The salvation of the soul is the great " end of our
faith"—
[Present comforts are desirable ; but eternal happiness is that which the Christian has principally in view —
It is to this that he looks forward, under his first convic- tions—
This is the end for which he cheerfully endures all his pri- vations and conflicts —
In every possible state he has an eye to this, as the con- summation of all his hopes and desires — ]
This blessed object is already attained by all true Christians — , . .
[They do not wait for it. till they arrive in heaven —
Th!^r full rcM-ard indeed is reserved for another world —
But Believers have the foretasteii.pf heaven already com- municated to them — • »♦ X • \ T
Yea, their love to Christ, and their jay in hifn, are an. earnest, as well as pledge, of their eternal inheritance — ]
Infer, ^ .
1 . What a rational character is the Christian I
[He is thought an enthusiast, for loving and rejoicing iu Christ—
And they who have no such love or joy appropriate to themselves the name of rational Christians —
But we are willing to meet our adversaries on this ground, and to submit our sentiments to this test —
If to admire supreme excellence, to love infinite amiable- ness, and to rejoice in unbounded goodness, be a rational employment ; yea, if the glorified saints and angels be rational ; then the Christian is a rational character ; and the more so, in proportion as he loves and rejoices in Christ : and their adversaries are most irrational, in that they can love and rejoice in the things of time and sense, and yet feel no love to, nor any joy in, our adorable Lord and Saviour —
Let those who are now despised as enthusiasts, think who will be accounted rational in the day of judgment ?]
2. How clearly may we know, whether we be real Christians, or not !
[There are certainly different degrees of faith, love, and joy —
But every true Christian experiences them in some
measure —
This is decided by an authority that cannot be
doubted " —
Let " Phil, iii.3.