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farewell to the charms of sin-farewell to a blind admiration of creature-comeliness. Christ has won the heart, and leads every thought captive after him to heaven. One glimpse of a risen and a reigning Lord, obtained through manifestation of the Spirit, darkens all mundane glory, pours contempt upon the pursuit and admiration of it, and will not let us rest from instant travelturning at times the walk of faith into a running movement-to see fully and for ever the glory which he has with the Father, in his heavenly state.

To represent those manifestations, however, with convincing clearness to the minds of such as never knew them, exceeds the power of language. Suffice it to say, that to enjoy them is most satisfying to the soul: it puts one to the exercise of prayer, for a quicker progress to heaven; and it sensibly draws the soul away from a world without Christ, and without glory. The higher faculties of intellectual nature are then occupied and interested in Christ, as an object infinitely worthy of regard. The soul acquires a higher taste and a sublimer order of conception, relative to true glory, which it no more connects with the praise or power of man, or the possession of earthly good. It sees nothing

so great an object of pursuit as this-to follow on to know the Lord, ever crying, "that I may know him and be found in him." "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." A manifestation of his divine excellence, is so powerfully attractive, as sensibly to affect the soul with delight, and draw it towards the object whom it admires. It is morally fitted to do so; and, besides, where Jesus comes, he comes with power; and having made his people willing, and excited their desires to run after him, he graciously draws them onwards, by a secret influence, in the progress of spiritual life.

III. As drawing grace moves the affections, by displaying the love of Christ, and convinces the understanding, by manifestation of his excellence and glory, it touches our souls, likewise, by the promise of an eternal weight of glory, when we shall have finished our course. Who is not much moved by the expectation of future good? Even though the good be very limited in itself, and the period of its enjoyment is known to be uncertain, and cannot be long, as is true of all temporal good, yet for a short possession of it, men undertake the

most difficult enterprises. In the pursuit of affluence or renown, what toils are surmounted, and what dangers are braved! Ask one in the fervour of this world's course, straining every nerve to outrun others, and come in before he die to some winning post of secular good, what supplies motive for so much urgency of exertion, and we shall find, that the hope of gaining what appears prize to him, furnishes the stimulus of action. Indeed, our present condition has so small a portion of positive enjoyment from surrounding objects, that anticipated good must always powerfully influence our minds. And if a temporal expectation draw men, much more will a promise of immortality, when believed. Among the impostors that appeared before Christ, there “rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him." By what inducement were they drawn? By the promise of deliverance from the Roman yoke. They believed the impostor's word, and followed him. Now, Jesus hath the words of eternal life, and says of his disciples, "I give unto them eternal life;" and to obtain such an infinite good, who will not run after him?

And surely this applies to the Christian.

in his progress and pilgrimage through an evil world. He advances through sights of evil, and often with feelings of pain; and has it in charge both for his safety and his happiness, "not to look at the things which are seen and temporal." Hope, therefore, must enter largely into his principles of action; and to nourish in him this principle, much has been done by Christ, and many things are set before him which are the best fitted to draw him on. He has it not only revealed in Scripture that there is another world, and that the immortal soul shall dwell in it imperishable; but he has the blessedness of heaven represented; and a promise of its blessedness in Christ, who holds forth its happiness and its glory to the apprehension of faith; and faith laying hold on the promise, the soul is mightily drawn. There is something drawing in the ordinary calls and invitations of the Gospel; as when it is said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The weary soul is touched with the gracious invitation, and makes haste to come to Christ to obtain his desirable rest. That rest, though sweet, after the labour and conflict of an awakened conscience seeking peace in vain amid legal

strivings, or by a return to former security in sin, is only, however, a foretaste of heaven; and the more it is tasted in the experience of grace, the greater thirst is felt for the unlimited and everlasting fruition of the world to come.

Of that better country He hath said, “I will give it thee." He hath gone before to prepare a place for us, that where he is, there may we be also. He sends promises of grace, inviting us to come up hither; and by these promises, embraced by faith, are we drawn to run after him to glory. What is said in chapter second, and tenth verse, may well be considered as Christ's daily invitation to the soul to hasten away from the unprofitableness of worldly rest: "My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." And shall not such invitations excite the soul to compliance with the call? At the word of Christ, while he was upon earth, when he said to the lame, or even to the dead," Arise," at the word of Jesus, they rose, they walked. And when he says, "Rise up, and come away," and then shows the glory of the goodly land, where no winter of sorrow comes, and no floods of affliction descend; where there is no change or vicissitude, un

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