power; when that is felt, it produces a voluntary surrender to the Lord, and a fixed adherence to him, John vi. 68. "Will ye also go away? Lord, to whom should we go?" "We are with thee by necessity, indeed, but no less by choice. Leave thee, Lord! Oh! whither could we go? we cannot bear the thought of such a thing; upon no account; we are thy willing subjects; we would cleave to thee with the fixed purpose and determination of our whole hearts."

Third. It is indissoluble; that which subsists between kings and subjects, parents and children, husband and wife, &c., shall be dissolved; even the constituent parts of our nature, body and soul, must be separated; but, this, this shall "survive the wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds." There are various ways by which the evidence of its existence may be obscured, and we may fail of the comfort; such as unbelief, a worldly spirit, levity of conduct, carelessness in our walk, backsliding from the ways of God, &c.; God will visit these things in his own people with the rod, and they shall feel the evil of their own doings; yet, his loving kindness is unalterable. "I am per

suaded, that neither death," in any form, "nor life," with its trials and changes," nor angels," those fallen spirits who seek to destroy, "nor principalities, nor powers," neither the rulers of this world; nor the civil power they exercise to suppress the cause of Christ; "nor things present," the objects of sense which influence so powerfully; or, what has

66

often a greater influence, " things" expected "to come;" neither the "height of honour," nor the "depth" of disgrace, nor any other creature,” you can mention, or think of, "shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus;" to the love of God in Christ Jesus, my faith, my hope, my soul, are all united, and blessed be the God of my salvation, it is indissoluble.

Previous to our entering on another distinct part of our general subject, let us make a few remarks:

It

First. The glory of the gospel, and its superiority to every other system of religion, appears. finds man at a distance from God, and in the character of an enemy against him; and, behold! it brings him nigh in his moral state and disposition. How is this? in the person of the Redeemer, and through his righteousness; but the gospel only can produce this.

Second. The divinity of the blessed Spirit. Were he not divine, how could he actuate every distant member, and dwell in every place at the same time? This is an infinite influence, the Spirit must therefore be infinite in his person and operations.

Third. Christ is the centre of union to all his people; the eye, and the foot, are at a local distance from each other, but as really united to the same head; so in Christ, there is much diversity and distance among the members, but they are all one in him; we should remember, how as Mediator, he had authority to collect these once scat

tered children; he actually removed every intervening obstacle; he employed an ability to render providences effectual, and give the gospel success, and thus, bring those nigh to himself, and to one another, who were in both respects afar off.

Fourth. This may account for the great things said of true believers; in themselves, they are weak, and imperfect, yet are they said to be complete, heirs of God, and possessing all things.

Fifth. Real Christians having the same Spirit, must have a uniformity of experience; this relates to the great constituent parts, not the minutiæ.

Sixth. We are furnished with evidences by which we may prove our own selves. Are we dead to the law? Do we depend on Christ? have we exalted views of him? conformity to him?

Such as say they

are in him, so walk as he also walked! 1 John ii. 6. Amen!

SERMON XII.

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. EPHES. III. 17.

THIS is part of an apostle's prayer, on behalf of the Ephesians. It will sooner or later be found that our praying friends are our best friends. As ministers and Christians are connected by the Gospel, they are influenced to mutual prayer. Paul desired to be remembered in this way by the saints, and, in return, he remembers them. The apostle informed the Ephesians for what he prayed: he might wish them to recollect the importance of those blessings; he might intend hereby to intimate, what great things they were encouraged to hope for, and so to seek; for we are too apt, even in prayer, to have low thoughts, and very confined desires; and further, he might hope to promote greater union in the object of their desires.

When Paul prayed, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts," it was suited to his office, and character, as a christian minister. What is our ardent