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darkness, deep and unrelieved, like that of Egypt, which God spread over the land for Pharaoh's sin, could there be such an ignorance of his pure and perfect law, which is the bright transcript of his own majesty, as to allow, that a sinner should hear its awful denunciation against him, and yet turn away from "the Lamb slain" for sin, "from the foundation of the world,"-even from Him, who taketh away the curse of the law, being made a curse for us,-from Him whom "God made to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him?" If men were not miserably ignorant, as the god of this world, acting through the darkness of their natural hearts, blinds them, could they turn away in daring unbelief, from a scriptural view of Jesus Christ, the stupendous proof, that "God is Love," the bright and blessed manifestation, that "He so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, to the end, that whosoever believeth on Him should not

perish, but should have everlasting life?" If men were not miserably unacquainted with the preciousness of Christ's atonement and righteousness, and with the spiritual purport of his own solemn remark, that if He wash not all who bear his name, they have no part in Him, could they turn away, as they do, in wretched unbelief from that blood of Jesus Christ, God's only son, which cleanseth from all sin? Were they not miserably led astray from the solemn truth, that if they are not put into Him by faith, they can no more be saved, than the sinners of the old world could have escaped from the waters while they were without the shelter of the ark, would they not seek to be found in Him? and, standing on the battlements of the city of refuge, glorify God for their safety? Is it then enough, that a man should say, 'I knew not these things, and therefore all is safe with me?' No, brethren, no. God forbid that any of you should lay this flattering unction to your souls. You have

a gospel in which all these things are plainly written and there is a Spirit, promised by God, to make all truth known unto his people: and He hath undertaken, in all the inviolability of eternal faithfulness, to give that Holy Spirit unto them who ask it. A man ignorant of God in Christ, can no more recover himself out of the mortal disease under which his soul is labouring, than a sick man, (unless by direct interposition of Almighty power) can recover of a malady unto death, without the skill of a physician, and the application of a sovereign remedy; as God may bless the sagacity of the one, and the healing virtue of the other. If we are ignorant, dear friends, we are wilfully ignorant and thus to remain, under all the means of light and knowledge, is a most dreadful manifestation of the heart's entire alienation from all the mercies of redeeming love, so freely proffered to, and so tenderly pressed upon the acceptance of a lost sinner's soul, under the dispen

sation of the gospel. The light may shine in darkness, and the darkness may not comprehend it: but "this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” Christ Himself hath declared, where the hinderance lies, even in the stubbornness of an iron will and a stony heart-" Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life."

But ye, whom the work of God's Spirit hath brought into so much light, as to bewail that ignorance of the Redeemer, under which you have laboured, and who are crying earnestly to God, as you look back upon a life of unbelief, Father, forgive me, for I knew not what I did,' do not write bitter things against yourselves, as though that pardon would not, and could not be granted to you. It is Christ's gracious office in heaven to pity and relieve you. He is ordained by God a High Priest, "to have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the

way;" and He speaks to you, from within the veil, as Joseph, to his repenting brethren, from the side of Pharaoh's throne, "Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life." It is one of the greatest griefs of a believer, that he knows not the grace and glory of Christ more fully and, on the other hand, the strongest compassions of the Lord are exercised towards those sorrows which most strongly beset his brethren. As He is the Author of that knowledge, which leads to faith; so will He be the Finisher of the one, as well as of the other. Let it be your comfort now, that you have the glass of his word, in which to see Him; the Spirit within you, to open your eyes; and a High Priest above, to exercise compassion towards you. As He pleads against the guilt of sin, which, by one act of His priestly office, He hath expiated; as He pleads against the power of sin, which, as a King, He hath broken; so He pleads

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