God, but with man, that any of our race are finally excluded from the paradise of God. Thou shalt know hereafter-but God grant, that none of us may know by our own experience, the terrors of the Lord, and the miseries of those, who, for their own sins, have been thrust down to hell!

The length of the remarks already made prevents me from adding more than these three short practical reflections:

1. Learn patience and submission to God's will. Take it for granted that though you understand not all he says and does, yet he is wise and good in all. Be not surprised that you cannot understand all his dealings with you now; and wait till the time he is pleased to explain them.

2. Study carefully the dealings of God with man, and pray for the illumination of the Spirit. Thus shall you understand somewhat of the ways of God.

3. Repose confidence in God. There is no other in whom you can confide. He has already shown you, that even when you knew not what he did, you had abundant reason to say, he did it well. His character is such that even though he hide himself, he cannot do iniquity. Therefore say like the patriarch Job, Though he slay me yet will I trust in him. Thus acting you shall understand the meaning of the Saviour's words, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.

MACAO, Dec. 1, 1844.

SERMON XXXV.

INVITATION TO COME UNTO CHRIST.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.-JOHN vii. 37.

THE Jews had three great feasts in every year. The passover was held in the first month of the sacred year, in commemoration of the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt. The feast of weeks was held seven weeks after the passover, and was commonly called from that circumstance, the Pentecost, or fiftieth day. It was observed as a time of thanksgiving for the law given fifty days after they left Egypt. The feast of tabernacles was held in the seventh month of the sacred year, which was the last of the civil year; hence it is sometimes called the feast in the end of the year, Exod. xxiii. 16. The special object of this feast was to remember the goodness of God to their forefathers, while they dwelt in tabernacles in the wilderness, in memory of which the Jews were commanded to pass the seven days of the feast in booths. It was also intended as a feast of thanksgiving for the fruits of the ground which were then all safely gathered in, and stored away for the winter. On this account it was sometimes called, the feast of ingathering, Exod. xxiii. 14.

In each of these feasts all the males in the land were required to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem; and the numbers that were often collected there almost surpass belief. It is recorded by Josephus that several millions of people were assembled at Jerusalem at some of these feasts.

Although the passover was probably the most solemn of all the feasts of the Jews, yet none seems to have been more carefully observed than the feast of tabernacles, concerning which mention is made in the text. It was a time of gratitude for all the goodness of God to their fathers in the wilderness, and of praise for all the mercies they had received from him during the

year then closing. It was the general thanksgiving day of the nation, a time of gladness, and of sending of portions one to another. It was concerning this feast, that the Lord said, Thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou and thy son and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow that are within thy gates. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall choose; because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands; therefore thou shalt surely rejoice, Deut. xvi. 14, 15.

The last day of the feast of tabernacles was the great day of the feast. It was the last of all the feast days of the year—it was the closing act of praise to God for unnumbered mercies. It is prob able also that the sacrifices and services of that day had peculiar reference to their expected Saviour. The sacrifices were not so numerous on that day as on the preceding days. On the first day thirteen bullocks were offered in sacrifices; on the second twelve, on the third eleven, and thus down to the seventh, on which seven were offered, and on the eighth only one. By this it might have been intended to signify that the multiplied sacrifices and ceremonies of the Mosaic-law must gradually give way and be abolished; while the one offering of Christ should perfect forever them that believe. If this were the intention, there was a peculiar propriety in calling it, the great day of the feast.

On this day the multitude in the temple was the greatest; from all parts of the land they came. The high and the low, the rich and the poor, were there, and they had a solemn assembly, according to the manner, Num. xxix. 35; Neh. viii. 18.

Our Saviour too was there. Curiosity was awake concerning him, for already his fame had spread far and near. He had not gone up to the feast at its commencement, and his absence had excited surprise, John vii. 11. But in the midst of the feast he came, went boldly up to the temple and taught. The people wondered, and crowded around to hear him; but the Pharisees were enraged and sent men to take him. But his hour was not yet come, and he continued unmoved and unharmed at his post. He was the theme of endless curiosity and remark.

