regard to Christ's people: the devil may affect their spiritual possessions, and their spiritual health; the devil may rob them of their joys; the devil may produce disease, but the devil cannot kill the soul of one of Christ's children, they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hand." Here is their security. And put these three things together-Christ delivers his people from the consequences of the power of Satan; death is changed in reference to them when they die, they only "fall asleep," at the last day they shall "wake up in glory;" and while they are in this world, they are surrounded by God's power, so that "that wicked one toucheth them not." I say, put these together, and then say whether or not the deliverance which Jesus Christ has accomplished be complete. But then we only see a little way into this mystery of grace; we do not understand yet fully what the deliverance means; we do not understand yet the height of glory to which Christ will raise his people; we do not know yet the full extent of the blessing of his redemption; we do not yet number the multitude of the saved. My brethren, when all the results of Christ's mediation shall be made visible; when there shall be the "manifestation of the sons of God;" when they shall come from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down with Abraham, and with Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God, a multitude which no man can number; when it shall be seen-as we believe it will be seen-that the number of the saved far, far surpasses the number of the lost; when it is found that “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound," it will be demonstrated to the subjects of the universe, it will be seen in heaven, it will be felt in hell, that Christ hath destroyed the works of the devil; and after all his cunning, and his skill, and his toil, for years, and ages, and centuries, the empire which he has been building, shall all crumble away and come to nothing. Christ destroys him who hath the power of death-that is, the devil; and delivers them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage." And thus, brethren, we have attempted to illustrate the outline of this passage. But there are several thoughts which we cannot pass over; we can only gather them up, and draw our meditations to a close, by so doing. We cannot look at this passage without being struck, in the first place, with the pre-existence of Christ. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." This, then, clearly implies that he existed in another state before he came into this world; that he stooped down from an elevation, that he left a condition of glory, that he might come into a state of humiliation. Is not his assumption of our nature represented as his own act-his own voluntary act? He took upon him, not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham; clothed himself with human nature; put it on as a man does his garment. But the man exists before the clothing, before the garment which he puts on; and so Christ existed before that human nature with which he clothed himself when he was in this world-" Before Abraham was I am."

Looking at this passage, we are further struck, in the second place, with the atoning character of Christ's death. If Christ by his death, deliver us from the fear of death, it must be because his death is an atoning death; for, looking at his death apart from its atoning character, it is calculated to increase, rather than to allay our terror. To think of him in the garden, overwhelmed with sorrow; to think of him on the cross, saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" that could never allay the fear of death; that must rather mightily increase it. Until we come to see that Christ's death was an atoning death, and by means of it the guilt of sin is done away, and our transgression expiated; when we see that, then we are delivered from the fear of death, and only in this way..

Looking at this passage again, we are, in the third place, struck with the moral character of the government of God. God might we are speaking now of what was just physically possible-God might have destroyed the devil, might

have literally destroyed him, and might, by an act of power, have delivered his people from the fear of death; delivered them from all exposure to eternal ruin, and have raised them up from earth to heaven, and placed them at his own right hand. We can conceive of this as a physical possibility; but you find he adopts another method; he adopts what appears to us a circuitous process-he gives his Son to die, in order that we may be saved from death; and what does this teach us? Does it not teach us that God's power is under the control of something superior to itself? that God's power is under the control of wisdom, righteousness, and justice? that he will not do anything but that which is right? It teaches us that "it became Him by whom are all things, and for whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of our salvation perfect through suffering."

Looking at the passage again, are we not reminded, in the fourth place, of the infinite greatness of God's love? To think that he should have saved us at such an expense, that "he should not have withheld his own Son, but should have freely given him up for us all!" should have resigned him over to the death of the cross, in order that you and I might be delivered from the death that dieth not! Oh! my brethren, no words can describe "the greatness of the love of God." And if his love was so great, it ought to melt our hearts, it ought to bring us on our knees to night, it ought to lay us prostrate at the foot of the cross, it ought to impress upon our minds that principle which Paul adopted as the motto of his life" The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but to him that died for them and rose again." And, finally, we are taught the preciousness of faith. How are men delivered from death, and from the fear of it? By faith in the Lamb that was slain: faith in the Intercessor that pleads: faith in the King of kings. It is faith that makes the difference between one man and another. Souls are now passing into the unseen world; some are ascending to the realms of bliss; and others are going down into the regions of despair-what makes the difference? Faith on the one hand, and unbelief on the other! Men in this world are travelling on to death, or advancing to the enjoyments of eternal life in heaven —what makes the difference? Faith on the one hand, unbelief on the other! "God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Believe, and shew the reason of a man! Believe, and taste the riches of Christ's love! Believe, and look to triumph o'er the tomb! May God add his blessing. Amen.

G., J. & R. BANKS, Printers, 6, & 14, Bermondsey New Road, London.

The Evangelical Pulpit.

"PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD."

A Sermon,

BY THE REV. CLEMENT DUKES, M. A.

AT THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, MIDDLETON ROAD, DALSTON,
SUNDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 7, 1851.

"Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."-2 Cor. vii. 1.

