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raising us from our dead state in sin, is thought by many to be principally intended in these words; or that it is as great an act of power in God to recover us to a state of grace and holiness, as it was to raise Christ from the dead. It seems to me that the words are to be understood as I have opened them to you, viz. as speaking of the mighty power of God to us-ward who believe, in raising up us, sinners as we are, and dead in ourselves, together with Christ, in whom we are quickened and now live, and by his life in us shall rise from our graves at the last day, every man in his own order" and time; "Christ the first. fruits; afterwards"-in the same manner, by the power of the same Spirit, as parts of the same harvest"they that are Christ's at his coming." But however we understand the words, certain it is, that, in order to a happy resurrection, our lives must be Christ-like, our understandings must be enlightened from above, our wills must be brought over to God, our hearts must be changed, and our affections set on heavenly things. This is the use which is constantly made by St. Paul of the doctrine of the resurrection. We are saved by grace through faith," as he tells us, and the resurrection of Christ, for our benefit, could possibly be no work of burs; but this gift of God to us will be believed and received in vain, if we are not his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. "If ye be risen with Christ," says he, "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; mortify your members which are upon the earth: for-like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." And the improvement he teaches us to make of his discourse on the resurrection, and the victory we have obtained over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ, is, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast un

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movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." St. Peter also, speaking by the same Spirit, has the same advice for all who live in the Christian hope: and I shall conclude happily with his words, if it pleases God that you should take them into your hearts, "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things," new heavens and a new earth, or a share in the blessedness of God's people,-" be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him be glory both now and for ever.” Amen.

SERMON XI.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
2 Cor. v. 17.

We all lay claim to Christ and his benefits. All hope for remission of their sins, peace with God, and ETERNAL LIFE, through HIM. And yet, among those who call themselves Christians, and expect salvation by Christ, there is, manifestly, a very wide difference. Some are openly and scandalously wicked; some are careless and unconcerned about their salvation, know little of Christ and his Gospel, and will not be persuaded to use the means of knowing more; some are better instructed, and yet, at the best, have but a form of godliness; some are awakened to a sense of their condition, and to cry mightily to the Lord for deliverance; some receive Christ Jesus into their hearts by faith, grow in grace and knowledge, become one spirit with the Lord, and rejoice

in hope of the glory that shall be revealed in them. But still, as I said before, notwithstanding this great difference, both of knowledge and practice, all put in for their share of the common salvation: those who are either vicious in their morals, or totally ignorant of their sad condition by nature, and of the great blessing and benefit of a Redeemer, as well as those who, with greater knowledge, continue in the main just as they were, and stick at the outside of Christ's religion. All think themselves safe, are uneasy to be told of danger where they themselves suspect none, and resolve to run all hazards rather than look out for a change of their state.

Now, the apostle's rule in the text for judging of ourselves, of our interest in Christ, and in the mercies of God through him, is plain; "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Let men think or say what they please, if they are not new creatures, they are not in Christ. And if they are not in Christ, they must be left to stand or fall for ever by themselves, and will have nothing to appear in before God at the day of judgment but their own worthiness. And then their doom is pronounced already. "For no man cometh to the Father but by him” —to a state of peace and favour with God here, or to his glory hereafter. I do, therefore, purpose, with the help of God, to set this matter before you as plainly as I can.

I. By showing you what it is to be in Christ,

II. What it is to be a new creature.

III. The necessity of being so. And

IV. That none are, or can be, new creatures, but by virtue of their being in Christ.

May the blessing of God go along with us, that what I am saying may prove a word in season to your hearts!

I. What is it to be in Christ? It is to believe in him, as the person sent of God to be the Saviour of the world, as the one Mediator between God and man, the great atonement, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world; and when we come to him in penitence, humility, and a deep sense of our unworthiness, with a full conviction and persuasion wrought into our hearts by the Spirit of God, that without him we are lost creatures, and can by no works, abilities, or attainments of our own, restore ourselves to the favour of God, and rest our souls upon him, as the only and all-sufficient Saviour of sinners, with a lively, thankful sense of God's mercies through him, then we are in him; we are received into him as members of his body, and have a sure title to a share of his merits and perfect righteousness, as being united to him, and parts of himself; we have a new name and a new nature given to us; we are" born again" of the will of God; our sins are blotted out; our whole state and condition in the sight of God is changed; we are accepted into his covenant of peace, and stand continually before him as children and servants of his family and kingdom, to be filled with all spiritual blessings in Christ.. No words can express. the greatness and happiness of this change, or the relief it brings to the weary, fainting soul. And if your hearts are unmoved at the preaching of such glad tidings, you may be sure you are still in the deadness of your corrupt natures. Your belief in Christ is an empty profession, and your joining in the worship of Christians a fruitless labour, and an unacceptable service. Nothing is alive in you but the old man with his deeds; you have a heart for nothing but the world. As yet you neither are nor desire to be new creatures; and, therefore, bear, witness against yourselves, that you are not in Christ. “For if any man be, in Christ, he is a new

creature." As no man,' who knows what Christ is, and his own want of him, can come to him with any other expectation or belief than to be raised by him to newness of life; so Christ, who calls him for this very end, will certainly do his own work in him.

II. Let us now consider what this newness of life is, and what it is to be a new creature. It is to have the whole bent of our wills, desires, and inclinations turned from earth to heaven, from the world to God. It is to live in dependence upon the Spirit of God; it is to have the mind that was in Christ, and to take him for our pattern in all things, in his meekness, his holiness, his patience, his self-denial, his contempt of the world, his obedience, his universal charity. It is to seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, in the first place. It is the ordering all our affairs with a view to the recovery of God's image in our souls, as the end for which we were made and sent into the world; and reckoning ourselves happy and prosperous, just in proportion as this great design takes place in us, and wishing and praying continually for the accomplishment of it, so as we wish and pray for nothing else in the world. In a word, it is being restored to a desire of loving God with all the heart, and every soul of man for God's sake. This is the new creature in Christ, the new man of the Gospel; what it calls us to, and proposes to make us. And when once we understand what it is, it will help us to know, infallibly, what is not so; and may serve to convince us how common it is for men to mistake the whole business of religion. Outward services and outward actions compose the religion of the generality of mankind. And if we can make a tolerable shift to keep clear of gross vices, and escape the censure of the