Learned men tell us, that among the ceremonies of that day, one of the most imposing and interesting was, the pouring out of water before the altar of the Lord. The priests went down in their priestly robes, and drew water from the fountain of Siloam

in a golden vessel, and as they poured it out at the foot of the altar, the multitude waved their palm-branches and sang the song of Isaiah, Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song; he also is be come my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation, Is. xii. 2, 3.

It would seem that it was about the time of the performance of this interesting ceremony that our Saviour uttered the words of our text. He took his stand in a conspicuous place in the temple, and lifting up his voice, he cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scriptures hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

The blessings of salvation are often compared to streams of water, and those who need and desire salvation, are said to thirst after these streams. This is a favorite comparison of our Saviour's. and if we divest the expression of its figurative dress, his meaning in the passage before us is, that he is able, willing and ready to bestow salvation upon every one who will apply to him for it. Let us consider,

I. TO WHOM THE INVITATION IS ADDRESSED. If any man thirst. There is no exception or limitation here. Christ did not stand in a corner, or speak in a whisper, when he uttered these words. He did not speak to one more than to another, but he lifted up his voice so that all might hear. The multitude were there. They saw the sparkling waters of Siloam, as they were poured out at the foot of the altar, and rolled along the marble floor of the temple court. They thought of the streams from the rock which had supplied their fathers in the desert, and of the early and the latter rain, in their own favored land, which had filled their brooks, and caused their springs to overflow. For these they had given thanks, and Christ now calls their attention. to the still greater blessings, even the living waters he had to bestow. Their minds were too apt to be satisfied with the water they then possessed, and to desire nothing better than the streams of the earthly Canaan. Like the woman of Samaria, when the Son of God spoke to her of living water, she thought but of water to quench her bodily thirst. But Christ's wish was to turn their minds to higher than mere earthly blessings. If any man drank of this water, he must thirst again, aye, and die too; for their fathers who had eaten the manna, and drank the water from the rock in the desert, were all dead; but Christ had that to bestow,

which should be in them a well of water springing up to everlasting life, John iv. 14.

If any man thirst. It matters not who. Be he high or low, be he rich or poor, the only qualification Christ requires, is that he be thirsty; that he desire a blessing. Doubtless our Saviour had in mind, that precious invitation in Isaiah, Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price, Is. lv. 1.

Doth not wisdom

She crieth at the

This invitation is a public and a loud one. cry? and understanding put forth her voice? gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors; unto you, oh men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men, Prov. viii. 1-4; see i. 20, 21; ix. 1-4. It is made in every variety of form, if so be men will hear it. The Spirit and the bride say, come. And let And let him that is athirst come; and

come.

him that heareth say, whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely, Rev. xxii. 17. It is an earnest call. God forbid we should think he maketh any call not sincerely. He describes himself after the manner of men, as rising up early and sending his prophets and messengers, Jer. xxv. 4. He sends them every where to proclaim his message, telling them to go even to the highways and hedges, and to use so much earnestness with men as even to compel them to come in, Luke xiv. 23.

He hath enough for all. The fountain Christ has opened, is not like the fountains we see on earth, where only a few can be supplied at once, while others must stand and wait, or even return empty away. Were the whole world to come, here flows enough to satisfy them all. Were all nations to crowd around at once, still we should say, And yet there is room. The merits of Christ are unspeakable; the salvation he procured is an infinite salvation. Therefore, let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, Ps. cxxx. 7. Were Jesus Christ a man like ourselves, his righteousness could not profit us. He would need it all for himself. But he is not a man as we are.

The union of the Godhead with his man

hood, gave his person an infinite dignity, and his sufferings an infinite value. This whole world is lost, yet no other sacrifice is needed to atone for every sin, and procure eternal life for all. By one offering, he perfects forever them that are sanctified, Heb. x. 14.