one Spirit (z), they have the Promife of the SERM. Father (a), the Prefence of the Holy Ghost V. always willing to help them in their Converfion: Who, though he fufpends his Influence, where he perceives them bafely perfifting in their Pollutions, yet he moves their relenting Hearts to Reformation,---infufes penitent Thoughts,----excites them to Humilitaion,---gives Strength to their Contrition,---revives their Faith, and fixes their Purpose of stricter Obedience,---nor does he give them over to a reprobate Mind, ever after repeated Relapses; as long as there is any Profpect of their Recovery: But he pities them, when he cannot delight in them. And if being escaped out of the Snare of the Devil, they do not fall back again, and grieve him anew, he vouchfafes to take up his fettled Refidence within them, makes them his Temple, and conducts them fafe through a World of Temptations. THESE are the most valuable Privileges of the Sons of God in this Life: Towards the Attainment whereof they have their Saviour to plead on their Behalf, as a moft prevailing Advocate in Heaven, and the BleffedSpirit to enable them, as a most powerful Affistant, (2) Cor, xii. 13. (a) St. Luke xxiv. 49. SERM. Affiftant, to petition for themselves on Earth. V. That Divine Perfon intercedes for them, and this teaches them what to afk, and how to pray, and qualifies them to offer up in an acceptable manner that fpiritual Sacrifice of Devotion, which is no lefs their Privilege than their Duty. AND an high Honour muft it be, for finful Duft and Afhes to maintain a Correfpondence with Heaven, and carry on an Intercourfe with our Maker,----though prefent in the Body, not to be altogether abfent from the Lord in Spirit, and to enjoy his gracious Prefence in this Life, till they fhall be introduced into his glorious Prefence into the next. NEITHER is it more honourable than beficial for them to have an eafy and free Access to their heavenly Father, and an Asfurance, that their Addreffes will be kindly received by him,---an Affurance, that the very Things they afk, or in lieu of them fuch Advantages of Mind and Body, as infinite Wisdom fees much more convenient for them, will be beftowed, founded on this exprefs Promise of their dear Redeemer, Afk and ye shall receive: For if ye 1 V. being evil, know, how to give good Gifts SERM. unto your Children, how much more fhall your heavenly Father give good Things, and even his holy Spirit, to them that afk him? (b). ' BUT how valuable foever the Privileges are, which the Sons of God have in Poffeffion, yet they fall far fhort in Value of thofe, to which they have a Reversionary Title. ALTHOUGH, as the natural Defcendants of Adam, the Sentence of Mortality paffed upon him, Dust thou art, and to Duft shall thou return (c), muft extend to them, for that all have finned (d). Yet fhort is the Enemies Triumph ;---the Conqueror himfelf muft be er'e long conquered; the Children of God are the Children of the Refurrection ;---and now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become the First-fruits of them that slept (e). WHEN Chrift, who is their Head, and Life fhall appear, then shall alfo his living Members, the bleffed Children of his Father, appear with him in Glory (f). When the meek Saviour fhall put on the awful Majefty of (b) St. Matth. vii. 11. St. Luke xi. 13. (c) Gen. iii. 19. (d) Rom. v. 12. (e) 1 Cor, xv. 20. Coloff. iii. 4. SERM. of the Judge, and come to render to every V. one according to his Works, God's adopted' 'Sons fhall be transformed into his Likenefs: When our Lord Jefus fhall defcend from Heaven, and the last Trump fhall awake the Dead, He fhall change our vile Body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able even to fubdue all Things to himself (g). What is fown in Corruption, fhall then be raised in Incorrup tion, what is fown in Dishonour fhall be raifed in Glory, what is fown in Weakness fhall be raised in Power, what is fown a natural Body fhall be raised a fpiritual Body (b). And when the Bodies of the righteous Children of God fhall be thus raised in perfect Beauty, they shall be no more liable to Want or Decay; but fhall fubfift without the Help of Food or Nourishment, or any Tendency to a further Diffolution,-they shall be no more fubject to Weakness, Pain or Grief; but be made impaffible of Evil, and adorned with a never-fading Health, Strength and Brightness. 1 THEY, who have undergone a fpiritual Refurrection, and are rifen from the Death of (g) Phil. iii. 21, (b) 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. of Sin unto a Life of Righteousness, are fure SERM. of enjoying a real Refurrection to a Life eter- V. nal. For if they are the Children of God, then are they Heirs, Heirs of God and Joint-beirs with Chrift (i), and if the Spirit of him, that raised up Jefus from the Dead, dwell in you, he, that raised Chrift from the Dead, fhall alfo quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit, that dwelleth in you (k), When therefore this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption, and this Mortal fhall have put on Immortality, then shall be brought to pass the Saying, that is written, Death is fwallowed up in Victory (1). FROM thenceforth they fhall be as the Angels which are in Heaven, as eternally blessed and glorious (m). The Inheritance, which is reserved for them, is incorruptible and undefiled, and fuch as fadeth not away (n), and if our earthly Houfe were diffolved, we bave a Building of God, an Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens (o). THIS is the Manifestation of the Sons of God, which the earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for (p) ;---this is an Ad (i) Rom. viii. 17. (7) 1 Cor. xv. 54. (n) 1 St. Pet. i. 4. (p) Rom. viii. 19. vancement (k) V. 11. |