fully laid down in the following passage: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John x, 27. The meaning is, they attend to his calls, both inward and outward, and they follow him in the way of cheerful obedience. Those, therefore, who are deaf to his calls, and who disobey his commands, cannot belong to his flock, whatever professions they make, or whatever privileges they enjoy.

These sheep, in our text, are pronounced blessed. They are blessed in this life with a gracious call to repentance, faith, and salvation. When they obey the call, they are blessed with pardon, peace, and holiness; and, amidst all their afflictions and temptations, they can say, by sweet experience, "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways." Ps. cxxviii, 1. The awful hour of death, so much dreaded by the wicked, is to them an hour of holy triumph; for they die in the Lord, they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. They shall be blessed, at the resurrection of the just, with glorified bodies; and they shall be blessed, in the great day, with peculiar marks of Divine approbation. Then the Judge will smile upon them; and heaven, with all its glories, will open to their view.

The Father is the fountain of being and of blessedness. Every blessing which we receive through the mediation of Christ, must be ascribed to the Father's love; because he gave his Son to redeem, and his Spirit to renew, our guilty and polluted souls. "All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. v, 18. He pardons, accepts, and adopts, believers. In the day of judgment, they will be blessed with peculiar tokens of his love. He will own them as his children before an assembled world, permit them to behold his glory, and grant them access to his throne.

II. THE PURPORT OF THE INVITATION.

The invitation implies three things: The saints are to remain with Christ; they are to inherit a kingdom; and the kingdom was prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

The saints are to remain with Christ. Seated upon the great white throne, and arrayed in the glory of his Father, he invites his church to come to him. The church, which is his bride, stands before him, and appears "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." Eph. v, 27. As a bridegroom, he presents her to himself, or places her in his presence, that he may survey her beauty. Marriage implies a peculiar union, and this strong figure is applied to Christ and his church, to express their everlasting union. The bride must dwell with her bridegroom, enjoy his presence, and share his glory. He is about to enter into his Father's kingdom, and to sit down on his throne; and his spouse must reign with him. When he was about to leave this world, he said to his disconsolate followers, "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John xiv, 3. Now he fulfils his faithful word, and gratifies the utmost wishes of his friends. The happiest moments which they spent on earth, were those in which he favoured them with his presence in the means of grace. How delightful, then, must that world be, where they shall dwell with him perpetually!

They are invited to inherit a kingdom. A kingdom implies three things: A king who governs, subjects who are governed, and laws by which they are governed.

The King of heaven is the Lord God omnipotent. The beloved John informs us, in the Book of Revelation, that he "heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." Rev. xix, 6. Earthly monarchs have reigned with disputed titles; but who will be found to dispute the title of the omnipotent Ruler of heaven? The enemies of his government will be put under his feet, and his friends will be exalted to his right hand. Monarchs have reigned on earth, whose abilities were not sufficient to wield the sceptre; but heaven will be governed by unerring wisdom, almighty power, and boundless goodness. The King of heaven is perfect, and his government will be perfect; he is immortal, and his kingdom will be everlasting.

The subjects of the heavenly kingdom are saints and angels. The pious, of all ages and nations, will reside with the angels of God as their fellow-subjects. But there will be no unpleasant distinction of nations, no unintelligible variety of languages, and no jarring sects. God is one, and all his subjects will be one. There may be various orders of angels, and various ranks of glorified human spirits. Some may be exalted far above others, on account of superior holiness, and as a reward of superior labours; but every one will be completely happy in his proper place, and every one will rejoice in the happiness of all the rest. The lowest will not view the highest with envy, nor will the highest look down upon the lowest with contempt. God, who is love, will be an everlasting centre of union to all his subjects; every one will be holy and happy, glorious and immortal. Every one will be full of joy; and every one will taste the most refined pleasures. For "in thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Ps. xvi, 11.

