no condemnation; that they are safe from the avenging justice of an angry God, and from the direful effects of the Divine displeasure, which the ungodly must endure to all eternity. They shall not fall into hell, because eternal love chose them, almighty grace redeemed them, and the Holy Spirit sanctines them for the enjoyment of heaven.

And is not this a great salvation? It is the salvation of which "the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you." It is that which is the subject of the Scriptures, the joy of Christians, and the song of heaven. Oh, then, let all beware of neglecting it; let those who have entered in by the door rejoice in their title to it; and let no presumptuous wretch dare to lay a claim to it, who, instead of being united to Christ, is dead in trespasses and sins. True believers are not only promised salvation, but—

2. Liberty.

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They shall go in and out." Alas! they were once, with the rest of mankind, held in bondage and confinement, but "by the blood of the covenant, God has sent forth his prisoners out of the pit wherein there was no water." They were once the prisoners of the law, as they had all broken its righteous requirements; they were all exposed to its fearful curses; it demanded of them that satisfaction which they were incapable of giving it therefore threatened them with eternal death, and held them in bondage; but when they entered in by Jesus, the door, their debt was discharged by him, and he liberated them out of their bondage. "The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," the old serpent, the devil, formerly had them under his power, confined in his strong

holds, bound in his chains, and employed in his drudgery; but God, having weakened his power, turned him out of his strong holds, broke the prisoners' chains, and has taken them into his service, and made them free.

Once they were tied and bound with the chain of their sins, but suffice it to say, that when they entered in by Jesus, the door, they were made free from sin and every kind of bondage, in which they were held; no longer do they strive after the gratification of their own evil propensities, but yield themselves the servants of God, and bring forth the fruits of holiness. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free." "By me, if any man enter in," says Christ," he shall go in and out.” And how shall we describe or explain the liberty of the children of God? It includes real pleasure and holy boldness in communion with God. The saints shall go in and out. Their communion with the Father and the Son, through the Spirit, shall be constant and unwearied. They shall walk in all the ordinances of the Lord. That service in which they are engaged is perfect freedom. Their slavery is changed into the state of children, and their duty into choice; hence, their grateful inquiry now is, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits?" So that the liberty of God's children is by no means a liberty to sin; no, they never court that liberty, but detest it as the greatest slavery. How awful must that system be which encourages sin under the idea of gospel liberty. Such a system is not from God, but from the devil, the father of lies. Avoid it then, fly from it, detest it; nor ever imagine, that God will countenance, or in the least

way approve, sin in his people: for holy are all his ways, and holiness becometh them that serve him forever. That man who pleads for the commission of sin, and calls it the liberty of God's chosen, plainly proves that he is in bondage even until

now.

There is one great and important blessing more, mentioned in the text, and that is

3. Provision. "He shall find pasture."

waters.

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Real believers are the sheep of God's pasture. "The Lord," says the psalmist, " is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." The spiritual wants of those who have entered in by the door, are supplied with spiritual blessings: for your support and nourishment, ye children of God, there are the lively oracles of God, and Jesus himself. "Thy word," says one, was found of me, and I did eat it, and it was the rejoicing of my heart." Make the Bible your constant study: by this blessed book you understand the will of God, your mouth is filled with arguments, and your soul derives fresh strength. Oh, let it be your meat and drink; live upon the glorious truths it reveals, and the glorious prospects it opens; let it be the man of your counsel it well deserves your highest estimation, for it is the field in which the pearl of great price is hid; it is the pasture in which God appoints you to feed. Oh, then, "as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

Our Lord in the most charming accents exclaims, "I am the Bread of life." My flesh is ineat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Except ye eat my flesh, and drink my blood, ye have no life in you." He then must be the support of your souls; live upon his almighty fulness, his rich grace, his abundant mercy, and overflowing goodness. We cannot enlarge here, but must just say, that the food of the Christian is Divine in its nature, and nourishing in its effects.

It is Divine in its nature. The Bible is the word of God, and not of man: the subject of the Scriptures; the manner in which any thing is treated; their obvious design; the wonderful harmony of all their parts; the unblemished character of their writers; the wonderful way in which they have been preserved; the number of miracles by which they have been confirmed; the exact fulfilment of their prophecies; and, above all, the application of them to the conscience by the Holy Ghost;-are all incontestable arguments for the Divine authority of Scripture and this Divine word, Christian, is to be your food. Jesus, too, is Divine; for "he is the Bread which came down from heaven: he that cometh to him shall never hunger, and he that believeth on him shall never thirst."

The believer's portion is also nourishing in its effects. The natural tendency of "the sincere milk of the word" is growth. "He that eateth

the flesh and drinketh the blood of the Son of man, shall live forever." Christ gave his flesh for the life of the world, and he that partakes of this living bread hath everlasting life, and shall be raised up at the last day.

Do we not learn, from this subject, that Christ is the first and the last in a sinner's salvation?

Without him you are condemned, enslaved, starving, and in the road to hell. Oh, then, look to Calvary for mercy, for salvation, for liberty, and for food.

Are we not taught by these considerations, that those who gain admittance into the church any other way than by the door, are in an awful condition? This is positively asserted in the first verse of the chapter before us. "He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." Oh, beware then, beware of resting in a religious education, in your being members of Christian churches, or any thing short of an approach to God, through Christ; for if you profess to be in his fold, without passing through the door, you are accounted a hypocrite, and may expect a fearful looking for of judgment. Oh for grace to "strive to enter in at the strait gate; for broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat; and strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Is it not clear, that gratitude to that God who has opened this door for sinners is our incumbent duty?

This is your way to Zion, O believer; sing of the goodness of God; sing to the praise of him. who brought you into the good old way: and oh,

glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, which are his." Glorify him in your hearts, lips, and lives.

Are we not to expect, that the time when Jews and Gentiles shall both enter by this door will soon