Parochial and Plain Sermons

IIESE,_enbes and Pharisces, lhoug'h (hrst, had wroug'ht, among them "works which none othcr man did," and, as one of their own eompany confessed, no man eouhl do miraeh's such as Ilis "except. Goal wer« with him," pevsisted in askin" tbr s.mc decisivc Sig'n, whieh wouhl prove ]Iis 1)ivinitv beyond ail question. In His reply, our Lord denied and ye promised sueh a. sign. lIe says, "Au evil and adulterous g'eneration seeketh after a sign; there shall no siffn be g'iven fo it, but. the Sign of the Prophet Jonas." In this sentence il is implied, both tha their wishes were no to be granted, ye that a. 'reat miracle was fo be wrougqt. On a. second occasion thev askcd a'ain, Sadducccs as well as Pharisees: thev "came, and temptin, desired Him tha He would show them a sign ri-oto heaven." Joshua. had stopped the sun and moon " in the si'ht of

_[sael;" Samuel had broug'h thunder a harves ime; -.hey asked for: similar miracle. They asked for a sig.n from heavo; Iio:m:wcred still by promisig" a Sign ri'oto the eal'th,a Si'u like lais, who was "" three,l3"s and three nig'hts iu the wlmle's belly." A Sign was fo be wr, m'h and was fo disappoiu them: i was fo be  Siffn, but ot I,-, them; hence out Lm-d savs in the p:mdlel pass:g'e in St. 3It'k, " Vcril" I s:y you, çhere slmll uo si'n be g'ivett fo this g'cueratiou ." In an earlicr Fart of llis miuistt'y, the saine question had lt.e asked,:md the saine anwer 'iven under a dillbrett ima'e. The.lews " said unto Ilim, What sig' showes Thou uni,» us, seeing' that Thou doest these thinffs?" IIe in like mannev answevs; "Destroy this temple, and in thrce davs I will raise i up:." They misunderstood llim, mad lle didno se them rigqat. For they were fo sec, md sec hot; lhey were n«» fo witues the Sign then, uor were they allowed fo apprehend Ilis lmgu:ge now. lle spoke of the resurreeion of I[is body, and they were tot. at. lhat season fo sec llim whom they had piereed. Now wha is remal'kable in this passffe îs this, tlmt out Lord promised  grea sign parallel fo those wroug'h l»v lhe «ld lW,»lhets; ye instead of publie as lheirs was, i ws i fhe evcnf, like Jonah's, a, secre siffu. Few aw i; i was fo be reeeived ]9 3- all, but ou fith; i was addressed to the humble and lowly. Whe i took place, and St. OEhomas refised fo believe withou sight., oto" Lord said fo him, "'Ihomas, because t.hou lmst seen Me, thou llast believed; blessed m'e thev  3[att. xvi. l. Mm'k viii. 12.  John il. 19.

