of the triumph of conquerors, of the thrones of monarchs.

LET us meditate on thefe representations. Our thoughts have been turned to the endearments of a family, the pleasures of a feaft,, the joys of fociety, the fplendors of royalty; to wealth's command of enjoyments, to reft after fatigue, to fafety after danger, to the fuccefs of enterprize, to the rewards of induftry, to the glory of war. After feparating from thefe, as enjoyed on earth, all that is mean, base, deceitful, precarious and perifhing: after adding all that is great, is genuine and permanent: after recollecting the unspeakably fuperior fatisfactions of the fpiritual life; when the exercises of piety were performed; when you entered fully into the fpirit of the worship of GOD; when the mind was compofed, enlarged and comforted; when the works of faith and the labours of love were performed; when all fears and fufpicions were difpelled; when the love of GOD was fhed abroad in your hearts; when you rejoiced in hope, rejoiced with a joy unspeakable and full of glory; you will exclaim, How precious muft their enjoyY y 2

ments

ments be who are admitted into the regions of perfect maturity, of blifs immortal!

AND now, my friends, what do you say to thefe things? To all that we have faid of this contrafted view of earth and heaven, do you readily fubfcribe? But, more is neceffary than to fay, Thefe things are fo. Confider, I befeech you, what is your ftate and character, in relation to the world of perfection and felicity.

Is this the answer of truth and of confcience, in any of you? of you? Of this future world, with all its fuperior knowledge and fociety, and employments and bleffednefs, we live unmindful from other, from oppofite fources, we feek and expect our happiness? Is it true, that of any live in careless uncertainty whether you fhall arrive at this state of perfection and felicity?

you

YOUR admiffion that this ftate does exift, and the view prefented to you, however imperfect, fuggeft feverer reproof to you than I can utter, and fupercede expoftulation and

condemnation.

By

By all your defire of information; by all your love of fociety; by all your ambition for worthy diftinction; by all your thirst and relish of pleasure; you are reproved and condemned, who look not at the things that are revealed, propofed and offered in the Gospel ; who feek not glory, honour and immortality, and to enjoy eternal life. Your juft reproofs and fevere condemnation of ignorance, infenfibility, inactivity and folly, in yourselves, or in others, are as the breath of the zephyrs, or the whisper of friendship, compared with the loud and awful criminations of confcience, to thofe who live by fenfe, and not by faith; which accufations are the preludes of the more terrible and tremendous condemnation to be pronounced by the Judge of the world, when he shall be "revealed from heaven, with his "mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking ven66 geance of them that know not GoD and

obey not the Gofpel of our LORD JESUS "CHRIST; who fhall be punished with ever

lafting deftruction from the prefence of "the LORD, and from the glory of his power: "when he fhall come to be glorified in his

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faints, and to be admired in all them that believe, in that day."

IN a very different manner are you to be addreffed, Chriftians, who have good hope, through grace, that yours is this future perfection and felicity. While I rejoice in your joy, and congratulate you on your attainments and your profpects, you will not be offended with me for fuggefting, in fo many words, a few advices and directions in relation to your difpofitions and exercifes and conduct, as the confident expectants of the perfection and blifs of heaven.

REJOICE that the Gospel has come to you: that your eyes fee, and your ears hear the glorious things obfcurely revealed of old; that you enjoy the days of the Son of Man; that your LORD hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light. Rejoice in the ordinances and institutions of CHRIST, which are fo excellently fitted for affifting our faith, encouraging our hope, impreffing and affecting our hearts, and preparing us for the exercifes and joys of heaven, Wait GOD in his ways. upon Let your converfation be in heaven. Commune with your hearts. Let your fellowship be with the Father and the Son, Let your fruit be

unto

unto holiness. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Beware left, being led away by temptation and the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own ftedfaftnefs, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Give diligence to make your calling and election fure: for if ye do these things ye fhall never fall, for fo an entrance fhall be miniftered to you, abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.

AND, may the GOD of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by CHRIST JESUS, make you perfect, ftrengthen, ftablifh, fettle you!

To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever! Amen.

APPEN