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C; RYLE, B.A. RECTOR OF HELMINGHAM; SUFFOLK. . $ Author of " Livnia ok Dkad, V* ^ AssVKAHOi,'* Ace. TORONTO: PRINTED FOR A FEW CHRISTIAN FRIENDS. PrioB l§. $4^p^ Doxen. ^^^^^d-o«M>*«r*« • •ipis. Kmdx vy and as rood lit they 1 to b»'. to feel isclves, ly eyes ted and : saved, ithout a re nnust 3 make — and I Heaven ith God life for alvation .mpossi- onsider s in the we are in must is too as it is. are like ithsome r yet to ire, and art and i but a Be your ver fell, t. De- is, and )e true. 1 2. Let me say nnotlior tliinjT. Tlio doctrine of our text must be true, heniusc Hod is what God is. Now, what is (Jod ? That is u (1(("|) (iiicstion indeed. We kfiDW soriK thiriLT of His altrihiius. He has not left HitDsdf without witiit ss in creation. H»' has nu'r- cifnllv revealed to us luaitv ihiii^s about Hiniself in His word. We iuunv that Goas, when we couio to put down on paper what we believe God to be! IIow many words and expressions we use whose full mcaniu<; we cannot fathom ! How many thinf];s our tonj^ucs say of Him, which our minds are utterly unable to conceive ! How small a part of Him do we see ! How little of Him can we possibly know ! How mean and paltry are any words of ours to convey any idea of Him who made this mighty world out of nothinnr, and with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day ! How weak anrl inadequate are our poor feeble intellects to conceive of Hiu) who is perfect in all His works, — perfect in the greatest as well as per- fect in the smallest, — perfect in appoinlinjr the days and hours in which Jupiter, with all his satellites, shall travel round the sun, — perfect in forming the smallest insect that creeps over a i'cw feet of our little globe ! How little can our busy helplessness comprehend a Being who is ever ordering all things in heaven and earth by universal Providence, — ordering the rise and fall of nations and dynasties, like Nineveh and Car- thage ; — ordering the exact length to which men like Alexander, and Tamerlane, and Napoleon shall extend their conquests, — ordering the least step in the life of the humblest believer among His people, all at the same time, all unceassingly, — all perfectly, — all for His own glory ! Il 10 The blind man is no judge of the paintings of Rubens or Titian. The deaf man is insensible to the beauty of Handel's music. The Greenlander can have but a faint notion of the climate of the tropics. The Austra- lian savage can form but a remote conception of a loco- motive engine, however well you describe it. There is no place in their minds to take in these things. They have no set of thoughts which can comprehend them. They have no mental fingers to grasp them. And just in the same way, the best and brightest ideas that men can form of God, compared to the reality which we shall see one day, are weak and faint indeed. * But, reader, one thing, I think, is very clear, and that is this. The more any man considers calmly what God really is, the more he must feel the immeasurable distance between God and himself - The more he meditates, the more he must see that there is a great gulf between him and God. His conscience, I think, will tell him, if he will let it speak, that God is perfect, and he imperfect; — that God is very high, and he very low ; — that God is glorious majesty, and he a poor worm ; — and that if ever he is to stand before Him in judgment with comfort, he must have some mighty helper, or he will not be saved. And what is all this but the very doctrine of our text ? What is all this but coming round to the con- clusion I am urging upon you ? With such an one as God to give account to, we must have a mighty Saviour. To give us peace with such a glorious Being as God, we must have an almighty Friend and Advocate on our side, — an Advocate who can answer every charge that can be laid against us, and plead our cause with God on equal terms. We want this, and nothing less than this : vague notions of mercy will never give true peace. And such a Saviour, such a Friend, such an Advocate is nowhere to be found, excepting in the per- son of Jesus Christ. I lay this reason also before you. I know well that people may have false notions of God, as well as every- 11 lubens beauty e but a \ustra- a loco- There They 1 them. And st ideas reality id faint ar, and ly what surable lore he a great I think, [perfect, le very a poor Him in mighty of our he con- one as mighty s Being dvocate charge se with ing less ve true luch an the per* ell that every^ thing else, and shut their eyes against truth. But I say boldly and confidently, no man can have really high and honourable views of what God is, and escape the conclusion that the doctrine of our text' must be true. There can be no possible salvation, but by Jesus Christ. 