it as yet performed, yet it fhall be performed, for Chrift is the Saviour of the body, and this falvation (or deliverance) fhall be revealed in the laft times. 1 Pet. i. 5. "For we are faved by hope: but hope that is feen is not hope for what a man feeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Rom. viii. 24, 25. ́ That which makes this text appear fo ambiguous, is the apoftle's digreffion from his fubject. The apoftle had been dropping fome hints about the great fuffering of the faints; firft under a spirit of bondage, which was now removed from them. "Ye have not received the fpirit of bondage again to fear, &c." Again, "If fo be that we suffer with Chrift, we fhall be alfo glorified together." Once more. "For I reckon that the fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." Our fufferings are but for a moment, but glory is eternal; God accounts us worthy of the kingdom for which we fuffer. But what is all our forrowful fufferings when compared to the joys and pleasure of that glorious kingdom? Our afflictions are light, but they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And now the apoftle for a moment digreffes from his fubject, which has occafioned many to wander from the fenfe: and it is as though he would say, Do not you think that all the fufferings of this world, world, as the dreadful effects of fin, are fallen upon us. No, no; man is born to trouble as the fparks fly upward; deftruction and mifery, afflictions, trouble, bondage, and death, attend upon all more or lefs. All groaning and travailing doth not light upon us fo as to exclude the wicked: no; nor even are they excluded who perfecute us; "for we know that the whole creation [every creature] groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." And now the apoftle reaffumes his fubject again, faying, " And not only they, but ourselves alfo, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption; to wit, the redemption of our bodies." And by this laft paffage he explains and confirms what he fet out upon; namely, the refurrection of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the certainty of our bodies being quickened as well as his; for his refurrection is a pledge and earnest of ours; and the fame spirit that quickened Chrift (for he was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit) shall quicken us alfo, for it is from this the apoftle argues. "But if the fpirit of him that raised up Jefus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Chrift from the dead fhall alfo quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." This is what the creature hath in hope and expectation, to be clothed with glory and immortality, and that death and mortality may be swallowed up of life. 9 And And to this end Chrift will ftill hold his regal fceptre, until he hath "put down all rule, all authority, and all power, for the last enemy that fhall be deftroyed is death;" at the destruction of this enemy that faying fhall be brought to pass that is written, "Death is fwallowed up in victory;" then the top-ftone fhall be brought forth with fhouting, crying, Grace, Grace unto it. FINIS. T. BENSLEY, Printer, Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London. THE BREATH OF THE LORD, AND THE SIEVE OF VANITY; A SERMON, DELIVERED AT MONKWELL-STREET MEETING By WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, S.S. MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT PROVIDENCE CHAPEL, LITTLE TITCHFIELD-STREET, FOR LO, I WILL COMMAND, AND I WILL SIFT THE HOUSE OF LONDON: PRINTED BY T. BENSLEY. Sold at Providence Chapel on Monday and Wednesday Evenings, and at Monkwell-Street Meeting on Tuesday Evenings; by W. Baynes, No. 54, Paternofter-Row; Elvey and Green, No. 93, and J. Baker, No. 226, Oxford-Street; R. Huntley, No. 4, Duke-Street, Grofvenor-Square; and by A. Batten, fen. Wellwyn, Herts." 1797. |