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SERMON

Were we

ners? Chrift died

origoil claim to glory for the fake of or for us as funis, holy perlons, for fuch were not; but for inners, that they might Were we enemies? We are reconciled or the death of his Son. All our bleffings thereforts are conveyed to us through the vehicle of fore are the price of blood, all fpiritual comWell may the Redeemer fay in words like thole, Exod. v. 25,

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blood.

"art thou to me."

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furely a bloody spouse

Let the poor trembling finner, who in his own apprehenfion is on the verge of the bottomlefs afar off, and fcarce dare lift his eyes towards pit, and who like the publican in the temple ftands poor difconfolate creatures, heaven; Ifay, let fuch learn fome useful leffons of inftruction from the obfervations already made on this precious fcrip

ture.

ift, God's love to finners is free and undeferved; and the whole world when arraigned at God's bar is brought in guilty, not one excepted, for, all have finned, and come fhort of the glory of God, and there is none righteons, no not one. Rom. iii. 10-23. Now if there be falvation for any, why not for you as foon as any other? For there is no difference. The gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift is as freely preached to you, as ever it was to those who hearing and believing it, are now in glory; and it is proposed to you on the fame terms, believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift and ye shall be faved. The faints in glory, of whom the facred pen-man of this precious paffage is not the least, (in heaven, although fuch he accounted himself to be on earth) were once numbered amongst those ungod

ly,

ly, ver. 6, for whom the Saviour died; and fays the divine writer, while we were yet finners. Jefus Christ did not poftpone his purposed death untill thefe had left their fins and become righteous; but he fhed his precious blood, to obtain that grace, whereby their hearts fhould be renewed, and they be made righteous. You complain that you are yet weak, that your lives have been wicked, and your hearts to this moment are hard and unbelieving. All this you fee is no bar to the love of God in Chrift Jefus; if God had not loved finners while yet they were fuch, and in rich mercy undertaken to recover them from that ftate by a way worthy of himself, they must have remained finners to all eternity, and fuffered the punishment due to fin. There is not in this or any age of the world a trembling finner whom the Lord does not look to in love, nor one that is bowed down and contrite in heart, with whom Jehovah himself does not dwell.

2dly. Chrift's agonizing and painful death has fully accomplished the purposes of heavenly love. He, the Redeemer of his people came not on a fool's errand, nor fpilt his precious blood in vain. The price was great, glorious, wonderful. The precious blood of the Son of God, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. What could it not effect? It was the price of pardon, we had finned, the Saviour fuffered; he died the death we finners had deferved. Pardon therefore is purchased, the price, the inconceivably great and immense price is paid. Settle the comfortable truth therefore in your hearts; there needs no fecond payment, for there's no after claim. The law wants nothing more, ftern juftice is appeafed, and the glori

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and have a rightful claim to glory for the fake of Chrift's merits. Were we finners? Chrift died for us, not for us as faints, holy persons, for fuch we were not; but for finners, that they might be faints. Were we enemies? We are reconciled by the death of his Son. All our bleffings therefore are the price of blood, all fpiritual comforts are conveyed to us through the vehicle of blood. Well may the Redeemer fay in words like those, Exod. v. 25, "furely a bloody spouse 66 art thou to me."

Let the poor trembling finner, who in his own apprehenfion is on the verge of the bottomlefs pit, and who like the publican in the temple ftands afar off, and scarce dare lift his eyes towards heaven; Ifay, let fuch poor difconfolate creatures, learn fome useful leffons of inftruction from the obfervations already made on this precious fcrip.

ture.

ift, God's love to finners is free and undeferved; and the whole world when arraigned at God's bar is brought in guilty, not one excepted, for, all have finned, and come short of the glory of God, and there is none righteons, no not one. Rom. iii. 10-23. Now if there be falvation for any, why not for you as foon as any other? For there is no difference. The gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift is as freely preached to you, as ever it was to those who hearing and believing it, are now in glory; and it is proposed to you on the fame terms, believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift and ye shall be faved. The faints in glory, of whom the facred pen-man of this precious paffage is not the least, (in heaven, although fuch he accounted himself to be on earth) were once numbered amongst those ungod

ly,

ly, ver. 6, for whom the Saviour died; and fays the divine writer, while we were yet finners. Jefus Chrift did not postpone his purposed death untill thefe had left their fins and become righteous; but he fhed his precious blood, to obtain that grace, whereby their hearts fhould be renewed, and they be made righteous. You complain that you are yet weak, that your lives have been wicked, and your hearts to this moment are hard and unbelieving. All this you fee is no bar to the love of God in Chrift Jefus; if God had not loved finners while yet they were fuch, and in rich mercy undertaken to recover them from that state by a way worthy of himself, they must have remained finners to all eternity, and fuffered the punishment due to fin. There is not in this or any age of the world a trembling finner whom the Lord does not look to in love, nor one that is bowed down and contrite in heart, with whom Jehovah himself does not dwell.

2dly. Chrift's agonizing and painful death has fully accomplished the purposes of heavenly love. He, the Redeemer of his people came not on a fool's errand, nor fpilt his precious blood in vain. The price was great, glorious, wonderful. The precious blood of the Son of God, as of a Lamb without blemish and without fpot. What could it not effect? It was the price of pardon, we had finned, the Saviour suffered; he died the death we finners had deferved. Pardon therefore is purchased, the price, the inconceivably great and immense price is paid. Settle the comfortable truth therefore in your hearts; there needs no fecond payment, for there's no after claim. The law wants nothing more, ftern juftice is appeafed, and the glori

M

glorious work in every part is finished. Nor fuffer it to flip out of your minds, that Jefus died for finners, the price is paid for the poor, the poor in fpirit, and their's, as the purchased bleffing, is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be

.

glad in your reconciled God, for he was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himjelf. Herod and Pontius Pilate who before were at enmity, were reconciled to each other in condemning Jefus ; but God, and finners who were before at enmity are reconciled in the execution of that fentence, thro' the fhedding of his most valuable blood, for when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Therefore do ye daily meditate on the blood and death of the dear Son of God, and draw your cure, a perfect cure, a cure for all the maladies of your fin-fick fouls from the Redeemer's crofs. He bled the precious balm poor wounded finners want, nor is his blood grown old, nor has it loft it's power, He is a Saviour to to the uttermoft for all that come to God by him, and whofoever comes, finners hear and lay up your hearts the precious faying, I will in no wife caft out.

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3dly. You are hereby alfo taught that falvation is not but by the blood of Chrift, for there is no juftification but in confequence of his vicarious death; therefore they who ftrive and toil thinking by their own felf-laboured works to enter into heaven, do but spend their strength for nought, and their labour for that which fatisfieth not. Such are thieves and robbers, they refuse to come in by the door Chrift Jefus, and attempt to climb up and enter another way; these rob God of the glory due to his name as the only Saviour.

If.