ,god4 ,this will lay hold of another1--some new strength and light will appear in the pulpit1 until it will be imagined that the preacher's voice is altered1 and that his spirit is become more evangelical1 and that he preaches with a more excellent savor than usual4 ,tenderness will descend upon the members1 and it will be seen that ,mr4 ,wet-eyes and ,mr4 ,amen have taken their place among them4 ,the heavenly gale will reach some of the old backsliders1 and they are brought with weeping to seek their forfeited privilege4 ,by this time the sound of ,almighty ,god will be heard in the outer court1 beginning to move the hearers like a mighty wind shaking the forest4 ,in these seasons of refreshing from the presence of the ,lord some churches will receive1 in the course of a year1 additions of one hundred1 others a hundred and fifty1 and some others upwards of two hundred new members4 ,sometimes1 the gale seems as if it blew upon the outer court--upon the hearers1 and the young people from ten to fifteen years of age--when nothing extraordinary appears in the light and effect of the ministry1 nor in the church2 but afterwards making its way through the outer court to rouse the inner court1 until a great concern is awakened for the state of the soul4 ,but observe3 ,the revival that begins in the church1 and proceeds from thence to the world1 and not that which commences outside of the church1 is more frequent1 and more efficient in its converts1 for the pangs of labor are to begin in ,zion4 8#i4 ,again1 it may be remarked that the happy effects which follow these powerful revivals1 evince their nature4 ,they are certain1 where they are strong1 to bend the oaks of ,bashan--men of strong and sturdy minds1 and haughty hearts--to attend the ministry of the word4 ,they will bring all the ships of ,tarshish1 the merchants of this world1 into the harbor of hearing4 ,the power of the day of the ,lord will raze all the walls of bigotry to the foundations4 ,the thoughts of eternal realities1 and the spirit of worship1 are by these blessings diffused abroad1 and family worship is established in scores of families1 where a few months before no regard was had unto it4 ,the door of such a district1 thus opened by the powers of the world to come1 shall not be closed against the hearers of the gospel1 until a goodly number of souls are there converted unto ,god4 ,where the living waters flow1 dead fish are made alive by its virtues4 8#aj4 ,since the first appearing of these gracious gifts at ,llangeitho1 under the ministry of ,mr4 ,rowlands1 they have been showers of blessings1 which are poured down on the congregations of the ,baptists and ,congregationalists as well as the ,calvinistic ,methodists2 and sometimes one of these denominations is favored with them1 whilst the others are destitute4 ,these refreshing seasons were1 at times1 experienced in a very powerful manner at ,llangeitho1 for about fifty years2 that is1 all the period of ,mr4 ,rowlands' ministrations in that church4 ,about two thousand persons assembled there for communion once a month1 from the several counties of ,wales1 even in winter1 and about three thousand in the summer season2 which rendered it the most extraordinary place in ,europe1 and beyond a doubt1 hundreds of those who assembled there1 on such occasions1 are now in heaven singing the new song4 ,if to live on the merits of ,christ1 to fear ,god1 and praise him1 and lead a sober and righteous life1 is an evidence of a godly state1 then this was visible at that time at ,llangeitho40 ,,caernarvon4 ,mr4 ,evans' next settlement was in ,caernarvon4 ,the ,baptist interest in that town was in a feeble and languishing condition4 ,the church numbered about thirty members1 but they were chiefly of the lowest class1 and sadly disunited4 ,they had a decent house of worship1 but it was involved in a debt of #hjj4 8,all things10 said ,mr4 ,evans1 8seemed like a waste howling wilderness2 yea1 a habitation of dragons1 where they made their rest night and day40 ,some advised the dissolution of the church1 but he thought better to attempt its reformation4 ,his coming produced quite a sensation through the town4 ,his first congregation was very large1 and for some time multitudes flocked to his ministry1 but they were only accidental hearers1 generally members of other churches1 who1 when they had satisfied their curiosity1 returned to their own places of worship4 ,his ,welsh biographer mentions with commendation the sympathy and help which he received from the ,wesleyan and the ,calvinistic ,methodists1 and ,mr4 ,evans himself calls them the ,aarons and the ,hurs that sustained his hands in ,caernarvon4 ,his labors and zeal in this place were not less than in ,caerphilly and ,cardiff2 but owing to many unfavorable circumstances1 his success was far inferior4 ,during the first year1 however1 he reduced the chaos around him to some incipient order2 and was enabled1 by the payment of a mortgage upon the church1 to save it from sheriff's sale4 ,he employed a ,mr4 ,edwards to travel into ,england1 ,ireland1 and ,scotland1 and make collections for this purpose4 ,mr4 ,evans was already known extensively1 as the author of the celebrated ,specimen of ,welsh ,preaching1 which had been translated into ,english1 and published in many of the periodicals1 eliciting universal admiration4 ,mr4 ,edwards had this piece reprinted1 and distributed the copies wherever he went1 thus making known the pastor of the church for which he solicited pecuniary aid4 ,though the aged servant of ,god saw few conversions from his labors in ,caernarvon1 the seed which he sowed in tears upon that sterile soil has sprung up since his decease1 and others have gathered the harvest4 ,the ,baptist church there has experienced a gracious revival1 and many of the new converts attribute their salvation1 under ,god1 to ,christmas ,evans4 ,while in ,caernarvon he penned in his journal the following pious reflections3 8,i have been thinking of the great goodness of the ,lord unto me throughout my unworthy ministry1 and now1 in my old age1 ,i see the work prospering wonderfully in my hand1 so that there is reason to think that ,i am in some degree a blessing to the church1 when ,i might have been a burden to it1 or rather a curse1 by which she might have been induced to wish me laid in the earth1 that ,i might no longer prevent the progress of the work4 ,thanks be to ,god1 that it is not so6 though ,i deserve no better2 yet ,i am in the land of mercy4 ,this is unto me according to the manner of ,god unto his people4 ,my path in the valley1 the dangers1 and the precipices of destruction upon which ,i have stood1 rushes into my thoughts1 and also the sinking of many in death1 and the downfall of others by immorality1 and their burial in ,kibroth-,hattaavah1 the graves of inordinate desire2 together with the withering1 the feebleness1 and the unfruitfulness of some through the influence of a secret departure from ,god1 and of walking in the hidden paths that lead to apostasy40 ,,pulpit ,,popularity4 ,mr4 ,evans' popularity in the pulpit was never greater than during the last few years of his life4 ,his descriptive powers1 which were transcendent from the first1 improved to the day of his death4 ,his services were always solicited at the anniversaries of the ,missionary and ,bible societies in ,caernarvon1 and the mayor of that town once made him a handsome present for a temperance speech which he delivered there4 ,in #ahcd1 he preached at the ,holyhead association4 ,his text was ,heb4 vi4 #ah4 ,there were many seamen present2 and beautifully did the preacher describe the believer's hope1 8the anchor of the soul20 and eloquently did he set forth the necessity of its having1 not a bare rock1 but a rock covered with clay--not abstract divinity1 but 8,god manifest in the flesh10--in order that its hold may be 8sure and steadfast10 securing the ,christian against spiritual shipwreck amid the many storms of the ,world6 ,the last association he ever attended in ,anglesea was held in the same place1 in #ahcg4 ,on that occasion he preached from ,col4 ii4 #ad1 #ae4 ,this sermon was one of the most effective he ever delivered4 8,the powerful manner10 says one of his friends 8in which he described the enemies1 who were like unicorns and strong bulls of ,bashan1 and all the little elves--the great roaring lion1 together with all the hosts and principalities and powers of hell1 death1 and the grave1 giving way when ,christ cried1 #8,it is finished1' was indescribably grand and majestic3 one might have thought that the scene was actually before the eye1 and that ,jesus could be then seen laying hold of the powers of darkness1 casting them forth1 and making a show of them openly40 ,,interesting ,,letter4 ,we insert in this place an interesting letter written during ,mr4 ,evans' residence at ,caernarvon4 8,beloved ,brother3 99 99 99 ,i write to you1 ,august #e1 #ahcf1 in the seventieth year of my age1 and in the fiftieth of my ministry1 after conversing much with ministerial brethren1 earnestly desiring to see our associational union brought into action by representatives of the churches1 with a view to promote a determination1--#a4 ,to bear each other's burden more efficiently in the denomination to which we belong4 ,i lament the deficiency in this point1 and ardently wish to see it effectually remedied4 #b4 ,to watch over and promote a holy conversation among all the members and all the preachers in a more efficient manner1 to prevent persons of unbecoming conversation from obtaining privileges in any church1 when they have been excluded in another1 for that would occasion spots and blemishes to appear on the bright countenance of the ministry4 ,the associational union1 in which all the churches of the same faith and order join1 should be a defence of the independence of the churches through their representatives3 it should also operate as a sort of check upon independency1 lest it should become opposed to the general good1 and frustrate the co-operation of the whole body4 ,that they may all be one1 is the motto4 8,respecting church discipline4 ,we cannot be certain that we are doing right by administering the same punishment to all offenders1 even for the same offence2 for the general character weighs heavily in the balance of discipline4 ,also a distinction should be made between the seducer and the seduced2 and between being overcome1 or falling into sin1 and living habitually in sin1 and following it as a slave following his master4 ,the denial of ,peter1 from weakness1 and without previous deliberation1 was very different from the betrayal of ,judas1 and his intentional selling of ,christ4 ,the different characters of ,saul1 king of ,israel1 and that of ,david1 required different treatment in discipline on account of their offences4 ,the ,lord's discipline upon ,saul was that of a rod of iron1 but upon ,david the correcting rod of a father1 for his good1 that he might be a partaker of his holiness4 8,there are two things1 brother1 which we ought to avoid in the exercise of discipline4 #a4 ,we should avoid too great severity on the one part1 and #b1 too much leniency on the other part4 ,wisdom is necessary here to distinguish the different characters1 those who require severity1 and those who claim tenderness3 the two are to be found blended in the principle of evangelical discipline4 ,a difference is to be made betwixt some who may have been companions in the same crime2 snatching some of them as brands from the burning4 ,the ground of the distinction lies in the different amount of guilt which subsists between the seducer and the seduced4 8,i have witnessed danger1 and have sustained some harm myself1 and seen harm done in churches1 by exercising tenderness towards some persons1 in the vain hope of their reformation4 ,receiving verbal testimony or mere fluent acknowledgments from their lips1 without waiting for fruit in action also3 some having been often accused1 and as often turning to the refuges frequented by them4 ,i never exercised tenderness towards such as these1 without being repaid by them afterwards1 if they had opportunity4 ,shimei-like1 they would curse me after having shed the best oil of tenderness on their heads4 ,there are some in the ,christian church like ,jezebel2 and there are some in our congregations like ,joab1 the son of ,zeruiah1 that you can scarce discipline them without rending the kingdom1 until they become ripe for judgment2 for they hardly ever repent1 more than did ,joab and ,shimei2 they are ultimately suddenly broken1 without any danger to the church from their fall4 8,i perceive that the ,scriptures make a difference between one that falls into sin1 and one wallowing in it2 between one overtaken by a party of marauders1 and dragged into the camp1 and made drunk at supper1 and one like ,judas1 going to the party1 and being secretly one of them1 having pistols as they had3 such are hypocrites4 ,i have many times been the advocate of the fallen1 and in a variety of instances have observed this operating beneficially for the church4 ,sometimes ,i have found those who had been spared upon their own verbal contrition1 blessing ,god for his long forbearance of them1 and also their spiritual brethren1 who had in a manner set their bones2 as the ,scripture hath it1 #8,restore such an one in the spirit of meekness4' 8,we should be careful that discretion and love be in exercise1 though in strife and contention it be not always an easy matter to do this4 ,when the beasts of dissension get loose from the caravan1 ,satan sometimes drives them through the streets of ,zion1 that they may enter the houses of the inhabitants2 and like the lioness that escaped from the keepers at ,shrewsbury1 and attacked the foremost horse in the carriage2 #ec so contentions frequently attack the leaders1 in order to stop the carriage of the ministry as it travels on in the labors of the pulpit4 ,in the midst of the noise of strife1 the man of ,god must raise his voice to heaven for courage and tenderness1 so that the oil of ,christ's love to the souls of men may be found in the oil-flagon of reproof1 which is poured on the head2 for if anger and revenge enter in1 they will drop1 like the spider in ,germany1 into the pot1 and that will prevent the salutary effect of the oil1 because the poison of wrath is mixed with it4 ,the righteousness of ,god cannot be fulfilled in this manner in the discipline4 ,o6 brother1 who is sufficient for these things1 without constant help from heaven8 ,how awful is this place6 ,this is the house of ,god and the gate of heaven--and here is a ladder by which we may climb up for help2 and a school in which we may learn how to conduct ourselves in the house of ,god4 8,you cannot but be conscious1 brother1 of the great difficulty there is not to speak unadvisedly with our lips1 as did ,moses whilst drawing water for the rebellious ,israelites4 ,the rebellion of the people had imbittered his spirit1 so that his obduracy stood like a cloud between the people and the tenderness of the ,lord1 when he was showing mercy upon them by giving them water4 ,moses upbraided their rebellion instead of showing mercy1 as the dispensation of ,god now required2 a dispensation which contained in it a secret intimation of the great mercy to be shown by the death of ,christ on the cross4 ,their strife was the cause of imbittering the spirit of ,moses1 yet he should have possessed his soul in patience4 8,there are two things1 brother1 which you should observe3 ,first1 you will be called upon to attend to causes of contention2 and you will find persons so hardened1 that you will not be able to obtain weapons in all the armory of ,god's word that will terrify them and make them afraid of entering their old haunts4 ,such are persons without faith1 and without the fear of ,god and the love of ,christ influencing their minds2 and though you warn them of the consequences of their contentions1 that they are likely to deprive them of the privileges of the house of ,god1 and thus forfeit the promised land1 yet they stand unmoved1 nothing terrified1 for they value the flesh-pots of ,egypt and their livelihood there1 more than the manna and the land of promise4 ,you cannot frighten them by speaking of the danger and loss of the immunities of the church below1 or that above2 ,esau-like1 they will sell their birthright as ,christian professors for a mess of pottage4 ,a man who has no money is not afraid to meet with robbers in the wood2 but the individual that has gold to lose will be cautious and watchful1 lest he should be robbed of his property4 ,on a night of great storm1 when ships are broken to pieces and sinking1 a person who has no share in any of them will not tremble or feel any concern on their account4 ,thus there are some men concerning whom it is impossible to make them dread going out among the rapacious beasts of backslidings1 and no storms can keep them in fear4 ,their spirit is one with the marauders1 and they have no care1 for they have nothing to lose in the tempests that blow upon the cause of the religion of ,christ4 ,these are the tares1 or the children of the wicked one1 in the church4 8,secondly1 for your own encouragement1 brother1 ,i remark that you will have to attend to the exercise of discipline1 and to treat with persons that may be alarmed1 and made to tremble at the word of ,god1 and not rush on presumptuously in their evil course4 ,these are professors who possess white garments1 and the gold of faith1 and eye-salve from the unction of the ,holy ,one4 ,these individuals are rich in faith4 ,they are afraid of revolutions and upsettings of the constitutional order of the new covenant1 for they have funds invested in the stocks of ,god's kingdom4 ,they are afraid that any storm or rock of offence should come in the way of the gospel ship1 for their treasure is on board of it1 and they have an interest in it4 ,they dread the thought of walking unwatchfully and licentiously1 lest they should be robbed of their riches1 and forfeit the fellowship of ,god in prayer1 lose the light of his countenance1 and his peace in the means of grace1 and lest they should be deprived of their confidence in the merits of ,christ and a good conscience4 ,they have denied themselves1 and have pulled out the right eye1 lest they should not be acceptable before ,god4 ,they dread harboring in their bosoms the old guilt and former doubts4 ,they are cautious not to give a night's lodging to such miscreants as anger1 revenge1 lust1 and things which are of the earth2 for they know that these are robbers1 and if they have any indulgence they will steal away the title-deeds of assurance to the inheritance4 ,they are well aware1 also1 that they will sustain the loss of a pure conscience1 which has been purged by the blood of ,christ1 and which1 as a golden chest1 is a preserver of our confidence immovable unto the end4 ,it is possible1 brother1 to manage and discipline such professors4 ,they have something to lose1 consequently they will not flee from their refuge1 lest they should be destroyed4 ,keep that which thou hast4 ,david lost for a season the enjoyment of the above blessings2 but he was cleansed with hyssop1 had his spirit renewed1 and his riches were restored to him by faith's view of the ,messiah1 for which he vowed to sing aloud for ever and ever4 ,he prayed1 after this1 to be delivered from presumptuous sins1 lest he should be imprisoned a second time by a party so wicked and detestable4 ,may the spiritual gift be kindled in you1 brother4 ,grace be with you for ever and ever4 8,affectionately1 8,,christmas ,,evans4 8,caernarvon1 ,august #e1 #ahcf40 ,,tour ,,through ,,the ,,principality4 ,in ,april1 #ahch1 when ,mr4 ,evans had been about four years in ,caernarvon1 the church under his charge received notice to pay up the #cjj yet due on their house of worship4 ,he took a tour through the principality1 to collect money for this purpose4 ,before he set out1 he wrote a circular to his brethren1 which was published in the ,welsh ,magazine4 ,we make the following extract3-- 8,the term of the lease of life has expired in my case1 even three score and ten years1 and ,i am very much afflicted4 ,i have purposed to sacrifice myself to this object1 though ,i am afraid ,i shall die in the journey1 and fear ,i shall not succeed in my errand for ,christ4 ,we have no source to which we can now repair1 but our own denomination in ,wales1 and brethren and friends of other communities that may sympathize with us4 ,o brethren1 pray with me for protection on the journey--for strength and health this once1 on occasion of my bidding farewell to you all--pray for the light of the ,lord's countenance upon me in preaching1 pray for his own glory1 and that his key may open the hearts of the people to contribute towards his cause in its present exigency4 ,o help us1 brethren1--when you see the old brother1 after having been fifty-three years in the ministry1 now1 instead of being in the grave with his colleagues1 or resting at home with three of them who are yet alive--brethren ,lewis of ,llanwenarth1 ,davies of ,velin ,voel1 and ,thomas of ,aberduar #ef--when you see him coming1 with the furrows of death in his countenance1 the flowers of the grave on his head1 and his whole constitution gradually dissolving2 having labored fifty years in the ministry in the ,baptist denomination4 ,he comes to you with hundreds of prayers bubbling as it were from the fountain of his heart1 and with a mixture of fear and confidence4 ,o do not frown upon him6--he is afraid of your frowns4 ,smile upon him by contributing cheerfully to his cause this once for all4 ,if you frown upon me1 ministers and deacons1 by intimating an irregular case1 ,i am afraid ,i shall sink into the grave before returning home4 ,this is my last sacrifice for the ,redeemer's cause40 ,in this journey1 he was cordially received everywhere by the churches1 and very successful in raising money4 ,at no former period of his life was his popularity so great as now4 ,wherever he preached1 the place was thronged at an early hour2 and frequently multitudes remained without1 unable to obtain admittance4 ,,monmouthshire ,,association4 ,during this tour1 he attended the ,monmouthshire ,association1 and preached his last associational sermon4 ,in his introduction1 he described a man whom he had seen in ,caernarvon1 throwing a few beans to a herd of swine that followed him1 and thus enticing them to the door of the slaughter-house1 where they were to be slain2 and said that1 in a similar manner1 with one temptation after another1 ,satan allures deluded sinners to the very gates of hell1 where they are to be tormented for ever and ever4 ,he spoke of the gospel on the day of ,pentecost1 as a great electrical machine2 ,christ turning the handle2 ,peter placing the chain in contact with the people3 and the ,holy ,ghost descending like a stream of ethereal fire1 and melting the hearts of three thousand at once6 ,perhaps no sermon that ,mr4 ,evans ever preached evinced more vigor of intellect1 more power and splendor of genius1 than this2 and seldom1 if ever1 had he a more perfect command over the feelings of an audience4 ,but the effort was too much for him1 and he was afterward confined to his room by illness for a week4 ,,last ,,sermon1 ,,sickness1 ,,and ,,death4 ,following this indefatigable man of ,god1 we find him1 on ,sunday1 the fifteenth of ,july1 notwithstanding his late illness1 at ,swansea1 preaching like a seraph1 on the ,prodigal ,son in the morning1 and in the evening on the words of ,st4 ,paul--8,i am not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ10 c4 ,the next evening he preached in the church at ,mount ,pleasant4 ,he said he had taken his pulpit model from the day of ,pentecost4 ,he described the event of that memorable day1 as a great naval battle between ,emanuel and the ,prince of ,darkness4 8,the captain of our salvation0 sent out twelve little boats to engage the whole fleet of hell4 ,for a time all was enveloped in fire and smoke1 and the issue of the day seemed doubtful2 but when the conflict ceased1 and the cloud cleared away1 it was ascertained that the twelve little boats had captured three thousand of ,satan's ships of war4 ,when the preacher sat down1 he said1 8,this is my last sermon40 ,and so it was4 ,that night he was taken violently ill4 ,the next day he lay in a partial stupor1 taking but little notice of his friends4 ,the third day he seemed somewhat better4 ,on the morning of the fourth day1 ,thursday1 he arose and walked in the garden4 ,toward evening he sunk again1 and grew worse during the night4 ,at two of the clock on ,friday morning1 he said to his friends3--8,i am about to leave you4 ,i have labored in the sanctuary fifty-three years2 and this is my comfort and confidence1 that ,i have never labored without blood in the basin0--meaning1 evidently1 that he had not failed to preach 8,jesus ,christ1 and him crucified40 ,after a few more remarks of a similar character1 he repeated a ,welsh stanza1 expressive of his firm trust in the ,redeemer2 and then1 as if he had done with earth1 and desired to depart1 exclaimed in ,english--8,,good-,,bye6 ,,drive ,,on60 ,he now turned over1 and seemed to sleep4 ,his friends tried to rouse him4 ,it was too late4 ,the angelic postillion had obeyed the order4 ,the chariot had passed over the everlasting hills4 ,thus died ,christmas ,evans1 at the house of his friend1 ,rev4 ,daniel ,davies1 in ,swansea1 ,july #aith1 #ahch1 in the #gc;d year of his age1 and the #edth of his ministry4 ,his life was blameless1 and his end was peace4 8,this honor have all his saints60 ,,funereal ,,sorrow4 ,his funeral took place four days after his death4 ,never before was there such a funeral in ,swansea1 never such a concourse of mourners4 ,the people came in crowds1 and wept their way to the grave as if they had been following the bier of their father4 ,the melancholy tidings of his departure spread through the principality1 and the fountains of sorrow were everywhere unsealed4 ,in ,anglesea1 especially1 the grief was deep and universal4 ,there he had spent more than half of his ministerial life1 and hundreds owned him as their father in ,christ4 ,the ,baptist pulpits were all clothed in mourning1 and funeral sermons were preached throughout the principality4 ,,portraiture4 ,,personal ,,appearance4 ,,mr4 ,,evans was a good-looking man1 nearly six feet high1 and well proportioned4 ,his intellectual faculties1 phrenologically speaking1 were amply developed4 ,he had lost one of his eyes in his youth1 but the other was large and bright enough for two4 ,it had a peculiarly penetrating glance2 and when kindling under the inspiration of the pulpit1 added wonderfully to the effect of his eloquence4 ,all his features were expressive of intelligence and love2 his whole bearing1 dignified and majestic2 and the blending of great and amiable qualities in his character commanded at once the reverence and the confidence of all who knew him4 ,,moral ,,and ,,christian ,,character4 ,from the time of his conversion to the day of his death1 ,mr4 ,evans exhibited a consistent and exemplary piety4 ,though he several times fell into darkness and doubt1 and lost a portion of his burning zeal1 he never forfeited his place in the church1 or tarnished his ,christian name4 ,the uprightness of his deportment was acknowledged by all his neighbors2 and those of other denominations1 differing widely from him in creed and custom1 always accorded to him the reputation of 8a holy man of ,god40 ,but his piety was never ostentatious or austere4 ,modesty and humility were among his most prominent qualities1 and a high degree of ,christian cheerfulness characterized his conversation4 ,however low1 at times1 his religious enjoyment1 he was always careful to walk with becoming circumspection before the world1 that the cause of ,christ might suffer no reproach through his imprudence4 ,,social ,,disposition4 ,mr4 ,evans was naturally of a quick and irritable temper2 but ,divine ,grace subdued his constitutional impetuosity1 made him 8gentle toward all men10 and clothed him with 8the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit40 ,he was eminently social in his feelings1 and took great delight in the company of his friends4 ,it cost him no effort to render himself agreeable in any society4 ,in the cottage and the mansion he was equally at home1 and the unlettered peasant and the erudite philosopher were equally interested by his conversation4 ,he never had any children of his own1 but was always remarkably fond of the children of others4 ,after discoursing for an hour on the sublimest topics of the ,christian faith1 in a style befitting their importance1 to the great delight1 and often to the amazement of all who heard him1 he would descend to the relation of some pretty story1 in a manner so affectionate and familiar as at once to win the hearts and enlighten the minds of half a dozen bright-eyed little creatures1 grouped around him like ,peter ,parley's scholars in the picture4 ,,reading ,,and ,,study4 ,mr4 ,evans was a great lover of books4 ,he seized and devoured with avidity every interesting volume that fell in his way4 ,he never resorted to reading1 however1 as a mere pastime4 ,he sought for mental and spiritual treasures to enrich his sermons4 ,for this he beat the fields and dug the wells of knowledge4 ,every thing was made subservient to his holy calling4 ,every thing was pressed into his preparations for the pulpit4 ,his authors were selected with prudent discrimination1 and perused with earnest attention1 indicating an intense desire to be thoroughly furnished for his work4 ,he studied what he read4 ,he was extensively acquainted with the best theological writers of the age1 and quoted them frequently in his discourses4 ,but there is one volume to which he referred more frequently than to all the rest1 8the book of books divine40 ,he was emphatically 8a man mighty in the ,scriptures40 ,from the word of ,god he derived the principal matter of his preaching4 ,even that lofty imagery which constituted the peculiar charm of his ministry1 was ordinarily but an amplification of scriptural tropes and descriptions4 ,in theology1 next to the ,bible1 ,dr4 ,owen was his favorite author4 ,he paid considerable attention to ,oriental manners and customs2 was well read in history1 ancient and modern2 and particularly fond of tracing the rise and fall of empires4 ,,devotional ,,habits4 ,mr4 ,evans was eminently a man of prayer4 ,prayer was his daily bread1 the very breath of his spirit4 ,he considered himself entitled1 through ,christ1 to all the blessings of the gospel1 and came boldly to the throne of grace in every time of need4 ,during his whole ministerial life1 much of his time was spent in the closet4 ,it was his custom for many years1 to retire for devotion three times during the day1 and rise regularly for the same purpose at midnight4 ,the disorders of the church1 the slanders of his enemies1 and the various afflictions of life1 all drove him to the mercy-seat1 and made him peculiarly earnest and importunate in supplication4 ,after these seasons of agony1 he came into the church1 or the social circle1 as an angel from the presence of ,god1 and 8all his garments smelt of myrrh and aloes and cassia from the ivory palaces40 ,he never undertook a new enterprise1 without first asking counsel of the ,lord4 ,when he had a call to another field of labor1 he could not decide upon the matter till he had spread it repeatedly before the throne4 ,when he was about to preach at an association1 or on any important occasion1 he wrestled for hours with the angel of the covenant1 nor relinquished his hold till he felt himself 8endued with power from on high40 ,then he came forth to the congregation1 as ,moses from the ,tabernacle1 when he had communed with ,god4 ,just before leaving home on his tour of collection for the ,caernarvon church1 the last labor of his life1 he penned in his book of appointments the following paragraph3-- 8,o ,lord1 grant me my desire on this journey1 for thy name's sake4 ,my first petition2--,comfort in ,christ--the comfort of love--the bowels of love and mercy in the denomination--the fellowship of the ,spirit4--,amen4 ,my second petition2--,that the sermons ,i have prepared for this journey may increase in their ministration1 like the five loaves and two fishes4--,amen4 ,c4 ,e40 ,,christian ,,beneficence4 ,mr4 ,evans was a poor man1 but 8rich in good works40 ,suffering poverty always excited his pity1 and opened his purse4 ,wherever he beheld distress1 he was 8ready to distribute1 willing to communicate10 according to the ability which ,god had given him4 ,his salary in ,anglesea1 for twenty years1 was only seventeen pounds per annum2 and afterward1 only thirty4 ,with so small an income1 he could not be expected to bestow much upon the various objects of charity4 ,but he gave annually one pound to the ,bible ,society1 one pound to the ,missionary ,society1 and ten shillings to the ,baptist ,education ,society1 besides contributing liberally to the relief of the poor and the sick in his neighborhood4 ,sometimes his liberality was larger than his purse4 ,once1 when a ,protestant ,irishman1 poorly clad1 told him that he spent much time in reading the ,scriptures to his illiterate countrymen1 he pulled off his own coat1 and gave it to him4 ,at another time1 he presented a poor ,jew1 who had recently been converted to ,christianity1 a new suit of clothes1 the best he had in his wardrobe4 ,while in ,anglesea1 he visited a brother in the church1 who had been reduced by protracted illness to a condition of great distress2 and finding the family almost in a state of starvation1 emptied his pocket of the only pound he had4 ,his wife remonstrated with him1 told him she had not bread enough in the house to last twenty-four hours1 and demanded what he would do now he had given away all his money4 ,his only answer was3 8,jehovah-jireh2 the ,lord will provide60 ,the next day he received a letter from ,england1 enclosing two pounds as a present4 ,as soon as he had read it1 he called out to his wife2--8,catherine6 ,i told thee that ,providence would return the alms-pound1 for it was a loan to the ,lord2 and see1 here it is1 doubled in one day60 ,it is evident from this incident1 that ,mr4 ,evans' liberality was the fruit of his faith in ,god2 and the good man's confidence is never put to shame4 8,there is that scattereth1 and yet increaseth40 ,,spirit ,,of ,,forgiveness4 8,be ye merciful1 even as your ,father who is in heaven is merciful40 ,there is no virtue more beautiful in its character1 or more important to the ,christian1 than that thus enjoined by the ,son of ,god4 ,the spirit of forgiveness infinitely transcends all the effects of mere human philosophy1 and allies man to his ,maker4 ,in this amiable quality1 ,christmas ,evans was never wanting4 ,he took a thousand times more pleasure in pardoning the offender1 than the offender in asking his pardon4 8,it was only10 says his ,welsh biographer1 8for the person who had given offence to make some sort of acknowledgment1 to say there had been a misunderstanding4 ,mr4 ,evans would anticipate him with3--#8,o1 say nothing about it6 let it be buried6 very likely ,i have been in fault myself6'0 ,the spirit of ,mr4 ,evans' diary everywhere corroborates this description of his character4 ,we extract a single paragraph3-- 8,i trust that by the grace of ,god1 ,i have overcome my natural disposition to anger and revenge4 ,i have been enabled to forgive my greatest enemies1 and pray that they may be forgiven of ,god4 ,i can say from my heart1 with ,stephen2 #8,lord1 lay not this sin to their charge6' ,i have no wish that any of them should suffer for their attempts to injure me1 but that they may all be led to repentance1 and settle their matters at the mercy-seat1 where ,i hope also that the multitude of my own trespasses will be covered and forgotten40 ,his mercy was as impartial as it was cordial4 ,he had held a controversy with a minister of another sect1 who1 forgetting the rules of ,christian courtesy1 treated him very unkindly before the public4 ,this minister was afterward arraigned and imprisoned on a very serious allegation4 ,if he had been convicted1 degradation from the ministry would have been the smallest part of his punishment4 ,mr4 ,evans1 learning the fact1 and believing the prosecution unjust and malicious1 felt greatly distressed for his polemical opponent4 ,on the day of trial1 he retired to his room1 and poured out his heart to ,god on his behalf1 for a long time1 and with peculiar fervor4 ,then he waited with great anxiety for the issue4 ,as he sat at the table1 with several friends and brethren1 a minister1 who had been at court1 entered the room1 and said2 8,mr4 -- is acquitted60 ,mr4 ,evans instantly fell upon his knees1 with tears streaming down his face1 and exclaimed3--8,thanks be unto thee1 ,o ,lord ,jesus6 for delivering one of thy servants from the mouth of the lions60 ,he then arose1 saluted his friend1 and joined in the mutual congratulations of the company4 ,,catholic ,,generosity4 ,that ,christmas ,evans was no bigot1 might be inferred from the above anecdote4 ,but we have other and ampler evidence of his ,christian catholicity4 ,he was a ,baptist2 and1 with the rest of his brethren1 a strenuous advocate for exclusive immersion4 ,he was a ,calvinist1 and thought it very important to vindicate against ,arminian views what are sometimes called 8the doctrines of grace40 ,but he was also a ,christian1 and held all other ,christians as brethren4 ,he did not repudiate the sincerely pious1 because they could not say his 8,shibboleth40 ,kind1 candid1 and ingenuous1 he judged of things according to their real value and importance1 and appreciated true talent and virtue wherever he found them4 ,his creed was not2 8,i am of ,paul20 nor1 8,i am of ,apollos20 nor1 8,i am of ,john the ,baptist20 but1 8,we are all of ,christ60 ,he was not blinded by the senseless prejudice of sect4 ,he was influenced less by the peculiarities of his denomination than by the love of ,christ4 ,many of his warmest friends were ministers of other orders2 and of the ,methodists and ,congregationalists at ,caernarvon1 he made honorable mention in his diary4 ,the most despicable reptile of the moral world is envy1 the spirit that prompted revolt in heaven1 and hurled archangels down to hell4 ,yet it is often found among ,christians2 among the ministers of a religion whose very principle is charity4 ,some men1 like king ,saul1 can never bear a rival4 ,if the thousands of ,israel raise the voice and tune the lyre in honor of some victorious ,david1 the evil spirit comes upon them1 and they launch their javelins at the young anointed1 and seek 8to smite him even to the wall40 ,from such feelings ,mr4 ,evans was always free4 ,his large heart was utterly incapable of anything of the kind4 ,he esteemed others better than himself1 and in honor preferred his brethren4 ,wherever he discovered talent and sanctified ambition in a young preacher1 he never exerted an influence to hinder him1 but heartily bade him ,god speed4 ,he did not deem it necessary to smite him on the head with a cudgel to keep him in his place4 ,he was not afraid that others would outshine him in the pulpit4 ,he would gladly have taken his place at the feet of any of ,christ's ambassadors4 ,he was willing to accord due praise to merit1 not only in the dead1 but also in the living2 not only in those of other countries and other denominations1 but also in those of his native principality and the ,baptist church4 ,his immediate contemporaries and neighbors were often the subjects of his highest encomiums4 ,his heart was as large as the world6 ,,ingenuousness ,,and ,,honesty4 ,a late ,american writer has said of insincerity1 that it is the most detestable of all vices for which men go unhung4 ,yet it must be admitted1 there is no vice more prevalent1 even among the professed followers of ,him1 8who knew no iniquity1 neither was guile found in his lips40 ,the sentiment1 that it is right to deceive for the good of the church1 is not peculiar to the ,papists4 ,perhaps the enlightened ,protestant can scarcely be found1 who would verbally avow such a doctrine2 but it is often practically avowed1 even by the messenger of truth2 and ecclesiastical elevation is sometimes attributable more to dishonesty than to real virtue or talent4 ,christmas ,evans' popularity1 however1 could boast a better origin4 ,it was the spontaneous fruit of his graces and his gifts4 ,he was never indebted to unfair and underhanded measures for his success4 ,his conduct was always open and ingenuous4 ,of deceit and secret design he was incapable4 ,he never attempted to build up his own church by proselyting the converts of other churches4 ,in one instance1 when a young man1 who had been educated for the ministry in the established church of ,england1 came to him1 desiring baptism by immersion1 instead of eagerly seizing upon so valuable an acquisition to the ,baptists1 as some doubtless would have done1 he endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose1 and yielded at length only to his fervent importunity4 ,he deemed the slightest departure from truth1 in any instance1 a crime1 and a deep disgrace to the ,christian character4 ,he was innocent and unsuspecting as a child4 ,his frank and confiding disposition was unquestionably the occasion of most of his heavy trials4 ,jealous and malicious men took advantage of his ,christian simplicity1 and made one of his sweetest virtues a poison to his peace4 ,he once employed a person to sell a horse for him at a fair4 ,after some time1 he went out to see if he was likely to succeed4 ,there was a man bargaining for the animal1 and the contract was nearly completed4 8,is this your horse1 ,mr4 ,evans80 said the purchaser4 8,certainly it is10 he replied4 8,what is his age1 sir80 8,twenty-three years40 8,but this man tells me he is only fifteen40 8,he is certainly twenty-three1 for he has been with me these twenty years1 and he was three years old when ,i bought him40 8,is he safe-footed80 8,very far from that1 ,i assure you1 or ,i would not part with him1 and he has never been put in harness since ,i have had him either40 8,please to go into the house1 ,mr4 ,evans10 whispered the man whom he had employed to make the sale1 8for ,i shall never dispose of the horse while you are present40 ,the frank manner1 however1 in which ,mr4 ,evans told him all the truth1 induced the dealer to make the purchase at a very handsome price2 while it procured for ,mr4 ,evans a good name1 which is better than gold4 ,,sarcastic ,,rebukes4 ,in conversation he was always careful of the feelings of others4 ,he would never employ a sarcastic remark1 but for the purpose of merited rebuke4 8,it is better10 said he1 8to keep sarcasms pocketed1 if we cannot use them without wounding the feelings of a friend40 ,but he was capable1 when occasion required1 of wielding this weapon with terrible effect4 ,take the following instances3-- ,just before his removal from ,cardiff to ,caernarvon1 he was conversing on the contemplated change in a circle of several ministers4 ,his labors had been solicited in two or three other places1 and the company were canvassing the comparative claims of the different churches4 ,a feeble-minded young man present1 who 8thought more highly of himself than he ought to think10 said3--8,it is my opinion1 ,father ,evans1 that you had better go to ,caernarvon4 ,it is not likely your talents would suit either of the other places1 but ,i think you might do very well at ,caernarvon40 ,mr4 ,evans opened his large eye upon the speaker1 and replied2--8,and hast thou peeped8 ,when didst thou creep from the shell80 ,once1 two ministers1 of different sects1 were disputing in his presence on what he deemed an unimportant matter of ecclesiastical discipline4 ,one of them asked3--8,what say you1 ,mr4 ,evans80 ,mr4 ,evans replied3--8,i saw two boys quarrelling over two snails4 ,one of them insisted that his snail was the better1 because it had horns2 while the other as strenuously argued for the superiority of his1 because it had none4 ,the boys were very angry and vociferous1 but the two snails were friends40 ,the disputants burst into a hearty laugh1 and the debate ended4 ,a shallow atheist was ridiculing the idea of a ,god1 because1 as he alleged1 he had no sensible evidence of his being4 ,mr4 ,evans answered3--8,my friend1 the mole in the meadow has never seen a king2 shall he therefore say there is no king8 ,o thou atheistic mole6 thou hast never travelled out of thy own narrow field2 and if thou hadst1 thou hast no eyes to see with2 and wilt thou dare to say there is no ,god8 ,dost thou think all others as blind as thyself8 ,all that thou canst say is1 that thou dost not see ,god1 and dost not wish to see him4 ,how dost thou know that the being of a ,god is not so manifest on the other side of the river of death1 that no doubt is entertained concerning it throughout all the expanse of eternity8 ,can the earth-mole say there is no grand ,lama in ,thibet8 ,poor worm6 thou must travel through the gates of death1 and fathom the bottomless pit1 and measure the land of destruction1 and scale the very heaven of heavens1 and surround all the borders of time and eternity1 before thou canst assure thyself there is no ,god60 ,,pulpit ,,talents ,,and ,,labors4 ,as a preacher1 ,mr4 ,evans was very peculiar4 ,no translation of his sermons can give the ,english reader an adequate idea of their force and beauty in the original4 ,he was exceedingly methodical and perspicuous4 ,his arrangement was never loose and vague2 his thoughts never confused and mingled together4 ,he was a 8wise master-builder10 who took care to lay a broad and firm foundation1 and then 8built thereon gold1 silver1 and precious stones40 ,the several parts of his discourse bore a mutual relation of dependence1 and each would have been incomplete without the others4 ,his order was so natural1 that it was very easy to follow him2 and his manner so impressive1 that it was nearly impossible to forget him4 ,he never spoke on a subject that he did not understand4 ,before entering the pulpit1 he invariably measured his text in all its extent1 and considered it in every possible aspect4 8,he had a wonderful method10 says one1 8of making the most abstruse passages appear easy and plain4 ,he interpreted scripture by scripture1 and exhibited the component parts of his subject in a clear and beautiful manner1 and illustrated them by the most appropriate and striking metaphors2 and forging link by link1 united them together1 and bound the whole up in one glorious chain4 ,his talents were such as to enable him to cast a ray of light upon the darkest points of the ,christian system40 ,mr4 ,evans' descriptive powers were altogether unique4 ,he abounded in allegories of the most forcible character4 ,in this respect1 he was equaled by none of his contemporaries2 transcended by none of his predecessors4 ,passages of this kind will be so frequently met with in the following selection from his sermons1 that it is not necessary to point them out to the reader4 ,his happy art of description is attributable chiefly to a very remarkable imagination4 ,this is one of the primary qualities of an orator4 ,when it is lacking1 no depth of learning1 no graces of delivery1 can compensate for its lack4 ,true1 argument is important4 ,there is no eloquence without argument4 ,argument must constitute the bone and the sinew of every good discourse4 ,but the bone and the sinew constitute only the skeleton4 ,imagination must supply the muscle and the nerve4 ,imagination must clothe it with beauty1 and inspire it with life2 give expression to the features1 animation to the eye1 and to the tongue motion and melody articulate4 ,argument is the ,john ,baptist of eloquence1 after whom there cometh a mightier1 baptizing with fire6 8,logic10 says ,carlyle1 8is good1 but not the best4 ,the irrefragable doctor1 with his chain of inductions1 his corollaries1 dilemmas1 and other cunning logical diagrams and apparatus1 will cast you a beautiful horoscope1 and speak you reasonable things2 nevertheless1 the stolen jewel which you wanted him to find you is not forthcoming4 ,often1 by some winged word1 winged as the thunderbolt is1 of a ,luther1 ,napoleon1 ,goethe1 shall we see the difficulty split asunder1 and its secret laid bare2 while the irrefragable1 with all his logical roots1 hews at it1 and hovers round it1 and finds it on all sides too hard for him40 ,mr4 ,evans had feeling as well as fancy4 ,this in a preacher is even more important than the other4 ,here1 we conceive1 lies the principal distinction between the orator and the poet4 ,poetry is the language of fancy2 eloquence1 the language of feeling4 ,the preacher who operates only on the judgment and the fancy may instruct and please1 and thus prepare the way for persuasion4 ,persuasion itself requires a warm and glowing heart4 ,eloquence has been defined1 8the power of imparting one's feelings to others40 8,if you want me to weep10 said ,horace1 8you must weep yourself40 ,the preacher who is himself unmoved1 will toil in vain to move his hearers4 ,his sermon may be as beautiful as the moon-beams on the snow2 but it will be as powerless and as cold4 ,as saith ,longinus3--8,the orator must have a vehement and enthusiastic passion1 a certain madness1 or divine phrensy1 breathing into his thoughts1 and inspiring his speech40 ,to use the language of another3--8,truth must be planted in the hot-bed of feeling1 if we would witness its flowery development1 and enjoy its fruit4 ,the orator must be roused and inflamed by the majesty of his theme2 not wrought up into an unmeaning fury1 like a tempest in a tea-pot2 but influenced and agitated by solemn considerations of truth1 duty1 interest1 and moral grandeur40 ,if this description of eloquence was ever realized in the pulpit1 it was in the preaching of ,christmas ,evans4 ,he spoke what he felt1 and because he felt4 ,the fountain was in his own soul1 and it flowed out upon his audience in streams of living water4 ,he was always full of his subject1 and his ordinary manner was exceedingly ardent and pathetic4 ,sometimes he seemed quite overwhelmed with the magnitude and grandeur of his theme1 and then he spoke with such impassioned earnestness as to storm the hearts of his hearers4 ,thus inspired1 it was scarcely possible that any man of ordinary sensibilities should be otherwise than eloquent4 ,but ,mr4 ,evans' talents were of a superior order2 and when kindling with the enthusiasm of his message1 he became peculiarly energetic and impressive4 8,his words came out10 as ,longinus says1 8as if discharged from an engine10 and their influence rested like a spell upon the ear and the heart4 ,he transported his hearers beyond the region of argument1 and leaving all their cavils and prejudices immeasurably behind1 rapt them away to the third heaven of ecstasy6 ,the secret of all this power is found in the preacher's piety4 ,he was a man of eminent faith and holiness4 ,the 8things new and old0 for the edification of his hearers1 he 8brought forth out of the treasure of his own heart40 ,the love of ,god within him imparted to his preaching a wonderful unction4 ,his splendid mental creations were instinct with the inspiration of sanctified feeling4 ,this divine anointing often rendered him superior to himself1 clothed him with a superhuman energy1 till he seemed a messenger from the other world4 ,the man was lost in his theme4 ,art was swallowed up in the whirlpool of excited feeling4 ,the audience were swept irresistibly along by the current of the discourse2 acknowledging1 by tears and groans1 the preacher's hold upon their hearts2 and sometimes losing all self-control1 and bursting into the most extravagant expressions of wonder and delight4 ,on this subject take the language of one1 who1 from personal acquaintance with ,mr4 ,evans1 was qualified to form a correct estimate of his character as a ,christian minister3-- 8,he was also an experimental preacher4 ,that a preacher feel his subject1 constitutes one of his excellencies2 but that his sermon be deeply imbued with the spiritual experience of the preacher1 is the ,crowning point of his excellency4 ,it is true1 a person may speak well of the distress of other people1 but he will speak more powerfully of his own distress4 ,persons may expatiate very eloquently on the pleasant fragrance of the herbs and flowers of foreign lands1 but those who have themselves participated in the fragrant odors1 in the soft breezes of those countries1 can describe them in an infinitely superior manner1 and to much greater advantage4 ,many may speak fluently of the mercies of ,god1 in providence and grace--protecting1 preserving1 pardoning sinners1 c41 but those who have experienced a sense of the divine mercy in their own souls can speak much better of it4 ,mr4 ,evans had an experience of the things of ,god4 ,not only had he heard of ,calvary1 but in ,calvary he lived2 not only had he heard of the bread of angels and of the corn of heaven1 but this bread and this corn were his daily food2 not only had he heard of the river of life1 the streams whereof make glad the city of our ,god1 but the crystal waters of this river were his constant drink2 not only had he heard of the renewing influences of the grace of ,god1 but he himself had been made the subject of these influences4 ,he had experienced the operations of the ,spirit renovating his own heart1 and therefore he could speak of them1 not as a matter of hearsay1 but with the apostle--#8,and what our hands have handled of the ,word of life1 declare we unto you4'0 #ga ,mr4 ,evans' preaching was highly evangelical4 8,jesus ,christ and him crucified10 was the alpha and omega of his ministry4 ,the character of the following sermons fully justifies that remarkable saying upon his death-bed3 8,i have never labored without blood in the basin40 ,every one of them is illustrative of some important point in the economy of salvation4 ,every one of them tends to humble the sinner1 and exalt the grace of ,god4 ,every one of them abounds with lofty views of the ,divine ,justice and ,mercy4 8,it is generally allowed10 observes his friend1 8that the people who are trained by a minister1 and moulded by his instructions1 are a good evidence of the tendency of his doctrine and ministry4 ,in this view then1 it is observed1 the church where he more statedly labored in ,anglesea1 and where the most of his care and efforts were bestowed1 were a people mighty in the ,scriptures2 that they would converse well and readily on most of the doctrines of the ,christian faith2 that they labored much to improve in knowledge1 and were active in the cause of religion4 ,these nearly all were ,mr4 ,evans' own people2 they were nurtured by him1 and upon his ministerial food they grew to be men1 and were wholly according to the mold of his doctrine4 ,it has been remarked1 #8that if volumes upon volumes were written upon the subject of the tendency of his ministry1 it could never be exhibited to greater advantage than has been done by himself1 in those bright1 clear1 and golden letters1 which he has inscribed upon the people of his charge at ,llangevni4'0 ,the following extracts from ,mr4 ,evans contain his views of the evangelical over the legal style of preaching3-- 8,while a preacher inculcates duties in any way but with a view to the promises of mercy1 and of undeserved strength1 he is more like to a moral philosopher1 than to the apostles and preachers that have been a blessing unto men1 such as ,whitefield1 and hundreds who have been in a degree blessed in the same doctrine1 and by the same ,spirit4 ,it is not in the duties we are to rest1 but in ,christ4 #8,blessed are the dead which die in the ,lord--that they may rest from their labors1 and their works follow them4' ,it was not in reliance upon their works they passed through the river of death1 as if presumptuously on a bundle of rushes1 but their works will meet them in the judgment day2 to be weighed there in the balance of the faith and love of ,christ2 and they will be there as witnesses on the part of the saints1 bearing testimony that the love of ,christ constrained them to live to him that died for them and was raised again40 ,again3-- 8,by endeavoring to avoid the bog1 you sink in the quicksands--while you are hiding the system of grace1 and casting it1 as it were1 into the shade--duties without faith are not acceptable1 for #8,without faith it is impossible to please ,god4' ,i compare you to a dry-goods merchant1 who should hang up a piece of white cloth over the shelves of his store1 where the cloths1 fine linen1 silks1 c41 are kept1 and thus hiding every article in his store1 without exposing any thing to the view of his customers1 yet he would stand at the counter1 and address them in the language of surprise1 ,why do you not buy here1 for ,i know you have wherewith8 ,so some preach1 standing like the store-keeper at the counter1 saying1 while the doctrine of grace is kept put of sight1 ,why do you not buy here8 for we know that you have the money of ability2 but you spend your money in the shops of the lusts of the flesh1 the lusts of the eye1 and the pride of life4 ,but they reply1 ,what shall we buy1 sir8 you tell us that there is salvation in your store--and fine linen wrought out from ,bethlehem to ,calvary1 and white raiment2 gold and pearls1 and food and drink indeed2 but you hide them under the vail3 bring them to the counter1 and open them before us2 show us1 carefully and plainly1 whence this salvation proceeds1 and by what means it has been procured2--has it been expensive to some one1 seeing it is free for us80 ,once more3-- 8,i compare such preachers to a miner1 who should go to the quarry where he raised the ore1 and taking his sledge in his hand1 should endeavor to form bars of iron of the ore in its rough state1 without a furnace to melt it1 or a rolling-mill to roll it out1 or molds to cast the metal1 and conform the casts to their patterns4 ,the gospel is like a form or mold1 and sinners are to be melted1 as it were1 and cast into it4 #8,but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you1' #gc or into which you were delivered1 as is the marginal reading1 so that your hearts ran into the mold4 ,evangelical preachers have1 in the name of ,christ1 a mold or form to cast the minds of men into2 as ,solomon1 the vessels of the temple4 ,the ,sadducees and ,pharisees had their forms1 and legal preachers have their forms2 but evangelical preachers should bring with them the #8form of sound words1' so that1 if the hearers believe1 or are melted into it1 ,christ may be formed in their hearts--then they will be as born of the truth1 and the image of the truth will appear in their sentiments and experience1 and in their conduct in the church1 in the family1 and in the neighborhood4 ,preachers without the mold1 are all those who do not preach all the points of the gospel of the grace of ,god40 ,christmas ,evans was in labors more abundant than any of his ,welsh contemporaries4 ,we have stated in the memoir1 that while in ,anglesea1 he frequently preached five times a day1 and walked twenty miles4 ,during his ministry1 he made forty journeys from ,north to ,south ,wales1 and preached one hundred and sixty-three associational sermons4 ,it is wonderful that his extensive travels and arduous labors did not hurry him to the grave before he had lived out half his days4 ,but he had a firm and vigorous constitution2 and having borne the burden and the heat of the day1 the ,master sustained him in the vineyard till the setting of the sun4 ,and his labors were as successful as they were extensive4 8,the sound of heaven10 remarks his friend 8was to be heard in his sermons4 ,he studied his discourses well2 he #8sought to find out acceptable words1 even words of truth2' and the ,holy ,ghost attended his ministry in an extraordinary manner40 ,few men of modern times have had a more numerous spiritual family than he4 ,wherever he went1 throughout all ,wales1 multitudes claimed him as their father in ,christ4 8,in his day the ,baptist associations acquired their great popularity1 and in his day arose a number of the most respectable ministers ever known in the principality40 ,some of them were his own converts1 and many of them had their talents inspired and their zeal inflamed under his powerful ministry4 8,life and evangelical savor10 said one of them1 8attend ,christmas ,evans1 wherever he is40 8,none of us10 said another1 8understand and comprehend the full extent of his usefulness40 ,the celebrated ,robert ,hall mentioned his talents in terms of high commendation1 and ranked him among the first men of his age4 ,a ,congregational clergyman1 who was well acquainted with him1 speaks of him as follows3-- 8,he is a connecting link between the beginning and the ending of this century4 #gd ,he has the light1 the talent1 and the taste of the beginning1 and has received every new light that has appeared since4 ,he was enabled to accompany the career of religious knowledge in the morning1 and also to follow its rapid strides in the evening4 ,in this he is unlike every other preacher of the day3 the morning and evening light of this wonderful century meet in him4 ,he had strength to climb up to the top of ,carmel in the morning1 and remain there during the heat of the day1 and see the fire consuming the sacrifice and licking up the water2 his strength continued1 by the hand of the ,lord1 so that he could descend from the mount in the evening1 and run without fainting before the king's chariot to ,jezreel40 ,we conclude this brief and somewhat imperfect portraiture with the following characteristic paragraph from the pen of ,mr4 ,evans1 illustrative of his views1 not only of the right kind of pulpit ministration1 but also of the injurious influence and tendency of the principal theological controversies which during his day agitated the ,baptist churches in the principality of ,wales3-- 8,i consider that a remarkable day has begun upon ,wales4 ,the dawn of this day was with ,vavasor ,powell and ,walter ,caradork2 the former amongst the ,baptists and the latter amongst the ,independents 7,congregationalists74 ,several churches were gathered in both denominations in the twilight of morning4 ,but when ,rowlands and ,harris rose--it was the sunrising of this revival day4 ,mr4 ,jones1 of ,pontypool1 was one of the sons of the sunrising4 ,about ten or eleven o'clock1 a host of ,baptists1 ,calvinistic ,methodists1 and ,congregationalists1 arose2 and among this class ,i had the honor of entering the field4 ,the day was warm--the sermons and prayers were short1 and the doctrine was evangelical4 ,but ,i have reached the evening1 and the day is greatly cooled4 ,power1 tenderness1 and the cross of ,christ1 marked the sermons in the morning2 but length and tediousness are the distinguishing features of the prayers and sermons in the evening4 ,it was too warm to preach two hours in the heat of the day4 ,it appears1 also1 that talents are become much weaker and more effeminate as the evening spreads its shades4 ,beyond a doubt1 the preaching of intricate points--something like questions concerning the law1 and endless genealogies1 have been the means of cooling the work and the workmen in the evening of the day4 ,they will now lift up their heads and talk to every traveller that passes the field2 and towards ,merionethshire1 they will inquire1 #8,dost thou know any thing about ,sandemanianism8' and in other districts they will ask1 #8,dost thou know something about ,williamsism #ge and ,fullerism8' and in consequence you may see young doctors many1 springing up1 talking like learned ,lilliputians4 #8,some say that ,christ died for all1 and others that it was for his church he died2 but the truth is this1' said the ,lilliputians3 #8he did not die for any man1 but for the sin of all men4' ,i was there also on the great platform of this period1 but ,i dared not condemn all systems by a sweeping sentence of infallibility1 and take the bagpipe under my arm1 as some were disposed to do1 and cry down every new voice without proving it4 #8,prove all things4'0 ,,sermons ,,of ,,christmas ,,evans4 ,a ,new translation from the ,welsh4 ,,introduction4 ,,in presenting to the public a selection from the sermons of ,christmas ,evans1 we find ourselves embarrassed by two circumstances3 ,first4--,it is impossible to exhibit on paper the peculiarly forcible elocution of the author4 ,some of the most effective discourses ever delivered seem comparatively powerless when perused afterward in private4 ,this observation is verified in the case of the two most remarkable pulpit orators of modern times1 ,george ,whitefield and ,john ,summerfield4 ,their spoken eloquence was like the breathings of the seraphim1 but their printed sermons are of no very extraordinary character4 ,like them1 ,mr4 ,evans was much indebted1 for his success1 to a very popular and powerful delivery4 ,his appearance in the pulpit was fine and commanding2 his voice1 one of unrivalled compass and melody2 his gesticulation1 always easy1 appropriate1 and forcible2 and when he warmed under the inspiration of his theme1 his large bright eye shot fire through the assembly4 ,but the sermons are now divested of all these auxiliary accompaniments2 and without the prophet before us1 we may wonder at the effects attributed to his message4 ,the following selections will give the reader at least a tolerable idea of ,mr4 ,evans' modes of thought and illustration2 but if he would have any adequate conception of the splendid phantasmagora in process of exhibition1 he must imagine the burning lamp within the scenes4 ,but the greater difficulty is the impossibility of a perfect translation4 ,genius is proverbially eccentric4 ,mr4 ,evans' style is altogether unique4 ,the structure of his sentences is very original4 ,none of his countrymen approximated his peculiar mode of expression4 ,it would be exceedingly difficult for any man1 however well qualified to translate other ,welsh authors1 to render him into ,english1 with the preservation1 everywhere1 of his spirit4 ,the writer at first thought of publishing a selection from his sermons as translated by ,j4 ,davis2 but upon examination1 that translation was found so faulty1 that it was deemed expedient1 if possible1 to produce a new4 ,in pursuance of this purpose he obtained the aid of a friend1 whose excellent literary taste1 and accurate acquaintance with both languages1 constitute a sufficient guarantee for the general correctness of the following translation4 ,it lays no claim to perfection1 though it is at least free from the most obvious and glaring faults of ,mr4 ,davis' version4 ,some of the nicest shades of thought are inevitably lost1 and many of the startling metaphors and splendid allegories have doubtless suffered some diminution of their original force and beauty2 but the writer trusts that enough of the author's spirit is retained to furnish a pretty correct idea of his talents1 and render the book acceptable to the reader4 ,with these apologetic remarks1 we commit the sermons of ,christmas ,evans to the press2 praying that they may be accompanied with something of the same ,divine unction1 as when1 in their original delivery by the author1 they 8set the land of ,cambria on fire4'0 ,,joseph ,,cross4 ,philadelphia1 ,may #cj1 #ahdf4 ,,sermon ,i4 ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,reformation4 8,until the time of reformation40--,heb4 ix4 #aj4 ,,the ceremonies pertaining to the service of ,god under the ,sinaic dispensation were entirely typical in their character2 mere figures of ,christ1 the 8,high-priest of good things to come1 by a greater and more perfect tabernacle1 not made with hands20 who1 8not by the blood of goats and calves1 but by his own blood1 has entered once into the holy place1 having obtained eternal redemption for us40 ,sustaining such a relation to other ages and events1 they were necessarily imperfect1 consisting 8only in meats and drinks1 and divers washings1 and carnal ordinances10 not intended for perpetual observance1 but imposed upon the ,jewish people merely 8until the time of reformation10 when the shadow should give place to the substance1 and a ,greater than ,moses should 8make all things new40 ,let us notice the time of reformation1 and the reformation itself4 ,i4 ,time may be divided into three parts2 the ,golden ,age before the fall1 the ,iron ,age after the fall1 and the ,messiah's ,age of ,jubilee4 ,in the ,golden ,age1 the heavens and the earth were created2 the garden of ,eden was planted2 man was made in the image of ,god1 and placed in the garden to dress and to keep it2 matrimony was instituted2 and ,god1 resting from his labor1 sanctified the ,seventh ,day1 as a day of holy rest to man4 ,the ,iron ,age was introduced by the temptation of a foreigner1 who obtruded himself into ,paradise1 and persuaded its happy denizens to cast off the golden yoke of obedience and love to ,god4 ,man1 desiring independence1 became a rebel against ,heaven1 a miserable captive of sin and ,satan1 obnoxious to the ,divine displeasure1 and exposed to eternal death4 ,the law was violated2 the image of ,god was lost1 and the enemy came in like a flood4 ,all communication between the island of time and the continent of immortality was cut off1 and the unhappy exiles saw no hope of crossing the ocean that intervened4 ,the ,messiah's ,age may be divided into three parts2 the time of ,preparation1 the time of ,actual ,war1 and the time of ,victory and ,triumph4 ,the ,preparation began with the dawning of the day in ,eden1 when ,messiah came in the ship of the ,promise1 and landed on the island of ,time1 and notified its inhabitants of his gracious intention to visit them again1 and assume their nature1 and live and die among them2 to break their covenant allegiance to the prince of the iron yoke2 and deliver to them the charter1 signed and sealed with his own blood1 for the redemption and renovation of their island1 and the restoration of its suspended intercourse with the land of ,eternal ,life4 ,the motto inscribed upon the banners of this age was1--8,he shall bruise thy heel1 and thou shalt bruise his head40 ,here ,jehovah thundered forth his hatred of sin from the thick darkness1 and wrote his curse in fire upon the face of heaven2 while rivers of sacrificial blood proclaimed the miserable state of man1 and his need of a costlier atonement than mere humanity could offer4 ,here also the spirit of ,messiah fell upon the prophets1 leading them to search diligently for the way of deliverance1 and enabling them to 8testify beforehand of the sufferings of ,christ1 and the glory that should follow40 ,then came the season of ,actual ,war4 8,messiah the ,prince0 was born in ,bethlehem1 wrapped in swaddling-bands1 and laid in a manger4 ,the ,great ,deliverer was 8made of a woman1 made under the law1 to redeem those that were under the law1 that we might receive the adoption of sons40 ,with an almighty hand1 he laid hold on the works of the devil1 unlocked the iron furnace1 and broke the brazen bands asunder4 ,he opened his mouth1 and the deaf heard1 the blind saw1 the dumb spake1 the lame walked1 and the lepers were cleansed4 ,in the house of ,jairus1 in the street of ,nain1 and in the burial-ground of ,bethany1 his word was mightier than death2 and the damsel on her bed1 the young man on his bier1 and ,lazarus in his tomb1 rising to second life1 were but the earnests of his future triumph4 ,the diseases of sin he healed1 the iron chains of guilt he shattered1 and all the horrible caves of human corruption and misery were opened by the ,heavenly ,warrior4 ,he took our yoke1 and bore it away upon his own shoulder1 and cast it broken into the bottomless pit4 ,he felt in his hands and his feet the nails1 and in his side the spear4 ,the iron entered into his soul1 but the corrosive power of his blood destroyed it1 and shall ultimately eat away all the iron in the kingdom of death4 ,behold him hanging on ,calvary1 nailing upon his cross three bills2 the handwriting of the law which was against us1 the oath of our allegiance to the prince of darkness1 and the charter of the 8everlasting covenant20 fulfilling the first1 breaking the second1 and sealing the third with his blood6 ,now begins the scene of ,victory and ,triumph4 ,on the morning of the third day1 the ,conqueror is seen 8coming from ,edom1 with dyed garments from ,bozrah40 ,he has 8trodden the wine-press alone40 ,by the might of his single arm1 he has routed the hosts of hell1 and spoiled the dominions of death4 ,the iron castle of the foe is demolished1 and the hero returns from the war1 8glorious in his apparel1 travelling in the greatness of his strength40 ,he enters the gates of the everlasting city1 amid the rejoicing of angels1 and the shouts of his redeemed4 ,and still he rides forth in the chariot of his grace1 8conquering1 and to conquer40 ,a two-edged sword issues from his mouth1 and in his train follow the victorious armies of heaven4 ,lo6 before him fall the altars of idols1 and the temples of devils2 and the slaves of sin are becoming the servants and sons of the living ,god2 and the proud skeptic beholds1 wonders1 believes1 and adores2 and the blasphemer begins to pray1 and the persecutor is melted into penitence and love1 and the wolf comes and lays him down gently by the side of the ,iamb4 ,and ,messiah shall never quit the field1 till he has completed the conquest1 and swallowed up death in victory4 ,in his 8vesture dipped in blood10 he shall pursue the armies of ,gog and ,magog on the field of ,armageddon1 and break the iron teeth of the beast of power1 and cast down ,babylon as a millstone into the sea1 and bind the old serpent in the lake of fire and brimstone1 and raise up to life immortal the tenants of the grave4 ,then shall the ,new ,jerusalem1 the metropolis of ,messiah's golden empire1 descend from heaven1 adorned with all the jewelry of creation1 guarded at every gate by angelic sentinels1 and enlightened by the glory of ,god and of the ,lamb2 and the faithful shall dwell within its walls1 and sin1 and sorrow1 and death1 shall be shut out for ever6 ,then shall time be swallowed up in eternity4 ,the righteous shall inherit life everlasting1 and the ungodly shall find their portion in the second death4 ,time is the age of the visible world2 eternity is the age of the invisible ,god4 ,all things in time are changeful2 all things in eternity are immutable4 ,if you pass from time to eternity1 without faith in ,christ1 without love to ,god1 an enemy to prayer1 an enemy to holiness1 8unpurged and unforgiven10 so you must ever remain4 ,now is the season of that blessed change1 for which myriads shall sing everlasting anthems of praise4 8,to-day1 if ye will hear his voice1 harden not your hearts40 ,to-day the office is open2 if you have any business with the ,governor1 make no delay4 ,now he has time to talk with the woman of ,samaria by the well1 and the penitent thief upon the cross4 ,now he is ready to forgive your sins1 and renew your souls1 and make you meet to become partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light4 ,now he waits to wash the filthy1 and feed the hungry1 and clothe the naked1 and raise the humble1 and quicken the spiritually dead1 and enrich the poor and wretched1 and reconcile enemies by his blood4 ,he came to unloose your bands1 and open to you the gates of ,eden2 condemned for your acquittal1 and slain for the recovery of your forfeited immortality4 ,the design of all the traveling from heaven to earth1 and from earth to heaven1 is the salvation of that which was lost1 the restoration of intercourse and amity between the ,maker and the worm4 ,this is the chief of the ways of ,god to man1 ancient in its origin1 wise in its contrivance1 dear in its accomplishment1 powerful in its application1 gracious in its influence1 and everlasting in its results4 ,christ is riding in his chariot of salvation1 through the land of destruction and death1 clothed in the majesty of mercy1 and offering eternal life to all who will believe4 ,o captives of evil6 now is the accepted time2 now is the day of salvation2 now is the year of jubilee2 now is the age of deliverance2 now is 8the time of reformation60 ,,ii4 ,all the prophets speak of something within the veil1 to be manifested in due time2 the advent of a ,divine agent in a future age1 to accomplish a glorious 8reformation40 ,they represent him as a prince2 a hero2 a high-priest2 a branch growing out of dry ground2 a child toying with the asp and the lion1 and leading the wolf and the lamb together4 ,the bill of the reformation had been repeatedly read by the prophets1 but its passage required the descent of the ,lord from heaven4 ,none but himself could effect the change of the dispensation4 ,none but himself had the authority and the power to remove the first1 and establish the second4 ,he whose voice once shook the earth1 speaks again1 and heaven is shaken4 ,he whose footsteps once kindled ,sinai into flame1 descends again1 and ,calvary is red with blood4 ,the ,god of the ancient covenant introduces a new1 which is to abide for ever4 ,the ,lord of the temple alone could change the furniture and the service from the original pattern shown to ,moses in the mount2 and six days before the rending of the veil1 significant of the abrogation of the old ceremonial1 ,moses came down upon a mountain in ,palestine to deliver up the pattern to him of whom he had received it on ,sinai1 that he might nail it to his cross on ,calvary2 for the 8gifts and sacrifices0 belonging to the legal dispensation 8could not make him that did the service perfect1 as pertaining to the conscience2 which stood only in meats1 and drinks1 and divers washings1 and carnal ordinances1 imposed on them until the time of reformation40 ,this reformation signifieth 8the removal of those things that are shaken1 as of things that are made1 that those things which cannot be shaken may remain20 the abrogation of 8carnal ordinances10 which were local and temporal in their nature1 to make room for a spiritual worship1 of universal and perpetual adaptation4 ,henceforth the blood of bulls and goats is superseded by the great reconciling sacrifice of the ,lamb of ,god1 and outward forms and ceremonies give place to the inward operations of a renovating and purifying ,spirit4 ,to the ,jewish church1 the covenant of ,sinai was a sort of starry heaven4 ,the ,shekinah was its sun2 the holy festivals1 its moon2 and prophets1 priests1 and kings1 its stars4 ,but ,messiah1 when he came1 shook them all from their spheres1 and filled the firmament himself4 ,he is our 8,bright and ,morning ,star20 the 8,sun of ,righteousness10 rising upon us 8with healing in his wings40 ,the old covenant was an accuser and a judge1 but offered no pardon to the