all who are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and fhall come forth. They who have done good to the refurrection of life, and they who have done evil to the refurrection of damnation ‡. And of this God hath given affurance to all men, by raifing Jefus from the dead. All men therefore are thus far faved by the grace of God in Christ, that they are reftored to a capacity for immortal bleffedness, and may attain everlafting life, in a courfe of obedience, proportioned to their frailty, difadvantages and temptations. And all who comply with this defign of God, fhall actually obtain it; and receive glory, honour and immortality, as the reward of a patient continuance in welldoing. And how glorious and divine this falvation!

After a few years of life, we must all yield to death; and after a very imperfect enjoyment, be removed from all the good and pleafure which this world contains. Were we to estimate the happiness we might expect in the next ftate, merely by our obe-" dience in this, how low muft our hopes

John v. 28.
R

fink,

fink, who are confcious to fo many wilful offences, and after all but unprofitable fervants. But though we are foolish and difobedient children, our heavenly Father makes us heirs, and joint heirs with Jefus Chrift, of an heavenly and everlasting inheritance. We are directed to wait for a period, when our bodies, redeemed from the bondage of corruption, fhall be reftored to perfect beauty, activity and glory, and to immortal life, being made § like unto Chrift's own most glorious body. When we shall be put into poffeffion of a bleffednefs, fuited to our nature, exalted to its highest perfection, and shall

dwell forever in the heavenly ferufalem, in the glorious prefence of God and of Chrift, in a city, the fplendor and felicity of which will be worthy the divine Prefence, and fuitable to our dignity and capacities as immortal beings. Where vice, pain, folly, forrow and death will no more be known. Where we shall be like unto the angels, beholding with them the face of God, fulfilling his will, triumphing in his praises,

Romans viii. 23. 42. Philippians iii. 21. * Luke xx. 36.

SI Corinthians xv.

Revelations xxi.

and transported with bright and large views of the divine perfections and works, and with correfpondent fentiments of devotion; partaking in their friendships and employ→ ments, and with them enjoying the light of God's countenance. Thus will the grace of God through Chrift fave all, who believe and obey him. They are now the children of God, but it does not yet appear what they fhall be but this they know, that when Chrift appears, they fhall be like him, and fee him as he is, and be forever with the Lord‡.

*

How great, O God, is thy grace, how wonderful thy loving kindness to the children of men! What are we frail and mortal, foolish, ungrateful, and inconftant in. our best resolutions, and very defective in our beft obedience, that thou shouldest fave us forever from the fins we have indulged, and from the death we have deferved, and after a short trial, inftate us for eternity in compleat and unchangeable felicity! Verily God is love. Forever bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Christ, who of his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again tợ * John ili. 2. 1 Theffalonians iv. 17.

an immortality of bleffedness, by the refurof our rection of Chrift. This rich grace heavenly Father we would now celebrate with a warmth of gratitude, and with exalted praises; and this we hope we shall foon better acknowledge, joined to the innumerable company of the redeemed, who forever praise him! May our faith of this divine felicity purify our hearts, work by love, make us fuperior to the world, and be perfected by obedience; and it will never make us afhamed!

Let me close here the account of what the phrase to be faved fignifies; what it denoted when applied to the first converts to christianity, and what it implies when extended to us. I am,

II. To fet before you feveral confiderations, proper to illuftrate the riches of the divine Grace, in the falvation offered to a finful world by Jefus Chrift.-But of this in the next difcourfe.

SERMON

SERMON IX.

The Goodness of God in faving Mankind by Jesus Christ.

EPHESIANS ii. v.

By grace are ye faved

Na preceding difcourfe we endeavoured to explain and prove the goodness of God, as exerting itfelf for the falvation of a finful world by Jefus Chrift; and for this purpose we

I. Diftinctly showed you, what it is to be faved; what was the proper fense of the phrafe as applied to the first converts from heathenifm, and what it fignifies when extended to us. We are now

II. To present to your thoughts several confiderations, proper to illuftrate the riches