xo8 7"ho Gstcl the soul t.o whieh i cornes, far ri'cm dispuing ', I would earnesly mainain. nd, in Ihis indiree wy, doub- Icss, if is in a certain sente al)l)rehendcd aud lwreeived; perceivcd in ifs ctçe,ts, with a (.ons(.iousness that those efl[,ets eannot corne of themselves, but imply a gift ri'cm which they corne, and a prescnce of which thev are, as if were, t.he shad,,w, a voiee of which thev are fhe ech». But. there are persm,s wh,, desire the inward manifestalion of Christ t l»e mueh more sensible than this. Thev will nof. be eonteuted without, some sensible sion and direct, eviden,'c that. (iod loves them; some assurance, in which faith has n» part, that (od has chosen fhem; and whieh mav answcr fo their anticipations of wha.t Seripture ealls "the seercf of the Iord," and " thnt hidden nmnna " which ('hrist invites us fo partake. Some men, fi»r instance, hold that lheir conscience would have no peace, unless thev reeolleeted the lime when fhey were eonverted ri'cm darkness fo lig'hf, from a stafe of wrath to the kingdom of God. Others eonsider, that in order fo possess thc seal »f cleetiou, thev must be able fo,[iscern in thcmselves certain feeling's or fi'ames of mind, a renuneiation of their c, wn merif, nnd an apprehension «,f gospel salvation; as if i vere hot enou'h fo renounce ,urselves and ti,llow Christ, without the lively eonsciousness fha we are d,ing s,); and that in this lies " the secret of the Lord." Othcrs o fitrfher; and think fhaf without a distinct inwalxl assm'ance of his salvation, a. " Ihs is what men often nan is nof in n. saVlng" state. " " eoneeive; hot, cmsidering that whatever ho fhe manitstation promised o Chrisfians bv our Lord, if is hot likely o be molv sensible and more infelli'ible than the eddrcsscd /o l"ci/b. I o 9 ffrea sign of tlis own l{esurvcction. Ye even hat, like the miracle wroughl upon,Iomdb was iu secret, and hey who bclievcd without seein il were mwe blessed than those who saw. Ail I.lis accords with what is told us abou partieular Divine manifestaions in other pars of Scripture. 'Fhe Saints reflected on them afterwards, and mastered them, but ean hardly be considered as sensible of them at t.he ver 3, rime. Ïhus Jac,b, aftcr the vision, says; " Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew il hot." :moah s«fid fo his vitk., al'ter the Ang'el had departed, " Vfe shall surely die, because we havc seen God." Gideon in like eireumstanees said, "Alas, O Lord God! for beeausc I have seen an:kngel of fhe Lord face fo face." And St, Peter, while Ihe Angel was deliverin him ou ot" prison, houg'h he obcyed him, ye "wisl no hat if was rue whieh was donc by he Ang'el, bu thoug'h he saw a vision;" bn " when he was eome to himself, he said, Now I know of a suret.y ha the lord lmth sen His Angel 1.,, Le no one fhink il strang-e fo say, tha God nmy be holding eomlnunion with us withou our knowing" i. Do no all ffood thoug'hts eome from llim? Ye are we sensible tha t.hey so eome? Can we tell hov hey eome? We eommonIy speak of being influeneed by God's g'raee, and resisting" His graee; this implies a certain avful intereourse beveen the soul and God; ye who will say t.ha he himself ean tell in parieular instances when God moves him and when he is respondinff this way or tlm? Itis one thin, tben, to reeeive hnpression, another fo retle«t upon them and fo be c«mseious of them. God nmy manifsf l/imse]f h) us, and that 1o (be increase of out comIbrt, and vet we m,t realize that IIc d«es so. But now fo pr,eeed; ibr thcre is more information 'ivcn us,,n the subject. There was anolher oceasi,lt,,n which the Jews nskcd fiw a. sic'n, and on whieh out Lord answered by pr,,misin" one, lmt fo His Apostles t,nl)-, l,ut, in eontinunnce, like the mnni[bsta.tion He spcaks ,f, h nll llis fifithfifl fi,ll«,wcrs. And it- was n si'n hot more sensible or lmlpa]»le, n«,t ]ess the o]jeet,,1" fifith as renrds the man3-, lhan that sign of IIis resurrection whieh tic ave once fi»r all. He had just belote been tbedinx rive tlmusand men with tive hurler loaves and two small flshes; when, nt,t contented with this, the Jews said, "What sig'n showest q'hou, that wc may see and believe Thee? What dost Thou work?" md they proceeded to refer fo the " sign ri'oto beaven,'" whieh Ioses had given them. " Out Fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written, He g'ave them bread ti'om heaven to eat." IL was a little thing, the when thc nnture of the ereature was chang'cd, and men were ruade fo lire ],y the word of the Lord. Vas the Son of man able fo give them bread such as this? Yes, surely, Ite had a Sign,—a Sign from heavcn, more wonderfifl, a fearful Sigu, surpassin" thoug'ht and sur- 1)assing • sight too, addressed fo faith only, but hot thc less tae because if was hidden. Moses gave their fathers bread ffom heaven; {hev saw if, are if, and were dead; Ilis sig'n was geater. IIe was lIimse]f the Bread from heaven under the Gospel, and {he Bread oç ]i[b. IIe took n<,t o[' the «re:tm'e fo salisfv tiroir need, but He gave tIimsc]f for ¢he Iii> of the world. "'k[oscs gave you hot that bread ff'oto hcaven; but My Father g'iveth you the %'ne Bread ff'oto heaven, br the Bread of G«»d is lle which eometh dowl ti'om heaveu and giveth lire mto the wm'ld. I ara the Bread of This is the Bread whieh cometh dowl ff'oto heaven, that a man mat eat thel'eof and lmt die." Now I nln hot led fo speak here of that speeial ordinauee in whieh lIis 1)ivine almouneement is tidfilled; this would be fi»reig'n fo my l>resent l>urpose. I da but wish to eonsider the g.if in itself, and the sin in itselt; as these words describe if. Itis n sig'n g.l'eater than nmmm, yet bevoml dispute, as the passa'e itself slmws, a sign hOt addressed to sight, bug to thith. For out Imrd speaks of our "eoming fo tlim," and "' believing" on IIim;" and IIe savs that. "'if is the S[>irit that quiekcneth, the flesh profiteth nothing;" and He warns us, "'No one eau eome unto Me» exeept the Father whieh hath sent Me drnw him." His eoming up ff'oto the heart of the eat4h was a sig'n tbr faith, hot tbr sig'ht; and sueh is I[is eoming dgwn ff'oto heaven as Bread. I have been speaking of the signs whieh IIe IIimself promised; but others were announeed eoneerning Him by His servants, and these, let if be observed, are secret a.lso, and addressed fo faith. The Prophet Isaiah was eommissioned to promise Ahaz a sign; "Ask thee  sig.n of the Lord thv God," he says, "ask if either in

(he depfl or in the height, above." hen _khaz woul hot. si?eak, (.he Prol)het l)roeeeded: " he Iord IIimself hall g'ive y«u a Si.n; l»ehohl, a Virg'in shall eoueeive, and bear a. Son, and shall edl ]lis ll;llle Immanuel ." YeL eohl lhere be a Sig'n m()re secret, less eXl)osed fo the senses, lcss addvessed to (he reason, thau the Concci)tion o!' ('hris? If. was a miracle, yet n«t an ev- (lel[c..klld s()acain, vhen out Lord 'ave the 8hepherds  8ign; but whieh ws the greater evid(.nee, the Angel himselt and the multitude of the heavenly host, or lhe 8ig'n itself whieh he sen). (lem see? "]'his ]mll 1)e a Bign unto you," he said, "' Ye shall see the Babe wnq)l)ed in swaddling elothes, 13"ing in  nmnger." Was this an evidenee of greainess or of meanness? Did it 1)rove ]Iim fo le God, or vas if a trial of faith? And so ag'ain, fl«)ug'h if is hot ealled a sig'n, yet it had leen l)ublishe(l in the manuer of a sign, that the ord houhl uddenly eome fo ]Iis Temple, even "BIessener of (he Covenant," that " the g-lory of the latter house should be g'reater than (.hat of the fi»rmer," and that God would "glorify the bouse of IIis gloD'." But how did ][e eome fo filtil these prol)heeies? As an illÇan in anns, reeogized by one or two holy persons, and flat, by means of fifith, without polnp, or display of greatness. 8imeon hekl in his hands the immaeulate t[)rm of the Baviour of men, the Ligt an(l Lire of the world, the nll-holy and iueorruptible Presenee whieh tle Augels of God worshil); yet in what nn outward  Isa. vii, 11.14.

