and will be a

my sons and Having there

hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, father unto you, and ye shall be daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. fore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more; therefore, if any man be in the spirit of Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away-behold, all things are 2 Cor. v 18. become new to him. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation: To wit-that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God: for he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousRom. viii. 1. ness of God in Him." "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit : for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath

made me free from the law of sin and death, for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit: for they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit-for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, (as it is of Satan); but ye (your souls) are not of the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwelleth in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is

none of his," "but of the synagogue of Satan." Rev. ii. 9. "And if the spirit of Christ be in you, the body is Rom. viii. 10. dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness; and 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 you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh-for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live;, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: for ye have not received the spirit of

Rom. ii. 23.

1 Cor. xv. 44.

bondage, in the passions, again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together; for I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us;" but "we wait for the adoption-the redemption of our body:" for it is revealed that "it is sown a natural body-it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; and so it is written: the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit: howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual; the first man is of the earth, earthy-the second man is the Lord from heaven: As is the earthy, such are they that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold I shew you a mystery-we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkMatt. xvii. 1. ling of an eye, at the last trump," as our Saviour was transfigured in the presence of Peter and 1 John iii. 2. James, and John :-for when He shall appear we

shall be like Him,"-" Then shall ye also appear Colos. iii. 4. with Him in glory;* "for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed: for this corruptible body must put on the spirit of incorruption, and this mortal body must put on the spirit of immortality. So when this corruptible body shall have put on the spirit of incorruption, and this mortal body shall have put on the spirit of immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written-Death is swallowed up in victory! Then indeed we may ask-O death where is thy sting?" when the spiritual man is united with God in His eternal bliss and glory; and add with a smile, "O grave, where is thy victory?" in receiving only that which is earthy-the useless scaffolding, in entering the Heavenly Mansion-"that eye hath not seen, nor 1 Cor. ii. 9. ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit."-" We look for 2 Peter iii. 13. new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." "For behold, I create new hea- Isaiah lxv. 17. vens, and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind, but be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for

* Phillipians iii. 20. "For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body."

K

behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy; and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain : and it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me, for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring to Malachi iv. 2. all flesh." "But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall; and ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the

Malachi iii. 17. Lord of Hosts." "And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked; between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not." These, then, are the sure blessRomans x. 9. ings of all those "who shall confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in their

heart that God hath raised him from the dead, shall