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the believer.

God's mercy comes down to man through Christ's atonement and intercession.

Keeping in view this, let us notice a few specific illustrations of the delightful fact.

1. He who penitently comes to God for the pardon of sin, through the alone merit of Christ, is not sent empty away. Rightly is the Holy Spirit named the Comforter. He sheds the love of God abroad in the hearts of the justified by faith. Hear the man whom you saw, sowing in tears, but sowing in righteousness; pleading, not that he wept, but that Christ had died. He said then, " Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice." He says now, “O Lord, I will praise thee; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me."

2. So in seeking for rich spiritual blessings: whether by the holy acts of spiritual cultivation, or by earnest prayers for the larger bestowments of divine influence. He sows “in righteousness;" for he does what God commands. He shall not be disappointed. He seeks what God has promised. This is the good and perfect and acceptable will of God. He shall prove experience it. It is the good pleasure of the divine goodness. He shall enjoy it. His soul shall be as a field which the Lord hath blessed. The branch that beareth fruit, the husbandman purgeth, that it may bear more fruit. He that asketh, receiveth. And here is the command,Ask; and here the promise,―That your joy may be full. and ye shall reap.

Sow, 3. We " sow in righteousness" in general obedience: and in this, too, there is the reaping "in mercy." When we have our conversation in the world, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, in simplicity and godly sincerity, this is our rejoicing, even the testimony of our conscience. Walking uprightly, we walk surely. Nay, most comprehensive is the promise, "No good thing will he withhold from him that walketh uprightly." God, the almighty, the all-sufficient, compasses him about with mercy, and with songs of deliverance. His mind is at rest, his conscience peaceful, his prospects bright. God is his Father; heaven is his home. Is he not reaping in mercy?

4. So if there be sowing "in righteousness" in diligent attendance on devotional exercises, there is likewise a reaping "in mercy." "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you," is the significant declaration of Scripture. And good it is togo into the sanctuary of God. It is the outer court of the heavenly temple. It is so near, that the joys of the blessed themselves are diffused among the worshippers still in the flesh. Truth, love, peace, hope, purity, joy, all the words. that go to make up one glorious idea of felicity, are found there where an obedient people are assembled, believing their Saviour's promise, and expecting its fulfilment. To the true worshippers, there is by faith approach to the mercy-seat, without the concealing veil. God lifts up the light of his countenance, and satisfies them with the goodness of his house, even of his holy temple.

Nor is it mere joy. This joy of the Lord is their strength. They have gathered what makes them strong in the Lord. They have waited on God, renewed their strength; and now they go forth, prepared, as Providence may call, to mount up with wings as eagles, to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint.

5. Let me specify two occasions in which the value of this reaping in mercy appears.

One,-You know not when seasons of trouble may come. And to Saul, without God, the coming of the Philistines is terrible. But unto the upright light ariseth in the dark"Sow in righteousness," and you find its benefit in the water, and in the fire. Comfort, nay, joy and glorying in tribulation, are part of the reaping.

ness.

And then, There is the hour of death. What will you do then without God? What will you fear with him? Look at the man who calmly and thoughtfully says on his death-bed, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" Had he never reaped before, what is the value of what he now gathers! Not for the world would he part with it.

6. But all this is as nothing. There is a reaping in mercy following close upon the sowing in righteousness. So great is the goodness of God. His reward goes along with his work. These, however, are but the first fruits; I might

almost say, in comparison, the scanty first fruits. The harvest is not yet. These are but the earnest of the future inheritance. And if the earnest be such, what shall the inheritance be? To the earthly path, and the light that falls on it from heaven, we can look. We raise our eye to heaven; we withdraw it, dazzled: it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that no ill shall be present; no good absent. God shall be there: God, the Father of his children. The sowing extends over time; the reaping over eternity. Truth, love, and purity shall be everlastingly enjoyed, and enjoyed by all, as flowing from the God of truth, love, and purity for ever.

1. Such is the reaping. But it is not without sowing. It is reaping in mercy; but it is ordered to be preceded by sowing in righteousness. The merciful Giver has commanded us to SOW. To the sower he has made the promise. They who will not sow, he has declared, shall not reap.

