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as equally under the guardian care of the SERM. Almighty. They investigate the various opinions, and the different modes of worship, and uniformly adhere to those which appear, in their eyes, to be juft and true: While they believe, that if any man fin, he hath an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, they will not presume to limit his mediation; they will not asfert, that he is the propitiation only for those who subscribe to fuch and fuch doctrines, for they know that the Meffiah appeared upon earth that the WORLD, through bim, might be faved.

Those who would bar the door of falvation against all but their own party, whatever they may believe, and whatever they may pretend, know neither God nor JESUS They deny the attributes of the Deity; they are blind to the character and declarations of the Saviour; they furnish the infidel with his moft plausible objections,

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SERM. objections, and fight against that caufe which they mean to defend; they wander in darkness, while they fancy themselves in the light, and mistake the instigations of a spirit of perfecution, for the operations of the Spirit of Holiness.

Thus, in fpite of admonition and example, have men been more inclined to shew their zeal by their words than by their actions, to reproach rather than perfuade, and to cry Lord, Lord, rather than do the things which Chrift hath commanded. The reafon is obvious; a mere acquiefcence in articles of belief, or a furious oppofition to the tenets of others, is no facrifice of vice or pleafure; whereas he who refolves to obey, muft fly from every vicious indulgence, and relinquish every enjoyment, however dear, which is forbidden by religion. The covetous, whofe delight is in heaping up riches, will not eafily receive that law which enjoins him to give to

every one that afketh. If you warn him to SERM. reftore fourfold to thofe he hath defraud

ed, to release the debtor, and clothe the naked, will he not turn afide with incredulity and difguft? But he will attend with willingness, if you affure him that he shall inherit the kingdom of heaven by only trusting in the name of JESUS. The voluptuous and debauched is ill difpofed to hear the monitor who exhorts him to deny all finful and worldly affections, and to live a pattern of temperance and chastity; but he will eagerly embrace the doctrine which promises falvation to an unfruitful faith. No wonder then if error fhould be cheerfully entertained and acquire an extenfive sway, fince it is powerfully affifted by the depravities and vices of mankind: Reafon is foon blinded by paffion; the mind readily admits even the arguments of abfurdity, when they release it from a restraint which it is unwilling to endure.

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But is it neceffary to repeat, that if we feek to be justified by Chrift, while we ourfelves are found finners, we are wholly ignorant of the gospel covenant? Need we again be told, that if we raise our hopes of acceptance on external righteousness and immoderate zeal, we are endeavouring to erect as weak and unftable an edifice, as that which the foolish man built upon the fand-Could men be perfuaded to confult their own understandings, they would find little difficulty in diftinguishing between the true Chriftian and the hypocritical pretender. Our Saviour hath given us an infallible rule, Ye shall know them by their fruits. Search narrowly into their lives; afk them not what they believe, an answer may always be prepared; but fee what they practife:In the uniform tenor of a good life there can be no deceit; in the fecret practice of fin, in the indulgence of avarice, intemperance, and hatred, there can be no religion.-At the great day of

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account we shall not be judged by profef- SERM. fions, but by that which we have done; we shall not be acknowledged as the difciples of the JUST ONE, because we have prophefied and called aloud on the name of the Redeemer; but because we have purified ourselves as he is pure, and overcome the world as he overcame it,

The degenerate defcendants of the Patriarchs pretended that they were the legitimate offspring of Abraham, and as such looked with full confidence upon themfelves, and with haughty contempt upon others; but CHRIST declared that they were not the lawful pofterity of that faithful fervant of Gop, nor entitled to his inheritance, If ye were Abraham's children, faid he, ye would do the works of Abraham. So may it now be replied to those who boast that they are the followers of JESUS, because they have been partakers of his facraments, "If ye were Chriftians, ye would