appearanee! Ye still he said undoubtingly, "" Mine eves have seen Ïhy salvat.ion;  ]ight fo lig'hten the (enti]es, and the lory of Thy people Israe]." What is truc in t.hese iustances, is truc of ail thc parts of out Lord's graeious eeonomv. JIe was "'manifested in the flesh; justified in the Spirit; seen of Xngels; preached unto the (,enfiles; bclieved on in the world; reeeived up into glory;" yet what was lhe nature,,f the manifestation? The.klllllllleiati«,n was secret.; the Nativit.v was seere; the miraeulous l"asting in the wilderness was secret; the l{esul're«tim seereg; the Ascension not filr l>Olll secret; the abidin Presenee secret. One thillg" alone was public, and in the e)res of the worhl,His Death; the only event whieh did hot. speak of' 1Ils Divinity, the only event in whieh He seemed a i,.'n, hot ot" power, lmt «,f weakness. He was erueified iii weakness, bu I[e was no erueified iii secret.. His humiliation was proelaimed and lnanifested ail over the earth. V]lell lifted up indeed ff'oto the earth, IIe displayed ltis power; I Ie drew all men fo Him, bu no{ froln wlm was seen, but from wlmt was hidden, fi'om wha was no knowll, Il'oin what was marrer of fifith, from I[is atoning virtue. As far a seen, He was, in holy Simeon's words, "a Sig'n whieh should 1oe spoken ag'ainst." It is nog by renson or by sigh that we aeeept and glory lu the sigu of the Cross; it is by '" lnyingaside all nmliee, and all guile, and ]lypoel-isies, and envies, and nll evil spenkings," and "as newborn babes desiring file sineere milk of the word, tha we nmy grow therebv." " If so be," as 8. Peter proeeeds, "ye have tasted that the Lord is graeious; {o whom eomin, as unto a livin stone, disMlowed indeed of meu, buL ehosen of God, and preei«,us, ye also as lively sones are lmil up a piriual bouse,  h.ly priesthood, {«» of[r up spiritual saerifiees, acceptable {o (od 1,y esus Christ. Unto you, there- Ibre, thal believe, tic is preeious; bu unto them whieh be disol,edient., he 8tone whieh lhe builders disallowed, the saine is ronde the head ot" the corner '2' Let us 110 seek {hen for signs md wonders,,r ask for sensible inward {okms of (;od's thvour; le¢ us noç indulge enthusiasm, or beeome the slaves of superstition, who are vhildren of (od by thith. Faith only ean iiltroduee us fo the unseeli l»reselme of (}od; le us venture fo believe, let us mnke *rial before we see, and the evidenee whieh others demand before bdieving, we shall gain more abundautl3:by believing. Almighty Gotl is hidden ri'mn us; the worhl does lmt diseover l[im fo us; we may go {«. the righç hand and the left., l»uç we find tIim hot. The utmos¢ we ean do in the way of lm{m'e is fo feel after l[im, who, flmugh we see tlim hot» yet is noç t]tr tYom every one of us. He goet.h by me," says aob, '" and passeth on also, and I pereêive Him hot." " 0 rime I kuew where I mihç find IIim! that I migh¢ eome even to l lis sent.... Behold, I go tbrward, and He is hot t.here; and backward, ])u I eannot pereeive l[im. On the lefç hnnd where IIe doth work, but I eannot bdtold lIiln; He hideth lIimselt" on the -ight hand, that I ennnoç sec llime. '' This is the veil that is east.

over all nations; lhe want of intervom'se or connnunion between lhe soul and lliln wh,, ruade il. We t'an speak t,» llis ereatures, we eamm Slwal to llim. Once if was noL sO; lllnlt was t'rca[ed uprig'ht, and then lle saw { od; he tbll, and le,st (od's imng'e and («d's presenee. l[mv must he reg'ain his privilege, but. ]y heeoming whnf. ho once was? lh, lost it bv Sinlfin, he llltlSt regain if 13" 1 mreness-.knd till lhis recovery he must aeeept, if on thith; he is alhme(l to appl'ehend nnd it by faifl..lle begins wi{h thilh, thnt he m:,y en(l with h«,liness; lle is:dh,wed fo l,eg'in with fi,ith, be(.ause thith is itseli' of a holy nature, nud the llrst ff'uijs md earnest «,f lmliness fa corne. 1 alh is ¢he religion of sinners beR'inning (o purin" themselves fi»r (h)d, and in everv age, and tarder everv dispensa{ion, lhe just have lived by thi{h. « By thith")[es "endurcd, as seeing tlim who is invisible;" f«,r ]aek ot" thi{h Balaaln met an Angel in the way and diseerned him hot. Thus "we walk by faith, no{. by igh{;" we "look no{ af the things which are seen, but af {he tlùngs whieh are hot seen." We set Ililn cm out righ{ hand, "'whom having hot seen, we lave: in whom, tlmuR.h now we see t[im no{, yet believing, we rejoiee with joy unspeakalçle and fill of glory, l'eceiving {he end of titith, even ¢he salvation oi" oto" souls." Opposed fo ¢his generous an(l vigorons faith are earnal hlindness and,R'r°sness' ot " hear{, of which Serip{ure speaks so oten. Wha¢ever there is of spiri{ual light wi{hiu us, is quenehed by indulging out natural ¢astes a.nd ai)petites. Out Lord says, " Ye eannot serve God and mammon;" IIe bi(ls us wateh and pray, and

16 7"hc (7oslcl beware oI" eating:md drinking buying and sellin, mamçyin and bein g'iven in nmrriae. We eannoI have our oves af om.e on this wor]d and on the «ther. Those who lire in lhe Sl,ll'S glare, çlill sec nothing" t, wilight; bnt those whose eves nre used o the shade, see many h]ngs whieh he ohers will hot believe thev eal see. So is if with out souls; the lt[l(li" of tlle fles]l, aiminZ af his worhl's 'oods, seeldn o fise or sueeeed in litk,, g-:zing on greatness, tank, distinet, ion, abundanee, pomp and show, eovetin wealth, thins 1.v wealth, eain":tld drllkil without, restraint, pla«ing' no euvb upon le pass[OlS, exevcising no sell: eolnmand» living" without rule, indolentlv and weaklv following the first, idea whieh presents itself, the first impulse, the first tempt:flion, 11 this mkes he heart irreligious. Then if is that, men ask for clearer evidenee, nnd rejeet le ruth; hen hey s:y, " llr.v ean these things le?" or "This is a hard sayin:" or "Vlm Sla shoxvest llou?' for «' the heart of this people," the prophet's words, " is waxed ross, and their ears are dull of hering, and heir eves have thev closed; lesl t.hey should sec with their eyes, nnd hear with heir ears, and understand wi/h heir heavts, and should be eonverted, and [ shonld heal them." 'hen Ile'healed men in he dvs of IIis flesh, it was indeed by means.f tIis own saered Person, ][is toueh, or tlis breath, or His voiee; but still faith w:a.s he condition on the part o the suppliant, s; and now too, though l le is with us ever so re;lly nnd fully aeeordin o tIis promise, yet He requi-es faith, as belote, in order to our restoratio to His fiavour and fo His image.