3. Let me say, in the third place, this doctrine must be true, because the Bible is what the Bible is. All through the Bible, from Genesis down to Revela- tion, there is only one simple account of the way in which men must be saved. It is always the same, — only for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, — through faith, — not for our own works and deservings. You see it dimly revealed at first. It looms through the mist of a few promises, but there it is. You have it more plainly afterwards. It is taught by the pictures and emblems of the law of Moses, the schoolmaster dispensation. You have it still more clearly by and by. The Pro- phets saw in vision many particulars about the Redeem- er yet to come. You have it fully at last, in the sunshine of New Testament history, — Christ incarnate, — Christ cruci- fied, — Christ rising again, — Christ preached to the world. But one golden chain runs through the whole volume, — no salvation excepting by Jesus Christ. The bruis- ing of the serpent's head, foretold in the day of the fall, — the clothing of our first parents with skins, — the sacrifices of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, — ^the passover, and all the particulars of the Jewish law,— - the high priest, — the altar, — the daily oflfering of the lamb, — the holy of holies, entered only by blood, — the scape goat, — ^the cities of refuge, — all are so many wit- nesses to the truth set forth in the text, — all preach with one voice, salvation only by Jesus Christ. In fact this truth appears to me the grand subject of the Bible, and all the dififerent parts and portions of the Book are meant to throw light upon it. I can gather from it no ideas of pardon and peace with God, except- 12 ing in connexion with this truth. If I could read of one soul in it, who was savod without faith in a Saviour, I might perhaps not speak so confidently. But when I see that faith in Christ, — whether a coming Christ, or a crucified Christ, — was the prominent feature in the re- ligion of all who went to heaven ; — when I see Abel owning Christ in his belter sacrifice, at one end of the Bible, and the saints in glory in John's vision, rejoicing in Christ at the other end of the Bible ; — when I see a man like Cornelius, who was devout and feared God, and gave alms, and prayed, not told that he had done all, and would of course be saved, but ordered to send for Peter, and hear of Christ ; — when I see all these things, I say, I feel bound to believe that the doctrine of the text is the doctrine of the whole Bible, — no sal- vation, no way to heaven excepting by Jesus Christ. Reader, I do not know what use you make of your Bible, — whether you read it, or whether you do not, — whether you read it all, or whether you only read such parts as you like. But this I tell you plainly, if you read and believe the whole Bible, you will find it hard to escape the doctrine of the eighteenth Article of the Church of England, already quoted. I do not see how you can consistently reject what I have been endeav- ouring to prove. Christ is the way, and the only way, — Christ the truth, and the only truth, — Christ the lile, and the only life. Such are the reasons which seem to me to confirm the truth laid down in our text. What man is, — what God is, — what the Bible is ; — all appear to me to lead us on to the same great conclusion, — no possible salva- tion without Christ. I leave them with you, and pass pn. III. And now, in the third and last place, let me show you some consequences which Jlow naturally ovi of our text, - ; ' There are few parts of this subject which seem to me more important than this. The truth I have been trying to set before you, bears so strongly on the condition of a giieat proportion of mankind, that I consider it would be 13 ead of one Saviour, I t when I 'hrist, or a in the re- see Abel end of the , rejoicing en I see a ared God, had done 3d to send all these 3 doctrine 3, — no sal- Christ. :e of your do not, — read such ^y, if you d it hard icle of the Dt see how endeav- only way, 3t the lite, • confirm is, — what to lead us )le salva- and pass !, let me illy out of eem to me Ben trying dition of a would be mere affectation on my part, not to say something about it. !f Christ is the only way of salvation, what are we to feel about many people in the world ? This is the point 1 am now going to take up. I believe that many persons would go with me so far as I have gone, and would go no