blood of the covenant wherewith he (Christ, as I take it) was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompence, saith the Lord." And with what insupportable weight will this vengeance fall upon such a sinner, when he shall be dragged before the impartial bar of that all-seeing Judge, to receive the just reward of all his exasperating wickedness! With what trembling confusion will his mouth be stopped against all complaints of unrighteousness, in the worst sentence that can pass upon him! With what glaring evidence, and shocking force, will his known and daring iniquities witness against him! And how glorious, in fearful praises, will God appear when, according to the many plain warnings he had given him in this world, he shall condemn him to the hottest flames of unquenchable fire in the next!

But if the word of Christ dwell in us, it will nourish us up to eternal life; it will be food for our faith, hope, and comfort, and will fill us with delightful reflections and transporting prospects, while we live on earth, which shall all be perfected in the endless joys of heaven. For "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day." And the more it keeps possession, and exerts its fruitful powers in us, the more will our prospects brighten as we pass on, and the more shall we be capacitated for, and enriched with, the illustrious treasures of the heavenly regions. "For so an entrance shall be ministered to us, abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." If, therefore, you desire to escape this misery, with the most fearful aggravations that can attend it; and, if you would go in and out, and find pasture" in Christ for your souls here, and would triumph with him to the utmost advantage in eternal glory hereafter "let the word of Christ dwell in you."

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SECTION III.

THE MANNER IN WHICH THE WORD OF CHRIST SHOULD BE ENTERTAINED.

We now proceed to illustrate the manner in which we should give the word of Christ the entertainment that has been spoken of. The apostle exhorts us to see that his word dwell in us "richly," and " in all wisdom." It will be proper to consider these distinctly.

I. The word of Christ should dwell in us "richly."

The word translated "richly" signifies, and is in other places rendered, plentifully or abundantly. But I observe it is never used with regard to any abundance in trifling or useless things, much less in things that are unprofitable and injurious; but always to an abundance in such things as are good and excellent, and make up the riches, happiness, or advantage of those that are interested in them. And this the very notation of the word itself easily suggests to those that know any thing of the Greek language. As far as I find, it is used but in three other places in the New Testament; in one of which it is rendered "richly," and in the other two, "abundantly;" and in all those places it respects an abundance in such good things as tend to enrich us. Thus, in 1 Tim. vi. 17, the apostle speaks of God's giving us "richly" all things to enjoy. In Tit. iii. 6, he is said to shed the Holy Ghost on us "abundantly" through Jesus Christ. And, in 2 Pet. i. 11, an entrance shall be ministered "abundantly" into the everlasting kingdom. The first of these places refers to the abundant riches of providence; the second to the abundant riches of grace; and the third to the abundant riches of glory.

Accordingly, the apostle's exhortation in our text, to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, seems to relate both to the abundance and advantage with which it should dwell in us. And that abundance may be considered both with respect to the word of Christ, that much of it should dwell in us; and with regard to us, in whom it dwells, that it should diffuse itself through, and fill our whole souls. So that according to this genuine account of the expression, we may take the apostle's sense to be this:-" Let a great abundance of the word of Christ dwell in your whole souls, to enrich you with all the blessings contained in it." I would draw out this short summary view of his meaning in the three following steps.

1. Let a great abundance of the word of Christ dwell in

you.

We should not satisfy ourselves with a superficial acquaintance with it, but should search into the life and spirit of the sacred text, and labour to penetrate into the deep things of God. We should dig for them more than for hid treasure, that we may have a clear, judicious, and thorough view of them, may see their beauties, and know their use for the several great purposes to which they are adapted and designed.

There are many passages of Scripture, which we may think we understand very well, and yet in reading them over and

over again with close attention, and with humble dependance on the God of wisdom, we may see them in a stronger, more extensive, better, and perhaps very different light, than we ever did before. How many instances of this kind may the experience of many furnish them with, and that after they thought they had made their last judgment? Yea, when the blessed Spirit shines in upon our minds, new things may open before us, beyond what the most enlarged understandings of mortal men have yet attained to. There is a sufficient foundation in prophecy to expect this in the last days, when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; and when knowledge shall be increased," beyond what it ever was before. And the nearer we draw to those happy days, why may not some stronger glances of that light dawn upon us before-hand? However, upon the stated principles of God's word, we have abundant encouragement to hope for divine irradiations, when we inquire after knowledge with humble, serious meditation, reading, hearing, upright aims, and fiducial prayer. For the wise man says, " If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."

