eral, are not fo dead to the world | the law; been brought to despair as they ought to be; and at times the world may have too great afcendancy in their hearts; but yet, they will, fooner or later, be of a more defirable and gospel temper of mind: they are in the way to be completely dead to the world: this must be the cafe, in that we are affured, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 3. True believers are dead to the law as the apoftle affirmed himself to be. It is faid of Chriftians, in the Epiftle to the Romans, wherefore, my brethren, ye alfo are become dead to the law by the body of Chrift. Here let it be obferved, they are not dead to the law as a rule of life; it ftill remains in force as fuch; and it is their fincere endeavor practically to conform to it. of ever obtaining falvation by the deeds of it. And indeed, they do not defire it this way; they choose to be juftified and faved according to the gospel scheme, even by faith in Chrift; and have embraced him in this way, and to this end. Thus we fee, in a fummary manner, how all true Chriftians may be faid to be dead. The laft queftion that remains to be difcuffed is, how faints may be faid to be alive. After the apoftle mentions his being crucified with Chrift, he fays, neverthelefs, I live! &c. And he says to the Coloffians, your life is hid with Chrift. Other paffages of like import might be adduced. What a mysterious life muft this be, that when they are dead, they ftill live! But the mystery will be unfolded, when we confider, that they live in a spiritual fenfe, having a fpiritual, fupernatural and heavenly life infufed and implanted in them, by which they live to God and Chrift; which alfo is the way to eternal life. Sanctification confifts in two things, viz. dying to fin and liv ing to righteousness. The apoftle, fpeaking of this life of believ ers, fays, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto fin; but alive unto God, through Jefus Christ our Lord.-The love of God, reigning in the heart, is the life of the foul towards him. The affections and defires are alive towards him. Such are alive to God's honor and glory as their end, and live by his word and will as their rule. When grace is lively and active, they have their And they are dead to the law, as to all hope and expectation of juftification, pardon and falvation by it; believing that divine declaration, by the deeds of the law fhall no flesh living be juftified in the fight of God. They are thoroughly fenfible, that juftification is not to be expected by the works of the law, in as much as none can perform a perfect obedience to it, which is neceffary to juftification by it. The many declarations in the facred oracles of the unattainablenefs of eternal life this way cannot fail of gaining their aflent. And their belief in this matter is fomething more than a hiftorical, or doctrinal belief, like that of unregeneratc men; they have had a sense of it impressed on their hearts. That in the apoftle's cafe may be appli-eye ever towards him. ed to them, I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, fin revived, and I died. They have been flain by They have a principle of divine life in them, which will be in them as a well of living water, fpringing up into life eternal. But it may not be amifs to notice here, that they are thus alive through Jefus Chrift our Lord. There is no fuch thing as living to God, but thro him. He is the mediator. There can be no fpiritual bleffings received from, or acceptable regards to him, but in and through Chrift; through him as the head from whom they derive vital influence. Those who thus live, yield themfelves to God, as inspiration expreffes it, as thofe who are alive from the dead.-The very life and being of holinefs confifts in the dedication of ourselves to the Lord, 2 Cor. viii. 5. And then, thofe who are thus alive, are willing to have the members of the body, as well as foul, improved for God, as the apoftle directs, yield your members as inftruments of righteousness unto God. A life devoted to God, as theirs is, is a new life prior to this, felf was their highest and chief end; but now God and his glory.-They make him the centre of their actions they aim and endeavour to comply with that apoftolic direction, "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I might obferve that the Chriftian lives in the exercife of grace; for he is not (ftrictly speaking) lively, when grace is inactive. And yet the lively actings, vigor, growth and comforts of grace, are not from himself; but when these favors are experienced, he must give thanks to that God, to whom he is entirely indebted for them; faying, not unto us, not unto us, but to thy name be all the praife. I fhall clofe with a few reflections.