in the first place, to inquire, whether this prayer, which the church is here offering to her Saviour, is in unison with the desires of your heart. Are you saying, Draw me? Most persons have something which attracts them: but what is it? How useful would it be for each to ask himself, Where is the other end of the cord fixed which twines around me? whither is it drawing me? My beloved friends, recollect this, that every sinful attraction has its cord fastened in perdition.

There may be here present some one who is drawn away by sensual vice-who will leave the house of God to close the day in a far different dwelling. You would think it impossible; and so it would be, were it not that the cords of sin are bound so closely. "She has cast down many wounded: many strong men have been slain by her: her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead." And therefore break the snare, by seeking a stronger cord. Oh, my dear friends, when the love of Christ twines about your heart, every step you take will bring you nearer to eternal glory. He draws his followers, while dwelling in that blessed place where he sits gladdening the heavenly host with the beams of his ineffable love. Oh, then, wherever the attraction was when you entered this house, now put up this

short prayer: Draw me, draw me from the paths of sin to thyself; enable me to burst every bond that would keep my soul from thee; and grant me grace to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.'

And you who have begun to seek the Lord, take encouragement from this petition. As one inspired by the Spirit of prayer, we may be assured it is agreeable to the will of God, and one that He will be willing to answer. Yes; it is not in your own strength that you are to proceed. God has already given you his Son, and has promised you his Spirit. The desires you now feel are his creating: it has been his love which has put these thoughts into your heart; and that love shall still continue. How encouraging are his words by the Prophet Jeremiah! "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh : I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels are

troubled for him: I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord*." At the very season that you are lamenting the hardness of your heart, at that very season he is drawing you. Keep on, then, in your heavenly path. Let the hindrances you meet with operate only as the obstacles Bartimeus met: the more they rebuked him, he cried "so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy upon me."

And you who are established in the faith, remark this prayer. The Lord has drawn you from the world; he has brought you out of "darkness into his marvellous light:" now, therefore, let alacrity mark your steps. Recollect that there is this difference between impelling power and attractive power,--that whilst impelling power weakens at every step, as the body it impels leaves it, so attractive power becomes stronger and stronger the nearer it is approached. Let this be visible in you. Let it not be said, that the young Christians are running with ardour, but that you are halting by the way. Still keep the lead. A Christian has always reason to suspect himself when his ardour cools. It is, for the most part, either that he is neglecting that secret communion with God which is the life of the soul; or en

* Jer. xxxi.

cumbering himself with the love of the world, or with some forbidden sin, which like a heavy weight checks his speed.

What, then, my Christian friends, is your present state? Are you still saying, 'Draw me: we will run after thee? We will not slacken our pace because by thy grace we have advanced in the way; but, like the courser, put forth our fastest speed at the close of the race.' Let it be thus, my friends. It will cheer and encourage your younger brethren to see you with still undiminished zeal; like a young hart, bounding in the way. Let us, forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before, let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, and say, with the spouse, "Draw me: we will run after thee."

135

SERMON VIII.

THE CHURCH'S PRAYER ANSWERED.

SONG OF SOLOMON i. 4.

The King hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

AGAIN, my beloved friends, our privileged day returns; again we are called to commemorate the dying love of our blessed Saviour, and to partake of the feast which he has provided for us. When we, who are unworthy of the least of all his mercies, are invited to a royal banquest, it may be allowable to rise above the plain of common life, and to fix our thoughts upon Him "whom our soul loveth." I have, therefore, again taken my text from that spiritual song, which the Jews so appropriately termed "the Holy of Holies;" for, while every part of the temple was the house of God, and was built according to the pattern which he had given, this was the place where his