But you do sow. Actions are the seed we sow. If not in righteousness, then in sin. And if in sin, then shall we reap in judgment. As we sow, so shall we reap. If we reap the bitter fruit of sin, ourselves, ourselves alone, will have to bear the blame; ourselves to endure the fearful results.

O think of the reaping. Which do you desire? As would reap, so sow.

you

2. Feel the value of life. It is the seed-time of eternity. O, waste it not. Omit not its opportunities. You scatter abroad in careless, guilty forgetfulness of God. Nothing is lost. The seed is growing, and bitter shall be the fruit.

See, then, what is wisdom. First, in solemn thought, connect time and eternity; your present and your future being. See what that future may be. See how it is to be So. In no other way; but in this infallibly.

Begin, then, if you have hitherto neglected. Persevere, if you have begun. "Sow to yourselves in righteousness; and both in time and eternity, you shall "reap in mercy."

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PETER'S HUMBLE APPEAL TO CHRIST.

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?"-JOHN xxi. 15-17.

I PURPOSE to direct your attention, first, to a general exposition of the entire narrative with which the text is connected: and, second, to those practical lessons which the text itself suggests.

I. After the death of their Master, some of the apostles had evidently returned to their own homes. We find them now in Galilee, by the sea of Tiberias, employed in their ordinary labour. The time now before us is that which intervened between the resurrection of Christ and his ascension. Much mystery rests on this. Our Lord dwelt not with his disciples, and only occasionally appeared to them. We attempt not to draw aside the veil, but are content with revealed facts: the manner of the present appearance described in the paragraph now before us. Peter and some others had been fishing all night, but with no success. Early in themorning, they saw, from their boat, a person standing on the shore; and, as they were near enough to hear what was said, he spoke to them, asking if they had any provision. They answered in the negative; and he told them to cast the net on one particular side of the vessel. They did so, and found that their net had enclosed a large quantity of fish. John immediately recognised "the Lord;" and no sooner did Peterhear this, than he cast himself into the water, (being about a hundred yards from the beach,) and hasted to the shore: the others following with the vessel. They then had their usual frugal, fisherman's meal; and then the conversation took place which is here recorded.

We hear little of Peter from the time of his unhappy fall. Nothing is said of his state of feeling. To him our Lord now particularly directs himself. His former fault had been selfconfidence, and even a preference of himself to the others. Though all forsake thee," he had said, "I will not." I love thee more than my own life,-more than others do. He is

I

asked, "Lovest thou me more than these?”

Observe the changed tone of the reply. Simply, "Yea, Lord." The question is repeated: to the former reply is only added, "Thou knowest that I love thee." To him who had thrice denied his Lord, the question is proposed the third time. Peter's feelings were awakened. He was grieved. But his answer contains no comparison. To Him whose prediction

of his sincere but forward disciple's fall had shown his wonderful knowledge of the heart,-to Him, as knowing all things, Peter solemnly appeals. To show that confidence is reposed in him, to every reply, Jesus answers," Feed my lambs,"" Feed my sheep."

II. Let us examine the passage more particularly in reference to the instruction it is calculated to suggest, both as to our faith and practice.

1. It brings before us very plainly one of the fundamental truths of religion,—the proper divinity of Christ.

He, in the first place, makes himself the object of proper religious affection: "Lovest thou me?" No creature may claim this, as it is claimed by Christ. John associates the love of the Son, with the love of the Father. Paul declares, "If a man love not the Lord Jesus, he will be accursed.” The solemnity of his manner, the reference to feeding his lambs and sheep, as well as the recollection of the language of John and Paul, all forbids us to understand him as only referring to human affection and respect. If then love to Christ be truly a religious affection, he must be properly the object of it; that is, divine. Only conceive of speaking of love to Paul, Peter, John, as the New Testament speaks of love to Christ. You find that the cases are utterly different. They were not what Christ was.

And then, what a solemn ascription is here! "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." Connect this with a well-known passage in Jewish Scripture,-“ I, the Lord, search the heart." Nor is it alone. In the Revelation, Christ says to John, "That all the churches may know that I am he which searcheth the heart." Peter, in fact, attributes to Christ that omniscience which the Scriptures claim exclusively for God.

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