which having long abused, and at -length rejected the grace of the Gospel, will be visited with the most fearful judgments. But it was not by proclaiming this period of vengeance only that Christ fulfilled the spiritual office assigned to him; there was still another to be proclaimed, a period which may most emphatically be described, as, "the day of vengeance of our God." And what is this period, but the day of judgment—the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of Godthe day in which he will judge the world in righteousness, and will render to every man according to his work -the day in which he will call men to an account for their profane neglect or for their contumacious abuse of his mercy, in which he will silence their vain and impious excuses, will expose the incorrigible enmities of their hearts, and will pour on them the fury of his jealous anger and indignation. Behold, then, the day of vengeance of our God this day by Christ proclaimed. He proclaimed it as that day in which the Son of man shall come in his glory and all his holy angels with him, when he shall sit on the throne of his glory, and gather together all nations before him. He proclaimed it as that day in which he will come at an hour when he is not looked for, and will cut asunder the unfaithful servant, and will appoint him his portionwith the hypocrite. And did not the apostles proclaim the same truth? Did they not proclaim the same day of vengeance, the same day of the Lord," in whichthe heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up?"-the day when "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flames of fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?" These are the truths which I now proclaim to you, and would endeavour to set before you your own awful, deep, and individual interest in them. With you then, my brethren, it is now the acceptable year of the Lord-it is the period of the Lord's mercy, and long suffering towards you-the season of his grace-the day of his sal vation, in which he waits to be gracious, and makes all his goodness to pass before you. The Gospel, that joyful trumpet of the Jubilee, is now sounding in your ears, and proclaiming aloud the wondrous blessings which it is employed to dispense. The blessings are, deliverance from bondage and restoration to your forfeited inheritance. How rich, how glorious are these blessings in themselves how suitable, how seasonable, who necessary for you. The Gospel finds you in in a state of spiritual bondage, and slaves to sin and Satan-prisoners to the justice of God-shut up unto condemnation for the many sins which you have committed-condemned to appear before his judgment seat, from which there lies no appeal, and at which no evasion will avail you. But thongh the Gospel finds you in this state, it wishes not to leave you there-it proffers to you deliveranceit proposes to set you free-it offers to break every yoke and every chain, and to grant you a full release from all the pains and penalties of sin. It proclaims to you in the name of the Almighty-in the name of the great God of heaven and earth, redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the remission of sins. The God of all grace and goodness designs also, to translate you into his own immediate presence, and to exalt you to the throne of his glory. The Gospel proposes not only to save you from punishment, but to make you the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty-to give you a name and place among his childrento clothe you with the robes of his righteousness-to adorn you with the graces of his Spirit-to make you meet for partaking the inheritance of the saints in light. In short, God offers to you his Son Jesus Christ-he offers him to be your Surety, your Mediator, and your Redeemer; and with him he freely gives you all things necessary for life and godliness, for your present peace and your everlasting happiness. He says to you, "This is my beloved Son-hear ye him-believe in him— rely on him--give yourselves to himserve, obey, and love him: and then I will be a Father unto you-I will save you-I will rejoice over you with joy I will cause all things to work to your portion, and your exceeding great reward." gether for your good-I will be myself | formance of some moral duties, with the mere observance of religious ceremonies, while they are yet unaffected Such are the blessings which, as mi- in the state of their hearts, and lay nisters of the Gospel, we are com- not the axe to the root of the tree. manded to proclaim to you in the name To every one whose hearts plead guilty of the Almighty; and on the authority to these charges, I must, without of his word we declare, that if you be whatever of palliation or apology, be willing and obedient, all these bless- plain, and tell them they are neglectings shall be yours. They are se- ing and abusing the great salvation of cured to you immutably, by the pro- the Gospel-that they are slighting the Imise and by the oath of God who acceptable year of the Lord-that they cannot lie. May I not hope that are trifling with his grace and mercy, there are some who joyfully receive and with his long-suffering