to heaven; not in order to satisfy them with temporal bounties, but to bless them with the eternal glory of a higher and nobler existence. If God thought proper to bring the Jews to Canaan by a miraculous display of his own energy, with how much reason might we expect that the eternal salvation of the human race should not be accomplished but by as remarkable an exhibition of the Divine interference? Hence, to save man, he sent his only begotten Son. God was thus "manifested in the flesh:" he pitched his tabernacle, "and dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the. Father, full of grace and truth."

While we behold this mystery of godliness, with what sentiments of gratitude, my brethren, ought we to hail and welcome the illustrious Saviour sent down from heaven to accomplish our redemption! The Scripture is full of exhortations to "take heed" that we do not despise his authority, nor reject his testimony. For "to him all the Prophets give witness;" to him all Revelation points. "There is no other name under heaven given, whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ." While I contemplate the wonders of this salvation, I own that I am lost in astonishment; and scarcely could I credit the stupendous fact, did I not perceive that in every age, in every dispensation, the tenor of Divine Revelation has been uniform; that the whole volume, and not a single discovery of the Divine will, attests these amazing truths; that the whole book of revelation must be torn asunder before these can be disjoined from it; and did I not reflect, that the very approach to infinity in any act of Divine Goodness, in itself renders it more credible, by rendering it more suitable to the infinite benignity of the Divine Being. I cannot reject the Divinity of Christ without discarding at the same time, the Divine manifestation of the Shekinah in the wilderness; without dismissing, indeed, the whole Mosaic dispensation, and the whole Mosaic record. Having credited the Divine interference in bringing the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan-the ac

count of which is attested by evidence so strong, that it is scarcely possible to conceive how it could be stronger-I become fully prepared to believe that the Divine interference was also employed in the infinitely greater work of accomplishing the salvation of men.

When, therefore, the magnitude of this mystery of godliness staggers our reason, let us reflect that the illustrious Saviour was "justified by the Spirit."-His character and dignity were ascertained and vindicated by the illustrious display of miraculous powers. What miracles were not performed by Jesus! Take but a single miracle of the vast profusion; and, if you admit that one, it is scarcely possible not to admit them all. Take the single fact of Christ's resurrection, than which there probably never was an event more satisfactorily attested. Believe only this; and all the other miraculous actions recorded in his life become credible; for, allowing the Divine interference in this one instance, you must expect it to have taken place on other occasions in order to give its attestation to the character of Jesus. It cannot be supposed that the Divine power would be exerted in order to raise from the dead an impostor or an enthusiast, or even a merely good man. God Almighty never would act in so extraordinary a manner except for some great end. Such an end was the salvation of the human race by the mission of his only-begotten Son. A greater object could not be accomplished; a more noble Personage could not be the instrument; a more grand and luminous display of Divine Power could not attest the greatness of the end, or the dignity of the Agent. The end, the Agent, the testimony were in unison with each other. "Great" indeed was the "mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit:"

Let us, my brethren, derive from this part of the "mystery of godliness" substantial ground on which to establish our belief in Christ, and, together with it, our hope of salvation. We need-indeed we need, if

we know ourselves. or if we feel how momentous is the issue which is before us-we need strong evidence upon which we may confidently venture our souls, and build our hopes for eternity. In the hour of death we especially need it. I allow that, in the vigour of health, amidst the levity of youthful spirits, under the effects of that worldliness which immersion in busines is too apt to produce, the idea of an eternal state may be so faint; the knowledge of God and particularly of his justice and holiness may be so obscure; and the realization of the solemn account to be given at the day of judgment, may be so imperfect; that even the hope arising from our own merits, however delusive and wavering, may be sufficient to support us. But things will wear a different aspect when disease has abstracted us from the surrounding scene, and left us leisure and coolness of mind to reflect. When death has knocked at our door, and warned us to be ready for his return; when the fascination of the world has subsided, and its spell is broken; when better acquaintance with ourselves, and deeper reflection upon the state of our hearts and lives, has brought low our high conceit of ourselves, when more accurate meditation upon Scripture, so full of facts and declarations which attest the holiness of God and the alarming awfulness of his justice has bowed our hearts into a holy fear of his Name, and a serious alarm about our acceptance with him: then we shall feel our need of a Redeemer, then we shall welcome the account of his salvation as glad tidings of great joy; then we shall earnestly seek for such evidence as may calm our troubled mind, and enable us to rest with tranquil hope in the moment of death: then also, will that evidence meet our wondering eyes in all the radiance of truth; and while we contemplate Christ as justified by the Spirit, we shall be enabled to say, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes hath seen thy salvation." God grant this may be the blessed experience of every one here present.

