not. 66 "He already almost become alight in the burning; of Saul of Tarsus, and the impure Corinthians, and the idolatrous men of Ephesus, and the fierce gaoler, and the gentle Lydia, and the judge Dionysius, and the slave Philemon; all of whom are patterns to them which shall hereafter believe in his name, that he is able to save. And then, once more, consider the purpose and practice of his endless life.. is able to save," says our text, "seeing he ever liveth to make intercession." Where, in what far off star, in what local and material sanctuary he doth in his human nature keep the state of heavenly royalty, and sit as "a priest upon his throne," I know There are many mansions in the Father's universe, and in one most fitted for his glory does he now abide, expecting the promised kingdom. It is not necessary for us to speculate, whether, in the very accents of that familiar voice which, by the simple utterance of her name, did awaken up such recollections of the past in Mary at the sepulchre, that breathless in joy and surprise, she could only cry, Master," that is, whether in his human voice he makes intercession. Why not? Rabboni, for he is clothed there in the same flesh and bones which ate, and spake, and moved, and could be touched by the Apostles, and was like their own in all things but its bloodlessness and independence of the laws of matter. He is clothed in this still, but it is a real intercession, an intercession which, by the tenderness and experience of our merciful high priest, extends to all our important interests and wants. He was Love-speaking, pitying, labouring, suffering on earth, and He is Love still-pitying, serving, pleading in heaven. The ransom which he paid upon the cross has reality and virtue, by the application of its benefits through his prayer upon the throne. He is in the midst of it "as a lamb slain," as one who remembers his passion, and who perfects its results in the individual soul by his activities there. Witness the marvels of the day of Pentecost; witness the noble army of martyrs and confessors who have passed to heaven, like Manoah's angel, in a shroud of fire, "doing wondrously" in agony, because they did know his sympathy, did taste his gracious considerateness, did find his prayers mingling with their own in the consciousness of faith, in the experience of replies, did see a form like unto the Son of God walking with them in the burning fiery furnace. So that, like the old Fathers of the Church, they could call their fetters bracelets of beauty and honour, and their shame glory, and their cross a "light yoke." here? And are there no witnesses to this great truth Oh! I trust that there are many, many who have made trial of his ability, many who, by the yearnings aud actings of their own heart, have been desirous to put that ability to the test, who have ventured confidence in his merit, who have cast themselves upon his mercy, never doubting his sympathy and will, but simply saying, "He is able to save," because "having died unto sin once, he ever liveth to make intercession." Why doubt, sin-stricken, harrassed spirit within me, whether he can save thee? Make the venture, cling to him, and if perish you must, perish there. But perish, how can this be? For note the further assurance in the text, "He is able to save to the uttermost." II. What limitation dares one place on the word "uttermost ?" Regard it first as a note of time, as stretching from the first moment to the last moment, in that parenthesis of a few thousand years for man's probation and education, in which is laid the scene of the earthly history of his race. other; from its birth to its death; from its dawn to its evening in the day of salvation. He is able to save from one extreme of time to the Count backwards times, epochs-pass through the dark valley of the past, to him who first trod amidst its shadows, and tasted its chill and cheerlessness, immediately he fell. Count forward times, epochs. Nay, that we cannot do, for who dare build on hours and days which may never be? the uttermost moment and ministry of grace, when trial and opportunity are just But, still, pass onward, in thought, to about to give way for ever to glory and reward,-pass in thought to Him who will be the uttermost and last to make test of, and rejoice in Christ's salvation in that last hour of the world, when, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold," and the very virgins that are to go out to meet him who comes for a bridal day with his redeemed spouse, shall fall into slumbers and keep no vigils for his advent-pass to Him who will be the last exception to the multitude, the last living contrast in the general death-from that past uttermost, when the first promise gave hope to the trembling pair, to that last uttermost, when the angels will sing their last song over the last sinner that repenteth-and between these two extremes in salvation's day, through shifting dispensations and varying lights, through the twilight of that by-gone Judaism, and in each stage of the advancing brightness of the Christian church, "shining more and more unto a perfect day," there are, there will be, tokens of the same experience, the experience of his ability to save. Look