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SERMON LXXX, LXXXI.

Heaven's Grand Repofitory; or, the Father's Love to the Son, and depofiting all Things into his Hand, a ftrong Encouragement to Faith,

203 JouN iii. 35. The Father loveth the Son, and bath given all things into his band.

After an introduction unto, a divifion, and explication of the words, and laying down the doctrinal propofition, the following topics of discourse are handled, viz.

1. The Father's love to the Son evinced, in two pofitions,

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2. The evidence of the Father's love manifefted, by giving all things into his hand,

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3. How the love of the Father, thus evidenced, in giving all things into his hand, is a ground of faith,

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4. A very copious application of the whole,

In which application, befides other things, the following points are profecuted, viz.

(1.) That all things are in Chrift's hand, demonftrated,

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(2.) The beauty of this difpofure pointed out,

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(3.) The extent of this treasure enquired into,

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(4.) The manner how all things are in his hand, confidered,

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(5.) Motives and confiderations laid down to excite and quicken our faith in this truth,

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(6.) Directions offered for regulating our faith therein,

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SERMON

LXXXII.

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The Law of God's Houfe,

EZEK. xliii. 2. This is the Law of the Houfe; upon the top of the mountain, the whole limit thereof round about fhall be moft holy; behold, this is the Law of the Houfe.

The words being viewed in their connection, analized, explained, their proper meaning afcertained, and fummed up in a doctrinal propofition, the following general heads of method are difcourfed, viz. 1. The houfe of God treated of,

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2. The nature of that holiness, that is peculiar to the house of God, unfolded,

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3. That holiness is the law of the house, evinced, 4. The extent of this holiness, required by the law of God's houfe, pointed out,

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5. The privilege of access to the most holy place,

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6. That this privilege obliges the whole to be a moft holy people, manifefted,

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7. The application of the whole, in fundry ufes, viz. of information, lamentation, and exhortation,

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SERMON

LXXXIII.

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The Little City befieged, and delivered: or, the Deliverance of the Church by Chrift, and the Ingratitude of Men to the glorious Redeemer, reprefented, ECCL. ix. 14, 15. There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and befieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now, there was found in it a poor wife man, and be by his wifdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that fame poor man.

The fenfe of the words being afcertained, accurately analized, and fummed up in a doctrine, the following general topics of difcourfe are profecuted, viz.

1. The little city, and the few men in it, described,

2. The great fiege laid against the little city, opened,

3. The deliverance thereof, and the reasons of the fiege,

4. The ingratitude of the citizens represented,

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5. The application of the whole, in feveral uses, viz. of information, lamentation, trial, and exhortation,

SERMON

LXXXIV.

The Lamb in the midft of the Throne,

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REV. vii. 17. For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne fhall feed them.

The words being viewed in their fcope and connection, divided, explained, and a doctrine obferved, the following topics are proposed, viz.

1. To fpeak a little concerning the Lamb,

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3. Enquire how the Lamb comes to be upon the throne;

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4. What is imported in the Lamb's being in the midst of the throne, 368 5. Confider the benefit of feeding, that iffues from the Lamb's being in the midst of the throne,

6. To deduce fome inferences for the application,

A concluding word on Monday,

SER M ON

LXXXV.

Stability in the Faith, the Church's Strength,

ISA. XXX. 7.-Their Strength is to fit still.

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The author having taken a view of the words in their connection, analized, and explained them, and taken up their scope in a doctrinal propofition, the following general heads of method-are profecute by him, viz.

1. What these times are, that may be called perilous times, in which people fhew much inftability in the faith,

2. The nature of stedfastness in the faith opened,
3. That this ftability is people's ftrength in perilous times,
4. Inferences for the application of the whole,

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SERMON

LXXXVI.

Faith's Plea upon God's Covenant,

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PSAL. lxxiv. 20. Have respect unto the Covenant. The words being explained, and a doctrinal propofition raised from them, the following points are handled, viz.

1. What covenant it is he will have respect unto,
2. What it is for him to have respect unto the covenant,

3. What it is in the covenant he hath respect unto,

4. What kind a respect he hath to it,

5. Why he hath a refpect to it,

6. Some application made of the whole,

SERMON

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LXXXVII.

