with sin. The thorns and thistles tell of a cursed earth. Above all, when you look at the floods of ungodly men," We are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." The world does not know a Christian, and does not love him. Though you love them, and would lay down your body that they might pass over to glory, yet they will not hear. Above all, the sin in our own heart makes us bend down under our burden, and feel this to be a valley of weeping. Ah, wretched man! if we had no body of sin, what a sweet glory would appear in everything; we would sing like the birds in spring.

2. Coming out of it.-Unconverted souls are going down into the wilderness to perish there. All Christians are coming up out of it. Sabbath-days are like milestones-marking our way; or rather they are like the wells we used to come to at evening. Every real Christian is making progress. If the sheep are on the shoulder of the shepherd, it is always getting nearer the fold. With some the shepherd takes long steps. Dear Christians, you should be advancing, getting higher, nearer to Canaan, riper for glory. In the south of Russia, the country is of vast plains, rising by steps. Dear friends, you should get on to a higher place, up another step every Sabbath-day. In travelling, you never think of making a house in the wilderness. So, dear friends, do not take up your rest here, we are journeying. Let all your endeavors be to get on in your journey.

3. Leaning upon her Beloved.-It is very observable that there is none here but the bride and her beloved, in a vast wilderness. She is not leaning upon him with one arm, and upon somebody else with the other; but she is leaning upon him alone. So it is with the soul taught of God; it feels alone with Christ in this world; it leans as entirely upon Christ as if there were no other being in the universe. She leans all her weight upon her husband. When a person has been saved from drowning, they lean all their weight upon their deliverer. When the lost sheep was found, he took it upon his shoulder. You must be content then to lean all your weight upon Christ. Cast the burden of temporal things upon him. Cast the care of your soul upon him. If God be for us, who can be against us? They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. The eagle soars so directly upward that poets have fancied it was aiming at the sun. So does the soul that waits on Christ.

II. Christ's Word to the leaning soul.

1. "I raised thee up," &c.-He reminds the believer of his natural state. Every soul now in Christ was once like an exposed infant (Ezek. xvi.), cast out into the open field. "Behold I was shapen in iniquity." Do not forget what you were. If ever you come to forget what you were, then you may be sure you are not right with God. Observe when the contrition comes. When

you are leaning on Christ, then he tells you of your sin and misery. Ezek. xxxvi., 31.

2. He reminds you of his love, "I raised thee up." He himself is the apple-tree, open on all sides round, affording shadow and fruit. I raised thee. Christ not only shelters, but draws into the shelter. To him be glory." Are there not some who feel like an infant-cast out? Turn your eye to Christ, he only can raise up your soul under the apple-tree.

66

III. The leaning soul cries for continued grace.

Set me as a seal. It is a sure mark of grace to desire more. The High Priest had a beautiful breast-plate over his breast, adorned with jewels-make me one of these. He had also a jewel on each shoulder-make me one of these. These were bound with chains of gold; but the believer with chains of love. This is a true mark of grace. If you be contented to remain where you are, without any more nearness to God, or any more holiness, this is a clear mark you have got none. Hide me deeper, bind me closer, and carry me more completely.

1. The love of Christ is strong as death.-Death is awfully strong. When he comes upon a stout young man, he brings him down. So is the love of Christ.

2. Cruel, or stubborn, as the grave.-The grave will not give up its dead, nor will Christ give up his own. O pray that this love may embrace you. Vehement as hell-unquenchable fire. You have your choice, dear friends, of two eternal fires-" Who shall separate us from the love of Christ," &c. Rom. viii. Floods cannot drown it-afflictions cannot.

3. It cannot be bought." If a man would give all the substance," &c. You must accept it free or not at all. Dundee, 1840.

SERMON IX.

'After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God, for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They

shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more: neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."-Rev. vii., 9 to the end.

It is one thing to read these words with a poet's eye, and another thing to read them with the eye of a Christian. O pray, dear friends, that the Spirit may tear away the veil from our hearts, and show us the grand realities that are here. It is sweet and profitable.

1. For the awakening of the ungodly, that you may see what are the exercises of the heavenly world, and how unfit you would be for them. I suppose many of you feel that you have not washed your robes, and that you could not sing their song. Then you must be on the road to hell.

2. For the instruction of believers.-It shows you what are the chief employments of that happy world, where we shall so soon be; it gives you the key-note of the heavenly song; it teaches you to spend much of your time in the same exercises in which you shall spend eternity.

3. For comfort to afflicted believers.-It shows you how short your trials will be. These light afflictions are but for a moment; you need not murmur nor grieve; a little while and we shall be with Christ, and God shall wipe away all your tears. For this end it was given to John.

