A COMMUNION SABBATH IN ST PETER’S I. SERMON - Robert Murray Mcchene

“Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which Thou hast given me; for Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”—JOHN 17:24.

I. The manner of this prayer.—“Father, I will.” This is the most wonderful prayer that ever rose from this earth to the throne of God, and this petition is the most wonderful in the prayer. No human lips ever prayed thus before: “Father, I will.” Abraham was the friend of God, and got very near to God in prayer; but he prayed as dust and ashes. “I have taken upon me to speak unto God, that am but dust and ashes.” Jacob had power with God, and prevailed, yet his boldest word was, “I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me.” Daniel was a man greatly beloved, and got immediate answers to prayer, and yet he cried to God as a sinner: “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hearken and do!” Paul was a man who got very near to God, and yet he says, “I bow my knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” But when Christ prayed, He cried, “Father, I will.” Why did He pray thus? He was God’s fellow. “Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, against the man that is my fellow.” He thought it no robbery to be equal with God. It was He that said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” So now He says, “Father, I will.”

He spoke as the Intercessor with the Father.—He felt as if his work were already done: “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.” He felt as if He had already suffered the cross, and now claims the crown. “Father, I will.” This is the intercession now heard in heaven.

He had one will with the Father—“I and my Father are one.” One God, one in heart and will. True, He had a holy human soul, and therefore a human will; but his human will was one with his divine will. The human string in his heart was tuned to the same string with his divine will.

Learn how surely this prayer will be answered, dear children of God. It is impossible this prayer should be unanswered. It is the will of the Father and of the Son. If Christ wills it, and if the Father wills it, you may be sure nothing can hinder it. If the sheep be in Christ’s hand, and in the Father’s hand, they shall never perish.

II. For whom He prays.—“They also whom Thou hast given me.” Six times in this chapter does Christ call his people by this name: “They whom Thou hast given me.” It seems to have been a favourite word of Christ, especially when carrying them on his heart before the Father. The reason seems to be that He would remind the Father that they are as much the Father’s as they are his own; that the Father has the same interest in them that He has, having given them to Him before the world was. And so He repeats it in ver. 10: “All mine are thine, and thine are mine.” Before the world was, the Father chose a people out of this world. He gave them into the hand of Christ, charging Him not to lose one,—to bear their sins on his own body on the tree,—to raise Him up at the last day. And, accordingly, He says, “Of all whom Thou hast given me have I lost none.” Is there any mark on those who are given to Christ? They are no better than others. Sometimes He chooses the worst! Ans.—Yes. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.” One of the sure marks of all that were given to Christ is that they come to Jesus: “They all come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.” Are you come to Christ? Has your heart been opened to receive Christ? Has Christ been made precious to you?—then you may be quite sure you were given to Christ before the world was. Your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and your name is on the breastplate of Christ. It is for you He prays, “Father, I will that that soul be with me.” Christ will never lose you. The Father which gave you to Him is greater than all, and none is able to pluck you out of the Father’s hand.

III. The Argument—“For Thou lovedst me.”—He reminds the Father of his love to Him before the world was. When there was no earth, no sun, no man, no angel,—when He was by Him,— then Thou lovedst me. Who can understand this love,—the love of the uncreated God to his uncreated Son? The love of Jonathan to David was very great, surpassing the love of women. The love of a believer to Christ is very great, for they see Him to be altogether lovely. The love of a holy angel to God is very ardent, for they are like a flame of fire. But these are all creature loves; these are but streams; but the love of God to his Son is an ocean of love. There is everything in Christ to draw the love of his Father. Now discern his argument,—If Thou love me, do this for my people.