-1. Do the facred oracles make fuch a remarkable diftinction of characters among men? then how glaring the folly, as well as wickednefs, of those who attempt to blend and confound virtue with vice, by denying the diftinction between moral good and evil. 2. May we not conclude that many are dead in the fenfe in which natural men have been reprefented to be? Are they not awfully ftupid and wretchedly fecure in fin? Were they not void of moral goodness as a stock or a ftone ; yea, had they not hearts of ftone, would they indulge themfelves in fin, and give themfelves that latitude in iniquitous courses that they do? Would they live fo fearlefs of God, unaffected with the denunciations of his wrath, and remain deaf to the alluring calls of the bleffed Jefus? And do not the vain hopes and groundlefs confidence which multitudes, under the gofpel, maintain, evidence, that they are both dead and alive, as has been fuggefted? 3. The above observations may afford a rule by which all may try themselves, and by which profeffors of religion should try and examine themfelves, whether or not they be true Chriftians. 4. Impenitent finners have cause to be alarmed at their condition. Such are in the broad road to deftruction, and yet awfully infenfible of their danger. If perfons will harden themselves againft God, under all the light which the gofpel affords, how hazardous must be their fituation! And we may learn the delufory and infatuating nature of fin, from perfons flattering themfelves that they are alive, rich and increased in goods, when they are nigh unto curfing. 5. From what has been noticed, we may infer, how incumbent it is on all to be dead to fin, and to the world, as has been remarked. 6. Hence we may infer, that if we are by nature fuch depraved, finful creatures as has been reprefented, none have any cause to be proud of any worldly advantages, or outward diftinctions; of honors, or titles from men.-Are they called Rabbi, Rabbi, how very watchful should they be over their own hearts left they be infected with that fecret poifon, pride? Who would be elated on any account whatever, did he duly confider, that by nature he is altogether as an unclean thing, and his iniquities like the wind have taken him away? ditating on their recovery would tend to animate and quicken them in their Chriftian course and warfare; and alfo excite them to bear, with patience and Chriftian fortitude, the afflictions and trials which, in divine Providence, they may be called to experience thro' the courfe of their pilgrimage.From a view of these things, will not all Chriftians readily and feelingly adopt the language of the apoftle, viz. For the love of Chrift conftraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live, fhould not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who di ALEPH. Dives and Lazarus. Truths of the moft folemn im portance exhibited in a clear and "T1 HERE was a certain rich 7. Thofe who have been made alive unto God, ought frequently to reflect upon their fad and de-ed for them, and rose again. plorable ftate during their eftrangement from Gad. This might anfwer feveral good purpofes: It might ferve to keep them humble, and hide pride from them. Saints are not out of danger of fpiritual pride-fuch frequent reflection upon their former condition, and that tremendous fhipwreck which they have fo narrowly efcaped, would tend to keep them low and felf-abafed. They would do well to confider that, by the grace of God they are what they are; and that they have no caufe for boafting, in that they are fo happily and gloriously diftinguished from the world that lieth in wickednefs; but that it is all of free, rich and fovereign grace in God. And this may ferve alfo to infpire them with gratitude to their kind and bountiful Benefactor, for raifing them from fpiritual death to life. What was the fpring of the apoftle's grateful praife to God? Was it not meditating on this delightful theme? He breaks out in rapture, Jefus, who delivered us from the wrath to come! So again, me man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared fumptuoufly every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of fores, and defiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his fores. And it came to pafs that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bofom: the rich man alfo died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom, And he cried and faid, Father A. braham, have mercy on me; and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham faid, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedft thy good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tor. mented. And befides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: fo that they which would pafs from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come from thence." Luke xvi. 19-26. than this son of wealth and plea fure, came and licked his fores. How vaft was the difference in the appearance and visible circumftances of these two men ! How ftriking and affecting the contraft!