our firſt parents, he brought death into the world; becauſe, by tempting their poſterity to ſin, and too often prevailing, he arrays death in horror; he arms death with its ſting. But Chriſt, by expiating our guilt, has diſarmed this laſt enemy's has taken away its ſting, and made it not loſs, but gain to die. The gay, and the healthy, know not how to form an eſtimate of this deliverance; nor can any words of mine deſcribe it with proper energy, Go to dying beds; there you will learn its true worth. Aſk ſome agonizing friend; he, and he alone can tell you, what a bleſſing it is to have the king of terrors, converted into a meſſenger of peace.
One bleſſing more I would mention, and earneſtly with it, in due time, to all my hearers; an entrance into heaven. This too is the produce of our Redeemer's croſs. St. John ſaw a bright aſſembly of happy beings, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, rejoicing before the throne of God. Theſe, ſaid one of the venerable elders, are they who came out of great tribulation, and have waſhed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb. THEREFORE are they before the throne. They came out of great tribulation: They ſuffered, it is probable, in the ſervice of Chriſt: perhaps they laid down their lives for his ſake. But this was not their paſſport into the regions of bliſs. They waſhed their robes in the blood of the Lambː
