have been suddenly stricken with death, in a state of soul the most unfit for it that was possible? That we were none of these, that we have been preserved from these dangers, that our sin was not our destruction, that instant judgment did not overtake us, is to be attributed to the long-suffering of God. Supposing, what is undoubtedly true, that the secrets of our conduct were known to him at the time, it can be attributed to no other cause. Now this is a topic which can never fail to supply subjects of thankfulness, and of a species of thankfulness which must bear with direct force upon the regulation of our conduct. We were not destroyed when we might have been destroyed, and when we merited destruction. We have been preserved for further trial. This is, or ought to be a touching reflection. How deeply, therefore, does it behove us not to trifle with the patience of God, not to abuse this enlarged space, this respited, protracted season of repentance, by plunging afresh into the same crimes, or other, or greater crimes? It shows that we are not to be wrought upon by mercy: that our gratitude is not moved; that things are wrong within us; that there is a deplorable void and chasm in our religious principles, the love of God not being present in our hearts. SERMON IV. MEDITATING UPON RELIGION. Have I not remembered thee in my bed: and thought upon thee when I was waking ?PSALM lxiii. 7. The life of God in the soul of man, as it is sometimes emphatically called, the Christian life, that is, or the progress of Christianity in the heart of any particular person, is marked, amongst other things, by religion gradually gaining possession of the thoughts. It has been said, that, if we thought about religion as it deserved, we should never think about any thing else; nor with strictness, perhaps, can we deny the truth of this proposition Religious concerns do so surpass and outweigh in value and importance all concerns beside. that, did they occupy a place in our minds proportioned to that importance, they would, in truth, exclude every other but themselves. I am not, therefore, one of those who wonder when I see a man engrossed with religion: the wonder with me is, that men care and think so little concerning it. With all the allowances which must be made for our employments, our activities, our anxieties, about the interests and occurrences of the pre But to return to that with which we set out religion may spring from various principles, begin in various motives. It is not for us to narrow the promises of God which belong to sincere religion, from whatever cause it originates. But of these principles, the purest, the surest, is the love of God, foras-sent life, it is still true, that our forgetfulmuch as the religion which proceeds from it ness, and negligence, and indifference about is sincere, constant, and universal. It will religion are much greater than can be excused, not, like fits of terror and alarm (which yet or can easily be accounted for by these causes. we do not despise) produce a temporary reli- Few men are so busy but that they contrive gion. The love of God is an abiding princi- to find time for any gratification their heart ple. It will not, like some other (and these is set upon, and thought for any subject in also good and laudable principles of action, as which they are interested: they want not leifar as they go,) produce a partial religion. It sure for these, though they want leisure for is co-extensive with all our obligations. Prac- religion. Notwithstanding, therefore, singutical Christianity may be comprised in three lar cases, if indeed there be any cases of being words; devotion, self-government, and bene-over-religious, over-intent upon spiritual afvolence. The love of God in the heart is a fountain, from which these three streams of virtue will not fail to issue. The love of God also is a guard against error in conduct, because it is a guard against those evil influences which mislead the understanding in moral questions. In some measure, it supplies the place of every rule. He who has it truly within him, has little to learn. Look steadfastly to the will of God, which he who loves God necessarily does, practice what you beLeve to be well pleasing to him, leave off what you believe to be displeasing to him: cherish, confirm, strengthen the principle itself which sustains this course of external conduct, and you will not want many lessons, you need not listen to any other monitor. fairs, the real and true complaint is all on the other side, that men think not about them enough, as they ought, as is reasonable, as it is their duty to do. That is the malady and the mischief. The cast and turn of our infirm and fleshly nature lean all on that side. For, first, this nature is affected chiefly by what we see. Though the things which concern us most deeply be not seen; for this very reason, that they are not seen, they do not affect us as they ought. Though these things ought to be meditated upon, and must be acted upon, one way or other, long before we come ac tually to experience them, yet in fact we do not meditate upon them, we do not act with a view to them, till something gives us alarm, gives reason to believe that they are approach ing fast upon us, that they are at hand, or shortly will be, that we shall indeed experience what they are. not seen." : The world of spirits, the world for which we are destined, is invisible to us. Hear St. Paul's account of this matter: "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." "We