THE RELATIONS AND INHERITANCE OF CHRIST'S PEOPLE. A SERMON ON 1 CORINTHIANS iii, 21-23.

Delivered in the Methodist Chapel at Salem, N. J., on the 27th of February, 1825, BY THE REV. JACOB MOORE.

(Concluded from page 296.)

II. In the second place, we are to consider the relationship subsisting between Christ and his people; because Christ is God's Son, and the Mediator between God and man, sustaining the prophetic, priestly and regal offices in the mediatorial kingdom. "Ye are Christ's." In the sacred Scriptures, the relations which subsist between Christ and his people are illustrated under many similitudes, some of which we shall bring into view.

1. Ye are Christ's property. "Ye are not your own: ye are bought with a price." "Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot." As the Creator of all things, Christ has a natural right to all men; but as their lives and happiness were forfeited to Divine justice, and he paid down the price of his own blood as an equivalent to its demands; and as it was of his free mercy and good will towards us that he gave himself a ransom for us, therefore we are his by redemption. His property in us, as our Redeemer, is twofold; for as he satisfied the claims of the Divine law upon gospel principles, and as his evangelical claim upon us is entirely in accordance with the spirit of the law, his title to us is according to law, as well as according to grace, and his pro perty in us legal, as well as evangelical.

Here it is proper to observe that Christ acquired a title to all men by the price of his blood, that all men might be saved, and not that a great portion of them, as some have vainly imagined, might be brought into a state of personal existence, and inevi tably fill up the measure of their iniquity, and be damned. It would have been justice in God to have left them to suffer in their seminal state, as insensible beings, in the loins of their great progenitor; but to have brought them upon the stage of existence as active and sensible creatures, by redeeming them from Divine justice, and then leave them to sin unavoidably, that they might be damned, would have been unmerciful, c VOL. VIII. September, 1825. 42

just, and cruel in the extreme. He purchased them for his glory; that is, that they might actively glorify him in their bodies and spirits, which are his, and enjoy him for ever. Ye are not your own; ye do not belong to yourselves; but, having been bought with a price, ye belong to another-to him who bought you; and he that bought you has a right to your services, and enjoins you to glorify him in this world, that you may be glorified with him in the world to come.

2. Ye are God's husbandry: that is, his field, his garden, his vineyard; and his ministers are the labourers. And inasmuch as ye are God's vineyard, and Christ is the true vine in that vineyard, ye are Christ's branches; united to him, as branches to a vine, by a living faith and as a branch is dependant on the vine for life, sap, and a capacity to bear fruit, so ye are dependant on Christ for spiritual life, and a capacity to bring forth spiritual fruit, the fruit of holiness.

3. Ye are God's building-a most noble edifice, erected upon Jesus Christ, the foundation and chief corner-stone. The church of God is a spiritual edifice; and the members in particular are as lively stones, which constitute this spiritual superstructure, fitly framed together, and growing unto a holy temple in the Lord. As stones in a building are united to the foundation, and supported by it, so does Christ, the foundation of his church, unite his people to himself and each other by the cement of faith and love, and support their hopes by his grace during the course of their pilgrimage in this world; and as a corner-stone unites two parts of a building, so Christ unites both branches of the church militant-namely, the Jewish and Christian. He is also the bond of union between the church militant and the church triumphant: he opens an intercourse between God and men; and unites heaven and earth, the pious in this world with the assembly of saints and angels in the presence of God; and by the blood of the cross he unites both to himself; and they are a holy temple, a spiritual superstructure, built upon him, the chief corner-stone; and they are a habitation of God, through the Spirit, for ever and ever.

We have contemplated the relations subsisting between Christ and his people, under the similitude of inanimate things, and come now to illustrate them by the tender and endearing relations which exist among mankind.

4. Ye are Christ's disciples. Ye are called by his name, and instructed in his doctrines. As the Platonists and Pythagoreans had their name from their masters, Plato and Pythagoras, so the disciples of Christ were called Christians, after the name of their master. This title denotes the highest character that a man can sustain on earth; and those who bear it as the true disciples of Christ, receive him as their teacher, and are instructed in his

doctrine: they give credit to his word, and follow the rule of life which he has prescribed in his gospel, and marked out by his example; and by their godly precepts and holy conversation they recommend him, as a Divine Teacher and Saviour, to all with whom they have intercourse. Christian discipleship implies an ardent affection for the great Author of our holy religion, a humble reliance upon him for life and salvation, a superior admiration of his attributes and character, and a cheerful observance of his laws and ordinances; an unhesitating confidence in the word of his truth, a faithful imitation of his holy example, and a willingness to die rather than forsake him. These are some of the most prominent characteristics of the genuine disciples of the Lord Jesus, and principal marks whereby they are known to be under the influence of his doctrines and example; and the relations which they bear to him under this character are not only exalted, but tender and endearing.

