[Preached at the Celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.] MATTH. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. V. THE life of man on earth is doomed sermon to be clouded with various evils. Throughout all ranks the afflicted form a considerable portion of the human race; and even they who have a title to be called prosperous, are always, in some periods of their life, obliged to drink from the cup of bitterness. The Christian religion is particularly indebted to our regard, by accommodating itself with VOL. IV. G great 82 V. On the Relief which the SERMON great tenderness to this distressed condi tion of mankind. It is not to be considered as merely an authoritative system of precepts. Important precepts it indeed delivers for the wise and proper regulation of life. But the same voice which enjoins our duty, utters the words of consolation. The Gospel deserves to be held a dispensation of relief to mankind under both the temporal and spiritual distresses of their state. This amiable and compassionate spirit of our religion conspicuously appears in the character of its great Author. It shone in all his actions while he lived on earth. It breathed in all his discourses; and, in the words of the text, is expressed with much energy. In the preceding verse, he had given a high account of his own person and dignity. All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and be to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. But, lest any of his hearers should be discouraged by this mysterious representation of his greatness, he instantly tempers Gospel affords to the Distressed. V. 83 tempers it with the most gracious be- SERMON nignity; declaring, in the text, the merciful intention of his mission to the world. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. THE first thing which claims our attention in these words is, what we are to understand by coming unto Christ. This is a phrase which has often given occasion to controversy. By theological writers it has been involved in much needless mystery, while the meaning is in itself plain and easy. The very metaphor that is here used serves to explain it. In the ancient world, disciples flocked round their different teachers, and attended them wherever they went; in order both to testify their attachment, and to imbibe more fully the doctrine of their masters. Coming unto Christ, therefore, is the same with resorting to him as our declared Master; acknowledging ourselves his disciples, believers in his doctrine, and followers of his precepts. As Christ is made known to us under the character both of a Teacher G 2 pom mediation for pardon of our offences, WHAT next occurs in the text to tract our notice, is the description of to whom the invitation is addressed. those who labour and are heavy laden, is, who, in one way or other, feel selves grieved and distressed, are here i to come to Christ. Now, from two s chiefly our distresses arise, from mor from natural causes. First, THEY may arise from i moral causes from certain feelings refle Circumstances, however, may occur, and frequently, in the course of life, do occur, which disclose to a vicious man the ruin which he is bringing on himself, as an offender against the God who made him. When some occasional confinement to solitude, or some turn of adverse fortune, directs his attention immediately upon his own character; or when, drawing towards the close of life, his passions subside, his pleasures withdraw, and a future state comes forward to his view; in such situations it often happens, that the past follies and crimes of such a man appear to him in a light most odious and shocking; and not odious only, but terrifying to his heart. He considers that he is undoubtedly placed under the government of a just God, who did not send him into this world G 3 for |