angels could have succoured him, they would have been sent-if armies of them could have delivered him, they would have come. But all created intelligences said, "We cannot help fallen man. His depravity is too dreadful, his ruin is too dark and deep." Therefore it was that the "Word which was God" had to become flesh. Therefore it was, that when such a deliverer came into our world, the angels could not confine their joys to the heavens, but came rushing down from every star to sing in sweetest strains the advent of the Son of God into our world. Man cannot bear those awful views of sin and its curse which the character and sacrifice of the Lamb of God unfold. Rather than learn their character and doom at the cross, they will go there and tell their Prophet, Priest and King, "thou art only a man ;" and when the sun grows dark and proclaims that he is God as well as man-when the dead spring from their mouldering sepulchres to testify to it-when the whole earth shakes and quivers like an aspen leaf, declaring the infinitude of the sacrifice-proud, unhumbled, self-deceived man, can look on the terrific scene and say, "thou art only a man!" And why? Because if he was God as well as man, it affords them too dreadful a comment on the law and on its penalty, on sin and on its ruins. This is the reason why there are so many assassins of the Lamb of God in our world. This is the reason why they would quench the lustre of the Star of Bethlehem, and dethrone the Son of God!

Again: Our subject shows the importance of

comparing Scripture with Scripture, in order to find out the will of God.

If the text was all that we had of the Bible, we should, in a matter of such immense concern to us, ask how the work, which it declares has been done, was done.

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

“Taketh away," "what does that mean?" says the humble inquirer after truth. Does it mean that he has borne away sin out of the world, so that there is no more sin in the world? No; it does not mean that. Does it mean that the sins of the world are taken away without the consent of the world? Does it mean that the sins of man's heart are taken out of it without the consent of the will? No; because in that case man would be a mere machine, and not a moral agent, Does it mean that the sins of the world are taken away without faith in the Lamb of God? No! For in another place we read, "he that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." Does it mean that the sin of the world is taken away so that the curse of sin will not visit the transgressor in another world? No, for John in his prophetic vision of the Judgment Day, tells us, in the twentieth chapter of Revelations, 14th and 15th verses-"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was cast into the lake of fire."

Does the text mean that the Lamb of God taketh

away the sin of the world so that in some cases sin and its curse will not reign over the transgressor for ever? No! For Matthew, in the twenty-fifth chapter of his Gospel, and the 46th verse, informs us of the doom of the wicked. "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment." Not these shall go away into punishment which shall come to an end. Not these shall go away into punishment for a thousand or for a million of ages. Not these shall go away into punishment which shall be almost everlasting. No! But his language is " And these shall go away into everlasting punishment." And in the 41st verse of the same chapter he tells us, that the Lamb of God will on the judgment day say to them on his left hand-"Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." The fire is not only everlasting, but it was prepared originally for the devil and his angels. An awful fire for man to be cast into!

What does the text mean, then? "He taketh away the sin of the world." Why it means, and only means, that he made an atonement for sin. That he made an atonement for the sins of the whole world. And that through the atonement, some will be saved.

But, says one, if he made an atonement for the sin of the whole world, does not that prove that all vill be saved? If it is an atonement whose benents are given to man unconditionally, it may prove it. But the benefits of Christ's death are offered conditionally to the sinner-conditions which re

quire his repentance, his faith, his submission, his obedience, and his love. We allow and rejoice in the fact that some do comply with these terms of salvation. But do all? Do all? Does he, who denies the deity of Christ, and casts contempt upon the amazing sacrifice of the Lamb of God, submit to these conditions? Does he, who is trusting to the imaginary goodness of his own heart for acceptance, submit to these terms? Does he, who is a lover of this world and its follies, and who has not the love of the Father in him, comply with these conditions ? Do the tavern-hunter, the grog-shop-lounger, the horse-racer, the gambler, the whoremonger, the adulterer, the assassin, the destroyer of his own life, comply with the terms of salvation?

Let these things be proved first. Let it be demonstrated that every sinner who dies has repented and believed on Jesus, and then we will allow that the salvation which was designed for the whole world, will finally save the whole world. But that can never be done. God has set that matter forever at rest. We hear of these same characters in the world beyond the grave. Blessed are they who do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."

Finally: In view of our subject, we are prepared to exclaim with John, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!"

This Lamb of God claims our attention. His intrinsic greatness claims our most profound admiration. The material universe, in its vastness, harmony, and splendour, may claim the attention of man. But every star was made by the Lamb of God. Those vast things which Newton saw are only the traces of his power and wisdom. It is the intelligent and moral universe that claims the most exalted conceptions and love of man. It is the central luminary of this system which we are invited to behold! The sun of righteousness! The Lamb of God! The Lamb in the midst of the throne! The Lord of life and glory expiring upon the cross! Well may angels desire to look into the mysteries of man's redemption. Well might we make this master-piece of the manifold wisdom of God our constant theme of adoration. Nothing but the most astonishing infatuation prevents every one of us from looking at the Lamb of God to-day. If a correct vision of him involves our safety and defence-if it forms the pillar of our support-if it supplies the shield of the soul-if it is the only hope of the guilty, the only comfort of the dying, the only prospect of eternal happiness, surely we cannot turn away from such a sight without danger!

He trod the wine press alone. He came from Bozrah travelling in the greatness of his strength, with garments died in blood. He is mighty to save, even to the uttermost. He has laid the foundation in his own blood upon which we may build our hopes of immortality. He went into the