[A speculative acknowledgment of Christ, without a practical application to him for all the benefits of his salvation, will be of little use. The offices he sustains have respect to the necessities of fallen man: and under a sense of our need, we must look to him to fulfil those offices for us. Is he a Prophet? We must look to him to instruct us by his word and Spirit, and to guide us into all truth. Is he a Priest? We must rely on the atonement which he has offered for us, and seek, through his prevailing intercession, all those good things which he has purchased for us, and which God, for his sake, is ever ready to bestow. Is he a King? We must put ourselves altogether under his government and protection, and live only for the glory of his great name. We must renounce every other hope, and rely on him for every thing; looking to him, and to him only, as "our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our complete redemption." In a word, "the life which we now live in the flesh, we must live altogether by faith in the Son of God, who has loved us, and given himself for us."]

But, in contemplating this duty, I would call your attention particularly to,

II. The authority by which it is enjoined

If to act faith on Christ were merely conceded to us by permission, it were a great and invaluable gift

[Suppose the Israelites, when perishing with thirst, to behold the rock stricken, and the water gushing out like a river; would they need any command to drink of its refreshing streams? Would not a permission be amply sufficient? Methinks, if it had even been prohibited, they would have broken through the commandment, to slake their raging thirst. At all events, we are sure they would not have needed a command to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded them. Or let us take another supposition. There is, we are told there is, an impassable gulf between heaven and hell. But, suppose there were a bridge built over it, and an open door made into the highest heavens, and a free permission given to the fallen angels to escape from their dungeons, and to resume the thrones of glory from which they fell; how long, think ye, would they continue in their abodes of misery? Would so much as one of them need a command to leave his sad abode, and to return to the enjoyment of his primitive felicity? Then why should not a permission suffice for us? A permission is given us; "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out"."

c John vi. 37.

And what do any of you want more? Do you not need the waters of life as much as Israel ever did? And are you not under the same condemnation with the fallen angels? Yes, verily the only difference between them and you is this, that they are already suffering the punishment of their sins; but over you the penalty is suspended, and only waiting the command of God to fall upon you to the uttermost. Surely, then, there should be in you the same anxiety to escape from the wrath to come; and a bare permission should suffice to induce you to embrace the salvation set before you in the Gospel.]

But what shall we say, if God has recommended to us this salvation in a way of advice?

[This he has done: "I counsel thee," says our Lord, "to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest seed." By the prophet, too, it is said, "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good; and let your soul delight itself in fatness." Such was the advice given by St. Peter to those who, on the day of Pentecost, inquired," Men and brethren, what shall we do?" He bade them "repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins," which, he assured them, should be conferred on all who followed his advice. And what was the effect? No less than three thousand persons instantly complied, and embraced with thankfulness the proffered benefit. So the jailer, when Paul gave the same advice to him in answer to a similar inquiry, arose immediately, and, with all his household, was baptized in the name of Jesus Christs. Why, then, should any of us delay? Why should any thing more than a mere word of advice be necessary for any one of us?]

But, alas! more is necessary and therefore God, in tender mercy, has enjoined it in a way of positive command

[Yes, this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. We are averse to this humiliating way of salvation, and, if we dared, would eternally reject it. But God sent us this solemn warning, that, " if we believe in

d Rev. iii. 18.

f Acts ii. 37-39.

e Isai. lv. 1, 2.

8 Acts xvi. 30-33.

Christ, and are baptized in his name, we shall be saved: but that, if we believe not, we shall assuredly and eternally be damned." And even after we are made, in a measure, willing to embrace this salvation, we are apt to put it from us, under an idea that we are unworthy of it, and that it were presumption in us to appropriate to ourselves so rich a boon. But God silences at once all objections of this kind. He leaves us not at liberty even to deliberate upon the subject. He tells us plainly, that "as long as we continue in unbelief, we are in a state of condemnation, and that his wrath abideth on us!." And he further informs us, that there is but "one way of salvation," "one only foundation" whereon to build our hopes1; and that the embracing or rejecting of that Saviour will determine our eternal state; since "there is life in Christ alone; and he only who hath the Son of God, hath life; whereas he who hath not the Son of God, hath not life," nor can by any possibility obtain it in any other way than by faith in him".

Behold then, brethren, what the duty is that is here enjoined; and know, that it will be at the peril of your souls to disobey it.]

