For, fourthly, as death puts the righteous into a state of endless happiness, which truth we very readily close with, fo does it fend the wicked into a condition miferable beyond expreffion, which we believe with fome difficulty; and yet we are affured of both these truths by the fame God of Truth, that if either hopes or fears will prevail upon us, we may not want motives to work out our falvation.

Lastly; let us seriously confider, that whether we believe, or do not believe, these things, that will not make them true or falfe: the councils of God must stand; and if he has declared that he will raife us up at the laft day, and judge every man according to his works done in the body; if he has, of his infinite mercy, appointed a place and state of happiness for the righteous, and a place of torment and punishment for the wicked, why then this will be the portion both of the one and the other, whether men believe, whether they think fo, or not.

As for fuch as know themfelves to have no religion, no fear of God before their eyes, they know likewife that they are not worthy, that is, meet to be made partakers of the inheritance of the faints in heaven; and without a timely repentance they never can be happy. They know it, and all the arguments in the world cannot give them a greater affurance than their own confciences,

But

But then there are others, who, because they profess to believe these things, are therefore under no apprehenfions of any danger, although they take no thought, no pains, to fit themselves for the heavenly life. They love the world as well as if they defired never to leave it; they run into temptations to fin; what they call repentance, is no more than afking God pardon, and, upon the first occafion, running into the fame fins again; in fhort, they pray without concern to be heard, without a sense of their wants, without being convinced of their own mifery, without knowing the danger they are in; and after all, they die in peace, and in hopes of a joyful refurrection.

Why now, my Christian brethren, if any of you be conscious to himself that this is his own cafe, let him know, that none shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, but fuch who have had their converfation in heaven while they were on earth; who with an eye of faith have feen, and were perfuaded of, the glory which God hath prepared for his faints, and make it the very chief bufinefs of their life to become worthy, that is, meet for the kingdom of heaven. For, as Jefus Chrift died, fo he was alfo raised for us, That we should not henceforth live unto ourselves, but unto him who died and rofe again for us.3

Let us therefore, as many of us as are verily perfuaded of the truth of these things, let us

8 2 Cor. v. 15.

be

be perfuaded alfo to raise our hearts and affections above the little concerns of this world. Live in it we muft, as long as God is pleafed we should, because it is the place appointed for our trial and improvement; but, after all, it is not the place where we are to expect our happiness; nor where we should lay up our treasure, left, our hearts being there also, we never aspire after that happiness which God hath prepared for them that love him.

I fhall conclude with the words of St. Paul: If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek those things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth; that when Chrift who is our life fhall appear, then we may also appear with him in glory. Which God grant, for the fake of the fame Jefus Christ.

To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

1

SERMON XLI.

THE DUTY OF IMPROVING THE TALENTS COMMITTED TO OUR TRUST.

LUKE xii. 48.

FOR UNTO WHOMSOEVER MUCH IS GIVEN, OF HIM
SHALL BE MUCH REQUIRED,a

THE

'HESE words of Chrift were defigned to make us all very ferious and concerned, for the account which we must one day give of the talents we have received, and for the opportunities he has afforded us of knowing and of doing our duty.

I believe that Jefus Chrift fhall come from heaven to judge the quick and the dead, and to render to every man according to his works done in the body. This is what every Chriftian profeffes to believe: but is it poffible for any Christian, who leads a carelefs life, to fay this, and not to be extremely concerned for the judgment that is then like to pass upon him, and for what must follow that fentence? The generality of Chriftians must certainly lie under fome fad delufion, who live in a neglect of

* See Matth. xxv. 23. Acts xvii. 30. John ix. 41. xvi. 24. Rom. i. 22. James i. 5. iv. 17,

the