the strength, or the flow of spirits which would have enabled us to enjoy prosperity, is now gone by, and the friends whom we loved, and for whom we felt, and who we hoped would share what we might bestow, are removed from us, and committed to the dust, and we are enriched with the treasures of this world, as solitary pilgrims in a bleak howling wilderness. How different the character of the inheritance to which God encourages us to look forward

gels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, with all the wise, and the good, and the great, who have ever drawn the breath of life, and especially with those blessed friends whom we have seen before, loosed from all their infirmities, and never more to be again subject to death.

place, that the promised inheritance is [tions, or by our succeeding to something the inheritance of unbounded wealth. I bequeathed by another, how often is our need not tell you how desirous men are happiness incomplete? The health, or of riches, how they toil for wealth, what they deny themselves to obtain it, and how much they value its acquirement. What a man desires ardently, as the means of enjoying or doing good, becomes his ruling passion, to which every thing is sacrificed. But let him possess of this world what he may; it cannot secure him health, nor purity, nor peace of mind, nor the esteem and good-will of his brethren; and, in fact, it never does satisfy him. He who has much, always wishes for more. There is some-hereafter. There will there be enough, and thing awanting, some little addition discov- more than enough, to dispel the wildest ered, and he still hazards his integrity and wishes the human heart can form. There his conscience to add another grain to the will be no clashing of interests, no jealousy heap. How different the condition of him of sects, no interference, one with another. who enjoys the riches that fadeth not away, And what perhaps is still more, we are enwho lays up for himself treasure in heaven, couraged to hope, that there will be there where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, no solitude, that we shall share in the blessand where thieves do not break through norings of that inheritance with saints and ansteal. How incomparably beyond all earthly possessions, are what Scripture so magnificently terms the riches and glory of God's inheritance in the saints. Every thing the heart can desire, every thing the mind can possess, every thing that a sound judgment and an enlightened conscience would direct us to seek after, will follow in the course of those who inherit the kingdom of heaven; and what is more, in the clearness of their own understandings, in the purity of their own wishes, they will be perfectly satisfied with what God bestows. No anxious cravings will they feel for any thing withheld, but will enjoy with delight those joys and treasures which God, in his bounty, permits them to share. In this world, their inheritance is very often the trial of friendship and brotherly love. All know what bitter disappointment often takes place, from being neglected and overlooked by those who, as we hoped, would remember us at their death-how friends, and neighbours, and families, are divided among themselves by the jealousy of their interests, by the grudge of preference given to another, by the thousand anomalous annoyances that take place in dividing that to which they all think they have equally a claim. Often a legacy, so far from being a blessing, is almost a curse, poisoning the harmony of friendship, setting brother against brother, parent against child, and friend against friend. Besides, in this world, when success does come, whether

Again, I need not tell you that there is in this world no good unmixed with evil, no pleasure ever separate from pain, no comfort without a mixture of sorrow and annoyance. The wisest of men, when he had tasted of all delights, declared, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit ;" and such is the testimony of all the gay and prosperous, and happy, as they are called in this world. Every one has his own sorrows, his own annoyances, his own sources of mortification, his own disappointments; and, though outward afflictions be withheld, there is within us a root of bitterness and incapacity for perfect happiness. I need not advert to the innumerable annoyances which every one has experienced. But I see none such hereafter-none such in the kingdom of our God-nothing there left to seek for-no thing to desire that cannot be obtained, and a complete capacity for enjoying all that God bestows, with nothing to interrupt-nothing to make afraid-nothing to poison the cor diality of friendship, or tranquility of spirit ; in short, a pure, unmixed, uncontaminated state of bliss, upon which our thoughts can scarcely dwell."

ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened | inclinations. Our desires are often erroneunto you for every one that asketh, re- ous, sinful, at variance with our own inceiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and terest and the will of the Most High; but to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." even when the inclination of man is not "If ye, being evil, know how to give good absolutely and directly very sinful, its habitgifts unto your children, how much more ual and systematic indulgence is in the last shall your Father which is in heaven give degree dangerous, weakening the authority good things to them that ask him?" This of reason and conscience, and altogether aid the soldier of Christ requires, and for unsettling the mind. It is no argument this aid he habitually applies. He regularly against this necessity, that it has been fresupplicates the Father of mercies, the author quently misunderstood or abused. Manof all that is good, that he would be pleas- kind have often imagined that the Almighty ed, by his gracious Spirit, to enlighten his is pleased with the sufferings of his creaunderstanding, to renew his will, to support tures, and that gloom, and severity, and a him under his straits, to strengthen him peevish rejection of all ordinary comforts, are under all his trials, to rescue him from temp- the evidences of a grateful heart, and a tation, and deliver him from evil. Putting serious sense of his presence. Such notions up these prayers in a pure heart, he trusts we justly reject as grossly erroneous, and to obtain from Christ what is requisite to most disrespectful to the glory and beneprevent him from being overcome of evil. volence of the Father of mercies and of While the blessing attends him from on love. He has no pleasure in the sufferings high, even the devout action he performs of his creatures. He urges on them selfcarries along with it its own reward. When denial, not for the sake of abridging their he regularly and habitually addresses him- pleasures, but of increasing their future self to that God who is invisible, a constant happiness. It is a salutary duty in this sense of the divine presence, government, state of imperfection to correct their follies and inspection, is kept alive in his mind; and sins, and render them meet for happihis thoughts are withdrawn from those out-ness hereafter. He who has this impresward objects which attract his external senses, and his attention is fixed on those glorious truths and realities which can elevate him above this world, and add him to the number of those who overcome its temptations. Every prayer he offers up is a renewed engagement to be faithful to his Lord, a new and solemn renunciation of all intercourse with his enemies. The blessing of God on the frequent repetition of this exercise must exalt the Christian above the contempt of this world, to his Creator and the works of the Lord.