guilty4 ,it revealed the corruption of the natural heart1 but provided no renovating and sanctifying grace4 ,it was a national institution1 for the special benefit of the seed of ,abraham4 ,it was a small vessel1 trading only with the land of ,canaan4 ,it secured to a few the temporal blessings of the promised possession1 but never delivered a single soul from eternal death2 never bore a single soul over to the heavenly inheritance4 ,but the new covenant is a covenant of grace and mercy1 proffering forgiveness and a clean heart1 not on the ground of any carnal relationship1 but solely through faith in ,jesus ,christ4 ,christianity is a personal concern between each man and his ,god1 and none but the penitent believer has any right to its spiritual privileges4 ,it is adapted to ,gentiles as well as ,jews1 8even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call40 ,already has it rescued myriads from the bondage of sin1 and conveyed them over to the land of immortality2 and its voyages of grace shall continue to the end of time1 8bringing many sons to glory40 8,old things are passed away1 and all things are become new40 ,the circumcision of the flesh1 made with hands1 has given place to the circumcision of the heart by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,shekinah has departed from ,mount ,zion1 but its glory is illuminating the world4 ,the sword of ,joshua is returned to its scabbard2 and 8the sword of the ,spirit1 which is the word of ,god10 issues from the mouth of ,messiah1 and subdues the people under him4 ,the glorious ,high-priesthood of ,christ has superseded the sacerdotal office among men4 ,aaron was removed from the altar by death before his work was finished2 but our ,high-priest still wears his sacrificial vestments1 and death has established him before the mercy-seat1 8a priest for ever1 after the order of ,melchisedec40 ,the earthquake which shook mount ,calvary1 and rent the veil of the temple1 demolished 8the middle wall of partition0 between ,jews and ,gentiles4 ,the incense which ,jesus offered fills the temple1 and the land of ,judea cannot confine its fragrance4 ,the fountain which burst forth in ,jerusalem1 has sent out its living streams into every land2 and the heat of summer cannot dry them up1 nor the frosts of winter congeal4 ,in short1 all the vessels of the sanctuary are taken away by the ,lord of the temple4 ,the 8twelve oxen10 bearing the 8molten sea10 have given place to 8the twelve apostles of the ,lamb10 proclaiming 8the washing of regeneration and renewing of the ,holy ,ghost40 ,the sprinkled mercy-seat1 with its overshadowing and intensely-gazing cherubim1 has given place to 8the throne of grace10 stained with the blood of a costlier sacrifice1 into which the angels desire to look4 ,the priest1 the altar1 the burnt-offering1 the table of shew-bread1 and the golden candlestick1 have given place to the better things of the new dispensation introduced by the ,son of ,god1 of which they were only the figures and the types4 ,behold1 the glory is gone up from the temple1 and rests upon ,jesus on mount ,tabor2 and ,moses and ,elias are there1 with ,peter1 and ,james1 and ,john2 and the representatives of the old covenant are communing with the apostles of the new1 and the transfigured ,christ is the medium of the communication2 and a voice of majestic music1 issuing from 8the excellent glory10 proclaims--8,this is my beloved ,son2 hear ye him60 8,god1 who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto our fathers by the prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us by his ,son40 ,behold him nailed to the cross1 and hear him cry--8,it is finished60 ,the voice which shook ,sinai is shaking ,calvary4 ,heaven and hell are in conflict1 and earth trembles at the shock of battle4 ,the ,prince of ,life expires1 and the sun puts on his robes of mourning4 ,gabriel6 descend from heaven1 and explain to us the wondrous emblem6 ,as set the sun at noon on ,golgotha1 making preternatural night throughout the land of ,palestine2 so shall the empire of sin and death be darkened1 and their light shall be quenched at meridian4 ,as the ,sun of ,righteousness1 rising from the night of the grave on the third morning1 brings life and immortality to light2 so shall 8the day-spring from on high0 yet dawn upon our gloomy vale1 and 8the power of his resurrection0 shall reanimate the dust of every cemetery6 ,he that sitteth upon the throne hath spoken--8,behold1 ,i make all things new60 ,the reformation includes not only the abrogation of the old1 but also the introduction of the new4 ,it gives us a new ,mediator1 a new covenant of grace1 a new way of salvation1 a new heart of flesh1 a new heaven and a new earth4 ,it has established a new union1 by a new medium1 between ,god and man4 8,the ,word was made flesh and dwelt among us1 and we beheld his glory1 the glory as of the ,only ,begotten of the ,father1 full of grace and truth40 8,forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood1 he also himself likewise took part of the same40 8,god was manifest in the flesh1 justified in the spirit1 seen of angels1 preached unto the ,gentiles1 believed on in the world1 received up into glory40 ,here was a new thing under the sun2 the 8,son of man0 bearing the 8express image0 of the living ,god2 bearing it untarnished through the world2 through the temptations and sorrows of such a wilderness as humanity never trod before2 through the unknown agony of ,olivet1 and the supernatural gloom of ,golgotha1 and the dark dominion of the king of terrors2 to the heaven of heavens2 where he sits1 the adorable representative of two worlds1 the union of ,god and man6 ,thence he sends forth the ,holy ,spirit1 to collect 8the travail of his soul10 and lead them into all truth1 and bring them to ,zion with songs of everlasting joy4 ,see them1 the redeemed of the ,lord1 flocking1 as returning doves upon the wing1 8to the heavenly ,jerusalem1 the city of the living ,god2 and to the spirits of just men made perfect2 and to an innumerable company of angels2 and to ,jesus1 the ,mediator of the new covenant2 and to the blood of sprinkling1 that speaketh better things than that of ,abel60 ,o1 join the joyful multitude6 ,the year of jubilee is come4 ,the veil is rent asunder4 ,the way into the holiest is laid open4 ,the blood of ,jesus is on the mercy-seat4 ,the ,lamb newly slain is in the midst of the throne4 ,go ye with boldness into his gracious presence4 ,lo1 the ,king is your brother1 and for you has he stained his robe with blood6 ,that robe alone can clothe your naked souls1 and shield them in the day of burning4 ,awake6 awake6 put on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 ,the covenant of ,sinai cannot save you from wrath4 ,descent from ,abraham cannot entitle you to the kingdom of heaven4 8,ye must be born again20 8born1 not of the flesh1 nor of the will of men1 but of ,god40 ,you must have a new heart1 and become a new creation in ,christ ,jesus4 ,this is the promise of the ,father4 8,this is the dear redeeming grace1 ,for every sinner free60 ,many reformations have expired with the reformers4 ,but our ,great ,reformer 8ever liveth0 to carry on his reformation1 till his enemies become his footstool1 and death and hell are cast into the lake of fire4 ,he will finish the building of his church4 ,when he laid the 8chief corner-stone0 on ,calvary1 the shock jarred the earth1 and awoke the dead1 and shook the nether world with terror2 but when he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of 8grace60 the dominion of ,death and ,hades shall perish1 and the last captive shall escape1 and the song of the bursting sepulchre shall be sweeter than the chorus of the morning stars6 ,even now1 there are new things in heaven2 the ,lamb from the slaughter1 alive 8in the midst of the throne20 worshipped by innumerable seraphim and cherubim1 and adored by the redeemed from earth2 his name the wonder of angels1 the terror of devils1 and the hope of men2 his praise the 8new song10 which shall constitute the employment of eternity6 ,,sermon ,,ii4 ,,the ,,triumph ,,of ,,calvary 8,who is this that cometh from ,edom1 with dyed garments from ,bozrah8 this that is glorious in his apparel1 travelling in the greatness of his strength8 ,i that speak in righteousness1 mighty to save4 ,wherefore art thou red in thine apparel1 and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat8 ,i have trodden the winepress alone2 and of the people there was none with me3 for ,i will tread them in mine anger1 and trample them in my fury2 and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments1 and ,i will stain all my raiment4 ,for the day of vengeance is in mine heart1 and the year of my redeemed is come4 ,and ,i looked1 and there was none to help2 and ,i wondered that there was none to uphold3 therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me3 and my fury1 it upheld me4 ,and ,i will tread down the people in mine anger1 and make them drunk in my fury1 and ,i will bring down their strength to the earth40--,isaiah lxiii4 #a-f4 ,,this passage is one of the sublimest in the ,bible4 ,not more majestic and overwhelming is the voice of ,god issuing from the burning bush4 ,it represents 8the ,captain of our salvation10 left alone in the heat of battle1 marching victoriously through the broken columns of the foe1 bursting the bars asunder1 bearing away the brazen gates1 and delivering by conquest the captives of sin and death4 ,let us first determine the events to which our text relates1 and then briefly explain the questions and answers which it contains4 ,i4 ,we have here a wonderful victory1 obtained by ,christ1 in the city of ,bozrah1 in the land of ,edom4 ,our first inquiry concerns the time and the place of that achievement4 ,some of the prophecies are literal1 and others are figurative4 ,some of them are already fulfilled1 and others are in daily process of fulfilment4 ,respecting this prophecy1 divines disagree4 ,some think it is a description of ,christ's conflict and victory1 without the gates of ,jerusalem1 eighteen centuries ago2 and others understand it as referring to the great battle of ,armageddon1 predicted in the ,apocalypse1 and yet to be consummated before the end of the world4 ,i am not willing to pass by mount ,calvary1 and ,joseph's new tomb1 on my way to the field of ,armageddon2 nor am ,i willing to pause at the scene of the crucifixion and the ascension1 without going farther on to the final conquest of the foe4 ,i believe ,divine inspiration has included both events in the text2 the victory already won on ,calvary1 and the victory yet to be accomplished in ,armageddon2 the finished victory of ,messiah's passion1 and the progressive victory of his gospel and his grace4 ,the chief difficulty1 in understanding some parts of the word of ,god1 arises from untranslated words2 many of which are found in our own version1 as well as in that of our ,english neighbors4 ,for instance--in ,mat4 ii4 #bc1 it is said1 8,he came and dwelt in a city called ,nazareth1 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet1 ,he shall be called a ,nazarene40 ,where in the prophets is it predicted that ,christ shall be called a ,nazarene8 ,nowhere4 ,when the proper names are translated1 the difficulty vanishes4 8,he came and dwelt in a city called plantation1 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet1 ,he shall be called the ,branch40 ,this name is given him by ,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 and ,zechariah4 ,now this is precisely the difficulty that occurs in our text1 and the translation of the terms unties the knot3--8,who is this that cometh from ,edom10 red earth--8with dyed garments from ,bozrah10 tribulation8 ,the former part of the text has reference to the victory of ,calvary2 the latter part anticipates the battle and triumph of ,armageddon1 mentioned in ,rev4 xvi4 #af4 ,the victory of ,calvary is consummated on the morning of the third day after the crucifixion4 ,the ,conqueror comes up from the earth1 exclaiming3--8,i have trodden the winepress alone on ,calvary2 and ,i will tread them in mine anger1 and make them drunk in my fury1 at the battle of ,armageddon4 ,i will overtake and destroy the beast1 and the false prophet1 and that old serpent the devil1 with all their hosts40 ,when the tide of battle turned1 on the field of ,waterloo1 the ,duke of ,wellington mounted his horse1 and pursued the vanquished foe4 ,so ,isaiah's ,conqueror1 having routed the powers of hell on ,calvary1 pursues and destroys them on the field of ,armageddon4 ,here he is represented as a hero on foot1 a prince without an army2 but ,john1 the revelator1 saw him riding on a white horse1 and followed by the armies of heaven1 all on white horses1 and not a footman among them4 ,the victory of ,calvary is like the blood of atonement in the sanctuary4 ,the cherubim were some of them looking one way1 and some the other1 but all were looking on the atoning blood4 ,thus all the great events of time--all the trials and triumphs of ,god's people--those which happened before1 those which have happened since1 and those which are yet to happen1 are all looking toward the wrestling of ,gethsemane1 the conflict of ,golgotha1 and the triumph of ,olivet4 ,the escape from ,egypt1 and the return from ,babylon1 looked forward to the cross of ,christ2 and the faith of the perfect man of ,uz hung on a risen ,redeemer4 ,the ,christian martyrs overcame by the blood of the ,lamb1 and all their victories were in virtue of one great achievement4 ,the tomb of ,jesus is the birthplace of his people's immortality1 and the power which raised him from the dead shall open the sepulchres of all his saints4 8,thy dead men shall live2 together with my dead body shall they arise4 ,awake and sing1 ye that dwell in the dust2 for thy dew is as the dew of herbs1 and the earth shall cast forth her dead40 ,christ offered himself a sacrifice for us1 and drank the cup of ,god's righteous indignation in our stead4 ,he was trodden by ,almighty justice1 as a cluster of grapes1 in the winepress of the law1 till the vessels of mercy overflowed with the wine of peace and pardon1 which has made thousands of contrite and humble spirits 8rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory40 ,he suffered for us1 that we might triumph with him4 ,but our text describes him as a king and a conqueror4 ,he was1 at once1 the dying victim and the immortal victor4 ,in 8the power of an endless life10 he was standing by the altar1 when the sacrifice was burning4 ,he was alive in his sacerdotal vestments1 with his golden censer in his hand4 ,he was alive in his kingly glory1 with his sword and his sceptre in his hand4 ,he was alive in his conquering prowess1 and had made an end of sin1 and bruised the head of the serpent1 and spoiled the principalities and powers of hell1 and turned the vanquished hosts of the prince of darkness down to the winepress of the wrath of ,almighty ,god4 ,then1 on the morning of the third day1 when he arose from the dead1 and made a show of them openly--then began the year of jubilee with power6 ,after the prophets of ancient times had long gazed through the mists of futurity1 at the sufferings of ,christ and the glory that should follow1 a company of them were gathered together on the summit of ,calvary4 ,they saw a host of enemies ascending the hill1 arrayed for battle1 and most terrific in their aspect4 ,in the middle of the line was the law of ,god1 fiery and exceeding broad1 and working wrath4 ,on the right wing1 was ,beelzebub with his troops of infernals2 and on the left ,caiaphas with his ,jewish priests1 and ,pilate with his ,roman soldiers4 ,the rear was brought up by ,death1 the last enemy4 ,when the holy seers had espied this army1 and perceived that it was drawing nigh1 they started back1 and prepared for flight4 ,as they looked round1 they saw the ,son of ,god advancing with intrepid step1 having his face fixed on the hostile band4 8,seest thou the danger that is before thee10 said one of the men of ,god4 8,i will tread them in mine anger10 he replied1 8and trample them in my fury40 8,who art thou80 said the prophet2 ,he answered3 8,i that speak in righteousness1 mighty to save40 8,wilt thou venture to the battle alone80 asked the seer4 ,the ,son of ,god replied3 8,i looked1 and there was none to help2 and ,i wondered there was none to uphold2 therefore mine own arm shall bring salvation unto me2 and my fury it shall uphold me40 8,at what point wilt thou commence thy attack80 inquired the anxious prophet4 8,i will first meet the ,law10 he replied1 8and pass under its curse3 for lo6 ,i come to do thy will1 ,o ,god4 ,when ,i shall have succeeded at the centre of the line1 the colors will turn in my favor40 ,so saying he moved forward4 ,instantly the thunderings of ,sinai were heard1 and the whole band of prophets quaked with terror4 ,but he advanced1 undaunted1 amidst the gleaming lightnings4 ,for a moment he was concealed from view2 and the banner of wrath waved above in triumph4 ,suddenly the scene was changed4 ,a stream of blood poured forth from his wounded side1 and put out all the fires of ,sinai4 ,the flag of peace was now seen unfurled1 and consternation filled the ranks of his foes4 ,he then crushed1 with his bruised heel1 the old serpent's head2 and put all the infernal powers to flight4 ,with his iron rod he dashed to pieces the enemies on the left wing1 like a potter's vessel4 ,death still remained1 who thought himself invincible1 having hitherto triumphed over all4 ,he came forward1 brandishing his sting1 which he had whetted on ,sinai's tables of stone4 ,he darted it at the ,conqueror1 but it turned down1 and hung like the flexible lash of a whip4 ,dismayed1 he retreated to the grave1 his palace1 into which the ,conqueror pursued4 ,in a dark corner of his den1 he sat on his throne of moldering skulls1 and called upon the worms1 his hitherto faithful allies1 to aid him in the conflict2 but they replied--8,his flesh shall see no corruption60 ,the scepter fell from his hand4 ,the ,conqueror seized him1 bound him1 and condemned him to the lake of fire2 and then rose from the grave1 followed by a band of released captives1 who came forth after his resurrection to be witnesses of the victory which he had won4 #id ,john in the ,apocalypse did not look so far back as the treading of this winepress2 but ,john saw him on his white horse1 decked with his many crowns1 his eyes like flames of fire1 a two-edged sword in his hand1 in the van of the armies of heaven1 going forth conquering and to conquer4 ,this is the fulfilment of his declaration in our text3--8,for ,i will tread them in mine anger1 and trample them in my fury40 ,this is the beginning of the jubilee1 the battle of ,armageddon1 wherein all heathen idolatry and superstition shall be overthrown1 and the beast and the false prophet shall be discomfited1 and the devil arid his legions shall be taken prisoners by ,emmanuel1 and shut up in the bottomless pit4 ,he who hath conquered principalities and powers on ,calvary1 will not leave the field1 till he make all his enemies his footstool1 and sway his scepter over a subject universe4 ,having sent forth the gospel from ,jerusalem1 he accompanies it with the grace of his ,holy ,spirit2 and it shall not return unto him void1 but shall accomplish that which he pleaseth1 and prosper in the thing whereto he hath sent it4 ,the victory of ,armageddon is obtained by virtue of the victory of ,calvary4 ,it is but the consummation of the same glorious campaign2 and the first decisive blow dealt on the prince of darkness is a sure precursor of the final conquest4 8,i will meet thee again at ,philippi60 said the ghost of ,julius ,csar to ,brutus4 8,i will meet thee again at ,armageddon60 saith the ,son of ,god to ,satan on ,calvary--8,i will meet thee in the engagement between good and evil1 grace and depravity1 in every believer's heart2 in the contest of ,divine ,truth with human errors1 of the religion of ,god with the superstitions of men2 in every sermon1 every revival1 every missionary enterprise2 in the spread and glory of the gospel in the latter day1 ,i will meet thee2 and the heel which thou hast now bruised1 shall crush thy head for ever60 ,man's deliverance is of ,god4 ,man had neither the inclination nor the power4 ,his salvation originated in the ,divine ,love1 and burst forth like an ocean from the fountains of eternity4 ,satan1 as a ravenous lion1 had taken the prey1 and was running to his den with the bleeding sheep in his mouth2 but the ,shepherd of ,israel pursues him1 overtakes him1 and rends him as if he were a kid4 ,the declaration of war was made in ,eden3--8,i will put enmity between thee and the woman1 and between thy seed and her seed2 thou shalt bruise his heel1 and he shall bruise thy head40 ,it shall be fulfilled4 ,the league with hell1 and the covenant with death shall not stand4 ,the rebellion shall be quelled1 the conspiracy shall be broken1 and the strong man armed shall yield the citadel to a stronger4 ,the works of the devil shall be destroyed1 and the prey shall be taken from the teeth of the terrible4 ,the house of ,david shall grow stronger and stronger1 and the house of ,saul shall grow weaker and weaker1 till the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our ,god and of his ,christ1 and ,satan shall be bound in chains of darkness1 and cast into the lake of fire4 ,all the enemies of ,zion shall be vanquished1 and the forfeited favor of ,god shall be recovered1 and the lost territory of peace and holiness and immortality shall be restored to man4 ,this campaign is carried on at the expense of the government of heaven4 ,the treasury is inexhaustible2 the arms are irresistible2 therefore the victory is sure4 ,the ,almighty ,king has descended2 he has taken the city of ,bozrah2 he has swayed his scepter over ,edom2 he has risen victoriously1 and gone up with a shout1 as the leader of all the army4 ,this is but the pledge and the earnest of his future achievements4 ,in the battle of ,armageddon1 he shall go forth as a mighty man2 he shall stir up jealousy as a man of war2 and he shall prevail against his enemies4 ,they shall be turned back--they shall be greatly ashamed1 that trust in graven images--that say unto molten images1 8,ye are our gods60 ,then he will open the blind eyes1 and bring the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house4 ,he will make bare his holy arm--he will show the sword in that hand which was hidden under the scarlet robe--he will manifest his power in the destruction of his enemies1 and the salvation of his people4 ,as certainly as he hath shed his blood on ,calvary1 shall he stain all his raiment with the blood of his foes on the field of ,armageddon4 ,as certainly as he hath drained the cup of wrath1 and received the baptism of suffering1 on ,calvary1 shall he wield the iron rod of justice1 and sway the golden sceptre of mercy1 on the field of ,armageddon4 ,already the sword is drawn1 and the decisive blow is struck1 and the helmet of ,apollyon is cleft1 and the bonds of iniquity are cut asunder4 ,already the fire is kindled1 and all the powers of hell cannot quench it4 ,it has fallen from heaven2 it is consuming the camp of the foe2 it is inflaming the hearts of men2 it is renovating the earth1 and purging away the curse4 8,the bright and ,morning ,star0 has risen on ,calvary2 and soon 8the ,son of ,righteousness0 shall shine on the field of ,armageddon2 and the darkness that covers the earth1 and the gross darkness that covers the people1 shall melt away2 and ,mohammedism1 and ,paganism1 and ,popery1 with their prince1 the devil1 shall seek shelter in the bottomless pit6 ,after a battle1 we are anxious to learn who is dead1 who is wounded1 and who is missing from the ranks4 ,in the engagement of ,messiah with ,satan and his allies on ,calvary1 ,messiah's heel was bruised1 but ,satan and his allies received a mortal wound in the head4 ,the head denotes wisdom1 cunning1 power1 government4 ,the devil1 sin1 and death have lost their dominion over the believer in ,christ1 since the achievement of ,calvary4 ,there is now no condemnation1 no fear of hell4 ,but the serpent1 though his head is bruised1 may be able to move his tail1 and alarm those of little faith4 ,yet it cannot last long4 ,the wound is mortal1 and the triumph is sure4 ,on ,calvary the dragon's head was crushed by the ,captain of our salvation2 after the battle of ,armageddon1 his tail shall shake no more6 ,there is no discharge in this war4 ,he that enlisteth under the banner of the cross must endure faithful until death--must not lay aside his arms till death is swallowed up in victory4 ,then shall every conqueror bear the image of the heavenly1 and wear the crown instead of the cross1 and carry the palm instead of the spear4 ,let us be strong in the ,lord1 and in the power of his might1 that we may be able to stand in the evil day2 and after all the war is over1 to stand accepted in the ,beloved1 that we may reign with him for ever and ever6 ,,ii4 ,it remains for us to explain1 very briefly1 the glorious colloquy in the text--the interrogatives of the church1 and the answers of ,messiah4 ,how great was the wonder and joy of ,mary1 when she met the ,master at the tomb1 clothed in immortality1 where she thought to find him shrouded in death6 ,how unspeakable was the astonishment and rapture of the disciples1 when their ,lord1 whom they had so recently buried1 came into the house where they were assembled1 and said--8,peace be unto you60 ,such are the feelings which the church is represented as expressing in this sublime colloquy with the ,captain of her salvation4 ,he has travelled into the land of tribulation2 he has gone down to the dust of death2 but lo1 he returns a conqueror1 the golden sceptre of love in his left hand1 the iron rod of justice in his right1 and on his head a crown of many stars4 ,the church beholds him with great amazement and delight4 ,she lately followed him1 weeping1 to the cross1 and mourned over his body in the tomb2 but now she beholds him risen indeed1 having destroyed death1 and him that had the power of death--that is1 the devil4 ,she goes forth to meet him with songs of rejoicing1 as the daughters of ,israel went out to welcome ,david1 when he returned from the valley1 with the head of the giant in his hand1 and the blood running down upon his raiment4 ,the choir of the church is divided into two bands2 which chant to each other in alternate strains4 ,the right hand division begins the glorious colloquy--8,who is this that cometh from ,edom80 and the left takes up the interrogative1 and repeats it with a variation--8with dyed garments from ,bozrah80 8,this that is glorious in his apparel80 resumes the right-hand company--8glorious notwithstanding the tribulations he hath endured80 8,travelling in the greatness of his strength80 responds the left--8strength sufficient to unbar the gates of the grave1 and liberate the captives of corruption80 ,the celestial ,conqueror pauses1 and casts upon the company of the daughters of ,zion a look of infinite benignity2 and with a voice of angel melody1 and more than angel majesty1 he replies--8,i that speak in righteousness1 mighty to save60 ,now bursts the song again1 like the sound of many waters1 from the right--8,wherefore art thou red in thine apparel80 and the response rolls back in melodized thunder from the left--8,and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat80 ,the ,divine hero answers3--8,i have trodden the wine-press alone2 and of the people there was none with me4 ,even ,peter has left me1 with all his courage and affection2 and as for ,john1 to talk of love is all that he can do4 ,i have triumphed over principalities and powers4 ,i am wounded1 but they are vanquished4 ,behold the blood which ,i have lost6 behold the spoils which ,i have won6 ,now will ,i mount my white horse1 and pursue after ,satan1 and demolish his kingdom1 and send him back to the land of darkness in everlasting chains1 and all his allies shall be exiles with him for ever4 ,my own arm1 which has gained the victory on ,calvary1 and brought salvation to all my people from the sepulchre1 is still strong enough to wield the golden sceptre of love1 and break my foes on the field of ,armageddon4 ,i will destroy the works of the devil1 and demolish all his hosts2 ,i will dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel4 ,for the day of vengeance is in mine heart1 and the year of my redeemed is come4 ,my compassion is stirred for the captives of sin and death2 my fury is kindled against the tyrants that oppress them4 ,it is time for me to open the prisons1 and break off the fetters4 ,i must gather my people to myself4 ,i must seek that which was lost1 and bring again that which was driven away4 ,i must bind up that which was broken1 and strengthen that which was weak2 but ,i will destroy the fat and the strong2 ,i will feed them with judgment2 ,i will tread them in mine anger1 and trample them in my fury1 and bring down their strength to the earth1 and stain all my raiment with their blood60 ,let us flee from the wrath to come6 ,behold1 the sun is risen high on the day of vengeance6 ,let us not be found among the enemies of ,messiah1 lest we fall a sacrifice to his righteous indignation on the field of ,armageddon6 ,let us escape for our lives1 for the fire-storm of his anger will burn to the lowest hell6 ,let us pray for grace to lay hold on the salvation of his redeemed6 ,it is a free1 full1 perfect1 glorious1 and eternal salvation4 ,return1 ye ransomed exiles from happiness1 return to your forfeited inheritance6 ,now is the year of jubilee4 ,come to ,jesus1 that your debts may be cancelled1 your sins forgiven1 and your persons justified6 ,come1 for the ,conqueror of your foes is on the throne6 ,come1 for the trumpets of mercy are sounding6 ,come1 for all things are now ready6 ,,sermon ,,iii4 ,,the ,,smitten ,,rock4 8,for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them1 and that rock was ,christ40--#a ,cor4 x4 #d4 ,,in this chapter the apostle solemnly cautions his brethren against apostasy1 and consequent shipwreck of their spiritual privileges4 ,his admonitions are educed from important events in the history of the journey of the ,israelites from ,egypt to the land of ,canaan4 ,he speaks of the march of the twelve tribes out of the scene of their bondage1 under the uplifted banner of ,god2 of their baptism unto ,moses in the cloud and in the sea1 when ,jehovah gloriously displayed his power in preserving their lives between the watery ramparts which shut them in like the solid walls of the sepulchre1 while the cloud rested upon them through the deep night1 like the marble covering of the tomb2 of their safe emerging on the other side of the flood1 a type of the resurrection1 leaving ,pharaoh and his host to sleep in the waters till the morning of the last day1 when they shall rise without their chariots and their horses2 of their miraculous supply in the wilderness1 with bread from heaven1 and water from the smitten rock1 which he calls spiritual meat and spiritual drink1 because of their typical reference to the sacrificial death of ,christ1 which is the spiritual life of the world2 and of their subsequent ingratitude and forgetfulness of ,god1 notwithstanding these great deliverances and mercies1 their murmurings1 idolatries1 fornications1 and tempting of ,christ1 for which they were destroyed by the plague1 slain by fiery serpents1 smitten by the angel of the ,lord1 and fell to the number of three and twenty thousand in one day4 8,now all these things10 he adds1 8happened unto them for ensamples1 and are written for our admonition1 upon whom the ends of the world are come2 wherefore1 let him that thinketh he standeth1 take heed lest he fall40 ,thus he opens the graves of ancient sinners1 and brings before his brethren the carcasses of those 8who fell in the wilderness20 brings them into our solemn assemblies1 and hangs them up over the pulpit1 the baptistery1 and the communion-table1 terrible warnings against departing from the living ,god2 even as the censers of ,korah1 ,dathan and ,abiram were beaten up1 and made a covering for the altar1 for a perpetual sign and memorial to ,israel1 to keep them from the sin of those men1 that they might not share their fate4 ,in speaking of the smitten rock1 which the apostle authorizes us to regard as a type of ,christ1 we shall consider3--,first1 ,its smiting by ,moses2 and ,secondly1 ,the consequent flowing of the waters4 ,i4 ,the smitten rock was a type of ,christ4 ,messiah is the 8,rock of ,ages0 to his church4 ,he is the foundation of her hope1 sure and steadfast1 and her protection in times of danger and of dread4 ,the armor and the prowess of ,egypt constituted no rock like this rock4 ,edom1 and ,moab1 and ,philistia1 and the seven nations of ,canaan1 had their gods and their heroes2 but their rock was not able to shelter them from the wrath of ,jehovah1 when it came upon them like a tempest of hail4 ,the gods that made not the heavens and the earth are far off in the day of trouble2 but the ,god of ,israel is 8nigh at hand10 and his arm is strong to deliver4 ,he is the rock that stood firm and immovable1 for the defence of his people1 amid the ragings of the ,red ,sea4 ,messiah is the man1 who is predicted as 8a hiding-place from the wind1 and a covert from the tempest1 and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land40 ,he can shield1 not only from the scorching sun and the scathing simoom of the desert2 but also from the fiery torments of remorse1 and the ruinous judgments of heaven4 ,our ,lord is a rock1 also1 on account of the blessings which flow from him1 for the refreshment of his ,israel2 as 8the droppings of honey from the rock20 as 8springs of water in a dry place20 as 8living streams in the desert10 and 8rivers from the mountains of ,lebanon40 ,there are two accounts of the smiting of the rock2 one in the seventeenth chapter of ,exodus1 and the other in the twentieth chapter of ,numbers4 ,from a comparison of these two accounts1 it appears that the rock was smitten at two different times2 the first1 as is supposed1 about a year after the egress from ,egypt1 and the other about a year before the entrance into ,canaan2 making an intervening period of about thirty-eight years4 ,the war with ,amalek succeeded the first2 the embassy to ,edom followed the second4 ,at the first1 ,miriam was alive2 just before the second is the record of her death4 ,it seems that the people murmured bitterly against ,moses1 spoke of their superior fare in ,egypt1 and accused him of bringing them out into the wilderness to kill them with thirst4 ,this is ever the spirit of backsliding4 ,those who are under its influence are apt to complain of the burdens imposed upon them by their religion1 and the injuries occasioned to them by their brethren2 and to speak uncharitably of their spiritual leaders1 instead of crying to ,god for help4 ,to ask1 8,is the ,lord among us80 when his word and his works1 indicating either his pleasure or his displeasure1 testify that he is1 is tempting ,god1 with a dreadful presumption4 ,it does not appear that ,moses sinned the first time he smote the rock2 but the second time1 the servant of ,god was evidently off his guard1 and the meekest of men 8spake unadvisedly with his lips20 on account of which1 both he and ,aaron were shut out of the promised land4 ,his sin consisted in entering into a quarrel with the people1 instead of asking ,god for water to quench their thirst4 ,it appears that their chidings had provoked him to anger1 and he had lost the spirit of sympathy for their sufferings1 and his hard feelings stood like a thick wall between him and the miracle which ,god was about to work for his own glory and his people's relief4 ,neither did he as ,god commanded him2 for instead of simply speaking to the rock1 as he was bidden1 he smote it twice1 with evident agitation of mind2 and at the same time1 bitterly reproached the people with their rebellion4 ,every minister of the gospel is a 8drawer of water10 to his congregation1 from the 8,spiritual ,rock0 which follows the church4 ,he must be clothed with meekness from ,heaven1 or the provocations of the people will be apt to embitter his spirit4 ,god would have us minister mercy1 in the spirit of his own mercy4 8,the servant of ,god must not strive1 but be gentle toward all men2 in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves1 if1 peradventure1 ,god would grant them repentance unto the acknowledging of the truth3 and that they might recover themselves out of the snare of the devil1 who are taken captive by him at his will40 ,the smiting of the rock was intended to open it1 that the water might flow4 ,this prefigured the smiting of ,christ1 8the ,rock of ,ages10 and 8the ,shepherd of the sheep40 ,the shedding of the blood of lambs1 and goats1 and calves1 and bullocks1 for the space of four thousand years1 faintly shadowed forth the sacrificial passion of our blessed ,lord4 ,their groans and struggles under the slaughtering knife2 the sound of the blood1 falling into the golden basins1 and poured into the flames upon the altar2 the noise occasioned in cutting up the victim1 and piling the pieces upon the fire and the smoke and vapor ascending from the consuming sacrifice to heaven2 all1 all1 in their own way1 foreshadowed the necessity of mangling the body and shedding the blood of ,messiah1 that pardoning mercy might have an open way to flow to sinners1 like the water from the smitten rock2 and the agonies of those slaughtered victims were an imperfect type of the agonies of the soul of ,jesus1 in the garden and on the cross4 ,the smiting of a flinty rock1 for the purpose of obtaining water1 was a scheme of the ,divine ,mind1 whose ways are higher than our ways1 and his thoughts than our thoughts4 ,it was certainly the last place to which ,moses would have gone for water2 and he might have expected the stroke to elicit sparks of fire1 rather than cool refreshing streams4 ,what eye had not seen and ear had not heard1 either of men or of angels--what had not entered into the heart of any created being to conceive1 terrestrial or celestials--was1 that the smiting of the ,shepherd should save the sheep2 that the condemnation of the just should bring the unjust to ,god2 that the making of ,messiah a curse should secure infinite blessings to mankind2 that the poverty of ,jesus should enrich us1 and his death raise us to life eternal4 ,consuming flames of ,divine indignation might have been expected to flash upon the guilty world from every wound of the thorns1 the nails and the spear1 in the sacred person of ,emmanuel2 but1 to the astonishment of men and angels1 a tide of love and mercy ran freely from every bleeding vein1 to wash away the guilt and pollution of human crimes1 according to the determinate counsel and immutable promise of our ,god4 ,the rock must be smitten by a rod4 ,had ,moses been left to choose his own instrument1 he would probably have taken a hammer1 or perhaps a lever2 but ,god commands him to take the rod4 ,the rock would not have yielded water to any other instrument than the rod that smote the waters of ,egypt1 and turned them into blood4 ,this rod was an emblem of the sovereignty of ,god over ,israel1 and is therefore called 8the rod of ,god1 which the ,lord gave unto ,moses0--as his deputy governor--8to lead ,israel1 and to work miracles before their eyes40 ,it was also a symbol of the royal law of ,heaven2 which1 prior to the fall1 was a rod of life2 but afterward became a rod of iron1 to break in pieces the offender--an angry serpent1 to sting the transgressor with dreadful torments2 and finally1 when ,christ endured the curse1 and honored the violated mandate1 by his death upon the tree1 it was transformed again into a guiding and correcting rod4 ,as the rock would have yielded water under no other stroke than that of 8the rod of ,god10 so the sufferings of ,christ would have been ineffectual1 had they not happened under the law of the ,father1 and according to the counsel of ,infinite ,wisdom4 ,when ,isaac was about to be offered up on mount ,moriah1 the wood1 the fire1 and the knife1 must all come from his father's house1 and the dreadful deed must be done by his father's hand4 ,so ,jesus must die in no ordinary or accidental way4 ,he must not suffer himself to be slain by the sword of ,herod1 nor cast over the brow of the hill by the people4 ,he must receive the mortal cup from no other hand than that of the ,father4 ,he must die the appointed death2 at the appointed time2 in the appointed place1 without the camp2 and in the appointed manner1 by hanging on a tree4 ,the wreath of thorns1 the scarlet robe1 the nails1 the cross1 the spear1 and even the vinegar offered him in his agony1 were all according to his ,father's counsel4 ,he knew the necessity1 and said--8,thy will be done60 ,the ,shepherd of ,israel would bow under no other stroke than that of the ,lord of ,hosts4 ,a cradle1 a cross1 and a grave1 all of his ,father's appointing1 must ,jesus have1 in order to open a fountain of living water to the world4 ,the rock must be smitten in a public manner1 in the sight of the sun1 and before all the elders of ,israel1 that ,god might be sanctified in the eyes of his people4 ,this was intended to foreshadow the publicity of the death of ,christ1 which took place during one of the great public festivals of the ,jews1 in the presence of nearly the whole nation1 and on the hill ,calvary2 and to denote the proclamation of ,christ crucified throughout the world1 as the true propitiation and object of faith1 to be looked upon by ,jews and ,gentiles1 to the softening of the heart1 and the flowing of repentant tears1 according to the prophecy--8,they shall look on him whom they have pierced1 and mourn for him1 as one mourneth for an only son40 ,the ,spirit of grace directs the eyes of men to the cross1 upon which the prophet ,isaiah1 with transcendent sublimity of language1 describes the ,saviour as passing from ,calvary to the grave1 from the grave to the empyrean1 and thence back again to earth1 crying--8,look unto me1 and be ye saved1 all ye ends of the earth2 for ,i am ,god1 and beside me there is no ,savior60 ,the rock must be smitten in the presence of ,god4 8,behold1 ,i will stand before thee there on the rock in ,horeb40 7,ex4 xvii4 #f47 ,he stood upon the rock in ,horeb1 though invisible1 in the glory of his loving-kindness and his power1 to guide the hand of his servant ,moses1 and open a source of timely succor to his perishing people4 ,but when the rod of the law smote the ,rock of our salvation1 when the curse fell upon the sinner's ,substitute and ,surety1 then ,god stood forth before the world upon the rock of ,calvary1 amid the darkened heavens1 the trembling earth1 and the opening sepulchres1 as if all the machinery of nature had been suddenly disordered and disorganized--stood forth in the plenitude of his power1 his wisdom1 his justice1 his mercy1 and his truth1 to prosper the work of man's redemption1 and open a channel through which the river of life might flow out to a famishing race4 ,on ,calvary still he stands1 with the cup of salvation in his hand1 and streams of living water rolling at his feet1 and cries--8,ho1 every one that thirsteth1 come ye to the waters60 ,according to the command of ,god1 the rock was to be smitten but once4 ,once smitten1 it needed only to be spoken to2 and1 though it was more than thirty years afterward1 it would yield forth its water4 ,but ,moses1 provoked to anger by the murmurings and complainings of the people1 transcended the ,divine injunction1 and though he had once smitten the rock1 smote it again2 yea1 when he should have spoken to it only1 smote it twice with his rod4 ,this was his sin1 for which ,god would not permit him to enter the promised land4 ,christ has been once smitten1 and wo to those who smite him again6 ,he has once offered himself a sacrifice1 and once entered into the holy place1 having finished his work of atonement1 and made an end of sin1 and superseded the sacrifices of the law4 ,henceforth1 ye ,jews1 relinquish your burnt-offerings1 your meat-offerings1 your drink-offerings1 your peace-offerings2 and trust no longer in beasts1 and birds1 and flour1 and oil2 but in 8the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world40 ,crucify him afresh no more1 ,o ye backsliders2 for 8there remaineth no other sacrifice for sin60 ,smite him not again1 lest he swear unto you in his wrath1 as unto ,moses1 that ye shall not enter into his rest6 ,,ii4 ,having spoken of the smiting1 let us now look at the result1 the flowing of the waters2 a timely mercy to 8the many thousands of ,israel10 on the point of perishing in the desert2 shadowing forth a far greater mercy1 the flowing of living waters from the 8spiritual rock10 which is ,christ4 ,in the death of our ,redeemer1 we see three infinite depths moved for the relief of human misery2 the love of the ,father1 the merit of the ,son1 and the energy of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,these are the depths of wonder whence arise the rivers of salvation4 ,the waters flowed in the presence of the whole assembly4 ,the agent was invisible1 but his work was manifest4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the water flowed in great abundance1 filling the whole camp1 and supplying all the people4 ,notwithstanding the immense number1 and the greatness of their thirst1 there was enough for each and for all4 ,the streams ran in every direction to meet the sufferers1 and their rippling murmur seemed to say--8,open thy mouth1 and ,i will fill it40 ,look to the cross6 ,see there the gracious fountain opened1 and streams of pardoning and purifying mercy flowing down the rock of ,calvary1 sweeping over the mount of ,olives1 and cleaving it asunder1 to make a channel for the living waters to go out over the whole world1 that ,god may be glorified among the ,gentiles1 and all the ends of the earth may see his salvation6 ,the water flowed from the rock1 not pumped by human labor1 but drawn by the hand of ,god4 ,it was the same power1 that opened the springs of mercy upon the cross4 ,it was the wisdom of ,god that devised the plan1 and the mercy of ,god that furnished the victim4 ,his was the truth and love that gave the promise by the prophet--8,in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of ,david1 and to the inhabitants of ,jerusalem1 for sin and uncleanness40 ,his was the unchanging faithfulness that fulfilled it in his ,son--8,not by works of righteousness which we have done1 but according to his mercy he saved us1 by the washing of regeneration1 and renewing of the ,holy ,ghost1 which he shed on us abundantly1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord40 ,our salvation is wholly of ,god2 and we have no other agency in the matter1 than the mere acceptance of his proffered grace4 ,the water flowed in twelve different channels2 and1 according to ,dr4 ,pococke1 of ,scotland1 who visited the place1 the deep traces in the rock are visible to this day4 ,but the twelve streams1 one for each tribe1 all issued from the same fountain1 in the same rock4 ,so the great salvation flowed out through the ministry of the twelve apostles of the ,lamb1 and went abroad over all the earth4 ,but the fountain is one4 ,all the apostles preached the same ,savior1 and pointed to the same cross4 8,neither is there salvation in any other1 for there is no other name under heaven1 given among men1 whereby we must be saved40 ,we must come to this spring1 or perish4 ,the flowing of the waters was irresistible by human power4 ,who can close the fountain which ,god hath opened8 ,can ,edom1 or ,moab1 or ,sihon1 or ,og1 dam up the current which ,jehovah hath drawn from the rock8 ,can ,caiaphas1 and all the ,jews1 aided by the ,prince of this world--can all the powers of earth and hell combined--arrest the work of redemption1 and dry up the fountain of mercy that ,christ is opening on ,calvary8 ,as soon might they dry up the ,atlantic1 and stop the revolutions of the globe4 ,it is written1 and must be fulfilled4 ,christ must suffer1 and enter into his glory--must be lifted up1 and draw all men unto him--and repentance and remission of sins must be preached in his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem4 ,the water flowing from the rock was like a river of life to the children of ,israel4 ,who can describe the distress throughout the camp2 and the appearance of the people1 when they were invited to approach a flinty rock1 instead of a fountain or a stream1 to quench their thirst8 ,what angry countenances were there1 what bitter censures1 and ungrateful murmurings1 as ,moses went up to the rock1 with nothing in his hand but a rod6 8,where is he going10 said they1 8with that dry stick8 ,what is he going to do on that rock8 ,does he mean to make fools of us all8 ,is it not enough that he has brought us into this wilderness to die of thirst8 ,will he mock us now by pretending to seek water in these sands1 or open fountains in the solid granite80 ,but see6 he lifts the rod1 he smites the rock2 and lo1 it bursts into a fountain2 and twelve crystal streams roll down before the people6 ,who can conceive the sudden transport8 ,hear the shout of joy ringing through the camp1 and rolling back in tumultuous echoes from the crags and cliffs of ,horeb6 8,water6 water6 ,a miracle6 a miracle6 ,glory to the ,god of ,israel6 ,glory to his servant ,moses60 ,it was a resurrection day to ,israel1 the morning light bursting upon the shadow of death4 ,new life and joy are seen throughout the camp4 ,the maidens are running1 with cups and pitchers1 to the rock4 ,they fill and drink2 then fill again1 and haste away to their respective tents1 with water for the sick1 the aged1 and the little ones1 joyfully exclaiming--8,drink1 father6 ,drink1 mother6 ,drink1 children6 ,drink1 all of you6 ,drink abundantly6 ,plenty of water now6 ,rivers flowing from the rock60 ,now the oxen are coming1 the asses1 the camels1 the sheep1 and the goats--coming in crowds to quench their thirst1 and plunging into the streams before them4 ,and the feathered tribes are coming1 the turtle-dove1 the pigeon1 the swallow1 the sparrow1 the robin1 and the wren2 while the croaking raven and the fierce-eyed eagle1 scenting the water from afar1 mingle with them around the rock4 ,brethren1 this is but a faint emblem of the joy of the church1 in drinking the waters that descend from ,calvary1 the streams that gladden the city of our ,god4 ,go back to the day of ,pentecost for an instance4 ,o what a revolution of thought1 and feeling1 and character6 ,what a change of countenance1 and conscience1 and heart6 ,three thousand men1 that morning full of ignorance1 and corruption1 and guilt--idolaters1 sensualists1 blasphemers1 persecutors--before night were perfectly transformed--the lions converted into lambs--the hard heart melted1 the dead conscience quickened1 and the whole man become a new creature in ,christ ,jesus6 ,they thirsted1 they found the 8,spiritual rock10 tasted its living waters1 and suddenly leaped into new life1 like ,lazarus from the inanition of the grave6 ,this is the blessing which follows the church through all her wanderings in the wilderness2 accompanies her through the scorching desert of affliction1 and the valley of the shadow of death2 and when at last she shall come up out of great tribulation1 her garments shall be found washed and made white in the blood of the ,lamb2 and the ,lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall lead her to everlasting fountains1 and she shall thirst no more6 ,,sermon ,,iv4 ,,fall ,,and ,,recovery ,,of ,,man4 8,for if1 through the offence of one1 many be dead2 much more the grace of ,god2 and the gift by grace1 which is by one man1 ,jesus ,christ1 hath abounded unto many40--,rom4 v4 #ae4 ,,man was created in the image of ,god4 ,knowledge and perfect holiness were impressed upon the very nature and faculties of his soul4 ,he had constant access to his ,maker1 and enjoyed free communion with him1 on the ground of his spotless moral rectitude4 ,but alas6 the glorious diadem is broken2 the crown of righteousness is fallen4 ,man's purity is gone1 and his happiness is forfeited4 8,there is none righteous2 no1 not one40 8,all have sinned1 and come short of the glory of ,god40 ,but the ruin is not hopeless4 ,what was lost in ,adam1 is restored in ,christ4 ,his blood redeems us from bondage1 and his gospel gives us back the forfeited inheritance4 8#8,for if1 through the offence of one1 many be dead2 much more the grace of ,god1 and the gift by grace1 which is by one man1 ,jesus ,christ1 hath abounded unto many40 ,let us consider2--,first1 ,the corruption and condemnation of man2 and ,secondly1 ,his gracious restoration to the favor of his offended ,god4 ,i4 ,to find the cause of man's corruption and condemnation1 we must go back to ,eden4 ,the eating of the 8forbidden tree0 was 8the offence of one10 in consequence of which 8many are dead40 ,this was the 8sin10 the act of 8disobedience10 which 8brought death into the world1 and all our wo40 ,it was the greatest ingratitude to the ,divine bounty1 and the boldest rebellion against the ,divine sovereignty4 ,the royalty of ,god was contemned2 the riches of his goodness slighted2 and his most desperate enemy preferred before him1 as if he were a wiser counselor than ,infinite ,wisdom4 ,thus man joined in league with hell1 against ,heaven2 with demons of the bottomless pit1 against the ,almighty ,maker and ,benefactor2 robbing ,god of the obedience due to his command1 and the glory due to his name2 worshipping the creature1 instead of the ,creator2 and opening the door to pride1 unbelief1 enmity1 and all wicked and abominable passions4 ,how is the 8noble vine10 which was planted 8wholly a right seed10 8turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine60 ,who can look for pure water from such a fountain8 8,that which is born of the flesh is flesh40 ,all the faculties of the soul are corrupted by sin2 the understanding dark2 the will perverse2 the affections carnal2 the conscience full of shame1 remorse1 confusion1 and mortal fear4 ,man is a hard-hearted and stiff-necked sinner2 loving darkness rather than light1 because his deeds are evil2 eating sin like bread1 and drinking iniquity like water2 holding fast deceit1 and refusing to let it go4 ,his heart is desperately wicked2 full of pride1 vanity1 hypocrisy1 covetousness1 hatred of truth1 and hostility to all that is good4 ,this depravity is universal4 ,among the natural children of ,adam1 there is no exemption from the original taint4 8,the whole world lieth in wickedness40 8,we are all as an unclean thing1 and all our righteousness is as filthy rags40 ,the corruption may vary in the degrees of development1 in different persons2 but the elements are in all1 and their nature is everywhere the same2 the same in the blooming youth1 and the withered sire2 in the haughty prince1 and the humble peasant2 in the strongest giant1 and the feeblest invalid4 ,the enemy has 8come in like a flood40 ,the deluge of sin has swept the world4 ,from the highest to the lowest1 there is no health or moral soundness4 ,from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet1 there is nothing but wounds1 and bruises1 and putrefying sores4 ,the laws1 and their violation1 and the punishments everywhere invented for the suppression of vice1 prove the universality of the evil4 ,the bloody sacrifices1 and various purifications1 of the pagans1 show the handwriting of remorse upon their consciences2 proclaim their sense of guilt1 and their dread of punishment4 ,none of them is free from the fear which hath torment1 whatever their efforts to overcome it1 and however great their boldness in the service of sin and ,satan4 8,mene6 ,tekel60 is written on every human heart4 8,wanting6 wanting60 is inscribed on heathen fanes and altars2 on the laws1 customs1 and institutions of every nation2 and on the universal consciousness of mankind4 ,this inward corruption manifests itself in outward actions4 8,the tree is known by its fruit40 ,as the smoke and sparks of the chimney show that there is fire within2 so all the 8filthy conversation0 of men1 and all 8the unfruitful works of darkness0 in which they delight1 evidently indicate the pollution of the source whence they proceed4 8,out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh40 ,the sinner's speech betrayeth him4 8,evil speaking0 proceeds from malice and envy4 8,foolish talking and jesting10 are evidence of impure and trifling thoughts4 ,the mouth full of cursing and bitterness1 the throat an open sepulchre1 the poison of asps under the tongue1 the feet swift to shed blood1 destruction and misery in their paths1 and the way of peace unknown to them1 are the clearest and amplest demonstration that men 8have gone out of the way10 8have together become unprofitable40 ,we see the bitter fruit of the same corruption in robbery1 adultery1 gluttony1 drunkenness1 extortion1 intolerance1 persecution1 apostasy1 and every evil work--in all false religions2 the ,jew1 obstinately adhering to the carnal ceremonies of an abrogated law2 the ,mohammedan1 honoring an impostor1 and receiving a lie for a revelation from ,god2 the ,papist1 worshipping images and relics1 praying to departed saints1 seeking absolution from sinful men1 and trusting in the most absurd mummeries for salvation2 the ,pagan1 attributing divinity to the works of his own hands1 adoring idols of wood and stone1 sacrificing to malignant demons1 casting his children into the fire or the flood as an offering to imaginary deities1 and changing the glory of the incorruptible ,god into the likeness of the beast and the worm4 8,for these things' sake the wrath of ,god cometh upon the children of disobedience40 ,they are under the sentence of the broken law2 the malediction of ,eternal ,justice4 8,by the offence of one1 judgment came upon all men unto condemnation40 8,he that believeth not is condemned already40 8,the wrath of ,god abideth on him40 8,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law1 to do them40 8,wo unto the wicked2 it shall be ill with him1 for the reward of his hands shall be given him40 8,they that plow iniquity1 and sow wickedness shall reap the same40 8,upon the wicked the ,lord shall rain fire1 and snares1 and a horrible tempest2 this shall be the portion of their cup40 8,god is angry with the wicked every day2 if he turn not1 he will whet his sword2 he hath bent his bow1 and made it ready40 ,who shall describe the misery of fallen men6 ,his days1 though few1 are full of evil4 ,trouble and sorrow press him forward to the tomb4 ,all the world1 except ,noah and his family1 are drowning in the deluge4 ,a storm of fire and brimstone is fallen from heaven upon ,sodom and ,gomorrah4 ,the earth is opening her mouth to swallow up alive ,korah1 ,dathan1 and ,abiram4 ,wrath is coming upon 8the ,beloved ,city10 even 8wrath unto the uttermost40 ,the tender and delicate mother is devouring her darling infant4 ,the sword of man is executing the vengeance of ,god4 ,the earth is emptying its inhabitants into the bottomless pit4 ,on every hand are 8confused noises1 and garments rolled in blood40 ,fire and sword fill the land with consternation and dismay4 ,amid the universal devastation1 wild shrieks and despairing groans fill the air4 ,god of mercy6 is thy ear heavy1 that thou canst not hear8 or thy arm shortened1 that thou canst not save8 ,the heavens above are brass1 and the earth beneath is iron2 for ,jehovah is pouring his indignation upon his adversaries1 and he will not pity or spare4 ,verily1 8the misery of man is great upon him60 ,behold the wretched fallen creature6 ,the pestilence pursues him4 ,the leprosy cleaves to him4 ,consumption is wasting him4 ,inflammation is devouring his vitals4 ,burning fever has seized upon the very springs of life4 ,the destroying angel has overtaken the sinner in his sins4 ,the hand of ,god is upon him4 ,the fires of wrath are kindling about him1 drying up every well of comfort1 and scorching all his hopes to ashes4 ,conscience is chastising him with scorpions4 ,see how he writhes6 ,hear how he shrieks for help6 ,mark what agony and terror are in his soul1 and on his brow6 ,death stares him in the face1 and shakes at him his iron spear4 ,he trembles1 he turns pale1 as a culprit at the bar1 as a convict on the scaffold4 ,he is condemned already4 ,conscience has pronounced the sentence4 ,anguish has taken hold upon him4 ,terrors gather in battle-array about him4 ,he looks back1 and the storms of ,sinai pursue him2 forward1 and hell is moved to meet him2 above1 and the heavens are on fire2 beneath1 and the world is burning4 ,he listens1 and the judgment trump is calling2 again1 and the brazen chariots of vengeance are thundering from afar2 yet again1 and the sentence penetrates his soul with anguish unspeakable--8,depart6 ye accursed into everlasting fire1 prepared for the devil and his angels60 ,thus1 8by one man1 sin entered into the world1 and death by sin2 and so death passed upon all men1 for that all have sinned40 ,they are 8dead in trespasses and sins20 spiritually dead1 and legally dead2 dead by the mortal power of sin1 and dead by the condemnatory sentence of the law2 and helpless as sheep to the slaughter1 they are driven fiercely on by the ministers of wrath to the all-devouring grave1 and the lake of fire6 ,but is there no mercy8 ,is there no means of salvation8 ,hark6 amidst all this prelude of wrath and ruin1 comes a still small voice1 saying3 8much more the grace of ,god1 and the gift by grace1 which is by one man1 ,jesus ,christ1 hath abounded unto many40 ,,ii4 ,this brings us to our second topic1 man's gracious recovery to the favor of his offended ,god4 ,i know not how to represent to you this glorious work1 better than by the following figure4 ,suppose a vast graveyard1 surrounded by a lofty wall1 with only one entrance1 which is by a massive iron gate1 and that is fast bolted4 ,within are thousands and millions of human beings1 of all ages and classes1 by one epidemic disease bending to the grave4 ,the graves yawn to swallow them1 and they must all perish4 ,there is no balm to relieve1 no physician there4 ,such is the condition of man as a sinner4 ,all have sinned2 and it is written1 8,the soul that sinneth shall die40 ,but while the unhappy race lay in that dismal prison1 ,mercy came and stood at the gate1 and wept over the melancholy scene1 exclaiming--8,o that ,i might enter6 ,i would bind up their wounds2 ,i would relieve their sorrows2 ,i would save their souls60 ,an embassy of angels1 commissioned from the court of ,heaven to some other world1 paused at the sight1 and ,heaven forgave that pause4 ,seeing ,mercy standing there1 they cried3--8,mercy6 canst thou not enter8 ,canst thou look upon that scene and not pity8 ,canst thou pity1 and not relieve80 ,mercy replied3 8,i can see60 and in her tears she added1 8,i can pity1 but ,i cannot relieve60 8,why canst thou not enter80 inquired the heavenly host4 8,oh60 said ,mercy1 8,justice has barred the gate against me1 and ,i must not--cannot unbar it60 ,at this moment1 ,justice himself appeared1 as if to watch the gate4 ,the angels asked1 8,why wilt thou not suffer ,mercy to enter80 ,he sternly replied3 8,the law is broken1 and it must be honored6 ,die they or ,justice must60 ,then appeared a form among the angelic band like unto the ,son of ,god4 ,addressing himself to ,justice1 he said3 8,what are thy demands80 ,justice replied3 8,my demands are rigid2 ,i must have ignominy for their honor1 sickness for their health1 death for their life4 ,without the shedding of blood there is no remission60 8,justice10 said the ,son of ,god1 8,i accept thy terms6 ,on me be this wrong6 ,let ,mercy enter1 and stay the carnival of death60 8,what pledge dost thou give for the performance of these conditions80 8,my word2 my oath60 8,when wilt thou perform them80 8,four thousand years hence1 on the hill of ,calvary1 without the walls of ,jerusalem60 ,the bond was prepared1 and signed and sealed in the presence of attendant angels4 ,justice was satisfied1 the gate was opened1 and ,mercy entered1 preaching salvation in the name of ,jesus4 ,the bond was committed to patriarchs and prophets4 ,a long series of rites and ceremonies1 sacrifices and oblations1 was instituted to perpetuate the memory of that solemn deed4 ,at the close of the four-thousandth year1 when ,daniel's 8seventy weeks0 were accomplished1 ,justice and ,mercy appeared on the hill of ,calvary4 8,where10 said ,justice1 8is the ,son of ,god80 8,behold him10 answered ,mercy1 8at the foot of the hill60 ,and there he came1 bearing his own cross1 and followed by his weeping church4 ,mercy retired1 and stood aloof from the scene4 ,jesus ascended the hill1 like a lamb for the sacrifice4 ,justice presented the dreadful bond1 saying1 8,this is the day on which this article must be cancelled40 ,the ,redeemer took it4 ,what did he do with it8 ,tear it in pieces1 and scatter it to the winds8 ,no6 he nailed it to his cross1 crying1 8,it is finished60 ,the ,victim ascended the altar4 ,justice called on holy fire to come down and consume the sacrifice4 ,holy fire replied3 8,i come6 ,i will consume the sacrifice1 and then ,i will burn up the world60 ,it fell upon the ,son of ,god1 and rapidly consumed his humanity2 but when it touched his ,deity1 it expired4 ,then was there darkness over the whole land1 and an earthquake shook the mountain2 but the heavenly host broke forth in rapturous song--8,glory to ,god in the highest6 on earth peace6 good will to man60 #aad ,thus grace has abounded1 and the free gift has come upon all1 and the gospel has gone forth proclaiming redemption to every creature4 8,by grace ye are saved1 through faith2 and that not of yourselves2 it is the gift of ,god2 not of works1 least any man should boast40 ,by grace ye are loved1 redeemed and justified4 ,by grace ye are called1 converted1 reconciled and sanctified4 ,salvation is wholly of grace4 ,the plan1 the process1 the consummation1 are all of grace4 8,grace all the work shall crown1 ,through everlasting days2 ,it lays in heaven the topmost stone1 ,and well deserves the praise60 8,where sin abounded1 grace hath much more abounded40 8,through the offence of one1 many were dead40 ,and as men multiplied1 the offence abounded4 ,the waters deluged the world1 but could not wash away the dreadful stain4 ,the fire fell from heaven1 but could not burn out the accursed plague4 ,the earth opened her mouth1 but could not swallow up the monster sin4 ,the law thundered forth its threat from the thick darkness on ,sinai2 but could not restrain1 by all its terrors1 the children of disobedience4 ,still the offence abounded1 and multiplied as the sands on the sea-shore4 ,it waxed bold1 and pitched its tents on ,calvary1 and nailed the ,lawgiver to a tree4 ,but in that conflict sin received its mortal wound4 ,the ,victim was the ,victor4 ,he fell1 but in his fall he crushed the foe4 ,he died unto sin1 but sin and death were crucified upon his cross4 ,where sin abounded to condemn1 grace hath much more abounded to justify4 ,where sin abounded to corrupt1 grace hath much more abounded to purify4 ,where sin abounded to harden1 grace hath much more abounded to soften and subdue4 ,where sin abounded to imprison men1 grace hath much more abounded to proclaim liberty to the captives4 ,where sin abounded to break the law and dishonor the ,lawgiver1 grace hath much more abounded to repair the breach and efface the stain4 ,where sin abounded to consume the soul as with unquenchable fire and a gnawing worm1 grace hath much more abounded to extinguish the flame and heal the wound4 ,grace hath abounded6 ,it hath established its throne on the merit of the ,redeemer's sufferings4 ,it hath put on the crown1 and laid hold of the golden scepter1 and spoiled the dominion of the prince of darkness1 and the gates of the great cemetery are thrown open1 and there is the beating of a new life-pulse throughout its wretched population1 and ,immortality is walking among the tombs6 ,this abounding grace is manifested in the gift of ,jesus ,christ1 by whose mediation our reconciliation and salvation are effected4 ,with him1 believers are dead unto sin1 and alive unto ,god4 ,our sins were slain at his cross1 and buried in his tomb4 ,his resurrection hath opened our graves1 and given us an assurance of immortality4 8,god commendeth his love toward us1 in that1 while we were yet sinners1 ,christ died for us2 much more1 then1 being now justified by his blood1 we shall be saved from wrath through him2 for if1 when we were enemies1 we were reconciled to ,god by the death of his ,son1 much more1 being reconciled1 we shall be saved by his life40 8,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god2 it is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be40 ,glory to ,god1 for the death of his ,son1 by which this enmity is slain1 and reconciliation is effected between the rebel and the law6 ,this was the unspeakable gift that saved us from ruin2 that wrestled with the storm1 and turned it away from the devoted head of the sinner4 ,had all the angels of ,god attempted to stand between these two conflicting seas1 they would have been swept to the gulf of destruction4 8,the blood of bulls and goats1 on ,jewish altars slain10 could not take away sin1 could not pacify the conscience4 ,but ,christ1 the gift of ,divine ,grace1 8,pascal ,lamb by ,god appointed10 8a sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood than they10 bore our sins1 and carried our sorrows1 and obtained for us the boon of eternal redemption4 ,he met the fury of the tempest1 and the floods went over his head2 but his offering was an offering of peace1 calming the storms and the waves1 magnifying the law1 glorifying its ,author1 and rescuing its violator from wrath and rain4 ,justice hath laid down his sword at the foot of the cross1 and amity is restored between heaven and earth4 ,hither1 ,o ye guilty6 come and cast away your weapons of rebellion6 ,come with your bad principles1 and wicked actions2 your unbelief1 and enmity1 and pride2 and throw them off at the ,redeemer's feet6 ,god is here1 waiting to be gracious4 ,he will receive you2 he will cast all your sins behind his back1 into the depths of the sea2 and they shall be remembered against you no more for ever4 ,by ,heaven's 8,unspeakable ,gift10 by ,christ's invaluable atonement1 by the free and infinite grace of the ,father and the ,son1 we persuade you1 we beseech you1 we entreat you1 8be ye reconciled to ,god60 ,it is by the work of the ,holy ,spirit within us1 that we obtain a personal interest in the work wrought on ,calvary for us4 ,if our sins are cancelled1 they are also crucified4 ,if we are reconciled in ,christ1 we fight against our ,god no more4 ,this is the fruit of faith4 8,with the heart man believeth unto righteousness40 ,may the ,lord inspire in every one of us that saving principle6 ,but those who have been restored to the ,divine favor may sometimes be cast down and dejected4 ,they have passed through the sea1 and sung praises on the shore of deliverance2 but there is yet between them and ,canaan 8a waste howling wilderness10 a long and weary pilgrimage1 hostile nations1 fiery serpents1 scarcity of food1 and the river ,jordan4 ,fears within and fightings without1 they may grow discouraged1 and yield to temptation1 and murmur against ,god1 and desire to return to ,egypt4 ,but fear not1 thou worm ,jacob6 ,reconciled by the death of ,christ2 much more1 being reconciled1 thou shalt be saved by his life4 ,his death was the price of our redemption2 his life insures liberty to the believer4 ,if by his death he brought you through the ,red ,sea in the night1 by his life he can lead you through the river ,jordan in the day4 ,if by his death he delivered you from the iron furnace in ,egypt1 by his life he can save you from all the perils of the wilderness4 ,if by his death he conquered ,pharaoh1 the chief foe1 by his life he can subdue ,sihon1 king of the ,amorites1 and ,og1 the king of ,bashan4 8,we shall be saved by his life40 8,because he liveth1 we shall live also40 8,be of good cheer60 ,the work is finished2 the ransom is effected2 the kingdom of heaven is opened to all believers4 8,lift up your heads and rejoice10 8ye prisoners of hope60 ,there is no debt unpaid1 no devil unconquered1 no enemy within your own hearts that has not received a mortal wound6 8,thanks be unto ,god1 who giveth us the victory1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ60 ,,sermon ,v4 ,,one ,,god ,,and ,,one ,,mediator4 8,for there is one ,god1 and one ,mediator between ,god and man1 the man ,christ ,jesus40--#a ,tim4 ii4 #e4 ,,the apostle ,paul urges the propriety1 and importance of praying for all men1 in the several conditions and relations of life1 from a consideration of ,god's merciful intentions toward all men1 as exhibited in the sufficiency of the gospel provision for their salvation4 ,but if any are saved1 it must be through the medium which ,god has ordained1 and in the manner which ,god has prescribed4 ,therefore the apostle adds3 8,for there is one ,god1 and one ,mediator between ,god and man1 the man ,christ ,jesus40 8,there is one ,god10 to whom sinners have to be reconciled2 8and one ,mediator10 through whom that reconciliation is to be effected4 ,we have a nearly parallel passage in another epistle3 8,to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1 and we in him2 and one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom are all things1 and we by him40 ,the unity of ,god1 and the mediation of ,christ1 are the two great topics of the text1 to which we solicit your attention4 ,i4 8,for there is one ,god40 ,two infinite beings cannot co-exist1 unless they are one in essence and in operation4 ,the ,god of ,israel pervades the universe of matter1 and fills the immensity of space4 ,there is no room for another ,god1 possessing the same ubiquity4 8,there is one ,god and ,father of all1 who is above all1 and through all1 and in you all40 ,in him alone1 all things live1 move1 and have their being4 ,this doctrine is stamped on all the works of nature4 ,they all exhibit unity of design1 and must have been contrived by the same infinite wisdom1 and executed by the same infinite power4 ,the hand which created and arranged them is constantly seen in their preservation4 ,the ,maker of all things continues to uphold all things by the word of his power4 ,the great ,architect still presides over the immense fabric which he has reared4 ,the universe1 from age to age1 is governed by the same unvarying laws4 ,all things remain as they were from the beginning4 ,the earth1 the air1 and the sea1 sustain the same mutual relations1 and answer the same important ends2 and the sun1 the moon1 and the stars1 shine on for ever4 ,the same order and regularity everywhere prevail1 as when the chorus of the morning stars welcomed the new creation into being4 ,nature proclaims aloud3 8,there is one ,god40 ,the same doctrine is impressed upon the ,bible4 ,it is not only the book of ,god1 but evidently the book of 8one ,god40 ,it is a series of ,divine ,revelations1 reaching from ,eden to ,calvary1 and from ,calvary onward to the end of the world4 ,it is a golden chain1 passing through all time1 and uniting the two eternities2 and all its links are similar1 and depend upon each other4 ,its several parts are perfectly harmonious1 proving them to have emanated from the same infinite mind4 ,everywhere we find the same character of ,god and of man2 the same description of the law and of sin2 the same way of pardon1 and holiness1 and immortal life4 ,the same ,eternal ,spirit1 that inspired the ,historian of ,creation1 speaks in the ,apocalypse of ,st4 ,john1 and in all the intervenient books of the ,bible4 ,it was the same ,sun of ,righteousness1 that rose in ,eden1 and set on ,calvary2 and thence rose again the third day1 to set no more for ever4 8,the world by wisdom knew not ,god40 ,the heathen lost the doctrine of the unity of ,god2 not because it was difficult to preserve1 but because they did not love the character of ,god1 8did not like to retain ,god in their knowledge40 ,the pride of the carnal mind led them to turn away from the light of heaven1 to walk amid sparks of their own kindling4 ,they boasted of their wisdom2 they boasted of their philosophy4 ,and what gained they by the exchange8 ,the most absurd and stupid notions of the ,great ,first ,cause2 almost total ignorance of his attributes4 8,professing themselves to be wise1 they became fools2 and changed the glory of the incorruptible ,god into an image made with hands1 like unto corruptible man1 and to birds1 and four-footed beasts1 and creeping things40 ,shame to philosophic ,greece and ,rome6 ,no nation1 having once lost the doctrine of the unity of ,god1 ever regained it by the light of nature4 ,if the light of nature is sufficient to preserve it in possession1 it is not sufficient to restore it lost4 ,it is restored only by the gospel4 ,the gospel has restored it in ,india1 in ,otaheite1 and other heathen lands4 ,it has done more2 it has revealed to the savage the only way of salvation2 it has 8brought life and immortality to light40 8,fly abroad1 thou mighty gospel6 ,win and conquer6 never cease60 ,lift up thy voice with strength1 and proclaim to ,greece and ,rome1 and to all the ends of the earth1 as well as to the cities of ,judah1 that the ,son of ,mary is the ,god of ,israel1 8,god manifest in the flesh10 8,god blessed forever60 8,the man ,christ ,jesus0 is 8the brightness of the ,father's glory1 and the express image of ,his person1 in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the ,godhead bodily20 8in whom also we have redemption through his blood1 the forgiveness of sins1 according to the riches of his grace40 ,,ii4 ,but this leads us to our second topic3 8,and one ,mediator between ,god and man1 the man ,christ ,jesus40 ,the two doctrines1 you perceive1 are intimately related to each other4 8,one ,god0--8,one ,mediator40 ,as we have but 8one ,god10 we need but 8one ,mediator40 ,as that ,mediator is himself ,god1 the merit of his mediation is sufficient for the salvation of all them that believe4 ,the office of a ,mediator supposes two parties at variance1 between whom he interposes to produce a reconciliation4 ,it is thus 8between ,god and man40 ,god gave man a law1 8holy1 and just1 and good20 man revolted1 and 8there is wrath40 ,reconciliation is impossible1 without the intervention of a mediator4 ,let us look at the parties engaged in this dreadful controversy4 ,on one side we see ,jehovah1 possessed of infinite perfections1 and clothed with uncreated excellence and glory4 ,he is self-existent1 independent and eternal4 ,omnipresence1 ,omniscience1 and ,almightiness are his4 ,he is great in wisdom1 full of goodness1 slow to anger1 and ready to pardon4 ,his love is ineffable1 and 8his mercy endureth for ever40 ,he is 8glorious in holiness1 fearful in praises1 doing wonders40 ,these perfections are the pearls and diamonds in his crown4 8,with him also is terrible majesty40 ,life and joy are in his smile1 but the angel of destruction waits upon his frown4 ,one beam of his love can raise thousands of men to heaven3 one glance of his anger1 sink myriads of angels to hell4 8,he sitteth upon the circles of the earth1 and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers40 8,all nations before him are as nothing2 they are counted less than nothing and vanity40 8,he doeth according to his will among the children of men1 and ruleth the armies of heaven40 8,at his wrath the earth shall tremble1 and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation40 ,o what majesty and power belong unto the ,lord our ,god6 ,with this imperfect view1 contrast the impotence and insignificance of sinful man4 ,what is he8 ,a being of yesterday1 8whose breath is in his nostrils10 and 8whose foundation is in the dust40 ,a frail1 helpless1 perishing thing2 dependent upon ,god1 the ,creator1 for all his comforts1 for life itself4 ,what is man8 ,a fool2 an alien from all good2 an embodiment of all evil4 ,his understanding is dark2 his will perverse2 his affections carnal4 ,his 8throat is an open sepulchre20 swallowing up 8whatsoever things are true1 pure1 lovely1 or of good report20 emitting a pestilential vapor1 which withers every green herb1 and sweet flower1 and delicious fruit1 of honor to ,god1 and happiness to man4 8,the poison of asps is under his tongue20 an inflaming poison1 affecting all the members1 and 8setting on fire the whole course of nature1 and it is set on fire of hell40 8,his heart is fully set in him to do evil20 8deceitful above all things1 and desperately wicked40 ,he is an enemy to his ,maker2 a rebel against ,jehovah2 a blank--nay1 worse--a blot in ,god's creation2 dead to every virtue1 dead to every thing but sin2 lost to every gracious purpose of his being2 a withered branch1 fit only to be plucked off1 and cast into the fire2 stubble1 ready for the burning4 8,let him alone60 said ,reason4 8,cut him down60 cried ,justice4 8,i hate the workers of iniquity60 added ,holiness4 8,he or ,i must perish60 exclaimed ,truth4 8,spare him6 ,spare him6 ,spare him60 pleaded weeping ,mercy4 ,and ,wisdom came forth1 leading the ,son of ,god1 and said3 8,i have found a ransom6 ,behold the ,mediator60 ,and all the attributes met and embraced at the manger1 and kissed each other at the cross6 ,it was man's place1 as the offender1 to seek a reconciliation4 ,god was under no obligation4 ,but1 alas6 man had neither the means nor the inclination4 ,what could be done8 ,hear1 ,o ye heavens6 and be astonished6 ,listen1 ,o earth6 and wonder and adore6 ,while man was far from ,god1 an enemy in his heart by wicked works1 rushing on in determined hostility to his ,maker's government1 and there was no sacrifice found for his sin1 and no disposition in him to seek a sacrifice1 ,god sought within himself the adequate and only means of pardon and peace4 ,he found in his own bosom the ,lamb for the altar2 exhibited him to ,israel in the predictions and promises of the ,old ,testament2 and in the fulness of time1 sent him forth to expiate sin1 by the offering of himself1 once for all4 8,for the ,word was made flesh1 and dwelt among us2 and we beheld his glory1 the glory as of the ,only ,begotten of the ,father1 full of grace and truth40 8,and being found in fashion as a man1 he humbled himself1 and became obedient unto death1 even the death of the ,cross40 ,god provided a ,mediator4 ,why8 ,did he fear that the deserved ruin of the human race would dethrone eternal ,justice8 ,no4 ,eternal ,justice would have been honored as much in their destruction as in their salvation4 ,the law would have been as fully vindicated in the infliction of its penalty upon the transgressor1 as in the reparation of its breach by a vicarious atonement4 ,the glory of the ,divine government would have been untarnished1 as when the rebel angels were cast down from heaven1 and locked up in everlasting darkness4 ,this wondrous provision was not the result of necessity1 but the prompting of ,infinite ,love4 ,divine ,mercy sought to remove the barrier interposed by ,divine ,justice4 ,the sinner cannot be pardoned1 till his ,great ,substitute has met the demands of the law4 ,there must be a full satisfaction and settlement of its claims1 as the only ground on which the rebel can be acquitted4 ,love is the 8,alpha and ,omega0 of redemption1 the love of ,god to man4 ,read it in the journey of the ,mediator from heaven to earth6 ,read it in his pilgrimage through the land of sorrow6 ,behold him 8nailed to the shameful tree60 ,see the blood and water gushing from his side6 ,hear the sound of the water-spouts1 as the floods of wrath rollover him6 ,then ask the reason4 ,the answer is3 8,god is love40 8,he is not willing that any should perish40 ,it seemed good in his sight to save his rebel children1 whatever it might cost him4 8,god so loved the world1 that he gave his only begotten son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have eternal life40 8,herein is love1 not that we loved ,god0--no2 we hated him2 we were his sworn1 inveterate foes2 8but that he loved us0--loved us while we were yet enemies--loved us with an ineffable love2 8and sent his ,son to be the propitiation for our sins40 ,wonderful must be the qualifications of such a ,mediator4 ,he fills with his own merit the gap between two worlds4 ,he bows the heavens1 and lifts up the earth to meet them4 ,he takes hold of ,god and man1 and brings them together in himself4 ,he reconciles the rebel and the law1 glorifies the ,father by humbling himself1 and his cross becomes our life1 and his tomb the birthplace of our immortality4 ,england and ,wales could not be united till the son of the king of ,england was born in ,wales1 and became ,prince of ,wales4 ,the ,english regarded him as heir to the throne of ,england2 while the ,welsh claimed him as their brother1 a native of their own country1 born in the castle of ,caernarvon4 ,behold 8the well beloved0--8the only begotten of the ,father10 8heir of all things10 8,lord of lords1 and ,king of kings10 born 8in ,bethlehem of ,judea20 8the ,son of ,god--the ,son of man20 partaking of both natures1 and representing both parties in the great controversy4 ,he is 8the ,mighty ,god1 and the ,everlasting ,father20 yet he is our near kinsman--bone of our bone1 and flesh of our flesh4 ,in his person1 heaven and earth are joined2 by his blood1 ,god and man are reconciled4 ,heaven is his throne1 for ,god is his father2 earth is his principality1 for it is the land of his nativity4 ,in him angels recognise their ,king1 and men behold their brother4 ,i gaze on the cross1 and methinks ,i hear the victim say3 8,look unto me1 and be ye saved1 all ye ends of the earth2 for ,i am ,god1 and beside me there is none else4 ,i opened a way for my people of old1 by dividing the waters1 to the ,canaan of ,promise2 ,i am now preparing a path for believers1 through the red sea of my blood1 to the inheritance in heaven4 ,i gave the law amid fire and smoke on ,sinai1 and thundered forth my curse upon its violater2 ,i am here on ,calvary1 to honor that violated law1 and remove that curse from its violater by taking it upon myself4 ,behold my hands1 my feet1 my side6 ,this blood1 ,o men6 is your sacrifice4 ,i will expiate your sin by my sufferings4 ,i will magnify the law1 and make it honorable4 ,and though in your nature ,i hang on this tree to-day1 ,i will revive1 and live for ever1 to make intercession for the transgressors1 and save to the uttermost all that come unto ,god by me60 ,the mediatorial office of 8the man ,christ ,jesus0 consists of two parts1 sacrifice and intercession4 ,they are equally important1 and mutually dependent4 ,without sacrifice1 there is no ground of intercession2 without intercession1 there is no benefit in sacrifice4 ,the former renders the latter influential with ,god2 the latter renders the former available to man4 ,the one removes the obstacles to reconciliation1 the other brings the adverse parties together4 ,the first part of the mediatorial office is sacrifice4 ,in order to understand this aright1 we must have correct views of ,god1 of man1 and of sin4 ,we must consider ,god as the lawgiver and governor of the universe1 eternally hostile to all iniquity1 and determined to sustain his just administration4 ,we must consider man as a guilty and polluted creature1 a rebel in arms against his ,maker1 a prisoner under sentence and deserving punishment4 ,we must consider sin as an inexcusable omission of duty1 and a flagrant transgression of the law1 under circumstances of peculiar aggravation4 ,the debt must be paid1 or the sinner must perish4 ,an atonement must be made1 of merit equal to the turpitude of our crimes4 ,the stain which we have cast upon the law1 must be washed out by blood of infinite preciousness4 ,this is the work of our ,mediator4 ,he 8gave himself a ransom for all40 ,he made a perfect satisfaction for our sins4 8,he was wounded for our transgressions1 and bruised for our iniquities2 the chastisement of our peace was upon him1 and with his stripes we are healed40 ,it is not by blood of bulls and goats1 slain on ,jewish altars1 but by a nobler and costlier sacrifice--the paschal 8,lamb of ,god10 that heaven and earth are reconciled--,god and man united4 ,the second part of the mediatorial office is intercession4 ,it was through the ,high-priest1 the typical mediator1 that ,god communicated with ,israel1 and ,israel communicated with ,god2 it is through 8the man ,christ ,jesus10 the real ,mediator1 that ,god speaks to the world1 and receives the prayers of his people4 ,having 8borne the sins of many10 he 8maketh intercession for the transgressors40 8,he hath entered into heaven himself1 there to appear in the presence of ,god for us40 ,he has gone into the holy of holies1 with 8the blood of sprinkling1 which speaketh better things than the blood of ,abel40 8,if any man sin1 we have an advocate with the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the righteous40 8,through him we both0--that is1 both ,jews and ,gentiles--8have access by one ,spirit unto the ,father40 ,he holds in his hand the golden censer1 and offers much incense before the throne4 ,it is this that perfumes our prayers1 and renders them acceptable to ,god4 ,he pleaded for his murderers when he hung upon the cross1 and now he pleads in heaven for those who crucify him afresh4 ,and what is the ground of his plea8 ,not the merit of our works1 but the merit of his own sufferings4 ,not the infinitude of the ,father's mercy1 but the sufficiency of his own sacrifice4 ,this is the sure foundation of a sinner's hope4 ,if ,satan suggests that his crimes are too great to be forgiven1 he may reply3 8,the man ,christ ,jesus0 is my advocate1 the advocate of 8the chief of sinners2 ,and should ,i die with mercy sought1 ,when ,i his grace have tried1 ,i sure should die--delightful thought6-- ,where sinner never died60 8,one ,mediator40 ,there is no choice4 ,you must accept of him1 or remain unreconciled1 and be cast into hell4 ,israel found but one path through the ,red ,sea2 the church shall never find more than one way to the heavenly ,canaan4 ,it is only by faith in the 8,one ,mediator10 that you can obtain the favor of the 8,one ,god40 ,he is the elect and beloved of the ,father1 the appointed medium of man's approach1 the designated channel of ,god's communication4 8,neither is there salvation in any other40 ,no other has been provided4 ,no other is suited to our necessities4 ,o sinner6 come through this 8new and living way60 ,christ invites your confidence4 8,venture on him2 venture freely2 ,let no other trust intrude6 ,none but ,jesus1 none but ,jesus1 ,can do helpless sinners good40 ,these glorious truths1 we cannot read too often1 or meditate too much4 ,they represent to us the great evil of sin1 the infinite mercy of ,god1 the inflexible character of the law1 and the incalculable preciousness of the gospel4 ,such is the ,father's estimate of the ,mediator1 that he will be reconciled to sinners only through his blood4 ,he is well pleased with his ,son1 and well pleased with all who seek him through his ,son1 and nothing is more offensive to him than the rejection of his ,son4 ,may these remarks preserve you from despair under a sense of your guilt and wretchedness2 drive you from all false refuges to the cross1 with a penitent and grateful heart2 induce you to trust2 not in your own strength1 or wisdom1 or righteousness1 but in the adorable name of ,jesus2 to live a life of faith in him1 of love towards him1 and of patient waiting for his mercy unto eternal salvation6 ,if you are already partakers of these blessings1 how transcendent is your privilege6 8,ye are come unto mount ,zion1 the city of the living ,god1 the heavenly ,jerusalem2 and to an innumerable company of angels2 and to the spirits of just men made perfect2 and to the general assembly and church of the first-born1 which are written in heaven2 and to ,god1 the judge of all2 and to ,jesus1 the ,mediator of the new covenant2 and to the blood of sprinkling1 that speaketh better things than that of ,abel40 ,follow the ,captain of your salvation4 ,cleave to him in the fire and the flood4 ,turn not aside to the lying vanities of the world1 lest you drink the cup of its eternal sorrows4 ,remember that those who suffer with the crucified shall reign with the glorified2 that such as are faithful unto death shall receive the crown of life4 ,be careful to 8keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace40 ,endure unto the end1 and ye shall be saved4 8,now the ,god of peace1 that brought again from the dead our ,lord ,jesus1 that ,great ,shepherd of the sheep1 through the blood of the everlasting covenant1 make you perfect in every good work1 to do his will1 working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 to whom be glory for ever and ever40 ,amen4 ,,sermon ,,vi4 ,,the ,,living ,,redeemer4 8,oh that my words were now written6 oh that they were printed in a book6 that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever6 ,for ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth3 and though after my skin worms destroy this body1 yet in my flesh shall ,i see ,god3 whom ,i shall see for myself1 and mine eyes shall behold1 and not another2 though my reins be consumed within me40--,job xix4 #bc-bg4 ,,it is the common opinion of learned divines1 that ,job was an ancient prince in some part of ,arabia1 known in his day by the name of ,uz4 ,his three friends also--8,eliphaz the ,temanite1 ,bildad the ,shuhite1 and ,zophar the ,naamathite0--were neighboring princes4 ,in their visit of condolence1 they were accompanied by ,elihu1 who seems to have been a young man of extraordinary intelligence and virtue4 ,the occasion of this visit was the apparent judgments of ,god upon the patriarch4 ,they held a long controversy with him1 in which they insisted that his unparalleled calamities and sufferings proved him the chief of hypocrites4 ,job as strenuously maintained his innocence and integrity1 and argued that his providential afflictions were intended only for the proof and the improvement of his piety2 and that when this purpose should be accomplished1 he would come forth as gold purified from the furnace4 ,god1 answering out of the whirlwind1 settled the dispute1 deciding in favor of his servant ,job2 his three friends were required to offer sacrifice for their faults1 and ,job must pray for their forgiveness4 ,then the wheel of fortune turned in his favor1 and he was restored to his former prosperity4 ,job and his friends evidently had a clear understanding of the evil of sin1 the wickedness of hypocrisy1 the importance of the fear of ,god1 and the doctrine of an allwise superintending providence2 and knew how to approach ,jehovah through sacrifice1 in anticipation of the promised ,messiah4 ,we shall offer a few general remarks on ,job's faith in a living ,redeemer1 as expressed in our text4 ,i4 ,our minds are struck with wonder and pleasure1 in beholding the patriarchs and prophets of ancient times1 moved by the ,spirit of ,god1 searching diligently for the person and grace of the ,messiah2 like miners1 opening an entrance to a precious treasure1 which is to redeem them and their brethren from bondage4 ,job has no reference here to any temporal deliverer1 nor to any other than the ,messiah himself4 ,he evidently saw what he needed1 when he was speaking of the ,daysman1 the ,umpire1 one that might argue and settle the case between him and his ,maker1 one that might lay his hand alike on ,god and man4 ,with the eye of faith1 he saw the ,messiah1 setting one foot on the continent of eternity1 and the other on the sea of human misery1 and lifting up his hand and saying--8,time and eternity are mine6 ,i am ,god1 and beside me there is no ,saviour60 ,elihu also speaks of the same person1 under the name of 8a messenger10 8an interpreter10 8one of a thousand10 that might commune with both ,god and man1 concerning atonement1 and justifying righteousness1 and deliverance from the pit of eternal destruction4 ,the promise of a ,redeemer descended from ,eden like a precious ark1 containing1 for all mankind1 the bread of life1 and the unsearchable riches of ,divine grace4 ,it was conveyed from the house of ,adam to the house of ,seth1 from the house of ,seth to the house of ,noah1 from the house of ,noah to the house of ,abraham1 and thence down through successive generations to the time of ,messiah's advent4 ,the patriarchs1 before their departure1 received from this ark invaluable spiritual blessings1 and a passport to the everlasting city2 but the ark itself they left behind for the benefit of their posterity1 who found therein the balm of life1 and died in the faith of a ,saviour to come1 according to the promise4 ,job's living ,redeemer is none other than the promised 8,seed10 that should 8bruise the serpent's head0--,jacob's 8,lion10 8stooping down0 to the 8new tomb hewn out of a rock10 aiming at the ,king of ,terrors1 and on the third morning leaping and 8rushing upon the prey10 and becoming the plague of death1 and the destruction of the grave--the 8,jehovah-jireh0 of ,abraham--the 8,i ,am10 who appeared to ,moses in the burning bush--the 8,wonderful10 the 8,councillor10 the 8,child-born10 and 8the ,everlasting ,father10 predicted by ,isaiah--,jeremiah's 8,jehovah our ,righteousness0--the 8,branch0 and 8,fountain0 of ,zachariah--the 8,shepherd and ,stone of ,israel0--the 8,shiloh10 to whom should be 8the gathering of the people0--the 8,governor10 who should 8come out of ,bethlehem0--,malachi's 8,sun of ,righteousness0--,paul's 8,captain of our ,salvation10 8bringing many sons to glory20 opening a tunnel under the river of his own sufferings1 and the seas of human guilt and wo1 through which his redeemed might go home to their ,father's house--,peter's 8,prince of ,life10 8slain and hung on a tree0--,john's 8,word10 that 8was in the beginning with ,god1 and was ,god20 but 8was made flesh1 and dwelt among us1 full of grace and truth40 ,,ii4 ,the word here rendered ,redeemer1 is ,goel in the original2 and in the book of ,ruth1 is translated kinsman1 one who has a right to redeem4 ,the ,redeemer is our near kinsman2 for 8he that sanctifieth1 and they that are sanctified1 are all of one2 for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren40 ,an individual in this country returned from ,india so rich that he conferred upon all his relatives an independent fortune4 ,to us also a brother was born against the day of adversity1 who is able to enrich us all with eternal riches4 ,you know not what hardships your brother endured in the ,east1 while gathering the wealth you now enjoy2 but we know that our brother1 8though he was rich1 for our sakes became poor1 that we through his poverty might be rich40 ,when ,naomi returned from the land of ,moab1 ,elimelech1 her husband1 was dead1 and the inheritance greatly involved in debt4 ,according to the law of the tribes1 the nearest kinsman of the deceased debtor was obliged to marry the widow1 and redeem the inheritance1 so as to retain it in the same tribe4 ,the purchaser was sought in the land of ,bethlehem4 ,one was found1 sufficiently rich1 but unwilling4 ,he preferred to take off his own shoes1 before the elders1 at the gate of the city1 rather than stand in the shoes of his deceased brother4 ,it was done1 however1 by another1 of the name of ,boaz4 ,but who will stand in the place of sinners1 who have forfeited all claim to the heavenly inheritance1 and deserve eternal damnation8 ,let heaven and earth meet in council1 and see who is able and willing to 8redeem his brother1 or give to ,god a ransom for him40 ,earth replies--8,there is no such person here40 ,all the angels around the throne answer--8,there is none in the celestial city40 ,search the streets of ,jerusalem2 go to the garden of ,gethsemane2 inquire on the hill of ,calvary4 ,who is willing to die for sinners to-day8 ,there is the tree4 ,there is the executioner1 with hammer and nails4 ,who will offer himself a sacrifice there1 for the redemption of man8 ,none but ,jesus4 ,none but ,jesus was able2 none but ,jesus was willing4 8,here am ,i10 said he2 8if ye seek me1 let these go their way40 ,and without the gates of ,jerusalem1 he honored the law1 spoiled principalities1 and redeemed his people4 ,he suffered the curse in the sinner's stead1 and swallowed up all its plagues in himself4 ,as your representative1 he endured all the agony and ignominy you justly deserved4 #acb ,and when you by faith lay hold of his atonement1 you shall be made the righteousness of ,god in him--shall be dealt with1 not according to your deserts1 but according to his merit and his mercy4 ,he was humbled that you might be exalted1 impoverished that you might be enriched1 bound that you might be released1 punished that you might be spared1 condemned that you might be acquitted1 wounded that you might be healed1 cursed that you might be blessed1 and slain that you might live for ever4 ,,iii4 ,job's faith anticipated a ,living ,redeemer4 8,i know that my ,redeemer liveth0--is the ,living ,one--he that has life1 underived and independent1 in himself--the agent and source of all life in the universe1 who will at last quicken the dead4 ,the first woman was called ,eve--that is1 ,life--because she was the mother of all living--the mother of him who is the life of the world4 ,this was fulfilled four thousand years afterward in one of her daughters1 a virgin1 who brought forth a son1 whose name is ,jesus1 ,emmanuel1 the ,living ,god1 the true ,god1 and eternal ,life4 ,he is the ,lord of life1 and the life of all that believe4 8,because ,i live1 ye shall live also40 ,with the flame of one candle you may light many others1 and the light of all is the same4 ,christ is the source whence all his people derive their light1 the great central luminary of his church4 8,in him was life1 and the life was the light of men40 ,when the prophet stood in the valley of dry bones and prophesied1 there was a wonderful agitation1 and the bones came together1 and formed themselves into skeletons1 and sinews and flesh covered them1 and each form was enclosed with a skin2 but they were still dead1 and it was not till the breath of ,god blew upon them1 and kindled the flame of life within them1 that they 8stood up an exceeding great army40 ,so ,christ is the resurrection and life alike of the soul and of the body4 8,he that believeth on him1 though he were dead1 yet shall he live40 ,he is the bread and the water of life4 8,he that cometh unto him1 shall never hunger2 and he that believeth on him1 shall never thirst40 8,he that hath the ,son1 hath life2 and he that hath not the ,son1 hath not life40 8,we are dead2 and our life is hid with ,christ in ,god2 when ,christ who is our life shall appear1 then shall we also appear with him in glory40 ,,iv4 ,the ,living ,redeemer of ,job was to appear in this world4 8,he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth40 ,a woman who is travelling1 and has no money to bear her expenses1 obtains credit on her husband's account1 who afterward passes that way1 and discharges the obligation4 ,so ancient saints went home to glory on credit3 and in the fulness of time1 ,christ came and paid their debt2 not by installments1 but all at once2 and the virtue of his own offering went up to the gate of ,eden1 and down to the end of the world4 ,as on both sides of the altar of burnt-offering1 were pipes1 conveying the blood into the basins1 till they were full2 so the great altar on ,calvary communicates with past generations1 and generations yet to come2 and the saving merit of the one sacrifice runs back to ,abel and to ,adam1 and forward to the last believer4 ,whom do ,i see in the garden yonder1 in such agony of soul1 prostrate in prayer1 and sweating great drops of blood8 ,job's ,living ,redeemer4 ,why is his heart thus wrung with anguish8 ,is there a dark register of sins in his conscience1 like the fiery handwriting of ,god upon the wall8 ,no1 he has not a single crime to confess4 ,he has done no iniquity1 neither is guile found in his mouth4 ,why then does he suffer8 ,he is bearing our griefs1 carrying our sorrows1 and receiving the chastisement of our peace4 ,behold him on the mountain1 8wounded for our transgressions1 and bruised for our iniquities40 8,all we like sheep have gone astray2 we have turned every one to his own way2 and the ,lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all40 8,he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter2 and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb1 so he openeth not his mouth40 8,who shall declare his generation80 ,who shall give us his pedigree1 his history1 his character8 ,will none of the angels of heaven make the air of ,calvary ring with the sufferer's name8 ,behold6 the darkened sun and quaking earth proclaim him ,god6 ,hark6 he speaks--8,i am the true ,god1 and eternal life4 ,i was set up from everlasting1 from the beginning of the ,creator's way1 or ever the earth was4 ,when there was no depths1 nor fountains of water2 before the mountains were settled1 before the hills was ,i brought forth2 while as yet he had not made the earth1 nor the fields1 nor the highest part of the dust of the world4 ,when he prepared the heavens1 ,i was there2 when he set a compass upon the deep2 when he established the clouds above2 when he strengthened the foundations of the deep2 when he gave the sea his decree1 that the waters should not pass his commandment2 when he established the foundations of the earth2 then ,i was by him1 as one brought up with him2 and ,i was daily his delight1 rejoicing always before him2 rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth1 and my delights were with the sons of men2 and therefore ,i am here1 hanging on the cross to-day60 ,v4 ,job's ,living ,redeemer was to deliver him from the power of death4 ,job anticipated the coming of 8the last enemy10 who should give his flesh to be food for worms4 ,the ,sabeans had taken away the oxen and the asses1 and slain the servants with the edge of the sword4 ,the fire had fallen from heaven1 and burnt up the sheep and the shepherds4 ,the ,chaldeans had robbed him of his camels1 and murdered his domestics4 ,the whirlwind had killed his sons and his daughters in the house of their feasting4 ,his body was covered with putrid ulcers1 from head to foot4 ,his best friends turned against him1 and even his wife tempted him to 8curse ,god and die40 ,but amid all his calamities1 he saw another enemy1 ready to assail his body1 and drag it away to the tomb1 and reduce it to dust and ashes4 ,at the same time1 his faith beheld the ,messiah swallowing up death in victory4 ,he saw the ,son of ,mary in the house of ,jairus1 where the lion had just slain his victim2 and on the street of ,nain1 where he was taking the prey to his den2 and at the grave in ,bethany1 where he was banqueting with worms in the joy of victory4 ,death could not stand before the ,prince of ,life4 ,the spoiler yielded up his spoil4 ,christ sailed on the open channel like a man of war1 delivering the hapless captives of the great pirate ,death1 to the astonishment and joy of the people1 from ,samaria to the borders of ,tyre and ,sidon4 ,but on a certain day1 ever to be remembered1 as he drew near the ramparts of ,sinai1 all its batteries were opened upon him4 ,he stood in the fire all night1 and fought till he sweat great drops of blood4 ,he threw himself between his friends and the fort1 and sustained the shock of its heaviest artillery1 which played upon him without intermission1 especially the old cannon of ,eden--8,dying thou shalt die0--until three o'clock in the afternoon of the next day1 when he received a shot in the heart1 and1 crying1 8,it is finished60 gave up the ghost4 ,the whole creation trembled when he fell1 and was swallowed up in the horrible abyss4 ,but on the morning of the third day1 the earth was seized with new spasms1 and he that was dead came forth to be the life of his people2 and the cable of faith1 the anchor of hope1 and the sails of love1 ascended with him from the deep1 never to go down again4 ,he is alive for evermore1 and has the keys of hell and of death4 ,,vi4 ,job speaks of the period of ,messiah's advent1 under the term of 8the latter day40 ,this may refer1 either to the end of the ,jewish dispensation1 or to the end of the world4 ,christ has already once appeared on earth1 fulfilled the types and shadows1 made an end of sins1 and brought in everlasting righteousness2 8and to them that look for him1 he shall appear the second time1 without a sin-offering1 unto salvation40 8,when the ,son of man shall come in his glory1 then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory1 and before him shall be gathered all nations1 and he shall separate them as the shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats40 ,then shall ,god have finished his work in mount ,zion1 and the trumpets of the gospel shall cease to sound1 and the great net shall be taken up from the sea1 and the laborers in the vineyard shall receive their wages1 and the tares shall be cast into the unquenchable fire4 ,wonderful shall be the glory and the terror of that day2 8when the ,lord ,jesus shall be revealed from heaven1 with his mighty angels1 in flaming fire2 taking vengeance on them that know not ,god1 and obey not the gospel2 who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the ,lord1 and from the glory of his power2 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints1 and admired in all them that believe40 ,what a glorious army shall attend him down the sky--myriads of his saints1 and all the celestial powers and principalities6 8,fire shall devour before him1 and it shall be very tempestuous round about him4 ,he shall call to the heavens above1 and to the earth1 that he may judge his people40 ,his throne shall be 8like a fiery flame1 and his wheels like a burning furnace40 ,he 8shall descend with a shout1 and the voice of the archangel1 and the trump of ,god40 ,the sound of the trumpet on ,sinai was long and loud1 and 8exceeding terrible20 but how much more powerful shall be the voice of 8the last trumpet10 penetrating the cold ear of death1 and awaking into immortality the dust of the grave6 ,then the ,messiah shall not appear 8as a root out of dry ground20 but shall stand forth before heaven and earth 8in the glory of the ,father1 and of his holy angels20 in addition to the glory of his own person as ,god-man1 and the glory of his work as ,mediator4 ,before him1 8the heavens shall pass away with a great noise1 and the elements shall melt with fervent heat2 the earth also1 and the works that are therein1 shall be burned up20 and death and hell shall deliver up their dead2 and all men shall stand and receive their sentence from him who was an infant in ,bethlehem--8a man of sorrows1 and acquainted with grief0--condemned by ,pilate1 mocked by the multitude1 and nailed upon the cross4 ,this is ,job's living ,redeemer1 the resurrection and life of all who believe4 ,,vii4 ,our text contains ,job's confession of faith4 ,it is brief1 but very comprehensive1 and may be called an epitome of the gospel4 ,here we have the ,divinity and the humanity of ,christ1 his work of redemption1 his victory over death and hell1 his second advent1 and the resurrection of the dead4 ,the ,athenians mocked when they heard of the resurrection of the dead2 and the ,sadducees greatly erred on this subject1 8not knowing the scriptures1 nor the power of ,god10 and many of the ,corinthians imbibed the same poison of unbelief4 ,but the patriarch of ,uz thought it not 8a thing incredible that ,god should raise the dead40 ,he firmly believed the doctrine1 and gave it a prominent place in his confession4 ,he knew that ,god is able to watch and preserve the dust of his saints2 has his eye upon every particle1 throughout all the periods of time2 and through the ,divine ,mediator1 8will raise it up at the last day40 ,this doctrine was to him a great consolation in his unparalleled afflictions4 8,though my skin10 says he1 8is a tissue of disease and corruption--yea1 though my body sink into the earth1 and be eaten up of the worms1 and my very reins be consumed within me--yet in my flesh1 in this same body1 reorganized1 reanimated1 and made immortal from the tomb1 ,i shall see ,god--shall see him for myself1 with these self-same eyes40 ,yes1 brethren2 the souls and bodies of all the human race shall be reunited2 and with our own eyes1 we shall see the judge of quick and dead1 with his fan in his hand1 thoroughly purging his floor1 gathering the wheat into his garner1 and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire4 ,in that day1 the tares and the wheat shall be for ever separated1 and there shall be no more foolish virgins among the wise4 8,for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 that we may receive the things done in the body1 according to that we have done1 whether it be good or evil40 ,how vast the difference between ,messiah's first and second advents6 ,when he 8tabernacled and dwelt among us10 he appeared 8in the form of a servant20 but when he shall come again1 he shall come as a judge1 and 8sit upon the throne of his glory20 and 8all that are in their graves shall hear his voice1 and come forth2 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil1 unto the resurrection of damnation40 8,for the ,son of man shall send forth his angels2 and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend1 and them that do iniquity2 and shall cast them into a furnace of fire2 there shall he weeping and gnashing of teeth2 then shall the righteous shine forth as the ,sun in the kingdom of their ,father40 ,,viii4 ,i call your attention to one other topic suggested by the text--the confidence with which ,job speaks of his interest in the living ,redeemer4 8,for ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth40 ,it was not a mere conjecture4 ,there was no doubt in the case4 ,the patriarch had reached the assurance of faith2 and so perfectly satisfied was he of the fact1 that he expressed an intense desire that his words might be recorded on the most durable materials1 that they might be read by generations to come4 ,how may we acquire the same confidence8 ,what is the evidence of our interest in ,job's living ,redeemer8 ,the nature and effects of the change which has taken place in our hearts4 ,you that 8were sometime darkness1 are now light in the ,lord20 have been 8called out of darkness into his marvellous light20 and can say--8,one thing ,i know1 that whereas ,i was once blind1 now ,i see40 8,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god20 but those that are born of the ,spirit love ,god2 and love and hatred are not so much alike1 that you cannot tell by which principle you are governed4 ,while the strong man armed kept the palace1 his goods were in peace2 but when a stronger than he came and cast him out1 there was a warfare commenced between the old man and the new4 ,you were formerly dead in trespasses and sins2 but are now alive to ,god1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,you were once destitute of faith in the ,redeemer2 but now you believe in him1 and rely upon his righteousness alone1 as the ground of your acceptance and salvation4 ,how can you experience such a transformation1 and know nothing of the matter8 ,as well might the sick1 when ,christ healed them--as well might the blind1 when ,christ opened their eyes--as well might the dead1 when ,christ raised them to second life from the bed1 the bier1 or the grave--have been ignorant of the mighty change4 ,in the word of ,god1 we have the testimony of many who had obtained the assurance of faith4 8,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that he shall stand upon the earth at the latter day0--was the testimony of ,job4 8,the ,lord is my rock1 and my fortress1 and my deliverer1 and the horn of my salvation1 in whom ,i will trust0--was the testimony of ,david4 8,i will greatly rejoice in the ,lord2 my soul shall be joyful in ,god2 for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation2 he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness0--was the testimony of ,isaiah4 8,i know in whom ,i have believed1 and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which ,i have committed unto him against that day0--was the testimony of the apostle ,paul4 8,we know that we are of ,god2 we know that we have passed from death unto life2 we know that when he shall appear1 we shall be like him1 for we shall see him as he is0--was the testimony of ,john1 8the beloved disciple40 8,these things10 saith the apostle1 8have ,i written unto you that believe in the name of the ,son of ,god1 that ye might know that ye have eternal life40 ,this is the design of ,god1 in revealing his will to the church4 ,we may--we should know that we have eternal life4 8,he that believeth on the ,son of ,god hath the witness in himself40 ,but this assurance of faith is not a mere imagination of the brain4 ,it is not founded on a vague notion of your being one of the elect1 without any other evidence4 ,it is not founded on a voice from heaven1 bidding you be of good cheer1 and go in peace1 because your sins are forgiven you4 ,it is founded on the fruits of the ,spirit1 and the testimony of ,divine ,revelation4 ,true believers are 8created anew in ,christ ,jesus1 unto good works20 evincing the reality of their love to ,god by keeping his commandments4 ,let us1 therefore1 give all diligence to make our calling and election sure4 ,let us examine ourselves1 whether we are in the faith4 ,let us compare our religion with the precepts of the ,bible1 and the example of ancient saints4 ,but as our hearts are so wicked and deceitful1 let us not trust them1 but pray to ,god for the aid of his ,holy ,spirit1 in this important work of self-examination4 ,behold 8the ,sweet ,singer of ,israel10 praying--8,search me1 ,o ,god1 and try me2 prove me1 and know my heart40 ,the ,holy ,spirit has given you a rule by which you are to examine yourselves2 and he works in you a conformity to that rule1 and bears witness with your spirits that you are the children of ,god4 ,in proportion to his operation upon the heart1 will be the assurance of faith2 and in proportion to the assurance of faith1 will be your spiritual comfort and joy4 ,the ,lord grant us that 8faith which worketh by love1 and purifieth the heart60 ,are you stript of property1 bereft of children1 afflicted in body1 forsaken of friends1 persecuted and insulted by relatives8 ,think of ,job1 and of ,job's living ,redeemer6 ,imitate the patriarch's patience and confidence amid all the troubles and conflicts of life6 ,go your way until the end2 for ye shall rest1 and stand in your several lots at last6 ,,sermon ,,vii4 ,,messiah',s ,,kingdom4 8,and in the days of these kings shall the ,god of heaven set up a kingdom1 which shall never be destroyed3 and the kingdom shall not be left to other people1 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms1 and it shall stand for ever4 ,forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands1 and that it brake in pieces the iron1 the brass1 the clay1 the silver1 and the gold2 the great ,god hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter2 and the dream is certain1 and the interpretation thereof sure40--,dan4 ii4 #dd1 #de4 ,,in these words we have a prophetic description of the kingdom of ,christ1 as the fifth empire that should arise after the date of this prophecy4 ,the wonderful image which so troubled the king of ,babylon in his dream1 and occasioned him so much solicitude when he awoke1 denoted four of the great empires of the world4 ,the head of gold represented the ,babylonian empire2 the breasts and arms of silver1 the ,medo-,persian empire2 the belly and thighs of brass1 the ,grecian empire1 under ,alexander the ,great2 the legs and feet of iron1 the ,roman empire in its strength and glory2 and the ten toes of mingled iron and clay1 the same empire in its divided and enfeebled state4 ,the last circumstance was intended to denote the same thing as the ten horns on the head of the ,beast in the book of ,revelation4 ,as iron is firm and strong1 and able to bruise and break all materials of a softer quality2 so the ,roman empire once crushed beneath its power all other kingdoms1 and dictated laws to the world4 ,as the beast with iron teeth trampled and rent to pieces all that came in its way2 so the ,roman tyrant1 like a lion among the lambs of the flock1 tore and devoured the followers of the meek and lowly ,jesus4 ,the kingdom of ,christ is represented under the figure of 8a stone cut out of the mountain without hands30 that is1 without human agency--without any wisdom or power of man1 but by the ,spirit of ,god2 smiting the feet of the image1 and shattering it into fragments2 then becoming a great mountain1 and filling the whole earth4 ,in the history of ,christianity we have the counterpart of the emblem4 ,messiah appeared in the form of a servant2 born of a poor virgin1 in the despised town of ,bethlehem2 lived a life of poverty1 persecution1 and various sorrow1 from the manger to the tree2 died the most painful and ignominious of deaths1 even the accursed death of the cross2 but rose from the dead on the predicted morning1 the morning of the third day2 commissioned his apostles1 the fishermen of ,galilee1 to 8go into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature20 ascended on high1 and sent down the ,holy ,spirit1 the promised ,comforter1 to give energy and efficacy to the word1 to prove its divinity1 and convince and save mankind4 ,the apostles immediately commenced their work2 persevered in the divine employment2 were prospered by the power of ,god2 and the stone1 rolling forth from ,mount ,zion1 and raising a dust which darkened the very heavens1 smote the feet and legs of the image1 until it shook1 and the earth trembled around it2 and that stone is still rolling on1 and shall crush and demolish the image1 and grind it to powder1 and scatter it to the winds of heaven2 and shall increase1 till it becomes a great mountain1 and fills the whole earth for ever4 ,in speaking of the accomplishment of this prophecy1 we will notice--its certainty1 its attendant glory1 and the nearness of its approach4 ,i4 ,the certainty of the accomplishment of this prophecy is founded1 first1 on the ,father's promise to the ,son1 made on the express condition of his pouring out his soul unto death4 8,i the ,lord have called thee in righteousness1 and will hold thy hand1 and will keep thee1 and give thee for a covenant of the people1 for a light of the ,gentiles1 to open the blind eyes1 to bring forth the prisoners from the prison1 and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house40 ,christ's universal dominion is the promised reward of his sufferings1 and the ,father speaks as if he intended to raise his wages4 8,thus saith the ,lord2 ,it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant1 to raise up the tribes of ,jacob1 and restore the preserved of ,israel2 ,i will also give thee for a light of the gentiles1 that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth40 8,ask of me1 and ,i shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance1 and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession40 ,such is the promise4 ,all nations shall come and worship before him4 ,all that the ,father hath given shall come unto him1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them4 ,the certainty of ,messiah's universal dominion is founded1 secondly1 on his perfect qualification to accomplish the work which the ,father hath given him to do4 8,no one knoweth the ,father10 in all the perfection of his nature1 all the wisdom of his counsels1 and all the immutability of his purposes1 8but the ,son2 and no one knoweth the ,son1 but the ,father10 as he alone is of the same essence1 and exhibits the same attributes4 ,christ is 8,god manifest in the flesh20 8the brightness of the ,father's glory1 and the express image of his person40 ,none but a divine person could give1 and none but a divine person could receive1 such a privilege as is here promised4 ,none but a divine person could be competent to the eternal redemption of countless millions of the human race4 ,christ 8is the true ,god1 and ,eternal ,life0--8the ,faithful ,witness1 the ,first ,begotten from the dead1 and the ,prince of the kings of the earth0--8the ,alpha and ,omega1 the ,beginning and the ,ending1 the ,first and the ,last0--8the ,root and the ,offspring of ,david1 and the ,bright and ,morning ,star0--8,over all1 ,god1 blessed for ever40 ,these are ,messiah's titles1 which evince his equality to the work which he has undertaken--the salvation of the world1 and the subjugation of all things unto himself4 ,he is able1 not only to set up his kingdom1 but also to establish it for ever4 ,it shall never be destroyed1 nor left to other people2 but shall break in pieces and destroy all other kingdoms1 and the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our ,god and of his ,christ4 ,take courage1 ye fearful saints6 ,your king is the ,almighty ,god4 ,he shall conquer all your enemies4 ,the victory of ,calvary is the pledge and earnest of his universal dominion4 ,you shall soon be more than conquerors1 through him that hath loved you1 and given himself for you4 ,he is able to protect you against the combined powers of earth and hell4 ,omniscient1 he is well acquainted with all the plots of his enemies2 ,almighty1 he can at any moment frustrate them4 ,the prince of darkness1 with all his hosts1 cannot impede the progress of his kingdom4 ,in all their councils1 he is present1 hearing their deliberations and discovering their malice4 ,he overturns their schemes1 or employs them for the accomplishment of his own gracious purposes4 8,his counsel shall stand1 and he will do all his pleasure40 ,too wise to err1 and too powerful to be overcome1 he marches in the van of battle1 and will never forsake his soldiers4 ,the very sight of his helmet and his plume is victory to his followers1 and death to his foes4 ,courage1 ye friends of ,zion6 8,lift up your hearts and rejoice1 for your redemption draweth nigh40 ,take the whole armor of ,god2 quit you like men2 be strong2 for the decisive conflict is at hand4 ,behold your ,general1 clothed with a garment white as snow1 girt about the loins with a golden girdle1 his feet as fine brass burning in a furnace1 his countenance as the sun shining in his strength1 his eyes as a flame of fire1 his voice as the sound of many waters1 a sharp two-edged sword proceeding out of his mouth1 seven stars in his right hand1 and at his girdle the keys of death and hell4 ,this is the ,captain of your salvation1 of whom the ,evangelical ,prophet inquires--8,who is this that cometh from ,edom1 with dyed garments from ,bozrah8 this that is glorious in his apparel1 travelling in the greatness of his strength80 ,this is ,emmanuel2 mighty to conquer1 and mighty to save4 ,who can stand before the glory of his power8 ,who can hinder the universal triumph of his cause8 ,the government shall be upon his shoulder1 and he shall reign for ever and ever4 ,what has been said is deemed sufficient to show the certainty of ,messiah's universal empire4 ,the promises of the ,father to the ,son are so many drafts of immense amount1 upon the bank of heaven1 which will be paid without discount at the appointed time2 and the character of ,christ is a sufficient guarantee that he will carry forward to its completion the work which he has begun4 ,having secured a title to the kingdom by his sufferings1 he shall certainly come1 and take possession1 and reign for ever4 ,the gospel is a lever1 whose fulcrum is the ,rock of ,ages1 and it shall yet lift our fallen world to heaven4 ,balaam knew that his curses could not injure ,israel1 whom ,jehovah had blessed4 ,the kingdom of ,messiah is mightier than ,moab4 ,the people beloved of the ,lord shall prosper in spite of their enemies--as gardens by the rivers1 and willows by the water-courses4 8,there shall be a handful of corn10 not a sackful1 only so much as the sower may hold in his hand--not on the bank of the ,nile1 nor in the valley of the ,jordan1 but 8on the top of the mountain0--the wild1 high1 rocky1 uncultivated mountain2 8the fruit thereof shall shake like ,lebanon10 and the wind shall carry the seed to the uttermost parts of the earth1 and young ,lebanons shall grow up everywhere1 and even the barren rocks and sands of ,arabia shall become as the garden of ,god4 ,it was but a handful of the seed of the kingdom1 which ,peter cast abroad on the day of ,pentecost2 it was but a handful he sowed in the house of ,cornelius1 the captain of the ,italian band2 but it soon spread throughout ,judea1 and even to the isles of the sea1 so that nothing was more manifest or more abundant than its fruit4 ,but the prevalence of ,christ's millennial kingdom shall be still more rapid and glorious2 and 8from the rising to the setting of the sun1 his name shall be great among the ,gentiles40 ,already the church is singing--8,gird thy sword upon thy thigh1 ,o thou ,most ,mighty2 and in thy majesty1 ride prosperously1 because of truth1 and meekness1 and righteousness4 ,thine arrows are sharp in the hearts of the king's enemies1 whereby the people fall under thee40 ,the song has reached the ear of the ,prince of ,darkness1 and he 8hath come in great wrath0 to the battle1 8for he knoweth that he hath but a short time40 ,he knows that 8the ,desire of nations0 is come2 and that his kingdom1 already begun1 shall be established for ever1 and extend from sea to sea1 till the knowledge of his glory and the victories of his grace shall cover the earth4 ,he sees the ,stone rolling against the idols of ,india1 and ,africa1 and the islands of the sea1 and feels his kingdom shake beneath its progress4 ,he sees the ,bramins1 the ,karens1 the worshippers of ,juggernaut and the ,ganges1 plucked as brands out of the burning4 ,he trembles to anticipate the announcement--8,the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our ,lord and of his ,christ60 ,he beholds the mighty angel1 with the keys of the bottomless pit1 and a great chain in his hand1 descending from heaven1 to bind him in his prison4 ,he hates the church1 with her various benevolent enterprises2 for he sees in them the artillery of ,heaven1 playing upon his fortresses of infidelity1 and idolatry1 and vice--the enginery of ,god1 setting up a kingdom which shall consume all others1 and stand for ever4 8,the dream is certain1 and the interpretation thereof is sure40 ,,ii4 ,we call your attention to the glory of ,messiah's universal reign4 ,it includes three things2 the victory obtained1 the blessings bestowed1 and the duration of the kingdom4 ,let us consider them distinctly4 ,first4 ,the victory obtained4 ,here we behold the 8stone cut out of the mountain10 rolling down the steep1 rushing and leaping toward the great image1 and smiting and breaking its feet of iron and clay1 so that it falls like ,dagon before the ark4 ,and still the ,stone1 instinct with the power of ,god1 and increasing in size and velocity1 keeps rolling to and fro1 bounding and rebounding1 till it grinds the fallen image to powder1 and scatters it as the dust of the summer thrashing-floor4 ,it is endued with perpetual motion2 keeping up a constant action and reaction1 crushing whatever opposes its progress1 and growing to such a magnitude as shall shortly fill the whole earth4 ,this is the salt of ,galilee1 seasoning the nations--the leaven of ,jerusalem1 spreading through the world4 ,this is the victorious reign of ,christ1 from the ,tiber to the ,thames1 from the ,euphrates to the ,ganges1 from ,britain to ,japan1 from sea to sea1 and from pole to pole4 ,this glorious conquest is to be obtained by 8the sword of the ,spirit1 which is the word of ,god20 in connection with the vast machinery of ,divine ,providence1 all the wheels of which are under the direction of ,jesus the ,christ4 ,it is a victory over ,satan1 by bruising his head2 a victory over sin1 by destroying its power2 a victory over death1 by swallowing it up for ever4 ,emmanuel has already successfully engaged all these foes2 and having routed them on ,calvary eighteen hundred years ago1 he still pursues their flight2 and shall not turn again1 till he has trampled 8the last enemy0 under his feet4 ,satan is the prince and the god of this world4 ,in the management of his affairs1 he employs a policy similar to that of the ,sultan of ,constantinople1 who sets up many pashas or governors under him1 as the ,pasha of ,egypt1 the ,pasha of ,aleppo1 the ,pasha of ,damascus1 all possessing the same despotic spirit1 and carrying out the same tyrannical measures4 ,the devil has established a great number of pashas throughout his dominion4 ,three of them are described by the ,revelator1 as unclean spirits1 like frogs2 one of them issuing from the mouth of ,satan himself1 representing undisguised ,paganism2 another from the mouth of the ,beast1 representing a persecuting civil power2 the third from the mouth of the ,false ,prophet1 representing abominable and damnable heresies4 ,but these shall all be conquered2 these1 and every other enemy of ,messiah upon earth4 ,jewish impenitence and unbelief1 which1 for a period of eighteen centuries1 has ruled with an absolute sceptre the lineal descendants of ,abraham1 shall be overcome4 ,mohammedism1 the 8king of fierce countenance1 understanding dark sentences10 that has reigned over so large a portion of the world1 practicing and prospering1 deceiving millions of souls1 and destroying the holy people1 shall be broken without hand1 and his kingdom shall come to naught4 ,the drunken harlot of ,rome1 riding on her scarlet beast1 that is1 a cruel and persecuting civil government1 and making all nations drink of the wine of her fornication1 shall be obliged to drink the wine of the wrath of ,almighty ,god2 and all the saints shall clap their hands at her overthrow1 and shout hallelujah to the ,captain of their salvation4 ,and all those ,protestant pashas of ,satan1 who would undermine the gospel by denying its peculiar and fundamental doctrines--such as the ,divinity of ,christ1 the merit of his sacrifice1 the excellency of his offices1 the personality and work of the ,holy ,spirit--and even the existence of his own infernal majesty1 shall be destroyed by the brightness of ,emmanuel's coming1 when he shall appear in the glory of his millennial kingdom4 ,then shall the song of the heavenly host break once more upon the ear of ,zion--8,arise1 shine1 for thy light is come1 and the glory of the ,lord is risen upon thee60 ,and 8the ,gentiles shall come to her light1 and kings to the brightness of her rising40 8,her sons shall come from far1 and her daughters shall be nursed at her side40 8,the glory of the ,lord shall be displayed1 and all flesh shall see it together40 ,secondly4 ,the blessings bestowed4 ,christ 8hath ascended on high1 and received gifts for men2 yea for the rebellious also1 that ,god may dwell among them40 ,the celestial reservoir is full2 and the golden pipes are laid1 for conveying the waters of life to every soul of man2 and the time shall yet come1 when all shall know the ,lord1 from the least to the greatest4 ,the gospel salvation shall be an ocean1 spreading over the whole earth2 and there shall be no more ebbing and flowing of the waters1 but a continual full tide from shore to shore4 ,the ,chinese1 the ,hottentot1 and the ,american ,indian1 shall be as thoroughly instructed in ,divine things as the ,welshman2 and the ,welshman shall be seven times more intelligent than now4 ,and this universally prevalent knowledge of ,christ shall be1 not merely nominal and theoretical1 but experimental and practical4 ,it shall be a 8faith unfeigned10 8of the operation of ,god10 8working by love1 and purifying the heart40 ,the light of the gospel shall be 8as the sun shining in his strength10 scattering all clouds from the face of the world1 and the moon and the stars shall be lost in its effulgence4 ,living waters shall flow out from the spiritual ,jerusalem in summer and winter2 neither frozen by the cold1 nor evaporated by the heat4 ,like the deluge of ,noah1 they shall cover the mountains2 but they shall save1 and not destroy1 all whom they shall overwhelm4 8,in that day1 there shall be one ,lord1 and his name shall be one20 and he 8shall be king over all the earth40 ,the cause of ,christ shall be pre-eminent in the estimation of mankind4 ,the duties and interests of ,christianity shall constitute no secondary concern4 8,the mountain of the ,lord's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains1 and exalted above the hills1 and all nations shall flow unto it40 ,among the blessings of this happy period1 shall be that of a universal and everlasting peace4 ,there shall be no more contention and bloodshed upon earth4 8,nation shall no more lift up sword against nation1 neither shall they learn war any more40 ,the arsenals shall empty their contents into the foundries and blacksmith-shops1 and the weapons of war shall be converted into scythes and plowshares4 ,o1 glorious day6 when heaven shall be seen upon earth1 and earth itself shall seem like heaven6 ,behold the ferocious wolf dwelling with the gentle lamb2 the furious leopard lying down with the innocent kid2 the cow and the bear feeding in the same pasture2 the infant leading the lion by the mane1 and playing upon the den of the adder and the asp2 and no disposition to hurt or destroy4 ,these are the scriptural emblems of that blessed peace4 ,holiness and happiness1 more united than ,david and ,jonathan1 more inseparable than ,ruth and ,naomi1 hand in hand1 two heavenly twins1 shall go singing over the world4 ,all envy and jealousy and hostility1 whether of nations1 of churches1 or of individuals1 shall perish before ,messiah's kingdom1 as perished the image in the vision before that wondrous stone4 ,thirdly4 ,the duration of the kingdom4 ,this is the crowning circumstance of its glory4 ,it 8shall not be destroyed1 nor left to other people40 ,its enemies1 however numerous and mighty1 cannot overthrow it2 and it 8shall stand for ever40 ,where now are the illustrious empires of ,babylon1 and ,persia1 and ,greece1 and ,rome8 ,where are the ,pharaohs1 the ,ptolemies1 the ,alexanders1 the ,csars1 the ,napoleons1 whose voice terrified nations1 and whose tread shook the world8 ,where--with all their power and splendor1 their iron sceptres and golden crowns8 ,gone2 mouldering in the dust2 and their magnificence nourishes the worm4 ,they are utterly demolished1 and shall rise no more4 ,but the ,king of ,zion liveth through all time1 and is himself 8the ,father of ,eternity10 8the ,alpha and ,omega1 the ,beginning and the ,ending1 the ,first and the ,last40 8,his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom1 and of his dominion there shall be no end40 ,,iii4 ,let us consider the nearness of its approach4 ,the language of prophecy1 viewed in connection with the signs of the times1 will lead us to the conclusion that it is nigh at hand1 even at the door4 ,many learned divines are of opinion that ,popery and ,mohammedism1 the ,antichrists of the east and the west1 must fall about the year #ahff4 ,this notion is founded on the following words3 8,from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away1 and the abomination that maketh desolate set up1 there shall be a thousand two hundred and threescore days--,blessed is he that waiteth1 and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days40 #adh ,different writers on the prophecies1 however1 differ in opinion concerning the times of their fulfilment4 ,all these speculations are very uncertain1 if not utterly unprofitable4 ,what matters it1 if our watches do not exactly agree8 ,we all know that the night is far spent1 and the day is at hand1 and the magnitude and importance of our duty requires prompt and earnest attention4 ,five men were determined to rise early in the morning1 to engage in a great work1 upon which depended their future fortunes4 ,the first was up before the morning star2 and though uncertain as to the hour1 immediately prepared for business4 ,the second1 when he rose1 saw the star just above the horizon1 and hastened to his work with animation and joy4 ,the third slept a little too long1 and awoke in great confusion and alarm2 but hurrying through the day as well as he could1 though with a heavy heart and many a blunder1 he made out partially to redeem his delinquency4 ,the fourth heard the cock crowing1 but thought there was no need of being in a hurry1 and composed himself to sleep again2 and when his neighbors called him1 turned in his bed1 and answered--8,a little more slumber20 and awaking about nine of the clock1 found the day too far advanced1 and abandoned his purpose in despair4 ,the fifth1 disturbed by the bustle of the others before daylight1 got up and looked out of the window2 and finding it as dark as it was at midnight1 was very angry1 called his neighbors a set of fools1 and declared he would have nothing to do with the enterprise2 and while all the others made themselves rich1 he lived and died in deserved poverty2 and some pitied him for his misfortune1 and others ridiculed him for his folly4 ,mark the wise man1 and follow his example4 ,the kingdom of ,antichrist has of late been greatly weakened in many parts of the world4 ,providence is pouring the vials of wrath upon the ,beast and the ,false ,prophet4 ,the idols and altars of ,paganism fall before the advancing ark of ,god4 ,the church1 with its train of benevolent institutions--like the bride1 with her attendant virgins1 going forth to meet the royal bridegroom--proclaims the coming of the ,prince of ,peace4 ,the ,bible1 ,missionary1 ,sabbath-school1 and ,tract societies1 are four heralds1 running before ,messiah's chariot2 rather1 the four wheels of that chariot in which he rides victoriously4 ,the rise and progress of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society remind me of the stream in ,ezekiel's vision4 ,this great river had its source in one of the mountains of ,wales4 ,in the year #ahjb1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,charles of ,bala1 an ordained minister of the established church1 officiating in connection with the ,calvinistic ,methodists1 deeply impressed with the preciousness of the ,bible1 and aware of the scarcity of copies throughout the principality1 felt that some measures ought to be adopted to furnish it at a reduced price1 and circulate it gratuitously among the poor4 ,he wrote concerning it to his countryman1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,owen1 an ,episcopal clergyman in ,london4 ,the subject was subsequently introduced to a circle of ,christian gentlemen1 who had met to transact other business4 ,it elicited much conversation1 and excited a lively interest4 ,the ,rev4 ,joseph ,hughes1 a ,welshman1 and ,baptist minister at ,battersea1 near ,london1 suggested that ,wales was not the only part of the world that felt a want of the ,bread of ,life2 and that it was desirable to awaken1 if possible1 a more extensive interest on the subject among ,christians of every name2 and stir them up to the adoption of some measure1 which might lead to a general circulation of the ,scriptures4 ,the suggestion was heartily entertained1 and warmly supported by the rest of the company2 and its discussion led to those incipient efforts1 which1 in #ahjd1 issued in the organization of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 ,the little spring of ,bala soon became a stream large enough for a man to swim in2 and now it widens and deepens into a great river1 on which float the merchandise of ,zion1 and the navies of ,god4 ,welshmen6 it is your privilege and honor1 as well as your duty1 to sustain this excellent institution4 ,it is a native of ,wales1 born in your northern mountains4 ,it is your own child1 and you are bound to protect and support it to the extent of your ability4 ,i call upon you as ,welshmen1 to aid an institution originating in ,welsh philanthropy4 ,i call upon you as ,welsh ,baptists1 to help forward an enterprise which sprang from the heart of a ,welsh ,baptist minister4 ,i appeal to you in the language of another3-- 8,the cause in which we are engaged is the cause of ,god1 and must succeed4 ,divine goodness has inspired1 divine wisdom and power will sustain it4 ,the ,bible will be carried throughout the habitable globe4 ,nor deserts--nor oceans--nor ,alpine solitudes--nor ,himalayan heights1 will obstruct its progress4 ,it will go through polar ice and equatorial fire1 wherever a soul may possibly be saved4 ,it will go on victorious1 like the sword of the ,lord and of ,gideon1 carrying every thing before it4 ,error and delusion must vanish as the mists of the morning before the rising splendor of the sun4 ,the powers of darkness must recede like spectres before the bursting of the day-spring from on high4 ,false gods and their altars must fall together in the dust4 ,the followers of ,confucius and ,zoroaster will take up their cross and follow ,christ4 ,the wandering ,arab will sit and sing at ,messiah's feet2 and the deluded disciples of ,mohammed1 instead of going in painful pilgrimage to ,mecca1 will turn their penitent eyes to ,calvary4 ,the dark places of the earth will be enlightened1 and the habitations of cruelty will become the abodes of love4 ,rivers will no longer roll with human blood1 nor sacrificial fires be fed with human victims4 ,mothers will no longer destroy their innocent children1 nor aged parents be immolated by their inhuman offspring4 ,marriage will be instituted in places where it is now unknown1 and savage practices be supplanted by the virtuous institutions of the gospel4 ,the ,cannibal of ,new ,zealand will be humanized1 and the ,caffre and the ,hottentot clothed and in their right minds4 ,the descendants of ,abraham must be gathered from the four quarters of the earth2 ,jerusalem arise and shine2 and the dejected ,jordan roll his streams with joy4 ,barren climes will teem with life--dreary deserts blossom as the rose4 ,rivers of salvation will run down the hills1 and fertilize the plains4 ,the ,saviour will ride forth in the chariot of the everlasting gospel1 conquering and to conquer4 ,nations will fall down before him1 and mountains melt at his approach4 ,and thus nation after nation will be converted1 and empire upon empire will be conquered2 and ,christianity will spread from clime to clime1 and from pole to pole2 until the final arrival of the blessed day1 when the knowledge of the ,lord shall literally cover the earth as the waters cover the deep--when there shall be but one people and one ,god--when the millennial day shall burst upon the earth1 like a flood of glory from on high--when the trump of ,jubilee shall sound1 and countless millions of the redeemed shall sing1 ,hallelujah6 the ,lord ,god omnipotent reigneth60 ,such1 brethren1 is the approaching triumph of ,emmanuel4 ,the mighty angel1 having found an old copy of the everlasting gospel1 which the ,pope had kept locked up in his bureau for many centuries1 is flying in the midst of heaven1 in sight of all the world4 ,his progress is rapid as the wings of the wind1 and his sweet strong voice is publishing the glad tidings to all people4 ,but we look for greater things than these4 ,following1 comes another mighty angel1 casting a great millstone into the sea1 and saying--8,thus shall ,babylon1 that great city1 be thrown down1 and found no more at all40 ,another follows1 crying with a loud voice--8,babylon is fallen1 is fallen60 ,another descends with the key and the chain1 and binds the dragon in the bottomless pit4 ,then appears one 8like unto the ,son of ,man10 sitting upon a white cloud1 and wearing a golden crown4 ,he thrusts in his sharp sickle1 and reaps the harvest of the earth1 and gathers the wheat into his garner1 the church4 ,again the sickle falls1 and the vintage of wickedness is gathered1 and cast into the wine-press of the wrath of ,almighty ,god4 ,then comes the voice of a great multitude1 as of many waters and mighty thunderings--the blended minstrelsy of earth and heaven--ascribing salvation and dominion and glory to him that sitteth upon the throne1 and to the ,lamb for ever and ever4 ,the ,prince of ,darkness1 with all his infernal hosts1 and all his allies upon earth1 is fearfully agitated1 as he witnesses the preparation for the great decisive battle4 8,why so much benevolence8 ,why so many societies8 ,why such extraordinary schemes and efforts80 ,nothing disturbs them so much as the sight of ,emmanuel's troops1 with their faces toward the field of ,armageddon1 led on by the ,captain of their ,salvation1 on his white horse1 with his vesture dipped in blood4 ,they know that this is the ,lion of the tribe of ,judah2 and the redness of his apparel1 reminding them of their defeat when he bruised their heads on ,calvary1 shoots consternation and anguish through all their ranks2 and the gates of hell tremble at the shaking of the iron rod in his hand1 which shall dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel4 ,but the saints are rejoicing in his train2 for they know that not one of the faithful shall perish--that not one of them shall be wounded--that each shall be more than conqueror1 and all shall appear with songs of everlasting joy at the marriage supper of the ,lamb4 ,and now1 my brethren1 children of my heavenly ,father1 of every name and order1 loved with the same love1 redeemed with the same blood1 called by the same ,spirit1 clothed with the same garment1 fed on the same manna1 engaged in the same cause--the great ,missionary enterprise--as you love the ,savior1 as you appreciate his salvation1 as you desire the introduction of his millennial kingdom1 we beseech you to give us a liberal contribution6 ,we are now ready to receive your money for ,missionary purposes2 and while you are casting it into the treasury1 let me remind you that your gold and your silver are beautiful birds plumed for flight1 that ,christian liberality is the scissors with which you may clip their wings1 and a short winged bird is better than none4 ,may we all act to-day as stewards of the ,lord1 in the immediate presence of our ,master1 before whom we must soon appear to account for the use made of our talents2 and when the time of reckoning shall come1 may each receive the gracious plaudit--8,well done1 good and faithful servant6 thou hast been faithful over a few things1 ,i will make thee ruler over many6 ,enter thou into the joy of thy ,lord60 ,amen4 ,,sermon ,,viii4 ,,the ,,sufferings ,,of ,,christ4 8,who1 his own self1 bore our sins1 in his own body1 on the tree2 that we1 being dead to sins1 should live unto righteousness2 by whose stripes ye were healed40--,i ,peter ii4 #bd4 ,,what great encouragement to patience and fortitude is afforded the followers of ,jesus1 by the apostle's contrast of the light and transient afflictions of the present time1 with the eternal weight of glory reserved for them in heaven6 ,how forcible the argument which he draws from the approaching scenes of another world1 to urge ,christians in this to a life of holiness and self-denial6 ,how vivid and terrible his picture of the dissolution of nature by the great conflagration6 ,imagine the heavens wrapped in dissolving flames1 and the elements melting to the centre of the globe4 ,the victorious and inextinguishable fire towers to the empyrean2 the magnificent palace of creation is lost in the smoke of its own burning2 and the ear is stunned1 and the soul is horrified1 by the crash of its final fall4 8,seeing then1 that all these things must be dissolved1 what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness2 looking for1 and hasting unto the coming of the day of ,god20 8using all diligence to make your calling and election sure20 8that ye may be found of him in peace1 without spot1 and blameless20 that 8so an abundant entrance may be ministered unto you1 into the everlasting kingdom of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ60 ,such1 substantially1 is the argument4 ,but the apostle employs another2 the ,christian's obligation to imitate ,christ1 suffering for him as he suffered for us1 with the same fortitude and resignation1 though not to the same extent1 nor for the same purpose4 ,it is in this connection he uses the language of the text3--8,servants1 be subject to your masters with all fear2 not only to the good and gentle1 but also to the froward4 ,for this is thankworthy1 if a man for conscience toward ,god endure grief1 suffering wrongfully4 ,for what glory is it1 if1 when ye be buffeted for your faults1 ye shall take it patiently8 but if1 when ye do well1 and suffer for it1 ye take it patiently1 this is acceptable with ,god4 ,for even hereunto were ye called3 because ,christ also suffered for us1 leaving us an example1 that ye should follow his steps3 who did no sin1 neither was guile found in his mouth3 who1 when he was reviled1 reviled not again2 when he suffered1 he threatened not2 but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously3 who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree1 that we1 being dead to sins1 should live unto righteousness3 by whose stripes ye were healed40 ,we are to suffer for ,christ as his disciples and confessors2 he suffered for us as our substitute1 our atoning sacrifice and ,saviour4 ,let us attend1 first1 to this description of his sufferings2 and then to the end for which he endured them4 ,i4 ,the text describes ,christ in his vicarious sufferings1 as bearing our sins2 bearing our sins1 his own self2 bearing our sins1 his own self1 in his own body2 and bearing our sins1 his own self1 in his own body1 on the tree1 #a4 ,he bore our sins4 ,to get a correct understanding of this expression1 we must turn to the record of the ordinance to which it alludes1 which is as follows3--8,and when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place1 and the tabernacle of the congregation1 and the altar1 he shall bring the live goat1 and ,aaron shall lay both his hands upon the live goat1 and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of ,israel1 and all their transgressions1 in all their sins1 putting them on the head of the goat2 and shall send him away1 by the hand of a fit man1 into the wilderness2 and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited2 and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness40 ,but this part of the ceremony was preceded by another1 of very solemn import4 ,a goat was selected for a sin-offering4 ,he was brought before the ,lord1 and ,aaron put his hands upon him1 and devoted him to death4 ,he was slain1 and his blood was sprinkled upon the altar and the mercy-seat4 ,then the sins of the children of ,israel were laid upon the head of the other goat1 and he was led forth1 and sent away into the wilderness1 to return no more4 ,both these goats represented ,christ2 who1 as our ,savior1 answers to both2 at once1 suffering for our sins1 and bearing them away into the land of forgetfulness4 ,three things were found continually in the temple2 fire1 and blood1 and sweet incense4 ,the fire denoted the wrath of ,god against sin2 the blood prefigured the sacrificial sufferings of ,christ2 and the sweet incense typified his intercession at the right hand of the ,father1 on the ground of his vicarious death upon the cross4 ,the goat of the sin-offering was bound and slain2 and then burnt up1 with the fat thereof1 upon the altar4 ,so ,christ was crucified for us without the gates of ,jerusalem2 and his humanity was consumed by the fire of ,god's holy indignation against sin1 on the altar of his ,divinity2 while from that altar ascended a column of the sweetest incense to the heaven of heavens--8,father1 forgive them60 ,in hell also there is fire1 where sinners suffer upon the altars of eternal justice4 ,every sacrifice is salted with fire1 and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever4 ,but the black and sulphurous smoke of the bottomless pit is not a sweet smelling savor unto ,god1 like the fumes of the sacrifice once offered on ,calvary--a sacrifice which satisfied the claim of ,heaven1 and expiated the offence of earth4 ,the form of expression used in our text is one which frequently occurs in the ,old ,testament1 and signifies the enduring of punishment4 ,of the impenitent sinner it is said1 8,he shall bear his iniquity0--that is1 he shall endure the just punishment of his sins4 ,he shall carry the burden alone1 and for ever sink beneath the load1 and mercy shall never come to his relief4 ,christ's bearing our sins1 then1 signifies his enduring1 the punishment in our stead4 ,glory to ,god1 that every poor trembling sinner may cast his burden upon one who is able to sustain it1 who has already sustained it in his stead6 ,the law passed the guilty1 and arrested the guiltless4 ,jesus willingly gave himself up as the victim1 saying--8,i am he2 if ye seek me1 let these go their way40 ,his sufferings constitute the sea1 in which are buried for ever the sins of his people2 sins of the greatest magnitude2 sins of the deepest dye4 ,the ,father1 who turned his back upon the sufferings of his ,son1 hath said--8,i will cast all thy sins behind my back1 into the depth of the sea40 ,this is the abyss1 in which they are swallowed up1 and seen no more4 #b4 ,he bore our sins1 his own self4 ,god and man were parties at variance4 ,there was but one who could stand between them as mediator1 and he gave himself a substitute and sacrifice for the sinner4 ,uniting in his person the two natures1 human and ,divine1 he was fully qualified for his work2 and by