of our lives, but his pure, calm, searching eye has been gazing on the inmost recesses of our hearts. He knows what is within. He has seen all the lusts, and passions, which have rankled there. All is open before Him. And is not this thought enough to make you tremble?

But it is well to know the worst. Happy is it, if a glimmering of light has come into your soul, showing you what you are. Have you not sometimes gone into a dark room, and fancied that all was clean: but presently a gleam of sunshine bursts through the window; and then you begin to see ten thousand particles of dust floating in the light? The dust was there before, but you saw it not. And so it is with our hearts. Sin is there with all its loathsomeness; but then we see it not, we

feel it not, till God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, shines into our hearts.

Yes, it is well to know the truth, painful though it be. It is indeed a great mercy, if God has removed the veil from before our eyes; if our proud hearts have been brought low; and we have been led to fall upon our knees, and say for the first time in our lives, "Father, I have sinned, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."

Now then, I trust, I have said enough to show you that man-every man upon earth-and we among the number-are sinners before God.

But, my dear brethren, I cannot leave you here. I have told you plainly of your disease; and shall I say nothing of your remedy? "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no

Physician here?" If there should be among you one soul, conscious of its. guilt, and anxious to be released, I would tell that soul that there is forgiveness; there is a way of escape. If then you feel your need of pardon, and long to receive it, go to that Saviour whom God has provided. Lay down your sins before his cross. lieve on Him, and be saved." Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!"

Be

37

SERMON III.

CHRIST OUR REMEDY.

JOHN 3. 16.

"God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

IN my last sermon I spoke to you about that spiritual disease, which we all of us have by nature. To-day I am going to call your attention to the GREAT REMEDY which God, in his mercy, has provided for us. Our disease is sin: we are all by nature sin

E

ners.

Our remedy is the atonement

of Christ.

Oh, my friends, what a glorious and welcome subject to dwell upon ! If I could get up, and tell you, what you might do to get rich; or, if I had a sure and unfailing remedy for your bodily health, it would be worth hearing. But I stand here to proclaim to you something of greater importance still-to tell you how your soul may be saved. And I know of no passage in the whole of Scripture, which sets this forth so plainly, and so fully, as the one before us. May God give me grace rightly to explain it to you; and may he prepare your hearts to re"God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Now here we come at once to the

ceive it!