Faith's Plea upon God's Word,

2 SAM. vii. 25.-Do as thou haft faid.

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The words being explained, and a doctrinal obfervation laid down, the following heads of method are profecute, viz.

1. To fhew that it is the bufinefs of faith to take God's word, 462 2. That it is the business of faith to put him to it,

3. How faith takes God's word,

4. How it pleads the accomplishment of the promife,

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ibid.

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5. Whence it is the business of faith to take God at his word, and

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ISA. xxvi. 8. Tea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, bave we waited for thee.

The words being divided and explained, fundry doctrinal obfervations are deduced and illuftrated from them, viz.

I. That on whom foever God inflicts any punishments, they are always juft,

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II. That judgments upon a people do not come by chance, but have their original commiffion from God,

ibid.

III. That God's judgments are various,

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IV. That the fins of God's own people may provoke him to fend judgments,

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V. That God, who finites, is the beft hand to represent our cafe to, 484
VI. That it is the duty of the afflicted to wait on God,
Four questions propounded for clearing the duty,
Four objections folved, relative to waiting on God,

ibid.

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VII. The fubject improven, by giving fome directions, and offering fome motives,

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THE STRENGTH OF SIN; and how the LAW is the Strength thereof, opened up and unfolded*.

I COR. XV. 56.

-The ftrength of fin is the law.

PERHAPS there was never a generation wherein the strength and dominion of fin did more difcover itself, in the life and converfation of the people, than in this prefent age. Such is the mighty power thereof, that as all the children of men are flaves, fo moft of the children of God are captives to it. How are the thoughts, words, and actions of men and women, as fo many flaves, captives, and drudges to fin! But, for as ftrong as it is, the ftrength of it is little feen, and few know where the ftrength of it lies. As the Philiftines did not know that the ftrength of Samfon lay in his hair, or in the locks of his head, which whenever it was fhaved, his ftrength was gone; fo the world little know this mystery, that the ftrength of fin is the law, infomuch, that till the finner be fhaved, as it were, with the fharp razor of the Spirit of Chrift, fo as to be cut off from the law, and united to Chrift, the end of the law, the ftrength of fin remains, and the rule of it.

* This fubject appears to have been handled in fix fermons, preached on facramental occafions, in the year 1727. The first two at the facrament of Kinglaffy, July 30th, 31ft. The next two at Orwel, Auguft 7th, 8th. The two laft are an enlargement on the fame fubje&t; but when or where delivered is uncertain.

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That I may come to the purpofe I defign, you may only notice, that as the apoftle in the preceding part of the chapter, is treating the great doctrine of the refurrection of the dead, proving it from the refurre&ion of Chrift, anfwering objections againft this truth, and thewing what a remarkable change will be made upon the bodies of believers, both thefe that are dead, and thefe that fhall be living at the found of the laft trumpet: fo, in the context here, he is difcovering the complete conqueft that then the faints will obtain over death and the grave, and that then will be accomplished what the prophet Hofea fays, chap. xiii. 14. "Death fhall be fwallowed up in victory; I will ranfom thee from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy deftruction." What the prophets declare were to have their initial accomplished in the New-Teftament days, the apoftles declare are to have their full and confummate accomplishment at the day of judgment; yet, fo fweet and fatisfying is the begun accomplishment thereof in Chrift Jefus, that the apoftle, for himself, and in name of all believers in Chrift, fings their EПINIKION, their fong of triumph and victory, whereof thefe words are a part, faying, O death, where is thy fting? O grave, where is shy victory? The fting of death is fin, the strength of fin is the law: but thanks to God, that giveth us the victory, bro our Lord Jefus Chrift. Death had a fling, even power to hurt and kill; and the grave had a victory : but now where are they? In Chrift they are spoiled and difarmed, fo as they are not to be feen; where are they? And the day is coming, with refpect to the faints, when not fo much as the fign and veftige of death's power or the grave's victory will remain; where are they? The fing of death is fin: for fin gives power unto death, which would have no power to hurt, did not fin give renom to its darts: but Chrift, by death, hath taken out this fting, made atonement for fin, and obtained remiffi

fo that though death may hifs, it cannot hurt. The ength of fin is the law; for fin hath ftrength to conn us, and ftrength to deftroy us, from the law, and curfes, and threatenings: but Chrift hath removed

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