Christ, but of the glory that should follow, and who can describe, who can conceive what this is? There were conquerors before Him, but what victor ever spoiled principalities and powers? But this ruler triumphed over them on the cross. There have been many raised from degradation to splendour and eminence. God chose David from following the sheep "to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance." But in regard to Jesus, we behold a babe lying in a manger; we see a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;" we view Him expiring on the cross between two thieves, and the next thing we see is His ascending "up far above all heavens that He may fill all things;" and it is the will of God "That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father which hath sent Him."

66

The evidence appears also in the appointment concerning Him in our worship, namely, that we should always, if we would be heard, pray in His name and for His sake. This looks like honour done Him indeed. What a proof of the King's regard would it be, for him to say to any, when they applied to him, "Remind me of such and such an one, and you shall receive; or let him plead for you, for I cannot, and will not refuse you anything that he may desire for you." So God said to the erring friends of Job, "My servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept." And the promise is, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will do it." And, O Christians, you have often addressed His throne; be more importunate in future. "Hitherto," said the Saviour, ye have asked nothing in my name; ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

Let us now observe the use we should make of this love; for if the Father loveth the Son, let us love Him also, and so be followers of Him as dear children. Do you hate sin, and all sin? Do you love the ways of God? Do you love Him whom He delights to honour above all things in the universe? Does the Father see so much to love in Him, and do you see nothing to admire? How blind must you be, if you see "no form or comeliness in Him who is the altogether lovely!" What says the Apostle?" If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha." Who, you say, does not love Him? Who does? If you love Him, you will resemble Him, you will be concerned to honour Him.

Then again, let us seek an union with Him, and we shall share in the same love. And what are we that we should be

loved of God? Paul said, "that I may be found in Him." He knew that if he were found in Him, he should be accepted of God; that he should stand in the same relationship with Christ; that he should be a child of God, and if a child then an heir, an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ. Hence Our Saviour in His intercessory prayer says, "That the love wherewith Thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them."

II. Let us consider THE RICHES OF HIS SON. "And hath given all things into His hands." Love is always generous; it delights to favour its object. But here is a love that makes its object a present of the universe. "Herein is love." How far does this universality extend? There are two other passages of Scripture which may throw light upon it, and it is well for us to compare spiritual things with spiritual. One is the language of the Saviour, where He says, "All power is given me in heaven and in earth." The other is the language of the Apostle, who says that "God raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory." And again, "He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion."

We are accustomed to a twofold distinction, and to speak of nature and providence, grace and glory. Now, though these approximate to each other, yet they are distinct enough to furnish us with separate remarks.

"He hath given all things into His hand," all things in nature. This is much more true of the second Adam than of the first. "Thou madest Him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas." It is said, "In His days shall the righteous flourish." And whose is the silver and the gold, and the cattle upon a thousand hills? "Why, the world is His, and the fulness thereof." He removeth Kings and setteth up Kings; yea, "He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." All things are subservient to His designs. "He doeth all things after the counsel of His own will, and He is head over all things to His Church. The dispensation of the Spirit is His, and all spiritual blessings come to us through Him.

Now, what is the conclusion that should be drawn from this subject? Let us resign our spirits and all we possess into His

The Apostle says of the Corinthians, "They gave themselves unto the Lord." Where could they be so safe? Paul had done this; he knew that would be safe which he had committed unto Him against that day. You should resign yourselves into His hands, to glorify Him; and you should be willing for Him to choose your inheritance for you,—

"Pleased with all the Lord provides;

Weaned from all the world besides."

Then, let those who love the Lord rejoice in the prosperity of His cause. Love sympathizes with its object, weeping when it weeps, and rejoicing when it rejoices. You will therefore weep as you view the Saviour suffering, and hear Him blasphemed by sinners, and will rejoice to see the reproach rolled away from Him.

How able is He to fulfil His promise! How able to deliver you, and to make all things work together for your good! Why then will you faint or fear? He who has all things in His hand careth for you, and will never suffer you to want any good thing.

Finally, let those tremble who are His enemies. "The nations and the kingdoms that will not serve Me," saith God, "shall perish." "Bring hither my enemies that would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before my face." "These shall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords." Resistance, therefore, is vain, but submission is not. "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."

123

XVI.

THE BELIEVER'S DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH.

(Preached on Sunday Evening, May 17th, 1846.)

He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.-JOHN xi. 25. THESE are the words of our Lord addressed to Martha on a memorable occasion. Jesus loved her brother Lazarus, yet suffered him to be sick, and when informed of his sickness, instead of hastening immediately to his relief, or at least to sympathise with his afflicted sisters, He remained still in the same place where He was. At length, Jesus determined on going to Bethany, telling His disciples plainly that Lazarus was dead, adding, "I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent that ye might believe; nevertheless let us go unto him." Go unto a dead man, pay him a visit! "Then when Jesus came, He found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off: and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him; but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha

unto Jesus, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." This was a kind of reflection upon our Saviour for His absence, or His late arrival. But Martha had faith as well as infirmity. Hear her confidence in His power with God. "But I know, that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee." "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again." Martha said unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." "Hereafter, when all the dead shall rise, they will rise because I shall be there, and I am here now, the same personage, the

same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, and what I shall do then I can do now.'

We have here to review, to improve, and to explain three things: A character, "He that believeth in me;" A supposition, "though he were dead;" A privilege, "Yet shall he live."

I. A CHARACTER. "He that believeth in me."

The subjects of divine grace are frequently and variously described by the sacred writers, to show us who are the heirs of promise, and to enable us to compare their character with our own. Happy will it be for us if, after examination, we find that we are of the same species; that we are walking in the same way, though we may not be able to walk the same pace! They are called "righteous," "pure in heart," "spiritually minded;" they reckon themselves to be "dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto righteousness." But more commonly you find them characterised as "believers." "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one mind." We are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." "That in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."

But it would be endless to quote all the passages used to set forth Christians under this character. We would therefore only observe that by a figure of speech faith is often used in Scripture for the whole of Christianity. Thus it expresses the whole by a part, but then it is a very essential part, and a very distinguishing part. This is the case with regard to faith, for there is nothing so important, nothing so influential. Faith takes the lead of everything in religion. Whatever may be the branches, this is the root. Whatever be the streams, this is the fountain. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Without faith, the Scripture, true as it is in itself, would be a mere nonentity. There are indeed threatenings, but how could they alarm us, unless we believed them? There are promises, but how can they encourage us without faith? How can the Word profit us unless it be mixed with faith? It worketh indeed effectually, but it is in them that believe. We are "justified by faith." "We walk by faith." "By faith we overcome the world." So we read of "the good fight of faith;" of "the trial of our faith;" our "work of faith."

But faith, we observe, has peculiarly to do with the Lord Jesus. Therefore He says, "he that believeth on me." I