SECTION Y. 317 indeed, when we shall feel ourselves in the midst of the posses- sion of those joys whichwe are firmly assured shall have no in- terruption, no end. Let us mediate on such a heavenas this is, which our Lord Jesus Christ proposes to all his disciples. There is no such re- compence of virtue, no such refined and noble delights tobe found among all the fables of the heathen poets and priests, or the dark reasonings of heathen philosophers. They are but very poor, imperfect and foolish stories, that the best of those philosophers tell us, concerning the happiness of souls in the future state : Mean and low pleasures some of them have proposed for virtu- ous minds in the other world : Others of them tell you, that these delights shall have an end by an universal revolution of all things, and the souls of the blessed coming to act their parts again in this world, after a long distance of years: And the best of these reasoners have sometimes owned themselves at a loss, whether there he any state of futurity, or no ; whether, there be any reward for the righteous beyond the grave. It is the ap- pealingof our Saviour Jesus Christ, that has not only discovered to us the eternal purposes of divine love, and the grace which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began, but it is he 'also, who Izas abolished death, and has brought life and immor- tality to light, through thegospel. And it is in the virtue of these things, that the apostle Paul' rejoices in his present sufferings, and is not ashamed of them; 2 Tim. i. 9-12. For Iknow whom .1 have believed, and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which. I have committed to him against that day. Ifwe would stand fast in the faith of Christ, let us imitate this blessed man : Let us think much and often of the final prize of ,glory : Let this incorruptible crown be kept ever in our eye, and it will have a sweet and powerful influence upon us, to keep close to the rules of the sacred contest, in order to attain the crown and prize. The glories promised in the gospel to over- comers, will sweetly constrain us to run this holy race, and to fight the good fightoffizith, till we obtain the crown. VIL "As God bath set forth the mediation of Christ, and the influences of the Spirit, for the lifeof our souls in his gospel, so let us daily live upon Christ, and his Spirit, by holy depend- ence and resignation of soul." Let your trust inhim be constant and explicit : Never address the great God in worship without a direct eye to the Mediator. Live upon his atoning sacrifice, and his powerful intercession under a continual sense of your sins and defects : Let the name of Christ be ever dear to your thoughts, and rest on it, as the only foundationof your hope of acceptance : Apply yourselves constantly to seek the influences of the good Spirit, under a sense of your own weakness and in- sufficiency. Ihave beenoften thinking, that the greatneglect of
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