price demanded for their release. To pay that price he must part with his all; and he, who was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich. But parting with all he had was not enough, -himself, his life, was neccessary; and the Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many. His blood, his life, was the price demanded, and the price he paid; for we are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. We have therefore redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace. O blessed Jesus, thou didst shed thy most precious blood, thou didst lay down thy invaluable life for us! Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, and in so doing manifested the depth and power of thy

most wondrous love!

HE RESCUES THEM. Justice demands a ransom, and Jesus pays it; but Satan, sin, and the world still hold us fast. These care nothing for what is just or right; if, therefore, we are delivered from them, it must be by power; and Jesus exerts his almighty power for our rescue. He overcomes the strong man armed for us, and he is obliged to let us go free. He destroys the power of sin, and sets us at liberty. He breaks the trammels of the world, and brings us out of it into the wilderness. He rescues from

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the authority of Satan, from the power of this evil world, and from the sin that dwell eth in us, and makes us free indeed. delivers us from the power of darkness, and introduces us into his own glorious kingdom of light and love. He breaks the bonds of

custom, habit, and sin, and we begin a new course, we live a new life. He frees us from the world, while we live in the world; and we set our affections on things above, where he sitteth himself at the right hand of God. Precious Lord Jesus, but for thy power we had still been the bondmen of Satan, the slaves of sin, and the drudges of the world; but thou hast set us free, and to thy free grace, to thy saving power, be all the praise!

HE RECEIVES THEM. They come to him guilty, depraved, and wretched. They are filled with doubts, fears, and misgivings. They do not give him credit for such great love, they do not exercise the confidence they ought in his precious word and glorious work; yet he receives them graciously, pardons them instantly, and introduces them to his Father. Come as they will, come when they will, coming for what they will, he receives them, and so confirms his own sweet words, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Cast out! Jesus cast out a sinner! Never. Never. It is not in his heart to do so. He rejoices to see them come, however vile, depraved, or

unworthy they may be; and he receives them, and glorifies his Father by doing so. He received Manasseh, Mary, and Saul of Tarsus; and he has received thousands since, vile, polluted, and sinful as they were. Blessed, forever blessed be his name, he has received us! We came to him from sheer necessity, for we felt we must come or perish. We had tried all other means in vain, and treated him most ungratefully, yet he received us. Oh, thou meek and lowly, loving and lovely Jesus, thou hast received us to thy church, to thy charge, to thy heart's love! Thanks, eternal thanks to thee, that we have obtained mercy, and now rejoice in thy holy name!

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HE RESTRAINS THEM. Sin dwelleth in Satan tries all means to mislead us. The world endeavours to allure or frighten What we should be, or what we should do, at times, the Lord only knows, if it were not for the restraining grace of Jesus. How often we have been all but desperate. have stood on the very edge of the precipice, one step more and we were gone. We have indeed stood in slippery places. Often have we had reason to cry out with the Psalmist, "As for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped." We tremble at times when we look back and see where we have stood, the danger we have been in, and how narrow our escapes were. But for the watchful eye, the present care,

and the strong arm of Jesus, we must have been in hell. Under a sense of danger we have cried, "My foot slippeth,"-he has always been present to catch us; and we have had cause gratefully to exclaim, "Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up!" Dear, dear Redeemer, we owe as much to thy restraining grace and goodness as we do to thy pre cious blood; for though thou hast died for us we must have died too but for thy restraining mercy, and the constant supplies of thy Spirit!

HE RESTORES THEM. Often, very often, do they wander from him. Never were sheep more prone to wander from field or fold than the Lord's people are to wander from him. Nor do they wander a little way and stop, but having begun to stray they stray on, until the good Shepherd goes after them and reclaims them. Oh, the lengths to which some of the Lord's family have run! Into what depths of sin have they sunk, what fearful errors have they embrac ed, with what degraded companions have they united. Every trace of Christianity has appeared lost. Saints have given them up. But Jesus, the ever blessed Jesus, has said, "I will both search and seek out my sheep, wherever they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." And as he has said he does. 66 He goes after the one that is lost," nor ceases his search until he has found it; and when he has found it he layeth

it on his shoulders rejoicing, bringeth it back to the fold, and saith, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the sheep that I had lost.” HE PRESENTS THEM PERFECT UNTO HIS FATHER. His work is not ended while there is one trace of sin, or while one of the effects of the curse is to be traced on his people. He uses his word, his ordinances, and the dispensations of his providence. He employs his servants and his Spirit, and will continue to do so until he presents them unto himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; and then will he present them faultless before the presence of his Father's glory with exceeding joy. Then, then will be brought to pass the saying that is written, "These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God." Oh, the joy, the gladness, the rapturous songs, which will be realized and heard in that day, when Jesus presents the purchase of his blood, which he has rescued from sin, Satan, and the world; whom he has received at his cross, and the throne of his grace; whom he has restrained by his mercy, providence, and power; whom he has restored from all the paths of folly and ways of sin; when he presents them all in spotless splendour and perfect purity unto his Father, saying, "Here I am, Father, and the chil