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were pardoned; that his "one oblation of himself once offered," was indeed "a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world;" that he thus restored us again to the favour of God, and "obtained eternal redemption for us?" Is it nothing for us to know, that "when he ascended up on high," he not only "led captivity captive,” but also "received gifts for men," even those precious gifts of the Holy Spirit, which he is ever shedding abroad in the hearts of all believersof all those who are justified by faith in him, and that too for the gracious purpose of helping their infirmities, renewing their hearts unto holiness, sauctifying them and rendering them ever more and more meet for the glorious inheritance which he has purchased for them with his own most precious blood? Is it nothing for us poor, weak, helpless mortals to know, that he yet ever liveth to make intercession for us ;" that he is "now set down at God's right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that in which is to come;" and that the Father has " put all things under his feet, and given him to be head over all things for his church?" Finally, is it nothing for us to know, that "the Father hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man," and that consequently on the day already appointed of God, the Lord Jesus "shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire," to "render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil;" for "the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment," in hell, "but the righteous into life eternal," in heaven, where there are joys at God's right hand for ever and ever, and where there is laid up for them that here die in the Lord, "a crown of glory that fadeth not away?" My brethren, is the knowledge of all these things knowing nothing? Yet are all these momentous truths comprehended in these simple words-learning Christ, knowing "Jesus Christ and him crucified." "And who is sufficient for these things?" What finite intelligence can scan the height, or fathom the depth, or grasp the length and breadth of this stupendous argument? Humbly, most humbly, indeed, we acknowledge our utter nnworthiness to be allowed of God to be put in trust with this gospel; but "we have this treasure in earthen vesssls, that the power may be of God, and not of us ;" and if in any degree we are ever made unto you "able ministers of the New Testament," all our sufficiency, we well know, "is of God." "Paul,” indeed, may plant, and Apollos may water," but it is ever God that "giveth the increase." So that, after all, it is important to bear constantly in mind, that there is a teaching that proceeds from Christ himself; for, as the apostle says in the text, "Ye have not so learned Christ," as the incon

sistent Gentiles learned him, "if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus."

In learning, indeed, from the written word of God, it is Christ himself who teaches us, because that word contains his revelation of himself and of his will to the world; and in listening in a teachable spirit to the appointed ministers of God's word, we may also properly be said to learn of Christ; for he himself said, as we know, to his apostles, when he commissioned them to preach the gospel to every creature-“ He that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me ; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." But it is evident that much more than this is contained in the words before us. In fact, here we have a contrast drawn between those who learn by the word or by human teaching only, and those who learn of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The former may find their instruction insufficient to regulate their life and conversation; the latter never can, because Christ it is who instructs the heart, to which nothing short of Omnipotence can gain access. Sometimes, indeed, this heartteaching is ascribed in Scripture to the Father. Thus, "every man," said our Lord to the Jews, "that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me." It is ascribed directly to the Son, where it is said-"No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Sometimes also it is ascribed to the Holy Ghost-" The Comforter"— they are still the words of our blessed Lord himself—"The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things," But, brethren, the truth is still the same; for whether it be the Father or the Son who instructs us, it is always by the agency of the Holy Spirit. To explain exactly how Christ instructs us is beyond our power. It is not by visions, nor by voices, nor by dreams, as in the days of old; but it is by opening to us the Scriptures, and giving us a spiritual perception of the truths contained in them. We know not how our own spirit operates upon our bodies, but we have no doubt that it does so operate; we cannot doubt it if we would, because we are conscious that the body obeys in all things the emotions of the mind. And thus, in like manner, although we cannot tell the precise mode in which the Spirit of God operates upon our spirits, we know by the effects produced that an influence is exerted by him upon our mind, and that by that influence we are enabled to see and comprehend and appreciate many things which to the natural man are utter foolishness. "As it is written," to quote the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But," says the apostle, “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now

we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." "But,' the apostle adds, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But this spiritual teaching, which gives this spiritual discernment, every faithful and sincere Christian receives. In matters of science perhaps the Christian has no advantage over others; his progress will be regulated by laws that are common to every student; but in the concerns of the soul he has a decided superiority above all his merely worldly equals in age and learning. He has the Lord Jesus Christ for his instructor; his heart is opened, as Lydia's was, to attend to the things of God, and his understanding has been opened to comprehend them. It was by this teaching that Peter, a poor despised Galilean fisherman, was enabled to declare the true character of Christ, which the Scribes and Pharisees, with all their advantages, and all their boasted learning and intelligence were not able to discern. "Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona," were the approving words of his Divine Master, "blessed art thou, for flesh and blood hath not revealed them unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." And think not, my brethren, that this privilege was confined to the apostles, or to the apostolic age; it is undoubtedly the portion of all children of God, even to the end of time; according as it is written, "All thy children shall be taught of God, and great shall be the peace of thy children."

