the mould into which we are to be castu, and by which we shall be altogether changed into the divine image. This is the state to which he desires to bring us ; and by his word ministered unto us, " he will turn us from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God x."]
Observe now from hence,
1. How great is the love of Christ to fallen man!—
[He well knew all that he must endure if he would become a substitute and surety for fallen man : yet he under- took our cause, and came down from heaven for us, and never
ceased from his work till he could say, " It is finished"
Methinks the ox and the ass may well reproach our more than brutish ingratitude y ]
2. What obligations have we to holiness !
[By holiness T mean, a total surrender of ourselves to (rod. And if we aspire not after this, what do we but pom- con tempt upon all that Christ has done and suffered for us, and cause him, as far as lies in our power, to have " sanctified himself" in vain. What excuse shall we offer for this when he shall call us into judgment? Verily if, being "called to be saints," we be not found so at the last day, it would be better for us never to have heard of Christ at all ]
3. What guilt do they contract who turn back from the service of their God !—
[As Aaron and his sons were sanctified with the blood of the Mosaic covenant2, so are we with the blood of the Christian covenant. And, " if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, we do, in fact, tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the covenant where- with we have been sanctified an unholy thing, and do despite unto the Spirit of grace." What then awaits us in the eternal world ? The despisers of Moses' law died tvithout mercy : but a much sorer punishment will come on us, even the ever- lasting wrath of our offended Goda O let not any of
you turn back unto perdition ; but be of those who believe unto the saving of their souls b.]
" Rom- vi- 17. the Greek. x Acts xxvi> 18
y Isai- i- 3. z Lev. viii. 30. * Heb. x. 26—29
b Heb. x. 38, 39.