SEE, then,

1. What a merciful command this is

[Suppose that God had commanded us to make compensation for our past iniquities, and to earn his favour by a course of perfect obedience; who amongst us could ever have entertained the slightest hope of mercy at his hands? Or suppose that he had required us to do so much as one single act that should merit his favour? Who amongst us must not have been cast down in utter despair? But all he requires is, that we should receive thankfully what he offers freely. So far as respects every thing for the removal of our guilt, or for the providing of a perfect righteousness for us, all that is wrought for us by the Lord Jesus Christ, and is offered to us as a free gift from God. O beloved, what an unspeakable. mercy is this! O! never turn your backs on this salvation! for,"how shall ye escape, if ye reject it?" It is precisely such as your necessities require; and, if ye will but accept it as the free gift of God to your souls, it shall be yours for ever.] 2. What inconceivable benefit will flow from your obedience to it

[In the words following my text there is another command connected with it; namely, that "we should love one another, as he gave us commandment." But this, in fact, is

h Mark xvi. 16. 11 Cor. iii. 11.

i John iii. 18, 36. m 1 John v. 11, 12.

k Acts iv. 12. n John xiv. 6.

the fruit, of which the other is the root. True "faith will invariably work by love":" so that, not only will salvation be secured to us by faith; but holiness also, in all its sublimest branches, will be wrought in us. Those who object to salvation by faith, do so under an apprehension that it will leave us regardless of moral duties. But I ask, where is love found in any degree in comparison of that which is produced by faith? Where, since the foundation of the world, was holiness in all its branches seen, in comparison of that which shined forth in the Apostles and in all the primitive saints? I say then, that in this view, the exercise of faith is of inestimable value. But who shall declare the benefits resulting from it in the eternal world? Who shall make known to us all that is implied in "obtaining the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory?" My dear brethren, be thankful that these blessings are yet offered to your acceptance; and pray earnestly to your God, that you fall not short of them through unbelief.]

THE MUTUAL IN-DWELLING OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE.

1 John iii. 24. He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

THERE is, in the Epistles of St. John, a most remarkable simplicity, insomuch that he seems to speak truths level with the comprehension of a little child yet is there in him a vast profundity of sentiment, which no common mind can fathom. Not that he establishes his points by laboured argumentation. He does not offer himself to the bar of reason; but, conscious of his own inspiration, he requires the submission of human reason to his dictates. In my text, he asserts truths of the deepest import; namely, the mutual in-dwelling of God in his people, and of his people in him; and the consciousness which God's people have of this mystery being realized in their own experience. These are things of which men in general have very little conception: but, on the authority of this holy Apostle, I will proceed to shew,

I. The exalted privilege of God's people

The character of God's people is here declared, in very simple terms

["He that keepeth God's commandments" is the person to whom the privilege belongs. Not that any man can keep them perfectly but the true Christian does desire to fulfil them in their utmost extent; and, allowing for human infirmity, he does keep them uniformly, and without reserve. He would not exclude one command from the Decalogue, or contract its import in any respect.

But the commandments here more especially referred to, are those of faith and love. In the preceding verse these are particularly specified. "This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." Now, certainly, these are the two commandments, which, above all others, serve as a test, whereby to try the Christian character; and obedience to them is that by which the Lord's people are universally and exclusively distinguished. They are known by it universally for there is not a Christian upon earth who does not live simply by faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; or who does not love, with a peculiar and transcendent affection, all whom he supposes to belong to Christ. On the other hand, this character belongs to them exclusively for there is no other person in the universe who so entirely relies on Christ, or who so pre-eminently regards the mystical members of his body.]

Of these it is said, that "God dwells in them, and they in him"

[There is between God and them an union which does not exist in the whole world besides. Perhaps, the union of light with the air which it pervades, is the closest that will be found in nature: but, though the light pervades every particle of the air, and dwells in it, we cannot say that the air dwells in the light. But the in-dwelling of God and his people is mutual; he abiding in them, and they in him. Of course, however, this must be understood, not as relating to the essential natures of God and man, but only to a mystical communion subsisting between them; God dwelling in them, in a way of vital operation; and they in him, in a way of implicit affiance. God has repeatedly promised that he will dwell in his people by his good Spirit; enlightening their minds, sanctifying their souls, and filling them with heavenly consolations. In truth, this is the very office which the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the ever-blessed Trinity, sustains in the economy of redemption: and it is in this way that he applies to