the chosen; he washes, sanctifies, and cleanses them; he resides in them as the earnest of their future inheritance; and he seals them up to the day of eternal redemption; he sheds abroad God's love in their hearts, and shall at last quicken and raise up our mortal bodies; as it is written, " But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Let it be observed, brethren, that the Holy Ghost, which is given to us, is the earnest of our future inheritance, and is coupled together with glory, whereever he takes up his residence; as it is written, "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you," 1 Pet. iv. 14. Here then you see the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon the elect. The same Spirit is to quicken our mortal bodies; yea, our vile bodies are to be changed, and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ. Thus they are to bear the image of the heavenly Adam, and to mount up and meet the Lord in the air, and then to sit down on the judgment-seat with our dearly beloved head, as his mystical body; that all our persecuting enemies, both men and devils, may be judged by the elect of God; as it is written, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And, if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge

angels; how much more things that pertain to this life?" 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. Thus the elect are to appear on the judgment-seat with Christ their head, who comes to avenge his and their wrongs; as speaketh the Holy Ghost, "Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds; let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints; praise ye the Lord,” Psalm cxlix. 5-9.

The judgment being finished, and the doom of the wicked for ever fixed, the elect shall see a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth shall pass away in a flame of fire, prefigured by the destruction of Sodom and the adjacent cities. "The elements shall melt with fervent heat," and the wicked be chased away with it; whilst the judge shall render his vengeance with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire; the heavens being dissolved, and the elements melted; as Peter says. Then shall the new heaven and the new earth appear; which, according to his promise, we look for, wherein shall dwell righteousness, or righteous persons; and these shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years. "But the rest of the dead [that is, the wicked dead] lived not again until the thousand years were

finished." This is the first resurrection, in which the blessed and the holy have their part; and at the close of the thousand years will all the dead be judged. "Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And now comes the ultimate end of all our blessedness; every enemy will be destroyed; the Saviour's regal sceptre, which was swayed over the militant church, will be laid by; and the triune Jehovah, or Elohim, will be all in all. Then, my brethren, we shall understand something of the height of this love mentioned in my text.

Having endeavoured to wade through the length, breadth, depth, and height, of this love, I shall just mention some species of dimensions which weak believers are apt to think contrary to what I have laid down; and which they are ready to imagine will, some time or other, separate them from this love of God; and then pass on to the application.

Paul the apostle seems to defy the king of terrors, I mean death, to cause a separation; and he defies life also, whether prosperous or adverse; and angels, whether good or bad; emperors, kings, and princes; judges, magistrates, present troubles, and future judgments; the highest pitch of joy or prosperity; and the deepest abysses of horrors, troubles, tribulation, or poverty, to bring

about a separation between God and the elect, or break the bond of his love, which is the bond of eternal union; as it is written, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Rom. viii. 38, 39.

I come now to the application; for I reckon that your patience is almost worn out: but, blessed be God, we do not work by the day.

What know you of this love? Is it shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Ghost? Do you know experimentally the pardon of your sins? Christ said that Mary Magdalen's sins were many, and that they were forgiven her; and she loved much; and, where little is forgiven, the same will love little. Thus you see that love always attends a pardoned soul. And, if you say I love the Lord,' and feel a most cordial affection for him, for his people, his word, and his worship; remember thy love is nothing but a reflection from his love to thee; as it is written, "We love him because he first loved us." But perhaps some of you may say You are too high; we cannot come up to that experience.' Stay where you are, and I will come nearer to interested love to them Jesus in the world?

you. Do you find a disthat savour most of Christ Why,' say you, ' is the

word disinterested put in? what do you mean by that?' I mean that a hypocrite may love a godly man for what he can get from him, and not for Christ's sake; as Pharaoh loved Joseph for unfolding his dreams, and saving his country from perishing; and as the king of Babylon loved Daniel; and as Potiphar's wife loved Joseph, with the carnal and damnable love of a whore. I ask, therefore, If ye love the children of God because their knowledge, their life, and conversation in holiness, appear amiable in your sight? Perhaps you say No; I love all people alike, whether they fear God or hate him; whether they are orthodox or heterodox.' If so, your love has not holiness for its object; it bears no other stamp than merely the impression of the old man. Let me shew you the word of the Lord on this point. "Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He in whose eyes a vile person is contemned [mark that]; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord," Psalm xv. 1, 4. But some will say I bless God, I can stand the trial of that pure disinterested love which you describe.' Very well; so far good. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren," 1 John iii. 14.

But again, my friends, do you feel sin a plague and a burden to you? Is this your greatest grief; even the unholy motions that are felt from the living corruptions of your heart, because you can not subdue them, nor keep your thoughts and