further. They will allow my premises. They will have nothing to say to my conclusions. They think it uncharitable to say anything which appears to condemn others. For my part I cannot understand such charity. It seems to me the kind of charity which would see a neighbour drink- ing slow poison, but never interfere to stop him ;— which would allow emigrants to embark in a leaky, ill-found vessel, and not interfere to prevent them ;— • which would see a blind man walking near a precipice, and think it wrong to cry out and tell him there was danger. I believe the greatest charity is to tell the greatest quantity of truth. I believe it is no charity to hide the legitimate consequences of such a text as we are now considering, or to shut our eyes against them. And 1 solemnly call on every one who really believes there is no salvation in any but Christ, — and none other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved, — l solemnly call on that person to listen to me, while I set before him some of the tremendous consequences which '* the text involves. I am not going to speak of the heathen, who have never heard the Gospel. Their final state is a great depth, which the mightiest minds have been unable to fathom. I am not ashamed of leaving it alone. One thing only I will say, — if any of the heathen, who die heathen, are saved, I believe they will owe their salva- '• tion, however little they may know it on this side of the grave, to the work and atonement of Christ. Just as infants and idiots among ourselves will find in the last day they owed all to Christ, though they never knew^ Him, so I believe it will be with the heathen, if arty of them are saved, whether many or few. Fof thi^ I • am sure of, there is no such thing as creature itterff. t i N 14 My own private opinion is, that the highest arch-angel, (though of course in a very different way and degree from us,) will be found in some way to own his standing to Christ, and that things in heaven, as well as things on earth, will ultimately be found all indebted to the name of Jesus. But I leave the case of the heathen to others, and will speak of matters nearer home. One mighty consequence then which seems to be learned from this text, is the uiter uselessness of any re- ligion without Christ. There are many to be found in Christendom at this day, who have a religion of this kind. They would not like to be called Deists, but Deists they are. That there is a God, — that there is what they are pleased to call Providence, — that God is merciful, — that there will be a state after death, — this is about the sum and substance of their creed. And as to the distinguishing tenets of Christianity, they do not seem to recognize them at all. Now I denounce such a system as a baseless fabric,-^ its seeming foundation, man's fancy, — its hopes, an utter delusion. The god of such people is an idol of their own invention, and not the glorious God of the Scriptures, — a miserably imperfect being, even on their own showing, — without holiness, without justice, without any attribute but that of vague indiscriminate mercy. Such a religion may possibly do as a toy to live with ; — it is far too unreal to die with. It utterly fails to meet the wants of man's conscience. It offers no remedy. It afibrds no rest for the soles of our feet. It cannot comfort, for it cannot save. Reader, beware of it, if you love life. Beware of a religion without Christ, Another consequence to be learned from the text is, the folly of any religion in which Christ has not the first place. I need not remind you how many hold a system of this kind. The Socinian tells us that Christ was a mere man ; that His blood had no more efficacy than that o f another ; that His death on the cross was not a real atonement and propitiation for man's sins ; and that after all, doing is the way to heaven, and not believing. I 15 rch-angel, nd degree is standing 5 things on > the name 1 to others, ims to be of any re- )m at this would not That there ed to call 2 re will be I substance y tenets of iiem at all. fabric, — hopes, an an idol of rod of the sn on their ce, without ,te mercy, re with ; — Is to meet remedy. It cannot •e of it, if Christ, the text is, jt the first system of vas a mere lan that o f 3 not a real td that after Having. I solemnly declare that I believe such a system is ruinous to men's souls. It seems to me to strike at the root of the whole plan of salvation which God has revealed in the Bible, and practically to nullifv the greater part of the Scriptures. It overthrows the priesthood of the Lord Jesus, and strips Him of His office. It converts the whole system of