-But mark the fequel. The beggar, as might be expected, died and with his mortal life ended all his fufferings. For his foul, releafed from his mortal body, was conducted by a convoy of angels to the heavenly manfions, and placed next to Abraham, as one leaning on his bofom, The rich man, here defcribed, to partake with him in the reft is fuch a one as the world is apt to and unmingled joy and happinefs think and call happy. Poffeffed of that bleffed world, where there of a large eftate, he gave full scope is no more death, nor forrow, nor to his inclinations and appetites in crying, nor pain; but fulness of the enjoyment of it. He cloth-joy and pleafures forevermore. ed himself in purple and fine linen, the rich, the gay and fplendid drefs of a nobleman or prince; and daily ate and drank of the best. The beggar, on the other hand, is here defcribed as one of the moft pitiful objects, in the most abject and pitiful condition, as to the things of this world, that can well be conceived. He was not only a beggar, totally without money or food, or any way to subsist himself except by begging; but also covered with ulcerous fores, painful and naufe ous, which rendered him incapable of travelling or moving himfelf from houfe to houfe, to folicit the food neceffary for his fubfiftence. He was, therefore, brought and laid at the rich man's gate, requesting that he might be fed, at leaft, with the crumbs which fell from his table. rich man, for aught that appears, was deftitute of all compaffionate feelings towards him, and treated him with total neglect. But the dogs, as tho' more compaffionate The The rich man likewife died. His vaft eftate, his riches and fplendid drefs and fumptuous fare, could not ward off the fhafts of death, or prolong his life a moment beyond the appointed time. He died, and was buried-probably with all the pomp and parade cuftomary at the funerals of the rich and the great. And there ended all his glory; all his happinefs, all his comfort, then came to a perpetual end. From the fummit of earthly wealth and pleafure, he was plunged in the abyfs of woe and mifery. For in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments. And to aggravate his diftrefs and anguish, he had a view of the manfions or ftate of the righteous, at a vaft diftance. There he beheld Abraham, from whom he defcended according to the flesh; and by virtue of this relation and of the covenant made with this father of the faithful, he probably, like many of the Jews, had vainly imagined his happiness was fecured, though he walked not in his steps and did not his works. There he likewife faw | Tho' he was a fon of Abraham according to the flesh, and as fuch had been favored with peculiar privileges in this world; yet he had been totally unlike to Abraham, in regard to faith in God, and obedience to his commands, Thefe reprefentations, however, and feeking a better heavenly as well as the following dialogue, country. He was of a selfish and are to be understood not in the worldly spirit, and employed his Atrict, literal sense. For the body large eftate for the gratification of of the rich man, and alfo of Laz- his pride and vanity, and fenfual arus, and of Abraham, were in appetites, to the neglect of piety their graves. Only their fouls towards God, and justice and had yet entered the invifible world. mercy towards men. Therefore, These representations, or defcrip when by death, he was cut off and tions, are therefore figurative, in removed from his earthly inheritwhich the happinefs of the one, ance, on which his heart had been and the misery of the other, are fet, and in which he took ap his represented by images taken from reft as the most defirable and chief the body, and fuch things as moft good to him, and which he had fenfibly affect it with pleasure or perverted and abused to the vileft pain. The rich man's foul upon felfish purposes, inftead of improvquitting the body and entering the ing it to the glory of God, in doother world, was filled with fuching good and being useful accordracking distress and anguish, asing to the directions of the divine may be reprefented to our minds, word; he was cut off from all by his being fuddenly plunged in-good forever: and nothing remainto a flaming fire, and there lifting ed for him, but to reap the bitter up his eyes in the most excruciat-fruits of his folly and fin in unceafing pains, and feeing at a vafting torments. dillance his great progenitor Abraham, and the beggar, who formerly lay at his gate, lodged with fafety and happiness in Abraham's bofom. Lazarus, on the other hand, who was in circumstances of extreme poverty and great affliction in this world, was, nevertheless, a true fon of Abraham according In this fituation he would have to the fpirit, an heir, an inheritor been glad of the leaft alleviation of his faith and patience. He beto his unceasing and infupportable lieved in the God of Abraham, torments, even from one, whom loved him, and put his truft in he had before fo much defpifed, him, and ferved him in fincerity and treated with fuch neglect and and in truth, bearing with pacontempt, as the poor beggar tience and calm fubmiffion, the Lazarus; tho' the relief fhould before afflictions, which God, in his no greater than might be produc-holy and fovereign difpofals, called ed, by a man's dipping the tip of him to endure. For his heart, his finger in water, and therewith like Abraham's, was fet upon the touching the tongue of one tor- heavenly country, and the glorimented in the flame of a tremendous inheritance there provided and ous fire. But this favor, fmall as it may feem, could not be granted. fecurely laid up for the faithful. Therefore, when death released |