and comthese truths, who know the joyful passion-that they are rejecting his sound-and who, while they hear the gracious offer that they are rejecting glad tidings of a salvation so full, so the redemption of his Son. There free, so glorious, are with humility will be a day of vengeance of our God saying in their hearts to God-" Be it -a day on which they will be called unto thy servants according to thy to an account for their wilful neglect. word"" Lord I believe, help thou They must remember that there will mine unbelief”—I thank thee for thy be a day in which they will he speechunspeakable gifts-I desire to serve less before their judge a day on thee with my spirit in the Gospel of which, being convicted of their incorthy Son-I accept him as my Saviour, rigible enmity to a God of love and as my Lord, and as my King-I con- goodness, they will be condemned secrate myself to his service and glory; with all his other enemies. Then the and I rely on thy Holy Spirit to work long suffering which they have here in me to will and to do of thy good abused will last no longer. His wrath pleasure. May He, who has put these will be poured out upon them, in comthoughts and ideas into your hearts, in-parison with which the wrath inspire you with wisdom, courage, and strength to fight the good fight of faith, and to lay hold on eternal blessedness. But there may be some to whom these are no tidings of joy, who hear with indifference the proclamation of the Gospel, and care not whether the trumpet sound deliverance or notwho are so closely occupied with worldly cares or pleasures, as to have no time for serious thought and religious meditation-who are so indisposed to spiritual and heavenly subjects, as to listen to them with impatience and disgust-who are so lifted up with self conceit, that they will not acknowledge themselves sinners, nor humbly pray to Christ for mercywho having some convictions in their consciences, are trifling with them, and deferring their repentance to a more convenient season; or professing themselves the servants of God are satisfied, like the Pharisees of old, with an outward form of godliness, with the per flicted upon Jerusalem and Antichrist will be but as dust in the balance. It will be the day of his vengeance-of his indignation-of his fury, in which they will be driven from his presence and from his glory. It will be a day in which they will begin to know experimentally the meaning of these awful expressions-the second death-the outer-darkness-the worm that never dieth-the fire that is not quenched. Now the Lord knocketh at the door of every heart among you, and waiteth for admissiou. Do not say, Go away for this time, lest he cease to strive with you-lest he swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his rest. Consider this, lest he pluck you away and there be none to help consider how soon, how very soon, these threatenings may be turned into realities. To-day is the accepted time, the day of salvation to you all. But to-morrow may be the day of vengeance to many among you. A Sermon DELIVERED BY THE REV. R. HALL, AT BROADMEAD CHAPEL, BRISTOL, SEPT. 14, 1830. Ephesians, iv. 20, 21.-" But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus." OUR blessed Lord sent forth his Apostles with a plenary authority to bind and loosen the consciences of men. He armed them with his own authority, as the Judge of the quick and the dead, assuring them that his presence would confirm their testimony, and that the judgment of the last day would ratify their decisions. Hence he declares, that "Whosoever receiveth you receiveth me, and whosoever receiveth me receiveth him that | sent me." They were to enquire in every city and every house, whether the Son of Peace dwelt there; and if the Son of Peace dwelt there, their peace was to rest upon it; but if they were offended, and their message rejected, they were commanded to shake off the dust from their feet, as a testimony against that place and that family, declaring that it would be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah than for such persons. It is on this ground that the Apostle uses the language which is contained in the passage first read." But ye," said he, addressing himself to the converts of Ephesus, where he was preaching with great success, and where he continued for three years, so that all Asia heard the word of God-" But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus"-referring to the corruptions of the heathen, their profligate and dissolute manners. These he paints in very strong and affecting colours; and then coming to address the converts in that city, he says, "But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus." It is well known that the Ephesians had not heard Christ with their own personal ears; although they had not seen him, yet they believed on him, and rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory. They had the blessing | which was promised to those who should not see, and yet should believe. But since they received the message of Christ by an inspired Apostle, and since that message was crowned with the highest degree of sanction and authority, he