SEAM. X.3 THE HIDDEN LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN, 1 R second Adam is the Lord from heaven, a quickening Spirit; i Cor. xv. 45, &c. And he that believeth on him, though he were dead in nature, yet shall he live by grace, for Christ is the resurrection and the life : And if he be once made spiritually alive by Christ, he shall live for ever. This is the language of Christ himself, John xi. 25, 26. What an unreasonable thing is it then for a christian to fear what men or devils can do against him, for they cannot hurt his best life ! It is above the reach of all the assaults of earth or hell. Our Lord Jesus teaches us not to be afraid of them who only can kill the body; for the soul is not in their reach; nor is it possible for them to prevent the body from partaking of its share, in the glo- rious life appointed for a christian at the great rising- day. We see here upon what firm grounds the doctrine of achristian's perseverance.is built; Christ is his life, Je- sus the same yesterday, to-day, andfor ever. The all- sufficient God, and his eternal Son, have undertaken for the security of it; John x. 28, 29, 36. Iá ive unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck themout ofmy hand. 117y Father whi'chgave themme, is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. God hath sworn by his holiness, that the seed of Christ shall endure for ever ; Ps. lxxxix. 35, 36. and that his loving kindness shall not be utterly taken away from his own children : and our LordJesus Christ cloth little less than swear to the perseverance of his disciples, when he says ; John xiv. 19. Because I live, ye shall live also : for, as I live, is the oath of God, Why art thou cast down, O believer, and why is thy soul disquieted within thee ? Hope in God thy life, fog thou shalt yet praise him, how many and great soever thine adversaries -are, . and how difficult soever thy path and duty may be, and how loud soever thy foes threaten thy destruction. There may be many things in thy tra- vels through this world, that may hurt or hinder the growth of thy spiritual life, and may for a season inter- pose, as it were, between thee-and thy God; but neither life, nor death, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, shall ever separate thee 'en-
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