This will bring me to what we have lastly to consider how the visitations of the Holy Ghost, and our redemption by Christ, are motives for

glorifying God in our bodies and in our spirits." The flattering testimony which the Almighty affords us, of his desire that our bodies should not be so defiled, as to render them unfit for the purity of Heaven, is apparent in his constituting them the temple of his Holy Spirit. This is in itself an evidence that he desires they should be glorified; since what he has himself condescended to dwell in, or even what he has designed for his abode, we never can suppose will be abandoned by him, willing as he is to occupy it, so long as it continues undefiled, and is kept prepared for his presence. Now, without the spirit be with us,

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we are dead, because of sin," and can never be made "alive unto God," whilst abandoned by that invisible agent, by whom alone "the whole armour of righteousness" is put upon us. On the other hand, however, "if the spirit of Him, that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in us, He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken our mortal bodies by His spirit that dwelleth in us." Here, then, is surely motive sufficient for our glorifying God in our bodies, by rendering them fit for "the habitation of His holiness."

After what has been done for us, can we do less than glorify Him in those bodies which He 822339

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has so eminently distinguished, by giving for them a ransom of such infinite value? Can we do less than keep them from the pollutions of deadly sins? Can we do less than "keep them in temperance, soberness, and chastity," for His sake, who, though "of purer eyes than to behold iniquity," has still condescended to make them His temple? Can we do less than wrestle with our evil propensities, in order that this temple may be, as far as we can render it so, a fit asylum for so august an inhabitant? Are we not assured, that as long as the spirit is with us, we shall be guided into all truth? that we shall not fall, whilst we are upheld by him? that "as many as are led by the spirit of God, these are the sons of God"? If, then, the abiding of the Holy Ghost within us, be the sign and seal, as it were, of our salvation; and if, without this internal communion with him, "we are fallen from grace," what higher incentive can we have to glorify God both "in our bodies and in our spirits," especially too, as they are His both by creation and redemption? and which we can only effectually do, by keeping the one undefiled, that it may not corrupt the other. The presence of the spirit with us, is the pledge of our sanctification.

To glorify God, therefore, for the mercy of His divine presence, is but the natural suggestion of pure religion, and evinces a grateful sense of what we owe to His Providence.

Our redemption by Christ affords us the strongest motive for fulfilling the precept which concludes our text. We are to remember, that we have been redeemed from original, not from personal sin: that, therefore, the atonement only secures salvation to those who come to that fountain of healing, which the Redeemer has opened on Mount Calvary, for the purgation of sinners. It is only by "glorifying God in our bodies and in our spirits," that we can secure our interest in that expiatory sacrifice, to which we owe our rescue from the slavery of him who first "brought us into captivity to the law of sin." What more sufficient motives then shall we require for thus acting in obedience to the dictates of the gospel, in accordance with the principles of natural right, and in conformity to the suggestions of gratitude and love? The prospects which Christ's death has opened, afford us every incitement that we can desire, for offering him a willing and anxious obedience, since we can only realize them by so doing. "If, by one man's offence," says the Apostle, "death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life.”

Let us remember, it is to obtain this "abundance

of grace and gift of righteousness," that we are required to "glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are his." And if, without doing this, we cannot obtain them; if, moreover, without obtaining them, we cannot become "inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven," we can want no further inducement to begin immediately to offer him that acceptable service, which the text prescribes, if we have hitherto neglected it, and "to continue in the same unto our lives' end."

SERMON VII.

THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND

LAZARUS.

ST. LUKE, XVI. 19, 20, 21.

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores."

In order to account for the severe application of this parable to the rich, it may be worth while, before we proceed to discuss it, to consider to whom it was addressed, and more particularly to whom it was applied. I need scarcely remind you, that the Pharisees and Sadducees, were the two principal sects among the Jews, at the period of our Saviour's preaching; but wherever these sects are mentioned in the gospel, it is with reference merely to the men of influence among them, who were chiefly persons of wealth as well as of power. For although the commonalty embraced the tenets both of the Pharisees and Sadducees, but of the former much more generally, still they were never honoured with that distinguishing title, of which