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still intent on his purpose, saying, "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." Instead of shaking him, these temptations of the enemy have only given him an experimental sympathy with all tempted souls. So that if thou art tempted, tempted hard and tempted long, by building thy hope on this foundation which God hath laid in Zion, you will receive succour and support. And what is the testimony of hell after this trial? "I know thee whom thou art, the only Son of God."

Then he is "a precious corner stone." Corner stones are generally placed for three purposes: the first is for union; the second is, for beauty; the third is, for direction or example.

The first is, for union. Take the corner stone from a building, and the two sides by which it is held instantly give way; they are separated from the building. So our Lord is the common bond of union to all parts of his church. The meanest and the greatest, the weakest and the strongest, the most finished stone and the most rough, that which is most concealed in the interior of the building, and never seen by any eye but God's, and that which is most exposed to the church's view—to all he is one common bond. "That they all may be one, as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee." For a long time Jews and Gentiles were separate; but now that Christ is come, the ceremonial law is abolished, and he hath made all into one by breaking down the middle wall of partition which separated them.

The second is, for beauty. When the Psalmist was wishing prosperity to the Church, he prayed "that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace," that is, beautiful and happily united. Skilful builders are careful, therefore, that corner stones should be both graceful and durable, at once exhibiting the accuracy of their work, and the excellency of the material. And oh, what a beautiful stone is Christ our Lord! How easily may he be distinguished from all other stones in a building! Take this away, and the whole will be a confused and uncomely heap. When Christ appeared in his glory, his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was bright as the moon. All the stones of this building are made comely through the glory which he reflects upon them; and therefore to all the stones he is so precious that they cannot describe his preciousness, in the dignity of his person, and in the perfection of his work.

The third is for direction or example. Every other stone must be squared by the corner stone, must be regulated by that. So Christ is the precious corner stone; every stone in the body is to be conformed to him; by the rule of his word they must be squared, and by the exhibition of his example they must be regulated; and if not, the building is defaced and dishonoured: and therefore this corner stone is placed in the building that you may see any unevenness or deformity in your conduct: while a voice says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls"

The passage says, it is "a sure foundation." All others are treacherous, this is sure; all others are perilous, this is sure; all others have given way when they have been tried, this is sure. It is a foundation discovered by infinite wisdom, adapted by consummate perfection, laid by the hands of omnipotence, cemented by a covenant of blood, and testified by the oath of God. What more can be wanted for security? But if you want more you have this: God has

staked all his attributes, and all his perfections upon this foundation; his honour and his glory, his justice and his grace, rest here. Millions of souls, with all their guilt, have proved the security of this foundation: it has raised them from carth to heaven, from a state of sin to a state of righteousness. There are myriads in glory to-night, who, if their voice could be heard in this assembly would be heard to say, "Venture on Him; let no other trust intrude; and you shall find safety and happiness as we have done."

And myriads upon earth have tried him. If I look round this assembly, and catechise those who have ventured their trust on the foundation God has laid in Zion, what support they have found in trouble, and affliction, and bereavement, and death, the reply would be like the testimony of Hopeful to Christian, when they were crossing Jordan to enter into the gates of the Celestial City. "Oh brother," said Christian, "the waves roll over me; I sink in deep water, where there is no standing:" "No, brother," said Hopeful, “be of good cheer; I feel the bottom; it is good." So many a saint, when expiring can say, "I rest upon a rock; my Saviour's righteousness and blood are the foundation of my hope and the expectation of my spirit." Therefore it is a sure foundation, so that you may say, "My flesh and heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

Let me direct your attention, thirdly, to THE SAFETY AND BLESSEDNESS OF ALL THOSE WHO DEPEND UPON THIS FOUNDATION. "He that believeth shall not make haste." He that believeth has set to his seal that God is true. This is a most important point in believing: a man receives the testimony of God, and settles it in his heart that there is such a foundation.

