SER M.verlafting, and World without End. changeable as his Being. His Mercy, and oeternal and un On this Secu and Deut. rity, the mind of man (after a Life of fhip is fallible and uncertain. The Plea-SER M. fures of Life are short; and the time will come, when there fhall be no relish in Moth shall eat them GA IV. For n IV. SERM. For when the Breath of Man goeth forth, he fall turn again to his earth, and then all his thoughts perish. Bleed is be, that hath the God of Jacob for his help, and whose Hope is in the Lord his God. 4thly, THE Confideration of This divine Perfection, the Eternity of God, is a ground for frail and mortal man to hope for Pity and Compassion from him, This is the Ufe the Prophet Ifaiah makes of this Meditation, ch. lvii. 16, I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: For the Spirit fhould fail before me, and the Souls which I have made. The Pfalmift likewife, Pf. cii. 24, I faid, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my Days; Thy years are throughout all Generations. And Pf. ciii. 13, Like as a Father pitieth his children fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him; For he knoweth our Frame, he remembreth that we are but duft. As for man, his days are as grafs; as a flower of the Field, fo be flourisheth: For the wind paffeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof fhall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord, is from everlafting to everlaft ing, upon them that fear him; and his right- SER M teousness unto childrens children. 5thly, THE Confideration of God's being eternal, leads us to a right knowledge and juft fenfe of the Excellency of that Reward, wherewith he will finally crown those who obey his Commandments. The Greatness of which Reward confifts principally in This, that it is an Inheritance which fadeth not away, eternal in the Heavens. This is a Reward worthy of Him to beftow, whose Kingdom ruleth over all; and which He alone is capable of bestowing, who HimSelf liveth and reigneth for ever. Be bold I come quickly, fays our Lord, invest- The elegantly IV. SER M. elegantly follows in the next verfe That IV. affectionate Exclamation, ver. 14. Blef fed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life. God is eternal, by Neceffity of Nature; But Man's immortality, is of free Grace. This therefore his dependent Immortality, or his Poffibility of attaining to be Immortal, was excellently reprefented at first by that Figure of the Tree of Life growing in Paradife; And his condemnation to Mortality, by his exclufion from the Benefit of that Tree. And his reftoration to Immortality again by the Will of God, is no lefs properly defcribed, by his being again the Tree of Life; Rev. ii. 7. admitted to To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradife of God. Laftly; Ir God is Eternal, this confideration ought to be matter of infinite Terror to all impenitent and incorrigible Sinners; that he who liveth for ever, as he will reward his Servants eternally, fo he can punish his Enemies as long as he pleafes; for there is no End of his Power. |