revealed, seems to be, the impossibility of explaining to mortal comprehension the joys of heaven. One thing is certain: those joys will be such as

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eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive" them. If

to love God here, and to behold him hereafter, be a source of blessedness; if to know Christ as a Saviour on earth, and to dwell with him as an Almighty Friend in heaven, be the sum of all joy; if to share with millions who have tasted of these pleasures, in the everlasting increase of them, while every sight and sound of evil is eternally banished-if this be a happiness which leaves nothing to be wished for more, then cast in your lot with the people of God. For all these things are theirs - theirs in possession, and theirs in prospect their wealth for time and eternity; "whether things present, or things to come, all are theirs."

Having thus examined, both in its general terms and in its particular details, the Apostle's Inventory of the Christian's wealth, we are now to consider, secondly,

II. THE TITLE ON WHICH HIS CLAIM TO IT IS FOUNDED. This is set forth in the concluding words of my text: "Ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

I have no doubt that such was the design with which the Apostle added these words. The entire

passage, in fact, is an inventory of property, traced from one owner to another; and, in each case, the right of possession consists in the relation of the possessor to the superior owner. All things be

long to me, because I belong to Christ; and he has a right to bestow them on me, as (if I may so express it) his under-tenant, because he belongs to God. Christ holds the property of God, and I of him.

Now let us look a little more closely into this title of the Christian to all the blessings which he enjoys or expects.

"Ye are Christ's "-not indeed his children, so as to inherit legally whatever is his; but strangers, brought into his possession, and united with his interests, in various ways.

"He loved you,

1. You are his by Purchase. and gave himself for you:" redeeming you from the most wretched bondage, "not with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but with" his own "precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." He who at such a price has purchased you for himself, has necessarily made your interests his own.

2. You are his, moreover, by Gift - by gift from his Father. This consideration is a further security, that he will not lightly suffer you to be defrauded of a single promised blessing. "Of them that the Father giveth unto him will he lose none, but will raise them up at the last day."

3. You are his, again, by Voluntary Surrender. Influenced by his secret grace to discern his allsufficiency, and the utter emptiness of all things without him, you have given him your heart, your "whole spirit, soul, and body," to be disposed of at his will, and for his glory. Will he betray such confidence? Will he disappoint such a reliance on his will and power to bless? Never, never! She trusted him not in vain, who, without a warrant, came behind him in the press, saying to herself, "If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole." How much less those, who, in obedience to his express invitation, have "taken up their cross and followed" him! Once more—

4. You are his by Spiritual Union-made, by the indwelling of that Holy Ghost, who is one with him and the Father, " members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." If the Vine be nourished, all the branches are nourished with it; if the Head rejoice, all the members rejoice with it. And therefore, as it is written that Christ is "appointed heir of all things," so is it also promised concerning every disciple, that "he shall inherit all things." Christ must needs comfort and bless them that are his. He has already "justified them by his blood;" he shall much more them by his life."

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save

The Christian's Title, then, to all that wealth which is ascribed to him by the Apostle, is to be found in his relation to Jesus Christ. Purchased

by him, given to him, self-surrendered, and even dwelling in Christ, and Christ in him, what good thing is there which a believer may not expect to receive? Verily, "all things are yours," if ye be "Christ's."

Does a doubt arise in your minds, as to the competency of Christ himself to justify this expectation? When the believer exclaims, "My Beloved is mine, and I am his," are you tempted to ask, "What is thy beloved more than another beloved?" The answer is ready provided in the text: "Christ is God's;" his "beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased"-his "Servant whom he upholds," his "Elect in whom his soul delighteth"-his appointed Mediator, for "reconciling all things unto himself”—his own great High Priest, who, after fulfilling all that was stipulated, for the salvation and happiness of man, is now "entered into heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us." Our right to the promise, therefore, is in safe hands. Whatsoever you possess in virtue of your relation to Christ, is more secure than the foundations of the world itself. "They shall perish, but he shall endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shall he change them, and they shall be changed; but he is the same, and his years shall have no end." What is the inference, my brethren? It is one which a child might draw. All things

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must be God's."

yours, if ye are Christ's-for "Christ is

In conclusion, there are two practical points, which I would endeavour, by God's help, to press upon your consciences-briefly, but most earnestly.

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1. Do you belong to Christ? With such a profusion of wealth laid at your feet, have you a right to take it up, and say, 'It is all mine?" ascertain this, we must look back to the means whereby Christ himself becomes possessed of "them that are his." You have seen that he gains them by purchase, by gift from his Father, by their own self-surrender, and by putting his Spirit within them. Over three of these acts you have no control; nor any means of knowing that they have been exercised towards yourself, till you have executed your own part in this holy transfer. The question, therefore, comes again in another form-Have you made a voluntary dedication of yourself to that Redeemer, who hath all power in his hand to save or to destroy you? It is a question which, in too many cases, may be answered without much inquiry. It means- Have you been "born again of the Spirit" (for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his")? Have you turned to the Lord in a godly repentance? Have you sought and found mercy, by