———By this a way is opened for us into THE HOLY OF HOLIES: and what may we not venture to aſk, what may we not expect to receive, who have the blood of the everlaſting covenant to plead in all our approaches to the throne of grace? Having therefore ſuch an high prieſt; having in this croſs unſearchable riches; who ſhall make our glorying void? What ſhall hinder us from rejoicing and ſaying, Bleſſed be God for the opening beauties of ſpring! Bleſſed be God for the expected fruits of autumn! Bleſſed be God for ten thouſand thouſand gifts of his indulgent providence! but above all, bleſſed be God for the croſs of Chriſt.
As miniſters of the goſpel, we are not left to ſet before our hearers a ſyſtem of refined heatheniſm; or to entertain them with cold ſpiritleſs lectures of virtue. No; we have the infinitely tender love, the immenſely free grace, of the bleeding, dying IMMANUEL, to diſplay, to improve, to enforce. And is there a topic in the whole compaſs of oratory, is there an argument amidſt all the ſtores. of reaſon, ſo admirably calculated to touch the fineſt movements of the ſoul, to ſtrike all the inmoſt ſprings of action, with the moſt perſuaſive, the moſt commanding energy? Would we alarm the ſupine, or intimidate the preſumptuous? we may call them to behold God's own Son weltering in blood. God's own Son transfixed with the arrows of juſtice; we may bid them conſider, if judgement
