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piation was to be made for guilt. He looked for juftification to his burnt offerings and facrifices; to the blood of bulls and of goats which could never take away fin (k). Through the veil of types and emblems he difcerned not the true atonement. He had heard of One who fhould fave Ifrael. But he looked to deliverance from worldly foes, to preeminence over proftrate kingdoms. He had heard of One who fhould redeem Ifrael from all his iniquities (1). But he looked only to the fuller establishment of the Mofaic law. He was affured that the Redeemer fhould be ftricken for the tranfgreffion of his people; that he should pour out his foul unto death; that he should make his foul an offering for fin: that he should bear the fins of many, and make interceffion for the tranfgreffors (m). But pride ftupified his heart. Vain of his exclufive privileges, he deemed them all-fufficient. Averfe to the righteousness of God, he ftood upon the deeds of the law. Dazzled by phantoms of temporal grandeur, he shut his eyes against the image of a suffering Meffiah. To the Christian these myfteries are revealed; these fhadows are become realities. He knows that by the deeds, whether of the

(4) Hebr. x. 4. (/) Pfalm cxxx, 8. (m) Isaiah, liii.

ceremonial or of the moral law, shall no flesh

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be justified in the fight of God. He renounces all claim to merit even in the leaft imperfect of his works; and pleads for pardon and juftification folely through the propitiatory facrifice of the Son of God. In Chrift Jefus, contemplated by the eye of faith on the cross, he beholds wisdom and righteousness and fanctification and redemption; that, as it is written, he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord (n).

Survey then, my brethren, your advantages. From him to whom much is given, much Shall be required (o). Have you pondered this rule? Have you confidered the confequences of falling fhort when tried by this standard? Moft confpicuously hath God fhewed you what is good; what he requires you to believe, and what he requires you to perform, Have you obferved then to do juftly? Are you upright and faithful in all your words and in all your actions, as juftice indifpenfably demands? You may forget juftice: but God will not forget it, You may refufe to render to others that which belongs to them but He will render to you according to your works. God is not a man, that he should lie. Hath he spoken, and shall be not do it? The Lord

(n) 1 Cor, i, 30, 31. (6) Luke, xii. 48.

knoweth

knoweth how to referve the unjuft unto the day.

Do

of judgement to be punished (p). He will furely fulfil his word; he will accomplish his threatenings. The hope of the unjust man perisheth (g). He may flatter himself with hopes of heaven: but, as furely as the word of God is true, he will find himself among the wicked who are turned into hell. you love mercy? Have you not only proved yourself gentle, kind, tender-hearted, compaffionate, and charitable, in your ordinary proceedings; but have you diligently fought opportunities of exercising these Christian virtues, and placed your delight in the exercise of them? Have you remembered the infinite and unmerited mercy of Jefus Chrift in dying on the crofs to make atonement for your fins, that if through his offered grace you repent and believe and obey you may be received for His fake into heaven? He who fheweth no mercy fhall have judgement without mercy. If you forgive not men their trespasses against you, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trefpaffes (r) against Himself. Do you walk humbly with your God? Do you acknowledge your utter unworthinefs in his fight? Do you confefs the original corruption

(p) Numb xxiii. 19. 2 Pet. ii. 9. (r) James, ii. 13. Matth. vi. 15.

(9) Prov. xi. 7.

of

of your nature, and your numberless tranfgreffions by thought and word and deed of the righteous laws of your God? Have you fled for falvation to Chrift, through whom alone man is to be faved? Have you taken him for your Lord and Master? Are old things paffed away, and all things become new? Has the Grace of the Spirit of Christ transformed you into a new creature (s)? Do you pray for the continued influence of that Spirit to enable you to fhew yourself a fincere fervant of the Lord Jefus? Do you humbly fubmit your imaginations and defires to his gospel? Do you ftrive to love what he commands you to love, and cheerfully to renounce what he forbids? Follow him now, that he may aèknowledge you hereafter. If you are not one of his faithful followers on earth; he will deny you and caft you out at the great day. Love Him with your whole heart, humbly and ftedfastly serve Him here; and he will own you before affembled angels, and receive you for ever into glory.

1

() 2 Cor. v. 17.

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On Prefumptuous Plans.
[Preached at the Commencement of a new Year.]

JAMES, iv. 13-17.

Go to now, ye that fay; "To-day, or to-mor 66 row, we will go into fuch a City, and con"tinue there a Year, and buy and fell, and get Gain." Whereas ye know not what shall оп the Morrow. For what is your Life? It is even a Vapour, that appeareth for a little Time, and then vanifheth away. For that ye ought to fay; "If the Lord will, we

be

But now

ball live and do this or that." ye rejoice in your Boaftings: all fuch Rejoicing is Evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not; to him it is Sin.

THE Scriptures abound with admonitions

calculated to undeceive mankind refpecting the importance and the natural effects of wealth. If riches increase, faith the warn

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