sioned transport Now, thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place!

God, in the dispensation of his grace, uses such instruments as may best illustrate his own glory. Saint Paul is remarkable for entering into this design. He uniformly ascribes all the praise of his success to Him who alone caused him to obtain it. He claims no honour to himself. By the grace of God, he says, I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

And, indeed, if the Roman conqueror in his triumph is said to have deposited his golden crown in the lap of Jupiter when he arrived at the Capitol, and to have dedicated to him a part of the spoils which he had won; much more should the Apostle of Christ cast his crown at the feet of his gracious Saviour, and devote all his acquisitions to his honour. Yes, the conscience of the unenlightened heathen in his worship of an idol, shall not outstrip the humility and piety of the Christian minister in his adoration of the true and only God. Instead of accepting the songs of praise which ac-company the triumph, as the Roman victor did those which celebrated his prowess and his suo

cess, the lowly servant of God shall sing the praises of Immanuel, and ascribe to him, and to him alone, all the glory.

For it is not so much the feeble instrument that is caused to triumph, as the Saviour bimself who goes forth conquering and to conquer. He is the real victor. He girds his sword upon his thigh as most mighty, with his glory and his majesty; in his majesty he rides prosperously, and his right hand teaches him terrible things. It is he who came to save. It is he who calls and qualifies the minister. It is he who appoints him to his station. It is he who opens the heart and inclines the will of men. It is he who enters the soul in the day of his power. It is he who gains the victory over sin, the world, and the flesh. He employs, indeed, the instrumentality of men; but the victory is all

his own.

This is a fundamental point. The moment the minister of Christ, unfaithful to his trust, begins to glory in himself, and to ascribe his success to his own arm and the might of his own power, he may expect to be deserted by his Lord. To him may be applied the prophetic denunciation, Woe to the idol shepherd; the sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up; and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. But the humble minister, after the example of the

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Apostle, will give the entire honour to his divine Master. He will bless God for the triumph. He will consider it an extraordinary favour that to him, who is less than the least of all saints, should the grace be given, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. He will feel such a love to his Saviour, such a zeal for his glory, such a compassion for immortal souls, such an apprehension of his own responsibility, such a conviction of the utter inability of man, and such an ardour for the success of his ministry, that any triumph granted to him in diffusing the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ, will awaken all his powers of love, admiration, and praise.

In comparison with such a triumph, he will think nothing of his labours and anxieties and afflictions; and without this victory, no attention, or regard, or affection, or zeal, of his people will satisfy his mind. To be made the instrument of dispensing salvation, is the holy ambition of his life. This is the object for which he pants. This the end of all his toils. To promote this he studies and prays and meditates. When this is attained, he forgets, like the generous conqueror, all his previous difficulties, and is filled with overflowing gratitude to his adorable Saviour. None of these things, will he say, move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course

with joy, and the ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.

If these things then be so; if the success of the Gospel be indeed a triumph in Christ; if the chief blessing communicated be his knowledge diffused as a fragrant odour; and if ardent offerings of praise ascend to God when this is accomplished,

I. Let us inquire, in the first place, wHE

THER WE HAVE INDEED FOR OURSELVES OBEYED THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

Have we considered the Gospel in the manner in which the text represents it? Have we understood the triumph connected with it? Have we received the knowledge of Christ which it exhibits? Have we perceived the fragrance of this doctrine? Or have we considered the Gospel chiefly as a notion, a creed, a profession, a report of certain great events, a rule of moral duties, and a proposal of various conditions of future salvation, little affecting the heart and less controlling the tempers and life? Is this our estimate of the cross of Christ? What! Have we no conception of its transforming and sanctifying efficacy? No notion of its grace? No impression of its surpassing glory? Has it never appeared to us in its power and richness and

amplitude, as the most conspicuous revelation of the divine love; the amazing display of the interposition of an incarnate God; the stupendous remedy provided for a ruined world; the manifestation of the arm of the Lord, and the rod of his power? Has it never yet TRIUMPHED OVER US; gained our souls, enlightened our ignorance, subdued our pride, rescued us from the world, bound us as willing captives to the Saviour, delivered us from the power of Satan, and translated us into the kingdom of God's dear Son? Has there been no conversion, no renovation, no resurrection of the soul, no birth from above, no change, no erection of a holy and spiritual kingdom within us on the ruins of that of sin and Satan?

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Alas! in many who have heard the Gospel and approved it generally for years, these effects. were never produced. They are still dead in trespasses and sins; they hear superficially; they rest in external privileges. They have no spiritual perception; they live a worldly life, under a Christian name; they have never been won over to Christ; they are yet in the enemy's service; in a word, they neglect the practical business of salvation. As to the savour of the knowledge of Christ, they are strangers to the very language. Religion has never presented itself to them as a thing delightful and refresh