SER M. the reward of fuch behaviour.

IX.

The wifdom here spoken of as conjoined with virtue, is that wisdom from above, which is appointed by God to enlighten and guide the course of integrity. It opens to us that path of the juft, which is now as the fhining light, and which will shine more and more until the perfect dry.

SERMON X.

On the Immortality of the Soul, and a future State.

2 CORINTHIANS, V. I.

For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building of God, an houfe not made with bands, eternal in the heavens.

THIS paffage prefents to us in one view SERM. the nature of our present earthly state,

and the future object of the Chriftian's hope. The ftyle is figurative; but the figures employed are both obvious and expreffive. The body is reprefented as a house inhabited by the foul, or the thinking part of man. But it is an earthly house, a tabernacle erected only for paffing accommo

X

dation,

dation, and to be diffolved; to which is to fucceed the future dwelling of the juft in a building of God, an bouje not made with bands, eternal in the heavens. Here then are three great objects prefented to Our confideration. First, the nature of our prefent condition. Secondly, that fucceeding state which is the object of good men's hope. Thirdly, the certain foundation of their hope; we know, that if our earthly boufe be diffolved, we have a building of

God.

I. THE text gives a full defcription of our prefent embodied ftate; as an earthly boufe, an earthly boufe of this tabernacle, and a tabernacle which is to be diffolved.

We dwell in an earthly house. Within this cottage of earth is lodged that fpiritual, immortal fubftance, into which God breathed the breath of life. So we are elsewhere faid in Scripture, to have our foundation in the duft, and to dwell in boufes of clay. During its continuance in this humble abode, the foul may be juftly confidered as confined and imprifoned. It is restrained from the full exertion of its powers by

many

many obftructions. It can perceive and act
only by very imperfect organs. It looks
abroad as through the windows of the
fenses; and beholds truth as through a glass
darkly. It is befet with a numerous train
of temptations to evil, which arife from
bodily appetites. It is obliged to sympa-
thize with the body in its wants; and is
depreffed with infirmities not its own.
it fuffers from the frailty of those materials
of which its earthly houfe is compacted. It
languishes and droops, along with the body;
is wounded by its pains; and the slightest
difcomposure of bodily organs is fufficient
to derange fome of the highest operations of
the foul.

For

All these circumftances bear the marks of a fallen and degraded state of human nature. The mansion in which the foul is lodged, correfponds so little with the powers and capacities of a rational immortal spirit, as gives us reafon to think that the fouls of good men were not defigned to remain. always thus confined. Such a state was calculated for answering the ends propofed by our condition of trial and probation in this life; but was not intended to be laft

SER M.

X.

X.

SER M. ing and final. Accordingly, the Apostle, in his description, calls it the earthly house of this tabernacle; alluding to a wayfaring or fojourning ftate, where tabernacles or tents are occasionally erected for the accommodation of paffengers. The fame metaphor is here made ufe of, which is employed in feveral other paffages of Scripture, where we are faid to be frangers and fojourners on earth before God, as were all our fathers. This earth may be compared to a wide field spread with tents, where troops of pilgrims appear in fucceffion and pass away. They enter for a little into the tents prepared for them; and remain there to undergo their appointed probation. When that is finished, their tents are taken down, and they retire, to make way for others, who come forward in their allotted order. Thus one generation paffeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earthly house is to all no other than the house of their pilgrimage*.

The earthly boufe of this tabernacle, the Apoftle, proceeding in his description, tells us, is to be diffolved. Clofe as the union

*Pfalm cxix. 54.

between