joyed, to have one who was God as well as man to sit down with him at his table. He had made an entertainment for him, but so little did he love him, that he had forgotten to show to him the common civilities of life: "I entered into thy house: thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she hath washed them with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss ;" no not even to my face, and not even one; "but she," all the time I have been here, "hath not ceased to kiss" not my face but "my feet. Thou didst not anoint even my head with” the cheapest and commonest "oil; but she hath anointed" not my head but "my feet with" the most costly and expensive "ointment." She indeed hath "loved much and her many sins are forgiven." Thou hast thought to have little forgiven thee, and so thou hast "loved me little."

And then observe that he had not only felt little care about Christ for himself, but he was envious and jealous of the freedom of Christ with the woman and the favour he showed to her:-" this man, if he had been a prophet, would have known what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner.”

Now then, my brethren, this part of our subject, this character of Simon and Christ's decision upon it, applies itself to those who are just in the state in which he was. Are there not some I am speaking to who are not yet awake as they should be to the proper character of the Lord Jesus? Is it not true, brethren, that you have not yet felt your need of him as the only Saviour from sin? Is it not true that you have not discovered nor felt your sins as you ought to feel them? Rather have you not counted that your debt to the Lord is only the fifty not the five hundred pence? If you examine your heart, must you not acknowledge that from morning to night sin does not grieve you? that perhaps you have never shed a tear for it,-never

in all your life? You have been for some thirty or forty or sixty years going to and fro upon the earth, a sinner in the sight of Almighty God, and yet have never shed a tear for your sin. And if this is the case, then is it not likewise true, that you have little love to the Redeemer ? You cannot receive, you do not understand his proper character and work. You have not fled to him for refuge as your righteousness with the Father. And therefore, like Simon, though you wish, perhaps, to respect him, you treat him with coldness and neglect. "Thou gavest me no water for my feet; thou gavest me no kiss; my head thou didst not anoint." And then is it not true, that you are envious and angry with those who have lived a less careful and upright life than you have, but who, because they are penitent, are welcomed to Christ, and go into the kingdom of God before you?

My brethren, these are marks of a dark and dangerous state, marks that you are blind to the real design of the gospel,-marks that you are strangers to its comforts, that the Lord has not shown you his covenant, and this his secret is not with you. Believe me, you must repent of all this that the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. You must become a contrite and penitent sinner before you can come unto Christ. You must have contrition and godly sorrow for sin. You have much to be stripped of, much to undo, and unsay, and unthink. You have yet to pass through the needle's eye. In short, to be plain, you have yet to cast away your pride, and self-righteousness, and every refuge of lies. Then Christ will be lovely and great in your estimation. You will hunger and thirst for his righteousness, and you will surely be filled.

(2.) Finally, a word of application to the contrite, penitent disciple. Are there not some (the Lord grant

that there are) whose experience agrees with the points that have been noticed in the character of this penitent woman? My friends, I have no desire to point out particular sins, nor yet the length or degree to which perhaps they have been indulged. This is a matter between the soul and its God. I know a venerable minister who once fell into transgression and who has since directed in his will that this inscription should be written on his tomb, "Whatever I was in time will be known in the day of judgment." And even that is a humbling thought,—that all our transgressions will then be declared to the gathered universe of God. "There is nothing secret which shall not be revealed, and hid which shall not be known."*

But, brethren, this I would ask of you, Can you understand the experience which has been at this time described to you? Have you come to the determination that you must and will go to the Saviour? that you have no other refuge to flee to? and that neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor any other creature shall keep you from him? that every idol shall be sacrificed and every sin given up for his name's sake? Have you felt and experienced that deep humility we spoke of? that weeping and mourning for sin? that heartfelt abhorrence and hatred of former transgressions? O are you grieving in secret because of your many sins? Is your spirit bruised and broken, and your heart wounded within you? And while you see the vileness and baseness of sin in the wounded body of Jesus Christ, do you at the same time discover his gracious character; that he is your friend, and your refuge, and able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him? Are you willing to go to him, and, if you could do, to wash his feet with your tears and wipe them with the hairs of your head? Then

⚫ Luke xii. 2.

case,

hear the decision which the Lord pronounced in this "Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she hath loved me much:" and turning to the woman he said, "Thy sins are forgiven thee: thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.' And be certain of this, brethren, that the mind of Christ is just the same unto you. If you thus come to him, then your sins are forgiven. Though they have also been many, still they are all forgiven. They are no more to be mentioned against you by God or by man nor once to be brought into mind. They are clean put away from you, blotted out as a cloud, removed from the east to the west, drowned in the depths of the sea. And, we beseech you, see and understand this. Do not let your conscience have a needless burden upon it, nor let it be frightened or scared with sins that are all forgiven you. "Wash away your transgressions, and rejoice in the name of the Lord. Though they have been as crimson they shall be made as wool, and though they have been as scarlet, they shall be white

as snow.

SERMON XVIII.

DIST. II. TEMPORAL. SEC. I.

TIMOTHEUS.

Fight the good fight of faith.-Lay hold on eternal life. 1 Tim. vi. part of ver. 12.

THE second distinction of difference which it has been proposed to consider, regarding the work of conversion, as that work is differently experienced in the separate histories of Christ's people, is a temporal distinction. It is the distinction of time, either as to the length of that work's duration, inasmuch as, with some of the spiritual seed, their turning to God is a gradual, progressive attainment, whereas it is frequently with others very suddenly and speedily effected;-or else the distinction of time, with regard to the date of its commencement, inasmuch as with some the incorruptible seed is sown in the heart at the period of early life, who are afterwards trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by educational and natural means, whereas with others there has been perhaps a considerable portion of existence expended in sinful indulgence, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, living without God in the world, and never thinking seriously of death, judgment, or eternity, but now they are arrested in their course, they are