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"the saints." But, blessed be God, the effects of infidelity have hitherto failed of success; and we may justly consider the liturgy of our church as being under God, and in subordination to His word, the strongest bulwark against its furious assaults.

But I trust that the reader of these pages has not only received the "true faith" from his forefathers, as a system to be credited, but that he also feels the power and comfort of it in his own soul. If he have received the testimony of the Three coequal witnesses that bear witness in heaven; if he have cordially embraced "the "testimony, that God hath given to us eternal "life, and that this life is in His Son;" then he sees the propriety of thanking God not only for an external revelation in His word, but also for internal light and comfort shed on his mind by God the Spirit. For he knows that "no man "can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost."

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The prayer which follows the act of adoration and thanksgiving which we have reviewed is twofold. For we implore Divine conservation in the true faith, and a defence from all those adversities to which a profession of it may ex

pose us.

We beseech God to "keep us steadfast in the "faith" of the Trinity which we avow. For as we deem it to be essential to the enjoyment of all comfort here and to everlasting salvation, our perseverance in it is a matter of high importance. Thereon depends the peace of our consciences, the holiness of our hearts and lives, and our admission at last into God's everlasting kingdom.

It is supposed in this petition that our steadfastness in the faith will be tried. And indeed

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it is "the trial of our faith, which being much "more precious than of gold that perisheth, 86 though it be tried with fire, shall be found "unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." The subtilty of Satan, the sophistry of men, and the pride and unbelief of our own hearts, will bring our steadfastness to a severe test, which nothing but the sustaining power of Almighty grace can enable us to withstand. And besides these internal conflicts, which all may expect to endure in a greater or less degree, we know not to what outward tribulation the profession of a true faith may expose us, if the prediction of a late heresiarch should be verified, and the train of gunpowder which he tells us has been laid with so much industry should make an explosion, and bury both church and state in ruins.

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dreadful catastrophe may God in his mercy avert from us! However this be, it is certain that without persevering and establishing grace continually communicated to us, we shall be in danger of wavering in our profession, and even of abandoning our creed. That man does not know the force of temptation, the sophistry of infidelity, nor the pride and treachery of his own fallen heart, who is not conscious of his danger, and who doth not discern clearly the necessity of crying to the strong for strength that he may be "kept steadfast in the faith."

In the use of this petition we implore grace, not only that we may be preserved in the outward and unremitted profession of sound doctrine, but also in the inward experience and enjoyment of it. The doctrine of the Trinity: in Unity, as connected with redemption, is the

ground of all spiritual comfort, and the motive to all evangelical holiness; so that on the steadfastness of the mind in the belief of it depend our consolations and our hopes, our energies and unremitted acts of obedience. We pray, therefore, that we may be enabled so to believe in the Deity of Christ and of His Spirit, that we may derive from that belief the comfort which it affords, and the sanctification which it produces. If our views of the dignity which belongs to the person of Christ be at any time clouded, the validity of His atonement will proportionally become suspicious, the efficacy of His death appear to be doubtful, and the prevalency of His intercession be called in question. If the glory of the Spirit's Godhead be obscured, we can have no confidence that the work of grace will ever be accomplished, that sin will be eradicated from our hearts, and our souls be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. We shall then fear the power of our enemies; and if the doubt become predominant, shall either fall back into indifference and the spirit of the world, or sink into despair. Faith in the doctrine of the Trinity is the very sinew of Godliness. Without it, spirituality of mind, victory over the world, peace of conscience, and a good hope in death, are impossibilities. O how needful then is the petition of our collect that we may be kept steadfast in this faith! A dereliction of this would be apostacy from God and from Christianity; it would leave us under the guilt of our sins and the curse of the law, with all the "additional criminality of having trmpled under foot the Son of God, and done despite to the Spirit of grace."

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We proceed to pray for defence from all adversities. This is added with great propriety; for a confession of a true faith will expose us to adversities. In the early ages of Christianity its confessors were exposed to all manner of outward adversities. They "had trials of cruel "mockings and scourgings; yea, moreover, of "bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned,

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they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were "slain with the sword; they wandered about in

sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, "afflicted, tormented." And though, through the merciful providence of God, we are at present free from the danger of imprisonment or death for an avowal of the truth; yet "all who "will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer per"secution." The siftings of Satan, the sneers of the world, and the raging of corruption, are adversities from which none are exempt; and the bitterness of which the heart that endures them only knows, and from which God only can defend us. The confessor of a true faith is enlisted as a soldier, and must fight the good fight, finish his course, and keep the faith, ere he can wear the crown of righteousness. "But "God is faithful, who will not suffer" those who lean on His protection "to be tempted above "that they are able, but will with the tempta❝tion also make a way to escape, that they may "be able to bear it. And while we believe "in God the Father, who made us and all the world," as our reconciled Father, our "Almighty and Everlasting God;"—while we "believe in God the Son, who redeemed us " and all mankind," as our "Almighty and Everlasting God" and Saviour, and "in God

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"the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth the elect "people of God," as our sanctifier and comforter; we have a hope that maketh not ashamed, a ground of confidence of which we may boast before men and devils. For our Triune God "liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen."

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