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VI.

that which was fown in grace fhall be DISC. reaped in glory, and the work of fanctification in fpirit, foul, and body, fhall be completed. What Chriftian, that confiders this unspeakable gift of God, but muft fay of him, with the Pfalmift, "He "hath put a new fong in my mouth, even "a thanksgiving unto our God" ?" Seeing every one of us may now fo properly take up thofe other words of the fame sweet Pfalmift; 66 Surely goodness and mercy "fhall follow me all the days of my life, " and I will dwell in the house of the Lord " for ever *."

What therefore remains, but that we fhew forth the thankfulness of our hearts by the holiness of our lives, and live as becometh those, whom Chrift having redeemed by his moft precious blood, hath fanctified with his moft Holy Spirit. Seeing Chrift our Saviour has bestowed fuch a gift upon his church, let us never provoke him to take it from us. As it is a gift, let

w Pf. xl. 3.

VOL. II.

M

* Pf. xxiii. ult.

us

DISC. us always be forward to acknowlege as VI. much; not attributing to nature what is

due to grace, or robbing the Holy Ghost to adorn reason. As, though a gift, it is given to every man to profit withal, let us have that day continually in our thoughts, when an account of our profiting will be required; and let us never forget, that the fame fire burns for the unprofitable and unbeliever; for him who neglects this gracious gift, and for him who rejects it. Since by the afcenfion of Chrift the heavens have been opened, and the Holy Dove has been fent down upon the earth, let us not give fleep to our eyes, or flumber to our eye-lids, till we have prepared in our hearts an habitation for him. Let pride depart, that it drive not away the Spirit of humility; let anger be put from us, that we quench not the Spirit of meeknefs; and let not that which is unchafte be named, or thought of, that we grieve not the Spirit of purity. So fhall we be meet entertainers of this heavenly gueft, and "to every one "of us will be given the gift of Chrift.”

But

But as there are different meafures of DISC.

this gift, let every one take care that he
think not more highly of himself, or arro-
gate more to himself, than he ought; but
let him know himself, his ftation, and his
abilities, and think and act soberly, accord-
ing as God has dealt the measure to him.
The God who fent the Spirit is a God of
order, and from the beginning
has ap-
"pointed divers orders in the church,"
and fet different officers in different pofts.
Let every man therefore, in his own order,
do the work allotted him. Let not the
layman take upon him the office of a dea-
con; nor the deacon intrude into the func-
tion of the priest; nor the priest ufurp the
authority of the bishop; much less fancy
himself invefted with the oecumenical com-
miffion of an apoftle. Good men have had
occafion to lament the calamities that have
been brought upon the church, from age
to age, through a neglect of this impor-
tant confideration a confideration, on
which is fufpended the felicity of every
fociety, in heaven and earth. When the
foul

;

M 2

VI.

VI.

DISC. foul of the learned, the pious, the incomparable author of the Ecclefiaftical Polity was about to take her flight to the regions of everlasting harmony and love, a friend asked him, what might then be the subject of his contemplations? He replied, that "he was meditating the number and "nature of angels, and their bleffed obe"dience and order, without which peace "could not be in heaven-and O that it

66

might be fo on earth!" With our endeavours let us add our prayers to his, that our eyes may behold Jerufalem, "a city "at unity in itself;" a city, on this account, equally confpicuous for beauty and ftrength; to it's friends appearing "fair as "the moon ;" to it's fpiritual adverfaries, "terrible as an army with banners."

DISCOURSE VII.

THE PREVAILING INTERCESSOR.

NUM B. XVI. 47, 48.

And Aaron took, as Mofes commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation, and behold the plague was begun among the people; and he put on incenfe, and made an atonement for the people; and he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed.

may

IT be questioned, whether any hif

tory in the world ever afforded a finer subject for a picture, than this before us. Aaron, in his facerdotal vestments, the smoke of the incenfe afcending from the holy

M 3

DISC.

VII.

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