from God: he sits loose to them; and is willing to part with them at any moment, and in any manner, that his Lord shall call for them : in short, he regards the world, and every thing in it, as a crucified object, which once indeed was dear to him, but which he is now willing, if need be, to have buried out of his sight. He makes a conscience of fulfilling all his duties in the world, as much, or more than ever : but since he has learned how to appreciate the cross of Christ, " the world has become crucified unto him, and he unto the world1." Whatever is positively sinful in it, (however dear it once was to him,) is renounced and mortified s; and even the most innocent things in it have comparatively lost all their value, and all their relish. His delight in heavenly things has rendered inferior things insipid; and his joy in God has eclipsed all sublunary joy.]
Nevertheless, the Christian lives : and to shew the truth of the paradox, we proceed to state,
II. In what manner he lives —
That he has the same life as the unregenerate, is obvious enough : but he has also a life different from theirs ; and his whole manner of life is different from theirs : he lives a new life in, and through, Christ: he lives,
1. By the influences of his Spirit —
[He once was " dead in trespasses and sins:" but that same voice which bade Lazarus to come forth out of the grave, has bidden him live. The Lord Jesus has infused into his soul a new and living principle ; and has " given him that living water, which is in his soul a well of water springing up unto everlasting life." " Christ himself liveth in him," and " is his very life1." This accounts for his being able to do things which no other man can. In himself, he is weak as other men; he cannot perform a good actu, or speak a good word1, or think a good thoughty; but by the almighty ope- ration of Christ within him he can do all things2. Being dead with Christ (as has been before shewn), he is risen and lives with him ; according as it is written, " Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion over him : for in that he died, he died unto sin once ; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God : likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our LordV]
r Gal. vi. 14. s Mark ix. 43—48. * Col. iii. 4.
" John xv. 5. x Matt. xii. 34. >' 2 Cor. iii. 5.
z Phil. iv. 13. a Rom. vi. 9—11.