sight." God saw the world lying in wickedness, and his eye affected his heart. So he said, “Deliver them from going down into the pit, for I have found a ransom." Such a ransom none but God could have found; and none but such a ransom would have been accepted; none but that very ransom would have been effectual for our delivery. But mercy did not stop here. When Divine love began to exert itself, it did not save by halves. God gave his Son, not merely to save us from perishing, but that whosoever should believe on him should have everlasting life. We are not only delivered from wrath, but restored to favour; not merely pardoned, but preferred; not merely freed from condemnation as rebels, but received into the family, and become entitled to all the privileges of the sons of God. This is the love that we are now assembled to commemorate; and should it be with dry eyes and cold hearts? Can we muse on such a subject, and the fire not burn? Can we look on Him whom our sins have pierced, and not mourn? Can we look on him who hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, and not rejoice? Come Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish." Did you hear this, you who can be content to look at Christ at a distance, but care not to receive him? Do you hear what God says? how kindly he offers his Son to every one of you? One would have expected that all the world should have been ready, with open arms, to embrace their Deliverer. But instead of that, the general cry is, "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?" What have you to do with him? why, you are to commit the saving and the keeping of your souls to him. And what objections can you have? Objections from you? If Christ had made objec Do you tions to receive you, it had been no wonder. you consider, that if you do not receive him, must perish? That there is no other name under heaven, given amongst men, whereby you can be saved; and that he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him? What, if hereafter, in the day of distress, or in the day of death, when all refuges fail, you should look piteously to Jesus, and in the anguish of your souls cry, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!" What if Christ should then object, and say, "Because I have called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand to help and bless you, but none of you regarded; I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh." Wherefore, "kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." But I call on you, christians, who have received Christ Jesus the Lord, and have been now renewing your oath of allegiance to him as your rightful Sovereign, I call on you to rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice. Rejoice that ever God sent his Son into the world. Rejoice that he gave him to you. Rejoice that, when he was despised and rejected by so many, it was given to you to believe. Rejoice in all his offices, of Prophet, Priest, and King. Rejoice in all his characters, of Father, Brother, Husband, and Friend; and in all of them as your Beloved. Rejoice in all the pleasing interviews you had with him on earth, and this among the rest; and specially rejoice in the prospect of a nearer and more lasting interview above, at the marriage-supper of the Lamb, when you shall sit down, not with a few poor communicants, of like infirmities and imperfections with yourselves, but with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; with the general assembly and church of the first-born, and the spirits of just men made perfect: and so shall we ever be with the Wherefore comfort one another with these Lord. words. MEDITATION XVIII. [April 4, 1802.] IP YE LOVED ME, JOHN XIV. 28. YE WOULD REJOICE, BECAUSE I SAID, I AND So we do. We rejoice to find thou art going to thy Father and our Father, to thy God and our God. But before we can give free indulgence to joy, we wish to have some explanation, if thou hadst any unfavourable meaning in that expression, "If ye loved me." Is it then a matter of doubt? Peter was grieved, when Christ said unto him a third time, "Lovest thou me?" And we do not wonder at it. We are uneasy to hear thee only once say, If ye loved me." We had rather all the world should question the sincerity of our love, than Thou shouldst. The world knows but little of us; and from the little they do know, we do not wonder that they are sometimes ready to suspect that we love in word only, and not in deed and in truth. They cannot but observe many things in our temper, conduct, and conversation, which are hardly consistent with our professed affection to thee. With grief and shame we must confess they had too much reason for suspicion. We have been sometimes almost tempted to question it ourselves. Perhaps Christ was less in our thoughts; at least, not so often in our mouths as formerly. Perhaps we were more intent upon our farm, and our merchandise, and could talk of nothing but buying and selling, and getting gain; and the Saviour was put off with the world's leavings, transient and accidental ejaculations. Perhaps duties were performed with less punctuality, and less pleasure, than usual. Perhaps there was some abatement in the tenderness of our conscience, and sin began to be thought of with more pleasure, at least with less abhorrence than formerly. O, christians, can we wonder that Christ should be jealous to see his worst enemies so smiled upon? Perhaps we were too easy, under those occasional absences of Christ, which were kindly intended to try the strength of our faith, and the ardour of our love. Perhaps there appeared little concern at his withdrawment; no strong cries from our lips; no passionate wishes burst from our hearts to hasten his return. Perhaps we had lost much of our wonted appetite and relish for those ordinances, where we had formerly enjoyed the clearest sight of him, and the most comfortable communion with him. And had Christ |