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hast loved them even as thou hast loved me," are the words of our Lord addressed to his Heavenly Father and Christians delight in God as their exceeding joy: they see in Him the fountain of joy, above every thing else; they treasure up in Him all their hopes. God rests in his love to them, and rejoices over them with joy; and they rejoice in their relation to God; and say, "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." His love is shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost. The love of Christ constraineth them. The love of Christ is the first principle which distinguishes the true Christian, and the first effect of faith in him.

This fellowship, therefore, with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, is vital and warm. It is not political and external, verified in some transient effects; but seated in the heart. The purest affections of the Christian are fixed on God and Christ as their centre.

III. This fellowship is one of action and pursuit.

Christians enter into the Divine plan, so as to be, in a humble sense, fellow-workers with God. The Christian understands the revealed ends of God in the dispensations of providence and grace; and his inward mind corresponds with them. God, having brought the Christian to a similarity of moral feeling, and to a preference and delight in himself, sets him at work on a course of holy action; and this course is in unison with the Divine will. The Christian serves God in the gospel of his Son. He renounces the service of sin and the world; he follows not the desires of the flesh and of the mind; but he enters on a course of active obedience to God; and in this he has fellowship, so to speak, with the Divine pursuits and actings. God makes it his design to communicate happiness by means of holiness and order: the Christian enters into this design, and seeks to benefit mankind by promoting peace and CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 352.

holiness: he aims at the happiness of his fellow-creatures: he lives not unto himself, but unto Him that died for him and rose again. As God has no personal interest in his designs and actions but that impulse of always seeking the first and highest good, so Christians have fellowship in this: they perform a disinterested course of duty, they have a delight in it, they imitate the love and benignity of God. As God promotes his glory by the success of the Gospel, by manifesting his Son; so Christians work together with him in this: they delight in promoting God's glory by the progress of the Gospel; they study to advance the designs of God in Christ; they exalt the Saviour; they endeavour to allure men by his example to return unto him.

The Christian has also fellowship with his Saviour in his conflicts. The triumph over principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places, which remains to be effected, is carried on by means of his church; and every Christian is a soldier under this banner: he sympathizes with the Eternal Mind in feeling a holy jealousy of the name of God, in fighting on the Lord's side, in leaguing himself against the spirit of the world and the power of Satan. As Christ is described in the heavenly visions of the Apocalypse as riding upon a white horse, and having a name on his thigh, King of kings and Lord of lords, and as going on in his Gospel conquering and to conquer; Christians are described as riding on white horses, and having the name of God on their foreheads; as being the called, and chosen, and faithful; and overcoming, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

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The Christian thus is interested in the great revealed purposes of the Most High. He has fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ therein. He unites himself with the Eternal Mind. He delights in entering into the holy purposes of God, 2 D

of peace on earth and good will towards men. Christ puts on him something of his honour.

Christianity has in every age achieved its conquests in a way which the world thinks nothing of. Christianity would have died with the first century but for this zeal of the church but the Apostles and first teachers were filled with the mind of Christ; they entered into his place; they considered it as belonging to themselves; they counted not their lives dear unto them, so that they might finish their course with joy, and the ministry they had received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Let us not think we can have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, if it does not make us partakers of the energy of the first Apostles, of their practical principles, of their pursuit of their great end, the communication of holiness and happiness to mankind. Every one, in his own station, must do this; not only by aiding in all designs for the propagation of the Gospel, but by silent prayers, by a pure and holy conduct, by a spirit of unity and love, by avoiding the appearance of evil, by filling up his station in the house of God, by discharging the duties of social life. Thus he becomes a witness for God and his Christ in the world.

IV. This fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ is a participation of their felicity.

The happiness of Christians, as men, arises from a variety of sources. They are men like others, and whilst in this tabernacle many things are common to them with the rest of mankind. They must have the pains and pleasures of a physical nature, the sympathies of general society, the joys and sorrows of men. They cannot rise above those sources of sensibility which belong to them as inhabitants of this world.

