straitened; it is simply through our own want of faith. But if we have already committed our souls to His keeping, the resurrection of Christ may well inspire us with strong confidence. He rose for our justification. He rose that He might ever be at God's right hand to intercede for us, and to advocate our cause. He can, then, save us to the uttermost. But will He? Why should we doubt it? Is not His word pledged? Has He not said, "My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand"? Be not faithless, then, but believing: because Christ lives, ye shall live also.

It should lead us to walk in newness of life; "for as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so should we also walk in newness of life." If we be believers, we have experienced a spiritual resurrection, as Christ experienced a literal one; and the very same power that raised Him from the dead is that which quickened us from the death of trespasses and sins. We ought, then, to regard ourselves henceforth as "dead indeed unto sin, but living unto righteousness;" for "in that Christ died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." Be it your care to act upon these declarations. Let your life be a continued conflict with all sin-even with that which doth most easily beset you. Let no sin reign in your mortal bodies; but rather let the flesh, the corrupt nature of man, with all its affections and lusts, be subdued unto the Spirit; yea, let your daily conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ, in all lowliness and meekness, in all purity and godliness, in all zeal and

knowledge. This demands much strength; but you are not as those who begin to build without knowing whether they have wherewith to finish; for Christ hath risen, and His grace is sufficient for you. Be strong, then, in that grace; and by cultivating always the mind and walk of Christ, prove to all that you are neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

It should further constrain us to heavenly-mindedness: "If ye then," says St. Paul, "be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." The believer, as we have seen, has risen spiritually, as Christ rose literally; his duty, therefore, is manifest: he must have his conversation in heaven-his affection set on things above. But how difficult is this! Did not David say, "My soul cleaveth unto the dust"? Are not the very best as a bird with a weight attached to its feet, which flutters with its wings, and tries to mount upwards, but finds itself still confined and kept downwards? Yes; when they would rise to the contemplation of heavenly things the flesh drags them downwards to the earth, so that they may well say with St. Paul, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?" Look, then, beloved readers, to your risen Saviour, and let your prayer be, "Quicken Thou me according to Thy word." He can give more grace, He can kindle such a flame of holy love and desire in your hearts that earthly things will be counted but dross in comparison with Christ, and with the good things which He hath prepared for them that love Him. And if these

things be the treasure of your souls, where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also. Wait, then, upon the Lord, and He will renew your strength, so that you shall no longer grovel in the dust of earthly pursuits and earthly pleasures, but mount up on eagles' wings to heavenly hopes and heavenly joys.

In conclusion I may say, if the event which we have been considering has had its legitimate influence upon you—if it has made you strong in faith, led you to walk in newness of life, and constrained you to set your affection on things above, you will not need to be urged to eat of that bread and drink of that cup which the Lord has commanded to be received in remembrance of Him when the opportunity is afforded to you. Your own hearts will prompt you to draw nigh to His table; you will feel it good to be the guests of a risen and holy Saviour. The unbelieving, the carnally minded, and those who are walking after the course of this world, may turn away from it; they would not, indeed, be welcome guests were they to come there, for they lack the wedding garment which the Lord requires, they lack that faith without which the soul cannot soar up to heaven, and feed on Christ who sits there at the right hand of God. But ye who have risen with Christ are meet and acceptable guests; and whilst you blend the bitter herbs of penitential sorrow with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, you may rejoice in that Saviour who through His death hath destroyed him that had the power of death, and who by His rising again hath secured to you everlasting life.

I

114

THE CHARACTER AND PRIVILEGES OF THE BLESSED.

PSA. i. 1-3.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

ISHOP Horne has well observed that the Psalter, like the sermon on the mount, commences with a beatitude-a beatitude which directs us to that good which many profess to be seeking, but which few seek in the right way, namely, true blessedness. That persons err as to the way in which it is to be sought is not to be wondered at, for they are far from being agreed as to what true blessedness is.

Some hold it to consist in the abundance of the things which a man possesses, and therefore they spare no pains or exertions to multiply their store. These things, however, cannot give blessedness, even in this world, for many who have the most are far from being happy; and even Solomon, who heaped up silver and gold, and proved every source of enjoyment which riches could lay open to him, found no real profit in them, but pronounced them vanity and vexation of spirit; and much less can they impart

blessedness in the world to come.

There each must

give up an account of his stewardship to God; and the most faithful will then feel themselves so unprofitable, so wanting in the improvement of their talents, that they will derive little comfort or blessedness from the remembrance of their earthly abundance, though they may derive much from the contemplation of the sufficiency of that Saviour to whose keeping they have committed their souls. And if those who have endeavoured to be faithful can derive no blessedness from their earthly abundance, it is certain that the unfaithful cannot. They will be self-condemned, for conscience will then charge them with their waste, or misapplication, or non-improvement of their Lord's goods, and will fill them with a fearful looking for of the judgment of their offended God.

Those who look for blessedness in the pursuit of science or honour may calculate on similar disappointment-most probably now, most certainly in eternity. The best furnished head cannot shield a man in the hour of death; and if amidst his care for other knowledge man has overlooked that knowledge which giveth life to him that hath it, the palm of folly may justly be awarded to him.

But though true blessedness is not to be found in such pursuits, it may be found in the ways of piety, and it will be found there by all who seek it with all their hearts. All cannot become scholars, but all may be made wise unto salvation. All cannot be rich, however much they strive for riches, but all may gain the unsearchable riches of Christ. All cannot stand in the high places of the earth, but all may be