once offering himself1 he satisfied the demands of the insulted law1 and 8became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him40 ,he offered up himself1 without the aid of another2 and it was his own blessed person that he threw between you and the destroying angel1 between you and the mortal plague of sin1 between you and the unquenchable fires of hell4 ,none but ,moses1 the mediator1 could penetrate the thick darkness in which1 as in a pavilion1 ,god dwelt1 upon the mount of terror2 and none but ,aaron1 the high-priest1 dared enter the holy of holies1 and he only once a year1 on the great day of atonement1 with trembling steps1 and sacrificial blood4 ,so ,jesus1 the mediator of a better covenant1 and high-priest of the true sanctuary1 the sum and substance of all the types and shadows of the old dispensation1 when1 in the garden of ,gethsemane1 he approached the black and terrible cloud1 where ,god revealed the terrors of his justice1 and the fierceness of his wrath1 said to his disciples3--8,tarry ye here1 while ,i go yonder4 ,ye cannot go2 the place is too dreadful4 ,i will go alone40 ,alone he went2 and as he drew near the furnace1 his countenance was marvellously altered1 his heart melted in the midst of his bowels1 and the very substance of his life pressed through the pores of his skin4 ,all the visible fire which flamed on the summit of ,sinai1 now breaks forth anew on ,calvary2 and though unseen by man1 envelopes in its burning the soul and the body of our glorious ,substitute4 ,behold him rushing between you and the flames1 shielding you1 and quenching the flames in his blood6 #c4 ,he bore our sins1 his own self1 in his own body4 ,atonement was made for the sins of ,israel by the blood of slaughtered beasts4 ,but 8the blood of bulls and goats1 and the ashes of an heifer1 sprinkling the unclean1 sanctified only to the purifying of the flesh40 ,the blood of ,christ alone has power to 8purge the conscience from dead works1 to serve the living ,god40 ,it was his own body1 that our blessed ,redeemer offered as a sacrifice for our sins1 a sacrifice of a sweet savor unto ,god4 ,the ,divine person bore the punishment of sins in human nature4 8,it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins40 ,we hear the ,son saying to the ,father3--8,sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not1 but a body hast thou prepared for me4 ,i see that the services of the altar are of no avail1 and are passing away4 ,in burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure4 ,at this moment1 the great cause of difference between heaven and earth remains untaken away4 ,the bills are all uncancelled4 ,the handwriting in the book of the law1 and in the book of conscience1 continues in full force unto this day4 ,but lo1 ,i come to do thy will1 ,o my ,god4 ,yea1 thy law is within my heart4 ,i delight to honor its claims1 while ,i save its violaters4 ,i will obey1 even unto the death of the cross1 and expiate human transgression by my meritorious sufferings4 ,then1 as first begotten from the dead1 will ,i declare the decree which thou didst read to me before the foundation of the world--#8,thou art my ,son2 this day have ,i begotten thee4 ,because ,i have bruised thee1 and put thee to grief1 thou shalt see thy seed1 and prolong thy days2 and the pleasure of the ,lord shall prosper in thy hand4 ,because thou hast borne the sins of many1 thou shall justify many4 ,because thou hast been numbered with the transgressors1 and made intercession for them1 thou shalt see of the travail of thy soul1 and be satisfied4 ,because thou hast made thy soul an offering for sin1 pouring it out unto death1 ,i will divide thee a portion with the great1 and thou shalt divide the spoil with the strong4 ,i will make thee king in ,zion1 and thou shalt reign for ever and ever6'0 ,the sufferings of the ,son are accomplished1 and the promise of the ,father is receiving its fulfilment4 ,the law of the ,spirit of ,life hath gone forth2 and sinners1 with songs of salvation1 are crowding to the cross6 #d4 ,he bore our sins1 his own self1 in his own body1 on the tree4 ,in ,deut4 xxi4 #bb1 #bc1 we find that death by hanging on a tree was deemed an accursed death4 ,paul refers to this passage in the third chapter of his epistle to the ,galatians3--8,as it is written2 cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree40 ,by consenting to crucifixion1 ,christ was 8made a curse for us40 ,what shame and ignominy did he endure in our behalf6 ,see him arrayed in royal purple1 the reed of scorn in his hand1 the crown of thorns upon his head1 and the cross of infamy upon his back4 ,he grows faint beneath his burden4 ,his murderers1 fearing lest his woes should pass endurance before their cruel thirst for his blood could be satiated1 compel ,simon of ,cyrene to carry one end of the cross4 ,thus they move on to the summit of ,calvary4 ,they lay the tree upon the ground1 and stretch the ,son of ,god upon it1 and nail his hands and his feet to the wood4 ,it is reared on high1 with its bleeding victim2 and there he hangs1 before the gazing world1 and the wondering heavens2 suffering the most excruciating death ever invented1 the most shameful in the sight of man1 the most accursed in the sight of ,god4 ,all the springs of consolation are sealed to the glorious sufferer2 and he finds not a single drop of comfort in his great extremity4 ,true1 the fountains of the deep are broken up1 and the windows of heaven are opened2 but not to supply him with drink who saith--8,i thirst60 ,from below burst forth upon him the streams of hellish rage1 a fiery deluge from the mouth of the dragon2 while from above ,divine ,justice pours down a cataract of wrath1 overwhelming his soul with agony1 and baptizing his body with blood4 ,this is the baptism which he anticipated in talking with his disciples3--8,i have a baptism to be baptized with1 and how am ,i straitened till it be accomplished60 ,let us pause a moment to contemplate this baptism4 ,it was the anguish of his soul1 wringing the blood from his person1 till the crimson dew stood thick upon his brow1 and rolled down in great drops to the ground4 ,the sufferings of his soul constituted the soul of his sufferings4 8,my soul is exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death40 ,it was not the taunt of the rabble1 the derision of the governors1 nor the cruelly lacerating scourge1 that ,jesus dreaded in the garden1 and deprecated in that mysterious agony4 ,nor was it the thorns1 the nails1 the tree1 or the spear4 ,it was the burden1 ,o man6 of thy guilt2 the flaming curse of the law2 the felt displeasure of the ,father against sin4 ,when the martyrs suffered death for ,jesus' sake1 they rejoiced in the midst of the fire1 for the ,son of man was there to sustain them2 but when ,christ suffered1 the ,just for the unjust1 he felt the hidings of his ,father's face1 and cried after him through the blackening heavens--8,my ,god6 my ,god6 why hast thou forsaken me60 ,in the ,bible we read of two very remarkable trees2 8the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the garden10 and the tree of redemption high planted on 8the place of skulls40 ,milton has made the former the theme of his majestic song1 which he opens with the following strain3-- 8,of man's first disobedience1 and the fruit ,of that forbidden tree1 whose mortal taste ,brought death into the world1 and all our wo1 ,with loss of ,eden1 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 sing1 ,heavenly ,muse60 ,but let me extol that mysterious tree of life on ,golgotha1 by which1-- --8,one ,greater ,man ,restores us1 and regains the blissful seat60 8,sing1 ,heavenly ,muse10 of ,jesus and his cross6 ,sing of the wormwood and the gall1 of the strife and the triumph of ,calvary6 ,let us compare these two trees4 ,by the former1 8the first ,adam0 transgressed1 and entailed ruin upon his posterity2 by the latter1 8the second ,adam0 8became obedient unto death10 and 8brought life and immortality to light40 ,by a forbidden approach to the one1 the chain of the covenant was broken1 ,paradise forfeited1 ,god's image and favor lost1 the league with hell signed1 and sealed1 and ratified1 and the whole earth converted into a province of the ,prince of ,darkness1 and delivered up to the despotism of ,sin and ,death2 but four thousand years afterward1 the ,son of ,god took his stand on the other1 wrestled gloriously with the tyrant usurpers1 dethroned ,satan1 condemned and abolished ,sin1 swallowed up ,death in victory1 disannulled the league of earth with hell1 restored to believers the favor and image of ,god1 reopened the gates of the forfeited ,eden to the exiles1 and established a new and everlasting covenant of grace4 ,the blood of ,jesus cancelled the debt of man1 and quenched the wrath of ,god2 and from all them that obey him1 it will ultimately wash away all the stains of sin1 and all the dust of death4 ,this is the newly consecrated way into the holy of holies2 this is eternal life6 8,sing1 ,heavenly ,muse10 once more6 8,we too with him are dead1 ,and shall with him arise3 ,the cross on which he bows his head ,shall lift us to the skies60 ,thus1 the ,son of ,god1 8his own self1 bore our sins1 in his own body1 on the tree40 ,the burden beneath which he fainted was our burden1 and would have sunk us to perdition4 ,it was for us he suffered and died4 ,though our iniquities were laid on him1 they were yet our iniquities4 ,he endured the punishment in our stead4 ,he stood between us and the uplifted arm of ,justice2 and the sword which would have cleft our souls asunder1 was sheathed in ,emmanuel's heart4 ,his righteousness1 imputed to us1 and appropriated by faith1 is 8the righteousness of ,god1 which is unto all and upon all them that believe10 covering their sins1 and rendering them 8accepted in the ,beloved40 ,can we pass by mount ,calvary1 and gaze upon that wondrous sight1 and still remain unmoved8 ,have we no tears of gratitude and love8 ,pause we not to wonder and adore8 ,o the depth of the riches6 the riches of his wisdom6 the riches of his grace6 ,,ii4 ,having thus spoken of ,christ's vicarious sufferings1 let us notice a little more particularly the end for which he endured them4 8,that we1 being dead to sins1 should live unto righteousness2 by whose stripes ye were healed40 ,this death unto sin1 and this new life unto righteousness1 denote the sanctification of the soul 8by the renewing of the ,holy ,spirit40 ,the 8spiritually minded0 man is made1 through the grace of ,god1 a 8partaker of the ,divine nature40 ,he has received a new principle1 whereby his lusts and corruptions are mortified1 crucified1 and slain4 ,the right hand that offended is cut off2 the right eye that offended is plucked out4 ,he delights in the law of ,god2 he feels a strong desire1 and makes strenuous efforts1 to conform himself1 in heart and life1 to its holy requirements4 ,made free from the dominion and condemning power of sin1 he still needs1 however1 the aid of the ,holy ,spirit1 to crucify the old man2 to live soberly1 righteously1 and godly1 in this present evil world2 to die to sins1 and live unto righteousness4 ,in the court of heaven1 he is justified by the righteousness of ,christ2 but before men1 he is justified by his own righteousness4 8,let your light so shine before men1 that they may see your good works1 and glorify your ,father who is in heaven40 ,be as a candle1 not under a bushel1 but on a candlestick1 enlightening all around you4 ,paul to the ,ephesians says that ,christ loved the ,church1 and gave himself for it1 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word2 that he might present it to himself a glorious church1 not having spot or wrinkle1 or any such thing1 but that it should be holy and without blemish4 ,god hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness4 ,let us1 therefore cleanse ourselves from all filthiness--from all manner of pollution--of the flesh and spirit1 perfecting holiness in the fear of ,god4 ,for it is written1 ,be ye holy1 for ,i am holy2 holy in all manner of conversation2 holy in all stations1 relations1 and conditions of life--as husbands and wives1 parents and children1 masters and servants2 and this always1 and in all places--at home and abroad1 in private and in public1 in prosperity and adversity4 ,our conversation should be such as becometh the nature and requirements of the gospel of ,christ4 ,forgetting the things that are behind1 we should be ever pressing forward towards those things that are before--not as though we had already attained1 either were already perfect2 but making perfection our mark2 for we know not yet what we shall be1 but one thing we do know--that when he shall appear1 we shall be like him6 ,then1 and not till then1 shall we be satisfied1 when we awake in his likeness4 ,we must be conformed to the image of ,god's ,son in this world1 otherwise we cannot have the enjoyment of him in the world to come4 ,we must have the spirit of ,christ1 to love righteousness1 and to hate iniquity4 ,we must imitate his example in zeal and activity1 doing our ,father's work while the day lasts4 ,die to sin1 we must4 8,for if ye live after the flesh1 ye shall die1 but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body1 ye shall live40 ,mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth4 ,put off the old man with all his deceitful lusts1 and put on the new man1 which1 after ,god1 is created in righteousness and true holiness4 ,abstain from those fleshy lusts that war against the soul2 always keeping in mind1 that they that are ,christ's have crucified the flesh1 with the affections and lusts4 ,to die to sin1 implies a perfect hatred of it1 deep sorrow and contrition on account of it1 and a constant desire and effort to forsake it4 ,we should conscientiously use all the means of grace1 and depend entirely upon the grace of ,god1 as that by which alone we can obtain a victory--final and complete1--over all our enemies1 the flesh1 the world1 and the devil4 ,be sober1 be vigilant1 because your adversary1 the devil1 as a roaring lion goeth about1 seeking whom he may devour4 ,good reason have you to pray without ceasing1 that you may be made strong in the ,lord and in the power of his might4 ,you must put on the whole armor of ,god1 that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil4 ,your loins must be girt about with truth4 ,the breast-plate of righteousness you must wear4 ,your heart must be protected by the shield of faith1 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace4 ,forget not the helmet of salvation1 nor the sword of the ,spirit1 nor to write often to the ,king--directing to the care of ,jesus1 that your petitions may not fail--8,praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit1 and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints40 ,as ye formerly yielded your members servants to uncleanness1 even so now yield your members servants of righteousness unto holiness4 ,live unto righteousness4 ,yield yourselves up unto ,god1 as those that are alive from the dead1 and your members as instruments of righteousness unto ,god4 ,conform to his revealed will1 and keep an eye single to his glory in the performance of every duty4 ,to produce in his people this happy change1 was the end of ,messiah's sufferings4 ,but this was not all1 for the apostle adds1--8,by whose stripes ye were healed40 ,divine philosophy6 supernatural science6 transcending all original conception of men and angels6 ,who could ever have dreamed of healing by his stripes1 soundness by his wounds1 pleasure by his pains1 and life eternal by his death6 ,we are afflicted by the old inveterate plague of sin1 but there is balm in ,gilead1 and a ,physician there4 ,his blood alone can cure the malady1 and that is infallible4 ,all the way from ,bethlehem to ,calvary1 he was employed in preparing his materia medica4 ,the ,gospel is the great store-house of this precious preparation4 ,it is always full2 it is always free2 and the sign over its entrance is--8,able to save to the uttermost40 ,the ,holy ,spirit is continually making the application1 and all who come are cured4 ,it is a matter of all others the most momentous1 that we know our personal interest in these things4 ,if we be not dead to sins1 and alive unto righteousness--if we be not healed by the stripes of ,jesus--his sufferings upon the cross1 and our theoretical faith in their vicarious character and saving power1 will profit us nothing4 8,if any man have not the spirit of ,christ1 he is none of his40 ,there is a vast difference between sanctification and morality4 ,a man may perform many excellent deeds1 while the principle that actuates him is averse to true godliness4 ,happy are they1 whose sins are pardoned1 whose persons are justified1 and whose bodies are become temples of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,lord is their ,god and ,father4 ,they have passed from death unto life1 and shall not come into condemnation4 8,there is now no condemnation to them that are in ,christ ,jesus1 who walk not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit2 for the law of the ,spirit of life1 in ,christ ,jesus1 hath made me free from the law of sin and death40 ,,sermon ,,ix4 ,,the ,,purification ,,of ,,conscience4 8,how much more shall the blood of ,christ1 who1 through the eternal ,spirit1 offered himself without spot to ,god1 purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living ,god80--,heb4 ix4 #ad4 ,,the ,hebrew ,christians1 to whom the apostle wrote1 were well acquainted with the laws of ceremonial purification by the blood of beasts and birds1 for by blood almost every thing was purified in the service of the temple4 ,but it is only the blood of ,christ that can purge the human conscience4 ,in speaking of this purification1 as presented in our text1 let us notice--the object1 the means1 and the end4 ,i4 ,the object of this purification is the conscience2 which all the sacrificial blood shed1 from the gate of ,eden1 down to the extinction of the fire on the ,jewish altar1 was not sufficient to purge4 ,what is the conscience8 ,an inferior judge1 the representative of ,jehovah1 holding his court in the human soul2 according to whose decision we feel either confidence and joy in ,god1 or condemnation and tormenting fear4 ,his judicial power is graduated by the degree of moral and evangelical light which has been shed upon his palace4 ,his knowledge of the will and the character of ,god is the law by which he justifies or condemns4 ,his intelligence is the measure of his authority2 and the perfection of knowledge would be the infallibility of conscience4 ,this faithful recorder and deputy judge is with us through all the journey of life1 and will accompany us with his register over the river ,jordan1 whether to ,abraham's bosom or the society of the rich men in hell4 ,while conscience keeps a record on earth1 ,jehovah keeps a record in heaven2 and when both books shall be opened in the final judgment1 there shall be found a perfect correspondence4 ,when temptations are presented1 the understanding opposes them1 but the carnal mind indulges them1 and there is a contest between the judgment and the will1 and we hesitate which to obey1 till the warning bell of conscience rings through the soul1 and gives distinct notice of his awful recognition2 and when we turn away recklessly from his faithful admonitions1 we hear low mutterings of wrath stealing along the avenues1 and the quick sound of writing-pens in the recording office1 causing every denizen of the mental palace to tremble4 ,there is a good conscience1 and an evil conscience4 ,the work of both1 however1 is the same2 consisting in keeping a true record of the actions of men1 and passing sentence upon them according to their deserts4 ,conscience is called good or evil only with reference to the character of its record and its sentence4 ,if the record is one of virtues1 and the sentence one of approval1 the conscience is good2 if the record is one of vices1 and the sentence one of condemnation1 the conscience is evil4 ,some have a guilty conscience2 that is1 a conscience that holds up to their view a black catalogue of crimes1 and rings in their ears the sentence of condemnation4 ,if you have such a conscience1 you are invited to ,jesus1 that you may find peace to your souls4 ,he is ever in his office1 receiving all who come1 and blotting out with his own blood the handwriting which is against them4 ,but some have a despairing conscience4 ,they think that their crimes are too great to be forgiven4 ,the registry of guilt1 and the decree of death1 hide from their eyes the mercy of ,god1 and the merit of ,christ4 ,their sins rise like mountains between them and heaven4 ,but let them look away to ,calvary4 ,if their sins are a thousand times more numerous than their tears1 the blood of ,jesus is ten thousand times more powerful than their sins4 8,he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto ,god by him1 seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them40 ,and others have a dark and hardened conscience4 ,they are so deceived1 that they 8cry peace and safety1 when destruction is at the door40 ,they are 8past feeling1 having the conscience seared as with a hot iron40 ,they have sold themselves to work evil2 to eat sin like bread1 and drink iniquity like water4 ,they have bribed or gagged the recorder and accuser within them4 ,they will betray the just cause of the righteous1 and slay the messengers of salvation1 and think that they are doing ,god service4 ,john the ,baptist is beheaded1 that ,herod may keep his oath of honor4 ,a dead fish cannot swim against the stream2 but if the king's conscience had been alive and faithful1 he would have said3--8,girl1 ,i promised to give thee thy request1 even to the half of my kingdom2 but thou hast requested too much2 for the head of ,messiah's herald is more valuable than my whole kingdom1 and all the kingdoms of the world60 ,but he had not the fear of ,god before his eyes1 and the proud fool sent and beheaded the prophet in his cell4 ,a good conscience is a faithful conscience1 a lively conscience1 a peaceful conscience1 a conscience void of offence toward ,god and man1 resting in the shadow of the cross1 and assured of an interest in its infinite merit4 ,it is the victory of faith unfeigned1 working by love1 and purifying the heart4 ,it is always found in the neighborhood and society of its brethren2 8a broken heart1 and a contrite spirit20 an intense hatred of sin1 and an ardent love of holiness2 a spirit of fervent prayer and supplication1 and a life of scrupulous integrity and charity2 and above all1 an humble confidence in the mercy of ,god1 through the mediation of ,christ4 ,these constitute the brotherhood of ,christianity2 and wherever they abound1 a good conscience is never lacking4 ,they are its very element and life2 its food1 its sunshine1 and its vital air4 ,conscience was a faithful recorder and judge under the law2 and notwithstanding the revolution which has taken place1 introducing a new constitution1 and a new administration1 ,conscience still retains his office2 and when 8purged from dead works to serve the living ,god10 is appropriately called a good conscience4 ,,ii4 ,the means of this purification is 8the blood of ,christ1 who through the ,eternal ,spirit offered himself without spot to ,god40 ,could we take in1 at a single view1 all the bearings of 8the blood of ,christ10 as exhibited in the gospel1 what an astonishing light would it cast upon the condition of man2 the character of ,god2 the nature and requirements of his law2 the dreadful consequences of sin2 the wondrous expiation of the cross2 the reconciliation of ,heaven and earth2 the blessed union of the believer with ,god in ,christ1 as a just ,god and a ,savior2 and the whole scheme of our justification1 sanctification1 and redemption1 through free1 sovereign1 infinite1 and unspeakable grace6 ,there is no knowledge like the knowledge of ,christ1 for the excellency of which the apostle counted all things but loss4 ,christ is the ,sun of ,righteousness1 in whose light we see the tops of the mountains of immortality1 towering above the dense clouds which overhang the valley of death4 ,all the wisdom which philosophers have learned from nature and providence1 compared with that which is afforded by the ,christian ,revelation1 is like the ignis fatuus compared with the sun4 ,the knowledge of ,plato1 and ,socrates1 and all the renowned sages of antiquity1 was nothing to the knowledge of the feeblest believer in 8the blood of ,christ40 8,the blood of ,christ0 is of infinite value4 ,there is none like it flowing in human veins4 ,it was the blood of a man1 but of a man who knew no iniquity2 the blood of a sinless humanity1 in which dwelt all the fullness of the ,godhead bodily2 the blood of the second ,adam1 who is the ,lord from heaven1 and a quickening spirit upon earth4 ,it pressed through every pore of his body in the garden2 and gushed from his head1 his hands1 his feet1 and his side1 upon the cross4 ,i approach with fear and trembling1 yet with humble confidence and joy4 ,i take off my shoes1 like ,moses1 as he draws near the burning bush2 for ,i hear a voice coming forth from the altar1 saying--8,i and my ,father are one2 ,i am the true ,god1 and eternal life40 ,the expression1 8the blood of ,christ10 includes the whole of his obedience to the moral law1 by the imputation of which we are justified2 and all the sufferings of his soul and his body as our ,mediator1 by which an atonement is made for our sins1 and a fountain opened to wash them all away4 ,this is the spring whence rise the rivers of forgiving and sanctifying grace4 ,in the representation which the text gives us of this redeeming blood1 are several points worthy of our special consideration3-- #a4 ,it is the blood of ,christ2 the appointed ,substitute and ,saviour of men2 8the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sins of the world40 #b4 ,it is the blood of ,christ1 who offered himself4 ,his humanity was the only sacrifice which would answer the demands of justice1 and atone for the transgressions of mankind4 ,therefore 8he made his soul an offering for sin40 #c4 ,it is the blood of ,christ1 who offered himself to ,god4 ,it was the eternal ,father1 whose broken law must be repaired1 whose dishonored government must be vindicated1 and whose flaming indignation must be turned away4 ,the well beloved ,son must meet the ,father's frown1 and bear the ,father's curse for us4 ,all the ,divine attributes called for the offering2 and without it1 could not be reconciled to the sinner4 #d4 ,it is the blood of ,christ1 who offered himself to ,god1 without spot4 ,this was a perfect sacrifice4 ,the victim was without blemish or defect2 the altar was complete in all its appurtenances2 and the high-priest possessed every conceivable qualification for his work4 ,christ was at once victim1 altar1 and high-priest2 8holy1 harmless1 and undefiled20 8,god manifest in the flesh40 ,being himself perfect ,god1 and perfect man1 and perfect ,mediator between ,god and man1 he perfects for ever all them that believe4 #e4 ,it is the blood of ,christ1 who offered himself to ,god1 without spot1 through the eternal ,spirit4 ,by the eternal ,spirit here1 we are to understand1 not the third person of the ,godhead1 but the second2 ,christ's own ,divine nature1 which was co-eternal with the ,father before the world was2 and which1 in the fulness of time1 seized on humanity1 sinless and immaculate humanity1 and offered it body and soul1 as a sacrifice for human sins4 ,the eternal ,spirit was at once the priest that offered the victim1 and the altar that sanctified the offering4 ,without this agency1 there could have been no atonement4 ,the offering of mere humanity1 however spotless1 aside from the merit derived from its connection with ,divinity1 could not have been a sacrifice of sweet-smelling savor unto ,god4 #f4 ,it is the blood of ,christ1 who offered himself to ,god1 without spot1 through the eternal ,spirit1 that he might purge your conscience4 ,as the typical sacrifices under the law purified men from ceremonial defilement1 so the real sacrifice of the ,gospel saves the believer from moral pollution4 ,blood was the life of all the services of the tabernacle made with hands1 and gave significance and utility to all the rites of the former dispensation4 ,by blood the covenant between ,god and his people was sealed4 ,by blood the officers and vessels of the sanctuary were consecrated4 ,by blood the children of ,israel were preserved in ,egypt from the destroying angel4 ,so the blood of ,christ is our justification1 sanctification1 and redemption4 ,all the blessings of the gospel flow to us through the blood of the ,lamb4 ,mercy1 when she writes our pardon1 and when she registers our names in 8the ,book of ,life10 dips her pen in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,and the vast company that ,john saw before the throne had come out of great tribulation1 having 8washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb40 ,the children of ,israel were delivered from ,egypt1 on the very night that the paschal lamb was slain1 and its blood sprinkled upon the doorposts1 as if their liberty and life were procured by its death4 ,this typified the necessity and power of the atonement1 which is the very heart of the gospel1 and the spiritual life of the believer4 ,in ,egypt1 however1 there was a lamb slain for every family2 but under the new covenant ,god has but one family1 and one ,lamb is sufficient for their salvation4 ,in the cleansing of the leper1 several things were necessary2 as running water1 cedar wood1 scarlet and hyssop1 and the finger of the priest2 but it was the blood that gave efficacy to the whole4 ,so it is in the purification of the conscience4 ,without the shedding of blood1 the leper could not be cleansed2 without the shedding of blood1 the conscience cannot be purged4 8,the blood of ,christ0 seals every precept1 every promise1 every warning1 of the ,new ,testament4 8,the blood of ,christ0 renders the ,scriptures 8profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness40 8,the blood of ,christ0 gives efficiency to the pulpit2 and when 8,jesus ,christ and him crucified0 is shut out1 the virtue is wanting which heals and restores the soul4 ,it is only through the crucifixion of ,christ1 that 8the old man0 is crucified in the believer4 ,it is only through his obedience unto death1 even the death of the cross1 that our dead souls are quickened1 to serve ,god in newness of life4 ,here rest our hopes4 8,the foundation of ,god standeth sure40 ,the bill of redemption being presented by ,christ1 was read by the prophets1 and passed unanimously in both houses of parliament4 ,it had its final reading in the lower house1 when ,messiah hung on ,calvary2 and passed three days afterward1 when he rose from the dead4 ,it was introduced to the upper house by the ,son of ,god himself1 who appeared before the throne 8as a lamb newly slain10 and was carried by acclamation of the heavenly hosts4 ,then it became a law of the kingdom of heaven1 and the ,holy ,ghost was sent down to establish it in the hearts of men4 ,it is 8the perfect law of liberty10 by which ,god is reconciling the world unto himself4 ,it is 8the law of the ,spirit of ,life10 by which he is 8purging our conscience from dead works to serve the living ,god40 ,,iii4 ,the end of this purification is twofold3--that we may cease from dead works1 and serve the living ,god4 #a4 ,the works of unrenewed souls are all 8dead works10 can be no other than 8dead works10 because the agents are 8dead in trespasses and sins40 ,they proceed from 8the carnal mind10 which 8is enmity against ,god10 which 8is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be40 ,how can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit1 or a corrupt fountain send forth pure water8 ,but the blood of ,christ is intended to 8purge the conscience from dead works40 ,the apostle says--8,ye are not redeemed with corruptible things1 as silver and gold1 from your vain conversation1 received by tradition from your fathers2 but with the precious blood of ,christ1 as of a lamb without blemish1 and without spot40 ,the ,jews were in a state of bondage to the ceremonial law1 toiling at the 8dead works10 the vain and empty forms1 which could never take away sin2 and unjustified and unregenerate men are still captives of ,satan1 slaves of sin and death1 tyrannized over by various evil habits and propensities1 which are invincible to all things but 8the blood of ,christ40 ,he died to redeem1 both from the burdens of the ,mosaic ritual1 and from the despotism of moral evil--to purge the conscience of both ,jew and ,gentile 8from dead works1 to serve the living ,god40 #b4 ,we cannot 8serve the living ,god10 without this preparatory purification of conscience4 ,if our guilt is uncancelled--if the love of sin is not dethroned--the service of the knee and the lip is nothing but hypocrisy4 8,if we regard iniquity in our hearts1 the ,lord will not hear us40 ,cherishing what he hates1 all our offerings are an abomination to him2 and we can no more stand in his holy presence than the dry stubble can stand before a flaming fire4 ,he who has an evil conscience1 flees from the face of ,god1 as did ,adam in the garden4 ,nothing but 8the blood of ,christ10 applied by the ,holy ,spirit1 can remove the sinner's guilty fear1 and enable him to draw nigh to ,god in the humble confidence of acceptance through the ,beloved4 ,the service of the living ,god must flow from a new principle of life in the soul4 ,the ,divine word must be the rule of our actions4 ,the ,divine will must be consulted and obeyed4 ,we must remember that ,god is holy1 and jealous of his honor4 ,the consideration that he is everywhere1 and sees every thing1 and will bring every work into judgment1 must fill us with reverence and godly fear4 ,an ardent love for his law and his character must supplant the love of sin1 and prompt to a cheerful and impartial obedience4 ,and let us remember that he is 8the living ,god40 ,pharaoh is dead1 ,herod is dead1 ,nero is dead2 but ,jehovah is 8the living ,god10 and it is a fearful thing to have him for an enemy4 ,death cannot deliver from his hand4 ,time1 and even eternity1 cannot limit his holy anger4 ,he has manifested1 in a thousand instances1 his hatred of sin2 in the destruction of the old world1 the burning of ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 the drowning of ,pharaoh and his host in the sea2 and ,i tell thee1 sinner1 except thou repent1 thou shalt likewise perish6 ,o1 think what punishment 8the living ,god0 can inflict upon his adversaries--the loss of all good--the endurance of all evil--the undying worm--the unquenchable fire--the blackness of darkness for ever6 ,the gods of the heathen have no life in them1 and they who worship them are like unto them4 ,but our ,god is 8the living ,god10 and 8the ,god of the living40 ,if you are united to him by faith in 8the blood of ,christ10 your souls are 8quickened together with him10 and 8the power which raised him from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body40 ,may the ,lord awaken those who are dead in trespasses and sins1 and revive his work in the midst of the years1 and strengthen the feeble graces of his people1 and bless abundantly the labors of his servants1 so that many consciences may be purged from dead works to serve the living ,god6 8,there is a fountain filled with blood1 ,drawn from ,emmanuel's veins1 ,and sinners1 plunged beneath that flood1 ,lose all their guilty stains4 8,the dying thief rejoiced to see ,that fountain in his day2 ,and there may ,i1 as vile as he1 ,wash all my sins away4 8,dear dying ,lamb6 thy precious blood ,shall never lose its power1 ,till all the ransomed sons of ,god ,are saved to sin no more60 ,,sermon ,x4 ,,the ,,cedar ,,of ,,god4 8,thus saith the ,lord ,god2 ,i will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar1 and will set it2 ,i will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one1 and plant it upon a high mountain and eminent2 in the mountain of the height of ,israel will ,i plant it2 and it shall bring forth boughs1 and bear fruit1 and be a goodly cedar2 and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing2 in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell2 and all the trees of the field shall know that ,i1 the ,lord1 have brought down the high tree1 and have exalted the low tree--have dried up the green tree1 and have made the dry tree to flourish4 ,i1 the ,lord1 have spoken1 and ,i have done it40--,ezek4 xvii4 #bb-bd4 ,,you perceive that our text abounds in the beautiful language of allegory4 ,in the context is portrayed the captivity of the children of ,israel1 and especially the carrying away of the royal family1 by the king of ,babylon4 ,here ,god promises to restore them to their own land1 in greater prosperity than ever2 and to raise up ,messiah1 the ,branch1 out of the house of ,david1 to be their king4 ,all this is presented in a glowing figurative style1 dressed out in all the wealth of poetic imagery1 so peculiar to the orientals4 ,nebuchadnezzar1 the great eagle--the long-winged1 full-feathered1 embroidered eagle--is represented as coming to ,lebanon1 and taking the highest branch of the tallest cedar1 bearing it off as the crow bears the acorn in its beak1 and planting it in the land of traffic4 ,the ,lord ,god1 in his turn1 takes the highest branch of the same cedar1 and plants it on the high mountain of ,israel1 where it flourishes and bears fruit1 and the fowls of the air dwell under the shadow of its branches4 ,we will make a few general remarks on the character of the promise1 and then pass to a more particular consideration of its import4 ,i4 ,this is an evangelical promise4 ,it relates to the coming and kingdom of ,messiah4 ,not one of the kings of ,judah since the captivity1 as ,boothroyd well observes1 answers to the description here given4 ,not one of them was a cedar whose branches could afford shadow and shelter for all the fowls of heaven4 ,but the prophecy receives its fulfilment in ,christ1 the desire of all nations1 to whom the ends of the earth shall come for salvation4 ,this prophecy bears a striking resemblance in several particulars1 to the parable of the mustard-seed1 delivered by our ,lord4 ,the mustard-seed1 said ,jesus1 8is the least of all seeds2 but when it is grown1 it is the greatest among herbs1 and becometh a tree1 so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof40 ,so the delicate twig of the young and tender branch becomes a goodly cedar1 and under its shadow dwell all fowl of every wing4 ,the prophecy and the parable are alike intended to represent the growth and prosperity of ,messiah's kingdom1 and the gracious protection and spiritual refreshment afforded to its subjects4 ,christ is the mustard plant1 and cedar of ,god2 and to him shall the gathering of the people be2 and multitudes of pardoned sinners shall sit under his shadow with great delight1 and his fruit shall be sweet to their taste4 ,this prophecy is a promise of the true1 and faithful1 and immutable ,god4 ,it begins with--8,thus saith the ,lord ,god1 ,i will do thus and so20 and concludes with--8,i1 the ,lord1 have spoken1 and ,i have done it40 ,there is no peradventure with ,god4 ,his word is for ever settled in heaven1 and cannot fail of its fulfilment4 ,when he says--8,i promise to pay10 there is no failure1 whatever the sum4 ,the bank of heaven cannot break4 ,it is the oldest and best in the universe4 ,its capital is infinite2 its credit is infallible4 ,the mighty ,god1 the everlasting ,father1 the ,prince of ,peace1 is able to fulfil to the utmost all his engagements4 ,he can do any thing that does not imply a contradiction1 or a moral absurdity4 ,he could take upon himself the form of a servant1 and become obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross2 but he can never forget or disregard his promise1 any more than he can cease to exist4 ,his nature renders both impossible4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but his word shall not pass away4 ,every jot and tittle shall be fulfilled4 ,this is the consolation of the church4 ,here rested the patriarchs and the prophets4 ,here reposes the faith of the saints to the end of time4 ,god abideth faithful2 he cannot deny himself4 ,our text is already partially verified in the advent of ,christ1 and the establishment of his church2 the continuous growth of the gospel kingdom indicates its progressive fulfilment2 and we anticipate the time1 as not far distant1 when the whole earth shall be overshadowed by the branches of the cedar of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,we proceed to consider1 with a little more particularity1 the import of this evangelical prophecy4 ,it describes the character and mediatorial kingdom of ,christ1 and the blessings which he confers upon his people4 #a4 ,his character and mediatorial kingdom4 8,i will take of the highest branch of the high cedar1 and will set it2 ,i will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one1 and plant it upon a high mountain and eminent2 in the mountain of the height of ,israel will ,i plant it40 ,christ1 as concerning the flesh1 is of the seed of ,abraham--a rod issuing from the stem of ,jesse1 and a branch growing out of his root4 8,as the new vine is found in the cluster1 and one saith1 destroy it not1 for a blessing is in it20 so the children of ,israel were spared1 notwithstanding their perverseness and their backslidings1 because they were the cluster from which should be expressed in due time the new wine of the kingdom--because from them was to come forth the blessing1 the promised seed in whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed4 ,the ,word that was in the beginning with ,god1 one with ,god in essence and in attributes1 in the fulness of time assumed our nature1 and tabernacled and dwelt among us4 ,here is the union of ,god and man4 ,here is the great mystery of godliness--,god manifest in the flesh4 ,but ,i have only time now to take off my shoes1 and draw near the burning bush1 and gaze a moment upon this great sight4 ,the ,father is represented as preparing a body for his ,son4 ,he goes to the quarry to seek a stone1 a foundation stone for ,zion4 ,the angel said to ,mary3--8,the ,holy ,ghost shall come upon thee1 and the power of the ,highest shall overshadow thee2 therefore that ,holy ,thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the ,son of ,god40 ,the eternal lays hold on that nature which is hastening downward1 on the flood of sin1 to the gulf of death and destruction1 and binds it to himself4 ,though made in the likeness of sinful flesh1 he was holy1 harmless1 and undefiled4 ,he did no iniquity1 neither was guile found in his mouth4 ,the rod out of the stem of ,jesse is also ,jehovah our righteousness4 ,the child born in ,bethlehem is the mighty ,god4 ,the ,son given to ,israel is the everlasting ,father4 ,he is of the seed of ,abraham1 according to the flesh2 but he is also the true ,god and eternal life4 ,two natures and three offices meet mysteriously in his person4 ,he is at once the bleeding sacrifice1 the sanctifying altar1 the officiating priest1 the prophet of ,israel1 and the ,prince of ,peace4 ,all this was necessary1 that he might become 8the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him40 ,hear ,jehovah speaking of ,messiah and his kingdom3--8,why do the heathen rage1 and the people imagine a vain thing8 ,the kings of the earth set themselves1 and the rulers take counsel together against the ,lord1 and against his anointed4 ,yet have ,i set my king upon my holy hill of ,zion4 ,i will declare the decree by which he is to rule his redeemed empire40 ,that decree1 long kept secret1 was gradually announced by the prophets2 but at the new tomb of ,joseph of ,arimathea1 ,jehovah himself proclaimed it aloud1 to the astonishment of earth1 the terror of hell1 and the joy of heaven3--8,thou art my ,son2 this day have ,i begotten thee4 ,come forth from the womb of the grave1 thou whose goings forth have been from of old1 even from everlasting4 ,ask of me1 and ,i shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance1 and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession4 ,i will exalt thee to the throne of the universe1 and thou shalt be chief in the chariot of the gospel4 ,thou shalt ride through the dark places of the earth1 with the lamps of eternal life suspended to thy chariot1 enlightening the world4 ,be wise now1 therefore1 ,o ye kings2 be instructed ye judges of the earth4 ,serve the ,lord with fear1 and rejoice with trembling4 ,kiss the ,son1 lest he be angry1 and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little4 ,let no man withstand him4 ,let no man seek to stay his progress4 ,herod1 ,pilate1 ,caiaphas1 stand off6 clear the way6 lest ye be crushed beneath the wheels of his chariot6 for that which is a savor of life to some1 is to others a savor of death2 and if this stone shall fall upon you1 it shall grind you to powder60 ,behold1 here is wisdom6 ,all other mysteries are toys in comparison with the mystery of the everlasting gospel--the union of three persons in the ,godhead--the union of two natures in the ,mediator--the union of believers to ,christ1 as the branches to the vine--the union of all the saints together in him1 who is the head of the body1 and the chief stone of the corner--the mighty ,god transfixed to the cross--the son of ,mary ruling in the heaven of heavens--the rod of ,jesse becoming the sceptre of universal dominion--the ,branch growing out of his root1 the little delicate branch which a lamb might crop for its food1 terrifying and taming the serpent1 the lion1 the leopard1 the tiger1 and the wolf1 and transforming into gentleness and love the wild and savage nature of all the beasts of prey upon the mountain6 8,and such10 old ,corinthian sinners1 8were some of you2 but ye are washed1 ye are sanctified1 ye are justified1 in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and by the spirit of our ,god40 ,and such1 my brethren1 were some of you2 but ye have been made a new creation in ,christ ,jesus2 old things are passed away1 and all things are become new4 ,ye are dead1 and your life is hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,he is one with the ,father1 and ye are one in him2 united and interwoven1 like the roots of the trees in the forest of ,lebanon2 so that none can injure the least disciple of ,christ1 without touching the apple of his eye1 and grieving all his members4 #b4 ,the blessings which he confers upon his people4 8,it shall bring forth boughs1 and bear fruit1 and be a goodly cedar1 and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing2 in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell2 and all the trees of the field shall know that ,i1 the ,lord1 have brought down the high tree1 and have exalted the low tree--have dried up the green tree1 and have made the dry tree to flourish40 ,christ is a fruitful tree4 8,the tree is known by his fruit4 ,men do not gather grapes of thorns1 nor figs of thistles4 ,every good tree bringeth forth good fruit1 and every evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit40 ,this is a singular1 supernatural tree4 ,though its top reaches to the heaven of heavens1 its branches fill the universe1 and bend down to the earth1 laden with the precious fruits of pardon1 and holiness1 and eternal life4 ,on the day of ,pentecost1 we see them hang so low over ,jerusalem1 that the very murderers of the ,son of ,god reach and pluck and eat1 and three thousand sinners feast on more than angels' food4 ,that was the feast of first-fruits4 ,never before was there such a harvest and such a festival4 ,angels know nothing of the delicious fruits of the tree of redemption4 ,they know nothing of the joy of pardon1 and the spirit of adoption4 ,the bride of the ,lamb alone can say3--8,as the apple tree among the trees of the forest1 so is my beloved among the sons4 ,i sat down under his shadow with great delight1 and his fruit was sweet to my taste4 ,he brought me also to his banqueting house1 and his banner over me was love40 ,these blessings are the precious effects of ,christ's mediatorial work2 flowing down to all believers1 like streams of living water4 ,come1 ye famishing souls1 and take1 without money and without price4 ,all things are now ready4 8,the mandrakes give a smell1 and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits1 both new and old40 ,here is no scarcity4 ,our ,elder ,brother keeps a rich table in our ,father's house4 ,hear him proclaiming in the streets of the city1 in the chief places of concourse3--8,come to the festival4 ,there is bread enough1 and to spare4 ,my oxen and my fatlings are killed4 ,my board is spread with the most exquisite delicacies--wine on the lees well refined1 and fruits such as angels never tasted40 ,christ is a tree of protection to his people4 ,this cedar not only beautifies the forest1 but also affords shade and shelter for the fowls of the air4 ,we have the same idea in the parable of the mustard seed3--8the birds of the air came and lodged in the branches thereof40 ,this is the fulfilment of the promise concerning the ,shiloh3--8to him shall the gathering of the people be40 ,it is the drawing of sinners to ,christ2 and the union of believers with ,god4 8,all fowl of every wing40 ,sinners of every age and every degree--sinners of all languages1 colors1 and climes--sinners of all principles1 customs1 and habits--sinners whose crimes are of the blackest hue--sinners carrying about them the savor of the brimstone of hell--sinners deserving eternal damnation--sinners perishing for lack of knowledge--sinners pierced by the arrows of conviction--sinners ready to sink under the burden of sin--sinners overwhelmed with terror and despair--are seen flying to ,christ as a cloud1 and as doves to their windows--moving to the ark of mercy before the door is shut--seeking rest in the shadow of this goodly cedar6 ,christ is the sure defence of his church4 ,a thousand times has she been assailed by her enemies4 ,the princes of the earth have set themselves in array against her1 and hell has opened upon her all its batteries4 ,but the ,rock of ,ages has ever been her strong fortress and high tower4 ,he will never refuse to shelter her from her adversaries4 ,in the time of trouble1 he shall hide her in his pavilion2 in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide her4 ,when the heavens are dark and angry1 she flies1 like the affrighted dove1 to the thick branches of the 8,goodly ,cedar40 ,there she is safe from the windy storm and tempest4 ,there she may rest in confidence1 till these calamities be overpast4 ,the tree of her protection can never be riven by the lightning1 nor broken by the blast4 ,christ is the source of life and beauty to all the trees in the garden of ,god4 ,jehovah determined to teach 8the trees of the forest0 a new lesson4 ,let the princes of this world hear it1 and the proud philosophers of ,greece and ,rome4 8,i have brought down the high tree1 and exalted the low tree--have dried up the green tree1 and made the dry tree to flourish40 ,many things have occurred1 in the providence of ,god1 which might illustrate these metaphors2 such as the bringing of ,pharaoh down to the bottom of the sea1 that ,israel might be exalted to sing the song of ,moses2 and the drying up of the pride and pomp of ,haman1 that ,mordecai might flourish in honor and esteem4 ,but for the most transcendent accomplishment of the prophecy1 we must go to ,calvary4 ,there is the high tree brought down to the dust of death1 that the low tree might be exalted to life eternal2 the green tree dried up by the fires of ,divine wrath1 that the dry tree might flourish in the favor of ,god for ever4 ,to this1 particularly1 our blessed ,redeemer seems to refer1 in his address to the daughters of ,jerusalem1 as they follow him1 weeping1 to the place of crucifixion4 8,weep not for me10 saith he4 8,there is a mystery in all this1 which you cannot now comprehend4 ,like ,joseph1 ,i have been sold by my brethren2 but like ,joseph1 ,i will be a blessing to all my ,father's house4 ,i am carrying this cross to ,calvary that ,i may be crucified upon it between two thieves2 but when the lid of the mystical ark shall be lifted1 then shall ye see that it is to save sinners ,i give my back to the smiters1 and my life for a sacrifice4 ,weep not for me1 but for yourselves and your children2 for if they do these things in the green tree1 what shall be done in the dry8 ,i am the green tree to-day2 and behold1 ,i am consumed that you may flourish4 ,i am the high tree1 and am prostrated that you may be exalted40 ,the fire-brands of ,jerusalem had wellnigh kindled to a flame of themselves1 amid the tumult of the people1 when they cried out--8,away with him6 ,crucify him6 ,his blood be on us1 and on our children60 ,o wonder of mercy6 that they were not seized and consumed at once by fire from heaven6 ,but he whom they crucify prays for them1 and they are spared4 ,hear his intercession3--8,father1 forgive them6 ,save these sinners1 ready for the fire4 ,on me1 on me alone1 be the fierceness of thy indignation4 ,i am ready to drink the cup which thou hast mingled4 ,i am willing to fall beneath the stroke of thy angry justice4 ,i come to suffer for the guilty4 ,bind me in their stead1 lay me upon the altar1 and send down fire to consume the sacrifice60 ,it was done4 ,i heard a great voice from heaven3--8,awake1 ,o sword1 against my shepherd6 ,kindle the flame6 ,let off the artillery60 ,night suddenly enveloped the earth4 ,nature trembled around me4 ,i heard the rending of the rocks4 ,i looked1 and lo6 the stroke had fallen upon the high tree1 and the green tree was all on fire6 ,while ,i gazed1 ,i heard a voice1 mournful1 but strangely sweet3--8,my ,god6 my ,god6 why hast thou forsaken me8 ,my heart is like wax2 it is melted in the midst of my bowels4 ,my strength is dried up like a potsherd1 and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws4 ,one may tell all my bones4 ,dogs have compassed me about2 strong bulls of ,bashan have beset me4 ,they stare at me2 they gape upon me with their mouths2 they pierce my hands and my feet4 ,deliver my soul from the lions2 my darling from the power of the dogs60 8,it is finished60 ,o with what majestic sweetness fell that voice upon my soul6 ,instantly the clouds were scattered4 ,i looked1 and saw1 with unspeakable wonder1 millions of the low trees shooting up1 and millions of the dry trees putting forth leaves and fruit4 ,then ,i took my harp1 and sang this song3--8,worthy is the ,lamb6 for he was humbled that we might be exalted2 he was wounded that we might be healed2 he was robbed that we might be enriched2 he was slain that we might live60 ,then ,i saw the beam of a great scale2 one end descending to the abyss1 borne down by the power of the atonement2 the other ascending to the heaven of heavens1 and lifting up the prisoners of the tomb4 ,wonderful scheme6 ,christ condemned for our justification2 forsaken of his ,father1 that we might enjoy his fellowship2 passing under the curse of the law1 to bear it away from the believer forever6 ,this is the great scale of redemption4 ,as one end of the beam falls under the load of our sins1 which were laid on ,christ2 the other rises1 bearing the basket of mercy1 full of pardons1 and blessings1 and hopes4 8,he who knew no sin was made sin for us0--that is his end of the beam2 8that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in him0--this is ours4 8,though he was rich1 yet for our sakes he became poor0--there goes his end down2 8that we1 through his poverty1 might be rich0--here comes ours up4 ,o sinners6 ye withered and fallen trees1 fuel for the everlasting burning1 ready to ignite at the first spark of vengeance6 ,o ye faithless souls6 self-ruined and self-condemned6 enemies in your hearts by wicked works6 we pray you in ,christ's stead1 be ye reconciled to ,god6 ,he has found out a plan for your salvation--to raise up the low tree by humbling the high1 and save the dry tree from the fire by burning up the green4 ,he is able to put1 at the same time1 a crown of glory on the head of the law1 and a crown of mercy on the head of the sinner4 ,one of those hands which were nailed to the cross blotted out the fiery handwriting of ,sinai1 while the other opened the prison-doors of the captives4 ,from the mysterious depths of ,messiah's sufferings flows the river of the water of life4 ,eternal light rises from the gloom of ,gethsemane4 ,satan planted the tree of death on the grave of the first ,adam1 and sought to plant it also on the grave of the second2 but how terrible was his disappointment and despair1 when he found that the wrong seed had been deposited there1 and was springing up unto everlasting life6 ,come6 fly to the shelter of this tree1 and dwell in the shadow of its branches1 and eat of its fruit1 and live6 ,to conclude3--,is not the conversion of sinners an object dear to the hearts of the saints8 ,god alone can do the work4 ,he can say to the north1 give up2 and to the south1 keep not back4 ,he can bring his sons from afar1 and his daughters from the ends of the earth4 ,our ,shiloh has an attractive power1 and to him shall the gathering of the people be4 ,pray1 my brethren1 pray earnestly1 that the ,god of all grace may find them out1 and gather them from the forest1 and fish them up from the sea1 and bring them home as the shepherd brings the stray lambs to the fold4 ,god alone can catch these 8fowl of every wing40 ,they fly away from us4 ,to our grief1 they often fly far away1 when we think them almost in our hands2 and then the most talented and holy ministers cannot overtake them4 ,but the ,lord is swifter than they4 ,his arrows will reach them and bring them from their lofty flight to the earth4 ,then he will heal their wounds1 and tame their wild nature1 and give them rest beneath the branches of the 8,goodly ,cedar40 ,,sermon ,,xi4 ,,the ,,prince ,,of ,,salvation4 8,for it became him1 for whom are all things1 and by whom are all things1 in bringing many sons to glory1 to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings40--,heb4 ii4 #aj4 8,and being made perfect1 he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him40--,heb4 v4 #i4 ,i ,,have put these passages together because of their similarity4 ,in discussing the doctrine which they contain--the doctrine of salvation through the mediatorial work of ,christ1 ,i purpose to consider--,first1 ,his relation to believers1 as the author1 captain1 or prince of their salvation2 ,secondly1 ,his perfect qualification1 through meritorious sufferings1 to sustain that relation2 and ,thirdly1 ,the character of those who are interested in him as a ,saviour4 ,i4 ,christ is the prince of our salvation4 ,he is the great ante-type of ,moses1 ,joshua1 ,samson1 and ,david4 ,their deeds of pious valor faintly foreshadowed the glorious achievements of the ,captain of our salvation4 ,he is a prince in our nature4 ,the ,lord from heaven became the second ,adam1 the seed of the woman1 the offspring of ,david4 ,divinity and humanity were mysteriously united in his person4 ,the ,word that was in the beginning was made flesh1 and tabernacled among us4 ,god is now nearer to his people than ever4 ,the ,lamb's bride is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh4 ,as the children were partakers of flesh and blood1 he himself took part of the same4 ,by taking human nature into union with himself1 he has imparted to believers a new and divine life4 ,our ,prince has conquered our adversaries4 ,his name is ,michael1 the power of ,god4 ,he is the mighty prince that stood up on behalf of his people1 and bruised ,satan under their feet4 ,he has cast out the strong man1 and his goods4 ,he has demolished the kingdom of darkness1 spoiled principalities and powers1 and made a show of them openly4 ,he has proved to earth and heaven that the devil is a usurper1 and has no claim whatever to the title1 8,god of this world10 and 8,prince of this world40 ,when ,christ was crucified1 hell quaked to its centre4 ,then he obtained liberty for the captives1 and the opening of the prisons to them that are bound4 ,his victory is our manumission from the slavery of sin and death2 and if the ,son make us free1 we are free indeed4 ,three offices meet in the ,author of our salvation2 the prophetic1 the priestly1 and the regal4 ,he wears three crowns upon his head2 a crown of gold1 a crown of silver1 and a crown of precious stones4 ,he 8shall bear the glory1 and shall sit and rule upon his throne1 and shall be a priest upon his throne1 and the covenant of peace shall be between them both40 ,this prophecy is fulfilled in ,messiah's mediatorial relations4 ,the house was purified1 the altar was consecrated1 on the morning of his resurrection4 ,this is the ,prince of life1 who was dead1 and is alive for evermore1 and hath the keys of hell and of death4 ,that he might sanctify the people with his own blood1 he suffered without the gate2 and by suffering1 he opened a way for believers into the holiest of all2 and lo6 his people are standing before the mercy-seat within the vail1 and worshipping in open sight of the glory of ,god that dwelleth between the cherubim4 ,if ,god smelled 8a savor of rest0 in the sacrifice of ,noah1 much more in the sacrifice of his beloved ,son1 in whom he is ever well pleased4 ,his sinless soul and body were offered once for all upon the cross4 8,he bore the sins of many1 and made intercession for the transgressors40 ,the ,father proclaims the demands of his law fully answered1 and invites sinners to come and rest in the ,beloved4 ,this is he of whom it was said--8,a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind1 and a covert from the tempest2 as rivers of water in a dry place2 as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land40 ,this is the ,author and ,captain of our salvation4 ,,ii4 ,let us consider how he is qualified for that relation--made perfect through sufferings4 ,his sufferings were necessary to constitute him a complete ,saviour4 8,without the shedding of blood is no remission20 the blood of ,jesus is 8a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness40 ,it was threatened--8,in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die20 but ,christ1 by dying in our stead1 delivered us from the sentence4 ,in order that he might bear our sins1 it was necessary for him to assume our nature4 ,the ,priest must have somewhat to offer as a sacrifice4 ,divinity could not suffer and die4 8,a body hast thou prepared for me40 ,the ,son of ,god took that body as his own1 and offered it to the ,father upon the cross4 ,the blood which he shed was his own blood2 the life which he laid down was his own life2 the soul which he poured out unto death was his own soul4 ,moses saw an emblem of this mystery in ,mount ,horeb--a bush burning with fire1 yet unconsumed4 8,our ,god is a consuming fire10 dwelling in a tabernacle of clay4 ,the human nature1 though slain1 is not consumed4 ,on the third day the bush is found still flourishing and fruitful4 ,it was necessary that the precept of the law should be obeyed1 and the penalty of the law endured1 in the very nature of its violater4 ,christ answered the demands of both tables on behalf of his people1 in the purity of his life1 and the merit of his obedience unto death4 ,he displayed all the fruits of holiness4 ,he loved righteousness and hated iniquity4 ,he paid our debt1 a debt which he never contracted2 he endured our curse1 a curse which he never deserved4 ,he took the cup of the wine of wrath out of our hand1 and drained its very dregs upon the cross4 ,in hell1 every one drinks his own cup1 and can never exhaust its contents2 but behold1 on ,calvary1 one man drains the cup of millions1 and cries--8,it is finished60 ,not a drop is left1 not a particle of any of its ingredients1 for his people4 ,god hath condemned and punished sin in the human nature of ,christ1 and all who believe are justified freely by his blood4 ,but the author of our salvation is ,god as well as man4 ,the ,divinity often shone out through the humanity1 controlling the elements1 quickening the tenants of the tomb1 and compelling the very devils to obey him4 ,had he been less than 8,god manifest in the flesh10 he must have been incompetent to the work of redemption4 ,the ,divine nature was necessary to sustain the human nature under its immense burden of sufferings1 and render those sufferings sufficiently meritorious to atone for the transgressions of mankind4 ,christ endured more of the ,divine displeasure 8from the sixth to the ninth hour10 than all the vessels of wrath could endure to all eternity2 #ahe and but for the union of the two natures in his person1 he could not have borne his unparalleled woes4 ,but while the man suffered1 the ,god sustained4 ,while the ,god-man offered up his humanity1 his ,divinity was the altar that sanctified the gift1 and rendered it a sacrifice of sweet smelling savor to the ,father4 ,it was man that died upon the cross1 but it was man in mysterious union with ,god1 so that the two natures constituted but one person1 and the dignity of the ,godhead gave infinite value to the tears and sweat and blood of the manhood4 ,no wonder that the cross of ,christ is the admiration of men and angels2 and--8worthy is the ,lamb that was slain60 the ultimate theme of earth and heaven6 8,and being made perfect40 ,in the twentieth chapter of ,exodus1 we read of 8the ram of consecration0--the ram of perfection in the original1 or full ram1 as the word full signifies complete1 mature1 perfect4 ,the two rams mentioned in that chapter represent the atonement and intercession of ,christ4 ,he is our full1 complete1 or perfect sacrifice4 8,in him dwelleth the fulness of the ,godhead20 and he has the hand of a man to bestow blessings upon his brethren4 8,of his fulness have all we received1 and grace upon grace40 ,our wisdom1 righteousness1 sanctification1 and redemption are all in the ,son of man4 ,aaron never entered the holy place with empty hands1 and our great ,high-priest hath gone into the celestial sanctuary1 bearing with him his own most precious blood1 wherewith to sprinkle the mercy-seat1 and make it approachable to man4 ,thus suffering on earth1 and pleading the merit of his suffering in heaven1 8he becomes the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him40 ,,iii4 ,this leads us to our third topic4 ,the character of those who are interested in him as a ,saviour--8all them that obey him40 ,to obey is to submit to authority--to do what is commanded4 ,what is the command of ,god the ,father8 ,that ye should believe on the name of his ,son4 ,what is the command of ,christ1 the ,captain of our salvation8 8,ye believe in ,god2 believe also in me40 ,it is said that he is precious to them that believe1 but unbelievers are disobedient4 ,they are all a disaffected and rebellious army1 who will not obey their ,captain4 ,they have made ,god a liar1 and are condemned for their unbelief4 ,the ,father saith--8,kiss the ,son1 lest he be angry60 but they reply--8,away with him6 away with him6 we will not have him to reign over us60 ,is this your character8 ,you are commanded to 8behold the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world40 ,have you obeyed8 ,what are you doing8 ,are you determined to rebel8 ,will you risk the consequences of disobedience8 ,o1 you are reading the book of election1 are you8 ,you are looking for your names in the book of election2 but lo6 you find them written in the book of damnation1 under the article--8,he that believeth not shall not see life1 but the wrath of ,god abideth on him60 ,what shall be done in such a case8 ,obey the ,captain of your salvation4 ,do ye not hear him1 as he rides along the ranks1 proclaiming--8,to-day1 if ye will hear my voice1 harden not your hearts1 as in the provocation6 ,incline your ear1 and come unto me2 hear1 and your soul shall live60 ,obey1 obey this gracious exhortation4 ,come1 with your petitions for pardon4 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and you shall be saved4 ,behold a door of hope opening for you in the blood of atonement4 ,there is forgiveness and sanctification for all that believe4 ,does your sense of guilt overwhelm you with gloomy fears1 and plunge you in despair8 ,do you tremble at the thought of the multitude and enormity of your crimes8 ,cry aloud1 with all your hearts--8,god be merciful to me a sinner60 ,remember that your ,prince 8is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto ,god by him40 ,hear him calling you--8,come unto me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest6 ,take my yoke upon you1 and learn of me2 for ,i am meek and lowly in heart2 and ye shall find rest to your souls2 for my yoke is easy1 and my burden is light60 ,who1 then1 would not obey thee1 blessed ,jesus8 8,had ,i1 dear ,lord1 a thousand hearts1 ,i'd give them all to thee2 ,a thousand tongues1 they all should join ,the grateful harmony60 ,we have a remarkable instance of faith and obedience in ,abraham4 ,there was no natural probability1 there was no apparent possibility of the fulfilment of the promise2 but ,abraham believed1 rested on the naked word of ,god1 and went to mount ,moriah to offer up his only son4 ,here was the triumph of faith1 and it is recorded for our encouragement4 ,did the patriarch firmly believe the promise--8,in ,isaac shall thy seed be called80 ,yes verily1 and it was accounted to him for righteousness4 ,did the patriarch believe1 on the strength of that promise1 that ,god would not permit him to offer up his only son8 ,no1 verily2 but he was determined to obey ,god1 and leave the event with him1 well assured that ,god would fulfil his word1 though it should require the miracle of ,isaac's resurrection4 ,thus your faith must soar above nature1 and lay hold on the righteousness of ,christ1 which justifieth the ungodly4 ,when you believe with all your heart1 ,god will smile upon you1 and calm your troubled soul1 and hush the raging storms of a guilty conscience1 for the sake of the satisfaction which he received in the obedience of ,christ1 as the substitute and surety of his people4 ,this is the ,urim and ,thummim--light and perfection--of the gospel1 beaming upon us through the twelve stars--the apostles of the ,lamb1 pacifying the conscience1 and answering the important question--8,what shall ,i do to be saved80 ,i feel within me a sea of corruption1 but ,i know that the blood of ,jesus ,christ cleanseth from all sin4 ,faith and obedience are inseparable1 and the former is dead without the latter4 ,they wrought together in ,abel1 and therefore he offered a more excellent sacrifice than ,cain4 ,they wrought together in ,noah1 and led him to prepare an ark to the saving of his house4 ,abraham not only believed that ,god would give him and his seed the land of ,canaan2 but he set forth at the ,divine command1 not knowing whither he went4 ,moses not only believed that ,god would deliver ,israel out of ,egypt2 but1 in obedience to his command1 he 8refused to be called the son of ,pharaoh's daughter2 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of ,god1 than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season40 ,thus1 true faith always leads to obedience4 ,it is a living principle1 by which the soul is quickened from the death of sin to a new life of holiness4 ,it is the means through which1 by the ,holy ,ghost1 we are created anew in ,christ ,jesus unto good works4 ,it works by love1 and love is always the great motive to obedience4 ,it gives us large and clear views of the love of ,god in ,christ2 then 8we love him because he first loved us20 and 8this is the love of ,god1 that we keep his commandments40 ,thus1 by faith1 8the love of ,god is shed abroad in our hearts10 leading us to a holy life4 ,such is the connection between faith and obedience1 and the necessity of one to the other4 ,and now1 brethren1 let us trust in the ,captain of our salvation4 ,in the ages before his advent1 many sons were brought to glory through faith in his future sufferings4 ,in the fulness of time1 he visited our world2 assumed our nature2 atoned for our transgressions2 and1 ascending to the right hand of the ,father1 as our representative and intercessor1 8became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him40 8,o ,captain of salvation6 make ,thy power and glory known1 ,till clouds of willing captives come1 ,and worship at thy throne60 ,,sermon ,,xii4 ,,finished ,,redemption 8,it is finished40--,john xix4 #cj4 ,,this exclamation derives all its importance from the magnitude of the work alluded to1 and the glorious character of the agent4 ,the work is the redemption of the world2 the agent is ,god manifest in the flesh4 ,he who finished the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days1 is laying the foundation of a new creation on ,calvary4 ,four thousand years he has been giving notice of his intention to mankind2 more than thirty years he has been personally upon earth1 preparing the material2 and now he lays the chief corner stone in ,zion1 exclaiming--8,it is finished40 ,we will first consider the special import of the exclamation1 and then offer a few remarks of a more general character4 ,i4 8,it is finished40 ,this saying of the ,son of ,god is a very striking one2 and1 uttered1 as it was1 while he hung in dying agonies upon the cross1 cannot fail to make a strong impression upon the mind4 ,it is natural for us to inquire--8,what does it mean8 ,to what does the glorious victim refer80 ,a complete answer to the question would develope the whole scheme of redemption4 ,we can only glance at a few leading ideas4 ,the sufferings of ,christ are ended4 ,never again shall he be persecuted from city to city1 as an impostor and servant of ,satan4 ,never again shall he say--8,my soul is exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death40 ,never again shall he agonize in ,gethsemane1 and sweat great drops of blood4 ,never again shall he be derided by the rabble1 and insulted by men in power4 ,never again shall he be crowned with thorns1 lacerated by the scourge1 and nailed to the accursed tree4 ,never again shall he cry out1 in the anguish of his soul1 and the baptism of blood--8,my ,god6 my ,god6 why hast thou forsaken me60 ,the predictions of his death are fulfilled4 ,the prophets had spoken of his crucifixion many hundred years before his birth4 ,they foresaw the ,governor who was to come forth from ,bethlehem4 ,they knew the babe in the manger1 as he whose goings forth are of old1 even from everlasting4 ,they drew an accurate chart of his travels1 from the manger to the cross1 and from the cross to the throne4 ,all these things must be fulfilled4 ,jesus knew the necessity1 and seemed anxious that every jot and tittle should receive an exact accomplishment4 ,his whole life was a fulfilment of prophecy4 ,on every path he walked1 on every house he entered1 on every city he visited1 and especially on the mysterious phenomena which accompanied his crucifixion1 it was written--8that the ,scriptures might be fulfilled40 ,the great sacrifice for sin is accomplished4 ,for this purpose ,christ came into the world4 ,he is our appointed high-priest1 the elect of the ,father1 and the desire of nations4 ,he alone who was in the bosom of the ,father1 could offer a sacrifice of sufficient merit to atone for human transgression4 ,but it was necessary also that he should have somewhat to offer4 ,therefore a body was prepared for him4 ,he assumed the seed of ,abraham1 and suffered in the flesh4 ,this was a sacrifice of infinite value1 being sanctified by the altar of ,divinity on which it was offered4 ,all the ceremonial sacrifices could not obtain the bond from the hand of the creditor4 ,they were only acknowledgments of the debt4 ,but ,jesus1 by one offering1 paid the whole1 took up the bond--the handwriting that was against us1 and nailed it to his cross2 and when driving the last nail1 he cried--8,it is finished60 ,the satisfaction of ,divine justice is completed4 ,the violated law must be vindicated2 the deserved penalty must be endured2 if not by the sinner himself1 yet by the sinner's substitute4 ,this was the great undertaking of the ,son of ,god4 ,he 8bore our sins0--that is1 the punishment of our sins--8in his own body on the tree40 ,he was 8made a curse for us1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in him40 ,there was no other way by which the honor of ,god and the dignity of his law could be sustained1 and therefore 8the ,lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all40 ,he 8died unto sin once20 not merely for sin1 enduring its punishment in our stead2 but also 8unto sin10 abolishing its power1 and putting it away4 ,therefore it is said1 he 8made an end of sin0--destroyed its condemning and tormenting power on behalf of all them that believe4 ,his sufferings were equal to the claims of justice2 and his dying cry was the voice of ,justice himself proclaiming the satisfaction4 ,here1 then1 may the dying thief1 and the persecutor of the holy1 lay down their load of guilt and wo at the foot of the cross4 ,the new and living way to ,god is consecrated4 ,a vail has hitherto concealed the holy of holies4 ,none but the high-priest has seen the ark of the covenant1 and the glory of ,god resting upon the mercy-seat between the cherubim4 ,he alone might enter1 and he but once a year1 and then with fear and trembling1 and the sprinkling of atoning blood1 after the most careful purification1 and sacrifice for himself and the people4 ,but our great ,high-priest has made an end of sacrifice by the one offering of himself4 ,he has filled his hands with his own blood1 and entered into heaven itself1 there to appear in the presence of ,god for us4 ,the sweet incense which he offers fills the temple1 and the merit of his sacrifice remains the same through all time1 superseding all other offering for ever4 ,therefore we are exhorted to come boldly to the throne of grace4 ,the tunnel under the ,thames could not be completed on account of an accident which greatly damaged the work1 without a new subscription for raising money2 but ,jesus found infinite riches in himself1 sufficient for the completion of a new way to the ,father--a living way through the valley of the shadow of death to 8the city of the ,great ,king40 ,the conquest of the powers of darkness is achieved4 ,when their hour was come1 the ,prince and his hosts were on the alert to accomplish the destruction of the ,son of ,god4 ,they assailed him with peculiar temptations1 and leveled against him their heaviest artillery4 ,they instigated one disciple to betray him and another to deny him4 ,they fired the rage of the multitude against him1 so that the same tongues that lately sung--8,hosanna to the ,son of ,david60 now shouted--8,crucify him6 ,crucify him60 ,they filled the priests and scribes with envy1 that they might accuse him without a cause2 and inspired ,pilate with an accursed ambition1 that he might condemn him without a fault4 ,they seared the conscience of the false witnesses1 that they might charge the ,just ,one with the most flagrant crimes2 and cauterized the hearts of the ,roman soldiers1 that they might mock him in his sufferings1 and nail him to the cross4 ,having succeeded so far in their hellish plot1 they doubtless deemed their victory certain4 ,i see them crowding around the cross1 waiting impatiently to witness his last breath1 ready to shout with infernal triumph to the depths of hell1 till the brazen walls should send back their echoes to the gates of the heavenly city4 ,but hark6 the dying ,saviour exclaims--8,it is finished60 and the great dragon and his host retreat1 howling1 from the cross4 ,the ,prince of our salvation turned back all their artillery upon themselves1 and their own stratagems become their ruin4 ,the old serpent seized ,messiah's heel1 but ,messiah stamped upon the serpent's head4 ,the dying cry of ,jesus shook the dominions of death1 so that the bodies of many that slept arose2 and rang through all the depths of hell1 the knell of its departed power4 ,thus the ,prince of this world was foiled in his schemes1 and disappointed in his hopes2 like the men of ,gaza1 when they locked up ,samson at night1 thinking to kill him in the morning2 but awoke to find that he was gone1 with the gates of the city upon his shoulders4 ,when the ,philistines caught ,samson1 and brought him to their temple1 to make sport for them1 they never dreamed of the disaster in which it would result--never dreamed that their triumph over the poor blind captive would be the occasion of their destruction4 ,suffer me1 said he1 to lean on the two pillars4 ,then he bowed himself1 and died with his enemies4 ,so ,christ on ,calvary1 while the powers of darkness exulted over their victim1 seized the main pillars of sin and death1 and brought down the temple of ,satan upon its occupants2 but on the morning of the third day1 he left them all in the ruins1 where they shall remain for ever1 and commenced his journey home to his ,father's house4 ,,ii4 ,so much concerning the import of our ,saviour's exclamation4 ,such was the work which he finished upon the cross4 ,we add a few remarks of a more general character4 ,the sufferings of ,christ were vicarious4 ,he died1 not for his own sins1 but for ours4 ,he humbled himself1 that we might be exalted4 ,he became poor1 that we might be made rich4 ,he was wounded1 that we might be healed4 ,he drained the cup of wrath1 that we might drink the waters of salvation4 ,he died the shameful and excruciating death of the cross1 that we might live and reign with him for ever4 8,ought not ,christ to have suffered these things1 and to have entered into his glory80 ,this 8ought0 is the ought of mercy and of covenant engagement4 ,he must discharge the obligation which he had voluntarily assumed4 ,he must finish the work which he had graciously begun4 ,there was no other ,saviour--no other being in the universe willing to undertake the work2 or1 if any willing to undertake1 none able to accomplish it4 ,the salvation of one human soul would have been too mighty an achievement for ,gabriel--for all the angels in heaven4 ,had not 8the ,only ,begotten of the ,father0 become our surety1 we must have lain for ever under the wrath of ,god1 amid 8weeping1 and wailing1 and gnashing of teeth40 ,none but the ,lion of the tribe of ,judah could break the seals of that mysterious book4 ,none but 8,god manifest in the flesh0 could deliver us from the second death4 ,the dying cry of ,jesus indicates the dignity of his nature1 and the power of life that was in him to the last4 ,all men die of weakness--of inability to resist death--die because they can live no longer4 ,but this was not the case with the ,son of ,god4 ,he speaks of laying down his life as his own voluntary act2--8,no man taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it down of myself4 ,i have power to lay it down1 and ,i have power to take it again40 ,he 8poured out his soul unto death0--did not wait for it to be torn from him--did not hang languishing upon the cross1 till life 8ebbed out by slow degrees20 but poured it out freely1 suddenly1 and unexpectedly4 ,as soon as the work was done for which he came into the world1 he cried--8,it is finished60 8bowed his head1 and gave up the ghost40 ,then the sun was darkened1 the earth quaked1 the rocks rent1 the graves opened1 and the centurion said--8,truly1 this man was the ,son of ,god60 ,he cried with a loud voice1 to show that he was still unconquered by pain1 mighty even upon the cross4 ,he bowed his head that death might seize him4 ,he was naturally far above the reach of death1 his ,divine nature being self-existent and eternal1 and his human nature entitled to immortality by its immaculate holiness2 yet 8he humbled himself1 and became obedient unto death1 even the death of the cross0--8,he bowed his head1 and gave up the ghost40 ,we may regard his last exclamation1 also1 as an expression of his joy1 at having accomplished the great 8travail of his soul10 in the work of our redemption4 ,it was the work which the ,father had given him1 and which he had covenanted to do4 ,it lay heavy upon his heart2 and ,o1 how was he straitened till it was accomplished6 ,his 8soul was exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death20 8and his sweat as it were great drops of blood1 falling down to the ground40 ,but upon the cross1 he saw of the travail of his soul1 and was satisfied4 ,he saw that his sacrifice was accepted1 and the object of his agony secured--that death would not be able to detain him in the grave1 nor hell to defeat the purposes of his grace--that the gates of the eternal city would soon open to receive him as a conqueror1 and myriads of exultant angels shout him to his throne2 whither he would be followed by his redeemed1 with songs of everlasting joy4 ,he saw1 and he was satisfied2 and1 not waiting for the morning of the third day1 but already confident of victory1 he uttered this note of triumph1 and died4 ,and if we may suppose them to have understood its import1 what a source of consolation must it have been to his sorrowing disciples6 ,the sword had pierced through ,mary's heart1 according to the prediction of old ,simeon over the infant ,jesus4 ,her affections had bled at the agony of her supernatural ,son1 and her wounded faith had wellnigh perished at his cross4 ,and how must all his followers have felt1 standing afar off1 and beholding their supposed ,redeemer suffering as a malefactor6 ,how must all their hopes have died within them1 as they gazed on the accursed tree6 ,the tragedy was mysterious1 and they deemed their enemies victorious4 ,jesus is treading the winepress in ,bozrah1 and the earth is shaking1 and the rocks are rending1 and the luminaries of heaven are expiring1 and all the powers of nature are fainting1 in sympathy with his mighty agony4 ,now he is lost in the fire and smoke of battle1 and the dread artillery of justice is heard thundering through the thick darkness1 and shouts of victory rise from the troops of hell1 and who shall foretell the issue of the combat1 or the fate of the ,champion8 ,but lo6 he cometh forth from the cloud of battle1 with blood upon his garments6 ,he is wounded1 but he hath the tread and the aspect of a conqueror4 ,he waves his crimsoned sword1 and cries--8,it is finished60 ,courage1 ye weepers at the cross6 ,courage1 ye tremblers standing afar off6 ,the ,prince of your salvation is victor1 and this bulletin of the war shall cheer myriads of believers in the house of their pilgrimage1 and the achievement which it announces shall constitute an everlasting theme of praise6 8,it is finished60 ,the word smote on the walls of the celestial city1 and thrilled the hosts of heaven with ecstasy unspeakable4 ,how must 8the spirits of just men made perfect0 have leaped with joy1 to hear that the ,captain of their salvation was victorious over all his enemies1 and that the work he had engaged to do for them and their brethren was completed6 and with what wonder and delight must the holy angels have witnessed the triumph of him1 whom they were commanded to worship1 over the powers of darkness6 ,it was the commencement of a new era in heaven1 and never before had its happy denizens seen so much of ,god4 8,it is finished60 ,go1 ye heralds of salvation1 into all the world1 and proclaim the joyful tidings6 ,cry aloud1 and spare not2 lift up your voice like a trumpet1 and publish to all men1 that the work of the cross is finished--that the great ,mediator1 8made perfect through sufferings10 has become 8the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him0--8is of ,god made unto us1 wisdom1 and righteousness1 and sanctification1 and redemption60 ,go1 teach the degraded ,pagan1 the deluded ,mohammedan1 and the superstitious ,papist1 that the finished work of ,jesus is the only way of acceptance with ,god6 ,go1 tell the polished scholar1 the profound philosopher1 and the vaunting moralist1 that the doctrine of ,christ crucified is the only knowledge that can save the soul6 ,go1 say to the proud skeptic1 the bold blasphemer1 and the polluted libertine1 8,behold the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the sin of the world60 ,preach it to the gasping sinner upon his death-bed1 and the sullen murderer in his cell6 ,let it ring in every human ear1 and thrill in every human heart1 till the gladness of earth shall be the counterpart of heaven6 ,,sermon ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,resurrection ,,of ,,jesus4 8,he is not here2 for he is risen1 as he said4 ,come1 see the place where the ,lord lay40--,matt4 xxviii4 #f4 ,,the celebrated ,jonathan ,edwards of ,america begins his ,history of ,redemption with an account of the ,lord's visit to ,adam and ,eve at the cool of the day in ,eden4 ,all the wonderful works of ,god toward the children of men1 since the seed of the woman was promised to bruise the serpent's head1 are to be considered as so many parts of the same great machinery of providence1 whose wheels1 like those of ,ezekiel's vision1 all move in majestic harmony1 though their thousand revolutions may seem to us discordant and confused4 ,the chief design of all the ,divine manifestations recorded in the ,old ,testament was to prepare the way for the ,redeemer's appearance upon earth4 ,jehovah often suffered his people to be in great distress and perplexity2 he lengthened the chain of ,satan and his angels1 allowed a partial success of their infernal schemes1 and permitted them to prevail for a season against his people1 and pride themselves in their power and their skill1 in order to make their defeat the more signal1 and gather more glory to himself from their final overthrow4 ,during the engagement1 the victory often seemed to be on the side of the enemy2 but when the smoke of battle cleared away1 the pillar of ,god was seen upon the camp of ,israel4 ,if his people are besieged between ,pi-hahiroth and ,baal-zephon1 he raises the siege by dividing the sea1 and making a highway through the deep1 while the waters rise up in a solid wall on the right and the left1 and roll back in ruin on the pursuing foe4 ,if an army comes to arrest ,elisha on ,carmel1 the mountain is covered with celestial warriors1 and the surrounding heavens teem with horsemen and chariots of fire1 and the enemy are smitten with blindness1 and taken captive by the prophet4 ,if ,goliath of ,gath confronts the camp of ,israel with his challenge1 roaring like a lion1 till the valley resounds with his voice1 a little shepherd-boy goes forth with his sling1 and the vaunting blasphemer is smitten to the ground1 and slain with his own sword4 ,if the worshippers of the true ,god are cast into the fiery furnace1 or the den of lions1 to show the power and gratify the pride of an infamous tyrant1 there is one among them 8like unto the ,son of ,man10 and the violence of the fire is quenched1 and the mouths of the lions are stopped4 ,but when ,messiah was slain and buried1 the enemies of ,god boasted more than ever in their crafty and malicious schemes4 ,this was the great decisive engagement between ,heaven and hell4 ,the enemy imagined 8the ,captain of our salvation0 vanquished and destroyed4 ,but his fall was no defeat4 ,he yielded to the powers of darkness apparently1 that he might triumph over them openly4 ,he suffered himself to be taken prisoner by death1 that he might seize the tyrant on his throne1 demolish his empire1 and deliver his captives4 ,and if none of his friends on earth had courage to proclaim his resurrection1 a preacher descended from heaven to announce the joyful fact3--8,he is not here2 for he is risen1 as he said4 ,come1 see the place where the ,lord lay40 ,wonderful message1 and wonderful messenger6 ,on the morning of the third day after his crucifixion1 ,jesus revived in his tomb1 and the sound of the earthquake reached the heaven of heavens1 and a mighty angel1 swifter than the light1 descended straight to the new grave in ,joseph's garden1 calling on no one for the key1 instantly rolled away the stone from the door1 and sat upon it1 and made it his pulpit1 from which he preached to the women the doctrine of our ,lord's resurrection4 ,let us consider1 first1 the testimony by which this fact is sustained1 and secondly1 the fact itself1 as the sure basis of ,christianity4 ,i4 ,it appears from the record of the evangelist ,luke1 that the women were much perplexed at finding the stone rolled away from the mouth of the sepulchre1 and the body of ,jesus gone4 ,then they were saluted by two angels in shining apparel1 who said2--8,why seek ye the living among the dead8 ,he is not here1 but is risen4 ,remember how he spake unto you while he was yet in ,galilee1 saying--,the ,son of ,man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men1 and be crucified1 and the third day rise again4 ,and they remembered his words40 ,here is the testimony of two credible witnesses1 a sufficient number to attest the truth of our ,lord's resurrection2 who testified to nothing but what they had personally witnessed1 and knew to be fact2 and delivered their testimony in simple and unambiguous language1 that could not well be misunderstood4 ,while the women went to inform the disciples of what they had seen and heard1 8behold1 some of the watch came into the city1 and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done40 ,and what was done8 ,what can be the testimony of these enemies of ,christ concerning his resurrection8 ,that 8an angel1 whose countenance was like lightning1 and his garments white as snow1 descended from heaven1 and rolled away the stone from the door1 and sat upon it20 which so terrified them that they 8became as dead men40 ,to confirm these testimonies1 our blessed ,lord himself 8appeared unto many after his resurrection1 who were witnesses of all things which he did1 both in the land of the ,jews1 and at ,jerusalem2 and how he was slain1 and hanged on a tree2 and how ,god raised him up the third day1 and showed him openly2 not to all the people1 but to witnesses chosen before of ,god2 even to the disciples1 who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead2 whom he commanded to preach unto the people1 and to testify that it is he who is ordained of ,god to be the judge of quick and dead0--8to whom he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs2 being seen of them forty days1 and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of ,god40 ,here we may observe1 that he appeared to those who knew him best1 and gave them satisfactory and incontestible evidence of his resurrection4 ,and he appeared1 not only to the apostles1 but to more than five hundred brethren at once4 ,we have an account of his appearing at ten or eleven different times4 ,on these occasions1 he conversed with his disciples1 reminded them of what he had said to them before his crucifixion1 showed them his hands and his feet1 and besought them to touch arid examine his person1 and satisfy themselves as to his identity4 ,so that they had ample opportunity1 and every facility that could be desired1 for ascertaining whether he was indeed ,jesus of ,nazareth1 their master1 who was lately crucified before their eyes4 ,it was therefore with great power that the apostles bore witness of the resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,and the ,holy ,spirit corroborated their testimony4 ,our faith in this distinctive doctrine of ,christianity rests on a ,divine foundation4 8,if we receive the witness of men1 the witness of ,god is greater40 8,and the apostles went forth1 and preached everywhere1 the ,lord also working with them1 and confirming the word with signs following40 ,in a few weeks after the resurrection of their ,master1 their testimony concerning it was received and firmly believed by many thousands1 not in some distant and desert part of the world1 but in ,jerusalem1 where he had been crucified4 ,how nobly the apostle ,peter reasoned on this subject when he said3--8,ye men of ,israel1 hear these words4 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 a man approved of ,god among you1 by miracles1 and wonders1 and signs1 which ,god did by him in the midst of you1 as ye yourselves also know2 him1 being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of ,god1 ye have taken1 and by wicked hands have crucified and slain2 whom ,god hath raised up1 having loosed the pains of death1 because it was not possible that he should be holden of it40 ,such was the evidence of our ,lord's resurrection1 that among those who were living at the time1 and even those of them who so strenuously opposed the gospel1 it appears to have been scarcely doubted4 ,pilate1 in a letter to ,tiberius1 the ,roman emperor1 said1 that ,jesus1 being raised from the dead1 was believed by many to be ,god2 whereupon the ,roman ,senate expressed no doubt of his resurrection1 but debated the question of receiving him as one of the gods of ,rome2 which1 however1 was overruled by ,divine ,providence1 for the honor of ,christianity2 for he who is higher than heaven1 and the heaven of heavens1 was not to be ranked with dumb idols upon earth4 ,,ii4 ,let us now consider the fact of our ,lord's resurrection1 and its bearing upon the great truths of our holy religion4 ,this most transcendent of miracles is sometimes attributed to the agency of the ,father2 who1 as the ,lawgiver1 had arrested and imprisoned in the grave the sinner's ,surety1 manifesting at once his benevolence and his holiness2 but by liberating the prisoner1 proclaimed that the debt was cancelled1 and the claims of the law satisfied4 ,it is sometimes attributed to the ,son himself2 who had power both to lay down his life1 and to take it again2 and the merit of whose sacrifice entitled him to the honor of thus asserting his dominion over death1 on behalf of his people4 ,and sometimes it is attributed to the ,holy ,spirit1 as in the following words of the apostle3--8,he was declared to be the ,son of ,god with power1 according to the ,spirit of ,holiness1 by the resurrection from the dead40 ,the resurrection of ,christ is clear and incontestible proof of his ,divinity4 ,he had declared himself equal with ,god the ,father1 and one with him in nature and in glory4 ,he had told the people that he would prove the truth of this declaration1 by rising from the grave three days after his death4 ,and when the morning of the third day began to dawn upon the sepulchre1 lo6 there was an earthquake1 and the dead body arose1 triumphant over the power of corruption4 ,this was the most stupendous miracle ever exhibited on earth1 and its language is3--8,behold1 ye persecuting ,jews and murdering ,romans1 the proof of my ,godhead6 ,behold1 ,caiaphas1 ,herod1 ,pilate1 the power and glory of your victim6 ,i am he that liveth1 and was dead2 and lo6 ,i am alive for evermore6 ,i am the root and the offspring of ,david1 and the bright and morning star6 ,look unto me1 and be ye saved1 all ye ends of the earth2 for ,i am ,god1 and besides me there is none else60 ,our ,lord's resurrection affords incontrovertible evidence of the truth of ,christianity4 ,pilate wrote the title of ,christ in three languages on the cross2 and many have written excellent and unanswerable things1 on the truth of the ,christian ,scriptures1 and the reality of the ,christian religion2 but the best argument that has ever been written on the subject1 was written by the invisible hand of the ,eternal ,power1 in the rocks of our ,saviour's sepulchre4 ,this confounds the skeptic1 settles the controversy1 and affords an ample and sure foundation for all them that believe4 ,if any one asks whether ,christianity is from heaven or of men1 we point him to the 8tomb hewn out of the rock10 and say--8,there is your answer6 ,jesus was crucified1 and laid in that cave2 but on the morning of the third day1 it was found empty2 our ,master had risen and gone forth from the grave victorious40 ,this is the pillar that supports the whole fabric of our religion2 and he who attempts to pull it down1 like ,samson1 pulls down ruin upon himself4 8,if ,christ is not risen1 then is our preaching vain1 and your faith is also vain1 ye are yet in your sins20 but if the fact is clearly proved1 then ,christianity is unquestionably true1 and its disciples are safe4 ,this is the ground on which the apostle stood1 and asserted the divinity of his faith3--8,moreover1 ,i testify unto you the gospel1 which ,i preached unto you2 which also ye have received1 and wherein ye stand2 by which also ye are saved1 if ye keep in memory what ,i preached unto you1 unless ye have believed in vain2 for ,i delivered unto you first of all that which ,i also received1 how that ,christ died for our sins according to the ,scriptures1 and that he was buried1 and that he rose again the third day1 according to the ,scriptures40 ,the resurrection of ,jesus is the most stupendous manifestation of the power of ,god1 and the pledge of eternal life to his people4 ,the apostle calls it 8the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe1 according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in ,christ when he raised him from the dead40 ,this is a river overflowing its banks--an idea too large for language4 ,let us look at it a moment4 ,where do we find 8the exceeding greatness of his power80 ,in the creation of the world8 in the ,seven ,stars and ,orion8 in the strength of ,behemoth and ,leviathan8 ,no6 ,in the deluge8 in the fiery destruction of ,sodom8 in the overthrow of ,pharaoh and his host8 in hurling ,nebuchadnezzar like ,lucifer from the political firmament8 ,no6 ,it is the power which he wrought in ,christ4 ,when8 ,when he healed the sick8 when he raised the dead8 when he cast out devils8 when he blasted the fruitless fig-tree8 when he walked upon the waters of the ,galilee8 ,no6 ,it was 8when he raised him from the dead40 ,then the ,father placed the sceptre in the hand of the ,son1 8and set him above all principality1 and power1 and might1 and dominion1 and every name that is named1 not only in this world1 but also in that which is to come2 and put all things under his feet1 and gave him to be head over all things to the church40 ,this is the source of our spiritual life4 ,the same power that raised the dead body of our ,lord from the grave1 quickens the soul of the believer from the death in trespasses and sins4 ,his riven tomb is a fountain of living waters2 whereof if a man drink1 he shall never die4 ,his raised and glorified body is the sun1 whence streams eternal light upon our spirits2 the light of life1 that never can be quenched4 ,nor here does the influence of his resurrection end4 ,he who raised up ,jesus from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies4 ,his resurrection is the pledge and the pattern of ours4 8,because he liveth we shall live also40 8,he shall change our vile body1 that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body40 ,we hear him speaking in the prophet3--8,thy dead men shall live2 together with my dead body shall they arise4 ,awake and sing1 ye that dwell in the dust2 for thy dew is as the dew of herbs1 and the earth shall cast out her dead40 ,how divinely does the apostle speak of the resurrection-body of the saints6 8,it is sown in corruption1 it is raised in incorruption2 it is sown in dishonor1 it is raised in glory2 it is sown in weakness1 it is raised in power2 it is sown a natural body1 it is raised a spiritual body4 ,for this corruptible must put on incorruption1 and this mortal must put on immortality4 ,then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written--,death is swallowed up in victory6 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 ,thanks be unto ,god1 that giveth us the victory1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ40 ,ever since the fall in ,eden1 man is born to die4 ,he lives to die4 ,he eats and drinks1 sleeps and wakes1 to die4 ,death1 like a dark steel-clad warrior1 stands ever before us2 and his gigantic shadow comes continually between us and happiness4 ,but ,christ hath 8abolished death1 and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel40 ,he was born in ,bethlehem1 that he might die on ,calvary4 ,he was made under the law1 that he might bear the direst penalty of the law4 ,he lived thirty-three years1 sinless among sinners1 that he might offer himself a sin-offering for sinners upon the cross4 ,thus he 8became obedient unto death10 that he might destroy the power of death2 and on the third morning1 a mighty angel1 rolling away the stone from the mouth of the sepulchre1 makes the very door of ,death's castle the throne whence he proclaims 8the resurrection and the life40 ,the ,hero of our salvation travelled into ,death's dominion1 took possession of the whole territory on our behalf1 and returning laden with spoils1 ascended to the heaven of heavens4 ,he went to the palace1 seized the tyrant1 and wrested away his sceptre4 ,he descended into the prison-house1 knocked off the fetters of the captives2 and when he came up again1 left the door of every cell open1 that they might follow him4 ,he has gone over into our promised inheritance1 and his glory illuminates the mountains of immortality2 and through the telescope which he has bequeathed us1 we 8see the land that is very far off40 ,i recollect reading in the writings of ,flavel this sentiment--that the souls in paradise wait with intense desire for the reanimation of their dead bodies1 that they may be united to them in bliss for ever4 ,o1 what rapture there shall be among the saints1 when those frail vessels1 from which they escaped with such a struggle1 as they foundered in the gulf of death1 shall come floating in1 with the spring-tide of the resurrection1 to the harbor of immortality6 ,how glorious the reunion1 when the seeds of affliction and death are left behind in the tomb6 ,jacob no longer lame1 nor ,moses slow of speech1 nor ,lazarus covered with sores1 nor ,paul troubled with a thorn in the flesh6 8,it doth not yet appear what we shall be2 but we know that when he shall appear1 we shall be like him2 for we shall see him as he is40 ,the glory of the body of ,christ is far above our present conception4 ,when he was transfigured on ,tabor1 his face shone like the sun1 and his raiment was white as the light4 ,this is the pattern shown to his people in the mount4 ,this is the model after which the bodies of believers shall be fashioned in the resurrection4 8,they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament2 and they that turn many to righteousness1 as the stars for ever and ever40 ,in conclusion3--,the angel said to the women--8,go quickly1 and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead2 and behold1 he goeth before you into ,galilee2 there shall ye see him2 lo6 ,i have told you4 ,and they departed quickly from the sepulchre1 with fear and great joy2 and did run to bring his disciples word40 ,brethren6 followers of ,jesus6 be ye also preachers of a risen ,saviour6 ,go quickly--there is no time for delay--and publish the glad tidings to sinners6 ,tell them that ,christ died for their sins1 and rose again for their justification1 and ascended to the right hand of the ,father to make intercession for them1 and is now able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto ,god by him6 ,and you1 impenitent and unbelieving men6 hear this blessed message of salvation6 ,do you intend ever to embrace the proffered mercy of the gospel8 ,make haste6 ,procrastination is ruin6 ,now is the accepted time6 ,o1 fly to the throne of grace6 ,time is hastening2 you will soon be swallowed up in eternity6 ,may the ,lord have mercy upon you1 and rouse you from your indifference and sloth6 ,it is my delight to invite you to ,christ2 but ,i feel more pleasure and more confidence in praying for you to ,god4 ,i have besought and entreated you1 by every argument and every motive in my power2 but you are yet in your sins1 and rushing on toward hell4 ,yet ,i will not give you up in despair4 ,if ,i cannot persuade you to flee from the wrath to come1 ,i will intercede with ,god to have mercy upon you for the sake of his beloved ,son4 ,if ,i cannot prevail in the pulpit1 ,i will try to prevail at the throne6 ,,sermon ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,ascension4 8,whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things40--,acts iii4 #ba4 ,,these words are part of ,st4 ,peter's sermon to the people of ,jerusalem1 on occasion of the cure of the lame man1 at the 8,beautiful ,gate0 of the temple1 shortly after the day of ,pentecost4 ,this1 and the sermon recorded in the preceding chapter1 were perhaps the most effective ever delivered on earth4 ,as the fruit of ,peter's ministry in these two discourses1 about five thousand souls were converted to ,christianity4 #bje ,it is recorded1 that1 on the day of ,pentecost1 the hearers 8were pricked in their hearts1 and said unto ,peter and the rest of the apostles--,men and brethren1 what shall we do80 ,an inquiry which indicates the utmost solicitude and distress4 ,a sense of sin overwhelmed them1 especially of their guilt in rejecting the ,son of ,god2 and they pressed around the preacher and his colleagues with this earnest interrogative4 ,the answer was ready4 ,true ministers of ,christ are never at a loss in answering the inquiries of awakened sinners4 ,when the ,philippian jailer came trembling to ,paul and ,silas1 and fell down before them1 exclaiming--8,what must ,i do to be saved80 8,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved10 was the prompt and appropriate answer4 ,so ,peter1 on the day of ,pentecost1 when three thousand conscience-smitten and heart-broken hearers cried out under the sermon--8,what shall we do80 immediately replied--8,repent and be baptized1 every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 for the promise is unto you1 and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call40 ,and so in the sermon whence we have taken our text1 when he saw that the truth had found its way to the understanding1 and the conscience1 and the heart--that many were awakened1 and convinced of sin--he exhorted them to repentance and faith in ,christ1 as the condition of salvation3--8,repent ye1 therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out1 when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the ,lord2 and he shall send ,jesus ,christ1 who before was preached unto you2 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things40 ,the doctrine of this text is--the necessity of ,christ's return to heaven till the consummation of his mediatorial work4 ,it is generally admitted1 that the twenty-second psalm has particular reference to ,christ4 ,this is evident from his own appropriation of the first verse upon the cross3--8,my ,god6 my ,god6 why hast thou forsaken me80 ,the title of that psalm is--8,aijeleth ,shahar20 which signifies--,a hart1 or--the hind of the morning4 ,the striking metaphors which it contains are descriptive of ,messiah's peculiar sufferings4 ,he is the hart1 or hind of the morning1 hunted by the black prince1 with his hell-hounds--by ,satan1 and all his allies4 ,the 8dogs10 the 8lions10 the 8unicorns10 and the 8strong bulls of ,bashan10 with their devouring teeth1 and their terrible horns1 pursued him from ,bethlehem to ,calvary4 ,they beset him in the manger1 gnashed upon him in the garden1 and wellnigh tore him to pieces upon the cross4 ,and still they persecute him in his cause1 and in the persons and interests of his people4 ,the faith of the church anticipated the coming of ,christ1 8like a roe or a young hart10 with the dawn of the day promised in ,eden2 and we hear her exclaiming in the ,canticles--8,the voice of my beloved6 behold1 he cometh1 leaping upon the mountains1 and skipping upon the hills60 ,she heard him announce his advent in the promise--8,lo1 ,i come to do thy will1 ,o ,god60 and with prophetic eye1 saw him leaping from the mountains of eternity to the mountains of time1 and skipping from hill to hill throughout the land of ,palestine1 going about doing good4 ,in the various types and shadows of the law1 she beheld him 8standing by the wall1 looking forth at the windows1 showing himself through the lattice20 and then she sung--8,until the day break1 and the shadows flee away1 turn1 my beloved1 and be thou like the roe or the young hart upon the mountains of ,bether60 ,bloody sacrifices revealed him to her view1 going down to the 8vineyards of red wine20 whence she traced him to the meadows of gospel ordinances1 where 8he feedeth among the lilies0--to 8the gardens of cucumbers10 and 8the beds of spices20 and then she sung to him again--8,make haste0--or1 flee away--8my beloved6 be thou like the roe or the young hart upon the mountains of spices60 ,thus she longed to see him1 first 8on the mountain of ,bether10 and then 8on the mountain of spices40 ,on both mountains she saw him eighteen hundred years ago1 and on both she may still trace the footsteps of his majesty and his mercy4 ,the former he hath tracked with his own blood1 and his path upon the latter is redolent of frankincense and myrrh4 ,bether signifies division4 ,this is the craggy mountain of ,calvary2 whither the 8,hind of the morning0 fled1 followed by all the wild beasts of the forest1 and the hunting-dogs of hell2 summoned to the pursuit1 and urged on1 by the prince of perdition2 till the victim1 in his agony1 sweat great drops of blood--where he was terribly crushed between the cliffs1 and dreadfully mangled by sharp and ragged rocks--where he was seized by ,death1 the great greyhound of the bottomless pit--whence he leaped the precipice1 without breaking a bone2 and sunk in the dead sea1 sunk to its utmost depth1 and saw no corruption4 ,behold the 8,hind of the morning0 on that dreadful mountain6 ,it is the place of skulls1 where death holds his carnival in companionship with worms1 and hell laughs in the face of heaven4 ,dark storms are gathering there--convolving clouds1 charged with no common wrath4 ,terrors set themselves in battle-array before the ,son of ,god2 and tempests burst upon him1 which might sweep all mankind in a moment to eternal ruin4 ,hark6 hear ye not the subterranean thunder8 ,feel ye not the tremor of the mountain8 ,it is the shock of ,satan's artillery1 playing upon the ,captain of our salvation4 ,it is the explosion of the magazine of vengeance4 ,lo1 the earth is quaking1 the rocks are rending1 the graves are opening1 the dead are rising1 and all nature stands aghast at the conflict of divine mercy with the powers of darkness4 ,one dread convulsion more1 one cry of desperate agony1 and ,jesus dies--an arrow has entered into his heart4 ,now leap the lions1 roaring1 upon their prey2 and the bulls of ,bashan are bellowing2 and the dogs of perdition are barking2 and the unicorns toss their horns on high2 and the devil1 dancing with exultant joy1 clanks his iron chains1 and thrusts up his fettered hands in defiance toward the face of ,jehovah6 ,go a little farther upon the mountain1 and you come to 8a new tomb hewn out of the rock40 ,there lies a dead body4 ,it is the body of ,jesus4 ,his disciples have laid it down in sorrow1 and returned weeping to the city4 ,mary's heart is broken1 ,peter's zeal is quenched in tears1 and ,john would fain lie down and die in his ,master's grave4 ,the sepulchre is closed up and sealed1 and a ,roman sentry placed at its entrance4 ,on the morning of the third day1 while it is yet dark1 two or three women come to anoint the body4 ,they are debating about the great stone at the mouth of the cave4 8,who shall roll it away80 says one of them4 8,pity we did not bring ,peter or ,john with us40 ,but arriving1 they find the stone already rolled away1 and one sitting upon it1 whose countenance is like lightning1 and whose garments are white as the light4 ,the steel-clad1 iron-hearted soldiers lie around him1 like men slain in battle1 having swooned with terror4 ,he speaks3--8,why seek ye the living among the dead8 ,he is not here2 he is risen2 he is gone forth from this cave victoriously40 ,it is even so2 for there are the shroud1 and the napkin1 and the heavenly watchers2 and when he awoke1 and cast off his grave-clothes1 the earthquake was felt in the city1 and jarred the gates of hell4 8,the ,hind of the morning0 is up earlier than any of his pursuers1 8leaping upon the mountains1 and skipping upon the hills40 ,he is seen first with ,mary at the tomb2 then with the disciples in ,jerusalem2 then with two of them on the way to ,emmaus2 then going before his brethren into ,galilee2 and finally1 leaping from the top of ,olivet to the hills of ,paradise2 fleeing away to 8the mountains of spices10 where he shall never more be hunted by the black prince and his hounds4 ,christ is perfect master of gravitation1 and all the laws of nature are obedient to his will4 ,once he walked upon the water1 as if it were marble beneath his feet2 and now1 as he stands blessing his people1 the glorious form so recently nailed to the cross1 and still more recently cold in the grave1 begins to ascend like 8the living creature0 in ,ezekiel's vision1 8lifted up from the earth10 till nearly out of sight2 when 8the chariots of ,god1 even thousands of angels10 receive him1 and haste to the celestial city1 waking the thrones of eternity with this jubilant chorus--8,lift up your heads1 ,o ye gates6 and be ye lifted up1 ye everlasting doors6 and the ,king of glory shall come in60 ,christ might have rode in a chariot of fire all the way from ,bethlehem to ,calvary2 but he preferred riding in a chariot of mercy1 whose lining was crimson1 and whose ornament the malefactor's cross4 ,how rapidly rolled his wheels over the hills and the plains of ,palestine1 gathering up everywhere the children of affliction1 and scattering blessings like the beams of the morning6 ,now we find him in ,cana of ,galilee1 turning water into wine2 then treading the waves of the sea1 and hushing the roar of the tempest2 then delivering the demoniac of ,gadara from the fury of a legion of fiends2 then healing the nobleman's son at ,capernaum2 raising the daughter of ,jairus1 and the young man of ,nain2 writing upon the grave at ,bethany--8,i am the resurrection and the life20 curing the invalid at the pool of ,bethesda2 feeding the five thousand in the wilderness2 preaching to the woman by ,jacob's well2 acquitting the adulteress1 and shaming her accusers2 and exercising everywhere1 in all his travels1 the three offices of ,physician1 ,prophet1 and ,saviour1 as he drove on toward the place of skulls4 ,now we see the chariot surrounded with enemies--,herod1 and ,pilate1 and ,caiaphas1 and the ,roman soldiers1 and the populace of ,jerusalem1 and thousands of ,jews who have come up to keep the ,passover1 led on by ,judas and the devil4 ,see how they rage and curse1 as if they would tear him from his chariot of mercy4 ,but ,jesus maintains his seat1 and holds fast the reins1 and drives right on through the angry crowd1 without shooting an arrow1 or lifting a spear upon his foes4 ,for in that chariot the ,king must ride to ,calvary--,calvary must be consecrated to mercy for ever4 ,he sees the cross planted upon the brow of the hill1 and hastens forward to embrace it4 ,no sacrifice shall be offered to ,justice on this day1 but the one sacrifice which reconciles heaven and earth4 ,none of those children of ,belial shall suffer to-day4 ,the bribed witnesses1 and clamorous murderers1 shall be spared--the smiters1 the scourgers1 the spitters1 the thorn-platters1 the nail-drivers1 the head-shakers for ,jesus pleads on their behalf--8,father1 forgive them6 they know not what they do4 ,they are ignorant of thy truth and grace4 ,they are not aware whom they are crucifying4 ,o1 spare them6 ,let ,death know that he shall have enough to do with me to-day6 ,let him open all his batteries upon me6 ,my bosom is bare to the stroke6 ,i will gather all the lances of hell in my heart60 ,still the chariot rushes on1 and 8fiery darts0 are falling thick and fast1 like a shower of meteors1 on ,messiah's head1 till he is covered with wounds1 and the blood flows down his garments1 and leaves a crimson track behind him4 ,as he passes1 he casts at the dying malefactor a glance of benignity1 and throws him a passport into ,paradise1 written with his own blood2 stretches forth his scepter1 and touches the prison-door of death1 and many of the prisoners come forth1 and the tyrant shall never regain his dominion over them2 rides triumphant over thrones and principalities1 and crushes beneath his wheels the last enemy himself1 and leaves the memorial of his march engraven on the rocks of ,golgotha6 ,christ is everywhere in the ,scriptures spoken of as a blessing2 and whether we contemplate his advent1 his ministry1 his miracles1 his agony1 his crucifixion1 his interment1 his resurrection1 or his ascension1 we may truly say1 8all his paths drop fatness40 ,all his travels were on the road of mercy2 and trees are growing up in his footsteps1 whose fruit is delicious food1 and whose 8leaves are for the healing of the nations40 ,he walketh upon the south winds1 causing propitious gales to blow upon the wilderness1 till songs of joy awake in the solitary place1 and the desert blossoms as the rose4 ,if we will consider what the prophets wrote of ,messiah1 in connection with the evangelical history1 we shall be satisfied that none like him1 either before or since1 ever entered our world1 and departed from it4 ,both ,god and man--at once the ,father of eternity and the son of time--he filled the universe1 while he was imbodied upon earth2 and ruled the celestial principalities and powers1 while he wandered--a persecuted stranger--in ,judea4 8,no man10 saith he1 8hath ascended up to heaven1 but he that came down from heaven--even the ,son of man1 who is in heaven40 ,heaven was no strange place to ,jesus4 ,he talks of the mansions in his ,father's house as familiarly as one of the royal family would talk of ,windsor ,castle1 where he was born2 and saith to his disciples--8,i go to prepare a place for you2 that where ,i am1 there ye may be also40 ,the glory into which he entered was his own glory--the glory which he had with the ,father before the world was4 ,he had an original and supreme right to the celestial mansions2 and he acquired a new and additional claim by his office as mediator4 ,having suffered for our sins1 he 8ought to enter into his glory40 ,he ought1 because he is 8,god1 blessed for ever0--he ought1 because he is the representative of his redeemed people4 ,he has taken possession of the kingdom in our behalf1 and left on record for our encouragement this cheering promise--8,to him that overcometh will ,i grant to sit with me in my throne2 even as ,i also have overcome1 and am set down with my ,father in his throne40 ,the departure of ,god from ,eden1 and the departure of ,christ from the earth1 were two of the sublimest events that ever occurred1 and fraught with immense consequences to our race4 ,when ,jehovah went out from ,eden1 he left a curse upon the place for man's sake1 and drove out man before him into an accursed earth4 ,but when ,jesus ascended from ,olivet1 he lifted the curse with him1 and left a blessing behind him--sowed the world with the seed of eternal blessings2 8and instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree2 and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle-tree2 and it shall be to the ,lord for a name1 and an everlasting sign1 that shall not be cut off40 ,he ascended to intercede for sinners1 and reopen paradise to his people2 and when he shall come the second time1 according to the promise1 with all his holy angels1 then shall we be 8caught up to meet the ,lord in the air1 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord40 8,the ,lord is gone up with a shout10 and has taken our redeemed nature with him4 ,he is the head of the church1 and her representative at the right hand of the ,father4 8,he hath ascended on high2 he hath led captivity captive2 he hath received gifts for men2 yea1 for the rebellious also1 that ,god may dwell among them40 8,him hath ,god exalted1 with his own right hand1 to be a ,prince and a ,saviour1 to give repentance to ,israel1 and remission of sins40 ,this is the ,father's recognition of his 8,beloved ,son10 and significant acceptance of his sacrifice4 8,wherefore ,god also hath highly exalted him1 and given him a name which is above every name2 that at the name of ,jesus every knee should bow1 of things in heaven1 and things in the earth1 and things under the earth2 and that every tongue should confess that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord1 to the glory of ,god the ,father40 ,the evidence of our ,lord's ascension is ample4 ,he ascended in the presence of many witnesses1 who stood gazing after him till a cloud received him out of their sight4 ,and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven1 two angels appeared to them1 and talked with them of what they had seen4 ,soon afterward1 on the day of ,pentecost1 he fulfilled1 in a remarkable manner1 the promise which he had made to his people3--8,if ,i go away1 ,i will send you another ,comforter1 who shall abide with you for ever40 ,stephen1 the first of his disciples that glorified the ,master by martyrdom1 testified to his murderers--8,lo1 ,i see the heavens opened1 and the ,son of ,man standing on the right hand of ,god60 ,and ,john1 8the beloved disciple10 while an exile 8in ,patmos1 for the word of ,god1 and the testimony of ,jesus ,christ10 beheld him 8in the midst of the throne1 as a ,lamb that had been slain60 ,these are the evidences that our ,lord is in heaven2 these are our consolations in the house of our pilgrimage4 ,the apostle speaks of the necessity of this event3--8,whom the heaven must receive40 ,divine necessity is a golden chain1 reaching from eternity to eternity1 and encircling all the events of time4 ,it consists of many links1 all hanging upon each other2 and not one of them can be broken1 without destroying the support of the whole4 ,the first link is in ,god1 8before the world was20 and the last is in heaven1 when the world shall be no more4 ,christ is its ,alpha and ,omega1 and ,christ constitutes all its intervenient links4 ,christ in the bosom of the ,father1 receiving the promise of eternal life1 before the foundation of the world1 is the beginning2 ,christ in his sacrificial blood1 atoning for our sins1 and pardoning and sanctifying all them that believe1 is the middle2 and ,christ in heaven1 pleading the merit of his vicarious sufferings1 making intercession for the transgressors1 drawing all men unto himself1 presenting the prayers of his people1 and preparing their mansions1 is the end4 ,there is a necessity in all that ,christ has done as our ,mediator1 in all that he is doing on our behalf1 and all that he has engaged to do--the necessity of ,divine love manifested1 of ,divine mercy exercised1 of ,divine purposes accomplished1 of ,divine covenants fulfilled1 of ,divine faithfulness maintained1 of ,divine justice satisfied1 of ,divine holiness vindicated1 and of ,divine power displayed1 ,christ felt this necessity while he tabernacled among us1 often declared it to his disciples1 and acknowledged it to the ,father in the agony of the garden4 ,behold him wrestling in prayer1 with strong crying and tears3--8,father1 save me from this hour6 ,if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me60 ,now the ,father reads to him his covenant engagement1 which he signed and sealed with his own hand before the foundation of the world4 ,the glorious ,sufferer replies3--8,thy will be done6 ,for this cause came ,i unto this hour4 ,i will drink the cup which thou hast mingled1 and not a dreg of any of its ingredients shall be left for my people4 ,i will pass through the approaching dreadful night1 under the hidings of thy countenance1 bearing away the curse from my beloved4 ,henceforth1 repentance is hidden from mine eyes60 ,now1 on his knees1 he reads the covenant engagements of the ,father1 and adds3--8,i have glorified thee on the earth4 ,i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do4 ,now glorify thou me1 according to thy promise1 with thine own self1 with the glory which ,i had with thee before the world was4 ,father1 ,i will also that they whom thou hast given me1 be with me where ,i am1 that they may behold my glory4 ,thine they were1 and thou hast given them to me1 on condition of my pouring out my soul unto death4 ,thou hast promised them1 through my righteousness and meritorious sacrifice1 the kingdom of heaven1 which ,i now claim on their behalf4 ,father1 glorify my people1 with him whom thou lovedst before the foundation of the world60 ,the intercession of ,christ for his saints1 begun on earth1 is continued in heaven4 ,this is our confidence and joy in our journeyings through the wilderness4 ,we know that our ,joshua has gone over into the land of our inheritance1 where he is preparing a place of habitation for ,israel1 for it is his will that all whom he has redeemed should be with him for ever6 ,the text speaks of the period when the great purposes of our ,lord's ascension shall be fully accomplished3--8until the times of restitution of all things40 ,the period here mentioned is 8the dispensation of the fulness of time10 when 8the fulness of the gentiles shall come in10 and 8the dispersed of ,judah0 shall be restored1 and ,christ shall 8gather together in himself all things in heaven and in earth10 overthrow his enemies1 establish his everlasting kingdom1 deliver the groaning creation from its bondage1 glorify his people with himself1 imprison the devil and his angels in the bottomless pit1 and punish with destruction from his presence them that obey not the gospel4 ,to this glorious consummation1 the great travail of redemption1 and all the events of time1 are only preparatory4 ,it was promised in ,eden1 and the promise was renewed and enlarged to ,abraham1 to ,isaac1 and to ,jacob4 ,it was described in gorgeous oriental imagery by ,isaiah1 and 8the sweet psalmist of ,israel20 and 8spoken of by all the prophets1 since the world began40 ,christ came into the world to prepare the way for his future triumph--to lay on ,calvary the 8chief corner-stone0 of a temple1 which shall be completed at the end of time1 and endure through all eternity4 ,he began the great restitution4 ,he redeemed his people with a price1 and gave them a pledge of redemption by power4 ,he made an end of sin1 abolished the ,levitical priesthood1 and swallowed up all the types and shadows in himself4 ,he sent home the beasts1 overthrew the altars1 and quenched the holy fire2 and1 upon the sanctifying altar of his own divinity1 offered his own sinless humanity1 which was consumed by fire from heaven4 ,he removed the seat of government from ,mount ,zion in ,jerusalem1 to ,mount ,zion above1 where he sits--8a priest upon his throne0--drawing heaven and earth together1 and establishing 8the covenant of peace between them both40 ,blessed be ,god6 we can now go to ,jesus1 the mediator2 passing by millions of angels1 and all the spirits of just men made perfect2 till we 8come to the blood of sprinkling1 which speaketh better things than that of ,abel40 ,and we look for that blessed day1 when 8this gospel of the kingdom0 shall be universally prevalent2 8and all shall know the ,lord1 from the least even to the greatest0--when there shall be 8a new heaven1 and a new earth1 wherein dwelleth righteousness0--when both the political and the moral aspects of our world shall be changed2 and a happier state of things shall exist than has ever been known before--when the pestilence1 the famine1 and the sword shall cease to destroy2 and 8the saints of the ,most ,high shall possess the kingdom10 in 8quietness and assurance for ever40 8,then cometh the end10 when ,emmanuel 8shall destroy in this mountain the vail of the covering cast over all people1 and swallow up death in victory60 ,but what will it avail you to hear of this glorious restitution1 if you are not partakers of its incipient benefits1 and happily interested in its consummation8 ,has it begun in your own hearts8 ,are you restored to ,god in ,christ8 ,have you a place in his house1 and a name among his people8 ,are your feet running the way of his commandments1 and your hands diligent in doing his work8 ,if not1 8it is high time to awake out of sleep40 8,repent and believe the gospel60 8,let the wicked forsake his way1 and the unrighteous man his thoughts2 and let him return unto the ,lord1 who will have mercy upon him2 and to our ,god1 for he will abundantly pardon60 ,,sermon ,,xv4 ,,tribulation ,,conquered4 8,these things have ,i spoken unto you1 that in me ye might have peace4 ,in the world ye shall have tribulation2 but be of good cheer2 ,i have overcome the world40--,john xvi4 #cc4 ,,the last sayings of those we love are not soon forgotten4 ,these words form the conclusion of our ,lord's valedictory to his disciples4 ,they did not yet understand that the redemption of man was to be obtained by the death of their ,master4 ,when ,christ was put to death1 he descended to the lower parts of the earth1 in order to raise up sinners2 but their faith could not follow him into the deep4 ,nicholas ,pisces sunk into the sea to raise a golden cup1 but neither he nor the cup ever came up again4 ,a man clothed in glass went down to prepare for raising the ,royal ,george2 the man came up1 but the ship remains in the bottom4 ,but our blessed ,redeemer1 clothed in humanity1 descended to the deeps of death1 and raised the church from the pit of perdition1 and founded her upon a rock1 against which the gates of hell cannot prevail4 ,we would notice1 first1 the peace that is in ,christ1 in opposition to the tribulation that is in the world2 and secondly1 the victory of ,christ over the world1 as the source of comfort and joy to believers4 ,i4 8,these things have ,i spoken unto you1 that in me ye might have peace4 ,i know what you will have in the world--mountains of tribulation--nothing but tribulation4 ,i will put my peace in the other end of the scale40 ,peace in ,christ is 8the peace of ,god which passeth all understanding0--an ocean sufficiently deep and large to swallow up millions of fiery mountains4 ,see the awakened sinner1 overwhelmed with the terrors of ,god4 ,his inflexible justice and spotless holiness seem to him like a mountain of flame1 which he cannot approach without being consumed4 ,but the ,holy ,spirit shows him the reconciling blood of the cross4 ,he sees the crucified ,god-man rising from the grave1 and ascending on high1 8to be a ,prince and a ,saviour1 to give repentance and remission of sins40 ,instantly the terrible mountain sinks and is lost in the sea of his ,redeemer's merit4 ,his faith has conquered his fears4 ,his burden of guilt is gone4 ,he is a new creature in ,christ ,jesus1 and in ,christ ,jesus there is no condemnation4 ,the deluge of tribulation may swell and roar around him1 but he is securely enclosed in the ark4 ,a man in a trance saw himself locked up in a house of steel1 through the walls of which1 as through walls of glass1 he could see his enemies assailing him with swords1 spears1 and bayonets2 but his life was safe1 for his fortress was locked within4 ,so is the ,christian secure amid the assaults of the world4 ,his 8life is hid with ,christ in ,god40 ,the psalmist prayed--8,when my heart is overwhelmed within me1 lead me to the ,rock that is higher than ,i40 ,imagine a man seated on a lofty rock in the midst of the sea1 where he has every thing necessary for his support1 shelter1 safety1 and comfort4 ,the billows heave and break beneath him1 and the hungry monsters of the deep wait to devour him2 but he is on high1 above the rage of the former1 and the reach of the latter4 ,such is the security of faith4 ,but why need ,i mention the rock and the steel house8 for the peace that is in ,christ is a tower ten thousand times stronger1 and a refuge ten thousand times safer4 ,behold the disciples of ,jesus exposed to famine1 nakedness1 peril1 and sword--incarcerated in dungeons2 thrown to wild beasts2 consumed in the fire2 sawn asunder2 cruelly mocked and scourged2 driven from friends and home1 to wander among the mountains1 and lodge in dens and caves of the earth2 being destitute1 afflicted1 tormented2 sorrowful1 but always rejoicing2 cast down1 but not destroyed2 an ocean of peace within1 which swallows up all their sufferings4 8,neither death10 with all its terrors2 8nor life10 with all its allurements2 8nor things present10 with all their pleasure2 8nor things to come10 with all their promise2 8nor height0 of prosperity2 8nor depth0 of adversity2 8nor angels0 of evil2 8nor principalities0 of darkness2 8shall be able to separate us from the love of ,god1 which is in ,christ ,jesus40 8,god is our refuge and strength2 a very present help in trouble4 ,therefore will not we fear1 though the earth be removed1 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 thereof40 ,this is the language of strong faith in the peace of ,christ4 ,how is it with you amid such turmoil and commotion8 ,is all peaceful within8 ,do you feel secure in the name of the ,lord1 as in a strong fortress--as in a city well supplied and defended8 8,there is a river1 the streams whereof shall make glad the city of ,god1 the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high4 ,god is in the midst of her2 she shall not be moved4 ,god shall help her1 and that right early40 8,unto the upright1 there ariseth light in the darkness40 ,the bright and morning star1 shining upon their pathway1 cheers them in their journey home to their ,father's house4 ,and when they come to pass over ,jordan1 the ,sun of ,righteousness shall have risen upon them1 with healing in his wings4 ,already they see the tops of the mountains of immortality1 gilded with his beams1 beyond the valley of the shadow of death4 ,behold1 yonder1 old ,simeon hoisting his sails1 and saying--8,lord1 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace1 according to thy word2 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation40 ,such is the peace of ,jesus1 sealed to all them that believe1 by the blood of his cross4 ,when we walk through the field of battle1 slippery with blood1 and strewn with the bodies of the slain--when we hear the shrieks and the groans of the wounded and the dying--when we see the country wasted1 cities burned1 houses pillaged1 widows and orphans wailing in the track of the victorious army1 we cannot help exclaiming--,o1 what a blessing is peace6 ,when we are obliged to witness family turmoils and strifes--when we see parents and children1 brothers and sisters1 masters and servants1 husbands and wives1 contending with each other like tigers--we retire as from a smoky house1 and exclaim as we go--,o1 what a blessing is peace6 ,when duty calls us into that church1 where envy and malice prevail1 and the spirit of harmony is supplanted by discord and contention--when we see brethren1 who ought to be bound together in love1 full of pride1 hatred1 confusion1 and every evil work--we quit the unhallowed scene with painful feelings of repulsion1 repeating the exclamation--,o1 what a blessing is peace6 ,but how much more precious in the case of the awakened sinner6 ,see him standing1 terror-stricken1 before mount ,sinai4 ,thunders roll above him--lightnings flash around him--the earth trembles beneath him1 as if ready to open her mouth and swallow him up4 ,the sound of the trumpet rings through his soul--8,guilty6 guilty6 guilty60 ,pale and trembling1 he looks eagerly around him1 and sees nothing but revelations of wrath4 ,overwhelmed with fear and dismay1 he cries out--8,o wretched man that ,i am6 ,who shall deliver me6 ,what shall ,i do80 ,a voice reaches his ear--penetrates his heart--8,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world60 ,he turns his eyes to ,calvary4 ,wonderous vision6 ,emmanuel expiring upon the cross6 the sinner's ,substitute satisfying the demand of the law against the sinner6 ,now all his fears are hushed1 and rivers of peace flow into his soul4 ,this is the peace of ,christ4 ,how precious is this peace1 amid all the dark vicissitudes of life6 ,how invaluable this jewel1 through all the dangers of the wilderness6 ,how cheering to know that ,jesus1 who hath loved us even unto death1 is the pilot of our perilous voyage2 that he rules the winds and the waves1 and can hush them to silence at his will1 and bring the frailest bark of faith to the desired haven6 ,trusting where he cannot trace his ,master's footsteps1 the disciple is joyful amid the darkest dispensations of ,divine ,providence2 turning all his sorrows into songs1 and all his tribulations into triumphs4 8,thou wilt keep him in perfect peace1 whose mind is stayed on thee1 because he trusteth in thee40 ,,ii4 ,the victory of ,christ over the world1 the source of comfort and joy to believers4 8,in the world ye shall have tribulation2 but be of good cheer2 ,i have overcome the world40 ,the world is the great castle of ,belial1 containing three temples2 8the lust of the flesh1 the lust of the eye1 and the pride of life20 in one or another of which every unconverted soul is a worshipper4 ,but ,jesus has demolished that castle1 and abolished the service of its several temples4 ,the world has two modes of warfare4 ,sometimes it puts on the apparent mildness of a lamb1 and allures to destruction with the song of a siren4 ,again it leaps upon its prey like an angry lion1 or pursues its victim like an exasperated dragon4 ,its frown has destroyed thousands2 its smile1 tens of thousands4 ,a certain man has laid it down as a rule1 that all must take the world as it is4 ,but all general rules have their exceptions4 ,christ is the exception here4 ,christ conquered the world4 ,the ,prince of this world met him in the wilderness1 when he was alone1 in poverty and distress--weary1 hungry1 and thirsty--and offered him all the kingdoms of the world1 for which have been fought so many battles4 ,but ,jesus refused the offer2 choosing rather to be poor1 that we might be made rich4 ,he detected the lion in his affectation of the lamb1 and stripped from the angel of darkness his garment of light4 ,then the enemy assumed another aspect--assailed him with the rage of a wild beast1 and the malice of a fiend4 ,no sooner had he preached his first sermon1 than there was an attempt to hurl him down the precipice4 8,the archers sorely grieved him1 and shot at him1 and hated him40 ,judea became to him a mountain of leopards1 and humanity seemed infernalized4 ,he was stigmatized as a hypocrite--an impostor--a demoniac4 ,he was falsely accused before rulers1 and insult was added to perjury4 8,but his bow abode in strength1 and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty ,god of ,jacob40 8,he was tempted in all things like as we are1 yet without sin40 8,he did no iniquity1 neither was guile found in his mouth40 ,he went through the wilderness without contracting any of its defilement4 ,but this was comparatively a small part of his victory4 ,a more glorious conquest of the world was achieved by his death upon the cross1 and his resurrection from the grave4 ,it is here we behold him 8glorious in his apparel1 traveling in the greatness of his strength10 trampling the hosts of hell1 till his raiment is red with blood4 ,it is here we behold him 8spoiling principalities and powers1 and making a show of them openly--triumphing over them0 in his atonement4 ,it is here we behold the ,prince of this world cast out and judged4 ,the ,prince of ,peace has broken his sceptre1 demolished his throne1 and established upon the ruins of his empire an everlasting kingdom of grace4 ,caiaphas rejoiced that ,christ was under the king's seal in the grave2 but his unholy joy was brief as 8the crackling of thorns under a pot40 ,at the dawning of the third day1 ,csar's seal is broken1 the stone rolled away1 the tomb deserted of its occupant1 ,caiaphas' feast of joy turned to lamentation and mourning1 and the eternal power and ,godhead of him whom they crucified engraved for ever on the rent rocks of ,calvary4 ,alexander conquered the world1 but did not live to enjoy the fruits of his victory4 ,but the ,captain of our salvation1 though he was dead1 is alive for evermore4 ,he shall prosecute his conquests1 and put all enemies under his feet1 and retain his dominion for ever4 8,he shall see of the travail of his soul1 and be satisfied40 ,he lives to confer upon his people the riches which he procured for them by his death4 ,he lives to defend his redeemed1 and draw all men unto himself4 ,he lives to perpetuate in the church the peace which he bequeathed to her in his last will and testament4 ,a servant of ,julian the ,apostate asked one of the martyrs--8,what is thy ,god1 the carpenter1 doing now in heaven80 ,he answered--8,making a coffin for thy master60 ,julian was soon afterward mortally wounded by an arrow from one of the ,scythians4 ,when he was expiring1 he waved his hand sorrowfully1 and exclaimed--8,o ,galilean1 thou hast conquered60 8,be of good cheer10 therefore1 ye trembling disciples6 ,christ has vanquished all your enemies4 ,ye are more than conquerors1 through him that loved you1 and gave himself for you4 8,in those things wherein they were proud1 he was above them40 ,when ,pharaoh exulted to overtake ,israel1 shut in between ,pi-hahiroth and ,baal-zephon1 with the sea before them1 ,jehovah was higher than the ,egyptian4 ,his sight was clearer--his arm was stronger--his purpose was firmer4 ,he said to his people--8,stand still6 you are not able to raise this rampart4 ,i must do it for you4 ,i will divide the sea1 and lead you through on dry land1 and drown those who have drowned so many of your infants4 ,every one of them shall perish1 from the king to the last footman40 ,thus the ,prince of ,peace has triumphed over your foes1 and you may conquer through faith in his conquest4 8,whatsoever is born of ,god overcometh the world2 and this is the victory that overcometh the world1 even our faith40 ,john in the ,apocalypse saw the army of the victors--a great multitude1 out of all nations1 and kindreds1 and peoples1 and tongues--standing before the throne1 and before the ,lamb2 clothed with white robes1 and palms in their hands2 and crying with a loud voice--8,salvation to our ,god1 who sitteth upon the throne1 and unto the ,lamb60 ,and one of the elders asked him--8,who are these1 and whence came they80 ,but so wonderfully were they changed1 since he saw them on earth--in exile1 in prison1 in torture and death--that he confessed he knew them not4 ,then answered the elder--8,these are they that came out of great tribulation1 and have washed their robes1 and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,therefore are they before the throne of ,god1 and serve him day and night in his temple2 and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them4 ,they shall hunger no more1 neither thirst any more2 neither shall the sun light on them1 nor any heat4 ,for the ,lamb1 who is in the midst of the throne1 shall feed them1 and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters2 and ,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes40 ,thus1 ye saints1 shall you 8overcome by the blood of the ,lamb20 8for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world20 and your sorrows shall be lost in unspeakable joy1 and your disgrace in eternal glory6 ,,sermon ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,glory ,,of ,,the ,,gospel4 8,according to the glorious gospel of the blessed ,god40--#a ,tim4 i4 #aa4 ,,the being of ,god1 and some of his attributes1 are revealed to us by natural religion4 ,the proof is seen in all his works1 commending itself to the reason and conscience even of pagan nations4 8,because that which may be known of ,god is manifest in them1 for ,god hath showed it unto them2 for the invisible things of him1 from the creation of the world1 are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made1 even his eternal power and godhead2 so that they are without excuse1 because that when they knew ,god1 they glorified him not as ,god1 neither were thankful1 but became vain in their imaginations1 and their foolish heart was darkened40 #bbc ,paul's sermon in ,athens was founded on the revelations of natural religion3--8,then ,paul stood in the midst of ,mars' hill1 and said1 ,ye men of ,athens1 ,i perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious2 for as ,i passed by1 and beheld your devotions1 ,i found an altar with this inscription1 ,,to ,,the ,,unknown ,,god2 whom therefore ye ignorantly worship1 him declare ,i unto you4 ,god that made the world and all things therein1 seeing that he is ,lord of heaven and earth1 dwelleth not in temples made with hands2 neither is worshipped with men's hands1 as though he needed any thing1 seeing he giveth to all life1 and breath1 and all things2 and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth1 and hath determined the times before appointed1 and the bounds of their habitation2 that they should seek the ,lord1 if haply they might feel after him1 and find him1 though he be not far from every one of us2 for in him we live1 and move1 and have our being2 as certain also of your own poets have said1 ,for we are also his offspring40 #bbd ,but natural religion1 though it reveals the being and attributes of ,god1 cannot teach the way of salvation1 nor lead us in the path of holiness4 ,it may excite a thousand fears1 not one of which can it allay2 and suggest a thousand questions1 not one of which can it answer4 ,it leaves us1 with the deist1 in a region of doubt and perplexity2 and neither of its four oracles--creation1 providence1 reason1 and conscience--can satisfy the soul that inquires1 8,what must ,i do to be saved80 ,its light affords us no guidance in the path of virtue2 no certain indications of duty1 either to ,god or man4 ,our understandings are so darkened1 our wills so perverted1 our affections so carnal1 that we can depend upon no suggestions of external nature1 or of reason and conscience1 for the regulation of our moral conduct4 ,god1 therefore1 of his infinite mercy1 has given us his written word--a perfect rule both of faith and practice--a law by which we ought to live1 and by which we shall be judged--a revelation of the mystery which had been hidden for ages1 but is now made manifest to the saints1 dispelling the fears of conscience1 soothing the sorrows of the heart1 and bringing life and immortality to light4 ,divine revelation1 though infinitely above human reason1 does not in the least oppose it4 ,that ,god should clearly make known his will to man1 is so far from being contrary to reason1 that we may truly say1 nothing is more reasonable4 ,the deductions of reason from the insufficiency of natural religion strongly indicate the necessity of such a revelation2 and as to its possibility1 we know that there can be no impossibility on the part of ,god to give it1 and there is no impossibility on the part of man to receive it4 ,god is able to communicate his will to his creatures in any way he pleases4 ,he can stamp it on the mind1 and make us know that it is he who speaks to us4 ,but he has chosen another method4 ,he has given us a record of his will in the ,holy ,scriptures4 8,god who1 at sundry times1 and in divers manners1 spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us by his ,son1 whom he hath appointed heir of all things1 by whom also he made the worlds4 ,therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard1 lest at any time we should let them slip40 ,is the gospel the truth of ,god or not8 ,much has been written on this question4 ,the arguments that have been advanced in support of the affirmative have never been overthrown1 and never can be1 by all the skeptics in the world4 ,the revelation of the method of salvation was given in the garden of ,eden to our first parents4 ,since that period great talents have been employed1 talents worthy of a better cause1 in ridiculing the ,bible2 but to very little purpose4 ,the character of the ,book of ,god stands firm as a mountain amid the clouds1 the thunders1 and the whirlwinds2 and all the opposition of infidels and blasphemers1 instead of tarnishing1 have only brightened its lustre2 and from every trial through which it has passed1 it has come forth as fine gold from the furnace4 ,the religions of the world1 the vices and virtues of the world1 all its wisdom and sagacity1 and all its power and authority1 in league with the demons of the pit1 have not been able to destroy the gospel1 or stay the wheels of its chariot4 ,though they were headed by the prince of darkness--the prince of this world--the prince of the power of the air1 that worked mightily in the children of disobedience1 in ,palestine1 in ,greece and ,rome1 and all over the world2 yet the gospel has proved triumphant4 ,its enemies1 human and infernal1 may wonder and be amazed at its prosperity2 but let them remember that its author is the living ,god1 and liveth for ever4 ,though its ministers have been persecuted and imprisoned1 stoned1 sawn asunder1 slain with the sword1 and burnt in the flames2 yet the word of the ,lord is not bound1 but is freely preached in many parts of the world1 and its doctrines and practices maintained in their purity by multitudes of ,christians1 notwithstanding the most dreadful attempts that have been made at different times to corrupt and destroy them4 8,for all flesh is as grass1 and all the glory of man as the flower of grass4 ,the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away2 but the word of the ,lord endureth for ever4 ,and this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you40 ,we would now call your attention to the ,divine authority of the gospel1 and its characteristic glory4 ,i4 ,it is 8the gospel of the blessed ,god0--a message from ,god to man--a revelation of ,god's gracious method of saving sinners through the death of his ,son--a declaration of his sovereign love and mercy to the utterly wretched and perishing children of men4 ,it testifieth of the coming of the promised ,messiah2 of the glory of his person as ,god-man2 of the excellency of his offices1 as our ,prophet1 ,priest1 and ,king2 the honor which he has conferred upon the law that we have violated1 and the satisfaction which he has given to the ,divine justice that we have insulted4 ,it records the sufferings and death of ,christ1 his victory over the powers of darkness1 his resurrection from the grave1 his ascension to glory1 his session at the right hand of the ,father1 and his intercession for sinners on the ground of his vicarious sufferings2 and predicts his second coming in glory1 on the clouds of heaven1 to judge the quick and the dead4 ,i do not mean to say that there is no other truth necessary to be preached and believed1 but all the truths of ,divine revelation are immediately connected with the doctrine of the cross4 ,this is the testimony that the ,father hath testified of his ,son4 ,this is the glad tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people4 ,this is the faithful saying1 or true report1 that is worthy of all acceptation1 that ,christ ,jesus came into the world to save the chief of sinners4 ,this is 8the glorious gospel of the blessed ,god20 emanating from his spirit1 and conducting to his kingdom4 ,let us consider the evidences of its ,divine authority4 ,the perfections of ,god1 in some degree1 are manifested in all his works and words2 his character is stamped on every thing that his hands hath formed1 and his mouth hath spoken2 so that there is a vast difference between the work and language of ,god1 and the work and language of men4 ,this is especially the case in reference to the ,christian revelation4 ,it is 8the gospel of the blessed ,god10 and bears throughout the impress of its author4 ,when ,john saw the ,lamb in the midst of the throne1 he had no difficulty in determining that he was a proper object of adoration and praise4 ,as soon as any one sees the stone with seven eyes laid before ,zerubabel1 he knows that it is not a common stone4 ,when you look to the book of the firmament1 the fingers of the ,creator's eternal power and ,godhead are evidently seen in the sun1 the moon and the stars4 ,so1 in the ,bible1 we trace the same ,divine hand4 ,as often as ,i read it1 ,i see eternity1 with its flaming eye1 gazing upon me4 ,it unfolds to me the mysteries of creation and providence4 ,it informs me who made1 and still sustains and governs the universe4 ,it leads me to the spring and original cause of all things2 and places me immediately before the eyes of the eternal ,god2 and ,i find myself1 in his presence1 both killed and made alive--most dreadfully oppressed1 and set at perfect liberty--sunk in the valley of repentance and humiliation1 and lifted upon the top of ,pisgah--full of fears1 and full of joy--desiring to hide myself from his sight1 yet wishing to abide in the light of his countenance for ever6 ,i see the eye of ,omniscience looking out upon me from every chapter of the ,bible--from every doctrine1 every precept1 every promise1 every ordinance of the gospel--penetrating alike the darkness and the light--searching me through and through1 till ,i can hide nothing from its gaze--giving me a faithful representation of my conscience and my heart--making me hate myself1 and confess my uncleanness1 and cry out for the creation of a right spirit within me4 ,and then ,i see it looking far into futurity--discovering1 many hundreds of years beforehand1 the smallest circumstances in the life and death of ,jesus1 even to the price of his betrayal1 the gall mingled with his drink1 and the lot cast for his vesture4 ,how can ,i doubt that this is the eye of ,god8 ,again3 ,i see ,holiness1 ,justice1 and ,truth1 gazing upon me from the very heart of the gospel1 like so many eyes of consuming fire4 ,i tremble before them1 like ,moses before the burning bush1 or ,israel at the base of ,sinai4 ,yet do ,i wish to behold this terrible glory1 for it is mingled with milder beams of mercy4 ,i take off my shoes1 and approach that ,i may contemplate4 8,truly1 ,god is in this place60 ,i cannot live in sin under the intense blaze of his countenance4 ,but here also ,i find the cleft of the ,rock1 even the ,rock of ,ages1 wherein he hides me with his hand1 while he makes all his goodness pass before me1 and proclaims to me his name--8,the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 forgiving iniquity1 and transgression1 and sin1 and by no means clearing the guilty60 8,the word of ,god is quick and powerful1 sharper than a two-edged sword2 piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit1 and of the joints and marrow2 and discerning0--revealing--condemning--corr ecting--8the thoughts and intents of the heart40 ,it unlocks my soul1 and sits upon its throne2 an infallible judge over all my secret imaginations1 purposes1 and feelings2 bringing them under its own perfect law2 examining them in the light of spotless holiness1 inflexible justice1 and eternal truth4 ,and when ,i shrink from the scrutiny1 overwhelmed with a sense of my corruption1 and confessing my guilt with a broken and contrite heart1 then it speaks to me of the boundless love of ,god1 and the infinite merit of ,christ2 and 8a still small voice0 directs my sight to the holy of holies2 where ,i see1 through the rent vail1 the ,king of ,zion1 sitting upon his throne of grace1 more glorious than the ancient ,shekinah upon the mercy-seat4 ,i approach with joyful confidence1 and find him invested with my own nature1 8,god manifest in the flesh10 his royal garments red with sacrificial blood2 and again ,i hear the still small voice--8,thy faith hath saved thee2 go in peace60 ,and when the dark mountains of tribulation rise up before me1 ,i see their tops gilded with beams of love2 and when ,i look into the valley of the shadow of death1 ,i see it brightening with the footsteps of the ,son of ,god2 and when the soul sits solitary and dejected in her mortal prison1 longing for the wings of a dove1 that she may fly away and be at rest1 she sees the eyes of her ,deliverer looking through the crevices of the wall1 and hears his voice at the grated window--8,fear not1 for ,i am with thee2 be not dismayed1 for ,i am thy ,god60 ,thus the gospel commends itself to my conscience and my heart1 as 8the gospel of the blessed ,god40 ,but there is other1 and if possible still stronger1 proof of its divinity2 namely1 its power to renew the human soul1 and reform the human character4 ,the ,earl of ,rochester was a great skeptic1 and one of the most witty and sarcastic men of his age4 ,in his last sickness1 he was reading the fifty-third chapter of ,isaiah2 where the prophet1 in so graphic and touching a manner1 describes the vicarious sufferings of ,christ4 ,it scattered all his deistical doubts1 as the sun scatters the mist of the morning2 led him with a broken and believing heart to the atoning ,lamb of ,god2 and converted his death-bed into a vestibule of heaven4 ,this is not a solitary case4 ,thousands and millions have been1 in like manner1 awakened and converted through the gospel1 and brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,it is 8mighty through ,god1 to the pulling down of strong-holds2 casting down imaginations1 and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of ,god2 and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of ,christ0--turning men from darkness to light1 and from the power of ,satan to ,god1 that they may receive remission of sins1 and an inheritance among all them that are sanctified through faith in ,jesus4 ,matthew at the custom-house1 the woman of ,samaria at ,jacob's well1 the dying malefactor upon the cross1 the penitent jailor at ,philippi1 the blasphemous persecutor on the road to ,damascus1 and three thousand souls under ,peter's preaching at the ,pentecost1 all found it 8the power of ,god unto salvation40 ,and still it retains its convincing and quickening virtue4 ,wherever it is proclaimed in its purity1 and accompanied with the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 proud and hardened sinners are pricked in their hearts1 and forced to cry out--8,men and brethren1 what must we do80 ,it answers the question4 ,it points to the crucified and saith--8,believe and be saved60 ,it reconciles the enemy unto ,god4 ,it makes the blasphemer a man of prayer1 the sensualist a man of purity1 the inebriate a man of sobriety2 and where sin abounded1 grace much more abounds4 ,the dead whom ,jesus quickened had no time to inquire into the mysterious process by which the work was wrought4 ,they sprang instantly into life by the power of ,god4 ,yet the evidence of the change was clear and incontestible4 ,so it is with the transforming effects of the gospel4 ,we cannot rationally doubt its power to raise the soul from death in trespasses and sins4 ,suppose ,i have been long afflicted with a cancer1 or have been bitten by a mad-dog1 or a rattlesnake2 and ,i find a sovereign and instantaneous remedy2 but after ,i am cured1 a skeptic calls upon me1 and tries to convince me that the remedy is good for nothing1 insists that it is a cheat lately invented by a villain1 demands of me to prove that such things were used before the deluge1 and asks me a thousand questions about the cure which ,solomon could not answer2 how can ,i look upon such a man as better than a maniac8 ,i have tried the experiment1 and found it successful2 and all his pretended philosophical reasoning rings in my ears like a sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal4 ,the wisdom of men has invented many remedies for the guilt and the love of sin2 but the vain philosophy of the world has never1 like the gospel1 restored a single soul to peace1 purity1 and happiness4 ,i can truly say1 after the most careful self-examination1 and millions more can testify the same thing1 that the gospel1 in the hand of the ,spirit of ,god1 has subdued the love of sin1 and quenched the fire of guilt within me2 and has taken away the sting of death1 and the terrors of the grave4 ,if the infidel will allow that ,i am a sane man1 and a man of truth1 what farther proof does he want that this is 8the gospel of the blessed ,god80 ,once more3 ,the character of ,god1 as exhibited in the gospel1 is perfect1 every way worthy of himself1 infinitely above any original conception of the human mind4 ,the gods of ,homer and ,virgil are cruel and revengeful4 ,the god of ,mohammed delights in pollution and crime4 ,the god of ,voltaire is a buffoon1 and the god of ,paine a tyrant4 ,but the gospel represents the ,deity in his true character1 as the concentration and the fountain of all moral excellence4 ,all this evidence of the ,divine authority of the gospel is corroborated by an overwhelming array of external proof4 ,it was certainly written by the men whose names it bears4 ,they were men of irreproachable character4 ,their declarations were confirmed by the testimony of miracles1 and the fulfilment of prophecy4 ,jesus of ,nazareth was crucified on ,calvary1 rose from the dead the third day1 and ascended to heaven1 according to the ,scriptures4 ,these were facts believed by the primitive ,christians1 and admitted by their enemies4 ,they were received with the most perfect confidence by the immediate successors of the original witnesses2 and farther corroborated by the testimony of neutrals1 apostates1 and the most inveterate opponents4 ,the question therefore is settled2 all is admitted that is necessary to prove that the ,christian's gospel is 8the gospel of the blessed ,god40 ,,ii4 ,it is 8the glorious gospel0--emphatically and pre-eminently glorious2 and this is our second topic of discourse4 ,it is a wonderful exhibition of the glory of ,god--the most perfect revelation of the ,divine attributes ever granted to man--displaying the sovereign mercy of the ,father1 in the gift of his beloved ,son2 the infinite compassion of ,christ1 in offering himself upon the cross for our sins2 and the gracious power of the ,holy ,spirit1 in turning us from darkness to light1 and renewing us in righteousness and true holiness after the image of ,god4 ,but it is chiefly from a comparison of the gospel with the law1 both in its dispensation and its character1 that we see its transcendent glory4 ,on this point let us fix our attention4 8,the law was given by ,moses1 but grace and truth came by ,jesus ,christ40 ,the ministration of the law brought the angels from heaven to earth1 but the ministration of the gospel required the incarnation of the ,god of angels4 ,the ,mediator of the new covenant is ,jehovah enshrined in humanity--8,emmanuel0--8,god with us0--8,god manifest in the flesh0--8the fulness of the ,godhead10 that 8filleth all in all10 imbodied and made visible in the lowly ,son of ,david4 ,this is the foundation of the apostle's argument1 by which he convicts the despisers of the gospel of greater guilt than the transgressors of the law4 8,if the word spoken by angels0--that is1 the law given upon ,sinai--8was steadfast1 and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward2 how shall we escape0--we who have heard the glad tidings of the gospel--8if we neglect so great salvation2 which at first began to be spoken by the ,lord1 and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him2 ,god also bearing them witness1 with signs1 and wonders1 and divers miracles1 and gifts of the ,holy ,ghost80 ,if ,god is greater than man1 then the gospel is greater than the law2 and its superior excellence constitutes for it a superior claim upon our faith and our affections2 and the strength of that claim graduates the guilt of its rejection4 ,there is a fire more intense than that which flamed on ,sinai1 and a judgment more terrible than that of ,korah and his confederates4 8,he that despised ,moses' law died without mercy1 under two or three witnesses2 of how much sorer punishment1 suppose ye1 shall he be thought worthy1 who hath trodden under foot the ,son of ,god1 and hath counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing1 and hath done despite to the ,spirit of grace60 ,the ceremonial law contained many a type and shadow of ,messiah2 but the gospel is the history of his advent and mediatorial work4 ,the ceremonial law pointed to the coming ,prince of ,peace2 but the gospel brings him to his throne1 and puts the crown upon his head4 ,christ is 8the brightness of the ,father's glory1 and the express image of his person20 and ,moses and ,aaron are lost in his light1 as the moon and the stars in the blaze of the rising sun4 ,the excellence of his person1 the merit of his sacrifice1 and the utility of his offices1 give him an immense superiority4 ,the many prophets1 priests1 and kings1 of the former dispensation1 were but the shadows cast by the one great ,prophet1 ,priest1 and ,king1 which indicated his coming4 ,a light arose from the cross of ,calvary which turned the black cloud on ,sinai into a pillar of glory4 ,typical blood shielded the children of ,israel from the arm of the destroying angel1 healed the leper1 anointed to holy offices1 atoned for ceremonial sins1 and sealed the covenant of ,god with his people2 but never cancelled the sinner's debt1 nor satisfied his conscience1 nor sanctified his affections1 nor calmed his trembling spirit in the hour of death4 ,all these blessings1 however1 flow from the blood of ,christ--these1 and infinitely more--more than tongue can tell1 or heart conceive4 ,the gospel is emphatically the ministration of mercy--the covenant of grace1 8ordered in all things and sure0--a goodly ship1 freighted with the bread of life1 and commanded by the ,son of ,god1 who has steered into the harbor of our famishing world1 and is dispensing the precious provision to all who will accept4 ,these arc 8the sure mercies of ,david40 ,the law is only a partial revelation of the ,divine attributes1 which1 in the gospel1 are all equally exhibited1 and all equally glorified4 ,here1 8,mercy and ,truth are met together2 ,righteousness and ,peace have kissed each other40 ,the justice of ,god looks more terrible at the cross of ,christ than at the gate of hell2 and is more glorified in the sufferings of his ,son than in the eternal agonies of all the damned2 while his mercy is more beautiful1 because more honorable to his administration1 than if sinners had been saved without an atonement4 ,thus1 while the law reveals the righteousness of ,god1 the gospel brightens the revelation of his righteousness1 and adds the revelation of his grace4 ,while the law imprisons the sinner1 the gospel liberates him1 yet liberates him according to law4 ,while the law shows the malignity of sin1 and dooms the sinner to death1 the gospel assents to both1 but conquers the one and counteracts the other4 ,the law convinces us of our fall2 the gospel assures us of our redemption4 ,the law shows us what we are1 and what we ought to be2 the gospel tells us what we may become1 and now the change must be effected4 ,the law tears open our wounds2 the gospel pours in the healing balm4 ,the law makes known our duty2 the gospel aids us to perform it4 ,the law plunges us in the ditch2 the gospel opens to us the purifying fountain4 ,the law is a mirror in which we behold our own filthiness and deformity2 the gospel is a mirror which reflects the glory of ,god in ,christ1 and transforms the believer into the same image4 ,the law has no fellowship with the sinner--offers no pardon to the sinner--cannot cure the love of sin in his heart--cannot give a spark of life1 without perfect obedience1 and full satisfaction for past offences4 ,therefore some accuse the law of cruelty--cannot set forth the superior glory of the gospel1 without representing the law as a tyrant or a vagrant4 ,but it is not the cruelty of the law1 but the righteousness of the law1 that condemns the sinner4 ,this is the reason that it has no alms-house1 nor city of refuge1 in its dominion4 ,yet 8the law is our schoolmaster1 to bring us to ,christ40 ,by convincing us of sin1 it shows us our need of a ,saviour4 ,it meets the sinner on his way to hell1 and drives him back to ,calvary6 ,but the gospel is more glorious4 ,it enters the sinner's heart1 and casts out the love of sin1 and scourges the traffickers from the temple of ,god4 ,it enters the prisoner's cell1 knocks off his fetters1 and bids him go free4 ,it descends into the valley of dry bones1 makes the mouldering skeletons living men1 and leads them to ,mount ,zion with songs of everlasting joy4 ,it gives eyes to the blind1 ears to the deaf1 feet to the lame1 tongues to the dumb1 health to the sick1 life to the dead1 and revives such as are fainting under the terrors of the law4 ,it is 8the power of ,god unto salvation to every one that believeth40 ,the ,moravian missionaries in ,greenland preached several years on the great doctrines of natural religion1 and the requirements of the moral law1 without producing any visible reformation in their hearers2 but under the very first sermon which exhibited 8,jesus ,christ and him crucified10 many were pricked in their hearts1 and led effectually to repentance4 ,we have a striking illustration of the distinguishing glory of the gospel--its mercy--in the parable of the prodigal son4 ,the young man1 having received his portion from his ,father1 went into a far country1 and spent all his substance in drunkenness and debauchery4 ,reduced to the last extremity of want1 the proud young nobleman hired himself to a citizen of that country1 and became a feeder of swine--the meanest employment to which a ,jew could be degraded4 ,on the very verge of starvation1 we see him snatching the husks from the mouths of the detested animals to satisfy his hunger4 ,now he contrasts the present with the past4 8,my father's house6 ,o1 my father's house60 ,a trembling hope springs up in his bosom1 8,i will arise and go60 ,i see him coming1 full of guilt and shame--halting--trembling--ready to turn back1 or lie down by the wayside and die4 ,while yet a great way off1 the father beholds him--,o1 not with an eye of anger and revenge6 and runs to meet him--,o1 not with a drawn sword1 or an uplifted rod6 ,he feels within him the yearning of a father's heart1 leaps to embrace the prodigal1 and pours upon him a mingled shower of kisses and tears4 ,not a reproachful word is uttered--not the slightest censure--nothing but love4 8,father1 ,i have sinned6 ,i am not worthy to be0--8,peace1 my son6 ,servants1 bring a robe1 a ring1 a pair of shoes2 and haste to kill the fatted calf2 and let us eat and be merry2 for this my son was dead and is alive1 was lost and is found60 8,and they began to be merry40 ,such1 my brethren1 is the unspeakable mercy of the gospel1 which constitutes its distinguishing glory4 ,it is the law that creates the famine in the 8far country0 of sin4 ,the poor prodigal goes about1 begging for bread2 but none will give him a crust1 or a crumb4 ,the desert of ,mount ,sinai is a poor country for a starving soul4 ,there is no bread in all that region1 and no toleration for beggars4 ,if the sinner offers to work for any of the citizens--either for ,mr4 ,holiness1 or ,mr4 ,justice1 or ,mr4 ,truth--he is sent into the fields to feed swine1 till he is thoroughly convinced of the nakedness of the land1 and the misery of his lot2 and if he faints through famine or fatigue1 and fails to perform his task1 he is thrust into the house of correction1 and placed upon the tread-wheel of remorse1 till the ministers of mercy come to his relief4 ,it is the gospel that whispers--8,return to thy father60 ,it is the gospel that inspires the hope of acceptance4 ,it is the gospel that meets him with more than paternal welcome1 and rains upon him the baptism of blessings and tears4 ,it is the gospel that brings its robe of righteousness1 and its ring of favour1 and spreads its feast of joy1 and calls the angels to merry-making 8over one sinner that repenteth40 ,o1 the love of ,god6 ,o1 the riches of ,christ6 ,his salvation is more than a restoration to the joys of ,eden4 ,he came that we might have life1 and that we might have it more abundantly4 ,where sin abounded under the law1 grace hath much more abounded under the gospel4 ,it is an ocean of blessings--8blessings of the heaven above1 and of the deep that lieth under0--the blessings of ,jacob1 8prevailing above the blessings of his progenitors1 unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills0--blessings which cannot be circumscribed by time1 passing over the mountains which now divide us from the promised land1 and flowing down on the other side into the pacific vales of immortality6 ,such is 8the glorious gospel of the blessed ,god40 ,you have seen the evidence of its divinity1 and the peculiar excellence of its character4 ,suffer me to ask1 do you believe its doctrines8 do you obey its precepts8 do you enjoy its blessings8 do you delight in its promises8 ,it commends itself every way to your faith1 and your affections4 ,it is worthy of all acceptation4 ,it is the light of the world--walk ye in it6 ,it is a feast for the soul--eat and be satisfied6 ,it is a river of living water--drink and thirst no more6 ,how miserable is that man who rejects alike its evidences and its offers6 ,how miserable in the hour of death6 ,as ,thistlewood said of himself1 when on the drop at ,newgate1 he is 8taking a leap in the dark60 ,how miserable in the day of judgment6 ,god saith--8,because ,i have called1 and ye refused2 ,i have stretched out my hands all the day long1 and no man regarded2 but ye have set at naught my counsel1 and would none of my reproof2 therefore ,i also will laugh at your calamity1 ,i will mock when your fear cometh--when your fear cometh as desolation1 and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind--when distress and anguish cometh upon you60 ,,sermon ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,song ,,of ,,the ,,angels4 8,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men40 ,luke ii4 #ad4 ,,the most important event recorded in the annals of time1 is the incarnation of the ,son of ,god4 ,anointed to be 8the ,apostle and ,high ,priest of our profession10 it was necessary that he should humble himself1 to assume our degraded nature1 and enter into our suffering condition4 ,had he appeared on earth in the unmitigated glory of his ,godhead1 the children of men could not have borne the revelation1 and could not have been benefited by his personal ministry2 neither could he have been 8touched with the feeling of our infirmities10 nor have offered himself a sacrifice for our sins4 ,his manifestation in the flesh was essential to the great objects of his advent2 and no wonder the heavenly host descended to announce his coming1 and poured forth their delight in this joyful strain2--8,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men40 ,let us consider1 first1 ,the incarnation of the ,eternal ,word2 and1 secondly1 ,the song of the angels on the occasion of his birth4 ,i4 ,though it is impossible for the immutable ,god to be made a creature1 yet the ,divine nature was so closely and mysteriously joined to the human1 that the same person was 8a child born10 and 8the ,mighty ,god0--8a son given10 and 8the ,everlasting ,father40 ,the ,divinity did not become humanity1 and the humanity did not become ,divinity2 but the two were so united as to constitute but one glorious ,mediator4 ,though his incarnation did not destroy1 or even tarnish in the least1 the essential glory of the ,deity2 yet was it a mighty and marvellous condescension1 for him who is 8over all1 ,god1 blessed for ever10 thus to assume our frail and suffering flesh4 ,solomon asked--8,will ,god in very deed dwell with men upon the earth80 ,a question which neither men nor angels could answer4 ,but ,god hath answered it himself1 and answered it in the affirmative4 8,the ,word0 that 8was in the beginning with ,god1 and was ,god10 in the fulness of time1 8was made flesh1 and dwelt among us1 and we beheld his glory1 the glory as of the only begotten of the ,father1 full of grace and truth40 ,we can form no idea of the natural distance between ,god and man4 ,but the infinite vacuum is filled up by the ,messiah4 ,he is 8,emmanuel0--8the true ,god10 and 8the ,son of ,man40 8,he thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god1 but made himself of no reputation1 and took upon himself the form of a servant1 and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh40 ,passing by the nobler nature of angels1 8he took on him the seed of ,abraham40 ,nor did he join himself to humanity in its original perfection and glory4 ,he came into the mean condition of fallen creatures1 sharing with us our various infirmities and sufferings4 ,yet he was free from all moral contamination4 ,he was 8holy1 harmless1 undefiled1 and separate from sinners40 ,he 8knew no sin40 ,he 8did no iniquity1 neither was guile found in his mouth40 ,but notwithstanding the humility of his appearance in ,bethlehem1 such was the dignity of his person1 and such the magnitude and grandeur of the work for which he came into the world1 that angels descended from heaven to publish the glad tidings to the children of men4 ,true1 no ambassadors were sent to the ,sanhedrim at ,jerusalem--none to the ,senate of ,rome1 to proclaim the coming of the ,prince of ,peace2 but never was there such an embassage on earth1 to announce the birth of a royal son1 as that which came to the shepherds of ,bethlehem4 ,when he appeared among men1 the order was given in heaven1 that all the angels of ,god should worship him2 and their example was followed by wise men upon earth4 ,the prophet ,isaiah said that his name should be called ,wonderful2 and the angel informed ,mary that he should be great1 and should be called the ,son of the ,highest2 and that ,god should give unto him the throne of his father ,david1 and he should reign over the house of ,jacob for ever4 8,though he was rich1 yet for our sake he became poor1 that we through his poverty might be rich40 ,he humbled himself that we might be exalted--was bruised and wounded that we might be healed--died the most shameful death that men could inflict1 that we might live the most glorious life that ,god can confer6 ,,ii4 ,let us now consider the import of the anthem1 sung by the heavenly host1 when he was born in ,bethlehem4 8,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men40 #a4 8,glory to ,god in the highest40 ,the shining light between the cherubim1 on the mercy-seat1 was called 8the glory of the ,lord10 being a supernatural representation of his presence in the sanctuary4 ,three of the apostles saw the same glory upon the mount of transfiguration1 and all believers have seen it by faith4 ,the word 8glory10 in the anthem of the angels1 refers to the divine honor and praise resulting from the humiliation of ,christ4 ,the redemption of sinners1 through the blood of the cross1 and by the grace of the ,holy ,spirit1 is not only consistent with the glory of ,god1 but highly promotive of his glory1 as our ,creator and ,lawgiver4 ,it brightens all the gems previously visible in his crown1 and reveals others that were concealed4 ,his glory1 as seen in the works of creation and providence1 is the glory of wisdom1 power1 and love4 ,his glory1 as seen in his law and its administration1 is the glory of holiness1 justice1 and truth4 ,these are essential to his nature and his government4 ,but in the incarnation and the cross of ,christ1 we behold a new glory1 a glory nowhere else displayed1 the glory of mercy4 ,god was known before to be the friend of saints1 but here he shows himself the friend of sinners4 ,his character as previously revealed was matter of admiration and praise in earth and heaven1 but this new revelation occasions new wonder and rejoicing to men and angels4 ,angels delighted to bear the joyful news to men1 and this was the burden of their message3--8,behold1 we bring you glad tidings of great joy1 which shall be unto0--the righteous8 the benevolent and charitable8 no2 but--8unto all people40 ,and what are these tidings8 8,to you is born1 this day1 in the city of ,david1 a ,saviour1 who is ,christ the ,lord40 ,here is the ,lawgiver embracing the rebels2 his the glory1 theirs the benefit2 while angels participate the joy of both1 singing--8,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace40 #b4 8,on earth peace40 ,not by a compromise with ,satan1 as he proposed when he tempted the ,son of ,god in the wilderness4 ,not at the expense of the ,divine law1 but by magnifying and making it honorable4 ,not a peace with enmity1 for ,christ hath slain the enmity by his cross4 ,our peace flows from the reconciling blood of ,jesus4 ,nothing else could satisfy the claims of ,divine justice1 and procure pardon for the penitent believer4 ,without the atonement1 there is no peace for sinners4 ,there is an accusing witness within4 ,behold that king in the banqueting-house6 ,why changes his countenance8 ,why tremble his knees8 ,have the wise men of ,babylon interpreted the mystic writing upon the wall8 ,no2 but conscience has4 ,conscience has given dreadful intimations of its meaning1 before ,daniel comes into the presence of the king1 and the ,hebrew prophet only confirms the previous interpretation4 ,every sinner bears about with him that internal tormentor4 ,it may be bribed2 but not for ever4 ,it may be lulled to sleep2 but it will awake with increased energy1 and augmented wrath4 ,the gnawing worm may be stupified for a season1 but cannot be killed4 ,the devouring fire may be temporarily stifled1 but cannot be quenched4 ,how dreadful are its torments1 when it wreaks all its anger upon the guilty6 ,to be drowned in the ,red ,sea1 like ,pharaoh--to be swallowed up by the earth1 like ,korah--to be hewn in pieces1 like ,agag--to be eaten of worms1 like ,herod--is nothing in the comparison4 ,where shall we find peace8 ,we have heard of a stone which nothing but blood can dissolve4 ,such a stone is the human conscience4 ,but all the blood shed on ,jewish altars could never effect the work4 ,it must be the blood of ,jesus4 ,he is 8the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the sin of the world40 ,at his cross1 the believer's conscience finds assurance and repose4 ,he is the good physician1 and his blood is the sovereign balm4 ,come to his extended arms6 ,come1 for he waits to be gracious6 #c4 8,good will toward men40 ,the 8good will0 of whom8 ,of ,god1 blessed for ever4 ,the funds of a benevolent society may be exhausted1 so that its members in distress can receive no benefit4 ,but in the 8good will0 of ,god we find unsearchable riches of grace1 sufficient to pay off our whole debt to the law1 and restore our forfeited inheritance2 to bring forth the prisoners1 and them that sit in darkness1 out of the prison-house2 to support the believer through life1 and comfort him in death1 and raise him from the grave not a beggar1 or a pensioner1 but a prince1 clothed in white1 and entitled to an everlasting kingdom4 ,did ,i possess the nature of angels1 with my present sinfulness1 ,i should have no hope of salvation1 for ,god hath provided no mercy for fallen angels2 but1 in his infinite wisdom1 he hath devised a method for the consistent display of his 8good will toward men10 by assuming their nature1 and in that nature atoning for their sins4 ,this is a wonderful scheme1 whereby ,god can be just1 and yet justify the ungodly4 ,his law is honoured1 though its violater be acquitted2 and his government is secure1 though the rebel be forgiven4 ,methinks ,i hear the ,infant in ,bethlehem1 speaking from the manger1 in the strain of the ,evangelical ,prophet3--8,is my hand shortened at all1 that ,i cannot redeem2 or have ,i no power to deliver8 ,behold1 at my rebuke ,i dry up the sea1 and make the rivers a wilderness2 ,i clothe the heavens with blackness1 and make sackcloth their covering4 ,though ye see me in human flesh1 ,i am still ,lord of all1 and can save unto the uttermost4 ,though ye do not hear me1 ,i have the tongue of the learned1 to speak a word in season to him that is weary4 ,i have taken upon myself your nature1 that ,i may be able to sympathize in your sufferings1 and make satisfaction for your sins4 ,for you will ,i give my back to the smiters1 and my cheek to them that pluck off the hair2 and ,i will not hide my face from shame and spitting4 ,calvary and ,joseph's grave shall manifest my benevolence1 and it shall be seen that my mercy is mightier than death4 ,who will contend with me8 ,let him come near6 ,let us stand together6 ,i challenge all the powers of darkness to defeat the purposes of my grace4 ,i will triumph by suffering4 ,i will dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel4 ,hell shall tremble at the report2 and on every gate and door-post1 in all my journey from this place to ,golgotha1 and thence home to my ,father's house1 shall be inscribed the record of my good will toward men60 8,this is a faithful saying1 and worthy of all acceptation1 that ,christ ,jesus came into the world to save sinners40 ,behold him pressing the wine of eternal life for us from the cup of his own mortality2 demolishing the kingdom of darkness on earth1 and establishing in its stead the kingdom of heaven2 destroying the works of the devil1 delivering the captives from his iron yoke1 and uniting sinners to himself in everlasting fellowship and love4 ,the whole economy of ,divine grace1 based on the incarnation of the ,son of ,god1 is like a complicated piece of machinery1 consisting of many wheels1 all revolving in harmony1 and impelled by the same power4 ,salvation is a river1 flowing from the manger in ,bethlehem1 conveying eternal life to millions1 and bearing away many a precious gem from the dominions of death and hell4 ,it has already swept from the earth more false gods than would have filled the ,roman ,pantheon2 and carried multitudes of human souls1 pardoned and purified1 to ,abraham's bosom4 ,no opposition of men or devils can stand before 8the glorious gospel of the blessed ,god40 ,o that its light may shine into the heart and the conscience of every hearer6 ,may the goodness of ,god lead you all to repentance1 and fill you with peace in believing6 ,then will you go forth with joy1 and publish his 8good will toward men20 and when the purposes of his mercy are accomplished in your hearts1 you shall be removed from grace to glory--from peace to perfect love--and sin and sorrow shall be shut out for ever6 ,amen4 ,,sermon ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,stone ,,of ,,israel4 8,behold the stone that ,i have laid before ,joshua4 ,upon one stone shall be seven eyes4 ,behold1 ,i will engrave the graving thereof1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 and ,i will remove the iniquity of that land in one day40--,zech4 iii4 #i4 ,,amid all the tribulations which the church has suffered1 she has ever been preserved and sustained by the gracious providence of ,god2 like the bush in ,horeb--burning1 yet unconsumed4 ,in the days of this prophet1 the church was feeble and afflicted4 ,having just returned from the captivity in ,babylon1 by which she had been greatly reduced1 she resembled the myrtle among the oaks1 the firs1 and the cedars4 ,but the ,messiah appears to the prophet1 standing among the myrtle-trees1 and encouraging the children of ,israel to proceed in rebuilding ,jerusalem and the temple4 ,the good success of ,zerubbabel is represented by a golden candlestick1 with a bowl at the top1 and seven lamps for the light1 and seven pipes to convey the oil to the lamps1 and two olive-trees--one on each side--pouring the oil into the pipes4 ,this was intended also to set forth the relation of ,christ to his church1 as her head1 and the fountain whence she derives strength and nourishment1 enabling her to grow in grace1 and the saving knowledge of ,god4 ,as they bring forth the foundation and the corner-stones with joy1 wondering at the ,divine goodness and mercy1 ,jehovah shows them that he is about to lay in ,zion the foundation and chief corner-stone of a spiritual temple3 8,behold the stone that ,i have laid before ,joshua4 ,upon one stone shall be seven eyes4 ,behold ,i will engrave the graving thereof1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 and ,i will remove the iniquity of that land in one day40 ,let us consider the important truths taught us in this metaphorical description of ,christ and his mediatorial work4 ,i4 ,christ is the foundation and chief corner-stone of his church4 ,this figure is often used in the ,holy ,scriptures4 8,from hence is the ,shepherd1 the ,stone of ,israel0--said ,jacob in the blessing of ,joseph4 8,the stone which the builders refused10 said the ,psalmist1 8is become the head-stone of the corner40 ,and ,isaiah said--8,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion1 for a foundation1 a stone1 a tried stone1 a precious corner-stone1 a sure foundation40 ,all these predictions were appropriated by ,messiah1 to whom they were intended to apply4 ,christ is the foundation and chief corner-stone4 8,other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid1 which is ,jesus ,christ40 8,ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets0--that is1 the foundation which they recognized and recommended--8,jesus ,christ himself being the chief corner-stone40 ,he is indeed the foundation of the world2 and in the fulness of time1 was declared the foundation of the church4 ,all the buildings of mercy that have ever been erected stand firm and immovable on this ,rock of ,ages4 ,in the architecture of the first covenant in ,eden1 there was a ,stone under one end1 and earth under the other4 8,the first man was of the earth1 earthy40 ,and when the storm and the flood came1 the earth gave way1 and the building fell4 ,but in the architecture of the second covenant upon ,calvary1 ,god laid help upon one that was mighty4 8,the second man is the ,lord from heaven40 ,a stone suitable for the foundation of a royal palace is very valuable1 because the safety of the building depends upon the firmness of the foundation4 ,this ,stone is 8chosen of ,god and precious40 ,it is long and broad enough for the whole edifice1 stretching from eternity to eternity2 and sufficiently strong to sustain it1 though millions of living stones be built into the spiritual temple2 and such is its firmness1 that time1 with all its storms1 shall never destroy it1 or injure its beauty4 ,it is a tried and precious stone1 composed of all that is excellent on earth1 and all that is glorious in heaven--a sinless specimen of humanity1 possessing 8all the fulness of the ,godhead bodily40 ,as a foundation1 it is laid deep in the earth2 as a corner-stone1 it rises above the stars1 and binds the whole building in heaven and earth together4 ,,ii4 ,this ,stone is 8laid before ,joshua40 ,god has revealed his ,son1 as the only foundation1 and chief corner-stone1 to the wise master-builders of his church1 in every age of the world4 ,the seed was promised in ,eden4 ,holy men of old beheld the promises afar off4 ,abraham desired to see his day2 he saw it1 and was glad4 ,this was the foundation of the prophets and apostles4 ,as ,moses found so much of ,god in the rod that was in his hand1 that he could think of no other means for working a miracle2 so the prophets and apostles saw and felt so much of ,christ in the revelations of which they were made the media1 that they could never think of salvation from sin and hell but through his meritorious death2 and the most dreadful tortures1 and even martyrdom itself1 lost their terrors in 8the light of the knowledge of the glory of ,god in the face of ,jesus ,christ40 ,this ,stone was laid also before ,wickliff and ,luther4 ,the office and work of ,christ had been lost sight of1 in the intercession of saints1 and the merit of human works4 ,but 8the foundation of ,god standeth sure20 and all the rubbish which ,roman monks had heaped upon it could not hide it from the reformers1 whose vision had been cleared and quickened by light from heaven4 ,and it was laid before ,wesley and ,whitefield in ,england1 who built upon it 8gold1 silver1 and precious stones20 and before ,powell1 ,erbery1 and ,wroth--before ,rowlands1 ,harris1 ,jones1 ,evans1 ,thomas1 and ,francis--as the foundation of that wonderful revival in ,wales1 the blessed effects of which we feel to this day4 ,we are now endeavoring to exhibit the glory and excellency of this ,stone1 as the foundation of your hopes4 ,will you build upon ,christ8 ,can you venture your eternal salvation upon the merit of his sacrifice8 8,he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed40 ,,iii4 ,it is said that 8upon one stone shall be seven eyes20 by which we may understand1 either seven eyes of others1 looking upon the stone2 or seven eyes in the stone1 looking upon others4 ,if we take the former idea1 there are many eyes looking upon this 8,one ,stone20 some from envy1 malice1 and wrath2 others from astonishment1 gratitude1 and love4 ,it attracts the gaze of heaven1 earth1 and hell4 ,the eternal ,lawgiver looks to ,messiah for satisfaction on behalf of guilty man4 ,mercy and ,truth look upon him as the foundation of their palaces4 ,righteousness and ,peace look upon him as the only place where they can salute each other with a kiss4 ,the devil and his angels1 sin1 death1 and the grave1 look upon him with eyes of anger and revenge2 determined1 if possible1 to bruise him with their weapons1 and cast him among the rubbish1 into the pit of corruption4 ,celestial spirits look upon him with eyes of wonder and delight2 announce his coming to ,joseph and ,mary1 sing his advent to the shepherds of ,judea1 accompany him through all his pilgrimage of sorrow1 minister to him after the temptation in the wilderness1 talk with him on the mount of transfiguration1 sustain him in the agony of the garden1 gather unseen around his cross1 roll away the rock from the entrance of his tomb1 and attend him with songs as he ascends to glory4 ,and believers look upon him with eyes of faith and love1 as the foundation of all their hopes1 in this world1 and that which is to come--as their 8wisdom1 righteousness1 sanctification1 and redemption40 ,the other interpretation refers these 8seven eyes0 to the perfection of our ,lord's mediatorial character4 ,the priest under the law was to sprinkle the blood seven times upon the mercy-seat1 and seven times upon the leper2 the first to typify a perfect atonement for sin2 the second1 a perfect application of its benefits to the believer4 ,when the ,lamb of ,god revived from the ashes on the altar of ,calvary1 he appeared 8in the midst of the throne10 having seven horns and seven eyes1 to denote the completeness of his prophetic wisdom1 and the fulness of his regal authority4 ,he sustains to his people the threefold relation of high-priest1 prophet1 and king4 ,he is our high-priest1 not after the order of ,aaron1 whom death robbed of his sacerdotal vesture2 but 8a high-priest for ever1 after the order of ,melchizedec40 ,he is our prophet1 speaking with the tongue of the learned1 and as one having authority--speaking to the conscience and the heart1 and the dead hear his voice and live4 ,he is our king1 according to the decree1 8on the holy hill of ,zion20 exalted by the right-hand of the ,father1 and 8declared to be the ,son of ,god with power by the resurrection from the dead40 ,methinks ,i hear the ,father speaking to ,caiaphas3--8,have you a law1 and do you say that by your law he ought to die8 ,i will read to you the law on the morning of the third day1 and you shall see that he is the resurrection and the life--that ,i have made him both ,lord and ,christ60 ,and methinks ,i hear the voice of the risen ,messiah3--8,i have travelled through the forest of the world's temptations1 through the dens of lions1 the mountains of leopards1 the dark haunts of devils1 and the dominions of death and the grave2 and have opened1 through all the desert1 a new and living way to my ,father's house4 ,the powers of darkness thought to strip me of my official regalia1 and bind me for ever in the grave2 but ,i have broken ,csar's seal1 and rent the rocks of ,joseph's sepulchre1 and am alive for evermore--the high-priest1 prophet1 and king of ,israel4 ,though ,i gave myself up to death upon the cross1 death could not deprive me of my threefold office4 ,i died with my vesture on1 my miter and breastplate1 as high-priest over the house of ,god4 ,i died with the book of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven in my hand1 as a prophet to instruct my people1 and lead them into all truth4 ,i died with the crown upon my head1 and all my enemies beneath my feet1 as a king1 whose dominion is everlasting1 and whose glory shall never end4 ,death and hell could not take from me my triple diadem2 and ,i came forth from the place of the dead in the power of an endless life2 and will continue to wear my robes unspotted1 till ,i have finished my mediatorial work1 and gathered all the saints unto myself60 ,,iv4 ,this stone is fitted and prepared by ,god himself4 8,i will engrave the graving thereof1 saith the ,lord of hosts40 ,this figure evidently refers to the sufferings of ,christ1 by which he was made perfect for his mediatorial work4 ,many hammers and chisels were upon him from ,bethlehem to ,calvary2 but they were all appointed of ,god1 as the instruments of his preparation to be the sure foundation and chief corner-stone of the church4 ,the ,scribes and the ,pharisees1 ,caiaphas1 ,judas1 ,pilate1 the ,jewish populace1 and the ,roman soldiery1 whatever their malicious designs1 only accomplished 8the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of ,god0 upon his well-beloved ,son4 ,all was appointed by the ,father2 all was understood by the ,messiah2 all was necessary to secure the great objects of his advent4 ,it pleased the ,father to bruise him1 and put him to grief2 and he cheerfully submitted to suffer1 that we might be spared4 ,o1 wonder of wonders6 ,emmanuel wounded1 that sinners might be healed6 the ,golden ,vessel marred1 that the earthen vessels might be saved6 the ,green ,tree dried up1 that the dry tree might grow as the lily1 and cast forth its roots like ,lebanon6 ,according to another metaphor1 8the plowers plowed upon his back2 they made long their furrows40 ,and they were deep as well as long4 ,they plowed into his very heart1 and his body was covered with blood1 and his cry of agony pierced the supernatural gloom of ,golgotha1 and soured the wine of dragons throughout the region of ,gehenna6 ,thus the foundation was fitted and prepared2 and wicked men and devils but blindly did the work which ,god had before determined to be done4 ,it is fixed in its place1 firm and immovable2 and the chief ,architect is raising other stones from the quarry1 and building them thereon1 8for a habitation of ,god through the ,spirit40 ,brethren1 8look unto the rock whence ye are hewn1 and the hole of the pit whence ye are digged0--even the flinty rock of impenitence1 and the horrible pit of corruption4 ,i have known men relinquish the hewing of stones from the quarry1 because it was more expense than profit2 and ,i have known men abandon the digging of ore from the mine1 because it was too deep in the mountain4 ,but ,christ 8descended into the lower parts of the earth10 and imbibed the gas of death4 ,he carried in his hand the hammer of the word1 which breaketh the flinty rock in pieces4 ,he expelled the deadly vapor1 blasted the solid adamant1 and prepared the way for the workmen2 and when he ascended1 he sent down the apostles1 to gather stones for his spiritual temple2 while he stands at the top of the shaft1 and turns the windlass of intercession1 by which he draws up all to himself4 ,the work was gloriously begun on the day of ,pentecost1 and men and demons have never yet been able entirely to stop its progress4 ,the pope and the devil tried their best1 for a long time1 to keep the digging and hewing tools of the twelve wise master-builders concealed in the vaults of the monasteries2 but ,luther1 with the lamp of ,god in his hand1 discovered them1 brought them forth1 and set them at work2 and millions of lively stones have since been dug out1 and sent up from the pit1 to be placed in the walls of 8,god's building40 ,and still the gospel is mighty in the salvation of souls1 of which we have abundant evidence in the principality4 ,what multitudes were converted at ,langeiththo in the days of ,rowlands and ,williams2 when two thousand communicants in the winter1 and three thousand in the summer1 met every month in the same place around the table of the ,lord6 ,and there are now in ,wales hundreds of large and flourishing churches among the ,baptists and ,independents4 ,glory to ,god1 that ,i have in my own possession the register of hundreds1 who have been hewn from the flinty rock1 and raised from the horrible pit1 to a place in the ,lord's holy temple--from drunkenness to sobriety1 from unbelief to faith in ,christ1 from enmity to reconciliation to ,god1 from persecution to patient suffering for righteousness' sake1 from disobedience to the filial temper of 8sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty20 and many of them ,i have seen going home1 rejoicing1 to their ,father's house above6 ,hark6 what do ,i hear8 ,the hammers and chisels of mercy all over the mountain of the militant church4 ,the great ,architect is building up ,zion4 ,he is gathering his materials from ,europe1 and ,asia1 and ,africa1 and ,america4 ,glory to ,god6 ,i hear his footsteps to-day in this mountain2 ,i see his hand in this congregation4 ,brethren in the ministry1 we are workers together with him4 ,delightful work6 ,how easy it is to preach1 when the hand of ,god is with us6 ,let us labour on6 ,the topstone will soon be brought forth with shouting1 the sound of the building shall cease1 and we shall receive our reward6 ,v4 ,the gracious design for which this ,divine ,foundation is prepared1 is the justification and sanctification of sinners4 8,i will remove the iniquity of that land in one day40 ,christ came to destroy the works of the devil--to take away sin by the offering of himself4 ,as the moon is illuminated by the sun1 so the rites and ceremonies of the old testament are illustrated by the facts and doctrines of the new4 ,the priesthood of ,jesus explains the priesthood of ,aaron4 ,the one sacrifice of ,calvary explains all the sacrifices that went before4 ,the glory of ,god in the face of ,jesus ,christ enters the windows of ,solomon's temple1 and penetrates the ,holy of ,holies within the vail4 ,all the bloody offerings of the ,mosaic ritual were intended only as types of him who 8removed the iniquity of that land in one day40 ,what land8 ,emmanuel's land--a garden enclosed1 and measured by the line of ,god's eternal purpose2 including all the redeemed of the ,lord1 who will ultimately be brought to glory4 ,the map of 8that land0 was in the mind of ,jehovah1 when he made this promise through the prophet4 ,he remembered his covenant engagement before the foundation of the world in reference to its redemption4 ,he saw it encumbered by mountains of sin1 and blasted by the fiery curse of the law2 and in the fulness of time1 he sent his ,son to deliver it4 ,to remove iniquity is to remove its penalty and its pollution4 ,christ hath accomplished both for believers4 ,he 8bore our sins in his own body on the tree60 ,he carried upon his own shoulder the burden which must have sunk the whole human race to eternal perdition4 ,by enduring our punishment1 he provided for our purification4 ,in his own wounds a fountain was opened wherein we may wash and be clean4 ,from his own heart the balm was extracted whereby our moral leprosy may be cured4 8,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world40 ,see how our great ,high-priest removes the iniquity of his people2 not1 like ,aaron1 by many sacrifices2 but by the single offering of himself1 8in one day40 ,the word which is here rendered 8remove0 is in the original the same as that which is used to express the translation of ,enoch4 ,as ,enoch was removed from the earth1 beyond the sight of man1 and the power of death2 so sin is removed by the ,mediator--removed for ever from the believer's heart and conscience--blotted out--cast into the depth of the sea--carried away into the land of forgetfulness4 ,the removal is perfect and everlasting4 ,this was a work which ,jewish sacrifices were too weak to accomplish4 ,for two thousand years the victims bled upon the altar1 and not a single sin was actually removed4 ,every year the goat of the burnt-offering must bleed afresh1 and the scape-goat must be sent away into the wilderness4 ,but ,jesus1 the great ante-type of all these emblems1 removed in one day1 by a single offering1 the iniquities of all who believe in him1 from the fall to the end of time4 ,all the sacrifices that preceded his coming were intended only to remind men that they were sinners1 that they needed an atonement1 and that justification and eternal life could flow only from the meritorious sufferings of the future ,christ4 ,but when the substance came1 the shadows passed away1 and the promised work was at once accomplished2 and all our iniquities were lost in the sea of mercy1 which rose to a full tide in the ,mediator's merit4 ,sinners1 do you expect ever to be made free from sin8 ,would you have your leprosy cured1 your impurity cleansed1 and the curse removed8 ,come to our great ,high-priest6 ,lo1 he stands by the altar1 and the blood is on his hands6 ,he waits to be gracious6 ,come1 for he has virtually removed your iniquity1 and it requires in you but a simple act of faith to realize the benefit6 8,believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved60 ,,sermon ,,xix4 ,,justification ,,by ,,faith4 8,but how should man be just with ,god80--,job ix4 #b4 ,,the ,almighty proclaimed himself to ,moses1 8the ,lord1 merciful and gracious20 and in the ,new ,testament1 he is called 8the ,god of all grace40 8,where sin abounded1 grace did much more abound2 that as sin reigned unto death1 even so might grace reign1 through righteousness1 unto eternal life1 by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord40 ,god is determined to glorify the unsearchable riches of his grace in the salvation of sinners4 ,but how can this be done1 without casting a cloud over the ,divine throne1 and bringing into contempt the ,divine law8 ,how can the guilty be considered and treated as innocent1 without an apparent indifference to the evil of sin1 and a total disregard of the claims of eternal justice8 ,how can the rebel be acquitted in the court of ,heaven1 with honor to the character of ,god1 and safety to the interests of his moral government8 ,this is a question which angels could not answer2 but it has been answered by the ,god of angels4 ,the light of nature and reason is too feeble to afford us any aid in this inquiry2 8but we have a more sure word of prophecy1 whereunto we do well that we take heed1 as unto a light that shineth in a dark place20 for 8,god hath shined in our hearts1 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of ,god1 in the face of ,jesus ,christ40 ,following1 then1 the guidance of the ,new ,testament1 let us consider the nature and the ground of a sinner's justification with ,god4 ,i4 ,to justify is the public act of a judge1 declaring a person innocent1 not liable to punishment4 8,it is ,god that justifieth0 the ungodly4 ,justification1 in its strict sense1 and remission of sins1 are two very different things4 ,job could forgive his friends2 but he could not justify them4 ,but in the gracious economy of the gospel1 these are always immediately connected2 nor these alone1 but other and superior mercies--mercies infinite and unspeakable4 ,those whom ,god justifieth are not only forgiven1 but also purified and renewed--not only delivered from condemnation1 but also entitled to eternal life--not only redeemed from the curse of the law1 but also blessed with the spirit and the privilege of adoption--not only liberated from bondage and imprisonment1 but also constituted heirs 8to an inheritance that fadeth not away40 ,they are 8heirs of ,god1 and joint-heirs with ,christ40 ,they are kings and priests1 and shall reign for ever and ever4 ,god having given his ,son as our surety1 and published 8the law of the spirit of life in ,christ ,jesus10 and taken his seat upon the throne of grace in the character of a merciful judge1 he proclaims the believer free from condemnation1 and 8accepted in the ,beloved40 ,in a human court1 a man may be either justified or forgiven4 ,sometimes the jury find the prisoner innocent1 and he is acquitted2 sometimes they find him guilty1 and he is forgiven4 ,the former is an act of justice2 the latter1 an act of mercy4 ,no earthly court can go farther2 no earthly court can justify the guilty4 ,but ,god is able1 through the wonderful economy of substitution and atonement revealed in the gospel1 in the same court1 from the same throne1 by the same law1 and in the same sentence1 to proclaim full pardon and free justification to the sinner4 ,by virtue of the obedience and suffering of ,christ on his behalf1 he is at once forgiven and justified4 ,faith unites us to ,christ1 and gives us an interest in him1 as our ,mediator1 who 8bore our sins in his own body on the tree40 8,even as ,david also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom ,god imputeth righteousness without works3--,blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven1 and whose sins are covered2 blessed is the man to whom the ,lord will not impute sin40 ,the righteousness by which the sinner is justified infinitely transcends all other righteousness in earth or heaven4 ,it is the righteousness of the ,second ,adam--an invaluable pearl1 to which all the members of ,christ's mystical body are equally entitled4 ,it is the pure gold of the gospel1 which cannot be mixed with the works of the law1 or derive any increase of value from human merit4 ,it lies upon the very surface of evangelical truth1 like oil upon the water4 ,it is the righteousness finished upon the cross--a complete wedding garment furnished by the ,son of ,god1 which the sinner has only to put on to be prepared for the marriage supper of the ,lamb4 ,how cold and cheerless is the doctrine of the mere moralist1 leaving the poor sinner wallowing in the mire1 and weltering in his blood1 with nothing but his own works to depend upon for salvation6 ,but the doctrine of justification through the satisfying righteousness of ,jesus ,christ warms the heart1 and quickens the soul of the believer into a new and heavenly life4 ,here is our deliverance from the curse of the law4 ,here the relation between us and ,adam is annihilated1 and another relation is established between us and ,christ4 ,here is the sea into which our sins are cast to rise no more4 8,there is1 therefore1 now no condemnation to them who are in ,christ ,jesus1 who walk not after the flesh1 but after the spirit20 and they may boldly say--8,o ,lord1 ,i will praise thee2 for though thou wast angry with me1 thine anger is turned away1 and thou comfortest me60 ,,ii4 ,the ground of our justification now claims a more particular attention4 ,this is a subject of the greatest importance2 for if we build upon the sand1 the whole superstructure inevitably falls1 and great must be the fall thereof4 ,the ,jews1 being ignorant of ,god's righteousness--the righteousness of faith--went about to establish their own1 which was by the works of the law4 ,let us examine these two foundations--the righteousness which is of the law1 and that which is of faith4 ,what sort of righteousness does the law demand1 as the ground of our acceptance with ,god8 ,it must originate in the heart4 ,it must be commensurate with life1 and not a broken link in the chain1 for he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all4 ,it must be so comprehensive as to include all your duties to ,god1 your neighbor and yourself4 ,it must engage all the powers of your mind1 without the least imperfection1 in thought1 word1 or deed4 ,the coin must be pure gold1 of full weight and measure1 and bearing the right and lawful stamp4 8,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them40 8,but what saith the righteousness which is of faith80 8,believe ,in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved40 8,he that believeth shall never be confounded40 8,christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth40 8,he hath magnified the law1 and made it honorable40 8,he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law1 being made a curse for us40 ,this is the doctrine which answers all our questions1 removes all our guilty fears1 and opens to us a path of hope in the valley of the shadow of death4 ,the justifying righteousness of ,christ is as deep as the misery of man1 as high as the requirements of ,god1 as broad as the commandment1 and as long as eternity4 ,it is sufficient for all them that believe1 and able to save unto the uttermost4 ,it is a deluge which covers the mountains of transgression1 and bears the believer securely in the ark4 ,it comes to the sinner1 shut up under the judgment of ,god1 and reads to him the article of his manumission4 ,i hear it addressing the guilty in the following language3-- 8,i saw the ,son of ,god coming forth from the bosom of the ,father1 and uniting himself to the nature of man4 ,i saw the mighty ,god manifested in the ,son of ,mary1 and lying in a manger4 ,i beheld some of his blood shed1 as an earnest to the law1 when he was eight days old4 ,i stood in the garden of ,gethsemane1 when he drank the cup of trembling mingled and presented by his ,father's justice4 ,i was with him on ,calvary1 when he blotted out the handwriting of ,eden and ,sinai1 and nailed it to his cross--when he finished the redemption of man1 and spoiled the powers of darkness1 and sealed with his own blood the covenant of peace1 ,i beheld him descending to the lower parts of the earth1 and lying under the sinner's sentence in the grave4 ,i beheld him rising in the same human nature1 with the keys of death and hell in his hand1 and the crown of the mediatorial kingdom upon his head4 ,i beheld him ascending to the right-hand of the ,father1 leading thy captivity captive1 and entering into heaven itself1 there to appear in the presence of ,god for thee4 ,and now ,i see him in the midst of the throne1 as a lamb newly slain2 and the merit of his sacrifice1 as a sweet-smelling savor1 fills the heaven of heavens4 ,on thy behalf he has honored the law1 satisfied the claims of justice1 and opened a new and living way1 whereby ,god can be just1 and the justifier of him that believeth in ,jesus40 ,thus the question is answered--8,how should man be just with ,god80 ,sinners are 8justified freely by his grace1 through the redemption that is in ,christ ,jesus40 8,therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith1 without the deeds of the law40 ,this is the key-stone of the gospel1 and the strength of the arch of salvation4 ,the only way to obtain acceptance with ,god is by grace2 8and if by grace1 then it is no more of works40 ,in the justification of the sinner1 ,divine grace and human works can no more be mixed together than oil and water1 for they belong to different covenants4 ,christ came into the world1 not to repair the old covenant1 but to be the mediator of a new covenant1 established upon better promises--not to mend the leaky and sinking vessel of the law1 but to build and launch a new ark of salvation1 and rescue the shipwrecked and the drowning4 ,the law could not save4 ,the law is holy1 but we are unclean4 ,the law is spiritual1 but we are carnal4 ,the law is righteous1 but we are guilty4 ,the law is good1 but every imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man is evil1 and only evil1 and that continually4 ,the law will not consent to a compromise with the sinner1 will not relax its claims upon him1 nor in any way accommodate itself to his fallen condition4 ,its power to condemn is commensurate with its authority to command4 ,thus we see how it is that no man can be justified by the deeds of the law4 ,we are not under the law1 but under grace4 ,were we under the law1 the deeds of the law would be sufficient for our justification4 ,the law demands obedience2 obedience satisfies the law4 ,between obedience and the law there is perfect correspondence and harmony2 the one gives what the other asks4 ,there is also a perfect agreement between grace and faith4 ,grace bestows freely1 without money and without price2 and faith1 having nothing to pay1 receives humbly and thankfully4 ,grace1 by bestowing1 acquires great glory2 faith1 by receiving1 obtains great happiness4 ,god confers blessings according to the riches of his grace2 sinners receive according to the strength of their faith4 ,faith and the law cannot agree at all1 for both are seeking and receiving2 neither can works and grace agree1 for both live by communicating4 ,therefore 8by grace are ye saved1 through faith2 and that not of yourselves1 it is the gift of ,god2 not of works1 lest any man should boast40 ,ye are justified through the righteousness and merit of ,christ1 who became your substitute1 and both obeyed the law and suffered the penalty in your stead4 ,this view of the ground of a sinner's justification is everywhere sustained in the ,holy ,scriptures4 8,by the obedience of one1 shall many be made righteous40 8,by the righteousness of one1 the free gift came upon all men1 unto justification of life40 8,the obedience of one10 and 8the righteousness of one10 in these two sentences1 signify the same thing4 ,again3 8,he who knew no sin was made sin for us1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in him40 8,in whom we have redemption through his blood1 the forgiveness of sins1 according to the riches of his grace40 8,all we like sheep have gone astray1 and the ,lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all4 ,he was wounded for our transgressions2 he was bruised for our iniquities2 the chastisement of our peace was upon him1 and with his stripes we are healed40 ,the perfect obedience of ,christ1 and his meritorious death1 were both necessary1 as the ground of a sinner's justification4 ,neither would have been sufficient without the other4 ,his obedience would not answer without his death2 for the law which had been broken must be honored2 and the penalty which had been incurred by the sinner must be endured by the ,substitute4 ,neither would his death answer without his obedience2 for it is the obedient1 and not the punished1 that the law justifies2 he who keeps the precept1 and not he who endures the penalty4 ,it is only by satisfying both claims on our behalf1 that ,christ 8of ,god is made unto us wisdom1 and righteousness1 and sanctification1 and redemption40 ,when it is said we are justified by faith1 it is not meant that there is any merit in faith1 any justifying efficacy2 but that faith is the condition on which we are justified for the sake of him who obeyed and suffered for us--the ,divinely appointed means by which we appropriate the merit of his obedience and suffering4 ,it is by the eye of faith we see the excellency and adaptation of ,christ's righteousness and merit2 and it is by the hand of faith we take and put on the wedding garment provided for us1 and thus prepare ourselves for the marriage supper of the ,lamb4 ,faith is the bond which unites us to ,christ1 by virtue of which union we are justified4 ,faith is the wedding ring by which the poor daughter of the old ,amorite is married to the ,prince of ,peace4 ,she is raised from the greatest poverty and degradation to unspeakable opulence and honor1 not because of the intrinsic value of the ring1 though it is a golden one2 but on account of the union which it signifies between her and her ,beloved4 8,he that hath the ,son hath life40 8,but faith1 if it hath not works1 is dead1 being alone4 ,yea1 a man may say--,thou hast faith1 and ,i have works4 ,show me thy faith without thy works1 and ,i will show thee my faith by my works4 ,thou believest that there is one ,god2 thou doest well2 the devils also believe1 and tremble4 ,but wilt thou know1 ,o vain man1 that faith without works is dead8 ,was not ,abraham our father justified by works1 when he had offered ,isaac his son upon the altar8 ,seest thou how faith wrought with his works8 ,and by works was faith made perfect2 and the scripture was fulfilled which saith--,abraham believed ,god1 and it was imputed unto him for righteousness1 and he was called the friend of ,god4 ,ye see1 then1 how that by works a man is justified1 and not by faith only4 ,likewise also was not ,rahab the harlot justified by works1 when she had received the messengers1 and sent them out another way8 ,for as the body without the spirit is dead1 so faith without works is dead also40 #bef ,we have noticed the nature and ground of justification2 in these words of the ,apostle1 we have the evidence of justification4 ,the same doctrine was preached by our ,saviour3--8,for by thy works thou shalt be justified1 and by thy works thou shalt be condemned40 ,works justify only as the fruit of faith4 ,a faith that does not produce good works is inefficient and worthless4 ,it is not the faith which justifies the ungodly4 ,what is it that justifies a man in a court of law8 ,the goodness of his cause8 ,no1 verily4 ,a man of common sense will not think of making a long speech to the jury1 without adducing any evidence of the truth of his statements4 ,my fellow sinners1 if your cause is good1 why do you not prove it8 ,why not bring forward your evidence8 ,why not act in this supremely important case as in every other8 ,if you have justifying faith1 let us see the fruit in a sanctified life4 8,let your light so shine before men1 that they may see your good works1 and glorify your ,father which is in heaven40 ,in this world1 every man receives according to his faith2 in the world to come1 every man shall receive according to his works4 8,blessed are the dead who die in the ,lord1 for they rest from their labors1 and their works do follow them40 ,their works do not go before them to divide the river ,jordan1 and open the gates of heaven4 ,this is done by their faith4 ,but their works are left behind1 as if done up in a packet1 on this side of the river4 ,john saw the great white throne descending for judgment1 the ,son of ,man sitting thereon1 and all nations gathered before him4 ,he is dividing the righteous from the wicked1 as the shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats4 ,the wicked are set on the left-hand1 and the awful sentence is pronounced--8,depart from me1 ye accursed1 into everlasting fire1 prepared for the devil and his angels60 ,but the righteous are placed on the right-hand1 to hear the joyful welcome--8,come1 ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world60 ,the books are opened1 and ,mercy presents the packets that were left on the other side of ,jordan4 ,they are all opened1 and the books are read wherein all their acts of benevolence and virtue are recorded4 ,justice examines the several packets1 and answers--8,all right4 ,here they are4 ,thus it is written--#8,i was hungry1 and ye gave me meat2 ,i was thirsty1 and ye gave me drink2 ,i was a stranger1 and ye took me in2 ,i was naked1 and ye clothed me2 ,i was sick1 and ye visited me2 ,i was in prison1 and ye came unto me4'0 ,the righteous look upon each other with wonder1 and answer--8,those packets must belong to others4 ,we knew nothing of all that4 ,we recollect the wormwood and the gall4 ,we recollect the strait gate1 the narrow way1 and the ,slough of ,despond4 ,we recollect the heavy burden that pressed so hard upon us1 and how it fell from our shoulders at the sight of the cross4 ,we recollect the time when the eyes of our minds were opened1 to behold the evil of sin1 the depravity of our hearts1 and the excellency of our ,redeemer4 ,we recollect the time when our stubborn wills were subdued in the day of his power1 so that we were enabled both to will and to do of his good pleasure4 ,we recollect the time when we obtained hope in the merit of ,christ1 and felt the efficacy of his blood applied to our hearts by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,and we shall never forget the time when we first experienced the love of ,god shed abroad in our hearts4 ,o1 how sweetly and powerfully it constrained us to love him1 his cause1 and his ordinances6 ,how we panted after communion and fellowship with him1 as the hart panteth after the water-brooks6 ,all this1 and a thousand other things1 are as fresh in our memory as ever4 ,but we recollect nothing of those bundles of good works4 ,where was it8 ,lord1 when saw we thee hungry1 and fed thee2 or thirsty1 and gave thee drink2 or a stranger1 and took thee in2 or naked1 and clothed thee8 ,we have no more recollection than the dead1 of ever having visited thee in prison1 or ministered to thee in sickness4 ,surely1 those bundles cannot belong to us40 ,mercy replies--8,yes1 verily1 they belong to you2 for your names are upon them2 and besides1 they have not been out of my hands since you left them on the stormy banks of ,jordan40 ,and the ,king answers--8,verily1 ,i say unto you1 inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren1 ye have done it unto me40 ,if the righteous do not know their own good works2 if they do not recognise1 in the sheaves which they reap at the resurrection1 the seed which they have sown in tears on earth1 they certainly cannot make these things the foundation of their hopes of heaven4 ,christ crucified is their sole dependence for acceptance with ,god1 in time and in eternity4 ,christ crucified is the great object of their faith1 and the centre of their affections2 and while their love to him prompts them to live soberly1 and righteously1 and godly1 in this present evil world1 they cordially exclaim--8,not unto us1 not into us1 but to thy name1 ,o ,lord1 give glory60 ,amen4 ,,sermon ,,xx4 ,,the ,,shield ,,of ,,faith4 8,above all1 taking the shield of faith1 wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked40--,eph4 vi4 #af4 ,,the ,christian is engaged in a warfare1 8not against flesh and blood1 but against principalities and powers1 against the rulers of the darkness of this world1 against spiritual wickedness0--or wicked spirits--8in high places20 who go about like roaring lions1 seeking whom they may devour2 assailing the servants of ,christ even on their high places--their ,pizgahs1 their ,tabors1 their ,olivets2 swarming up from the sea of corruption within and around us1 like the frogs in ,egypt1 and entering into our very bed-chambers and closets of devotion4 ,these spiritual adversaries must be opposed with spiritual armor2 and the apostle has here given us a complete set of weapons for fighting1 and a complete panoply for defence4 ,the ,roman armor consisted of several parts1 all of which ,st4 ,paul makes use of figuratively1 to represent the several ,christian graces by which we resist our subtle1 deceitful1 and invisible enemies4 ,as the articles to which he alludes constituted a complete coat of arms1 and the soldier was not prepared for the field without the whole2 so the ,christian graces which they represent are all of them important1 8that the man of ,god may be perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto every good work40 ,some of these heavenly qualities may appear brighter at particular times in one ,christian than in another2 but the whole list is indispensable to every spiritual warrior4 ,abraham may excel in faith1 ,moses in meekness1 ,job in patience1 ,daniel in courage1 ,peter in zeal1 ,paul in humility1 and ,john in love2 but each must have the entire armor1 though different occasions may require the use of different articles in the catalogue4 ,that you may be able to stand in the evil day1 you must have the shoes of peace1 to preserve your feet2 the girdle of truth1 to strengthen your loins2 the helmet of hope1 to defend your heads2 the breastplate of righteousness1 to cover your hearts2 the sword of the ,spirit1 to cut your way through the columns of the foe2 8,and above all1 taking the shield of faith1 wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked40 ,it is only to this article last mentioned1 that we would now call your attention2 in the consideration of which1 let us notice1 first1 ,the nature of faith2 and secondly1 ,its importance and utility as a shield4 ,i4 ,there are many passages in the word of ,god which show the excellency of faith2 but there is only one passage which contains an exact definition of faith2 and that you will find in the first verse of the eleventh chapter of ,paul's epistle to the ,hebrews3--8,now faith is the substance of things hoped for1 the evidence of things not seen0--or1 as it may be read--the confidence of things hoped for1 the conviction of things not seen4 ,i am surprised that divines have taken so little notice of this passage1 in treating of the nature of faith4 ,generally1 they wander in the wilderness without a guide2 they put out to sea without compass1 chart1 or helm4 ,some of them make faith every thing1 and others make it almost nothing4 ,according to the apostle's definition1 it consists of these two things3--a conviction of the truth of the gospel testimony relative to things invisible1 and a confidence in the character and word of the invisible ,testifier4 ,this is a common-sense definition4 ,here is no mystification or obscurity4 ,in this way the term faith is understood by all men4 ,in the ordinary transactions of business1 we seldom mistake each other on this subject2 why should we in the great concern of salvation pending between us and ,god8 ,here is a man who has a note for an amount sufficient to support him comfortably1 were he to live a thousand years4 ,still he appears very unhappy--full of doubts and fears about his future subsistence4 ,ask him--8,friend1 what think you of that note8 is it genuine80 8,o yes10 he replies1 8,i am perfectly satisfied that it is genuine40 8,what is the reason1 then1 that you are not more cheerful and happy80 8,alas1 ,i have no confidence in the bank40 ,the man is without faith4 ,true1 he believes--he believes that the note is not a counterfeit--he is well satisfied of its genuineness2 but such a belief is not sufficient1 while he is suspicious of the bank--produces no change in his feelings or his conduct4 ,but if1 in addition to his conviction of the genuineness of the note1 he could be satisfied of the goodness of the bank1 then you should find him quite another man4 ,these two things united constitute faith3--,believing the truth of the gospel respecting things unseen2 and trusting in the power and faithfulness of ,god1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to fulfil his promises4 ,this is the faith that justifieth the ungodly2 this is the faith that overcometh the world4 ,now every one of you believes the truth of the gospel2 but the promises of the gospel1 which are worthy of all acceptation1 some of you have not accepted--are no more influenced by them than if they did not belong to you4 ,the gospel contains a pearl of great price--8an inheritance incorruptible1 undefiled1 and that fadeth not away20 but your confidence in the promise is feeble and inefficient--does not lead you to prayer--does not influence your conduct1 so as to bring you in possession of this heavenly treasure4 ,you have no faith4 ,you have one of the elements of faith1 but not the other4 ,you have the belief1 but not the confidence--that part of faith which belongs to the intellect1 but not that which belongs to the heart4 ,therefore you are still poor1 and naked1 and miserable4 ,the ,holy ,scriptures record many admirable instances of true faith2 in which confidence in the character1 the providence1 and the promises of ,god1 rises into the most perfect assurance4 ,behold those women on the bank of the ,nile4 ,they are making a basket of bulrushes1 and plastering it with bitumen4 ,placing the infant ,moses therein1 they commit the frail ark to the floods4 ,jochebed1 why dost thou not fear that the child will be drowned8 8,i believe the promises of ,god1 ,i believe that he will do good unto his people4 ,i trust in him for the salvation of ,israel40 ,see that old man on mount ,moriah4 ,he has built a rude altar1 and laid fire and wood thereon4 ,he has bound his own son--his only son--his well-beloved ,isaac1 and is about to offer him as a sacrifice4 ,abraham1 stay thy hand4 ,wilt thou slay thy only son8 ,then what will become of the promise8 8,my mind is easy4 ,i will obey ,god4 ,i believe he is able to raise ,isaac from the dead4 ,i feel assured that he will return home