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, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For Chrift alfo 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 he 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, Jefus Chrift, which bath. called you is holy; fo be ye holy 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 Chrift as the great and conftant incitement to all holinefs? Whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jefus. Let God in all things be glorified through Jefus Chrift. Let every one that nameth the name of Chrift depart from iniquity (≈).

If Chrift has thus glorified, if he has thus eftablished, in its wideft extent, the moral law of God, by his life, by

(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.

his death, by his perfonal inftructions, and by the Holy Ghoft fpeaking by the mouth of his apoftles: how fatally do thofe unhappy men deceive themselves who difcourfe of a mitigated law; who imagine that they are in any degree fet at liberty through Chrift 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 hopeft 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 Christ. If thy deeds are the deeds of darkness; thou belongeft to the kingdom of darkness. If thou indulgeft thyfelf 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. Jesus Christ, 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. () Cor. iii. 11. (c) Acts, iv. 12.

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 fhall no flesh be justified in his 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 (ƒ): 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)..

;

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 cross (b). He laid down his life of himself: no man took it from him but he laid down his life of himself (¿) ; that all that believe in him, and prove their faith by holy obedience,fhould be clothed with his righteous nefs, and receive, through the merits of his atonement, pardon and eternal happiness. He rofe from the dead, and fhewed himself again upon earth, for our juftification (k): as a decifive

(d) Rom. iii. 20-23. (e) Rom. vi. 23. James, ii. 10, 11. (f) Gal. iii. 10. (g) Matt. xxv. 41. (b) Gal. iii. 13, (i) John, xv. 18.'

(k) Rom. iv. 25.

proof

proof that the price which he had paid for human redemption was accepted; that the divine juftice was appeafed by the sufferings which, as the furety of man, he had sustained; 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 fanctification 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 Chrift, and is fent forth by Chrift 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 Christ our Saviour (o). If we come forth from our graves to the refurrection of life; it is because Chrift

(1) Ephef. ii. 18. John, xiv. 6. (a) Rom. viii. 9. John, xv. 26.

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

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 alfo 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 hosts of angels fell down on their faces and worfhipped, Salvation to our God and unto the Lamb (t). My brethren, How shall we escape, if we neglect fo great falvation (u) ?

(p) John, v 29. xiv. 19. Ifaiah, xlvi. 13. xlix. 6.

(9) John, xiv. 2. (r) Zech. ix,

(5) Luke, i. 69. Heb. ii. 10.

(*) Rev. vii. 9--12. (u). Heb. ii. 3.