in them. And fay, if, while thou regardeft them as fo many Tokens of the Love of the Father, they are not inexpreffibly delightful; and do not build up in thee a reviving and high Expectation of thofe Bounties, which are stored up for his Children in the everlasting World? Thus every thing contributes to render the Believer bleffed: And . while he knows himself unworthy of the leaft of all God's Mercies, the very least Bounties of Heaven draw out well-pleased Refentments of Praife, and minifter Complacency and Happiness.-But why stop I upon thefe meaner Things? Forgive me, thou Heir of Glory, that thou haft been detained thus from the refreshing Views of thy Heavenly Inheritance. 7. A Hope full of Immortality. To read to thee the Scripture-Defcriptions of the Joys above, were but to transcribe that which, with deepeft Impreffion, is graven upon thy Heart. There Faith hath painted them in the most lively Characters; and Hope glows with inextinguishable Ardor for the Enjoyment of them. A Hope which is an Anchor of the Soul both fure and stedfaft (d), amidst all the various Calamities of Life. A Hope that maketh not ashamed (e) of whatever Reproaches, or Sufferings. A Hope that purifieth even as God is pure (f). A bless (d) Heb. vi. 19. (e) Rom. v. 5. ed ed Hope, that waits for the Glory of God, with abundant rejoicing; while,with abounding Hope, thou lookeft forward to the everlafting Kingdom of Emmanuel, a Joy springs up within thee unspeakable and full of Glory. And if to fee the Land before thee, be a Source of fo much Joy, how then the Possession of it! To enter into the new Jerufalem, to fee God as be is (g), to be for ever with the Lord (b), to be fashioned like unto his glorious Body (i), to be prefented without Spot or Wrinkle, boly and without Blemish (k), to taste of and feed upon those full Joys and ravishing Pleasures which are to be had at the right Hand of GOD for evermore: Lo, this is thy Inheritance, thou Believer! But what the Sum of this glorious Inheritance, no earthly Tongue can exprefs, no mortal Heart conceive. Yet whatever it be, it is thine; the Gift of God to thee in Jefus Chrift: For his Will is, that they whom the Father bath given bim may be with him where he is (1), may enter into the foy of their Lord. OFTEN reckon over with thankful Acknowledgment, thefe Bleffings which attend thee in thy Fellowship with Chrift: Endeavour daily to get a clearer and clearer Evidence of thy Intereft in them. Hereby, (g) John iii. 2. (i) Phil iii. 21. (John xvii. 24. F (b) Theff. iv. 17. thy thy Love of Jefus fhall increase; that Love fhall draw thee ftill nearer to him; from whence thou fhalt experience growing Strength and Confolation to be infpired into thy Soul, to the Increase of his Praise and Glory, and of thy Peace and Salvation. SERMON SERMON The Believer a new Creature. V. 2 COR. V. 17. If any Man be in Chrift, he is a new Creature. T was made too fadly evident in the firft of these Discourses, that Sin had deformed the Soul of Man, ruined the Image of GOD ftamped upon us, and had fet us in fuch a State of Alienation from God, that, while he was forgotten and flighted by us, having no manner of Influence or Rule in our Hearts, we were found to be intent upon carnal Gratifications and earthly Purfuits, and affecting above all things Selflove and Self-pleafing. The miferable Bondage and tremendous Danger of this Condition, the true Believer hath been made acquainted with. He hath been led to Jefus F 2 for for Deliverance; and, to his inexpreffible Confolation, he finds, that Chrift hath fet him free; that this mighty Redeemer hath heard his Suit, and renewed a right Spirit within him; that he dwelleth in his Heart, and liveth in him; and that he is actually joined to the Lord, having the fame Mind, Temper, Course, and Way of Conduct in him, which was alfo in Chrift Fefus. Now this intire and wonderful Change, which Chrift brings about by his Grace in the Hearts of those that humbly come to him, is by St Paul termed, with great Propriety, a new Creature; feeing herein a Man is fo fashioned and formed again, that he is quite another Sort of a Thing, from what he was before. This is the affured and infallible Event of Union with Chrift; for if any Man be in Chrift, he is a new Creature." Nor can any thing avail without it, neither Circumcifion nor Uncircumcifion, no manner of external Privileges or Services, but the new Creature only. It is indeed the main End of Christ's coming down from Heaven, of Pardon purchased and offered to us, of Chrift's Dominion above, and of his Miffion of the Spirit, and of Faith itself. This is the one End of the Whole, that, being Partakers of a new and Divine Nature, and thereby recovering Purity of Heart, we may fee God, and at last fully enjoy him. I would call I this |