not. He calls heaven simply my Father's house. (John xiv.) The apostle Paul was carried up to it, and what says he of it? He heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible for a man to utter. (2 Cor. xii. 4.) St. John beheld it in his enraptured visions, and how does he develop it? It doth not yet appear what we shall be. (1 John iii. 2.) I address two classes-Those neglecting this glory, and those seeking it. How in Look at 1. THOSE NEGLECTING THIS GLORY. expressible, how mournful your folly! the conduct of men wise for this world. it is a mere temporal advantage, some employment, some better situation, how vigilant and circumspect, how active and how patient also will they be! Ah! men even run with more violence to death and hell, than Christians to life and glory. But surely to neglect this great salvation is that which is emphatically folly, even madness worse than chained lunacy. Think you that any who reach heaven regret any losses or any sacrifices for reaching that glory. No, they cry—“ O sweet losses! O blessed sacrifices! which God in love called me to! by these he made me meet for this glory." Do any say, "I too wish to see this glory." There are two grand impediments, your guilt and your unfitness. But the Gospel shows you how both may be removed. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and so shall all your guilt be forgiven, according to the promise, Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more; thus shall you be among those, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. (Heb. x. 17—19.) Ask also for the gift of the Holy Spirit, by whom your unfitness will also be removed, your heart truly converted, and you made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. CHRISTIANS SEEKING THIS GLORY. O my brethren, why do we spend so few thoughts upon it? Is there this exceeding and eternal weight of glory before us? O let us often and deeply meditate upon it. If ever you want a subject for contemplation, here you have one of the richest and fullest of animating hope. The bridegroom longs to be united to his bride; the heir longs to be of age to receive his inheritance; the merchant longs for the return of his richly-freighted vessel. O let us long to enter that city of the great King, of which such glorious things are spoken-and seeing it is our chief good, our last home, our everlasting felicity, let our affections be set upon it, our conversation be there already, and we, as strangers and pilgrims, pressing on, till through the gates we enter in, to dwell there for ever. SERMON XV. THE CHRISTIAN'S TRIUMPH. 1 CORINTHIANS XV. 57, 58. Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. HAVING explained those all important subjects which have successively been brought before you in preceding discourses, I purpose now to consider the Christian's victory through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the duty of Christian stedfastness arising from that victory. My object is to bring forward those great principles which, under Divine grace, tend to perseverance and fruitfulness in every good work. You have been hearing for several sabbaths the most solemn subjects discussed, and I hope, not without some impressions of their importance; but lest those impressions should be merely transient and unprofitable, I would once more labour to establish and confirm your minds in the purpose of steady adherence to the Gospel of Christ, and an abounding fruitfulness in his service. May our God prosper the effort for these ends. We will consider 1. THE VICTORY GIVEN TO THE BELIEVER, 2. THE PRACTICAL INFLUENCE WHICH IT SHOULD HAVE, 3. THE CERTAIN RECOMPENSE OF ALL OUR LABOURS. 1. THE VICTORY GIVEN TO THE BELIEVER. Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We lately considered the subjects of the everlasting happiness of God's people. Between us and that happiness there are many intervening obstacles; many difficulties to be surmounted, many enemies to be encountered, many conflicts to be maintained with them, and final victory to be gained over them. In considering the victory given to the believer, let us notice, 1. our enemies; 2. the conquest over T them; 3. for whom the conquest is made; and, 4. to whom it is to be ascribed. 1. OUR ENEMIES. The Apostle had been speaking in all the glow of a fervent spirit of the triumphant resurrection of the righteous, and the accomplishment thereby of the saying, Death is swallowed up in victory. In an animated figure he personifies and addresses death and the grave,-O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? and states, The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; and then in the words of our text pours out his warm thanksgivings for the victory. We may notice here four enemies, The Law, Sin, Death, and the Grave. THE LAW IS OUR ENEMY. But is not the Law holy, just, and good? O yes, unspeakably good; and every Christian says, Lord, how I love thy law, it is my delight all the day. It is perfectly reasonable and perfectly excellent ; and to be conformed to it, will be our happiness for ever. The Law, but for sin, would not have been our enemy but our best friend. Here is one part of the unhappiness of the fall, by which that holy Law designed to be the source of happiness, is become our adversary. We are all transgressors of the Law; condemnation by it is the sad and wretched consequence of transgression. The curse of its violation is upon us, and its purity |