the law of Moses, touching sacri- fice? and ordinances, into a meaningless form. It seems to say that the sacrifice of Cain was just as good as the sacrifice of Abel. It turns man adrift on a sea of un- certainty, by plucking from under him the finished work of a divine Mediator. Beware of it, Reader, no less than of Deism, if you love life. Beware of the least attempt to depreciate and undervalue Christ's person, offices, or work. The name whereby alone you and I can be saved, is a name above every name, and the slightest contempt poured upon it is an insult to the King of Kings. The salvation of your soul has been laid by God the Father on Christ, and no other ; and if He were not very God of very God, He never could accomplish it, — there could be no salvation at all. Another consequence to be learned from our text is, the great error committed by those who add anything to Christ as necessary to salvation. It is an easy thing to profess belief in the Trinity, and rcAerence for our Lord Jesus Christ, and yet to make some addition to Christ, as the ground of hope, and so to overthrow the doctrine of the text as really and completely as by denying it altogether. The Church of Rome does this systematically. She adds things over and above the requirements of the Gospel, of her own invention. She speaks as if Christ's finished work was not a sufficient foundation for a sin. ner's soul ; and as if it were not enough to say, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." She sends men to penances and absolution, to masses and extreme unction, to fasting and bodily mortification, to the virgin and the saints, — as if these things could add to the safety there is in Christ Jesus. And in doing this she sins against our text with a high hand. Let us ! I - 'I I :|i t ! i i i t ; s, 11 • i I I t ?' j ? & I J « h\\ I I !^^* I I 16 beware of any Romish hankering after additions to the simple way of the Gospel, from vvhateverquarter it may come. But I fear the Church of Rome docs not stand alone in this matter. I feur there are thousands of professing Protestants, who are often erring in the same direction, although of course in a very difierent degree. They get into a way of adding, perhaps insensibly, other names to the name of Christ, or attaching aaimportance to them which they never ought to receive. The ultra Churchman in England, who thinks God's covenanted mercies are tied to episcopacy, — the ultra Presbyterian in Scotland, who cannot reconcile prelacy with an intel- ligent knowledge of the Gospel, — the ultra Free-kirk- man by his side, who seems to think lay patronage and vital Christianity almost incompatible, — the ultra Dis- senter, who traces every evil in the Church to its con- nection with the state, and can talk of nothing but the voluntary system, — the ultra Baptist, who shuts out from the Lord's table every one who has not received his views of adult baptism, — the ultra Plymouth Broth- er, who believes all knowledge to reside with his own body, and condemns every one outside as a poor weak babe ; — all these, I say, however unwittingly, appear to me to have a most uncomfortable tendency to add to the doctrine of our text. All seem to me to be practically declaring that salvation is not to be found simply and solely in Christ. All seem to me to be practically add- ing another name to the name of Jesus whereby men must be saved, even the name of their own party and sect. All seem to me to be practically replying to the question, " What shall I do to be saved ?" not merely, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," but also, " Come and join us." Now I call upon every true Christian to beware of such ultraism, in whatsoever form he may be inclined to it. In saying this, I would not be misunderstood. I like every one to be decided in his views of ecclesiasti- cal matters, and to be fully persuaded of their correct- ness. All I ask is, that you will not put these things in i t 17 J it ions to the uarter it may stand alone of professing me direction, ree. They nsibly, other a importance . The ultra s covenanted Presbyterian vith an intel- a Free-kirk- atronage and le ultra Dis- h to its con- ng but the no shuts out not received mouth Broth- with his own a poor weak ^ly, appear to to add to the )e practically d simply and ictically add- thereby men wn party and plying to the not merely, also, " Come to beware of / be inclined nderstood. I )f ecclesiastl- their correct- Lese things in the place of Christ, or place them anywhere near Him, or speak of them as if you thought thorn needful to sal- vation. However dear to us our own peculiar views may be, let us