And God will hear him, and accept the free-will offering; he will return from worship in a holier frame, and with a more heavenly temper; the incense which he has been wafting to the skies, will leave a fragrance behind, and spread to his character; and he will be rendered meet, through the grace and intercession of his Redeemer, for further manifestations of divine love. And O still better fruit, still happier effects of his devout thanksgiving! he will be preparing his soul for more exalted praises in the world to come, amid the countless multitude of worshippers, in the courts of the Lamb; where the holy-angels and the glorified saints shall rejoice together, in seeking out and recounting the surpassing love of God to His church and people, to His universal creation in all ages. Exulting in the light divine, and sharing together the blessedness of the Saviour’s triumph, praise shall be their constant employment; and the vaults of heaven shall eternally echo with this their joyful theme, “Great and marvellous are Thy works. Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of Saints.” { 403}
SERMON XXII. DILIGENCE AND PERSEVERANCE IN THE CHRISTIAN RACE.
_Brethren_, _I count not myself to have apprehended_; _but this one thing I do_, _forgetting those things which are behind_, _and reaching forth unto those things which are before_, _I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus_.
FROM what St. Paul had said in a few verses before, he feared, lest he should have seemed to make himself sure of salvation, without the necessity of any further anxiety or labour; as if he might rest quietly satisfied with his present views and attainments; and had nothing to do, but to wait for the certain result. And truly, if such confidence and relaxation could ever have been justified, it must have been in the case of this apostle; witness the sacrifices which he had made for the gospel; his unswerving and invincible faith; his holiness of character; his unparallelled labours; and the many signal marks of divine blessing, with which he had been distinguished.
But still, he was far from presuming in this way; and the resolution which he expresses in the text, and the account which he gives of his own spirit and conduct, may furnish us with a very suitable lesson, and teach us the absolute necessity of continued watchfulness and diligence and perseverance unto the end; may teach us, that we are not, as the prophet Ezekiel expresses it, to “_trust_ in our own righteousness;” { 405} in any principles we have formed, any views we have entertained, any holiness we have acquired, any experiences with which we have been blessed; and thus grow heedless and secure: but, that the further we advance, the more we must be convinced of the need of exertion; the more we shall find to do, and the more we shall be enabled to do: who loiters, loses; loses the advantage of the ground he has gone over; loses the means of a victorious and successful accomplishment.