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"height, nor depth, nor any other creature, "fhall be able to separate me from the love "of God, which is in Chrift Jefus my Lord." It is true, the faints of God have not all the fame degree of fenfible comfort at the hour of death. The wifdom of heaven may fometimes permit them to fhut their eyes, without perceiving the full extent of the bleffedness of them who die in the Lord, or without having received thofe fenfible tokens of their victory over death. But, though weeping may endure for a night," while they are yet ftruggling to be releafed from the mortal tabernacle, their fpirits fhall awake to everlasting joy.

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6th and last place, When the morning of the day that never ends fhall dawn, they fhall again fee the good Shepherd stretching out his arms to receive them into everlasting habitations. "They fhall fee him as "he is" they fhall" be fatisfied with his "likenefs." The manfions which he is now preparing for them will then be ready. Each of them fhall enter into the bleffed abode provided for him. They fhall go

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no more out for ever;" and "the Lamb "which is in the midft of the throne shall "feed them, and fhall lead them to living "fountains of water: and God fhall wipe a

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way all tears from their eyes." Then shall they fing together with united gratitude and joy, the triumphant and eternal fong of praise, faying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was flain,

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to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, "and strength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing for thou haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Salvation "to our God, which fitteth upon the throne, "and unto the Lamb."

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And now fay, my dear brethren, in the review of what you have heard, is not the Lord Jefus a Good Shepherd indeed? He redeemed his flock with his blood, and guides them by his Spirit, and feeds them with all the rich fruits of his purchase. He defends them in life, accompanies them through death, and conducts them to thofe regions of light and love, where they fhall dwell in his prefence for evermore, eating the fruit of the tree of life, and drinking the water of the river of

VOL. III.

Y

life,

life, following the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth.

Thrice happy they who are the sheep of his pasture; who, allured by his love, and aided by his grace, have returned to him as the "Shepherd and Bishop of their fouls."

Let me then call upon fuch; for of fuch, I truft, a goodly number are affembled in this place; let me, I fay, call upon them to reflect, with gratitude and joy, upon the proofs they have already received of his care and tenderness. Remember how he found you wandering in the wilderness, exposed to every beaft of prey, infenfible of your danger,

and unable to avoid it.

Remember how he

opened your eyes to see your misery, and not only discover the all-fufficient remedy, but powerfully determined and enabled you to apply it. And let these past experiences endear him to your fouls, and ftrengthen your dependence on him, for whatever else may be neceffary to complete your falvation.

This is the natural tendency of the reprefentation I have given you, and this is the improvement of it that beft suits the occafion of our present meeting. The Good Shepherd is this day to feed his own fheep, in the fatteft

part

part of that pafture which his love hath prepared for them. The ordinance now before us, doth not merely exhibit the riches of his grace, but feals and applies them to each believer in particular, that, having this fecurity fuperadded to the unchangeable promise and oath of God, they may "have a ftrong con"folation, who have fled for refuge, to lay "hold on the hope fet before them.

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With this view, then, let us approach the table of the Lord, and pray, that this gofpelfeast may prove effectual, by his bleffing, to confirm our faith, to inflame our love, and to enliven our hope; that, by the nourishment it affords, we may be ftrengthened to pursue our journey through this wilderness, till, having paffed the Jordan of death, and arrived at the heavenly Canaan, faith and hope fhall become fight and enjoyment, and love, ever growing with the ages of eternity, fhall embrace, with increafing vigour and delight, the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for the heep. Amen.

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SERMON XV.

HEBREWS, xiii. 5.

He hath faid, I will never leave thee nor forfake thee.

HIS comfortable declaration or promise

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is introduced by the Apostle, to enforce the duty of contentment, to which he had exhorted the Hebrews in the preceding part of the verfe. Nothing can be more unbecoming in a child of God, than diffatisfaction with his prefent condition, or anxiety about his future provision in the world. It is no wonder to fee worldly men, whose portion of good things lies wholly upon earth, loading themselves with thick clay, and eagerly grafping every thing which their craving appetites demand. Such perfons cannot but be uneafy when they meet with disappointments; be

caufe,

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