But what will it avail you to hear of this glorious restitution, if you are not partakers of its incipient benefits, and happily interested in its consummation? Has it begun in your own hearts? Are you restored to God in Christ? Have you a place in his house, and a name among his people? Are your feet running the way of his commandments, and your hands diligent in doing his work? If not, “it is high time to awake out of sleep.” “Repent and believe the gospel!” “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, who will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon!” SERMON XV. TRIBULATION CONQUERED. “_These things have I spoken unto you_, _that in me ye might have peace_. _In the world ye shall have tribulation_; _but be of good cheer_; _I have overcome the world_.”—John xvi. 33. THE last sayings of those we love are not soon forgotten. These words form the conclusion of our Lord’s valedictory to his disciples. They did not yet understand that the redemption of man was to be obtained by the death of their Master. When Christ was put to death, he descended to the lower parts of the earth, in order to raise up sinners; but their faith could not follow him into the deep. Nicholas Pisces sunk into the sea to raise a golden cup, but neither he nor the cup ever came up again. A man clothed in glass went down to prepare for raising the Royal George; the man came up, but the ship remains in the bottom. But our blessed Redeemer, clothed in humanity, descended to the deeps of death, and raised the church from the pit of perdition, and founded her upon a rock, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. We would notice, _first_, the peace that is in Christ, in opposition to the tribulation that is in the world; and _secondly_, the victory of Christ over the world, as the source of comfort and joy to believers. I. “These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. I know what you will have in the world—mountains of tribulation—nothing but tribulation. I will put my peace in the other end of the scale.”