tribute, the sea quickly sent him a contribution in the mouth of a fish; the elements obeyed their Maker; winds and waves were silent, and still, at his rebuke; the deaf were made to hear the voice of him who spake and it was done; the dumb were brought to sing his praise, and the blind to see creation, and its Creator, both at once. Disease and demons fled before him, and death and the grave obeyed his word, and yielded up their prey. And, finally, the whole army of the prince of darkness was defeated, in the great battle fought at the death and resurrection of the Captain of our salvation. Then was bruised the head of the old serpent; death lost his power to sting the pious saint; and the grave was robbed of its boasted victory. 2. "He shall stand for an ensign for the people." An ensign, banner, and standard, refer to the colors, or flag, borne by a nation, by which it is distinguished from others. Among the uses to which it is put, it is raised to assemble, or enlist soldiers, to direct them in their march, and encourage them in the conflict. It is not an uncommon figure in the sacred pages: "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Here the Lord is represented as a mighty general, who raises his ensign, enlists and rallies his troops, and delivers his people. The prophet very properly applies it to our Savior; for there is no other name given amongst men whereby we can be saved. To him we must all come-he is the centre to which we must all gravitate. In the days of his incarnation he stood forth in opposition to all the powers of earth and hell, and proclaimed to listening multitudes the evil nature of sin, the power and craft of their enemies, the danger of remaining in the broad road which leads to destruction. He invited them to enlist in his cause, to embrace his cross, and to be born of the Spirit; to be pure in heart, and holy in life. He lifted the curtain, and opened a prospect beyond the horizon of time, and presented such glorious views of immortality as never had entered into the mind of man. After having finished the work he came to do on the earth, he gave up his life, and expired in one of the most painful forms that malignity could contrive. He satisfied divine justice, purchased pardon for a guilty. world, proved himself to be the Lord of hosts, strong and mighty in battle, by "spoiling principalities and powers, making a show of them openly." He came back from the tomb, met his disciples, gave them all needful instructions, and committed the Gospel ensign to his apostles in the following charge: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." The apostles were soon endowed with power from on high, and commenced their work. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, "raised the broad flag of invitation,” and three thousand came over on the side of Immanuel. From that time to the present it has been raised to invite the nations to come to Christ and live; and every true minister can say: "See on the mountain top, The standard of our God; All stain'd with hallow'd blood." The followers of Christ have crosses to bear, losses to sustain, and enemies to contend with. "Legions of wily fiends oppose," as they advance toward the prize of their high calling. The arm of God is their strength, his word their guide his promise gives animation to hope, and energy to faith. The love of Christ warms their hearts, and creates their zeal. Let them hold fast to their standard, in all their conflicts, and, with the pious apostle, they can say, "In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us, and gave himself for us." text. 3. The conditions of salvation as presented in the "Unto him shall the Gentiles seek." It is well known that Jews and Gentiles had an inveterate prejudice against each other. This grew out of the ceremonial law, which the apostle calls, "The law of commandments contained in ordinances." This middle wall of partition, which was such a formidable bar between them, Christ removed out of the way, "blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross,' so that all might see that the handwriting was effaced, and know that the law was disannulled. This was done" that he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." These obstacles being removed, such as were enemies could become friends, enlist under the same banner, contend together with the enemies of God and man, and walk together in the way of holiness. The prophet, in stating that the Gentiles would seek the Savior presented to them in the Gospel, supposes that there are conditions to be complied with; and that the Gentiles who would not submit to the "law of commandments contained in ordinances," could have no reasonable objections to the conditions on which salvation was offered to them in the Gospel, therefore, would obey the command, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found." In order that every thing might be done consistent with the perfections of God, and the moral agency of man, the holy Comforter was sent to "reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." The dark chambers of the human soul must be irradiated by the light of divine truth. Man must see his real condition. He must see that he is a sinner, and justly deserves to be left to sink into interminable ruin. He must give up the tinsel robe of self-righteousness which he has drawn so nicely around him; and, so far from hoping for heaven on the ground of any virtue or goodness of his own, he must see that he is a guilty rebel, who has committed treason against heaventhat he is helpless, "having no hope, and without God in the world." But although your sins may rise like mountains, your heart resemble the hardest marble, the law pronounce its curse, and conscience condemn you to die, you may approach him who "bore our sins and carried our sorrows," and venture all upon his merits. Yes, go to Calvary, and behold your Redeemer nailed to the cross-suspended between heaven and earth-stained with blood, and pale with death-surrounded by a railing, mocking multitude; and though ready to think that compassion has taken its departure from the world, here you will behold it as never seen before, dilating the bosom, and overflowing the heart of the suffering Son of God. Hear him say, "This cup I drink for you," then will you exclaim, "I yield, I yield! I can hold out no more; I sink, by dying love compell'd, And own thee conqueror." Faith claims his merits; your sins and chains fall off; the sentence of condemnation is reversed; darkness and discord take their departure from your trembling soul on speedy wing; your heart is melted into love to God and man; your eyes overflow with tears of gratitude and joy, · and you exclaim, “O, Lord, I will praise thee; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me." We wish not to convey the idea that the experience of every individual is precisely alike some have more terrors than others, and the enjoyment and assurance are greater in some than in others; but we wish to be understood to say, that all brought to enjoy pardon are fully convinced of their sinful and helpless condition prior to their conversion; that, when brought to feel that mercy has come to their relief, they can testify that they are sinners saved by grace. "If we are saved by grace," says an objector, “I see no need of conditions. Christ hath died for all, and he will save all. Let man live as he pleases, he is sure of heaven." If this objection is correct, a man may live like a brute, and die in the act of murder, or any other crime, and enter safely into the rest of the saints. Before the coming of our Savior, the Gentiles had much of what they called religion, and were very zealous in their way; but the apostle calls it "abominable idolatry." It contained neither holiness, nor the worship of the true God. If the objection be true, our Savior and his apostles have introduced a system of religion but little better. They have, indeed, left out the extravagances of heathen worship; but have brought us a religion as destitute of piety, as was that of the "great Diana of the Ephesians;" for it supposes that repentance, faith, and holiness, as well as the worship of the true God, are not necessary to man's salvation. So the Gospel has thrown down heathenism, and introduced no religion in its place, or none of any importance; for men will all be saved, though they disregard and trample on all its obligations. But this is not all: it supposes that the God of glory is an accomplice with the powers of darkness, and an abettor of sin. He has, indeed, done much for fallen man. The whole system of salvation is crowded with blessings for a lost world; and for what purpose? According to the above opinion, it is that man may have the opportunity of immersing himself in sin during his life on earth, and rising to heaven after death. So that the cross is made the encourager of sin-God gave up his Son to die, to purchase indulgences for man to commit crimes; and in the last and great day of decision, will say to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord." We have no disposition to pursue |