32 CHRISTIAN MORALITY. with a few poor despicable men, or surrounded with the reproaches of the blaspheming Jews. Let us look upon this illustrious person, who was adored by angels, yet unknown and upglorified among the sous pf mep, and humbled even to death and the grave ; then gaze on him rising again from the dead, and declared to be the Son of God with power, exalted at the right-hand of theMa}esty on high, and ruling all the millions of inhabitants of the visible and invisible worlds. Surely if our souls were inured to the meditation of such sublime wonders as these, weshould not easily immerse ourselves' in trifles and fooleries Again, let us meditate on the more awful doctrines, the more solemn and dreadful truths of our religion, and these will bean effectual restraint to a vain temper of mind. Let us think pn thejustice of God manifested in the destruction of sinners in all ages, when it apPeared in a prodigiousflood of water, andwith a deluge of rain testified against the wickednessof the oldworld; and when it came down in flaming fire upon Sodom, and upon the cities of the plain. Let us meditate on the wrath of God, that has been revealed in numerous instances against all the un- godliness and unrighteoasness of men. Let us contemplate that divine and severe justice, that appeared in the sufferings and death of God.'s own Son, when it pleased the 'Father to bruise him, and to make his soul an offeringfor sin. Let ps think of his agepies in the garden, and on the cross, when he bore the 'weight of our iniquities, and stood in the place of sinners. Let us send our thoughts down ló the regions of death and hell, and beheld the fallen angels bound in chains of darkness, and groaningunder present torments, yet waiting for the day óf grenter`vengeance. Let us think with ourselves what millions of our fellow-sinner's, the sons and daughters of Adam, lie there banished froth the pre- sence of the Lord; and tormented with fire in their consciences without remedy, and without hope, and say, why are net We there too ? Let us often look forward to the awful moment of our death, and the time of óúr departure from all the flattering scenes of tins present world. `Phis will put a damp' upon the vainest mind, 'andhang' With a Painful weight Upon the sons ofmirth and levity. This will be a means to restrainus from that foolish and trifling behaviour, which otherwise oùr tempers might incline us to. And let us remember the solemnhour When weMust stand before the tribunal of our Lord Jesus 'Christ, divested of all these gaudy shews'of life,lu Which We are'noW ready to pride oárselves, and there we must receiveasentence without repeal;which shall send ps to heaven or to hell at once, and fiX our everlasting state: 'J'hese are terrors or glories too solemn to be trifledwith 5 them
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