of you convinceth me of sin?" Even at that most critical period of his trial, when a single fact of this kind would, if produced, have totally changed the character of the whole transaction, they could bring forward nothing better than the absurd blunder about his destroying the Temple, to rebuild it in three days! 3. Or, perhaps, they meant to insinuate, that those whom he favourably received continued sinners still; and this was as false as the rest. The contrary was notoriously true. Did not Levi forsake his iniquitous gain, to follow Christ? Did not Zaccheus give to the poor one "half of his goods," and also "restore fourfold" in every case where he had defrauded “ any man by false accusation?" If the "woman that was a sinner" was admitted as a disciple, do we not know that she became at the same instant a weeping penitent ?4 None, in short, remained with him, but those who were enabled to comply with his constant admonition-"Go and sin no more!"- One, only one, exception there was; they who uttered this calumny, however, knew not of it; and it was fully known, and awfully sentenced, by the holy Jesus himself. I allude to the covetous Judas-permitted to remain among the disciples, so long as secrecy precluded scandal-and that, only for the fulfilment of prophecy. Such were the calumnies intended against Jesus, in the words of my text. And I wish I could say, that such falsehoods were not still repeated even among ourselves: but, in every age, Satan and his followers have pursued the same methods, in order to bring discredit on the Gospel. What else is the meaning of speeches like the following? Christians, for aught I see, are no better than others!' True because you seldom meet with the real Christians 1 John viii. 46. 3 Luke xix. 8. -- you see many 2 Luke v. 27, 28. 4 Luke vii. 36-38. pretenders hypocrites-formalists-mere national Christians; but Christ does not own these as his people. Again-'None but poor and ignorant people believe!' an assertion, which is just as true now, as it was in the case of our blessed Saviour himself. But, having thus shewn you the falsehood of these words in their intended meaning, I remark that II. THE SAME WORDS UNDESIGNEDLY EXPRESS A MOST GLORIOUS TRUTH.-They truly describe 1. The Persons on whose behalf the Son of Man is interested; "This man receiveth Sinners.” 66 None but sinners-among the race of Adam, at least-have any concern or part in Jesus Christ. He comes to us in that character, and in none other. If there be any who conceive themselves entitled to the reward of righteousness, they must stand back: Jesus came not to call them, but sinners to repentance. The very character of his gifts implies this. He offers pardon-none but sinners are capable of it; conversion-for wanderers; sanctification-for them that are unholy; redemption-for the captives of Satan. Why then will any refuse to humble themselves, seeing that none else can be exalted by him? The vilest of sinners are not shut out from partaking in that mercy, which is equally needful to the most virtuous. There is no hope,' you would have said, 'for Publicans-those avaricious, hard-hearted, oppressive collectors of a foreign tax.' Yet here we find them seated at the same table with Jesus! There were harlots too! Nay, some of the very murderers of Jesus were afterwards admitted to his favour! Look, moreover, at that black catalogue of crimes which is drawn up in 1 Cor. vi. 9; and then observe 1 Matt. ix. 13. the declaration that immediately follows-" And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Nor let it be supposed, that cases of this kind were rare exceptions. No, dear brethren; millions in every age have been admitted to the fold of the good Shepherd, who were once the veriest bond-slaves of sin and Satan. And therefore let none despair-but let every sinner repent, and hasten to Jesus; to him who hath said—" Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."1 Once more-Sin still dwelleth even in those who have partaken of the mercy of Christ; yet doth he not cast them off. And why? Because he is not displeased to behold sin in his followers? God forbid! No-but because he delights to see them fighting manfully' against it, and gradually overcoming it through the power of his grace. Though they love him, they are sinners daily; but because he loves them, "sin shall not have dominion over them "3. nay, he " will bruise Satan under their feet shortly." —But this leads me to notice further, how truly these words describe 2. The Regard which he shews toward them ; He "receiveth them, and eateth with them.” It is indeed no carnal or earthly provision, to which sinners are now invited by their merciful Saviour. His blessings are altogether of a spiritual kind; they are therefore the more valuable-the more lasting. He receives them to his own favour, and to that of his Father. It was in order to this, that he took your nature upon him; having been, from all eternity, "equal with God," though here insulted under the title of "This Man!" He could not otherwise have 1 John vi. 37. 2 Rom. vii. 20. 3 Rom. vi. 14. 5 John v. 18. shed blood to make atonement. But now, from his throne of glory, he invites you to return to God. He offers you 66 access with confidence by faith in "Come out from among them," saith he,“and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you; and ye shall be my He receives them to spiritual communion with himself, He receives them, finally, to his visible presence in Are these, my brethren, the words of truth and reality? Then why tarry ye any longer, if guilty sinners may hope for a reception so unmerited, so glorious as this? "Rise, he calleth you"-to repentance and conversion, to faith and pardon, to holiness and heaven! Oh, turn no longer a deaf ear to his condescending entreaties! Say-" Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God." 7 1 Eph. iii. 12. 2 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. 3 Matt. xviii. 20. 4 John xiv. 22. 5 Luke xxii. 30. 6 John xiv. 2, 3. 7 Jer. iii. 21-23. SERMON XLIII. ECCLESIASTES xi. 9.-Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. IT was the mournful recollection of his own follies, which led Solomon, the wise King of Israel, to address his young friends in this remarkable manner. His wisdom, though supernaturally increased by Divine inspiration, had not preserved him from making the world his idol. And he had "received in himself that recompence of his error which was meet: " he had, on every fresh trial, found the world to be " vanity of vanities-all vanity;" till at last he comes forth, a broken-hearted, humbled, penitent king, to tell his disappointment-setting himself up as a beacon, to be shunned by all who would not make shipwreck of their heavenly hope.-The remembrance of his youthful self-sufficiency makes him distrustful, as it may seem, of the success of a more direct admonition to his younger hearers: he therefore endeavours to arrest their attention, by the appearance of granting them every worldly gratification, on which they may have set their hearts. But how startling and solemn is his conclusion-"Know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment !" We have here, then, in the first place, |