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worse and worse. All this the Lord Jesus undertook to remedy. He came into the world "to bring in health and cure." He came to deliver us "from the second death." He came "to abolish death, and bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel." (Jer. xxxiii. 6. Rev. ii. 11. 2 Tim. i. 10.)

We were all by nature imprisoned debtors. We owed our God ten thousand talents, and had nothing to pay. We were wretched bankrupts, without hope of discharging ourselves. We could never have freed ourselves from our load of liabilities, and were daily getting deeper and deeper involved. All this the Lord Jesus saw and undertook to remedy. He engaged to 66 'ransom and redeem us." He came to " proclaim liberty to the captives, and to them that are bound.” from the curse of the law." Gal. iii. 13.)

the opening of the prison "He came to redeem us (Hos. xiii. 14. Isa. lxi. 1.

We were all by nature shipwrecked and cast away. We could never have reached the harbour of everlasting life. We were sinking in the midst of the waves, shiftless, hopeless, helpless, and powerless; tied and bound by the chain of our sins, foundering under the burden of our own guilt, and like to become a prey to the devil. All this the Lord Jesus saw and undertook to remedy. He came down from heaven to be our mighty "helper." He came "to seek and to save that which was lost," and to "deliver us from going down into the pit." (Psa. lxxxix. 19. Luke xix. 10. Job xxxiii. 24.)

Could we have been saved without the Lord Jesus

Christ coming down from heaven?

It would have

been impossible, so far as our eyes can see.

The wisest men of Egypt, and Greece, and Rome never found out Without the friendship of been lost for evermore in

the way to peace
with God.
Christ we should all have
hell.

Was the Lord Jesus Christ obliged to come down to save us? Oh! no! no! It was His own free love, mercy, and pity that brought Him down. He came unsought and unasked, because He was gracious.

Reader, think on these things. Search all history from the beginning of the world. Look round the whole circle of those you know and love. You never heard of such friendship among the sons of men. There never was such a real friend in need as Jesus Christ.

II. Do you want a friend in deed? Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The true extent of a man's friendship must be measured by his deeds. Tell me not what he says, and feels, and wishes. Tell me not of his words and letters. Tell me rather what he does. "Friendly is that friendly does."

Reader, the doings of the Lord Jesus Christ for man, are the grand proof of His friendly feeling towards him. Never were there such acts of kindness and selfdenial as those which He has performed on our behalf. He has not loved us in word only but in deed.

For our sakes He took our nature upon Him, and was born of a woman. He who was very God, and

The

equal with the Father, laid aside for a season His glory and took upon Him flesh and blood like our own. Almighty Creator of all things became a little babe like any of us, and experienced all our bodily weaknesses and infirmities, sin only excepted. "Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Cor. viii. 9.)

For our sakes He lived thirty-three years in this evil world, despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Though He was King of kings, He had not where to lay His head. Though He was Lord of lords, He was often weary, and hungry, and thirsty, and poor. "He took on him the form of a servant, and humbled himself." (Philipp. iii. 7. 8.)

For our sakes He suffered the most painful of all deaths, even the death of the cross. Though innocent and without fault He allowed Himself to be condemned, and found guilty. He who was the Prince of Life was led as a lamb to the slaughter and poured out His soul unto death. He "died for us." (1 Thess. v. 10.)

Was He obliged to do this? Oh! No! He might have summoned to His help more than twelve legions of angels and scattered His enemies with a word. He suffered voluntarily and of His own free will, to make atonement for our sins. He knew that nothing but the sacrifice of His body and blood could ever make peace between sinful man and a Holy God. He laid down His life to pay the price of our redemption. He died that we might live. He suffered that we might reign. He bore shame that we might receive glory. "He suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he

might bring us to God." "He was made sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (1 Peter iii. 18. 2 Cor. v. 21.) Reader, such friendship as this passes man's understanding. Friends who would die for those who love

them, we may have heard of sometimes.

But who can

find a man who would lay down his life for those that hate him? Yet this is what Jesus has done for us. "God commendeth his love, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. v. 8.)

Ask all the tribes of mankind from one end of the world to the other and you will nowhere hear of a deed like this. None was ever so high and stooped down so low as Jesus the Son of God. None ever gave so costly a proof of His friendship. None ever paid so much, and endured so much to do good to others. Never was there such a friend in deed as Jesus Christ!

III. Do you want a mighty and powerful friend? Such a friend is Jesus Christ.

Power to help is that which few possess in this world. Many have will enough to do good to others, but no power. They feel for the sorrows of others and would gladly relieve them if they could. They can weep with their friends in affliction, but are unable to take their grief away. But though man is weak, Christ is strong. Though the best of our earthly friends is feeble, Christ is almighty. him in heaven and earth.” can do so much for those whom he befriends as Jesus Christ. Others can befriend their bodies a little. He

"All power is given unto (Matt. xxviii. 18.) No one

can befriend both body and soul.

Others can do a little for them in time. He can be a friend both for time and

eternity.

He is able to pardon and save the very chief of sinners. He can deliver the most guilty conscience from all its burdens and give it perfect peace with God. He can wash away the vilest stains of wickedness, and make a man whiter than snow in the sight of God. He can clothe a poor weak child of Adam in everlasting righteousness, and give him a title to heaven, that can never be overthrown. In a word, He can give any one of us peace, hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God, if we will only trust in Him. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.” (1 John i. 7.)

He is able to convert the hardest of hearts, and create in man a new spirit. He can take the most thoughtless and ungodly people and give them another mind by the Holy Ghost which He puts in them. He can cause old things to pass away, and all things to become new. He can make them love the things which they once hated, and hate the things which they once loved. "He can give them power to become the sons of God." "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." (John i. 12. 2 Cor. v. 17.)

He is able to preserve to the end all who believe in Him, and become His disciples. He can give them grace to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, and fight a good fight to the last. He can lead them on safely in spite of every temptation, carry them home through a thousand dangers, and keep them faithful, though they stand alone and have none to help them.

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