declares that they had actually heard him; for the effect of hearing the Gospel was the same unto all who received it in faith, as it would have been if they had heard the doctrine from the lips of the Saviour himself. This hearing of Jesus Christ was subservient to the taught. Our Saviour is the great Teacher: we hear him for the purpose of being taught those lessons which no other teacher communicates. He is that true light which coming into the world enlighteneth every man. To come to the teaching of Christ, is to come to that true light without which we can entertain no just conception on subjects of the last importance, or be able to deduce from them any good results. "If ye have been taught of him as the truth is in Jesus." This may be considered as an expressive definition of the Gospel. The Gospel is in general a system of truth, but it is qualified and distinguished from all other systems by being the truth as it is in Jesus. It is not only as being taught by him, and by him exclusively, but the revelations of Christian doctrine communicated by the prophets were the revelations of his light. The spirit of prophecy was the spirit of Christ, and the spirit of Christ was in the prophets, and they did signify the sufferings of Christ and the glory which was to follow. And since his personal appearance on the earth, it is not necessary to remind you, that whatever is taught by the Apostles is a part of the mind of Christ; and on this ground we are commanded to listen to it, for says the Apostle, "We have the mind of Christ.' But this does not appear to be the principal meaning of this passage. It may be said to be "the truth as it is in Jesus" on account of that intimate relation which every part of it bears to the doctrine of his person, his office, and his character. It implies that there is such a thing as obtaining truth to a certain extent, and yet it may not be " the truth as it is in Jesus." Wherever truth is known and received in the mind, and at the same time is not accompanied by "the truth as it is in Jesus," that truth will be ineffectual, it will produce no saving effects, and the reality of a future state will not be of any benefit to man, except as it is connected with the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, until it derives acertain tincture or quality from Jesus. For example-the Scriptures contain its clear exhibition of the unity of the Divine mind, and this constitutes the glory of God; for in him we see that glory that shines in the most enlarged conception of the unity, divinity, and perfection of the Divine nature-of all the attributes that make him to be Godof a pure, eternal, perfect mind; which were they but half contemplated would be of no advantage to us. Of what advantage would it be to a creature to contemplate a perfect Creator when his own character presented a contrast? Instead of being induced to come to the presence of such a Being, his language would be that of recoil, and he would be ready to say with the Philistines," Who can stand before this holy Lord God." The Scriptures reveal to us the mercy of God, and his propensity to show good to sinful creatures; but except the mode is pointed out by which that mercy is to be exhibited, no reflecting person can derive consolation from a view of it. On this account, good men under the old dispensation felt greatly; their views of divine mercy were in a great measure vague and undetermined, for the way of salvation was not yet made known, nor access had to the holiest of all. But we learn that the mercy of God flows freely from the Cross of Christ, when by faith we are led to rest on the Saviour. "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." The doctrine of a future judgment is a doctrine which is taught in a very clear and distinct manner in the New Testament; but to be able to form a just conception of it, we must connect it with the views given of Jesus Christ. And here we learn, that "the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son." We are informed that God will judge all men by that Man whom he hath ordained, even Christ. We have the consolation of knowing, that we shall be judged by a man, by that elder brother who showed us so much compassion in the days of his flesh, and who carries the same tenderness and the same compassion for his disciples into the splendour of his Father's house. We are taught in the New Testament, that we shall be raised from the dead, that this corruptible will put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. But to form a just conception of this great change, we must contemplate what passed on the Saviour. He has exhibited a specimen of it in his person; he purchased it with his blood; so that he declares with the greatest dignity and propriety to Martha and Mary, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth on me though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die." The Scriptures contain a clear discovery, as far as is necessary for practical purposes, of a state of future felicity; when we contemplate this truth we are there taught continually, that the felicity we are to expect in heaven is to consist in being