live, breathe, speak, move, and act only for him-our time, money, all are given to him. The sanctifying agency of God the Spirit within us, is that which our eye is daily fixed upon -the extension of God's kingdom without us, is a constant and delightful subject of our thoughts and prayers-the expectation of the day when we shall be with God is kept in view. In short, by this spiritual resurrection, a new turn is given to our characters, our lives and tempers, our hopes and fears, our favorite company and subjects of conversation, our employment and recreations, the regulation of our families and education of our children; all she w that the new life into which we are quickened, is truly a resurrection by divine power: because it is a life of activity for God.

He hath quickened us together with Christ, and raised us up together. It is through the death and resurrection of the blessed Son of God in our nature, that there is now a free scope for the exercise of the Father's mercy; so that when we are dead in sins, he can consistently with his attributes of justice and truth, raise us from our sinful state: for Christ having died for our sins, and risen again for our justification, and thus having completed the whole work, he obtained the fulness of the Spirit, who should work the mighty change in the hearts of sinners. And that holy Agent always likens our conversion to the death and resurrection of Christ, from which it originates. Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory

of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life: for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more domin ion over him.*

These expressions lead our minds to reflect on another benefit we receive in Christ, refer red to also in the text, which it were well for us if we retained more steadily in view; that is, the glorious resurrection of the body at the last day, as well as the spiritual resurrection of the soul: for if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in gout It is he that shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. I am the resurrection, and the life, says the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?§ It is a fearful question which nature asks: What shall become of me when I go hence? and what shall become of this bodily frame in the final wreck of elements? Christ silences all fears: This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing; but should

Rom. vi, 4, 5. 8,9. † Rom. viii, 11. + Phil. iii, 21. § John xi, 25, 26.

raise it up again at the last day:* manifestly referring to the body.

Let us prolong our views, and consider that besides this spiritual and literal resurrection accomplished in the saints through Christ, there is a mystical and literal ascension with him into heaven. He hath made us sit together with Christ in heavenly places.

The soul of a believer is already in heaven by faith and contemplation. Heavenly-mindedness is a rare and precious grace, the privilege of all saints; but found in its purity with few. It is to disregard the world, and the things of it-to be comparatively unconcerned about our lot in it, whether prosperous or adverse to look on heaven as our home-to have a taste for its joys, and sometimes a prelibation, or foretaste of them: in fine, to fulfil such scriptural directions as these, Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Our conversation is in heaven; from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Happy is the man who is living in these delightful exercises! Walking in the light even as God is in the light; surely he shall enjoy fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. A holy calm shall be diffused over his

* John vi, 39.

breast, and all heaven descend into his soul, while he walks in secret with God; through Christ, we have access to the Father by the Spirit. But joys like these require a diligent keeping of the heart, and the Spirit must have witnessed with our spirits that we are the children of God: yet if we do not participate them, it is not in God, but in us: for he hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is his will that we should sit in heavenly places now; and hereafter, when our life of faith on earth is closed, it is determined by our God that the portals of heaven shall be thrown open to us, and we shall enter and sit down with Christ. Having washed our robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, we shall be before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his holy temple. The fight fought, the course finished, the work wrought, we go to sit down with. Christ, and enjoy a perpetual rest-a sabbath of heavenly joys. Having followed him in the regeneration, even the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, it is the corresponding recompense of grace that we sit down with him on his throne. In heavenly places is a seat prepared for the saints-in mansions of light, where the King of kings sits for ever enthroned; and there we shall behold his glory! Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.

The possession of so much happiness on earth, and so much glory in heaven presupposes perhaps a powerfully meritorious claim in ourselves upon the favor of God who hath been so bounteous. How far this surmise is from being agreeable to truth will be seen while we investigate the original and moving cause of God's gracious proceedings. He looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand, and seek after God; but they were all gone astray: none were doing good, no, not one. He saw their state and pitied it. He saw them sunk in the deepest abyss of misery, while themselves were unconscious of it, and hurrying with mad precipitance to eternal woes, while they them selves laughed at the ruin which was ripening for them. His bowels of compassion were moved, because he foresaw that they must fall a sacrifice to his justice, unless some one interposed to screen and rescue them; and none being adequate to this work but his own Son, God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, spared not even him, but gave him up for us all.

In those who were thus the objects of his compassion there was no manner of cause existing why aught should be done for them. It is impossible to assign any one circumstance in the condition of man that made him more the deserving subject of a Savior's dispensa tion than the fallen angels. There is a total absence of all worthiness and of all extenuating