with me alive1 and that from him will spring the ,messiah40 ,so ,abraham determined to offer ,isaac upon the altar1 for he confided in the promise--8,in ,isaac shall thy seed be called40 ,we have another instance in the ,centurion whose servant was healed by our ,lord4 ,he had perfect confidence in the word of ,christ1 even though ,christ had given him no promise4 8,only say in a word10 said he1 8and my servant shall be healed4 ,thy word created the world2 thy word has quickened the dead2 and thy word can accomplish a cure without a journey to my house40 ,this is an instance of remarkable faith2 and our ,lord testified--8,i have not found so great faith1 no1 not in ,israel40 ,whatever the object of faith1 it is always the same in its nature1 though not always the same in degree4 ,christ said to his disciples--8,o ye of little faith60 and the apostle saith of ,abraham--8,he was strong in faith1 giving glory to ,god40 ,faith is represented in the ,scriptures by a variety of expressions1 such as--believing the testimony of ,god--relying or staying upon the ,lord--waiting upon him--trusting in him--looking unto him--coming to ,christ--putting on the ,lord ,jesus--committing the keeping of the soul to him1 as unto a faithful ,creator4 ,these different expressions denote the several modifications of faith1 and its several degrees of intensity2 but they all fall under the apostolical definition noticed above4 ,the language of the law was--8,do this and live40 ,the language of the gospel is--8,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt he saved40 ,faith in ,christ is the prescribed and only condition of acceptance with ,god4 ,christ is the way1 and the truth1 and the life2 no man cometh unto the ,father but by him4 ,faith is the eye with which we behold his mercy2 faith is the hand by which we receive his blessings2 faith is the golden chain which binds us to him for ever4 ,the necessity of faith in the merit and righteousness of our ,divine ,mediator1 as the condition of salvation1 is a truth which lies scattered over the surface of inspired ,scripture4 ,god has always owned and blessed its proclamation in the conversion of souls4 ,it was the article of ,luther's emancipation from legal bondage4 ,it was the master-key which unlocked the iron gates of ,antichrist1 and poured the true light over all ,europe2 so that neither pope nor council1 nor both together1 could hide it again under a bushel4 ,and in the church of ,england1 even in its present weak and languid state1 whenever one of its ministers preaches clearly and faithfully this blessed doctrine1 souls are given him as the seals of his ministry4 ,there is no end to the praises of faith4 ,faith is the glass that draws fire from the ,sun of ,righteousness4 ,faith is the wedding ring that joins the sinner to ,christ in an everlasting covenant4 ,faith is the living principle of all holy obedience1 working by love1 and purifying the heart4 ,if ,god command a man to leave his country and his kindred1 and go into a strange land--to offer his beloved son as a sacrifice upon the altar--to build an ark on dry ground--to go to the fiery furnace1 or the lions' den--to face his exasperated foes at ,jerusalem1 or hide from them in the caves of the mountains--it is faith that prompts him to the painful duty1 and sustains him therein1 in spite of improbabilities2 and amidst difficulties1 dangers1 and deaths4 ,,ii4 ,this brings us to notice the importance and utility of faith as a shield4 8,and above all1 taking the shield of faith1 wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked40 ,faith is in some respects the first of all the ,christian graces4 ,it is the beginning of spiritual life in the soul--the originating and sustaining principle of all evangelical holiness4 ,having faith1 we have nothing to do but to add to it all the rest of our lives4 8,add to your faith virtue1 and to virtue knowledge1 and to knowledge temperance1 and to temperance patience1 and to patience godliness1 and to godliness brotherly kindness1 and to brotherly kindness charity40 ,love is in some respects superior to faith1 and shall live and rejoice before the throne when faith shall have finished its work2 but faith is an impenetrable shield1 such as love cannot furnish1 on the field of battle4 ,the shield was a broad piece of defensive armor1 worn ordinarily on the left arm2 and which1 being movable1 might be used to defend any part of the body4 ,according to ,homer1 the shields of some of the warriors at the siege of ,troy were made of sevenfold thick bull-hides1 covered with brass4 ,the value of 8the shield of faith0 is seen in the case of ,david4 ,look down there in the valley4 ,there is ,goliath of ,gath1 the chief of the giants1 blaspheming1 and defying the armies of the living ,god4 ,his spear is as a weaver's beam1 and his armor-bearer carries before him an enormous shield4 ,and there is a fine-looking young man going down to meet him1 without any visible weapons1 except his shepherd's sling1 and five smooth stones from the brook4 ,david6 hast thou no fear8 ,rash youth6 is thy unpractised hand able to cope with the mailed champion of ,philistia8 8,i will go and meet him in the name of my ,god1 for ,i know that the ,lord will deliver him into my hand4 ,god will avenge his people1 and vindicate his own honor against the insults of his enemies4 ,he who defended me against the lion and the bear will save me from the hand of the blasphemer1 and glorify himself this day before the thousands of ,israel40 ,he moves on1 invincibly shielded by his faith1 and the next moment ,goliath is slain with his own sword4 ,let us look again at the case of ,abraham4 ,god said unto him--8,take now thy son1 thine only son ,isaac1 whom thou lovest1 and get thee into the land of ,moriah1 and offer him there for a burnt offering1 upon one of the mountains that ,i will tell thee of40 ,now the enemy assails him1 in the persuasive language of natural affection1 and carnal reasoning2 and every word is like a flaming arrow in the patriarch's heart3--8,abraham6 if thou obey this command1 thou wilt disobey thereby many other commands4 ,god hath said--#8,thou shalt not kill2' and wilt thou shed the blood of thy own child8 ,canst thou so trample upon the law of ,god1 and all the tender instincts of human nature8 ,how will thy servants regard thee--how will the world look upon thee1 after so horrible a deed8 ,what will they think of thy ,god1 when they hear that he has required at thy hand the immolation of thy only son8 ,will it not bring everlasting dishonor upon his name8 ,and what will become of the ,divine promise upon which thy faith is built--that from ,isaac's loins shall spring the ,messiah1 the hope of the world8 ,besides1 thou wilt certainly break poor old ,sarah's heart2 she will never be able to survive the loss1 in so dreadful a manner1 of her darling boy4 ,if thou hast any feelings of humanity in thy heart1 any fear of ,god before thine eyes1 any regard for the glory of his name among men1 refrain from that deed of blood60 ,such were the 8fiery darts0 which 8the wicked one0 hurled at the good man's heart1 but they fell harmless upon his 8shield of faith40 8,he staggered not at the promise through unbelief40 8,he conferred not with flesh and blood40 ,he rose up early in the morning1 took ,isaac and the servants1 and set out for the appointed place of sacrifice4 ,he travelled three days toward ,moriah1 with a settled purpose to cut ,isaac's body in pieces1 and shed the blood of his heart upon the altar1 and burn it to ashes in the consuming flames4 ,he loved his son as his own soul1 but the command of ,god was dearer to his heart4 8,and ,abraham said unto his young men--,abide ye here with the ass1 and ,i and the lad will go yonder1 and worship1 and come again to you20 for he firmly believed that ,god would raise his son from the ashes of the altar1 and that they would return together4 ,i see them ascending the hill--,o1 what an ascent was that6 ,never was there a walk so sorrowful1 till the great ,antitype of ,isaac ascended the same mountain to 8make his soul a sacrifice for sin40 ,the altar is built1 the fire and the wood are placed thereon2 and ,o for words to describe the feelings of both father and son1 when ,abraham laid hold on ,isaac1 and took the knife to plunge it into his heart6 ,there is a pause4 ,the patriarch's arm is stretched aloft1 with the instrument of death4 ,god of mercy6 is there no help for a father8 ,earth cannot speak2 but there comes a voice from heaven2 and ,o1 with what melody it rings through ,abraham's heart6--8,abraham6 ,abraham6 lay not thine hand upon the lad2 for now ,i know that thou fearest ,god1 seeing thou hast not withheld thy son1 thine only son1 from me40 ,there was the triumph of faith4 8,by faith ,abraham1 when he was tried1 offered up ,isaac2 and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son1 of whom it was said--,in ,isaac shall thy seed be called2 accounting that ,god was able to raise him up even from the dead1 from whence also he received him in a figure40 ,the patriarch's faith quenched 8all the fiery darts of the wicked one10 which were cast at him in this dreadful trial4 ,the arrows of the orientals were often poisoned at one end1 and ignited at the other4 ,it is to this circumstance the apostle alludes in the phrase--8the fiery darts of the wicked10 or the wicked one4 ,satan has his quiver full of impoisoned and flaming arrows1 from which the servants of ,christ would be much endangered without 8the shield of faith40 ,he shot one of them at ,eve in ,paradise1 and set the whole world on fire1 8and it is set on fire of hell40 ,he shot an arrow of lust at ,david1 and an arrow of fear at ,peter2 and both of them were dreadfully wounded in the back4 ,he shot an arrow of covetousness at ,judas1 and another at ,ananias and ,sapphira2 and having no 8shield of faith10 they were smitten1 and dropped down into hell4 ,the devil is a fierce and malicious enemy1 8going about as a roaring lion1 seeking whom he may devour40 ,fain would he destroy all the holy from the earth4 ,his 8fiery darts0 inflame the heart with the love of sin1 the fear of man1 the torments of remorse1 and the apprehensions of judgment and fiery indignation4 ,but when the heart is shielded by the faith of the gospel--when we clearly understand the truth as it is in ,jesus1 cordially assent to it1 appropriate it experimentally1 and surrender ourselves to its sanctifying influence--they have no power to injure1 and the ,christian is more than conqueror4 8,cast not away1 therefore1 the beginning of your confidence1 which hath great recompense of reward40 ,grasp firmly the shield4 ,whatever the aspect of the fight1 hold it fast till the end4 ,you will need it through all the campaign4 ,you will need it especially in your contest with 8the last enemy1 which is death40 8,be steadfast1 immovable1 always abounding in the work of the ,lord40 ,so shall you be able to testify with ,paul1 when he anticipated the termination of the warfare--8,i have fought a good fight2 ,i have finished my course2 ,i have kept the faith2 and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness1 which the ,lord--the righteous judge--shall give unto me in that day40 ,,sermon ,,xxi4 ,,the ,,paraclete4 8,and ,i will pray the ,father1 and he shall give you another ,comforter1 that he may abide with you for ever2 even the ,spirit of ,truth1 whom the world cannot receive1 because it seeth him not1 neither knoweth him2 but ye know him1 for he dwelleth with you1 and shall be in you40--,john xiv4 #af1 #ag4 ,,the ,bible is a most wonderful book4 ,it came to us from heaven1 and is stamped with the ,spirit and the character of heaven4 ,it assails our favorite maxims and customs1 and declares that he who will be the friend of this world is the enemy of ,god4 ,it will consent to no compromise with sin4 ,it will not in the least accommodate itself to the carnal inclinations of the human heart4 ,what is written is written1 and not one jot or tittle can be altered till heaven and earth shall pass away4 ,it is the sword of ,god1 by which he conquers the nations--the instrument of his grace1 by which he renovates the world4 ,like the ark in the land of the ,philistines1 which was mightier than all their lords1 and ,dagon their god1 it is more than a match for the cunning and prowess of the ,prince of ,darkness and his hosts4 ,he who disobeys it kindles a volcano2 he who obeys opens to himself a fountain of living waters4 ,and the secret of all its wonderful qualities and achievements is found in its ,divine inspiration1 and the power of the ,holy ,ghost which accompanies its truths4 ,it is 8the sword of the ,spirit10 and the ,spirit that brought it into the world continues in the world to wield it1 and render it quick and powerful4 ,these remarks introduce to our consideration the mission and office of the ,holy ,ghost1 of which our ,saviour speaks in the language of the text4 ,and1 ,i4 ,we remark1 that the ,holy ,ghost is evidently not a ,divine attribute merely1 but a ,divine person4 ,his personality is proved by the terms applied to him in the text--the 8,comforter10 and 8the ,spirit of ,truth20 and by many other passages where he is spoken of in similar language--language wholly incompatible with the idea of his being a mere attribute1 and not a person4 ,the doctrine of his ,divinity is sustained by so many texts that their mere quotation would be an irrefutable argument in its favor4 ,david says--8,the ,spirit of the ,lord spake by me1 and his word was in my tongue2 the ,god of ,israel said10 c4 ,here the ,holy ,ghost is called 8the ,spirit of the ,lord10 and 8the ,god of ,israel40 ,when ,ananias 8lied to the ,holy ,ghost10 it is said he 8lied to ,god40 ,the ordinance of ,baptism is ordered to be administered 8in the name of the ,holy ,ghost10 as well as 8the name of the ,father and the ,son20 and his 8fellowship0 is equally invoked with the love of the former1 and the grace of the latter1 in the apostolical benediction4 ,besides1 every attribute that belongs to the ,deity belongs to him4 ,he is omnipresent1 omniscient1 and eternal4 ,he is the ,spirit of truth1 the ,spirit of grace1 and the ,spirit of life4 ,his works also are the works of ,god4 ,he creates and quickens1 which is the prerogative of ,god alone4 ,he renovates the soul4 ,he raised the body of ,jesus1 and will raise the bodies of all men in the last day4 ,finally3 ,blasphemy against the ,son may be forgiven2 but 8blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost hath never forgiveness1 neither in this world nor in that which is to come40 ,if1 then1 the ,father is ,god1 and if the ,son is ,god1 so also is the ,holy ,spirit4 ,,ii4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the messenger and representative of ,jesus ,christ in the ,church4 ,two promises1 like heavenly merchant-vessels1 brought salvation to our world4 ,the first was given in ,eden1 and fulfilled on ,calvary4 ,the ,son of ,god descended from heaven1 suffered in our stead the curse of the law1 spoiled the powers of death and hell1 and returned to his ,father1 leaving another promise1 shortly to be fulfilled upon his people4 ,with what supernatural power and unction the ,holy ,spirit manifested himself on the day of ,pentecost6 ,divine ,comforter6 what treasure bringest thou in thy vessel of grace8 8,the things of ,christ2 and ,i will unload them to-day in the region of ,calvary4 ,i have come to fulfil the promise1 to endow the disciples with power from on high1 and finish the work which the ,son of ,god has begun40 ,see those tongues of flame sitting upon the fishermen of ,galilee2 while strangers from many different countries hear from them1 each in his own language1 8the wonderful works of ,god40 ,only think of three thousand conversions in a day--under a single sermon4 ,three thousand hearts were wounded by the arrows of ,divine love1 through the strongest breastplate ever made in hell4 ,this was the work of the ,holy ,spirit1 taking of the things of ,christ and showing them to the disciples4 ,it was ,christ himself1 manifesting himself through his agent4 ,the first promise brought the ,messiah into the world in the flesh2 the second1 in the ,spirit--the first1 to be crucified2 the second1 to crucify the sins of his people--the first1 to empty himself2 the second1 to fill the believer with heavenly gifts and graces--the first1 to sanctify himself as a sin-offering upon the altar2 the second1 to give repentance and pardon as a ,prince and a ,saviour4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is still on earth1 prosecuting his gracious work1 and communicating his heavenly gifts4 ,he strives with sinners1 and quickens believers into spiritual life4 ,he dwells in the saints1 leads them into all truth1 and bears witness with their spirits that they are the ,children of ,god4 ,he illuminates their understanding1 subdues their will1 purifies their thoughts1 and plants within them all holy principles and affections4 ,and this he does1 not by an audible voice from heaven1 but through the instrumentality of the word1 and by secret impressions upon the soul4 8,the wind bloweth where it listeth1 and thou hearest the sound thereof1 but canst not tell whence it cometh1 nor whither it goeth2 so is every one that is born of the ,spirit40 ,the operations of the ,holy ,ghost are seen only in their effects4 ,it is a drop of water becoming a fountain 8that springeth up unto everlasting life40 ,it is a spark of fire1 kindling a conflagration1 which all the rivers of ,belial cannot quench4 ,,iii4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the ,paraclete2 that is1 the ,counselor and ,consoler4 ,in our text1 he is called the 8,comforter40 8,and ,i will pray the ,father1 and he shall give you another ,comforter10--according to the original1 one to plead your cause4 ,the word is the same as that used to designate the ,roman ambassadors1 who were sent to other countries1 as representatives of the ,roman power1 to persuade enemies to submit1 or offer terms of peace4 ,a certain author observes1 that the office of the ,comforter is to reconcile enemies1 and invigorate friends--to console the dejected1 strengthen the enfeebled1 and support the people of ,god in all the conflicts and trials of life4 ,it is by his grace that the believer's youth is renewed as the eagle's1 and all his languishing virtues are revived1 so that he can 8run and not weary--walk and not faint40 ,another part of his office in the ,church is intercession4 ,as he pleads with sinners on behalf of ,christ in the gospel1 so he pleads for believers in the court of heaven2 not personally1 like our blessed ,lord1 but by inspiring the spirit of supplication in their hearts4 8,likewise the ,spirit also helpeth our infirmities1 for we know not what we should pray for as we ought2 but the ,spirit itself maketh intercession for us1 with groanings which cannot be uttered2 and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the ,spirit1 because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of ,god40 ,when other nations had offended the ,romans1 it was common for them1 fearing the revenge of that mighty empire1 to send messengers to ,rome1 to plead their cause1 and treat for peace4 8,the ,spirit of ,truth10 having brought sinners to repentance by pleading with them for ,christ in the gospel1 pours down upon them the spirit of grace and supplication1 so that they cry out for mercy1 and this is virtually the ,spirit of ,god crying out within them4 ,what is the meaning of all that prayer and agony in the congregation8 ,the ,spirit of ,god is there4 ,his hammer has broken the rock--his fire has melted the iron4 ,no other power could conquer those proud rebellious hearts1 and turn the blasphemer into a man of prayer4 ,listen6 8,if thou shouldst mark iniquity1 ,o ,lord1 who could stand80 ,hark again6 8,but thou art a ,god ready to pardon2 there is forgiveness with thee1 that thou mayest be feared40 ,it is the voice of the ,spirit1 pleading in the awakened soul4 ,see that publican in the temple1 smiting upon his breast1 and saying1--8,god be merciful to me a sinner60 ,the ,holy ,ghost has both convinced him of sin1 and inspired him to pray for mercy4 ,no other agency can thus quicken the 8dead in trespasses and sins10 and turn the hearts of the children of men to the ,lord4 ,the gospel1 in the hand of the ,holy ,spirit1 8is the power of ,god unto salvation40 ,the ,holy ,spirit can convince the world--can rend the veil from the mind1 and dissolve the ice around the heart4 ,he applies the truth to the conscience1 and makes the guilty read their own sentence of condemnation by the light of the fires of ,sinai2 and then he shows them the atoning blood1 and prompts them to pray for pardon4 ,he first convinces them that they are sinking in 8the horrible pit of miry clay20 and then lets down to them the rope of the promise1 bids them take hold by faith1 draws them out1 and sets their feet upon a rock1 and puts into their mouth the new song of salvation--8,o ,lord1 ,i will praise thee2 for though thou wast angry with me1 thine anger is turned away1 and thou comfortest me60 ,o that the 8,spirit of grace and supplication0 may ever rest upon us6 ,may we plead for ourselves with ,god1 as ,jacob1 when he wrestled for the blessing2 or ,bartimeus1 when he besought the ,saviour to restore his sight6 ,may we plead for sinners1 as ,abraham for ,sodom1 as ,moses for ,israel1 as ,daniel for the captives1 as the ,centurion for his servant1 and as the woman of ,canaan for her daughter6 ,,iv4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is called 8another comforter20 which suggests a difference between his office in the church1 and that of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,christ1 by his personal ministry on earth1 was the ,comforter of his little flock2 and by his death upon the cross1 the procurer of all the comforts of them that believe2 and when he ascended1 8another comforter0 came down to take his place in the church1 and communicate the blessings which he bought with his blood4 8,if any man sin1 we have an ,advocate with the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the righteous20 who hath 8entered into heaven itself1 there to appear in the presence of ,god for us20 while his agent and representative on earth dwells with his followers1 leads them into all truth1 and carries on within them the process of sanctification4 ,both are comforters--both are advocates--,christ above1 and the ,holy ,spirit below--,christ by his personal presence before the ,father1 and the ,holy ,spirit by his gracious influence in the believer's heart4 ,christ is making intercession on our behalf without us1 and independently of us4 ,but the ,holy ,spirit is making intercession through us--pleading in our prayers 8with groanings that cannot be uttered40 ,he never acts without us4 ,true repentance and faith are his gifts1 but they are also our exercises4 ,he draws us to ,christ1 but we must yield to his attractions4 ,he inspires us to pray1 but the act of prayer is our own4 ,he 8worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure10 but he does not will and do for us4 ,he gives us the life and the power1 but he requires us to use them4 ,he leads us into all truth1 but not unless we follow him4 ,he sheds abroad the love of ,god in our hearts1 but not unless we open our hearts to receive the communication4 ,he destroys the old man within us1 and creates the new2 but not unless we cordially resign ourselves to his influence1 and earnestly co-operate with his grace4 ,christ in heaven pleads for the reconciliation of sinners to ,god4 ,the ,holy ,spirit on earth awakens sinners1 convinces them of sin1 draws them to the throne of grace1 and breathes into them intense prayers for pardon4 ,he renews them1 and purifies them1 and makes them temples of his grace1 and heirs of glory4 ,he opens the blind eyes1 and unstops the deaf ears1 and makes the lame man leap as an hart1 and the tongue of the dumb to sing4 ,all the true conversions ever effected on earth are the results of his gracious power4 ,christ has bound up all the covenants1 and carried them with him into heaven1 and laid them down before the throne1 having obtained eternal redemption for us2 and the ,holy ,spirit has taken of the things of ,god1 and brought them down to men4 ,christ received gifts for us1 and the ,holy ,spirit confers them upon us4 ,christ receives from the ,father2 the ,spirit receives from ,christ2 and we receive from the ,spirit4 ,christ bought the church with his own blood1 and the spirit prepares and presents her to him as his bride4 ,christ opened a way into the ,holy of ,holies1 and the ,spirit aids us to offer our sacrifices before the mercy-seat4 ,christ is the appointed medium of our intercourse with ,god1 and the ,spirit helps us to avail ourselves of that unspeakable privilege4 ,christ in heaven is the life of our redemption1 and the ,spirit upon earth is the life of the gospel and the ordinances4 8,i will draw all men unto myself0--is the motto of ,christ2 8,i will draw all men unto ,christ0--is the motto of the ,spirit4 ,v4 ,the ,holy ,ghost has taken up his permanent residence among the people of ,god4 8,that he may abide with you for ever--for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you40 ,his miraculous gifts were temporary2 being no longer necessary1 when the truth was established in the conviction of mankind4 ,but his renovating and sanctifying grace is as much needed now as ever1 and therefore has never been taken from the world4 ,the primitive ,christians1 and ,christians of the present day1 in this respect1 share the same privilege4 ,it is a 8common salvation20 and the streams will never cease to flow1 while there remain 8vessels of mercy0 to be filled4 ,the church in every age has suffered great loss in the death of her most able and efficient ministers4 ,the strongest pillars in the house have fallen2 the tallest trees in the forest have been cut down4 8,the fathers1 where are they8 and the prophets1 do they live for ever80 ,where are the apostles and evangelists8 ,what has become of the great reformers of every age8 ,they have gone the way whence they shall not return4 ,they have ascended in their chariots of fire4 ,though safe in heaven1 they are lost to earth4 ,but the ,holy ,spirit is a 8,comforter0 that shall 8abide with you for ever40 ,the hands have all departed1 one after another1 and new crews have been shipped from age to age2 but the ,captain is still alive2 and has remained on board1 ever since he first took the register and the compass1 on the day of ,pentecost2 and will never leave the ship1 till he brings her in from her last voyage1 and lays her up for ever6 ,brethren in the ministry6 this is our consolation4 ,the ,spirit that blessed the labors of ,david ,jones1 ,daniel ,rowlands1 and ,howell ,harris1 still 8dwelleth with you1 and shall be in you40 ,o let us seek his aid in our holy work1 and pray for his outpouring upon our congregations6 ,delegates of the different churches6 be of good courage6 ,you may not have seen as many additions lately as in former times2 but the ,holy ,spirit has not yet departed from the faithful4 ,you have heard of wonderful revivals in ,america1 as well as in some parts of ,wales4 ,the 8,comforter0 is yet at work4 ,the illuminator of souls is yet at hand4 ,the office is yet open4 ,the blessing is yet offered4 ,o1 let us all pray for the ,holy ,spirit6 let us look for his coming6 let us wait for his salvation6 ,,sermon ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,father ,,and ,,son ,,glorified4 8,howbeit1 when he1 the ,spirit of ,truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth2 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear1 that shall he speak2 and he will show you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me3 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall show it unto you4 ,all things that the ,father hath are mine2 therefore1 said ,i1 that he shall take of mine1 and shall show it unto you40--,john xvi4 #ac-ae4 ,,the wonderful ,providence which brought the ,children of ,israel out of the house of bondage was a chain of many links1 not one of which could be omitted without destroying the beauty1 and defeating the end of the ,divine economy4 ,the family of ,jacob come to ,egypt in the time of famine--they multiply--they are oppressed--their cries reach to heaven--,god manifests himself in the burning bush--,moses is sent to ,egypt--miracles are wrought by his hand--,pharaoh's heart is hardened--the first-born are slain--the passover is eaten--the people depart1 led by the pillar of ,god--the sea is divided--and with many signs and wonders1 the thousands of ,israel are conducted through the wilderness to the ,promised ,land4 ,had one of these links been wanting1 the chain of deliverance had been defective4 ,so1 in the salvation of sinners by ,jesus ,christ1 all the conditions and preparatives were essential to the completeness and glory of the scheme4 ,the ,son of ,god must consent to undertake our cause1 and become our substitute--the promise must be given to ,adam1 and frequently repeated to the patriarchs--bloody sacrifices must be instituted to typify the vicarious sufferings of ,messiah--a long line of prophets must foretell his advent1 and the glory of his kingdom--he must be born in ,bethlehem1 crucified on ,calvary1 and buried in ,joseph's new tomb--must rise from the dead1 ascend to the right hand of the ,father1 and send down the ,holy ,spirit to guide and sanctify his church4 ,without all these circumstances1 the economy of redemption would have been incomplete and inefficient4 ,the last link in the chain is the mission and work of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,this is quite as important as any of the rest4 ,our ,saviour's heart seems to have been much set upon it during all his ministry1 and especially during the last few days before his crucifixion4 ,he spoke of it frequently to his disciples1 and told them that he would not leave them comfortless1 but would send them 8another ,comforter10 who should abide with them for ever2 and that his own departure was necessary1 to prepare the way for the coming of the heavenly ,paraclete4 ,in our text1 he describes the office of the ,holy ,spirit1 and the specific relation which he sustains to the work of salvation3--8,howbeit1 when he1 the ,spirit of ,truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth2 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear1 that shall he speak2 and he will show you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me2 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall show it unto you4 ,all things that the ,father hath are mine2 therefore said ,i1 that he shall take of mine1 and shall show it unto you40 ,these words teach us two important truths--first1 ,that the ,son is equal with the ,father2 and secondly1 ,that the ,father and the ,son are alike glorified in the economy of salvation4 ,i4 ,the ,son claims equality with the ,father4 8,all things that the ,father hath are mine40 ,this sentence is very comprehensive and sublime--an unquestionable affirmation of ,messiah's 8eternal power and ,godhead40 ,the same doctrine is taught us in many other recorded sayings of ,christ1 and sustained by all the prophets and apostles2 and when ,i consider this declaration in connection with the general strain of the inspired writers on the subject1 ,i seem to hear the ,saviour himself addressing the world in the following manner3-- 8,all things that the ,father hath are mine4 ,his names are mine4 ,i am ,jehovah--the ,mighty ,god1 and the ,everlasting ,father--the ,lord of ,hosts--the ,living ,god--the ,true ,god1 and ,eternal ,life4 8,his works are mine4 ,all things were made by me1 and ,i uphold all things by the word of my power4 ,my ,father worketh hitherto1 and ,i work2 for as the ,father raiseth up the dead1 and quickeneth them1 even so the ,son quickeneth whom he will4 ,i am the author of universal being1 and my hand moves all the machinery of providence4 8,his honors are mine4 ,i have an indisputable right to the homage of all created intelligences4 ,i inhabit the praises of eternity4 ,before the foundation of the world1 ,i was the object of angelic adoration2 and when ,i became incarnate as a ,saviour1 the ,father published his decree in heaven1 saying3--#8,let all the angels of ,god worship him6' ,it is his will1 also1 that all men should honor the ,son1 even as they honor the ,father--in the same manner1 and the same degree4 ,he that honoreth the ,son1 honoreth the ,father2 and he that honoreth not the ,son1 honoreth not the ,father3 for ,i and my ,father are one--one in honor--possessing joint interest and authority4 8,his attributes are mine4 ,though as man and mediator ,i am inferior to the ,father2 yet my nature is no more inferior to his1 than the nature of the ,prince of ,wales is inferior to the nature of the ,king of ,england4 ,you see me clothed in humanity2 but in my original state1 ,i thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god4 ,i was in the beginning with ,god1 and possessed the same eternity of being4 ,like him1 ,i am almighty1 omniscient1 and immutable2 infinite in holiness1 justice1 goodness1 and truth4 ,all these attributes1 with every other possible perfection1 belong to me in the same sense as they belong to the ,father4 ,they are absolute and independent1 underived and unoriginated--the essential qualities of my nature4 8,his riches of grace are mine4 ,i am the mediator of the new covenant--the channel of my ,father's mercies to mankind4 ,i have the keys of the house of ,david1 and the seal of the kingdom of heaven4 ,i have come from the bosom of the ,father1 freighted with the precious treasures of his good will to men4 ,i have sailed over the sea of tribulation and death1 to bring you the wealth of the other world4 ,i am the ,father's messenger1 publishing peace on earth--a peace which ,i have purchased with my own blood upon the cross4 ,it hath pleased the ,father that in me all fulness should dwell--all fulness of wisdom and grace--whatever is necessary for the justification1 sanctification1 and redemption of them that believe4 ,my ,father and ,i are one in the work of salvation1 as in the work of creation4 ,we have the same will1 and the same intention of mercy toward the children of the great captivity4 8,the objects of his love are mine4 ,he hath given them to me in an everlasting covenant4 ,he hath given me the heathen for an inheritance1 and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession4 ,they were mine by the original right of creation2 but now they are doubly mine by the superadded claim of redemption4 ,my ,father1 before the world was1 gave me a charter of all the souls ,i would redeem4 ,i have fulfilled the condition4 ,i have poured out my soul unto death1 and sealed the covenant with the blood of my cross4 ,therefore all believers are mine4 ,i have bought them with a price4 ,i have redeemed them from the bondage of sin and death4 ,their names are engraven on my hands and my feet4 ,they are written with the soldier's spear upon my heart4 ,and of all that the ,father hath given me1 ,i will lose nothing4 ,i will draw them all to myself2 ,i will raise them up at the last day2 and they shall be with me where ,i am1 that they may behold my glory--the glory which ,i had with the ,father before the foundation of the world40 ,,ii4 ,the ,father and the ,son are equally glorified in the economy of redemption1 and the work of the ,holy ,spirit4 #a4 ,the ,son glorifies the ,father4 ,i hear him praying in the garden3--8,father1 ,i have glorified thee on the earth2 ,i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do40 ,i hear him again1 amid the supernatural gloom of ,calvary1 with a voice that rings through the dominions of death and hell1 crying--8,it is finished60 ,what mighty achievement hast thou finished to-day1 blessed ,jesus8 and how have thy unknown agony and shameful death glorified the ,father8 8,i have glorified the ,father1 by raising up those precious things which fell in ,eden1 and were lost in the abyss4 8,i have raised up my ,father's law4 ,i found it cast down to the earth1 and trampled into the dust4 ,i have magnified and made it honorable4 ,i have vindicated its authority in the sight of men and angels4 ,i have satisfied its demands on behalf of my redeemed1 and become the end of the law for righteousness to all who will receive me as their surety4 8,i have raised up my ,father's name4 ,i have declared it to my brethren4 ,i have manifested it to the men whom he has given me4 ,i have given a new revelation of his character to the world4 ,i have shown him to sinners1 as a just ,god and a ,saviour4 ,i have restored his worship in purity and spirituality upon earth4 ,i have opened a new and living way to his throne of grace4 ,i have written the record of his mercy with my own blood upon the rocks of ,calvary4 8,i have raised up my ,father's image4 ,i have imprinted it afresh upon human nature1 from which it was effaced by sin4 ,i have displayed its excellence in my own character4 ,i have passed through the pollutions of the world1 and the territory of death1 without tarnishing its lustre1 or injuring its symmetry4 ,though my visage is marred with grief1 and my back plowed with scourges1 and my hands and feet nailed to the accursed cross1 not one trace of my ,father's image has been obliterated from my human soul4 ,it is as perfect and as spotless now as when ,i lay in the manger4 ,i will carry it unstained with me into heaven4 ,i will give a full description of it in my gospel upon earth4 ,i will change my people into the same image from glory to glory4 ,i will also renovate and transform their vile bodies1 and fashion them like unto my own glorious body4 ,i will ransom them from the power of the grave2 and because ,i live1 they shall live also--the counterpart of my own immaculate humanity--mirrors to reflect my ,father's glory for ever40 #b4 ,the ,father glorifies the ,son4 ,he prayed in the garden3--8,and now1 ,father1 glorify thou me with thine own self1 with the glory which ,i had with thee before the world was40 ,was the petition granted8 ,answer1 ye ,roman sentinels1 who watched his sepulchre6 ,answer1 ye men of ,galilee1 who gazed upon his chariot1 as he ascended from the ,mount of ,olives6 ,the glorification of the ,son by the ,father implies all the honors of his mediatorial office--all the crowns which he won by his victory over the powers of death and hell4 ,the ,father raised him from the dead1 and received him up into glory1 as a testimony of his acceptance as the sinner's surety--an expression of perfect satisfaction with his vicarious sacrifice upon the cross4 ,it was the just reward of his work2 it was the fruit of his gracious travail4 ,he is 8crowned with glory and honor for the sufferings of death40 8,because he hath poured out his soul unto death10 therefore 8,god also hath highly exalted him1 and given him a name that is above every name40 ,what an honor would it be to a man1 to receive eight or ten of the highest offices in a kingdom6 ,infinitely greater is the glory of ,emmanuel4 ,his name includes all the offices and titles of the kingdom of heaven4 ,the ,father hath made him 8both ,lord and ,christ0--that is1 given him the supreme prerogatives of government and salvation4 8,him hath ,god exalted to be a prince and a ,saviour1 to give repentance to ,israel1 and remission of sins40 ,he is 8head over all things in the church0--,prime ,minister of the kingdom of heaven--,lord ,treasurer1 dispensing the bounties of ,divine grace to mankind--,lord ,high-,chancellor of the realm1 and ,keeper of the ,great ,seal of the living ,god2 holding in his hand the charter of our redemption1 and certifying the authenticity of the ,divine covenant--,lord ,chief ,justice of heaven and earth1 having all power and authority to administer the laws of ,providence throughout the universe--the ,chief ,prince--the ,general of the army--the ,captain of the ,lord's host--the ,champion who conquered ,satan1 ,sin1 and ,death2 bruising the head of the first1 destroying the power of the second1 and swallowing up the third in victory4 ,he hath the keys of hell and of death4 ,he shutteth1 and no man openeth2 he openeth1 and no man shutteth4 ,he bears all the honors of his ,father's house2 and concentrates in himself all the glories of ,supreme ,divinity1 redeemed humanity1 and 8mediator between ,god and man40 #c4 ,the ,holy ,spirit glorifies ,father and ,son together4 ,he is procured for the world by the blood of the ,son1 and sent into the world by the authority of the ,father2 so that both are alike represented in his mission1 and equally glorified in his office4 ,the gracious things which the ,father gave into the hands of the ,son when he descended from heaven1 the ,son gave into the hands of the ,spirit when he returned to heaven4 8,all things that the ,father hath are mine2 and he shall take of mine1 and shall show it unto you40 ,this is the object of the ,spirit's advent1 the communication of the things of ,christ to men4 ,what are the things of ,christ8 ,his merit1 his mercy1 his image1 his gospel1 his promises1 all the gifts of his grace1 all the treasures of his love1 and all the immunities of eternal redemption4 ,these the ,father hath given to the ,son1 as the great ,trustee of the church2 and the ,son hath given them to the ,spirit1 as the appointed agent of their communication4 ,a ship was laden in ,india1 arrived safe in ,london1 unloaded her precious cargo1 and the goods were soon distributed all over the country1 and offered for sale in a thousand stores4 ,the ,son of ,god brought immense riches of ,divine grace from heaven to earth1 which are all left to the disposal of the ,holy ,spirit1 and freely proffered to the perishing wherever the gospel is preached4 ,the ,holy ,spirit came not to construct a new engine of mercy1 but to propel that already constructed by ,christ4 ,its first revolution rent the rocks of ,calvary1 and shook the rocky hearts of men4 ,its second revolution demolished the throne of death1 burst his prison-doors1 and liberated many of his captives4 ,its third revolution carried its builder up into the heaven of heavens1 and brought down the ,holy ,spirit to move its machinery for ever4 ,its next revolution1 under the impulse of this new ,agent1 was like 8the rushing of a mighty wind0 among the assembled disciples at ,jerusalem1 kindled a fire upon the head of every ,christian1 inspired them to speak all the languages of the babbling earth1 and killed and quickened three thousand souls of the hearers4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is still on earth1 glorifying the ,father and the ,son4 ,he convinces the world of sin4 ,he leads men to ,christ1 through the rivers of corruption1 the mountains of presumption1 and the terrible bogs of despair1 affording them no rest till they come to the city of refuge4 ,he continues on the field to bring up the rear2 while the ,captain of our ,salvation1 on his white horse1 rides victorious in the van of battle4 ,he strengthens the soldiers--8faint1 yet pursuing20 raises the fallen2 encourages the despondent2 feeds them with the bread of life1 and the new wine of the kingdom2 and leads them on--8conquering1 and to conquer40 ,his work will not be finished till the resurrection4 ,then will he quicken our mortal bodies4 ,then will he light his candle1 and sweep the house till he find every lost piece of silver4 ,then will he descend into the dark caves of death1 and gather all the gems of redeemed humanity1 and weave them into a crown for ,emmanuel1 and place that crown upon ,emmanuel's head1 amid the songs of the adoring seraphim6 ,thus the ,holy ,spirit glorifies the ,father and the ,son4 ,let us pray for the outpouring of his grace upon the church4 ,in proportion to his manifestation in our hearts1 will be our 8knowledge of the light of the glory of ,god in the face of ,jesus ,christ40 ,nor is this all2 in proportion to the visitations of the ,holy ,spirit1 will be the purity of our lives1 the spirituality of our worship1 the ardor of our zeal and charity1 and the extent of our usefulness to the cause of ,christ4 ,would you see a revival of religion8 pray for the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit upon you1 to sanctify your hearts and your lives1 that your light may 8so shine before men1 that others may see your good works1 and glorify your ,father who is in heaven40 8,when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees1 then thou shalt bestir thyself2 for then the ,lord shall go out before thee1 to strike the hosts of the ,philistines40 ,brethren1 this is the time4 ,the mulberry trees are shaking4 ,god is going before his people1 to prepare their way to victory4 ,the hand of ,divine ,providence is opening a great and effectual door for the gospel4 ,the mountains are levelled1 the valleys are exalted1 and a highway is cast up in the wilderness for our ,god4 ,the arts of printing and navigation1 the increasing commerce of the world1 the general prevalence of the spirit of peace1 the rapid march of literature and science1 and the correspondence of eminent and leading men in every nation1 are so many preparatives for the moral conquest of the world4 ,the ,captain of our ,salvation1 on the white horse of the gospel1 can now ride through ,europe and ,america3 and will soon lead forth his army to take possession of ,asia and ,africa4 ,the wings of the mighty angel are unbound1 and he is flying in the midst of heaven4 ,again3 ,christians are better informed concerning the moral state of the world than formerly4 ,if my neighbor's house were on fire1 and ,i knew nothing of it1 ,i could not be blamed for rendering him no assistance2 but who could be guiltless in beholding the building in flames1 without an effort to rescue its occupants8 ,brethren1 you have heard of the perishing heathen4 ,you have heard of their dreadful superstitions1 their human sacrifices1 and their abominable rites4 ,you have heard of ,juggernaut1 and the ,river ,ganges1 and the murder of infants1 and the immolation of widows1 and the worship of idols and demons4 ,you know something of the delusion of ,mohammedism1 the cruel and degrading ignorance of ,popery1 and how millions around you are perishing for lack of knowledge4 ,do you feel no solicitude for their souls--no desire to pluck them as brands from the burning8 ,what can we do8 ,the ,scriptures have been translated into nearly all the languages of the babbling earth4 ,missionaries have gone into many lands--have met the ,indian in his wigwam1 the ,african in his ,devil's-bush1 and the devotee on his way to ,mecca4 ,we can furnish more men for the field1 and more money to sustain them4 ,but these things cannot change and renovate the human heart4 8,not by might1 nor by power1 but by my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord40 ,this is the grand regenerating agency4 ,he alone can convince and save the world4 ,his aid is given in answer to prayer2 and the ,father is more ready to give than we are to ask4 ,mr4 ,ward1 one of the ,baptist missionaries in ,india1 in a missionary discourse at ,bristol1 said1--8,brethren1 we need your money1 but we need your prayers more40 ,o1 what encouragement we have to pray for our missionaries6 ,thus saith the ,lord3--8,i will pour water upon him that is thirsty1 and floods upon the dry ground2 ,i will pour my ,spirit upon thy seed1 and my blessing upon thine offspring40 ,let us plead with ,god for the accomplishment of the promise4 8,ye that make mention of the ,lord1 keep not silence1 and give him no rest till he make ,jerusalem a praise in the whole earth40 ,brethren in the ministry6 let us remember that all our success depends upon the aid of the ,holy ,spirit1 and let us pray constantly for his blessing upon the word6 ,brethren in the church6 forget not the connection between the work of the ,holy ,spirit and the glory of your ,best ,friend1 and earnestly entreat him to mingle his sanctifying unction with the treasures of ,divine ,truth contained in these earthen vessels6 8,finally1 brethren1 pray for us2 that the word of the ,lord may have free course and be glorified20 and all the ends of the earth see the salvation of our ,god6 8,hasten1 ,lord1 the glorious time1 ,when1 beneath ,messiah's sway1 ,every tribe1 in every clime1 ,shall the gospel call obey6 8,then shall wars and tumults cease2 ,then be banished grief and pain ,righteousness1 and joy1 and peace1 ,undisturbed1 for ever reign60 ,,extracts4 ,i4 ,,the ,,demoniac ,,of ,,gadara4 ,luke viii4 #bf-ci4 8,,and when he went forth to land1 there met him out of the city a certain man1 which had devils a long time1 and ware no clothes1 neither abode in any house1 but in the tombs40 ,i imagine that this demoniac was not only an object of pity1 but he was really a terror in the country4 ,so terrific was his appearance1 so dreadful and hideous his screams1 so formidable1 frightful1 and horrid his wild career1 that all the women in that region were so much alarmed that none of them dared go to market4 ,and what made him still more terrible was the place of his abode3 ,it was not in a city1 where some attention might be paid to order and decorum--7though he would sometimes ramble into the city as in this case47 ,it was not in a town1 or village1 or any house whatever1 where assistance might be obtained in case of necessity2 but it was among the tombs1 and in the wilderness--not far1 however1 from the turnpike road4 ,no one could tell but that he might jump at them1 like a panther1 and scare them to death4 ,the gloominess of the place made it more awful and solemn4 ,it was among the tombs--where1 in the opinion of some1 all witches1 corpse-candles1 and hobgoblins abide4 ,one day1 however1 ,mary was determined that no such nuisance should be suffered in the country of the ,gadarenes4 ,the man must be clothed1 though he was mad and crazy4 ,and if he should at any future time strip himself1 tie up his clothes in a bundle1 throw them into the river1 and tell them to go to see ,abraham1 he must be tied and taken care of4 ,well1 this was all right--no sooner said than done4 ,but1 so soon as the fellow was bound in chains and fetters1 ,samson-like1 he broke the bands asunder1 and could not be tamed4 ,by this time1 the devil became offended with the ,gadarenes1 and in a pout he took the demoniac away1 and drove him into the wilderness4 ,he thought the ,gadarenes had no business to interfere and meddle with his property2 for he had possession of the man4 ,and he knew1 that 8a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush40 ,it is probable that he wanted to send him home2 for there was no knowing what might happen now-a-days4 ,but there was too much matter about him to send him as he was2 therefore1 he thought the best plan would be to persuade him to commit suicide by cutting his throat4 ,but here ,satan was at a nonplus--his rope was too short--,he could not turn executioner himself1 as that would not have answered the design he has in view1 when he wants people to commit suicide2 for the act would have been his own sin and not the man's4 ,the poor demoniac1 therefore1 must go about to hunt a sharp stone1 or any thing that he could get4 ,he might have been in search of such an article1 when he returned from the wilderness into the city1 whence he came when he met the ,son of ,god4 8,jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man4 ,and when he saw ,jesus he cried out1 and fell down before him1 and with a loud voice said1 ,what have ,i to do with thee1 ,jesus1 thou ,son of ,god most high8 ,i beseech thee torment me not40 ,here is the devil's confession of faith4 ,the devils believe and tremble1 while men make a mock of sin1 and sport on the brink of eternal ruin4 ,to many of the human race1 ,christ appears as a root out of dry ground4 ,they see in him neither form nor comeliness1 and there is no beauty in him that they should desire him4 ,some said he was the carpenter's son1 and would not believe in him2 others said he had a devil1 and that it was through ,beelzebub the chief of the devils1 that he cast out devils2 some cried out1 ,let him be crucified--let him be crucified2 and others said1 ,let his blood be on us and on our children4 ,as the ,jews would not have him to reign over them2 so many1 who call themselves ,christians1 say that he is a mere man2 as such1 he has no right to rule over their consciences1 and demand their obedience1 adoration1 and praise4 ,but ,diabolus knows better--,jesus is the ,son of ,god most high4 ,many of the children of the devil1 whose work they do1 differ very widely from their father in their sentiments respecting the person of ,christ4 8,jesus commanded the legion of unclean spirits to come out of the man40 ,they knew that out they must go4 ,but they were like ,scotchmen--very unwilling to return to their own country4 ,they would rather go into hogs' skins than to their own country4 ,and he suffered them to go into the herd of swine4 ,methinks that one of the men who fed the hogs1 kept a better look out than the rest of them1 and said1 8,what ail the hogs8 ,look sharp there1 boys--keep them in--make good use of your whips4 ,why don't you run8 ,why1 ,i declare1 one of them has gone over the cliff6 ,there goes another6 ,drive them back40 ,never was there such a running1 and whipping1 and hallooing2 but down go the hogs1 before they are aware of it4 ,one of them said1 8,they are all gone60 8,no1 sure not all gone into the sea60 8,yes1 every one of them1 the black hog and all6 ,they are all drowned6--the devil is in them6 ,what shall we do now8--what can we say to the owners80 8,what can we say80 said another4 8,we must tell the truth--that is all about it4 ,we did our best--all that was in our power4 ,what could any man do more80 ,so they went their way to the city1 to tell the masters what had happened4 8,john1 where are you going10 exclaimed one of the masters4 8,sir1 did you know the demoniac that was among the tombs there80 8,demoniac among the tombs6 ,where did you leave the hogs80 8,that madman1 sir--0 8,madman6--,why do you come home without the hogs80 8,that wild and furious man1 sir1 that mistress was afraid of so much--0 8,why ,john1 ,i ask you a plain and simple question--why don't you answer me8 ,where are the hogs80 8,that man who was possessed with the devils1 sir--0 8,why1 sure enough1 you are crazy6--you look wild6--tell me your story1 if you can1 let it be what it may40 8,jesus ,christ1 sir1 has cast out the unclean spirits out of the demoniac2 they are gone into the swine2 and they are all drowned in the sea2 for ,i saw the tail of the last one60 ,the ,gadarenes went out to see what was done1 and finding that it was even so1 they were afraid1 and besought ,jesus to depart from them4 ,how awful must be the condition of those men who love the things of this world more than ,jesus ,christ6 ,the man out of whom the unclean spirits were cast1 besought ,jesus that he might be with him4 ,but he told him to return to his own house1 and show how great things ,god had done unto him4 ,and he went his way and published throughout the whole city of ,decapolis1 how great things ,jesus had done unto him4 ,the act of ,jesus casting so many devils out of him1 was sufficient to persuade him that ,jesus was ,god as well as man4 ,i imagine ,i see him going through the city1 crying--8,o yes6 ,o yes6 ,o yes6--,please to take notice of me1 the demoniac among the tombs4 ,i am the man who was a terror to the citizens of this place--that wild man1 who would wear no clothes1 and that no man could bind4 ,here am ,i1 now1 in my right mind4 ,jesus ,christ1 the friend of sinners1 had compassion on me4 ,he remembered me when ,i was in my low estate--when there was no eye to pity1 and no hand to save4 ,he cast out the devils and redeemed my soul from destruction40 ,most wonderful must have been the surprise of the people1 to hear such proclamation4 ,the ladies running to the windows1 the shoemakers throwing their lasts one way and their awls another1 running out to meet him and to converse with him1 that they might be positive there was no imposition1 and found it to be a fact that could not be contradicted4 8,o1 the wonder of all wonders6 ,never was there such a thing60--must1 ,i think1 be the general conversation4 ,and while they are talking and everybody having something to say1 homeward goes the man4 ,as soon as he comes in sight of the house1 ,i imagine ,i see one of the children running in1 and crying1 8,o1 mother6 father is coming--he will kill us all60 8,children1 come all into the house10 says the mother4 8,let us fasten the doors4 ,i think there is no sorrow like my sorrow60 says the broken-hearted woman4 8,are all the windows fastened1 children80 8,yes1 mother40 8,mary1 my dear1 come from the window--don't be standing there40 8,why1 mother1 ,i can hardly believe it is father6 ,that man is well-dressed40 8,o yes1 my dear children1 it is your own father4 ,i knew him by his walk the moment ,i saw him40 ,another child stepping to the window1 says1 8,why1 mother1 ,i never saw father coming home as he does to-day4 ,he walks on the footpath and turns round the corner of the fence4 ,he used to come towards the house as straight as a line1 over fences1 ditches1 and hedges2 and ,i never saw him walking as slow as he does now40 ,in a few moments1 however1 he arrives at the door of the house1 to the great terror and consternation of all the inmates4 ,he gently tries the door1 and finds no admittance4 ,he pauses a moment1 steps towards the window1 and says in a low1 firm1 and melodious voice--8,my dear wife1 if you will let me in1 there is no danger4 ,i will not hurt you4 ,i bring you glad tidings of great joy40 ,the door is reluctantly opened1 as it were between joy and fear4 ,having deliberately seated himself1 he says3 8,i am come to show you what great things ,god has done for me4 ,he loved me with an eternal love4 ,he redeemed me from the curse of the law and the threatenings of vindictive justice4 ,he saved me from the power and the dominion of sin4 ,he cast out the devils out of my heart1 and made that heart1 which was a den of thieves1 the temple of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,i cannot tell you how much ,i love the ,saviour4 ,jesus ,christ is the foundation of my hope1 the object of my faith1 and the centre of my affections4 ,i can venture my immortal soul upon him4 ,he is my best friend4 ,he is altogether lovely--the chief among ten thousand4 ,he is my wisdom1 righteousness1 sanctification1 and redemption4 ,there is enough in him to make a poor sinner rich1 and a miserable sinner happy4 ,his flesh and blood is my food--his righteousness my wedding garment--and his blood is efficacious to cleanse me from all my sins4 ,through him ,i can obtain eternal life2 for he is the brightness of the ,father's glory1 and the express image of his person3 in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the ,godhead bodily4 ,he deserves my highest esteem and my warmest gratitude4 ,unto him who loved me with an eternal love1 and washed me in his own blood1 unto him be the glory1 dominion1 and power1 for ever and ever6 ,for he has rescued my soul from hell4 ,he plucked me as a brand out of the burning4 ,he took me out of the miry clay1 and out of a horrible pit4 ,he set my feet upon a rock1 and established my goings1 and put in my mouth a new song of praise and glory to him6 ,glory to him for ever6--,glory to ,god in the highest6--,glory to ,god for ever and ever6 ,let the whole earth praise him6--,yea1 let all the people praise him60 ,it is beyond the power of the strongest imagination to conceive the joy and gladness of this family4 ,the joy of seafaring men delivered from shipwreck2 the joy of a man delivered from a burning house2 the joy of not being found guilty to a criminal at the bar2 the joy of receiving pardon to a condemned malefactor2 the joy of freedom to a prisoner of war1 is nothing in comparison to the joy of him who is delivered from going down to the pit of eternal destruction4 ,for it is a joy unspeakable and full of glory4 ,,ii4 ,,entering ,,the ,,port4 8,for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the ever-lasting kingdom of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ40--#b ,pet4 i4 #aa4 ,,this language seems to be borrowed from the case of a ship bringing her passengers to port on a pleasant afternoon1 her sails all white and whole1 and her flags majestically waving in the breeze2 while the relatives of those on board ascend the high places1 to see their brothers and their sisters returning home in safety from the stormy main4 ,how pleasant to a man who is about to emigrate to the new world1 ,america1 when he meets with some one that has been there1 and who is well acquainted with the coast1 knows the best landing-place1 and will accompany him on his passage4 8,though ,i walk through the valley and the shadow of death1 ,i will fear no evil3 for thou art with me2 thy rod and thy staff they comfort me40 ,he who passed through death himself1 and is ,lord of the sea1 is our ,high-priest2 and1 with his priestly vestments on1 he will stand in ,jordan's current till the feeblest in all the tribes shall be safely landed on ,canaan's shore4 ,how delightful must be the feelings of the dying ,christian1 the testimony of whose conscience unites with the witness of the spirit1 to assure him that ,jesus has paid his fare3 and who knows he carries in his hand the white stone with the new name1 to be exhibited on the pier-head1 the other side1 hard by his ,father's house4 ,this is an abundant entrance1 on a fair day1 over a fine sea1 with a pleasant breeze swelling every sail4 8,now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace1 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation40 ,o how different the entrance ministered to the careless professor--the fruitless and idle--who keeps his hand in his bosom1 or leaning upon his implements6 ,though he may reach the shore with his life1 it will be at midnight1 surrounded by roaring tempests1 full of bitter remembrances and most tormenting fears4 ,yet1 with tattered sails and broken ropes1 peradventure he may gain the port2 8for the ,lord is good1 and his mercy endureth for ever40 ,but who shall describe the condition of the ungodly1 driven out to sea in all their wickedness2 not even allowed a quarantine within sight of the heavenly ,jerusalem1 but obliged to drift about1 dismantled and disabled1 amid the darkness of eternal storms6 ,oh6 to be forced from their moorings at midnight1 when they cannot see a handbreadth before them2 the thunders rolling2 the lightnings flashing2 strange voices of wrath mingling with every blast2 and the great bell of eternity tolling a funeral knell for the lost soul1 through all its dismal1 and solitary1 and everlasting voyage6 ,let us flee for refuge1 to lay hold on the hope set before us1 which hope is as an anchor of the soul1 sure and steadfast1 grasping the ,rock of ,ages within the vail6 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,unclean ,,spirit ,,in ,,dry ,,places4 ,i ,,see the wicked spirit1 like a winged dragon1 having a long tail1 drawing circles and flying in the air1 in search of a dwelling-place4 ,casting his fiery look upon a certain neighborhood1 he spies a young man1 in the bloom of his days1 and in the strength of his powers1 sitting on the box of his cart1 going for lime4 8,there he is10 says the old hellish dragon2 8his veins are full of blood1 and his bones are full of marrow2 ,i will cast the sparks into his bosom1 and will set all his lusts on fire2 ,i will lead him on from bad to worse1 until he commit every sin4 ,i will make him a murderer1 and will plunge his soul for ever beneath the boiling billows of the great fiery furnace40 ,with this1 ,i see him descending in all the vehemence of his character--but when close by the lad1 the dragon hears him sing1 8,when on the cross the ,saviour hung1 ,the mid-day sank in midnight gloom2 ,when guilty sinners were redeemed1 ,the midnight burst in mid-day bloom40 ,upon which the dragon cries out1 8,this place is too dry for me10--and away he flies4 ,i see him again1 a second time1 hovering in the air1 and seeking for a resting-place4 ,in a flowery meadow1 by a river of clear water1 he sees a maiden1 eighteen years of age1 among the kine1 picking up some beautiful flowers1 here and there4 8,behold her10 says ,apollyon1 full of hellish joy2 8,i will poison her mind1 and lead her astray from the paths of the ,almighty enemy2 ,i will make her a harlot1 and will ultimately cast her over the precipice1 until she sink for ever in the furnace of divine wrath40 ,he hastens down2 and1 approaching the maiden1 finds her singing the following stanzas1 in a heavenly1 transporting frame of mind1 and with a voice that might almost melt the rocks3 8,unto the righteous will arrive1 ,a day of rest serene1 ,when to their joy they see the ,lord1 ,without a vail between4 8,then from the grave ,i shall arise1 ,and take my joyful stand ,among the saints who dwell on high1 ,received at ,god's right hand40 8,this place is too dry for me10 says the dragon1 and off he flies4 ,from the meadow he ascends like a great balloon1 with renewed rage1 blowing smoke and fire from his mouth1 and threatening damnation to all creation4 8,i will have a place to rest and dwell in10 says ,apollyon1 8in spite of the purpose1 covenant1 and grace of ,god60 ,with this he espies an aged woman1 sitting at the door of her cot1 and spinning on her little wheel4 8,ah1 she is ripe for destruction10 says the dragon2 8,i will give her a taste of the burning gall of damnation1 and will cast her into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone40 ,with this he descends on the eaves of the cot1 and hears the old woman1 with a trembling voice1 but with heavenly feelings1 repeat the following beautiful passage3 8,for the mountains shall depart1 and the hills be removed1 but my kindness shall not depart from thee1 neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed1 saith the ,lord that hath mercy on thee60 8,this place is too dry for me10 says the dragon1 and is off again4 ,it might be thought that all these disappointments would discourage him from prosecuting his infernal designs farther2 but not so3 he is determined1 if possible1 to find a dwelling-place4 ,for this purpose he rises again1 to mark some spot where he may alight and find a welcome4 ,he sees in a small village a neat and decent house of refreshment4 8,there10 says he1 8will ,i dwell1 and lead to bondage every one that shall cross the threshold1 and make him fast in eternal fetters4'0 ,he flies down like lightning1 enters the house1 and walks into the parlor2 but there he finds a company of ministers of the ,new ,testament1 returning from an ,association1 who are talking about the victory of ,calvary1 and exchanging appointments with each other4 ,the wicked spirit cannot stay within the sound of their voice1 but retreats with hasty steps1 muttering and growling as he goes1--8,this place is too dry for me1 ,i will return to my house from which ,i came out60 ,,iv4 ,,satan ,,an ,,angel ,,of ,,light4 ,,satan perceived that it would be convenient and advantageous for him to have two suits of clothes4 ,a suit of flaming1 impurpled1 and blackish red was his raiment since he instigated the rebellion in heaven3 this he wears at home4 ,this is the garment that is emblematic of his wrath and cruelty against ,el-,shaddai4 ,he transformed himself when he tempted the first ,adam1 and succeeded in casting him down4 ,the ,second ,adam knew him1 when he required him to obey his command1 and worship him instead of the true ,god4 ,the ,second ,adam would die1 rather than eat bread made out of a stone by the command of ,satan4 ,it was in his flaming1 bloody1 black-red garb that ,satan appeared among the persecutors1 both pagan and popish1 lighting up the funeral fires of the ,martyrs4 ,but he soon found it necessary to have a suit of white1 descriptive of his cunning and hypocrisy2 and he ordered white garments for his servants also1 to wear upon certain occasions1 when from home upon his expeditions4 ,he met with reception in his white robe1 angel like1 in many places where he would not have been received at all in his suit of flaming red-black1 in which he took the lead at pastimes1 ,sabbath plays1 in taverns1 and horse-races4 ,but in his white robe he had an early admittance into many a cathedral1 and he appointed some of his servants to offices there4 ,he also1 in his white suit1 found his way into the houses of evangelical dissenters1 though they profess to have a book which exhibits his devices4 ,notwithstanding all the watching that had been at the doors1 he rushed in to the communion table1 as he had done to the consecrated altar of the cathedral1 and sowed discord between the minister and the deacons2 and he himself undertook the managing matters between them1 seated in his chair and vested in his white robe4 ,he forced many to assume a profession1 like tares of the field2 and some also of his best beloved servants1 who were utterly destitute of the love of ,christ and the fear of ,god1 he raised into the pulpit1 while they were living in secret sins2 but they all had a white robe1 as white as the sepulchres of the ,pharisees1 covering all these things4 ,satan held these up to deceive before the eye of ,god1 and all the terrors of eternity4 ,to sustain them from fainting1 he administered unto them his potions from the pitcher of presumption2 and hardened their consciences with the hot iron of hypocrisy1 heated in the fire of hell4 ,he taught them to persecute religion in the garb of an angel4 ,let us not give room to the devil in his white raiment6 ,when he attempts to destroy the character of a brother1 he assumes his white robe1 and not his murdering garment1 pretending to vindicate the glory of ,god and the cause of justice1 asserting that the cause of religion must be cleared2 while all this time envy rankles in his heart1 notwithstanding his fair pretences1 as when the ,jews delivered ,jesus to be crucified4 ,it was his white garment that ,satan wore in the court of ,caiaphas1 when he charged the true ,god with blasphemy4 ,this garb1 also1 his servant ,judas wore1 when he displayed such zeal and sympathy for the poor1 in the case of the ointment at ,bethany4 ,let us ask grace1 that we may be able to recognise the devil in his white raiment1 as well as in his old black-red garb4 ,he is not so easily distinguished in his borrowed white1 as in his own proper suit4 ,let us cleanse out hypocrisy4 ,such is our instruction4 ,v4 ,,the ,,young ,,child4 ,,herod said to the wise men1 8,go and search diligently for the young child40 ,the magi immediately commenced their inquiries1 according to the instructions they received4 ,i see them approaching some village1 and when they come to the gate they inquire1 8,do you know any thing of the young child80 ,the gateman comes to the door2 and1 supposing them to have asked the amount of the toll1 says1 8,o1 three halfpence an ass is to pay40 8,we do not ask what is to pay10 reply they1 8but1 do you know any thing of the young child80 8,no2 ,i know nothing in the world10 answers he2 8but there is a blacksmith's shop a little farther on2 inquire there1 and you will be very likely to obtain some intelligence concerning him40 ,the wise men proceed1 and when they come to the blacksmith's shop1 they ask1 8,do you know any thing of the young child80 ,a harsh voice answers1 8,there is no such thing possible for you1 as having the asses shod now2 you shall in two hours hence40 8,we do not ask you to shoe the asses10 say they2 8but inquire for the young child1 if you know any thing of him80 8,nothing in the world10 says the blacksmith2 8but inquire at the tavern that is on your road1 and probably you may hear something of him there40 ,on they go1 and stand opposite the door of the tavern1 and cry1 8,do you know any thing of the young child80 ,the landlord1 thinking they call for porter1 bids the servant attend1 saying1 8,go1 girl2 go with a quart of porter to the strangers40 8,we do not ask for either porter or ale10 say the wise men2 8but something about the young child that is born40 8,i know nothing in the world of him10 says the landlord2 8but turn to the shop on the left hand2 the shopkeeper reads all the papers1 and you will be likely to hear something respecting him there40 ,they proceed accordingly towards the shop1 and repeat their inquiry1 8,do you know any thing of the young child1 here80 ,the shopkeeper says to his apprentice1 8,reach half a quarter of tobacco to the strangers40 8,we do not ask for tobacco10 say the wise men2 8but for some intelligence of the young child40 8,i do not know any thing of him10 replies the shopkeeper2 8but there is an old ,rabbi living in the upper end of the village2 call on him1 and very probably he will give you all the information you desire respecting the object of your search40 ,they immediately direct their course towards the house of the ,rabbi2 and having reached it1 they knock at the door2 and being admitted into his presence1 they ask him if he knows any thing of the young child4 8,come in10 says he2 and when they have entered and are seated1 the ,rabbi refers to his books and chronicles1 and says he to the wise men1 8,there is something wonderful about to take place2 some remarkable person has been or is to be born2 but the best thing for you is to go down yonder street2 there is living there1 by the river side1 the son of an old priest2 you will be sure to know all of him40 ,having bid the old ,rabbi a respectful farewell1 on they go2 and reaching the river's side1 they inquire of the by-standers for the son of the old priest4 ,immediately he is pointed out to them4 ,there is a 8raiment of camel's hair about him1 and a leathern girdle about his loins40 ,they ask him if he knows any thing of the young child4 8,yes10 says he1 8there he is3 behold the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world6 ,there he is2 he will bruise the dragon's head1 and bring in everlasting righteousness to every one that believeth in his name40 ,,vi4 ,,varieties ,,of ,,preaching4 ,i ,,perceive four strong men on their journey toward ,lazarus' grave1 for the purpose of raising him to life4 ,one of them1 who is eminent for his piety1 says1 8,i will descend into the grave1 and will take with me a bowl of the salt of duties1 and will rub him well with the sponge of natural ability40 ,he enters the grave1 and commences his rubbing process4 ,i watch his operations at a distance1 and after a while inquire1 8,well1 are there any symptoms of life there8 ,does he arise1 does he breathe1 my brother80 8,no such thing10 replies he1 8he is still quiet1 and ,i cannot salt him to will--and besides this1 his smell is rather heavy40 8,well10 says the second1 8come you out2 ,i was afraid that your means would not answer the purpose2 let me enter the grave40 ,the second enters1 carrying in his hand a whip of the scorpions of threatening2 and1 says he1 8,i will make him feel40 ,he directs his scorpion and fiery ministry at the dead corpse2 but in vain1 and ,i hear him crying out1 8,all is unsuccessful2 dead he is after all40 ,says the third1 8,make room for me to enter1 and ,i will see if ,i cannot bring him to life40 ,he enters the grave1 and takes with him a musical pipe2 it is melodious as the song of love2 but there is no dancing in the grave4 ,the fourth says1 8,means of themselves can effect nothing1 but ,i will go for ,jesus1 who is the resurrection and the life40 ,immediately he leaves to seek for ,christ1 and speedily returns1 accompanied by the ,saviour4 ,and when the ,lord came1 he stands in the door of the sepulchre1 and cries out1 8,lazarus1 come forth60 and the dead body is instantaneously instinct with life4 ,let our confidence be in the voice of the ,son of ,god4 ,and let us turn our faces toward the wind1 and say1 8,o breath1 come from the four winds1 and breathe upon these slain1 that they may live60 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,six ,,crocodiles4 ,,every church-member should learn to hunt a crocodile4 ,the first crocodile is a spirit to search closely for faults1 instead of hiding them with brotherly love1 according to the directions of the gospel4 ,this is ,ham1 the old crocodile1 that exposed the nakedness of his father1 instead of hiding it like ,shem and ,japheth2 for which his father banished him to the river ,nilus1 where he still remains in ,africa1 under the curse of his father4 ,old pious ,eli erred greatly1 by allowing his children to enter the sanctuary as crocodiles1 by sparing them1 and suffering them in their sins1 which brought1 through these crocodiles1 destruction on his house3 and in the same manner since upon many congregations1--as the churches of ,asia4 ,this is an evil spirit in the mount4 ,another crocodile is the spirit of preference4 ,this is the crocodile ,judas1 who was offended with ,jesus in ,bethany on account of ,mary's ointment1 which she poured on the head of ,jesus2 and that only because they did not consult him2 in revenge for which he turned traitor4 ,he was a selfish miser2 and ultimately hung himself1 and went to his own place4 ,this crocodile still lurks among the reeds4 ,there are many like him1 ready to blame every act of discipline in the church2 not that they care so much for the interests of the church1 or any belonging to it1 but they wish to swallow all up themselves4 ,another crocodile is the spirit of ,ahithophel1 who plotted a cunning artifice to dethrone a person whose heart was with ,god1 and raise ,absalom1 a wicked man like himself1 to the throne in his stead4 ,god turned his counsel into foolishness4 ,he was disappointed--his heart failed--he saddled his ass1 and went and hung himself4 ,this was the end of that crocodile4 ,another is a spirit to trample and destroy1 for the sake of being head4 ,this is the crocodile ,joab1 who killed ,abner1 who was better than himself4 ,this crocodile strikes every one who may be in his way under the fifth rib1 for the sake of being head himself4 ,but his end came2 he lost his life at the horns of the altar1 by the sword with which he himself destroyed another4 ,but1 upon looking again1 we see the sixth crocodile1 and his name is ,cain1 who would triumph over ,god and man2 without grace1 or talents1 or faith1 or love2 and without any sacrifice that has blood in it2 and because ,god will not regard him without faith1 he opens his mouth1 and sets himself to swallow pious ,abel4 ,god delivers him over to the possession of the wicked one4 ,o brethren1 let us prove the spirits1 whether they are of ,god1 or of the devil6 ,i will tell you an anecdote of ,mr4 ,rowlands1 of ,llangeitho4 ,when he wished to crush the spirit of calumny 7the crocodile ,ham7 which lurked in the church1 he said to