Devils proclaim Messiah true-" What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" 1

Angels descend from heaven to proclaim the Messiah: "Unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”2

Enemies as well as friends proclaim him: "I find in him no fault at all," said Pilate. 'Truly this was the Son of God," said another.

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Ask the testimony of God himself: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."5

Ask the water, what it thinks of Jesus? It blushes itself to wine in the presence of its God, it changes itself to adamant to form a pathway for "The Most Highest."

Ask the earth,—the grave shakes death into life to sympathize with Jesus. The Sun puts on the robes of mourning for his murdered Lord.

1 Matt: viii. 29.

'Luke ii. 11.

John xviii. 38.

4 Matt: xxvii. 54. 'Matt: iii. 17.

But, my brethren, will you now ask yourselves individually-Is there a witness for Jesus within my bosom? Does it indeed testify that Jesus is the Son of God? Has the Holy Spirit given life to that witness, and does he keep it alive every moment? Does he drive you to

Jesus, that you may find in him a righteousness to justify you from every charge? Are you in the habit of wearing the robe of Messiah's righteousness, and going into our Father's presence full of filial confidence, and humility, believing all he says, with the heart as well as with the head? O my brethren! these,-these,are true pleasures. The bitterest tears ever shed by true religion, have more sweets in them than all the (falsely so called) pleasures of the sons and daughters of folly, from the fall of Adam in Eden to the present day. If the bitters of religion are so sweet, what are its joys? If its tears have such a heaven in them, what is comprised in its smiles? a God! a God! a God! Messiah in all his glories!

Lastly,

Is Jesus followed in his holy example? Is his perfection kept in view? Is it your ambition to be like him? "I must be like him," says the believer, "I have been too long wallowing in the mire of sin; thank God, I am washed. I wish to be pure as he is pure-holy as he is holy. I have every encouragement to trust him. He is Essential Truth, and he has sworn by his truth that I shall be clean. My enemies tell me, they will overcome me, but I will not listen to lies. Essential Truth died for me-Essential Truth has purchased me-Essential Truth has quickened me-Essential Truth shall possess me for ever and ever."

O blessed JESUS! take us all this morning, and embosom us in thyself. Amen.

SERMON IX.

JOB XXXIV. 29.

"WHEN HE GIVETH QUIETNESS, WHO THEN CAN MAKE TROUBLE?"

WHEN angels were first called into existence, peace reigned in their bosoms. When our

first parents were created, peace reigned in their bosoms. Wherever innocence is found, there perfect peace reigns. Man, as the subject of sin, carries on war against universal being, himself not excepted. The state of man, as a transgressor, baffles all description; all the tongues and languages of finite being cannot do justice to the awful

subject, yet man does not know it!-little does he think of the mighty enemy that is within his bosom! The monster sin is fast asleep. He does not know the principle by which he is actuated from day to day; and he wilfully shuts his eyes, when his awful destinies are presented to him by the kindest friend.

The state of that being must be dreadful indeed, who is carrying on war against the Almighty, and, by necessary consequence, against all the creatures of God; while, at the same time, he is so foolish as to dream he is at peace with them. As soon as death dissolves every tie between him and the things of time and sense, then, and not till then, will he discover the awful state in which he is.

Are there any of you, my brethren, who have not yet discovered that you are at war with the Almighty-that you are the enemies of universal being?-that, besides this, you are your own enemies? If you have not, the false peace you are in possession of at the present moment, is deceitfully-damnably,-delusive!

God, by his Spirit, convinces man of this by