general promises may be embraced and used for particular cases.

Second. Use them as the objects of your Christian hope. The divine commands regulate your obedience, and the threatenings awaken your fear; but the promises are objects of hope; hope then for grace, and glory, and every intermediate good. "Be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel," founded in oaths, and promises, and blood; let this hope be cast as "the anchor of your soul," that it may keep the vessel of the mind, " sure and stedfast;" and as mariners have to cast forth the anchor in dark nights, so in dark seasons like David, encourage your soul by saying, "Hope thou in God, I shall yet praise him;" have time, opportunity, and a heart so to do.

Third. Use them as motives to patience. Heb. xi. 3. Abraham "patiently endured and so received the promise." We are to be "followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises," they believed and then waited, Heb. vi. 12, 15. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness," 2 Pet. iii. 9; distinguish between a failure and a delay of accomplishment; wait, for blessed are they who wait for him.

Fourth. Use them as subjects for meditation. Like the bee, light upon these flowers in the garden of God that you may extract a sweetness thence.

Fifth. Use them as arguments to plead in

prayer. They may not only serve as a directory in prayer to regulate; but as live coals taken from God's altar to increase the flame of pure devotion; these promises have been compared to notes, issued from the bank of heaven, and in prayer we present them for payment; as David, "Fulfil thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope."

Sixth. Lastly, Use them as springs to your obedience; that you may run in God's ways, and always abound in the work of the Lord.

To the unbeliever I must address myself in a very different strain. I dare not say, in your present state, that one promise belongs to you-Nothe threatenings are yours while a stranger to Christ; the promises you "have neither part nor lot in." As the threatenings are yours, the dreadful artillery of heaven is levelled against you. Shall this awaken no fear? Will you still harden yourself against conviction, and against God? Do not fight against him any longer; it is foolish, it is criminal, it is dangerous; are you made willing to seek him and receive the word of reconciliation? Jesus invites, he assures you he will in no wise cast out, and in him you will know, the promises are yea and Amen, to the glory of God by us.

SERMON XXI.

All are yours.-1 COR. III. 22.

I HAD thoughts of enlarging much more upon the privileges of those who are one with the Lord Jesus; or of enumerating more of the blessed fruits and effects of union with the Redeemer; but as I have the prospect of a temporary absence, I shall endeavour to close the subject before that takes place; and I have selected this comprehensive passage as affording me an opportunity of at least hinting at most, if not all the remaining privileges which I should in other circumstances more fully have enlarged upon.

If we attend to the connexion of the words, we may discern a peculiar propriety and beauty; there were in the Church at Corinth, persons of a contentious spirit, who formed a kind of religious faction; they constituted distinct parties, set up their respective heads, and contested warmly for the superiority of their favourite leader. Verses 3-5. One said, "I am of Paul,"-none like him for masterly reason, striking addresses, or fulness

of the Gospel; another, was equally warm for Apollos, possessing such a strain of eloquence as warmed the passions, and bore away the hearer with a pleasing impetuosity, &c. But from whence did this vain glorying arise; and what were the consequences? It arose from littleness of mind, and had a direct tendency to obstruct their general improvement. In hope therefore to cure this mental disorder, this complaint in their society, the apostle was inspired to set before them the fulness of the Gospel, the vast privileges they had belonging to them as Christians, and consequently the evil of being so contracted in their views and dispositions, as also the absurdity of setting any minister up against others, and glorying in men; "whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all are your's; for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

Doctrine, By union to Christ, Christians have an advantageous interest in all things. I intend to, I. Descant upon the words.

II. Obviate an objection raised against the truth. III. Show in what senses it may be understood. IV. Make some remarks from the whole discussion.

I. Descant upon the words.

"Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas;" the ministers of God are yours; the office of ministers, whether filled by an apostle, evangelist, pastor, or teacher, is instituted for the good of the church; the gifts they possess, however various, or great. Was Paul possessed of great reasoning powers? was Apollos