at all if we had not this rationality, freedom, and liberty therefore we are to refift evil, repent of it, and put it away. This we may do, we can do it, because we have the power from the Lord, as men fo to do; we can turn our minds from what is evil to what is good, from what is falfe to what is true: It is this turning of the mind, and forfaking evil, which the Lord requires in fo many parts of his holy word-and in proportion as we turn. away from and forfake what is evil and falfe, in the like proportion are our minds open to the reception of the divine influence from the Lord. By thus fhunning all evils, as fins against the Lord, believing on him, and defiring his falvation; our minds are open to the influx of his love and wisdom, goodness and truth-by the power of which our internal man is regenerated, and we become fuch as the Lord defires us to be; that is, men of love, charity, truth, and goodness. As we increase herein, our regeneration is effected-our falvation compleated -and our true happiness advanced. In fhort, let us ever confider what the Lord, as our Redeemer and Saviour, has done, and is doing for us; and what we, as men of freedom and rationality, are to do, as co-operating with the Lord; at the fame time recollecting, that all our freedom, power, and rationality, are from him alone-and, therefore, that all our redemption, falvation, and happiness, are of the Lord, and of him only.

Let

1

Let us now, in the laft place, confider what fuitable returns we can make to the Lord, at this feason, in commemoration of his nativity, and in what manner we are to make them.

Great, indeed, is the event; yea, the greatest ever known-when the Almighty Jehovah, who is the Lord of all creation, became a babe, appeared on earth as man, to fave a finking world from fin, from endless ruin and death, and to raise our race to heaven, and everlasting happiness. What returns can we make but those of gratitude, of love, of joy and thankfulness, of praise and adoration!

Our facrifices ought to rise to him warm from the heart; and, if poffible, be as pure as thofe which the angels in heaven offer to his adorable name, while we are celebrating the illuftrious day in which the Lord Jefus was born. But let us not imagine that profane mirth, the low effufions of a fenfual mind, the noify clamors of intemperance, or the discordant fongs of inebriate fouls, will be pleafing to the ear of the Saviour, or find his approbation. No, firs, no; our joy, our gratitude, and praise, must flow from pure love, from love to him who is our God, our Saviour, and our best of friends. This love is pure, it elevates the foul far above all fenfual and fordid joy; it raises it to gratitude and praise of the pureft and most heavenly kind—but it does not debar us any good of life, or rational amusement. The focial meeting, the

liberal

liberal board, cheerful converfation, or the friendly treat, when guided by prudence, and ruled by virtue, are, all free for man. Then, if we would celebrate the natal day of our Redeemer and our God, in the manner he approves, let our gratitude, our praise, and joy, arise to him from hearts inspired with love, full of charity, truth, and goodness; and with a life which accords with thofe divine laws he came to teach us. Then, while we praise his name, and worship him alone in heart and life, all his redemption and falvation will be our own.

As years roll round, and bring to our remembrance his natal day, we fhall, with increafing joy and pleasure, celebrate his love and mercy. But this is not all, his fecond advent now opens to our view-he is come again to bless a finking worldto reveal his glory to the fons of men—and to teach us that he is God alone in his divine humanity.

His fecond advent with his first we'll fing,
And hail Jehovah welcome as our King!
His glories beam with bright effulgence round-
Ten thousand heav'nly bleffings now abound.
All chriftians foon fhall know he's come again,
With hearts enraptur'd, triumph in his reign:
One gen'ral chorus from mankind shall rise,
Join with the noble concert of the skies;
Angels and men in one loud anthem fing,
Jefus alone is Saviour, God, and King!

SERMON

SERMON XVI.

THE GOOD MAN'S RIGHTEOUSNESS,

AND

FUTURE EXPECTATIONS.

PSALM XVII. 15.

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I fhall be fatisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

THIS pfalm, in its first and highest sense,

respects the Lord Jefus Chrift; it is defcriptive of that oppofition and hatred he met with by men, when in this world, as well as by infernals; and alfo his victory over them all. But it likewise applies to the good man; his oppofitions, temptations, and deliverance. It is a prayer of divine faith and confidence, offered up to the Lord for protection, defence, and falvation. And the words

may

THE GOOD MAN'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.

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may be adopted with great propriety, by all those who put their truft in the Lord, love his name, and walk in his commandments. Such as can fay, as in the words of our text, "I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, "with thy likeness."

In fpeaking from thefe words, we will,

First, Confider the good man's refolution" I will "behold thy face in righteoufnefs." And,

Secondly, His expectation of, and confidence IN, future happiness:-" I fhall be fatisfied, when I "awake, with thy likeness."

Laftly, Apply the subjects to our own minds.

And first, As to the refolution declared.

It will be neceffary here to confider, what is to be understood by the FACE of the Lord-what by BEHOLDING it—and what by beholding it in

RIGHTEOUSNESS.

By the face of the Lord, is generally meant, in the word, mercy, peace, and every good; as may appear from a number of paffages. See Num. vi. 25, 26, "Jehovah make his face to fhine upon thee, and be merciful unto thee; Jehovah lift up " his countenance upon thee, and give thee PEACE;" and Pfalm lxvii. I, "God be merciful unto us, and "blefs us, and caufe his face to fhine upon us." Ifa. lix. 2, "Your iniquities have feparated " between you and your God, and your fins have "hid

1,