after the order of Melchisedec-a priesthood out of the common order of succession. He left no successor. He put an end to the old priestly office, so that to attempt anything of that kind now, is blasphemous to the very extreme degree.

But to return to the consolation which is given to the sinner, we would say, Is there a sinner in the church hesitating about coming to Christ? Why should you hesitate? Sinner, it is the blood of Christ, which has made a throne of God's perfections, a throne of grace for thee-it is the atonement of Christ, which has brought about this wonderful transformation; so that the throne of the universe is a throne of grace for thee. It is this wonderful work that causes thee to be invited, instead of being repulsed from the Divine presence. There is a High Priest there not to repel thee, but to invite thee, to tell thee that he is pleading for thee, that if you are willing to come to the Father through him, he will take the case in hand and present it before the throne, and you shall receive instantaneous pardon and a blessed assurance. O sinner, sinner, come to the throne of grace, for Jesus is there ready to undertake thy case. He is undertaking it now.

I shall never forget a well known occurrence that happened in Ireland some years ago. A child of Roman Catholic parents, who was being educated at one of the Protestant Scriptural Schools, was encountered by a priest of the Romish faith, and he did all he could to move the child, but in vain. When he attempted to argue with the child, he was discomfitted in a moment, the child well acquainted with the Scriptures was more than a match for the priest. At length the priest thus encountered the child in the presence of the parents-who were Roman Catholics still, and he said-"I believe by your appearance that you will not live long; I think there are seeds of consumption within, and that you will, therefore, soon come to a sick and dying bed, and you will be very glad to send for me then; but, take care, it will be too late! For if you give me much more trouble as I fear you may-I beg to tell you, that I will make an example to the parish in your case; and when you come to a sick and dying bed, I will not come near you, even though you may cry out with tears and groans, bring me the priest. The priest will not come to you, and what will you do then?" "I will tell you what I will do," said the child, "I have a High Priest that can be touched with the feelings of my infirmities; he is my priest now, he will be my priest then; I do not want you; he will take care of me, and save and bless my immortal and never-dying soul." O beloved hearers, O fellow sinners, take encouragement from these things. You, who have never come to this throne of grace, come now. There is no reason why you should stay away, but there is a reason, and a great one, why you should come. You are helpless sinners, and Jesus never refuses any. The road is open-the way is clear. The Father never refuses any who come to him through his Son. O sinner, behold the throne! Look at it with the eye of faith. Take the word of God with you and come to the throne; go to your knees, or rather prostrate your soul before God, and say-"Father, for Christ's blood, save my soul," and your prayer will reach the throne in an instant, and Christ will present your prayer to the Father, and there will be an answer of peace. The Lord grant it. Amen.

III. But in the third place, let us endeavour to investigate for what purpose we are to come to the throne. My text says, "To obtain mercy and to find grace in time of need." If we come to the throne to obtain mercy in God's way, we are sure to obtain it. We do not come to put up a petition in order that mercy may come upon certain terms of our own, but to obtain it. It is not like the confessional of a priest. You do not come to the throne of grace to hear what you are to do, and suffer, and give. You do not come to the throne of grace as the dupes of Romanism go to the confessional of the priest, or as the dupes of Tractarianism go to their tractarian priest. You do not come to this throne of grace, as these dupes go to their fellow mortals, but unto One from whom you can obtain mercy, that is, pardon for all your sin—mercy, that is, free pardon for all your sin―mercy, that is, a free pardon for all your sins for ever-mercy, that is, an everlasting pardon-" Your sins and your iniquities he will remember no more." O, how important it is to listen to the invitation, to obtain mercy, to have your conscience quieted, to have your sins remitted, to have your persons justified in the sight of God,

"that the peace of God which passeth all understanding may keep your heart and mind."

And then the High Priest. There is in the text something for the unpardoned sinner, but there is something also for the poor and afflicted child of God. "To obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." O children of God, there is a great deal in this text for you. It is however a blessed thing when a sermon is preached to poor sinners. Indeed, I do not know what is the meaning of preaching a sermon, if poor sinners be left out; I cannot understand the meaning of preaching only to saints. Our Lord never did this. He preached to saints, but he preached to sinners as well as to saints; and if he had a special message, it was to the sinner-and therefore the sermon that does not come home to sinners, that does not invite sinners, that does not show the cross of Christ to sinners, that does not encourage sinners to come to Christ, is anything but a New Testament sermon, is auything but a gospel sermon-a sermon formed after the model of Christ's preaching and Christ's conduct. I hear there are some men who do not preach to sinners, but to saints only; well, I will preach to sinners as long as I live; I will preach to sinners till the day of my death, and to sinners my dying breath_shall be—“ Behold_the_Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."

