And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the` tenth hour.-John i. 37-39.

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WHEN the Baptist had showed Jesus to Andrew and another disciple, they immediately followed him, with the distances and fears of the first approach, and the infirmities of new converts; but Jesus seeing them follow their first light, invited them to see the Sun for God loves to cherish infants in grace; and having sown the immortal seeds in their hearts, if it takes root downwards, and springs out into the verdure of a leaf, he still waters it with the gentle rain of a Holy Spirit, in graces and new assistances, till it brings forth the fruits of a holy conversation. And God, who knows that infants have need of pleasant, and gentle, and frequent nutriment, hath given to them this comfort, that himself will take care of their first beginnings, and improve them to the strength of men, and give them the strength of nature, and the wisdom of the Spirit, which ennoble men to excellencies and perfections. By the preaching of the Baptist they were brought to seek for Christ: and when they did, Christ found them, and brought them home, and made them "stay all night with him;" which was more favor than they looked for. For so God usually dispenses his mercies, that they may run over our thoughts and expectations, and they are given in no proportion to us, but according to God's measures; he considering not what we are worthy of, but what is fit for him to give; he only requiring of us capacities to receive his favors, and fair reception and entertainment of his graces.

These disciples asked of Christ where he dwelt: Jesus answered, "Come and see." It was an answer very expressive of our duty in this instance. It is not enough for us to understand where Christ inhabits, or where he is to be found; for our understandings may follow him afar off, and we receive no satisfaction unless it be to curiosity; but we must go where he is, eat of his meat, wash in his lavatory, rest on his beds, and dwell with him for the holy Jesus hath no kind influence upon those

who stand at distance, save only the affections of a loadstone, apt to draw them nigher, that he may transmit his virtues by union and confederations; but if they persist in a sullen distance, they shall learn his glories, as Dives understood the peace of Lazarus, of which he was never to participate. Although "the Son of man hath not where to lay his head," yet he hath many houses where to convey his graces; he hath nothing to cover his own, but he hath enough to sanctify ours: and as he dwelt in such houses in which the charity of good people then afforded for his entertainment, so now he loves to abide in places, which the religion of his servants hath avowed to his honor; and the advantages of evangelical ministrations. Thither we must come to him, or anywhere else where we may enjoy him he is to be found in a church, in his ordinances, in the communion of saints, in every religious duty, in the heart of every holy person; and if we go to him by the addresses of religion in holy places, by the ministry of holy rights, by charity, by the adherences of faith, and hope, and other combining graces, the graces of union and society, or prepare a lading for him within us, that he may come to us, then shall we see such glories and interior beauties, which none know, but they that dwell with him. The secrets of spiritual benediction are understood only by them, to whom they are conveyed, even by the children of his house. "Come and see."

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.-Psalm cxxx. 1.

I cried. Prayer is the natural and genuine voice of the children of God; and as the Latin word oratio properly signifies articulate speech, as it distinguishes man from other animals, so, in this other signification, it expresses that by which the godly are distinguished from the rest of mankind: it is the proper idiom of the citizens of heaven. Others may recite some words of prayer, but they do not pray; as parrots and other birds, by the industry of their teacher, may learn to imitate human voices, yet they do not speak; there is something wanting in all their most skillful chattering, which is the very thing that is also wanting in the language of most that are said to pray, and that is, mind and meaning, affections correspondent to the words, or

rather, to which the words may conform as to their original cause, and of which they may be the true index and sign. The spirit of this world knows not how to pray, nor does a spirit of adoption and liberty know how to forbear praying—the spirit of adoption, says the apostle, by which we cry Abba, Father. Nor can they who are new-born by that Spirit, live without frequent prayer. Prayer is to them, as the natural and necessary respiration of that new and Divine life, as Lam. iii. 56, Turn not away from my breathing: the Hebrew word there made use of, leruhethi, properly signifies the vital respiration of animals. Yet, notwithstanding all this, what we said above is true, and evidently appears from the passage before us, that affliction often adds vigor to prayers, how lively and assiduous soever they may have been before. Let it be so, that prayer is the natural language of believing souls, by which they daily address their heavenly Father, yet, when they are pressed with an uncommon pain or danger, it is no less natural that this voice should be louder than ordinary, and should be raised into a cry.

