result by which they produce any effect. the means by which they do any good.

And the superiority of charity, is crowned by its immortality. Faith will soon be lost in sight, and hope in the enjoyment of its object; there will be no more to believe and to hope when we see and when we enjoy. It is love which is here the evidence of our title to eternity, our meetness for that holy and unspeakable felicity in the blessed earnest of it; and when hereafter we are made perfect, and free from all human alloy, it will be consummated and perpetuated in the love and the favour of God for ever and ever.

Now, then, to what practical conclusion does this long and surely interesting discussion lead us? Let this be the test. Do we in any measure thus work by love? Do we bear such fruit in some good degree? Without such fruit we are barren, and fit only for the burning; without such fruit we are dead. Christians in business-Christians in the world, in the various relations, and intercourse of society-Christians in returning and meditating on the state of your own heart, read often with prayer from the third to the seventh verse of this chapter, inclusive, and try to prove your own state by it. If you find yourselves here deficient, if you find indeed you have given way in the various trials of your love-if you find you have been, indeed, uncharitable in your thoughts, words, and deeds-without delay seek a real change in your views. You are yet in your natural unconverted state, and you must be made a new creature, or your very faith will condemn you, and make you an associate, not of Him whose name is love, but of the father of lies and the murderer from the beginning. And if after such an examination you find you are guilty in some measure, still humbly beg for his astonishing, distinguishing mercy, and cast yourselves unreservedly upon the atoning, interceding love of Christ, for the pardoning of your souls' manifold failures; on his inconceivably bounteous love, for the supply and increase of your faith and growth in love.

To conclude, consider well, all of you, the nature and value of the cause for which I have to solicit your regard and contributions. Our blessed Lord, in his emphatical delineation of Christian love, has stamped his peculiar approbation on institutions similar to that before us. This society involves the very essence of Christian neighbourhood. Who, think you, was neighbour to him that fell among thieves? Is it not him who, in afflictions, ministers not only to the body, but to the soul also? The humbling, softening touch of sickness will, under the divine guidance, open the heart to godly counsel: hearing the glad tidings of salvation, proclaimed by the voice of kindness, and endeared by the hand of relief, the hard and stubborn conscience of the sinner will be found to give way; the ruined cottage shall sometimes change its state and aspect, and become the abode of health and peace, confort and holiness, instead of the centre and spring of disease and discord, the receptacle of woe and the resort of vice. Sisterly compassion and sympathy here finds its appropriate work; and as humble representatives of those who were last at the death, and first at the resurrection of our Lord, who ministered to his necessities, who were fellow-helpers in love, the female visitor actuated by a like motive may indulge in a like hope, and hear from her Saviour and Judge, "She has done what she could; inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my poor disciples, ye have done it unto me."

Let this principle, then, draw forth from you liberal contributions; recollect that though alms-giving is not charity, and does not constitute the essence of

Christian love, yet the possession of that love, without the dedication of a portion of your substance, estimated not according to worldly opinion and the standard of Christian self-denial-a profession without such a dedication, is lip service only, and utterly worthless. Charity, without such, is dead in the sight of God and man; it is a barren tree, without fruit, fit only for the burning.

Have we stated the feelings appropriate to your own peculiar condition? Is there one here who has known the comfort of ample aid and accommodation, in hours, in weeks, in months, and days of sickness; who has felt and acknowledged these to be superior advantages given him by God? And will he not impart a share of the benefits and blessings to his fellow sinners, and contribute of the abundance with which he has been favoured? Is there any one whose resources are curtailed by the necessities of the times, and who is tempted to apply retrenchment in this as well as other respects? Will he not recollect that the cruse of oil and the barrel of meal shall never fail, and be induced to spare a portion of his pittance to others more distressed still? For this you will be blessed from above; you will be recompensed in full measure; pressed down and running over; not of merit, but through the grace of Him who marked and honoured the mite of the widow, and who will keep in his everlasting remembrance the cup of cold water, or the healing medicine given to a poor brother in faith and in love.

