the dark phrases, but the sublime and heavenly thing, of which the apostle of the Gentiles is discoursing, when he says, this is a great mystery ; I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Christ Jesus and believers are the parties; the spirit and faith are the bonds; the law and the gospel are the instrument; the sacraments of divine institution are the seals, in this mysterious coalition. Mysterious indeed, which shall not be thoroughly apprehended, but in the light of glory. For thus the promise runs: "In that day shall ye know that I am in the father, and the father in me; and I in you, and you in me."

A mystery this, worthy to be contemplated of angels and arch angels. Angels see but saints experience it. It is one of the deep things of God, which the natural man receiveth not; and even the spiritual man is unable to comprehend it. But shall it therefore be rejected as incredible, when it is only incomprehensible? Christians believe greater mysteries than this; and without all preadventure, the less is confirmed by the greater. And philosophers acknowledge the reality of unions, for which they cannot account.

But, O! thrice happy they who are thus joined unto the Lord, and found in Christ, not having their own righteousness! They are called by his name, they are partakers of his fulness,

and in all their afflictions he is afflicted. Though he resides in heavenly places, and they are sojourners on the earth; yet are they blessed in him with all spiritual blessings. You trample upon the toe, the head cries out, why persecutest thou me ? But when you clothe his naked and feed his hungry members, he deems you did it to himself. I was hungry, and ye gave me meet; - naked, and ye clothed me.

Let supercilious, puny mortals, regard with contempt, or cold indifference, the saints of the most high; but, O! let my delights be with you, ye excellent of the earth. Christ is not ashamed to call you brethren; God is not ashamed to call himself your God. A more exalted honour this, than to wear an imperial crown, and fill the throne of the whole earth!-To you there is no condemnation, nor falling totally away; you are the members of Christ, therefore he knows your wants; you are the body of Christ, therefore he will supply them. Christ is your head, he will cleanse your defilements; Christ is your head, he will cure your diseases. What though you be in poverty?-you are in Christ. What though you be in reproach ?-you are in Christ. Let death divide your souls and bodies; let the grave calcine your bones; let the four winds war for your dust; your vital union with Christ shall still remain. When you shall render up

the ghost, you die in the Lord; and when you descend into the peaceful grave, your dust shall sleep in Jesus. Can any force, can any fraud, find means to enter into the heaven of heavens; and pluck an eye, or tear a limb from the glorified humanity of the exalted redeemer? And even in the days of his humiliation, the soldiers could not break his bones, because they saw he was already dead. For so it was foretold, in ancient prophecy, a bone of him shall not be broken. But ye are kept as the apple of his eye; and are the members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

On trusting in God.

HE that trusts in the Lord with all his heart, does not indeed expect, that God will do that for him which he has never promised; far less that he will be favourable unto him, in what is contrary to his revealed will. But, first, he sees that his matters are good and right; and then he commits the keeping of his soul unto the faithful Creator; who is a buckler to them alone that walk uprightly.

If he is called of God to any difficult duty, for which he finds himself unequal, he persuades himself that God will command his strength,

and work in him both to will and to do of his good pleasure; and out of weakness he is made strong.

He will not indeed presume on the divine protection, when rushing headlong into dangers, evidently foreseen, without necessity; as though the Almighty were obliged to suspend for him the laws of nature, and be prodigal of his miraculous operations. For even the son of God himself would not tempt his loving father, by casting himself down from the pinnacle; though, as the bold impostor told him, the angels had in charge to keep him in all his ways. But let him hear the voice of God and conscience; this is the way, walk ye in it; though he should pass through fire and water, he laughs at fear; and is not greatly moved by the most ghastly appear. ances of danger. Though war should rise against him; and death, with sable wings, should hover round his head; yet will he fear no evil. For thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, O God! whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee."

The perfections of the Godhead are the chambers of safety wherein he hides himself. That everlasting strength, for which nothing is too difficult that matchless goodness that extends itself even to the birds of the air, and lilies of the field; that perfect immutability that excludes

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all variableness and shadow of turning ;-that inviolable veracity by which it is impossible for God to lie ;-that exact omniscience from which no want can be hid ;-that incomprehensible wisdom which can make all things work. together for his own glory, and our good;— the promises of the word, and all the experiences of the saints; these are his sure fonndations on which he builds his trust.

If he himself has found the eternal God' his refuge, experience worketh hope. As he hath delivered, and doth deliver, he trusts in God, that he will yet deliver. If he has recourse to › his own experiences, and finds no light from that quarter, he searches out of the book of the Lord, and finds, that never were the righteous forsaken. If friends proved faithless, or unable to afford him any relief in the day of calamity, enemies shall befriend. Even Philistines and Chaldeans shall intreat him well in the evil day. Did all human relief fail, and vain was the help of man; then God has made a friendly covenant for him with the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fishes of the seal Ravens shall feed him, bears shall avenge his quarrel, and monsters of the deep afford a safe retreat. Fishes have supplied his wants; and dogs have! proved physicians to his sores. If the animal creation failed, the dead and lifeless creatures