154 THE FIFTEENTH SERMON. [2 TheS. II. IG
and turned into dust: Phil. iii. 21, '"Who sli.all change our vile bodies, that they may be like unto his own glorious body; according to the work- ing whereby he is able even to subdue all tilings unto himself".' Matters of faith bt'ing wholly or mainly future or to come, and difficult to be performed, and in the meantime, we being exercised with so many trials, an express belief of God's power is necessary to convert such an obstinate creature as man is : to sanctify such a sinful creature, to pre- serve us in the midst of temptations, to raise the dead, are no slight things.
3. It is called ' everlasting consolation,' because it is sufficient to do its work ; that is to say —
[1.] To reduce us from temporal and flesh-pleasing vanities. Alas ! the pleasures of sin are but for a season, not worthy to be compared to the recompense of reward which Christ hath promised: Heb. xi. 25, 26, ' Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt : for he had respect to the recompense of reward.' Whatever is temporal, we may soon see the end of it. All carnal enjoyments, like flowers, wither while we smell on them ; and the most shining glory in the world is soon burned to a snuff; but eternal life, and eternal glory, and eternal pleasure, are secured to us by Christ's promise ; all the delights in the world are but a May-game to these eternal pleasures, which we shall have at God's right hand for evermore : Ps.xvi.ll, 'Thou wilt show me the path of life ; in thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.' Now, will you sell your birthright for one morsel of meat P part with your eternal inheritance for a little carnal satisfaction ? We have souls that will not perish ; and shall we spend our whole time in seeking after things that perish in the using? Tem])oral things carry no proportion with an immortal spirit. We shall live for ever ; we should look after things that will abide for ever : 1 John ii. 17, ' The world passeth away, and the lust thereof ; but he that doetli the will of God, abideth for ever.' Otherwise what will you do when the soul shall be turned out of doors ? To what regions must the poor shiftless, harbourless soul betake itself? Surely then this con- solation, though w^e feel it not always, and it be frequently interrupted, may be well called eternal consolation, because it affordeth argument enough to check our worldly and sensual inclinations, and to call us off from time to eternity.
[2] To make us stedfast in the truth, and cheerful under sufferings, for he saitli here, ' The Lord, that hath given us everlasting consola- tion, comfort your hearts and establish you.' The great use of everlasting consolation is to comfort and stablish us in a suftering condition. The loss of temporal comforts is grievous, but it is recompensed with the promise of eternal joys revealed in the gospel : Heb. x. 34, ' Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that in heaven ye have a ])etter and an enduring substance ; cast not away there- fore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.' And all our pains and afflictions are sweetened, so far as to keep us from fainting : 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18, ' Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
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tilings that fire not seen : for the things whicli are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.' The end of God's covenant and promises is to give us strong consolation in the mid.st of tempta- tions, persecutions, and trials. Worldly joys appear and vanish in a moment, every blast of temptation scattereth them. It is eternal blessedness whicli is the cause of solid comfort in all dangers, storms, and tempests; hither we retreat as to our sanctuary, and find relief. In the world all is unstable and uncertain, but the covenant provideth for us eternal joy and bliss.
[3.] The third effect which it is to produce in us, is an increase of holiness, to stablish us in every good word ; that is, not only in sound doctrine, but in every good work. In holiness of life, our endeavours should answer our motives and ends : ' Abound in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as your labour is not in vain in the Lord,' 1 Cor. xv. 58. Diligence should not be grievous to us when there is everlasting consolation at the back of it ; surely this should put life into all our endeavours. Should we trifle away that time which we are to improve for eternity ? John vi. 27, ' Labour not for the meat that perishes, Init for that which is to endure to everlasting life.' Faith in Christ, joined with solid goodness, will lead you to eternal life. There should be in the saints an eternal principle, which is the grace of the Holy S})irit ; and an eternal end, which is the pleasing, glorifying, and en- joying of God ; and an eternal rule, which is the will of God ; and they will have eternal consolation and reward.