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contend and fight against the fiery billows, where there is no creature, in heaven or in earth, to hold you by the hand? Oh! my friends, it is because you are blind, that you have no fears. Christ saw all that is before you, and it made him tremble; you do not see it, and therefore you do not tremble. You can be happy, and smile, and sleep, and enjoy yourselves; but your day of trembling is at hand. Ah! woe is me! how will you stand upon the shore of that fiery sea? how you will hang back, and wish that you had some one to hold you by the hand; but it will be all in vain. Oh! that you were wise, that you would remember your latter end, that you would consider this.

3. Learn God's great hand in Christ's work. When a father guides his child through some dark part of the road, or through some rapid stream, holding him by the hand, this shows that the father is interested in the journey of the child; so, when God says, "I will hold thee by the hand," this shows that God has a great hand in Christ's work. In writing, if you hold the child's hand, and guide the pen, then you have a great hand in the writing. Just so did God hold the hand of the Saviour. The work is God's as much as Christ's. Oh! that we might give him all the glory! Remember, he will not give his glory to another.

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III. God gave Christ for a covenant: "I will give thee for a covenant of the people." God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish." "Herein is love; not that we loved God." God not only provided the Saviour, and upheld him, but he gave him, gave him away, to be a covenant Saviour of the people, and a light to lighten the Gentiles. When Abraham bound his son Isaac upon the altar, and lifted up the knife to strike, this was giving away his son at the command of God. This is just what God did. He took his son out of his bosom, and gave him away to be bound, to be a covenant Saviour of the people. There are not more wonderful words in the whole Bible than these; "I will give thee." "God spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up to the death for us all." The Son was infinitely dear to the Father. God cannot but love that which is perfectly holy and beautiful. Now, such was Christ. From all eternity there had been the outgoings of love and infinite admiration from the bosom of the Father towards his well-beloved Son. Canst thou part with me? Canst thou give me up to the garden and the cross? "I will give thee." Sinners were infinitely vile in the sight of the Father. God cannot but hate that which is enmity and rebellion to himself. "He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." How loathsome and hateful this world must have been in his eyes, where every heart was enmity against him! Canst thou give me up for such sinners, for the sake of such vile worms! "Yes, I will give thee.” 1. Learn the intense love of God for sinners. He spared not

his own Son. Herein is love. He loved the happiness of his Son; but he loved the salvation of sinners more. He loved to have his Son in his bosom; but he loved more to have sinners brought into his bosom. He cast out his Son, in order to take us in. Oh! sinner, how will you escape, if you neglect so great a salvation?

2. Learn that God must have the glory of this. He will not give his glory to another. Some awakened persons look to God as an angry, inexorable judge; but to Christ as a smiling Saviour, that comes between us and an angry Father. Now, remember, you will never come to peace as long as you think this. This is robbing God of his glory. You must believe in Christ and believe in God. God wishes you to honor the Son even as you honor the Father; but not more than you honor the Father. You will never come to peace till you look to Christ as the gift of God, till you see that the heart of God and Christ are one in this matter, till God open a window in his breast, and show you the love which provided, upheld, and gave up the Son.

IV. God gave Christ for a light: "I will give thee for a light." It is God that causes the sun to rise every morning, so that the dark shades of evening are scattered before him; so it is God that makes Christ rise upon the soul of a sinner.

1. By nature, men have blind eyes. They do not know the beauty of Christ. They read of him in the Word, hear him preached; talked of; they see no form nor comeliness in him; no beauty that they should desire him. They have eyes, but they see not. 2. By nature, men are bound in prison. They serve divers lusts and pleasures; they are bound to selfishness and pride, and luxury, and lust; these things compass them about as with a chain. 3. By nature, men sit in a dark prison-house. They are bound, but do not see that they are bound; they do not see their misery; they sit-they do not strive to get free, but sit contented and happy in their darksome dungeon. Oh! unconverted souls, what a picture this is of your condition! Blind-in prison-contented in the dark dungeon. You will say, I feel it not; I am contented and happy. Ah! does not this just show that this word is true: You are blind, you do not see your misery? When a blind man is in darkness, he feels no pain from it. You are chained; you do not struggle; you sit still in the prison-house. I have often thought that your very ease and contentment might awaken you to think that all is not right,

Now, learn, how a change comes: "I will give thee for a light of the Gentiles." It is all the gift of God. Oh! I fear, we little understand this. There is much robbing God of his glory, even among Christians. When God causes the sun to rise, then nothing can make darkness. The mists and fogs cannot keep back the beams of the sun; so, when God causes Christ to rise on the soul

then there is light. Revealing Christ does the whole work for the soul. It awakens, it wins, it draws, it makes free, it makes holy.

Ques. Has Christ been made to rise upon your soul? If not, then you are still blind, still in chains, and in the dark dungeon; you have neither peace nor holiness. Oh! seek it from God; cry to him, that Christ may give you light.

But, if Christ has been made to rise on your soul, happy are you. You were sometime darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light. Now, see who did it, and give him the praise. It is the Lord. God gave Christ to be a light to thy soul. Give him, and him alone, the glory. "My glory I will not give to another." 1. Do not give the praise to yourself; do not say, My own wisdom or my own prayers have gotten me this. It was all undeserved mercy to the chief of sinners. My glory I will not give to another. 2. Do not give the glory to ministers. They are often the instruments of bringing souls to Christ, but they cannot make Christ arise on the soul, any more than they can make the sun to rise on the earth. We can point to the sun, though we cannot make it rise; so, we can point you to Christ, but cannot make him rise on your soul. The work is God's, and he will have the glory. I believe the work is greatly hindered amongst us from the cause mentioned.