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sion on his mind is aware of his own weakness. Knowing how often he may be misled, how easily he may be betrayed, how dangerous the passage into what inclination would lead him, he exercises a constant control over his wishes, and is ever anxious that no pleasure should be so dear to him as for one instant to set aside the predominance of the holy principle of duty and conscience. He knows well that many inclinations, innocent in themselves, are apt to break forth by indulgence into the most violent excesses, and keeps a constant check on his words and actions. He trembles at being led into base neglect or criminal excess, and studies the constant and habitual employment of self-denial; and in every case of doubt or emergency his prayer is,

Another of the requisites in him that overcometh is self-denial. Ifany man will come after me," says Jesus, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." This necessity is founded again in the imperfection of the character of man. Were we wise" Lord what wouldst thou have me to do:" and pure, and righteous, as we are taught angels are in heaven, it is perfectly easy to conceive that our inclinations and our duties would in every case coincide perfectly, and in the indulging of our inclinations we should be uniformly promoting the ends of our existence. This is, however, not the We are seldom just judges of what is truly for our own benefit. Even in the plainest cases of duty we are often miserably misled by passions, prejudices, or evil'

case.

The ruling passion, the favourite inclination, of every man is, in fact, his weak side, through which he is most apt to be betrayed into the sin that doth most easily beset him. Here, therefore, the prudent man is particularly on his guard, lest he should be betrayed by it, and brought to experience the truth, that for all things God will bring him to judgment.

Lastly, it is essential to him that overcometh, that he persevere. To hold fast to

watchfulness, in his doctrines, in his selfdenial, in his perseverance. Now, there are many glorious promises annexed to this character; but no words are more entitled to our serious consideration, than those of the text, "He that overcometh, shall inherit all things." Observe the words, "He shall inherit all things." The symbol of an inheritance is most happy. It strikes against the presumption of human merit, and is at once an admission of divine favour. It marks out those who are to be blessed hereafter, as having a peculiar character; they are the sons of God; if sons, then heirs, and joint heirs with Christ. "He that overcometh, shall inherit all things." This is the converse of a common expression-heaven and earth. It is said, "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”—that is, all things which are on this earth, in this world, or out of this world. In like manner, it is said or implied, He that overcometh, shall have the inheritance both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. It were easy to show how he that overcometh, inheriteth even the life that now is, how he escapes many sufferings, how he enjoys many blessings, how prosperity is enhanced, how adversity is soothed and alleviated by his successful contest with temptation. At present, however, I would rather direct your attention to the future prospect which is opened to you, the future blessing, the unspeakable eternal happiness which is implied in the expression, “He shall inherit all things."

the end, to be faithful unto death, is the character of him to whom is promised the crown of life. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” If ye continue in my word," says Christ," then are ye my disciples indeed." "He that endureth to the end, shall be saved." There are many who set out in life with a fair outward appearance of success. They have all the zeal which arises from a lively spirit and limited experience. They perform the outward acts of devotion with apparent fervour and earnestness. They are, in their general conduct, scrupulously precise. They contend for truth with energy and zeal, but, by degrees, their zeal waxes cold, their energies abate, lassitude and indifference creep upon them, religion wearies and disgusts. They begin by entertaining doubts as to some of its doctrines, and by throwing off all respect for its precepts. Such is a very common process in the human mind, arising from the love of change, and the impossibility of keeping up warmth of devotional feeling, unless founded on rational principles. Still more does it manifest itself, when, to original weakness, is added actual temptation. Too many resemble the seeds that fall upon stony ground, which, when the sun was up, were scorched, and because they had no root, withered away. Far from this wavering of principle are the true and faithful followers of the Captain of salvation. Their belief is founded on deep conviction, their affections and understandings are equally engaged in his service, and all their faculties are devoted to the cause of their What is the character of this inheritance? master. They go on from strength to It is an inheritance of the highest honour strength, and become day by day more con- and dignity. What is so dear to man as firmed in his faith, more ardent in love to honour and dignity? What swells the him, more resolute in resistance to tempta- heart so much as the opinion of being extion, and more and more abhorrent of ini- alted in the eyes of his fellow-men, and of quity. Is this the case with your charac- transmitting to posterity a distinguished and ters ? Do you grow daily in grace, and in powerful name? What do men desire so the knowledge of your Saviour Jesus Christ? much as power and office-and yet what of Is your faith deep-rooted, and are you ready honour can all this world give, comparable always to give an answer to every one that to what is promised to the servants of God asketh a reason of the hope that is in you? hereafter? They shall be before the throne Are its fruits manifested day by day more of God-they shall be made kings and distinctly in your temper and conduct? Do priests before God-they are clothed with you advance from one degree of grace to white robes-they bear palms in their another, dying more unto sin, and living hands-they shall be made pillars and temmore unto righteousness? Are you stead-ples of their God. "To him that overfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain?

This is the character of him that overcometh-it consisteth in his faith in his

cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Instead of dwelling on such a promise as this, I go on to observe, in the second

tions, or by our succeeding to something bequeathed by another, how often is our happiness incomplete? The health, or the strength, or the flow of spirits which would have enabled us to enjoy prosperity, is now gone by, and the friends whom we loved, and for whom we felt, and who we hoped would share what we might be stow, are removed from us, and committed to the dust, and we are enriched with the treasures of this world, as solitary pilgrims in a bleak howling wilderness. How different the character of the inheritance to which God encourages us to look forward There is some-hereafter.