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to us, whom we accidentally meet with in our passage through the world, and accordingly treat him as such, but rather as a fellow citizen of heaven, as a brother, who is to abide with us for ever in our Father's house. smit rsom

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Lastly, we may learn from hence, what important advantage a virtuous friendship has over a vicious one; and how far superior the hope of a true believer is to that of the infidel. For the friendship, which is founded in virtue, will for ever subsist and flourish: But the friendship betwixt those, who have been partners and confederates in iniquity, will cer tainly be turned into mutual curses and reproaches, and become an eternal and implacable enmity. And, whilst the infi del can only hope to enjoy his dearest friend, during this short and transitory life, after which, according to his own creed, they are both of them to perish like beasts, the Christian looks upon his friend as his fellow-traveller through eternity, and an everlasting possession: For he is persuaded, that though death may separate

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separate them for a time, it will soon bring them together again, never to be parted any more.

Wherefore then should we weep so much for the death of those we love? Do we not know that we shall go to them? And is not that infinitely better than that they should return to us? For by returning to us, they would only return to misery, anguish and disappointment: but by going to them, we shall go to peace, rest, and joy for evermore. Even so, Lord Jesus! therefore come quickly!

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SERMON LXXVIII.

ACTS xvi. SO.

What must I do to be saved?

THIS question was proposed to St. Paul and his fellow-prisoner by the keeper of the jail at Philippi, whilst he was under an alarm from a terrible earthquake, which shook the foundations of the prison, threw open the doors, and loosed every prisoner from his bands. And it is a question, surely, the most important we can ask, and which, above all others, every man should wish to have satisfactorily answered, who thinks that he has a soul to be saved; who believes that there is a Heaven of eternal happiness, or a Hell of never-ending torments. I shall

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I shall therefore, with all possible plainness and perspicuity of language (for I wish, on a point of so much importance, to be intelligible to all capacities) endeavour to shew, 1st, What is implied in the question;

And 2dly, To give a full and satisfactory answer to it,

Now in this question is clearly implied, in the first place, that salvation is attainable by all men. It is indeed an opinion maintained by some, that God Almighty did, from all eternity, resolve and determine, by an unchangeable decree, to be stow eternal life upon one particular part of the whole race of mankind, and to inflict eternal damnation upon all the rest;: and this without any regard to the works, the desires, and endeavours, of either one part or the other; so that let a man do what he will, or can do, he that is predestinated to damnation, cannot be saved; and he that is predestinated to salvation, cannot be damned. But this is a doctrine contrary both to our natural notions of

God,

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