are before; and adding daily to what little good-, nefs we may poffefs. Many of you, my brethren, may be very well fatisfied with, yourselves, if you do not break the commandments, and are not guilty of any great fins: but you must not think you are therefore good chriftians. You must not think it enough, for instance, to leave off fwearing, or drinking, or any other bad habit. So far it is well; but it is only so far. A man that neither fwears nor drinks is not surely, for that reason, a good chriftian. By leaving off these vices he has gained one step; but if he do not proceed farther, he has made but a little advance. What matters it, though you leave off fwearing, if you have ftill no more reverence for the name of God in your hearts than you had before; but still do a thousand things, without any fear of giving him offence?-And thus with regard to all other fins. You must not fay, when you leave them off, This is all that is required of me; but, God give me grace to proceed!

To Him let us all pray for affistance, that he may enable us to run the race that is fet before us, and press towards the mark; not trusting in

our

our own ftrength, but in his affistance. And may God Almighty grant, that every finner amongst us, however flender his beginning, may grow in grace; and, forgetting those things which are behind, may reach forth unto the things that are before, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

SERMON XV.

JOHN, i. 51.

HE 'REAFTER YE SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPENED.

T

HIS was our bleffed Saviour's encourage

ment to a new convert. But it is equally an encouragement to all his faithful difciples. After a toilfor ne pilgrimage through this world, what a comfort should it be to us all, to fee heaven opening at the end.

Let us then, my brethren, employ our thoughts at present a little on this fubject. Let us confider, first, the happiness of heaven; and, secondly, the effect which fuch thoughts fhould have

upon us.

I. THE world we inhabit, is a brave world, no doubt. We admire its grand and beautiful furniture-plains, mountains, woods, rivers,

lakes,

lakes, and feas-all filled and enlivened with animals of different kinds. We admire the variety of all these wonderful modes of creation. We admire the exquifite contrivance, by which the feveral parts are connected together, and formed into fo wonderful a whole.-All this gorgeous array is certainly a juft foundation for expecting a future world will be still more grand and beautiful. If God fo clothe the grafs of the field-if God has made this world fo beautiful, may we not reason the probability of his making heaven more beautiful? If he hath provided fuch a habitation for our bodies, what may we not expect for our fouls?-But this world is not only a grand and beautiful scene in itfelf; it furnishes also a great degree of happiness to those who extend not their expectations from it beyond the limits of religion. Thus it leads us up, as by a step, to the great Creator, of whofe inclination as well as power to make us happy it gives fufficient proof.

1

But notwithstanding this world is fo beautifully and happily furnished, it has by no means thofe complete marks of happiness, which we are given to hope for in a future ftate. As an habitation, it is fubject to various evils-storms,

earth

earthquakes, inundations, inclement feasons, noxious animals, and diseases of innumerable kinds: all thefe evils are the neceffary appendages to a state of trial. But the chief destroyers of human happiness are mankind themfelves. Our inward happiness is continually invaded by our own bad paffions and follies; while our outward happiness is equally preyed on by the knavery and violence of others. The joys of heaven, in the mean time, are pure, and unmixed with any thing that can disturb our peace.

But the pleasurable enjoyments of this world are not, only mixed with evil-they are unfatisfying alfo every thing troubles us, while few things fatisfy us. However it be, either we, or

the things of this

world, though made for each other, are fo difagreeing in their nature-fo whimsical in our connections, that we can live pleasantly neither with them nor without them. Thus, in fact, the fons of this world pursue their own happiness, as a fool purfues his fhadow: he endeavours to catch it, but it is continually advancing before him, never to be caught. They who have led a life of ambition, gain, or pleafure, can tell us if they please, that the upshot of all is fatiety and mortification.