Christ was "seen of angels."-Those heavenly hosts beheld him, while yet an infant. with pious awe and reverent adoration. A "multitude of the heavenly host" surrounded the stable where he lay, singing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will to men." They beheld glory accruing to God in the highest heavens, peace and tranquillity reigning upon earth. and reconciliation and good-will to men diffused by the birth of this illustrious Stranger. Yet, to them, it was matter of wonder, and praise_only; to us, it is a subject of the deepest interest. Let us inot, my brethren, be silent, while they adore; let us not be cold, while they deeply feel; let us not disregard those things, which they" stoop down to look into." Oh, how will heaven and earth testify against. the man who has neglected so great a salvation! God will testify against him; for "he spared not his own Son, but gave" this inexpressible gift to us, and proclaimed from heaven, "This is my beloved son hear ye him." Christ will testify against him; for he laboured, he suffered. he died for man, to make him partaker of eternal salvation. The Holy Spirit will testify against him; for he wrought a profusion of miracles in order to direct the attention to Christ, and to testify of him. as the great Saviour of the world. The angels will testify against him, who came to learn upon earth the riches of this Grace of God. Men will testify against him, millions of whom have received the record of Christ, and believed on him as their Saviour. And the fallen spirits will testify against him; for even they obeyed the word of Christ; and feared his authority. Let not all these witnessess appear against us, to display to us the greatness of the neglected salvation and to aggravate our condemnation in having dared to slight so high a Saviour.

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Christ was, also, "preached to the Gentiles, and believed on in the world."-To us he has been preached:” God grant that we may hear him and receive his testimony! But methinks I see, flocking from the east

and the west, from the north and the south, many who from the extreme parts of the earth only heard the distant sound of salvation; many from the remote extremity of Africa; many from the frozen realms of Greenland; many once sunk in the lowest depths of poverty and misery. now hoping and triumphing in their Saviour, and pressing with joyful haste to the courts of Heaven. Behold, also, some of "the children of the kingdom," shut out;-those who, through fastidiousness of taste, or sceptical apathy, or worldliness and sordidness of mind, have sat continually under the preaching of the Gospel, and remained indifferent to its glad tidings! Thus shall that Scripture be fulfilled, which I never reflect upon without shuddering; The first shall be last and the last first." Oh, my brethren! ye who enjoy every opportunity of religious improvement; ye whose learning qualifies you to read and understand the Scriptures; whose leisure and ease, and whose whole circumstances, afford you every advantage in the pursuit of sacred knowledge;-O beware lest you perish amidst the abundance of the means of edification; lest while Christ is "preached to the Gentiles, and believed on in the world," he be proclaimed to you in vain.

Lastly, Christ was "received up into glory.-Glory, perpetual glory, was the termination of all his benevolent labours and sufferings. And into this glory he entered, in order that his disciples might have the same splendid mansions ever before them, as the end of all their toil and the crown of all their hope: go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be also." Under the deep impression of the truths contained in this "great mystery of godliness," how should our thoughts soar to the blessed place where our Saviour is gone before us, and our affections be "set not on things below, but on things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God!" -My brethren, do you consider that, after a short time, our labours will cease, our battle will be fought, our