crucified the Son of God, as a Deceiver, and an Impostor.

If

Nor let their conduct surprise us. Jesus were again on earth, it is more than probable, that He would meet with a like treatment. Men in general have no more inclination now to be delivered from their Sins, and to look upon such a deliverance as a Blessing, than the Jews had then. Worldly blessings they still prize and covet and so long as Jesus would heal their bodily diseases, and supply their temporal wants, they would flock around Him with eagerness, and would follow Him with admiration. But so soon as He should talk to them of their spiritual diseases, and wants: so soon as He should offer "to bless them by turning every one of them from their iniquities"-by curing their evil tempers, subduing their sinful dispositions, and eradicating their vicious propensities they would turn a deaf ear to his discourses, would leave Him in disgust, and perhaps load him with reproaches. But why should we speak of probabilities? What do facts prove? Jesus, as a spiritual Saviour, is still present with us. He is still ready "to bless us by turning every one of us from our iniquities." Yet how few avail themselves of the privilege vouchsafed! How few value, and desire the Blessing! How few seek after, and apply for spiritual Salvation!

Blessed indeed be God, there are some exceptions to this too general Truth: some, who through grace are made willing to be turned from their iniquities; who feel the burden of Sin, and anxiously long for deliverance from it. In the humble hope of assisting such persons, and, if it please the Lord, of adding to their number, I purpose in discoursing on the text, more fully to show

I. The Blessing announced.

II. The Means by which it is conveyed.
III. The Persons to whom it is offered.

When

I. God hath sent his Son "to bless you in turning every one of you, from his iniquities." The Blessing announced is Conversion from sin. And what does conversion from sin mean? It means something more than an outward reformation. a man amends his life, leaves off some bad habits, and puts on a decent appearance, the world which "looketh only at the outward appearance," pronounces him to be an altered man, a reformed character. But far different may be the judgement of God respecting his real state; for "the Lord looketh at the heart." Unless the change without be preceded, and attended with a corresponding change within, all pretensions to conversion from sin are hypocrisy before God. While pride, or passion; while sen

suality and covetousness; while any corrupt or ungodly principle rules in the soul; whatever alteration may have taken place in the outward conduct, no alteration has really taken place in the heart. The man is not "turned away from his iniquities." He is only turned from one iniquity to another, to another less offensive, it may be, in the sight of his fellow-creatures, but not perhaps less hateful in the sight of his heart-searching Creator. Some few branches are lopt off, but the nature of the tree continues unimproved. Some few streams are stopt, but the fountain still retains its poisonous quality, and merely flows in other channels. True conversion from sin is a conversion of the whole man; a deliverance, not only from the practice of sin in the life, but from the love, and power of it in the heart. It is a restoration to the Divine Image; a transformation by the renewing of the mind. It implies that sin is dethroned, and the kingdom of Christ established in the soul; that the flesh is crucified with its affections and lusts; and a new principle of holiness implanted within.

Such is the Blessing here announced. And is it not a Blessing? Would God have sent his Son to "turn every one of us from his iniquities," if conversion from sin were not a blessing? Would the Son of God have

given Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity," if redemption from sin were not a blessing?

Is Health a blessing to the sick? Sin is the disease of the soul. The man who is under the dominion of sin, "has no health in him."

"The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint." Sin affects his. whole constitution, disorders his understanding, vitiates his affections, induces a fatal stupor on the mind, benumbs and deadens every faculty, blinds the eyes to the glorious. things of God, and closes the ear against his gracious truths. Sin is the leprosy of the soul, which renders it unclean, disqualifies it for admission into Heaven, and defies the power of human remedies. Is it not a blessing to be recovered from such a state?

Is Freedom a blessing to the slave? No slave is so wretched as the slave of sin. In his heart, which was designed to be the habitation of God through the Spirit, Satan has fixed his empire. There he resides,

and rules.

His works are done, his interests are served. His miserable captive, led by. him at his will, is hurried on from sin to sin, obeys the dictate of every vile affection, and imperious appetite; and labours in the service of a master, whose wages is death. Is it not a blessing to be freed from such a servitude?

Is Rest a blessing to the heavy-laden? None are so heavy-laden as the sinner; as he who lives in the habitual, allowed indulgence of sinful passions. No load is really so heavy as his load. For a time indeed he may not perceive the weight. He may be insensible to its pressure. But whenever the heart of stone is softened, then he feels his burden; then "he groans being burdened." He then knows by experience the full force of that expostulation, "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities, but a wounded'spirit, who can bear?" With David he then exclaims, "There is no rest in my bones by reason of my sin; for my wickednesses are gone over my head, and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear." With St. Paul he then cries out, under a feeling sense of his corruptions, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!" Is it not a blessing to be released from such a burden?

Is the Hope of heavenly Glory a blessing? Without conversion from sin no such hope can really stand. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." What Scriptural hope then of heavenly glory can they ha ve