walk by faith, not by sight faith is the evidence of things Some great invisible agent there must be in the universe; "the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Now if the great Author of all things be himself invisible to our senses, and if our relation to him must necessarily form the greatest interest and concern of our existence, then it follows, that our greatest interest and concern are with those things which are now invisible. "We are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? but if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." The first infirmity, therefore, which religion has to conquer within us, is that which binds down our attention to the things which we see. The natural man is immersed in sense: nothing takes hold of his mind but what applies immediately to his sense; but this disposition will not do for religion: the religious character is founded in hope, as contradistinguished from experience, in perceiving by the mind what is not perceived by the eye: unless a man can do this, he cannot be religious and with many it is a great difficulty. This power of hope, which, as St. Paul observes of it, is that which places the invisible world before our view, is specifically described in Scripture, as amongst the gifts of the Spirit, the natural man standing indeed much in need of it, being altogether of an opposite tendency. Hear St. Paul's prayer for his Roman converts; "The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost." Again to the Galatians, how does he describe the state of mind of a Christian?" we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith." to show that it is either certainly or probably at a distance, yet we have the means of regard ing it in our minds as though it were at a dis. tance; and this even in cases in which it cannot possibly be so. Do we prepare for it? no: why? because we regard it in our imagi nations as at a distance: we cannot prove that it is at a distance; nay, the contrary may be proved against us: but still we regard it so in our imaginations, and regard it so practically; for imagination is with most men the practical principle. But, however strong and general this delusion be, has it any foundation in reason? Can that be thought at a distance which may come to-morrow, which must come in a few years? In a very few years to most of us, in a few years to all, it will be fixed and decided, whether we are to be in heaven or hell; yet we go on without thinking of it, without preparing for it: and it is exceedingly observable, that it is only in religion we thus put away the thought from us. In the settlement of our worldly affairs after our deaths, which exactly depend on the same event, commence at the same time, are equally distant, if either were distant, equally liable to uncertainty as to when the disposition will take place; in these, I say, men are not usu ally negligent, or think that by reason of its distance it can be neglected, or by reason o the uncertainty when it may happen, left un. provided for. This is a flagrant inconsistency, and proves decisively that religion possesses a small portion of our concern, in proportion with what it ought to do. For instead of giving to it that superiority which is due to immortal concerns, above those which are transitory, perishable, and perishing, it is not even put upon an equality with them; nor with those which, in respect to time, and the uncertainty of time, are under the same circumstances with itself. Thirdly; the spiritual character of religion is another great impediment to its entering our thoughts. All religion, which is effectual, is and must be spiritual. Offices and ordinances are the handmaids and instruments of the spiritual religion, calculated to generate, to promote, to maintain, to uphold it in the heart, but the thing itself is purely spiritual. Now Again; another impediment to the thought the flesh weigheth down the spirit, as with a of religion is the faculty and the habit we have load and burden. It is difficult to rouse the acquired of regarding its concerns as at a dis-human constitution to a sense and perception tance. A child is affected by nothing but what of what is purely spiritual. They who are adis present, and many thousands in this respect continue children all their lives. In a degree this weakness cleaves to us all; produces upon us the same effect under a different form; namely, in this way, when we find ourselves necessarily disturbed by near or approaching evil, we have the means of forgetting the nearness or the approach of that, which must bring with it the greatest evil or the greatest good we are capable of, our change at death. Though we cannot exactly offer any arguments dicted, not only to vice, but to gratifications and pleasures; they who know no other rule than to go with the crowd in their career of dissipation and amusement; they whose attentions are all fixed and engrossed by business, whose minds from morning to night are counting and computing; the weak, and foolish, and stupid; lastly, which comprehends a class of mankind deplorably numerous, the indolent and slothful; none of these can bring themselves to meditate upon religion. The last class slumber over its interests and con- gion chiefly from a sense of its vast consequen. cerns; perhaps they cannot be said to forget ces: and this reason is enough to make wise it absolutely, but they slumber over the sub-men think about it both long and closely. ject, in which state nothing