your hearts, and you fhall be witneffes that "he who keeps his fayings fhall not fee death."

Now to Him that lives and was dead, and is alive again for evermore, even to Jefus the Son of God, be glory, to his Father, and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.

DISCOURSE XXXII.

THE PRIVILEGE OF BELIEVERS.

JOHN i. 12.

As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fans of God, even to them that believe on his

name.

WHI

7HEN the due time was come, in which the God of Ifrael would be Immanuel and tabernacle with men, he came, according to the many prophecies, to his own people the family of Abraham, to whom, and to their fathers, he had been promised upwards of two thousand years, and for whofe coming all the tribes had waited with great impatience and earneftnefs from the time of the departure of the fceptre from Judah, which happened not long before his appearance in the flesh; but whether his mean form, his low birth and estate in the world, or their being difappointed in their carnal expectation of his reftoring the kingdom to Ifrael was the reafon, or both together, it is certain his own people received him not.. They were offended at him, and fcorned to acknowledge him for the Meffiah. His whole doctrine and manner of preaching was rejected by the far greater part of the Jews, who always had him in derifion, and especially when he faid he was the I AM, they openly blafphemed and rebelled against him. Thus they forfook the Rock that made them, and hid their faces from that

Jehovah

t

Jehovah whom their fathers Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob faw, and who was worshipped by them and their children through many generations, and who was not afhamed to be called their God.

Some, however, even of this finful and adulterous people, waited for the day of his coming; and they, like Abraham, faw it and were glad. Among these were Zacharias and Elizabeth, the virgin Mary, Simeon, Jofeph of Arimathea, and Anna the prophetefs. They knew when Auguftus. Cæfar laid the tax upon the Jews as well as others, the fceptre was entirely gone from Judah and a lawgiver from between his feet, and believed the Shiloh must be come; and as they were led by the Holy Spirit to look for him, his extreme poverty, meannefs, and defpicable appearance in the world did not ftumble them. They believed on him, bleffed God that their eyes had feen his falvation, and fpake of him to all that looked for redemption in Ifrael; to thefe, as well as to that happy few who in those times received him and all who have fince believed on his name, he has granted the privilege or power of becoming fons of God, while all, who receive him not, mifs this great bleffing, and fuffer lofs eternally.

From the days of God's being first manifested in the flesh to this time, he is preached in the world, and now, as well as formerly, many received him not. Some ftand aloof and hear concerning his redemption, but are in no immediate want, and let him go unconcernedly. He knocks indeed at the door of their hearts, but they are like the inns in Bethlehem, there is no room for him there; the pleafures of this life, the deceits of honours, friends and riches fupply his place, and they receive him not. Others, like the proud children of Ifrael,. fcorn to fubmit to him, and with Jewish haughti

nefs

nefs defpife his Godhead, and wantonly and prefumptuously, like the gentile and heathen nations, are refolved not to have this man to reign over them, or to acknowledge for their Lord a man who fuffered death upon a cross between two thieves. But yet there are fome who ftill receive Jefus with open and glad hearts, and who inherit the adoption of fons, and are numbered with his friends, and counted to the Lord for a generation. These in general are the poor in fpirit, fouls who were ready to perifh, lost fheep, miferable and unhappy perfons, and fuch as were felf-fpoiled and ruined, together with fuch as had fincerely fought after righteoufnefs by works under the law, and who, weary and almost in defpair at finding they failed, were ready to conclude themselves without hope; thefe, when Chrift has been preached to them, or when the Holy Ghoft has glorified the loving Saviour in their fight, like Zaccheus, have gladly received him, and fo commenced his children, his fons and daughters.

To receive Chrift implies not only a conceffion to the doctrine of the creed, or affenting to the truth and validity of the fcriptures, or the acknowledging him to be the Lord, the Meffiah and Christ that should come into the world, and fo choosing to be called by his name, and blame Jews and Deifts who are of another mind; but to receive him, is to accept of him as he is offered and preached in the fcriptures as our Lord God, our only Saviour, our righteoufnefs, wisdom, holinefs and redemption. It is a clofing in with him in his New Teftament; he becomes a Father to us, and we become his children; he is our God, and we are his people; our Shepherd, and we are his fheep; our Hufband, and we are his rib, his fifter, his spouse and wife; yea, it is receiving of him into our hearts by his Spirit, we let in him that stands at the door and

knocks,

knocks, and he fups with us, gives us a foretafte and pledge of the marriage-feaft, the earnest that we fhall fup with him there for ever. This cannot be learnt in theory. It is no matter for the fenfual and natural man, he cannot understand it. In this matter, no worldly wifdom helps or avails, no large capacity, no depth of thought is of ufe, but an honeft heart, who day and night thirfts for falvation and grafps after Jefus as a hart for the water and as a dry land for refreshing rain, and who learns it of the Holy Ghoft within. There he brings the news, and makes them to understand this wisdom fecretly. He fpeaks in the soft still voice, "Open thy heart; open the everlasting doors, and the King of glory fhall come in.' "Open, my love, my dove, and I will come in," Jefus fays; and where he is manifefted, there is his reward with him; his Father alfo comes and makes his abode there; and the chaste and newwashed temple of the body becomes the houfe of God.

The receiving Chrift is a thing wholly for the heart, and is known only by experience. It is the common privilege of all the faithful; every believer in Jefus knows this precious benefit of having received the Lord; and whoever does not know he hath found the Saviour, he is no true Christian. As many as believe in his name, have him in them. He dwells with them; he is their new and eternal life, as it is written, "He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.' St. Paul fays, "Now the life which I live in the efh, is the life of the Son of God. It is not I that live; it is Chrift that liveth in ine.

When one of the martyrs was advised to have God before his eyes, when he was near his execu→ tion, he answered cheerfully, I have him in my heart.' This is what I mean, and what the Holy Ghost means in the text, for fuch and fuch only are