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of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, be bumbled bimself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (p). When the fame apostle recommends meeknefs and gentleness; what is his argument? I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (q). When he exhorts to unity and concord, and mutually edifying affiftance? Let every one of us pleafe bis neighbour for his good to edification: for even Chrift pleafed not himfelf: fought not his own ease and fatisfaction, but the benefit of others. The God of patience and confolation grant you to be like minded one towards another, according to Chrift Jefus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God (r). When he admonishes Chriftians to brotherly love; to what pattern does he refer us? Walk in love, as Chrift alfo bath loved us; and hath given himfelf for us an offering and a facrifice unto God (s). ́ By what example does he enforce the duty of forgiveness? Even as Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye (t). How does he encourage charity to the poor? So labouring ye ought to support the weak; and to remember the words of the Lord Jefus, how be faid, It is more blessed to

(p) Philipp. ii. 5-8. (s) Eph. v. 2.

(9) 2 Cor. x. 1. (r) Rom. xv, 1–6. (t) Col. iii. 13.

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give than to receive (u). When St. Peter teaches men to be patient under injuries; what model does he propofe to them? If, when ye do well and fuffer for it, take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For Chrift also fuffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps: who did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when be fuffered, he threatened not (w). When the fame apostle inculcates univerfal holiness; to what ftandard does he direct the thoughts of his followers? As he, Jesus Christ, which hath called you is holy; fo be ye boly in all manner of converfation (x). Is not the fame motive urged by St. John? He that faith, he abideth in Him, namely, in Chrift, ought himself alfo to walk even as He walked (y). And do not the facred writers hold up the name of Christ as the great and conftant incitement to all holinefs? Whatfoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Let God in all things be glorified through Jefus Chrift. Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity (x).

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If Chrift has thus glorified, if he has thus eftablished, in its wideft extent, the

(u) Acts, xx. 35. (w) 1 Pet. ii. 20-23. (x) 1 Pet. i, 15. (y) 1 John, ii. 6. (≈) Col. iii. 17. 1 Pet. iv. 11.2 Tim. ii. 19. moral

moral law of God, by his life, by his death, by his perfonal inftructions, and by the Holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of his apoftles: how fatally do thofe unhappy men deceive themfelves who difcourfe of a mitigated law; who imagine that they are in any degree fet at liberty through Christ from any one obligation to univerfal holiness, from any one branch or particle of moral duty. Shew me thy faith by thy works (a), if thou hopest to enter into heaven. If the fruits of faith do not habitually appear in thy life; thine is not a faith which will justify thee through Chrift. If thy deeds are the deeds of darkness; thou belongest to the kingdom of darkness. If thou indulgeft thyself in any known fin; thou art in bondage to the author of fin. Unless with a broken and contrite heart thou fleeft unto Jefus, and haft thy fruits through his Spirit unto holinefs; thy end fhall not be everlasting life.

3. Jefus Chrift, in the third place, is the corner-ftone of falvation. Other foundation can no man lay (b). There is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby they must be faved (c). Through him we are justified ; through him we are fanctified; through him we receive the inheritance of eternal life. In confequence of the finfulness and difobe

(a James, ii. 18. (b) 1 Cor. iii. 11. (c) Acts, iv., 12.1

dience of men a covenant of works neceffarily terminates in death. All have finned, and come short of the glory of God: and by the deeds of the law fball no flesh be justified in bis fight (d). The wages of fin, of every fin, is death (e). Every man reads his own ruin in that tremendous denunciation; Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them (f) and looks forward with gloomy forebodings to the final fentence on record against all who fhall remain under the curfe of the law: Depart, ye curfed, into everlasting fire (g).

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Chrift is the mediator of a new and a better covenant established in his own blood. He redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us; that he might reconcile us to God by the crofs (b). He laid down. his life of himfelf: no man took it from him: but he laid down his life of himself (i); that all that believe in him, and prove their faith by holy obedience, fhould be clothed with hist righteousness, and receive, through the merits of his atonement, pardon and eternal happiness. He rose from the dead, and fhewed himfelf again upon earth, for our juftification (k,; as a

(e) Rom. vi. 23. (g) Matt. xxv. 48.

(d) Rom. iii. 20-23. (f) Gal iii. 10. (i) John, xv. 18.

(k) Rom. iv. 25.

James, ii. 10, 11. (b) Gal. iii. 13

decifive

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decifive proof that the price which he had paid for human redemption was accepted; that the divine justice was appeafed by the sufferings which, as the furety of man, he had fuftained; that mercy and reconciliation through him were freely offered to all mankind; that he ever liveth to make interceffion for us; that he has the keys of death and the grave, that to him all judgement is committed; that he has all power in earth and heaven. Through him we have access to the Father. He is the way, and the truth, and the life: and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him (/). Through Him alone we obtain the regenerating fan&tification of the Holy Ghoft. If we are born again of water and of the Spirit; emblematically of water, fubftantially of the Spirit; and are thus rendered capable of entering into the kingdom of God (m); that Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, and is sent forth by Christ from the Father (n). If we are faved by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft; that influence of the Holy Ghoft is fhed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrift our Saviour (o). If we come forth from our graves to the refurrection of life; it is because Christ

(1) Ephef. ii. 18.

(a) Rom viii. 9

John, xiv 6.
John, xv. 26.

(m) John, iii. 5. (0) Tit. iii. 5, 6.

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