God's love, as the giving of His Son to die for us; especially, if we consider one endearing circumstance of this love of God which He commendeth towards us, namely, that it occupied the heart of God from all eternity, and was never interrupted in that vast duration. Our salvation through Christ is the fruit of that eternal love. Before the world began we were in the eyes; yes, engraven upon the heart of God. Well might the apostle say, that "God commendeth his love towards us," for as much as in common esteem He expressed greater love to us than to Christ Himself, for in giving Him to die for us He declared to us, that our salvation was more dear to Him than the life of His own Son: "God," says Burkitt, "repented that He made man, but He never repented that He gave His Son to deliver man."

The love of the Son also must have been infinitely greater, to submit with a voluntary response to be given for us. The love of the Father never imposed any compulsory incitement on the actions of the Son. The Psalmist in referring to this, says: "Then said I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; and thy law is written in my heart." He readily submitted to all, because an overwhelming stream of matchless love towards man urged Him forward even to death. It was "the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge."

2. It was an act of the most condescending self-denial. Not only did He love, but His love impelled Him forward to acts of self-denial which have not their parallel in the annals of history. It was an act of self-denial in Cadrus the King of Athens to disguise himself in the garb of a common soldier that he might be killed in battle to obtain the victory for his country; but that sinks into nothingness when compared with the self-denial of the "King of glory," who disguised Himself in the garb of humanity, that He might suffer death to obtain the victory over death and hell for His people. How rich in sublime sentiment are the expressions of St. Paul in reference to the fact: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he

was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." Again, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God! But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Being equal with God, He had a right to all the majesty, and glory, and adoration, to which God is entitled; yet, He humbled Himself. He not only became man, but man in his lowest estate. Not man in the splendour of rank, and the pageantry of power, but man in the degradation of poverty, and want, and destitution, and calumny, and pain, and torture. Nothing could exceed the extent of His selfdenial.

"He

3. It was an act of the most extreme devotedness. suffered the just for the unjust that we might be brought unto God." "Christ died for us." One thing which shows the extreme devotedness of Christ as exceeding that of all others was, that in His own original nature, He was by no means subject to death. In the case of one man dying for another, death is merely a question of time. The devoted person in his act of friendly kindness only forestalls his own natural dissolution a few months, or in the utmost a few years. Death must come sooner or later in some form or the other. And by this evidence of love he may save himself from much pain and trial that might be in store for him the remaining portion of his life. Not so Christ. In His original Divine nature there were no seeds of mortality. He is the everlasting Father, as well as the Prince of peace. Still He subjected Himself to death; not to an ordinary death; not even to a martyr's death. In that case the calm peace of His mind, fanned by the heavenly breezes of a smiling God, would have been His comfort and support in His expiring moments. Even that was denied Him. He must die the degrading, excruciating death of the cross, amid the hootings and insults of a rabble throng; and at the same time, to be

deprived of the soothing presence of His own Father. The expression, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" proves the extent of His destitution.

Then for whom was all this endured? "Christ died for us while we were yet sinners." We were neither good, nor righteous, but sinners of the blackest dye, sunk to the lowest depth of depravity, wallowing in the most filthy slum of corruption, and guilty of the most repugnant and grossest crimes. Yes, fellow-sinners, He died for you. Whatever be your condition! You may be a drunkard, a swearer, a liar, an adulterer, a thief, a murderer; you have cost the blood of the Son of God, and that blood is even now able to cleanse you from all your sins.

"Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree.”

374

Ascension Thursday.

MORNING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Luke xxiv.

Verse 51.-" And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."

We are now come to the last scene of our Lord's sojourn upon earth-the final act in the programme of His condescension, the winding up of the actual work in the plan of man's redemption. We have traced His footsteps through the course of His eventful life-from Bethlehem to Calvary, from the manger to the grave. We have seen Him lying in the stable, a despised and helpless babe. We have witnessed Him increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. We have looked upon Him buckling on His armour and entering the lists against the devil in the wilderness, having been baptized by John in Jordan. We have observed Him teaching the most remarkable doctrines, and working the most marvellous miracles. We have followed Him through Judea and Galilee, meeting with opposition, scorn, and persecution. We have noticed Him comforting the comfortless, helping the infirm, and soothing the brokenhearted with the accents of sympathy. We have accompanied Him to Gethsemane, where, bathed in tears and blood, He prayed to His Father in the agony of His soul. We have gone with Him to the hall of Caiaphas, and the court of Pilate, where He was falsely accused and unjustly condemned. We have mingled with the rabble throng, who sneered at Him and insulted Him when He ascended the mount of crucifixion bearing His cross, to which He was nailed, that He might suffer an ignominious death, being deserted by God, angels, and man. We have beheld Him taken from that cross and buried in the new tomb of Joseph, which was

firmly sealed, and carefully watched. We have seen Him conquering death in his own domain, and appearing again alive in the presence of His disciples. Now, we come to look upon Him as a mighty conqueror (having cast away the instruments of strife, and washed off the stains of the battle) mounting His triumphal car, and, amidst acclamations of joy, taking possession of His eternal kingdom.

This is a glorious subject; one that has impressed angels, one that has impressed "the spirits of just men made perfect;" one that has impressed holy men upon earth; and one that ought to impress us. It affects heaven, it affects earth, it affects hell. It affects heaven with joy and praise; it affects earth with consolation and hope; it affects hell with trembling and horror.

In directing your attention to the subject we may regard, First, The fact; Secondly, The circumstances; and, Thirdly, The results of our Saviour's ascension.

I. We shall notice the fact of Christ's ascension.

This fact is a part of our creed, without which our faith would not be perfect. It is "as a nail fastened in a sure place," on which hangs "all the glory of His Father's house," and on which hangs all the glory of our belief.

We receive this fact, as all others respecting our Saviour, upon the evidences of good, of faithful, of upright, and of infallible witnesses, on the testimony of whom we can rely, because they were proved to be what they professed to be.

The Evangelists are remarkably concise in their account of the ascension. St. Matthew and St. John are perfectly silent on the question. St. Mark and St. Luke merely refer to it as a fact, without any comment as to the circumstances of the case. St. Mark says, "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God." St. Luke, in his Gospel, says, "And he led them out as far as to Bethany; and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he