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words, like filver tried in a furnace of earth, and purified feven times. And they are written in fuch capital letters, and expref. fed with fuch plainnefs and precision, that no fophiftry can either darken their meaning or impair their force; unless it be to thofe unstable fouls who are " ever learn"6 ing, but never able to come to the know"ledge of the truth;" "who like children "are toffed to and fro, and carried about "with every wind of doctrine, by the flight "of men and cunning craftiness, whereby "they lie in wait to deceive.' I therefore repeat upon this occafion, what I have often inculcated, and the Scriptures of truth uniformly teach, that the gofpel-falvation is a prefent falvation; and that the Lord Jefus Christ is not only a deliverer from "wrath

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to come," but that, in the mean time, he faves all who trust in him, from that fin which renders them obnoxious to wrath; first, by expiating the guilt of it by his death, and next, by breaking the power of it in their hearts, through the operation of that Spirit which is the feal of their adop

tion, the earnest and first-fruits of their future inheritance.

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These are the particulars upon which I would have you to examine yourselves impartially, as those who expect a judgement to come. Some of them are fo effential to the character of a Chriftian, that every one who truly believeth in Chrift, must have a confcioufnefs of them in his own mind; for none was ever born into the family of God, without fuch a conviction of guilt, pollution, and weakness, as rendered the Redeemer both neceffary and precious in his esteem. And though the enlightened mind will discover much imperfection, and many humbling blemishes, even in the fairest of those fruits which are the product of true and saving faith; yet (unless it be in those who are but newly entered into the fchool of Chrift) the effects of his teaching muft, in fome degree, appear in fuch gracious fruits as I just now mentioned. And I fhould betray the truft committed to me, and reproach that grace I profefs to magnify, if I encouraged any to conclude,

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that they are savingly acquainted with it, whose temper and practice have undergone no change, whatever pretenfions they may make to faith in the Redeemer, and confident affurance of their final falvation': for all the faved of the Lord are exprefsly denominated "God's workmanship, created in "Chrift Jefus unto good works, which God "hath before ordained that they should "walk in them." And it will remain an invariable truth, to the confufion of all vain boasting hypocrites, that "whom God did "foreknow, he alfo did predeftinate to "be conformed to the image of his Son, "that he might be the first-born among many brethren."

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But my chief business at prefent is with those who know by experience the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift; having both tafted its fweetnefs, and felt the power of it in their own hearts. To fuch I fhall addrefs a few fhort exhortations, and then proceed to the fervice for which we are affembled.

ift, Give glory to God for what you know of his grace; and humbly acknowledge that it was he, and he only, who

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opened your eyes, and turned you from darkness to light.-Who made you to differ from others?—The proper answer to this queftion is to be found in the 4th chapter of this epistle, verfe 6. "God, who at first "commanded the light to fhine out of

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darkness, hath fhined into your hearts, to "give you the light of the knowledge of his "glory in the face of Jefus Chrift." Not unto yourselves then, not unto yourselves, but to his free distinguishing favour, is all the glory due..

2dly, Let this morning-dawn encourage you to hope for the perfect day. Chrift would never have emptied himfelf, and become poor, without the most abfolute af furance, that fome were to be enriched by him and where he begins a good work, this may, and ought to be, confidered as a certain pledge, that he will carry it forward to its full perfection; for he who is "the author," is alfo "the finisher of his "people's faith." Rejoice, therefore, in hope of the glory of God.--And till you are brought to the poffeffion of it, be careful, in the

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3d place, To ufe all the means he hath appointed for obtaining larger measures of his grace, both in respect of knowledge and of influence. Among thefe means, the holy facrament of our Lord's fupper holds. the most diftinguished rank, as it was inftituted for this very purpose, to exhibit a fenfible representation of the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, in becoming poor for our fake, that we through his poverty might be rich. Here we not only behold him in his lowest state of voluntary humiliation, evidently fet forth as crucified before our eyes; but likewife prefenting to us, and by visible symbols conferring upon us, all thofe unfearchable riches which he purchased with his blood, and fecures by his interceffion; which he actually which he actually poffeffeth as the "head of the church, which is "his body;" and conveys, by his Spirit, to every member in due feafon, and meafure, as their feveral neceffities and circumftances require. Let us then approach the table of the Lord with faith, and love, and thankful praise; and while we bless him for the grace he hath already made known to

us,

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