Infinitely glorious and powerful, O my soul, is the gracious High Priest through whose merits and intercession thou art to be restored to the reconciled countenance of thy offended God. Vested with Almighty power to save those who were the purchase of his blood, in enlivening language he declares the riches of his redemption, and invites the humble and penitent to come and receive the satisfying fulness of his love. I have been crushed in the wine-press by the arm of divine justice. I have drunk the dregs of that cup of trembling into which the Almighty Father, incensed at your presumptuous rebellion, emptied the vials of his wrath. But I was wounded for your transgressions; I was bruised for your iniquities; the chastisement of your peace was upon me; and by my stripes ye are healed. Yes, the sentence of condemnation gone forth against you I have nailed to my cross. My blood has flowed an all-sufficient ransom for the guilty. Sprinkled on the mercy-seat, it ascends as acceptable incense to the Father, and propitiates his justice. By the blood of my cross have I made peace. Crowned for the suffering of death with glory and honour, at the right hand of the Father, I am exalted, the prevailing Intercessor for the guilty sons of men, dispensing pardon to the humble and penitent. Come then unto me, all ye who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Be not dismayed by the number or enormity of your sins which call for vengeance. All-pow

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erful is the efficacy of my blood. your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Ö my soul, let the affectionate invitation of thy compassionate High Priest excite thee to place thy supreme confidence in his all-sufficient merits and prevailing intercession. When discerning the inflexible claims of God's justice, and the unspotted rigour of divine holiness, thou dost tremble under the sentence of condemnation which thy sins have merited, look with lively and joyful affiance to that compassionate Saviour who has expiated thy guilt by the merits of his blood. The divine fountain, whence flow the streams of pardon and comfort, is still opened in that ordinance which the Redeemer instituted as the memorial of his sufferings, and the pledge of thy salvation. There thy compassionate High Priest is waiting to sprinkle thee with that precious blood which will be the pledge of thy deliverance from the stroke of divine justice. Behold! infinite mercy and infinite power surround the Saviour with their glorious effulgence, and invite the fervours of confidence, the triumphs of holy hope. Wretched and guilty, flee to this friend of the wretched, this almighty Saviour of sinners, devoting thyself to his service, rendering him thy homage and trust. Sheltered in his compassionate bosom, thou shalt view, undismayed, the storms of wrath that overwhelm the ungodly. By the merits

and power of this great High Priest of thy salvation, thou shalt be conducted to the light of the reconciled countenance of thy heavenly Father. The blood of the all-sufficient victim, which still, under a lively symbol, flows on the altar, received by steadfast faith, will allay every doubt and pang which thy guilty fears awakeneth, and pour upon thee unfailing consolations. O thou gracious Saviour, the merciful High Priest, through whom we have access unto the Father, impotent are the highest efforts of the soul to conceive the glories of thy righteousness, the merit of thy intercession. Impotent are our most exalted feelings, to render thee the just tribute of gratitude for that ineffable peace which the healing balm of thy mercy dispenses to the bosom that reposes upon thee.

Behold, O my soul, the exalted claims of Jesus to thy homage, thy submission and obedience, as thy Almighty King.

He is the eternal King whom God hath "set upon the holy hill of Zion-of the increase of whose government there shall be no end. He is the head of all principality and power. At his divine name every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." By the sovereign power of God was Jesus exalted, in his human nature, to the throne of the universe. "God raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion."

Prince of the kings of the earth," and head of all the armies of heaven, he hath "on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords," O my soul, with the homage of lively faith, shouldest thou submit to that glorious King by whose grace alone thou canst be redeemed from the bondage of sin, by whose almighty power alone thou canst be rescued from the dominion of death and the grave.

In vain wilt thou attempt to break the chains of sin, unless thy Almighty King exerts the sceptre of his grace. Errors and prejudices cloud thy understanding; sensual appetites and passions debase thy powers; temptation seduces and enthrals thee. Sinking in despair, raise the ardours of holy faith to the glorious King, who, in the accents of animating triumph, invites thee to repose on his almighty arm-I am he who giveth you the victory. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he hath anointed me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. My grace shall be sufficient for you, my strength shall be made perfect in your weakness. Fear not then, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Trust in me for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength. O my soul, bow with sub

missive and holy confidence to the sceptre of thy glorious and invincible Redeemer. He will subdue thy rebellious passions, and introduce the celestial reign of peace and love. Wait upon him with persevering faith, in that ordinance where he dispenses the pledges of his grace, and thou shalt see his salvation displayed in thy redemption from the bondage of sin. Rescued by his grace from the dominion of unholy passions, thou shalt rejoice in the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

O my soul, when thou hast escaped from the dominion of sin, a contest still more formidable awaits thee. Death, thy implacable enemy, will seek to crush thee. Whence wilt thou derive the armour that will enable thee to quench his fiery darts, and to bind, under thy victorious feet, this tyrant of the human race? What power will exalt thee to those seats of blessedness which no strength of nature can attain, and which infinitely exceed the merit of thy virtues? Thy Almighty King, in majestic power, proclaims himself the glorious Conqueror, under whose banners thou art to be led to victory over death and the grave. I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death. O death, I have been thy plagues; O grave, I have been thy destruction. Fear not then, ye who humbly repose on my omnipotent arm. I will redeem you from death, I will ransom you from the power of the grave. Your corrup