lusts; they oppose all the hostile attacks of Satan and the world; they act worthy of the royalty of their nature and the nobility of their birth.

Think again of the immensity of their possessions. All things are theirs the earth and its fullness are at their service; life, with all its advantages, is theirs-" things present and things to come." Christ and God, with all their excellences, are theirs. In virtue of their union with Christ, they are made one with him-" the Lord of glory." They are of noble birth, being "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; but of God." The world does not discern the height of their glory now; nevertheless the period is approaching when their exalted state will be exhibited and recognized in the presence of the whole universe of intelligences.

They are promoted to the sacred office of priests. They are a holy priesthood; separated from the world, and consecrated to the service and glory of God. They have an unction from the Holy One, and under its influence they live and act for God. Like the priests of old, they are admitted into the immediate presence of God, and maintain a near communion with him. They are not satisfied with a mere approach to the altar of God-the symbol and medium of the manifestation of the divine presence :—but they "come unto God their exceeding joy." They have "boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus; by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail; that is to say, his flesh." They minister in holy things, and offer "spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Like the priests of old, they are maintained by that which made atonement. Their fullness is in Christ; he is their altar, and "his flesh is meat, indeed, and his blood is drink, indeed."

Not only are they kings and priests, but they sustain these high and sacred offices in relation "to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." They are kings in the empire whose supreme governor is Jehovah; they are priests in that temple, where he only is acknowledged as the supreme object of praise and adoration.

III. Let us now proceed to consider the third division of the text: The fervid ascription of praise to Christ as the author and finisher of our salvation, "Unto him-be the glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.”

The term "glory," in its first and principal meaning, signifies that which constitutes the grandeur, splendor, and excellence of any object. In this sense it is here ascribed to Christ; because every thing that is excellent, amiable, and exalted, in the greatest fullness, and the highest perfection, is to be obtained in and through him; wherefore he ought to be magnified and praised.

The term "dominion" imports supremacy and power.

We are

assured

by the prophet Isaiah, that, "of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end."

The praise ascribed to the Saviour in the text, includes,

1. The great admiration and love which overwhelm the minds of believers, in contemplating the majesty and glory of redeeming love. These feelings of wonder and affection are not the emotions of a dark and ignorant mind; but the result of sound knowledge of, and indisputable interest in, its benefits. Every thing connected with the subject under consideration, is eminently suited to awaken such feelings of adoration. The love of Christ surpasseth knowledge; the plan of salvation is a system replete with stupendous wonders-love without end, and grace beyond degree

When believers contemplate the depth, height, length, and breadth of Christ's love, they can not help exclaiming in adoring and admiring praises, "to him be the glory," etc. That love must be exceedingly deep which brought down the Son of God from the throne of glory into the manger at Bethlehem-from the bosom of the Father to his prostrating agony in the garden of Gethsemane-from a state of dominion in glory to the sleep of death in Joseph's new tomb. The love of Christ must be incomprehensibly deep and high when it "raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, and setteth them with princes, even the princes of his people." Its depth and height are immeasurable. It is so deep as to reach lower than the depth of the misery to which divine wrath has threatened to plunge the sinner; and so high as to raise him to a state of the most elevated and exquisite honor and happiness, of which a creature is capable. No wonder, then, that believers break forth in admiring acclamations, saying, "To him be the glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen."

2. The praise ascribed to Christ in the text, includes a powerful and an absorbing desire that his love and its blessed influences should be known and felt throughout the world. "Unto him that hath loved us" to him be ascribed the highest glory, dominion, and adoration-and to him be presented the lowest submission by every human heart throughout the world, and that forever and ever, Amen.

It is the incumbent duty of all those who have believed in the Saviour -those who have realized the tokens of his love-those who have been washed in his blood-those who have been made kings and priests through his merits, to manifest their exalted privileges and their exquisite happiness, and to declare the inestimable value of an interest in Christ, not only in word but in action, by a holy and devoted life.

Again, all those who sincerely love the Saviour, fervently desire that others should feel the same emotions of love. Such heavenly principle can not be concealed in the heart. In whatever heart the living spark exists, it is sure to show itself on the lips and in the life of its possessor. And I am happy to tell you, that this holy and heaven-born principle will

ultimately fill every heart, every family, every country, nay, the whole world, and under its sweet influences men will invariably love one another, and the earth will appear as one of the heavenly mansions. For this every true Christian earnestly prays, in the language of the sweet singer of Israel, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory," Amen and Amen.

3. The praise ascribed to the Saviour in the text, forms a specimen of the adoration presented to him by the church on earth; but which will be more perfectly offered by the redeemed throng in heaven. "Ido ef y bydo y gogoniant," or "to him be the glory." Let us magnify Christ our Saviour; let us pay our tribute of regard and gratitude at the foot of his glorious throne, and in offering up our thanksgiving, let us humbly acknowledge his infinite Majesty. "To him be-the dominion." Let us kneel in the dust before his original, exalted, and unlimited authority, by which all things in the natural and moral world, in time and eternity, are ruled and governed. Let us dread the Almighty arm which sustains this high authority. To his power we owe all our spiritual triumphs, and to his dominion all our heavenly possessions are due. Let us give him the glory of all that we are, and all we possess. "To him— forever and ever," when all the eras of time will be entirely swallowed up into the immense circle of eternity. When the soul, which in its present garment of flesh, is alarmed at the vicissitudes of an unstable earth, shall, after witnessing the general conflagration of the material world, stand in the immediate presence of the Divine glory, with ineffable joy for countless ages, then, amid all the unutterable felicity, and the inconceivable and unending purity and glory, Calvary and the Cross shall never, never be forgotten-the source of all celestial bliss and glory. No! no! The song of praise will, forever and ever, continue the same:

"Mid the chorus of the skies,

'Mid the angelic lyres above,

Hark! their songs melodious rise,

Songs of praise to Jesus' love."

Let us heartily consecrate ourselves to the service of the Redeemer, and he will promote us to all the honor and felicity of heaven. May this be our happy lot; and let the reader, as well as the writer, say, Amen, and Amen.