SER M. Let us not then, when the glorious profpect is opening before us, wilfully shut our eyes against it, confining all our views within the narrow circle that furrounds us, till by degrees we become like wretches fhipwrecked on a little bank of fand, the fea continues gaining ground upon, and threatening to overwhelm us. To conclude-If we have hope in Chrift, let us act as if we had it: let not the variety of worldly objects so diftract our fight, as utterly to turn our eyes away from their nobleft and most worthy object; let us weigh and confider the value of that treasure which God hath referved; thank him for that victory over death which he through Christ hath obtained for us. After fuch ftrong and repeated affurances of eternal life given us by the great author and finisher of V. of our faith; what can we plead in SER M. excufe for refufing our affent to a truth fo glaring and felf evident? After all, most plain and indifputable it is, that if we are not of all men the most happy, there can be but one reason why we are not fo, and that is because our fins will not permit us. But let us, I beseech you, remember that if we have no hope of another life, we must have the fear of it. How miferable and how dreadful muft our fituation be, when that profpect of a future state are SERM. Redeemer, and affume all the dreadful V. majesty of an offended Judge! when he fhall fay to the trembling unbelievers, "Was it for this, ye ungrateful and ungenerous children of difobedience, that I came unto you? Did my Gospel bring immortality to light, that you should walk ftill in darkness? O ye of little faith! I came unto you and ye regarded me not; I promised and ye diftrufted; I threatened and ye defied me: but fince neither reason could perfuade you to hope, nor revelation affure you of your everlasting existence, instead of rejoicing in it as your reward, accept it now as your punishment. Go ye accurfed of my Father into eternal mifery, unto that place where the fire is not quenched, and the worm never dieth." But let us turn our eyes from this fad V. and melancholy profpect, and confider SERM. how different his reception will be of the good and pious Chriftian; let us place him before our eyes, thus graciously condefcending, in the great and laft day, to welcome his faithful followers to the regions of bliss and immortality: "Come," will he fay unto them, 66 ye bleffed of my Father and receive your reward; I promised and ye believed; fpake and ye attended; I commanded and ye obeyed; like me ye have fuffered the pains of mortality, and like me ye have tafted the bitterness of death; ye fhall be revived with the cordial of life; ye did not place your hopes on that vain and tranfitory world, but referved them for, and they fhall be fulfilled in, a better and more durable one. "Ye have been perfecuted, oppreffed, |