backward to the time when the morning of the day of salvation revealed had scarce broken, and men walked by the twinkling stars of type and promise, and in the moonlight of the pascal feasts. To Him as the Sun of righteousness, to arise with healing in his wings-to his cross, as the common centre of life, patriarch aud prophet looked. Some did stand eagerly and confidently on the tiptoe of hope, and upon the highest hill of promise, and had visions, on the other side of the horizon, which careless spirits did not see, such as Abraham, who saw Christ's day, and who seeing it was glad. If we rejoice in one able to save who has come, they did also hope, at times almost against hope, for one able to save who would come. Lift up the veil of prophecy! See the distant view of the latter days! Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God." And why? "He shall be lifted up, and all men shall be drawn unto him." And thus, for the putting the uttermost shock into the garners of God, to accomplish the number of his elect, and hasten his kingdom,' "He is able to save the uttermost." Regard the word as bearing upon the distinctions in the classes and civilisations of men. What differences, mental, moral, social, obtain amongst mankind, yea, what differences physical! What a chasm between European refinement and savage rudeness-between the enlightenment of the West and the darkness which is in the corners of the far East-between the child of modern civilisation and the child of the islet of the South Pacific! But the Gospel of the Lord can bridge over that chasm ; and, amidst all distinctions of climate, of colour, and civilisation, bring out the exact features of a common brotherhood,—the unity of idea which runs through the new creation, the moral creation of the Church,-just as a unity of idea also runs through all the classes of the old-the organic creation-that is the unity of the Spirit, in the bonds of a common spiritual life, which can bind man to man from the extremest point of social life, just because it is the Gospel of Jesus, who is "able to save to the uttermost." And so we say, Oh! Church of our fathers, Church of our choice, "lift up thy voice, lift it up, be not afraid," proclaim every where that thy Master is "able to save to the uttermost." No matter the depth of that darkness in which the Ruler of the darkness of this world may have shrouded souls, no matter how vile or how fascinating the image or the ideal of the god, how rude or how rich the altar, no matter how degraded the poor victim who worships before them, the Gospel of the cross can work its marvels of light into the grossest darkness; and altar and god shall moulder in the dust, and the poor slave they enchained be raised to the liberty and dignity of a child of the Holy Father in heaven, by the power which is promised to the simple teaching of the truth, which is not for man, but for mankind,-"Jesus is able to save to the uttermost." And so we have but one message for all the shades of classes and character which checquer the face of our social life at home. To the rich, that we may humble and hallow wealth, to the poor, that we may comfort and cheer and hallow poverty, we preach Christ crucified," Jesus able to save to the uttermost," because, before and above all other moral forces which can be applied to raise, or govern, or educate for the highest progress the lower classes in the social scale, or unite in fraternal responsibilities and in links of love all classes-because, above and beyond all human forces, we just believe in Christ "the power of God," and above and beyond all other sources of human enlightenment and knowledge, we just believe in Christ "the wisdom of God." But individual life, the history of each man's life has its uttermost point, its crisis for eternity, its awful instant, when there is but a step between the man and death. Oh! in that awful moment, can the soul that has cast Him aside wilfully for so many years find Him able to save even up to that uttermost? Take an instance; the Bible supplies one that none may despair, and but one that none may presume." Amidst the reproaches of the crowd and the mad violence of the priests, one voice of prayer, one appeal for mercy reached the ear of the dying Jesus. Partner in crime with him who hung upon the other side of that central cross, he had for some time, as we gather, been a partner in his profane taunts, for it is written, "They that were crucified with him reviled him." But a change comes over the hardened criminal. The reviler suddenly rebukes the reviling: "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation, and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss." Did not the heart open out in these Brethren, you know how that holy Sufferer forgot his torture before that appeal, and put forth his power and love to save to the uttermost: "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' And when agony and the cruelty of the soldiery had wrung out life from the agonized frame, sweetly, sweetly did he fall asleep in Jesus. See the criminal at his very uttermost, pardoned, saved. In the morning a felon in chains, in the evening a saint in white. In the morning handled of soldiers, in the evening