but the execution of righteous judgment against man the sinner. But to kindle a fire, which should purify and save man, and destroy only what is hostile to his best interests, this required something more than a mere act of power. It had to be made a righteous thing in God to forgive sin, and save the sinner. It was only through expiatory suffering, in the room of man, that our Lord could ascend the throne of the universe, as the divinely. appointed deliverer from sin and its consequences. He must redeem by price before he can redeem by power. Purchase must precede conquest. The foundations of the mediatorial throne can be laid only in the blood of Him who is to sit on it. He must be lifted up on the cross, in order to his being lifted up on the throne, so as that the world may be judged by him, the prince of this world cast out by him, and all men drawn to him. It was because he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death-the death of the cross, in the room of men, that the Father "highly exalted him," giving him "power over all flesh,' -"all power in heaven and on earth."

It only remains now, that we say a few words respecting our Lord's feelings, as expressed in the text, in reference to his suf ferings as the means of gaining the great design of his mission. These are described in the very emphatic exclamation, "How am I straitened till it" (that is, my baptism of suffering) "be accomplished!"

The word rendered "straitened," when applied to mental af fection, is descriptive of that internal struggle, that mingled emotion of aversion and desire, fear and hope, which is produced by the contemplation of some situation of extreme difficulty and suffering, in which we foresee we must be placed, and in which, from the important advantageous consequences likely to arise from our occupying it, and not otherwise attainable, we cannot help wishing ourselves to be placed. It expresses the feelings with which we look forward to an event, in itself extremely disagreeable, absolutely inevitable, and which, when taken in connection with its consequences, we do not wish to avoid. This is a state of mind more easily conceived than described. We may be assisted in forming a conception of the Saviour's state of mind, at the moment he used the words under consideration, by endeavoring to realize the feelings of an advanced christian in the immediate prospect of dissolution,-dissolution likely to be the result of agonizing suffering. He looks forward to death, and the sufferings which are to produce it, as in themselves most undesirable. He instinctively shrinks from pain, and death,dissolution. He cannot choose "strangling and death" for their own sakes. Had he it in his option, he would prefer getting to heaven by a painless translation; he would rather be "clothed upon," than "unclothed;" instead of life being swallowed up of mortality, he would wish that "mortality were swallowed of life." But he knows that "flesh and blood cannot inherit the

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kingdom of God."" He knows there is no entrance for him into life, but through death; and that that presence with the Lord which he so ardently longs for, can be obtained only by that divorce from the body which he cannot but regard with aversion and fear. To be where Christ is, to be with him there, to behold and share his glories, are, in the estimation of such a one, the highest of blessings, blessings well worth dying to obtain; and the assured hope of obtaining these, as the result of dying, makes him more than willing to die, desirous "to depart, to be with Christ, which is far better." Still this desire has a very peculiar character, easily distinguishable from the desire of unmixed good. He is, as the apostle says, using the same word as that before us, "in a strait betwixt two," even when desiring to depart.25

Let us remember, that our Lord's bloody passion, in all its strange complication of bodily agony and mental anguish, was viewed by him as at once inevitable and at hand, and that, at the same time, the glorious results of that passion-results which could be secured in no other way-were fully before his mind, that he had a clear distinct idea, both of the sufferings he was to undergo, and of the glory that was to follow them to him and his; and then we shall have some apprehension, necessarily a very imperfect one, of that painful struggle of antagonist emotion, which stirred to its depths the Saviour's heart, and probably gave a very peculiar expression to his countenance, and tone to his voice, when he said, "I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!"

The Captain of our salvation surveyed the opposing host of the enemies of God and man,-their number, their power, their craft, their malignity, were fully apprehended by him. The decisive struggle was at hand. He knew that it would be arduous and mortal. But he equally knew, that final success was not doubtful, and that the agony of the conflict would be richly recompensed in "glory to God in the highest," "salvation with eternal glory" to millions of redeemed men. In painful, eager expectation, he waited the signal from Him who appointed him. to enter the field of toil, and blood, and victory.

The words intimate a full conviction that he must suffer. Not that his sufferings, absolutely considered, were necessary,―he suffered because he chose to suffer-but, hypothetically, they were altogether necessary to gain the end he had in view, the finishing transgression, making an end of sin, bringing in an everlasting righteousness, bearing, and bearing away, the sin of the world. They intimate, too, a clear apprehension of the magnitude of his approaching sufferings. In many cases, it would be an alleviation of our suffering, could we but distinctly define the dimensions of approaching evil. Those ill-defined, gigantic shadows, which they cast before them, often excite an alarm altogether disproportioned to their real magnitude. It was, how

24 1 Cor. xv. 50.

25 Phil. i. 23.

ever, otherwise with the Saviour. The sufferings awaiting him, far exceeded anything which the human imagination, even when excited by fear, could have pictured. Finally, these words inti mate an invincible resolution, an unquenchable desire, to finish "his strange work in righteousness." "He did not fail, nor was he discouraged." The path lay straight before him, and he pressed onward with a steadiness of movement, which calls up to the mind the making of the tide towards the shore, or the course of the sun through the heavens.

