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be discovered-still new beauties to be enjoyed, "Come to me, and I will manifest myself unto you, as I do not unto the world. For if any man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and take up our abode with him." Thus the Master calls. His whole heart is contained in this single sentence, "Incline your ear, and COME UNTO ME; hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

Should any require assurance of his fulfilling his word, or motives to draw him to this Saviour: first, He persuades by his dying love; "for greater love can no man have than this, that he lay down his life for his friend; but God commendeth his love to us, that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Here is the proof the Master gives of his willingness to relieve that he has already endured the greatest suffering for our sakes. That which you now require is as nothing to that he has already bestowed. When the widow asks him to bind

up her broken heart, or to protect her fatherless children: when the dissatisfied calls upon Him to give him joy and peace in believing; or the sinner to blot out all his transgressions; or the lively Christian to give him the fruit of the Spirit it is only like granting a drop of mercy; "the very crumbs that fall from his table," after that full flow of boundless goodness which he displayed upon the cross. He says, therefore, My dying love proves my willingness.

Next, he persuades by the power of his resurrection. For here he shews that he is as powerful as he is good. That nothing is too hard for the Lord. For what can He not perform, who, bursting the bars of death and rising from the grave, triumphed over the hosts of darkness, and "ascended up on high, leading captivity captive ?" Surely it is well said, that "he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him." To save to the uttermost, the uttermost depths of sorrow, the uttermost extent of sin. To receive an invitation from such a Saviourshould at once win the heart. But still He

persuades by his glorious appearing; for these words shail again be heard, "The Master IS COME;" for "to them that look for him shall he appear, the second time, without sin unto salvation." "He will come

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to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." Centuries past, did he say, "Behold, I come quickly. Surely I come quickly." And many circumstances in the present day lead the careful observer of the times to prepare for his approach. His Gospel is going out into all lands; his enemies are more open in their hostility whilst his friends are more decided in his cause. Pious Archbishop Leighton "When the Lord is about to appear says, he will awaken his children;" and surely they are beginning to awake, to put off the slumbers of the night; to be conscious that they have not been sufficiently earnest in prayer for the advancement of his cause, and for hastening his kingdom; but now they are looking for "the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Thus does the Master enforce his call. His dying love, His rising power, His coming glory, all unite to draw the heart; to lead the mourner to say, Where can I so well rest my wounded heart as on my Saviour's bosom? And where can I, says the disappointed, find satisfaction but with him in whom all fulness dwells? And where can I expect pardon, says the penitent, but with whose "blood cleanses from all sin ?" And where can I hope, says the Christian, to attain my heart's desire, but by still coming to him who has thus far led me; and of whom it is declared, "We all, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord?"

Oh, then, make no delay; but come at once, and be blessed for ever!

LECTURE XII.

JOHN xi. 30-35.

"Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept."

IN meditating upon this very affecting history, it is needful constantly to bear in mind the words of our blessed Saviour, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of

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