SERMON XVII.

PREPARATION FOR HEAVEN.

2 CORINTHIANS, v. 5.

Now He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing, is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

In the foregoing verses, St. Paul directs the attention of the Corinthians to the blessed hope of everlasting life, which true Christians are authorised to cherish in their hearts. He teaches, that when the mortal body of the believer shall be dissolved, the immortal spirit enters into " a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens." Immediately after death, the redeemed spirit is with the LORD, in the separate state of perfect blessedness. And further, the Christian is taught to expect the glorious resurrection of the body also, when the LORD JESUS shall appear in His kingdom, and unite all His people, to be partakers of His triumphs over sin, death, and Hell. To this final consummation of bliss St. Paul refers, when he says, "We would be clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." It was not enough, in his view, that the disembodied spirit should be for ever with the LORD; but he desired a full and

complete recovery of all God's works from the effects and ruins of the Fall. He anticipated the deliverance of the body from the power of death and corruption, and the everlasting holiness, happiness, and joy of both soul and body, in the presence of the LORD, and in the participation of those pure delights which shall be experienced in the Paradise of GOD. But, for the solemnities, the glories, and the bliss of that rapturous existence before the bright Throne of the manifested King of Zion, a present fitness and preparation are indispensably necessary. And hence the Apostle declares in the text, that God qualifies and fits His people now, for the enjoyment of what He has purposed to bestow on them hereafter. It is important for us, therefore, to consider, in dependence on the SPIRIT's teaching, the nature and means of this preparation for glory.

I. Its NATURE.-The work of GOD mentioned in the text, is wrought within the soul of man. It consists in the renewal of what had been decayed, in the restoration to order, and utility, and holiness, of what had been rendered irregular, useless, and impure. Sin had spoiled and marred the work of Creation; and GOD therefore puts forth His hand of mercy and of might, to work goodness out of corruption, light out of darkness, holiness out of sin, and happiness out of misery. This is done in the regeneration and sanctification of "the elect people of GOD:" they are turned

"from darkness to light," from enmity to love, from constant transgression to conscientious obedience. A change of heart is wrought in every one who shall be finally admitted into the presence of GOD. The regeneration of the soul in the day of conversion, is the commencement; and the progressive sanctification of the believer, throughout the whole course of his pilgrimage to eternity, is the continuance of the work of GOD THE HOLY GHOST, to which the text relates. Paul speaks here of that daily operation of the SPIRIT, which they who had been converted, and justified by faith in the righteousness of CHRIST, experienced. While he refers to regeneration, he seems to direct his attention more particularly to sanctification.

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II. Let us next consider the MEANS, whereby the LORD works in the hearts of His people an increasing preparedness for the glory to be revealed.

We may remark, 1st, That God prepares believers for future blessedness, by purifying them from whatever would unfit them for glory. He graciously delivers them from the guilt of sin, by His pardoning mercy, which He vouchsafes to bestow upon all who repent, and believe in the obedience and death of JESUS. And whom the LORD frees from guilt, He also invariably emancipates from the dominion of sin. Believers are the "habitation of GOD through the SPIRIT ;" and that SPIRIT is holy Himself, and He makes

holy those in whom He abides. Hence they who shall see God, are said to be "pure in heart." The love of sin is removed, and the love of God's Word and will is implanted: they really and sincerely "abhor what is evil, and cleave to that which is good:" they are "dead unto sin;" and can no more live and walk habitually and contentedly in any false or evil way, than a dead body can move or act in the affairs and pursuits of the living. Purity is the object of the believer: he must, he will be a follower of holiness: it is the prevailing desire of his heart to be conformed unto CHRIST in all things. So sensible is he of the odious nature and degrading tendency of sin-so affectingly does he perceive its contrariety to the will of the GOD and SAVIOUR Whom he loves above all things-that were no curse and endless woe to follow the commission of iniquity, still would he desire and endeavour to avoid it. There is a purity of soul imparted to every Child of GOD, which occasions a holy repugnance to what is sinful. He is made partaker of a new nature; and this inclines him to hate all ungodliness and iniquity for its own sake. No longer can he take pleasure in the vanities and pollutions of the world; and he shuns those practices and pursuits, which a mere moralist would pronounce to be innocent, harmless, or indifferent. And in regard to the frame, and disposition, and desires of his heart, the Christian is gradually transformed into the likeness of his SAVIOUR. Sincerity and truth of

soul, with all the beauties of an upright character, are necessary to fit us for the happiness of the Blest. The real Christian, therefore, is taught and enabled, by the SPIRIT OF GRACE, to maintain a conflict with every disposition to pride, anger, malice, bitterness, revenge, and uncharitableness. If, at any time, these sins prevail against him; if they obtain a temporary advantage, (and, blessed be GOD! they can obtain no permanent possession of the renewed soul,) he feels an inward grief, a deepened sense of wretchedness, which no loss of wealth, or friends, or any external event could produce; and, until his soul be poured forth in earnest confession and supplication at the mercyseat, no peace, no comfort can be experienced in his breast. But, from every such depth of self-humiliation, the Christian rises with fresh strength against his sins; and he is blessed with such continued supplies of sanctifying grace as enable him to abound more and more in humility, meekness, patience, love, forbearance, and charity. Although his progress in these and other Christian graces may not be perceptible immediately to himself or others, yet it really does take place; and it will ultimately be made manifest, to the praise and glory of GOD. In the natural world, we cannot see the flowers and the fruits in the act of expanding and unfolding themselves; and so in the operations of grace, we perceive the work of God, not in the act itself, so much as in the effect; and behold the Christian flowers and fruits of holiness