Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

merits and satisfaction of thy Son our Lord." We are so familiar with this language that we do not stop to consider its full import: but a most fundamental and indispensable truth is suggested by it. When our church teaches us to conclude every prayer in this manner, and carefully avoids the omission of it, does she not point out to us the consideration that our very prayers are imperfect and defiled: and that our earnest petitions, and devout praises, must all be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and perfumed with the incense of his sacrifice, or they cannot be acceptable to God? Not only do our sins need the atonement of Christ, but our best duties also. Nothing that we can do is pleasing to God, except it spring from faith in the Redeemer, and be offered to him through the merits of Jesus Christ.

In the confession at the commencement of the service, when we are calling for mercy and forgiveness, what

66

is the plea we use? According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord." Our only hope of remission of sins rests on the promises of God in Christ Jesus. And to whom is the assurance of mercy held out in the absolution? Only to those "who truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel!" Faith in the great sacrifice of Christ made known to us in the Gospel is to be the only remedy for us all! We celebrate the glories of Christ, and the greatness of his salvation in the Te Deum. But it is in the Litany that we most particularly plead his sacrifice in our behalf. Having deprecated many temporal and spiritual evils, we pray that He would deliver us from them by means of his great and finished work. "By the mystery of thy holy incarnation," by that sacred union of Godhead and Manhood, which gave efficacy and suitableness to the sacrifice made for sin: " by thy holy nativity and circumcision;" which proved

[ocr errors]

the real humanity of Christ, and his fulfilment of the law, both ceremonial and moral; " by thy baptism," by which he was pleased "to fulfil all righteousness:" "by thy fasting and temptation," in which trials Jesus participated that he might know how to succour the tempted, and to be touched with a feeling of their infirmities: 66 by thine agony and bloody sweat," when the ponderous weight of man's offences pressed the Redeemer to the earth; "by thy cross and passion," which expiated our guilt and atoned for our sin; "by thy glorious resurrection and ascension," which completed the triumph over death and hell; and " by the coming of the Holy Ghost," which was purchased by this sacrifice, and promised to believers; "Good Lord deliver us!" The fulness and sufficiency of the great redemption which is in Christ Jesus is here offered in particular and minute detail, as the

only ground of our deliverance" from God's wrath and from everlasting damnation."

We might further dwell upon the beautiful language of gratitude which we adopt in the general thanksgiving, where we praise God for all his mercies, for his rich providential blessings, but above all for his " inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory" revealed in him. But it is necessary that we should call your attention most particularly to the repeated expressions of simple trust in Christ, which we adopt in the sacramental service of the Lord's Supper. In the address which is delivered on the Sunday preceding the administration of this ordinance we are reminded, that it is "the meritorious cross and passion of Christ, whereby ALONE we obtain remission of our sins, and are made partakers of the king

[merged small][ocr errors]

dom of heaven." exhortation at the time of communicating, we are excited " to have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour." "And above all things to give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and man, who did humble himself, even to the death upon the cross, for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death; that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life." Nothing can be more faithful and spiritual than this statement. This is our condition, the condition of all men; by nature MISERABLE SINNERS, LYING IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH;' here is our only rescue, "THE DEATH AND PASSION OF OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST;" here is the blessed state and prospect of the believer; he is a "child of God,”

In the introductory

[ocr errors]
« AnteriorContinuar »