and in other parts of Scripture, where Christ hath expressly declared, "I will come into him, and sup with him, and he with me." First, then, it is said, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock;" or, as it is in the original, "I have stood, and do knock :" I have, as it were, been standing without for a long time, and yet I continue to knock for admission, though hitherto neglected. And Christ, in addressing the multitude, as related by St. Luke, exhorts them and his disciples to be like men who wait for their lord, that when he knocketh, they may open to him immediately. And here we will inquire, For what purpose doth our Lord graciously condescend to stand to gain admittance to the hearts of his rebellious people? It is to call and lead them to repentance, and to renew them unto holiness, that in the end they may have everlasting life. He is not willing that any should perish. It is therefore of the utmost importance for us to understand clearly in what manner the Saviour now comes to us, that we may be ready to open our hearts, and receive him when he cometh and be assured, that he will come both in mercy and in judgment. In mercy he hath already visited the world, and died for our salvation, and given to us the clear light of his gos

pel: freely offering to each individual its precious promises, its rich provisions, its glorious privileges, and a participation in the efficacy of his death.

Let it be also here observed, that the Saviour hath not only promised that he will come to us, but that he will dwell with us; "And, lo! I am with you, saith he, alway, even unto the end of the world." And by the prophet Isaiah, "I dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Time would fail to enumerate the various ways and manner in which Christ himself speaks of coming, and is represented, in holy writ, as coming to us--and also of the Comforter whom he promised to send; and I shall keep close to the Scripture account in what I intend to set before you; and may, I think, confidently appeal to the actual experience of many of my hearers in confirmation of several points on which I shall enlarge, as much as our time will allow. Our Lord's own declaration then is, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;" or, as he meant, not those who think themselves righteous, and need no repentance; for we are all dead in trespasses and sin. And the manner in which Christ

now cometh to the sinner's heart is by the Holy Spirit, which also proceeds from the Father, to convince him of his sins, and to urge him to repentance. It is quite evident every one must be convinced he is a transgressor before he can be persuaded or led to repent. And whosoever the Spirit convinces of sin, he doth also of the pardon-and sanctification which he needs, and the wrath which he deserves; and he finds that not only himself, but all the world is guilty before God, and utterly condemned, and that without the imputed righteousness of Christ and his own personal holiness, being renewed in the spirit of his mind, he cannot see the Lord; and unless pardoned, sanctified and accepted by and through Christ, he must die in this state. If such an one be here present, I must deal faithfully with him; and his own conscience will testify, that he is not ready either to receive, or to meet his Lord when he cometh: and hereafter will be the final judgment, "Depart from me, I never knew ye."

As they would not come unto him, that they might have life, neither would they receive him, but rebelled against him, and desired not the knowledge of his ways; therefore will he dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel, and cast them out as the

;

clay in the streets. But whoso is wise will ponder these things, and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord; who will be their counsellor, their instructor, and their guide, to lead them into all truth as he saith, "The Spirit shall receive of the things of mine, and shall show them unto you. And herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples." But, alas! how oft when he comes seeking fruit and finding none, doth he go away grieved! And yet he spareth us year after year, and is even now waiting to be gracious. And how often hath a sinner, whilst perhaps he was conscious of having most grossly violated his holy law, been himself astonished at the longsuffering and forbearance of the Lord, when the sword of the spirit and the power of his grace make him, at last, come to a just sense of his guilt. Again, Again, how oft doth the Saviour expostulate, as it were, with the sinner, and, by his word, and it may be by bereaving him of his chief idol, solicit and intreat him to give up his heart to God; and while he cannot but acknowledge the various mercies he hath received, and the loving-kindness and forbearances which have been manifested in numberless instances, and are still continued to him, yet

how hath he slighted his patience; scarcely listening to his words, or hearing them with listless indifference, till he was possibly roused from his torpor by the emphatic tones of the minister in uttering these words, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light:" and, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock;" or, "Behold, I come quickly:" which shows the necessity of our opening our hearts immediately to conviction and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and receiving our Lord when he cometh to visit us in mercy, lest he turn from us in displeasure, instead of bestowing any portion of his grace. Receive him, then, as the Saviour that you need-the Sanctifier that you require-the kind Master whom you choose to serve and obey; as the willing, grateful slave ransomed from captivity, and emancipated from the bondage of sin and Satan.

But Christ calleth us not slaves, but friends; and saith, "That whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" and again, St. John xiv. 23, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" and at the 26th verse, "But the