Holiness, fo different Degrees of Happiness will abide us in Proportion to our feveral Improvements; the brighter the Dawnings of Infant State are, the more glorious will be the Fulness of our Perfection in God's Kingdom: The lowest Degree of Heavenly Bliss is indeed inconceivably blissful, but higher and higher Mansions are prepared for those who labour most for their Attainment: When therefore we are labouring to be more devout, more just and charitable, more chafte and temperate, more meek and humble, more patient and heavenlyminded, we are labouring for a larger Share of Happiness, and our Labour will not be in vain. Here then is Matter for Chriftian Ambition to work upon; this opens to us vaft and noble Scenes of Action; we hereby become Candidates not only for Heaven, but for a more exalted Station in Heaven; and we contend not only for a Crown of Glory, but for a Crown that exceeds in Glory.

SERMON

SERMON VI

Know ye

I COR. ix. 24, 25.

not that they who run in a Race, run all, but one receiveth the Prize? So run that ye may obtain.

And He that striveth for the Mastery, is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a Corruptible Crown, but we an Incorruptible.

AILY Experience may convince us of the Truth of what our Blessed Saviour himfelf declared, that the Children of this World are

in their Generation wiser than the Chil

dren of Light

Propofe but an earthly

Prize,

Prize, and Crowds of Candidates will greedily offer themselves for its Attainment; sharp and vigorous will be their Contention, full of Joy to themselves, full of Admiration to others, the Succefs of the Victor: But not fo with respect to the Prize of our high Calling; there are but few, in comparifon, who profefs themselves to be fincere Candidates for Heaven, vaftly fewer yet, who enter the Lifts with the Firmnefs of a well-grounded Refolution, and purfue their Course with the Vigour and Industry of a chearful Perfeverance. Amazing fure is this Method of Proceedure, that Men's Amusements and Vanities fhould affect them more than their real Happiness; and that they fhould contend with much more Earneftness for the Uncertainty of a Corruptible Crown, than for the certain Acquifition of a Crown Immortal, Incorruptible in the Highest Heavens. Shall Christians then go to the Schools of Sports and Exercises to learn Inftruction? Thither does the Apostle fend them; and in the Words before us, proposes the Competitors for the Prize in earthly Races, to

the

the Corinthians, as proper Patterns of their Imitation in running the Race of Piety and Virtue, that is fet before them, and afpiring after that Fulness of Glory and Happiness, which, when this their Courfe is finished, will infinitely reward their Labours. The Corinthians very well understood the Meaning of this Allufior 3 and a few Words may ferve to bring us acquainted with the Force of it. The Grecian Games, which receiv'd different Names from the four different Places of their Celebration, were very famous among the Ancients. They confifted of bodily Exercises; two of which Exercises only are alluded to in the Words before us; the one, that of Running, in these Words; Know ye not that they who run in a Race, run all; but one receiveth the Prize? So run, that ye may obtain: The other an Exercife compounded of Wrestling and Boxing, in these Words He that friveth for the Maftery. Now the Nature of the Games requiring great Strength and Activity of Body, and the Honour of the Prize engaging the Hopes and earnest Defires of the Candidates, they VOL. II.

H

did