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SERM.

IX.

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I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that be shall and at the latter Day upon the Earth.

And tho after my Skin, Worms deftroy

this Body, yet in my Flefh fhall I fee God.

Whom I shall fee for my self, and mine

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Eyes fhall behold, and not another ;*** tho my Reins be confum'd within me. D

To who

HAT the Holy Men and Womenői who liv'd before the Incarnation o of our Lord, had the fame Expectations or which we have of an immortal Life after 1

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Death;

Death; That they believ'd in the fame
Chrift to come, in whom, as already

come, we profefs to believe; and that.
they were actually faved by Faith in the
fame Jefus, by whom we hope to be
faved, is a Doctrine very agreeable to
the clear and pofitive Declarations of
God's Word, and for that Reafon held
forth by the Church of England in her
Articles; in which She afferts, That as
well in the Old as in the New Teftament,
everlasting Life is offer'd unto Mankind
by Chrift, who is the only Mediator be-
tween God and Man, being both God
and Man; and that therefore they are not
to be heard, who feign that the Old
Fathers look'd only for tranfitory Pro-
mifes.

AMONG many other Texts of Scripture which might be produc'd' to fupport and confirm this Truth, this which I have pitch'd upon for the Subject of my following Difcourfe, is fo plain and full to the Purpose, that it is fufficient alone to put the Matter out of Queftion. For in sit holy fob does in the strongest and

moft

SERM.

IX.

SERM,

IX.

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moft fignificant Terms exprefs his unfhaken Truft and Confidence in that Meffiah, to whom all the Prophets, ever fince the World began, bare Witness, together with his ftedfaft Affurance of being made a Partaker of Redemption from Sin and Mifery by the Merits of his Death, and of a Refurrection to endlefs Blifs by the Power of his Life. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that be shall stand at the latter Day upon the Earth. And tho' after my Skin, Worms deftroy this Body, yet in my Flefh fhall I fee God: Whom I fhall fee for my felf, and mine Eyes fhall behold, and not another; tho' my Reins be confum'd with

in me.

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It is well known that fome have endeavour'd to put another Interpretation upon the Words; but that fo unnatural and forc'd, that it deferves not to be mentioned; much less may it ftand in Competition with the most obvious and generally receiv'd Sense; against which there lies no confiderable Objection, from which therefore we have no Reafon

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Reason to depart.

The Words then

taken in their natural and genuine Meaning contain,

1. JOB's Faith in his Redeemer, in a living Redeemer, that should stand at the latter Day upon the Earth.

2. HIS Belief of the future Refurrec tion of his Body, and that notwithstanding the Difficulties which attended it, tho' Worms fhould deftroy his Body, tho' his Reins were confum'd. within him.

I. THEN the Words exprefs Job's Faith in his Redeemer, in a living Redeemer, that should stand at the latter Day upon the Earth.

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Now the Title of Redeemer belongs eminently to Chrift, as he deliver'd us from a State of Mifery and Captivity, by offering up himfelf a Sacrifice in our ftead, and thereby making a full Satiffaction and Attonement for our Tranfgreffions.

SIN having gain'd a Conqueft over our first Parents, all who defcended from them were born Subjects to its Dominion.

No

SERM.

IX.

SERM.

IX.

No meer Man was ever exempted from its Power; nor could thofe who ftrugled moft against it, ever free themfelves in tirely from its Yoke. Even those who died before they had committed actual Offences, were neverthelefs while they liv'd in Captivity to its Law, as being tainted with original Depravity communicated to them with their Being.

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As all Men were under the Power of
Sinfo Death, which came into the
World by Sin, pass'd upon all, and ob
tain'd an Empire of univerfal Extent.

So far as Men were the Servants of Sin, they were likewife the Servants of Satan; who firft tempted Mankind to fin, to the End that he might rule over them, and become the Prince of this World. He was as cruel a Master to his Vaffals, as he had been an undutiful Servant to his Maker; for his Service was the most vile and intolerable Slavery, and his Wages Torment without end.

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IN this hopelefs Condition we must for ever have continued, had not the Lord, Mighty to Save, undertook our

Delive

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