Thus the poet.-And thus again, "While full of anguish and disease, My brethren, we may utter the language common to a penitent; but it is impossible for us to give a correct description of his real feelings. Suffice it to say, that he that comes to Christ, has humbling views of himself. He does not conceive himself to be a being of great importance: he is little and vile in his own eyes, nor does he think for one moment of meriting the favour of God. No! no! He sees that if he be saved at all, it will be of the free mercy of God in Christ Jesus. Indeed he has many heart-rending fears, and, like the lepers spoken of in the book of Kings, he saith, "If I go back I must die: if I go forward I can but die:" I will, however, go to God, and if I perish it shall be at his feet. It is to such a trembling soul as is here described, that the kind assurance of divine mercy in the text is peculiarly refreshing.-Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. II. In the view of this certain success, I design, secondly, to exhort you to come to Christ. The divine compassion of the blessed Redeemer is here represented to us under the notion of a metaphor, taken from the distressing fears of a poor beggar, who, pressed with a sense of his wants, enters the house of a man of opulence. The poor man appears with all his sores, and the owner, far from treating him with asperity, welcomes him, receives him kindly, and relieves his wants. So does Jesus. Never did he reject the suit of a penitent, however aggravated might have been his crimes. He is come to the house of mercy-he is lying at the threshold; the servants bid him come in; he obeys, and waits with trembling anxiety for the appearance of the master, doubtful whether he is to be received or rejected. The master appears, and not only grants him his suit, but receives him into the number of his family. He alleges his unfitness, his unworthiness, his crimes, his ingratitude: no matter, all shall be blotted out through the blood of the Lamb, his name be enrolled with those of the children, and on none of these accounts shall he be put out of the house. I acknowledge, my brethren, it looks almost like a profanation of the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to offer it to those who feel not their need. of it. Yet as there may be some who labour under the paralyzing fears of an awakened conscience, permit me to rehearse a few of the precious and balmy assurances of the Gospel. Thy sins, in number as the hairs of thy head, and in magnitude as mountains, make thee to fear and quake terribly. But what saith Christ, the great High Priest of our profession?— "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, I am the First and the Last: I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore." Yes, I ever live to make intercession for thee: I have trodden the wine-press alone: mine own arm hath brought salvation unto me, salvation for the lost. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to comfort all that mourn; and, by the blood of the covenant, to send forth the prisoner out of the pit where there is no water. But, says the trembling soul, I am entirely helpless. Thy helplessness, says the adorable Saviour, is no hinderance to my lovingkindness. I break not the bruised reed, I quench not the smoking flax : and to you, and to all who have nothing to pay, I distribute the wine and milk of the Gospel. But still the trembling soul is ready to say, I have sinned with a high hand, both against thy light and thy love. I know, says the blessed Friend of sinners, that thine iniquities are more in number than the hairs of thy head, and that they are a burden too heavy for thee to bear; and therefore I have borne them for thee in my own body on the tree. I am the man that receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. Fear not, I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: my strength is sufficient for thee. Great as thy crimes are, poor mourner in Zion, I do not upbraid thee with them: come near me, that I may speak a word in season to thy weary spirit. Why standest thou afar off? Come near, I say, that I may bless thee. Far from casting away thy confidence, which hath great recompense of reward, hold it fast. Why dost thou suspect the sincerity of my tender grace? The general invitation which formerly passed my lips, is still the very language of my heart. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of 170 HARRIS'S SERMONS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS. life freely. Am I not Jesus still? Is my love waxed .cold? Is mine arm shortened, that it cannot save, or my ear heavy, that it cannot hear? Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yea, she may forget; yet will I not forget thee. And if thou canst not take my word, believe my oath: as I live, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. And if thou canst not believe my oath, credit these scars. See! I have graven thee on the palms of my hands. By the mystery of my holy incarnation, and dreadful temptation; by my agony and bloody sweat; by my infamous death and glorious resurrection, I beseech thee, come to the pardoning God by me; and if thou hast nothing to pay, I freely forgive the debt, whether it be fifty, or five hundred pence. These, O sinner, are the generous sayings of Christ to thee. You are not barely permitted to believe, but he freely invites you to do it. How, then, can we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? What excuse wilt thou have, O sinner, if found out of Christ? 1 SERMON XVII. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Ephes. iv. 30. To the care of the Gospel minister is entrusted the best interests of man. And while the politician exerts his talents to promote and defend the partial, monopolizing advantage of a small number of his fellow creatures; it behooves the ambassador of Christ, unfettered by the selfishness of party bickerings, either of church or state, to declare the whole counsel of God, and to send abroad all the wakefulness of a godly jealousy, that he may be enabled, at its first appearance, to discountenance sin, and promote and encourage all virtue. The glorious scheme, to advance the object of which we are set apart from the world, has for its author the One True, and ever living God, the fountain of all being; He who is self-existent and independent. It has for its object the salvation of all men ; and for this purpose God has made ample provision by the death of his Son; who, though he was the only begotten of the Father, was most freely given up to die for sinners. The benefit of his death is offered and applied to us by the third person of the Godhead, who is called the Holy Spirit, or Holy |