IX. DISC. disease, however they may torture him, and force from his body deep groans of agony, yet they excite not in his foul any thoughts of complaint, as though God were not gracious in all his difpenfations. That in the midst of life we are in death; that in Adam all die; that " by one man fin "entered into the world, and death by fin, "and fo death paffed upon all men, for "that all have finned";" on these truths he has frequently meditated, and has thus prepared himself for an approaching diffolution of his mortal body. But Faith looks beyond the present scene. It says to the foul, though "in Adam all die, yet in "Chrift fhall all be made alive ";" though t 26 through the offence of one many be "dead," yet "by the obedience of one, "fhall many be made righteous;" "and as fin hath reigned unto death, even fo grace fhall reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jefus Christ our "Lord "." This is the encouragement, 25 Rom. v. 12. 27 Rom. v. 15. 19. 21. 26 I Cor. XV, 22. the 28 IX. the comfort, the affurance which Faith im- DISC. parts to the dying Christian, in confidence of which he exclaims triumphantly, "O death, "where is now thy fting! O grave, where " is now thy victory!". To him that hath believed and fincerely endeavoured to obey the Gospel, the terrors of death and the grave cannot be formidable. For however, upon a review of his paft life, he muft feel himself humbled and contrite for many actions which he now condemns, yet he trufts that God, for Christ's fake, will confider repentance as a recommendation to his favour; that He will regard fincere and earneft efforts of amendment, as grounds for his mercy, his approbation, his bleffing! Thus powerful as Faith is in its influence on the various conditions, affections, and profpects of man, it well deferves the high appellations with which it is extolled in Scripture. It is the principle which first turns us to God; it is the inducement IX. DISC. which prompts us to conform our wills and actions to his Gospel; it is the fpring whence flow our most admirable virtues; it is the grace which adorns thofe virtues in the fight of God; it is the fource whence we derive the most fubftantial comforts; it is the only folid foundation of religion in this world; it is the only firm rock on which we can securely reft our expectation of spiritual happiness in a life immortal! In Faith therefore towards God, through Christ our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit our Sanctifier, may we "be ftedfaft and "unmoveable; always abounding in holi"nefs, that work of the Lord; forafmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain " in the Lord 29. 99 39 1 Cor. xv. 58. DISCOURSE X. The Satisfactions derived from Religion, are more pure, permanent, and effectual towards the Attainment of Happiness, than the Pleasures of the World. ST. JOHN, xiv. 27. My peace I give unto you; not as the World giveth, give I unto you. IT X. cannot be denied by any reasonable DIS C. obferver, that the world is made inftrumental to the happiness of man in various refpects. The objects which it prefents to our fenfes, the duties in which it engages us, the honours with which it adorns, the wealth with which it fupports, the pleasures with which it relieves us, the intercourse of friends and endearments of X. DISC. kindred, and that peaceable enjoyment of what we poffefs, fecured to us by civil fociety; these are fources, from each of which Mankind in general derives at least fome, if not a very confiderable degree of fatisfaction. Let us allow then to the world the full powers which it poffeffes, to make glad the heart of man: yet there are confiderations which tend to diminish the charms of the world, and which leave to religion a decided fuperiority in its efficacy towards procuring mental felicity. The objects of our fenfes are the beauties of creation, and the productions of inventive and elegant art. A mind of fimplicity loves the one, and the man of tafte is enraptured with both. But for what continuance is this our admiration of external objects? Familiar repetition creates * indifference; and the senses themselves by degrees become torpid. Not fo the fatisfactions of religion. The mind that hath been accustomed to contemplate Divine * Omnibus in rebus, voluptatibus maximis Faftidium finitimum eft. Cic. de Orat. iii. 25. truths, |