.. Hence it ftimulates the foul to an active purfuit of its chief good But many decline in their apprehenfion of divine thingsThey neither fee fo clearly, nor feel fo powerfully the truths of God as they once did→ They confequently relax their diligence in the ways of God Such perfons are evidently in the ftate of thofe at Sardis-] Our hope [Faith fees the reality, and hope anticipates the enjoyment of heavenly things When hope is lively it ferves as an anchor of the foul- Then the future profpects are lefs valued- We are more difcouraged with any difficulties We lofe our enjoyment of heavenly things In this ftate the things that remain are ready to die—] [Love is as wings to the believing foul It carries us on with ardour and delight It makes us entertain low thoughts of all we do- Duties become a burthen and a task They are performed with lets frequency and fpirituality- What can more frongly indicate the dying ftate of a foul?-1 . Moreover the things which remain are ready to die, when our corruptions increase Graces and corruptions are as the feales of a balanceThe growth of corruption argues the decay of the divine life And fuch decay is manifeft 1. When our befetting fin refumes its afcendency [It is the effect of grace to mortify and fubdue our befet>ting fin But that fin is rarely if ever extinguished in this world— It is generally the firft that difcovers our declenfions— When that regains-its power, we are fure that it is ill with the foul 2. When 2. When our natural hardness and obduracy of heart return [Divine grace brings a tenderness of spirit It thews itself by humiliation and contrition But fin will blind the eyes, and harden the heart— In this ftate we shall feel lefs compunction in or after the commiffion of fin When confcience thus fails in its office we are in a dying ftate indeed-] 3. When we are unwilling to be reclaimed [A heart duly impreffed defires the light But perfons in a backflidden ftate often feel averfe to it They are backward to be told of their faults- They willingly expofe themselves to the temptations of fin This is the worst fymptom that a living foul can experience-] May God now accompany with his bleffing II. Our Lord's advice to perfons in such a state None can more need advice for their bodies, than these for their fouls 1. Be watchful Against felf-deception [There are many things which may hide our condition from us We may easily mistake gifts for graces We may attribute to God's Spirit what refults from the operation of natural principles We may be lefs fenfible of decay because it happens to be gradual The heart will fuggeft many plausible excufes It may fatisfy itself alfo with hopes of a fpeedy revivalBut "be not deceived; God is not mocked"-] Against the occafions of fin [Many fall by means of their exceffive care about worldly bufinefs Others decline through mixing too much with worldly company Too free an ufe even of lawful things injures many But all decay through a neglect of fecret duties See the effect which they have produced upon you Refift them in future on their firft appearance-] [Chrift is the only fource of fpiritual strength In vain will be all human endeavours without his aid Go then, and plead with him that promife "They that dwell under his thadow fhall return," &c.—] Exercise your graces more diligently [Every thing improves by exercife Put forth therefore your faith, your hope, your love"Stir up the gift of God that is in you" You will then experience the truth of that promife-] Lay home upon your heart the moft powerful confider ations [Think how uncomfortable a declining ftate is! how dif honourable to God, and dangerous to your own fouls! Confider that if God ever reftore you, he may do it in fuch a way as fhall be extremely terrible and diftrefling But what if he fhould "come at an unexpected hour?". Let infiant attention then be paid to the direction following the text] ADDRESS 1. To thofe who have no marks of life in them [They who are in a declining frate are in great dangerIf they be not refiored "their laft ftate will be worse than their beginning What danger then muft they be in who exercife no graces, and indulge numberlefs corruptions!- * Oh! repent, ere it be too late-]} 2. To thofe who are enjoying the divine life ["Be not high-minded, but fear," and be watchful-"Work out your own falvation with fear and trembling"If it be difficult to proceed, it is ftill more fo to recover lost ground Remember your ftrength, confifts in, depending upon Chrift When you are weak in yourfelves, then only are you truly ftrong Comfort yourfelves with that defcription of your almighty guardian] Prov. iv. 14, 15. Rev. iii. 1 He hath the feven fpirits of God," i, e. a fulness of all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, with a power to difpenfe thein in all their perfection and variety. d Jer. i. 22, & Rev. iii. 3. * Hof. xiv. 7. ƒ 2 Pet. i. 10, 11. h Jude 24 LXXVI. A CHRISTIAN'S DYING REFLECTIONS. 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my courfe, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, Jhall give me and not to me only, but unto all them aljo that love his appearing. CHRISTIANITY adapts its comforts to every part of our existence But its influence is peculiarly vifible at the close— St. Paul, when expecting death, was not without the moft comfortable reflections, I. In his review of the past He had had different views of life from what are generally entertained [Many think they have little to do but to confult their own pleafure But St. Paul had judged, that he had many important duties to fulfil-] He had devoted himself to the great ends of life [He had maintained a warfare against the world, the flesh, and the devil— He had run his race with indefatigable zeal and ardoura_ He had kept the faith with undaunted courage and conftancy He had difregarded life itself when it ftood in competition with his duty —] Hence the approach of death was pleasant [He enjoyed the teftimony of a good confcience He could adopt the language of his Lord and master ➡ He was a prifoner without repining, or withing to escapeHe was condemned, and could wait with complacency for the tyrant's ftroke-] In confequence of this, he was happy also II. In the profpect of what was to come He had long enjoyed the earnest of eternal blessings Acts xx. 24, and xxi. 13. 4 Eph. i. 14. a 1 Cor. ix. 26. • John xvii. 4. He He looked forward therefore now to the full poffeffion of them [A crown of righteousness means a moft exalted fiate of holiness and happiness in heaven Nor did he doubt but that fuch a reward was laid up for -him-] He did not however expect it on account of any merit in himself [He fpeaks of it indeed as beftowed in a way of "righteous" retribution But he expected it wholly as the "gift" of God through Chrift-] Nor did he confider it as a gift peculiar to himself as an apoftle [The longing for Chrift's fecond coming" is a feeling common to all Christians — For them alfo is this crown of righteoufnefs referved ] INFER* 1. How does the apoftle's experience condemn the world at large! [The generality are ftrangers to spiritual confolationsBut there is no true religion where they are not experienced Let all confider what would be their reflections, and profpects, if they were now dying Let all live the life of the righteous, if they would die his death-] 2. How amply does God reward his faithful fervants! [Poor and imperfect are the best services that they can render Yet how different is their ftate from that of others both in and after death!— Let all then devote themselves entirely to God-] • Rom. vi. 23. f 2 Pet. iii. 12. Heb. ix. 28. • If this were the subject of a funeral fermon, it might be improved in reference to the deceajed and the furvivors, to fhew that the former refembled the apoftle, and to ftimulate the latter to a due improvement of their time.. |