Christ himself, as his peculiar possession : and they have given up themselves to him by a willing and deliberate surrender of all that they are and have. By a vital union also are they his, being, as it were, " one spirit with him." Hence in many parts of Scripture are they designated as in the words of our text: "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's*:" and again, " If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's2." Blessed distinction ! glorious privilege ! Believer, think of thyself under this character, and then see what obligations thou owest to God for this unspeakable mercy, and " what manner of person thou shouldest be in all holy conversation and godliness."]
Their state is suited to this high character —
[" They have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Crucifixion, it must be remembered, is a lingering death. The thieves who were crucified with Christ poured forth their venom against him, even whilst they were sus- pended on the cross. Thus also, " the old man in believers is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin may be destroyed, that henceforth they should not serve sinh:" nevertheless it is not utterly extinct : it still lives ; and still rages and rebels against Christ ; and would, if suffered to come down from the cross, regain its former ascendency. But there it is fixed : and thence it never shall come down, till the body itself shall cease to live. All its affections and all its desires, though still possessed of considerable strength, are checked in their ope- ration, and restrained in their exercise ; " the Spirit " now reigns : the new affections now put forth a vigour, which " the flesh " can no longer withstand. The warfare is indeed continued: but victory declares itself on the side of the better principle ; so that, whereas the believer formerly " walked after the flesh," he now in his daily life and conversation " walks after the Spirit," and progressively advances in his heavenly course as long as he continues in the world1. " His path is like the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."]
See then from hence,
1. How blessed is the influence of the Gospel!
[By the Gospel this change is wrought. And, to form an estimate of the change, paint to yourselves the countenances of the Jews when they met on the day of Pentecost with their hands yet reeking with their Saviour's blood ; and the same
f 1 Cor. iii. 23. e 2 Cor. x. 7-
h Rom. vi. G. * Rom. vi. 20, 22. with viii. 1, 4.