having exposed the evil of such a spirit, he now, in conclusion, shews, that to " glory in men" is highly criminal ; because of, I. Our interest in God —
All that God has, belongs to us, if we believe in Christ :
1 . His servants are ours —
[They are ours, with all their talents, and with all their labours : the most eminent among them is but " a steward of the mysteries of God," appointed by God to dispense them to his people ; " an earthen vessel, in which treasures " are deposited by him for their use. They are Christ's servants ; and they are ours for his sake''. Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas were not endowed with their respective powers for their own sake, but for the sake of the Church and of the world ; as we are expressly told : When " Christ ascended up on high, he gave some. Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, Evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ*^:" so that all to whom they are sent, may consider them as among their treasures, the gifts of God to them for the benefit of their souls.]
2. His creatures are ours —
[The whole " world," and all that it contains, is ours, if we believe in Christ. The sun is ours to light us by day, and the moon and stars by night. The rain is ours, and the produce of universal nature, as far as is for our good. As to the actual possession of it, we may have but little ; but as to the sanctified enjoyment, we have all. St. Paul speaks of himself as often oppressed with want and nakedness : yet, not- withstanding in appearance he had nothing, in reality he " possessed all things'^." Little as a worldly mind can enter into the idea, it is a fact, that the poor godly man has a richer enjoyment of his pittance, than the most opulent of ungodly men have of all their sumptuous feasts and large estates. To live by faith is a sublimer happiness than to live by sense ; because in the cup of one who so lives, there is an ingredient which the other never tasted, and never can taste : " God himself is the portion of his inheritance, and of his cup^:" whether he have little or much, he enjoys God in it ; and therefore he has the best possible use of all sublunary good.]
3. His dispensations are ours —
b 2 Cor. iv. 5. c Eph. iv. H, 12.
^ 2 Cor. vi. 10. e Ps. xvi. f).
1949. J THE christian's PRIVILEGES. 135
[" Life," with all its comforts, belongs to the believer ; nor can it ever be taken from him till his appointed time be come. " Death " also is among the number of his possessions. Terrible as it is to the unbeliever, it ceases to be so when once we give ourselves up unfeignedly to Christ as his peculiar people : from that moment its sting is drawn : and every man who can say with truth, " To me to live is Christ," may with the fullest assurance add, " To me to die is gain^." The pains and sorrows which usually precede death are only so many means of purifying the soul, and of preparing it for its appear- ance before God : and the final stroke is no other than the opening of the gates of Paradise for the soul's admission to the full possession of its inheritance. If the stroke be more sudden and violent, it may be regarded as the fiery chariot which bore Elijah to the realms of bliss : or, if it be more mild and gradual, it may be viewed as the waggons w'hich Joseph sent to bring his aged father to a participation of all his glory in the land of Egypt. However it may come, it is to the true Christian a termination of all his sorrows, and a consummation of all his joys. "Things present " too, of what- ever kind they be, are precisely such as the believer, if he did but see as God seeth, would choose for himself: and " things to come," however involved in impenetrable darkness at the present, are all ordered for his eternal good. To him they are uncertain : but Infinite Wisdom has ordained them all : and though there may be insulated occurrences which in themselves may be evil, they shall all, when taken together, " work for good," to those who love God^. Yea, for the believer is prepared the future judgment ; and for him are reserved all the glories of the eternal world. And, that we may not doubt the truth of these assertions, the affirmation is renewed at the close of this catalogue, "All are yours."]