Just as He said to Paul, “Why persecutest thou me?” He felt himself one with his afflicted members on earth. Just as He will say at the last day, “Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.” He reckons believers a part of himself; what is done to them is done to Him. So here, when He carries them to his Father, this is all his argument: “Thou lovedst me.” If Thou love me, love them, for they are part of me.See how surely Christ’s prayer will be answered for you, beloved. He does not plead that you are good and holy; He does not plead that you are worthy; He only pleads his own loveliness in the eyes of the Father. Look not on them, He says, but look on me. Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Learn to use the same argument with God, dear believers. This is asking in Christ’s name, for the Lord’s sake; this is the prayer that is never refused. See that you do not come in your own name, else yon will be cast out.

Come thus to his table. Say to the Father, Accept me, for Thou lovedst Him from the foundation of the world.

IV. The prayer itself.—Two parts

(1.) “That they may be with me.”—(1.) What He does not mean.—He does not mean that we should be presently taken out of this world. Some of you that have come to Christ may, this day, be favoured with so much of his presence, and of the love of the Father, so much of the joy of heaven, and such a dread of going back to betray Christ in the world, that you may be wishing that this house were indeed the gate of heaven; you may desire that you might be translated from the table below at once to the table above. “I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and be with Christ.” Still Christ does not wish that. “I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil.” “Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now” (Like that woman in Brainerd’s Journal—“O blessed Lord, do come! Oh, do take me away; do let me die and go to Jesus Christ. I am afraid, if I live, I shall sin again.”) (2.) What He does mean.—He means, that when our journey is done, we should come to be with Him. Every one that comes to Christ has a journey to perform in this world. Some have a long, and some a short one. It is through a wilderness. Still Christ prays that at the end, you may be with Him. Every one that comes to Christ hath his twelve hours to fill up for Christ. “I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day.” But when that is done, Christ prays that yon may be with Him. He means that you shall come to his Father’s house with Him. “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” You shall dwell in the same house with Christ. You are never very intimate with a person till you see them in their own house—till you know them at home. This is what Christ wants with us—that we shall come to be with Him, at his own home. He wants us to come to the same Father’s bosom with Him. “I ascend to my Father and your Father.” He wants us to be in the same smile with Him, to sit on the same throne with Him, to swim in the same ocean of love with Him.

Learn how certain it is that you shall one day soon be with Christ. It is the will of the Father, it is the will of the Son. It is the prayer of Christ. If you have really been brought to Christ, you shall never perish. You may have many enemies opposing you in your way to glory. Satan desires to have you, that he may sift you like wheat. Your worldly friends will do all they can to hinder you. Still you shall be with Christ. We shall see your face at the table of glory. You have a hard heart, an unbelieving heart, a heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. You often think your heart will lead you to betray Christ. Still you shall be with Christ. If you are in Christ to-day, you shall be ever with the Lord. You have lived a wicked life. You have dreadful sins to look back upon. Still, if you are come to Jesus, this is his word to thee, “Thou shalt be with me in paradise.” In truth, Christ cannot want you. You are his jewels—his crown. Heaven would be no heaven to Him, if you were not there. This may give you courage in coming to the Lord’s table. Some of you fear to come to this table, because, though you cleave to Christ to-day, you fear you may betray Him to-morrow. But you need not fear. “He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.” You shall sit at the table above, where Christ himself shall be at the head. You need not fear to come to this table.(2.) To behold my glory which Thou hast given me.—There are three stages in the glory of Christ. It will be the employment of heaven to behold them all.