But still there is a happiness belonging to them, as being in a right state of mind towards God; and this is of the same nature with that

which constitutes the supreme happiness of God himself. I speak with reverence: but the love of holiness, a heart at peace with God, pardon and acceptance, approbation of conscience, joy from deriving life from Christ, moral self-approbation

what is all this but a part of the Divine complacency of God, in being conscious to himself of infinite purity, goodness, truth, and love? The Christian derives his happiness from the blessed sensation that he dwells in love with God and with the company of his fellow-Christians: and is not this a part of the happiness of God himself, who communicates to him out of his fulness? "God is Love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him."-Again: when he is uniting himself with God and Christ by acts of faith, by efforts of devotion, contemplation, love; the influences of peace and union with Christ are such, and so endearing, that it is some participation of the Divine happiness itself. God is his own portion, his own rest, his own centre; and the Christian derives his happiness from resting upon that Eternal Centre of Felicity, in finding in God a fulness of good; all desires being subdued to that one desire after happiness which is only to be found in God. "If thou hadst known the gift of God," said our Lord, "and who it is that said unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him, and he would have given thee living water. He that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but he that drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life." This water, of which our Lord here speaks so divinely, is no doubt the very element of the Divine happiness. The communication of those holy pleasures which spring from love, from faith, from devotion, is to have fellowship with the Divine fulness of felicity.

1831.]

by the late Rev. Robert Hall.

God communicates to Christians, first, his nature, and then his felicity. He prepares them for loving him, for having the same delight, and the same actions and pursuit; and then, from this, he communicates to them of his felicity. He sanctifies the vessel, and then fills it with holy peace and blessedness.

He makes

it a recipient of holiness, and so of happiness. He begins by sanctifying, and then proceeds to bless more and

more.

They partake, finally, of God's felicity when they are put in possession of the eternal reward of heaven. Thus they enter into the joy of their Lord; not only that which he bestows, but that which he possesses.

Here is the secret of the Lord which the stranger knoweth not; here is the inward refreshment of Under all the Christian's soul. calamities he has a peace and happiness which nothing can destroy, in the foretaste and hope of eternal glory. And this is what our Lord meant when he said, "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you."

Some portion of the fellowship with God, which we have now endeavoured to trace in these four particulars, belongs to all Christians; but in the highest exercises of it, it is not so.

Some parts of it are inseparable from the character of the Christian. The sanctifying spirit pervades his life. The conscience bears its testimony that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, he has had his conversation in the world. A certain tranquillity arises in his mind from having secured his greatest interests, and that they are placed beyond the accidents of danger and death. Pardon, and acceptance with God in Christ, fill him with peace. Hope dawns upon his soul and excludes a settled gloom.

But the higher orders and mani

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festations of this fellowship, so as to
embody heaven here below, are of
rare occurrence; and some Chris-
tians have but little of this part of
the blessing. But that fellowship
which begins with purifying the
heart and tranquillizing the con-
science, will brighten and enlarge
more and more: the peace will be
sweeter, the hope will brighten.
You shall return unto Zion with
songs, and everlasting joy shall be
upon your heads; you shall find joy
and gladness, and sorrow and sighing
shall flee away. You are in union
with the blessed and only Potentate.
You are travelling forward to a state
of higher Divine manifestation. The
Father now loves you, and will come
and take up his abode with you:
hereafter you will dwell with him
in glory there you shall serve him
day and night in his temple, and go
out no more; there you will be in-
dependent of the external agents of
nature; for the Lord God and the
Lamb will be the light of that temple.
Thus light is sown for the righteous,
and gladness for the upright in heart.
The communications of God now,
are the preludes and foretastes of
what is to come: the path of the
just, as to happiness, as well as to
spiritual improvement, is as the
shining light, which shineth more
and more unto the perfect day.

One or two practical reflections may now be made, derived from the language of the Apostle in the.context.

1st. The impossibility of this fellowship existing unless we walk in the light.

Let none perplex himself with difficult questions, nor attempt to explore the secret purposes of God, nor try to refer to some high or hidden mysteries to ascertain whether or not he has fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Ask yourselves only this question, Am I walking in the light, as God is in the light? If you are setting your feet in his path, if you are bearing his name upon your forehead, and are cleansing your

selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; if you are distinguished from the world which lies in wickedness; then you may conclude you have this fellowship. For you walk on high, you are treading an elevated path, and God himself is walking with you there. God is bringing all his power to aid you there you cannot sink with such a help. The way-faring man, though a fool, shall not err therein.

