SER M. iniquity, and to purify, unto himself, a pe III. culiar people, zealous of good works *. Though our nature be corrupt, his fpirit can rectify its disorders, and renew us after his own image t. Though our paffions be violent, his energy can fubdue them. Though our hearts be hard, he can melt them by his love. Though the enemies of our falvation be numerous, and powerful, his aid, through our Redeemer, can make us more than conquerors. If we are, therefore, confcious of the fincerity of our repentance, and of our defire to manifeft, by our conduct, gratitude to God, for his unspeakable gift || of falvation, we may entertain affured confidence towards him. We may at laft arrive, by the acquirement of virtuous habits, at that happy state which will enable us to fay with the apostle, Our rejoicing is this, the teftimony of our confcience, that, in fimplicity, and godly fincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world §. We are persuaded that neither *Titus ii. 14. || 2 Cor. ix. 15. + Col. iii. 10. § Ibid. i. 12. death, Rom. viii. 37. III. death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, SERM. nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to feparate us from the love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord*. If thy repentance then be fincere, and thou hungerest and thirstest after righteousness t, I am still authorised, humble follower of Chrift! to addrefs thee in the words of my text, rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, rejoice! Rejoice in God, and commit to him all thy interests for this, and for a future world. Let no defpair overwhelm thee, upheld by his arm. Let no fear difmay thee, placed under his protec tion. Let no misfortune fret thee, foothed * Rom. viii. 38, 39. E 4 thy II! SERM. thy heavenly father. Rejoice in opulence and power, because fuch an ample theatre is erected for thy virtue to difplay its attractive and falutary energy. Rejoice in the inferior stations of fociety, that, by humility, contentment, and dutiful fubmiffion to fuperiors, thou art furnished with the means of exhibiting another view of the Chriftian character, not less amiable, and of imitating thy Saviour in those very circumstances in which he appeared. Rejoice, through the progress of life, that thou art engaged in a course, so honourable in itself, and leading to such transcendent felicity. Rejoice, when the hour of death fhall arrive, that thou art approaching the gates of heaven, and feeleft already the rays of celeftial glory beaming on thy foul! I am now brought to the final scene of the Chriftian's joy. Rejoice to all eternity. III. The diftinguifhing excellence of our religion, my brethren, confifts in the certain and bleffed affurance of a future ftate which it affords. It bringeth life and immortality to III. to light*. It declares, not only that our SER M. existence is not terminated by this tranfitory scene of things, but that, if we continue patient in well-doing †, unalterable and unallayed felicity awaits us beyond the grave. · To fet before you the real nature and extent of future happiness, exceeds the faculties of the human mind. Here defcription lays down her pencil; for the colours are wanting: Speech renounces her expreffion; for the ideas are not supplied. It doth not yet appear what we shall be ! ‡ Though it doth not yet appear what we shall be, we know that we shall be delivered from external calamity and internal disorder; from all temptation, and all inclination to fin; from want, and pain, and ficknefs, and care, and forrow; from discontent, ambition, and envy; from anger, hatred, and revenge; from fear, distrust, and remorfe; from the wiles of fraud, the machinations of malice, the affaults of enmity, the oppreffion of tyrannical power, the contagion of bad' example! Though 2 Tim. i. 10. + Rom. ii. 7, ‡ John iii. 2. Though it doth not yet appear what we shall be, we know that we shall be admitted into the fociety of wisdom, and truth, and goodness, and rectitude, and moral beauty; into the fociety of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect*, where love will breathe from every heart, and the accents of kindness flow from every tongue! Though it doth not yet appear what we shall be, we know that we shall be like.God †, and bear his image in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness ‡. Our understandings fhall be enlightened with knowledge adapted to our exalted ftate, our capacities enlarged, our wills conformed to that of the Deity! Though it doth not yet appear what we shall be, we know that we shall see God as he is §, be admitted into his immediate prefence, and behold his glorious and benign perfections, not merely reflected from the world, which he has produced, as we are obliged to apprehend them at prefent, but beaming, as it were, from his own adorable *Heb. xii. 22, 23. +1 John iii. 2. effence ‡ Col. iii. 10. § 1 John iii. 2. |