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of conversation," saith the apostle. An empty profession will stand in no stead in the day of account. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" and the only way to have holiness, is to seek it from our high and holy Head, who so loved the church that he gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it by the washing of water, by the word; that he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having " spot or wrinkle, or any such thing," but that it should be holy and without blemish. Look at the pattern, my fellow professors, and glory not in your outward profession; nor think yourselves rich, and increased in goods, while so little of the fruit of the Spirit shews itself through you; and be assured that where the life is there it will manifest itself, "not in word only, but in deed and in truth.

But I fear that many great talkers have need to ask the question like Pilate, " " What is truth?" and it would be well for them to be patient, and to wait until the lip of Truth answers the question, and not go out to the unbelievers, as Pilate did, halting between two opinions, and at length acting contrary to the witness of truth in himself, and the entreaties of his wife, by joining Herod and the Jews, in rising up in judgment against the Lord and his Christ.

My desire is, that all of us who call ourselves Christians may know what a dignity is attached

Heb xii. 14.

t

1 John iii. 18.

John xviii. 38.

to the name, when we are duly entitled to it, by being born again, of incorruptible seed, of the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Oh! that we may all attend to our high and holy calling to glory and virtue, and come to be partakers of the exceeding great and precious promises, which are no less than being thereby made partakers of the divine nature, and escaping the corruptions that are in the world through lusts.

And now, ye great talkers of faith, let me draw your attention to the next words of the inspired apostle Peter, from whose epistle my mind was instructed to place what I have last stated, in the words which I have used. I trust it was a measure of the same Holy Spirit which influenced that holy man to write that epistle, that has operated on my mind thus to address you, and has caused the words of him, and other inspired penmen, to flow into my mind whilst writing.

I can say without flattery, that my addressing you has been accompanied with feelings of love towards all denominations of Christians; desiring like Peter, that we may all of us have true faith, and prove it by its operative power in us and through us; that by means thereof we may add to it, "virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godli

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ness, brotherly kindness;" and the sweet fruit of charity, in the full corn in the ear.

Now herein we may behold what the apostle Peter conceived was the knowing the work of faith with power; and my desire is, that every one of us may know it, in and for himself. I am fully of the apostle's mind, that, " if these things be in us and abound, they will make us to be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour." But what saith the apostle of such as lack them? Why he saith, they are blind, and cannot see afar off; and through inattention they have, I conceive, forgotten that they were purged from their old sins. It would be well if every one who takes upon him the care of souls, would have these weighty truths more constantly in view, and like the apostle put their respective congregations in mind of them. We are poor frail beings, and stand in need of frequent quickening to follow on to know the Lord.

I am sensible that the first object which the apostle Paul presented to the Gentiles, was "Jesus Christ and him crucified." It appears to me, that his preaching was plain, simple, and unaccompanied with far-fetched and speculative arguments; his object was to bring them near to the Saviour, to behold the love of God in sending his dear Son into the world, that the world through him might be saved. I can conceive a little of the feelings

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of these poor Gentiles, when their minds were first turned to pay attention to these glad tidings. Oh, that we were as well prepared to receive them, and that all our self-confidence were laid in the dust. These poor, blind, and deaf people, had eyes and ears; and when they gave heed to the gospel sound of good news to sinners, the words sunk down deep into their ears, quickened them, and awakened them to a sense of their lost fallen state, and consequently the need they had of a Saviour. Nothing short of this sense is fruit meet for repentance; this sense I believe these poor Gentiles had, and this produces "a godly sorrow which worketh repentance, not to be repented of;" and by this quickening power, their eyes were opened to "bbehold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world," lifted up, and drawing them to come unto him, and be saved. "They came and took his yoke upon them, they found it easy, and his burden light, because they found rest to their souls thereby. They provided themselves bags which waxed not old, a treasure in the heavens, where they fixed their hearts also; and out of this treasure, they brought forth good fruits. They kept their loins girded about and their lights burning, like faithful servants waiting for their Lord, that at whatever hour he might come, they might be ready to open

2 Cor. vii. 10.

· Matt. xi. 29.

d

b John i. 29.
d Luke xii. 33.

to him immediately. They were made wise unto salvation, through the bounty of their Lord, who was, and always is, faithful to his promise, in blessing those servants whom he finds watching; even with that condescending love of girding himself, and coming forth, and serving them. They received their daily bread, to nourish up their souls unto life eternal, while the self-righteous, formal professors, rejected him who is the bread of life, thinking themselves whole when they had no appetite to receive that bread which alone could give and support life to the soul, animating and strengthening it to worship the Father of spirits in spirit and in truth.

My heart's desire is, that we who profess to be disciples of Christ, may be rightly instructed, by reading these striking events which took place in the morning of the gospel day, as contrasted with those of our own time. Let us not content ourselves merely with the name these poor Gentiles received, without attaining to the nature which constitutes the new name, and is promised to him that overcometh, and no one knoweth, save him that receiveth it.

Herein then lies each Christian's proper business, to "press forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," by taking up his daily cross, and following him. To such he giveth to find rest to their souls; for the promise attached

Luke xii. 37.

f Rev. ii. 17.

8 Philip iii. 14.

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