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by Jehovah according to his high and holy will, which is known to himself, though unknown to them, and find any divine sweetness coming into their souls from the doctrines of everlasting love, and predestinating grace; let them look upon it as a token for good, and treasure it up as a choice expression, and evidence of God's love to them. If they can leave themselves simply with Christ, and honour him as their remembrancer in heaven, by believing that he hath the everlasting interest of his people at heart, and has graven them on the palms of his hands; let them know this is the way to be made truly sensible they are his portion. It is one way which Christ is pleased in heaven to make use of, to manifest his love to the hearts of his people on earth; to quicken their affections, and excite their love to him, by sending his Spirit to bring such a scripture to their minds, as in a moment, through his life-giving influences, creates such thoughts of him as inflame their souls with the most divine affections to him, and give them most high, glorious, and divine views of his love to them.

To conclude; Christ who knows the heart of his Father in heaven towards his people in their militant state; also his own thoughts and views of them, and presents them in his own person, work, and intercession, complete before the throne; will most surely rebuke Satan for their sakes, giving them good evidence of his faithful fulfilment of his promise, that no weapon formed against them, either by earth or hell, shall prosper. May we find the truth of it. Amen.

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SERMON XI.

HEBREWS V. 2.

WHO CAN HAVE COMPASSION ON THE IGNORANT, AND OF THEM THAT ARE OUT OF THE WAY, FOR THAT

HE HIMSELF ALSO IS COMPASSED WITH INFIRMITY.

Ir hath pleased God in the scriptures of ruth, to set before us the exceeding sinfulness of sin, with the universal fall and total corruption of all mankind; to the intent, whenever it is given unto us through the gracious teachings and quickening influence of the Holy Ghost to feel our guilt, see our ruin, and acknowledge our danger, we may be fitted to receive the welcome news of a Saviour, and receive him as our salvation. In the everlasting gospel, the ever blessed God sets forth before us, life and salvation, pardon and redemption, in its utmost freeness, fulness and perfection: so that it is indeed the power of God to every one that believeth.

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In this epistle the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth in the glories of his person, and in the dignity and efficacy of his priestly office, with the blessings and benefits which flow therefrom. A subject which exactly suits us, so far as by the inward light and teaching of the Holy Spirit we know ourselves to be sinners, as the whole remedy and cure for sin is contained therein.

Of such vast use and importance did that great light of the Church of Christ, the renowned Doctor Owen conceive the epistle to the Hebrews to be, that he said, 'The natural world might as well be without the sun, as the church of "Christ without this epistle.'

As the eternal dignity and everlasting efficacy of Christ's sacrifice flows from the essential GODHEAD and divinity of his person, so this epistle begins with giving us an account thereof. The scriptures reveal and speak of Christ's essential, personal, mediatorial, and relative glory. "God, who at sundry times and divers manners, spake in time past unto the fa thers by the prophets, hath in these last

days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds: who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high." The apostle never treats of that great act of Christ's putting away our sins, and purging away the filth of them by the sacrifice of himself, without speaking of his co-existence in the GODHEAD and equality with the Father, that from the view of him as one in the essential, incomprehensible, self-existing essence, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, we might trust in his work as our finished salvation; and derive everlasting consolation from his engagements with his Father on our behalf, and from his offices which receive all their validity therefrom. The sacred writer presents Christ, the Son of the living God, clothed with flesh and blood as the true Immanuel; and calls upon us to contemplate his person, excellencies and

office:

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