Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.2

'n HOLY tORT1TVñb, [SEAM. XXXII: everlasting inheritance, that shall be your reward in the futureworld, through the -grace of 'our bird Jesus Christ " He that overcometh shall sit down With me on mÿ throne, Ric." Rev. iii. Q)1. " He that overcometh shall inherit all things," Rev. axi, 7. Put all these together in the balances, with a few crosses and disappointments, a little trouble and uneasiness ; nay, though you should add torture and death in the same scale, you may easily judge which will outweigh. Gaze at your crown of life, and your immortal hopes, till you feel your souls divinely animated to the combat: Learn from the apostle, and assume that glorious language ; " Our light afflictions, which are but for a momont, are scarce to be mentioned or named with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that shall be revealed," Q Cor. iv. 17, " There- fore we both labour and suffer reproach therefore we bear all present sorrows with holy courage, Ronz. viii. 18. because we look not at the things that are seen, little things that are temporal ; " but look at the great unseen things that are eternal," Q Cor. iv. 18. The fourthand last general head of discourse shall now furnish us with some sacred remedies against this slavish fear. The passion of fear in general, is wisely wrought 'by the great God into human nature: It is a disturbance both of our animal composition, and of the mind upon the apprehension of some approaching evil, or upon the apparent danger of it. This is an excellent provision, which the God of nature has made, to guard us fromma= ny mischiefs. It is innocent and useful when it is fixed on a proper object, and exercised in a proper degree. It becomes a part of our religion when God is the object of our fear, whereby' we maintain such a holy awe of his Majesty, as awakens a constant desire to please him,. joined with a temper of holy love. But when we suffer creatures to raise and influence our fears upon every occasion, so. as to ruffle and dis- quiet our spirits, to throw the soul fromoff its rest, and to turn us aside from the steady course of duty, then it be- comes a sinful and forbidden passion, and we should make it our business to watch against it, and suppress it. There are some persons so `feeble in their native con- stitutions, or their spirits are so weakened by the diste-

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