4. He is the appointed Mediator between God and man. The office of a mediator is to reconcile opposed parties. Christ came to reconcile God and man. Man had broken the law of God, and it was necessary that the penalty should be executed; hence man lay under the sentence of everlasting death. Besides this, man is inherently corrupt; his nature and habits totally unfit him for approaching to God. Under these circumstances Christ died for him; made thereby an atonement for his sin; removed the obstacles to his forgiveness; made it right and just for God to forgive sin, and opened the way for the Holy Spirit to change his nature and transform his habits. Thus through Christ, as Mediator, we have access to God. There is no other way. "I am the way." "No man cometh to the Father but by me." No where can God, the offended sovereign, meet the sinner, but in Christ. Through Christ, as the Mediator, pardon is procured. Pardon can only be granted in consideration of an atonement. "He, by the sacrifice of himself, put

away sin."

II. THE INTIMATE CONNEXION BETWIXT RIGHT VIEWS OF THE SAVIOUR, AND OUR OWN PRACTICE.

According to the views we form of the character of Christ will be our,

1. Anxiety for salvation.

In the death of Christ we have God's estimate of the value of the human soul. The constitution of the Saviour's person, and the character of his death, show the soul to be of infinite value. The danger of man must have been imminent indeed, and the misery with which he was threatened of the severest kind, as it was necessary, ere his salvation could be effected, for God to become man, and to endure unparalleled suffering. We cannot contemplate the character and work of the Saviour without at once assenting to the truth of this remark. How then is the general indifference to this subject, and the utter ungodliness which prevails, to be accounted for? The fact cannot for a moment be questioned, that men, even those who are favoured with a gospel heart-searching ministry, are in general living in a state of entire carelessness of their everlasting interests. O let us cast our eye over the mass of beings who surround us, and we shall find that the majority are indifferent about the future. Do they sit under a faithful ministry? There is

no effect produced on their lives. Do they listen to the denunciations of the Bible? They are not alarmed. It is not the same with them on other subjects; let life, or health, or property, be in jeopardy, and they are at once aroused; let information be given them that their temporal affairs are in great danger, and they will be instantly active and industrious. Why then this apathy in the most important of all subjects? They do not believe the statements. They have formed erroneous notions of the death of Christ; perhaps they look upon that merely as a representation of the mercy of God, forgetful that it is also an exhibition of the severest justice, and that it speaks out plainly, God will punish sin. According to our views of the character of Christ will be

our,

2. Faith in him.

Faith in Christ supposes a right conception of our own character, of our desert of punishment, of our momentary exposure to the wrath of God-and how can this be so well produced in our minds, as by an accurate conception of the character of the death of Christ? Faith is simple reliance upon the death of Christ as our atonement-but if we have low and erroneous views of his death, how can we exercise faith in him? With right views of his character our faith will be vigorous; our faith will increase and strengthen the more we know of Christ. There is no position in which the christian can be placed in which he cannot, if he have right views of Christ, exercise faith in him. There is no danger so great, but Christ can rescue from it; no opposition so powerful but he can overcome; no temptation so strong, but he can deliver; no want so great, but he can supply.

And then, again, if the penitent sinner have right views of the character of Christ, how easy for him to believe. It is only when the penitent is ignorant of the Saviour that he flies first to one and then to another refuge of lies, from which he has to be driven, in order that he may be shut up unto faith in Christ.

According to our views of Christ will be our,

3. Love to him.

The gift of Christ is represented as the greatest manifestation of the love of God ever made; and it is urged as the reason why we should love God. Every intellectual creature of God is under obligation to love him; but he has

placed us under peculiar obligation-he calls on us for a special love, and if we feel rightly concerning Christ, we shall love him; but if not, if our views are low and unworthy, our affections will be in accordance with them.

In conclusion, if you are carelessly indifferent about Christ, how hopeless are your prospects. You are under a curse, which no other can remove. How aggravated your guilt

how increased will be your condemnation.

XXXV.

G.

FAITH.

