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brightened, would be sullied and defaced. Similar conclusions are often drawn by weak saints, when adverse dispensations are measured out to Zion or themselves. The event will discover that the Lord adopted the method which in his wisdom was best fitted to polish both. The hottest persecutions have proved seasons of special revival. They have been at once a seed-time and a harvest. Numbers have been gathered home to the Church above, and multitudes added to Zion below. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. What persecution is to her, the hottest trials are to individual members. They rub off the rust, exercise their graces, and brighten them. Time will discover, that though the outward man perished, the inward man was renewed day by day.

4. He makes them up by afflictions. These might have been comprehended under the dispensations of Providence; but as they are eminently useful for polishing the Lord's jewels, we give them a separate place. Trials seem as necessary for the Christian in this life, as wind or water for the mill. Some graces would rust and languish without them; and others would scarcely find the least occasion for action. Faith is an instance of the first, and patience of the last. Owing to a remaining selfishness and love of ease, the saints are slow of heart to believe the necessity and utility of sufferings and tribulations.

Afflictions are a happy and profitable mean in the Lord's hand of making the saints both useful and ornamental. In the fire their graces so shine that they enlighten and encourage the believing beholders.

The advantage of afflictions is asserted, Heb. xii. 10, 11, “Our heavenly Father chastens for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them who are exercised thereby." Afflictions wean the saints from the world, and purge away their sin. In this chapter they are called the Lord's furnace, where he refines and purifies his silver. The benefit of afflictions is conformable to the experience of believers in all ages. They have reflected upon their severest trial with pleasure, and dwelt upon them with gratitude and praise. We shall only mention the testimony of one, who had ample experience on this subject: “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in great faithfulness hast afflicted me. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." All the saints will at last have reason to say, "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." They wean the heart from creature-dependance. They make the saints more humble, submissive, and teachable. They are powerful medicines, which, in the hand of the great Physician, cure their immoderate attachment to worldly enjoyments, and their spiritual languors and decays, and promote the health and happiness of their souls.

The saints have trials of another kind, and more excruciating than their bodily afflictions,-when they

fall before the power of temptation, and their bones are broken by the prevalence of sin. These are their worst and heaviest trials; but such is the wis dom and mercy of their gracious Lord, that he overrules even these for their spiritual advantage, and makes them useful for polishing his jewels. After Peter had denied his Master, and wept bitterly, he was cured of what was hurtful in his forwardness and zeal; and had all that was useful in them greatly increased. He was equally inflamed with love to his Master, and active in his cause; but he was more humble and self-diffident. David's penitential Psalm proves how much, through the Lord's grace, he was polished after his fall. The gracious heart abhors to improve such instances for the indulgence and extenuation of sin; and with indignation rejects the thought of sinning because grace abounds. The advantage reaped by the saints after their falls, while useful and encouraging to themselves, will be infinitely for the glory of Divine wisdom and grace.

III. The third and last thing in the text, is to speak of the day in which the Lord makes us his jewels.

1. He makes them up in the day of regeneration. They were chosen in Christ from eternity. The Lord had thoughts of love and mercy towards them from everlasting, and firmly purposed their complete salvation. Before the day of regeneration they lay in their blood, without any distinguishing difference from the rest of the world. In that day all their miquities were done away, and a principle of life and

grace implanted. The Lord, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, shines into their hearts; and all the objects which they saw before, appear now in a very different and new light. Important objects, formerly unknown, are now discovered, and occupy their minds. The eye of faith is opened, and they look at the things within the vail. They are born again, and as really introduced into a new world as the new-born babe. Old things are passed away, and all things become new. They experience desires which they never felt before. This is the day when the Lord's purpose of grace has the first actual influence and saving effect upon them, and in which he begins to make them up.

2. He makes them up in the day of gradual sanctification. This day from regeneration is of equal length with their natural lives; and through the whole of it he is gradually meetening them for being pillars in his temple above. Every thing that passes over them is overruled for promoting the work of grace, and day by day the Lord enables them to "put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Now they lay aside one lust, then another now they flourish in this grace, then in that; and every day they die unto sin and live unto righteousness. Regeneration is the beginning of our sanctification; that is the growth and progress of the new birth; and glory is the perfection of both. Though the saint may appear to decline, when recovered, his declensions will issue in the advancement of his holiness and sanctification.

3. He makes them up at death. Then in a particular manner the Lord makes up his jewels. Then the soul of the believer is fully delivered from every thing sinful, noxious, or unholy; and is made perfect in every thing that is valuable and excellent. The gracious dispositions implanted and promoted in this life, are brought to the highest pitch of perfection and beauty. Then they are perfectly conformed to him, who is infinitely holy in himself, and the source of all that holiness which is to be found among the creatures. At death God takes the soul to himself. great man, when all the operations about polishing his jewels are over, lays them safely up in his cabinet; so at death God takes the better part of the believer to himself, and houses it up in glory. Then it is beyond the reach of sin, Satan, and every enemy. Introduced into the temple above, it shall no more go out. There, there is "no more curse, no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain." At death, too, the Lord makes up the body. It is lodged in the place where the weary are at rest, beyond the reach of all sufferings and pain, and is no longer pinched by any of its former wants. It is consigned to the dust, in union to the person of Christ, and as a part of his purchase; and the members for ever cease to be the instruments of sin. It is deposited in the grave in sure and certain hopes of a blessed resurrection, and till that momentous period is ever under the watchful eye of the great Head. Thus, both the parts are disposed of, and the jewel made up by the Lord; as you have long been taught, "The souls of believers are, at their death, made perfect in holiness,

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