as to their salva- Lastly, our religious thoughts come to have a tion gets done, no decision, no practice. There vivacity and impressiveness in them which are, therefore, we see, various obstacles and they had not hitherto: that is to say, they ininfirmities in our constitutions, which obstruct terest us much more than they did. There is the reception of religious ideas in our mind, a wonderful difference in the light in which we still more such a voluntary entertainment of see the same thing, in the force and strength them as may bring forth fruit. It ought, there- with which it rises up before our view, in the fore, to be our constant prayer to God, that he degree with which we are affected by it. This will open our hearts to the influence of his difference is experienced in no one thing more word, by which is meant that he will so quick-than in religion, not only between different en and actuate the sensibility and vigour of our persons, but by the same person at different minds, as to enable us to attend to the things times, the same person in different stages of which really and truly belong to our peace. the Christian progress, the same person under different measures of divine grace. So soon as religion gains that hold and that possession of the heart, which it must do to be- Finally, would we know whether we have come the means of our salvation, things change made, or are making, any advances in Chriswithin us, as in many other respects, so espe- tianity or not? These are the marks which cially in this. We think a great deal more will tell us. Do we think more frequently frequently about it, we think of it for a longer about religion than we used to do? Do we continuance, and our thoughts of it have much cherish and entertain these thoughts for a more of vivacity and impressiveness. First, longer continuance than we did? Do they inwe begin to think of religion more frequently terest us more than formerly? Do they imthan we did. Heretofore we never thought press us more, do they strike us more forcibly, of it at all, except when some melancholy in- do they sink deeper? If we perceive this, then cident had sunk our spirits, or had terrified we perceive a change, upon which we may our apprehensions; it was either from lowness ground good hopes and expectations; if we or from fright that we thought of religion at all. perceive it not, we have cause for very afflictWhilst things went smoothly and prosperous- ing apprehensions, that the power of religion ly and gaily with us, whilst all was well and hath not yet visited us; cause for deep and safe in our health and circumstances, religion earnest intercession with God for the much was the last thing we wished to turn our minds wanted succour of his Holy Spirit. SERMON V. OF THE STATE AFTER DEATH; Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it to: we did not want to have our pleasure disturbed by it. But it is not so with us now: there is a change in our minds in this respect. It enters our thoughts very often, both by day and by night," Have I not remembered thee in my bed, and thought upon thee when I was waking?" This change is one of the prognostications of the religious principle forming within us. Secondly, these thoughts settle themselves upon our minds. They were formerly fleeting and transitory, as the cloud which passes along the sky; and they were so for two reasons; first, they found no congenial temper and disposition to rest upon, no seriousness, no posture of mind proper for their reception; and, secondly, because we of our own accord, by a positive exertion and endeaONE of the most natural solicitudes of the vour of our will, put them away from us, we human mind, is to know what will become of disliked their presence, we rejected and cast us after death, what is already become of those them out. But it is not so now; we enter-friends who are gone. I do not so much mean tain and retain religious meditations, as being, the great question, whether we and they shall in fact, those which concern us most deeply. be happy or miserable, as I mean the question, I do not speak of the solid comfort which is what is the nature and condition of that state to be found in them, because that belongs to which we are so soon to try. This solicitude, a more advanced state of Christian life than I am now considering: that will come afterwards; and, when it does come, will form the support, and consolation, and happiness of our lives. But whilst the religious principle is forming, at least during the first steps of that formation, we are induced to think about reli which is both natural and strong, is sometimes, however, carried too far: and this is the case when it renders us uneasy, or dissatisfied, or impatient under the obscurity in which the subject is placed: and placed, not only in regard to us, or in regard to common men, but in regard even to the apostles themselves of our Lord, who were taught from his mouth, which naturally we have no conception. I as well as immediately instructed by his Spirit. am far from saying, that he could not, by an Saint John, the author of the text which I act of his power, have assumed a human being, have read to you, was one of these; not only or the soul of a human being, into heaven; an apostle, but of all the apostles, perhaps, the and have shown to him or it, the nature and most closely connected with his Master, and the glories of that kingdom: but it is evident, admitted to the most intimate familiarity with that, unless the whole order of our present him. What it was allowed, therefore, for man world be changed, such revelations as these to know, Saint John knew. Yet this very must be rare; must be limited to very extraSaint John acknowledges "that it doth not ordinary persons, and very extraordinary occayet appear what we shall be;" the exact na- sions. And even then, with respect to others, ture, and condition, and circumstances of our it is to be observed, that the ordinary modes future state are yet hidden from us. of communication by speech or writing are in I think it credible that this may, in a very adequate to the transmitting of any knowledge great degree, arise from the nature of the hu- or information of this sort: and from a cause, man understanding itself. Our Saviour said which has already been noticed, namely, that to Nicodemus, "If I have told you earthly language deals only with the ideas which we things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, have; that these ideas are all founded in exif I tell you of heavenly things?" It is evident perience; that probably, most probably indeed, from the strain of this extraordinary conver- the things of the next world are very remote sation, that the disbelief on the part of Nico- from any experience which we have in this ; demus, to which our Saviour refers, was that the consequence of which is, that, though the which arose from the difficulty of comprehend-inspired person might himself possess this su ing the subject. Therefore our Saviour's pernatural knowledge, he could not impart it words to him may be construed thus: If what to any other person not in like manner inspirI have just now said concerning the new birth, ed. When, therefore, the nature and consticoncerning being born again, concerning being tution of the human understanding is consi born of the Spirit, concerning the agency of dered, it can excite no surprise, it ought to the Spirit, which are all "earthly things," excite no complaint, it is no fair objection to that is, are all things that pass in the hearts Christianity," that it doth not yet appear of Christians in this their present life, and up-what we shall be." I do not say that the imon this earth; if this information prove so dif- perfection of our understanding forbids it (for, ficult, that you cannot bring yourself to believe in strictness of speech, that is not imperfect it, by reason of the difficulty of apprehending which answers the purpose designed by it,) it; "how shall ye believe ?" how would ye be but the present constitution of our understand. able to conquer the much greater difficulties ing forbids it. which would attend my discourse," if I told "It doth not yet appear," saith the apostle, you heavenly things ?" that is to say, if I" what we shall be, but this we know, that, speak to you of those things which are passing, when he shall appear, we shall be like him." or which will pass, in heaven, in a totally dif- As if he had said, Though we be far from unferent state and stage of existence, amongst derstanding the subject either accurately or natures and beings unlike yours? The truth clearly, or from having conceptions and notions seems to be, that the human understanding, adequate to the truth and reality of the case, constituted as it is, though fitted for the pur-yet we know something: this, for instance, poses for which we want it, that is, though we know, that, "when he shall appear, we capable of receiving the instruction and know-shall be like him." The best commentary upledge, which are necessary for our conduct and on this last sentence of Saint John's text may the discharge of our duty, has a native origin-be drawn from the words of Saint Paul. His al incapacity for the reception of any distinct words state the same proposition more fully knowledge of our future condition. The rea-when he tells us (Phil. iii. 21.) “ that Christ son is, that all our conceptions and ideas are shall change our vile body, that it may be like drawn from experience, (not, perhaps, all im- his glorious body." From the two passages mediately from experience, but experience lies together, we may lay down the following at the bottom of them all,) and no language, points. First, that we shall have bodies. One no information, no instruction, can do more apostle informs us, that we shall be like him; for us, than teach us the relation of the ideas the other, that our vile body shall be like his which we have. Therefore, so far as we can glorious body: therefore we shall have bodies. judge, no words whatever that could have been Secondly, that these bodies shall be greatly used, no account or description that could have changed from what they are at present. If been written down, would have been able to we had had nothing but Saint John's text to convey to us a conception of our future state, have gone upon, this would have been implied constituted as our understandings now are."When he shall appear, we shall be like him.” I am far from saying, that it was not in the We are not like him now, we shall be like power of God, by immediate inspiration, to him; we shall hereafter be like him, namely, have struck light and ideas into our minds, of when he shall appear. Saint John's words This plainly regard this similitude as a future thing, shall be clothed, are to be deemed new bodies, as what we shall acquire, as belonging to what or the same bodies under a new form. we shall become, in contradistinction to what is a question which has often been agitated, we are. Therefore they imply a change