&Vhat a eonras fo sueh thoug'hts as these is the eondue of the mass of men Truly they are " withou God in the vorld,"that is, lhey do no leep belte their minds, in any sense, tiret I[e is prescrit, thoug'h mseen; they do hot even adroit that they,mght fo do so, or tT fo do so, or,1)l»r,,n«.h even fo the idea. that the'e are persons who do lire as in the s['ht «," fhe Invisible. {o into thc g'eneral eoncoursc of mt',, what notion is there entertahwd of such a depcndencc pon, sueh an intercoursc witb, thin's mseen, as Scripturc l»rcseribes? They arc el,g'a'ed in their scvcr.1 trades and pr,,fess[ons; they are active, eomlan]onaldc, and t¥iendly; they arc mwxcel,tionablc as thr as the,.ivilitics and kindnesses of mutual interc,mrse are conccrned; but what are they more? ]lave thev serioasness?.kre tlmy under thc h;tl»itual infl,,cnce o[' reli'hm? Do they sacrifice this litb to thc next? Is- llerc an thing" which they do or do hot, whieh they would hot do, or wouhl hot omit fo do, wcre vlig'ioa a merc idle talc? Is God in any ont of thcir thoughts? Do they fear IIim? l)o fley recollect that they are l,, 1,e judged? lVhat " marks" bave thcv "of the Lord Jesus?" lIow show they that thcy are waitin tbr IIim who has g'onc away only fo comc back agaht? Yhat an awflfl s[g'ht does the baptized world pre'ent to any one who retires some tw steps out of it  0 fcarlhl thoug'ht, a Day will eomc when evc eye shall see IIim bodily, whom tlmy will hot learn now fo sec spiritually  0 fearflfl thought indeed, whcn all these indolent and carcless men, fo say nothing" of open scoffers and profligates, will bc gathered together bebrc tIis Judgmcnt-seat, fo receive their

  8 Thc Gostcl S'i" dooln once fi»r all! At prescrit thev look npon religion as  dream, and relig'ious men as dreamers; thev onlv think of them as narrow-minded men, or superstitiousIy strict, or wênk, or fimeifiO, or hypocrites, or fimutie], or party-spiritcd; as persons who profess ranch, but are, after all, mueh the saine as other men, g'overned the saine weaknesses, passhms, and indu«emcnts. 0 miserable and m<,st dre;dfid ])«,y of ]Iis eoming, who shall abide it? whcn those who will m,t acknowledge the secret g.hwy, shall at lent'rb [bel the nmni- [hstcd power of thc ]::mb; when those who will hot diseer ][is t<,kens now, but think ]Iis ordinanees, His Chureh, Ilis servants, te» be hnt thing's of this world, will then sec "thc Sig'n <,F the Son «,f ma in heaven," and against their will must l,elieve and treml,le. For "then shall all the /ribes oF tbe earth mourn, and they shall sec thé. SOn <,f ma comin" in the clouds of heaven w[th l>OWer and 'reat glory." Iet us be wise in rime; let ns seek IIim " while itis ealled to-dav;" let us "seek the Lord;md ][is strcno'th, seek fiee evermore." Let us seek I[im in His Temple, and in its ordinanees; espcciall/ in that most saered Ordinanee in whi«h ]Ie all but reveais to us tIis heavenly eountenance, ail but gives us fo touch l[is hands and feet, and put «,ur hand into lIis side, that we may sec that itis tic ]Iimsclfl and that we are ff>llowin no deeeitfid vision. I[e said to Mary, "Toueh Me hot, fi>r I ara hot ver aseended fo My Father." is nov aseended, there{brc we may toueh IIim. Let as far as is permitted ns, approaeh IIim, who walked upon the sea, and rcl)uked the x'ind, and multiplied thc loaves, and turned the water into wine, and ruade the elay give sight, and entered through the elosed doors, and came and vanished at llis will. Let us see Ilim by f.'fith, thou.a'h out eves are h«»lden, that we know if hot. Èvermore ma)" Ho so be with us,:t graeious Lord, whose " ga.rments snlell of myrrh, aloes, and eassia," of "' spikenard and saffron, ealamus and einnamon, and ail trees of ffankineense, myrrh, and aloes, wifl all the chier spiees L" So may lle ]»e with us evermore, moving out hearts within us, " until the day ]weak and the shadows flee awav." t Ps. xlv. 8. Cant. iv. 11..

ERY opposite lcssons are drawn in ditlbl'elfl parts of Seriptul'c Dom the docfrine of Christ's lcnvin file world and returnin" fo IIis Father; ]cssons so,)ppositc (]e ont t(} thc othcr, ihat at first, sig-hf, a l'cadet mig'ht even find a difliculty in reconciliug" them tog'ether. In ail earlier seasoll oflIis ministry, our Lord intimates that when lle xvas removed, His disciples should sorr.w,that then was fo be the special lime tbr hullfiliation. " Can the childrcn of thc Bride-chamber lnourn,'" l[e asks, " as long as the Bridegroom is with thenl  but the days wi]l corne, when the Bridegroom shall le taken ti'om them, and lhea sha]l they fast .'" Yet in the words tbllowin the text, spoken by Ilim when IIe was goin away, tle says; "I will sec you again, and vour hcart shall l'ejoiee, and vour.ioy no man tal¢eth from you." And IIe says shortly befire if, " It is expedient for t.ha I 'o nvav " And ag':du: " I will hot ]cave comfort]ess, 1 will t.ome h) vou.  et. a lilth' while, ami the wor]d seeth Me no more: but ve sec Me." Christ's 'oing' t /he laIher is at once a source of sorroxv, because it inv,,lves l lis absence; ami of beeause i inv«lves llis ln'esenee. Ami «m of doet.rine of l[is resurreeti«m and asvt.nsù,n, Sln'in those ('hrîstian paradoxes, ol'len spo]¢en of in Scriplure, t.hat we are sorrowin', yet. always rqi,,h'ig';:fs h:vh" nothing,  et. possessing" ail things. Ïhis, indeed, is out stale a present; we bave ]ost Christ and we have fonnd lIîm; we see I[im n,t, 3-et we diseern lIim. We emlraee I[is tbet., yet l[e says, '«Tout']l [e u,,t." lh»w is this? it is /]ms: we bave ]ost the sensible and eonseious perception of l[hn; we eanno loo1 on Ilim, hear l[im, converse wîih lIim, tbl]ow tlim ff'oto place to place; but we et0oy the spirî- tua], immateria], inward, mental, real sig.ht and possession of I[im a possession more real and more thanthat whieh lhe Apostles had in /he davs of llis esh, beea«.çe it is spiritua], aeea«.s'e it is invisible. We know tlmt/he eh»ser anv olieet ot" this world cornes to us, the ]ess we tan e«mtemp]ate if and eomprehend if. Christ. has et,me so e]ose to us in the ('hrislian (if I may so spea]¢), that we eannot gaze on IIim or diseern I[im. fie enters into us, I[e t.]aires md possession of llis purehased inherîtam.e; I[e does hot present Himelf to us, but tIe takes us to tIim. makes us Ilis memlers. Out fitees are, as it were, lurned ri'oto llim; we sec liim n«», and know no of His pre8enee, exeept bv thith, beemse tic is over us nnd wiflfin us. And tlms we mav nf Ilw 8m-e rime lmnent beea.use we are net eons«i,»us of llis presenee, as Apostles eoycd it be%re l[is dea/h; and lnav rejoice l»eeause we kuow we do possess it even more than they, aeeordin to lbe text, "whom havin" hot seen (that is, with lhe 1,odily eyes) ye h,ve; in whom, th-uCh now ve sec llim mt, yet 1,elieving', ye r@,i«e with.i"Y unspeak- «ble and thll of glory: receiving" the end of vour faith, eveu/he salvation «,t" vour souls ." Concerning" this g'reat and mvsterious g'it't, le presence of Christ, invisible > sense, apprehended bv fifitb, whieh seems fo l,e spoken of in flw text, and is sustcd lw this season.f the year, say some ibw words. Now observe whal the promise is, verses folh»win'a- new era was fo commence, or what is ealled in Seripture « a dav of the Lord." We kn.w how mueh is said in Seril,ture ab<,ut lhe awfiflness and g'raeiousness of a d«ff of the Lord, which seems to be some speeial rime of visitation, grace, j udgment, restoration, riffhtcousness, nnd gqot T. Mneh is said eoneerning. days of the Lord in the Ohl e.'mtnt. ]n the beininz we read of those august days, seven in retomber, eaeh perfeet, perfeet all together, in whieh all things were ereated, finished, blessed, aeknowledg'ed, approved by Almighty God. And nll thin-s will end wilh a dav veater still, which will open with the eominz of Clistt?om heaven, and lhe judg'ment.; this is espeeially the  I Pet. i. 8, 9.

Dav of the Lord, and will introdu('e an eternitv of blessedness in ([o(l s prescrite tbr a]l lwlicvers. And another speeial day prcdicted and iidtilled is that long season which preccdcs «md lwepares ti»r the dav heaven, riz. the Dav -f the Cristian Church, the Dav of the g'ospcl, the Dav of g'ra«e. This is a dav mueh spoken of in the Prophets, and if is the dav o[" which out Saviour speaks in the passag'e bcfore us. Observe how solenn b how hig.h a (lay it is: this is 1 lis aeemmf of if, " I will sec you ag'ain, and vmn" hem't shall rejoi«e; your joy no man taketh t¥oln yotl. And in fhat llav ye slmll ask Me nothin¢. Verily, verily, I sw unt«, you, Yhatsoever ye shall ask the FaIher in My 'ame, He will give it you. Ilitherto have ye asked nothinR " in Mv naine; ask, and ve shall l'eeeive, that vour joy may be tidl.... At that Dav ye shall ask in mv Naine, and I sav not mto you, that I will pray the Father fi)r you, for the Father IIimself loveth you, beeause ye have h,ved le, and lu, ve believed that I came out ri-oto (lod. I came t;wth ti'om the l"ather, and ara corne into the world; again 1 leave the world, and  o fo the Father." The 1)ay, then, that dawned upon the Curch at the Resurreetion, and heamed fin'th in thll splendour at the Ascension, that l)av whieh has no setring', whieh will he, hot ended, but al,sorhed in Christ's glorious a.ppearalee ri'oto heaven fo destroy sin and death; that Dav in whieh we now are, is desm-ibed in these words of Christ as a state of speeial Divine manifestation, of special introduction into the presenee of God. Crist, savs the Apostle, "we have the aecess by faith into this grace wherein we stand." IIe " hath raised us np together, and ruade us sit together in heavenlv places in Christ Jesus." " Your lire is hid with Christ in (od." "Our e, mversali«m is in heaven, t'om whence;tlso we look tbr thc Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." " (od, who eommanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in out hearts, to ive the light of the knovledge «t" thc g'lory of Goal in the thce of Jcsus Christ. " A lnany as lu, ve l,ecn baptized into Christ ' " " "I will h)ve have put ou ( lmt. And out l,ord says; him, and will m:mifist Mvself lo him.... We vil corne unto him, and make ()ur al,ode with him." Thus we Christiaus stand in the (.ourts of (](,d Most flic'lb and» in oue sense, sec l[is thce; fi)r Ilc who ouee wa cm earth, has uow departed ii'om this visible scene of thins in a mysterious, twofold way, both fo llis l:ather and into out hearts, thus makiuff thc (rcator and l[is «reatm'es one; according te, llis owu words, " I will uot leave vou comfi)rtless: I will corne t,) you. Yet a littlc while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye ste 3[c: becausc I live, ye shall lire also. kt that Day ve shall know that I ara in the Father, and ve in and I in you. '' Now, in behalf of this mystery, I observe: First, that Chri't really is wifl us now, whatever be the mode of if. 'Fhis l lc sa)'s cxprcssly llimself; "Lo, [ auz wi[h front alway, cven un¢o the end of the world. ' He even says, " Vhere two or three are gthered tog'elhcr in 3Iy Naine, there ara I in the midst of them  Rom. v. 2. Eph. ii. 6. Col. iii. 3. Phil. iii. 20. 2 Cor. iv. Ial. iii. 27. Jolm xiv. 21—23. 18—20.: Matt. xxviii. 20; xviii. 20.

And in a pas.ag'e, ah'eadv, quoted more than once, " 1 will not leave you eomtbrtless: I will emne to you." Christ's presenee, then, is prmnised to us still, tlmu'h lIe is on the righ hand o[" the Father. You will say, " Yes; He is presen as God." 'ay, I answer; more than this, lIe is the Christ, and the Christ is prc, mised, and Christ is man as well as God. This surt.lv is plain even ff'oto t.he words of the text. [[« said lit, was ging nwny. Did He,,'o awav as (,,d,,r as man ' "A lift.le while, and ye shall hot sec Me;" this was ml llis dea.fll, lle wen away as man, Ile died as man; then, fie prmnises fo eolne ag'ain, surelr II« must mean that tle would return as man, in the oulv sense, that is, in whieh lIe eould return. As God ]le is ever prescrit. never vas otherwise than presenl, never went. awav; when llis bodv died on the Cross:md wns buried, when Ilis soul departed fa the place of sl,irits, still ][e was with His disciples in tlis Divine u],iquity. The st.paration of soul and body eould lmt toueh llis impassil,le everlasting Godhead. XVhen then lh. savs lle sh,,uhl o.o nway, and eome aain and nbide tbr ever, lIe speaking, hot. merely of His olnnilwesent Divine nature, bu of His human nature. As 1,ein Christ, lle savs that tic, the Inennmte Mediatar, shall be with tlis Clmreh tbr ever. But ag'ain: you may be led fo explain ]Iis deelaration thus; " He ha, eome agin, bu in tlis Spirit; tha is, ]lis 8pirit has eome instead of llim; and when i is said that tle is with us, this onlv means tha llis 8pirit is with ns." No one, doubt.less, ean deny this most gracions nnd eonsolatorv trnt.h, tha the ttoly Ohos corne; lmt. why h:ls lle c(}llle? fo supply Christ's absence, or fo aeeomplish l lis presen«e? Surely fo make t[im prcsent. I,et us 11o{ t])r;I lOllleli suppose that (h)d the lh,ly (Hmst. cornes in sueh sensc that (iod tire Son remains away. No; l le has hot so corne that Christ does noç (.orne, buç rathcr l[e cornes tha Christ may corne in lIis ('omin'. Throug'h the l[,,ly Ghost we bave COmlnUniOl with Fnther and _Son. " Iu Christ we are huilded t,,ethel'," says St. 1)aul, " fi)r au hal)itation «,f (,od through the,_im. "Ye are the temple {,t" God, and the Spiriç of God dwelleth lu vou.'" " StrenR'thened with might. 1)y llis Spiri in the imper mm, that Christ mav dwell iu your hearts by faith.'" Ïhe l[olv Spiri causes, thith weleomes, the indwelling of Chrisç in tle heart. Thus the Spiriç does hot. take flic place of ('hrist lu the SOIII, but seeures that place fo Çhrist.. S t. Paul insists mueh on this presenee of Chrisç i those who hnve tlis Spirit. " Kuow ye hot,'" he says, "that your bodies are the members of Chrisç?'" " By one Spiriç are we all lmptized into «me Body... ve are the bodv of Christ, and members lu partieular." " Know ve hot- your owu selves, how that Jesus Christ. is in yOtl, exeept ve he reprol)ates?" « Chris in you, lhe hope of g'h)ry." And SI..lohn: " tle tha.t, hath the 8cm, bath Litb; and he tha hath hot the Son of God, ]mth no Lire." And out Lord Himself, " Abide in Me and I in vou: I ara the Yine, ye are the branches. He tha al)ideth in 5[e, and I in Him, the same bringeth tbrth much fruit." Ïhe Holy pm, hen, vouehsats fo eome fo us, that. by His eoming Christ may eome fo us, lmt earnally or visibly, ])uç may enter into us. And thus He is both present and absent; ab.ent in that has left the carth, prcsent in that Ile has hot, h'ft, the lhit.hfid soul; or, as l[e says llimselt "The u'or[d secth ]le no more, but, #e sec 3[c ." You will say, l[ow tan I[e bc present, fo the Christian and in the Church, yet lient be on earth, but on thc riffht hand of (od? ] answer, that. the ('hristian ('hurch is ruade up of thithfid.çoa&, and how tan any o' us say where thc scml is, simply and reallv? Thc soul indced acts through the l»ody, and pcr«eivcs through t.hc bodv; but where is it? ,r what has it to do ith place? or why sh«mhl it l»c a thinff incredible lhat. the power of the Spirit shouhl so visit lhe soul as fo ni»on if a. Divine manitbstation, which vet it perceives hot» because ifs present pcr'epticms arc onlv throuffh the body? Who shall limit the power of the g'racious Spirit. of Goal? IIow know we, fiw instance, but that He makes Christ prcsent with us, by makiu" us present with Christ? As the earth 'oes round the smb yet thc sun is said fo more, so our.souls, in tiret, may bc taken up to Christ, when IIc is said to corne to us. But need fo insist on one lnode in which the mystery mav be eonceived, whcn ten thousand ways are possible with God, of which we know nothing'._. Scripturc says enough to show us that influences nmy be exerted upon soul so lnarvellous, that. we cannot dccide whether t.he soul remains in the body or hot, while sul»je«ted fo them. St. Paul, speaking • (,l  him:ell , says, "Whether in le body, I eannot ell, or whether out. o file body, I eannot tell; (iod knoweflt:... eaug'hL up to the third heavcn." And he rcpents his stattqnent: "I knew sueh a man," mcanin" hims,lf, "whether in tle hody I «annot. t(.ll, or oui of the body  (.annot tell, God knowet.h: how lhnt he xvas t.au'ht, up into Paradise, and heard unspeak:d,le words whi.h if. is n,I lawfid for a man to u/ter." Si. Paul was }woug-hI into Paradise, vet his body remalned where if was; and whether his s»ul w:s separated ri'oto if, was a queslin whieh he «ouhl hot deeid«, lIow ean wt. pretend to deeide wlmt lhe lh,lv Spirit mav or m:y hot do t,wards faiflfid souls now, and whether lle d«es n,t manifest Christ:md in them, bv brinin them to Christ? Aain; eonsider Satan's power in showing' ,ur Lord all kindoms of the worhl "in a mome»t /'time;" mav hot the Almihty Spirit mueh more do wiIh us, what the evil one did with out Lord? 3[«v I[e not in less flmn: moment bring" out souls into (;,,d's presenee, while ont bo(lies are on earfl? And again; whilç we know s(, liIIle al»out out own souls, on the oIher hand, we are uIIerlv ignorant, of Ihe stale in whi«h out Blessed lord exists af present, and the relation of tlis visi],le world to IIim; or whether il. may nt be possible for lIim, in some mysterious way, o eome to us, thoug'h I[e is set clown -n the rig'ht hand of God. Did tic hot, after IIis resurreetion, corne into a room, of whi«h the doors were shut, yet. suFer IIimself to be handled, fo prove tiret lIe was hot a spiriI.? CerIainlv then, thoug He clothed in our lmture, and is perfect man, yet Ilis lorified body is not confined by tht)se laws under whieh out lnortal bodies lic. But thrther; whether it is difficult fo conceive o1' no, Scripture actually gives us at least one instance of His appearing aftcr Ilis ascension, as if to satisfy us that IIis prcsencc is possible, though it be mysterious. We all know that IIc has oftcn vouchsafcd fo apl,ear fo lIis saints in vi,.ioa«. Thus lIc al,pcared fo St. John, as related in llc Book of Revelation; and fo St. Paul, when ho was af Corinth, af Jerusalem several tilnes, and in the ship. These appcaranees were hot ail actual presence of Christ, as we may conjecture, but impressions divinely ruade, and shadows east. upon the mind. And in thc saine way we lnay explain IIis appearing fo St. Stephen. Whcn that blessed Martyr said," Behold I sec the heavens open, and Ihc Son of Man standing on the rig'ht hand of God," we may suppose he did hot sec this great sig'ht really, but only had a vision of if. These, I repeat, may be visions;.but what shall we say to Christ's appearance to St. Paul on his conversion, while he was on the way to Damascus? For then the Lord Jesus plainly was seen and heard by him close at hand. " He fell to tlle earth, and heard a voice saying" unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thon persecutest'.» IIow was this? We do not know. Can a body be in two places at once? I do not say so; I onlvsay, Here is a

