III. Yet they are really one in Christ Jesus. They are so by virtue of their union with him, being thereby incorporated into one body, and animated by one spirit; they are so also by virtue of their participation of him, for thus the phrase to be in Christ is frequently understood in Scripture. "There is no condemnation," says the apostle, "to them that are in Christ Jesus;" that is, who are interested in, and have communion with him, believe in him as their Saviour, and can claim him as their portion. When persons are baptized into Christ, they visibly devote themselves to him, appear in his livery, and put themselves under his protection. Now the saints thus united to Christ as their vital head, interested in the merit of his atonement, receiving out of his fulness, and openly espousing his cause, are one in him, and that in the following respects:

1. They are equally objects of the Divine love and favour. One saint may love God more than another; nay, the same saint may love God more at one time than another; but God loves his people with the same everlasting, ardent, and unalterable affection. It is true there may be more abundant manifestations of his love to one than another. Thus Daniel was distinguished among the prophets, and John among the disciples; some are kept at a greater distance, and others admitted to more intimate fellowship; but the love itself is the same, not being founded upon any excel lencies observed in the saints, or returns expected from them, but on their relation to Christ. In a word, God's love is infinite, and therefore can admit of no degrees. Thomas the timorous and distrustful was as dear to him as Peter the confident and courageous, and the Old Testa ment saints as the New. Believers are not all alike holy, or alike happy; but they are all alike beloved,

2. The same spiritual privileges belong to them; the same gospel is preached to, and the mouse spirit poured out upon them; they have one Lord, one faith, on b they are justified by the rose blood, whoped into the maste

Jesus, regenerated by the same grace, and preserved by the same power. There is a very considerable likeness, though not a perfect conformity, between their graces, experiences, conflicts, and comforts; they have the same desires, resolutions, prospects, and enjoyments. Though they do not set out together, yet it is in the same way, and they aim at the same end; those that are not rich in this world, yet are rich towards God, and those that have the greatest affluence of temporal good, yet are poor in spirit; in a word, they have equal authority in managing the affairs of the Church, the choice of a minister, the admission or exclusion of members; one should be esteemed as well as another, and not a deference be paid to the judgment of one whilst that of another is despised. In the things of God, the master and the servant, the subject and the prince, are upon a level. "I perceive," says the apostle," that God is no respecter of persons, for in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.

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3. However they may differ from one another in lesser matters, they all hold the head Christ Jesus. They may differ in circumstantials, but they unite in essentials; errors they may fall into, but not damnable errors. They are so settled and grounded in the principal articles of Christianity as to venture their souls and most important concerns upon them, without any anxious concern about the issue. Christ is the foundation upon which they build. "Unto us," they, "there is but one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus;" and his word is the rule by which they walk; so that they are inwardly determined for God, and outwardly obedient to him: to this unerring standard they reduce both their opinions and practices. "Brethren," says the apostle, "whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." And what is here prescribed as a duty is elsewhere the subject of a gracious promise: I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear

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me for ever, for the good of them and of their children after them;" and as this is the privilege of God's people, so it is a privilege peculiar to them. Every unconverted man has more hearts than one, and more ways than one.

4. They have the same well-grounded hopes and expectations. As one Father begot them, so one heaven shall receive them, and there they shall be one in those senses in which now they are not so, for they shall see eye to eye. Here their knowledge is imperfect, but there they shall know as they are known; here they are scattered in several societies, but there they shall be one flock under one shepherd; and though there may be different degrees of happiness, according to all the different capacities of the persons possessed of it, yet they shall all be satisfied; nor any one envy another, though in a more exalted station. As they are fellow-labourers and fellow-soldiers, so they are fellow-heirs engaged in the same service, and shall receive the same gracious reward. Thus the apostle speaks of the heavenly crown, as prepared not only for him who had laboured more abundantly, fought more valiantly, and endured more patiently than others, but for all those who loved Christ's appearing. "Blessed," says the voice from heaven, "are the dead that die in the Lord;" that is, all true believers without exception or distinction; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them;"-intimating that these are not the foundadation of their happiness, for then they would go before them, though they may be justly considered as an addition to it.

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And now let those who are one in Christ rejoice in their privilege, and improve it by being one among themselves; as they are fellow-servants, let them be fellow-helpers, considering one another, to provoke unto love and good works. Let them strive together for that faith in which they are united, and endeavour to promote the honour of their common Head. Let party distinctions cease; and where

word, let them, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; seek each other's interest, rejoice in each other's welfare, and maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Submitting to the Saviour's laws,

Engaged in his most blessed cause,
Alike adorned with every grace,
And clothed with Jesus' righteousness;

Branches proceeding from one root,

The same their sap, the same their fruit,
Heirs of the same immortal crown,
Believers should each other own.

Together hear, and praise, and pray,

The same their end, the same their way;
Till they at length in glory meet,
And worship at Immanuel's feet.

There strife and discord are no more,

But love scarce known to saints before;
In the same work they ever join,

In the same robes of glory shine.

SERMON XLIX.

THE RIGHT OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT.

ROMANS XIV. 5.

Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

"To the law and to the testimony," says the prophet Isaiah; "if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Not our own speculations, the maxims of the wise, the prescriptions of the great, not the example of the good, the decrees of synods and councils, nor the authority of any church upon earth,but the holy Scriptures, are the unerring standard to which we are to reduce both our sentiments and practices. This is the pillar of cloud and fire to guide us in our journey through this wilderness to the heavenly Canaan,—that sure word of prophecy, more sure than even a message from the mouth of an angel, to which we should take heed as to a light that shineth in a dark place. This is the decisive judge in all controversies; every difference is to be submitted to it, every dispute to be determined by it, and from its sentence there lies no appeal. Whoever, therefore, usurps an authority over the consciences of men in religious matters, invades the prerogative of the great Lawgiver; and whoever tamely submits to such an authority, gives up his own just right, and does not stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made him free. The latter is desti