Seek, then, my brethren, by reading and prayerfully meditating upon your Bibles-seek, by earnest prayer and diligent use of all the appointed means of grace-seek this heavenly teaching, that you may know and adhere to "the truth as it is in Jesus;" that you may in deed and in truth understand and believe and obey the gospel. Remember, once more, what it is that you have to learn. The apostle calls it learning Christ. This gives us the complete idea of all that a Christian needs to know. The gospel is an exhibition of Christ. All that he is himself, and all that he is to us, is, as I have briefly endeavoured to show you, there revealed; all the mysterious purposes of his grace, all the offices that he sustains in the work of redemption, all that he has done and suffered, all that he is now doing, all that he has engaged to do, all that can be known of him, is there set forth, and there may we behold all the glory of the Godhead shining in his face. This, then, is what we have to learn. The knowledge of Christ is all in all. Come, then, ever, my brethren, whether at home or abroad, wherever the opportunity is afforded you-still come and sit, so to speak, at the feet of Jesus; come and learn of him, with all docility of mind, as little children; entreat of him to take away the veil from your hearts, and to manifest himself to you as he does not manifest himself to the world. Then shall you behold "his glory, even the glory of the only begotten of the Father," and know him "whom to know is life eternal." And let no one be discouraged

because of his want of intellectual powers, for what he has "hidden from the wise and prudent" he will reveal to "babes and sucklings,” and his strength shall be ever perfected in their weakness.

And having thus learned Christ, give all diligence to adorn, in every place and at every time, the gospel of Christ. Take not the world's standard of duty as that which you should aim at ; for we declare to you and testify that that will not suffice. Nor can you please God by such a measure of sanctification as mere worldly moralists affect. No; you must not "walk as other Gentiles walk," nor as the merely nominal Christian walks. You must soar far above him. You must, as the epistle teaches you, in the words immediately following our text, "Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;" and you must "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." In short, you must see how Christ himself walked, and follow him in all his ways—striving, God helping you, to be pure, even as he was pure, and perfect as he was perfect. And never imagine, my brethren, that you have yet attained. Till your last hour there will be remnants of the old man to be put off, and larger measures of the new man to be put on. It is not in your life and conversation merely that you are to be renewed, but in the entire spirit of your mind. From being what you are by nature, "earthly, sensual, devilish," you must become what nothing but the grace of God can make you, heavenly, spiritual, godly. And never cease your exertions, co-operating with the grace of God preventing and following you, as long as you fall short of the full "measure of the stature of Christ" himself. This is to "walk worthy of your vocation ;" and in this shall your learning of Christ most surely issue. If you truly hear him, and are "taught of him as the truth is in Jesus," you cannot so walk as the world around walk; nor can you but walk, or at least in sincerity strive to walk, as Christ himself walked.

Now, brethren-for the present season, at least-we are to meet again here, as we have of late been so kindly privileged to meet, no more. "I commend you," therefore, "to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

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PARIS EXHIBITION SERMONS.

SECOND SERIES.-NO. I.

JESUS CHRIST, AND HIM CRUCIFIED.

A Sermon

DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 17, 1855,

BY THE REV. J. SHEDLOCK, M.A.

(Of Boulogne,)

IN THE FRENCH CHAPEL, 180, RUE DU FAUBOURG, ST. HONORE, PARIS.

"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."-1 Corinthians ii. 2.

SOME persons charge ministers of the gospel with preaching more about St. Paul than about Jesus Christ. It may be that there is some foundation for this charge: it may be that some too exclusively dwell upon the writings of the Apostle Paul, and forget the simplicity and power of the narratives which the four gospels contain. But it must be borne in mind that if we do frequently set forth the work of the Apostle Paul, his great work of carrying the gospel to the heathen, we have Scripture warrant for so doing. He comes next to Jesus Christ. After Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to "seek and to save that which was lost," the Apostle Paul occupies the most prominent position in the pages of God's word. If you compare two passages of Scripture you will see how very strikingly he himself presents the prominent features of his own work. In the 26th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, you find him speaking before Agrippa concerning himself. He narrates how Christ spoke to him on his way to Damascus. "And I said, Who art thou, Lord! And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, by faith that is in me." Compare that passage with Luke iv. 16-19, in which we find the narrative of our Saviour's first appearance in the synagogue at Nazareth :-" And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;