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soon: they must be set about forthwith, in good earnest, and with strong resolution. The work is most momentous; the time is short. The day is far spent: the evening is come on: the night is at hand.

Lastly, I conceive that this discourse points out the true and only way of making old age comfortable; and that is, by making it the means of religious improvement. Let a man be beset by ever so many bodily complaints, bowed down by ever so many infirmities; if he find his soul grown and growing better, his seriousness increased, his obedience more regular and more exact, his inward principles and dispositions improved from what they were formerly, and continuing to improve; that man hath a fountain of comfort and consolation springing up within him. Infirmities, which have this effect, are infinitely better than strength and health themselves: though these, considered independently of their consequences, be justly esteemed the greatest of all blessings, and of all gifts. The old age of a virtuous

man

man admits of a different and of a most con

soling description.

It is this property of old age, namely, that its proper and most rational comfort consists in the consciousness of spiritual amendment. A very pious writer gives the following representation of this stage of human life, when employed and occupied as it ought to be, and when life has been drawn to its close by a course of virtue and religion. To the intelligent and virtuous, says our author, old age presents a scene of tranquil enjoyment, of obedient appetites, of well regulated affections, of maturity in knowledge, and of calm preparation for immortality. In this serene and dignified state, placed, as it were, on the confines of two worlds, the mind of a good man reviews what is past with the complacency of an approving conscience, and looks forward with humble confidence in the mercy of God, and with deyout aspirations towards his eternal and ever increasing favour.

SER

SERMON XXXI.

THE TERRORS OF THE LORD.

MATT. xvi. 26.

What is a man profiled, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

THESE words ask a question, the most

home to every man's concern of any that can possibly enter into his thoughts. What our Saviour meant to assert, though proposed to his hearers in the form of a question, (which indeed was only a stronger and more affecting way of asserting it,) is, that a man's soul, by which term is here meant his state after death, is so infinitely more important to

him, so beyond and above any thing he can get, or any thing he can lose, any thing he can enjoy, or any thing he can suffer, on this side the grave, that nothing, which the world offers, can make up for the loss of it, or be a compensation when that is at stake. You say that this is very evident; I reply, that evident as it is, it is not thought of, it is not considered, it is not believed. The subject, therefore, is very proper to be set forth in those strong and plain terms, which such a subject requires, for the purpose of obtaining for it some. degree of that attention, which each man's own deep interest in the event demands of him. to give it.

There are two momentous ideas, which are included in the expression,-the loss of a man's soul; and these are the positive pain and sufferings, which he will incur after his death and the happiness and reward, which he will forfeit. Upon both of these points we must go for information to the scriptures. No where else can we receive any. Now, as

to

to the first point, which is, in other words, the punishment of hell, I do admit, that it is very difficult to handle this dreadful subject properly; and one cause, amongst others, of the difficulty is, that it is not for one poor sinner to denounce such appalling terrors, such tremendous consequences against another. Damnation is a word, which lies not in the mouth of man, who is a worm, towards any of his fellow-creatures whatsoever: yet it is absolutely necessary that the threatenings of Almighty God be known and published. Therefore we begin by observing, that the accounts, which the scriptures contain of the punishment of hell, are for the most part delivered in figurative or metaphorical terms, that is to say, in terms which represent things, of which we have no notion, by a comparison with things, of which we have a notion. Therefore take notice what those figures and metaphors are. They are of the most dreadful kind, which words can express: and, be they understood how they may, ever so figu ratively, it is plain that they convey, and were

intended

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