1st, The original glory of Christ.—This is his underived, uncreated glory, as the equal of the Father. It is spoken of in Prov. 8:30: “Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before Him.” And again, in this prayer, “The glory which I had with Thee before the world was,” ver. 5 Of this glory no man can speak, no angel, no archangel. One thing alone we know, that we are to honour the Son, even as we honour the Father. He shared with the Father in being the all-perfect One, when there was none to admire, none to adore, no angels with golden harps, no seraphs to hymn his praise, no cherubim to cry, Holy, holy, holy. Before all creatures were, He was—one with the infinitely perfect, good, and glorious God. He was then all that He afterwards showed himself to be. Creation and redemption did not change Him. They only revealed what He was before. They only provided objects for those beams of glory to rest upon, that were shining as fully before, from all eternity. Eternity will be much taken up with praising God that ever He revealed himself at all; that ever He came out from the retirement of his lovely and blissful eternity.2d, When He became flesh.—“The Word was made flesh.” Christ did not get more glory by becoming man, but He manifested his glory in a new way. He did not gain one perfection more by becoming man; He had all the perfections of God before. But now these perfections were poured through a human heart. The almightiness of God now moved in a human arm. The infinite love of God now beat in a human heart. The compassion of God to sinners now glistened in a human eye. God was love before, but Christ was love covered over with flesh. Just as you have seen the sun shining through a coloured window,—it is the same sunlight still, and yet it shines with a mellowed lustre,—so in Christ dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The perfection of the Godhead shone through every pore, through every action, word, and look,—the same perfections,—they were only shining with a mellowed brightness. The veil of the temple was a type of his flesh, because it covered the bright light of the holiest of all. But just as the bright light of the Shechinah often shone through the veil, so did the Godhead of Christ force itself through the heart of the man Christ Jesus. There were many openings of the veil when the bright glory shone through.

1. When He turned the water into wine.—He manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on Him. Almighty power spoke in a human voice, and the lore of God, too, shone in it; for He showed that He came to turn all our water into wine.

2. When He wept over Jerusalem.—That was a great outlet of his glory. There was much that was human in it. The feet were human that stood upon Mount Olivet. The eyes were Unman eyes that looked down upon the dazzling city The tears were human tears that fell upon the ground. But oh, there was the tenderness of God beating beneath that mantle! Look and live, sinners. Look and live. Behold your God! He that hath seen a weeping Christ hath seen the Father. This is God manifest in the flesh. Some of you fear that the Father does not wish you to come to Christ and be saved. But see here, God is manifest in flesh. He that hath seen Christ hath seen the Father. See here the heart of the Father and the heart of the Son laid bare. Oh, wherefore should you doubt? Every one of these tears trickles from the heart of God.

3. On the cross.—The wounds of Christ were the greatest outlets of his glory that ever were. The divine glory shone more out of his wounds than out of all his life before. The veil was then rent in twain, and the full heart of God allowed to stream through. It was a human body that writhed, pale and racked, upon the accursed tree; they were human hands that were pierced so rudely by the nails; it was human flesh that bore that deadly gash upon the side; it was human blood that streamed from hands, and feet, and side; the eye that meekly turned to his Father was a human eye; the soul that yearned over his mother was a human soul. But oh, there was divine glory streaming through all; every wound was a mouth to speak of the grace and love of God! Divine holiness shone through. What infinite hatred of sin was there when He thus offered himself a sacrifice without spot unto God! Divine wisdom shone through: all created intelligences could not have devised a plan whereby God would have been just, and yet the justifies. Divine love: every drop of blood that fell came as a messenger of love from his heart to tell the love of the fountain. This was the love of God. He that hath seen a crucified Christ hath seen the Father. Oh, look on the broken bread, and you will see this glory still streaming through! Here is the heart of God laid bare,—God is manifest in flesh. Some of you are poring over your own heart,—examining your feelings, atching your disease. Avert the eye from all within. Behold me,—behold me! Christ cries. Look to me, and be ye saved. Behold the glory of Christ! There is much difficulty about your own heart, but no darkness about the heart of Christ. Look in through his wounds; believe what yon see in Him.

3d, Christ’s glory above.—I cannot speak of this. I trust I shall one day soon see it. He has not laid aside the glory which He had on earth. He is still the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. But He has got more glory now. His humanity is no more a veil to hide any of the beams of his Godhead. God shines all the more plainly through Him. He has got many crowns now,—the oil of gladness now,—the sceptre of righteousness now.

