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Refuge : but which abstains equally from coming under their shadow or their authority. This was not the religion of the first Christians. Nothing stifled or stilled their cry, "What shall we do to be saved," but a faith which could säy, "We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus, we shall be saved." Even good signs did not satisfy them. We never hear any of them banishing or balancing their sense of danger, by an appeal to the convictions they felt under one sermon; or to the tears they shed under another; or to the vows they made at the sacrament; or to the prayers they poured out in the day of trouble. They did not, of course, think lightly of these things, nor exclude them from the catalogue of experimental exercises: but neither did they rest in them as grounds of safety, nor allow them to keep the soul from making a full and final committal of itself into the hands of Christ. Indeed, they could not compromise their safety in this way; because they did not, or durst not, shut their eyes on either the eternal heaven which had captivated them, nor on the eternal hell which had alarmed them.

Now, if we feel that there has been, in our own case, a less impression of, or a less reference to, heaven and hell; and, that in consequence of this estrangement of our thoughts from eternity, we have rather gone on looking for mercy, "unto" a long life, or an easy life, or even a good life, than " unto eternal life; " it is necessary, and it is high time, to resume our first views of the great salvation, and even to brighten them by profounder meditation.

Another circumstance which gave point and power to the faith of the first Christians was, that they were the first. I do not mean by this, the sublimity nor the responsibility of the distinction. They could hardly be aware of either, for some time. What I mean is, that they were not influenced in their believing, by the memory of their parents and other departed friends; and, thus, were in no danger of mistaking an hereditary creed, for personal faith; or veneration of a parent's piety, for love to his God and Saviour. They had no family links between their hearts and heaven, when they began to believe unto eternal life. No last injunction of a dying father or mother induced them to flee from the wrath to come. None of the Gentiles, at least, had upon their soul a solemn charge from any departing spirit, to prepare to meet it on the right of the Judge; but each convert had to act on the

force of his own convictions, and of his own faith in the gospel.

Now, this, although no enviable position, was not unfavorable to decision of character. The very pain of these circumstances promoted sincerity and promptitude. Every Gentile convert had to act for himself, and on his own resources, in forming those views of faith and practice, which form the character for heaven. Whatever, therefore, he lacked of relative motive, he was not diverted from personal decision, by family hopes or habits.

We cannot, of course, regret, but must rejoice, that heaven comes before us not desolate of ancestral spirits. It is no small part of our happiness to believe, that some of those, who were nearest and dearest to us on earth, are now before the throne; and even there continue to love us, and to long for us to join them. These are golden links between our hearts and heaven! and might be expected, as they are well calculated, to draw our thoughts and affections very often and very far heavenward. And they have this sweet influence, whenever we allow them to exert it. It is, however, necessary to take care lest this ardent love to those who are " for ever with the Lord,"

be mistaken for love to the Lord himself. For, although we cannot love them too ardently, we are in danger of loving him too coldly; and of looking more at heaven in the softened form of meeting them, than in the solemn form of meeting God. It was in the latter form chiefly, that the first Christians looked at eternity; and, therefore, their piety was an habitual preparation to meet God. And, surely, ours ought not, need not, to be different, seeing we expect to meet so many endeared spirits at the same time with him! For, so far as this fond hope softens the solemn interview which we anticipate, so far it ought to increase and quicken our anticipations of it.

Another circumstance which gave great point and conclusiveness to the faith of the first believers, was, the peril of life at which they became Christians. An open and avowed "looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life," was, in fact, the risking of temporal life, as well as of property, and freedom, and reputation. It required, therefore, an habitual looking at the things which are unseen and eternal, in order to balance at all the loss of the things which are seen and temporal. Nothing less than such a familiarity with their "enduring substance in heaven," could have reconciled or enabled them to peril life and substance on earth, as they did.

Their heavenly-mindedness was not, however, the virtue of necessity, on their part. They did not take up with heaven, because of the peculiar uncertainty of life and property at the time; but, for the sake of eternal life, they voluntarily and deliberately hazarded every thing. Their privations were the effects, not the cause, of their choice. Nor did they repent of that choice, when its effects proved fatal. In vain, therefore, do we attempt to excuse, by the tendency of easier circumstances, our inferior heavenly-mindedness. We are not, indeed, thrown so directly and constantly on eternity for comfort, as they were. We have more "vineyards in the wilderness" than they had. The lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly heritage, compared with their lot. But, do we, dare we, turn this into a reason, or an excuse, for thinking but seldom and slightly of the glory to be revealed? A heart thoroughly and habitually "right with God," would find in this change for the better, nothing but reasons and motives for a higher degree of heavenly-mindedness ;

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