579 ìRIVILEGE OF THE LIVING ABOVE TEE DEAD. for the service of God and our Saviour in theheavenly state, the greater shall be our honour and applause among the inhabitants of that country. Endure then for a season, ye disciples of Christ, grow bold in the professiòn of his name, and exult with holy joy, that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for his sake; Acts v. 41. It is here on earth only, that it is in your power to shew, how much you love your Saviour more than your life, and that your love to your Lord is stronger than death with all its terrors. Upon this account shall I exhort you to practise what the apostleJames expresses ; James i. 2. Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into divers temptations ; for the proof or trial of your faith shall appear honourable and glorious when Christ comes ; 1 Pet. i. 7. It was a frequent and sacred ambition among the primitive christians to contendfor thecrown of martyrdom. This world is the only stage for such bloody conflicts, and this life is the only season wherein we can obtain the additionof this ornament to our crown of glory. XII. May I add in the last place, that a calm and chearful readinessfor a removal out of this world, is an honour done to Christ and his gospel here on earth, which belongs not to the heavenly state. Death, in the course of nature, as well as by the hands of violence, hathalways something awful and formida- ble in it. Fleshand blood shrinks and trembles at the appearance of a dissolution, and Christ delights to see the grace that he has wrought in his saints gain the ascendency over flesh and blood, and conquer the terrors of death and the grave. He loves to see his followers maintain a serene soul, and venture upon the invisi- ble worldupon the merit of his blood, with holy fortitude and a chearful faith. It is only the living christian that can die, and glorify God his Saviour in that great and importanthour. The saints, who are arrived at heaven, dwell in the temple of God, and shall go no more out ; Re'v. iii. 12. They are for ever pos- sessed of life and immortality. There are no more deaths or dangers for them to encounter, no more terrors to engage their conflict. Death is the last enemy of the saints ; and when the christian meets it with sacred courage, he gives that honour to theCaptain of hisSalvation, which the saints in glory cannever give, and which he himself can never repeat. Dying with faith and fortitude is a noble conclusion of a life of zeal and service. It is the very last duty on earth ; when that is done, then hea- ven begins. Thus I have made it evident, in many instances, that there is a rich variety of virtues and graces tobe exercised in this life, which have noplace after death, and upon this account the liv- ing christian may be said to have some advantage beyond the
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