Those whom Christ knows, He conforms to his image. There are but two elements-an element of moral darkness, and an element of light. Those whose element is light, deliberately prefer the will and favour of God to all other happiness. True religion will always leave some traces of its nature upon us. Few can doubt whether they live to the world, or live to the glory of Christ, if they would examine the matter. "He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure."

2. Let Christians know the greatness of their privileges. Remember that you were strangers, without Christ, without hope, without God in the world. The time was when you said to vanities, "Ye are my gods." You gave them practically the preference to God. But you have been brought to a stand; you have been stopped in your career; you have chosen Christ; you have enlisted under his banners; you are engaged in his service; you "count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowl edge of Christ Jesus your Lord." You are occupying with your talents during the absence of your Master and King; you wait the approach of death with composure; you have participation of the moral nature, the preference and delight, the actions and pursuits, and the felicity of the Father, and of his Son Jesus Christ. You treasure up your riches in heaven; you are preparing to see a world wrapped in flames, and yet lose nothing; because Christ has reserved for you new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

Consider, then, the height of your privilege. Angels desire to look into these mysteries of love. They envy you not, but they congratulate you on the surprising immunities to which you are elevated. Their joys are heightened by the mysterious wonders of redemption. They will forever worship the Triune God-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-for their several shares in the great work of salvation. "To the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known, by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God." They are ever learning new lessons of the character of God, and deriving new motives for adoring and serving Him.

This is, then, the height of your privilege. Heed not, therefore, the trials of your present state. Be of good comfort. "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." "You are begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away." Let not temporal things disturb you; act with the equanimity belonging to the expectants of such blessings. In a very brief time your state will be changed, and "death will be swallowed up in victory." In the interval, Christ's name and character are intrusted to your hands. The world will judge of the Christian religion according to your conduct and spirit. You must, therefore, act as those who are "the salt of the earth"-" the lights of the world;" thus you will become as

"a city set on a hill." Walk thus in all purity and holiness of conversation; walk as those whose "fellowship truly is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

XC.

UNION OF CHRISTIANS WITH CHRIST AND WITH EACH OTHER.*

1 CORINTHIANS, Xii., 27: Ye are the body of Christ, and members in

particular.

[Preached at Broadmead, Bristol, Thursday evening, December 10, 1829, preparatory to the Lord's Supper.]

THE character of Jesus Christ, and the constitution of his Church, are dwelt on much at large in the New Testament, for our instruction in what we owe both to himself and to our fellow-Christians.

I. The union of Christ with his Church is sometimes illustrated by images borrowed from the relations of domestic life: those of master and servant, parent and children, husband and wife; sometimes by images derived from works of art, or from natural history: He himself represents it by the union of the vine with its branches. But nowhere is it placed in a more striking or instructive light than in this chapter by the Apostle Paul. The human system is here introduced in considerable detail, to set forth the union of Christians with Christ and with each other. The same figure has been often used by secular writers to represent society as a political and united body. The Church is thus represented here; the apostle describes a distinct plan and function assigned by infinite wisdom to every member of this body, so that the foot cannot say to the hand, nor the eye to the ear, "I have no need of thee:" if the whole body were one member, where were the body? but now God hath appointed a diversity of members for their respective uses: whence results a beautiful harmony, which it would be the extreme of folly to censure or amend. The Scripture idea of Christ represents him as identified with the Church, which is called the fulness or complement of Christ: the Church makes up that whole, of which Christ is the head; that temple of which he is the foundation: so that Christ would want something essential to Him, without the Church; by which, especially, his glory is displayed to angels in a future world.

In the text, we observe that the apostle represents, by a figure, the union that subsists between the Church and Christ: believers are styled his body; this, you are aware, is a figure; but the meaning is obvious; and it implies, first, the participation of a common nature; secondly, the direction which Christ has over his Church; and, thirdly, the affectionate union which subsists between both.

From the notes of the Rev. T. Grinfield.

1. The participation of a common nature. In the former part of this chapter, the apostle had spoken of the union of Christians as those who participate of one Spirit. Christ makes them all his own by the communication of his own Spirit; just as the natural members are united with the head. The same Spirit anoints both Him and them; as the holy oil of Aaron ran down to the skirts of his priestly apparel. They receive, out of his fulness, grace for grace: grace, in the emanation, correspondent with grace in the reservoir. Notwithstanding the difference of nature and of office between Him and them, yet the graces of Christians are of the same origin and of the same nature with his. Every real Christian is animated by the same views, the same desires, the same tempers, the same principles of conduct, with his Divine Master. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his :" he must have this Spirit, first, in his regenerating, and then in his indwelling and sanctifying influence. The difference between Christians and men of the world is not a difference in degree; it is a difference in nature: Christians are born anew by a supernatural act of Divine power. And Christ is the standard and model to which they are all assimilated. Whatever steps are not his steps are false steps.

All

2. The direction of the Church is from Christ. Hence this union has been styled a political union as He is the governor, the supreme authority, who prescribes all the duties to be performed by us. religion emanates from Him, as King and Lord of all. It is the work of the Spirit to establish his authority in the heart: a sceptre, by which He gently, yet effectually, subdues his people. "Then are ye My disciples indeed, if ye continue in My word: he that loveth Me, keepeth My sayings.'

