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"who drinketh iniquity like water," that he should be accepted and saved; that he should inherit "eternal life ?"-Lord! we receive all from thy boundless mercy; and "not unto us; not unto us, but unto Thee "be the glory?”

And let us attend to the express declarations of Scripture." By grace are ye "saved, through faith, and that not of

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yourselves, it is the gift of God.-Not by "works of righteousness which we have "done; but according to his mercy, he "saved us, by the washing of regeneration "and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. "Without me ye can do nothing.-God "hath, from the beginning, chosen you to "salvation. It is your Father's good plea"sure, to give you, the kingdom *."-Hard sayings these! for the vain sons of Adam, who would always find something in themselves of which they may boast; but faithful sayings! which they must humble themselves to receive, if they would ever enter into life, and have an inheritance among them who are sanctified.

*Eph. ii. 8. Titus iii. 5. John xv. 5. 2 Thess. ii. 13. Luke xii. 23.

THIRDLY, as we have now seen, what this "gift of God" includes, and likewise whence it originates, let us next consider the appointed medium through which it comes. It comes, "through Jesus Christ "our Lord."-God is love; he is infinitely good, and must therefore ever wish to communicate all possible happiness; but being, at the same time, infinitely righteous and wise, he can communicate happiness only in the best possible way. The way in which he communicates it, must vary according to the state and character of those

who are designed to receive it. While the obedient receive it, in one way, the disobedient must, surely, receive it in another. When creatures have broken the divine law, and become obnoxious to punishment, and if, after all, they shall receive "eternal "life," there must, at the same time, be some signal expression given of the Divine displeasure against their sin, so that, while mercy is shown, the rights of Deity may be vindicated, and the order of the Divine government maintained. Now, this is cisely our case: We are all sinners, and

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naturally obnoxious to punishment; and though God loves us, and willeth not, that any of us should perish; but that all should receive "the gift of eternal life;" yet we can receive it only through the sufferings and death of "Jesus Christ our Lord." None but He was qualified to appear in our behalf, to avert the threatened vengeance, to dissipate moral darkness, to abolish sin, and "bring in an everlast"ing righteousness." Accordingly, when we were the prisoners of justice, the children of wrath, and the heirs of hell, our gracious Father appointed Him as our ransom. The Son of God, willingly undertook our cause, and in the councils of heaven, said:" Lo! I come; in the volume "of thy book it is written of me; I delight "to do thy will."-Accordingly, "though "he was in the form of God, and thought "it not robbery to be equal with God," yet that we might obtain "eternal life,”—“ he "made himself of no reputation, took upon "him the form of a servant, and being "found in fashion as a man, humbled him

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'self, and became obedient unto death,

86 even the death of the cross."-And he not only died, but rose again from the dead, to prove that his work was finished, that his sacrifice was accepted, and ascended up into heaven, that the Holy Comforter might come, to renew us in the spirit of our minds, and purify us even as he is pure.Thus did he fulfil the law, magnify and make it honourable, and show God to be both just, and yet the justifier of the ungodly." O! the depth of the riches, both "of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" Sin is thus punished, and yet the sinner is saved: death, "the wages of sin," is fully inflicted, and yet, "eternal life" is freely bestowed. And while it is bestowed "through "Jesus Christ our Lord," we are required to receive it by faith,-believing all that Christ hath done and suffered on our account; trusting, with unsuspecting confidence, that "He is faithful who hath pro"mised. If thou shalt confess with thy "mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe "in thine heart that God hath raised him "from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Who

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"soever believeth in him, shall not perish, "but have everlasting life :"-the life of angels, the eternal vision and enjoyment of God. Resting on this sure foundation, the believer may, at all times, have peace, and " abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.”—“Behold, God is my sal"vation, I will trust and not be afraid.

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Nothing, neither death nor life, nor angels, "nor principalites, nor powers, nor things. present, nor things to come, nor heighth "nor depth, nor any other creature, shall "be able to separate me from the love of "God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord."I am now ready to be offered up, and the "time of my departure is at hand; I have

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fought a good fight, I have finished my 66 course, I have kept the faith: henceforth, "there is laid up for me a crown of righte"ousness, which the Lord, the righteous

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Judge will give me at that day; and not "to me only, but unto all them also that "love his appearing. Jesus! into thy

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hands, I commit my spirit, for thou hast "redeemed me, O God of truth. How "great is the glory now to be revealed!

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