Finally, This is the object to be promoted by all their afflictions. The apostle represents himself, and his fellowlaborers, as enduring a great fight of afflictions; as tried, distressed, perplexed, and persecuted; but, he adds, “always bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body;" and God is daily teaching his saints to glorify him in the fires. Often are the trying exercises of his servants the happy means of furthering their re semblance to Christ, and of promoting within them the life of faith upon him. When our imperfections and sins would render the possession of this blessed image doubtful to ourselves or to others, those afflictions are sent again to discover it, and to impart to it fresh lustre and excellence. When our afflictions have answered their designed end, we leave the chamber of sickness, or the scene of our sorrows, wherever it be, to evidence more strikingly our possession of the image of the heavenly Adam. Permit me now,-having finished the discussion of my subject, permit me to ask you, my hearers, Whose image and superscription do you bear? I shall not ask you whether you bear the image of the earthy Adam, because I know it well; for here "every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God." But we wish you to be concerned to ascertain whether a new and divine impression has been made upon your souls? Arc you, then, daily departing from all iniquity? hourly aspiring after conformity to Christ? Some men carry the mark of the beast, and bear the image of the devil; not only do they show us their connection with Adam, but their alliance with the powers of darkness. We speak this to their shame. O that they may be confounded before God, and led to pray that, instead of their being the very vassals of Satan, they may be numbered among the friends of Im manuel! What thanks are due to the Redeemer, for the restoration which he hath made of peace and happiness to man! My text shows us how the great Saviour has triumphed over human depravity and satanic force; and how, by his own grace, he hath restored the image of God in the soul, and directed our hopes to a better world, where this image shall be perfect, this resemblance inimitably correct. has he indeed done all this; then Praise! flow for ever, (if astonishment Will give thee leave,) my praise for ever flow; And all her spicy mountains in a flame. And O Saviour! stamp thine holy image upon our souls; there let it appear; there let it shine, in life, in death, and for ever! Amen. 461 SERMON XX. RELIGIOUS HEROISM. FAREWELL SERMON AT HOXTON. "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."-Acts 20: 24. THIS is not the language of stoical apathy; the man who uttered these words, my hearers, was a man possessed of the keenest sensibility; a man of real, honest, and exquisite feeling; in his heart, cold indifference and unfeeling stubbornness had no place: nor do the words express philosophical heroism; a foolish bravado; for our apostle derives his support from sources far different from these; he was animated by principles; he was delighted with prospects which the natural man never possesses; the power of which principles, and the view of which prospects, produce an effect which is mighty beyond all conception. The passage I have read you introduces to our view Paul the preacher, at the time of his departure from his friends, when his mind was led to expect, and prepared to meet bonds and afflictions in every place; and the words of the text do most strikingly show us the way in which the principles of the gospel discover themselves, and prove their power to strengthen and support. Viewing this passage as not unsuitable to the present opportunity, I shall exhi bit it to your view, as showing us that the principles of the gospel of Christ display their power and virtue. I. In rendering us insensible to the power of affliction; "none of these things move me." II. In raising us superior to the love of life; "neither count I my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus." Let us behold here the glorious gospel of the blessed God. How the religion of Christ displays its potent influence; its mighty efficacy. I. In rendering us insensible to the power of affliction. Its supports enabled the holy, zealous apostle to say of painful separation-of the labors of the ministry, and of the large measure of persecution which in that age of the church every where attended the preachers of the gospel, "none of these things move me." Paul had, however, without doubt, the feelings of humanity; and, as I have already intimated, these things would affect his soul as a man, and occasionally overwhelm his spirits; but when he felt the happy influence of the gospel in all its power, he triumphed over these difficulties; he heroically conquered himself, subdued his own feelings, and appeared a ready, a joyful martyr for Christ. Thus did Paul, yet did not he, but the grace of God which was in him. These trials, then, these difficulties, which to many would be insurmountable, did not "move" him: that is, the anticipation of them, the endurance of them, did not so move him as to damp his ardor; as to discourage his soul, or as to make him wish to exchange with the world. Observe, they did not so move him-- As to damp his ardor. These trials and apparent obstacles to the success of his work, and to his own happiness in it, did not make him less anxiously desirous of doing good in the world, did not at all diminish the fervent wishes of his soul to be the means of conducting many sons unto glory. Notwithstanding these difficulties, he was still "steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as he knew that his labor was not in vain in the Lord." And as he had this ministry, as he had received mercy, so he fainted not; hence he could say to othersno man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we were appointed thereunto. He remembered the long cloud of witnesses who, through much tribulation, had entered the kingdom, and he determined to imitate their example; he did more; he considered Jesus, who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself; and this prevented him from being weary, or from fainting in his mind he looked unto Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith, and by that means obtained encouragement to proceed, and grace sufficient for him. Oh! never let the servants of the most high God relax in their endeavors to do good, or grow cold in their desires after the immortal welfare of mankind because some difficulties await them: of these difficulties they ought to say "none of these things move me." Nor did these trials so affect the apostle As to discourage his soul; that is, to make him shrink at the thought of enduring them; to make him afraid to meet them: no, for supported by the consolations of the gospel, he could welcome reproaches, pain and death; yea, rejoice and be exceeding glad that he was counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus. "What mean ye," says he elsewhere, "what mean ye to weep and to |