we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." The greater confidence that we exercise in discharging the duties of religion through faith in the mediation of our ascended Lord, the more acceptable and glorifying such services are, because we thus express more elevated thoughts of his atonement and intercession. Does a conviction of guilt agitate and discourage? Upon an impartial review of days, and months that are past, do we recollect numerous and shameful failures; vows that were deliberately made, and yet repeatedly broken; precious time misimproved; opportunities of promoting our own edification, or the edification of others neglected? Does this recollection of former imperfections rise up as an insurmountable barrier between thee, and the table of thy Lord? Remember, for thine encouragement, that thou hast "an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for thy sins." By a constant exhibition of his divinely meritorious blood before the throne, he answers every charge that is urged against thee, and then issues a new pardon in thy behalf. Let every intended communicant, raising his thoughts to the High priest of our profession, repeat that challenge of triumph, who is he that condemneth? Who shall stagger my confi dence in obeying the command of my dear Saviour, or receiving that provision which his bounty is offering? Resting all my hopes for pardon and peace on that plenteous redemption which is in his blood, I will freely go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy; there my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness." Is another discouraged from approaching through the prevalence of strong corruptions? "Dost thou find a law in thy members warring against the law of thy mind?" and the more anxious that thou art to attain a suitable frame in the solemnities of religion,, does thy heart appear the more unmanageable, and prone to depart from the living God? All this deceitfulness, this desperate wickedness, of which thou art complaining,, only furnishes a new errand to the everliving, ever-prevailing Advocate; and it affords him a new opportunity of bringing: glory to himself, by causing thee to "abound in hope by the power of the Holy Ghost." -Sanctify them through thy truth is his pe-tition before the throne, and he is not only a Priest to demand this blessing, but a King,. and therefore mighty to dispense it; to mor-tify each rising corruption; to subdue eve-ry adversary; to improve and perfect every grace, and to "present thee faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." He loved thee, insignificant, undeserving, debased as thou art in thine own estimation, and "gave himself for thee, that he might sanctify and cleanse thee with the washing of water by the word,” and it is 176 his constant solicitude at the court above, that this with every other benefit of his purchase may be actually administered. Sooner therefore shall heaven and earth pass away, than a single mercy which he procured upon his cross, and now demands upon his throne, fail of its application. And the more frail thou art in thyself, the more languid seemingly thy love, the more wanton and wandering thy heart, the deeper will be thy debt, and the louder thy song for ever to that Jesus who redeems, and sanctifies, and saves. "O thou of little faith, wherefore shouldest thou doubt?" Is not "the blood of the Lamb" meritorious "to cleanse thee from all sin?" Is not his righteousness "an everlasting righteousness, and therefore sufficient to cover all thy deformity? And is not his appearance with the Father an infallible security for the communication "of grace to help in the time of need?" Although you may look with shame upon your idle schemes; your airy hopes; your groundless fears; your oppor tunities lost; admonitions slighted; blessings neglected; trifles admired, with innumerable other infirmities;" yet amidst all that humiliation and sorrow, which arise from this view, behold this great High Priest who is over the house of God, and then draw near with true hearts; hearts awed by his authority, constrained by his love, resting on his promises, and rejoicing in the hope of his glory; dran near to this feast of love by the blood of Jesus, by that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us. How should the heirs of promise triumph in the offices of their redeeming Jehovah, and how cheerfully should they obey every command, with a confidence on the sufficiency of his covenant, and his infinite readiness to impart! Receive this day, in the ordinance of the supper, another pledge of his love, and another earnest of his final appearing. Yes, believing communicants, he who now lives to make intercession for you in heaven, will shortly come and translate you to live with him. Who knows but the Forerunner within the veil is saying on this occasion of some disconsolate guest, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom?" What heart does not bound with joy at the reviving prospect! Who would not unite in the ardent, elevated expostulation of the spouse, "until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether. Amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus.” SERMON VI. 2. TIMOTHY, IV. 7. I have fought a good fight. THE dying conversation even of ordinary men is in some degree impressive, and interesting. But the last sayings of those who have shone with eminent lustre on the theatre of life; who have been distinguished. as ornaments to the church, and benefactors to mankind, are heard with peculiar veneration and awe. Their maxims, founded on experience, drawn from careful observation of men and things, of causes with their train of consequences, are heard with a degree of reverence, are long recollected by their survivors, and carry with them nearly the sanction of a law. We expect to learn from them admonitions by which we may tread in the same path along which they walked, attain to the same eminence in usefulness, and experience, in the end of our journey, the same consolation and triumph. Thus all the sons of Jacob crowded around the bed of their dying father to hear his counsels, and to receive his blessing. When Moses, the servant of God, and deliverer of Israel, was admonished that he must go up to mount Nebo and die there, their tribes and officers stood around him, while his doctrine "dropped as the rain, and distilled upon them |