expreffes the thoughts and intentions of the mind; and are not the habitual temper and practice a more certain difcovery of the thoughts and intentions than mere words? Words, which may be spoken without a thought, or in a paffion, and which may foon be heartily retracted. But the temper and practice is a fteady and fure rule of judging, and decifive of a man's predominant character. Therefore, while your temper and practice are agreeable to fuch a prayer; that is, while you are difpofed to spend your time that God gives you in fin and impenitence, you are perpetually infulting Heaven with fuch petitions, and that too in a manner much more expreffive and ftrong than if you should utter them in words. you quietly bear the thought of this horrid blafphemy, which you are conftantly breathing out against Heaven? Can you with and pray for another year for this purpofe? What though you fhould not die this year? Will this exempt you from death in another, or from the punishment of a mispent life? Alas! no; this will only render you a greater criminal, and a more miferable wretch in eternity. One year of finning will make a dreadful addition to your ac

count.

And can

Therefore conclude, every one for himself, It is of little importance to me whether I die this year, or not; but the only important point is, that I 'make a good ufe of my future time, whether it be longer or fhorter.' This, my brethren, is the only way to fecure a happy new year; a year of time, that will lead the way to an happy eternity.

SERMON

SERMON XXXV.

AN ENROLMENT OF OUR NAMES IN HEAVEN, THE NOBLEST SOURCE OF JOY.

LUKE X. 20. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the fpirits are fubject to you; but rather rejoice becaufe your names are written in heaven.*

HIS is the anfwer Chrift gave to his difciples,

THIS

when returned from their miffion, flufhed with victory over the most mighty and most malignant enemies, the infernal powers. Lord, fay they, even the devils are fubject to us, through thy name. This they probably mentioned with a tincture of vanity, and, were fecretly proud of their new power, which their Mafter had given them. Though they owned it was his gift, they gloried in it, as conferring fome new honour and dignity upon themfelves. And probably, like the reft of their countrymen, their heads were filled with notions of the temporal kingdom of the Meffiah, and his conquefts over the other nations of the earth in favour of the Jews; and inferred that they should have an irresistible power over their enemies on earth, from the power they had been enabled to exercife over evil fpirits, fo much more mighty, and feemingly unconquerable.

Their Lord and Mafter, among other things in his answer, checks this fecret vanity, and points out to them a fuperior cause of joy. Rejoice not in this; that is, rejoice not fo much as you do, rejoice not principally in this, that the fpirits (that is evil fpirits) are fubject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven; as if he should fay, "Though

you

* A Sermon preached at Hanover, in Virginia, Jan. 14, 1759.

you may fafely rejoice in the victory you have obtained through my name over the powers of hell, yet you ought to take care that it be not a vain, selfifh, carnal joy, a joy fpringing from the gratification of your own ambition. And take care alfo, that it does not run into excefs: for I will fhew you a much greater cause of joy than even this; and that is, that your names are written in heaven. It is poffible, that while you are cafting the devil out of the bodies of others, your own fouls may be under his power, and you may be his miferable flaves for ever. But fince your names are written in heaven, you are fafe; and that is cause of joy indeed. Rejoice in this above all other things.

How fhould we rejoice, and perhaps boast, if the mighty powers of hell were fubject unto us, and we could make them fly at a word! But the meanest christian is more happy than this, and has cause of greater joy.

For the farther explication of the text, it is only neceffary to inquire, What is meant by their names being written in heaven?

Heaven is here compared to a city or corporation, in which a lift or record is kept of all the citizens or freemen who are entitled to its privileges and immunities. And therefore, to have our names written in heaven, fignifies, to be citizens, or freemen of the heavenly city; that is, to have a right to an inheritance there, and to all its privileges and enjoy

ments.

This naturally fuggefts a very important inquiry, the decifion of which may hold us all in an anxious fufpenfe: "How may I know (may each of us afk) whether my unworthy name be written in heaven? who can open and read the records of heaven, and fhew me whether my name is registered there?"

I answer, This is a fecret that may be discovered; for all that have their names written in heaven, may be distinguished by their characters, their temper,

and

and practice, while upon earth. And their characters are fuch as these.

1. They are deeply fenfible of the vanity of all earthly things, and that heaven alone is a fufficient portion and happiness. All that are registered as citizens of the heavenly Jerufalem have a fuperlative efteem of that privilege, and count all things but lofs in comparison of it. Matt. vii. 24-26. and xiii. 45, 46. And is this your character? Are your hearts in heaven? or are your highest affections confined to the earth?

2. All that have their names written in heaven have a heavenly nature; a nature very different from that of the men of this world, and like that of the citizens of heaven. And is this your temper? or is it earthly and fenfual?

3. All that have their names written in heaven. have a peculiar love for all their fellow-citizens, who are heirs of heaven. They love them as members of the fame corporation with themselves. 1 John iii. 14.

4. If your names are written in heaven, it is the chief business and concern of your life to obtain an intereft in heaven. This is not the object of languid, lazy wishes, or of lukewarm, spiritlefs prayers; but of your vigorous, anxious, perfevering defires. And you thus feek the kingdom of heaven? Matt. x. 12. Luke xvi. 16.

do

These marks muft fuffice at present to affift you in felf-examination; and I beg you would bring them to your hearts, and fee if they will stand this teft.

If your names are written in heaven, then my text authorizes me to tell you, this is the greatest caufe of joy you can poffible have; a joy that may fwallow up every other joy. But on the other hand,

If your names are not written in heaven, there is nothing in the world that can happen to you, that can be a caufe of rational, lafting joy to you.

I. If your names are written in heaven, this is the greateft caufe of joy you can poffible have; a joy

that

that may fwallow up every other joy.-This will appear by an induction of particulars.

Are you rich in this world? Has God bleffed your industry and frugality, fo that you are in easy, affluent circumftances? This is caufe of joy and gratitude to God, as it furnishes you with the materials of earthly happiness, frees you from many anxieties and painful wants, and puts it in you power to enjoy the generous pleasure of doing good with your fubftance. But what is this, when compared with the bleffing of the fanctified use of riches, and the affurance that. God has given you, that all things fhall work together for your good! what is this to the unfearchable riches of Chrift, and that fulness of grace and glory, in which you have an intereft! Rejoice more in this than in thousands of gold and filver.

Or if you are not in affluent circumftances, are you above extreme want, and able by your labour and industry to provide yourselves and your dependents with the neceffaries of life? This is the happinefs of moft, even of the poor in our country and this is caufe of joy. But what is this to the happiness of having provifion made for your fubfiftence thro everlasting ages! Is it not fuperior caufe of joy, that when you are ftript of all the enjoyments of the prefent life, you fhall alfo be delivered from all its wants and labours, and fhall not only have a bare fufficiency, but a rich overflowing abundance of happiness, equal to the capacities of your fouls in their highest enlargements. In this you may warrantably rejoice, and you cannot run into excefs.

Do you enjoy health of body? In this rejoice: but how trifling a caufe of joy is this to that of your fouls being in health and profpering, and bearing the fymptoms of immortal life and vigour?

Are your bodies free from diabolical poffeffion? Rejoice not fo much in this, but rather rejoice that the devil is caft out of your fouls, and that you are not under his fpiritual tyranny.

Are