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but the son of perdition; that the fcripture might be fulfilled." Therefore he is called "the furety of a better teftament," Heb. vii. 22. Now, he will not fee his people in want of what is necessary for their through-bearing. He lives for that end, to difpenfe the benefits of the covenant. He holds the keys, therefore they fhall not want. The Spirit is given by virtue of his afcenfion, John xvi. 7. "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will fend him unto you." For what purpofe was Jofeph fent to Egypt, and exalted there, but to provide for his father's family, being therein a notable type of Chrift? Well, then, fear not; wiles help weak folk. Though ye want strength, yet you have wisdom afforded you, even in betaking yourselves to Chrift. I may allude to that, Prov. xxx. 24.-29. "There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wife. The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the fummer; the conies are but a feeble flock, yet make they their houses in the rocks; the locufts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; the spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings palaces." Ye have the wisdom of the ants, to provide your meat in fummer; of the conies, to build in the Rock Chrift; of the locufts, not to fet out alone; and of the spiders, to be in the palace of the great King, holding by the promises. 2 Cor. xii. 9. "My grace is fufficient for thee; for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness."

2. The danger of an evil time is another source of fear. Pfal. xlix. 5. « Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels fhall compass me about? Two things there look

ghaftly

ghaftly upon them. (1.) The hazard of finning. An evil time is a time of many fnares. The foul is afraid that he will never ftand out, but one day will fall. Fear not :-Chrift died, and it was an evil time, a time of many fnares, yet he came safe off. This he did as a public perfon, and so it is a pledge that ye fhall alfo be carried through; fee Heb. iv 14.-16. Chrift lives evermore, therefore ye may fay, as David, Pfal. xviii. 46. 48. "The Lord liveth, and bleffed be my rock; and let the God of my falvation be exalted. He delivereth me from mine enemies," &c. He lives to intercede, which was Peter's fecurity: "I have," fays he, "prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." He is bufy for his people, when they have most need. (2.) There is hazard of fuffering, and that is frightful to flesh and blood. Fear not :-Chrift died, and therefore the bitter dregs of the cup are drunken off. He was forfaken in his fufferings, that you might be supported in your sufferings.— Your fufferings will but conform you to Christ your head. Chrift liveth, and therefore ye fhall be fupported in fuffering, that the world may know that he who was dead is alive. Remarkable is that word, 2 Cor. iv. 10. "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jefus, that the life of Jesus also might be made manifest in our body." A fuffering time is a fpecial feafon in which Chrift ufes to appear. We read thrice of Chrift's hour, John, xiii. 1. "Now, before the feast of the paffover, when Jefus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." Ch. xvii. 1. "Thefe words fpake Jefus,-Father, the hour is come," &c. That was an hour of darknefs. John ii. 66 4. Jefus faith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with

thee?

thee? mine hour is not yet come." That was an hour wherein the wine was done, and the pots were filled with water; you know what followed.

Here it may be objected, " But what if ordinanccs be taken away? Anfw. If they be, the God of ordinances endures for ever. Chrift liveth, "and he fhall be for a fanctuary," Ifa. viii. 14. And fays God by Ezekiel, concerning his fcattered people, "Yet will I be to them as a little fanctuary in the countries where they shall come," chap. xi. 16. When there was no ordinary food to be got in the wilderness, it was fent down from heaven. Though our kirk-doors fhould be fhut, heaven's door shall be open as long as Chrift liveth. -Obj. "But I think I am very unfruitful under ordinances." Anf. It is the greater fhame! But if this be thy trouble, know that Chrift liveth; and therefore, if there be fap in the root, there is always hope of the branches. There is enough there, draw it out. But as Chrift firft died, then arose, so the believer grows downward as well as upward. If ye have a heart-memory, though ye want a head-memory, it is well.-Obj. "But what fhall those do, when they are feized with fear and difcouragement, and cannot tell wherefor ?" Anf. The Lord may fometimes exercise his people fo, to fhew them their own weakness and nothingness. But poffibly it may be the majesty of God that fo affects thee, and the reason why it is not difcerned to be fo, may be an intimation of the Lord's love just going before it. See Dan. x. 10.-12. "And behold, a hand touched me, which fet me upon my knees, and upon the palms of my hands. And he faid unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I fpeak unto thee, and ftand upright; for unto thee am I now fent: and when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling."

trembling." But however it be, the only cure is believing, Pfal. xxvii. 13. "I had fainted, unlefs I had believed to fee the goodnefs of the Lord in the land of the living." The fooner you believe, the better; for in this case a man is like one that is going to ride a great water that is increasing; the longer he delays, the water grows ftill the greater.

Now, the way to make use of these things, fo as to draw comfort from them, is to believe. There is, in the first place, a firm affent to the truths revealed, 1 John, v. 5. "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" then, an act of faith, realifing these things, Heb. xi. 1. « Now, faith is the fubftance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not feen." To which may be added, an act of affurance, Gal. ii. 20. "I am crucified with Chrift; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." If ye cannot reach to all this extent, yet you may reach an act of adherence. A trembling hand may draw the water of confolation out of the wells of falvation. Amen.

SIN

SIN THAT WHICH SEPARATES GOD

AND MEN. *

SERMON II.

ISA. lix. 2.-But your iniquities have feparated be

tween

you and your God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

W

HEN we look abroad through the world, many fad fights may be feen; but amongst the most lamentable is man, who was by the Lord planted a noble vine, wholly a right feed, but now turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine. Some are lying mouldering in the grave of a gracelefs ftate, noifome to God and to good men; fome are in a withered state, their former beauty gone, and death has fettled down on their faces, because God, the life and foul of their fouls, is gone. If they inquire, with Rebekah, Why am I thus the answer is in the text: Your iniquities,

&c.

In these words, we have, if, a dreadful evil

* Delivered Nov. 3. 1706.

that

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