,3o Tbc Sjiri/ml Prcsaecc mystery. By way t,f eontrast with this real ight of the Lord, we are presently told that fo Ananias the Lord apl,earcd "in a ,isio,«." And henee, moreover, when Analfias came fo Saul, he said that God had chosen hiln tha bu sh,mld "cee that Jnt One, and hear the voiee,»f IIis mouth ." And henee, too, he says himself in his Epistle to the Corinthians, "Ara I hot an Apostlê? ara I not li'ee? have I no see Jesus Christ out Lord Would ho ]rave sdd this, if he lmd had l»ut a vision llim? llad he not. manv nmre visions of tIim, hot one only? Aml again, aller mentioning out Lord's q»pearanee to St. Peter, the Eleven, and rive hundred t. Jmnes, he adds, las tf all, brethrel af once, and S I Ie was seen,t" me also, as of one boru oug of due rime ." That is, he speaks of his ]mving been fin-oured with a sig'ht of Christ lu as real, truc, aud literal a sense, as ha in which the other Apostles had seen Him. St. Paul then saw Ilim, and heard Hiln speak, who was on the rih hand of God. And this literal sight seems fo have beelb for some unklmwn l'eason» neeessm T for the office of an Apostle; for, in aeeordance with St. Paul's words, just now eited, St. Peter says, when ai1 Apostle was fo be ehosen in the place of Judas, "' Of hese men whieh have eompanied with us... ri'oto the baptisln of John unto that saine day when lle was taken up froln us, musg one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurreetion." And again, to Cornelius, " Him God raised up the third day, and showed IIim openly, not to ail the people, but unto witnesses ehosen belote of God, of C/ll'[S[ ill [Ale C/lll]'(/l. I even fo us'." If St. 14aul saw onlv n vision of Christ, and hot Christ "verilv and indeed," in tiret case he was hot a witness of llis resta'rection. But. if he sec Him, itis possi}»le fiw Christ t,» l»t, lWCSet with also, as with him. Once more: i my be sid that. " St. Paul was eou- eiou« of the presenee «,f Chris on his conversion, and that he actuallv tac, the sights and he«rd the sounds o1" Ptradise, but that we sec and hear nothing. 1Ve, then, are no in Chvist's presenee, else we should be eonseious of it." Now, with a. view of meeting this oieeti,,n, us turn to the aeeount, of His appearanees fo IIis disciples after the Resurreetion, whieh are mos important, firs, as showing that sueh an uneonseious communion wifl Chris is possible; next, tha i is likelv to l»e the sor of communion now granted to us, from the eireumsanee tha in that period of fi»rty days afler the Resurrection, He began fo be in that relation towards His Chureh, in whieh He is still, and probal»ly intended to inima fo us thereby what Ilis presenee with us I1OW. Nov observe wha was the nature of His presenee in the Chureh after His Resurreetion. It was this, that He eme and went as He pleased; that material subsa.nees, sueh as the fistened doors, were no impediments fo His eoming; and that when He was present disciples did hot, as  marrer of course, kuow Him. Mark says He appeared to the two disciples who were going into t.he eountry, to Emmaus, "in anotherfo2"m." St. Luke, who gives he aeeonnt, more af lengh, says, .çets i. 21, 23; x..t0, 41.

