flowing with a rapid and majestic current to the sea, would defy the efforts of the whole world to turn it back again to its source ; yet by the returning tide it is not only arrested in its course, but driven up again with equal rapidity towards the fountain-head. It is thus that a sinner, when rushing with the whole current of his affections towards this present world, is stopped in his career of sin, and turned back with an irresistible impulse towards high and heavenly things. Let men, yea, let all the angels in heaven, attempt to effect this change, and their united efforts would be in vain. Who then that witnesses this change, and beholds the believer's victories over sin and Satan, and his progressive advancement in the ways of holiness, must not adore that power by which so great a miracle is wrought? In this Christ is indeed magnified : " the exceeding greatness of his power is made known;" and the sufficiency of his grace is incontrovertibly established.]
Let us now proceed to inquire,
II. By what means Christ may be magnified in our body — St. Paul knew not whether his present imprison- ment would issue in life or death : but in either case he hoped and expected that Christ would be mag- nified in his body ; that is, either by the renewed services of his body, or its protracted sufferings unto death. In order then to magnify Christ in our body, we must,
1. Use our body as an instrument to fulfil his will —
[The Apostle was a fit pattern for us, Were his feet at liberty? he travelled from Judea round about into Illyricum, that he might carry to heathen nations the glad tidings of the Gospel. Were his hands at liberty? he worked by night, that he might be able to preach by day. Was his tongue at liberty ? he preached Christ incessantly, and encouraged all to put their trust in him. It is thus that we also should act. We are not indeed called to execute like him the apostolic office, and, consequently, not to tread precisely in the Apostle's steps : but we are called to walk in the same spirit, and to employ all the faculties of our body in the same manner. We should " yield all our members instruments of righteousness unto God." We should consider our eyes, our ears, and all our powers, as consecrated to him, and to be used for him. And though our sphere may be very contracted, yet may every one of us find abundant scope for the exercise of piety and benevolence, if we will only put forth the powers that we