Again His amazing love appears, in having condescended to take upon himself the nature of his brethren. Behold him, believer, lying in a manger, among the beasts, that he might save the brute, man.

66

Another thing which the Apostle dwells upon in the text is, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died." The sacrifice was a consequence of his covenant engagement. It is equally a proof of the Father's love, as it is of the Son's; and mark, with what unrivalled wisdom the apostle deduces from this truth a most powerful inference, eliciting therefrom the sublimest principle, as well as the sublimest practice. He fixes Christ in all his dying love as a motive, on the believer's heart, to walk in love in the midst of his brethren. "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour." 1 Oh! think what a motive for love would this be among believers, in their intercourse with each other, if they were all filled with a sense of the dying love of Jesus! The apostle again says, "husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church."

1 Ephesians v. 1, 2.

Another striking proof of Christ's love to his church, is this, that he unites her to himself. Hear what he says by his prophet; for he speaks by his prophets, as he speaks by his apostles, "I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord."1 "Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed neither be thou confounded for thou shalt not be put to shame for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called."2 Fear not, therefore, trembling believer, the enemies that surround you. If the enemies of the church triumph, they must triumph over Jesus. Again let us consider the love of the Holy Spirit, the apostle speaks of it. This love is manifest in convincing the sinner of his sins; bringing home the law with power to his heart; true it is, that He often distresses the heart with a view of its own sin; but it is in love to shew

1 Hosea ii. 19.

2 Isaiah liv. 4, 5.

that heart, that there is no happiness to be found in any but Himself.

Again the Holy Spirit not only begins the work, but he carries it on; "he shall glorify me;" he shall take of Christ's and shew it unto us; no one but himself can do this. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 But he gives a foretaste of it to his

church.

Again Christ unfolds his love to his church by enabling her to believe his promises in the midst of her trials. Has God promised? he must cease to be God, if he do not fulfil that promise. Every thing is promised that the church stands in need of. She has no enemies, no difficulties which were not foreseen; and these have all their appropriate promises: 66 my God shall supply all your need." He not only gives to the believer faith in the promise, but, again, he leads the believer to a throne of mercy to plead the promise. My brethren, how do you pray? do you merely repeat your prayers by rote, and are they given to the winds? or are you in the habit of closely scrutinizing your own wants, and laying them before God, and then looking for an answer?

11 Cor. ii. 9.

Again the Holy Spirit convinces us of his love by shedding abroad in our hearts, the love of the Father, of the Son, and of Himself.

To apply the subject. It is the perfection of his love and work to teach the soul to love God. The believer looks up to God that he would carry on the work of grace daily in his heart, and so complete it to the day of the Lord. The Holy Spirit dwells in the soul of every believer as a "well of water, springing up into everlasting life."

Again it teaches the believer the discharge of his duties, both to God and man. Alas! there are some who are disposed to laugh at duties; but that laugh proceeds from hell. The Holy Spirit shews the believer, as well, what are blessings, what are privileges, and what duties.

Lastly where the Holy Spirit is in the soul, he is there as a seal; and, with the testimony of his own word, he teaches his people that they are loved of God; and he remains in them, a pledge and earnest of that inheritance, which fadeth not away, and which is eternal in the heavens.

SERMON XXVI.

September 24, 1822.

ON CHRISTIAN PATIENCE.

In your patience possess ye your souls.-LUKE

XXI. 19.

OUR Saviour, when he was going to leave this world, presented his disciples with a long catalogue of the evils that awaited them and this is one proof among others of the truth of the religion of the gospel. Mahomet bequeathed to his disciples a paradise in which was promised every delight which could gratify the corrupt passions of man; but the Saviour leaves a catalogue of all the calamities that mankind could inflict he enumerates them in the twelfth, sixteenth, and seventeenth verses, "they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause