of all good, is every praise to be ascribed. However satisfied we may be with ourselves, and however free we may think ourselves from the prevailing corruptions of our nature, we should never forget, that to the eye of a pure and spotless Deity, the plague-spot of sin will be apparent even in the most perfect of his creatures. In the place of arrogance then, and selfsufficient pride, let us encourage a deep conviction of unworthiness, and rather than prefer a claim to any compensation, wages, or reward from God, for any devotion to his service, let us learn to feel how deeply interwoven even with the best aspect of our fallen nature is the spiritual leprosy of sin; let us humble ourselves in deep contrition before the throne of grace, let us feel how little, even at the best, we can "render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards us ;"* and thus let the prevailing disposition of our heart be * Psalm cxvi. 12. self-condemnation, and its prayer-" God be merciful to me a sinner."* St. Paul does not, in the text, invite us to dwell upon the general evidences of God's mercy and grace, but directs our attention definitely to the great all-sufficient gift of God-eternal life; he humbles us in the former clause by reminding us of the doom hanging over us in our fallen condition, and in the latter clause he excites within us the fervent aspirations of a well-grounded hope, by pointing directly to the glories of redemption. "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." "As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."I "The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting," are two of the essential articles of that faith which every Christian professes. From our earliest * Luke xviii. 13. † 1 John v. 11. Rom. v. 18. years our holy Church is careful we should be taught that we shall rise to a life immortal. As death was at the first the penalty of man's disobedience, so is a resurrection from death, the great and glorious consequence of redemption from sin. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."* But this gift of eternal life is of two distinct kinds. As it affects the wicked equally with the righteous, it is to be understood as a mere existence, which, inasmuch as "it is appointed unto men once to die," shall know no termination ; but as it affects the righteous only, this gift of God is indeed far more,—it is the full enjoyment of their heavenly inheritance it is the blessed privilege of being to all eternity inconceivably happy in the presence of God and of the Lamb; "As it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared * 1 Cor. xv. 22. † Hebrews ix. 27. for them that love him.' To the wicked-to those who died in their sins, hardened and impenitent, who "hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord, who would none of his counsel, and despised all his reproof," who set at nought God's mercy in Christ-cared not for the privileges of redemption, and neglected all the means of salvation—even to such God will give eternal life, but it will be given in the fearful exercise of his avenging power; it will be given that the wages of sin may be to the full received from "the worm that shall never die, and the fire that shall never be quenched :"+ and the gift will be coupled with the awful sentence," Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."§ On the contrary, to those who "by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality;"||who, at the close of * 1 Cor. ii. 9. + Prov. i. 29, 30. 1 Isaiah lxvi. 24° - Rom. ii. 7 life, could entertain good hope that they should sleep in Jesus, and awake to a joyful resurrection; to those who could say with the Apostle-"I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith;" eternal life will be given as the unspeakable consummation of all grace and mercy; it will be as the "crown of righteousness laid up for them, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give at the last day unto all them that love his appearing."* To them the gift will be coupled with every demonstration of celestial rejoicing; and amidst the swelling chorus of angelic welcome, they will hear their sentence from the Father"Well done, good and faithful servants, ye have been faithful over a few things, I will make you rulers over many things; enter ye into the joy of your Lord."† What, my brethren, are the objects of worldly attachment or interest, which can for a moment bear competition with the * 2 Timothy iv. 7, 8. + Matt. xxv. 21. |