Heaven will be spent in beholding his glory.—We shall see the Father eternally in Him. We shall look in his face, and in his human eye shall read the tender love of God to us for ever. We shall hear from his holy human lips plainly of the Father. “In that day I shall no more speak to you in parables, but show you plainly of the Father.” We shall look on his scars, healed, yet plain and open on his hands, and feet, and side, and heaven-bright brow, and shall read eternally there the hatred of God against sin, and his love to us that made Him die for us. And sometimes, perhaps, we may lean our head where John leaned his, upon his holy bosom. Oh! if heaven is to be spent thus, what will you do, who have never seen his glory?

Oh beloved, if your eternity is to be spent thus, spend much of your time thus! If you are to be thus engaged at the table above, be thus engaged now at the table below.

COMMUNION SABBATH, Jan. 19, 1840.

II. FENCING THE TABLES

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whilst it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias, bearing these words, fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost; and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)”—ACTS 5:1–14.

There have been hypocrites in the church of Christ from the beginning. There was one, Judas, even among the twelve apostles; and in the apostolic church there was an Ananias and a Sapphira. Attend (1.) To their sin—a lie. When so much of the Spirit was given, all were of one heart and one soul. Those that had estates, sold them, and brought the price, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. It was a lovely sight to see. Among the rest came one Ananias; he was rich. From some worldly motive, he had joined himself to the Christians—husband and wife, both Christless, graceless souls. He sold his possessions to be like the rest, and brought a part, and said it was his all! He pretended to be a Christian—he pretended that grace was in his heart. It was not a lie to man only, but to the Holy Ghost; for he was declaring that God had wrought a change upon his soul, when there was none—he was still old Ananias. (2.) Their punishment.—They fell down and gave up the ghost. Oh! it is an awful thing when sinners die in the act of sin—with the lie in their mouth—with the oath on their tongue. So it was with poor Ananias and his wife. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye they were in the place where all liars go. (3.) The effect—great fear came upon them all. None durst join themselves to the apostles’ company.

Dear friends, these things are written for our learning. Are there none come up here to-day with Ananias’ lie in their heart?

The broken bread and poured-out wine represent the broken body and shed blood of Christ. Oh! it is enough to melt the heart of the stoutest to look at them. To take that bread and that wine is declaring that yon do close with Christ—that you take Him to be your Saviour—that God has opened your heart to believe. In marriage, the acceptance of the right hand is a solemn declaration, by sign, that you accept the bride or bridegroom; and so in the Lord’s Supper. If it is not so with you, them it is a lie; and it is a lie to the Holy Ghost. Ananias came declaring that he had got the Spirit’s work upon his heart. It was a time when much of God’s Spirit had been given, vers. 31, 32. It is likely he and his wife had some convictions. But since it was false—since he was not really what he pretended to be—it was said, “he lied to the Holy Ghost.” So, dear friends, the Holy Ghost is peculiarly present in this ordinance. He glorifies Christ. He has converted many in this place. To sin to-day, is to lie against the Holy Ghost. By coming to the table, you profess that you are under the Spirit’s teaching. If you are not, you lie unto the Holy Ghost!

Now, do you know that you have not come to Christ? Do you know that you are unconverted? And will you sit down there and take the bread and wine? Take heed, Ananias! Thou art not lying to a man, but unto God.

Perhaps there is one among you who is secretly addicted to drinking, to swearing, to uncleanness. Will yon come and take the bread and wine? Take heed, Ananias!Perhaps there are two of you, husband and wife, who know that neither of you were ever converted. You never pray together, and yet you agree together to come here. Take heed, Ananias and Sapphira!

Is there none of you a persecutor? Suppose a father, whose children have come to Christ, but in your heart you hate their change; you oppose it with bitter words; and yet, with a smooth countenance, you come to sit beside them at the same table! O hypocrite, take heed lest you drop down dead! Draw back that hand lest it wither! If we should see the cup drop from your hand, and the eye glaze, and the feet become cold, oh, where would your soul be?

