able Mediator; and He is man, truly man, that He might be a suitable Mediator between God and men. He is " Christ," the anointed Prophet, Priest, and King, of His Church, the best Teacher, the only Saviour, and the great Ruler of my soul. He is "Jesus," because He came to save His people from their sins. What a remarkable personage! How great His love to me! Patriarchs and prophets would have rejoiced to read and hear what I have read and heard about Him. Truly He is "My Lord and my God."

The work-"One Mediator between God and man." There is but one Mediator. Neither the angels, nor the virgin Mary, nor the saints, can mediate between God and man. "Neither is there any other daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both." Man in innocence held direct communication with God, but by the fall, man is now exposed to His just displeasure; his powers of mind and body are enfeebled; his heart is filled with enmity against God; and he is totally incapable of returning to God, or making satisfaction to His justice. Jesus is the Mediator appointed to effect a reconciliation, and in the fulness of time He appeared in our nature, obeyed the law of God, offered himself a sacrifice to satisfy Divine justice, conquered Satan, death, and the grave, and thus He brings His believing people back to the favour and

friendship and family of God. Amazing work! Amazing love! How can I resist its influence, or slight its blessings? Christ is my all. As Mediator He still works for me. He intercedes at God's right hand, and pleads for our salvation; He sends His Holy Spirit in answer to prayer; and He offers salvation in the gospel to all without exception. Shall He die that I might live? Shall He plead with me and for me, and shall I not plead for myself?

Think of the result.-So complete and satisfactory is Christ's mediation, that in it God is seen to be a just God, and a Saviour. He is now set forth in the gospel as "just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." The great mystery has been solved, "How should man be just with God?" and now the Father loves, the Saviour invites, and the Spirit pleads. Reader, wilt thou resist? Salvation is now rendered possible to all, and certain to them that believe. The blood-bought righteousness of Christ is brought nigh to the stout-hearted, and them that are far from righteousness, and "by faith of Jesus Christ is unto all, and upon all them that believe." Impenitent sinners are left without excuse. The one great Mediator has come; the one great sacrifice for sin has been made; the one great salvation is brought nigh, and, if not accepted, "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins."

Fortieth Sabbath-Morning.

CHRISTIAN UNITY.

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile; there is neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." -Gal. iii. 28.

HERE we are informed that there is no distinction of persons in the Church of Christ; that each believer is in Him, and that all believers are one.

There is no distinction of persons in the Church of Christ.-There is no distinction of nation. The Jew and the Greek, the Chinaman and the Indian, the African and the European, are alike welcome to Christ, and admissible to his Church. "Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." If men make distinctions of country, or colour, in the Church of Christ, it is opposed to His will, and opposed to His word, and with such wilful transgressors, we should have no fellowship. There is no distinction of condition. "There is neither bond nor free." While the gospel is to be preached to every creature, it is specially to be preached to the poor. The poor may be rich in faith, and though a man be not worth a penny, he may get into Christ, and into the Church, and into heaven. The poor and the rich, the bond and the free, the learned and the

unlearned, the civilized and the savage, have immortal souls alike precious, and there is virtue in the blood of Christ for them all, yea, such virtue as neither ages nor numbers can exhaust. There is room in the heart of Christ, room in the Church, and room in heaven, and every believing bondman is the Lord's free man. There is no distinction of sex. "There is neither male nor female." Though females are forbidden to speak in the church, yet they ought to enjoy all other privileges the same as males. "The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.”

Each believer is in Christ-"Ye are all in Christ Jesus." To be in Christ Jesus is the noblest distinction on earth, and every believer is in Christ, as the branch is in the vine, and as the stone is in the building. This union is in its nature spiritual. It is not mere membership of the Church, but it is a union of heart to heart. All who are thus united to Him, trust in Him, love Him, and rejoice in Him. It is an indissoluble union. Death dissolves the union of husband and wife, parents and children, pastor and people, soul and body, but death has no power over this union. It is formed in time, but it lasts through eternity. The bond of this union is faith. The drowning man seizes the rope or spar thrown for his rescue, and as soon as he is safe, he lets go his hold, but the sinner who is ready to perish, takes hold of Christ, and he

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holds Him fast through afflictions, through health, through difficulties, through prosperity, through life, through death, and through eternity. Reader, where art thou? If not in Christ Jesus, thou art treading on a volcano, and its smouldering fires may soon consume thee.

All believers are one-"Ye are all one." Believers have one faith. Their faith has the same object, Christ Jesus; it is of the same nature, it receives and keeps hold of Him; and it has the same tendency, it leads to obedience. As the heart is the great source and centre of all the veins and arteries in the body, so is Christ the great source and centre of all believers in His body, the Church. Believers have one hope. Each believer hopes for salvation, and heaven, and everlasting happiness, and this hope, sprung from faith, having Christ for its foundation, the promises for its encouragement, and holiness for its tendency, gladdens every heart. Believers have one aim. They all know that the Church is dear to Christ, because He gave Himself for it; hence, they seek the Church's good by exerting, and contributing, and praying for its maintenance and extension. Believers have one home at last. There is only one heaven, only one way to it; believers have taken this way, and they must not fall out by the way. How many jarring sounds are in the church on earth, while there is not one in heaven!