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النشر الإلكتروني

127

SERMON II.

Isaiah liii. 5.

"BUT HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES, THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED."

SUPPOSE that an individual who had never heard of the wondrous scheme of man's redemption was gazing on the unclouded heavens, when night is beautiful with her glittering train of innumerable stars, the emanations of that refulgent blaze of light which burns around the throne of the Eternal, listening to that voice which seems, amid the deep silence that reigns around, to descend from those bright worlds, singing the praises of Him, who has placed those "faithful witnesses" in heaven, to proclaim His existence and Almighty power to all that dwell upon the earth; for "there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard"-suppose, while this individual was thus gazing

on the starry sky, wrapt in silent admiration, and penetrated to his inmost soul with the deepest awe and reverence towards that adorable Being, whose glory the heavens declare, but "whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain," an angel were suddenly to burst on his view, and announce to him, that there was one star, which if extinguished, would be no more missed out of the host of heaven, than a leaf out of the forest, or a grain of sand from the sea-shore, on which this mysterious and majestic Being, the Creator of those unnumbered sparkling worlds, "the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity," had once descended from His everlasting throne, and arraying Himself in garments of flesh, had become a man-yea, "a man of sorrows, and submitted unto death, even the death of the cross-and why? because man had rebelled against Him! His bountiful Creator! the gracious Author of the countless blessings he enjoyed, with the most ungrateful and unprovoked rebellion-had trampled on His holy laws, had abused His boundless mercies, and had sinned so deeply and so desperately, that if left to himself, he must inevitably, eternally perish; that this was his only claim on the mercy of his God, even that he deserved no mercy from Him! Oh! how must we conceive,

that the heart of him to whom the angel unfolded this mystery of redeeming love, would swell with deep wonder and adoring awe, when he was told, that it was for such guilty and ruined creatures, that the everlasting Son of God had veiled the splendours of His Deity, under the form of a man-not to appear for a few days in this world, in sceptered majesty, clothed in all the grandeur of an earthly sovereign, proclaiming, as he sat upon His throne, His royal offers of pardon to His rebellious subjects, while kneeling in humble thankfulness, they poured out before Him their prayers of gratitude, and then returning to His heavenly kingdom, amidst their adoring halleluiahs-(though even this would have been infinite degradation to the King of kings, crowned from everlasting, with uncreated glory, and accustomed to the rapturous hymns of the bright seraphim, worshipping with veiled faces, before His starry throne ;) but to come-a helpless infant-born in a stable, because there was no room for Him-the world's Creator-even in an inn-to live amidst poverty and persecution, reproach and suffering, as one despised and rejected of men; and to die, amidst scorn and scoffing, insult and agony-as one stricken and smitten of God-His cradle, a manger-His crown, a

crown of thorns, and His throne, a cross! and this, not merely to reverse the sentence of condemnation against guilty rebels, who had insulted, blasphemed, and crucified Him; but, oh! amazing love!-love worthy of a God! to raise those rebels to thrones in heaven, to make them kings and priests unto God, even the Father, for ever-Oh! surely there is something so astonishing in this stupendous display of divine mercy, that were not its evidence so irresistible, in the combined attestation of miracles, prophecy, and the voice of God, speaking in its every promise and precept, that to doubt it, is sinful, and to deny it, death eternal, our belief would be overpowered by its incomprehensible mysteriousness, in revealing such love from the holy God, to us, polluted sinners. Now, let me ask you, what would be your indignation and horror, if you were told, that the individual to whom the love of "God manifest in the flesh" was thus revealed, though assured that he was himself one of those rebellious and ruined creatures, for whose eternal happiness, the incarnate God had stooped so low, and suffered so much, and not in the least professing to doubt the truth of this assurance, could yet prefer every base passion, every polluting indulgence, every contemptible va

nity, to the love, and the service, and the enjoyment of this adorable Being-that there was no trifle, however worthless, that he did not think of more value than His favour-no sacrifice, however small, that he did not deem too great to make for Him, who had thus sacrificed life-and more than life, for his salvation? Would you Would you not pronounce this man a monster of ingratitude? Yet such is every man, while unrenewed in the spirit of his mind, before "the love of God has been shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost!" And oh ! what a melancholy picture does man thus present to the eye of faith! what a mass of inconsistency! what a heap of ruins! a capacious understanding, eagle-eyed in all the mysteries of nature, blind only to the glories of its God! a tender heart, warm in its affections to every earthly object, that has a claim on them-cold only to Him, whose love an eternity of gratitude could not repay! a memory fondly treasuring up the recollection of all kindness, except the unwearied kindness of Him, whose watchful care over us, never slumbereth or sleepeth a voice eloquent in the praise of every human friend-silent only in the praise of that Almighty friend, who laid down His life for him! A soul eager in the pursuit of all pleasure, but what is ever

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