THE verse which I have read obviously belongs to the verses which precede it in the previous chapter. Our translators did well, no doubt, to divide the various books into chapters, though they were not originally written so; and then into verses for the convenience of reference; and, for the most part, they have succeeded admirably, though sometimes they have failed, and this is an instance of it. You will see, if you just read the two foregoing verses in connexion with this, how obviously this is true. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord; touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." "Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

Now this is the duty pressed upon the attention of all believers from the considerations mentioned in the previous verses; and you observe that the apostle here evidently admits of some very precious possessions which belong to believers; and he directs their attention to these possessions as a motive to unbounded diligence in the pursuit of lofty purposes, and reminds them that they have something so precious-of such inestimable value, that there is enough to arouse them to the pursuit of such duties as those which are mentioned in the passage before us. You may be startled at the idea of the apostle speaking of wealth precious to God's people; seeing that in connexion with his own time the christian church, for the most part, was marked by great indigence; for in becoming christians in those days men were content to forsake all-and the all they had to forsake was often but very little-for it was the "common people that heard him gladly." It was "Not many wise, not many rich;" it was the poor of this world that received the gospel.

Now Paul feels this, and he refers to it in the chapter I have read. At the tenth verse he uses this remarkable expression-" As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." This is one of the No. 2.

C

singular paradoxes employed by the apostle, marked by profound wisdom, by perfect truth, by great eloquence, and by the highest possible order. This chapter is one of the most striking in point of composition, and in point of power, to be found in the whole range of the word of God. The wealth of which, the apostle speaks, was not in possession, but only in prospect; they had only the promises-but the promises of some people are far better than the payments of others, and it was so most strikingly in this case. The christian has valuable possessions, but they are spiritual, and on this account they are indestructible; they are deposited where "moth doth not eat," and where "rust cannot corrupt," and where "thieves do not break through and steal:" The wealth of the christian is too refined to be grasped by vulgar hands, and so it will always escape the hands of violence, and even the shock of death itself. A man might as well attempt to chain a shadow or pierce a spirit as to rob the christian of his wealth. You cannot make any impression upon it, the object is too etherial; too unearthly; the weapon meets no resistance at your hands; you may beat, but it is like beating the air; it is like grasping the wind: the christian's possessions, therefore, are real, though they are not palpable; they are genuine, though not felt; and the apostle avails himself of this when he says, Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord."

دو

Let me invite you to notice in the first place, the christian's wealth. There is great force in the first word employed 'Having Having" it. It implies, that he has it already, that it is in present possession; this is intended to convey the idea of certainty that all doubt is excluded, all contingency is out of the question. "Having" this promise. "Whatever God promises," secures to us the possession of it as certainly as if we had it already in our coffer.

In speaking of these blessings he says they are already in the christian's possession, and this is one of the positive advantages belonging to every believer the blessings referred to they have because they receive them on the authority of God; and they have the pledge of his character and the pledge of his grace. If God hath said we shall have a mansion in the skies, we are just as certain of it as if we were already there in possession of it. "Heaven and earth may pass away, but not one jot or tittle of all that the Lord hath said shall ever fail."

He speaks of every true Christian as sharing it in common with himself. You observe he constantly does this; he identifies himself with every true believer; never excludes himself as belonging to a higher class; but says, "having, therefore, these promises, beloved brethren." This spirit pervades the entire writings of the apostle; he never thought of any aristocracy in the church of God, but makes one common cause with all believers. There is one treasure, out of which every believer must be fed with grace sufficient for grace; and he meets the Christian church, and says to them, "Beloved brethren, having therefore these promises."

But then we may do well to enquire, on what terms the Christian is put into

posssession of such blessings? How came they into the possession of them that believe? Do we hold them by right? Do we hold them by merit? Do we hold them by purchase, or by inheritance? The Scriptures tell us that we hold them by grace, and by grace alone. We are "saved by grace, through faith, and even that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God." Whatever, therefore, we possess, we possess by deed of gift; we hold it as the result of the merits of another, and not our own; "by faith and not by works." If, therefore, we have this promise, it is in consequence of the goodness, and forbearance, and mercy, of the great and good God of heaven.

And then he sets forth this blessing in the form of a promise; a form of speech that is very frequently referred to in the Word of God. For instance, in Heb. xi. 13, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Now, what are the specific promises to which the apostle here refers? In the seventeenth verse of the foregoing chapter, he says, Therefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord; touch not the unclean." What then? "And I will receive you." Give up the wicked, and “I will receive you." And what else? “I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." "Having, therefore, this promise," the promise of acceptance, the promise of adoption, that God is to be our Father, that he will be reconciled unto us, and that we shall be brought into the same relationship and intercourse into which the prodigal was introduced when he returned to his father's house. The christian, therefore, has a promise as soon as he believes; he becomes a member of the royal family, and a son, and he may claim kindred with the skies; belongs at once to the blood royal, and being adopted into that family, is made an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ Jesus.

The apostle seems to revel in this when he says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." This confers upon every believer dignity, life, and immortality; and it seems to have been a favourite topic upon which the apostle delights to dwell. In one place you remember he says, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." He would glory in the cross. So in the closing part of the third chapter of the epistle to the Corinthians, "Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." And in another place he says, pointing at the mighty efforts made by those who were the competitors in the great and remarkable games of Greece and Rome, These do it for a corruptible crown." One of the most favourite crowns for which they competited was simply a wreath of parsley, that would only last a few hours. The apostle points to this and says, "These do it for a corruptible crown, we an incorruptible." So the apostle Peter says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to