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1st. What is it "to behold the Lamb of God?"

2nd. In what manner does he take away the sin of the world?

These questions, if answered by the light of Scripture, will induce us to bless and praise Almighty God for his great goodness, in appointing such a sacrifice for

sin.

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1st. To behold any object clearly, our eyes must be opened, and our attention directed towards it. The more valuable we conceive it to be, the greater will be our interest in looking towards it. John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, who came in the spirit and power of Elias, saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." And again, to show the deep impression which the presence of Christ made upon the mind of John; the next day he stood, and two of his disciples, and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God."

There was something, doubtless, in the outward appearance of our blessed Lord which commanded respect. If his word

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was with power, his demeanour plainly indicated his majesty and glory. But as a partaker of our flesh and blood, as stooping to the low estate of poverty in which he was brought up, he had no form nor comeliness, he had no beauty that we should desire him. Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty should be made rich.”

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2nd. To behold the Lamb of God, we must regard him as he really was, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. We must believe in him, for the salvation of our souls; we must depend wholly upon him for safety, and must cheerfully commit every important interest to his charge. We must love him; for it is a mark of real Christianity to love the Saviour who has shed his own blood for us. Whom having not seen, the apostle," we love; in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." "We love God, because he first loved us, and gave his Son to be a propitiation for our sins." The love of Christ for sinners was the extreme point of pure affection. “Greater love hath no man than this, that

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a man lay down his life for his friends." But before we can really be said to love any

particular object, we must make some acquaintance with it, or hear of some peculiar faculties which may endear it to us. It is thus with the love of him who redeemed us. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him." And that revelation of mercy in the Gospel comprises so much, that we are lost in wonder, admiration, and gratitude, when we attempt to meditate upon it. For do we consider what we were by nature? lost, sinful, disobedient; do we recollect what we are by practice? alienated from God by wicked works, daily adding to the score of our transgressions, without one hope of reconciliation but as God is pleased to reveal the

way in which that reconciliation is to be attained. Do we ask in this situation, Where is the friend? Where is the brother born indeed for adversity? Where is the intercessor? Where the advocate? Where the atoning, all-sufficient sacrifice? The answer to all these questions is contained in the text, "Behold the Lamb of

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God, who taketh away the sin of the world!" To him Abraham looked; to him the psalmist pointed; to him the prophets had respect; typical of him were the paschal lamb and the priests' offices; even Balaam could say “I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh." Throughout the whole of the Bible he says, Behold me, behold me!" to a nation that was not called by his name. Or do we open the New Testament! The apostles rejoice to make known the mercy which is contained in every part of this great work of salvation. One declares that he is a sacrifice for his sin, and not for his only, but also for the sins of the whole world; another declares, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is a propitiation for our sin." And Christ himself, to stamp the exalted nature of this principle of love, says, that that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The almighty and ever-blessed God, then, offers this salvation freely, without money and without

up,

THE LAMB OF GOD.

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price. The Saviour points to it himself in his conversation with Nicodemus : Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life;" and again, just before his crucifixion, “I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." We all know that many of the wounded Israelites would not look to the brazen serpent, and they perished! Why? because they rejected the means appointed by God for healing their poisonous malady ! We all know that the Jews have been, and are to this day, dying in unbelief; plainly because they will not come unto Christ, that they might have life. We all know, that the great Jewish lawgiver, Moses, was shut out of the earthly Canaan. Why? because he did not exercise faith in the Lord Jehovah! He struck the rock We when he should have spoken to it. know that the Lord rejected Saul from being king over Israel, because he was disobedient to his commands, he was slow in doing what was commanded, and hasty in rushing upon things forbidden; I mean, he

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