disorder, obedience out of contradiction, and good out of evil, is after the nature of that creative power which did at first bring creatures out of nothing; and so we are proved to be sons of God, as Christ is proved to be Son of God. And if any one ask, why it should be that the counterpart of creation, and what in some respects is more than creation, (for contradiction is more than mere negation of being,) should be done by means of man the answer is to be found in the fact, that creation was all done not by the absolute God, but by God subsisting in the Christ; that is, in the form of the risen man ; and therefore it is in harmony with and demonstrative of the work of creating all things by the Christ, that the work of redeeming all things should likewise be by the Christ, the man-child who is to rule the world with a rod of iron. I cannot tell how often it hath been impressed upon my mind, in following out the train of these cogitations, that all redemption wrought out in and by the man Christ, and his members, is but the doing in time by an intelligent will, of that very thing which was done by God, under the form of an intelligent will: so that redemption is but creation discovered; the form of the Creator, the worthlessness of the materials, and the perfect accomplishment of the end. And lest we might think that the Son of God was after all but a creature, some more refined humanity, behold creatures of that form make shipwreck of themselves, and find their bed for ever in the lake of fire, which is the second death. To this high work we are called as the members of Christ, having in us the one Spirit, over us the one Head, and inwrought by the one God, even to the work of asserting for God, God's supremacy over his own creation, and binding up the enemies of God in their several quarters, and making them do unwilling homage, and so getting God glory in the face of all his enemies. This work of mighty power we shall be endowed with in virtue of our being the sons of God; and in the hope of this, God requireth of us to stand up against his enemies even now, and put forth an earnest of the gift in doing miracles, healing the sick, speaking with tongues, and otherwise triumphing over all the power of the enemy. This is a first-fruits of that power in the Spirit which we shall then receive for the ridding of this world of all the enemies of God; and when that is done, for the presenta

tion of it to the Father. And as no one ever receiveth the earnest but he who has fairly engaged for the whole, and no one engageth for that which he doth not know, I do entreat the church to be conversant with this noble inheritance, and to buy it with the price of all which they have; and then they shall receive this spiritual earnest of the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, faith, miracles, healing, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. These first fruits of our redeemed dignity we can have only upon closing the bargain with God for the whole inheritance, and engaging heartily to the whole service by which, and by which alone, it is to be purchased.

5. Next after the action of valour and power and service rendered unto God by the church, and in behalf of all creatures, cometh the rank and estimation in which they shall be held by God, in God's own presence: "The vanquisher, the same shall be robed in white garments. And I will not blot out his name from the book of life; and I will confess openly his name in presence of my Father, and in presence of his angels." This now I take to be our open avowal of God, our being clothed upon with honour and with glory. It is the outward shew of that inward life which is set forth in the third voice. The white raiment is outward, the inscription of the name in the book of life is also outward and ostensible; and so also is the avowal thereof in the face of God and of his holy angels. In thisrespect the blessing here vouchsafed to us standeth in contrast with the hiddenness of the third; and it stand eth in contrast with that which follows, in respect that it is personal, whereas the following one is common. Raiment is proper to a person; and so is a name, whether enrolled in a book or confessed in the face of others. These symbols, therefore, I regard as delineating the personal condition of those whom the Lord delighteth to honour. The white robe being their perfect righteousness and thorough clearness in the sight of God; in virtue of which we may ever stand in his holy presence, and enjoy the indwelling of him who cannot dwell with unholiness, nor take up his habitation with the workers of iniquity. "The white raiment is the righteousness of saints." Besides this, I see promised therein all comeliness of person, and gracefulness of appearance, such as becometh the presence chamber of God, and the court of the whole creation. In

