6

person be accepted through Jesus Christ, and united to him by true and lively faith. The doctrine of the Church of England, on this point, is very clear and full. In the 13th Article she says, that Works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God: forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Christ:-yea, rather for that they are not done, as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.' What then becomes of the merit of works? And how absurd is it, as Bishop Beveridge observes, to think of being justified by good works, when we can do no good works till we are first justified?' Our fallen nature is wholly sinful. In our flesh dwelleth no good thing:' and till we are in Christ, and so made new creatures, no good thing can dwell in us. 'He that believeth not is condemned already.' He is in the state of a rebel condemned to die, who cannot do any legal action till the attainder be removed. Besides, the dominion of sin in a natural man is absolute and universal. Sin reigns in his mortal body, he obeys it in the lusts thereof; he willingly yields his members as instruments of unrighteousness, uncleanness, and iniquity. He is the slave of the devil: led captive by him at his will. Satan says to him, Be drunk, be lewd, be profaue; and the wretched slave submits, even though his poor body suffers for it; and he sees death and damnation before his eyes. This also the Church strongly affirms in her 10th Article. The condition of man after the fall of Adam, is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith, aud calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing (going before) us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.' This is the doctrine of Scripture -It is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.' Phil. ii. 13.

There is a real, spiritual, though mysterious, union between Christ and believers; and it is expressed in Scripture by various images. For instance, Christ is the head of the body; believers are the members of it.

6

Christ is the vine; believers are the branches. So he said to his disciples (John xv.) I am the vine, ye are the branches.' As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me (or separate from me) ye can do nothing. It is, therefore, evident that Christ must be the foundation of all holy obedience. It is not enough to be what the world calls a Virtuous Man-a good Liver-a Moral Person. Acceptable obedience is that which is performed by a man IN Christ; one who, sensible of his sin and misery, has come to him by faith for wisdom, then for righteousness, and now for strength. Christ dwells in the heart of such a man; and whatever trial he has to bear, whatever duty he has to perform, whatever temptation he has to resist, he comes to Christ for strength, and out of his fulness he receives, and grace for grace'-grace in the believer, answerable, in some measure, to grace in the Saviour. He is conformed to Christ both in his death and resurrection; by the influence of the one he dies to sin; by that of the other, he lives to God.

Brethren, is it so with you? There are many who seem advocates for virtue and morality; and some, like the Pharisees, who abound in works of devotion; while, like them, they wash only the outside of the cup and platter forgetting that the heart must first be purified, and the person accepted, before there can be any works performed pleasing and acceptable to God. We are not to imagine that our own good desires and endeavours will recommend us to God; that, when we have done all the good we can, we may venture to hope in his mercy, and trust Christ, as a make-weight, to fill up our defects. No; exactly otherwise. We must first come to God, by Christ; as miserable sinners; receive from him the pardon of our sins and acceptance of our persons; and then seek the sanctification of our natures by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the last place,

IV. We are to show that Christ is the foundation of all true happiness, both here and hereafter.

Every man longs to be happy; but few are so. The

reason is, men seek the living among the dead. It is not in the power of worldly things to make us happy, Sin has written Vanity on all the creatures, and filled the world with sorrow. Man, in his search for happiness, has turned his back on God, the fountain of true felicity; nor can he ever be happy till he return to God. This can only be by Jesus Christ. Happiness must commence in reconciliation to God. It was once well said by a minister, who happened to be at an inn, where he heard some persons full of vain and noisy mirth-Gentlemen (said he), if your sins are forgiven, you do well to be merry.' But what title has that man to happiness who is a child of wrath, and under the curse of the broken law? But when a sinner has fled for refuge to Christ, he is entitled to strong consolation. He that believeth hath everlasting life. Being justified by faith, he hath peace with God. Be of good cheer, said Christ to some, your sins are forgiven you. And it is the happiness of some now to know this assuredly. Having the Spirit of God as a spirit of conviction, humiliation, faith, prayer, and holiness, they have thereby the seal of God, the witness or testimony of God, that they have passed from death unto life. They taste that the Lord is gracious. They find solid delight in his word and ways. A day spent in his courts is better than a thousand; and they prefer an hour of communion with him to all the years they spent in vanity and sin.

This is the earnest of Heaven. Their happiness now is in having Christ with them. Their happiness hereafter shall consist in being with Christ, to behold and to share his glory. An inheritance is reserved for them which is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away. Freed from this body of sin and death, delivered from the present evil world, they shall be for ever employed in admiring, adoring, and praising the riches of free, sovereign, and distinguishing grace. At present, we are unable to form a just idea of heavenly glory; but this we know, as to true happiness, whether on earth or in heaven, Jesus Christ is all in all.

To conclude, We have now seen that Jesus Christ is the foundation of all true wisdom-of all acceptance

with God-of all obedience, and of all real happiness. And is he so to us? Do we apply to him that we may become wise to salvation? Do we seek and expect pardon and acceptance only through him? Do we derive grace and strength from him? And is he the source of our happiness? Important enquiries, brethren, worthy your serious attention! O, you that build for eternity, examine your foundation, for if it be not Christ, it will fail. The house will fall, and great will be the fall of it.

But some have believed through grace. Take encouragement from what God himself says, in commendation of this foundation (Isa. xxviii. 16.) Behold, I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make haste.'- -A stone; Every thing else is sliding sand, is yielding air, is a breaking bubble.-A tried stone: Tried by millions of depraved and ruined creatures, who always found him able and willing to save to the uttermost.-A corner-stone, uniting Jews and Gentiles, and all believers, in one harmonious bond of brotherly love.-A precious stone: More precious than rubies; the pearl of great price; and the desire of all nations. A sure foundation: Such as no pressure can shake; such as will never fail those humble penitents who cast their burdens on the Lord. Whosoever believeth, though pressed with adversities, or surrounded by dangers, shall not make haste. He shall possess his soul in patience. And not only amidst the perilous changes of life, but even in the day of judgment, he shall stand with boldness. He shall look up to the grand Arbitrator-look around, on all the solemnity of his appearance-look forward, to the unalterable sentence and neither feel anxiety, nor fear damnation.'

COLLECT.

THANKS be unto God for this stone, this tried stone, this precious corner-stone, this sure foundation; may God help us to build upon it!

May Jesus Christ be the foundation of our knowledge in spiritual things. Blessed Lord, thou art saying to each of us, as thou didst to the blind man in the Gospel, What wouldest thou that I should do unto thee? May every one who has been hitherto spiritually blind reply, Lord, grant that I may receive my sight! May God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine into their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

May Christ be the foundation of our acceptance with God the Father. We read that the wages of sin is death, and that the soul that sinneth shall die. We have sinned and deserve to perish; but may we be redeemed from the curse of the law, through him who was made a curse for us. Thus may we be accepted in the Beloved, to the praise of the glory of thy grace.

May Jesus Christ be the foundation of our obedience. May we have that faith which worketh by love, which purifieth the heart, and overcometh the world; that being redeemed from all iniquity, we may be zealous of good works. Work in us, O God, both to will and to do of thy good pleasure.

And in Jesus Christ may we have real and lasting felicity. Say unto us, O Lord, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy iniquities, and will not remember thy sins. Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you. Through the merits of the Saviour may we, after death, arrive in thy presence, where is fulness of joy; and at thy right hand, where there are pleasures for evermore.