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SERM.
XL.]
human nature
almost
two
thousand
years,
and
where
ten
thousands
of
his blessed
saints
and
angels
are
for
ever
enjoying divine
consolations;
to
maintain
a
firm
belief
that
there
is
a
reward for the righteous laid up
on high,
while they
are here
trodden
to
the
dust;
to believe
there
is
a hell,
an unseen world
of
misery
and
torture,
where
damned spirits
art
punished for
their
rebellion against
the
.great
God,
and shall for ever
suffer
the
weight
of
his
indignation;
and
to walk
through
this world with
a
holy
negligence
and contempt of
it
under
the
influence
of
these
future
invisibles,
these
eternal
joys
and eternal sor-
rows; This
is
a
faith
that
gives
much
glory
to
God,
while we
live,
and speak,
and
act, while
we
suffer
and
endure,
as
seeing
him who
is
invisible,
and
firmly
be-
lieving all
the joys and
terrors
of
another
world, which
are
hidden
from
us by
the
veil
of
flesh
and blood.
This
was
the faith
of
the
ancient patriarchs, Abraham,
Isaac, and
Jacob;
this was' the faith
of Noah
and Mo-
ses,
and
many
other
heroes, whose names shine
with
honour
in
St.
Paul's
epistle
to
the
Hebrews;
and
the
great and
blessed
God
received daily
honours
from this
their
faith.
In
heaven
all these invisibles
are
seen,
all these futu
rities
become present, and they are no
longer matters
of
faith. O
that
this
faith might overspread the earth, as
sight
is
found
all
over heaven
!
H. Hope
and expectation
of
future
blessings,
either
here' or hereafter,
under
all
present
darknesses and dis-
couragements,
is
another
grace which may
be
exercised
by the living saints
;
but
among
the
saints
that
are dead
there
is
no
room
nor
place for
it;
for
in
heaven
our
hope'
is
turned
into enjoyment;
"
hope
that
is
seen or enjoyed,
is
not
hope,
What
a
man seeth,
why
doth
he
yet hope for?
But
if
we
hope for
that
which
we
see
not,
then
do
we
with
patience
wait for it," Rom..viii. 24, 25.
And this
patient
and chearful expectation
under discouraging
difficulties,
is
a
glorious homage
paid
to
God,
such as
the
saints in
heaven
cannot
pay
him.
The
living
christian
knows
not
what
honour
he brings
to
his
God,
when
his
hope
for promised mercies
bears
itself
up, while
there are
no
appearing prospects
to
the
eye
of
sense,
and
in
opposition
to
a
thousand rising
dan-
gers;
when he can
live
upon the nuked
promise,
and
be
z 4
LIVING
ABOVE
THE DEAD.
]
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