Believing is the casting away of all other foundations, and calling them "refuges of lies," and "hiding places of misery." Believing is casting your soul, with all your hope of eternal happiness, upon the atoning merit of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is your guilt an insupportable burden? Believing is the taking away of this guilt, and casting it upon Jehovah-Jesus. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Do you find that everything beneath you is just like shifting sand, where there is no real security? Believing is placing your feet of faith upon this foundation, and standing unmoved amidst the shocks of error, and the destruction and the distress, which are manifesting themselves around you, and feeling the truth of that passage-"Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Are your opportunities fast failing, and life fast vanishing away, and yet to this moment you have no real resting place? Believing, is venturing your precious soul on this foundation, with all the contracted guilt of former years, all your unimproved opportunities, all your unnumbered transgressions, casting them on the Son of God, by saying, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."

He that so believeth shall not make haste. He shall not make haste as a man who, putting his foot on the ground, feels it moving under him: he is fixed on a firm foundation, and does not want to remove. He shall not make haste like that thief or robber, who would climb up to heaven "some other way," and, when the Judge sits on the throne, hastes from his presence and trembles to appear before him.

I am aware that another interpretation has been put on this passage by some

commentators: "He that believeth shall not make haste;" that is, he shall not rush into comfort at once, and begin to be happy before he has ever been miserable. It is a gradual process, first the blade appearing, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear; first the child, then the young man, then the father in Christ; first the foundation, then the superstructure, then the top-stone. And be not discouraged if you are pressing to heaven amidst many difficulties, and your hearts and spirits are sometimes broken with the afflictions of the way: remember "he that walketh uprightly walketh surely"—that though you may not make the haste that some do, yet the snail got into the ark as well as the Arabian courser.

This passage ought to present itself to you in the light in which the Apostles have placed it before us: "He that believeth," says Paul, "shall not be ashamed:" "He that believeth," says Peter, "shall not be confounded." There are three things that make men ashamed and confounded-sin, disappointment, and the judgment. Sin makes men ashamed. God has established an irreversible decree that shame shall be the companion and the reward of sin. Disappointment makes a man ashamed and confounded that he has nothing to answer for himself when he has been trusting to lies and made flesh his refuge. And judgment will make many ashamed who in that great day, instead of the work of Christ, shall present their own deeds. But "he that believeth shall not be ashamed;"" he that believeth shall not be confounded."

This is the felicity and the blessedness of them that trust in him. Brethren, you who have believed in him, cast all your concernments, all your difficulties, all your trials, upon this foundation. Remember that Christ is the burdenbear of the Church. Cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you. You have a burden of guilt, a burden of domestic trial, a burden of doubt; but cast them all here, and you shall be assured. Israel shall be "saved of the Lord"-Israel shall not be confounded, world without end."

How dreadfully grievous must be the state of that man who dares to oppose the foundation which God has laid in Zion! "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." Would you associate with unbelieving Jews and infidels? Would you disdain the Son of God, and despise the only hope of mercy laid down in the Sacred Writings? Oh, my heart pities you. Fain would I weep over you, and exhort you to turn and live. What can your puny arm do to overturn this stone? He that falleth upon it shall be "broken in pieces," but upon whomsoever it shall fall, "it shall grind him to powder." What can you do? Where is your strength? Go, stop the sun in its course; go to the falls of Niagara, and bid the waters cease to flow! You overthrow this foundation! It is under the Almighty's superintendence; the building is rearing under his hand; and the top-stone shall be brought out with shoutings of "Grace, grace unto it." But on you will the horrible charge be laid of having attempted to draw souls from the Son of God, and to deprive them of the comforts of God's salvation. What are you not content to perish yourself, but you must drag your wife, your neighbour, your friend, your sister, your brother, your child, into the same pit of misery! Oh, horrible mpiety! God forgive you, my dear hearers! The Lord, for Christ's sake, forgive you! May he seal the truth of his word: "Upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

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THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVE TO CHRIST.

REV. H. F. FELL, A.M.

TRINITY CHURCH, CLOUDESLEY SQUARE, ISLINGTON, AUGUST 10, 1834.

"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep."-JOHN, xxi. 16.

