SERMON XII. THE CONDITION OF CHRISTIANS IN THE WORLD. St. JOHN xvii. 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou fhouldeft keep them from the evil. THESE words were spoken by our Saviour, on a very memorable occafion; an "hour" unparralleled in the annals of time. "Having loved "his own which were in the world, he loved them "unto the end." While he was with them, he had withheld no proof of his kindness and care. He gave them free access to his prefence, he removed their doubts, he relieved their complaints, he bore with their infirmities. Such an intercourfe of facred friendship had endeared him to their affections, and rendered the profpect of separation inexpreffibly painful. When the venerable Samuel died, "all the Ifraelites were "gathered together, and lamented him." When the amiable friend of David fell " on his high places," the bleeding furvivor faid, "I am diftreffed for thee, my "brother Jonathan; very pleafant haft thou been to "me; thy love to me was wonderful, paffing the love دو "of women. When Elifba beheld the reformer Elijah afcending, "he cried, my father, my father, "the chariots of Ifrael, and the horsemen thereof." The cafe of the difciples was more peculiarly afflictive; and "forrow filled their hearts.' Our Saviour was never deprived of felf-poffeffion; in every state he had the full command of his powers; and even in the immediate view of his tremendous fufferings, he does not forget one circumstance which claims his attention. He thinks more of his difciples than of himself; he enters into their feelings; they were to remain behind, poor and defpifed; "as sheep among wolves;" as paffengers in a veffel" toffed by the waves." He will not leave them "comfortless." On the evening before his crucifixion, and a few moments before his agony, by the gate of the garden of Gethsemane, furrounded with his family, "he lifts up his eyes to 66 heaven," and commends them into the hands of his "Father and our Father, his God and our God." Do not fay, my fellow-christians, this prayer was for the apostles; it was for them primarily, but not exclufively. Hear his own words; "neither pray I for "these ALONE, but for THEM ALSO which SHALL BE"" LIEVE on me THROUGH THEIR WORD.' Thus it extends to all the followers of our Lord in every age, in every place; he prays for you; even for you; and this is his language; "I pray not that thou shouldest "take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." cr 66 From these words the following inftructions may be derived. I. IT IS THE PROVINCE OF GOD TO TAKE US OUT OF THE WORLD. II. THIS WORLD IS A PROPER SITUATION FOR THE RIGHTEOUS TO LIVE IN FOR A SEASON. III. THERE IS EVIL IN THE WORLD, TO WHICH THEY ARE EXPOSED, AND BY WHICH THEY MAY BE INJURED. IV. THE DIVINE PROTECTION IS ESSENTIAL TO THEIR SECURITY. V. IT IS ENCOURAGING TO REMEMBER THAT OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR PRAYS FOR OUR PRESERVATION. I. IT IS THE PROVINCE OF GOD TO TAKE US OUT OF THE WORLD. It is the obvious defign of the Scripture to bring the mind into a pious frame, by inducing us to acknowledge God in all our ways; to apprehend him in every occurrence; to adore him in the field, as well as in the temple; to hold communion with him in his works, as well as in his word, in his difpenfations, as well as in his ordinances. While our minds are perplexed and difcompofed by beholding the mafs of human affairs, and the perpetual fluctuations of worldly things; this bleffed book lends us a principle, which when applied reduces the confufion to order, explains the mystery, fatisfies and calms the inquirer. It teaches us that nothing occurs by chance; it fhews us the Supreme Being fuperintending the whole, "feeing the "end from the beginning;" "working all things after "the counfel of his own will;" advancing towards the execution of purposes worthy of himself, with fteady, majestic steps; never turning afide; never too precipitate; never too flow. We fee divine Providence fixing "the bounds of our habitation," and prefiding over all the circumstances of our birth, and our death. In our appointed time we appear; in the places defigned for us we are dropped. When we have finished our course, and ended our work, “he " fays, Return, ye children of men ;" and it is not in the power of enemies to accelerate, or of friends to retard the period of our departure. "Is there not an "appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days "alfo like the days of an hireling ?" "His days are "determined, the number of his months are with thee; "thou haft appointed his bounds that he cannot pafs. "In his hand thy breath is, and his are all thy ways.' "The righteous and the wife, and their works, are in "the hand of God." Does he "number the hairs "of your head," and not the years of your pilgrimage? Does "not a fparrow fall to the ground-with*out your heavenly Father?" and are ye not "of "more value than many fparrows ?" *r But the paffage 66 • By one man This world, we have reafon to believe, was never defigned fully to accomplish the purpofe of God in the original creation of man. It was to precede a nobler ftate; and the mode of transition from glory to glory, would have been eafy and delightful. is now become rough and difmaying. "fin entered into the world, and DEATH by fin; and "fo death hath paffed upon all men, because all have "finned." It is not pleafing to human nature, to think of being "taken out of" these bodies in which we have tabernacled; "out of" these houses in which we have lived; "out of" thefe circles in which we have moved; "out of" this "world," in which we were born, and to which we have been fo long accuf tomed; to be laid hold of, and detached from all we Нн now enjoy, by the meffengers of "the king of ter"rors;" to be divided; to lie down and putrefy; to enter a new and untried world. But irksome as the confideration may be, the chriftian cannot banish it from his thoughts; he endeavours especially in particular circumstances to render it familiar; and there are things which have a tendency to encourage his mind in the contemplation of it. The enemy is difarmed of his sting; while "walking through the valley of the "fhadow of death," God will be with him. The event is entirely under the controuling influence of his heavenly Father. How pleafing is the reflection; "Well ; my times are in his hand... On him depend "the occurrences of my history, and the duration of 66 my life. He is best qualified to judge of the scenes "through which I am to pafs, and of the manner in "which I am to leave the world, whether it be fud"den, or lingering; by accident, or disease; alone, or “furrounded with friends; in youth, or in age. It is "the Lord; let him do what feemeth him good. "Have I been bereaved of beloved relations, and ufe"ful connections? my foul hath it ftill in remem "brance; but were they not his? He had a right to "do what he would with his own. He came and "took them away, not as a thief, but as a proprietor. "He employed in the feizure not only power, but wif"dom and kindnefs. What I know not now, I fhall "know hereafter. Behold he taketh away; who can "hinder him? Who will fay unto him, what doeft thou? I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, be "cause thou didst it. He is the rock, his work is per |