the presence of the Lord: but you will enter into it, and more and more partake of it.

Think also of your danger if you refuse or neglect his offers. If a prince, who sends a present to a subject, and much more to a rebel, is offended if his proffered gift be returned unaccepted, what offence will the King of kings take? Surely he will visit such contempt either with greater distress, so that you shall become still more wearied and more oppressed than you now are; or he will leave you to yourself, and allow your present sorrow to be filled up in that awful gulf where the worm dieth not, and where the fire never is extinguished. Now then, oh! now come unto him, and entreat him to fulfil his promise.

But whilst thus addressing the weary and heavy laden, I would fain hope that there are many present who know the truth of this promise. My beloved Christian friends, let this subject excite your praise and adoration of your Saviour. This is one great part of the employment of heaven, to praise the Lamb, to fall before his throne in lowliest adoration * ; nor can our earthly Sabbaths be better occupied. Think, then, how worthy He is of honour and praise and adoration who spake these words.

* Rev. v.

For what are they, but to invite every son of sorrow and daughter of affliction to cast all their woes upon Him?

When we reflect upon the general distaste there is for scenes of distress; how soon the most benevolent are fatigued with the complaints of others; what love, what pity, what bowels of mercy and tenderest sympathy must He possess, who invites all the wretched, not to his door only, but to his very heart! Oh, surely, my Christian friends, such a Saviour merits all our love-more particularly if we ourselves have been relieved by him.

Perhaps I am addressing those who, if they were to speak out the experience of their own hearts, could say, 'All the minister has said is true. I was wearied and heavy laden; I was seeking happiness where it could never be found, and was oppressed by a weight from which I could obtain no relief. Led by the Holy Spirit, I took my Lord at his word: I came unto him; and, for ever blessed be his name, I can testify that he has fulfilled his word: I have rest.'

Oh, my friends, should you not praise him? should you not speak well of his name? should you not in all things seek to adorn his doctrine? Assuredly you should. Your heart says, "What can I render to him for all his benefits?" To

day, you know, is our privileged day. To-day he invites us to a feast, in which even angels do not share. Oh that He who spreads this table, and who bids us welcome, would himself draw us to it! that we, who are about to sit down at the Supper of our Lord, may be able to say, "He brought me into his banquetinghouse, and his banner over me was love."

39

SERMON III.

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA AN EMBLEM OF A CHRISTIAN.

1 KINGS X. 6, 7.

And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

THESE words are taken from a history which our blessed Lord has consecrated to himself by his reference to it when discoursing with the Pharisees. It may be recollected, that when Jesus had been speaking to the multitudes, and healing many that were sick; and when the Pharisees, instead of receiving him as their Saviour, profanely charged him with casting out devils through the prince of the devils; he said unto them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given, but the sign of Jonas the Prophet."

He then added, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." Here you observe, that as he declares the Prophet Jonah to be a type of himself, so he refers to the queen of Sheba as illustrative of the character of those who are seeking the true Solomon. Illustrations thus sanctioned become very useful to us in our Christian course: they increase the interest of the Old-Testament history; they remind us of the Saviour in every part of the Scriptures; and at the same time assist us in our own personal experience. I would employ our present season, therefore, in setting before you this interesting history, as illustrating different steps in the experience of a real Christian; entreating your prayers that the God of all grace may, for his dear Son's sake, send us the Comforter, to guide us into all truth.

I. You may remark, as the first step in the history of this princess, that "she had heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord." This report had probably reached her ear from the servants of Solomon, who had visited her country on his business: for, as