nursed by angels. In the morning in the slavery of fierce passions, in the evening in the freedom of heavenly love. In the morning crucified, in the evening crowned. One hour sobbing out his first sigh of sudden penitence; the next hour singing the first song of his endless anthem of praise. Oh, blessed Jesus! When thou wert weak, then thou wert strong; when vanquished by death then thou couldst give life; thou didst take a soul from the cross of a condemned criminal to "able to save the throne of a redeemed saint. Therefore, we will proclaim that because thy power doth equal thy love, and thy love doth govern thy power, that thou art to the uttermost. Now, once more, is there an uttermost in point of madness and maturity in sin, to which His ability to save cannot reach? Here, again, I appeal to fact in the history of his earthly ministry, which was intended to promise and to illustrate the virtue of his heavenly life. Call to mind the scene in Simon's house. The woman that came softly to his feet, as he sat down at the Pharisee's table, as Luke tells us, was a sinner. Vulgar fame and that hard world which deals so harshly with the outcast, because of her lost virtue, and yet smiles upon, and admits into all circles, the mean, selfish, and cowardly creature-almost, to my mind, the most despicable on God's earth, who seduced her by his false flatteries, and then cast aside heedlessly the poor victim, as a child throws away a spoiled play thing-vulgar fame and that hard world, no doubt truly, justly, and with the finger of scorn, had pointed to her, branded her as a sinner. Depend upon it she had tasted the misery of that death in life which is always felt by those who live in sinful pleasure, that sense of degradation, that agony of remorse, that self-hatred, that intense desire to escape from the hated yet continued sin, while all the time escape seemed impossible, hopeless. Depend upon it, too, she had tasted the agony of a woman's broken heart. And, now, Love, Divine Love, had deepened the wounds which human scorn and human cruelty had gashed there, deepened only to heal; and she comes to Jesus. Note her deep humility. The greatest sinner becomes the meekest suppliant-she stood at the feet of Jesus. Note well her painful shame-she stood at the feet of Jesus, behind him. And she must "And it is not the voice now, but the eyes, that give expression to the heart's fulness" -she stood behind him weeping, and washed his feet with her tears. dry them, too, and she takes her hair for this purpose, as slaves were wont to do, when washing their master's feet. And, then, that touch, draws out her heart to venture upon kissing his feet. And, then, the box of precious ointment is not forgotten, that alabaster box which, if not the wage of iniquity, she had misapplied to vanity and shameful lusts. In her deep reverence and worship she pours the offering upon his head. And whence this humility, these tears, this kiss, this love? Oh! she had already heard words of mercy in the street, and in the byway, from him who is able to save to the uttermost-mercy to her whom hard men and worldly scorn If not actually, yet spiritually, she had conversed had thrust aside as a poor outcast. with him who can bind up broken hearts, and who, as we sung to-night, though he can tell in his majesty the number of the stars, does not scruple to dispense, from his hospital of grace, medicine to heal the sickness of the human spirit. Because she loved much she had much forgiven her. And, thus, under this picture of his tenderness and power, he has bid us write that he is "able to save to the uttermost, the very uttermost of sin which may have flung us from him as outcasts-to the very to uttermost of remorse, when it has well nigh stiffened us into the death of despairto the uttermost of wickedness, when evil habit is as hard to change as the leopard's spot-to the uttermost of indifference, when the conscience seems as deaf to the voice of rebuke as the dead man's ear to the passionate cries of love. I confess, that it seems hopeless to us sometimes that "uttermost." We would fain turn aside sometimes and pass where our ministry of truth can tell. No, no; never let us shut the door of mercy against a single sinner. The times and the tides of the living waters which give life, wherever they come are not under our control. We dare not speak of remediless obstructions to their flow when God has made none. We watch, and wait, and work, and pray, because Jesus "is able to save to the uttermost." And, in all confidence, that the glad tiding may be made the power of salvation to all who hear it, we will proclaim it to all--aye, even to the greatest traitor to conscience and Christ, if we could cross his path, hasting in his remorse like Judas to a hopeless death, or springing from the bridge to find a watery grave in the river stream. Dear brethren, this is our message to you. And if this power to save to the uttermost does not touch you, save you, it is because the limit is not in the Saviour who has the right to exercise it, but in you. The only limit in my text, is this: "He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him." To come unto him is to come unto God, for this is the chain of steps