under the sound of the Gospel, and amid the most awakening dispensations of Providence, you are not yet given up, I trust, to hopeless perdition. Refused admission after many an application, your Redeemer might retire to his heaven, take no more notice of you, and make no further effort for your salvation. But, behold, he is not yet gone; he is still at your door, and still knocks for entrance. He might righteously resolve to avenge himself on your ingratitude and rebellion, by directing the thunderbolts of his wrath to fall upon the house to which he is denied friendly access, so as to involve it at once in utter and irretrievable desolation. If an earthly sovereign were to present himself before one of the cities of his empire, and if the persons within, on witnessing his approach, were to shut their gates upon him, and, deaf to all considerations both of interest and duty, to persist in their rebellious refusal to admit him, would he not straightway call his troops together, plant his cannon round the place, and punish the disloyalty of its inhabitants by reducing it to a heap of ruins? To such measures of vengeance might the insulted King of kings resort against you. But, behold, he stands at the door, not in the attitude of wrath, but of entreaty. Long has he stood and knocked, and still he stands and knocks-knocks at this moment by my instrumentality, and cries, "Open to me: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." (Canticles v, 2.) Truly the Lord is gracious and merciful, longsuffering, and slow to anger; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

II. The Gospel condition is thus expressed: "If any man hear my voice, and open the door."

I am aware that to the very term, "condition," some have objected, as being inconsistent, in their opinion, with the freeness of divine grace. But the objection seems to be utterly unfounded, or founded only in some strange misapprehension as to the true meaning of the expression. "Condition" is defined to be, "stipulation, terms of compact;" or, more largely, "a clause of obligation stipulated as an article of a treaty or contract, or in a donation of a testament or legacy,

etc." Now, we say, and surely it is just and scriptural to say, that hearing Christ's voice, and opening the door to him, are the condition, stipulation, or terms on which he previously insists, before he becomes engaged by the Gospel compact to come in and sup with us. These words, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door," are "a clause of obligation," with which it is both fit and necessary that we should comply before the saving benefits of the Gospel can be enjoyed. But our compliance with this requisition is not matter of merit, though it be matter of obligation. No two ideas can be more distinct than that of deserving a privilege, and that of consenting to receive it as a favor on those particular terms on which it has been previously and most graciously offered. And while we contend that no merit can attach to the performance of the Gospel condition, we also maintain that we can only be qualified for that performance by the special influence of God's Holy Spirit, "preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will."* If, notwithstanding these explanations, any man still quarrel with a term so innocent and so appropriate as the term "condition," we are not unwilling to abandon the expression when another equally good has been invented. But the thing meant to be expressed we can never abandon: namely, that, before Jesus can enter and dwell in man, his ear and his heart must be opened; and that, though it be the Holy Spirit who works this preparation in us, he never works it without our humble and thankful, though unmeritorious, concurrence.

When the text says, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door," it stipulates, I conceive, for two things:

1. That we should at length seriously attend to Christ's overtures, and receive them as from himself. We must no longer indulge that criminal insensibility, which we have heretofore cherished, to the manifold calls of God. The invitations of the blessed Gospel, and the various other means by which we have been called to salvation, must become the subjects of our close and frequent meditation. Considering that it is THE CHRIST OF GOD who speaks to us, we must no more

* Articles of Religion. No. X, "Of Free Will."

treat his message with levity with levity or indifference, but be solemnly concerned about it, and anxious to understand and improve it. Thus knowing the voice of God, and who it is that says, "Give me thine heart," we shall take heed that our "hearing" be an intelligent, attentive, and serious hearing; such as implies the opening of the door of our understanding and conscience. Now, in order to this, we must apply, by earnest prayer, for that grace which alone can remove the spiritual deafness under which we naturally labor. To them that ask this grace, it shall be given; and then the hour cometh when they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and, hearing, live. But it is also necessary that the noise of sinful passions should be stilled, and the tumult of worldly affections repressed. The loudest knocking at the door will fail to make the desired impression, if the interior of the house be full of that disturbance and hurry which must ever attend on the "works of the flesh," and the cares of this life.

2. And if it be needful to "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness," that is, to renounce and resolve to abandon all sin, in order even to hear Christ's voice so as to open to him the door of the understanding and conscience; much more must such a renunciation be requisite in order to the second thing here stipulated: namely, our opening to Christ the door of our will and affections, by heartily welcoming his immediate entrance and abiding presence on his own terms. It is an obedient hearing, as well as an attentive one, that he requires. We must make a cordial choice of him as our indwelling Lord, and submit to him as our Saviour and King; that he may rule in us as a master does in his house, and employ us for such uses and in such ways as to him shall seem meet. And let it be remembered, that no hearing of Christ's voice, no attention to his word, no impression or conviction of his Spirit, no serious views, or penitential feelings, or partial compliances, will at all authorize us to expect the full and final salvation of the Gospel, unless they terminate in this cordial surrender of our souls to the will and pleasure of Christ, by the exercise of that faith which not only hears, but obeys; which not only discerns his voice to be that of a friend, but,

with corresponding friendship and humble gratitude, actually opens the door for his instant admission, conducts him to the best room of the house, entreats him to take the place of honor which is his right, and then falls and worships at his feet. May we all thus hear his voice and open the door! Then shall we experience the gracious fulfillment of that which I now proceed to illustrate: namely,

III. The Gospel promise. "I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

1. The presence of Jesus Christ is threefold:

As it respects his divinity, he is everywhere present. He fills both heaven and earth.

As it respects his glorified humanity, he is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high, making intercession for his people, and communicating ineffable bliss to holy angels, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

The saints in His presence receive

Their great and eternal reward;

In Jesus, in heaven they live;

They reign in the smile of their Lord.

The flame of angelical love

Is kindled at Jesus's face;

And all the enjoyment above

Consists in the rapturous gaze.-C. WESLEY.

But the presence of Christ sometimes respects the gracious influences and manifestations of his Holy Spirit. This is that presence which is here promised. Of this spiritual indwelling of Christ in the hearts of the faithful we often read in Scripture. Take the following examples: "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah lvii, 15.) "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John xiv, 23.) "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (Romans viii, 9, 10.) "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians vi, 16.) These quotations prove that what was said of ancient Zion is fulfilled, in a blessed sense, to the soul of every real Christian: "The Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell: for I have desired it." Now, this indwelling indicates perfect amity. It is the proof of reconciliation, and the pledge of peace. It demonstrates that all displeasure on account of past sin is removed; and authorizes the soul to say, “O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." It also indicates possession and government. The heart being surrendered to Christ, he accepts the charge and rule of it, and it is under his holy dominion and keeping. For the Spirit by which Jesus dwells in believers is not only a Spirit of adoption, but a Spirit of sanctification.

2. He further engages to sup with those who open to him. Here, in amazing condescension, he represents himself as willing to be not only their pardoning Lord, but their guest and familar friend. And the expression, "I will sup with him," must be considered as promising, in particular, his merciful acceptance of our graces and of our services, notwithstanding their numerous imperfections. We might, on the first view, be alarmed by the annunciation of a visit from one so high and holy; conscious that we have nothing to set before him worthy of his majesty, or fit to entertain the Lord of all. But he kindly anticipates and removes our fears by assuring us of his readiness to sup with us, as it were, in our own humble way and style. What though we have nothing better than penitential sorrows, "the meltings of a broken heart," mingled