that it must have been of divine appointment; and most probably was appointed immediately after the Fall, when beasts were slain, and our first parents were clothed with their skinsh. Under the Mosaic economy, they were offered every morning and every evening throughout the year; and on the Sabbath-day they were doubled: and, being entirely consumed upon the altar, they were peculiarly fitted to represent the desert of men on account of sin, and the sufferings of Christ in their behalf.

Consider them in this point of view. Behold a spotless victim slain, and his body consumed upon the altar, as a sacrifice for the sins of men! methinks, the offerer could not but see that death was his deserved portion, even the second death in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. At the same

time, viewing this sacrifice as a typical representation of the Lord Jesus, what an idea does it convey of his sufferings under the curse due to sin, even the wrath of an avenging God! Surely it was a most instructive ordinance: and, being repeated"continually," the people enjoyed the full benefit of the Mosaic dispensation, and God was glorified in the midst. of them.]

Amongst you, also, the same sacrifice is now renewed

[The Jews possessed the shadow; but you enjoy the substance. In the Gospel that is ministered unto you the same truths are held forth, but with infinitely clearer evidence, and more consoling power. You are told that you deserve the wrath of God, not by a mere shadowy exhibition, but by a faithful statement of your sins, and an explicit declaration of God's threatened vengeance against you. You are informed, also, that there is mercy for you through the intervention of a Saviour, who has offered himself a sacrifice for your sins: but you have not to see this held forth under the image of a slain beast you are instructed, that the Son of the living God. himself has become incarnate: that, having approved himself spotless, and been acknowledged to be so even by his most inveterate enemies, he offered himself a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savour, and has been accepted in your behalf; so that all who believe in him may henceforth be justified from all things. These two great doctrines, of your own personal desert of punishment, and of your redemption through Christ, are "continually" set before you. Whatever be the immediate subject of discourse, these are either taken for granted as acknowledged truths, or are rendered prominent, as the occasion may require. These truths every minister of our Church is

h Gen. iii. 21.

bound to make the "continual" subjects of his ministration: and I thank God, that, from the first moment that I ever ministered among you, "I determined to know no other!"]

But, if we rejoice at the reformation made, our joy is damped by what is spoken of,

II. The term of its continuance

It was only" during the days of Jehoiada" that this reformation continued

[King Jehoash had, from his infancy, been instructed by Jehoiada; and during the life of that aged priest he was kept steadfast in the ways of God. But no sooner was that pious monitor removed, than Jehoash listened to the voice of evil counsellors, deserted the worship of his God, and abandoned himself to idolatry1; yea, and slew the very son of Jehoiada, whom God had sent to remonstrate with him and reclaim him". What an awful picture does this give us of human nature! But, in every age, man has shewn himself prone to depart from the living God. Moses warned the Israelites, that, after his departure, they would, notwithstanding all the wonders that had been wrought for them, forsake the Lord". Even St. Paul himself, whose ministrations were so powerful, foresaw that, after his removal, the good work which he had begun amongst the Ephesian elders would be greatly impeded, and that many among them, who had run well for a season, would be hindered in their way, and be turned at last from the faith which they had professed: "I know this," says he, "that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore WATCH: and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with tears."]

And who shall say how long the work that has been begun amongst you shall continue ?—

[It is not three, but three and forty, years, that I have had the happiness of watching over you, and of endeavouring, according to the grace given me, to advance your spiritual welfare". But I tremble to think how soon the instructions now given you may be forgotten, and the hopeful appearances among you may vanish. But, as St. Peter says, "I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth: yea,

i 1 Cor. ii. 2. m ver. 20-22.

* 2 Kings xii. 2.

n Deut. xxxi. 27, 29.

" Preached in Sept. 1825.

1

ver. 17, 18.

• Acts xx. 29–31.

I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover, I will endeavour that you may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance."

Know, then, that ye are sinners, deserving of the wrath of GodBut know, that " God has laid help for you upon one that is mighty;" and that, through the sacrifice which Christ has offered for you on the cross, every one of you may obtain both pardon and peace Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ is both "able and willing to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him;" and, "of those who come to him, not so much as one shall ever be cast out" O, treasure up these truths in your hearts; for "they are your very life." Without the knowledge of them you never can be saved and with the experimental knowledge of them in your souls you can never perish. Seek, then, to realize them more and more in your secret chamber; that, whether he who now ministers them unto you be alive or not, you may have the comfort of them in your own souls, and find them, as ye most assuredly shall," the power of God to your everlasting salvation"."]

q 2 Pet. i. 12-15.

r Deut. xxxii. 46, 47.

s 1 Cor. xv. 2. Rom. i. 16.

