selves in culpable ignorance. "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do!" was the exclamation of the awakened Paul; and the same disposition is characteristic of every sincere follower of Jesus. It is not his art to know as little as possible of the will of Christ, that he may have the less difficulty to perform it. He desires that his knowledge may be perfect, that his obedience may approach as nearly as possible to perfection. And he knows that he must be active to acquire this knowledge; for to suppose that it is imparted to the mind, without any effort on his part to acquire it, would be absurd and dishonorable to the grace of God. If this precious knowledge is imparted in a direct and sovereign way, it is difficult to say why a revelation has been given for us to consult. Men do not become eminent in any art or science, or in any profession or sta tion, without study, and the use of proper means Can we suppose, then, that inquiry is needless to be made into the requisites of the christian character, as drawn by the great Teacher, in the gospel? The word of Christ is profitable for instruction in righteousness, "that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work." With what diligence, then, should that blessed word be consulted. It should be the subject of our meditation, day and night. It is by this that our heavenly leader guides his people, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." This, this is now the pillar of cloud and of fire, by which he guides us to the land of everlasting rest. I proceed to add farther

3.

"Following the Lamb," implies not only an acknowledgement of his authority, and diligence to learn his will, but a cheerful obedience to it. And in this is implied,

1. A profession of his name. The disciples of Christ are not ashamed to assume the proper badge of their relation to him, whatever it be that he appoints for that purpose. Some, of a diffident temper, may have scruples on the subject, about their sincerity, and their right to the privilege, which may detain them, for a season, from a public profession. But none, who can be justly styled followers of the Lamb, will refrain from the fullest profession, either through shame, or a reluctance to incur its duties and self-denial. And far from contentment with the omission of any ordinances which Christ has appointed, especially the affectionate memorial of his dying love, they devoutly labor to remove their scruples, and to improve their graces, that they may, in the most public manner, avow their high respect and warm attachment to their heavenly leader.

2. It need scarcely be said, that the follower of the Lamb is a strict observer of his will, in all its moral branches. Christ himself was holy, and so must his disciples be. The warmest professions of faith and attachment to him, he will disregard or rebuke, which are not accompanied by those moral duties, implied in sobriety, righteousness, and charity, which are of everlasting obligation. These duties in the gospel are exacted and enforced with arguments entirely new, and of infinite weight.

"Without holiness no man can see

the Lord." And however constantly men may have pretended an allegiance to Christ, if they have done iniquity, they will be rejected in the final day.

Such, my friends, is the character, drawn in concise terms in the text. The follower of the Lamb firmly believes his authority, sincerely seeks to know his will, and resolutely yields obedience to him, in his positive and moral commands.

There is one striking clause on which I have not yet remarked-follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. This last clause is important. There are many, who, like Naaman, wish to be pardoned in a few things, which they design to do or omit, and who hope, on such terms, to be acknowledged disciples of Christ. But our blessed leader admits not of the idea of a partial and compromising obedience. "We must follow him whithersoever he goeth." By this clause, then, we learn that the true christian shrinks not from the commands of his Master, into whatever present dangers, difficulties, and sacrifices they lead him. It is not his calculation to assume the obligation of the religion of Jesus, just so far as may consist with his ease, convenience, or secular advantage. It is a warfare he has entered, and he is resolved to endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ. He adopts the animating language of Paul-" None of these things move me, neither count I life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy." Thus, if we would follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, we must render to him an obedience, affectionate, uniform, and universal.

my

But it is time to show

II. Under the second branch of this discourse, the necessary connexion between heavenly blessedness, and the character we have been considering. These, that is, those who sung the new song before the throne, peculiar to the blessed, "these are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." It is certainly most reasonable to expect that those only, who under the dispensation of the gospel, have a governing respect to its author, should inherit its everlasting blessings. Those, who refuse to own or at least to submit to his authority, have not the temper or habits which qualify them to be happy in heaven. Neither could it be equitable in the righteous judge, "who loveth righteousness, and whose countenance beholdeth the upright," to confer his blessings indiscriminately on the evil and the good, on his friends and foes, in that world which is to rectify the disorders and inequalities of the present. Nor would it comport with the most solemn declarations which he has left recorded in his word. "Those who confess him before men, will he confess before his Father and the holy angels; and those who deny him here, will he deny in the great day of his appearing." Men are ever seeking some easy means of attaining heaven. It is surprising how eagerly they adopt any plan, in the humblest degree plausible, which promises to abate something of the terms of salvation. Because Jesus is styled the Lamb, some are ready to conclude, such is his gentleness, that he will be their friend, even if they refuse in some im

portant respects to follow him. Others have such views of his sacrifice, as procuring their salvation, as to fancy any qualifications on their part unnecessary for admission to heaven, and the enjoyment of its blessedness. But such lauding of the grace of Christ is high dishonour to his authority. It is true, Christ hath the meekness of the Lamb, and is mild and compassionate; but being Head over all things to the church, he will never sink the character of its constituted Ruler and Judge in an indiscriminate compassion. Never may we carry the thoughts of his tenderness to such an extent as to encourage the neglect of his will and disregard of his authority. We receive his grace in vain if we make it an encouragement to sin, or to hope for heaven in the neglect of his authority and will. Without holiness there can be no enjoyment of heaven, and without following Christ, no effectual motive to holiness. Thus the connexion between heavenly blessedness and following Christ is evident and necessary. It is founded not only on the will of him who bestows it, but in the nature of the thing itself.

With a few reflections we will close the subject.

1. In view of what has been said, we should be induced to compare our own character with that so concisely, but clearly drawn in the text. Great blessedness is attached to this character; we are deeply concerned then to ascertain whether it be our own. we resemble it, and how far? Are we anxious to follow the Lamb? Have we cheerfully and practically acknowledged his authority? Have we submitted to his

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