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from the dead. As King and Saviour he redeemed us from sin, misery, death.

Christ not only offered, designed, but made.

APPLICATION.-Close with the bargain. Reject, neglect not Christ. Benighted, wandering ones, fool. ish slaves of sin, receive Christ as wisdom. Guilty ones, receive him as righteousness. Unclean ones, receive him as sanctification. Miserable ones, receive him as redemption.

Observe the order.—Justification is before sanctification.—A chain with four links, one draws the other.

Believers, what a treasure ! draw, buy out.



my throne, even as I also overcame and am sat down with my Father on his throne. Rev. iii, 21.

INTROD.-Important words. He that has an ear to hear, let him hear.'

1. Jesus overcame.

1. The world.-Its crowns, smiles, pomps, pleasures, profit, applause. --By standing, or flying.

2. The flesh.-Ease, gratifications, lusts.-By fasting, abstinence, pain, want, agony of the cross.

3. The devil.—By resisting, and the word. The prince in his powers of darkness, and temptations, was conquered.

4. Sin,-By bleeding and dying for it. '.
5. Death,—By being swallowed up by it. Hell.

1). His reward as man.

He sits down with the Father on his throne.-Union, rest, triumph, power, glory.

III. We must overcome as he did: And by his vic. tory, the believer overcomes in Christ.- 1 John r. 4.

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IV. Promise.
• Sitting' denotes rest.
• With Christ,' signifies union, delight.

On his throne,'-power, glory. • Even,'-like cross, like crown.

"Will I grant,'-favour to us by Christ's righteousness.

Motives.-Love, gratitude, safety; rest, honour, power, and dominion for ever.

Encouragement.-Christ has overcome before, and

for you.

Prize.—The person, and the throne of Christ.-Honour superior to that of angels.

Fight the world as Shadrach, the flesh as Paul, the devil as Christ, sin as Joseph, Death as the conquerors. (1 Cor. xv. 57.)

APPLICATION.-Worldlings.-Fight not in the wrong cause, or you will sit in hell.

Seekers.-Strive even to blood.-Fight till you overcome. On your knees. Believers.-Overcome, till you sit down.


From henceforth thou shalt catch men.--LUKB v, 10.

INTROD.-Business of preachers to catch men.

1. From what place ?
1. The muddy pool of ignorance.
2. The streams of vanity.

3. The foaming sea of corruption, original and actual.

4. The cistern, whirlpool, of self. These all lead to the lake burning, &c. There that Leviathan takes his pastime.

II. For what end ? 1. To save them from the lake, and the Leviathan.

2. To bring them to the fountain opened for sin. To the river that gladdens Sion. To the ocean of divine love, the living fountain of water, the well of life.

III. How ?

Not by cunningly.devised fables, not by flattery, but by the truth of the law to frighten, of the gospel to allure.

Satan catches by lies. His bait is pleasure, profit, honour; not Jesus's love. He is in the night, we in the day.

APPLICATION.—Compared to fishes. They devour each other.Care not for heaven.

Sinders.-Let me catch you, by conscience.—God will catch you at last out of every pool.

Mourners.--Come to Jesus.
Backsliders.—Escape his net.—No more be taken.
Saints.- Catch others.


Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This

is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain ? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain ; and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace, unto it.—Zech. iv. 6, 7.

I. Temple.

Difficulties in the way of erection, as a great mountain blocking up the way. Alps, Hannibal.

JI. Direction given. 1. Negatively. ‘Not by might of man's body, soul, parts, wealth. Nor by power of temporal and ecclesiastical ruler3. 2. Positively.

* But by my Spirit.' He turns the hearts of men, and works effectually when man gives all up. "The Lord of Hosts.'—Superior might says so.

The power of the Spirit in Elijah, Christ and his Apostles. Man is weakened before God works. Jacob's thigh.

III. Gracious promise of God.
1. Authority and power of God.

Who art thou,' Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Sanballat, Satan?

2. Great mountain.'
Corruptions, prejudice, outward powers, sins.
3. “Before Zerubbabel.'

Christ, the builder of the world and repairer of the breach, raising the temple of his body in three days.

4. Thou shalt become a plain.' A valley filled.

5. “The head stone, and foundation stone with shoutings.'–Of all good men, and angels, through joy:-Of bad men, through fear.

6. “Grace, grace unto it!'
Grace in God, towards man immense.

APPLICATION.-Apply this,
1. To the difficulties of the undertaking.
2. To the difficulties of our salvation.

Grace is to begin and conclude. Every stone brought is put in with the heavenly shout.

Have you no power? Not by YOUR power:' Zerubbabel hath power.

Have you no might? Christ hath the Spirit: 'By my Spirit.' By the power of the spirit of prayer, spirit of faith, love, patience.

Look at the sin of the world, a great mountain : Before Jesus it was a plain.

Look at the state of Christianity. Twelve poor fishermen.--It was a plain, instead of a mountain, when Zerubbabel took the matter in hand.

Look at the Reformation.
Look at the late Revival.

Adam lost, Christ regains and gives paradise. As a proof, the thief, his greatest miracle. Breaking of the rocks, graves, the earthquake, rending of the veil of the temple, are less glorious.

- Trophy !—The shame of the company of the two thieves redounded to his greater glory.


And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou

comést into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.-LUKE xxiii. 42, 43.;

I. Power of the cross of Christ, and manner of con. version.

1. All men are robbers, murderers, despisers of Christ.

2. The greatest blessings or plagues humble them not.

3. The prayer of Christ, and grace in answer to it, do humble them.

4. Works are not the cause of pardon.

5. The meritorious cause is Christ. He is God.The Lord gives paradise.

6. Instrumental cause, faith and prayer. “Remember me.'

II. The heart of Christ is towards sinners.

1. In these dreadful circumstances, Christ takes notice of an ejaculation.

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