SERMON XXXVIII. 537 yours, and upon what foundations this glorious privilege is built, I proceed ire the Last place, to consider what use may be made of this discourse. First Use. It affords a word of mourning and terror to ob- stinate andimpenitent sinners. Are all things made beneficial to the saints ? 'I't}ink with yourselves then what you lose, because you are not of that number. If you live and die in this sinful state, . you have a comfortable interest in nothing : Nothing works for your real benefit. Your abuse of all things that you have any thing to do with, takes away the true pleasure and enjoyment of what you possess, and turns them into a curse to you instead of a blessing. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or this world, or it or death, or things present, or things to come, nothing is yours : for ye are not Christ's. And ye shall reap no final and lasting advantage from any thing, if you persist in a sinful and impenitent state; for ye are without God in the world, with Christ, and without hope. Do you sit under theministry of Paul, who spreads the glo- rious light of the gospel around you ? But the God of this world bath blinded your minds, that this divine light should not reach them : Even the preaching of Paul is a savour of death unte you, if you live and die without the faith and love of Christ. Do you hear the zealous and pathetic language of Apollos ? But your heart perhaps grows the harder under it : You resist the affectionate entreaties of the gospel, from the lips of that elo- quent preacher. And even Apollos, whose soul is wont to melt with compassion for perishing sinners, shall rise up in judgment against you. And as.for the plain and condescending ministry of Cephas, you despise the man and his sermons together ; there- fore you can get no benefit by them. Neither Paul, nor Apol. los, nor Cephas is yours. Well, if spiritual things are not yours, you hope, however, that you have a property in things temporal : If the blessings of the church do not belong to you, yet you claim a good share in this world, and the blessings of it : You feed deliciously, you are dressed in gay colours and geld, andyou have wealth laid up in store for many years to come. Poor vaincreatures ! What is all your treasure ? What is .your property in it ? A sorry pro- perty in lands, and a large estate, when not a clod of the earth, nor a penny of the money shall turn to your real and lasting be' nefit ! I grant that you possess someof the good things of this world indeed. But your riches and plenty are not real andpro- per blessings, while you are afar from Christ, and strangers to him : Your own unbelief and impenitence, and rebellion against God, turn all the comforts of the world into curses : It is only the grace of Christ can take off the curse, and sanctify this world into a blessing.
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