the slanderer3 8,thou sayest1 man1 that sins must be hunted and exposed1 because they are too numerous in the church--and that they ought not be hidden4 ,be quiet1 man4 ,who art thou8 ,i think ,i know thy family1 and thy eldest brother1 even ,ham1 the son of ,noah4 ,his two brothers wished to hide their father's nakedness1 but he would expose it4 ,what reward did they receive for covering their father's nakedness8 ,the blessing of ,god and their father4 ,and what reward did thy brother receive8 ,the curse of ,god and their father4 ,and ,i doubt not thy reward will be nothing better40 ,,viii4 ,,envious ,,ambition4 ,,the forest of ,lebanon once held a consultation to choose a king1 upon the death of the king1 the ,yew-tree4 ,they agreed to offer the crown to the ,cedar2 and if the ,cedar should refuse1 to invite the ,vine and the ,olive to office4 ,they all refused the honors for the following reasons4 ,the ,cedar refused1 8because10 said be1 8,i am sufficiently high as ,i am40--8,i would rather10 said the ,vine1 8yield wine to cheer others1 than receive for myself40 ,and in the same manner1 the ,olive preferred giving its oil to honor others rather than receive any honors to itself4 ,all these having refused the honors offered them1 they next agreed to call the ,thorn to the government2 and if he should decline1 to choose the ,bramble4 ,the ,white ,thorn1 in its beautiful dress1 received the honor1 speaking thus to itself3--8,i have nothing to lose but the white coat1 and some red berries2 and ,i have prickles enough to hurt the whole forest40 ,but the ,bramble instigated a rebellion against the ,white ,thorn1 and kindled the fire of pride in the forest1 so that all the trees were set on flame4 ,two or three vain and proud men in a peaceful congregation1 have1 by contending for the preference1 disturbed the peace1 and obstructed the prosperity of many a church1 while there was no more virtue in them than there is of value in the white thorn or prickly bramble4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,dove1 ,,the ,,raven1 ,,and ,,the ,,eagle4 ,a ,,nobleman had a ,dove1 a ,raven1 and an ,eagle1 belonging to his palace4 ,there was no sociability or fellowship prevailing among them4 ,the ,dove fed on its own food1 and hid herself in the clefts of the rocks1 or in the dove-house near the palace4 ,the ,raven fed upon dead carcasses1 and sometimes picked out the eyes of little innocent lambs1 if she could pounce upon them in a chance place2--she also nestled in the top of the trees4 ,the ,eagle was a royal bird1 flying very high1 but yet of a rapacious character4 ,sometimes he would not mind eating some half a dozen of the ,doves for his breakfast4 ,he thought himself the king of birds because he flew higher than they all4 ,the ,doves greatly dreaded his strong beak1 his wrathful eyes1 and his sharp grappling claws4 ,when the gentleman threw wheat for the ,dove on the pavement1 the ,raven would have a piece of an ear or the foot of a lamb in its beak2 and the ,eagle was for taking up some little child from the cradle to his nest4 ,the ,dove is the pious diligent ,christian2 the ,raven is the dissolute and difficult to be managed2 and the proud1 selfish professor is the ,eagle4 ,these three characters are too frequently to be found together1 and there is no denomination1 in church or chapel1 without these three birds1 if there are any birds at all there4 ,it is impossible for three birds1 so different in their dispositions1 ever to be happy together4 ,brethren1 pray for the unity of the ,spirit in the bond of peace4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,end4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,advertisements4 ,,valuable ,,historical1 ,,theological1 ,,and ,,miscellaneous ,,books1 ,picture3 ,picture of ,leary's bookshop ,,published ,,by ,,leary ,,getz1 ,,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one of the most ,interesting ,works published6 99 99 99 99 99 ,,professor ,,frost',s ,,new ,,historical ,,work4 ,,remarkable ,,events ,,in ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,america4 ,,from ,,the ,,discovery ,,to ,,the ,,present ,,time4 ,,compiled ,,from ,,the ,,best ,,authorities ,,by ,j4 ,,frost1 ,,ll4,d4 ,,embellishes ,,with ,,seven ,,hundred ,,engravings1 ,,from ,,designs ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,distinguished ,,artists4 ,the demand of the public for ,historical ,works1 and especially for those which relate to the history of our own country1 has increased so rapidly of late1 that ,,history may now be pronounced the leading department of literature4 ,not only classical histories1 but every other description of books which may be expected to throw light upon history1 are eagerly demanded4 ,biographies and ,memoirs of ,distinguished ,men1 local ,histories1 ,historical and ,topographical accounts of ,states1 ,historical ,collections1 ,correspondence of ,generals1 ,commodores1 and ,statesmen1 ,state papers1 and documents of all kinds1 old and new1 find a ready sale as soon as they are published4 ,this decided taste of the public for historical reading1 whilst it is hailed by the patriot and the friend of sound popular education as an evidence of increased intelligence among the people1 points out distinctly the duties of authors and publishers1 to contribute their best efforts towards the substitution of books of real utility1 instead of the lighter and less useful publications1 which have heretofore had too free a currency4 ,the work here announced is intended to embrace a view of the most ,,remarkable ,,events ,which have transpired since the ,,discovery ,,of ,,america4 ,it includes an account of ,,the ,,conquest ,,of ,,mexico1 by ,,herman ,,cortes4 ,,the ,,conquest ,,of ,,peru1 by ,,pizarro ,,and ,,almagro4 ,,the ,,conquest ,,of ,,florida1 by ,,de ,,soto4 ,,the ,,discovery ,,and ,,settlement ,,of ,,the ,u4 ,,states ,,and ,,canada4 ,,king ,,philip',s ,,war1 and ,,the ,,seven ,,years' ,,war1 which terminated in the ,conquest of ,canada4 ,the ,leading ,incidents of ,,the ,,american ,,revolution1 and ,,the ,,war ,,of #ahab1 ,,with ,,great ,,britain4 ,,the ,,war ,,with ,,the ,,french ,,republic4 ,,the ,,several ,,indian ,,wars1 and ,,the ,,late ,,war ,,with ,,mexico4 ,this work fills #afjj pages1 and is very richly embellished throughout4 ,it presents a great variety of ,,remarkable ,,incidents1 and brings to view a great number of ,distinguished ,characters1 including ,,discoverers1 ,,conquerors1 ,,generals1 ,,statesmen1 ,,and ,,literary ,,characters1 and will serve to gratify1 in a high degree1 the prevailing taste for ,historical ,reading4 ,the ,publisher has spared no expense to render this work in all respects worthy of public patronage4 ,the ,publisher relies on the liberality and discernment of the public for remuneration for the great expense which an undertaking of this magnitude has necessarily involved4 ,the work is bound in a neat arabesque style1 in one very large volume1 and is sold at the extremely low price of ,,three ,,dollars ,,and ,,fifty ,,cents ,a ,,copy6 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,platts' ,,book ,,of ,,curiosities3 ,,containing ,,ten ,,thousand ,,wonders ,,and ,,curiosities ,,of ,,nature ,,and ,,art1 ,and of ,remarkable and ,astonishing ,places1 ,beings1 ,animals1 ,customs1 ,experiments1 ,phenomena1 etc41 of both ,ancient and ,modern ,times1 on all ,parts of the ,globe4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,i4 ,,platts4 ,,first ,,american ,,edition4 ,complete in one octavo volume of #ieb pages1 handsomely and strongly bound4 ,,price ,,only #b4ej4 ,comprising authentic accounts of the most ,wonderful ,freaks of ,nature1 and ,arts of ,man1 among which will be found ,the ,human ,body1 and all its wonderful mechanism4 ,extraordinary acquirements and performances of ,men1 ,women1 and ,children of all nations4 ,startling and surprising adventures and characteristics concerning the ,mammoth1 ,elephant1 ,rhinoceros1 ,hippopotamus1 ,unicorn1 ,whale1 ,walrus1 ,kraken or ,dragon of the ,sea1 ,american ,sea ,serpent1 ,boa ,constrictor1 ,fascinating ,serpents1 ,silk ,worms1 ,reptiles1 ,vulture1 ,ostrich1 ,eagle1 ,bird of ,paradise1 ,humming ,bird1 ,bees1 ,ants1 ,spiders1 ,locusts1 ,butterflies1 ,aphis1 ,death ,watch1 ,bread ,fruit ,tree1 ,fountain ,tree1 ,paper ,tree1 ,upas or ,poison ,tree1 ,the #dd1jjj ,plants of the ,earth1 and everything in the vegetable kingdom4 ,minerals1 ,meteoric ,stones1 ,asbestos1 ,diamonds1 etc4 ,mountains of the ,moon1 ,andes1 ,alps1 ,himalaya1 ,spectre of the ,brocken1 ,mont ,blanc1 ,vesuvius1 ,etna1 ,grottos1 ,caves1 and ,subterraneous ,passages4 ,gold1 ,silver1 ,lead1 ,copper1 ,iron1 and ,coal ,mines4 ,maelstrom1 ,burning ,springs1 ,earthquakes1 ,sandfloods1 ,avalanches1 and ,freshets4 ,ruins of ancient cities1 the ,herculaneum1 ,alhambra1 etc4 ,curiosities respecting the various customs of mankind1 ,cannibalism1 ,female ,beauty1 ,marriage ,ceremonies1 ,feasting1 ,fasting1 ,praying1 etc42 ,funeral ,ceremonies1 ,christmas ,customs1 ,romish ,indulgences4 ,ignis ,fatuus1 ,electricity1 surprising effect of extreme ,heat and ,cold1 ,fairy ,rings1 ,parhelia or ,mock ,suns1 ,aurora ,borealis1 ,shooting ,stars1 ,galvanism1 ,magnetism4 ,buntzlau ,curiosities1 ,automata4 ,wonderful ,inventions1 relating to all trades and professions4 ,sketches of ,historical ,facts1 ,man in the ,iron ,mask1 ,gipsies1 ,priests1 ,free ,masons1 ,peeping ,tom of ,coventry1 ,plague of ,marseilles1 ,ceremonies at ,queen ,elizabeth's ,dinner4 ,curious account of the scarcity of ,books1 celebrated ,libraries1 ,book of ,blunders1 ,origin of ,newspapers4 ,explanation of ,letters on ,gold ,coin1 ,invention of ,cards4 ,singular names of the ,english during ,cromwell's time4 ,beautiful ,love ,letter4 ,creed of the ,jews4 ,human ,monstrosities1 ,centaurs and ,lapith4 ,spontaneous ,combustion4 ,extraordinary ,echoes and ,whispering ,places4 ,perpetual ,fires1 and ,remarkable ,lamps4 ,curious ,experiments and ,amusing ,recreations4 ,sketches of curious ,personages1 and a whimsical ,encyclopdia of ,manners and ,customs of the ,nineteenth ,century1 illustrating ,life and manners at the present day1 etc4 etc4 ,,leaky ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,elegant ,,temperance ,,book1 99 99 99 99 99 ,,family ,,fire-,,side ,,book2 ,,or1 ,,moments ,,of ,,temperance4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this is one of the most beautiful works on ,temperance ,subjects ever issued from the ,american press4 ,it contains a large variety of ,,tales1 ,,essays1 ,,poetry1 ,,and ,,biographical ,,sketches ,of some of the most prominent of the great ,temperance ,reformers1 among which are3 ,,neal ,,dow1 ,,philip ,s4 ,,white1 ,b4 ,s4 ,,edwards1 ,,thomas ,p4 ,,hunt ,,john ,b4 ,,gough1 ,,rush ,,van ,,dyke1 ,e4 ,c4 ,,delevan1 ,c4 ,n4 ,,olds1 ,a4 ,b4 ,,moreau1 ,j4 ,b4 ,o',,neall1 ,e4 ,l4 ,,snow1 ,t4 ,m4 ,,gally1 ,,charles ,,jewett1 ,w4 ,r4 ,,stacy1 ,s4 ,m4 ,,hewlett1 ,j4 ,h4 ,,cocke1 ,,nathaniel ,,hewitt1 ,e4 ,,dillahunty1 ,f4 ,w4 ,,kellogg1 ,,john ,,chambers1 ,,moses ,,grant1 c4 c4 ,j4 ,,tupper1 ,,with ,,elegantly ,,engraved ,,portraits ,of a number of the above prominent ,temperance ,champions4 ,this work is comprised in an elegant octavo volume of #hjj pages1 beautifully printed1 and handsomely bound in ,arabesque1 gilt4 ,price only #b4ej4 ,elegant bound in red morocco1 gilt edges4 #c4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,price1 ,,only #b 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,book ,,for ,,all4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,pictorial ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,,by ,c4 ,b4 ,,taylor4 ,in ,one handsome ,octavo ,volume1 of over ,six ,hundred pages4 ,bound in ,arabesque1 and ,,illustrated ,,by ,,one ,,hundred ,,engravings4 99 99 99 99 99 ,historical knowledge in relation to our great and glorious country1 cannot be too widely disseminated1 and the above has been brought out by the ,publishers as a good and reliable ,history to suit the general reader at a very ,low ,price4 ,it embraces a ,general ,history from the ,,discovery ,,of ,,america ,,to ,,the ,,formation ,,of ,,the ,,states1 ,and from thence1 giving every historical minutia down to the present time4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the best ,collection of ,sermons published6 99 99 99 99 99 ,,sermons ,,of ,,christmas ,,evans4 ,a ,,new ,,translation ,,from ,,the ,,welsh4 ,,with ,a ,memoir and ,portraiture of the ,author4 ,,by ,,rev4 ,,joseph ,,cross4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,rev4 ,,christmas ,,evans was one of the most pious and useful preachers of his day4 ,he was exceedingly methodical and clear in his arguments--his thoughts never confused and mingled together4 ,his order was so natural that it was very easy to follow him2 and his manner so impressive that it was nearly impossible to forget him4 ,this collection of the ,sermons of this worthy and pious man breathe the true spirit of ,christian excellence1 and are well calculated to make all who read them both wiser and better4 ,no family should be without this good book4 ,this is a large ,octavo volume1 printed on fine paper1 with ,two ,elegant ,steel ,plates1 and bound in a durable and handsome style1 and is sold at the extremely low price of ,only ,one ,dollar and ,fifty ,cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,frost's ,life of ,washington4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,pictorial ,,life ,,of ,,george ,,washington1 ,,embracing ,a ,,complete ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,seven ,,years' ,,war2 ,,the ,,formation ,,of ,,the ,,federal ,,constitution ,,and ,,the ,,administration ,,of ,,washington4 ,,by ,j4 ,,frost4 ,,ll4 ,d4 ,,author ,,of ,,the 8,,pictorial ,,history ,,of ,,america10 c4 ,one ,splendid ,large ,octavo ,volume1 ,,with ,,upwards ,,of ,,one ,,hundred ,,elegant ,,engravings4 ,,price ,,only ,,three ,,dollars4 ,this is1 without exception1 the best and most beautifully illustrated ,life of ,washington ever published4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,indian ,,wars ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states1 ,,from ,,the ,,discovery ,,to ,,the ,,present ,,time2 ,,with ,,accounts ,,of ,the ,origin1 ,manners1 ,superstitions1 c41 of the ,aborigines4 ,,by ,,william ,v4 ,,moore4 ,,this ,,beautiful ,,and ,,valuable ,,work ,,contains3 ,a ,general ,account of the ,indians ,war of the ,western ,indians4 of ,north ,america4 ,indian ,wars of ,carolina1 previous ,early ,indian ,wars of ,florida4 to the ,revolution4 ,early ,indian ,wars of ,virginia4 ,cresap's ,war4 ,early ,indian ,relations of ,new ,indian ,wars of the ,revolution4 ,england4 ,north-,western ,war1 7during ,the ,pequod ,war4 ,washington's ,administration74 ,king ,philip's ,war4 ,tippecanoe ,war4 ,king ,william's ,war4 ,north-,western ,war1 7#ahab and #ahac74 ,wars of the ,five ,nations4 ,the ,creek ,war4 ,queen ,anne's ,war4 ,black ,hawk's ,war4 ,lovewell's ,war4 ,seminole ,war4 ,last ,french and ,indian ,war4 ,pontiac's ,war4 ,in one beautifully printed octavo volume1 illustrated with numerous colored and plain ,engravings4 ,,price ,,only ,,two ,,dollars4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,life ,,and ,,speeches ,,of ,,henry ,,clay1 ,,with ,a ,,portrait ,,and ,a ,view of the ,birth-,place of ,mr4 ,clay4 ,in one handsome large octavo volume of over #abjj pages1 handsomely bound in cloth1 gilt4 ,price only ,three ,dollars1 ,,or ,,bound ,,in ,,two ,,volumes1 ,,cloth1 ,,gilt1 #c4ej4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,biography of this most distinguished and honored ,statesman is eminently fraught with encouragement and hope for aspiring youth--especially for those who enter upon the stage of active life1 unportioned and unheralded by the partial voice of powerful friends and kindred4 ,henry ,clay was one of the many among our eminent men who1 besides the disadvantages of poverty and obscurity1 were fated to encounter that of early orphanage4 ,yet his subsequent career emphatically teaches that no one who is conscious of possessing the requisite qualities need ever apprehend that humility of origin or obscurity of position will deprive him of opportunities to serve and honor his country4 ,the work here presented is intended to trace clearly the career of ,mr4 ,clay1 from his entrance on the stage of public life down to the period of his death--mainly by the right of his own lofty1 persuasive1 and impassioned eloquence4 ,mr4 ,clay's parliamentary efforts1 clear1 direct1 and vigorous1 embody all the illustration that is needful to their full understanding--the great importance1 variety1 and indestructible interest of the topics he generally discussed--the character and ability of the orator1 the direct and exact bearing of his arguments on the controversies and interests of the times--all combine to render his speeches among the most valuable contributions of ,patriotism and ,genius to the enlightenment and elevation of the ,american people4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,lives ,,of ,,great ,,and ,,celebrated ,,characters1 ,of all ,ages and ,countries2 ,,comprising ,,heroes1 ,,conquerors1 ,,statesmen1 ,,authors1 ,,artists1 ,,extraordinary ,,humorists1 ,,misers1 ,,mountebanks1 ,,kings ,,and ,,queens1 ,,jugglers1 ,,and ,,other ,curiosities of ,human ,nature4 ,,compiled ,,from ,,authentic ,,materials4 ,,illustrated ,,by ,several ,hundred ,engravings4 ,this work will be found to be one of the most interesting character1 bringing1 as it does1 all classes of mankind in a single view before the mind of the reader4 ,it will be found to be as instructive as it is entertaining and amusing4 ,the work is beautifully printed1 on fine white paper1 and is elegantly bound1 forming a beautiful large ,octavo volume of nearly #hjj pages1 embellished with numerous ,portraits of the ,men and ,women whose ,biographies it contains4 ,price only ,two ,dollars and ,fifty ,cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,illustrated ,,christian ,,martyrology3 ,,being ,,an ,,authentic ,,and ,,general ,,historical ,,account ,,of ,,the ,,principal ,,persecutions ,,against ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,christ1 ,,in ,,different ,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,world1 ,,compiled ,,from ,,the ,,latest ,,sources1 ,,by ,,rev4 ,c4 ,,sparry4 ,,illustrated ,,with #bd ,,fine ,,engravings1 ,and handsomely hound in ,arabesque gilt4 ,price #a4ej4 ,in red morocco1 full gilt sides and back1 and gilt edges1 #b4jj4 ,this valuable work contains a ,history of the ,persecutions in the first ,ages of ,the ,lives of ,doctor gidio1 the ,world4 ,doctor ,constantine1 ,nicholas ,burton1 and ,wm4 ,gardener4 ,life of ,jesus ,christ1 with his ,sufferings and ,martyrdom4 ,the ,persecutions in ,italy4 ,lives1 ,sufferings1 and ,martyrdom ,the ,persecutions in ,calabria4 of the ,apostles4 ,individuals ,martyred in different ,the ,first1 ,second1 ,third1 ,fourth1 parts of ,italy4 ,fifth1 ,sixth1 ,seventh1 ,eighth1 ,ninth1 and ,tenth ,primitive ,the ,persecutions of the ,persecutions1 under the ,roman ,marquisate of ,saluces4 ,emperors4 ,the ,persecutions in the ,the ,persecutions against the ,valtoline4 ,christians of ,persia4 ,persecutions in ,bohemia4 ,the ,persecutions under the ,arian ,heretics4 ,general ,persecutions in ,germany4 ,the ,persecutions under ,julian the ,persecutions in ,england during ,apostate4 the reign of ,henry ,,iv4 ,the ,persecutions of the ,hugh ,latimer1 ,bishop of ,christians by the ,goths1 etc4 ,worcester4 ,the ,persecutions under the ,arian ,nicholas ,ridley1 ,bishop of ,vandals4 ,london4 ,horrible ,massacre in ,france1 ,a4,d4 ,thomas ,cranmer1 the first #aegb4 ,protestant ,archbishop of ,canterbury4 ,the ,siege of ,sancerre4 ,persecutions in ,england during ,persecutions of the ,waldensss1 in the ,reign of ,queen ,mary4 the ,valleys of ,piedmont4 ,persecutions in ,scotland during ,persecutions in ,germany and the ,reign of ,henry ,,viii4 ,lithuania4 ,the ,life1 ,sufferings1 and ,persecutions in ,martyrdom1 of ,geo4 ,wishart4 ,poland--,destruction of the ,city of ,lesna4 ,persecutions of ,protestants in ,ireland--,the ,irish ,massacre4 ,rise and ,progress of the ,inquisition in ,spain and ,popish ,cruelties in ,mexico and ,portugal4 ,south ,america4 ,judgments of ,god on ,persecutors4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,leary ,,getz',s ,,edition1 99 99 99 99 99 ,,large ,,type ,pilgrim's ,progress3 ,,to ,,which ,,is ,,added ,,travels ,,of ,,the ,,ungodly4 ,,not ,,in ,,any ,,other ,,edition ,,in ,,this ,,country4 99 99 99 99 99 ,price in neat ,cloth1 gilt back #b4jj do4 do4 ,arabesque1 gilt back #b4ej do4 do4 ,red ,morocco1 gilt edges1 sides back #c4jj do4 do4 ,super ,antique #e4jj ,,pilgrim',s ,,progress4--,a new octavo ,pictorial ,edition of ,bunyan's ,pilgrim's ,progress1 from this world to that which is to come2 delivered under the similitude of a ,dream4 ,to which is added ,,the ,,travels ,,of ,,the ,,ungodly1 or the ,life and ,death of ,mr4 ,badman1 contained in no other edition4 ,also1 containing a ,,life ,,of ,,bunyan1 and with ,scott's numerous and full explanatory notes4 ,printed with very large type1 being the most readable edition published in the ,united ,states4 ,illustrated with fine ,engravings1 and bound in neat and substantial bindings4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,burder',s ,history of all ,religions3 ,,with ,,accounts ,,of ,,the ,,ceremonies ,,and ,,customs1 ,,or1 ,,the ,,forms ,,of ,,worship ,practised by the several ,nations of the known ,world1 from the earliest ,records to the present time4 ,,greatly ,,improved ,,as ,a ,,book ,,of ,,reference ,,by ,,the ,,insertion ,,of ,a ,,full ,,account1 ,,historical1 ,,doctrinal1 ,,and ,,statistical1 ,,of ,,the ,,religious ,,denominations ,,in ,,the ,u4 ,,states4 99 99 99 99 99 ,by ,rev4 ,,joel ,,parker1 ,d4,d4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,designed ,,especially ,,for ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,families4 ,in one large octavo volume1 handsomely bound1 and ,embellished with ,elegant ,engravings4 ,,price ,,only ,,three ,,dollars4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this highly valuable work contains--,the ,history of the ,jews--,the ,religions ,customs and ,ceremonies of the ,jews--,life of ,mohammed--,religious ,tenets1 ,ceremonies1 and ,customs of the ,mohammedans--,the ,greek ,church--,the ,religious ,tenets1 ,customs1 ,ceremonies1 c41 of the ,roman ,catholic ,church--,the ,religious ,customs and ,ceremonies of ,protestant ,communities1 including ,lutherans1 ,episcopalians1 ,kirk of ,scotland1 ,english and ,american ,presbyterians1 ,baptists1 ,methodists1 ,quakers1 ,the ,associate ,reformed ,church1 ,reformed ,dutch ,church1 ,congregationalists1 ,free ,will ,baptists1 ,campbellite ,baptists1 ,moravians1 ,swedenborgians1 ,unitarians1 ,universalists1 ,shakers1 ,mormons1 c41 c4 ,together with a full account of the ,religious ,ceremonies and ,customs of ,pagan ,nations and ,tribes1 including the ,egyptians1 ,carthaginians1 ,tyrians1 ,assyrians1 ,babylonians1 ,medes and ,persians1 ,scythians1 ,druids1 ,chinese1 ,japanese1 ,thibetians and ,tartars1 ,hindoos1 ,laplanders1 ,indian ,tribes1 ,african ,tribes1 ,polynesians1 c41 c4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,price only #b4ej4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,new ,,and ,,enlarged ,,edition ,,of ,,dr4 ,,buchan',s ,,domestic ,,medicine2 ,,or1 ,a ,,treatise ,,on ,,the ,,pretention ,,and ,,cure ,,of ,,diseases1 ,,by ,,regimen ,,and ,,simple ,,medicines4 ,,with ,,the ,,latest ,,corrections ,,and ,,improvements1 ,,and ,,full ,,directions ,,in ,,board ,,to ,,air1 ,,exercise1 ,,bathing1 ,,clothing1 ,,sleep1 ,,diet1 c4 c4 ,,and ,,the ,,general ,,management ,,of ,,the ,,diseases ,,of ,,women ,,and ,,children4 ,,to ,,which ,,is ,,added ,a ,,complete ,,family ,,dispensatory1 ,,for ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,private ,,practitioners4 ,,by ,,william ,,buchan1 ,m4,d4 ,twenty-ninth ,american1 from the ,last ,london ,edition1 ,,with ,,considerable ,,additions ,,and ,,corrections ,,by ,,an ,,american ,,physician4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this work1 it is confidently believed 7from the nature and character of it7 will find its way into the hands of every family4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,rotteck',s ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,world4 ,,magnificently ,,illustrated6 ,,the work now offered to the public is designed to fill up a great chasm in one most important department of literature4 ,to satisfy a want felt1 not only by the student1 by the man left to himself for an education1 but also by the intelligent of all classes of society4 ,it will supply the great mass of the public1 who are at present almost necessarily in the dark as to the past world and its destinies1 with a complete picture of all the great events relating to the world and to man1 from the earliest dawn of history down to the present time2 and we indulge the hope that it will satisfy the universal want of a good ,general ,history of the ,world4 ,we have works entitled 8,histories of the ,world10 or 8,universal ,histories10 it is true2 but all of them 7we mean those in a small form1 and such as are within the reach of the generality of readers7 are sadly deficient1 ill-selected1 and worse arranged3 they could not1 according to the ideas of the author of this work1 be considered1 strictly speaking1 ,,general ,,histories ,,of ,,the ,,world4 ,the author of this ,history is celebrated throughout ,europe as a scholar1 as a statesman1 and as a bold defender of liberty2 and this reputation will certainly be an excellent recommendation of his work to the ,american public4 ,although born in ,germany1 educated in its far-famed halls of learning1 and breathing a ,german atmosphere1 he is not a ,german alone2 he is a man whom the world may claim4 ,he is no mystic1 full of unintelligible1 useless theories2 but a man devoted to practicable objects1 to the welfare of his race1 and to pure religion and morality4 ,his ,history has been extensively circulated in ,europe 7in the ,german1 ,french1 ,dutch1 ,swedish1 and ,danish languages71 and is the most popular one that has ever been published4 ,for1 although he may be ranked as the first historian of ,europe1 he has written1 not for a particular class1 but for people in general4 ,in fine1 his ,history is equally fitted for the student1 the merchant1 the farmer1 the mechanic1 and the professional man4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,work ,,is ,,published ,,in ,,one ,,large ,,octavo ,,volume ,,of ,,over #agjj ,,pages1 ,illustrated with #bh ,splendid ,engravings4 ,in order to bring this ,history within the reach of all classes of readers1 the ,publishers have been induced to put it at the extremely low price of #c4ej per ,copy4 ,over #ajj1jjj ,copies of this valuable work have been sold in ,germany alone4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,christian',s ,,legacy2 ,,or1 ,,bible ,,directory4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,william ,,jackson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,christian',s ,,legacy having gone through #aj editions1 in a short space of time1 the writer has no other apology to offer for the #aath edition1 than a belief of its proving useful to all ,christians of every denomination4 ,a conviction that a knowledge of the ,bible1 above all other books1 is calculated 8to make one wise20 and that an advantage is given to the enemy by not attending to our ,lord's admonition1 8,search the ,scriptures10 led to an attempt to assist the inquirer in his 8,search0 after ,,truth4 ,the design of the work is1 to make the reading and study of the ,holy ,scriptures more easy and delightful2 especially to those who have but few helps1 little time for studying1 or are young in years4 ,the plan is new2 and the arrangement so simple1 that no one1 not even a child1 need mistake it2 but may1 without knowing a word of the ,bible beforehand1 find whatever the ,scriptures contain on any subject1 as readily as though he knew the whole ,bible by heart4 ,it is a handsome volume of #dbj full pages1 printed with good type1 on clear1 fine white paper2 is handsomely bound and lettered1 with a striking likeness of the author4 ,the first #caj pages contain as many subjects1 adapted to every state and condition of the ,christian in ,life1 ,death1 the ,grave1 and beyond the grave1 as far as the ,bible goes but no farther3 for there is not a sectarian expression to be found in the work4 ,each ,page is complete of itself4 ,the last #aaj pages contain a compendium of every book in the ,bible1 with the history of the several writers1 c42 together with the character of the first ,christians--the example--miracles--parables--and remarkable discourses of ,christ--the prophecies with their fulfillment--figurative and symbolical language of the ,bible1 alphabetically arranged1 with the import of each word--a description of the ,jewish offerings2 and the different ,sects mentioned in the ,scriptures--,scriptural difficulties accounted for--fate of the ,evangelists and ,apostles--,hebrew offices--a ,pronouncing ,dictionary of the 8hard names0 in the ,old and ,new ,testament1 c4 ,an alphabetical ,,index is placed in the former part of the book1 and by consulting which1 the reader may readily find an answer to any question1 that may be asked him by any ,bible question-book1 or individual2 providing1 that it is a question that would benefit any one to have answered1 is not ,sectarian1 and is one that the ,bible can answer4 ,the following are only a few of the names and residences of the ,clergy1 of various denominations1 who have patronized and recommended the ,christian's ,legacy3 ,,providence1 ,r4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,tucker1 ,vinten1 ,mackreading1 ,dowling1 ,taylor1 ,hall4--,,newport1 ,r4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,watson1 ,vinten1 ,smith4--,,pawtuckett1 ,r4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gonealves4--,,lowell1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,blanchard1 ,hanks1 ,burnap1 ,edson1 ,mc,coy1 ,sarjent1 ,brewster1 ,hoes1 ,porter1 ,woodman1 ,thurstan1 ,cole4 ,,new ,,bedford1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,knight1 ,hawley1 ,howes1 ,dawes4--,,fall ,,river1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,fowler1 ,russell1 ,taylor4--,,charlestown1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,greene4--,,brookline1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,shailer4--,,newburyport1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,campbell1 ,sternes1 ,pike4--,,grafton1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,richards4--,,cabotsville1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,scott4--,,taunton1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,eldridge4--,,milford1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,long1 ,tozer4--,,holliston1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,metlack1 ,rice4--,,pocasset1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,wallen4--,,rochester1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,clarke4--,,mansfield1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,culver1 ,latham4--,,upton1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,wood1 ,bullard1 ,eastman4--,,dorchester1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,boyden4--,e4 ,,cambridge1 ,,mass4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,wilson4--,,haverhill1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,plummer4--,,malden1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mc,leish4--,,hartford1 ,,conn43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,hodgson1 ,eaton4--,,new ,,haven1 ,,conn43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,teasdale1 ,law4--,,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,davis1 ,harris4--,,dover1 ,n4 ,h43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mason4--,,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,youngs1 ,burnett4--,,williamsburg1 ,l4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,roberts4--,,newark1 ,n4 ,j43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,whittaker1 ,lenhart--,,elizabethtown1 ,n4 ,j43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,magie1 ,greene4--,,boston1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,meyrell1 ,russell1 ,bartoll1 ,winslow1 ,phelps1 ,kirk1 ,pierce1 ,huested1 ,clarke1 ,sharpe1 ,raymond1 ,read1 ,motte1 ,sarjent1 ,pierpont1 ,parkham1 ,barrett1 ,gannett1 ,gray1 ,robbins4--,,new ,,york3 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,bond1 ,levings1 ,bangs1 ,stocking1 ,nichols1 ,cheney1 ,bangs1 ,seney1 ,withey1 ,martyn1 ,jacobs4--,,philadelphia1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,burrows1 ,lincoln1 ,suddards1 ,mc,knight1 ,onins1 ,cooper1 ,stockton1 ,keller1 ,ewell1 ,white4--,,lancaster1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gerry4--,,reading1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,schoch4--,,columbia1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,humphrey4 ,published by ,,leary ,,getz1 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 ,price only #a4be4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,religious ,,books1 ,,suitable ,,for ,,all ,,denominations4 99 99 99 99 99 ,bunyan's ,minor ,works3 ,containing ,,grace ,,abounding ,,to ,,the ,,chief ,,of ,,sinners3 in a ,faithful ,account of the ,life of ,john ,bunyan2 or1 a brief relation of the exceeding mercy of ,god in ,christ to ,him1 in converting him to the ,faith of ,his ,blessed ,son ,jesus ,christ2 wherein is particularly shown what sight of1 and what trouble he had for sin2 and also1 what various temptations he hath met with1 and how ,god hath carried him through them all4 ,also1 ,,heart',s ,,ease ,,in ,,heart ,,trouble2 ,,the ,,world ,,to ,,come1 or ,visions of ,heaven and ,hell2 and ,,the ,,barren ,,fig ,,tree1 or the ,doom and ,downfall of the ,fruitless ,professor4 ,complete in one beautiful #cbmo4 volume1 bound in cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of ,john ,bunyan4 ,price #ej cents4 ,baxter's ,saints' ,everlasting ,rest2 or1 a ,treatise of the ,blessed ,state of the ,saints in their enjoyment of ,god in ,heaven4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of the ,author4 ,price #ej cents4 ,doddridge's ,rise and ,progress of ,religion in the ,soul4 ,illustrated in a ,course of ,practical ,addresses1 with a ,sermon on the care of the ,soul4 ,a neat #ahmo4 volume1 with a ,portrait of the ,author4 ,bound in cloth1 gilt4 ,price #ej cents4 ,the ,vicar of ,wakefield4 ,a ,tale4 ,to which is affixed ,,the ,,deserted ,,village4 ,by ,,oliver ,,goldsmith1 ,m4,d4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of the ,author4 ,price #ej cents4 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in speaking of this admirable work1 observes3--8,we read the ,vicar of ,wakefield in youth and in age4 ,we return to it again and again1 and bless the memory of an author who contrives so well to reconcile us to human nature4 ,whether we choose the pathetic or the humorous parts of the story1 we find the best and truest sentiments enforced in the moat beautiful language4 ,in too many works of this class there are particular passages unfit to be perused by youth and innocence2 but the wreath of ,goldsmith is unsullied4 ,he wrote to exalt virtue and expose vice40 ,willison's ,afflicted ,man's ,companion2 or1 a ,directory for persons and families afflicted with sickness1 or any other distress2 with directions to the sick1 both under and after affliction2 also1 directions to the friends of the sick1 and others who visit them2 and likewise to all1 how to prepare both for sickness and death1 and how to be exercised at the time of dying4 ,to which in added a collection of comfortable texts of ,scripture1 very suitable for dying believers4 ,the choice sayings of many eminent dying saints4 ,the author's last advice to his wife and children2 and his dying words1 written by himself1 and found among his papers after his death4 ,a new edition1 revised and improved1 in #a vol4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a handsome ,portrait of the ,author4 ,price #ej cents4 ,zimmerman on ,solitude4 ,with the ,life of the ,author4 ,this is a neat edition of this deservedly popular book4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of ,zimmerman4 ,price #ej cents4 ,drew on the ,immortality and ,immateriality of the ,soul4 #ahmo41 cloth4 ,price #ej cents4 99 99 99 99 99 ,pollok's ,course of ,time4 ,with an enlarged ,index1 a ,memoir of the ,author1 an introductory notice1 and an analysis prefixed to each book4 ,revised edition4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with plates4 ,price #ej cents4 ,the same work1 half bound1 price #be cents4 ,dr4 ,dodd's ,lectures to ,young ,men4 ,steel ,plates4 #bdmo41 cloth1 gilt4 ,price #fc cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,farmers' ,,barn-,,book3 ,,by ,,clater1 ,,youatt1 ,,skinner1 ,,and ,,mills4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,containing ,,the ,,causes1 ,,symptoms1 ,,and ,,treatment ,,of ,,all ,,the ,,diseases ,,incident ,,to ,,oxen1 ,,sheep1 ,,and ,,swine2 ,,the ,,anatomy ,,and ,,physiology ,,of ,,neat ,,cattle2 ,,with ,,an ,,essay ,,on ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,oxen ,,and ,,the ,,breed ,,of ,,sheep4 ,,stable ,,management1 ,,treatment ,,of ,,the ,,diseases ,,of ,,horses2 ,,plain ,,and ,,practical ,,directions ,,in ,,the ,choice and ,purchase of ,horses2 ,,with ,,directions ,,how ,,to ,,ascertain ,,the ,,good ,,qualities1 ,,and ,,detect ,,the ,,faults ,,of ,,carriage1 ,,cart1 ,,and ,,saddle ,,horses4 ,one large #abmo4 volume1 neatly and strongly bound and ,illustrated with ,numerous ,engravings4 ,and sold at the low price of ,,one ,,dollar ,,and ,,twenty-,,five ,,cents ,a ,,copy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this is one of the most useful works for the agriculturist that has ever been published in this country4 ,on the score of self-interest alone1 the most calculating1 it may be supposed1 will not hesitate to provide himself with a book1 which1 in teaching him the important practical facts contained herein1 may enable him to save the life even of the meanest animal on his estate4 ,the want of such a book would be an obvious defect in every farmer's house2 and this is one of the highest and most recent authority4 ,let no farmer who values his own interest1 neglect to procure a copy of it4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,just published ,complete1 in ,two ,imperial ,octavo ,volumes1 of #hdj ,pages each1 ,,chambers',s ,,information ,,for ,,the ,,people2 ,,or1 ,,popular ,,encyclop,,dia1 ,,embracing ,,all ,,the ,,branches ,,of ,,general ,,knowledge ,,necessary ,,to ,,constitute ,a ,,well ,,informed ,,man4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,work ,,has ,,been ,,edited ,,by ,,an ,,accomplished ,,american ,,scholar1 who1 without impairing in the slightest degree the integrity of the original text1 has added such notes1 and made such corrections and additions as were necessary to adapt it to the wants of the ,american public4 ,the plan on which the work is formed1 was to select only the subjects on which it is important that a people1 who feel the value of sound education1 should be well informed4 ,the minuti of biography1 topography1 scientific technicalities1 and other matters to which there may be only need for occasional reference1 are dismissed1 and thus what usually fills the greater part of an ,encyclopdia is at once got rid of4 ,there only remains a series of articles on the ,,most ,,important ,,branches ,,of ,,science1 ,,physical1 ,,mathematical1 ,,and ,,moral2 ,,natural ,,history1 ,,political ,,history1 ,,geography4 ,,and ,,general ,,literature4 ,all is given which1 if studied and received into the mind1 would make an individual1 in the common walks of life1 ,a ,,well ,,informed ,,man4 ,while1 with a few exceptions1 only that is omitted which is not needed as a part of the standing knowledge of any person whatever1 besides those for whom it may have a professional or local interest4 ,,information ,,for ,,the ,,people1 ,therefore1 is an ,,encyclop,,dia including such knowledge only as tends to improve every mind possessing it--such knowledge as expands1 liberalizes1 and fertilizes4 ,the ruling objects of the accomplished authors1 the ,messrs4 ,chambers1 have been to give what may be expected to prove the means of ,,self-,,education to the people generally1 whether enjoying the means of academic instruction or not4 ,,among ,,the ,,subjects ,,treated ,,are ,astronomy1 ,the ,whale-- ,cookery1 ,social ,economics of ,geography1 ,whale ,proverbs and the ,industrious ,fisheries1 ,old ,sayings1 ,orders4 ,geology4 ,conveyance-- ,natural ,improvement of ,physical ,hist'y ,philosophy1 ,waste ,lands1 of ,man1 ,roads1 ,mechanics1 ,the ,kitchen ,ancient ,canals1 ,garden1 ,history-- ,machinery1 ,railways1 ,the ,flower ,egypt1 ,hydrostatics1 ,garden1 ,zoology1 ,hydraulics1 ,the ,fruit ,arabia-,petra1 ,account of the ,garden1 ,human ,body1 ,pneumatics1 ,history of the ,arboriculture1 ,jews--,palestine1 ,vegetable ,optics1 ,physiology1 ,the ,horse1 ,history of ,light1 ,greece and ,botany1 ,cattle and ,rome1 ,acoustics1 ,dairy ,natural ,husbandry1 ,history of the ,theology1 ,chemistry1 ,middle ,ages1 ,sheep1 ,history of the ,chemistry ,history of ,bible-- applied to the ,pigs1 ,great ,britain ,christianity1 ,arts and ,ireland1 ,goats1 ,private ,duties ,electricity1 ,constitution of ,life ,rabbits1 and ,resources ,galvanism1 of the ,british ,public and ,poultry1 ,empire1 ,social ,duties ,electro- of ,life1 ,magnetism1 ,cage ,birds1 ,descriptions of-- ,life and ,maxims ,meteorology1 ,bees1 of ,franklin1 ,england1 ,the ,weather1 ,the ,dog1 ,preservation of ,london1 ,health1 ,phrenology1 ,field ,sports1 ,scotland1 ,commerce-- ,principles of ,angling1 ,civil ,ireland1 ,money1 ,government1 ,gymnastic ,exercises1 ,british ,banks1 ,language1 ,america1 ,in-door ,history and ,english ,amusements1 ,united ,nature of ,laws4 ,grammar1 ,states1 ,chronology1 ,political ,logic1 ,australia1 ,economy1 ,printing1 ,education1 ,van ,diemen's ,population1 ,engraving1 ,land1 ,drawing and ,poor-,laws1 ,perspective1 ,lithography1 ,new ,zealand1 ,life ,assurance1 ,arithmetic1 ,architecture1 ,south ,america1 ,mohammedan and ,algebra1 ,the ,steam ,pagan ,engine1 ,west ,indies1 ,religions1 ,geometry1 ,mining1 ,east ,indies1 ,superstitions1 ,popular ,statistics1 ,metals1 ,china and ,domestic the ,tea ,trade1 ,economy1 ,agriculture1 ,coal1 ,ocean-- ,salt1 and a variety of ,maritime other subjects ,discovery1 ,navigation1 ,the expense of preparing this work has been very heavy1 as1 in addition to the closely condensed printed matter1 it has bean necessary to execute upwards of ,,five ,,hundred ,,engravings1 in order effectually to explain and embellish the various subjects of scientific1 historical1 and geographical information which the work embraces2 but the publishers confidently rely on the intelligence and liberality of the public for remuneration4 ,this is one of the most useful books published1 of which #ajj1jjj copies have been sold in ,england4 ,price1 elegantly bound in ,two ,volumes1 only ,,five ,,dollars4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,christian',s ,,legacy2 ,,or1 ,,bible ,,directory4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,william ,,jackson4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,christian',s ,,legacy having gone through #aj editions1 in a short space of time1 the writer has no other apology to offer for the #aath edition1 than a belief of its proving useful to all ,christians of every denomination4 ,a conviction that a knowledge of the ,bible1 above all other books1 is calculated 8to make one wise20 and that an advantage is given to the enemy by not attending to our ,lord's admonition1 8,search the ,scriptures10 led to an attempt to assist the inquirer in his 8,search0 after ,,truth4 ,the design of the work is1 to make the reading and study of the ,holy ,scriptures more easy and delightful2 especially to those who have but few helps1 little time for studying1 or are young in years4 ,the plan is new2 and the arrangement so simple1 that no one1 not even a child1 need mistake it2 but may1 without knowing a word of the ,bible beforehand1 find whatever the ,scriptures contain on any subject1 as readily as though he knew the whole ,bible by heart4 ,it is a handsome volume of #dbj full pages1 printed with good type1 on clear1 fine white paper2 is handsomely bound and lettered1 with a striking likeness of the author4 ,the first #caj pages contain as many subjects1 adapted to every state and condition of the ,christian in ,life1 ,death1 the ,grave1 and beyond the grave1 as far as the ,bible goes but no farther3 for there is not a sectarian expression to be found in the work4 ,each ,page is complete of itself4 ,the last #aaj pages contain a compendium of every book in the ,bible1 with the history of the several writers1 c42 together with the character of the first ,christians--the example--miracles--parables--and remarkable discourses of ,christ--the prophecies with their fulfillment--figurative and symbolical language of the ,bible1 alphabetically arranged1 with the import of each word--a description of the ,jewish offerings2 and the different ,sects mentioned in the ,scriptures--,scriptural difficulties accounted for--fate of the ,evangelists and ,apostles--,hebrew offices--a ,pronouncing ,dictionary of the 8hard names0 in the ,old and ,new ,testament1 c4 ,an alphabetical ,,index is placed in the former part of the book1 and by consulting which1 the reader may readily find an answer to any question1 that may be asked him by any ,bible question-book1 or individual2 providing1 that it is a question that would benefit any one to have answered1 is not ,sectarian1 and is one that the ,bible can answer4 ,the following are only a few of the names and residences of the ,clergy1 of various denominations1 who have patronized and recommended the ,christian's ,legacy3 ,,providence1 ,r4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,tucker1 ,vinten1 ,mackreading1 ,dowling1 ,taylor1 ,hall4--,,newport1 ,r4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,watson1 ,vinten1 ,smith4--,,pawtuckett1 ,r4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gonealves4--,,lowell1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,blanchard1 ,hanks1 ,burnap1 ,edson1 ,mc,coy1 ,sarjent1 ,brewster1 ,hoes1 ,porter1 ,woodman1 ,thurstan1 ,cole4 ,,new ,,bedford1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,knight1 ,hawley1 ,howes1 ,dawes4--,,fall ,,river1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,fowler1 ,russell1 ,taylor4--,,charlestown1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,greene4--,,brookline1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,shailer4--,,newburyport1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,campbell1 ,sternes1 ,pike4--,,grafton1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,richards4--,,cabotsville1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,scott4--,,taunton1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,eldridge4--,,milford1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,long1 ,tozer4--,,holliston1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,matlack1 ,rice4--,,pocasset1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,wallen4--,,rochester1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,clarke4--,,mansfield1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,culver1 ,latham4--,,upton1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,wood1 ,bullard1 ,eastman4--,,dorchester1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,boyden4--,e4 ,,cambridge1 ,,mass4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,wilson4--,,haverhill1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,plummer4--,,malden1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mc,leish4--,,hartford1 ,,conn43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,hodgson1 ,eaton4--,,new ,,haven1 ,,conn43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,teasdale1 ,law4--,,portsmouth1 ,n4 ,h43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,davis1 ,harris4--,,dover1 ,n4 ,h43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,mason4--,,brooklyn1 ,n4 ,y43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,youngs1 ,burnett4--,,williamsburg1 ,l4 ,i43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,roberts4--,,newark1 ,n4 ,j43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,whittaker1 ,lenhart4--,,elizabethtown1 ,n4 ,j43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,magie1 ,greene4--,,boston1 ,,mass43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,meyrell1 ,russell1 ,bartoll1 ,winslow1 ,phelps1 ,kirk1 ,pierce1 ,huested1 ,clarke1 ,sharpe1 ,raymond1 ,read1 ,motte1 ,sarjent1 ,pierpont1 ,parkham1 ,barrett1 ,gannett1 ,gray1 ,robbins4--,,new ,,york3 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,bond1 ,levings1 ,bangs1 ,stocking1 ,nichols1 ,cheney1 ,bangs1 ,seney1 ,withey1 ,martyn1 ,jacobs4--,,philadelphia1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,burrows1 ,lincoln1 ,suddards1 ,mc,knight1 ,onins1 ,cooper1 ,stockton1 ,keller1 ,ewell1 ,white4--,,lancaster1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gerry4--,,reading1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,schoch4--,,columbia1 ,,pa43 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,humphrey4 ,published by ,,leary ,,getz1 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 ,price only #a4be4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,historical ,cabinet1 ,,containing ,,authentic ,,accounts ,,of ,,many ,,remarkable ,,and ,,interesting ,,events ,,which ,,have ,,taken ,,place ,,in ,,modern ,,times4 ,carefully collected and compiled from various authentic sources1 and not to be found in any one work hitherto published4 ,in one volume #abmo4 of #eaf pages1 with numerous ,engravings4 ,price #a4be4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,family ,,sabbath-,,day ,,miscellany3 ,,comprising ,,over ,,three ,,hundred ,,religious ,,tales ,,and ,,anecdotes1 ,,original ,,and ,,select4 ,,with ,,occasional ,,reflections1 ,,adapted ,,to ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,families ,,on ,,the ,,lord',s ,,day4 ,,by ,c4 ,a4 ,,goodrich4 #a vol4 #abmo41 #edj pages1 illustrated4 ,price #a4be4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,truly ,,interesting ,,tales4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,arthur',s ,,six ,,nights ,,with ,,the ,,washingtonians4 ,these ,tales are told in ,arthur's best style1 and are much admired by all who read then4 ,illustrated with ,cruikshank's eight ,plates of ,,the ,,bottle1 ,which are of themselves worth the cost of the book4 #ahmo4 cloth1 #bgg pages4 ,price #ej cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,price in substantial ,library ,binding1 #b2 ,cloth1 #a4ej4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,edmondson',s ,,short ,,sermons4 ,,with ,,an ,,introduction ,by ,rev4 ,j4 ,p4 ,,durbin1 ,d4,d4 ,late ,president of ,dickinson ,college1 ,carlisle1 ,pa4 ,with a ,splendid ,portrait of the ,author engraved on ,steel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,never study to say all that can be said upon a subject2 no error is greater than this4 ,select the most useful1 the moat striking and persuasive topics which the text suggests1 and rest the discourse upon these4--,blair4 ,i believe1 this volume will be a fountain of light and peace to thousands2 and may ,god follow it with his blessing4--,j4 ,p4 ,durbin4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one ,hundred and ,forty ,sermons on the following important subjects3 ,the ,original state of ,caution against ,the ,ghost of ,samuel4 ,man4 ,error4 ,christianity is a ,the ,present state of ,the ,spiritual ,kingdom ,source of ,joy4 ,man4 of ,jesus4 ,counsel to a ,fallen ,the ,mediation of ,working ,good1 the ,way ,church4 ,christ4 to ,honor4 ,the ,parable of the ,the ,necessity of ,the ,propriety of ,sower4 ,repentance4 praising the ,lord4 ,the ,wisdom of ,daniel in the ,den of ,secret ,things belong ,obedience4 ,lions4 unto the ,lord4 ,contending for the ,the ,hebrew ,children ,brotherly ,union4 ,faith4 in the ,fiery ,furnace4 ,redemption by ,jesus ,the ,happy ,death of ,prayer in ,affliction4 ,christ4 ,believers4 ,a ,message from ,god4 ,reverence due to ,god ,holy ,angels serve in ,public ,worship4 good ,men4 ,david's ,advice to ,solomon4 ,the ,jews charged with ,the ,government of robbing ,god4 ,god4 ,the ,strait ,gate4 ,christian ,privileges4 ,the good ,samaritan4 ,objects of ,god's ,hatred4 ,the ,danger of ,bad ,an important ,habits4 ,petition4 ,justification by ,faith4 ,the ,prayer of ,the ,parable of the ,habakkuk4 ,tares4 ,the ,importance of ,regeneration4 ,the ,blessing of ,pious ,jesus is the ,lamb of ,connexions4 ,god4 ,the ,conduct and ,end of ,enoch4 ,the ,portion of the ,the murmuring ,pious4 ,labourers4 ,noah warned of the ,flood ,the ,mission of ,the ,ascension of ,barnabas to ,antioch4 ,jesus4 ,hagar peen of ,god4 ,the ,nativity of ,the wicked ,the ,destruction of ,christ4 ,husbandmen4 ,sodom4 ,the ,crucifixion of ,the ,resurrection of ,abraham about to ,slay ,christ4 ,believers4 his ,son4 ,the ,resurrection of ,the ,ten ,virgins4 ,joseph sold into ,christ4 ,egypt4 ,the ,spirit may be ,the ,day of ,pentecost4 quenched4 ,the final ,lot of ,men4 ,the ,brevity of ,human ,the ,parable of the ,sin punished with ,life4 ,talents4 ,death4 ,the ,certainty of ,good ,news to fallen ,the ,master's call for ,death4 ,man4 ,mary4 ,the ,resurrection of ,the wealthy ,farmer4 ,family ,religion4 the ,dead4 ,we should hate vain ,john in the ,spirit on ,the ,general ,judgment4 thoughts4 the ,lord's ,day4 ,sinners banished from ,the barren ,fig-,tree4 ,the little ,flock of ,christ4 ,christ encouraged4 ,piety produces strong ,saints invited to confidence4 ,encouragement to the ,glory4 ,tempted4 ,the ,parable of the ,the ,gentiles trust in great ,supper4 ,a ,caution against ,jesus4 ,idolatry4 ,wise and useful ,man4 ,the ,dispersion of ,the ,vanity of the ,knowledge4 ,the ,prodigal ,son4 ,world4 ,advice to ,young ,men4 ,the ,body and the ,the ,growth of a ,eagles4 ,christian4 ,the ,captain of the ,lord's ,host4 ,the unjust ,steward4 ,the ,pure in ,heart shall see ,god4 ,christian ,privileges4 ,the ,way to eternal ,life4 ,friendliness secures ,followers of that ,friends4 which is ,good4 ,the rich ,man and ,lazarus4 ,the ,christian ,race4 ,fools deny the being of a ,god4 ,the ,lord is a ,christ our ,great ,high righteous ,judge4 ,priest4 ,the ,word of ,god is a ,light to ,man4 ,the importunate ,the ,true ,widow4 ,circumcision4 ,all the ,earth shall know the ,lord4 ,the ,people of ,god are ,the ,day devoted to happy4 the ,lord4 ,jesus is the ,light of the ,world4 ,the ,pharisee and the ,the ,duty of searching ,publican4 the ,scriptures4 ,the cloud between the camps4 ,god is mindful of ,directions how to ,man4 hear ,sermons4 ,the ,conversion of the ,gentiles4 ,a ,word to ,saints and ,perseverance in ,sinners4 ,prayer4 ,we should be decided in ,religion4 ,faith and ,hope in the ,primitive ,redeemer4 ,christianity4 ,the ,character of ,christ4 ,the ,first ,christian ,propriety of ,trusting ,martyr4 in ,god4 ,sinners invited to ,christ4 ,the ,ministry of the ,the ,case of ,lot's ,apostles4 ,wife4 ,the ,lost ,sheep4 ,rest from ,the ,strength of a ,walking in ,truth4 ,persecution4 ,christian4 ,the ,days of ,social ,worship4 ,troubles prevented by ,methuselah4 keeping the ,tongue4 ,the ,conduct of ,jesus4 ,the ,wisdom of ,man4 ,the best ,exercise4 ,the ,obedience of ,josiah4 ,the ,counsel of ,god4 ,christian ,morals4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,perpetual ,,keepsake4 ,in splendid ,binding1 ,price only #b4ej4 ,,the ,,new ,,testament ,,of ,,our ,,lord ,,and ,,saviour ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,with numerous ,illustrations by ,w4 ,croome and ,j4 ,h4 ,brightly4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,this ,edition of the ,sacred ,word is designed expressly as a ,presentation ,book1 and is issued in a beautiful style1 printed on fine paper1 large type2 and among the many original designs which adorn the ,book may be found the following3 ,presentation ,plate4 ,paul ,shipwrecked4 ,ornamented ,title ,page4 ,the ,annunciation4 ,the ,angel ,appearing to the ,the ,flight into ,egypt4 ,shepherds4 ,the ,tribute ,money4 ,christ ,raising the ,widow's ,son4 ,the ,second ,temptation4 ,christ and the ,woman of ,canaan4 ,st4 ,john4 ,christ ,praying on the ,mount4 ,christ ,crowned with ,thorns4 ,three ,women at the ,sepulchre4 ,christ ,appearing to ,mary4 ,peter ,delivered from ,prison4 ,paul ,preaching at ,athens4 ,the ,angel ,binding ,satan4 c41 c41 c4 ,,in ,,one ,,large ,,octavo ,,volume1 ,,handsomely ,,and ,,strongly ,,bound4 ,price #b4ej4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,life and ,times of the ,duke of ,wellington3 ,embracing the whole ,military ,career of this ,illustrious ,warrior1 his ,services in ,india1 the ,peninsular ,war1 and a full and complete account of the memorable ,battle of ,waterloo1 with all the spirit-stirring incidents and anecdotes of these memorable contests4 ,illustrated with forty-one engravings4 #a large #ahmo4 volume1 cloth gilt4 ,price #ej cents4 ,cook's ,voyages4 ,a ,narrative1 of the ,voyages around the ,world1 performed by ,captain ,james ,cook1 with an account of his life during the previous and intervening periods4 ,by ,a4 ,,kippis1 ,d4,d41 ,f4,r4,s41 and ,s4,a4 ,illustrated with numerous engravings4 #b vols4 in one1 roan gilt binding4 ,price #ge cents4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,constitution of ,man considered in relation ,,to ,,external ,,objects4 ,by ,,george ,,combe4 #a vol4 #ahmo41 cloth gilt4 ,price #ej cents4 ,the ,life of the ,notorious ,stephen ,burroughs2 ,containing many ,incidents in the ,life of this ,wonderful ,man1 never before published4 ,newly corrected and revised4 ,two volumes in one1 #ahmo41 cloth4 ,price #ej cents4 ,original ,poems for ,infant ,minds4 ,by the ,taylor ,family4 #a vol41 #ahmo41 cloth gilt4 ,price #fj cents4 ,robinson ,crusoe4 ,a beautiful #ahmo4 edition1 with eight ,plates4 ,cloth4 ,price #ej cents4 ,the ,camp-,meeting ,chorister2 or1 a ,collection ,,of ,,hymns ,,and ,,spiritual ,,songs1 for the ,pious of all ,denominations1 to be sung at ,camp-,meetings1 during ,revivals of ,religion1 and other occasions4 #cbmo41 sheep4 ,price #be cents4 ,public ,school ,singing ,book4 ,by ,a4 ,f4 ,,cox4 ,used in the ,public ,schools4 #cbmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,the ,ready ,reckoner3 ,to which is added a ,form ,book1 ,interest ,tables1 c4 ,half bound and lettered4 ,price #ab cents4 ,jack ,lawrence1 the ,sailor ,boy4 ,by the author of ,jack ,halyard4 #a vol4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,the ,laughing ,philosopher2 or1 ,book of ,fun4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,the ,american ,songster4 ,enlarged1 the best collection published4 #cbmo41 sheep4 ,price #be cents4 ,white's ,elements of ,universal ,history4 ,for the use of ,schools and of ,private ,students2 with ,additions by ,,john ,s4 ,,hart1 ,a4 ,m41 ,principal of the ,philadelphia ,high ,school4 #abmo41 arabesque backs4 ,testament4 ,a good ,school edition4 #ahmo41 sheep4 ,kelly's ,new ,juvenile ,primer4 ,murray's ,english ,reader4 #abmo41 sheep4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,religious ,,books1 ,,suitable ,,for ,,all ,,denominations4 99 99 99 99 99 ,bunyan's ,minor ,works3 ,containing ,,grace ,,abounding ,,to ,,the ,,chief ,,of ,,sinners3 in a ,faithful ,account of the ,life of ,john ,bunyan2 or1 a brief relation of the exceeding mercy of ,god in ,christ to ,him1 in converting him to the ,faith of ,his ,blessed ,son ,jesus ,christ2 wherein is particularly shown what sight of1 and what trouble he had for sin2 and also1 what various temptations he hath met with1 and how ,god hath carried him through them all4 ,also1 ,,heart',s ,,ease ,,in ,,heart ,,trouble2 ,,the ,,world ,,to ,,come1 or ,visions of ,heaven and ,hell2 and ,,the ,,barren ,,fig ,,tree1 or the ,doom and ,downfall of the ,fruitless ,professor4 ,complete in one beautiful #cbmo4 volume1 bound in cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of ,john ,bunyan4 ,price #ej cents4 ,baxter's ,saints' ,everlasting ,rest2 or1 a ,treatise of the ,blessed ,state of the ,saints in their enjoyment of ,god in ,heaven4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of the ,author4 ,price1 #ej cents4 ,doddridge's ,rise and ,progress of ,religion in the ,soul4 ,illustrated in a ,course of ,practical ,addresses1 with a ,sermon on the care of the ,soul4 ,a neat #ahmo4 volume1 with a ,portrait of the ,author4 ,bound in cloth1 gilt4 ,price #ej cents4 ,the ,vicar of ,wakefield4 ,a ,tale4 ,to which is affixed ,,the ,,deserted ,,village4 ,by ,,oliver ,,goldsmith1 ,m4,d4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of the ,author4 ,price #ej cents4 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in speaking of this admirable work1 observes3--8,we read the ,vicar of ,wakefield in youth and in age4 ,we return to it again and again1 and bless the memory of an author who contrives so well to reconcile us to human-nature4 ,whether we choose the pathetic or the humorous parts of the story1 we find the best and truest sentiments enforced in the moat beautiful language4 ,in too many works of this class there are particular passages unfit to be perused by youth and innocence2 but the wreath of ,goldsmith is unsullied4 ,he wrote to exalt virtue and expose vice40 ,willison's ,afflicted ,man's ,companion2 or1 a ,directory for persons and families1 afflicted with sickness1 or any other distress2 with directions to the sick1 both under and after affliction2 also1 directions to the friends of the sick1 and others who visit them2 and likewise to all1 how to prepare both for sickness and death1 and how to be exercised at the time of dying4 ,to which is added a collection of comfortable texts of ,scripture1 very suitable for dying believers4 ,the choice sayings of many eminent dying saints4 ,the author's last advice to his wife and children2 and his dying words1 written by himself1 and found among his papers after his death4 ,a new edition1 revised and improved1 in #a vol4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a handsome ,portrait of the ,author4 ,price #ej cents4 ,zimmerman on ,solitude4 ,with the ,life of the ,author4 ,this is a neat edition of this deservedly popular book4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with a ,portrait of ,zimmerman4 ,price #ej cents4 ,drew on the ,immortality and ,immateriality of the ,soul4 #ahmo1 cloth4 ,price #ej cents4 99 99 99 99 99 ,pollok's ,course of ,time4 ,with an enlarged ,index1 a ,memoir of the ,author1 an introductory notice1 and an analysis prefixed to each book4 ,revised edition4 #ahmo41 cloth1 gilt1 with plates4 ,price #ej cents4 ,the same work1 half bound1 price #be cents4 ,dr4 ,dodd's ,lectures to ,young ,men4 ,steel ,plates4 #bdmo41 cloth1 gilt4 ,price #ej cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,life of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 to which is added the ,lives and ,sufferings of ,his ,holy ,evangelists and ,apostles4 ,by ,rev4 ,john ,fleetwood1 ,d4,d4 ,one large #abmo4 volume1 #dfj pages1 numerous ,engravings1 ,arabesque1 gilt4 ,small and ,cheap edition1 ,price #a4be4 ,the ,arabian ,nights' ,entertainments1 or the ,thousand-and-,one ,nights4 ,a new edition1 ,translated and ,arranged for ,family ,reading4 ,one vol4 #abmo4 ,nearly #ajj ,engravings1 arabesque1 gilt4 ,price #a4be4 ,the ,new ,american ,pocket ,farmer and ,farmer's ,guide in the ,choice and ,management of ,horses1 ,neat ,cattle1 ,sheep and ,swine2 including a ,description of their ,internal ,structure--their ,digestive ,system2 the ,diseases to which they are liable1 with their causes1 symptoms1 and most approved methods of cure4 ,from the writings of ,youatt1 ,lawrence1 ,hines1 ,white1 ,clater1 and others4 ,to which is added a variety of ,agricultural and ,miscellaneous ,receipts4 #ahmo4 cloth1 gilt4 ,price #ej cents4 ,every ,man his own ,cattle ,doctor--,containing a ,treatise on the ,diseases of ,horses1 ,cattle1 ,dogs1 ,sheep and ,swine1 with their ,causes1 ,symptoms and ,cure4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,every ,man his own ,farrier--,containing ,ten ,minutes ,advice how to ,buy a ,horse1 to which is added1 how to use your horse at ,home1 or on a ,journey1 and ,what remedies are proper for all diseases to which he is liable4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,charlotte ,temple4 ,a ,tale of ,truth1 by ,mrs4 ,rowson4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,lucy ,temple4 ,a ,sequel to ,charlotte ,temple4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,etiquette ,letter-,writer4 ,being the complete ,art of ,fashionable ,correspondence4 #ahmo41 boards4 ,price #ab cents4 ,the ,american ,temperance ,primer1 or ,first ,book for ,children1 designed for ,sabbath1 and ,common ,schools1 by ,t4 ,sovereign1 #cf pp4 #d cents4 ,chapin's ,new ,classical ,spelling ,book4 ,boards4 #ab cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cook ,,and ,,confectioner4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,complete ,,cook4 ,,plain ,,and ,,practical ,,directions ,,for ,,cooking ,,and ,,housekeeping2 ,,with ,,upwards ,,of ,,seven ,,hundred ,,receipts3 ,,consisting ,,of ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,choice ,,of ,,meat ,,and ,,poultry2 ,,preparations ,,for ,,cooking1 ,,making ,,of ,,broths ,,and ,,soups2 ,,boiling1 ,,roasting1 ,,baking1 ,,and ,,frying ,,of ,,meats1 ,,fish1 c42 ,,seasonings1 ,,colourings1 ,,cooking ,,vegetables2 ,,preparing ,,salads1 ,,clarifying2 ,,making ,,of ,,pastry1 ,,puddings1 ,,garnishes1 ,,gruels1 ,,gravies1 c4 ,,and ,,with ,,general ,,directions ,,for ,,making ,,wines4 ,,with ,,additions ,,and ,,alterations1 ,by ,j4 ,m4 ,,sanderson1 of the ,franklin ,house4 ,,to ,,which ,,is ,,added1 ,,the ,,complete ,,confectioner1 ,,pastry-,,cook1 ,,and ,,baker4 ,,plain ,,and ,,practical ,,directions ,,for ,,making ,,confectionary ,,and ,,pastry1 ,,and ,,for ,,baking2 ,,with ,,upwards ,,of ,,five ,,hundred ,,receipts3 ,,consisting ,,of ,,directions ,,for ,,making ,,all ,,sorts ,,of ,,preserves1 ,,sugar-,,boiling1 ,,comfits1 ,,lozenges1 ,,ornamental ,,cakes1 ,,ices1 ,,liqueurs1 ,,gum ,,paste ,,ornaments1 ,,waters1 ,,syrups1 ,,jellies1 ,,marmalades1 ,,compotes1 ,,bread-,,baking1 ,,artificial ,,yeasts1 ,,fancy ,,biscuits1 ,,cakes1 ,,rolls1 ,,muffins1 ,,tarts1 ,,pies1 c4 ,,with ,,additions ,,and ,,alterations1 ,by ,,parkinson1 ,practical ,confectioner1 ,,chestnut ,,street4 ,the whole contained in one handsome #abmo4 volume1 beautifully and strongly bound1 and sold at ,,only ,,one ,,dollar ,a ,,copy ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,knapp',s ,,female ,,biography3 ,,containing ,,short ,,biographies ,,of ,distinguished ,women1 ,,in ,,different ,,nations ,,and ,,ages4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,by ,,samuel ,l4 ,,knapp4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,including ,hannah ,adams1 ,blanche of ,castile1 ,joan of ,arc1 ,anne ,letitia ,barbauld1 ,jane ,austin1 ,anne ,boleyn1 ,jane of ,arragon1 ,esther ,burr1 ,anne ,bradstreet1 ,corinna1 ,catherine de ,medicis1 ,charlotte ,corday1 ,hannah ,cowley1 ,lucretia ,m4 ,davidson1 ,queen ,elizabeth1 ,lady ,jane ,gray1 ,queen ,isabella1 ,hortensia1 ,ann ,h4 ,judson1 ,lucretia1 ,jane ,m#8,crea1 ,mary ,wortley ,montague1 ,mary ,queen of ,scots1 ,queen ,matilda1 ,judith ,murray1 ,maria ,theresa1 ,madame de ,maintenon1 ,queen ,phillipa1 ,hannah ,more1 ,octavia1 ,mary ,sydney1 ,susan ,rowson1 ,anne ,radcliff1 ,elizabeth ,rowe1 ,madame ,roland1 ,madame de ,stael1 ,martha ,washington1 ,mary ,washington1 ,and more than ,one ,hundred ,others4 ,,illustrated ,,with ,,elegant ,,engravings4 ,in #a vol4 of #ejj pp41 handsomely bound4 ,price ,one ,dollar and ,twenty-five ,cents4 ,,leary ,,getz1 ,publishers1 ,no4 #ach ,north ,second ,street1 ,philadelphia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,footnotes4 #aa ,down to this time1 the ,welsh inhabited all of what is now denominated ,england4 ,but henceforth they are confined to the western part of the island1 called ,cumry1 or ,wales4 #bg ,a part of this sermon1 as delivered on another occasion1 is given in the latter part of this volume4 #dc ,jer4 xv4 #ab4 #dd;a ,isaiah lxvi4 #h4 #dd;b ,isaiah ii4 #c4 #de ,hos4 xiv4 #b4 #ec ,such an accident is said to have occurred at ,shrewsbury1 in ,england1 a few fears ago4 #ef ,the three are since dead2 the first two named died before ,mr4 ,evans1 and ,mr4 ,thomas since4 #ga #a ,john i4 #a-c4 #gc ,rom4 vi4 #ag4 #gd ,the eighteenth4 #ge ,dr4 ,edward ,williams1 of ,rotherham1 author of some abstruse inquiries on the ,divine ,sovereignty4 #id ,this paragraph is one of the celebrated 8,specimens of ,welsh ,preaching10 printed in ,england some years before the publication of any of these sermons4 ,we give the first ,english version verbatim4 ,ed4 #aad ,the substance of this transcendent passage ,christmas ,evans often repeated in his preaching1 and of course with considerable variation on different occasions4 ,there are two other versions of it in ,english4 ,one of them1 translated many years ago1 and published under the title of 8,a ,specimen of ,welsh ,preaching10 has been everywhere justly admired1 as one of the finest productions of sanctified genius4 ,the other1 which we give below1 was taken from the lips of the preacher1 and rendered into ,english1 by one of his frequent hearers and intimate friends4 8,all the stores of his energy10 says the editor of the ,english memoir1 8and the resources of his voice1 which was one of great compass1 depth1 and sweetness1 seemed reserved for the closing portions of the picture1 when he delineated the routed and battered hosts of the pit retreating from the cross1 where they had anticipated a triumph1 and met a signal and irretrievable overthrow40--,,editor4 99 99 99 99 99 8,methinks ,i find myself standing upon the summit of one of the highest of the everlasting hills1 permitted thence to take a survey of our earth4 ,it shows to me a wide and far-spread burial-ground1 over which lie scattered in countless multitudes the wretched and perishing children of ,adam4 ,the ground is full of hollow's1 the yawning caverns of death1 while over it broods a thick cloud of fearful darkness4 ,no light from above shines upon it1 nor is the ray of the sun or moon1 or the beams of a candle seen through all its borders4 ,it is walled around4 ,its gates1 large and massive1 ten thousand times stronger than all the gates of brass forged among men1 are one and all safely locked4 ,it is the hand of ,divine ,justice that has locked them1 and so firmly secured are the strong bolts which hold those doors1 that all the created powers even of the heavenly world1 were they to labor to all eternity1 could not drive so much as one of them back4 ,how hopeless the wretchedness to which the race are doomed1 and into what irrecoverable depths of ruin has the disobedience of their first parent plunged them6 8,but behold1 in the cool of the day there is seen descending from the eternal hills in the distance1 the radiant form of ,mercy1 seated in the chariot of the divine promise1 and clothed with splendor1 infinitely brighter than the golden rays of the morning when seen shooting over mountains of pearls4 ,seated beside ,mercy in that chariot is seen another form like unto the ,son of man4 ,his mysterious name is the #8,seed of the ,woman1' and girt around him shines the girdle of eternity1 radiant with the lustre of the heaven of heavens4 #8,he has descended into the lower parts of the earth4' ,i see ,mercy alight from that chariot1 and she is knocking at the huge gate of this vast cemetery4 ,she asks of ,justice3 #8,is there no entrance into this field of death8 ,may ,i not visit these caverns of the grave1 and seek1 if it may be1 to raise some names at least of the children of destruction1 and bring them again to the light of day8 ,open1 ,justice1 open2 drive back these iron bolts and let me in1 that ,i may proclaim the jubilee of deliverance to the children of the dust4' ,but ,i hear the stern reply of ,justice from within those walls2 it is1--#8,mercy1 surely thou lovest ,justice too well1 to wish to burst these gates by force of arm1 and thus obtain entrance by mere lawless violence4 ,and ,i cannot open the door4 ,i cherish no anger towards the unhappy wretches4 ,i have no delight in their eternal death1 or in hearing their cries as they lie upon the burning hearth of the great fire kindled by the wrath of ,god1 in the land that is lower than the grave4 ,but ,i am bound to vindicate the purity1 holiness1 and equity of ,god's laws2 for1 #8without shedding of blood there is no remission4' #8,be it so1' said ,mercy1 #8but wilt thou not accept of a surety who may make a sufficient atonement for the crime committed and the offence given8' #8,that will ,i1' said ,justice1 #8only let him be duly allied to either party in this sad controversy1 a kinsman1 near alike to the injured ,lawgiver1 and to the guilty tenants of the burial-ground4' #8,wilt thou1 then1' said ,mercy1 #8accept of the puissant ,michael1 prince among the hosts of heaven1 who fought bravely in the day when there was war in heaven1 and also vanquished ,apollyon upon the summit of the everlasting hills8' #8,no1'--said ,justice1 #8,i may not1 for his goings forth are not from the beginning1 even from everlasting4' #8,wilt thou not then accept of the valiant ,gabriel1 who compelled ,beelzebub to turn and seek safety in flight from the walls of the heavenly city8' #8,no1'--cried ,justice1 #8for ,gabriel is already bound to render his appointed service to the ,king ,almighty2 and who may serve in his place while he should be attempting the salvation of ,adam's race8 ,there needs1' continued ,justice1 #8one who has1 of right belonging to him1 both omnipotence and eternity1 to achieve the enterprise4 ,let him clothe himself with the nature of these wretches4 ,let him be born within these gloomy walls1 and himself undergo death within this unapproachable place1 if he would buy the favor of ,heaven for these children of the captivity6' 8,but while this dialogue was held1 behold1 a form fairer than the morning dawn1 and full of the glory of heaven1 is seen descending from that chariot4 ,casting1 as he passes1 a glance of infinite benignity upon the hapless tenants of that burial-ground1 he approaches1 and asks of ,justice3 #8,wilt thou accept of me8' #8,i will1' said ,justice1 #8for greater art thou than heaven and the whole universe4' 8#8,behold1 then1' said the stranger1 #8,i come3 in the volume of the book has it been written of me4 ,i will go down1 in the fulness of time1 into the sides of the pit of corruption4 ,i will lay hold of this nature1 and take upon me the dust of ,eden1 and1 allied to that dust1 ,i will pour into thy balance1 ,justice1 blood of such worth and virtue that the court of heaven shall pronounce its claims satisfied1 and bid the children of the great captivity go free4' 8,centuries have rolled by1 and the fulness of time is now accomplished2 and see1 an infant of days is born within the old burial ground of ,eden4 ,behold a ,son given to the dwellers of the tomb1 and a spotless ,lamb1 the ,lamb of ,god1 is seen within that gloomy enclosure4 ,when the hour came at which the ministers of the ,divine ,justice must seize upon the victim1 ,i see them hurrying towards ,gethsemane4 ,there1 in heaviness and sorrow of soul1 praying more earnestly1 the surety is seen bowed to the earth1 and the heavy burden he had assumed is now weighing him down4 ,like a lamb1 he is led towards ,golgotha--the hill of skulls4 ,there are mustered all the hosts of darkness1 rejoicing in the hope of their speedy conquest over him4 ,the monsters of the pit1 huge1 fierce1 and relentless1 are there4 ,the lions1 #aaf;a as in a great army1 were grinding fearfully their teeth1 ready to tear him in pieces4 ,the unicorns1 #aaf;b a countless host1 were rushing onwards to thrust him through1 and trample him beneath their feet4 ,and there were the bulls of ,bashan1 #aaf;c roaring terribly2 the dragons #aaf;d of the pit are unfolding themselves1 and shooting out their stings1 and dogs #aaf;e many are all around the mountain4 #8,it is the hour and power of darkness4' ,i see him passing along through this dense array of foes1 an unresisting victim4 ,he is nailed to the cross2 and now ,beelzebub and all the master-spirits in the hosts of hell have formed1 though invisible to man1 a ring around the cross4 ,it was about the third hour of the day1 or the hour of nine in the morning1 that he was bound as a sacrifice1 even to the horns of the altar4 ,the fire of divine vengeance has fallen1 and the flames of the curse have now caught upon him4 ,the blood of the victim is fast dropping1 and the hosts of hell are shouting impatiently3 #8,the victory will soon be ours4' ,and the fire went on burning until the ninth hour of the day1 or the hour of three in the afternoon1 when it touched his ,deity1--and then it expired4 ,for the ransom was now paid and the victory won4 ,it was his4 ,his hellish foes1 crushed in his fall1 the unicorns and the bulls of ,bashan retreated from the encounter with shattered horns2 the jaws of the lions had been broken and their claws torn off1 and the old dragon1 with bruised head1 dragged himself slowly away from the scene1 in deathlike feebleness4 #8,he triumphed over them openly1' and now is ,he for ever the ,prince and ,captain of our salvation1 made perfect through sufferings4 ,the graves of the old burial-ground have been thrown open2 and from yonder hills gales of life have blown down upon this valley of dry bones1 and an exceedingly great army have already been sealed to our ,god1 as among the living in ,zion40 #aaf;a ,allusion to the language in which ,psalm xxii4 predicts the ,saviour's sufferings4 ,the ,psalm which our ,saviour himself quoted upon the ,cross1 when he cried1 8,my ,god1 why hast thou forsaken me40 #aaf;b ,ditto4 #aaf;c ,ditto4 #aaf;d ,ditto4 #aaf;e ,ditto4 #acb ,was it the amount of suffering1 or the dignity of the sufferer1 that gave merit to the sacrifice sufficient for the world's redemption8 ,,ed4 #adh ,dan4 xii4 #aa1 #ab4 #ahe ,this sentiment1 in different forms1 occurs very frequently in these sermons4 ,it is questionable theology4--,,ed4 #bje ,acts iv4 #d4 #bbc ,rom4 i4 #ai-ba4 #bbd ,acts xvii4 #bb-bh4 #bef ,james ii4 #ag-bf4