we do not misconceive of the conditions of salvation, or mistake our own characters, and so imagine ourselves to be heirs of the kingdom of glory, while we remain in the kingdom of darkness. We should always bear in mind, that God has called us with an holy calling has chosen us to be holy and without blame has appointed us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and that none are entitled to the heavenly inheritance, but those who, by the renewing of their minds are made meet to be partakers of it. We, are therefore, to hope for it only in a way of holiness; and the proper influence of this hope, is to purify our souls as Christ is pure.

2. The Apostle prays, that they may know" what is the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the saints;" or, what a rich and glorious inheritance God has prepared for, and promised to them.

This is what none can fully comprehend. We may, however, by revelation know so much of it, as to be well assured, that it is rich and glorious. It is "an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, fading not away, reserved in heaven for the faithful."

It is GOD's inheritance; that which he has provided and reserved for his own children; and he gives liberally-It is a purchased possession; and the purchase was not made with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus the Son of God:-It is an inheritance for the saints; forthem whom God hath chosen to be holy, and predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, and whom he hath sanctified by his Spirit, and sealed unto the day of redemption :-It is an inheritance bestowed by God's abundant love; and as it comes from the riches of the glory of his grace, the gift itself must be rich and glorious. Though we cannot comprehend its dimensions, nor compute its value, yet when we consider the grace of the Being who conveys it, the riches of the price which bought it, and the divine prepara

tion by which the heirs are formed to enjoy it, we must conceive it to be unspeakably glorious.-Many important properties of this inheritance the scripture enumerates; and finally sums up all in these comprehensive words, "He that overcometh shall inherit ALL THINGS."

Lastly: The Apostle desires, that Christians may know, "what is the exceeding greatness of God's power toward them that believe, according to the work. ing of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead."

When the Christian contemplates the glorious inheritance, which awaits him in the heavenly world, the joy which begins to kindle in his soul is, sometimes, damped by the thought of that gloomy valley which lies in the way. Death and the grave are before him ;the body must be dissolved-must moulder away under the clods of the earth, and be reduced to its primitive dust; and this soul-this conscious, thinking mind, which has never yet existed without a body;Where, and what will it be? It can have little conception of a separate, unbodied state; for this is wholly unexperienced. How dark the prospect !-But this gloomy scene the gospel has enlightened; it reveals to us a resurrection of the body, and a happy reunion of it to the soul; in which new state we shall exist for ever. To strengthen our faith it refers us to the work of God's mighty power in raising Christ from the dead; and from this glorious instance leads us to conceive the exceeding greatness of his power in raising from the dead them who believe in Jesus, and in transforming these vile bodies to such a spiritual and immortal state, and they shall be forever capable of enjoying the heavenly inheritance. Of this power the believer has already had some experience in the quicken. ing of his soul, once dead in trespasses and in sins, to a holy and divine life.

If we have been quickened with Christ to a spiritual life, we shall also be raised with him to eternal life, and be made to sit with him in heavenly places. If we are dead to this world, our life is hidden in anotherhidden with Christ in God; and when Christ shall appear we also shall appear with him in glory. "If the Spirit of him, who raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in us, he that raised up Jesus, shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in us. Therefore "let us not walk after the flesh, but through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, that we may live." If we expect to rise with Christ, "let us now seek the things which are above, where Christ is.". "Let us have our conversation in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, and fashion it like unto his own glorious body, according to that mighty working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

SERMON IX.

The Exaltation of Christ.

EPHESIANS i. 19-23.

According to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath fut all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

IN the preceding words, Saint Paul prays for the Ephesian believers, that, in the acknowledgment of the gospel of Christ, they might have the spirit of wisdom to understand the revelation given them or the preaching of the Apostles; and that their intellectual eyes might be enlightened to know the ground and the terms of that hope to which they were called, the glorious riches of that inheritance which was provided for them, and the exceeding greatness of that power, which by raising them from the dead, should put them in possession of the heavenly inheritance. To strengthen their faith in God's power and promise, and to aid their conceptions of the glory of this inheritance; the Apostle refers them to the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ, and to that dominion and dignity

which he now enjoys, as the reward of his sufferings in the flesh.

The several important steps of Christ's exaltation are contained in the words now read: These are his resurrection from the dead-his ascension to, and session at the right hand of God-his advancement, far above all principality and power, to supreme dominion over all things-and the glorious end of his dominion, even the benefit of the church which is his body, the fulness of him who filleth all in all.

I. The first step of Christ's exaltation was his resurrection from the dead.

The plan which the wisdom of God laid for the re. demption of our fallen race, was the death of Jesus Christ; who, though a holy and divine person, "was made in the likeness of our sinful flesh, that by a sacrifice for sin he might condemn sin in the flesh." But the scheme of God's wisdom did not end with the death of the Redeemer. If he had remained under the power of death, our hopes must have died with him. His resurrection was necessary, that we might have a convincing proof of his divine character and mission of the truth of his gospel-of God's acceptance of the sacrifice offered-and of the certainty of our own resurrection and future existence. God therefore took particular care to render this important event certain and indubitable.

Our divine Lord, during his ministry, often foretold his own approaching death and the ressurrection which would speedily follow. He pointed out the exact time of his resurrection, and referred not only his disciples, but the unbelieving Jews to this humanly improbable event, as the grand and decisive proof of his heavenly authority.

Jesus Christ was crucified in the most public manner, and the reality of his death was made evident beyond a possibility of doubt. He was buried in a new tomb, in which never man before was laid; so that, if