If we hearken not to the solemn language of our own frail bodies, to the precepts of weakness and pain, of sickness and decay, what admonitions would command our attention, and impress our minds? How unaccountable is the stupidity of mortals! They complain of infirmities, and groan under pains; but do not realize that they must die, must pass to another world, and there be rewarded according to the deeds done in the body. And how easy for that Power which made our wonderful frame, to cause its dissolution. The air and food essential to life, may become the means of death. When in our full strength, we are receiving the richest nourishment and stimulous to promote vigour and activity, these may only serve to feed and render fatal some fever, and render our bodies richer food for worms. Innumerable unseen dangers surround us; and our whole frame is liable to the attack and arrest of death. Notwithstanding all our circumspection to prevent diseases, and our most vigilant exertions to promote health, we die; unless the Lord continually watch and defend all the springs of life. The king of terrours has thousands of avenues to enter our clayey tabernacle, and myriads at his command continually armed with the weapons of death. Moreover, nothing but Omnipotence can secure us one moment from his fatal arrest, or prevent any one of his legions from discharging some of his deadly instruments which they hold continually levelled at our hearts. We are constantly as dependent on God for the continuance of life, as we were for our first breath. Then may our great concern be to prepare for death, and for a glorious immortality.

6th. If we are wonderfully made in regard to our present frame, we may infer, that the bodies of the righteous in the resurrection will be incomparably glorious. When they shall be raised, they will be so much changed in their constitution, as to wear, in various respects, an entirely new character. They

will be incorruptible immortal bodies, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption; and this mortal, immortality. As they will serve God day and night in his temple, so they will be raised in power, and endued with faculties suited to the never ceasing employments and enjoyments of the heavenly world. Moreover, at the resurrection they will be arrayed in glory and beauty. The Saviour will change their vile bodies, and fashion them like unto his glorious. body. When the Archangel shall sound his trump, in the twinkling of an eye the earth will heave; tombs disclose; and myriads of spiritually arrayed forms, bright as the sun, arise and ascend to heaven. Are believers often affected in view of their frail, perishable bodies? What consolation! How sublime, how delightful the doctrine of the resurrection! The future glory of these animal frames, when changed into spiritual bodies, will exceed the utmost conceptions of human imagination. They will be exalted, adorned, and enraptured as suitable mansions for glorified spirits. Though our mortal frames are a subject of interesting contemplation, yet how inferiour, compared to their future incorruptible, immortal, and spiritual attributes. The constitution, arrangement, and qualities of glorified bodies, will doubtless be truly delightsome, astonishing, and inconceivably glorious. Amen.

SERMON XVII.

TRUE RELIGION ALL IMPORTANT.

Isaiah xx. 20.

For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

MANKIND are subjects of the highest prosperity and affluence, and of the lowest depths of adversity and poverty. Uniformity is by no means the common lot of the human race; but diversity and contrast are peculiarities as it respects the condition of man. There are not only the high and low, rich and poor, bond and free; but innumerably varied and diversified are their situations and circumstances. Through the journey of life, some make use of a beautiful and elegant cane; whilst others are assisted by an old and crooked staff. Some are cheered with the enjoyment of a comfortable degree of health all their days; and others are scarcely ever exempt from disease. Some live in great style as it respects their houses, furniture, and equipage; but others have their residence in an uncomfortable hut, and scarcely obtain the necessities of life. Dives fared sumptuously every day, while Lazarus enjoyed but few of the good things of this present world. But whether mankind in their pilgrimage state, travel a road comparatively smooth and pleasant, or rough and unpleasant, they soon are entombed in the silent grave; their bodies intermingled with the common dust, and their souls in a world of spirits. Hence, the manner of our journeying through this vale of tears, is of little importance, compared with our future destiny; our

eternal home. The words of the text are a prover bial saying; and their most literal meaning or import is expressive of a state of difficulty, of uneasiness and distress. When a bed is too short, a person cannot lay at his ease; but is perplexed in the hours of rest. When the covering is too narrow, he is exposed to the severities of a cold night. The moral, or lesson of instruction to the Jews, was to teach them that their confederacy with the Egyptians, could not defend them against the Assyrians and Chaldeans; nor could their numbers and fortifications defend them against the Romans, when God should forsake them and become their enemy. Neither could their temple, altar, sacrifices, nor Pharisaical righteousness recommend them to his favour, as long as they rejected Christ. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. These words, with those in connexion, in a figurative manner convey this solemn and alarming truth: that there are certain kinds of religion which are essentially defective, and which will fail those who embrace them in the great day of trial and final decision. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a Stone, a tried Stone, a preéious corner Stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgement also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time, that it goeth forth, it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering narrower than that he can wrap

himself in it. In the illustration of this subject it is my design to bring to view some of those kinds of religion, that are founded not on a sure, but false foundation; and to show that they are essentially deficient, and ruinous to the soul. Amongst the different varieties and sects of religion in the world, there are strictly but two kinds, the true and false. The one will support a man in the solemn and trying hour of death, and lead to joys on high; but the other then forsakes the soul, when it is destroyed suddenly, and that without remedy. But to descend to particulars; I would observe in the first place, that infidelity is a religion which is essentially defective, and which will fail those who embrace it in the great day of trial and final decision. By infidelity, is meant deism; or a rejection of the Saviour, as the only Mediator between God and man, and as the only possible way of salvation. Persons of this description, glory in the light of nature as being sufficient to lead to a true belief and to exalted views of the being and perfections of God, and to teach all those ways which are necessary to glorify him. But through the depravity of the human heart, and the consequent blindness of the mind, where mankind have been left to nature's light, they have formed strange ideas concerning a God, and their worship has been a scene of folly and madness, of most degrading infatuation. Some have been content with a god of clay; others, of wood. Some have had a silver god; and others have had one formed of gold. Creatures have been worshipped as the Creator, and natural objects have been adored as Deity. But how essentially defective such views and service? How abominable in the sight of a holy God, and how degrading to man, considered as a rational and immortal being? Surely nature's light is become darkness in consequence of our apostacy. It leads none of the human race to know, to love, and serve the true God; but all pursue their own vain imaginations, and their foolish heart is most strangely darkened.