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went not with him when he left Jerusalem on account of the rebellion of his son Absalom, for thereby he should have had a satisfactory evidence of his loyalty, though on account of his infirmity he could have done him but little service. And it came to pass when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth! No blame however lay upon John in this respect. He did more than the rest of his brethren: he would countenance Christ in his sufferings; and though he could not drink of his bitter cup, yet he would sympathise with him, and be ready at hand to embrace any opportunity that might offer, to testify his affectionate regard.

4. That he might receive of him his last instruc, tions, or at least, learn of him how to die. When persons are departing out of this world, their actions are generally regarded, and their sayings recorded. Thus it is noticed of Joseph when he was dying, that he comforted his brethren and spake kindly to them.. And no doubt but the beloved John expected to see and hear something from Christ that would comfort him, and be worthy to be remembered by him. As there had been such an endearing friendship between them, he might think that the dying Saviour would have something to say to him in particular, and in this he was not disappointed. He had an important charge to commit to him, and a claim to make upon his friendship. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that time that disciple took her unto his own home. ver. 26, 27.

From the whole we may observe, that John's standing by the cross may teach us to do the same. In the gospel, and at the table of the Lord, Christ is evidently set forth, crucified amongst us. Here we

may stand and behold him in his dying agonies; may see as it were his pierced hands and feet, and bleeding side, and hear his expiring groans. With what reverence and affection should we attend on these solemnities, where such important realities are exhibited! And as all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned, so ought we; reflecting on what Christ has done for us, and what we have done against him. Probably their impressions were soon lost but with us may they be abiding! The sight of a suffering Saviour is a necessary sight; and with respect to God and ourselves it is an astonishing one. Innocence laden with guilt, and perfection clothed with shame! Which things, says the apostle, the angels desire to look into; and no wonder, for great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh! Oh may this glorious sight always be a useful one to us; to humble and confound us, to quicken our obedience, inflame our love, and excite our praise!

Behold, the sacrifice,

Upon the altar laid;
Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God,

A trespass-offering made!

An offering made for us,.
For us he bleeds and dies;

Oh hearken to his dying groans,
And see his agonies!

The innocent expires,
To set the guilty free;
Unmeasurable, boundless grace,
And love of high degree!

The Aged Sinner.

SERMON XII.

ISAI. LXV. 20.

But the sinner, though a hundred years old, shall be accursed.

IN this one verse we have both law and gospel, life

and death, comfort to the righteous and terror to the wicked. The former part of it is the language of promise: There shall not be an old man that hath not filled his days, for the child shall die a hundred years old. That is, they should neither shorten their days by their sins, nor would God shorten them by his judgments; but their days should be prolonged even beyond those of the antediluvian patriarchs. With a fulness of years there should also be a fulness of knowledge and grace; so that they shall not die till they are fit and willing to die. This is agreeable to that promise: With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psal. xci. 16.

God also appears in the awful character of a Judge, pronouncing the doom of the wicked: But the sinner, though a hundred years old, shall be accursed. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God; but there are some who are incorrigible, who are not to be reclaimed by mercy, nor restrained by judgments. Their whole life is one continued course of

iniquity, and even to hoary hairs will they carry it on, till they descend into the grave and are seen no more. Against characters of this description the words of our text are particularly directed, and which we shall endeavour to illustrate by the following observations.

I. It is not usual for a man to live to the age of a hundred years.

Some indeed have lived so long, but their number has been very small, and he who flatters himself that he shall do so is both vain and foolish. We read of some before the flood who lived to nearly a thousand years, but of none who completed that term, which yet in the sight of God is but as one day. Methuselah, who lived the longest of any of them, died at the age of nine hundred and sixty nine. In this infant state of the world the wisdom of God conspicuously appears in thus prolonging the days of man, as it tended not only more speedily to replenish the earth, but also to preserve the knowledge of the true religion, which, previous to the use of letters, could only be handed down by tradition. As men's wickedness increased, however, their days decreased; for when the Lord saw the aboundings of sin he said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. This was the age of Moses, the lawgiver of Israel, when he died. There was a farther reduction afterwards, when Israel sinned and perished in the wilderness. Then it was said, The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Though a strong constitution and the proper government of the appetites and passions may tend to lengthen out our days, yet this is but

David; and can

Can thy servant

Can I hear any

little better than the lengthening out of our misery, while with the increase of pain and infirmity there is a decrease of the enjoyments of life. I am this day fourscore years old, says Barzillai to I discern between good and evil? taste what I eat, or what I drink? more the voice of singing-men, and singing-women? Wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king? Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own sity, and be buried by the grave of my father and my mother. If he was weak in body, yet he was not so in his intellects; and if a feeble man, yet he spake as a wise man. We are apt to flatter ourselves with the hope of living many years; and if any one in our neighbourhood, especially in our family, has passed beyond the common term of human life, we imagine that we shall do the same: whereas we are not sure of living another day, or another hour. We may die before this sabbath is over, nay, before this sermon is ended. The man who goes to bed this evening without committing his soul to God, may be found a corpse, and consequently out of the reach of prayer in the morning. While one dies in the bitterness of his soul, worn out with sickness and disease, another dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet: his breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow. And this may be our case: we cannot tell. Our days are determined, not by ourselves, but of God, and the number of our months is only with him. Gen. vi. 3. Psal. xc. 10. 2 Sam. xix. 34. Job xxi. 23.

II. As it is not usual for any man to live to the age of a hundred years, so it is less likely that the sinner should live so long.

The way of a sinner is such as naturally tends to shorten his days, and provoke God to destroy him.

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