5. Ye are Christ's spouse. He is the husband of his people: they are his bride. So it is written, "Thy Maker is thy husband; the LORD of Hosts is his name; for the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God." When our name and honour were forfeited and lost, Christ descended from his Father's bosom, married our nature, and became bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, that we might become his spouse, and enter into those golden fetters, which involve the obligations of love and obedience, identify our interests, and give us a title to the same inheritance. As there is an indefinable union, fellowship, and confidence subsisting between the loving husband and affectionate wife, so it is with respect to Christ and his people: they have one heart and one soul, one purpose and one design; and the union and confidence which subsists between them, and the rest which the pious enjoy while they repose upon the bosom of their Lord, none can understand but those who are espoused to him. As the husband of his people, he feeds them at his own. table, lodges them near his own heart, provides for their necessities, relieves their cares, determines their doubts, and reclaims their wanderings. He protects them against their enemies, preserves them in danger, sympathizes with them in affliction, soothes their troubles, and shares in all their joys and sorrows. They forsake the world, and cleave to him; they reverence him as their Lord, and are governed by him as their head; they cast their burden upon him, and pour out their hearts into his bosom; they are heirs to the same promises, and entitled to all his possessions.

When the husband and the wife give themselves to each other, they, with themselves, give all their possessions; so that they have not only one heart and one soul, one purpose and one de

sign, but one property, one purse, and one interest. So Jesus Christ has given himself to mankind: he is the greatest of benefits the greatest that could possibly have been bestowed upon us; and with himself he has freely given us all his possessions. But what are the possessions of the Lord Jesus? As the Son of the Father, he is the natural heir of all things; and, in consideration of his purchase, he has a title to all in heaven above, and all in the earth beneath, "whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers." Now, as the possessions of the husband and wife are property which is common to each, in virtue of the union which subsists between them, so the possessions of Christ are the inheritance of his people, in consideration of the relations which they bear to him.

III. Under our third article, we are, therefore, to contemplate the portion to which Christ's people are entitled, on account of their relations to him, and his relations to God.

The Apostle first speaks of this inheritance in general terms: "All are yours ;" and then descends to particulars.

1. All the ministers of the gospel are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. These three, with their diversified gifts and qualifications, may very properly represent all the ministers of the gospel. Some, like Paul, have been educated at the feet of Gamaliel, and are endowed with extraordinary powers of reasoning: these are set to defend the truth, to confound unbe lievers, and establish the wavering Others, like Apollos, are endowed with extraordinary gifts of elocution and memory: these are appointed to teach and expound the Way of Salvation, to persuade sinners to repent and embrace the gospel, to comfort the broken-hearted, and build up believers on the foundation of their most holy faith. There are also such as are bold and intrepid, like Cephas, qualified for great and daring enterprises, and capable of thundering home to the conscience the terrors of the law: these are to awaken the impenitent, show sinners their danger, and point out the way whereby they may escape the damnation of hell.,

Inasmuch as the capacities, circumstances, and conditions of the people are diversified, God has diversified the gifts and qualifications of his ministers; and in this he has manifested much condescension, for thereby all cases and conditions are accommodated. Those who minister in holy things are not to be slaves to the people, nor lords over God's heritage; but as they sustain the office and character of angels, being the messengers of the good tidings of salvation to men, they are therefore to be regarded as the servants of God and his people, and all their gifts as the common property of the church; and while they serve God and the church, the church should respect, honour, and serve them. By fulfilling these mutual obligations, they are

all yours, for edification, comfort, and instruction in righteous

ness.

2. The world is yours. This term is sometimes used for the whole system of created things, comprehending the heavens and the earth, and all they contain; and it is sometimes restricted to that assemblage of parts which compose the globe of the earth. It also, in some instances, by a metonymy, sig, nifies the inhabitants of the world-the container being put for the contained. In the text, the term is used rather to denote those persons and things with which Christ's people are connected, and which are employed by God for the promotion of their welfare and happiness. It regards, principally, the common blessings of life, such as food and raiment, and health and friends, all which are the property of the pious, and employed in their service, so far as is compatible with their spiritual and eternal interests. The world, in the true sense, is the property, the servant, the dowry of the people of God, however small the portion they possess; whereas it does not properly belong to the worldling, however large his possessions may be. The world He is a does not serve him, but he serves the world; he is its slave, sub. jected to its control, and tormented with its cares. greater menial than a Virginia slave, who, notwithstanding he is under the control and at the disposal of his master, is allowed time to eat and sleep. But the world is as severe upon its vo taries as Egyptian taskmasters, and imposes such burdens as scarcely allow them to eat their bread quietly in the day, or take their sleep undisturbed in the night: This is the contrast between the world's votaries and Christ's people. The former are the world's slaves; whereas the world is the portion and servant of the latter.

3. Life is yours. This term denotes either animal vitality, the period of man's probation in this world, a spiritual principle implanted in his heart by grace, or eternal life in the world to come. Life, in every sense, is the portion of Christ's people, but it belongs to sinners in no sense. It is true they exist as animals, but their animal existence is slavery the most degrading, inasmuch as they are under the influence and control of their carnal desires, appetites and passions. They do not exist at all in a spiritual sense, but are dead in trespasses and sins. They possess spiritual faculties, but those faculties are so paralyzed

sin that there is no life in them. They are also destitute of the hope of eternal life, and, unless renewed by the energies of Divine grace, must be consigned over to eternal wo.

But Christ's people enjoy animal life according to its true design. Their animal passions and appetites are under the control and influence of Divine grace, and kept in subjection to the Divine law. A spiritual principle is implanted within them: