tor dies, and we behold the accomplishment of every minute prophecy. In the Old Testament we see the great high priest under the law, entering in within the vail, with the blood of others. In the New Testament we see the great High Priest of our profession, Jesus Christ the righteous, entering with his own blood, once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us. If without shedding of blood there is no remission, upon Mount Calvary we behold this sentence of the law fulfilled. The blood of the true Paschal Lamb is shed! The full atonement for sin is made! The debt which the sinner had incurred is paid; the prisoner is set free. Here is the death of the Testator: and when he dies, to mark the signal importance of his death, the vail of the temple is rent in twain from the top to the bottom. The earth quakes. The rocks are rent. The graves are opened. The bodies of many saints arise. And all these events stamp a value upon the legacy which He who thus died, surrounded with events out of the common course of nature, was to leave. He left a testament called the New Testament in his blood.

2ndly. What then does Jesus Christ, thus dying bequeath to his disciples? Here is a point of no ordinary importance to every man who calls himself by the christian name. What, he may well ask, are the benefits which I am to receive by the death of Christ? And how am I to receive them ? What are my prospects in this world? What are the promises which shall be fully made good to me in the next? The first great benefit is unquestionably that which paves the way to the reception of every other-the pardon of sin. In the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we seem to find that reconciliation with our heavenly Father effected, which had been the longing wish and earnest desire of the faithful under the Old Testament. Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more," says psalmist : "I will cast all your sins behind my back." Thus our blessed Lord is emphatically represented as blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us; taking it out of the way, having nailed it to his cross. Another blessing which he bequeaths to us is "Peace." Peace with God; eace of conscience; peace with one ano

the

ther.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." Under this blessed character we behold him as the days-man in the book of Job, or the Mediator standing between two parties who were at enmity, and reconciling them to one another. He leaves to his church on earth, through the efficacy of faith in his blood, reconciliation adoption into the family of God. The influence of the Holy Spirit to open the heart at first, and to make all these other gifts appear in their true colours; and by the same spirit the disciple of Jesus Christ is led day by day into a growing conformity to his image and true holiness. He goes onward from grace to grace. He looks

more to heaven as his home. His affections become more and more alienated from this world, and more devotedly set upon those things which are above. He looks through every gift to the gracious Giver! He reads again and again, with increasing earnestness, the Testament, and thanks the merciful Testator. He spreads, as it were, the wings of faith, and would expand every blessing, that others, who as yet see not, might receive the benefit.

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other parts which were quite plain, how would men read, search, examine, and make full inquiry into the real meaning of the passage. They would take the best opinion which the learned could give. We would venture to say, Do the same, in humility of mind, by the Bible. It is, generally speaking, so plain, that a child who runs may read; so clear, that a wayfaring man, though he be a fool, shall not err therein but at the same time there are passages, in which, as the apostle Peter expresses it, "there are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unstable and unlearned wrest to their own destruction." The humble inquiring mind will never be lost in conjecture, nor will it be suffered to continue in ignorance, nor to wander in the paths of error. The meek will he guide in judgment. The meek will he teach his way. Every blessing that God can bestow will be vouchsafed to the man who opens his Bible with a real wish to be instructed. The Testament sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ will be found to contain pardon, peace, and reconciliation with God. To this end, our blessed Lord, before his

death, instituted two sacraments: baptism, by which we are admitted into his church; and the Lord's Supper, by which a continual remembrance is kept alive of his dying love. These are to the Christian signs and seals of divine mercy. They are outward signs of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof. In these ordinances we have every confirmation of the truth of our holy religion; every sign and seal of the love of God to sinful man. There is nothing wanting but for us to receive with gratitude the benefit designed for us.

We would therefore in conclusion say, Behold the mercy of God in the dying love of Jesus Christ. Here behold the counsel of Omnipotence graciously carried into effect. "Lo! I come to do thy will, O God," says the patient sufferer; "I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart." Jesus Christ came into the world; for our sake he emptied himself of his glory, he became obedient unto the law for man, obedient unto death, even the death of the