påfs'd that Trial, fhall appear with the greater Luftre at the Refurrection; as Gold is made brighter by being purified in the Fire. Secondly, THE Belief and Expecration of a future Refurrection will fortify us against the Fear of Death. For why fhould we be afraid of an Event which can do us no Hurt, of an Enemy already vanquifh'd? The Refurrection of our Bleffed Lord was a Demonftration that he had conquer'd Death, and a fure Pledge of the Victory which we in due Time fhall thro' him gain over it. We fall indeed by its Power, but we fall in order to rife higher; and while we yield to its Stroke, we are more than Conque→ fors. It puts an End to a tranfitory State of Imperfection and Sorrow, which hardly deferves the Name of Life; but it opens us a Paffage to a State of perfect and perpetual Felicity; which when we fhall have attain'd to, then fhall we truly live. It fhutteth our Eyes, and takes us from the Delight of them, our dearest Friends and Companions, but thofe S SERM.. IX. SERM. IX. thofe very Eyes which it clofeth, fhall again be open'd to fee God, the Center of all Loveliness and Perfection. Laftly, THE Certainty of a future. Refurrection strongly engages us to Holinefs in all our Converfation, both as it proves the Neceffity of it, and is a mighty Encouragement to it. For the Refurrection fhall be a Privilege to thofe only who are fanctified. All fhall partake of it, but they only fhall reap Benefit from it, who before they dye a natural Death, rife from the Death of Sin to Newnefs of Life. Since then it is certain that we fhall all rife to an eternal Life, furely it nearly concerns us to take effectual Care, that that Life may be a Life of Happiness, and not of Mifery. If we have any Love for our felves, any Wifdom and Forecaft, or any Spark of Ambition in us, we can need no other Incitement to all Virtue and Godliness than the Hope of Immortality. "Tis fufficient Encouragement for us not only to perfevere, but to make all poffible Advances in the Work of the Lord, fince We we know that our Labour fhall not be in Vain, and that the more we abound in that Work, the greater will be our Recompence. For tho' we fhall not be rewarded for any Merit in our Works, yet we shall be rewarded according to the Nature and Quality of them; and the Degrees of Happiness in the other World shall be proportioned to the Degrees of Holinefs which we have attain'd in this. So that while we improve our Stock of Virtue, we are indeed increafing our Treasure in Heaven; and our Attainments in Grace will be rewarded with proportionable Degrees of Glory. AND as the Refurrection of the Body is a powerful Motive to Holiness and Virtue in general: fo to Temperance and Purity in particular. Every pure Body, faith an Apoftolical Writer [Hermas] fhall receive its Reward, that is found without Spot, in which the Holy Spirit has been appointed to dwell. Wherefore keep this thy Body clean and pure, that the Spirit which fhall dwell in it may bear Witness unto it, and be judg'd .SERM. IX SERM. IX. Bodies to have been with thee. Alfo take Heed GOD grant that at that Judgment we all may be found free from any Blemish and Pollution; meet to converse with those who fhall walk with Chrift in white Raiment, and for ever to inhabit that City, into which nothing that defileth can enter; for the fake of Him who purified us unto himself a peculiar People, walling us from our Sins in his own Blood. To whom, &c, 261 A Difcourfe on Chriftian Being the Subftance of TWO MAT. XIII. II. He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Ο UR Lord having put forth to the Multitude the Parable of the Sow- SERM. er, without expounding it to them; the X, XI. Difciples, in the Verfe before my Text, ask him, faying, Why Speakeft thou unto them in Parables? i. e. in Parables unexplain'd. To this Queftion our Lord makes S 3 |