with human nature; and not with hunan nature as it first came out of its maker's hands, pure and perfect; but in its fallen and degraded state, subject to infirmities, disease, and death. Here was humiliation indeed. The word made flesh ! The Son of God making himself of no reputation, and found in fashion as a man! Let us consider, Thirdly, His sufferings as Man. Was ever any sorrow like unto his sorrow? Was ever any one a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, as He was? From the manger to the Cross, he was despised and rejected of men. "His visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men." Through the whole of his ministry he was contradicted, reviled, hated, by those among whom He went about doing good. While He was seeking their happiness, they were plotting his destruction; and at length, with merciless bands, and murderous hearts, they seized Him; brought him to trial; falsely accused him; clamorously demanded his blood, though the judge pronounced him to be innocent; got him to be unjustly condemned; mocked him, buffeted him; treated him with all possible indignity; and in the end, barbarously and shamefully put him to death. Let us consider this holy, harmless, patient sufferer enduring all these things; "led as a sheep to the slaughter, as a lamb dumb before his shearers, not opening his mouth."-Let us recollect who He was what glory and majesty were veiled beneath this persecuted form, and then call to mind, Fourthly, Why He thus endured these sufferings. It was not from want of power to have prevented, or to bave escaped them. He needed not to have come into this world, and to have exposed himself to all this indignity. His coming was altogether voluntary. He needed not to have yielded up himself into the hands of his enemies for by a word, or a look, he might, in moment, have destroyed them all. His sufferings were seen before hand. They were willingly met by Him. And why? For what purpose? To what end? That by them He might save us from suffering that by his obedience unto death, He might save us from death eternal: that by his precious blood-shedding He might atone for our sins, reconcile us to God, and open to us the kingdom of Heaven. This was the gracious purpose for which He humbled himself, suffered, and died on the cross; "that by His stripes we might be healed." Let us think then, : Further, of the great, the surprising, the amazing love, which filled his heart: love to poor, lost, miserable, guilty sinners to those, who were enemies to Him by wicked works; to those, who without his merciful interposition in their favour, must have perished for ever. But why need we speak of others? We, We who are here present, were the objects of his compassionate love, in giving Himself to die for us. We are some of those unworthy sinners, whom he came from heaven to save, and for whom He shed his precious blood. For our sakes He gave up Himself to Jews and Romans, to the high Priest and Pilate, that he might deliver our souls, and save us from going down into the pit. Have we ever seriously thought of these things? Have we ever seriously thought of the debt of love which we owe to Jesus for this his love to us? Have we ever seriously thought of the ungrateful return which we have made to Him, for all his mercies? How often, how long, how obstinately, have we taken part with his enemies, our sins and lusts, in opposition to Him; and have kept back from him our heart, which is all he asks for all his mercies? Let us lay these things to mind. Let us think of our ingratitude in keeping our hearts from Jesus, and in refusing to give up ourselves to him, who gave up himself for us. Let us think what will be'come of us, if we persist in rejecting his offers, and in neglecting his great salvation. Let us think, how we shall be able to endure his presence, to look him in the face at his appearing; if we now, perversely refuse to let him reign over us, and ungratefully slight his tender love that love, which now stands with open arms, ready to receive us that love, which pointing to his bleeding side, and mangled limbs, now tenderly exclaims, This, sinner, I endured for thee. Wilt thou * turn away from me, who, for thee," hid not my face, from shame and spitting ?" Wilt thou prefer thy lusts to me; those lusts, which nailed me to the cross? I am ready, even now after all that thou hast done, to receive thee graciously, to love thee freely. O, turn for I have redeemed thee. Come unto me, and I will give thee rest. May every heart among us be enabled to say, Lord, help me to come. Henceforth I am not my own, but thine. Shew me what thou wouldest have me to do, and do with me according to thy will.' : • unto me, < SERMON XIII. THE BROAD AND THE NARROW WAY: Enter ST. MATTHEW, VII. 13, 14. ye in at the strait Gate: for wide is the Gate and broad is the Way that leadeth to Destruction, and many there be which go in thereat because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it. : THE Bible is given us to be "a light unto our feet, and a lamp unto our paths." But it is both sad and surprising to think how little use is in general made of the light thus vouchsafed unto us. What numbers of persons are there, who pay no attention at all to the doctrines and precepts of Scripture, and are no more governed by the Bible, than if no such book was in being! How few, even among those who assent to the truths revealed, yet give any practical regard to them, or make any real and personal application of them, to their own particular cases and circumstances! The passage in the text contains several very weighty truths, addressed to all, interesting to all, and level to the capacities and understandings of all. Yet how often are the words heard, or read, and none of those deep impressions made, which the hearing or reading of them ought to make! It shall be my endeavour on the present occasion, to enforce these truths on our minds, and to lead us to use them in a profitable manner.May the Lord bless the endeavour, and dispose our hearts to receive and apply the truths in question to our present, and everlasting comfort! "Enter ye in : and broad is many there at the strait gate for wide is the gate, the way that leadeth to destruction, and be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." ness. The first great Truth, of which in these words of Christ himself we are reminded, is this; that there are but two states, in the one or in the other of which all mankind will at length, be finally and for ever fixed; namely, a state of misery, and a state of happiOur Lord, in the text, describes the two states, by the words, Destruction and Life. He speaks of these two, and of these two only. He says nothing of any third, or middle state. Those, who enter not into Life, will fall into Destruction. The Scriptures indeed, throughout agree in stating the same truth. They speak only of two things set before us, Life and Death. They mention only two places prepared to receive us, heaven and hell. They represent only two events, as awaiting us "He that believeth and is baptized;. shall be saved: he that believeth not, shall be damned." When the resurrection of the dead is spoken of, the same truth is still kept in view. There will be a Resurrection of life," and a "Resurrection of a Mark xvi. 16.. |