It is indeed the breath of faith and heavenly affections, and when they are vehemently pressed by any burden, and almost expiring under it, they breathe quicker than before, and with greater effort. Thus, they who have been used to the greatest heights of daily devotion, yet, in surrounding calamities, pray more fervently and more frequently than ordinary. And this is to be numbered among the chief benefits attending afflictions, and it would surely be well worth our while to experience all the hardest pressures of them, if we may gain this; that the languor, and sloth, and stupidity, into which our minds and our souls are ready insensibly to sink while all is calm and serene about us, may be happily shaken off by something which the world may call an unhappy event; that some more violent gust of wind may fan the sacred flame that seems almost extinguished, and blow it up into greater ardor. It will be happy for us, that, with the psalmist, we should sometimes sink in deep waters, that so we, who in prosperity do but whisper or mutter out our prayers, may from the depths cry aloud unto God. Oh, how frequently and how ardently did David pray in the deserts and in the caves, and it is he who here cries out of the deep, and perhaps these deep recesses are those from which he was now crying; but when secure amid the ease and delights of the court, and walking at

leisure on his house-top, he was tempted by his own wandering eyes, and having intermitted the fervor of prayer, burned with impure fires. Our vows are cruel to ourselves, if they demand nothing but gentle zephyrs, and flowery fields, and calm repose, as the lot of our life; for these pleasant things often prove the most dangerous enemies to our nobler and dearer life.

Oh! how true is that saying, that "faith is safe when in danger, and in danger when secure; and prayer is fervent in straits, but in joyful and prosperous circumstances, if not quite cold and dead, at least lukewarm." Oh, happy straits, if they hinder the mind from flowing forth upon earthly objects, and mingling itself with the mire; if they favor our correspondence with heaven, and quicken our love to celestial objects, without which, what we call life; may more properly deserve the name of death!

And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.—

Is. xii. 1.

I WILL briefly show that the pardon of sin is so divine a benefit, that it deserves our most solemn thankfulness. This will appear by an evident light, if we consider the nature and quality of the benefit, and the means by which it is obtained.

1. The quality and nature of the benefit. Our blessedness consists in the forgiveness of our sins. David inspired, from heaven declares, Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. The worst effect of sin is the separation between God and the soul. In his presence is fullness of joy, in his absence fullness of sorrow. Go ye cursed, is as terrible part of the sentence as the everlasting burning. Hell is the element of sin and misery: wherein the fire made fierce with brimstone, and the undying worm of conscience, torment the wicked. Now the pardon of sin secures us from the wrath of God, the supreme evil, and the cause of all other evils.

Besides, the love of God that pardons us is our sovereign good, and is the productive and conservative cause of all good. It bestows upon us celestial happiness, in comparison of which, all the degrees of worldly honor, and power, and pleasure, and

riches, are but dross. The pardon of sin has inseparably annexed to it the privilege of adoption, and a title to the kingdom of glory. Our Saviour declared to the apostle, that the end of the gospel is, to open the eyes of men, and to turn them from darkness to light, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me.

God permitted the fall of man, to raise him to a more excellent and stable felicity. Adam was dignified with dominion over the lower world, and seated a prince in paradise; but his happiness depended upon his obedience, and that upon the freedom of his will, which proved a dangerous endowment by his abuse of it. He was foolish and fickle in the best state of nature. He affected an independent immortality, and being in honor, became like the beasts that perish. But the pardon of sin is the foundation of eternal happiness. Those who are justified shall be glorified, and made equal to the angels, who are constant in good, as the devils are obstinate in evil. The blessed state above is secure and unforfeitable-glorified saints are incapable of sinning and dying.

2. The means whereby our pardon is obtained. I shall not dare to determine, that God could not have pardoned us by his Sovereignty, without satisfaction to his justice, but he has been pleased to save us in a way most honorable to himself, and comfortable to us. The psalmist tells us, according to the name of God, so is his praise. As his excellent attributes are manifest in his works, understanding creatures adore and celebrate them. The wisdom of God so gloriously appears in the way of our salvation, that the admiring angels praise him for ever. And the goodness of God is so conspicuous in saving us by Christ, that our exuberant affections should be poured forth in thankfulness. The remission of our sins is by redemption in his blood. It was an expression of David's piety, that he would not serve God with that which cost him nothing, but purchase the sacrifice by a price: and it was the high expression of God's love, that he would not save us with that which cost him nothing, but with the sacred treasure of heaven, the precious blood of his son. Besides, the guilty conscience has so quick a sense of God's revenging justice, that our assurance would not be so entire in his mercy, without satisfaction made by the sufferings of our blessed Mediator. In this way we have the advantage of David, who had not so clear a discovery of the means of our pardon, but a general knowledge