1 Rev. xiv. 11. m Matt. xxv. 41. Mark ix. 43 — 48.
» Cant. v. 10, 16. ° Isai. xlv. 25. 1 Pet. i. 8.
how will he be admired when all the millions of his redeemed shall stand together, all of them " his workmanship," trans- formed from the image of the devil into the very image of their God ! How will the virtue of his sacrifice, the prevalence of his intercession, the efficacy of his grace, and all the wonders of his love, then appear ! When all, without exception, shall ascribe their salvation to him, how, I say, will he be admired in all, and glorified by all !
For this end then will he come, as well as to condemn the wicked : he will come to consummate the happiness of his saints, by discovering to them fully his own unveiled gloi-y, and by putting upon them such a measure of his glory as their diversified capacities shall enable them to bear.]
Infer —
1. How studious should we be to obtain the know- ledge of the Gospel —
[It cannot be too often repeated, that our salvation de- pends on our " obeying the Gospel of Christ :" yea, there is the greater necessity to repeat it, because men are so l'iveted to the idea, that morality is all. But before we suffer our- selves to be thus deceived, let us contemplate the inevitable consequences of yielding to that delusion : perish we must, as sure as God is true. Read but the text, and judge for your- selves. If it be the word of man, reject it; and suffer nobody to disturb your peace : but if it be the word of God, remember that neither you nor all the world can alter it. And let the recollection of what is there spoken dwell upon your minds, till it have brought you to the foot of the cross, and " determined you to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified."]
2. How earnest should we be in diffusing the knowledge of the Gospel —
[If we have spoken strongly on this subject, we have done so, because we believe the declaration in the text, and are convinced that they who now deny or disregard it, will find it true to their cost. Does not then this earnestness become us ? If you were in as imminent danger with respect to your bodily life, as you are with respect to your souls, should we not be inexcusable, if we neglected to warn you, and to warn you with all earnestness? Surely, if all ministers felt the importance of these truths, they would " cry aloud, and not spare." If we had a due concern for the welfare of others, there would also be a greater readiness amongst us to go unto the heathen, and to shew unto them the way of salvation. Would a few trials or difficulties discourage us, if we considered the benefit that would accrue to our perishing fellow-creatures, or the recom- pence which we ourselves should in due time receive?