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liveth that we shall live alfo (p). If we are admitted into the manfions of his Father it is because He is gone before to prepare a place for us (q). Well therefore fpake the voice of prophecy, when God announced beforehand the future coming of his Son in the flesh; Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion: fbout, O daughter of Jerufalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is juft, and having falvation. I will place falvation in Zion for Ifrael. I will also give thee for a light unto the Gentiles; that thou mayeft be my falvation unto the ends of the earth (r). Well do the facred writers of the New Teftament celebrate the Lord Jefus under the name of a Horn of falvation, the Captain of our falvation (s). Well might that glorious and countless multitude feen by St. John before the throne of God and of Chrift; a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and peoples and tongues, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; well might they cry with a loud voice, while the furrounding hofts of angels fell down on their faces and worshipped, Salvation to our God and unto the Lamb (t. My brethren, How shall we efcape, if we neglect fo great falvation (u)?

(p) John, v. 29. xiv. 19. (g) John, xiv. 2. (r) Zech. ix. 9. Ifaiah, xlvi. 13. xlix 6. (s) Luke, i. 69. Heb. ii. 10. (t) Rev. vii. 9-12.

(u) Heb. ii. 3.

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II. 1. Thus then we are to look to Jefus Chrift as the corner-ftone of our faith, of our practice, of our juftification, of our fanctification, of our hopes of pardon and eternal life. He who builds on that corner-ftone, builds on a fure rock: he who believes on Chrift shall not be confounded.

Chrift, faith the apostle, is able to fave to the uttermoft them that come unto God by him (w). He is head over all things to his church, which he purchased with his own blood. He has declared that the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it. Fear not, little flock, faid he to his difciples: for it is your Father's good. pleafure to give you the kingdom (x). Into that univerfal church he invites all mankind.

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into all the world; and preach the gospel to every creature. Come unto Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden; and I will give you reft. Take my yoke upon you, and ye fhall find reft to your fouls. Him that cometh unto me, I will in no For the Scripture faith, as whofoever believeth on Him fhall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the few and the Greek; for the fame Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

wife caft out (1).

St. Paul fubjoins,

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(w) Heb. vii. 25. xvi..15, Matt. xi. 28, 29.

(x) Luke, xii. 32.
John, vi. 37.

(y) Mark,

For whofoever shall call upon the name of the Lord fhall be faved (x). Believe then in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou shalt be saved (a). Haft thou a true and lively faith in Christ: not a barren and dead faith, influencing only thy understanding; but a genuine and living faith, governing thy heart, and proving its own reality by ftedfast holiness of life? Thy faith has already brought thee into the way of falvation. Persevere in the fame faith unto death, and thou shalt obtain falvation. For be that endureth unto the end, the fame fhall be faved (b). My sheep, faith the Lord Jefus, bear my voice; and I know them, and they folAnd I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand (c). If, as Noah fled to the ark, thou haft fled for refuge from deftruction to thy Saviour; and if thou provest, by hearing his voice and following him, that thou continueft in his fheep-fold: thefe promifes are made unto thee. Chrift, the good shepherd, will not permit the powers of darknefs to pluck thee from thence by violence: and he will afford thee grace fufficient, if thou wilt feek and employ it aright, to preferve thee from abandoning his fold of thy felf. He

low me.

(z) Rom. x. 11–13.
(6) Matt. x. 22.
VOL. I.

(a) Acts, xvi. 31,
(c) John, x, 27, 28.

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will not suffer thee to be tempted above that which thou art able to fuftain; but with the temptation will alfo make a way to escape, that thou mayeft be able to bear it. He will fo overrule the events of thy life, that all things fhall work together to thee for good in the end, because thou loveft God and thy Redeemer. When he chaftens thee, he will think upon mercy. When distress and anguish are ready to overpower thee; he will fill thy heart with the peace of God, which paffeth all understanding. He will strengthen thee upon the bed of languishing; he will make all thy bed in thy fickness. When thou walkest through the valley of the fhadow of death, thou shalt fear no evil; for he shall be with thee, his rod and his ftaff fhall comfort thee, When thou ftandeft before his throne of judgement, he will acknowledge thee for his fervant. He will interpofe his atonement between thee and condemnation. He will cover thy unworthiness with his merits; he will array thee in his righteousnefs. He will change thy vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself. He will fay unto thee, Come, thou bleed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for thee from the foundation of

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the world (d). He will caufe thee to reign with him for ever and ever.

My brethren, if these are bleffings worthy of your purfuit; remember through whom alone they are to be obtained. Remember Jefus Chrift, the Author and Finisher of your faith; Jefus Chrift your Legiflator and your King; Jefus Chrift your propitiatory facrifice; Jefus Christ the Lord of life, the Giver of falvation. Take your part with him. Confecrate yourfelves to his fervice. Stand forth as his foldiers in the face of an unrighteous world. If you are not with Chrift, you are against him. There is no middle path. If you are not his friends; you are the friends of the world, the flesh and the devil. If religion is any thing, it is every thing. If you make religion a fecondary concern; you are not religious. If it be not your prevailing defire and study day by day to walk in the faith of Christ, and to manifest your love and fear of God through his Son by humble, watchful, refolute and perfevering holiness; you are not religious. Look well then to yourselves; for eternity is at stake.

2. If the righteous fcarcely be faved; if even thofe perfons, whofe hearts the Spirit of fanctification has turned unto holiness, mourn unto

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