love of God in redemption. The same writer has laid down this important distinction: "As it was not the divine nature, but a divine person, that did assume; so neither was it a human person, but the human nature that was assumed." Had the Son united himself to a person already formed, previous to the union; whether that person had been a man like ourselves, or a created being in the likeness of man; there would have been some ground for the limitation of God's love, and of the design of his death. But since he took the nature of man, of the same nature of which all partake; so we are warranted to say, he died for all: so God loved the world, who have by the very community of natures a sort of interest in the great scheme of redemption, that would they come unto him they might have life for as in Adam all die, so in Christ might all be made alive.

May the Holy Spirit so open the conviction of this truth to you, that you may come to him. Christ came near to you, that he might induce you to draw near to him. He has given this proof of his love and regard to you that you might not only be convinced of your low estate, but be won by his condescension to flee to him for refuge from the wrath you have deserved. Oh! let his humiliation open our eyes and teach us true humility, that we may each one throw aside those vain imaginations that hinder us from coming to Christ. He who emptied himself of his glory ex

pects that we strip ourselves of all self-righteousness; that as he who was rich became poor for our sakes, so may we, who are indeed poor and miserable, be made rich in faith, and heirs together with him of his kingdom.

SERMON XXI.

UNION WITH CHRIST.

HEBREWS iii. 14.

We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

THESE few words sum up, in a very comprehensive manner, all the christian's privileges. We have here the first principle of the christian's character, to be a partaker of Christ-the rule and measure of all his blessings, to be a partaker of Christ-the progress and consummation of them in glory, which also is to be a partaker of Christ. If, therefore, we would prove our own selves—if we would assure our hearts before God-if we would not rest in the externals of religion without the reality—here is matter of enquiry, of examination, of improvement in spiritual knowledgehere is the life, the power, and substance of salvation. The Apostle so regarded the subject now before us; "if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end," or, as it may be translated, if we hold the beginning of our subsistence firm unto the end. tion of our christian character is union with Christ. In this union we have subsistence, as the branch has in the vine. By this union we shall finally attain to everlasting glory: it is the pledge of our

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security for ever; if not as a condition, but as a means we hold our subsistence firm unto the end. To preserve and enjoy our privileges we must labour with watchfulness. It is the precept of the gospel, that we should seek to abide in Christ, as he himself exhorts us: "I am the vine, ye are the branches, abide in me and I in you."

I. I shall endeavour to illustrate this union with Christ, "We are made partakers of Christ."

That there is such a union and fellowship with him, as the main privilege of the christian religion, I need but adduce one text to prove, 1 Cor. i. 9. "God is faithful, by whom ye were called to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." It is on this ground that the preaching of the gospel is the preaching of Christ. And to be blessed in it is to have "Christ made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." God has treasured up all the blessings of salvation in Christ; to be partakers of them we must be partakers of Christ. This is of a truth a great mystery, and the Apostle owns it to be such; a mystery hid from ages, but now revealed to the saints. Christ in you, the hope of glory." But that God should be pleased to restore sinful man, is an unsearchable mystery in itself; and that he should have condescended to send his Son as the pledge of this mystery; and the pattern, as well as the means, of our fellowship, is a proof of his love, for which we can never be sufficiently thankful.

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There is then, in order to our restoration, as it has been said by the pious bishop Hall, a true, real, essential, substantial union, whereby the person of the believer is indissolubly united to the glorious person of the Son of God. This union is not more mystical than certain. In natural unions there may be more evidence, there cannot be more truth: neither is there so firm and close a union betwixt the soul and body, as there is betwixt Christ and the believing soul : for as much as that may be severed by death, but this never."

But it is in the consequences of this union that its nature may be best set forth. All that Christ is as a Saviour, he is for us, that we may participate in it: and, in order to a full participation, we are made one with him, as members of the same body, or branches of the same vine, which are thus one in subsistence.

To be a partaker of Christ may be considered in two points of view: 1. What Christ is to us; 2. What we are in him.

1. Let us view Christ in some great acts of our redemption; and enquire how we participate in them. The chief of these were, his perfect obedience, his death for sin, his resurrection, and his exaltation to the right hand of God.

In his own person he fulfilled all righteousness, he performed all the obedience that belongs to a