But, then, the message of the gospel is also to poor and afflicted ones. Yes, you, who are saved by grace, you still need a Saviour-even if you are justified, for you are still upon the voyage of life, you are still fighting in the armies of God, you are still a pilgrim and a stranger, and in an enemy's country, and you therefore need constant supplies of grace to overcome the world, to enable you to resist the devil, and grace to enable you to resist the allurements of your old Adamic nature. Dear fellow-travellers to Zion, I would encourage you by this passage, I would tell you that the throne of grace is still open for you. You have been preserved, but somehow or other you feel that you have been worsted in many a battle, and though your face is still Zionward, you feel that you have not travelled as you ought to have travelled, not profited as you ought to have profited by the various privileges that surround you, and here you are-you say, I know I am saved, I know I am looking to Jesus, but, O! I want more grace. Indeed you do, and the more you advance in the paths of true religion, the more you will feel the want of it. O, visit that throne !-you can visit it every moment-in private prayer, in the public assembly, and even as you pass along the streets and engaged in business-fervent in spirit, though engaged in business, you can serve the Lord. You are only safe, only honouring Christ, only useful in your day and generation, in proportion as you keep visiting this throne. Do not think that you tease Christ by going frequently to him. The Romish priests say, O! it would be absurd for you to be continually troubling Christ -come to us, and we will present everything. We would tell the priests, that when the Master opens the front door, we never go in at the back; when the Master tells us to knock loudly at the front door, we never skulk in the back way; we will come into the great hall, the presence chamber of the King of kings, where he sits on his glorious throne of grace.

IV. But in the next place we consider-How we are to come. The text says we are to come " boldly." First, there is an allusion to the Jewish ritual. Even the high priest went into the holy of holies with great trepidation. He only stopped in there a very short time, and the people were in great anxiety, until they found that the ceremonial was rightly and properly done. The entire Mosaic economy was but a type of Christ and a shadow of the Christian economy; and now all this doubt, and all this_trepidation are removed, and everything is open and clear. Under the Jewish economy men came with an offering of blood-they obeyed the Divine law, though they could not precisely understand it. But under the New Testament economy we understand it; the incarnation of the Son of God, the atonement of the Son of God upon Calvary's cross explains it all; everything now is made plain and clear; we can understand now, how God can be just, and the justifier of every one that believeth in Jesus. Popish and tractarian priests hold up the Jewish model, but we say, we have passed_beyond that model, we will not go back to the beggerly elements of the Jews-we are Christians, we are free men, we have passed out of the childhood of Judaism,

and entered into the manhood of the Gospel economy-we have escaped out of bondage, into the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. As we have the road clear to the throne, we will never consent to avail ourselves of the intercessions of tractarian priests nor of popish priests, but we will go right to the throne. The Triune God invites us there, and no arts of human invention, and no faithlessness on the part of any Christian minister will ever tempt us to leave our privileges, will ever hinder us from going straight away to the throne of grace to find help in time of need.

