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their feeble accents of praise, as ordained by God out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. Nor will he now despise the day of small things. Oh that we might have the pleasure to see little children pronouncing the name of Christ with reverence and love! And surely we who are parents must add, with a peculiar accent, Oh that our own may join in the choir! May they learn the song from our lips: and may our whole lives be one continued visible proof of the devotion and affection with which we present it! Amen.

SECTION LXVIII.

JOHN XII. 20-36.

AND there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: If any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered, and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the

earth, will draw all men unto me. signifying what death he should die.

This he said,

The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, the Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you: walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.

These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

Who can wonder at the desire these Greeks expressed to see so celebrated a Person as Jesus was! We hope there was something more than mere curiosity in it, and that at length they saw him with believing eyes, and, according to his prediction, glorified him by a cordial acceptance of his gospel. His dis ciples, we see were ready to introduce them: and surely every faithful minister of Christ will undertake the task with pleasure when he sees souls awakened by Divine grace, and inquiring after Jesus with affectionate concern.

Blessed be God, it has already, in many instances, been seen that by the death of Christ an immortal seed was sown, which has multiplied in all ages, and is still multiplying: Oh that it might have a greater increase! One would think that words so gracious as these should promote that increase, and operate upon every heart to produce a love to him sufficient to conquer every danger and opposition which may be met with in his cause: behold the promise which he has left upon record; "If any man, be he ever so mean and unworthy, will but faithfully serve and follow me, whatever his former wanderings and rebellions may have been, where I am, there shall also my servant be." Happy state indeed! not only, like these Greeks, to have a transient sight of Christ, but to be for ever with him!

How admirable is the love and steadfastness of our Redeemer, who procured so great a happiness for us at so dear an expense! and even when his innocent soul was troubled in the view of his sufferings, instead of declining them, he met them with joy! How should it animate us to renew that general comprehensive petition, than which none can be more suitable to us with regard to all the divine dispensations; Father, glorify thine own name! Glorify thyself, O Lord! and to that great

end dispose of us as thou pleasest; for we should abhor our. selves if we had any interest separate from thine!

We may be assured, as certainly as by a voice from heaven, that this great end shall be answered: and in this we should rejoice. Behold the prince of this world is cast out! Behold, Satan is vanquished by Christ! and Jesus is lifted up on the cross for a standard to all the nations. Behold the attractive mag. net by which all men are to be drawn, by which all his chosen people shall be brought to him, and so raised up to heaven itself! Let us look unto him from the ends of the earth, and labour with our cold hearts to awaken them to that lively and ardent affection which we owe to him who was crucified for us.

For ever adored be Divine grace for this gospel light which discovers to us so excellent an object! May we use it to saving purposes, and so walk in it, as that we may appear to be the children of light! Let us think of that last distribution of mankind, when the children and heirs of light and darkness are once for all to be separated. Let us think of the gloom of eternal night, which will shortly overtake those by whom the gospel is now despised; and remember how much it will be aggravated by the light we have so long seen. Do thou, O God, at whose word light arose out of darkness, send forth by thine influences on our hearts thy light and thy truth, that they may lead and bring us to thine holy hill, (Psalm xliii. 3.) and that we may have the satisfaction of knowing whither we go, even when we walk through the dark valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm xxiii. 4.)

SECTION LXIX.

MATT. XXI. 13-22.

MARK XI. 12-26. LUKE xix. 45-48.

Now on the morrow, in the morning as he returned from Bethany into the city, he hungered. And seeing a fig-tree afar off in the way having leaves, he came to it, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing thereon but leaves only; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward: No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And presently the fig-tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, say

ing, How soon is the fig-tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive.

And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple: and the Scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him; and could not find what they might do: for they feared him, because all the people were very attentive to hear him, and were astonished at his doctrine. And when even was come, he went out of the city.

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig-tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering, said unto them, Have faith in God; for verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in

heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

May none of us ever indulge such a temper, or ever rest in an empty profession; lest, being like the fig-tree before us, which had leaves, but no fruit, the curse of Christ should be pronounced upon us, which would immediately wither us amidst all our verdure! Let us remember that this was intended as one of those significant actions by which the holy messengers of God frequently intimated approaching judgments. Happy would it have been if some, instead of searching out objections against it, had seriously considered its design, and the sad aspect with which it looks on those who, like them, receive the grace of God in vain!

How hard is it to purge a carnal heart, and disentangle it from the snares of a deceitful world! No sooner were these traders driven from the temple, but they return to it again; and are as busy the next day in the pursuit of their unlawful gain as they had been before. And thus how often are convictions stifled by the love of this world! And if the voice of conscience, or the word of God, may interrupt us for a while in our unlawful courses, yet where it may affect our worldly interest, how ready are we to return to them again! and with what difficulty are we brought so far to lay aside our earthly projects, as not to take them with us into the house of God! Purge us, O Lord, from every irregular desire; pursue and perfect thine own work; and incline our hearts unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness! (Psalm cxix. 36.)

The promises which are made to a miraculous faith in prayer, are not indeed our immediate concern; but we may truly infer from them some encouragement in favour of the prayer of faith, on whatever account, and in whatever circumstances it be offered. At least we may infer the necessity of forgiving injuries, if we desire that our petitions should be received with favour. Let us remember it; and labour to approach the throne of a forgiving God, with hearts not only clear of every malignant passion, but full of that cordial and universal benevolence which may engage us to pray for all men, and particularly for those who have least deserved our kindness, and seem least disposed to requite it.

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