have established your Faith, you muft totally appeafe or annihilate the checks of confcience. Recollect, that the most learned men in every age of the world, as well as those who have been born in Solitude, and nurtured in deferts, that even those who have never heard of the name of Chrift, and whofe correfpondence with civilized nations is fo remote, that it cannot be traced, are yet convinced, that there will be fome future State of Existence; and an Argument will appear before you, why you fhould do the fame-unless, in fpite of every rational principle, you are refolved to continue the Slaves of Prejudice and Error. Nay more, upon Christian authority I may go on to obferve, when a revelation is given you, which proves this point beyond all difpute; a revelation, in which Life and Immortality are made manifeft as the day, what anfwer can you then make, if you perfift in Vice, C 2 and and grow hardened in Iniquity? *: As ye are prifoners then, become prisoners of hope. Be not moved away from the hope of the Gofpel by any allurements of the world, or any temptation of the Devil. A good man would not forego the Hope that is laid up for him in Heaven, + for all the Enjoyments of Life. Be good and virtuous, then, that, like him, ye may have hope. Take for your defence the whole Armour of God, and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation: for the Grace of God, that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying Ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, we Thould live foberly, righteoufly and godly in this prefent world; looking for that bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift, who gave himself * Col. i. 23. † Col. i. 5. ‡ 1 Theff. v. 8. himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. * In every age of human life and in all the variety of circumftances which attend it, Hope is our great Support. Without this, we could never rife from Infancy to Manhood, from Manhood to Old Age; never could we bear the Sorrows and Afflictions to which our nature is liable, nor ever turn afide the fharp arrow of Adverfity. The hope of temporal Happinefs will often fupport us under the weight of temporal calamity. The principle then is good, if it be applied to the best purposes. But if our hope terminate in worldly Enjoyments, it will fail in bringing forth the fruits that might be expected from it. When we are oppreffed by the hand of C3 mif Tit. i. 11, 12, 13, 14. misfortune, degraded from the Station which we once held in life, and deprived of all poffible means of recovering our former diftinctions, Hope of worldly Honors will be lefs fubftantial than the morning Cloud. There is, however, a hope that will fupport us even in these circumstances, a hope that will fhed over the Soul the Influence of gentle Peace and found Content, even the Hope of everlafting Life. Religion is the Angel that brings this Hope towards us, that points towards the opening Heavens, and, as fhe once did to the Martyr Stephen, fhews us Jefus ftanding at the right hand of God. His kingdom, as his Gospel repeatedly affures us, is not of this World; therefore, if we would make him our King, and inherit the kingdom prepared for the righteous, we must rise above every worldly Enjoyment, we must cleanfe • Acts vii. 55. Our our hearts from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, and perfect Holiness in the fear of God. + With this profpect, what are the World's Afflictions? what are the temporal diftreffes of Mankind? Do not our hearts renounce all the Vanities of Life? Do we not feel our Souls receive new vigor from this lively hope? Do we not abhor our former wicked lives, and refolve to make ourselves worthy, by means of this Saviour, to become Inheri tors with the Saints in light? Oh! that there were fuch an heart in you, that you would prefs with anxiety towards the prize of the High Calling of God in Chrift Jefus! + that you would think your fetters the happy means of conducting you to Heaven, and that you could fay with St. Paul, I rejoice in the hope of Ifrael, tho' bound with this Chain: I need 2 Cor. vii. 1. Phil. iii. 14. § Acts xxviii. 20 |