I. What John saw and heard.

1. A great multitude of all nations.-When John was on earth he saw but few believers; "we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." The Church was like a lily in a field of thorns, lambs in the midst of wolves; but now quite different; thorns are plucked away; the lilies innumerable. "Out of all nations."-Perhaps he could discern his fellow-apostles, his own brother James, and holy Paul, and angel-faced Stephen, the dark Egyptian, the swarthy Ethiopian, the wool-headed negro, the far distant Chinese, the Burman, the Hindoo, the blue-eyed German, the dark-eyed Italian, and multitudes perhaps from a distant island of the sea. Every country had its representatives there, some saved out of every land. All were like Christ, and yet all retained their different peculiarities. Learn that Christ will have a glorious crown. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. Often, when I look at a large town like Dundee, and see so few converted to Christ, my heart sickens with me; I often feel as if we were laboring for naught and in vain. Although there has been so much blessing, yet such masses of ungodly families! But O cheer up, Christ shall have his full crown. Though there should not be another saved out of this place, Christ will have his full reward. We shall be quite satisfied when we see the whole. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy. Learn the power

of his blood. It blots out the sins of all that multitude, sins of every name and dye. Why not yours? Oh! when such a glorious company are saved, why should you be lost? When so many are going out of this place, why should you keep back?

2. Their position. They stood before the throne, yea, nearer than the angels, for they stood round about. The redeemed stood next the throne, the angels round them. This marks their complete righteousness. But the ungodly cannot stand in the judgment. If God were only to bring an ungodly man into his presence, he would die. You greatly mistake if you think God needs to put out great strength to destroy you. As a cloud is dried up by being in the light of the sun, so you would perish at the presence of God as a moth in a candle. But this great company stand next the throne, God's eye full upon them. In Christ they stand, not in themselves. Nearer than angels; the angels have only creature-righteousness, these have on Creator-righteousness. The righteousness of Christ is a million times more lovely than that of the highest angel, therefore they stand nearer. The righteousness of God is upon them all, who shall condemn? If you are ever to be near God, you may come freely to him now. Why keep so far away?

3. Their dress; white robes and palms.-They have all the same dress, there is no difference. It is the garment of Christ. One was a far greater believer than another, made far greater advances in holiness, yet the same dress. Whiter than the angels, v. 13. The angels also are represented as dressed in white; yet it would appear that their robes were far outshone by the bright shining raiment of the redeemed. The angels have on creature righteousness, the redeemed the righteousness of God. This is what is now offered to you, sinners. Awakened persons are sometimes led to cry, "O that I had never sinned;" but here is something better than if you had never sinned. Palms are signs of victory. The Jews used to take branches of palms at the feast of tabernacles, or ingathering, which was a type of heaven. The angels have no palms; for they have fought no fight, they have gained no victory. Every one that has a white robe has a palm. Every one that is in Christ shall overcome. Be not afraid of your

enemies.

4. Their song.-The substance of it-Salvation.-They give God all the glory. On earth, there are many that cannot believe in an electing God, that God chose them for no good in them; but in heaven they all feel it, and give him all the praise. On earth, many speak of making themselves willing; but in heaven they sing "Salvation to God." On earth, many go about to establish their own righteousness; in heaven, "glory to the Lamb." On earth, many take Christ as part of their righteousness, and their duties as part; in heaven all give glory to the Lamb. What say you to this song? Does it find an echo in your heart? Remember you

must begin it now, if you are to sing it afterwards. The effect of itit stirs up the hearts of the angels, verses 11, 12.-Often on earth, when one believer begins to praise God for what he has done for his soul, it stirs up the hearts of others. So in heaven, when the angels hear the voice of redeemed sinners, brands plucked out of the fire, standing in near the throne, they will obtain a ravishing view of the glory of God, his mercy and grace; they will fall down and worship God. They will not envy the redeemed their place; but on the contrary, be filled with intense praise by hearing of what God has done for their souls. How do you feel when you hear of others being saved and brought nearer to God than you? Do you envy and hate them, or do you fall down and praise God for it?

II. Their past history, verses 13, 14.

Two particulars are given. Each had a different history; still in these two they were alike.

1. They had washed their robes.-This leads us back to their conversion. Once every one of that company had filthy garments. They were like Joshua, their garments were spotted by the flesh. It was like a garment with the leprosy in it. Some stained with blood, spots of blood upon their garments; some with adultery; some with disobedience to parents; some with pride, falsehood, evil speaking; all, all were stained. Every one was convinced that he could not make himself clean; he could not wash his garments nor throw them off, he was brought to see himself lost and helpless. Jesus was revealed to him, and his precious blood shed for sinners, even the chief, saying to the heavy laden, "Come to me." Of all that company there is not one stands there in any other way. All are washed in blood. It is their only way of standing. Have you been washed in blood? You will find not one in heaven who went there in any other way. You think to go to heaven by your own decency, innocency, attention to duties. Well, you would be the only such one there; all are washed in blood. Come and let us reason together.

2. They came out of great tribulation.-Every one that gets to the throne must put their foot upon the thorn. The way to the crown is by the cross. We must taste the gall if we are to taste the glory. When justified by faith, God led them into tribulations also. When God brought Israel through the Red Sea, he led them into the wilderness; so when God saves a soul he tries it. He never gives faith without trying it. The way to Zion is through the valley of Baca. You must go through the wilderness of Jordan if you are to come to the Land of Promise. Some believers are much surprised when they are called to suffer. They thought they would do some great thing for God; but all that God permits them to do is to suffer. Go round every one in glory, every one has a different story, yet every one has a tale of suffering. One