Page images
PDF
EPUB

ignorance, but a cowardly fhame, that keeps many in a ftate of indecifion, "halting between two opinions." They know what is right, and would gladly partake of the believer's fafety; but they have not fortitude enough to encounter the reproach, which in one form or another, always attends an adherence to the cause of Jefus Chrift. Others, who had made fome pleafing progrefs, have been eafily deprived by a laugh, or a fneer, of all their religion. Not to "bow the knee to "Baal," when all adore him; to step forth with our family behind us, and fay to our neighbours, and our relations, "choose you this day whom ye will ferve, "but as for me and my house, we will ferve the Lord;?? to withstand in a pious caufe, the influence of example; to keep our way when we fee an adverfe multitude approaching us; to pass through the midst, unfhrinking as we feel the fcourge of the tongue, this is no eafy thing; this is principle in triumph'; and this chriftian heroism is not only commendable, but neceffary. Do not fay, therefore, if we do this, we fhall be fingular. If you are chriftians, you MUST be fingular; it is the grand defign, the unavoidable confequence of the gofpel. Read the character of its followers: "Ye are not of the world, even as I am "not of the world." Examine its commands: "Be "not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed

66

દુઃ

[ocr errors]

by the renewing of the mind." Weigh the condition of its dignities and privileges: "Come ye out from among them, and be ye feparate, and touch not the "unclean thing; and I will receive you, and be a father '' unto you, and ye fhall be my fons and daughters, "faith the Lord almighty.". My dear hearers, the

language is too plain to be misunderstood; the meaning too awful to be trifled with. Decide, and decide immediately. "Withdraw yourfelves from thefe men,' before a common perdition involves you all. If with them you will fin, with them you muft fuffer. They who followed the multitude rather than Noah, were drowned in the flood. They who followed the multitude rather than Lot, were deftroyed in the cities of the plain. They who followed the multitude rather than Jofhua and Caleb, perifhed in the wildernefs; and as it was then, fo it is now; "as for fuch as turn "afide to their crooked ways, the Lord will lead them "forth WITH the workers of iniquity."

THIRDLY, Let thofe who have been "referved," confider the Author and the End of their diftinction. Remember By whom you have been fecured; God is the author hence he fays, "I HAVE referved." "For "who maketh thee to differ from another, and what haft "thou that thou didst not receive ?" Had you been left to yourselves, and "given up to your own counfel," you would have been carried along by the fame evil tendency in the courfe of this world." But his grace, equally free and powerful, interpofed in your favour; it gave to ordinances their efficacy, and to the difpenfations of Providence their fanctifying influence, in turning the mind, and restraining the life from fin; and boasting excluded, you are indulging yourfelves in language ufed by all the redeemed before you" not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto

thy name be glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's "fake" "by the grace of God I am what I am; not "I, but the grace of God which was with me." Re

[ocr errors]

member alfo FOR whom you have been fecured. God is the end; hence he fays, "I have referved UNTO ' MYSELF "they are to be my reprefentatives on "earth, to wear my image, to maintain my cause, to be employed in my fervice." "This people have I "formed for myself, they fhall fhew forth my praise." "They shall be called trees of righteousness, the "planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."— "The Lord hath set apart him that is godly FOR HIM"SELF." Chriftians; it is an high, an awful destiny. It sheds a facredness over the whole character, which you should always feel. It hallows you. It confecrates your perfons and your poffeffions. All you have, all you are, is his; and all is FOR him. This end determines, and fimplifies your work; to this you are to make every thing fubordinate and fubfervient. "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatever ye "do, do all to the glory of God." "FOR NONE OF

cr

US LIVETH TO HIMSELF, AND NO MAN DIETH TO "HIMSELF: FOR WHETHER WE LIVE WE LIVE UN"TO THE LORD, OR WHETHER WE DIE WE DIE UNTO "THE LORD; WHETHER THEREFORE WE LIVE OR DIE, WE ARE THE LORD'S."

46

SERMON II.

THE TRIUMPHS OF PATIENCE.

REV. xiv. 12.

Here is the patience of the Saints.

DID

you ever observe, my brethren, the exclamation of David?" Mark the perfect man, "and behold the upright, for the end of that man is "peace." A religious character is an object truly wonderful and interefting; there is something in him worthy of peculiar notice and regard. David indeed fixes the mind on one article only, and calls upon us tó confider his “end ;" but his way is as remarkable as his end; his life is as deferving of attention as his death; and it is pleafing and useful to obferve him in every relation, to pursue him through every condition, and to admire those excellencies which unfold themselves, and operate as proofs of his origin, and pledges of the "glory, and honour, and immortality," to which it tends.

Hence we endeavour to excite you to contemplate fucceffively his various features. Sometimes we have placed him before you as convinced of fin. At other times, as exercifing faith on our Lord Jefus

Christ. You have lately feen him " rejoicing in the

66

hope of his calling." This morning he appears among his "brethren and companions in tribulation," distinguished by the poffeffion and triumphs of patience. "Here is the patience of the faints." We fhall, I. DELINEATE THE CHARACTER OF SAINTS.II. EXPLAIN THE CONNECTION THERE IS BETWEEN SAINTS AND PATIENCE.-III. And SPECIFY SOME CASES IN WHICH THEIR PATIENCE IS TO BE RENDERED ILLUSTRIOUS, SO AS TO PRODUCE THE EXCLAMATION" HERE IS THE PATIENCE OF THE * SAINTS.

PART I. God has always a people for his name ; he owns them to be SAINTS; and they are often found where we should little expect to find them. Thus we read of faints at Corinth, of faints at Ephefus, of faints at Rome, and of faints even "in Cæfar's household."

The title is applied to perfons, because they are HOLY ONES; and fuch are all real christians, though encompaffed with infirmities; as a child full of weaknefs is human, having the nature, though not the ftature of a man. They are called holy for two reafons.

The firft is taken from their DEDICATION TO GOD. Thus the temple was holy; the veffels of the fanctuary were holy; the firft fruits were holy; the facrifices were holy. Hence chriftians are called the temple of God, veffels of honour, the first fruits of every creature, "a facrifice holy and acceptable." "The Lord hath fet apart him that is godly for him

[ocr errors]

felf." He is facred to the divine fervice and honour;

« PreviousContinue »