reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in an everlasting righteousness" for his believing people"1. This person was to be no other than " the Son of the Living Godn." And that Jesus was this very person, the Apostles had no doubt. They had seen the miracles which Jesus had wrought in confirmation of his divine mission, those very miracles to which Jesus him- self had appealed in proof of his Messiahship0 : and they could not doubt but that he was the very person to whom all the Law and the Prophets had borne witness, as the appointed Saviour.
Now, if the Apostles at that time " were sure" of this truth, how much more may we be assured, who have seen his whole work completed, in his death upon the cross, his resurrection from the dead according to his word, his ascension into heaven, and his sending down of the Holy Spirit, to testify of him, and to establish his kingdom in the world ? Methinks we might as well doubt our own existence, as call in question his Messiah- ship, and his express ordination of God to be the Saviour of the world.
Shall we, then, look out for any other ? or, having believed in him, shall we for a moment suffer any other to stand in competition with him ? No, Lord : we believe, and are sure, that thou art sent of God to this very office; and we will know none but Thee, none but Thee.]
Here I would put a question or two, by way of bring- ing home the subject more fully to our souls. Having taken for granted that we all are follow- ing the Lord Jesus, I have forborne hitherto to inquire respecting it. Let me, however, entreat you to supply that defect, and to examine care- fully whether you have ever come to Christ aright ? Deceive not yourselves, I pray you, in relation to this matter : for the everlasting salvation of your souls depends upon it. Have you seen that there is no hope for you in any thing but in his atoning blood ? Have you renounced all depend- ence upon your own righteousness ; and are you trusting altogether in his obedience unto death ? Unless this be clearly ascer- tained, you are not prepared to enter on the consideration of the questions which I would wish to propose to you. But, supposing that you are indeed believers in Christ, I ask,
1. Will you depart from him ?
m Dan. ix. 24. ° Ps. ii. 7. ° Matt. xi. 2—5.