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method of salvation than remission of sins by Jesus Christ, in order to a covenant state of holiness, and newness of nature, by the power of the Holy Spirit; and if we may judge from his other sermons, this was the burden of all his preaching. In one, and that the first Christian sermon that ever was preached after the descent of the Holy Ghost, he says, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ;" Acts, ii. 38. In another," Repent ye, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, that so the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;" iii. 19. In a third, "there is salvation in no other;" iv. 12. In a fourth, "Him hath God exalted to his right hand; to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and remission of sins;" v. 31. So that these words, "Whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins," you see, did not drop from St. Peter's mouth as it were by chance, but came from his heart, where they had been deeply imprinted by the finger of God. It was the very word which God sent, and sent him and the other apostles to preach every where, and which they all sealed with their blood. Peace by Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, possessor of his saints by gift from God, and of heaven for them by purchase, was the heart of God opened to man, all his wisdom could contrive, and all his love could do, for our salvation from that unhappy state of blindness, corruption, and enmity against him, we were fallen into. And it is much to be observed, and what we should greatly lay to heart in this our day, that the goodness of God can go no farther; here almighty love is at an end with us; there remaineth no more, or other, sacrifice for sin; if it is unpurged by faith in the blood of atonement, we must lie under the burden of it for ever. He who is appointed to be the

Judge of quick and dead, and will one day separate the precious from the vile, as he ordered his disciples to shake off the very dust of their feet for a testimony against those who would not receive his Gospel of peace, in token of their desperate hardness, and utter rejection, so he cannot deny himself, but will infallibly make good his words in their eternal condemnation. Oh! why will we not accept of life and peace from God, and show that we do so by our love of Christ, and faithfulness in his service? Why do we not consider, and understand more what the Lord has done, and will do for us? Where are the earnest, daily prayers for deliverance, and to be kept safe to his heavenly kingdom? Why do'we slight so many opportunities of sealing with God, and assuring to ourselves the benefits of Christ's death and passion, in the most comfortable sacrament of his body and blood? Where is that sense of our natural misery and undone state, which would make every one of us say, " If I may but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be whole?" For these are the things, these are the inward workings and outward expressions of them, which must prove our Christianity to ourselves and others; and thus it is that "the Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God;" Rom. viii. 16. Baptism, church-going, or an outward form only of any kind, is nothing, and worse than nothing, if Christ is not working at the root of our profession; as it shuts us up in blindness and self-deceit, and hinders our closing with him for salvation. To see and acknowledge our corruption, weakness, and condemnation in sin, is the first step towards our recovery; to come to Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour, and venture our souls upon him by faith, gives us a right to all the blessings he has purchased for us; and if we have happily got over these two steps in our Christian course, our next care will be to walk worthy of the Lord unto all

well-pleasing, adorn the doctrine of Jesus Christ by a suitable, holy life, and "let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven." Here is a man in whom the Spirit dwells, and Christ reigns. The words whereby we must be saved are indeed become saving words to him; God has brought them home to his heart, and they are turned into the nourishment of his soul; and unless the truth and promise of God can fail, every thing shall work together for his good. The remainder of sin in him will find daily work for his repentance and prayers; but his faith tells him that he has an Advocate with the Father, and such a righteousness from Christ as he may boldly plead before God. Let me speak this to thee, and do thou speak it to thyself, O fearful, doubting Christian! Others boldly venture all upon mercy, though they are not qualified for it, and without renouncing their sins, or desiring a change of their wills and affections. But if thou art grieved and wearied with the burden of thy sins, and willing to be a new creature, question not one of the promises, nor thy interest in them. When thou hearest words from God whereby thou mayest be saved, do not dishonour him so much, nor be such an enemy to thy own peace, as to think he does not mean what he says; but firmly believe that there is unspeakable grace, almighty love, and everlasting truth, in those words, and that, with his help, they will assuredly save thee. Think with thyself, that so long as thou art in this heartless, doubting frame, thou art hindered by it from going on to perfection, and that the love of God cannot have its effect upon thee in bringing thee to a cheerful obedience. Let the sense of thy unworthiness always keep thee humble, but let nothing daunt thee; the mercy of God, and the blood of Christ, is above all thy sins.

On the other hand, let none of us presume upon the

mercy of God, or take it to ourselves in a wicked or a careless way. For his threatenings are as plain and as true as his promises; and "if we live after the flesh,” having our hearts upon the world, thinking we believe when we have no knowledge or belief of our sinful state or dread of sin, without any other goodness than nature can help us to, and unrenewed by the Holy Ghost, "we shall die" eternally. The mercy of God in the forgiveness of our sins gives us all the encouragement we can desire, and is a sacred bond upon us to forsake them; and was proclaimed to the world for this very end, that we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives." But our faith is vain, and our religion good for nothing, if it does not mortify sin, and increase the love of God in us.

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God grant we may know the Saviour according to the tenour of these words of St. Peter; that as he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, so he may heal all the distempers of our souls; that upon the call of John Baptist to repentance, we may see and hate those sins of ours which slew and hanged him on the tree; that we may say that Jesus is the Lord by the Holy Ghost, by whom only we can say it, and gladly believe in him for the remission of all our sins, present peace, and final acceptance with God; and that in this belief we may live to him, for the great love wherewith he loved us, and behave so worthily under him, as to meet him with joy at his second coming to judge the quick and dead. May the good Spirit take possession of us, and seal us to that blessed time, that Christ may présent us to the Father washed in his blood; and that we may for ever ascribe all honour, praise, and thanksgiving to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons, distinct in themselves, and having distinct offices in the salvation of man, but one God blessed for evermore !

SERMON XXI.

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby :

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious, 1 Peter, ii. 1-3.

ST. PETER, in the foregoing chapter, having spoken of the glory of Christ, of faith in the sprinkling of his blood, of the hope of believers by his resurrection from the dead, and poured out his sense of the great blessings they were received to, from the fulness of a joyful heart; proceeds in the next place to show what they were to build upon this foundation, and what obligations they were under from the mercy of God in Christ to improve it to newness of life, unfeigned love, and pure obedience.

"Wherefore,” i. e. seeing you have been begotten again by the word of life which has been preached to you, born of incorruptible seed, and made the children of God by adoption and grace; remember that you are now to live suitably to such a high and happy state, and be careful above all things to preserve it; and to this end, “laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings, as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

The words are very instructive, and contain a great deal in a small compass, easily remembered, and not difficult to be understood. And I observe this to convince you, if it pleases God, how poor a covering it is for your ignorance and unbelief which you are so apt to fly to, of want of time or learning to know much of Scrip

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