 3  J"h« 5irit«ml Prcsczcc lm, while IIe alked with them heiv heart burne within them. And if is worth remarkin, that the two diseiplcs do hot sccm fo have been conseious of this at he rime, but on hokin back, they reeollee/ed that a h«viy been, whieh did hot strike them while if "'id hot," thcy say, "did hot our heart burn within us, while IIe talked with us bv the way, and while IIe opened to us the Scriptures?" But a the time, their hearts scem fo have 1,een holden (if wc mav use thc expression) as well as lheir cyes. Thcy were receivin impressions, but could hot «ealize fo themselves that they werc rceciving thcm; afterwards, howcvcr, thcv bceame aware of what had been. Let us observe, too, «he it was that their cyes wcrc opeued; hev we are suddenly introduced fo thc hig'hcst and most solcmu Ordinance of the Gospcl, for it was whcn IIe consecrated and brake thc Bread that their eves werc opencd. There is evidently a stress laid on this, fiw presently St. Luke sums up Ms account of the gracious occurrence wilh an allusion fo if in particular; "They told what things were donc in the way, and how llc was known of them in breaking" of bread." For so it was ordained, that Christ should hot be both scen and known at once; first IIe was seen, then IIe was known. Only by thith is tle known to be prescnt; lIe is hot cognized by sight. Whcn IIc t,pened Ilis disciples' eyes, He af once vanished. He removed His visible presenee, and left but a memorial of Himsel£ IIe vanished from sig'ht tiret tic miht be present in a sacrament; and in order  connect His visible presence with His presence invisible, He for one insLant manifested Himself fo of C/ris! i« l/e C/«trc/.  33 their open eyes; maniçested I[imself, if I my so speak, while l-le passefl ri'oto IIis hidhg-p]aee oç sig'h withon knowledR'e, fo tha of know]eflge without sight. Or gain: eonsider the neeomf of llis apperin fo St. Mary M'dalene. WMle she stood af the sepulehre weepin I[e appeared, but she knew I[im hot. Yhen He revea]ed llimself, lle did re»t, indeed, n once vanish away, bu IIe would not ]e ber t(,ueh IIim; as if, in another way, fo shov that Iris present.e in Iris new kingdom was o fo he one oF sense. The two disciples were no allowed fo see l[im afler rceonizin Him, St. Mary Ma'dalenc was nc, allowed to lolwA Him. Bu afterwards, S. Thomas was allowed both to see and-touch; he had the thll evidcnee observe what out Lord savs fo hlm, "Thomas, beca.use thou hast seen Me, thou hast belicved; blessed are they ha have no seen, and ye have believed." Faith is beter than siht or toueh. Le so mueh suite, by way of suesfin fhouhts upon this most solemn and elewding subject. Christ has promised He will be with us to the end,—be with s, no only as Ite is in the unity of t.he t ather and the Son, no in the Omnipresence oç the Divine Nature, bu personal]y, as the Christ, as God and man; no present wih us h)eally and sensibly, but still really, in out hearts and fo out faith. And it is by the Holy Ghost tha this gracious communion is effeeted. IIow effects i we know hot; in what precisely if eonsists we know no. We see Hinl hot; bu we are fo believe that we possess Itim,—that we bave been brought mder the virtue of IIis healin lmud, of ]Ii ]i'-xivin breath,

I34 Thc Siritual Prcsczcc of the malm,'t, flowin ri'oto tlis lips, and of the blood issuig ri'oto His side. Aud hereafter, on 1,»okin back, we shall l»e eouseious tha we haro beel thus faroured. Such is the Day of the Ll'tl in which we final ourselves, as if il fidtilment of the words of the plphet, "" Lord my God sh:dl corne, and ail the saints with Thee. And if shall corne fo p:tss in that Dy, fhat the liht shall uut be cletr, nOl" dark: but i shall be one day whi«.h shall le known fo the Eord, ot day, nor ni@ht: but i shall corne fo pttss, tha at. evening" time if shall be li¢ht ." Na3-, even belote the ed cornes, Christias,,m looking" ba.«k on veavs last, will fbel, deg'ree, tlmt Christ lins leeu with them, thoug, h they knew if hot, only believed it, at the time. Thev will cven reeollec then the buruinff of their hearts. Nay, though they seemcd hot eve to believe an- thinff time, yet afterwards, if they have corne fo Ilim i sineerity, they will experieee a surt of heavenlv frafiance and savour of immortlity, when thev least expee if, risinff upon their minds, a if i toke that Goal bas leen with them, and investing- ail that hts taken place, whid belote seemed to them but earthly, with beams oF glory. And this is true, in oe sense, of ail the rites. and ordin:mees of thc Chur«h, ,f ail provideees that happe fo us; tlmt, on ]ookin@b:clc on them, thoug.h they seemed without meauig • t the rime, elieited no stron feelin, or were even p:finful and distasteful, if we eome fo them and submit fo them in faith, they are afterwards transfigured,:md we feel that if bas been good fi»r us fo be there; and we have a. testimony, as a  Zech. xir. 5—7.

reward of our obedience, lhat Christ has fidfilled IIis promise, and, as IIe said, is here tlmmgh the Spirit, though He be with the Father. May He enable us to make fidl trial ot" tlis and fo obtain a fidl measure of blessing. " OEhere is a river, the sfrealns whereof sliall make g'lad the eity God, tlie holy place tligli. God is in 'tlie lnidst of lier; slie shall not le nmved: (?,od shall help lier and that right, early.. ge still, and know that, I nin God; I will 1,e exalted among tlie heathen, 1 will be exalted in the earth. Ïhe Iord of liosts is with us; the ({od,f Jaeol, is out refuge  " 1 Ps. xlvi. 4, . 10, 11.