confider it as mixed and tempered by the great phy fician of our fouls. It may be unpalatable---but it is our own fault, if it be not beneficial, SERMON SERMON XVIII. 2 CORINTHIANS 7. i. HAVING THEREFORE THESE PROMISES, DEARLY BELOVED, LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM ALL FILTHINESS OF FLESH, AND SPIRIT; PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF GOD. IN the preceding chapter the apostle reminded his new converts of the Corinthian church, of the many fufferings, and diftreffes of his chriftian warfare. He informs them of tripes, and imprifonments; of tumults, and labours; of watchings, and faftings; implying, at the fame time, that what he had undergone, they must likewise expect to undergo. And in these things indeed the carly profeffors of the chriftian religion were continually exercifed.-Their's was a warfare indeed. They They had difficulties to ftruggle with, of which we know nothing. But people were then in earnest about religion; and thought it the great concern of their lives. They were then readier to fuffer for its fake the worst calamities of human nature; than we are to deny ourselves the pleafures of fin. But let thefe reflections pass at prefent. To fupport the Corinthian difciples under the difficulties, which the apoftle enumerates, he goes on, by calling to their remembrance, the promifes of God. God hath promised, he tells them, always to affift his pious fervants. It is his conftant language in fcripture, I will be their God; and they Shall be my people. I will be a father unto them; and they fhall be fons, and daughters unto me, faith the Lord. The apoftle having thus encouraged them under their approaching difficulties, draws his conclufion from the words of the text: Having therefore thefe promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanfe ourfelves from all filthinefs of flesh, and fpirit; perfecting holiness in the fear of God. I fhall examine thefe words by fhewing you, first what the promises are to which the apoftle refers---and fecondly the effect, which they ought to have upon us. With regard to the first of thefe heads, the apoftle only tells us---that if we are obedient children, God will be our father. Now this is only a general manner of speaking, but it refers - plainly to all the promises of every kind, which the christian religion makes to man. If God be our father, and we his children, we are led to hope for every thing, which as a father he hath gracioufly promised to his obedient children. We hope for the forgiveness of our fins, through the atoning blood of Chrift-we hope for his becoming a reconciled father to us in Chrift Jefus-we hope for the affistance of his gracious spirit in all the difficulties of a chriftian life-we hope for a glorious refurrection from the dead-and laftly, we hope for an eternity of future happiness. So that in fhort, as a child is taught to expect from its parent, fo are we taught to expect from God every good, of which our nature is capable. These are the great promifes, which the chriftian. religion makes to man; and which the apoftle refers to in the text.-But now the effect of thefe promifes on us, it is evident, depends entirely on our believing them. Hence our Saviour always makes faith the firft article of chriftianity.--Unlefs therefore we really, and from our hearts be lieve 1 lieve the gofpel; it is impoffible we fhould pay any attention to its promises. The things of this world are prefent-the promifes of the gospel lie at a distance; and if you have not faith enough to bring them nearer to you, you cannot be influenced by them.-Suppose now the cafe of a perfon fhut out during the early part of his life from seeing any objects, except those at hand. Such a perfon could have no idea of diftance. Bring him fuddenly where he had an extended view of a country lying before him, point out to him a mountain, which you tell him is very lofty, or a lake, which is very extensive, he cannot enter into your ideas; he cannot believe that dif tant objects, which appeared to his eye fo little; were really larger, than the things, which he faw at hand. What! he would afk, is that house, which appears to me as a mere fpeck, in fact larger, than the house, which I fee close to me; and which I can walk round and examine ?-But let this perfon gain the thorough use of his eyes, if I may fo fpeak, by experience; and he will foon know that diftance makes no alteration in the things themselves; but will firmly believe the houfe in question, however fmall it may appear at a dif |