SERMON IX. CHRIST'S PROMISE TO THOSE THAT JOHN VI. 37. All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. WHE HEN Philip joined himself to the chariot, in which the devout eunuch was reading the prophecy of Ifaiah, he asked him, " understandeft thou what thou readeft ?"f This question fo fuitable to that occafion, we may, and we should, frequently put to ourselves, when the eye peruses, or the ear hears, the difcoveries and declarations of the word of GOD. The words of our great Master have now founded in our ears, repeated from the history of his life. Understand we f Acts viii. 39. what he faith? Or do his accents die away, without conveying any meaning to our minds? As the words of CHRIST, "who "fpake as never man fpake," we cannot doubt whether they have a juft and important fenfe belonging to them: but unless we discern it, what direction can they afford, what comfort can they impart? Let, then, a few moments be applied to confider their import. "All that the Father giveth me, 'fhall come unto me; and him that cometh "unto me, I will in no wife caft out." To affift your understanding of those words, I fhall endeavour, I. To explain what is meant by "coming "to CHRIST." II. To open the defcription, "all that the "FATHER giveth me." III. To illustrate the gracious and encouraging affurance made to fuch. And, IV. The importance and excellence of this encouragement. I. I am to confider what is meant by "coming to CHRIST." This is a phrafe ufed in other places; as Matthew. "Come unto "me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, " and I will give you reft." And it recurs, feveral times, in the fame chapter from which our text is taken; as v. 45, " Every man that "hath heard me, and learned of the Father, "cometh unto me." It expreffeth, every where, the fame religious regards to the authority and character of CHRIST, which are implied in believing on him. In this manner he himself explaineth the term, v. 35, « he "that cometh to me fhall never hunger; and "he that believeth on me fhall never thirst." And fo in another place; "if any man thirst "let him come unto me, and drink :" which is interpreted in the following verfe thus ; "he "that believeth on me, out of his belly shall "flow rivers of waters." Coming to CHRIST, therefore, means believing on him." It is not unusual with the facred writers to express this holy and important principle in a variety of forms and under different allufions. When the metaphor is taken from the hands, it is ftyled receiving of CHRIST: when borrowed from the eyes, looking to him: when adopted from the feet, coming to him. These phrases seem also to refer to the cir • Matthew xi. 28, John vii. 37, 38. cumftances, in which JESUS CHRIST, the object of faith, is fuppofed to have existed, when they are used. In prophecy, he appeared under the notion of a remote and diftant Saviour, to whom the eye of the mind was directed forward with anticipation and hope; men are directed to look to him. When after his refurrection, his character and the blefsings of his miniftry were offered as advantages which only waited for the choice and acceptance of men to have their full effect, believers are faid to receive him. But while he refided on earth, was eafy of accefs, and those who embraced his character had generally the privilege of a perfonal intercourfe with him; faith is then expreffed by coming to him. In each cafe are denoted the fame affections, the fame regards to the character of CHRIST. These are, a firm conviction of the truth of his miffion, a fuitable and lively apprehenfion of the nature and defign of the office he fuftained, and a cordial, grateful, and practical profeffion of his religion. To come to CHRIST, or to believe in him, fignifies to hear the inftructions he delivered, as well as to accept the mercy he offered; to obey his pre |