received it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?" Hast thou indeed come into the King's chambers? Hath He indeed shewn thee such wonderful condescension to give thee access to His own immediate presence, and admit thee to such close communion and fellowship with himself?

Well, but it is written-" HE hath BROUGHT me." You did not bring yourselves. He caused you to come. He drew you by the cords of lovenot because he saw any thing excellent in thee, but because He had a FAVOUR unto thee.

"WE WILL be glad and rejoice in thee." Jesus is the OBJECT of the believer's joy. He rejoices not in himself: not in his privileges: not in his graces or feelings-but in Jesus only.

And oh! what cause has every ransomed bloodbought soul to rejoice and be glad in Jesus!—His PERSON, how glorious !-HIS FITNESS, how complete! HIS FULNESS, how sufficient! - His GLORY, how incomparable!

"The brightness of His Father's glory and the express image of His person." "Emmanuel, God with us!"

Oh! who can speak His praises! What tongue can utter His glories!

Were all created nature suddenly to become

vocal, and unite in one harmonious

1. Psalm xliv. 3.

song,

2. Heb. i. 3.

it

would but faintly express the glory and worship and honour of Him who once was "slain for us," but now at God's right hand sitteth as King for evermore!

Oh! well may you rejoice and be glad in your King! It becometh well the righteous to be glad.

Rejoice that you have a Saviour-Think of your sins the sin of nature inherited-and the sins of childhood, and of youth, and of riper years: secret sins and presumptuous ones: sins of ignorance and of negligence of omission and wilfulness. Remember that the penalty of one sin is Eternal Death. Remember without shedding of blood, there is no "remission of sin." Have you not good cause then to be glad and Saviour? REJOICE that you hate such a Saviour! Just such an one as we so much needed: one to make atonement for sin; one to give peace to the troubled conscience: one to give comfort in trial: strength and support in the hour of darkness: and in the valley of the shadow of death to be your guide.

rejoice in Jesus as a

He has done great things for His people, whereof they are and must be glad.

He engaged as their surety in the everlasting

covenant.

In the fulness of time He came :-assumed their very nature endured the penalty due to sin

carried their griefs-bore their sorrows-made full and sufficient atonement for their sins-reconciled their God-purchased their redemption-SECURED their calling and election-and now He is gone to prepare Heaven for their reception-and sends forth His Spirit to prepare them for its glories. Now He is interceding for them on the throne of His Father-where now he condescends to call Himself "brother," "husband," "friend," "their everlasting Father," their "all in all."

Oh! is it any wonder that they should rejoice and be glad in such a Saviour-such a King " I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in the God of my salvation.”

It is your PRIVILEGE, nay, your DUTY to RBJOICE in your King and His SALVATION. I say your duty, for Jesus your King and Saviour, by His Apostle, St. Paul, COMMANDS you to rejoice— "rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."1 Oh! beware of trifling with of Christ's commands. This is one of them:-" Rejoice away in the Lord."

any

You may be feeble; tempted; tried; cast down -be it so. Are you God's child? Do you know Jesus and the power of His grace? Well! even you-OPPESSED-tempted and tried Believer -are commanded to "rejoice"

1. Phil. iv. 4.

Oh! yes, Christian, if any man has cause for joy, YOU more than all!

However deep your trials! or trying your circumstances! you may REJOICE and be GLAD in Christ your Saviour. All things are yours, if YE are Christ's.-Amidst all the changes and chances of this mortal life-amidst dying friends: broken bonds empty cisterns: cold looks: rude manners: cruel betrayers: oh! to rejoice in Jesus! "In Him all fulness dwells." All that a poor redeemed sinner wants for time and eternity, to make Him HOLY and HAPPY and RICH and CONTENTED: to present Him faultless before the throne of Christ (without spot or blemish,) PARDONED, ACCEPTED, and RIGHTEOUS—all He has in Jesus! Oh! that you may realize THIS! Oh! that Jesus may manifest Himself to your soul! Oh! that all may see His excellency-rejoice in His beauty-and so be lifted up above the poor perishing, dying, creaturecomforts, as to rejoice and be glad in our King and Saviour!

But there be some who read these words whose joy I could wish turned into mourning and sorrow and lamentations-Ah! your joy is like the "crackling of thorns under a pot.' I could wish your present joy turned into wailing and grief!

992

My heart is pained for you, for the Lord tells

you

you "Blessed are they that mourn."-Ah! if die, as you are now-you will weep and mourn for eternity!

With a deadly disease poisoning your lifeblood, with the sentence of death written on your very body, you are yet living in pleasure and and jollity-though Christless! But you will mourn one day when you "LOOK ON HIM whom you have pierced!" You will weep then, when you CRY TO THE ROCKS to fall upon you! Oh! most MISERABLE men-who have no Christ to be glad and rejoice in! Unhappy-MOST UNHAPPY men who have Christ and the wine of his joy set before you -yet will not come to Him! You prefer the winecups of the world which make men's souls drunk with its lies and deceits, to the wine of Christ's vineyard!

And wilt thou poor worlding, despise Jesus still? Again He calls thee-AGAIN invites thee-" come weary Sinner come!"

How fearful their doom, when Christ leaves Christless souls to themselves-saying " Not one of those that were bidden shall taste!" Believe me, though the Gospel of Salvation be indeed "GLAD TIDINGS" now-it will assuredly bring the heaviest tidings to them who neglect it hereafter. None sink so deep into hell as those who stumble over

1. Luke xiv. 24.

E