beware of thrusting them in between the sinner and the Saviour. Let us beware, in short, of addinof to the doctrine of the text. In the things of God's word, be it remembered, addition, as well as sub- traction, is a great sin. The last consequence which seems to me to be learned from ou r text is, the utter absurdity of supposing that toe ought tc be satisfied lolth a man's slate of soul if he is only sincere. This is a very common heresy indeed, and one against which we all need to be on our guard. There are thousands who say, in the present day, " We have noth- ing to do with the opinions of others. They may per- haps be mistaken, though it is possible they are right and we wrong ; — but if they are sincere, we hope they will be saved, even as we." And all this sounds liberal and charitable, and people like to fancy their own vieWs are so. Now, I believe such notions are entirely contradictory to the Bible, whatever else they may be. I cannot find in Scripture that any one ever got to heaven merely by sincerity, or was accepted with Grod if he was only earnest in maintaining his own views. The priests of Baal were sincere when they cut themselves with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out ; but still that did not prevent Elijah from commanding them to be treated as wicked idolaters. Manasseh, king of Judah, was doubtless sincere when he burned his children in the fire to Moloch ; but who does not know that he brought on himself great guilt by so doing ? The Apostle Paul, when a Pharisee, was sincere while he made havoc of the Church ; but when his eyes were opened he mourn- ed over' this as a special wickedness. Let us beware of allowing for a moment, that sincerity is everything, and that we have no right to think ill of a man's spirit- ual state, because of the opinions he holds, if he is only earnest in holding them. On such principles, the '!pi L! 1 1 -nil ? Jl :M| H w ' Druidical sacrifices, the car of Juggernaut, the Indian Suttees, the systematic murders of the Thugs, the fires of Smithfield, might each and all be defended. It will not stand. It will not bear the test of Scripture. Once allow such notions to be true, and you may as well throw your Bible aside altogether. Sincerity is not Christ, and therefore sincerity cannot put away sin. I dare be sure these consequences sound very un- pleasant to the minds of some who may read them. but 1 tell you of them advisedly and deliberately. I say calmly that a religion without Christ, — a religion that takes away from Christ, — a religion that adds any- thing to Christ, — a religion that puts sincerity in the place of Christ, — all are dangerous, — all are to be avoided, and all are alike contrary to the doctrine of our text. . You may not like this. I am sorry for it. You think me uncharitable, — illiberal, — narrow-minded,— bigotted, and so forth. Be it so. But you will not tell me my doctrine is not that of the word of God, and of the Church of England, whose minister I am. That doc- trine is salvation in Christ to the very uttermost, — but out of Christ no salvation at all. I feel it a duty to bear my solemn testimony against the spirit of the day you live in ; to warn you against its infection. It is not Atheism I fear so much in the present times as Pantheism. It is not the system which says nothing is true, so much as the system which says everything is true. It is not the system which says there is no Saviour, so much as the system which says there are many Saviours, and many ways to peace. It is the system which is so liberal, that it dares not say anything is false. It is the system which is so charita- ble, that it will allow everything to be true. It is the system which seems ready to honour others as well as our Lord Jesus Christ, class them altogether, and hope well of all. Confucius and Zoroaster, — Socrates and , Mahomet, — the Indian Brahmins and the African devil- worshippers, — Arius and Pelagius, — Ignatius Loyola and Socinus, and are all to be treated respectfully, none are t ismiL ion,- the I bini( the the ] ofW none 1" whi< that syst he ( istt this call spec saci cha rusl awa war Chi in t waj Has oftl min \n it, the Indian lugs, the fires ided. It will pture. Once may as well cerity is not iway sin. und very un- y read them, liberately. I t, — a relit^ion hat adds any- icerity in the 11 are to be le doctrine of t. You think ed,— bigotted, bt tell me my d, and of the That doc- termost, — but nony against 1 you against much in the system which 1 which says which says 1 which says to peace. It ires not say is so charita- 3. It is the 's as well as er, and hope Socrates and frican