would not let him go. My Beloved is mine, and I am his !" How different the cry of Paul: "I count all things but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him." Oh! brethren, if you are under the teaching of the Spirit, no mere outward sight of Christ will satisfy your soul. You must have a heart sight and heart relish of him. You must taste and see that the Lord is gracious. Many of you like to hear about Jesus, you like to be entertained by fine descriptions of Jesus; but if you are under the teaching of the Spirit, nothing will satisfy you but to sit down under his shadow, to be found in him, to be the dove hidden by his own hand " in the clefts of the rock and in the secret places of the stair," to be washed in his blood, and new created by his Spirit.

3. One reason of their little concern was fear of man.-The rage of Christ's enemies was waxing hotter and hotter, a few days before they had come to the solemn resolution of putting him to death. Nay, we are told they consulted how they might put Lazarus also to death, so bloodthirsty were they grown.-Verse 10. We are told that many of the chief rulers also believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they durst not confess him (verse 42); for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. There can be no doubt, then, that the heat and anger of Christ's enemies greatly damped the concern of these Greeks. It was probably this that made them apply first to Philip. It made them cautious in their words: "Sir, we would see Jesus." How truly is it said, "The fear of man bringeth a snare!" The roaring of the lion has driven many a soul away from Christ. Is this not the case among you? What will my family say; what will my companions say; what will the world say, if I should go to Christ, and give up all for him? These three roars of the lion have ruined many souls. How many of you have felt a real desire sometimes to be saved? Perhaps you fell on your knees and prayed sincerely to be delivered. But some companion came in, some merry-making was proposed, and you had not courage to say, No. You wished to say, I have begun to seek the Lord, I have been on my knees, I have been praying that I may be saved; but you could not say it, your tongue stuck to your jaws; and so you went back to your vomit, and to wallow in the mire. Alas! you loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. "How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" What a foolish thing it is to fear the frown of a worm of the dust more than the frown of the infinite God! to fear the laugh of the scorner more than the sentence of Christ, "Depart, ye cursed !" "Fear not them who can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

II. Christ's answer.

1. He shows them that he must die before men will seek him in

earnest :

"The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified."-Verse 23. There is something very deep and solemn in this answer of Christ. He saw that these Greeks had no piercing sense of their need of him; and he explains to the disciples that it is only a discovery of him as a crucified Christ that will draw men to him. As if he should say, I am like a corn of wheat, if it be not put into the earth and die, it will abide alone; but if it be sown, and die, it bears, much fruit. So if I die not, no men will be drawn to me; but if I die for sinners, and lie down in the grave for them, then they will be drawn to me.

(1.) The dying of the Lord Jesus is the most awakening sight in the world.-Why did that lovely One that was from the beginning the brightness of his Father's glory, and express image of his person, degrade himself so much as to become like a small corn of wheat, which is hidden under the earth and dies? why did he lie down in the cold rocky sepulchre? Was it not that there was wrath infinite and unutterable lying upon men? Would Christ have wept over Jerusalem if there had been no hell beneath it? Would he have died under his Father's wrath if there were no wrath to come? Oh! secure sinners, triflers with the Gospel, polite hearers who say often, "Sir, we would see Jesus," but who never find him, go to Gethsemane, see his unspeakable agonies; go to Golgotha, see the vial of wrath poured upon his breaking heart; go to the sepulchre, see the corn of wheat laid dead in the ground. Why all this suffering in the spotless One if there be no wrath coming on the unsheltered, unbelieving head? Oh! the corn of wheat in the ground is the most awakening sight in the universe.

(2.) It is the most drawing sight :-"I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." These poor Greeks did not. feel much their need of Christ, but still less did they see his suitableness to their need. Had they but seen what shelter there was to be in his wounds for sinners-had they seen how much room there would be for the chief of sinners-they would have burst through every difficulty to come to Jesus. Nothing in the world would have kept them back from Christ. The fear of man would have been like a straw; they would have cried, not, "Sir, we would see Jesus," but, " Draw me, and I will run after thee”— "Hide me in the clefts of the rock”—"Cause me to sit under the shade of the apple tree." It was this sight that drew three thousand to Jesus on the day of Pentecost. The corn of wheat dying for us, is the true loadstone to draw iron hearts after him. In the natural loadstone the iron may be drawn away again, but the soul once drawn to Christ can never be drawn away any

more.

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Oh! pray for a drawing discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of you are in this condition. The Lord Jesus is on one side of you, and Satan on the other, and you in the midst, and both are

drawing at your soul. Oh! pray that the Lord Jesus may overcome. His open arms on the cross are drawing you-his wound in the side is inviting you. "In me ye shall have peace."

2. That men must cleave to him at whatever cost.-Verse 25. These poor Greeks were under the fear of man. They were afraid they would be put out of the synagogue, or perhaps they would be called Galileans or Nazarenes, or perhaps they would be laughed at, and lose the praise of men; and this made them very cautious in their approach to the Saviour. Now, the Lord Jesus shows them this is not the way that awakened souls must seek him. As if he should say, Go and tell them that in coming to me they are coming for eternal life, and therefore every other consideration must be laid aside. I am the one thing needful— I am the pearl of great price. They that seek me must push aside everything that stands in the way. Even if they lose their life in coming to me, they would find life eternal. He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Those that know the real worth of Christ will make everything subordinate to their finding him. Those who will not, never will find him.

