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orderly appetite and passion,-to sanctify their vile affections, and to enable them to resist the seductions of the world?

The devil, also, is an enemy, both subtile and powerful, unwearied in his attempts to seduce you from the path of duty: "Like a roaring lion, seeking "whom he may devour." He tempted our Lord for the space of forty days and forty nights in the wilderness; but, however severe and long continued the conflict was, the Captain of our salvation at length baffled all his machinations, and gained over him a signal and honourable victory. It was not, however, till our Lord died on the Cross, that this victory was completed. Then it was that thro' death he destroyed him that had the power of death, i. e. the devil.

Thus, the great Author and Finisher of our faith hath, in his own person, spoiled principalities and powers, and gained a complete victory over all the enemies of our immortal souls. "He "ascended up on high leading captivity

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captive, and gave gifts unto men;" and

his success may well be considered as a happy pledge and security of our final victory over every adverse power.

You are not, however, my Christian friends, to look for this, or for a total exemption from suffering and temptation while in this imperfect state. This world being designed by God as a school of discipline, where you must be trained up for glory and immortality, by a variety of trials and afflictions, you are called, as the means of your improvement in grace and holiness, to "endure "hardness as good soldiers of Jesus "Christ." Well, then, you may expect, that your numerous enemies will harass and annoy you in every step of your weary pilgrimage to the Zion on high; but be not dismayed, you that believe in Jesus, they cannot hurt, much less destroy your souls; "for greater is he "that is with you, than all that can be against you.

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The battle, indeed, may be hot while it lasts, but it cannot be of long duration. The issue will be honourable and glorious. After a few struggles and trials,

death will put an end to the contest, and your victory shall be complete. Then, with respect to you, this world shall have lost its power to ensnare; then shall you have no cause to complain of the corruption and deceitfulness of your heart, or of the power and malice of Satan; the whole body of sin being utterly destroyed, and the prince of darkness bruised underneath your feet, never to rise or disturb any more. Then shall you join the redeemed of the Lord, in singing this triumphant song : 66 O "death! where is thy sting? O grave! "where is thy victory? The sting of "death is sin; and the strength of sin is "the law. But thanks be to God which

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giveth us the victory, through our Lord "Jesus Christ."

He hath extracted the sting out of death, and divested it of all its power to terrify and torment his people. Hence, the real Christian can regard the king of terrors without dismay; assured, that when called to pass through the dark valley and shadow of death, the staff and the rod of the Great Shepherd of Israel shall strengthen and comfort his soul.

Our divine Redeemer "must reign "till he hath put all his enemies under "his feet," and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; but the final victory over it is reserved to the day of the manifestation of the sons of God, -to the day of our Lord's second coming, when he, who once appeared in the humble form of a servant, shall be revealed in his own and his Father's glory, attended with ten thousand times ten thousand of the armies of heaven, vested with the awful character of the Judge of men,-to that day when the thrones will be set, and the books opened; when the grave will give back its prisoners, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing unto Zion. Then, on the dawn of that everlasting day, at the sound of the last trumpet, shall the bodies of the saints who slept in the dust revive, and be raised up again, refined, purified, and immortal. What a great and glorious change will then take place on the body of the Christian? "It was sown in corruption, it will be " raised in incorruption. It was sown in "dishonour, it will be raised in glory.

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"It was sown in weakness, it will be "raised in power. It was sown a natu"ral body, it will be raised a spiritual body." "It will be fashioned even "like unto the glorious body of the Re"deemer," free from all the seeds of sin and corruption, of disease and infirmity of every kind, being rendered a fit habitation for a soul made perfect in holiness. Then shall the servants of Jesus, who have been faithful unto death, receive a crown of life; yea, a crown of glory shall be put upon their heads that shall never fade away. Here, however, language fails me, and the mind, stretched to the utmost, sinks back under the weight of glory inconceivable.

Join together, my brethren, the little you have now heard, and say if the Lord Jesus be not every way worthy of the honourable appellation given to him in my text; and does not this glorious Person, this almighty Saviour and Leader, claim your highest esteem, gratitude, and love? To the men of the world, who are content only with the good things of this life, and feel no need of a divine friend and saviour, the blessed

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