The only law of that glorious kingdom, is THE WILL OF GOD. He is absolutely perfect, and his will is a perfect law. Heaven will be an absolute monarchy, full of perfection and glory. It is fit that earthly monarchs should be limited, because they are imperfect; but the eternal God should be under no control. He can will nothing but what is wise and good. Happy would it be for mortals, if they would now obey his will. All the subjects of God in heaven, obey the divine will cheerfully, constantly, and universally. One spirit inspires the whole. This being the case, heaven will be a place of perfect order, harmony, and love. How unlike the disorderly kingdoms of this world, where ten thousand various and contradictory principles cause perpetual confusion!

The saints are heirs of this kingdom, and Christ will put them into full possession. It is a possession which was purchased by his blood, and which is given to all who overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things: And I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Rev. xxi, 7.

The kingdom was prepared for them from the foundation of the world. Hence it appears evident, that God designed man for heaven when he created him at first; and if the first man had proved faithful, when God placed him in a state of probation, it is probable he would have been translated to heaven without seeing death. His descendants might have been admitted to glory, in the upper world, on the same plan; and each one might have been translated from earth to heaven, without passing through the vale of death.

It is said to the saints, The kingdom prepared for you. Are we, therefore, to infer, that a certain number was elected to glory from the foundation of the world, and that the rest were reprobated to damnation? Some wise and good men have thought so; but we cannot receive their opinion. Predestination sets aside the necessity of a general judgment, and totally destroys every idea of rewards and punishments. For how can God judge men for what he fore-ordained? How can he either reward or punish those who acted in all things by irresistible necessity? Heaven, no doubt, was prepared for the saints on the right hand; but it does not follow that it was not prepared for sinners on the left. If there be any truth in the word of God, it was prepared for all; and had all used the appointed means, not one of the human race would have been banished into hell. Hell was not prepared for man; but for the devil and his angels.

We should often meditate on that glorious kingdom. Were we to set apart a portion of time every day, for that purpose, we should find it exceedingly useful. The present world would then appear, what it really is, an unfit place for the residence of immortal spirits; and heaven would appear worthy of our warmest affections.

By such meditations, our cold and languid affections, prone to cleave to earthly objects, would be sweetly raised to things above. We should then see, what otherwise cannot be seen, that every blessing which a good man can desire, will be found there in perfection. Thus the affections would follow the judgment; and our choice of heaven would be scriptural and rational.

Many of our friends are gone before, and are now with Christ, enjoying the happiness of Paradise. They wait to welcome us to that happy place; and, when we quit this lower world, they will receive us joyfully; and, in all probability, their joy will be increased by our society. us frequently think of them, and cultivate a desire to live with them for

ever.

Let

But let us not trifle in the way; but press forward with all our might. We cannot be too much in earnest; we cannot be too ardent in the pursuit of that glory which will never end. It is not an earthly crown, or a momentary glory, that we have in view; but it is a heavenly crown, a glory which will shine with everlasting splendour. Let us, then, go on with cheerful courage; for our sufferings will soon end; and our glory will soon begin.

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever." 1 Tim. i. 17. Amen.

SERMON LXXI.

THE GENTILES TRUST IN JESUS.

And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. Matthew xii, 21.

IDOLATRY began to spread its baneful influences in the world soon after the flood; and if God had not provided a remedy to check that foul contagion, the whole human race would have been corrupted by its pestilential principles. The remedy which infinite wisdom provided, was the separation of Abraham and his family from all the nations of the earth, that they might preserve the truth, and engage in a pure worship. And they continued to be a distinct people, and to enjoy high privileges, until the days of the promised Messiah; but after he appeared in the flesh, the middle wall of partition was broken down; he was preached unto the Gentiles; and many, when they heard the word of truth, trusted in his name as the Saviour of the world.