Dear children of God, do not be discouraged from coming to this holy table. It is spread for sinners that have come to Jesus. “Oh, come and dine!” Some of you say, “I do not know the way to this table.” Jesus says, “I am the way.” Some of you say, “I am blind; I cannot see my sins, nor my Saviour.” Go wash in the Pool of Siloam. Some of you say, “I am naked.” Jesus says, “I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.” You are polluted in your own blood; but has Christ thrown his skirt over you? Then do not fear; come with his robe on you. Come thus, and you come welcome.

III. TABLE SERVICE(The only specimen of his Table Service, found in his own handwriting, but without date.)

“My beloved is mine, and I am his.”

(1.) In the arms of my faith He is mine. I was once of the world—cold and careless about my soul. God awakened me, and made me feel I was lost. I tried to make myself good—to mend my life; but I found it in vain: I sat down more lost than before. 1 was then told to believe on the Lord Jesus. So I tried to make myself believe. I read books on faith, and tried to bend my soul to believe, that so I might get to heaven; but still in vain. I found it written, “Faith is the gift of God.” “No man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” So I sat down more lost than ever. Whilst I was thus helpless, Jesus drew near,—his garments dipped in blood. He had waited long at my door, though I knew it not. “His head was filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night.” He had five deep wounds, and He said, “I died in the stead of sinners; and any sinner may have me for a Saviour. You are a helpless sinner, will you have me?” How can I resist Him?—He is all I need! I held Him, and would not let Him go. “My beloved is mine.”

(2.) In the arms of my love, He is mine. Once I did not know what people meant by loving Jesus. I always wished to ask how they could love one whom they had never seen; but was answered, “Whom not having seen, we love.” But now that I have hidden in Him—now that I am cleaving to Him—now I feel that I cannot but love Him; and I long to see Him, that I may love Him more. Many a time I fall into sin, and that takes away my feeling of safety in Christ. Darkness comes, all is clouded, Christ is away. Still even then I am sick of love. Christ is not light and peace to me; but I follow hard after Him amid the darkness,—He is precious to me; and even though I be in darkness, He is my beloved still. “This is my beloved, and this is my friend.”

(3.) He is mine in the Sacrament.—Many a time, have I said to Him in prayer, Thou art mine. Many a time, when the doors were shut, and Jesus came in showing his wounds, saying, “Peace be unto you,” my soul clave to Him, and said, “My Lord and my God!” My beloved, Thou art mine! Many a time have I trysted with Him in lonely places, where there was no eye of man. Many a time have I called to the rocks and trees to witness that I took Him to be my Saviour. He said to me, “I will betrothe thee unto me for ever;” and I said to Him, “My beloved is mine.” Many a time have I gone with some Christian friend, and we poured out our trembling hearts together, consulting one with another as to whether we had liberty to close with Christ or no; and both together we came to this conclusion, that if we were but helpless sinners we had a right to close with the Saviour of sinners. We clave to Him, and called Him ours. And now have we come to take Him publicly, to call an ungodly world to witness, to call heaven and earth for a record to our soul, that we do close with Christ. See He giveth himself to us in the bread; lo! we accept of Him in accepting this bread. Bear witness, men and angels, bear witness, all the universe—“My beloved is mine.”(The communicants then partook of the broken bread and the cup of blessing.)

(It was his custom, after they had communicated, to speak briefly on a few suitable texts, before dismissing them from the tables. On Sabbath, Jan. 19, the texts were, “Love one another;” “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it;” “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace.”)

IV. ADDRESS AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY

“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”— JUDE 24.

There is no end to a pastor’s anxieties. Our first care is to get you into Christ; and next, to keep you from falling. I have a good hope, dearly beloved, that a goodly number of you have this day joined yourselves to the Lord. But now a new anxiety begins, to get you to walk in Christ,—to walk after the Spirit. Here we are to tell you of what God our Saviour is able to do for you: First, To keep you from falling all the way; Second, To present you faultless at the end.