Divided as the congregation must be in the evidences of their consciences, by this solemn question, "Have you the faith which worketh by love?" and elevated, the one perhaps by trembling hope, and the other depressed by fears, you shall surely join, with an interest, perhaps by some not felt before, in the true Scriptural and apostolical prayer of our Church: "O Lord who has taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worthy, send thy Holy Ghost, to pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, without which whosoever liveth, is accounted dead before thee." Grant this, O blessed Lord we entreat thee, through thine only Son, Jesus Christ the source, the modei, and the rewarder of all.

CHRIST THE HUSBAND OF HIS CHURCH

REV. J. SHERMAN.

SURREY CHAPEL, APRIL 27, 1834.

"For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called."—ISAIAH, liv. 5.

BOTH Testaments abound with striking metaphors, which exemplify and sec forth the dear and intimate union which subsists between Christ and those who compose his Church. Sometimes he calls them friends—as individuals to whom he communicates his secrets. Sometimes he calls them children-as partakers of the same inheritance with himself. Sometimes he calls them brethren-as descendants of the same common father, and inheritors of the same birthright privileges. But no metaphor shows the tender and peculiar regard which Christ has to his Church, equal to the one in my text: "Thy Maker is thine husband." How gracious the condescension, how endearing the appellation! That Christ, the glory of all worlds, should be united to a sinner, a worm, and declare in Inspired Writ that he is the Husband, the protector, the guide, the friend, the near-allied associate of that sinner and that worm!

But, methinks, when I announced this passage as the text of the following discourse this morning, some broken spirit in this assembly, oppressed with its own guilt, and alarmed lest at any time it should presume on any portion of Holy Writ, desiring this may be a day of espousals, when the heart may be lifted and united to the Lord Jesus-some spirit inquired to-day, as I announced these words, "Ah! but to whom are these words spoken? To whom are they to be applied? May I venture to lay hold on them? Does the passage belong to me, and all the interesting details, are they mine?" Bear with me while I answer that question.

Unquestionably the primary application of this passage, is to the Jewish Church, whom our Lord had betrothed to himself as his peculiar people, above all nations on the face of the earth. Now the Prophet, in the commencement of this chapter, promises this Church a great enlargement by the addition of the Gentiles, so that she should "stretch forth the curtains of her habitations, lengthen her cords, and strengthen her stakes." But she said within herself, "I am so desolate; I am like a captive removing to and fro: I am now in Babylon; and I see myself so reduced from my former prosperity and honourhow can I hope these promises will be fulfilled in my experience?" The Prophet immediately leads her to the grounds on which she might hope that the Gentiles would be united to her, and that her glory would be increased: for, says he, after he promises this, "Thy Maker is thy husband: He that is united to thee, made thee, and therefore can make all things serve thee: He that is united to thee, is the Lord of Hosts, and therefore all things are subject to his mighty sway:

He that loves thee is thy Redeemer, who brought thee out of Egypt with a high hand and an out-stretched arm, and therefore can again restore thy glory, and bring thee honour: He that is united to thee is the Holy One of Israel, and therefore faithful to all his engagements: and He that is united to thee is the God of the whole earth, and therefore every one must submit to his authority and his control." But that which was applied to the Church collectively, under the Old Testament dispensation, may be applied to individual believers, under the New: the very same passage of Scripture, which relates to the Church as a collective body, may be applied to individual believers. Therefore, if there be any broken hearts which are ready to renounce all allegiance with former lords, and shake off all the connexions which they had previously had with sin, with the world, with the law and covenant of works, or with any other thing contrary to their happiness and peace-if they are willing to break off their allegiance this day, and aspire after union and communion with Jesus-oh, my brother, oh, my sister, to you is the word of this salvation sent: "Thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called."

And while I am endeavouring to set forth the glories of the Bridegroom, and charm your hearts with his excellences, oh, may the Spirit of God work faith in your hearts, that you may believe him, embrace him as your Saviour and your Friend, and evermore say to all around you, "This is my beloved, and this is my friend; I love not any other." And, brethren, pray with me-0 God of Abraham, I stand at this weil of salvation, and the virgin daughters of the people come hither to draw water: oh, this day, while I am endeavouring to represent my Master's Son, win some virgin hearts to him, and give me good speed this day in my work. Amen.

First, then, in calling your attention to this passage, let me show you the glorious dignity of the Bridegroom; in the second place, the nature of the union which is here spoken of; and in the third place, the terms of the espousals.