devil- itius Loyola ctfully, none 19 are to be condemned. It is the system which bids U3 smdii complacently on all creeds and systems of relig- ion, — "the Bible and the Koran, — the Hindoo Vedas and the Persian Zendavesta, — the old wives fables of Rab- binical writers and the rubbish of Patristic traditions, — the Racovian catechism and the Ihirty-nine Articles, — the Revelations of Emanuel Swedenborg and the Book of Mormon of Joseph Smith ; — all are to be listened to, none are to be denounced as lies. It is the system which is so scrupulous about the feelings of others, that we are never to say they are wrong. It is the system which is so liberal, that it calls a man a bigot, if he dares to say '* I know my views are right." This is the system, this is the tone of feeling which I fear in this day. This is the system which I desire emphati- cally to testify against and denounce. What is it but a bowing down before a great idol, speciously called liberality ? What is it all but a sacrificing of truth upon the altar of a caricature of charity ? Beware of it, reader, — beware that the rushing stream of public opinion does not carry you away. Beware of it, if you believe the Bible. Be- ware of it, if you are a consistent member of the Church of England. Has the Lord God spoken to us in the Bible, or has He not ? Has He shown us the way of salvation plainly in that Bible, or has He not ? Has He declared to us the dangerous state of all out of that way, or has He not ? Gird up the loins of your mind, and look these questions fairly in the face, and give them an honest answer. Tell us there is some other inspired book beside the Bible, and then we shall know what you mean. Tell us that the whole Bible is not inspired, and then we shall know where to meet you. But grant for a moment that the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible is God's truth, and then I know not in what way you can escape the doc- trine of the text. From the liberality which says everybody is right, — from the charity which forbids you to say anybody is wrong, — from the peace which is bought at the expense of truth, may the good Lord" deliver you ! •i .iitiii » ! i \i\ ti i ■ («:;*• M . 20 I speak for myself. I find no resting-place bet wee 5^^. downright evangelical Christianity, and downrigl „ ^q infidelity, whatever others may find. I see no half-wa j ^ house between thenn, but houses that are roofless, an jjjjii cannot shelter my weary soul. I can see consistenc ^^^ ^ in an infidel, however much I may pity him. I ca see consistency in the full maintenance of evangelic truth. But as to a middle course between the two, cannot see it, and I say so plainly. Let it be calleKg^t; ( illiberal and uncharitable ; I can hear God's voic nowhere except in the Bible, and I can see no salvatio for sinners in the Bible excepting through Jesus Chrisi In Him I see abundance. Out of Him I see none '^^^^ And as f(Dr those who hold religions in which Christ i ^^.ny not all, whoever they may be, I have a most uncomfort ^ ^"® able feeling about their safety. I do not for a momer say that none of them are saved, but I say that thos who are saved are saved by their disagreement wit their own principles, and in spite of their own system The man who wrote the famous line,. "He can't be wrong whose life is in the right," ou C yoi em, ou b Lo ct w e CO nd { blei lim,- lone es c was a great poet undoubtedly, but he was a wretche( }q | divine. ujet Let me conclude with a few words by way lody application. pn First of alii i^ there is no salvation excepting in pirit Christ, make sure that you have an interest in that sal y/ vation yourself. Do not be content with hearing anc g^ ^^ approving, and assenting to the truth, and going no .^j^j^ further. Seek to have a personal interest in this sal-K ^^ ^ vation. Lay hold by faith for your own soul. RestKey not till you know and feel that you have got actuallYhe possession of that peace with God, which Jesus ofFersJ|gjjt and that Christ is your's and you are Christ's. IC^vag there were two, or three, or more ways of getting t heaven, there would be no necessity for pressing thi matter upon you. But if there is only one way, youBjjjrj will hardly wonder that I say " make sure that youttjf are in it.'* 1^ ^ ves re i rm :-place betweej Secondly, and downrigl see no half.wa 91 If there is no salvation excepting in Christ, good to the souls of all who do not know Him IS are wi _, a Saviour. There are millions in this miserable . ire roofless, an )ndition, — millions in foreign lands, — millions in y .ur see consistenc ^^ country, — millions who are not trusting in Christ. ity him. I ca qu ought to feel for them, if you are a true Christian ; e ot evangehci ^y^^^ ought to pray for them ; — you ought to work for een the two, ^^^ while there is yet time. Do you really believe et It be calje ,at Christ is the only way to heaven ?