Mount, preached this Law in its spirituality, and insisted upon it, that anger in the heart against another without cause, was murder; and a lustful glance of the eye, adultery. Truly believing this testimony from the word, and by the teaching of the Spirit out of the Law, we must exclaim, What flesh can be saved? The scripture answers, (and all the election of grace is brought to believe it) _Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight_. But it is the grand design of the Gospel, to open to a poor sinner, the glorious plan of salvation, by the joint work of the ever adorable trinity in unity. And it is the business of gospel ministers, to be ever stating the precious truths of the Gospel, and pointing poor guilty man to the blessed means whereby he can be justified and pardoned. This leads me to notice the conduct of the Prophet; when the man cried on account of his loss to him, he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim. Many great events were done at Jordan, it divided when the Israelites were to pass over to Canaan. As soon as the Ark, borne upon the shoulders of the priests, made its appearance, the waters parted. Hence the Psalmist asks, _What ailed thee_, _O thou Sea_, _that thou fleddest_, _and thou Jordan_, _that thou wast driven back_. Another text answers, _The waters saw thee_, _O God_, _in the midst of Jordon_. Joshua set up twelve stones in remembrance of the surprising event. Jacob passed over it twice, once with a heavy disconsolate heart, in leaving his home—and twenty years after, he passed the same place, and called to remembrance the gracious conduct of his God; _with this Staff I passed over Jordan_, _and now I am become two bands_. Elijah and Elisha smote the waters of Jordan with the same Mantle, but the most distinguished honour that was ever conferred on Jordan, was the descent of the lovely Son of God into them, by the ordinance of baptism, when the adorable Spirit alighted upon him, visible, though in the manner in which a Dove hovers in its descent; and Jesus was anointed to enter into his great work, while the Father bore testimony to him as his beloved Son, in whom he rested, pleased with him, and all his dear people in him. In the waters of Jordan the Axe head fell, and gravitating to its centre, sunk deep, no doubt, in the mire at the bottom, but a stick is cut down, cast in, sinks deep, and brings up the head, by causing it to swim—this was the means; and who can read this circumstance with attention, but must be reminded of him, who is the stem of Jesse, who was so many years typified by the rod of Moses, who performed so many wonders for the children of Israel, and is, in a certain sense, doing the same for his people in the wilderness to this day. He was also typified by the rod of Aaron, which budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds—to all human appearance, a very unpromising object, a dry stick.