Nor should we satisfy ourselves with a narrow compass of the word of Christ, or that some few parts of it dwell in us; but our earnest desire should be, that "in every thing we may be enriched by him-in all knowledge." According to the capacities God has given us, and the opportunities we have of conversing with it, it should be our care to get a plentiful stock of all sorts of Scriptural truths, especially of such truths, wherein the glory of Christ, and of God in him, and our own acceptance with him, actings toward him, and holy walk before him, are most nearly concerned. We should be ready in all the Scriptures, that we may be able to turn to them on all occasions, and make use of them for the several valuable ends for which we need them.

How do some upright Christians lie under darkness, others under doubts and discouragements, others under fears, others under mistakes in very important truths and duties, and others under great coldness and degeneracies in heart and life, through the poverty of their knowledge of the word of Christ, and scanty compass they take in their use of it? They do not converse enough with it to settle them in the faith and hope

of the gospel on clear and solid grounds, or to assist and promote their aboundings in the fruits of righteousness. They often want light to guide and encourage them in the way of dealing with God in Christ for eternal life, and to lead them into their duty toward men. This makes their lives very uncomfortable to themselves, dishonourable to their God and Saviour, and of but little use to others.

But the word of Christ should so plentifully dwell in us, that whatever doctrines of moment are proposed to us, we may be able to adjust them by it; whatever spiritual privileges and enjoyments we want, we may find a suitable promise for them; and whatever graces we are called to exercise, or, whatever duties toward God or others we are called to perform, we may be acquainted with suitable precepts and directions for them, and with suitable enforcements and encouragements to them. Such an abundance of this word should dwell in us, that we may have enough of it to guide us in all our applications to God, and to regulate and assist all our expectations from him; to enlighten our darkness, to correct our dangerous mistakes, to unbottom us from ourselves, to lead us to Christ, that we may centre on him for righteousness and strength, to fortify us against all temptations, to restrain us from all known sin, to guide, support, and comfort us under all tribulations, to fix and influence all our principles and views, and to help us forward in every branch of Godliness, sobriety and righteousness, throughout our lives. Hence,

2. Let this great abundance of the word of Christ dwell in your whole souls.

It dwells plentifully in us, when it fills our minds and hearts, and spreads its light and influence through all the powers and faculties of our souls; when it takes full possession of them, and operates effectually in them with the most diffusive power. God's word is spoken of as the food of the soul, and as the pasture which the Great Shepherd has prepared for his sheep, for the nourishment, strength, pleasure, and growth of their spiritual life. Christ gave it in charge to his servant Peter, to feed his sheep, and his lambs. And the apostle Paul stirred up the elders, or pastors, to feed the church of God, there called the flock, which relates to their feeding them with the good doctrines of his word, as one obvious sense of the expression. Accordingly, they are called the sheep of God's pasture; and the food with which he feeds them is his own word, called the "sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby." Hence was his promise, to "give them pastors according to his

heart, who should feed them with knowledge and understanding." "And," says the prophet, the prophet, "thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart." That therefore this word may dwell richly in us, we should make full meals of it, we should feed upon it, take it in, and digest it to the satiety of our whole souls. Our appetites to it should bear a proportion to our capacities of receiving it, that they may all be filled with it, as God intimated to the prophet Ezekiel, in one of his visions, when "he said unto him, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee." q. d. "Ponder my word in thy heart, meditate with the closest attention upon it, and entertain it with all the regard due to my word, till thy mind, thy heart, and affections, are deeply impressed, and thoroughly engaged by it."

The word of Christ should fill our understandings with the most useful and exalted truths; with the most sublime sentiments, just reasonings, and solid judgment about them: It should fill our wills with the most excellent and substantial goodness, should command their hearty consent, and entirely subdue them to the obedience of Christ: It should fill our affections with pure and spiritual pleasure, and should thoroughly possess all their powers and motions, to the exclusion of every disorderly passion and appetite: It should fill our consciences with tenderness, light, faithfulness, and peace, and should purify them from all stupidity, rash judgment and deceit: And it should fill our memories with a large stock of its most important doctrines, precepts and promises, under whatever forms it has delivered them to us; that we may readily call them to mind for suitable reflections and improvements, as occasions offer. Thus it should take complete possession of our whole souls, till it "fills our treasures;" or till our capacities of receiving this treasure are stored with it.

And this abundance, with which the Scripture should dwell in us, should be to an overflowing; that it may daily issue out at our lips, and shed its glorious virtues through our lives. Hence the apostle represents "Teaching and admonishing one another, as the consequence of the word of Christ dwelling in the heart." And our great Lord hath said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." It is natural that it should do so; it ordinarily will do so; and when it is well filled with proper materials, it ought to do so. This he further suggested to his disciples, upon their declaring that they understood the things he had spoken: "There

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