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they may be in the estimation of the world, yet, when weighed in the balance, they are found wanting. They acknowledge that they have been slaves to divers passions, strangers to vital religion, despisers of what is spiritual and divine. They know that sin is the ruin of the soul, and the accursed thing which God hates ; that they deserve to perish, and can plead nothing but guilty at the bar of Heaven. With wonder they hear of the Saviour, who for them died, and offered himself a sacrifice well pleasing to God; with believing gratitude, they welcome the invitation to look unto him, and be saved; to come to him, and find rest for their souls. They behold in this Redeemer a transcendent beauty, which captivates their minds; and they take comfort from the persuasion, that in him is treasured up an inexhaustible fulness for the supply of all their wants. Therefore they trust in him alone for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Their hearts are opened to receive this Beloved of the Father, and their wills are subjected to his government and dominion. They consider him as their Prophet, to instruct; their

High-priest, High-priest, to recover; their King, to govern; their example, to imitate ; their Advocate, to intercede ; and their complete Mediator, to render all their services acceptable to God. While thus receiving him as freely offered in the gospel, in solemn acts of self-dedication, they yield themselves to be guided by his word, to be sanctified by his Spirit, to be satisfied with his dealings, and devoted to his service. They renounce this transitory and unsatisfying world as their inheritance, and say unto God, “ Thou art the strength of our hearts, and our portion for ever." They resist the insinuations of their unhallowed desires, and say unto Jesus, “ What have we any more to do with idols ? Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God.” They dread dependence on their own resolutions and exertions, and rely on the aid of the Holy Spirit, to keep them by his almighty power, through faith unto salvation.

But no language can describe their grateful emotions, when, being strengthened by faith, they can say with the apostle, “ We know in whom we have believed, and are persuaded that he will keep what we have

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Cred to his care. Now they who cwed in tears, reap in joy; and they who, under painful impressions of their utter unworthiness, went forth weeping, bearing precious seed, return rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them.

SERMON

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Although my house be not so with God, yet he

hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure : for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

Having, in the last discourse, attended to the character of those with whom God has entered into covenant, we now proceed,

II. To consider the nature of that gracious covenant which God makes with his people.

The word Covenant signifies, in scripture, sometimes a mutual agreement between two persons on a level, or nearly equal with each

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other, to bestow certain favours, on the

performance of certain stipulated conditions. Such was the covenant between David and Jonathan, Jacob and Abimelech, Abraham and the neighbouring princes. But this term is more frequently employed in scripture, to denote God's gracious intention and promise of conferring blessings and privileges, freely and without merit, on those whom he is pleased to honour. Such was his covenant with Noah, that the waters of the deluge should not again destroy the earth; such was his covenant with Israel, to make them his, and to be their God; and such was that blessed covenant of

grace, of which we are now to speak. This last is styled by our blessed Lord, the New Covenant, or the New Testament in his blood; and by the apostle, a covenant of promise, because its promised blessings are bequeathed in a testamentary form, as sure legacies to all believers.

The inquiry, therefore, which here presents itself to our attention, respects the blessings which a faithful God secures to his people in the unalterable form of a covenant,

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