and glorious truths, which so offended the Jews, and occasioned such a falling off among the disciples.

And is it not just the same to this day? Do we not still find that these doctrines give offence? The claim of Christ to a divine origin is opposed by some; the doctrine of his atonement is rejected by others; and the humbling doctrines of the necessity of divine influences, and of the sovereignty of God in bestowing them where he pleases, are held in abhorrence by many. Talk to men of morality, virtue, and good works, and they will hear you; but speak of grace, of the blood of Christ, of faith in his blood, of being taught of God, and drawn by the Spirit, and then they cry, Enthusiasm! Methodism ! &c. But let us not be offended at this; it should confirm us in the belief of the truth; and while many go back and follow Christ no more, let us consider him as putting the solemn question to us, "Will ye also go away?"

The question is the language of affection: it speaks the kindness of his loving heart. Our gracious Lord has a real concern for his servants, for his friends, for his brethren, and he is not willing to part with them; but he would have them serve him freely, and without constraint he keeps no slaves. This question was put to try them; to give them an occasion of reflecting upon their own happiness, and upon the misery of those who had just forsaken him; and it operated accordingly. It gave occasion for the excellent answer of Peter, which we now proceed to consider.

II. Then Simon Peter answered him, LORD, to whom shall we go? THOU hast the words of eternal life.

In this answer we see the character of the man who made it. Peter was bold and forward; but sincere, affectionate, and candid. He speaks in the name of all his brethren, taking it for granted they were all of the same mind; though, alas! there was a Judas, a devil, among them; one who had " no part nor lot in this

matter!" Peter answers the question of our Lord by another question, "To whom shall we go?" We seek eternal life, and where can we find it but in thee? It is as if he had said, Whose disciples shall we be, if we cease to be thine? Shall we go to the heathen philosophers for instruction? They are become vain in their imaginations; professing themselves to be wise, they are fools in the matter of eternal life. Shall we go to the Scribes and Pharisees? They are blind leaders of the blind. Shall we go to Moses? He will send us back to thee. Therefore we will stay where we are ; we shall never do better.'

It is observable that in Peter's answer eternal life appears to be the grand object of the disciples; and the reason why they should not forsake Christ is, because he has the words of eternal life. He teaches the true doctrine of eternal life, and he is able and willing to give us eternal life, as his discourse has largely shown. Let it then be remembered that

Serious thoughts of eternity, and sincere desires for eternal life, have a powerful tendency to prevent apostacy. Serious thoughts of eternity! Alas! how few possess them! In how few do they abide and operate! How few live under the daily impression of the shortness of time, and the length of eternity!-which is as much as to say, how few are believers! For it is the office of faith to look forward to things "not seen," and to be influenced by them as if they were present. And, indeed, this forms the grand distinction between the children. of God and the children of this world. He that is of the earth is earthly; he thinks and speaks of earthly things: he that is born of heaven, is heavenly-minded. "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit." And it highly concerns each of us to know which of these is our character; it must be one; there is no middle state. And according to our state here, such will be our state hereafter. If eternal life be not our pursuit it will never be our portion.

Those who are duly affected with eternal things, will certainly be desirous of instruction; they will seriously inquire how eternal life may be obtained. "What shall we do to be saved?" is the substance of their inquiry. Even the people who forsook Chirst asked a question of this kind, ver. 28:- What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" Our Lord gave them this plain answer : "This is the work of God, that ye He also declares, "He that believ

believe in me."

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eth on me shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Every thing that relates to eternal life depends on Jesus. He has the words of eternal life." He discovered it more fully, and revealed it more plainly, than any of the prophets. His Gospel gives us a clear account of the blessed life, and immortal glory of soul and body in the heavenly world. It shows us the true and spiritual nature of that state, and what will be the business and blessedness of glorified saints. It leaves us to no uncertain conjectures, poetical fancies, or sensual notions of Paradise; but clearly describes it as a state of knowledge, purity, and bliss, in the presence of Immanuel, God with us.

The true and only way to eternal life is revealed by Christ. Many ways have been devised by men; a thousand superstitions have been invented by crafty or deluded men, and imposed upon the world, as means of obtaining eternal felicity. Every country and every imposter has produced something with this view; and carnal men still ludicrously and profanely talk of every one's setting up his own ladder to heaven. But away with these! Christ has the words of eternal life. "Whither I go," said he to his disciples, "ye know, and the way ye know." John xiv. 4. Îhomas, mistaking his meaning, said, "Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?" This mistake gave occasion for a charming declaration on our Lord's part. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the WAY,-the TRUTH, and the LIFE: no man cometh

unto the Father but by me." No words before were ever so plain. The substance of this great truth was indeed taught by sacrifices. These preached the necessity of a Mediator, and showed that without shedding of blood there could be no remission of sins; but it remained for him who is the Truth, the substance of all the Old Testament types, himself to say, "I am the way." Christ by his death, opened the gates of heaven. The cross of Christ is the only key that opens the door of glory. "We have boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus." This alludes to the High Priest of the Jews, who, once a year, went into the Holy of Holies with the blood of an animal. The way into this was by the veil, which separated it from the Holy place. Our way to heaven is through the veil of Christ's body, crucified for us; and it is remarkable that at the time of his death, the veil of the temple was rent in two, without hands, from the top to the bottom; which signified that every obstruction to our entrance into heaven was removed by the death of Jesus; so that we may now draw near to God, and enter into glory, in the full assurance of faith.

The words of Christ are "the words of eternal life" on another account; they are the means and instrument of that new and spiritual life in the soul, whereby it is prepared for eternal life. "The words that I speak unto you," said our Lord, verse 63 of this chapter, "they are spirit, and they are life;" they are to be taken, not in a carnal, but in a spiritual sense; and they are the means of conveying the Holy Spirit, whose influence is effectual unto spiritual and eternal life. It is by the Gospel that Christ speaketh from heaven; and when the Gospel is accompanied with the power of the Spirit, the dead hear the voice of the Son of God, and live. For this purpose it was that the apostles, though forbidden of men, were commanded of Christ to "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." By the same words the children

of God are directed, established, encouraged, and nourished unto eternal life.

In the view of advantages like these, well might Peter say, "Lord to whom shall we go ?" Eternal life is our aim;-thy words reveal it ;-thou showest us the way to it;-thou art thyself the way;-thy word is the seed of life in our souls ;-yea, thou art eternal life. To whom then can we go? We cannot, we dare not, we will not forsake thee.

Such, my brethren, are the sentiments of every gracious soul. With such views as these we shall "cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart," and abhor the thoughts of apostacy from him.

APPLICATION.

Have we come to Christ?-Are we, in any sense, his followers? If not, as we have already said, we cannot forsake him; but our case is no less dangerous. Woe be to those who, in a Christian land, a land of Bibles and of sermons," refuse to hear him that speaketh from heaven!" Woe be to us if he should say to us, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life!" O consider of it, thoughtless souls. If you would have eternal life, and surely you wish for it, remember you must have the words of eternal life; you must learn the way of life;-you must be interested in Jesus, who is the life. The Lord incline you, while it is called today, to hear his voice and live!

What we have heard of the words of life should endear them to us. The doctrines of grace are not idle speculations, or needless disputings about words and names; they are not a vain thing;-they are words of life. O then "let the word of Christ dwell in us richly! Let us lay it up in our hearts, and prize it above our chief treasure!

And now let us consider Christ himself as putting this question to each one of us," Wilt thou go away?" Others do. We live in a day when great numbers do;