I. To keep you from falling

(1.) We are not able to keep you from falling.—Those that lean on ministers lean on a reed shaken with the wind. When a soul has received saving good through a minister, he often thinks that he will be kept from falling by the same means. He thinks, “Oh, if I had this friend always beside me to warn me, to advise me!” No; ministers are not always by, nor godly friends. Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? We may soon be taken from you, and there may come a famine of the bread. And, besides, our words will not always tell. When temptation and passions are strong, you would not give heed to(2.) You are not able to keep yourselves from falling.—At present you know little of the weakness or wickedness of your own heart. There is nothing more deceitful than your estimate of your own strength. Oh, if you saw your soul in all its infirmity; if you saw how every sin has its fountain in your heart; if you saw what a mere reed you are, you would cry, “Lord, hold up my goings.” You may be at present strong; but stop till an inviting company occur; stop till a secret opportunity. Oh how many have fallen then! At present you feel strong, your feet like hinds’ feet. So did Peter at the Lord’s table. But stop till this burst of feeling has passed away; stop till you are asked to join in some unholy game; stop till some secret opportunity of sinning all unseen,—till some bitter provocation rouses your anger,—and us. you will find that you are weak as water, and that there is no sin that you may not fall into.

(3.) Our Saviour-God is able.—Christ deals with us as you so with your children. They cannot go alone; yon hold them: so does Christ by his Spirit. “I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms,” Hos. 11:3. Breathe this prayer: “Lord, take me by the arms.” John Newton says, When a mother is teaching her child to walk on a soft carpet, sue will sometimes let it go, and it will fall, to teach it its weakness; but not so on the brink of a precipice. So the Lord will sometimes let you fall, like Peter on the waters, though not to your injury. The shepherd layeth the sheep on his shoulder; it matters not how great the distance be; it matters not how high the mountains, how rough the path: our Saviour-God is an almighty Shepherd. Some of you have mountains in your way to heaven,— ome of you have mountains of lusts in your hearts, and some of you have mountains of opposition: it matters not, only lie on the shoulder. He is able to keep you; even in the dark valley He will not stumble.

II. To present you faultless

(1.) Faultless in righteousness.—As long as you live in your mortal body, you will be faulty in yourself. It is a soul-ruining error to believe anything else. Oh, if ye would be wise, be often looking beneath the robe of the Redeemer’s righteousness to see your own deformity! It will make you keep faster hold of his robe, and keep you washing in the fountain. Now, when Christ brings you before the throne of God, He will clothe you with his own fine linen, and present you faultless. Oh, it is sweet to me to think how soon you shall be the righteousness of God in Him. What a glorious righteousness that can stand the light of God’s face I Sometimes a garment appears white in dim light: when you bring it into the sunshine you see the spots. Oh prize, then, this divine righteousness, which is your covering.

(2.) Faultless in holiness.—My heart sometimes sickens when I think upon the defects of believers; when I think of one Christian being fond of company, another vain, another given to evil speaking. Oh, aim to be holy Christians!—bright, shining Christians. The heaven is more adorned by the large bright constellations than by many insignificant stars; so God may be more glorified by one bright Christian than by many indifferent ones. Aim at being that one.

Soon we shall be faultless. He that begun will perform it. We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. When you lay down this body, you may say, Farewell lust for ever,—farewell my hateful pride,—farewell hateful selfishness,—farewell strife and envying,— arewell being ashamed of Christ. Oh, this makes death sweet indeed! Oh, long to depart and to be with Christ!

III. To Him be glory

(1.) Oh, if anything has been done for your soul, give Him the glory! Give no praise to others; give all praise to Him. (2.) And give Him the dominion too. Yield yourselves unto Him, soul and body.