one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price.

But do you say I have forfeited every claim by many sins-Consider farther then,

2. THE CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH IT FLOWS. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. There is a mediator for sinners. The treasury of grace is in Christ. All its fulness dwells in him, and is to be received from him. The gracious declaration of our text was originally made to the Head of his Church. Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee, and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people. (Isa. xlix. 8.)

The gift of Christ was the chief expression of the Father's love to man. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John iv. 9, 10.) And by that gift he encourages us most surely to expect every other. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Rom. viii. 32.)

And not only by the gift of Christ has he assured us of his love, our text leads us to remark that he has also made Christ himself an example and the model of his grace to man. The promise, I have heard thee, was originally made to the Messiah. Whatever was done for the help of our Divine Head, shall, in a subordinate sense, be done for his people, to carry them through all impediments, till he bring forth judgment to victory. The promises made to him, in the first instance, belong, as far as they are needful for salvation, to all his disciples. The help which he received is a picture of the help which those who believe in him shall receive through him. Moreover, he is also the Dispenser of all God's grace to sinners. Absent from us, as to his personal presence, yet, though ascended up on high, he has received gifts, yea, even for the rebellious: and as a Prince and Saviour, he sheds forth those gifts, according to the necessities of his Church and people. The God of all grace hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, (1 Pet. v. 10.) and every blessing in the way thither is received through him.

Oh, with what confidence and assurance of success may you come to the throne of grace! One sits there, who loved his enemies; one sits there who lived and died for sinners, and makes intercession for the transgressors, and is the same

yesterday, to-day, and for ever. If you ask why sinners receive blessings, and why God bears with the perverseness of his people, and still showers down his loving kindnesses on them day by day? I reply, because he delights to gratify the sinner's Saviour-his own, his only, his beloved Son, in whom he is always well-pleased. It is not for your sake, but because you are purchased by the blood of Jesus, and belong to him; therefore, does the Father heap mercies on the unworthy.

Here then, you see what a provision of grace there is in the gospel-How full and how complete! O that it may not be set before you in vain!-but that each heart may offer up the prayer, Remember me, O Lord, with this favour; Visit me, even me, with thy salvation, O Lord. To animate and rouse you to fervor in the use of such petitions, consider,

II. THE SEASON OF GRACE.

He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation!

In reference to this season of grace, observe, 1. The deplorable want of it; 2. The invaluable possession; and, 3. The attention which it demands.

1. THE DEPLORABLE WANT OF IT.

There are those who have lost the divine grace, and all hope of recovering it.

The fallen angels once basked in the sunshine of divine love and favour. Their first state was beautiful and glorious. By pride they fell. They kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation. (Jude 6.) No grace was manifested as far as is revealed to us, planning their recovery; no season for their restoration. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Heb. ii. 16.) They were to be the monuments for ever of the extent of the divine power, the dreadfulness of his wrath, and severity of his justice. O the strictness of that justice, which left those wicked spirits in all the misery of their fall; no way of escape devised for them! no appointed season of grace!

The lost souls in hell, once had a day of grace. On earth, like us they were probationers for heaven. They had life, and health, and strength. They had power of mind, and affections of heart, and the conscience of right and wrong. They knew that they were mortal, yet destined for immortality. The volume of nature was opened to all, and to many the volume of grace. But loving darkness rather than light, the precious seasons of grace were frittered away and finally lost for ever.

O methinks, could we to these lost souls proclaim another day of grace, another season of opportunity and escape, one more space of trial: from every imprisoned spirit in hell, would break forth the earnest supplications, Oh, try us, yet this once, once again, try us: we will no more slight the offered mercy, no more neglect the great salvation; no more make an earthly world our home, no more be drunk with the riches and pleasures, the cares and business of a transitory state. Oh! we shall think all the yoke of Christ easy, his burden light indeed! Try us again, Oh try us yet this once.'

But every rising expectation there, is crushed with-Remember, thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things. Thou hast deliberately preferred the world and its good things to God and his favour, and now it is too late. Thy harvest is past, thy summer is ended,―never, never to return.

Even in this world, I must not conceal the awful truth, men may forfeit the advantage of a day of grace. Just as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Heb. xii. 16, 17.) The sinner may harden his own heart, till God leaves him to his own hardness, withdrawing from him his