promise of pardon on our sincere repentance. "He is the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." Through the whole history contained in the Bible, from the fall of Adam to the birth of CHRIST, we find every thing connected with that great event. Sacrifices were immediately appointed, and have been offered in every part of the world, to keep up the remembrance of him, who was afterwards to be offered as a sacrifice for all mankind; and they were accepted of GOD, when they were accompanied by faith in CHRIST. When GOD, for the wickedness of man, destroyed the whole human race by a flood of water, Noah and his family were spared, and the everlasting covenant was renewed with them. When Abraham was called of GOD, he was told that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. When it pleased GOD to separate the children of Israel from other nations, and to give them a law from heaven, it was to keep up the expectation of the promised Redeemer by the ceremonies of that law; and particularly by the sacrifice of the Lamb at the feast of the Passover, to represent the Lamb of GOD which was to be offered for the sin of the

* John i. 29.

whole world. Of him Moses spake; to him gave all the Prophets witness; and on him were fixed. the hopes of every good man; for these all lived and died in faith, though they had not received the promise, but they saw it afar off, and went on their way rejoicing; looking unto JESUS, the Author and Finisher of their faith, the Mediator of the new Covenant, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world.

To him then let us come, with humble and penitent hearts; not trusting in our own righteousness, but in the full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice and satisfaction for the sin of the whole world, which he made upon the cross for our redemption. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves;" "* all have sinned; all flesh is corrupt before GOD; and it is impossible that by our own strength we can attain the holiness which is necessary to please him. But our gracious God does not require what we are unable to perform. He pities our weakness, and accepts our sincere though imperfect endeavours, through the merits and mediation of Christ. Let all

our hopes be fixed on him. Let us diligently study the directions he has left us in the New

* 1 John i, 2.

Testament. Let us believe what is there revealed, and practise what is there taught; and having used our best endeavours to know his will, and humbly to perform it, let us cast all our care on him, who has promised that he will guide us with his counsel, and after death receive us into glory. Now to Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests to GOD and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.

SERMON II.

ST. JOHN i. 1.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

I

N my last discourse I endeavoured to give you a short account of what God has been pleased to reveal to us in the Old Testament, concerning the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the mercy promised to him through the expected Redeemer; earnestly wishing that the little I said on those subjects may increase the diligence of the serious Christian in the study of that sacred book, which of late has been too much neglected. I will venture to say, on the authority of the best judges, that if the Bible were only to be considered as the work of man, it has still every claim to attention, from

the beauty and simplicity of the histories it relates, the wisdom of the instruction it contains, and the information which it gives us on many subjects in which we are all deeply interested. Who can read the story of Joseph without pleasure? Who can read the account of the Flood without terror? Where shall we find a description of friendship so interesting as that of David and Jonathan? Where shall we meet with such useful instruction as in the Proverbs of Solomon? But if we believe that "all scripture is given by inspiration of GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;' ;"* surely we shall then receive the Word with all readiness of mind, and search the Scriptures daily.

The plan which I have proposed to myself does not allow me to dwell longer on the interesting subjects which are to be found in the Old Testament; but earnestly recommending that sacred book to the serious and attentive perusal of all who have it in their power to study it as it deserves, I proceed to the consideration of what is revealed to us in the New Testament, concerning him of whom Moses in the law, and

* 2 Tim. iii. 16.