The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-10-02

Rev. John Fl. Howard, d. d. pastol
of Asbury NJ. t. Church, preached an
eloquent and edlfying sermon on Sun
day morning. choosing for his text the
first verse of the second chapter oil
the first epistle OF John. And II any
imam sin we have an advocate with the
father, Jesus Christ, the righteous
The doctor said wheni We considered
human depravity. there is not q
Thought behind which man can take
refuge; save one In the words OF the
prophet. That the heart OF man was
deceitful, and above all other things
desperately wicked. Man has u ten.
|dency downward. We cannot take
refuge behind the facts that the stan.
|dard Ia too high though the command
lis, be We perfect. as yourl father In
heaven Ia perfect.
God does not confer duty upon uG
but what his grace willnbe sufficient
for us to comply with that duty. We
cannot take refuge behind the thought
that we are better than other people.
Man, as rule, is as bad as circum-
stances and opportunity will permit.
Mans best morality is nothing more
than filthy rags in the sight OF God.
The doctor said he questioned the sin
certify of the persons sorrow for sin,
IL that sorrow did not lead them as
penitents to the feet OF Jesus. The
only thought we have to take any
refuge In, ie In the words My little
children. / write these things unto
you, that ye sin not and il any man
Sin we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesns Christ the Righteous
However stepped in sin. we can have
refuge in Christ, az our advocate.
This Ia the only place in the bible
where Christ Ia spoken of as an advo-
lcate. A term full OF Significance.
Only one other term has bec:. used
which had greater signliicance-th that is
lin Johns gospel. In the beginning
the word was, and the word was with
God, and the word was God. Tue
word signifies the embodiment OF
Gods mind. Jesus Is the embodiment
lof Gods mind. The doctor described
Ia famous court scene. Christ the advo'
cate, the client. the case. We have not
always been free; we have been slaves
to the bondage of sin. We now are
free men In Christ Jesus. II the Son
makes you free you are Tree indeed.
jesus has been changed from an adyo-
cat q to mediator.
Consider the case before the court.
The client pleads guilty to every sin,
having sinned against heaven and the
highest authority in the universe.
Man has einned against the God that
created him. Not only sinner but
guilty, and the law pre-.
Iecribes that the soul that sinneth shall
surely die. Jesus takes the case.
He does not plead for an extension
of mercy, or does he bring any coun.
tier evidence. Justice must DO met and
he does not ask for the mercy Of the
court. Jesus makes his plea on our
relative right. L have given myself a
ransom for the souls Of men. A man
may be as bad as 1t Is possible for q
Imam to be, the very moment he comes
Ito Christ he starts with q character,
and gains the. confidence OF men.
Through our advocate we shall etand
las pure as nm angel. Through our adj.
yocate, the sinner obtains pard on, but
pardon will not save a soul. We re-
celve still more. We are justified
through this advocate. A an evil
dence of 1t we have peace with God.
That is not all; we shall be regener.
ated, Justification Ia something done
for us. Regeneration is something
done within US.
He that is In Christ Jesus Is now
creature, the least and last remains OF
the carnal mind will be removed. God
is all lie can ever be to q man the mo.
ment he saves the man. He adopts
us criminals into his family, and we
become heirs to an inheritance that is
'incorruptible. undefled and that
fadeth not away Gm His son, ]
can look up and say Abba Father.
God has placed in my hands the ap.
plianee by which can live sanctifled
life. The work does not end at sane
we shall be gloritied. BE.
loved now are we the sons of God, and
Il doth not yet appear what we shall
10. But when he does appear, we
shall be like Him, for we shall see Him
10 He is."