of starting from Christ to walk with God, we are vainly

trying to improve self.

What is the
To come

Now see the second lesson in the text. great duty and privilege of every poor sinner?

to Christ for life; God commands this. The end of Christ's coming into our world, and accomplishing salvation work, is this that sinners may come to him for life. The object of the preaching of the Gospel is this-to persuade sinners to come to him for life. The mission of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, was for this end and object, to induce sinners to come to Christ for life. He says, "I am come, that ye might have life." And the Holy Ghost has come to shew us the life in Christ; the Father's love has given us Christ, and yet "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

Observe, there is implied here-first of all, that life is to be got upon the easiest terms; you have nothing to pay for it, you have nothing to do for it, it is simply believe, and have it-it is simply come and live. "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” "If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing," Naaman, "wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean ?" There are people who would go barefoot on a pilgrimage to the ends of the earth, if they thought they were sure of salvation at the end of their journey. There are people who would emaciate their frames by fasting, and deny themselves the common necessaries of life, if only they believed that by so doing they could secure everlasting life. Oh, hear the word of the living God,

"Come to me, that ye might have life." Why is it that ye will not come? Is it only because the way is so easy, that you have not yet got life? There is no disappointment possible; to come is to have; evidently the words imply as much, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

But, perhaps, someone may say, "What is coming? If he were here in the room I would come to him; if he were to be met in the street I would come to him; if he were walking even in the fields of Judæa I would go, cost what it wouldI would go and lay hold upon his feet, and say, 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."" Well! do so in your heart now-that is just coming to him. Many a one touched him who never came to him-many a one listened to him who never came to him. Oh, it is going with the heart to Christ as the Refuge provided, as the Physician of the sick, as the Saviour of sinners. Take him at his word, and plead his promise, and you come to him. Do not compel him to say in the last day, "I called, and ye refused; I stretched out my hand, and no man regarded." "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

The fact is, there are some of you who do not want this life; you want the world, and you do not desire anything that will separate you from the world; you want pleasure, and you have a sort of misgiving that he would separate you from your pleasures. So you do not want him yet—you do not want to be lost, but you do not want to be sanctified. I daresay many of you will acknowledge, "That is the honest truth." You would like him by-and-by, but not yet. This is why many a one will not come.

But, perhaps, some of you say, "I wish I knew I might

Do you? You
Do you want a

come to Christ; but I want a warrant." have got a warrant; for he bids you come. title, God knows you have a title; if you are a sinner you have got a title, it is the only title I know of.

"Not the righteous,

Sinners, Jesus came to call."

But you say, "I need some qualification." What is the qualification to come to a physician? Sickness. And what is the qualification to come to the Saviour? Sin. I suppose you have got the qualification; yet "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." We do not come with merit, but for merit; we do not come with grace, but for grace; we do not come with fulness, but for fulness; and yet Jesus says, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

Now, lastly, we have here the great folly of infatuated sinners; the Lord points it out to us: "Ye will not come." What! justification from all things by the precious life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed to sinners, and proclaimed without their heeding it, "ye will not come." God's royal banquet prepared, and sinners with one consent making excuse, while the invitation follows them, "all things are ready, come to the marriage.” If this is not folly, what is? Health proclaimed to poor diseased souls, life proclaimed to poor dead souls, salvation proclaimed to poor lost souls. Why, the world calls, and they go; pleasure calls, and they go; evil calls, and they go; but God calls in vain. If this is not folly, beloved friends, I know not what is. But more than this, "Ye Christ. Mark that word to me.

will not come to me," says I know people who go to

ministers for life, who go to priests for life, who go to ordinances for life, who go to sacraments for life, I know people who go to everything and to anything for life,—the Lord says, "Ye will not come to me," "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." I know people who will give their money for life, they will leave it in their wills, they do not like to part with it while they live, but they will leave it, when they cannot carry it with them, for life. "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."

Oh, brethren, the Lord sends a message to-day by his poor servant, Come and have life-life worth the having, life always, life evermore. He is our Life, the Life of grace that will carry you through this life of temptation; and the Life of glory that will fill you, where Christ is all and in all. To go elsewhere for life is to be disappointed-whether you are going to the Church for life, or to prayer for life, or to sacraments for life, or to priestcraft for life. Christ alone can give you life. He will not give his honour to another. He never deputed man nor angels to give you life. He may use means, and he does, but they are only means; you must come to him for life.

Lastly, not to go to Christ for life is, in Christ's mind, to reject Christ-remember that. Not to come to Christ for life is to reject Christ. Unbelief is no sin if you may not come; condemnation is no marvel if you will not come. May God Almighty seal his own truth upon your hearts. AMEN.

A SERMON

BY

THE REV. MARCUS RAINSFORD.

IF

66

Waiting for the adoption."-ROM. viii. 23.

F we are what we profess, and what the name we all arrogate to ourselves, implies-Christians, then ours is a wonderful position in the creation of God. And if there are any amongst us (alas! it is too true there are many amongst us) who are not what the name implies,-the mere contemplation of what a Believer is in the sight of God ought to be enough to provoke us to jealousy. Thank God! there is no need why any should be disappointed. There is not a man, woman, or child amongst us who might not be a real Christian if they pleased. There is no barrier on God's part between you and life. Only come as lost sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ,-God's salvation,only come with your sins, and your sorrows, your cares, and your guilt to him whom God has appointed to be the Daysman, and he will lay his hand on your head, who lays his hand on the throne of God, and he will pardon you, bless you, and save you. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Let us contemplate for a short time the biography of a

SERM. XIV.