led to pray that, instead of their being the very vassals of Satan, they may be numbered among the friends of Immanuel! What thanks are due to the Redeemer, for the restoration which he hath made of peace and happiness to man! My text shows us how the great Saviour has triumphed over human depravity and satanic force; and how, by his own grace, he hath restored the image of God in the soul, and directed our hopes to a better world, where this image. shall be perfect, this resemblance inimitably correct. And has he indeed done all this; then Praise! flow for ever, (if astonishment Will give thee leave,) my praise for ever flow; And all her spicy mountains in a flame. O Saviour! stamp thine holy image upon our souls; there let it appear; there let it shine, in life, in death, and for ever! Amen. 461 SERMON XX. RELIGIOUS HEROISM. FAREWELL SERMON AT HOXTON. "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."-Acts 20: 24. THIS is not the language of stoical apathy; the man. who uttered these words, my hearers, was a man possessed. of the keenest sensibility; a man of real, honest, and exquisite feeling; in his heart, cold indifference and unfeeling stubbornness had no place: nor do the words express philosophical heroism; a foolish bravado; for our apostle derives his support from sources far different from these; he was animated by principles; he was delighted with prospects which the natural man never possesses; the power of which principles, and the view of which prospects, produce an effect which is mighty beyond all conception. The passage I have read you introduces to our view Paul the preacher, at the time of his departure from his friends, when his mind was led to expect, and prepared to meet bonds and afflictions in every place; and the words of the text do most strikingly show us the way in which the principles of the gospel discover themselves, and prove their power to strengthen and support. Viewing this passage as not unsuitable to the present opportunity, I shall exhi bit it to your view, as showing us that the principles of the gospel of Christ display their power and virtue. I. In rendering us insensible to the power of affliction; it none of these things move me. 6.6 II. In raising us superior to the love of life; neither count I my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus." Let us behold here the glorious gospel of the blessed God. How the religion of Christ displays its potent influence; its mighty efficacy. I. In rendering us insensible to the power of affliction. Its supports enabled the holy, zealous apostle to say of painful separation-of the labors of the ministry, and of the large measure of persecution which in that age of the church every where attended the preachers of the gospel, "none of these things move me." Paul had, however, without doubt, the feelings of humanity; and, as I have already intimated, these things would affect his soul as a man, and occasionally overwhelm his spirits; but when he felt the happy influence of the gospel in all its power, he triumphed over these difficulties; he heroically conquered himself, subdued his own feelings, and appeared a ready, a joyful martyr for Christ. Thus did Paul, yet did not he, but the grace of God which was in him. These trials, then, these difficulties, which to many would be insurmountable, did not "move" him: that is, the anticipation of them, the endurance of them, did not so move him as to damp his ardor; as to discourage his soul, or as to make. him wish to exchange with the world. Observe, they did not so move him As to damp his ardor. These trials and apparent obstacles to the success of his work, and to his own happiness in it, did not make him less anxiously desirous of doing good in the world, did not at all diminish the fervent wishes of his soul to be the means of conducting many sons unto glory. Notwithstanding these difficulties, he was still "steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as he knew that his labor was not in vain in the Lord." And as he had this ministry, as he had received mercy, so he fainted not; hence he could say to others— no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we were appointed thereunto. He remembered the long cloud of witnesses who, through much tribulation, had entered the kingdom, and he determined to imitate their example; he did more; he considered Jesus, who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself; and this prevented him from being weary, or from fainting in his mind he looked unto Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith, and by that means obtained encouragement to proceed, and grace sufficient for him. Oh! never let the servants of the most high God relax in their endeavors to do good, or grow cold in their desires after the immortal welfare of mankind because some difficulties await them : of these difficulties they ought to say "none of these things move me." Nor did these trials so affect the apostle As to discourage his soul; that is, to make him shrink at the thought of enduring them; to make him afraid to meet them: no, for supported by the consolations of the gospel, he could welcome reproaches, pain and death; yea, rejoice and be exceeding glad that he was counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus. "What mean ye," says he elsewhere, "what mean ye to weep and to break my heart, for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Divine grace so supported him that, though he was troubled on every side, he was not distressed; though perplexed, he was not in despair; though persecuted, he was not forsaken; though cast down, he was not destroyed. I suffer, says he, these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed; "for I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, until that day." Thus he could endure, and the Saviour enabled him to suffer as well as to preach for him, and none of these things moved him. Finally, they did not so move him as to make him wish to exchange with the world. Because he thus reckoned that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that should be revealed in us. He saw that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." He looked not at the things which are seen, which are temporal, but at the things which are not seen, which are eternal. There was a pleasure even connected with the sufferings which far excelled the joy of worldlings: hence he says, "I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations." For the Lord stood by him and strengthened him; yea, the Lord delivered him from every evil work, and preserved him to his heavenly kingdom. The apostle, taught by the Spirit of God, loved even the difficulties of his Master's service far better than the ease and the pleasures of the world. Oh! that, like him, we may wisely count the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of this world; prefer even the worst, the 20* 465 |