CCCCXV.

AMAZIAH'S CONFLICT BETWEEN DUTY AND INTEREST.

2 Chron. xxv. 9. And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.

IT is humiliating to reflect, that more attention was often paid to the messengers of the Most High by ungodly men under the Jewish dispensation, than is generally paid to them even by the godly in the present day. At one time we read of a whole army stopped and disbanded by one single declaration of a prophet. At another time, a great national reformation was effected by the very same means. In like manner, when Amaziah king of Judah was a 1 Kings xii. 21-24.

b 2 Chron. xv. 8-15.

going with an army of four hundred thousand men against the Edomites, one word from a man of God prevailed on him to dismiss one fourth of their number, because, as being idolaters, they were under the displeasure of the Most High. He was indeed concerned about the subsidy which he had paid them for their assistance: but that only serves to shew more strongly what implicit obedience he was disposed to pay to the commands of God, when he could so easily be induced to sacrifice his temporal interests, and to release from their obligations so large a portion of his army. The difficulty however which he started, and the solution of that difficulty by the prophet, deserve particular attention. Let us consider,

I. The difficulty started—

Amaziah had hired one hundred thousand Israelites as auxiliaries in this war, and had paid the money for their equipment; and, when he was required to discharge them, he naturally concluded that he should lose all that he had advanced. Hence he expressed to the prophet the difficulty that was in his mind. Now,

This is a common difficulty in the minds of men

[Circumstances of necessity will sometimes arise, where duty and interest appear to clash with each other. Sometimes they actually exist, as in the instance before us; and sometimes they are only apprehended as likely to exist. It sometimes happens that a person has been placed by his parents in a line of business where he cannot get a livelihood without continually violating the laws of the land and the dictates of his conscience. What is to be done in such a case? His property is embarked; and cannot be disposed of without a considerable loss. And shall that be done? Shall such a sacrifice be made to God? It is desirable indeed to maintain a conscience void of offence; but is it to be done at such an expense?

It sometimes happens also that a person is educated for the ministry, with certain expectation of preferment: but when the time for his ordination arrives, he finds no disposition for the holy employment, no real determination to give himself wholly to the service of the sanctuary. What then shall he do? To go to God with a lie in his right hand, and profess that he is moved by the Holy Ghost to take on himself that sacred function, when

he is moved only by the temporal advantages annexed to it, is very painful and to contract a responsibility for the souls of hundreds and of thousands, when he has scarcely any concern about his own, appears to him a very dangerous step. But what must be done? He has been educated for it: he finds it difficult to turn to any other line: and, above all, the provision designed for him will be lost: and how can these difficulties be surmounted?

When the evils are in prospect only, their operation is exactly the same. One man feels that it is his duty to become a faithful follower of Christ. But his parents will be offended; his friends will be alienated: his prospects in life will be destroyed: and how can he endure to make such sacrifices as these? A few pence he would readily lose; but the loss of so many talents would be ruinous; and he knows not how to combat evils of such magnitude as this.]

But the difficulty referred to would be no difficulty, if only we viewed things in their true light

[If we should suppose an angel sent down to sojourn for a time on earth, would he find any hesitation whether to prefer his interest or his duty? Nor did the Apostle Paul hesitate even when life itself was at stake: "I am ready," says he, "not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Lord's sake." Nor should we find any difficulty if we formed a proper estimate of things around us. Should we regard our temporal interests, if we reflected on the extreme emptiness and vanity of every thing here below? Should we hesitate in our choice of evils, if we considered the impossibility of ever being acknowledged by Christ, without forsaking all, even life itself, for him? Above all, would we suffer the whole world to stand in competition with Christ, if we considered what wonderful things he has done and suffered for us? -- Verily, the loss of all things compared with the loss of his favour, would be only as a feather in a scale against a talent of lead; and, like Paul, we should "count all things but loss, that we might win Christ;' and instead of repining at the injuries sustained, should regard them rather as grounds of mutual congratulation; saying with St. Paul, "If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all: for the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me."]

But we cannot suggest a better view of this matter than that which is contained in our text; in which we have,

II. The difficulty solved

Phil. ii. 17, 18.