like Christ, in being for ever with Christ; and the business on which he has gone into eternity is to prepare a place for us. "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus." Whenever a good man thinks of heaven, his heart glows with satisfaction and delight at the prospect of happiness hereafter; and it rejoices his spirit that he knows the Lord has gone to prepare a place for him, so that he may come again and take him to himself, that he may be for ever with him, and that he may share in that glory that he had with the Father before the world began. The Scriptures contain a very clear rule of life, and the principles of morality are propounded with a distinct ness and perfection, which is not manner known in any moral system of human | He describes them in a invention, in which there are great which showed their total degeneracy excesses and imperfections. We have in the Old and New Testaments a perfect rule of life applicable to all the varieties of human life; but what availeth this independently of the views which the Scriptures give us of Christ? It would avail no more to a sinner, than laying the statutes of the land before a criminal when he is convicted of a capital offence, which would be cold consolation to him who is trembling at the consequences of his crime. The most perfect rule of morality, the most perfect path pointed out for our future conduct, could afford no consolation to those who have already sinned, and whose consciences are loaded with guilt. But when we see that rule perfected in the Saviour, we learn it more perfectly. It is endeared to us by being found in the character of such a person. And when we see that he has endured the penalty of the law-that he has sustained the curse-that he has brought into the world everlasting redemption, we are enabled to rejoice in the purity of that law, and to give thanks in the recollection of God's holiness. Then are we animated to walk in the paths of obedience, because we derive from Christ that strength, both in point of motive and spirit, which forms in us a newness of life, which places us in the paths of obedience, and permits us never to depart finally from them. In short, the doctrine of Christ is so much the substance and the form of the Christian religion, that it cannot be defined in fewer terms than here adopted; it is the "truth as it is in Jesus;" and until we learn it, and accustom ourselves to derive all our consolation, and all our views of religion, from the specific ideas communicated of the Saviour, it is a dead letter, it imparts no life, no vigour, no spirit in the course of action, and no consolation in the season of suffering. at the time of the first preaching of the Gospel, and seems to insinuate that such was the case with some of them then; so that by comparing the depth of their past ignominy and misery, he might heighten their gratitude to their great deliverer. But ye have not so learned Christ;" you have learned another lesson; your actions have been directed in a different course, and your character has undergone an essential revolution. Hence we are taught, that whenever "the truth as it is in Jesus" is embraced in the heart, it makes itself manifest by certain specific effects on the character which nothing else produces; and by the perception of these effects, we can determine whether we have really heard with the ear of faith, and have been taught to any saving purpose. Whether we have been taught the Gospel truly will be determined by the certain specific effects which are produced on our character, by "the truth as it is in Jesus." To this let me direct your attention during the remainder of this discourse; and recollect, that if it was necessary to try the validity of the Christian profession at that period, how much more so must it be now, when it is accompanied by no sacrifice, no singularity, no privation, nothing to attract censure, nothing to procure opposition. If, when the Christian religion was accompanied with a train of persecution, it was necessary to bring the reality of the Christian religion to the test which is here proposed, how infinitely more necessary must it be under the present circumstances of the Christian profession. In the First place, If we have learnt "the truth as it is in Jesus," it has at once taught us to renounce all dependence on any works of our own, and at the same time to render us zealous of good works. While it has mortified in us all hope of justifying ourselves by holy works, it has put us on a course of holy action. At the same time while it has extinguished all legal hope, it has produced Christian obedience. It has produced perfect de This passage applies to the Ephesians representing certain effects which, being taught, the truth as it is in Jesus" was supposed to produce on their character. He had been speaking of the extreme corruption of manners which prevailed among the hea-spair to make compensation, while at thens, and ascribes the hardness of their hearts and the darkness of their minds, to their alienation from God. the same time it has produced in us that reverence for the Divine Being, that gratitude to our Divine benefactor, |