GOD is love; and the grand characteristic of his revealed truth is love. Its principle, from the beginning to the end, accords with the angelic song, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good-will towards men.” The foundation of it is laid in the everlasting love of the Father; the most costly proof of it is exhibited in the birth, life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. Its manifestation to the children of adoption is exerted by the diffusion and indwelling of his free Spirit into the heart. So that we cannot turn to a page of the Sacred Record, without finding it written, as with a sun-beam, "God is love." A religion which has such an Author, must inculcate corresponding principles on its true disciples: we are not, therefore, surprised to hear the Apostle to the Gentiles assert, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Indeed, if we were called upon to give a concise exposition of our Lord's doctrines whilst on earth, it could hardly be summed up in more comprehensive and correct terms than this I have just alluded to-"Love is the fulfilling of the law." Our Lord commanded the love of his disciples on earth to the extent of his own perfection: "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." He commanded them to give continued testimony of their love to himself, by a practical proof of their attachment: "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

The conversation between our Lord and his Apostle Peter, as recorded in our text, and the preceding verses, has a peculiar reference to this main spring of Christian love. As our Lord wished to entrust him with the highest and most important of all offices, with the care of the sheep of his fold, it was not only natural but most desirable, that such an inquiry should be made, that the renewal of Peter's allegiance and regard, by public confession, should be given under these circumstances. The question, however, deeply interesting as it must be when used in its application to the Apostle, cannot be confined to him, or to the disciples who listened to the conversation. Every minister of the everlasting Gospel must read it with a personal application, and every minister of God may find in it subject-matter for the deepest self-examination. But, brethren, its usefulness must not be confined to these, the words of our text contain many useful thoughts of a private nature. They may be dwelt upon

with advantage by all; they may be productive of much spiritual benefit. May the God of all grace bless them to all our minds, and render them highly profitable to our humiliation, and our establishment in the grand doctrine-the evangelical doctrine-the principle of love.

With this design I claim your attention to these two leading thoughts: first, the question, "Lovest thou me?" Secondly, the effect on the mind of Peter, as evinced in his reply-" Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee."

I have already observed, that the question is one of the first importance to every Christian, whether holding the office of a spiritual pastor of the flock of Christ, or following him as one of the sheep of his pasture. Under this conviction, permit me, without any previous remark on its application to the Apostle Peter, to put the question at once to each of my beloved flock, in the name, and on the behalf of our Divine Master-" LOVEST THOU ME?" Let me attempt this by the suggestion of some simple thoughts connected with the question.

I first ask, Lovest thou the offices of Jesus? He came to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins: he has undertaken to be the prophet, the priest, and the king of his church. Hast thou ever personally delighted in his undertaking? Hast thou seen thy condition as the child of apostate, fallen, and rebellious parents? Is the misery, and the bondage, and the ignorance of your state fully laid open to your minds; the misery entailed upon you in time and eternity by your fall; the bondage in which you have been from your birth, enslaved to the devil, to the world, and to a carnal nature? Have you felt your ignorance of God's law, and God's character? Brethren, it was to teach men these humiliating truths, that the Son of God became the Son of man. He is the prophet of his church for this express purpose; his first work upon the minds of his disciples is, to send forth his Holy Spirit upon them to convince them of sin, and their condemnation by it; of their slavery in consequence of it; of their natural ignorance of it previous to their conversion, or the instruction of their minds by the Holy Ghost. "It is written in the prophets," said our Lord, "They shall all be taught of God: every man, therefore, that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me." Lovest thou this office of Immanuel? Lovest thou to plead thy ignorance of thyself, of God, and of holiness, and heavenly things? and lovest thou to be instructed, even as a little child? I beseech you, beloved brethren, put the question home to your hearts.

Again, Lovest thou the kingly office of the divine Redeemer? Wilt thou have this man to reign over thee? Remember, that where he teacheth, there he loveth: he imparts his grace; and his grace, saith Paul, enjoineth us to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world." Alas, brethren, many would be willing to have the Son of God as their Prophet, to be guided into the apprehension of divine truths, but they cannot cease from holding the truth in unrighteousness; but remember, the offices of Immanuel are inseparable; he cannot be our prophet unless we submit to his government; he must have the obedience of faith. Every thought

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