of the soul and body; to be carried to the dark, and cold, and narrow grave; and to go into a world, from which no traveller has yet returned, to tell us where and what it is: all this is sufficiently sad and alarming, and if it were possible for us to escape it, what would we not give that we might do so? But, my beloved brethren, this is not the death of which JESUS CHRIST speaks; and terrible as it may be, it is nothing when compared with the second death. Every circumstance connected with that death is horrible beyond all that the heart of man can conceive : "fire "and brimstone, storm and tempest, shall "be their portion, who are condemned to it;" "" then they shall be punished with "everlasting destruction from the presence "of the LORD, and from the glory of his power;"" then they shall have their part "in the lake which burneth with fire and "brimstone, and which is the second death." That we shall never see this death, is the promise of JESUS CHRIST to those who "keep his saying;" and surely no motive could be offered to reasonable beings so strong, convincing, and affecting, as this, to rouse them to seek diligently after the will of the LORD, and to practise it when it is discovered. Behold, my brethren, the way is before you, the Bible is in your hands, the Saviour's arms are open to receive you, and salvation from the second death" is placed within your reach; for He, whose word is everlasting, and who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, hath declared," Verily, verily, I say unto you, "if a man keep my saying he shall never "see death." ན SERMON XXI. [For the Sunday next before Easter.] PHILIPPIANS ii. 7, 8. He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. IN N the verses of this chapter, which come before the epistle for the day, St. Paul exhorts the members of the church at Philippi to follow the example of JESUS CHRIST, in lowliness of mind and meekness of behaviour; in loving each other, and being at peace among themselves. In the following verses he shews the great dignity of that person, whom he had desired them to imitate; endeavouring to convince them, that if CHRIST JESUS, who was so exalted a character, had manifested these virtues in his own person, there could be no doubt that it was the bounden duty of his followers to do the same in their own cases. "Let "this mind, says he," be in you which "was in CHRIST JESUS, who, being in the "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 men; and being found in "fashion as a man, he humbled himself "and became obedient unto death, even the "death of the cross." When we read the Gospel for the day, and recollect the circumstances which took place in the city of Jerusalem during the week called Passion Week, on which we are just entered, we cannot fail of being struck with astonishment. To see the beloved Son of God, he who was "the brightness of his father's "glory, and the express image of. his per"son," exposed to shame, and scorn, and pain; buffeted, reviled, condemned, and crucified; and recollect, at the same time, that it was in his power to prevent all this; that he could have prayed to his Father, and have obtained more than twelve legions of angels, to rescue him from danger, and to revenge all the injuries which were inflicted on him ; we are naturally struck with wonder, and are ready to say with Nicodemus, "how can "these things be?" But, my brethren, "God's ways are not as our ways; neither "are his thoughts like unto our thoughts." The great plan of redemption required that all this should take place. The whole scheme. of prophecy made it necessary that all this should come to pass. From the fall of Adam, the promise had been made, that the Saviour should come to "bruise the ser"pent's head," and make that propitiation which the transgression of our first parents, and the sins of their posterity, had rendered necessary; and therefore it was, that CHRIST, of his own accord, suffered all these indignities and torments; willingly offered himself as a sacrifice for our iniquities; "made himself of no reputation, and became "obedient unto death, even the death of "the cross." The sufferings and sacrifice of CHRIST, viewed in this light, naturally give rise to. those observations, which will form the substance of the following discourse. In the first place, none of us, I should hope, require any argument to prove, that we and all mankind are sinners. Should any man deny it, it is only a proof, that he |