"in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Fa"ther and the Son." (2 John, 9.) This is the effect of our Saviour's intercession, that all who should believe on Him through the word of His Apostles, might be one, as the Father is in "Him, and He in the Father." (John xvii. 20, 23.) For the purpose of forming this union, He assumed our nature, our infirmities, and our curse; and He communicates to us His merit, righteousness, and Spirit. "Of His fulness we "all receive, and grace for grace." We have fellowship with Him in His birth, life, sufferings, death, rerurrection and ascension. (Phil. iii. 10. Eph. ii. 6. 1 Peter i. 8.)

3. This communion subsists between all the saints and the Holy Ghost. For we read of "the "fellowship of the Spirit," and of "the commu"nion of the Holy Ghost." (Phil. ii. 1. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.) He dwells in them as a Sanctifier, Comforter, and Spirit of adoption; and they yield themselves up to His guidance and governance. (1 Cor. iii, 16)

4. There is, moreover, fellowship between all the saints and the holy angels, by an instrumental communication of benefits on their parts, and a thankful reception of them on ours. They "mi"nister to the heirs of salvation." They "re

joice over every sinner that repenteth," and joyfully convey the departed spirits of the saints to Abraham's bosom. We serve the same God; are possessed, in a lower degree, of the same holy sensibilities; and shall be eternally united with them in the same place, employments, and felicities.

5. The saints on earth have communion with each other. (1 John i. 7.) They participate in

are travelling in the same road; have the same trials and conflicts; are engrafted on the same stock, and derive vitality from the same root. Hence they are united in love. They mutually receive and communicate blessing. There is a continuity of parts, and a reciprocation of benefits throughout the "mystical body of Christ."

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6. There is communion subsisting between saints on earth and saints in heaven. For the former are" come unto mount Sion, and unto "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jeru"salem, and to an innumerable company of "angels, to the general assembly and church of "the first-born which are written in heaven, and "to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of . 'just men 'made perfect." (Heb. xii. 22, 23.) Death makes no breach in spiritual commu"nion." Saints on earth are united to the same head with "saints made perfect," derive from the same source, and tend to the same central point," the Lamb in the midst of the throne." We communicate with the glorified spirits of our brethren in their happiness, and thank God on their behalf. They, it may be supposed, sympathize with us in our remaining difficulties and sufferings, and mutually with us look forward to a completion of the "mystical body of Christ, when the number of the elect shall be accomplished.*

Let us pause, before we proceed, for the purpose of inquiring whether we have any knowledge of this communion and fellowship," in which "God's elect are knit together in the mystical

*See Bishop Pearson on the Creed, art. IX. where the reader will find the doctrine of "the communion of saints" amply and most satisfactorily discussed.

body of His Son Christ our Lord." Is it not to be feared that many who belong to the visible church are wholly unacquainted with this peculiarity of the saints? O let us scrutinize our bosoms on the subject, remembering that without communion with the head and members we cannot participate with "the mystical body of "Christ" in "those unspeakable joys which are prepared" exclusively. " for them who unfeign"edly love God."

We proceed to consider the prayer of our collect; in which we implore grace, that we may imitate the saints now, and be united with them hereafter.

First, we implore grace, that we may be enabled" to follow God's blessed saints in all virtu

ous and godly living." For, unless we are now made like unto them, we cannot lawfully hope to partake of their felicity; since it is declared in the word of God that "without holiness "no man shall see the Lord." The term saint is often used by a profane world as a term of reproach; but none, saints excepted, can enter heaven.

We have already observed that, although the mystical body of Christ consists of none but those who are really holy; yet there are many unsanctified persons within the pale of the visible church. Multitudes who join in our public worship are unrenewed in the spirit of their minds, and are strangers to the communion of saints. With a relation to these, therefore, the propriety of our prayer is at once apparent.

But it is needful also to be offered on behalf of those who are already saints. For they are sanctified only in part. They have not already

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have not fully apprehended that, for which they have been apprehended of Christ Jesus." Their understandings still want further measuresof illumination; and their hearts, of conversion. "The flesh" yet "lusteth against the Spirit;" they are still in a world of temptation; still liable to fall. They are conscious of danger and defect. To follow the blessed saints" is to tread in their steps; to feel as they felt, and to act as they acted, while they were in the world. It is to imitate their faith, hope, patience, and charity like them, to let our light shine before men;" and, like them, to persevere unto the end, till we "receive the crown of glory which fadeth not "away."

Our collect pronounces the saints to be "bles"sed." They are blessed even in the present life, notwithstanding their numerous personal wants, miseries, and complaints. For they are justified freely by Divine grace; they are partially sanctified; they are "blessed with all spiri"tual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus;" they have "an inheritance laid up for "them which is incorruptible, undefiled, and "fadeth not away." But those who have departed this life, to whom "an entrance has been

ministered abundantly into the everlasting king"dom of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," are still more blessed. For they enjoy the harvest of that blessedness, of which we only taste the first fruits. To them therefore the epithet is applicable with a full emphasis of propriety. "Blessed are the dead," said the voice which was heard from heaven, "which die in the Lord, "from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours, and their works "do follow them." They have "come out of

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great tribulation, and have washed their robes, " and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "Therefore are they before the throne of God, " and serve Him day and night in His temple : "and He that sitteth on the throne dwells among "them. They hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither doth the sun light on them, "nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the "midst of the throne feeds them, and leads them "unto living fountains of waters: and God hath "wiped away all tears from their eyes." (Rev. xiv. 13. vii. 14-17.) Oh, happy state! O Lord, grant us so to "follow thy blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living," that we may be blessed with them.

That we need more grace in order that we may be enabled to follow them more fully, and persevere in an imitation of their example unto the end, will be acknowledged by all saints here on earth. If any man be a stranger to a consciousness of this necessity, and unsolicitous to have it relieved, he can have no evidence that he is numbered among the saints. The character of the patriarchs, of the prophets, of the apostles, and of the martyrs, is the scope of our desires and endeavours. But we fall very short of a full resemblance. "Less than the least of all saints" is the estimate which every truly humble disciple forms of himself. But as they were men of like. passions with ourselves, and had the same difficulties and temptations to surmount which oppose our progress since by the grace of God they were what they were, and that grace is as rich and free as ever it was,-we need not despair. We tread in their steps though our progress is slower, and the goal yet at a great distance; and feeling our own inability to follow them by our