X. SERM. mortality of the foul and a future ftate, are certainly of great weight, yet reafonings ftill they are, and no more; and in every human reasoning, fufpicions may arife of fome fallacy or er ror. In a point fo momentous to us, as our existence after death, we never could, with abfolute certainty and full fatisfaction, have refted on any evidece except what was confirmed by the declaration of God himself.-For many and high bleffings we are indebted to the Chriftian revelation; for none more than for its having brought life and immortality to light. The revelations made by God to the world in early ages, gave the firft openings to this great article of faith and hope. In future periods, the light dawned more and more; but it was not until the fun of righteoufnefs arose by the appearance of Chrift on earth, that the great discovery was completed. Then, indeed, were made known the city of the living God, the new Jerufalem above, the manfions prepared for the Spirits of juft men made perfect. Nor was a state of future felicity only proclaimed by Chrift X. Christ and his apoftles to good men, SERM. but was represented as purchased for them by the death of their Redeemer. I give, he was authorised to say, unto my fheep eternal life. In my father's houfe are many manfions. I go to prepare a place for you*. Accordingly, he lay down in the grave; rofe as the first fruits of them that slept ; and ascending into Heaven, entered there within the veil, as the forerunner of his followers, to affure them of all being friendly and well-difpofed towards them in those upper régions. All therefore who live and die in the faith and obedience of Jefus,, are entitled to fay with the Apostle, we know; not only we hope and we reason, but we know, that if our earthly houfe of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of God, an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. THE firft and most natural improvement of all that has been faid, is to X. SERM. produce in our hearts the most lafting gratitute, love, and reverence, towards that great benefactor of mankind, who not only hath made known and published the bleffings of a future ftate to the righteous, but by his great undertaking for their redemption hath erected in their behalf the houfe eternal in the heavens.--The next improvement Iwe fhould make, is to conduct our own life and behaviour as becomes those who have an interest in this happiness and this hope. From fuch perfons affuredly is to be expected a pure, correct, and dignified behaviour in every fituation; not a contempt of the employments, nor a renunciation of all the comforts of their prefent life. Opinions that produce fuch effects are connected only with the fpirit of fuperstition and false religion. But to them it belongs, in midst of the affairs, enticements, and temptations of the world, to regulate their conduct as becomes the heirs of a divine inheritance; never debafing themselves among what is mean, nor defiling theinfelves with what is corrupt in the present ftate; X. state; but serving God with that fide- SERM. SERMON 2 SERMON XI. On overcoming Evil with Good. SERM. XI. ROMANS, xii. 21. Be not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with good. IN N this world, we all know that we muft reckon upon a mixture of goods and evils. Some of the evils are owing to the appointment of Providence in this ftate of trial; many of them are the fruits of our own guilt and mifconduct. The goods and the evils of our ftate are fo blended, as often to render the whole of human life a struggle between them. We have to contend both with the evils of fortune, and with the evils of our own depra |