First, let me show you THE GLORIOUS DIGNity of the Bridegroom. If "glorious things" are spoken of Zion—that is, the spouse-how many more "glorious things" may be spoken of Zion's King, and Zion's Lord, the Bridegroom! Heaven, with all its hosts, is ransacked, and earth, with all its varieties, is culled, to set forth his glory and his honour. One might travel from Genesis to the Revelations in order to search them out; but there are so many in this verse, such clusters of them, that it is unnecessary to go elsewhere.

Observe then, first, they Husband is thy Maker. "All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." Every blade of grass, every leaf of every tree, every flower, all the beasts that roam in the forest, all the fishes that swim in the sea, all the birds that fly in the air, were made by him. If you fix your eye on any object on earth or in heaven, the beauties of which attract you by its own loveliness and peculiarity, and when you fix on that, as something desirable to be allied to-what then? Why, all these beauties are but the tints of his pencil; are but the invention of his wisdom, are but the gifts of his bounty. Look over the vast continent of mind, and see the grasping power of mighty intellect, over the vast world in which you live: all these powers were given by him; the most splendid intellect originated nowhere but in himself. Is there any good thing in thy heart-any desire towards heaven or heavenly things? He made it, he newly created it there; it did not originate

of thine own power, or thine own love to divine things: He made it, and therefore thine Husband is thy Maker. Now, if it be considered an honour to be allied to an individual whose wisdom or ingenuity are apparent, thine Husband is the wisdom of God," the all-wise God our Saviour."

Again, thy Husband is represented in the text as the LORD of Hosts. And who are these "hosts?" In Psalm cxlviii. we read, "Praise ye him, all his angels praise ye him all his hosts:" all the myriads of elect angels, great in power and in might. The principalities and the powers of the heavenly world go at his bidding, and are ruled by his word. Him they admire, him they praise, him they serve, in him they glory. Their seven-fold chorus of harping symphonies and thundering hallelujahs is this morning sent up to magnify the riches of His grace and glory, and to praise Him who sitteth upon the throne. All the myriads of fallen angels are under his government and control: without our spiritual Joseph, not one of them will dare to lift his hand or his foot. He expels them from the human heart, or confines them to their prison. He limits their operations, he controls their designs, he watches all their machinations against the Church: he does what he pleases in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth; none can stay his hand, or say, what doest thou? All within our houses, all from whom we may be suffering persecution, all our neighbours, all men, of every clime, every colour, every country, every state, are under the control of our King and of our Head: all power is given to him in heaven and in earth. "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." Now if it be an honour to be united to one who is a great general and a mighty conquerer, then such is thine Husband; he is "the Lord of Hosts."

Again. Our text tells us that thy Husband is thy Redeemer. Oh sweet name! Oh endearing appellation! "Thy Redeemer." Dr. Doddridge tells us that a poor Irishman was once condemned to death. Believing, from the evidence brought forward by him, that the man was innocent, he made great exertions to get him relieved from his sentence, but all his efforts proved unavailing. Yet such was the gratitude of the poor condemned man, that he said, "You are my redeemer." "A poor impotent redeemer indeed," the Doctor remarks; but such was the gratitude of this poor man that he said, "I only wan, to ask you one thing-that, as I am going to the place of execution, I may knec down at your door, and kiss your feet, and thank you for your exertions on my behalf." What will you do, then, this morning to your Lord and Master? He who is your Redeemer, He to whom you are united by faith, not only attempted it, but accomplished it. Thou wast in prison, tied aud bound with the chain of thy sins: thou wast a captive, serving divers lusts and pleasures: thou wast a bankrupt, owing ten thousand talents, and having not one farthing to pay. But oh, unutterable, inexpressible, inconceivable love! Thy Jesus became thy Husband; and in order to become thy Husband, he became thy Redeemer: that is, he first assumed your flesh, in order that he might be your Boaz, your near kinsman, that in that nature he might have a right to redeem you. But how did he redeem?

Here I might pause to find words to express the manner in which this redemption was accomplished, if this were not expressed in one short sentence: "He loved me, and gave himself for me." More he could not do. The curse that was due to my head he took upon his own: the burden of guilt I had to bear, he took from my shoulder and placed on his own: he broke my chain, he