It is quite certain that the Gentiles stood in need of a Saviour; that Jesus was both able and willing to save them; that he was made known to them by the preaching of the Gospel; and that many trusted in his and were saved.

name,

I. THE GENTILES STOOD IN NEED OF A SAVIOUR.

When our Lord appeared on earth, the Gentile nations were grossly ignorant of divine truth, awfully depraved in their principles, and shamefully immoral in their practice. A few distinguished individuals were learned in all the wisdom of that day; but the people in general were extremely illiterate. A few, in the higher classes of society, were polished in their manners; but the rest were mere barbarians. In one point of view, there was a striking resemblance between men of all ranks and conditions: they were ignorant of God, of themselves, and of pure and undefiled religion; and their state resembled that of a dark and gloomy night, which is disturbed by storms and tempests, and by thunders and lightnings.

The ignorance and depravity which prevailed in those nations, produced every kind and every degree of wickedness. Their worship wis wicked. They worshipped the sun; moon and stars; departed heroes; living men; birds; beasts and fishes; with a vast train of virtues and vices. Their tempers were wicked. They were proud and vain, suspicious and envious, cruel and revengeful. Their conduct was wicked. Being under the government of the flesh, they lived in fornication, adultery, sodomy, and bestiality. Many of them were liars and blasphemers; and robbers and murderers. In short, the world was their portion, and the devil was their God.

While this was the case they were truly wretched. They were strangers to the sanctified comforts of life, and to all the elevated pleasures of pure religion; they lived in doubt and uncertainty; were tormented with superstitious fears, and often felt a dread of death and the grave.

If they repented of sin, they knew not that they could be forgiven; if they discovered the wickedness of their hearts, they knew not how to obtain a cure; and if they wished to reform their lives, they felt no power to accomplish that work. All was darkness, misery, sin, and death.

In that deplorable state, what could they do? To whom could they look for help? Whither could they flee for safety? Their wise men could not direct them to a saving remedy; their oracles deceived them; and their hearts failed with fear. And will any reflecting man undertake to prove that they did not stand in need of a Deliverer? It may be thought by some, that we have drawn a dark picture of their state and conduct; but indubitable facts, recorded in the page of history, prove that our representation of their ignorance and wickedness is no caricature. But whatever their state was, we are bold to affirm.

II. THAT JESUS WAS BOTH ABLE AND WILLING TO SAVE THEM FROM

THEIR SINS.

Enlightened Christians cannot doubt either the power or the willingness of Christ to save those ancient idolaters. He was able to bring them up out of the dark and dreadful pit of human depravity, and to set their feet upon a rock; and he is able to save us, and to set our feet upon a rock. He is the maker of all worlds, whether visible or invisible, and by "him all things consist." Col. i, 16, 17. In the days of his flesh he made the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak; he opened the eyes of the blind, and enabled the lame to walk; he cleansed the lepers, and raised the dead. Winds and seas obeyed his voice; and by a word he cast out devils. Since he ascended into heaven, he has saved myriads and millions of human beings from the ignorance, guilt, pollution, and punishment of sin. He is now saving all who come unto God by him, and he will continue to save sinners to the end of time; for his power, which is the same in all ages, will be exercised in this work of mercy until he comes again to judge the nations at his bar.

But was he willing to save the Gentiles in former ages? And is he willing to save them now? This may be proved by solid arguments. Consider the objects which he had in view when he left his Father's Throne, and became incarnate. Was he not manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil? 1 John iii, 8. Did he not appear on earth to seek and to save that which was lost? Luke xix, 10. For whom did he shed his blood? It is affirmed that he gave his life a ransom for all; that he tasted death for every man; and that he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. And did he not send his holy Apostles into all the world, to preach the Gospel to every creature? Who then can doubt his willingness to save the whole world of mankind?

III. WITH A VIEW TO SAVE THE Gentiles, he was MADE KNOWN TO THEM BY THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.

If the nations had been left to themselves, they could neither have discovered the Saviour of the world, nor his saving plan. There were a few learned men in Greece and Rome, whose intellectual powers