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(1.) Consider how precious Christ is :—“In him is life eternal." In him there is pardon for the vilest of sinners. In him there is sweet peace of conscience-peace with God. In him there is rest for the weary soul-the way to the Father-an open door into the fold of God. In him there is a fountain of living waters-unsearchable riches-full supplies of grace and truth for weak and weary souls. In him there is acquittal at the judgment-day, and a glorious crown. Oh! should you not leave all for this? Shall a lust, or a pleasure, or a game, or the smile of a friend, keep you from all this? "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

(2.) Consider how sad your case without him.-The number of your sins is infinite: "Innumerable evils have compassed me about." Your heart is as full as ever-ready to gush out with sin to all eternity. God is angry with you every day. There is no refuge but Christ. If you do not get into him, you will never be saved. You will be outside the ark when the flood comes. You will knock, and cry, Lord! Lord!-but it will be too late. God will be your enemy. The great day of his wrath will be come, and who will be able to stand? Some of you have felt a little touch of concern; you have never felt the millionth part of what is the truth. Oh! then, will you let some poor lust, or pride, or love of dress, some Herodias, keep you out from Christ?

Be entreated to cleave to him at whatever cost-If any business comes between, takes up too much time, disturbs your Sabbaths, hinders you from coming to Christ-let it go. If any pleasure comes between, lulls your convictions, deadens you at prayer and Bible, quickens your desire for the world and sin-let it go. If

any friend comes between you and Christ, if their company indisposes you for seeking Christ, takes off your mind, if their ridicule or vain talk brings you back to the world-let them go. Never mind though they laugh and sneer, think you odd, ridicu lous, call you methodist; it matters not; one thing is needful, Christ is precious-eternity is near. If you do not, you will lose your soul. Like Paul, I count all things but loss.

3. If we would be Christ's, we must give up ourselves to his service for ever.-The poor Greeks said: "Sir, we would see Jesus." Jesus here tells them that a mere sight of him will not do: "If any man serve me, let him follow me." Many people are willing to be saved from hell; but they are not willing to give themselves up to Christ to be his servants and followers; but every one who is under the teaching of the Spirit, gives himself up to be the Lord's. So Matthew. The Lord said: "Follow me; and he arose and left all, and followed Jesus." One who is truly taught of God feels indwelling sin a greater burden than the fear of hell: "In me, that is in my flesh, there is no good thing." "0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Therefore, that soul is willing to be Christ's servant for ever-willing to have his ear bored to the door of Christ's house.

This will discover hypocrites. Are you willing to be Christ's servant, to follow him in hard duties, to be brought under the rules of the Gospel? If not, you are a hypocrite. Count the cost of coming to Christ.

III. The reward.

1. You will be with Christ. You may be cast out by menfather and mother-offscouring of all things: "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise"-be with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Sit with me on my throne: "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory."

2. The Father will honor. You will lose the praise of men, perhaps of some you esteem; but you will gain the honor of God.

(1.) In this world. Ye shall be a peculiar treasure. He will guide you with his eye, hear your prayer, be with you in trouble, fill you with his Spirit, give his angels charge over you, be with you in death.

(2.) In eternity. He will receive you, show you his salvation, wipe off tears from your eyes, be your God and portion. Jesus will confess before his Father: This soul followed me.

you

SERMON LVI.

THOU THAT DWELLEST IN THE GARDENS.

"Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices."-Song viii., 13, 14.

I. The description of the Church, or of the believing soul: "Thou that dwellest in the gardens." This is true of the believer in two ways.

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1. He is enclosed and separated from the world: "A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse."-Song iv., 12. All believers dwell within an enclosure. Just as the gardens in the East are enclosed with a fence of reeds, or of prickly pear, or by a stone wall, so all that are Christ's are enclosed out of the world. Jesus says: If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Paul says, he was "separated unto the Gospel of God." And again, John says: "The world knoweth us not, even as it knew him not." Great mistakes are made here. There are many hedges that are none of Christ's planting. Many are separated, but not unto the Gospel of God. (1.) Some are separated by education. They are brought up far away from the noise and bustle of the world. They see little of its vices, and hear little of its profanity. They are never allowed to come within its magic ring. They are a kind of separated people. But, ah! they have a world in their own. heart. (2.) Some, again, are separated from the world by worldly griefs and distresses, or by sickness of body. Their proud spirit is broken. Their heart used madly to follow the world; but now it sickens and dies within them; desire fails. They have no more heart for their idols. These are a kind of separated people. But, ah! they dwell not in the gardens; that is the separation of nature, not of grace. (3.) Some have a haughty separation from the world, like those that said: "Stand back, for I am holier than thou: like the Pharisees, who would not speak to a publican. These are known by their little compassion for the world. Ah! these do not dwell in Christ's garden. (4.) There is a nominal separation from the world. These people have a name to live, and are dead. They belong, it may be, to a peculiar congregation, and to a peculiar prayer-meeting; they have a Christian name and a Christian appearance; they often speak as Christians, and are spoken of as Christians; the world are afraid of them, and treat them as if they were believers; but all the time beneath that mantle there beats an unchanged, unbelieving, ungodly heart. Ah! brethren, this is a separation of Satan's making.