in eternal life, "we are Christ's and Christ is God's." And, then, he who would know, in his own soul, Christ's ability to save, must come to him; of course not actually but spiritually-come unto him in one of those wonderful translations of human spirits which faith accomplishes as, it takes them within the veil, and gives substance to what is hoped for, and evidence of what is unseen,-translations which make a man, as Paul says, to "see Him who is invisible," come to Him as the needle to the magnet, drawn by the attraction of his mercy,— come to Him as the disciple to the teacher, learning under his secret teaching,--come to Him as a patient to the physician, to tell of agony and entreat aid,—come to Him as a sinner to his Saviour, yearning for salvation, come to Him as an angel to his God, reverencing, loving, adoring, serving. Yes, come to him spiritually, as Mary did really, sitting at his feet on choice of the good part, come to him spiritually, as Nicodemus did really, seeking light upon the inner darkness,come to Him spiritually, as the penitent woman did really, loving, weeping much, because much had been forgiven her,come to Him spiritually, as John did really, leaning with the repose of trust upon his bosom and feeding upon his living bread which he gives. "The Spirit and the bride say come." Our ministry is just the invitation, "Come." And the Church in her sacraments and her ordinances, in which the Lord Jesus does most surely abide, says," Come." And what mean we by these special services in this noble building, but just to have occasion to say, "Come," to you who, perhaps, have never heard of his ability to "save to the uttermost," never heard that there is One upon the throne above, who has remembered you, though all the while you have forgottem him-One who would not have you left in the vineyard of this Christian country fruitless, a cumberer of the ground, waiting for that axe which must be laid some day to the barren root of all dead trees-One who lives to make intercession for them that come unto God by him, that is, for me, for you. Be it so with all of us; be it so with you, my brethren and my sisters in the Lord; and then to you in all time of our tribulation, in that awful uttermost, "in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment," He, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,-He, the good Lord who is able to save, will hear your prayers, deliver you as you intreat, and seal that deliverance at once, by granting you peace unspeakable and prophetic of glory. Exeter Ball Sermons. THE PRODIGAL SON. PREACHED ON SUNDAY EVENING, JANUARY 31, 1858, BY THE REV. JOSHUA C. HARRISON. "And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."-LUKE XV. 20. In the account which is given us of the creation of the world, in the first chapter of Genesis, we read, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." It is in consequence of this resemblance which man bears to his Maker, that he is able to understand God at all; for you will at once perceive that if we were totally unlike our Creator, if we had no attributes in common with Him, He must remain to us for ever unknown. No words could convey to us the remotest idea of what He was, because words are only the signs of things we know; and if there were a world or a being entirely dissimilar to this world and every creature upon it, we should find that language was quite powerless to give us any intelligible description of them. Now, however, we learn from the word of inspiration, that man was formed the likeness of the Eternal; and, learning this, we at once reach the exhilarating conclusion, "Then it is possible for me to know God." Our knowledge, indeed, must still be very imperfect, for the finite can never fully comprehend the Infinite; but He is not veiled in utter darkness; we form some dim notion of his attributes, we do not worship "an unknown God." Wisdom, thought, love, truthfulness, joy, purity, personality, all in measure belong to us; to Him, without and beyond measure; and hence, the higher we rise in intelligence, purity, and love, the more capable do we become of comprehending Him who yet, in the fulness of his Godhead, passeth human knowledge. In like manner, you must have observed that, in the Bible, our earthly relationships are all used as illustrations of the relationship in which God stands to us; and just as among men one and the same person may sustain several distinct and independent relationships, so we find does God. He is Owner, Upholder, Teacher, Ruler, Father, and it is only by combining the various ideas conveyed by such words that we obtain any complete or adequate conception of the relationship which God bears to man. Two of these ideas, however, are perhaps more frequently dwelt on than the rest. He is our Father, for He called us into existence, and naturally looks on us with deepest interest, and feels for us the tenderest love. He is our Sovereign, for He knows that well-being depends on righteousness, and that only as He maintains a law of absolute holiness can creatures constituted as we are be noble or happy. Now, as long his intelligent creatures perfectly observe this law, as long as they are obedient and pure, so long the two |