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and blesses these means for preserving alive in the soul the good work of grace, amidst all the allurements of the world, all the lusts of the flesh, and all the opposition of the wicked ; nay, perhaps, blesses them more effectually than if you had line upon line, precept upon precept, though, in stead thereof, you have only here a little and there a little.

Besides all this, divine love has taught you to look forward to sublimer ordinances in the heavenly Zion, to nearer and nobler communion in the temple above, where his saints shall serve him, and shall go no more out, and shall, without weariness and ceasing; ascribe blessing, and honour, and glory, to Him who sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb that was slain.

Now, O humble believers, unite in your meditation this wondrous chain of mercies to yourselves in particular, flowing from the love of a sovereign God; his electing you in Christ from everlasting, and inserting your unworthy name in the Lamb's book of life ; his giving you grace to believe in the Saviour, and giving you his Holy Spirit to conduct you to the land of uprightness ;

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his furnishing you with refreshing ordinances, and rendering them beneficial to your immortal souls; his visiting you with a mild mixture of trials and mercies, to wean you from the creature, and to elevate your hopes to heaven ; and, finally, his imparting multiplied pardons, glorious triumphs over corruptions, strong consolations in Christ, secret delights in God, growing prospects of glory, and victory over the dread of dying.

Contrast with all this, your own utter unworthiness; your natural enmity, impenitence, and wretchedness; your meriting nothing but an eternity of woe ; and yet your being begotten to an inheritance eternal in the heavens :

Then ask, Why was I numbered among the redeemed? why was I plucked from those flames of wrath, which my sins had kindled? why am I called from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the fellowship of Christ? The answer is, “ Even so, O Father; so it seemed good in thy sight !” Or, in the words of the apostle, “ God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved you, even when ye were dead in sins, hath quickened you to

gether

gether with Christ, by whose grace ye are saved: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Thus the scheme of redemption in general, the purchase of redemption through the Saviour, and the application of that redemption to every individual believer, confirms and illustrates the assertion in my text, that "God is love."

Glorious truth! Let us daily dwell on it in our remembrance. Let us joyfully commemorate the memorials of his richest love, in the sacrament; and let us plead, that in this solemn commemoration, every grace may be in lively exercise.

FROM this subject, I shall now take occasion to address the word of exhortation to two classes of hearers; 1. The abusers of divine love; 2. The happy men, who, drawn by the attractions of the love of God, esteem him above all.

First, Let me address myself to careless sinners, in the language of warning and reproof.

If God is love, not only in his nature, but also in his dispensations to mankind, then how great is your ingratitude, in perverting his acts of kindness into instruments of rebellion against your generous Benefactor !

Various are the methods by which you pervert the riches of divine love. If, when enjoying the bounties and benefits of our God, you forget the Giver of all good ; if, when you eat of his bread, and are nourished by his care, when you lie down in safety, and rise up in health, you acknowledge not, with humble gratitude, your dependence on the Almighty ; is not this to rob God of the praise of his loving-kindness, and to be unmindful of the Father of mercies, in whose hand your life is, and whose are all your ways?

Again ; too often you give to these bounties and benefits, which you derive from God, that affection and delight which belong to him. You admire, and love, and confide in the gifts of Providence, more than in the glorious Giver. You murmur and repine, when, in his righteous indignation, he withdraws what he sees you abusing to his dishonour. You charge him with se

verity,

verity, for withholding in mercy what you could not enjoy with moderation. You overlook the innumerable comforts still continued, and foolishly forget, that he who hath deprived you of one comfort, might with equal ease have deprived you of your .every joy.

Above all, ye careless ones who are at ease in Zion, you insult a loving God, by indulging impenitence and unbelief. He has revealed the great things of his law, and of his gospel; he has, in love, held forth for your acceptance the pearl of great price; but you trample it under foot, and despise the unspeakable gift ; you treat with scorn all the methods used for your salvation; nay, you dare to sin with the greatest arrogance

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because mercy is revealed, pardon offered, and grace promised.

O foolish and unwise! do you thus requite the Lord ? How shall you answer before him for your contempt of his love? or repel the charges brought against you, of goodness despised, græce rejected, patience, mildness, and long-suffering, insulted and abused? Your ingratitude and distrust, your unbelief and disobedience, your determined

rejection

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