be for me, and not for another, fo will I alfo be for thee.

Though thou haft dealt unkindly with me, and caft me off; yet will I not do so by thee: Though thou haft fet light by me, and all the purchase of my blood; yet both I, and all that I have are thine. There is nothing thou canft want, but what I am able to supply; nothing thou canst defire but I am ready to give, and whoever elfe fails thee, I will be thine for ever.

These are the grounds of the relation on Chrift's part, to which there is fomething correfpondent on theirs. As they have a special intereft in Chrift, fo he has a fpecial claim to them: And this,

1. By the Father's gift. Of this Chrift speaks, John xvii. 6. I have manifefted thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were and thou gavest them me. They are given him from eternity by the covenant of redemption, and in time by effectual vocation: They are fo, as his charge, and as his reward.

As his charge; to be ranfomed by his blood, healed by his grace, and brought at last to endlefs glory.

And they are given him alfo as his reward, the fruit of his meritorious obedience and death, to ferve him in this world, and when ready, to be with him in a better. Accordingly, as going to heaven, this is his prayer for them, Father, I will that they also whom thou

bast

haft given me, be with me where I am, John xvii, 24. And it is his exprefs promise to them, If any man ferve me, let him follow me, 1 am, there fhall also my fervant be.

and where

2. They are his, as bought with the price of his blood; being redeemed, not with corruptible things, as filver and gold, but with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a lamb without blemish, and without fpot, 1 Pet. i. 19.

3. They are his by conqueft. The elect, by nature, are children of wrath, even as others; dead in trefpaffes and fins; walking after the course this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that worketh in the children of difobedience. And, it is by a powerful refcue, that they become the Lord's.

He opens finners eyes to difcern their danger, and awakens their confciences to feel in fome fort their mifery, that they may be no longer in love with it. He binds the strong man armed, and cafts him out; makes his way to the heart, through oppofing corruption, and so regains the throne that is only his own due." Whereupon,

4. And lastly, They become his by voluntary furrender. They are won by his kindness, melted by his grace, drawn with the cords of love, and fo run after him. They see the strongeft reason, the fweeteft encouragement, the greatest advantage to do fo; and being made willing in the day of his power, say with the church, My Beloved is mine, and I am his. This brings us to confider,

II. The

II. The mutual endeared Relations confequent hereupon.

These I need only mention.

Chrift becomes their friend, and owns them under that character, John xv. 15. Henceforth I call you not fervants; for the fervant knoweth not what his Lord doth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. They pafs into the relation of his brethren, among whom he is the first-born. They are owned for his fake by the fame Father: to as many as receive him, to them gives he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe in his name and if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift. He becomes their head and hufband, and they his spouse, and his members, the objects of his most endeared affection, conftant care, and peculiar delight.

In a word, He is their all-fufficient Redeemer and Saviour, and they his ranfomed, faved ones. Their falvation is begun in grace, and the day is fixed in which it is to be perfected in glory.

Hence I proceed to the

III. Thing, To confider the ends of the relation on Chrift's part, and on theirs, what it implies on either fide for any to say, My Beloved is mine, and I am bis.

In point of privilege. As to believers,

1. Chrift is theirs, to anfwer all the demands of juftice, and fcreen them from wrath. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chrift

Jefus,

Jefus, in whom they have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins. They fhall not fink into perdition. Who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea, rather is rifen again and as he was delivered for our offences, fo he was raised again for our justification, bore our fins in his own body upon the tree, and fo made peace by the blood of his cross. How effectual hereupon, is his plea with the Father, in behalf of every one receiving the atonement, and coming unto God by him, If he has wronged thee, or oweft thee ought, put it all upon my account. How comfortable is it to fay, with a view to this, My Beloved is mine?

What, O my foul, is the caufe of all my trouble, but fin? What fears and horrors have I often felt, left it fhould never be pardoned? What killing apprehenfions of the wrath I was liable to, the imminent danger I was in, having no affurance of life, and knowing fudden death would have sent me quick to hell? O the wearifome days and reftlefs nights I endured upon that account! But now, my fears may be turned into fongs of triumph; my Beloved is mine, to procure my discharge, and blot out all my fcores: my offences are many, but his fatisfaction is full: my fins heinous, but he hath made his foul an offering for fin, and in him the Father is well pleased. I deserved to be cast into the prison of hell; but he became a ransom, that I may be delivered. This is my Beloved, this is my friend: how infinite are my obligations to him!

2. He is theirs, to rescue them from the power and reign of fin, and the tyranny of Satan, and keep them from falling back. The Spirit of life from Chrift Jefus, frees his members from the law of fin and death; and they shall be no more led captive by Satan at his will; for they whom the Son makes free, are free indeed.

3. He is theirs, to bind up their wounded fpirits, and fpeak peace to their troubled fouls. This is express in his kind invitation, Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me, all that labour and are beaye vy laden, and I will give you reft.

He knows how to have compaffion on fuch as are ready to faint, conveys fecret cordials to the hearts of his fervants; and though in the world they fhall have tribulation, it is enough to sweeten all, that in him they shall have peace. With what a lively fenfe of his compaffion and grace, may the once mourning chriftian fay, My Beloved is mine.

How often has he found me in fecret almost overwhelmed with grief, and wiped my eyes, and calmed my foul; eafed my confcience, and filenced all my doubts and fears, and in the multitude of my thoughts within me, bid me, Be of good cheer; my grace is fufficient for thee?

O the sweetness of the fpecial relation to Christ! Who would live one day without it? or be at a lofs for an answer to the enquiry, What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved?

4. He is theirs, to restore them to the favour of God, and maintain them in it. Being juftified by faith, we have peace with God, through