would inflict a greater punishment upon His only begotten Son than was necessary to answer the end of His justice. It would also detract from the dignity of Christ, who was at the same time the offering, the priest, and the altar, which combination impressed infinite dignity upon His sufferings and attached atoning virtue to His offering. He offered Himself a sacrifice of sweet smelling savour unto God. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many."

II. As after death men must appear the second time in judgment to undergo a judicial sentence; so, after His offering Himself once to take away sin and death, Christ shall appear the second time to free us from judgment and to bestow upon us eternal salvation.

That there will be a judgment no one can deny. It is proved from the testimony of Scripture, and from an inward monitor which every person carries in his own bosom. However we may try to shake off the thoughts of a future judgment, there is a feeling which forces itself upon our consciences and compels us to tremble at the declaration of the Bible: "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." After death comes the judgment. It does not follow that it is to take place immediately after, but at some indefinite period, which our Saviour Himself says, "No man knoweth, not even the Son, but the Father." Then, as there will be a judgment, so Christ also shall appear the second time. When the wondering disciples stood on Mount Olives looking towards heaven at their ascending Lord and Master: "Behold, two men stand by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." And St. Paul tells us that "the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God," which is sufficient to prove that He will come the second time.

The manner of His coming will be

1. Without sin: He was perfectly free from sin in His own person when He came the first time, He was holy, undefiled, separate from sinners: "In him there was no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Still, He came then in the likeness of sinful flesh: He" was made sin for us, that we may be made the righteousness of God in him." When He will come the second time there will not be the

least vestige of sin connected with His appearance. He will have shaken off all the marks of sin. No crown of thorns will then encircle His brow. No crimson gore will stain His face. No scourge, no cross, no nails, no spear will be allowed to approach His sacred person. Majesty, and glory, and honour, and power will be the accompaniments of His descent.

2. The object of His coming will be the salvation of His people. He will appear unto salvation. He will appear unto all, for every eye shall see Him, but only to His people will He appear unto salvation. He will appear to the condemnation, and utter confusion, and shame, and perdition of all others. He appeared the first time to work out salvation, but when He will appear the second time, that salvation will be consummated in the full deliverance of the bodies as well as the souls of His saints from sin, from death, and the grave.

3. We have finally the persons for whom He will appear unto salvation. "Unto them that look for him." This looking for him consists in five things. 1. Steadfast faith in his appearance. 2. A love for it as a thing which is most desirable and delightful, containing in itself everything that can give satisfaction. 3. A longing for it, or desire after it. 4. Patient waiting for it in the midst of all discouragements. 5. A preparation for it, that we may be ready and meet for His reception. Unto those who thus look for Him shall the Lord Jesus Christ appear unto salvation.

In conclusion, let us ask ourselves, "How will His second coming affect us?" We all have an interest in it. It concerns us all, for we must appear before Him at His second

coming. It will be either for joy or for sorrow for each present. Have we sufficiently thought of its importance to ourselves? Are we prepared, or unprepared to meet Him? If unprepared, His coming will only be the "beginning of sorrow" to us. If prepared, we shall rejoice and be glad at His appearance. Then shall we have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. There are two solemn considerations suggested by the text, which we would mention. The first is That Christ having offered Himself a sacrifice for sin once for all, never to be repeated; if we reject that one offering, there is no other way of salvation. The second is: That our probation for eternity will only last till death. It is appointed unto men once to die. That once must settle our eternal destiny. There will be no return to life to obtain another chance, and receive another offer. Once to die. There will be no change of disposition after that. The state in which death finds us will be our state in judgment, and our state in judgment will be our state for ever. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still."

14

The Second Sunday in Advent.

MORNING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Acts x.

Verse 43.-" To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

THE Centurion, Cornelius, was a Gentile by nation, and a Jewish proselyte by religion. There were two classes of proselytes among the Jews. The one called proselytes of the gate, the other called proselytes of righteousness. The former were uncircumcised, and were only allowed to worship in the outer court of the temple, being excluded from the full privileges of the Church, whilst the latter, after a certain number of generations, were fully admitted as Jews. Cornelius was of the former class. He is said to have been a devout worshipper of the living God, so that his prayers and his alms had ascended "for a memorial before God." In a vision he was instructed to send for Peter to be taught the way of salvation. Peter, in the meanwhile, was also instructed in another vision to visit the house of Cornelius, and preach unto him peace by Jesus Christ.

The text is a part of Peter's sermon in which he declares that Christ's sufferings, death, and resurrection were consistent with the Holy Scriptures, he being the person predicted by the ancient prophets: "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

We shall here observe, First, The blessing conferred; Secondly, The unlimited nature of the blessing; Thirdly, The medium through which the blessing is granted; and Fourthly, The testimony of the prophets respecting the way of communicating the blessing.

I. The blessing conferred: "Remission of Sins." Remission is to remove the guilt of sin, that the punishment of it may not be inflicted upon the sinner. Our forgiving injuries signifies our laying aside every inward grudge against the injurer, and endeavouring to render him good for evil. God alone can fully forgive sins in this way; and He does it eminently, so that not a vestige of it remains. Forgiveness or remission implies—

1. An offence, and consequently an offender. We have offended God. The offence is of the deepest dye-of the most heinous character. It is the sin of rebellion-of high treason against the highest authority; a sin which an earthly monarch would not pardon, but for which would inflict upon the offender the most rigid sentence of the law. The testimony of Scripture insists upon this in the most positive manner, and tells us that "there is none righteous, no not one." The greatness of the offence can only be conceived by considering the purity and holiness of God's character, against whom we have sinned. He is of "purer eyes than to behold evil, and can(not) look on iniquity." He is "not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with (him)." It is this purity of the nature of God that embraces the moral evil of an offence against Him, beyond anything that can be committed against sinful man. Hence arises the

greatness of His mercy in remitting sins. 2. Remission is a sovereign act-a pure act of grace and love. God is no debtor to man, otherwise the remission of his sins would not be an act of forgiveness but an act of debt on God's part. Considering that man has not merited pardon by any act of moral goodness which he has ever performed, or ever can perform, thereby placing God under an obligation to pass by his delinquencies, and to reward his good works, it will at once appear that remission is freely bestowed upon him "without money and without price."

3. Remission of sins with God is a complete and perfect act. When He forgives, He forgives all. He does not forgive the greater offences and omit the smaller ones; neither