Again, we are to go "boldly," that is, not presumptuously, not thoughtlessly. But alas, alas, I am afraid that many people do pray to God thoughtlessly. I am afraid that many in our public assemblies who confess "we have done that which we ought not to have done, and have left undone that which we ought to have done, and there is no health in us," futter those words thoughtlessly. May God forgive you if it has happened so to-day-seek for forgiveness for yourselves. See that you come to the throne boldly-allow no man to interfere, that is the meaning of the expression, show that you are determined not to be kept back by man. See to it that you act directly upon God's invitation. You are to mind no ministers, no priests, no man whatever, no insinuation that may be made to you either by the world, the flesh, or the devil, for you go to the throne by the invitation of Christ, asking and obtaining pardon, and finding grace to help in time of need. Further, the word boldly means to come in the exercise of simple faith. There are some ministers who say you should do this, that, and the other thing before you come to the throne-that you should wait till you are a little better. That is wrong. You are to come just as you are-you are not to try to patch up any righteousness of your own. You are to come with one plea-Jesus died for me, and because he died for me and invites me, and because I feel I am a ruined, lost sinner, I come humbly, but at the same time boldy, that is, in faith, believing God's word. In the Scripture history, there is a striking illustration of this subject; it is to be found in the history of that remarkable woman, Queen Esther, who is, in a certain sense, a type of the Church; the laws of men forbad her, on pain of death, without special invitation to approach the king; but, nevertheless, as God's people were in danger, and herself among the number, at all risks, she approached the throne; and King Ahasuerus was overruled, and constrained by God to overrule the law, and he held out the sceptre, and cried to Esther, "What is thy petition? and what is thy request? and it shall be done unto thee." Here, with instant death in the face, and hardly a prospect of success, the Church makes an effort for mercy; but under the encouragement of my text, the sovereign, and the laws of gospel grace shout forth the cheering words"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out."

rest."

V. But in the last place-When are you to come? A time of sickness is a very good time for saints to visit the throne to get comfort. A time of bereavement is a very suitable time for saints to be much engaged in visiting the throne. And I would say the time of health; for in a time of sickness and bereavement there is a tendency in the minds of all unconverted people towards the throne; and at such times also unconverted people make a venture for their soul's safety. But a time of health is a time to go the throne, aye, and the time of prosperity should be a time to go to the throne. There are many saints who were firm in times of sickness, infirmity, and trial, that have backslided in times of prosperity. This is a special time to go to the throne-it is, indeed, a time of need. But, in fact, every time is a time of need-until we get to heaven we shall never know when we need most; and, therefore, as there is a full fountain of mercy, and a constant supply, our highest wisdom is to continually apply to the throne, continually getting

more grace.

But, sinner, you that never obtained mercy yet, what am I to say to you? When is your time to come to the throne? Are you going to put it off to a dying hour! Is it right or fair that you should do so, even supposing that there is no doubt of your finding pardon there? But when you come to your dying hour, how do you know that you may have your senses? There are many diseases which attack the mind as well as the body, and which frequently afflict men when near the point of death. Generally speaking, men

have not that clear use of their mind on a dying bed that some people think is always the case with people that die. O, sinner, if you are depending upon a dying hour, let me exhort you to take care of what you are doing. 0, but, say you, I am not, I am depending upon sometime when I shall be more inclined to be serious than I am now. Is that fair! So you determine to enjoy the world, before you will consent to have your soul saved, to give the best of your life and strength to the devil before you consent to serve God. What would you think of the man who came and offered his services to the Queen at sixty when he refused them at twenty-five or thirty! The Queen's government would not listen to such a proposition for a moment. The Queen's officers would say, no, you would not give us your health and strength, and we will not have your old age and infirmities.

