" receive out of your Redeemer's fulness grace for grace." Yea, who can tell? That same almighty arm that raised him up to be a faithful witness for the truth, that enabled him to despise the pleasures and honours of the world, and to devote himself wholly to the great work of the ministry, can do the same for his successor. You well know, that he, whose loss we bemoan, was not always that able and excellent minister that he afterwards proved. Be not then hasty, if all things be not at first agree- able to your mind : exercise meekness, patience, forbearance : seek to obtain nothing by force or fac- tion : let the whole of your conduct be conciliating, and worthy of your Christian profession : above all, continue instant in prayer : beg that " the Lord of the harvest, who alone can send forth faithful labourers into his harvest," will pour out in a more abundant measure his grace upon him, who by the good providence of God is about to take the charge of you ; and then I do not say, that God will at all events grant your requests ; but this I say with con- fidence, that your prayers shall not fall to the ground; and that, if God, on the whole, will be most glorified in that way, your petitions shall be hterally fulfilled, and " the spirit of Elijah shall rest on Elisha."
III. A third point, which it is of infinite importance to us to be acquainted with, is, that Christ is ever the same in the virtue of his sacrifice.
Though he was not manifested in human flesh till four thousand years had elapsed, yet his sacrifice availed for the salvation of thousands during the whole of that period. The sacrifice, which Abel offered, did not obtain those distinguished tokens of divine acceptance on account of its intrinsic worth, but becavise the offerer looked forward by faith to that great Sacrifice, which in the fulness of times was to be presented to God upon the cross, even to him, who, in purpose and effect, was the " Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." As for all other