If St. Paul's words are true, that He Who was "in the form of God" was "found in fashion as a man," and became "obedient unto death," then the Hands that brake the bread after the Passover were the hands of Him Who ages before had made the worlds. The lips that said, "Take, eat; this is my body," were the lips of Him Who ages before had said " Let there be light."

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If He were only what He seemed to be we might lose little by taking no heed to His words.

But if He Who sat at meat had once been "in the form of God," then we know not what we lose by neglecting His least word.

Again, after this He Who sat at meat endured an agony under which He sweat drops of blood. After this He was nailed to the cross, and whilst so nailed, underwent that extremity of suffering, bodily and mental, which we call His Passion, terminating in His Death and Burial.

If He was only what He seemed to be then these sufferings terminating in death take their place (perhaps a high place, but still only a place) amongst a multitude of other martyrdoms.

But if He Who thus suffered had been originally in the form of God, and for our sakes humbled Himself, so as to become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, then these Sufferings and this Death must be in the nature of things the most prevailing plea with which we can approach God-the most prevailing plea did

I say? rather the one plea. One which in the case of us sinners seems to supersede the plea of creation itself; for when David prayed, "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me, O give me understanding that I may keep Thy commandments," he made mention of that which cost God no humbling of Himself, no emptying Himself of His glory, no coming into contact with pain and death; but when we plead, "By Thine Agony and Bloody Sweat, by Thy Cross and Passion, by Thy Precious Death and Burial," we plead that which could not have taken place unless God, in the person of Christ, had come out of His exalted place and made Himself of no reputation; so that, to use other words of inspiration, the "Lord of glory should be crucified." If then He Who was once in the form of God suffered thus for us, it is only natural that we should remind Him of that which cost Him so much, and ask Him to do to us according to the tenor of such an exhibition of loving pity for us.

Again, we often describe His Death as the shedding of His Blood for us. His Blood was actually poured forth through the wounds in His hands and feet, and through the wound after death in His side.

If He was only what He seemed to be when found in the likeness of man, then His Blood could not have bought His Church; it would have fallen on the earth and been lost like any

other blood, or perhaps have called down God's vengeance on the race that shed it. But if it be the Blood of One Who was in the form of God, then it must have effected that for which it was shed. It must have purchased our redemption.

So that it is only reasonable that we should sing, "We pray Thee help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood." If it be the Blood of One Who before He was in the form of a servant, and found in fashion as a man, was "in the form of God," then it is a very reasonable inference which St. Paul draws when he says, "Ye are not your own, but ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, which are God's." If it be the Blood of One once in the form of God, then it must be a fearful as well as a blessed thing to be redeemed by it; and so the Apostle St. Peter thought when he said, "Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ."

It seems very unreasonable as well as sinful for men and women redeemed by such Blood to be spending their lives in vanity, anxious to death about amassing wealth, or making a name or a family, worrying themselves about appearances, fashionable dress, company, and so forth.

It seems very unreasonable, does all this, if the

words of the Apostle are true, that He Who was in the form of God, and so thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man; and being found in fashion as a man humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

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IV.

SALVATION BY CHRIST'S LIFE.

ROM. V. 10.

"If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.'

IF any one amongst you who are before me now were to be face to face with death, and with the realities of eternity, and a minister or friend were to ask you how you hoped to be saved, you would in all probability say, by the Death of Jesus Christ. I say, "if any of you;" perhaps one or two might speak as the Apostle speaks here.

The Apostle says here that Reconciliation and Salvation, however they may be joined by the providence of God, and however they may be associated together in our minds, are two different things. "We were reconciled." "We shall be saved."

Reconciliation is a past thing, and is connected with the Death of Christ, which is past and finished: "I am He that liveth and was dead." Salvation is a present and future thing, and is connected with the present Life of Christ, which is, of course, not a past thing, but