equivalent to the dishonor given it by our sins and transgressions. The debt must be paid, or the sinner must suffer forever. Having violated the law, we have rendered ourselves obnoxious to the wrath and displeasure of God. The High Priest of our profession, our ado. rable Saviour made a complete satisfaction for our sins by satisfying divine justice, honoring and magnifying the law in our room and stead: for he is the only Mediator between God and man who gave himself a ransom for us. It is through the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel, we are reconciled to God. He is the mediator of the new and better testa ment. He undertook our cause, became our surety, and not only engaged but fully accomplished the glorious work of our redemption. We are not redeemed with silver and gold, nor with any other corruptible thing; but with the precious blood of Christ. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for. He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him. us. He died on the cross for our sins, and is risen again for our justification; yes, he, the just one, died for the unjust. He has paid the ransom price; for ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with all the faculties of your souls, and with all the members of your bodies. We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. It was not by blood of bulls on Jewish altars slain, but by a sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood than they ;-even by the blood of Christ, the heavenly Lamb, that taketh away the sins of the world;-that we are reconciled to God. For his blood cleanseth from all sin. As our Mediator he performs the second part of his priestly office, making intercession for us. He bore the sins of many, and maketh intercession for the trans gressors. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Through him, both Jews and Gentiles, have access by one spirit unto the Father. As our Mediator, he holds the golden censor in his hand, and offers much incense with the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar before the throne. Had it not been for that, our sacrifices would not be acceptable. As our prophet he is the light of the world, to enlighten our understanding. And as our Royal King he sits upon his throne, holding the golden sceptre in his hand, inviting the poor trembling sinner to touch it, with the fullest assurance of a kind and welcome reception; for he is able, ready, and ever willing to save the vilest of the vile. And if sin, Satan, the world and unbelief, tell the broken hearted sinner, that he is too great a sinner, too unworthy to come to Jesus; let him reply that Jesus came into the world to save sinners—to call, not the righteous but sinners to repentance, and with the poet say: "But if I die with mercy sought, when I the King have tried; this were to die, delightful thought, as sinner never died." Jesus prayed for us sinners between two thieves on the cross-Father forgive them—was the language of his heart. And now in heaven he is pleading for us on the surest foundation. Not on the number, goodness, and sincerity of our actions; nor on the nature of the divine mercy, but on the grounds of the atonement which he made for sin. As there is but one God, one Mediator is sufficient to fill up the breach. As there is but one Mediator there is no choice ;-you must accept of him or never be reconciled to God, and be eternally cast into hell without him. There is but one road, through one Mediator, that leadeth to the celestial city of eternal life. The chil dren of Israel had but one road through the Red Sea and Jordan to the possession of the land of Canaan; and the believer must go through the blood of Christ and the Jordan of death to the possession of the eternal inheritance in the heavenly Canaan. It is by faith in one Jesus that you can possibly obtain the favor of one only true and living God, and by which alone you can ever realize a lively hope of the resurrection to everlasting life. Jesus Christ the Savioùr, the annointed, is the Mediator between God and men. He is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person; he is infinitely higher in glory, and majesty, than all the heavenly host; yet the man Christ Jesus,—the man— the son of man ;—the man that was born of the Virgin Mary; the man that suffered under Pontius Pilate; the man who died on the cross, was buried in the grave of Joseph, and rose again on the third day. He is the Mediator between God and men. Men may see the man in him their likeness, their bodily forms, their poverty, their temptations, their pains, their afflictions and their death, they see all in him, except sin and moral defilement. That Jesus was annointed to be a willing and a sufficient Saviour here on earth;-that he went about doing good, under the unction of the Holy Spirit ;-and that he travelled from place to place, during the period he remained on earth, delivering men from grievious bodily diseases, the thraldom of Satan, the dominion of sin and the fears of death and hell ;-give men the most powerful encouragement to seek this glorious Mediator, as the only one appointed by heaven, and the only one suited to men in their fallen condition. O! sinner, venture on him, venture wholly, let no other trust intrude, none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good. Christ the Mediator is the only way to the Father.Your greatest sins cannot shut this way of coming to God in his name; your greatest wants and necessities are not too numerous for him to supply; and the most val. uable blessings that God has in his possession, of which the sinner stands in need, are not too precious for him to bestow upon you in the name of the Mediator. He will forgive your sins for his name's sake. And sinners have no way of approach to the Father but by him. The above important truths we ought often to read, and constantly meditate upon them, for they are given for our instruction; and most strikingly represent to our view, the great evil of sin ;—the tender mercies of God to the unworthy ;-the honor of the divine law; and the infinite value of the sacrifice of Christ, for such is the respect God hath shown for it, that he will not be reconciled to any one, in any other way whatever, but in Christ. Nothing is more offensive to God, than the rejection of his son. He is well pleased with his son; and is well pleased with all that will come to him through May the above observations keep you from despair under a sense of your miserable condition, drive you from all false refuges, and induce you to come to Christ with contrite and grateful hearts; to trust not in your own strength, but in the adorable name of Jesus, to live constantly the life of confidence and faith upon him, of love to him, and patient waiting for his mercy to eternal life. his son. If you are partakers of these important and invaluable blessings through Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament; how amazingly great is your privilege, where Jesus is, there you are. How awful-how delightful—and how honorable is the place-Zion the city of our God. Ye have come to Mount Zion the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Cleave steadfastly to Jesus in the water and the firein the midst of trials, oppositions, afflictions and persecutions; follow him with full purpose of heart, through evil as well as good report; lest you be in danger of being buried in the graves of lust, with those professors whose longing desires are after the forbidden fruit, and walk the broad road, with the multitude, to everlasting misery in hell. Never forget that those who suffer with Christ, shall reign with him. And those who are faithful unto death, shall receive the crown of life. Be diligent to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. For the great Mediator's sake, We every blessing pray: With glory let his name be crown'd |