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state demands, to seek that atonement in Jesus, and to believe the tenderness of his love to you, that it may lead you to Him, as your all in all. "I pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

(1.) Brethren, be this the subject of your songs whose hearts cleave by faith to Jesus: -"It is finished." That work which He so soon accomplished, will be matter of everlasting songs and triumphs to the angels, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. The mercies that flow from it, cannot be fully appreciated upon earth: and the possessors of them will be learning their worth to all eternity. If the angels sang, when the foundation-stone of salvation was visibly laid, in the incarnation of Christ, well might they sing, when the Great Builder said, "It is finished." Join your songs with theirs; and pray, that those who are yet estranged from Christ, may, in the riches of unbounded mercy, partake the common bles

sedness of the saints; and be with them, one in Christ.

(2.) Hath He finished his work of mercy for sinners on the cross, then will He finish his work of love and power, in those who believe, from the throne of heaven. He will cast down the power of sin: He will sanctify them by union with Himself, and by the indwelling of his blessed Spirit. As He presented Himself, a perfect sacrifice to God, so will He present every believer, perfect in Himself. Dear friends, who can by faith trust this blessed title to be your own, glorify God, that when Jesus said "It is finished," He made you complete in Himself; and that this completeness is indefeasible, even for ever.

(3.) Did the Lord's work of atonement indeed come to an end, when He said, "It is finished," then, my Christian brethren, lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. Your struggle with corruption, and sin, and sorrow, however painful, however laborious, however sometimes

almost overpowering, will in its turn, and that speedily, be also finished. These enemies must be encountered, by the very law of your Christian profession. What should you do, but wage the warfare, as the Head and Captain of your salvation hath done? It is a faithful saying, and may well raise your souls from the dust, into which they are often beaten, that “if you suffer with Him, you shall also reign with Him." You are encompassed with a great cloud of witnesses. Your crown is ready; your day of redemption will come : all tears shall soon be wiped away from your eyes and He who finished his course for you, will give you to finish your course with joy. Possess your souls then, not only in patience, but in comfort, in hope, in peace. Your sorrows shall have an end; your joys shall not. Your trials shall soon be finished, but your glory shall be eternal. (4. Did our dying Lord say, "It is finished?" Will any of my brethren then, be so presumptuous, so deaf to that mighty

voice of Christ, attesting the infinite perfection of his work, as to think of adding his own righteousness to the Lord's only and all-sufficient righteousness? Did not the same voice, as it were, tell you, that, "other foundation can no man lay, save that is laid, which is Jesus Christ?" He will be all, or nothing, in your justification. He finishes the work Himself; and He will not divide its glory with you. God gives the righteousness of Christ, as He gave manna to the Israelites in the wilderness ;-that He might humble them,— not by the quality of the food, for that was heavenly; but by the manner in which it was given; so convincing them of absolute and exclusive dependance upon it. Learn to count all things but loss, that you may win Him. And may it be the blessed experience of your souls, and mine, each to say, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

SERMON VIII.

THE LAST VOICE FROM THE CROSS.

LUKE XXIII. 46.

AND WHEN JESUS HAD CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, HE SAID, FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT; AND HAVING SAID THUS, HE GAVE UP THE GHOST.

THE holy ordinances, in which we have been engaged, during the week now so nearly left behind us, may be compared to a large and lofty hill, which, as the traveller ascends, opens to him some striking prospect, at every stage of his progress. Thus have we been solicited by the view of Christ Jesus, in the different scenes of his last suffering, as we were invited to behold them, in the record of the word, and with the eye of faith. Every step, while it

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