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SERMON I.

Preached at the Presidency Church, Calcutta,
August 13, 1810.

1 TIM. ii, 5 & 6. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all.

IT

T has been observed, that the leading peculiarity of Christianity is, its being so entirely a mediatorial system.

It sets forth in its outline, that man has fallen from God; that his recovery is to be effected by a Mediator between God and man; that an essential part of this mediation is, an atonement to be made by the Mediator for the sins of man; that no less a person than the Son of God has undertaken the office; that he has assumed the human nature, and offered himself upon the cross, an atoning sacrifice, to make reconciliation for iniquity; that he hath arisen from the dead, and ascended into heaven; and that there he ever liveth, to exercise his office, and make intercession for us, and to save all that come to God by him; and that all our intercourse with heaven is entirely through his intervention.

We come not to the house of God to listen to speculative opinions, but to receive his holy word, to learn how we are to do his will, and to worship him in spirit and in truth.

To-day let us hear what the scriptures say respecting the atonement and propitiation of Christ, and compare it with the experience of mankind, and with our own in particular.

It is needful to premise, that the most important enquiry we can ever make is-" How can man be just with God? How can a sinner be accepted of his Maker? How can it be well with him at the last ?" Questions, which neither men nor angels could have answered, if God had not given us a revelation from heaven.

We should plant our foot on strong foundations, if we were to go back to prove the truth of a divine revelation; but in a Christian congregation this cannot be necessary, or it would be easy to adduce arguments, which in all ages have satisfied honest minds and upright consciences.

It is sufficient for us to hear what the scriptures say. They say (and although the language is figurative, the meaning is plain) that Christ is the propitiation for our sins; that he appeared to put away sin, by the sacrifice

sacrifice of himself; that he hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God; that he was once offered, to bear the sins of many; that, by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified; that such a High Priest became us, who by his own blood entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us, and in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.

These passages, and many more, might be brought forward, asserting the mediation and atonement of Christ, "who bare our sins in his own body on the tree, and who died the just for the unjust." This is the consideration, and the ground upon which are offered to us pardon and peace with God.

The scriptures teach us, that as under the law, without shedding of blood there was no remission; so, under the gospel, without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness; and that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," "Christ, our passover, was sacrificed for us;" but the superior efficacy of this sacrifice (above Jewish types) lay in the dignity of his character. The Son of God, the Prince of Life, the Lord of Glory; a person of infinite worth, participating the

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