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holy day and the holy place. Here grace is given, and glory anticipated.

At the table of Christ, and in the celebration of baptism, his soul is refreshed and revived by the sight of the dying Saviour expiating his sins, and of the Spirit of God, symbolically poured out as a divine cleansing, to purify his heart from moral pollution. Earth here borrows the aspect of heaven, and sublunary things are invested with no small degree of immortal beauty.

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In the church of God, he sees a real though imperfect picture of the general assembly of the first-born.' All Christians are his brethren, and fellow travellers with him towards the heavenly kingdom in the strait and narrow way that leads to life.' Their character, their hearts, their interests, their designs, are one. They are members of one family. They have one Father, even God;' they have one Lord,' even Christ; they have one Sanctifier, and one Comforter, even' the Spirit of grace.' Their hopes and fears, their doubts and discoveries, their joys and sorrows, are the same. all the same divine image is instamped, the same evangelical beauty is visible. Lovely and pleasant in their lives, `in their death they are not divided.'

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IV. The Christian finds an exalted pleasure in the good enjoyed by others.

In his view no truth is clearer than that it is more blessed to give than to receive.' With this truth he cheerfully accords; and finds, in doing good to others, a humble share of the same delight which is enjoyed by the universal Benefactor, in the overflowings of infinite beneficence to the creation. Nor is his enjoyment less exquisite when good is done by those around him. In them, as in him, real disinterested beneficence is a proof of sanctification. If the beneficence be not disinterested, he still possesses the joy of seeing his fellow creatures made happy.

In the diffusion of the divine beneficence also he experiences a perpetual delight, while he beholds the illustrious exhibitions of the goodness of God, and shares in the comfort of all on whom it descends. Especially is this enjoyment exquisite when sinners are brought out of darkness into mar

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vellous light, and from the power of Satan unto God.' souls guilty and debased, condemned and ruined, are redeemed from everlasting sin and woe. Then heaven is enlarged by the accession of new inhabitants; and the joy which is felt in that benevolent world over repenting sinners trembles delightfully through his own bosom. The sight of a sanctified mind, of a redeemed and forgiven sinner, of endless virtue and immortal life begun, is the fairest and most enchanting prospect ever seen in the great kingdom of Jehovah.

V. The joy of the Christian in this world is the beginning of everlasting joy.

To be spiritually minded is both life and peace.' This mind is the mind of every Christian. Of course, ' life and peace' eternal are begun in him, while he resides in this evil and melancholy world.

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There are indeed many interruptions, diminutions, and preventions of this glorious possession accomplished by remaining sin, and its inseparable companion, sorrow of heart.' But in the midst of all these he finds consolation, often abundant, almost unceasing, and always sufficient for his wants. The promises of the Gospel are continually before him. God, he knows, will never leave him, nor forsake him.' Christ, he knows, will always be with him unto the end.' He may indeed be cast down,' but he will not be destroyed:' he may be afflicted,' but he will not be forsaken.' The Father of his spirit may indeed smite him in his wrath for a small moment, yet with everlasting kindness will he have mercy on him.' In every gloomy and distressing day there will be gleams of sunshine, and openings of a serene, unclouded heaven. In the dry and thirsty ground, where there is apparently no water,' and in the midst of a desolation visibly without limits, the wilderness will suddenly rejoice and blossom as the rose.'

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His piety is a seed sown here in an unkind, barren soil indeed, and under a wintry climate; but it will live, and grow, until it shall be transplanted to a happier region, beneath a more friendly sky; where it will shoot forth in its native strength and beauty. The flame of divine love kindled feebly in his heart will never cease to burn, until it shall rise and glow with unextinguishable ardour beyond the grave. The

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light which here dawns in darkness, and feebly illumines the surrounding gloom, will perpetually shine brighter and brighter, unto the perfect day.' All his sins and sorrows will continually lessen, and recede, and fade; all his graces, consolations, and hopes will expand and improve; until the imperfect good which he finds in this vale of tears,' shall be lost in the everlasting beauty, happiness, and glory of heaven.

SERMON LXXXVI.

REGENERATIO N.

ITS CONSEQUENCES.

INCREASE OF GRACE.

THE PATH OF THE JUST IS AS THE SHINING LIGHT, "HAT SHINETE MORE AND MORE UNTO THE PERFECT DAY.

PROVERBS iv. 18.

IN the last Discourse I considered at large the fourth consequence of regeneration. I shall now proceed to examine two other consequences of this great change in man, commonly termed, increase of grace, and perseverance to the end.

In the text the progress of the renewed man in holiness of character, is compared to the dawning light of the morning; which, barely perceptible at first, increases by gradations also barely perceptible, until the sun, ascending above the horizon, sheds over the face of the earth the full beams of day.

By this image we are naturally taught the following things:--

I. That the holiness of the Christian is a beautiful object · II. That it increases as he advances in life;

III. That it continues to the end.

I. The holiness of the Christian is a beautiful object. The views which David, who uttered the instructions contained in this chapter, and which Solomon, who under the influence of inspiration repeated them to us, formed of this

evangelical subject, are sufficiently manifested in the text. It is here compared to the most beautiful of all the objects in the natural world, presented to us in the most beautiful form; viz. the light of the sun succeeding the darkness of the night, and advancing, through a most elegant and delightful progress, to the splendour of the perfect day. What this illustrious object is in the natural system, the holiness of the Christian is in the moral system.

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In a similar manner it is spoken of throughout the Scriptures. It is styled by Christ the pearl of great price.' It is said by David to be more precious than thousands of gold, and of silver.' It is said by Job, that it cannot be gotten for gold; that silver shall not be weighed for the price thereof; that it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, the precious onyx, or the sapphire; that no mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls; that the price of wisdom is above rubies ;' and that its fame has been repeated in the regions of death and destruction. It is styled by Moses the beauty and glory of God' himself. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children: And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.'

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In conformity to these declarations, those who possess this character are styled, the excellent of the earth, in whom God delights;'-' chosen ;- wise ;'-' children of God;'-' followers of Christ;'-born of the Spirit ; the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold;'-' children of light;'' heirs of God; and brethren of Christ.' In all these appellations, the moral beauty, the loveliness of mind possessed by Christians, as it appears to the eye of God, is strongly conspicuous; and its inestimable value is exhibited in the most forcible terms of which language is capable.

When we consider this subject in its own proper nature, and as viewed by human reason, we cannot but acknowledge the justice of the scriptural representations. The Spirit infused into man at his renovation has been heretofore exhibited as the only voluntary source of happiness. This being admitted, as by unbiassed reason it must be, no other words can adequately describe either the excellence, the beauty, or the loveliness of this disposition. Its value is of course proportioned to the good of which it is the spring; and to this no limits can be affixed. In whatever degree it exists, and how

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