3. The figure denotes that cordial and affectionate union which subsists between Christ and the Church. No man, says the apostle, hates his own flesh; and he urges the Divine declaration, that man and wife are one flesh, as a reason why a man should love his wife. This union appears to have been intended by God to shadow forth the union of Christ and the Church; for the apostle says, "This is a great mystery, but I speak of Christ and the Church." The Church is loved by Christ as his body, endeared to Him by the most tender ties. In love to it, He descended from his throne to the cross; in love to it, He agonized and died: "He gave himself for it, that He might present it to himself a glorious Church." Such love as the Father has to Him, He has to the Church; He loved his disciples with the same kind of love with which the Father loved the Son, the object of his infinite complacency. And, by analogy, we ought to have the same love to Him, manifested by walking in his steps, consecrating ourselves to Him who so loved us. How dear ought that precious Saviour to be, who bought us with his blood! Every real Christian can say, with Peter," Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee !" Love to Christ is the very life-blood of piety; it constrains us to live unto Him who died and rose for us. Like loves like; and if Christ is the pattern, if Christ is the great Benefactor and Friend of his people, VOL. IV. 4 B

how entire, intense, and constant ought to be our devotedness to Him!

II. In the next place, from the text we are taught the union of Christians with each other. "We are members in particular."

The former part of the chapter, read with attention, will give the most just and practical views of this union of Christians. Every member of the natural body, however mean, however feeble and obscure, is a member; so should no Christian be overlooked, however humble in gifts or office, since he stands in a sacred relation to Jesus Christ. To despise the image of God in the natural man, implies a profane disregard of that God who made man in his own image; but to despise this image in the spiritual man, is a higher species of impiety; all who bear the image of Christ will shine with Him in his glory; and are, therefore, entitled to a peculiar regard from every Christian, beyond what the most elevated of mankind would command; such are dear in the eyes of angels, conveyed in their arms at death to Abraham's bosom, because they own one Lord. It is an infinite honour to have any place in that body, of which the meanest part contains the germe of a glory which eye hath not seen nor heart conceived!

There exists an affection and sympathy between all the members. In the system of animal life, which is probably a modification of the spirit that animates the whole, the functions of all the rest are affected by one. Thus Christians are to feel for each other, "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ:" they are not to say, as Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" No; they are keepers of each other, they are to watch over each other with a godly concern; for he that recovers a sinner, saves a soul from death. Men of the world say, Such a person needs help, but he stands out of my circle; I have nothing to do with him;" not so Christians: they say, "He is our brother."

The first name of believers, used in their best and purest age, even before they were called Christians, was the name of Brethren. This is the prayer of Christ, "That they may be one, as We are: that they may be perfect in one; that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me!" Therefore, to be perfect in Christ's esteem, is to be united. This will dignify the Church beyond any other distinction. Though Christians may differ in points of minor moment, yet they agree in all essential truths: they believe in one atonement, one sanctifying Spirit; they look at the same glory, they expect one home; they all alike feel themselves pilgrims and strangers on earth: one thing they dread, the displeasure of God; one thing they desire, his favour and holiness. If in any thing they are differently minded, God will reveal even this to them; and meantime, as far as they have attained, they walk by one rule. Christians drink into one Spirit: this marks them by a decisive line of demarcation from other men. In the light of eternity it will be seen that they differ from all besides; they have on their foreheads the mark of God.

There is no schism in the body, so long as it is in a natural and

healthful state; otherwise it tends to decay. Thus, for one member of Christ to envy others, is as unnatural and destructive as a division in the animal system. But when we see Christians forbearing to each other, kind to each other, bearing one another's burdens, casting the mantle of candour over each other's failings, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, what a lovely scene do we behold! In the primitive Church it was so all there was peace within; strife and envy were only without. Oh, that those days of the Church were renewed! and, to this end, let all cultivate humility and love.

:

There are different offices in the body: some parts are organic, as the eye, the ear: these are instruments of sense, and peculiarly important. Thus, in the Church, some are apostles, some evangelists; but all are not such: yet each has his own place and use; each may contribute his portion to the general good; and if all would attend to this, there would be an unspeakable accession of happiness to the whole body. Let us remember, my dear brethren, that the eye of Christ is on us all; that Christ is the Judge eternal, to whom all power is given. Let us be faithful to fulfil each our allotted function. We cannot have a higher motive than this, that "we are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

XCI.

SELF-EXAMINATION PREPARATORY TO THE LORD'S SUPPER.*

1 CORINTHIANS, xi., 28: But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

[Preached at Broadmead, Bristol, Jan. 10, 1828.]

LET a man examine himself with respect to his religious intentions and conduct. The Apostle Paul is here reproving the Corinthians for the manner in which they attended the Lord's Supper. They appear to have connected with this sacrament love feasts, called agapæ, instituted among the primitive Christians, in memory of the last supper of Jesus Christ with his apostles. These agape were usually kept before receiving the Lord's Supper, and were in use for the sake of catechumens, and for works of charity, but which the Corinthians abused by the indulgence of their appetites to great excess. On this account the Lord had brought on them sickness and afflic tion, and in some instances death. "For this cause," the apostle says, "many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." Therefore he exhorts and reproves them, "that they might not be chastened of the Lord, and judged, and condemned with the world." "Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another; and if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come

From the notes of John Greene, Esq.