But, again, I must endeavour to persuade you to be sensible, and to act like a wise man. You say, you will put it off till some future time, when you may feel a little more seriously inclined than now. You are supposing that you will live many years. Have you any authority for this! You have none. Alas! alas all authority is the other way. Go to the cemeteries which girt this populous city on every side, and read there on the stones the ages of the dead. O, sinner, sinner, are you not presuming upon what you have no authority to presume upon, in supposing that you have to live many years! You think that you will be serious some other time; but those who know the tendency and deceptions of the human heart, know that the longer people put off being religious the more hardened they become. I know it is a saying that men may live fools, but that none will die fools; but I have known men die fools as well as live fools. Sinner, sinner, I beseech of thee not to act in this way. If the thing be important, and it is, the salvation of thy soul, the sooner it is sought and obtained the better-more honourable to Christ and more like the conduct of a grateful man-more the conduct you ought to exhibit. God invites you to be saved-in common gratitude accept the invitation now, when you can be useful to your fellow-men. How can you be till you are saved yourself? How can you preach the gospel to your children, to your neighbours, to your friends, until you are saved yourself! O, sinner, unsaved sinner, the time for coming to the throne is the present. Oh! how can you tell whether you will see the year out! We have reached the last month but one, and are you sure you will see the year 1859 Only seven weeks, or a little more, are now to run, and the year 1858 is done for ever. Sinner, sinner, unsaved, let me persuade you to-night by the gratitude you owe to God, by the dangers by which your bodily life is surrounded, by the likelihood that you may sicken and die, by the example which the records of the dead suggest to you and present to you every moment, by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel, that never offers the Gospel to-morrow, but says, "to-day;" "Now is the accepted time." There is no to-morrow in the offer of this Gospel in this blessed book. I entreat you to receive it tonight, to-day, by the love of Jesus your gracious High Priest, by the love of the everlasting Father, by the love of the blessed Spirit who wrote the book "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” “Acquaint now thyself with God and be at peace with him." "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might." "Remember now, young man, thy Creator in the days of thy youth." And let it be now, not to-morrow, but to-day. The road to the throne is open, Jesus Christ keeps the road open. Priests, tractarians, infidels, and your own evil heart would throw difficulties in the way, but Jesus Christ says, the way is plain. There are difficulties in the road, but they come not from him, they come from yourselves. He is all invitation, all encouragement. The Father encourages, the Son encourages, and the Holy Ghost encourages. Oh! sinner, sinner, let it be done now. Let your feet now run to the throne-let your hands now be stretched towards the throne-let your eyes now be fixed upon the throne, and let your heart pant near the throne-look on with the eye of faith, as you sit in your pews, and behold the blessed Jesus on the throne with pardon, mercy, and grace. God Almighty grant a blessing to this sermon, and apply it for Christ's sake!

Recently published, a Volume of Sermons, by the Rev. H. Allen, M.A. selected from
the Penny Pulpit, bound in cloth, 7s.

SAMSON CONQUERED.

A Sermon

Delivered on SABBATH MORNING, NOVEMBER 21ST, 1858, BY THE

REV. C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE MUSIC HALL, ROYAL SURREY GARDENS.

"And she said, the Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house."-Judges xvi. 20, 21.

SAMSON is, in many respects, one of the most remarkable men whose history is recorded in the pages of inspiration. He enjoyed a singular privilege only accorded to one other person in the Old Testament. His birth was foretold to his parents by an angel. Isaac was promised to Abraham and Sarah by angels whom they entertained unawares; but save Isaac, Samson was the only one whose birth was foretold by an angelic messenger before the opening of the gospel dispensation. Before his birth he was dedicated to God, and set apart as a Nazarite. Now, a Nazarite was a person who was entirely consecrated to God, and in token of his consecration he drank no wine; and allowed his hair to grow, untouched by the razor. Samson, you may therefore understand, was entirely consecrated to God, and when any saw him, they would say, Nazarite, set apart." "That man is God's man, a God endowed Samson with supernatural strength, a strength which never could have been the result of mere thews and sinews. It was not the fashioning of Samson's body that made him strong; it was not the arm, or the fist with which he smote the Philistines; it was a miracle that dwelt within him, a continued going forth of the omnipotence of God, which made him mightier than thousands of his enemies. early to have discovered in himself this great strength, for "the Spirit of the Samson appears very Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan." thirty years, and gloriously did he deliver them. What a noble being he must He judged Israel for have been! See him, when he steps into the vineyard for a moment from his parents. A lion that has been crouching there springs upon him, but he meets him all unarmed, receives him upon his brawny arms and rends him like a kid. See him afterwards, when his countrymen have bound him and taken him down from the top of the rock, and delivered him up to the thousands of the Philistines. He has scarcely come near them, when, without a weapon, with his own foot, he begins to spurn them; and seeing there the jaw-bone of an ass, he takes that ignoble weapon, and sweeps away the men that had helmets about their heads and were girded with greaves of brass. Nor did his vigour fail him in his later life, for he died in the very prime of his days. One of his greatest exploits was performed at this very season. there till midnight; so confident is he in his strength that he is in no hurry to He is entrapped in the city of Gaza. He remains depart, and instead of assailing the guard, and making them draw the bolts, he wrenches up the two posts, and takes away the gate, bar and all, and, carries his mighty burden for miles to the top of a hill that is before Hebron. Every way it must have been a great thing to see this man, especially if one had him for a friend. Had one been his foe, the more distant the sight the better, for none could escape from him but those who fled; but to have him for a friend and to stand with him in the day of battle, was to feel that you had an army in a No. 224.