"It

It is but a little while, and the baptism is accomplished: Gethsemane-Calvary-are at hand. The mysterious cry, is finished!" is heard; and when the baptism is accomplished, the conflagration commences. Raised from the dead, he proclaims to his chosen messengers, "All power is given to me in heaven and earth: go disciple all nations-go preach the Gospel to every creature"-apply the lighted torch to the prepared fuel. Soldiers of the cross! take possession of the world-it is the purchased property of your Lord. The battle then began, which has ever since lasted, and which shall not cease, till the shout of victory peal through the universe: "Halleluiah: the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ; halleluiah! the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

What a glorious consummation! The fire of christian truth, and holy spiritual influence, has burnt up the thistles and thorns, the nightshade and upas trees of ignorance, and error, and depravity: "The heavens drop down righteousness, the earth opens, and brings forth salvation ;" and a renovated creation. smiles under the benignant eye of Him who, sitting on the throne, proclaims-"Behold I have made all things new."

Let us, my brethren, remember that, though it is the work of our Lord and King to send fire on the earth, it is a work which he accomplishes through the instrumentality of his people. His people act very much out of character, when, in the ordinary sense of the term, they are fire-brands in society, whether ecclesiastical or civil. But it is their duty-their great primary duty -to keep the fire of holy truth and love which he has kindled in their hearts, burning brightly, and consuming in them every false principle, every unholy desire; and it is equally their duty to endeavor to propagate the sacred fire-to bring all individuals, all societies, all institutions, under its purifying or consuming power. What was the object of such intense desire to our Lord, should draw forth our most earnest wishes. The mind is not in us which was in him-his spirit is not in us, and, therefore, we are none of his-if we do not take a deep interest in the progress and triumph of truth and holiness. Wherever divine truth lays hold on the heart, like fire, it manifests a tendency to communi cate itself. Fire naturally spreads: christians cannot but speak the things they have heard. They "believe, and therefore speak." When they seek to repress this natural impulse, Jere

26 Isa. xlv. 8.

miah's experience is in some degree likely to be theirs. If they say, from false shame, fear, or any other cause, "I will not make mention of him, nor speak of his name, his word is in their heart as a burning fire shut up in their bones; they are weary with forbearing, and cannot stay." Oh, that there were more of this felt necessity among christians, to communicate what they have received, to spread abroad that fire that burns within! If there is no such disposition, can it be doubted there is no fire within to spread abroad?

And as our Lord proved the intensity of his desire by cheerfully doing and suffering all that was necessary to the accomplishment of the glorious object, so must we. We never could have done what he did; we never could have suffered what he suffered; and without his doings and sufferings, our doings and sufferings in such a cause would have been impossible; and, if possible, would have been unavailing. But we too must labor, we too must suffer, in order to the gaining of the great object of his mission-the purifying of the earth through the fire of his word, animated by his Spirit; and let us never think we can labor nor suffer too much in such a cause.

Let us learn from him never to fail or be discouraged, never to be weary in doing or suffering, in promoting the great object for which he so labored and so suffered. Let us, like him, seek to finish the work which the Father gives us to do, and think nothing done, while aught remains to do. Let it be a constant subject of desire, and prayer, and labor, that the sacred fire may be universally diffused, and that the whole earth, purified by it, may be presented as a sacrifice to Jehovah.

His labors were not in vain in the Lord, and neither shall ours be. He has seen of "the travail of his soul," and is "satisfied;" and "in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

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Let all who live under the gospel dispensation remember, that the fire of christian truth cast among a people as it has been cast among us, must produce effects-important effects-effects, the full importance of which eternity only can develop. If it do not melt the stone, it will rend it; if it do not purify, it will destroy. It is no neutral element. It is "the savor of death unto death," if it be not "the savor of life unto life." It is "a quick and powerful word;" and, as received or rejected, it will manifest its power in complete salvation, or in aggravated destruction. A neglected, despised Gospel, will, in the regions of hopeless misery, be a fire that cannot be quenched, burning, without consuming, the very vitals of him who has neglected and despised it. These are weighty words of our Lord: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him "—that shall judge, condemn, and punish him-" the word that I have spoken,

27 1 Cor. xv. 58.

the same shall judge him in the last day." Ay, it will punish him through eternity; and one of the most earnest, hopeless wishes of a lost soul, throughout unending duration, will be, 'O that I could forget the Gospel which I heard, but believed not!' But it cannot be; the recollection is burnt in to the very centre of his being. In addition to the fearful voice sounding unremittingly and endlessly in the ears of all the lost, "You knew your duty, and you did it not,' a still more heart-rending an nouncement will be constantly forced on the attention of the Gospel neglecter and despiser-'Salvation, free, full salvation was offered you, and you refused it. It might, it would, have been yours, had you but received what was sincerely proffered. It can be yours no more for ever.' Unbeliever! take warning in time. If you persist in unbelief, it must come to this. You cannot escape this are you prepared to endure it?

28 John xii 48.

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29 Pollok.