the end : but it includes also their present happiness ; to which we have rather confined our comment, on account of the more determinate meaning of the words that follow.]
They shall also have their happiness consummated in the world to come —
[When their victory is complete, then shall their reward also be perfected. And here again we see that their reward even in heaven accords with their experience when on earth. They delighted in purity ; and they shall be clothed in the unspotted robe of the Redeemer's righteousness ; yea, their own righteousness too*^ shall be pure and perfect ; for they shall be holy as God is holy, and perfect as God is perfect. Moreover, the joys and triumphs which they experienced here, shall there be completed in their measure, and perpe- tuated in duration. They may, while in this world, entertain some fears, lest their names should not be found in the Lamb's " book of life ;" but, however Christ may erase from the Church's list the names of those who were held in reputation, but were really dead, he " never will blot out their names from the book of life :" there they are recorded ; and there they shall stand for ever. The formal and self-deceiving pro- fessors were ashamed of them, as too enthusiastic and pre- cise : but their Lord and Master will not be ashamed of them ; he will confess them before his Father and his angels, and welcome them to his habitation, saying, " Come, ye blessed children of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world."]
Application — Hear now,
1. Ye, who pride yourselves on your moderation in religion' —
[We do not stand forth as advocates for any thing im- moderate or excessive : we know that there is such a thing as enthusiasm ; and tliat it is greatly to be dreaded and con- demned. But we know that thousands, under the pretence of moderation, sacrifice all that is valualile in religion. Xhey guard more against what they imagine to be ex- cessive, than against ten thousand defects. Their fears all lie on the side of zeal and earnestness. They would have us repent of our sins moderntely ; and pray to God mo- derately ; and love the Lord Jesus Christ moderalely ; and seek the welfare of our fellow-creatures moderately ; and
follow
•• Rev. xix. 8.
•^ A Minister, in using such expressions as follow, must take heed to his own spirit : if spoken with seiiousness and solemnity, they will carry strong conviction to the mind ; but, \{ spoken sarcasliioJIx/, they will rather do harm.