-— then live as if ar God s voic qu believed it. see no sal vatic h Jesus Chris! Look round the circle of your own relations and im I see none iends. Count them up one by one, and think how which Christ i »any of them are not yet in Christ. Try to do good most uncomfon )t for a momen say that thos igreement wit 3ir own system le right," ' •dg by way o ) them in some way or other. Act as a man should ct who believes his fritnds to be in danger. Do not e content with their being kind and amiable, gentle nd good-tempered, moral and courteous, — be miser- ble about them till they come to Christ, and trust in lim, — for miserable you ought to be. Let nobody lone who is out of Christ, if only you have opportuni- es of reaching him. I know all this may sound like Enthusiasm and fanaticism. I wish there was more of was a wretche(| {„ j^q ^^^1^ Anything, I am sure, is better than a uiet indifference about the souls of others, as if every- ody were in the way to heaven. Nothing, to my mind, proves our little faith, as our little feeling about the 1 excepting in piritual condition of those around us. ^^^^^^ ^'^^^ s^^ Thirdly, if there is no salvation excepting in Christ, itn Hearing anc ^t us love all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and , and going no jxalt Him as their Saviour, whoever they may be. es in this sal- ^g^ ^g n^^ draw back and look shy on others, because sou . Kesi tigy (Jq jjot see eye to eye with ourselves in everything, ive got actual Whether a man be a Free-kirk-man or an Indepen- ent, a Wesleyan or a Baptist, let us love him if he ves Christ, and gives Christ His rightful place. We re all fast travelling towards a place where names' and rms and Church-government will be nothing, and hrist will be all. Let us get ready for that place etimes, by loving all who are in the way that leads it. i^n soul. i\ h Jesus offers, •e Christ's. I s of getting t ' pressing thi one Wdy, yo sure that you i I! I This is the true clmrity, to believe all things, and hope all things, so long as we see Bible doctrines main- tained, and Christ exalted. Christ must be the single standard by which nil opinions must be measured. Let us honour all who honour Him. But let us never forget that the same Apostle Paul who wrote alxnit charity, says also, " If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema." If our charity and liberality are wider than that of the Bible, they are worth nothing at all. Indiscriminate love is no love at all ; and indiscriminate approbation of all religious opinions, is only a new name for infidelity. Let us hold out the right hand to all who love the Lord Jeius, but let us beware how we go beyond this. Lastly f if there is no salvation excepting by Christ, you must not be surprised if ministers of the Gospel preach much about Him. We cannot tell you too much about the name which is above every name. You cannot hear of Him too often. You may hear too much about controversy in our sermons, — you may hear too much of men and books, of works and duties, of forms and ceremonies, of sacraments and ordinances. But there is one subject which you never hear too much of, — you can never hear too much of Christ. When we are wearied of preaching Him, we are false ministers. When you are wearied of hearing of Him, your souls are in an unhealthy state. When we have preached Him all our lives, the half of His excel- lence will remain untold. When you see Him face to face in the day of His appearing, you will find there was more in Him than your heart ever conceived. Let me leave you with the words of an old writer, to which I desire humblv to subscribe : — " I know no true religion but Christianity ; no true Christianity but the doctrine of Christ, — the doctrine of His divine per- son, of His divine office, of His divine righteousness, and of His divine Spirit, which all that are His receive. I know no true ministers of Christ, but such as make it their business, in their calling, to commend Jesus Christ, in His saving fulness of grace and glory, to the faith ndl iJhris lame 4inie nan) hall ead 23 md love of men ;^no true Christian but one united to )hrist by faith and love, unto the glorifying of the lame of Jesus Christ, in the beauty of Gospel holiness, linisters and Christians of this spirit have been for lany years my brethim and companions, and I hope ihall ever be, wliithersoevcr the hand of God shall lead me." ,f i