the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.' Now, is it possible to sink when upheld by Omnipotence? To faint under almighty succour? No; for thus saith the Lord: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.' Words more animating and consolatory cannot be easily selected: they ensure safety in the most perilous situation, support under the most pressing difficulties, and must surely constrain us to say, 'who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.'

To the soul that is burdened with guilt and importunate for mercy, the scriptures afford ample encouragement. Here we behold a Saviour exhibited who is not only able, but willing to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.' No supplicant was ever driven from his throne, or sought relief of him in vain. The Pharisees did not utter a disgraceful, but a delightful truth, when they said of Christ in a way of reproach, He receiveth sinners. The wretched and forlorn, the helpless and the hopeless, will meet with a kind reception. • The spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.'

Are you weary and heavy laden? is conscience burdened with reiterated charges of guilt? do you find yourself unable to support the ponderous load? If So, 'Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you.' Flee to this gracious deliverer, this friend of sinners. Attend to the endearing declaration of his own lips: 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and

are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.' Encouraging language this. Surely it must rouse dejection from her torpor, and lay a foundation for hope in the most abandoned profligate. Nothing can be more applicable to his wretched condition, nor better adapted to administer relief.

The Saviour's right of dispensing such incomparable blessings originates in himself. No worthiness, foreseen in the creature, induced him to become the surety of sinners, and to leave the mansions of glory. His bearing that delightful character, and performing the arduous work pertaining to it, proceeded from his own sovereign grace. He voluntarily undertook the office of mediator; and in his condescending to this work, 'made himself of no reputation; took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.' He finished transgression, and made an end of sin; satisfied all the claims of justice

---blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that stood against the vessels of mercy, and brought in an everlasting righteousness for their complete salvation. But this is not all that our adorable Substitute has done: he hath not merely cancelled our obligation to punishment as sinners-he has made ample provision for delivering his followers from the power of guilt and the dominion of sin.

These are privileges, the conscious enjoyment of which no language can describe. Your present fears may perhaps urge you to conclude that you shall never participate of these inestimable favours. But why not? Is the Lord's hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem ? or hath he no power to deliver? At his rebuke, he drieth up the sea, and maketh the rivers a wilderness.' The Lord will not despise the day of small things. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench -He will bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captive, and open the prison to them that are bound-He will bring the blind by a way that they knew not-he will make

darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will he do, and not forsake them,' He that hath graciously begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He is a rock, and his work is perfect. Grace in the heart is an earnest of glory.

Seeing, therefore, that we have such an Almighty Saviour, let me entreat you to turn to him, the strong hold, in the day of trouble; for he knoweth them that trust in him-He shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. To the trembling sinner, these considerations must afford unspeakable encouragement; nor will it appear strange, when it is considered that he is not only delivered from the terrors of guilt, the bondage of corruption, the curses of a violated law, and that eternal punishment which is the just desert of sin; but is adopted into the family of God, and constituted an heir of glory. This is to be free indeed! These are immunities suited to the abject state of man they not only exonerate from condem