MARK V. 36.-" Only believe."

Much is said, in the word God, of the principle of faith. The place that it occupies in the scheme of redemption is a very important one. It is essential to salvation.

Without

it we must remain destitute of all its blessings. This will be evident if we apply it,

I. TO THE GENERAL DOCTRINE OF SALVATION.

To every inquirer for salvation we say, "only believe."

"Believe, and all your sin's forgiven,

Only believe, and your's is heaven."

Not that faith is the originating cause of salvation—for that were to deny the free grace of God; nor that faith is the procuring cause of salvation-for that were to set aside the efficacy of Christ's atonement; nor that faith is the efficient cause of salvation-for that were to set aside the agency of the Holy Spirit: but we say, that faith is the instrumental cause of salvation; that, without the exercise of which, no individual can experience salvation.

This is the doctrine of the gospel. Acts xvi. 31. xiii. 39. Ephesians ii. 8. Romans iii. 20-28.

v. 1.

1. This method of salvation conveys most glory to God. Any other mode of procuring acceptance with God, could another be substituted, would be derogatory to the character

of God. Could man present a perfect and acceptable righteousness, salvation would not be needed; and if God were to accept an imperfect righteousness, and on that ground justify the ungodly, he would no longer be the "just God and Saviour."

2. This method of salvation alone produces real obedience. There is no obedience before faith. It is the operation of faith alone which can prepare us for any acts of obedience. Faith is difficult for this reason, that there is nothing so easy-the difficulty of faith is in its simplicity.

3. This method is in accordance with the other parts of redemption.

The idea of salvation by works is absurd-if your works are good and perfect, what are you to be saved from? Faith simply receives Christ, and through him all the blessings of his atonement. Christ is a gift. The Holy Spirit is a gift. Eternal life is a gift. What so appropriate as faith-that which simply receives?

Let us apply the principle before us,

II. TO THE CASE OF THE TRUE PENITENT.

Unlike the generality of your fellow-sinners, you feel that you are a guilty sinner. The cry of your heart is, "What must I do to be saved?" We answer, "Only believe." This is the direction that was given, in circumstances like yours, to the Philippian jailer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." To this faith in Christ we would have you "shut up." We would have you feel that there is no other way of escape from the danger which threatens you. Look up at once to Christ; look now! and, believing, you will " rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."

Let us apply this principle,

III. TO CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS.

You are in the possession of the grace of justification, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." In you has been implanted the principle of spiritual life; you are "born from above." Still you are in search of a fuller blessedness; you believe that the state of entire sanctification is attainable by you all. How are you to attain it? To you we answer, only believe." Our spiritual life is a life of faith in the Son of God, and if we want an increase of that we must get an

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increase of this.

We must come for the blessing of perfect love, as we did for the blessing of pardon, in the exercise of simple faith.

Apply this principle,

IV. To THE TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN

LIFE.

It is applicable,

1. To seasons of temptation.

We are urged, above all, to take the shield of faith, wherewith we shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the devil. Our deliverance from the wiles of the adversary must be effected for us by the Captain of our salvation. It is necessary that we should be equipt with the whole armour of God; but after all we must depend simply on the power and promised assistance of Him who is "mighty to save." It is applicable,

2. To seasons of afflictive providences.

You are tried in your circumstances; your plans are defeated; your labour is unavailing; your credit is ruined; you have no apparent prospect of retrieving your circumstances; everything appears against you; all around appears gloomy and dark. "Fear not thou worm Jacob," "only believe." He in whose hands your life is, is but trying your confidence in him. In such seasons, faith only can yield you efficient support. We might apply this principle also to seasons of personal affliction, or of family bereavement, or of national calamity, or of want of success in the Saviour's cause. It may be applied to every circumstance and to every trial of the christian life.

W. M. B.

XXXVI.

UNBELIEF.

MARK Vi. 6." And he marvelled because of their unbelief."

Unbelief is injurious to those who are under its influence; it deprives them of blessings, the possession of which depends on the exercise of faith; of blessings, without which the pre