PREFACE. T has been the writer's custom, in his discourses service, to hold the attention to some particular representation of Christ, aiming thereby to avoid repetitions and sameness. From the material which has thus accumulated, he has selected and rewritten the following, with the hope that some of the thoughts presented may be stimulating and helpful to others. The dying charge which the writer's mother - who was well known to many now in the ministry - gave to him, was "Preach the gospel; preach Christ." It is not enough to preach about Christ, or to say the same things. It is a mistake to preach platitudes. Christ must be presented in His many-sided aspects; and the theme is inexhaustible. It is as if we held to our eye a kaleidoscope, every turn of which reveals some new assemblage of beautiful colors and forms. Many are the figures under which the God-man is presented to us in the Scriptures. All are significant, and each gives some fresh and enrapturing view of Him whom no language can describe. Seeing, as we do, through a glass darkly, we can only catch glimpses of His glory. By and by, in the clearer light of heaven, we shall see Him as He is. Meanwhile, with the seraphic Watts we sing : "Go worship at Immanuel's feet; His worth, His glory, or His grace. "The whole creation can afford But some faint shadows of my Lord; "Is He compared to Wine or Bread? "Is He a Tree? The world receives That righteous Branch, that fruitful Bough, "Is He a Rose? Not Sharon yields The valleys bless the rich perfume. "Is He a Vine? His heavenly root My soul to Christ the Living Vine. "Is He the Head? Each member lives, "Is He a Fountain? There I bathe, "Is He a Fire? He'll purge my dross ; And tread the refuse with His feet. "Is He a Rock? How firm He proves! The Rock of Ages never moves; Yet the sweet streams that from Him flow, Attend us all the desert through. "Is He a Way? He leads to God; "Is He a Door? I'll enter in ; Behold the pastures large and green, None but the sheep have freedom there. "Is He designed a Corner Stone For men to build their heaven upon? I'll make Him my foundation too, Nor fear the plots of hell below. "Is He a Temple? I adore "Is He a Star? He breaks the night, Piercing the shades with dawning light ; I know His glories from afar, I know the bright, the Morning Star. "Is He a Sun? His beams are grace, "Oh, let me climb those higher skies, Where storms and darkness never rise! There He displays His powers abroad, And shines and reigns th' incarnate God. "Nor earth, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars, |