But are you living in any known sin? are you walking according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind? are you reading and hearing the word of God, but not keeping it? is there a secret practical determination that Christ shall not rule over you? Then do not lie, by saying that you have fellowship with the Father. No; whatever be your profession, your knowledge, your zeal, your consolations, "if you say you have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, you lie, and do not the truth." He that walketh in darkness, hath no fellowship with the Father. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all;" and "if we walk in the light, as he is in the light," then only we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

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How many high professors are resigned to scorn by this infallible test! How many are there to whom Christ will say, "I never knew you; depart from me, all ye that work iniquity!" Those whom Christ knows, he conforms to his image. There are but two elements; an element of moral darkness, and an element of light. Those whose element is light, deliberately prefer the will and favour of God to all other happiness. True religion will always leave some traces of its nature upon us. Few can doubt whether they live to the world, or live to the glory of Christ, if they would examine the matter. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

2d. Let Christians know the greatness of their privileges.

Remember, that you were strang. ers, without Christ, without hope, without God in the world. The time was when you said to vanities, Ye are my gods: you gave them practically the preference to God. But you have been brought to a stand, you have been stopped in your career. You have chosen. Christ; you have enlisted under his banners; you are engaged in his service; you count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus your Lord. You are occupying with your talents during the absence of your Master and King. You wait the approach of death with composure. You have participation of the moral nature, the preference and delight, the actions and pursuits, and the felicity, of the Father and of his Son Jesus Christ. You treasure up your riches in heaven. You are preparing to see a world wrapped in flames, and yet lose nothing; because Christ has reserved for you a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Consider, then, the height of your privilege. Angels desire to look into these mysteries of love. They envy you not, but they congratulate you on the surprising immunities to which you are elevated. Their joys are heightened by the mysterious wonders of redemption. They will for ever worship the Triune God-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost-for their several shares in the great work of salvation. To the principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God: they are ever learning new lessons of the character of God, and deriving new motives for adoring and serving him.

This is, then, the height of your privilege. Heed not, therefore, the trials of your present state. Be of good comfort: it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. You are begotten to a lively

hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away: let not temporal things disturb you; act with the equanimity belonging to the expectants of such blessings. In a very brief time your state will be changed, and death will be swallowed up in victory. In the interval, Christ's name and character are entrusted to your hands. The world will judge of the Christian religion according to your conduct and spirit. You must therefore act as those who are to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world thus you will become as a city which is set on an hill. Walk thus in all purity and holiness of conversation; walk as those whose fellowship truly is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

REMARKS ON ROMANS viii. 17-27.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I SUBMIT to your consideration the enclosed observations on that very remarkable passage, Romans viii. 17-27. As the view which I take of the passage is in a good measure original, it may be that your readers will not concur in my interpretation; but I shall be glad to weigh their objections, and shall feel amply repaid by such a discussion as shall tend to throw light upon this muchcontroverted subject.

At an early period, the great controversy betwixt the Jews and Christians was agitated at Rome. There the Jews, being rich and factious, disputed the matter with greater violence; and there also, the admirers of the Grecian philosophy taking part in the dispute, such tumults were occasioned that the Emperor Claudius, in the eleventh year of his reign, banished the contending parties from the city. This fact is stated by the historian Suetonius who, confounding Christians with Jews, affirms that "they were

excited to tumults by one Christ." See also Acts xviii. 2.

In the Epistle to the Christians at Rome the Apostle enters deeply into the great question of the abrogation of the Mosaic economy, and the removal of the partition wall which constituted the distinction betwixt the descendants of Israel and the other families of mankind. This subject, which is of great importance in a general view, is prominently brought forward in various passages; the Divine foreknowledge is displayed, as testified by the pro phecies which went before; the sinful conduct of individuals is shewn to be no ways palliated by the purposes and dispensations of Infinite Wisdom; and many illustrations of the doctrines of the Gospel are communicated.

The superscription to this Epistle, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints," makes no distinction between converted Jews and Gentiles. The persons addressed had, moreover, made considerable progress in knowledge; and, being in the possession of spiritual gifts (ch. xii.), were not altogether strangers to the topics introduced in this Epistle.

The passage before us includes a comprehensive retrospect of the dispensation of grace, from the call of Abraham to the end of time; the grand scheme being here presented under one of its aspects; and "things that be not, are called as though they were." A few recollections will be useful, as introductory to the subject.

The ancient descendants of the patriarch Jacob being the adopted sons of God (Exod. iv. 22, Rom. ix. 4), the power of that adoption was manifested in the judgments on Egypt; by which kingdom they had been most cruelly oppressed: yet,

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as obedient children," they ultimately obtained a rest, in the land of Canaan, the promised inheritance. But Christians of all nations are also the sons of God, by adoption; and this the Apostle demonstrates

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