Consider some dear departed child of God thus interested in your concerns, and you will find it a spur to duty, and an incentive to labor and not faint in the work assigned you, preparatory to your joining the church of the first born above.  Think now that the godly ones who loved you here, and labored to animate you in the service of God—­or those who lately looked to you for counsel and guidance, having made their way to glory, are waiting your arrival and longing to hail your entrance into the kingdom, and by all the strength of your love to them, now freed from the imperfections of their earthly residence, and made glorious and heavenly, you will find yourself drawn on toward that state of blessedness, in which you hope again to rejoice with those whose distresses you witnessed here—­yea whose dying agonies, may have chilled your frame and filled you with anguish unutterable!

To meet them again, and find yourself and them, forever removed from the fear of evil, either natural or moral—­forever secure the divine friendship—­forever happy and glorious in the enjoyment of God, “the former things being all passed away, and all tears forever wiped from your eyes!” There to recount with those blessed spirits, the travels and trials of this life, and look back, perhaps, on many hairbreadth escapes from eternal death!  There, to dwell on the wonders of divine love and mercy exercised towards you, and often in things which you once thought to be against you!  Who would not willingly suffer many deaths to enjoy these things?

Such considerations are animating in duty, and supporting in times of trial.  If realized, we shall adopt the language of the suffering apostle—­“None of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, that I may finish my course with joy”—­and share such blessed society—­such inconceivable felicity and glory in my Father’s house above, in which are many mansions!

* * * * * *

SERMON XXVIII.

The Danger of Deviating from Divine Institutions.

Colossians ii, 8.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

St. Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles.  The care of the churches gathered among them devolved particularly on him.  At the writing of this epistle he had no personal acquaintance with the church to which it is addressed.* Epaphras, a bishop of the Colossians, then his fellow prisoner at Rome, had made him acquainted with their state, and the danger they were in from false teachers, who, during the absence of their minister, labored to turn them from the duplicity of the gospel; and this letter was written, through divine influence, to guard them against those deceivers, and persuade them to abide in Christ.

* Verse 1.

To this end he counselled them to keep to the divine directions, carefully avoiding every alteration, or addition, which might be urged upon them by uninspired men, though they might come with a shew of wisdom and humility, and profession of regard to the honor of God and happiness.