malevolence against the legislator. Suppofe that legislator, however rigorous in justice, equally abundant in mercy: however refolute to maintain the honour of his law, equally folicitous to remove every impediment to the exercise of overflowing kindness towards tranfgreffors. Suppose him, however arduous the task, to have devised a method, by which, without encroachment on the principles of rectitude, without depreciation of his authority, without encouragement to offences, the forfeited inheritance may be restored; every acceffion of punishment which has been incurred be averted; and new poffeffions, far furpaffing the patrimony which by guilt was loft, be fupperadded. Suppose the attainment of these bleffings, the gifts of free mercy, to be effectually placed on equitable and easy conditions within the reach of the offenders. What if you were to hear that the bleffings are despised; that the offer is rejected? Should you credit the intelligence? Should you conceive that the annals of the world could furnish many examples of fimilar infanity? Should you apprehend that in the most enlightened regions similar infanity is frequent at this hour? Should you believe that it is but

needful

needful to caft your eyes round the circle in which you move, to witness many a correfponding fpectacle of frenzy ? Should believe that at this hour there may be exhibited a kindred spectacle of frenzy by yourself?

you

Our Saviour, as we learn from the former part of the chapter before us, had given extreme offence to the Jews by expreffions which they juftly understood as a diftinct affirmation of his divinity. He proceeded therefore to declare to them the glorious and pre-eminent power, with which he was, in his human nature, entrusted by his Father. One branch of this power was to raise all mankind from the grave. As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will. Another was to judge the world. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men may honour the Son even as they bonour the Father. To thefe declarations our Lord, after fome collateral and explanatory difcuffion, fubjoined the emphatical words of the text? Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. In these words three facts were implied. First: That the Jews were not at that time poffeffed of life; nor capable VOL. II. F

of

of obtaining it by their own exertions. They were in a state of death. They were in a state of condemnation as finners. Eternal destruction hung over their heads: and from that deftruction they were of themselves unable to deliver their fouls. Secondly. A method of obtaining life was provided and made known unto them; namely, to come unto Chrift. God had openly fet forth his Son, from eternity a partaker of the Godhead, to be a propitiation for the fins of mankind; to purchase falvation by his blood; to reveal to men the path of righteousness, and to enable them to pursue it. Thirdly: The Jews had the power of coming unto Christ, and of thus obtaining life. On another occafion, our Lord affirmed, as an univerfal truth; No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him by the purifying influence of the Holy Spirit on the heart. But the terms in which he addreffed the multitude, "Ye will not come unto me," prove, that to them, as unto all to whom the gospel was preached, the requifite affiftance was vouchfafed from above; and that their refufal to feek falvation through Him was their own voluntary deed. Do you conceive that these momentous

truths

truths have no other reference than to the

Jews? They relate to all men. All men equally with the Jews have inherited from the common ancestor of all the fame corrupt nature. All men, like the Jews, have incurred the wrath of God, and plunged themselves into a state of death and condemnation, by breaking his Law: and are equally incapable of fatisfying his justice, and delivering themselves from punishment, by any strength or wifdom of their own. To all men, as unto the Jews, life, an eternal life of happiness, is offered. To all men Jefus Chrift is propofed as the Author and only giver of falvation. To all men grace is extended from above, to render them capable of coming unto Christ effectually for pardon, for blessedness everlasting. On all men power and affistance fufficient progreffively to incline and enable them, if they refift not the Holy Spirit, to come unto Christ and attain falvation, are mercifully bestowed. And every man, who perishes in confequence of not coming unto Christ, perishes because, though in every respect enabled to come, he will not come unto the appointed Saviour that he might have life.

Perhaps, however, you may be disposed to conclude that you have already obeyed F 2 the

the command of coming unto the Lord Jefus. May God grant that you may be warranted in that conclufion! But on what grounds have you formed it? Do you conclude that you have come unto Christ, because you were born in a Christian country; were baptifed into the Chriftian Church; have been accustomed to attend Christan worship, and to profefs yourselves Chriftians? All these fteps may have been taken, and you may ftill be in a state of death. Were not the Jews outwardly members of the true church of God in their day? Had not they been received into that church, according to the ordinance of God, in their infancy? Had not they been trained up in attendance on the Synagogue and the temple! Were not they zealous for the forms of their religion, and eager to profefs themselves the people of God? Yet how does our Saviour addrefs them? As men under the fentence of condemnation. My bretheren, to be a real Christian is not to be a Chriftian in name and profeffion; but to be in heart and conduct, as becometh the doctrine of Christ. And no man is in heart and conduct a true disciple of our Lord, who has not come unto Him that he might have life.