Copyright, 1885,

BY ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH AND CO.

University Press:

JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE.

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;
See in His face what wonders meet;
Earth is too narrow to express

His worth, His glory, or His grace.

"The whole creation can afford

But some faint shadows of my Lord;
Nature, to make His beauties known,
Must mingle colors not her own.

"Is He compared to Wine or Bread?
Dear Lord, our souls would thus be fed :
That flesh, that dying blood of Thine,
Is bread of life, is heavenly wine.

"Is He a Tree? The world receives
Salvation from His healing leaves:

That righteous Branch, that fruitful Bough,
Is David's root and offspring too.

"Is He a Rose? Not Sharon yields
Such fragrancy in all her fields;
Or if the Lily He assume,

The valleys bless the rich perfume.

"Is He a Vine? His heavenly root
Supplies the boughs with life and fruit;
Oh, let a lasting union join

My soul to Christ the Living Vine.

"Is He the Head? Each member lives,
And owns the vital power He gives;
The saints below and saints above
Joined by His spirit and His love.

"Is He a Fountain? There I bathe,
And heal the plague of sin and death ;
These waters all my soul renew,
And cleanse my spotted garments too.

"Is He a Fire? He'll purge my dross ;
But the true gold sustains no loss:
Like a refiner shall He sit,

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;
The path is drawn in lines of blood:
There would I walk with hope and zeal,
Till I arrive at Zion's hill.

"Is He a Door? I'll enter in ;

Behold the pastures large and green,
A Paradise divinely fair;

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
Th' indwelling Majesty and Power;
And still to His most holy place,
Whene'er I pray, I turn my face.

"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,
His course is joy and righteousness;
Nations rejoice, when He appears,
To chase the clouds and dry their tears.

"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,
Nor heaven His full resemblance bears;
His beauties we can never trace,
Till we behold Him face to face."