to say of him, "Blessed is He that cometh "in the name of the LORD." "When the fulness of time was come," says St. Paul, "God sent forth his Son, "made of a woman, made under the law, to "redeem them that were under the law, "that we might receive the adoption of "sons. "As by one man's disobedience, "many" (or the race of mankind) "were "made sinners, so, by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous." "For "there is one GOD, and one mediator be"tween GOD and man, the man JESUS "CHRIST, who gave himself a ransom for "all, to be testified in due time;" "who was delivered for our offences, and raised "again for our justification;" "who hath "loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to GOD, 'for a "sweet smelling savour; who, also, hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God;" "there is therefore now no condemnation "to them who are in CHRIST JESUS, who "walk, not after the flesh, but after the "spirit." From these passages of scripture you perceive, that by the atonement of the Saviour, man hath been again put into pos session of the most valuable of those pri.. vileges which he lost by the fall. He could not, indeed, be restored to Paradise, because he had rendered himself unworthy of continuing there. Neither was he to be freed from pain, sickness, sorrow, and death, because the very act of sinning had connected these evils with his nature; but, he was rescued from the certainty of everlasting punishment, and placed in a situation to work out his everlasting salvation. This great purpose, however, was not the only one for which JESUS CHRIST was "manifested in the flesh." He came into the world, not only "to redeem us from "the curse of the law," but to "shew us "the path of life;" to point out to us the course we should take to please Gop, and "save our souls alive." He is "the way, "the truth, and the life." He has shewn us the way; declared to us the truth; and promised us eternal life, if we will believe in and obey him. That we might know all that it was necessary for us to do, in order to regain the happy immortality which we had forfeited through Adam's transgression, he delivered to mankind, in person, a full and clear account of a christian's duty. And that we might see how possible it was for man to perform all this, he descended from heaven, and sojourned among us, a man among men, shewing forth all the virtues, " and fulfilling all the duties, which he taught, in his own living example; and, what is still more, promising us his assistance, to make us capable of following his steps.' Every man, when he looks honestly into his own heart, which is inclined to evil continually; and considers seriously the power of those enemies by which he is surrounded,the world, the flesh, and the devil,-must feel convinced, that if he had nothing to depend upon but his own strength, for the performance of his duty, he would be utterly unable to fulfil it. But," blessed be He that "cometh in the name of the LORD!" we are not left to our own weakness and imperfection. The Saviour himself has engaged to be our helper. "My grace is sufficient "for thee," says the compassionate JESUS, to every sincere christian who is desirous of following his Saviour's.steps, but fearful that he should fail, through his natural infirmity, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty," saith the LORD GOD, to the humble soul that " yearns with a desire and longing" to lead a holy life, but feels, at the same time, the difficulties and obstacles that lie in his way. The faithful believer can now " do "all things through CHRIST that strength"eneth him ;" and when he is most oppressed with the sense of his weakness, may say with St. Paul, "I will glory in my infirmities, that the power of CHRIST may "rest upon me; for when I am weak, then "am I strong." But, my brethren, the benefits of CHRIST'S advent do not rest here, "Blessed is He "that cometh in the name of the LORD," for he not only maketh reconciliation with GOD for us, and furnishes us with help to work out our salvation, but he hath brought light and immortality to light through the "gospel," and given us the most positive assurance of inheriting the kingdom of heaven when we die, provided we qualify ourselves for so great a blessing, by a steady course of repentance, faith, and obedience, while we live here below. Till JESUS. CHRIST came into the world, the generality of mankind had no certain information of a future state. Even a great part of the Jews themselves were doubtful about this important point; and the other nations of the earth were as men without hope" beyond the grave, and looked upon death as the dreadful enemy that was to inake an entire end of their being. When, however, "the "Sun of Righteousness arose with healing "on his wings," he cleared up the clouds and darkness which hung over mankind. in this respect. He revealed to them the doc . trine of a future state; that there is "a "resurrection from the grave; a life ever"lasting;" a general judgment, at the last great day, when the souls of men shall receive sentence" according to the deeds done "in the body, whether they be good, or "whether they be evil;" a glorious heaven, in which is unspeakable happiness for the righteous and a terrible hell, where, to the wicked, "the worm dieth not, neither is "the fire quenched." This is the plain and solemn language in which CHRIST JESUS has declared these great truths to us. “I "am the resurrection and the life, he that "believeth in me, though he were dead, yet "shall he live; and he that liveth and be"lieveth in me, shall never die." "I came "down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me ; "that every one which seeth the Son, and. "believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last « day.” "Come, ye blessed of my father, "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from "the foundation of the world." Depart ་ from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." If these things" be so," "be so," my friends, what returns should we make for such great benefits and blessings conferred upon us? |