thus give evidence that they are, in deed and in truth, a saved people. His love, in proportion as it is realized in their hearts by faith, teaches them likewise to love one another, and to exercise benevolence to all men. When they understand the true nature of his spiritual kingdom, which consisteth not in external distinctions and forms, "but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost* ;" and that it is his great design to form to himself a people from amongst the nations of the earth, who shall be one body, enlivened by one and the same spirit, they acquire a large and comprehensive mind. They rise above the influence of names, parties, and divisions; are freed from the narrow views and interests of self; and " put on, as the "elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, humility, "meekness, long-suffering, forbearance, and forgive

nesst," in conformity to the pattern and will of their great Exemplar. Thus he speaks peace to them, and hushes all their angry, tumultuous passions into a calm.

Such is the spirit and tendency of the Gospel. Let us try ourselves by this touchstone, measure ourselves by this rule, and weigh ourselves in these balances of the sanctuary. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, have put off the old man, and are renewed in the spirit of their minds. If he be indeed your King, your consciences will bear you witness that you revere, imitate, and obey him. If he be your Saviour, you certainly must be sensible yourself, and others must observe, that you are different from what you once

were.

And if any of you should be convinced, that hitherto you have been a Christian only in name and in form,

*Rom. xiv. 17.

↑ Col. iii. 12.

VOL. IV.

T

but destitute of that which constitutes the life and power of real godliness, this will be a good beginning. For though it he high time that you should in good earnest attend to these things, blessed be God, it is not yet too late. He is a righteous and a gracious Saviour; seek him as such, and he will speak peace to you also. His sure promise is recorded for your encouragement, "Him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast "out*."

SERMON XII.

EFFECTS OF MESSIAH'S APPEARANCE.

ISAIAH XXXV. 5, 6.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.

How beautiful and magnificent is the imagery, by

which the prophet, in this chapter, represents the effects of MESSIAH'S appearance! The scene, proposed to our view, is a barren and desolate wilderness. But when he, who in the beginning said, "Let there be 'light, and there was light," condescends to visit this wilderness, the face of nature is suddenly changed by his presence. Fountains and streams of water burst forth in the burning desert, the soil becomes fruitful, clothed with verdure, and adorned with flowers. The towering cedars, which were the glory of Lebanon, and

* John vi. 37.

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the richest pastures, which were the excellency of Carmel, present themselves to the eye, where a little before, all was uncomfortable and dreary. How is it that so few of those who value themselves upon their taste, and who profess to be admirers of pastoral poetry in particular, are struck with the elegance and beauty of his description? Alas, we can only ascribe their indifference to the depravity of the human heart. They would, surely, have admired this picture, could they have met with it in any of their favourite authors; but descriptive paintings in this style, so exquisitely combining grandeur with simplicity, are only to be found in the Bible, a book which their unhappy prejudices and passions too often lead them to depreciate and neglect. But they who have a scriptural and spiritual taste, not only admire this passage as a description of a pleasing change in outward nature, but consider it as a just and expressive representation of a more important, a moral change, of which they have themselves been, in a measure, the happy subjects. The barren wilderness reminds them of the state of mankind by the fall, and of their own hearts before MESSIAH, the Sun of Righteousness, arose upon them with healing, with light, power, and comfort in his beams. In that memorable hour, old things passed away, and all things became new. The Lord, by shining into their hearts, and showing them his glory in the person of Christ, has created for them a new heaven and a new earth. The works of God around them in his creation and providence assume a different appearance. Before, they lived without him in the world; but now, they see his hand wherever they look, they hear his voice in every event; for now the principles of his grace are planted in their souls, and they are no longer barren

nor unfruitful, but are "filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to his praise*."

The verses which I have read exhibit the effects of MESSIAH'S power and goodness, by another image eqally pleasing. Not only the wilderness, but the inhabitants of the wilderness, partake of the virtue of the great Redeemer. He finds them in circumstances of distress, which he only can relieve. But when he comes, the blind receive their sight, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the dumb have voices given them to resound his praise. These mighty works, in their literal sense, marked his character, and confirmed his claims, when he was upon earth; and to these he himself appealed, in proof of his being the promised Saviour whom the prophets had foretold, and that no other was to be expectedt.

But the words have a still more sublime and important sense. As the great Physician, he cured all manner of bodily diseases and infirmities. But this was not the principal design for which he came into the world. The maladies to which sin has subjected the body, are but emblems of the more dreadful evils which it has brought upon the soul. He came to open the eyes of the mind; to make the obstinate will attentive and obedient to the voice of God; to invigorate our benumbed and paralytic faculties, that we may be active and cheerful in his service; and to open our lips that our mouths may show forth his praise. I have a good hope that I may warrantably say, "This day is this

Scripture fulfilled in your earst."

Some of you who

were once darkness, are now light in the Lord.

These different effects are produced by one simple,

* Phil. i. 11. + Matth. xi. 3-6.

+ Luke iv. 21.

but powerful operation. While Lazarus lay in the grave, all his natural powers were inactive. But when the voice of the Son of God restored him to life*, he was, of course, immediately enabled to see, to hear, to move, and to speak. Thus while we were spiritually dead, we were necessarily blind, deaf, dumb, and motionless, with respect to all the objects and faculties of that life of God in the soul, which is the perfection and honour of our nature. When we are made partakers of this life, by a new and heavenly birth, then our spiritual senses are brought into exercise; then the eyes of the blind are opened, to see the beauty and glory of divine truths; we hear the voice of God, we feel a liberty to walk and act in his service, and our tongues are taught to praise him. Here are four chief effects of a work of grace upon the heart, which distinguish believers from the rest of mankind.

And these effects are all to be ascribed to MESSIAH. For they are all wrought by the agency of his Holy Spirit. The gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which are absolutely necessary, as well for the perpetuating of his Gospel from age to age, as for making it efficacious and successful, are bestowed upon sinners wholly upon the account of his mediation. It was when " he as "cended on high and led captivity captivet," that he procured these blessings for "rebellious men, that the "Lord God might dwell among them." And it was only for his sake, and on the account of what he was to accomplish in the fulness of time, as intimated in the promise of the seed of the woman appointed to bruise the serpent's head, that there were any gracious communications afforded to fallen man, from the first enPsal. Ixviii. 18.

* John xi. 43.