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Last. Plead with God to fulfil his word, that Christ may be a light to the nations. It is as easy with God to make Christ rise on many souls as upon one. Show him that it is for his glory that a nation be born in a day. Give him no rest till he pour down the Spirit on all our families, till there be a great looking unto Jesus, and rejoicing in him. Take thine own glory, O Lord, give it to no other; neither thy praise to graven images.

St. Peter's, Jan. 7, 1838.

SERMON XXXIV.

RETURN UNTO ME.

"Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee."-Isa. xliv., 21, 22.

In these words God contrasts the happy condition of his chosen people with that of the poor blind idolators whom he had been describing in the verses before. Ah! my friends, to the eye of man, there may be little difference between the children of the wicked one and the children of God; but, to the eye of God, they are as different as the chaff from the wheat, as the lily from the

thorn. Of you that are Christless, God says, "He feedeth on ashes" (verse 20); but to you that are his children, "Remember these, O Jacob." May God open our eyes to see wonders out of this Scripture !

I. All that have come to Christ are forgiven: "I have blotted out."-Verse 22.

1. Observe the completeness of their forgiveness: "I have blotted out as a thick cloud." This complete forgiveness is many ways showed forth in the Bible. 1st, It is compared to the change produced on clothes by washing or dyeing them: "Though thy sins be as scarlet, yet shall they be white as snow" (Isa. i., 18); and again, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood." 2d, Again, to something covered over: "Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." And Jesus says, "Buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." 3d, Again, it is compared to something lost. Hezekiah says, "Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back;" Micah, "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." But still they may be near at hand? No: "As far as east is distant from the west."-Ps. ciii., 12. But if God were to seek for them? "In those days, and in that time, shall the iniquity of Israel be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found."-Jer. 1., 20. 4th, To something forgotten: "Thy sins and thine iniquities will I remember no more." "All his transgressions that he hath done, they shall not be mentioned unto him." 5th, To something blotted out. Although they be washed, covered, lost, forgotten, yet they will still remain. in God's record, yes, they will; but how?-Blotted out.

Any of you that believe in Jesus, do you take the Son of God as your Surety? Take this word to yourself. See what the page will be like on which thy sins are written. It will be one great blot; one thick cloud. When you look on the clouds, can you read anything written there?-no more can God read any of thy sins, O believer in Jesus.

2. Observe, it is present forgiveness. It is not, I will blot out; but, "I have blotted out." Some say, I hope God will forgive me. Ah! my friends, you greatly mistake the Bible: a present forgiveness is offered to you. The moment a soul closes with Christ, that moment is this word true of him: "I have blotted out." "There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."

Ques. Has God blotted out your sins? 1st, Most say I don't know; I never inquired. Oh! sinner, if you never inquired, then I will answer for you; There is not one of them blotted out. Every evil thought, and word, and deed you have done, is written against you; you will meet them all another day. A deceived

heart hath turned thee aside, and thou dost not know that there is a lie in thy right hand. 2d, Some say, It is impossible to tell; I never saw the book of God's remembrance; how can I tell? True, you never saw the book of God's remembrance, and yet there is another book, and if you would search it much, and believe the word concerning Jesus, you would come to know that you are forgiven. Oh, yes! it is quite possible. David tasted it, and thousands since David have blessed God for forgiving all their iniquities. The woman that touched the hem of Christ's garment felt in herself that she was made whole. She was no physician, and yet she knew that she was well. When a man has a burden on his back, if you lift it off, he knows it at once; so does the heavy laden soul that comes to Jesus, he finds rest.

3. Observe who blots: "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions."-Isa. xliii., 25. 1st, Some try to blot out their own sins; I will be grieved, and sorry for my sins, says one. I will blot them out with tears. I will pray to God, and cover my past sins with my earnest prayers, says another. I will mend my life and cover my naked soul with good deeds, says another. But no; this is all vain; God alone can blot out. Either he will do it, or it will not be done: "I, even I, am he." 2d, Some hope that Christ will blot out their sins, unknown to the Father. They think that Christ is very willing to be a Saviour, but not so the Father. But no; Christ and the Father are one. If you come to Christ, God himself will do it, and will tell you, "I have done it."

Speak to unforgiven souls: Unhappy man! You have many pleasures and many friends; but one thing you want the forgiveness of sins. Do you think you would not be happier, lighter in heart, if you were forgiven? Oh! how miserable are all your daily employments and pleasures, when you know that hell is opening its mouth for you. God has never blotted out your sins; yet you might be forgiven: "Unto you, O men, I call; and my words are to the sons of men." Come to Christ, and God will abundantly pardon.

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II. All that have come to Christ are God's servants. "Thou art my servant, thou art my servant." Two reasons are given : 1. “I have redeemed thee;" 2. "I have formed thee." Ist, Because redeemed. When a man consents that Christ shall be his Surety, he feels that he is not his own, but bought with a price. So David felt: Truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds." So Paul felt, when he lay gasping on the ground: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Before conversion, the unconverted thinks that he is his own: May I not do what I will with mine own? He was the willing slave of the devil. But when he sees the price laid down for him, he feels that the Lord has redeemed him out of the house of bondage. Now he says, I am the Lord's. Now he is more

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