all the Scriptures, and in all civilized countries, the raiment is that by which both the rank and the comeliness of the person are expressed. The white raiment was proper to the priesthood, and to the High Priest when he went to minister in the holy place, which is the presence of God. It was such as encompassed: Jesus on the mount of transfiguration; "whiter than any fuller can whiten." And it betokens that source of purity which is within. As the high priest's ointment flowed down his beard and went to the skirts of his garment, so the inward unction of the Holy Ghost shining from within penetrated and purified the flesh and the outmost vestment of the body. So that the whole person shall be but as it were the shrine of the indwelling God. The inscription of the name in the book of life, never to be erased from it, bespeaks the highest honour and renown; and the confession of it before God and his angels marks the love of election, the separating of them for his own for ever. The feeling connected with this seems to me to be admirably expressed in that passage of Malachi, from which I think the language is taken: "Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him" (Mal. iii. 16, 17). If the tree of life be the open support and nourishment of that new life, if the hidden manna indi. cate a more secret and hidden support of it, then the book of life betokens both honour and safety, and abiding remembrance. It is that our names shall be ever before him, and shall never be hidden from him, and shall ever be honourable in his sight. These three things, comely, clean, and graceful raiment; a high and honourable and everlasting name; distinction in the high places of the earth, and open acknowledgment in august and venerable assemblies, are what men now most eagerly covet after; and from which a Christian is sure for Christ's sake to be cut off. Rags and poverty, contempt and contumely, destruction in prisons and places of execution, are what the true followers of Christ have most surely to expect. Degradation from their natural birth-right, robbery and

spoliation of their property, the curse of father and mother and tender kindred, are what Christ calleth us to. And it was very mindful, in the midst of such immoderate and miserable conditions, to present his people with the hope of that raiment which is graceful in the sight of God, in the midst of execration as the offscouring of the earth, to present us with a name better than the names of sons and of daughters, in the midst of abandonment, divorce, exile, and unutterable loathing of those who dwell at ease, to present us with the acknowledgment of the Son of God in the court of his Father, with his choice of us as his wife and the beloved of his soul, and the sharer of his dignity for ever. But who is he that endureth any such dishonour for Christ's sake? I cannot tell. I find that it is no longer the calling of the church to suffer, but to enjoy; not to lose reputation, but to gain it. There is in truth no difference. Suffering for Christ's sake is a work of supererogation. To be a churchman, is to follow an evangelical preacher, and to separate ourselves to particular classes of society, and to believe in the atonement, which means in their mouth no more than that Christ hath some hand in our salvation. To have some feelings, to interchange some words, to follow some customs, and to carry about a certain outside profession; this being the whole of what is regarded as orthodox and evangelical religion; there is and can be no use for any such encouragements as those contained in these promises. But I feel assured that other times are setting in, and that God is preparing the church by the opening of these epistles, and especially of these seven promises for the fearful things which are about to take place. Already the name of the best and most famous men hath given place to the odious appellation of heretic; and it may not be long till the faithful servants of the Lord may have to wander about in sheep skins and goat skins. Then these promises will become precious as at the first, and the preacher of them welcome to the church.

6." The vanquisher him will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and outward he shall no more go; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, to descend out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine." This containeth the occupation of the church in glory, signifying

that the worship and the government shall be upon their shoulders; and that they shall fulfil the behests of the Creator, being his body of priests and kings through whom he getteth his mind and will expressed to creation, and receiveth from all creatures, men as well as others, the homage and the service which is due from them to their Creator. The church is far more intimately connected with God through Christ, whose body she is, than are any other of the children of men, over whom she ruleth; than are the angels and other invisible spirits; than are all other creatures whatsoever. It is the TEρεñoŋσis, the circumscribed limited portion of the created thing which God hath chosen for a habitation to himself, a body and spouse for his Son. His inheritance, his election, who are in Christ, and all other creatures are not in him, but out of him; who are of the Christ a part, and all other creatures are under him. As of all dust, that which composeth my body hath to me a nearness and a dearness which the rest hath not; so of all creatures, the church hath to Christ a nearness and a dearness, is of him and in him, and concerns him, having his Spirit, and being of his flesh, and of his bones; an honour which pertaineth to no other beings whatsoever. And, when we speak of Christ, we mean the whole Christ; not that one person, but many persons in that one subsistence as when we speak of Adam, we mean not that person, but all the persons in him created, and sharing with him in his lot and destiny. Any one who should understand by the creation or fall of Adam the creation or fall of him alone, would grievously err; depriving man both of creation and original sin, and of redemption and righteousness; so, in like manner, he who, speaking of the work and reward and present estate of Christ, should speak only of the person of the Son of God, and not of all the persons chosen in him to the same honour and glory, depriveth God's idea of its completeness, and doth exceedingly mar the purpose of God; which is not one person in one subsistence, but many persons in one subsistence. The community which we have with Christ is the thing set forth in these symbols. To be a pillar in that majestic and fair-proportioned temple, of which Christ is the foun- . dation and the chief stone of the corner, of which God is the whole subsistence, and in which alone are offered