not his own Son, but gave him up for us all. Do you therefore place all your hopes of mercy in Christ's death, and in the promises of God, for his sake, made to us ? Will you endeavour to follow the example of your Lord and Saviour, who bore with submission and patience, whatever God thought fit to lay upon him? And will you remember, that he did so, though his very judge found no fault in him? "But we suffer justly, for we re"ceive the due reward of our deeds." And lastly, you will do well to remember the dying words of our Saviour; and when you come to die, commend your spirit into the hands of God. You believe, that Jesus Christ rose again the third day from the dead. Why then you are sure that his sufferings and death were well pleasing unto God, who otherwise would not have raised him to life again. And though your Soul, when you die, shall go into an unknown world: yet, if you die in the favour of God, you will have the same God to take care of you, as Jesus Christ had. And lastly, you are hereby assured, that God, who raised Christ from the dead, will also quicken our mortal bodies; for so he hath declared in his word. Since you believe, that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, you must conclude, that all power in heaven and earth is committed unto him. And can there be greater comfort for a sinner than this; That he who died for us, is ever with God, pleading the cause of his poor creatures that come unto God by him? Although therefore, for your own sake, you cannot look for favour, yet for Jesus's sake you may, who ever liveth to make intercession for us. Will you therefore endeavour to set your heart above, where your Saviour is? And that you may do so more earnestly, remember your Saviour's words, when he was leaving the world; I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be also. You believe that Jesus Christ shall come to judge both the quick and the dead. If you believe this so truly as you ought to do, you will take care to judge yourself beforehand, that you may not be condemned of the Lord, when he cometh to judge the world in righteousness. c2 Will Will you therefore examine your life, and see wherein you have offended, that you may repent, and make your peace with God, remembering that as death leaves you, judgment will find you? However, you have this to comfort your soul, if you are sincerely penitent, that he who knows our infirmities, he who died to redeem us, is to be our judge. And God grant, that you may find mercy in that great day. You profess to believe in the Holy Ghost, to whom you were dedicated in baptism, and by which you were sealed to the day of redemption. Now, if you have grieved this Holy Spirit, and by wicked works have driven him from you, you must sadly repent of it, and earnestly pray God to restore him, without whose aid you can never be sanctified, never be happy. And when you call yourself to account, consider whether you have lived in obedience to those whom the Holy Ghost hath set over you; that is, the ministers of the gospel. Do Do you propose to live and die in the Communion of this Church, in which you were baptised? Our Lord tells us, what a blessing it is to be a member of that church, of which he is the head. "I am (saith he) the vine, ye are "the branches; as the branches cannot "bear fruit unless they abide in the vine, no more can ye, unless ye abide 66 " in me." In short, a member of Christ's church has a right to the forgiveness of sins,-to the favour of God, -to the merits of Christ, to the assistance of the Holy Ghost, and to the ministry of the holy angels. Blessings which you can never be sufficiently thankful for. Do you firmly believe, that God, in consideration of Christ's sufferings, will forgive all such as with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him? But then you must consider, that forgiveness of sins is to be hoped for only in God's own way, that is, by the ministry of those to whom God has committed the word of reconciliation. And that the promise of forgiveness of sins should be no pretence for continuing in sin in hopes of pardon. Do you believe that we shall all rise again, some to everlasting Happiness, and some to everlasting Misery ? If this faith be in you of a truth, it will convince you of the vanity of this world, its profits, pleasures, honours, fame, and its idols; so that you will not, as unbelievers do, look for your portion here. Do not you see what a mercy it is, when God punisheth sinners in this life, since they whose punishment is deferred to the next, must suffer everlastingly ? And if the difficulties of repentance and an holy life affright you, consider this one thing, Who can dwell with everlasting burnings? Remember the words of Christ to the penitent Thief,-This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Let the expectation of that happy day, and a faith and hope full of immortality, make you diligent to make your calling and election sure, and sweeten all the trouble and difficulties of doing it. And may Almighty God strengthen and increase your faith, that you may die in this belief, and in the peace and communion of the church! Amen. The |