which but the truth is, it is of no moment or impormust take place in our bodily constitution. tance. We continue the same to all intents But what Saint John's words imply, Saint and purposes, so long as we are sensible and Paul's declare. "He shall change our vile conscious that we are so. In this life our bobodies." That point, therefore, may be con- dies are continually changing. Much, no sidered as placed out of question. doubt, and greatly is the body of every human That such a change is necessary, that such being changed from his birth to his maturity: a change is to be expected, is agreeable even to yet, because we are nevertheless sensible of the established order of nature. Throughout what we are, sensible to ourselves that we are the universe this rule holds, viz. that the body the same, we are in reality the same. Alteraof every animal is suited to its state. Nay tions, in the size or form of our visible permore; when an animal changes its state, it sons, make no change in that respect. Nor changes its body. When animals which lived would they, if they were much greater, as in under water, afterwards live in air, their bodies some animals they are; or even if they were are changed almost entirely, so as hardly to be total. Vast, therefore, as that change must known by any one mark of resemblance to be, or rather, as the difference must be between their former figure; as, for example, from our present and our future bodies, as to their worms and caterpillars to flies and moths. These substance, their nature, or their form, it will are common transformations; and the like not hinder us from remaining the same, any happens, when an animal changes its element more than the alterations which our bodies from the water to the earth, or an insect from undergo in this life, hinder us from remainliving under ground to flying abroad in the ing the same. We know within ourselves that air. And these changes take place in conse- we are the same; and that is sufficient and quence of that unalterable rule, that the body this knowledge or consciousness we shall rise be fitted to the state; which rule obtains with from the grave, whatever be the bodies throughout every region of nature with which with which we be clothed. we are acquainted. Now our present bodies The two apostles go one step further when are by no means fitted for heaven. So saith they tell us, that we shall be like Christ him. Saint Paul expressly, "Flesh and blood can-self; and that this likeness will consist in a not inherit the kingdom of God; corruption resemblance to his glorified body. Now of the doth not inherit incorruption." Between our glorified body of Christ all that we know is bodies as they are now constituted, and the this. At the transfiguration upon the mount, state into which we shall come then, there is the three apostles saw the person of our Lord a physical, necessary, and invincible incongru- in a very different state from its ordinary state. ity. Therefore they must undergo a change," He was transfigured before them, and his and that change will, first, be universal, at face did shine as the sun, and his raiment least as to those who shall be saved; secondly, was white as the light." Saint Luke describ it will be sudden; thirdly, it will be very great. es it thus: "The fashion of his countenance First, it will be universal. Saint Paul's words was altered, and his raiment was white and in the fifteenth chapter of his first epistle to glistening: and behold there talked with him the Corinthians are, "We shall all be chang-two men who appeared in glory." Then he ed." I do, however, admit, that this whole adds, "that the apostles, when they awaked, chapter of Saint Paul's relates only to those saw his glory." Now I consider this transacwho shall be saved; of no others did he in- tion as a specimen of the change of which a tend to speak. This, I think, has been satis-glorified body is susceptible. Saint Stephen. factorily made out; but the argument is too at his martyrdom, saw the glory of God, and long to enter upon at present. If so, the ex- Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Saint pression of the apostle, "We shall all be chang-Paul, at his conversion, saw a light from heaed," proves only that we who are saved, who ven, above the brightness of the sun, shining are admissible into his kingdom, shall be chang-round about him; and in this light Christ then ed. Secondly, the change will be instantaneous. was. These instances, like the former, only So Saint Paul describes it; " In a moment, show the changes and the appearances of which in the twinkling of an eye, the dead shall be a glorified body is susceptible, not the form or raised incorruptible;" and therefore their na-condition in which it must necessarily be found. ture must have undergone the change. Third- or must always continue. You will observe, ly, it will be very great. No change, which that it was necessary that the body of our Lord we experience or see, can bear any assignable at his transfiguration, at his appearance after proportion to it in degree or importance. It his resurrection, at his ascension into heaven, is this corruptible putting on incorruption; it is at his appearance to Stephen, should preserve this mortal putting on immortality. Now it a resemblance to his human person upon earth, has often been made a question, whether, after because it was by that resemblance alone he so great a change, the bodies, with which we could be known to his disciples, at least by 66 |